Mackenzie M Smithyman, Vinícius N Gouvêa, Dayna L Campbell, Glenn C Duff, Clint A Löest, Reinaldo F Cooke, Matthew R Beck, Mark E Branine
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of providing a supplemental water source (SWS) or an experimental nutrient repletion solution (NRS) following feedlot arrival on intake, growth performance, health, and immune responses of newly received calves. A total of 270 weaned lightweight British × Continental crossbred heifers (initial body weight [BW] = 236 ± 19 kg) were ranked by shrunk BW and allocated into 18 soil-surfaced pens (12 × 35 m; 15 heifers/pen). Treatments were: 1) Control (CON): water was provided through a standard in-pen automatic waterer only; 2) Supplemental water source (SWS): CON plus water provided with one additional 416-L stock tank/pen; 3) Experimental nutrient repletion solution (NRS): provided with one 416-L stock tank/pen as the only source of drinking solution. The SWS and NRS were provided from days 1 to 4, after which supplemental tanks were removed. From days 5 to 56, all heifers had only access to the standard in-pen automatic waterer. Heifers had ad libitum access to feed and water and the WI was measured daily throughout the experiment. Body weights and blood samples via jugular venipuncture were collected on days 1, 4, 14, 28, and 56. A treatment × day interaction was observed for average BW, ADG, and water intake (P ≤ 0.05). SWS and NRS increased DMI compared to CON during days 5-15 (P < 0.001), and the increase in DMI persisted for SWS compared to CON between days 16-29 (P < 0.01). The ADG was lower for NRS compared to CON during days 1-4 (P < 0.01), and water intake was greater for SWS and NRS compared to CON between days 1-4 (P < 0.001). No differences between treatments were observed for morbidity and mortality rate (P ≥ 0.28). The cumulative incidence of BRD tended to be lower for SWS compared to CON during days 9-27 (P ≤ 0.10). No treatment or treatment × day interactions were observed for any of the plasma hormones and metabolites evaluated (P ≥ 0.11), except for plasma glucose, which tended to be lower for NRS compared to CON (P = 0.10), and serum antibody titers against bovine viral diarrhea virus, which were greater for NRS compared to CON (P = 0.02). Providing SWS or NRS to high-risk newly received beef calves for 4 days after arrival to the feedyard may increase water, feed intake and immune response.
{"title":"Providing a supplemental source of water or a trace-mineral-based drinking solution upon feedlot arrival affects intake, growth performance, and health of newly received finishing calves","authors":"Mackenzie M Smithyman, Vinícius N Gouvêa, Dayna L Campbell, Glenn C Duff, Clint A Löest, Reinaldo F Cooke, Matthew R Beck, Mark E Branine","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag022","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of providing a supplemental water source (SWS) or an experimental nutrient repletion solution (NRS) following feedlot arrival on intake, growth performance, health, and immune responses of newly received calves. A total of 270 weaned lightweight British × Continental crossbred heifers (initial body weight [BW] = 236 ± 19 kg) were ranked by shrunk BW and allocated into 18 soil-surfaced pens (12 × 35 m; 15 heifers/pen). Treatments were: 1) Control (CON): water was provided through a standard in-pen automatic waterer only; 2) Supplemental water source (SWS): CON plus water provided with one additional 416-L stock tank/pen; 3) Experimental nutrient repletion solution (NRS): provided with one 416-L stock tank/pen as the only source of drinking solution. The SWS and NRS were provided from days 1 to 4, after which supplemental tanks were removed. From days 5 to 56, all heifers had only access to the standard in-pen automatic waterer. Heifers had ad libitum access to feed and water and the WI was measured daily throughout the experiment. Body weights and blood samples via jugular venipuncture were collected on days 1, 4, 14, 28, and 56. A treatment × day interaction was observed for average BW, ADG, and water intake (P ≤ 0.05). SWS and NRS increased DMI compared to CON during days 5-15 (P &lt; 0.001), and the increase in DMI persisted for SWS compared to CON between days 16-29 (P &lt; 0.01). The ADG was lower for NRS compared to CON during days 1-4 (P &lt; 0.01), and water intake was greater for SWS and NRS compared to CON between days 1-4 (P &lt; 0.001). No differences between treatments were observed for morbidity and mortality rate (P ≥ 0.28). The cumulative incidence of BRD tended to be lower for SWS compared to CON during days 9-27 (P ≤ 0.10). No treatment or treatment × day interactions were observed for any of the plasma hormones and metabolites evaluated (P ≥ 0.11), except for plasma glucose, which tended to be lower for NRS compared to CON (P = 0.10), and serum antibody titers against bovine viral diarrhea virus, which were greater for NRS compared to CON (P = 0.02). Providing SWS or NRS to high-risk newly received beef calves for 4 days after arrival to the feedyard may increase water, feed intake and immune response.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"285 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146101326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Duy Ngoc Do, Mohsen Jafarikia, Laurence Maignel, Dan Tulpan, Deborah Adewole, Justin Holl, Brian Sullivan, Younes Miar
Feed represents the largest cost in pig production, making improvement in feed efficiency (FE) essential for maximizing the profitability for pig producers. The objective was to model different FE traits and to estimate the phenotypic and genetic correlations among these FE traits, growth traits, and feeding behaviour traits. The FE traits included: feed conversion ratio (FCR), six measures of residual feed intake (RFI1-6), residual gain (RG), residual intake and gain (RIG), and Kleiber ratio (KR). The RFIs were calculated by regressing daily feed intake (DFI) on different combinations of covariates, including metabolic midweight, average daily gain (ADG120), backfat thickness (BF120), and loin depth (LD120). Feeding behaviour traits analyzed were the number of visits to the feeder per day (NVD), total time spent eating per day (TPD), feed intake rate (FR), feed intake per visit (FPV), and time spent eating per visit (TPV). Genetic parameters of the studied traits from 14,939 Duroc pigs were estimated using ASReml-R version 4.2. The univariate model indicated that fixed effects (sex, herd-year-season), covariates (initial body weight, adjusted age at 120 kg), and random effects (pen, litter, maternal genetics) are all significant for FE and performance traits (P < 0.05). Heritability estimates (±SE) for FE traits ranged from 0.28 ± 0.03 for RFI1 to 0.34 ± 0.03 for FCR indicating moderate heritability. Similarly, most of the performance and feeding behaviour traits had moderate heritability, with higher estimates observed for BF120 (0.51 ± 0.03), FR (0.62 ± 0.02) and TPD (0.60 ± 0.02). All six RFI traits had weak to moderate positive genetic correlations (±SE) with BF120 (from 0.13 ± 0.06 for RFI6 to 0.58 ± 0.04 for RFI1 and RFI2). Only RFI1, RFI2, and RFI3 had significant genetic correlations with LD120 estimated at -0.40 ± 0.05, -0.41 ± 0.05 and -0.23 ± 0.06, respectively. FCR displayed significant genetic correlations with ADG120 (-0.64 ± 0.07), BF (0.55 ± 0.05), and LD120 (-0.61 ± 0.07). RG and RIG had significant positive genetic correlations with ADG120 and low or non-significant genetic correlations with BF120 and LD120. FE traits had weak genetic correlations with feeding behaviour traits. Overall, the results demonstrate that RFI is a more reliable and advantageous trait for improving feed efficiency compared with FCR, as it maintains favorable relationships with growth traits while minimizing negative effects on carcass quality. The weak associations between feed efficiency and feeding behavior traits further suggest that selecting for RFI can enhance feed utilization without unintended behavioral consequences. These findings highlight the potential of RFI as a selection criterion to advance genetic improvement programs focused on sustainable production efficiency without compromising key economic and quality traits
{"title":"Genetic parameters for feed efficiency, growth performance, and feeding behaviors traits in Canadian duroc pigs","authors":"Duy Ngoc Do, Mohsen Jafarikia, Laurence Maignel, Dan Tulpan, Deborah Adewole, Justin Holl, Brian Sullivan, Younes Miar","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag023","url":null,"abstract":"Feed represents the largest cost in pig production, making improvement in feed efficiency (FE) essential for maximizing the profitability for pig producers. The objective was to model different FE traits and to estimate the phenotypic and genetic correlations among these FE traits, growth traits, and feeding behaviour traits. The FE traits included: feed conversion ratio (FCR), six measures of residual feed intake (RFI1-6), residual gain (RG), residual intake and gain (RIG), and Kleiber ratio (KR). The RFIs were calculated by regressing daily feed intake (DFI) on different combinations of covariates, including metabolic midweight, average daily gain (ADG120), backfat thickness (BF120), and loin depth (LD120). Feeding behaviour traits analyzed were the number of visits to the feeder per day (NVD), total time spent eating per day (TPD), feed intake rate (FR), feed intake per visit (FPV), and time spent eating per visit (TPV). Genetic parameters of the studied traits from 14,939 Duroc pigs were estimated using ASReml-R version 4.2. The univariate model indicated that fixed effects (sex, herd-year-season), covariates (initial body weight, adjusted age at 120 kg), and random effects (pen, litter, maternal genetics) are all significant for FE and performance traits (P &lt; 0.05). Heritability estimates (±SE) for FE traits ranged from 0.28 ± 0.03 for RFI1 to 0.34 ± 0.03 for FCR indicating moderate heritability. Similarly, most of the performance and feeding behaviour traits had moderate heritability, with higher estimates observed for BF120 (0.51 ± 0.03), FR (0.62 ± 0.02) and TPD (0.60 ± 0.02). All six RFI traits had weak to moderate positive genetic correlations (±SE) with BF120 (from 0.13 ± 0.06 for RFI6 to 0.58 ± 0.04 for RFI1 and RFI2). Only RFI1, RFI2, and RFI3 had significant genetic correlations with LD120 estimated at -0.40 ± 0.05, -0.41 ± 0.05 and -0.23 ± 0.06, respectively. FCR displayed significant genetic correlations with ADG120 (-0.64 ± 0.07), BF (0.55 ± 0.05), and LD120 (-0.61 ± 0.07). RG and RIG had significant positive genetic correlations with ADG120 and low or non-significant genetic correlations with BF120 and LD120. FE traits had weak genetic correlations with feeding behaviour traits. Overall, the results demonstrate that RFI is a more reliable and advantageous trait for improving feed efficiency compared with FCR, as it maintains favorable relationships with growth traits while minimizing negative effects on carcass quality. The weak associations between feed efficiency and feeding behavior traits further suggest that selecting for RFI can enhance feed utilization without unintended behavioral consequences. These findings highlight the potential of RFI as a selection criterion to advance genetic improvement programs focused on sustainable production efficiency without compromising key economic and quality traits","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146101372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hui Ma,Fei Gong,Yanrui Yue,Fuheng Xu,Xiaoxuan He,Jinrong Feng,Huping Xue,Jia Feng,Yuna Min
Apidaecin (Api), an antimicrobial peptide, exhibits in vitro efficacy against Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) and enhances broiler growth performance via modulation of intestinal barrier function. This study evaluated the effects of dietary apidaecin on intestinal health in laying hens and its potential to mitigate S. Typhimurium infection and egg contamination. A total of 288 Hy-Line grey layers (45-week-old) were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments (6 replicates per treatment, 12 birds per replicate). Basal diet supplemented with 0 (Con), 300(Api300), 500(Api500), or 700(Api700) mg/kg apidaecin for 12 weeks. Based on intestinal barrier function assessment, 18 hens each from the Con and Api 500 groups were selected for S. Typhimurium challenge. Apidaecin's inhibitory effects on S. Typhimurium adhesion and invasion were further assessed using an in vitro intestinal epithelial cell model. