Feed Conversion Research Articles

Dietary incorporation of biological curcumin nanoparticles improved growth performance, ileal architecture, antioxidative status, serum lipid profile, and humoral immune response of heat-stressed broiler chickens.

Heat stress greatly impairs poultry productivity, underscoring the urgent need for effective strategies to mitigate these adverse effects and improve overall poultry health. This study assessed the impact of dietary curcumin nanoparticles (CurNPs) on blood metabolites, immunity, redox status, ileal histomorphometry, and growth of broilers subjected to heat stress. A total of 400 one-day-old Ross-308 broiler chicks were randomly distributed into five groups, each consisting of eight replicates with ten birds per replicate. The chicks were fed a basal diet containing CurNPs at concentrations of 0, 100, 200, 300, or 400 mg/kg feed, designated as 0CurNPs, 100CurNPs, 200CurNPs, 300CurNPs, and 400CurNPs, respectively. Dietary CurNPs supplementation linearly (P > 0.001) improved weight gain, feed conversion ratio and European production efficiency index, while feed intake decreased linearly (P > 0.001) with increasing CurNPs supplementation. Carcass traits and serum renal and hepatic function biomarkers remained unaffected by the treatment. Serum cholesterol and LDL levels exhibited linear and quadratic (P > 0.05) reduction in all treated groups, although triglycerides and VLDL levels reduced linearly (P > 0.05) only in the 300CurNPs group. The inclusion of CurNPs resulted in a linear and quadratic increase (P > 0.05) in ileal villi height and a linear elevation (P > 0.05) in the villi height-to-crypt depth ratio. The redox status was improved with CurNPs supplementation, as serum MDA levels showed a linear decrease (P > 0.05) in the 300CurNPs and 400CurNPs groups, while SOD levels increased linearly and quadratically (P > 0.05) across all treated groups. Furthermore, dietary CurNPs exhibited linear (P > 0.001) increases in serum levels of IgM, IgG, and IgA, though antibody titres against NDV and AIV were unaffected. In conclusion, CurNPs proved to be an effective growth promoter, enhancing growth, intestinal architecture, redox status, and humoral immunity in heat-stressed broilers.

Soybean bioactive peptide supplementation improves gut health and metabolism in broiler chickens.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of soybean bioactive peptide (SBP) on the growth performance and intestinal health of yellow-feathered broilers and to further elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of intestinal health using multi-omics analysis. A total of 320 1-day-old yellow-feathered broilers were randomly divided into two groups, with 10 replicates per group and 16 birds per replicate. Broilers in the control group received the basal diet, and those in the experimental group (SBPG) received the basal diet with 0.2 % SBP replacing the same amount of soybean meal. The experiment lasted for 70 d. The results showed that, compared with those in the control group, the final body weight and average daily gain of SBPG broilers were significantly higher (P < 0.05), and the feed conversion ratio was significantly lower (P < 0.05). Notably, SBP significantly improved gut health in chickens, including increased intestinal villus height, decreased levels of proinflammatory factors, such as IL-1β and interferon-γ, and upregulated expression of tight junction proteins, such as ZO-1 and occludin. In addition, transcriptome sequencing results revealed that broilers in the SBP group exhibited significant enrichment in multiple metabolic pathways, including fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid degradation, and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.05). Cecal 16S rRNA sequencing showed that SBPG increased the abundance of the butyrate-producing beneficial bacteria Muribaculaceae. Subsequent cecal metabolome analysis also revealed that SBPG enhanced lipid-related metabolic pathways, such as alpha-linolenic acid metabolism and GPI-anchor biosynthesis. In conclusion, SBP is a potential feed additive that can improve intestinal morphology, enhance intestinal immunity and barrier function, optimize the structure of the intestinal microbiota, and enhance metabolic function.

Effects of drinking water supplemented with apple vinegar, essential oils, or colistin sulfate on growth performance, blood lipids, antioxidant status, intestinal morphology, and gut microflora of broiler chickens.

