Optimizing livestock production efficiency through maternal nutritional management and fetal developmental programming

All major milestones of animal development are accomplished inside the uterus, which is profoundly affected by maternal nutrition. The fetal stage sets the trajectory for long-term growth of farm animals. Skeletal muscle and adipose tissue are the most susceptible to maternal nutritional and physiological fluctuations. All muscle fibers are formed during the fetal stage and insufficient maternal influence corresponding to major stages of fetal muscle development reduces muscle fiber number and muscle mass in offspring. Nutrient deficiency during late gestation and neonatal stages, when adipose tissues are actively developing, reduces overall fat cell formation including intramuscular fat (marbling). Enhancing adipogenic differentiation of intramuscular progenitor cells increases intramuscular adipocytes and thus marbling while reducing the population of fibroblasts as well as connective tissue deposition. The long duration of pregnancy and lactation stage of beef cattle provides unique advantages for stage-specific nutrient supplementation, achieving precision animal production management to improve animal production efficiency and quality