Effect Of Diet Type Research Articles

190 Implementation of an updated beef energetics and body composition model in the Crop Livestock Enterprise Model (CLEM)

Abstract The Crop Livestock Enterprise Model (CLEM) is a whole-farm bioeconomic model designed to simulate and explore ruminant performance across a wide range of production systems and management strategies. The model features a flexible, component-based structure that allows users to simulate multiple types of livestock production within the same system. Animals in the model are represented on an individual basis, allowing users to explore the effects of between-animal variation on a wide range of performance metrics at the animal and farm system levels. Recently, two new features were introduced to improve ability of CLEM to represent ruminant production systems: a user-defined timestep, and a new energetics model (based on the Australian ruminant feeding standards) that adds the ability to model changes in body composition in addition to existing predictions of body weight gain and feed intake. The change in timestep from monthly to daily was required to implement the new energetics model and allows for greater ability to compare CLEM results against field data, but other timesteps (e.g., weekly) can also be used depending on user preference. The Australian ruminant feeding standards were integrated with the existing CLEM modelling framework to create a revised energetics model for CLEM capable of predicting body composition, with additional updates to prediction of relative feed intake and the effect of diet type on feed quality. The energetics model was then evaluated for prediction of feed intake (DMI), final empty body weight (EBW), and fat and protein gain (Table 1) in feedlot cattle. The evaluation dataset consisted of treatment means (n = 29) from studies of Angus or British cross steers whose body composition (fat and protein) had been measured by serial slaughter. The updated model performed well for predicting final EBW, underpredicting by 2.35 kg on average (0.55% of the observed mean). Dry matter intake was underpredicted for 80% of treatments, with mean bias averaging 1.7 kg/d across all treatments and a root mean square prediction error (RMSPE, % of the observed mean) of 25%. Data on fat and protein gain was more variable than for EBW, and the model overpredicted protein gain and underpredicted fat gain in general, with mean bias of -51 g/d (RMSPE 42%) for protein and 270 g/d (RMSPE 58%) for fat. The addition of a daily timestep and a revised energetics model add to utility of CLEM by allowing for more in-depth exploration of the effects of feeding and management over time on intake, body weight gain, and body composition. The current version of CLEM can be downloaded from the APSIM Initiative website; and an upcoming update with additional options for prediction of intake and performance for both feedlot and grazing cattle will be made available.

The Effect of Methyl Donor Nutrition on Global DNA Methylation Levels in Different Photoperiods in Syrian Hamsters

Throughout their lives, all organisms are affected by environmental factors. The duration of the photoperiod and the type of diet to which the organism is exposed are among the most important parameters of the interaction between genes and the environment. In this study, Syrian hamsters were left in two separate light conditions, 16L (04.00-20.00) and 8L (12.00-20.00). Adult hamsters were randomized into two major groups and fed with ad-libitum and methyl-rich diets. Daily feed intake and weekly body weights were monitored. At the end of 8 weeks, the hypothalamus tissues of Syrian hamsters were isolated by decapitating them at four different times of the day. lights on, mid-day, lights off, and midnight. As shown in the results of DNA materials by the Trisole method, global methylation amounts were measured by ELISA. Hamsters fed a diet high in methyl consumed more nutrients than those supplied ad-libitum. (p<0,05). There was no effect of diet type on body weight, The amount of methylation increased in both long and short photoperiods during the hours when the lights were off (p<0,05). Although each content of methyl-rich foods affects different enzymes or hormones, it has an important role in metabolic activities. Photoperiodically varying methylation balances were also shown to vary widely in multiple ways depending on the methyl level in the environment.

