Effects of Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation During Gestation in Beef Heifers on Immunoglobulin Concentrations in Colostrum and Immune Responses in Naturally and Artificially Reared Calves.

Two experiments assessed the effects of providing a vitamin and mineral supplement to gestating beef heifers on concentrations of immunoglobulins (Ig) in colostrum and calf serum 24 h after feeding maternal colostrum (Exp. 1) or a colostrum-replacement product (Exp. 2).

Influence of maternal nutrition and one-carbon metabolites supplementation on bovine antimicrobial peptides in fetal and maternal tissues.

Introduction: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy critically influences offspring development and immune function. One-carbon metabolites (OCM) are epigenetic modifiers that may modulate antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression, which is vital for innate immunity. This study investigated the effects of maternal nutrient restriction and OCM supplementation on mRNA expression of AMP in fetal and maternal lung, mammary gland, and small intestine of beef cattle.

International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology: Paternal Nutrient Supply: Impacts on Physiological and Whole Animal Outcomes in Offspring.

Recent evidence suggests that environmental factors experienced by sires can be transmitted through the ejaculate (seminal plasma + sperm) into the female reproductive tract, influencing fertilization, embryo development, and postnatal offspring outcomes. This concept is termed paternal programming. In rodents, sire nutrition was shown to directly alter offspring outcomes through sperm epigenetic signatures, DNA damage/oxidative stress, cytokine profiles, and/or the seminal microbiome.

International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology: Maternal nutrient supply: Impacts on physiological and whole animal outcomes in offspring.

Demands for animal products are projected to increase in the future, and animal production is key to agricultural sustainability and food security; consequently, enhancing ruminant livestock production efficiencies in sustainable ways is a major goal for the livestock industry. Developmental programming is the concept that various stressors, including compromised maternal nutrition during critical developmental windows will result in both short- and long-term changes in the offspring. Ruminant models of developmental programming indicate that compromised maternal nutrition, including global under and over-nutrition, macronutrients, and specific micronutrients, including amino acids (Met and Arg), vitamins (folate, B, and choline), and minerals (sulfur, cobalt, and selenium) can alter offspring outcomes.

International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology: One-carbon metabolism in beef cattle throughout the production cycle.

One-carbon metabolism (OCM) is a series of connected pathways involving the methionine-folate cycles, transsulfuration, polyamine synthesis, nucleotide synthesis, free-radical scavenging, and energy metabolism. These pathways functionally depend upon amino acids (methionine, glycine, and serine), vitamins (folate, B, B, and B), and minerals (sulfur, cobalt, and zinc). Growing bodies of research indicate that in beef cattle, physiological stage, nutritional plane, diet, species (Bos taurus vs.

Intergenerational effects of maternal rate of body weight gain on the multi-omics hepatic profiles of bovine fetuses.

Maternal periconceptual nutrition affects the growth trajectory of developing fetuses by modulating gene expression. The regulatory mechanisms and their role in fetal development remain underexplored in livestock models. Herein, we investigated the effects of maternal rate of body weight (BW) gain during early gestation on the DNA methylation, microRNA profiles, and their interaction with the hepatic gene expression in female fetuses.

Influence of sire plane of nutrition and targeted body weight gain on ewe lamb growth, glucose metabolism, and ovarian reserve.

Rambouillet rams were managed on either a positive (POS; gain 12% body weight [BW]; n = 8), maintenance (MAINT; maintain BW; n = 8), or negative (NEG; lose 12% BW; n = 8) plane of nutrition before breeding. Rams were bred to ewes (n = 10 per ram) that were managed similarly throughout gestation, and lambs were fed a common diet postnatally. Two ewe lambs (7.

Rate of body weight gain during early gestation in F0 beef heifers has effects that extend multigenerationally to the F2 fetuses.

Our aim was to investigate the effects of maternal (F0) body weight (BW) gain during the first 84 d of gestation on body composition, ovarian reserve, and hormonal and metabolic parameters of breeding-age F1 heifers, as well as the BW and morphometry of F2 fetuses. The study also evaluated the effect of maternal BW gain (F0) on the mRNA relative abundance of the small intestine of both F1 heifers and F2 fetuses. Crossbred Angus heifers (F0; n = 100) were managed to gain 0.

Effects of dietary restriction and one-carbon metabolite supplementation during the first 63 days of gestation on the maternal gut, vaginal, and blood microbiota in cattle.

Background: Maternal diet quality and quantity have significant impacts on both maternal and fetal health and development. The composition and function of the maternal gut microbiome is also significantly influenced by diet; however, little is known about the impact of gestational nutrient restriction on the bovine maternal microbiome during early gestation, which is a critical stage for maternal microbiome-mediated fetal programming to take place. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impacts of diet restriction and one-carbon metabolite (OCM) supplementation during early gestation on maternal ruminal, vaginal, and blood microbiota in cattle.

Divergent planes of nutrition in mature rams influences body composition, hormone and metabolite concentrations, and offspring birth measurements, but not semen characteristics or offspring growth.

Objectives of this experiment were to characterize the effects of ram plane of nutrition on body composition, concentrations of hormones and metabolites, sperm characteristics, and offspring outcomes. Mature Rambouillet rams (n = 24, BW = 82.9 ± 2.

One-carbon metabolite supplementation increases vitamin B12, folate, and methionine cycle metabolites in beef heifers and fetuses in an energy dependent manner at day 63 of gestation.

