Lucas Bassi Scarpim,Leticia Graziele Pacheco,Camila Goloni,Vladimir Eliodoro Costa,Aulus Cavalieri Carciofi
Determining protein requirements (PR) for dog maintenance using welfare-conscious methods is challenging. This study aimed to establish a minimally invasive and efficient protocol for applying the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) technique using L-[1-1³C] phenylalanine (1³Phe), while minimizing animal handling and cost (through lower isotope doses and fewer meals) and eliminating the need for respiration chambers. Two diets were extruded: a complete and balanced for maintenance based on poultry by-product meal (PBM) with 28% crude protein (CP); a low protein formulation where PBM was replaced by maize starch (SBD) with 6% CP (DM basis). Ingredients were analyzed, and the SBD was supplemented so both formulations presented 22 g/kg of phenylalanine + tyrosine (DM basis). The dilution technique was applied to create five levels of CP: 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% and 14% (DM basis). A sixth diet with 11% CP was used in the adaptation period. To test three feeding, isotope-enrichment, and sampling protocols (P1, P2, and P3), a block design was used with ten dogs assigned to each protocol (14.8 ± 1.1 kg; 5.8 ± 2.0 years). After two days of adaptation (11% CP), the daily dog food was divided into ten (P1), seven (P2), or five (P3) meals. A priming dose (PD) of 0.18 mg/kg of 13C-Bicarbonate (13Bic) and 0.66 mg/kg of 13Phe were offered on the fourth, sixth, or fifth meal, followed by six, four, and four subsequent doses of 1.33 mg/kg of 13Phe in capsules every 30 minutes (P1, P2, and P3, respectively). Two basal samples of expired air were collected using an adapted mask, and after PD, eight samples were collected, starting 30 (P1), 90 (P2), and 90 (P3) minutes after enrichment. The CO2 volume was measured by the 13Bic method using masks. The time required to reach isotopic steady state (ISS) and the accuracy of measurements varied across protocols. P1 required the longest time to reach ISS (183.7 ± 8.4 min) and showed lower accuracy (r2 = 0.39; mean absolute percentage error [MAPE] = 17.1%; P < 0.05). P3 reached ISS more quickly (105.4 ± 6.1 min) but demonstrated moderate accuracy (r2 = 0.67; MAPE = 7.1%; P < 0.05). P2 represented an intermediate condition, reaching ISS at 170.6 ± 6.7 min while providing higher accuracy (r2 = 0.81; MAPE = 1.26%; P < 0.05). It was concluded that P2 is a minimally invasive and efficient protocol for IAAO application in dogs, potentially providing valuable insights for future research involving dogs living outside of a laboratory setting.
{"title":"Pilot study to determine a minimally invasive protocol to assess protein requirements in dogs.","authors":"Lucas Bassi Scarpim,Leticia Graziele Pacheco,Camila Goloni,Vladimir Eliodoro Costa,Aulus Cavalieri Carciofi","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag008","url":null,"abstract":"Determining protein requirements (PR) for dog maintenance using welfare-conscious methods is challenging. This study aimed to establish a minimally invasive and efficient protocol for applying the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) technique using L-[1-1³C] phenylalanine (1³Phe), while minimizing animal handling and cost (through lower isotope doses and fewer meals) and eliminating the need for respiration chambers. Two diets were extruded: a complete and balanced for maintenance based on poultry by-product meal (PBM) with 28% crude protein (CP); a low protein formulation where PBM was replaced by maize starch (SBD) with 6% CP (DM basis). Ingredients were analyzed, and the SBD was supplemented so both formulations presented 22 g/kg of phenylalanine + tyrosine (DM basis). The dilution technique was applied to create five levels of CP: 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% and 14% (DM basis). A sixth diet with 11% CP was used in the adaptation period. To test three feeding, isotope-enrichment, and sampling protocols (P1, P2, and P3), a block design was used with ten dogs assigned to each protocol (14.8 ± 1.1 kg; 5.8 ± 2.0 years). After two days of adaptation (11% CP), the daily dog food was divided into ten (P1), seven (P2), or five (P3) meals. A priming dose (PD) of 0.18 mg/kg of 13C-Bicarbonate (13Bic) and 0.66 mg/kg of 13Phe were offered on the fourth, sixth, or fifth meal, followed by six, four, and four subsequent doses of 1.33 mg/kg of 13Phe in capsules every 30 minutes (P1, P2, and P3, respectively). Two basal samples of expired air were collected using an adapted mask, and after PD, eight samples were collected, starting 30 (P1), 90 (P2), and 90 (P3) minutes after enrichment. The CO2 volume was measured by the 13Bic method using masks. The time required to reach isotopic steady state (ISS) and the accuracy of measurements varied across protocols. P1 required the longest time to reach ISS (183.7 ± 8.4 min) and showed lower accuracy (r2 = 0.39; mean absolute percentage error [MAPE] = 17.1%; P < 0.05). P3 reached ISS more quickly (105.4 ± 6.1 min) but demonstrated moderate accuracy (r2 = 0.67; MAPE = 7.1%; P < 0.05). P2 represented an intermediate condition, reaching ISS at 170.6 ± 6.7 min while providing higher accuracy (r2 = 0.81; MAPE = 1.26%; P < 0.05). It was concluded that P2 is a minimally invasive and efficient protocol for IAAO application in dogs, potentially providing valuable insights for future research involving dogs living outside of a laboratory setting.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"88 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145994826","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}
Research has demonstrated the essential functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in testosterone production and spermatogenesis across various ruminant species. Nevertheless, the expression dynamics and biological activities of circRNAs in Leydig cells (LCs) are still not well understood. Herein, we identified a circular RNA that mediates LCs proliferation and testosterone synthesis, circCSNK1G3, and elucidated its underlying mechanisms. Multiple functional assays were performed to determine the biological functions of circCSNK1G3 and miR-29b in vitro. Furthermore, the relationship between circCSNK1G3 and miR-29b was confirmed using RNA pull-down analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and dual-luciferase reporter experiments. Functionally, circCSNK1G3 increased testosterone levels by promoting LCs proliferation and stimulating testosterone production. Mechanistically, circCSNK1G3 operates mechanistically as an endogenous sponge for miR-29b in the cytoplasm of LCs, leading to enhanced expression of IGF1. By acting as a competitive endogenous RNA, circCSNK1G3 stimulates the biosynthesis of testosterone and the growth of LCs via the miR-29b/IGF1 axis, which may provide a potential basis for using circRNAs as target drugs to treat orchitis and azoospermia.
