Improve Animal Performance Research Articles

In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of cinnamaldehyde and derivatives towards the intestinal bacteria of the weaned piglet

Cinnamaldehyde has an effective antimicrobial activity and therefore it received interest as a feed additive in swine nutrition. However, its high reactivity to amino acid residues might affect its efficacy and digestive processes. As an alternative, 20 chemical derivatives were evaluated. The in vitro antimicrobial activities were tested in an in vitro fermentation model. Thereof three compounds were selected and fed to newly weaned piglets. Five dietary treatments were replicated in six pens of four pigs per pen; i.e. control, cinnamaldehyde at 100 and 400 mg/kg, and 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde and 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde, both equimolar to 400 mg/kg cinnamaldehyde. In vitro results showed that 4-nitrocinnamaldehyde has the highest antimicrobial activity; however, this compound is carcinogenic and was not further issued. Cinnamaldehyde had the second-highest activity, particularly against coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (E. coli), followed by 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde, 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde and hydrocinnamaldehyde. All other derivatives showed lower potency, but they were consistently more bactericidal against coliform bacteria and E. coli as compared to Gram-positive bacteria. At pH 7, aldehydes showed stronger bactericidal activity than their corresponding carboxylic acids, which was not the case at pH 5, suggesting a different mode of action. In the in vivo trial, no significant improvements in animal performance or antimicrobial effects were observed. To conclude, apart from 4-nitrocinnamaldehyde, none of the derivatives showed higher antimicrobial potency than cinnamaldehyde. Three selected compounds from in vitro trials failed to demonstrate major positive outcomes in the in vivo trial. Highlights 4-Nitrocinnamaldehyde has the highest antimicrobial activity in vitro. Cinnamaldehyde had the second-highest activity, followed by 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde, 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde. No significant improvements in animal performance or antimicrobial effects were observed.

22 Incorporating Crabgrass in Southern Pasture Systems to Improve Animal Performance

Abstract Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum L.) is a perennial warm-season forage commonly grown in the Coastal Plains of the Southeastern US, but the nutritive value may not be sufficient for a cow-calf pair. The inclusion of a warm-season annual, such as crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) may improve the forage base when interseeded into bahiagrass monocultures. A three-year summer grazing evaluation was conducted at the University of Georgia Range Cattle Research Station in Alapaha, GA from 2019-2021 to compare concurring production of bahiagrass interseeded with an improved crabgrass (BCG) with bahiagrass monoculture (BG) pastures and animal performance. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. All paddocks were evaluated on a biweekly basis for herbage availability, botanical composition, and nutritive value. Paddocks (2.6 ha) were continuously grazed using the put-and-take method of stocking with cow-calf pairs, 4 tester pairs per treatment. Pairs were weighed at initiation and on a 28d interval for calculation of calf ADG, cow BCS, and gain/ha. Statistical analyses were conducted using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS. Average daily gains were analyzed within year and treatment differences were only significant in Y1 (P = 0.05). Forage yield was never limiting in this experiment but CP and TDN were greater (P < 0.001) for BCG when compared to BG for Y1 and Y2. Rainfall was 27cm below average in Y1, therefore these data suggest that during a drought, crabgrass interseeded into bahiagrass can improve the forage nutritive value, and subsequent calf gain, as compared to bahiagrass alone.

18 Effects of Protein Concentration, Degradability, and Beta-adrenergic Agonists on Ruminal Microbial Communities in Finishing Heifers

Abstract 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), may improve feed efficiency and rate of gain in finishing beef cattle. However, the impact of beta-adrenergic agonists and 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 randomized complete design to 6 different treatments, containing 3 protein treatments (Control: 13.9% CP, 8.8% RDP, and 5.0% RUP; High RDP: 20.9% CP, 13.4% RDP, 6.1% RUP; or High RUP: 20.9% CP, 9.1% RDP, 10.4% RUP) and 2 RAC treatments (0 and 400 mg/day). Rumen samples were collected from heifers by oral lavage 7 days before harvest. The DNA from the samples were sequenced to identify bacteria based on the V1-V3 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina MiSeq. Sequences and data from the treatments were analyzed using the R environment and PROC MIXED in SAS 9.4 (SAS Inst.; Cary, NC). Beta diversity was analyzed using PERMANOVA based on PCoA Bray-Curtis distances and were significant among the treatments (P < 0.05). Alpha diversity metrics such as Chao1 and Shannon diversity indices were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Differences among treatments at variable taxonomic levels after analyses through DESeq2 were significantly different for the main effects of protein and RAC, as well as their interaction (P < 0.05). These results suggest possible effects on the microbial communities, potentially acting synergistically to improve performance.

