Energy balance and ovarian follicle development prior to the first ovulation postpartum in dairy cows receiving three levels of dietary fat

The objectives of this study were to characterize early postpartum (PP) follicular development in dairy cows and to evaluate the influence of energy balance (EB) and the level of dietary fat on dominant follicle development and function. Forty-five multiparous Holstein cows were fed either low (LF, 3.3%), moderate (MF, 5.2%), or high (HF, 7.1%) total dietary fat beginning at parturition, and daily EB was determined for all cows. Follicular development was monitored by ultrasonography, and blood plasma was analyzed for metabolites, metabolic hormones, progesterone, estradiol, and FSH. After an increase (p < 0.01) in mean plasma FSH during Days 1-5, all cows experienced a wave of follicular development during the second week PP regardless of diet or EB. Feeding the MF (p < 0.05) or HF (p < 0.06) diet resulted in a greater number of class IV (> 15 mm) follicles on Day 14 PP as compared to the LF diet. Cows fed the MF diet had higher (p < 0.05) peak plasma estradiol during the first follicular wave and a shorter (p < 0.05) interval to first ovulation than both LF and HF cows. Follicular development prior to first ovulation was characterized by either ovulation of the first dominant follicle (OV, n = 19), one or more waves of nonovulatory dominant follicles (NOV, n = 18), or the formation of a follicular cyst (CYST, n = 8). Ovulation failure during the first follicular wave PP was accompanied by lower (p < 0.001) peak plasma estradiol (0.96 +/- 0.36 vs. 5.0 +/- 0.35 pg/ml), a smaller (p < 0.01) maximum follicle diameter (16.0 +/- 0.9 vs. 20.0 +/- 1.0 mm), lower (p < 0.09) levers of plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (ICF-I; 73.5 +/- 10.1 vs. 102.9 +/- 9.9 ng/ml), and a longer (p < 0.02) interval to the EB nadir (14.6 +/- 1.9 vs. 6.4 +/- 1.9 days). The number of days to first ovulation was positively correlated with days to the EB nadir (r = 0.55), with dominant follicles that emerged after the EB nadir exhibiting enhanced (p < 0.01) production of estradiol and greater (p < 0.01) ovulatory success. The development of large (> 10 mm) dominant follicles was not a limiting factor in PP reproductive recovery, and moderate dietary fat shortened the interval to first ovulation. Follicular competence early PP was associated with higher plasma IGF-I and a shorter interval to the EB nadir.