Influence of dietary protein level on body composition and energy expenditure in calorically restricted overweight cats

High‐protein (HP) diets help prevent loss of lean mass in calorie‐restricted (CR) cats. However, it is not entirely known whether these diets also induce changes of energy expenditure during periods of CR. To investigate this issue, sixteen overweight cats were fed either a high‐protein [(HP), 54.2% of metabolizable energy (ME)] or a moderate‐protein [(MP), 31.5% of ME] diet at 70% of their maintenance energy intakes for 8 weeks, and energy expenditure, energy intake, body weight and composition, and serum metabolites and hormones were measured. While both groups of cats lost weight at a similar rate, only cats eating the HP diet maintained lean mass during weight loss. Indirect respiration calorimetry measurements revealed that both total and resting energy expenditure (kcal/d) significantly decreased during weight loss for both treatment groups. However, only cats eating the MP diet exhibited significant decreases of total and resting energy expenditures after energy expenditure was normalized for body weight or lean mass. Results from this study suggest that in addition to sparing the loss of lean mass, feeding HP diets to overweight cats in restricted amounts may be beneficial for preventing or minimizing decreases of mass‐adjusted energy expenditure during weight loss.     

Effects of feeding Kentucky 31 tall fescue seed infected with acremonium coenophialum to laboratory rats

An endophytic fungus found in Kentucky 31 (KY-31) tall fescue has been associated with the "summer syndrome" (fescue toxicity) in grazing cattle. Four experiments were conducted to investigate the use of weanling rats as an animal model to study the fescue toxicity syndrome. When graded levels of fungus-infected (INF) or fungus-free (FF) KY-31 seed were fed, feed intake and growth rates were inversely related to the amount of INF seed in the diet. When diets containing 50% seed were fed, rats eating INF seed had reduced (P less than .05) daily water consumption (9 vs 20 ml) and lowered (P less than .05) body temperatures (36.8 vs 37.7 C) when compared with the FF treatments. Autoclaving the seed increased feed intake and growth rate of rats receiving both INF and FF seed diets, but daily gains continued to be less (P less than .05) in the rats fed autoclaved INF diets when compared with rats fed autoclaved FF diets (2.3 vs 6.8 g). Rats fed diets containing either 40% shredded wheat on which the fescue endophyte had been grown or 40% shredded wheat that was not innoculated did not differ in performance. Crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, gross energy and dry matter digestibilities were enhanced (P less than .05) by the presence of INF seed in the diets when compared with the FF seed treatments. Crude protein and ether extract digestibilities and apparent biological value of fescue protein were not affected by presence of the fungus. The effect of INF seed on organ weights was inconsistent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Influence of a high-protein diet on energy balance in obese cats allowed ad libitum access to food

The influence of a high-protein [HP, 47% of metabolizable energy (ME)] diet on energy balance was evaluated in obese cats allowed ad libitum access to food. Energy intake, body weight, body composition, energy expenditure, and concentrations of hormones and metabolites associated with carbohydrate and lipid metabolism (glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, triglycerides and leptin) were measured in cats after consuming either a moderate protein (MP, 27% of ME) or HP diet for 4 months. Indirect respiration calorimetry showed that resting and total energy expenditure (kJ/day) adjusted for either body weight or lean body mass was increased in cats consuming the HP in relation to MP diets. However, voluntary energy intake also was increased in the HP treatment and, thus, there was no difference in body weight between animals consuming the two diets. Body composition measurements using deuterium oxide dilution showed that dietary protein content did not alter amounts of either lean body mass or fat mass. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed between the two treatment groups for blood glucose, free fatty acid or leptin concentrations, although there was a trend (p = 0.054) towards an increase of serum insulin concentrations in the cats eating the HP diet. This study showed that short-term ad libitum feeding of an HP diet did not reduce food intake or promote weight loss in obese cats. However, energy expenditure was increased in the HP diet group and it is possible that this effect of HP might help promote weight loss when energy intake is restricted.     

