Monogastric Animals Research Articles

Digestive Constraints of Arthrospira platensis in Poultry and Swine Feeding.

Microalgae have emerged as novel sources for monogastric animals’ diets since they are rich in many nutrients, including proteins. Arthrospira platensis is particularly rich in proteins (up to 76% of dry matter), lipids, minerals and pigments. However, its rigid peptidoglycan cell wall interferes with the digestibility, bio-accessibility and bioavailability of nutrients for monogastric animals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the digestibility, bio-accessibility, bioavailability and protein quality of nutrients from A. platensis for poultry and swine feeding, searching all the studies available in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar in June 2022 concerning this subject. Overall, digestibility values of A. platensis proteins or amino acids varying from 66.1 to 68.7% for poultry (microalgae at 1% feed) and from 75.4 to 80.6% for swine (10% feed) have been reported. Therefore, the extraction of microalgae components using mechanical or non-mechanical pre-treatments is required to promote cell disruption and improve digestibility and bio-accessibility. Although A. platensis is a promising feedstuff to support future needs, it is important to perform more investigation concerning digestibility, dietary inclusion level and possible treatments to disrupt microalga cell walls and increase bioavailability of nutrients.

PSIX-11 The Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on the Alpha Diversity and Proteobacteria Ratio in South African Feedlot Cattle in the Finisher Phase

Abstract Probiotics are known to stabilize the microbiome especially in monogastric animals. Limited information is available on the potential effect on the rumen microbiome. Feedlot cattle are fed high concentrate diets which may result in subclinical and clinical acidosis due to dysbiosis. This can negatively affect the production and lead to morbidities and death. The alpha diversity of a microbiome population and the ratio of Proteobacteria towards Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes have been known to indicate potential dysbiosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of probiotics on the alpha diversity and Proteobacteria ratio of the rumen microbiome of feedlot cattle during the finisher phase. Thirty-six Bonsmara bulls were randomly divided into three groups and fed for 120 days; a basal diet commonly fed in South African feedlots (CTR: control), the basal diet supplemented with monensin (30 mg/animal/day; MON) or a Bacillus-based probiotic (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis; Bovacillus, Chr. Hansen A/S at 2.75 g/animal/day; BOV). Four animals from each of the groups were randomly selected for rumen content collection during the finisher phase using a stomach tube. After DNA extraction was completed, 16S rRNA sequencing (V3-V4) was performed. Alpha diversity (Shannon) and the relative abundance of the phyla was determined using phyloseq with significance (p< 0.05) determined with the Kruskal-Wallis test. In total, 41 300 ASVs and 10 phyla were identified. BOV had a significantly greater (p=0.023) alpha diversity compared with CTR and numerically greater compared with MON. The Proteobacteria ratio was greater than expected in all groups. However, the ratio was significantly less in BOV compared with CTR (p=0.028) and numerically less compared with MON. The results indicate that probiotic supplementation of feedlot cattle has the potential to stabilize the rumen microbiome by increasing the alpha diversity and decreasing the Proteobacteria ratio thereby preventing dysbiosis.

