Supplementation Improved Growth Performance Research Articles

Artificial parasin I protein (API) supplementation improves growth performance and intestinal health in weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Diarrheas are common risks faced by piglets during the weaning period. This study investigated the alleviating effects of artificial parasin I protein (API) on growth performance and intestinal health of weaned pigs upon enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) challenge. Sixty piglets were randomly divided into five groups and fed a basal diet (CON) or basal diet supplemented with API at 0, 750, and 1500 mg/kg or antibiotics for 5 weeks. On d 15 and 25, piglets were challenged with ETEC K88 except for the CON group. Before the ETEC challenge (d 1–14), dietary API supplementation improved growth performance, and 750 mg API increased (P < 0.05) the average daily gain (ADG), decreased (P < 0.05) feed to gain ratio (F/G) and diarrhea index of weaned piglets. ETEC challenge (during d 15–35) reduced growth performance and increased (P < 0.01) the F/G, diarrhea rate, and diarrhea index. This event was accompanied by the numerically increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in serum and ileum, the decreased (P < 0.05) zonula-occludens-1 (ZO-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the ileum, and the increased (P = 0.04) secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) protein in the ileum. API supplementation alleviated the negative impact of ETEC. The 750 mg/kg API inclusion elevated (P < 0.05) ADG and decreased (P < 0.05) F/G. Two levels of API decreased (P < 0.01) the diarrhea rate and diarrhea index. Meanwhile, API inclusion decreased (P < 0.01) the crypt depth in the jejunum, elevated (P < 0.05) villus height in the duodenum and villus height to crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and ileum, up-regulated (P < 0.05) ZO-1, and down-regulated (P < 0.05) mucin-2 in the jejunum, and 1500 mg/kg API decreased (P < 0.01) sIgA level and down-regulated (P < 0.05) IL-1β in the ileum. Furthermore, 750 mg/kg API elevated (P < 0.01) Bifidobacteria population and acetic acid concentrations in the cecal chyme. In conclusion, API supplementation alleviates the negative impact of ETEC on growth performance and intestinal health, thus can be applied as an antibiotic alternative in weaned piglets.

Curcumin Supplementation Improves Growth Performance and Anticoccidial Index by Improving the Antioxidant Capacity, Inhibiting Inflammatory Responses, and Maintaining Intestinal Barrier Function in Eimeria tenella-Infected Broilers.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary curcumin supplementation on growth performance, anticoccidial index, antioxidant capacity, intestinal inflammation, and cecum microbiota in broilers infected with Eimeria tenella. A total of 234 one-day-old broilers were categorized into three treatments, with six replicates per treatment containing 13 broilers each. The three treatments included the control group, Eimeria tenella group, and Eimeria tenella + curcumin (200 mg/kg) group. The feeding trial lasted for 42 days, during which the broilers were orally administered with 0.9% saline or 5 × 104Eimeria tenella oocysts on day 14 of the study. On day 17 and day 21, one bird per replicate was selected for slaughtering. Results indicated an increased survival rate and anticoccidial index and improved productive performance in coccidia-infected broilers with curcumin supplementation. Furthermore, curcumin enhanced the serum antioxidant capacity in Eimeria tenella-infected broilers, evidenced by increased serum catalase activity (3d, 7d), as well as decreased malondialdehyde level (3d, 7d) and nitric oxide synthase activity (7d) (p < 0.05). Curcumin also improved intestinal inflammation and barrier function, evidenced by the downregulation of interleukin (IL)-1β (3d, 7d), TNF-alpha (TNF-α) (3d, 7d), and IL-2 (7d) and the up-regulated mRNA levels of claudin-1 (7d), zonula occludens (ZO-1; 3d, 7d), and occludin (3d, 7d) in the ceca of infected broilers (p < 0.05). Eimeria tenella infection significantly disrupted cecum microbial balance, but curcumin did not alleviate cecum microbial disorder in broilers infected with Eimeria tenella. Collectively, curcumin supplementation enhanced growth performance and anticoccidial index in Eimeria tenella-infected broilers via improving antioxidant ability and cecum inflammation without affecting cecum microbiota.

Dietary fat supplementation relieves cold temperature-induced energy stress through AMPK-mediated mitochondrial homeostasis in pigs.

