scholarly journals Influence of Maternal Factors (Weight, Body Condition, Parity, and Pregnancy Rank) on Plasma Metabolites of Dairy Ewes and Their Lambs

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Pesántez-Pacheco ◽  
Ana Heras-Molina ◽  
Laura Torres-Rovira ◽  
María Sanz-Fernández ◽  
Consolación García-Contreras ◽  
...  

Pregnancy and lactation are challenging states that affect maternal and lamb health. In Lacaune dairy sheep, we evaluated the impact of parity, pregnancy rank, and body condition on body weight and the condition of ewes and lambs in mid-pregnancy (75 ± 5 d), in late pregnancy (142 ± 4d), and postpartum (52 ± 5d pp). Maternal age was associated with initial decreases, followed by increases, in body weight and condition. After lambing, both mature and maiden ewes lost weight and body condition. Maternal indices of glucose, protein, and lipid metabolism were within physiological values during pregnancy, but postpartum values depended on maternal parity and pregnancy rank, with multiple-pregnant ewes showing a postpartum increase in glucose and maiden sheep a postpartum increase in plasma cholesterol concentration. Male lambs were heavier than female lambs at birth, and lambs born to mothers with higher body condition scores were heavier. Lambs born as singletons were heavier than those born in litters. Maternal age and pregnancy rank did not influence lamb metabolic indicators. Sex affected plasma concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Maternal metabolic indicators showed minimal effects on lamb phenotype. These results suggest that, when appropriately fed, dairy sheep can cover the metabolic demands of pregnancy and milk production, regardless of age and pregnancy rank.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Alharthi ◽  
D. N. Coleman ◽  
I. A. Alhidary ◽  
M. M. Abdelrahman ◽  
E. Trevisi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Nutritional management in the dry period can alter body condition score (BCS) in dairy cows, a subjective measure of body fat. As such, differences in BCS during late-pregnancy not only mirror nutrient utilization by fat depots, but also can play important roles on the metabolic and hormonal environment. We investigated the association between cow BCS during late-pregnancy on developmental parameters and blood variables of neonatal calves. Forty-nine multiparous Holstein cows were retrospectively divided by prepartal BCS into normal BCS ≤3.25 (NormBCS; 3.02 ± 0.17, n = 30) or high BCS ≥3.75 (HighBCS; 3.83 ± 0.15, n = 19) groups. Plasma samples were collected from cows at − 10 d relative to parturition. Body weight, hip and wither height, hip width and body length were measured at birth and weekly through weaning (42 d of age) and until 9 weeks of age. Calf blood samples were collected from the jugular vein at birth (before receiving colostrum, 0 d), 24 h after first colostrum and at 7, 21, 42 and 50 d of age. The data were subjected to ANOVA using the mixed procedure of SAS. The statistical model included day, BCS, and their interactions. Results Dry matter intake (kg/d or % of body weight) during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy was lower (P ≤ 0.06) in HighBCS cows. Plasma concentrations of fatty acids, ceruloplasmin, and nitric oxide were greater overall (P < 0.05) at d − 10 prior to calving in HighBCS cows, and they tended (P = 0.08) to have greater concentrations of reactive oxygen metabolites. Birth body weight was lower (P = 0.03) in calves born to dams with HighBCS. In addition, plasma concentrations of fatty acids, albumin and urea (P < 0.05) were greater in those calves. Although calves born to cows with HighBCS maintained a lower postnatal body weight (P = 0.04), hip and wither height, hip width, and body length, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in daily starter intake and average daily gain due to maternal BCS. Conclusions Overall, results highlight an association between BCS during late-gestation on in utero calf development and postnatal growth. A high maternal BCS during late-gestation was associated with lower calf body weights, which could be due to lower maternal intakes and a state of inflammation and metabolic stress.