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Duncan's post-hoc test for multi-group comparisons and independent t-tests for two-group comparisons. Results indicated that daily feed intake, crypt depth and villus height to crypt depth ratio (V/C) of intestinal tract showed a quadratic response (P < 0.05) to increasing levels of apidaecin supplementation. Apidaecin (500 mg/kg) significantly reduced feed intake (1.76%), jejunal (29.04%) and ileal crypt depth (31.04%), while increasing duodenal (24.41%), jejunal (45.15%) and ileal V/C (36.39%) versus control (P < 0.05). Apidaecin significantly increased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of beneficial short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria (e.g., Phascolarctobacterium and Desulfovibrio), while reducing (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of enteritis-associated pathogens (e.g., Actinobacillus) of cecum. These beneficial effects were maximized at the 500 mg/kg diet level. Post-challenge, Api 500 hens exhibited increased (P < 0.05) jejunal and ileal V/C ratios and ileal secretory IgA expression compared to controls. Furthermore, apidaecin supplementation significantly reduced (P < 0.05) S. Typhimurium loads in the ileum, spleen, liver and on eggshells. In vitro assays confirmed apidaecin's direct inhibition (P < 0.05) of S. Typhimurium adhesion to and invasion of intestinal epithelial cells. Collectively, these findings support the potential of dietary apidaecin supplementation in poultry feed formulations to enhance intestinal health and improve the food safety of egg products by reducing Salmonella contamination.
{"title":"Harnessing apidaecin capability to improve intestinal health and inhibit Salmonella Typhimurium transmission in laying hens.","authors":"Hui Ma,Fei Gong,Yanrui Yue,Fuheng Xu,Xiaoxuan He,Jinrong Feng,Huping Xue,Jia Feng,Yuna Min","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag020","url":null,"abstract":"Apidaecin (Api), an antimicrobial peptide, exhibits in vitro efficacy against Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) and enhances broiler growth performance via modulation of intestinal barrier function. This study evaluated the effects of dietary apidaecin on intestinal health in laying hens and its potential to mitigate S. Typhimurium infection and egg contamination. A total of 288 Hy-Line grey layers (45-week-old) were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments (6 replicates per treatment, 12 birds per replicate). Basal diet supplemented with 0 (Con), 300(Api300), 500(Api500), or 700(Api700) mg/kg apidaecin for 12 weeks. Based on intestinal barrier function assessment, 18 hens each from the Con and Api 500 groups were selected for S. Typhimurium challenge. Apidaecin's inhibitory effects on S. Typhimurium adhesion and invasion were further assessed using an in vitro intestinal epithelial cell model. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Duncan's post-hoc test for multi-group comparisons and independent t-tests for two-group comparisons. Results indicated that daily feed intake, crypt depth and villus height to crypt depth ratio (V/C) of intestinal tract showed a quadratic response (P < 0.05) to increasing levels of apidaecin supplementation. Apidaecin (500 mg/kg) significantly reduced feed intake (1.76%), jejunal (29.04%) and ileal crypt depth (31.04%), while increasing duodenal (24.41%), jejunal (45.15%) and ileal V/C (36.39%) versus control (P < 0.05). Apidaecin significantly increased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of beneficial short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria (e.g., Phascolarctobacterium and Desulfovibrio), while reducing (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of enteritis-associated pathogens (e.g., Actinobacillus) of cecum. These beneficial effects were maximized at the 500 mg/kg diet level. Post-challenge, Api 500 hens exhibited increased (P < 0.05) jejunal and ileal V/C ratios and ileal secretory IgA expression compared to controls. Furthermore, apidaecin supplementation significantly reduced (P < 0.05) S. Typhimurium loads in the ileum, spleen, liver and on eggshells. In vitro assays confirmed apidaecin's direct inhibition (P < 0.05) of S. Typhimurium adhesion to and invasion of intestinal epithelial cells. Collectively, these findings support the potential of dietary apidaecin supplementation in poultry feed formulations to enhance intestinal health and improve the food safety of egg products by reducing Salmonella contamination.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"72 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146069913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Calf diarrhea, one of the most common stresses causing by heifer rearing, affects most Chinese dairy herds, yet its long-term consequences on lactation performance remain poorly quantified. This study explored whether calf diarrhea has a long-term effect on the lactation performance and Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI)-related indices of dairy cows and its influence during different lactation periods. This retrospective study included a total of 1,907 Holstein dairy cows from a large-scale farm in northern China (700 in the diarrhea group and 1,207 in the healthy group). A mixed effects model and mediation analysis were used to evaluate the effects of calf diarrhea on growth performance, milk yield, milk composition and other lactation parameters at different parities and lactation periods. The results revealed that the negative effect of calf diarrhea on lactation performance was persistent and varied by parity. The 305-d milk yield and peak milk yield of cows at each parity in the diarrhea group were significantly lower than those in the healthy group (P < 0.05). Growth performance, such as withers height (median: 134.00 vs. 135.00 cm), was more significantly affected in the first parity (P < 0.001). With increasing parity, the difference in body condition scores narrowed, but the loss of milk production continued to accumulate. For the second and third parities, cows with calf diarrhea presented significant reductions in 305-day milk yield, with decreases of 287.36 kg and 1,086.76 kg in the median comparison, respectively (P < 0.05). The corrected milk yield and milk fat percentage during the early postpartum and early lactation periods decreased more significantly in multiparous cows, and the daily milk production in the middle and late lactation periods remained consistently lower than that in the healthy group (P < 0.05). Mediation analysis confirmed that milk production played a key mediating role in the pathway by which diarrhea affected the milk fat percentage. Our research revealed that calf diarrhea is a critical early-life health challenge, with consequences extending beyond the calf period to significantly affect lactation potential. Our findings underscore the need for early-life interventions to mitigate lactation losses in high-parity herds.