{"title":"Circular RNA circCSNK1G3 induces Leydig cells proliferation and promotes testosterone production through the miR-29b/IGF1 axis.","authors":"Yi Wu,Xingcai Qi,Qiao Li,Youji Ma","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag010","url":null,"abstract":"Research has demonstrated the essential functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in testosterone production and spermatogenesis across various ruminant species. Nevertheless, the expression dynamics and biological activities of circRNAs in Leydig cells (LCs) are still not well understood. Herein, we identified a circular RNA that mediates LCs proliferation and testosterone synthesis, circCSNK1G3, and elucidated its underlying mechanisms. Multiple functional assays were performed to determine the biological functions of circCSNK1G3 and miR-29b in vitro. Furthermore, the relationship between circCSNK1G3 and miR-29b was confirmed using RNA pull-down analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and dual-luciferase reporter experiments. Functionally, circCSNK1G3 increased testosterone levels by promoting LCs proliferation and stimulating testosterone production. Mechanistically, circCSNK1G3 operates mechanistically as an endogenous sponge for miR-29b in the cytoplasm of LCs, leading to enhanced expression of IGF1. By acting as a competitive endogenous RNA, circCSNK1G3 stimulates the biosynthesis of testosterone and the growth of LCs via the miR-29b/IGF1 axis, which may provide a potential basis for using circRNAs as target drugs to treat orchitis and azoospermia.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145994959","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}
J L Kirkham,F Zamuner,A W N Cameron,E K Carpenter,B J Leury,K DiGiacomo
This experiment investigated changes in body composition throughout lactation in dairy goats using non-invasive methods of body composition estimation including dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and body mass index (BMI) in lactating Saanen dairy goats (20 high- and 20 low-producers). Body composition was measured on four occasions, early (EL, 23 ±6 DIM), mid (ML, 107 ±6 DIM), late (LL, 206 ±6 DIM) and 2 weeks post drying-off. The DEXA scans provide estimates of fat and lean tissue mass, and were evaluated by region (whole body, lower body, and sternal area). Data was analysed using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) with stage of lactation and production group as fixed effects and goat as the random effect to account for repeated measurements within animals. Correlations among body composition measures were assessed using Pearson's coefficients. Differences in body composition were driven primarily by stage of lactation rather than by production group. Milk yield was greatest in high producers during EL only (3.2 vs. 2.5 L/d; P < 0.05), but no differences were observed in energy corrected milk. The BW and BCS increased throughout lactation, peaking during the dry period. Changes in DEXA-derived fat and lean tissue mass were observed, with the largest change observed in sternal fat from EL to ML (-17%; P < 0.001). The BMI had stronger correlations with DEXA-derived body composition measures compared to BCS (r = 0.78 vs 0.58; P < 0.001). Changes in composition were associated with changes in lactation stage rather than production level. Whilst BW and BCS increased, overall, DEXA-derived fat mass decreased throughout lactation by 14% and increased by 10% from LL to the dry period (P < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first experiment to apply DEXA to measure body composition throughout lactation in goats. Findings suggest BMI may be a more reliable indicator of DEXA-derived body composition compared to BCS.
本试验采用无创体成分估算方法，包括双能x线吸收仪（DEXA）、体重（BW）、体况评分（BCS）和体重指数（BMI），研究了泌乳期萨宁奶山羊（20只高产奶山羊和20只低产奶山羊）体成分的变化。体成分测定分为早期（EL, 23±6 DIM）、中期（ML, 107±6 DIM）、晚期（LL, 206±6 DIM）和干燥后2周。DEXA扫描提供脂肪和瘦肉组织质量的估计，并按区域（全身、下半身和胸骨区域）进行评估。数据采用有限最大似然（REML）分析，以哺乳期和生产组为固定效应，山羊为随机效应，以解释动物体内重复测量。使用Pearson系数评估身体成分测量之间的相关性。体成分的差异主要是由泌乳阶段而不是生产组决定的。高产奶牛的产奶量仅在EL期间最高（3.2 vs. 2.5 L/d, P < 0.05），但在能量校正乳中没有观察到差异。泌乳期间体重和BCS均呈上升趋势，在哺乳期达到顶峰。观察到dexa来源的脂肪和瘦组织质量的变化，胸骨脂肪从EL到ML的变化最大（-17%;P < 0.001）。与BCS相比，BMI与dexa衍生的身体成分测量具有更强的相关性（r = 0.78 vs 0.58; P < 0.001）。成分的变化与哺乳期的变化有关，而与产奶量无关。虽然体重和体重增加，但总体而言，dexa来源的脂肪量在整个哺乳期减少了14%，从哺乳期到干期增加了10% （P < 0.001）。据我们所知，这是第一个应用DEXA测量山羊泌乳期身体成分的实验。研究结果表明，与BCS相比，BMI可能是dexa衍生的身体成分更可靠的指标。
{"title":"Changes in body composition and plasma metabolites throughout lactation in high- and low- producing Saanen dairy goats.","authors":"J L Kirkham,F Zamuner,A W N Cameron,E K Carpenter,B J Leury,K DiGiacomo","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag006","url":null,"abstract":"This experiment investigated changes in body composition throughout lactation in dairy goats using non-invasive methods of body composition estimation including dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and body mass index (BMI) in lactating Saanen dairy goats (20 high- and 20 low-producers). Body composition was measured on four occasions, early (EL, 23 ±6 DIM), mid (ML, 107 ±6 DIM), late (LL, 206 ±6 DIM) and 2 weeks post drying-off. The DEXA scans provide estimates of fat and lean tissue mass, and were evaluated by region (whole body, lower body, and sternal area). Data was analysed using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) with stage of lactation and production group as fixed effects and goat as the random effect to account for repeated measurements within animals. Correlations among body composition measures were assessed using Pearson's coefficients. Differences in body composition were driven primarily by stage of lactation rather than by production group. Milk yield was greatest in high producers during EL only (3.2 vs. 2.5 L/d; P < 0.05), but no differences were observed in energy corrected milk. The BW and BCS increased throughout lactation, peaking during the dry period. Changes in DEXA-derived fat and lean tissue mass were observed, with the largest change observed in sternal fat from EL to ML (-17%; P < 0.001). The BMI had stronger correlations with DEXA-derived body composition measures compared to BCS (r = 0.78 vs 0.58; P < 0.001). Changes in composition were associated with changes in lactation stage rather than production level. Whilst BW and BCS increased, overall, DEXA-derived fat mass decreased throughout lactation by 14% and increased by 10% from LL to the dry period (P < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first experiment to apply DEXA to measure body composition throughout lactation in goats. Findings suggest BMI may be a more reliable indicator of DEXA-derived body composition compared to BCS.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"121 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145994958","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}
Ian J Shofner,Kayla Mills,Tyler Weide,Matthew W Breitzman,Karl Kerns
