Maternal Fatty Acid Supplementation Research Articles

288 Maternal fatty acid supplementation and its impact on dam and offspring performance

Abstract Fatty acid supplementation has multiple benefits to the offspring when supplemented to the dam during pregnancy; limited to no benefits to the dam have been documented. We hypothesized that maternal fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy would result in improved body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) in the ewes and improve lamb growth until weaning and male offspring growth following weaning when ewes were supplemented fatty acids. On d -8 of the study (35 d of gestation), all ewes were weighed, BCS was collected, and pregnancy status determined. Pregnant Targhee ewes (n = 83) were assigned to a treatment group based on age, BW, and BCS, to one of four treatment gr: 1) 22 g/ewe daily of Ca salts of saturated and monosaturated fatty acids based on palmitic and oleic acids (CON; EnerGII, Virtus Nutrition, LLC, Corcoran, CA); 2) 22 g/ewe daily of Ca salts of PUFA based on eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids (ɷ-3, Strata; Virtus Nutrition LLC); 3) 22 g/ewe daily of Ca salts of PUFA based on linoleic acids (ɷ-6, Prequel; Virtus Nutrition LLC); or 4) 11 g/ewe of Ca-salts enriched with EPA+DHA (Strata) and 11 g/ewe of Ca-salts enriched with linoleic acid (Strata) daily (ɷ-3 + 6; Virtus Nutrition LLC). Fatty acid supplementation occurred from d 0 until d 88 of the study, and all ewes were fed grass hay. Ewe BW and BCS were recorded at d -8, 51, 93, and 240 of the study. Twenty-four hours after birth, lamb sex was identified and weighed (n = 136 lamb; CON = 33; ɷ-3 = 32; ɷ-6 = 36; ɷ-3 + 6 = 35). Lambs were weighed at d 175 and 240 (weaning) of the study (n = 86; CON = 22; ɷ-3 = 22; ɷ-6 = 21; ɷ-3 + 6 = 21). Body weight, BCS, and scrotal circumference (SC) were collected on all ram lambs at d 352, 380, and 408. No differences were observed in ewe BW or BCS at d -8, 51, or 93 of the study (P ≥ 0.26) between the treatment groups (Table 1). A treatment × day interaction was observed at d 240 of the study when ɷ-6 ewes had a greater (P = 0.03) BCS compared with group cohorts. No differences in lamb birth weight, lamb weight or average daily gain at d 175 or 240 of the study between treatment groups (P ≥ 0.25; Table 2). No differences were reported in ram lamb BW, BCS, or SC at d 352, 380, and 408 (P ≥ 0.31; Table 3). These results indicate that maternal fatty acid supplementation alters ewe BCS at the time of weaning; however, supplementation does not impact lamb growth from birth until weaning or ram lamb growth and scrotal circumference.

Effects of maternal dietary fatty acids during mid-gestation on growth, glucose metabolism, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of lamb progeny that were fed differing levels of dry matter of intake

This experiment evaluated growth, glucose metabolism, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of market lambs that were offered ad libitum or restricted (85% of ad libitum) feed intake following two different maternal fatty acid (FA) supplementations while in-utero. Ewes received either a diet supplemented with polyunsaturated FA or saturated/monounsaturated FA during mid- to late-gestation. Following weaning, progeny wethers were fed either ad libitum or a restricted level of feed intake. Ewe FA supplementation did not affect (P ≥ 0.11) growth, meat quality, nor plasma glucose or insulin concentrations of the progeny. Carcass body fat and yield grade of the progeny were affected (P = 0.01) by maternal FA supplementation and restricted feed intake. In summary, maternal FA supplementation did not affect progeny growth, while feed restriction during finishing did not affect meat quality. The interaction between maternal FA supplementation and finishing strategy for body fat accretion indicates that metabolism and the supply of FA during gestation may warrant further investigation.

Maternal Conjugated Linoleic Acid Supply in Combination With or Without Essential Fatty Acids During Late Pregnancy and Early Lactation: Investigations on Physico-Chemical Characteristics of the Jejunal Content and Jejunal Microbiota in Neonatal Calves.