犊牛腹泻是犊牛饲养过程中最常见的应激因素之一，影响着大多数中国奶牛群，但其对泌乳性能的长期影响仍缺乏量化。本研究旨在探讨犊牛腹泻对奶牛泌乳性能和奶牛群改善（DHI）相关指标的长期影响及其在不同泌乳期的影响。本回顾性研究包括来自中国北方一家大型农场的1907头荷斯坦奶牛（腹泻组700头，健康组1207头）。采用混合效应模型和中介分析，评价犊牛腹泻对不同胎次和泌乳期生长性能、产奶量、乳成分等泌乳参数的影响。结果表明，犊牛腹泻对泌乳性能的负面影响是持续性的，且随胎次的不同而不同。腹泻组奶牛各胎次305 d产奶量和峰值产奶量显著低于健康组（P < 0.05）。生长性能，如肩胛骨高度（中位数：134.00 vs. 135.00 cm），在第一次胎次受到更显著的影响（P < 0.001）。随着胎次的增加，体况得分的差异缩小，但产奶量的损失继续积累。对于第二胎和第三胎，犊牛腹泻显著降低305天产奶量，中位数分别降低287.36 kg和1,086.76 kg （P < 0.05）。多产奶牛产后早期和泌乳早期的修正产奶量和乳脂率下降更为显著，泌乳中后期的日产奶量持续低于健康组（P < 0.05）。中介分析证实，产奶量在腹泻影响乳脂率的途径中发挥了关键的中介作用。我们的研究表明，犊牛腹泻是一个重要的早期生命健康挑战，其后果延伸到犊牛期之后，显著影响泌乳潜力。我们的研究结果强调了早期生命干预的必要性，以减轻高胎次畜群的泌乳损失。
{"title":"Persistent Effects of Neonatal Diarrhea on Holstein Dairy Cow Lactation Performance through Multiple Parities.","authors":"Xinfeng Hou,Jingyi Xu,Jianrong Ren,Liu Guanglei,Xiaoxu Wang,Qian Du,Zheng Niu,Yangchun Cao,Dewen Tong,Shengru Wu,Junhu Yao","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag019","url":null,"abstract":"Calf diarrhea, one of the most common stresses causing by heifer rearing, affects most Chinese dairy herds, yet its long-term consequences on lactation performance remain poorly quantified. This study explored whether calf diarrhea has a long-term effect on the lactation performance and Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI)-related indices of dairy cows and its influence during different lactation periods. This retrospective study included a total of 1,907 Holstein dairy cows from a large-scale farm in northern China (700 in the diarrhea group and 1,207 in the healthy group). A mixed effects model and mediation analysis were used to evaluate the effects of calf diarrhea on growth performance, milk yield, milk composition and other lactation parameters at different parities and lactation periods. The results revealed that the negative effect of calf diarrhea on lactation performance was persistent and varied by parity. The 305-d milk yield and peak milk yield of cows at each parity in the diarrhea group were significantly lower than those in the healthy group (P < 0.05). Growth performance, such as withers height (median: 134.00 vs. 135.00 cm), was more significantly affected in the first parity (P < 0.001). With increasing parity, the difference in body condition scores narrowed, but the loss of milk production continued to accumulate. For the second and third parities, cows with calf diarrhea presented significant reductions in 305-day milk yield, with decreases of 287.36 kg and 1,086.76 kg in the median comparison, respectively (P < 0.05). The corrected milk yield and milk fat percentage during the early postpartum and early lactation periods decreased more significantly in multiparous cows, and the daily milk production in the middle and late lactation periods remained consistently lower than that in the healthy group (P < 0.05). Mediation analysis confirmed that milk production played a key mediating role in the pathway by which diarrhea affected the milk fat percentage. Our research revealed that calf diarrhea is a critical early-life health challenge, with consequences extending beyond the calf period to significantly affect lactation potential. Our findings underscore the need for early-life interventions to mitigate lactation losses in high-parity herds.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"71 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146069936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hyunjin Kyoung,Jinuk Nam,Jin Ho Cho,Jeehwan Choe,Kyeong Il Park,Jinmu Ahn,Yonggu Kang,Hyeun Bum Kim,Minho Song
Weaning period is a critical phase in swine production, and is characterized by reduced feed intake, growth retardation, and increased incidence of diarrhea. Supplemental dietary flavor has been used as a nutritional strategy to improve feed palatability and support early post-weaning growth. However, information on the effects on nutrient digestibility and systemic immune responses is still lacking. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of dietary flavor on growth performance, frequency of diarrhea, nutrient digestibility, and systemic immune responses of weaned pigs. A total of 72 weaned pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc; 28 days of age; average initial body weight = 6.51 ± 0.21 kg; equal sex ratio) were randomly assigned with two dietary treatments (four pigs per pen; nine replicates per treatment) for 42 days. Dietary treatments were a basal weaner diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON; one-phase mash diet formulated to meet or exceed basal nutrient requirements) and the CON supplemented with 0.05% dietary flavor additive containing a milky scent (FLA; Luctarom; Lucta Guangzhou Flavors Co. Ltd, Guangdong, China). Pigs in the FLA group had greater (P < 0.05) average daily gain between days 1 and 14 and tended to have greater (P = 0.087) average daily gain between days 1 and 42 compared to CON. Average daily feed intake (P = 0.092) and feed efficiency (P = 0.065) tended to have greater in the FLA group than CON group between days 1 and 14. Pigs fed FLA tended to reduce (P = 0.087) frequency of diarrhea between days 1 and 14 and have greater (P = 0.092) the apparent total tract of digestibility of gross energy than those fed CON. In systemic immune responses, the FLA group tended to have greater serum TGF-β1 (P = 0.089) and tended to reduce packed cell volume (P = 0.074), white blood cell counts (P = 0.081), serum IL-6 (P = 0.059), and serum cortisol (P = 0.070) on day 14 compared with the CON group. Our findings suggest that dietary flavor supplementation may improve growth performance and modulate systemic immunity in weaned pigs, potentially through enhanced nutrient digestibility and regulation of inflammatory responses.
