Productive Performance Of Animals Research Articles

Melatonin in animal husbandry: functions and applications

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is an essential small molecule with diverse biological functions. It plays several key roles, including regulating the secretion of reproductive hormones and the reproductive cycle, enhancing the functionality of reproductive organs, improving the quality of sperm and eggs, and mitigating oxidative stress in the reproductive system. Melatonin effectively inhibits and scavenges excess free radicals while activating the antioxidant enzyme system and reduces the production of inflammatory factors and alleviates tissue damage caused by inflammation by regulating inflammatory pathways. Additionally, melatonin contributes to repairing the intestinal barrier and regulating the gut microbiota, thereby reducing bacterial and toxin permeation. The use of melatonin as an endogenous hormone in animal husbandry has garnered considerable attention because of its positive effects on animal production performance, reproductive outcomes, stress adaptation, disease treatment, and environmental sustainability. This review explores the characteristics and biological functions of melatonin, along with its current applications in animal production. Our findings may serve as a reference for the use of melatonin in animal farming and future developmental directions.

Nutritional Aspects for Modulation of Poultry Immune Stimulation

The immune system's defense mechanism has been affected by the management and nutrition conditions in poultry production. In biological aspects, Bursa Fabricius and Thymus are primary lymphoid organs that defend the body against diseases. The spleen, cecal tonsils, immunoglobulins, and various forms of mucosal immunity, BALT (bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue), MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue), CALT (conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue), and GALT (gut-associated lymphoid tissue), are also vital to their overall health. The management program (environmental conditions, heating, lighting practices) and nutritional supplementation (feed ingredients, composition, and feed additives) significantly affect birds' immunity and performance. Dietary supplementation enhances immune system activation by improving the lymphoid tissues and beneficial immune modulators and responses. During the past fifteen years, alternative feed additives (amino acids, minerals, vitamins, probiotics, prebiotics) have impacted animal production performance and immunity. Besides, feed additives, such as probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, minerals, and organic acids, are essential for sustaining hormonal, physiological, and immunological processes. These additives, probiotics, vitamins (A, C, D, E), mineral (selenium) supplementations, and organic acids boost the immune system's activity against microbial pathogens and physiological stress mechanisms. At the last point, this paper aims to review the current improvement in the relationship between nutrition and immunity in poultry.

Individual and combined occurrences of the prevalent mycotoxins in commercial feline and canine food.

Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FBs), ochratoxin A (OTA), T-2 toxin (T-2), and zearalenone (ZEN), can contaminate animal feeds and pose risks to animal health and production performance. These mycotoxins are commonly found in cereals and grains, with the increased use of cereals in pet food, there is a rising concern about mycotoxin contamination among pet owners. To address this, we analyzed imported brands of feline and canine food from the Chinese market produced in 2021-2022. Ninety-three samples were analyzed, comprising 45 feline food and 48 canine food samples. Among them, 14 were canned food and 79 were dry food. The results indicate that AFB1, DON, FBs, OTA, T-2, and ZEN occurred in 32.26%, 98.92%, 22.58%, 73.12%, 55.91%, and 7.53% of the samples, respectively. The most prevalent mycotoxin was DON, followed by OTA, T-2, AFB1, and FBs, whereas ZEN was less frequently detected. The mean concentrations of the six mycotoxins in pet feed samples were 3.17μg/kg for AFB1, 0.65mg/kg for DON, 2.15mg/kg for FBs, 6.27μg/kg for OTA, 20.00μg/kg for T-2, and 30.00μg/kg for ZEN. The levels of mycotoxins were generally below the limits of the Pet Feed Hygiene Regulations of China and the EU. Notably, a substantial majority of the pet food samples (88 out of 93) were contaminated by two or more mycotoxins. AFB1, FBs, OTA, and ZEN occurred slightly more often in feline food than in canine food. Except for OTA, the contamination rates for the other five mycotoxins in canned food were lower than those in dry food. Moreover, except for AFB1, the levels of the other five mycotoxins in canned foods were lower than those in dry foods. This study highlights the widespread contamination of pet foods with mycotoxins, which poses a significant risk to pets from continuous exposure to multiple mycotoxins.

