Volatile Fatty Acid Concentrations Research Articles

Enhancing biomethanation performance through co-digestion of diverse organic wastes: a comprehensive study on substrate optimization, inoculum selection, and microbial community analysis.

A blend of organic municipal solid waste, slaughterhouse waste, fecal sludge, and landfill leachate was selected in different mixing ratios to formulate the best substrate mixture for biomethanation. Individual substrates were characterized, and the mixing ratio was optimized with the help of a response surface methodology tool to a value of 1:1:1:1 (with a C/N ratio of 28±0.769 and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration of 2500±10.53 mg/L) to improve the overall biomethanation. The optimized blend (C/N ratio: 28.6, VFA: 2538 mg/L) was characterized for physicochemical, biological, and microbial properties and subjected to anaerobic digestion in lab-scale reactors of 1000 mL capacity with and without the addition of inoculum. The biogas yield of individual substrates and blends was ascertained separately. The observed cumulative biogas yield over 21 days from the non-inoculated substrates varied between 142±1.95 mL (24.6±0.3 ml/gVS) and 1974.5±21.72 mL (270.4±3.1 ml/gVS). In comparison, the addition of external inoculation at a 5% rate (w/w) of the substrate uplifted the minimum and maximum cumulative gas yield values to 203±9.9 mL (35.0±1.6 mL/gVS) and 3394±13.4 mL (315.3±1.2 mL/gVS), respectively. The inoculum procured from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was screened in advance, considering factors such as maximizing VFA production and consumption rate, biogas yield, and digestate quality. A similar outcome regarding biogas yield and digestate quality was observed for the equivalent blend. The cumulative gas yield increased from 2673±14.5 mL (373.7±2.2 mL/gVS) to 4284±111.02 mL (391.47±20.02 mL/gVS) over 21 days post-application of a similar dosage of DRDO inoculum. The 16S rRNA genomic analysis revealed that the predominant bacterial population belonged to the phylum Firmicutes, with the majority falling within the orders Clostridiales and Lactobacillales. Ultimately, the study advocates the potential of the blend mentioned above for biomethanation and concomitant enrichment of both biogas yield and digestate quality.

Non-targeted facilitation of primary sludge anaerobic fermentation by micro-aeration and the simultaneous nutrients transformations

Anaerobic fermentation is a widely used technology for resource recovery from municipal sludge (e.g., primary sludge). Micro-aeration is an emerging strategy which can be incorporated into this technology. However, the effect of micro-aeration on the anaerobic fermentation performance and the nutrients transformations are not well known. This study investigated the impact of micro-aeration on the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from primary sludge as well as the simultaneous nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) transformations in the system. The obtained results indicated that application of micro-aeration improved the microbial activities and facilitated all the hydrolysis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis processes. Hydrogenotrophic methanogen was enriched by micro-aeration while the acetoclastic methanogenesis was still the dominant CH4 production pathway at gene level. The concentration of VFAs was lower with micro-aeration than in the control system, which could be attributed to the enhanced consumption of VFAs. The simultaneous transformations of N and P were observed with different patterns. Micro-aeration led to removal of up to 131.6 mg/L of N, with occurrence of nitrification and denitrification found to be responsible for the N removal. In contrast, the total P content remained unchanged in the reactor. However, micro-aeration was found to inhibit both extracellular organic-P mineralization and intracellular poly-P degradation, resulting in lower soluble PO43−-P and more P distributed in the organic-P fraction in solid phase. This study provides novel insights into the microscopic mechanisms of the micro-aeration on anaerobic fermentation and the simultaneous regulation of N and P release.

PSI-18 Effects of heat treatment and multi-carbohydrase supplementation on the digestibility of phosphorus in field peas fed to growing pigs

Abstract Most plant-based feed ingredients contain about two-thirds of their total P as phytate. Mineral elements are chelated to phytate or entrapped in plant cell walls, and microbial or enzymatic breakdown of cell walls may be able to release entrapped P, thus leading to improvement of the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of P in pigs. Heat treatment is one of the processing methods that improve the digestibility of fiber in various feedstuffs for pigs. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of heat treatment and multi-carbohydrase supplementation on the ATTD and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P in peas fed to growing pigs. A total of 18 pigs (23.9 ± 1.3 kg) were assigned to 1 of 3 diets in a completely randomized design to give 6 replicates per diet. Three experimental diets were formulated: 1) non-heated or 2) heat-treated (pelleted) peas as the sole source of P, and 3) heat-treated peas with multi-carbohydrase supplementation. Pigs were individually housed in metabolism crates for 12 d, including 7 d for adaptation and 5 d for total collection of feces. Pigs were offered their daily ration at 2.8 times their maintenance energy requirement. Samples of ingredients, diets, and feces were analyzed for dry matter, Ca, and P. Fecal samples were analyzed for mixed bacterial mass (MBM) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED of SAS. The statistical model included diet as fixed effect and replicate as random effect. An alpha level of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance and P ≤ 0.10 was considered a trend. Pigs fed the diet that contained heat-treated peas with carbohydrase supplementation tended to have greater (P < 0.10) ATTD and STTD of P than pigs fed the diet containing heat-treated peas without enzyme. The values of STTD of P were 54.4, 47.3, and 55.0% for diets containing raw peas, heat-treated peas, and heat-treated peas with carbohydrase supplementation, respectively. Heat treatment and enzyme supplementation did not affect the ATTD of Ca in peas fed to growing pigs. No significant differences were observed in fecal MBM-P and VFA concentrations. In conclusion, carbohydrase supplementation tended to increase the digestibility of P in heat-treated peas fed to growing pigs, however, there was no difference in P digestibility between raw and heat-treated peas. Heat treatment and carbohydrase supplementation did not affect fecal MBM-P and VFA concentrations in growing pigs.

