Role of dietary fats in reproductive, health, and nutritional benefits in farm animals: A review

Abstract

Dietary fats serve a multitude of purposes in both humans and animals. They are a component of membranes and support the regulation of cellular influx and egress. They aid in the production of hormones, milk, embryonic, and foetal development, movement, and storage of energy, as well as absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. The objective of this review is to describe how dietary fats contribute to improved livestock reproductive performance. Data for this review study were acquired from recently published works in different journals. Databases were accessed using electronic data sources such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Research Gate, Web of Science, and the Directory of Open Access Journals. It is believed that dietary fats added to animal diets enhance animal reproduction by boosting the quantity and size of ovarian follicles and concentration of hormone progesterone plasma, declining the production of prostaglandin metabolites and increasing the lifespan of corpus luteum, which is also crucial for semen maturation, motility, and acrosomal reactions in addition to reproductive hormones. Therefore, it is important to employ dietary fats effectively to boost livestock reproduction and maximise animal output, which will achieve the relevant Sustainable Development Goals and food security.

Keywords

• vitamin absorption
• reproductive hormones
• animal reproduction
• food security