Maternal organic selenium supplementation during gestation enhances muscle fiber area and muscle fiber maturation of offspring in porcine modelOA

Background:Organic selenium supplementation during gestation improves the antioxidant status and reproductive performance of sows and increases the antioxidative capacity of the intestines of their offspring.This study was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal basel diet(control) supplemented with an organic Se,2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid(HMSeBA),or inorganic sodium selenite(Na2SeO3) during gestation on the antioxidant status and development of muscle in newborn and weaned pi...     

Homology modeling and functional annotation of bubaline pregnancy associated glycoprotein 2

Background: Pregnancy associated glycoproteins form a diverse family of glycoproteins that are variably expressed at different stages of gestation. They are probably involved in immunosuppression of the dam against the feto- maternal placentome. The presence of the products of binucleate cells in maternal circulation has also been correlated with placentogenesis and placental re-modeling. The exact structure and function of the gene product is unknown due to limitations on obtaining purified pregnancy associated glycoprotein preparations. Results: Our study describes an in silico derived 3D model for bubaline pregnancy associated glycoprotein 2. Structure-activity features of the protein were characterized, and functional studies predict bubaline pregnancy associated glycoprotein 2 as an inducible, extra-cellular, non-essential, N-glycosylated, aspartic pro-endopeptidase that is involved in down-regulation of complement pathway and immunity during pregnancy. The protein is also predicted to be involved in nutritional processes, and apoptotic processes underlying fetal morphogenesis and re- modeling of feto-maternal tissues. Conclusion: The structural and functional annotation of buPAG2 shall allow the designing of mutants and inhibitors for dissection of the exact physiological role of the protein.     

Gestational heat stress alters skeletal muscle gene expression profiles and vascularity in fetal pigs in a sexually dimorphic mannerOA

Background: There is evidence that sow heat stress(HS) during gestation affects fetal development with implications for impaired muscle growth. We have previously demonstrated that maternal HS during early to midgestation compromised muscle fibre hyperplasia in developing fetal pigs. Thus, we hypothesised these phenotypic changes are associated with a change in expression of genes regulating fetal skeletal muscle development and metabolism. To test this, at d 60 of gestation, RNA sequencing and ...     

Neonatal lamb mortality: major risk factors and the potential ameliorative role of melatonin

High incidences of pre-weaning mortality continue to limit global sheep production, constituting a major economic and welfare concern. Despite significant advances in genetics, nutrition, and management, the proportion of lamb deaths has remained stable at 15–20% over the past four decades. There is mounting evidence that melatonin can improve outcomes in compromised ovine pregnancies via enhanced uterine bloodflow and neonatal neuroprotection. This review provides an overview of the major risk factors and underlying mechanisms involved in perinatal lamb mortality and discusses the potential of melatonin treatment as a remedial strategy. Supplementing pregnant ewes with melatonin enhances uterine bloodflow and fetal oxygenation, and potentially birthweight and neonatal thermogenic capacity. Melatonin freely crosses the ovine placenta and blood-brain barrier and provides neuroprotection to the fetal lamb during periods of chronic and acute hypoxia throughout gestation, with improved behavioural outcomes in hypoxic neonates. The current literature provides strong evidence that maternal melatonin treatment improves outcomes for lambs which experience compromised in utero development or prolonged parturition, though to date this has not been investigated in livestock production systems. As such there is a clear basis for continued research into the effects of maternal melatonin supplementation during gestation on pre-weaning survival under extensive production conditions.     

Effects of restrictions on maternal feed intake on the immune indexes of umbilical cord blood and liver Toll-like receptor signaling pathways in fetal goats during pregnancy

Background: Liver has important immune function during fetal development and after birth. However, the effect of maternal malnutrition on immune function of the fetal liver is rarely reported. In this study, twelve pregnant goats(Xiangdong black goat, at d 45 of gestation) were assigned to the control group(fed 100% of nutritional requirements) and the restriction group(fed 60% of the intake of the control group) during gestation from d 55 to100. Fetal goats were harvested at d 100 of gestation and immune indexes and amino acid profiles of the umbilical cord blood and liver Toll-like receptors(TLRs) signaling pathways were measured.Results: Maternal body weight in the restriction group was lower than the control group(P 0.05). Maternal feed intake restriction decreased(P 0.05) heart weight, heart index, alkaline phosphatase and serum amyloid protein A in the umbilical cord blood(UCB). Moreover, only histidine was decreased in the restricted group(P = 0.084), and there were no differences in other amino acids contents in the UCB between the two groups(P 0.05). The TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA expression in the fetal liver in the restriction group was greater(P 0.05) than that in the control group. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88), TNF receptor associated factor 6, nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1, NFKB inhibitor alpha, IFN-β, TGF-β, TNF-α and IL-1β in the restricted group were upregulated(P 0.05), and the expression of TLR3(P = 0.099) tended to be higher in the restricted group. However, protein levels of TLR2, TLR4, IκBα, phosphorylated IκBα, phosphorylated IκBα/total IκBα,TRIF and MyD88 were not affected(P 0.05) by maternal intake restriction.Conclusions: These results revealed that the restriction of maternal feed intake influenced the development of heart and hepatic protein synthesis at the acute phase of fetal goats and upregulated the mRNA expression of genes involved in MyD88-dependent signaling pathways and of target cytokines.     