Effect of dehydrated grapefruit peels on intestinal integrity and Eimeria invasion of caprine epithelial cells in vitro and anticoccidial activity in vivo

Anticoccidial drugs are among the preferred resources to control coccidiosis, but the need to have natural alternatives has prompted research into plant products that improve animal performance and might also reduce Eimeria oocyst shedding while avoiding problems of drug residues. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of dehydrated grapefruit peels (GDP) on Eimeria infection and intestinal health. In the first study, an in vitro culture system was used to evaluate the integrity of caprine epithelial cells infected with Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae and incubated with GDP, as well as the infection rate and schizont development of parasites exposed to GDP. In the second study, the anticoccidial effect of the inclusion of 15% GDP1 or 30% GDP2 in the diet and toltrazuril was evaluated in goat kids naturally infected with Eimeria spp. Parameters assessed included the reduction in oocyst counts, weight gain, fecal consistency, intestinal integrity, and malondialdehyde and nitric oxide (NO) production. In vitro, GDP2 and TTZ not only increased transepithelial electric resistance (TEER) values in infected caprine epithelial cells, but also decreased the mean cell invasion rate of sporozoites of E. ninakohlyakimovae and reduced the number and size of schizonts/mm2 of the intestinal cells culture. In vivo, the GDP2 group showed higher mean daily weight gains, reduced fecal oocyst output and decreased oxidative stress in goat kids. These findings demonstrate the beneficial activities of GDP in the enhancement of growth performance and gut health, and the feasibility of using a 30% inclusion of GDP for the replacement of corn in goat production.

The effect of a modified fragment of neuropeptide y on spatial memory and learning in the Morris water maze

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a biologically active neuropeptide that is responsible for a large list of physiological processes. We propose a short modified fragment of NPY that should at least partially have a spectrum of biological activity of the original peptide. The compound was named nonapeptide NP9.
 The aim of our study was to investigate the ability of the modified fragment of NPY to influence spatial memory and learning.
 Materials and methods: the study was performed on 24 one-year-old random-bred female rats weight 220–250 g. The animals were divided into 3 groups of 8 rats each: treated with a solvent (0.9 % NaCl), a solution of peptide NP9 0.02 mg/kg and the drug “Semax” 0.1 mg/kg. All drugs were administered intranasally. The study of the effect of the peptide NP9 on spatial memory and learning ability was performed in the psychopharmacological test the Morris water maze. Navigation parameters were analyzed using Noldus EthoVision XT 14 video tracking software. The escape latency, the distance moved, the average velocity and the meander were recorded. An inter-quadrant analysis of rat behavior was also performed, for which the frequency of appearance and time spent in certain quadrants were recorded.
 Results: nonapeptide NP9 in the Morris water maze test demonstrated the ability to accelerate the time to find a hidden platform, reduce the distance traveled, meander, and optimize the search strategy.
 Conclusions: NP9 peptide has demonstrated the ability to positively influence learning and spatial memory. The improvement in cognitive performance of animals administered with the peptide NP9 was no less than that of the reference nootropic drug Semax. These results substantiate the feasibility of further research with the aim of pharmaceutical development of a new nootropic drug