With rising concerns about antibiotic resistance and its consequences on public health, the identification of safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics in the poultry industry has become increasingly critical. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing drinking water with apple vinegar and essential oils, compared to an antibiotic growth promoter, on the growth performance, serum lipid profile, antioxidant status, intestinal morphology, and gastrointestinal microflora population of broiler chickens. A total of 240 one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four treatments, each consisting of six replicate pens with ten birds per pen. The broiler chickens received the following experimental treatments: normal drinking water without additives (control) and drinking water supplemented with antibiotic (0.25 ml/L), apple vinegar (1 ml/L), and essential oils blend (0.5 ml/L). The results showed that adding antibiotic or essential oils blend to drinking water improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio throughout the entire rearing period (P < 0.05). The serum levels of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein in broilers that received apple vinegar or essential oils blend were lower than those in the control and antibiotic groups (P < 0.05). The essential oils blend treatment significantly increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the serum of broiler chickens compared to the other treatments (P < 0.05). Furthermore, adding essential oils blend to the drinking water increased villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio in the jejunum of broilers (P < 0.05). The broiler chickens in the apple vinegar and essential oil blend groups also exhibited a lower population of Enterobacteriaceae and a higher count of lactic acid bacteria in the ceca (P < 0.05). In summary, the addition of essential oils blend to the drinking water of broiler chickens has beneficial effects on production performance and can serve as an effective alternative to antibiotic growth promoters.

Tryptophan ameliorates soybean meal-induced enteritis via remission of oxidative stress, mitophagy hyperactivation, and apoptosis inhibition in hybrid yellow catfish gut (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco ♀ × Pelteobagrus vachelli ♂)

In this study, the effects of Trp on the growth performance and intestinal health of hybrid yellow catfish suffering from soybean meal-induced enteritis (SBMIE) were investigated. A total of 600 individuals (initial body weight: 6.47 ± 0.01 g) were randomly divided into 12 cages, each with a water volume of 0.9 m3 and containing 50 individuals. Four different diets were used to feed hybrid yellow catfish: a fish meal-based diet (containing 40 % fishmeal, FM diet), a soybean meal-based diet (dietary replacement of 75 % FM with soybean meal, SBM diet), and two tryptophan-supplemented diets (soybean meal-based diet containing 0.5 % or 1.0 % of tryptophan, respectively, Trp1 diet and Trp2 diet), were used to feed hybrid yellow catfish. After 42 days of feeding, growth performance, oxidation and antioxidant indices, intestinal histomorphology, mitophagy and apoptosis were analyzed. The results revealed that the final body weight (FBW), weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion rate (FCR), viscerosomatic index (VSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), and condition factor (CF) were unaffected by Trp (P > 0.05) compared with those of fish fed the SBM diet. The fish fed the SBM diet exhibited typical SBMIE, with significantly decreased T-AOC, T-SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX, and increased MDA, ROS, DAO and D-lactate (P < 0.05). The intestinal and mitochondrial morphologies were disrupted. Conversely, the decreased antioxidant capacity, increased oxidant stress and intestinal permeability were significantly reversed by dietary Trp, and the intestinal and mitochondrial structures were repaired (P < 0.05). Moreover, the protein and mRNA levels of ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1, as well as the mRNA expression levels of tgf-β, il-10, caspase 3, caspase 9, fis1, mff, drp1, mfn1, opa1, and nrf1, were significantly higher in the dietary Trp groups compared to the SBM group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the apoptotic signals in the hindgut were significantly greater in the dietary Trp groups than in the SBM group. (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of tnf-α, il-1β, beclin1, lc3a, lc3b, parkin, pink1, bnip3, and fundc1, as well as the protein level of LC3B, were significantly decreased by dietary Trp (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that Trp can be used as a feed additive to alleviate oxidative stress, ameliorate intestinal epithelial injury, and reduce hyperactivated mitophagy and apoptosis resistance in the intestinal epithelium of hybrid yellow catfish subjected to SBMIE.

