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Se determinó el efecto del mes de cosecha y edad de las hojas de Gymnopodium floribundum sobre el contenido de compuestos polifenólicos (fenoles totales (FT), taninos totales (TT) y taninos condensados (TC)) de extractos metanol:agua. Además, se determinó la actividad biológica de los polifenoles medida como la capacidad de precipitar proteína (PP), inhibir la eclosión de huevos (EH), y el desenvaine larval (IDL) de Haemonchus contortus. Se cosecharon hojas de G. floribundum en cuatro meses del año: diciembre, marzo, junio y septiembre. Se obtuvieron 24 extractos metanol:agua (70:30), 12 producidos de hojas de edad variada (EV) y 12 de hojas de 90 días (E90). Todos los extractos ocasionaron similar PP independientemente de edad y mes de cosecha. La inhibición de la EH solo fue significativa para el extracto EV de diciembre (CE50 = 374.4 μg/ml; P 1500 μg/ml en diciembre, junio y septiembre. Aunque todos los extractos inhibieron el desenvaine larval (IDL), la menor CE50 fue la del extracto de hojas EV de junio (CE50 = 80.4 μg/ml; P

In the present study, the effects of macro- and microclimatic conditions, month of harvest, and leaf age at harvest on the bromatological composition and polyphenol content of Gymnopodium floribundum leaves were evaluated. Leaves were harvested in December 2017 and 2018 and March, June, and September 2018. At each harvest, three composite samples of mixed-age leaves were collected from 12 trees (four trees for each sample), and the sampling was repeated on day 90 post-harvest to collect 90-day-old leaves. Fresh and dry matter, crude protein, acid and neutral detergent fibers (ADF and NDF, respectively), lignin, total tannins, condensed tannins (CT), total phenols, in vitro dry matter (IVDMD) and organic matter (IVOMD) digestibility, and metabolizable energy (ME) were estimated. Rainfall, relative humidity, and microhumidity were associated with chemical composition. IVDMD, IVOMD, and ME were highest in leaves sampled in March regardless of age (p < 0.001). Water content, ADF, NDF, and lignin were highest in the leaves sampled in September, regardless of age (p < 0.05), suggesting that leaves require more structural support in the rainy season. CT content was highest in September in the mixed-age leaves and in September and December in the 90-day-old leaves (p < 0.05). A high fiber and CT content during the period of rapid leaf growth could deter herbivory.

We evaluated the effect of browsing experience, nutritional quality and secondary compounds of forage resources, and the interaction between these factors on the selection and intake of goats in a cafeteria trial. Twelve juvenile Criollo goats from 7 to 9 months of age, weighing 22 ± 3 kg, were divided into two groups: (a) browser goats group (n = 6, BG), and (b) naïve goats group (n = 6, NG), formed according to their previous browsing experience (with and without, respectively). Animals were housed in individual pens. The cafeteria experiment lasted 21 days considering pen adaptation, foliage adaptation, and measurements, which included the selection index (SI) of experimental forage resources (Chesson’s alpha) and their dry matter intake (DMI/Kg0.75), using a multiple Latin square design. Furthermore, correlation and regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between the aforementioned factors. The NG did not show any selection pattern, while the BG selected Piscidia piscipula and Senegalia gaumeri (p = 0.0002). The BG consumed smaller amounts of secondary compounds compared to NG (p = 0.0001). In the BG, the flavonoids affected negatively their selection (R2 = 97.51, p = 0.0001), while the DMI was affected by in vitro DM digestibility and flavonoids (R2 = 99.85; p = 0.0001). For the NG, the crude protein and organic matter contents were associated with DMI, but none had a significant relationship with SI. The BG selected and consumed forages with suitable nutritional quality avoiding those with high content of secondary compounds such as flavonoids. Conversely, NG did not show a clear pattern for their selection or intake.

Feeding behavior is a multifactorial process with pivotal relevance for the maintenance and survival of ruminants. This study evaluated the effect of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), condensed tannin (CT) content of plants, and their possible interaction on the intake and selection of feed resources by Criollo goats in a heterogeneous vegetation. An 8-wk field experiment was conducted in the tropical deciduous forest (TDF) during the rainy season with adult Criollo goats (35.1 ± 6.7 kg body weight [BW]). Goats were assigned to four groups (n = 6): 1) MOX: suppressive treatment with moxidectin (Cydectin 0.4 mg/kg BW subcutaneous every 4 wk), 2) INF: with natural GIN infection, 3) MOX + PEG: treated with moxidectin and dosed with a CT-neutralizing agent (50 g of polyethylene glycol [PEG] diluted in 50 mL of water, per os), and 4) INF + PEG: with natural GIN infection and PEG dosage. Intake was measured using a direct observation method in a 2.2-ha TDF plot. Plant availability was obtained from 30 exclusion quadrants (2 × 2 m). Selection was estimated with the Cheeson index using the ratio of consumed plants and their availability by grouping plant species as shrubs and herbs (with high CT [> 10%], medium CT [> 3% to

This study evaluated the in vitro anthelmintic (AH) activity of cinnamic acid and six analogues against eggs and larvae of Haemonchus contortus. Stock solutions of each compound (trans-cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, trans-ferulic acid, trans-sinapic acid, 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid, and chlorogenic acid) were prepared in PBS:Tween-20 (1%) for use in the egg hatch test (EHT) and larval exsheathment inhibition test (LEIT) at different concentrations (25–400 μg/mL). The respective effective concentration 50% (EC50) values with 95% confidence intervals were estimated. Mixtures made of all cinnamic acid and its analogues as well as some selected individual compounds were also tested in the EHT. Only ferulic and chlorogenic acids showed AH activity in the EHT (EC50: 245.2 μg/mL (1.26 mM) and 520.8 μg/mL (1.47 mM), respectively) (P