80 Substitution of dried distiller’s grains with soybean meal on beef cattle diets: Effects on ruminal ammonia and volatile fatty acid concentrations

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of substitution of dried distiller grains with soybean meal on beef cattle diets in ruminal ammonia and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations. Red Angus steers [n = 4; body weight (BW) = 360 ± 9 kg] with ruminal, duodenal, and ileal cannulas, were used in a 4 × 4 latin square. Diets (TMR) consisted of dry-rolled corn (70%), hay (10%), liquid supplement (5%), and test ingredients (15%). Treatments were [dry matter (DM) basis]: 1) 15.0% DDGS (CON); SBM in replacement of 50% of DDGS (SBM50); SBM in replacement of 75% of DDGS (SBM75), and SBM in replacement of 100% of DDGS (SBM100). Each period lasted 18-d, consisting of a 7-d diet adaptation followed by an 11-d collection period. Rumen fluid was collected at -2, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h post-feeding on d 16. Ruminal digesta was strained through two layers of cheesecloth and two 10-mL aliquots of ruminal fluid were collected and stored at −20°C until further analysis of ammonia and VFA concentrations. Data were analyzed as repeated measures using the MIXED procedure of SAS with treatment, sampling time, and their interaction as fixed effects, and animal and period as random effects. No treatment by day interactions (P ≥ 0.84) were observed for ammonia or VFA. Ammonia concentrations were greater (P ≤ 0.01) for SBM75 compared with SBM100 and CON, with intermediate values observed for SBM50 (Table 1). Moreover, ammonia was greater (P ≤ 0.01) at 0h compared with 6, 8, and 12h post-feeding. Acetate was greater (P ≤ 0.01) for SBM75 and SBM100 compared with CON and SBM50. Concentrations of propionate were greatest (P ≤ 0.01) for SBM100 and least for CON, with SBM50 and SBM75 being intermediate. Further, propionate was greater (P ≤ 0.01) at 16h compared with 0 and 2 h post-feeding, with all other times being intermediate. Isobutyrate was less (P ≤ 0.01) for CON than all other treatments, and greater concentrations (P ≤ 0.01) were observed at -2 compared with 14 and 16 h post-feeding. Butyrate was greatest (P ≤ 0.01) in SBM75, followed by CON and SBM50; SBM50 was similar to SBM100. Butyrate concentrations were similar -2 and 0 h post feeding, which were less (P ≤ 0.01) than all other times. Isovalerate was greater (P ≤ 0.01) for CON than SBM50 and SBM75, and similar to SBM100. Valerate was greatest (P ≤ 0.01) for SBM75 and SBM100 followed by SBM 50 and CON which had the least valerate value. Overall, our results show that SBM75 resulted in greater concentrations of ammonia, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, and valerate compared with CON. These data suggest that 75% substitution of DDGS with SBM has the potential to optimize microbial fermentation. To complement these results, we are currently evaluating rumen protein degradation profiles and amino acid flow to small intestine.

84 Evaluating the effects of hind gut acidosis in sheep on rumen fermentation ex vivo

Abstract The objective was to determine the effect of hindgut acidosis in sheep on rumen fermentation ex vivo. Eleven ruminally and cecally cannulated ewes [body weight (BW) = 49 ± 4 kg] were assigned to one of two treatments: a constant infusion of deionized water (CON; 26 mL/kg BW per 24 h) or starch solution (STA; 3 g wheat starch/kg BW per 24 h) in the cecum to induce hindgut acidosis. Rumen fluid was collected from each ewe on the d before and four d after the start of cecal infusion for an ex vivo fermentation. There were four flasks for each ewe with two flasks per substrate. The two substrates were forage-based (FB; 40% grass hay pellet, 35% whole shell corn, 15% dried distiller’s grain, and 10% alfalfa cubes) and concentrate-based (CB; 75% whole shell corn, 15% dried distiller’s grain, and 10% alfalfa cubes). Flasks contained 2.5 grams of substrate and 150 mL of inoculum (2:1 ratio of McDougall’s buffer and rumen fluid). Four sealed ANKOM F57 bags were filled with 0.25g DM of substrate and placed into flasks to determine in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD). The flasks were incubated at 39°C for 24 h, with sample aliquots collected at h 0, 8, and 24 to determine pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and ammonia. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4. For all response variables, values from the run before cecal infusion initiation were included in the model as a covariate. Ammonia, pH, and VFA were analyzed with the effects of treatment, time, and their interaction. For the CB substrate, there was no effect (P = 0.90) of cecal infusion on ammonia concentration; however, there was a time effect (P = 0.01) with h 24 having a greater ammonia concentration than h 8. For the FB substrate, there was a tendency for STA to have lesser (P = 0.10) ammonia than CON. There was no effect (P ≥ 0.78) of cecal infusion treatment on pH for both substrates; however, there was a time effect (P = 0.01) with pH decreasing over time. In both substrates, there were no effects (P ≥ 0.23) of cecal infusion treatment on IVDMD, VFA concentration, acetate, or propionate molar concentration. However, butyrate molar concentration tended to be less (P = 0.07) for STA ewes for the CB substrate. No treatment differences were observed in butyrate for the FB substrate (P = 0.35). Results indicate that induced hindgut acidosis in sheep did not affect rumen fermentation ex vivo.

