Effects of maternal protein supplementation and inclusion of rumen‐protected fat in the finishing diet on nutrient digestibility and expression of intestinal genes in Nellore steers

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate nutrient digestibility and intestine gene expression in the progeny from cows supplemented during gestation and fed diets with or without rumen‐protected fat (RPF) in the feedlot. Forty‐eight Nellore steers, averaging 340 kg, were housed in individual pens and allotted in a completely randomized design using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (dams nutrition × RPF). Cows' supplementation started after 124 ± 21 days of gestation. The feedlot lasted 135 days and diets had the inclusion of zero or 6% of RPF. Digestibility was evaluated by total feces collection. Steers were slaughtered using the concussion technique and samples of pancreas and small intestine were collected immediately after the slaughter to analyze α‐amylase activity, and the expression of SLC5A1, CD36, and CCK and villi morphometry. Feeding RPF increased nutrients digestibility (p < 0.01). There was no effect of maternal nutrition on digestibility and α‐amylase activity in steers (p > 0.05). Duodenal expression of SLC5A1, CD36, and CCK increased in the progeny from restricted cows. In conclusion, protein restriction during mid to late gestation of dams has long‐term effects on small‐intestine length and on expression of membrane transporters genes in the duodenum of the progeny. However, maternal nutrition does not affect digestibility in the feedlot.

Prenatal and Postnatal Nutrition Influence Pancreatic and Intestinal Carbohydrase Activities of 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].…”

Programação fetal e as consequências no desenvolvimento da progênie – uma revisão

“…Estes dados indicam que o suprimento materno de metionina durante o período de periconcepção desempenha um papel importante na programação do desempenho futuro da prole. Em estudo semelhante, Cruz et al (2019) não observaram influência da suplementação com proteína para vacas de corte no meio até o final da gestação sobre a digestibilidade dos nutrientes na prole. Resultados opostos foram obtidos por Relling et al (2019), os quais observaram que a suplementação de metionina protegida no rúmen para ovelhas durante a gestação aumentou expressão de proteínas de transportadores de aminoácidos intestinais e metilação global do DNA, ou seja, pode contribuir para a maior expressão de genes favoráveis à digestão e aproveitamento dos nutrientes da dieta.…”

Gut health, stress, and immunity in neonatal dairy calves: the host side of host-pathogen interactions

“…Meyer and Caton [ 22 ] reviewed the impact of IUGR on intestinal development across several species, and while IUGR during early- and mid-gestation does not seem to affect intestinal mass, IUGR in mid- and late gestation did reduce intestinal mass. Besides mass and length, functional aspects of the intestinal development in the fetus seem to be more susceptible to negative effects of IUGR, including decreased villus and crypt density [ 25 ], villus height and width [ 23 ], crypt depth [ 23 , 24 ], and mucosal size [ 23 , 24 ]. Meyer and Caton [ 22 ] also compared the effects of the IUGR model with less drastic nutrient restriction models on intestinal development (60% nutrient requirements).…”

“…Later, Meyer et al [ 37 ] observed an upregulation of GUCY1B3 in intestinal samples from steers at 450 d of age, which were born to dams that were subjected to a nutrition restriction (70% energy requirements) while supplemented with a rumen-undegradable protein. More recently, da Cruz et al [ 25 ] observed an upregulation in mRNA expression of cell membrane transporters and neuropeptides including SLC5A1 (Solute carrier family 5 member 1), CD36 (Cluster of differentiation 36), and CCK (cholecystokinin) in duodenal samples collected from 135 days old steers born to dams offered a restricted diet (75% protein requirements) during mid to late pregnancy. In the same study, it was observed a lower birth body weight (BW) in offspring born to dams fed the protein restricted diet, but this effect on BW disappeared by weaning.…”

“…These effects on gene expression underscore the long-term effects of maternal nutrition on intestinal development and maturation. In addition, maternal protein undernutrition led to upregulation of genes related to glucose and long-chain fatty acids transporters in the offspring as potential coping mechanisms to improve nutrient absorption while upregulating CCK a known neuropeptide secreted by duodenal cells and responsible for inhibiting satiety and increase nutrient absorption [ 25 ]. It could be speculated that a disrupted intestinal development may set in place an alternative long-term cellular programing to allow the offspring to compensate for maternal stressors.…”