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Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of age and diet forms on growth-development patterns, serum metabolism indicators, and parameters of body fat deposition in Cherry Valley ducks.Methods: According to the hatching age and initial weight, a total of 150 1-day-old male SM3 Cherry Valley ducks were randomly assigned to two diet forms (pellet vs powder form). Each treatment had with 5 replicates per treatment and 15 meat ducks per replicate. The study lasted 42 d, which was divided into two periods (1 to 21 vs 22 to 42 d).Results: Our results showed that compared with powder group, ducks in pellet group had greater growth performance during different period (p

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary glucose oxidase (GOD), catalase (CAT), or both supplementation on reproductive performance, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in sows.Methods: A total of 104 multiparous sows were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 26) with each group given a basal diet, basal diet plus GOD at 60 U/kg, basal diet plus CAT at 75 U/kg, and basal diet plus GOD at 60 U/kg and CAT at 75 U/kg. Sows were fed the experimental diets throughout gestation and lactation.Results: Dietary GOD supplementation increased average daily feed intake of sows and litter weight at weaning (p

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the replacement of degummed soybean oil (DSO) by acid soybean oil (ASO) in diets with or without the inclusion of emulsifier on broiler performance, relative organ weight, lipase activity, intestinal morphometry, and nutrient digestibility.Methods: A total of 704 1-day-old male broiler chicks were allotted to a 2×2 completely randomized factorial design (with or without emulsifier × two lipid sources [ASO and DSO]), with eight replicates and 22 birds each. The metabolizable energy level in diets with emulsifier was reduced by 40 kcal/kg from 1 to 21 d and 50 kcal/kg from 22 to 49 d.Results: Broilers fed diets containing ASO without emulsifier had higher (p = 0.005) weight gain than DSO-fed animals and with the inclusion of emulsifier had worse (p = 0.018) feed conversion ratio (FCR). Birds fed diets with emulsifier worsened FCR regardless of lipid source from 1 to 21 days (p = 0.006) and from 1 to 49 days (p = 0.0002). There was an increase (p = 0.026) in the relative pancreas weight, at 14 days, in birds fed diets containing ASO. Lipase activity and morphometry of the duodenum and jejunum, at 14 and 21 days, were not affected (p>0.05). The dietary inclusion of emulsifier improved the digestible energy (p = 0.053) in the presence of ASO. For the digestibility coefficients (gross energy, crude protein, and mineral matter), no interference was observed (p>0.05).Conclusion: The inclusion of emulsifier to energy-restricted diet with ASO maintained broiler performance in the first week, but worsened FCR in subsequent phases. The ASO can be considered as an alternative lipid source to DSO and does not interfere with the morphophysiological characteristics and performance of broilers. The combination of ASO and emulsifier increased the digestible energy content by 6.2%.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary multi-strain probiotic (MSP) (Bacillus coagulans Unique IS2 + Bacillus subtillis UBBS14 + Saccharomyces boulardii Unique 28) on performance, gut morphology and expression of nutrient transporter related genes in broiler chickens.Methods: A total of 256 (4×8×8) day-old CARIBRO Vishal commercial broiler chicks of uniform body weight were randomly distributed into four treatments with 8 replicates each and having eight chicks in each replicate. Four dietary treatments were T1 (negative control-basal diet), T2 (positive control-antibiotic bacitracin methylene disalicylate at 20 mg/kg diet), T3 (MSP at 107 colony-forming unit [CFU]/g feed), and T4 (MSP at 108 CFU/g feed).Results: During 3 to 6 weeks and 0 to 6 weeks, the body weight gain increased significantly (p3 and T4 groups. The feed intake significantly (p3 during 0 to 3 weeks and the feed conversion ratio also significantly (p3 and T4 during 0 to 6 weeks. The humoral and cell mediated immune response and the weight of immune organs were also significantly (p3 and T4. However, significant (p3 followed by T4 and T2. At 14 d post hatch, the relative gene expression of glucose transporter (GLUT5), sodium-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1) and peptide transporter (PepT1) showed a significant (p2, T3, and T4. Whereas, at 21 d post hatch, the gene expression of SGLT1 and PepT1 was significantly (p3 and T4.Conclusion: The supplementation of MSP at 107 CFU/g diet showed significant effects with improved performance, immune response, gut morphology and expression of nutrient transporter genes. Thus, the MSP could be a suitable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in chicken diets.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) in growing pigs fed diets containing increasing levels of copra meal (CM) with β-mannanase supplementation.Methods: Twenty barrows (initial body weight: 34.43±0.11 kg) surgically fitted with T-cannulas at the distal ileum were individually housed in metabolism crates. Pigs were allotted to 5 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 4 replicates per treatment. The dietary treatments were: i) NC, negative control, corn-soybean meal (SBM) based diet, ii) PC, positive control, basal diet + 0.10% β-mannanase supplementation (800 IU/kg), iii) CM6, PC diet with 6% CM supplementation, iv) CM12, PC diet with 12% CM supplementation, and v) CM18, PC diet with 18% CM supplementation. A nitrogen-free diet was used to estimate basal endogenous losses of AA for SID calculation. All experimental diets contained 0.5% chromic oxide as an indigestible marker. Each period consisted of a 4-d diet adaptation period and a 3-d ileal digesta collection period.Results: There were no differences in apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and SID of all AA between the NC and PC treatments except that the PC treatment had lower AID and SID of glycine than the NC treatment (p

Objective: The effects of maternal dietary energy levels on breast muscle fibre development in offspring of broiler breeders were investigated.Methods: A total of 480 20-week-old Arbor Acres (AA) healthy female broiler breeders, with an average body weight of 2.33±0.01 kg, were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups with 6 replicates and 20 broiler breeders for each replicate and fed a corn and soybean meal diet with 100%, 80%, 70%, and 50% energy levels, respectively. Approximately 300 eggs per treatment were collected for incubation for 6 days. Then, 120 0-day-old female broilers at each energy level were randomly selected and divided into 6 replicates with 20 broilers for each replicate, with this experimental phase with the offspring lasting for 49 days.Results: Compared with the 100% energy group, the breast muscle fibre diameter at embryonic day 21 in the 80% energy group was significantly reduced (p

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing herbal active ingredients (YGF251) which can promote the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the diet on production performance, egg quality, blood hematology, and excreta gas emission in laying hens.Methods: A total of 288 ISA Brown (41-week-old) laying hens with an initial body weight of 1.83±0.68 kg were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments in a randomized block design based on body weight. Each treatment had 12 replicate cages having 6 adjacent cages per replicate (hens are kept in cages alone). The experimental period was 35 days. Dietary treatments were based on the corn-soybean meal-wheat-based basal diet and supplemented with 0.00%, 0.05%, 0.10%, or 0.15% YGF251.Results: There was a linear increased egg weight in weeks 1 to 5 (p

