TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of supplements during the cold season on the reproductive system in prepubertal Tibetan sheep ewes
AU - Jing, Xiaoping
AU - Peng, Quanhui
AU - Hu, Rui
AU - Wang, Hongze
AU - Yu, Xiaoqiang
AU - Degen, Allan
AU - Zou, Huawei
AU - Bao, Shanke
AU - Zhao, Suonan
AU - Wang, Zhisheng
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - We examined the development of the reproductive system in prepubertal Tibetan sheep ewes when fed only oat hay (CON) or supplemented with either lick blocks (BS) or concentrate feed (CS) during the cold season. The average daily gain of the CS ewes was greater than that of the BS ewes (P < 0.05), which was greater than that of the CON ewes. The same pattern was observed in the number of ovarian follicles (P < 0.001), that is, CS > BS > CON. Serum concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteotrophic hormone, estradiol and progesterone in the CS and BS groups were higher than in the CON group (P < 0.05). The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of KiSS-1, GPR54 (G protein-coupled receptor 54), ERα (estradiol receptor α) in the hypothalamic anteroventral periventricular area of the CS group were higher than in both the BS and CON groups (P < 0.05), while the BS group was higher than in the CON group (P < 0.05). Similar differences among groups were observed for gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor mRNA expression in the pituitary, follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and luteinizing hormone receptor mRNA expression in the ovary. These results indicated that the KiSS1/GPR54 system was more active with nutrition or trace mineral supplementation during the cold season. The system stimulated the hypothalamic–pituitary‑gonadal axis and enhanced folliclar development in prepubertal Tibetan sheep ewes. We concluded that energy, protein and trace minerals supplements could improve the reproductive performance of Tibetan sheep on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.
AB - We examined the development of the reproductive system in prepubertal Tibetan sheep ewes when fed only oat hay (CON) or supplemented with either lick blocks (BS) or concentrate feed (CS) during the cold season. The average daily gain of the CS ewes was greater than that of the BS ewes (P < 0.05), which was greater than that of the CON ewes. The same pattern was observed in the number of ovarian follicles (P < 0.001), that is, CS > BS > CON. Serum concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteotrophic hormone, estradiol and progesterone in the CS and BS groups were higher than in the CON group (P < 0.05). The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of KiSS-1, GPR54 (G protein-coupled receptor 54), ERα (estradiol receptor α) in the hypothalamic anteroventral periventricular area of the CS group were higher than in both the BS and CON groups (P < 0.05), while the BS group was higher than in the CON group (P < 0.05). Similar differences among groups were observed for gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor mRNA expression in the pituitary, follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and luteinizing hormone receptor mRNA expression in the ovary. These results indicated that the KiSS1/GPR54 system was more active with nutrition or trace mineral supplementation during the cold season. The system stimulated the hypothalamic–pituitary‑gonadal axis and enhanced folliclar development in prepubertal Tibetan sheep ewes. We concluded that energy, protein and trace minerals supplements could improve the reproductive performance of Tibetan sheep on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.
KW - KiSS1/GPR54
KW - Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
KW - Tibetan sheep ewe
KW - reproductive performance
KW - supplementary feeding
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011088564&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/asj.12762
DO - 10.1111/asj.12762
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85011088564
SN - 1344-3941
VL - 88
SP - 1269
EP - 1278
JO - Animal Science Journal
JF - Animal Science Journal
IS - 9
ER -