Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition最新文献

Okara is an insoluble soybean byproduct, and much of it is discarded due to its high perishability. This study investigated the efficacy of fully replacing fermented soybean meal in a control diet (PC) with fermented okara at an equal crude protein level (EC) or at an equal amount level (EQ) on growth performance and meat quality in 315 pigs, starting from weaners to finishers. Results indicated that EC and EQ groups led to significantly (p < 0.05) improved growth performance primarily during the grower and finisher stages. Both EC and EQ groups had significantly (p < 0.05) increased duodenal villus height. Moreover, EC group had significantly (p < 0.05) elevated concentration of acetic acid and reduced branched-chain fatty acids (iso-butyric acid and 2-methylbutyric acid) when compared to PC. There was an increase in volatile fatty acid-producing bacteria at the genus level, such as Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Megasphaera and Streptococcus in EC group. More importantly, no adverse effects on meat quality were observed in pigs fed with fermented okara. Taken together, utilization of fermented okara as an alternative protein source for animals not only improves performance and gut health, but also facilities a recycling economy to promote sustainable agriculture practices.

This study examined the effect of adding herbal supplements in the diets of post-partum crossbred cows (Vrindabani cattle; 59.6 ± 0.73 days post-partum) of second to fourth parity (3.1 ± 0.15) on milk yield, milk quality, immune function and antioxidant status. Twenty-four cows were randomly assigned to four groups in a completely randomized design. While the cows in HP, HPL and HEX groups received diets blended with herbal powder (200 gd^{- 1}), herbal pellets (200 gd^-1) and methanolic herbal extract (equal to 200 g herbal powder d^-1), respectively, the cows in the CON group fed a diet consisting of green fodder, concentrate and wheat straw to meet the requirements for maintenance and milk production (ICAR 2013). The total duration of the experiment was of 120 days. Milk samples were collected fortnightly from each cow to study the udder health, milk composition and quality parameters. Serum antioxidant indices, immunity and mRNA expression of genes (LEP and GHRL) were ascertained. Daily milk yield, 4% Fat corrected milk (FCM), Energy corrected milk (ECM), total milk yield, fat, protein yields and pH were analogous irrespective of treatments, while Diphenyl Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) value of milk was higher (p < 0.01) in treatment groups. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and flavonoids of milk were higher (p < 0.01) in HEX and HP group relative to CON, however, HPL has transitional position. Somatic cell counts in milk were noticeably (p < 0.05) lower in HPL and HEX than CON. The clinical scoring of milk was noticeably (p < 0.05) lower in HP and HPL groups. The cell mediated (CM) immunity was higher (p < 0.05) in HPL. Serum Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px), Glutathione-S-Reductase (GSR) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) were noticeably (p < 0.01) higher in HPL, HEX and HP groups relative to CON. LPO was decreased (p < 0.05) in HPL and HP groups relative to CON. The serum TAC (%) was higher (p < 0.01) in treatment groups than CON. The expression of LEP and GHRL gene remained unaffected. It can be deduced that herbal feed supplements in HPL and HP forms in the diet of post-partum cows were found to be promising as a strategy to bolster their overall health status, strengthen immune function and potentially elevate milk quality.

Spirulina platensis, a filamentous blue or green microalgae, naturally found in alkaline lakes of tropical and subtropical regions, has attracted considerable attention as a sustainable feed resource for poultry production. Beyond its long history of use as a human food supplement, Spirulina is now gaining recognition in animal nutrition owing to its exceptional nutrient profile, including high-quality proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. With the global demand for high-quality animal protein rising, nutrient-enriched Spirulina provides a sustainable alternative to conventional feed additives. This review highlights current knowledge of Spirulina's applications in poultry nutrition, emphasizing its role in enhancing growth performance, immune competence, gut microbiota modulation, and overall product quality. Particular attention is given to its potential in biofortification, reduction of antibiotic dependence, and contribution to functional poultry products with added health benefits. Moreover, the article identifies critical research gaps and outlines future perspectives, emphasizing the need to explore the underlying mechanism of action, optimize dosage, evaluate synergistic effects with other feed additives, and assess large-scale feasibility in commercial production. By integrating recent advancements, the present review highlights the importance of continued research on Spirulina as an innovative feed additive, enhancing poultry health and productivity while promoting sustainable and eco-friendly production practices.