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 whole corn high-grain diet feeding on ruminal bacterial community and epithelial gene expression related to VFA absorption and metabolism in fattening lambs.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of whole corn high-grain diet feeding on growth performance, ruminal bacterial community, and epithelial morphology and gene expression related to VFA absorption and metabolism in fattening lambs. Fourteen male (castrated) lambs were randomly assigned to either a group fed a ground corn high-grain diet (50.4% grain; HGC, n = 7) or a group fed a whole corn high-grain diet (50.4% grain; HWC, n = 7). After 7wk of feeding, HWC group increased the average daily gain (ADG) (P = 0.036) and decreased the feed: gain value (P = 0.010) significantly. HWC group had a greater crude protein apparent digestibility (P = 0.028) in the third week and dry matter and neutral detergent fiber apparent digestibility (P < 0.05) in the seventh week. Pyrosequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene revealed that HWC feeding increased the relative abundance of genera Anaerovibrio, Schwartzia and Unclassified Veillonellaceae in the rumen content and Howardella, Schwartzia and Unclassified Veillonellaceae in the rumen epithelia (P<0.05), while decreased the proportion of Lachnospira and Unclassified Synergistaceae in the rumen content and Anaerovorax, Papillibacter, Ruminococcus, Fibrobacter, Unclassified Lachnospiraceae, Unclassified Bacteroidales and Unclassified Prevotellaceae in the rumen epithelia (P < 0.05). HWC group increased the rumen papilla length (P = 0.001) and surface area (P = 0.002). Furthermore, HWC diet feeding up-regulated the relative mRNA expression of putative anion transporter isoform 1 (PAT1) (P = 0.032) in the rumen epithelia. In summary, compared with ground corn high-grain diet feeding, whole corn high-grain diet feeding improved animal performance, changed ruminal bacterial composition and diversity, and increased VFA absorption of epithelial papilla in fattening lambs. These findings provided theoretical guidance for the actual application of whole corn high-grain diet in ruminants.

Irish Grassland Research — main achievements and advancements in the past 60 yrs and where to progress to next

AbstractIn the last 60 yr Irish grassland production has increased substantially in no small part due to high-quality fundamental grassland research. Increased production from grassland has arisen from improved understanding (research and practice) of soil and plant nutrition, plant physiology and variety improvement, while improved understanding of feed evaluation, ruminant nutrition, grazing management and silage technology has contributed to increased utilisation of grassland. Annual grass DM production varies from 12.7 to 15.0 t DM/ha based on Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine grass variety trials. More recent data from PastureBase Ireland indicate that average annual grass production (2020) on efficient dairy and dry stock farms is 13.5 and 10.0 t DM/ha, respectively. Ireland is now one of the world leaders in grassland research, particularly in the area of grazing utilisation, the development and use of grassland databases, decision support systems and grass selection indices for grass varieties. Future pasture-based systems must extend beyond food production to deliver additional benefits to farmers, to consumers and the wider society. Future systems will require more robust grazing animals with healthier functional traits, more diverse swards supporting improved animal performance and require fewer fertiliser and chemical inputs, and will support more biodiversity and enhanced carbon storage.

Herbage accumulation and nutritive value of stockpiled limpograss and ‘Tifton 85' bermudagrass

AbstractStockpiling limpograss [Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf &amp; C.E. Hubb.] may be an option to extend the grazing season and decrease the needs for conserved forage in Florida. This 2‐yr study evaluated herbage accumulation (HA), in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM), and crude protein (CP) concentrations of four limpograss entries (‘Floralta’, ‘Gibtuck’, ‘Kenhy’, and Entry 1) and ‘Tifton 85′ bermudagrass [Cynodon spp.] during the growth (May–August) and stockpiling (September–January) periods. During the growth period, treatments were the five grasses. During the stockpiling period, treatments were allocated in a split‐plot arrangement with five grasses (main plot) and four stockpiling periods (5, 10, 15, or 20 wk; subplot). Limpograss and Tifton 85 had similar total HA (mean = 8,150 lb dry matter [DM] acre–1) during the growth period, and Gibtuck had greater HA per harvest than Kenhy and Entry 1 (2,360 vs. 1,940 lb DM acre–1, respectively). Regardless of the stockpiling period, HA was similar among treatments. At 15 wk, HA was maximized in both years, despite being similar to 10 and 20 wk in the first year. In general, limpograss had greater IVDOM and lesser CP concentration than Tifton 85 during growth and stockpiling periods. The decline in IVDOM was slower for stockpiled limpograss than Tifton 85, with greater differences occurring at 15 and 20 wk. Stockpiling limpograss may be an alternative to extend the grazing season in livestock operations, however protein supplementation might be needed to maintain or improve animal performance.