Objective: Two experiments were conducted to provide a new approach for evaluating feed nutritional value by metabolizable glucose (MG) in piglet diets with different levels of starch and crude fiber. In Exp 1, a regression equation for MG was generated. In Exp 2, the equation was verified, and the optimal growth performance of piglets under appropriate MG levels was tested.Methods: In Exp 1, 20 weaned piglets (7.74±0.81 kg body weight [BW]) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments, including the basal diet containing different levels of MG (starch, 25.80%, 31.67%, 45.71%, 49.36%; crude fiber, 1.23%, 1.35%, 1.80%, 1.51%). The piglets were implanted with an ileal fistula, cannulation of the carotid artery, portal vein, and mesenteric artery. The chyme from the ileum fistula and blood samples were collected. In Exp 2, 30 weaned piglets (8.96±0.50 kg BW) were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatments, including the experimental diets with different levels of MG (37.6, 132.5, 300.0, 354.3, and 412.5 g/kg). The piglets’ BW, and feed consumption were recorded to calculate growth performance during the 28-d experiment.Results: In Exp 1, the MG levels in 4 diets were 239.62, 280.68, 400.79, and 454.35 g/kg. The regression equation for the MG levels and dietary nutrients was: Y (MG) = 12.13×X1 (starch)+23.18×X2 (crude fiber)−196.44 (R2 = 0.9989, p = 0.033). In Exp 2, treatments with 132.5 and 300.0 g/kg MG significantly (p

Objective: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of insoluble cellulose supplementation to diets on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, the incidence of diarrhea, nutrients digestibility, and inflammatory responses in altering environmental conditions of animals housing.Methods: A total of 108 male pigs (Duroc×[Yorkshire×Landrace]) were randomly allocated to one of three dietary treatments (cellulose 0%, 1%, 2%) and two environmental conditions (good sanitary condition vs. poor sanitary condition) to give 6 replicate pens per treatment with three pigs per each pen at 14 days post-weaning.Results: Pigs were in good sanitary condition had higher average daily gain (p

Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of dietary essential oils (EOs) on productive performance, nutrient digestibility, and serum metabolite profiles of broiler chickens and to compare their effectiveness as growth-promoting additives against antibiotics.Methods: Peer-reviewed articles were retrieved from Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, and Google scholar and selected based on pre-determined criteria. A total of 41 articles containing 55 experiments with 163 treatment units were eligible for analyses. Data were subjected to a meta-analysis based on mixed model methodology considering the doses of EOs as fixed effects and the different studies as random effects.Results: Results showed a linear increase (p

Objective: Adequate vitamin and trace mineral intake for pigs are important to achieve satisfactory growth performance. There are no data available on the vitamin and trace mineral intake across pig producers in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the amount of vitamin and trace minerals used in Chinese pig diets.Methods: A 1-year survey of supplemented vitamin and trace minerals in pig diets was organized in China. A total of 69 producers were invited for the survey, which represents approximately 90% of the pig herd in China. Data were compiled by bodyweight stages to determine descriptive statistics. Nutrients were evaluated for vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, niacin, folic acid, biotin, choline, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, selenium, and iodine. Data were statistically analyzed by functions in Excel. Results: The results indicated variation for supplemented vitamin (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, niacin, and choline) and trace minerals (copper, manganese, zinc, and iodine) in pig diets, but most vitamins and trace minerals were included at concentrations far above the total dietary requirement estimates reported by the National Research Council and the China’s Feeding Standard of Swine. Conclusion: The levels of vitamin and trace mineral used in China’s pig industry vary widely. Adding a high concentration for vitamin and trace mineral appears to be common practice in pig diets. This investigation provides a reference for supplementation rates of the vitamins and trace minerals in the China’s pig industry.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the synergistic effect of exogenous multienzyme and phytase on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood metabolites, intestinal microflora, and morphology in broilers fed corn-wheat-soybean meal diets. Methods: A 2×2 factorial design was used in this study. Four dietary treatments consisted of i) basal diets (corn-wheat-soybean meal based diets without multi-enzyme and phytase), ii) basal diets with phytase (0.05%), iii) basal diets with exogenous multi-enzyme (0.05%), and iv) basal diets with exogenous multi-enzyme including phytase (0.05%). A total of 480 broiler chickens (Ross 308 - one day old) were weighed and allotted to thirty-two cages (15 birds per cage), and chicks were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments. Results: The body weight gain and feed conversion rate were improved by supplementation of exogenous multi-enzyme containing phytase during the finisher period (pLactobacillus spp., Escherichia coli, and Clostridium were not affected in the ileum and cecum of chickens fed enzyme-supplemented diets. The dietary supplemental exogenous multi-enzyme containing phytase showed a significant improvement in villus height, crypt depth, and villus height and crypt depth ratio, compared to basal diets or dietary supplemental phytase (p

Objective: Cage rearing has critical implications for the laying duck industry because it is convenient for feeding and management. However, caging stress is a type of chronic stress that induces maladaptation. Environmental stress responses have been extensively studied, but no detailed information is available about the comprehensive changes in plasma metabolites at different stages of caging stress in ducks. We designed this experiment to analyze the effects of caging stress on performance parameters and oxidative stress indexes in ducks.Methods: Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was used to determine the changes in metabolites in duck plasma at 5 (CR5), 10 (CR10), and 15 (CR15) days after cage rearing and traditional breeding (TB). The associated pathways of differentially altered metabolites were analyzed using Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) database.Results: The results of this study indicate that caging stress decreased performance parameters, and the plasma total superoxide dismutase levels were increased in the CR10 group compared with the other groups. In addition, 1,431 metabolites were detected. Compared with the TB group, 134, 381, and 190 differentially produced metabolites were identified in the CR5, CR10, and CR15 groups, respectively. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) show that the selected components sufficiently distinguish the TB group and CR10 group. KEGG analysis results revealed that the differentially altered metabolites in duck plasma from the CR5 and TB groups were mainly associated with ovarian steroidogenesis, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and phenylalanine metabolism.Conclusion: In this study, the production performance, blood indexes, number of metabolites and PCA were compared to determine effect of the caging stress stage on ducks. We inferred from the experimental results that caging-stressed ducks were in the sensitive phase in the first 5 days after caging, caging for approximately 10 days was an important transition phase, and then the duck continually adapted.

