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. 2017 Feb 1;1(1):16–25. doi: 10.2527/tas2016.0002

Table 5.

Effects of maternal diet and d of gestation on fetal organ variables

Treatment1,2 P-value
Fetal variable3 CON RES OVER SEM Maternal diet by d of gestation
Adrenal gland wt,4 % BW 0.0991
    d 45 nd5 nd nd nd
    d 90 0.028 0.030 0.031 0.0004
    d 135 0.012 0.010 0.011 0.0009
    Birth 0.020 0.024 0.021 0.0017
Heart wt, % BW 0.2309
    d 45 1.06 1.22 1.31 0.07
    d 90 0.85 0.79 0.83 0.02
    d 135 0.68 0.50 0.66 0.02
    Birth 0.77 0.87 0.82 0.02
Heart length, mm 0.5226
    d 45 nd nd nd nd
    d 90 31.6 30.4 30.9 3.20
    d 135 68.3 56.1 60.2 11.03
    Birth 67.7 64.2 63.9 6.24
Heart width, mm 0.9839
    d 45 6.3 5.8 6.2 0.60
    d 90 23.2 22.5 22.2 2.77
    d 135 49.9 43.8 42.9 4.79
    Birth 49.6 47.9 45.9 4.03
Kidney wt,6 % BW 0.0213
    d 45 0.67ad 0.77ace 1.04b 0.07
    d 90 0.96bc 0.97bc 0.99b 0.02
    d 135 0.54ad 0.47d 0.59de 0.02
    Birth 0.59d 0.57de 0.55de 0.02
Kidney length, mm 0.9667
    d 45 nd nd nd nd
    d 90 22.3 22.0 23.4 1.45
    d 135 43.2 38.6 39.7 6.35
    Birth 40.1 37.7 39.0 3.63
Loin eye area,7 mm2 0.9813
    d 45 nd nd nd nd
    d 90 nd nd nd nd
    d 135 266.5 282.8 274.8 24.6
    Birth 316.7 254.8 280.7 25.2
Liver wt, % BW 0.0114
    d 45 6.7a 7.7b 6.5ad 0.21
    d 90 5.5c 5.4c 5.8cd 0.09
    d 135 2.8e 2.1e 2.8 e 0.12
    Birth 2.2e 2.3e 2.3 e 0.06
Perirenal fat wt,8 % BW 0.0017
    d 45 nd nd nd nd
    d 90 0.44ab 0.40a 0.44ab 0.02
    d 135 0.42ac 0.42ac 0.57b 0.02
    Birth 0.39a 0.53bc 0.35a 0.03
Rib width, mm 0.4387
    d 45 0.88 0.83 1.00 0.17
    d 90 2.30 2.38 2.89 0.70
    d 135 4.51 4.18 4.33 0.69
    Birth 4.54 4.56 4.37 0.75
a–e

Denotes Ismean differences for the diet by d of gestation interaction (P ≤ 0.05), within a variable.

1

Offspring from ewes fed a control (100% NRC), restricted (60% NRC), or over-fed (140% NRC) diet are referred to as CON, RES and OVER, respectively. Ewe diet was based on the NRC TDN requirement for pregnant ewes bearing twins and began at d 30 of gestation. At d 45, 90, or 135 of gestation, ewes were euthanized and a hysterectomy was performed to acquire the fetus(es). Lambs were collected within 24 h of birth from ewes allowed to undergo parturition (n = 10 to 15 fetuses or lambs from 5 to 7 ewes per diet and d of gestation combination).

2

LSMeans are reported.

3

Organ weights are expressed as a percent of offspring BW.

4

Adrenal gland weight is reported for sum of the pair of adrenal glands.

5

nd = not detectable.

6

Kidney weight is reported for the sum of the pair of kidneys.

7

Loin eye area was estimated using a plastic grid specific to pork and lamb (Iowa State University Extension and Outreach).

8

Perirenal fat weight is reported for the combined weight of perirenal fat collected from around both kidneys.