PC Diet Research Articles

Evaluation of protease plus a precision-biotic on body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in broilers from 0 to 42 days of age

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a protease combination with a precision biotic on body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers from day 0 to 42. 1,400 Cobb 500 male chicks were reared on seven different diets, including an unrestricted positive control (PC–Diet 1) and a negative control (NC–Diet 2) with slightly reduced crude protein, apparent metabolizable energy (AME), and digestible amino acids. Five additional treatment diets were formulated using the negative control and varying concentrations of a protease (Diets 3-4; 33ppm and 50ppm, respectively) and in combination with a precision biotic (Diets 5-7; 33ppm + 700ppm; 50ppm + 500ppm; and 50ppm + 700ppm, respectively). The PC treatment showed significantly different feed intake and FCR compared to all other treatments in all production phases (P < 0.05). There are no significant differences in non-PC treatments in all production phases for BWG and FCR (starter p=0.230 and 0.300; grower p=0.443 and 0.237; finisher p=0.450 and 0.896; overall p=0.111 and 0.497, respectively), nor is there any in terms of mortality (p=0.800). These findings may provide valuable information to producers to optimize flock performance efficiently and cost-effectively.

Effects of cinnamon, rosemary and oregano on growth performance, blood biochemistry, liver enzyme activities, excreta microbiota and ileal morphology of Campylobacter jejuni-challenged broiler chickens.

Phytogenic additives would be helpful to mitigate the detrimental impact of Campylobacter jejuni on broiler chickens. The experiment aimed to assess the effects of cinnamon, rosemary and oregano powder on physiological responses of broiler chickens challenged with C. jejuni from 0 to 42 days of age. A total of 192 one-day-old male broiler chickens were divided into 6 treatment groups. The treatments included: negative control (NC; basal diet without additives and no C. jejuni challenge), positive control (PC; basal diet with C. jejuni challenge), PC with cinnamon, rosemary or oregano powder (3g/kg each), and PC with Erythromycin (55mg/kg). Except for the NC group, all chicks were orally challenged with 2×108CFU/mL C. jejuni daily from days 21-25. Feed intake, body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), energy efficiency ratio (EER) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were assessed during the rearing period (0-42 days). On day 42 of age, fresh excreta samples were collected from each pen to determine apparent dry matter digestibility and excreta microbiota. In addition, at the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected to evaluate blood profile and liver enzyme activities. C. jejuni challenge (PC treatment) decreased BWG, EER and PER, while increasing FCR of broiler chickens (p<0.05), whereas rosemary, oregano and Erythromycin improved these performance parameters akin to NC. PC diet showed negative effect in ileal morphology, alleviated by additives except cinnamon (p<0.05). Dietary additives successfully reduced Campylobacter levels and increased Lactobacilli counts in the PC. Rosemary and oregano lowered plasma total cholesterol (p<0.05). Alanine aminotransferase elevation by C. jejuni challenge in the PC group was prevented by rosemary, oregano and Erythromycin (p<0.05). Oregano and rosemary alleviate the impact of C. jejuni challenge.

PSI-30 Effects of high canola meal diet with acidifiers supplementation on cecal microbiota of nursery pigs

Abstract Inclusion of canola meal (CM) in swine diets is typically limited stemming from the presence of glucosinolates (Gls), which can reduce growth performance and cause thyroid dysfunction in nursery pigs. While certain members of hindgut bacterial communities are capable of degrading dietary Gls, which would mitigate their detrimental effects, they have yet to be identified. Moreover, lowering the pH in the hindgut of the pig can break down Gls into less toxic compounds, potentially reducing harm. Thus, this study aimed to characterize major bacterial species populating the hindgut of nursery pigs fed a high CM diet supplemented with acidifier and encapsulated butyrate. A total of 315 nursery pigs weaned at 21 d old, average body weight (BW) 6.0 ± 1.2 kg, were assigned to one of five dietary treatments with 9 replicate pens (7 pigs/pen) in a randomized complete block design. The dietary treatments included PC: a corn-soybean meal-based diet with 20% CM, NC: a corn-soybean meal-based diet with 40% CM, NC+A: NC diet supplemented with an acidifier at 1,500 ppm, NC+B: NC diet supplemented with encapsulated butyrate at 500 ppm, and NC+A+B: NC diet supplemented with both an acidifier and encapsulated butyrate. All diets were formulated to meet or exceed the nutrient requirements of NRC (2012). At the end of the feeding trial (6 wk), one pig from each pen was euthanized to collect fresh cecal digesta. Samples were analyzed using the 16S rRNA gene through PCR-amplification of the V1-V3 regions from microbial genomic DNA, followed by Illumina MiSeq 2X300 sequencing. A comparative analysis of the highly represented taxonomic groups and operational taxonomic units (OTU) using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis sum-rank test and Wilcoxon pairwise test identified candidate bacterial groups or species enriched across different diets. Bacillota was the predominant phylum across all diets, ranging from 83.2% to 86.3%. At the genus level, Lachnospiracea incertae sedis was less abundant in the NC diets with acidifier (Acidifier effect, P &amp;lt; 0.05), whereas Dialister was less in the NC diets with encapsulated butyrate (Butyrate effect, P &amp;lt; 0.05). The OTU Ssd-00001 (Lactobacillus amylovorus, 99.6%) tended to be greater in the cecal microbiota of pigs fed the NC diets with acidifier (Acidifier effect, P = 0.09). Interestingly, OTU Ssd-00188 (Agathobacter rectalis, 99.2%) tended to be higher in PC diet than in NC diet (P = 0.06), while its abundance was less in the cecal microbiota of pigs fed the NC diets with acidifier (Acidifier effect, P = 0.09). In conclusion, these results provide valuable insights into the microbiome of pigs fed high CM diets. Understanding the interplay between microbial communities and high CM diet with acidifier supplementation is crucial for optimizing swine diets and mitigating challenges associated with the antinutritional effects of dietary Gls from CM.