Objective: The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of dietary hatchery by-products (HBPs) as a replacement of fish meal (FM) on growth performance, relative organ weight, plasma measurements, immune organ index, meat quality, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. Methods: A total of 720 broiler chickens (3 d of age) were randomly allotted to 1 of 9 treatments with 8 replicates. Each replicate consisted of 5 male and 5 female birds. The basal diet was formulated to contain 5.0% commercial FM, whereas eight treatment diets were prepared by replacing 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of FM in the basal diet with infertile eggs (IFE) or a mixture of various HBPs (MIX); therefore, the inclusion levels of IFE or MIX in the experimental diets were 1.25%, 2.50%, 3.75%, or 5.00%. The diets and water were provided on an ad libitum basis for 32 d. Results: Increasing inclusion levels of IFE as a replacement of FM in diets had no effects on growth performance, plasma measurements, immune organ index, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. Increasing inclusion levels of IFE in diets increased (linear, p

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seed meal (PSM) on laying hens' performance, quality, fatty acids, cholesterol, antioxidant compounds and shelf life of eggs.Methods: Eighty Tetra SL laying hens, 50-week-old, were randomly divided into two equal groups, having 10 replicates with 4 birds in each. The control (CON) treatment was fed with basal diet, while experimental treatment was fed a diet with 9% PSM, for a 6 week period.Results: Dietary PSM significantly decreased average daily feed intake (p

Objective A trial was conducted to investigate the effects of supplemental levels of Mn provided by organic and inorganic trace mineral supplements on growth, tissue mineralization, mineral balance, and antioxidant status of growing broiler chicks. Methods In total, 500 8-d-old male chicks were used in 10-day feeding trial, with 10 treatments and 10 replicates of 5 chicks per treatment. A 2 x 5 factorial design was used where supplemental Mn levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg Mn/kg diet) were provided as MnSO4.H2O or MnPro. When Mn was supplied as MnPro, supplements of zinc, copper, iron, and selenium were supplied as organic minerals, whereas in MnSO4.H2O supplemented diets, inorganic salts were used as sources of other trace minerals. Performance data were fitted to a linear-broken line regression model to estimate the optimal supplemental Mn levels. Results Manganese supplementation improved body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared with chicks fed diets not supplemented with Mn. Manganese in liver, breast muscle, and tibia were greatest at 50, 75, and 100 mg supplemental Mn/kg diet, respectively. Higher activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (total-SOD) were found in both liver and breast muscle of chicks fed diets supplemented with inorganic minerals. In chicks fed MnSO4.H2O, ADG, FCR, Mn balance, and concentration in liver were optimized at 59.8, 74.3, 20.6, and 43.1 mg supplemental Mn/kg diet, respectively. In MnPro fed chicks, ADG, FCR, Mn balance, and concentration in liver and breast were optimized at 20.6, 38.0, 16.6, 33.5, and 62.3 mg supplemental Mn/kg, respectively. Conclusion Lower levels of organic Mn were required by growing chicks for performance optimization compared to inorganic Mn. Based on the FCR, the ideal supplemental levels of organic and inorganic Mn in chick feeds were 38.0 and 74.3 mg Mn/kg diet, respectively.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feed processing and particle size on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, and gastric health in growing-finishing pigs.Methods: A total of 360 growing pigs (22.64±0.014 kg initial body weight [BW]) were allocated to 1 of 6 treatments with 6 replicates by BW and sex, and 10 pigs were housed in one pen in a randomized complete block design. The BW and feed intake were recorded to calculate growth performance. For the digestibility trial, a total of 24 barrows with an initial BW of 33.65±0.372 kg were split into 6 treatments with a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments were designed by a 2×3 factorial arrangement of treatments based on two main factors, particle size (600, 750, 900 μm) and feed form (mash and pellet) of diet. Experimental diets were formulated to contain the requirements of the NRC (2012).Results: The BW and average daily gain were not changed by dietary treatments, and the feed intake of finishing pigs (wks 6 to 12) was increased when the pigs were fed a mash diet (p

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of soft pellet creep feed (SPCF) on growth performance and intestinal development in piglets.Methods: A total of 18 sows and their litters of crossbred piglets (14±2 days, 3.73±0.72 kg) were assigned to one of three dietary groups receiving i) powder creep feed (PCF), ii) hard pellet creep feed (HPCF) or iii) SPCF during the pre-weaning period. After weaning, piglets were selected for continuous evaluation of the three diets on growth performance and intestinal health.Results: In the pre-weaning period, the average daily feed intake and average daily dry matter intake were significantly higher in the SPCF group than the HPCF group (pClostridium, Enterobacter and Escherichia coli were also observed in the SPCF group, and the sucrase and maltase activity was higher (p

Objective: Effects of linseed oil (LO) supplementation on the fat content and fatty acid profile of breast meat, and the expression of three genes in the liver, breast muscle and fat tissues of commercial 154-day-old hybrid male turkeys were investigated.Methods: The animals in the control group were fed a commercially available feed and received no LO supplementation (n = 70), whereas animals in the LO group (n = 70) were fed the same basic diet supplemented with LO (day 15 to 21, 0.5%; day 22 to 112, 1%). The effect of dietary LO supplementation on fatty acid composition of breast muscle was examined by gas chromatography, and the expression of fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) genes was analysed by means of quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.Results: The LO supplementation affected the fatty acid composition of breast muscle. Hepatic FADS2 levels were considerably lower (pPPARγ expression was lower (pIGF1 was higher (p0.05) differences in FADS2, PPARγ, and IGF1 gene expressions of breast muscle; however, omega-6/omega-3 ratio of breast muscle substantially decreased (pFADS2 expression in the liver of LO supplemented animals was associated with a significantly decreased omega-6/omega-3 ratio, providing a potentially healthier meat product for human consumption. Increased PPARγ expression in fat tissue of the LO group was not associated with fat content of muscle, whereas a decreased IGF1 expression in fat tissue was associated with a trend of decreasing fat content in muscle of the experimental LO group.

