Feed Ingredients Research Articles

Solid-state fermentation converts rice bran into a high-protein feed ingredient for Penaeus monodon

Fermented rice bran (FRB) was evaluated as an alternative protein source to soybean meal (SM) in practical diets for juvenile black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon. This feed ingredient was tested in a feeding trial to replace soybean meal in P. monodon diets at 0% (T0), 12.5% (T12.5), 25% (T25), 37.5% (T37.5), and 50% (T50). Five iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric experimental diets containing 44% crude protein were fed to groups of juvenile shrimp (0.47 ± 0.002 g) randomly assigned to twenty 60-l rectangular tanks equipped with a recirculating seawater system. Each dietary treatment was run in 4 replicates, and the feeding trial lasted 50 days. Results show significant improvement in weight gain, specific growth rate, and protein efficiency ratio in treatment T12.5 and T25. Treatments with higher levels of SM replacement with FRB exhibited similar growth indices to those of the control group. Polynomial regression analysis indicates that the optimum replacement of soybean meal with FRB for optimum growth is 21.08%. The apparent dry matter and protein digestibility coefficients of FRB are 83.05 ± 0.02% and 87.20 ± 0.30%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the whole-body composition (dry matter, protein, lipid, ash) among treatments of shrimp fed with FRB replacement. The data suggest that FRB replacement of dietary soybean meal is feasible at 50% without affecting the growth performance but may promote growth at 21.08% replacement of P. monodon.

Mosquitoes harvested from rice fields as alternative protein ingredient in broiler feed: insights from the first pilot study.

Global population continuous growth and increasing consumers' demands for protein-rich diets have posed sustainability challenges for traditional livestock feed sources. Consequently, exploring alternative and sustainable protein sources has become imperative to address the environmental burden and resource limitations associated with conventional ingredients. With respect to food security assurance, insects have emerged as a promising solution due to their exceptional nutritional profile, rapid reproduction rates, and low environmental impact. In the present pilot study, 10% of a soybean meal-based diet was replaced by adult mosquitoes harvested from rice fields. The objective was to assess the effect of this partial substitution on meat quality aspects and consumer acceptance. A total of 40 Cobb hybrid broiler chickens were randomly placed in a control and a mosquito-fed group. The study was conducted for 42 days and carcass physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological characteristics, as well as sensory attributes were evaluated. Overall, results regarding quality attributes were comparable between the control and the treatment group. The organoleptic evaluation showed that the thighs from the mosquito-fed group had the highest overall consumer acceptance. These outcomes indicate that mosquitoes could be successfully used as a protein source for broiler feed without compromising the quality and acceptability of the meat.

PSI-5 Evaluation of EhV (surrogate for African swine fever virus) inactivation in corn- and soybean-based feed ingredients and diets at various times and temperatures during storage

Abstract African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a member of the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) and remains stable in a variety of environments, including animal feed ingredients as shown in previous laboratory experiments and simulations. Emiliania huxleyi virus (EhV) is another member of NCLDV, which has a restricted host range limited to a species of marine algae called Emiliania huxleyi. This algal NCLDV has many similar morphological and physical characteristics to ASFV which makes it a safe and reliable surrogate for studying ASFV survival and inactivation in feed ingredient matrices in-situ under various time and temperature storage conditions. The objective of the present study was to investigate the inactivation of ASFV in various feedstuffs under a wide range of time and temperature conditions during storage using EhV as a surrogate. Corn- and soybean-based feed ingredients including corn, corn fermented protein, distiller dried grains with solubles, extruded soybean meal, high protein distiller’s grains, solvent-extracted soybean meal, soybean hulls, complete feed, and a positive control (no matrix) were inoculated with EhV (1 × 108 viruses/mL). Negative controls were inoculated with medium containing no EhV for each matrix. To assess the effects of different times and temperatures of storage, all samples were stored at temperatures of 4, 24, and 34 °C for 1, 5, 60, and 120 d. For each timepoint and temperature combination, samples were evaluated for virus presence (qPCR) and viability using a previously validated viability qPCR (v-qPCR) method. On average, we observed a 0.2 log reduction in viable viral DNA content over the 120-d period, with a 0.1 log reduction across varying temperatures. No reductions in EhV viability exceeding 1 log were detected for any matrix and the positive control at any time and temperature combination evaluated. No EhV was recovered from the negative control samples. Given that the experimental error was calculated to be within the range of 1 log, we concluded that storing EhV at 4, 24, or 34 °C for up to 120 d did not result in the inactivation of EhV in any of the ingredients, complete feed, or the control with no matrix. These results demonstrate that ASFV-like NCLDVs is extremely resilient and can maintain viability in various feed matrices during long-term storage and suggest that extending storage time alone may not be an effective mitigation practice against African swine fever virus.

