High-energy Diet Research Articles

Metabolomics Reveals the Effects of High Dietary Energy Density on the Metabolism of Transition Angus Cows.

Simple SummaryThe increase in the metabolic demand and the dramatically decreased feed intake of cows around parturition often cause a negative energy balance status in cows, which can cause metabolic disorders. Before parturition, dry matter intake of cows starts to decline, and this decline is practically unavoidable. Therefore, increasing the energy density of the diet is extremely important. We used untargeted metabolomics to reveal the effect of high dietary energy density on body metabolism and explore whether it can alleviate negative energy balance. Our research shows that feeding a high-energy diet could significantly improve antioxidant capacity, maintain phosphatidylcholine homeostasis and reduce the negative energy balance of cows by regulating lipid mobilization, muscle mobilization, and protein turnover.The diet energy level plays a vital role in the energy balance of transition cows. We investigated the effects of high dietary energy density on body metabolism. Twenty multiparous Angus cows were randomly assigned to two treatment groups (10 cows/treatment), one receiving a high-energy (HE) diet (NEm = 1.67 Mcal/kg of DM) and the other administered a control (CON) diet (NEm = 1.53 Mcal/kg of DM). The results indicated that feeding a high-energy diet resulted in higher plasma glucose concentration and lower concentrations of plasma NEFA and BHBA on d 14 relative to calving in the HE-fed cows compared to the CON-fed ones. The postpartum plasma levels of T-AOC were lower in cows that received the CON diet than in cows in the HE group, while the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) showed an opposite trend. Among the 51 significantly different metabolites, the concentrations of most identified fatty acids decreased in HE cows. The concentrations of inosine, glutamine, and citric acid were higher in HE-fed cows than in CON-fed cows. Enrichment analysis revealed that linoleic acid metabolism, valine, leucine as well as isoleucine biosynthesis, and glycerophospholipid metabolism were significantly enriched in the two groups.

Preoperative Short-term High-Carbohydrate Diet Provides More High-Quality Transplantable Fat and Improves the Outcome of Fat Grafts in Mice.

Patients with a low BMI may have inadequate high-quality adipose tissue for transplantation. The influence of high-energy diets on adipose tissue and graft retention remains unknown. The authors explored inguinal fat pad alternation in mice fed on a short-time high-fat diet (HFD) or a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) preoperatively and the morphological and histological differences after transplantation. Mice were fed HFD (60% kcal from fat, 20% from carbohydrate), HCD (9.3% kcal from fat, 80.1% from carbohydrate), or normal (12% kcal from fat, 67% kcal from carbohydrate) diets for 2 or 4 weeks. Histological analyses were carried out following hematoxylin and eosin staining as well as CD34 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunostaining. The uncoupling protein-1 expression was determined by western blotting. Fat pads from each group were grafted into the dorsal region of the recipient mice, and morphological and histological changes were determined 4, 8, and 12 weeks posttransplantation. Vascular endothelial growth factor-α and platelet-derived growth factor-α expression were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The inguinal fat pad volume increased in the HFD and HCD groups. The presence of multilocular adipocytes in inguinal fat of HCD-fed mice, combined with the increased uncoupling protein-1 content, suggested adipocyte browning. HCD grafts showed higher volume retention and reduced oil cyst formation, possibly attributed to better angiogenesis and adipogenesis. HCD enlarged adipose tissue and improved graft survival rates, which may be due to the browning of fat before grafting and enhanced angiogenesis after grafting.

Effect of Castration Type and Diet on Growth Performance, Serum Sex Hormones and Metabolites, and Carcass Quality of Heavy Male Pigs.

