Vitamin and mineral supplementation and rate of gain during the first trimester of gestation affect concentrations of amino acids in maternal serum and allantoic fluid of beef heifers

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding vitamin and mineral (VTM) supplement and (or) rate of gain (GAIN) during early gestation on amino acid (AA) concentrations in allantoic (ALF) and amniotic fluid (AMF) and maternal serum. Seventy-two crossbred Angus heifers (initial BW = 359.5 ± 7.1 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with main effects of vitamin and mineral supplement (VTM or NoVTM) and rate of gain (GAIN; low gain [LG], 0.28 kg/d, vs. moderate gain [MG], 0.79 kg/d)). The VTM treatment (113 g•heifer -1•d -1, provided macro and trace minerals and vitamins A, D, and E to meet 110% of the requirements specified by the NASEM, 2016) was initiated 71 to 148 d before artificial insemination (AI). To complete the factorial arrangement of treatments, at breeding heifers were either maintained on the basal diet (LG), or received MG diet which was implemented by adding a protein/energy supplement to the LG diet. Thirty-five gestating heifers with female fetuses were ovariohysterectomized on d 83 of gestation and maternal serum, ALF, and AMF were collected. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of neutral AA: Ala, Asn, Cys, Gln, Gly, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Pro, Ser, Thr, Trp, Tyr, and Val; cationic AA: Arg, His, and Lys; and anionic AA: Asp and Glu. In serum, a VTM × GAIN interaction (P = 0.02) was observed for Glu, with greater concentrations for VTM-LG than VTM-MG. Concentrations of serum Cys, Met, and Trp were greater (P ≤ 0.03) for MG than LG. In ALF, concentrations of Glu were affected by a VTM × GAIN interaction, where VTM-MG was greater (P < 0.01) than all other treatments. Further, ALF from VTM had increased (P ≤ 0.05) concentrations of His, Asp, and 12 of the 14 neutral AA; whereas GAIN affected concentrations of Arg, Cys, and Asp, with greater concentrations (P ≤ 0.05) in MG heifers. In AMF, AA concentrations were not affected (P ≥ 0.10) by VTM, GAIN, or their interaction. In conclusion, increased concentrations of AA in maternal serum and ALF of beef heifers were observed at d 83 of gestation in response to VTM supplementation and rate of gain of 0.79 kg/d, which raises important questions regarding the mechanisms responsible for AA uptake and balance between the maternal circulation and fetal fluid compartments.

Maternal Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation and Rate of Maternal Weight Gain Affects Placental Expression of Energy Metabolism and Transport-Related Genes

“…The ARG2 protein is involved in the conversion of Larginine into L-ornithine, which is a precursor to polyamines that support cell proliferation [74], whereas MTR catalyzes the final step in methionine biosynthesis [75]. Menezes et al [25] reported increased concentrations of methionine and arginine in allantoic fluid in response to vitamin supplementation and a moderate rate of gain when evaluating the pregnant heifers used in the current study, which further supports the current findings.…”

“…On the other hand, fetal liver weight was greater (p-value = 0.05) from dams fed VTM than NoVTM [27]. Likewise, amino acid concentrations of maternal serum and allantoic and amniotic fluid in the same samples used in the current study were affected by vitamin and mineral supplementation and/or rate of gain [25]. Evidence suggests that biological mechanisms regulating normal growth, development, and nutrient utilization are programmed in utero for postnatal growth and adult function even during the earliest stages of development [40].…”

“…Energy and protein availability are also essential for proper placental functions. Considering that nutrient requirements for first-calf heifers are greater than mature cows [23], it has been suggested that increasing nutrient supply through targeted supplementation strategies may optimize pregnancy rates, maternal-fetal transfer of nutrients, and increase offspring birth weights [24,25]. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that supplementing vitamin and minerals pre-and post-breeding to beef heifers grown at a low or moderate rate of maternal weight gain during the first trimester of gestation would affect placental gene expression.…”

The nasopharyngeal, ruminal, and vaginal microbiota and the core taxa shared across these microbiomes in virgin yearling heifers exposed to divergent in utero nutrition during their first trimester of gestation and in pregnant beef heifers in response to mineral supplementation

“…Although the role of maternal nutrition in developmental programming in cattle has been relatively well appreciated (McLean et al, 2017; Caton et al, 2019; Crouse et al, 2019; Menezes et al, 2021), the potential involvement of the maternal microbiota in fetal programming and offspring microbiome development remains largely unexplored. Considering the current evidence, it is important to explore whether bovine maternal nutrition/microbiome during pregnancy influences feto-maternal crosstalk, subsequently influencing offspring microbiome development.…”

“…In the present study, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the nasopharyngeal, ruminal and vaginal microbiota of virgin yearling heifers from dams given different nutritional diets during their first trimester of gestation, and in pregnant beef heifers in response to direct feeding of a mineral and vitamin (VTM) supplement during the first 6 months of gestation. Of note, a well-defined positive impact of maternal VTM supplementation exists on offspring health and performance in beef cattle, and the role of VTM on fetal programming assessed during the first trimester of pregnancy have been documented (Mee et al, 1995; Wilde, 2006; Van Emon et al, 2020; Diniz et al, 2021; Menezes et al, 2021). Questions remain, however, pertaining to whether these maternal VTM supplementation-associated positive outcomes are dependent on VTM-induced alterations of ruminal microbiota.…”