LAUSR

Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy is a central concern to the cattle industry, as it strongly impacts efficiency and profitability of beef cow-calf operations. The objective of this study was to determine if nutrient restriction impacts ovulatory follicle size and corpus luteum (CL) volume of Angus cows enrolled in estrous synchronization. A total of 26 Angus cows were housed at the Virginia Tech – Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Education Center (SVAREC) equipped with a Calan gate system for individual animal intake, stratified by body weight (BW) and randomly assigned to one of two treatments: 1) a maintenance diet that provided 100% of nutrient requirements (MTN; n = 13) or 2) a diet providing 70% of nutrient requirements (REST; n = 13). Nutrient requirements were calculated and adjusted weekly based on BW using the 2016 NRC version of Beef Cattle Nutrient Requirements Model Software. Cattle underwent an acclimation period of4 days and were exposed to nutritional treatments for 30 days before estrous synchronization. Body weight was measured daily using an automated scale, and a conventional livestock scale at the beginning and end of the experiment. Cows were synchronized using a 7-day CO-synch + CIDR protocol beginning on day -10. An estrus alert patch was applied on day -3 and read on day 0 to assess expression of estrus. Ultrasonography of the ovaries was performed at each event of the estrous synchronization protocol. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Initial BW was similar between treatments (P = 0.07; 600 ± 32 kg), but MTN compared with REST cows had greater final BW (P < 0.01; 687 ± 24 and 556 ± 27 kg, respectively) and greater average daily gain (1.35 ± 0.18 and -0.72 ± 0.21 kg/d, respectively). Estrus expression was numerically greater (P = 0.185) MTN (84.62%) than REST (61.54%) cows. Diameter of the largest follicle was similar (P = 0.851) between treatments at the CIDR insertion (12.6 ± 0.6 mm) and CIDR removal (12.9 ± 0.4 mm), but were greater for MTN than REST cows at 60 hours after CIDR removal (14.01 ± 0.6 and 12.37 ± 0.5 mm, respectively). Volume of CL was similar (P > 0.01) at 5 (3211 ±13 mm3) and 7 (5280.3 ± 212 mm3) days after ovulation. In conclusion, nutrient restriction during estrous synchronization negatively affects diameter of the ovulatory follicle, but it did not affect subsequent CL volume in mature Angus cows.