Sperm capacitation is essential for fertilization and is characterized by a cascade of biochemical signaling and membrane remodeling events. This process is highly dependent on membrane composition. Profiling lipid alterations provides a critical window into the molecular underpinnings of capacitation and the regulatory influence of zinc ions (Zn2+). Metabolomic studies in boar sperm have shown that capacitation coincides with broad shifts in metabolite abundance and that extracellular zinc attenuates or redirects many of these changes, highlighting its role as a key modulator. To extend this framework to the lipidome, we profiled boar sperm under three conditions: non-capacitated (0 h), capacitated in vitro (4 h), and capacitated with extracellular zinc (4 h + Zn), using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and image-based flow cytometry to validate capacitation status. Relative to 0 h, capacitation was associated with altered abundances of 30 lipids (P < 0.05) spanning several lipid categories: fatty acyls (n = 8), sterol lipids (n = 7), sphingolipids (n = 1), glycerolipids (n = 3), glycerophospholipids (n = 4), and unannotated lipids (n = 9). When exogenous Zn2+ was supplemented during in vitro capacitation, 12 of these shifts were maintained at 0 h-like levels (P < 0.05), suggesting an inhibiting or stabilizing role. In 2 of 16 hits, exogenously supplemented Zn2+ enhanced the capacitation-associated change (P < 0.05), whereas in the remaining 14 it exerted no measurable effect (P > 0.05). When exogenous Zn2+ was supplemented during in vitro capacitation, distinct lipid shifts were identified and organized using Tukey's lipid-pattern classification based on significance (P < 0.05) and directionality, organizing them into four categories: Type-1 lipids (capacitation-associated), Type-2 lipids (zinc-inhibited), Type-3 lipids (zinc-specific response), and Type-4 lipids (zinc-enhanced). These categories describe distinct modes of lipid regulation, where some species remained unaffected by zinc (Type-1, n = 16), others were stabilized or inhibited from progressing toward capacitation-associated levels (Type-2, n = 12), a subset responded exclusively to zinc independent of capacitation (Type-3, n = 4), and a small group exhibited amplified capacitation-linked shifts under zinc supplementation (Type-4, n = 2). Together, these data reveal a class-specific, zinc-dependent architecture of lipid remodeling that integrates metabolic and membrane regulation within the broader capacitation cascade.
{"title":"Zinc regulation of lipidome remodeling during boar sperm capacitation.","authors":"Ian J Shofner,Kayla Mills,Tyler Weide,Matthew W Breitzman,Karl Kerns","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag009","url":null,"abstract":"Sperm capacitation is essential for fertilization and is characterized by a cascade of biochemical signaling and membrane remodeling events. This process is highly dependent on membrane composition. Profiling lipid alterations provides a critical window into the molecular underpinnings of capacitation and the regulatory influence of zinc ions (Zn2+). Metabolomic studies in boar sperm have shown that capacitation coincides with broad shifts in metabolite abundance and that extracellular zinc attenuates or redirects many of these changes, highlighting its role as a key modulator. To extend this framework to the lipidome, we profiled boar sperm under three conditions: non-capacitated (0 h), capacitated in vitro (4 h), and capacitated with extracellular zinc (4 h + Zn), using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and image-based flow cytometry to validate capacitation status. Relative to 0 h, capacitation was associated with altered abundances of 30 lipids (P < 0.05) spanning several lipid categories: fatty acyls (n = 8), sterol lipids (n = 7), sphingolipids (n = 1), glycerolipids (n = 3), glycerophospholipids (n = 4), and unannotated lipids (n = 9). When exogenous Zn2+ was supplemented during in vitro capacitation, 12 of these shifts were maintained at 0 h-like levels (P < 0.05), suggesting an inhibiting or stabilizing role. In 2 of 16 hits, exogenously supplemented Zn2+ enhanced the capacitation-associated change (P < 0.05), whereas in the remaining 14 it exerted no measurable effect (P > 0.05). When exogenous Zn2+ was supplemented during in vitro capacitation, distinct lipid shifts were identified and organized using Tukey's lipid-pattern classification based on significance (P < 0.05) and directionality, organizing them into four categories: Type-1 lipids (capacitation-associated), Type-2 lipids (zinc-inhibited), Type-3 lipids (zinc-specific response), and Type-4 lipids (zinc-enhanced). These categories describe distinct modes of lipid regulation, where some species remained unaffected by zinc (Type-1, n = 16), others were stabilized or inhibited from progressing toward capacitation-associated levels (Type-2, n = 12), a subset responded exclusively to zinc independent of capacitation (Type-3, n = 4), and a small group exhibited amplified capacitation-linked shifts under zinc supplementation (Type-4, n = 2). Together, these data reveal a class-specific, zinc-dependent architecture of lipid remodeling that integrates metabolic and membrane regulation within the broader capacitation cascade.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145994904","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}
Mariah R Jansen,Charlotte Ludorf,Riley E Barber,Veronica I Polniak,Andrea M Luttman,Dale W Rozeboom,Kwangwook Kim
Early weaning improves swine productivity but induces stress that impairs growth, compromises intestinal health, and increases diarrhea. A total of 288 weaned pigs (21 ± 1 days; PIC 800 x Yorkshire; initial body weight (BW) 6.21 ± 0.45 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design, with initial BW as the blocking factor and pen as the experimental unit (48 pens; 6 pig/pen). Pigs were assigned to one of four dietary treatments: a nursery basal diet (control; CON), CON supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose (SCL). CON supplemented with 30 mg/kg neotame (NEO), or CON supplemented with 50 mg/kg carbadox (CBX). This study investigated the effects of dietary SCL or NEO supplementation on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, immune responses, intestinal development, and serum metabolites in weaned pigs. Pigs supplemented with SCL tended to increase (P = 0.093) average daily gain (ADG) from day 0 to 7 and increased (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) during phase 1 compared with CON. Pigs supplemented with NEO tended to increase (P = 0.083, P = 0.090) BW on days 7 and 14 and ADG (P = 0.053), and increased ADFI (P < 0.05) during phase 1 compared with CON. Both NEO (P < 0.05) and SCL (P < 0.10) reduced diarrhea frequency during phase 1 and across the experimental period compared with CON. SCL improved villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05), and reduced crypt depth (P < 0.05) compared with CON on day 14. SCL downregulated (P < 0.05) tight junction protein 1 (TJP1) expression compared with CBX on day 28. Untargeted serum metabolomics revealed that both SCL and NEO altered amino acid, nucleoside, antioxidant, and lipid metabolic pathways relative to CON. On day 14, SCL altered β-alanine and glutathione metabolism, whereas NEO modulated amino acid-derived metabolites. By day 28, SCL modulated purine, D-amino acid, and ether lipid metabolism, while NEO was associated with taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. These findings indicate that SCL and NEO improve growth performance and reduce post-weaning diarrhea, with SCL additionally enhancing intestinal structure and barrier-related markers, while NEO may act through palatability enhancements or microbiota associated metabolic pathways.
