Duration of paternal alcohol consumption does not influence offspring growth and development

Three groups of male mice consumed liquid alcohol diets containing 25%, 10% or 0% ethanol derived calories (EDC) ad lib. Two additional groups were pair-fed to two of these groups, one to the 25% EDC group and one to the 10% EDC group. This pair feeding procedure was performed on an individual basis creating a dyad in which each individual in the pair received the same amount of calories but the source of the calories for alcohol varied. Males were bred to non-treated females after 1-2, 3-4 or 6-7 weeks of consumption. Male fertility was not affected by alcohol consumption. Offspring sired by alcohol consuming males did not differ from either ad lib or pair-fed controls in litter size, birth weight or weight at weaning regardless of duration of paternal alcohol consumption. These results indicate that neither duration of paternal alcohol consumption nor alcohol-induced undernutrition affects these gross morphological parameters in offspring.