Effect of N-carbamylglutamate supplementation during early pregnancy on early embryonic survival and blood indexes in ewes

doi:10.11686/cyxb2020107

Abstract

Abstract:

This study aimed to investigate the effect of N-carbamylglutamate （NCG） supplementation on early embryonic survival and blood indexes in ewes， and to explore its mechanism. Fifty ewes with normal estrus and good health were randomly divided into two groups （Control group and NCG group）， with 25 ewes per group. From the day of mating， the ewes in the Control group were fed on a basic diet and those in the NCG group were fed on a diet containing 0.11% NCG for 38 days. The plasma amino acids， total nitric oxide synthase （TNOS）， endothelial nitric oxide synthetase （eNOS）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， nitric oxide （NO）， estradiol， and progesterone concentrations were measured on days 19 and 38 of gestation. Seven ewes in each group were killed on day 38 of gestation to obtain uterine samples， and the corpora lutea， total fetus， and other indexes were measured and recorded. On day 38 of gestation， compared with the Control group， the NCG group showed higher values for the total number of fetuses （79.72% increase； P<0.05） and live fetuses （79.72% increase； P<0.05）， fetus formation index （0.26 increase； P<0.05）， fetal water volume （72.89% increase； P<0.05）， and total live fetal weight （71.13% increase； P<0.05）. On day 19 of gestation， the concentrations of glycine， methionine， lysine， arginine， NO， iNOS， eNOS， and progesterone in plasma were significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.05）， and the contents of citrulline and proline in plasma were very significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.01）. On day 38 of gestation， the concentrations of arginine， proline， and NO in plasma were significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.05）， and the concentrations of iNOS and eNOS in plasma were very significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.01）. The results show that NCG supplementation in the early stage of pregnancy can enhance embryonic and fetal survival， increase the number of total and live fetuses on day 38 of gestation， and improve the reproductive performance of ewes. The potential mechanism is that supplemented NCG promotes endogenous arginine synthesis in ewes and increases the plasma concentrations of arginine， NO， and progesterone. This improves the intrauterine environment and nutrient supply， which are beneficial for embryo implantation and the maintenance of pregnancy in ewes.

Key words: N-carbamylglutamate, ewes, embryonic survival, arginine, NO

Yuan CAI, Yu-zhu LUO, Rong-xin ZANG, Chun-yang LI, Ying-pai ZHAXI. Effect of N-carbamylglutamate supplementation during early pregnancy on early embryonic survival and blood indexes in ewes[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2021, 30(6): 170-179.

Figures/Tables 10

References 41

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项目 Items	含量Content （%）	营养水平Nutrient levels²⁾	含量Content
玉米Corn	9.84	消化能Digestible energy （MJ·kg^-1）	10.98
小麦麸Wheat bran	2.53	粗蛋白Crude protein （%）	16.08
豆粕 Soybean meal	4.26	钙Ca （%）	1.30
食盐 Salt	0.08	总磷Total phosphorus （TP,%）	0.34
预混料Premix¹⁾	0.39
小苏打 NaHCO₃	0.08
磷酸氢钙 CaHPO₄	0.08
苜蓿草 Alfalfa	44.86
青贮Whole corn silage	37.88
合计Total	100.00

项目 Items	含量Content （%）	营养水平Nutrient levels²⁾	含量Content
玉米Corn	9.84	消化能Digestible energy （MJ·kg^-1）	10.98
小麦麸Wheat bran	2.53	粗蛋白Crude protein （%）	16.08
豆粕 Soybean meal	4.26	钙Ca （%）	1.30
食盐 Salt	0.08	总磷Total phosphorus （TP,%）	0.34
预混料Premix¹⁾	0.39
小苏打 NaHCO₃	0.08
磷酸氢钙 CaHPO₄	0.08
苜蓿草 Alfalfa	44.86
青贮Whole corn silage	37.88
合计Total	100.00

项目Items	对照组Control	NCG
配种体重Body weight at breeding (kg)	40.67±1.38	40.39±1.65
妊娠38天体重Body weight on day 38 of gestation (kg)	41.09±1.43	43.17±1.70
受胎率Pregnancy rate （%）	85.71(18/21)	90.91(20/22)
总胎儿数Total fetus (No.)	1.43±0.20b	2.57±0.43a
活胎儿数Live fetus (No.)	1.43±0.20b	2.57±0.43a
胎儿形成指数（胎儿/黄体）Fetus formation index	0.60±0.07b	0.86±0.09a
黄体数Corpora lutea (No.)	2.14±0.14	2.86±0.26
子宫重Uterine weight (g)	243.75±18.01	320.44±43.22
胎水体积Fetal water volume (L)	92.55±9.05b	160.01±26.44a
胎盘数Placental number (No.)	69.86±4.93	66.90±2.49
胎盘面积Placental area （cm²）	0.85±0.05	0.78±0.08

项目Items	对照组Control	NCG
配种体重Body weight at breeding (kg)	40.67±1.38	40.39±1.65
妊娠38天体重Body weight on day 38 of gestation (kg)	41.09±1.43	43.17±1.70
受胎率Pregnancy rate （%）	85.71(18/21)	90.91(20/22)
总胎儿数Total fetus (No.)	1.43±0.20b	2.57±0.43a
活胎儿数Live fetus (No.)	1.43±0.20b	2.57±0.43a
胎儿形成指数（胎儿/黄体）Fetus formation index	0.60±0.07b	0.86±0.09a
黄体数Corpora lutea (No.)	2.14±0.14	2.86±0.26
子宫重Uterine weight (g)	243.75±18.01	320.44±43.22
胎水体积Fetal water volume (L)	92.55±9.05b	160.01±26.44a
胎盘数Placental number (No.)	69.86±4.93	66.90±2.49
胎盘面积Placental area （cm²）	0.85±0.05	0.78±0.08

项目Items	对照组Control	NCG
活胎儿总重Total viable fetal weight (g)	4.26±0.58b	7.29±1.11a
活胎儿平均重Average weight of live fetus (g)	2.98±0.16	2.84±0.14
胎儿体长Length of fetus （cm）	3.13±0.06	2.97±0.11
胎儿体高Height of fetus （cm）	1.20±0.02	1.26±0.23