{"title":"Non-nutritive sweeteners improve growth, reduce diarrhea, and modulate intestinal and systemic metabolism in weaned pigs.","authors":"Mariah R Jansen,Charlotte Ludorf,Riley E Barber,Veronica I Polniak,Andrea M Luttman,Dale W Rozeboom,Kwangwook Kim","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag005","url":null,"abstract":"Early weaning improves swine productivity but induces stress that impairs growth, compromises intestinal health, and increases diarrhea. A total of 288 weaned pigs (21 ± 1 days; PIC 800 x Yorkshire; initial body weight (BW) 6.21 ± 0.45 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design, with initial BW as the blocking factor and pen as the experimental unit (48 pens; 6 pig/pen). Pigs were assigned to one of four dietary treatments: a nursery basal diet (control; CON), CON supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose (SCL). CON supplemented with 30 mg/kg neotame (NEO), or CON supplemented with 50 mg/kg carbadox (CBX). This study investigated the effects of dietary SCL or NEO supplementation on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, immune responses, intestinal development, and serum metabolites in weaned pigs. Pigs supplemented with SCL tended to increase (P = 0.093) average daily gain (ADG) from day 0 to 7 and increased (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) during phase 1 compared with CON. Pigs supplemented with NEO tended to increase (P = 0.083, P = 0.090) BW on days 7 and 14 and ADG (P = 0.053), and increased ADFI (P < 0.05) during phase 1 compared with CON. Both NEO (P < 0.05) and SCL (P < 0.10) reduced diarrhea frequency during phase 1 and across the experimental period compared with CON. SCL improved villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05), and reduced crypt depth (P < 0.05) compared with CON on day 14. SCL downregulated (P < 0.05) tight junction protein 1 (TJP1) expression compared with CBX on day 28. Untargeted serum metabolomics revealed that both SCL and NEO altered amino acid, nucleoside, antioxidant, and lipid metabolic pathways relative to CON. On day 14, SCL altered β-alanine and glutathione metabolism, whereas NEO modulated amino acid-derived metabolites. By day 28, SCL modulated purine, D-amino acid, and ether lipid metabolism, while NEO was associated with taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. These findings indicate that SCL and NEO improve growth performance and reduce post-weaning diarrhea, with SCL additionally enhancing intestinal structure and barrier-related markers, while NEO may act through palatability enhancements or microbiota associated metabolic pathways.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145968705","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}
Pedro L P Fontes,Dylan B Davis,Lucas Melo-Gonçalves,Samir Burato,Molly S Smith,Alexander Stelzleni,Francis F Fluharty,R Lawton Stewart,Reinaldo F Cooke,John J Bromfield,Alexandra Else-Keller,Karl Kerns,Lew Strickland,Saulo M Zoca
The objective of this study was to characterize the systemic metabolic response to overnutrition in young bulls and to evaluate the effects of overnutrition on semen characteristics. Half-sibling yearling beef bulls (n = 44) were utilized in a completely randomized design, where bulls were randomly assigned 1 of 2 dietary treatments (n = 4 pens/treatment): 1) Moderate Gain (MG): diet formulated to promote an average daily gain of 1.2 kg/day, or 2) High Gain (HG): diet formulated to promote an average daily gain of 1.8 kg/day. Bulls were housed in a feedlot facility equipped with an automated individual feed intake monitoring system and fed their respective diets for 114 days. Body weight, carcass ultrasonography, and blood samples were collected on days 0, 36, 76, and 114. Blood samples were utilized to determine circulating concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, leptin, low-density lipoprotein, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), testosterone, and haptoglobin. Serial semen samples were collected at the end of the feeding period (days 109, 111, and 114) and analyzed using computer assisted sperm analysis and image-based flow cytometry. Body weight and subcutaneous backfat thickness were greater (P < 0.01) at the end of the feeding period in HG compared with MG bulls. Similar results were observed for circulating concentrations of glucose, insulin, leptin, cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins (P ≤ 0.02). Alternatively, circulating concentrations of NEFA and BHB were decreased (P < 0.01) in HG bulls at the end of the feeding period. Bulls exposed to the HG diet had greater (P < 0.01) insulin resistance at the end of the feeding period based on insulin: glucose ratio and revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI). HG bulls had greater (P = 0.02) plasma haptoglobin compared with MG bulls, whereas testosterone concentrations were similar (P = 0.69). Bulls exposed to the HG diet tended to have decreased (P ≤ 0.09) total and progressive motility compared with MG bulls. Moreover, the proportion of sperm with partially damaged acrosome tended (P = 0.09) to be increased and the proportion of sperm with intact plasma membrane tended to be reduced (P ≤ 0.10) in HG bulls compared with MG bulls. In summary, HG dietary treatment promoted an obese-like metabolic profile that increased insulin resistance, circulating haptoglobin, and resulted in a subtle decrease in semen quality.
