Effects of maternal dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and methionine during late gestation on fetal growth, DNA methylation, and mRNA relative expression of genes associated with the inflammatory response, lipid metabolism and DNA methylation in placenta and offspring’s liver in sheep

Table 1 Ingredients and chemical composition of the basal diet^a

	Treatment, g/kg DM
	NS^b	FS^c	MS^d	FS-MS
Ingredient
Alfalfa haylage	179.6	179.6	179.6	179.6
Corn silage	305.4	305.4	305.4	305.4
Ground corn	101.0	88.9	101.0	88.9
DDGS	101.0	100.7	101.0	100.7
Limestone	4.4	4.8	4.4	4.8
Soy hulls	306.5	308.8	306.5	308.8
PUFA Ca salts (EPA + DHA)^e	–	10.1	–	10.1
Rumen protected methionine^f	–	–	1.0	1.0
Pre-mix minerals and vitamins^g	2.0	1.8	2.0	1.8
Chemical composition
Neutral detergent fiber	407.0	417.9	407.0	417.9
Crude protein	154.6	179.9	154.6	179.9
Ash	58.7	64.0	58.7	64.0
Ether extract	36.8	43.7	36.8	43.7

^aBasal diet containing the different treatments fed to ewes at 2.02 kg/d during the las 50 days of gestation
^bNS Basal diet with no supplementation; dams were fed to meet sheep requirements of nutrients (NRC, 2007)
^cFS fatty acid supplementation; dams were fed to mee sheep requirements of nutrients (NRC, 2007), and supplemented with 10 g/kg of Ca salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids containing EPA and DHA (FA; StrataG113, Virtus Nutrition LLC, Corcoran, CA)
^dMS Methionine supplementation; dams were fed to mee sheep requirements of nutrients (NRC, 2007), and supplemented with 1 g/kg (dry matter basis) of rumen protected methionine (Smartamine® M, Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA)
^eStrataG113, Virtus Nutrition LLC
^fSmartamine® M, Adisseo
^gVitaferm Concept-Aid Sheep (BioZyme, St. Joseph, MO). Contains 15.5% Ca, 5% P, 16% NaCl, 4% Mg, 2% K, 10 ppm Co, 70 ppm I, 2850 ppm Mn, 16.4 ppm Se, 2500 ppm Zn, 130,000 IU/kg vitamin A, 7500 IU/kg vitamin D₃, 550 IU/kg vitamin E
DDGS Distiller’s dried grains with solubles, DM Dry matter, FS-MS Supplementation with fatty acids and methionine, PUFA Polyunsaturated fatty acids

ISSN: 2049-1891