Titre : | Temporal feeding pattern may influence reproduction effciency, the example of breeding mares (2013) |
Auteurs : | H. Benhajali ; M. Ezzaouia ; C. Lunel ; F. Charfi ; M. Hausberger |
Type de document : | Article : texte imprimé |
Dans : | PLOS ONE (vol. 8 (9), 2013-09-01) |
Article en page(s) : | p.1-5 |
Langues: | Anglais |
Mots-clés : |
Mots-clés cheval DISTRIBUTIONEquivoc Comportement ; Fertilité ; Jument ; Prise Alimentaire ; Reproduction et mise bas ; Trouble Du Comportement |
Résumé : | Discomfort in farm animals may be induced by inappropriate types or timing of food supplies. Thus, time restriction of meals and lack of roughage have been shown to be one source of emergence of oral stereotypies and abnormal behaviour in horses wich have evolved to eat high-fibre diets in small amounts over long periofs of time. This feeding pattern is often altered in domestic environment where horses are often fed low fibre meals that can be rapidly consumed. This study aimed at determining the effect of the temporal pattern of feeding on reproductive efficiency of breeding mares. One hundrer Arab breeding mares was divided into two groups that differed only in the temporal pattern of roughage availability : only at night for the standard feeding pattern group (SFP mares), night and day for the "continuous feeding" group (CF mares). The total amount of roughage provided was the same as the CF mares received half of the hay during the day while in paddock (haynets). Mares were tested of oestrus detection by teasing with one stallion and were then examined clinically by rectal palpations and ultrasound before being mated naturally or inseminated bry fresh or frozen semen. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse data. The treatment affected significantly the reproductive efficiency of the mares with fewer oestrus abnomalies (p=0.0002) and more fertility (p=0.024) in CF mares (conception rate = 81% versus 55% in SFP mares). Ensuring semi-continous feeding by providing roughage may be a may of fulfulling the basic physiological needs of the horses' digestive system, reducing stress and associated inhibitors of reproduction. To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of an impact of temporal feeding patterns on reproductive success in a Mammal. Temporal patterns of feeding may be a major and underestimated factor of breeding. |
Cote du document numérique : | 15780/§3401 |
Classement cheval : | B12/C02/E13 |