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Delayed resumption of postpartum oestrous cycles in dairy cows is linked to low plasma insulin status and associated changes in ovarian function. Previous studies showed that plasma insulin can be raised by increasing dietary starch concentration, but it is not known if rumen digestible starch and bypass starch would be equally effective. The objective of the two experiments reported here was to investigate whether site of dietary starch digestion influences metabolic hormones and ovarian function. Cows were fed on a standard diet from calving until 40 days postpartum and then fed on treatment diets until 70 days postpartum. In Experiment 1, six cows were transferred to each of five diets with a starch content of 190 g/kg DM, of which 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 or 0.60 was bypass starch. In Experiment 2, eight cows were transferred to each of four diets containing concentrates with low (L) or high (H) starch content and predominantly grass (G) or maize (M) silages in a factorial design. Between 60 and 70 days postpartum, plasma insulin was not influenced by site of starch digestion in Experiment 1, but insulin was increased by H (P = 0.020) and M (P = 0.048) in Experiment 2. Dietary bypass starch content negatively influenced plasma glucagon concentration (P = 0.046) and the insulin to glucagon ratio (P = 0.005) in Experiment 1. Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I and leptin did not vary among diets in either experiment. The number of small ( |
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