Effect of intrauterine growth restriction on weight and cellularity of gastrointestinal tract in postnatal lambs

This study investigated the effect of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) during late pregnancy on weight and cellularity of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in postnatal lambs. Twenty-three Mongolian lambs were entered into the study. Their dams were mated at a synchronized estrus and divided into three groups offered 0.175 MJ ME kg-0.75 d-1 (Restricted Group 1, RG1), 0.33 MJ ME kg-0.75 d-1 (Restricted Group 2, RG2) and Control Group (CG, ad libitum access to feed) during their late pregnancy (90 d), respectively. The lambs were slaughtered at birth (neonatal lambs) and at 28 wk of age. The neonatal abomasum weight, jejunum weight and length, abomasum and jejunum DNA content, and the reticulum protein:DNA ratio were lower for RG1 than those of CG (P 0.05). However, the rumen and omasum weight, and omasum DNA content were lower for RG1 t...