{"title":"Overnutrition induced metabolic dysregulation and partially decreased semen quality in young beef bulls.","authors":"Pedro L P Fontes,Dylan B Davis,Lucas Melo-Gonçalves,Samir Burato,Molly S Smith,Alexander Stelzleni,Francis F Fluharty,R Lawton Stewart,Reinaldo F Cooke,John J Bromfield,Alexandra Else-Keller,Karl Kerns,Lew Strickland,Saulo M Zoca","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag004","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this study was to characterize the systemic metabolic response to overnutrition in young bulls and to evaluate the effects of overnutrition on semen characteristics. Half-sibling yearling beef bulls (n = 44) were utilized in a completely randomized design, where bulls were randomly assigned 1 of 2 dietary treatments (n = 4 pens/treatment): 1) Moderate Gain (MG): diet formulated to promote an average daily gain of 1.2 kg/day, or 2) High Gain (HG): diet formulated to promote an average daily gain of 1.8 kg/day. Bulls were housed in a feedlot facility equipped with an automated individual feed intake monitoring system and fed their respective diets for 114 days. Body weight, carcass ultrasonography, and blood samples were collected on days 0, 36, 76, and 114. Blood samples were utilized to determine circulating concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, leptin, low-density lipoprotein, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), testosterone, and haptoglobin. Serial semen samples were collected at the end of the feeding period (days 109, 111, and 114) and analyzed using computer assisted sperm analysis and image-based flow cytometry. Body weight and subcutaneous backfat thickness were greater (P < 0.01) at the end of the feeding period in HG compared with MG bulls. Similar results were observed for circulating concentrations of glucose, insulin, leptin, cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins (P ≤ 0.02). Alternatively, circulating concentrations of NEFA and BHB were decreased (P < 0.01) in HG bulls at the end of the feeding period. Bulls exposed to the HG diet had greater (P < 0.01) insulin resistance at the end of the feeding period based on insulin: glucose ratio and revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI). HG bulls had greater (P = 0.02) plasma haptoglobin compared with MG bulls, whereas testosterone concentrations were similar (P = 0.69). Bulls exposed to the HG diet tended to have decreased (P ≤ 0.09) total and progressive motility compared with MG bulls. Moreover, the proportion of sperm with partially damaged acrosome tended (P = 0.09) to be increased and the proportion of sperm with intact plasma membrane tended to be reduced (P ≤ 0.10) in HG bulls compared with MG bulls. In summary, HG dietary treatment promoted an obese-like metabolic profile that increased insulin resistance, circulating haptoglobin, and resulted in a subtle decrease in semen quality.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"250 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956201","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}
The current study was conducted to characterize metabolomic plasma profiles among sows differing in their lifetime born alive and lifetime weaned after four parities. Plasma samples were collected at harvest between 12-15 days (luteal phase) following their fourth parity post-weaning estrus from 120 dams with consistent born alive and weaned at every farrowing event. Categories were derived as follows for average lifetime born alive (ba): High (H; 61ba), Mid (M; 50ba), and Low (L; 39ba) and raised (wn): High (H; 50wn) and Low (L; 34wn) generating 6 categories with 20 dams in each: HH, HL, MH, ML, LH, and LL, respective to born alive: raised. Plasma samples were submitted for ultra-performance liquid chromatography (positive and negative ionization modes) - mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) to isolate putative compounds. Analysis of variance with a false discovery correction was performed to determine categorical differences of putative compounds. Negative mode ionization UPLC-MS yielded 92 compounds different (P < 0.05) by category, while positive ionization mode provided 644 compounds different (P < 0.05) by category. Twenty-five putative compounds were different (P < 0.05) for the LL and ML categories versus HH and MH categories. A putative unique secondary bacterial compound structurally similar to saponins, MK-800-62F1, and an annotated fatty acid, lignoceroylsphingosine, were increased (P < 0.05) in HH dams. Several possible fatty acid, eicosanoid, and steroid compounds had greater (P < 0.05) intensities in LL and LH dams. Several annotated eicosanoid compounds, leukotriene B4, 5(S)-HETE, 15(S)-Hpete and a PGF1α product, can be biosynthesized in blood in response to an inflammatory stimulus. Probable steroid compounds had increased signal intensity in plasma from LL and LH dams, including neuroactive steroids such as corticosteroids and allopregnanolone and suggested derivatives of testosterone and progesterone steroid compounds. Characterization of plasma profiles among post fourth parity dams with differing lifetime born alive and weaned production traits suggested unique features that may be related to various physiological systems including immunological, metabolic, and hormonal. Future work verifying compounds and validating in adolescent females may provide suitable predictors of lifetime production traits.