Simple SummaryCastration is indispensable in male pigs intended for the production of high-quality dry-cured ham; however, for welfare reasons, alternatives are being sought and, among them, immunocastration stands out. The literature shows that immunocastration might generate lower fat deposition than surgical castration, which is undesirable for the dry-curing process. Therefore, it would be interesting to confirm the impact of immunocastration in male pigs and to test feeding plans that benefit fatness. The aim of this trial was to assess the effect of type of castration (surgical vs. immunological) and diet (control vs. high energy vs. low crude protein and amino acids) on growth performance, serum sex hormones and metabolites, and carcass quality of male pigs destined for the Protected Designation of Origin Teruel ham. Although immunocastration improved productive performance, it reduced carcass fatness. Also, alternative diets to control improved the feed conversion ratio but did not influence carcass quality traits. In conclusion, under a quality point of view, surgical castration would be preferable over immunocastration for dry-cured ham production, and the use of moderately high-energy or low-crude-protein and -amino-acids diets from 80 to 137 kg of body weight would not provide improvements.A trial was carried out to study the effect of type of castration and diet on pigs destined for Teruel ham production, which is a Spanish protected designation of origin for dry-cured ham. A total of 144 Duroc × (Landrace × Large White) male pigs were used. Half of them were surgically castrated and the other half were immunocastrated with three doses at approximately 25, 58 and 79 kg of body weight. Furthermore, three diets (control vs. high energy vs. low crude protein-CP- and amino acids-AA) were tested from 80 to 137 kg of body weight. Growth performance, serum sex hormones and metabolites, and carcass quality were evaluated. Immunocastrated males grew faster and had better feed conversion ratio than surgically castrated males, but presented lower carcass fatness. Pigs fed the high-energy diet and the low-CP and -AA diet were more efficient at transforming feed into gain than those fed the control diet, but no effect was detected on carcass quality. In conclusion, surgically castrated males are preferable than immunocastrated males for Teruel dry-cured ham elaboration. Besides, a high-energy diet or a low-CP and -AA diet might improve productive performances, but does not provide any benefit in terms of carcass quality.

105 The Impact of Lowering Floor Space Allowance and Dietary Energy Level on Finishing Pigs, from 65 Kg to Market, on Growth Performance

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the impact of reducing floor space allowance in finishing hogs with a starting body weight (BW) of 65 ± 2 kg when fed high versus low energy diets on growth performance. Mixed-sex pens (n=88) with 24 ± 1 pigs per pen were blocked by starting BW to a randomized complete block design with eight treatments. These eight treatments formed a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement with 2 energy levels: low (LE, 3270 ±19 kcal/kg ME) vs. high (HE, 3392 ±19 kcal/kg ME) accomplished through fat inclusion; and 4 floor space allowances: 0.60, 0.63, 0.65, 0.67 m2 per pig. Assigned floor space was adjusted by moveable gates in the rear of the pen, which were corrected at each pig removal until the marketing phase. Pen weight and feed disappearance were measured for 2 phases at d 0, 29, and 48 to calculate average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain to feed ratio (GF). Data were analyzed by pen (SAS 9.4, Cary, NC) with the repeated measure of phase, and the fixed effects of floor space allowance, dietary energy, and the interaction between. For the overall trial, decreased floor space had no effect (P > 0.1) on ADG, ADFI, or GF (0.36, for all). Energy had a significant effect (P < 0.01) on ADFI (3.17 vs 3.12 kg for LE and HE, respectively) and GF (0.35 and 0.36 for LE and HE, respectively), and tended to impact ADG (1.12 vs 1.13 kg, for LE and HE, respectively; P = 0.08). In conclusion, lowering floor space allowance from 0.67 m2 down to 0.60 m2 did not affect the growth performance of pigs starting at 65 kg. Pigs fed HE diets had 2.86% better GF compared with pigs fed LE diets, however had similar growth and body weight.

Nutritional and Exercise Interventions in Cancer-Related Cachexia: An Extensive Narrative Review.

One of the common traits found in cancer patients is malnutrition and cachexia, which affects between 25% to 60% of the patients, depending on the type of cancer, diagnosis, and treatment. Given the lack of current effective pharmacological solutions for low muscle mass and sarcopenia, holistic interventions are essential to patient care, as well as exercise and nutrition. Thus, the present narrative review aimed to analyze the nutritional, pharmacological, ergonutritional, and physical exercise strategies in cancer-related cachexia. The integration of multidisciplinary interventions could help to improve the final intervention in patients, improving their prognosis, quality of life, and life expectancy. To reach these aims, an extensive narrative review was conducted. The databases used were MedLine (PubMed), Cochrane (Wiley), Embase, PsychINFO, and CinAhl. Cancer-related cachexia is a complex multifactorial phenomenon in which systemic inflammation plays a key role in the development and maintenance of the symptomatology. Pharmacological interventions seem to produce a positive effect on inflammatory state and cachexia. Nutritional interventions are focused on a high-energy diet with high-density foods and the supplementation with antioxidants, while physical activity is focused on strength-based training. The implementation of multidisciplinary non-pharmacological interventions in cancer-related cachexia could be an important tool to improve traditional treatments and improve patients’ quality of life.

