Excreta Collection Research Articles

Effects of feeding diets without mineral P supplement on intestinal phytate degradation, blood concentrations of Ca and P, and excretion of Ca and P in two laying hen strains before and after onset of laying activity

The objective of this study was to characterize intestinal phytate degradation and mineral utilization by 2 laying hen strains before and after the onset of egg laying using diets without or with a mineral phosphorus (P) supplement. One offspring of 10 roosters per strain (Lohmann Brown-classic [LB] and Lohmann LSL-classic [LSL]) was sacrificed before (wk 19) and after (wk 24) the onset of egg-laying activity and following 4 wk placement in a metabolic unit. Diets were corn-soybean meal-based and without supplemented P (P-) or with 1 g/kg supplemented P (P+) from monocalcium phosphate. In wk 19 and 24, the blood plasma and digesta of duodenum+jejunum and distal ileum were collected. The concentration of P in blood plasma was higher in hens fed P+ than P- (P < 0.001). In duodenum + jejunum and ileum content, the concentrations of InsP6, Ins(1,2,4,5,6)P5 and Ins(1,2,3,4,5)P5 were lower in P- than in P+ (P ≤ 0.009). In duodenum+jejunum, the concentrations of InsP6, Ins(1,2,4,5,6)P5 and Ins(1,2,3,4,5)P5 were lower in wk 24 than 19 and lower in LSL than LB hens (P < 0.001). The concentration of myo-inositol (MI) in duodenum + jejunum content was lower in wk 19 than 24 (P < 0.001). Following a 4-d total excreta collection, the retained amount of P was higher in P+ than P- (P < 0.001). Phosphorus retention was lower in LB hens fed P- than in other treatments (P × strain: P = 0.039). In the jejunal tissue, some genes related to intracellular InsP metabolism were higher expressed in LB than LSL hens. The renunciation of mineral P increased endogenous phytate degradation, but more P was retained with supplemented P. Differences in endogenous phytate degradation between the periods before and after the onset of egg laying might be attributed to different Ca concentrations in intestinal digesta caused by different Ca needs in both periods.

373 Effect of Cu and Zn contents in growing finishing pig diets on animal performance and Cu and Zn content in manure, according to three manure management chains

Abstract Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are essential nutrients for swine. However, as pigs have a low retention rate for these elements, more than 90% of ingested Cu and Zn are excreted, mainly in feces. After spreading manure, these trace elements could accumulate in the soil and potentially have negative environmental effects. Moreover, Cu and Zn are also limited natural resources that should be preserved. A better understanding of the behavior of these elements throughout the feed-animal-effluent-treatment continuum according to feed composition and manure management chain is thus required to propose alternative ways to reduce these environmental impacts. Three feeding strategies differing in their Cu and Zn contents were compared in 72 growing-finishing pigs raised in individual pens [from 24.3 ± 3.3 up to 110 ± 9.0 kg body weight (BW), one-half males; and one-half females] a first diet with Cu and Zn at maximum EU regulation levels (20 and 100 ppm of Cu and Zn, respectively; REG), a second diet without any Cu and Zn supplementation (5 ppm Cu, 30 ppm Zn; WS) and a third diet with Cu and Zn at an intermediary level (10 and 50 ppm of Cu and Zn; INT). Cu and Zn were supplemented as Cu2O (CoRouge, Animine) and ZnO (HiZox, Animine), respectively. Eighteen additional finishing pigs (6 per diet) were raised in digestibility cages for excreta collection over 10 d, and their feces were submitted to two types of manure treatment: anaerobic digestion (AD) and composting with straw. Over the entire experimental period, the dietary Cu and Zn content did not influence growth performance of pigs. The Cu and Zn concentrations of the feces decreased linearly (P &amp;lt; 0.001) with dietary content from 191 and 834 (REG) up to 63 and 359 (INT) and 40 and 213 (WS) mg Cu and Zn/kg dry matter (DM) respectively. After both manure treatments, the degradation of the organic matter resulted in a significant increase (twice as much) in Cu and Zn concentration per kg of DM. Feeding strategy appears to be the main lever to reduce the Cu and Zn content of effluents. However, in the context of the diversification of manure management strategies, it is also important to take into account the effect of the effluent collection and treatment chain (e.g., spreading of raw slurry, phase separation, anaerobic digestion, composting), which has also an impact on the behavior of Cu and Zn and consequently on the risk for the environment.

ESTIMATION OF METABOLIZABLE AND DIGESTIBLE ENERGY OF RAMON (Brosimum alicastrum Swartz) SEED IN BROILERS UNDER TROPICAL CONDITIONS

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background.&lt;/strong&gt; The current maize production in México is insufficient to supply both human and animal consumption. As maize is the main ingredient used in the formulation of poultry diets, each year, the importation of this cereal rises, thereby, the replacement of this conventional input can be made with alternative resources, such as the Ramón (&lt;em&gt;Brosimum alicastrum&lt;/em&gt; Swartz) seed. &lt;strong&gt;Objective.&lt;/strong&gt; To determine the chemical composition of Ramon seed meal (RSM), together with the estimation of the apparent metabolizable energy (AME), true metabolizable energy (TME), their digestible coefficients, as well as the apparent ileal digestible energy (AIDE) and apparent ileal digestibility coefficient (AIDC) of gross energy (GE). &lt;strong&gt;Methodology. &lt;/strong&gt;Two experiments were performed using Cobb broilers; in the first experiment AME, TME and the digestible coefficients were calculated using 24 broilers (twelve 3-week-old and twelve 6-week-old) eight of them were randomly selected for determination of endogenous losses (EL). The sixteen remaining were precision-fed a single dose of RSM and total excreta collection was used. In the second experiment, three diets: 1) 100% maize; 2) 40% RSM-60% maize and; 3) 60% RSM-40% maize) were made to determine the AIDE and AIDC of each ingredient using the difference method. Diets were randomly assigned to a total of 51 7-week-old broilers, distributed in six, six and five replicates respectively (three broilers per replicate). &lt;strong&gt;Results. &lt;/strong&gt;No differences were found for the&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;AME (1863 and 1909 kcal/kg for 3 and 6 weeks, respectively) and TME (2234 and 2271 kcal/kg, for 3 and 6 weeks, respectively) values of the RSM. The AIDE and AIDC of RSM at 40 and 60% inclusion (2408 and 2538 kcal/kg, and 0.64 and 0.67, respectively) were found to be lower than that of maize (3179 kcal/kg and 0.81). &lt;strong&gt;Implications. &lt;/strong&gt;These results provide information regarding the incorporation of ramon as an energy resource in tropical poultry diets. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion.&lt;/strong&gt; The estimated value of RSM in broilers was 1886 Kcal/kg for AME, 2252.5 Kcal/kg for TME and 0.476 and 0.569 for their digestibility coefficients of GE, respectively. For the AIDE, the estimated value was 2408.8 and 2538.7 Kcal/kg at 40 and 60% inclusion of RSM, with 0.640 and 0.674 AIDC, respectively.&lt;/p&gt;

Research progress in female pelvic floor rehabilitation aids.

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a common clinical problem that can lead to bladder and bowel dysfunction such as urinary incontinence, urinary retention, fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and sexual dysfunction. Pelvic floor rehabilitation aids are essential tools in the treatment of PFD. However, there is limited understanding of the efficacy and mechanisms of these aids, and there is a lack of standardized guidelines for selecting appropriate aids for different types of PFD. To assist patients in choosing suitable pelvic floor rehabilitation aids to their needs, it is necessary to summarize the existing types, mechanisms, and applications of these aids. Based on their mechanisms and target functions, pelvic floor rehabilitation aids can be mainly categorized into 3 main types. The first type includes aids that improve pelvic floor function, such as vaginal dumbbells, vaginal tampons, and vaginal dilators, which aim to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and enhance the contractility of the urethral, vaginal, and anal sphincters, thereby improving incontinence symptoms. The second type consists of aids that mechanically block the outlet, such as pessaries, urethral plugs, incontinence pads, incontinence pants, anal plugs, and vaginal bowel control systems, which directly or indirectly prevent incontinence leakage. The third type includes aids that assist in outlet drainage, such as catheters and anal excreta collection devices, which help patients effectively expel urine, feces, and other waste materials, preventing incontinence leakage. By summarizing the existing pelvic floor rehabilitation aids, personalized guidance can be provided to patients with PFD, helping them select the appropriate aids for their rehabilitation needs.

Investigation on adaptations of broiler chickens to high dietary free amino acid levels in nitrogen utilisation and plasma amino acid concentrations

