Final Body Weight Research Articles

Effects of different feeding rates on growth performance, intestinal digestive enzyme activity, and intestinal microbial composition of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

The study aimed to investigate the effects of different feeding rates on the growth, muscle composition, intestinal digestive enzyme activities, and intestinal microbiota composition of juvenile crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). A total of 240 crayfish with an initial body weight of 8.33±0.50 g were randomly distributed into five groups, and each group had three replicates. The five groups corresponded to five different feeding rates of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% body weight per day (BW/day). The feeding trial lasted for six weeks. The results showed that the final body weight (FBW), weight gain rate (WGR), and specific growth rate (SGR) first increased when the feed rate increased from 2% to 6 % (P<0.05) and then showed a decreased trend with the further increase of the feeding rate, but no significant differences were observed. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased with a rise in feeding rate, which reached a peak at the feeding rate of 10% (P<0.05). The survival rate (SR), hepatosomatic index (HSI), and condition factor (CF) were unaffected by the feeding rates (P>0.05). The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, and ash contents of crayfish muscle remained unchanged among all feeding rate groups. Intestinal activities of lipase and amylase increase with the feeding rate (up to 6%) increasing (P<0.05). The ACE and Chao indices in the groups fed at 2% of feeding rate were significantly lower than those at a feeding rate of 10% (P<0.05). The relative abundance of Firmicutes in the groups fed at feeding rates of 4%, 6%, and 8% was higher than that in other groups (P<0.05), Citrobacter in the group fed at feeding rate of 6% was lower than that in different groups (P<0.05). The intestinal microbiota primarily functions in connection to amino acid, carbohydrate, and vitamin metabolism. Therefore, the optimum feeding rate could be 6.0% of the feeding rate of juvenile P. clarkii.

Temperature and feeding frequency: interactions with growth, immune response, and water quality in juvenile Nile tilapia

Abstract Background Water temperature and feeding frequency are critical abiotic factors regulating the growth and immune function of aquatic organisms. This study investigated the effects of water temperature and feeding frequency on growth and immune function in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) over two months. A total of 360 juvenile fish (average weight: 20.00 ± 1.26 g) were divided into six groups, each with three replicates, based on a combination of three water temperatures (26, 28, and 30 °C) and two feeding frequencies (either 1 or 2 meals per day). Results At 30 ºC and 28 ºC, water electrical conductivity and total dissolved salts increased, while total ammonia nitrogen and dissolved oxygen rose slightly in groups fed twice daily, with a significant interaction between temperature and feeding frequency. The group at 30 ºC with two meals per day showed the highest final body weight (FBW). The interaction between temperature and feeding frequency significantly influenced FBW, total feed intake, and body thickness. Fish at 30 ºC exhibited upregulated hepatic growth hormone receptor 1 and insulin-like growth factor 1, while those at 28 ºC with one meal per day, as well as those at 30 ºC regardless of meal frequency, also showed increased expression of hepatic fatty acid binding protein and intestinal cluster of differentiation 36. Fish at 30 ºC had upregulated leptin levels and downregulated cholecystokinin, while those at 26 ºC displayed the opposite trend, particularly with one meal daily. Higher temperatures significantly boosted serum IgM, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lysozyme (LYZ) levels, with meal frequency also affecting malondialdehyde, IgM, and SOD levels. Additionally, 30 ºC enhanced the hepatic expression of mucin-like protein (muc), oligo-peptide transporter 1 (pept1), interleukin 1, nf-κB, complement C3, lyz, sod, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, with twice-daily meals having a more pronounced effect. Conversely, 28 ºC with one meal per day upregulated some of these genes, such as muc, pept1, and sod. Conclusions Overall, 30 ºC with two meals per day significantly improved the growth and health of juvenile Nile tilapia, while 28 ºC with two meals maintained satisfactory performance.

Effects of dietary Brassica rapa L. polysaccharide on growth performance, immune and antioxidant functions and intestinal flora of yellow-feathered quail.