The Effects of Nitrogen sources in the concentrates on N utilization and production performances of dairy goats

Studies in young goats showed that feeding different N supplements did not significantly affect growth rate, rumen digestion, or N metabolism. It is unclear whether this finding is also applicable to lactating dairy goats. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of combinations of barley meal with soybean meal, cottonseed meal, or urea in high energy concentrate on nutrient digestion, milk-feed efficiency, milk production, and Nitrogen balance in dairy goats fed on barley hay as a basal diet. Four isoenergetic and isonitrogenous concentrate with different N sources were formulated and fed on lactating Saanen goats in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The results showed that lactating Saanen goats producing 1.3 to 1.5 litre of milk per day and fed on a concentrate containing 1.7 % N in a high energy diet capable to sustain similar milk protein and N balance as that given concentrate with 2.2 % dietary N. Total nutrient intakes, nutrient digestion, milk-feed efficiency and milk production lactating Saanen goats was not affected by the source of dietary N. The results indicate that including urea in a supplement can maintain a similar level of milk yield, milk protein and milk efficiency in goats as can the feeding of more expensive soybean and cottonseed meals provided there is sufficient readily available dietary energy.

Early unhealthy eating habits underlie morpho-functional changes in the liver and adipose tissue in male rats.

Early-life consumption of high-fat and sugar-rich foods is recognized as a major contributor for the onset of metabolic dysfunction and its related disorders, including diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The lifelong impact of early unhealthy eating habits that start at younger ages remains unclear. Therefore, to better understand the effects of diet, it is essential to evaluate the structural and functional changes induced in metabolic organs and potential mechanisms underlying those changes. To investigate the long-term effects of eating habits, young male rats were exposed to high-sugar and high-energy diets. After 14weeks, body composition was assessed, and histopathological changes were analyzed in the liver and adipose tissue. Serum biochemical parameters were also determined. Expression of inflammatory markers in the liver was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Our results revealed that serum levels of glucose, creatinine, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and lipid profile were increased in rats red high-sugar and high-energy diets. Histopathological alterations were observed, including abnormal hepatocyte organization and lipid droplet accumulation in the liver, and abnormal structure of adipocytes. In both unhealthy diet groups, hepatic expression of Toll-like receptor4 (TLR4), cyclooxygenase2 (COX-2), and E-selectin were increased, as well as a biomarker of oxidative stress. Together, our data demonstrated that unhealthy diets induced functional and structural changes in the metabolic organs, suggesting that proinflammatory and oxidative stress mechanisms trigger the hepatic alterations and metabolic dysfunction.

Effect of prepartum dietary energy density on beef cow energy metabolites, and birth weight and antioxidative capabilities of neonatal calves

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of prepartum diets that differ in energy density on beef cow energy metabolites and birth weight, immunity and antioxidative capabilities of neonatal calves. On d 0 (approximately 45 d before calving), 90 multiparous Angus cows (BW = 510 ± 16 kg) were randomly allocated into 1 of 9 drylot pens (10 cows/pen). Each pen was randomly assigned to a treatment condition (three pens/treatment), the cows in each treatment were assigned randomly to receive a high-energy (HE) density diet (NEm = 1.67 Mcal/kg of DM), medium-energy (ME) density diet (NEm = 1.53 Mcal/kg of DM), or low-energy (LE) density diet (NEm = 1.36 Mcal/kg of DM). Blood samples were collected − 45, − 21, − 14, and − 7 d from calving, and plasma concentrations of cortisol, glucose, total protein, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) were measured. After calving, the birth weights, body height, body length, thoracic girth and umbilical girth of the calves in each group were recorded, and blood samples were collected for analysis of IgG, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and maleic dialdehyde levels. The amounts of feed offered and orts were recorded for individual cows 4 d/wk. The results indicated that although dry matter intake (DMI) levels did not differ among the LE, ME, and or HE groups before parturition, the group that received the HE diet had higher plasma glucose concentrations and lower prepartum blood NEFA concentrations than the other groups. Birth weight, body height, thoracic girth, and levels of IL-2, cortisol, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase were increased in calves of the HE group compared with those of the LE group. The plasma IL-4 and serum IgG concentrations tended to be decreased in the ME group compared with the HE group, and the ME group had lower maleic dialdehyde concentrations; maleic dialdehyde levels were significantly increased in the LE group compared with the HE group. Overall, these results indicate that feeding of a low-energy diet during the last 45 d before parturition has negative effects on the growth, immunity, and antioxidative capabilities of neonatal calves. Increasing maternal energy density during late gestation may be useful to improve the energy status of cows.