Objective: The present work was undertaken to evaluate the effects of storage time, choline chloride, and high concentrations of Cu and Zn on the kinetic behavior of vitamin degradation during storage in two vitamin premixes and four vitamin-trace mineral (VTM) premixes.Methods: Two vitamin premixes (with or without 160,000 mg/kg of choline) were stored at 25°C and 60% humidity. Besides, four VTM premixes were used to evaluate the effects of choline (0 vs 40,000 mg/kg) and trace minerals (low CuSO4+ZnO vs high CuSO4+ZnO) on vitamin stability in VTM premixes stored in room, and the VTM premixes were stored in room temperature at 22°C. Subsamples from each vitamin and VTM premix were collected at 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months. The retention of vitamin A (VA), vitamin D3 (VD3), vitamin E (VE), vitamin K3 (VK3), vitamin B1 (VB1), vitamin B2 (VB2), vitamin B3 (VB3), vitamin B5 (VB5), and vitamin B6 (VB6) in vitamin premixes and VTM premixes during storage was determined. The stability of vitamins in vitamin premixes and VTM premixes was determined and reported as the residual vitamin activity (% of initial) at each sampling point.Results: The effect of choline on VK3 retention was significant in vitamin premixes (p3, VK3, VB1, VB2, VB5, and VB6 in vitamin premix (p3, VB1, and VB2 loss during storage (p3 and VB6 (p

Objective: Glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) is a uric acid transporter that is associated with uric absorption in mice and humans; but it is unknown whether GLUT9 involves in chicken uric acid regulation. This experiment aimed to investigate the chicken GLUT9 expression and serum uric acid (SUA) level.Methods: Sixty chickens were divided into 4 groups (n = 15): a control group (NC); a sulfonamide-treated group (SD) supplemented with sulfamonomethoxine sodium via drinking water (8 mg/L); a fishmeal group (FM) supplemented with 16% fishmeal in diet; and a uric acid-injection group (IU), where uric acid (250 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected once a day. The serum was collected weekly to detect the SUA level. Liver, kidney, jejunum, and ileum tissues were collected to detect the GLUT9 mRNA and protein expression.Results: The results showed in the SD and IU groups, the SUA level increased and GLUT9 expression increased in the liver, but decreased in the kidney, jejunum, and ileum. In the FM group, the SUA level decreased slightly and GLUT9 expression increased in the kidney, but decreased in the liver, jejunum, and ileum. Correlation analysis revealed that liver GLUT9 expression correlated positively, and renal GLUT9 expression correlated negatively with the SUA level.Conclusion: These results demonstrate that there may be a feedback regulation of GLUT9 in the chicken liver and kidney to maintain the SUA balance; however, the underlying mechanism needs to be investigated in future studies.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate single cell protein (SCP), produced from Methylococcus species, as a protein source on the growth performance, carcass traits and gut health of broiler chickens.Methods: Ten iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets containing 0 (Control), 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% SCP replacing either soybean meal (T1 to T5) or fish meal (T6 to T10) were formulated. Each diet prepared for starter (0 to 14 days), grower (15 to 21 days), and finisher (22 to 42 days) phases was offered to four replicates of 10 chicks each (n = 400). Growth performance at different phases and carcass characteristics and intestinal morphology on 42nd day of trial were measured.Results: Body weight gain in groups fed 2.5% and 5% SCP diets were comparable to control during different phases and cumulatively, however lower (p0.05) by SCP inclusion in the diets. However, breast percentage was higher (p0.05) by SCP inclusion up to 10% in diets. Duodenal villi length and crypt depth were highest (p

Objective: Wooden breast (WB) is a novel myopathy affecting modern broiler chickens, which causes substantial economic losses in the poultry industry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of WB abnormality on meat quality, redox status, as well as the expression of genes of the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway.Methods: A total of 80 broilers (Ross 308, 42 days of age, about 2.6 kg body weight) raised at Jiujin farm (Suqian, Jiangsu, China) were used. Twelve unaffected (no detectable hardness of the breast area) and twelve WB-affected (diffuse remarkable hardness in the breast muscle) birds were selected from the commercial broiler farm according to the criteria proposed by previous studies.Results: The results indicated that WB showed histological lesions characterized by fiber degeneration and fibrosis, along with an increase of muscle fiber diameter (p

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether a dietary vitamin E (VE) supplement could alleviate any detrimental effects of aged corn on lipid metabolism and antioxidant status in laying hens.Methods: The experiment consisted of a 2×3 factorial design with two corn types (normal corn and aged corn (stored for 4 yr) and three concentrations of VE (0, 20, and 100 IU/kg). A total of 216 Lohmann laying hens (50 wk of age) were randomly allocated into six treatment diets for 12 wk. Each treatment had 6 replicates of 6 hens per replicate.Results: The results show that aged corn significantly decreased the content of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p0.05), or acetyl-CoA carboxylase, lipoprotein lipase, fatty acid synthase or CMKLR1 mRNA expression (p>0.05) in the liver among treatment groups. Aged corn significantly increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) (pGSH-Px mRNA or SOD mRNA expression (pSOD mRNA expression (p

Objective: The objectives were to develop prediction equations for digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) of feed ingredients and diets for pigs based on chemical composition and to evaluate the accuracy of the equations using in vivo data.Methods: A total of 734 data points from 81 experiments were employed to develop prediction equations for DE and ME in feed ingredients and diets. The CORR procedure of SAS was used to determine correlation coefficients between chemical components and energy concentrations and the REG procedure was used to generate prediction equations. Developed equations were tested for the accuracy according to the regression analysis using in vivo data.Results: The DE and ME in feed ingredients and diets were most negatively correlated with acid detergent fiber or neutral detergent fiber (NDF; r = –0.46 to r = –0.67; pin vivo data well as follows: DE = 728+0.76×gross energy (GE)–25.18×NDF (R2 = 0.64); ME = 965+0.66×GE–24.62×NDF (R2 = 0.60); ME = 1,133+0.65×GE–29.05×ash–23.17×NDF (R2 = 0.67).Conclusion: In conclusion, the equations suggested in the current study would predict energy concentration in feed ingredients and diets.

Objective: Deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) are mycotoxins that frequently contaminate maize and grain cereals, imposing risks to the health of both humans and animals and leading to economic losses. The gut microbiome has been shown to help combat the effects of such toxins, with certain microorganisms reported to contribute significantly to the detoxification process.Methods: We examined the cecum contents of three different dietary groups of pigs (control, as well as diets contaminated with 8 mg DON/kg feed or 0.8 mg ZEN/kg feed). Bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons were acquired from the cecum contents and evaluated by next-generation sequencing.Results: A total of 2,539,288 sequences were generated with ~500 nucleotide read lengths. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla, occupying more than 96% of all three groups. Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, Megasphaera, and Campylobacter showed potential as biomarkers for each group. Particularly, Lactobacillus and Bacteroides were more abundant in the DON and ZEN groups than in the control. Additionally, 52,414 operational taxonomic units were detected in the three groups; those of Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Campylobacter, and Prevotella were most dominant and significantly varied between groups. Hence, contamination of feed by DON and ZEN affected the cecum microbiota, while Lactobacillus and Bacteroides were highly abundant and positively influenced the host physiology.Conclusion: Lactobacillus and Bacteroides play key roles in the process of detoxification and improving the immune response. We, therefore, believe that these results may be useful for determining whether disturbances in the intestinal microflora, such as the toxic effects of DON and ZEN, can be treated by modulating the intestinal bacterial flora.

