Relationship between a plant-based ‘vegan’ pet food and clinical manifestation of multiple nutrient deficiencies in two cats

A topical subject in human nutrition is the steadily growing number of people choosing to limit or completely avoid all animal-derived food products either for moral dilemma, health concerns or both. To meet people's will of applying their dietary choices to their domestic animals, the pet food industry answered by launching on the market some plant-based diets. This leads to concerns about whether these diets are adequately formulated to satisfy the target species nutritional requirements, especially for cats which are still considered strict carnivores. This case report follows a 2-year-old male neutered Main Coon and a 1-year-old female spayed Domestic Shorthair cat, presented to the nutrition service of the University of Toulouse, France. Reason for consultation was lethargy with in anamnesis a recent dietary transition to a plant-based pet food. Dysorexia, lethargy and muscle waste were present at first consultation. Progressive weight loss developed during follow-ups. A macrocytic, non-regenerative anaemia with serum folates below reference were the main clinical features. Analysis of pet food showed multiple nutrients below minimum recommendation at the average daily intake of both cats. Folic acid supplementation improved dysorexia, and subsequent reintroduction of animal-derived ingredients in the diet restored appetite, weight and a normal mentation in both cases.     

中兽医药技术是猪只康养最佳供给体系

在我国养猪业面临产品安全和环境污染两大瓶颈的情势下,如何使所生产的猪肉食用卫生,所排粪污环境安全,纯天然、无污染、广效低毒、绿色环保的中兽医药学为破解这两大瓶颈提供了技术支撑。充分发挥我国传统的中兽医药技术的特色和优势,构建以中兽医药为主体的猪只康养技术供给体系,旨在集生产管理"适其天性"、所喂药料"无污染"、治疗药物"纯天然"、预防措施治"未病"、治疗方法"和谐调节"和四季保健"药饲同源"于一体的技术供给体系,从源头上破解这两大难题,从而实现猪只康养,环境安全,猪肉安康,凸显出中兽医药是猪只康养的最佳供给体系。     

Sperm production and quality in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in relation to hormonal treatment

Aquaculture production relies on controlled management of gametogenesis, especially in species where assisted reproduction is needed for obtaining gametes in captivity. The present study used human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatments to induce and sustain spermatogenesis in European eel (Anguilla anguilla). The aim was to evaluate effects of strip-spawning timing (12 vs. 24 hr) after weekly administration of hCG and the necessity of a primer dose (in addition to weekly hormonal treatment) prior to strip spawning (primer vs. no-primer) on sperm quality parameters. Sperm parameters included milt production (weight), density and sperm kinematics at Week 9, 11 and 13 after onset of treatment. Spermiation commenced in 11.5% of males in Week 5 and by Week 9, and all males produced milt. Male weight, milt production, sperm density and spermatocrit did not differ among hormonal treatments during the experimental period. Overall, male weight decreased from 106.3 to 93.0 g, milt weight increased from 3.5 to 5.4 g, sperm density counts decreased from 11.7 × 10⁹ to 10.5 × 10⁹ cells/ml, and spermatocrit decreased from 46.5% to 40.5%. Furthermore, spermatocrit was positively related to haemocytometer counts (R² = .86, p < .001), providing a reliable indicator of sperm density. Differences in sperm kinematics were observed depending on strip-spawning timing after hormonal injection (12 vs. 24 hr) but with no consistent pattern. These sperm quality parameters also did not consistently differ between the no-primer and primer treatments. Considering that each male may be stripped 4–5 times over the 2–3 months spawning season, omitting the primer would reduce animal handling, material costs and labour intensity, while sustaining high-quality sperm production.     

Production,chemical composition,and fatty acid profile of milk from buffaloes fed with cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) cake and murumuru (Astrocaryum murumuru) cake in the Eastern Amazon

The objective was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation using by-products of the Amazonian industry on milk production, milk composition, and milk fatty acid profile of dairy buffaloes. Twelve lactating buffaloes (544.5 ± 35.6 kg, 6.4 ± 2.2 years old, 59 ± 6 days in milk) were allotted in a pasture of Mombaça grass and managed under rotational grazing (4 days occupancy/28 days rest). A 3 × 3 Latin square was adopted, and each animal alternately received three supplementary treatments based on corn bran + soybean meal or cupuaçu cake or murumuru cake for 21 days per treatment. Murumuru cake increased the levels of lauric acid and myristic acid in the milk (p < 0.05). Murumuru cake reduced the unsaturated fatty acid contents in the milk compared with animals fed control diet or cupuaçu cake (24.27% vs. 25.24% vs. 25.08%). The n-6/n-3 ratio was 2.6, 1.97, and 2.0 in the control, cupuaçu, and murumuru groups, respectively. Based on this parameter, cakes made from cupuaçu as well as murumuru could be considered to be adequate for inclusion in dairy water buffalo feed. However, the murumuru cake addition requires some caution because its use induces the secretion of higher levels of lauric and myristic fatty acids that are related to human cardiovascular disease.     