496 Effects of sodium metabisulfite (SMBS) and SMBS-containing lipid microparticles on the performance and intestinal barrier functions of weanling piglets challenged by deoxynivalenol-contaminated diets

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of sodium metabisulfite (SMBS) and SMBS-containing hydrogenated palm oil (HS) microparticles on the growth performance and intestinal barrier functions of weanling piglets challenged by deoxynivalenol (DON)-contaminated diets. Four corn-soybean-meal based diets were used: 1) negative control (NC, 0.00 mg/kg of DON); 2) positive control (PC, 3.3 mg/kg of DON); 3) SMBS (PST, 3.3 mg/kg of DON and 0.2% of SMBS); and 4) HS microparticles (HST, 3.3 mg/kg of DON and 0.45% of HS microparticles). Weaned piglets (n = 40) with similar body weights (BW; 8.22 ± 0.39 kg, 10 pigs/treatment) were fed for 28 d, including a 1-wk adjustment and 3 wk for exposure. Piglets subjected to the PC diet exhibited a noteworthy reduction in final BW by 13.3%, average daily gain (ADG) by 21.4%, and average daily feed intake (ADFI) by 20.1% compared with those on the NC diet (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Compared with the PC diet, the PST and HST diets increased by 6.76% and 4.31% in final BW (P &amp;lt; 0.05), 13.6% and 8.60% in ADG (P &amp;lt; 0.05), and 9.15% and 9.71% in ADFI (P &amp;lt; 0.05), respectively. No significant differences were detected in these values between the NC, PST, and HST diets (P &amp;gt; 0.05). There were no significant variations observed in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the four dietary treatments (P &amp;gt; 0.05). Feeding the PC diet to piglets led to a significant increase in the fecal score compared with the NC and HST diets (P &amp;lt; 0.05). No significant differences were detected in the mRNA expression levels of nutrient transporters and tight junction proteins among these four diets (P &amp;gt; 0.05). Additionally, compared with the NC diet, the PC diet significantly increased the mRNA abundance of Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4; P &amp;lt; 0.05); however, a decreased mRNA abundance of IL-8 and TNF-α was observed in the pigs fed the HST diet (P &amp;lt; 0.05), indicating that the encapsulated SMBS from the HS microparticles could have the potential to mitigate the effects of DON. Overall, adding 0.45% of HS microparticles to a 3.3 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet in piglets could maintain the growth performance, and using the HS microparticles revealed some potential in DON detoxification by reducing the gene expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Phytase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and cocci vaccination to broilers fed a calcium and phosphorus-reduced diet under Eimeria spp. challenge: effects on growth performance and intestinal health

A study evaluated the effects of phytase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD), and cocci vaccination on broilers fed a diet reduced in calcium (Ca) and available phosphorus (avP) under Eimeria challenge. A total of 840 one-day-old male broilers were assigned to a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement based on cocci vaccination and dietary treatments. Half of the birds were vaccinated against coccidia on d 1, and all birds were orally challenged with Eimeria spp. (sporulated oocysts: 12,500 of E. maxima, 12,500 of E. tenella, and 62,500 of E. acervulina) on d 14. Dietary treatments included: 1) a nutrient adequate diet (PC); 2) a diet reduced by 0.2% in Ca and avP (NC); 3) NC plus 1,500 FTU/kg of phytase (NC+PHY); 4) NC plus 3,000 IU/kg of 25OHD (NC+25OHD); 5) NC with both PHY and 25OHD (NC+PHY+25OHD). SAS was used for data analysis, with significance set at P ≤ 0.05. Pre-infection growth performance was comparable across the treatments. However, vaccinated birds exhibited higher body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) from 0 to 6 d postinoculation (DPI; P < 0.05). The NC diet reduced BWG from 6 to 12 DPI and increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) during 6 to 12 DPI and the overall period (0-26 d) compared to the PC birds. In contrast, the supplementation with phytase, 25OHD, or both, returned BWG and FCR to levels seen with the PC diet (P < 0.01). Vaccinated birds also had reduced gut permeability at 5 DPI, increased intestinal villus height, and lower expression levels of the tight junction proteins junctional adhesion molecule 2 (JAM2) and occludin (OCLN) at 6 DPI (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the cocci vaccine resulted in lower E. acervulina but higher E. tenella oocyst shedding at 6 DPI (P < 0.01). Interaction effects were observed for duodenal lesion scores and ileal crypt depth at 6 DPI (P < 0.05). In conclusion, coccidial vaccination improved growth performance, decreased intestinal permeability, enhanced intestinal morphology, and modulated tight junction protein gene expression under Eimeria infection. Reducing dietary Ca and avP levels adversely affected growth performance and FI during the recovery phase, but these negative effects could be mitigated by supplementing with phytase or 25OHD.

Adding mixed probiotic to a low-crude-protein diet: Effects on production efficiency, nutrient retention, faecal gas discharge, faecal score and meat quality of finishing pigs.

