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This study tested the hypothesis that polyphenolic extract from Eucommia ulmoides Oliver leaf (PEE) may improve meat quality and myofiber type composition in longissimus muscle (LM). Pigs were grouped into two treatments and fed one of the following diets for 60 d: a standard diet (SD) and SD+0.08% PEE. The myofiber type composition in LM, meat quality, morphology of LM, and mRNA abundance of myosin heavy chain type (MyHC I, IIa, IIb, and IIx) were detected. The results showed that diet supplemented with PEE increased final BW (P < 0.01) and ADG (P < 0.01) and reduced F:G (P < 0.01) compared to the control group. Supplementation with PEE increased the value of pH24h (P < 0.05), redness (P < 0.05), yellowness (P < 0.05), and fiber density (P < 0.05) but decreased fiber diameter (P < 0.05). The abundance of MyHC I mRNA (P < 0.05) in the PEE group was increased, while the abundance of MyHC IIb mRNA (P < 0.05) was decreased, compared with the normal group. These results indicated that PEE supplementation improved meat quality and regulated myofiber type composition. Eucommia ulmoides Oliver polyphenols should be as a potential natural additive in the finishing pig diet to improve meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental common yeast culture (CY) and glycerol-enriched yeast culture (GY) on performance, plasma metabolites, antioxidant status, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) mRNA expression in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress. During summer months, 30 healthy multiparous lactating cows (parity 3.25 ± 0.48; 60 ± 13 d in milk [DIM]; 648 ± 57 kg BW; an average milk yield of 33.8 ± 1.6 kg/d) were blocked by parity, previous milk yield, and DIM and randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments: no supplemental yeast culture (Control), 1 L/d of CY (33.1 g yeast) per cow, and 2 L/d of GY (153.2 g glycerol and 31.6 g yeast) per cow. During the 60-d experiment, values of air temperature and relative humidity inside the bam were recorded hourly every 3 d to calculate temperature-humidity index (THI). Weekly rectal temperatures (RT) and respiration rates and daily DMI and milk yield were recorded for all cows. Milk and blood samples were taken twice monthly, and BW and BCS were obtained on d 0 and 60. In this experiment, THI values indicated cows experienced a moderate heat stress. Cows supplemented with CY and GY had greater yields of milk, energy-corrected milk and milk fat, and milk fat percent but lower HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes than Control cows (P < 0.05). Supplementing CY and GY tended (P <0.15) to decrease RT at 1400 h, increase milk protein yield and erythrocyte glutathione, and reduce plasma urea nitrogen compared with Control. Lower plasma NEFA concentration and HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes (P < 0.05) and tendencies towards greater plasma glucose concentration (P = 0.11 ) but less BW loss (F = 0.14) were observed in GY relative to CY cows. In conclusion, either CY or GY supplementation partially mitigated the negative effects of heat stress on performance and HSP70 mRNA expression of lactating cows, and GY supplementation provided additional improvements in energy status and HSP70 gene expres-sion of lactating cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of oral Gln supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and expression of heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 in weaning piglets. A total of 65 piglets after weaning at 21 d of age (d 0) were used in this experiment. Five piglets were randomly selected and sacrificed initially at d 0 to determine baseline values for the expression of Hsp70 in the small intestine. The remaining piglets were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments and received 0 or 1 g of oral Gln per kg BW every 12 h. After piglets were humanly sacrificed at d 3, 7, and 14 postweaning, the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of piglets were sampled to evaluate intestinal morphology and expression and localization of Hsp70. The results indicated that oral Gln supplementation increased plasma concentrations of Gln compared with control piglets (P < 0.05). The ADG and ADFI were greater in piglets supplemented Gln orally than in control piglets during the whole period (P < 0.05). The incidence of diarrhea in piglets supplemented Gln orally was 24% lower numerically than that in control piglets on 8 to 14 d after weaning. The jejunum and the ileum weights were greater in piglets supplemented Gln orally than those in control piglets relative to BW on d 14 postweaning (P < 0.05). Compared with control piglets, villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio in the jejunum and the ileum were higher in piglets receiving oral Gln on d 14 postweaning (P < 0.05). These results indicated that Gln supplementation can influence the morphology of intestine in weaned piglets. The expression of hsp70 mRNA and proteins in the duodenum and jejunum were greater in piglets supplemented Gln than in control piglets (P < 0.05). However, Gln supplementation had no effect on expression of hsp70 mRNA and proteins in the ileum. Meanwhile, the localization of Hsp70 in the cytoplasm indicated that Hsp70 has a cytoprotective role in epithelial cell function and structure. These results indicated that Gln supplementation is beneficial for intestinal health and development and thus mitigate diarrhea and improve growth performance. The protective mechanisms of Gln in intestine may be associated with increase of Hsp70 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]