112 Nutritional, feed safety, and environmental benefits and limitations of using soybean co-products in swine diets

Abstract Various types of soybean co-products are used in swine diets which have benefits and limitations related to protein quality, environmental impact, and feed safety. To address these concerns for sustainable pork production, methodologies have evolved. Soybean processing and storage methods affecting protein oxidation have been studied less than lipid oxidation. Protein carbonyl concentrations were measured and compared among diverse samples of soybeans and soybean meal from different regions of the US and processed by mechanical or solvent extraction. Mechanically extracted soybean meal had greater concentrations of protein carbonyls than solvent extracted soybean meal which were associated with a greater concentration of residual oil. Soybeans and their co-products also contain antioxidants that may protect against more extensive lipid and protein oxidation. Understanding the interactions between natural antioxidants and oxidation of lipid and proteins in soy co-products is important for optimizing nutritional efficiency and health in sustainable pork production systems. Because soybean meal is a major component of swine diets, its origin and environmental footprint affects the environmental impact of feed, manure, and pork production. Using a spatially explicit lifecycle assessment of feed ingredients and regional manure management programs, we compared the effect of using four feeding programs on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land use, and embedded water consumption in 3 major U.S. pork production regions assuming they would provide equal growth performance and carcass composition. Although environmental impacts varied among regions, the corn-soybean meal feeding program resulted in the greatest land and water use of all grower-finisher feeding programs, and more GHG emissions than feeding low protein amino acid supplemented (LP) diets and diets containing 8% supermarket food waste, but less overall GHG emissions than the distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) feeding program. Results from a subsequent study showed that feeding corn-soybean meal diets optimized growth performance and carcass composition while simultaneously reducing impacts on climate change, marine and freshwater eutrophication, and fossil resource use compared with feeding DDGS and LP diets. Lastly, the extended survival of infectious agents such as African swine fever virus in feed ingredients has important implications for biosecurity and prevention of transboundary transmission of swine diseases. We developed a risk-free in situ surrogate non-animal assay (RISNA) to estimate survival of ASFV in various feed ingredients and conditions, and results indicate greater thermal stability than previously observed, and comparable extended survival among corn- and soybean-based ingredients. These new insights will be useful in revising feed biosecurity protocols to prevent introduction and transmission of ASFV in feed supply chains. In conclusion, holistic assessments of feed ingredients, like our evaluation of soybean co-products, are needed to achieve a more sustainable, One Health approach to pork production.

PSIV-21 Ileal digestibility of amino acids in feed ingredients for 22-, 56-, and 87-kilogram pigs

Abstract The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of amino acids (AA) in feed ingredients is not constant in pigs with 3 different body weights (BW). Eight pigs with initial BW of 22.2 ± 1.2 kg cannulated at the distal ileum were used. Two experimental diets contained corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and soybean meal-wheat mixture (SBM-W; 70% soybean meal + 30% wheat) as the sole source of nitrogen, respectively. The diets were assigned to the animals in a 2-period cross-over design. Each period consisted of a 5-d adaptation period and a 2-d ileal digesta collection period. The animals, diets, and experimental design for 50 kg pigs (initial BW = 55.6 ± 3.3 kg) and 80 kg pigs (initial BW = 86.9 ± 5.1 kg) were identical to those used for 22 kg pigs. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used to determine the effect of ingredient type (corn DDGS or SBMM) and BW of pigs (from 22 to 87 kg) and the interaction between these 2 main effects. The AID of crude protein, lysine, and methionine in both corn DDGS and SBM-W linearly or quadratically increased (P < 0.05) with an increase in pig BW. An interaction between ingredient type and linear effect of BW was observed (P < 0.05) in histidine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, threonine, and valine. Specifically, a linear increase in AID of these AA with increasing BW of pigs was greater in SBM-W compared with corn DDGS. In conclusion, the AID values of most AA differed between the BW range of 22 to 87 kg, and these patterns varied among different ingredients.

255 Anchor Talk: Consider intrinsic factors that regulate homeostasis to optimize sustainability of mineral supplements for swine

Abstract Decades of research has focused on methodologies to improve the efficiency of mineral use while assuring sufficient intake to meet animal well-being and production needs. A primary focus of these efforts is P, as P is the third most expensive category of nutrients supplemented in swine diets. Bioavailability of P is more variable than other nutrients in feed ingredients commonly fed to swine. Due to complexities involved in assessments of P bioavailability efforts shifted to defining P digestibilities for each ingredient. Efforts to refine P digestibilities, based on intake and fecal excretion, even with corrections for endogenous losses, have failed to provide a constant coefficient for feed ingredients that can be included in diet formulations, as the digestibility estimates vary with animal age, production phases and inclusion of enzymes such as phytase. An under-appreciated contribution to inaccuracies of digestible P relates to intrinsic regulation of Ca and P homeostasis by the animal. Regulation of Ca and P homeostasis by PTH and 1,25(OH)2D3, must now include a third mineralotropic hormone, FGF23. Applying insights for intrinsic roles of FGF23 will allow more efficient use of nutrients, especially P and vitamin D. FGF23 regulates activation of vitamin D and controls renal P excretion. Over-supplementation of P signals osteocytes (bone cells embedded in a mineralized matrix) to release intact FGF23 which targets the kidney to block reabsorption of P for maintenance of soft tissue homeostasis, resulting in an inefficient use of dietary P. Intact FGF23 also inhibits hydroxylation of 25-OH D3 to form 1,25(OH)2D3. These endocrine pathways illustrate major roles provided by kidneys and bone to allow adaptation to variable Ca and P inputs, thus maintaining homeostasis. Recent efforts to assess P requirements of sows during gestation and lactation illustrate the sensitivity of using renal excretion of Ca and P to assess requirements. Based on 24-h collections, urine Ca:P ratios > 1.5 were consistent with deficient P intake, ratios from 0.5 to 1.5 reflected P adequacy, and ratios < 0.5 indicated excessive P intake. As a practical method, spot urine samples collected at variable times throughout the day reliably predicted Ca:P ratios in 24-h urine collections. Thus, a simplified approach using Ca to P ratio in spot urine samples can be used to assess P intake adequacy. This practical approach can be applied in commercial sow herd to allow herd-based assessment of P status. In conclusion, within herd assessments, based on urine Ca:P ratios, can be used to determine if P supplements are deficient, adequate, and excessive. As such, significant progress can be made to provide a balance between the need to adequately meet animal need with efforts to minimize negative environmental impacts from over-supplementation of P.