Increasing the proportion of Leucaena leucocephala in hay-fed beef steers reduces methane yield

Context Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) is a leguminous shrub adapted to higher rainfall (&gt;600 mm) in frost-free areas of Australia. It can be a source of high-quality forage for cattle grazing tropical grass-based pastures that are seasonally deficient in the nitrogen content required for adequate levels of performance. Leucaena contains bioactive compounds that may reduce methanogenesis in the rumen, helping to achieve Australia's goal to make red meat production carbon neutral by 2030. Aim A study was undertaken to evaluate the response in animal performance and methane production to increasing percentages of leucaena in a hay-based diet. Methods Growing steers were fed diets containing 0%, 18%, 36% and 48% leucaena. Intake, liveweight gain, methane production and yield were measured in a cross-over trial with two modern cultivars of leucaena (Redlands and Wondergraze). Methane was measured in open-circuit respiration chambers. Key results There were no effects of cultivar on most parameters. Increasing leucaena percentage in the diet increased dry matter intake, animal performance and methane production (g/day) but reduced methane yield (g/kg dry matter intake) according to the equation: methane yield = 19.8 − 0.09 × leucaena percentage in the diet. The inclusion of polyethylene glycol to nullify potential antimethanogenic activity of tannins restored methane yield by 67%, indicating that tannins were responsible for most of the observed reduction in methane yield. Conclusion The results demonstrate that leucaena can improve animal performance and reduce methane yield in steers fed low-quality grasses. Implications Leucaena can be included in diets of grazing cattle in areas agronomically suited to its production, as a means to reduce enteric methane emissions.

Influence of combined yeast culture and enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast on in vitro ruminal fermentation in contrasting feed substrates.

Feed additives such as live yeast cultures have increasingly been used in ruminant feeds to improve animal performance and feeding efficiency. However, it is not clear how inactive combined yeast cultures affect ruminal gas production, fermentation kinetics and efficiency. Therefore, this study was done to determine the influence of incubating different substrates with a combined yeast culture + enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast (YC + EHY) on in vitro ruminal gas production, fermentation kinetics and metabolizable energy. Six contrasting substrates (Trichantera gigantea and Glircidia sepium leaves, Brachiaria hybrid (cv. Mulato II) leaf + stem and leaf only, Cynodon nlemfuensis and a commercial concentrate dairy feed) were incubated with and without YC + EHY in buffered rumen fluid and gas production measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24, 30, 36, 48 and 72 h post incubation. In vitro fermentation parameters (a, b, a + b and c) were unaffected by YC + EHY except for the lag phase in T. gigantea, which that reduced by 31.3% when it was incubated with YC + EHY. Supplementation with YC + EHY also did not affect metabolizable energy, 72 h organic matter digestibility, 24 h gas or CH4 production within substrate. However, cumulative gas and methane production at peak fermentation in the commercial concentrate feed was reduced by 20% when incubated with YC + EHY. It was concluded that YC + EHY has the potential to improve microbial colonization of T. gigantean substrates and reduce gas and methane production at peak fermentation in commercial concentrate feeds. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of Antibiotic Therapies on Resistance Genes Dynamic and Composition of the Animal Gut Microbiota.