Rangifer ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nilsson ◽  
Ö. Danell ◽  
M. Murphy ◽  
K. Olsson ◽  
B. Åhman

The transition from experimentally induced poor nutritional conditions to feeding was studied with 69 eight-month-old female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). During a pre-experimental period, all reindeer were fed a simulated winter diet with 80% lichens Cladina spp. and 20% Vaccinum myrtillus shrubs and Salix spp. leaves (lichen diet) ad lib. The reindeer were divided into five groups. A control group (group C) was fed the lichen diet ad lib. throughout the experiment. Four groups were fed half of that ration for eight days and were then totally deprived of feed for one day (restriction period). During the following 34 days (feeding period) the groups were re-fed the lichen diet (group L), fed pelleted reindeer feed combined with either lichen (group PL) or grass silage (group PS), or fed silage with a gradually increasing addition of pellets (group SP). Weekly measurements of blood samples and body weighr showed that the control group remained clinically healthy and had stable blood plasma concentrations of protein, urea, glucose and insulin throughout the experiment, but they lost weight. At slaughter, before and after the restriction period, all animals had lost rumen-free body weight, but the reindeer fed a restricted amount of feed lost more than the control group. Also the plasma metabolites were affected by the restricted feeding, with increased concentrations of urea and decreased concentrations of glucose. Group L responded immediately to the ad lib. feeding with blood metabolite levels rapidly approaching those of group C. The body weight developments were similar in groups L and C. Although the feed rations were increased gradually, diarrhoea occurred in some animals belonging to groups PL and PS within the first week of the feeding period. All reindeer recovered, after antibiotic treatment of the worst affected animals. The PL and PS groups, which had high contents of metabolisable energy and crude protein in their diets, showed increased con-centtations of plasma protein, urea and insulin. At the end of the feeding period, these groups had increased their body and carcass weights and gained fat, whereas reindeer fed the lichen diet had lost weight. Severe health problems (malnutrition and so-called wet belly) occurred in group SP during the first weeks of feeding and led to loss of animals, and consequently the SP group was excluded from the remainder of rhe experiment. The general conclusion is that the lichen diet did not cause any digestive problems, but resulted in a continuous decline in body weight and small or deficient fat reserves. After the initial diarrhoea, feeding with diets comprising pellets from the start resulted in improved condition, expressed as increased body weight, fat gain and higher concentrations of plasma protein, urea and insulin in relation to the control group. The diet initially based on grass in the form of silage of the given quality seemed insufficient as feed to reindeer calves in a poor nutritional state.


2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (4) ◽  
pp. F1325-F1331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian A. Bang ◽  
Susanne Bro ◽  
Emil D. Bartels ◽  
Tanja X. Pedersen ◽  
Lars B. Nielsen

Wild-type mice normally do not develop atherosclerosis, unless fed cholic acid. Uremia is proinflammatory and increases atherosclerosis 6- to 10-fold in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. This study examined the effect of uremia on lipoproteins, vascular inflammation, and atherosclerosis in wild-type C57BL/6J mice. Uremia was induced by nephrectomy (NX) and increased plasma urea and creatinine concentrations 2.5- to 4.5-fold; control mice were sham operated. After NX, mice were fed a Western-type diet or the same diet with 0.5% cholic acid. Cholic acid-fed NX mice did not thrive and were killed. In NX mice fed the Western-type diet ( n = 7), the total plasma cholesterol concentration was similar to that in sham mice ( n = 11), but on gel filtration the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio was increased. HDL from NX mice contained more serum amyloid A and triglycerides and less cholesterol than HDL from sham mice. Plasma concentrations of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 and aortic mRNA expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 did not differ between NX and sham mice. Twenty-six weeks after NX, the average oil red O-stained area of the aortic root was similar in NX and sham mice fed the Western-type diet, while it was increased in cholic acid-fed sham mice. The results suggest that moderate uremia neither induces aortic inflammation nor atherosclerosis in C57BL/6J mice despite increased LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio and altered HDL composition.