A Review of Foot-Related Lameness in Feedlot Cattle

Lameness is the second most prevalent morbidity in North American feedlot cattle and is both an animal welfare and economic concern for the industry. Lameness accounts for 30 to 40% of all feedlot treatments with greater than 70% being foot-related lameness (FRL). This review focused on foot rot (FR), digital dermatitis (DD) and toe tip necrosis syndrome (TTNS). While there are significant study-to-study differences regarding the prevalence of FR, DD and TTNS, it is unequivocal that FR is the most prevalent FRL. Poor pen conditions are risk factors for both FR and DD, but the epidemiology of the two diseases is quite different. Whereas FR is diagnosed throughout the feeding period, DD typically occurs after 80 days on feed (DOF). Toe tip necrosis syndrome is the least prevalent of the three FRL, but has the greatest negative effect on animal welfare and production performance. Most cases of TTNS occur within 50 DOF with treatment failure leading to a significant loss in production performance and even death. This review provides an overview of the epidemiology of lameness in feedlot cattle, with emphasis on the prevalence and risk factors associated with FR, DD and TTNS.

Relationship between Rumen Microbial Differences and Phenotype Traits among Hu Sheep and Crossbred Offspring Sheep.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of three-way hybrid sheep and Hu sheep on serum indicators, rumen fermentation, rumen enzyme activity, and microorganisms in sheep. Healthy and similar birth weights from three groups (Hu, n = 11; Charolais × Australian White × Hu, CAH, n = 11; Charolais × Dorper × Hu, CDH, n = 11) were selected to be fed by the ewes until 45 days of age. Subsequently, they were weaned intensively and underwent short-term fattening for 3 months along with selected male lambs fed intensively. During this period, they were fed and watered ad libitum. Blood and rumen fluid were collected and analyzed for serum indicators and rumen fluid microorganisms, enzyme activity, and VFA, respectively, at the end of the fattening period. Compared with Hu lamb, the offspring of the three-way hybrid lamb showed significant improvements in body weight, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and creatinine content. However, there was no significant effect on serum immunity and antioxidant indices. In addition, the rumen fluid volatile fatty acid (VFA) molar concentration and microcrystalline cellulose and lipase content were significantly lower in the three-way hybrid lamb compared to Hu lamb, but β-glucosidase, amylase, pepsin, and VFA molar ratio were not significantly affected. Subsequently, 16S rRNA sequencing diversity analysis revealed that three-way hybrid lamb significantly increased rumen microbial ACE and Chao1 indices compared to Hu lamb. Meanwhile, the abundance of Verrucomicrobiota and Synergistota significantly increased at the phylum level. Correlation analysis showed that Prevotella had the highest proportion, while Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group correlated most closely with others genus. The microbial communities isovaleric acid molar concentration and proportion were strongly correlated. In addition, there were significant differences in correlations between microbial communities and isobutyric acid, butyric acid and valeric acid content, and their molar proportion, but they were not significantly correlated with digestive enzymes. From the functional enrichment analysis, it was found that hybrid progeny were mainly enriched in the pyruvate metabolism, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, carbon metabolism, and quorum sensing pathways. In contrast, the Hu sheep were primarily enriched in the cysteine and methionine, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolite pathways. These results suggest that hybridization can play a role in regulating organismal metabolism and improve animal production performance by influencing the structure and characteristics of microbial communities.

Antibacterial properties of oil extracts of black soldier fly larvae reared on bread waste

Context Farming black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) has become an emerging agricultural sector for upcycling food waste into high-quality protein and oil biomass. Depending on the chemical composition of the food waste, the oil extracted from BSFL can reach high levels of lauric acid, a natural antimicrobial compound. Aims We aimed to evaluate whether feeding a bakery waste-based substrate can enhance the lauric acid synthesis of BSFL. In addition, we aimed to test the antibacterial activity of these BSFL oil extracts against E. coli in vitro. Methods In a 12-day-long feeding trial, we reared BSFL either on a ground corn-based control substrate (n = 6) or a substrate based on bread waste sourced from a local bakery in Hong Kong (n = 6). We studied the growth performance, crude fat and lauric acid content, and agar well-diffusion assay-based antibacterial activity of oil samples extracted from the larvae. Key results The BSFL reared on the bread waste had a higher average weight (P < 0.001) and average daily gain (P < 0.001), similar crude fat content (P = 0.17), and higher lauric acid content (P < 0.001) than did the control larvae. Both oil samples moderately inhibited the growth of E. coli in vitro; the inhibition zones were 1.92 ± 1.0 mm and 1.25 ± 0.75 mm (means ± s.d.) big in the bread waste-based and the control oil samples respectively (P = 0.28). Conclusions Our results indicated that locally sourced bread waste is a suitable substrate for farming BSFL, providing a sustainable alternative for waste management. Implications The inclusion of locally produced BSFL oil as a feed ingredient for the local livestock farming sector might be an avenue not only to achieve circular economy, but also to reduce antimicrobial drug use. However, the effects on animal health and productive performance warrant further in vivo experiments.