This study assessed the effect of total dry matter intake (DMI), plant life form and strata harvested on the gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) worm burdens of tracer kids and lambs browsing heterogeneous vegetation during the rainy season (August–November). The rainy season was divided into 6 2-week periods (P1–P6), and environmental conditions (rainy days, rainfall, temperature and humidity) were recorded daily. Five pairs each of tracer kids and tracer lambs raised free of GIN infections were used. Every 15 days, different pairs of kids and lambs were introduced to a 2.2-ha plot and co-grazed with a flock of 30 sheep and 70 goats for a period of 3 weeks. Feeding behaviour of each pair of tracers was measured in weeks 2 and 3. The continuous bite monitoring method was used to estimate total DMI, DMI of plant life forms and DMI from plants of different strata. After each 3-week period, the tracer pair was maintained indoors for 28 days and necropsied on day 29 to recover the worm burden. The feeding behaviour of the tracers was compared between periods (P2–P6) and between kids and lambs. The differences in the worm burdens of the tracers between periods were not associated with total DMI or DMI from plant life forms. Worm burdens were highest during P5 and P6 in tracer kids and lambs (P

This study validated a protocol to identify the nutraceutical value of Gymnopodium floribundum (GF) foliage based on its effects on sheep nutrition, production and health and its impact on adult Haemonchus contortus. Thirty animals (17.8 ± 3.44 kg BW) were distributed into five experimental groups (n = 6). Groups T1–T3 received feed including 20%, 30% and 40% GF content, respectively, and group T4 received feed with 0% GF. Groups T1–T4 were all infected with 6000 H. contortus infective larvae (L3). Group T5 included six worm-free lambs fed a diet without GF. Feed intake, dry matter digestibility (DMD) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) were measured, in addition to the faecal excretion of eggs per gram (EPG) and total faecal egg count (TFEC) of H. contortus. On day 39 post-infection, lambs were humanely slaughtered to recover and count adult parasites and assess the length and fecundity of female worms. Higher levels of GF in the diet reduced DMD and OMD (P 0.05). EPG and TFEC were lower in T1 and T3 than in T4 (P

In sheep, infection with Haemonchus contortus may increase the need for energy, and this demand may vary according to the infection level. In this study, the energy intake, digestibility, and energy retention of lambs artificially infected with different levels of H. contortus were estimated. A total of 24 hair sheep lambs reared parasite-free were experimentally infected with H. contortus at one of three infection levels: non-infected (n = 6); infected with 300 infective larvae (L3) of H. contortus/kg body weight (BW) (n = 9); and infected with 500 H. contortus L3/kg BW (n = 9). The lambs were fed for an individual weight gain of 100 g/day, and intake of organic matter (OMI) and gross energy (GEI), digestible (DEI) and metabolizable energy (MEI) were measured weekly. The digestibility of organic matter (OMD) and GE (GED) and the metabolizable energy (ME) balance adjusted to zero nitrogen balance (MEadj) were measured for each lamb during the prepatent and patent periods of infection. From day 21 post-infection (PI), the individual eggs per gram (EPG) of feces and the total number of eggs in feces (TEF) were estimated weekly. After humane slaughter on day 42 PI, the worm burden (WB) was determined. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to estimate the relationships between the parasitological variables (L3, EPG, TEF and WB) and the response variables (OMI, GEI, DEI, MEI, OMD, GED, MEadj). During the prepatent period, there were no significant relationships of L3 with the response variables (OMI, GEI, DEI, MEI, OMD, GED, ME, MEadj). Similarly, during the patent period, no relationship was evident between infection (EPG, TEF or WB) and OMI, GEI, DEI, GED, OMD, ME or MEadj. Thus, the gradient of H. contortus infection examined in the present study did not influence energy balance in hair sheep lambs, and infection did not impose any detectable energy cost. Further studies are needed to fully assess the impact of H. contortus infection on energy metabolism in hair sheep.

Proteins and peptides are fundamental components of the cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes, giving them numerous health-beneficial properties. Previous studies have demonstrated that these molecules exerted effects on current therapeutic targets related to type 2 diabetes mellitus, such as incretin hormones (responsible for appetite suppression), dipeptidyl peptidase IV (an enzyme involved in the inactivation and degradation of the incretin hormones), and glucose transporters (molecules that transport glucose in or out of cells). Therefore, this review presents the current biological activity of protein derivatives and peptides isolated from cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes on these therapeutic markers, highlighting their potential as a possible pharmacological treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

In the Mediterranean region, artichoke and broccoli are major crops with a high amount of by-products that can be used as alternative feedstuffs for ruminants, lowering feed costs and enhancing milk sustainability while reducing the environmental impact of dairy production. However, nutritional quality of milk needs to be assured under these production conditions and an optimal inclusion ratio of silages should be determined. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of three inclusion levels (25%, 40%, and 60%) of these silages (artichoke plant, AP, and broccoli by-product, BB) in goat diets on milk yield, composition, and mineral and fatty profiles. Treatments with 60% inclusion of AP and BB presented the lowest milk yield. No differences were found on the milk mineral profile. Inclusion of AP in the animals&rsquo, diet improved the milk lipid profile from the point of view of human health (AI, TI) compared to BB due to a lower saturated fatty acid content (C12:0, C14:0, and C16:0) and a higher concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially vaccenic acid (C18:1 trans11) and rumenic acid (CLA cis9, trans11), without any differences with the control treatment.