This study examined the impact of mixed probiotic inclusion in a reduced crude protein (CP) diet on production performance, nutrient retention, gas emissions, faecal score and meat quality of finishing pigs. In total, 150 pigs (body weight [BW] of 49.9 ± 2.80 kg and 6-week trial) were arbitrarily distributed to one of three dietary treatments (10 replications per treatment, five pigs including three gilts and two barrows per replication). The dietary treatments were Positive Control/standard diet, 17.5% CP (PC); Negative Control/reduced (2.5%) CP diet, 15% CP (NC); and NC + 0.1% probiotic mix (NCP). Pigs fed the NCP diet exhibited tendency to increase BW gain at Week 6, increased the average daily gain (ADG) of pigs during Weeks 3-6 and showed tendency to increase ADG during the overall period than the NC diet. The CP digestibility decreased at Week 6 and presented a tendency to decrease at Week 3 in pigs fed the NC diet compared with the PC diet. However, CP digestibility increased with the NCP diet at Weeks 3 and 6 compared with the NC diet. A tendency in the reduction of H2S emissions from pig's faeces at Weeks 3 and 6 was observed by the NCP diet compared with NC and PC diets. Pigs fed the NC diet showed a lower faecal score than the PC diet at Week 6. The NC diet resulted in lower cooking loss and drip loss to the PC diet. Moreover, longissimus muscle area showed tendency to increase, cooking loss exhibited tendency to decrease and drip loss decreased in the meat samples of pigs receiving the NCP diet compared with the NC diet alone. The NCP diet exhibited great promise in maintaining performance by enhancing the growth performance, digestibility, mitigating gas emissions and improving the quality of meat in finishing pigs.

Beneficial effects of advanced chelate technology-based 7-minerals in aflatoxin-B1 challenged broilers: toxin residue reduction, serum biochemical improvement and modulation of the mRNA expression of NF-kB and Nrf2, and genes within their pathways.

Organic trace minerals (TM) offer superior nutritional benefits because of their stable structure, making their addition to broiler diets potentially beneficial during challenging periods such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination. The present study evaluated the impacts of different replacement levels of inorganic TM (ITM) with advanced chelate technology-based TM (ACTM) on the growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant indicators, and some inflammatory and immune parameters of broilers fed diets contaminated with AFB1. A 42-day experiment involved randomly assigning 1-day-old broiler chickens (n = 480) to one of five dietary treatments, each with six replicates. The treatments were as follows: (1) NC: basal diet without AFB1 and recommended ITM levels; (2) PC: basal diet with 0.5 mg kg-1 AFB1 and recommended ITM levels; (3) TB: PC diet +1 g kg-1 toxin binder; (4) ACTM50: replacement of ITM with 50% ACTM in the PC diet; and (5) ACTM100: replacement of ITM with 100% ACTM in the PC diet. Compared with PC treatment, ACTM100 treatment resulted in increased (P < 0.05) body weight gain, serum zinc and glutathione concentrations, immunoglobulin Y level, antioxidant enzyme activities, and hepatic gene expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, glutathione peroxidase-1, superoxide dismutase-1 and transforming growth factor beta 1. The ACTM100 group also exhibited decreased AFB1 residue in the liver and kidney, serum alanine transaminase activity and malondialdehyde concentration, and hepatic gene expression levels of nuclear factor-kappa B and interferon-gamma (P < 0.05). These values were comparable to those recorded in the TB and NC treatments. In conclusion, completely replacing ITM with ACTM can benefit the metabolism and mitigate AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative damage in chickens by altering the mRNA expression of nuclear factor-kappa B and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and some genes downstream their signaling pathways. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Strategy combining mammalian fats with supplementation of pungent spices in aquafeeds, to mitigate negative impacts of fish oil replacement in fish performance, fillet quality and hepatic condition of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

The replacement of fish oil (FO) in aquafeeds usually leads to imbalances in the dietary content of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), with negative consequences for fish performance, health, and fillet quality. Animal-rendered fats are an alternative lipid source high in saturated fatty acids, potentially sparing n-3 PUFA from oxidation, and with lower n-6 PUFA contents than plant-based oils, especially in the case of mammalian fats (MF). Hence, this work assessed the effect of replacing 45% FO by MF (negative control, NC) compared to a diet containing only FO (positive control, PC) in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata, initial body weight: 85 ± 4 g, mean ± standard deviation) at low water temperature. In addition, we studied the effect of supplementing the NC diet with a combination of pungent spices with hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory properties at three inclusion levels: 0.05 (SPICY0.05%), 0.1 (SPICY0.1%), and 0.15% (SPICY0.15%). At the end of the trial (112 days), FO substitution by MF led to poorer fish performance in terms of body weight (BW), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Supplementation of the NC diet with spices numerically improved SGR, FCR and PER at all inclusion levels (non-significantly different from the PC group), being FCR and PER significantly different from the NC group in the SPICY0.1% and SPICY0.15% treatments. A remarkable increase in lipid level was observed in fillets of fish fed the NC diet, but was fully counteracted by spice supplementation, especially in fish fed the SPICY0.15% diet. A lower fat accumulation was also found in the liver of fish fed the SPICY0.1% and SPICY0.15% diets, with respect to the PC and NC groups. The fillets' fatty acid profile mostly reflected the diet composition, but the SPICY0.15% diet modified it in an inverse direction to that observed in the NC, to more closely resemble the profile of fish fed the PC diet. In particular, the SPICY0.15% diet reduced fillet levels of MUFA, linoleic and linolenic acids, and increased n-3 LC-PUFA (including EPA and DHA), compared to the NC. A microarray-based transcriptomic analysis revealed a better hepatic health status, as indicated by different biological processes associated to immunity. Overall, supplementation with the combination of pungent spices at 0.15% enabled the incorporation of alternative lipid sources, such as MF, in aquafeeds without significantly compromising growth and feeding performance, liver health, and quality of the edible product.

