Livestock Metabolism Research Articles

Effects of bile acid metabolism on intestinal health of livestock and poultry.

Bile acids are synthesised in the liver and are essential amphiphilic steroids for maintaining the balance of cholesterol and energy metabolism in livestock and poultry. They can be used as novel feed additives to promote fat utilisation in the diet and the absorption of fat-soluble substances in the feed to improve livestock performance and enhance carcass quality. With the development of understanding of intestinal health, the balance of bile acid metabolism is closely related to the composition and growth of livestock intestinal microbiota, inflammatory response, and metabolic diseases. This paper systematically reviews the effects of bile acid metabolism on gut health and gut microbiology in livestock. In addition, our paper summarised the role of bile acid metabolism in performance and disease control.

Mutations in the FOXO3 Gene and Their Effects on Meat Traits in Gannan Yaks.

The FOXO3 gene, a prominent member of the FOXO family, has been identified as a potential quantitative trait locus for muscle atrophy and lipid metabolism in livestock. It is also considered a promising candidate gene for meat quality traits such as Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and water holding capacity (WHC). The aim of this study was to identify sequence mutations in the FOXO3 gene of yaks and to analyze the association of genotypes and haplotypes with meat traits such as WBSF and WHC. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) was applied to determine the expression levels of FOXO3 in yak tissues, with the results revealing a high expression in the yak longissimus dorsi muscle. Exons of the FOXO3 gene were then sequenced in 572 yaks using hybrid pool sequencing. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified. Additionally, four effective haplotypes and four combined haplotypes were constructed. Two mutations of the FOXO3 gene, namely C>G at exon g.636 and A>G at exon g.1296, were associated with cooked meat percentage (CMP) (p < 0.05) and WBSF (p < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the WBSF of the H2H3 haplotype combination was significantly lower than that of other combinations (p < 0.05). The findings of this study suggest that genetic variations in FOXO3 could be a promising biomarker for improving yak meat traits.

Review: Reducing enteric methane emissions improves energy metabolism in livestock: is the tenet right?

The production of enteric methane in the gastrointestinal tract of livestock is considered as an energy loss in the equations for estimating energy metabolism in feeding systems. Therefore, the spared energy resulting from specific inhibition of methane emissions should be re-equilibrated with other factors of the equation. And, it is commonly assumed that net energy from feeds increases, thus benefitting production functions, particularly in ruminants due to the important production of methane in the rumen. Notwithstanding, we confirm in this work that inhibition of emissions in ruminants does not transpose into consistent improvements in production. Theoretical calculations of energy flows using experimental data show that the expected improvement in net energy for production is small and difficult to detect under the prevailing, moderate inhibition of methane production (≈25%) obtained using feed additives inhibiting methanogenesis. Importantly, the calculation of energy partitioning using canonical models might not be adequate when methanogenesis is inhibited. There is a lack of information on various parameters that play a role in energy partitioning and that may be affected under provoked abatement of methane. The formula used to calculate heat production based on respiratory exchanges should be validated when methanogenesis is inhibited. Also, a better understanding is needed of the effects of inhibition on fermentation products, fermentation heat, and microbial biomass. Inhibition induces the accumulation of H2, the main substrate used to produce methane, that has no energetic value for the host, and it is not extensively used by the majority of rumen microbes. Currently, the fate of this excess of H2 and its consequences on the microbiota and the host are not well known. All this additional information will provide a better account of energy transactions in ruminants when enteric methanogenesis is inhibited. Based on the available information, it is concluded that the claim that enteric methane inhibition will translate into more feed-efficient animals is not warranted.

Tasks of some dietary essential nutrients on epigenetics and one carbon metabolism in livestock during production

Interchanges in the epigenome caused by the environment have been cited in multiple animal being, ranging from insects to rodents passing through poultry, larger animals, and nonhuman primates to humans. These include DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, and more recently the index has magnified to incorporate noncoding RNAs and microRNA gene regulation. Thus, it is increasingly accepted that, nutrition one of the factors that alter gene expression and affect's health during animal productivity through epigenetic modification. DNA methylation is the most widely studied form of epigenetic modification and occurs within the one-carbon metabolism tract which is dependent upon a number of enzymes in the presence of micronutrients, including folate, choline, and betaine acquired through the diet. In vertebrates DNA methylation is primarily a stable repressive mark built at cytosines in CpG dinucleotides; however, its regulation is more powerful than previously believed. Nutri-Epigenomic is an emerging discipline examining the role of nutrient on gene expression. Ultimately, DNA methylation and other epigenetic status, as well as dietetic practices, particularly micronutrient intake, may influence health and productive phenotypes, also playing as significant biomarker in additive-benefit assessment during the period of use. There are a tight interrelationship betaine, choline and methionine. All are dietary sources of methyl groups made it prominent when studying diet-DNA methylation. In this review, our team will focus on the role of important methyl donors and nutrient-gene inter actions through the one-carbon metabolism. KeywordsNutri-Epigenomics, Livestock, methyl donors, one carbon metabolism.