Is the consumption of snail meat actually healthy? An analysis of the osteotropic influence of snail meat as a sole source of protein in growing rats

The study was aimed at determining the osteotropic effects of diets containing snail meat as a sole protein source. In our experiment, we tested three different diets incorporating snail meat originating from Helix pomatia (HP), Cornu.aspesa maxima (CAM) and Cornu.aspersum aspersum (CAA) and compared these to a control diet (CON) in which casein was the source of protein. In all diets, the protein content amounted to 10%, as calculated on a dry weight basis. In the study, forty male Wistar rats with an initial body mass of 50 ± 2 g were randomly placed within the control and three experimental groups. After 28 days of experimental feeding, the rats were sacrificed, and the body mass, total skeletal density and body composition were recorded. Moreover, blood serum (osteocalcin, CTX) and isolated tibia (pQCT, DXA, 3D micro‐CT, 3‐point bending test) were stored for further analysis. The results reveal that a diet incorporating snail meat significantly decreased BMC (bone mineral content), as well as area of total skeleton and isolated tibia, and was without influence on BMD (bone mineral density). Furthermore, the 3D micro‐CT analysis of trabecular compartment documented a reduced Tb.Th (trabecular thickness), as well as Tb.N (trabecular number), and an increased Tb.Sp (trabecular separation). Beyond the aforementioned, the snail‐based diets had an influence upon the architectonical properties of the tibia—decreasing its resistance to mechanical loading. Finally, snail meat, when used as an alone source of protein, negatively influenced the metabolism of the bone tissue in growing animals—making bone smaller and weaker.     

The metabolic use of energy from dietary fat in broilers is affected by fatty acid saturation

1. Two experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of dietary fat on performance and fat and protein accretion in broiler chickens according to the degree of saturation. 2. The first experiment was designed to test 2 sources of dietary fat and 3 levels of dietary energy using a factorial (2x3) experimental design. The foods were formulated to maintain a constant ratio of energy to protein (and other nutrients). There were no significant differences in weight gain, intake, final body weight or food to gain ratio between broilers fed on diets differing solely in the degree of fat saturation. Broilers fed on diets containing animal fat showed higher whole-body fat retention (P=0.02) and lower protein accretion (P=0.03) than those fed on diets containing vegetable oils. 3. In the second experiment, only 1 concentration of fat (tallow, lard or sunflower oil) was incorporated into the experimental diets, providing different energy to protein ratios. The carcase protein content was not affected by dietary fat source, while total fat accretion (P=0.01) and energy retention (P=0.14) were highest in broilers fed on a diet containing tallow. 4. The findings suggest that the degree of saturation of dietary fats affects their metabolic use and fat accumulation in broiler chickens.     

Energy metabolism and protein balance in growing rats fed different levels of dietary fibre and protein.

A study was performed to investigate the effect of different levels of dietary fibre (DF) and dietary protein on visceral organ size, digestibility, nitrogen balance and energy metabolism in rats. Thirty-six male Wistar rats, initial body weight about 76 g were used in a factorial design consisting of three levels of DF (low, 100 g/kg DM: medium, 250 g/kg DM and high, 290 g/kg DM) and two levels of dietary protein (low, 120 g/kg DM and high, 223 g/kg DM). The added fibre source was soybean hulls and Danish fish meal was used as sole source of dietary protein. Measurements of gas-exchange were done on six rats (one group) while urine and faeces were collected individually. The ratio of food/empty body gain increased (P<0.05) with increasing DF and decreasing levels of dietary protein. The weight of the digestive tract was larger (P<0.05) in rats fed the high fibre diet than in those fed the low fibre diet. The digestibility of nutrients and energy decreased linearly with increasing level of soybean fibre (P<0.05). An increased intake of DF was associated with a concomitant loss of protein and energy to faeces. The microbial degradation of NSP and other unabsorbed carbohydrates caused considerably changes in N metabolism of the colon. In rats fed the low protein diets increased levels of DF decreased N excretion in urine and increased N excretion in faeces, while the ratio of retained/digested protein remained constant. When rats were fed the high protein diet protein retention dropped in response to DF both absolute and relative to digested amount, indicating that energy intake could be a limiting factor. Heat production as a percentage of metabolizable energy (HP/ME) was higher (P<0.05) in rats fed the low protein diet than in rats fed the high protein diet, but no significant difference was found among DF levels.     

