Entire Experimental Period Research Articles

Co-feeding na sobrevivência e crescimento de larvas de botia yoyo Botia lohachata durante a transição alimentar

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the effect of the co-feeding (C) period on the growth and survival of larvae of the yo-yo loach Botia lohachata ornamental species during the weaning period from live food (LF) to inert food (IF). The breeders were subjected to induced spawning using crude pituitary homogenate. A total of 2,400 larvae were used with an average initial weight of 0.39 ± 0.09 mg and an average total length of 4.08 ± 0.21 mm, from a single breeding pair. The live food was newly hatched nauplii of Artemia franciscana, and the inert diet was a commercial ration with 55% crude protein and two particle sizes (142-350 µm and 350-500 µm). As the first food, all larvae received A. franciscana during the first six days, except for the fasting (NC) and inert food (IF) groups. The following co-feeding strategies were employed: C4 = 4 days of co-feeding, C8 = 8 days of co-feeding, C12 = 12 days of co-feeding, and LF = Artemia during the entire experimental period. The longest period with live food promoted better larval growth rates. The specific growth rate of larvae fed live food during the entire period (LF) was higher than that of the other groups, followed by the co-feeding strategies. There was no effect (P > 0.01) on larval survival in the LF, C12, C8, and C4 groups, which ranged from 41% to 53% after 30 days. Treatment R resulted in high mortality and low growth, suggesting that live food should be the first food source for B. lohachata larvae.

Long-term impacts of 48-h water and feed deprivation on blood and performance responses of grazing Bos indicus Nellore heifers.

The study investigated the effects of 48-h water and feed deprivation on blood and the performance of grazing Nellore (Bos indicus) heifers. Twenty-four Nellore heifers (initial body weight [BW] = 238 ± 10kg; age = 16 ± 2 mo), were ranked by initial BW and age and randomly assigned to one of the two treatments: (1) grazing animals with free access to pasture, water, and mineral-mix (CON; n = 12), or (2) the same grazing conditions but deprived of pasture, water, and mineral-mix for 48h (DPR; n = 12). The paddocks consisted of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, using a continuous and fixed stocking rate. The experiment lasted 225 d, with the first 14 d considered as the adaptation period (days -14 to -1) and the subsequent 211 d as the evaluation period (days 0 to 211). From days 0 to 2, treatments were applied by keeping the DPR heifers in pens and reintegrating them into the experimental area after a 48-h water and feed deprivation. Individual full BW was recorded on days -14, -13, -1, before (day 0) and after (day 2) treatment application, and on days 6, 11, 12, 41, 42, 210, and 211. Blood samples were collected in the morning on days 0, 2, 6, 12, and 211. A treatment effect was detected (P < 0.001) for shrink BW from days 0 to 2, which was greater (P < 0.001) in DPR vs. CON heifers. Subsequently, DPR animals were lighter (P < 0.001) compared with CON heifers by the end of the deprivation period (day 2). From days 4 to 211, DPR was lighter (P < 0.001) compared with CON heifers after treatment application and for the entire experimental period. In the first 10 d after treatment application (days 2 to 12), DPR heifers showed a partial compensatory average daily gain (ADG; P < 0.001) compared with CON heifers, while no significant differences were observed in ADG between the treatments from days 12 to 42 and 42 to 211 (P > 0.420). Overall ADG (days 2 to 211) was greater (P < 0.001) for DPR vs. CON heifers. All serum variables, except AST, were higher (P < 0.001) in DPR than in CON heifers on day 2 after treatment application. Our study demonstrates that grazing Nellore heifers subjected to 48-h water and feed deprivation experienced significant alterations in their blood metabolites and BW immediately after the stressful event. Although the deprived heifers partially compensated for their BW loss in the early days post-deprivation, they remained 12kg lighter than the non-deprived animals throughout the production cycle.

