Improve Animal Performance Research Articles

Effects of cashew nutshell extract inclusion into a high-grain finishing diet on methane emissions, nutrient digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in beef steers.

By 2050, the U.S. beef industry must produce an extra 40 million tons of beef to satisfy the global demand. Such an increase in inventory will undoubtedly enhance methane (CH4) production from livestock, which should be reduced by over 20%. The addition of plant secondary metabolites, such as anacardic acid present in cashew nutshell extract (CNSE), has shown promising results in reducing CH4 yield, although its effects seemed to be diet dependent. This study evaluated the addition of CNSE to a high-grain diet (85:15 Grain: forage) on in vivo CH4 emissions, nutrients digestibility, performance, feeding behavior, and ruminal fermentation parameters of beef steers. Sixteen Angus crossbred steers [599 ± 40kg of bodyweight (BW)] and six ruminally cannulated crossbred steers (490 ± 51kg of BW) were utilized in a crossover design with 2 experimental periods of 56 d each, composed by 14 d of adaptation, 35 d of measurement, and 7 d of washout. Following adaptation, steers were sorted by BW, and assigned to receive no additive (CON) or CNSE at 5g/steer/d. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Inclusion of CNSE increased (P < 0.05) propionate concentration and molar proportion (MP; mol/100mol), tended to decrease acetate MP (P = 0.10), reduced the acetate: propionate (A:P) ratio (P = 0.05), and MP of branched chain volatile fatty acids (P < 0.01). Neither in vitro organic matter digestibility nor in vitro CH4 yield were affected by CNSE inclusion (P > 0.05). Steers receiving CNSE exhibited greater (P < 0.05) final BW, dry matter intake (DMI), and average daily gain (ADG) but lesser (P < 0.05) in vivo CH4 emission rate (g/d), yield (g/kg of DMI), and intensity (g/kg of ADG). Meal length, bunk visit duration, and apparent total tract digestibility of DM increased (P < 0.05) after CNSE addition. Considering CNSE-supplemented steers spent more time in the feedbunk and exhibited higher DMI, CH4 mitigation was unlikely associated with intake reduction. The addition of CNSE to a high-grain diet in beef steers demonstrated significant improvements in animal performance and reduced CH4 emissions, as the result of shifts in ruminal fermentation patterns, favoring propionate instead acetate concentration, leading to a reduction in the A:P ratio. CNSE shows promise as a strategy to enhance beef industry sustainability.

Supplementing exogenous xylanase improves the liver antioxidant capacity and immune response of Tibetan sheep fed wheat-based diets

Xylanase is a heteropolysaccharide found in the plant cell wall, which aids in the absorption and utilisation of nutrients. When embedded in animal feed, it enhances nutrient availability, leading to improved animal performance. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of xylanase supplementation in wheat-based feeds on the hepatic development, antioxidant capacity, and immune response in Tibetan sheep. Sixty healthy, weaned, non-neutered male lambs (19.35 ± 2.18 kg) were randomly assigned to two equal groups (n = 30 per group). Dietary treatments were: basal diet (H group), and basal diet with 0.2% xylanase supplementation (E group). After a 10–day adaptation period, the feeding trial was carried out for 90 days. The live weight, morphology, antioxidant capacity and immune response were measured. The differential genes in liver were identified by RNA-sequencing. Our results showed that the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) were significantly higher in E group than in H group (p < 0.05). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM, and IgG were significantly higher in E group than in H group (p < 0.05). The hepatocytes of sheep fed xylanase diet showed arranged radially into hepatic plates cantered around the central vein, and the plates linked with each other to form a lost-like structure. A total of 4,509 differential genes (DEGs) were identified, among which 4,427 were up-regulated and 82 down-regulated. Additionally, the expression of antioxidant-related genes in cluding catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), oxidation resistance 1 (OXR1) and glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2), and immunity-related gene including mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 5B (STAT5B), janus kinase 3 (JAK3) and jun proto-oncogene (JUN) were verified using the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Conclusion: In conclusion, dietary 0.2% xylanase supplementation promoted hepatic antioxidant capacity and immune response via modulating the expression of functional genes in Tibetan sheep.

Effects of Chitosan-Based Additive on Rumen Fermentation and Microbial Community, Nutrients Digestibility and Lactation Performance in Goats.