热应激条件下日粮消化能水平对肉兔生产性能和养分消化率的影响

试验旨在研究热应激条件下日粮消化能水平对肉兔生产性能和饲粮养分消化率的影响。选择30日龄断奶新西兰兔150只,随机分成5个处理组,每个处理5个重复,每个重复6只兔,分别饲喂8.79、9.62、10.46、11.30MJ/kg和12.13 MJ/kg消化能的饲粮。结果显示,热应激条件下,随着日粮消化能的增加,肉兔采食量和料重比均一定程度下降(P>0.05或P<0.05),日增重呈先升高后降低的趋势;干物质、粗蛋白质和粗灰分消化率随着消化能水平的提高,呈现先上升后下降的趋势,粗脂肪和粗纤维的消化率随着消化能水平的提高,呈现逐渐升高的趋势。综合来看,在热应激条件下肉兔饲粮的消化能水平以10.46～11.30 MJ/kg为宜。     

不同属种肉类对大鼠血清生化指标与抗氧化能力的影响

探讨了不同属种肉类对大鼠血清生化指标和抗氧化机能的影响。试验选取体重约177 g的雄性SD大鼠90只,随机分为3组即狗肉组、羊肉组、鸭肉组,分别将日粮中的主要蛋白源替换为狗肉、羊肉、鸭肉(CP 31%)。试验期为4周。结果表明:饲喂狗肉和羊肉能显著提高大鼠生长性能,且前者使得大鼠血清碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性极显著升高(P<0.01);而饲喂鸭肉使得大鼠血清丙氨酸转移酶(ALT)活性显著升高(P<0.05),天冬氨酸转移酶(AST)、血清尿素氮(BUN)活性极显著升高(P<0.01)。不同属种的肉之间,鸭肉组肝脏和肾脏中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活性均极显著升高(P<0.01)。结果提示:饲喂狗肉和羊肉能促进机体蛋白质合成,有利于蛋白质沉积;饲喂鸭肉则具有增强机体抗氧化的能力。     

Impact of macronutrient composition and palatability in wet diets on food selection in cats

Cats are obligate carnivores adapted to high‐protein diets, but are commonly fed diets rich in carbohydrate. The aim of this study was to examine the food intake choices of cats when diets with different protein and carbohydrate contents were offered. Thirty‐nine cats participated in voluntary dietary intake studies. Four foods were formulated to provide between 24% and 53% of metabolizable energy as protein, between 43% and 11% as carbohydrate and holding dietary fat constant with a contribution of approximately 36%. Foods were offered either singly to evaluate voluntary food intake or in pairs to compare food intake between pairs of diets. Cats regulated their macronutrient intake to attain an overall diet composition that provided 53% of metabolizable energy as protein, 11% as carbohydrate and 36% as fat. The protein contribution corresponded to approximately 6 g of protein/kg body weight/day. High‐protein/low‐carbohydrate diets were always eaten preferentially over low‐protein/high‐carbohydrate foods. When low‐protein/high‐carbohydrate diets were offered, cats limited their food intake to limit daily carbohydrate intake to less than 3 g of carbohydrate/kg body weight. This carbohydrate ceiling may limit protein and even energy intake when only low‐protein/high‐carbohydrate diets were offered. The inclusion of palatability enhancer in the diets increased food intake but did not change protein or carbohydrate intake patterns, indicating that macronutrient intake can be regulated regardless of the use of palatability enhancers in cats. We conclude that cats can discriminate between diets based on macronutrient composition and regulate their intake to maintain maximal protein intake but limit carbohydrate intake.     

Comparison between concentrated complete diets and self‐selection for feeding sexually‐maturing pullets at hot and cold temperatures

1. Pullets in late growth and early lay were maintained at hot (25° to 35°C) or cold (6° to 16°C) ambient temperatures and either fed complete diets or allowed to self‐select nutrients from separate energy‐ and protein‐rich foods.

2. Manipulating the metabolisable energy (ME) and/or nutrient density (ND) of complete layer diets failed to improve egg output at hot temperatures to that obtained at cold temperatures.