Analyzing Evapotranspiration in Greenhouses: A Lysimeter-Based Calculation and Evaluation Approach

The absence of accurate measurement or calculation techniques for crop water requirements in greenhouses frequently results in over- or under-irrigation. In order to find a better method, this study analyzed the accuracy, data consistency and practicability of the Penman–Monteith (PM), Hargreaves–Samani (HS), Pan Evaporation (PAN), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models. Model-calculated crop evapotranspiration (ETC) was compared with lysimeter-measured crop evapotranspiration (ETC) in the National Precision Agriculture Demonstration Station in Beijing, China. The results showed that the actual ETC over the entire experimental period was 176.67 mm. The ETC calculated with the PM, HS, PAN, and ANN model were 146.07 mm, 189.45 mm, 197.03 mm, and 174.7 mm, respectively, which were different from the actual value by −17.32%, 7.23%, 11.52%, and −1.12%, respectively. The order of the calculation accuracy for the four models is as follows: ANN model &gt; PAN model &gt; PM model &gt; HS model. By comprehensively evaluating the statistical indicators of each model, the ANN model was found to have a significantly higher calculation accuracy compared to the other three models. Therefore, the ANN model is recommended for estimating ETC under greenhouse conditions. The PM and PAN models can also be used after improvement.

PSVIII-28 Effect of Replacement Dietary of Animal Protein with Insect Meal (Hermetia illucens) on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Profile, Gas Emission, and Fecal Microbial in Weaned Pigs

Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the effects of defatted and hydrolyzed forms of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens; HI) larvae as fishmeal substitutes in the diet of weaned pigs on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, gas emission, and fecal microbial. The 48 4-week-old weaned pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] with an initial body weight (BW) of 9.39 ± 1.02 kg were randomly assigned to a completely randomized three dietary treatments. Each treatment had 4 replicate pens, and 3 pigs were assigned to each pen. The three treatments were as follows: 1) a basal diet (CON), 2) a basal diet without a fish meal and substitute with defatted HI powder (T1), and 3) a basal diet without a fish meal and substitute with hydrolyzed HI powder (T2). The experiments progressed in 6 weeks. There were no significant differences (P &amp;gt; 0.05) among the treatment groups in BW, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed efficiency during the entire experimental period (Table 1). At 2 wk, the CON and T1 groups increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) crude protein (CP) digestibility compared with the T2 group (Table 2). The CON group had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) CP digestibility than the T2 group at 6 wk. At 6 wk, the T1 group showed a tendency for greater gross energy (P = 0.095) than the T2 group. The T1 group had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) lysine digestibility than the CON group at 2 wk (Table 3). Also, The T1 and T2 groups showed a tendency for greater (P = 0.070) glutamic acid digestibility than the CON group. At 6 wk, the T2 group increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) lysine, arginine, and methionine digestibility compared with the CON group (Table 4). There were no significant differences (P &amp;gt; 0.05) among the treatment groups in blood profile and gas emission (Table 5 and 6). The T2 group had significantly greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) lactobacillus counts than the T1 group at 4 wk (Table 7). In conclusion, it was found that the defatted and hydrolyzed forms of HI as a substitute for a fish meal did not negatively affect growth performance, blood profiles, and gas emissions. Also, the defatted and hydrolyzed forms of HI could improve nutrient digestibility and lactobacillus counts, which are beneficial bacteria in the intestine. Therefore, it is considered that the diets of weaned pig containing defatted or hydrolyzed HI has sufficient potential to replace fishmeal, which is an existing animal protein source in the diet.

PSXIII-6 Effects of High Humidity Under High-Temperature Conditions on Growing Pigs

