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Copyright of MESO is the property of Zadruzna Stampa D.D. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (Salmonella) shows disinfectant resistance by forming biofilms on solid surfaces. However, efficient disinfection methods to eliminate Salmonella biofilms from farms have not yet been examined in detail. In this study, more than 80% of Salmonella strains from farms in Yamagata prefecture, Japan, were biofilm producers. Regardless of the extent of their biofilm formation ability, their biofilms were highly resistant to hypochlorous acid on plastic surfaces. To establish efficient disinfection methods in farms, we developed in vitro Salmonellacontaminated poultry house models by depositing dust on ceramic and stainless-steel carriers in poultry houses for one month and culturing a representative Salmonella strain on the carriers. Biofilm-like structures, including Salmonella-like cells, were observed on the models by scanning electron microscopy. Salmonella was not efficiently removed from the models even by cleaning with a surfactant at 25/65°C and disinfection with quaternary ammonium compound or hypochlorous acid at 25°C; on the contrary, viable Salmonella cells increased in some tests under these conditions, suggesting that these models successfully simulate the highly persistent characteristics of Salmonella in farms. However, the persistent bacterial cells were markedly decreased by soaking in 65°C surfactant followed by rinsing with 80°C water, additional cleaning using chlorine dioxide or disinfection with dolomitic lime, suggesting the effectiveness of these methods against Salmonella in farms. Since many different disinfection conditions may be easily tested in laboratories, our models will be useful tools for establishing effective and practical disinfection methods in farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ban of effective feed additives and therapeutics in the European Union and in other parts of the world led to a dramatic increase of histomonosis in turkeys. Despite the impact of the disease on the health and welfare of poultry, many questions remain open regarding the epidemiology of the pathogen. In this study, we retrospectively monitored a farm with recurring cases of histomonosis to identify possible routes of pathogen introduction and predisposing factors that may influence the disease development. We included 32 consecutive turkey flocks, which were fattened between 2007 and 2021 on the same farm under the same management and housing conditions. During this period, Histomonas meleagridis was detected in eight flocks of toms and four flocks of hens with a high variability in disease development. Outbreaks in toms led to significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher mortality rates (5.3%–98.3%) than in hens (2.6%–6.1%). Most of the outbreaks (9/12) were diagnosed between June and September with a peak in August, suggesting a possible impact of higher temperatures either on the host or on the pathogen and pathogen-transmitting vectors. Further investigation is necessary to determine why hens might cope better with histomonosis than toms. Continuous flock and hygiene management is important to prevent an introduction of the causative pathogen and to control potential vectors. Investigaciones retrospectivas de histomoniasis recurrente en una granja de pavos. La prohibición de aditivos alimentarios y productos terapéuticos efectivos en la Unión Europea y en otras partes del mundo condujo a un aumento dramático de histomoniasis en pavos. A pesar del impacto de la enfermedad en la salud y el bienestar de las aves, quedan muchas interrogantes abiertas con respecto a la epidemiología del patógeno. En este estudio, se monitoreó retrospectivamente una granja con casos recurrentes de histomoniasis para identificar posibles rutas de introducción de patógenos y factores predisponentes que puedan influir en el desarrollo de la enfermedad. Se incluyeron 32 lotes de pavos consecutivos, que fueron engordados entre 2007 y 2021 en la misma granja bajo las mismas condiciones de manejo y alojamiento. Durante este período, se detectó Histomonas meleagridis en ocho parvadas de machos y cuatro parvadas de gallinas con una alta variabilidad en el desarrollo de la enfermedad. Los brotes en machos llevaron a tasas de mortalidad significativamente más altas (P ≤ 0.05) (5.3 %– - 98.3 %) que en gallinas (2.6 %– - 6.1 %). La mayoría de los brotes (9/12) se diagnosticaron entre junio y septiembre con un pico en agosto, lo que sugiere un posible impacto de las temperaturas más altas sobre el huésped o en el patógeno y los vectores transmisores del patógeno. Se necesita más investigación para determinar por qué las gallinas pueden sobrellevar mejor la histomoniasis que los machos. El manejo continuo de la parvada y la higiene es importante para prevenir la introducción del patógeno causante y controlar a los vectores potenciales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 35% of all broiler flocks in the United States receive an anticoccidial vaccine, but it is not possible to easily differentiate Eimeria vaccine strains from Eimeria field isolates. Being able to do that would allow using vaccines in a more targeted way. The objective of this study was to collect Eimeria maxima isolates from broiler flocks that received anticoccidial feed additives and flocks that had been vaccinated against coccidia and then test them with a multilocus sequencing typing (MLST) scheme developed for this study. Fecal samples were obtained from commercial broiler flocks in Alabama and Tennessee. Oocyst counts in samples tended to be lower in flocks receiving anticoccidial feed additives and higher in vaccinated flocks. Selected samples were screened for presence of E. maxima by quantitative PCR, and Eimeria spp. composition was investigated by next-generation amplicon sequencing (NGAS) in 37 E. maxima positive samples. Other detected Eimeria spp. besides E. maxima were Eimeria acervulina in 35 samples, Eimeria praecox in 23 samples, Eimeria mitis or Eimeria mivati in 17 samples, and Eimeria necatrix or Eimeria tenella in 10 samples. Six partial E. maxima genes (dnaJ domain containing protein, 70-kDa heat shock protein, prolyl endopeptidase, regulator of chromosome condensation domain containing protein, serine carboxypeptidase, and vacuolar proton-translocating ATPase subunit) of 46 samples were sequenced. The MLST scheme was able to differentiate two vaccines from each other. Three of 17 samples from vaccinated flocks differed from the vaccine used in the flock, while 16 of 29 samples from unvaccinated flocks differed from the vaccine. However, there was also a large number of low-quality, ambiguous chromatograms and negative PCRs for the selected genes. If and when more advanced, possibly next-generation sequencing-based methods will be developed, the genes should be considered as targets. Tipificación por secuenciación multilocus de Eimeria maxima en parvadas comerciales de pollos de engorde. Alrededor del 35% de todas las parvadas de pollos de engorde en los Estados Unidos recibe una vacuna anticoccidial, pero no es posible diferenciar fácilmente las cepas vacunales de Eimeria de los aislados de campo de Eimeria. La posibilidad de diferenciar entre cepas vacunales y de campo permitiría usar vacunas de una manera más específica. El objetivo de este estudio fue recolectar aislamientos de Eimeria maxima de parvadas de pollos de engorde que recibieron aditivos alimenticios anticoccidiales y parvadas que habían sido vacunadas contra coccidia y luego analizarlos con un esquema de tipificación por secuenciación multilocus (MLST) desarrollado para este estudio. Las muestras fecales se obtuvieron de parvadas comerciales de pollos de engorde en Alabama y Tennessee. Los conteos de ooquistes en las muestras tendieron a ser más bajos en las parvadas que recibieron aditivos alimenticios anticoccidiales y más altos en las parvadas vacunadas. Las muestras seleccionadas se examinaron para determinar la presencia de E. maxima mediante PCR cualitativa, y Eimeria spp. la composición se investigó mediante secuenciación de amplicones de próxima generación (NGAS) en 37 muestras positivas de E. maxima. Además de E. máxima, otras Eimeria spp detectadas, fueron Eimeria acervulina en 35 muestras, Eimeria praecox en 23 muestras, Eimeria mitis o Eimeria mivati en 17 muestras, y Eimeria necatrix o Eimeria tenella en 10 muestras. Se secuenciaron seis genes parciales de E. maxima (proteína que contiene al dominio dnaJ, proteína de choque térmico de 70 kDa, prolil endopeptidasa, proteína que contiene al regulador del dominio de condensación cromosómica, serina carboxipeptidasa y la subunidad de ATPasa vacuolar translocadora de protones) de 