Recently, the potential of using chitosan (CHI) as a feed additive to enhance ruminal fermentation and improve animal performance has gained increasing attention in ruminant nutrition. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with increasing doses of CHI on rumen fermentation attributes and microbial composition, digestibility and milk performance in Dhofari goats. Twenty-four lactating goats (27 ± 1.8 kg of initial live body weight) were fed a control diet comprising of Rhodes grass hay plus a concentrate feed mixture. Goats were assigned to one of three experimental treatments (n = 8 per treatment) as: (1) control diet with no supplement (CTRL), (2) control diet with 0.300 g/day CHI (CHI0.3) and (3) control diet supplemented with 0.600 g/day CHI (CHI0.6) for a 45-day experimental period. Dietary supplementation with increasing doses of CHI decreased (p < 0.05) linearly ruminal pH (p = 0.023), total short chain fatty acids concentrations (p = 0.011), acetate (p = 0.013) and butyrate (p = 0.042) proportions, acetate to propionate ratio (p < 0.001), estimated methane (CH4) production (p < 0.001), ammonia nitrogen concentrations (p = 0.003) and protozoa abundance (p = 0.003). However, the ruminal propionate proportion augmented (p = 0.002) linearly with increasing doses of CHI in the diet. Increasing doses of CHI linearly increased the abundance of the ruminal propionate-producing bacteria, while diminished acetate and CH4-producing bacteria (p < 0.05). Serum total protein (p = 0.037) and glucose (p = 0.042) levels linearly increased as CHI doses increased in the diet. However, serum UREA levels decreased linearly (p = 0.002) by 21% with increasing CHI amounts in the diet. The digestibility of organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre increased linearly with the increasing CHI doses (p < 0.05). Neither linear nor quadratic responses (p > 0.05) were observed in daily milk yield and feed efficiency by supplementing the diet with CHI. In conclusion, supplementing the diet with CHI at a dose of 0.600 g/day as a feed additive for dairy goats reduced estimated CH4 generation and improved fibre and protein digestion, with no influence on feed intake, milk yield or composition.

Additive efficacy of natural versus synthetic feed additive on cellular immunity and egg quality in layers

Feed additives are the products used in animal diets for the purpose of improving the quality of feed and the quality of food from animal origin or to improve animal performance and health. The present study was planned to evaluate the beneficial effect of two edible dried mushrooms, probiotics, antioxidant and antibiotic on layer performance, cellular immunity, and antioxidant activities under hot climatic conditions. In this trial, three hundred W-98 commercial hens of 35th week of age were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments, replicated five times with 10 hens per replicate for 12 weeks. Dietary treatments were as follows; antibiotic (enramycin) 50g/ 50 kg, probiotics 50g/ 50 kg, antioxidant (ethoxyquine) 60 ppm, organic acid 50g / 50 kg; Oyster mushroom and button mushroom 1% of feed bag. The data revealed that initial, final body weight, egg production (%) and feed intake, egg specific gravity, egg shape index, egg yolk index and shell thickness and livability were non-significant (p&lt;0.05) in all treatments. Egg weight, feed to egg mass ration, Haugh unit and damaged eggs were significantly (p&gt;0.05) higher among different treatment groups. Total anti-oxidative capacity was significantly (p&gt;0.05) higher in ethoxyquine, followed by oyster mushroom, button mushroom, negative control (without any feed additives), probiotics and enramycin (positive control / antibiotic). Antioxidant parameters like super oxide dismutase was significantly (p&gt;0.05) higher in ethoxyquine followed by probiotics, oyster mushroom, button mushroom, negative control, and positive control treatments groups. Immunity parameters like catalase (interferon gamma) was non-significant (p&gt;0.05) in all treatment’s groups. IFN-γ (Interferon-gamma) was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher in oyster mushroom and ethoxyquine followed by probiotics, button mushroom, negative control (without any feed additives) and positive control (with antibiotic). IL-10 (Interleukin-10) was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher in button mushroom, oyster mushroom and probiotics followed by ethoxyquine, negative control (without any feed additives) and positive control (with antibiotic). On whole mushrooms are effective feed additives in poultry production IFN-γ (Interferon-gamma) was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher in oyster mushroom and ethoxyquine followed by probiotics, button mushroom, negative control (without any feed additives) and positive control (with antibiotic). IL-10 (Interleukin-10) was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher in button mushroom, oyster mushroom and probiotics followed by ethoxyquine, negative control (without any feed additives) and positive control (with antibiotic). On whole mushrooms are effective feed additives in poultry production

359 Optimization of calcium inclusion levels in diets fed to growing and finishing beef cattle

Abstract Calcium (Ca) is a mineral that has an essential role in many biochemical pathways and functions of beef cattle. Limestone is the primary supplemental source of Ca in diets fed to growing and finishing cattle in the United States. Preliminary data indicated that inclusion of dietary Ca above the NASEM (2016) requirements as well as mean and modal concentrations reported by the most recent survey of consulting nutritionists may improve average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (gain to feed ration; G:F) of finishing beef cattle. Thus, the objective of this experiment was to determine the optimal concentration of Ca in growing and finishing diets when limestone was the supplemental source of added Ca. A database was constructed containing 89 treatment means from 23 experiments published from 1963 to 2024 where dietary Ca inclusion via limestone represented treatments. Search parameters to construct the database included a combination of Ca, limestone, performance, efficiency, ADG, G:F, feedlot cattle, finishing cattle, growing cattle, and backgrounding cattle. Data were analyzed in JMP Pro 17 using a mixed model to determine linear and quadratic relationships between dietary Ca and ADG, DMI, or G:F with citation as a random effect. An economic sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine variables most influential to the dietary Ca concentration projected to minimize cost of gain using the above models. Concentration of dietary calcium was selected as the explanatory variable for the models rather than limestone because a greater proportion of variation was accounted for in the response variables prior to the citation adjustment (Ca R2 0.05 to 0.25; limestone R2 0.06 to 0.21). Diet Ca concentration and DMI were unrelated (P ≥ 0.75), but diet Ca was related to both ADG (R2 = 0.84; RMSE = 0.36; P ≤ 0.03) and G:F (R2 = 0.74; RMSE = 0.01; P &amp;lt; 0.01) in a quadratic fashion. Maximum ADG occurred when Ca was included at 1.20% of diet DM; approximately 2.6-fold greater than Ca requirements estimated by NASEM (2016). Cost of gain was minimized when Ca was 1.35% of diet DM. Sensitivity analysis revealed Ca concentration to minimize cost of gain was sensitive to changes in DMI, ADG, days on feed, ration cost and cost of yardage. These results provide further evidence that it may be beneficial to feed a greater amount of Ca than currently recommended by the NASEM (2016) for growing and finishing cattle. Future pen-scale feeding trials are warranted to validate the results of this meta-analysis and to determine the dose response of cattle fed graded levels of Ca. Future research should also be conducted to determine the mechanism of action responsible for the observed improvements in animal performance and efficiency resulting from feeding an increased amount of dietary Ca.

