Effects of nutrient restriction of bovine dams during early gestation on postnatal growth, carcass and organ characteristics, and gene expression in adipose tissue and muscle1

Abstract

Angus x Hereford heifers (15 mo and artificially inseminated to a single sire) were used to evaluate the effect of prenatal nutritional restriction on postnatal growth and development. At d 32 of gestation, dams were stratified by BW and BCS and allotted to a low-nutrition [55% of NRC (1996) requirements, n = 10] or moderate-nutrition [100% of NRC (1996) requirements, n = 10] diet. After 83 d of feeding, dams were commingled and received a diet in excess of requirements. Dams were allowed to calve naturally, and birth weights and growth of calves were recorded. Bulls were castrated at birth. Steers (16 mo of age, 5 per treatment) received a high-concentrate diet ad libitum to a constant age (88 ± 1 wk). Steers were slaughtered and weights of the empty body and organs were recorded. Samples of organs, muscle (complexus), and perirenal and subcutaneous adipose tissue were stored at -80 degrees C, and then DNA and protein concentrations were quantified and expression of genes associated with fatty acid metabolism and glucose uptake were measured in adipose and muscle tissue. Dams had similar (P > 0.33) BW and BCS at the beginning of the experiment. At the end of restriction, dams on the low-nutrition diet weighed less (P ≤ 0.01) and had less BCS (P < 0.001) than those on the moderate-nutrition diet. Length of gestation was 274 ± 2 d for dams in the low-nutrition treatment and 278 ± 2 d (P = 0.05) for dams in the moderate-nutrition treatment. Nutrient restriction during gestation did not influence birth weight or postnatal growth of calves. Lungs and trachea of steers whose dams were fed the low-nutrition diet weighed less (P = 0.05) at slaughter than those of steers whose dams were fed the moderate-nutrition diet; weights of other organs were not influenced by treatment. Complexus muscle from steers whose dams were fed the low-nutrition diet had a greater (P = 0.04) concentration of DNA and larger muscle fiber area compared with steers whose dams were fed the moderate-nutrition diet. Abundance of mRNA for fatty acid binding protein 4, fatty acid translocase, and glucose transporter 4 was less in perirenal adipose tissue of steers whose dams were fed the low-nutrition diet compared with those whose dams were fed the moderate-nutrition diet. Nutritional restriction of dams during early gestation did not alter postnatal calf growth. However, concentrations of DNA in muscle tissue and muscle fiber area were greater in steers from dams exposed to restricted nutrient intake during early gestation.

Late gestation supplementation of beef cows differing in body condition score: Effects on cow and calf performance1,2

“…Nevertheless, even though differences in organ cellular composition and function were noted, Long et al (2009Long et al ( , 2010b showed that when beef cows are provided nutrients at a level that meets nutritional requirements during late gestation, it can ameliorate many of the negative consequences (growth and carcass characteristics) of intrauterine growth restriction resulting from early-to midgestational nutrient restriction. Also, other research with late-gestational supplementation of cows has resulted in positive effects on age at puberty and pregnancy rate of female offspring (Martin et al, 2007;Funston et al, 2010).…”

“…Prior research has shown that nutrient restriction during early to mid-gestation negatively affects fetal growth (Wu et al, 2004), including myogenesis and adipogensis (Du et al, , 2011, decreases tenderness and adipose tissue deposition , decreases the responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in female progeny (Long et al, 2010a), organ development and function (Long et al, 2009), and gene expression (Long et al, 2010b). Nevertheless, even though differences in organ cellular composition and function were noted, Long et al (2009Long et al ( , 2010b showed that when beef cows are provided nutrients at a level that meets nutritional requirements during late gestation, it can ameliorate many of the negative consequences (growth and carcass characteristics) of intrauterine growth restriction resulting from early-to midgestational nutrient restriction.…”

“…A growing body of evidence suggests that gestational nutrition can alter offspring body composition and growth, hormonal balance, cardiovascular development, metabolic function, neonatal health, organ development and function (Wu et al, 2006;Long et al, 2009), and gene expression (Long et al, 2010b). However, Long et al (2009Long et al ( , 2010b indicated that providing beef cows sufficient nutrition during late gestation can ameliorate many of the negative consequences of intrauterine growth restriction that occur in early to mid-gestation, specifically related to organ growth, animal performance, and carcass characteristics, even though some differences in organ cellular composition and function were not corrected by realimentation. Nevertheless, Stalker et al (2006) provided supplemental protein to mature cows during the last 90 d of gestation and improved calf survivability, weaning performance, and economic returns.…”

Effects of nutrient restriction followed by realimentation on growth, visceral organ mass, cellularity, and jejunal morphology in lambs

“…Variations in nutrient intake alters the mass (Long et al, 2010) and cellularity (Caton et al, 2009) of visceral tissues which are among the most metabolically active in the body of ruminants (Ortigues and Doreau, 1995). Visceral tissues can account for up to 50% of total energy expenditure (Burrin et al, 1989), divided almost equally between the digestive tract and the liver.…”

Influence of gestational maternal feed restriction on growth performance and meat quality of rabbit offsprings

“…With regard to farm animals, the effects of maternal undernutrition during gestation on performance and/or body composition of the offsprings has been extensively studied in sheep (Krausgrill et al, 1999;Fahey et al, 2005;Zhu et al, 2006;Daniel et al, 2007), pigs (Bee, 2004;Gondret et al, 2005;Rehfeldt and Kuhn, 2006) and cattle (Long et al, 2010;Robinson et al, 2013). In rabbits, feed restriction in late pregnancy may alter mortality rate and birth-to-weaning weights (Nafeaa et al, 2011), although the timing of feed restriction is likely important for reproductive performance (Manal et al, 2010).…”