Reproductive output and other adult life-history traits of black soldier flies grown on different organic waste and by-products

The interest in mass-rearing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae for food and feed is rapidly increasing. This is partly sparked by the ability of the larvae to efficiently valorise a wide range of organic waste and by-products. Primarily, research has focused on the larval stage, hence underprioritizing aspects of the adult biology, and knowledge on reproduction-related traits such as egg production is needed. We investigated the impact of different organic waste and by-products as larval diets on various life-history traits of adult black soldier flies in a large-scale experimental setup. We reared larvae on four different diets: spent Brewer’s grain, ground carrots, Gainesville diet, and ground oranges. Traits assessed were development time to pupa and adult life-stages, adult body mass, female lifespan, egg production, and egg hatch. Larval diet significantly impacted development time to pupa and adult, lifespan, body size, and egg production. In general, flies reared on Brewer’s grain developed up to 4.7 d faster, lived up to 2.3 d longer, and produced up to 57% more eggs compared to flies reared on oranges on which they performed worst for these traits. There was no effect of diet type on egg hatch, suggesting that low-nutritious diets, i.e. carrots and oranges, do not reduce the quality but merely the quantity of eggs. Our results demonstrate the importance of larval diet on reproductive output and other adult traits, all important for an efficient valorisation of organic waste and by-products, which is important for a sustainable insect-based food and feed production.

Effect of Diet Type Using Whole or Crushed Grains on Productive Performance in Awassi Lambs and Rumen Fluid Characteristics

This study was carried out with the aim of knowing the effect of the type of diet using whole or crushed grains on the productive performance of Awassi lambs and the characteristics of rumen fluid.1/8 / 2021 for two periods, 18 male Awassi lambs, 4-6 months old, with an initial weight of 25 ± 10 were used in this experiment. It was divided into three groups, with six animals per group, and the first treatment (T1) was given concentrated feed by 2.5% of the animal’s weight in the form of whole grains and hay to saturation, and the second treatment (T2) used concentrated feed by 2.5% of the weight of the organism in the form of 50% Whole grains and 50% crushed grains and hay to saturation. The third treatment used concentrated feed 2.5% of the animal’s weight, crushed grains with hay to saturation. The results showed that there was a significant difference (p≤0.05) for the grain size provided in the coarse fodder consumption characteristic, as the first treatment that was fed whole grains was superior to the other treatments. There was a significant (p≤0.05) superiority of the periods on the daily and total weight gain, as the first period was superior to the second period. There was also a significant difference for the volume of grain provided on the daily weight gain, where the first treatment, which consisted of whole grains, was superior to the third treatment. Total weight gain, the first and second treatments were superior to the third treatment. There was a significant superiority (p≤0.05) for the interaction between the period and the grain size provided, as the interaction between the first period, the first feeding, and the second feeding was superior to the third feeding in terms of total weight gain. As for the level of the second period, a significant difference (P≤0.05) was found for the overlap between the second period and the first treatment in terms of daily and total weight gain over the third treatment. As for the level of overlap between feeding and periods, there was a significant superiority (P≤0.05) for the overlap between the period and the period. The first and the type of feeding in the daily weight gain and the total increase over the overlap between the second period and the type of feeding. There was a significant effect (p≤0.05) of the grain size provided on the rumen acidity (PH), where the first treatment was superior to the other treatments.

PSIV-19 Understanding Intestinal Health in Nursery Pigs Through Potential Non-Invasive Biomarkers