Nutraceuticals vs. antibiotic growth promoters: differential impacts on performance, meat quality, blood lipids, cecal microbiota, and organ histomorphology of broiler chicken

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutraceuticals vs. in-feed antibiotics on performance, blood lipids, antioxidant capacity, cecal microbiota, and organ histomorphology of broiler chickens. A total of 320 one-day-old male broiler chickens were distributed into 5 treatment groups with 8 replicates each. The control group was fed on a basal diet without any additives (NC); the antibiotic group was fed on a basal diet supplemented with 100 mg kg-1 avilamycin (PC); the algal group was fed on a basal diet supplemented with a mixture of Spirulina platensis and Chlorella vulgaris (1.5 g + 1.5 g/kg feed) (SP+CV); the essential oil group was fed with a basal diet containing 300 mg/kg feed rosemary oil (REO); and the probiotics group (a mixture of 1 × 1011 CFU/g Bacillus licheniformis, 1 × 1011 CFU/g Enterococcus facieum, 1 × 1010 CFU/g Lactobacillus acidophilus, and 2 × 108 CFU /g Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was fed with a basal diet supplemented with 0.05% probiotics (PRO). The experiment lasted for 35 d. A beneficial effect of SP+CV and PRO (P < 0.01) was noticed on final body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and breast yield. The dietary supplementation with SP+CV, REO, and PRO increased (P < 0.001) broilers' cecal lactic acid bacteria count compared to the control. Lower cecal Clostridium perfringens and Coliform counts (P < 0.001) were noticed in chickens fed the PC and supplemental diets. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was decreased, while glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase, and catalase enzymes were increased in the breast and thigh meat (P < 0.001) of broiler chickens fed SP+CV, REO, and PRO diets. Dietary SP+CV, REO, and PRO supplementation decreased (P < 0.001) serum total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and MDA, but increased serum high-density lipoprotein and GPx compared to PC and NC. No pathological lesions were noticed in the liver, kidney, or breast muscle among broilers. The SP+CV, REO, and PRO groups had greater (P < 0.001) intestinal villi height and crypt depth while lower goblet cell densities (P < 0.01) than the control. The present findings suggest that PRO and SP+CV, followed by REO could be suitable alternatives to in-feed antibiotics for enhancing the performance, health, and meat quality of broiler chickens.

Effects of dietary supplementation with macroalgae on sperm quality and antioxidant system in Senegalese sole

Within the efforts in the search for novel feed ingredients in aquaculture, macroalgae are being widely explored due to their diversity of bioactive compounds with considerable prophylactic and therapeutic potential. Plocamium cartilagineum and Sargassum vulgare, have the potential to positively impact fish health, mainly due to their antioxidant properties. The production of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) still faces some constraints due to the low sperm quantity and quality of males from captivity, which is highly affected by oxidative stress. We hypothesized that the scavenger ability of P. cartilagineum and S. vulgare could ameliorate the reproductive performance of Senegalese sole males, once incorporated in the broodstock feeds. In this experiment, broodstock groups were fed with three different formulated experimental diets for 60 days: Control (Ctrl), a diet supplemented with 5% P. cartilagineum (Pc), and a diet supplemented with 5% S. vulgare (Sv). Fish were sampled twice to evaluate sperm quality using different techniques: sperm motility by Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) software, and cell viability and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by flow cytometer. At the final sampling, 6 fish per treatment were sacrificed and gonads were extracted to determine the relative expression of anti- and pro-apoptotic genes (bcl2b, bcl-x, mcl1b, badb, bax, boka), and genes involved in fish antioxidant system (sod3, cat, gpx, hsp70). Sex steroids were measured on blood plasma by ELISA. Specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency were also evaluated at the end of the experiment. Senegalese sole breeders fed with Pc diet for 60 days showed enhanced sperm total motility and cell viability at the end of the experiment, when compared with the Ctrl diet. On the other hand, fish fed with Sv diet had lower spermatozoa intracellular ROS and upregulated gpx in the gonads. No differences were obtained in levels of sex steroids and gonadal apoptotic system after 60 days of feeding, however, the macroalgae species and the percentages of incorporation used proved to positively modulate different spermatozoa traits.

PSI-14 Effect of dietary xylanase supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and digesta viscosity of weaned pigs fed wheat-soybean meal-based diets

Abstract Xylanase supplementation can improve nutrient digestibility in pig diets by degrading cell wall non-starch polysaccharides and reducing digesta viscosity as well as promoting intestinal health of pigs after weaning. This study determined the effects of dietary xylanase supplementation on growth performance, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, and digesta viscosity in different digestive sites of weaned pigs. A total of 312 weaned pigs [body weight (BW) = 5.1 ± 0.9 kg] were weaned into 48 pens and assigned to one of six dietary treatments, each treatment with 8 pens, 6 to 7 pigs per pen, and sex ratios maintained within BW blocks. Experimental diets were formulated in a 3-phase nursery feeding program: Phase 1 (d 0 - d 7), Phase 2 (d 8 - d 21), and Phase 3 (d 22 – d 42). Experimental diets consisted of a wheat/soybean meal-based diet formulated to meet pig requirements (positive control, PC), the PC diet with reduction of 100 kcal of ME (negative control, NC), and the NC diet supplemented with either 900, 1,800, 3,600, or 7,200 units of xylanase. Feed disappearance and body weight were measured at d 7, 14, 21, and 42. Pen fecal score was assessed daily during d 0 to 14 and three times a week during d 15 to 28. On d 21 to 24 of the experiment (12 pigs per day), one pig per pen was selected for sample collection: ileal, cecal, and mid-colon digesta for viscosity and ileal digesta and feces for nutrient digestibility. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used to determine the linear and quadratic effects of increasing levels of xylanase in NC diets. Contrast analysis was used to compare PC and NC groups with xylanase-supplemented groups. Fecal score data were analyzed using the PROC FREQ procedure. Supplementing xylanase to NC diets did not improve pig growth performance (P &amp;gt; 0.05) through the nursery period. In wk 2 and wk 3, pigs fed the PC and NC diets had a greater (χ2 &amp;lt; 0.05) incidence of fecal scores 3 &amp; 4 (diarrhea) than the xylanase-supplemented pigs. The AID of DM and ATTD of crude protein, gross energy, and NDF were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in the PC and 900-xylanase supplemented diets than in the other dietary treatments. In addition, the ATTD of NDF and ADF increased linearly (P &amp;lt; 0.1) in response to xylanase supplementation. Xylanase supplementation (900 to 7,200 U) decreased digesta viscosity in colon when compared with PC and NC diets. Overall, xylanase supplementation can improve nutrient digestibility, particularly at total tract level, and reduce viscosity in the hindgut, which could be related with decreasing the occurrence of looseness. However, the effects on growth performance were not expressive when xylanase was supplemented to wheat-soybean meal-based diets with reduction of 100 kcal of ME.