{"title":"Nontargeted plasma metabolomics associated with sow lifetime productivity traits.","authors":"L A Rempel,D J Nonneman","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag003","url":null,"abstract":"The current study was conducted to characterize metabolomic plasma profiles among sows differing in their lifetime born alive and lifetime weaned after four parities. Plasma samples were collected at harvest between 12-15 days (luteal phase) following their fourth parity post-weaning estrus from 120 dams with consistent born alive and weaned at every farrowing event. Categories were derived as follows for average lifetime born alive (ba): High (H; 61ba), Mid (M; 50ba), and Low (L; 39ba) and raised (wn): High (H; 50wn) and Low (L; 34wn) generating 6 categories with 20 dams in each: HH, HL, MH, ML, LH, and LL, respective to born alive: raised. Plasma samples were submitted for ultra-performance liquid chromatography (positive and negative ionization modes) - mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) to isolate putative compounds. Analysis of variance with a false discovery correction was performed to determine categorical differences of putative compounds. Negative mode ionization UPLC-MS yielded 92 compounds different (P < 0.05) by category, while positive ionization mode provided 644 compounds different (P < 0.05) by category. Twenty-five putative compounds were different (P < 0.05) for the LL and ML categories versus HH and MH categories. A putative unique secondary bacterial compound structurally similar to saponins, MK-800-62F1, and an annotated fatty acid, lignoceroylsphingosine, were increased (P < 0.05) in HH dams. Several possible fatty acid, eicosanoid, and steroid compounds had greater (P < 0.05) intensities in LL and LH dams. Several annotated eicosanoid compounds, leukotriene B4, 5(S)-HETE, 15(S)-Hpete and a PGF1α product, can be biosynthesized in blood in response to an inflammatory stimulus. Probable steroid compounds had increased signal intensity in plasma from LL and LH dams, including neuroactive steroids such as corticosteroids and allopregnanolone and suggested derivatives of testosterone and progesterone steroid compounds. Characterization of plasma profiles among post fourth parity dams with differing lifetime born alive and weaned production traits suggested unique features that may be related to various physiological systems including immunological, metabolic, and hormonal. Future work verifying compounds and validating in adolescent females may provide suitable predictors of lifetime production traits.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145937792","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}
Allison M Baumhover,Brock M Ortner,Daniel U Thomson,Karen S Schwartzkopf-Genswein,Stephanie L Hansen
Effects of pre-transit zinc (Zn) supplementation and transit duration on performance, metabolites, and feeding behavior were assessed using 80 Angus-crossbred steers in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Pre-transit diets (DIET) of no supplemental Zn (Zn0; analyzed at 40 mg Zn/kg DM) or 100 mg Zn/kg DM supplemental Zn from ZnSO4 (Zn100) were fed for 42 days. Cattle were assigned to an 8 (8H) or 18 hours (18H) transit duration (DUR). All cattle received Zn100 diet for 56 days post-transit. Steers were stratified by bodyweight (BW) to pens (5 steers/pen) equipped with a GrowSafe® feeding behavior and intake system (Vytelle, Ames, IA USA). Weights were collected on d -42, -41, -1, 0, 1, 2, 7, 28, 55, and 56 relative to transit; blood was collected on d -42, -1, 1, 2, and 7. GrowSafe® feeding behavior data were collected continuously for 7d pre- and post-transit. Data were analyzed using the Mixed Procedure of SAS with DIET, DUR, and DIET×DUR as fixed effects. Feeding behavior, metabolites and weekly dry matter intakes (DMI) were analyzed as repeated measures with the repeated effect hour, day, or week. Pre-transit average daily gain (ADG), gain: feed (G: F), d -1 BW (DIET P ≤ 0.03) and DMI on weeks 2 and 6 (DIET×Week P = 0.01) were greater for the Zn100 cattle. Shrink was 7.3% for 18H and 5.2% 8H (DUR P < 0.01). Immediately post-transport, 8H cattle had greater serum glucose and insulin, but lesser non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) than 18H (DUR P ≤ 0.05) cattle. On d 2, 8H had lesser glucose and NEFA than 18H (DUR P ≤ 0.01), and insulin was not different (DUR P = 0.17). Zn0-18H was the most insulin sensitive on d 1 (DIET×DUR P = 0.01), while 8H was more sensitive than 18H (DUR P = 0.01) on d 2. Feeding duration and frequency were affected by DIET×DUR×Day (P < 0.01). The rate of intake was greater for 8H than 18H at 24, but lesser at 48 and 72 h post-transit (DUR P < 0.01). Time spent at the bunk with head down was greater for 8H at 24, 48, 72, and 144 h post -transport than 18H cattle (DUR P < 0.01). Zn0 cattle had greater post-transit G: F than Zn100 group (DIET P < 0.01). On wk 7, Zn100 had greater weekly DMI, but lesser on wk 12 (DIET P = 0.01). By study's end, performance was not different between treatments (P ≥ 0.11). These data suggest a benefit for Zn supplementation prior to transit on performance, with minimal impacts of transit duration. However, in the short-term, transit duration altered metabolic demand and feeding behavior of beef cattle.
采用2 × 2因子设计，研究了转运前补锌和转运时间对80头安格斯杂交阉牛生产性能、代谢物和摄食行为的影响。不添加锌（Zn0，按40 mg Zn/kg DM计算）或100 mg Zn/kg DM添加ZnSO4锌（Zn100）的转运前饲粮（DIET）饲喂42 d。将牛分配到8 （8H）或18小时（18H）的转运持续时间（DUR）。转运后56 d，所有牛均饲喂Zn100日粮。试验采用GrowSafe®摄食行为和摄食系统（Vytelle, Ames, IA USA），按体重（BW）和栏（5头/栏）对阉牛进行分层。在相对于过境的d -42、-41、-1、0、1、2、7、28、55和56处收集权重；在第42天，第1天，第1天，第2天和第7天采血。连续收集运输前后7d的GrowSafe®摄食行为数据。采用SAS与DIET、DUR和DIET×DUR作为固定效应的混合程序分析数据。摄食行为、代谢物和每周干物质采食量（DMI）作为重复测量进行分析，重复效果为小时、天、周。Zn100牛运输前平均日增重（ADG）、增重比（G: F）、d -1体重（日粮P≤0.03）和第2周和第6周的DMI （DIET×Week P = 0.01）显著高于Zn100牛。18H收缩7.3%，8H收缩5.2% （DUR P < 0.01）。运输后8H牛的血清葡萄糖和胰岛素高于18H (DUR P≤0.05)，但非酯化脂肪酸（NEFA）低于18H （DUR P≤0.05）。第2天，8H血糖和NEFA低于18H (DUR P≤0.01)，胰岛素无显著差异（DUR P = 0.17）。Zn0-18H在第1天对胰岛素最敏感（DIET×DUR P = 0.01）， 8H在第2天对胰岛素最敏感（DUR P = 0.01）。DIET×DUR×Day对饲喂时间和次数有影响（P < 0.01）。24 h采食率8H高于18H， 48、72 h采食率较低（DUR P < 0.01）。运输后24、48、72和144 h的8H低头卧床时间大于运输后18H （DUR P < 0.01）。Zn0组牛转运后G: F高于Zn100组（日粮P < 0.01）。在第7周，Zn100的周DMI较高，但在第12周较低（DIET P = 0.01）。研究结束时，两组间无显著差异（P≥0.11）。这些数据表明，在转运前补充锌对性能有好处，对转运时间的影响最小。然而，在短期内，转运时间改变了肉牛的代谢需求和摄食行为。
