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This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2008-0889v1 86/12/3393    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Arana, A. Articles by Purroy, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Arana, A. Articles by Purroy, A.

The effect of vitamin A supplementation on post-natal adipose tissue development of lambs

E.T.S.I.A., Universidad Pública Navarra, Campus de Arrosadía, 31006 Pamplona, Spain

aarana{at}unavarra.es

Abstract

Vitamin A (retinoic acid) is known to be an adipogenic influencing factor both in vitro and in vivo cell development. This study aimed to determine its effect on lamb adipose tissue development during the early phase of postnatal development until 100 d of age. Male lambs (n = 24) of the Rasa Aragonesa breed were used. At birth, lambs were assigned to 2 experimental groups: control (C), receiving feed without vitamin A supplementation and Vitamin A (V), receiving a supplement of 500,000 IU/animal twice per week from birth to slaughter. The effect of Vitamin A supplement was studied at 16.8 ± 0.35 kg BW (58 ± 0.7 d old) and at 27.8 ± 0.78 kg BW (101 ± 6.5 d old). Variables of lamb growth, carcass and LM area and lipid content were analyzed. To study adipose tissue development the amount of adipose tissue accumulated, adipocyte size and number, and lipogenic enzyme activity (glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, fatty acid synthase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) of the omental, perirenal and subcutaneous depots were quantified. Results showed that there was no influence of the vitamin A supplementation on growth, carcass variables and LM area and lipid content during lamb growth, but it was observed that the number of adipocytes in the perirenal depot was 30% greater in the lambs of the V group (P < 0.05) and that these lambs had smaller adipocytes in the omental and perirenal depots (P = 0.06) at 28 kg BW (101 d of age). These results suggest that the intake of this level of vitamin A during the whole period of growth of the lambs influences the hyperplasia and hypertrophy processes on the different adipose depots depending on their degree of maturity.

Key Words: adipose tissue • growth • lambs • vitamin A