Mixed Feeding Research Articles

Heritability and genetic correlations of rumination time with milk-yield and milking traits in Holstein-Friesian cows using an automated milking system

Knowledge of the values of genetic parameters is a prerequisite for conducting a breeding program. This is especially important for rumination, which is considered an indicator of cow’s health. Exploring the genetic relations between rumination time, milk yield, and milking traits could make it a valuable tool in dairy cattle breeding strategies. The objective of the research was to estimate heritability, repeatability, and genetic and phenotypic correlations of rumination time (RT), as well as traits associated with milk yield and milking of dairy cows of the Polish Holstein-Friesian breed kept in herds equipped with an automatic milking system. The research takes into consideration daily results for milking in the first lactation and second lactation, from 1 486 cows of the breed milked between 2013 and 2015 year. Cows were housed in 24 free-stall barns and fed a Partial Mixed Ration feed. The barns had an automated milking system (Astronaut A4 – Lely Industry). The cows received a varied dose of the concentrate, either in the milking robot or the feeding station, depending on the level of their milk yield. Our research has shown that RT was a low heritable trait (0.140 ± 0.039) and had a medium repeatability (0.572 ± 0.007). We detected a positive genetic correlation between RT and milk yield (0.341); however, a statistically significant negative relationship was identified between RT and urea content (−0.418) in milk. Estimations of genetic correlations suggest that selecting for higher RT may correspond to reduced urea content in milk. Investigating the genetics aspect of RT and the relationship with milk yield and milking traits may turn this into one of the useful criterion selections for dairy cattle breeding strategies, but should be used carefully. Further analyses on larger data sets and different populations are necessary.

Gut Microbiota Profile of Infants with Breastfeeding and Mixed Feeding Patterns

We explore the gut microbiota profiles of 103 stool samples collected from infants at the age of 4 and 6 months in Jakarta, Indonesia. We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing with Illumina MiSeq to identify the diversity, structure, and composition of the gut microbiota from those stool samples. Among 103 stool samples, 55 and 48 samples were collected from infants with breastfeeding and mixed feeding patterns, respectively. We found that the most abundant bacteria were Bifidobacteriales from the phylum of Actinobacteria (43.05%), Lactobacillales from the phylum of Firmicutes (28.39%), and Enterobacterales from the phylum of Proteobacteria (13.75%). The alpha and beta diversity analysis showed that the association between feeding patterns and differences in the microbial communities was not statistically significant (p-value >0.05). Our study did not show a difference in the gut microbiota pattern between the two feeding pattern groups. This result contributed to the variety of the world gut microbiota profile data in infants.

Using tannery wastes in poultry feed: a matter of concern for safe poultry production in Bangladesh

Nowadays tannery waste is a matter of concern because if it used as livestock feed, it could cause health hazards to humans. Therefore, this study was conducted to know the generation rates, utilization, disposal method of tannery solid wastes (TSWs), and inclusion level of it into the poultry feed. Moreover, this study determined the physical and chemical parameters of interest including moisture content, crude protein (CP) levels, and the presence of heavy metals such as chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) in the poultry feeds that were sold in the studied area. For these purposes, a field survey was conducted with twenty tannery industries. Broiler feed samples were procured from multiple farmers situated in the Savar area of Dhaka. The feed source was classified into two categories, namely registered and unregistered feed mills. According to the study, wet blue trimmings was generated in 3.84% that was used as an ingredient of poultry feed. In addition, 55% of tanneries landfilled their waste, while 30% of them sold it for poultry feed. The utilization of TSWs in poultry feed production in this country was limited to a maximum of 1.314% of the total annual production. Besides, the CP% was determined in the range of 24.24 - 13.32 % and 18.15 - 11.01 % for broiler starters and growers, respectively, where lower CP content was found only in unregistered feed mills. Trace amounts of Cr and Pb were identified in each of the feed samples at very low concentrations. In conclusion, it can be stated that the percentage of tannery solid wastes mixed poultry feed was generated in negligible amounts and the registered companies’ feed was found normal in all aspects of the quality tested in the study. Keywords: Broiler feed, Feed mill, Heavy metal, Physical quality, Tannery solid waste

High-Yield Synthesis of Lacto-N-Neotetraose from Glycerol and Glucose in Engineered Escherichia coli.

Lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) is a neutral human milk oligosaccharide with important biological functions. However, the low LNnT productivity and the incomplete conversion of the intermediate lacto-N-tetraose II (LNT II) currently limited the sustainable biosynthesis of LNnT. First, the LNnT biosynthetic module was integrated in Escherichia coli. Next, the LNnT export system was optimized to alleviate the inhibition of intracellular LNnT synthesis. Furthermore, by utilizing rate-limiting enzyme diagnosis, the expressions of LNnT synthesis pathway genes were finely regulated to further enhance the production yield of LNnT. Subsequently, a strategy of cofermentation using a glucose/glycerol (4:6, g/g) mixed feed was employed to regulate carbon flux distribution. Finally, by overexpressing key transferases, LNnT and LNT II titers reached 112.47 and 7.42 g/L, respectively, in a 5 L fermenter, and 107.4 and 2.08 g/L, respectively, in a 1000 L fermenter. These are the highest reported titers of LNnT to date, indicating its significant potential for industrial production.

Above-Tg Annealing Benefits in Nanoparticle-Stabilized Carbon Molecular Sieve Membrane Pyrolysis for Improved Gas Separation.

Nanoparticles can suppress asymmetric precursor support collapse during pyrolysis to create carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes. This advance allows elimination of standard sol-gel support stabilization steps. Here we report a simple but surprisingly important thermal soaking step at 400 °C in the pyrolysis process to obtain high performance CMS membranes. The composite CMS membranes show CO2 /CH4 (50 : 50) mixed gas feed with an attractive CO2 /CH4 selectivity of 134.2 and CO2 permeance of 71 GPU at 35 °C. Furthermore, a H2 /CH4 selectivity of 663 with H2 permeance of 240 GPU was achieved for promising green energy resource-H2 separation processes.

Above‐Tg Annealing Benefits in Nanoparticle‐Stabilized Carbon Molecular Sieve Membrane Pyrolysis for Improved Gas Separation

AbstractNanoparticles can suppress asymmetric precursor support collapse during pyrolysis to create carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes. This advance allows elimination of standard sol‐gel support stabilization steps. Here we report a simple but surprisingly important thermal soaking step at 400 °C in the pyrolysis process to obtain high performance CMS membranes. The composite CMS membranes show CO2/CH4 (50 : 50) mixed gas feed with an attractive CO2/CH4 selectivity of 134.2 and CO2 permeance of 71 GPU at 35 °C. Furthermore, a H2/CH4 selectivity of 663 with H2 permeance of 240 GPU was achieved for promising green energy resource‐H2 separation processes.

Significance of additives to enhance the acceptance of poison bait in poultry rodents of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Rodent infestation on poultry farms incurs heavy economic losses to this industry by causing feed loss and disease introduction. Development and continuous improvement of rodents control techniques are vital to minimize and control the damages caused by rodents. Here, we test the feed preference of rodents for locally available and palatable food grains viz. millet (whole), wheat (cracked) and rice (broken) and taste additives namely whole egg (5%), eggshell (5%), peanut cracked (5%) and yeast (2%) that were offered mixed in millet-wheat (50:50 by wt.) bait. We tested the preferences of different food additives through a process of feed choice mechanism. We applied two different techniques to compare the preference of mixed feed baits, these techniques included no-choice with multiple choice feeding tests and paired choice with multiple choices feeding tests. The results indicated that consumption of bait with added whole egg was significantly higher (p > 0.05). Further test for its effectiveness as a carrier for rodenticides revealed 56%, 82% and 92%, reduction in rodent activities with zinc phosphide (2%), coumatetralyl (0.0375%) and Brodifacoum (0.005%) respectively. Our results point to a need on continuous improvement of feed baits by using different combinations to effectively control the rodent infestation.

Development, Psychometric Testing, and Reference Values of the Infant Eating Assessment Tool (InfantEAT).

Problematic feeding is common in infancy, particularly in infants with a history of premature birth or medical complexity. A concise, valid, and reliable measure of feeding that can be used across feeding methods is needed for clinical practice and research. The purpose of this study was to create an assessment tool to evaluate symptoms of problematic feeding in infants that can be used across all feeding methods (breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, and mixed feeding), then test its psychometric properties and establish reference values. Item response theory (IRT) was used to identify the most important items on the Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool (NeoEAT) related to symptoms of problematic feeding in infants (N = 1054) to create the Infant Eating Assessment Tool (InfantEAT). Reliability of the InfantEAT was tested using Cronbach's α and interitem correlations. Reference values of the InfantEAT were determined from a sample of healthy, full-term infants (n = 561). Percent agreement in identifying problematic feeding between the NeoEAT and the InfantEAT was calculated. The InfantEAT is comprised of 31 items in 9 subscales. The InfantEAT has evidence of acceptable reliability (α = 0.88). There was 74% agreement between the NeoEAT and the InfantEAT, with the InfantEAT being more sensitive to identifying problematic feeding. References values are presented for infants 0 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 6, and 6 to 7 months. The InfantEAT is a reliable and sensitive tool to evaluate symptoms of problematic feeding across feeding methods for infants younger than 7 months in both practice and research.

