Digestibility Coefficients Of Energy Research Articles

Effects of High Dietary Inclusion of Defatted Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Meal as a Fish Meal Substitute on Growth, Histological Traits, and Health Performances of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The digestibility of defatted mealworm (DMW, Tenebrio molitor) and its substitution for fishmeal (FM) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) diets was determined. In the first trial, a diet with 40% FM was considered as the control (Diet 1), and four other diets replaced 25% (Diet 2), 50% (Diet 3), 75% (Diet 4), and 100% (Diet 5) of FM with DMW. In the second trial, the in vivo digestibility of DMW was assessed. Results of the first trial showed no significant differences in fish growth and feed utilization performance among dietary groups (p > 0.05). Fish fed the highest DMW level showed significantly higher whole‐body lipid and energy composition compared to fish fed the control diet. Substitution of FM with DMW did not significantly affect hematological electrolyte, acid–base, and blood gas parameters, except for sodium (Na) concentration. The measured mean score of histopathological features did not show significant degradation of the distal intestine when FM was completely replaced. A significantly lower liver inflammation was observed in fish‐fed Diet 3 compared to fish‐fed Diet 5. Based on the results of the second experiment, the apparent digestibility coefficient of dry matter, protein, lipid, energy, and phosphorus were 80%, 87%, 100%, 84%, and 90%, respectively, and all essential amino acid digestibility coefficients were >90%. Overall, the highly digestible DMW can fully replace FM in the diet, up to 40% as fed, with little to no impact on the health, growth performance, feed efficiency, and fillet composition. When considering all parameters evaluated, an inclusion level between 20% and 30% (as fed) or 50%–75% of FM replacement was found to yield the best performance and fish health.

Impact of processing technologies on insect meal digestibility in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of nutrients and energy of three differently processed black soldier fly (BSF) meals in rainbow trout and European sea bass. The processing techniques included defatting with heat treatment followed by tricanter centrifugation, with or without an enzyme hydrolysis step, as well as microwave drying. In the experimental design, each processed BSF meal was mixed with a reference diet at a 30% inclusion level, using celite as an inert digestibility marker and fed to triplicate groups of rainbow trout and European sea bass. For the European sea bass trial, an additional diet with full fat oven-dried BSF meal was also evaluated. In rainbow trout, all the processed insect meals exhibited high digestibility, with no significant differences among the BSF meals. All the amino acids were highly digestible, with ADCs ranging from 84.8% to 93.6% for the essential amino acids and from 78% to 93.2% for the non-essential ones without significant differences between treatments (). In European sea bass, while fat and energy digestibility was similar, protein digestibility was significantly higher in all the processed BSF meals when compared to the oven-dried meal (). Between the two full fat insect meals, microwave drying significantly improved dry matter and protein digestibility of BSF meal when compared to oven-drying ( and , respectively). No differences were observed in the digestibility of the two defatted insect meals (), thus suggesting that enzymatic hydrolysis did not affect their digestibility in either fish species. This study suggests that processing techniques such as defatting and microwave drying can enhance the nutritional quality and digestibility of BSF meals and offers insights for optimizing insect-based feeds in aquaculture.

Effects of β-Mannanase Alone or Combined with Multi-Carbohydrase Complex in Corn-Soybean Meal Diets on Nutrient Metabolism and Gut Health of Growing Pigs.

(1) Background: This study was performed to evaluate whether the addition of β-mannanase alone or combined with a multi-carbohydrase complex can improve diet digestibility, nutrient and energy metabolism, and the gut health of growing pigs. (2) Methods: Twenty-four pigs (35.56 ± 3.81 kg) were fed a control corn-soybean meal-based diet (no addition) or a control diet with β-mannanase (BM; 300 g/ton) or control diet β-mannanase plus a multi-carbohydrase complex including xylanase, β-glucanase, and arabinofuranosidases (BM + MCC; 300 + 50 g/ton) for 13 days. Total fecal and urine samples were collected from days 6 to 12. The feces samples were collected from all the pigs to determine fecal biomarkers using commercial ELISA tests. Blood samples were collected from all the pigs on day 13 to assess the serum concentrations of acute-phase proteins. All the pigs were euthanized on day 13 for intestinal tissue collection for morphometric analysis. Data were submitted to variance analysis and differences were considered significant at p ≤ 0.05 and a trend for 0.05 < p ≤ 0.10. (3) Results: The addition of BM and BM + MCC resulted in greater dry matter, protein, and energy digestibility coefficients, and protein (2.87% and 2.60%) and energy (2.61% and 1.44%) metabolizability coefficients compared to control (p < 0.05). A greater retention of nitrogen ratio and lower fecal energy were observed in BM and BM + MCC than in the control (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the addition of BM and BM + MCC resulted in lower manure production (29.78 and 49.77%, respectively) and fecal moisture (p < 0.001) compared to the control. The BM addition resulted in a greater villus area and villi height to crypt depth ratio compared to the control (p < 0.05). The addition of BM and BM + MCC diets also reduced the fecal calprotectin levels by 52 and 56% in relation to the control pigs. (4) Conclusions: The use of β-mannanase alone or associated with multi-carbohydrase complex improved nutritional digestibility, nutrient and energy metabolism, and gut health, and reduced the manure production of growing pigs.

