The increment of world population increases the need of improving feed efficiency traits of livestock. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying different feed efficiency traits and their regulation by nutrition remain poorly understood. The present study was designed to identify plasmatic metabolites and metabolic pathways of fattening merino lambs caused by milk restriction during the suckling period. Forty male lambs were assigned randomly to two groups (n=20 per group) with different suckling regime: ADL (lambs were kept continuously with their dams) and RES (lambs were allowed to suck for 15 hours). When they reached 15 kg of live body weight (LBW), all the animals were offered the same complete pelleted diet at a restricted level (40 g DM/kg LBW). All the lambs were slaughtered with 27 kg of LBW and 12 representative animals from each group were selected for the analysis. Metabolomic analysis was carried out on a mass spectrometer coupled to an UHPLC chromatographic system (UHPLC/QTOF-MS). According to the data obtained in the present study, a restricted milk intake level during the suckling period of merino lambs promoted long term effects on efficiency traits and metabolic profile which might have modified fatty acids metabolism during the fattening period.

Este estudio ha sido apoyado por el Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte del Gobierno de España a través de sus becas de post-grado de Formación del Profesorado Universitario (ref: FPU15/01630), y se enmarca dentro del proyecto AGL2014- 54124R.

3 páginas, 1 tabla , 1 figura.--Trabajo presentado a las XVII Jornadas sobre Producción Animal AIDA (Zaragoza, 30 y 31 de mayo, 2017).

Peer reviewed