Higher Feed Intake Research Articles

Residual Feed Intake in Beef Cattle Is Associated With Differences in Hepatic mRNA Expression of Fatty Acid, Amino Acid, and Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism Genes

We evaluated the mRNA expression of genes involved in hepatic fatty acid, amino acid, and mitochondrial energy metabolism in crossbred beef steers with divergent low and high residual feed intake (RFI). Low-RFI beef steers (n = 8; RFI = - 1.93 kg/d) and high-RFI beef steers (n = 8; RFI = + 2.01kg/d) were selected from a group of 56 growing crossbred beef steers (average BW = 261 ± 18.5 kg) fed a high-forage total mixed ration after a 49-d performance testing period. At the end of the 49-d performance testing period, liver biopsies were collected from the low-RFI and high-RFI beef steers for RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis. The mRNA expression of 84 genes each related to fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and mitochondrial energy metabolism were analyzed using pathway-focused PCR-based arrays. The mRNA expression of 8 genes (CRAT, SLC27A5, SLC27A2, ACSBG2, ACADL, ACADSB, ACAA1, and ACAA2) involved fatty acid transport and β-oxidation were upregulated (FC ≥ 2.0, FDR ≤ 0.05) in low-RFI, compared to high-RFI steers. Among those involved in amino acid metabolism, hepatic mRNA expression of a gene encoding for aminoadipate aminotransferase, an enzyme related to lysine degradation, was downregulated (FC = -5.45, FDR = 0.01) in low-RFI steers, whereas those of methionine adenosyltransferase I and aspartate aminotransferase 2, which both link amino acid and lipid metabolism, were upregulated (FC ≥ 2.0, FDR ≤ 0.05). Two mitochondrial energy metabolism genes (UQCRC1 and ATP5G1) involved in ATP synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation were upregulated (FC ≥ 2.0, FDR ≤ 0.05) in low-RFI beef steers, compared to high-RFI beef steers. The results of this study demonstrated that low-RFI beef steers exhibit upregulation of molecular mechanisms related to fatty acid transport, fatty acid β-oxidation, and mitochondrial ATP synthesis, which suggest that low-RFI beef steers have enhanced metabolic capacity to maximize capture of energy and nutrients from feeds consumed.

Comparative effects of supplementary different copper forms on performance, protein efficiency, digestibility of nutrients, immune function and architecture of liver and kidney in growing rabbits

The various sources of supplemented copper had a different impact on the animal performance based on their bioavailability. The current study compared the effects of supplementary copper oxide (CuO), copper acetate (Cu-acetate) and copper nanoparticles (Cu-NP) on performance, immune function, nutrients digestibility and architecture of the liver and kidney of growing rabbits for eight weeks. Sixty rabbits (581 ± 6.56 g) were randomly allocated to four treatments as follows: basal diet, 100 mg copper/kg diet as CuO, 100 mg copper/kg diet as Cu-acetate and 50 mg copper/kg diet as Cu-NP. Cu-acetate and Cu-NP improved specific growth rate, final weight and daily weight gain. Cu-NP supplementation had higher feed intake, feed conversion, protein efficiency, hematocrit and hemoglobin values compared with other copper forms. All copper sources showed higher levels of serum complement component 3, Immunoglobulin M, lysozyme activity and the digestibility of nitrogen-free extract, dry matter and organic matter. As a result, increased nutritive values were detected when the rabbits were fed copper-supplemented diets. No liver and kidney architecture alterations were identified between the experimental groups. In conclusion, both dietary Cu-NP and Cu-acetate were more efficient than CuO in enhancing growth and seem promising in fattening rabbit nutrition.

A Review: Plant Carbohydrate Types-The Potential Impact on Ruminant Methane Emissions.