Apparent digestibility of proteinaceous feed ingredients from animal and plant origin for two tropical species snubnose pompano Trachinotus blochii and mangrove red snapper Lutjanus argentimaculatus

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of protein and energy in a selection of ingredients of animal origin and plant origin were determined for snubnose pompano (Trachinotus blochii) and mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus). Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) were determined using a reference diet with yttrium oxide as an inert marker and test diets that contained 70 % of basal mash and 30 % of the feed ingredient being evaluated. Snubnose pompano and mangrove red snapper with an initial average body weight of 733.1 ± 92.3 g and 386.7 ± 37.7 g respectively, were fed with the diets for a period of 7 days before collecting faecal samples. The fish were sedated, and faeces were carefully stripped. The faecal samples, ingredient samples, and the diets were subjected to chemical analysis to determine the content of yttrium, protein (nitrogen) and energy. Diet apparent digestibiltiy coefficients (DADC) were determined, and these DADC values were used to derive the ingredient apparent digestibiltiy coefficients (IADC) using the diet substitution approach methodology. Ingredient protein digesitbilities ranged from 82.9 % to 112.3 % in snubnose pomano and were typically higher for soybean meal (Sparos Lda), whereas in mangrove red snapper the ingredient protein digestibilities ranged between 52.1 % and 99.9 % and were typically higher for corn gluten meal (Arabian Agricultural Services Company, ARASCO). Ingredient energy digesitbilities for snubnose pompano ranged from 55.2 % to 115.6 % and were typically highest for wheat gluten (National Aquaculture, NAQUA), whereas ingredient energy digestibilities ranged between 40.3 % and 93.3 % in manrove red snapper and were typically higher for fishmeal (United Marine Products, UMP). In comparison between the two species, the analysis revealed a weak correlation in both diet and ingredient digestibilities for protein and energy. Consequently, the use of digestibility data within species at the same trophic level necessitates a prior assessment when other factors are involved.

A blend of bacillus-fermented soybean meal, functional amino acids, and nucleotides improves nutrient digestibility, bolsters immune response, reduces diarrhea, and enhances growth performance in weaned piglets.

This study investigated the effects of a blend of bacillus-fermented soybean meal, functional amino acids, and nucleotides (Functional protein blend-FP Blend) as a replacement for animal protein sources in a weaner pig diet without antibiotic growth promoters on nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, intestinal morphology, diarrhea incidence, and growth performance. A total of 288 crossbred weaned piglets [♂ Duroc x ♀ (Yorkshire × Landrace)] with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 0.71kg were randomly allocated to 6 groups based on initial BW and sex (8 replicate pens per treatment; 3 gilts and 3 barrows/pen). The experiment lasted for 5wk. Dietary treatments included PC [standard diet with 3% fish meal (FM) and 2% plasma protein (PP)], NC (nonanimal protein, AP), T1 (3% FM replaced with 5% FP Blend), T2 (3% FM and 1% PP replaced with 5% FP Blend), T3 (2% PP replaced with 5%FP Blend), and T4 (3% FM and 2% PP replaced with 5% FP Blend). Data were analyzed using Minitab version 17 software. Key results indicated that FP Blend improved the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) coefficient of dry matter, gross energy, lysine, and valine in T4 compared with NC treatment (P < 0.05), whereas AID coefficient of crude protein and other amino acids remained constant (P > 0.05). Compared with NC diet, the weaned pigs fed T4 diet reduced malondialdehyde, serum IL8, TNF-α, and increased IgG (P < 0.05), while showing no effect on serum IL6, IL10, white blood cells, IgA, and endotoxin (P > 0.05). Furthermore, FP blend significantly increased villus height in the duodenum and ileum in T4 compared with NC (P < 0.05). The average daily gain (ADG) was highest in T4 (502.73g/d), followed by T1 (477.96g/d) and T2 (475.85g/d), compared with PC (450.86g/d) and NC (439.79g/d). T4's ADG significantly differed from PC and NC (P < 0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed in T1, T2, and T3 (P > 0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower in T4 (1.45) compared with PC (1.57) and NC (1.59) (P < 0.001), with no significant differences among other groups. In conclusion, FP Blend demonstrated efficacy in improving nutrient digestibility, optimizing intestinal morphology, bolstering immune responses, reducing diarrhea incidence, alleviating the adverse effects of weaning stress, and enhancing growth performance of weaned piglets.