Radiolabeled metabolite and disposition studies in support of safety assessment.

BioanalysisVol. 7, No. 5 CommentaryRadiolabeled metabolite and disposition studies in support of safety assessmentAshley Beattie, Stephen Madden, Chris Lowrie & David MacPhersonAshley BeattieAuthor for correspondence: E-mail Address: ashley.beattie@crl.comDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Charles River, Edinburgh, EH33 2NE, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Stephen MaddenDepartment of Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, Preclinical Services, Charles River, Edinburgh, EH33 2NE, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Chris LowrieDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Charles River, Edinburgh, EH33 2NE, UKSearch for more papers by this author & David MacPhersonDepartment of Chemistry, Charles River, Edinburgh, EH33 2NE, UKSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:31 Mar 2015https://doi.org/10.4155/bio.15.18AboutSectionsView ArticleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail View articleKeywords: distributionexposuremass spectrometrymetabolismradiochromatographysafety assessmentReferences1 ICH M3 (R2) – Non-Clinical Safety Studies for the Conduct of Human Clinical Trials and Marketing Authorization for Pharmaceuticals. (2008) www.ema.europa.eu/docs Google Scholar2 Pellegatti M. The debate on animal ADME studies in drug development: an update. Expert Opin. Drug Metabol. Toxicol. 11(1), 1615–1620 (2014).Crossref, Google Scholar3 Obach RS, Nedderman AN, Smith DA. Radiolabelled mass-balance excretion and metabolism studies in laboratory animals: are they still necessary? Xenobiotica 42, 46–46 (2012).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar4 White RE, Evans DC, Hop CE et al. Radiolabelled mass-balance excretion and metabolism studies in laboratory animals: a commentary on why they are still necessary. Xenobiotica 43, 219–425 (2013).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar5 Nedderman AN, Dear GJ, North S et al. From definition to implementation: a cross-industry perspective of past, current and future MIST strategies. Xenobiotica 41(8), 605–622 (2011).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar6 OECD. Test No. 503: Metabolism in Livestock (Section 5). In: OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals. OECD Publishing, Paris, France (2007). www.oecd-ilibrary.orgGoogle Scholar7 EPA. Residue chemistry test guidelines, OPPTS 860. In: 1340 Residue Analytical Method, EPA Publishing, Washington, DC, USA (1996). www.epa.govGoogle Scholar8 VICH GL46 Studies to Evaluate the Metabolism and Residue Kinetics of Veterinary Drugs in Food-producing Animals: Metabolism Study to Determine the Quantity and Identify the Nature of Residues. (2012) www.fda.gov Google Scholar9 Regulations (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2009). http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServGoogle ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited ByDeuterium- und tritiummarkierte Verbindungen: Anwendungen in den modernen Biowissenschaften4 January 2018 | Angewandte Chemie, Vol. 130, No. 7Deuterium- and Tritium-Labelled Compounds: Applications in the Life Sciences4 January 2018 | Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Vol. 57, No. 7Themed Issue on Radioisotopic BioanalysisMark Seymour31 March 2015 | Bioanalysis, Vol. 7, No. 5 Vol. 7, No. 5 Follow us on social media for the latest updates Metrics Downloaded 149 times History Published online 31 March 2015 Published in print March 2015 Information© Future Science LtdKeywordsdistributionexposuremass spectrometrymetabolismradiochromatographysafety assessmentFinancial & competing interests disclosureThe authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.PDF download

Climate Change and North American Rangelands: Trends, Projections, and Implications

The amplified “greenhouse effect” associated with increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases has increased atmospheric temperature by 1°C since industrialization (around 1750), and it is anticipated to cause an additional 2°C increase by mid-century. Increased biospheric warming is also projected to modify the amount and distribution of annual precipitation and increase the occurrence of both drought and heat waves. The ecological consequences of climate change will vary substantially among ecoregions because of regional differences in antecedent environmental conditions; the rate and magnitude of change in the primary climate change drivers, including elevated carbon dioxide (CO2), warming and precipitation modification; and nonadditive effects among climate drivers. Elevated atmospheric CO2 will directly stimulate plant growth and reduce negative effects of drying in a warmer climate by increasing plant water use efficiency; however, the CO2 effect is mediated by environmental conditions, especially soil water availability. Warming and drying are anticipated to reduce soil water availability, net primary productivity, and other ecosystem processes in the southern Great Plains, the Southwest, and northern Mexico, but warmer and generally wetter conditions will likely enhance these processes in the northern Plains and southern Canada. The Northwest will warm considerably, but annual precipitation is projected to change little despite a large decrease in summer precipitation. Reduced winter snowpack and earlier snowmelt will affect hydrology and riparian systems in the Northwest. Specific consequences of climate change will be numerous and varied and include modifications to forage quantity and quality and livestock production systems, soil C content, fire regimes, livestock metabolism, and plant community composition and species distributions, including range contraction and expansion of invasive species. Recent trends and model projections indicate continued directional change and increasing variability in climate that will substantially affect the provision of ecosystem services on North American rangelands.

