EFFECTS OF INCREASED DIETARY ENERGY AND PROTEIN DURING LATE GESTATION ON MAMMARY DEVELOPMENT IN GILTS

Thirty-two gilts were used to evaluate the effects of increased dietary energy and CP during late gestation on mammary development. On d 75 of gestation, gilts were assigned randomly in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement to adequate (5.76 Mcal ME/d) or increased (10.5 Mcal ME/d) energy and adequate (216 g CP/d) or increased (330 g CP/d) protein. On d 105 of gestation, gilts were slaughtered and total mastectomies were performed. Mammary tissue was separated into mammary parenchymal and mammary extraparenchymal stromal tissue and analyzed for DNA, RNA, protein and lipid. No interactions between dietary energy and protein level were detected (P > .20). When adjusted for number of mammary glands and maternal BW (weight of the sow less the weight of the fetuses), mammary parenchymal weight was 27% greater (P < .03) in gilts fed adequate energy than in gilts fed increased energy, but mammary extraparenchymal stroma weight was unaffected by dietary energy level. Total mammary parenchymal DNA was 30% greater in gilts fed adequate energy than in gilts fed increased energy (P < .03). Total mammary parenchymal RNA (P < .02) and total mammary parenchymal protein (P < .02) also were greater in gilts fed adequate energy than in gilts fed increased energy. Dietary protein level did not affect mammary variables measured, except that increased dietary protein tended to reduce mammary extraparenchymal stromal weight (P < .09). Increased dietary protein between d 75 and d 105 of gestation did not benefit mammary development, but increased dietary energy was detrimental to developmental to development of mammary secretory tissue.