{"title":"Effects of pre-transit zinc supplementation and transit duration on performance, metabolites, and feeding behavior of beef steers.","authors":"Allison M Baumhover,Brock M Ortner,Daniel U Thomson,Karen S Schwartzkopf-Genswein,Stephanie L Hansen","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag002","url":null,"abstract":"Effects of pre-transit zinc (Zn) supplementation and transit duration on performance, metabolites, and feeding behavior were assessed using 80 Angus-crossbred steers in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Pre-transit diets (DIET) of no supplemental Zn (Zn0; analyzed at 40 mg Zn/kg DM) or 100 mg Zn/kg DM supplemental Zn from ZnSO4 (Zn100) were fed for 42 days. Cattle were assigned to an 8 (8H) or 18 hours (18H) transit duration (DUR). All cattle received Zn100 diet for 56 days post-transit. Steers were stratified by bodyweight (BW) to pens (5 steers/pen) equipped with a GrowSafe® feeding behavior and intake system (Vytelle, Ames, IA USA). Weights were collected on d -42, -41, -1, 0, 1, 2, 7, 28, 55, and 56 relative to transit; blood was collected on d -42, -1, 1, 2, and 7. GrowSafe® feeding behavior data were collected continuously for 7d pre- and post-transit. Data were analyzed using the Mixed Procedure of SAS with DIET, DUR, and DIET×DUR as fixed effects. Feeding behavior, metabolites and weekly dry matter intakes (DMI) were analyzed as repeated measures with the repeated effect hour, day, or week. Pre-transit average daily gain (ADG), gain: feed (G: F), d -1 BW (DIET P ≤ 0.03) and DMI on weeks 2 and 6 (DIET×Week P = 0.01) were greater for the Zn100 cattle. Shrink was 7.3% for 18H and 5.2% 8H (DUR P < 0.01). Immediately post-transport, 8H cattle had greater serum glucose and insulin, but lesser non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) than 18H (DUR P ≤ 0.05) cattle. On d 2, 8H had lesser glucose and NEFA than 18H (DUR P ≤ 0.01), and insulin was not different (DUR P = 0.17). Zn0-18H was the most insulin sensitive on d 1 (DIET×DUR P = 0.01), while 8H was more sensitive than 18H (DUR P = 0.01) on d 2. Feeding duration and frequency were affected by DIET×DUR×Day (P < 0.01). The rate of intake was greater for 8H than 18H at 24, but lesser at 48 and 72 h post-transit (DUR P < 0.01). Time spent at the bunk with head down was greater for 8H at 24, 48, 72, and 144 h post -transport than 18H cattle (DUR P < 0.01). Zn0 cattle had greater post-transit G: F than Zn100 group (DIET P < 0.01). On wk 7, Zn100 had greater weekly DMI, but lesser on wk 12 (DIET P = 0.01). By study's end, performance was not different between treatments (P ≥ 0.11). These data suggest a benefit for Zn supplementation prior to transit on performance, with minimal impacts of transit duration. However, in the short-term, transit duration altered metabolic demand and feeding behavior of beef cattle.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145937794","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}
James T Cullen,Peadar G Lawlor,Paul Cormican,Gillian E Gardiner
Research is limited on how feed-associated microbes impact the intestinal bacteriome, growth and feed efficiency of pigs. The aims of this study were to; (1) profile the bacteriome of a meal or pelleted diet, delivered as dry, wet/dry or liquid feed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing; (2) determine its impact on the fecal and intestinal bacteriome of grow-finisher pigs; (3) investigate if differentially abundant bacterial taxa are correlated with growth parameters of these pigs. The experiment was a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, with two factors for feed form (meal, pellets) and three factors for feed delivery (dry, liquid, wet/dry). It involved 216 Danavil Duroc x (Large White x Landrace) pigs penned in same sex pen groups of 6 pigs of similar weight (average ∼33.3 kg). Pen groups were blocked by sex and weight before being randomly assigned to 1 of 6 wheat-barley-soya-based dietary treatments in a completely randomised block design: (1) Dry meal; (2) Dry pellets; (3) Liquid meal; (4) Liquid pellets; (5) Wet/dry meal; (6) Wet/dry pellets. Diets were fed on an ad-libitum basis for 64 days. Liquid feed was prepared at a water: feed ratio of 2.5:1 (fresh matter basis). Dry feed was sampled from silos and bags and liquid feed from mixing tanks and troughs. Bacterial richness was lower in the dry pellets compared to meal (P ≤ 0.05). The liquid feed bacteriome was more diverse than that of dry feed (P ≤ 0.001). Weissella and Leuconostoc had higher relative abundance (RA) in residual-trough sampled liquid feed compared to mixing tank and fresh trough-sampled feed. The ileal bacteriome was more diverse (P ≤ 0.01) in meal-fed than pellet-fed pigs, with higher RA of Megasphaera and Mitsuokella, while Streptococcus and Escherichia-Shigella had greater RA in pellet-fed pigs (P ≤ 0.01). Lactobacillus was enriched in the intestinal digesta of liquid meal-fed pigs (P ≤ 0.05), corresponding with its predominance in this diet. Liquid meal-, liquid pellet- and wet/dry pellet-fed pigs had the highest average daily gain (P < 0.001). Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) was better in dry pellet-fed compared to liquid-fed pigs (P < 0.001). Leuconostoc (associated with feed fermentation) was most abundant in the feces and ileal digesta of liquid-fed pigs and correlated with poorer FCE (P ≤ 0.05). The same Leuconostoc found in liquid feed were also detected in the digesta and feces of liquid-fed pigs, implicating feed bacteria as a potential cause of the poorer FCE of liquid-fed pigs.
