Energy metabolism and substrate oxidation in pigs during feeding, starvation and re‐feeding

Foetal life malnutrition has been studied intensively in a number of animal models. Results show that especially foetal life protein malnutrition can lead to metabolic changes later in life. This might be of particular importance for strict carnivores, for example, cat and mink (Neovison vison) because of their higher protein requirement than in other domestic mammals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of low protein provision during foetal life to male mink kits on their protein metabolism during the early postweaning period of rapid growth and to investigate whether foetal life protein deficiency affects the response to adequate or deficient protein provision post weaning. Further, we intended to study whether the changes in the gene expression of key enzymes in foetal hepatic tissue caused by maternal protein deficiency were manifested post-weaning. A total of 32 male mink kits born to mothers fed either a low-protein diet (LP), that is, 14% of metabolizable energy (ME) from protein (foetal low -FL), n 5 16, or an adequate-protein (AP) diet, that is, 29% of ME from protein (foetal adequate -FA), n 5 16) in the last 16.3 6 1.8 days of pregnancy were used. The FL offspring had lower birth weight and lower relative abundance of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (Fru-1,6-P2ase) and pyruvate kinase mRNA in foetal hepatic tissue than FA kits. The mothers were fed a diet containing adequate protein until weaning. At weaning (7 weeks of age), half of the kits from each foetal treatment group were fed an AP diet (32% of ME from protein; n 5 8 FA and 8 FL) and the other half were fed a LP diet (18% of ME from protein; n 5 8 FA and 8 FL) until 9.5 weeks of age, yielding four treatment groups (i.e. FA-AP, FA-LP, FL-AP and FL-LP). Low protein provision in foetal life lowered the protein oxidation post-weaning compared with the controls (P 5 0.006), indicating metabolic flexibility and a better ability to conserve protein. This could not, however, be supported by changes in liver mass because of foetal life experience. A lower relative abundance of Fru-1,6-P 2 ase mRNA was observed (P , 0.05), being lower in 9.5-week-old FL than in FA kits. It can be concluded that foetal life protein restriction leads to changes in post-weaning protein metabolism through lower protein oxidation of male mink kits.

Section: Dietsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foetal life protein restriction in male mink (Neovison vison) kits lowers post-weaning protein oxidation and the relative abundance of hepatic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase mRNA

Matthiesen

Blache

Thomsen

et al. 2012

“…Another three balance periods were conducted at 40, 68 and 96 days after arrival. Once during each balance period the barrows were subjected to a 22-h respiration experiment by means of indirect calorimetry in an open-air circulation system (Chwalibog et al, 2004).…”

Section: Animals and Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The volume of each respiration chamber was 3500 l and the chambers were constructed for animals with live weights of 5 to 200 kg. For a detailed description of the calibration and measurement procedures, see Chwalibog et al (2004).…”

Section: Experimental Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Bacterial protein meal in diets for growing pigs: effects on protein and energy metabolism

Hellwing¹,

Tauson²,

Kjos

et al. 2007

This experiment investigated the effects of increasing the dietary content of bacterial protein meal (BPM) on the protein and energy metabolism of pigs from weaning to a live weight of 80 kg. Four litters with four castrated male pigs in each litter were used. The litters were divided into two blocks according to age. One pig from each litter was fed one of the four experimental diets. Soya-bean meal was replaced with BPM on the basis of digestible protein, and the BPM contents in the four diets were 0% (BP0), 5% (BP5), 10% (BP10) and 15% (BP15), corresponding to 0%, 17%, 35% and 52% of the digestible nitrogen (N), respectively. Four balance periods were performed, at the start of which the pigs weighed 9.5 kg, 20.7 kg, 45.3 kg and 77.2 kg, respectively. Once during each balance period, 22-h respiration experiments were performed using indirect calorimetry. Daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate were the same for all diets. The apparent digestibility of N was lower on diet BP10 than on BP0 (P ¼ 0.002), whereas the apparent digestibility of energy was similar on all diets. The retention of nitrogen did not differ between diets and was 1.50, 1.53, 1.33 and 1.46 g N per kg 0.75 per day on BP0, BP5, BP10 and BP15, respectively. Neither metabolisable energy intake nor heat production were affected by inclusion level of BPM. Retention of energy was 620 (BP0), 696 (BP5), 613 (BP10) and 664 kJ/kg 0.75 per day (BP15), the differences among diets being non-significant. The N-free respiratory quotient was similar on all diets. It was concluded that the overall protein and energy metabolism in growing pigs were not affected when up to 50% of dietary N was derived from BPM.

“…Construction and function of the chambers have been described previously by Chwalibog et al (2004). The temperature in the respiration chambers was ∼16°C during the measurements.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of feeding on CO2 production and energy expenditure in ponies measured by indirect calorimetry and the 13C-bicarbonate technique

Jensen

Kyrstein

Junghans

et al. 2015

Energy expenditure (EE) can be estimated based on respiratory gas exchange measurements, traditionally done in respiration chambers by indirect calorimetry (IC). However, the 13 C-bicarbonate technique ( 13 C-BT) might be an alternative minimal invasive method for estimation of CO 2 production and EE in the field. In this study, four Shetland ponies were used to explore the effect of feeding on CO 2 production and EE measured simultaneously by IC and 13 C-BT. The ponies were individually housed in respiration chambers and received either a single oral or intravenous (IV) bolus dose of 13 C-labelled sodium bicarbonate (NaH 13 CO 3 ). The ponies were fed haylage 3 h before ( T − 3 ), simultaneously with ( T 0 ) or 3 h after ( T + 3 ) administration of 13 C-bicarbonate. The CO 2 produced and O 2 consumed by the ponies were measured for 6 h with both administration routes of 13 C-bicarbonate at the three different feeding times. Feeding time affected the CO 2 production ( P < 0.001) and O 2 consumption ( P < 0.001), but not the respiratory quotient (RQ) measured by IC. The recovery factor (RF) of 13 C in breath CO 2 was affected by feeding time ( P < 0.01) and three different RF were used in the calculation of CO 2 production measured by 13 C-BT. An average RQ was used for the calculations of EE. There was no difference between IC and 13 C-BT for estimation of CO 2 production. An effect of feeding time ( P < 0.001) on the estimated EE was found, with higher EE when feed was offered ( T 0 and T + 3 ) compared with when no feed was available ( T − 3 ) during measurements. In conclusion, this study showed that feeding time affects the RF and measurements of CO 2 production and EE. This should be considered when the 13 C-BT is used in the field. IV administration of 13 C-bicarbonate is recommended in future studies with horses to avoid complex 13 C enrichment-time curves with maxima and shoulders as observed in several experiments with oral administration of 13 C-bicarbonate.Keywords: 13 C-bicarbonate, indirect calorimetry, energy expenditure, pony ImplicationsEnergy expenditure (EE) can be estimated based on measurements of respiratory gas exchange. This is traditionally done by indirect calorimetry in respiration chambers. However, the horse has to be confined to the chamber during measurements, which might affect its normal behaviour. Moreover, this technique requires expensive research facilities and skilled personnel. The minimal invasive stable isotope 13 C technique for measuring EE in the field was evaluated successfully in ponies. The present study developed this technique further and the results provide new information on how it can be used under field conditions.