8: Lifecycle nutrition of cats - gestation and lactation Flashcards
What are the effects of obesity during gestation
- stillbirths
- dystocia
- cesareans
Ideal body condition score at pregnancy
5: ribs not visible but easily felt, waist proportional, muscles full
What happens to the body weight of the queen during gestation
40% increase in BW (fetuses, mammary gland, queen BW)
Length of pregnancy in queen
63 days
Differences in weight gain/loss during pregnancy in bitch vs queen
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
Weight gain formula for queens in pregnancy
Weight gain (g) = 888.9 + (106.5 x n)
n = number of neonates
= 900-1200 g for average litter
How does food intake change throughout gestation
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
MER for pregnant queens
ME (kcal) = 140 x BW^0.67
40% extra energy
Water requirement during gestation
Some increased need for water during pregnancy
Expansion of extracellular fluid compartments and maternal and fetal tissues
Protein requirement during gestation
- protein synthesis greatly increases during gestation
- protein quality and quantity is important
- 53 g/1000 kcal ME
Why is protein synthesis higher during gestation?
Fetus growth, mammary gland growth, placenta, increase in maternal BW
Effects of protein deficiency during gestation
- decreased birth weight
- increased neonatal mortality
- decreased immunocompetence
- delayed home orientation in kittens
- aberrant locomotor development
- emotional responsiveness
Taurine requirement during gestation
- required for normal reproduction and fetal development
- 0.13 g/1000 kcal ME
Effects of taurine deficiency during gestation
- delayed growth and development
- fetal death near 25th day of gestation
- abortions
- fetal deformities
Fat requirement during gestation? Severe arachidonic acid deficiency leads to…
- 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
Ca and P requirements during gestation? Ratio?
- 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
Requirement of Cu in gestation
Cofactor in many metabolic pathways
Deficiency may lead to fetal death, abortions, craniofacial deformities, cerebral dysgenesis
Special vitamin requirement during gestation
Folic acid (B3) is associated with DNA synthesis
Demands of lactation
Most energy and nutrient demanding life stage
Queen must have sufficient energy stores at onset of lactation
How long does lactation last? Depends on
For 7 to 9 weeks
depending on breed, kitten growth rates and management practices
Energy requirements of queen during lactation
Maintenance + milk production
Look at slide 19
What happens to the queens energy balance during lactation? Causing…
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)
When is peak milk production? Energy demand?
Both 3 to 4 weeks of lactation
Slide 22
Look
Protein requirements during lactation? Source?
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)
What is the consequence of low protein intake in a lactating queen?
Lower milk production
Less protein in the milk = decreased kitten growth
Fat requirement during lactation
- 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
Ca and P requirements of the queen during lactation
- increased demand due to milk production
- Ca:P ratio 1.1 to 1.5:1
Carbohydrate requirement during lactation? Recommendation?
- 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
Why decrease fiber intake in gestating and lactating cats
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
Nutrients required during gestation? Lactation?
Gestation:
- increased protein, fat, water requirements
- taurine
- Ca and P
- Mg and Cu
Lactation:
- a lot of protein
- fat
- Ca and P
- Carbohydrate
