TY - JOUR
T1 - Differential effects of litter size and within-litter birthweight on postnatal traits of fatty pigs
AU - Vázquez-Gómez, Marta
AU - Garcia-Contreras, Consolacion
AU - Pesantez-Pacheco, José Luis
AU - Torres-Rovira, Laura
AU - Heras-Molina, Ana
AU - Astiz, Susana
AU - Óvilo, Cristina
AU - Isabel, Beatriz
AU - Gonzalez-Bulnes, Antonio
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2020/5
Y1 - 2020/5
N2 - Fatty pigs are characterized by a thrifty genotype, adapted to harsh environments based on changes in metabolism and energy saving. Thus, we hypothesized that feto-maternal energy partitioning in large litters might have postnatal effects that might be independent of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) processes. Hence, the current work reported the influence of two effects on postnatal performance and carcass and meat quality of purebred Iberian pigs: (a) the effects of the number of piglets in the litter (high vs. low litter size), and (b) the effects of birthweight (low (LBW) vs. normal (NBW)) in large litters. The results confirmed that NBW piglets born in large litters had differences in developmental patterns of weight, back-fat deposition, and fatty acid (FA) composition when compared to NBW piglets from small litters. These results were different from those found in LBW piglets when compared to their NBW counterparts, which showed an initial asymmetrical growth and altered muscle FA composition at slaughtering. The assessment of FA composition indicated better metabolic status in NBW piglets from large litters than in LBW piglets. These data support the concept that the prenatal environment, even when the individual may cope with it, inescapably affects postnatal life.
AB - Fatty pigs are characterized by a thrifty genotype, adapted to harsh environments based on changes in metabolism and energy saving. Thus, we hypothesized that feto-maternal energy partitioning in large litters might have postnatal effects that might be independent of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) processes. Hence, the current work reported the influence of two effects on postnatal performance and carcass and meat quality of purebred Iberian pigs: (a) the effects of the number of piglets in the litter (high vs. low litter size), and (b) the effects of birthweight (low (LBW) vs. normal (NBW)) in large litters. The results confirmed that NBW piglets born in large litters had differences in developmental patterns of weight, back-fat deposition, and fatty acid (FA) composition when compared to NBW piglets from small litters. These results were different from those found in LBW piglets when compared to their NBW counterparts, which showed an initial asymmetrical growth and altered muscle FA composition at slaughtering. The assessment of FA composition indicated better metabolic status in NBW piglets from large litters than in LBW piglets. These data support the concept that the prenatal environment, even when the individual may cope with it, inescapably affects postnatal life.
KW - Developmental programming
KW - Growth
KW - Intrauterine growth restriction
KW - Prolificacy
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85085148767
U2 - 10.3390/ani10050870
DO - 10.3390/ani10050870
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85085148767
SN - 2076-2615
VL - 10
JO - Animals
JF - Animals
IS - 5
M1 - 870
ER -