Effects of selenium supply and dietary restriction on maternal and fetal body weight, visceral organ mass and cellularity estimates, and jejunal vascularity in pregnant ewe lambs

• Published in: Journal of animal science Vol. 85; no. 10; pp. 2721 - 2733
• Main Authors: Reed, J.J, Ward, M.A, Vonnahme, K.A, Neville, T.L, Julius, S.L, Borowicz, P.P, Taylor, J.B, Redmer, D.A, Grazul-Bilska, A.T, Reynolds, L.P, Caton, J.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Savoy, IL American Society of Animal Science 01-10-2007; Am Soc Animal Sci
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animal Husbandry - methods; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; animal organs; Animal productions; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; blood vessels; body weight; Body Weight - drug effects; Body Weight - physiology; Breeding; carcass weight; Cell Division - drug effects; Cell Division - physiology; Diet, Reducing; Dietary Supplements; DNA; DNA - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; energy intake; ewes; feeding level; Female; fetal development; Fetal Development - drug effects; Fetal Development - physiology; fetus; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; jejunum; Jejunum - blood supply; Jejunum - drug effects; Jejunum - metabolism; length; maternal effect; maternal nutrition; nutrient availability; nutrient intake; nutrient restriction; Nutritional Requirements; Organ Size - drug effects; Organ Size - physiology; Organ Specificity; Pregnancy; Random Allocation; RNA; RNA - metabolism; selenium; Selenium - administration & dosage; Selenium - pharmacology; Sheep - growth & development; Sheep - physiology; sheep feeding; Terrestrial animal productions; tissue weight; Trace Elements - administration & dosage; Trace Elements - pharmacology; Vertebrates; Viscera - drug effects; Viscera - metabolism; Dairy animal; Farming animal; Body weight; Inorganic element; fetal; Lamb; Pregnancy; Reproduction; Vertebrata; Ewe; nutrient restriction; Meat animals; Mammalia; Sheep; Nutrient; Artiodactyla; Selenium; Ungulata; Organ; maternal
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/jas.2006-785

To examine effects of nutrient restriction and dietary Se on maternal and fetal visceral tissues, 36 pregnant Targhee-cross ewe lambs were allotted randomly to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments were plane of nutrition [control, 100% of requirements vs. restricted, 60% of controls] and dietary Se [adequate Se, ASe (6 μg/kg of BW) vs. high Se, HSe (80 μg/kg of BW)] from Se-enriched yeast. Selenium treatments were initiated 21 d before breeding and dietary restriction began on d 64 of gestation. Diets contained 16% CP and 2.12 Mcal/kg of ME (DM basis) and differing amounts were fed to control and restricted groups. On d 135 ± 5 (mean ± range) of gestation, ewes were slaughtered and visceral tissues were harvested. There was a nutrition x Se interaction (P = 0.02) for maternal jejunal RNA:DNA; no other interactions were detected for maternal measurements. Maternal BW, stomach complex, small intestine, large intestine, liver, and kidney mass were less (P = 0.11) by treatment. Total jejunal and mucosal vascularity (mL) were less (P <= 0.01) in restricted than control ewes. Fetuses from restricted ewes had less BW (P = 0.06), empty carcass weight (P = 0.06), crown-rump length (P = 0.03), liver (P = 0.01), pancreas (P = 0.07), perirenal fat (P = 0.02), small intestine (P = 0.007), and spleen weights (P = 0.03) compared with controls. Fetuses from HSe ewes had heavier (P <= 0.09) BW, and empty carcass, heart, lung, spleen, total viscera, and large intestine weights compared with ASe ewes. Nutrient restriction resulted in less protein content (mg, P = 0.01) and protein:DNA (P = 0.06) in fetal jejunum. Fetal muscle DNA (nutrition by Se interaction, P = 0.04) concentration was greater (P < 0.05) in restricted ewes fed HSe compared with other treatments. Fetal muscle RNA concentration (P = 0.01) and heart RNA content (P = 0.04) were greater in HSe vs. ASe ewes. These data indicate that maternal dietary Se may alter fetal responses, as noted by greater fetal heart, lung, spleen, and BW.