Cashew nut shell liquid potentially mitigates methane emission from the feces of Thai native ruminant livestock by modifying fecal microbiota

The methane-mitigating potency of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) was evaluated by investigating gas production from batch cultures using feces from Thai native ruminants that had been incubated for different periods. Feces was obtained from four Thai native cattle and four swamp buffaloes reared under practical feeding conditions at the Kasetsart University farm, Thailand. Fecal slurry from the same farm was also included in the analysis. CNSL addition successfully suppressed the methane production potential of feces from both ruminants by shifting short chain fatty acid profiles towards propionate production. Methane mitigation continued for almost 150 days, although the degree of mitigation was more apparent from Day 0 to Day 30. Bacterial and archaeal community shifts with CNSL addition were observed in feces from both ruminants; specifically, Bacteroides increased, whereas Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae decreased in feces to which CNSL was added. Fecal slurry did not show marked changes in gas production with CNSL addition. The findings showed that the addition of CNSL to the feces of ruminants native to the Southeast Asian region can suppress methane emission. Because CNSL can be easily obtained as a byproduct of the local cashew industry in this region, its on-site application might be ideal.     

Body and intestinal growth of broiler chicks on a commercial starter diet. 2. Development and characteristics of intestinal enzymes

1. Investigations were conducted into the development of intestinal enzyme function in broiler chickens on a commercial starter diet. The differences between intestinal regions and localisation of enzymes on the villus were assessed. 2. The specific activity of maltase, sucrase, aminopeptidase N (APN) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) at all intestinal sites decreased with age. There were also variations between intestinal sites although this variation depended on age. The specific activity of maltase was higher than that of the other enzymes examined, regardless of age and intestinal site. The total activities of the enzymes also increased with age at all intestinal sites. 3. Results of the localisation of enzymes on the crypt: villus axis showed that activity was expressed over a large proportion of the villus. There was an increase in the total villus activity of alpha-glucosidase (AG), APN and AP with age. Activity per unit villus surface area was similar between ages, except for jejunal AP. At hatch enzyme activity was expressed over 44.1, 55.8 and 63.3% of villus height in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, respectively. At 21 d of age, corresponding values were 68.7, 65.6 and 77.2%. The point of peak activity from the crypt: villus junction increased with age. In the jejunum, most enterocytes were capable of secreting active enzymes within 1 h of formation. Cells maintained their secretory capabilities until they were more than 60 h old in the case of AG. 4. Although the specific activities of the enzymes were maximal at hatch, the digestive capacity of older birds may be sustained by an increase in total enzyme activity brought about by increased surface area. The pattern of enzyme activity along the gastrointestional tract (GIT) and crypt: villus axis is similar to that reported for some mammalian species.     

Body and intestinal growth of broiler chicks on a commercial starter diet. 3. Development and characteristics of tryptophan transport

1. A study was conducted to characterise the development of amino acid transport in broiler chicks, using L-tryptophan as a model. The chicks were maintained on a broiler starter diet between hatch and 21 d of age. 2. There was a significant reduction in the rate of uptake of 0.04 mM L-tryptophan with age in both the jejunum and ileum. Uptake was enhanced in the presence of 50 mM sodium chloride to different degrees depending on age and intestinal site. At both intestinal sites, uptake capacity increased with age while there was a reduction in uptake efficiency with age. 3. At a concentration of 25 mM, both sodium chloride and potasium chloride increased uptake by ileal brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) of 7-d-old chicks but uptake was reduced when potassium chloride was included at a concentration of 50 mM. In the presence of valinomycin, uptake by jejunal BBMV was stimulated by 25 mM sodium chloride. In the presence of both sodium chloride and potassium chloride and in the absence of valinomycin, uptake was increased by 42.6% but this was reduced to 23.4% when the ionophore was included in the buffer. 4. The Na+-independent uptake of L-tryptophan into jejunal vesicles of 21-d-old chicks was lower in the presence of D-tryptophan than in the presence of 2-aminobicyclo-[2,2,1]-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH). The inclusion of BCH in the incubation medium at low concentrations significantly enhanced the uptake of 0.04 mM L-tryptophan by jejunal BBMV. 5. At similar concentration (0.04 mM) to L-tryptophan, lysine, methionine and alanine in the presence of Na+ also stimulated L-tryptophan uptake. The uptake of L-tryptophan was reduced at a higher concentration, 25 mM, of these amino acids. 6. The study revealed a decline in rate of amino acid uptake and an increase in total uptake capacity with age. Tryptophan uptake was both Na+-independent and dependent, and occurred more in the ileum than in the jejunum. The uptake of L-tryptophan depended on the concentration of other amino acids and other factors in the diet and digesta.     