Simple SummaryAntibiotics perturb the gastrointestinal microbiota by killing bacteria beneficial for animal health and favoring the emergence of potential pathogens. Furthermore, antibiotics favor the emergence of resistant bacteria. Current knowledge on animals’ intestinal microbiota and effects of antibiotics is blurred by the various posology, administration routes, and implemented methodologies for its analysis. We summarized 71 studies analyzing the administration of antibiotics by different routes, conducted on the main food-producing and companion animals, highlighting differences in the methodology applied for the intestinal microbiota and antibiotic resistance analysis. Overall, therapeutic dosage decreased bacterial species diversity and richness in the microbiota and selected antibiotic resistance genes. For non-therapeutic dosage, information on the selection of antibiotic resistance was scarce and the effect on the intestinal microbiota scattered. Understanding the gut microbiota composition and function in animals could open up strategies for its modulation to improve animal health and performance, and to minimize the negative impact of antibiotics.Antibiotics are major disruptors of the gastrointestinal microbiota, depleting bacterial species beneficial for the host health and favoring the emergence of potential pathogens. Furthermore, the intestine is a reactor of antibiotic resistance emergence, and the presence of antibiotics exacerbates the selection of resistant bacteria that can disseminate in the environment and propagate to further hosts. We reviewed studies analyzing the effect of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiota and antibiotic resistance conducted on animals, focusing on the main food-producing and companion animals. Irrespective of antibiotic classes and animal hosts, therapeutic dosage decreased species diversity and richness favoring the bloom of potential enteropathogens and the selection of antibiotic resistance. These negative effects of antibiotic therapies seem ineluctable but often were mitigated when an antibiotic was administered by parenteral route. Sub-therapeutic dosages caused the augmentation of taxa involved in sugar metabolism, suggesting a link with weight gain. This result should not be interpreted positively, considering that parallel information on antibiotic resistance selection was rarely reported and selection of antibiotic resistance is known to occur also at low antibiotic concentration. However, studies on the effect of antibiotics as growth promoters put the basis for understanding the gut microbiota composition and function in this situation. This knowledge could inspire alternative strategies to antibiotics, such as probiotics, for improving animal performance. This review encompasses the analysis of the main animal hosts and all antibiotic classes, and highlights the future challenges and gaps of knowledge that should be filled. Further studies are necessary for elucidating pharmacodynamics in animals in order to improve therapy duration, antibiotic dosages, and administration routes for mitigating negative effects of antibiotic therapies. Furthermore, this review highlights that studies on aminoglycosides are almost inexistent, and they should be increased, considering that aminoglycosides are the first most commonly used antibiotic family in companion animals. Harmonization of experimental procedures is necessary in this research field. In fact, current studies are based on different experimental set-up varying for antibiotic dosage, regimen, administration, and downstream microbiota analysis. In the future, shotgun metagenomics coupled with long-reads sequencing should become a standard experimental approach enabling to gather comprehensive knowledge on GIM in terms of composition and taxonomic functions, and of ARGs. Decorticating GIM in animals will unveil revolutionary strategies for medication and improvement of animals’ health status, with positive consequences on global health.

Combining ability and selection for agronomic and nutritional traits in Urochloa spp. hybrids

AbstractThe Urochloa spp. breeding program at EMBRAPA‐Brazil targets the development of apomictic hybrids to improve animal performance, while reducing the environmental impact of livestock. In summary, breeders perform multiple crosses between apomictic and sexual parents, and screen progeny to perform selections for agronomic and nutritional traits across several harvests, years and locations. Thus, choosing the right parents and the cross combinations is crucial for the success of the breeding program. The objectives of this study were to: (i) estimate the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability, and contribution of additive and nonadditive effects, from a partial diallel cross design between three apomictic and ten sexual parents, for agronomical and nutritional traits in Urochloa spp.; (ii) assess genetic gain for all traits by selecting for yield of high nutritional value leaf mass (NLM); (iii) characterize the genotype profiles using genotype by yield*trait (GYT) biplot analysis. A total of 1380 interspecific hybrids from 29 full‐sib progenies were evaluated and then the hybrid selection was performed based on studentized best linear unbiased prediction of NLM. The 10% top‐performing hybrids were used in the GYT analysis using NLM as the basic variable. There was a predominance of nonadditive effects on the phenotypic expression of agronomic and nutritional value traits. The GCA was observed only for some traits in sexual parents, whereas SCA was observed in all traits. The selection based on NLM provided favorable gains for most of the agronomic traits and GYT biplot analysis was efficient to characterize genotype profiles.

Varied diets: implications for lamb performance, rumen characteristics, total antioxidant status, and welfare.

