INFLUÊNCIA DO STATUS E BALANÇO NUTRICIONAL SOBRE A REPRODUÇÃO E OCORRÊNCIA DE FALHAS REPRODUTIVAS NA VACA DE CORTE

Abstract

Beef cattle in Brazil is developed basically under pasture conditions. At certain times of the year, the forage supply decreases, due to climatic changes. This reduction in food supply leads to a nutritional deficiency, which will result in a low reproductive index, which can be assessed by the body condition score.During this period, these animals must be supplied with their nutritional requirements, throughout their production cycle. The knowledge of the relationship between nutrition and reproduction is essential to increase the productive efficiency of a herd, helping in decision-making.The reproductive performance of females depends on the age at which they conceive for the first time, as heifers that give birth earlier have a longer productive life. The adequate supply of nutrients to the cow is essential, since insufficient energy intake is related to poor reproductive performance, prolonging the period of anestrus after calving, having a great impact on its lifespan.Among the reproductive failures related to inadequate nutritional management, disorders in the estrous cycle can be highlighted, which has a nutrient deficit as the main cause, and disorders in the puerperium, which are related to the negative energy balance after childbirth, which interferes with uterine involution, and predisposes the occurrence of retained placenta and metritis.The objective of this review was to gather information about the importance and influence of nutrition and the nutritional status of female beef cattle on reproduction and predisposition to the occurrence of reproductive failures.