Can omega-3 oils help arrest on-going decline in fertility?

摘要

Supplementing dry cow rations and early lactation diets with fish oils high in omega-3 can reduce embryo loss and improve herd fertility, according to independent consultant Tony Blackburn who oversaw a trial with two large herds in Cheshire. Despiteall the many attempts to improve the reproductive performance of the UK dairy herd, the battle seems to have been lost with fertility declining and calving intervals lengthening. "Between 1993 and 2002, conception rates have fallen from 45.4% to 38.9% while heat detection rates declined from over 70% to just over 57%. There are a number of factors contributing to this decline and producers should be looking to improve fertility to lift margins and deliver the milk profile their customer requires," saysindependent consultant Tony Blackburn.