The early life immune dynamics and cellular drivers at single-cell resolution in lamb forestomachs and abomasumOA

Background Four-chambered stomach including the forestomachs(rumen, reticulum, and omasum) and abomasum allows ruminants convert plant fiber into high-quality animal products. The early development of this four-chambered stomach is crucial for the health and well-being of young ruminants, especially the immune development. However, the dynamics of immune development are poorly understood.Results We investigated the early gene expression patterns across the four-chambered stomach in Hu sheep, at ...     

The synbiotic mixture of lactulose and Bacillus coagulans protects intestinal barrier dysfunction and apoptosis in weaned piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharideOA

Background Lactulose as an effective prebiotic protects intestinal mucosal injury. Bacillus coagulans is widely used in feed additives because of its ability to promote intestinal health. Our previous study suggests that the combination of lactulose and Bacillus coagulans may be a good candidate as alternative for antibiotic growth promoters. However,the in vivo effects of lactulose and Bacillus coagulans on growth and intestinal health under immune challenge in piglets remains unclear. The obje...     

Fecal microbiota dynamics and its relationship to diarrhea and health in dairy calvesOA

Background: Diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young calves, resulting in considerable economic loss for dairy farms. To determine if some gut microbes might have resistance to dysbiotic process with calf diarrhea by dictating the microbial co-occurrence patterns from birth to post-weaning, we examined the dynamic development of the gut microbiota and diarrhea status using two animal trials, with the first trial having 14 Holstein dairy calves whose fecal samples were collec...     

The significan e of N-carbamoylglutamate in ruminant productionOA

Improving the efficiency and production of grazing ruminants to support food and fiber production, while reducing the environmental footprint and meeting the welfare needs of the animals, is important for sustainable livestock production systems. Development of new technologies that can improve the efficiency of nitrogen(N) utilization in ruminants, and that are effective and safe, has important implications for ruminant livestock production. N-carbomoylglutamate(NCG) is a functional micronutrie...     

Starchy and fibrous feedstuffs differ in their in vitro digestibility and fermentation characteristics and differently modulate gut microbiota of swineOA

Background: Alternative feedstuffs may contribute to reducing feed costs of pig production. But these feedstuffs are typically rich in fiber and resistant starch(RS). Dietary fibers and RS are fermented in the gastrointestinal tract(GIT) and modulate the microbial community. Certain microbes in the GIT can promote host health, depending on the type of fermentation substrates available. In this study, six alternative feedstuffs(three starchy: Okinawan sweet potato, OSP; yam, and taro, and three f...     

Associations between maternal vitamin D status and porcine litter characteristics throughout gestationOA

Emerging evidence suggests an important role of vitamin D in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy,and the regulation of foetal growth across mammalian species.However,the temporal changes in maternal vitamin D status throughout gestation in the pig and the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and litter characteristics of interest across gestation remain poorly understood and under-investigated.The abundance of 25(OH)D in maternal plasma was quantified by HPLC–MS/MS at gestat...     

Microbial and metabolomic mechanisms mediating the effects of dietary inulin and cellulose supplementation on porcine oocyte and uterine developmentOA

Background: Dietary fiber(DF) is often eschewed in swine diet due to its anti-nutritional effects, but DF is attracting growing attention for its reproductive benefits. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of DF intake level on oocyte maturation and uterine development, to determine the optimal DF intake for gilts, and gain microbial and metabolomic insight into the underlying mechanisms involved.Methods: Seventy-six Landrace × Yorkshire(LY) crossbred replacement gilts of s...     

Encapsulated peracetic acid as a valid broad-spectrum antimicrobial alternative,leading to beneficial microbiota compositional changes and enhanced performance in broiler chickensOA

Background Antimicrobial alternatives are urgently needed, including for poultry production systems. In this study, we tested the potential broad-range antimicrobial alternative peracetic acid, delivered in feed via the hydrolysis of encapsulated precursors through a 28-day study using 375 Ross 308 broiler chickens. We tested two peracetic acid concentrations, 30 and 80 mg/kg on birds housed on re-used litter, and we evaluated the impact of both levels on gut microbial communities, bacterial con...     

