Animal Bioscience最新文献

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of host-specific and locally isolated multi-strain probiotics on piglet performance, mortality, inflammatory responses, and gut microbiome.

Methods: A total of 52 piglet litters-34 from Landrace sows and 18 from Large White sows-were allocated to two groups: a control group and a multi-strain probiotic group. The probiotic group comprised seven strains of lactic acid bacteria (MLAB): Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus paraplantarum, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus pentosus, Weissella cibaria, and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Each strain was included in equal concentrations, resulting in a final liquid mixture containing 109 CFU/mL. The MLAB group received the probiotics orally starting from 7 days of age until weaning at four weeks. Following weaning, supplementation continued via feed spraying for an additional four weeks.

Results: MLAB supplementation did not significantly affect piglet performance but showed a trend towards reducing the mortality rate (p = 0.06). It influenced the inflammatory response by upregulating the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 (p<0.05). Microbial community analysis indicated that MLAB supplementation increased both microbial diversity (Simpson index: p = 0.06) and species richness (Chao1 index: p = 0.02). Piglets receiving MLAB had a significantly higher abundance of the phylum Firmicutes (p<0.01) compared to the control group, while the abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota was markedly reduced (p<0.01). In addition, the relative abundance of the bacterial genera Prevotellaceae_NK3B31 (p<0.01) and Chlamydia (p = 0.03) was lower in the MLAB group.

Conclusion: Overall, these results suggest that while MLAB supplementation does not directly improve piglet growth performance, it has the potential to improve immune function and promote a healthier gut microbiota in weaning piglets, which could ultimately reduce mortality rates.

Objective: Pre-slaughter transportation adversely impacts the welfare, meat yield, and quality of broilers, yet the effects of different crate types on broiler chickens during winter remain underexplored. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of plastic and iron crates in transit on meat quality, carcass, and physiological traits of broiler chickens during winter.

Methods: A total of 175, 35-day-old Ross 308 male broilers with an average body weight of about 1,708 ± 33.3 g (mean ± standard error of the mean) were picked after 4 hours of feed withdrawal before transport. The control group comprises birds in the farm (n = 15) without transportation at 173 cm2/kg density. The birds were transported into fixed iron (25 birds per crate) and plastic crates (15 birds per crate) with four replicates per crate type at the same 173 cm2/kg densities. The transportation distance was 20 km for 40 min at an average speed of 30-50 km/h early morning at 8:00 am under - 1 ℃ and 47% relative humidity.

Results: There was no difference (p>0.05) in carcass traits among the treatments. Concerning meat quality, broilers transported in both crate types exhibited lower (p<0.01) a* values compared to the control group. Additionally, the iron crate group demonstrated higher (p<0.05) b* values for the breast meat compared to the other groups. In terms of blood metabolites, the iron crate group had higher (p<0.05) cortisol, glucose, and lactate levels compared to the control group that did not transport.

Conclusion: Broilers transported in the iron crates increase stress levels in terms of higher cortisol, glucose, and lactate contents in the blood plasma compared to untransported broilers during the winter. Therefore, employing plastic crates, which induce significantly reduced cortisol and numerically lower glucose levels compared to iron crates, appears more favorable for animal welfare by mitigating stress.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of different level of soybean meal (SBM) replaced by soy protein concentrate on intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs under F18+ Escherichia. coli (E. coli).

Methods: Forty-eight newly weaned pigs (6.6 ± 0.3 kg) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments arranged by 2 × 2 factors using randomized complete block design with initial body weight and sex as blocks. Two factors were F18+ E. coli challenge (0 or 2.1 × 1010 CFU) and the level of SBM (24% or 12% in phase 1 and 26% or 14% in phase 2). Pigs were fed for 25 d in 2 phases (phase 1 for 11 d and phase 2 for 14 d). At the end of study, all pigs were euthanized to collect jejunal mucosa and tissues to measure parameters related to intestinal health. Data were analyzed using a MIXED procedure in SAS.

Results: The F18+ E. coli challenge decreased (p<0.05) overall average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) and decreased (p<0.05) gain to feed ratio on d 7 to 11. The High SBM tended to have a greater overall ADG (p=0.054) and ADFI (p=0.078) compared with low SBM under F18+ E. coli challenge, but not in unchallenged conditions. The F18+ E. coli challenge increased (p<0.05) fecal score on d 7 to 18. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1β in jejunal mucosa were decreased (p<0.05) in High SBM treatments. The High SBM tended to increase (p=0.085) occludin expression in jejunum. High SBM increased crypt depth in jejunum under F18+ E. coli challenge, but not in unchallenged conditions (p<0.05).

Conclusion: High SBM in nursery diets could alleviate the detrimental effects of F18+ E. coli challenge on growth performance of pigs under compared to low SBM inclusion, which might be attributed to decreased intestinal inflammation and improved intestinal integrity.

Objective: This research aims to explore the effects of incorporating saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFP) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, fecal SCFAs, and microbial composition of pre-weaning calves.

