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Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the assessment of the application for renewal of authorisation of a preparation of dried cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I‐4407 (Actisaf® Sc 47) as a zootechnical additive for rabbits for fattening and non‐food producing rabbits. The applicant provided evidence that the additive currently in the market complies with the existing terms of the authorisation. The Panel concluded that the additive remains safe for the target species, consumers and the environment. Regarding the safety for the user, the additive is not a skin or eye irritant. However, it should be considered as a potential skin and respiratory sensitiser, and any exposure through skin and respiratory tract is considered a risk. The present application for renewal of the authorisation did not include a proposal for amending or supplementing the conditions of the original authorisation that would have an impact on the efficacy of the additive. Therefore, there was no need for assessing the efficacy of the additive in the context of the renewal of the authorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety of indigo carmine as a colourant feed additive for cats, dogs and ornamental fish. In its previous opinion, the FEEDAP Panel concluded that indigo carmine is safe for cats and dogs at levels up to 250 mg/kg complete feed and for ornamental fish up to 1000 mg/kg complete feed. These conclusions were limited to indigo carmine with a purity of at least 93% colouring matter. For the current assessment, the applicant submitted additional data on the characterisation and on the toxicological profile to support the safety of the additive with the purity of at least 85% colouring matter. Based on the new data submitted, the FEEDAP Panel concludes that indigo carmine (purity of at least 85% colouring matter) is safe for cats and dogs at levels up to 250 mg/kg complete feed and for ornamental fish up to 1000 mg/kg complete feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of calcium D‐pantothenate for the renewal of its authorisation as a nutritional feed additive for all animal species. The additive calcium D‐pantothenate is already authorised for use in all animal species (3a841). The applicant provided evidence that the additive currently in the market complies with the existing conditions of the authorisation and that the production process has not been modified. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the additive remains safe for all animal species, consumers and the environment. Calcium D‐pantothenate is not irritant to skin and eyes and is not a skin sensitiser. The present application for renewal of the authorisation does not include any modification proposal that would have an impact on the efficacy of the additive, and therefore, there is no need for re‐assessing the efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 34271 when used as a technological additive to improve ensiling of fresh plant material. The additive is intended for use in easy and moderately difficult to ensile fresh plant material for all animal species at a proposed minimum concentration of 1 × 108 colony forming units (CFU)/kg fresh plant material. The bacterial species L. plantarum is considered by EFSA to be suitable for the qualified presumption of safety approach to safety assessment. The identity of the strain was established and no acquired antimicrobial resistance genes of concern were detected. Therefore, the FEEDAP Panel concluded that the use of the strain as a silage additive is considered safe for all the animal species, for consumers of products from animals fed the treated silage and for the environment. Regarding user safety, the additive containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 34271 should be considered as a potential skin and respiratory sensitiser, and any exposure through skin and respiratory tract is considered a risk. One preparation was shown not to be irritant to skin or eyes. However, the Panel cannot assess the irritation potential of other possible preparations. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 34271 has the potential to improve the fermentation of the silage prepared from fresh plant material with a DM range of 30%–35% at a minimum concentration of 1 × 108 CFU/kg fresh material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The qualified presumption of safety (QPS) process was developed to provide a safety assessment approach for microorganisms intended for use in food or feed chains. In the period covered by this statement, no new information was found that would change the status of previously recommended QPS TUs. The TUs in the QPS list were updated based on a verification, against their respective authoritative databases, of the correctness of the names and completeness of synonyms. A new procedure has been established to ensure the TUs are kept up to date in relation to recent taxonomical insights. Of 81 microorganisms notified to EFSA between October 2023 and March 2024 (45 as feed additives, 25 as food enzymes or additives, 11 as novel foods), 75 were not evaluated because: 15 were filamentous fungi, 1 was Enterococcus faecium, 10 were Escherichia coli, 1 was a Streptomyces (all excluded from the QPS evaluation) and 46 were TUs that already have a QPS status. Two of the other eight notifications were already evaluated for a possible QPS status in the previous Panel Statement: Heyndrickxia faecalis (previously Weizmannia faecalis) and Serratia marcescens. One was notified at genus level so could not be assessed for QPS status. The other five notifications belonging to five TUs were assessed for possible QPS status. Akkermansia muciniphila and Actinomadura roseirufa were still not recommended for QPS status due to safety concerns. Rhizobium radiobacter can be recommended for QPS status with the qualification for production purposes. Microbacterium arborescens and Burkholderia stagnalis cannot be included in the QPS list due to a lack of body of knowledge for its use in the food and feed chain and for B. stagnalis also due to safety concerns. A. roseirufa and B. stagnalis have been excluded from further QPS assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety of sepiolite as a technological feed additive for all animal species. In 2022, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) delivered an Opinion on the safety and efficacy of the same additive. The Panel concluded that sepiolite used as a feed additive is safe for the consumers and the environment, and efficacious as a thickener‐suspending agent, binder and anticaking agent in feed for all animal species under the proposed conditions of use. The additive was not considered an eye or skin irritant. However, it was considered a respiratory irritant, a respiratory and dermal sensitiser; owing to the dusting potential and its silica content, the additive was considered a risk by inhalation. Regarding the target species, in the previous Opinion, the Panel concluded on the safety of the additive for dairy ruminants. However, no conclusion could be drawn for all other species/categories. Based on the tolerance studies in chickens for fattening, weaned piglets and trout evaluated in the current assessment, and the one in dairy cows previously assessed, the Panel concluded that the inclusion of sepiolite at the maximum recommended level of 20,000 mg/kg complete feed is safe for all animal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the assessment of the application for the renewal of the authorisation of l‐tyrosine as a nutritional feed additive. The additive is authorised for use in all animal species (3c401). The applicant has provided evidence that the additive currently in the market complies with the existing conditions of authorisation. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed concluded that the use of the feed additive in animal nutrition remains safe for the target species, consumers, and the environment. As regards the safety for the user, l‐tyrosine is not an irritant to skin or eyes. In the absence of data, the potential of l‐tyrosine to be a dermal and respiratory sensitiser cannot be excluded. Exposure by inhalation of persons handling the additive is likely. The present application for renewal of the authorisation does not include any modification proposal that would have an impact on the efficacy of the additive and, therefore, there is no need for re‐assessing the efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of the feed additive consisting of endo‐1,4‐beta‐xylanase (produced with Trichoderma reesei MUCL 49755) and endo‐1,3(4)‐beta‐glucanase (produced with T. reesei MUCL 49754) (AveMix® XG 10/AveMix® XG 10 L) as a zootechnical feed additive for weaned and suckling piglets. The additive is already authorised for use in weaned piglets. This scientific opinion concerns the request for the renewal of the authorisation of the additive for weaned piglets and the extension of use to suckling piglets. The applicant declared a change in the carrier material used in AveMix® XG 10 from soybean meal to calcium carbonate + wheat flour or calcium carbonate + sepiolite. The applicant provided evidence that the additive AveMix® XG 10 with calcium carbonate + wheat flour and AveMix® XG 10 L comply with the conditions of the authorisation. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal FEED (FEEDAP) noted that no data were submitted to support compliance of the formulation of AveMix® XG 10 with calcium carbonate + sepiolite with the conditions of the authorisation. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that both formulations of the additive (powder and liquid) remain safe for the target species, consumers and the environment, and that the extension of use to suckling piglets would not affect these conclusions. AveMix® XG 10 formulated with calcium carbonate + sepiolite and AveMix® XG 10 L are not irritant to skin and eyes. No conclusions on the irritation potential of AveMix® XG 10 formulated with calcium carbonate + wheat flour could be drawn. The additive in all its formulations is considered a respiratory and skin sensitiser. There was no need for assessing the efficacy of the additive in the context of the renewal of the authorisation for weaned piglets. The Panel concluded that the additive is efficacious in suckling piglets at 4000 XU and 900 BGU/kg complete feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the assessment of the feed additive consisting of endo‐1,4‐beta‐xylanase (produced with Trichoderma reesei MUCL 49755) and endo‐1,3(4)‐beta‐glucanase (produced with T. reesei MUCL 49754) (AveMix® XG 10/AveMix® XG 10 L) for the renewal of its authorisation as a zootechnical feed additive for laying hens and minor poultry species for fattening and laying. The applicant declared a change in the carrier material used in AveMix® XG 10 from soybean meal to calcium carbonate + wheat flour or calcium carbonate + sepiolite. The applicant provided evidence that the additive AveMix® XG 10 with calcium carbonate + wheat flour and AveMix® XG 10 L comply with the conditions of the authorisation. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) noted that no data were submitted to support compliance of the formulation of AveMix® XG 10 with calcium carbonate + sepiolite with the conditions of the authorisation. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that both formulations of the additive (powder and liquid) remain safe for laying hens and minor poultry species for fattening and laying, consumers and the environment. AveMix® XG 10 formulated with calcium carbonate + sepiolite and AveMix® XG 10 L are not irritant to skin and eyes. No conclusions on the irritation potential of AveMix® XG 10 formulated with calcium carbonate + wheat flour could be drawn. The additive in both formulations is considered a respiratory and skin sensitiser. There was no need for assessing the efficacy of the additive in the context of the renewal of the authorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This guidance document is intended to assist the applicant in preparing and presenting an application, as foreseen in Article 7.6 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, for the authorisation of additives for use in animal nutrition. It specifically covers the assessment of the efficacy of feed additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of sodium ferrocyanide and potassium ferrocyanide as technological feed additives for all animal species. In its previous opinion on the safety and efficacy of the additives, the FEEDAP Panel concluded that the use of sodium ferrocyanide and potassium ferrocyanide is safe, when added to sodium chloride at a maximum content of 80 mg ferrocyanide anions (anhydrous)/kg for turkeys for fattening and laying hens and other laying/breeding birds, all porcine species and categories, all ruminant species and categories, rabbits, horses, salmonids and other minor fin fish, dogs and cats. However, the Panel could not conclude on the safety of the additives for chickens for fattening and other poultry species for fattening or reared for laying/breeding other than turkeys, and for all species/categories other than the above listed. In the current assessment, the applicant is proposing a maximum content of 60 mg ferrocyanide anions (anhydrous)/kg sodium chloride for chickens for fattening and other poultry species (except turkeys) for fattening or reared for laying/breeding and for all species/categories other than the listed above. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that sodium ferrocyanide and potassium ferrocyanide are safe at a maximum content of 80 mg ferrocyanide anions (anhydrous)/kg sodium chloride for: turkeys for fattening and reared for breeding, laying hens and other laying/breeding birds, all porcine species, all ruminant species, rabbits, equines, salmonids and minor fin fish, dogs and cats. The Panel concluded also that a maximum content of 60 mg ferrocyanide anions (anhydrous)/kg sodium chloride is safe for chickens for fattening and minor poultry species for fattening or reared for laying/breeding and all other animal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of the feed additive consisting of endo‐1,4‐beta‐xylanase (produced with Trichoderma reesei MUCL 49755), endo‐1,3(4)‐beta‐glucanase (produced with T. reesei MUCL 49754) and polygalacturonase (produced with Aspergillus fijiensis CBS 589.94) (AveMix® 02 CS/ AveMix® 02 CS L) as a zootechnical feed additive for weaned and suckling piglets. The additive is already authorised for use with weaned piglets. This scientific opinion concerns the request for the renewal of the authorisation of the additive for weaned piglets and the extension of use to suckling piglets. The applicant provided evidence that the additive currently in the market complies with the conditions of the authorisation. There was no new evidence that would lead the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) to reconsider its previous conclusions that the additive is safe for weaned piglets, the consumer and the environment under the authorised conditions of use. This conclusion applied also to the new target species (suckling piglets) for which a request for an extension of use was made. The additive in both formulations (powder and liquid) is not irritant to skin or eyes but should be considered a dermal and respiratory sensitiser. There was no need for assessing the efficacy of the additive in the context of the renewal of the authorisation for weaned piglets. The Panel concluded that the additive is efficacious in suckling piglets at 2140 XU, 1230 BGU and 46 PGLU/kg complete feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of the alpha‐amylase (Ronozyme® HiStarch CT/L) produced with a genetically modified strain of Bacillus licheniformis (DSM 34315) as a zootechnical feed additive for chickens for fattening, turkeys for fattening and minor growing poultry species. The additive is available in two forms, a coated thermotolerant granulate formulation and a liquid formulation. The production strain and its DNA were not detected in an intermediate concentrated product representative of the final formulations. The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the final product did not trigger safety concerns with regard to the genetic modification. The Panel concluded that Ronozyme® HiStarch CT/L is safe for chickens for fattening, turkeys for fattening and minor growing poultry species at the recommended inclusion level of 80 KNU/kg complete feed. The use of Ronozyme® HiStarch CT/L in animal nutrition under the proposed conditions of use is safe for the consumers and the environment. The additive in any form was shown to be non‐irritant to the skin and the solid form was shown to be non‐irritant to the eyes. No conclusions could be drawn on the potential of the liquid form to be irritant to the eyes or on the potential of both forms of the additive to be dermal sensitisers due to lack of data. Owing to the proteinaceous nature of the active substance, the additive in either form was considered to be a respiratory sensitiser and any exposure by inhalation is considered a risk. In the absence of data, the Panel was not in the position to conclude on the efficacy of Ronozyme® HiStarch CT/L for chickens for fattening, turkeys for fattening and minor growing poultry species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of Quillaja saponaria powder and Yucca schidigera powder (Magni‐Phi®) for all avian species (to slaughter age/weight, or to the point of lay) and ornamental birds, as a zootechnical additive (digestibility enhancer and other zootechnical additives). The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the additive is safe for chickens for fattening at the level of 250 mg/kg complete feed with a margin of safety of 20 assuming that the additive contains 3.58% of saponins. This conclusion was extrapolated to all growing poultry species and ornamental birds. The Panel concluded that the use of the feed additive in animal nutrition at 250 mg/kg complete feed is of no concern for the safety for the consumer and the environment. The Panel also concluded that the additive is not irritant to skin, but irritant to the eyes and to the respiratory system. Due to the lack of data, the FEEDAP Panel could not conclude on the skin sensitisation potential of the additive. The FEEDAP Panel was not in the position to conclude on the efficacy of the additive for all poultry species and ornamental birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the characterisation of the feed additive consisting of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) produced by fermentation with Ensifer adhaerens (CGMCC 19596). The additive is intended to be used as a nutritional additive for all animal species. In a previous opinion, the FEEDAP Panel could not conclude on the characterisation of the production strain, due to uncertainties on whether the production strain E. adhaerens CGMCC 19596 was genetically modified. However, since viable cells and DNA were not detected in the product, the FEEDAP Panel concluded that vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), produced with E. adhaerens CGMCC 19596 would not raise safety concerns as regards the production strain. In the present submission, the applicant provided supplementary information regarding the origin and history of modifications of the strain. Based on the data provided, the FEEDAP Panel concluded on the characterisation of the production strain E. adhaerens CGMCC 19596, which can be considered not to be genetically modified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I‐1079 as a zootechnical feed additive for dogs and all other Canidae. The additive is intended for use in feed for dogs and all other Canidae at a proposed minimum inclusion level of 1 × 109 CFU per kg of complete feed. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is considered by EFSA to be suitable for the qualified presumption of safety approach to safety assessment. Since the identity of the active agent has been clearly established and no concerns are expected from other components of the product, the additive is considered safe for the target species. Since the additive is intended to be used only in feed for dogs and other non‐food‐producing animals, an assessment of the safety for the consumer and the environment is not needed. The non‐coated form of the additive was shown to be non‐irritant to skin and eyes. No conclusion can be drawn on the eye irritation potential of the coated form of the additive due to the lack of data. The additive in both forms, should be considered a skin and respiratory sensitiser and any exposure through skin and respiratory tract is considered a risk. The Panel was not in the position to conclude on the efficacy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I‐1079 at the proposed conditions of use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key step in the characterisation of bacterial strains used in the food and feed chain is the identification of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in their genomes. The presence of acquired AMR genes influences important aspects of the risk assessment, such as the applicability of the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach, which can have a direct impact on the data requirements. Aiming to implement the EFSA approach to discriminate between 'intrinsic' and 'acquired' AMR genes, a bioinformatics pipeline was developed and applied to the species of the genus Bacillus that are most frequently subjects of applications for regulated products submitted to EFSA. The results are presented as a catalogue of genes indicating their abundance and distribution among complete and confirmed genomes publicly available for each species. The results of this work are aimed to support the evaluation of AMR genes in a consistent and harmonised way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botanical preparations, such as essential oils are increasingly used as feed additives to improve the feed quality and animal health while reducing antibiotic use. Regarding safe usage of these preparations for both humans and relevant animal species (e.g., food‐producing animals and pets), the toxicity of their constituents requires to be characterised. Particularly, p‐allylalkoxybenzene derivatives, that are present in certain botanical preparations, are known to be both genotoxic and carcinogenic and raise health concerns. However, little is known about species differences in sensitivity to the biological effects of these compounds, nor on the transfer from feed to food. Moreover, toxicokinetic properties and resulting toxicity of these compounds can be influenced by other substances present in the botanical preparations. Narrowing this knowledge gap, a NAM‐based approach was carried out for five representative p‐allylalkoxybenzenes: elemicin, estragole, methyleugenol, myristicin and safrole for six model species: cat, chicken, cow, human, pig and rat. The aim was to generate in vitro kinetic data from liver S9 incubations to explore potential species differences in bioactivation of p‐allylalkoxybenzenes combined with PBK modelling. The influence of terpenoids on the p‐allylalkoxybenzene‐bioactivation was investigated in parallel. In vitro bioactivation was observed in all species for phase I and phase II metabolism at the species and compound‐specific level. The presence of terpenoids revealed to be of minor influence on the p‐allylalkoxybenzene‐bioactivation. The PBK model simulations for two p‐allylalkoxybenzenes revealed that all species have a relatively higher formation of the 1'‐sulfooxy metabolite compared to that in rats (differences exceed the default uncertainty factor of 4). PBK model simulations of excretion/deposition of the p‐allylalkoxybenzenes and their related 1'‐hydroxy metabolite indicated limited transfer into milk, eggs and edible tissues. This case study demonstrates the applicability of NAMs to identify species differences in the metabolism of natural compounds from botanical preparations in support of risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methane reduction technology has not yet been put into practical use because of problems such as reduced digestibility, increased costs, additives remaining and microbial adaptations. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of allicin and illite supplementation on ruminal methane production, growth performance and carcass characteristics of the Hanwoo steers. Methods: For the in vitro experiment, 3 Hanwoo cows equipped with rumen fistula were used. The 28 Hanwoo steers were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary groups: control (CON), T1 (1.0% illite), T2 (0.1% allicin), or T3 (1.0% illite and 0.1% allicin). All data were analyzed using the generalized linear model procedure. Result: The methane production was rapidly increased for all the treatments after 8 h, but decreased compared to the control after 24 h (P<0.05) of incubation. There was no difference in the growth performance and carcass characteristics of steers among the treatments. Thus, allicin 0.1% and/or illite 1.0% have the potential to be used as natural feed additives to reduce methane production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a type A coronavirus that causes severe watery diarrhea in piglets, resulting in severe economic losses worldwide. Therefore, new approaches to control PEDV infection are essential for a robust and sustainable pig industry. We screened 314 small-molecule drug libraries provided by Selleck and found that four drugs had obviously inhibitory effects on PEDV in Vero cells. PA-824, which had the highest SI index and the most reliable clinical safety, was selected for in vivo experiments. Animal attack tests showed that PA-824 effectively alleviated the clinical signs, intestinal pathological changes, and inflammatory responses in lactating piglets after PEDV infection. To further investigate the antiviral mechanism of PA-824, we measured the inhibitory effect of PA-824 on PEDV proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. By exploring the effect of PA-824 on the PEDV life cycle, we found that PA-824 acted directly on viral particles and hindered the adsorption, internalization, and replication phases of the virus, followed by molecular docking analysis to predict the interaction between PA-824 and PEDV non-structural proteins. Finally, we found that PA-824 could inhibit the apoptotic signaling pathway by suppressing PEDV-induced p53 activation. These results suggest that PA-824 could be protective against PEDV infection in piglets and could be developed as a drug or a feed additive to prevent and control PEDV diseases. IMPORTANCE PEDV is a highly contagious enteric coronavirus that widely spread worldwide, causing serious economic losses. There is no drug or vaccine to effectively control PEDV. In this study, we found that PA-824, a compound of mycobacteria causing pulmonary diseases, inhibited PEDV proliferation in both in vitro and in vivo. We also found that PA-824 directly acted on viral particles and hindered the adsorption, internalization, and replication stages of the virus. In addition, we found that PA-824 could inhibit the apoptotic signaling pathway by inhibiting PEDV-induced p53 activation. In conclusion, it is expected to be developed as a drug or a feed additive to prevent and control PEDV diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The main purposes of feed additives administration are to increase feed quality, feed utilization, and the performance and health of animals. For many years, antibiotic-based feed additives showed promising results; however, their administration in animal feeds has been banned due to some public concerns regarding their residues in the produced milk and meat from treated animals. Some microorganisms have desirable properties and elicit certain effects, which makes them potential alternatives to antibiotics to enhance intestinal health and ruminal fermentation. The commonly evaluated microorganisms are some species of bacteria and yeasts. Supplementing microorganisms to ruminants boosts animal health, feed digestion, ruminal fermentation, animal performance (meat and milk), and feed efficiency. Moreover, feeding microorganisms helps young calves adapt quickly to consume solid feed and prevents thriving populations of enteric pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract which cause diarrhea. Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Lactococcus, Bacillus, Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Aspergillus oryzae are the commonly used microbial feed additives in ruminant production. The response of feeding such microorganisms depends on many factors including the level of administration, diet fed to animal, physiological status of animal, and many other factors. However, the precise modes of action in which microbial feed additives improve nutrient utilization and livestock production are under study. Therefore, we aim to highlight some of the uses of microorganisms-based feed additives effects on animal production, the modes of action of microorganisms, and their potential use as an alternative to antibiotic feed additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of emulsifier and/or carbohydrase additives on the production performance of growing pigs offered a diet with a high proportion of white lupine seeds cv. Butan. The experiment involved 49 Naïma × P76 male piglets with an initial body weight of 10.5 kg divided into seven groups. The control group was fed a diet without any additives, whereas the remaining groups received diets with the addition of emulsifier, β glucanase, and β-xylanase separately or in combination. The apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein were significantly improved (P < 0.05) by all additives, although no significant differences were observed in dry matter and ether extract digestibility (P > 0.05). Both to the performance results and ammonia concentration, pH, and digesta viscosity (P > 0.05), were not different when these feed additives were used. The most promising effects on nutrients digestibility and performance were obtained were emulsifier, β-glucanase and their blend were added to the feed mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the level and type of essential oils (EOs) derived from oregano (ORO), thyme (THO), clove (CLO), and cinnamon (CIO), when used as feed additives, on in vitro rumen fermentation and methanogenesis. This was achieved by conducting a metaanalysis that integrated data from relevant studies. A total of 17 articles were included comprising 154 data points. The collected data were subsequently analysed using a mixed model methodology implemented in a SAS software version 9.4. The findings showed that the level of EOs exerted a significant (P < 0.01) linear effect, resulting in increased pH, decreased volume of total gas, CH4, and NH3, reduced total volatile fatty acids (VFA) levels, dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD), and bacterial population. A quadratic effect was also observed with respect to reduced (P < 0.01) CO2 and propionate (C3 ) levels. Additionally, the protozoan population demonstrated a linear decrease (P < 0.05), while butyrate (C4) concentration exhibited a quadratic increase (P < 0.05). However, increasing levels of EOs did not affect the acetate (C2)- and methanogen-producing bacterial populations. With respect to different EO types, ORO and THO significantly reduced (P < 0.05) total gas (30–41%) and CH4 production (38–39%) compared to the control. ORO and CLO in turn significantly decreased (P < 0.05) C3 generation (5–7%), while ORO increased C4 levels (14%) compared to the control. Moreover, CLO, CIO, and THY administration led to a decrease in OMD (8–23%). Due to the limited dataset on microbial population, the diverse types of EOs showed no significant impact on bacterial, protozoan, or methanogen populations. In conclusion, while specific doses of EOs can suppress ruminal methane emissions, they can also inhibit rumen fermentation processes. Among the EOs examined, ORO demonstrated the most potent antimicrobial ability against methanogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition of the necessity for employing natural additives in animal feed has grown alongside the ban on antibiotics in the animal feed sector. Grapes, as well as by-products of the wine-making industry (grape marc and seed extracts), possess biologically active chemical constituents that can be used to improve animal production by incorporating them into animal feed. Grapes are a valuable resource of polyphenols, especially flavonoids, stilbenes and phenolic acids, most of them showing therapeutic or health-promoting properties. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the impact of polyphenols on animal gut health. The first section of the review discusses the chemical structure of the major polyphenols in grapes and the polyphenols' bioavailability and metabolism in pigs. The second and major part of the review reviews the results of investigations into the antioxidant, antimicrobial and prebiotic effects of grape polyphenols in pig diets, as well as their regulation of intestinal barrier functions through signalling pathways and intestinal responses. All of this is supported by previous research, findings and conclusions. There are fewer recorded pig studies, but the inclusion of up to 9% grape by-products resulted in improved performance with an increased mean daily gain. Ultimately, this analysis concluded that supplementation of pigs with grape phenolic compounds as natural feed additives enhanced their antioxidant capacity, improved humoral and cellular immune responses, and promoted gut ecosystem biodiversity and the overall production performance in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Maintaining cleaner and more sustainable ecosystems by mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock through dietary manipulation is in demand. This study was aimed to assess the effect of Moringa oleifera seeds and probiotics (Pediococcus acidilactici BX-B122 and Bacillus coagulans BX-B118) as feed supplements on GHG production and fermentation profile from steers and sheep. The treatments included diets containing 0, 6, 12, and 18% of M. oleifera seeds meal and a mixture of probiotic bacteria (0.2 ml/g of diet). Total biogas production, CH4, CO, and H2S emission from animals (up to 48 h), rumen fermentation profile, and CH4 conversion efficiency were recorded using standard protocols. Results showed interaction among M. oleifera seeds and probiotics on asymptotic biogas production and total biogas production up to 48 h (P 0.05) for CH4:SCFA (in steers) and CH4:ME and CH4:OM (in sheep). In conclusion, the interaction of M. oleifera seeds and probiotics in the feeding diet reduced GHG emissions and affected the fermentation profile of steers and sheep.

In broiler nutrition, dietary fibre affects the development of the digestive system, nutrient absorption, intestinal flora and growth performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of orange seed powder (OSP) on growth performance, biochemical parameters, and the caecal bacterial population of broiler chickens. Four hundred and eighty-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were divided into four treatment groups of six replicates. The treatment groups comprised a control group (without OSP supplementation) and three groups with varying levels of OSP supplementation (0.25%, 0.5%, and 0.75%) over 42 days. All groups supplemented with orange seed powder significantly decreased serum cholesterol, triglyceride concentrations, E. coli, and total coliform population as well as feed conversion ratio and feed intake and significantly increased average weight gain and lactobacillus population on day 21 (p 0.05). On day 42, the triglyceride level was significantly superior (p

Essential oils (EOs) and nature identical compounds (NICs) express different antimicrobial activity (AAc) which can be affected by variability in composition, stability over time, and the carrier employed for their inclusion in feedstuff and products for animal treatments. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the stability over time of the AAc of 8 EOs and 5 NICs, alone and in combination with Tween 20, on four major bacterial livestock pathogens (E. coli, S. Typhimurium, S. aureus and MRSA). For this purpose, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and checkerboard assay (CkA) tests were performed on EOs and NICs at batch first use (T0 – only MIC), and after 12 (T1) and 24 (T2) months. Several EOs showed initial MICs lower than 2% (v/v) and, except for clove bud and cinnamon EOs, reduced their efficacy over time. The best NICs’ AAc was showed at T1 by cinnamic aldehyde (against MRSA), carvacrol (against E. coli), and thymol (except against MRSA), while at T2 the MIC values decreased for most of the NICs. The CkA between EOs and Tween 20 showed different interactions (Fractional Inhibitory Concentration -FIC- index from 0.06 to 32.04) based on bacteria and time. No interactions were found between NICs and Tween 20 (FIC index from 1.0 to 3.0). The AAc of EOs and NICs changes over time. Therefore, the preservation interval of these additives is critical for the AAc of feedstuff and products intended for livestock animals. Moreover, the NICs seem more suitable for the association with Tween 20.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an organic acid blend and essential oils individually and in combination on growth performance, blood biochemical profile, gut health, and nutrient digestibility of broilers fed a higher level of an animal protein concentrate. Five hundred day-old Ross-308 male broiler chicks (average body weight, 39 ± 1.2 g) were randomly assigned to five replicated (5 replicates/treatment; 20 birds/replica) dietary treatments (100 birds/treatment). Birds in these group were given five different experimental diets that were prepared and designated as (i) basal diet (negative control, NC); (ii) basal diet plus Enramycin (positive control, PC), 50 mg/kg feed; (iii) basal diet with the addition of organic acid (OA) at 200 mg/kg feed; (iv) basal diet plus essential oils (EO) at 150 mg/kg feed; (v) basal diet plus combination of OA and EOs 200 and150 mg/kg feed (OA + EO). Experimental diets were prepared and fed in two phases i.e. starter (1–21 d) and finisher (22–42 d) phases of rearing. The findings of the present study revealed that feed intake did not vary significantly among the treatment groups, however, better (p