ABSTRACT 1. A reduction in crude protein (CP) in feed for broiler chickens necessitates elevated free amino acid (AA) levels to meet the requirement of each AA. This study investigated adaptations following a change to diets with increasing free AA concentrations and possible reasons for the limitation caused by the inclusion of more free AA. 2. Male Ross 308 broiler hatchlings received a starter diet (164 g CP/kg containing 80 g/kg soy protein isolate (SPI)) until d 7. From d 7–22, birds received a diet almost identical to the starter diet or two other diets, where 50% or 100% of digestible AA in SPI were substituted with a free AA mixture. Birds were allocated to metabolism units located in the same barn to determine performance (n = 7 units) and blood traits (n = 14 birds). Total excreta collection was performed on d 7–8, 8–9, 9–10, 11–12, 14–15 and 21–22. Blood samples were collected on d 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 and 21. 3. Average daily weight gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) was unaffected at 50% AA substitution but decreased at 100% AA substitution on d 7–22 (p ≤ 0.001). The 100% substitution led to a decline in ADG and ADFI consistently on all days (p ≤ 0.037) except on d 11–12. A 50% AA substitution resulted in lower ADFI on d 7–8 and 14–15 (p ≤ 0.032). Nitrogen utilisation efficiency (NUE) was on a level of ~ 0.74 and was only affected by treatment up to d 11–12 (p ≤ 0.008). Concentrations of 10, 9, 8, 10 and 4 plasma free AA were affected on d 8, 9, 11, 14 and 21, respectively (p ≤ 0.037). 4. Following a change to diets containing high levels of free AA, NUE and free AA concentrations in the circulation became more balanced within 3 to 7 d. The results suggested that peptide-bound and free AA did not cause different NUE, particularly 3 and 7 d after the diet change.

Age-Related Variations in the Apparent Metabolizable Energy of Meat and Bone Meal for Broilers.

The influence of broiler age on the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) of meat and bone meal (MBM) was investigated. A corn-soy basal diet and an experimental diet wherein 300 g/kg of the basal diet was replaced (w/w) with MBM were developed. The diets, in pellet form, were fed to six replicate cages across six age groups, namely d 1 to 7, 8 to 14, 15 to 21, 22 to 28, 29 to 35 or 36 to 42 d post-hatch. Birds were fed either a starter diet from d 1-21 or a finisher diet from d 22-35. Basal and experimental diets were introduced on d 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and 36 with 10 (d 1-7), 8 (d 8-14) and 6 (d 15-42) birds per replicate. Total collection of excreta was carried out during the last 4 d of each age period. A linear decrease (p < 0.001) in the retention of dry matter and nitrogen was observed with advancing age. The AMEn of MBM showed a linear increase (p < 0.05), rising from 12.56 MJ/kg during d 1-7 to 13.90 MJ/kg during d 29-35, followed by a decline to 13.41 MJ/kg during d 36-42. The current findings showed that the energy utilization of MBM increased with the advancing age of broilers. Age-dependent AMEn values of MBM may need to be considered when MBM is included in feed formulations.

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal improves quail growth performance.

The aim of the present study was to determine the nutritional value of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meal for quail (experiment I) and the dose-response effects of BSF levels on growth performance, relative organ weight, and body composition of growing quails (experiment II). In experiment I, 100 35-day-old quail were distributed in a completely randomized design, with two treatments (reference and test diet) and 10 replicates. The experimental period consisted of 5days of adaptation, followed by 5days of total excreta collection. The experimental feed consisted of a reference diet and a test diet formulated with 850g/kg reference diet and 150g/kg BSF. In experiment II, 1000 1-day-old quail were distributed in a completely randomized design, with five dietary levels of BSF (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100g/kg). At 42days of age, birds were slaughtered, and the relative organ weight and body composition were determined. Apparent metabolizable energy values corrected for nitrogen retention of BSF meal were 13.8MJ/kg. Across the starter (1-14days) and overall period (1-42days), increasing BSF levels had a quadratic effect on body weight and body weight gain. Feed conversion ratio was quadratically affected during the starter phase and linearly reduced over the overall period. Additionally, the BSF levels linearly decreased the small intestine's relative weight at 42days and had a quadratic effect on the rate of protein deposition. We concluded that the inclusion of 100g/kg BSF meal improves feed conversion ratio for growing quail.

Farinha de folhas de moringa em dietas de frangos de crescimento lento sobre metabolizabilidade, rendimento, carcaça, biometria de órgãos e colorimetria da carne

ABSTRACT Two investigations were developed. The first experiment was to determine the metabolizability of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf meal. 120 slow-growing, 21-day-old chickens were used. The experimental period was seven days, four for adaptation to diets and three for collection of excreta. The Moringa leaf presented values for apparent metabolizability coefficients of dry matter, crude protein, crude energy and neutral detergent fiber, as well as apparent metabolizable energy and corrected metabolizable energy for a nitrogen balance, of 49.77%, 44.48%, 46.26% and 53.02%, and 2,334 kcal/kg, 2,159 kcal/kg respectively. The second experiment was to evaluate the inclusion of Moringa leaf meal in the diets of two hundred and forty slow-growing chickens from one to 80 days of age on performance, carcass characteristics, biometrics of digestive organs and meat color. The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments (0.75%; 1.50%; 2.25% and 3.00% inclusion of the Moringa leaf), six repetitions and ten chickens per experimental unit; the inclusion levels of the Moringa leaf did not influence (p&gt; 0.05) feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion, final weight at 30, 60 and 80 days, carcass, noble cut yields and meat color. The inclusion of Moringa leaf meal can be used up to the 3% level in slow-growing chicken diets, without affecting the productive performance of these animals.

