The nutritional status of pregnant and non-pregnant mares grazing South East Queensland pastures

It has been reported that the increasing nutritional demands from mid to late pregnancy of grazing mares may not be met when these stages of gestation coincide with pastures being affected by frost. It was established in this study that grass/legume pastures could support the nutritional requirements of brood mares by providing digestible energy intakes of 68.0 and 91.7 MJ/day and digestible nitrogen intake of 91.2 and 138 g/day during mid and late pregnancy, respectively.     

The effects of maternal health and body condition on the endocrine responses of neonatal foals

Reasons for performing the study: Chronic and acute alterations in maternal nutrient intake during pregnancy alter pancreatic and hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis function in the offspring, before and after birth. Little is known about these effects. Objective: To determine whether maternal nutrient restriction caused by natural infection with Streptococcus equi altered endocrine function in neonatal foals born from mares fed a maintenance or high plane of nutrition throughout pregnancy. Methods: Ten primiparous mares received either a diet to maintain moderate body condition score (Moderate, n = 5) or a near ad libitum feeding regime to maintain a high body condition score (High, n = 5) throughout pregnancy. All mares inadvertently became infected with Streptococcus equi in mid gestation and lost approximately 10% body mass. Results: Maternal insulin and glucose concentrations decreased (P<0.05) during, and one month following, the weight loss period. High mares weighed more (P<0.05) at parturition than Moderate mares; all foals were healthy. Gestational age, foal bodyweights, placental and clinical parameters after birth were no different between the 2 groups. Foal plasma cortisol and glucose responses to exogenous adrenocorticotrophic hormone and insulin, respectively, were similar for both groups. Insulin concentrations during glucose tolerance test were significantly higher (P<0.05) in foals from Moderate than High mares and compared with foals studied previously from healthy, well‐fed mares, suggesting that the β cell sensitivity to glucose was enhanced in Moderate. Conclusion: Acute nutrient restriction in mid gestation caused by maternal illness and inappetence, superimposed on a maintenance feed intake throughout pregnancy, enhanced insulin secretion to glucose in foals. Nutritional programming of pancreatic β cells, but not the HPA axis, appeared to depend on the level of nutrition before and after the weight loss period. Potential relevance: Disturbances in neonatal pancreatic β cell function programmed during pregnancy may predispose foals to metabolic problems in later life.     

Onset of luteal activity in non-foaling mares during the early breeding season in Finland.

The luteal activity in mares was studied in the Equine Research Station (ERS) and in trotting stables (TS) in South-Finland. The mares were Standardbreeds in the TS and mainly Finnhorses in the ERS. Between January and June blood was collected once a week for serum progesterone determinations. The mares in the ERS were distributed in 1 of 3 groups: three-years old not yet in training (N = 38), brood mares (N = 21) and mares in training (N = 47). A 4th group was the mares in training in the trotting stables (N = 73). Every 5th mare in the ERS and every 4th mare in the trotting stables were cycling already at the beginning of the year. Onset of luteal activity in anoestrous mares was most common in the middle of May. Over 95% of the mares were cycling at the beginning of June. In the ERS 40% of the Finnhorse mares in training were cycling through the winter. The three-years old and the brood mares were all anoestrous during winter. They started to cycle on average before the middle of May. Anoestrous training mares started before the middle of April. Anoestrous Finnhorse mares began to cycle later than warm blooded mares in all of the groups studied. Mares which had foaled the previous year were more often anoestrous during the winter than dry mares. The time of year when cycling began in a particular mare tended to be the same from year to year (p less than 0.01).     

The Problem Mare: Management Philosophy,Diagnostic Procedures,and Therapeutic Options

Problem mares are a commonly encountered challenge in brood mare practice. The first step in management of a mare with a reproductive issue is to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Components of a systematic diagnostic evaluation are discussed. The optimal treatment strategy should be based on results of the diagnostic tests. Successful interactions with problem mares are usually contingent upon a committed and detail-oriented approach to diagnostics, therapeutics, and breeding management.     

Psittacine nutrition.