Full-fat black soldier fly larvae meal and yellow mealworm meal: Impact on feed protein quality, growth and nutrient utilization of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) post smolts

The shift towards insect-based alternatives in aquafeeds stems from the need to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the ingredients used in salmon feeds. In the present study, we describe the effects of full-fat insect meal incorporation on amino acid derivatives in feeds and the growth performance and nutrient utilization of Atlantic salmon post-smolts fed insect meals. A 74-day growth trial was conducted employing 520 fish (143 ± 12.8 g); these fish were fed either a control diet (CO) that contained 20 % fishmeal, 20 % soy protein concentrate (SPC), 14 % wheat gluten, 19 % plant raw materials, 13 % fish oil and 6 % rapeseed oil, or one of four insect meal diets, prepared with either 5 % and 10 % black soldier fly larvae meal (BS5, BS10) or 15 % and 30 % mealworm meal (MW15, MW30), by substituting mainly SPC, wheat gluten and rapeseed oil. The inclusion levels of BS and MW were determined based on their distinct chemical compositions, specifically their lipid content. As regards the results, HPLC-based high-throughput data on amino acid derivatives revealed the following: carboxymethyllysine was significantly higher in the MW30 feed than in BS5, BS10 and MW15 feeds; carboxyethyllysine was higher in the MW15 and MW30 feeds compared to the others; furosine was lower in the MW15 feed compared to the CO, BS5 and MW30 feeds. Regarding the effect of the insect meals on Atlantic salmon post-smolts, their inclusion had no significant effect on feed conversion ratio, health indicators and the retention efficiency of macronutrients. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter, lipid, ash and energy were not significantly different. However, protein digestibility in the 30 % MW group (80.4 %) was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) compared to the control and BS5 group (84.5 %). Furthermore, the ADC of protein was found to decrease linearly with increasing levels of insect meals, with MW showing a significant relationship (adjusted r2 = 0.77, p = 0.014). Overall, our study highlights the efficacy of 5 and 10 % BS and 15 % MW as ingredients in the feeds of Atlantic salmon. Other focal points included the undesirable amino acid derivatives and a reduction in protein digestibility associated with 30 % of MW in the diet of Atlantic salmon. Hence, future investigations should focus on the effects of feed processing conditions on the protein quality of mealworm before suggesting higher inclusion levels to the feed industry.

Apparent Digestibility Coefficients of Nutrients and Energy from Animal-Origin Proteins for Macrobrachium rosenbergii Juveniles

In prawn farming, the main protein source used in aquafeed formulations is fishmeal. Nevertheless, one estimates that in the coming years, this protein source will no longer be able to meet the demand for the activity. The search for new ingredients is important to meet the increasing demand and minimize environmental impacts, such as the reduction in fish stocks and the eutrophication of aquatic systems. The objective of this study was to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), and ether extract (EE) of fishmeal, poultry co-products (viscera and hydrolysed feather), and insect meal (Gromphadorhina portentosa) for giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) juveniles. To determine the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs), 90 prawns (average weight, 15 g) were randomly distributed among three experimental units. The reference feed was formulated according to the requirements of the giant river prawn, with 35% crude protein and a gross energy of 3600 kcal kg−1. The test diets comprised 70% of the reference diet and 30% of the respective test ingredients. Prawns were fed three times a day until apparent satiety. Faeces were collected using the indirect siphoning method, twice a day at the same feeding site (at 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.). The water parameters were temperature (27 °C), dissolved oxygen (6.65 mg L−1) and pH (7.76). The ACDs of DM, CP, EE, and GE were, respectively, 61.48; 88.28; 99.89 and 88.25 for fishmeal; 76.48; 81.55; 97.29 and 85.13 for poultry viscera meal; 73.82; 75.21; 73.17 and 76.42 for hydrolysed feather meal; and 52.35; 59,48; 87.95 and 67.64 for G. portentosa meal. The values of protein (%) and digestible energy (kcal kg−1) were 55.20 and 3711 for fishmeal; 47.27 and 4285 for poultry viscera’s meal; 65.03 and 4145 for hydrolysed feather meal; and 47.72 and 3616 for G. portentosa meal. These results showed the potential use of insect meals and poultry co-products as ingredients for the diets of M. rosenbergii juveniles, as they present digestible values close to those found for fishmeal, the main raw material used in aquaculture diets.