Intensive pastoral systems have moved away from diverse and varied diets towards overly simple monotonous diets. Feed choice through time is an obsolete way of providing forage to animals, as intensive management schemes generally allocate a single herbage or a dyad mixed sward. Monotonous feeding regimes impose nutritional repetition, which may impair animal performance and welfare. The objective of this experiment was to determine the impact of a diverse diet [DIV; free choice from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) at all times], a varied diet [VAR; choice from ryegrass and plantain in the AM (0700-1600 h), and chicory and alfalfa in PM (1600-0700 h)], and a single forage diet of alfalfa [SFA; alfalfa at all times], on DMI, performance, and welfare of lambs. Six-month-old Coopworth ram lambs (n = 21) were offered their respective fresh-forage treatment (n = 7) diet indoors for 20 d. The DIV lambs consumed 1.64 ± 0.03 kg DM/d (mean ± SEm), which was 6% more (P < 0.05; 1.54 ± 0.03 kg DM/d) than the SFA and were not different (P > 0.05; 1.59 ± 0.03 kg DM/d) to the VAR lambs. Average daily gain (ADG) of DIV (296 g/d) and VAR (378 g/d) was 30% and 67% greater (P < 0.05) than that in the SFA lambs (227 g/d), respectively. The VAR lambs had 28% greater (P < 0.05) ADG than the DIV lambs. Differences among treatments were detected (P < 0.05) for the proportion of the day spent conducting the following behaviors: eating, ruminating, idling, lying, and standing. In addition, the number of bouts of stereotypic behaviors recorded from the SFA lambs (13.2 ± 2.2) was 150% greater (P < 0.05) than the DIV (5.1 ± 1.0) and VAR (5.5 ± 1.0) lambs. Our results suggest that the varied diet offered can improve animal performance and welfare compared to a monotonous SFA diet. Feeding management to provide a varied diet can improve performance relative to giving lambs free choice from taxonomically diverse forage options. Moreover, performance is affected by more than the primary chemical composition of the diet consumed, but how the diet is presented through time and the herbage species and quantities of each that are consumed to reach that chemical composition.

Elevation of brain magnesium with Swiss chard and buckwheat extracts in an animal model of reduced magnesium dietary intake

ABSTRACT Objectives Inadequate dietary magnesium (Mg) intake is a growing public health concern. Mg is critical for diverse metabolic processes including energy production, macromolecule biosynthesis, and electrolyte homeostasis. Inadequate free Mg2+ ion concentration ([Mg2+]) in the brain is associated with several neurological and behavioral disorders. Elevating [Mg2+]in the brain using oral Mg supplementation has proven to be challenging due to the tight regulation of Mg2+ transport to the brain. This study explored the effect of short-term moderate reduction in dietary Mg intake (87% of normal Mg diet for 30 days) on [Mg2+] in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ([Mg2+]CSF) and red blood cells (RBCs) ([Mg2+]RBC) in adult male rats. In addition, we investigated the effectiveness of magnesium-rich blend of Swiss chard and buckwheat extracts (SC/BW extract) in increasing brain [Mg2+] compared to various Mg salts commonly used as dietary supplements. Methods Animals were assigned to either normal or low Mg diet for 30 - 45 days. Following this, animals maintained on low Mg diet were supplemented with various Mg compounds. [Mg2+]CSF and [Mg2+]RBC were measured at baseline and following Mg administration. Anxiety-like behavior and cognitive function were also evaluated. Results The present study showed that a short-term and moderate reduction in Mg dietary intake results in a significant decline in [Mg2+]CSF and [Mg2+]RBC and the emergence of anxiety-like behavior in comparison to animals maintained on normal Mg diet. Supplementation with SC/BW extract significantly elevated [Mg2+]CSF and improved animal performance in the novel object recognition test in comparison with animals maintained on reduced Mg intake and supplemented with various Mg compounds. Discussion These observations indicate that brain [Mg2+] is more sensitive to a short-term and moderate reduction in Mg dietary intake than previously thought and emphasizes the importance of dietary Mg in replenishing brain Mg2+ reserves.

Advances in nanotechnology and the benefits of using cellulose nanofibers in animal nutrition.

