Influence of Maternal Supplementation with Vitamins, Minerals, and (or) Protein/Energy on Placental Development and Angiogenic Factors in Beef Heifers during Pregnancy

Authors

Bethania J. Dávila Ruiz, North Dakota State University
Carl R. Dahlen, North Dakota State University
Kacie L. McCathy, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Joel S. Caton, North Dakota State University
Jennifer L. Hurlbert, North Dakota State University
Friederike Baumgaertner, North Dakota State University
Ana Clara B. Menezes, South Dakota State University
Wellison J. S. Diniz, Auburn University
Sarah R. Underdahl, North Dakota State University
James D. Kirsch, North Dakota State University
Kevin K. Sedivec, North Dakota State University
Kerri A. Bochantin, North Dakota State University
Pawel P. Borowicz, North Dakota State University
Sebastián Canovas, University of Murcia
Lawrence P. Reynolds, North Dakota State University

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

3-2-2024

Citation

Dávila Ruiz, B.J.; Dahlen, C.R.; McCarthy, K.L.; Caton, J.S.; Hurlbert, J.L.; Baumgaertner, F.; B. Menezes, A.C.; Diniz,W.J.S.; Underdahl, S.R.; Kirsch, J.D.; et al. Influence of Maternal Supplementation with Vitamins, Minerals, and (or) Protein/Energy on Placental Development and Angiogenic Factors in Beef Heifers during Pregnancy. Vet. Sci. 2024, 11, 111. https://doi.org/10.3390/ vetsci11030111

Comments

Open access.

Abstract

The effect of vitamins and minerals supplementation (VTM) and/or two rates of body weight gain (GAIN) on bovine placental vascular development and angiogenic factors gene expression were evaluated in two experiments: In Exp. 1, crossbred Angus heifers (n = 34) were assigned to VTM/NoVTM treatments at least 71 days before breeding to allow changes in the mineral status. At breeding, through artificial insemination (AI), heifers were assigned to low-gain (LG) 0.28 kg/d or moderate-gain (MG) 0.79 kg/d treatments, resulting in NoVTM-LG (Control; n = 8), NoVTM-MG (n = 8), VTM-LG (n = 9), and VTM-MG (n = 9) until day 83 of gestation; In Exp. 2, crossbred angus heifers (n = 28), were assigned to control (CON; n = 12), receiving a basal total mixed ration (TMR) or TMR + VTM (VTM; n = 16) from breeding until parturition. Placentomes from Exp. 1 and cotyledons (COT) from Exp. 2 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for COT vascular density area. COTs from Exp. 1 were evaluated for angiogenic factor (ANGPT-1, ANGPT-2, eNOS2, eNOS3, FLT1, KDR, TEK, VEGFA) gene expression. In Exp. 1, COT vascularity was not affected by the interaction of VTM and GAIN (p = 0.67) or the main effects of VTM (p = 0.50) and GAIN (p = 0.55). Likewise, angiogenic factors were not differentially expressed between treatments (p < 0.05). In Exp. 2, COT vascularity was greater in VTM vs. CON (p = 0.07). In conclusion, there is a suggested later-stage influence of vitamin and mineral supplementation on placental vascularity, emphasizing the importance of supplementation beyond early pregnancy.