170 Improving Nutrient Value of Soybean Meal Using Characterized Novel Microbial Fermentation

Abstract Soybean meal (SBM) is a common plant-based protein source in the swine industry. Its crude protein content is 44 to 50%. However, the presence of antinutritional factors such as high molecular weight, difficult to digest proteins, phytate and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) limit its use in pigs. We aimed to use fermentation approach to improve the nutrient value of SBM. We have screened, from different sources, and identified bacterial strains that secrete cellulase, xylanase and proteinase as candidates for feedstuff fermentation. Further studies revealed that a few of them are capable of breakdown glycinin and beta-conglycinin, the major proteins in SBM that are difficult to digest and often resulted in intestinal upset in monogastric animal. Molecular characterization revealed that isolate 9 is a Bacillus subtilis strain (B. subtilis 9) secreted high level of cellulase, xylanase, and proteinase comparing to the ATCC control strain and other isolates. It grew significantly faster than the control strain. In addition, it also survived a wide range of concentrations salts and pH. When used for SBM fermentation, protein profiling of fermented SBM using SDS-PAGE revealed a significant reduction of high molecular weight proteins, especially those of glycinin and beta-conglycinin, to small peptides. On a dry matter basis, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of the fermented SBM was decreased by 34%; crude protein content was increased from 49 to 57%. Pigs fed with a diet formulated with the fermented SBM as the sole source of crude protein had significantly higher apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of dry matter (80 vs. 72 %), ash (56 vs. 36%), crude protein (84 vs. 78%), NDF (71 vs. 66%), and acid detergent fiber (62 vs. 53%) compared with the control pigs fed with unfermented soybean meal. In addition, we have recently explored the possibility of improving feed stuff fermentation efficiency combining microbial species, the effect of this approach will be discussed.

Using machine learning regression models to predict the pellet quality of pelleted feeds

Pelleted feeds are widely used in monogastric animal production systems because they not only improve animal performance (increasing digestibility and feed consumption) but are convenient to store and handle. However, pellet quality can be affected by many factors. While previous studies have reported the effect of a single or several factors on pellet quality, no studies have investigated how pellet quality can be affected by the large number of factors that vary during feed manufacturing. Therefore, the current study reports using machine learning regression models to predict pellet quality using commercial feed mill data. A dataset consisting of 2471 observations describing the pellet manufacturing process, the feed formulation, and environmental conditions (e.g. outdoor temperature) were collected from two feed mill lines for 8 months. Sixteen features (13 continuous, 3 categorical) were used for building the regression models, and the output was the pellet durability index (PDI) of the pelleted feeds. Twelve regression algorithms including Linear Regression (LR), Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, Ridge Regression (RR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Linear Support Vector Regression (LSVR), Random Forest (RF), Decision Tree (DT), Gradient Boosting Regression (GBR), Adaptive Boosting Regression (ABR), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) neural network, K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Stacking Regression (SR) were examined in this study. Feature importance analysis using permutation importance was performed to identify what features were most relevant for each model. Average outdoor temperature, bakery byproduct and wheat inclusion levels, as well as production line all had high permutation importance values, while the fat added into the mixer (with controls at the mill already in place to limit it) was less important than most features. The cleaned dataset was preprocessed and then split into a training (80 % of total samples, n = 1147) and a testing (20 % of total samples, n = 287) set. A 5-fold cross-validation process was applied and learning curves were used to verify the presence of overfitting for each algorithm before and after tuning the hyperparameters on the training set. The models that exhibited overfitting were excluded from the final results and only models with tuned hyperparameters were evaluated on the testing set. The SVR algorithm was selected as the best overall model for predicting PDI, as it had the lowest mean absolute and mean squared prediction errors (MAE = 3.280, MSPE = 16.192), and the second highest concordance correlation coefficient (CCC = 0.636). In conclusion, this study shows that feed mill features describing manufacturing parameters, feed formulation, and environmental data can be successfully used to build machine learning regression models for pellet quality prediction.

Agronomic Performance of Madre De Agua (Trichantera Gigantean Nees) Under Upland Area in Abucay, Bataan

Madre de Agua (Trichantera gigantean Nees) is forage and considered a Multiple Purpose Tree Species used for ruminants and poultry animals with a good potential source of protein and contain good amino acid. Few studies were conducted in terms of the agronomic characteristics of the Madre de Agua prior to utilization as feeds and most studies conducted were mainly conducted to feed monogastric animals. The study intends to produce data for the agronomic characteristics of Madre de Agua as planted and produces a shaded portion of the upland area in BPSU Abucay Campus, Abucay, Bataan. The following parameters were gathered; Plant Height, Leaf to Stem Ratio, Herbage Yield, and Dry Matter Yield and Soil Analysis. Moreover, the following baseline data were used: the area with an elevation of 141.1 feet above sea level with an average rainfall of 296.45mm and temperature ranges from 26oC to 30oC during the duration of the study. Fertilizer requirements are based on the result of BSWM soil analysis (30g/tree ammonium phosphate, 169g/tree Urea, and 4kg/tree organic fertilizer) applied during and after transplanting with adequate irrigation. The study was carried out using systematic random sampling for plants. The result of agronomic characteristics in upland conditions showed that the average plant height of Madre De Agua was 110.50 cm, Leaf to Stem Ratio was 65.82%/34.18% per plant, herbage yield was 556.50 grams per plant, dry matter yield (oven dry) was 87.57% per plant. The established area for the production of the Madre de Agua will be utilized to provide a continuous source of feed to small ruminants and other monogastric species for future research in animal production.

