Maternal nutrition can influence fetal growth in utero and progeny development throughout life. To assess how maternal nutrition during late gestation impacts mRNA expression of genes related to growth, myogenesis, and adipogenesis in steers, 138 Angus cows were used in a 3x2 factorial arrangement of treatments (Exp. 1). For the last 8 wks of gestation, cows were randomly assigned to be fed at 90, 100, or 110% of metabolizable protein (MP) requirements, with(without) 9g/d of rumen-protected methionine (RPM). In addition, to assess similar outcomes in an industry applied setting, a 2nd study of 67 Angus cows had unlimited access to water and hay and received 0.75kg/hd/d of supplemental pellet supplying 12g/d of rumenprotected methionine (MET), or an identical pellet without additional methionine (CON; Exp. 2). After weaning, steer progeny (n1=51, n2=34) were assigned to pens by weight and fed a grower diet (58% corn silage/26% haylage/15% SBM) for 47d, followed by a finisher diet (78% high moisture corn/12% haylage/8% SBM) for 115 ±31.5d until slaughter. Muscle samples were collected for mRNA analysis. Data analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS, with maternal treatments as fixed effects and pen as a random effect. In Exp. 1, myogenin expression in muscle (MYOG) was greater (90%: 0.72, 100%: 0.94, 110%: 1.00; SEM=0.083, P=0.02) in steers from cows fed 110% MP requirements. Pyruvate kinase (PKM) expression (associated with lean tissue growth) was reduced (RPM: 0.81, NoRPM: 1.16; SEM=0.092, P=0.02) in steers from RPM supplemented cows. In Exp. 2, MET supplementation increased PKM expression (MET: 1.98, CON: 1.35; SEM=0.221, P=0.05) and myoblast determination protein-1 (MYOD; MET: 1.82, CON: 1.20; SEM=0.190, P=0.02) in muscle. These data suggest that maternal nutrition in late gestation influences offspring muscle development throughout life, which could influence carcass grade and muscle characteristics.
Key words: developmental programming, methionine, metabolizable protein, maternal nutrition, myogenin.
Alharthi, A. S., F. Batistel, M. K. Abdelmegeid, G. Lascano, C. Parys, A. Helmbrecht, E. Trevisi, and J. J. Loor. 2018. Maternal supply of methionine during late-pregnancy enhances rate of Holstein calf development in utero and postnatal growth to a greater extent than colostrum source. J. Anim. Sci. Biotechnol. 9:83. doi:10.1186/s40104-018-0298-1.
Batistel, F., A. S. Alharthi, L. Wang, C. Parys, Y.-X. Pan, F. C. Cardoso, and J. J. Loor. 2017. Placentome Nutrient Transporters and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling Proteins Are Altered by the Methionine Supply during Late Gestation in Dairy Cows and Are Associated with Newborn Birth Weight. J. Nutr. jn251876. doi:10.3945/jn.117.251876.
Clements, A. R., F. A. Ireland, T. Freitas, H. Tucker, and D. W. Shike. 2017. Effects of supplementing methionine hydroxy analog on beef cow performance, milk production, reproduction, and preweaning calf performance1. J. Anim. Sci. 95:5597–5605. doi:10.2527/jas2017.1828.
Collins, M. M., M. K. S. Lievre, K. V. J. Lawson, I. B. Mandell, A.-K. Shoveller, and K. M. Wood. 2019. Does supplemental protein and rumen-protected methionine improve performance and digestibility during late-gestation in beef cows? Available from: https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/97/Supplement_3/75/5665909
Du, M., J. Tong, J. Zhao, K. R. Underwood, M. Zhu, S. P. Ford, and P. W. Nathanielsz. 2010. Fetal programming of skeletal muscle development in ruminant animals1. J. Anim. Sci. 88:E51–E60. doi:10.2527/jas.2009-2311.
