Signalling through cytokine receptors, growth hormone (GHR) and prolactin receptors (PRLR), are dependent upon the activation of the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway. Suppressor of cytokine signalling-3 (SOCS-3) inhibits such cytokine signalling via a feedback loop. GHR and PRLR are nutritionally regulated in utero however; it is not known whether downstream signalling genes such as SOCS-3 are affected and what the long term consequences may be. The aim of this present study was to determine whether maternal undernutrition up to 95 days gestation compromises liver growth, GHR, PRLR and SOCS-3 mRNA levels in the resulting adult. Eighteen singleton-male-bearing Scottish Blackface ewes of similar weight and body condition score were individually housed from day of mating. Eight control (C) ewes were fed 100% of total metabolisable energy requirements (ME) whilst ten nutrient restricted (NR) ewes consumed 50% of ME requirements up to 95 days of gestation. All ewes then consumed 100% of ME requirements up to term. Rams were humanely euthanased (100 mg kg^-1 pentobarbital sodium: Euthatal, i.v) at 3 years of age, to enable liver tissue sampling. The abundance of GHR, PRLR and SOCS-3 to 18S rRNA was analysed by RT-PCR. Results are given as means and SEM in arbitrary units (a.u.), and expressed as a percentage of a reference sample. Statistical nutritional differences were analysed using either a T-test or Mann-Whitney U test (p<0.05). There were no differences in growth, birth or body weights between C and NR offspring up to 3 years of age. However, NR livers were significantly smaller than controls (C 1.26 ± 0.04; NR 1.18 ± 0.03 kg (p=0.016)). GHR, PRL and SOCS-3 mRNA abundance were similarly reduced in NR offspring (C 22.2 ±5.2; NR 11.2 ± 2.5 a.u. (p<0.05); C 71.3 ± 16.8; NR 24.6 ± 8.0 a.u. (p<0.01); C 119.2 ± 8.3; NR 101.2 ± 2.3 a.u. (p<0.001)), respectively. Maternal nutrient restriction from 0-95 days of gestation results in long term morphological and molecular adaptations in the liver of the adult male offspring. The persistence of hepatic programming of GH/PRL signalling into early adulthood emphasises the importance of adequate maternal nutrition in early fetal organogenesis.