Simple Summary Artichoke and broccoli crops are widespread throughout the world, mainly in the Mediterranean region. After artichoke harvests and industrial processing of artichoke and broccoli, large amounts of by-products are generated. The use of these alternative and cheaper feedstuffs in ruminants’ diets would reduce waste caused by the agri-food industry, disposal costs, and the land and natural resources used in animal feed production, contributing to the circular economy. Because of the high water content and the seasonality of these feedstuffs, ensiling might be a technology to preserve its nutritional quality for a long time, and this must be considered and studied at commercial scale. This paper looks into the viability of ensiling broccoli and artichoke by-products as commercial round bale silos (300 kg), their shelf life, and their suitability for ruminant feeding. The three silage by-products are stabilised on day 30. The high microbial quality and the appropriate nutritional composition at final stage (day 200) make them suitable for inclusion in ruminant diet, in combination with other energy and protein sources over a long period after the crop season. Abstract Wastes from artichoke and broccoli crops and cannery industries represent an environmental problem. A viable option to this problem is ensiling them for use as ruminants feed. The aim of this study was to characterise the ensiling process of broccoli and artichoke by-products and assess their suitability to be part of the ruminant diet, as well their minimum shelf life. Twenty-one commercial round bale silos (300 kg and 0.64 m3) of each by-product were made. Samples were analysed at days 0, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 200 to determine microbial populations, fermentation metabolites, nutritional components, and phytosanitary residues. Feedstuffs showed good suitability for ensiling, and stabilisation was achieved on day 30. The variables with the greatest significant differences among sampling times were microbial populations and fermentative components. There were no important dry matter losses, and some significant differences were observed in the nutritional composition, especially in crude protein and fibrous fractions, but they were not relevant for the loss of nutritional quality of silages. The phytosanitary residues determined on day 200 were below the maximum residue limits set by European legislation. So, ensiling these by-products in commercial round bale silos is a suitable and profitable technique that allows their preservation for a long time (200 days).

This study estimated the impact of condensed tannin (CT) consumption on dry matter intake (DMI) and live weight change (LWC) of growing sheep by means of a meta-analysis. A metabolic cost associated to CT intake was also estimated. Data included in the meta-analysis were obtained from scientific literature with the following inclusion criteria: (a) growing lambs fed ad-libitum without gastrointestinal nematode infection, (b) feed consumption data, (c) chemical composition of diets, and (d) CT consumption data. Data were analyzed as a whole data-set or grouped into three categories: (a) sheep consuming CT (CT group), (b) sheep not consuming CT (non-CT group) and (c) sheep consuming CT + polyethylene glycol (CT + PEG group). The effect of diet composition and quality (crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), condensed tannins (CT), metabolizable energy (ME), dry matter digestibility (DMD), OM digestibility (OMD) and CP digestibility (CPD)) on DMI (g/kg0.75) was evaluated using regression analyses. The effect of diet composition and consumption of those same variables (g/kg0.75) on LWC (g/kg0.75) were also evaluated using respective regression analyses. The metabolic cost of CT consumption was estimated in terms of digestible crude protein (DCP) and ME requirements. The cost was estimated for a diet to sustain maintenance and a diet to supply 100 g/d LWC requirements. No effect was found of CT intake on DMI or LWC (P > 0.05). The DMI was best predicted by CP and DMD concentration (g/kg DM), when analyzed as a whole data-set. When analyzed as separate categories for CT and non-CT group was best predicted by ME (MJ/kg DM) (P

The tropical deciduous forest (TDF) is an ecosystem with a heterogeneous array of plant species containing different condensed tannin (CT) content. Recent studies explored the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) or Haemonchus contortus infection on the intake and feed resource selection of goats. These factors have not been investigated simultaneously. The present study evaluated the role of infection with the abomasal parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus and the effect of neutralizing CT with PEG on the feed resource selection of Criollo goats in a cafeteria trial. A group of 22 Criollo goats (31.7 ± 4.8 kg) habituated to browse the TDF, were assigned to four groups: two groups were artificially infected with H. contortus (6000 L3 per os) and received PEG (50 mg/day) (INF + PEG group) or no PEG (INF group) and the other two groups were kept free of infection with moxidectin (0.4 mg/kg BW sub-cutaneously) and received either PEG (MOX + PEG) or no PEG (MOX). Intake and resource selection of four shrub plant species (Havardia albicans, Gymnopodium floribundum, Leucaena leucocephala and Piscidia piscipula) by goats, and the dynamics of faecal H. contortus egg excretion were determined daily. Intake varied depending on the interaction between plant resource and the infection level (P

International audience; Nutraceutical plants provide nutrients for the animal as well as secondary compounds that can affect the biology and survival of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Current screening of nutraceutical plants is based on in vitro evidence of anthelmintic (AH) activity against different life stages of GIN, but nutritional information is omitted or scarce. This study proposes an integral in vitro screening protocol to identify the nutraceutical value of the foliage from plant species consumed by small ruminants, using Haemonchus contortus as a biological model. The leaves from Acacia collinsii, A. pennatula, Bunchosia swartziana, Gymnopodium floribundum, Havardia albicans, Leucaena leucocephala, Lysiloma latisiliquum, Mimosa bahamensis, Piscidia piscipula, and Senegalia gaumeri were evaluated for their chemical composition and in vitro digestibility. Acetone:water extracts (70:30) from leaves of each plant were evaluated using the egg hatch assay and larval exsheathment inhibition assay. Respective effective concentrations 50% (EC50) were determined for each assay. The ten plant species showed good nutritional value for ruminants, including crude protein (> 10%), metabolizable energy (> 2.9 MJ/kg DM), and varied CT content (from 1.0 to 37.6%). The best AH activity against H. contortus eggs (EC50 = 401.8 μg/mL) and L3 (EC50 = 83.1 μg/mL) was observed for S. gaumeri extract. Although all the plant species showed in vitro nutraceutical potential, the leaves of S. gaumeri had the best values. The proposed in vitro protocol showed to be useful for the integral assessment of the nutraceutical potential of different plant species as it included the nutritional value and the AH activity against eggs and L3 in the selected plant species.

The objective of the current paper is to review research findings in organic poultry or free-range systems and its perspectives for the tropical Latin America region, including genotypes adapted to production systems in semi-captivity, according to the specific characteristics of each country. Different feeding systems schemes are analysed as well as low cost feed resources that could be used. Most of the studies reviewed for free-range systems propose feeding schemes based on two stages, which are starter (1-5 weeks old) and finisher (5-15 weeks old) diets. Carcass yield and quality are covered; however there is still debate due to the great variety of results observed, depending on age, genotype, feed ingredients and characteristics of the system used. It has been suggested that carcass characteristics improved due to increased activity, which enhances bird comfort and welfare. The findings of this review indicated that producing meat in these systems is feasible in tropical countries. However, it is necessary to establish adequate conditions for every country to ensure viability, on the basis of meat quality and economic variables.

The present paper reviewed publications on the nematocidal activity of edible mushrooms (EM) and their potential use as sustainable tools for the control of parasitic nematodes affecting agriculture and livestock industry. Nematodes are organisms living in the soil and animals’ guts where they may live as parasites severely affecting economically important crops and farm animals, thus causing economic losses to worldwide agriculture. Traditionally, parasitic nematodes have been controlled using commercial pesticides and anthelmintic (AH) drugs. Over the years, nematodes developed resistance to the AH drugs, reducing the usefulness of many commercial drugs. Also, the use of pesticides/anthelmintic drugs to control nematodes can have important negative impacts on the environment. Different EM have been not only used as food but also studied as alternative methods for controlling several diseases including parasitic nematodes. The present paper reviewed publications from the last decades about the nematocidal activity of EM and assessed their potential use as sustainable tools for the control of nematodes affecting agriculture and livestock industry. A reduced number of reports on the effect of EM against nematodes were found, and an even smaller number of reports regarding the potential AH activity of chemical compounds isolated from EM products were found. However, those studies have produced promising results that certainly deserve further investigation. It is concluded that EM, their fractions and extracts, and some compounds contained in them may have biotechnological application for the control of animal and plant parasitic nematodes.

This study assessed the ultrastructural changes caused in adult Haemonchus contortus obtained from goats fed fodder based on polyphenol-rich plants Lysiloma latisiliquum or Onobrychis viciifolia or from goats drenched with quebracho extract, Schinopsis spp. The H. contortus were obtained from artificially infected goats used as models to investigate the anthelmintic effect of feeding or drenching with the polyphenol-rich materials. Nematode populations were exposed to polyphenol-rich plant materials by feeding host goats for 8 consecutive days (D28 to D35 post-infection) with (a) L. latisiliquum fodder at 800 g fresh basis/day, (b) O. viciifolia fodder offered ad libitum, and (c) drenched with a solution containing quebracho extract (90 g/day). Meanwhile, control H. contortus were obtained from goats fed polyphenol-free diets. The H. contortus specimens were recovered from the goats on D36 post-infection, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to identify ultrastructural changes. In vivo exposure to different polyphenol-rich plant materials caused vacuolization of the nematodes' intestinal, muscular and hypodermal cells. These alterations represent the first evidence of cell damage caused in H. contortus when hosts were fed or drenched with polyphenol-rich materials. Ultrastructural changes affecting several types of cells could explain modifications in worm motility and nutrition, eventually affecting H. contortus reproductive success. This study contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms of action of polyphenol-rich plants against H. contortus when given as nutraceuticals to goats.Étude ultrastructurale d’Haemonchus contortus adultes exposés in vivo à des matériaux riches en polyphénols chez les chèvres.Cette étude a examiné les lésions ultrastructurales provoquées chez les adultes d’Haemonchus contortus obtenus chez des chèvres alimentées par des fourrages riches en polyphénols, Lysiloma latisiliquum ou Onobrychis viciifolia, ou des chèvres recevant des extraits de quebracho, Schinopsis spp. Les H. contortus ont été obtenus à partir de chèvres artificiellement infestées pour vérifier les effets anthelminthiques de l’alimentation ou l’administration de ressources riches en polyphénols. Les populations de nématodes ont été exposées à des ressources végétales contenant des polyphénols chez des hôtes infestés recevant pendant 8 jours (J28 à J35 après infestation) : (a) un fourrage à base de L. latisiliquum (800 g/jour), (b) un fourrage à base de sainfoin (O. viciifolia) offert ad libitum, et (c) une solution d’extrait de quebracho (90 g/jour). Pendant ce temps, une population témoin d’H. contortus a été obtenue à partir de chèvres alimentées avec un régime à base de fourrages sans polyphénols. Des échantillons d’H. contortus ont été obtenus à partir des divers groupes de chèvres à J36 après infestation, et la microscopie électronique à transmission a été utilisée pour identifier les modifications ultrastructurales. L’exposition in vivo à différents matériaux végétaux riches en polyphénols chez l’hôte a provoqué chez les nématodes une vacuolisation des cellules intestinales, musculaires et hypodermiques. Ces altérations représentent la première preuve de lésions cellulaire provoquées chez H. contortus lorsque l’hôte reçoit des ressources riches en polyphénols. Les changements ultrastructuraux affectant divers types de cellules pourraient expliquer des modifications fonctionnelles de motilité et de nutrition des vers, et finalement modifier le succès reproducteur d’H. contortus. Cette étude contribue à la compréhension des mécanismes d’action des plantes contenant des polyphénols utilisées comme alicament contre H. contortus.

Sin resumen

This study identified the optimal age of Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae (L

Two new spongian furanoditerpenes, 3β-hydroxyspongia-13(16),14-dien-2-one (1) and 19-dehydroxy-spongian diterpene 17 (2), along with five known terpenes, the spongian furanoditerpenes 9-nor-3-hydroxyspongia-3,13(16),14-trien-2-one (3), 3β,19 dihydroxyspongia-13(16),14-dien-2-one (epispongiadiol) (4) and spongian diterpene 17 (5), the furanoditerpene ambliol C (6), and the sesterterpene scalarin (7), were isolated from the methanolic extract of the sponge Spongia tubulifera, collected in the Mexican Caribbean. The planar structures of the new compounds were elucidated by 1D/2D NMR and IR spectroscopic analysis, high resolution electrospray mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), and comparison of their spectral data with those reported in the literature. Absolute configurations were determined by comparison of the experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectrum with those calculated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). Compounds 1, 4, and 6 displayed weak cytotoxic activity against different human tumour cell lines.

International audience; Small ruminants browsing in tropical forests readily consume the foliage of Senegalia gaumeri. A S. gaumeri methanol:water extract was recently shown to have ovicidal activity against Haemonchus contortus eggs in vitro. In the present study, the fraction of a S. gaumeri methanol:water extract with ovicidal activity against H. contortus eggs and the metabolites potentially involved in this activity were identified. Bio-guided fractionation of the S. gaumeri methanol:water extract identified high ovicidal activity (80.29%, EC50 = 58.9 μg/mL) in the non-polar sub-fraction P1. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) identified several fatty acids: pentacosane (18.05%), heneicosane (18.05%), triacontane (30.94%), octacosane (18.05%), and hexanedioic acid bis-(2-ethylhexyl) ester (32.72%). Purification of the polar components of sub-fraction P1 led to the identification of p-coumaric acid as a major constituent. In egg hatch tests, 400 μg/mL p-coumaric acid resulted in an ovicidal effect of 8.7%, a larvae failing eclosion effect of 2.9%, and of the emerged larvae (88.4%), many were damaged. In conclusion, the low AH activity of p-coumaric acid against H. contortus eggs indicates that it is not solely responsible for the ovicidal activity of sub-fraction P1 but might act in synergy with other compounds in this fraction. However, p-coumaric acid showed potential anthelmintic effects against the larval stage of H. contortus.

The possibility of using layer-type slow-growing male chickens in tropical climate to produce high quality meat without compromising bird’s bone quality was explored in this study. A total of 156, 1-day-old Rhode Island Red male chickens, were randomly assigned to 2 treatments (with and without outdoor access) with 6 replicates of 13 birds each and grown for 115 days. Results showed that birds grown with access to outdoors had higher ash content and lower fat amount in their breast and leg muscles, while protein was higher in the femoral muscle. Also, femur weight, femur Seedor index, tibia weight, tibia length and tibia Seedor index, as well as leg bones’ ash content were positively influenced (P

The present study compared the feeding behavior of inexperienced kids on heterogeneous vegetation with that of adult goats with browsing experience. Twelve non-pregnant, non-lactating adult Criollo goats (35 ± 5 kg live weight (LW)) with >3 years of browsing experience and ten weaned kids (19 ± 3 kg LW) without previous browsing experience were used. The two groups of animals browsed simultaneously on 10.2 ha of tropical heterogeneous vegetation (4 h daily) in the rainy season. Mouth dimensions (width and length) were determined from contemporary animals in the same herd (14 kids and 79 adult goats). The proportion of dry matter intake (DMI) was estimated for the following categories: (i) life forms: shrubs, dicot-herbaceous plants, vines and grasses; (ii) height of strata: low ( 50 cm of height); and (iii) bite size: small ( 6 cm). The proportions of materials consumed in each category were compared between kids and adult goats via Chi-squared tests. Kids consumed fewer plant species than adult goats, but total DMI was similar between kids and adult goats (52.5 ± 5.1 and 51 ± 5 g DM/Kg LW0.75; P > 0.05). The proportion of the DMI obtained from different life forms was also similar between kids and adult goats (35.3 % and 40.4 % from shrubs, 1.6 % and 2.1 % from dicot-herbaceous plants, 0.3 %, and 0.6 % from vines, and 62.8 % and 57.0 % from grasses, respectively). However, kids had less DMI from high strata than adult goats (14.6 % and 58.0 %) and more DMI from low strata (66.8 % and 24.5 %, P

It is important to determine whether gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) affect foliage choice of goats leading to confirm the expression of a self-medication behavior. This study investigated the effect of GIN infection on tropical foliage selection by goats. During experimental stage 1 (10 days), goats had a natural mixed GIN infection, and at stage 2 (10 days), goats were treated with effective anthelmintics to maintain them free of GIN infection. During stage 1 the twelve adult goats (32 ± 2.3 kg live weight [LW]) were assigned to three groups (n = 4) according to their initial GIN infection status: HI group, with fecal egg count (FEC) between 1450 and 2150 eggs per g/feces (EPG); MI group, medium FEC (592-1167 EPG); and the NI group, free from GIN infection. Fresh foliage of four tropical plants were offered to goats ad libitum for 1 h daily: Gymnopodium floribundum (high condensed tannin [CT] content, 37-40 %), Mimosa bahamensis (medium CT content, 16-17 %), Leucaena leucocephala (low CT content, 3-5 %), and Viguiera dentata (negligible CT content, 0.6-0.9 %). Jacobs' selection indexes (JSIs) were estimated for the experimental foliage based on dry matter (DM), CT, or crude protein (CP) intake. During both study stages, individual fecal egg counts were estimated. The JSI patterns of different plant species, based on DM, CT, or CP, were similar irrespective of infection level during stage 1 (HI, MI, and NI) or no GIN infection (stage 2). Thus, irrespective of GIN infection, goats actively selected M. bahamensis (high CT, low CP content) and V. dentata (negligible CT, high CP content) but avoided G. floribundum (high CT, low CP content) and L. leucocephala (medium CT and high CP content). Thus, natural GIN infection did not influence goats' foliage selection.

