Prenatal Supplementation in Beef Cattle and Its Effects on Plasma Metabolome of Dams and Calves

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of different prenatal nutrition on the plasma metabolome of Nellore dams and their offspring. For that purpose, three nutritional treatments were used in 126 cows during pregnancy: NP—(control) only mineral supplementation; PP—protein-energy supplementation in the final third; and FP—protein-energy supplementation during the entire pregnancy. Targeted metabolomics were analyzed in plasma at the beginning of pregnancy and in pre-delivery of cows (n = 27) as well as in calves (n = 27, 30 ± 9.6 days of age). Data were analyzed by the analysis of variance, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and the principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA showed a clear clustering in the periods investigated only in cows (early gestation and pre-delivery). We found significant metabolites in both supervised analyses (p < 0.05 and VIP score > 1) for cows (Taurine, Glutamic acid, Histidine, and PC aa C42:2) and for calves (Carnosine, Alanine, and PC aa C26:0). The enrichment analysis revealed biological processes (p < 0.1) common among cows and calves (histidine metabolism and beta-alanine metabolism), which may be indicative of transgenerational epigenetic changes. In general, fetal programming affected mainly the metabolism of amino acids.

Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiling of Sheep Ovarian Tissues Confer their association in Fecundity associated Pathways

“…Meanwhile, beta-alanine can maintain the antioxidant capacity of the body [83], and the increase in beta-alanine could be an indicator of improved milk quality. Similarly, previous studies suggested that beta-alanine supplementation improved growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity, and also affected amino acid metabolism on broiler chickens [84], dairy cows [85]. One key role of beta-alanine in sheep ovarian physiology is in the regulation of follicular development, which is regulated by various hormones and growth factors.…”

Effects of in ovo injection of the L-carnosine on physiological indexes of neonatal broiler chicken

“…Moreover, L-carnosine has been found to inhibit cell death and modulate mitochondrial energy metabolism in neuron cultures subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation ( Ouyang et al., 2016 ). In a study conducted by Schalch Junior et al. (2022) , it was reported that prenatal protein-energy supplementation throughout the entire duration of pregnancy in beef cattle leads to alterations in serum L-carnosine levels in the resulting calves.…”

Fetal Programming Influence on Microbiome Diversity and Ruminal and Cecal Epithelium in Beef Cattle

“…These plans were the following treatments programs: (NP) non-programming, where cows received only a mineral supplementation equivalent to 0.3 g/kg of body weight (BW); partially programming (PP), which included supplementation with protein energy supplementation at 3 g/kg of BW during the last third of pregnancy; and complete programming (CP), where the cows received 3 g/kg of BW of protein energy supplementation from the moment of pregnancy confirmation (30 days after FTAI) until birth. For further details on the treatments, see Schalch Junior et al [ 10 ].…”