3 Hands -on 1: Applying system dynamics to develop “Flight Simulators” for sustainable animal production

Abstract Solving complex livestock production problems is a pressing issue for achieving long-term sustainability and profitability and often requires modeling techniques. The use of mathematical models is undoubtedly a daily practice in the livestock industry, especially nutrition, and has improved animal performance, productivity, and environmental sustainability while maintaining or reducing costs. Although many students and professionals use spreadsheets and existing empirical models for nutrition and management [NASEM (2016)], there is still a need to understand the complexity of livestock systems and the utility of flight simulator models. At the same time, more complex models (although robust) may fail to provide new insights for experienced nutritionists due to poor user-friendliness. A systems understanding goes beyond simply obtaining a desired output, such as optimizing a total mixed ration, but instead leads to identifying high-leverage solutions and gaining insight. Further, parameterizing and calibrating variables and equations and testing management scenarios is straightforward. However, developing causal feedback linkages (A to B and B to A) and identifying time delays is less intuitive and more challenging for novices. Model flight simulators grounded in fully documented, calibrated models provide a means to introduce practitioners to a methodology of insight generation because the user designs and runs the model scenarios for themselves, challenging their mental models. Such approaches are generally more impactful (compared with someone telling them) because they have gained insight into the system themselves, and, in the case of open source (white box models), they can explore equations and parameters. Therefore, understanding how to utilize dynamic models in scenario-based simulations is critical in training current and future modelers in animal science. This hands-on model training will cover the basics of System Dynamics modeling and allow participants to run real-time animal production simulations. Finally, participants will be “debriefed” to unpack “ah ha” moments that were unexpected. The debrief will include using models to develop accurate guidelines and recommendations for those who cannot use computer models and developing experimental designs to test hypotheses and “validate” model recommendations (proof in the pudding). Participants will gain knowledge of System Dynamics applications for animal production systems, experience using flight simulators, and their utility in teaching, informing, and guiding their livestock production or that of a client. The “flight simulator” will focus on production and nutrition with species-agnostic principles. Participants will also have a new tool to identify areas for improvement in model development (i.e., what is missing?), research questions, or industry needs. The need for modelers who can turn big data into insight, knowledge, and wisdom using a systems approach is becoming even more critical due to the increasing use of precision livestock farming. Thus, providing the livestock industry with trained systems modelers will help achieve current and future sustainability challenges.

63 Impacts of protein supplementation frequency on animal performance, rumen fermentation and methane emission from growing beef cattle

Abstract Nutrient supplementation is one of largest expenditure in forage-based beef production systems, especially when forage quality is poor or limited. Decreasing supplementation frequency may have a role in improving sustainability by increasing animal performance and minimizing cost of labor and fuel. This study evaluated the impacts of protein supplementation frequency (canola meal pellet; CMP) on animal performance, rumen fermentation, and enteric methane production from beef cattle fed forage-based diet. A total of 60 crossbred backgrounding steers [body weight (BW) = 278 ± 10 kg) was randomly assigned to one of the three treatments (n = 20/treatment): i) control (no CMP supplementation), ii) control + everyday CMP supplementation (0.83 kg/d per steer), and iii) control + every other day supplementation of CMP. The study was comprised of 21 d of adaptation followed by three 21-d periods, with enteric methane measured for 7 d per period. Animals were fed grass hay-based diets once a day at 0800 h and remained on their respective diets throughout the 63-d study. Diets were formulated considering animal BW, feed nutrient density and environmental condition in accordance with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Each treatment group was assigned to a pen, with the cattle and diets rotated among pens weekly to allow the animals to access the GreenFeed system stationed in one of the pens for enteric methane measurement. For measurement of rumen fermentation products, three ruminally canulated steers (BW = 350 ± 20 kg) were allocated to the three treatments using a 3 x 3 Latin Square Design with 21-d periods so that one animal received all the treatments over the three experimental periods. Animals were adapted to the treatments for 17 d and rumen samples were collected between d 19 and 21 at 0700 h, 1000h, 1300 h, 1600 h and 1900 h. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedure of SAS. Relative to the control treatment (9.9 kg/d), DM intake was 4 to 5% greater (P &amp;lt; 0.001) following CMP supplementation regardless of supplementation frequency. Similarly, average daily gain was greater (7 to 11%, P = 0.01) for CPM supplemented treatments as compared with control (1.04 kg/d) irrespective of supplantation frequency. Rumen fermentation was affected by treatments. Total VFA concentration was greater (P = 0.01) for the every other day supplementation of CMP as compared with control and daily supplementation treatments. Conversely, rumen ammonia concentration was not affected by treatments. The control group had greater acetate and reduced propionate molar proportions that resulted in a 5 to 6% greater acetate:propionate ratio (P &amp;lt; 0.01) as compared with the CMP supplemented groups. Enteric methane production (g/d) was greater for the daily CMP supplementation (P = 0.02) while yield (g/kg daily weight gain) was not affected by treatment. Our results indicated that reduction of protein supplementation frequency improved animal performance without negatively impacting rumen fermentation.

