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Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024Although both L-glutamate (Glu) and L-glutamine (Gln) have long been considered nutritionally nonessential in ruminants, these two amino acids have enormous nutritional... (Review)
Review
Although both L-glutamate (Glu) and L-glutamine (Gln) have long been considered nutritionally nonessential in ruminants, these two amino acids have enormous nutritional and physiological importance. Results of recent studies revealed that extracellular Gln is extensively degraded by ruminal microbes, but extracellular Glu undergoes little catabolism by these cells due to the near absence of its uptake. Ruminal bacteria hydrolyze Gln to Glu plus ammonia and, intracellularly, use both amino acids for protein synthesis. Microbial proteins and dietary Glu enter the small intestine in ruminants. Both Glu and Gln are the major metabolic fuels and building blocks of proteins, as well as substrates for the syntheses of glutathione and amino acids (alanine, ornithine, citrulline, arginine, proline, and aspartate) in the intestinal mucosa. In addition, Gln and aspartate are essential for purine and pyrimidine syntheses, whereas arginine and proline are necessary for the production of nitric oxide (a major vasodilator) and collagen (the most abundant protein in the body), respectively. Under normal feeding conditions, all diet- and rumen-derived Glu and Gln are extensively utilized by the small intestine and do not enter the portal circulation. Thus, de novo synthesis (e.g., from branched-chain amino acids and α-ketoglutarate) plays a crucial role in the homeostasis of Glu and Gln in the whole body but may be insufficient for maximal growth performance, production (e.g., lactation and pregnancy), and optimal health (particularly intestinal health) in ruminants. This applies to all types of feeding systems used around the world (e.g., rearing on a milk replacer before weaning, pasture-based production, and total mixed rations). Dietary supplementation with the appropriate doses of Glu or Gln [e.g., 0.5 or 1 g/kg body weight (BW)/day, respectively] can safely improve the digestive, endocrine, and reproduction functions of ruminants to enhance their productivity. Both Glu and Gln are truly functional amino acids in the nutrition of ruminants and hold great promise for improving their health and productivity.
PubMed: 38929408
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121788 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024While the supplementation of methionine (Met) sources in broiler feeds has been established for several decades, there is debate on the nutritional value of the...
While the supplementation of methionine (Met) sources in broiler feeds has been established for several decades, there is debate on the nutritional value of the methionine hydroxy analogue of methionine (MHA) relative to DL-Met. Based on a recommendation suggesting that MHA is 65% as effective as DL-Met, many feeding trials have been conducted to challenge this recommendation. A literature search found 25 publications contributing 95 data sets suitable to compute Hedges' g effect sizes used in the meta-analysis. The data had very little heterogeneity of almost zero and the small effect sizes of the DL-Met results were not significantly different from MHA. Data were split in various subgroups, finally suggesting that neither broiler strain (Cobb 500, Ross 308), diet type (corn, wheat based), origin of data (peer-reviewed, grey literature), nor MHA product (MHA-free acid, MHA-calcium salt) impacted the outcome of the meta-analysis. Moreover, distinguishing data in groups with dietary Met+Cysteine (Cys) levels below, at, or above requirement demonstrated that there was no interaction with general Met+Cys supply. It is therefore concluded that MHA products can be replaced by DL-Met in a weight-to-weight ratio of 100:65 in any production condition without compromising broiler performance.
PubMed: 38929390
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121771 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024Betaine improves growth performance and health in monogastric animals under both thermoneutral and heat stress conditions, but results in ruminants have been more...
Betaine improves growth performance and health in monogastric animals under both thermoneutral and heat stress conditions, but results in ruminants have been more equivocal. This meta-analysis investigated the effects of betaine supplementation on productive performance, milk production and composition, and carcass traits of ruminants due to betaine supplementation. A comprehensive search for published studies investigating the effect of betaine was performed using Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Scopus databases. Effect size analysis, random effects models, I statistics, and meta-regression analysis were utilized to assess differences in production parameters. Dietary betaine supplementation increased milk yield (+1.0 kg/d (weighted mean differences presented in this abstract), < 0.001), dry matter intake (+0.15 kg/d, < 0.001), and milk lactose (+0.05%, = 0.010) in dairy cows housed under thermoneutral conditions. In the few studies conducted on small ruminants, there was an increase in milk yield in response to dietary betaine (0.45 kg/d, = 0.040). Under heat stress conditions or grazing pasture during summer, dietary betaine increased milk yield (+1.0 kg/d, < 0.001) and dry matter intake (+0.21 kg/d, = 0.020). Dietary betaine increased final liveweight (+2.33 kg, = 0.050) and back fat thickness (+0.74 cm, < 0.001) in beef cattle. Dietary betaine increased final liveweight (0.14 kg, = 0.010), daily gain (+0.019 kg/d, < 0.001), and carcass weight (+0.80 kg, < 0.001) but not backfat in small ruminants. These meta-analyses showed that dietary betaine increases liveweight in small ruminants and beef cattle and increases feed intake and milk yield in dairy cattle.
