Effects of different maternal nutrition approaches on weight gain and on adipose and muscle tissue development of young bulls in the rearing phase

Author(s)

Gebim Polizel, Guilherme Henrique ^[1] ; Strefezzi, Ricardo de Francisco ^[2] ; Cracco, Roberta Cavalcante ^[1] ; Fernandes, Aricia Christofaro ^[1] ; Zuca, Cassiano Bordignon ^[1] ; Castellar, Henrique Hespanhol ^[1] ; Baldin, Geovana Camila ^[1] ; de Almeida Santana, Miguel Henrique ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Anim Sci, GOPec, Coll Anim Sci & Food Engn, Av Duque de Caxias Norte 225, BR-13635900 Pirassununga, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Vet Med, Coll Anim Sci & Food Engn, Av Duque de Caxias Norte 225, BR-13635900 Pirassununga, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: TROPICAL ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION; v. 53, n. 6 DEC 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of prenatal nutrition on body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), rump fat thickness (RFT), backfat thickness (BFT), ribeye area (REA), muscle cell area (MCA), and the number of cells in REA (NCREA) of young Nellore bulls during the rearing period. After pregnancy confirmation (30 days of pregnancy), 126 Nellore cows were separated into three prenatal nutritional treatments (NP (control; 0.03% of BW), only mineral supplementation; PP (0.3% of BW), protein-energy supplementation in the final third; and FP (0.3% of BW) protein-energy supplementation during the entire pregnancy). After calving, all animals were submitted to the same environmental conditions (sanitary and nutritional) and the different supplementation protocols ceased. The males (63 bulls) were evaluated during the entire rearing phase (210 +/- 28 days to 540 +/- 28 days of age) to weight gain (BW and ADG), carcass characteristics (RFT, BFT, and REA), and for histological assessments (MCA and NCREA; 7 animals per treatment randomly selected). All phenotypes were subjected to an analysis of variance. The different prenatal stimuli had no effect on BFT, RFT, MCA, and NCREA (P > 0.05); however, prenatal nutrition influenced BW of the animals during the rearing phase (P < 0.01) and showed a tendency on ADG (P = 0.09) and REA (P = 0.08). In conclusion, the offspring from FP treatment showed greater BW during the rearing phase in comparison to the NP group. This is related to a greater protein offered in prenatal nutrition, increasing muscle development during the gestational period. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/02310-3 - Evaluation of genes and metabolites of sexual, tissue and morphological development of Nellore cattle submitted to fetal programming
• Grantee: Guilherme Henrique Gebim Polizel
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 17/12105-2 - Fenomics of fetal programming effects on beef cattle production: a systemic approach
• Grantee: Miguel Henrique de Almeida Santana
• Support type: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants