Animal最新文献

Early weaning-induced stress precipitates diarrhoea, significantly curtailing the growth performance of piglets. A pivotal contributor to this postweaning affliction is the emergence of gut bacterial dysbiosis. Enterococcus hirae, a promising probiotic, has indicated unclear effects and mechanisms on intestinal health. In this study, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of oral supplementation with Ningxiang pig-derived Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 orally supplementation on the gut bacterial community, immune response and gut barrier function in piglets. 21 d age Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) piglets with a similar BW were randomly allocated to two groups. The Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 administration group was inoculated orally with Ningxiang pig-derived Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 throughout the trial period. Conversely, the control group received the same volume of physiological saline. Our findings revealed that Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 supplementation effectively reduced diarrhoea rates of piglets (P = 0.010). Notably, this probiotic promoted intestinal development and enhanced intestinal barrier function. It also showed potential anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 supplementation significantly remodelled the colonic microbiota and increased the production of acetate (P = 0.007). In conclusion, our study highlights that Ningxiang pig-derived Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 improves postweaning diarrhoea by promoting intestinal development, enhancing intestinal barrier function, decreasing intestinal permeability, modulating intestinal microbiota, and increasing short-chain fatty acids production.

Dietary butyrate is considered to have mostly positive impacts on the ruminal epithelium. However, its supplementation in a high-concentrate diet may not be justified as excessive ruminal butyrate may negatively affect the rumen. Furthermore, butyrate impact on the rumen may depend on its source. Thirty-two Świniarka growing rams (30.6 ± 2.5 kg; 11–14 months of age) were used to investigate the effect of a high-concentrate diet and sodium butyrate (SB) or tributyrin (TB) supplementation in a high-concentrate diet on the rumen structure and selected functions. The rams were allocated to four treatments and fed diets with: (1) low concentrate inclusion (22.5% of diet DM; L); (2) high concentrate inclusion (60% of diet DM; H); (3) H with SB (3.2% of diet DM; H+SB); and (4) H with TB (2.93% of diet DM; H+TB). The preplanned contrasts were used for treatment comparisons (L vs H treatments (H, H+SB, and H+TB), H vs H+SB, and H vs H+TB). The BW, BW gain and DM intake did not differ between treatments. In the atrium ruminis, epithelium thickness did not differ between the L and H treatments (P = 0.46), tended to be higher for H+SB than for H (P = 0.09) but did not differ between H+TB and H (P = 0.61). The expression of downregulated in adenoma was higher for L than for H treatments (P = 0.03) but was not affected by SB or TB supplementation (P ≥ 0.26). In the ventral rumen, the mucosa surface and epithelium thickness were lower for L than for H treatments (P < 0.01), were or tended to be higher for H+SB than for H (P ≤ 0.06) but did not differ between H+TB and H (P ≥ 0.26). The expression of monocarboxylate transporter 1 was lower for L than for H treatments (P = 0.02) but was not affected by SB or TB supplementation (P ≥ 0.28). The expression of putative anion transporter-1 and downregulated in adenoma did not differ between the L and H treatments (P ≥ 0.76); however, expression of the former tended to be higher and the latter tended to be lower for H+SB than for H (P ≤ 0.09), whereas no differences were observed between H+TB and H (P ≥ 0.14). In summary, SB supplementation, but not TB supplementation, in a high-concentrate diet stimulated ruminal epithelium growth and affected short-chain fatty acid transporters expression in the ruminal epithelium.