PubMed: 38929375
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121756 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024The potentials of ABO replacer of ENZ and DFM on growth performance, AID, colonic VFAs, gut morphology, fecal score and diarrhea incidence were evaluated. We randomly...
The potentials of ABO replacer of ENZ and DFM on growth performance, AID, colonic VFAs, gut morphology, fecal score and diarrhea incidence were evaluated. We randomly assigned 120 piglets to four experimental diets that included: (1) control diet (CON), fed the basal ration; (2) ABO was added at 250 ppm of in-feed ABO; (3) ENZ was added at a rate of 3 kg/ton feed; (4) DFM was added with 50 × 10 cfu/g of and 2 × 10 cfu/g of spp. at a rate of 1.2 kg/ton feed. A complete randomized design used six pens per treatment with five pigs per pen. Pigs had ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the 6-week trial. Feed intake and BW were recorded on weeks 0, 2, 4 and 6, as well as fecal scores and diarrhea incidences (visually recorded and calculated). At weeks 2 and 4, a sub-sample of pigs ( = 6) was sacrificed for intestinal morphology, enzyme activity and VFAs. The results of the study demonstrated that DFM piglets showed increased final BW (3 kg) ( < 0.001) vs. CON. Likewise, ADG was positively affected by the incorporation of ABO, ENZ and DFM in the diets, with an average increase of 8 to 17% on ADG compared with CON ( < 0.001). The AID of gross energy, organic matter, CP and EAAs in piglets fed ENZ and DFM were significantly higher ( < 0.05) than those of CON and ABO at weeks 2 and 4. Inclusion of DFM increased intestinal morphology, enzymatic activities and propionic and butyric acid more than in pigs fed CON, ABO and ENZ ( < 0.05). The fecal score and diarrhea incidence generally decreased over time in pigs fed DFM ( < 0.05). These findings indicate that dietary supplementation with DFM has better effects at any period on growth performance, CP and AA digestibility and beneficially altered the intestinal health in weanling piglets.
PubMed: 38929368
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121749 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024Stress experienced by animals during pre-mortem management handling significantly affects both their welfare and the quality of the meat produced. Using hemp-derived CBD...
Stress experienced by animals during pre-mortem management handling significantly affects both their welfare and the quality of the meat produced. Using hemp-derived CBD may offer several benefits in alleviating this issue. In this study, we investigated the effects of hemp-derived CBD supplementation on blood variables, growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality in goats. Sixteen crossbred Boer goats were divided into four groups receiving a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 mL CBD/30 kg body weight over 90 days. Although growth, carcass characteristics, and pH remained unaffected, CBD supplementation influenced several blood variables. Specifically, dietary CBD at 0.1-0.3 mL increased white blood cell (WBC) counts, while 0.3 mL CBD increased serum total protein, globulin, sodium, and carbon dioxide levels, potentially affecting protein metabolism and electrolyte balance. Over time, significant changes were noted in hematological profiles, kidney markers, protein profiles, and some electrolytes, indicating physiological adaptations. Regarding meat quality, supplementation with 0.2-0.3 mL of CBD linearly improved color redness and stability; moreover, CBD supplementation improved tenderness and textural properties, resulting in a softer meat texture. However, analysis using an E-nose indicated increased ammonia and organic solvent vapors in meat from the higher CBD groups. This study concluded that CBD supplementation up to 0.3 mL of CBD/30 kg body weight beneficially modulated blood biomarkers, meat color, and tenderness without adverse impacts on growth or carcass characteristics in goats.
PubMed: 38929337
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121718 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024In most current farm operations, lactating sows need to overcome reproductive and environmental stresses that have resulted in poor sow production performance and piglet...
