Can Flax, Soybean Supplements Decrease Embryonic Loss?
MANDAN, N.D. - Cows in a recent ARS research project gulped the extra pail of flax or soybeans they were given in the morning as quick as it was set down in front of them.
31 August 2007
1 minute read
| Leslie Lekatz, NDSU doctoral student, sorts cows. The cannulated cows are rumen controls. |
Obviously, it was tasty stuff and high in energy and nutrition.
But could the supplements also help cows maintain a pregnancy?
That's one of the questions animal scientists at the ARS Northern Great Plains beef research unit south of Mandan are finding answers to in a new research study recently completed.
It was a short-term project that began on July 13 and was completed Aug. 13 this summer so livestock producers could get the information in their hands as soon as possible.
This project is being conducted by Leslie Lekatz, doctoral student from NDSU's Department of Animal and Range Sciences, under the direction of Dr. Kimberly Vonnahme.
Vonnahme, a reproductive physiologist, collaborated on the joint project with Dr. Eric Scholljegerdes, USDA-ARS beef cattle nutritionist at the Mandan site.
“This is a unique project between the USDA and NDSU and we're excited about it,” said Scholljegerdes.
Lekatz said the nutrition project focused on whether flax or soybean supplementation could decrease early embryonic loss and increase conception rates to timed artificial insemination.