Cold stress has negative effects on the growth and health of mammals, and has become a factor restricting livestock development at high latitudes and on plateaus. The gut-liver axis is central to energy metabolism, and the mechanisms by which it regulates host energy metabolism at cold temperatures have rarely been illustrated. In this study, we evaluated the status of glycolipid metabolism and oxidative stress in pigs based on the gut-liver axis and propose that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key target for alleviating energy stress at cold temperatures by dietary fat supplementation. Dietary fat supplementation alleviated the negative effects of cold temperatures on growth performance and digestive enzymes, while hormonal homeostasis was also restored. Moreover, cold temperature exposure increased glucose transport in the jejunum. In contrast, we observed abnormalities in lipid metabolism, which was characterized by the accumulation of bile acids in the ileum and plasma. In addition, the results of the ileal metabolomic analysis were consistent with the energy metabolism measurements in the jejunum, and dietary fat supplementation increased the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and lipid metabolism. As the central nexus of energy metabolism, the state of glycolipid metabolism and oxidative stress in the liver are inconsistent with that in the small intestine. Specifically, we found that cold temperature exposure increased glucose transport in the liver, which fully validates the idea that hormones can act on the liver to regulate glucose output. Additionally, dietary fat supplementation inhibited glucose transport and glycolysis, but increased gluconeogenesis, bile acid cycling, and lipid metabolism. Sustained activation of AMPK, which an energy receptor and regulator, leads to oxidative stress and apoptosis in the liver; dietary fat supplementation alleviates energy stress by reducing AMPK phosphorylation. Cold stress reduced the growth performance and aggravated glycolipid metabolism disorders and oxidative stress damage in pigs. Dietary fat supplementation improved growth performance and alleviated cold temperature-induced energy stress through AMPK-mediated mitochondrial homeostasis. In this study, we highlight the importance of AMPK in dietary fat supplementation-mediated alleviation of host energy stress in response to environmental changes.

Dietary nano-Selenium supplementation improves growth performance, nutrient digestibility and hematology in Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings

The following investigation was carried out to determine the effects of Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) on the growth rates, nutrient digestibility, and hematology of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings fed sunflower meal as basal diet. The experiment included seven test diets with varying Se levels (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 mg/kg) based on Se NPs supplementation. Chromic oxide, an inert maker, was also added. Fingerlings were fed at a rate of 5% of their body weight. The test meal of 1 mg/kg Se NPs resulted in the highest weight gain (12.31 g) and the lowest feed conversion ratio (1.58). Best hematological indices (RBCs 2.84 106 mm−3, WBCs 7.79 103 mm−3, PLT 66, Hb 8.5 g/100 ml, PCV 25% and MCV 190 fl) and maximum nutrient absorption (crude protein 72%, ether extract 73% and gross energy 67%) were also observed in the case of 1 mg/kg supplementation of Se NPs. Hematology studies indicated that when fish were fed 0.5 mg/kg Se NPs, their levels began to rise. Maximum results were achieved with feed containing 1 mg/kg of Se NPs, but when the concentration increased above 1 mg/kg, the values began to decline. Instead, nutrient digestibility began to increase when the concentration of Se NPs increased to 1 mg/kg and abruptly started to decline with a further increase in Se NPs. The results demonstrated that a sunflower meal-based diet supplemented with Se NPs (1 mg/kg) increased the growth performance, nutritional digestibility, and hematology of C. mrigala fingerlings.

Influence of BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus on growth performance, carcass characteristics, estimated dry matter digestibility, rumen fermentation characteristics, and immune function in finishing beef steers.

One hundred and eighty crossbred beef steers (406.0 ± 2.2kg) were used to determine the impact of a novel direct-fed microbial (DFM) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, rumen fermentation characteristics, and immune response in finishing beef cattle. Steers were blocked by body weight (BW) and randomly assigned, within block, to 1 of 2 treatments (3 replicates/treatment: 30 steers/replicate). Treatments included: (1) no DFM (control) and (2) DFM supplementation at 50 mg ∙ animal-1 ∙ d-1 (BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus). All steers were fed a high-concentrate finishing diet and individual feed intake was recorded daily via the GrowSafe system. BWs were collected every 28 d. On day 55, 10 steers per pen were injected with ovalbumin (OVA). Jugular blood samples were collected from each steer on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 post injection. On day 112, the same steers were injected again with OVA and intramuscularly with a pig red blood cell solution. Jugular blood samples were collected from each steer on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 post injection. On day 124, rumen fluid was collected from 3 steers per treatment and used to estimate in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics. Equal numbers of steers per treatment were transported to a commercial abattoir on days 145, 167, and 185 of the experiment, harvested, and carcass data were collected. Initial BW was similar across treatments. On days 28 and 55, steers receiving DFM had heavier BW (P < 0.01) compared to controls. The average daily gain was greater in DFM-supplemented steers from days 0 to 28 (P < 0.01) and days 0 to 55 (P < 0.01) of the experiment compared to controls. Overall dry matter intake (DMI) was greater (P < 0.04) and overall feed efficiency was similar in DFM-supplemented steers compared to controls. Dressing percentage (P < 0.02) was greater in steers receiving DFM compared to controls. Antibody titers to injected antigens were similar across treatments. However, red blood cell superoxide dismutase activity was greater (P < 0.05) in DFM-supplemented steers compared to controls. In vitro molar proportions of isobutyric and butyric acid were greater (P < 0.01) and dry matter (DM) digestibility tended (P < 0.07) to be greater in rumen fluid obtained from steers supplemented with DFM. These data suggest that BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus supplementation improves growth performance during the initial period of the finishing phase, increases overall DMI and dressing percentage, and may impact antioxidant status in beef cattle.