Viruses contribute to microbial diversification in the rumen ecosystem and are associated with certain animal production traits

BackgroundThe rumen microbiome enables ruminants to digest otherwise indigestible feedstuffs, thereby facilitating the production of high-quality protein, albeit with suboptimal efficiency and producing methane. Despite extensive research delineating associations between the rumen microbiome and ruminant production traits, the functional roles of the pervasive and diverse rumen virome remain to be determined.ResultsLeveraging a recent comprehensive rumen virome database, this study analyzes virus-microbe linkages, at both species and strain levels, across 551 rumen metagenomes, elucidating patterns of microbial and viral diversity, co-occurrence, and virus-microbe interactions. Additionally, this study assesses the potential role of rumen viruses in microbial diversification by analyzing prophages found in rumen metagenome-assembled genomes. Employing CRISPR–Cas spacer-based matching and virus-microbe co-occurrence network analysis, this study suggests that the viruses in the rumen may regulate microbes at strain and community levels through both antagonistic and mutualistic interactions. Moreover, this study establishes that the rumen virome demonstrates responsiveness to dietary shifts and associations with key animal production traits, including feed efficiency, lactation performance, weight gain, and methane emissions.ConclusionsThese findings provide a substantive framework for further investigations to unravel the functional roles of the virome in the rumen in shaping the microbiome and influencing overall animal production performance.3QAbSJqYZPn2njEBJ23VpAVideo

Use of multi-agent systems and the Internet of Things to monitor the environment of commercial broiler poultry houses through specific air enthalpy

The intensive production system for broilers requires the availability of an environment (aviary) that promotes an artificial microclimate that favors both animal well-being and productive performance; therefore, monitoring this environment is critical for production success, especially in tropical countries. This criticality opens up a range of research opportunities for monitoring because of the currently available technologies, especially in the areas of the Internet of Things and Expert Systems. Thus, this study presents a proposal for the environmental monitoring of an aviary using an Internet of Things technological apparatus combined with multi-agent systems to monitor climatic variables with the guidance of thermal comfort indicators. The experiment took place in a Cobb broiler aviary located in the countryside of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. With this objective in mind, the production period of Cobb broilers was analyzed through the construction of an Internet of Things system to collect air temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure variables combined with a data transfer mechanism for cloud recording. These variables were then analyzed by computational agents using the Java programming language with the Jade framework, which generated animal comfort indicators. The results showed that real-time monitoring of environmental variables is possible with the combination of the Internet of Things with agents that can determine animal comfort conditions according to the specific enthalpy of the air through the orchestration of a deliberative agent and with the participation of several reactive agents.

Broiler Age Differently Affects Apparent Metabolizable Energy and Net Energy of Expanded Soybean Meal.

Accurately determining the energy values of ingredients is crucial for meeting energy requirements and achieving maximum production performance of animals. This study was conducted to measure the available energy values of three expanded soybean meals (ESBMs) for Arbor Acres male broilers from 14 to 16 day and 28 to 30 day using the difference method. A corn-soybean basal diet was formulated, and test diets were developed with 25% ESBMs as substitutes for energy-yielding ingredients. A completely randomized design was used for determining heat production and energy balance of broilers in 12 open-circuit respiration chambers, with six replicates per group. Prior to measurement, four (14 to 16 day) or two (28 to 30 day) birds per chamber were given a 4-day adaption to diets and chambers. The period lasted for 3 days to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME), nitrogen balance, gas exchanges, and heat production. Broilers fed test diets with 25% ESBM exhibited higher nitrogen intake (p < 0.05), nitrogen excreta (p < 0.05), and increased energy deposition as protein irrespective of age (p < 0.05). Furthermore, results showed that AME, nitrogen corrected AME (AMEn), and net energy (NE) values of 3 ESBMs averaged 10.48, 8.93, and 6.88 MJ/kg for broilers from 14 to 16 day, while averaged 11.91, 10.42, and 6.43 MJ/kg for broilers from 28 to 30 day. Broilers from 28 to 30 day showed significantly higher AMEn values but lower NE/AME values of ESBMs compared with those from 14 to 16 day (p < 0.05). Therefore, age-dependent energy values of a single ingredient should be considered in feed formulations to optimize economic returns.