{"title":"Short Communication: Dietary Flavor in Corn and Soybean Meal-Based Diet Reduced Post-Weaning Diarrhea by Attenuating Weaning Stress and Systemic Inflammation of Pigs.","authors":"Hyunjin Kyoung,Jinuk Nam,Jin Ho Cho,Jeehwan Choe,Kyeong Il Park,Jinmu Ahn,Yonggu Kang,Hyeun Bum Kim,Minho Song","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag017","url":null,"abstract":"Weaning period is a critical phase in swine production, and is characterized by reduced feed intake, growth retardation, and increased incidence of diarrhea. Supplemental dietary flavor has been used as a nutritional strategy to improve feed palatability and support early post-weaning growth. However, information on the effects on nutrient digestibility and systemic immune responses is still lacking. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of dietary flavor on growth performance, frequency of diarrhea, nutrient digestibility, and systemic immune responses of weaned pigs. A total of 72 weaned pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc; 28 days of age; average initial body weight = 6.51 ± 0.21 kg; equal sex ratio) were randomly assigned with two dietary treatments (four pigs per pen; nine replicates per treatment) for 42 days. Dietary treatments were a basal weaner diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON; one-phase mash diet formulated to meet or exceed basal nutrient requirements) and the CON supplemented with 0.05% dietary flavor additive containing a milky scent (FLA; Luctarom; Lucta Guangzhou Flavors Co. Ltd, Guangdong, China). Pigs in the FLA group had greater (P < 0.05) average daily gain between days 1 and 14 and tended to have greater (P = 0.087) average daily gain between days 1 and 42 compared to CON. Average daily feed intake (P = 0.092) and feed efficiency (P = 0.065) tended to have greater in the FLA group than CON group between days 1 and 14. Pigs fed FLA tended to reduce (P = 0.087) frequency of diarrhea between days 1 and 14 and have greater (P = 0.092) the apparent total tract of digestibility of gross energy than those fed CON. In systemic immune responses, the FLA group tended to have greater serum TGF-β1 (P = 0.089) and tended to reduce packed cell volume (P = 0.074), white blood cell counts (P = 0.081), serum IL-6 (P = 0.059), and serum cortisol (P = 0.070) on day 14 compared with the CON group. Our findings suggest that dietary flavor supplementation may improve growth performance and modulate systemic immunity in weaned pigs, potentially through enhanced nutrient digestibility and regulation of inflammatory responses.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lay Summary Maintaining the welfare of food animals during the pre-slaughter phase is important. Although the time in holding pens at the slaughter plant is relatively short, it is a critical time to provide comfort and reduce stress. This study evaluated the impacts of shade in the holding pens at a commercial slaughter on mobility, behavior, and dark cutting incidence in cattle. In the current study, shade did not have a significant effect on any of the observed outcomes. Other factors of interest such as lairage duration and space allowance were associated with in-pen behaviors and dark-cutting frequency.
{"title":"The effects of shade on cattle mobility, behavior, and dark cutting during lairage at a commercial slaughter facility in the United States","authors":"Lauren Dean, Paxton Sullivan, Lacey Alexander, Robert J Delmore, Lily Edwards-Callaway","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag018","url":null,"abstract":"Lay Summary Maintaining the welfare of food animals during the pre-slaughter phase is important. Although the time in holding pens at the slaughter plant is relatively short, it is a critical time to provide comfort and reduce stress. This study evaluated the impacts of shade in the holding pens at a commercial slaughter on mobility, behavior, and dark cutting incidence in cattle. In the current study, shade did not have a significant effect on any of the observed outcomes. Other factors of interest such as lairage duration and space allowance were associated with in-pen behaviors and dark-cutting frequency.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuta Yang, Peiyao Liu, Taotao Yan, Xiangding Wang, Qian Zhou, Yang Li, Ran Li, Qingfeng Zhang, Chuanying Pan, Xianyong Lan
The Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R), a key regulator of energy balance and feeding behavior, plays a critical role in sheep growth. Herein, we identified a naturally occurring conserved functional SNP (g.59480661G > A, E100K, P.Glu100Lys) in the sheep MC4R gene. Using the Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) method, we detected this mutation in 2,151 sheep from six different breeds. Association analysis revealed that this mutation affects the growth traits of Luxi Blackhead (LXBH) sheep, and the individuals with AA (K100) genotype exhibited superior growth performance compared to the GG (E100) genotype. Additionally, whole-genome sequencing data from 49 sheep breeds, totaling 968 individuals, showed a higher mutation frequency of this variant in some large-sized sheep breeds. Functional studies demonstrated that the E100K mutation does not affect protein localization or transport but reduces surface and total protein expression. The mutated receptor exhibited decreased basal activity and reduced binding efficiency with agonists (α-MSH and β-MSH), resulting in a partial loss of function. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that this mutation affects downstream pathways, including osteoclast differentiation and the MAPK signaling pathway, which may influence growth regulation associated with the E100K mutation. Collectively, these findings underscore the substantial role of the partial loss-of-function MC4R E100K mutation in regulating growth traits in sheep.