Effects of replacing soybean meal with cottonseed meal on growth performance, carcass trait, intestinal development and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with cottonseed meal (CSM) on growth performance, carcass trait, intestinal development and intestinal microbiota of broilers. A total of 792 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly allotted to three treatment groups, with 8 replicates per group and 33 birds per replicate. The control birds were administered a diet consisting primarily of corn and soybean meal. The two treatment groups were fed a similar diet with the soybean meal partially substituted by 5 % (5 % CSM group) or 10 % cottonseed meal (10 % CSM group). The experiment lasted 37 days. Results showed that in the starter phase, the 10 % CSM group had a higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) and a lower average daily feed intake (ADFI) compared to the control group and the 5 % CSM group (P < 0.05). Notably, the 10 % CSM group had the lowest body weight (BW) at 15 days of age (P < 0.05) among all treatments. In the grower phase, there were no significant differences in BW, average daily gain (ADG), and FCR of broilers among all groups (P > 0.05). In the finisher phase, both the 5 % and 10 % CSM groups significantly decreased ADG, and the 10 % CSM group significantly decreased ADFI (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in final body weight, ADG and ADFI among treatments from 1 to 37 days (P > 0.05). No significant effect of CSM was observed on the slaughter performance of broiler chickens. Compared with the basal diet, 5 % CSM significantly decreased the weight/length index of broiler ileum and the relative weight of duodenum and jejunum at both levels (P < 0.05). Moreover, 5 % and 10 % CSM significantly decreased breast meat pH in 24 h (P < 0.05). Cottonseed meal had no significant effect on the alpha diversity, beta diversity, and taxonomic composition at the phylum and genus levels of the ileal microbiota in broilers (P > 0.05). However, Spearman correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation (P < 0.05) between several bacterial phyla (genera) and the growth performance as well as slaughter performance of broilers. In conclusion, the effect of replacing SBM with CSM in broiler diet on growth performance of broilers varied at different ages. Thus, incorporating 10 % CSM resulted in decreased growth performance during the starter phase, while both 5 % and 10 % CSM levels had similar negative effects during the grower phase. In the finisher stage, the use of 5 % CSM influenced gut weight and meat pH but had no influence on slaughter performance, intestinal health and ileal flora structure of broilers.

Chronic heat stress is capable of reducing the growth performance, causing damage to the liver structure, and altering the liver glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides L.).

High temperatures cause abnormal energy metabolism and inhibit the growth of fish in aquaculture. However, the mechanism of energy metabolism under chronic heat stress is still unknown. In this study, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides, LMB) was treated with 25℃, 29℃, and 33℃ for 8weeks. Then, the growth performance, liver tissue damage, serum lipid indicator, hepatic glycogen, and triglyceride levels were analyzed. The growth data showed that the 33℃ group had a lower weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), feeding rate (FR), and higher feed conversion rate (FCR) in comparison with those in the 25℃ and 29℃ groups. However, there were no significant differences between the 25℃ and 29℃ groups. The most severe damage to liver tissue was observed in the 33℃ group, characterized by cellular vacuolation and marginalization of cell nuclei. The levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the serum were decreased with the rising temperatures. However, the hepatic triglyceride levels were increased, with a decrease in hepatic glycogen levels. Compared with the 25℃ group, the expressions of gluconeogenesis pathway-related genes (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pepck) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6pase)) and glucose transport pathway-related gene (glucose transporter 2 (Gltu2)) were down-regulated in the 33℃ group. In contrast, the expression of the glycolysis pathway-related gene (pyruvate kinase (Pk)) was up-regulated. In addition, the expressions of fatty acid β oxidation pathway-related genes (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-Alpha (Pparα) and carnitine palmityl transferase 1 (Cpt1)), adipogenesis pathway-related genes (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-Gamma (Pparγ), fatty acid synthase (Fas), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc)), and lipolysis pathway-related genes (adipose triglyceride lipase (Agtl) and hormone-sensitive lipase (Hsl)) were down-regulated under chronic heat stress. In conclusion, our results indicated that enhancement of the glycolysis pathway and inhibition of the gluconeogenesis pathway and lipid metabolism contribute to coping with chronic heat stress for LMB. Our study provides useful information for alleviating the heat stress response of LMB through nutritional regulation in the future.

Substituting barley with soya bean hulls in the concentrate offered to beef cattle as a supplement to grass silage or ad libitum: Intake, feed efficiency, carcass and selected meat quality traits

Substituting barley with soya bean hulls in the concentrate offered to beef cattle as a supplement to grass silage or ad libitum: Intake, feed efficiency, carcass and selected meat quality traits

Lactational performance effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol supplementation to dairy cows: A meta-regression.

