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In this study, we performed a quantitative analysis of 12 compounds derived from Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) and guava leaf extract (GE). In addition, we investigated the effects of mixed extract (ME) of PSE and GE (1:1) on piglets' gut microbiome and metabolome. A total of 200 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large Yorkshire, 21‐day‐old) were randomly assigned into two groups with five replicates of 20 piglets/pen having the same initial body weight. Piglets were fed a basal diet supplemented with ME at 0 (T0) or 200 mg/kg (T1) for 3 weeks. The quantitation results by ultraperformance liquid chromatography linked to triple‐quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry showed that vitexin 2‐O‐rhamnoside and pellitorine were the greatest abundant among six compounds detected in the PSE. In addition, quercetin, isoquercitrin and avicularin were found to be the richest of all detected compounds in the GE. Findings on experimental animals indicated that three differential metabolites, comprising L‐alanine, sarcosine and dihydrofolic acid, in T1 compared with T0 groups, have exactly opposite levels trends in serum and faeces. Moreover, two metabolic pathways (i.e., urea cycle and glutamate metabolism) differed significantly in the serum and faeces of piglets between T0 and T1 (p < 0.05). At the same time, T1 had significantly higher relative abundances of Agathobacter and Alloprevotella than T0 at genus level (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that the genus Agathobacter correlated positively with carbamoyl phosphate (p < 0.01) and oxoglutaric acid (p < 0.05), and negatively with succinic acid (p < 0.01) and ornithine (p < 0.05). These four differential metabolites were also involved in the urea cycle and/or glutamate metabolism pathways. The results here indicated that the tested plant extract mixture represents a worthy feed additive with obvious antioxidative properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study aims to investigate the effects of maternal dietary supplementation with ornithine on productive performance and placental angiogenesis of sows. We found that maternal dietary supplementation with 0.15% ornithine increased the average birth weight of piglets and intestinal development of suckling piglets. In addition, Orn facilitated placental angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). These results indicated that dietary supplementation with 0.15% ornithine is an effective strategy to improve the productive performance of sows. The blood vessels of the placenta are crucial for fetal growth. Here, lower vessel density and ornithine (Orn) content were observed in placentae for low-birth-weight fetuses versus normal-birth-weight fetuses at day 75 of gestation. Furthermore, the Orn content in placentae decreased from day 75 to 110 of gestation. To investigate the role of Orn in placental angiogenesis, 48 gilts (Bama pig) were allocated into four groups. The gilts in the control group were fed a basal diet (CON group), while those in the experimental groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.05% Orn (0.05% Orn group), 0.10% Orn (0.10% Orn group), and 0.15% Orn (0.15% Orn group), respectively. The results showed that 0.15% Orn and 0.10% Orn groups exhibited increased birth weight of piglets compared with the CON group. Moreover, the 0.15% Orn group was higher than the CON group in the blood vessel densities of placenta. Mechanistically, Orn facilitated placental angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). Furthermore, maternal supplementation with 0.15% Orn during gestation increased the jejunal and ileal villi height and the concentrations of colonic propionate and butyrate in suckling piglets. Collectively, these results showed that maternal supplementation with Orn promotes placental angiogenesis and improves intestinal development of suckling piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study assessed the effect of Piper sarmentosum extract addition on the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and metabolism of growing chickens. It was found that dietary supplementation with Piper sarmentosum extract could enhance the anti-inflammatory capacity and intestinal mucosal barrier function of growing chickens. In the poultry industry, there is an urgent need to evaluate and introduce natural, effective, and safe alternatives for synthetic antibiotics, which have been banned in most countries. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) on the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and metabolism of growing chickens. A total of 400 seven-day-old female chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments, each of which consisted of five replicates and twenty birds each. The four experimental treatments were fed a basal diet containing 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg PSE/kg (BC, PSE1, PSE2, and PSE3 groups), respectively. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The results showed that dietary supplementation with PSE had no significant effects on the final body weight, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and the ratio of ADFI to ADG (F/G) (p > 0.05). Compared with the BC group, dietary supplementation with 200–300 mg/kg PSE increased the villus height in the jejunum and ileum of chickens (p < 0.05). The PSE-treated groups significantly increased the mRNA expression of Occludin, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 in the ileal mucosa of chickens (p < 0.05). In addition, a significant decrease in ileal TNF-α and IL-8 mRNA expression (p < 0.05) and a significant increase in IL-22 (p < 0.05) were observed in the PSE2 treatment compared to the BC group. Additionally, three gut metabolites (i.e., citrate, isocitrate, and spermine) showed significant differences among treatments (p < 0.05) and were involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, the transfer of acetyl groups into mitochondria, and spermidine and spermine biosynthesis, respectively. In conclusion, the findings obtained here indicate that supplemental PSE can enhance the anti-inflammatory capacity and intestinal mucosal barrier function of chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the protective effects of dietary resveratrol (RES) supplementation against oxidative stress in piglets, a total of 30 weaned piglets (aged 28 + 2 d) were randomly divided into five treatments (n = 6): C group (basal diet), NC group (basal diet + diquat challenge), and basal diet containing either 10, 30, or 90 mg/kg of RES administered to piglets injected with diquat. The trail lasted 21 d. On day 15 after the initiation of treatment, piglets were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) diquat or the same amount of saline. The feed intake and faecal consistency were recorded daily. Blood samples were collected for antioxidative, immune parameters and cytokines analysis. RES addition showed a negative tendency (p =.052) on faecal score during the pre-challenge period. Diquat challenge reduced the growth performance and induced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses of piglets (p <.05). However, the growth performance was improved, and faecal score was decreased in 90 mg/kg RES groups (p <.05). Compared with the NC group, addition of 90 mg/kg RES increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and reduced malonaldehyde (MDA), cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH) concentration (p <.05). Moreover, supplementation with 90 mg/kg RES increased serum concentration of interleukin-4 (IL-4) (p <.05) but decreased serum tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (p <.05). In conclusion, the study indicated that RES showed overwhelming advantage in reducing diarrhoea and attenuating the oxidative stress of piglets challenged with diquat. Dietary resveratrol supplementation improved growth performance and reduce diarrhoea of piglets challenged with diquat. The protective effects of dietary resveratrol supplementation against oxidative stress and inflammation in diquat-challenged piglets were confirmed. The experimental results provide theoretical and practical value for further research on the antioxidant mechanisms of resveratrol in weaned piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to determine the effect of increasing dietary levels of turmeric rhizome extract (TRE) on performance, carcass characteristics, antioxidant capability and meat quality of Wenchang broiler chickens. Three hundred, 1-day-old Wenchang broiler chickens were brooded together for 2 weeks, then randomly allocated into four treatments with five replicates of 15 birds each. Birds were fed a corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with TRE at 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg for 12 weeks. The results revealed that a TRE-supplemented diet had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the body weight, although birds fed a diet with TRE at 100 and 200 mg/kg had higher average daily weight gains and average daily feed as compared to controls from 9 to 12 week (P<0.05). Also, the addition of TRE at 100 to 300 mg/kg had a better feed conversion ratio compared to controls from week 9 to 12 (P<0.05). Dietary supplementation with TRE at 300 mg/kg increased the breast muscle weight ratio (P<0.05). Meanwhile, dietary supplementation with TRE at 100 to 300 mg/kg reduced the abdominal fat ratio (P<0.05), compared to that of the control group. TRE increased enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and reduced malondiadehhyde concentrations, compared to the control group. Dietary TRE supplementation at 300 mg/kg decreased the drip loss in both breast muscle and thigh muscles, compared with the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary TRE supplementation enhanced antioxidant capability, growth performance, breast muscle weight ratio, and reduced the abdominal fat ratio of Wenchang broiler chickens [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]