Dietary supplementation with 0.4% L-arginine between days 14 and 30 of gestation enhances NO and polyamine syntheses and water transport in porcine placentaeOA

Background:Most embryonic loss in pigs occurs before d 30 of gestation.Dietary supplementation with L-arginine(Arg) during early gestation can enhance the survival and development of conceptuses(embryo/fetus and its extraembryonic membranes) in gilts.However,the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown.Methods:Between d 14 and 30 of gestation,each gilt was fed daily 2 kg of a corn-and soybean-meal based diet(12% crude protein) supplemented with either 0.4% Arg(as Arg-HCl) or an isonitrogenou...     

Dietary supplementation of laminarin improves the reproductive performance of sows and the growth of suckling pigletsOA

Background Maternal nutrition is essential in keeping a highly efficient production system in the pig industry. Laminarin has been shown to improve antioxidant capacity, reduce the inflammatory response, and favor the homeostasis of intestinal microbiota. However, the effect of dietary supplementation of laminarin on the reproductive performance of sows and the growth of suckling offspring remains unknown.Methods A total of 40 Landrace × Yorkshire multiparous sows on d 85 of gestation, similar i...     

Implications of vitamin D for flesh quality of grass carp(Ctenopharyngodon idella):antioxidant ability,nutritional value,sensory quality,and myofiber characteristics

Background Muscle represents a unique and complex system with many components and comprises the major edible part of animals. Vitamin D is a critical nutrient for animals and is known to enhance calcium absorption and immune response. In recent years, dietary vitamin D supplementation in livestock has received increased attention due to biological responses including improving shear force in mammalian meat. However, the vitamin D acquisition and myofiber development processes in fish differ from...     

A review of the amino acid metabolism in placental function response to fetal loss and low birth weight in pigsOA

The fertility of sows mainly depends on the embryo losses during gestation and the survival rate of the postfarrowing piglets. The selection of highly-prolific sows has been mainly focused on the selection of genotypes with high ovulatory quota. However, in the early-and post-implantation stages, the rate of embryo losses was increased with the increase of zygotes. Among the various factors, placental growth and development is the vital determinant for fetal survival, growth, and development. De...     

Maternal supply of cysteamine alleviates oxidative stress and enhances angiogenesis in porcine placentaOA

Background: Oxidative stress in placenta is associated with the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in sow,but there are few satisfactory treatment strategies for these conditions. This study investigated the potential of cysteamine(CS) as an antioxidant protectant for regulating the reproductive performance, redox status, and placental angiogenesis of sows.Methods: The placental oxidative stress status and vascular density of piglets with different birth weights: < 1.0 kg(low birth weig...     

Heat stress affects fecal microbial and metabolic alterations of primiparous sows during late gestation

Background: Heat stress(HS) jeopardizes intestinal barrier functions and augments intestinal permeability in pigs.However, whether HS-induced maternal microbial and metabolic changes in primiparous sows during late gestation remains elusive. We present here, a study investigating the fecal microbial and metabolic responses in late gestational primiparous sows when exposed to HS.Methods: Twelve first-parity Landrace × Large White F1 sows were randomly assigned into two environmental treatments including the thermoneutral(TN)(18–22 ℃; n = 6) and HS(28–32 ℃; n = 6) conditions. Both treatments were applied from 85 d of gestation to farrowing. The serum and feces samples were collected on d 107 of gestation,for analyses including intestinal integrity biomarkers, high-throughput sequencing metagenomics, short-chain fatty acid(SCFA) profiles and nontargeted metabolomics.Results: Our results show that HS group has higher serum Heat shock protein 70(HSP70), lipopolysaccharide(LPS)and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein(LBP) levels. The gut microbial community can be altered upon HS by usingβ-diversity and taxon-based analysis. In particular, the relative abundance of genera and operational taxonomic units(OTUs) related to Clostridiales and Halomonas are higher in HS group, the relative abundance of genera and OTUs related to Bacteroidales and Streptococcus, however, are lower in HS group. Results of metabolic analysis reveal that HS lowers the concentrations of propionate, butyrate, total SCFA, succinate, fumarate, malate, lactate, aspartate,ethanolamine, β-alanine and niacin, whereas that of fructose and azelaic acid are higher in HS group. These metabolites mainly affect propanoate metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, β-alanine metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle(TCA) and nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. Additionally, correlation analysis between significant microbes and metabolites indicated that the HS-induced microbiota shift is likely the cause of changes of intestinal metabolism.Conclusions: Taken together, we reveal characteristic structural and metabolic changes in maternal gut microbiota as a result of late gestational HS, which could potentially provide the basis for further study on offspring gut microbiota and immune programming.     