Objective: The study developed mushroom stalk residues as feed additives in the broiler diet for improving the growth performance and immunity of broilers as well as to increase the value of mushroom stalk residues.Methods: In total, 300 ROSS 308 broilers were randomly allocated into fifteen pens with five dietary treatments: i) control, basal diet; ii) CMWM, supplemented with 1% Cordyceps militaris waster medium (CM); iii) CMPE, supplemented with 0.5% CM+0.5% Pleurotus eryngii stalk residue (PE); iv) CMPS, supplemented with 0.5% CM+0.5% Pleurotus sajorcaju stalk residue (PS); v) CMFV, supplemented with 0.5% CM+0.5% Fammulina velutipes stalk residue (FV).Results: The chemical analysis results showed that CM extracts, PE extracts, PS extracts, and FV extracts contain functional components such as polysaccharides and phenols and have both 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐picryl‐hydrazyl‐hydrate scavenging and Ferrous scavenging capacities. The group CMWM saw increased body weight gain and feed conversion rate and the promotion of jejunum villus growth, but there is no significant difference in the intestinal bacteria phase. Antioxidant genes in the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)- antioxidant responsive element pathway among the groups are significantly higher than that of the control group, especially in group CMWM.Conclusion: The mushroom stalk residues have antioxidant functional components, can improve the intestinal health and body weight gain of chickens, and can activate the antioxidant pathway of Nrf2 to increase the heme oxygenase-1 expression. The treatment with 1% CM was the most promising as a feed additive.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the supplementary effect of a phytogenic blend (SPA: a mixture containing fermented Schisandra chinensis pomace, fermented Pinus densiflora needle extract, and Allium tuberosum powder in the ratio of 2:2:1) on egg production, egg quality, blood constituents, and visceral organs in laying hens.Methods: A total of 135 Hy-line brown laying hens (48-wk-old) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments with 5 replicates of 9 hens. The control group (CON) was fed a basal diet (no exogenous SPA addition) and the experimental groups were fed the basal diet containing SPA at the level of 0.1% and 0.3% for 6 weeks.Results: The feed intake was significantly improved in SPA supplemented groups as compared with the control (p0.05). For egg quality traits, only Haugh unit (HU) was significantly improved in SPA (0.3%) (p0.05). Furthermore, SPA supplementation did not affect the blood biochemical constituents except for the phosphate content, which was significantly higher in SPA groups than the CON group (p

Objective: The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of the Agaricus bisporus stem residue (ABSR) on the performance, nutrients digestibility, antioxidant activity of laying hens, and its effects on egg storage to determine the appropriate dosage of ABSR, so as to provide a scientific basis for the effective utilization of ABSR.Methods: A total of 384 53-wk-old Nongda III layers were randomly divided into six treatments, four replicates in each treatment and 16 birds in each replicate. The control treatment was fed with basic diet, while experimental treatments were fed with diets of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% ABSR respectively. The experimental period was 56 d.Results: The results showed that compared with the control treatment, ABSR had no significant effect on laying performance (p>0.05). The crude protein and total energy digestibility of experimental treatments was significantly higher than those of control treatment (p0.05). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the serum of the experimental treatments were significantly higher than those of the control treatment (p

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of dietary lead (Pb) supplementation and feeding period on growth performance, organ weight, and Pb accumulation in pigs.Methods: In a 56-day feeding experiment, a total of 48 barrows with initial body weight 10.4±0.6 kg were allotted to 2 dietary treatments (0 and 200 mg/kg of supplemental Pb) in a completely randomized design with 6 replicates. Body weight and feed intake were recorded to calculate growth performance. At the end of each 14 day-period (on days 14, 28, 42, and 56), an animal was randomly selected from each pen and slaughtered to collect blood samples, hair samples, left 5th rib, heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and longissimus dorsi muscle samples.Results: Average daily gain and average daily feed intake were reduced (p

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effects of dietary supplement of rubber seed oil on production performance, egg quality, and yolk fatty acid composition in laying hens during a 16-week feeding trial period.Methods: Forty-eight 25-week-old laying hens of Hy-Line Brown were randomly divided into three groups. Each group comprised four replicates and each replicate had four birds. Rubber seed oil was incorporated into a corn-soybean meal basal diet by 3.5% (group I), 4.5% (group II), or 0 (control group) and equivalent nutrition was supplied for the test groups and the control group. The performance related values were determined using standard or well established methods.Results: No significant difference was found in the production performance, the egg quality, the composition of saturated fatty acids, and the content of cholesterol and monounsaturated fatty acids in the yolk within the three groups. Interestingly, both test groups achieved a significantly higher content of linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid and a significantly lower content of arachidonic acid (p

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare overfeeding performance, fatty acid composition, blood chemistry, enzymes and genes expression overfed Xupu and Landes geese.Methods: Sixty male Xupu geese (80 d) and Landes geese (80 d) were selected. After a period of one-week of pre-overfeeding, Xupu and Landes geese were overfed three meals of 550 and 350 g/d, respectively, of a high-carbohydrate diet in the first week of the overfeeding period. The next week, geese were given four meals of 1,200 and 850 g/d, respectively, over 8 to 14 d. Finally, geese were given five meals of 1,600 and 1,350 g/d, respectively, for the last two weeks.Results: After overfeeding for 28 d: Compared with Landes geese, Xupu geese liver weight and liver-to-body weight ratio decreased (p

Objective: The study was conducted to determine the effects of body weight (BW) and fiber sources on nutrient digestibility, fiber fermentation and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentration in different intestinal segments of growing pigs fed high-fiber diets.Methods: Nine barrows with initial BW of 25.17±0.73 kg and 9 barrows with initial BW of 63.47±2.18 kg were allotted to a duplicate 9×2 Youden Square design with 3 dietary treatments and 2 periods. The dietary treatments were formulated with 3 different high-fiber ingredients: corn bran, sugar beet pulp, and soybean hulls, respectively. Each diet was fed to 3 barrows with different stage of BW in each period.Results: There were no differences in the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of most nutrients between pigs at different BW stages. Pigs at 60 kg had greater (p

