By Russ L.Kelley, MS
Research and Development Division The lams Company,
Lewisburg, Ohio
INTRODUCTION
The
goal of any breeding program should focus on the generation of an adequate
size litter of healthy viable puppies reflecting the genetic potential of
the bitch. To achieve this goal, the breeder will be required to not only
select the proper breeding stock, but to also develop a plan by which the
stock will be managed. While the basis of the program must be applicable to
an entire kennel, it must also have some degree of flexibility to meet the
needs of each individual bitch.
PRE-BREEDING
Prior to any mating, the breeder should take every precaution to ensure
that the bitch is in ideal health. This includes not only being current on
all vaccinations and free from infections and parasites, but also in optimal
physical condition. To ensure this, animals should be exercised regularly
and maintained on a diet that matches energy needs relative to energy output.
An important note to remember is that the reproductive process does not begin
at mating, but several weeks prior to the mating process when ovarian follicles
are being recruited for the upcoming cycle. Because of this, it is important
that the breeder not confuse optimal physical condition with athletically
finished. The breeding bitch should have evident muscle tone, but also have
a slight degree of body fat. This body condition will help promote a healthy
endocrine system that will influence the degree of reproductive success.
WHAT TO FEED?
Nutrition
has long been recognized as an influential factor in bitch reproduction.(1-8) The recommendations from these references
are generally vague in that they recommend feeding a high-quality food with
sufficient energy for reproduction. There are a few publications (2,5) that have addressed the effect of
certain nutrient classes on canine reproduction. However, past research has
directed little effort to defining diet "quality" or to the role
of specific nutrients in canine reproduction. Additionally, there has been
a severe lack of studies designed to separate diet sufficiency and "optimal
nutrition". There are numerous diets, both commercially available and
home recipes, that have been recommended as sufficient for reproduction. This
merely means that animals were able to reproductively perform within expected
levels while consuming a defined diet. Unfortunately, these expected levels
are often well below the level that the bitch is genetically capable of performing.
Almost
thirty years ago, Collins(9) surmised
that the stress associated with reproduction would manifest even the smallest
of nutrient inadequacies in diets assumed to be complete. The inadequacies
of a diet may not be severe enough to halt the bitch from reproducing; however,
they most likely will prevent her from performing at her genetic potential
and/or would require an increased nutrient mobilization from her body stores
to meet the nutritional requirements of her progeny. Furthermore, since deficiencies
in maternal nutrition in other species have now been associated with adult
disorders in progeny (10) it is essential that we understand and optimize maternal
nutrition. It is also critical that the breeder keeps in mind that the mother
must supply all essential nutrients for the developing puppies. Because of
this, the bitch must obtain a sufficient supply from her diet or mobilize
these nutrients from her body stores. These essential nutrients would include
all of the essential amino acids (building blocks for proteins), the essential
fatty acids (functional components of cellular membranes and the endocrine
system), as well as various vitamins and minerals
However, this is not to imply that one should simply
switch to a diet with the highest available nutrient (protein or energy or
both) content or use various dietary supplements in an attempt to enhance
a food. Over-nutrition can be as detrimental as nutrient deficiencies. Excess
dietary energy can often contribute to extreme maternal weight gain, which
dramatically increases the risk of dystocia during parturition. The use of
dietary supplements can supply excessive amounts of nutrients such as minerals,
thus altering the balanced dietary matrix of the diet.
Again, you may ask, "what should I feed?"
First and foremost, select a commercially available premium food with animal-based
protein sources that is recommended for gestation and lactation and is produced
by a reputable company. While there are many "home-based" diet recipes
circulating, it is extremely difficult to achieve a complete and balanced
diet using these recipes. These diets can often be deficient in vitamins,
minerals, or other nutrients and are undefined with regard to amino acid and
fatty acid levels. They may also vary over time due to an inconsistent ingredient
supply. Commercial formulas offer distinct advantages by allowing the breeder
to feed a product of known nutrient content and type to support the reproductive
process.
Approximately two weeks prior to breeding, the bitch
should be transitioned (if necessary) from her maintenance diet to a diet
comprised of approximately 30% highly digestible animal-based protein and
20% lipids (fat). The lipid portion of the diet should be balanced for fatty
acid content to supply an omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the range
of 5:1 to 10:1. Findings from a recent study conducted by The lams Company
involving over 17,000 canine matings demonstrated benefits of feeding
such a dietary matrix (Eukanuba@ Premium Performance Formula) compared against
two other diets.(11) When fed throughout the reproductive
cycle, this diet resulted in fewer missed conceptions, a reduced number of
stillbirths and more consistent-sized litters from breeding to breeding.!!
The exact amount of food required will vary depending on breed and metabolic
rate; however, caloric intake should be similar to maintenance levels, thus
avoiding over-feeding the bitch.
PREGNANCY
During the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, the breeder
should continue to feed the bitch the above-mentioned 30-20 (% protein and
fat) diet at maintenance levels. It is possible that you may observe an increased
appetite in the bitch at approximately 3 weeks post-breeding. This, however,
may not indicate that you are underfeeding the bitch. During this period,
maternal recognition of pregnancy and embryonic implantation may trigger an
increased appetite in the bitch. It is very important that the bitch be maintained
on her normal routine during this period to prevent any undue stress, which
could be detrimental to the pregnancy.
