Insulin sensitivity and fetal growth in ewes maintained in a moderate body condition compared with a lean body condition in late pregnancy

1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 753 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. McNeill ◽  
R.W. Kelly ◽  
I. H. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Sensitivity ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Insulin Response ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Similar Rate ◽  
Similar Amount ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Exogenous Glucose ◽  
Condition Score

The possibility that an increase in maternal fatness might further enhance pregnancy-induced insulin insensitivity was investigated in ewes pregnant with one fetus. After selection of fat and lean ewes, they were fed to maintain maternal energy balance throughout pregnancy. A difference in insulin sensitivity of ewes in either a medium condition [score 2·9, 0·32± 0·031 kg fat/kg fat-free empty body (FFBW), n = 7] or lean body condition (score 2·0, 0·16±0.028 kg fat/kg FFBW, n = 8) at Day 136 of pregnancy was inferred by comparing their insulin response to an injection of glucose (350 mg/kg liveweight). The ewes were slaughtered at Day 146 of pregnancy to allow fetal weight, fetal fatness, and maternal fatness to be related to the capacity of the ewe to release insulin. The fatter ewes released more insulin in response to the injection of glucose (2. 54 log area units under the insulin response curve v. 2·22 for the lean ewes, pooled s.e. = 0·092, P < 0·05), yet cleared the glucose from their blood streams at the same rate as the leaner ewes. Because the fat ewes required more insulin to remove a similar amount of exogenous glucose at a similar rate to the lean ewes, we suggest that the fat ewes were less sensitive to insulin. Further, the fetuses of the fatter ewes, while not different in total weight, had higher levels of body fat than those of the leaner ewes (29·4 v. 23·8 g/kg FFBW, pooled s.e. r = 1·32, P < 0·05). Fetal fatness was also positively correlated to the magnitude of insulin release by the ewe (r = 0·61, P < 0·05). Since glucose is the major precursor of fetal fat, these data support our contention that a reduction in maternal insulin sensitivity, brought on by an increase in maternal fatness, could partition more glucose to the fetus. If fat reserves aid lamb survival, lambs from fat ewes rather than lean ewes may have a better chance of survival, particularly in cold conditions.

Maternal fatness influences fetal size in ewes underfed in late pregnancy

1999 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 1171 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. McNeill ◽  
R. W. Kelly ◽  
I. H. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Tritiated Water ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Fetal Size ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Energy Maintenance ◽  
Water Dilution

The effect of ewe fatness on fetal weight at term in ewes underfed in late pregnancy was tested by minimising the confounding effect of differences between fatness groups in placental weight. Twin-bearing Merino ewes in a fat (n = 9, condition score 3.8 units) or moderate (n =9, condition score 2.9) body condition were underfed to 0.6 of their requirements for energy maintenance from Day 108 to 144 of pregnancy. The fatness groups were developed over an 80-day period prior to mating by splitting a flock into 2 groups, each of similar mean liveweight and body condition score, and then enhancing the nutrient intake of one whilst restricting that of the other to maintenance levels until mating. After mating, both groups were fed similarly until Day 108 of pregnancy in an attempt to allow the development of placentas of a similar size in each. Maternal fat and protein mobilised between Day 108 and 144 of pregnancy were calculated on a per animal basis as the difference between maternal fat and protein weights at Day 108, estimated by the tritiated water dilution technique, and at Day 144, estimated by chemical analysis of fat and protein tissue following slaughter. At slaughter, the fat ewes had placentas of a size similar to those of the leaner ewes (588 v. 507 g, pooled s.e. = 50.7, P > 0.10) but produced a total weight of fetus that was 14% heavier (6646 v. 5826 g, pooled s.e. = 257.6, P < 0.05). The fat ewes also mobilised more body fat between Day 108 and 144 (3.62 v. 2.58 kg, pooled s.e. = 0.446, P < 0.10), and maintained higher levels of non-esterified fatty acids in their plasma during late pregnancy. There was no effect of ewe fatness on the extent of protein mobilisation (0.66 v. 0.62 kg, pooled s.e. = 0.623, P > 0.10) over late pregnancy. We conclude that additional maternal fat reserves can limit the extent to which fetal growth is restricted in ewes undernourished during late pregnancy.

