Maternal Undernutrition and Retarded Fœtal Development in Merino Sheep

Everitt, G. C.

doi:10.1038/2011341a0

Cited by 42 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy has been shown to reduce fetal growth in sheep (Everitt, 1964;Osgerby et al, 2002;Vonnahme et al, 2003), pigs (Pond et al, 1969;Atinmo et al, 1974;Schoknecht et al, 1994), and horses (Pugh, 1993). This is the first study that the authors are aware of, however, demonstrating a significant decrease in bovine fetal growth at mid gestation in response to early gestational nutrient restric-tion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of early gestational undernutrition on fetal growth, organ development, and placentomal composition in the bovine1

Long

Vonnahme

Hess

et al. 2009

Journal of Animal Science

114

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Fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is known to negatively affect offspring health postnatally. This study evaluated the impacts of early gestational undernutrition followed by realimentation on bovine fetal and placental growth. Thirty multiparous beef cows bred to a single sire and gestating female fetuses were fed to meet NRC recommendations (control; n = 15) or fed below NRC recommendations (68.1% of NE(m) and 86.7% of MP recommendations; nutrient restricted, NR; n = 15) from d 30 to 125 of gestation. On d 125 of gestation, 10 control and 10 NR cows were necropsied. The remaining 5 NR cows were realimented to achieve similar BW and BCS with the remaining 5 control cows by d 190 of gestation; both groups were necropsied at d 245 of gestation. Fetal weight at d 125 of gestation was 948 +/- 14 g (n = 10) for control cows; however, fetal weights of NR cows fell into 2 distinct groups: NR non-IUGR cows had fetal weights similar to control cows (974 +/- 20 g, n = 6), whereas fetal weights of NR IUGR cows were reduced (773 +/- 23 g, n = 4; P < 0.01). Fetal brain weight as a percentage of fetal weight was increased (approximately 11%; P < 0.01) in the NR IUGR fetuses compared with fetuses from the other 2 groups, which were similar. Fetal heart weight as a percentage of fetal weight also tended to be increased (approximately 10%; P = 0.08) in NR IUGR fetuses compared with control fetuses. Nutrient-restricted IUGR cows exhibited reduced (P < 0.01) cotyledonary weights compared with NR non-IUGR and control cows, which were similar (192 +/- 27 vs. 309 +/- 22, and 337 +/- 17 g, respectively). Total placentome surface area also tended to be reduced (P = 0.07) in NR IUGR cows compared with NR non-IUGR and control cows, which again were similar (685.0 +/- 45.6 vs. 828.7 +/- 37.2 and 790.7 +/- 28.9 mm(2), respectively). On d 245 of gestation, fetal weights and caruncle weight were similar for NR and control cows; cotyledonary weights, however, were reduced in NR vs. control cows (1,430 +/- 133 vs. 2,137 +/- 133 g, P < 0.01). Decreased fetal growth in NR IUGR cows on d 125 of gestation was associated with decreased cotyledonary weights and reduced placentomal surface areas. The return of NR cows to a BW and BCS similar to that of control cows through realimentation beginning on d 126 resulted in similar fetal weights of NR and control cows by d 245 of gestation. Thus, a bout of fetal IUGR may go undetected if cows undernourished during early gestation receive feed supplementation in the second half of gestation to assure normal birth weight.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of early gestational undernutrition on fetal growth, organ development, and placentomal composition in the bovine1

Long

Vonnahme

Hess

et al. 2009

Journal of Animal Science

114

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“…In addition, few studies have looked at placental morphology in detail, and effects on fetal conformation have been largely ignored. Other studies have looked at maternal nutrient restriction from 0 to 90 d of gestation (Everitt, 1964;Rattray & Trigg, 1979), using a mixture of singleton-and twin-bearing ewes (Mellor & Murray, 1982), triplets (Kelly & Ralph, 1988), or measured cotyledon diameter by ultrasound scanning to examine effects on placental development Kleemann et al 1993). Data from these experiments have not been included in Table 1, as their results are not comparable with those for singleton pregnancies where placental weight data have been obtained (Heasman et al 1998a).…”

Section: Maternal Nutrition and Placental Weight In Sheepmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of maternal nutrient restriction in early to mid-pregnancy on placental and fetal development in sheep

et al. 1999

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Placental weight is a primary factor determining size at birth in many species. In sheep, placental weight peaks at approximately mid-gestation, with structural remodelling occurring over the second half of pregnancy to meet the increasing nutritional demands of the growing fetus. Numerous factors influence placental growth and development in sheep, and many workers (see Kelly, 1992) have investigated the role of maternal nutrition as a regulator of placental and fetal size. We have studied the effects of feeding ewes approximately 50 % of their recommended energy requirements during early to mid-pregnancy on fetal and placental indices measured at mid-gestation (i.e. 80 d) and close to term (i.e. 145 d). Maternal nutrient restriction is associated with a reduction in placental weight at 80 d, but an increase in placental weight at 145 d of gestation, compared with ewes fed adequately in early pregnancy. No significant effect on fetal weight was observed at either 80 or 145 d gestation, although differences in body dimensions and the insulin-like growth factor-1 axis were found in lambs from nutrient-restricted ewes delivered close to term. Maternal nutrition during pregnancy plays a pivotal role in the regulation of fetal and placental development in sheep, and therefore has the potential to influence both short- and longer-term health outcomes.

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“…The maternal regulation of foetal growth seems to be very marked and to obscure genetic differences (43). The effect of food deprivation in the pregnant sheep on functional cotyledon weights ( 14) and body and liver weight of the litter at birth (42) is considerable, in contrast to what has been found in the rat (7,25) and sow (31). There are indications in human studies, where there has been an attempt to estimate length of gestation, that foetal growth may be retarded by lack of proper maternal diet (2, 15, 30, 3 9 , and there is a striking correlation between paediatric rating of newborns and thc maternal level of protein intake (1 1 ) .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Venous Plasma Free Amino Acid Levels of Mother and Child During Delivery. Iii.

et al. 1969

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Summary The plasma aminograms of mother's and cord vein plasma during delivery were studied in selected cases from a lower socio‐economi‐cal group in West Pakistan with a high incidence of intrauterine growth retardation of the foetus. There was a highly significant increase in the levels of the non‐essential amino acids glycine and ornithine in the mother's plasma and of glycine and proline in cord plasma. The plasma glycine/valine quotient was significantly increased in maternal as well as in cord plasma. It is suggested that the plasma glycine/valine quotient may serve as an index of subclinical protein undernutrition (low intake of dietary nitrogen) of mother and foetus and thus become a tool in the investigation of the immediate and late effects of this condition during pregnancy in human populations. The maternal quotient is not changed by short gestation or hypertensive disorder during pregnancy.

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Maternal Undernutrition and Retarded Fœtal Development in Merino Sheep

Cited by 42 publications

References 3 publications

Effects of early gestational undernutrition on fetal growth, organ development, and placentomal composition in the bovine1

Effects of early gestational undernutrition on fetal growth, organ development, and placentomal composition in the bovine1

The influence of maternal nutrient restriction in early to mid-pregnancy on placental and fetal development in sheep

The Venous Plasma Free Amino Acid Levels of Mother and Child During Delivery. Iii.

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