3. At both temperatures self‐selection increased protein, but not ME, intake. This increased egg output and body weight gain at the hot, but not cold, temperatures. At the hot temperatures pullets fed by self‐selection were the only ones to gain weight between sexual maturity and 28 weeks of age.

4. Nutrient intake patterns, related to each pullet's physiological age of sexual maturity, identified distinctive changes in protein intake and the selected protein: ME intake ratio of pullets fed by self‐selection. Pullets attempted to maintain a preferred protein:ME intake ratio, irrespective of the markedly different intakes of ME and protein at the two temperatures.

5. Pullets trained to self‐select nutrients from separate energy‐ and protein‐rich foods are better able to sustain egg output and body weight at sexual maturity when food intake is limited by high ambient temperatures.     

Effect of macronutrient ratio of the pre‐starter diet on broiler performance and intermediary metabolism

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of isoenergetic substitution between the three energy delivering macronutrients in pre‐starter diets on performance and intermediary nutrient metabolism in broiler chickens. From hatch until 5 days of age, 600 chicks, collected during peak of hatch, were fed one of the three experimental pre‐starter diets with isoenergetic (13 MJ metabolisable energy/kg) substitutions between fat (43 vs. 108 g/kg), protein (126 vs. 240 g/kg) and carbohydrates (391 vs. 510 g/kg). After 5 days, commercial grower and finisher diets were provided. Pre‐starter composition influenced body weight until slaughter age, although not statistically verifiable. Broilers fed the low protein (LP) pre‐starter had the lowest body weight in relation to chickens on the low carbohydrate or low fat pre‐starter diet. After hatch, chicks on the LP pre‐starter diet were able to use the residual yolk sac more rapidly to fulfil their protein requirement, which is reflected in small intestine and liver development. Also, plasma metabolite levels were influenced mostly by the LP pre‐starter, indicating that the main focus for the requirements of newly hatched chicks should be on proteins. Furthermore, optimal nutrition during the first day’s post‐hatch should take into account the contribution of the yolk.     

Nitrogen digestion and urea recycling in Hokkaido native horses fed hay‐based diets

Nitrogen (N) digestion and urea‐N metabolism in Hokkaido native horses fed roughage‐based diets containing different types and levels of protein sources were studied. Horses (173 ± 4.8 kg) fitted with an ileum cannula were fed four diets consisting of 100% timothy hay (TH), 88% TH and 12% soybean meal (SBM), 79% TH and 21% SBM, and 51% TH and 49% alfalfa hay at 2.2% of body weight. Dietary protein content varied from 5% to 15% of dry matter. Apparent N digestibilities in the pre‐cecum and total tract for the TH diet were lower than those for other diets. However, the proportion of post‐ileum N digestion to N intake was not affected by the diets. Urea‐N production was linearly related to N intake, but gut urea‐N entry was not affected by the diets. The proportion of gut urea‐N entry to urea‐N production tended to be higher for the TH diet (57%) than the two SBM diets (39%). Anabolic use of urea‐N entering the gut was not affected by the diets (20–36% of gut urea‐N entry). These results indicate that urea‐N recycling provides additional N sources for microbial fermentation in the hindgut of Hokkaido native horses fed low‐quality roughages.     

Effects of dietary lysine intake during lactation on blood metabolites, hormones, and reproductive performance in primiparous sows