Urea Nitrogen Metabolite Can Contribute to Implementing the Ideal Protein Concept in Monogastric Animals.

Simple SummaryCan urea nitrogen metabolite contribute to implementing the ideal protein concept in monogastric animals? This work aims to critically analyse how this metabolite can contribute to accurately implementing the ideal protein concept in monogastric animals, particularly in pig, poultry, and rabbit nutrition. This information will contribute to evaluating its potential and limitations as biomarker, as well as to standardizing the use of this metabolite in precise amino acidic monogastric nutrition.The ideal protein concept refers to dietary protein with an amino acid profile that exactly meets an animal’s requirement. Low-quality protein levels in the diet have negative implications for productive and reproductive traits, and a protein oversupply is energetically costly and leads to an excessive N excretion, with potentially negative environmental impact. Urea Nitrogen (UN), which corresponds to the amount of nitrogen in the form of urea circulating in the bloodstream, is a metabolite that has been widely used to detect amino acid imbalances and deficiencies and protein requirements. This review aims to critically analyse how UN can contribute to accurately implementing the ideal protein concept in monogastric animals, particularly in pig, poultry, and rabbit nutrition (14,000 animals from 76 published trials). About 59, 37, and 4% of trials have been conducted in pigs, poultry, and rabbits, respectively. UN level was negatively correlated to main performance traits (Pearson Correlation Coefficient [PCC] of −0.98 and −0.76, for average daily gain and feed conversion ratio, respectively), and lower UN level was related to higher milk yield and concentration. High level of UN was positively correlated to N excretion (PCC = 0.99) and negatively correlated to protein retention (PCC = −0.99). Therefore, UN in blood seems to be a proper indicator of amino acid imbalance in monogastric animals. Great variability in the use of UN was observed in the literature, including uses as determination medium (blood, plasma, or serum), units, and feeding system used (ad libitum or restricted), among others. A standardization of the methods in each of the species, with the aim to harmonize comparison among works, is suggested. After review, UN measurement in plasma and, whenever possible, the utilization of the same nutritional methodology (ad libitum conditions or restriction with blood sampling after refeeding at standardised time) are recommended. More studies are necessary to know the potential of UN and other bioindicators for amino acid deficiencies evaluation to get closer to the ideal protein concept.

Use of Grape By-Products to Enhance Meat Quality and Nutritional Value in Monogastrics.

Grape by-products could be used in monogastric animals′ nutrition to reduce feeding costs with conventional crops (e.g., maize and soybean meal) and to improve meat quality. The main grape by-products with the largest expression worldwide, particularly in the Mediterranean region, are grape pomace, grape seed, grape seed oil and grape skins. These by-products are rich sources of bioactive polyphenols, dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), more specifically, the beneficial n-3 PUFA, that could be transferred to pork and poultry meat. The potential biological activities, mainly associated with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, make them putative candidates as feed supplements and/or ingredients capable of enhancing meat quality traits, such as color, lipid oxidation and shelf life. However, grape by-products face several limitations, namely, the high level of lignified cell wall and tannin content, both antinutritional compounds that limit nutrients absorption. Therefore, it is imperative to improve grape by-products’ bioavailability, taking advantage of enzyme supplementation or pretreatment processes, to use them as feed alternatives contributing to boost a circular agricultural economy. The present review summarizes the current applications and challenges of using grape by-products from the agro-industrial sector in pig and poultry diets aiming at improving meat quality and nutritional value.

