164. Developmental Plasticity: Maternal Nutrition's Impacts Through the Lifecycle of Livestock.

Abstract

Developmental programming is an area of interest for researchers across species and animal science disciplines. Work examining various nutrient restrictions, supplementation protocols, and timing of dietary manipulations have all improved our understanding of the connection between maternal diet and offspring growth and development. With the advancements in our understanding of developmental plasticity comes the opportunity to exploit these mechanisms for production benefits. This presentation will focus on the work this group has completed to better understand how timing of maternal nutritional intervention impacts offspring development across livestock species. The presentation will also highlight knowledge gaps in the area of developmental programming, and future focuses of this research group.