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Dairy cattle with high (HM) versus low muscle (LM) reserves as determined by longissimus dorsi muscle depth (LDD) in late gestation exhibit differential muscle mobilization related to subsequent milk production. Moreover, branched-chain volatile fatty acid (BCVFA) supplementation increased blood glucose levels. We hypothesized that differences in HM and LM reflect distinct muscle metabolism and that BCVFA supplementation altered metabolic pathways. At 42 days before expected calving (BEC), Holstein dairy cows were enrolled in a 2 × 2 factorial study of diet and muscle reserves, by assignment to control (CON)- or BCVFA-supplemented diets and LDD of HM (>4.6 cm) or LM (≤4.6 cm) groups: HM-CON ( n = 13), HM-BCVFA ( n = 10), LM-CON ( n = 9), and LM-BCVFA ( n = 9). Longisumus dorsi muscle was biopsied at 21 days BEC, total RNA was isolated, and protein-coding gene expression was measured with RNA sequencing. Between HM and LM, 713 genes were differentially expressed and 481 between BCVFA and CON ( P < 0.05). Transcriptional signatures indicated differential distribution of type II fibers between groups, with MYH1 greater in LM cattle and MYH2 greater in HM cattle ( P < 0.05). Signatures of LM cattle relative to HM cattle indicated greater activation of autophagy, ubiquitin-proteasome, and Ca 2+ -calpain pathways. HM cattle displayed greater expression of genes that encode extracellular matrix proteins and factors that regulate their proteolysis and turnover. BCVFA modified transcriptomes by increasing expression of genes that regulate fatty acid degradation and flux of carbons into the tricarboxylic acid cycle as acetyl CoA. Molecular signatures support distinct metabolic strategies between LM and HM cattle and that BCVFA supplementation increased substrates for energy generation. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Muscle biopsies of the longissimus dorsi of prepartum dairy cattle indicate that molecular signatures support distinct metabolic strategies between low- and high-muscle cattle and that branched-chain volatile fatty acid supplementation increased substrates for energy generation.

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of maternal nutrition during gestation and lactation in modulating the gastrointestinal development and health of offspring. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of live yeast (LY) supplementation to sows during late gestation and throughout lactation on markers of gut health of piglets prior to weaning and immediately postweaning. On day 77 of gestation, forty sows were allotted based on parity and expected farrowing dates to two dietary treatments: without (CON) or with (LY) supplementation at 0.05% and 0.1% of diet during gestation and lactation, respectively. On postnatal days (PND) 0, 10, 18, and postweaning days (PWD) 7 and 14, one piglet from each of 10 sows per treatment were selected for intestinal tissue collection (n = 10). Real-time PCR and western blotting analyses were used to determine the mucosal expression of immune and antioxidant-regulatory genes and tight junction markers of gut health in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Inflammatory and tight junction markers on PND 0 were not affected by maternal dietary treatment. On PND 18, maternal LY supplementation increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and tended (P = 0.08) to increase expression of IL-10 in the ileal muocsa. Maternal LY supplementation also increased (P < 0.05) expression of IL-1β in the ileal mucosa on PWD 14. Likewise, expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) 1 was increased (P < 0.05) by LY on PND 10, 18, and PWD 14, with a tendency (P = 0.09) for a greater mRNA abundance of catalase on PND 14 in the ileal mucosa. Compared to CON piglets, LY piglets had a higher (P < 0.05) protein abundance of E-cadherin in the jejunal mucosa on PND 0, PWD 7, and PWD 14. Levels of occludin and claudin-4 were also higher (P < 0.05) in the jejunum of LY piglets on PWD 14. No differences were found in jejunal histomorphological measurements between treatments. In conclusion, this study shows that maternal LY supplementation affects key markers of gut health and development in the offspring that may impact the future growth potential and health of newborn piglets., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Survival, feed efficiency, growth, and fertility of swine are dependent on colostrum intake in the first 24 h after birth. This study determined the effects of three doses of a homogeneous colostrum sample on 24-h body weight, rectal temperature (RT), immunocrit, and growth and survival to postnatal day (PND) 7. Three female piglets were selected from eight litters (n = 24 piglets) at birth, removed from their litter, and bottle-fed 10% (COL10, n = 8), 15% (COL15, n = 8), or 20% (COL20, n = 8) colostrum based on birth weight over 12 bottle feedings every 2 h. At 24 h, piglets were weighed, RT recorded, and blood was collected to measure immunocrit. Piglets were returned to the litter of origin, and weight was measured daily until PND 7. Colostrum dose had an overall effect on weight gain at 24 h, RT, immunocrit, and growth to PND 7 (P < 0.05). Piglets in the 20% BrW colostrum group had greater weight gain, RT, and immunocrit at 24 h than COL10 piglets (P < 0.05), but these variables were not different between COL15 and the other treatments. Despite no difference in average daily gain after being returned to their litters, the greater weight (P < 0.05) in COL20 compared to COL10 and COL15 was sustained over 7 d. Seven piglets in each treatment survived to PND 7. This model using standardized doses of a homogeneous colostrum sample enables controlled studies aimed at understanding the role of 24-h colostrum intake on piglet development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of maternal nutritional intervention in modulating the gastrointestinal development and health of offspring. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of live yeast supplementation to sows during late gestation and lactation periods on the gut health of piglets pre-weaning and immediately post-weaning. Based on parity and expected farrowing dates, on d 77 of gestation, 40 sows were allotted to 2 dietary treatments: without (CON) or with (LY) live yeast supplementation at 0.05% of diet during gestation and 0.1% during lactation. On postnatal days (PND) 0, 10, 18, and post-weaning days (PWD) 7 and 14, one piglet from 10 sows per treatment was selected for intestinal tissue collection (n = 10). Results showed that maternal LY supplementation increased mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-6 on PND 18 and IL-1ß on PWD 14 in the ileal mucosa (P < 0.05), with a tendency for greater IL-10 on PND 18 (P = 0.08). Additionally, LY piglets had increased mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase 1 on PND 10, 18, and PWD 14 (P < 0.05) and tended to have a greater mRNA abundance of catalase on PND 14 in the ileal mucosa (P = 0.09). Compared with CON piglets, LY piglets had an increased protein abundance of E-cadherin on PND 0, PWD 7, and 14 in the jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05). The LY piglets also had a greater protein abundance of occludin and claudin-4 in the jejunal mucosa on PWD 14 (P < 0.05). However, no differences were found for jejunal histomorphological measurements between treatments (P > 0.05). In conclusion, maternal LY supplementation may have a long-term protective effect on gut health of offspring by regulating the expression of tight junction proteins, inflammatory response, and antioxidant capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]