46 muestras. El esquema MLST pudo diferenciar dos vacunas entre sí. Tres de 17 muestras de parvadas vacunadas diferían de la vacuna utilizada en la parvada, mientras que 16 de 29 muestras de parvadas no vacunadas diferían de la vacuna. Sin embargo, también hubo una gran cantidad de cromatogramas ambiguos y de baja calidad y PCR negativos para los genes seleccionados. En Cuando se desarrollen métodos más avanzados, posiblemente de próxima generación, basados en la secuenciación, estos genes deben considerarse como objetivos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of treatments for, or prophylaxis of, coccidiosis with classical anticoccidial feed additives or alternative treatments can be measured with a variety of metrics. Three important metrics are body weight or body weight gain (BW or BWG), lesion scores (LS), and oocyst shedding (OS). A meta-analysis of floor-pen experiments was performed to determine if using LS and OS would lead to systematically different assessments compared to the use of BW at the end of the experiment, and to what degree changes in LS and OS are correlated with BW. We also investigated if there were days postinfection on which one could expect larger ratios between untreated control groups and treated groups for LS and OS as an aid to selecting sampling days. A total of 38 experiments from 37 articles in peer-reviewed journals were included. Data sets containing experiments that investigated LS or OS in addition to BW or BWG to assess anticoccidial feed additives or alternative treatment were tested for the effectiveness of the intervention either by univariate meta-analyses for each metric or by robust variance estimation multivariate meta-analysis combining BW with LS or BW with OS. The results did not show evidence that the inclusion of LS and OS in experimental designs to assess the effect of conventional and alternative feed additives with assumed anticoccidial activity systematically changed the conclusions drawn from an experiment, but there was no significant correlation between the LS and OS ratios of untreated and treated groups determined during the experiments with the ratios of the BW at the end of the experiment for each experiment. There was also no discernible relationship between LS or OS ratios and days postinfection. Metanálisis del uso de puntajes de lesiones de Eimeria y recuentos de ooquistes en estudios con corrales en piso. El éxito de los tratamientos o la profilaxis de la coccidiosis con aditivos alimentarios anticoccidiales clásicos o tratamientos alternativos se puede medir con una variedad de mediciones. Tres mediciones importantes son el peso corporal o la ganancia de peso corporal (BW o BWG), las puntuaciones de lesiones (LS) y la eliminación de ooquistes (OS). Se realizó un metanálisis de experimentos con corrales en piso para determinar si el uso de las puntuaciones de lesiones y eliminación de ooquistes daría lugar a evaluaciones sistemáticamente diferentes en comparación con el uso del peso corporal al final del experimento, y en qué medida los cambios en puntuaciones de lesiones y eliminación de ooquistes se correlacionan con el peso corporal. También se investigó si había días posteriores a la infección en los que se podrían esperar mayores proporciones entre los grupos de control no tratados y los grupos tratados para las puntuaciones de lesiones y la eliminación de ooquistes como ayuda para seleccionar los días de muestreo. Se incluyeron un total de 38 experimentos de 37 artículos en revistas con comité editorial. Los conjuntos de datos que contenían experimentos que investigaron las puntuaciones de lesiones o la eliminación de ooquistes además del peso corporal o la ganancia de peso corporal para evaluar los aditivos alimentarios anticoccidiales o el tratamiento alternativo se probaron para determinar la efectividad de la intervención mediante metanálisis univariados para cada medición o mediante metanálisis multivariados de estimación de varianza robusta que combinaban el peso corporal con las puntuaciones de lesiones o el peso corporal con la eliminación de ooquistes. Los resultados no mostraron evidencia de que la inclusión de las puntuaciones de lesiones y eliminación de ooquistes en diseños experimentales para evaluar el efecto de los aditivos alimentarios convencionales y alternativos con supuesta actividad anticoccidial cambiara sistemáticamente las conclusiones extraídas de un experimento, pero no hubo una correlación significativa entre las proporciones de puntuaciones de lesiones y la eliminación de ooquistes de grupos no tratados y tratados determinadas durante los experimentos con las proporciones del peso corporal al final del experimento para cada experimento. Tampoco hubo una relación perceptible entre las proporciones de puntuaciones de lesiones o la eliminación de ooquistes y los días posteriores a la infección. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to climate change, there have been various trials to reduce methane emissions from ruminant animals in the livestock industry, and one of the typical candidates is probiotics used as feed additives. We employed Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) as a promising probiotic for the reduction of methane emissions and investigated the molecular mechanism of methane-reducing effects using CRISPR/Cas9. The anaerobic culture of EcN with biochar (BC) could significantly increase acetate and hydrogen production. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis revealed an upregulation in the expression of acetate synthesis genes, namely, pta , poxB , and ackA. Subsequently, treatment of rumen fluid with EcN significantly decreased methane and increased acetate and propionate production, as observed through the analysis of short-chain fatty acids, and these effects could accelerate with additional supplementation of BC. The observation of changes in the microbial composition of rumen fluid following treatment with EcN and BC was made through rumen metagenomic analysis and RT-qPCR. The results revealed an increase in acetogen and propionate producing bacteria abundance and a decrease in methanogen abundance. Based on these findings, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was employed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the methane-reducing capability of EcN. Gene deletion was performed targeting the genes poxB , ackA , and pta as key factors in acetate pathway in E. coli. The knockout of poxB , ackA , and pta could lead to the elimination of the methane-reduction of EcN as well as acetate-producing abilities. Collectively, the methane reduction ability of EcN in rumen fluid is associated with its acetate production capability, and the addition of BC significantly enhances methane mitigation capability of EcN. [Display omitted] • EcN could significantly increase acetate and hydrogen production by adding BC. • EcN with BC significantly reduced methane and increased acetate and propionate production in dairy rumen fermentation. • In rumen metagenome analysis, EcN and BC increased acetogen and propionate producing bacteria and decreased in methanogen. • RNA-seq analysis revealed an upregulation in the expression of acetate synthesis genes including pta , poxB , and ackA. • Knocking out poxB , ackA , and pta could lead to the elimination of EcN's methane-reduction and acetate-producing abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic poultry are among the non-target species of exposure to fipronil, but limited information is available on the metabolic effects of fipronil exposure in avian. We investigated the comparative capacity of in vitro biotransformation of fipronil among chicken, duck, quail, goose, and rat. Interspecies differences in kinetic parameters were observed; the clearance rate calculations (Vmax/Km) indicated that chicken and duck are more efficient in the cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of fipronil to sulfone than quail, goose and rat. The lower hepatic clearance of fipronil in quail, goose and rat, suggested that fipronil sulfone may serve as a biomarker to indicate fipronil exposure in these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Energy & chemical inputs, biogenic emissions, and product substitutions dominate environmental performance of biorefineries. • More transparency needed for product substitution modelling to avoid misleading conclusions. • Biogenic carbon capture use/storage could enhance future climate mitigation efficacy of biorefineries. • Accurate representation of biogenic carbon cycling essential to identify role of biorefineries in net zero strategies. Anaerobic digestion (AD) has gained attention in the last decade as a strategic component of the circular bioeconomy (CBE), and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been