Browsing by Author "Clarke, Anna"
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Item Episode 12: Using HMB to Reduce Birth Weight Variability(2019-04-05) Boelke, Sarah Schieck; Clarke, AnnaSarah Schieck, UMN Swine Extension Educator talks to recently graduated University of Minnesota Animal Science Graduate Student Anna Clarke about the research she did for her Master’s Degree in using HMB to reduce birth weight variability. Her research used mice as models for sows.Item Evaluation Of Supplementation Of The Leucine Metabolite, Β-Hydroxy-Β-Methylbutyrate (HMB), During Gestation To Mouse Dams On Offspring Birth Weight And Growth Variation(2019-05) Clarke, AnnaThe objective of this study was to determine if supplementation of mouse dams with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) calcium salt throughout gestation would improve pup birth weight uniformity and improve growth performance of offspring. Data were collected from litters of 56 mouse dams and their offspring. Dams were assigned to one of 4 treatments; control (CON; n = 13), Low Level HMB (LL; n = 14), High Level HMB (HL; n = 15), and Low Level Pulse fed from gestational days 6 to 10 (PUL; n = 14). A randomly selected subset of 27 dams was euthanized on gestational day 18 to collect placentae and pup weights. The remaining dams gave birth and lactated for 28 days. Offspring were reared until 8 weeks of age. All mice were fed a corn-soy diet, with HMB supplementation provided only to dams during gestation. Supplementation of HMB had no effects on overall gestation and lactation performance of mouse dams. Dietary treatment during gestation did not affect total number of pups born per litter, birth weight of pups, or number pups weaned per litter. Variation, expressed as standard deviation and coefficient of variation, was not different among treatments for birth weight or weaning weight. Range of body weights within litter at birth, weaning, and 8 weeks of age were not affected by HMB supplementation. No differences were observed in placental weights and size of labyrinth area of the placenta due to dietary treatments. Placental efficiency was reduced in the placentae of the LL dams (P < 0.05) compared with CON. Overall, offspring growth performance measures such as average daily gain, average daily feed intake and gain to feed were similar among all treatments. Offspring body weight at 5 and 8 weeks of age; however, was lower for offspring from the HL dams compared to offspring from LL dams (P < 0.05). Body composition of offspring at 5 and 8 weeks of age was similar regardless of dam HMB supplementation during gestation. In conclusion, dietary HMB supplementation of mouse dams during gestation had no effect on offspring birth weight, variation in birth weight, or growth performance of offspring.