308 Awardee Talk: Prevention and mitigation of pathogens in feed and feed manufacturing systems

Abstract Prior to 2013, pathogen transmission through feed was focused primarily on bacteria and biosecurity was used to prevent adulterant entry into the ingredients and the feed mills. Following the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) outbreak in 2013, research focused on pathogen mitigation and control quickly became a subject of interest. Since PEDV, multiple endemic viruses and foreign animal diseases have been found to be transmissible in feed or feed ingredients. As African swine fever virus (ASFV) spread closer to the United States and endemic pathogens are a continued pressure on production systems, it is imperative that prevention measures are included in the feed supply chain and options for mitigation are fully elucidated for times of need. Previous research has demonstrated that preventative measures such as boot baths, lines of separation, showers, and changing clothes are effective measures when appropriately maintained. However, these protocols can seem costly and burdensome to employees, especially when the risk of disease transmission appears low. Employee training is difficult as disease transmission is difficult to visualize and exhibit the importance of each measure. Glo Germ, a florescent substance, is a cost-effective training tool which can demonstrate the efficacy of prevention protocols and can identify areas where biosecurity measures have not been properly utilized. Preventative measures are the first line of defense for feed manufacturing systems, but understanding and using mitigation techniques in the event of contamination can limit pathogen spread and protect the rest of the feed supply chain. Pelleting, as a method of thermal inactivation process, has recently been demonstrated to lessen the quantity of detectable viral RNA and decrease the risk of infection. The pelleting process, however, is a point-in-time mitigant and does not decrease the risk of product re-contamination as feed continues down the supply chain. The use of chemical mitigants, like formaldehyde, medium-chain fatty acids, and organic acids, can decrease the presence of bacterial and viral pathogens with longer-lasting mitigation properties. These mitigants can either be used in the feed itself, or as an addition to flushing batches which help disperse the chemical mitigants throughout the feed manufacturing equipment, thus reducing the risk of product re-contamination. In the event more drastic measures must be taken to eliminate pathogen presence from feed mills, gaseous fumigation and the use of portable heaters show promise as methods to decontaminate feed manufacturing equipment without the use of water or complete equipment breakdown. Overall, effective training and implementation of preventative measures are needed to provide pathogen-free feed to production systems, but continued research in mitigation and mill decontamination will further protect the feed supply chain in the event of pathogen contamination.

292 Effects of feeding mycotoxins-contaminated feed with a mitigation strategy on growth performance and health status in weaned pigs

Abstract Various types and levels of mycotoxins are present in feed ingredients, thus negatively impacting swine health and productivity. Appropriate sampling and frequent testing of feed ingredients are recommended to assess the risk of mycotoxins in feed and to determine mitigation strategies for mycotoxin control. However, monitoring plans do not guarantee feed will be free of mycotoxins, so in-feed mitigation strategies are implemented to minimize production losses. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a mycotoxin mitigation product (MultiSHIELD, modified clinoptilolite-based product) on growth performance and health status of weaned pigs under dietary challenges with various types and levels of mycotoxins commonly found in feed. The presence of mycotoxins was confirmed in the ground corn, which was obtained from the Midwestern United States and then used in a standard corn and soybean meal-based diet for three dietary treatments. Treatments were as follows: 1) control diet containing mycotoxins without mitigation (fumonisins B1 at 390, 454, and 527 ppb; zearalenone at 727, 846, and 982 ppb; deoxynivalenol at 671, 781, and 907 ppb in N1, N2, and N3 diets, respectively), 2) control diet with 0.15% of MultiSHIELD as mitigation level 1, and 3) control diet with 0.3% of MultiSHIELD as mitigation level 2. A total of 912 weaned pigs were allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments (19 pigs per pen and 16 replicates per treatment) in a randomized complete block design with the initial body weight (as blocking. The results revealed that mycotoxin mitigation, regardless of the mitigation levels, had decreased removal rate (P < 0.01), incidence of injectable medication treatments (P = 0.01), ear necrosis (P = 0.27), and scours (P = 0.18) compared with control. Overall, pigs fed mycotoxin mitigation treatment diets had heavier pen weight (P = 0.06) than those fed the control diet due to fewer removals. The results also demonstrated a significant improvement of economic parameters (i.e., income over feed cost per pen; P = 0.01) for pigs fed diets with MultiSHIELD, regardless of the inclusion level, than pigs fed control diet. In conclusion, poor swine productivity was observed due to the presence of mycotoxins in feed, and the inclusion of MultiSHIELD in feed under the mycotoxin challenge delivers a positive impact on health and economic performance of nursery pigs.