The programming effect of parenteral obesity on the structural and mechanical properties of femora in female rats fed a varied calorie diet during puberty.

The study was aimed to ascertain whether continuation or change in the offspring of the diet consumed by the parents modulates, in later life, the previously programmed bone metabolism. We used adult Wistar rats (16 males; 32 females), divided into groups that were fed either a standard (diet S) or a high-energy (diet F). After 90 days of obesity induction, the rats were submitted to obtain female offspring from parents S and F. The offspring stayed with their mothers until 21 days of age (weaning day). Our previous studies have proved the programming effects of parental obesity on the skeletal system of their offspring at the age of 21 days. Weaned female offspring were divided into groups: S/S-parents and offspring fed the S diet; S/F-parents fed the S diet and offspring fed the F diet; F/S-parents fed the diet F and offspring with the diet S; F/F-parents and offspring fed the F diet(F/F). After sacrifice, isolated femurs were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography and by a three-point bending test. The bones were examined at 49 and 90 days of life. We found that nutritional programming has a significant influence on the development and metabolism of the skeletal system in females during growth and maturity. Moreover, the modification of nutrition alters the metabolism of bone tissue, and the osteotropic effects vary depending on the nature of the change, as well as the stage of development. Reducing the caloric content of the diet inhibits the mineralization and decreases the mechanical strength of the bones while increasing the caloric content of the diet has a beneficial osteotropic effect.

In vivo activities of the structured lipids -1, 3-dioleic acid 2-palmitic acid triglyceride (OPO) in high-fat diet mice

High-energy diets and lipid metabolism can lead to high levels of total cholesterol, a decrease in antioxidant, enzyme activity, and an increase in oxidative stress and dyslipidemia biomarker. In this study, the in vivo antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects of 1, 3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl triglyceride (OPO) using a high fat-diet model were investigated. The mice were divided into groups including high-fat model group (HF), auxiliary group (AG), positive Control group (PC), low OPO dose group (LO), medium OPO dose group (MO) and high OPO. OPO was administrated to 60 hyperlipidemia induced male Kunming mice at the dosage of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg•d body weight, for 35 days. The results showed that the administration of OPO decreased the body weight from 43.92 g in HF to 37.74 g in HO group, liver index from 3.94% in HF to 3.43 in HO group and kidney index from 1.38 in HF % to 1.17% in HO group. The administration of OPO significantly decreased hyperlipidemia mice's serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels at P < 0.05. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were increased with reductions of visceral hypertrophy and fat accumulation in model mice. Furthermore, in the HO group, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels increased significantly by 27.39, 38.33 and 22.90% at (P < 0.05), respectively. OPO also significantly reduced the enzyme activity of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in serum at P < 0.05. These findings suggested that OPO has potential use in hyperlipidemia treatment and other health-related complications.

NaHCO3, L-arginine, and vitamin C supplemented vegetable diet ameliorates tachycardia and polycythemia in the broiler chicken.