used to explore the environmental performance of prospective AD-biorefineries. A detailed review of 76 studies underpinned systematic evaluation of environmental hotspots and LCA modelling challenges for AD-biorefinery configurations. Crops constitute the most frequently used feedstocks, while electricity, bioethanol, digestate, animal feed, additives, and platform chemicals represent the most reported products. Feedstock cultivation, energy and chemical inputs, biogenic emissions, and avoided burdens due to product substitution are the main drivers of environmental performance. However, modelling of product substitution, biogas upgrading, digestate management and biogenic carbon cycling is patchy, inconsistent, and often inadequately evidenced. Prospective and dynamic LCA coupled with transparent scenario analysis could address some of these shortcomings, and better represent, inter alia , the climate mitigation efficacy of carbon capture use and storage technologies integrated into AD-biorefineries. These findings provide a guide for LCA practitioners and researchers engaged in the study of biorefinery systems and other CBE measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 98-day feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) on growth performance, faecal worm egg count and rumen microbial count of West African Dwarf goats. Using a completely randomised design, 24 West African Dwarf goats were divided into four treatment groups of six animals. Four concentrate diets were formulated to contain V. amygdalina at 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg DM. Panicum maximum was the basal diet. Feed intake was monitored daily and weights were taken every 2 weeks. Faecal samples were collected monthly and analysed. Rumen fluid was analysed for microbial composition at the start and at the end of the experiment. Results showed that feed intake of the goats increased as the levels of V. amygdalina in the diets increased. Total and daily weight gains were highest (P ≤ 0.05) in goats fed diets containing 15g/kg V. amygdalina. Faecal worm egg count reduced as the level of V. amygdalina in the diets increased. The lowest counts, 46.7 and 46.6 eggs/gram (which were statistically similar), were obtained in goats fed diets containing 10 and 15g/kg V. amygdalina respectively. Bacteria, fungi and protozoa count were not significantly (P > 0.05) influenced by V. amygdalina inclusion in the diets. However goats fed diets containing V. amygdalina had their counts reduced by the end of the study while that of the control increased. It can be concluded that for increased feed intake and weight gain, and reduced faecal worm egg count, V. amygdalina could be included in the diet of West African Dwarf goats at 15g/kg DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive or uncontrolled use of antibiotics in poultry farming can lead to contaminated food products. Subsequently, the human consumption of products contaminated with these substances increases the global phenomenon of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method suitable for the determination of sulfonamide residues in poultry meat and to check the presence of residues in random samples. The level of antimicrobial resistance was identified in order to evaluate the current stage and to estimate the tendency of this phenomenon. The HPLC method validation was performed in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 657/2002 of 14 August 2002 Samples of fresh meat collected from a poultry slaughterhouse were analysed using the validated method in order to reveal the level of contamination. The data from EFSA was collected and analysed following the antimicrobial resistance for isolates of Salmonella spp., E. coli and Campylobacter spp. The method had good selectivity, linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99), precision (<6%), recoverybetween 97.7-109.6% and low limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) Sulfaquinoxaline residues were present in 2 samples and the level of contamination did not exceed the Maximum Residue Level (31.98 ± 5.18 μg/kg and 23.70 ± 3.84 μg/kg). The analysis of data from EFSA highlighted the general presence of antimicrobial resistance especially for the following antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. The present study brings a contribution to the process of stopping antibiotic resistance through new methods of monitorization of sulfonamide residues. The statistical data shows that there is a direct correlation between the market availability of antibiotics used in poultry farming and the occurrence of antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research / Revue Canadienne de Recherche Vétérinaire is the property of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research / Revue Canadienne de Recherche Vétérinaire is the property of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fipronil (FPN) is a systemic insecticide that antagonizes the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors in insects. Recently, adverse effects of FPN on mammals have been reported, but most of those were caused by high doses of FPN and additives in the products. We investigated the effects of low-dose pure FPN on the emotional behavior of mice. Nine-week-old male mice conducted behavioral tests 24 hr after FPN administration by gavage at doses of 0.05 or 5 mg/kg based on the no-observed-effect level (NOEL), showed a significant increase in locomotor activity and dose-dependent responses on the time they spent in the central zone in the open field test. Pure FPN below the NOEL dose may affect the emotional behavior of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of hoax news detection on social media has recently pulled in enormous consideration. Social media not taking any credibility for the news being spread in it makes it more difficult to contain the hoax news. The essential counter measure of comparing websites against a list of labeled hoax news sources is inflexible, and so a machine learning approach is desirable. Our project aims to use Neural Networks to detect hoax news directly, based on the text content of news articles. The model concentrates on discovering hoax news origins, based on the many articles originating from it. When a source is spotted as a maker of hoax news, we can predict with high reliability that other articles from that will similarly be hoax news. Focusing on sources augments our article mis categorization resilience, since we at that point have various facts focuses originating from each source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Avian Diseases is the property of American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Gear hobbing is one of the most common soft-machining processes for pre-toothing. The process kinematics result in a characteristic tooth-flank topography, which is mainly determined by so-called feed marks. For an economical finishing process by gear grinding in automotive applications, the feed-mark depths should not exceed a maximum value of 35 μm. In the present study the validity of this limit has been investigated in view of the development of increasingly powerful grinding machines and grinding wheels. For this purpose, gears with feed-mark depths δ x below and above 35 μm were machined and ground by means of discontinuous profile gear grinding afterwards. The influence of the feed marks on the grinding process with roughing parameters was systematically evaluated on the basis of various process variables such as the increase in spindle power P s or the degree of grinding-wheel clogging Z s , while the resulting gear quality was mainly analyzed by various parameters to describe macro- and micro-geometry deviations of the ground tooth flanks. With increasing feed-mark depth, an increase in spindle power was found due to the additional machined volume. An influence of increasing feed-mark depths on the clogging degree, the grinding-wheel wear and the gear quality could not be proven. Therefore, economical finishing of gears by gear grinding is also possible with feed-mark depths of more than 35 μm. A new definition of this limit should be sought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Avian Diseases is the property of American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. A quest continues for alternative feed additives to the content of feeds used in global ornamental fish farming. This study was initiated to see the effect l-carnitine on the growth, feed utilization, and survival rates of goldfish, Carassius auratus (Linnaeus, 1758), one of the most cultivated aquarium fish species in the world. This experiment was carried out since there was no previous study on the effect of the