8: Lifecycle nutrition of cats - gestation and lactation

Question 1

What are the effects of obesity during gestation

Answer 1

• stillbirths
• dystocia
• cesareans

Question 2

Ideal body condition score at pregnancy

Answer 2

5: ribs not visible but easily felt, waist proportional, muscles full

Question 3

What happens to the body weight of the queen during gestation

Answer 3

40% increase in BW (fetuses, mammary gland, queen BW)

Question 4

Length of pregnancy in queen

Answer 4

63 days

Question 5

Differences in weight gain/loss during pregnancy in bitch vs queen

Answer 5

Weight gain in bitch occurs in the last 4 weeks (exponential growth) whereas in the queen there is linear weight gain from mating to parturition

The bitch loses the weight with giving birth, the queen only loses 40% of gained weight with giving birth and the rest is lost continuously during lactation

Question 6

Weight gain formula for queens in pregnancy

Answer 6

Weight gain (g) = 888.9 + (106.5 x n)

n = number of neonates

= 900-1200 g for average litter

Question 7

How does food intake change throughout gestation

Answer 7

Decline in food intake 2 weeks after mating (associated w fetal implantation) and in the last ~week of gestation

Peak of food intake is 6 to 7 weeks into gestation

Question 8

MER for pregnant queens

Answer 8

ME (kcal) = 140 x BW^0.67

40% extra energy

Question 9

Water requirement during gestation

Answer 9

Some increased need for water during pregnancy

Expansion of extracellular fluid compartments and maternal and fetal tissues

Question 10

Protein requirement during gestation

Answer 10

• protein synthesis greatly increases during gestation
• protein quality and quantity is important
• 53 g/1000 kcal ME

Question 11

Why is protein synthesis higher during gestation?

Answer 11

Fetus growth, mammary gland growth, placenta, increase in maternal BW

Question 12

Effects of protein deficiency during gestation

Answer 12

• decreased birth weight
• increased neonatal mortality
• decreased immunocompetence
• delayed home orientation in kittens
• aberrant locomotor development
• emotional responsiveness

Question 13

Taurine requirement during gestation

Answer 13

• required for normal reproduction and fetal development
• 0.13 g/1000 kcal ME

Question 14

Effects of taurine deficiency during gestation

Answer 14

• delayed growth and development
• fetal death near 25th day of gestation
• abortions
• fetal deformities

Question 15

Fat requirement during gestation? Severe arachidonic acid deficiency leads to…

Answer 15

• high energy demand during gestation
• DHA for neural development of kittens
• 22.5 RA g/1000 kcal ME

Queen not being able to bear live kittens

Question 16

Ca and P requirements during gestation? Ratio?

Answer 16

• increased demands for fetal skeletal development
• eclampsia (seizures) are uncommon but can occur in last three weeks of gestation due to plasma Ca levels

Ca:P ratio = 1.1 to 1.5:1

Question 17

Requirement of Cu in gestation

Answer 17

Cofactor in many metabolic pathways

Deficiency may lead to fetal death, abortions, craniofacial deformities, cerebral dysgenesis

Question 18

Special vitamin requirement during gestation

Answer 18

Folic acid (B3) is associated with DNA synthesis

Question 19

Demands of lactation

Answer 19

Most energy and nutrient demanding life stage
Queen must have sufficient energy stores at onset of lactation

Question 20

How long does lactation last? Depends on

Answer 20

For 7 to 9 weeks
depending on breed, kitten growth rates and management practices

Question 21

Energy requirements of queen during lactation

Answer 21

Maintenance + milk production

Look at slide 19

Question 22

What happens to the queens energy balance during lactation? Causing…

Answer 22

3-4 weeks after parturition the queen is in a negative energy balance (food intake not meeting energy requirements)

Her body weight will decline (she is using energy from muscle and adipose to meet energy requirements of lactation)

Question 23

When is peak milk production? Energy demand?

Answer 23

Both 3 to 4 weeks of lactation

Question 24

Slide 22

Answer 24

Look

Question 25

Protein requirements during lactation? Source?

Answer 25

Increased demand for milk protein synthesis
- milk protein output for a 4kg nursing queen ~ 19g crude protein per day
- 75 g/1000 kcal ME (massive increase)

Source needs to be highly digestible and of high biological value (animal tissue)

Question 26

What is the consequence of low protein intake in a lactating queen?

Answer 26

Lower milk production
Less protein in the milk = decreased kitten growth

Question 27

Fat requirement during lactation

Answer 27

• increased energy demands best met by feeding energy-dense foods (moderate to high fat foods enhance lactation performance)
• higher fat food increase kitten survival and growth rate of kittens
• 22.5 RA g/1000 kcal ME

Question 28

Ca and P requirements of the queen during lactation

Answer 28

• increased demand due to milk production
• Ca:P ratio 1.1 to 1.5:1

Question 29

Carbohydrate requirement during lactation? Recommendation?

Answer 29

• no true soluble CHO requirement in cats
• digestible CHO may spare protein (spare aa’s)
• provide substrate for lactose production (glucose + galactose)

Recommendation >/= 10% DM soluble CHOs (sugar) in the diet

Question 30

Why decrease fiber intake in gestating and lactating cats

Answer 30

Want to maintain food intake
If you feed to much fiber there is a bulking effect which decreases energy intake
But still include some fiber to prevent constipation

Question 31

Nutrients required during gestation? Lactation?

Answer 31

Gestation:
- increased protein, fat, water requirements
- taurine
- Ca and P
- Mg and Cu

Lactation:
- a lot of protein
- fat
- Ca and P
- Carbohydrate