The study aimed to investigate if vegetable-based high-energy mash diets supplemented with NaHCO3, L-arginine + vitamin C, and vegetable oils were effective against tachycardia and polycythemia in the broiler chicken. A total of 256 Ross-308day-old male broiler chicks were randomly distributed into eight dietary treatment groups in a three-way ANOVA with 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (three factors, i.e., NaHCO3, L-arginine + vitamin C, and vegetable oil each with two levels, e.g., 0 and 0.1% of NaHCO3 and L-arginine + vitamin C; 3 and 4% of vegetable oil supplemented with basal diet) for a period of 35days. Iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets were formulated and supplied ad libitum. The final live weight (FLW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (FE), carcass traits, cardio-pulmonary morphometry, total protein (TP), hemoglobin (Hb), triiodothyronine (T3), incidence of tachycardia, and polycythemia were examined. Supplementation of NaHCO3 increased 2.2% ADFI, 5.5% FE, and 23.2% TP. The L-arginine + vitamin C increased 2.4% FLW and decreased 1.9% heart rate. Vegetable oil increased 1.3% ADFI, 4.2% ADG, 8.6% FE, 23.1% Hb, and 15.5% PCV. The NaHCO3, L-arginine + vitamin C, and vegetable oil additively interacted to increase 31.5% T3 at the expense of 21.1% of the weight of the right ventricle (RV). The RV:TV, carcass traits, and hemato-biochemical indices remained within normal range irrespective of the levels of the supplementations of the test ingredients. It was concluded that vegetable-based high-energy mash diets were not susceptible to tachycardia and polycythemia. The addition of NaHCO3 and L-arginine + vitamin C ameliorated the propensity of tachycardia and polycythemia without deteriorating performance, carcass traits, and hemato-biochemical indices of the broiler chicken in a dose-dependent manner.

Dietary inclusion of ruminally protected linseed oil as a means to mitigate heat and slaughter-induced stress in feedlot cattle.

There is evidence of a relationship between increased energy intake and the development of metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance (IR), and between the aforementioned metabolic state and impaired tolerance to heat stress. Based on the anti-inflammatory properties and mitigating effects on IR and stress of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), an experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation to feedlot-finished steers during summer on animal performance, physiological and biochemical variables associated with glucose metabolism, heat and preslaughter-induced stress, and meat quality. A total of 48 Angus steers (388±2kg) were fed one of three corn-based finishing diets containing (dry matter basis) 0% added oil (CON; negative control), or 1.90% of sunflower oil-calcium salt (SUN; positive control), or 1.92% of linseed oil-calcium salt (LIN). There was a trend (P = 0.08) for greater dry matter intake (DMI) and greater (P = 0.02) average daily gain (ADG) in LIN-fed animals compared with the average between those that received the CON or SUN diets, whereas no differences (P ≥ 0.34) were observed between the latter. No other performance, physiological, or carcass variables were affected (P ≥ 0.12) by treatment. Blood glucose and insulin were similar (P ≥ 0.14), though the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) which gauges IR tended (P = 0.06) to be reduced for LIN-fed animals compared with the average between those that received the CON or SUN diets. Blood insulin and HOMA increased linearly (P ≤ 0.01) with days on feed. An interaction between the study phase (feeding period or slaughter) and treatment was observed (P ≤ 0.05) for glucose and cortisol. While the magnitude of glucose increase (P < 0.01) from the end of the feeding period to slaughter was greater for CON- and SUN-fed animals compared with LIN-fed ones, cortisol increased (P < 0.05) only in animals that received CON or SUN diets. Meat quality attributes were not affected (P ≥ 0.16) by treatment. The concentration of n-3 PUFA was greater (P < 0.01) and n-6:n-3 ratio was lesser (P < 0.01) in meat from LIN-fed animals compared with that resulting from the average between the animals that received the negative (CON) or positive (SUN) control diets. Results suggest that n-3 PUFA supplementation mitigated metabolic alterations associated with IR and preslaughter-related stress. It may have also improved tolerance to heat, resulting in greater DMI and ADG of steers fed a high-energy diet during summer. Results also indicate that glucose metabolism and heat stress tolerance worsen with time when feeding concentrate-based diets.