Abstract Mannans in feed ingredients can cause a feed-induced immune response (FIIR), resulting in intestinal inflammation. The addition of beta-mannanase can limit this anti-nutritional action, reducing the cost of activating the immune response. In the same way, non-invasive biomarkers are important tools that can provide early diagnosis of low-grade inflammation by mannans. The objective of this study was to assess potential non-invasive biomarkers in nursery pigs reared in different scenarios of low-grade inflammation. Female piglets (n = 396; 6.86 ± 0.9 kg; Large white × Landrace) weaned at 21 days of age were used for this trial. Treatments were organized in a factorial design with two diet types (simple or complex feed formulas containing 25 and 12% of soybean-meal, respectively) and two enzyme supplementation plans (control without supplementation or supplemented with beta-mannanase at 0.4 kg per feed of 1,000 kg Hemicell HT, Elanco Animal Health, São Paulo, Brazil). Fecal samples were collected from 10 pigs per treatment at the 21st experimental day. The fecal concentration of calprotectin, neopterin, free fatty acid, lactoferrin, and calcium binding proteins were determined using commercially available ELISA kits. Blood was sampled 6h after oral gavage of FITC-dextran at the 22nd experimental day to access intestinal permeability. The variables were subjected to the normality test (Shapiro-Wilk), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's test. Differences among treatments were considered at 5 and 10% significance levels. Piglets receiving beta-mannanase had reduced fecal levels of calprotectin (-41%; P = 0.048), neopterin (-43%; P = 0.019), and free fatty acid (-34%; P = 0.050) in relation to the control group. A tendency was observed for the reduction of novel lactoferrin (-1%; P = 0.072) and calcium binding proteins (-35%; P = 0.095) when comparing control with supplemented animals. In addition, beta-mannanase supplementation decreased intestinal permeability (-10%; P = 0.053) compared with control treatment. However, there was no effects of diet type or diet by enzyme interactions (P > 0.10). The addition of beta-mannanase in the nursery phase reduced fecal biomarkers associated with gut health inflammation. However, there was no difference between diets indicating a simple diet may be used to reduce diet cost without compromising the intestinal health of the animals.

Meta-Regression to Develop Predictive Equations for Urinary Nitrogen Excretion of Lactating Dairy Cows.

Dairy cows' urinary nitrogen (N) excretion (UN; g/d) represents a significant environmental concern due to their contribution to nitrate leaching, nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas), and ammonia emissions (contributor to N deposition). The first objective of the current study was to determine the adequacy of existing models to predict UN from total mixed ration (TMR)-fed and fresh forage (FF)-fed cows. Next, we aimed to develop equations to predict UN based on animal factors [milk urea nitrogen (MUN; mg/dL) and body weight (BW, kg)] and to explore how these equations are improved when dietary factors, such as diet type, dry matter intake (DMI), or dietary characteristics [neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and crude protein (CP) content], are considered. A dataset was obtained from 51 published experiments composed of 174 treatment means. The whole dataset was used to evaluate the mean and linear biases of three existing equations including diet type as an interaction term; all models had significant linear and mean biases and two of the three models had poor predictive capabilities as indicated by their large relative prediction error (RPE; root mean square error of prediction as a percent of the observed mean). Next, the complete data set was split into training and test sets, which were used to develop and to evaluate new models, respectively. The first model included MUN and BW, and there was a significant interaction between diet type and the coefficients. This model had the worst 1:1 agreement [Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) = 0.50] and largest RPE (24.7%). Models that included both animal and dietary factors performed the best, and when included in the model, the effect of diet type was no longer significant (p > 0.10). These models all had very good agreement (CCC ≥ 0.86) and relatively low RPE (≤13.1%). This meta-analysis developed precise and accurate equations to predict UN from dairy cows in both confined and pasture-based systems.

Is meat-free diet related to anxiety, depression and disordered eating behaviors? A cross-sectional survey in a Turkish sample

Objective: The foods that we eat don't just impact our physical health. The link between what we eat and how we feel has become a trending topic. However, knowledge on the effects of diet types on this relation are still limited. The first aim of this study is to reveal the possible link between diet types and eating behaviors, anxiety and depression. Second one is to predict possible variables (demographic, health-related and medical) which cause higher depression scores among individuals following a meat-free diet and an omnivore diet. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based survey cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals with a meat-free diet and an omnivore diet (N = 836 with a vegan or a vegetarian diet, N = 519 with an omnivore diet) using an online questionnaire. Demographic, health-related and medical characteristics, The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R 21, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to assess variables. Results: A meat-free diet group showed significantly lower anxiety and depression scores, lower cognitive restraint, lower emotional eating and lower uncontrolled eating than omnivore diet group. Shared predictors of depression were dissatisfaction with physical appearance, uncontrolled eating and smoking in both meat-free diet group and omnivore diet group. Lower cognitive restraint and lower education level were predictors of depression in only omnivore diet group. Conclusion: This study revealed that an omnivore diet may be more associated with anxiety, depression, and some disordered eating behaviors than a meat-free diet.