Effects of three dietary lysine (protein) concentrations during lactation on metabolic state, protein metabolism, reproductive hormones, and performance were investigated in 36 primiparous sows. Sows were assigned randomly to one of three diets containing .4% (low lysine, LL), 1.0% (medium lysine, ML), or 1.6% (high lysine, HL) total lysine from intact protein sources. All diets contained 2.1 Mcal NE/kg and exceeded the recommended requirements for all other nutrients. Actual lysine intakes over an 18-d lactation were 16, 36, and 56 g/d for sows fed LL, ML, and HL, respectively. Fractional breakdown rate of muscle was determined on d 4 and 15 of lactation by using a three-compartment kinetic model of 3-methylhistidine metabolism. Increasing lysine intake during lactation did not affect fractional breakdown rate of muscle on d 4 of lactation but decreased it on d 15 (P < .05). Sows fed LL had a reduced number of LH pulses on d 12 and 18 (P < .05) and reduced serum estradiol (E2) concentration on d 18 of lactation compared with sows fed ML and HL treatments. However, LH pulses and E2 concentrations were similar between ML and HL treatments (P > .35). Increasing lysine intake increased serum urea nitrogen (SUN) and postprandial insulin concentrations (P < .05) during lactation but had no effect on plasma glucose concentrations (P > .20). Sows fed HL had greater serum IGF-I on d 6 and 18 than sows fed ML (P < .05). Number of LH peaks was correlated with serum insulin concentration 25 min after feeding on d 6 and 18 (r = .31 to .41; P < .1) and pre- (r = .33 to .46) and postprandial (r = .30 to .58) SUN concentrations (P < .05) during different stages of lactation. Results indicate that, compared with medium lysine intake, low lysine intake increased muscle protein degradation and decreased concentrations of insulin, SUN, and estradiol and LH pulsatility. In contrast, high lysine (protein) intake increased SUN, insulin, and IGF-I, but did not increase secretion of estradiol and LH compared with medium lysine intake. Furthermore, nutritional impacts on reproduction may be mediated in part through associated effects on circulating insulin concentration.     

Relation of soya bean meal level to the concentration of plasma free amino acids and body growth in white rats

Amino acid (AA) levels in plasma and body growth were determined in rats (n20) fed diets with different soya bean meal levels. Free AA in plasma was determined by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. We have used four levels of protein diets like 8%, 15%, 23% and 35% in this trial. Rats which were fed the low-protein (8%) diet with low percentage of soya bean meal were found to be growth-retarded. The body weight gain of high protein group (35%) was lower than that of the 23% groups. In the rats fed with the low-soya bean meal diet, some nonessential AA (NEAA) in plasma like asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid and serine increased, whereas the essential AA (EAA), with the exception of arginine, methionine and valine decreased. Here, plasma EAA-to-NEAA ratios were not correlated to growth and experimental diet. We hypothesize that AA metabolism is associated to changes in growth in rats on different protein intake. This study has showed the sensitivity of body mass gain, feed intake, feed conversion rate of rats to four levels of protein in the diet under controlled experimental conditions.     

Growth performance and physiological parameters of conventional and specified pathogen‐free rats fed autoclaved diets with different protein sources

The effects of feeding autoclaved commercial SSNIFF (SN) diet and diets containing soya bean (S) and casein (C) to growing conventional (CON) and specified pathogen‐free (SPF) rats were determined. Diets S, C and SN, autoclaved at 121 °C during 20 min (T1), at 134 °C during 10 min (T2) and non‐autoclaved (T0), were fed during four weeks, each to 8 CON males and 8 females of mean initial body weight 56 g, kept individually. Diets S, C and SN, autoclaved at T1, were fed during two months, each to 20 SPF males and 20 females of mean initial body weight 58 g, kept in group of 5 animals per cage. In CON rats, autoclaving did not affect feed intake and weight gain, decreased thyroid and stomach weight, increased caecal tissue and digesta weight, and concentrations of isobutyric, isovaleric and valeric acid in caecal digesta. Among biochemical blood parameters, autoclaving decreased only total protein concentration and aspartate aminotransferase activity. Feeding C diet resulted in lower feed intake and weight gain in CON and SPF males. Diet affected organ weights and the greatest differences were found in rats on SN diet for weights of stomach, caecum and female reproductive organs. Diet affected concentration of all short‐chain fatty acids, pH and weight of caecal digesta, the most important being the greatest butyric acid concentration on SN diet and isoacids on C diet. It is concluded that autoclaving of both soya‐containing and soya‐free diets does not affect negatively animal performance and physiology.     

