Effects of dietary supplementation of different vegetable oils varying in polyunsaturated fatty acid content on reproductive performance and ovarian follicular characteristics of Murrah buffalo heifers

To compare the effects of dietary supplementation of different vegetable oils varying in polyunsaturated fatty acid content on reproductive performance and ovarian follicular characteristics, twenty Murrah buffalo heifers randomly divided into four groups (T0 , T1 , T2 and T3 ) of five animals in each on the basis of age and body weight (BW). All the animals were given concentrate, green fodder and wheat straw in 50:40:10 ratios, respectively, as per Kearl (1982) feeding standard. In addition, mustard oil, soybean oil and rice bran oil 3.5% of concentrate mixture were supplemented in groups T1 , T2 and T3 respectively. The average age at puberty reduced in all the treatments groups as compared to control, however, BW at puberty remain uninfluenced (P>0.05) in all the groups. The number of small size follicles (<3 mm) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in T2 as compared to T1 and T0 group but at par with T3 . Number of medium size follicles (3 to 6 mm) differ significantly (P<0.05) among treatment groups and control group. Total number of ovarian follicles followed a similar trend as shown by number of small follicles. Overall, the findings of the present study concluded that dietary supplementation of vegetable oils reduced the age at puberty, increased the number of small size of follicles, diameter of the large follicle and improve the conception rate in Murrah buffalo heifers.