Combined Effects of Cadmium and Lead on Growth Performance and Kidney Function in Broiler Chicken.

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are heavy metals prevalent in the environment and feed, and they reduce production performance of domestic animals, as well as they result in residue in animal tissues. The kidney is the target tissue for Cd and Pb. And the kidney is crucial for the reabsorption of calcium (Ca), which consequently influences bone strength. However, there are relatively few studies related to the effects of Cd and Pb exposure on performance, bone strength and kidney damage in livestock. The purpose of this experiment was to explore the combined effect of Cd and Pb on growth performance and renal impairment and the possible underlying mechanism. For this, 168 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly divided into four groups of six birds each, with seven replicates in each group: control group, 50mg Cd/kg body weight group, 200mg Pb/kg body weight group and 50mg Cd/kg body weight + 200mg Pb/kg body weight group. Feed intake was recorded daily and body weight was recorded weekly. The results show that at the end of the 3rd and 6th week, one broiler from each replicate was randomly selected for sampling. Boilers co-exposed to Cd and Pb for 3weeks and 6weeks had significantly decreased average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily body weight gain (ADG) than the control group, and the ratio of feed-to-weight gain (F/G) significantly increased after 6weeks of co-exposure to Cd and Pb. Microscopic picture and ultrastructure analyses of the kidneys showed that Cd and Pb caused kidney damage to broiler chickens, and the damage was more serious in the Cd + Pb group, which was manifested by increased renal tubular epithelial degeneration and increased interstitial stasis points. Dietary exposure to Cd and Pb impaired production performance and induced renal oxidative damage in broilers. The combined effects of Cd and Pb on the kidneys are greater than their effects alone. The PERK-ATF4 pathway mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress participates the renal oxidative damage during chronic Cd and Pb exposure.

Corn straw-saccharification fiber improved the reproductive performance of sows in the late gestation and lactation via lipid metabolism.

With the development of animal husbandry, the shortage of animal feedstuffs has become serious. Dietary fiber plays a crucial role in regulating animal health and production performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three kinds of corn straw-saccharification fibers (CSSF) such as high-fiber and low-saccharification (HFLS), medium-fiber and medium-saccharification (MFMS), low-fiber and high-saccharification (LFHS) CSSF on the reproductive performance of sows. Thirty-two primiparous Yorkshire sows were randomly assigned to 4 groups, 8 sows for each group. Group A was the basal diet as the control group; groups B - D were added with 6% HFLSCSSF, 6% MFMSCSSF and 6% LFHSCSSF to replace some parts of corn meal and wheat bran in the basal diet, respectively. The experimental period was from day 85 of gestation to the end of lactation (day 25 post-farrowing). The results showed that 6% LFHSCSSF addition significantly increased number of total born (alive) piglets, litter weight at birth (p < 0.05), whereas three kinds of CSSF significantly decreased backfat thickness of sows during gestation (p < 0.001), compared with the control group. Furthermore, CSSF improved the digestibility of crude protein, ether extract and fiber for sows. In addition, the levels of total cholesterol, total triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum of sows were decreased by different kinds of CSSF. Further analysis revealed that CSSF regulated lipid metabolism through adjusting the serum metabolites such as 4-pyridoxic acid, phosphatidyl cholines and L-tyrosine. In summary, CSSF addition to the diets of sows during late gestation and lactation regulated lipid metabolism and improved reproductive performance of sows. This study provided a theoretical basis for the application of corn straw in sow diets.

