MATERNAL NUTRITION INFLUENCES OFFSPRING PERFORMANCE February 6, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Written By: Dave Lahr, Form-A-Feed Nutrition Team Most cattle producers understand the importance of delivering the right amount of quality nutrients to cows. They balance for energy levels (body condition) and protein, and provide supplemental minerals and vitamins, recognizing that these are important for colostrum quality, delivering a healthy calf, milk production and reproductive performance. However, not all are aware of the significant impact of gestational nutrition on calf growth and weaning weight, market weight, health of weaned and shipped calves, market weight and carcass characteristics, and even future generations of their stock. This brings us to the topic of fetal programming. Fetal Programming Fetal programming can be defined as the “impact of nutritional and health status of the mother during pregnancy and its impact on the health and productivity of the offspring” (Glenn Selk, OK State Univ., Emeritus Extension Scientist, June 22, 2021). It is not a new idea, but has been gaining significant credence in the past few decades. The concept is that maternal nutrition, health and environmental factors drive fetal development, and therefore future health and performance. We can think of this in a positive or negative sense, and we understand it intuitively, as we encourage human mothers to eat a healthy diet, get their rest, and avoid alcohol and tobacco for the sake of their developing children. What is this “programming”, and how does it happen? When the information stored in our DNA is converted into instructions for making proteins or other molecules, it is called gene expression. Gene expression is a tightly regulated process that allows a cell to respond to its changing environment. It acts as an on/off switch to control when proteins are made, and as a volume control that increases or decreases the amounts of proteins made. This involves the processes of transcription and translation (DNA > mRNA > Protein Synthesis). Gestational nutrition and environment helps determine development of muscle cells (lean gain, loin area, etc), fat cells (marbling potential), testicles and egg follicles, all before birth. Therefore, it has a “downstream” influence on immune function, disease resistance, ADG and F/G, marbling, and reproductive performance. Research In a good demonstration of these effects, research was conducted by Oregon State University (Marques et al, 2016; Journal Animal Science). In this trial 84 Angus x Hereford cows were fed similar diets, but were fed different trace mineral programs in the last trimester (no trace minerals, NRC levels of sulfate trace minerals, or high trace minerals with organic trace minerals). After calving, the cow-calf pairs were managed as a common group. Calves were followed out through finishing. The results: Birth through weaning Calf livers had greater trace minerals if born to supplemented cows. 205 days adjusted weaning weight improved by organic trace mineral supplementation (537 vs 579 pounds). Weaning through feed-out and harvest 50% less respiratory illness in calves from organic treatment. (Bovine respiratory disease treatments: 42% control vs 20% organic). Tendency (P = 0.10) for hot carcass weight to be different (901 control vs 943 lbs for organic). Value For a few cents daily, calves weaned 42 lbs. heavier. Healthier at shipping to feedlot. Higher value for the feedlot operation (health and carcass wt). Practical Application So how do we deliver high quality nutrients to gestating cows? Start with a diet balanced for appropriate energy and protein levels and feed a high-quality mineral and vitamin supplement. Excellent options include: PowerPro® Minerals option best suited for your operation: Power Pro LGC Mineral Power Pro Breeder Minerals Form-A-Lic® Tubs Bovine Stress Lic w/ Stealth 5 Consult your Insight FS Representative about the best ration and supplementation options for your operation. Related Items Calving Mineral and Product Considerations for Calving Season Focusing on calving time, you want to make sure you have your cows on a good mineral program and a balanced diet to get everything they need. Our late gestation calving mineral is great for this time in their gestation period as it has macro minerals and chelated trace minerals to help make them more available to the cow. Another great option, fed through the TMR, as a dry mineral is PowerPro LGC Min R1400 w/Stealth 5. This mineral includes our Stealth 5® product that improves immune function and blocks pathogens that cause disease. This mineral also has chelated trace minerals as well as Rumensin® to help with cocci control in your cattle herd. These minerals should be fed at least 45 – 60 days prior to calving to get the most benefit out of supplementation. Read the full story Alleviate Respiratory Symptoms in Cattle with Form-A-Lic Respire Bovine Stress Lic The Form-A-Lic Respire Bovine Stress Lic has been specially designed to help alleviate the symptoms of respiratory disease in cattle. While Respire Bovine Stress Lic will not treat the disease directly, it aids in the recovery process through immune system stimulation and by using mucolytic and expectorant properties in the tub. Much like your own favorite cold remedies, Respire Bovine Stress Lic helps break up mucus and makes coughing more productive for the animal. Read the full story How Plant Health Impacts Your Ration Costs When blights and plant diseases infect our forage crops, plant cells die off, eventually causing the death of the plant, area by area. The dried-up blemish remaining on the plant is the plant’s ridged fiber structure, the least nutritional part of that plant. That blemish has been stripped of its sugars and carbohydrates, resulting in reduced nutritive capacity. Furthermore, the lack of moisture and lowered sugar content will work against the fermentation process, prolonging fermentation, risking further nutrient damage, and nutrient loss. Severe infections can significantly harm nutritive value. Read the full story