Short-term effects of maternal feed restriction during pregnancy on goat kid morphology, metabolism, and behavior
2011
Laporte-Broux , Bérengère (INRA , Paris (France). UMR 0791 Modélisation Systémique Appliquée aux Ruminants ) | Roussel , Sabine (INRA , Paris (France). UMR 0791 Modélisation Systémique Appliquée aux Ruminants ) | Ponter , Andrew (INRA , Jouy-En-Josas (France). UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction) | Perault , Julien (INRA , Jouy-En-Josas (France). UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction) | Chavatte-Palmer , Pascale (INRA , Jouy-En-Josas (France). UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction) | Duvaux-Ponter , Christine (INRA , Paris (France). UMR 0791 Modélisation Systémique Appliquée aux Ruminants )
Morphometric, metabolic, and behavioural modifications were studied in goat kids after maternal feed restriction during the last one-third of pregnancy. At birth, only kids from twin and triplet litters were studied [n = 40 kids born to control dams (CONT) and n = 38 born to restricted dams (REST)] and only males thereafter (n = 13 CONT and 15 REST kids) until slaughter at 6 wk of age. Kids born to restricted goats had a smaller abdominal girth at birth P < 0.01) and tended to have a smaller body mass index (P = 0.10) and a smaller density index (P = 0.09) than kids born to CONT goats. Male REST kids had a lighter birth weight (P = 0.03) than male CONT kids, but no differences (all P > 0.10) were found for BW and morphometric measurements thereafter. Decreased NEFA concentrations suggested that male REST kids mobilized their body reserves less than CONT kids at birth (P < 0.01). No modifications in drinking tests at 3 and 5 wk of age were observed, or in feeding behaviour and emotional reactivity at 5 wk of age (all P > 0.10). In conclusion, maternal feed restriction in the last one-third of pregnancy resulted in a decrease in birth size, but male kids rapidly caught up, and there were no changes in behavior, morphology, or metabolism during rearing.
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