Abstract Global warming and climate change have become major concerns. These changes have led to more frequent and prolonged heat waves, resulting in economic losses for livestock industry. Pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress under high temperatures due to their thick skin layers and limited sweat glands. Panting is a common behavior in pigs to dissipate heat through evaporation, but this process is less effective in high humidity environments. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of high humidity under high temperature conditions on rectal temperature, growth performance, blood profiles, and immune responses of growing pigs. A total of 48 growing pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc; initial body weight (BW): 23.21 ± 3.77 kg] were randomly assigned to two environmental treatments (2 pigs/pen; 12 replicates/treatment) in a randomized complete block design (block = initial BW): thermal neutral conditions (TN: 23.5℃, 35%) and heat stress conditions (HS: 32.5℃, 80%). Throughout two weeks of experiment, the pigs had ad libitum access to a basal grower diet based on corn and soybean meal. The rectal temperature of each pig was measured daily throughout the experimental period to monitor changes in body temperature. Blood samples were collected from 1 pig per pen at the beginning and end of the experiment. Measurements included growth performance [BW, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain to feed ratio], blood profiles [the number of white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet] measured by an automated hematology analyzer calibrated for porcine blood, and immune responses (cortisol, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, interleukin-1beta, and transforming growth factor-beta1) by the ELISA kits. Statistical analysis was performed using the general linear model procedure of the SAS program. Experimental unit was a pen. The statistical model included environmental treatment as a main effect and BW as a covariate for rectal temperature, growth performance, blood profiles, and immune responses. During the entire experimental period, the mean rectal temperature was 39.9℃ for TN and 40.5℃ for HS. Pigs under HS had decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ADG and ADFI than those under TN. The WBC counts of pigs under HS were decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) than those under TN. In contrast, serum cortisol concentrations of pigs under HS were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) than those under TN. In conclusion, this study suggests that exposure to high humidity in combination with high temperatures has a negative impact on the growth performance and immune responses of growing pigs.

Wool-pulling behaviour appears in a production system with grazing restriction and can be assessed through wool inspection

Sheep flocks can be reared in different production systems that differ in the duration of indoor housing and grazing restriction. Indoor housing can lead to aggressive interactions, such as blocking, threats and butts, whereas grazing restriction may cause wool-pulling. Wool-pulling is an abnormal behaviour that appears in confined flocks and affects the wool condition of affected animals. Wool condition has been included in some sheep welfare assessment protocols, but in most cases the causes of wool alteration are not addressed. Therefore, it would be useful to establish whether changes in wool condition may be attributable to wool-pulling behaviour. The aim of this study was to find out the effect of grazing restriction on the prevalence of wool-pulling behaviour, assessing wool cover as an indicator of this behaviour, and to analyse the effect of grazing restriction on the prevalence of aggressive behaviours. Two groups of twenty Ripollesa pregnant ewes were used, a temporary grazing group (G) and a permanently housed group (H). Group G had access to pasture daily from 10:00 h to 15:00 h, while Group H remained in the barn throughout the experimental period (10 weeks). The behaviour of all sheep was video-recorded along a ten-week period, two days per week 45 minutes each day, and an ethogram that included wool-pulling, aggressive behaviours, resting and rumination was developed and used. Wool-pulling was observed exclusively in Group H. On the other hand, a four-scale score of wool cover was used to assess wool pulling behaviour, and the score evolved significantly different in both groups. In Group G, no change in wool-cover was observed whereas in Group H, wool-cover change was observed in eleven out of twenty ewes throughout the experimental period. A positive correlation was found (R=0.98, P=0.01) between wool pulling observed by direct observation and wool-cover assessment, and it was concluded that wool cover is a potentially useful indicator of wool-pulling behaviour. The frequency of aggressive behaviours was higher in Group H than in Group G during the entire experimental period (35 ewes vs. 11, P=0.04), which suggests that it was caused by grazing restriction.

Effect of black soldier fly larvae as substitutes for fishmeal in broiler diet.

This study investigated the effect of processed forms (defatted or hydrolyzed) of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens L., BSFL) as a protein substitute on broilers. Experiment 1 was a feeding experiment, and Experiment 2 was a metabolism experiment. In Experiment 1, a total of 120 day-old Arbor Acres broilers (initial body weight 39.52 ± 0.24 g) were used for 28 days. There were 8 replicate pens, and 5 broilers were assigned to each pen. In Experiment 2, a total of 36 day-old broilers (initial body weight 39.49 ± 0.21 g) were used for the metabolism trial. There were 2 broilers in a metabolism cage and six replicate cages per treatment. The dietary treatments were as follows: a basal diet (CON), a basal diet without fishmeal and substitute with defatted BSFL (T1), a basal diet without fishmeal and a substitute with hydrolyzed BSFL (T2). In Experiment 1, during the entire experimental period, the T2 group significantly increased (p < 0.05) body weight gain and feed intake compared to the CON and T1 groups. The feed conversion ratio showed a lower tendency (p = 0.057) in the T2 group than in the CON and T1 groups. At 2 weeks, the CON and T2 groups were significantly higher (p < 0.05) crude protein (CP) digestibility than the T1 group. At 4 weeks, the total protein level significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the CON and T2 groups compared to the T1 group. In Experiment 2, the CP digestibility significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the T2 group compared to the CON and T1 group at weeks 2 and 4. At week 4 amino acid digestibility, the T2 group significantly increased (p < 0.05) lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and glycine digestibility compared to the T1 group. There was no difference in fecal microbiota among the treatment groups. In conclusion, feeding hydrolyzed BSFL as a fishmeal substitute in broiler diets improved growth performance, CP digestibility, and specific amino acid digestibility. Therefore, it is considered that hydrolyzed BSFL in broiler diets can be sufficiently used as a new protein source.