Effect of feeding time and time of harvest of fresh pasture on urinary and faecal nitrogen excretion patterns in sheep

ABSTRACT Under New Zealand grazing systems, a high proportion of the nitrogen consumed by ruminants is excreted. This experiment examined the effect of feeding morning and afternoon harvested annual ryegrass, fed shortly after harvest, on the timing of nitrogen excretion in one-year-old sheep during winter. Dry matter and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content increased in the afternoon-harvested ryegrass. This resulted in increased protein and WSC intakes and a decrease in nitrogen loss in the sheep fed in the afternoon with afternoon-harvested grass. The pattern of urinary nitrogen excretion was related to feeding time with peak urinary urea excretion in the period 4–8 hours after feeding, with over 60% of the daily urinary urea excreted in the 12 hours after the feed was offered. This study suggests that shifting stock onto new pasture breaks in the afternoon could reduce nitrous oxide production by increasing the efficiency of nitrogen utilisation in animals and reducing the total amount of nitrogen excreted. It may be possible to utilise the potential diurnal differences in pasture composition to reduce nitrogen losses. This practise could also improve animal performance as well as change the timing of nitrogen excretion.

The injection of maternal B complex vitamin during the transition period: The impact on performance, thyroid hormones levels and immunological parameters in the Sannen goats and their kids, as well as the faeces status of newborn kids.

It is proven that B vitamins through promote a wide range of metabolic pathways in animals as cofactors improve animal performance. This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of maternal B complex vitamin injection on performance and plasma parameters in goats and their offspring, as well as the faeces status of newborn kids. In this research, the pregnant goats (3 years old) were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (without B complex vitamin injection) and the B complex vitamin group (5mL B complex vitamin injection per animal). The animals were injected with 5mL B complex vitamin twice during the transition period (5 weeks pre- and 5 weeks post-kidding). The goats during the transition period and kids on days 10, 20 and 30 were weighed. Feed intake by goats and consumption of milk and starter in kids were recorded daily. The dry matter digestibility by kids was tested by collecting samples of faeces and feed for 5 days in the last week. Chemical analysis was determined using the AOAC method. The kids' faeces were prepared daily during the study. The blood samples of goats and newborn kids were taken 7 days after kidding. Then, levels of B group vitamin, as well as concentrations of liver enzymes, thyroid hormones and immunological parameters, were determined in plasma of goat and their offspring. In addition, concentrations of glucose and insulin were measured in goat plasma (Asadi et al., 2024). According to results, the performances of goats and their offspring, as well as kids' faeces status, were improved by maternal B complex vitamin injection (p<0.0001). The levels of cobalamin, pyridoxine, thiamine, folic acid, nicotinic, pantothenic and unconjugated pteridine increased in the plasma of goats and their kids in the B complex vitamin group compared with the control group during the transition period (p<0.0001). Injection of maternal B complex vitamin raised the plasma levels of triiodothyronine and tetraiodothyronine, immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M in goats and their offspring (p<0.0001). Higher levels of glucose and lower levels of insulin were determined in the goats injected with B complex vitamin (p<0.0001). These results suggest that maternal B complex vitamin injection is required for the improvement of performance, health status and the blood plasma parameters in pregnant goats and their kids.

