Effect of nutritional supplementation on nitrogen dosage in beef cows and their progeny in an extensive system

• Grant number: 24/03776-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Maria Claudia Araripe Sucupira
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Pinheiro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/16738-3 - NITROGEN ISOTOPIC FRACTIONATION IN TAIL HAIR, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Brazil is one of the largest beef producers in the world. In 2022 the estimated herd is 230 million heads (IBGE, 2022). The most beef cattle in tropical countries are rised in pasture. Then, that the nutrition of these animals is influenced by climate change. Pasture characteristics change mainly during the dry period, when the quality and quantity of forage becomes low. It is also normally during this period that females are in the final third of pregnancy, a period in which the highest percentage of fetal growth occurs (70 to 80%). In addition, maternal malnutrition is one of the most important factors in intrauterine growth retardation, which impairs the metabolism and growth of fetal organs. Furthermore, due to fetal programming, these negative consequences can last throughout the animal's life. Therefore, the phenotypic characteristics of offspring due to maternal malnutrition have been widely studied and are currently known. However, research on the impacts of dietary elements on offspring metabolism is still scarce. In this sense, studies of the impact of diet on nitrogen metabolism during pregnancy are important, as protein is one of the nutrients with a determining role in fetal growth and the synthesis of fetal and maternal tissues. This research project will investigate the effects of different pre-partum diets (presence and absence of supplementation on pasture) on nitrogen metabolism in beef cows and their progeny, based on the dosage of this compound in urine, plasma, milk and tail hair.