Prediction of Maize Yield and Assessment of the Material Circularity of Maize Residues Used in the Dairy Cattle Feed Production

The dairy cattle industry is expanding rapidly to accommodate the growing demand for human consumption. This results in high cattle feed production. This study aims to forecast the amount of maize residue and calculate the circularity level of using maize residue as a feedstock for total mixed ration feed production in dairy cattle feed production. The multiple linear regression analysis is performed to predict maize yields in Thailand so that maize residues can be calculated and used in feed production. The material circularity indicator is also used with biological cycles to assess the circularity level of dairy cattle feed production under the circular economy concept. The results show that the maize yield is expected to increase, resulting in more maize residues. The use of maize residues in daily cattle feed production gives the MCI value of 0.6038, representing a high degree of circularity and explaining the sustainable management of wastes in the cattle feed industry. Moreover, using maize residues as a part of feed ingredients instead of the Napier grass saves the cost by 14.2%. The study results provide a guideline for farmers and related authorities to plan for managing maize residue in daily cattle feed production to lower operation costs and minimize environmental problems. Keywords: Biological cycle, Circular economy, Dairy cattle feed production, Maize residues, Material circularity indicator, Multiple linear regression

Dependence of the uniformity of feed mixing in the feed mixing device of the granulation line on the number of paddle shaft revolutions and mixing time

Today, 87 percent of the number of cattle, as well as 90 percent of the number of sheep and goats in Uzbekistan are cared for by farmers. 85-90 percent of the number of livestock in our Republic belongs to peasant farms, and the preparation of feed for the livestock kept in these peasant farms should be implemented using best practices and modern technologies in developed countries, increasing the competitiveness and economic efficiency of the livestock sector is important. Based on the aforementioned information, a small-sized granulation line and a feed mixing device were created that are comparable to large-sized devices in terms of work quality and meet small livestock and poultry farms in terms of size, productivity, and energy consumption. The homogeneity of the feed mixing ratio in relation to the device’s paddle shaft rotation count and mixing duration was investigated through experimentation. The results of the trials showed that when the feed mixer paddle rotor was turning at a speed of 50 revolutions per minute and the mixing period was set for five minutes, the optimal mixing quality of ground wheat grain, ground maize grain, ground rice, and wheat bran for the manufacturing of granular feed was reached.

Mixed Bacillus subtilis and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum-fermented feed improves gut microbiota and immunity of Bamei piglet.

Antibiotics are widely used in the breeding production of Bamei pigs, affecting the quality and safety of pork and causing enormous harm to human health, the environment, and public health. The use of probiotic fermented feed to replace antibiotic feed is one of the solutions, which has the potential to improve the intestinal microbiota, promote animal growth, and enhance immunity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of fermented feed with Lactiplantibacillus (L.) plantarum QP28-1a or Bacillus (B.) subtilis QB8a on feed, growth performance, gut microbiota, and immunity of weaned piglets. A total of 60 freshly weaned piglets from the Tibetan Plateau were randomly divided into five groups and fed basal feed, L. plantarum fermented feed, B. subtilis fermented feed, mixed fermented feed, and antibiotic fermented feed for 60 days, respectively. The results showed fermented feed supplemented with L. plantarum QP28-1a or B. subtilis QB8a significantly lowered the pH of the feed (P < 0.05), produced lactic acid and acetic acid, inhibited the growth of harmful bacteria in the feed, and reduced the feed conversion rate in the group fed mixed fermented feed (P < 0.05). The fermented feed increased the α-diversity and prominently altered the β-diversity of the intestinal microbiota, increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Turicibacter and decreasing the relative abundance of conditional pathogens such as Streptococcus and Clostridium, improving the intestinal microbiota of the Bamei piglets. Notably, the mixed fermented feed improved the immunity of Bamei piglets by modulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, anti-inflammatory cytokines, and inflammatory-related signaling pathways. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that the increased expression of immune-related cytokines may be associated with a significant enrichment of Lactobacillus, Prevotellaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, and Ruminococcaceae in the gut. In conclusion, the probiotic fermented feed maintained an acidic environment conducive to suppressing pathogens, reduced the feed conversion ratio, optimized the intestinal microbiota, improved immunity, and alleviated intestinal inflammation that may be caused by weaning, demonstrating the excellent application prospects of L. plantarum QP28-1a and B. subtilis QB8a fermented feed in the feeding of Bamei piglets.