190 Phytogenic feed additive improved growth performance and health of nursery pigs in diets with and without combination of several feed additives

Abstract An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that a phytogenic feed additive (Fresta Protect, Delacon, Austria) would improve growth performance and health indices of nursery pigs fed diets with or without other feed additives. Weaned pigs (n = 1,380; 19 d old with initial body weight (BW) = 5.5 ± 0.3 kg] were allotted to 10 replicate pens per treatment (23 pigs per pen) in 2 barns. Pens were blocked by location within barn and randomly allotted to one of 6 treatments: 1) Basal nursery feed without other feed additives (NC), 2) NC + 0.1% phytogenic (NC+P0.1), 3) Basal nursery feed with other feed additives such as organic acids, antioxidants, and blend of preservatives (PC), 4) PC + 0.05% phytogenic (PC+P0.05), 5) PC + 0.1% phytogenic (PC+P0.1), or 6) PC + 0.2% phytogenic (PC+P0.2). The experiment lasted for 39 d, with pigs fed experimental diets during phase 1 (d 0-10) and 2 (d 10-23) and a common diet without addition of PC or phytogenic during phase 3 (d 23-39). Pig and feed weights were recorded at the beginning and end of each phase. Performance data were analyzed using the lme4 package of R with treatment as fixed effect and barn and pen location within barn as random effects. Contrasts were used to test linear and quadratic effects of phytogenic in PC diets (diets 3 to 6), and diets 1, 2, 3, and 5 were used to compare main effects of phytogenic, diet type, and interaction between phytogenic and diet type. Results indicated that pigs fed diets with phytogenic, regardless of diet type, had increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed ratio (G:F) in phase 1, final BW, ADG, and average daily feed intake (ADFI) in phase 2, as well as overall ADG and ADFI. The changes observed in final BW and ADFI in phase 2 had a quadratic response (P &amp;lt; 0.05) as dietary inclusion of phytogenic increased, whereas overall ADG linearly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) with greater levels of phytogenic supplementation (Table 1). In phase 2, the phytogenic supplementation increased G:F to a greater extent when diets did not contain other feed additives compared with PC diets (phytogenic x feed type interaction: P &amp;lt; 0.05). Phytogenic supplementation numerically reduced mortality. Pigs fed PC diets, regardless of inclusion of phytogenic, had increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) final BW, ADG, and G:F in phase 1, final BW, ADG, and ADFI in phase 2, and overall ADG and ADFI compared with pigs fed NC diets. In conclusion, phytogenic supplementation with an optimal dietary inclusion of 0.1% improved growth performance, regardless of supplementation of other feed additives in the diet, and diets containing additional feed additives further improved performance of pigs.

126 A nutritional solution based on calcidiol (25-OH-D3, HyD) and triterpenoid affects muscle protein synthesis pathways in grower-finisher pigs

Abstract To boost profitability in pig production, it is important to achieve increased lean growth rates and maximize efficiency, especially in grower-finisher pigs where feed intakes are high. Molecular research, especially the study of gene expression, is a proven tool for understanding the precise mechanisms behind muscle tissue growth, including a recent focus on pathways such as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In the current work, gene expression analyses were used to study the mode of action of the combination of calcidiol (25-OH-D3, HyD) and triterpenoid, which has shown significant growth and efficiency improvements in grower-finisher pigs (McCormack et al., 2024). Three experimental diets were evaluated for 7 wk; Positive control: 0.7% total Ca, 0.36% total P, vit D3 at 1500IU/kg feed (PC), negative control: PC diet + 30% reduced Ca and 10% reduced P (NC), and NC diet with 1,500IU D3 in calcidiol form (25-OH-D3, HyD) and triterpenoid (NC+). At 19 wk of age, 16 animals per treatment were sacrificed and tissue samples were taken from the longissimus muscle and preserved in RNA later solution. The RNA was extracted, quality control checked, and mRNA sequenced using the Illumina platform with 150 base pair paired-end sequencing and 30M read depth. The sequenced data were aligned to the Sus scrofa reference genome (Sscrofa11.1) using Kallisto. Data were normalized and analyzed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between treatments using DeSeq2. Genes were assigned to biological pathways using Biofractal’s customisation of the Reactome pathway database. For statistical analysis, RNA integrity number and treatment were included in the model. In the PC compared with the NC, there were 71 DEGs using a false discovery rate (FDR) of &amp;lt; 0.10. Altered pathways included the inhibition of cellular stress pathways and increased cell turnover in the muscle of PC compared with NC pigs. In the NC+ compared with the NC, there were 155 DEGs (FDR &amp;lt; 0.10). The most significantly upregulated gene in the NC+ treatment was adenylate cyclase (FDR &amp;lt; 0.001), an upstream regulator of several pathways related to energy metabolism and muscle protein synthesis. This mechanism was confirmed in the pathway analysis, which found that the NC+ treatment activated PKA-mediated phosphorylation of CREB, a pathway that inhibits muscle atrophy. Furthermore, the NC+ treatment activated several pathways related to muscle growth, including the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). In this study the addition of calcidiol (25-OH-D3, HyD) and triterpenoid to the diet was found to specifically affect molecular pathways in the muscle of grower-finisher pigs involved in both the inhibition of muscle breakdown as well as activating muscle growth.