One-carbon metabolites (OCM) are metabolites and cofactors which include folate, vitamin B12, methionine, and choline that support methylation reactions. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of moderate changes in maternal body weight gain in combination with OCM supplementation during the first 63 d of gestation in beef cattle on (1) B12 and folate concentrations in maternal serum (2) folate cycle intermediates in maternal and fetal liver, allantoic fluid (ALF), and amniotic fluid (AMF) and (3) metabolites involved in one-carbon metabolism and related metabolic pathways in maternal and fetal liver. Heifers were either intake restricted (RES) and fed to lose 0.

Effects of rate of body weight gain during the first trimester of gestation on beef heifer and offspring performance, concentrations of hormones and metabolites, and response to vaccination.

Our study objectives were to evaluate the effects of divergent rates of body weight (BW) gain during early gestation in beef heifers on F0 performance, metabolic and endocrine status, colostrum immunoglobulins, and subsequent F1 calf characteristics, growth performance, concentrations of hormones and metabolites, and response to vaccination. Angus-based heifers (n = 100; BW = 369 ± 2.5 kg) were adapted to individual feeding for 14 d and bred using artificial insemination with female-sexed semen.

Differing planes of nutrition alter serum and histotroph amino acid composition in nonpregnant, multiparous beef cows on day 3 of the estrous cycle.

Endometrial-derived uterine histotroph is a critical component of nutrient supply to a growing conceptus throughout gestation; however, the effect of nutritional plane on histotroph nutrient composition remains unknown in multiparous cows. We hypothesized that differing planes of nutrition would alter histotroph and serum nutrient composition in beef cattle. Thus, we evaluated serum and histotroph amino acid and glucose composition, and serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in cows individually fed to maintain body weight (BW; 0 kd/d, n = 9; CON) compared with those losing moderate BW (-0.

Disrupted one-carbon metabolism in heifers negatively affects their health and physiology.

The objective of this study was to determine the dose-dependent response of one-carbon metabolite (OCM: methionine, choline, folate, and vitamin B12) supplementation on heifer dry matter intake on fixed gain, organ mass, hematology, cytokine concentration, pancreatic and jejunal enzyme activity, and muscle hydrogen peroxide production. Angus heifers (n = 30; body weight [BW] = 392.6 ± 12.

Contribution of the seminal microbiome to paternal programming.

The field of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease has primarily focused on maternal programming of offspring health. However, emerging evidence suggests that paternal factors, including the seminal microbiome, could potentially play important roles in shaping the developmental trajectory and long-term offspring health outcomes. Historically, the microbes present in the semen were regarded as inherently pathogenic agents.

Vitamin and mineral supplementation to beef heifers during gestation: impacts on morphometric measurements of the neonatal calf, vitamin and trace mineral status, blood metabolite and endocrine profiles, and calf organ characteristics at 30 h after birth.

To examine the effects of feeding a vitamin and mineral supplement to beef heifers throughout gestation on mineral status and hormone/endocrine profiles in the dam and calf, and morphometric characteristics and organ mass of the calf at 30 h after birth, Angus-based heifers (n = 72, 14 to 15 mo of age, initial body weight [BW] = 380.4 ± 50.56 kg) were estrus synchronized and artificially inseminated (AI) with female-sexed semen.

Effects of Early Weaning on Performance and Carcass Quality of Nellore Young Bulls.

This study compared early weaning (EW; 150 days) with conventional weaning (CW; 240 days) in Nellore young bulls, evaluating performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. A total of 74 non-castrated male calves were divided into two weaning strategies: EW ( = 37) and CW ( = 37). During the growth phase, which lasted 454 ± 14 d for EW calves and 359 ± 16 d for CW calves, animals received a protein-energy supplement at a ratio of 5 g per kg of body weight while grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv.

One-carbon metabolite supplementation to nutrient-restricted beef heifers affects placental vascularity during early pregnancy.

We hypothesized that restricted maternal nutrition and supplementation of one-carbon metabolites (OCM; methionine, folate, choline, and vitamin B12) would affect placental vascular development during early pregnancy. A total of 43 cows were bred, and 32 heifers successfully became pregnant with female calves, leading to the formation of four treatment groups: CON - OCM (n = 8), CON + OCM (n = 7), RES - OCM (n = 9), and RES + OCM (n = 8). The experimental design was a 2 × 2 factorial, with main factors of dietary intake affecting average daily gain: control (CON; 0.

Supplementing vitamins and minerals to beef heifers during gestation: impacts on mineral status in the dam and offspring, and growth and physiological responses of female offspring from birth to puberty.

We evaluated the effects of feeding a vitamin and mineral supplement to nulliparous beef heifers throughout gestation on the mineral status of the dam, calf, placenta, and colostrum; offspring growth performance; and physiological responses of offspring raised as replacement heifers. Angus-based heifers (n = 31, initial body weight [BW] = 412.5 ± 53.

Holistic View and Novel Perspective on Ruminal and Extra-Gastrointestinal Methanogens in Cattle.

Despite the extensive research conducted on ruminal methanogens and anti-methanogenic intervention strategies over the last 50 years, most of the currently researched enteric methane (CH) abatement approaches have shown limited efficacy. This is largely because of the complex nature of animal production and the ruminal environment, host genetic variability of CH production, and an incomplete understanding of the role of the ruminal microbiome in enteric CH emissions. Recent sequencing-based studies suggest the presence of methanogenic archaea in extra-gastrointestinal tract tissues, including respiratory and reproductive tracts of cattle.

Effects of early weaning on productive and reproductive performance of Nelore heifers.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of early weaning on the productive and reproductive characteristics of Nelore heifer progeny. Ninety-five calves from primiparous (PRI) and multiparous (MUL) dams were assigned to one of two weaning strategies; 1) early weaning at 150 d (149 ± 1.97) of age (EW; n = 16 from PRI and 31 from MUL); or 2) conventional weaning at 240 d (247 ± 2.