Introducing the special issue ‘Insects on the monogastric menu’

Interest in insects as feed ingredients in poultry, swine and rabbit is growing rapidly. The protein fraction has been studied most, but research on other nutrients from insects and a deeper understanding of beneficial aspects of the use of insects is gaining traction. Since September 2021 it is legally allowed to include insect proteins in feed for poultry and pigs and the number of publications on applications of insect products in these livestock animals is increasing. Publishing open access ensures the engagement of all stakeholders in the insect chain and parties involved in using the end products in animal feed. For this reason, the Journal of Insects as Food and Feed has composed an open access special issue focussing on applications of insect products in monogastric animal nutrition. The special issue touches on aspects related to nutrition, health, welfare, safety, socio-economic and consumer issues.

Does supplementing β-mannanase modulate the feed-induced immune response and gastrointestinal ecology in poultry and pigs? An appraisal

The provision of adequate and balanced nutrients is critical for efficient and profitable animal protein production. However, non-nutritive components in feedstuffs can elicit responses that can negatively impact nutrient utilization efficiency. For example, dietary β-mannans are recognizable by cell surface mannose receptors are pivotal for diverse cellular functions. This review will evaluate the physiological implications of dietary native β-mannans, the utility of supplemental feed β-mannanase in hydrolyzing β-mannans, and subsequent metabolic responses. Dietary native β-mannans have been implicated in inadvertent stimulation of immune response through a phenomenon called the feed-induced immune response (FIIR), that has been associated with intestinal inflammation and depression in animal performance. Supplemental β-mannanase blunted the FIIR by hydrolyzing native β-mannans to smaller fragments with a reduced ability to stimulate the innate immune system as indicated by the modulation of oxidative stress, mucosal permeability, and blood concentration of acute phase proteins and immunoglobulins in broilers and piglet models. Moreover, β-mannanase hydrolysis of native β-mannans to mannooligosaccharides (MOS) impacted gastrointestinal microbial ecology. Indeed, β-mannanase-derived MOS reduced the concentration of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids in gastrointestinal tracts of various animal models. Consequently, by hydrolyzing native β-mannans, supplemental β-mannanase may have nutritional, metabolic, and microbial ecology benefits. In summary, integrating multi-functional feed additives such as β-mannanase into feeding programs for monogastric animals will be critical for efficient and sustainable animal protein production in the context of evolving challenges such as the mandated elimination of use of antibiotics for growth promotion.

Grape By-Products as Feedstuff for Pig and Poultry Production.

Simple SummaryGrape is one of the most produced fruits worldwide for juice and winery industries. Grape by-products include grape pomace, grape seed, and grape-seed oil, and are valuable, although underexplored, ingredients for pig and poultry feeding. Indeed, they are rich in fiber and bioactive phenolic compounds, which makes them promising sources to partially replace conventional and unsustainable feedstuffs. However, grape by-products are mostly discarded or misused (e.g., landfills) with a negative environmental impact. The present review focuses on the effects of grape by-products on poultry and pig production. Overall, these dietary sources could improve piglet growth when added up to 9% feed, conversely to poultry where this result was only obtained using by-products up to 3%. The beneficial effect on animal growth performance is caused by the presence of nutritional and bioactive compounds with consequent enhancement of intestinal health. The incorporation of high levels of grape by-products in poultry diets can impair growth performance due to the presence of anti-nutritional compounds. Therefore, the use of processes, such as enzymatic supplementation and pre-treatments, to degrade or inhibit these compounds, should be further explored to allow grape by-products to be used as feed ingredients for monogastric animals.Grape by-products are exceptional options for replacement of conventional and unsustainable feed sources, since large amounts are generated every year from the winery industry. However, the majority is wasted with severe environmental and economic consequences. The present review aimed to evaluate the effects of grape by-products on pig and poultry growth performance. The most recent literature was reviewed using ScienceDirect and PubMed databases and the results of a total of 16 and 38 papers for pigs and poultry, respectively, were assessed. Fewer studies are documented for pig, but the incorporation of grape by-products up to 9% feed led to an improvement in growth performance with an increase in average daily gain. Conversely, lower levels (<3% feed) are needed to achieve these results in poultry. The beneficial effects of grape by-products on animal performance are mainly due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and gut morphology modulator properties, but their high level of cell wall lignification and content of polyphenolic compounds (e.g., tannin) limits nutrient digestion and absorption by monogastric animals. The use of exogenous enzymes or mechanical/chemical processes can provide additional nutritional value to these products by improving nutrient bioavailability. Overall, the valorization of grape by-products is imperative to use them as feed alternatives and intestinal health promoters, thereby contributing to boost circular agricultural economy.