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of fat-soluble vitamin injection on plasma and tissue vitamin status in nursery pigs.Methods: A total of 16 pigs (initial body weight: 7.15±1.1 kg) were allotted to 2 treatments at d 7 post-weaning. Pigs were fed a corn-soybean meal-based basal diet with no supplemental vitamin A and i.m. injected with 300,000 IU of retinyl palmitate, 900 IU of d-α-tocopherol and 30,000 IU of vitamin D3 with control pigs having no vitamin injection. Blood (d 0, 3, 7, and 14 post-injection) and tissue samples (liver, brain, heart, lung, and muscle; d 7 and 14 post-injection) were collected from pigs. Retinyl palmitate, retinol, and α-tocopherol concentrations were analyzed in plasma and tissues, while plasma was assayed for 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD3).Results: Plasma retinol and 25-OHD3 concentrations increased by the vitamin injection from d 3 to 14 post-injection (p3. As plasma levels decreased post-injection, vitamin A level in liver and vitamin E level in muscle, heart and liver increased. The α-tocopherol found in plasma after injection was distributed to various tissues but retinyl palmitate only to the liver.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) of yellow dent corn sourced from different meteorological origins fed to growing pigs and develop equations to predict the DE and ME of yellow dent corn from southwestern China.Methods: Sixty crossbred barrows were allotted to 20 treatments in a triplicate 20×2 incomplete Latin square design with 3 replicated pigs per dietary treatment during 2 consecutive periods. Each period lasted for 12 days, and total feces and urine during the last 5 days of each period were collected to calculate the energy contents.Results: On dry matter (DM) basis, the DE and ME in 20 corn grain samples ranged from 15.38 to 16.78 MJ/kg and from 14.93 to 16.16 MJ/kg, respectively. Selected best-fit prediction equations for DE and ME (MJ/kg DM basis) for yellow dent corn (n = 16) sourced from southwestern China were as follows: DE = 28.58–(0.12×% hemicellulose)+(0.35×% ether extract)–(0.83×MJ/kg gross energy)+(0.20×% crude protein)+(0.49×% ash); ME = 30.42– (0.11×% hemicellulose)+(0.31×% ether extract)–(0.81×MJ/kg gross energy).Conclusion: Our results indicated that the chemical compositions, but not the meteorological conditions or physical characteristics could explain the variation of energy contents in yellow dent corn sourced from southwestern China fed to growing pigs.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inclusion level and amino acid (AA) supplementation on energy values of soybean oil (SO) as determined by difference method or regression method when fed to growing pigs.Methods: Thirty-six barrows (initial body weight: 28.0±1.3 kg) were randomly assigned to one of 6 dietary treatments, which included 2 control diets formulated using a basal diet with or without AA supplementation, and 4 experimental diets with 5% or 10% SO addition in the 2 control diets, respectively. All pigs were individually housed in metabolism crates for 19 d, and during the last 5 d, total urine and feces production were collected. The nutrient digestibility in diets and the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) values of SO were determined using the difference method and the regression method, respectively.Results: Our results showed that there were no interaction effects (p>0.05) between AA supplementation and SO inclusion levels on energy values of SO and dietary nutrient digestibility. The DE and ME values of SO determined by the difference method were not affected (p>0.05) by AA supplementation, however, the ME value of SO increased (p

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different amounts of wheat bran (WB) inclusion and postbiotics form by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and phytase cofermented wheat bran (FWB) on the growth performance and health status of broilers. Methods: Study randomly allocated a total of 300 male broilers to a control and 4 treatment groups (5% WB, 5% FWB, 10% WB, and 10% FWB inclusion, respectively) with each pen having 20 broilers and 3 pens per treatment. Results: The WB does not contain enzymes, but there are 152.8, 549.2, 289.5, and 147.1 U/g dry matter xylanase, protease, cellulase and β-glucanase in FWB, respectively. Furthermore, FWB can decrease nitric oxide release of lipopolysaccharide stimulated chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells by about two times. Results show that 10% FWB inclusion had significantly the highest weight gain (WG) at 1 to 21 d; 5% FWB had the lowest feed conversion rate at 22 to 35 d; 10% WB and 10% FWB inclusion have the highest villus height and Lactobacillus spp. number in caecum; and both 5% and 10% FWB can increase ash content in femurs. Compared to control group, all treatments increase mucin 2, and tight junction (TJ), such as occludin, claudin-1, zonula occludens-1, and mRNA expression in ileum by at least 5 folds. In chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase-1 mRNA expression decreases from 2 to 5 times, and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit mRNA expression also increases in all treatment groups compared to control group. The mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), nuclear factor-κB, and IL-1β, decreases in 5% and 10% FWB groups compared to control group. Conclusion: To summarize, both WB and FWB inclusion in broilers diets increase TJ mRNA expression and anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation, but up to 10% FWB groups have better WG in different stages of broiler development.

Objective: This study was to evaluate the effect of husbandry systems and strains on cecum microbial diversity of Jingyang chickens under the same dietary conditions.Methods: A total of 320 laying hens (body weight, 1.70±0.15 kg; 47 weeks old) were randomly allocated to one of the four treatments: i) Silver-feathered hens in enrichment cages (SEC) with an individual cage (70×60×75 cm), ii) Silver-feathered hens in free range (SFR) with the stocking density of 1.5 chickens per ten square meters, iii) Gold-feathered hens in enrichment cages (GEC), iv) Gold-feathered hens in free range (GFR). The experiment lasted 8 weeks and the cecum fecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA high throughput sequencing at the end of experiment.Results: i) The core microbiota was composed of Bacteroidetes (49% to 60%), Firmicutes (21% to 32%) and Proteobacteria (2% to 4%) at the phylum level. ii) The core bacteria were Bacteroides (26% to 31%), Rikenellaceae (9% to 16%), Parabacteroides (2% to 5%) and Lachnoclostridium (2% to 6%) at the genus level. iii) The indexes of operational taxonomic unit, Shannon, Simpson and observed species were all higher in SFR group than in SEC group while in GEC group than in GFR group, with SFR group showing the greatest diversity of cecum microorganisms among the four groups. iv) The clustering result was consistent with the strain classification, with a similar composition of cecum bacteria in the two strains of laying hens.Conclusion: The core microbiota were not altered by husbandry systems or strains. The free-range system increased the diversity of cecal microbes only for silver feathered hens. However, the cecum microbial composition was similar in two strain treatments under the same dietary conditions.