The stimulatory effects of boron on Japanese quail spermatological activity, histopathology, and oxidative stress

This study looked at how spermatogenesis, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and histological changes in testicular, hepatic, and renal tissues were affected by boric acid (H3BO3) added to mixed feed and drinking water at different concentrations for 14 weeks. For this purpose, 60 male Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica f. domestica) were used. From the age of 35 days, the birds were given boric acid added to regular soybean meal maize mixed feed as well as drinking water. Experimental groups: Control (no additive), F100: 100 mg/kg boric acid into feed, F300: 300 mg/kg boric acid into feed, W100: 100 mg/l boric acid into drinking water, and W300: 300 mg/l boric acid into drinking water. Both primordial (P &lt; 0.001) and mature (P &lt; 0.05) sperm counts increased in F300 and W300 groups. Supplemented boric acid in drinking water (300 mg/l) increased the tubule diameters of the testicle (P &lt; 0.05). Because of the rising levels of boric acid in the feed and water groups, lipid peroxidation levels increased in testicular (P &lt; 0.001), hepatic, and renal tissues (P &lt; 0.01). Glutathione (GSH) levels rose in high boric acid groups in testicular and hepatic tissues (P &lt; 0.001). Different tissues responded differentially to high amounts of boric acid in terms of antioxidant enzyme activity (P &lt; 0.001). As a result, boric acid at high doses showed beneficial effects on spermatological activity; however, continued use caused lipid peroxidation in tissues and some pathological problems in liver tissue.

Association between Breastfeeding and Development of Atopy

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding and the development of atopy. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecological clinics&amp;apos; waiting areas and admission wards of the Maternity and Children Hospital in Hail region, between November 2022 and February 2023, targeting mothers with at least one child over the age of one month. Results: A sample of 423 children from Hail was studied in the current research. Most of them were over 12 months old. Although most of the participants believed that breastfeeding reduced the incidence of atopic skin disease, the most prevalent type of feeding was formula feeding, followed by mixed feeding and exclusive breastfeeding. The study showed no significant effects of breastfeeding type on the development of allergies in children, as well as breastfeeding type and duration. However, there was a significant association between formula feeding and the development of allergic rhinitis, as it increases the incidence. Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrated that no definitive link could be made between breastfeeding duration and the development of atopy or between breastfeeding type and the occurrence of atopy in children. However, the study showed that formula feeding was a significant risk factor for the development of allergic rhinitis.

Korelacija između nivoa 25-hidroksivitamina D kod dojilja i mineralne gustine kostiju odojčadi i analiza faktora rizika

Background: Aim was to demonstrate the influencing factors of infant bone mineral density (BMD) and its correlation with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)D) in nursing mothers. Methods: 200 children aged 0 č 1 years were rolled into normal group (n=120) and abnormal group (n=80) regarding the results of ultrasound BMD examination. The sunshine duration of infants with different BMD and 25(OH)D, calcium and phosphorus levels of nursing mothers were analyzed, and univariate and multivariate analyses of BMD were implemented. Results: The results revealed that the sunshine duration and serum 25-(OH)D level of nursing mothers in abnormal group were inferior to those in normal group (P&lt;0.05). Additionally, a notable positive correlation existed between sunshine duration, serum 25-(OH)D level of nursing mothers and BMD (r = 0.911 and 0.503, P&lt;0.05). According to Logistic regression analysis, outdoor activity time 0 č 1 h/d, premature infants, and breastfeeding alone were independent risk factors (RFs) for abnormal BMD in infants, and vitamin D(VD) and calcium supplementation were independent protective factors (P&lt;0.05). Conclusions: VD and calcium intake, adequate sunshine duration, mixed feeding, and increasing serum 25-(OH)D can reduce the occurrence of abnormal BMD in infants.

Анкетування як важливий інструмент для виявлення факторів впливу на затримку прорізування зубів