{"title":"Profiling the bacteriome of a diet fed in meal or pelleted form, delivered as dry, wet/dry or liquid feed and its impact on the fecal and intestinal bacteriome of grow-finisher pigs.","authors":"James T Cullen,Peadar G Lawlor,Paul Cormican,Gillian E Gardiner","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf461","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf461","url":null,"abstract":"Research is limited on how feed-associated microbes impact the intestinal bacteriome, growth and feed efficiency of pigs. The aims of this study were to; (1) profile the bacteriome of a meal or pelleted diet, delivered as dry, wet/dry or liquid feed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing; (2) determine its impact on the fecal and intestinal bacteriome of grow-finisher pigs; (3) investigate if differentially abundant bacterial taxa are correlated with growth parameters of these pigs. The experiment was a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, with two factors for feed form (meal, pellets) and three factors for feed delivery (dry, liquid, wet/dry). It involved 216 Danavil Duroc x (Large White x Landrace) pigs penned in same sex pen groups of 6 pigs of similar weight (average ∼33.3 kg). Pen groups were blocked by sex and weight before being randomly assigned to 1 of 6 wheat-barley-soya-based dietary treatments in a completely randomised block design: (1) Dry meal; (2) Dry pellets; (3) Liquid meal; (4) Liquid pellets; (5) Wet/dry meal; (6) Wet/dry pellets. Diets were fed on an ad-libitum basis for 64 days. Liquid feed was prepared at a water: feed ratio of 2.5:1 (fresh matter basis). Dry feed was sampled from silos and bags and liquid feed from mixing tanks and troughs. Bacterial richness was lower in the dry pellets compared to meal (P ≤ 0.05). The liquid feed bacteriome was more diverse than that of dry feed (P ≤ 0.001). Weissella and Leuconostoc had higher relative abundance (RA) in residual-trough sampled liquid feed compared to mixing tank and fresh trough-sampled feed. The ileal bacteriome was more diverse (P ≤ 0.01) in meal-fed than pellet-fed pigs, with higher RA of Megasphaera and Mitsuokella, while Streptococcus and Escherichia-Shigella had greater RA in pellet-fed pigs (P ≤ 0.01). Lactobacillus was enriched in the intestinal digesta of liquid meal-fed pigs (P ≤ 0.05), corresponding with its predominance in this diet. Liquid meal-, liquid pellet- and wet/dry pellet-fed pigs had the highest average daily gain (P < 0.001). Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) was better in dry pellet-fed compared to liquid-fed pigs (P < 0.001). Leuconostoc (associated with feed fermentation) was most abundant in the feces and ileal digesta of liquid-fed pigs and correlated with poorer FCE (P ≤ 0.05). The same Leuconostoc found in liquid feed were also detected in the digesta and feces of liquid-fed pigs, implicating feed bacteria as a potential cause of the poorer FCE of liquid-fed pigs.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145937790","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}
Yanbo Qiu,Yichen Lei,Xiaohua Yi,Xiaoqin Tang,Beibei Zhang,Shuhui Wang,Xiuzhu Sun
This study investigated three donkey breeds-Guanzhong, Jiami, and Northern Shaanxi-to characterize the structural organization and diversification mechanisms of the immunoglobulin light-chain (IgL) loci, and to conduct both intra-breed and interspecies comparisons with horses. The donkey IGλ locus is located on chromosome 8 and arranged in a Vλ-(Jλ-Cλ)-Vλ configuration. It contains 7 Cλ genes, each preceded by a corresponding Jλ gene to form a Jλ-Cλ cluster. Upstream of this cluster, 156 Vλ genes were identified, including 29 potential functional genes; downstream, 98 Vλ genes were detected, of which 22 were potentially functional. The IGκ locus resides on chromosome 6 and exhibits a Vκ-Jκ-Cκ structure, comprising one Cκ gene, 5 Jκ genes, and 72 Vκ segments, including 22 potential functional Vκ genes. Expression profiling revealed clear light-chain usage preferences in donkeys. For the λ-chain, Vλ72, Vλ135, Vλ150, Vλ190, and Vλ196-mainly belonging to the IGLV1 and IGLV3 subgroups-were preferentially utilized. For the κ-chain, Vκ67 and Vκ71 were dominantly expressed, highlighting the prominent role of the IGκV4 subgroup. Horses showed a similar pattern, with strong biases toward the IGLV1, IGLV3, and IGκV4 subgroups. Although breed-specific differences were observed in certain IGL expression profiles (e.g. V-J combinations), these variations were largely restricted to the λ-chain and involved low-frequency genes. Thus, highly utilized genes and subgroups exhibit high conservation among donkey breeds. This study is the first to comprehensively elucidate the structure and expression preferences of the donkey IgL locus, laying a solid foundation for the development of donkey-derived antibody resources.
{"title":"Comparative Analysis of the Organization and Complexity of Immunoglobulin Light Chain Loci in Equids.","authors":"Yanbo Qiu,Yichen Lei,Xiaohua Yi,Xiaoqin Tang,Beibei Zhang,Shuhui Wang,Xiuzhu Sun","doi":"10.1093/jas/skag001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag001","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated three donkey breeds-Guanzhong, Jiami, and Northern Shaanxi-to characterize the structural organization and diversification mechanisms of the immunoglobulin light-chain (IgL) loci, and to conduct both intra-breed and interspecies comparisons with horses. The donkey IGλ locus is located on chromosome 8 and arranged in a Vλ-(Jλ-Cλ)-Vλ configuration. It contains 7 Cλ genes, each preceded by a corresponding Jλ gene to form a Jλ-Cλ cluster. Upstream of this cluster, 156 Vλ genes were identified, including 29 potential functional genes; downstream, 98 Vλ genes were detected, of which 22 were potentially functional. The IGκ locus resides on chromosome 6 and exhibits a Vκ-Jκ-Cκ structure, comprising one Cκ gene, 5 Jκ genes, and 72 Vκ segments, including 22 potential functional Vκ genes. Expression profiling revealed clear light-chain usage preferences in donkeys. For the λ-chain, Vλ72, Vλ135, Vλ150, Vλ190, and Vλ196-mainly belonging to the IGLV1 and IGLV3 subgroups-were preferentially utilized. For the κ-chain, Vκ67 and Vκ71 were dominantly expressed, highlighting the prominent role of the IGκV4 subgroup. Horses showed a similar pattern, with strong biases toward the IGLV1, IGLV3, and IGκV4 subgroups. Although breed-specific differences were observed in certain IGL expression profiles (e.g. V-J combinations), these variations were largely restricted to the λ-chain and involved low-frequency genes. Thus, highly utilized genes and subgroups exhibit high conservation among donkey breeds. This study is the first to comprehensively elucidate the structure and expression preferences of the donkey IgL locus, laying a solid foundation for the development of donkey-derived antibody resources.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"146 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145937791","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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