Abstract
The aim of the present work was to monitor metabolic and hormonal profiles in newborn kids, born from dams fed diets with low or high levels of energy requirements. Starting from the last month of pregnancy, 14 goats were randomly allocated to two groups: Group LD (low diet) and Group HD (high diet) that received a diet that covered 80% and 140% of their energy requirement, respectively. At delivery, the kids were weighed and a blood sample was taken before they suckled colostrum (Time 0) and 1, 2, 3, 12 and 24 h after they started suckling. Plasma insulin, IGF-I, glucose, fT3 and fT4 concentrations were not influenced by the dietary treatments, but a significant effect of time was observed as they progressively increased during the first 12 h of life. Plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin, globulin and total protein plasma concentrations were significantly higher in Group HD than those of Group LD. In Group HD, cortisol concentrations were significantly lower than those of Group LD. Positive correlations were observed between LW and IGF-I (r = 0.71; p<0.05), plasma insulin and glucose (r = 0.79; p<0.05) and total protein and globulin concentrations (r = 0.97; p<0.001). Our results show that perinatal nutrition affects newborn goat kids' metabolic and hormonal profile.
Highlights
At birth the controlled uterine environment ends, and the subsequent 24 h represent a critical transition phase between the foetal functions and those of the newborn
Positive correlations were observed between LW and IGF-I (r = 0.71; p
Gestational length was similar between the two groups (Group LD 150±0.2 days and Group HD 150±0.8)
Summary
At birth the controlled uterine environment ends, and the subsequent 24 h represent a critical transition phase between the foetal functions and those of the newborn. Underfeeding pregnant sheep can have deleterious effects on foetal and/or newborn lambs by adversely affecting placental size, foetal growth, deposition of foetal fat reserves for use after birth, maternal udder development and colostrum/milk production (Mellor, 1983; Mellor, 1988; Gao et al, 2008). This may be even more important in grazing goats because they cannot meet their energy requirements for late pregnancy especially when parturition is scheduled out-of-season, or in the instance of marginal and hill land goat production. The objective of this study, was to investigate the hypotheses that perinatal nutrition of goats affects the metabolic and hormonal profile in the neonatal kid
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