Requirements of Energy and Protein for Arabic Chicken Hens During Late Egg Production Period

The present study aimed to estimate the metabolizable energy (ME) and protein (CP) requirements of Arabic chicken hens during the late egg production period reared under a semi-scavenging system with free-choice feeding. A total of 112 sixty-two-week-old Arabic chicken hens were used. The treatments were control and the choice diet consisted of 6 replicate pens. Control hens received a control diet (2750 kcal of ME/kg and 14.1% of CP) complying with the Hy-line Brown Commercial Management Guide 2011, whereas the choice hens offered control and three other diets (high energy-high protein [3006 and 17.3], high energy-low protein [3089 and 12.7], and low energy-high protein [2656 and 17.0] kcal of ME/kg and % of CP, respectively). Feed, ME, and CP intake, the concentration of dietary ME and CP, and egg production were recorded weekly. Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed of SAS. The feeding method influenced feed intake, CP concentration, and ME concentration but had no significant effect on CP intake, ME intake, and egg production. Weekly feed intake of choice hens was lower than that of control hens (514.03 vs. 551.18 g /hen/week; P&lt;0.03). Dietary concentrations of ME and CP in the choice hens were higher than those in the control hens (2957 vs. 2750 kcal of ME/kg; P&lt;0.001 and 150.6 vs. 14.1 g of CP/kg; P&lt;0.001). Egg production of the choice hens was not significantly higher than that of the control hens (51.17% vs. 46.82%; P&gt;0.05). Feed intake, CP intake, and ME intake decreased significantly at week 66 onward, while egg production decreased at week 65 onward. It can be concluded that Arabic chicken hens in the late egg production period were able to adjust their energy and protein requirements by consuming more from high dietary energy than from a high dietary protein. Based on the choice feeding, ME and CP requirements for Arabic chicken hens during the late egg production period in the semi-scavenging system were 2957 kcal/kg and 151 g/kg and higher than ME and CP contain in the control diet of 2750 kcal/kg and 141 g/kg to maintain egg production. The egg mass and feed conversion ratio were better in the choice hens group.

Combination of carbohydrases and essential oils improve dietary performance of feedlot steers on a high-energy diet

Essential oils and enzymes are alternatives to feed additives for ruminants that aim to replace the use of ionophores and improve animal performance, but their mechanisms of action are different. Therefore, the present study aimed to verify if there is a synergistic effect in the combined use of enzymes carbohydrates and essential oils on the performance, ingestive behavior and carcass traits of steers fed a high-energy diet. During the finishing period of 78 days, 40 steers were assigned to four treatments: CON- control; ENZ- enzymatic complex; EO- essential oil blend; ENZ+EO - enzymatic complex combined with essential oil blend. Regardless of the feedlot periods, the ENZ+EO treatment caused a reduction in the dry matter intake (12.48%) compared to the control. The ENZ+EO treatment resulted in the lowest mean fecal output and, consequently, the highest dry matter digestibility (DMD) and starch digestibility (SD), compared to the other treatments. Animals that received EO and ENZ+EO in the diet spent more time in feeding. As for the number of times animals visited the feeding trough, the highest values were presented by the animals in the EO, ENZ and ENZ+EO treatments. For the carcass parameters, only the subcutaneous fat thickness on the rib was significantly different between treatments, with the highest values obtained by adding EO and ENZ+EO (8.80 and 8.10 mm respectively). Thus, the combination of carbohydrate enzymes and essential oils proved to be synergistically beneficial in relation to better use of nutrients and productive performance of feedlot steers.

Effects of maternal high-energy diet and spirulina supplementation in pregnant and lactating sows on performance, quality of carcass and meat, and its fatty acid profile in male and female offspring

The concept of developmental programming suggests that maternal excessive energy intake during intrauterine development could permanently affect the offspring's performance. Spirulina might alleviate adverse programming effects, but currently has only been shown to affect productivity and product quality of livestock when fed directly. Therefore, we investigated effects of supplementing 20 g spirulina/day to 20 gestating and lactating sows fed either a commercial or a high energy diet (HED), on performance and meat quality of their piglets fattened for 4 months. Control and HED offspring did not differ in growth and slaughter performance. Maternal spirulina supplementation impaired growth performance in male but not in female offspring. Physicochemical meat quality was not affected by any treatment. Maternal spirulina intake tended to improve the polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA)/saturated FA ratio without affecting n–6/n–3 FA ratio in offspring meat. The present findings indicate a sex-specific programming effect for offspring growth in response to maternal spirulina but not high energy intake in pigs.

Nail Mineral Composition Changes Do Not Reflect Bone Mineral Changes Caused by Boron Supplementation.