This study aimed to explore the impact of Brassica rapa L. polysaccharides (BRP) on the growth, immune response, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbiota in yellow-feathered quails. A total of 250 one-day-old yellow-feathered quails, evenly divided by sex, were randomly assigned to five groups, with each group comprising ten replicates of five quails each. The control group (CON) received a basic diet, while the antibiotic control group (CTC) was fed a basic diet supplemented with chlortetracycline (0.05g/kg). BRP was administered at concentrations of 0.25g/kg (Low dose BRP, LBRP), 0.5g/kg (Medium dose BRP, MBRP), and 1g/kg (High dose BRP, HBRP). The duration of the experiment was 42 days. The results indicated that, compared to the CON group, the final body weight of quails in the MBRP group significantly increased (P < 0.05), and there was a significant difference in body weight between the LBRP group and the CTC group (P < 0.05). At 21 days of age, the average weights of the thymus and bursa of Fabricius in the MBRP group were significantly greater than those in the CON group (P < 0.05), with no significant difference observed when compared to the CTC group (P > 0.05); at 42 days of age, the average weight of the thymus in the MBRP group was significantly greater than that in the CON group (P < 0.05), with no significant difference observed compared to the CTC group (P > 0.05). At 21 days of age, the levels of IgA and IgG in the MBRP group were significantly elevated compared to the CON group (P < 0.05), with no significant difference noted compared to the CTC group (P > 0.05). Additionally, the MBRP group showed significant increases in CAT, T-SOD, and GSH-Px levels (P < 0.05) compared to the CON group; the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and the level of IL-10 was significantly elevated (P < 0.05) compared to the CON group. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that BRP supplementation increased the populations of beneficial cecal bacteria such as Lactococcus, Weissella, Parabacteroides, and norank_f_Ruminococcaceae, and decreased the population of the harmful bacterium Campylobacter, indicating that BRP modulates the microbial community structure in the cecum of yellow-feathered quails. In summary, BRP enhanced the growth performance, serum immunoglobulin levels, antioxidant functions, and improved the intestinal microbiota in yellow-feathered quails.

Growth Performance and Flesh Quality of Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Fed with Diets Containing Olive Oil in Partial Replacement of Fish Oil—With or Without Supplementation with Rosmarinus officinalis L. Essential Oil

This study aimed to investigate the effects of using olive oil (OO) in a partial replacement of fish oil (FO), with or without supplementation with rosemary essential oil (RO), on the growth performances and flesh quality traits of farmed Dicentrarchus labrax. Sea bass were fed with the experimental diets for 200 days; afterwards, they were caught and stored in ice (0–2 °C) for up to 17 days. The specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion rate (FCR) were calculated. Fillets were analyzed for physical features, chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration on days 0, 5, 10, and 17 of storage. The fillets were assessed for sensory properties according to the QIM and Torry Scheme methods. No statistical differences between groups were found for the final average body weight, SGR, FCR and the flesh chemical composition. Supplementation with RO reduced (p &lt; 0.05) MDA concentration, thus improving the shelf life of fish by up to 10 days. The sensory score (QIM) increased linearly (p &lt; 0.05) with storage time; for cooked fillet, the Torry Scheme score decreased (p &lt; 0.05) with storage time. The economic analysis of feed cost has proven the feasibility of using olive oil as local feed ingredient in the partial replacement of fish oil.

Innovation and Utilization of Functional Feed Additives from Maize By-Products in Broiler Chickens

Supplementation with spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as an exogenous enzyme in broiler diets represents a promising nutritional strategy to enhance production efficiency and reduce costs. To assess the effects of SMS enzyme products on various parameters, including growth performance, blood chemistry, carcass and meat quality, and gut health, a study was conducted with one-day-old broilers (n = 500). The broilers were separated into five groups: a control diet (CON) and an antibiotic group (AGP) which were added to the diet at 0.25 g kg−1, and SMS from Flammulina velutipes supplementation groups which were added to the diet at 0.5 g kg−1 (SMS0.5), 1.0 g kg−1 (SMS1.0), and 2.0 g kg−1 (SMS2.0). Final body weight and average daily gain in broilers which were fed the AGP diet were higher than in broilers which were fed the CON, SMS0.5, and SMS1.0 diets. Broilers in the CON group had a decreased average daily feed intake compared to other groups. The addition of AGP and SMS2.0 diets improved the feed conversion ratio and reduced the feed cost per gain in broilers. Broilers that were fed the CON diet had the highest serum cholesterol, while the AGP diet increased triglyceride. Dietary supplementation of SMS improved some carcass characteristics and ceacum microbial content in broilers, especially with the SMS2.0 diet. Broiler fed CON and SMS0.5 worsened the villus height/crypt depth ratio of duodenum histology. In conclusion, SMS supplementation at 1.0 and 2.0 g kg−1 can improve productive performance and health in broiler diets; however, SMS2.0 had the best efficiency.