Nutrition is defined as it relates to deficiencies, toxicities, and physiological states in birds. Levels of some nutrient requirements are given along with signs of deficiency. Signs of toxicity and the levels of nutrients required to produce them are discussed for energy, calcium, and protein. Behavioral aspects of nutrition in weaning, obesity, and dietary changes are characterized. The role of nutrition in diseases such as infection, hemochromatosis, achromatosis, gout, liver disease, and kidney disease are discussed.     

猪营养与营养源

营养对生物性状的表达、生产性能、经济效益有着明显的影响。营养的全部内涵包括营养素、营养源、营养水平和营养组合。营养及营养源的重要性有待深入认识。本文以猪为例,在讨论营养重要性的基础上,总结了近年来本研究室在营养源方面的研究进展,以推动这方面的深入研究。     

Nutrition of rodents.

Access to a diet that provides adequate nutrition is one of the most important environmental factors influencing the well-being of rodent colonies. The dietary ingredient and nutrient composition, as well as the potential biological and chemical contaminant concentrations, are factors for consideration in selecting diets for a specific rodent colony. Estimated nutrient requirements have been published for the rodent species that are commonly used in biomedical research. The nutrient concentrations in adequate diets for other captive rodent species that are not used in biomedical research are more difficult to obtain. However, reasonable estimates of their nutrient requirements can be obtained by extrapolation of data from rodent species of a similar metabolic weight and size or from nutrient concentrations of diets that have a history of acceptable performance in the species of interest. Captive rodent colonies should be provided with nutritionally balanced diets with only limited amounts of succulent foodstuffs. The practice of feeding rodent colonies specific cereal grains is discouraged, since no single grain provides a balanced rodent diet.     

The probable identification of monozygous twin embryos in mares

Observations based upon ultrasonic examination in early pregnancy of over 6000 brood mares between 1988 and 1995 identified 956 sets of multiple pregnancies. Ovaries of all mares were examined during estrus and up to four days after ovulation, and again at early (13 to 17 days) and later pregnancy diagnoses. By detailed recording of all identifiable follicles and corpora lutea, it was concluded that 18 twin and seven triplet pregnancies resulted from only single and double ovulations, respectively. The apparent incidence of monozygous twin embryos was at least 2.6%.     

Acute Insulin-induced Hypoglycaemia does not alter IGF-1 and LH Release in Cyclic Mares

Lactation in the mare is associated with changes in the release of metabolic as well as reproductive hormones. Plasma glucose concentration is constantly reduced in lactating compared with non-lactating mares. Several metabolic signals have been proposed to link nutrition and somatic metabolism with reproductive function. The following experiment was performed to study the effect of acute hypoglycaemia on the release of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in cyclic mares. Different doses of insulin (0.1 and 0.2 IU/kg body weight) were given to induce a decrease in plasma glucose concentration, as existent in lactating mares. All horses treated with insulin developed a hypoglycaemia over a time period of nearly 10 h. The IGF-1 and LH were analysed before and after insulin administration. At no point of time, a significant difference between the two insulin treatments and the control treatment was observed. Therefore, the hypoglycaemic horse is apparently able to provide the brain with sufficient glucose. Short-term hypoglycaemia does not affect the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis, and concentrations of IGF-1 and LH remained stable during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. An acute change in plasma glucose concentration is thus not or at least not the only metabolic signal that links nutrition and somatic metabolism with reproductive function in the horse mare.     

Onset of luteal activity in foaling and seasonally anoestrous mares treated with artificial light.

Sixty-four mares (27 foaling, 37 barren or maiden), mainly Finnhorses, were subjected to treatment with 14.5 h of light and 9.5 h of darkness, starting at the beginning of December. The onset of cycling in non-foaling mares was estimated by weekly serum progesterone determinations. All of the non-foaling mares cycled in the middle of March. They started to cycle on average in the middle of February, 11.1 weeks after the beginning of the trial. There were statistically significant differences in relation to breed (Finnhorses started to cycle 2 weeks later than warm blooded, p less than 0.02) and in relation to age (brood mares with mean age 10 years, started to cycle 10 days later than those 3 years old, p less than 0.03). However, there was no statistical significant relation to previous lactation, although lactating mares lactating up to the previous autumn started to cycle 7 days later than dry mares (p less than 0.15). Artificial insemination of 14 mares in the 2nd oestrus of the year, in March, resulted in 12 foalings in the subsequent year (86%). The following winter, all pregnant mares (N = 27) were exposed to the same kind of light treatment, starting on 1st December. The 1st mare foaled at the end of January. The time from foaling to 1st post partum ovulation was significantly longer (17.0 days) in foalings taking place within 10 weeks from the beginning of the light treatment period, than in foalings occurring after more than 10 weeks of lighting (12.1 days) (p less than 0.01).     

