Impact of Endometrial Lipids on Uterine Histotroph Composition and Preimplantation Conceptus Development in Dairy Cattle

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Reproduction is a critical component of dairy sustainability because it impacts the overall milk yield in a herd and its’ production efficiency. Pregnancy loss in lactating cows, however, is substantial and impairs reproductive efficiency and profitability of dairy farms. Elongation of the preimplantation conceptus (embryo and associated extra-embryonic membranes) is a prerequisite for successful pregnancy in cattle and depends on histotroph secretion by the endometrium. Nonetheless, approximately one third of viable blastocysts fail to elongate and survive by the end of the fourth week of development. Improvements in reproductive efficiency of dairy cows will require the development of strategies to minimize early embryonic mortality, which in turn will require a better elucidation of critical events in early developmental biology.