249 A nutritional solution based on calcidiol (25-OH-D3, HyD) and triterpenoid improves growth performance in grower-finisher pigs fed low Ca and P diets without compromising bone health

Abstract Nutritional strategies to realize the genetic potential of modern pigs without compromising welfare while reducing environmental impact are critical for success in the swine industry today. By harnessing the potential of 25-OH-D3, it is possible to fine-tune mineral utilization, thereby allowing for the reduction of excessive calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), while promoting bone development and muscle deposition in finisher pigs [1]. A study was conducted using 60 male pigs [initial body weight (BW) = 29.9 kg ± 0.5 kg] to evaluate the effect of reducing dietary Ca and P and supplementing with 25-OH-D3 and triterpenoid, on growth, bone and blood characteristics. Pigs entered the experimental room at 10 wk of age and were randomly allocated to one of six pens in groups of 10. Pigs had a 2-wk adaptation where they were offered a grower diet (NE:12.3MJ, CP:17.5%) before receiving their respective treatments from 12 wk (NE:11.5MJ, CP:16.19%). Three experimental diets were evaluated for 7 wk; Positive control: 0.7% total Ca, 0.36% total P, vit D3 at 1,500 IU/kg feed (PC), negative control: PC diet + 30% reduced Ca and 10% reduced P (NC), and NC diet with 1,500 IU D3, in calcidiol form (25-OH-D3, HyD) and triterpenoid (NC+). Pigs had ad libitum access to feed which was recorded individually via automated electronic feeders. At slaughter, blood was collected, and body and carcass composition scans were taken from pigs using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and metacarpals were collected. Data were analyzed in JMP17.0 using one-way ANOVA, including treatment as a main effect and 10-wk weight as a covariate, with pig as the experimental unit. Table 1 shows the results. Pigs offered NC+ tended to have a heavier slaughter weight compared with NC, with PC being intermediate (P = 0.08). There were no differences in feed-intake, but NC+ increased average daily gain compared with NC (P = 0.03), and NC+ tended to be more efficient (P = 0.08). The DXA-scan demonstrated that bone mineral density and content in NC+ pigs were comparable with PC and NC. Additionally, reducing Ca and P in NC resulted in reduced ash, Ca and P in the metacarpals. Interestingly, NC+ had similar bone P content to PC, indicating that NC+ allows for reduced Ca and P, without compromising bone composition. As expected, NC+ had greater 25-OH-D3 blood concentrations (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Although there was no difference in blood for Ca, P concentrations were greater in NC+ compared with other groups (P = 0.007), suggesting that NC+ allowed for greater P circulating concentrations, despite being reduced in the diet. In conclusion, supplementing a reduced Ca and P diet with calcidiol and triterpenoid can enhance weight gain and feed-conversion as well as improving blood 25-OH-D3 and bone P concentrations. The use of this solution shows that diets can be formulated to be more sustainable without compromising performance or bone-health.

113 Evaluation of high soybean meal diets with inclusion of dietary enzymes on the effect of growth performance and greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract Crossbred gilts [n = 48; initial body weight (BW) = 52.55 ± 4.12 kg] were used to evaluate the effects of high soybean meal (SBM) inclusion with dietary enzymes on the growth performance, nitrogen balance, and gas emissions of growing pigs. This study consisted of two replicates of 24 gilts placed in individual metabolism stalls. Pigs were randomly assigned to one of six dietary treatments and blocked by BW (4 pigs•treatment-1•replicate-1). Pigs were fed a common diet from d 0 to 12, the experimental diets were fed in two phased (d 12 to 24 and d 24 to 36). The experiment consisted of 3 collection periods, with each period subdivided into two subperiods to collect samples for gas emissions and nutrient balance. Manure samples were collected for 72 h. Twice daily, urine and feces were weighed, and a ratio of the excreta were subsampled to measure gas emissions. Measurement of nutrient digestibility and retention consisted of urine and feces collections over a 72 h-period. The six dietary treatments include: 1) basal control diet (NC) corn-soy diet supplemented with synthetic amino acids, 2) high soybean meal (HSBM) diet (PC) formulated to replace all synthetic lysine, 3) HSBM diet with xylanase (Ronozyme WX 5000; DM; WX), 4) HSBM diet with inclusion of a multi-enzyme additive including hemicellulase and pectinase (Ronozyme VP, DM; VP), 5) HSBM diet with inclusion of xylanase (Ronozyme WX 5000, DM) and multi-enzyme additive including hemicellulase and pectinase (Ronozyme VP, DM; WXVP), and 6) HSBM diet with 1,500 FYT/kg of phytase (HiPhorious, DM; SD). The NC, PC, WX, VP, and WXVP diets contained phytase (HiPhorious, DM Nutritional Products, Parsippany, NJ) to provide 600 phytase units (FTU) per kg of diet and was assumed to release 0.15% available phosphorous. The SD diet contained 1,500 FTU/kg and was assumed to release 0.21% available phosphorous. Additionally, high soybean meal diets within each phase were isocaloric. Data were analyzed as repeated measures in SAS 9.4 (Inst., Cary, NC) with fixed effects of treatment, collection period, and block. Pig was the experimental unit, and results were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05 and a tendency at 0.05 &amp;lt; P ≤ 0.10. Pigs fed VP had the greatest average daily gain (ADG) compared with pigs fed SD (P = 0.865; Table 1). Pigs fed VP had the greatest gain to feed ratio (GF) efficiency compared with pigs fed WXVP (P = 0.3544). Manure pH, urine pH and hydrogen sulfide tended to decrease in all treatments from phase 2 to phase 3. Pigs fed PC had the lowest manure pH compared with pigs fed SD (P = 0.0826; Table 2). In conclusion, the feeding of HSBM or adding select enzymes did not alter gas emissions or growth performance metrics.