An insight into the potential of berberine in animal nutrition: Current knowledge and future perspectives.

In animal nutrition, the interest for novel feed additives has expanded with elevating industry standards and consumer awareness besides the demand for healthy animal-derived food products. Consumer and animal health are leading concerns dictating the importance of novel animal feed additives. Berberine (BBR) is a natural pentacyclic isoquinoline alkaloid that has exhibited diverse pharmacological properties, including metabolism-regulating, hepatoprotective, and inflammatory alleviative in addition to its antioxidant activity. Despite detailed information on cellular mechanisms associated with BBR therapeutics, and strong clinical evidence, only a few studies have focused on BBR applied to animal nutrition. However, great pieces of evidence have shown that dietary BBR supplementation could result in improved growth performance, enhanced oxido-inflammatory markers, and mitigated metabolic dysfunctions in both monogastric and ruminant animals. The data discussed in the present review may set the basis for further research on BBR in animal diets for developing novel strategies aiming to improve animal health as well as products with beneficial properties for humans.

Exploring Bacterial Attributes That Underpin Symbiont Life in the Monogastric Gut.

The large bowel of monogastric animals, such as that of humans, is home to a microbial community (microbiota) composed of a diversity of mostly bacterial species. Interrelationships between the microbiota as an entity and the host are complex and lifelong and are characteristic of a symbiosis. The relationships may be disrupted in association with disease, resulting in dysbiosis. Modifications to the microbiota to correct dysbiosis require knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms by which symbionts inhabit the gut. This review aims to summarize aspects of niche fitness of bacterial species that inhabit the monogastric gut, especially of humans, and to indicate the research path by which progress can be made in exploring bacterial attributes that underpin symbiont life in the gut.

Characteristics of recombinant xylanase from camel rumen metagenome and its effects on wheat bran hydrolysis

In the present study, we explored the effects of a novel xylanase from camel rumen metagenome (CrXyn) on wheat bran hydrolysis. CrXyn was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and showed maximum activity at 40 °C and pH 7.0. Furthermore, CrXyn exhibited preferential hydrolysis of xylan, but no obvious activity toward other substrates, including carboxymethylcellulose and Avicel. Using wheat straw xylan as a substrate, the Km and Vmax values for CrXyn were 5.98 g/L and 179.9 μmol xylose/min/mg protein, respectively. Mn2+ was a strong accelerator and significantly enhanced CrXyn activity. However, CrXyn activity was inhibited (~50 %) by 1 mM and 5 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and completely inactivated by 5 mM Cu2+. CrXyn tolerated 5 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and 15 % methanol, ethanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), with >50 % residual activity. CrXyn effectively hydrolyzed wheat bran, with xylobiose and xylotetraose accounting for 79.1 % of total sugars produced. A remarkable synergistic effect was found between CrXyn and protease, leading to an obvious increase in amino acids released from wheat bran compared with the control. CrXyn also enhanced the in vitro hydrolysis of wheat bran. Thus, CrXyn exhibits great potential as a feed additive to improve the utilization of wheat bran in monogastric animal production.