{"title":"A conserved functional missense SNP (E100K) in sheep MC4R gene leading to functional loss and impacting the growth traits.","authors":"Yuta Yang, Peiyao Liu, Taotao Yan, Xiangding Wang, Qian Zhou, Yang Li, Ran Li, Qingfeng Zhang, Chuanying Pan, Xianyong Lan","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R), a key regulator of energy balance and feeding behavior, plays a critical role in sheep growth. Herein, we identified a naturally occurring conserved functional SNP (g.59480661G > A, E100K, P.Glu100Lys) in the sheep MC4R gene. Using the Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) method, we detected this mutation in 2,151 sheep from six different breeds. Association analysis revealed that this mutation affects the growth traits of Luxi Blackhead (LXBH) sheep, and the individuals with AA (K100) genotype exhibited superior growth performance compared to the GG (E100) genotype. Additionally, whole-genome sequencing data from 49 sheep breeds, totaling 968 individuals, showed a higher mutation frequency of this variant in some large-sized sheep breeds. Functional studies demonstrated that the E100K mutation does not affect protein localization or transport but reduces surface and total protein expression. The mutated receptor exhibited decreased basal activity and reduced binding efficiency with agonists (α-MSH and β-MSH), resulting in a partial loss of function. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that this mutation affects downstream pathways, including osteoclast differentiation and the MAPK signaling pathway, which may influence growth regulation associated with the E100K mutation. Collectively, these findings underscore the substantial role of the partial loss-of-function MC4R E100K mutation in regulating growth traits in sheep.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146052135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julio C Mioto,Patricia M Oba,Sergio M S Junior,Jennifer L Adolphe,Sean D Madison,Maria R C de Godoy
The utilization of insect protein, specifically black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM), offers a viable alternative, sustainable, and nutrient-rich ingredient for pet foods. However, limited information is available on optimal inclusion levels and its functional properties. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of incremental levels of BSFLM as a partial or full substitute for chicken by-product meal (CM) in extruded diets. Thirty healthy adult Beagles were assigned to one of three dietary treatments: a control diet with CM, a diet containing 15% BSFLM, and a diet with 30% BSFLM, where CM was partially or fully replaced. Following a 14-day adaptation period on the control diet, the dogs were fed the test diets for 56 days. No significant differences were observed in food intake, fecal output, or apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, crude protein, and fat across the treatment groups (P > 0.05). However, dogs fed the 30% BSFLM diet showed a reduction in ATTD of organic matter (81.2%) and total dietary fiber (18.9%) compared to the control group (83.2% and 30.3%, respectively; P < 0.05), likely due to the chitin content acting as insoluble fiber. Fecal microbiota analysis showed no changes in alpha diversity; however, unweighted UniFrac analysis revealed significant shifts in beta diversity associated with diet and time. The inclusion of BSFLM-modulated fecal metabolites resulted in lower concentrations of short-chain fatty acids and phenols in the 30% BSFLM group (P < 0.05). Serum biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, including a range of cytokines and antioxidant enzymes, were unaffected by the dietary treatments, indicating no adverse health effects. These findings support the use of BSFLM as a viable and environmentally friendly protein ingredient in canine nutrition, offering a promising alternative to traditional protein sources while contributing to the sustainability of pet food production.
{"title":"Incorporating defatted black soldier fly meal (BSFLM) as a functional alternative ingredient in dog food.","authors":"Julio C Mioto,Patricia M Oba,Sergio M S Junior,Jennifer L Adolphe,Sean D Madison,Maria R C de Godoy","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf346","url":null,"abstract":"The utilization of insect protein, specifically black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM), offers a viable alternative, sustainable, and nutrient-rich ingredient for pet foods. However, limited information is available on optimal inclusion levels and its functional properties. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of incremental levels of BSFLM as a partial or full substitute for chicken by-product meal (CM) in extruded diets. Thirty healthy adult Beagles were assigned to one of three dietary treatments: a control diet with CM, a diet containing 15% BSFLM, and a diet with 30% BSFLM, where CM was partially or fully replaced. Following a 14-day adaptation period on the control diet, the dogs were fed the test diets for 56 days. No significant differences were observed in food intake, fecal output, or apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, crude protein, and fat across the treatment groups (P > 0.05). However, dogs fed the 30% BSFLM diet showed a reduction in ATTD of organic matter (81.2%) and total dietary fiber (18.9%) compared to the control group (83.2% and 30.3%, respectively; P < 0.05), likely due to the chitin content acting as insoluble fiber. Fecal microbiota analysis showed no changes in alpha diversity; however, unweighted UniFrac analysis revealed significant shifts in beta diversity associated with diet and time. The inclusion of BSFLM-modulated fecal metabolites resulted in lower concentrations of short-chain fatty acids and phenols in the 30% BSFLM group (P < 0.05). Serum biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, including a range of cytokines and antioxidant enzymes, were unaffected by the dietary treatments, indicating no adverse health effects. These findings support the use of BSFLM as a viable and environmentally friendly protein ingredient in canine nutrition, offering a promising alternative to traditional protein sources while contributing to the sustainability of pet food production.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Genome-wide studies in livestock have become essential tools for investigating genetic diversity, population structure, and adaptive evolution. By leveraging high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, researchers can identify genomic regions under selection and trace the demographic history of breeds. Among the most informative genomic features are Runs of Homozygosity (ROH), which reflect inbreeding levels and historical population dynamics, and Heterozygosity-Rich Regions (HRR), which may indicate loci under balancing selection and contribute to important functional traits. In this study, we investigated the ROH and HRR patterns in four different Mediterranean sheep breeds (Barbaresca-BAR, n = 48; Noticiana-NOT, n = 48; Valle del Belice-VDB, n = 142; and Sarda-SAR, n = 144) genotyped using the Illumina Ovine SNP600K array. The population structure analysis revealed a distinct separation among the four breeds, likely due to differences in breeding areas or management. Clear differences in ROH and HRR patterns were also observed. The endangered breeds (NOT and BAR) showed higher mean number of ROH per individual (92.38 and 83.71, respectively) compared to SAR (60.38) and VDB (58.49). A total of 12 ROH islands, ranged from 0.13 to 2.83 Mb, have been detected. These genomic regions mapped genes associated with economically important traits such as reproduction (ZDHHC21), milk (HERC3 and HERC6) and meat (ABCG2, PKD2, LAP3, NCAPG, and SPP1) production, and body size (LCORL). Regarding the HRR, the mean number of segments for individuals ranged from 4.65 (BAR) to 6.50 (VDB) and over 52% of these were shorter than 150 kb. The 16 HRR islands mapped genes related to reproduction (CAPSPERB and TC2N) and climate adaptation (VPS13B). Our results showed the usefulness of ROH and HRR for investigating genomic regions harboring genes associated with important traits that are consistent with the phenotypic characteristics of the investigated breeds, which present differences in both morphology and production traits and show excellent adaptability to the local environments. These findings may help in designing effective breeding or conservation programs for these sheep breeds.