Methods: Twenty Holstein calves, 10 days old and weighing an average of 48.63±0.91 kg, were randomly assigned to either the control group (CON) or the SCFP group, with 10 calves in each group. The CON group received only a basal diet, while the SCFP group received the starter diet supplemented with 5 g/head/d of SCFP products (NutriTek, Diamond V Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, United States). The pre-trial period lasted for 5 days, followed by a main experimental period of 45 days.

Results: The SCFP group had significantly higher final weight, ADG, and FE compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the SCFP group exhibited increased apparent digestibility of DM, CP, EE, ADF, Ca, and P (p < 0.05). Additionally, supplementation with SCFP led to elevated content of GH, IGF-1, and GLP-1 in serum. The inclusion of SCFP also raised serum CAT content and reduced serum MDA content in pre-weaning calves. Furthermore, SCFP supplementation influenced the composition of intestinal microflora by decreasing Actinobacteriota abundance and increasing the abundance of Ruminococcus, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group, Parabacteroides, and Butyricimonas.

Conclusion: The addition of SCFP has a positive impact on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microflora composition of pre-weaning calves.

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of dietary sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) supplementation on eggshell quality, uterine ion transportation, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis.

Methods: A total of 432 48-wk-old Hy-line Brown laying hens were randomly divided into 6 dietary treatments with 8 replicates of 9 birds each. The experimental laying hens were fed the corn-soybean meal diets (containing 0.15% NaCl) supplemented with 0.22%, 0.37%, 0.52%, 0.68%, 0.83%, or 0.99% Na2SO4 for 12 weeks.

Results: Results showed that the eggshell breaking strength and eggshell ratio significantly increased in the 0.68% Na2SO4 group at the end of wk 56 and wk 60 (P < 0.05). In addition, eggshell thickness and weight significantly increased in the 0.68% Na2SO4 group at the end of wk 60 (P < 0.05). Eggshell calcium (Ca) content in the 0.68% Na2SO4 group was higher than that of 0.22% and 0.99% groups (P < 0.001). The concentrations of K+ and Ca2+ in the uterine fluid were significantly greater in the 0.68% group than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Dietary Na2SO4 increased the gene expression of SLC8A1, SCNN1A, ATP1B1, and KCNMA1 quadratically in the uterus (P < 0.05), and higher values were observed in 0.68% group. Additionally, the GAG contents of the eggshell, and ATP-S, SULT, CS, and DS contents of the isthmus increased linearly with the increment of dietary Na2SO4 (P < 0.05). There was a remarkable reduction in mammillary knob width, mammillary thickness, and the percentage of the mammillary layer (P < 0.05), and an increment in mammillary knob density, effective thickness, and total thickness in the 0.68% group compared with the 0.22% and 0.99% groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Overall, there was no dose-related difference with the increment of dietary Na2SO4 levels. The addition of 0.68% Na2SO4 in the corn-soybean basal diet (0.15% Cl) regulated uterine ion transport, increased GAG contents of eggshell, and improved eggshell ultrastructure and quality.

Objective: Antemortem stress accelerated muscle energy consumption in postmortem muscle. The objective of our study was to investigate the regulation of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) administration on the postmortem glycolysis and protein acetylation in postmortem muscle of antemortem stress.

Methods: Forty C57BL/6 male mice were chosen and randomly assigned to four treatment groups (A, B, C and D), each treatment consisted of 10 replicates. Mice in group B, C and D were treated with 0.05% GAA oral administration for 6 days. On the 7th day of the experiment, the mice in group A and B were injected with saline, and mice in group C and D were injected with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR,50 μg/g body weight) and a combined injection with AICAR (50 μg/g body weight) and histone acetylase inhibitor Ⅱ (HAT Ⅱ,185 μg/g body weight), respectively.

Results: The results showed that the values of pH45min and pH24h of postmortem muscle in GAA administration were higher than those in the control group. However, the opposite result was observed in AICAR group. Moreover, the activities of acetone kinase, hexokinase and fruc-tose-2,6-diphosphatase, combined with the protein abundance of phosphorylated liver kinase, phosphorylated AMPKα2 and total acetylated protein were all decreased by GAA administration and HAT Ⅱ treatment.

Conclusion: Taken together, AMPK signaling and protein acetylation could mediate the regulation of GAA administration on postmortem glycolysis of antemortem stress-muscle.

Objective: The Bagnolese sheep is an authochtonous dual-purpose breed (milk and meat) reared in the Campania region, whose milk is used to produce Pecorino Bagnolese cheese. Genetic information on this sheep is extremely limited, especially regarding genes affecting productions. The aim of this study was to investigate milk production traits in Bagnolese sheep and the variability of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) gene and its effects on milk production.

Methods: Milk quantity was recorded during the morning milking, while Kjeldahl and Gerber methods were used to assess protein and fat percentage (w/v) of collected milk samples. Two PCR-RFLP protocols using BamHI and MspI endonucleases for genotyping of g.5553C>T and g.8539C>T at DGAT1 locus, respectively, were set up.

