Maternal metabolic state and genomic imprinting

What is it about?

During the early milking period, post-calving, dairy cows are prone to a metabolic disorder known as negative energy balance (NEB). This arises due to the energy demands of maintenance and lactation exceeding dietary energy intake and it is known to affect the reproductive performance of the animal. In this study we investigated a vital developmental process, known as genomic imprinting, in cow oocytes during this period. The results of this investigation demonstrate that this process is impaired in NEB animals and that it may contribute to compromised reproductive performance.

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Why is it important?

Shows a link between maternal metabolic state, DNA methylation/genomic imprinting and development. This has implications for human fertility and reproduction.