95 Micronutrient Research Needs for the Next Beef Nasem

Abstract NASEM committee members must work with freely available data to adjust current nutrient recommendations. This presentation will highlight fundamental questions with which the next committee will need to wrestle. How relevant are the foundational studies upon which current recommendations were built, given the genetic, technological, and husbandry advances of the beef industry over the past several decades? Should the next beef NASEM adopt the policy of the latest dairy NASEM and use a factorial approach to mineral recommendations? What studies are necessary to even make this a possibility? Discussion of the pros and cons to such an approach will occur, as will discussion of other critical research needs regarding micronutrients. For example, dose titration studies with both minerals and vitamins are needed for all stages of beef cattle, more pressing for some nutrients than others. These studies need to include negative controls, and to assess performance and biological measures (e.g. enzymatic activity) and can be quite expensive. Beef cattle feedstuffs are regionally dependent and largely cost-based. The effect of diet type on mineral and vitamin bioavailability would be useful. Additional discussion of the major needs for cows and calves (e.g. vitamin A, vitamin E) and weaned to finish (e.g. P, Co, Zn) will be covered.

Is high adaptation to the Mediterranean diet effective in increasing ecological footprint awareness? A cross-sectional study from Turkey.

The effect of diet type on sustainable environment is known. It is important to understand the adaptation of individuals with high ecological footprint awareness to the Mediterranean type diet, especially under the assumption that the Mediterranean diet will reduce the ecological footprint. In the study, it is aimed to examine the relationship between the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and Ecological Footprint awareness of adults. The sample of the study consisted of 395 individuals with a mean age of 26.2 ± 8.7 years: 293 females (74.2%) and 102 males (25.8%). As the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MDAS) score of individuals increased, the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale score also increased. Similarly, a positive correlation was found between the participants' MDAS score and the awareness of food (r=0.157; P=0.002), energy (r=0.133; P=0.008), waste (r=0.149; P=0.003) and water consumption (r=0.101; P=0.045), which are sub-factors of the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale. As far as is known, this cross-sectional study is one of the first studies on compliance with the Mediterranean diet and awareness of the ecological footprint. The findings of the study show that as individuals' compliance with the Mediterranean diet increases, their awareness of their ecological footprint will also increase. To reach a conclusion on this issue, future studies should evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and awareness of food-environmental impact on different samples. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

96 Effects of Diet Type on Nutrient Utilization and Energy Balance of Limit-Fed Bred Heifer in a Drylot.

96 Effects of Diet Type on Nutrient Utilization and Energy Balance of Limit-Fed Bred Heifer in a Drylot.

Diet quality affects chemical tolerance in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis.

Organisms generally select high-quality diets to obtain maximal energy while devoting the least amount of time and energy. Diets, however, can vary in natural systems. In ecotoxicological testing, the effect of diet type on organismal responses to toxicants has not been explored despite the potential for dietary effects to influence toxicological endpoints. We first evaluated diet quality using growth rate and sensitivity to the fungicide pyraclostrobin of Lymnaea stagnalis fed lettuce (common laboratory diet), turtle pellets (high nutrient composition), and a combination diet of both food items. We also measured the macronutrient content of snails raised on the multiple diets to determine how diet may have impacted energy allocation patterns. Finally, we evaluated whether snails discernibly preferred a particular diet. Snails fed high-nutrient and combination diets grew larger overall than snails fed a lettuce-only diet. Snails fed the high-nutrient and combination diets, both juvenile and adult, were significantly more tolerant to pyraclostrobin than snails fed lettuce. When measured for macronutrient content, snails raised on high-nutrient and combination diets had significantly higher carbohydrate content than snails fed lettuce. Despite the strong effects of diet type, snails did not exhibit a clear diet choice in preference trials. Dietary composition clearly influences growth rate, sensitivity, and macronutrient content of Lymnaea stagnalis. These results suggest that the nutritional environment has potentially strong impacts on toxicant sensitivity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1158-1167. © 2017 SETAC.