Carbohydrates are the major component of most ruminant feeds. The digestion of carbohydrates in the rumen provides energy to the ruminants but also contributes to enteric methane (CH4) emissions. Fresh forage is the main feed for grazing ruminants in temperate regions. Therefore, this review explored how dietary carbohydrate type and digestion affect ruminant CH4 emissions, with a focus on fresh forage grown in temperate regions. Carbohydrates include monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Rhamnose is the only monosaccharide that results in low CH4 emissions. However, rhamnose is a minor component in most plants. Among polysaccharides, pectic polysaccharides lead to greater CH4 production due to the conversion of methyl groups to methanol and finally to CH4. Thus, the degree of methyl esterification of pectic polysaccharides is an important structural characteristic to better understand CH4 emissions. Apart from pectic polysaccharides, the chemical structure of other polysaccharides per se does not seem to affect CH4 formation. However, rumen physiological parameters and fermentation types resulting from digestion in the rumen of polysaccharides differing in the rate and extent of degradation do affect CH4 emissions. For example, low rumen pH resulting from the rapid degradation of readily fermentable carbohydrates decreases and inhibits the activities of methanogens and further reduces CH4 emissions. When a large quantity of starch is supplemented or the rate of starch degradation is low, some starch may escape from the rumen and the escaped starch will not yield CH4. Similar bypass from rumen digestion applies to other polysaccharides and needs to be quantified to facilitate the interpretation of animal experiments in which CH4 emissions are measured. Rumen bypass carbohydrates may occur in ruminants fed fresh forage, especially when the passage rate is high, which could be a result of high feed intake or high water intake. The type of carbohydrates affects the concentration of dissolved hydrogen, which consequently alters fermentation pathways and finally results in differences in CH4 emissions. We recommend that the degree of methyl esterification of pectic polysaccharides is needed for pectin-rich forage. The fermentation type of carbohydrates and rumen bypass carbohydrates should be determined in the assessment of mitigation potential.

Sclerocarya birrea caffra nut meal as a substitute to soyabean meal: Effects on growth performance, feed intake and utilisation and viscera macromorphometry of blue-helmeted guinea fowl

Imported soyabean meal (SBM) is the major dietary protein (DP) source for the sub-Saharan African poultry industry making poultry production costly. Therefore, alternative locally available DP sources are required. We evaluated the potential of locally available Marula nut meal (MNM) to substitute SBM in Guinea fowl (GF) diets by determining its effects on growth, feed intake (FI) and utilisation and viscera macromorphometry. Five grower diets wherein, on a CP basis, MNM substituted SBM at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% were formulated. Thirty-eight 4-week-old keets (n = 7 – 8), each individually housed in a cage, were randomly assigned to grower diets, and fed for 5 weeks and then transferred to corresponding finisher diets and fed for 3 weeks. Induction and weekly body mass, daily FI, and terminal body mass (TBM), body mass gain (BMG), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined. On slaughter, viscera masses, small and large intestines lengths, tibiae and femora indices were determined. In week 2 of the grower phase GF fed diet 3 (50% MNM CP) had the highest weekly BMG and ADG (P < 0.05) and in week 5 GF fed diet 5 (100% MNM CP) had the highest FI (P < 0.05). Dietary MNM did not affect the GF's BMG, ADG, FI and FCR during weeks 1, 3 and 4 of the grower phase. In week 3 of the finisher phase GF fed diet 3 (50% MNM CP) had the highest (P < 0.05) FCR. Dietary MNM had no effect (P > 0.05) on the trial BMG, ADG and FI of the GF but GF reared on grower and finisher diets 3 (50% substitution of SBM CP) had the highest (P < 0.05) FCR. MNM had no effect on tibiae and femora masses, lengths, and mass: length ratios and viscera macromorphometry of the GF. We conclude that MNM can, on a CP basis, substitute SBM, in GF grower and finisher diets at 25%, 75% and 100% without compromising growth, FI and utilization and viscera of GF.

Genes Involved in Feed Efficiency Identified in a Meta-Analysis of Rumen Tissue from Two Populations of Beef Steers.

Simple SummaryThe rumen makes up a large portion of the digestive tract of beef cattle and is responsible for the absorption of nutrients and microbial by-products. The rumen papillae interact with feed, microbial populations, and fermentation products important to cattle nutrition. Variation in the animal’s ability to take up and utilize these nutrients affects feed efficiency. This study was performed to identify genes involved in feed efficiency that are expressed in two unrelated and physically distant populations of Angus and Hereford crossbred steers. A total of 83 genes were identified that may be useful indicators of feed efficiency in cattle. Differentially expressed genes were involved in a protein turnover pathway and a stomach lining turnover pathway. The use of meta-analysis for the two populations of cattle with different sire lines, management and handling techniques, and feed ingredients should allow the identification of genes that are involved in feed efficiency across cattle populations rather than those identified in a single population.In cattle, the rumen is an important site for the absorption of feed by-products released by bacterial fermentation, and variation in ruminal function plays a role in cattle feed efficiency. Studies evaluating gene expression in the rumen tissue have been performed prior to this. However, validating the expression of genes identified in additional cattle populations has been challenging. The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of the ruminal transcriptome of two unrelated populations of animals to identify genes that are involved in feed efficiency across populations. RNA-seq data from animals with high and low residual feed intake (RFI) from a United States population of cattle (eight high and eight low RFI) and a Canadian population of cattle (nine high and nine low RFI) were analyzed for differences in gene expression. A total of 83 differentially expressed genes were identified. Some of these genes have been previously identified in other feed efficiency studies. These genes included ATP6AP1, BAG6, RHOG, and YPEL3. Differentially expressed genes involved in the Notch signaling pathway and in protein turnover were also identified. This study, combining two unrelated populations of cattle in a meta-analysis, produced several candidate genes for feed efficiency that may be more robust indicators of feed efficiency than those identified from single populations of animals.