PSVI-4 Effects of ruminal acidosis on rumen fermentation of steers adapted to a high concentrate diet

Abstract The objective was to characterize the effects of ruminal acidosis on rumen fermentation of steers adapted to a high concentrate diet. Cattle entering the feedlot undergo a transition period where the amount of concentrates in the diet is gradually increased to mitigate the risks of ruminal acidosis. Despite a dietary adaptation, rumen acidosis still affects feedlot cattle later in the finishing phase. Ruminally cannulated steers [n = 11; body weight (BW) = 795 kg ± 54) were blocked into 2 groups based on initial BW. Before the start of the study, cattle had been consuming a finishing diet (60% dry rolled corn, 15% modified distiller’s grains, 15% corn silage, and 10% ground corn based supplement) for more than 150 d. Steers were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: control (CON) or acidosis (ACD). For the experiment, steers were fasted for 24 h and at the conclusion received the same finishing diet. Steers on ACD steers were also ruminally dosed 0.05% BW of wheat starch on h 0 and h 12 to induce acidosis. Rumen fluid was collected every 4 h for 48 h to analyze ruminal pH, ammonia, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and lactate. Fecal grab samples were collected every 8 h for 48 h to determine fecal pH. Data were analyzed with the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 with the effects of treatment, time, and their interaction. A treatment × hour (P < 0.01) effect was observed for ruminal pH with the ACD steers having a lower pH than CON from h 12 to 32. Fecal pH was not affected by treatment, time, or their interaction (P ≥ 0.12). Steers fed ACD had greater total VFA concentration than CON (P < 0.01). A treatment × hour interaction (P < 0.01) was observed for acetate molar proportion with CON having greater percentage acetate at h 24 through 32. Additionally, there was a treatment × hour interaction (P < 0.01) for propionate molar proportion with ACD steers having greater propionate at h 28 and 32, and then at h 40 and 44. Butyrate was not affected (P ≥ 0.58) by treatment × hour or treatment. Acetate to propionate ratio (A:P) was affected by treatment × hour (P < 0.01) with CON steers having greater A:P after h 28. Rumen ammonia and lactate concentrations did not differ (P ≥ 0.25) by treatment or the interaction with h. In steers adapted to a high concentrate diet, acidosis only altered ruminal fermentation in regards to ruminal pH and VFA concentrations.

15 Effects of post-MSC DDGS inclusion in gestation diets compared with other fiber sources on in vitro gas and volatile fatty acid production

Abstract In vitro fermentation has been used to characterize hindgut fermentation of fibrous ingredients fed to grower pigs. However, there is little to no work investigating hindgut fermentation of fibrous feedtuffs in gestating sows, who have greater fermentative capacity compared with grower pigs. The objective of this study was to characterize hindgut gas production and volatile fatty acids (VFA) following in vitro fermentation using fecal inoculum collected from the sows when fed either post-protein separation dried-distiller’s grains with solubles (post-MSC DDGS), soyhulls, or sugar beet pulp. Pregnant sows (n = 22; parity 0 to 1; body weigh = 190 ± 10 kg) were allocated to 1 of 6 dietary treatments in a crossover design with two collection periods (period 1 from d 40-59 of gestation and period 2 from d 60-79 of gestation) to attain at least 7 observations per treatment. Two of the six diets were practical corn-soybean meal-based gestation diets with either soyhulls (17.5% inclusion) or post-MSC DDGS (15% inclusion). The remaining four diets included a corn-basal diet and the basal diet plus 30% inclusion of post-MSC DDGS, soyhulls, or sugar beet pulp. Sows were fed experimental diets (2.2 kg/d in a single feeding) in two 20 d collection periods. For in vitro fermentation, fresh fecal samples were collected on d 16 of each collection period, prepared as inoculum, and subjected to the gas production measurement technique through in vitro fermentation. Supernatant residue from the in vitro fermentation was subjected to VFA analysis by gas chromatography. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and fixed to a mixed linear model using treatment as the main effect and collection period as a random variable. Total gas production of the practical diet containing post-MSC DDGS diet was 132 ml/g less (P = 0.03) than the practical soyhull diet. While the total concentration of total VFA did not differ between practical diets, the concentration of isovalerate tended to be greater for the post-MSC DDGS diet compared with the soyhull diet (P = 0.09). Total gas production was 140 and 375 mg/L less for the post-MSC DDGS than soyhulls and sugar beet pulp, respectively (P < 0.01). The concentrations of butyrate and isovalerate (relative to total VFA) were approximately 7 and 2%, respectively, greater for the post-MSC DDGS than in the soyhulls or sugar beet pulp fermentation residues (P < 0.05). Concentrations of other VFA relative to total VFA did not differ between fiber sources. In conclusion, post-MSC DDGS can contribute to sustainable swine production when fed to gestating by lowering total gas production and being a source of volatile fatty acids.

