Non-esterified fatty acids in early luteal bovine oviduct fluid mirror plasma concentrations: An ex vivo approach.

We investigated whether and to which extent plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are reflected in oviduct fluid (OF) using an improved ex vivo flushing method. OF and plasma NEFA concentrations were respectively 0.29±0.

Nutrition and maternal metabolic health in relation to oocyte and embryo quality: critical views on what we learned from the dairy cow model.

Although fragmented and sometimes inconsistent, the proof of a vital link between the importance of the physiological status of the mother and her subsequent reproductive success is building up. High-yielding dairy cows are suffering from a substantial decline in fertility outcome over past decades. For many years, this decrease in reproductive output has correctly been considered multifactorial, with factors including farm management, feed ratios, breed and genetics and, last, but not least, ever-rising milk production.