Bioactives and Extracellular Enzymes Obtained from Fermented Macrofungi Cultivated in Cotton and Jatropha Seed Cakes.

This work focused on obtaining fermented oil cake (cotton or Jatropha) via macrofungi growth with potential characteristics for animal feed formulations, such as the presence of extracellular enzymes, bioactive (ergosterol and antioxidants), and detoxification of antinutritional compounds. The concentration of phorbol esters was reduced by four macrofungi in Jatropha seed cake (JSC) to non-toxic levels. At least two macrofungi efficiently degraded free gossypol in cottonseed cake (CSC). Fermentation with Coriolopsis sp. INPA1646 and Tyromyces sp. INPA1696 resulted in increased ergosterol concentrations, antioxidant activity reduction, and high activity of laccases and proteases. Bromatological analysis indicated high crude protein concentrations, with partial solubilization by fungal proteases. Fermented products from Coriolopsis sp. and Tyromyces sp. in JSC or CSC can be considered important biological inputs for monogastric and polygastric animal feed.

Introgression of the low phytic acid locus (lpa2) into elite maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB)

Phytic acid (PA) is an important antinutritional component in maize that affects the availability of major micro-nutrients like di- and multi-valent mineral cations like iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn). The long-term consumption of maize as a staple food crop leads to micronutrient malnutrition especially iron and zinc deficiency in the human population. In addition, it also acts as a storehouse of a major part of mineral phosphorous (P), approximately 80% of the total P stored as phytate P is not available to mono-gastric animals like humans and poultry birds, and it gets excreted as such, leading to one of the major environmental pollution called eutrophication. Of the various low phytic acid (lpa) mutants, lpa2-2 generated through mutagenesis reduces PA by 30%. BML 6 and BML 45, the parents of the popular maize hybrid DHM 121 with high PA were selected to introgress lpa2-2 through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB). The percent recurrent parental genome (RPG) in the selected BC2F2 plants ranged from 88.68 to 91.04% and 90.09–91.51% in the genetic background of BML 6 and BML 45, respectively. Based on the highest percentage of RPG, best five BC2F2 plants, viz., #3190, #3283, #3230, #3263 and #3292 with RPG 88.68–91.04% in the genetic background of BML 6 and #3720, #3776, #3717, #3828 and #3832 with RPG 90.09–91.51% in the genetic background of BML 45 were advanced to BC2F3. The newly developed near-isogenic lines (NILs) possessed low phytate content (2.37 mg/g in BML 6 and 2.40 mg/g in BML 45) compared to 3.59 mg/g and 3.16 mg/g in recurrent parents BML 6 and BML 45, respectively thereby reducing the phytate by an average of 34 and 24 per cent, respectively. These newly developed progenies were similar to their recurrent parents for various morphological traits. These inbreds assume great significance in alleviating Fe and Zn deficiencies in worldwide.

Aberrant RNA splicing of the phytic acid synthesis gene inositol-1,3,4 trisphosphate 5/6-kinase in a low phytic acid soybean line