Effects of Allium sativum on Growth Performance, Kidney and Liver Function Markers, Microbial Flora and Feed Digestibility in Broiler Chickens

Introduction: The global ban on antibiotics as a feed additive, prompted by concerns over microbial resistance and the accumulation of antibiotic residues in animal products, has urged researchers to explore natural alternatives. These alternatives modulate the gut microbiota and enhance animal production performance. This study aimed to assess the impact of Allium sativum on the production performance of broiler chickens. Materials and methods: A total of 280 day-old broiler chicks were examined for 42 days. After being sexed, they were randomly allocated into five groups, each consisting of 14 chicks, with four replications. The control group was fed on a ration without additives (R0-). The treatment groups consisted of a control diet supplemented with 1 g of antibiotic Doxycycline® per kg of basal diet and per liter of drinking water (R0+) and 5 g garlic per kg of basal feed and also per liter of drinking water (RAs), respectively. To facilitate the oral administration, the solution was absorbed by charcoal from the fruit stones of Canarium schweinfurthii at a rate of 100 g and 100 ml per kg of diet and per liter of drinking water, respectively. The investigated parameters included growth performance, microbial flora, markers of kidney, and liver function, and feed digestibility. Results: The results revealed Allium sativum significantly decreased feed intake, feed conversion ratio, serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and urea levels regardless of the administration mode in broiler chickens, compared to the negative control. When administered through both feed and drinking water, garlic significantly increased live weight, weight gain, and lactic acid bacteria count, compared to the negative control. Feeding garlic to broilers had insignificantly affected the digestibility of feed components irrespective of the administration mode. Conclusion: In conclusion, Allium sativum can effectively serve as a feed additive in broiler diets or drinking water, promoting growth performance without harming kidney and liver functions. The present findings help address concerns about antibiotic resistance and residues in poultry products.

The Global Epidemiology of Bovine Leukemia Virus: Current Trends and Future Implications.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus that causes enzootic bovine leucosis (EBL), which is the most significant neoplastic disease in cattle. Although EBL has been successfully eradicated in most European countries, infections continue to rise in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, and the United States. BLV imposes a substantial economic burden on the cattle industry, particularly in dairy farming, as it leads to a decline in animal production performance and increases the risk of disease. Moreover, trade restrictions on diseased animals and products between countries and regions further exacerbate the problem. Recent studies have also identified fragments of BLV nucleic acid in human breast cancer tissues, raising concerns for public health. Due to the absence of an effective vaccine, controlling the disease is challenging. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately detect and diagnose BLV at an early stage to control its spread and minimize economic losses. This review provides a comprehensive examination of BLV, encompassing its genomic structure, epidemiology, modes of transmission, clinical symptoms, detection methods, hazards, and control strategies. The aim is to provide strategic information for future BLV research.

- Invited Review - Understanding the functionality of the rumen microbiota: searching for better opportunities for rumen microbial manipulation.

Rumen microbiota play a central role in the digestive process of ruminants. Their remarkable ability to break down complex plant fibers and proteins, converting them into essential organic compounds that provide animals with energy and nutrition. Research on rumen microbiota not only contributes to improving animal production performance and enhancing feed utilization efficiency but also holds the potential to reduce methane emissions and environmental impact. Nevertheless, studies on rumen microbiota face numerous challenges, including complexity, difficulties in cultivation, and obstacles in functional analysis. This review provides an overview of microbial species involved in the degradation of macromolecules, the fermentation processes, and methane production in the rumen, all based on cultivation methods. Additionally, the review introduces the applications, advantages, and limitations of emerging omics technologies such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics, and metabolomics, in investigating the functionality of rumen microbiota. Finally, the article offers a forward-looking perspective on the new horizons and technologies in the field of rumen microbiota functional research. These emerging technologies, with continuous refinement and mutual complementation, have deepened our understanding of rumen microbiota functionality, thereby enabling effective manipulation of the rumen microbial community.

Verbascoside-Rich Plant Extracts in Animal Nutrition.

In recent years, the search for dietary intervention with natural products able to sustain animal health and decrease environmental impact, has raised the number of studies pertaining to the use of plants' secondary metabolites. In fact, in livestock, there is a clear relationship between the animals' antioxidant status and the onset of some diseases that negatively affect animal welfare, health, and productive performance. An interesting compound that belongs to the secondary metabolites family of plants, named phenylpropanoids, is verbascoside. The genus Verbascum, which includes more than 233 plant species, is the genus in which this compound was first identified, but it has also been found in other plant extracts. Verbascoside exhibits several properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive, and neuroprotective properties, that have been evaluated mainly in in vitro studies for human health. The present work reviews the literature on the dietary integration of plant extracts containing verbascoside in livestock. The effects of dietary plant extracts containing verbascoside on the productive performance, antioxidant status, blood parameters, and meat quality in several animal species were evaluated. The present data point out that dietary plant extracts containing verbascoside appear to be a favorable dietary intervention to enhance health, antioxidant status, and product quality in livestock.