牲畜全基因组研究已成为研究遗传多样性、种群结构和适应性进化的重要工具。通过利用高密度单核苷酸多态性（SNP）阵列，研究人员可以确定选择下的基因组区域并追踪品种的人口统计学历史。其中最具信息量的基因组特征是纯合子序列（runof Homozygosity， ROH），它反映了近交水平和历史种群动态，以及杂合子丰富区域（Heterozygosity-Rich Regions， HRR），它可能表明处于平衡选择的位点，并有助于重要的功能性状。本研究利用Illumina Ovine SNP600K基因阵列研究了4个不同地中海绵羊品种(Barbaresca-BAR, n = 48; Noticiana-NOT, n = 48; Valle del belce - vdb, n = 142；种群结构分析显示，这四个品种之间存在明显的分离，可能是由于繁殖区域或管理的差异。在ROH和HRR模式上也观察到明显的差异。濒危品种（NOT和BAR）的平均ROH数分别为92.38和83.71，高于SAR（60.38）和VDB（58.49）。共探测到12个卢武铉岛，大小在0.13 ~ 2.83 Mb之间。这些基因组区域定位了与生殖（ZDHHC21）、奶（HERC3和HERC6）和肉（ABCG2、PKD2、LAP3、NCAPG和SPP1）产量和体型（LCORL）等经济上重要性状相关的基因。在HRR方面，个体的平均片段数在4.65 (BAR) ~ 6.50 （VDB）之间，超过52%的片段短于150 kb。16个HRR岛定位了与生殖（CAPSPERB和TC2N）和气候适应（VPS13B）相关的基因。我们的研究结果表明，ROH和HRR对于研究与被调查品种表型特征一致的重要性状相关基因的基因组区域是有用的，这些性状在形态和生产性状上都存在差异，并且对当地环境具有良好的适应性。这些发现可能有助于为这些绵羊品种设计有效的繁殖或保护计划。
{"title":"Detection of homozygosity and heterozygosity regions in mediterranean sheep breeds revealed by high-density SNP array.","authors":"Federica Carta,Giorgio Chessari,Maria Teresa Sardina,Silvia Riggio,Gabriele Senczuk,Alberto Cesarani,Andrea Criscione,Salvatore Mastrangelo","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag014","url":null,"abstract":"Genome-wide studies in livestock have become essential tools for investigating genetic diversity, population structure, and adaptive evolution. By leveraging high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, researchers can identify genomic regions under selection and trace the demographic history of breeds. Among the most informative genomic features are Runs of Homozygosity (ROH), which reflect inbreeding levels and historical population dynamics, and Heterozygosity-Rich Regions (HRR), which may indicate loci under balancing selection and contribute to important functional traits. In this study, we investigated the ROH and HRR patterns in four different Mediterranean sheep breeds (Barbaresca-BAR, n = 48; Noticiana-NOT, n = 48; Valle del Belice-VDB, n = 142; and Sarda-SAR, n = 144) genotyped using the Illumina Ovine SNP600K array. The population structure analysis revealed a distinct separation among the four breeds, likely due to differences in breeding areas or management. Clear differences in ROH and HRR patterns were also observed. The endangered breeds (NOT and BAR) showed higher mean number of ROH per individual (92.38 and 83.71, respectively) compared to SAR (60.38) and VDB (58.49). A total of 12 ROH islands, ranged from 0.13 to 2.83 Mb, have been detected. These genomic regions mapped genes associated with economically important traits such as reproduction (ZDHHC21), milk (HERC3 and HERC6) and meat (ABCG2, PKD2, LAP3, NCAPG, and SPP1) production, and body size (LCORL). Regarding the HRR, the mean number of segments for individuals ranged from 4.65 (BAR) to 6.50 (VDB) and over 52% of these were shorter than 150 kb. The 16 HRR islands mapped genes related to reproduction (CAPSPERB and TC2N) and climate adaptation (VPS13B). Our results showed the usefulness of ROH and HRR for investigating genomic regions harboring genes associated with important traits that are consistent with the phenotypic characteristics of the investigated breeds, which present differences in both morphology and production traits and show excellent adaptability to the local environments. These findings may help in designing effective breeding or conservation programs for these sheep breeds.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146005037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julian Arroyave,Jason C Woodworth,Mike D Tokach,Robert D Goodband,Joel M Derouchey,Katelyn N Gaffield,Jordan T Gebhardt
A total of 360 barrows (initially 6.0 kg and 21 d of age) were used to evaluate the effects of added Zn in low acid-binding capacity at a pH of 4 (ABC-4) diets on nursery pig growth performance, fecal dry matter (DM), plasma Zn, and apparent total tract digestively (ATTD) of Zn. At weaning, pigs were divided into two body weight categories and then randomly assigned to dietary treatments in a generalized random block design. There were 5 pigs per pen and 12 pens per treatment. All diets contained 110 mg/kg of Zn from zinc sulfate in the trace mineral premix. The control treatment was a low ABC-4 diet (200 and 250 meq/kg from d 0 to 10 and 10 to 24 after weaning, respectively). In the next four diets, Zn (from zinc oxide; ZnO) was added at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 mg/kg in phase 1, and 333, 666, 1,332, and 2,000 mg/kg in phase 2. The sixth treatment diet was formulated without considering ABC-4 (441 and 430 meq/kg from d 0 to 10 