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) modulate the fatty acid composition in dairy cow milk, which represents the most important nutrient source of neonatal calves. In turn, dietary fatty acids are known to influence the gut microbiota. The current preliminary study investigated effects of a maternal fatty acid supplementation (MFAS) during transition period with coconut oil (CON, control), CLA (Lutalin®), or CLA + EFA (Lutalin® + essential fatty acids–linseed oil; safflower oil) on physico-chemical characteristics of jejunal content and microbiota of 5-day-old calves. MFAS of CLA + EFA increased α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and n-3 fatty acid proportions in jejunum compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). Proportions of n-6 and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased by MFAS of CLA + EFA compared to CON (P < 0.05). Most abundant phyla in the jejunum were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota. CLA + EFA decreased the relative abundance of Diplorickettsiales (Proteobacteria) compared to CON and CLA (P < 0.05). CLA calves showed a lower abundance of Enterobacterales (Proteobacteria) compared to CON calves (P = 0.001). The abundance of Veillonellales-Selenomonadales and RF39 (Firmicutes) decreased in CLA + EFA calves compared to CON calves (P < 0.05). Bacteroidales (Bacteroidota) decreased in CLA + EFA calves compared to CLA calves (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Cyanobacteria and Euryarchaeota decreased and the abundance of Chloroflexi increased in CLA + EFA calves compared to CON and CLA calves (P < 0.05). MFAS alters the fatty acid composition and microbial milieu in the intestinal content of neonatal calves due to their ability to modulate colostral fatty acid composition of dams.

Maternal Supply of Fatty Acids during Late Gestation on Offspring's Growth, Metabolism, and Carcass Characteristics in Sheep.

Simple SummaryGrowth is an important factor that drives animal production, and it can be manipulated through maternal nutrition. In ruminants, previous studies suggested that maternal nutrition during late gestation with polyunsaturated fatty acids altered growth, energy metabolism, muscle development, and body composition of the offspring. This study investigates the effect of supplementing different sources of fatty acids during late gestation on offspring energy metabolism and growth during the finishing period. Maternal fatty acid supplementation during late gestation modified growth, insulin sensitivity, and hot carcass weight in lambs; these changes depended on the unsaturation degree of the fatty acid supplement and lamb sex. Hence, fatty acid supplementation of the gestating ewe can potentially have a lifelong impact on offspring’s growth performance and metabolism, and could be used as a possible management alternative to enhanced offspring productivity.Lambs born from dams supplemented with different sources of fatty acids (FA) during late gestation have a different growth rate and plasma glucose concentration. The main objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effect of supplementing different sources of FA during late gestation on offspring plasma metabolite concentrations, growth, and on a glucose tolerance test (GTT) during the finishing phase. Fifty-four lambs (18 pens, 3 lambs/pen) were born from ewes supplemented during late gestation with one of three treatments: (1) no FA (NF); (2) a source of monounsaturated FA (PDS, 1.01% of Ca salts); or (3) a source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (EDS, 1.01% of Ca salts containing). At birth (day 0), supplementation ceased, and all ewes and lambs were placed in a common pen. On day 60, lambs were weaned, grouped by sex, blocked by body weight (BW), and placed on a common finishing diet for 54 days (FP). One lamb per pen was used for the GTT after the FP. There was a tendency for FA × Sex × Day interaction (p = 0.08) on lamb growth during the finishing period, with PDS females being heavier than PDS males, while EDS males were heavier than EDS females at day 60. There was a tendency for FA × Sex interaction (p = 0.06) for plasma insulin concentration for the GTT. Plasma insulin concentration of wethers increased as FA unsaturation degree increased during the GTT; the opposite happened with the plasma insulin concentration of female lambs. In conclusion, FA supplementation during late gestation tended to modified growth and insulin response to a GTT; these changes differed with the degree of FA unsaturation of the supplement and lamb sex.

Progress on the protective effects of maternal fatty acid supplementation on infant asthma risk: a narrative review

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation, and involves a variety of cells and cellular components, which genetic and environmental factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. It usually occurs in infancy, and epidemiological studies have shown that maternal nutrition during pregnancy is related to the occurrence of asthma in childhood. Fatty acids (FA) are carboxylic acids with different amounts of carbons. Based on the differences between saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon chains, it can be divided into three categories: saturated fatty acid (SFA, no double bonds between them), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA, one double bond), and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA, multiple double bonds). Excessive intake of SFA is the main cause of elevated blood cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), which leads to arterial lumen stenosis and atherosclerosis, and increases the risk of coronary heart disease. MUFA has hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, cholesterol-lowering, and antithrombotic effects. SFAs and MUFAs can increase airway inflammation and promote the development of asthma. However, the correlation between maternal SFA and MUFA intake and infant asthma risk has not been reported. The most widely studied PUFA are N-3 PUFA and N-6 PUFA, which mainly derived from vegetable oil, fish oil, and microorganism. As an important component of membrane phospholipids, PUFA can play an immunomodulatory role by affecting the production of eicosanoids, cell membrane fluidity, and gene expression. Maternal intake of PUFAs, especially N-3 PUFAs during pregnancy, can reduce the risk of infant asthma by regulating Th1/Th2 cytokines and immune responses, but a few studies are still controversial. Therefore, large-scale multicenter randomized controlled clinical trials are still warranted to further verify the efficacy of N-3 PUFAs on asthma.