177 Modulation of fecal microbiome by phytogenics, a postbiotic, and mix of organic acids with essential oils in weaned pigs subjected to F18 Escherichia coli challenge

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of bioactive feed ingredients on fecal microbiome of weaned pigs subjected to F18 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) challenge. Two blocks of weaned pigs [n = 72; Yorkshire/Landrace/Duroc; initial body weight (BW) = 6.62 ± 1.37 kg] were balanced by gender and litter and randomly allocated to one of the six treatments with 12 pens/block and 6 pigs/pen. Treatments included: 1) basal diet (NC), 2) NC + 0.1% phytogenic (Fresta Protect, Delacon, Austria; PFP), 3) NC + 0.2% postbiotic (Dia-V Nursery, Diamond V, IA; PB), 4) NC + 0.2% new phytogenic prototype (Delacon, Austria; NPP), 5) NC + 0.2% organic acid and essential oil blend (OA+EO), and 6) NC + 0.1% phytogenic (Fresta Protect) + 0.2% postbiotic (Dia-V Nursery; PFP+PB). The trial lasted 15 d, with a 7-d pre-challenge and 8-d post-challenge periods. Pigs were orally inoculated with 5 x 1010 CFU/mL of F18 ETEC (O147:H2, LT:STb:STa:Stx2:F18) on d 8 and 9 of study after 5-h fasting. Fecal swabs were collected before challenge (d 8) and 3- and 8-d post-challenge (d 10 and 15 of study) and subjected to shotgun metagenomics. Diarrhea score and E. coli shedding (CFU/mL) were monitored daily and analyzed using a multi-level mixed effect ordinal logistic regression with block and pen as random effects. Microbiome data were center-log-ratio transformed and analyzed for diversity, abundance, and interaction networks. At 3-d post-challenge, the OA+EO, PFP+PB and NPP supplemented pigs had reduced (P < 0.001) E. coli shedding compared with NC. Diarrhea score tended to be less (P = 0.054) in PFP+PB fed pigs 5-d post-challenge and was less (P = 0.02) in PFP+PB, OA+EO, and NPP 6-d post-challenge than NC. Alpha-diversity declined (P < 0.01) 3-d post-challenge with most reduction in PFP and OA+EO but recovered 8-d post-challenge except for PFP and OA+EO (P < 0.01). At the baseline and 8-d post-challenge, the largest number of differentially abundant taxa (P < 0.05) were observed in PFP+PB compared with NC. The PFP+PB reduced the abundances of Escherichia.sp000208585 and Campylobacter.P585 which were negatively correlated (P < 0.01) with average daily gain (ADG) and BW, and positively correlated (P < 0.01) with diarrhea score and E. coli shedding. The PFP+PB increased beneficial species including Prevotella.sp900543585, Mitsuokella jalaludinii, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii with the first two positively correlated (P < 0.01) with ADG and BW, and negatively correlated (P < 0.01) with diarrhea score and E. coli shedding. By d-8 post-challenge, PFP+PB microbial network had the highest degree of negative connections suggestive of a more competitive microbial ecosystem against opportunistic microorganisms compared with NC. In conclusion, co-supplementation of Fresta Protect phytogenic and postbiotic promoted a microbiome with greater beneficial and reduced detrimental bacteria resulting in low diarrhea score post-challenge.

256 Anchor Talk: Accounting for effects of microbial phytase on digestibility of calcium and phosphorus

Abstract Inclusion of increasing levels of microbial phytase in diets for weanling and growing pigs results in a linear increase in the standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of Ca and P. In many experiments, maximum effects on STTD of Ca and P were obtained with inclusion of around 1,200 phytase units (FTU) per kg of diet, although some of the newer phytases appear to release Ca and P until at least 2,000 FTU is included in the diets. In most individual feed ingredients and most practical diets, the maximum standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P that is obtained by using between 500 and 1,000 FTU per kg diet is around 70%, whereas the STTD of Ca for some ingredients can be over 80% if microbial phytase is used. One reason for the decreased STTD of P than of Ca in diets with maximum dosages of phytase is that dietary Ca prevents some P from being absorbed, and the STTD of P in practical diets, therefore, will never be 100% regardless of phytase inclusion. It is, however, important that the increased STTD of dietary Ca that is caused by phytase is taken into account in diet formulation because of the negative effects of Ca on STTD of P. In addition, at low dietary phytase there is release of more Ca than P, whereas at greater inclusion levels of phytase, there may be a similar release of Ca and P. Release of Ca and P by phytase is also impacted by ingredient composition in the diets because phytase does not have the same effect on all ingredients. In general, ingredients with low concentration of phytate have greater STTD of P if no phytase is used than ingredients with greater concentrations of phytate P, but the response to phytase is greater for ingredients with high concentrations of phytate. Sows also have lower digestibility of Ca and P than growing pigs and the response to phytase in diets for sows is less than in diets for growing pigs. Likewise, there is a linear reduction in phytase effects on STTD of both Ca and P as pigs get older. In contrast, in diets for newly weaned pigs there are specific advantages to using high concentrations of phytase (at least 2,000 FTU) because gastric pH is reduced in diets with phytase, which results in less diarrhea. This effect may be related to increased concentrations of plasma inositol in pigs fed diets with phytase, which may positively impact the immune status of the pigs. In conclusion, use of phytase in diets for pigs results in increased STTD of Ca and P and may have other benefits as well.

