title: Low protein provision during the first year of life, but not during foetal life, affects metabolic traits, organ mass development and growth in male mink (Neovison vison).
abstract: Low protein provision in utero and post-partum may induce metabolic disorders in adulthood. Studies in mink have mainly focused on short-term consequences of low protein provision in utero whereas the long-term responses to low protein (LP) provision in metabolically programmed mink are unknown. We investigated whether low protein provision in utero affects the long-term response to adequate (AP) or LP provision after weaning in male mink. Eighty-six male mink were exposed to low (19% of ME from CP; crude protein) or adequate (31% of ME from CP) protein provision in utero, and to LP (~20% of ME from CP) or AP (30-42% of ME from CP) provision post-weaning. Being metabolically programmed by low protein provision in utero did not affect the response to post-weaning diets. Dietary protein content in the LP feed after weaning was below requirements; evidenced by lower nitrogen retention (p < 0.001) preventing LP mink from attaining their growth potential (p < 0.02). LP mink had a lower liver, pancreas and kidney weight (p < 0.05) as well as lower plasma IGF-1 concentrations at 8 and 25 (p < 0.05) weeks, and a higher incidence of hepatic lipidosis at 25 weeks (p < 0.05). Furthermore, LP mink had a higher body fat (p < 0.05) and lower body CP content (p < 0.05) at 50 weeks of age. It is concluded that some effects of low protein provision in utero can be alleviated by an adequate nutrient supply post-partum. However, long-term exposure to low protein provision in mink reduces their growth potential and induces transient hepatic lipidosis and modified body composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vesterdorf
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blache
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Matthiesen
authors.forename: A-H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Tauson
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D045969:Mustelidae / Q000254:growth & development*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: body composition; foetal programming; hepatic lipidosis; nitrogen metabolism; plasma hormones; post-weaning malnutrition