260 Effect of different doses of phytase (HiPhorius) and two primary calcium sources on nutrient digestibility, retention and blood parameters in weaned piglets

Abstract An 18-d study evaluated the effect of increasing phytase levels in diets with limestone or Ca-formate on Ca and P digestibility, P retention, and blood inositol, Ca, and P in weaned piglets. At weaning, male piglets [n = 60; 29.8 ± 1.10 d of age; initial body weight (BW) = 8.8 ± 0.31 kg) were randomly allocated to ten diets formulated as a 2 × 5 factorial design with 2 primary Ca sources (limestone or Ca-formate) and 5 Ca/P levels. There was a positive control diet (PC; 0.76% Ca, 0.34 dP) and 4 negative control diets (NC; 0.56% Ca, 0.34% dP) supplemented with phytase at 0, 750, 1,500, and 3,000 FYT/kg. At d 10, piglets were individually housed in metabolism crates and fed 3.2 x metabolic weight. On d 14 to 18, fecal and total urine samples were collected. Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) was calculated for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ash, Ca, and P using TiO2 as marker. Urinary P was measured to calculate P retention. These data were analyzed as a 2-way interaction. On d 0 (baseline), 8 and 18, blood samples were collected to analyze serum Ca and P, and plasma inositol. Blood data were analyzed as a 3-way interaction. Results indicated that piglets fed Ca-formate had greater ATTD of Ca (75.0% vs. 71.4%, P &amp;lt; 0.01) but decreased ATTD of P (66.4% vs. 68.8%, P &amp;lt; 0.01), than piglets fed limestone. Phytase supplementation improved ATTD of DM, ash, OM, CP, P, and Ca compared with the NC and PC. An interaction between Ca/P levels and Ca-sources was observed for urinary P (P = 0.03), as there were no differences between Ca sources in piglets fed the NC or the 750 FYT diets, but piglets fed the PC diet and the NC+1,500 or 3,000 FYT with limestone had greater urinary P compared with Ca-formate. A 2-way interaction between Ca/P levels and d was observed for plasma inositol (P = 0.012). On d 8 and 18, there was no difference between the NC and PC;, however, phytase supplementation at 750, 1,500, and 3,000 FYT increased plasma inositol on d 8 (58.2, 80.7, and 89.5 μmol) and d 18 (70.2, 85.4, and 106.4 μmol). There was only a main effect of Ca/P levels in serum P. Compared with the NC (73.7 mg/L), the PC and the NC+750, 1,500, and 3,000 FTU/kg increased serum P (90.3, 89.1, 87.6, and 93.2 mg/L, respectively, P &amp;lt; 0.01). There was no effect of Ca source on blood inositol and P. No significant dietary treatment effects were observed in serum Ca. In conclusion, using Ca-formate instead of limestone increases Ca digestibility but reduces P digestibility, likely due to a greater Ca solubility of Ca-formate. This suggests that diets should be formulated based on digestible Ca instead of total Ca.

Dietary α-galactosidase and xylanase to improve the nutritional value of corn-soybean-rapeseed meal diets in broiler chickens

ABSTRACT Two experiments were performed to assess the effects of an enzyme preparation (containing α-galactosidase and xylanase) on chicken performance, carcass traits, footpad dermatitis score, and nutrient digestibility. During first experiment, chickens were fed four diets: (1) control diet (PC): corn and soybean-rapeseed meal; (2) PC supplemented with 350 ppm of the enzyme; (3) Negative control (NC): PC with a 4% reduction of apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and crude protein content; (4) NC supplemented with 500 ppm of the enzyme. In the second experiment, chickens were fed PC or PC + enzyme 350 ppm and a digestibility balance was performed. The enzyme supplementation at 350 and 500 ppm significantly improved the overall feed conversion ratio in PC and NC diet, respectively (P < 0.01). Regarding footpad dermatitis score, animals fed NC + enzyme 500 ppm tended to present a lower value than animals fed NC (P < 0.1). Concerning the digestibility balance, PC + enzyme 350 ppm diet presented a higher feed AME and AMEn value than PC diet (P < 0.05). The enzyme also improved the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of proline (P < 0.05) and tended to increase AID of cysteine (P < 0.1). In conclusion, the enzyme preparation improves birds feed efficiency by increasing energy utilization.