Objective: Cold stress induces oxidative damage and impairs energy status of broilers. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) exhibits antioxidant properties and modulates energy metabolism of animals. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of NAC on energy status and antioxidant capacity of heart and liver in the cold-stressed broilers.Methods: The experiment consisted of 4 treatments in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with two diets (basal diet or plus 0.1% NAC) and two ambient temperatures (thermoneutral [conventional ambient temperature] or cold stress [10°C±1°C during days 15 to 42]).Results: No ascites were seen in cold-stressed broilers. NAC did not attenuate the impaired growth performance of stressed birds. However, NAC decreased plasma asparagine but increased aspartate levels in cold-stressed birds (p

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether goose growth and feather characteristics are influenced by their line and feeding surroundings, inclusive of floor materials and types, since there are no reports regarding these factors.Methods: The 240 White Roman geese which were hatched and sex identified came from 3 commercial goose farms. They were randomly distributed to 24 pens depending on a completely random design. The study continued for 13 weeks and included 3 lines of commercial geese and 2 floor types (cement strip floor [CSF] or cement floor [CF]).Results: The day one gosling weight from A farm was lower than other two farms (96 g vs 107 and 115 g; p

Objective: The effects of maternal and offspring dietary vitamin A (VA) supplementation on early body weight, digestive tract function and immune function in goslings were studied.Methods: Yangzhou geese (180 d old) were randomly divided into 5 experimental groups of 15 females and 3 males (the males were kept until slaughter). Eggs were collected for hatching during the peak laying period. A total of 96 goslings were selected from each treatment group (each fed a basic diet supplemented with 0, 4,000, 8,000, 12,000 or 16,000 IU/kg VA) and randomly divided into 2 groups, with 6 replicates in each group and 8 goslings in each replicate. The gosling diet was supplemented with 0 or 9,000 IU/kg VA.Results: i) Villus length, villus width and the muscle thickness of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were increased and the crypt depth was reduced after adding 12,000 IU/kg VA to the goslings’ diet (p

Objective: Three types of dietary fiber were fed to sows during gestation and lactation stages to monitor their physiological and metabolic adaptations during the pre-partum period and to determine how these effects may influence the lactation period and sow performance.Methods: Soon after breeding, 54 sows were selected and were fed with 20% supplementation as fed of wheat bran (WB), soya hulls (SH), or rice hulls (RH) in diets during gestation and lactation. Sows were weighed, backfat thickness was measured ultrasonically and jugular blood samples were collected from all sows. The litter size was equalized to 10, by fostering piglets from sows on the same treatment.Results: Sows gained 22.0, 21.8, and 25.5 kg of net maternal body weight during gestation (for WB, SH, and RH sows, respectively; p = 0.007). There was no treatment effect on the body weight change during lactation (p = 0.158), however RH sows consumed an average of 133.66 kg of feed, WB sows took 121.29 kg and SH sows took 126.77 kg during lactation (p

Objective: This study was investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of Antrodia cinnamomea fermented product on modulation of antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and lipid metabolism in broilers.Methods: Functional compounds and in vitro antioxidant capacity were detected in wheat bran (WB) solid-state fermented by Antrodia cinnamomea for 16 days (FAC). In animal experiment, 400 d-old broiler chickens were allotted into 5 groups fed control diet, and control diet replaced with 5% WB, 10% WB, 5% FAC, and 10% FAC respectively. Growth performance, intestinal microflora, serum antioxidant enzymes and fatty acid profiles in pectoral superficial muscle were measured.Results: Pretreatment with hot water extracted fermented product significantly reduced chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells death induced by lipopolysaccharide and 2,2′-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride. Birds received 5% and 10% FAC had higher weight gain than WB groups. Cecal coliform and lactic acid bacteria were diminished and increased respectively while diet replaced with FAC. For FAC supplemented groups, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased at 35 days only, with catalase elevated at 21 and 35 day. Regarding serum lipid parameters, 10% FAC replacement significantly reduced triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein level in chickens. For fatty acid composition in pectoral superficial muscle of 35-d-old chickens, 5% and 10% FAC inclusion had birds with significantly lower saturated fatty acids as compared with 10% WB group. Birds on the 5% FAC diet had a higher degree of unsaturation, followed by 10% FAC, control, 5% WB, and 10% WB.Conclusion: In conclusion, desirable intestinal microflora in chickens obtaining FAC may be attributed to the functional metabolites detected in final fermented product. Moreover, antioxidant effects observed in FAC were plausibly exerted in terms of improved antioxidant enzymes activities, increased unsaturated degree of fatty acids in chicken muscle and better weight gain in FAC inclusion groups, indicating that FAC possesses promising favorable mechanisms worthy to be developed.

Objective: The objective was to determine standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in cereal grains and various co-products fed to growing pigs.Methods: Ten feed ingredients tested were barley (9.3% CP), lupin kernels (31.1% CP), and wheat (11.3% CP) as cereal grains, and 2 sources of corn gluten feed produced in China (21.6% CP) and Korea (24.6% CP), corn gluten meal (65.3% CP), lupin hulls (11.6% CP), rice bran (14.5% CP), soybean meal (44.8% CP), and wheat bran (15.4% CP) as co-products. Ten experimental diets were formulated to contain each ingredient as a sole source of N and an N-free diet was used to correct basal endogenous losses of CP and AA. All diets also contained 0.5% Cr2O3 as an indigestible index. A replicated 11×6 incomplete Latin square design with 11 dietary treatments, 6 periods, and 22 animals was employed. Twenty-two barrows with an initial body weight of 64.6±4.9 kg were equipped with a T-cannula in the distal ileum. An experimental period consisted of a 4-d adaptation period and a 2-d collection period.Results: The SID of CP in the barley, lupin kernels, wheat, 2 sources of corn gluten feed, corn gluten meal, lupin hulls, rice bran, soybean meal, and wheat bran were 84.7%, 90.5%, 90.4%, 77.4%, 74.6%, 89.5%, 90.4%, 74.4%, 86.9%, and 63.4% (standard error of the mean [SEM] = 5.3, p = 0.006), respectively. The respective SID values of Lys were 75.5%, 88.4%, 83.9%, 74.7%, 62.4%, 80.3%, 83.9%, 78.5%, 88.0%, and 71.2% (SEM = 3.3, p