Influence of extruded soybean meal with varying fat and oleic acid content on nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy in broilers

High oleic (HO) soybeans may serve as a value-added feed ingredient; providing amino acids and estimating their dietary energy value for broilers is essential. In this study, we determined the apparent metabolizable energy (AME), AME corrected for zero nitrogen retention (AMEn), digestibility, and nitrogen (N) retention of HO full-fat (HO-FF) soybean as compared to solvent-extracted soybean meal (SE-SBM), normal oleic full-fat (NO-FF) and extruded expeller (NO-EE) soybean. A total of 240 Ross-708 male broilers were selected, with eight replicates per treatment and six chicks per cage. The AME and AMEn were estimated using the difference method with a 30% inclusion of test ingredients using a corn-soy reference diet with partial and total excreta collection. The index method with partial excreta collection used titanium dioxide as an inert marker. The same starter diet was provided for all birds for 14 days, followed by the reference and assay diets for the next six adaptation days. Total excreta was collected twice a day for three days. The AME and AMEn values determined for the HO-FF and NO-FF were higher (P < 0.001) than the NO-EE and SE-SBM. The AME of SE-SBM and NO-EE were similar with both methods, but the AMEn of SE-SBM was lower than the NO-EE only with the partial collection method. The agreement between AME and AMEn values determined by partial and total excreta collection analysis was 98%. Data from the total excreta collection method yielded higher AME and AMEn values (P < 0.001) than those from the partial collection method. In summary, HO-FF and NO-FF soybean meals had similar AME and AMEn values. The HO-FF soybean had 39 and 24% higher AME and AMEn than SE-SBM. Hence, high oleic full-fat soybean meal could serve as a valuable alternative feed ingredient to conventional SE-SBM meals in broiler diets, providing additional energy while providing amino acids and more oleic acid to enrich poultry meat products.

271 Effect of Different Inclusions of a Multi-Component Enzyme on Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Ileal Amino Acid Digestibility of Young Broiler Chickens

Abstract Previous studies demonstrated that dietary carbohydrases maintain optimal broiler performance. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of a commercial carbohydrase (ENZ) at 4 concentrations on growth performance, nutrient, and amino acid digestibility of 22-d-old broilers. The 10 experimental corn and soybean meal-based treatments were: 1) a positive control diet (PC) with phytase at 500 FTU/kg of feed (PHY), 2) a mid-control diet (MC) with a 115 kcal/kg reduction in energy + PHY, 3) a negative control diet (NC1) with a 223 kcal/kg reduction in metabolizable energy, 4-5) NC1 + ENZ at 1,000 or 3,000 xylanase units (XU)/kg (NC1A and NC1B, respectively), 6) NC1 + PHY (NC2), and 7-10) NC2 + ENZ at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 XU/kg (ENZ1, ENZ2, ENZ3, and ENZ4, respectively). Day-old chicks (n = 1,000) were randomly allotted to raised floor pens with 5 birds/pen and 20 replicate pens/treatment. Pens had perforated metal platforms to allow excreta collection. On day 22, broilers were euthanized, and ileal digesta samples were collected from the entire ileum. Protein retention, nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn), and ileal digestibility of protein and amino acids (AA) were determined. Performance data were calculated from d 6 to 22. Means were separated with the PDIFF option of SAS V9.4 PROC GLIMMIX at P ≤ 0.05. On d 22, broilers from PC and MC treatments had greater body weight (BW) than all other treatments (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). The least feed intake was reported in birds fed ENZ1 diet, but it was similar to NC1, NC1B, and ENZ3-fed broilers (P &amp;lt; 0.0472). Broilers fed PC and MC had the greatest BW gain; however, ENZ2-fed broilers were able to gain similarly as MC treatment (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Broilers fed PC diet had the best feed efficiency, followed by MC-fed broilers, but these were similar to ENZ3 (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Protein retention was the greatest for MC-fed broilers but was similar for NC1B and ENZ3 (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). AMEn was greatest for broilers fed PC and MC diets, followed by both diets that included 3,000 XU/kg (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Protein digestibility was greatest for ENZ2-fed broilers (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) but similar to MC, NC1B, NC2, ENZ3, and ENZ3. Treatments with added PHY, excluding ENZ1, had greater lysine digestibility compared with all other treatments (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Apart from threonine, ENZ4-fed broilers exhibited the greatest AA digestibility but were similar to broilers fed 2,000 or 3,000 XU/kg of ENZ (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Therefore, ENZ inclusion above 1,000 XU/kg supported AA digestibility. Overall, broilers fed diets with 223 kcal/kg energy reduction and supplemented with 2,000 and 3,000 XU/kg outperformed the negative controls, which could be partially due to the utilization of dietary energy and nutrients.