l-carnitine on goldfish. Materials and methods. In this study, five isonitrogenous, isolipidic, and isoenergetic diets (40% protein, 6% lipid, and 14.82 MJ · kg-1 digestible energy, respectively) were formulated. The diets were supplemented with l-carnitine at the dose of 250, 500, 750, and 1000 mg · kg-1 with a non-supplemented diet as control. Goldfish fry was reared in a 65 L glass tank containing aged water. Each dietary treatment was tested in triplicate groups of 20 fish per glass tank. Experimental fish (0.311 ± 0.01 g initial weight) were fed the diets twice daily to apparent satiation for 84 days. In the experiment, diets were evaluated based on growth performance and diets utilization. Results. Supplemental dietary l-carnitine has beneficial effects on improving growth performance, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate, and protein efficiency ratio in goldfish fry. Conclusion. This study provides first data on the effect of l-carnitine on growth, feed utilization, and survival rates of goldfish. Future research should focus on the growth performance, and feed utilization parameters of other ornamental fish of different conditions of l-carnitine supplemented diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the wheat industry works to create more high-quality food products for consumers, it is necessary for plant breeders to develop new wheat varieties with improved milling and baking characteristics that maximize production efficiency while reducing dependency on vital wheat gluten or other flour additives. The purpose of this study was twofold: (i) to test a popular belief that plant breeding, over time, has gradually produced varieties lacking the necessary characteristics--namely, dough strength--to allow migration from flour additives, and (ii) to perform a specific assessment of gluten compression-recovery (CORE) analysis as a potential tool for wheat breeding programs to supplement industry-standard tests such as the farinograph. The farinograph and other recording dough mixers (RDMs) are used to make breeding decisions and are crucial to the success of a breeding program, a farmer's operation, and the milling and baking industries. Through this project, we determined that gluten elasticity, a key metric of CORE analysis, increased at the rate of 1.6% per breeding generation since the introduction of the heirloom variety, Turkey, and thus countering claims that higher yielding varieties lack the gluten strength once present in breeding generations long ago. A second significant finding of this project was that CORE analysis revealed differences in gluten quality among commercial wheat varieties that were more difficult to detect with more traditional, but cumbersome, flour quality tests available through the farinograph, opening up the prospect for wheat researchers to use gluten compression-recovery analysis as a selection tool in variety development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enocyanin is an anthocyanin-rich extract that comes from grape peels and is increasingly considered a promising additive in the food industry. To date its functionality as a potential ingredient to mitigate gut dysbiosis, the current study focused on unveiling its impact on modulating experimental colitis and microbiome homeostasis. The results revealed that enocyanin ameliorated inflammation by inhibiting the activation of the NF-kB pathway and the expression of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2). Further analysis demonstrated that enocyanin alleviates weight loss, colon shortening, and the loss of colonic tight junction proteins (occludin, ZO-1) in DSS-induced colitis mice. Of note, enocyanin significantly alleviated DSS-induced intestinal microbiota disorder and profoundly decreased the abundance of putative pathogenic bacterial species such as Enterobacteriaceae , Deferribacteraceae, and Streptococcaceae. In summary, this study highlighted the potential of enocyanin to ameliorate experimental colitis and gut microbiota dysbiosis, shedding light on its further application as a functional food or additive. Enocyanin, a compound derived from grape skins and rich in anthocyanins, is commonly employed in the food industry for its coloring properties. However, its potential health benefits remain to be fully elucidated. Our research findings reveal that enocyanin not only demonstrates robust anti-inflammatory effects in vitro but also exerts a notable therapeutic impact on experimental colitis in mice. This effect is characterized by a significant restoration of intestinal barrier function and enhancement of microbiome diversity. Further LC-MS/MS analysis has unveiled the presence of a substantial quantity of various flavonoid components within enocyanin, in addition to anthocyanins. [Display omitted] • Enocyanin demonstrates notable in vitro anti-inflammatory efficacy. • Enocyanin alleviates experimental colitis in mice. • Enocyanin restores gut microbiota homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-occurrence of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and ozone (O 3) pollution during the warm season has become a growing public health concern. The interaction between PM 2.5 and O 3 and its contribution to disease burden associated with co-pollution has not been thoroughly examined. We collected data on hospital admissions for respiratory diseases from a city-wide hospital discharge database in Beijing between 2013 and 2019. City-wide 24-h mean PM 2.5 and daily maximum 8-h mean O 3 were averaged from 35 monitoring stations across Beijing. Conditional Poisson regression was employed to estimate the interaction between warm-season PM 2.5 and O 3 on respiratory admissions. A model incorporating a tensor product term was used to fit the non-linear interaction and estimate the number of respiratory admissions attributable to PM 2.5 and O 3 pollution. From January 18, 2013 to December 31, 2019, 1,191,308 respiratory admissions were recorded. We observed multiplicative interactions between warm-season PM 2.5 and O 3 on upper respiratory infections (P = 0.004), pneumonia (P = 0.002), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P = 0.041), and total respiratory disease (P < 0.001). PM 2.5 -O 3 co-pollution during warm season exhibited a super-additive effect on respiratory admissions, with a relative excess risk due to interaction of 1.65% (95%CI: 0.46%–2.84%). There was a non-linear pattern of the synergistic effect between PM 2.5 and O 3 on respiratory admissions. Based on the World Health Organization global air quality guidelines, 12,421 respiratory admissions would be reduced if both daily PM 2.5 and O 3 concentrations had not exceeded the target (PM 2.5 15 μg/m3, O 3 100 μg/m3). The number of respiratory admissions attributable to either PM 2.5 or O 3 pollution decreased by 48.7% from 2013 to 2019. Prioritizing O 3 control during the warm season is a cost-effective strategy for Beijing. These findings underscore the significance of concurrently addressing both PM 2.5 pollution and O 3 pollution during the warm season to alleviate the burden of respiratory diseases. [Display omitted] • PM 2.5 and O 3 pollution had a synergistic effect on respiratory hospitalizations. • The joint effect of PM 2.5 and O 3 varied across cause-specific respiratory hospitalizations. • Respiratory burden due to PM 2.5 and O 3 decreased from 2013 to 2019 in Beijing. • Prioritizing O 3 control during warm season would be a cost-effective strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IML-Resi PD-400 drilling tools (IML System GmbH, Wiesloch, Germany) were used to study the influence of the feed rate and the rotational frequency of the drill bit on the drilling resistance (DR) measurements. The study presents theoretical aspects concerning chip formation, kinematics (speeds, cutting angles, chip thickness) and cutting forces distribution during the drilling process. Drill bit rotational frequency and feed rate have an impact on nominal chip thickness or a feed rate per major cutting edge of the drill bit, and were correlated to DR measurements. Varied rotational frequency and feed rate had a significant impact on DR and feeding resistance (FR). Positive correlations between feed rate per major cutting edge and DR (FR) for the individually tested wood species can be described by allometric functions (R2 = 0.93–0.99). Wood density had a partial impact on correlations between feed rate per major cutting edge and DR (FR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is highly desirable to test agricultural emission mitigation strategies in a whole‐farm environment to ensure that all aspects of management and production operations are included. However, the large spatial scale of commercial operations makes the