The production of cellulose nanofibers promotes the utilization of plant residues that are generated in agro-industries during food processing. The utilization of these plant by-products reduces environmental contamination. Cellulose nanofibers are used in several sectors, including the drug, food, and animal nutrition industries. Many sources of nanofibers used in animal diets can be used as potential fiber substitutes after being processed to improve efficiency. For instance, including nanometric particles of plant fibers (<100 nm) in animal feed may provide excellent physical properties such as high reactivity, a large surface area, and improved nutrient absorption from the diet. Nanotechnology improves the characteristics of fibers that are important for gastrointestinal transit and their utilization as energy sources and substrates for microbial fermentation in the digestive tract of animals. Nanofibers can improve the synthesis of volatile fatty acids and the blood lipid profile, with positive effects on the intestinal health of animals. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated promising effects in reducing blood glucose levels without toxic effects on the body. Supplying nanofibers in the diet improve animal performance, increase productivity, and work toward a more sustainable economic development of agribusinesses. The quality of animal products such as meat, milk, and eggs is also reported to be improved with the inclusion of nanominerals in the feed. Overall, the application of nanotechnology to harness the by-products of agro-industries can increase economic viability and sustainability in animal production systems. Therefore, this review presents a current survey on the main research and advances in the utilization of nanotechnology, focusing on cellulose nanofibers in animal feed to improve animal performance.

Bee pollen as a dietary supplement for fish: Effect on the reproductive performance of zebrafish and the immunological response of their offspring

Bee pollen, a natural resource collected by bees, is rich in many nutrients, therefore it may represent a useful dietary supplement. Different uses of bee pollen are proposed due to its beneficial health properties, which includes the capacity to improve animal performance and promote immunostimulation. Animal nutrition can directly affect adults and their offspring, and larval stage is a critical moment for fish due to high mortality related to immune challenges. Thus, the present study attempted to evaluate the effects of adding bee pollen to a zebrafish diet, specifically, analyzing the effects on reproduction and immunity transference to descendants. Zebrafish adults received control diets based on commercial flakes and live food Artemia sp. nauplii or bee pollen-supplemented diets, administered three times a day, at the same time. The animals received the diets over 60 d, and throughout this period, they were tested for: egg production per female, total number of eggs, embryo viability rate, larval survival rate after exposure to spring viremia of carp virus and to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and larval neutrophil recruitment after tail wounding. Bee pollen supplementation failed to improve egg production and embryo viability, and was unable to substitute flakes in zebrafish breeders. Instead, the offspring of breeders fed with bee pollen supplemented diets showed longer survival upon virus exposure and higher neutrophil migration to wounds. These results indicate that bee pollen can influence vertical immunity through important mechanisms related to offspring immunity in the early stages, when larval immune system is not fully developed.

Impact of Feeding Syngenta Enogen® Feed Corn Compared to Control Corn in Different Diet Scenarios to Finishing Beef Cattle.

Simple SummaryA pooled statistical analysis of seven experiments and 200 pen observations was performed to determine the impact of feeding Enogen® corn compared to conventional corn grain in beef cattle finishing diets. When the corn was compared as dry-rolled corn in diets with lower inclusion rates of distiller grains plus solubles (less than 20% of the diet), feeding Enogen® corn improved the efficiency of beef production. That response was a 4.8% improvement due to feeding Enogen® in a corn-based diet without distiller grains but was 1.8% in diets with 18 to 20% distiller grains. Feeding Enogen® corn improved the efficiency by 4.5% in diets with another common byproduct, Sweet Bran®. Cattle performance was similar for Enogen® and conventional hybrids when processed and fed as high-moisture corn. Feeding Enogen® corn improves the gain efficiency of finishing cattle compared with conventional corn when fed as dry-rolled corn in diets with less than 20% distillers or diets that include Sweet Bran® feeds.The objective of this pooled statistical analysis was to evaluate Syngenta Enogen® Feed Corn (EFC) versus conventional corn (CON) when fed as either dry-rolled corn (DRC) or high-moisture corn (HMC) for effects on finishing beef cattle performance and carcass characteristics. Corns were evaluated in diets with byproduct inclusion rates of 0, 15, 18, 20, and 30% distiller grains or 25 and 35% Sweet Bran® (a commercial corn gluten feed product). Seven trials (n = 1856) consisting of 200 pen means comparing 26 diet treatments were analyzed using regression in a pooled analysis. When EFC was processed as DRC, the gain efficiency (G:F) improved compared with CON, but the response to feeding EFC decreased from a 4.8% improvement to no improvement compared to CON as distiller grains increased from 0 to 30%, but was significantly improved due to feeding EFC in diets with 0 to 18% distiller grains. Feeding cattle EFC as DRC increased the average daily gain (ADG) and G:F by 4.5% compared with CON corn in diets containing Sweet Bran®. No improvements in animal performance were observed when cattle were fed EFC compared to CON when processed as HMC in any situation. Feeding Enogen® corn improved the gain efficiency of finishing cattle compared with conventional corn when processed as dry-rolled corn and fed in diets with less than 20% distillers or diets that include Sweet Bran®.

