Francisco Sales Zlatar

Citation

Thesis Title
Amino acids and skeletal muscle growth in lambs

Read article at Massey Research Online:

A key constraint for sheep farming is reduced foetal and post-natal skeletal muscle growth in twin lambs, as compared to singletons. In monogastrics, supplementation with specific amino acids (AA) increases muscle growth in both foetuses and post-natally. However, the association between AA concentration in muscle and muscle growth in twin offspring is poorly understood. Such knowledge may provide insights about specific AA to be used as targets for nutritional intervention strategies to improve lamb growth. Mr Sales Zlatar focused on determining differences in the concentration of specific intracellular free AA in the muscle between singletons and twin sheep during gestation and post-natally. He also examined the effect of supplementation with a specific AA on muscle growth during late gestation and post-natally in twin offspring. The New Zealand sheep industry will benefit from the discovery of specific AA influencing muscle growth in twins.

Supervisors
Professor Hugh Blair
Dr David Pacheco
Professor Paul Kenyon
Dr Susan McCoard