Nails have been found to be a non-invasive and readily available tissue whose mineral content can change because of a change in dietary mineral intake. Thus, this study was undertaken to determine whether boron (B) supplementation would change the concentrations of some mineral elements in nails and whether these changes correlated with changes induced in bone. Female New Zealand White rabbits (aged 8months, 2-2.5kg weight) were fed a grain-based, high-energy diet containing 3.88mg B/kg. The rabbits were divided into four treatment groups: controls receiving no supplemental B (N: 7; C) and three groups supplemented with 30mg B/L in drinking water as borax decahydrate (Na2B4O7∙10H2O, N: 10; BD), borax anhydrous (Na2B4O7, N: 7; Bah), and boric acid (H3BO3, N: 7; BA). Boron, calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn) concentrations in nails were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Parametric and non-parametric multiple group comparisons and post hoc tests were performed and whether a correlation between nail and tibia and femur mineral elements concentrations were determined. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Boron was not detectable in control nails but was found in the nails of the three B supplemented groups. Boron supplementation markedly increased the Ca concentration in nails with the effect greatest in the BA and BD groups. The P and Mg concentrations also were increased by B supplementation with the effect most marked in the BA group. In contrast, B supplementation decreased the Na concentration with the effect most noticeable in the BD and Bah groups. The Zn concentration in nails was not affected by BA and BD supplementation but was decreased by Bah supplementation. Boron supplementation did not significantly affect the concentrations of Cu, Fe, Mo, K, and S in nails. No meaningful significant correlations were found between nail mineral elements and tibia and femur mineral elements found previously. Nails can be an indicator of the response to boron supplementation but are not useful to indicate changes in mineral elements in bone in response to B supplementation.

Effects of Green Apple (Golden Delicious) and Its Three Major Flavonols Consumption on Obesity, Lipids, and Oxidative Stress in Obese Rats.

Obesity is becoming increasingly common all over the world and global strategies are accordingly being developed to prevent it. In order to support the strategies, the effects of green apple (Golden Delicious) and the consumption of its three major flavonols (quercetin-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-D-galactoside, and quercetin-3-rhamnoside) on body weight; the weight of liver, kidney, and spleen; some lipid parameters in serum; and total lipid ratios of liver and kidney and oxidative stress parameters of obese rats were studied. This study was conducted on two experimental groups: one of which was given an apple, and the other was given flavonols, in addition to their high-energy diet; along with a sham and a control rat group, for 4 weeks. According to results, there was no difference in body and organ weights between groups. The liver and kidney weights increased in obese rats, but there was no difference between the total lipid ratios in these organs. The addition of green apple and selected flavonols to the high-energy diet of rats was not sufficient to prevent the increase in body and organ weights, but it supported the reduction in some lipid fractions and in oxidative stress parameters of obese rats. Moreover, this study supported the argument that obesity causes most of the lipid fractions increase in serum and induces oxidative stress.

Influence of High Energy Diet and Polygenic Predisposition for Obesity on Postpartum Health in Rat Dams.

It is estimated that 30% of pregnant women worldwide are overweight or obese, leading to adverse health effects for both mother and child. Women with obesity during pregnancy are at higher risk for developing both metabolic and mental disorders, such as diabetes and depression. Numerous studies have used rodent models of maternal obesity to understand its consequences on the offspring, yet characterization of changes in the dams is rare, and most rodent models rely solely on a high fat diet to induce maternal obesity, without regarding genetic propensity for obesity. Here we present the influence of both peripartum high energy diet (HE) and obesity-proneness on maternal health using selectively bred diet-resistant (DR) and diet-induced obese (DIO) rat dams. Outbred Sprague-Dawley rats were challenged with HE diet prior to mating and bred according to their propensity to gain weight. The original outbred breeding dams (F0) were maintained on low-fat chow during pregnancy and lactation. By comparison, the F1 dams consuming HE diet during pregnancy and lactation displayed higher gestational body weight gain (P < 0.01), and HE diet caused increased meal size and reduced meal frequency (P < 0.001). Sensitivity to the hormone amylin was preserved during pregnancy, regardless of diet. After several rounds of selective breeding, DIO and DR dams from generation F3 were provided chow or HE during pregnancy and lactation and assessed for their postpartum physiology and behaviors. We observed strong diet and phenotype effects on gestational weight gain, with DIO-HE dams gaining 119% more weight than DR-chow (P < 0.001). A high-resolution analysis of maternal behaviors did not detect main effects of diet or phenotype, but a subset of DIO dams showed delayed nursing behavior (P < 0.05). In generation F6/F7 dams, effects on gestational weight gain persisted (P < 0.01), and we observed a main effect of phenotype during a sucrose preference test (P < 0.05), with DIO-chow dams showing lower sucrose preference than DR controls (P < 0.05). Both DIO and DR dams consuming HE diet had hepatic steatosis (P < 0.001) and exhibited reduced leptin sensitivity in the arcuate nucleus (P < 0.001). These data demonstrate that both diet and genetic obesity-proneness have consequences on maternal health.