Progresses on Personalized Nutritional Evaluation and Recommendation

Health is maintained by a state of dynamic homeostasis in which nutrient intake and ex- penditure are of good balance. Therefore, it is important to know exactly the nutritional value of food sources, as well as the nutritional requirements of individuals, in order to achieve optimal nutrition. Considering the interaction between diet and individual back- ground, nutritional evaluation and recommendation has become a complicate issue needing further investigations. While traditional nutrition research has made significant progress in population nutrition, modern nutrition research is now becoming possible to focus on personalized nutrition in health promotion, disease prevention, performance improvement, and risk assessment of individual with the development of emerging omics technologies. This review tried to summarize the methods used in nutritional evaluation and recom- mendation as well as their applications. Though personal nutrition evaluation and recommendation are still not well-established, utilization of these advanced technologies may expand our knowledge in bioavailability and bioefficacy of diet ingredients, pathophysiological changes in response to dietary intervention, as well as nutrition-associated disease biomarkers discovery, and thus contributing to personalized nutrition.     

圈养野生动物营养研究进展

动物营养学是一门阐明营养物质摄入与生命活动之间关系的科学。目前,动物营养学在家畜家禽养殖研究上较为深入,而在圈养野生动物中只在近几十年才取得一些成果。本文主要在野生动物营养研究方法、野生动物营养评价方法和圈养野生动物营养需求三个方面进行阐述,并结合家畜家禽的研究进展进行综述。很多野生动物营养研究是基于家畜家禽的研究,但野生动物又有别于家畜家禽,因此圈养野生动物营养的科学与均衡应该是野生动物饲养工作中的最主要问题。     

Estrus, ovulation, and serum progesterone, estradiol, and LH concentrations in mares after an increased photoperiod during winter

On December 11, 1974, 15 seasonally anestrous mares were assigned at random to 1 of 3 experimental groups: outdoor-control, indoor-control, or indoor light-treated (a 16-hour photo-period). This experiment was terminated on April 21, 1975. The five mares in the indoor light-treated group ovulated 59.0+/-6.9 days later, which was 74 days earlier (P less than 0.01) than 2 of the 5 outdoor-controls (the other 3 ovulated after April 21 during a subsequent experiment) and 50 days earlier (P less than 0.05) than the indoor-controls. Durations of the 1st estrus for the 3 groups of mares were 13.3+/-3.6, 8.4+/-2.0, and 6.0+/-1.0 days for the indoor light-treated, indoor-control, and outdoor-control groups, respectively. The indoor light-treated mares averaged 4.2 estrous cycles before April 21, the indoor-control mares averaged 1.4 estrous cycles, and 2 of 5 outdoor-control mares ovulated 1 time during the experiment. The peripheral blood luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, and progesterone concentrations were minimal during winter anestrous. The hormone changes normally associated with estrous cycle activity in mares--maximal estradiol and luteinizing hormone concentrations near ovulation and maximal progesterone concentration during diestrus--were observed in all mares beginning at the 1st estrus. Hair loss was observed earlier in the light-treated mares, than in either of the other groups. In conclusion, a 16-hour photo-period initiated in early December for anestrous brood mares caused endocrinologically normal estrous cycles to begin within 2 months. This may allow breeding and foaling considerably earlier than normally expected.     