The restrictions on antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production make the exploration of safe and effective alternatives necessary. Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), as bioactive macromolecules, have attracted significant interest from poultry scientists. In the current study, a multilevel meta-analysis was conducted to quantitatively evaluate the effects of APS administration on broiler performance, antioxidant status, and gut health. The results revealed that APS supplementation significantly improved average daily gain (ADG; SMD = 0.64 [0.13, 1.15]) and feed conversion ratio (FCR; SMD = -1.20 [-2.03, -0.35]) of broilers. The observed benefits directly correlated with increased superoxide dismutase activity (SOD; SMD = 1.35 [0.78, 1.92]) and decreased malondialdehyde levels (MDA; SMD = -1.07 [-1.54, -0.60]). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that dietary supplementation was more effective than injection for improving ADG and the villus height to crypt depth ratio (VCratio), indicating the importance of direct gut-level interaction of APS. Nonlinear dose-response modelling identified an optimal dietary APS range of 1000-1500 mg/kg for maximising growth and antioxidant parameters. This meta-analysis suggests that APS shows promise as an antibiotic alternative for improving broiler growth performance, warranting further direct comparative studies with antibiotics. In addition, further large-scale trials are required to confirm its consistent efficacy on gut health and microbial composition due to substantial heterogeneity in current datasets.

In West Africa, trees and shrubs are important for feeding ruminant livestock during the dry season. This study aimed to determine the in vitro digestibility of organic matter from eight woody species using a gas test with and without the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG), and evaluate their preference by sheep using a cafeteria test. Plants cited by farmers as being palatable to sheep were Lannea microcarpa (La), Ficus sycomorus (Fi), Pterocarpus erinaceus (Pt), Khaya senegalensis (Kh), Azadirachta indica (Az), Bombax costatum (Bo), Guiera senegalensis (Gu) and Ziziphus mauritiana (Zi). For the preference test, two groups of fresh and dried leaves from each time four species were offered in a 4 × 4 Latin square to four 18-24-month-old rams for 8 days each. The in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) was determined using the modified Hohenheim gas test. The quantity of dry matter ingested within 30 min, along with consumption time, ingestion rate, and the preference coefficient, served as indicators of leaf preference. Bo, Kh, and Zi leaves had the highest preference coefficients both in the dried (0.7, 0.3 and 0.2) and fresh (0.7, 0.5 and 0.3) state. Fresh Fi leaves had a higher preference coefficient (0.4) than dried ones (0.1), while the reverse was observed for Pt leaves (fresh: 0.1, dried: 0.6). PEG addition increased IVODM and in vitro methane production of ligneous forage plants by 1.2% (Kh) to 44.7% (La) compared to the incubation without PEG. In conclusion, fresh and dried leaves of B. costatum, K. senegalensis, and Z. mauritiana are highly palatable to sheep, making them good candidates for inclusion in dry season rations, despite their moderate IVOMD. In contrast, L. microcarpa and G. senegalensis exhibit both low preference and poor IVOMD, rendering them less recommendable as forage resources.

The objective of the present experiments was to investigate the comparative effect of β-mannanase and extruded corn on growing pigs' performance. A total of 84 [Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire)] pigs with a mean body weight of 29.20 kg were used in 42-day trial. Pigs were randomly allotted to 3 treatment groups and the test diets were as follows: CON (corn soybean basal diet, non-extruded), TRT1 (CON plus 0.1% β-mannanase), and TRT2 (6% extruded corn). There were seven replicates/trt with four pigs (two gilts and two barrows)/pen. TRT 1 and TRT 2 group pigs showed significantly higher body weight (BW) at day 42, additionally showed increased daily gain and gain to feed ratio compared to CON at the end of day 5, 42, and the overall experimental period. Moreover, TRT 2 group pigs showed significantly increased nutrient digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen and less diarrhea score compared to CON and TRT 1. In summary, β-mannanase supplement and corn extrusion both are expensive. Balancing the improved efficiency and health outcomes with the associated costs we believe that extrusion corn-based diet could be more effective and economically viable for sustainable livestock production.

Maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and its predictive thresholds, including the lactate threshold (LT), are widely used to estimate endurance capacity, prescribe training, and assess the effects of training. The human literature identified approximately twenty-five methods to predict the MLSS. This communication compares the concordance between the two D_MAX methods and the MLSS. Under laboratory conditions, ten teaching horses underwent a submaximal graded exercise test (GXT) on a treadmill to obtain their lactate-velocity curves (LVC). They performed three to five 30-min continuous running sessions to determine the MLSS. The traditional D_MAX method was determined using the maximal distance from LVC to the line formed by its endpoints. A new calculated D_MAX method (D_MAXC) involved mathematically determining the point that results in the maximum distance from a curve connecting the start to the endpoint of the LVC. The agreement among the velocities corresponding to the D_MAX (V_MAX), D_MAXC (V_MAXC), and the MLSS (V_MLSS) was established using a Bland-Altman plot and ordinary least products (OLP) analysis. The average lactatemia at V_MLSS, V_MAX, and V_MAXC was 1.50 ± 0.36 mM, 2.02 ± 0.66 mM, and 1.92 ± 0.65 mM, with respective speeds of 5.42 ± 0.57 m/s, 6.42 ± 0.71 m/s, and 6.35 ± 0.66 m/s. The mean difference between V_MAX-V_MLSS and V_MAXC-V_MLSS was -1.01 ± 0.61 and -0.93 ± 0.67 m/s, respectively. V_MAX and V_MAXC did not show constant and proportional biases compared to V_MLSS. In the GXT protocol used in this current study, D_MAX approaches appear to be accurate and reliable methods for lactate threshold determination and estimating MLSS in teaching horses.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of in-ovo injection of manganese (Mn) on hatchability, hatching weight, bone development and mineralisation, meat quality of breast and thigh, and also the serum and molecular levels of some antioxidants in the post-hatched chicks. About 350 fertile eggs were collected from a Hubbard efficiency plus breeder's flock of 42 weeks old, incubated at normal setting temperature (37.5°C) and relative humidity (RH 60%), and randomly allocated into three treatments. The eggs were labelled and randomly assembled into three groups with four replicates, and 25 eggs each. The treatment was designed as a control non-inoculated group (CN), a vehicle-inoculated group (CP, inoculated with 0.1 mL physiological saline), and a Mn-inoculated group (0.01 mg/egg, dissolved in 0.1 mL physiological saline). The site of injection was the air cell at the broad end of the eggs on the 12th day of incubation. On the day of the hatch, the rate and the hatchling's weight were recorded. The serum-reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations and superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) were assessed in 7-day-old chicks. On the molecular level, qRT-PCR for nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes was performed in the breast skeletal muscles at post-hatch day 7. Femur proximal metaphysis histo-morphometric analysis was done with computerised morphometric measurements. The thigh and breast meat quality were evaluated. In-ovo inoculation of organic manganese (Mn) showed no significant adverse effects on hatchability (p = 0.51), hatchling weight (p = 0.93), or mortality during the rearing period (p = 0.67). Conversely, Mn supplementation significantly enhanced bone mineralisation and upregulated the expression of antioxidant-related genes, including SOD (p = 0.027) and Nrf2 (p = 0.018), in muscle tissue. Furthermore, in-ovo Mn administration contributed to improved meat quality by significantly reducing fat content (p < 0.01) and pH (p < 0.0001), while increasing ash content (p < 0.0001), potentially extending the shelf life of broiler meat.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a known risk factor for hypercalcemia in cats. Phosphate-restricted diets have also been implicated in causing hypercalcemia, in part because phosphate restriction increases the Ca:P ratio. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of two different therapeutic renal foods on ionized (iCa) and total (tCa) calcium concentrations in cats with early-stage CKD. Twenty colony-housed cats with stage 1 or 2 CKD were enrolled, and 18 cats completed the study. Cats were randomly assigned to receive one of two diets formulated for renal disease for 140 days: a moderately phosphate restricted food (M-PR; n = 10 cats; 1.8 g/Mcal calcium; 1.5 g/Mcal phosphorus; Ca:P ratio, 1.2:1) or a more highly phosphate restricted food (H-PR; n = 8 cats; 2.3 g/Mcal calcium; 1.1 g/Mcal phosphorus; Ca:P ratio, 2.0:1). Blood and urine samples were collected on Days 0, 28, 84, and 140. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model with fixed effects of diet, day, and diet by day interaction. At baseline, all cats had iCa within the normal reference interval (1.10─1.30 mmol/L). On d28 and thereafter, cats fed H-PR food had higher iCa compared with cats fed M-PR food (day 140 means: 1.42 mmol/L vs. 1.24 mmol/L, respectively; p < 0.001). Results were similar for tCa (day 140 means: 11.49 mg/dL vs. 9.51 mg/dL, respectively; p < 0.001; normal reference interval 8.80-10.00 mg/dL). This corresponded to higher fractional excretion of calcium in urine in cats fed H-PR food (Day 140 means 1.18% vs. 0.19%; p < 0.001), and increased calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone formation risk metrics (Day 140 means for CaOx RSS 4.54 vs. 3.13; Day 140 means for CaOx CORI risk index 563 vs. 30/L, respectively; all p < 0.020). Cats fed H-PR food also had higher FGF-23 concentrations compared with cats fed M-PR food (Day 140 means: 2329 vs. 204 pg/mL, respectively; p = 0.003; normal reference interval ≤ 299 pg/mL), and lower calcitriol concentrations (Day 140 means: 94 vs. 186 pmol/L, respectively; p = 0.021; normal reference interval 90-342 pmol/L). PTH concentrations in cats consuming H-PR food were significantly decreased from their baseline means and from cats consuming M-PR food at all timepoints (Day 140 means: < 0.05 vs. 3.1 pmol/L, respectively; p < 0.050; normal reference interval 0.7-3.4 pmol/L). Therapeutic renal diets impact calcium status in cats with early-stage CKD, but the effect is formulation dependent. Cats fed a M-PR food maintained normal iCa and tCa, which suggests this food is a safe and well-accepted option for cats with early-stage renal disease.