Effects of Gymnadenia Conopsea Polysaccharide Extract on Growth Performance,Antioxidant Function and Meat Quality of House-fed Mutton Sheep under Oxidative Stress

The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of Gymnadenia conopsea polysaccharide (GCP) extract on growth performance, meat quality and antioxidant function house-fed mutton sheep under oxidative stress, so as to provide experimental basis for extensive research and development of Gymnadenia conopsea and its extracts. Twenty 6-month-old healthy male Small-Tailed Han sheep with body weight of (35.0 ±4.0) kg were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group (n=10) and control group(n=10). The whole experiment lasted for 42 d and was divided into 3 periods: the first 15 days were the blank period; the middle 15 days were the treatment period; the last 12 days were the observation period ofter modeling. From the first day of the treatment period, the control group was fed with basal diet, and the experimental group was fed pellet basal diet containing 30 mg·kg^-1 GCP extract. On the 15th day of the treatment period, the sheep in each group were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg·kg^-1 Diquat solution according to sheep body weight(BW), and then fed for another 12 days. On the 1 st, 15th, 30th, 33rd, 36th, 39th and 42nd morning of the whole experimental period, fasting weight and blood samples were collected before feeding. The serum was separated and the antioxidant indexes (SOD, GSH-Px, T-AOC, MDA) in serum were determined. On the 42nd day of the whole experimental period, 5 sheep randomly selected from each group were slaughtered and meat samples were collected to determine the meat quality. The results showed that the addition of GCP extract to the diet of the sheep could increase the average daily feed intake (P<0.05). When the body was subjected to oxidative stress, the indexes of daily gain and antioxidant enzymes recovered rapidly on experimental group, the mutton drip loss decreased significantly, and the mutton sheer force increased significantly(P<0.05). The results indicated that GCP extract could improve the growth performance of mutton sheep, and alleviated the decline of growth performance and antioxidant performance caused by oxidative stress, and had a certain effect of antioxidant stress.     

不同能量和蛋白质水平饲粮对宁乡猪生长性能、胴体品质和肉品质的影响

本试验旨在研究不同能量和蛋白质水平饲粮对宁乡猪生长性能、胴体品质及肉品质的影响.选用体重约18 kg的宁乡猪仔猪72头,随机分为3组(每组4个重复,每个重复6头):对照组饲喂基础饲粮(前、中、后3期蛋白质水平分别为14.03％、12.06％、11.01％;全期消化能为12.15 MJ/kg);试验A组饲喂在基础饲粮的基...     

手掌参多糖提取物对氧化应激舍饲肉羊生产性能、抗氧化机能及肉品质的影响

本试验旨在研究手掌参多糖提取物对氧化应激舍饲肉羊生长性能、肉品质及抗氧化应激作用的影响，为手掌参及其提取物的深入研究与开发提供依据。试验选用20只6月龄体重为（35.0±4.0）kg的健康雄性小尾寒羊，随机分为两组，每组10只羊，分别为试验组和对照组。整个试验期42 d，一共分为3个阶段，前15 d为空白期，中间15 d为处理期，后12 d为造模后观测期。处理期第1天开始，对照组饲喂基础日粮，试验组饲喂在基础日粮内添加30 mg·kg^-1手掌参粗多糖提取物的颗粒饲料。在处理期第15天时，对各组试验羊只按体重（BW）一次性腹腔注射Diquat（敌草快）溶液10 mg·kg^-1，制造氧化应激模型，进入造模后观测期。在整个试验期第1、15、30、33、36、39和42天晨饲前空腹称重并采血，分离血清，测定血清中的抗氧化指标（SOD、GSH-Px、T-AOC、MDA）。在试验期第42天，每组随机选取5只羊屠宰后采集肉样，检测肉品质相关指标。试验结果显示，舍饲肉羊日粮中添加手掌参多糖提取物可显著提高肉羊平均日采食量（P<0.05），且当机体遭受氧化应激时，日粮中添加手掌参多糖提取物的试验处理组平均日采食量、平均日增重以及抗氧化酶含量等指标恢复较快，羊肉滴水损失显著降低，羊肉剪切力显著提高（P<0.05）。试验结果证明，手掌参多糖提取物可提高肉羊生产性能，且能缓解氧化应激造成的生产性能和抗氧化性能下降的问题，具有一定的抗氧化应激作用。     

Effect of dietary protein on lean body wasting in dogs: correlation between loss of lean mass and markers of proteasome-dependent proteolysis