Influence of partial replacement of ground barley with whole barley and exogenous enzyme supplementation in pelleted diets on growth performance, nutrient utilisation and foregut development in broiler starters

A 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, evaluating three inclusion levels of whole barley (WB; 0, 141, 282 g/kg) in a barley-based diet and two levels of carbohydrase (Carb; 0 and 0.15 g/kg of feed), was used. The AMEn and standardised digestible amino acid contents of the test barley were used in formulating the basal diet. Whole barley was added to the diet at the expense of ground barley (GB; 3.0 mm sieve size). The diets contained 5.0 g/kg titanium dioxide as an inert marker. Each of the six experimental diets was pelleted and offered ad libitum to six replicate cages (eight birds/cage). Body weights and feed intake were recorded weekly throughout the 21-d trial. The AMEn was determined using the classical total excreta collection method (17–20 d). On d-21, ileal digesta were collected from the terminal ileum to determine the coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients. Jejunal digesta were collected for the determination of intestinal digesta viscosity. There was no significant (P > 0.05) interaction between WB and Carb for any measured parameter. Compared to the birds fed GB diets, those fed WB at 141 g/kg had a higher (P < 0.05) weight gain by 36 g/bird, with no effect on the feed intake or feed efficiency. The inclusion of WB tended (P = 0.058) to enhance N digestibility from 0.741 in GB diets to 0.775 in diets with 282 g/kg WB. Irrespective of Carb supplementation, compared to the GB diet, WB inclusion at 141 and 282 g/kg improved (P < 0.001) starch digestibility (by 3.6 % and 5.7 %, respectively) and AMEn (by 1.85 % and 2.89 %, respectively). These improvements were not associated with any impact (P > 0.05) on gizzard development. Jejunal digesta viscosity was not influenced (P > 0.05) by WB inclusion. Adding Carb increased starch digestibility and energy utilisation by 2.24 % and 0.12 MJ/kg, respectively, possibly due to 0.35 cP reduction in jejunal digesta viscosity (P < 0.05) by the supplemental Carb. Overall, WB could be included in barley-based broiler starter diets up to 282 g/kg of diet with no adverse effects on performance.

Research Note: Nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy and standardized ileal amino acid digestibility determination of high-protein dried distiller's grains and corn bran with solubles for broilers

Metabolism and digestibility trials were performed on broiler chickens to determine 1) nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) using total excreta collection and 2) standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAAD) using the ileal digesta collection from high-protein dried distillers' grains (HP-DDG) and corn bran with solubles (CBS). The results of the metabolism trial indicated that AMEn values for HP-DDG and CBS were 3,334 kcal/kg and 2,083 kcal/kg on dry matter (DM) basis, respectively. Concerning the HP-DDG, the digestibility trial resulted in the following SIAAD values and digestible concentrations, respectively: 80.33% and 1.09 for Lys, 85.95% and 1.44 for Met+Cys, 75.58% and 1.24 for Thr, 89.58% and 1.66 for Arg, 84.91% and 1.08 for His, 86.37% and 1.35 for Ile, 90.64% and 4.56 for Leu, 85.76% and 1.80 for Val, and 88.67% and 1.90 for Phe. Concerning the CBS, the following SIAAD values and digestible concentrations were measured, respectively: 79.29% and 0.44 for Lys, 89.57% and 0.31 for Met+Cys, 78.89% and 0.40 for Thr, 92.28% and 0.66 for Arg, 87.48% and 0.36 for His, 93.40% and 0.35 for Ile, 92.27% and 1.01 for Leu, 90.97% and 0.51 for Val, and 88.81% and 0.45 for Phe. The digestibility average of CBS is 88.45% for essential amino acids and 85.21% for nonessential amino acids, whereas the digestibility average of HP-DDG is 85.83% for essential amino acids and 83.83% for nonessential amino acids.