Effect of substituting concentrate mixture with dried woybeta (Terminalia brownii Fresen) leaf meal on body weight gain and cost-benefit analysis of yearling Woyto-Guji goats in Konso, Southern Ethiopia

The current experimental work was aimed to evaluate weight gain, linear measurement and economic feasibility of yearling woyto-guji goats supplemented dried woybeta leaf meal (DWLM) as a substitute of concentrate mixture (CM). Twenty intact bucks with an average initial body weight of 19 ± 0.25 kg were selected from Baide community based breeding program (CBBP) and assigned to one of the five treatment feeds in a completely randomized block design as: (T1= Grazing + 300 g CM, T2= Grazing + 75g DWLM + 225 g CM, T3 = Grazing only, T4 = Grazing + 225 g DWLM + 75 g CM and T5= Grazing + 300 g DWLM). All animals were allowed to ad libitum access of water and the experiment was taken for the duration of 90 days. Supplemental feeding of air DWLM in current experiment positively influenced the performance of animals by providing higher feed intake and greater weight gain as compared to control group (T3). The results from ADG were 131.5g, 84.2g, 70.3g, 99.5g and 109.5g for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively with T1 and T5 gained significantly (P&lt;0.05) better than all other treatments. The results from DMI were 4.1kg, 3.3kg, 3.0kg, 3.5kg and 3.7kg for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. Though goats in T1 performed better than all other treatments, supplementation of air DWLM (T5) was economically dominant and thus is recommended for the initiation of growth of yearling bucks based on the target of the producer. Therefore, it could be concluded that DWLM is a potential feed to replace CM especially during lean periods where other sources may not be readily available and expensive

Assessment of Thevetia neriifolia Juss. Toxicity as a Rodenticide in Wistar Rats

Problems of rodents cannot be over underlined as a household and agricultural pest, damaging the crops on the field and stored produce thereby reducing qualities of produce. Controlling rodents using physical, biological and chemical methods have resulted in a slow rate success, several dangers on humans, animals and environment, hence they are discouraged. Thevetia neriifolia has been found to be a rich source of pesticide substance that could be used in crop protection; thus, its powdered form could be used as a baseline for potential natural rodenticide bait. The rodenticide capability of Thevetia neriifolia was evaluated using 50 female Wistar rats weighing 80±10 g which were acclimatized for seven days. The rats were allotted to ten treatments, each replicated five times. There was a Standard Reference Feed (diet) (SRF). The test samples were milled (with 2 mm sieve) sun-dried seed (SS), sun-dried leaf (SL) and sun-dried stem bark (SB). Each sample was incorporated at 15%, 30% and 45% into the reference diets. The allotments were in a completely randomized design. Experimental rats were fed with separate diets and supplied water ad-libitum for seven days. Results showed significant differences (p&lt;0.05) in all the parameters. Rats on SS and SB at 45% inclusion levels had the lowest body weight reduction. Also, the lowest feed intake was observed in rats fed 45% SS, while those on 15% SL and SRF had the highest feed intake. Packed cell volume and hemoglobin were the only hematological parameters that differed significantly (p&lt;0.05) at 15% and 45% SL inclusion levels. The serum biochemical parameters were not affected by the treatments (p&gt;0.05). Organ sections (livers, hearts and kidneys) showed moderate congestion of sinusoids, multiple foci of mononuclear cells and congestion of renal blood vessels of rats on 45% SS inclusion level. No mortality or abnormal behavioural changes were observed among animals on SRF. Varying dietary inclusion levels of test samples resulted in rat mortalities which was attributed to cardiac glycosides. Rats on 45% SS died faster within 96 hours than those on corresponding inclusion levels of SB and SL which died after 216 hours. Therefore, Thevetia neriifolia has rodenticide capability and could be used as baits for rats.