Results: Bagnolese sheep milk shows high fat and protein concentrations. Genotyping revealed a high frequency of the g.5553C and g.8539C alleles (0.56 and 0.95, respectively). The association study between the SNP g.5553C>T and milk traits showed that animals with the CT genotype had a higher percentage of fat produced per milking than those with the CC and TT genotypes (p<0.01). Similar results were found for protein yield percentage, with CT individuals being more productive than CC individuals (p<0.01).

Conclusion: Bagnolese sheep milk parameters found are associated with high yields in the resulting dairy products. CT genotype at the SNP g.5553 of DGAT1 has shown a positive association with fat and protein milk yield percentage suggesting it could be considered a marker to improve productions of this breed. Finally, the new genotyping techniques used for this study enable a cheap and reliable characterization of two DGAT1 SNPs in sheep.

Objective: Rubber seed kernel is a by-product of rubber cultivation and are high in oil and protein. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing rubber seed kernel pellet (RUSKEP) on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, rumen fatty acid profiles, blood parameters, and immune response in swamp buffalo.

Methods: Four male swamp buffalo with an initial body weight (BW) of 254 ± 10 kg and 26 months of age were used in this research. The experimental design was a 4  4 Latin squared design with RUSKEP supplementation at 0, 4, 6, and 8% of dry matter intake (DMI). Animals were fed concentrate at 1.0% BW, while rice straw was fed ad libitum.

Results: Supplementation with RUSKEP did not change DMI or nutrient digestibility (p>0.05), while ether extract (EE) digestibility increased cubically with the addition of RUSKEP (p<0.01). The ruminal pH, ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N), and the proportion of acetate (C2) were similar among treatments (p>0.05). The proportion of propionate (C3) increased linearly (p≤0.04), leading to a decrease in the acetate to propionate ratio (C2:C3) (p≤0.04) with the addition of RUSKEP. Furthermore, the butyrate (C4) proportion decreased linearly with RUSKEP supplementation (p=0.03). The addition of RUSKEP did not affect on linoleic acid (LA; C18:2 cis-9,12 + trans-9,12), or α-linolenic acid (ALA; C18:3 cis-9,12,15) (p>0.05). With RUSKEP supplementation, the stearic acid (C18:0) content increased quadratically (p<0.01). The increasing level of RUSKEP was higher in cholesterol and eosinophils (p≤0.03). The immune function (IgA, IgM, and IgG) was similar among treatments (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Supplementing RUSKEP with up to 8% of DMI could improve rumen fermentation efficiency without affecting feed utilization, rumen PUFA profile, or immune response in swamp buffalo.

Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of adding saponified black soldier fly larvae oil calcium salt (BSFLO-SCa) to quail feed as an alternative source of fat on laying performance, blood lipid profile, egg quality, and gene expression in lipid metabolism.

Methods: A total of 120 female Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) aged 24 weeks were divided into 3 treatments, each with 8 replications, and each replication consisted of 5 quails in a completely randomized design. The applied treatments were the inclusion of basal feed as a control (T0) and basal feed supplemented with 1% BSFLO-SCa (T1) and 2% BSFLO-SCa (T2).

Results: The study indicated that the supplementation starting from 1% of BSFLO-SCa significantly decrease (p<0.05) in feed conversion ratio (FCR), blood lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol). Gene expression on fat synthesis of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and cholesterol synthesis of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) downregulated (p<0.05). In addition, the other parameters did not affect by supplementation of 1% BSFLO-SCa. The inclusion at 2% of BSFLO-SCa significantly increased (p<0.05) protein content of yolk and albumen, egg weight, egg shape index, and gene expression on fat oxidation of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1). Egg yolk cholesterol, egg albumen ash, haugh unit (HU), and gene expression on fat synthesis of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were significantly reduced (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Addition of 2% BSFLO-SCa in the feed improves performance, egg quality, and reduces cholesterol in the blood and eggs of quail. This improvement is accompanied by a reduction in the expression of key genes involved in lipid metabolism. BSFLO-SCa oil has the potential to be an alternative oil source in quail feed.

Objective: Pigeon meat offer an ideal source for extracting fresh flavor peptides. These peptides not only enhance the taste of food but also have potential health benefits, including providing low-sugar, low-sodium, and low-calorie options for individuals with conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Therefore, further research into the pigeon industry holds promise for addressing both economic and nutritional needs.

Methods: To explore umami peptides and their molecular binding mechanisms with umami receptor type 1 member 1 in pigeon meat, an enzymatic hydrolysate product is isolated, analyzed, and subjected to sensory evaluation. Fifteen peptides with high freshness characteristics are separated and identified by ultrafiltration, gel separation, reverse performance liquid chromatography, and nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS).

Results: The molecular docking results show that the amino acid residue Glu128 is a common ligand binding site for all of the fresh-flavored peptides to taste T1R1/T1R3 receptors and it exerts freshness-presenting effects with 15 fresh-flavored peptides through hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, salt bridges, and hydrophobic interactions.

Conclusion: This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the subsequent development of flavor peptide products in pigeon meat.