The objective of this study was to estimate the relationship between tannin binding salivary protein (TBSP) and condensed tannins (CT) intake in hair sheep and creole goats. Foliage was obtained from trees with different levels of CT content; animals were offered foliage ad libitum, with or without polyethylene glycol (PEG). Saliva haze development (SHD) was evaluated as evidence for TBSP. PEG consumption did not affect dry matter intake (DMI) (P > 0.05). Lignin (R = −0.714, P 0.09), but remained significant for goats (P

The aim of this study was to compare the mother-lamb bonding and lamb mortality observed on Pelibuey ewes lambing in isolation (IL) or group (GL) under tropical farm conditions. Each treatment was conformed with 16 adults multiparous Pelibuey ewes of similar weight (39.8 ± 8.01 kg) and body condition score (2.9 ± 0.5). Semi-controlled mating lasted 35 days, single or twin gestations were diagnosticated at day 50 by ultrasonography allocating similar proportion of twins in treatments. Similar space allowance (2.25 m2/ewe) and fed conditions were used during all pregnancy period. IL ewes lambed and remained after birth into 1.5 × 1.5 m individual pens, GL ewes remained and lambed in the same collective pen used during pregnancy. Observations were performed by focal sampling during (i) the 1st hour after lamb expulsion registering vocalizations, aggressions, suckling’ acceptance on ewes. Also, the latency to stand up and successfully suckling was recorded in lambs, (ii) 48 h later a two-choice recognition arena test, exposed animals simultaneously to their own mother/lamb and to a foreign-ones, (iii) afterwards, ewes’ reactions to the manipulation of their lambs by a foreign handler (maternal behavior score, MBS) were observed. Animals were weighted at the 1st hour post-partum and 30 days later. Twenty-seven (11 twins, 5 single) and 28 (12 twins, 5 single) lambs born at IL and GL respectively. The birth weight was 3.0 ± 0.4 kg on IL and 2.8 ± 0.4 kg on the GL (P = 0.119). During the 1st hour after lambing only the mean number of high-pitched bleats were different in both ewes (18.6 ± 1.2 vs 28.2 ± 1.8) and lambs (27.9 ± 1.2 vs 42.2 ± 1.3) of IL vs GL respectively (P = 0.001). At 48 h postpartum a faster recognition of their own mother/lamb was displayed by ewes (8 ± 0.4 vs 13.4 ± 1 s.) and lambs (8.8 ± 0.5 vs 15.3 ± 0.5 s.) on the IL vs GL respectively (P = 0.001). A MBS of 3 was observed on both treatments (P > 0.05), no difference was found on the daily change of weight in lambs (0.113 ± 0.01 vs 0.091 ± 0.01 kg, P = 0.068) and ewes (– 0.098 ± 0.01 vs -0.119 ± 0.01, P = 0.491) of IL vs GL respectively. The mortality was of 7.4 and 10.7 % on IL and GL with a similar risk in treatments (odds ratio = 1.06). It was concluded that in tropical hair sheep farms at the same animal space allowance, isolation lambing environment favorized calmer animals able to a faster recognition compared to grouped lambing animals, instead isolation at lambing did not reduced mortality nor improved lambs’ productivity.

In Mediterranean countries, large quantities of by-products are generated from artichoke and broccoli crops, as well as large masses of common reed due to the cleaning of riverbeds. They have traditionally been applied directly in animal feed, especially for small ruminants, without undergoing any preservation process. Their inclusion in diets would allow three benefits: feeding animals with materials containing high nutrient contents all year round (not only in the crop season) in a well-balanced ration, lowering the feeding costs and reducing the amount of residues and their elimination cost for producers. Through the silage process, these feedstuffs can be preserved to ensure year-round availability. The aim of this short-term preference trial was to evaluate the goats' preference among four different ensiled feedstuffs and to study the relationship between animal preference and the silage composition. The four alternative silage-feedstuffs were offered to four nulliparous Murciano-Granadina goats (34.9 ± 1.9 kg) in a multiple square or cafeteria design. The feedstuffs tested were artichoke bracts (Cynara scolymus), artichoke plant, a 50:50 mixture of broccoli by-product (Brassica oleracea, var. Italica) and artichoke bracts, and common reed (Phragmites australis). To determine preference, data were collected on feed intake and the time each animal spent eating each feedstuff for four hours each day. Macrocomposition and some functional and chemical characteristic silages were analysed. The relation between DM intake and chemical composition of the tested feedstuffs was determined using correlation and regression analyses. The artichoke bracts silage presented the highest cumulative intake at 4 hours (3.26 g DM/kg BW); being different from artichoke plant silage (2.17 g DM/kg BW), the second most consumed. Broccoli + artichoke and common reed silage intake was significantly lower than those of the other two feeds (0.36 and 0.67 g DM/kg BW, respectively). The strongest correlations between DM intake after 4 hours (g of DM) and the nutritional and chemical characteristics of the silages were found with digestible energy (r = 0.60, P

