The effects of early- or mid-gestation nutrient restriction on bovine fetal pancreatic development

Research on the effects of nutrient restriction in beef cows on fetal pancreatic development is limited. To address this, multiparous Angus-cross cows (n = 22) were fed either control (CON; to gain 1 kg/wk) or nutrient-restricted (NR; 0.55% NEm) diets based on NRC requirements. On d 30 of gestation, cows were blocked by body condition and randomly assigned to one of three nutritional regimes: CON fed from d 30 to 190 (n = 8), or NR/C (n = 7) or C/NR (n = 7) fed either the CON or NR diet from d 30 to 110 followed by CON or NR from d 110 to 190 of gestation. Cows were harvested on d 190 of gestation, and blood samples, fetal weights, and fetal tissue weights and samples were collected. Pancreas samples were embedded in paraffin and sectioned for standard immunohistochemistry procedures to quantify insulin-positive β cells and number of apoptotic β cells using TUNEL staining. Data were analyzed via ANOVA using the general linear model procedure of SAS. At harvest, empty carcass weights were decreased (P = 0.036) in fetuses of C/NR and NR/C fed dams compared to fetuses of CON fed dams. Pancreas weight was decreased (P = 0.028) in fetuses of C/NR fed dams compared to CON fetuses; however, fetuses of NR/C fed dams were not different (P > 0.05) from fetuses of CON fed dams. Maternal and fetal serum insulin concentrations were not different (P > 0.05) in NR/C fed compared to CON fed; however, concentrations of insulin were decreased (P = 0.036 and P = 0.40, respectively) in C/NR fed compared to CON fed. Beta cell number was decreased (P = 0.009) in fetuses of NR/C and C/NR fed dams compared to fetuses of CON fed dams. Percentage of apoptotic cells was increased (P < 0.0001) in fetuses of NR/C and C/NR fetuses than fetuses of CON fed dams. This evidence suggests that nutrient restriction either during early- or mid-gestation can negatively impact fetal pancreatic development. However, mid-gestational nutritional insult is potentially recovered by reacclimation to a diet that meets requirements of the dam, thus reducing negative outcomes in fetal offspring. •Fetal β-cell numbers was reduced in fetuses whose dams were nutrient-restricted either during the first or second trimester of gestation compared to fetuses of control dams.•Apoptosis of fetal β-cells was increased in both groups of nutrient-restricted fetus compared to control fetuses.•However, fetuses whose dams were nutrient-restricted during the second trimester had an increased rate of apoptosis compared to