Short communication: Estimation of the dietary standardized ileal digestible valine to lysine ratio required for 40 to 130 kg pigs during the finisher periods

BackgroundThree experiments were conducted separately to determine the optimum standardized ileal digestible (SID) valine (Val) to lysine (Lys) ratio for early finishing (Experiment 1, 40 to 75 kg bodyweight), finishing (Experiment 2, 75 to 100 kg bodyweight), and late finishing (Experiment 3, 100 to 130 kg bodyweight) pigs. Dietary SID Val: Lys ratios were designed at 0.61, 0.65, 0.69, 0.73, and 0.77. The optimal SID Val: Lys ratio was estimated by different regression models, including a quadratic polynomial model, a two-slope quadratic broken-line model, a curvilinear-plateau model, and a one-slope straight broken-line model.ResultsIn Exp.1, a total of 550 early finishing pigs (initially 40.3 kg bodyweight) were used in a 38-day growth trial. Pigs consuming 0.61 dietary SID Val: Lys ratio had lower final bodyweight compared to those fed 0.69 in diets. Using regression models, the optimal dietary SID Val: Lys requirement for average daily gain (ADG) was between 0.63 and 0.68, and for feed to gain ratio (F: G) was between 0.62 and 0.68, respectively. In Exp.2, 525 finishing pigs (initially 76.4 kg) were used in a 26-day trial. Based on regression models, estimate of the required SID Val: Lys for ADG was between 0.65 and 0.71, and for F: G was between 0.64 and 0.70, respectively. In Exp.3, 640 late finishing pigs (102 kg bodyweight) were used in a 27-day trial. No significant improvement was found for performance parameters of pigs from 100 to 130 kg, while 0.73 SID Val: Lys ratio resulted in the highest ADG and the lowest F: G from a numerical point of view.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that the optimum SID Val: Lys requirement for pigs from 40 to 75 kg was between 0.62 and 0.68, and for pigs from 75 to 100 kg was estimated to be between 0.64 and 0.71, using different regression models.

Social Enrichment Improves Affective State and Foraging Behavior Compared to Physical Enrichment, While Maintaining Growth Performance in Broiler Chickens

Environmental enrichment is key for improving the broiler welfare in intensive production systems. This study lasted for 43 days and evaluated the effects of physical and social enrichment on broiler welfare. A total of 96 one-day-old male broilers were divided into two treatments: control treatment, provided with physical enrichment (n = 48) including perches, platforms, and straw bales; and social treatment (n = 48), involving regular positive interactions with a human. The behavioral repertoire, footpad health, taste preferences for sweet and umami compounds, affective states (through tonic immobility and attention bias tests), and growth performance were evaluated. No effects were found for feeding, drinking, locomotion, lying, or standing behaviors, although differences were observed at specific time points: the Social group had more feeding time on day 21 (p = 0.046), while physical treatment showed reductions on days 28 and 35 (p &lt; 0.001). The Social group showed increased drinking on day 42 (p &lt; 0.001), reduced locomotion (p = 0.022), and increased lying (p = 0.046) on day 42. Foraging was higher in the Social group (p = 0.027), but preening showed no differences. Footpad lesions showed no significant differences. The Control group preferred sucrose 100 mM (p = 0.022), but no preference for MSG 300 mM was observed. With regard to tonic immobility, the Control group showed a tendency towards larger durations (p = 0.078), indicating a potential increase in fearfulness. In the attention bias test, although the freezing behavior increased, the latency to begin feeding was shorter in the Social group (p &lt; 0.001), suggesting an improved affective state. Lastly, no significant differences were observed for any of the growth parameters, including average daily feed intake, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, or final body weight, indicating that the Social group maintained productivity. This approach provides a practical solution for improving the quality of life for broilers in intensive systems.

Effects of moringa polysaccharides on growth performance, immune function, rumen morphology, and microbial community structure in early-weaned goat kids

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of adding moringa polysaccharides (MOP) on the growth performance, immune function, rumen tissue morphology, and rumen microbial community in early-weaned goat kids. Twenty-one 7-day-old Leizhou male goat kids weighing (3.05 ± 0.63) kg, were randomly divided into a control group (CON group), a low-dose group (LOW group), and a high-dose group (HIG group). MOP was added to the goat kids’ milk replacer (MR) at 0, 0.15, and 0.3% (on dry matter basis),fed until 60 days of age, and four goat kids in each group with body weights close to the mean of each group were selected for slaughter. The results showed that, compared to the CON group, the MOP groups significantly improved final body weight, body measurements, daily weight gain, and feed intake of the early weaned goat kids; significantly reduced the content of propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and ammoniacal nitrogen; and in addition, the addition of MOP could significantly increase the height of rumen nipple, the content of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the serum. The HIG group significantly increased rumen pH, rumen muscularis layer thickness, rumen wall thickness, and serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), and immunoglobulin M (IgM). In conclusion, the addition of MOP positively impacted the growth performance, serum immune function, and rumen tissue morphology in early-weaned goat kids.