PSI-20 Isobutyrate supplementation improved energy and nitrogen digestibility in prepubertal gilts fed a high insoluble, but not soluble, fiber diet

Abstract Isoacids are short, branched-chain volatile fatty acids produced by microbial degradation of branched-chain amino acids. While there is a lack of information on isoacids supplementation in monogastric animals, in ruminants, isoacids are growth factors for cellulolytic bacteria which leads to improved digestibility of fibrous ingredients. The objective was to determine if feeding isoacids to prepubertal gilts could improve digestibility of high fiber diets. Two groups of 45 prepubertal gilts (body weight = 139.10 ± 0.68 kg) were individually housed and allotted to 1 of 9 dietary treatments for a 28-d trial (n = 10 per treatment). Dietary treatments consisted of a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement with factors of diet type [corn-soybean meal (CSBM), CSBM with 40% inclusion of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), or CSBM with 40% inclusion of sugar beet pulp (SBP)] and isoacids inclusion [no isoacid (NO), 0.50% inclusion of isobutyrate (IB), or 0.88% inclusion of an isoacid mixture (isobutyrate, 2-methylbutyrate, isovalerate; 1:1:1 ratio; MX). Isobutyrate inclusion was the same between IB and MX diets. Gilts were limit fed approximately 2.2 kg per day. Overall growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy and nitrogen (N), and fecal volatile fatty acids (VFA) profile (d 26) were determined. Average daily feed intake (ADFI) was reduced and gain:feed ratio (GF) was increased in gilts fed DDGS (2.14 ± 0.07 kg/d and 0.20 ± 0.02 kg/kg, respectively) or SBP (2.07 ± 0.07 kg/d and 0.19 ± 0.02 kg/kg, respectively) compared with gilts fed CSBM (2.30 ± 0.07 kg/d and 0.15 ± 0.02 kg/kg, respectively), regardless of isoacids inclusion (P < 0.05). Gilts fed DDGS-IB had increased energy (86.5 vs. 83.5 ± 0.42%) and N (84.7 vs. 81.3 ± 0.85%) ATTD compared with gilts fed DDGS-NO (P < 0.05). Gilts fed CSBM-MX had reduced energy (86.9 vs. 88.3 ± 0.50%) and N (75.4 vs. 78.7 ± 0.39%) ATTD compared with gilts fed CSBM-NO (P < 0.05). Moreover, gilts fed SBP-NO had increased energy (85.9 vs. 83.6 ± 0.44%) ATTD compared with the other groups and increased N (71.8 vs. 67.2 ± 0.51%) ATTD compared with SBP-IB (P < 0.05). Fecal content of isobutyrate was decreased in NO compared with the other groups (2.10 vs. 3.00 ± 0.31 mM/L), while fecal content of heptanoate was increased in MX compared with NO (0.06 vs. 0.03 ± 0.01 mM/L), regardless of diet type (P < 0.05). Gilts fed SBP-MX had increased fecal content of total VFA compared with gilts fed SBP-NO (108.90 vs. 67.60 ± 11.50 mM/L; P < 0.05). These results suggest that IB may positively impact the digestibility of diets with a high content of insoluble fiber.

Use of Cracker Residue in the Diet of Dairy Heifers: Impacts on Animal Health, Ruminal Fatty Acids Profile, Digestibility, Weight Gain, and Economic Viability.