Meat fatty acids profile including metabolic, qualitative, nutritional indices, and organoleptic evaluation as affected by Rumex nervosus leaves meal fortified broiler diets

The effects of dietary supplementation with Rumex nervosus leaves (RNL) on fatty acid (FAs) indices, organoleptic evaluation, performance index, and feed efficiency were investigated. This study consists of five treatments. Broilers in treatments 1–4 received basal feed plus RNL at doses of 0, 1, 3, and 5 g/kg, while broilers in treatment 5 received basal feed plus the antibiotic Colimex. On day 34, FAs profile and organoleptic assessment were evaluated, and performance index and feed efficiency were determined for the entire experimental period. Results showed that FAs profile of the breast meat was affected by treatments with varying degrees (p˂0.05). The 1 g RNL resulted in the highest eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid, which resulted in the highest meat lipid quality, the highest elongation index, improved organoleptic characteristics, and tended to improve performance index, feed efficiency, and nutritional index. The 5 g RNL treatment reduced total saturated fatty acids (ƩSFAs), omega-6/omega-3 ratio, especially linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid ratio, alanine aminotransferase, and increased total omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturation index, and Δ9-desaturase. In conclusion, RNL can be introduced to broiler diets, especially at an incorporation rate of 1 g, and it promotes broiler health and performance because it contains phytoconstituents that can alter the content and indices of FAs meat and improve storability and sensory quality.

Feeding dietary non-starch polysaccharides supplemented with xylanase could improve the performance of broilers.

The impact of dietary non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) on performance and carcass traits of broilers fed wheat-bran substituted into corn-soybean meal-based diets supplemented with xylanase was investigated. A total of 280 (7-day-old) Ross 308 broilers were randomly allotted to one of five dietary treatments with 8 replicates, 7 chicks per pen. Treatments were; i) CON: Control diet, ii) CON-X (CON + 3,000 U/kg xylanase), iii) L-X: low NSP (2% wheat bran in CON + 3,000 U/kg xylanase), iv) M-X: medium NSP (4% wheat bran in CON + 3,000 U/kg xylanase), v) H-X: higher NSP (8% wheat bran in CON+ 3,000 U/kg xylanase). Birds fed the H-X diet increased (p < 0.05) daily gains, and average daily feed intake and had marginally improved body weights (p = 0.074) on day 35. Relatively, the H-X diet tended to increase the average daily gains (p = 0.053; p = 0.073) of birds during the grower phase (d 24-35) and the entire experimental period (d 8-35), respectively. Moreover, there were no significant differences among treatments in the feed conversion ratio of birds throughout the entire experiment period. Birds fed diets CON-X, L-X, and M-X had improved (p < 0.05) the ileal digestibility of energy on d 24 and 35 compared to those fed the H-X diet. Furthermore, birds fed diet CON-X improved (p < 0.05) N digestibility on d 24. Improved carcass moisture content and lowered crude fat of leg meat (p < 0.05) were noted in birds fed the diet M-X and H-X on d 35, respectively. The intestinal viscosity was reduced (p < 0.05) in xylanase-supplemented treatments CON-X, L-X, M-X, and H-X diets when compared to CON. Our results suggest that supplementing 3,000 U/kg xylanase in a higher NSP (8% wheat bran substituted level) diet could improve the intestinal viscosity and growth performance of broilers.