A meta-regression was conducted to determine the production effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) and investigate their associations with dose, dietary nutrient composition, and supplementation length in dairy cows. Forty treatment and control mean comparisons extracted from 21 studies conducted or published between 2014 to 2024 were used in the meta-regression. Response variables were DMI, milk yield (MY), ECM yield, ECM feed efficiency, BW, BW change, and concentrations of milk fat, true protein, lactose, and MUN. Treatment and control mean differences (MD) as well as standardized MD were calculated and used for data presentation and statistical analysis, respectively. Dose (± SD; 77.0 ± 33.17 mg 3-NOP/kg DMI), forage-to-concentrate ratio (FC; 58.9 ± 8.83%, expressed as average ± SD% of forage in the diet), dietary concentrations of CP, ether extract, NDF, and starch (16.3 ± 1.84%, 4.3 ± 1.03%, 33.7 ± 4.40%, and 20.9 ± 3.97%, as average ± SD% of DM, respectively), supplementation length (days), and DIM and BW of the cows at the beginning of the study were used as continuous explanatory variables. Mixed-effects models were fitted using the robust variance estimation method. Full models containing uncorrelated explanatory variables (Pearson correlation <0.50) were fitted, and variables were removed from the final model if nonsignificant using the stepwise selection approach. Compared with control, supplementation of 3-NOP decreased DMI and MY by 0.80 ± 0.149 and 0.98 ± 0.250 kg/d, respectively, but only numerically decreased ECM by 0.50 ± 0.298 kg/d. Consequently, feed efficiency was increased by 0.05 ± 0.012 kg ECM/kg DMI with 3-NOP supplementation. Body weight and BW change were not affected by 3-NOP supplementation. Milk fat, true protein, and MUN concentrations were increased by 0.09 ± 0.028%, 0.02 ± 0.006%, and 0.59 ± 0.106 mg/dL, respectively. Increasing 3-NOP dose further decreased DMI and increased milk fat and MUN concentrations. Increasing dietary NDF and FC lessened the negative effect of 3-NOP on DMI and MY, respectively, and decreased its effect on milk fat and MUN (dietary NDF concentration effect only). Similarly, increasing dietary CP lessened the negative effect of 3-NOP on DMI and decreased its effect on MUN. To explain some of the production effects herein observed, ruminal fermentation data from 6 published studies were included in the meta-regression. Supplementation of 3-NOP tended to increase rumen pH and decreased NH3 concentration. Concentrations of total VFA, acetate, and the acetate-to-propionate ratio were decreased, whereas the concentration of propionate was increased, and that of butyrate was numerically increased by 3-NOP supplementation. Overall, 3-NOP supplementation of dairy cow diets decreased DMI and MY but did not affect ECM because of increased milk fat and true protein contents. Increased milk fat and MUN responses can be explained by shifted ruminal fermentation, and the increased milk true protein response may be explained by increased rumen propionate molar proportion by 3-NOP supplementation.

Identification of biological pathways and putative candidate genes for residual feed intake in a tropically adapted beef cattle breed by plasma proteome analysis

This study identified potential biomarkers for feed efficiency by blood plasma proteome analysis of a tropically adapted beef cattle breed. Two experimental groups were selected based on residual feed intake (RFI). The proteome was investigated by LC-MS/MS in a data-dependent acquisition mode. After quality control, 123 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified between the two experimental groups. Among DAPs with the highest absolute log-fold change values, the PRDM2, KRT5, UGGT1, DENND5B, B2M, SLC44A2, SLC7A2, PTPRC, and FETUB were highlighted as potential biomarkers because of their functions that may contribute to RFI. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis revealed several biological processes, molecular functions and pathways that contributes to RFI, such as cell signaling, cellular responses to stimuli, immune system, calcium, hormones, metabolism and functions of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. Protein-protein interaction analysis identified 32 and 11 DAPs as important nodes based on their interactions in the high- and low-RFI groups, respectively. This study represents the first comprehensive profiling of the blood plasma proteome of a tropically adapted beef cattle breed and provides valuable insights into the potential roles of these DAPs in key biological processes and pathways, contributing to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying feed efficiency in tropically adapted beef cattle. SignificanceLC-MS/MS analysis was performed to investigate changes in the blood plasma proteome associated with residual feed intake (RFI) in a tropically adapted beef cattle breed (Bos taurus taurus). Some putative biomarkers were identified to distinguish the high-RFI to low-RFI animals, based on their log-fold change value or on their protein-protein interaction network, which provide helpful sources in developing novel selection strategies for breeding programs. Our findings also revealed valuable insights into the metabolic pathways and biological processes that contribute to RFI in beef cattle, such as those closely linked to cell signaling, cellular responses to stimuli, immune system, calcium, hormones, metabolism and functions of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates.