This study determined whether the isomeric or isoenergetic/isoproteic substitution of corn in the diet of Jersey heifers in the rearing phase with cracker residue would impair growth and health, as well as reducing production costs. Fourteen Jersey females in the growth phase were used, separated into two treatments with seven animals in each lot in collective pens. The experiment used 7-month-old animals (169.8 ± 2.89 kg) and lasted for four months. In Experiment I, the animals were divided into two groups: treatment, with the partial replacement of 40% corn with cracker residue, and control, in which the animals consumed the same diet with 100% corn (isometric diet kg for kg). In Experiment II, the animals with a body weight of 200.2 ± 3.85 kg were divided into two groups: Treatment, replacing 100% of the corn with cracker residue, and control, in which the animals consumed an isoprotein and isoenergetic diet but with 100% of the corn in the formulation. The diet consisted of concentrate, Tifton 85 hay, and corn silage, supplied twice a day individually, with animals contained in their feeders by kennels. There was water ad libitum in the bay. Biweekly weighing and monthly blood analysis were performed, totaling four collections per part for hematologic evaluation, carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism variables. At the end of each experiment, ruminal fluid was collected to measure the volatile fatty acid profile, and feces were collected to determine the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC). Experiments I and II showed no effect of treatment on body weight, weight gain, average daily weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency. There was no effect of treatment on leukocyte, erythrocyte, lymphocyte, neutrophil, monocyte, and eosinophil counts, hematocrit, and hemoglobin concentration (p > 0.05). Experiment I showed a difference between groups for the variables albumin, globulin, total proteins, cholesterol, glucose, and urea, which did not happen in Experiment II. In both experiments, a higher ADC of nutrients was found in the treatment group which had cracker residue (p > 0.05). The concentration of volatile fatty acids in Experiment I was higher in the control group, unlike in Experiment II, where the highest concentration was in the treatment group (p > 0.05). Because experiment I had an isometric substitution, the diets had different bromatological composition, which is the probable cause of the difference between groups; this did not happen in experiment II, in which the diets consumed by the animals was isoproteic and isoenergetic. Based on these data we conclude that the substitution of cracker residue in an isomeric or isoenergetic/isoproteic form does not negatively affect weight gain and animal health, as well as reduces the cost of the concentrate, consequently reducing the cost of production of these animals.

Effects of yak rumen anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces sp. YF3 fermented on in vitro wheat straw fermentation and microbial communities in dairy goat rumen fluid, with and without fungal flora.

Rumen fungi play an essential role in the breakdown of dietary fibrous components, facilitating the provision of nutrients and energy to the host animals. This study investigated the fermentation characteristics and effects on rumen microbiota of yak rumen anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces sp. YF3 in goat rumen fluid, both with and without fungal flora, utilizing anaerobic fermentation bottles. Crushed and air-dried wheat straw served as the fermentation substrate, and cycloheximide was used to eradicate microorganisms from the rumen fluid of dairy goats. The experiment compromised four treatment groups (2×2 factorial design): control (C); yak fungus group (CF, Orpinomyces sp. YF3); goat fungi eliminated group (CA, antibiotic: 0.25 mg/mL cycloheximide); goat fungi eliminated+yak fungus group (CAF). Each treatment had six replicates. Fermentation characteristics and microbial composition of the fermentation media were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and high-throughput sequencing technology. The findings revealed that in the Orpinomyces sp. YF3 addition group (CF and CAF groups), there were significant increases in ammonia nitrogen concentration by 70%, total volatile fatty acids (VFA) by 53%, as well as acetate, isobutyrate, and valerate concentrations, and the ratio of acetate to propionate (p < 0.05), while the propionate proportion declined by 13%, alongside a reduction of butyrate concentration (p < 0.05). Similarly, in the CF and CAF groups, there were a notable increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Synergistota, Desulfobacterota, Actinobacteria, and Fusobacteriota, alongside a decrease in the relative abundance of Fibrobacterota and Proteobacteria (p < 0.05). Bacteria exhibiting increased relative abundance were positively correlated with the activity of carboxymethyl cellulase and avicelase, total VFA concentration, and acetate proportion, while showing a negatively correlation with propionate proportion. In conclusion, supplementing rumen fermentation media with yak rumen anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces sp. YF3 led to an increase in bacteria associated with fibre degradation and acetic acid production, a decrease in propionate-producing bacteria, enhanced the activity of plant cell wall degrading enzymes, and promoted cellulose degradation, ultimately elevating total VAF concentration and acetate proportion. This presents a novel approach to enhance roughage utilization in ruminants.

Influence of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, and digestive enzyme activity in lambs.

This study evaluated if vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) influences growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, and digestive enzyme activity. Sixteen wether lambs (69.6 ± 1.9kg) were housed in individual pens, adapted to a corn grain-based diet, and randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups. Lambs were injected intraperitoneally every other day for 28 days with saline (0.9% NaCl) containing no VIP (n = 8; control) or containing VIP (n = 8; 1.3 nmol/kg BW). All lambs were transferred to individual metabolic crates for the final seven days of the experiment to measure nitrogen balance and nutrient digestibility. At the end of the treatment period, lambs were slaughtered, and pancreatic tissue, small intestinal tissue, and rumen fluid were collected for protein, digestive enzymes, ruminal pH, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) analyses. Lambs treated with VIP had greater final body weight, average daily gain, and gain:feed (P = 0.01, 0.05, 0.03, respectively). No differences between treatment groups were observed (P ≥ 0.25) for nutrient intake, digestibility, nitrogen retention, ruminal pH, and VFA concentrations. Moreover, VIP treatment did not influence (P ≥ 0.19) plasma glucose, urea N, and insulin concentrations. Treatment with VIP increased (P = 0.03) relative cecum weight (g/kg body weight) and decreased (P = 0.05) relative brain weight. Pancreatic and intestinal digestive enzyme activities, except for duodenal maltase (P = 0.02), were not influenced (P ≥ 0.09) by VIP treatment. These data suggest that the administration of VIP may have potential to improve average daily gain and gain:feed in lambs fed grain-based diets.

Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Regulatory Mechanism of Probiotics on the Growth Performance of Fattening Sheep.

Probiotics have been proven to improve the growth performance of livestock and poultry. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation on the growth performance; rumen and intestinal microbiota; rumen fluid, serum, and urine metabolism; and rumen epithelial cell transcriptomics of fattening meat sheep. Twelve Hu sheep were selected and randomly divided into two groups. They were fed a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 1.5 × 108 CFU/g probiotics (PRB). The results show that the average daily weight gain, and volatile fatty acid and serum antioxidant capacity concentrations of the PRB group were significantly higher than those of the CON group (p < 0.05). Compared to the CON group, the thickness of the rumen muscle layer in the PRB group was significantly decreased (p < 0.01); the thickness of the duodenal muscle layer in the fattening sheep was significantly reduced; and the length of the duodenal villi, the thickness of the cecal and rectal mucosal muscle layers, and the thickness of the cecal, colon, and rectal mucosal layers (p < 0.05) were significantly increased. At the genus level, the addition of probiotics altered the composition of the rumen and intestinal microbiota, significantly upregulating the relative abundance of Subdivision5_genera_incertae_sedis and Acinetobacter in the rumen microbiota, and significantly downregulating the relative abundance of Butyrivibrio, Saccharofermentans, and Fibrobacter. The relative abundance of faecalicoccus was significantly upregulated in the intestinal microbiota, while the relative abundance of Coprococcus, Porphyromonas, and Anaerobacterium were significantly downregulated (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in the rumen, serum, and urine metabolites between the PRB group and the CON group, with 188, 138, and 104 metabolites (p < 0.05), mainly affecting pathways such as vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, and a series of amino acid metabolisms. The differential genes in the transcriptome sequencing were mainly enriched in protein modification regulation (especially histone modification), immune function regulation, and energy metabolism. Therefore, adding probiotics improved the growth performance of fattening sheep by altering the rumen and intestinal microbiota; the rumen, serum, and urine metabolome; and the transcriptome.

Evaluation of traditional and machine learning approaches for modeling volatile fatty acid concentrations in anaerobic digestion of sludge: potential and challenges.

This study evaluates models for predicting volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations in sludge processing, ranging from classical statistical methods (Gaussian and Surge) to diverse machine learning algorithms (MLAs) such as Decision Tree, XGBoost, CatBoost, LightGBM, Multiple linear regression (MLR), Support vector regression (SVR), AdaBoost, and GradientBoosting. Anaerobic bio-methane potential tests were carried out using domestic wastewater treatment primary and secondary sludge. The tests were monitored over 40days for variations in pH and VFA concentrations under different experimental conditions. The data observed was compared to predictions from the Gaussian and Surge models, and the MLAs. Based on correlation analysis using basic statistics and regression, the Gaussian model appears to be a consistent performer, with high R2 values and low RMSE, favoring precision in forecasting VFA concentrations. The Surge model, on the other hand, albeit having a high R2, has high prediction errors, especially in dynamic VFA concentration settings. Among the MLAs, Decision Tree and XGBoost excel at predicting complicated patterns, albeit with overfitting issues. This study provides insights underlining the need for context-specific considerations when selecting models for accurate VFA forecasts. Real-time data monitoring and collaborative data sharing are required to improve the reliability of VFA prediction models in AD processes, opening the way for breakthroughs in environmental sustainability and bioprocessing applications.

Rumen Development of Tianhua Mutton Sheep Was Better than That of Gansu Alpine Fine Wool Sheep under Grazing Conditions.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the differences in rumen tissue morphology, volatile fatty acid content, and rumen microflora between Tianhua mutton sheep and Gansu alpine fine wool sheep under the same grazing conditions. Twelve 30-day-old lambs were randomly selected from two different flocks in Duolong Village and grazed together for a period of 150 days. The rumen tissue was fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and brought back to the laboratory for H&E staining, the volatile fatty acid content of the rumen contents was detected by gas chromatography, and the rumen flora structure was sequenced by full-length sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene using the PacBio sequencing platform. The acetic acid and total acid contents of the rumen contents of Tianhua mutton sheep were significantly higher than those of Gansu alpine fine wool sheep (p < 0.05). The rumen papillae height of Tianhua mutton sheep was significantly higher than that of Gansu alpine fine wool sheep (p < 0.05). The diversity and richness of the rumen flora of Tianhua mutton sheep were higher than those of Gansu alpine fine wool sheep, and Beta analysis showed that the microflora structure of the two fine wool sheep was significantly different. At the phylum level, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes dominated the rumen flora of Tianhua mutton sheep and Gansu alpine fine wool sheep. At the genus level, the dominant strains were Christensenellaceae_R_7_group and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group. LEfSe analysis showed that Prevotella was a highly abundant differential species in Tianhua mutton sheep and lachnospiraccac was a highly abundant differential species in Gansu alpine fine wool sheep. Finally, both the KEGG and COG databases showed that the enrichment of biometabolic pathways, such as replication and repair and translation, were significantly higher in Tianhua mutton sheep than in Gansu alpine fine wool sheep (p < 0.05). In general, there were some similarities between Tianhua mutton sheep and Gansu alpine fine wool sheep in the rumen tissue morphology, rumen fermentation ability, and rumen flora structure. However, Tianhua mutton sheep had a better performance in the rumen acetic acid content, rumen papillae height, and beneficial bacteria content. These differences may be one of the reasons why Tianhua mutton sheep are more suitable for growing in alpine pastoral areas than Gansu alpine fine wool sheep.