Investigation of the Fermentation Process of Moringa oleifera Leaves and Its Effects on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, and Intestinal Microbiome of Procambarus clarkii

Moringa oleifera is renowned for its high antioxidant activity. However, few studies have been conducted on its effects on aquatic animals. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the optimal fermentation process of M. oleifera leaves and to evaluate the effects of fermented M. oleifera leaves on crayfish (9.11 ± 0.3 g) in terms of growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiological parameters. By optimizing the fermenting material/water ratio, fermentation time, temperature, and strain, the optimal fermentation conditions of a 10% water ratio + 48 h + 30 °C + inoculation with 2% B. amyloliquefaciens (107 CFU mL−1) were obtained. These conditions resulted in notable increases in the contents of the total protein, total phenols, flavonoids, and amino acids (p &lt; 0.05) while also leading to a notable decrease in the content of tannins in contrast to those of unfermented M. oleifera leaves (p &lt; 0.05). The fermented M. oleifera (FMO) leaves were incorporated at five concentrations, including 0% (control (CT)), 0.25% (0.25FMO), 0.5% (0.5FMO), 1% (1FMO), and 2% (2FMO). The results showed that the 1FMO group performed better in terms of the final body weight (FBW), weight gain rate (WGR), and specific weight gain rate (SGR) compared with the CT group (p &lt; 0.05). In addition, amylase and lipase activities were significantly higher in the 1FMO and 2FMO groups compared with the other groups (p &lt; 0.05). The fermented M. oleifera leaves significantly increased the catalase (CAT) activity in the crayfish (p &lt; 0.05). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly increased in the 0.25FMO, 1FMO, and 2FMO groups, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly decreased while the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) content was significantly increased in the 0.5FMO, 1FMO, and 2FMO groups (p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the 1FMO group was observed to significantly increase the abundance of Firmicutes while simultaneously reducing the abundance of Aeromonas (p &lt; 0.05) and adjusting the structure of the intestinal microbiome. In conclusion, this study established the optimal fermentation conditions for M. oleifera and obtained a product with high nutrient and low tannin contents. Furthermore, the incorporation of 1% FMO was demonstrated to facilitate growth, enhance the antioxidant capacity, and optimize the gut microbiology in crayfish.

Growth Performance and Microbial Activity Positively Responded to Interactive Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Young Holstein Dairy Calves.

We hypothesized that nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), as two pivotal nutrients that contributed to the growth of growing animals, may have interactive effect on growth performance and microbial development in young calves. For this purpose, feeding two starter protein contents (20% [20CP] vs. 24% [24CP], DM basis) and two phosphorus supplementation levels (0.35% [0.35P] and 0.70% [0.7P], DM basis) was evaluated on growth performance, health indicators, digestibility of nutrients and microbial protein synthesis (MPS), the latter estimated from urinary purine derivatives (PDs). Forty-eight female Holstein calves (3 days of age) were assigned randomly to the following treatments: 20CP-0.35P, 20CP-0.7P, 24CP-0.35P and 24CP-0.7P (n = 12, each). Milk feeding schedule was identical among treatments until weaning (d 59), but study lasted until d 73. Feeding 24CP compared to 20CP diet tended to improve starter intake, increased average daily gain (ADG) during pre-weaning period (p < 0.05), and final body weight (p = 0.01). Higher P supplementation has marginal effect on starter intake but improved ADG (pre-weaning; p = 0.02) and microbial activity by greater MPS (p = 0.02) compared to 0.35P. The greatest starter intake, the most favourable general appearance score, the highest withers height, the highest hip height, the greatest organic matter and neutral detergent digestibility, and the greatest MPS were found when calves fed diets contained 24CP along with 0.7P in starter. Based on the current study results, N and P have separate effects on the growth performance of young calves; however, their positive interaction can be attributable to growth performance and microbial development, especially during the pre-weaning period.

Effect of Processed Coffee Husk on Feed Intake, Nutrient Digestibility, Body Weight Changes and Economic Feasibility of Bonga Sheep Fed on Natural Pasture Hay as a Basal Diet.