dual measurements of control and treatment(s) difficult. We evaluated the application of two micrometeorological methods, a novel concentration ratio method and an inverse dispersion method, where both were used to measure methane (CH4) emission reductions in cattle fed the compound 3‐nitrooxypropanol compared with cattle fed just the basal diet. In total, there were 1344 cattle used that were located in six pens (∼222 animals per pen). Three adjacent pens to the east and three to the west were designated as the treatment and control blocks, respectively. Underlying the emission reduction method was the assumption of site symmetry between the treatment and control pen blocks in the feedlot. There was, on average, a large CH4 emission reduction of ∼70% (±18%) due to the additive as found by both micrometeorological methods. Both methods also show a change in the diel distribution (peak emissions after initial morning feeding) and seasonal pattern (a decrease in emission reduction of 7.5 and 26.1% over 90 d). The simplicity of the developed concentration ratio method is expected to have applications for evaluating other mitigation strategies at large commercial scales (e.g., the application of manure additives to pens to reduce odors and ammonia emissions). Core Ideas: Treatment to control concentration yields methane emission reduction percentage.Feed additive 3‐nitrooxypropanol reduces enteric methane of cattle by 70%.Emission reduction in enteric methane decreased with time over 92 d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium superphosphate and apple (Malus pumila Mill.) waste can be used for controlling N loss and improving compost quality during composting, whereas integrated addition of the two additives on composting process remains unexplored. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of combined use of calcium superphosphate and apple waste on NH3 and N2O emissions and compost quality during pig manure and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw composting. Mixtures of pig manure and wheat straw were combined with 6% phosphate fertilizer (PF), 15% apple waste (AW), 3% phosphate fertilizer + 7.5% apple waste (PA1), or 1.8% phosphate fertilizer + 10.5% apple waste (PA2) based on dry weight of the initial mixtures; a treatment with no additives served as a control (CK). The PF treatment took 3 d longer to reach thermophilic phase than the CK, PA1, and PA2 treatments. The treatments of PF and PA1 reduced NH3 and N2O emissions by 67 and 45%, respectively. Moreover, N loss in PF and PA1 treatments (31.8 and 30.1%, respectively) was significantly less than in the CK. A pot experiment showed that application of the compost with PA1 treatment could increase plant height and dried biomass of Chinese pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp.). We recommend adding 3% phosphate fertilizer and 7.5% apple waste to pig manure during composting. Core Ideas: Effect of phosphate fertilizer (PF) and apple waste (AW) on N conversion was studied.Combination of 3% PF and 7.5% AW is more beneficial for composting.Using 3% PF and 7.5% AW reduced NH3 and N2O by 67% and 40% during composting.The compost of 3% PF and 7.5% AW improved plant height and dried biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several concerns exist regarding horse rearing such as environmental pollution, antibiotics resistance, digestive disorders, mycotoxins contamination of animal feed, gut health management, and improvement of feed efficiency. Nanoparticles have the potential to address these issues and thus could be used as feed additive. Citrate reduces and stabilizes gold nanoparticles, alongside biosynthesized silver nanoparticles have the potential to prolong and improve digestive enzyme activity, which would enhance starch digestibility in the stomach. Zinc oxide and selenium nanoparticles could be used to improve feed digestibility and volatile fatty acids production. Magnesium oxide, silver, and copper nanoparticles exhibit strong antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative microbes and weaken the biofilm formation of the microbial community. Calcium, zinc, and silver nanoparticles could be used to prevent periodontal disease in horses. In addition, silver nanoparticles may be applied as antifasciolitics and potentially against other gastrointestinal parasites. Environmental concern of equines could be addressed by using cerium oxide, silver, and cobalt nanoparticles to reduce methane emission and zinc oxide could help to reduce fecal mineral output. Fullerol C 60 [OH] 24, a honey-derived silver nanoparticle and zinc oxide nanoparticles exhibit attractive antibacterial properties because of increased specific surface area as the reduced particle enhance unit surface reactivity. Gut health management of equines could be solved with nanoparticles because of the ability of ferrous oxide and copper nanoparticles to improve microbial growth, whereas zinc oxide improves villus height, crypt depth, and villous surface area. It is required to explore in depth the beneficial effects of these nanoparticles as a novel area in the equine industry's both in vitro and in vivo before recommendation to equine owners. • Citrate-reduced and -stabilized gold nanoparticles, which could improve starch digestion. • Calcium, zinc, and silver nanoparticles have antiperiodontitis potential in equines. • Cerium dioxide, cobalt, silver, magnesium, and zinc oxide could mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. • Fullerol, zinc oxide, and silver nanoparticles could reduce mycotoxin synthesis. • Ferrous oxide and nanocopper could be used in probiotic supplements for equines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • LCA of pilot industrial Hermetia production and processing. • Attributional LCA: insect biomass impact is comparable to other sources. • Consequential LCA: insect biomass impact is lower on non-utilized side-streams. • Avoidance of non-utilized side-streams treatment reduced environmental impacts. • Insect industry should improve feed conversion and energy use. Abstract The lack of protein sources in several parts of the world is triggering the search for locally produced and sustainable alternatives. Insect production is recognized as a potential solution. This study is a life cycle assessment (LCA) of food industry side streams transformation via Hermetia illucens into intermediate products applicable for feed and food purposes. It relies on attributional modelling for the estimation of the most impacting stages of insect production and on consequential modelling for the estimation of potential benefits or risks for the agri-food system. The consequential LCA included effects on the market, associated with upstream increase in feed (increase in commercial feed production) or downstream availability of insect product (substitution of fertilizer, protein concentrate for feed or chicken meat). Attributional and consequential LCAs are followed by sensitivity analyses, which identify the most promising directions towards sustainable insect production and estimate the magnitude of impact reductions if those directions are pursued by the industry. Analyses of the existing pilot process largely correspond with other findings in the literature, indicating fresh insect biomass is almost twice more sustainable than fresh chicken meat. Produced at pilot scale, protein concentrate (insect meal) while being competitive against animal-derived (whey, egg protein, fishmeal) and microalgae, has higher environmental impacts than plant-based meals. Further scenarios illustrate strategies for more sustainable use of environmental resources providing guidance for producers and funding agencies to direct the industry to an impact profile that is lower, than many existing protein sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Roxarsone (3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, ROX) is an arsenic-containing compound widely used as a feed additive in poultry industries. ROX excreted in chicken manure can be transformed by microbes to different arsenic species in the environment. To date, most of the studies on microbial transformation of ROX have focused on anaerobic microorganisms. Here, we isolated a pure cultured aerobic ROX-transforming bacterial strain, CZ-1, from an arsenic-contaminated paddy soil. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain CZ-1 was classified as a member of the genus Enterobacter. During ROX biotransformation by strain CZ-1, five metabolites including arsenate (As[V]), arsenite (As[III]), N-acetyl-4-hydroxy-m-arsanilic acid (N-AHPAA), 3-amino-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid (3-AHPAA) and a novel sulfur-containing arsenic species (AsC 9 H 13 N 2 O 6 S) were detected and identified based on high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS), HPLC-ICP-MS/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and HPLC-electrospray ionization hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-qTOF-MS) analyses. N-AHPAA and 3-AHPAA were the main products, and 3-AHPAA could also be transformed to N-AHPAA. Based on the results, we propose a novel ROX biotransformation pathway by Enterobacter. sp CZ-1, in which the nitro group of ROX is first reduced to amino group (3-AHPAA) and then acetylated to N-AHPAA. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A roxarsone-transforming aerobic bacterium was isolated from a paddy soil. • Five As-containing metabolites were identified during roxarsone transformation. • N-acetyl-4-hydroxy-m-arsanilic acid was the main product of roxarsone transformation. • A novel biotransformation pathway of roxarsone is proposed. A new biotransformation pathway of Roxarsone, an arsenic-containing feed additive, is identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porphyromonas gulae is one of the key microorganisms in biofilm dysbiosis that leads to periodontal disease, a prevalent disease in cats. Gingipains are proteases secreted that promote the disruption of cell adhesion and the differentiation of osteoclasts. The use of anti-gingipain immunoglobulin Y (IgY-GP) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional prevention and treatment methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of IgY-GP on different parameters related to oral health in cats. Twenty adult mixed-breed cats were divided into 2 groups of 10 cats fed with 2 extruded diets differing only by coating. The control group received a coating of 4 g/kg of powdered egg and the test group received a coating of 4 g/kg of IgY-GP. The experiment followed a crossover design with 2 periods, each lasting 40 days with a washout period of 30 days. The evaluated parameters were plaque, calculus, gingivitis index, and percentage of Porphyromonas gingivalis of the oral cavity (%PG-OC) at baseline and after 40 days of diet consumption. All cats remained healthy throughout the study and no adverse reactions or side effects were observed. After 40 days of IgY-GP consumption, the plaque index was significantly lower compared to the baseline (P = .0133). There were no significant changes in calculus index, gingivitis index, and %PG-OC between groups after 40 days (P > .05). The consumption of IgY-GP reduces plaque accumulation, which may lead to an improvement in the oral health of adult cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molasses vinasse (MV) is rich in nutrients and has reuse value. Hence, it could be used to cultivate microalgae. In this study, Tribonema sp. GXU-A10 strain was cultured with MV and then added to Oreochromis niloticus feed. GXU-A10 removed 90.20 % and 80.95 % of TN and NH 4 -N, respectively, from MV and achieved a biomass of 4.21 g/L. Adding 5 % or 10 % GXU-A10 significantly improved the WGR and SGR of O. niloticus (P < 0.05), reduced the accumulation of the lipid droplets in its liver, and facilitated the beneficial colonization of Bacteroidetes in the intestines of O. niloticus. To reduce the cost and ensure effectiveness, the recommended dosage of GXU-A10 is 3–5 % but not >10 %. These findings could promote the sustainable utilization of wastewater and microalgae resources and the development of aquatic feed additives. [Display omitted] • Newly isolated microalga Tribonema sp. GXU-A10 adapted to molasses vinasse (MV) well. • TN and NH 4 -N content in MV were effectively removed during GXUA10 cultivation. • GXU-A10 can improve growth rate, antioxidant capacity, liver and intestinal health of Oreochromis niloticus. • GXU-A10 could be used for green and sustainable recycling of MV and aquatic feed development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocoa farming and processing are the main preoccupations of Ghana's cocoa-based pillar industry, generating annual quantities of 858,720 tons of cocoa pod husk (CPH) and 180,000 tons of cocoa bean shell (CBS) as cocoa processing residues (CPRs) and solid waste in Ghana. Numerous nonstructural extractable compounds with bioactivity are being intensively explored for their potential applications in plant-based functional food and animal feed additives. This review presents the potential applications of extractives from CPH and CBS in Ghana and summarizes and discusses the recent advanced technologies for their extraction. The findings of this review demonstrate that CPR extractives vary based on the type of cocoa, geographical location, and extraction method. Phenolic compounds, pectin, and alkaloids are the primary extractives found in CPRs, and their applications in functional food and animal feed additives hold promise. Microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, subcritical water extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, and the optimization of solvent extraction are the most recently developed and advanced technologies due to their improved extraction efficiency. However, they still require further improvements to fully realize their efficiency potential. Key factors for improving these technologies include reducing extraction time, lowering temperatures to prevent compound degradation, enhancing extraction selectivity, simplifying the extraction system's complex configuration for improved operation and energy efficiency, and minimizing chemical usage. The development and commercialization of residue-extractive technology offer promising new approaches for valorizing the cocoa processing residues, as well as the related food and animal feed sectors, not only in Ghana but also in cocoa-producing countries worldwide. • Cocoa processing leaves abundant residues in Ghana. • Cocoa residue extractives (CREs) benefit from cocoa processing residue valorization. • CRE for functional food and animal feed additives are advertised. • Advanced processing technology is urged for CREs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difenoconazole (DFZ) is a classical triazole fungicide that causes immunosuppression in non-target organisms. Ferulic acid (FA) is a polyphenolic molecule found in nature that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The purpose of this investigation was to see if FA could prevent DFZ-induced immunosuppression and to identify the potential mechanisms. Carp were exposed to 1/10 LC 50 of DFZ as well as fed normal feed or feed containing dietary additive FA for 30 d. It was found that DFZ-induced immunosuppression could be improved by FA, as evidenced by upregulation of Hb, C3 and IgM and downregulation of LDH. It was then investigated that FA could ameliorate DFZ-induced splenic injury through p53-mediated apoptosis. At the same time, enhancing the levels of CAT, GSH and T-AOC in spleen and transcription levels Nrf2 signaling pathway related genes indicated that FA reduced oxidative damage caused by DFZ by blocking the Nrf2 signaling pathway. In addition, FA inhibited the inflammatory response triggered by TRAF/TAK1/NF-κB signaling pathway, downregulated the transcript levels of pro-inflammatory factors (il-1β , tnf-α , il-6) and the level of NLRP3 inflammasome (NRLP3, ASC, Caspase 1), and upregulated the transcript levels of anti-inflammatory factors (tgf-β1 , il-10). In conclusion, the above results suggested that FA mediated TRAF/TAK1/NF-κB, Nrf2, and p53 pathways to attenuate DFZ-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis thereby enhancing the immune capacity of carp. ● FA alleviated DFZ -induced immunosuppression in carp. ● FA inhibited DFZ-induced apoptosis in carp spleen via p53. ● FA activation of Nrf2 attenuated DFZ-induced oxidative stress in the spleen. ● FA ameliorated DFZ-induced inflammation via TRAF/TAK1/NF-κB pathway in the spleen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olaquindox, is a growth-promoting feed additive for food-producing animals. As the banned medicinal feed additive, olaquindox in animal feed and water must be concerned as an important hazard index. To improve studies of the toxicity of olaquindox, we provide a toxicological effects of olaquindox on a common freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio L. The results of acute toxicity tests showed that the 7d-LD 50 of olaquindox administered by feeding for common carp was determined to be 3746.3 mg/kg. We also found that the accumulation coefficient of olaquindox in carp was 1.45–1.9. Based on the studied hematological and blood biochemical parameters (RBCs count, hemoglobin content, ALT, AST and SOD activity), we found that olaquindox induced significant alterations in all studied parameters. Regarding bioaccumulation, the results showed that olaquindox had more efficiency to