360 Late-Breaking: Maternal chromium supplementation during late gestation alters the plasma metabolomic profile of Brangus beef calves.

Abstract Maternal nutrition during gestation programs offspring development and long-term outcomes. Chromium (Cr) is a trace mineral influencing metabolic processes, including glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity. However, the impact of maternal Cr supplementation on neonatal metabolic profile remains poorly understood. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of late-gestation Cr supplementation in beef cows on the plasma metabolomic profile of their calves at birth. Twenty-four multiparous Brangus cows [6.3 ± 2.45 yr of age; body condition score (BCS) = 5.5 ± 0.88; body weight (BW) = 603 ± 65.8 kg] were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments (3 cows/pasture; 4 pasture/treatment): 1) control (no Cr) or 2) Cr. The Cr propionate (KemTRACE Chromium 0.4%, Kemin Industries) was added to the free-choice mineral supplement (mineral target intake of 113 g/head/d) at a rate of 1.6% (Cr target intake of 6.3 mg/cow/d) and was offered from d -94 to calving (d 0). After calving, all animals were allocated to a single pasture and received the control mineral until weaning (d 214). Blood samples were collected on d 0 from a subset of female calves (n = 6/treatment) for plasma metabolomics. Untargeted metabolomics was performed using UPLC-MS (Vanquish Flex UPLC + Q Exactive) and analyzed via Compound Discoverer 3.0. Data were log-transformed, Pareto-scaled, and statistically analyzed using MetaboAnalyst 6.0. The free-choice mineral intake was similar between control and Cr treatments (60.6 and 55.8 ± 8.49 g/cow/d; P = 0.71), and the Cr intake was approximately 3.11 mg/cow/day. Metabolomic profiling revealed 26 differentially abundant metabolites (VIP > 2.0, P < 0.1, |log2FC| > 1) in calves born from Cr-supplemented cows. These included metabolites involved in lipid metabolism (e.g., 11,14,17-eicosatrienoic acid, stearidonoyl glycine and hexadeca-4,7,10,13-tetraenoic acid) and inflammation regulation (i.e., 10-nitrooleate and o-arachidonoyl ethanolamine). Additionally, metabolites involved with glucose and energy metabolism (i.e., 1-methylindole, 4-indolecarbaldehyde and ethosuximide) were elevated in calves born from Cr-supplemented cows, suggesting potential shifts in neonatal metabolic programming. These findings align with previous reports on Cr’s established role in modulating glucose and lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, and immune function. Our findings suggest maternal Cr supplementation during late gestation influences the metabolomic profile in offspring at the neonatal stage.