Godfrey, K. M., K. A. Lillycrop, G. C. Burdge, P. D. Gluckman, and M. A. Hanson. 2007. Epigenetic Mechanisms and the Mismatch Concept of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. Pediatr. Res. 61:5R-10R. doi:10.1203/pdr.0b013e318045bedb.
Hales, C. N., and D. J. P. Barker. 2001. The thrifty phenotype hypothesis. Br. Med. Bull. 60:5– 20. doi:10.1093/bmb/60.1.5.
Hamelin, M., T. Sayd, C. Chambon, J. Bouix, B. Bibe, D. Milenkovic, H. Leveziel, M. Georges, A. Clop, P. Marinova, and E. Laville. 2006. Proteomic analysis of ovine muscle hypertrophy. J Anim Sci. 84:3266–3276.
Hare, K. S., K. M. Wood, C. Fitzsimmons, and G. B. Penner. 2019. Oversupplying metabolizable protein in late gestation for beef cattle: effects on postpartum ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites, skeletal muscle catabolism, colostrum composition, milk yield and composition, and calf growth performance1. J. Anim. Sci. 97:437–455. doi:10.1093/jas/sky413.
Jacometo, C. B., Z. Zhou, D. Luchini, M. N. Corrêa, and J. J. Loor. 2017. Maternal supplementation with rumen-protected methionine increases prepartal plasma methionine concentration and alters hepatic mRNA abundance of 1-carbon, methionine, and transsulfuration pathways in neonatal Holstein calves. J. Dairy Sci. 100:3209–3219. doi:10.3168/jds.2016-11656.
Lametsch, R., L. Kristensen, M. R. Larsen, M. Therkildsen, N. Oksbjerg, and P. Ertbjerg. 2006. Changes in the muscle proteome after compensatory growth in pigs. J Anim Sci. 84:918– 924.
Larson, D. M., J. L. Martin, D. C. Adams, and R. N. Funston. 2009. Winter grazing system and supplementaion during late gestation influence performance of beef cows and steer progeny. J. Anim. Sci. 87:1147–1155. doi:10.2527/jas.2008-1323.
Moriel, P., M. Vedovatto, E. A. Palmer, R. A. Oliveira, H. M. Silva, J. Ranches, and J. M. B. Vendramini. 2020. Maternal supplementation of energy and protein, but not methionine hydroxy analogue, enhanced postnatal growth and response to vaccination in Bos indicusinfluenced beef offspring. J. Anim. Sci. skaa123. doi:10.1093/jas/skaa123.
NASEM. 2016. Nutritional Requirements of Beef Cattle. 8th ed. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Paradis, F., K. M. Wood, K. C. Swanson, S. P. Miller, B. W. McBride, and C. Fitzsimmons. 2017. Maternal nutrient restriction in mid-to-late gestation influences fetal mRNA expression in muscle tissues in beef cattle. BMC Genomics. 18:632. doi:10.1186/s12864-017-4051-5.
Prior, R. L., and D. B. Laster. 1979. DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOVINE FETUS l. J. Anim. Sci. 48:1546–1553.
Stalker, L. A., L. A. Ciminski, D. C. Adams, T. J. Klopfenstein, and R. T. Clark. 2007. Effects of Weaning Date and Prepartum Protein Supplementation on Cow Performance and Calf Growth. Rangel. Ecol. Manag. 60:578–587. doi:10.2111/06-082R1.1.
Webb, D. W., H. H. Head, and C. J. Wilcox. 1969. Effect of Age and Diet on Fasting Blood and Plasma Glucose Levels, Plasma Nonesterified Fatty Acid Levels, and Glucose Tolerance in Dairy Calves. J. Dairy Sci. 52:2007–2013. doi:10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(69)86887-6.
Zhang, N. 2018. Role of methionine on epigenetic modification of DNA methylation and gene expression in animals. Anim. Nutr. 4:11–16. doi:10.1016/j.aninu.2017.08.009.