Maternal nutrient restriction during late gestation reduces vigor and alters blood chemistry and hematology in neonatal beef calves

Abstract Fall-calving primiparous beef females [body weight: 451 ± 28 (SD) kg; body condition score: 5.4 ± 0.7] were individually-fed either 100% (control; CON; n = 13) or 70% (nutrient restricted; NR; n = 13) of metabolizable energy and metabolizable protein requirements for maintenance, pregnancy, and growth from day 160 of gestation to parturition. Calves were reared naturally by their dams and monitored for latency times from birth to first sternal recumbency, attempt to stand, and stand; vigor scores were assigned at 2, 5, 10, and 20 min of age. Rectal temperatures and jugular blood were obtained at 0 (pre-suckling), 6, 12, 24, and 48 h of age, and blood chemistry, hematology, cortisol, and insulin were determined. Data were analyzed with fixed effects of late gestational nutritional plane (single data point) or nutritional plane, hour, and their interaction (data over time, repeated measures). Calving date was a fixed effect; calf sex was included when P