Magnetic alignment (MA) is a biological phenomenon denoting spontaneous orientation of an animal’s body at rest, when fleeing a threat, hunting, etc. in relation to the Earth’s magnetic field lines, often parallel to the field lines, i.e. in a north–south (NS) direction. MA has been demonstrated in several animal species, including grazing and resting domestic mammals. Based on the assumption that cows prefer to orientate their bodies in the NS direction when resting and sleeping, we hypothesised that MA could contribute to the incidence of technopathies in dairy cows, i.e. various disorders caused by the stable equipment that pose a serious animal welfare problem. It was hypothesised that the incidence of technopathies increases when the cubicles (resting places) orientation deviates from the NS position. The incidence of technopathies was recorded in 34 free-stall dairy farms. The type (hairless patch, scratch, swelling, wound), location and size of the lesions were recorded in almost 1 200 dairy cows. Based on the number of cubicles available and the number of cows, the cubicle-per-cow index (CC index) was calculated and divided into two groups: CC index ≥ 1 for stables with at least one cubicle per cow and CC index < 1 if the number of cows exceeded the number of cubicles available. The orientation of the cubicles was determined by the azimuth (the angle between north and the chosen clockwise direction). The farms were categorised into two groups according to azimuth: NS (azimuth deviating ± 15° from north or south, i.e. 345-15° and 165-195°) and non-NS (azimuth 15-165° and 195-345°). We found that the frequency of cows with technopathies was 30% lower in the NS-orientated cubicles and the number of technopathies per cow was 40% lower in the NS-orientated cubicles than in the non-NS-orientated cubicles. In addition, a higher number of technopathies per cow was observed when the CC index was ≥ 1, with a significant difference in the non-NS-aligned cubicles. According to our results, cubicle orientation has some influence on the incidence of technopathies. Although biological phenomena such as MA are seemingly unimportant and usually overlooked, they should be considered in livestock production when planning the positioning of stable equipment/ cubicle.

The most common and efficient iron supply to prevent neonatal anaemia in piglets is the injection of iron dextran or gleptoferron. This treatment is problematic in organic farms because organic specifications strictly limit the use of chemically synthesised allopathic drugs. Based on the observation that piglets raised outdoors rarely develop anaemia, we hypothesised that piglets satisfy their iron needs by ingesting soil from their environment. Therefore, we compared the efficacy of a 100-mg intramuscular iron dextran injection (Iron, 8 litters, n = 98 piglets) at 4 days (d) of age (d4), to a daily ad libitum supply of dried soil (Soil, 8 litters, n = 101) or dried peat-like river silt (Peat, 8 litters, n = 102) from d4 to weaning (at 49 days of age, d49). Pigs were raised according to organic farming rules. Blood was collected on three males and three females per litter on d4, 20, 41, 50 and 69. BW was similar in the three groups on d4, 20, 41, 50 and 69 (P > 0.1). During the experiment, piglets were affected by a severe digestive E. coli episode but litter mortality rate between d4 and d69 did not differ between groups (P > 0.1). Blood haemoglobin concentration (Hb) was similar in all groups on d4, 50 and 69. However, on d20, Hb was higher in Peat and Iron groups than in the Soil group (P < 0.001), and on d41 and d50, Hb was higher in the Peat group than in Iron and Soil groups (P < 0.001). Mean red blood cell volume (RBCV) remained stable over time in the Peat group. In comparison, RBCV dropped in the Soil group on d20 and d41 (P < 0.001), and in the Iron group on d41 (P < 0.001). Soil and Iron group RBCV returned values similar to the Peat group by d69 (P > 0.1). In conclusion, soil supply in the pen was not sufficient to ensure a satisfactory iron intake in piglets, unlike peat-like river silt, which enable to reach haemoglobin concentrations above 80 mg/mL for over 90% of the piglets from d20 and, over 100% of piglets at weaning. The daily supply of the silt proved more efficient than the 100-mg iron injection beyond 20 days.