English

The aim of the study was to evaluate the physiological performance of heat stressed growing rabbits fed diets supplemented with vitamin anti-oxidants and bicarbonate buffers. A total of thirty (30) growing rabbits (New Zealand White crosses) of two months old were used in this study. There were six (6) rabbits per treatment in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The treatment groups consisted of: control, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and potassium bicarbonate, (KHNO3) solution respectively, Vitamin C, and baobab fruit pulp meal (BFPM) as supplements, respectively. The experiment lasted for 9 weeks. Five milliliters of blood were collected from five rabbits (through the ear vein) chosen randomly from each group of rabbits, respectively at the beginning and the end of the experiment for serum metabolite and thyroxine hormone evaluation. Physiological performance of the rabbits was also evaluated.&nbsp;It was found that environmental conditions were stressful to the animals; Vitamins (Vit C and BFPM) significantly (P&lt;0.05) reduced rectal temperature, heart rate and triglycerides compared to other treatments. The buffers recorded significantly (P&lt;0.05) high feed intake, calcium and thyroxine. It was concluded that ameliorating heat stress with the antioxidants were helpful to improve the performance of rabbits and was recommended to be included in rabbit diets during the hot period. &nbsp; Key words: Antioxidants, buffers, heat stress, thyroxine.

Effect of moderate forced physical activity on behaviour, lameness and osteochondrosis in growing pigs from two divergent lines selected for feed efficiency

In pig farming, physical constraints and genetic selection for high production are risk factors for the development of leg disorders, such as degraded locomotor activity. Interactions between both factors need to be explored. The study was carried out on two replicates of 80 pure-bred Large White growing-finishing pigs from the 8th generation of two divergent lines selected for low and high residual feed intake (LRFI, HRFI). Each replicate included 40 LRFI pigs and 40 HRFI pigs, housed on partly slatted flooring in a room equipped with a sorter allowing access to electronic self-feeders during two replicates. Ear tags determined the side of the room to which the pigs were oriented after the sorter exit and the distance back to the sorter (short: spontaneous activity, long: forced activity (FA)). Lameness was assessed individually weekly using visual gait scoring. At slaughter (weight of 100 kg), postmortem quantification of osteochondrosis (OC) lesions was performed on both the proximal and distal extremities of the humerus and femur. Low RFI pigs showed a lower feed conversion ratio (P < 0.001). They also showed lower individual numbers of sorter crossings per day and a lower proportion of standing pigs, which confirmed their lower physical activity. Forced activity clearly increased the number of sorter crossings/d/pig (P < 0.001), and the magnitude of the effect of FA was clearly lower in LRFI pigs than in HRFI pigs. The occurrence of gait was low (less than 9% of recorded scores). The proportion of scores classified as stiffness was higher for LRFI pigs than in HRFI pigs (P < 0.0001). The average lameness score was also higher for LRFI pigs and lower with FA (P < 0.05). The pigs of the LRFI line showed higher OC scores on both the proximal humerus and femur (P < 0.001) and lower OC scores on the distal humerus with surface evaluation (P < 0.05). The carcasses of LRFI pigs were heavier with a higher lean meat percentage (P < 0.001). Most OC scores were unaffected by FA. Only the OC scores of the distal femur (slice method) were higher with increased activity in LRFI pigs, whereas they were lower in HRFI pigs (P < 0.05). Seric biomarkers of cartilage synthesis and degradation were higher for pigs from the LRFI line, but no correlation could be observed between individual OC scores and cartilage biomarker contents.

Aging-related changes in metabolic indicators in female rats and their management with Tinospora cordifolia.