Simple Summary The low deciduous forest is an ecosystem covering 8% of México’s surface and is present in 15 of the 32 states of the country. It has been observed that sheep and goats feeding in this high biodiverse biome can consume up to 80 plant species. In addition, the low deciduous forest biomass is frequently used to feed small ruminants in cut and carry systems. However, there is not enough information to provide guidelines for its sustainable use by ruminant livestock. In the present review, we present an interdisciplinary approach aimed at identifying the nutraceutical properties of this native vegetation system, involving disciplines like botany, ecology, agronomy, ethology, ethnoveterinary, nutrition, parasitology and chemistry. Nutraceuticals are defined as livestock feeds combining nutritional value with beneficial effects on animal health and productivity. The identification of nutraceutical properties amongst plant species of the low deciduous forest may contribute to the revalorization of this native vegetation system and provide information enabling the design of sustainable livestock feeding/management systems that benefit the nutrition and health of small ruminants, and ultimately human health through the consumption of animal products produced in this native vegetation system. Abstract The plant kingdom can influence the productivity and health of herbivores at different levels. However, demonstrating this process in a scientific manner entails substantial endeavors from different disciplines. In the present review, we will describe the features of a native vegetation system traditionally used by small ruminants and use its particularities to build an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate the nutraceutical properties of plants. Initially, we will establish the context of the low deciduous forest (LDF), considering some botanical and nutritional aspects, as well as the presence of plant secondary compounds (PSC) and gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Furthermore, we will focus on coevolutionary aspects that undoubtedly shaped the plants–nutrients–PSC–GIN–herbivore relationship. In addition, the concept of nutraceutical will be discussed to provide clarity and aspects to be considered for their evaluation. Then, ethological, agronomical, nutritional, PSC, parasitological and animal species issues are deepened placing emphasis on methodological approaches. Special focus is given to condensed tannins, as they are the fourth largest group of PSCs and the most studied in livestock sciences. Validation of the nutraceutical properties of plants from native vegetation systems should be seen as a process derived from many scientific disciplines that feed into each other in a cyclic manner.

Two new spongian furanoditerpenes, 3&beta, hydroxyspongia-13(16),14-dien-2-one (1) and 19-dehydroxy-spongian diterpene 17 (2), along with five known terpenes, the spongian furanoditerpenes 9-nor-3-hydroxyspongia-3,13(16),14-trien-2-one (3), 3&beta, 19 dihydroxyspongia-13(16),14-dien-2-one (epispongiadiol) (4) and spongian diterpene 17 (5), the furanoditerpene ambliol C (6), and the sesterterpene scalarin (7), were isolated from the methanolic extract of the sponge Spongia tubulifera, collected in the Mexican Caribbean. The planar structures of the new compounds were elucidated by 1D/2D NMR and IR spectroscopic analysis, high resolution electrospray mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), and comparison of their spectral data with those reported in the literature. Absolute configurations were determined by comparison of the experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectrum with those calculated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). Compounds 1, 4, and 6 displayed weak cytotoxic activity against different human tumour cell lines.

This study aimed to estimate the effect of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) on the productive performance assessed by the live-weight change (LWC) of lambs, and the metabolic cost associated with parasitism by means of a meta-analysis. Data used in the meta-analyses were obtained from twenty papers selected using the following criteria: (a) lambs with (I) and without (NI) GIN; (b) lambs fed ad libitum; (c) LWC data; (d) feed consumption data; and (e) chemical composition of diets. The effect of diet composition (crude protein [CP] and metabolizable energy [ME]) on dry matter intake (DMI), and the effect of composition and nutrient intake (DMI and CP intake [CPI]) and ME intake (MEI) on LWC was evaluated using respective regression analyses. The metabolic cost of worm burden was determined as the difference in CP and ME requirements between NI and I lambs for each adult parasite. The CP and ME cost were evaluated for lambs at two different levels: maintenance level 0 g LWC and 100 g LWC. The worm burden had an impact on the DMI and LWC of lambs (P 0.05). The association of CP x infection level was the best predictor of DMI. The association between MEI and infection level were the best predictors of LWC. The metabolic cost of GIN increased to 0.30 mg CP/kg LW

The sustainable use of the tropical deciduous forest (TDF) during co-grazing of sheep and goats is a complex paradigm. To unveil the latter, an important step is to identify which plants of the TDF are consumed by different ruminant species. Such information must consider the rainy and dry seasons because of the deciduous nature of the TDF, which imply great changes in biomass availability and species dominance. This study aimed at (a) describing the feeding behavior of sheep and goats in the TDF during the dry season, and (b) calculating the quantity of macronutrients harvested in the vegetation by sheep and goats. An observational study was implemented during dry season in the TDF of Yucatan, Mexico. The direct observation method was applied on 3 sheep and 3 goats (adult, non-pregnant females) to record the species of plants consumed, bite categories (BC) and the nutritional quality of different BC. Grazing circuits lasted 4 h daily. Twelve days of observations were performed for each ruminant species according to a Latin-square design implemented to equally distribute variability due to routes of grazing, environmental conditions and shepherds between days. Feeding behavior of sheep and goats was similar in terms of plant species consumed (29 of 33 species). However, sheep obtained most of their DM from Acacia pennatula pods, whereas goats consumed mainly foliage from shrubs. Sheep performed fewer bites per day than goats (median of 2854 vs. 3634; P P P

The effect of tannin-rich fodder (TRF) consumption on the saliva response of Criollo goats without previous browsing experience was determined. Eighteen kids were allocated into three treatments (n = 6 each): control group (CG), short-term tannin stimulus (TS) and long-term tannin stimulus (TL). Three experimental periods were used: adaptation (two weeks) in which the three treatment groups were fed Pennisetum purpureum grass and supplemented with a balanced feed. In period 1 (five weeks), TS and TL treatments were fed TRF (Lysiloma latisiliquum) with 55.5 g/kg DM condensed tannins (CT), grass and balanced feed. In period 2 (three weeks), L. latisiliquum fodder was withdrawn from the TS group. Thus, both the TS and the CG kids were only offered grass and balanced feed, while TL kids continued to receive TRF. In each period, saliva samples were collected to measure the tannin–protein interaction, salivary protein and protein turbidity index (PTI). The salivary protein was similar in all treatments ...