Aim. To identify risk factors for delayed eruption of permanent anterior teeth in children aged 7 to 14 years, based on clinical examination, radiological examination, parental/caregiver questioning. Materials and Methods. The study included Ukrainian children aged 7-14 years who had delayed eruption of permanent teeth. They were divided into two groups. Group I was composed of 56 (40.0%) children aged 7-9 years with early mixed dentition; Group II was made of 84 (60.0%) individuals aged 10-14 years who had the final stage of mixed dentition. After careful history taking and physical examination, a clinical examination was performed to identify abnormal positions of incisors or canines and to determine the condition of the oral cavity and the bite; a radiological examination included CBCT; and the children’s parents /caregivers were surveyed with the use of the questionnaire we had developed. Results. It has been established that the main risk factors for delayed eruption of permanent teeth are arch-length deficiency, recurrent colds, respiratory disorders, delay in chewing food, pathology in the first trimester of pregnancy, premature extraction of primary teeth, use of a pacifier, delayed loss of deciduous teeth, bad habits, allergies, formula and mixed feeding, orthodontic treatment in the parents’ history, ectopic teething, and injuries to the maxillofacial area in children. Conclusions. A comprehensive history taking, an appropriate determination of the stages of dental development and an assessment of the potential risks of delayed teething are of paramount importance in the diagnosis of pathology, as they allow for the prediction of future orthodontic complications. Key words: delayed eruption of permanent teeth, questionnaire, X-ray examination, dental trauma, ENT pathology, bad habits, CBCT, early loss of primary teeth, allergy, burdened family history, stressor.

Improvement of stages of adaptation and ex vitro pre-growing of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) plants

At the adaptation stage, a new multicomponent microbial concentrate obtained by fermentation of substrate from a mixture of peat, humus and compost by bifidobacteria was used for the first time. The microbial preparation is rich in BAS (probiotics, enzymes, amino acids, etc.), due to which it activates plant immunity and improves plant establishment, growth and development. The influence of different modifications of Revitalize liquid preparation (marka U - universal; marka Ya - for berry crops) in preparation of red raspberry microplants for the stage of adaptation to non-sterile conditions was studied. The work demonstrated the positive effect of Revitalize liquid marka Ya at the stage of adaptation for a single treatment with exogenous treatment. At the stage of pre-growing, the effectiveness of a single treatment with fertilization and a double treatment with mixed feeding was revealed.

Automatic Odor Control System in Broiler Chicken Coops Using MQ-135 And DHT 11 Sensors

Broiler chicken farm waste is in the form of spilled water and mixed feed and chicken manure which causes an unpleasant odor. These odors are called ammonia gas (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S), dimentyl sulfide, carbon disulfide and mercaptans. In broiler chicken coops the temperature and humidity needed to warm the chickens are around 25 – 29 °C and the required humidity is around 50-70%. To solve this problem, an odor control system is needed while maintaining the temperature and humidity of the coops. This research produces an automatic system to control chicken coop odors and maintain temperature and humidity. The experimental method in this study is to simulate the system on a miniature cage with a scale of 1: 8 and send data to thingspeak in real time. Changes in the temperature of the chicken coop in the morning and evening are directly proportional to the ammonia levels, but not during the day. However, ammonia levels increase during the day. Bamboo charcoal effectively neutralizes chicken coop odors by reducing the level of ammonia gas to 1 ppm in an average of 0.83 seconds. The results of this study have implications in the fields of automatic control and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Altering glycopeptide antibiotic biosynthesis through mutasynthesis allows incorporation of fluorinated phenylglycine residues.

Glycopeptide antibiotics (GPAs) are peptide natural products used as last resort treatments for antibiotic resistant bacterial infections. They are produced by the sequential activities of a linear nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), which assembles the heptapeptide core of GPAs, and cytochrome P450 (Oxy) enzymes, which perform a cascade of cyclisation reactions. The GPAs contain proteinogenic and nonproteinogenic amino acids, including phenylglycine residues such as 4-hydroxyphenylglycine (Hpg). The ability to incorporate non-proteinogenic amino acids in such peptides is a distinctive feature of the modular architecture of NRPSs, with each module selecting and incorporating a desired amino acid. Here, we have exploited this ability to produce and characterise GPA derivatives containing fluorinated phenylglycine (F-Phg) residues through a combination of mutasynthesis, biochemical, structural and bioactivity assays. Our data indicate that the incorporation of F-Phg residues is limited by poor acceptance by the NRPS machinery, and that the phenol moiety normally present on Hpg residues is essential to ensure both acceptance by the NRPS and the sequential cyclisation activity of Oxy enzymes. The principles learnt here may prove useful for the future production of GPA derivatives with more favourable properties through mixed feeding mutasynthesis approaches.

Evaluation of the impact of Organic Mix feed additive on the nutritional content of diets and physiological parameters of eventing horses

Evaluation of the impact of Organic Mix feed additive on the nutritional content of diets and physiological parameters of eventing horses

Auger feed mixer with perforated winding

The article presents the results of an analysis of existing feed mixers and feed mixer patents. Disadvantages such as high power consumption, low uniformity of mixed feed, and high metal consumption have been identified. We have presented the design of a screw feed mixer.