scholarly journals Effects on maternal and foetal traits of feeding supplement to grazing pregnant ewes

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 667-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Frutos ◽  
O. Buratovich ◽  
F. J. Giràldez ◽  
A. R. Mantecòn ◽  
I. A. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Uterine Wall ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Large Fluctuations ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Fat Depot ◽  
Grass Growth

AbstractThirty single-bearing Merino ewes were used to examine the effect of feeding supplement, from 91 to 140 days of gestation, on changes in chemical composition of the ewes, on the relationships with live weight and body condition score and on the foetus. Ewes grazed a perennial ryegrass pasture and were offered either no supplement or 500 g per head per day of a concentrate supplement from days 30 to 90 and (or) from days 91 to 140 of pregnancy. Maternal carcass and non-carcass components, uterine wall, foetus and placenta plus cotyledons were chemically analysed. Live weight (LW) and body condition score (BCS) on day 140 were both affected by supplementation during late pregnancy, mobilization of protein and fat being lower in animals receiving supplement. BCS accounted for more variation than LW in the carcass fat depot. Because this depot was the most important source of energy from days 91 to 140 of gestation, this suggests that BCS is a useful estimator of mobilization of maternal fat reserves during this stage of pregnancy. The ability to mobilize reserves and protect foetal growth by Merino ewes in southern Europe, where large fluctuations in grass growth rate exposes them to considerable undernutrition as pregnancy proceeds, was confirmed in this experiment. However, when the nutritional regime is extreme, supplementary feeding to the ewes is recommended, in order to make the whole system economically profitable.

scholarly journals Relationship between the indexes of insulin resistance and metabolic status in dairy cows during early lactation

2017 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marko Cincović ◽  
Danijela Kirovski ◽  
Ivan Vujanac ◽  
Branislava Belić ◽  
Radojica Djoković
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Insulin Sensitivity ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Metabolic Status ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Igf I ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Linear Correlations

AbstractInsulin resistance is a phenomenon which accompanies the ongoing metabolic adaptation in cows during early lactation. The aim of our study was to determine the linear correlations of HOMA (Homeostatic Model Assessment), QUICKI (Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index) and RQUICKI (Revised Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index) indexes of insulin resistance with the metabolic status of cows (concentration of hormones, metabolites and body condition score). The experiment included 40 Holstein-Frisian cows in the first week after calving. Indexes of insulin resistance valued: 18.68±5.43 (HOMA), 0.39±0.06 (QUICKI) and 0.45±0.06 (RQUICKI). Linear correlations were examined by testing the coefficient of correlation (r), determination (r2,%) and regression parameter beta (b) in linear equation. A negative correlation was found between HOMA and IGF-I (insulin growth factor I) (r=−0.51, r2=25.0, b=−1.1257, p<0.01). HOMA showed a positive correlation with BHB (betahidroxybutyrate) (r=0.48, r2=23.2, b=0.0234, p<0.01). A positive correlation was found between QUICKI and IGF-I (r=0.30, r2=10.0 b=46.7900, p<0.05) and cholesterol (r=0.44, r2=18.3, b=1.9021, p<0.01). In contrast, QUICKI and BHB (r=0.51, r2=27.1, b=−1.7241, p<0.01), just like QUICKI and BCS (r=0.46, r2=20.9, b=−2.424, p<0.01), showed a negative correlation. RQUICKI showed positive correlations with IGF-I (r=0.48, r2=22.8, b=28.1230, p<0.01), T4 (r=0.47, r2=22.1, b=87.142, p<0.01) and triglycerides (r=0.36, r2=13, b=0.0407, p<0.05) but negative correlations with cortisol (r=−0.36, r2=13.0, b=−9.0332, p<0.05), STH (somatotropic hormone) (r=−0.42, r2=17.3, b=−5.4976, p<0.01), BHB (r=−0.62, r2=38.3, b=−1.1872, p<0.01), total bilirubin (r=−0.58, r2=33.7, b=−7.131, p<0.01) and BCS (body condition score) (r=−0.6, r2=36.4, b=−1.8347, p<0.01). In conclusion, indexes of insulin resistance may be used to evaluate the metabolic status of cows in early lactation. RQUICKI might be the most appropriate predictor of metabolic status due to its linear relationship with most of the parameters included in homeorhetic process.

scholarly journals Do Live Weight, Body Condition Score, Back Muscle or Back-Fat Reserves Create the Suspicion of Goats Infected with Eimeria or Trichostrongylids?