Sheep have been suggested to use their senses to perceive plant properties and associate their intake with consequences after ingestion. However, sheep with browsing experience do not seem to select against tannin-rich browsing materials in cafeteria trials. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the chemical composition, selectivity index (SI), preference and intake rate (IR) of tannin-containing forage trees offered to sheep in cafeteria experiments. Four trees were selected for their condensed tannin content and their varying biological activities. Havardia albicans (high biological activity), Leucaena leucocephala (medium biological activity), Acacia gaumeri (low biological activity) and Brosimum alicastrum (very low biological activity) were used in this study. Ten hair sheep (23.7kg±1.43LW) with eight months of browsing experience in native vegetation were used in this study. Polyethylene glycol (PEG 3600MW) was administered to five sheep during all experiments. In experiment 1, fresh foliage from all trees was offered ad libitum for 4h. In experiment 2, B. alicastrum was withdrawn and the preference was determined again. The forage preference in experiment 1 was A. gaumeri (14.77gDM/kgLW)B. alicastrum (11.77gDM/kgLW)H. albicans (3.71gDM/kgLW)=L. leucocephala (1.87gDM/kgLW) (P0.05). The preference in experiment 2 was A. gaumeriH. albicans=L. leucocephala. PEG administration had no effect on the preference or IR. The intake rate seemed to have been affected by the plant density. Moreover, fiber compounds were found to be better predictors of DM intake than polyphenolic compounds at levels typically found in the evaluated forages. It was concluded that tannins and PEG did not modify the preferences of sheep in cafeteria trials. Thus, tannins are not involved in the preference regulation of animals with browsing experience.

This study aimed to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of growing rabbits fed diets with different levels of either Leucaena leucocephala (LLM) or Moringa oleifera (MOLM) leaf meals and also to compare total collection and TiO2 marker methods for estimating digestibility. A total of 30 California growing rabbits (1.81±0.19 kg live weight on average) were randomly distributed into five experimental groups of six rabbits each and were housed in individual cages. The groups were control, 30% LLM, 40% LLM, 30% MOLM, and 40% MOLM. All groups received pelleted diets for two weeks; diets also contained 4 g/kg titanium dioxide as dietary marker. Daily feed intake was recorded during the whole experimental period and total feces were collected daily and weighed individually during four days. The results showed that there were no difference (p>0.05) in feed, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), digestible energy, and crude fiber (CF) intake between the control group and the other experimental groups. The apparent digestibility values of DM, OM, CP, CF, acid detergent fiber, and gross energy were the highest for control group (p = 0.001), meanwhile MOLM diets had generally higher nutrient digestibility coefficients than LLM diets. Increasing the inclusion level of leaf meal in the diet from 30% to 40% improved the digestibility of CF from 45.02% to 51.69% for LLM and from 48.11% to 55.89% for MOLM. Similar results for apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients were obtained when either total collection or indigestible marker method was used. In conclusion, the digestibility of MOLM containing diets were better than LLM diets, furthermore TiO2 as an external marker could be used as a simple, practical and reliable method to estimate nutrients digestibility in rabbit diets. (Key Words: Digestibility, Nutrients Intake, External Marker, Leucaena leucocephala, Moringa oleifera, Rabbits)

We would like to comment on a recent paper by Hernandez-Bolio et al. (2017, Nat. Prod. Res. DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2017.1317774) where an extract free of condensed tannin (CT) was evaluated and concluded that Lysiloma latisiliquum CT does not have a role in its anthelmintic (AH) activity. This letter discusses the AH potential of L. latisiliquum based on previously published evidence of a partial role of CT using different AH assays and Haemonchus contortus isolates. Because the experimental design employed in the above-mentioned paper did not allow a clear-cut conclusion regarding the role of CT, this suggests that a specific experiment must be designed to confirm or reject the involvement of CT fraction(s) on L. latisiliquum AH activity.

Previous cafeteria studies suggested that a moderate natural gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection did not modify the resource selection of adult Criollo goats towards tannin-rich plants compared with worm-free goats. A higher infection with Haemonchus contortus could trigger a change in the resource selection behaviour towards tannin-rich foliage. Alternatively, goats might select plant species solely to meet their nutritional requirements. A cafeteria study investigated the effect of a high artificial infection with H. contortus on the feed resource selection of goats. Adult Criollo goats (37.5±4.8 kg BW) with browsing experience were distributed in two groups: the infected group (IG) with six animals artificially infected with H. contortus (6000 L3/animal); and the non-infected group (NIG) with six animals maintained worm-free. The experiment included two 5-day periods with additional 5-day adaptation period. In the first period, animals were offered foliage of five plant species with a decreasing gradient of condensed tannins (CT) (Mimosa bahamensis, Gymnopodium floribundum, Havardia albicans, Acacia pennatula, Lysiloma latisiliqum), and three plant species with negligible CT content (Leucaena leucocephala, Piscidia piscipula and Brosimum alicastrum). In the second period the foliage of B. alicastrum was withdrawn. A grain-based concentrate feed was offered daily at 1% BW in DM basis. Dry matter and nutrient intake was determined. Foliage selection of each experimental group was determined using the Chesson selection index. The H. contortus egg count per gram of faeces (EPG) was determined for infected goats twice daily. Chesson index showed a similar pattern of foliage selection on periods 1 and 2. Mean EPG of goats in IG was 2028±259 EPG during period 1 and 1 293±198 EPG during period 2 (P>0.05). During period 1, the selection pattern was highest for B. alicastrum (tannin-free), followed by a tannin-rich plant (M. bahamensis). These two plants remained as highly selected during period 2. The Chesson index showed that both experimental groups (IG and NIG) selected the same plant species in both periods. Thus, a high H. contortus infection did not affect selection of goats fed with CT-rich plants. Apparently, goats balanced their nutrient intake with the plants selected, showing evidence of nutritional wisdom. This balance may have helped to prevent excess protein in the diet and also to maintain a low GIN infection, both considered as examples of prophylactic self-medication.