Oral administration of L-citrulline changes the concentrations of plasma hormones and biochemical profile in heat-exposed broilers

We examined the effects of oral administration of L-citrulline (L-Cit) on plasma metabolic hormones and biochemical profile in broilers. Food intake, water intake, and body temperature were also analyzed. After dual oral administration (20 mmol/head/administration) of L-Cit, broilers were exposed to a high ambient temperature (HT; 30 ± 1°C) chamber for 120 min. Oral administration of L-Cit reduced (p < .001) rectal temperature in broilers. Food intake was increased (p < .05) by heat stress, but it was reduced (p < .05) by L-Cit. Plasma levels of 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine, which initially increased (p < .0001) due to heat stress, were reduced (p < .01) by oral administration of L-Cit. Plasma insulin levels were increased by heat exposure (p < .01) and oral L-Cit (p < .05). Heat stress caused a decline (p < .05) in plasma thyroxine. Plasma lactic acid (p < .05) and non-esterified fatty acids (p < .01) were increased in L-Cit-treated heat-exposed broilers. In conclusion, our results suggest that oral L-Cit can modulate plasma concentrations of major metabolic hormones and reduces food intake in broilers.     

餐厨废弃物饲料化技术及其在动物生产中的应用

餐厨废弃物(food waste,FW)的资源利用受到广泛关注。FW焚化、填埋、堆肥、厌氧消化等技术因其面临的环境可持续性问题而受到越来越多的批评。饲料化技术可以将FW转化为高价值的饲料,从而减少固体废物的排放、养殖成本和环境污染,但该技术应符合减少、再利用和回收有机废物的处理原则。作者综述了FW的饲料化技术及其在动物生产中的应用。FW饲料化技术主要包括热处理、酶处理、藻类培养、昆虫过腹、发酵技术。其中热处理可以确保微生物安全性,是其他技术的预处理技术。藻类培养和昆虫过腹技术可以将FW转化为植物和昆虫蛋白,避免同源污染,但尚不清楚藻类和昆虫在FW利用过程中是否会造成污染物积累。酶处理和发酵技术可以将FW中大分子转化为小分子。酶的催化性能和稳定性容易受外界条件的影响,需要考虑特殊的酶制剂。发酵技术的机械化程度和资源利用率高,其核心是微生物,需要筛选有效的、能充分利用FW的微生物。目前FW在畜牧业中的应用较少,在其生产和应用中要特别注意用量和使用时间。为了使FW饲料真正作为动物饲料进入食物链,研究人员必须对不同动物(含不同生长阶段)的生长性能和产品特性进行研究,以确保动物健康及动物产品对人类健康没有负面影响。     

河北省粮—饲平衡发展现状及对策建议

“粮改饲”政策推行以来,通过农业结构调整,实现了奶业振兴。伴随全球新冠肺炎疫情反复发生,粮食安全问题再次进入了公众视野,进而引发一个值得深思的问题：如何在保证粮食安全的前提下,实现草畜平衡,增加肉、蛋、奶市场供给,优化居民膳食营养结构。为此,以河北省为研究对象,深入分析粮食与饲草种植及市场供求。目前来看,河北省粮食种植面积在“红线”以上,饲草生产无法满足省内养殖业需求,同时,城乡居民对肉、蛋、奶的摄入仍未达到膳食营养标准。为优化农业种植结构及居民营养结构,提出推广新型种植模式、加强政策引导、创新生产技术等一系列措施,推动河北省粮—饲平衡发展。     

去势术对雄性中华田园犬脂代谢的影响

[目的] 研究去势术对雄性中华田园犬脂代谢的影响。[方法] 将12只年龄、体重相近的中华田园犬分为非手术组和去势组,对去势组中华田园犬进行去势手术,观察并测定术前第1天、术后第14天、术后第21天血清中甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）、低密度脂蛋白（LDL）、高密度脂蛋白（HDL）含量,以非手术组作为对照,分析去势术对雄性犬脂代谢的影响。[结果] 去势组与非手术组相比,血清中TG含量在第14天到第21天显著上升;血清中TC含量相比非手术组呈下降趋势;HDL第14天和第21天都低于非手术组;LDL都高于非手术组,整体呈上升趋势。[结论] 去势手术会影响雄性中华田园犬机体脂类代谢,会导致去势犬甘油三酯升高,总胆固醇和高密度脂蛋白下降,低密度脂蛋白上升。     

论粮食的政治学属性

文章试以政治学为平台,探究粮食同政治之间的关系,即粮食所具有的政治学属性,为今后政治学研究提供一个全新的视角。