ABSTRACT Most phosphorus is stored as phytic acid in plant seed, although it is considered an anti-nutrient compound that reduces the bioavailability of minerals in monogastric animals. Low-phytic acid (LP) crops improve mineral bioavailability in monogastric animals, which can decrease environmental pollution due to phosphorus. Recently, we reported a newly developed LP soybean line by crossing the LP line CX1834 and Japanese normal phytic acid cultivar Natto-kotsubu (Natto), which showed superior traits in seedling emergence, growth, and yield compared with CX1834. The molecular mechanism underlying the LP trait in the LP line remains unclear. The LP line was used for a de novo RNA-Seq analysis, and we illustrated the aberrant RNA splicing of the phytic acid synthase gene inositol-1,3,4 trisphosphate 5/6-kinase 3 (GmITPK3) in the LP line. The expression level of phytic acid biosynthesis-related genes and inositol phosphate isomer concentrations were investigated. A de novo RNA-Seq analysis revealed that the intron retention (IR) transcript of GmITPK3 is highly expressed in the leaves of the LP line. Although expressed in both, the relative abundances of multiple IR transcripts were significantly higher in the LP line than that in the Natto cultivar. The IR transcripts of GmITPK3 encoding truncated proteins were missing an essential domain for their activity, while one possibly contained an abnormal ligand binding site. The relative abundance of IR transcripts was 1.9- to 5.4-times higher in the LP line than that in the Natto cultivar during seed development; accordingly, the production of phytic acid and its precursors in the developing seeds was lower in the LP line than that in the Natto cultivar. No mutation was detected at the exon–intron junction, where a splicing error occurs in GmITPK3 of the LP line, implying that a splicing error is attributed to unknown splicing factor genes involved in the splicing regulation of GmITPK3. Our results provide insights into the possible involvement of splicing errors in GmITPK3 for the trait of low phytic acid production in the LP line.

Selection of pretreatment method and mannanase enzyme to improve the functionality of palm kernel cake

Palm kernel cake (PKC) is a by-product of palm kernel oil extraction with moderate nutritional value, containing 30-35% β-mannan, which is indigestible, slows growth, and reduces feed efficiency. PKC can be improved by mannanase hydrolysis, but the effectiveness of mannanase is dependent on the microbial source. Thus, the effect of steam pretreatment and bacterial mannanases on PKC quality was investigated. PKC was pretreated by steaming and hydrolyzed in the small intestine by various mannanases. The contents of reducing sugar, total sugar, and protein release were measured. Steamed PKC had a significant increase in protein (16.95±0.14 to 20.98±0.13%) and a substantial decrease in hemicellulose (29.52±0.44 to 3.46±0.88%) and lignin (8.94±0.28 to 1.40±0.22%). Mannanases from Escherichia coli-KMAN-3 and E.coli-Man6.7 recorded the highest activities, followed by commercial mannanase, Bacillus circulans NT6.7 and B. amyloliquefaciens NT6.3 mannanases, orderly. B.circulans NT6.7 and B.amyloliquefaciens NT6.3 had multi-activities that include glucanase (3.10±0.04% and 2.47±0.02%) and amylase (1.74±0.03% and 1.38±0.04%), respectively. B.amyloliquefaciens NT6.3 mannanase hydrolyzed steamed PKC to release more reducing sugar, total sugar, and protein than hydrolyzed raw PKC. In raw and steamed PKC, B.amyloliquefaciens NT6.3 mannanase produced the highest reducing sugar release. As a result, steam pretreatment and mannanase hydrolysis, particularly from B.amyloliquefaciens, can be used to increase the functioning of PKC and develop new feed ingredients for monogastric animals at a reasonable cost.

In vitro assessment of protein digestibility and mineral solubility of black soldier fly larvae meals for monogastric animals

Animal farming is a fast-growing sector which demands a large supply of feed materials and the search for novel feed ingredients with a smaller impact on the global environment has been intensified. However, before the inclusion of these feed ingredients in animal feed, a preliminary assessment of the quality and performance is needed. This evaluation is usually done by in vivo feeding trials, but in vitro digestion methods have been successfully used for gathering information regarding the nutritional value of the different feed components. Therefore, in this work, an in vitro digestion method was developed using black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meals. The method included seven experimental variables, namely: pH in stomach, pH in intestine, reaction time in stomach, reaction time in intestine, enzyme concentration in stomach, enzyme concentration in intestine and temperature. The experimental variables were screened by means of a fractional factorial design (27-2) that allowed to select the concentration of enzyme in the intestine and temperature (at 7 U and 37 °C, respectively) as the most influential factors on amino acid and mineral solubility in BSF larvae meal. Performing the in vitro digestibility at 37 °C with pH of the stomach and intestine at 2 and 9, reaction time in the stomach and intestine at 1 hour and 4 hours and concentration of enzyme in the stomach and intestine at 1 U and 7 U resulted in the highest overall nutrient solubility. This optimised in vitro digestion methodology was used to assess the nutritional stability of three batches of BSF meals delivered by the same producer. The in vitro digestion method was able to reveal differences between the three batches of BSF meals.

