Further Studies on Growth and Feed Utilization in Progeny of Underfed Mother Rats

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated growth-stunting and metabolic derangements, including reduced feed efficiency, in progeny of McCollum strain rat dams restricted to 50% dietary intake during gestation and lactation. These effects now have been duplicated in rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain. In addition, fostering techniques have allowed separate evaluation of the effects of maternal dietary restriction during gestation alone, and their comparison with the effect produced during the combined periods of gestation and lactation. Our results show, as suggested in earlier works, that restriction during gestation alone has a similar though perhaps lesser effect than restriction during gestation and lactation.