Dietary Serine Supplementation Improves Growth Performance, Intramuscular Fat Content, and Composition of Gut Microbes and Metabolites in Growing–Finishing Pigs

Serine is widely involved in antioxidant synthesis, immune response, and fat metabolism. However, it remains unclear whether dietary serine supplementation affects fat deposition in the skeletal muscles of pigs. Thus, we explored the effects of dietary serine supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, and composition of gut microbes and their metabolites in growing–finishing pigs. Forty-eight boars weighing approximately 20 kg were fed either a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 0.15% serine. The results showed that dietary serine increased the daily weight gain of pigs and improved serum antioxidant capacity as indicated by the decreased malondialdehyde content and increased glutathione and superoxide dismutase content. Pigs supplemented with serine had better meat quality, as shown by the lower drip loss and higher IMF content. Furthermore, dietary serine increased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Lactobacillus and decreased the relative abundance of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and Terrisporobacter. Differential microbial metabolites were mostly enriched in metabolic pathways related to lipid synthesis, such as alpha-linolenic acid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Correlation analysis showed that the altered metabolites were closely related to the intestinal microbiota. In conclusion, our results suggested that serine serves as a potential additive for improving IMF content in growing–finishing pigs.

Star anise extract supplementation improved growth performance, hepatic-antioxidant enzyme status, hematology, serum biochemistry, and survival against crowding stress in Catla catla

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of star anise extract (SAE) (prepared using ethanol as the solvent) on growth, proximate composition, hepatic-antioxidant enzyme status, blood-serum indices, and survival against crowding stress in Catla calta. Healthy fingerlings (N = 900) with an average initial weight of 14.16 ± 0.11 g were acclimatized under laboratory conditions and then placed in 5 hapas (60 fish in each) in triplicate. SAE was supplemented in basal feed at 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g/kg and fed to the experimental groups up to satiation twice daily for 90 days. After completion of the feeding trial, 40 fish from each treatment were subjected to crowding stress (60 kg/m3) in triplicate. In the feeding trial, orthogonal polynomial contrast analysis revealed significant enhancement in final weight, weight gain and specific growth in linear and quadratic trends with weight gain percentage, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency in a quadratic trend observed in response to SAE supplementation. The optimum supplementation level of SAE based on weight gain % was estimated to be 0.93 g/kg using broken line regression analysis (R2 = 0.97) for C. catla. No significant differences in survival rate or proximate composition were observed during the feeding trial. Dietary supplementation with SAE improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) in linear and quadratic trends. The activities of hepatic enzymes, such as alanine transferase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase, were also enhanced linearly and quadratically in response to SAE supplementation. Furthermore, hematological indices (red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) were also significantly improved with SAE supplementation. The serum total protein, albumin and globulin concentrations increased linearly and quadratically. Furthermore, stress markers (glucose, cortisol) and triglycerides were significantly reduced linearly and quadratically in response to SAE supplementation. Lysozyme activities also increased linearly and quadratically, indicating a better immune response. After 7 days of crowding stress, the lowest cumulative mortality was observed for the fish fed a diet supplemented with 1.0 g/kg SAE. In conclusion, dietary SAE supplementation significantly improved growth, hepatic-antioxidant enzyme status, blood-serum indices and survival against crowding stress in C. calta.

