Lambs born from dams supplemented with different sources of fatty acids (FA) during late gestation have a different growth rate and plasma glucose concentration. The main objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effect of supplementing different sources of FA during late gestation on offspring plasma metabolite concentrations, growth, and on a glucose tolerance test (GTT) during the finishing phase. Fifty-four lambs (18 pens, 3 lambs/pen) were born from ewes supplemented during late gestation with one of three treatments: (1) no FA (NF); (2) a source of monounsaturated FA (PDS, 1.01% of Ca salts); or (3) a source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (EDS, 1.01% of Ca salts containing). At birth (day 0), supplementation ceased, and all ewes and lambs were placed in a common pen. On day 60, lambs were weaned, grouped by sex, blocked by body weight (BW), and placed on a common finishing diet for 54 days (FP). One lamb per pen was used for the GTT after the FP. There was a tendency for FA × Sex × Day interaction (p = 0.08) on lamb growth during the finishing period, with PDS females being heavier than PDS males, while EDS males were heavier than EDS females at day 60. There was a tendency for FA × Sex interaction (p = 0.06) for plasma insulin concentration for the GTT. Plasma insulin concentration of wethers increased as FA unsaturation degree increased during the GTT; the opposite happened with the plasma insulin concentration of female lambs. In conclusion, FA supplementation during late gestation tended to modified growth and insulin response to a GTT; these changes differed with the degree of FA unsaturation of the supplement and lamb sex.

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of different sources of fatty acids (FA) fed to ewes during late gestation on offspring growth, carcass characteristics (CC), and glucose and insulin metabolism [via glucose tolerance test (GTT)]. Fifty-four ewes (n = 18/treatment) were blocked by age, and BW; and within each block randomly assigned to one of three treatments fed from day 100 gestation until lambing. Treatments were: 1) no FA supplementation (CONT); or supplemented with 1% of lipid-enrich diet in 2) monounsaturated FA (MUFA); or 3) polyunsaturated FA (PUFA). At birth, all ewes and lambs were placed in a common pen and feed a common diet. At 60 days of age, lambs were weaned (d0), blocked by weight, and placed (3 lambs/pen; 6 pen/treatment; 3 pens of each sex) in a common diet until d56. Weight was measured on d0, d28, and d54; feed intake (FI) was measured daily. One lamb/pen was used on a GTT on d55, and another lamb/pen was used to determine CC (d56). Offspring data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with a 2x2 factorial arrangement (FA*Sex; SAS 9.4). Treatments did not affect (P > 0.1) offspring FI, neither plasma glucose concentration (GTT). There was a FA*Sex interaction (P < 0. 05) for insulin. Males’ plasma insulin concentration increased as FA unsaturation degree increased during the GTT, the opposite happened with females. There was an interaction of FA*Sex*Day (P < 0.05) on lamb growth. On d0 MUFA females were heavier than MUFA males, but PUFA males were heavier than PUFA females; these differences disappeared at d28. Lambs born from PUFA had a heavier (P < 0. 05) hot carcass weight. In conclusion, dam’s FA supplementation modified offspring growth, insulin sensitivity, and HCW; these changes depended on the supplement FA unsaturation degree and offspring sex.

Nutrition plays a critical role in developmental programs. These effects can be during gametogenesis, gestation, or early life. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are essential for normal physiological functioning and for the health of humans and all domestic species. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of n-3 PUFA in ruminant diets during gestation and its effects on pre-and postnatal offspring growth and health indices. In addition, different types of fatty acids have different metabolic functions, which affects the developmental program differently depending on when they are supplemented. This review provides a broad perspective of the effect of fatty acid supplementation on the developmental program in ruminants, highlighting the areas of a developmental program that are better known and the areas that more research may be needed.

The objective of the present experiment was to evaluate the effect of maternal supplementation with fatty acids (FA) and methionine (Met) during late gestation on offspring growth, energy metabolism, plasma resolvin (RvD1) concentration, carcass characteristics, and hepatic mRNA expression. Ewes (5 pens/treatment; 3 ewes/pen) blocked by body weight (BW) were assigned to one of four treatments from day 100 gestation until lambing. The treatments were: basal diet (NS) without FA or methionine supplementation; FA supplementation (FS; 1.01 % of Ca salts, containing n-3 FA); Met supplementation (MS; 0.1 % of rumen protected methionine); and FS and MS (FS-MS). At birth (d 0), ewes and lambs were placed in a common pen. On d 60 lambs were weaned, sorted by sex, blocked by BW, and placed on a common finishing diet for 54 days (FP). A lamb per pen was used for a glucose tolerance test (GTT) after the FP. Carcass characteristics were recorded on d 56. Lamb data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with repeated measurements when needed (SAS 9.4). At weaning, lambs born to MS or FS fed ewes were heavier than lambs born from FS-MS ewes (FS × MS × Time P = 0.02). A marginal significance FS × MS interaction (P = 0.09) was also observed on RvD1; lambs born to ewes in the NS and FS-MS treatments showed a lower RvD1 plasma concentration when compared to lambs born to FS or MS fed ewes. Lambs born to dams fed FA showed an increase (P = 0.05) in liver COX-2 mRNA relative expression. Lambs born to ewes supplemented with Met showed an increase (P = 0.03) in liver FABP4 mRNA expression. A FS × MS × Time interaction (P = 0.07) was observed in plasma glucose during the GTT; lambs born from FS ewes showed lower plasma glucose concentration than lambs born to Met supplemented ewes at 2 min after bolus administration. During the GTT, a marginal significant effect (P = 0.06) was observed for the lamb average insulin concentration due to maternal Met supplementation during late gestation, where these lambs had the lowest plasma concentration. Contrary to our hypothesis the interaction FA and Met supplementation during late gestation did not show a greater positive effect on offspring postnatal growth and metabolism. However, the individual supplementation of each nutrient has an effect on offspring development with a concomitant change in markers involved in the inflammatory response and energy metabolism.