In vitro and in vivo Studies of Soybean Peptides on Milk Production, Rumen Fermentation, Ruminal Bacterial Community, and Blood Parameters in Lactating Dairy Cows.

Soybean peptides (SPs), a feed additive derived from soybean, exhibit nutritional function and biological activity in monogastric animals, but limited studies have been conducted in dairy cows. Our experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of SPs on the nutrient degradability of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in vitro and milk production, rumen fermentation and bacterial community, and blood parameters of dairy cows. For in vitro experiment, ruminal fluids were collected from three ruminal cannulated Holstein dairy cows. A total of three levels of SPs (0, 0.38, and 1.92 g/kg DM of SPs) were added to the total mixed ration (TMR). Nutrient degradability and fermentation fluid pH were determined at 24 and 48 h using 3.0 g samples of the substrate. Gas production after 48 h was recorded by an automated trace gas recording system using 0.5 g samples of the substrate. The results showed that DM, NDF, ADF (p < 0.01), and CP (p < 0.05) degradabilities were significantly increased at 1.92 g/kg DM of SPs at 24 h, and asymptotic gas production (p = 0.05) was increased at 48 h. For in vivo experiment, 110 lactating Holstein cows (209.7 ± 65.2 DIM; 37.2 ± 6.4 kg/d milk yield) were randomly assigned to 0 (control group, CON) or 50 g/head/day SPs (SP-supplemented group). Yields of milk (p < 0.05), milk protein (p < 0.05), and milk lactose (0.05 < p < 0.10) increased on SPs supplementation; however, the milk fat percentage decreased (p < 0.05). The concentrations of individual volatile fatty acids (VFAs) (p < 0.05) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p < 0.01) were also increased. Rumen bacterial diversity in SP-supplemented cows was higher (p < 0.05). The relative abundances of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Butyrivibrio, Selenomonas, and Shuttleworthia were significantly increased and that of Coprococcus was decreased (p < 0.05). Our results showed that supplementing 1.92 g/kg DM of SPs could improve the nutrient degradability in vitro and 50 g/head/day of SPs could improve milk production and antioxidant ability of dairy cows. The rumen bacterial diversity was also enhanced by SP supplementation.

Upcycling Canola Meal as Compared to Soybean Meal by Fungal Bioconversion for Potential Monogastric Animal Nutrition

Canola meal (CM) produced after oil extraction has potential to be used as a nutrient-rich feeding ingredient for monogastric animals if its fiber and anti-nutritional factors can be reduced while essential amino acids (AA) are increased. Fungal bioconversion provides a way of improving feeding value in CM for monogastric animals. This study explored the effects of three fungal strains namely, Rhizopus oryzae (R. oryzae), Mucor indicus (M. indicus), and Trichoderma reesei (T. reesei), via solid state fermentation, on profiles of AA, structure carbohydrates (SC), sinapic acid, and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of CM with and without supplement of urea as a nitrogen source. Soybean meal (SM) was investigated at the same condition as CM for comparison. Flask trials using each substrate with 70% moisture content (MC) were conducted for 192 h at 28 °C. T. reesei was determined as the most effective fungal strain due to its higher improvement of total AA by 10.7%, and threonine (Thr), methionine (Met), and lysine (Lys) by 19.2%, 20.4%, and 14.4%, respectively, when 1% N urea was supplied. T. reesei also degraded more SC (up to 26.6%) and produced more digestible sugars, compared to other strains. In addition, T. reesei treated SM and CM showed higher IVDMD than non-treated compared with other fungi. This study demonstrated the feasibility of fungal strain in improving feeding value of CM and SM for better monogastric animal diet.Graphical Abstract