** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PREGNANT LIVESTOCK ARE OFTEN GRAZED THROUGH THE FALL AND WINTER WHEN FORAGE IS LESS ABUNDANT AND LOWER QUALITY. AS MATERNAL METABOLIC DEMANDS INCREASE AND PASTURES BECOME DORMANT, DAMS ARE OFTEN NUTRIENT RESTRICTED DUE TO AN INABILITY TO CONSUME ENOUGH NUTRITION FOR THEMSELVES, THE DEVELOPING FETUS, AND PLACENTA. PRODUCERS COMMONLY MANAGE THESE SITUATIONS WITH STRATEGIC SUPPLEMENTATION AT THE END OF GESTATION WHEN DEMANDS ARE THE HIGHEST AND PEAK FETAL GROWTH IS OCCURRING. WHILE THIS MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO RECOVER FETAL GROWTH BY SIZE, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT PERIODS OF RESTRICTION EARLIER IN GESTATION MAY CAUSE TISSUE SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES NOT EVIDENT BY BIRTHWEIGHT. THUS, THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EVALUATE THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF THIS NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY ON EWE LAMB DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY. AFTER RESTRICTING EWES FROM 30-125 DAYS OF GESTATION, OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO DETERMINE HOW MATERNAL NUTRITION IMPACTS EWE LAMBS RELATED TO PUBERTY ATTAINMENT, FOLLICLE DEVELOPMENT, AND UTERINE MORPHOLOGY. OUR SECOND OBJECTIVE WILL DELVE INTO THE MOLECULAR INDICATORS OF OOCYTE AND UTERINE COMPETENCY THAT CONTRIBUTE TO NORMAL ESTROUS CYCLICITY AND PREGNANCY. WE EXPECT THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY TO INDICATE WHETHER COMMON NUTRITIONAL PRACTICES HAVE UNAPPARENT IMPACTS ON TISSUES THAT DETERMINE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS. IF OUR HYPOTHESIS IS CORRECT, THIS WILL PROVIDE KEY FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION THAT WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND MAY INFLUENCE HOW LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS MANAGE THEIR PREGNANT ANIMALS TO HAVE MORE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN REPLACEMENT FEMALES.