Ecophysiological Behavior of Fagus sylvatica L. Growing at Its Southern Distribution Limit: Insights for Understanding the Fate of the European Beech under Warmer and Dryer Growth Conditions

In the last 20 years, a significant mortality of Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech) has been documented in central and northern European forests. Surprisingly, no beech die off occurred at the southern limit. This fact leads us to hypothesize that European beech populations growing at the southern limit of the distribution might have a significant phenotypic plasticity to better cope with low water availability and rising temperatures. To check this hypothesis, we evaluated the ecophysiological behavior of F. sylvatica growing along an altitudinal transect in Calabria (Italy). We selected three study sites (750 m a.s.l., 976 m a.sl. m a.s.l., 1450 m a.s.l.) showing narrow ranges of temperature, rainfall and air humidity. Trees growing at 976 m a.s.l. showed the highest stomatal conductance values during the entire experimental period. The lowest gas exchange and highest leaf mass area were recorded in plants growing at 750 m a.s.l. In the European beech growing at 1450 m a.s.l., higher vessel density, lower mean vessel diameter and higher vessel grouping index values were recorded. Overall, our results highlighted that the measured populations show a considerable phenotypic plasticity leading them to adjust anatomical and physiological traits in response to narrow ranges of environmental parameters. Despite that, the distribution of F. sylvatica seems to be limited to areas with a growing season rainfall of at least 400 mm and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) values &lt; 3 kPa, which may represent the main environmental thresholds which strongly limit the beech growth and, therefore, influence the ability of this species to cope with future environmental conditions.

The Use of Tunable Encapsulation for Long-Term Fouling Control

Biofouling is a universal problem in the marine environment. Static structures and niche areas on ships, such as propellers, are not protected sufficiently by antifouling coatings. Encapsulation has previously been used as a fouling mitigation technique via application of an impermeable wrap or bag to a fouled hull or structure when it arrives in port or on station. This experiment investigated the use of a novel semipermeable encapsulation to proactively protect propeller mimics from biofouling. Sleeves were installed over propeller mimic panels and deployed in an active, multiuse port for 20 months. The sleeves completely prevented macrofouling on the panels for up to 13 months and maintained surfaces below 5% cover for the entire experimental period. This shows improvement over traditional antifouling without negative impacts on water quality like dissolved oxygen, pH, etc.

The performance and microbial community of anaerobic membrane bioreactor for high calcium papermaking wastewater treatment

High calcium papermaking wastewater challenges anaerobic biological technology applications, leading to sludge calcification and unstable reactor operation. This study employed an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) to treat high-calcium papermaking wastewater (1000 mg/L) and achieved an average chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 90.1%. No significant accumulation of volatile fatty acids was observed during the entire experimental period. The methane production capacity decreased with the increasing inlet calcium ion concentration, and the maximum methane production rate in Stage 4 was 115.4 mL·(gVSS·d)−1. The maximum transmembrane pressure reached was 4.33 kPa, and the sludge was primarily present in the form of flocs due to the hydraulic shear effects. Anaerolineaceae, Bacteroidetes_vadinHA17, Methanosaetaceae and Methanobacteriaceae were identified as the dominant bacterial species in Stage 4, correlating with the robust anaerobic digestion performance. In conclusion, the AnMBR exhibited a reliable and effective treatment method for high calcium papermaking wastewater.

Co-immobilization of AOA strains with anammox bacteria in three different synthetic bio-granules maintained under two substrate-level conditions

Hydrogel encapsulation of ammonium oxidizing archaea (AOA) along with anammox bacteria holds potential to enable mainstream partial nitritation (PN)-anammox process attributing to AOA's high affinity to ammonia and oxygen. This study explored the growth of AOA and anammox in hydrogel-based synthetic biogranules by testing two AOA strains, three types of hydrogel beads and two substrate levels, to identify the optimal combination favoring the concomitant growth of AOA and anammox. The AOA Nitrososphaera viennensis (AOA-NV) exhibited higher abundance (10−2.3±0.6 AOA/16S) than the AOA-DW (10−4.7±0.8 AOA/16S) during the entire experimental period. Amongst the three types of hydrogel beads, the PVA-SA-BaCl2 (140 days) and PVA-SA-H3BO3 beads (>180 days) exhibited better long-term structural stability than the PEGDMA-SA-CaCl2 beads. The PVA-SA-H3BO3 beads exhibited the best long-term stability and both the PVA/SA BaCl2 and PVA-SA-H3BO3 beads had comparable ability to retain AOA, anammox and the overall microbial community. Substrate conditions rather than the bead type primarily controlled the microbial community structure. Modest substrate concentrations (1 mM NH4+-N in the feed and 0.8 mg/L dissolved oxygen (DO) in the reactor during aeration phase) followed by low substrate conditions (0.1 mM NH4+-N and 0.2 mg DO/L) both supported the growth of AOA and anammox, while the low substrate condition also suppressed the growth of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), with AOA /AOB and anammox/NOB ratio of 0.7 and 0.4 at moderate substrate condition and 16.5 and 2.6 at low substrate condition.