1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 743 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. McNeill ◽  
R. W. Kelly ◽  
I. H. Williams

The effect of ewe fatness on fetal weight at term was tested without the confounding effects of placental weight and feed intake. We hypothesised that fetal weights should be similar in fat or lean ewes with placentas of a similar size, and tested the hypothesis by manipulating nutrition so that, at mating, Merino ewes carrying a single fetus were in a medium (score 2·9, liveweight 46·6 kg) or lean (score 2·0, liveweight 40·6 kg) condition. They were maintained at this fatness difference until slaughter at Day 146 of pregnancy when fetal, placental, and maternal tissues were weighed and analysed for composition. Subgroups (n = 8 per fatness group) slaughtered at Day 110, a stage when most placental hypertrophy is complete but the majority of fetal hypertrophy is yet to occur, confirmed that the treatments differed in ewe fatness (3·82 v. 9·19 kg empty-body fat, s.e.m. = 0·960; P < 0·001) but not placental weight (487 v. 538 g, s.e.m. = 41·5, P > 0·05). By Day 146, fatness differences (4·77 v. 9·56 kg empty-body fat, s.e.m. = 0·960, P < 0·001) and placental similarities (434 v. 502 g, s.e.m. = 38·3, P > 0·05) were maintained, and both groups produced fetuses of similar size (4408 v. 4382 g, s.e.m. = 204·6, P > 0·05). However, the fetuses in the lean ewes had 20% less fat/kg fat-free body weight (24 v. 30 g/kg, s.e.m. = 1·3, P < 0·01). Fetal weight was correlated with placental weight (r = 0·70; P < 0·01) but not with ewe fatness. Fetal fatness, however, was correlated with ewe fatness (r = 0·69; P < 0·01). Ewe fatness per se did not influence fetal size but did influence the deposition of fat in the fetus, possibly via a greater ability of fatter ewes to partition more glucose toward their fetus.


2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasmus Bovbjerg Jensen ◽  
Lucca Louise Rockhold ◽  
Anne-Helene Tauson

Abstract Background The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the accuracy of different body weight formulas for estimating body weight of Icelandic and Warmblood horses, as well as to assess the associations between the variables cresty neck score, body condition score, and plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin and cortisol. A total of 81 adult (≥ 4 years of age) horses (43 Icelandic and 38 Warmblood horses) was included in this study. The following morphological measurements were collected by two examiners simultaneously; body weight; height at withers; neck length; 0.5 neck length; neck circumference; umbilical circumference, two different heart girths, as well as two different body length measurements. The horse’s body weights were measured on a weight scale, and cresty neck scores were rated along with body condition scores using both the 0 to 5 and the 1 to 9 systems. Results In general, the concordance correlation coefficient was high for most formulas, but the mean bias and slope bias deviations varied between formulas. Some simple formulas using only heart girth, or heart girth and length can be used to estimate body weight of Icelandic and Warmblood horses as good as more complex formulas using four morphometric measurements. Plasma concentrations of leptin and insulin were higher (P < 0.001) for the Icelandic than the Warmblood horses, probably reflecting higher body fat content as suggested by the differences in body condition score. Conclusions Body weight formulas only give an estimate of body weight and not a completely correct determination. Some simple and more complex formulas can be used for Icelandic horses even though they are not developed for this breed. Complex formulas using four morphometric measurements were accurate, but simple formulas using only heart girth, or heart girth and length can be used to estimate body weight and thereby be applied to weight tapes and used to estimate the body weight of both Icelandic and Warmblood horses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 150 (8) ◽  
pp. 2023-2030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaume Amengual ◽  
Johana Coronel ◽  
Courtney Marques ◽  
Celia Aradillas-García ◽  
Juan Manuel Vargas Morales ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background Plasma cholesterol is one of the strongest risk factors associated with the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and myocardial infarction. Human studies suggest that elevated plasma β-carotene is associated with reductions in circulating cholesterol and the risk of myocardial infarction. The molecular mechanisms underlying these observations are unknown. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the impact of dietary β-carotene and the activity of β-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1), which is the enzyme responsible for the conversion of β-carotene to vitamin A, on circulating cholesterol concentration. Methods In our preclinical study, we compared the effects of a 10-d intervention with a diet containing 50 mg/kg of β-carotene on plasma cholesterol in 5-wk-old male and female C57 Black 6 wild-type and congenic BCO1-deficient mice. In our clinical study, we aimed to determine whether 5 common small nucleotide polymorphisms located in the BCO1 locus affected serum cholesterol concentrations in a population of young Mexican adults from the Universities of San Luis Potosí and Illinois: A Multidisciplinary Investigation on Genetics, Obesity, and Social-Environment (UP AMIGOS) cohort. Results Upon β-carotene feeding, Bco1−/− mice accumulated &gt;20-fold greater plasma β-carotene and had ∼30 mg/dL increased circulating total cholesterol (P &lt; 0.01) and non–HDL cholesterol (P &lt; 0.01) than wild-type congenic mice. Our results in the UP AMIGOS cohort show that the rs6564851 allele of BCO1, which has been linked to BCO1 enzymatic activity, was associated with a reduction in 10 mg/dL total cholesterol concentrations (P = 0.009) when adjusted for vitamin A and carotenoid intakes. Non–HDL-cholesterol concentration was also reduced by 10 mg/dL when the data were adjusted for vitamin A and total carotenoid intakes (P = 0.002), or vitamin A and β-carotene intakes (P = 0.002). Conclusions Overall, our results in mice and young adults show that BCO1 activity impacts circulating cholesterol concentration, linking vitamin A formation with the risk of developing ASCVD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shayan Mohammadmoradi ◽  
Deborah A Howatt ◽  
Hong S Lu ◽  
Alan Daugherty ◽  
Sibu P Saha

