TABLE 3.
Summary of effects of gestational nutrition on the ruminant dam small intestine from selected studies1
| Reference | Species, parity | Treatments | Stage measured2 (d) | Small-intestinal mass response | Additional small-intestinal responses |
| 35 | Cattle, multiparous | CON vs. RES (days 30–125 gestation) | 125 Gestation | NS | ↓RNA:DNA in RES |
| 35 | Cattle, multiparous | CON vs. RES (days 30–125) and realimented (days 126–245) | 245 Gestation | NS | ↓RNA:DNA in RES |
| 64, 65 | Sheep, multiparous | CON vs. RES (days 50–90) | 90 Gestation | ↓In RES | ↓DNA concentration in RES; ↑capillary area density in RES |
| 77 | Sheep, first | CON vs. RES (days 50–90) | 130 Gestation | NS | NS |
| 77 | Sheep, first | CON vs. RES (days 50–130) | 130 Gestation | ↓In RES | ↓DNA concentration in RES |
| 64, 65 | Sheep, multiparous | CON vs. RES (days 50–130) | 130 Gestation | ↓In RES | ↑DNA concentration in RES; ↑capillary area density in RES |
| 37 | Sheep, first | CON vs. RES (days 50–130) | 130 Gestation | ↓In RES | ↑Oxygen consumption in RES |
| 77 | Sheep, first | CON vs. RES (days 90–130) | 130 Gestation | ↓In RES | ↑RNA concentration in RES |
| 38, 39 | Sheep, first | CON vs. RES (days 64–135) | 135 Gestation | ↓In RES | ↓Total vascularity in RES; ↓capillary area density in RES; ↓capillary size in RES; ↑ VEGFR-1 and -2 mRNA in RES; ↑NRP1 and NRP2 mRNA in RES |
| 78 | Sheep, first | CON vs. RES (day 40 to parturition) | 0 Postpartum | NS | ↓RNA concentration and RNA:DNA in RES; ↓capillary surface density in RES; ↓mucosal density in RES |
| 78 | Sheep, first | CON vs. RES (day 40 to parturition) | 20 Postpartum | NS | ↑Proliferation in RES; ↓capillary surface density in RES |
| 69 | Sheep, first | CON vs. OVR (days 0–50) | 50 Gestation | NS | ↑RNA concentration and RNA:DNA in OVR |
| 69 | Sheep, first | CON vs. OVR (days 0–90) | 90 Gestation | ↑In OVR | ↑RNA concentration and RNA:DNA in OVR |
| 69 | Sheep, first | CON vs. OVR (days 0–130) | 130 Gestation | ↓In OVR | ↑RNA concentration in OVR |
| 78 | Sheep, first | CON vs. OVR (day 40 to parturition) | 0 Postpartum | ↑In OVR | ↓RNA concentration and RNA:DNA in OVR; ↑total vascularity in OVR; ↑VEGFR-1 mRNA in OVR; ↑NOS3 mRNA in OVR |
| 78 | Sheep, first | CON vs. OVR (day 40 to parturition) | 20 Postpartum | NS | ↓Proliferation in OVR; ↑total vascularity in OVR |
1
CON, control nutritional plane; NOS3, endothelial NO synthase 3; NRP1, neuropilin 1; NRP2, neuropilin 2; NS, not significant (P > 0.05); OVR, overnutrition; RES, nutrient restriction; VEGFR-1, vascular endothelial growth factor 1 receptor; VEGFR-2, vascular endothelial growth factor 2 receptor; ↓, decreased; ↑, increased.
2
Approximate gestation lengths: cattle = 285 d, sheep = 150 d.