Growth, puberty and reproduction in gilts born to dams deprived of nutrients during pregnancy.

Reproductive performance through two gestations was evaluated in a random selection of gilts born to dams deprived of nutrients or full-fed during pregnancy. After weaning, gilts born to dams previously subjected to inanition during the middle third or last third of gestation (O kcal/d; water only; 40 d), and those born to full-fed (7.028) kcal/d) control dams throughout gestation were raised in the same outdoor lot. At approximately 150 d of age, the gilts were observed for estrous behavior and mated at the third estrus. Age at puberal estrus was earlier (P less than .01) for gilts born to nutrient-deprived dams. Gilts from control dams exhibited first estrus at 250 d, whereas puberal estrus in gilts born to dams deprived of nutrients during the middle or last third of pregnancy occurred at 208 and 219 d, respectively. Fifteen of 18 mated gilts from the nutrient-deprived dams remained pregnant to term, compared with seven of eight gilts from control dams. Birth weights of first-parity living neonates from gilts born to nutrient-deprived dams were similar to those of newborns from controls. First-parity litter weights at birth also were similar for the experimental and control groups. Litter size at birth of first-parity living neonates averaged 7.9 piglets for gilts born to nutrient-deprived dams and was similar (P less than .05) to that for gilts from full-fed controls (9.4 piglets). Second-parity pregnancy rate, birth weight, litter weight and litter size at birth and weaning were similar for all gilts born to nutrient-deprived and control dams. These results indicate that brief segments of maternal nutrient deprivation during middle or late pregnancy have little detrimental effect on subsequent growth and reproduction of the female progeny in this litter-bearing species.