and 10 to 24, respectively) with 3,000 and 2,000 mg/kg of Zn from d 0 to 10 and 10 to 24 after weaning, respectively. In all periods, no differences were observed between pigs fed the low and high ABC-4 diets with 3,000 mg/kg Zn in phase 1 and 2,000 mg/kg Zn in phase 2, except for d-10 fecal DM, where pigs fed the low ABC-4 diet had increased (P = 0.002) fecal DM. From d 0 to 24, average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased (linear, P < 0.05) with increasing dietary Zn, with no differences in gain: feed ratio. However, for the overall 46 d period, no response to dietary Zn was observed for any performance criteria. Zinc intake, absorption, and excretion increased linear and quadratically (P < 0.001) and ATTD of Zn tended to linear increase (P = 0.074) with increasing dietary Zn. Pigs fed the low ABC-4 diet had greater (P < 0.05) Zn intake, absorption, and ATTD of Zn than pigs fed the high ABC-4 diet at the same Zn concentration. No difference was observed for fecal Zn excretion between ABC-4 formulation strategies. Day 24 serum Zn concentration increased linear and quadratically (P < 0.001) as dietary Zn increased, and a marginal increase (P = 0.095) in the low ABC-4 diet was observed between formulation strategies. In conclusion, low ABC-4 diets containing 3,000 and 2,000 mg/kg of Zn from ZnO in phases 1 and 2, respectively, increased d 10 fecal DM, Zn absorption, and ATTD of Zn. Increasing Zn in low ABC-4 diets improved ADG and ADFI during the first 24 d post-weaning, but not for the overall study.
{"title":"Effects of increasing zinc in low acid binding capacity diets on nursery pig performance, fecal dry matter, zinc digestibility, and plasma zinc.","authors":"Julian Arroyave,Jason C Woodworth,Mike D Tokach,Robert D Goodband,Joel M Derouchey,Katelyn N Gaffield,Jordan T Gebhardt","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag007","url":null,"abstract":"A total of 360 barrows (initially 6.0 kg and 21 d of age) were used to evaluate the effects of added Zn in low acid-binding capacity at a pH of 4 (ABC-4) diets on nursery pig growth performance, fecal dry matter (DM), plasma Zn, and apparent total tract digestively (ATTD) of Zn. At weaning, pigs were divided into two body weight categories and then randomly assigned to dietary treatments in a generalized random block design. There were 5 pigs per pen and 12 pens per treatment. All diets contained 110 mg/kg of Zn from zinc sulfate in the trace mineral premix. The control treatment was a low ABC-4 diet (200 and 250 meq/kg from d 0 to 10 and 10 to 24 after weaning, respectively). In the next four diets, Zn (from zinc oxide; ZnO) was added at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 mg/kg in phase 1, and 333, 666, 1,332, and 2,000 mg/kg in phase 2. The sixth treatment diet was formulated without considering ABC-4 (441 and 430 meq/kg from d 0 to 10 and 10 to 24, respectively) with 3,000 and 2,000 mg/kg of Zn from d 0 to 10 and 10 to 24 after weaning, respectively. In all periods, no differences were observed between pigs fed the low and high ABC-4 diets with 3,000 mg/kg Zn in phase 1 and 2,000 mg/kg Zn in phase 2, except for d-10 fecal DM, where pigs fed the low ABC-4 diet had increased (P = 0.002) fecal DM. From d 0 to 24, average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased (linear, P < 0.05) with increasing dietary Zn, with no differences in gain: feed ratio. However, for the overall 46 d period, no response to dietary Zn was observed for any performance criteria. Zinc intake, absorption, and excretion increased linear and quadratically (P < 0.001) and ATTD of Zn tended to linear increase (P = 0.074) with increasing dietary Zn. Pigs fed the low ABC-4 diet had greater (P < 0.05) Zn intake, absorption, and ATTD of Zn than pigs fed the high ABC-4 diet at the same Zn concentration. No difference was observed for fecal Zn excretion between ABC-4 formulation strategies. Day 24 serum Zn concentration increased linear and quadratically (P < 0.001) as dietary Zn increased, and a marginal increase (P = 0.095) in the low ABC-4 diet was observed between formulation strategies. In conclusion, low ABC-4 diets containing 3,000 and 2,000 mg/kg of Zn from ZnO in phases 1 and 2, respectively, increased d 10 fecal DM, Zn absorption, and ATTD of Zn. Increasing Zn in low ABC-4 diets improved ADG and ADFI during the first 24 d post-weaning, but not for the overall study.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146005407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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