Dried crickets (Gryllus sigillatus) or black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal for broiler chickens: nutrient composition and digestibility

Abstract This study explores the potential of cricket meal and black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) as alternative protein sources in broiler chicken diets. With the use of the substitution method, using diatomaceous earth as an external marker, we investigated the nutrient availability and apparent metabilizeable energy content of oven-dried full-fat cricket meal (OD-CM), freeze-dried full-fat cricket meal (FD-CM), and defatted BSFLM in a feeding trial involving 320 Ross 308 broilers housed in 32 pens (8 replicates / treatment; 8 birds / pen). Feed intake, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were measured between days 15 and 21. Excreta collected on days 19, 20, and 21 were analyzed for nutrient content. Both cricket treatments were high in crude protein. Additionally, FD-CM demonstrated the highest fat content, surpassing OD-CM. OD-CM displayed a significantly higher apparent digestibility coefficient for crude protein compared to BSFLM (). FD-CM had the highest apparent digestibility coefficient for gross energy (). The nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy of OD-CM and FD-CM were significantly higher than that of BSFLM (). Furthermore, OD-CM exhibited a significantly higher available crude protein content compared to BSFLM and FD-CM (). This research sheds light on the potential of OD-CM and FD-CM as valuable alternative protein sources for broiler chickens, providing critical insights for the poultry industry’s sustainable future. This research is important as the apparent digestibility coefficients, as well as available nutrients calculated for the three ingredients may be used to accurately formulate poultry diets on an available nutrient basis.

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;

Maintenance requirement and growth utilization efficiency of digestible methionine and cysteine determined for striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) using ration level technique

Knowledge of the amino acid (AA) requirements for striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) is very limited. The main objective of the study was to determine maintenance requirements and utilization of digestible methonine (Met) and other essential amino acids (EAA) for growth in juvenile striped catfish. To evaluate the objective, a series of three different trials were carried out. Initially, a 28-d feed deprivation study showed an allometric relationship between energy, protein, or AA losses (y) and geometric body weight (BW), where the relationship was expressed as a power function (y = aBWb) with the exponent values (b) being 0.84 for energy, 0.83 for protein, and 0.81–0.90 for various EAAs. Next, a digestibility trial was carried out to determine apparent digestibility coefficients of energy, protein and AA from the ingredients, including: fish meal, soybean meal, wheat bran, regular and defatted rice bran. These values were then used in the final trial to formulate two diets on a digestible AA basis with similar crude protein (31%), energy (17.1 kJ g−1) and AA composition - except for digestible Met and Met+Cys, which were 0.47% and 0.90% for Diet A, and 0.61% and 1.05% for Diet B. The diets were fed to quadruplicate groups of fish (∼10 g initial weight; 20 fish per tank) at increasing ration levels (∼ 35%, 55%, 77%, 93% and 100% apparent satiation) for 64 days. One group was deprived of feed for 28 days. The results showed that feeding catfish at increasing ration levels significantly improves the growth performance in both dietary treatments. Additionally, the group fed Diet B showed significantly better weight gain than the corresponding group fed Diet A at 93% and 100% satiation. The maintenance requirement was determined to be 21.77 mg digestible (dig) Met kg−0.83 d−1 and 35.3 mg dig Met+Cys kg−0.83 d−1 based on a linear model and to be 18.8 mg digestible (dig) Met kg−0.83 d−1 and 30.7 mg dig Met+Cys kg−0.83 d−1 based on an exponential fit to the data. The efficiency of digestible Met utilization (kDMetassessed based on Diet B) for growth above maintenance was found to be 63% (including data of all ration levels) or 71% (excluding data of 100% satiation), while that for the Met+Cys (kDM+C) was found to be 46% (including data of all ration levels) or 51% (excluding data of 100% satiation). The efficiency of digestible protein utilization for weight gain with Diet B was found to be higher (66%) than that with Diet A (57%), indicating the importance of balancing striped catfish diets for dietary Met. The study also determined maintenance requirements and utilization efficiency of other EAAs which need to be further improved. These data can be used to derive AA requirements for striped catfish based on a factorial modelling approach which relies on maintenance requirements, growth utilization of AA, and targeted growth or protein deposition.

