{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T12:12:34Z","timestamp":1790770354328,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":71,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,8]],"date-time":"2026-04-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775606400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Southern Region Branch, Livestock Research Institute"},{"name":"National Science and Technology Council","award":["113Agri-2.1.2-Live-03"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["113Agri-2.1.2-Live-03"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Modern genetic selection for high productivity has created a physiological conflict in ruminants, where the metabolic demands of lactation compete directly with the energy requirements of reproduction. This review provides a mechanistic synthesis of how key nutritional factors modulate the endocrine and cellular pathways governing reproductive success in cattle and sheep. Negative energy balance (NEB), characteristic of the early postpartum period, suppresses the hypothalamic\u2013pituitary\u2013gonadal (HPG) axis by impairing the pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), mediated through reduced kisspeptin signaling, growth hormone (GH) resistance, and decreased circulating insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and leptin. At the macronutrient level, excess rumen-degradable protein elevates blood urea nitrogen and impairs the uterine environment, while omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit prostaglandin F2\u03b1 synthesis to support corpus luteum maintenance. At the micronutrient level, selenium, copper, and zinc are essential antioxidant cofactors protecting gametes and embryos from oxidative stress, while vitamins A, D, and E regulate gene expression in reproductive tissues. Furthermore, maternal nutrition during critical gestational windows programs the reproductive capacity of offspring through epigenetic modifications, with profound implications for long-term herd fertility. Understanding these nutritional\u2013reproductive interactions is crucial for developing precision feeding strategies that optimize herd fertility, improve animal welfare, and ensure the economic sustainability of livestock management. A thorough understanding of these nutritional\u2013reproductive interactions is essential for developing precision feeding strategies that optimize fertility in high-producing ruminants.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life16040630","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,8]],"date-time":"2026-04-08T15:26:39Z","timestamp":1775661999000},"page":"630","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Nutritional Regulation of Reproductive Physiology in Ruminants: A Mechanistic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-5294-167X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ting-Chieh","family":"Kang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Southern Region Branch, Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Pingtung 912, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Geng-Jen","family":"Fan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Tainan 712, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hisn-Hung","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Southern Region Branch, Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Pingtung 912, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kai-Fei","family":"Tseng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Southern Region Branch, Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Pingtung 912, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ya-Chun","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Southern Region Branch, Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Pingtung 912, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8836-8912","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hsi-Hsun","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Science, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 621, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Amma, Z., Reiczigel, J., F\u00e9bel, H., and Solti, L. 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