271 Assessment of Efficacy of Deworming Options in Recently Weaned Beef Cattle Utilizing Different Anthelmintic Programs in the Southeast

Abstract This experiment measured the effect of three different deworming strategies on animal performance and Egg per gram (EPG) reduction during a pre-conditioning phase of beef calves using a completely random block designed with n = 797 calves (Year 1 = 263 ± 39 kg; Year 2 = 257 ± 37 kg) randomly assigned to one of four treatments: orally suspended oxfendazole (1ml/55 kgs; ORAL), transdermal eprinomectin (1ml/10 kgs; POUR), both anthelmintic (BOTH), and no treatment (CONT). Weaned calves at four University of Georgia research stations (Calhoun, Alapaha, Eatonton, JPC) were blocked by weight, age, and sex. Calves were weighed at weaning prior to treatment d 0 and on d 42. Fecal samples were collected on d 0 and d 14 from 40 calves per treatment. Anthelmintic resistance was determined if percent EPG reduction and Upper 95% confidence limit were below 95% and the lower 95% confidence limit were below 90%. The ADG was lowest (P &amp;lt; 0.001) for CONT (0.262 kg/d) compared to POUR, ORAL, and BOTH (0.370, 0.412, and 0.387 kg/d, respectively) Anthelmintic resistance to POUR was detected at Eatonton and Alapaha (47.4% and 15.4% reduction respectively), and deemed inconclusive at JPC and Calhoun (51.1% and 50.3% reduction respectively). Only ORAL and BOTH effectively reduced EPG counts across all four research units (&amp;gt; 97.9% reduction). While the POUR option improved animal performance, it was not effective at reducing EPG within the herd. This study demonstrated that the ORAL and BOTH treatments increased ADG compared to CONT and were effective at reducing EPG counts; however, BOTH costs, on average, $3.00 more than ORAL. Producers must consider the cost of each option when choosing a deworming strategy. Based on these results, using orally suspended oxfendazole is a more economical, and effective options to treat parasites during a pre-conditioning phase.

133 The Potential for Maternal Nutrition to Influence, Health, Development and Subsequent Lifetime Performance of the Pig

Abstract The global population is continuing to grow at a rapid rate leading to increased need for meat and milk products. The pig industry will need to adapt and expand to meet this demand. Improving the productivity of the pig industry is therefore vital in ensuring sustainable growth in the future. The use of dietary additives is a means to improve this animal productivity, however, the most appropriate time to provide dietary additives to ensure maximum benefit with the lowest cost is an area that warrants further exploration. The early-life period is a vital time of physiological, transcriptional, and microbial changes that have a stark impact on lifetime productivity. This early lifetime point provides an opportunity to aid development and impart lifetime alterations and improve animal productivity and health. These changes can be applied by dietary and management interventions to the pig itself or to the dam. The dam is a key influence on the development of the progeny as the primary site of microbial inoculation and is therefore, an interesting target for dietary intervention. With increased legislative and environmental constraints through the ban on antibiotics and the phasing out of zinc-oxide in the EU, there is a need to identify viable natural alternatives to increase productivity particularly in the post weaning period. A wealth of chemodiversity exists in nature in plants and animals developing protective molecules to survive in varying complex biosystems. Our research has established the potential of feeding naturally sustainable bioactives to improve animal performance and health. This talk will explore the strategy of feeding these natural bioactives to the dam to improve lifetime performance of the progeny.