Reduced piglet feed intake immediately postweaning (pw) leads to disruption of small intestine structure and function and reduced growth. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of providing supplemental milk or liquid starter diet for either 4 or 11 days pw, on intestinal parameters of newly weaned piglets and growth to slaughter. At weaning (28 ± 0.6 days old), five hundred and eighty−seven piglets ((Large White × Landrace) × Duroc) were divided into 59 pen groups, each containing 9–10 same sex (entire male or female) piglets. The pen groups were blocked by sex and weaning weight and provided with ad-libitum access to one of five dietary treatments: (1) Dry pelleted starter diet (control; CON); (2) CON+liquid milk replacer for 4 days pw (M4); (3) CON+liquid milk replacer for 11 days pw (M11); (4) CON+liquid starter diet for 4 days pw (S4) and (5) CON+liquid starter diet for 11 days pw (S11). Pen groups were weighed at weaning, days 11, 20, 28, and 47 pw and at target sale weight. Feed disappearance (on a DM basis) was recorded on each weighing day. On day 7 pw, 10 piglets per treatment were euthanised to collect small intestine tissue samples for determination of villus height (VH), crypt depth and brush-border membrane enzyme activity. Data were analysed using SAS-version 9.4. Between days 0 and 11 pw, M11 increased average daily feed intake by 48% and average daily gain (ADG) by 57% compared to CON (P < 0.05), and increased ADG by 54% (P < 0.05) compared to S4. Piglets on M11 also had improved feed conversion efficiency compared with CON piglets between days 0 and 11 pw. Treatment did not affect growth performance after day 28 pw, or carcass parameters at slaughter. At day 7 pw, M11 piglets had 37% higher jejunal VH than CON piglets (P < 0.05) and S11 piglets had 28% higher ileal VH than S4 piglets (P < 0.05). M11 piglets had up to 150% higher ileal sucrase activity than M4, S4 and S11 piglets (P < 0.05) and 180% higher ileal maltase activity than S4 piglets (P < 0.05). In conclusion, M11 reduced the immediate negative effects of weaning, as it was associated with increased feed intake, growth, brush-border membrane enzyme activity and improved intestinal structure early pw. However, there were no carryover effects of any of the liquid supplements on growth or feed efficiency or carcass weight at slaughter.

Analysis of correlation between the early testable phenotypes of piglets and the final performance of pigs can serve the early selection for breeding. The objectives of this study were to estimate the genetic parameters for birth weight (BtW), age (AGE) and backfat thickness (BF) up to 115 kg BW and to analyse the relationships among these three traits, and to estimate the accuracy of using BtW to predict estimated breeding values (EBVs) of AGE and BF in Landrace and Duroc pigs. Data on 26 614 Landrace and 19 984 Duroc pigs, born between 2001 and 2018, were collected from the core breeding group of a farm. All pigs were recorded for phenotypes including BtW, AGE and BF. The factors affecting these three traits were analysed using R v4.2.0 Software. The population genetic parameters and breeding values of three traits were estimated by using a multitrait animal model based on AI plate of DMU software. Heritabilities for BtW, AGE and BF were moderate to high for Landrace (0.437, 0.282and 0.137, respectively) and Duroc breeds (0.369, 0.279 and 0.148). BtW was genetically correlated with AGE and BF in Landrace (−0.213, 0.037) and Duroc (−0.214, 0.025). AGE was negatively genetically correlated with BF in both Landrace (−0.036) and Duroc (−0.057) pigs. The heritability of BtW, AGE and BF of Landrace pigs and Duroc pigs were 0.148, 0.182 and 0.075 and 0.168, 0.159 and 0.120, respectively, by taking into account of the litter effect. BtW was genetically correlated with AGE and BF in Landrace (−0.094, 0.002) and Duroc (−0.199, −0.052). AGE was negatively genetically correlated with BF in both Landrace (−0.034) and Duroc (−0.153) pigs. The variances between total individual BtW and AGE and BF were then used to predict the EBV of AGE and BF for individuals with AGE or BF phenotypes missing under 10-fold cross−validation. Prediction accuracy was calculated as the Kendall tau-b correlation coefficient between EBVs and EBVs via 10-fold cross-validation. Prediction accuracy for AGE and BF was 0.655 and 0.611 in Landrace, 0.665 and 0.617 in Duroc. After incorporation of the litter effect, the prediction accuracy for AGE and BF increased to 0.690 and 0.665 in Landrace and to 0.705 and 0.649 in Duroc. So, the EBV of AGE and BF phenotypes missing individuals could be predicted by using the available phenotypic data and the easily measured BtW, and litter effect could boost the accuracy of prediction.

