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An experiment using 96 Hy‐Line brown laying hens at 29 weeks of age that were randomly allocated to four treatments with eight replicates was conducted to assess the effects of star anise (Illicium verum Hook.f.) oil (SAO) on nutrient and energy utilization. Dietary treatments were corn–soybean meal‐based diets supplemented with 0, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg SAO. The birds were fed the diets for 14 days. The conventional nutrients and amino acids of feed and excreta samples were measured for calculating apparent metabolic efficiency, and gross energy (GE) was analyzed for computation of apparent metabolic energy (AME) and true metabolic energy (TME). Endogenous losses were obtained from another 16 birds for calculating true metabolic efficiency. Birds supplemented with SAO had higher (p < 0.05) metabolic efficiency of crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM), Lys, Met, Arg, and Thr than those of control group. Quadratic effects on utilization of Lys, Met, and Thr were observed (p < 0.05). Inclusion of SAO to diet improved nutrient utilization, and the efficacy is best at 400 mg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-two sows were allocated to four treatments to evaluate the effect of dietary star anise ( SA) supplementation during gestation and lactation on the lactational performance of sows. At 85 days of gestation, sows were randomly allotted to one of two diets supplemented with 0.5% SA or basal diet. After farrowing, sows were further allotted to one of two lactation diets supplemented with 0.5% SA or basal diet. On a weekly basis, body weight ( BW) of sows and piglets was measured. Blood and milk samples were obtained from the sows and piglets. Number of days from weaning to estrus, milk yield and feed intake were also recorded. Weight gain of piglets from sows fed the SA-supplemented diet during lactation was greater between days 7 and 14, days 14 and 21 and the overall experimental period compared with control groups. Supplementation of SA during lactation improved weaning weight of piglets, milk yield and average daily feed intake ( ADFI) of sows. The SA diet increased concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 ( IGF-1) in ordinary milk and prolactin ( PRL) in serum of sows. In conclusion, this study has indicated the beneficial effects of dietary SA addition in improving the lactation performance of sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) were treated by 0, 37.5, 75, 112.5, 150 μmol/L trans10, cis12 conjugated linoleic acid ( CLA) to evaluate the effects of different level trans10, cis12 CLA on lipogenesis in BMEC. Addition of 75-150 μmol/L trans10, cis12 CLA reduced significantly the triacylglycerol ( TAG) content ( P < 0.05), but did not have inhibiting action on cell proliferation ( P > 0.05). Treatment with 150 μmol/L trans10, cis12 CLA for 48 h resulted in a 17.1% reduction ( P < 0.0001) of medium chain fatty acids ( MCFA, C14 < C < C16), a 26.5% reduction ( P < 0.0001) of unsaturated fatty acids ( UFA) and a corresponding reduction of the mRNA abundance of acetyl coenzyme A ( acetylCoA) carboxylase ( ACC) ( P = 0.046), fatty acid synthase ( FAS) ( P = 0.017) and stearoylCoA desaturase1 ( SCD1) ( P = 0.002). Another finding was that trans10, cis12 CLA elevated expression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase2 ( DGAT2) ( P = 0.020) and long chain acylCoA synthetases ( ACSL) ( P = 0.032). In conclusion, higher trans10, cis12 CLA, not low trans10, cis12 CLA, inhibited milk fat synthesis and changed fatty acid composition by regulating the expression of FAS, ACC, SCD1, DGAT2 and ACSL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]