Dietary curcumin nanoparticles improve growth performance, oxidative status and immune response of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Abstract A 90 days of feeding trial was employed for evaluating the effects of dietary supplementation with curcumin nanoparticles (CURNPs) on growth performance, hematological and biochemical parameters, immune response, antioxidant status, and intestinal and hepatic architecture in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fingerlings. Fish (n = 300, initial body weight = 10.02 g ± 0.11g) received supplementary CURNPs at rates of 0 (control; CURNPs0), 50 (CURNPs50), 100 (CURNPs100) and 150 (CURNPs150) mg/kg diet for 90 days. Growth performance (final body weight (FBW), daily weight gain (DWG), weight gain (WG), relative growth rate (RGR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER)) and feed uptake (feed conversion rate (FCR)) were improved significantly in CURNPs (100 and 150 mg/kg)-supplemented groups. The hematological parameters red blood corpuscles (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), and packed cell volume (PCV) were improved significantly (p &lt; 0.001) in CURNPs150 and CURNPs100 groups, while CURNPs150 had the lowest values of monocytes (p = 0.019) and heterophils (p &lt; 0.005) when compared with other groups. Glucose was higher and lipid profile (total cholesterol and triglycerides) were lower in all CURNPs-supplemented groups as compared to the control group. Fish fed with CURNPS at various levels exhibited remarkable increase in digestive enzymes (amylase and lipase), immune markers (immunoglobulin G (IgG), lysozyme and phagocytic indices), and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)). A noticeable decrease (p &lt; 0.05) in malondialdehyde (MDA) and considerable upregulation of hepatic insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) mRNA levels were found in CURNPs-supplemented fish in a dose-dependent manner. The down regulation of hepatic heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was observed in CURNPs150. Intestinal and hepatic architectures were improved significantly by CURNPs. In conclusion, CURNPs supplementation improved growth performance, feed consumption and digestion, hematological and biochemical markers, immune response, and redox homeostasis in D. labrax. Therefore, CURNPs could be supplemented in the diets of D. labrax as a natural alternative to promote overall performance.

Diet xylo-oligosaccharide supplementation improves growth performance, immune function, and intestinal health of broilers

The effects of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on broiler growth performance, immune function, and intestinal health were investigated. A total of 540 one-d-old Arbor Acres Plus broilers were randomly divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates per group and 18 chickens per replicate. Broilers in the control (CON) group received a corn–soybean meal based basal diet, those in the antibiotics (ANT) group received the basal diet plus 500 mg/kg oxytetracycline, and those in XOS groups received the basal diet plus 150, 300, or 450 mg/kg XOS. Compared with CON, the body weight at 42 d and average daily gain from 1 to 42 d were significantly increased in the 150, 450 mg/kg XOS-added and ANT groups (P = 0.018), and the relative expression of claudin-1 and ZO-1 mRNA in the ileum was significantly higher in the 300 and 450 mg/kg XOS-added groups (P < 0.001). The feed conversion ratios (P < 0.001) and abdominal fat rates (P = 0.012) of broilers from 1 to 42 d of age were significantly lower in all XOS-added groups than in the control group. Splenic index (P = 0.036) and bursa of Fabricius index (P = 0.009) were significantly better in the ANT group and each XOS-added group than in the control group. Compared to CON and ANT, serum IgA (P = 0.007) and IgG (P = 0.002) levels were significantly higher in the 300 mg/kg XOS-added group, and the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing genera (Alistipes) was also significantly higher (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, ileal villus height (P < 0.001) and ratio of villus height to crypt depth (V:C) (P = 0.001) were significantly increased in XOS-added broilers. In analysis of relationships between cecal microbes and the physical barrier of the gut, [Ruminococcus]_torques_group was positively correlated with mRNA expression of ileal ZO-1 and claudin-1 (P < 0.05), and Bacteroides was positively correlated with increased ileal villus height and V:C (P < 0.05). Overall, XOS addition to broiler diets improved growth performance, promoted intestinal health by enhancing intestinal barrier function and regulating cecal microbiota diversity, and had positive effects on immunity.

Synbiotics improve growth performance and nutrient digestibility, inhibit PEDV infection, and prevent intestinal barrier dysfunction by mediating innate antivirus immune response in weaned piglets.