Interaction of dietary energy source and body weight gain during the juvenile period on metabolic endocrine status and age at puberty in beef heifers.

Using a previously established model for nutritional acceleration of puberty, beef heifers ( = 48; 1/2 Angus × 1/4 Hereford × 1/4 Brahman) were used in a replicated 2 × 2 factorial design to examine the effects of diet type (high forage [HF] vs. high concentrate [HC]) and rate of BW gain (low gain [LG], 0.45 kg/d, vs. high gain [HG], 0.91 kg/d) on key metabolic hormones and age at puberty. After weaning at 14 ± 1 wk of age, heifers were assigned randomly to be fed HC-HG, HC-LG, HF-HG, or HF-LG ( = 12/group) beginning at 4 mo of age for 14 wk. Heifers were then switched to a common growth diet until puberty. Average daily gain was greater ( < 0.04) during the dietary treatment phase in HG heifers (0.81 ± 0.06 kg/d) than in LG heifers (0.43 ± 0.06 kg/d), and there was no diet type × rate of gain interaction. Puberty was achieved at a younger age (54.5 ± 1.8 wk) in both HG groups than in LG groups (60.2 ± 1.9 wk; < 0.04), but dietary energy source (HC vs. HF) did not influence this variable. Moreover, mean BW at puberty did not differ by diet type or rate of gain during the dietary treatment phase. Nonetheless, heifers fed HC-HG exhibited a striking increase ( < 0.0001) in serum leptin beginning at 26 ± 1 wk of age and remained elevated ( < 0.01) throughout the remainder of the experimental feeding phase compared to all other treatments. However, serum leptin in HC-HG dropped precipitously when heifers were switched to the common growth diet and did not differ from that of other groups thereafter. Overall mean concentrations of serum glucose were greater ( < 0.006) in HG heifers than in LG during the dietary treatment phase, with serum insulin also greater ( < 0.04) in HG than in LG only during weeks 20, 22, and 30. Mean serum IGF-1 was not affected by dietary type or rate of BW gain. We speculate that failure of the marked increase in serum leptin observed in HC-HG heifers during the dietary treatment phase to further accelerate puberty compared to HF-HG occurred because of its abrupt decline at the onset of the common growth phase, thus attenuating the temporal cue for activation of the reproductive neuroendocrine system.

Effects of diet type, developmental stage, and gut compartment in the gut bacterial communities of two Cerambycidae species (Coleoptera).

The gut bacterial community of wood-feeding beetles has been examined for its role on plant digestion and biocontrol method development. Monochamus alternatus and Psacothea hilaris, both belonging to the subfamily Lamiinae, are woodfeeding beetles found in eastern Asia and Europe and generally considered as destructive pests for pine and mulberry trees, respectively. However, limited reports exist on the gut bacterial communities in these species. Here, we characterized gut bacterial community compositions in larva and imago of each insect species reared with host tree logs and artificial diets as food sources. High-throughput 454 pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene revealed 225 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on a 97% sequences similarity cutoff from 138,279 sequence reads, the majority of which were derived from Proteobacteria (48.2%), Firmicutes (45.5%), and Actinobacteria (5.2%). The OTU network analysis revealed 7 modules with densely connected OTUs in specific gut samples, in which the distributions of Lactococcus-, Kluyvera-, Serratia-, and Enterococcus-related OTUs were distinct between diet types or developmental stages of the host insects. The gut bacterial communities were separated on a detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) plot and by c-means fuzzy clustering analysis, according to diet type. The results from this study suggest that diet was the main determinant for gut bacterial community composition in the two beetles.