Influence of particle size of cottonseed hulls and bermudagrass hay on intake, sorting behavior, and rumen fluid parameters of feedlot lambs

Effects of particle size (PS) of cottonseed hulls (CSH) and bermudagrass hay (BGH) in females Rambouillet lambs (n = 40) feedlot diets on intake, sorting behavior, ruminal fluid parameters, serum urea nitrogen (SUN), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were evaluated. Lambs were individually fed a total mixed ration (TMR) with 800 g/kg concentrate and 200 g/kg roughage (CSH or BGH) during two feedlot experiments of 25 and 21 days, respectively, following a completely randomized design with 10 replications. The roughages were ground using a hammer mill with 9.52 mm (coarse), 6.35 mm (medium), or 4.76 mm (fine) screen while the control treatment diets used unground CSH or chopped BGH. Increasing PS of CSH quadratically decreased (P < 0.001) the rejection for particles retained in the sieve of 1.18 mm and tended (P = 0.07) to linearly increase preference for particles retained in the sieve of 8 mm. Increasing PS of BGH linearly increased (P < 0.001) preference for particles retained in the sieve of 1.18 mm. Refusals acid detergent fiber (ADF) quadratically increased (P = 0.001) with increasing CSH PS, but no differences were found for neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) and crude protein (CP). No differences were observed in ADF, aNDF, and CP of BGH refusals. Rumen fluid pH was not affected by PS. No differences in rumen fluid total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration and VFA proportions were observed in CSH diets despite a trend (P = 0.06) of a linear increase in valeric acid when PS was increased. Total VFA quadratically increased (P = 0.01) with BGH PS, while no differences were found in VFA proportions. Rumen ammonia concentration tended (P = 0.09) to quadratically increase when CSH PS increased. The SUN did not vary with PS. The IVDMD of CSH and the respective TMR quadratically decreased (P = 0.03) and increased (P = 0.002) with rumen fluid from lambs receiving increasing PS, respectively, while diets with BSH had its TMR IVDMD quadratically increased (P = 0.002). Dry matter intake (kg/d) did not vary with increasing PS but proportional intake (% of BW) decreased linearly (P = 0.007) in CSH diets. Roughage PS must be considered in high-energy diets for fattening lambs due to its effect on sorting behavior, digestibility, and rumen fluid parameters.

Dietary energy influences ovarian morphology and in vitro maturation of oocytes in goats

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to determine the effects of dietary energy levels on follicular development and in vitro maturation of oocytes in pre-pubertal goats. Thirty-six female six-month-old stall-fed Black Bengal goats were divided into three equal groups that were randomly assigned to receive three iso-nitrogenous diets containing different levels of metabolizable energy (8.67, 10.20, and 11.73 MJ/kg DM). After 150 days of rearing, the weight, length and width of the ovaries increased significantly in medium and high levels of dietary energy groups than in the low-energy group. Medium and high-energy levels in the diet significantly increased the number of visible antral follicles and large antral follicles than the low level of dietary energy. The number of antral follicles per ovary was higher in high-energy fed goats than medium- and low-energy groups. The low-energy group showed more non-growing primordial follicles and degenerated follicles than the other groups. The medium- and high-dietary energy levels significantly increased the maturation rate of oocytes to metaphase II than the low-energy group. These results reveal that the level of dietary energy positively influences follicular development and meiotic competence of goat oocytes.