EFEITO DA PROGRAMAÇÃO FETAL SOBRE A MORFOLOGIA DE BEZERROS DA RAÇA NELORE

Body structure has influence on the growth and weight gain of beef cattle and is influenced by animal type, breed and age of the animal. The objective of the study was to evaluate the morphometric measures of calves submitted to fetal programming. We evaluated 126 calves that are progeny of Nellore dams that were divided into three treatments: mineral supplementation all gestation period (NP), protein-energetic supplementation in the final third of gestation (PP), protein-energetic supplementation all gestation period (PC). In total, eight body measurements of calves were evaluated at 30 days of age. The statistical analysis of the traits was performed by general linear model using the GLM procedure of the statistical package SAS 9.3. No statistical differences were observed between treatments for the measures evaluated. Fetal programming does not seem to influence the morphometry of Nellore calves after birth.