Value added by Spirulina platensis in two different diets on growth performance, gut microbiota, and meat quality of Japanese quails.

Aim:The growth promoting effect of the blue-green filamentous alga Spirulina platensis (SP) was observed on meat type Japanese quail with antibiotic growth promoter alternative and immune enhancing power.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted on 180 Japanese quail chicks for 4 weeks to find out the effect of diet type (vegetarian protein diet [VPD] and fish meal protein diet [FMPD])- Spirulina dose interaction (1 or 2 g/kg diet) on growth performance, gut microbiota, and sensory meat quality of growing Japanese quails (1-5 weeks old).Results:Data revealed improvement (p<0.05) of weight gain, feed conversion ratio and European efficiency index due to 1, 2 g (SP)/kg VPD, and 2 g (SP)/kg FMPD, respectively. There was a significant decrease of ileum mean pH value by 1 g (SP)/kg VPD. Concerning gut microbiota, there was a trend toward an increase in Lactobacilli count in both 1; 2 g (SP)/kg VPD and 2 g (SP)/kg FMPD. It was concluded that 1 or 2 g (SP)/kg vegetarian diet may enhance parameters of performance without obvious effect on both meat quality and gut microbiota. Moreover, 1 and/or 2 g (SP) may not be invited to share fish meal based diet for growing Japanese quails.Conclusion:Using of SP will support the profitable production of Japanese quails fed vegetable protein diet.

Effects of dietary phytase supplementation on growth performance and apparent digestibility coefficients of Pacific White ShrimpLitopenaeus vannamei

A growth trial and a digestibility trial were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of phytase supplemented to practical shrimp feeds. The 5 weeks growth trial evaluated the effects of phytase supplementation in replete phosphorus (P) diets on the performances and compositions of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. No significant differences were observed in final biomass, final mean weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein retention and survival across all the treatments. Shrimp reared on the P deficient diet had significantly higher P retention and lower whole body P levels as compared to shrimp fed the other diets. Copper content in the whole shrimp body was significantly increased in the treatment supplemented with 1,000 IU kg−1 feed phytase. The digestibility trial was conducted to study the combined effects of phytase supplementation levels and diet type (plant-based versus fishmeal-based) on apparent digestibility coefficients of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. There were no effects of diet type so the data was combined. Phytase incorporation at both 500 and 2,000 IU kg−1 significantly improved protein digestibility, whereas P digestibility was enhanced when 2,000 IU kg−1 phytase was supplemented to the diet. Apparent digestibility coefficients of alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, ornithine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine and valine were significantly increased when fed diets contained 500 and 2,000 IU kg−1 phytase supplementation. Results of this work demonstrate that under the conditions of the study growth was not enhanced by phytase supplementation in P replete diets. However, nutrient retention for Cu and digestibility of P, protein and a number of amino acids were enhanced.

Effect of broiler breeder feeding programme and feeder space change at photostimulation using maize- or wheat-based diets on broiler progeny growth performance and leg health