Control of an aquaponic system to improve the yield of gray tilapia and lettuce cultivation

Water quality assessment presents challenges, primarily the paucity of available data and ongoing system maintenance. This research develops an automated monitoring and control of water quality parameters in aquaponic systems with internet of thing (IoT) technology. Proper fish feeding management is important, which is why the fish were fed at 12:00, 16:00 and 07:00. The most significant relative error recorded during the validation of the DS18B20, PH-4502C, SEN0244, SEN0237-A, SEN0189 and DFR0300 sensors is 5.0%. The maximum standard deviation between the mentioned sensors was 1.96, and the highest coefficient of variation reached 7.24%. Before the installation of the aquaponic system, the specific growth rate (SGR) of fish was 4.89±0.17% and after implementing the automated aquaponics system, the SGR of fish increased to 6.21±0.24%. The feed conversion ratio values of the fish, both before and after the installation of the control system, were 1.98±0.14% and 1.53±0.09%, respectively. In addition, an improvement in plant growth was observed, evidenced by the difference in the values of height, number of leaves, leaf length, and weight of the plants before and after the installation of the control system, which was 7.74 cm, 5 leaves, 5.6 cm, and 41.6 g respectively.

Effects of chronic cold stress and thermal stress on growth performance, hepatic apoptosis, oxidative stress, immune response and gut microbiota of juvenile hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser baerii ♀ × A. schrenkii ♂)

The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of chronic cold stress and thermal stress on the growth performance, hepatic oxidative status, immune response, apoptosis and gut microbiota in juvenile hybrid sturgeon. The fish (initial mean weight: 21.4 ± 0.3 g) was reared at three temperatures (14 °C, 22 °C, and 30 °C) for 16 d, which were termed as low temperature group (LT), moderate temperature group (MT), and high temperature group (HT), respectively, and the second group was regarded as control group in this study. Each group was assigned randomly to three tanks with 15 fish per replica. The results indicated that cold stress resulted in a significant reduction of growth metrics and a significant increase of feed conversion ratio in fish compared with MT group. Interestingly, cold stress increased hepatocyte apoptosis revealed by TUNEL staining, along with nuclear disappearance in H&E-stained sections and elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. Transcriptional levels of apoptosis-related genes and toll-like receptor signaling pathway components were significantly up-regulated in liver under cold stress. Compared with control group, in terms of thermal stress, the growth performance and feed utilization of fish were declined to some extent compared with MT group. Moreover, high temperature significantly elevated hepatic productions of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide, as well as increased activities of some antioxidant enzymes in liver. In addition, low and high temperature induce changes in the composition of gut microbiota. Overall, the results suggested that cold stress decelerated growth performance, induced hepatocyte apoptosis, and enhanced innate immunity in hybrid sturgeon to cope with additional stressors. Whereas, thermal stress resulted in hepatic oxidative stress in liver and the protective responses in the antioxidant enzymes in fish were activated. These results provided insights into the different physiological adaptation strategies in responsive to cold stress and thermal stress in this cold-water fish.

Development of deep learning-based mobile application for the identification of Coccidia species in pigs using microscopic images.

Coccidiosis is a gastrointestinal parasitic disease caused by different species of Eimeria and Isospora, poses a significant threat to pig farming, leading to substantial economic losses attributed to reduced growth rates, poor feed conversion, increased mortality rates, and the expense of treatment. Traditional methods for identifying Coccidia species in pigs rely on fecal examination and microscopic analysis, necessitating expert personnel for accurate species identification. To address this need, a deep learning-based mobile application capable of automatically identifying different species of Eimeria and Isospora was developed. The present study focused on six species, namely, E. debliecki, E. perminuta, E. porci, E. spinosa, E. suis, and Isospora suis, commonly found in pigs of the North Eastern Hill (NEH) region of India. Utilizing a two-stage approach, segmentation of coccidia oocysts in microscopic images using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), followed by species identification by same network was carried out in this work. Resource-efficient models, including EfficientNetB0, EfficientNetB1, MobileNet, and MobileNetV2, within an encoder-decoder architecture were utilized to extract features. Transfer learning was applied to enhance model accuracy during training. Additionally, a marker-controlled watershed algorithm was implemented to separate touching cells, thus reducing misclassification. The results demonstrate that all the developed models effectively segmented/classified Coccidia species, achieving mean Intersection-over-Union (m-IoU) values exceeding 0.92, with individual class IoU scores above 0.90. MobileNetV2 exhibited the highest m-IoU of 0.95, followed by EfficientNetB1 with an m-IoU of 0.94. For classification, MobileNetV2 demonstrated the highest performance, with accuracy, precision, and recall values of 0.93, 0.96, and 0.96, respectively. EfficientNetB1 yielded an accuracy of 0.91. The developed mobile application, tested on new data, achieved an identification accuracy of 91.0 %. These findings highlight the potential of deep learning-based mobile applications in effectively identifying Coccidia species in pigs, thus, providing a promising solution to mitigate reliance on expert personnel and laborious time-consuming experiments in this domain.

