Prenatal and Postnatal Prospects of Muscle Development in Ruminants

Prenatal and postnatal skeletal muscle development in ruminants is coordinated by interactions between genetic, nutritional, epigenetic, and endocrine factors. This review focuses on the influence of maternal nutrition during gestation on fetal myogenesis, satellite cell dynamics, and myogenic regulatory factor (MRF) expression, including MYF5, MYOD1, and MYOG. Studies in sheep and cattle indicate that nutrient restriction or overnutrition alters muscle fiber number, cross-sectional area, and the transcriptional regulation of myogenic genes in offspring. Postnatally, muscle hypertrophy is primarily mediated by satellite cells, which are activated via Pax7, MyoD, and Myf5, and regulated through mechanisms such as Carm1-induced chromatin remodeling and miR-31-mediated mRNA expression. Hormonal signaling via the GH–IGF1 axis and thyroid hormones further modulate satellite cell proliferation and protein accretion. Genetic variants, such as myostatin mutations in Texel sheep and Belgian Blue cattle, enhance muscle mass but may compromise reproductive efficiency. Nutritional interventions, including plane of nutrition, supplementation strategies, and environmental stressors such as heat and stocking density, significantly influence muscle fiber composition and carcass traits. This review provides a comprehensive overview of skeletal muscle programming in ruminants, tracing the developmental trajectory from progenitor cell differentiation to postnatal growth and maturation. These insights underscore the need for integrated approaches combining maternal diet optimization, molecular breeding, and precision livestock management to enhance muscle growth, meat quality, and production sustainability in ruminant systems.