Paecilomyces variotii (PEKILO®) in novel feeds for Atlantic salmon: Effects on pellet quality, growth performance, gut health, and nutrient digestibility and utilization

Filamentous fungi have potential as an alternative protein source for use in aquafeeds due to their high protein content and bioactive components. Paecilomyces variotii (PEKILO® mycoprotein) is a β-glucan- and nucleotide-rich filamentous fungi with a crude protein (CP) content of 60–70%. A 9-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of P. variotii in diets for Atlantic salmon (initial average body weight of 24 g fish−1) reared in freshwater. Four experimental diets were formulated. Diet 1 was a control diet based on fish meal, soy protein concentrate, and wheat gluten meal. Diets 2, 3, and 4 were formulated so that P. variotii replaced 5, 10, and 20% of the CP content of the diets, respectively. Results showed that dietary inclusion of P. variotii was associated with changes in physical pellet quality, including significant linear (p < 0.0001) and/or quadratic (p < 0.01) decreases in pellet length, width, expansion, and durability. Conversely, significant linear (p < 0.0001) and quadratic (p < 0.025) increases in water activity, bulk density, and water stability index were associated with increasing replacement of the CP content of the diets with P. variotii. There were no significant differences in weight gain, growth rate or feed intake among fish fed the experimental diets (p > 0.05), but a significant linear improvement (p < 0.025) in feed conversion ratio (FCR) with increasing dietary inclusion of P. variotii was observed. The apparent digestibility coefficients for CP and gross energy of the experimental diets decreased linearly (p < 0.01) with increasing dietary levels of P. variotii. Similar results were observed for the essential and non-essential amino acids. Despite reduced digestibility, linear increases in nitrogen (p < 0.01), energy (p < 0.025), and mineral (p < 0.001) retention efficiencies were associated with increasing dietary levels of P. variotii. In the distal intestine, dietary inclusion of P. variotii resulted in significant (p < 0.05) upregulation of several cytokines (ifng, il10, and tgfb), effector molecules (inos, arg1, sod), and transcription factors (irf4), suggesting both activation and control of the inflammatory response in this key mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Overall, replacement of 20% of the CP content of the diet with P. variotii reduced digestibility of the experimental diets, but did not affect growth performance and improved FCR and nutrient utilization efficiency of salmon. Thus, P. variotii is a promising ingredient with potential for use in salmonid aquafeeds to improve fish performance and health.

The potential of microbiota information to better predict efficiency traits in growing pigs fed a conventional and a high-fiber diet

BackgroundImproving pigs’ ability to digest diets with an increased dietary fiber content is a lever to improve feed efficiency and limit feed costs in pig production. The aim of this study was to determine whether information on the gut microbiota and host genetics can contribute to predict digestive efficiency (DE, i.e. digestibility coefficients of energy, organic matter, and nitrogen), feed efficiency (FE, i.e. feed conversion ratio and residual feed intake), average daily gain, and daily feed intake phenotypes. Data were available for 1082 pigs fed a conventional or high-fiber diet. Fecal samples were collected at 16 weeks, and DE was estimated using near‑infrared spectrometry. A cross-validation approach was used to predict traits within the same diet, for the opposite diet, and for a combination of both diets, by implementing three models, i.e. with only genomic (Gen), only microbiota (Micro), and both genomic and microbiota information (Micro+Gen). The predictive ability with and without sharing common sires and breeding environment was also evaluated. Prediction accuracy of the phenotypes was calculated as the correlation between model prediction and phenotype adjusted for fixed effects.ResultsPrediction accuracies of the three models were low to moderate (< 0.47) for growth and FE traits and not significantly different between models. In contrast, for DE traits, prediction accuracies of model Gen were low (< 0.30) and those of models Micro and Micro+Gen were moderate to high (> 0.52). Prediction accuracies were not affected by the stratification of diets in the reference and validation sets and were in the same order of magnitude within the same diet, for the opposite diet, and for the combination of both diets. Prediction accuracies of the three models were significantly higher when pigs in the reference and validation populations shared common sires and breeding environment than when they did not (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe microbiota is a relevant source of information to predict DE regardless of the diet, but not to predict growth and FE traits for which prediction accuracies were similar to those obtained with genomic information only. Further analyses on larger datasets and more diverse diets should be carried out to complement and consolidate these results.

