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A J apanese B lack breeding herd exhibiting low blood urea nitrogen: A metabolic profile study examining the effect on reproductive performance
Author(s) -
Watanabe Urara,
Okamoto Koji,
Miyamoto Akio,
Otoi Takeshige,
Yamato Osamu,
Tshering Chenga,
Takagi Mitsuhiro
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12012
Subject(s) - herd , zoology , blood urea nitrogen , biology , urea , subclinical infection , urea nitrogen , endocrinology , creatinine , biochemistry , virology
Ten reared cows of a J apanese B lack cattle herd in K agoshima prefecture, J apan, exhibited extremely low blood urea nitrogen ( BUN ) concentration (2.6 ± 0.6 mg/ dL ). Examination of dietary feed nutrition and relevant pastureland soil content suggested a correlation with crude protein ( CP ) deficiency or unbalanced nutritional dietary feeds. Thirteen months after the introduction of a dietary remedial measure (bean cake supplementation), BUN , total cholesterol and albumin concentration from five of the original 10 cows increased significantly compared with their values of before the dietary remedy. The postpartum day open period was significantly lower after the dietary remedial measure than that before it. The abnormally low BUN levels of the cattle herd may be due to inadequate dietary nutritional content, primarily from the imbalance of total digestible nutrient and CP of the feed and far lower han average CP value. In conclusion, routine examination of serum biochemical parameters in J apanese B lack breeding cattle may be a useful strategy for determining subclinical metabolic failure of cattle herds, and consequently, its effect on reproductive performance of the herd.