Nutritional evaluation of soybean meals varying in particle size

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of varying soybean meal (SBM) particle sizes on nutritional value of the SBM. Seven samples of dehulled solvent-extracted SBM from the same batch were ground to varying mean particles of <386, 466, 809, 1,174, 1,577, 2,026, and 2,321 μm. Two precision-fed rooster assays (crop intubation with 25 g of SBM followed by 48 h total excreta collection) were performed to determine TMEn and standardized amino acid (AA) digestibility. There were no significant differences for TMEn among SBM samples, and there was also no consistent significant effect of particle size on standardized AA digestibility. In addition to the 2 precision-fed rooster assays, a 21 d broiler chick trial was conducted using corn-SBM based diets using 4 diets that differed only in the mean particle size of SBM (466, 809, 1,174, or 1,577 μm), being fed from 2 to 23 d of age. Chicks fed diets containing 809 or 1,174 μm SBM had increased (P < 0.05) weight gain compared with chicks fed the diet containing 466 μm SBM, and chicks fed diets containing 1,174 or 1,577 μm SBM had increased (P < 0.05) feed efficiency compared with chicks fed the diet containing 466 μm SBM. The diet containing 466 μm SBM yielded the highest (P < 0.05) AMEn and total tract P retention. Ileal P digestibility and standardized AA digestibilities did not differ among treatments. Relative gizzard weight (percent of body weight) was increased (P < 0.05) by the 2 largest SBM particle sizes. The results from these 3 experiments showed that increasing SBM particle size may be beneficial to broiler growth performance and may increase gizzard size but had no consistent significant effect on ME, AA digestibility, or P digestibility/retention.

The effect of amylase supplementation on individual variation, growth performance, and starch digestibility in broiler chickens

The objective of this study was to evaluate the variance of starch digestibility in broilers individually fed diets without or with supplemental exogenous amylase. A total of 120 d-of-hatch male chicks were individually reared from 5 to 42 d in metallic cages and fed maize-based basal diets or diets containing 80 kilo-novo-α-amylase units/kg (60 birds or replicates per treatment). Beginning on d 7, feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were recorded; partial excreta collection was conducted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until 42 d, when all birds were sacrificed for individual collection of duodenal and ileal digesta. Lower feed intake (4,675 vs. 4,815 g) and feed conversion ratio (1.470 vs. 1.508) were observed in amylase-fed broilers during the overall period (7-43 d; P < 0.01), whereas body weight gain was not affected. Amylase supplementation improved total tract starch (TTS) digestibility (P < 0.05) on each day of excreta collection (except for d 28, where no difference was found), averaging 0.982 vs. 0.973 compared to basal-fed broilers from d 7 to 42. Both apparent ileal starch (AIS) digestibility and apparent metabolizable energy (AMEN) were increased (P <0.05) from 0.968 to 0.976 and from 3,119 to 3,198 kcal/kg, respectively, with enzyme supplementation. Activity of amylase in the duodenum was higher (18.6 vs. 50.1 IU/g of digesta) in supplemented birds. Amylase supplementation led to a reduced coefficient of variation for both TTS (averaged 2.41 vs. 0.92% from 7 to 42 d) and AIS digestibilities (1.96 vs. 1.03%), as well as AMEN (0.49 vs. 0.35%), when compared to the nonsupplemented group, indicating lower individual heterogenity. An age effect was detected for TTS digestibility, as both groups saw an increase during the first weeks (slightly more pronounced in the supplemented group); older birds (d 30 onwards) presented a lower TTS digestibility compared to ages between 7 and 25 d. In conclusion, amylase supplementation in maize diets for broilers can attenuate individual bird variation for starch and energy utilization by increasing amylase activity and enhancing starch digestibility.

Quantification of secretory IgA and mucin excretion and their contributions to total endogenous amino acid losses in roosters that were fasted or precision-fed a nitrogen-free diet or various highly digestible protein sources

The objective of this study was to quantify total secretory IgA (sIgA) and mucin excretion via excreta in roosters fed diets containing highly digestible protein sources and to determine their proportional contributions to total endogenous amino acid (AA) losses. Precision-fed rooster assays with 24 h excreta collections were conducted using conventional White Leghorn roosters (4-8 roosters per treatment). In Experiment 1, roosters were fasted or precision-fed 30 g (crop intubation) of a nitrogen-free (NF) or semi-purified diet containing 10% casein. Roosters in Experiment 2 received a NF or semi-purified diet containing either 10% casein, 17% whole egg, 10% egg white, 9.8% soy protein isolate, 10.2% chicken breast meat, 11.2% spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP), or an AA mixture containing the same AA as casein. A Latin square design was used in Experiment 3, where roosters received NF or semi-purified diets containing either 10% casein, 17% whole egg, or 9.6% of a crystalline AA mixture to evaluate both diet and individual bird effects. In Experiment 1, mucin excretion did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatments; however, total sIgA excretion was lower for fasted birds, intermediate for the NF diet, and highest for casein (P < 0.05). Total endogenous AA losses (proportion of the total) from sIgA were higher for roosters fed casein, whereas mucin contributions were higher for fasted roosters (P < 0.05). In Experiment 2, sIgA excretion did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatments; however, mucin excretion was reduced for NF, whole egg, egg white, and chicken breast compared with casein and SDAP. In Experiment 3, sIgA and mucin excretion did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatments; however, sIgA excretion differed among individual roosters (7-27 mg/24 h; P < 0.05). Overall, fasting reduced sIgA excretion and sIgA and mucin excretion were affected by dietary protein source. Further, roosters excreted a substantial amount of sIgA, and sIgA and mucin were considerable contributors to total endogenous AA losses.