Evaluation of andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) seed meal as a dietary component on growth performance, feed utilization, nutrient digestibility, and liver histology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Juveniles

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary inclusion of Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) on the growth performance, carcass composition, liver histology, and nutrient digestibility in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles. The experiment involved triplicate groups of fish (initial body weight 32.10 ± 0.79 g) fed four extruded experimental diets with varying levels of Andean lupin (0, 50, 100, and 200 g kg−1) twice a day to apparent satiety over a period of 40 days. Faecal samples were collected daily for nutrient digestibility analysis. No significant correlations were observed between the dietary inclusion of Andean lupin and final weight, survival, weight gain, protein efficiency retention, thermal growth rate, feed conversion rate, and feed intake (P > 0.05). Similarly, there were no significant relationships between increasing dietary inclusion of Andean lupin and apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter, crude protein, carbohydrate, and energy. However, the inclusion of Andean lupin led to a decrease in apparent digestibility coefficients for ash (R2 =0.6, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the digestibility of Mg and Zn decreased in a quadratic manner (P < 0.01) with increasing levels of Andean lupin inclusion. The dietary treatments did not significantly affect whole-body composition, spleen-somatic index, and intestine-somatic index (P > 0.05). However, the hepatosomatic index decreased quadratically with increasing inclusion of Andean lupin (R2 =0.51, P < 0.05), likely due to a slight reduction in cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytes. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Andean lupin is a promising plant protein ingredient for rainbow trout diets. It can be included at levels up to 200 g kg−1 without adversely affecting growth performance and nutrient digestibility. These findings contribute to the expanding knowledge on alternative protein sources in aquaculture feed formulation.

Diet energy intake and use patterns

The purpose of the work is to evaluate the effect of the feed premix "Megamix-Optilak" on the milk productivity of cattle. During research in 2022-2023 in the farms of the Chekmagushevsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan, the consumption and digestibility of energy of nutrients in diets, energy digestibility coefficients, energy use by dairy cows of the type being created were determined "Bashkir" black-and-white breed, depending on the dose of feeding the feed premix. The object of the research was 80 cows, formed from analogues into 4 groups of 20 heads: control group and I, II, III - experimental. Experimental animals were kept in identical conditions. The difference between the groups was in feeding: animals of groups I – III, in addition to the main diet, received the Megamix-Optilak premix with the diet in doses of 100-200 g/animal per day, the control group was not fed the studied premix. The results of the studies indicate a positive effect feed premix "Megamix-Optilak" on the palatability of ration feed by cows of the experimental groups. Adding the studied premix to the feed mixture at a dosage of 200 g/head. per day contributed to more intensive feed consumption by dairy cows. In addition, the animals absorbed more energy from the main nutrients, including protein - by 10.66%, fat - by 14.14%, fiber - 10.63% (P&lt;0.05).

Evaluation of Different Levels of Process Energy in Sorghum and Wheat-Based Diets on the Growth Performance of Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.

This research evaluated the effect of different levels of extrusion process energy during the production of wheat and sorghum-based feeds on the growth performance and digestibility of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Process energy consisted of mechanical and thermal components, which were both modulated via varying preconditioner steam addition. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (36% protein) and isolipidic (8% fat), with three levels of thermal energy (TE) input during preconditioning (high, medium, and low). All diets showed increased starch gelatinization with increased TE, with the wheat-based diets undergoing a greater degree of gelatinization than the sorghum-based diets. There were no significant differences in final biomass, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), or survival among the different treatments. However, digestibility results showed that wheat-based diets had significantly higher apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for both protein and energy compared to sorghum-based diets. Overall, increased starch gelatinization that correlated with greater digestibility was observed, but this effect was reduced in the sorghum-based diets. These findings suggest that sorghum can be used as a viable alternative to wheat in shrimp feed without negatively impacting their growth performance, while also offering potential cost savings to producers.