Porous Zinc Oxide and Plant Polyphenols as a Replacement for High-Dose Zinc Oxide on Growth Performance, Diarrhea Incidence, Intestinal Morphology and Microbial Diversity of Weaned Piglets

The aim of this experiment is to evaluate the effects of adding porous zinc oxide, plant polyphenols, and their combination to diets without antibiotics and high-dose zinc oxide on the growth performance, diarrhea incidence, intestinal morphology, and microbial diversity of weaned piglets. A total of 150 Duroc × Landrace × Large White weaned piglets were allocated to one of five diets in a randomized complete block design with six replicates and five piglets per replicate. The experimental period was 42 d, divided into two feeding stages: pre-starter (0–14 d) and starter (14–42 d). In the pre-starter stage, the negative control group (NC) was fed a basal diet, the positive control group (PC) was fed a basal diet with 2000 mg/kg of zinc oxide, the porous zinc oxide group (PZ) was fed a basal diet with 500 mg/kg of porous zinc oxide, the plant polyphenol group (PP) was fed a basal diet with 1500 mg/kg of plant polyphenols, and the combination group (PZ + PP) was fed a basal diet with 500 mg/kg of porous zinc oxide and 1500 mg/kg of plant polyphenols. In the starter stage, the NC, PC, and PZ groups were fed a basal diet, while the PP and PZ + PP groups were fed a basal diet with 1000 mg/kg of plant polyphenols. The results showed that, (1) compared with the PZ group, adding plant polyphenols to the diet showed a trend of increasing the ADFI of weaned piglets from 14 to 28 d (p = 0.099). From days 28 to 42 and days 0 to 42, porous zinc oxide and the combination of porous zinc oxide and plant polyphenols added to the control diet improved the FCR to the level observed in pigs fed the PC diet. (2) Dietary PZ + PP tended to increase the jejunal villus height (VH) of weaned piglets (p = 0.055), and significantly increased the villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio compared to the NC group (p &lt; 0.05). (3) Compared with the NC group, PZ supplementation decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the PZ and PZ + PP groups were both increased. In conclusion, porous zinc oxide and plant polyphenols may have synergistic effects in modulating intestinal health in weaned piglets and be a potential alternative to high-dose zinc oxide.

Inclusion of guanidinoacetic acid in a low metabolizable energy diet improves broilers growth performance by elevating energy utilization efficiency through modulation serum metabolite profile.

This study was aimed to explore the elevating energy utilization efficiency mechanism for the potentially ameliorative effect of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) addition on growth performance of broilers fed a low metabolizable energy (LME) diet. A total of 576 d old broilers were randomly allocated to one of the six treatments: a basal diet (normal ME, positive control, PC), or an LME diet (50 kcal/kg reduction in ME, negative control, NC) supplemented with 0.02%, 0.04%, 0.06%, and 0.08% GAA from 1 to 42 d of age, respectively. The GAA fortification in LME diet linearly or quadratically dropped (P < 0.05) the feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 22 to 42 and 1 to 42 d of age, abdominal fat rate on day 42, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) on day 21, and serum creatinine (CREAN) on days 21 and 42, elevated (P < 0.05) breast muscle rate and leg muscle rate on day 42, serum creatine kinase (CK) on days 21 and 42, as well as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) on day 21. The dietary optimal GAA levels were 0.03%-0.08% based on the best-fitted quadratic models (P < 0.03) of the above parameters. Thus, the PC, LME, and 0.04% GAA-LME groups were selected for further analysis. Serum essential amino acids (EAA) tryptophan, histidine and arginine, non-essential amino acids (NEEA) serine, glutamine and aspartic acid were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), compared to PC diet by LME or 0.04% GAA-LME diet. 0.04% GAA-LME group reversed (P < 0.05) the reduction of arginine, 3-methyhistidine, and 1-methylhistidine by LME diet. Besides, six birds at 28 d of age from LME and 0.04% GAA-LME groups were selected for energy utilization observation in calorimetry chambers. The results demonstrated that 0.04% GAA-LME group significantly improved (P < 0.05) the ME intake (MEI) and net energy (NE) compared to the LME diet. Overall, these findings suggest that 0.04% GAA is the ideal dose of broilers fed the LME diet, which can significantly improve the growth performance and carcass characteristics by modulation of creatine metabolism through elevating serum CK activity and arginine concentration.

Growth, not digestibility, in chickens receiving reduced-protein diets is independent of non-specific amino-nitrogen sources when the essential-to-total-nitrogen ratio is constant and lower than 50%

ABSTRACT 1. A 21 d experiment was conducted to investigate whether growth performance and coefficients of amino acids digestibility (cAID) in broilers receiving reduced-protein diets supplemented with different non-essential amino acids (NEAA) were dependent on supplemented NEAA in diets with the same essential-to-total N (eN-to-tN) ratio kept at <50%. 2. The experiment used 240 male broiler chicks, allocated to eight treatments with six replicate pens per treatment, and five chicks per replicate. The diets were either adequate in protein diet (PC), reduced protein (NC) diet or the NC diet supplemented with Gly, Gln, Ser, Ala, Gly + Ser or Ala + Ser. Digesta from the distal half of the ileum were collected on d 21. Tissue samples were collected for analysis for gene expression of protein synthesis and degradation (pectoralis major and liver) and peptide and AA transporters (jejunum). 3. The treatments had no effects on growth performance. Generally, cAID was greater (P < 0.05) in NC compared to the PC diet. Individual supplementation of the NC diet with Gly, Gln, Ser, Ala or Ala+Ser increased (P < 0.01) cAID of Cys compared to the PC diet. There were no treatment effects on mRNA levels for the AA or peptide transporters in the jejunum. Supplementation of the NC diet with Gln, Ser, Ala, or Gly + Ser produced an upward expression (P < 0.05) of S6 kinase in the liver compared to PC and NC. In addition, there was greater (P < 0.05) expression of TRIM36 in the pectoralis major of broiler chickens receiving the NC diet supplemented with Gly. 4. When reduced-protein diets have an eN-to-tN ratio of <50% and the ratio is kept constant in all the diets, growth performance response was independent of the source of non-specific amino-N, but the treatments may influence ileal digestibility of individual AA.