Objective: This study was conducted to fathom the underlying mechanisms of nutrition intervention and redox sensitive transcription factors regulated by Antrodia cinnamomea fermented product (FAC) dietary supplementation in broiler chickens.Methods: Four hundreds d-old broilers (41±0.5 g/bird) assigned to 5 groups were examined after consuming control diet, or control diet replaced with 5% wheat bran (WB), 10% WB, 5% FAC, and 10% FAC. Liver mRNA expression of antioxidant, inflammatory and lipid metabolism pathways were analyzed. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentration in each group were tested in the chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (cPBMCs) of 35-d old broilers to represent the stress level of the chickens. Furthermore, these cells were stimulated with 2,2′-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to evaluate the cell stress tolerance by measuring cell viability and oxidative species.Results: Heme oxygenase-1, glutathione S-transferase, glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit, and superoxide dismutase, and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) that regulates the above antioxidant genes were all up-regulated significantly in FAC groups. Reactive oxygen species modulator protein 1 and NADPH oxygenase 1 were both rather down-regulated in 10% FAC group as comparison with two WB groups. Despite expressing higher level than control group, birds receiving diet containing FAC had significantly lower expression level in nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and other genes (inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-richcontaining family, pyrin domain-containing-3, and cyclooxygenase 2) involving in inflammatory pathways. Additionally, except for 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase that showed relatively higher in both groups, the WB, lipoprotein lipase, Acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, fatty acid binding protein, fatty acid desaturase 2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha genes were expressed at higher levels in 10% FAC group. In support of above results, promoted Nrf2 and inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation in chicken liver were found in FAC containing groups. H2O2 and NO levels induced by LPS and AAPH in cPBMCs were compromised in FAC containing diet. In 35-d-old birds, PGE2 production in cPBMCs was also suppressed by the FAC diet.Conclusion: FAC may promote Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and positively regulate lipid metabolism, both are potential inhibitor of NF-κB inflammatory pathway.

Objective This study was conducted to investigate the effects of hot-melt extruded ZnO nano-particles (HME-ZnO) as an alternative for P-ZnO on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, Zn bioavailability, intestinal microbiota, and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs. Methods A total of 450 piglets (Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc) were randomly allotted to five treatments based on initial body weight and sex. The experimental diets were fed in a meal form as phase 1 from d 0 to 14 and phase 2 from d 15 to 28. Treatments were the control diet without ZnO supplementation, the diet containing 2,500 ppm Zn as ZnO, and three diets containing 500, 1,000, or 2,500 ppm Zn as HME-ZnO. Results The overall result showed a higher (p

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary selenium (Se) from Se-enriched kale sprout (SeKS), selenomethionine (SeMet), and sodium selenite (SS) on performance, carcass characteristics and Se concentrations in the tissues, and to study the relationship between Se concentrations in muscle and feather in growing quails.Methods: The 320 quails (7 d of age) were divided into four treatments, according to a completely randomized design. The treatments were T1: control diet; T2, T3, and T4: control diets plus 0.2 mg Se/kg from SS, SeMet, and SeKS, respectively. The performance, carcass characteristics, and Se concentrations in the tissues of quails were determined.Results: The results indicated no effect (p>0.05) of Se supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in breast muscle of quails. Supplemental Se from SS, SeMet, and SeKS increased greater (p2 0.714 to 0.756) (p0.05) by dietary Se supplementation. The Se from SeMet was more effective in increasing Se concentrations in the tissues of quails than Se from SeKS and SS. Feather Se concentrations of 21 and 42-d-old quails can be used for assessment of Se bioavailability of Se sources.

Objective Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of dietary sucralose on diet preference and growth performance of weaned piglets, and a third experiment was a 28-d safety study to examine if high-dose sucralose could affect the health state of weaned piglets. Methods In experiment one, 48 piglets had free access to a corn-soybean based diet and the same diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose for 15 d. In experiment two, 180 piglets were blocked into 5 treatments with 6 replications. They were fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 75, 150, 225, and 300 mg/kg sucralose for 28 days. In experiment three, 108 piglets were randomly assigned to 3 treatments and fed diets supplemented with 0, 150 (suitable level), and 1,500 (ten-fold suitable level) mg/kg sucralose for 28 d. Results The experiment 1 showed that piglets preferred (p < 0.05) diets containing sucralose during experimental period. In experiment 2, piglets fed a diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) than pigs in the control group and other treatment groups during the experiment period. The concentrations of sucralose over 150 mg/kg may decrease feed intake. However, no difference in feed conversion ratio was observed. In experiment 3, piglets fed diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) than that of pigs in the control group and 1500 mg/kg treatment groups during the experiment period. Clinical blood metabolites, organ index and histological morphology were not significantly different between sucralose treatments. Conclusion Sucralose can promote feed intake and thereby improve growth performance of weaned piglets. Moreover, inclusion of 1,500 mg/kg sucralose was demonstrated to have no observed adverse effects. Supplementing 150 mg/kg sucralose for weaned piglets is recommended in this study.

Objective: Substituting starch with digestible fiber (dF) can improve digestive health of rabbits and reduce costs. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a criterion for dF and starch supply. Effects of the dietary dF-to-starch ratio on pellet quality, growth and cecal microbiota of Angora rabbits were evaluated.Methods: Five isoenergetic and isoproteic diets with increasing dF/starch ratios (0.59, 0.66, 0.71, 1.05, and 1.44) were formulated. A total of 120 Angora rabbits with an average live weight of 2.19 kg were randomly divided into five groups with four replicates. At the end of 40 day feeding trial, cecal digesta were collected to analyse microbiota.Results: The results showed that the dF/starch ratio had linear effects on pellet variables (pRuminococcus in the 0.71 dF/starch treatment was higher than that in the 0.59 dF/starch treatment (p

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of low doses of organic trace minerals (iron, copper, manganese, and zinc) on productive performance, egg quality, yolk and tissue mineral retention, and fecal mineral excretion of laying hens during the late laying period.Methods: A total of 405 healthy hens (HY-Line White, 50-week-old) were randomly divided into 3 treatments, with 9 replicates per treatment and 15 birds per replicate. The dietary treatments included feeding a basal diet + inorganic trace minerals at commercial levels (CON), a basal diet + inorganic trace minerals at 1/3 commercial levels (ITM), and a basal diet + proteinated trace minerals at 1/3 commercial levels (TRT). The trial lasted for 56 days.Results: Compared to CON, ITM decreased (p0.05) between CON and TRT. The concentrations of Fe and Mn in the tissue and tibia were changed notably in ITM relative to CON and TRT. Both ITM and TRT reduced (p