The use of probiotic in chicken-broilers feeding

Biologically active feed additives of natural origin that do not hurt the body are increasingly used in poultry farming, making it possible to produce safe food products. It is known that probiotics are preparations of microbial origin that manifest their properties through the regulation of intestinal microflora. The primary mechanism of action of probiotics is to populate the gastrointestinal tract with strains of beneficial bacteria that displace opportunistic microflora from the intestinal biocenosis. The experiment aimed to establish the effect of probiotic feed additives on the productivity, slaughter performance, and meat quality of broiler chickens. Following the purpose of the research, a scientific and economic experiment was conducted on two similar groups of broiler chickens of the “Cobb-500” cross from one day to 42 days of age, with 20 heads in each group according to the experiment scheme. The experiment lasted 42 days. With the use of a feed additive in feeding broiler chickens of the 2nd group, the live weight increased by 11.9 % (Р ≤ 0.001) compared to the control group. It was found that under the influence of the supplement, the average daily growth in broiler chickens of the 2nd group was higher by 12.1 %, absolute by 12.2 % (Р ≤ 0.001) compared to control peers during the entire experiment period. In addition, in the 2nd group of broilers, feed consumption per 1 kg of growth is reduced by 8.9 % compared to the control. The use of a feed additive in the feeding of broiler chickens of the 2nd group increases the pre-slaughter live weight by 12.0 % (Р ≤ 0.001), the weight of an uncut carcass by 12.1 % (Р ≤ 0.001), half-cut carcass by 9.9 % (Р ≤ 0.01) and by 13.3 % (Р ≤ 0.001) relative to the control value. With the consumption of the investigated feed additive in broilers of the 2nd group, the level of total moisture in the pectoral muscles increased by 1.3 % (Р ≤ 0.05), and in the femoral muscles, the hygromoisture level was higher by 0.2 % (Р ≤ 0.05) and the amount of nitrogen by 0.2 % (Р ≤ 0.05), compared to the control group.

Fish and Black Soldier Fly Meals as Partial Replacements for Soybean Meal Can Affect Sustainability of Productive Performance, Blood Constituents, Gut Microbiota, and Nutrient Excretion of Broiler Chickens.

One hundred and twenty, one-day-old male broiler chicks were used to investigate the effects of supplementation with different dietary protein sources on their performance and immune systems. Chicks were randomly divided into four equal experimental groups (six replicates, each of five chicks). The first group served as a control and was fed a standard corn-soybean meal diet. The second, third, and fourth groups were fed diets in which the soybean meal (SBM) was partly replaced by fish meal (FM), black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), and black soldier fly prepupae (BSFP), respectively. Throughout 1-14 and 15-42 days of age, FM, BSFL, and BSFP were added at 3 and 5%, respectively. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the FM group was the best among the tested groups. Feeding BSFP decreased final body weight (BW), BW gain, feed intake, and impaired the FCR compared to the other treatments for the entire experimental period. The BSFP group had significantly lower cecal Salmonella counts compared to the control group and lower total bacterial counts compared to the other groups except for BSFL. BSFL can be fed to broiler chickens at 3% during the starter period and 5% during the grower-finisher periods without negative influences on growth performance, red blood cell characteristics, blood lipid profiles, and nutrient excretion, while BSFP can improve the chickens' gut ecosystem.