Self-supervised learning models, such as Wav2vec 2.0, extract efficient features for speech processing applications including speech emotion recognition. In this study, we propose a Dimension Reduction Module (DRM) to apply to the output of each transformer block in the Wav2vec 2.0 model. Our DRM consists of an attentive average pooling, a linear layer with a maxout activation function, and a linear layer that reduces the number of dimensions to the number of classes. Subsequently, we propose two methods, classifier combination and feature fusion, to generate the final decision using DRM outputs. In the Classifier Combination method, the outputs of each DRM are fed to a distinct Additive Angular Margin (AAM) softmax loss function. This constructs an individual classifier for each DRM. Then, the outputs of these classifiers are combined using five different statistical methods. In the Feature Fusion method, the outputs of the DRMs are concatenated, and an attention mechanism is applied to them. Then, the attended outputs are fed to an AAM-Softmax loss function, which is used for training all DRMs in addition to the attention mechanism. The proposed models have been evaluated on the EMODB, IEMOCAP, and ShEMO datasets. Our best method, the Attention-based Feature Fusion, has obtained unweighted accuracies of 94.80% on EMODB, 74.00% on IEMOCAP, and 80.60% on ShEMO, which are competitive with the best baseline methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current trial was designed to evaluate the positive impacts of different feed additives singly or in combination on the growth performance, nutritional parameters, intestinal histology, and gene expression of some growth and fat metabolism-related genes in the liver tissue of Nile tilapia. The experimented fish were allocated into eight groups in a glass aquarium (10 fish/aquarium in triplicate) with Pediococcus acidilactici, nanozeolites, and/or medium-chain fatty acid additives. The studied treatments were control (T0), nanozeolite (T1), Pediococcus (T2), medium-chain fatty acid (T3), nanozeolite + Pediococcus (T4), nanozeolite + medium-chain fatty acid (T5), Pediococcus + medium-chain fatty acid (T6), and nanozeolite + Pediococcus + medium-chain fatty acid (T7). The results of the growth and nutritional parameters (i.e., final body weight, total weight gain, feed intake, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio) of tilapia-fed diets supplemented with Pediococcus, nanozeolites, and medium-chain fatty acids improved, but the combination of these additives was significantly more effective. Moreover, expression of growth hormone receptor 1 gene was upregulated (P ≤ 0.05) in T7 fish when compared with T0, other groups showing intermediate values. Expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 was upregulated (P ≤ 0.05) in T5, T6, and T7 fish when compared with the other groups. The expression of the fatty acid-binding protein was higher in T6 and T7 fish (P ≤ 0.05) when compared with T0, T1, and T3 fish. In conclusion, combined additives had significant effects on improving growth and regulating growth-related genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish is an important source of animal food for humans because it contains essential nutrients that are easily absorbed by the body. However, the intensification of aquaculture can be harmful to the fish, making them more susceptible to reduced diseases and slow growth. The excessive use of antibiotics is a major concern as it can lead to the accumulation of antibiotic residue in the fish. As a result, many countries have banned the use of antibiotics in fish feed. Phytobiotics, derived from various plant sources, have gained importance as additives in fish feeds and are seen as a promising alternative to antibiotics due to the presence of various bioactive compounds that have the potential to enhance fish production and health. The bioactive compounds present in plant sources such as essential oils, microalgae, seaweed, medicinal plants, and seeds, like Aloe vera and licorice, offer a wide range of beneficial effects in promoting growth, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant properties, and immunostimulant. The main topics of this review highlighted the various sources of phytobiotics, their mode of action, their effects on growth performance, and their therapeutic effects in fish. While phytobiotics have low bioavailability, exposure to them has shown positive effects on organs and several tissues in fish. This present article is also designed to provide an insightful information about the administration of phytobiotics and its bioavailability in fish. Furthermore, this review offers an intuitive knowledge regarding various methods for extracting the phytobiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reviewed available data regarding the benefits of feed additives for mitigation of ammonia toxicity in fish. We first emphasized the toxic effects of ammonia and the pathways involved in ammonia metabolism in fish. Then, we focused on the roles of different dietary additives on internal ammonia detoxification and/or to counteract the negative effects of ammonia toxicity. A wide range of feed additives has been studied for their benefits in fish under ammonia exposure. Most of these studies focused on the improvement of fish health and growth performance by these additives, but neglected underlying mechanisms of these effects as well as ammonia detoxification. It is necessary to monitor internal ammonia, urea, amino acids levels, ammonia/urea excretion, and enzymes involved in ureagenesis and glutamine formation along with health-related parameters (e.g., antioxidant, immunological, and growth responses) in the future studies to fulfil the knowledge gap. Moreover, the future researches should consider the route of ammonia and supplements administration to obtain reliable and practical data. A little evidence shows that dietary nutrients may interact to change the results of dietary supplementation on ammonia toxicity remediation, which must be considered in the future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of domestic animals and the safety of food products derived from them are jeopardised by mycotoxins in animal feed. To control them, feed additives are used, which limit the absorption of mycotoxins in the gastrointestinal tract of animals by binding to them. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new in vitro model in experiments on the binding of mycotoxins from buffers and contaminated feed and to confirm the effect of a single sorbent or mixture in binding them.

Global pig production has increased by 140% since the 1960s. The increase in global population, coupled with improving socioeconomic conditions of many countries has led to an increased consumption of meat globally, including pork. To keep up with demand and capitalize on economic opportunities, the countries of China, the United States (US), and the European Union (EU) have become the top 3 pork producers globally. China is of particular interest, as it is the both the largest country in pork production and pig numbers, as well as being the largest importer of pork from other countries. Globally, the efficiency of pork production has improved, in relation to the integration of pig production and the dramatic increase in research efforts in pig nutrition and production. Through integration, large producers can consolidate resources and maximize profits and efficiency. The increased research interest and efforts in pig production have given scientists and producers the opportunity to collaborate to adapt to challenges and identify possible solutions to issues brought on by a volatile global market. Intestinal health (23%), general nutrition and growth (23%), and amino acid nutrition (15%) were the top 3 areas (61%) leading research trends in pig nutrition and production. Major dietary interventions with feed additives evaluated include functional amino acids, feed enzymes, pre-/pro-/post-biotics, and phytobiotics with a common goal to improve the growth efficiency by enhancing nutrient utilization and intestinal health. With increasing global issues with environment, pig producers and the supporting scientists should continue their efforts to improve the production efficiency and to reduce the environmental footprint from pig production.

