Periconceptional Undernutrition in Sheep Affects Adult Phenotype Only in Males

Table 1

Weight, body composition, and skeletal growth measurements in male and female offspring of ewes undernourished before (UN-61-0), before and after (UN-61-30), or after (UN-2-30) mating (day 0) compared with offspring of normally fed ewes (𝑁).

	Male				Female
	N	UN-61-0	UN-61-30	UN-2-30	N	UN-61-0	UN-61-30	UN-2-30
	𝑛=5	𝑛=11	𝑛=10	𝑛=12	𝑛=12	𝑛=12	𝑛=9	𝑛=5
Birth weight (kg)^##	5.3±0.6	6.4±0.3^∗	6.7±0.3^∗	5.6±0.3	5.2±0.3	5.2±0.4	6.0±0.2	5.2±0.7
12-week weight (kg)	30±3	29±2	30±2	28±2	29±2	25±1	28±1	26±2
GV first 12 wks; (g·kg^−1·day)	22.9; ±2.1	17.6±0.7^∗	18.0±0.8^∗	19.9±1.1	19.4±0.8	19.6±0.9	18.7±0.7	17.9; ±1.6
10-month weight (kg)	57±5	55±5	55±2	49±2	53±4	48±3	46±3	54±3
PM live weight aged 3-4 years (kg)^###	92±5	95±3	94±3	97±3	85±3	83±2	84±2	84±2
% fat mass^###	2±1	9±1^∗∗	8±1^∗∗	11±1^∗∗	21±3	20±1	22±2	20±2
% lean mass^###	72±1	68±1	68±1	67±1	64±2	65±1	62±1	62±2
Perirenal fat (g)^###	222±44	495±37^∗∗	516±93^∗∗	613±51^∗∗	1135±108	1104±68	1199±103	1079±84
Shoulder height (cm)	91±1	86±2^∗	84±1^∗	86±1^∗	86±1	85±1	85±2	85±2
Body length (cm)	89±3	83±1^∗	78±3^∗	84±1^∗	82±1	79±1	82±1	78±2
Chest circumference (cm)	112±4	112±2	112±2	112±1	115±3	111±2	113±2	112±3
Abdominal circumference (cm)	122±5	129±2	126±2	128±1	127±3	127±2	129±2	129±3
Hind limb length (cm)^##	72±1	67±1^∗	69±2	69±1	66±1	65±1	67±1	66±2

* 𝑃<0.05, **𝑃<0.01, ***𝑃<0.001 for comparison with 𝑁.
^#𝑃<0.05, ^##𝑃<0.01, ^###𝑃<0.001 for difference between males and females.