Seasonal parasitism of native egg parasitoids of brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) in Japan

Journal of Pest Science - The invasive, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a severe economic insect pest native to East Asia. A strong effort has been made to identify natural egg...     

Intestinal function and reproductive capacity of Tegel pullets in response to exogenous oestrogen.

The effects of varying levels of exogenous oestrogen (E2) (0, 10 or 100 micrograms E2/kg BW) on the development of 18-week old pullets were tested over a 28-day period. The hormone had no significant effects on feed intake, body growth, feed conversion ratio or weight of the oviduct. Similarly, there were no significant effects of the hormone on egg production and egg weight but eggshell thickness and weight of shell per unit area were increased (P < 0.05) at a lower level of administration (10 micrograms E2/kg BW), compared to the control and the highest level of hormone. The morphometry of the jejunal mucosa and some enzymes associated with Ca transport were similar between the three groups. Oestrogen treatment, however, intensely enhanced the expression of calbindin D22K, although this was not quantified.     

Supplemental arginine administered in ovo or in the feed reduces the susceptibility of broilers to pulmonary hypertension syndrome

1. Two experiments were conducted to determine if in ovo and in-feed arginine (ARG) supplementation is effective in the prevention of pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) in broiler chickens reared at high altitude.

2. In Experiment I, a total of 300 fertile eggs were divided into two equal groups. On d 5 of incubation, one group was injected with 0.5 ml of ARG (20 mg/ml) and the other remained untreated and served as controls. After hatching, male chicks (64 chickens per treatment) were selected and given a commercial maize–soyabean meal diet up to 48 d of age.

3. In Experiment II, a total of 128 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to two treatments, a control group that were fed on a basal diet that met ARG requirements and the second was fed on the basal diet supplemented with 1.5 g ARG per kg of diet.

4. Cumulative mortality from ascites was recorded in both experiments. Results from Experiment I indicated that in ovo injection of ARG significantly decreased ascites mortality of broilers (18.8 vs. 43.8%). Results from Experiment II showed a similar effect so that ascites mortality in the group that were given Arg supplement was significantly lower than the control (28.1 vs. 43.8%).     

Evaluating the rumen‐protected lysine stability in forage‐based total mixed rations in vitro and determining the lysine Brix value

Three rumen‐protected lysine (RPL) products (AjiPro^®‐L, LysiPEARL^TM, and Feedtech Bypass Lysine^TM: A, B, and C, respectively) were tested for stability in two forage‐based total mixed rations (TMR1, 41.3% dry matter (DM), and TMR2, 49.5% DM) (experiment 1) and for Brix value (experiment 2). In experiment 1, each RPL product (2 g each) and TMR diet (200 g) were mixed and stored in plastic bags at 20°C for 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hr. In experiment 2, each RPL product (2 g) was dispensed into ion‐exchanged water (20 ml) and kept at 20°C for 0, 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hr. At each time point, free lysine (Lys) content and Brix values of extracts were measured, and Lys release (LR, %) was calculated. All RPL products LR% varied with varying diets DM and increased with increasing of time exposed to diets; it was highest in C, followed by B, and then A. Water LR% positively correlated with that from diets and with Brix values of Lys dissociated in water. Our results indicated that Lys dissociation from RPL products is affected by diet DM content. Brix value may be used as a potential marker for RPL protection efficacy.