PSI-18 Effects of heat treatment and multi-carbohydrase supplementation on the digestibility of phosphorus in field peas fed to growing pigs

Abstract Most plant-based feed ingredients contain about two-thirds of their total P as phytate. Mineral elements are chelated to phytate or entrapped in plant cell walls, and microbial or enzymatic breakdown of cell walls may be able to release entrapped P, thus leading to improvement of the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of P in pigs. Heat treatment is one of the processing methods that improve the digestibility of fiber in various feedstuffs for pigs. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of heat treatment and multi-carbohydrase supplementation on the ATTD and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P in peas fed to growing pigs. A total of 18 pigs (23.9 ± 1.3 kg) were assigned to 1 of 3 diets in a completely randomized design to give 6 replicates per diet. Three experimental diets were formulated: 1) non-heated or 2) heat-treated (pelleted) peas as the sole source of P, and 3) heat-treated peas with multi-carbohydrase supplementation. Pigs were individually housed in metabolism crates for 12 d, including 7 d for adaptation and 5 d for total collection of feces. Pigs were offered their daily ration at 2.8 times their maintenance energy requirement. Samples of ingredients, diets, and feces were analyzed for dry matter, Ca, and P. Fecal samples were analyzed for mixed bacterial mass (MBM) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED of SAS. The statistical model included diet as fixed effect and replicate as random effect. An alpha level of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance and P ≤ 0.10 was considered a trend. Pigs fed the diet that contained heat-treated peas with carbohydrase supplementation tended to have greater (P < 0.10) ATTD and STTD of P than pigs fed the diet containing heat-treated peas without enzyme. The values of STTD of P were 54.4, 47.3, and 55.0% for diets containing raw peas, heat-treated peas, and heat-treated peas with carbohydrase supplementation, respectively. Heat treatment and enzyme supplementation did not affect the ATTD of Ca in peas fed to growing pigs. No significant differences were observed in fecal MBM-P and VFA concentrations. In conclusion, carbohydrase supplementation tended to increase the digestibility of P in heat-treated peas fed to growing pigs, however, there was no difference in P digestibility between raw and heat-treated peas. Heat treatment and carbohydrase supplementation did not affect fecal MBM-P and VFA concentrations in growing pigs.

106 Net energy of soybean meal

Abstract Our current net energy (NE) systems were developed based on work conducted around 40 yr ago. At that time, it was normal that pigs deposited no more than 40% of the protein they were fed. However, modern genetic lines are much leaner than older genetics and they deposit more protein than earlier. It is, therefore, not uncommon that protein deposition in modern genotypes exceeds 60% of dietary protein intake. This means that more of the amino acids in the protein-rich ingredients are used for protein deposition and less are being deaminated with a subsequent reduced energetic cost of deamination associated with feeding protein-rich ingredients. As a consequence, the theoretical energy value of protein rich ingredients such as soybean meal (SBM) is greater when fed to modern pigs than to older genotypes that were used when our current NE systems were developed. Indeed, in several recent experiments it was demonstrated that the ME and NE of SBM is greater than indicated in current feed ingredient tables. A greater NE than predicted has also been demonstrated for field peas, whereas corn does not seem to have increased energy value compared with previous estimates, which is consistent with the hypothesis that it is the increased protein efficiency of modern pigs that is the reason for the greater NE value in SBM. As a consequence of the greater NE value of SBM, less added fat need to be used to reach a certain NE level in the diet, which will reduce overall diet costs. However, because of the greater genetic capacity for protein deposition in modern pigs, there is a need to upgrade the NE system and to develop new equations to predict NE in diets and ingredients based on the protein deposition capacity of modern pigs. It can also be argued that because commercially fed pigs always are group housed and allowed ad libitum intake of feed, pigs fed to generate prediction equations for NE also need to be group housed and allowed ad libitum intake of feed because both animal behavior and level of feed intake may affect the NE value of diets. In conclusion, because of the increased ability of modern genotypes of pigs to retain dietary protein in the body, there is reduced deamination of amino acids and therefore reduced energy loss in modern pigs than in older genotypes, which results in greater NE of protein rich ingredients including SBM. There is, therefore, a need for developing a new NE system that preferably uses group-housed pigs that are allowed ad libitum access to feed.

