Dietary curcumin supplementation promotes browning and energy expenditure in postnatal overfed rats

Background Early postnatal overfeeding could result in metabolic imprinting that decreases energy expenditure following white adipose tissue (WAT) gain throughout life. This research investigated whether curcumin (CUR) supplementation could promote WAT browning and activate thermogenesis in postnatal overfed rats. Methods and results This study adjusted the size of litters to three (small litters, SL) or ten (normal litters, NL) to mimic early postnatal overfeeding or normal feeding from postnatal day 3. From postnatal week 3 (weaning period), SL rats were fed a standard diet (SL) or a diet supplemented with 1% (SL1% CUR) or 2% (SL2% CUR) CUR for ten weeks. At postnatal week 13, SL rats with 1% or 2% CUR supplementation had lower body weight and less WAT gain and had an increased lean mass ratio, and their glucose tolerance and blood lipid levels had recovered to normal when compared to SL rats that did not receive the supplement. Moreover, the increased heat generation were consistent with the expression levels of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and other browning-related genes in the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of the SL2% CUR rats but not in the SL1% CUR rats. In addition, 2% CUR dietary supplementation enhanced the serum norepinephrine levels in SL rats, with upregulated mRNA levels of β3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) in SAT. Conclusion Dietary CUR supplementation attenuates body fat gain and metabolic disorders in SL, which might be induced by promoting browning of SAT and energy expenditure. Moreover, the benefits were more obvious in SL with 2% CUR supplementation.

Impacts of Nutritional Management During Early Postnatal Life on Long-Term Physiological and Productive Responses of Beef Cattle

Effective early postnatal nutritional management is a crucial component of livestock production systems, and nutrient manipulation during this period has been shown to exert long-term consequences on beef cattle growth and physiology. Metabolic imprinting defines these biological responses to a nutritional intervention early in life that permanently alter physiological outcomes later in life. Early weaning has been used to study metabolic imprinting effects, given that it allows for nutritional manipulation of animals at a young age. This practice has been shown to enhance carcass characteristics in feedlot cattle and accelerate reproductive development of females. Another strategy to study the effects of metabolic imprinting without the need for early weaning is to provide supplements via creep feeding. Providing creep feed to nursing cattle has resulted in transient and long-term alterations in cattle metabolism, contributing to increased reproductive performance of developing heifers and enhanced carcass quality of feeder cattle. Collectively, results described herein demonstrate nutrient manipulation during early postnatal life exerts long-term consequences on beef cattle productivity and may be a strategy to optimize production efficiency in beef cattle systems.

Effects of early high nutrition related to metabolic imprinting events on growth, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of grass-fed Wagyu (Japanese Black cattle)

The study was conducted to clarify how early high plane of nutrition related to metabolic imprinting affected growth, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of grass-fed Wagyu (Japanese Black cattle). Wagyu steers were allocated randomly into two dietary groups: 1) steers fed milk replacer (crude protein 26.0%, crude fat 25.5%; maximum intake 0.6 kg/d) until 3 mo of age and then fed roughage (orchard grass hay) ad libitum from 4 to 10 mo of age (roughage group, RG; n = 11); 2) steers fed milk replacer (maximum intake of 1.8 kg per day) until 3 mo of age and then fed a high-concentrate diet from 4 to 10 mo of age (early high nutrition, EHN; n = 12). After 11 mo of age, all steers were fed roughage ad libitum until 31 mo of age and then slaughtered. Growth performance, carcass traits, longissimus muscle (LM) meat quality and intramuscular fat (IMF) content, plasma Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentration, and bone mineral density were measured. Body weight was greater in EHN steers (571 kg) than RG steers (520 kg; P < 0.01). Plasma IGF-I levels were higher in EHN steers than in RG steers at 3, 10, and 14 mo of age (P < 0.01, P < 0.005, P < 0.001, respectively); however, plasma IGF-I levels were lower in EHN steers compared to RG steers at 30 mo of age (P < 0.01). The total weight of the muscles and bones of the left half of the carcass were not different between the two groups (P = 0.065). Five of the 19 muscles investigated (semimembranosus, P = 0.036; infraspinatus, P = 0.024; supraspinatus, P = 0.0019; serratus ventralis cervicis, P = 0.032; serratus ventralis thoracis, P = 0.027) were heavier in EHN steers. Total fat weight in the left half of the carcass was 30% greater (P = 0.025) in HNE carcasses. Subcutaneous and perirenal fat weights were 53% and 84% greater (P = 0.008, P = 0.002, respectively) in EHN carcasses. The LM IMF content was greater in EHN loins (13.2%) compared to RG loins (9.4%) at 31 mo of age (P = 0.038); however, no differences were found for shear force, tenderness, and cook loss. These results suggested early high-nutrition affected the growth and meat quality of livestock.