Conflicting reports of HRT necessitates exploration of therapeutic interventions with the least side effects to preserve metabolic homeodynamics in women later in life. The current study was designed to elucidate the cumulative effects of aging and/or high fat diet (HFD) on some metabolic indicators and their management by Tinospora cordifolia stem powder (TCP) using middle-aged acyclic and young adult cyclic female rats as the model system. Animals were fed on either normal chow or HFD supplemented with or without TCP. Blood and liver tissue were collected for biochemical, and histological studies as well as for expression of proteins regulating lipid metabolism. Animals fed with TCP supplemented normal chow feed showed bodyweight management over 12-weeks despite their high feed and calories intake compared to young and age-matched controls as well as HFD-fed animals. TCP dose used was not toxic and rather prevented age-associated liver dysfunctions and ameliorated dyslipidemia and oxidative stress, normalized blood glucose, insulin, leptin, and secretary pro-inflammatory cytokines. Further, bodyweight management effect of TCP was observed to target AMPK signalling pathway as the mediator of lipogenesis, sterol biosynthesis, lipolysis, and β-oxidation of fatty acids. These findings suggest that TCP supplementation in diet may be a potential interventional strategy to ameliorate aging-associated hepatic and metabolic dysfunctions and to promote healthy aging.

Small Intestine Microbiome and Metabolome of High and Low Residual Feed Intake Angus Heifers.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) contains complex microbial communities and plays an essential role in the overall health of the host. Previous studies of beef cattle feed efficiency have primarily concentrated on the ruminal microbiota because it plays a key role in energy production and nutrient supply in the host. Although the small intestine is the important site of post-ruminal digestion and absorption of nutrients, only a few studies have explored the relationship between the microbial populations in the small intestine and feed efficiency. Moreover, variations in GIT metabolites contribute to differences in feed efficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate relationships among bacterial populations of duodenum, jejunum, ileum; microbial metabolites; and RFI phenotype of beef cattle. We carried out by using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS). In the duodenum, the relative abundances of Firmicutes ( p < 0.01), Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Family_XIII, Christensenellaceae, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group ( p < 0.05), and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group ( p < 0.05) were higher in the low residual feed intake (LRFI) group compared with the high residual feed intake (HRFI) group, whereas the HRFI group had higher abundances of Proteobacteria and Acinetobacter ( p < 0.01). In the jejunum, the relative abundances of Lachnospiraceae and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group were higher in the LRFI group ( p < 0.05). In the ileum, the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae ( p < 0.01), Christensenellaceae, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and Ruminococcus_2 were also higher in the LRFI group ( p < 0.05). Moreover, the genera Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and Ruminococcus_2 were negatively associated with RFI, while the genus Acinetobacter was positively associated with RFI. The metabolomics analysis revealed that the LRFI group significantly improved protein digestion and absorption, as well as glycerophospholipid metabolism in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum. The correlation between intestinal microorganisms and metabolites revealed that some microorganisms play an important role in amino acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, nutrient digestion and absorption, and antioxidant enhancement. The present study provides a better understanding of the small intestinal microbiota and metabolites of beef cattle with different RFI phenotypes and the relationships among them, which are potentially important for the improvement of beef cattle feed efficiency.

Growth Performance of Albino Rats Orally Administered with Honey from Apis mellifera adansonii and Refined Sugar at Varying Levels

The purpose of this research was to find out the growth performance of albino rats orally administered with honey from Apis mellifera adansonii and refined granulated sugar at varying quantities. Twenty-five (25) healthy albino rats used in the study were grouped into five treatments based on the dose of natural honey and granulated sugar as follow: T1 (1.02g of honey kg BW), T2 (1.40g of honey kg BW), T3 (1.02g of granulated sugar kg BW), and T4 (1.40g of granulated sugar kg BW). However, rats in T5 were not administered honey and refined granulated sugar hence served as the control. The data on fructose and micronutrients concentrations of natural honey and refined sugar as well as data on the weight gain and feed intake of the albino rats were determined after 28 days. According to the findings of this study, the fructose concentration was higher in natural honey (195.78mg/ml) while refined sugar (30.225mg/ml) recorded the least value. Also, copper (0.15ppm) and manganese (0.05ppm) had the highest mean concentration in natural honey, while iron (0.04ppm) and zinc (0.07ppm) were higher in refined sugar. The study's findings revealed that the highest feed intake by albino rat was recorded in T1 (148.16g) while T5 (140.27g) had the least. There were no significant differences in albino rat feed intake among the five treatments (p&gt;0.05). The highest weight gain was recorded by the albino rat in T1 (69.84g) while T5 (32.28g) had the least. There were no significant differences in the weight gain of the albino rats among the five treatments. This study's findings led to the conclusion that the doses of natural honey used did not significantly increase the weight gain of albino rats.