108 Estimating net energy of soybean meal for 47 to 110 kg growing pigs using a growth assay

Abstract The NE of SBM for growing pigs with body weight (BW) from 47 to 110 kg was determined in the current study using the growth assay. In the first study, a total of 826 pigs (B =, 46.8 ± 2.5 kg) in 44 pens (18 to 19 pigs per pen, 11 pens per treatment) were randomly allotted into one of 4 dietary treatments with initial BW and sex as blocks for 21 d: Corn-SBM based diets with 29.0, 25.7, 22.3, or 19.0% of SBM. Compared with the first study, the second study was conducted with a total of 820 pigs at greater BW (67.0 ± 3.4 kg). Pens were randomly allotted into one of 4 dietary treatments for 42 d: Corn-SBM based diet with 29.0, 25.0, 21.0, or 17.0% of SBM. NE of corn [2,674 kcal/kg, as fed basis, dry matter (DM) 87.1%] was calculated according to NRC (2012) and determined with the analyzed nutrient composition. SBM used in both experiments contained 89.4% of DM, 46.6% of CP, 5.9% of starch, 1.6% of EE, 8.5% of NDF, 6.3% of ADF, and 6.1% of ash. The reduced level of SBM was replaced with corn and crystalline amino acids. Data were analyzed by linear and quadratic contrasts using the Proc MIXED of SAS. In the early growing phase (47 to 67 kg), increasing SBM levels from 19.0 to 29.0% tended to linearly decrease average daily feed intake (ADFI; Linear, P = 0.081, 2.09, 2.03, 2.03, and 2.00 kg/d) but did not affect average daily gain (ADG) or final BW. On the contrary, increasing SBM levels decreased ADG and ADFI in pigs growing from 67 to 110 kg (linear, P < 0.05, ADG: 1.03, 1.02, 1.01, and 1.00 kg/d; ADFI: 2.72, 2,64, 2.63, and 2.58 kg/d). Linear regression analysis showed that, to maintain calorie efficiency, the estimated NE of SBM for pigs growing from 47 to 67 kg is 3,000 kcal/kg (as fed basis), which is 1.12 times corn NE. The estimated NE of SBM for pigs growing from 67 to 110 kg is 2,705 kcal/kg (as fed basis), which is 1.01 times corn NE. Taken together, the results suggest that NE of SBM is close to or greater than NE of corn, warranting the necessity to evaluate the energy of feed ingredients in pigs growing in different phases. The predicting equation of SBM NE (Eq. 1-3 and 1-8, NRC 2012) is recommended to be modified by timing a coefficient of 1.36 or 1.19 for early- or late-growing pigs, respectively, according to the NE of SBM calculated from growth performance data in this study.

Challenges When Assessing Water-Related Environmental Impacts of Livestock Farming: A Case Study of a Cow Milk Production System in Catalonia

Water availability is a local issue of growing importance in Mediterranean areas where water scarcity linked to climate change and population growth is already leading to increased competition for this resource. This study is aimed at the following: (i) assessing the water-related environmental impacts (water use, freshwater ecotoxicity and eutrophication, marine eutrophication, acidification, human toxicity, and ionizing radiation) along the production chain of cow milk in Catalonia, northeastern Spain; and (ii) addressing the issues encountered (modelling choices, data gaps and inconsistencies) which t can affect the quality of results when performing a water-footprint comprehensive assessment, focusing on water use and associated water scarcity impacts. The scope included the process from the extraction of raw materials up to the distribution of the packaged fat- and protein-corrected milk to the distribution centres of the supermarket chains and markets. Results showed the farm stage to be determinant (contributing to over 60% of the impact), due to the impact of feed production. Impact results were in the range of the European benchmark given by the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules for dairy products, except for the water scarcity footprint which was one order of magnitude larger than the reference value, due to water scarcity in Spain. Considering compound feed ingredients with a lower water scarcity footprint, and research into slurry treatment for its use as irrigation and cleaning water (without compromising safety and health) could help reduce this impact. Water accounting and traceability along the production chain could support the dairy industry to take responsibility for the consequences of their production choices.

Identification of phytase producing bacteria from acidifying Tithonia diversifolia: Potential for ruminant feed development

Phytate content in feed ingredients can negatively impact digestibility and palatability. To address this issue, it is necessary to study microbes capable of breaking down phytate content. This study aimed to isolate and characterize phytase-producing bacteria from decaying materials rich in phytic acid. The research was conducted in several stages. The first stage involved isolating phytase-producing bacteria from the acidification of Tithonia diversifolia using growth media containing Na-phytate. Bacterial isolates that produced clear zones were then tested for their activity and ability to produce several enzymes, specifically phytase, cellulase, and protease. The next step was to test the morphological characteristics of the bacterial isolate. The final stage of bacterial identification consisted of DNA isolation, followed by PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene, DNA sequence homology analysis, and construction of a phylogenetic tree. Based on research, three isolates were found to produce clear phytase zones: isolates R5 (20.3mm), R7 (16.1 mm) and R8 (31.7 mm). All isolates were able to produce the enzymes phytase (5.45–6.54 U/ml), cellulase (2.60–2.92 U/ml), and protease (22.2–23.4 U/ml). Metagenomic testing identified isolate R7 and R8 as Alcaligenes faecalis and isolate R5 as Achromobacter xylosoxidans. The isolation and characterization of phytase-producing bacteria from Tithonia diversifolia acidification resulted in the identification of two promising candidates that can be applied as sources of phytase producers. Phytase-producing bacteria can be utilized to improve digestibility and palatability in animal feed.

