Influence of maternal nutrient restriction and rumen-protected arginine supplementation on post-ruminal digestive enzyme activity of lamb offspring

Nutritional and Physiological Constraints Contributing to Limitations in Small Intestinal Starch Digestion and Glucose Absorption in Ruminants

“…Arginine administration through jugular blood did not influence pancreatic α-amylase activity in non-pregnant ewes [93]. Similarly, dietary rumen-protected Arg supplementation to ewes during mid-to late-gestation did not influence pancreatic α-amylase activity of lamb offspring at 54 d of age [109]. After 14 d of duodenally infusing increasing levels of Phe, Yu et al [110] observed linear increases in pancreatic α-amylase specific activity, and a cubic response in α-amylase secretion in goats.…”

“…Shirazi-Beechey et al [142] attempted to measure sucrase activity in isolated brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from lamb intestine and also did not detect any sucrase activity. More recently, we have been unable to detect sucrase activity in intestinal mucosa samples from neonatal calves [104], growing steers [122], or fetal, neonatal, or gestating sheep [95,109].…”

“…Similarly, feeding Leu at 2.9% of DM to neonatal lambs in milk replacer for 42 d decreased small intestinal maltase and isomaltase activity at slaughter after an 82 d finishing period [115]. Rumen-protected Arg supplementation to gestating ewes fed at 60% of nutrient requirements did not influence small intestinal digestive enzyme activities of lamb offspring at day 54 of age [109]. Although Glu has been shown to increase small intestinal starch disappearance in steers after 12 d [66,67], our recent study found only a small increase in duodenal maltase activity in steers duodenally infused with raw corn starch and Glu for 58 d [122].…”

Prenatal and Postnatal Nutrition Influence Pancreatic and Intestinal Carbohydrase Activities of Ruminants

“…Few studies have evaluated the effects of maternal nutrition on postnatal offspring pancreatic α-amylase activity in ruminants. Maternal dietary restriction and rumen-protected arginine supplementation from mid-gestation to parturition did not influence pancreatic α-amylase activity of lamb offspring at d 54 of age [ 40 ]. Maternal protein supplementation (369 g/d) to beef cows from day 124 of gestation to parturition did not influence apparent total tract starch digestibility, small intestinal mass, or pancreatic α-amylase per gram of protein of offspring that were slaughtered after finishing [ 41 ].…”

“…Few studies have evaluated the influence of maternal nutrition during gestation on small intestinal digestive enzyme activity of offspring postpartum. Maternal dietary restriction and rumen-protected arginine supplementation from mid-gestation to parturition did not influence jejunal maltase, isomaltase, or glucoamylase activities of lamb offspring at d 54 of age [ 40 ]. Likewise, Yunusova et al [ 4 ] found that offspring from ewes that were intake restricted from mid-gestation to parturition did not differ in jejunal maltase activity at day 180 postpartum.…”