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Developmental programming in agriculturally relevant species: an overview
Post-natal growth and development of offspring can be influenced by stressors that their parents experienced prior to their conception, during their gestation, or during lactation. This phenomenon is known as developmental programming. Developmental programming has been shown to influence many of our large domesticated animals and may impact livestock production. An important component to developmental programming is that placental function can be influenced by many factors impacting nutrient transport. Not only does nutritional stress, such as nutrient restriction, impact fetal and placental growth, but other stressors such as transportation, extreme temperatures, and social environments influence the offspring in utero, at birth, and after weaning. Understanding the mechanisms of how these stressors impact nutrient availability to the developing offspring will help in determining potential management strategies and therapeutics that could be implemented to reduce negative consequences. This overview of developmental programming will preface equine specific presentations on how the horse is impacted by the maternal environment and the potential impact on the equine industry.
Keywords: developmental programming, livestock, placenta