Sida rhombifolia (S. rhombifolia) is a widely used herbal plant for humans because of its antioxidant and antibacterial effects, but its potential use as a feed additive for livestock has not been investigated. Twenty 350 days‐old Anyi tile‐like grey chickens were randomly divided into a control group (fed basal diet) and a treatment group (fed basal diet + 3% of S. rhombifolia), and these chickens were feed for 31 days. Dietary S. rhombifolia remarkably enhanced plasma antioxidants, including the significantly increased total antioxidant capability (p < 0.01), catalase (p = 0.04), and superoxide dismutase (p < 0.01) in the treatment group. Furthermore, dietary S. rhombifolia also modulated chicken cecal microbiota, including an increased microbial diversity (Shannon, p = 0.03; Chao1, p = 0.03) in the treatment group. Regarding taxonomic analysis, 34 microbial taxa showed significant differences between the two groups. Meanwhile, the dominant phylum Actinobacteriota (p = 0.04), and dominant genera Desulfovibrio (p = 0.04) and Olsenella (p = 0.02) were significantly increased after treatment, whereas the pathogenic genus Escherichia‐Shigella (p = 0.04) was significantly decreased after feeding S. rhombifolia. The results indicating that S. rhombifolia has potential for use as a natural plant feed additive for chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The drawbacks of using antibiotics as feed additives for blue foxes have gradually become apparent; moreover, thymol has wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity and has the potential to replace antibiotics in various animals. However, there are few reports on the effects of thymol on blue foxes. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of thymol on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical indicators, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota of blue foxes. Twenty-four male blue foxes (120 ± 5 d) of similar weight (6.05 ± 0.16 kg) were randomly divided into 4 groups. 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg thymol were added to the basal diets of groups C, L, M, and H, respectively. Results: Compared with those in the C group, the addition of 100 mg/kg thymol to the diet significantly increased organic matter (OM) digestibility, crude protein (CP) digestibility, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgM, the VH of the duodenum, the CD of the jejunum, the VH of the ileum, and the VH/CD of the ileum (P < 0.05) and strongly significantly increased IgG (P < 0.01). The addition of 200 mg/kg thymol to the diet increased the VH/CD of the duodenum (P < 0.05). The addition of 300 mg/kg thymol to the diet significantly increased the VH and CD of the jejunum (P < 0.05). The addition of 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg thymol to the diets increased the final weight (FW) (P < 0.05). Adding 100 mg/kg thymol significantly increased the levels of interleukin-4 (IL- 4) and catalase (CAT) compared with those in the other groups (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA gene detection revealed that thymol can change the abundances of Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, Allobaculum, Streptococcus, Megasphaera, and Lactobacillus in the gut. Conclusion: The addition of thymol to diets can increase the abundance of Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, and Allobaculum, which may contribute to improving the growth performance of blue foxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ligustrum lucidum W.T. Aiton is an outstanding herb with the homology of medicine and food. Its ripe fruits are traditionally used as an important tonic for kidneys and liver in China. Ligustrum lucidum W.T. Aiton is rich in nutritional components and a variety of bioactive ingredients. A total of 206 compounds have been isolated and identified, they mainly include flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, iridoid glycosides, and triterpenoids. These compounds exert anti-osteoporosis, anti-tumor, liver protective, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Ligustrum lucidum W.T. Aiton has been traditionally used to treat many complex diseases, including osteoporotic bone pain, rheumatic bone, cancer, related aging symptoms, and so on. In the 2020 Edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, there are more than 100 prescriptions containing L. lucidum W.T. Aiton. Among them, some classical preparations including Er Zhi Wan and Zhenqi fuzheng formula, are used in the treatment of various cancers with good therapeutic effects. Additionally, L. lucidum W.T. Aiton has also many excellent applications for functional food, ornamental plants, bioindicator of air pollution, algicidal agents, and feed additives. Ligustrum lucidum W.T. Aiton has rich plant resources. However, the application potential of it has not been fully exploited. We hope that this paper provides a theoretical basis for the high-value and high-connotation development of L. lucidum W.T. Aiton in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and application of functional feed ingredients represents a great opportunity to advance fish growth and health, boost the immune system, and induce physiological benefits beyond those provided by traditional feeds. In the present study, we looked at the feasibility of in vitro methods for screening the qualities of functional feed ingredients using the fish cell line RTgill-W1, which has never been used in fish nutrition, and the culture of Paramoeba perurans. Five functional feed ingredients (arginine, β-glucan, vitamin C, and two phytogenic feed additives) were selected to investigate their effects on cell viability and reactive oxygen species production. Three of the selected ingredients (arginine and two phytogenic feed additives) were additionally tested to assess their potential amoebicidal activity. As these functional ingredients are the core of a commercially available feed (Protec Gill, Skretting AS), their beneficial effects were further assessed in a field trial in fish affected by complex gill disease. Here, the analyzed parameters included the evaluation of macroscopic and histopathological gill conditions, pathogen detections, and analyses of plasma parameters. RTgill-W1 cell line assays were a good tool for screening functional ingredients and provided information about the optimal ingredient concentration ranges, which can be helpful for adjusting the concentrations in future feed diets. Through the culture of P. perurans, the tested ingredients showed a clear amoebicidal activity, suggesting that their inclusions in dietary supplements could be a viable way to prevent microbial infections. A three-week period of feeding Protec Gill slowed the disease progression, by reducing the pathogen load and significantly improving gill tissue conditions, as revealed by histological evaluation. The use of diets containing selected functional ingredients may be a feasible strategy for preventing or mitigating the increasingly common gill diseases, particularly in cases of complex gill disease, as documented in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, anthropogenic activities have released heavy metals and polluted the aquatic environment. This study investigated the ability of the silica-stabilized magnetite (Si-M) nanocomposite materials to dispose of lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) toxicity in Nile tilapia and African catfish. Results: Preliminary