ABSTRACT Bitter melon (BM; Momordica charantia L.) has been reported to ameliorate diet-induced obesity and dyslipidemia. However, the effects of BM on atherosclerosis have not been determined. This study investigated the effects of BM diet-induced atherosclerosis in LDL receptor–deficient mice. A total of 30 female mice (aged 6–8 wk) were fed a saturated fat–enriched diet. In group 1 (n = 10), mice were fed this diet alone, whereas mice in groups 2 and 3 (n = 10/group) were fed the diet supplemented with BM either 0.1% or 1% by weight. After 12 wk, body weight, plasma cholesterol, and atherosclerotic plaque areas were analyzed. No significant differences in body weight and plasma cholesterol concentrations were observed among the groups. Also, BM supplementation did not affect atherosclerosis development. In conclusion, dietary BM has no effect on plasma cholesterol concentration and atherogenesis in hypercholesterolemic mice.


2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 755-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Bryl ◽  
Hanna Bis-Wencel ◽  
Brygida Ślaska ◽  
Bożena Nowakowicz-Dębek ◽  
Zbigniew Bełkot ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the leptin concentration and body weight of mink females on the birth parameters of their kits. Blood samples were collected 3 times during preparation for reproduction, 7±2 days before mating. Total leptin concentration in serum was measured using commercial RIA kits (Millipore, St. Charles, Missouri USA). Research was conducted on 20 clinically healthy scanbrown female minks (Neovison Vison) aged 2-3 years. To evaluate their body condition, the females were divided into two groups based on the BCS scoring system. In the first group, referred to as BCS 2, lean females were included, and the second group (BCS 4) consisted of obese females. In mink dams belonging to BCS 2, the average leptin values were one-fourth of those in the BCS 4 group. The results obtained indicate the influence of the body mass of minks during preparation for reproduction on serum leptin concentration. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed a statistically significant difference between weights and leptin concentrations in groups BCS 2 and BCS 4. Among the other traits, such differences were not found. The analysis of results obtained in the two mink groups did not reveal a clear relationship between leptin in the serum of mothers before mating and the birth parameters of their kits.


1970 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 593-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Nestel

1. The turnover of plasma esterified cholesterol was measured in normal and hyperlipidaemic subjects during diets rich in either carbohydrate, polyunsaturated fat or saturated fat. Turnover was measured from the rate of incorporation of radioactive mevalonic acid into plasma esterified cholesterol. 2. The turnover of esterified cholesterol was greater with polyunsaturated than with saturated fat in each of four normal subjects. 3. In sixteen studies carried out with carbohydrate-rich diets, plasma esterified cholesterol turnover tended to increase as the cholesterol concentration rose. Turnover appeared also to be higher among subjects with carbohydrate-induced hyperlipidaemia especially when they were overweight. Thus, esterified cholesterol turnover was significantly correlated with the plasma concentrations of both cholesterol and triglyceride and with body weight. 4. The physiological function of esterified cholesterol is not known but these findings suggest that it may be related to lipid transport.


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