Identification and characterization of circular RNAs in association with the feed efficiency in Hu lambs

BackgroundCircular RNA (circRNA), as a new members of noncoding RNA family, have vital functions in many biological processes by as microRNA sponges or competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). However, little has been reported about the genetic mechanism of circRNAs regulation of feed efficiency in sheep.ResultsThis study aimed to explore the expression of circRNAs in the liver of Hu sheep with High-RFI (High residual feed intake) and Low-RFI (Low residual feed intake) using transcriptome sequencing. A total of 20,729 circRNAs were identified in two groups, in which 219 circRNAs were found as significantly differentially expressed. Several circRNAs were validated by using RT-PCR, sanger sequencing and RT-qPCR methods. These results demonstrated that the RNA-seq result and expression level of circRNAs identified are reliable. Subsequently, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the parental genes of the differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs were mainly involved in immunity response and metabolic process. Finally, the ceRNA regulatory networks analysis showed that the target binding sites for miRNA such as novel_41, novel_115, novel_171 and oar-miR-485-3p in the identified DE cirRNAs. Importantly, two metabolic (SHISA3 and PLEKHH2) and four (RTP4, CD274, OAS1, and RFC3) immune-related target mRNAs were identified from 4 miRNAs. Association analysis showed that the polymorphism (RTP4 c.399 A > G) in the target gene RTP4 were significantly associated with RFI (P < 0.05).ConclusionsAnalysis of sequencing data showed some candidate ceRNAs that may play key roles in the feed efficiency in sheep by regulating animal immune and metabolic. These results provide the basis data for further study of the biological functions of circRNAs in regulating sheep feed efficiency.

Effects of Two Commercial Protein Diets on the Health of Two Imago Ages of Apis mellifera L. Reared in Laboratory.

Simple SummaryBeekeepers often feed their bees with supplemented artificial diets. The formulation of an integrative diet for honey bee colonies able to prevent nutritional deficiencies is yet to be found. In this work, the effects of pollen diet substitution with commercial protein diets in newly emerged bees (that still feed a little on pollen) and in forager bees (that usually do not feed on pollen) were tested. Results obtained suggest that commercial protein diets do not compensate pollen diets in newly emerged bees and do not determine an increase in life span or immunity in forager bees. Further investigations on the effect of concentration and quality of proteins are desirable in order to provide beekeepers with scientific evidence on protein-based feeding.Protein-supplemented artificial diets are widely used by beekeepers during winter and whenever food availability is low, yet no data are available concerning their effects on bees’ health. In this work, the effects of two commercial diets enriched with 1.7% and 7.7% protein concentration on feed intake, survival rate, glucose oxidase, phenoloxidase and glutathione S-transferase in newly emerged and forager bees were tested. Administration of a 7.7% protein-enriched diet significantly reduced the lifespan of both newly emerged and forager bees, while only in foragers a significantly higher feed intake was recorded. In newly emerged bees, administration of a high-protein-enriched diet stimulated glucose oxidase production at the 10th day of feeding, determined a reduction of phenoloxidase and did not affect glutathione S-transferase activity. In forager bees, a high level of protein inclusion did not determine any significant variation in either glucose oxidase, phenoloxidase or glutathione S-transferase activity. Therefore, the results obtained in this investigation suggest that administration of commercial protein diets negatively affect honey bee health, determining an increase in mortality. Further investigations on the effect of concentration and quality of proteins are desirable to provide beekeepers with scientific evidence on protein feeding.

Effect of Supplementation Garlic (Allium sativum) by Various Processing on Performances of Broiler

Abstract This study evaluated the effect of feeding broiler garlic processing on performance. In a completely randomized design (CRD), 200 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated to four diet treatments, with five replicates of ten birds each. The treatment diets are as follows; the control T0 (0%), 3% fresh garlic (T1), 3% garlic powder (T2), and 3% black garlic powder (T3), respectively. Supplementation of black garlic powder would be more costly than others. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. The average temperature and humidity observed were 27±3°C and 83%. The parameters measured were; feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, final body weight, and mortality. The result showed that supplementation of garlic processing had a significant effect (P&lt;0.05) on performances. T1 had the highest feed intake (P&lt;0.05). The weight gain differs significantly (P&lt;0.05) between T1 and T3. T2 had a significant impact on final body weight (P&lt;0.05). Although tending to have a lower feed conversion ratio in T2, there is no significant effect on feed conversion ratio and mortality. It was reported that supplementing 3 % garlic powder (T2) improves broiler growth performance and final body weight.