toxicity tests were conducted and determined the median lethal concentration (LC50) of lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) to Nile tilapia and African catfish to be 5 mg/l. The sublethal concentration, equivalent to 1/20 of the 96-hour LC50 Pb(NO3)2, was selected for our experiment. Fish of each species were divided into four duplicated groups. The first group served as the control negative group, while the second group (Pb group) was exposed to 0.25 mg/l Pb(NO3)2 (1/20 of the 96-hour LC50). The third group (Si-MNPs) was exposed to silica-stabilized magnetite nanoparticles at a concentration of 1 mg/l, and the fourth group (Pb + Si-MNPs) was exposed simultaneously to Pb(NO3)2 and Si-MNPs at the same concentrations as the second and third groups. Throughout the experimental period, no mortalities or abnormal clinical observations were recorded in any of the treated groups, except for melanosis and abnormal nervous behavior observed in some fish in the Pb group. After three weeks of sublethal exposure, we analyzed hepatorenal indices, oxidative stress parameters, and genotoxicity. Values of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), urea, and creatinine were significantly higher in the Pb-intoxicated groups compared to the control and Pb + Si-MNPs groups in both fish species. Oxidative stress parameters showed a significant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration, along with a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl content (PCC) concentrations, as well as DNA fragmentation percentage in the Pb group. However, these values were nearly restored to control levels in the Pb + Si-MNPs groups. High lead accumulation was observed in the liver and gills of the Pb group, with the least accumulation in the muscles of tilapia and catfish in the Pb + Si-MNPs group. Histopathological analysis of tissue samples from Pb-exposed groups of tilapia and catfish revealed brain vacuolation, gill fusion, hyperplasia, and marked hepatocellular and renal necrosis, contrasting with Pb + Si-MNP group, which appeared to have an apparently normal tissue structure. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that Si-MNPs are safe and effective aqueous additives in reducing the toxic effects of Pb (NO3)2 on fish tissue through the lead-chelating ability of Si-MNPs in water before being absorbed by fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Hydrolyzable tannins (HTs), predominant polyphenols in oaks, are widely used in grape wine aging, feed additives, and human healthcare. However, the limited availability of a high‐quality reference genome of oaks greatly hampered the recognition of the mechanism of HT biosynthesis. Here, high‐quality reference genomes of three Asian oak species (Quercus variabilis, Quercus aliena, and Quercus dentata) that have different HT contents were generated.Multi‐omics studies were carried out to identify key genes regulating HT biosynthesis. In vitro enzyme activity assay was also conducted. Dual‐luciferase and yeast one‐hybrid assays were used to reveal the transcriptional regulation.Our results revealed that β‐glucogallin was a biochemical marker for HT production in the cupules of the three Asian oaks. UGT84A13 was confirmed as the key enzyme for β‐glucogallin biosynthesis. The differential expression of UGT84A13, rather than enzyme activity, was the main reason for different β‐glucogallin and HT accumulation. Notably, sequence variations in UGT84A13 promoters led to different trans‐activating activities of WRKY32/59, explaining the different expression patterns of UGT84A13 among the three species.Our findings provide three high‐quality new reference genomes for oak trees and give new insights into different transcriptional regulation for understanding β‐glucogallin and HT biosynthesis in closely related oak species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium butyrate (SB) is an organic compound that undergoes specific biochemical processes in animals to dissociate into butyrate ions (C4H7O2 -) and sodium ions (Na+). Both of these ions play a crucial role in the animal body. Butyric acid is the main component of SB that exerts its effects. It is involved in many key biochemical reactions and is indispensable for maintaining the normal physiological functions of animals. SB has various biological functions, such as promoting body growth, regulating intestinal health, improving the diversity of gastrointestinal microbiota, and exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It plays an important role in improving the intestinal morphological structure, regulating the balance of gut microbiota, inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, enhancing immune function, and protecting the intestinal barrier. As an alternative to antibiotics, SB has a broad application prospect in the feed of ruminant animals. The article mainly reviews the biological functions of SB, its absorption and metabolism, and the research progress of SB application in ruminants, aiming to provide a reference for the efficient application and promotion of SB in the field of ruminant production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a rapidly growing interest in how the avian intestine is affected by dietary components and feed additives. The paucity of physiologically relevant models has limited research in this field of poultry gut health and led to an over-reliance on the use of live birds for experiments. The development of complex 3D intestinal organoids or "mini-guts" has created ample opportunities for poultry research in this field. A major advantage of the floating chicken intestinal organoids is the combination of a complex cell system with an easily accessible apical-out orientation grown in a simple culture medium without an extracellular matrix. The objective was to investigate the impact of a commercial proprietary blend of organic acids and essential oils (OA+EO) on the innate immune responses and kinome of chicken intestinal organoids in a Salmonella challengemodel. Tomimic the in vivo prolonged exposure of the intestine to the product, the intestinal organoids were treated for 2 days with 0.5 or 0.25 mg/mL OA+EO and either uninfected or infected with Salmonella and bacterial load in the organoids was quantified at 3 hours post infection. The bacteria were also treated with OA+EOfor 1 day prior to challenge of the organoids to mimic intestinal exposure. The treatment of the organoids with OA+EO resulted in a significant decrease in the bacterial load compared to untreated infected organoids. The expression of 88 innate immune genes was investigated using a high throughput qPCR array, measuring the expression of 88 innate immune genes. Salmonella invasion of the untreated intestinal organoids resulted in a significant increase in the expression of inflammatory cytokine and chemokines as well as genes involved in intracellular signaling. In contrast, when the organoids were treatedwithOA+EO and challenged with Salmonella, the inflammatory responses were significantly downregulated. The kinome array data suggested decreased phosphorylation elicited by the OA+EO with Salmonella in agreement with the gene expression data sets. This study demonstrates that the in vitro chicken intestinal organoids are a new tool to measure the effect of the feed additives in a bacterial challenge model by measuring innate immune and protein kinases responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]