Evaluation of the optimal sewage sludge pre-treatment technology through continuous reactor operation: Process performance and microbial community insights

This study investigated the impact of two low-temperature thermal pre-treatments on continuous anaerobic reactors’ performance, sequentially fed with sludge of different total solids content (∼3 % and ∼6 %) and subjected to progressively increasing Organic Loading Rates (OLR) from 1.0 to 2.5 g volatile solids/(LReactor⋅day). Assessing pre-treatments’ influence on influent sludge characteristics revealed enhanced organic matter hydrolysis, facilitating sludge solubilization and methanogenesis; volatile fatty acids concentration also increased, particularly in pre-treated sludge of ∼6 % total solids, indicating improved heating efficiency under increased solids content. The reactor fed with sludge pre-treated at 45 °C for 48 h and 55 °C for an extra 48 h exhibited the highest methane yield under all applied OLRs, peaking at 240 ± 3.0 mL/g volatile solids at the OLR of 2.5 g volatile solids/(LReactor⋅day). 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated differences in the reactors’ microbiomes as evidence of sludge thickening and the different pre-treatments applied, which promoted the release of organic matter in diverse concentrations and compositions. Finally, the microbial analysis revealed that specific foam-related genera increased in abundance in the foam layer of reactors’ effluent bottles, dictating their association with the sludge foaming incidents that occurred inside the reactors during their operation at 2.0 g volatile solids/(LReactor⋅day).

Gut–brain bidirectional determination in regulating the residual feed intake of small-sized meat ducks

The gut-brain axis is essential in maintaining the homeostasis of neuronal system, endocrine system, and intestinal microbiota in both the afferent and efferent directions. This axis is considered to be a key mechanism that regulates feed efficiency (FE). This study aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of gut-brain axis-related genes on the residual feed intake (RFI) in H-strain small-sized meat ducks. A total of 500 ducks with similar initial BW (635.2 ± 15.1 g) were selected and reared in the same experimental facility until slaughter at 42 d of age. RFI was calculated from the average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and metabolic body weight (MBW0.75). Thirty high-RFI (H-RFI) and 30 low-RFI (L-RFI) birds were selected for further evaluation of growth performance, carcass characteristics, and blood biochemical parameter measurements. Six L-RFI and 6 H-RFI birds were then subjected to hypothalamic transcriptomic and cecal microbial sequencing analyses. Results indicated that L-RFI birds exhibited lower production performance (ADFI, FCR, and RFI) and blood biochemical indices (total cholesterol and ghrelin content) compared with H-RFI birds (P < 0.05). Gene expression differed significantly between the L-RFI and H-RFI birds, with 70 upregulated and 50 downregulated genes. The bacterial communities of L-RFI birds showed higher abundances of Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Lactococcus, and lower abundances of Erysipelatoclostridium, Parasutterella, Fournierella, and Blautia compared with H-RFI birds (P < 0.05). Interactive analysis revealed bacterial communities associated with FE were significantly correlated with hypothalamic genes (P < 0.05), for example, Bacteroides was positively correlated with DGKH and LIPT2, while negatively correlated with CAPN9, GABRD, and PDE1A. Bifidobacterium showed significant correlations with ATP2A3, CALHM6, and TMEM121B. Overall, RFI was a crucial indicator of FE, regulated by interactions between brain gene expression and gut microbiota through cAMP signaling, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, and calcium signaling pathways. Notably, increased expression of hypothalamic genes and abundance of carbohydrate-utilization microbiota in L-RFI meat ducks improved FE by enhancing energy metabolism and volatile fatty acids absorption.

Production of Bioethanol Based on Eichhornia crassipes Combined with the Pulp of the Ripe Fruit of Azadirachta indica