Chemical markers for rumen methanogens and methanogenesis

The targeting of mcrA or 16S rRNA genes by quantitative PCR (qPCR) has become the dominant method for quantifying methanogens in rumen. There are considerable discrepancies between estimates based on different primer sets, and the literature is equivocal about the relationship with methane production. There are a number of problems with qPCR, including low primer specificity, multiple copies of genes and multiple genomes per cell. Accordingly, we have investigated alternative markers for methanogens, on the basis of the distinctive ether lipids of archaeal cell membranes. The membranes of Archaea contain dialkyl glycerol ethers such as 2,3-diphytanayl-O-sn-glycerol (archaeol), and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) such as caldarchaeol (GDGT-0) in different proportions. The relationships between estimates of methanogen abundance using qPCR and archaeol measurements varied across primers. Studies in other ecosystems have identified environmental effects on the profile of ether lipids in Archaea. There is a long history of analysing easily accessible samples, such as faeces, urine and milk, to provide information about digestion and metabolism in livestock without the need for intrusive procedures. Purine derivatives in urine and odd-chain fatty acids in milk have been used to study rumen function. The association between volatile fatty acid proportions and methane production is probably the basis for empirical relationships between milk fatty acid profiles and methane production. However, these studies have not yet identified consistent predictors. We have evaluated the relationship between faecal archaeol concentration and methane production across a range of diets in studies on beef and dairy cattle. Faecal archaeol is diagnostic for ruminant faeces being below the limit of detection in faeces from non-ruminant herbivores. The relationship between faecal archaeol and methane production was significant when comparing treatment means across diets, but appears to be subject to considerable between-animal variation. This variation was also evident in the weak relationship between archaeol concentrations in rumen digesta and faeces. We speculate that variation in the distribution and kinetics of methanogens in the rumen may affect the survival and functioning of Archaea in the rumen and therefore contribute to genetic variation in methane production. Indeed, variation in the relationship between the numbers of micro-organisms present in the rumen and those leaving the rumen may explain variation in relationships between methane production and both milk fatty acid profiles and faecal archaeol. As a result, microbial markers in the faeces and milk are unlikely to relate well back to methanogenesis in the rumen. This work has also highlighted the need to describe methanogen abundance in all rumen fractions and this may explain the difficulty interpreting results on the basis of samples taken using stomach tubes or rumenocentesis.

Perspectives on ruminant nutrition and metabolism. II. Metabolism in ruminant tissues

The discovery of the dominance of short-chain fatty acids as energy sources in the 1940s and 1950s, as discussed in part I of this review (Annison & Bryden, 1998) led to uncertainties concerning the interrelationships of glucose and acetate in ruminant metabolism. These were resolved in the following decade largely by use of 14C-labelled substrates. Although only small amounts of glucose are absorbed in most dietary situations, glucose availability to ruminant tissues as measured by isotope dilution was shown to be substantial, indicating that gluconeogenesis is a major metabolic activity in both fed and fasted states. Studies with 14C-labelled glucose and acetate revealed that in contrast to non-ruminants, acetate and not glucose is the major precursor of long-chain fatty acids in ruminant tissues. Interest in the measurement of energy metabolism in livestock grew rapidly from the 1950s. Most laboratories adopted indirect calorimetry and precise measurements of the energy expenditure of ruminants contributed to the development of new feeding systems. More recently, alternative approaches to the measurement of energy expenditure have included the use of NMR spectroscopy, isotope dilution and the application of the Fick principle to measure O2 consumption in the whole animal and in defined tissues. The refinement of the classical arterio-venous difference procedure in the study of mammary gland metabolism in the 1960s, particularly when combined with isotope dilution, encouraged the use of these methods to generate quantitative data on the metabolism of a range of defined tissues. The recent introduction of new methods for the continuous monitoring of both blood flow and blood O2 content has greatly increased the precision and scope of arterio-venous difference measurements. The impact of data produced by these and other quantitative procedures on current knowledge of the metabolism of glucose, short-chain fatty acids and lipids, and on N metabolism, is outlined. The role of the portal-drained viscera and liver in N metabolism is discussed in relation to data obtained by the use of multi-catheterized animals. Protein turnover, and the impact of stress (physical, social and disease related) on protein metabolism have been reviewed. The growth of knowledge of mammary gland metabolism and milk synthesis since the first quantitative studies in the 1960s has been charted. Recent findings on the regulation of amino acid uptake and utilization by the mammary gland, and on the control of milk secretion, are of particular interest and importance.