Effect of feeding lysine and threonine fortified bread during gestation and lactation on growth of the offspring in rats.

White bread, bread fortified with lysine, or with lysine and threonine was fed to female rats as the sole source of protein (13% of diet) during two closely spaced gestation and lactation periods. Comparisons were made with diets containing 13% or 26% casein protein, and a stock diet. Weight changes and food consumption of the mothers were determined, as were birth weights and weaning weights of the offspring. Lysine fortification increased food consumption and decreased weight loss of the mothers during lactation. When threonine was added with the lysine, food consumption during lactation was further increased and maternal weight loss prevented. Average weaning weights for first litters as a function of diet were: bread 17.0 +/- 1.9 g, bread + lysine 26.8 +/- 1.0 g, bread + lysine + threonine 39.8 +/- 3.1 g, 13% casein 42.8 +/- 3.8 g, 26% casein 62.5 +/- 4.7 g, and stock diet 41.5 +/- 7.9 g. First and second litter weaning weights were closely similar for each. Although average birth weights were not greatly affected by dietary treatment, total offspring weight at birth of mothers fed unfortified bread was reduced 40% in the second, as compared to the first litter. This reduction in total offspring weight did not occur in mothers fed amino acid fortified bread.