Bisphenol A induces sex-dependent alterations in the neuroendocrine response of Djungarian hamsters to photoperiod.

In nature, species synchronize reproduction and energy metabolism with seasons to optimize survival and growth. This study investigates the effect of oral exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) on phenotypic and neuroendocrine seasonal adaptations in the Djungarian hamster, which in contrast to conventional laboratory rodents, is a well-recognized seasonal model. Adult female and male hamsters were orally exposed to BPA (5, 50, or 500 μg/kg/d) or vehicle during a 10-week transition from a long (LP) to short (SP) photoperiod (winter transition) or vice versa (summer transition). Changes in body weight, food intake, and pelage color were monitored weekly and, at the end of the exposure, expression of hypophysio-hypothalamic markers of photoperiodic (TSHβ, deiodinases), reproductive (Rfrp, kisspeptin) and metabolic (somatostatin, Pomc) integration, reproductive organ activity, and glycemia were assessed. Our results revealed sex-specific effects of BPA on acquiring SP and LP phenotypes. During LP to SP transition, females exposed to 500 μg/kg/d BPA exhibited delayed body weight loss and reduced feed efficiency associated with a lower expression of somatostatin, while males exposed to 5 μg/kg/d BPA showed an accelerated acquisition of SP-induced metabolic parameters. During SP to LP transition, females exposed to 5 μg/kg/d BPA displayed a faster LP adaptation in reproductive and metabolic parameters, along with kisspeptin downregulation occurring 5 weeks earlier and Pomc upregulation delayed for up to 10 weeks. In males, BPA exposure led to decreased expression of central photoperiodic integrators, with no effect on the acquisition of the LP phenotype. This pioneering study investigating EDC impacts on mammalian seasonal physiology shows that BPA alters the dynamic of metabolic adaptation to both SP and LP transitions with marked sex dimorphism, causing temporal discordance in seasonal adaptation between males and females. These findings emphasize the importance of investigating EDCs' impact on non-conventional animal models, providing insights into wildlife physiology.

Interactions between gut microbes and host promote degradation of various fiber components in Meishan pigs.

Studies on porcine intestinal microbiota have been widely conducted, and some microbial taxa with fiber degradation functions have been identified. However, the mechanisms of division among gut microbes in the degradation of complex fiber components are still unclear. In addition, the regulation of fiber digestion by host through absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) needs to be further investigated. Our study used apparent total tract digestibility of dietary fiber to assess the utilization efficiency of dietary fiber between Meishan and Large White pigs. Subsequently, through metagenome sequencing and determination of fiber-degrading products, we found that in Meishan pigs, positive interactions among Treponema bryantii, Treponema sp., Rikenellaceae bacterium, and Bacteroidales bacterium WCE2004 facilitated the degradation of both cellulose and pectin. RNA-seq analysis elucidated breed-specific genes associated with SCFA absorption in cecum. By integrating multi-omics data, we constructed a framework outlining host-microbiota interactions that control dietary fiber utilization in pigs. Our data provide novel insights into host-microbiota interactions regulating fiber degradation and lay some theoretical foundations for improving the utilization efficiency of high-fiber cereal feed in pigs through targeted modulation of gut microbial function.

Relation among zootechnical performance, biochemical indicators, water quality, and small invertebrates (zooplankton) abundance reared in biofloc-supplemented systems