Ethiopia is one of the world's coffee producers, generating about 192,000 metric tonnes of coffee husks annually as by-products. The material can be used for ruminant diets to improve the nutrient utilisation of animals. However, coffee husk has toxic compounds, which can be minimised through different processing methods. Though the above techniques can minimise the toxicity level of coffee husk and increase the bioavailability of nutrients, there is scanty information on the comparative efficacy of these techniques, especially in ruminant nutrition. The study was conducted to examine the effect of processed coffee husk on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, body weight changes and profitability of Bonga rams based on natural pasture hay. In the experiment, 24 rams were used, and the rams were grouped into six blocks based on initial body weight (mean BW 21.5 ± 1.01kg). The rams were quarantined for 21 days, and each ram was randomly assigned to one of the experimental feed treatments in a randomised complete block design (RCBD). The experimental treatment feeds include 400g conventional concentrate mix (CM) containing Noug seed cake and wheat bran (T1); 200g boiled coffee husk + 200g CM (T2); 200g roasted coffee husk + 200g CM (T3) and 200g raw coffee husk + 200g CM (T4). The CM was made in the ratio of 1:1. The data collected from the 90-day experimental period were: dry matter and nutrient intakes, initial body weight, final body weight and body weight changes. After the growth experiment, a 7-day digestibility trial was followed by collecting faeces using a harness bag. The data were managed using Microsoft (MS) Excel 2010 and analysed using R software (v. 4.3.2). The chemical compositions of the CM had maximum crude protein (22%), followed by boiled coffee husk (14.74%), which was higher than natural pasture hay (6.91%) and raw coffee husk (12.4%). The total dry matter intake (p < 0.05), metabolisable energy, and total nutrient intakes of rams were significantly (p < 0.001) maximised when rams fed on boiled coffee husk (T2) than raw (T4) and roasted (T4) coffee husk, except for NDF and organic matter intakes. The apparent digestibility of nutrients and feed conversion efficiency were maximised for rams assigned to T2. There was maximum daily body weight gain (p < 0.001) when rams were supplemented with boiled coffee husk (T2). Also, body weight changes of rams were significantly (p < 0.001) higher for rams supplementation with boiled coffee husk. Therefore, the boiled coffee husk as an alternative feed resource can be replaced by about half of the commercial CM without adverse effects of anti-nutritional factors and enhance the income of smallholder farmers in the coffee crop-livestock production system.

Metasilicate-based alkaline mineral water improves the growth performance of weaned piglets by maintaining gut-liver axis homeostasis through microbiota-mediated secondary bile acid pathway

Weaning stress causes substantial economic loss in the swine industry. Moreover, weaning-induced intestinal barrier damage and dysfunction of the gut-liver axis are associated with reduced growth performance in piglets. Metasilicate-based alkaline mineral water (AMW) has shown potential therapeutic effects on gastrointestinal disorders; however, the mechanisms involved and their overall effects on the gut-liver axis have not been explored. Here, sodium metasilicate (SMS) was used to prepare metasilicate-based AMW (basal water + 500 mg/L SMS). A total of 240 newly weaned piglets were allocated to the Control and SMS groups (6 replicate pens per group and 20 piglets per pen) for a 15-day trial period. Histopathological evaluations were conducted using hematoxylin and eosin staining. To analyze the composition of the gut microbiota, 16S rRNA PacBio SMRT Gene Full-Length Sequencing was performed. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were employed to assess protein expression levels. Our results indicated that metasilicate-based AMW effectively alleviated weaning-induced colonic or liver morphological injury and inflammatory response, as well as liver cholesterol metabolism disorders. Further analysis showed that metasilicate-based AMW promoted deoxycholic acid (DCA) biosynthesis by increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus_delbrueckii in the colon (P < 0.001). This consequently improved weaning-induced colon and liver injury and dysfunction through the DCA-secondary bile acid (SBA) receptors (SBAR)-nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) pathways. Growth performance parameters, including final body weight (P = 0.034) and average daily gain (P < 0.001), in the SMS group were significantly higher than those in the Control group. Therefore, metasilicate-based AMW maintains gut-liver axis homeostasis by regulating the microbiota-mediated SBA-SBAR pathway in piglets under weaning stress. Our research provides a new strategy for mitigating stress-induced gut-liver axis dysfunction in weaned piglets.