Metagenomic Sequencing Revealed Differences in the Composition of Cecal Microbes in Different Breeds of Chickens.

Intestinal microorganisms are closely related to the health, development, and production performance of animals and can also provide basic information for us to fully understand and explore the germplasm characteristics and traits of local chicken breeds. In this experiment, we used five local Chinese chicken breeds as research materials; metagenomic sequencing technology was used to explore the differences in the composition of intestinal microorganisms in different breeds, and it was found that each local chicken breed had unique unigenes, of which Silkies had the most, with a total of 12,948. GO and KEGG analyses found that the biological processes most enriched by differential functional genes include genetic coding, macromolecular transport, protein synthesis, and molecular functions such as glycoprotein binding, protein hydrolysis, etc. Each breed is enriched with specific pathways, such as Anyi tile-like gray chickens, which are enriched with pathways related to disease resistance, while Gamecocks' enrichment is related to amino acid metabolism. Random Forest and LEfSe analyses revealed specific species of intestinal microorganisms in the cecum of different breeds, such as Exiguobacterium, which is associated with melanin deposition in Silkies. Therefore, we infer that gut microorganisms are closely related to the formation of chicken breed characteristics, and the results of this experiment can provide a theoretical basis for the discovery of high-quality traits and the improvement of feeding conditions in the future.

Effects of Dietary Alfalfa Saponin on Digestive Physiology in Weaned Piglets

Background: Saponins have been considered to affect the digestion of animal because of its relatively complex compound. Regarding the effect of saponins on animal production performance, different animals or the same animals with different physiological periods are different. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of dietary alfalfa saponins (AS) on the digestive physiology of piglets. Methods: 72 weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large white pigs) were weaned at 28 days of age with an average weight of 7.5 kg and assigned randomly to 4 treatment groups. Diets containing 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2% alfalfa saponins were fed to piglets. Result: The results showed that: Alfalfa saponins increased daily gain and decreased diarrhea in piglets to some extent. It tended to decrease the pH value of the gastrointestinal tract and increase the pH value of the jejunum (P less than 0.05), ileum and cecum (P less than 0.05). AS had no obvious inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli, but had an increasing trend on the number of intestine Lactobacillus, especially Lactobacillus in jejunum increased significantly by adding 2% AS (P less than 0.05). Adding 2% alfalfa saponins can improve the digestive physiology of piglets.

Potential of dietary hemp and cannabinoids to modulate immune response to enhance health and performance in animals: opportunities and challenges.

Cannabinoids are a group of bioactive compounds abundantly present in Cannabis sativa plant. The active components of cannabis with therapeutic potential are known as cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are divided into three groups: plant-derived cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), and synthetic cannabinoids. These compounds play a crucial role in the regulation various physiological processes including the immune modulation by interacting with the endocannabinoid system (A complex cell-signaling system). Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) stimulates the binding of orexigenic peptides and inhibits the attachment of anorexigenic proteins to hypothalamic neurons in mammals, increasing food intake. Digestibility is unaffected by the presence of any cannabinoids in hemp stubble. Endogenous cannabinoids are also important for the peripheral control of lipid processing in adipose tissue, in addition to their role in the hypothalamus regulation of food intake. Regardless of the kind of synaptic connection or the length of the transmission, endocannabinoids play a crucial role in inhibiting synaptic transmission through a number of mechanisms. Cannabidiol (CBD) mainly influences redox equilibrium through intrinsic mechanisms. Useful effects of cannabinoids in animals have been mentioned e.g., for disorders of the cardiovascular system, pain treatment, disorders of the respiratory system or metabolic disorders. Dietary supplementation of cannabinoids has shown positive effects on health, growth and production performance of small and large animals. Animal fed diet supplemented with hemp seeds (180 g/day) or hemp seed cake (143 g/kg DM) had achieved batter performance without any detrimental effects. But the higher level of hemp or cannabinoid supplementation suppress immune functions and reduce productive performance. With an emphasis on the poultry and ruminants, this review aims to highlight the properties of cannabinoids and their derivatives as well as their significance as a potential feed additive in their diets to improve the immune status and health performance of animals.