This experiment was conducted to explore the effects of dietary synbiotics (SYB) supplementation on growth performance, immune function, and intestinal barrier function in piglets challenged with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). Forty crossbred (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) weaned piglets (26 ± 1d old) with a mean body weight (BW) of 6.62 ± 0.36kg were randomly allotted to five groups: control (CON) I and CONII group, both fed basal diet; 0.1% SYB group, 0.2% SYB group, and 0.2% yeast culture (YC) group, fed basal diet supplemented with 0.1%, 0.2% SYB, and 0.2% YC, respectively. On day 22, all piglets were orally administrated with 40mL PEDV (5.6 × 103 TCID50/mL) except piglets in CONI group, which were administrated with the same volume of sterile saline. The trial lasted for 26d. Before PEDV challenge, dietary 0.1% SYB supplementation increased final BW, average daily gain (ADG), and decreased the ratio of feed to gain during 0 to 21d (P < 0.05), as well as improved the apparent nutrient digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein, ether extract (EE), and gross energy (GE). At the same time, 0.2% YC also improved the apparent nutrient digestibility of DM, OM, EE, and GE (P < 0.05). PEDV challenge increased diarrhea rate and diarrhea indexes while decreased ADG (P < 0.05) from days 22 to 26, and induced systemic and intestinal mucosa innate immune and proinflammatory responses, destroyed intestinal barrier integrity. The decrease in average daily feed intake and ADG induced by PEDV challenge was suppressed by dietary SYB and YC supplementation, and 0.1% SYB had the best-alleviating effect. Dietary 0.1% SYB supplementation also increased serum interleukin (IL)-10, immunoglobulin M, complement component 4, and jejunal mucosal IL-4 levels, while decreased serum diamine oxidase activity compared with CONII group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 0.1% SYB improved mRNA expressions of claudin-1, zonula occludens protein-1, mucin 2, interferon-γ, interferon regulatory factor-3, signal transducers and activators of transcription (P < 0.05), and protein expression of occludin, and downregulated mRNA expressions of toll-like receptor 3 and tumor necrosis factor-α (P < 0.05) in jejunal mucosa. Supplementing 0.2% SYB or 0.2% YC also had a positive effect on piglets, but the effect was not as good as 0.1% SYB. These results indicated that dietary 0.1% SYB supplementation improved growth performance under normal conditions, and alleviated the inflammatory response and the damage of intestinal barrier via improving innate immune function and decreasing PEDV genomic copies, showed optimal protective effects against PEDV infection.

Dietary Zinc-Loaded Montmorillonite Supplementation Improves Growth Performance, Diarrhea, Intestinal Barrier Function and Regulating Gut Microbiota in Weaned Piglets

Dietary Zinc-Loaded Montmorillonite Supplementation Improves Growth Performance, Diarrhea, Intestinal Barrier Function and Regulating Gut Microbiota in Weaned Piglets

Effect of dietary intervention with Capsicum annuum extract on growth performance, physiological status, innate immune response, and related gene expression in Nile tilapia

The red pepper (Capsicum annuum) has gained great attention recently because of its biological and pharmacological characteristics. The present approach aimed to evaluate the effects of C. annuum alcoholic extract (CAE) supplementation on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) growth performance, physiological status, some metabolic, immune, and regulatory genes expression, and resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae infection. Fish (22.26 ± 0.19 g) were assigned to four treatments (five replicates, each with 10 fish replicate−1) and fed tested diets for 60 days. The experimental diets were supplemented with CAE at 0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 g kg−1, expressed as CAE0, CAE0.4, CAE0.8, and CAE1.6, respectively. The findings exhibited that CAE dietary supplementation improved growth performance, feed utilization, elevated growth hormone level, and digestive enzyme activities (amylase and protease), and lowered leptin hormone in a level-dependent manner. Boosting the mRNA expression of the transporter proteins (solute carrier family 15 member 2 and solute carrier family 26 member 6) and insulin-like growth factor-1 genes with a decrease in the myostatin gene expression was noticed in the CAE-fed groups. The innate immune (serum bactericidal activity %, complement 3, and phagocytic activity %) and antioxidant (glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity) parameters were significantly (p < 0.05) improved, and the serum malondialdehyde level was significantly decreased by CAE dietary inclusion. A marked upregulation in the mRNA expression of interleukins (il-1β, il-6, il-8, and il-10), transforming growth factor-β, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione synthetase genes were observed in CAE-fed groups. Dietary CAE decreased the cumulative mortalities after the challenge with S. agalactiae by 20, 13.33, and 10% in CAE0.4, CAE0.8, and CAE1.6, respectively, compared to the control (40%). Overall, dietary supplementation with CAE could improve growth performance and physiological status, and modulate the expression of several regulatory genes in Nile tilapia. The recommended level of CAE is 1.6 g kg−1 to augment growth and health status.

