Maternal rumen-protected methionine supplementation alters dairy calf development, postnatal growth, plasma biomarkers, and liver one-carbon metabolism
Abstract
Many factors influence fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy. During this critical time maternal nutrition is one of the most important factors that can affect offspring health and performance. Methionine, besides being the first limiting amino, is an important precursor of antioxidants and methyl donor. Therefore, our objectives were to investigate if increasing methionine (Met) supply during late-pregnancy affects developmental, metabolic, and immune parameters of the calf at birth and during the neonatal period. Calves born to Holstein cows individually-fed a basal control [CON; 1.47 Mcal/kg dry matter (DM) and 15.3% crude protein] diet with no added Met or CON plus rumen-protected Met (MET; Mepron® at 0.09% of diet DM) during the last 28 ± 2 d of pregnancy were used. A total of 39 calves were in CON and 42 in MET. At birth, calves were randomly allocated considering dam treatment and colostrum as follows: 1) calves from CON cows and colostrum from CON cows (n = 21); 2) calves from CON cows and colostrum from MET cows (n = 18); 3) calves from MET cows and colostrum from MET cows (n = 22); and 4) calves from MET cows and colostrum from CON cows (n = 20). Liver biopsies were harvested at 4, 14, 28, and 50 d of age and used for metabolomics via GS-MS and activity of hepatic 1-carbon metabolism enzymes. Liver samples at day 4 were used for RNA sequencing, protein expression, and global DNA methylation. Blood for biomarker analyses and innate immune function assays…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 22 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Metabolic Syndrome: Updates on Pathophysiology and Management in 2021
- Environmental pollutants as risk factors for neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases
- Antioxidants, inflammation and cardiovascular disease
- Application of Metabolomics in Alzheimer’s Disease
- Nutritional Importance of Carotenoids and Their Effect on Liver Health: A Review
- Nutritional essentiality of sulfur in health and disease
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.