Many sport horse studbooks worldwide use microsatellite markers for parentage verification. However, many have expressed a desire to introduce genomic selection using genome-wide dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes to complement their current breeding programmes. Hence, it does not make sense to genotype the same animal for both microsatellite markers and SNP markers. Transitioning to SNP-based parentage verification is an obvious solution but one barrier to this transition is the lack of SNP data on parents from which to verify parentage against. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the ability to impute the SNP genotype of a stallion from the genotypes of its progeny, with or without the consideration of the genotype of the progeny’s dam. Genotype information from 55 935 SNPs was available on 13 327 horses. A total of 98 stallions had genotype data on 10 progeny and the genotypes of these stallions were used as a test population. Genome-wide genotype imputation was undertaken by combining a family- and population-based imputation approach. Several different scenarios were assessed to quantify the ability to accurately impute the genotype of a stallion based on genotype data of incrementally more half-sibling progeny. Using genomic information from four progeny the average genotype concordance of the imputed sire genotype compared to the actual sire’s genotype was 0.932. The average genotype concordance rate increased to 0.960 when the genotypes of 10 progeny were included in the imputation process. The inclusion of the genotypes of the dams of the progeny improved the concordance rate from 0.932 to 0.977 when based on the genotype of just four progeny and their dams and from 0.960 to 0.996 when based on the genotype of 10 progeny and their dams. These results suggest it is possible to impute the genotype of a non-genotyped horse from the genotypes of its progeny and that the inclusion of the genotypes of the dams of the progeny improves this imputation accuracy further.

BW is an important economic trait in sheep that influences growth and development. Currently, most studies have used a single approach to screen genes associated with BW traits in sheep. To address this limitation, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) covering four different BW periods: birth, weaning, 6 months, and 12 months. Five new candidate genes: MAP3K1, ANKRD55, ABCB1, MEF2C and TRNAW-CCA-87 were screened using a combination of GWAS and quantitative trait loci analysis in sheep. Additionally, five genes were subjected to Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. These genes were primarily enriched in pathways related to growth hormone and energy metabolism. The results demonstrated that the above genes potentially influenced the growth and development of sheep. The five new candidate genes are closely related to the BW trait in sheep, which will be valuable for understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying BW traits and for guiding sheep breeding.

Seaweed silage has potential as an alternative feed ingredient for dairy cows. This study aims to investigate seaweed’s and seaweed silageś nutrient digestibility as well as their impact on the ruminal bacterial composition. The cultivated S. latissima and A. esculenta were preserved by freezing at − 40 °C or ensiling (16 °C, 3 months) with four different treatments: no additives, 4 g formic acid/kg wet seaweed, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculant, and LAB inoculant in prewilted biomass (ca. 300 g DM/kg wet biomass). The nutrient digestibility was estimated using standard feed evaluation methods. The bacterial composition in ruminal fluid after 48 h in vitro anaerobic incubation with seaweeds and common feedstuffs was analysed using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) amplicon sequencing (V3-V4) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). The results suggest that S. latissima was more digestible than A. esculenta and that the preservation treatments had only a small effect on the nutrient digestibility and ruminal bacteria compositions. The rumen DM degradability of S. latissima was comparable to common perennial and corn forage; however, the total tract CP digestibility of S. latissima (460 g/kg CP) was lower than common forages (620 – 820 g/kg CP) and was not improved by ensiling. There was a lack of insoluble but rumen−degradable CP in A. esculenta, making it unsuitable as a nutrient ingredient for dairy cows. The ruminal bacterial composition changed depending on the seaweed species used as substrate: The dominant bacterial taxa when incubated with S. latissima belonged to the genus Prevotella (relative abundance: 79 – 93%), known for its ability to degrade polysaccharides in various ecosystems. Moreover, the fibrolytic bacteria including Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminococcus flavefaciens were > 2.5 Log2FoldChange higher when incubating with S. latissima than with A. esculenta. These bacterial taxa may play an important role in the in vitro organic matter digestibility, noted as 2 times higher in S. latissima compared to A. esculenta. The qPCR results indicated potential methane mitigation properties of the studied seaweed species, with significantly lower gene copies of Archaea 16S rRNA and methyl coenzyme-M reductase subunit A genes when the ruminal fluid was incubated with the seaweed substrates. Our study suggested that ensiled S. latissima biomass can be included in the diet of dairy cows as an alternative forage-like ingredient with the potential of methane mitigation.