PSXI-29 Influence of a Direct Fed Microbial on Growth Performance, Carcass Data, and Immune Function in Feedlot Finishing Steers

Abstract One hundred and eighty crossbred beef steers (405.9 ± 2.3 kg) were used to determine the impact of a direct fed microbial (DFM) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and immune response in finishing beef cattle. Steers were blocked by body weight and randomly assigned, within block, to 1 of 2 treatments (3 replicates/treatment: 30 steers/replicate). Groups within a replicate were randomly assigned to treatments. Treatments included: 1) no DFM (control) and 2) DFM supplementation at 50 mg/animal/d [BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus containing Lactobacillus animalis, Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus subtilis]. All steers were fed a high concentrate, steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet. Individual feed intake was recorded daily via the GrowSafe system. Body weights were collected every 28 d. Jugular blood samples were collected from all steers on day 0 and 112. On d 55 of the experiment, 10 steers per pen (30 steers per treatment) were randomly selected and injected, subcutaneously with 4.0 mg of ovalbumin (OVA). Jugular blood samples were collected from each steer on d 0, 7, 14, and 21 post injection. On d 112 of the experiment, the same steers were injected with the same dose of OVA and intramuscularly with 5 mL of a 25 % pig red blood cell (PRBC) solution. Jugular blood samples were collected from each steer on day 0, 7, 14, and 21 post injection. After receiving the finishing diet for 185 d, cattle were transported to a commercial abattoir and slaughtered. Hot carcass weights were collected at the time of slaughter. Carcasses were allowed to chill for 24 h before carcass data were collected. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized block design and individual animal within pen was considered the experimental unit. Initial body weight, final body weight, and overall feed efficiency were similar across treatments. Steers receiving DFM had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) body weights and average daily gains on d 28 and 55 and greater (P &amp;lt; 0.04) dry matter intakes over the entire experiment compared with controls. Hot carcass weight, longissimus muscle area, quality grade, and marbling score were similar across treatments. However, dressing percentage (P &amp;lt; 0.02) was greater in steers receiving DFM compared with controls. Antibody titers to OVA and PRBC and d 112 interferon gamma concentrations were similar across treatments. However, red blood cell superoxide dismutase activity was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in DFM-supplemented cattle compared with controls on d 112 of the experiment. These data suggest that BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus supplementation improves growth performance during certain periods of the finishing phase, increases overall dry matter intake and carcass yield, and may impact antioxidant status in beef cattle.

PSI-30 A Novel Direct-Fed Microbial Influences Growth Performance, Health Parameters, and Carcass Characteristics in Feedlot Finishing Steers

Abstract Non-hormone-treated beef steers (n = 1,625; 370.6 ± 8.4 kg) were used to determine the impact of a direct-fed microbial (DFM) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, health parameters, and cost of gain in finishing beef cattle. Steers were sorted into 3 optimal marketing groups for each day of enrollment and randomly assigned, within block to 1 of 2 treatments (12 replicates per treatment). Treatments included: 1) Control (no DFM), 2) BDP (BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus containing (50 mg· animal-1· /day-1; Lactobacillus animalis, Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus subtilis). Steers averaged 133 days on feed (DOF) at time of harvest. Both pens within a block were harvested on the same day. Steers were weighed in drafts on a certified scale by pen at closeout. Hot carcass weights and liver scores were collected at the time of slaughter. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized block design and pen was considered the experimental unit. Dry matter intake and final body weight were not different across treatments. Total outs (dead animals and removed) throughout the experiment were less (P &amp;lt; 0.01) for BDP steers. Performance tended to be greater as ADG (P &amp;lt; 0.06) and FE (P &amp;lt; 0.01) were better for steers receiving BDP treatment. Hot carcass weight and quality grade were not different across treatments; however, total liver abscesses were found to be less (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in steers receiving BDP compared with controls. These data suggest that BOVAMINE DEFEND Plus supplementation improves growth performance during the finishing phase, reduces overall mortality, and increases return on investment of feedlot cattle.

367 Early Fetal to Neonatal Vitamin a Supplementation Improves Growth Performance and Development of Muscle and Pre-Adipocyte in Korean Native Calves