Influences of Maternal Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Essential Fatty Acid Supply During Late Pregnancy and Early Lactation on T and B Cell Subsets in Mesenteric Lymph Nodes and the Small Intestine of Neonatal Calves.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers are known for their health-promoting effects in mammals and metabolic functions in dairy cows and are synthesized in the forestomach depending on essential fatty acid (EFA) intake. The current preliminary study investigated effects of a maternal fatty acid supplementation (MFAS) during late pregnancy and early lactation with coconut oil (CON, control), CLA (Lutalin®), or CLA + EFA (Lutalin® linseed oil; safflower oil) on plasma fatty acid composition and T and B cell subsets in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and the small intestine of 5-day-old calves. MFAS of CLA + EFA increased α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and n-3 fatty acid proportions in calf plasma fat on days 1 and 5 after birth (P < 0.05). On day 5, CLA and CLA + EFA calves showed higher plasma fat trans-10, cis-12 CLA proportions, and CLA calves had higher plasma cis-9, trans-11 CLA proportions compared with CON calves (P < 0.1). MFAS of CLA tended to increase CD4+ T cell subsets in MLN and increased CD21+ B cell subsets in ileal lamina propria compared with CON but decreased CD2+ T cell subsets in jejunal lamina propria (P < 0.05). CLA + EFA decreased CD4+ T cell subsets in MLN compared with CLA (P < 0.05). MFAS of CLA seemed to affect the intestinal adaptive immune system of calves, but additional EFA supplementations reversed CLA effects. Possible direct CLA and EFA effects or whether changes in milk composition affected this immune modulation must be clarified in further studies.

210 Effects of supplementing calcium salts of fatty acids during late gestation on beef cow performance and offspring pre-weaning performance

Abstract Objectives were to investigate the effects of late-gestation supplementation of Ca salts of fatty acids to beef cows on cow performance and offspring pre-weaning growth performance. One hundred and ninety fall-calving, Angus Simmental cows were ranked by BW, BCS, and age. Cows were randomly assigned into 12 endophyte-infected, tall fescue pastures (4 pastures/treatment; 15–16 cows/pasture). Cows were fed an isocaloric supplement with soybean hulls mixed with: whole-shelled corn (CON), 155 g/cow/d of EnerGII (SFA/MUFA), or 40 g/cow/d of Strata 120 g/cow/d of Prequel (PUFA) during the last 83 4.9 d of gestation. Cow BW and BCS were measured at the initial, middle point, and end of supplementation, as well as at breeding and weaning. Milk yield was evaluated by weigh-suckle-weigh technique at 675.0 d postpartum. Steers were weaned at 174 5.0 d of age. Growth performance, milk, and blood parameters were analyzed with MIXED and reproductive data were analyzed with GLIMMIX procedures of SAS. The BW and BCS of the cows were not different (P 0.19) from trial initiation through weaning. Birth BW of the steers was not different (P = 0.62). The AI or overall pregnancy rates were not different (P 0.88). There was no difference (P 0.12) in milk yield or components. However, C15:0 and total n-3 fatty acids in milk from dams supplemented with PUFA was greater (P 0.05) than CON, while SFA/MUFA was intermediate and not different than the others. There was no difference (P = 0.83) for weaning BW of the steers. In conclusion, late-gestation supplementation of Ca salts of PUFA had no effect on cow BW, BCS, or milk yield, but increased total n-3 fatty acids in milk. Neither birth BW nor weaning BW of steers were affected by maternal fatty acid supplementation.

Bovine embryo elongation is altered due to maternal fatty acid supplementation.