Dietary yeast culture supplementation of mares during late gestation and early lactation: Effects on milk production, milk composition, weight gain and linear growth of nursing foals

This study examined the effects of dietary supplementation of pregnant and lactating mares with concentrated dried live yeast culture on the nutrient content and rate of production of milk during early lactation and on the growth of their nursing foals. Pregnant mares were fed the same diets, with or without 20 g/day of yeast culture, from 4 weeks before foaling through the eighth week of lactation. Milk production at the onset of lactation, as measured by the weigh-suckle-weigh technique, was significantly stimulated by yeast culture supplementation, although the effect was only temporary. However, the nutrient composition of mares milk was altered by continued yeast culture supplementation through at least the eighth week of lactation. Gross energy (kcal/100 g milk), sugar, fat, protein and total amino acid contents (g/100 g milk) were significantly increased. The concentrations of a number of individual amino acids tended to be greater in the milk of supplemented mares, but most of these individual differences were not statistically significant. The intakes of energy (Mcal/day), sugars, fat, protein, total amino acids, leucine, lysine, serine and valine (g/day) were significantly greater by the foals nursing supplemented mares through 8 weeks. The foals nursing supplemented mares exhibited significantly greater rates of gain by the fourth week of life, and faster growth at the withers after 6 weeks. The efficiency of converting mare feed to neonatal body mass was 24% greater in the foals of supplemented mares, These data indicate that supplementing mares with dietary yeast culture during early lactation resulted in more efficient and rapid growth of their nurslings.     

猪饲料和营养研究进展

作者针对猪饲料营养价值评定、营养需要量及配方设计技术等方面,概述了当前的进展与趋势。猪饲料能量的评定指标正从消化能、代谢能体系过渡到净能体系;氨基酸生物学效价指标从表观消化率过渡到具有实际应用价值的氮校正回肠氨基酸消化率等。在猪的营养需要量的研究方法上,从过去的列表法向以影响猪养分需要的各种参数为驱动的数学模型预测养分过渡,在营养需要的指标上增加了净能和氮校正回肠氨基酸需要量等,且新增的养分指标纳入配方设计与饲养实践条件基本具备。     

不同品种泌乳母马不同泌乳月产奶量及乳成分的比较

[目的]研究伊犁马和哈萨克马泌乳母马在不同泌乳月产奶量及乳成分的差异,为开发利用伊犁马和哈萨克马乳用特性提供参考。[方法]随机选择年龄和胎次相近、产驹时间接近、健康的伊犁母马和哈萨克母马各12匹,在日粮营养水平和饲养管理水平相同的条件下,记录2个品种母马在泌乳30、60、90 d的产奶量;采集乳样,测定2个品种母马不同泌乳时间的乳中体细胞数、乳脂率、乳蛋白率、乳糖率和总固形物含量。[结果]泌乳30 d时,哈萨克马的产奶量高于伊犁马（P>0.05）,乳脂率极显著（P<0.01）高于伊犁马,乳中体细胞数显著（P<0.05）高于伊犁马,其他乳成分指标高于伊犁马（P>0.05）。泌乳60 d时,伊犁马的产奶量和乳糖率极显著（P<0.01）高于哈萨克马,乳脂率和乳蛋白率高于哈萨克马（P>0.05）,乳中体细胞数和总固形物含量低于哈萨克马（P>0.05）。泌乳90 d时,伊犁马的产奶量显著（P<0.05）高于哈萨克马,乳糖率、总固形物含量极显著（P<0.01）高于哈萨克马,乳脂率和乳体细胞数极显著（P<0.01）低于哈萨克马,乳蛋白率高于哈萨克马（P>0.05）。[结论]泌乳初期（30 d）,哈萨克马的产奶量和乳营养成分含量高于伊犁马;泌乳中期（60、90 d）,伊犁马的泌乳性能整体优于哈萨克马。在观察期内,哈萨克马的乳体细胞数大于伊犁马。     

Evaluation of practical dry dog foods suitable for all life stages

We evaluated the nutritional adequacy of 2 dry-type commercially prepared dog diets by use of a gestation/lactation/growth protocol outlined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Both diets were formulated to contain minimal concentrations of nutrients, compared with canine nutrient requirements listed in the 1974 or 1985 National Research Council publications. Although there were no significant differences in the performance of dogs fed either diet, only one of the diets (diet 2) passed the complete life-stage protocol test. The nutritional profile of diet 1 was only sufficient to support a claim of complete and balanced nutrition for adult maintenance. Any commercial dry dog food meeting the nutrient levels in diet 2, and of similar nutrient bioavailability, should also pass an Association of American Feed Control Officials complete life-stage protocol test.     