Transcriptomic analysis of ileal adaptations and growth responses in growing hens supplemented with alanyl-glutamine dipeptide

The growing phase of laying hens is crucial for growth and development due to its direct impact on their productivity during laying phase. During initial growth phase, intestinal tract undergoes rapid development which requires plenty of nutrients to help laying hens grow and mature. This study investigated the effect of Alanyl-Glutamine (Aln-Gln) levels on growth performance, ileal morphology and transcriptomic analysis of growing Hy-line brown hens. A total of 480 day old Hy-line brown chicks having similar body weight (BW) were randomly divided to be fed diets having 0%, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% Aln-Gln for 6-wks (8 replicates/group, 15 birds/replicate). One bird from every pen was slaughtered and morphological parameters of ileum were evaluated. Results taken on day 42 revealed an improved average daily gain (ADG), final body weight (FBW) and feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) in the birds that consumed 0.2% and 0.3% Aln-Gln supplemented diet (P < 0.05). Ileal morphological assays showed that villus height, villus width and villus to crypts ratio (V/C) were significantly increased at 42 days of age in birds fed diets with 0.2% Aln-Gln (P<0.05). The RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was executed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among groups that found 2265 DEGs (1256 up-regulated; 1009 down-regulated) in ileum tissue. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes (KEGG) and Genomic Pathway Enrichment Analysis, majority of DEGs indicated change in metabolic pathways. Genes related to growth factors, intestinal morphology and protein metabolism were up-regulated in test groups as compared to control group. In conclusion, addition of Aln-Gln to the diet improved growth performance and ileum development in growing hens; transcriptomic analysis revealed up-regulation of genes related to growth and intestinal morphology.

Effect of dietary β-mannanase supplementation on growth performance and nutrient retention in broiler chickens fed corn-soybean meal-based diets with low energy and amino acid density

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two different β-mannanases on growth performance and nutrient retention of broiler chickens fed a diet with low energy and amino acid density. A total of 312 one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were placed in floor pens and fed a standard starter diet for 16 days. They were then randomly moved to stainless steel cages and distributed into three groups, with 13 replicates of 8 chickens each. The control group received a corn-soybean meal-based grower diet with reduced metabolizable energy by ∼100 kcal/kg and a 10-12% reduction of digestible amino acids (lysine, methionine, and threonine). Titanium oxide was added at 0.5% of diet as an indigestible marker. The other groups were fed the same diet supplemented with either β-mannanase A derived from Thermothelomyces thermophilus (100 g β-mannanase/MT grower diet) or β-mannanase B derived from Paenibacillus lentus (350 g β-mannanase/MT grower diet). The trial lasted for 7 days from d 17 to d 23, comprising 4 days of acclimatization followed by 3 days of sample collection. Final body weight (d 23), body weight gain (d 17-23), and feed intake (d 17-23) of broiler chickens did not differ among the groups. However, both β-mannanases significantly improved the feed conversion ratio during d 17-23 (P = 0.039) and nitrogen retention (P = 0.028) in broiler chickens compared to the control group. Moreover, dietary supplementation with β-mannanase A significantly increased dry matter retention (P = 0.050), organic matter retention (P = 0.028), and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn; P = 0.033) compared to the control group. In conclusion, supplemental β-mannanase, regardless of the product, improved the growth performance of broiler chickens by improving nutrient retention and dietary AMEn.

Efficacy of High-Dose Synbiotic Additives for Deoxynivalenol Detoxification: Effects on Blood Biochemistry, Histology, and Intestinal Microbiome in Weaned Piglets

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a common mycotoxin observed in cereal grains, and feed contamination poses health risks to pigs. Biological antidotes, such as synbiotics (SYNs), have garnered attention for mitigating DON toxicity. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of SYNs by comparing the blood biochemistry, histology, and gut microbiome of weaned piglets. A 4-week trial was conducted on 32 weaned piglets. After a week of diet and environmental adaptation, the pigs were divided into four groups: (1) control (CON, n = 8); (2) SYN (n = 8); (3) DON (n = 8); and (4) DON+SYN (n = 8). The SYN supplementation of weaned piglets increased the final body weight (21.71 ± 0.93 vs. 20.73 ± 0.84), average daily gain (0.38 ± 0.02 vs. 0.34 ± 0.02), and gain-to-feed ratio (0.49 ± 0.04 vs. 0.43 ± 0.02), and decreased the feed conversion ratio (2.14 ± 0.14 vs. 2.39 ± 0.13) compared to the DON group. A high dose of DON induced liver and colon fibrosis and liver and cecum apoptosis, which were alleviated by SYNs. Glucose in the DON group (84.9 ± 3.7) was significantly lower than in the control (101.3 ± 4.2). Additionally, both the DON and DON+SYN groups exhibited higher creatine (0.9 ± 0.0 and 0.9 ± 0.1) and lower cholesterol (88.3 ± 3.2 and 90.0 ± 4.8) levels (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, SYNs alleviated DON toxicity, indicating its potential as an antidote for specific biomarkers.