Maternal supply of cysteamine alleviates oxidative stress and enhances angiogenesis in porcine placentaOA

Background: Oxidative stress in placenta is associated with the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in sow,but there are few satisfactory treatment strategies for these conditions. This study investigated the potential of cysteamine(CS) as an antioxidant protectant for regulating the reproductive performance, redox status, and placental angiogenesis of sows.Methods: The placental oxidative stress status and vascular density of piglets with different birth weights: < 1.0 kg(low birth weig...     

The immune modifying effects of amino acids on gut-associated lymphoid tissue

The intestine and the gut-associated lymphoid tissue（GALT） are essential components of whole body immune defense,protecting the body from foreign antigens and pathogens,while allowing tolerance to commensal bacteria and dietary antigens.The requirement for protein to support the immune system is well established.Less is known regarding the immune modifying properties of individual amino acids,particularly on the GALT.Both oral and parenteral feeding studies have established convincing evidence that not only the total protein intake,but the availability of specific dietary amino acids（in particular glutamine,glutamate,and arginine,and perhaps methionine,cysteine and threonine） are essential to optimizing the immune functions of the intestine and the proximal resident immune cells.These amino acids each have unique properties that include,maintaining the integrity,growth and function of the intestine,as well as normalizing inflammatory cytokine secretion and improving T-lymphocyte numbers,specific T cell functions,and the secretion of IgA by lamina propria cells.Our understanding of this area has come from studies that have supplemented single amino acids to a mixed protein diet and measuring the effect on specific immune parameters.Future studies should be designed using amino acid mixtures that target a number of specific functions of GALT in order to optimize immune function in domestic animals and humans during critical periods of development and various disease states.     

Effect of the dietary supplementation with extracts of chestnut wood and grape pomace on performance and jejunum response in female and male broiler chickens at different agesOA

Background: Recently, interest in the use of herbs and phytogenic compounds has grown because of their potential role in the production and health of livestock animals. Among these compounds, several tannins have been tested in poultry, but those from chestnut wood and grape-industry byproducts have attracted remarkable interest. Thus, the present study aimed to gain further insights into the mechanisms involved in the response to the dietary supplementation with extracts of chestnut wood or gra...     

Effects of omega-3 supplementation on components of the endocannabinoid system and metabolic and inflammatory responses in adipose and liver of peripartum dairy cowsOA

Background: Dietary supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the activation of the endocannabinoid system(ECS) by decreasing the availability of arachidonic acid, thus lowering endocannabinoids(e CBs) levels. The ECS is a modulator of energy metabolism, stress response and inflammation in mammals, yet there is little information on the roles of the ECS in transition dairy cows. During the periparturient period, the adipose tissue and liver are the main metabolic organs that participate ...     

Implication and challenges of direct-fed microbial supplementation to improve ruminant production and healthOA

Direct-fed microbials(DFMs) are feed additives containing live naturally existing microbes that can benefit animals’ health and production performance. Due to the banned or strictly limited prophylactic and growth promoting usage of antibiotics, DFMs have been considered as one of antimicrobial alternatives in livestock industry.Microorganisms used as DFMs for ruminants usually consist of bacteria including lactic acid producing bacteria,lactic acid utilizing bacteria and other bacterial groups,...     

The circular RNA circCPE regulates myoblast development by sponging miR-138OA

Background: Skeletal muscle development, a long-term and complex process, is controlled by a set of the myogenic genes. Circular RNAs(circRNAs), a class of noncoding RNA, have been shown to regulate various biological processes. Recent studies indicate circRNAs may be involved in myogenesis, but the role and regulatory mechanism of circRNAs in myogenesis is largely unknown. In the present study, circCPE was firstly found to promote the bovine myoblast proliferation and inhibit cell apoptosis and...     