Exploring the effectiveness of in ovo feeding of vitamin C based on the embryonic vitamin C synthesis and absorption in broiler chickensOA

Background: Many researches about in ovo feeding(IOF) of vitamin C(VC) are gradually carried out to explore physiological development in chicken, but little studies focus on VC synthesis capacity of the embryo itself, the selection of injection site and the effectiveness of IOF of VC. This study aims to explore the above problems.Results: Kidney and yolk sac were the main organs for VC synthesis and L-gulonolactone oxidase(GLO) expression was lower during pre-hatch development than that during p...     

Effect of dietary canthaxanthin and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation on the performance of duck breeders under two different vitamin regimens

Background: Dietary canthaxanthin(CX), 25-hydroxycholecalciferol(25-OH-D3) and vitamins have been widely reported to be involved in productive and reproductive performance of broiler breeders. However, limited information is available for duck breeders. In this study, a total of 1,560 Cherry Valley SM3 duck breeder females and 312 males were used to assess if the addition of CX and 25-OH-D3 could increase the performance of duck breeders under two different dietary vitamin regimens. Four diets were used under a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 kinds of vitamin premixes(REGULAR and HIGH; HIGH premix had higher levels of all vitamins except K3 than REGULAR premix), and with or without the supplementation of the mixture of CX(6 mg/kg) and 25-OH-D3(0.069 mg/kg). The ducks were fed ad libitum with pelleted diets based on corn-soybean meal from 38 to 77 wk of age.Results: HIGH vitamin premix decreased malondialdehyde(MDA) level(P 0.001) of egg yolk, increased hatchability of fertile eggs(P = 0.029), increased hatchability of total eggs(P = 0.029), and decreased serum protein carbonyl level(P = 0.037) of breeder males. The mixture of CX and 25-OH-D3 increased serum calcium of breeder females(P = 0.010), decreased the cracked egg rate(P = 0.001), increased the pigmentation of egg yolk(P 0.001)and male bill(P 0.001), and decreased MDA level of egg yolk(P 0.001) and male serum(P = 0.034). Interactive effects were observed in cracked egg rate(P = 0.038), shell thickness(P = 0.011) and serum phosphorus(P = 0.026)of breeder females. HIGH vitamin premix together with the mixture of CX and 25-OH-D3 decreased cracked egg rate and increased shell thickness of duck breeders. Serum phosphorus was decreased in duck breeder females fed REGULAR vitamin premix without the addition of the CX and 25-OH-D3 mixture.Conclusions: Dietary HIGH vitamin premix increased antioxidant status of eggs and breeder males, and increased hatchability. The mixture of CX and 25-OH-D3 enhanced egg shell quality, and promoted pigmentation and antioxidant status of eggs and breeder males.     

Dietary N-carbamylglutamate or L-arginine improves fetal intestinal amino acid profiles during intrauterine growth restriction in undernourished ewes

Our previous studies demonstrated that prenatal in utero growth restriction impairs postnatal intestinal function.Thus,improving postpartal intestinal absorption capacity and growth by manipulating the maternal diet prepartum is of importance.This work was conducted to determine whether supplementation of N-carbamylglutamate(NCG)or rumen-protected L-arginine(RP-Arg)increased fetal intestinal amino acid(AA)profiles in intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)fetuses.On d 35 of gestation,Hu ewes(n=32)carrying twin fetuses were randomized into 4 groups(8 ewes and 16 fetuses in each group),where diets were as follows:100%of nutrient requirements recommended by National Research Council(NRC,2007)(CON);50%of nutrient requirements recommended by NRC(2007)(RES);RES+RPArg(20 g/d),(RES+ARG);and RES+NCG(5 g/d),(RES+NCG).On d 110 of gestation,both fetal and maternal tissues were collected and weighed.Compared with RES,solute carrier family 1,member 5(SLC1A5)was upregulated(P<0.05)within fetal jejunum,duodenum and ileum when supplementing NCG and RP-Arg.Relative to RES,RP-Arg or NCG supplementation to RES resulted in upregulation(P<0.05)of peptide transporter 1 protein abundance within the fetal ileum.NCG or RP-Arg supplementation to RES also upregulated phosphorylated mechanistic target of rapamycin(pmTOR)-to-mTOR ratio in the fetal ileum induced by IUGR(P<0.05).As a result,during IUGR,supplementation of Arg or NCG affected intestinal AA profiles in the fetus in part through controlling mTOR signal transduction as well as AA and peptide transport.Future studies should be conducted to understand the role(if any)of the placenta on the improvement of growth and AA profiles independent of the fetal intestine.This would help demonstrate the relative contribution of intestinal uptake in fetal life.     