IDF21-0172 The Expression Level of UDP-GlcNAc epimerase/ManNAc kinase in some Organs of Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Background: Aspects of glycobiology have been linked to the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus as sialic acids and its metabolic enzymes are associated with the disease. Aim: The present study was conducted to monitor the expression pattern of UDP-GlcNAc epimerase/ ManNAc kinase (GNE) gene (rate limiting enzyme for sialic acid biosynthesis) in selected organs or type 2 diabetic animals to provide insights into the course of increased serum sialic acids in diabetes. Method: Type 2 diabetes was induced using streptozotocin-fructose model and after 8 weeks, the mRNA expression levels of GNE gene was analysed in liver, brain, kidney, colon, spleen and pancreas of the animals, using quantitative PCR. Results: Decrease in body weight of the diabetic rats with high fluid and feed intakes were observed. Glycemia was significantly (p<0.05) above 300 mg/dL for the 8-week progression of the diabetic phase. The diabetic rats had a significantly (p<0.05) increased level (8.2 mg/ml) of serum sialic acid compared to normal rats (3.5 mg/ml). Furthermore, sialic acid level was elevated in the studied tissues with significant (p<0.05) difference in the colon, duodenum, kidney, liver and spleen of diabetic rats. However, the expression of GNE gene was decreased in the colon but increased in the pancreas (1.8-fold) of the diabetic rats while the expression level in the other tissues was not profoundly affected. Discussion: In conclusion, the impaired feedback inhibition mechanism of GNE gene may be associated to the increase in sialylation.

Rumen Microbiome and Metabolome of High and Low Residual Feed Intake Angus Heifers.

Feed cost is the greatest expense during cattle production; therefore, reducing it is critical to increasing producer profits. In ruminants, the microbial population is important to nutrient digestion and absorption in the rumen. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships among rumen bacteria, rumen metabolites, and the residual feed intake (RFI) phenotype of beef cattle. Twelve Angus heifers were selected to be sampled and divided into high RFI (HRFI; n = 6) group and low RFI (LRFI; n = 6) group according to their RFI classification determined during the feedlot-finishing period. After the ruminal liquid samples were collected at slaughter, Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were performed to determine their bacterial composition and metabolites, respectively. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was higher in the LRFI group than in the HRFI group (P < 0.01). At the family level, the relative abundances of Rikenellaceae (P < 0.01), Ruminococcaceae, Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, and Lachnospiraceae (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in the LRFI group. At the genus level, the relative abundances of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Ruminiclostridium_1 were higher in the LRFI group (P < 0.01), as were the relative abundances of norank_f__Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_group, and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the genera Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010, Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_group, Ruminiclostridium_1, and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group were negatively associated with the RFI; both foundational and key species are associated with feed efficiency phenotype. In addition, rumen metabolomics analysis revealed that the RFI was associated with significantly altered concentrations of rumen metabolites involved in protein digestion and absorption, Linoleic acid metabolism, Lysine degradation, and Fatty acid degradation. Correlation analysis revealed the potential relationships between the significantly differential ruminal metabolites and the genera ruminal bacteria. The present study provides a better understanding of rumen bacteria and metabolites of beef cattle with different RFI phenotypes and the relationships among them, which are potentially important for the improvement of beef cattle feed efficiency.

Synergistic Effects of Phytogenic Compounds on Early Growth Parameters of Native Chickens

The survival of native chickens during the first 6 weeks of growth is less than 50%. Hence, this study proposes the introduction of prophylactic antibiotics for poultry diseases prevention and treatment. However, the ban on antibiotics has prompted the search for plant-based biomedicines. Therefore, this trial aimed to determine the effect of phytogenic compounds (PC) of five herbs as water additives on the survival and growth responses of native chickens. A total of 204 Bisaya chickens (unsexed) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments replicated three times with 17 chickens in each replicate. Chickens were fed ad libitum and received water with 1.5 g antibiotics/1000ml water (control), 20 ml PC/1000ml water (T2), 40 ml PC/1000ml water (T3), and 60 ml PC/1000ml water (T4) for 35 days. No significant differences were observed on feed intake for chickens in antibiotics and PC treatments, however, the 60-PC group consumed slightly higher feed intake, compared to chickens under antibiotics and the other level of PC supplementation. Chickens in 60-PC ate 4-12% more feed than the others at the end of the trial period. Cumulative water used per kg feed did not differ among the experimental groups. The control and the PC supplemented chickens shared homogenous body weight and weight gains patterns, averaging 403.79 to 415.20g and 85.49 to 86.85g, respectively. Supplementation of 40-PC and 60-PC in drinking water for native chickens reduced the mortality rate and comparable feed conversion ratio with antibiotics. The 60-PC as a phytogenic water additive could enhance the growth performance, increase the survival rate, reduce mortality, and improve feed conversion ratio correlative to antibiotics.