The present study was conducted to investigate the interaction of biofloc water supplementations and potential zooplankton abundance and structure in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus-rearing systems on zootechnical performance and biochemical indicators. Nile tilapia juveniles (13.30 g and 9.50 cm) were randomly distributed into 18 fiberglass tanks (500 L/tank with a stocking density of 40 fish/tank) to start the feeding experiment for 60 days. Fish weights were recorded weekly to adjust the feeding rate at 3% of their biomass using a commercial diet. Compared to the control group (T0, zero biofloc water supplementation), the influence of five biofloc supplementation levels was applied as follows: 14.2, 28.4, 42.6, 56.8, and 71 g L−1 (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5, respectively). The biofloc was prepared in an external fermentor fiberglass tank (300 L) and added to the fish tanks to keep the biofloc levels constant during the experiment. After 30 and 60 days of the experiment, the number of zooplankton was 46,501 and 24,537 Ind. L−1, respectively, which included four families (Rotifera, Copepoda, Cladocera, and free-living nematodes) with the domination of family Rotifera at 81.65% and 93.89%, respectively. The water quality indicated was within the standard values recommended for fish culture. Compared to those of the control group, the values of growth performance, whole-body biochemical composition, and blood biochemical indicators were significantly higher in biofloc groups than in the control group. Group T3 achieved the highest significant growth performance values. In comparison with the control group, T3 achieved the lowest number of cultures and the abundance of small invertebrate prey after 60 days of culture. The fish reared in groups T0 and T1 showed the highest significant urea content and the highest concentrations of liver function enzyme activities. Interestingly, compared to all groups, T3 achieved the best feed conversion ratio (FCR) value (1.68). Principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient confidence (PCCC) clarified a close positive relationship between T0 and T3 with the total individual, Rotifera abundance, and FCR. The highest PCCC value with T0 was in group T3 (0.947). In conclusion, biofloc supplementation (42.6 g L−1) showed a sustainable clean aquadiet strategy and significantly improved Nile tilapia growth and FCR with regard to the culture of small prey invertebrates for 60 days.

Nutritional Performance of Extracted Soybean, Full-Fat Soya and Maize Gluten Meal Compared to a Fishmeal-Based Reference Diet for Juvenile Tilapia (Oreochromis Mossambicus)

Modern diets for aquaculture are highly complex and utilize a broad range of ingredients, including animal and plant byproducts. This study focused on the rationale of obtaining primary nutritional responses of tilapia evaluating two major ingredients, namely soybean meal and maize gluten meals by replacing fishmeal at set levels of incorporation. A two-onth investigation evaluated selected plant protein sources compared to fish meal protein in scientifically formulated diets for fingerling tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Six nutritionally balanced diets: one reference (control) diet (fish-meal based diet), three selected plant proteins (solvent extracted soybean, full-fat soybean, and maize gluten) were substituted for the LT (Low Temperature dried) fish-meal-based control diet protein at 50% respectively, and the remaining diets were replaced with 75% inclusion of solvent extracted soybean and maize gluten meals. Results showed that solvent extracted soybean meal, 50 (SESB50), Full fat soybean, 50% (FFSB50) and Maize gluten, 50% (MG50) fed tilapia did not appreciably differ in their growth performance (percent weight gain of 279.36, 249.23, and 194.13% respectively) with a final mean weight of 14.95g being significantly superior (&lt;0.05) for the fishmeal control (CO) group. Substitution of fish meal with solvent-extracted soybean and maize gluten at levels of 75% gave the poorest growth performance and Feed Efficiency (FE) (7.01g final weight, 51% FE). However, the MG50 diet also showed inferior feed utilisation performance. However, tilapia fed on a full-fat soybean diet (FFSB50) did not vary significantly from the control (CON) diet in terms of protein utilisation (ANPU) at 34.20% and 37.53% respectively. Whilst this preliminary study concluded that limitations on the use of the selected plant proteins in diets for tilapia are apparent, several approaches that could result in the future improvement of the nutritional value of soybean and maize gluten products for use in fish diets are also stated.

Effects of different environmental enrichment tools to improve behavior, welfare, and growth performance of broiler chickens.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of various environmental enrichment (EE) tools on broiler growth, welfare, behavior, carcass, and meat quality. A total of 300 commercial broilers were randomly divided into 05 treatments. The treatments include various EE tools such as perches, balls, hanging bottles, and laser lights placed for birds and a control group. The birds kept with perches and hanging bottles had the lowest feed intake, while the birds in the control group showed the poor feed conversion ratio compared to all EE treatments. Broilers raised under different EE were more active and exhibited frequent maintenance behavior (i.e., walking, jumping, running, wing flapping and aggressiveness) than the control group which spent more time in feeding and drinking. Moreover, the birds with EE had reduced incidence of toe injuries and footpad dermatitis than those in the control group. Birds reared with perches had higher meat lightness, whereas meat from the birds in the control group had lower cooking loss and shear force. It can be concluded that the use of various EE tools improved the welfare and behavior of the birds without affecting bodyweight of the birds. Furthermore, the use of hanging bottles and placing perches reduced feed intake and improved feed conversion ratio.