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin A supplementation during the early fetal to neonatal stages on growth performance, blood metabolites, and the development of muscle and pre-adipocytes in Korean native calves. Twenty female newborn calves [day 0 of age; initial BW: 31.2 kg (SD 3.07)] were stratified based on whether they received vitamin A supplementation during the early fetal to neonatal stages, and then randomly allocated to four groups using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Vitamin A supplementation was conducted as follows: fetal stage (control: 7,800 IU/kg of as-fed, treatment: 22,800 IU/kg of as-fed); neonatal stage (control: 17,000 IU/day, treatment: 53,000 IU/day). Growth performance, blood variables, mRNA expression in muscle tissue, and muscle fiber diameter were evaluated during the experimental period and analyzed using the MIXED procedure with Tukey's test by SAS 9.4 software. As a result, fetal-vitamin A treatment group exhibited higher (P &amp;lt; 0.05) serum vitamin A concentrations and blood glucose concentrations on the day 3 of age. Similarly, vitamin A supplementation in the neonatal stage significantly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) serum vitamin A concentrations at day 30 and 60 of age, as well as albumin and glucose concentrations at day 60 of age. Moreover, both birth and weaning BW were significantly greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in calves receiving vitamin A supplementation during the fetal stage. However, feed intake and muscle fiber diameter showed no differences (P &amp;gt; 0.05) between the groups. In addition, supplementation of vitamin A during the fetal stage resulted in upregulation (P &amp;lt; 0.05) of ZNF423 mRNA expression in the longissimus dorsi muscle, whereas neonatal supplementation upregulated (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the mRNA expression of PAX7 and MYF5. Our findings suggested that vitamin A supplementation during the early fetal to neonatal stages can enhance the growth performance of offspring calves and potentially promote an increase in pre-adipocyte and satellite cell storage in muscle tissue. This information can be applied in integrated fetal-neonatal nutrient feeding strategies in beef cattle.

Effects of fermented feed on growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of lion-head goslings.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fermented feed on growth performance, antioxidant indexes and intestinal health in lion-head goslings. 288 male lion-head goslings (one-day-old) were randomly divided into four groups (6 replicates per group, 12 samples per replicate): control group (basal diet) and fermented feed (FF) groups (basal diet supplemented with 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5% FF, respectively). The experimental period lasted 28 days. The results showed that 5.0 and 7.5% FF groups decreased feed conversion rate (FCR) when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The 5.0% FF group reduced the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum; while the 7.5% FF group decreased the concentration of total cholesterol (TC), ALP and LDH activity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the 7.5% FF group significantly increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum (p < 0.05); 2.5% and 5.0% FF groups significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum (p < 0.05); all FF groups increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in serum (p < 0.05). For intestinal health, the villous height and villi/crypt ratio in jejunum were increased in all FF groups, but crypt depth was decreased (p < 0.05); The 5.0% FF groups enhanced T-AOC activity in jejunum (p < 0.05); The 2.5% and 5.0% FF groups enhanced GSH-Px activity (p < 0.05) in jejunum; All FF groups reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) level in jejunum (p < 0.05). LEfSe analysis showed that the cecum microbiota was significantly dominant in the 2.5% FF group compared to the control group including Firmicutes, Lactobacillales, Lactobacillus, and Prevotella; the flora that were significantly dominant in the 5.0% FF group compared to the control group included Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroides, Megamonas, and Prevotella; and the groups that were significantly dominant in the 7.5% FF group compared to the control group included Bacteroidota, Bacteroides, Bacteroidaceae, and Ruminococcaceae. In summary, dietary FF supplementation improved growth performance, serum biochemical parameters and antioxidant capacity of lion-head goslings, as well as improved jejunal tissue morphology and optimized intestinal flora structure. In particular, the FF addition at a dose of 7.5% was relatively more effective for lion- head goslings.

233 Encapsulated Butyrate Supplementation Improved Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs without Added ZnO

Abstract This study was to investigate the effects of supplementing encapsulated butyrate additives in nursery phase 1 and 2 diets with and without pharmacological levels of ZnO on growth performance of nursery pigs. Pigs (n = 720; ~21 d of age, 5.72 kg of BW) were assigned to 6 treatments (n = 12, 10 pigs/pen, mixed sex) in a randomized complete block design with initial BW as a block and fed for 42 days in 3 phases (d 0-9, d 10-21, and d 22-42, respectively). Treatments were: 1) Control, basal diet with 3,000 ppm of Zn in phase 1, 1,500 ppm of Zn in phase 2 and 125 ppm of Zn in phase 3 (i.e., pharmacological levels); 2) Control with GBM Performant (encapsulated butyrate additive with 63% butyric acid) at 0.475 kg/MT in phase 1 and 2 diets; 3) Control with GBM Performant at 0.75 kg/MT in phase 1 and 2 diets; 4) basal diet with GBM Performant at 0.475 kg/MT in phase 1 and 2 diets without pharmacological levels of ZnO; (5) basal diet with GBM Performant at 0.75 kg/MT in phase 1 and 2 diets without pharmacological levels of ZnO; (6) Control with Product A (encapsulated butyrate additive with 40% butyric acid) at 0.48 kg/MT, which provided equivalate dietary butyrate content as treatments 2 and 4. All phase 1 and phase 2 diets were added with antibiotics. Diets contained nutrients meeting or exceeding NRC requirements. Growth performance was measured for each phase. Data were analyzed using SAS v9.4 with pen serving as the experimental unit and differences considered significant at P ≤ 0.05. During phase 1, all GBM Performant treatments had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) ADG than Control or Product A treatment. The GBM Performant treatments also had greater ADFI (P = 0.04) and Gain:Feed (P = 0.07) than Product A treatment with Control being intermediate. Throughout the trial, GBM Performant treatment without pharmacological levels of ZnO showed greater ADG (P &amp;lt; 0.01) and ADFI (P &amp;lt; 0.01) than GBM Performant treatment with pharmacological levels of ZnO and the Control, whereas the Product A treatment showed the least ADG and ADFI. The GBM Performant treatment without pharmacological levels of ZnO tended to have greater overall Gain:Feed (P = 0.08) than other treatment groups. There was no significant difference on overall performance from the two supplementing dosage levels of GBM Performant. In conclusion, under the current trial condition, GBM Performant supplementation in phase 1 and 2 diets improved growth performance of nursery pigs than Control group without butyrate. When removing ZnO, GBM Performant treatment showed more benefits on performance compared with pigs supplemented with GBM Performant and pharmacological level of ZnO.

