Poor Maternal Diet During Gestation Alters Offspring Muscle Morphometrics, Collagen Gene Expression, and Meat Tenderness in Sheep.

ABSTRACT: We hypothesized that maternal overfeeding and restricted feeding during gestation would alter the collagen content, muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), and meat tenderness in offspring. Pregnant ewes were fed 100% (CON), 60% (RES), or 140% (OVER) of their requirements from day 30 of gestation until parturition. Male offspring were necropsied at 282 ± 1.8 days of age. Gene expression and CSA were quantified in the longissimus (LM) and semitendinosus (STN) muscles. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was quantified in LM. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, with diet as a fixed effect. Differences were considered significant at p ≤ 0.05 or a tendency at p ≤ 0.10. Semitendinosus CSA was smaller in OVER and RES than CON rams (p = 0.02). Longissimus CSA was larger

SUBMITTER: Kawaida MY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12896928 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature