Evaluation of Maternal Nutrition Effects in the Lifelong Performance of Male Beef Cattle Offspring.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different prenatal nutrition treatments on pregnant cows and their progeny. One hundred and twenty-six pregnant Nellore cows (455.3 ± 8.1 kg) were allocated in three different nutritional treatments during pregnancy: NP-control, PP-protein-energy supplementation in the last 3 months of pregnancy, and FP-the same supplementation throughout pregnancy. After parturition, all cows and calves received the same environmental and nutrition condition. The body condition score (BCS), body weight (BW), ribeye area (REA), backfat thickness (BFT), and rumpfat thickness (RFT) were collected on four occasions during pregnancy in the cows and from birth to finishing in calves. All data (cows and calves) were submitted to an analysis of variance (p < 0.05) using a linear model (MIXED procedure; SAS software). The BW, RFT, and BCS from the cows showed significant differences in the middle third of pregnancy and pre-delivery and RFT postpartum (p < 0.05). For the offspring, the weaning weight showed a tendency (NP lighter than others). In terms of gain, the PP group tended to be higher in RFT at calving (p = 0.06), in REA at finishing (p = 0.09), and in ADG in the same period (p = 0.09). The prenatal nutrition strategies had little or no effect on the beef cattle postnatal performance.