Impacts of β‐Mannanase on Fecal Viscosity, Digestible Energy Content, Amino Acid Digestibility, and Nutrient Loss in Juvenile Nile Tilapia Fed Soybean Meal‐Rich Diets

This study evaluated the impact of increasing dietary β‐mannanase (BM) supplementation (Natupulse TS, BASF, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany) on fecal viscosity and pH, apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of energy and nutrients, including amino acids, fecal nutrient loss in contents of soybean meal (SBM)‐based diets fed to juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. A total of 504 fingerlings (initial body weight of 31.5 ± 4.2 g) were randomly distributed into 24 aquaria (70 L each) in a completely randomized design using six dietary treatments and four replicates of 21 fish per aquarium. Fish were fed diets containing BM at 0, 1600, 3200, 4800, 6400, and 8000 TMU (thermostable endo‐1,4‐BM units) kg−1 and hand‐fed six times a day until apparent satiety for 30 days. Chromium oxide was employed as an indigestible marker. The ADC of gross energy, crude protein, crude lipids, and essential amino acids exhibited a quadratic effect with the maximum point in fish fed 4818, 4722, 4615, and 4816 TMU kg−1 BM, respectively. The digestible energy (DE) content of diets presented a quadratic effect, and the maximum point was obtained in fish fed 4803 TMU BM kg−1 diet, which improved the DE content by +1.2 MJ kg−1 relative to the BM‐unsupplemented diet. The fecal pH, fecal viscosity, organic matter loss, and nitrogen loss presented a quadratic effect with the minimum point in fish fed 4810, 4839, 4750, and 4801 TMU BM kg−1 diet, respectively. Principal component analysis indicated that dietary BM at 4800 and 6400 TMU BM kg−1 diet was associated with improvements in the ADC of gross energy, crude protein, and crude lipids. In conclusion, including 4803 TMU BM kg−1 diet effectively improves DE content and optimizes nutrient digestibility and feces pH and viscosity in Nile tilapia fed an SBM‐based diet.

Combination of β-mannanase plus multi-carbohydrase complex in simple or complex post-weaned pig diets on nutrient metabolism and gut health.

This study was conducted to evaluate whether adding β-mannanase alone or in combination with a multi-carbohydrase complex to simple and complex diets could improve diet digestibility, nutrient and energy metabolism, and gut health in weaned pigs. Thirty pigs (7.9 kg ± 0.851 kg) weaned at 28 days were randomly split into a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, considering a simple (corn and soybean meal-based diet) or complex diet (13% point reduction in inclusion of soybean meal, 5% of whey power, and 2.5% of spray-dried plasma compared to the simple diet) and diet without any addition (control) or the addition of β-mannanase (BM; 0.300 g/kg of the diet) or β-mannanase plus a multi-carbohydrase complex blend such as xylanase, β-glucanase, and arabinofuranosidases (BM + MCC; 0.300 + 0.050 g/kg of the diet) for 17 days post-weaned. Total fecal and urine samples were collected on days 11-17. Fecal samples were collected from all pigs to identify fecal biomarkers using commercial ELISA tests. Blood samples were collected from all pigs at the end of the experimental period to assess serum concentrations of acute-phase proteins. All pigs were euthanized on day 18 for intestinal tissue collection. The simple diet had greater (p < 0.05) protein digestibility and metabolizability coefficients than the complex diet. Greater (p < 0.05) energy digestibility and energy metabolizability coefficients were observed in the BM and BM+ MCC compared to the control diet. On average, BM improved by 64 kcal/kg and BM + MCC improved by 100 kcal/kg of metabolizable energy. Furthermore, the addition of BM and BM + MCC to the diets led to lower fecal moisture and fecal output. Moreover, the BM and BM + MCC diets also reduced fecal calprotectin concentrations by 29 and 46%, respectively, compared to control pigs (p < 0.001). We conclude that simple diets are a suitable alternative to complex diets, without compromising the nutrient digestibility and gut health of post-weaned pigs. The addition of exogenous enzymes improves nutrient and energy utilization, as well as the absorption area, and decreases calprotectin concentrations.