To determine the effect of dietary protein intake on lean body wasting in adult canines a study was undertaken to investigate the Ubiquitin Proteasome (UP) pathway and concurrent changes in lean and fat body mass of canines fed variable sources and concentrations of dietary protein. Purpose-bred, intact female canines (56) between the ages of 2 and 3 years were fed either 12 or 28% protein diet for 10 weeks. Each diet contained variable amounts of corn gluten meal and chicken protein sources in ratios of 100 : 0, 67 : 33, 33 : 67 and 0 : 100 per cent (w/w), respectively. All diets were isocaloric with calories coming from protein : fat : carbohydrate at the respective ratios of 12 : 40 : 48% for the 12% diets, and 28 : 40 : 32% for the 28% diets. Standard dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed to assess total body lean and fat mass at weeks 0 and 10 of the dietary trial. Muscle biopsies were also taken and processed for protein determination and standard gel electrophoresis with subsequent Western blotting for 20S proteasome and PA700 regulatory cap subunit p31. Statistical analysis revealed a moderate degree of correlation between increasing quantities of corn gluten, which is low in essential amino acids (i.e. lysine, tryptophan), and increasing loss of lean body mass over the 10-week study (R = 0.56). Furthermore, a moderate degree of correlation was observed between increasing concentrations of corn gluten protein and decreased expression of the p31 subunit of the 26S proteasome (R = 0.49). Additionally, the dogs consuming the 12% protein diets had a significant increase in fat mass regardless of the protein source. These findings suggest that lean body wasting in adult canines can be associated with the consumption of low protein diets consisting of predominantly corn gluten, which is likely due to imbalances or subclinical deficiencies of specific essential amino acids, and that low protein diets may augment accumulation of adipose tissue. Although the mechanisms remain unclear, alteration of molecular targets of skeletal muscle proteolysis, specifically involving the UP pathway occur.     

Synergistic effects of betaine and conjugated linoleic acid on the growth and carcass composition of growing Iberian pigs

An experiment was conducted to determine the efficacy of dietary betaine, CLA, or both as growth promotants and carcass modifiers in growing Iberian pigs. Twenty gilts (20 kg of BW) were individually penned and fed barley- and soybean meal-based diets (12% CP, 0.81% Lys, and 14.8 MJ of ME/kg of DM) containing either no added betaine or CLA (control), 0.5% betaine, 1% CLA, or 0.5% betaine + 1% CLA, at 95% of ad libitum energy intake. An additional group of 5 pigs was slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment to obtain the initial body composition. At 30 kg of BW, a balance experiment was conducted. At 50 kg of BW, pigs were slaughtered and viscera was removed and weighed. Betaine or CLA alone did not affect growth performance. However, betaine + CLA increased ADG (601 vs. 558 g, P = 0.03) and gain relative to ME intake (25.4 vs. 22.2 g/MJ, P = 0.03) compared with control pigs. Digestibility of nutrients and metabolizability of energy did not differ among diets (P = 0.46 to 0.75). Carcass protein, water, and lean deposition (g/d) increased (19.8, 24.2, and 23.4%, respectively, P < 0.01) in pigs fed betaine + CLA compared with control pigs. Similarly, protein deposition relative to ME intake increased by 28% in betaine + CLA-supplemented pigs (P < 0.05). Fat and mineral deposition did not differ among treatments. Carcass protein, water, and lean content (g/kg of carcass) of pigs fed betaine + CLA-supplemented diets tended to increase (P = 0.07 to 0.09) and carcass fat content tended to decrease (P = 0.09). Similarly, estimated composition of carcass gain was affected, such that water and lean content tended to increase (P = 0.06 to 0.08), whereas fat tended to decrease (P = 0.08) in pigs fed betaine + CLA-supplemented diets. Longissimus muscle area was not altered by treatments (P = 0.49). The liver of pigs fed betaine + CLA diets had increased weight (19%, P < 0.05) compared with control pigs. Overall, dietary supplementation of betaine + CLA increased ADG, protein, water, and lean deposition in growing Iberian gilts. There appears to be a synergistic action when betaine and CLA are used together.