Avaliação da contagem de células somáticas e comportamento de vacas leiteiras alimentadas com promixalicina

To improve productivity, dairy producers are increasingly seeking to improve the productive efficiency of the herd. Therefore, the present study was carried out on a private property in the city of Santo Anastácio, in the region of Presidente Prudente/SP (Brazil), characterized by a milk production system in more concentrated pasture, with supplementation of roughage for the animals in the winter months. 16 lactating cows of the Holstein, Girolanda and crossbred breeds (average weight of 480 kg) were used. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of adding Promixalicin to the diet on the behavior of lactating cows, and on the SCC (Somatic Cell Count) of the animals' milk. The animals were analyzed for 180 days, but Promyxalicin was supplied from the 61st to the 120th experimental day. Animal behavior was observed in relation to head and tail shaking, and animal restlessness due to attacks by ectoparasites (Haematobia irritans, Stomoxys calcitrans and ticks). Monthly SCC measurements were taken of the animals' milk in the first week of each month, throughout the experimental period. It can be inferred that, on the day the Promyxalicin supply began (day 61), the animals showed many stress behaviors such as tail wagging, head shaking and restlessness. Its benefits were significant from the 7th day after using the product (67th day), implying its efficiency for the evaluation of ticks on animals. 15 days after the start of supplying the product (75th experimental day), there was a significant reduction in the number of ticks remaining on the animals. Regarding SCC, the use of Promyxalicin proved to be effective as it significantly improved the animals' SCC within just 30 days of using the product. The use of Promyxalicin for lactating cows improved animal well-being due to the repellence of ectoparasites, and significantly reducing the SCC of the milk, indicating an improvement in animal performance, mainly due to the improvement of conditions for increased milk production.

Natural mineral spring water (hora) and surrounding soils in southwestern Ethiopia: farmers’ feeding practices and their perception about its nutritional roles on animal performance

Natural mineral water (termed hora in Afan Oromo) and surrounding soils are the most important source of mineral supplement traditionally used for livestock in many parts of Ethiopia. However, limited information exists on feeding practices and the impact of hora on animal performance. Thus, the present study aimed to assess farmers' feeding practices and perceptions about the role of hora and surrounding soils on animal performance. Data were collected from 385 households in four districts (Bedele, Dabo, Gechi and Boracha) through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire with the help of the KoboCollect application. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. The majority (72.3 %) of respondents reported hora as an important source of mineral supplement for livestock. About 78.1 % of respondents in Boracha routinely supplement their animals compared with farmers from other districts. Large ruminants were given first priority in supplementation with hora compared to other livestock. Interviewed farmers trekked their animals a distance of 6.5 ± 0.2 km to access hora twice a year during the dry season. The majority of the farmers (68.1 %) believed that hora supplementation improved animal performance, while 35.1 % noted negative impacts such as abortions, birth defects, delayed puberty, decreased conception rates and paralysis due to excessive consumption. This study underscores the perceived importance of hora as a natural source of mineral supplementation for livestock health and productivity. It emphasizes the need for improved management and conservation practices to ensure sustainable utilisation and mitigate negative impacts associated with excessive consumption. Moreover, to validate local farmers' perceptions regarding the importance of hora mineral water in animal nutrition and health, further research is needed to determine mineral composition of hora and livestock responses under controlled feeding trials.

CROP RESIDUE AS OPTIMUM FEED SOURCING FOR LIVESTOCK KEPT UNDER FREE RANGE CONDITIONS WITHIN THE BLUE NILE BASIN OF SUDAN

The present study was initiated show that the best feed sourcing for animal production could crop-livestock under rangeland conditions of arid environment within the Nile basin ecosystem. For crop-livestock production systems, livestock water productivity (LWP) was used to indicate water utilized by the animal converted to useful products. Parameters measured were: biomass availability from rangelands and crop residues, supply versus demand for the different animal species and treated crop residues to improve animal performance. Trends in rangeland productivity, crop residue biomass and animal’s number and herd structure were measured through the years 2014 – 2018 in seven localities of Sennar state. Total biomass in the form of crop residues and biomass from range was calculated to determine the livestock demands during the dry season; this was done by utilizing Tropical livestock unit (TLU) equivalents and basal metabolic rates. Rangeland status was estimated using remote sensing. using multiple sets of Sentinel-2 and Landsat images (in case of cloud cover in the Sentinel-2 image). Crop production was projected for the summer season from the ‘Ministry of Agriculture’, Further available crop residues were calculated as: 1kg sorghum seed gives 3kg sorghum straw, 1kg millet seed gives 3 kg straw, 1kg ground nut pod gives 2kg straw. The biomass demand was calculated based on the data from Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development that annual animal unit demand is 2.4 tons. This was translated to the biomass demand of approximately 6.5 kg per day per animal unit. The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) estimation of animal maintenance energy of 11,000 Kcal per LTU per day for grazing cattle in Africa, for maintenance energy, would require about 5 kg per tropical livestock unit per day of feed for maintenance. The amount of evapotranspiration required to produce this feed would be about 1.25 cubic meters per TLU per day or 450 cubic meters per tropical livestock unit per year. This compares with 25–50 liters a day or 9–18 cubic meters per tropical livestock unit per year for drinking water. Hence for each locality biomass demand was calculated as: No. of AU in the locality x 6.5 kg dry matter/day. Animal experimentation utilized 2 dairy goats fed with straws treated with 5% urea and Student t-test was used to obtain the significance between the control and treated animals. The results showed that contribution of crop residue to the biomass was very important and increased over the years for Abu Hougar it was maintained around 90%, for El Dali increased from 3% to 888% in year 2018. For El Dinder, El Souki and Sinnar increased to reach 454%, 775%, 219% respectively in the year 2018. However, Singa showed a decline in crop residue from 526 to 163%. Availability of the biomass showed high variability among the localities. Animal’s number changed slightly over the years. Except for Sharg Sinnar. Sheep population was the highest while camels were the lowest in all localities, but herd structure was not the same where cattle, sheep and goats were comparable at El Souki and Singa. Camels and goats were comparable in El Dinder only. Abu Hougar and El Dali showed lower population of cattle and goats. At Sinnar, goats and cattle population was nearly the same. Sharg Sinnar showed comparable ratios for sheep, cattle and goats. As for animal experimentation where dairy goats were used to test the crop residue treated with urea on food intake and milk yield, it was found that while food intake decreased significantly (P&lt;0.05), milk yield increased significantly (P&lt;0.001). It could be concluded that for crop livestock-water ecological system, crop residues as feed sourcing is considered the optimum biomass supply for animals during the summer season where there is no additional water is required, livestock water productivity (LWP) could be increased with better management of soildegradation, water runoff and rangeland conservation.