Uterine biology in pigs and sheep

There is a dialogue between the developing conceptus (embryo-fetus and associated placental membranes) and maternal uterus which must be established during the peri-implantation period for pregnancy recognition signaling, implantation, regulation of gene expression by uterine epithelial and stromal cells, placentation and exchange of nutrients and gases. The uterus provide a microenvironment in which molecules secreted by uterine epithelia or transported into the uterine lumen represent histotroph required for growth and development of the conceptus and receptivity of the uterus to implantation. Pregnancy recognition signaling mechanisms sustain the functional lifespan of the corpora lutea (CL) which produce progesterone, the hormone of pregnancy essential for uterine functions that support implantation and placentation required for a successful outcome of pregnancy. It is within the peri-implantation period that most embryonic deaths occur due to deficiencies attributed to uterine functions or failure of the conceptus to develop appropriately, signal pregnancy recognition and/or undergo implantation and placentation. With proper placentation, the fetal fluids and fetal membranes each have unique functions to ensure hematotrophic and histotrophic nutrition in support of growth and development of the fetus. The endocrine status of the pregnant female and her nutritional status are critical for successful establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. This review addresses the complexity of key mechanisms that are characteristic of successful reproduction in sheep and pigs and gaps in knowledge that must be the subject of research in order to enhance fertility and reproductive health of livestock species.     

Effects of dietary vitamin and fatty acid content in E on muscle vitamin E Aohan fine-wool sheep

Background： Increasing the polyunsaturated fatty acid （PUFA） content and decreasing the saturated fatty acid （SFA） content of mutton can help to improve its nutritional value for consumers. Several laboratories have evaluated the effects of vitamin E on the fatty acid （FA） composition of muscle in sheep. However, little information is available on wool sheep, even though wool sheep breeds are an important source of mutton, especially in northern China where sheep are extensively farmed. The present study was designed to address the effects of vitamin E on muscle FA composition in male Aohan fine-wool sheep. Methods： Forty-two male Aohan fine-wool lambs （5 mo old） with similar initial body weight were randomly divided into seven groups and fed diets supplemented with 0 （control group）, 20, 100, 200, 1,000, 2,000, or 2,400 IU/sheep/d vitamin E for 12 mo. Three lambs from each group were slaughtered to measure vitamin E and FA content in the Iongissimus lumborum （LL） and gluteus medius （GM） muscles. Results： Vitamin E concentrations in the LL and GM increased significantly after 12 mo of vitamin E supplementation （P 〈 0.05）. However, this increase did not occur in a dose-dependent manner because the muscle vitamin E concentration was highest in the 200 IU/sheep/d group. Dietary vitamin E supplementation also caused a significant reduction in SFA content and an increase in monounsaturated FA （MUFA） content in the LL and GM （P 〈 0.05）. All six doses of vitamin E significantly increased cis9 tronsl -conjugated linoleic acid （cgtl -CLA） content in the LL compared with the control group （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions： Dietary supplementation with vitamin E increased muscle vitamin E content and improved the nutritional value of mutton by decreasing SFA content and increasing MUFA and c9tl 1-CLA contents in Aohan fine-wool sheep. These effects were greatest in sheep fed a diet containing 200 IU/sheep/d vitamin E.     

The early life immune dynamics and cellular drivers at single-cell resolution in lamb forestomachs and abomasumOA

Background Four-chambered stomach including the forestomachs(rumen, reticulum, and omasum) and abomasum allows ruminants convert plant fiber into high-quality animal products. The early development of this four-chambered stomach is crucial for the health and well-being of young ruminants, especially the immune development. However, the dynamics of immune development are poorly understood.Results We investigated the early gene expression patterns across the four-chambered stomach in Hu sheep, at ...     

Effects of rearing system and antibiotic treatment on immune function,gut microbiota and metabolites of broiler chickensOA

Background:In China,cage systems with a high space utilization have gradually replaced ground litter systems,but the disease incidence of chickens in cages is higher.Broilers in the ground litter pens may be stimulated by more environmental microbes during the growth process and show strong immune function and status,but knowledge of which microbes and their metabolites play an immunomodulatory role is still limited.This study aimed to explore the differences and correlations in the immune funct...