Growth, Carcass and Feed Consumption of Native Chicken Given Feed Containing Fermented Cocoa Husk Flour

The improvement of the performance of native chicken needs to be balanced with the improvement of its ration. The ingredients of the ration used do not need to be expensive, but good quality, easy to obtain, and available throughout the year. One of the feed ingredients that is widely available and is waste is Cocoa skin. Fermented Cocoa skin has a nutritional content of 2.63%, crude fat 20.14%, crude fiber, 10.39% crude protein, calcium 7.18%, and phosphorus 2.06%. Cocoa skin, in addition to its high crude fiber, also contains antinutrients in the form of tannins. Therefore, fermentation is necessary. The design used in this study was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 (five) treatments and 3 (three) replications. The variables observed were Growth, ration consumption, protein consumption, Whole carcasses harvested when the chickens were 10 weeks old. The provision of fermented Cocoa skin up to 10% did not give a significant effect (P&gt;0.05) on weight gain, final body weight, and whole carcass weight of native chicken aged 3-10 weeks. However, the provision of fermented Cocoa skin flour gave a significant effect on ration consumption, protein consumption, and energy consumption in native chicken aged 3-10 weeks. The best provision was obtained in the treatment of provision of fermented Cocoa skin flour as much as 5%

Late gestation maternal infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus impacts offspring feedlot performance, digestion, blood parameters, and hot carcass weights.

Fetal infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) after 150 d results in transient fetal infections (TI). Twenty-five unvaccinated, yearling Hereford heifers, seronegative for antibodies to BVDV1 and BVDV2, were bred by artificial insemination with X chromosome-bearing sperm from one Angus sire to examine the impact of TI on postnatal growth, estimated dry matter digestibility, blood parameters, and carcass characteristics. On d 175 of pregnancy, dams were intranasally inoculated with either sham control or 4.0 log median tissue culture infectious dose noncytopathic type2 BVDV to generate control or TI offspring, respectively. All control dams remained seronegative and all BVDV-inoculated dams seroconverted by d 14 post-inoculation. All control offspring were seronegative and all TI offspring were seropositive for antibodies to type 2 BVDV at birth. All offspring were raised on pasture until weaning. At weaning, all calves were transported to our research feedlot facility, housed in three pens, and transitioned to a high-energy concentrate-based diet. Heifer body weights (BW) and jugular blood samples were collected every 28 d. On d 84 of the feeding period, titanium dioxide was added to the diet of 12, age-paired, individually fed, heifers (6 control and 6 TI heifers; approximately 1 yr. of age) for 28 d and used to estimate dry matter digestibility. On d 105 and 240 ruminal fluid (approximately 900ml) was collected from every animal using a stomach pump and analyzed for short chain fatty acids (SCFA). After approximately 287 d on feed, heifers were transported to a USDA-inspected abattoir and harvested. TI heifers had lighter final BW (P < 0.04) when compared to control heifers. Average daily gain was greater (P < 0.01) in control compared to TI heifers. TI heifers had a 2.2% lesser (P < 0.05) apparent dry matter digestibility, lighter (P < 0.01) hot carcass weights, but similar ruminal SCFA compared to controls. Blood glucose concentrations were similar (P > 0.8) between control and TI heifers. Ceruloplasmin activity (P < 0.03) and the oxidized form of glutathione (GSSG; P < 0.01), indicators of chronic inflammation, were increased in plasma from TI heifers compared to controls. Other indicators of oxidative stress were not impacted (P > 0.10) by TI status. These data suggest that fetal BVDV transient infection negatively impacts growth throughout the feeding period, possibly by impacting gastrointestinal tract function and increasing systemic inflammation.

Effects of dietary phytase supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood metabolites of weaned piglets