Upgrading biogas plants to produce microbial proteins for aquaculture feed

As the world population continues to grow, alternative protein sources must be sought to meet increased protein needs and avoid the detrimental effects of traditional protein production. Microbial proteins (MP) are a low-carbon footprint alternative suitable for manufacturing food and feed. Bacterial-based MP can be produced at moderate costs using agro-waste, which is already utilised by anaerobic digestion (AD) plants to produce biogas and fertilisers. At present, there is the opportunity to turn existing AD plants into biorefineries for bio-based products like MP destined for fish feed. In this work, we evaluated the feasibility of biogas production coupled with MP production in the same medium-sized European biogas plant through mass and energy balances and basic economic assessment. The liquid phase rich in volatile fatty acids resulting from agro-waste fermentation was used to obtain MP by mixed cultures in a continuous stirred tank reactor, with the highest VSS productivity (1.21 g/L day) obtained at hydraulic retention times of 2-3 days. The obtained MPs were rich in proteins (74.0% of TVS), PHAs (22.5%) and essential amino acids, usable as feed ingredients in aquaculture. An initial economic analysis showed that the production of 590 tMP/year could yield a break-even price of 1,300 €/t of MP, taking into account the investments in the new technology and additional operating costs. This analysis illustrates the competitiveness of a combined plant when evaluated against established market benchmarks and highlights a promising prospect for the expansion of MP production capacity.

Effects of dietary supplementation with macroalgae on sperm quality and antioxidant system in Senegalese sole

Within the efforts in the search for novel feed ingredients in aquaculture, macroalgae are being widely explored due to their diversity of bioactive compounds with considerable prophylactic and therapeutic potential. Plocamium cartilagineum and Sargassum vulgare, have the potential to positively impact fish health, mainly due to their antioxidant properties. The production of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) still faces some constraints due to the low sperm quantity and quality of males from captivity, which is highly affected by oxidative stress. We hypothesized that the scavenger ability of P. cartilagineum and S. vulgare could ameliorate the reproductive performance of Senegalese sole males, once incorporated in the broodstock feeds. In this experiment, broodstock groups were fed with three different formulated experimental diets for 60 days: Control (Ctrl), a diet supplemented with 5% P. cartilagineum (Pc), and a diet supplemented with 5% S. vulgare (Sv). Fish were sampled twice to evaluate sperm quality using different techniques: sperm motility by Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) software, and cell viability and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by flow cytometer. At the final sampling, 6 fish per treatment were sacrificed and gonads were extracted to determine the relative expression of anti- and pro-apoptotic genes (bcl2b, bcl-x, mcl1b, badb, bax, boka), and genes involved in fish antioxidant system (sod3, cat, gpx, hsp70). Sex steroids were measured on blood plasma by ELISA. Specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency were also evaluated at the end of the experiment. Senegalese sole breeders fed with Pc diet for 60 days showed enhanced sperm total motility and cell viability at the end of the experiment, when compared with the Ctrl diet. On the other hand, fish fed with Sv diet had lower spermatozoa intracellular ROS and upregulated gpx in the gonads. No differences were obtained in levels of sex steroids and gonadal apoptotic system after 60 days of feeding, however, the macroalgae species and the percentages of incorporation used proved to positively modulate different spermatozoa traits.

Defatted Tenebrio molitor meal time-dependently altered sensory quality and nutritional value of turbot Scophthalmus maximus during growing-out phase

The yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor (TM) is promising feed ingredient for aquafeed. However, consumers might reject insect-fed fish unless they know their quality. Nevertheless, reports on how TM influences fish quality were rare and yielded conflicting results; furthermore, there are no evaluations on quality of turbot Scophthalmus maximus fed TM. Therefore, turbot with an initial body weight of 150 g were fed six experimental feeds containing increasing levels of defatted TM to replace fishmeal for 85 days. The substitution levels were 0% (control), 15% (TM15), 22 30% (TM30), 45% (TM45), 60% (TM60), and 75% (TM75). The result showed TM replacing up to 45% of fishmeal did not negatively impact growth performance or fillet yield. Dietary TM optimized the health value of muscle fatty acids regarding thrombogenicity index, atherogenicity index, and hypocholesterolemic to hypercholesterolemic fatty acids ratio but linearly decreased the muscle contents of hydroxyproline, collagen, and n-3 PUFA. However, turbot fed TM15 maintained the contents of these nutrients compared with those fed the control diet. The naked eye cannot perceive skin color changes induced by TM; but the odor, flavor, and texture of cooked fillets changed by TM at both sampling times could be distinguished by sensory evaluation. Furthermore, texture analyzer reported that the hardness of raw fillets significantly decreased by the end of the experiment but not on the 56th day. Correlation analysis revealed that the fillet was softened due to the muscle water content increase and muscle ultrastructure (lengths of H band, bright band, dark band, sarcomere) alternation. In conclusion, there were time-dependent effects of TM on turbot growth performance and fillet texture. Substitution of fishmeal with TM at 15% or less level did not influence the nutritional quality, but TM at any dose softened the fillet, which could be attributed to its influence on moisture content and myofibrillar structure.