Effects of supplementing a direct-fed microbial containing Enterococcus faecium 669 on performance, health, and metabolic responses of preweaning Holstein dairy calves

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Enterococcus faecium 669 supplementation on performance, health, parasitological, microbiological, and hematological responses of pre-weaning dairy calves. Forty-two newborn Holstein female calves [initial body weight (BW) 44 ± 4.5 kg] were used in the present study. At birth, calves were ranked by initial BW and assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups: 1) whole milk (CON; n = 21) and 2) whole milk with the addition of E. faecium 669 (DFM; n = 21). During the entire experimental period (63 d), DFM was daily-fed at a rate of 2.5 × 109 colony forming units/head. All calves were offered a mixture of a starter feed and wheat straw for ad libitum consumption. Supplement intake was evaluated daily, whereas calves were weighed on a weekly basis from d 0 to weaning (d 63). Diarrhea was assessed once a day, whereas fecal and blood samples were collected for microbiological, parasitological, and hematological responses. All data were analyzed with SAS and using calf as the experimental unit. A treatment × week interaction was observed for BW, as DFM-supplemented calves were heavier than CON cohorts on d 56 (+ 4.7 kg) and at weaning on d 63 (+ 4.8 kg). A similar interaction was observed for ADG and dry matter intake (DMI), with greater ADG for DFM-supplemented calves from d 35 - 42, greater ADG and DMI from d 49 - 56, and greater DMI from d 56 - weaning. Moreover, diarrhea occurrence tended to be lower, whereas rectal temperature was 0.2°C lower for DFM supplemented calves. Treatment × day interactions were observed for the occurrence and counts of Eimeria spp., as DFM-supplemented calves tended to have a reduced number of positive observations on d 42 of the study vs. CON and a significant reduction in positive animals from d 21 to 42 was observed in DFM, but not in CON calves. For Cryptosporidium spp., no treatment effects were observed on overall occurrence (%), but DFM-supplemented calves had a greater count of oocyst per gram vs. CON. No treatment × day interaction or main treatment effects were observed for any of the blood variables analyzed herein, exception being monocytes concentration. In summary, pre-weaning E. faecium 669 supplementation improved performance, diarrhea occurrence, and reduced the number of calves positively-detected for Eimeria spp.

Effect of feeding restrictions on development of juvenile cobias, Rachycentron canadum

Aim of study: A 45-day trial was conducted to evaluate fasting as a possible way of food strategy during production of juvenile cobias (Rachycentron canadum). Area of study: The study was conducted in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Material and methods: The following different protocols were used to organize their feeding: C, fish fed to satiety twice a day for 45 days; U1, fish fed to satiety twice a day on alternate days; U2, fish fed to satiety twice daily for five consecutive days, followed by two days of food deprivation, cyclically; U5, fish subjected to food deprivation for five days and then fed to satiety twice a day for 40 days; U10, fish subjected to food deprivation for ten days and then fed to satiety twice a day for 35 days; and U15, fish subjected to food deprivation for fifteen days and then fed to satiety twice a day for 30 days. Main results: No mortality was observed during the trial period. The different feeding protocols significantly affected juvenile cobias development and wellbeing. The final weight (g) of cobia juveniles was C – 91.9 ± 9.1; U1 – 75.0 ± 11.2; U2 – 72.2 ± 6.0; U5 – 70.3 ± 6.1; U10 – 63.4 ± 4.6; U15 – 54.4 ± 4.7. No compensatory growth was observed during the entire experimental period. Research highlights: Continuous fasting had a more severe effect than intermittent fasting. Significantly greater hepatocyte counts were correlated with longer fasting periods. Fasting protocols should not be recommended for juvenile cobias.

Low temperature catalytic activity of hydrothermally synthesised ruthenium promoted ceria-zirconia composites for reforming CO2-rich methane