43 Induced Pluripotent/Totipotent Stem Cells: Inexhaustible Genetic Stocks for Regeneration and Development of Regionally Adapted Climate-Resilient Livestock

Abstract Escalating impacts of climate change present a credible threat to livestock-based food production. Increasing environmental challenges directly affect animal fitness, production performance, and reproductive efficiency with accumulative morbidities and mortality. Albeit extant livestock breeds are adapted to different climate extremes, the steep trajectory of decline in genetic diversity poses a serious threat to the sustenance of livestock farming. After pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) were derived for mice more than 30 years ago, scientists were quick to recognize PSCs as an approach to accelerate livestock biotechnology and assisted reproduction. We posited that core PSC characteristics such as indefinite self-renewal make them ideal for setting up an inexhaustible diploid livestock genetic resource bank. Nevertheless, it has been difficult to derive and sustain naïve PSCs from ruminants. Even reports of generating induced-PSCs (iPSCs) via reprogramming somatic cells that circumvents the embryo and factors such as sex, age or reproductive status, has been crippled with reproducibility issues precluding any livestock applications. In recent systematic studies, we documented two roadblocks: First, that signaling pathways necessary to sustain self-renewal of PSCs from cattle remained unknown. Second, bovine somatic cells have a stable epigenome that is resistant to complete reprogramming to pluripotency. Through systems biology examination of signal homeostasis in the bovine blastocyst inner cell mass (ICM), we uncovered that transforming growth factor (TGF) β effects are actively perturbed in the bovine ICM. This led to the discovery that inhibition of downstream ALK 4/5/7 together with GSK3β and MEK1/2 signaling, supported robust in vitro self-renewal of naïve bovine iPSCs. Simultaneously, we uncovered that epigenetic regulation by the SV40 large T antigen together with the reprogramming genes (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and MYC) could result in not only complete reprogramming, but also cells that are set to a stable ground state of pluripotency akin to totipotent stem cells (TPSCs) seen in 16-cell-stage bovine embryos. Cloning performed using the induced TPSCs (iTPSCs) showed significantly greater efficiency of blastocyst formation. Surprisingly, applying identical methods to murine somatic cells also resulted in iTPSCs that can contribute to placenta formation in vivo indicating that the mechanistic basis for sustaining the ground state of developmental plasticity was conserved across species. These findings have now defined a high-fidelity platform for achieving iPSC-based biotechnologies (gene editing and cloning) and for exploring different ruminant livestock applications that have not been previously practicable. Of central importance, these findings also open a path to establishing a live regenerative repository of inexhaustible diploid livestock that can secure the evolving genetic needs for sustaining animal production into the future. Permanent assets of genetic diversity preserved as iTPSCs would ensure rapid resilience in production, health and fertility through propagating heterosis and enabling genetic fixes for regional climate-resilient livestock phenotypes that better tolerate environmental extremes.

Progress of Conjugated Linoleic Acid on Milk Fat Metabolism in Ruminants and Humans.

As a valuable nutrient in milk, fat accounts for a significant proportion of the energy requirements of ruminants and is largely responsible for determining milk quality. Fatty acids (FAs) are a pivotal component of milk fat. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is one of the naturally occurring FAs prevalent in ruminant dairy products and meat. Increasing attention has been given to CLA because of its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, immune regulation, and lipid metabolism regulation properties, and these benefits potentially contribute to the growth and health of infants. In breast milk, CLA is present in trace amounts, mainly in the form of cis-9, trans-11 CLA. Notably, cis-9, trans-11 CLA improves the milk fat rate while trans-10, cis-12 CLA inhibits it. Apart from having multiple physiological functions, CLA is also a pivotal factor in determining the milk quality of ruminants, especially milk fat rate. In response to growing interest in green and healthy functional foods, more and more researchers are exploring the potential of CLA to improve the production performance of animals and the nutritional value of livestock products. Taken together, it is novel and worthwhile to investigate how CLA regulates milk fat synthesis. It is the purpose of this review to clarify the necessity for studying CLA in ruminant milk fat and breast milk fat.