Koumine supplementation positively affects growth, circadian rhythms, and stress levels in Cyprinus carpio

This study evaluated the effects of koumine on growth performance, brain transcriptional response, expression of genes associated with circadian rhythms, and physiological stress indicators in carp (5.21 ± 0.05 g). Fish were fed four different koumine levels (0, 0.2, 2, and 20 mg/kg) of diet (crude protein 29.71%, crude lipid 3.68%) for 10 weeks in a RAS (26.0–28.0 ℃, pH 7.3–7.5, and DO 5.5–6.1 mg/L). Each type of feed was administered to three replicate tanks (50 L, 12 cycles per day), each containing 30 fish, with feeding occurring twice daily. The results showed that koumine supplementation improved the growth performance of carp. Significant enrichment of circadian rhythm, memory, and behavior-related pathways in the brain of the koumine-supplemented group of fish. The circadian rhythm positive feedback-related genes MKP5, ATP1A, ATP2A, and CRY2 were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05), and the negative feedback-related genes REV-ERBA were significantly downregulated (P < 0.05) in the koumine supplementation group. The fish in the koumine group showed a significant increase in brain dopamine concentrations (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations (P < 0.05). Overall, our study showed that koumine supplementation improved growth performance and reduced stress levels during rearing of carp, which may be related to the regulation of expression of circadian rhythm-related pathways.

Dietary Nucleoforce® supplementation improves growth performance, feed efficiency and enhances intestinal morphology in broiler chickens

Dietary Nucleoforce® supplementation improves growth performance, feed efficiency and enhances intestinal morphology in broiler chickens

Plant-derived squalene supplementation improves growth performance and alleviates acute oxidative stress-induced growth retardation and intestinal damage in piglets

Piglets are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress, which causes inferior growth performance and intestinal damage. Squalene (SQ), a natural bioactive substance enriched in shark liver oil, shows excellent antioxidant properties and can currently be obtained at a low cost from deodorizer distillate during the production of plant oil. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of plant-derived SQ supplementation on the growth performance of piglets and explore the beneficial roles of SQ against oxidative stress and intestinal injury in diquat-challenged piglets. Forty piglets were randomly divided into five groups and fed a basal diet supplemented with SQ at 0, 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg for 5 weeks. Acute oxidative stress was induced in the piglets with diquat (10 mg/kg BW) at the fourth week of the experiment, followed by a 7-d recovery period. Results showed that before the diquat challenge, SQ supplementation significantly improved growth performance (average daily gain and feed conversion ratio) and serum antioxidant status, and after the diquat challenge, SQ supplementation significantly mitigated diquat-induced growth arrest, intestinal villous atrophy, intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis, intestinal hyperpermeability, and deficiency of intestinal epithelial tight junction proteins (zonula occludens-1, occludin, and claudin-3). Under oxidative stress induced by diquat, SQ supplementation consistently improved the antioxidant status of the small intestine, liver, and muscle. In vitro, SQ was shown to alleviate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced increase of the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and apoptosis of porcine intestinal epithelial cells. Taken together, SQ supplementation improves growth performance and effectively alleviates acute oxidative stress-induced growth retardation and intestinal injury via improving antioxidant capacity in piglets. Our findings may provide an efficient strategy for alleviating oxidative stress-induced inferior growth performance and intestinal damage in piglets.