Amino acid digestibility and net energy concentration in soybean meal for broiler chickens

The objective of this study was to determine coefficient of standardized ileal digestibility (CSID) of amino acids and net energy (NE) concentration of soybean meal (SBM) in broiler chickens. Six SBM originating from different regions in the United States were used in the current study. In experiment (Exp.) 1, a total of 576 birds on d 16 post hatching were allotted to 7 diets consisting of 6 diets containing 440 g/kg of each SBM as the sole source of nitrogen and a nitrogen-free diet. Birds were fed from d 16 to 21 and euthanized for the ileal digesta collection on d 21 post hatching. In Exp. 2, birds were fasted for 12 h on d 17 post hatching. On d 18, birds were divided into an initial (8 birds) and final group (64 birds), and the initial group was euthanized and immediately frozen. The remaining 64 birds were assigned to a basal diet or test diet replacing the basal diet with 200 g/kg of SBM. Experiment 2 lasted 7 d and excreta collection was conducted during the last 3 d. On d 25, birds were euthanized after a 12-h fast, individually weighed, and immediately frozen. The whole frozen intact bird carcass was ground and analyzed for gross energy. Energy retention was estimated as a difference in total body energy between the initial and final groups. In both experiments, the experimental design was a randomized complete block design with body weight as a blocking factor. In Exp. 1, the CSID of several indispensable amino acids in SBM1 was greater (P < 0.05) compared with SBM2, SBM3, and SBM6. In Exp. 2, energy retention was greater (P < 0.05) in the basal diet group, whereas NE for maintenance was lower compared with the test diet group (P < 0.05) resulting in a tendency for greater NE intake in the basal diet group (P = 0.084). Values for metabolizable energy (ME), nitrogen-corrected ME, and apparent total tract utilization of gross energy and nitrogen were greater (P < 0.05) in the basal diet group, however, a statistical difference in NE and dietary NE to ME ratio between the basal and test diets was not observed. In conclusion, different values for CSID of amino acids should be applied when formulating broiler diets containing SBM; furthermore, ME, NE, and NE to ME ratio in SBM were 12.61 MJ/kg dry matter, 8.58 MJ/kg dry matter, and 0.682, respectively.

Broiler Age Influences the Apparent Metabolizable Energy of Soybean Meal and Canola Meal.

The effects of broiler age on the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) of soybean meal (SBM) and canola meal (CM) were examined. A corn-SBM basal diet was developed, and two test diets were formulated by substituting (w/w) 300 g/kg of the basal diet with SBM or CM. Six groups of broiler chickens, aged 1-7, 8-14, 15-21, 22-28, 29-35 or 36-42 d post-hatch, were utilized. Each diet, in pellet form, was randomly allocated to six replicate cages in each age group. Except for the 1-7 d age group, the birds were fed a starter (d 1-21) and/or a finisher (d 22-35) diet prior to the introduction of the experimental diets. The number of birds per cage was 10 (d 1-7), 8 (d 8-14) and 6 (d 15-42). The AME and AMEn of SBM and CM were determined by total excreta collection. The data for each protein source were subjected to orthogonal polynomial contrasts using the General Linear Models procedure. Bird age decreased the retention of dry matter quadratically (p &lt; 0.001) for both SBM and CM. The retention of nitrogen decreased linearly (p &lt; 0.001) with the advancing age of broilers for SBM and CM. The AMEn of SBM and CM decreased quadratically (p &lt; 0.001) as the birds grew older. The highest AMEn was observed during week 1 for both SBM and CM, then declined until week 3, followed by increases thereafter. The current results showed that the age of broiler chickens influenced the AMEn of SBM and CM and supported the use of age-dependent AMEn of feed ingredients in diet formulations.

