Effect of the Strategic Supplementation for Producing Embryos of Native Hartón del Valle Heifers

Abstract

Nutritional imbalances have been confirmed in other breeds, related to energy, proteins and minerals and this affects embryonic development, production of quality. In this regard, the objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of strategic supplementation for the production of embryos in native Hartón del Valle heifers. For that purpose, 18 pure heifers were used, fed with a diet containing 0.708 kg of crude protein and 73.58 kg of ME Mjul. The economic evaluation was carried out using the partial budgeting technique. Treatments consisted of T1: Without supplementation, T2: Supplementation, 42 days before protocol, T3: 42 days of supplementation, 26 days before and 16 days during protocol. Variables evaluated were number of structures, transferable embryos, number of Non-Transferable Embryos (NTE), number of corpora lutea, follicles and embryonic quality. Non parametric analysis of variance was performed, according to a completely randomized design and comparison of proportions (chi-square). When analyzing the proportion of NTE Vs. the total, it was lower (p˂0.05) in supplemented treatments, regardless of the period in which supplementation was carried out. Supplementation, in both phases of the protocol, increased the proportions of early morulae and blastocysts (p<0.05). In the economic analysis, profits increased by 2.05 and 1.53 times in favor of the supplementation. Supplementation to Hartón del Valle heifers, before and during superovulation, favored the biological response of collected structures, number of follicles and corpora lutea. Similarly, the proportion of transferable embryos, early morulae and quality one blast cells increased, in addition to achieving a higher cost/benefit relationship.