1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet type, maternal feeding programme at 29 weeks of age and breeder feeder space change at photostimulation on broiler progeny performance and leg health at 6 weeks of age.2. Fast-feathering Cobb 500 broiler breeders were fed on either maize- or wheat-based diets that had been formulated to have similar nutrient composition during growing and layer phases. Two feeding programmes, fast or flow, were used from 14 to 29 weeks of age. At 22 weeks, 69 females from each pen were placed in a layer house where feeder space was either similar to that in rearing (6.3 to 6.5 cm/female) or was increased from 6.3 to 8.4 cm/female. Eggs produced at 32 and 44 weeks of age were collected and incubated for two broiler experiments. A total of 16 male and 16 female one-d-old chicks were placed in floor pens in two experiments, respectively, with 6 and 4 replicate pens. Broiler gait scores and leg problem prevalence were evaluated at 6 weeks of age.3. Data were analysed as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design with diet type, feeding programme and feeder space change as main factors.4. The wheat diet increased the probability of observing crooked toes in broiler progeny compared to the use of maize, but only when breeders were fed according to the fast feeding programme and given similar feeder space as during rearing.5. Breeders given more feeder space in the laying period produced progeny with more locomotion problems compared with those provided similar feeder space, but only when maize was used and the slow feeding programme was applied to the breeders.6. The maternal feeding programme interacted with other factors to influence progeny leg health, but it did not solely influence walking ability or leg problems of progeny.7. In conclusion, an increased probability of observing walking impairment of broiler progeny was detected when breeders were given greater feeder space at photostimulation rather than no change and fed according to the slow feeding programme using maize diets in breeders and progeny.

Protein requirements of the adult Ethiopian fruit fly Dacus ciliatus

In this study, the effects of yeast protein hydrolysate (YPH): sucrose proportions in the adult diet of the Ethiopian fruit fly Dacus ciliatus Loew on survival, pupal production, and endogenous lipid and protein contents were investigated. Small populations of the fly were fed diets containing various proportions of YPH and sucrose under low-humidity and high-humidity conditions. The YPH: sucrose proportions ranged from 20 to 50%. We monitored the patterns of survival, pupal production, and individual endogenous protein and lipid loads (only under high-humidity conditions) in flies maintained on various adult diets. The survival patterns of both males and females under high-humidity conditions were inversely proportional to the proportion of YPH in the diet. Mortality of some adult flies was related to the stickiness of the highly hygroscopic adult food mix. By contrast, the survival patterns of males and females maintained under low-humidity conditions were directly proportional to the proportion of YPH in the diet. Apparently, there was no effect of diet type on the number of pupae produced; on the sucrose-only diet, flies produced significantly fewer pupae. Protein content in the flies increased significantly as the proportion of protein in the diet increased, but lipid content was clearly not related to food constitution. Based on these results and recent evidence from studies in other fruit fly species, we concluded that a large amount of protein is deleterious to the fruit flies. Workers in rearing facilities should investigate and tailor different food-delivery systems, e.g. separate dishes for carbohydrates and the food mix, and reduce the amount of YPH used in industrial adult diets.

Effects of broiler breeder-feeding programme and feeder space change at photostimulation using maize- or wheat-based diets on eggshell properties and progeny bone development

1. The effects of diet type, feeding programme and fast- or slow-feed allocation in fast-feathering Cobb 500 broiler breeder hens on eggshell properties and broiler progeny bone development were investigated in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment.2. The birds were fed on either maize- or wheat-based diets during rearing and production and on a fast- or slow-feed allocation programme from 14 to 29 weeks of age. At 22 weeks, 69 females from each pen were placed in a layer house where feeder space (FS) either remained similar or was increased.3. Eggs produced at 33 weeks were incubated, eggshell conductance (G) was determined and a sample of 14 chicks from each treatment combination was taken to obtain bone traits at hatching.4. Diet type did not influence G, yolk-free body weight (BW), residual yolk weight or relative asymmetry (RA) of any bilateral traits of leg bones of hatchlings. However, breeder diet type was involved on two-way and three-way interaction effects on progeny leg bone traits.5. Breeders feed restricted according to the slow-feeding programme laid eggs with greater G compared to those managed with the fast-feeding programme, but there was no effect of feeding programme on progeny bone traits at hatching.6. Eggs from breeders given more FS at photostimulation had greater G than those from breeders provided with similar FS. Maternal FS change did not influence hatchling yolk-free BW; however, breeders given more FS produced progeny with heavier tibias and shanks and longer femurs compared with those provided with similar FS, but only when breeders were fed on maize. Moreover, increased maternal FS at photostimulation was associated with an increased RA of femur length in the progeny.7. It was concluded that breeder FS change at photostimulation influenced eggshell conductance and consistently affected bone development of the broiler progeny.