In most current farm operations, lactating sows need to overcome reproductive and environmental stresses that have resulted in poor sow production performance and piglet growth. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of in-feed supplementation of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in sows during late gestation lactation in regard to litter performance. The study subjects were 12 multi-parity sows (Landrace × Large White), farrowing sows with an average parity of four (three with three parities, seven with four parities, and two with five parities). They were randomly divided into the following two diet groups: the basal diet as a control (CON) group based on corn and soybean meal; and the basal diet + 2% MSG group. The experimental time ranged from 109 days before delivery to 21 days after delivery. There were six sows in each group, and each sow served as the experimental unit. There were no significant differences ( > 0.05) in body weight (BW), back fat (BF) thickness and estrus interval between sows supplemented with 2% MSG in their diets before and after farrowing and during weaning ( > 0.05). However, MSG-treated sows tended to increase BW loss at farrowing more than the CON group ( = 0.093) but lost less weight during lactation than the CON group ( = 0.019). There were no significant differences in the body condition scores (BCSs) and BF loss of the two groups of sows before and after farrowing and at weaning ( > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the weight of newborn piglets between the two groups of sows ( > 0.05). The weaning weight ( = 0.020) and average daily gain (ADG) ( = 0.045) of suckling piglets were higher in the MSG treated group compared to the CON group. The daily milk production of sows in the MSG treatment group was higher compared to the CON group ( = 0.045). The protein concentration of milk at week 3 ( = 0.060) and fat concentration of milk at week 5 ( = 0.095) of the MSG-supplemented sows tended to increase more than the CON group. In summary, the dietary inclusion of MSG supplementation had a beneficial effect on the late gestating sows and their piglet's growth and milk production. Our research has shown that the addition of 2% MSG in late gestation and lactation diet would be beneficial for both sow and piglet production.
PubMed: 38929333
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121714 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024The intestinal microbiome changes with age, influencing the host's health and immune status. () positively affects intestinal function in humans and animals, but its...
The intestinal microbiome changes with age, influencing the host's health and immune status. () positively affects intestinal function in humans and animals, but its effects on gut health and the microbiota profile in aged dogs have not been thoroughly investigated. Twenty aged Labrador Retrievers were divided into two groups: a control group (CON) and a group (SC). The experiment lasted for 42 days, with assessments of their intestinal barrier function, inflammatory factors, antioxidant markers, and fecal microbiome composition. The results showed that dietary reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the serum ( < 0.05). In the SC group, plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities increased, while the level of malondialdehyde significantly decreased ( < 0.05). Additionally, dietary lowered the serum zonulin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels ( < 0.05) and inhibited fecal ammonia production ( < 0.05). Furthermore, the microbiota profile showed that dietary decreased the abundance of Firmicutes but increased the Chao index, the abundance of Bacteroidetes, and the proportion of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ( < 0.05). To conclude, dietary can regulate the gut's microbial structure and gut health, which may contribute to the overall health of companion animals as they age.
PubMed: 38929332
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121713 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Starch is a common source of carbohydrates in aqua feed. High-starch diet can cause hepatic injury and lipid accumulation in fish. Mangiferin (MGF) can regulate lipid...
Supplementation of Mangiferin to a High-Starch Diet Alleviates Hepatic Injury and Lipid Accumulation Potentially through Modulating Cholesterol Metabolism in Channel Catfish ().
Starch is a common source of carbohydrates in aqua feed. High-starch diet can cause hepatic injury and lipid accumulation in fish. Mangiferin (MGF) can regulate lipid metabolism and protect the liver, but there is limited research on its effects in fish. In the present study, we investigated whether MGF could ameliorate high-starch-induced hepatic damage and lipid accumulation in channel catfish. The channel catfish () were fed one of four experimental diets for eight weeks: a control diet (NCD), a high-starch diet (HCD), an HCD supplemented with 100 mg/kg MGF (100 MGF), and an HCD supplemented with 500 mg/kg MGF (500 MGF). The results demonstrated that the weight gain rate (WGR) ( = 0.031), specific growth rate (SGR) ( = 0.039), and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) ( = 0.040) of the 500 MGF group were significantly higher than those of the NCD group. MGF supplementation alleviated liver damage and improved antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) compared to those of the HCD group ( = 0.000). In addition, dietary MGF significantly reduced plasma glucose (GLU) ( = 0.000), triglyceride (TG) (= 0.001), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) ( = 0.000) levels. It is noteworthy that MGF significantly reduced the plasma total cholesterol (TC) levels ( = 0.000) and liver TC levels ( = 0.005) of channel catfish. Dietary MGF improves cholesterol homeostasis by decreasing the expression of genes that are involved in cholesterol synthesis and transport (, , , , and ) and increasing the expression of genes that are involved in cholesterol catabolism (). Among them, the largest fold decrease in squalene epoxidase (sqle) expression levels was observed in the 100 MGF or 500 MGF groups compared with the HCD group, with a significant decrease of 3.64-fold or 2.20-fold ( = 0.008). And the 100 MGF or 500 MGF group had significantly decreased (by 1.67-fold or 1.94-fold) Sqle protein levels compared to those of the HCD group ( = 0.000). In primary channel catfish hepatocytes, MGF significantly down-regulated the expression of ( = 0.030) and reduced cholesterol levels ( = 0.000). In NCTC 1469 cells, MGF significantly down-regulated the expression of sqle ( = 0.000) and reduced cholesterol levels ( = 0.024). In conclusion, MGF effectively inhibits sqle expression and reduces cholesterol accumulation. The current study shows how MGF supplementation regulates the metabolism and accumulation of cholesterol in channel catfish, providing a theoretical basis for the use of MGF as a dietary supplement in aquaculture.