Research Note: Influence of monocalcium phosphate and phytase in the diet on phytate degradation in cecectomized laying hens

This study investigated the effects of phytase and monocalcium phosphate supplementation on the dephosphorylation of phytic acid [myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate); InsP6] in cecectomized laying hens using total excreta collection. Four corn-soybean meal-rapeseed meal-based diets were mixed with or without 6 g of monocalcium phosphate/kg, with or without supplementation of 1,500 FTU phytase/kg, and had the same calcium concentration at 39 g/kg of feed. Each diet was tested in 5 replicates using a row-column design with 10 cecectomized laying hens in 2 periods. The hens received 120 g/d of feed while being housed individually in metabolism units, and total excreta were collected for a period of 4 d. The monocalcium phosphate × phytase interaction was not significant for InsP6 degradation (P = 0.054). Phytase increased InsP6 disappearance from 13% to 83% (P < 0.001), whereas monocalcium phosphate had no effect. Concentrations of most of the lower inositol phosphate isomers in excreta were higher when monocalcium phosphate was added to the diets. The concentration of Ins(1,2,5,6)P4 in excreta was the highest among the studied partially dephosphorylated inositol phosphates with phytase supplementation and was higher than in diets without phytase supplementation (P < 0.001). Supplementation with phytase increased myo-inositol concentration in excreta (P = 0.002), whereas monocalcium phosphate had no effect. Phosphorus utilization ranged from 4% to 18% and was not significantly affected by the treatments. These results suggest that phytase supplementation markedly increased InsP6 degradation in laying hens. The cecectomized laying hen assay may be suitable for studying the effects of phytase supplementation on phytate dephosphorylation under dietary conditions when performance and phosphorus excretion are unlikely to be affected.

Apparent calcium retention and digestibility coefficients of limestone with different particle sizes in laying hens

Apparent calcium (Ca) retention and digestibility coefficients are affected by limestone particle size in the diet of laying hens. This study aimed to determine the apparent retention and digestibility coefficients of Ca in limestone of different particle sizes in laying hens. The study comprised 288 Lohmann Brown laying hens (50 weeks of age; 1,964 ± 98 g) distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement [three Ca concentrations (10, 20, and 30 g kg–1) × two limestone particle sizes (480 and 1,978 µm)] with eight repetitions per treatment and six birds per experimental unit. The experiment included five days for adaptation and five days for total excreta collection. All birds were slaughtered at the end of the ten days to collect the ileal contents. The total or ileal Ca content was plotted against the Ca of diets concentration using linear regression analysis. The regression line slope represented the apparent retention (CaR) and digestibility coefficients of Ca (CaD) in limestone. There was interaction between Ca concentration in the diet and limestone granulometry on CaD (p = 0.001) and CaR (p < 0.001). The CaD and CaR of fine- and coarse-grained limestone increased linearly with increasing Ca concentrations in the diet. The apparent digestibility coefficients estimated for laying hens fed with fine-grained and coarse-grained limestone were 0.72 and 0.35, respectively. The apparent retention coefficients estimated for laying hens fed fine-grained and coarse-grained limestone were 0.96 and 0.47, respectively.

Towards the development of source separation and valorization of human excreta? Emerging dynamics and prospects in France

The source separation of human excreta (urine and/or feces) offers an alternative to conventional sanitation systems (flush toilets/public sewers) that is appealing in several respects, especially in environmental terms and for agricultural purposes, as a source of natural fertilizer from local and renewable resources. In France, systems for the separate collection of human excreta have previously been confined to the rural sphere and mainly implemented at the individual scale. However, since the 2010s, experimental projects in excreta source separation have been observed in urban areas, at the scale of individual houses and collective buildings, or even neighborhoods. This article, drawing on interdisciplinary social science research conducted within the French research program OCAPI (on ecological transition in nutrition/excretion systems), investigates these innovative projects for the source separation of human excreta in urban areas. Our work lies on a territorial approach, based on a cross-sectional analysis of experimental projects in three cities (Paris, Bordeaux and Grenoble), complemented by the mobilization of the “multi-level perspective” and the “technological innovation systems” frameworks. We study the trajectory and factors of development of source separation in France, its implementation dynamics and territorialisation pathways. Our analysis shows that source separation is still in an emerging phase in France. It is currently experimented in cities through diversified projects and approaches. This diversity applies both to socio-technical choices and territorial embeddedness’ forms. Adopting a prospective point of view, we then point out main obstacles and drivers to the scaling-up of this innovative practice: beyond technical issues, shared social values, stakeholder alignment issues and organizational challenges are essential. Finally, we consider possible directions for its development, ranging from the spread of a homogeneous solution to the continuation of a diversity of approaches on different territories.