Transgenerational effects of the maternal gestational environment on the post-natal performance of beef cattle: A reaction norm approach.

In tropical beef cattle production systems, animals are commonly raised on pastures, exposing them to potential stressors. The end of gestation typically overlaps with a dry period characterized by limited food availability. Late gestation is pivotal for fetal development, making it an ideal scenario for inter- and transgenerational effects of the maternal gestational environment. Intergenerational effects occur due to exposure during gestation, impacting the development of the embryo and its future germline. Transgenerational effects, however, extend beyond direct exposure to the subsequent generations. The objective of the present study was to verify these effects on the post-natal performance of zebu beef cattle. We extended the use of a reaction norm model to identify genetic variation in the animals' responses to transgenerational effects. The inter- and transgenerational effects were predominantly positive (-0.09% to 19.74%) for growth and reproductive traits, indicating improved animal performance on the phenotypic scale in more favourable maternal gestational environments. Additionally, these effects were more pronounced in the reproductive performance of females. On average, the ratio of direct additive genetic variances of the slope and intercept of the reaction norm ranged from 1.23% to 3.60% for direct and from 10.17% to 11.42% for maternal effects. Despite its relatively modest magnitude, this variation proved sufficient to prompt modifications in parameter estimates. The average percentage variation of direct heritability estimates ranged from 19.3% for scrotal circumference to 33.2% for yearling weight across the environmental descriptors evaluated. Genetic correlations between distant environments for the studied traits were generally high for direct effects and far from unity for maternal effects. Changes in EBV rankings of sires across different gestational environments were also observed. Due to the multifaceted nature of inter- and transgenerational effects of the maternal gestational environment on various traits of beef cattle raised under tropical pasture conditions, they should not be overlooked by producers and breeders. There were differences in the specific response of beef cattle to variations in the quality of the maternal gestational environment, which can be partially explained by transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Adopting a reaction norm model to capture a portion of the additive variance induced by inter- or transgenerational effects could be an alternative for future research and animal genetic evaluations.

Ecological monitoring of iodine in pastoral ecosystems

The problem of iodine deficiency is relevant in many countries, including Ukraine, and has serious health consequences due to the insufficient iodine content in food. In order to overcome iodine deficiency, it is important to be based on monitoring the iodine content in food and water in the relevant area. An excessive increase in iodine in salt can cause hyperthyroidism. Monitoring iodine-deficient areas in rural areas becomes especially important, as plants grown on soils with low iodine content may contain insufficient amounts of this element, which can lead to severe iodine deficiency among the population. Iodine is also important for animal health and can improve animal performance. Some plants accumulate iodine from the soil, which can improve their resistance to diseases and negative factors, and the interaction of iodine with other chemical elements is also important. The article summarizes scientific data on the peculiarities of the iodine cycle in the soil-plant-animal chain in pastoral ecosystems, develops recommendations for assessing and overcoming iodine deficiency in ecosystems of this type. The iodine content was determined by a method based on the oxidation of iodide to iodine with the subsequent addition of NH2CONH2 to destroy excess nitrite. The subject of the study were soils., plants of pastoral ecosystems and milk. In the mountainous zone of pastoral ecosystems, a significant iodine deficiency in soils was detected, due to the iodine-deficient nature of the territory. A similar, but less pronounced deficit is observed in the foothills and plains of Northern Bukovina. The iodine content in the green mass of plants does not have general patterns and is not confined to natural zones. The lowest iodine content was found in Plantago major L. Iodine deficiency in milk is more pronounced and decreases from the plain to the mountainous zone. A close correlation was established between the iodine content in the soil and the density of livestock, as well as the indicators of pasture digression. A high correlation between the iodine content in milk and its content in plants was found. Crops adapted to iodine deficiency conditions cannot withstand the effects of recommended iodine concentrations, which can adversely affect yields. However, lower iodine concentrations can stimulate seed germination.