internalize fish tissues (liver, kidneys and muscle). The histopathological investigation of tissues from poisoning fish revealed various alterations that varied between adaptation responses and permanent tissue damage. Our results indicate that olaquindox are toxic to common carp and have obvious accumulation, and all the data from acute and subacute toxicity experiments in common carp may provide a useful tool for assessing the toxicity of olaquindox to aquatic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) on nutrient intake, rumen fermentation and microbial profile of goats, three rumen cannulated adult male goats (Capra hircus) with average body weight of 19±1.0 kg were allotted to three treatments in 3×3 latin square design. The treatments were, control: fed on basal diet (wheat straw and concentrate mixture in 50:50 ratios), MOL10: basal diet supplemented with MOL @ 10% of dry matter intake (DMI) and MOL20: basal diet supplemented with MOL @ 20% of DMI. To make isonitrogenous diet, three concentrate mixtures of 17.0, 15.2 and 13.0% crude protein (CP) for three groups, respectively, were prepared. The dry matter intake, rumen pH, concentration of rumen metabolites like total VFA, molar proportion of VFAs, NH3- N and microbial enzymes were unaffected due to supplementation of MOL. There was no change in the rumen microbial population (Log 10 number) of total bacteria, methanogens, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavifaciens, Butyrovibrio fibrisolvens, rumen fungi and protozoa. The results indicated that feeding of Moringa oleifera leaves did not affect rumen environment hence rumen enzyme and microbial population also remained unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To study the beneficial effect of chromium, a feeding trial was conducted in Japanese quails with organic and inorganic chromium at different levels. A total of 700, day old Japanese quail chicks were randomly divided into seven treatment groups with four replicates consisting of 25 quail chicks in each replicate. The feed supplemented with inorganic chromium, organic chromium (chromium with azolla and chromium with yeast) at 500 and 1000 ppb levels and a control diet without chromium supplement fed to quails from day old to six weeks of age. The production parameters were recorded at weekly interval. Body weight was significantly (p<0.01) higher in 1000 ppb of chromium with azolla supplemented group (221.96±5.74g) followed by 1000 ppb of chromium with yeast supplemented group (219.51±3.44g). Significantly (p<0.01) lowest feed was consumed by the quails in the treatment group provided with 1000 ppb of chromium with azolla (723.02±1.68g). Better feed efficiency was observed in 1000 ppb of chromium with azolla supplemented group (3.27±0.09). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed additives play an important role in providing health benefits towards ruminant's production. The selection of probiotic encapsulation in pellet form gives limitation as probiotics are sensitive towards heat and delivery condition in a ruminant's stomach. Synbiotic encapsulation involves encapsulating probiotics with prebiotic ingredients to boost their viability. In this study, we investigated the best formulation of alginate (Alg) (3%, 4%, and 5%) and palm kernel cake (PKC) coating ratios (1:0, 1:1, and 1:1.5) for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 microencapsulation, through extrusion method. The optimum formulation was selected based on thermostability, physicochemical, morphological, and in vitro release properties. The unencapsulated probiotic (initial concentration of approximately 9.30 log CFU/mL) was the control sample in this study. The average microencapsulation efficiency for all samples was greater than 97%. The encapsulated probiotics (4% Alg-supplemented with 4% PKC) had the highest survival rates after heat exposure (99.33%) and in vitro release analysis (94.67%). The addition of alginate enhanced the roughness average significantly as well as increased the size. The activation energy showed that the sample without and with PKC utilized energy ranging from 254 to 200 kJ/kmol. K and 363–400 kJ/kmol. K, respectively. Thus, an optimized formulation of 4% Alg and a coating ratio of 1:1 may be able to prevent probiotic loss in industrial feed additives. [Display omitted] • Average microencapsulation efficiency for Alg-PKC coating was greater than 97%. • Alg-PKC matrices increased L. plantarum survivability after simulated thermal exposure. • The synbiotic provides significant continuous release delivery and survival in in vitro release. • Activation energy of sample with PKC was higher compared to sample without PKC. • The addition of Alg and PKC increases the roughness average exponentially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to achieve effective in vivo detoxification of deoxynivalenol (DON) contained in piglet feedstuff by developing sodium metabisulfite (SMBS)-containing Eudragit L100-55 (ES) microparticles as a novel feed additive. DON detoxification was assessed in vitro (IPEC-J2 cell) and in vivo (piglet). Within 2 h of exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF), 14.31% of encapsulated SMBS was released from ES microparticles, while 82.93% was released in another 80 min in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). In IPEC-J2 cells, 0.1% ES microparticles remediated the toxicity of DON after 2 h incubation in SGF and 40 min in SIF. Forty weaned piglets with similar body weights (10 pigs/treatment) were fed for 28 days. Four diets were used: negative control (NC, 0.00 ppm DON), positive control (PC, 3.33 ppm DON), pure SMBS (PST, 3.33 ppm DON and 0.2% SMBS), and ES microparticles (EST, 3.33 ppm DON and 0.40% ES microparticles). The PC diet reduced ADG by 21.4% and ADFI by 20.1% compared to the NC diet (P < 0.05). The EST diet increased ADG and ADFI by 21.7% and 17.7% compared to the PC diet (P < 0.05), with no significant difference from the NC diet (P > 0.05). Compared to the PC and PST diets, the EST diet increased villus height, villus height/crypt depth ratio, mRNA levels of claudin 3 and peptide transporter 1, and decreased mRNA level of toll-like receptor 4 (P < 0.05). ES microparticles could protect SMBS, and the released SMBS could mitigate the toxic effects of DON in piglets. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotic viability is an important aspect of animal feed additives. Enterococcus faecium A028, a potential probiotic, was isolated from the intestinal digestion track of chicken. Production rate of E. faecium A028 probiotic inoculum with high total viable cell count (TVC) was enhanced using repeated batch solid-state fermentation (RB-SSF). The probiotic strain grew well in soybean meal (SBM) with average TVC of over 9 LogCFU/g in all RB-SSF experiments. Average specific growth rate of E. faecium A028 in fermented SBM (FSBM) was 50% repeated batch ratio (RB ratio) for 0.37 h−1, and higher than the batch process (0.33 h−1). Probiotic inoculum production rate was enhanced by increasing the RB ratio. Highest total TVC production rate was 128.15 LogCFU/h at 90% RB ratio, while average TVC was 9.09 LogCFU/g. Total production of FSBM at 90% RB ratio was 1.6 times higher than batch fermentation. Different protective agents were investigated to increase the survival of E. faecium A028 during hot air drying. Maltodextrin (MTD) provided the highest survival rate at 83.9% during 24 h of drying. RB-SSF effectively enhanced the production rate of probiotic strain cultivation in SBM, while MTD acted as a cell-protective agent and maintained the survival of E. faecium A028 during thermal drying. [Display omitted] • Repeated batch solid-state fermentation enhanced E. faecium A028 viability. • Scale-up mode increased production rate of fermented soybean meal by 15.2 times. • Maltodextrin was an appropriate E. faecium A028 protectant under hot air drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propyl-propane-thiosulfonate (PTSO) is one of the main organosulfur compounds present in Allium essential oils with a widely documented biological activity. For this reason, it could be used as a food and feed additive in the agri-food industry. A genotoxicity evaluation of substances and their metabolites present in food is necessary to guarantee the consumer's health following the recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). To evaluate the toxicological profile of derivatives of PTSO, the cytotoxicity, an Ames test, a micronucleus test and the comet assay were performed. Results showed that non-cytotoxic effects were observed in Caco-2 exposed to s-propyl mercaptocysteine (CSSP) and s-propyl mercaptoglutathione (GSSP) (0–450 μM). The mutagenicity index remained in the range of 0.6–1.4 