Digestible energy content and apparent digestibility coefficients of fish meal, soybean meal, corn, wheat middlings and soybean oil in paiche Arapaima gigas

A balanced feed will optimize the performance and nutrient utilization of the paiche according to its genetic potential. Information is required regarding the nutritive value of the ingredients and the bioavailability of the nutrients. For this reason, and given the limited information available, the objective of this research was to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients and digestible energy of fish meal, soybean meal, corn, wheat middlings and soybean oil through the indirect method using chromic oxide as an inert marker. The apparent digestibility of dry matter ranged from 49 % -87 %, protein ranged from 68-90 %, lipids ranged from 73-93 % and energy ranged from 54-97 % for the different ingredients tested. The digestible energy of the fish meal was determined to be 4.34 Mcal.DE/kg. Soybean meal, corn, wheat middlings and soybean oil had values of 3.67 Mcal.DE/kg, 2.63 Mcal.DE/kg, 2.24 Mcal.DE/kg and 9.19 Mcal. DE/kg. Knowledge of the digestibility of nutrients will allow the development of feeds for the paiche with ingredients of greater digestibility, allowing to increase the productive performance of the paiche, the reduction of feeding costs resulting in the improvement of the profitability of fish farmers for a sustainable activity.

Nutritional value of torula yeast as an alternative protein feedstuff for hybrid Striped Bass (White Bass × Striped Bass)

AbstractObjectiveTwo separate trials were conducted to evaluate the digestibility of a novel alternative ingredient, enhanced torula yeast (TY) Cyberlindnera jadinii, in diets for hybrid Striped Bass (HSB; White Bass Morone chrysops × Striped Bass M. saxatilis) and to evaluate graded inclusion levels of this product when replacing soybean products.MethodsIn trial 1, the digestibility of TY was determined by testing a reference diet and a TY diet (reference and TY ingredient at an 80:20 ratio). A total of 90 fish were fed the experimental digestibility diets for 21 days, and fecal samples were collected using the stripping technique. In trial 2, a comparative feeding trial evaluated the replacement of soybean meal by TY on a crude protein basis at 50, 100, 200, and 300 g of TY/kg of experimental diet. A total of 150 HSB (18.6 ± 0.21 g/fish [mean + SE]) were distributed among fifteen 110‐L glass aquaria. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of fish for 9 weeks.ResultIn trial 1, apparent digestibility coefficients for protein, lipid, organic matter, and energy of TY were 0.97, 0.98, 0.75, and 0.75, respectively. The availability of essential amino acids also was generally high, ranging from 0.74 to 0.99. For trial 2, a second‐order polynomial regression indicated that the optimal inclusion levels of TY in diets were 102, 112, and 109 g/kg for weight gain, feed efficiency, and protein conversion efficiency, respectively. However, the muscle yield linearly decreased with the graded inclusion levels of TY. Linear increases in intraperitoneal fat, hepatosomatic index, and whole‐body lipid were observed as the inclusion of TY increased in the diet.ConclusionIn conclusion, nutrients from TY were well utilized by HSB, and it can replace soybean products without affecting growth performance, with the optimal TY inclusion level being 102–112 g/kg of diet.

Impact of β-glucan dietary supplementation on productive, reproductive performance and physiological response of laying hens under heat stress conditions

The exploration for effective in-feed additives is growing owing to the global climatic change trend to alleviate the negative effects of heat stress in laying hens. This research assessed the potential of using B-glucan (G) as an antiheat stress agent in Matrouh laying hens subjected to early heat shock programs during the growing period. Factorial design (3 × 3) was used, including 3 levels of heat stress (control, heat shock at 3 d and at 3 d and 8 wk of age) and 3 levels of β-glucan (0, 100, and 200 mg β-glucan /kg diet). During the first 12 wk of egg production (EP), treatments were exposed to heat challenge. The results revealed that heat shock program applications at 3 d and 8 wk of age significantly decreased body weight at 36 wk of age (P < 0.05) and reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake (FI). While significantly (P < 0.05) improved feed conversion ratio (FCR), hemoglobin, RBCs, WBCs, immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and Heat shock protein (HSP70) of the Liver (P < 0.01) as compared with the control group. At the same time, there was a decrease in lymphocyte%, H/L ratio, cortisol, and T3 compared to the thermo-neutral control. When compared to the control group, hens fed a diet containing 200 mg of βG significantly (P < 0.05) improved body weight at 16 wk and final weight at 36 wk, feed conversion (FCR) (g. feed/g. egg mass), hen-day egg production, and egg mass, as well as the digestibility coefficients of crude protein (CP), dry matter (DM), metabolizable energy (ME), and cortisol. The interactions between heat chock programs and βG levels were nonsignificant for the most studied traits except daily feed intake. Therefore, the early heat shock exposure 2 times and supplementation of Β-glucan (βG) at 200 mg/kg diet during the growth period for laying hens that are exposed to heat stress during the reproductive period could improve productive, reproductive performance, HSP70 level and enhance immunity responses.