Age-associated changes in intestinal permeability and function have not been studied in domestic cats, leaving a key factor in the relationship between age and digestive health in cats unexplored. Due to factors not currently understood, mature and senior cats may experience a loss of fat and protein digestibility, along with a loss of body weight (BW), impacting lifespan and quality of life. Therefore, to establish the relationship between age and intestinal health, intestinal permeability and absorptive capacity were quantified in young and senior cats using a differential sugar absorption test (SAT) on cat plasma. A solution containing four different sized sugars was orally administered to 36 healthy mixed-breed domestic shorthair cats (male (n = 21) and female (n = 15)) split into two groups by age, young 2.40 ± 0.758 (n = 21) and senior 11.23 ± 1.896 (n = 15) years (mean ± SD). Blood was collected before and again 3 h after dosage and plasma was analysed using liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS). Intestinal permeability was higher (p = 0.004) in senior cats than young cats, and was not affected by sex (p = 0.288), sampling date (p = 0.652), or BW (p = 0.951). Absorptive capacity was higher (p = 0.033) in male cats than females, and was not affected by age class (p = 0.440), sampling date (p = 0.580), or BW (p = 0.652). In conclusion, intestinal permeability was higher in older cats and suggests age-related changes in intestinal barrier structure and function. These findings highlight the need to further consider increased intestinal permeability as a cause of reduced nutrient digestibility in older cats, offering a new target for interventions to enhance their health and well-being.