Context Phytase plays a crucial role in the nutrition of piglets. Incorporating phytase into weaner pigs’ diet may alleviate the anti-nutritional effect by catalyzing the hydrolysis of phytic acid. As a result, bounded phosphorus and other minerals become more available for absorption, thereby enhancing nutrient utilization growth performance. Aims This study evaluated the efficacy of dietary phytase supplementation on the performance of weaned piglets. Methods Two hundred and forty cross-bred piglets (Yorkshire × Landrace × Duroc), of initial average bodyweight (BW) of 5.57 ± 1 kg at weaning, were assigned to five dietary treatments in a complete randomized block design. The study was conducted in the following three phases: Phase 1 (Days 1–7), Phase 2 (Days 8–21), and Phase 3 (Days 22–35). The treatments included basal diet containing 0.15% lower concentration of both total calcium and total phosphorus (NC), a standard basal diet (PC), NC + 500 phytase units per kilogram of feed (NC500), NC + 1000 phytase units per kilogram of feed (NC1000), and NC + 1500 phytase units per kilogram of feed (NC1500). Key results In Phase 1, the final BW was higher (P &lt; 0.01) in PC and the phytase-supplemented diets than in the NC treatment. In Phase 2, Phase 3, and the overall days the average daily gain (ADG) and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) were greater (P &lt; 0.05) in the PC and the phytase-supplemented diets than in the NC treatments. The ADG and G:F were also higher (P &lt; 0.01) in the phytase-supplemented diets than in the NC treatment. The digestibility of calcium, phosphorus, and blood myo-inositol was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in the phytase-supplemented diets than in the NC treatment in Phase 2. In Phase 3, the level of blood myo-inositol was higher (P &lt; 0.01) in the phytase-supplemented diets than in NC. Fecal inositol hexakisphosphate was lower (P &lt; 0.01) in the phytase-supplemented diets than in NC in both Phases 1 and 2. Conclusion Dietary supplementation of phytase increased the digestibility of phytate by releasing phosphorus, calcium, and myo-inositol concentration, leading to improved growth performance. Implications Inclusion of phytase in pig diets can help farmers save money on feed additives such as phosphorus, improve environmental sustainability, and promote better growth performance.

Optimizing shrimp nutrition and health: ginseng saponins as functional additives in low-fishmeal diets on Litopenaeus vannamei

The research investigated the nutritional physiology effect of ginseng saponins on Litopenaeus vannamei (L. vannamei) under low-fishmeal diets. In total, five experimental groups were arranged, with 21% fishmeal (high-fishmeal) serving as the positive control (PC), 11% fishmeal (low-fishmeal) serving as the negative control (NC), and 11% fishmeal serving as the addition in all three other groups. Similarly, ginseng saponins (GSP, purity of 2%) were added in the order of 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% (GSP0.1, GSP0.3, and GSP0.5), with an 8-week growth cycle. Both GSP0.1 and GSP0.3 showed significantly higher growth performance (final body weight, FBW; weight gain rate, WGR; specific growth rate, SGR) than the NC group, but significantly lower growth performance than the PC group (P&amp;lt;0.05). However, it was found that there was no significant difference in the body composition of the whole shrimp between the experimental groups. Compared to the PC group, the GSP0.3 group exhibited significantly elevated levels of antioxidant enzymes, total antioxidant capacities (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (P&amp;lt;0.05). Additionally, significant differences were observed between the PC and GSP0.3 groups regarding the expression levels of sod, cat, and gsh-px (P&amp;lt;0.05). And there was a better morphological organization of shrimp hepatopancreas in the GSP0.3 group than in all other groups. In comparison with the PC group, there was no significant difference in shrimp survival rates after ammonia nitrogen stress with ginseng saponins added (P&amp;gt;0.05). Whereas, in terms of the relative expression levels of the corresponding genes, in shrimp of the GSP0.3 group, the relative expression of antioxidant-related genes sod, cat, and gsh-px were significantly higher than that of the PC group (P&amp;lt;0.05). Caspase3 and p53, along with bcl-2 and bax, were found to be significantly more expressed in shrimp of the GSP0.3 group than in all other groups (P&amp;lt;0.05). These findings imply that in addition to improving growth performance, adding ginseng saponins at a concentration of 11% fishmeal could improve the antioxidant capacity of L. vannamei as well as its resistance to stress. Therefore, ginseng saponins can be utilized as a functional additive to increase L. vannamei growth performance, enhance antioxidant capacity, and reduce stress in low-fishmeal diets, 0.3% of ginseng saponins is optimal.

Mediterranean Aquaponics: Fasting and Refeeding in a Polyculture Aquaponic System

The use of Mediterranean euryhaline fish and halophytes in aquaponics presents a sustainable and alternative approach to food production. The present study investigates the effect of compensatory growth on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and Baltic prawn (Palaemon adspersus) co-cultivated with the halophytic glasswort (Salicornia europaea). Three autonomous systems were established, each containing forty-five sea bass, nine Baltic prawns, and eight glasswort plants, with different feeding regimes for each treatment: (i) daily feeding (treatment A), (ii) three days of feeding per week followed by four days of fasting (treatment B), and (iii) feeding for seven days followed by seven days of fasting (treatment C). The growth performance of the fish was significantly higher in treatment B. Conversely, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was notably higher in treatment A. As for the prawns, their final body weight and length were similar across all treatments. The glasswort plants also demonstrated significantly improved growth in treatment B. These results indicate that the incorporation of feeding and fasting cycles can be an effective feed management strategy for polyculture aquaponic systems. Additionally, food deprivation had a positive impact on the growth performance of both glasswort and prawns.