133 Ranking Mature Beef Cows for Residual Intake Using an Unprocessed Grass Hay Diet and Its Relationship to Greenhouse Gas Exchange

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare high and low residual feed intake (RFI) beef cows when consuming an unprocessed, grass hay diet (93% DM, 8.73% CP, 2.11 Mcal ME, and 59.25% TDN). Relationships of hay intake to carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) production were also evaluated. Thirty-six mature Angus and Angus x Hereford cows were assigned randomly to five pens (n = 6 or 9) and individual feed intakes were collected for 52-d using SmartFeed intake units (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD) at a stocking rate of 3 cows per feeder. An open-circuit, gas-quantification system (GreenFeed, C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD) was used to collect CO2 (7611.63±714.09 g) and CH4 (283.64±37.10 g) production for 9 days of collection per pen for a minimum of 20 visits per cow (n = 22 cows, 36.18±14.24 visits). Data collection on cows included (means ± SD) dry matter intake (DMI; 13.86±2.16 kg), metabolic body weight (MBW, 111.65±9.28 kg), average daily gain (ADG, 0.77±0.29 kg), and rib eye area by ultrasound (REA, 46.62±6.34 cm).To calculate RFI (0.03±1.71), a multiple regression model was used to predict DMI (PDMI = ADG + REA + MBW; R2=0.50, P = 0.001). Cows were categorized into three RFI classes: low (n = 7), moderate (n = 6), and high (n = 9). Differences between RFI and RFI class and DMI and RFI class were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS (SAS, Cary, NC). Low RFI cows (-1.81 kg) consumed 12.08 kg hay DM daily and high RFI cows (1.59 kg) consumed 15.27 kg hay DM daily (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Correlations between DMI and daily gas exchange were estimated using PROC CORR in SAS (SAS, Cary, NC). Pearson Correlation Coefficients were significant between DMI and CO2 (r=0.58, P = 0.004), and CH4 (r=0.70, P &amp;lt; 0.001) production. Differences in feed intake for high and low RFI rankings were similar to previously reported literature when growing cattle consumed energy-dense diets.

Performances of KUB Chickens Fed Diets with Different Nutrient Densities and BS4 Enzyme Supplementation

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary enzyme supplementation (E) on the performance of KUB chickens fed different nutrient densities (ND). Diets with three densities: 70.7 g crude protein/Mcal or high (H), 66.1 g crude protein/Mcal or medium (M), and 59.3 g crude protein/Mcal or low (L), were formulated and supplemented with or without enzyme. Diets were given in four feeding programs, i.e., H-M-L, H-M-M, M-M-L, and M-L-L during the starter (1–28 d), grower (29–56 d), and finisher (57–84 d) periods, respectively. Each treatment was replicated five times. Bodyweight gain (BWG), feed intake, and FCR were measured each period. At the end of the trial, carcass yield and internal organs were measured. Results of the experiment (1–84 d period) showed that the feed intake was significantly affected by ND. Chickens fed the H-M-L diets have the highest feed intake, while the lowest was found in chickens fed M-M-L diets. A significant interaction was found in the FCR. The best FCR was found in chickens fed the H-M-M diets without enzymes, but the best FCR was found on the M-M-L diets with enzymes. Livability, carcass yield, abdominal fat, liver, proventriculus, and gizzard weights were not affected by the treatments. The jejunum sizes of chickens were significantly longer when fed the low-density diet than those fed the higher nutrient density diet. The ileum sizes of chickens were significantly shorter than chickens fed the diet without enzymes. The highest income over feed cost was achieved when chickens were fed the M-M-L diets supplemented with enzymes. It is concluded that the best performance of growing KUB chickens was obtained when fed M-M-L diets supplemented with BS4 enzymes (30 Units of saccharification/kg diet) and when fed H-M-M diets without enzyme supplementation.