The management of invasive plants such as Eichhornia crassipes and the fruits of Azadirachta indica on the banks of the waters of Lake Chad in the Far North of Cameroon remains a challenge to overcome. On the other hand, given the urgency of finding other sources of energy following the scarcity of fossil fuels, it becomes appropriate to turn to renewable energies obtained from lignocellulosic biomasses which constitute an opportunity to be seized as cooking energy. The objective of this study is to determine the ethanoic potential of the biomass of Eichhornia crassipes associated with the pulp of Azadirachta indica. Thus, the production of bioethanol from the biomass of Eichhornia crassipes associated with the pulp of Azadirachta indica was done by biochemical route which results in: physical pretreatment of the raw material, thermo-mechanical pre-hydrolysis chemical, alcoholic fermentation with Lactobacillus fermentum yeast in batch mode and distillation. Measuring the pH and volatile fatty acid (VFA) content in different fermented samples made it possible to determine the optimal conditions for better fermentation. During 135 hours of fermentation, with 1281.25±1.09 ml of initial raw material fermented, it was possible to obtain on average 675.47±1.02 ml/g of hydrated ethanol and 640.62 ±5.07 ml/g of CO2 with an average weight yield of 52.72±3.57%. Thanks to a yeast contribution of 2.5% relative to the dry matter and an L/S ratio = 20, the dosage of the distillate obtained after distillation of the fermented must by the chronometric method made it possible to determine the ethanoic concentration of the solutions studied which is on average 0.94±0.01%V/V of distillate per fermented biomass.

Influence of dietary Salicornia europaea L. extract supplementation on feed efficiency of Altay sheep by modifying their gastrointestinal bacteria communities.

This experiment aimed to examine the impact of Salicornia europaea L. extract on sheep growth performance, rumen fermentation variables, nutrient apparent digestibility, and gastrointestinal microbial diversity. Forty-eight male Altay sheep, weighing 32.5 ± 2.8 kg and approximately 3.5 months old, were chosen. Four dietary treatments, each consisting of four replicates and three sheep per replicate, were distributed randomly to the sheep. The pelleted total mixed ration containing Salicornia europaea L. extract at 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6% DM was freely available to the sheep in the four treatment groups. The 56-day experiment consisted of 45 days of measurements followed by 11 days of adaptation. The growth performance was not affected by nutrition Salicornia europaea L. extract (p ≤ 0.05), but the feed-to-gain ratio was reduced when the extract was given at 0.4% DM (p ≤ 0.05). Compared to the 0 and 0.2% treatments, the apparent digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, and ADF was substantially greater in the 0.4, and 0.6% treatments. Furthermore, compared to sheep in the 0 and 0.2% groups, sheep in the 0.6% group had a noticeably higher apparent digestibility of CP. As the amount of Salicornia europaea L. extract added to the rumen fluid rose, the molar ratio of acetic acid increased. In contrast, the molar ratio of propionic acid gradually decreased, and the total volatile fatty acid content gradually reduced. Thus, adding a suitable quantity of Salicornia europaea L. extract to the sheep ration is natural and secure, which may improve the environmental sustainability of small ruminant production systems.

Enhancement in fodder productivity and quality of feather Pennisetum grass by intercropping with groundnut

In semi-arid regions, production of good quality fodder is a challenge; cereal-legume intercropping can be a better alternative in improving forage yield and quality. The present study was conducted to assess the performance of feather Pennisetum (FP) in groundnut (GN) intercropping and for determining a sustainable forage cropping system. Therefore, an experiment was conducted with groundnut and feather Pennisetum as a monocrop and intercrop (2GN:1FP and 3GN:1FP), where FP was harvested at 60, 75, 90, and 120 days after sowing. The land equivalent ratio of intercropping was 15–29% higher indicating yield advantages and economic benefits over sole stands. Crude protein and fiber content was increased by 10 and 8% in intercropping, lignin content was reduced by 15% and neutral detergent fiber by 5% indicating the better quality of FP due to intercropping with GN. Intercropping of GN and FP increased the content of non-fibrous carbohydrate (13%), gas production (6.5%) and volatile fatty acids (6%) indicating better fodder digestibility. Furthermore, intercropping of GN and FP also increased the mineral content by 8-20% than sole stands. Apart from productivity, intercropping of FP and GN, improved water use efficiency over sole stand of both component crops. Considering, forage yield, quality and profitability, 3GN:1FP intercropping was superior and can be recommended as an alternative to monoculture. Our study concluded that in semi-arid regions double dual cropping of food and fodder can be achieved by intercropping which can provide opportunities to produce food and fodder simultaneously for livelihood, animal rearing and long-term sustainability.

Effects of pellet starch levels in automatic milking systems on rumen fermentation, plasma metabolites, and milk production in mid-lactation cows.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the starch levels in pellets fed to cows in automatic milking systems (AMS) affect subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) occurrence and metabolite parameters. Twenty-four lactating cows (124.4 ± 49.9 days in milk) were studied in a crossover design with two periods of 21 days each and two treatment groups-a control group fed AMS pellets containing 30.0% of starch dry matter (DM) and an experimental group fed AMS pellets containing 23.5% of starch DM. All cows received the same partial mixed ration (PMR). The 1-hr mean ruminal pH in both groups decreased over 4 hr after feeding on PMR but recovered by the next morning. The ruminal pH was unaffected by either treatment, and both groups developed SARA. The groups had no significant differences in the concentrations of ruminal volatile fatty acids, lipopolysaccharides, plasma acute-phase proteins, other metabolites, and hormones. The milk yield and composition were not different in both groups. Feeding low-starch pellets in the AMS did not contribute to the risk of SARA occurrence in cows and had no additive effects on rumen fermentation, plasma metabolites, or milk production.