Recent Advances in Swine Amino Acid Nutrition

Recent advances in swine protein nutrition are characterized by the development of functional amino acids (AA) in regulating fetal and postnatal survival, growth and development. These AA include arginine, glutamine, glutamate, proline, leucine, cysteine and tryptophan. Due to limited knowledge on AA nutrition, pork producers have traditionally paid little attention to supplementing the arginine family of AA to swine diets. Results of recent studies indicate that functional AA serve important regulatory functions in nutrient metabolism, protein turnover, and immune function, therefore enhancing efficiency of feed utilization by pigs. The underlying mechanisms include activation of nitric oxide, mammalian target of rapamycin, gaseous signaling, and AMP-activated protein kinase pathways, as well as anti-oxidative function. Dietary supplementation with arginine, glutamine, proline or leucine to weanling piglets enhances their growth performance. Arginine or glutamine is also effective in increasing milk production by lactating sows. Furthermore, supplementing arginine to the diet of pregnant gilts between days 30 and 114 of gestation increases the number of live-born piglets and litter birth-weight. Availability of feed-grade functional AA holds great promise for improving animal health and nutrient utilization in pig production worldwide. Additionally, feedstuffs of animal origin [e.g., blood meal (ring dried), feather meal (hydrolyzed), meat and bone meal, porcine protein meal, and poultry by-product meal (both feed- and petfood-grades)] are excellent and cost-effective sources of both essential and functional AA for formulating balanced swine diets. New knowledge on AA nutrition provides a much needed scientific basis for revising the next edition of swine nutrient requirements.     

HYPERLIPAEMIA IN PONIES

SUMMARY The case histories and clinical findings of 15 ponies with hyperlipaemia are presented. The disease was characterised by hyperlipidaemia with inappetance, progressing somnolence, muscle fasciculation, diarrhoea, and ventral oedema as the predominant clinical findings. Post mortem examinations of 12 ponies showed extensive lipidosis and vascular thrombosis with widespread secondary changes. Most cases occurred in late pregnant and early lactating mares in the summer months and it is postulated that the disease was initiated in this group by a falling nutritional plane in the face of high nutrient requirements.     

Recent Advances in Swine Amino Acid Nutrition

Recent advances in swine protein nutrition are characterized by the development of functional amino acids(AA)in regulating fetal and postnatal survival,growth and development. These AA include arginine,glutamine,glutamate,proline,leucine, cysteine and tryptophan. Due to limited knowledge on AA nutrition,pork producers have traditionally paid little attention to supplementing the arginine family of AA to swine diets. Results of recent studies indicate that functional AA serve important regulatory functions in nutrient metabolism,protein turnover, and immune function,therefore enhancing efficiency of feed utilization by pigs. The underlying mechanisms include activation of nitric oxide,mammalian target of rapamycin,gaseous signaling,and AMP-activated protein kinase pathways, as well as anti-oxidative function. Dietary supplementation with arginine,glutamine, proline or leucine to weanling piglets enhances their growth performance. Arginine or glutamine is also effective in increasing milk production by lactating sows. Furthermore,supplementing arginine to the diet of pregnant gilts between days 30 and 114 of gestation increases the number of live-born piglets and litter birth-weight. Availability of feed-grade functional AA holds great promise for improving animal health and nutrient utilization in pig production worldwide. Additionally, feedstuffs of animal origin[e. g. , blood meal (ring dried),feather meal(hydrolyzed),meat and bone meal, porcine protein meal,and poultry by-product meal(both feed- and petfood-grades )]are excellent and cost-effective sources of both essential and functional AA for formulating balanced swine diets.New knowledge on AA nutrition provides a much needed scientific basis for revising the next edition of swine nutrient requirements.