Effect of diet type on serum and faecal concentration of S100/calgranulins in the captive cheetah

Gastrointestinal disease is omnipresent in captive cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ), in contrast to its free-ranging populations. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of diet type (meat-only whole prey) on gastrointestinal health in captive cheetahs by measuring faecal and serum concentrations of S100/calgranulins. This paper reports faecal S100A12 and calprotectin concentrations in 12 captive cheetahs fed supplemented beef versus whole rabbit for one month in a cross-over design. Also, serum S100A12 and calprotectin concentrations were determined in four cheetahs fed whole rabbit and six cheetahs fed supplemented beef, and these were compared to the faecal concentrations of the respective marker proteins. Both the immunoassay for canine calprotectin and canine S100A12 were precise and reproducible for use with serum samples and faecal extracts. Whereas the assay for S100A12 was linear and accurate, an inconsistent linearity of the canine calprotectin assay was observed and could be indicative of an insufficient cross-reactivity of the specific antibody used for this assay. Serum concentrations of S100A12 and calprotectin were not altered by diet type, and were not correlated with the respective concentrations in faeces. Numerically (P=0.241) greater calprotectin concentrations and greater (P=0.041) faecal S100A12 concentrations were detected in cheetahs fed supplemented beef compared with whole rabbit. These findings demonstrate that whole prey feeding may decrease intestinal inflammation in the captive cheetah. Consequently, the relation between diet type and intestinal inflammatory conditions in the captive cheetah warrants further investigation.

Effects of diet type and ingredient composition on rate of passage and apparent ileal amino acid digestibility in broiler chicks

This experiment evaluated rate of passage (ROP) and apparent ileal amino acid digestibility (AIAAD) of 4 diets varying in ingredient composition fed to broilers from 14 to 22 d of age. Two hundred and 88 Ross × Ross 708 chicks (12 birds per cage; 0.45 m(2) per bird) were randomly assigned to 24 cages (6 replicate cages per treatment) at 1 d of age. Experimental diets were 1) corn-soybean meal-based (CSM) diet containing porcine meat and bone meal (MBM; 5% inclusion), 2) CSM diet containing distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS; 5% inclusion), 3) semipurified (SP) diet containing MBM (38% inclusion), and 4) SP diet containing DDGS (76% inclusion). Diets were formulated to contain 20% CP and were adequate for vitamins and minerals. Experimental diets were provided from d 14 to 22. On d 18, a total excreta collection was conducted every hour for 12 h from 0800 to 1900 h to determine ROP, and AIAAD was determined on d 22. Time of 1% TiO(2) excretion (T1), 50% TiO(2) excretion (T50), and mean retention time (MRT) were used to express ROP. The SP-MBM diet reached T1 (P < 0.05) faster than the SP-DDGS or 2 CSM diets. However, T50 indicated a faster (P < 0.05) ROP for SP-DDGS than the 2 CSM diets, and no significant difference was observed between the 2 SP diets. The MRT of the SP-DDGS diet (5.13 h) was less (P < 0.05) than the MRT of the SP-MBM, CSM-MBM, and CSM-DDGS diets, which resulted in values of 5.48, 5.62, and 5.58 h, respectively. In general, the AIAAD values were higher (P < 0.05) for the 2 CSM diets than for SP diets. Except for His, no statistical differences were observed between the AIAAD of the 2 CSM diets. Comparing the 2 SP diets, AIAAD was usually similar or higher (P < 0.05) for SP-DDGS, except for His, Lys, and Gly, which were higher (P < 0.05) for SP-MBM. Based on T50 and MRT, SP diets containing DDGS had a faster ROP in broilers than CSM diets or SP diets containing MBM.