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Introduction: Several studies have explored the impact of diet type on energy sources. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of feeding glucogenic versus lipogenic diets to Holstein dairy cows during the close-up period on cows' performances and their calves' growth parameters. Materials and methods: Twenty-four Holstein dairy cows with an average parity of 3 selected for the study, starting 21 days before expected calving. The cows were divided into three groups based on a randomized complete block design including a control diet (glucogenic diet, Glu), a low lipogenic diet (Llip) with 25% barley grain replaced by beet pulp, and a high lipogenic diet (Hlip) with 50% barley grain replaced by beet pulp. Daily recording of dry matter intake (DMI) was conducted, with blood samples collected on the day of parturition in cows and days 1, 2, 7, and 21 of calves age. In dairy cows, both the quality and quantity of colostrum were determined. Additionally, performance variables including feed intake, average daily gain, and skeletal parameters such as shoulder height, hip height, and body length were measured. Blood parameters, such as glucose, triglyceride, and concentrations of certain liver enzymes, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), and serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) were recorded. Results: The increase of beet pulp in the prepartum diet led to a significant increase in DMI. Colostrum yield and constituents (protein, lactose, and solids nonfat percentage) decreased with an increase in beet pulp level and the differences between Glu and Hlip were significant. Performance parameters of the calves were similar across all treatments, except skeletal growth. Calves that were fed the Hlip diet showed a lower shoulder height compared to those fed the Glu diet. Blood glucose was significantly higher in cows and their offspring that were fed Llip diets compared to other groups. The concentration of liver enzymes, including ALP, SGPT, and SGOT was not affected by treatments. Conclusion: Substituting barley grain with beet pulp as a lipogenic component may enhance dry matter intake in periparturient dairy cows. However, it did not show a notable impact on offspring performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken gut microbiota is affected by factors such as diets, environmental,and bird age. In the current study, the effects of age and region on the ileum bacterial population of broiler chickens were investigated. A total of 2679 chickens in four geographical regions of Iran were sacrificed in the first to eighth week of age. Stool samples were collected and DNA was extracted and analyzed for the detection of Lactobacillus, Enterococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, Streptococcaceae, and Actinobacteria, using specific primers and probes. Purified amplicons were quantified by QuantiFluor® and pooled for sequencing. Findings showed that L. acidophilus was the dominant bacterium during the first four weeks, and was substituted with L. crispatus and L. salivarius in the next four weeks. So, the Lactobacillus family was the most dominant bacteria at all ages showing its essential role in chicken physiology. The age of chickens significantly affected the percentage of L. crispatus, L. acidophilus, L. salivarius, Clostridiaceae, Enterococcaceae, Streptococcaceae, and Actinobacteria. The breeding region influenced Streptococcaceae, with the highest percentage in the hot region. Chicken weight had a significant effect on Enterococcaceae. Broiler breeder age and distance to the nearest farm had no effect on ileum bacterial populations. This study showed there are several factors during the broiler breeding period that have an impact on microbial population changes at different ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effects of different levels of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) meal (MTM) on egg quality traits, oxidative stability, blood biochemical parameters and liver health indices in laying hens receiving diets supplemented with lipid from different sources. For this purpose, Leghorn laying hens (Hy‐Line W‐36) were randomly assigned to 12 experimental treatments with eight replicates of five birds each. Dietary treatments consisted of four dietary fat sources (fish oil, sunflower oil, poultry oil and fat powder, each with different fatty acid profiles) and three levels of MTM (0.0, 15 and 30 g/kg) offered through 10 days of adaptation and 70 days of main recording. Results showed that dietary inclusion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including fish or sunflower oils, reduced serum cholesterol content but increased blood malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration (p < 0.05). While fish oil improved the yolk colour index and Haugh unit (p < 0.05), it decreased yolk cholesterol concentration (p < 0.01). The highest hepatic glycogen content and tissue integrity as well as the lowest liver lipid percentage and MDA content were observed in birds fed diets supplemented with poultry oil. On the other hand, feeding 30 g/kg of MTM reduced not only hepatic lipid percentage but also aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities (p < 0.01), while it improved eggshell strength and thickness (p < 0.05). Supplementation of fat powder enhanced hepatic C16:0 content, while addition of poultry, sunflower or fish oil increased C18:1, C18:2 or C20:5 concentrations respectively (p < 0.01); nonetheless, feeding the highest level of MTM reduced hepatic ΣSFA but increased Σn‐3 fatty acids (p < 0.01). The interaction effects indicated that fish or sunflower oil supplementation increased the MTM level required to reduce not only serum or egg cholesterol concentrations (p < 0.05) but also blood or hepatic MDA content (p < 0.01). It was concluded that fish oil and MTM (30 g/kg) supplements might improve internal egg quality traits and eggshell quality respectively. The hepatic fatty acid profile was also found strongly correlated with dietary fatty acids. Finally, the best hepatic health indices and the highest oxidative stability were achieved when the birds were fed diets supplemented with poultry oil and 30 g/kg of MTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy cows often suffer metabolic disorders due to the challenges of the transition period. The aim of study was to determine the effects of feeding pomegranate byproduct silage (PBS) on feed intake and some blood parameters, such as non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and beta hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA), interleukin-1 (IL-1), serum amyloid-A (SAA), prostaglandin F2α metabolites (PGFM), and progesterone (P4) in fresh Holstein cows. The experimental groups were as follows: CON (0 g PBS of DM) and PBS (120 g PBS of DM). Results showed that replacing corn silage with PBS had no effect on dry matter intake (DMI) throughout the study. The CON group had highest (p < .05) NEFA at 14 d postpartum and serum BHBA was decreased by feeding PBS, especially on days 21 (p < .05) and 28 (p < .05) and the entire study (p < .01). Cows fed PBS had lower (p < .05) serum Malondialdehyde (MDA) than CON cows at different times. Feeding PBS decreased (p < .01) serum IL-1 compared to CON group (216.7 versus. 515.5 Pg/ml) at 28 d postpartum, and also cows fed 120 g PBS had higher (p < .01) serum P4. It was concluded that feeding PBS had no adverse effect on feed intake, milk production, and some reproductive parameters. Moreover, PBS positively affected serum metabolites in fresh dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper addresses the hypothesis that dietary pioglitazone (PGT), as synthetic and specific ligand for PPAR-γ or walnut meal (WM) as a natural ligand for PPAR-γ, affect plasma metabolites and reduce the oxidative status in high body condition score (BCS) dairy cows (≥4 BCS). Total of 36 multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of the dietary treatments: 1- Control (basal diet; CTR), 2- Walnut meal (9·45% walnut meal of DMI; WM), and 3- Pioglitazone (6 mg/kg BW; PGT). The experimental diets were fed from parturition time to 21 d postpartum. Results showed that the PGT supplementation increased dry matter intake (DMI) (22·95 kg/d) compared to the CTR (21·45 kg/d) and WM (21·78 kg/d) groups. Results showed that milk yield and milk composition were not affected by the experimental diets. Body condition score losses tended to be higher in the CTR group compared to the PGT and WM cows. The PGT group had higher plasma insulin compared to the CTR group (11·84 vs. 10·68 mIU/l), and WM cows had intermediate plasma insulin. The PGT cows had lower plasma non esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and tended to have lower β-hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA) than the CTR group. Feeding pioglitazone decreased plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) compared to the CTR and WM groups. It was concluded that dietary pioglitazone had positive effects on DMI, BCS change, blood metabolites and oxidative status in fresh dairy cows with high pre-calving BCS. The anti-oxidant effects of walnut meal were not supported by the present data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]