PubMed: 38929161
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13060722 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Microbial community control is crucial for maintaining homeostasis of the gut-liver axis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Here, we...
Microbial community control is crucial for maintaining homeostasis of the gut-liver axis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Here, we show that supplementation with a mixture of Mexican foodstuffs (MexMix)- (nopal), (cocoa) and (crickets)-enriches several beneficial taxa in MASLD mice and overweight/obese humans. Thus, MexMix induces an important prebiotic effect. In mice, a restoration of intestinal health was observed due to the increased short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and intestinal crypt depth, and expression, and decreased and expression. MexMix significantly reduced steatosis in the mice's liver and modified the expression of 1668 genes. By PCR, we corroborated a and decrease, and a and increase. In addition, MexMix increased the hepatic NRF2 nuclear translocation and miRNA-34a, miRNA-103, and miRNA-33 decline. In overweight/obese humans, MexMix improved the body image satisfaction and reduced the fat intake. These findings indicate that this new food formulation has potential as a therapeutic approach to treat conditions associated with excessive consumption of fats and sugars.
PubMed: 38929103
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13060664 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid that is found in the brain and central nervous system of animals as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It has...
Evaluation of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) as a Functional Feed Ingredient on Growth Performance, Immune Enhancement, and Disease Resistance in Olive Flounder () under High Stocking Density.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid that is found in the brain and central nervous system of animals as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It has been shown to have a variety of physiological functions, including stress reduction and immune enhancement. This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with GABA on growth, serum biochemistry, innate immunity, and disease resistance in juvenile olive flounders () challenged with under high-stocking density. A control diet and three experimental diets were prepared, with 150 mg/kg (GABA150), 200 mg/kg (GABA200), and 250 mg/kg (GABA250) of GABA added to each diet, respectively. Each experimental diet was fed to olive flounders in triplicate with an initial weight of 12.75 g ± 0.3 g in 40 L tanks at two stocking densities: normal density (20 fish/tank) and high density (40 fish/tank). After 8 weeks of the feeding trial, growth, feed utilization, whole-body proximate compositions, blood analyses, and non-specific immune responses were measured, and challenge tests were performed. There were no significant differences in the weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) among fish fed the GABA-supplemented diets at the two stocking densities. However, the normal-density groups showed significantly higher WG and SGR than the high-density groups ( < 0.05). There was no significant difference in feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio among all groups. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the whole-body proximate composition analysis ( > 0.05). There were no significant differences in cortisol levels in fish fed the GABA at both densities, but the high-density group showed a significantly higher cortisol than the low-density group. Blood GABA significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner regardless of the density groups ( < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity showed significantly higher levels than the control group, but there was no significant effect of the stocking densities in fish fed the GABA diets ( < 0.05). Myeloperoxidase activities in fish fed the GABA200 and GABA250 diets showed significantly higher levels at both of the stocking densities ( < 0.05). Lysozyme activity was significantly higher in the GABA150 group than in the CON, GABA200, and GABA250 groups ( < 0.05). After 15 days of challenge tests with , the cumulative survival rates of the GABA150, GABA200, and GABA250 groups were significantly higher than that of the CON group ( < 0.05). The results suggested that the optimal dietary GABA level for juvenile olive flounder culture is 150 mg/kg, regardless of rearing density, to enhance growth, immunity, and disease resistance.
PubMed: 38929086
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13060647