Maternal Influence on Animal Health and Performance
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 29880
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The pre- and post-natal environment can have a marked impact on the growth and development of young animals. Maternal nutrition, the reproductive microbiome, hormonal dynamics, gene expression patterns, and the degree of innate immune protection across the placental barrier all differ by species, breed, and animal. Some, such as innate immune protection, are driven by the physiology of the uterus and placenta. Whereas, variations in gene expression patterns may be controlled by environmental stressors, stage of parturition, and(or) epigenetic events. Mode of birth and the nutrition management protocols used shortly after birth can also impact long-term performance. For ruminants, consumption of high-quality colostrum is the only way for neonates to acquire antibodies through passive transfer of immunity. Not doing so will likely result in death. Though the majority of research has focused on immune components in colostrum, there are many additional components in colostrum that are integral to gut development and health that have yet to be fully explored. The purpose of this special issue is to explore the environmental influences that impact conception, gestation, parturition, and the periparturient period and the subsequent effects on neonatal health and performance.
Dr. Rebecca R. Cockrum
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Animal production
- Fetal programming
- Newborn health
- Reproductive physiology
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.