An overview of alternative protein sources for ruminants in the tropical area

Abstract Investigating alternative protein sources for ruminants in tropical regions is crucial due to distinct climatic conditions and limited resources. Scientists, acknowledging the challenges, are exploring locally accessible alternatives to develop cost-effective and sustainable protein supplements for ruminant nutrition, emphasizing the importance of understanding the nutritional composition for advancing livestock husbandry sustainability. The aim of this research is to elucidate alternative local protein sources for ruminants in tropical areas and assess their effectiveness in promoting sustainable production and enhancing ruminant nutrition. Protein feed sources are essential for providing amino acids to animals and producing animal products such as meat, milk, and wool. Inadequate protein in animal feed may have a detrimental impact on rumen fermentation and animal output. Therefore, alternative protein sources have received increased attention in order to replace the main protein source. The alternative protein sources in this review were divided into five categories: agricultural biomass, fodder shrubs, biological protein and plant weeds, insect protein and agro-industry biomass. Furthermore, plant secondary compounds found in alternative protein sources might be used to modulate rumen fermentation and improve animal performance. By focusing on regional sources of protein, feed costs are reduced while availability is raised. Based on this analysis, it can be concluded that there are a number of alternative protein sources that might be used in place of primary protein sources and that they could support ruminant production in the face of several animal feed crises. However, the potential use of any protein source should be assessed in light of the country’s availability and animal production practices.

Methods and Tools Used for Biosecurity Assessment in Livestock Farms in Africa: A Scoping Review

Farm biosecurity has gained increasing attention worldwide during the last decades because of its role in reducing the occurrence of diseases and improving animal performance. Recently, recommendations to reinforce the concept of farm biosecurity in lower- and middle-income countries have been advised. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive description of the methods and tools used to assess biosecurity compliance in livestock farms in Africa and formulate recommendations. The present review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews guidelines. Peer-reviewed studies reporting biosecurity assessment in poultry, cattle, pig, goat, or sheep farms in Africa were included. Five databases were searched with no date restrictions. A total of 41 studies across 17 countries were finally selected. Selected studies were all published after 2008, and an increasing trend in the number of papers published per year was noticed. In total, 41 different methods for biosecurity assessment were found to be used in African countries, meaning that even within the same country, the same animal species, and the same farming system, different methods were utilized. In many papers, the methods used for biosecurity evaluation were poorly described. In addition, during the biosecurity assessment, measures related to the purchase of laying hens, egg transport and management, calves, calving and dairy management, and nursery units were almost not considered. These measures should be contemplated in future studies since they are related to important risk factors for the introduction and dissemination of infectious diseases. Interestingly, some measures not considered in European biosecurity tools were identified in the selected studies. The observed high difference in methods used may be due to the lack of regulations on biosecurity in African countries; therefore, the authors recommend the development and implementation of a harmonized and contextualized method for the assessment of biosecurity in livestock farms in Africa.

The inclusion of companion forages in the diet alongside perennial ryegrass increased dry matter intake and organic matter digestibility in sheep

The inclusion of companion forages in the diet of ruminant animals is gaining popularity in temperate regions due to observed improvements in animal performance. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of diet type on DM intake (DMI) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) in sheep. Furthermore, the effect of sward type on diet nutritive quality was investigated. Five dietary treatments were investigated using a 5 × 5 Latin square design experiment: Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG) only or PRG plus white clover (Trifolium repens L.;PRG + WC), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.; PRG + RC), chicory (Chicorium intybus L.; PRG + Chic) or plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.; PRG + Plan) at a ratio of 75% PRG and 25% of the respective companion forage and 100% PRG for the grass only treatment on a DM basis. Twenty Belclare castrated male (wether) sheep were housed in metabolism crates across five feeding periods. Individual DMI and faecal output were recorded daily and digestibility parameters were subsequently calculated. Results show that the inclusion of any companion forage increased DMI (kg/day DM) which ranged from 1.55 ± 0.038 (PRG) to 1.76 ± 0.038 (PRG + Chic) (P < 0.001). The PRG + WC (825 ± 1.1), PRG + RC (823 ± 1.1) and PRG + Chic (826 ± 1.1) diets had a greater in vitro OMD (g/kg DM) when compared to PRG (819 ± 1.1) or PRG + Plan (816 ± 1.1) (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the PRG + Chic (830 ± 2.9) diet had a greater in vivo OMD (g/kg DM) (P < 0.01) when compared to the PRG, PRG + RC, and PRG + Plan diets. Regression analysis showed that in vitro estimates moderately reflected in vivo measurements (r2 = 0.61). The inclusion of any companion forage increased dietary CP content and reduced the proportion of NDF in the diet. Crude protein concentration increased by an average of 16.5 g/kg DM and NDF content was reduced by 25.3 g/kg DM, on average, with companion forage inclusion (P < 0.001). Results suggest that binary sward mixtures benefit pasture−based sheep production systems, boosting sward quality, aiding increased DM intakes of a more digestible diet in the summer period.

Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics: Special emphasis on optimization of human health and animal performance

Environmental factors, food’s nutrients, and genetic makeup play an important role in phenotypic appearance of a trait via the principles of biological sciences. The nutritional genomics focuses on the interaction between bioactive food components and the genome, which includes nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. The influence of nutrients on genes expression is called nutrigenomics, while the heterogeneous response of gene variants to dietary nutrients is called nutrigenetics. Nutrigenomics is providing the effects of ingested food’s nutrients on gene expression and gene regulation, i.e., diet-gene interaction in order to identify the dietetic components having beneficial or detrimental health effects. It elucidates that how DNA and genetic code influence the need for specific nutrients and also within specific quantities are required for maintaining good health throughout life. It is helpful to determine the personalized diet that means individual nutritional requirements based on the genetic makeup of the person as well as clarifies some etiological perspectives of chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes, cancer, obesity and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) because of associations between diet and chronic diseases. Rearing of farmed animals is a vital component of global food production systems, its impact on the environment, human health, animal welfare, and biodiversity is being increasingly challenged. Developments in genetic and genomic technologies have had a key role in improving the productivity of farmed animals for decades. The goal of discussing these issues is to get a better understanding of basic biological issues and to apply their knowledge to practical problems such as medicine, and improvement of animal performance. Therefore, this review article is focus on the role of genes and the use of genomic techniques in human health, as well as animals’ well-being and welfare.

Effects of protein concentration and beta-adrenergic agonists on ruminal bacterial communities in finishing beef heifers.

To improve animal performance and modify growth by increasing lean tissue accretion, beef cattle production has relied on use of growth promoting technologies such as beta-adrenergic agonists. These synthetic catecholamines, combined with the variable inclusion of rumen degradable (RDP) and undegradable protein (RUP), improve feed efficiency and rate of gain in finishing beef cattle. However, research regarding the impact of beta-adrenergic agonists, protein level, and source on the ruminal microbiome is limited. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different protein concentrations and beta-adrenergic agonist (ractopamine hydrochloride; RAC) on ruminal bacterial communities in finishing beef heifers. Heifers (n = 140) were ranked according to body weight and assigned to pens in a generalized complete block design with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments of 6 different treatment combinations, containing 3 protein treatments (Control: 13.9% CP, 8.9% RDP, and 5.0% RUP; High RDP: 20.9% CP, 14.4% RDP, 6.5% RUP; or High RUP: 20.9% CP, 9.7% RDP, 11.2% RUP) and 2 RAC treatments (0 and 400 mg/day). Rumen samples were collected via orogastric tubing 7 days before harvest. DNA from rumen samples were sequenced to identify bacteria based on the V1-V3 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Reads from treatments were analyzed using the packages 'phyloseq' and 'dada2' within the R environment. Beta diversity was analyzed based on Bray-Curtis distances and was significantly different among protein and RAC treatments (P < 0.05). Alpha diversity metrics, such as Chao1 and Shannon diversity indices, were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Bacterial differences among treatments after analyses using PROC MIXED in SAS 9 were identified for the main effects of protein concentration (P < 0.05), rather than their interaction. These results suggest possible effects on microbial communities with different concentrations of protein but limited impact with RAC. However, both may potentially act synergistically to improve performance in finishing beef cattle.

Enriched environment treatment promotes neural functional recovery together with microglia polarization and remyelination after cerebral ischemia in rats

BackgroundMicroglia activation and oligodendrocyte maturation are critical for remyelination after cerebral ischemia. Studies have shown that enriched environment (EE) can effectively alleviate stroke-induced neurological deficits. However, little is known about the mechanism associated with glial cells underlying the neuroprotection of EE. Therefore, this study focuses on investigating the effect of EE on activated microglia polarization as well as oligodendrogenesis in the progress of remyelination following cerebral ischemia. MethodsThe ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. Animals executed 4 weeks of environmental intervention after performing MCAO or sham surgery and were divided into sham, MCAO, and MCAO+EE groups. Cognitive function, myelin damage, microglia activation and polarization, inflammation, oligodendrogenesis, remyelination, and protein expression of the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway were determined. ResultsThe staining of NeuN indicated that the infarct size of MCAO rats was decreased under EE. EE intervention improved animal performance in the Morris water maze test and novel object recognition test, promoting the recovery of cognitive function after I/R injury. EE treatment alleviated myelin damage in MCAO rats, as evidenced by the lower fluorescence intensity ratio of SMI-32/MBP in MCAO+EE group. EE increased the fluorescence intensity ratio of NG2+/Ki67+/Olig2+, MBP, and MOG, enhancing the proliferation and differentiation of OPCs and oligodendrogenesis after MCAO. In terms of remyelination, more myelinated axons and lower G/ratio were detected in MCAO+EE rats compared with MCAO group. Moreover, EE treatment decreased the number of Iba1+/CD86+ M1 microglia, increased the number of Iba1+/CD206+ M2 microglia, and suppressed the inflammation response after I/R injury, which could be attributed to the augmented expression of PI3K/AKT/GSK3β axis. ConclusionEE improved long‑term recovery of cognitive function after cerebral I/R injury, at least in part by promoting M2 microglia transformation through activation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway, inhibiting inflammation to provide a favorable microenvironment for oligodendrocyte maturation and remyelination. The effect of the EE on myelin and inflammation could account for the neuroprotection provided by EE.