The pre-implantation period is prone to embryonic losses in bovine. Embryo-maternal communication is crucial to support embryo development. Thereby, factors of the uterine fluid (UF) are of specific importance. The maternal diet can affect the UF composition. Since omega 3 fatty acids (omega 3 FA) are considered to be beneficial for reproduction, we investigated if dietary omega 3 FA affected factors in the UF related to embryo elongation. Angus heifers (n=37) were supplemented with either 450 g of rumen-protected fish oil (omega 3 FA) or sunflower oil (omega 6 FA) for a period of 8 weeks. Following cycle synchronization and artificial insemination, the uteri were flushed post mortem to recover the embryos on day 15 of pregnancy. The UF and tissue samples of endometrium and corpus luteum (CL) were collected. Strikingly, the embryo elongation in the omega 3 group was enhanced compared to the omega 6 group. No differences were observed in uterine prostaglandins, even though the endometrial concentration of their precursor arachidonic acid was reduced in omega 3 compared to omega 6 heifers. The dietary FA neither led to differential expression of target genes in endometrium nor CL nor to a differential abundance of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, cortisol or amino acids in the UF. Interestingly, the omega 3 group displayed a higher plasma progesterone concentration during luteal growth than the omega 6 group, possibly promoting embryo elongation. Further research should include an ovarian perspective to understand the functional link between dietary omega 3 FA and reproductive outcome.

83 Maternal fatty acid supplementation influences memory and learning ability in yearling and 2-year-old horses

83 Maternal fatty acid supplementation influences memory and learning ability in yearling and 2-year-old horses

Do Fatty Acids in Formula Affect Child Development

For several years, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) have been added to commercially available infant formulas. These long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPFAs) are touted to help infant formula more closely mimic breast milk and to be more beneficial to eye and brain development than infant formula without LCPFAs. The effect of maternal fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy and lactation has also been examined. An international team conducted a meta-analysis of data from …

Omega-3 fatty acids in the gravid pig uterus as affected by maternal supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids1

Two experiments evaluated the ability of maternal fatty acid supplementation to alter conceptus and endometrial fatty acid composition. In Exp. 1, treatments were 1) the control, a corn-soybean meal diet; 2) flax, the control diet plus ground flax (3.75% of diet); and 3) protected fatty acids (PFA), the control plus a protected fish oil source rich in n-3 PUFA (Gromega, JBS United Inc., Sheridan, IN; 1.5% of diet). Supplements replaced equal parts of corn and soybean meal. When gilts reached 170 d of age, PG600 (PMSG and hCG, Intervet USA, Millsboro, DE) was injected to induce puberty, and dietary treatments (n = 8/treatment) were initiated. When detected in estrus, gilts were artificially inseminated. On d 40 to 43 of gestation, 7 gilts in the control treatment, 8 gilts in the PFA treatment, and 5 gilts in the flax treatment were pregnant and were slaughtered. Compared with the control treatment, the flax treatment tended to increase eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA: C20:5n-3) in fetuses (0.14 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.03 mg/g of dry tissue; P = 0.055), whereas gilts receiving PFA had more (P < 0.05) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA: C22:6n-3) in their fetuses (5.23 vs. 4.04 +/- 0.078 mg/g) compared with gilts fed the control diet. Both the flax and PFA diets increased (P < 0.05) DHA (0.60, 0.82, and 0.85 +/- 0.078 mg/g for the control, flax, and PFA diet, respectively) in the chorioallantois. In the endometrium, EPA and docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5n-3) were increased by the flax diet (P < 0.001; P < 0.05), whereas gilts receiving PFA had increased DHA (P < 0.001). The flax diet selectively increased EPA, and the PFA diet selectively increased DHA in the fetus and endometrium. In Exp. 2, gilts were fed diets containing PFA (1.5%) or a control diet beginning at approximately 170 of age (n = 13/treatment). A blood sample was collected after 30 d of treatment, and gilts were artificially inseminated when they were approximately 205 d old. Conceptus and endometrial samples were collected on d 11 to 19 of pregnancy. Plasma samples indicated that PFA increased (P < 0.005) circulating concentrations of EPA and DHA. Endometrial EPA was increased (P < 0.001) for gilts fed the PFA diet. In extraembryonic tissues, PFA more than doubled (P < 0.001) the EPA (0.13 vs. 0.32 +/- 0.013 mg/g) and DHA (0.39 vs. 0.85 +/- 0.05 mg/g). In embryonic tissue on d 19, DHA was increased (P < 0.05) by PFA (0.20 vs. 0.30 +/- 0.023 mg/g). Supplementing n-3 PUFA, beginning 30 d before breeding, affected endometrial, conceptus, and fetal fatty acid composition in early pregnancy. Dynamic day effects in fatty acid composition indicate this may be a critical period for maternal fatty acid resources to affect conceptus development and survival.