Effect of feeding Moringa oleifera based complete pellet feed on milk yield, composition, fatty acids, somatic cell count and cell mediated immunityin lactating goats

Lactation cum feeding trial was conducted on 12 female Barbari goats (Age approx. 2-3 years and mean body weight 34.72 ±1.28 kg) for 120 days after approximately one month of kidding and effect on milk production, milk constituents, somatic cell count, milk fatty acid profile and cell mediated immunity was studied. Animals were divided into two groups (Gr G and Gr M) of six each as per completely randomized design. Two types of complete pellet (Moringa oleifera and Cicer arietinum) based was formulated containing sundried Moringa biomass and Gram straw along with conventional feed ingredients. Lactating goats of Gr G was fed with gram straw based complete pellet feed while goats of Gr M was fed with Moringa based complete pellet feed. Both the complete pellet feeds were iso nitrogenous. No significant difference in body weight changes was recorded between groups. The milk production (g/day) was higher (Avg. 14.54%) in Gr M as compared to Gr G at different fortnight. No significant difference was reported in the milk composition. Milk fat, SNF, Protein and lactose was similar in both the groups. Milk Somatic cell count (×10 3/ml) was significantly (P<0.05) lower in lactating goats fed with Moringa based feed. Cell-mediated immune response assessed through delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction against phyto haemagglutinin (PHA-P) was more pronounced in Gr M at 72 and 96 hrs.Higher concentration of unsaturated fatty acids (about 16.19%) and lower saturated fatty acids (about 5.49%) was reported in Gr M. Milk fatty acid profile indicators like Index of atherogenicity (IA) was lower while hypo/hyper cholesteremic ratio and health promoting index was higher in milk of moringa based pellet fed goats. Present study concluded that Barbari goats fed with Moringa based complete pellet feed produced higher milk yield with healthier fatty acid profile with low somatic cell counts.

Effect of Miscellaneous Meals Replacing Soybean Meal in Feed on Growth Performance, Serum Biochemical Parameters, and Microbiota Composition of 25-50 kg Growing Pigs.

The present study aims to determine the effect of miscellaneous meals (rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, and sunflower meal) replacing soybean meal in feed on growth performance, apparent digestibility of nutrients, serum biochemical parameters, serum free amino acid content, microbiota composition and SCFAs content in growing pigs (25-50 kg). A total of 72 (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) growing pigs with initial weights of 25.79 ± 0.23 kg were randomly divided into three treatments. The pigs were fed corn-soybean meal (CON), corn-soybean-miscellaneous meals (CSM), and corn-miscellaneous meals (CMM). Each treatment included six replicates with four pigs per pen (n = 24, 12 barrows and 12 gilts). Soybean meal accounted for 22.10% of the basal diet in the CON group. In the CSM group, miscellaneous meals partially replaced soybean meal with a mixture of 4.50% rapeseed meal, 3.98% cottonseed meal, and 4.50% sunflower meal. In the CMM group, miscellaneous meals entirely replaced soybean meal with a mixture of 8.50% rapeseed meal, 8.62% cottonseed meal, and 8.5% sunflower. The results showed that compared with the CON, the CSM and CMM groups significantly improved the average daily gain (ADG) of growing pigs during the 25-50 kg stage (p < 0.05) but had no effects on average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily feed intake/average daily gain (F/G) (p > 0.05). Moreover, the CMM group significantly reduced nutrient apparent digestibility of gross energy compared with the CON group. The serum biochemical parameters results showed that the CSM group significantly improved the contents of total protein (TP) compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). The CMM group significantly improved the contents of total protein (TP), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared with the CON group in serum (p < 0.05). In comparison with the CON group, the CMM group also significantly improved lysine (Lys), threonine (Thr), valine (Val), isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), phenylalanine (Phe), arginine (Arg), and citrulline (Cit) levels in serum (p < 0.05). However, the CMM group significantly decreased non-essential amino acid content glycine (Gly) in serum compared with CON (p < 0.05), while compared with the CON group, the CSM and CMM groups had no significant effects on the relative abundance, the alpha-diversity, or the beta-diversity of fecal microbiota. Moreover, compared with the CON group, the CSM group significantly increased butyric acid and valeric acid contents of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces (p < 0.05). In contrast to the CON group, the CMM group significantly reduced the contents of SCFAs in feces, including acetic acid, propionic acid, and isobutyric acid (p < 0.05). Collectively, the results of the present study indicate that miscellaneous meals (rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, and sunflower meal) can partially replace the soybean meal and significantly improve the growth performance of growing pigs during the 25-50 kg stage. Thus, miscellaneous meals are a suitable protein source as basal diets to replace soybean meals for 25-50 kg growing pigs. These results can be helpful to further develop miscellaneous meals as a functional alternative feed ingredient to soybean meal.