The use of CO2-rich natural gas as feedstock in DRM is an attractive route of carbon dioxide utilisation due to the compositional advantage of these particular resources. The optimal operating conditions would potentially improve the overall thermal efficiency of the DRM process, especially when the temperature is lower than 800 °C. This study reports a catalyst with the demonstrated high performance and high coke-resistance, developed from ruthenium modified ceria-zirconia. Coprecipitation and hydrothermal methods were adopted to prepare the ceria-zirconia supports, and then impregnated with a very small amount of Ru (0.10 wt%). The structure-catalytic activity relationship of the catalyst was further investigated in DRM. High conversions of CH4 and CO2, i.e., 44.0% and 57.4%, respectively, were achieved by using 0.1Ru1CZ5U-180 at low temperature of 600 °C. A significant reduction in the onset reaction temperature was observed from temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and this observation was related to the increased number of exchangeable oxygens in the presence of Ru. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption results suggested that the specific surface area and the total pore volume also improved the exchange of oxygen between adsorbed carbon dioxide molecules and the crystal lattice. It is evident that the presence of ruthenium accelerated the oxygen spillover process on the surface of the catalyst, and facilitated the dynamics of the oxygen exchange between the adsorbed carbon dioxide molecules and the ceria-zirconia, which ultimately contributed to the observed increase in catalytic activity at temperatures below 800 °C. Most importantly, no detectable carbon deposits were formed over the entire experimental period when the ruthenium modified ceria-zirconia catalyst was used.

Effects of green tea powder on production performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical parameters in laying hens

The paper aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of green tea powder (GTP) on laying performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical parameters of laying hens. A total of 240 Jingfen No. 6 laying hens (age, 24 wk) were randomly allocated into 4 groups: control group (CON, basal diet), GTP0.5, GTP0.75, and GTP1.0 (basal diet included 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0% GTP, respectively). Each group has 5 replicates with 12 birds each. The feeding trial lasted 8 wk. The results showed that the hen-day egg production rate in GTP0.5 and GTP 0.75 group was higher than that of GTP1.0 group (P < 0.05), hen-day egg production rate in the GTP1.0 group was lower compared to the CON group (P > 0.05), the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the GTP0.75 group was lower than that in CON and GTP 1.0 group (P < 0.05) during the entire experimental period. Albumen height and Haugh unit were higher in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group compared to the CON group at d 56 (P < 0.05). At the end of experiment, plasma TG content in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group was lower than that in the CON group (P < 0.05), the T-CH concentration in the GTP0.5 and GTP0.75 group was lower compared to the CON group (P < 0.05), plasma LDL-C and CORT concentrations were decreased by dietary GTP supplementation (P < 0.05), the HDL-C and BUN concentrations in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group were higher than that in the CON group (P < 0.05). The antibody titers of H5N1 in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group, and H7N9 in the GTP1.0 group were lower than that in the CON group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary GTP inclusion could affect laying performance, regulate lipid metabolism, and have no favorable influence on antibody titers of H5N1 and H7N9, herein, dietary 0.5% GTP inclusion is suggested for Jingfen No. 6 laying hens during the peak laying period.

Effect of reducing dietary crude protein level on growth performance, blood profiles, nutrient digestibility, carcass traits, and odor emissions in growing-finishing pigs.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a low-protein (LP) diet on growth performance, carcass traits, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, and odor emissions in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 126 crossbred pigs ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc) with an average body weight (BW) of 38.56 ± 0.53 kg were used for a 14-week feeding trial. Experimental pigs were allotted to one of 6 treatments in 3 replicates of 7 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design. Pigs were fed each treatment diet with different levels of crude protein (CP). Phase 1 (early growing): 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%; phase 2 (late growing): 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%; phase 3 (early finishing): 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%; phase 4 (late finishing): 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%. All experimental diets in each phase were contained the same concentration of lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), threonine (Thr), and tryptophan (Trp). Over the entire experimental period, there was no significant difference in body weight (BW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F ratio) among all treatments (p>0.05), but a quadratic effect (p = 0.04) was observed in average daily gain (ADG) during the late finishing phase with higher ADG in Group D. Blood urea nitrogen concentration linearly increased with an increase in dietary CP levels (p<0.01). Regarding nutrient digestibility, excreted nitrogen in urine and feces and nitrogen retention linearly increased as the CP level increased (p<0.01). A linear effect was observed with increasing CP levels in amines, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide in odor emissions (p<0.01). No significant effects were observed in the measurements of carcass traits and meat characteristics (p>0.05). In phase feeding, reducing the CP level to 14% in early-growing pigs, 13% in late-growing pigs, 12% in early-finishing pigs, and 11% in late-finishing pigs is recommended.