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3591
Author(s):  
Martin Ptáček ◽  
Iveta Angela Kyriánová ◽  
Jana Nápravníková ◽  
Jaromír Ducháček ◽  
Tomáš Husák ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Infection Intensity ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Fat Thickness ◽  
One Year

Thirty goats of the breeds Czech Brown Shorthaired and Czech White Shorthaired and their crosses were randomly selected from a flock at a farm in the Czech Republic. All animals were monitored for one year at monthly intervals for their nutritional status (live weight, LW; body-condition score, BCS; depth of musculus longissimus thoracis et lumborum, MLTL; back-fat thickness, BT) and infection intensity with Eimeria sp. (EIM) and strongylid nematodes (STR). Regression–correlation analysis showed a possible interrelation of BCS with EIM infection. Analysis of muscle and fat reserves indicated that BT was better than MLTL in identifying EIM infection. Goat nutritional status was not significantly correlated with STR infection. A linear tendency (p = 0.092), however, was detected for the response of MLTL to STR infection. Results of this study indicated theoretical use of BCS for Eimeria identification and suggested some perspective of BCS for targeting animals infected by strongylid nematode. Validity of our results, however, was limited by number of observed animals managed under specific breeding conditions.

scholarly journals Impact of body condition on postpartum features in morada nova sheep

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 1581
Author(s):  
Felipe Brener Bezerra de Oliveira ◽  
César Carneiro Linhares Fernandes ◽  
Aline Maia Silva ◽  
Cleidson Manoel Gomes Silva ◽  
Luiz Fernando De Souza Rodrigues ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
White Blood Cells ◽  
Subcutaneous Fat ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
The Impact

This study evaluated the impact of nutritional status of Morada Nova sheep at lambing on the reproductive and productive performance and on the survival of lambs in early weaning system. Nineteen, Morada Nova sheep were assigned to two groups according to body condition score (BCS) at lambing: low BCS (n = 11) and high BCS (n=8) with body condition respectively of (mean ± SD) 2.0 ± 0.3 e 2.9 ± 0.1. From birth until lamb weaning (45 days), sheep were weighed weekly and checked the BCS, loin subcutaneous fat thickness, loin depth, hematological profile, milk composition and production, and every three days, we measured the uterine diameter. Lamb weightings were performed up to one week after weaning (52 days). The lower availability of muscle and fat reserves in the low BCS group negatively affected milk production and consequently performance of suckling lambs. However, the results indicated that the uterine involution process, the reproductive parameters including prolificacy, rate of multiple births, number of white blood cells, milk quality, body weight of lambs at birth and mortality rates were not affected by the body condition. The results allowed to describe the responsiveness to opposite nutritional status of Morada Nova sheep, showing their characteristics of adaptation.

A comparison of chopped/un-chopped big bale silage, pit silage and hay when offered with concentrates to twin bearing ewes

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 129-129
Author(s):  
T.F. Crosby ◽  
P.J. Quinn ◽  
J.J. Callan ◽  
B. Flynn ◽  
J.V. O'Doherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Beet Pulp ◽  
Terminal Sire

Big bale silage has become increasingly popular on many livestock farms in Ireland yet there is limited information on its use for sheep. The objective of this experiment was to compare the effects of feeding chopped or unchopped big bale silage, pit silage and hay when supplemented with either a barley or a molassed sugar beet pulp based concentrate when fed to ewes in late pregnancy on feed intake, ewe weight and body condition score changes, gestation length, lamb birth weight and colostrum yield.Sixty four mature lowland cross ewes (8/treatment) were oestrus synchronised in October and mated to terminal sire breeds (Suffolk, Texel or Charollais). The ewes were housed, winter shorn and pregnancy scanned in December, following which twin bearing animals were allocated to a 4 x 2 factorial experiment and individually fed either un-chopped or chopped big bale silage which had been wilted for 36-48 hours as is usual for this type of forage, pit silage, which had been wilted for 18-24 hours or hay.

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