The effect of continuous and pulse feeding Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on growth performance, gut microbiota, immunological, haematological and plasma biochemical parameters of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

A potentially probiotic autochthonous strain of Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum R2 Biocenol™ (CCM 8674), was assessed as a feed supplement in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Three treatment groups were compared; control, fish provided L. plantarum as a four-week dietary pulse followed by three weeks of non-supplemented diet and fish provided the supplemented feed for seven weeks. A trend of improved growth performance (specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio) was observed in both supplemented groups. Though the effect of pulse supplementation on the intestinal microbiome community was not permanent, a statistically significant difference was recorded in the composition of the gut content bacterial community in both pulse and continuous supplemented groups. A significant reduction in the abundance of several bacterial genera was observed in the gut microbiome of fish given the seven-week supplementation. Continuous supplementation significantly increased blood haemoglobin and haematocrit levels and reduced plasmatic chloride concentration, while significantly increased concentrations of plasmatic magnesium and calcium were recorded in pulse-fed fish. No significant changes in immunological indices were revealed. Our results suggest that four weeks and seven weeks supplementation of L. plantarum show similar trends of effects on growth performance in rainbow trout. Further studies will follow to assess the effects of L. plantarum R2 Biocenol™ on the response of rainbow trout to a pathogens challenge in relation to the change in gut microbiome composition.

Therapeutic Effect of Dietary Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Growth Performance, Hematology Profile and Immunity Parameters of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Medicinal plants are rich in diverse nutrients and antioxidants that promote growth and have immunostimulating activities for fish. In aquaculture phytomedicines have gained importance worldwide because they are easily available, non-toxic to aquatic life. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is among the most suitable natural ingredient due to its biological effects. Therefore, a study has been conducted to determine the effect of turmeric on the growth performance, hematology and immunity of common carp Cyprinus carpio. For this purpose, 180 fingerlings of common carp with average initial weight (30.23±0.04 g) were divided into six groups containing five treatment groups. Each tank was stocked with 10 fingerlings. Treatments were maintained in triplicates. Fish were fed with basal diet supplemented with graded level of turmeric at different concentrations i.e. TE0 (control), TE1 (1.0%), TE2 (2.0%), TE3 (3.0%), TE4 (4.0%) and TE5 (5.0%). Fish were fed twice a day at 3% body weight for 12 weeks. Results showed that fish growth was higher in all treatments as compared to the control group. The feed efficiency ratio (FER), feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate (SGR) and condition factor (K), of fish fed with turmeric enriched diet were found to be better than the control group. TE4 diet exposed to 4% Turmeric, showed maximum growth in terms of growth performance and feed utilization. Moreover, haematology profile and immunity parameters also improved by turmeric supplementation. The result of the present study shows that turmeric has the potential to enhance the growth performance of common carp. Overall, the TE4 % dietary group showed better growth performance and immunity than the control group and other treated groups.

Performance of 1-year-old camel calves fed a basal ration of alfalfa hay supplemented with different levels of concentrate

BackgroundThe use of a high-concentrate diet in fattening camels may have significant effects on growth performance and digestion as well as economic returns. This experiment was designed to study the effects of feeding different levels of concentrate in their diet on growth performance and digestion in a desert climate.MethodsEighteen 12-month-old male camel calves were used, and divided into three treatments of six each. The concentrate was administered based on their body weight (BW) at 0.7 (low), 1.0 (medium), and 1.3% (high), with free access to alfalfa and water. The experiment lasted for 6 months, in which digestibility trials took place at 14, 16, and 18 months of age, which corresponded to 2, 4, and 6 months of the experimental period.ResultsNo significant variations were observed in final BW, BW changes, or average daily gain among feeding treatments. Increasing the concentrate level had a negative effect on roughage intake, impacting the roughage-to-concentrate ratio (P < 0.05) and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (P < 0.05). Increasing concentrate levels significantly increased total intake (P < 0.05), leading to a worse feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). However, animal age had no negative effect on nutrient digestibility, and there were no interactions between concentrate supplement level and animal age. Significant increases in plasma total protein (P < 0.05) and urea (P < 0.05) were observed when the leve lof concentrate was increased. A similar trend was observed in rumen ammonia concentration. Camel calves fed low vs. medium or high levels of concentrate showed a greater rumen pH (P < 0.05), which was linked to a lower concentration of volatile fatty acids (P < 0.010).ConclusionsThe present study concluded that yearling camel calves receiving different levels of concentrate with ad lib alfalfa hay could cover their nutrient requirements for maintenance and growth with a daily gain of 630 g/day when the level of concentrate was limited to 0.7% of BW and the total intake was only around 1.65% of BW, or 70.6 g/kg metabolic BW.