for both compounds, showing no mutagenic effects for the concentrations of 5000–312.5 μg GSSP/plate and 250–15.63 μg CSSP/plate. Moreover, the % binucleated cells with micronuclei were 1.3–2.2 and 1.6–2.7 for GSSP and GSSP, respectively. For comet assays there was no DNA-genotoxic or oxidative damage in a concentration range of 112.5–450 μM. Therefore, we can conclude that these compounds are not genotoxic at the conditions tested. These results support that the presence of CSSP and GSSP in the food/feed is not of concern, although further studies are needed to complete their safety profile. [Display omitted] • CSSP and GSSP showed non-cytotoxic effects on Caco-2 cells exposed to 0–450 μM for 24 and 48 h. • CSSP and GSSP are not mutagenic by Ames test. • These compounds are not genotoxic by in vitro MN assay and comet assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Day old cobb-400 broiler chicks (240 nos.) were randomly assigned into four dietary treatments each with three replicates of 20 chicks. Four experimental diets were formulated as control diet (T1) without probiotics, prebiotics or synbiotics supplementation, while, birds in group T2, T3 and T4 were fed with diets containing prebiotics (500g/ton of feed), probiotics (100g/ton) and a combination of prebiotics and probiotics (250g/ton+50g/ton) respectively. Broilers fed with probiotics had shown significantly (P<0.05) higher feed intake. Body weight, body weight gain and efficiency of feed utilization of birds were superior with synbiotics supplemented feed. Further, no adverse effect of prebiotics, probiotics or synbiotics supplementation was observed on sensory parameters and chicken meat of control. The results obtained revealed that synbiotics and probiotics can be added in broiler ration as a viable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters for the feeding of broiler chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effects of guanosine 5'-monophosphate (GMP)-chelated calcium and iron (CaFe-GMP) on health and egg quality in layers experimentally infected with Salmonella Gallinarum. In this study, a CaFe-GMP feed additive was added to a commercial layer feed and fed to layers over a four-week period. All were inoculated with Salmonella Gallinarum. Body weight, mortality, clinical symptoms, and poultry production including feed intake, egg production, egg loss, and feed conversion rate were observed, and Salmonella Gallinarum was re-isolated from the liver, spleen, and cecum of the layers. All tested internal organs for the CaFe-GMP additive group exhibited significantly lower re-isolation numbers of Salmonella Gallinarum and less severe pathological changes than those in the control group, indicating that the CaFe-GMP feed supplement induced bacterial clearance and increased resistance to Salmonella Gallinarum. Additionally, due to the inhibitory action of CaFe-GMP on the growth of Salmonella Gallinarum, the CaFe-GMP additive group exhibited better egg production, including a higher laying rate and fewer broken eggs. The results suggest that a 0.16% CaFe-GMP additive may help prevent salmonellosis in the poultry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding 5 herbal preparations on the milk yield and composition of crossbred cows. Thirty five lactating cows in their first-third lactation were taken for the experiment. The cows were divided into 7 groups with 5 cows in each group on the basis of average milk yield (8.70±0.08 kg/d). The experiment was conducted for 90 days, partitioned into pre-treatment period (15 days), treatment period (60 days) and post treatment observation period (15 days). The cows in group C0 were not given any supplement and acted as control. In addition to normal routine feeds and fodders, cows in groups T1 and T2 were given either Restobal @ 50 ml twice daily for 5 days/month or Ruchamax @ 15 g/day for 8 days/month, respectively for 60 days treatment period. The cows in groups T3, T4 and T6 were given either Payaboon @ 500 g/ton, Payaboon @ 1 kg/ton, Optrium @ 500 g/ton/day, respectively for 60 days treatment period. In group T5, cows were given Payapro @ 4 bolus/day for 15 consecutive days commencing after 15 days pre-treatment period. T5 group showed comparatively higher total milk yield than the control and other groups. Average milk yield (kg/d) during the supplementation period was slightly higher in T5 followed by T2 and T6. T5 group showed lowest trend of reduction in milk yield during treatment period. Average milk yield (kg/d) during post supplementation period was also higher in T5. Milk protein and fat (%) were higher in T1 and T3 than the control and other treatment groups. Total solid and SNF (%) showed higher trend in T1. At 15 day of supplementation, milk yield increased in all the treatment groups compared to control (8.38) and it was highest in T5 (9.69). The milk yield decreased gradually thereafter but the rate of reduction was comparatively lower in T4, T5 and T6 than the control. Milk constituents showed significant variations among different weeks in different groups. Hence it can be concluded that herbal preparations can increase the productivity in lactating dairy cows with no deleterious effect on general health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CASE HISTORY: Cases were obtained through passive surveillance reporting by veterinary pathologists, via the Ministry for Primary Industries Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline. They included ill or dead cows that had evidence of frank haemorrhage, petechial haemorrhages on mucous membranes, wasting or dermatitis of unknown cause, and were reported between 2009–2014. Affected cows (n=16) were from nine seasonally calving dairy farms, aged ≥3 years, and were predominantly in their mid-to-late non-lactating period. A brassica crop was identified in 15/16 cases as part of the current or recent ration. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Eight cows were found dead or died within 2 days of first signs. In eight cases death or euthanasia took place up to 3 weeks after signs were first observed. Cattle clinically examined prior to death (n=11) were generally inappetant, and recumbent or reluctant to move. Five cases had pale mucous membranes, three had petechiae and two were jaundiced. Rectal temperature was normal to sub-normal in eight cases. Evidence of melena or fresh blood at the anus or mouth was found in five cases. In three cases, alopecia and skin thickening was present, predominantly affecting the head and neck. PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Petechiation of mucosal and internal serosal membranes, myocardium, subcutis and skeletal muscle was found in 10 cases. Frank haemorrhage was present in six cases, including haematomas of the subcutis, skeletal musculature, mesentery or omentum, and lumenal haemorrhage of the abomasum and/or intestine. In five cases pale nodules within myocardium and/or kidney, liver or spleen were present. Histopathologically, these were confirmed as granulomatous inflammatory lesions, which were also present within a wide range of tissues. Granulomatous foci typically comprised aggregates of macrophages, lymphocytes, plasma cells, prominent multinucleated giant cells and eosinophils. DIAGNOSIS: Idiopathic multisystemic granulomatous and haemorrhagic disease, occurring sporadically in dairy cattle, in the absence of feeds or feed additives previously associated with comparable syndromes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first description of a novel systemic granulomatous and haemorrhagic syndrome seen in adult dairy cattle most often in their non-lactating period. The presentation can mimic important exotic disease differentials in New Zealand including anthrax, haemorrhagic septicaemia (associated with selectedPasteurella multocidastrains) or infection with bovine viral diarrhoea virus type 2. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A running research program aims to obtain a natural phytogenic feed additive based on plant extracts of Artemisia annua L., a viable alternative to conventional coccidiostats used in poultry diet. Part of this program, our research aims to optimize the culture technology of Artemisia annua L., in order to obtain high yields of biomass, dry matter and artemisinin, essential elements of the cost price, in order to increase farmers’ accessibility to the new product and to sustainable development technology. Tests carried out in 2014 focused on establishing the influence of cultivation density (three culture densities), of the genotype (two genotypes), of the fertilization levels (three fertilization levels) on the production of green mass, dry matter and production of plant extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]