Effects of β-alanine on intestinal development and immune performance of weaned piglets

Beta-alanine is an important amino acid involved in several metabolic reactions in the body. The study aimed to investigate the effect of β-alanine supplementation on intestinal development and the immune performance of weaned piglets. Thirty-two 21-day-old healthy weaned piglets(half female and half male; Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with an initial body weight of 8.11 ± 0.21 kg were randomly divided into 4 groups with 8 replicates of 1 pig each. The control group was fed a basal diet and the ...     

Pretreatment with probiotics Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 11181 attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium-induced gut injury through modulating intestinal microbiome and immune responses with barrier function in broiler chickensOA

Background:Preventing Salmonella infection and colonization in young birds is key to improving poultry gut health and reducing Salmonella contamination of poultry products and decreasing salmonellosis for human consumption(poultry meat and eggs).Probiotics can improve poultry health.The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of a probiotics,Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 11181(E.faecium NCIMB 11181) on the intestinal mucosal immune responses,microbiome and barrier function in the pres...     

Extracellular vesicles from oviductal and uterine fluids supplementation in sequential in vitro culture improves bovine embryo qualityOA

Background: In vitro production of bovine embryos is a well-established technology, but the in vitro culture(IVC)system still warrants improvements, especially regarding embryo quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of extracellular vesicles(EVs) isolated from oviductal(OF) and uterine fluid(UF) in sequential IVC on the development and quality of bovine embryos. Zygotes were cultured in SOF supplemented with either BSA or EVs-depleted fetal calf serum(dFCS) in the presence(BSA-EV and d...     

Sulforaphane prevents LPS-induced inflamm tion by regulating the Nrf2-mediated autophagy pathway in goat mammary epithelial cells and a mouse model of mastitisOA

Background Mastitis not only deteriorates the composition or quality of milk, but also damages the health and productivity of dairy goats. Sulforaphane(SFN) is a phytochemical isothiocyanate compound with various pharmacological effects such as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. However, the effect of SFN on mastitis has yet to be elucidated.This study aimed to explore the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and potential molecular mechanisms of SFN in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced pri...     

Effects of Compound Preparation of Chinese Herbal Extract on Performance,Immune and Antioxidant Function and Ruminal Bacterial Flora of Cows with High Somatic Cell Count In Milk北大核心CSCD

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of compound preparation of Chinese herbal extract on performance, immune and antioxidant function and ruminal bacterial flora of cows with high somatic cell count (SCC) in milk. Ten transitional Holstein cows with similar body condition, lactation period, milk yield and milk SCC higher than 500 000 cells / mL were selected and divided into control group [milk SCC = (97.48±23.75) ten thousand cells / mL] and experimental group [milk SCC = (98. 78 ± 29. 92) ten thousand cells / mL] based on the principle of similar milk SCC, each group contained 5 cows, and cows in 2 groups were not treated with medication. The control group was fed a total mixed ration (TMR), and the experimental was fed the TMR+54 g / (d.head) compound preparation of Chinese herbal extract. The experiment lasted for 35 days. The results showed as follows: 1) compared with the control group, the addition of compound preparation of Chinese herbal extract in the diet significantly decreased the SCC in milk at days 14 and 28 of cows with high SCC in milk (P<0.05), but had no significant effects on milk yield, milk composition and nutrient apparent digestibility (P>0.05) . 2) Compared with the control group, the addition of compound preparation of Chinese herbal extract in the diet significantly increased the contents of immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in serum of cows with high SCC in milk (P<0.05), and significantly decreased the serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) content (P<0.05) . 3) Compared with the control group, the addition of compound preparation of Chinese herbal extract in the diet significantly decreased the proportions of Actinobacteria, Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-001 and Ruminococcus_gauvreauii_group in rumen of cows with high SCC in milk (P < 0. 05), and significantly increased the rumen Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 proportion (P<0.05) . It is concluded that the addition of compound preparation of Chinese herbal extract in the diet can reduce the SCC in milk, increase the immune function, and improve the rumen bacterial flora composition of cows with high SCC in milk. © 2023 Authors. All rights reserved.