Dinâmica da composição lipídica das fórmulas infantis e suas implicações clínicas

In human milk, the role of lipids as a source for the adequate growth and development of the infant is highlighted. The lipidic system of breast milk, responsible for approximately 50% of calories, is structured for the newborn and the infant. Digestion and absorption of lipids are facilitated by the organization of fat, the type of fatty acid (palmitic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic acids, etc.), the composition of triglycerides and the lipase stimulated by bile salts. In addition, milk contains docosahexaenoic acid, which allows optimal neurological and immunological development. Although the lipid structure of breast milk is extremely complex, it should serve as a model for the dynamics of the lipid composition of infant formulas. The addition of long-chain fatty acids (arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids) linked to phospholipids in infant formulas can contribute to a better development of infants, as well as acting on the immune system and metabolic imprinting, reducing the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases. Infants receiving formulas with palmitic acid in theß-2 position have a higher lactobacillus count in the feces, when compared to those receiving formulas with palmitic acid in the ß-1 and ß-3 positions, promoting the maintenance of intestinal eubiosis. Infants receiving formulas with ß-2 palmitic acid present bone health similar to infants breastfeeding, as fecal calcium loss does not occur.

346 Supplementing Ca salts of soybean oil to enhance carcass quality of beef cattle via metabolic imprinting events

This experiment evaluated the effects of supplementing Ca salts of soybean oil (CSSO) at 2 mo of age via creep-feeding, upon weaning at 6 months of age, or no CSSO supplementation on growth and carcass development of beef cattle. A total of 64 steers were enrolled in this study over 2 years (32 steers/year), with 4 phases per year: creep-feeding (d 0 to 60), pre-weaning (d 61 to 120), post-weaning (d 121 to 180) and feedlot (181 to slaughter). On d 0 steers were ranked by body weight (BW) and age (114 ± 2 kg; 66 ± 0.5 d) and randomly assigned, in a 2 x 2 factorial, to receive 80 g/steer daily (creep-feeding) or 150 g/steer daily (post-weaning) of CSSO. Non-supplemented steers (CON) were provided with equivalent saturated fat supplement. On d 0, 61, 120, 180, and 330 steers were evaluated for longissimus muscle depth, backfat thickness, and marbling via real time ultrasonography, blood was sampled for determination of plasma fatty acid composition, muscle samples were collected via needle biopsy, and BW was recorded. After the creep-feeding phase, CSSO steers had greater (P < 0.01) plasma concentrations of linoleic, omega-6, and total PUFA compared with CON. Steers that received CSSO during the postweaning phase had greater (P < 0.01) plasma concentrations of linoleic, omega·-6, and total FA compared with CON prior to feedlot entry. No treatment differences were detected for performance or body composition responses (P > 0.25) during any phase. However, mRNA expression of adipogenic/lipogenic genes was greater (P < 0.03) prior to slaughter (d 330) in muscle of steers that had received CSSO during the creep-feeding phase. Results from this experiment suggest that supplementing CSSO to nursing beef steers via creep feeding stimulated metabolic imprinting effects through enhanced adipogenic gene expression, however did not alter phenotypic variables.

Forage management and concentrate supplementation effects on performance of beef calves

Proper grazing management is the most effective practice to provide adequate forage quantity and quality to cow–calf systems, and optimise beef-calf performance in tropical and subtropical regions. Supplementation of beef calves is not a commonly used management practice in beef-cattle production, primarily because calves can benefit from the cow’s milk production to offset some limitations in forage quantity and quality. Creep-feeding and supplementation of early weaned calves are the two main strategies to supplement beef calves. Creep-feeding can be used to overcome limited herbage allowance, improve calves uniformity, supply extra nutrients for calves, provide adaptation to concentrate diets before weaning, and increase weaning weight. Early weaning is an effective management practice to increase the likelihood of re-breeding of first-calf beef heifers in the south-eastern USA; however, it was observed that concentrate supplementation is necessary for early weaned calves to achieve desirable levels of gain on pasture in tropical and subtropical regions. In addition, concentrate supplementation during early stages of a calf life may permanently change calf development and performance in a process called ‘metabolic imprinting’. The metabolic imprinting concept in production agriculture is in the early stages of knowledge and further research should elucidate the benefits of this management practice in beef-cattle production.

Nutrition at early stages of life determines the future growth and reproductive performance of beef calves

Metabolic imprinting is the process by which calf nutrition, during first few months of life, may permanently affect the metabolism and performance of beef steers and heifers. Early-exposure to high-concentrate diets may enhance growth performance of beef steers, as well as, enhance the growth performance and accelerate puberty achievement of beef heifers. Identifying strategies that can enhance calf performance during early postnatal life may provide unique opportunities to optimize feed resources and increase the profitability of beef cattle operations.