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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #311343
Title: The exposure to lipopolysaccharide in utero alters growth performance of calves

Author
item LANCASTER, PHILLIP - University Of Florida
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll
item Sanchez, Nicole

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/3/2014
Publication Date: 2/8/2015
Citation: Lancaster, P.A., Carroll, J.A., Sanchez, N.C. 2015. The exposure to lipopolysaccharide in utero alters growth performance of calves. Journal of Animal Science Supplement. 93(E-Supplement 1):29.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This study was designed to determine the effect of prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure on the postnatal growth performance of calves. Pregnant crossbred cows (n=50) were separated into prenatal stress (PNS; n=25; administered 0.1 microgram per kilogram body weight LPS subcutaneously) and saline groups (Cont; n=25) based on expected calving date. Vaginal temperature probes were inserted 2-days prior to LPS injection to monitor change in body temperature. Date and weight of calves were recorded at birth and weaning. Day of gestation for LPS injection was computed using calving date and length of gestation of 283 days. For calves, 205-day adjusted weaning weight was calculated. Cow vaginal temperature data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS for repeated measures with fixed effects of treatment, hour, treatment by hour interaction, and baseline as a covariate. Calf growth data were analyzed using MIXED procedure of SAS with fixed effects of treatment, gender, and treatment by gender interaction. Cows administered LPS had greater change in vaginal temperature 6 hours post injection than cows administered saline (0.48 vs. 0.06 +/- 0.005C, respectively). There was no difference in day of gestation when the injection was administered between PNS and Cont cows (231.2 and 235.9 +/- 3.9 days, respectively). PNS and Cont cows had similar (P = 0.18) calf birth weight (34.6 and 32.5 +/- 1.1 kilograms, respectively), but male calves were heavier (P =0.03) than females (35.3 vs. 31.8 +/- 1.1 kilograms, respectively). There was a treatment and gender effect for 205-day adjusted weaning weight. PNS calves had greater (P = 0.02) weaning weight than Cont calves (215.3 vs. 201.7 +/- 4.0 kilograms, respectively). Additionally, male calves had greater (P = 0.02) weaning weight than female calves (215.5 vs. 201.5 +/- 4.2 kilograms, respectively). These results suggest that pre-weaning growth of calves is affected by a single prenatal exposure to LPS.