At approximately 5 weeks post-breeding, the food intake
of the bitch should be increased slightly each day to achieve a 50% increase
in energy by the end of week 6. For example, if the bitch is consuming 1,000
calories/day for maintenance, by the end of the 6th week she should be
consuming approximately 1,500 calories/day. The amount to feed can be determined by contacting the
manufacturer for the metabolizable energy content of the diet, generally reported
in kcal/kg or kcal/cup. It will be necessary to closely monitor the bitch
during the later portion of gestation to ensure that she is gaining sufficient
weight. It is impossible to give an exact percentage of weight that a bitch
should gain, since the increase will vary greatly from breed to breed even
within similar adult sizes. For instance, one might expect a Golden Retriever
to gain more weight than a German Shepherd Dog on average, since retrievers
typically give birth to larger litters. However, a good rule of thumb would
be to target a 25% weight gain in the bitch by the end of week 8 (day
56) post-breeding.
The use of dietary supplements
is a highly debated topic. Everyone
knows someone who claims that some special additive will help solve a given
reproductive problem. Unforunately, there is little information in the scientific
literature to support such claims. It is very important to understand that dietary supplements are
needed only when the diet fails to supply the optimal levels of a nutrient.
If a breeder is feeding a diet that requires elaborate supplementation regimens,
it would be advisable to seek a high-quality food that has been formulated
to meet the nutritional needs of the pregnant or lactating bitch.
One of the most touted supplemental
regimens for the bitch is to increase calcium intake during pregnancy.
While this may seem logical, it is not only unnecessary but it can
be detrimental. One of the most critical needs of a lactating bitch is the ability to
regulate the deposition and mobilization of calcium for milk production. If
the bitch is supplemented with high levels of calcium during pregnancy, her
body is not metabolically primed to mobilize calcium from her bones. Therefore,
when the demands for calcium are suddenly and dramatically elevated at the
initiation of lactation, she is unable to keep up with the metabolic demands,
which can result in serious health complications. While her absolute requirement
may increase due to pregnancy, one should not confuse this with a percentage
requirement change. The bitch will receive any added calcium she may require
through her increased food intake.
Another common dietary supplement that is touted is
folic acid. This nutrient is highly promoted in humans to help prevent neural
tube defects; however, this developmental disorder is very rarely seen in
the dog. In addition, most commercial formulas recommended for reproduction
typically contain greater that 200% of the level of folic acid set as the
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) minimum for growth
and reproduction; therefore, deficiencies are highly unlikely.
CONCLUSIONS
Feeding your bitch does not have to be complicated.
While the science associated with nutrition and reproduction may require
years to understand, the actual practice of providing nutrition can be summarized
fairly simply: feed the appropriate amount of a diet that meets the animal's
needs. While this practice still requires the breeder to make decisions
as to the exact diet that will be fed, it does eliminate questions such as
to what mix of products and/or supplements must be utilized.
Based on our research in the area of canine reproduction,
the greatest success has been achieved feeding a diet, such as Eukanuba@ Premium
Performance Formula, consisting of approximately 30% protein (animal source-based)
and 20% fat with an omega-6:3 ratio of 5:1 to 10:1. The benefits of feeding
this formula have included increased conception rate and live births and more
consistent maternal productivity. While nutrition is only one component of
bitch management, it is one of the most (if not the most) important. Thus
by providing the proper nutrition, the breeder has taken a great step forward
in achieving a successful breeding program.
REFERENCES
1.
Sokolowski JH. Reproductive patterns in the bitch. Vet Clin N Am
1977; 7:653-666.
2.
Mosier JE. Nutritional recommendations for gestation and lactation
in the dog. Vet Clin N Am 1977; 7:683-692.
3. Evans HE. Reproduction and prenatal
development. In: Evans HE,
ed. Miller's Anatomy of the Dog. 2nd edition. Philadelphia,
PA: W.B.
Saunders Company, 1979; 13-77.
4. Concannon PW. Reproduction in the
dog and cat. In: Cole H, Cupps
PT, eds. Reproduction in Domestic Animals. 3rd edition.
Orlando, FL:
Academic Press, 1991; 517-554.
5.
Moser E. Feeding to optimize canine reproduction efficiency. Prob
Vet Med 1992; 4:545-550.
6. Evans HE. Prenatal development.
In: Evans HE, ed. Miller's Anatomy
of the
Dog. 3rd edition. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company,
1993; 32-97.
7.
Evans JM, White K. Book of the Bitch: A Complete Guide to Under
standing and
Caring for Bitches. New York: Howell Book House, 1997.
8.
Bebiak OM, Lawler OF, Reutzel LF. Nutrition and management of
the dog. Vet Clin N Am Small Anim Pract 1987; 17:505-533.
9. Collins DR. The reproducing bitch. In: The Collins
Guide to Dog Nutrition. 6th edition. New York: Howell Book House,
1972; 223-228.
10. Langley-Evans SC, Gardner OS, Welham SJM.
Intrauterine
programming
of cardiovascular disease by maternal nutritional status.
Nutrition 1998;
14:39-47.
11. Kelley RL. Canine Reproduction: What should we expect? In: Reinhart
GA, Carey OP, eds. Recent Advances in Canine and Feline Nutrition,
Volume III: 2000 lams Nutrition Symposium Proceedings.
Wilmington, OH: Orange Frazer Press, 2000;
225-242.
As taken from the IAMS “Canine Reproduction for Breeders
from a symposium presented at Westminster
KC, 2/10/01
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