The nutritional value of salseed (Shorea robusta) meal for growing chicks

1. Salseed meal contains 98 g crude protein, 22 g ether extractives, 450 g available carbohydrate and 117 g tannins per kg.

2. From the chemical analysis the metabolisable energy (ME) content of salseed meal would be expected to be 11.22 MJ/kg. In vivo assay with chicks yielded values considerably less than this, 7.1 MJ/kg being found at an inclusion rate of 150 g/kg diet.

3. As the inclusion rate of salseed meal was increased to 300 g/kg, dietary ME and the digestion and retention of dietary protein decreased.

4. More than 50 g salseed meal/kg in the diet of chicks resulted in poor growth rate and food conversion.     

Effects of organic zinc and phytase supplementation in a maize-soybean meal diet on the performance and tissue zinc content of broiler chicks

1. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Bioplex Zn (a chelated zinc proteinate) and phytase supplementation in a maize-soybean meal diet on the performance and tissue zinc (Zn) content of broiler chicks. Treatment structure consisted of a 2 x 6 factorial arrangement with two inclusions of phytase (0 or 500 PU/kg) and 6 of Bioplex Zn providing 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 mg Zn/kg diet. A total of 864 chicks were randomly assigned to each of 12 dietary treatments with 6 replicate cages of 12 chicks. 2. Dietary inclusion of phytase increased feed intake, weight gain, plasma Zn content, tibia Zn content, tibia and ash weight. 3. Dietary supplementation of Bioplex Zn linearly increased feed intake, weight gain, gain to feed ratio, plasma Zn concentration, liver Zn concentration, tibia Zn content, tibia and ash weight. 4. An interactive effect of phytase and Bioplex Zn on feed intake, weight gain, tibia Zn concentration and tibia ash weight was found. 5. One slope, straight broken-line analysis of weight gain regressed on the supplemental Zn level provided as Bioplex Zn indicated that 12 mg/kg supplemental Zn without phytase and 7.4 mg/kg supplemental Zn with phytase were required for the optimal weight gain of chicks.     

Replacement of soybean meal with levels of inclusion of soya waste in the diet of growing goats

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of replacing soybean meal with soya waste at different levels on intake, digestibility and growth in goats. Eighteen male goat kids with initial body weight (BW) of 13.0 kg were distributed equally to three dietary groups. They were fed Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and concentrate mixture, and each goat was assigned to an individual pen. Soybean meal in the concentrate mixture was replaced with soya waste at 0% (T1), 50% (T2) and 100% (T3) levels in respective dietary groups. These diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Results showed that animals fed T3 diet exhibited higher Napier grass intake than those fed T1 or T2 diet. There was no influence on total intakes of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), metabolic BW, per cent BW and metabolisable energy by the dietary groups. However, there was an increasing trend on intake and digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) with increasing levels of soya waste in the diets. Animals fed T3 diet showed higher intake and digestibility of NDF than those fed T1 diet. There was no influence of the dietary groups on digestibilities of DM, OM and CP. Similarly, there was no effect of them on the final BW, total BW gain, daily BW gain, feed conversion ratio and feed cost. Soya waste can replace 100% soybean meal in diets for growing goats, because no change was observed in nutrient intake, digestibility and growth performance; inclusion of soya waste enhanced the intake and digestibility of NDF.

     

高棉籽粕饲料饲喂肉用仔鸡效果试验

棉籽粕中的毒素成分以棉酚为主 ,对动物造成毒害作用的是游离棉酚。棉酚容易和二价阳离子 ,比如铁离子 (Ｆｅ2 )结合形成螯合物 ,这些鳌合物在动物肠道内不易被吸收 ,因此可以防止棉酚的毒性。在实际生产中 ,人们常把硫酸亚铁作为棉籽粕的脱毒剂。营养研究表明 ,微量元素之间的平衡与否 ,对动物的生长与机体健康非常重要 ,若只在饲料中增加某种微量元素的含量 ,其结果往往顾此失彼 ,动物不仅不能正常生长 ,严重时还将引发疾病。这也许正是导致硫酸亚铁不能完全解决棉籽粕毒素问题的原因。本试验旨在根据营养平衡原理 ,设计一种复合添加剂 ,…     

Effect of inclusion of defatted grape seed meal in the diet on digestion and performance of growing rabbits

The digestion and nutritive value of defatted grape seed meal (DGSM) was investigated. A basal diet was formulated to meet requirements of growing rabbits. Another diet was formulated by substituting 15.2% of the basal diet with DGSM. Two hundred eight weaned 30-d-old rabbits were fed these diets, and fattening performance was recorded. Eighty animals were used to study the effect of DGSM inclusion on cecal fermentation traits and intestinal disaccharidase activity at two ages (5 and 35 d after weaning). Fecal apparent digestibility of nutrients was measured in 18 rabbits. A third diet was formulated to contain DGSM (61.3%) as the sole source of fiber and a supplement consisting of wheat flour, casein, lard, and a mixture of vitamins and minerals to avoid nutrient imbalances. This semipurified diet was used to determine cecal digestion traits, disaccharidase activity in the small intestine, fecal apparent digestibility of nutrients, and rate of passage in 70-d-old rabbits. Digestible energy and NDF and CP digestibilities of DGSM calculated by difference were 5.51 +/- 0.89 MJ/kg DM, 24.5 +/- 5.76%, and 46.8 +/- 14.9%, respectively. Inclusion of 15% of DGSM in the basal diet increased ADFI in finishing rabbits (from 9 to 15%; P < 0.05), so that DE intake increased although dietary DE concentration decreased. As a consequence, ADG increased by 3.3% in the whole fattening period (P = 0.046). The increase in ADFI was parallel to an 8% decrease in the weight of cecal contents (P = 0.059), and it was in agreement with the relatively short cecal mean retention time of DGSM (7.61 h) in the semipurified diet. Inclusion of 15% of DGSM in the basal diet did not affect (P > or = 0.20) mortality (10.1%) or cecal concentrations of VFA, NH3 N, or cecal pH either at 5 d (71.9 mM, 17.7 mM, and 5.75, respectively) or at 35 d after weaning (74.6 mM, 10.1 mM, and 5.66, respectively) but improved the sucrase activity in the ileum by 36% (P = 0.031). Digestibility of NDF of DGSM in the semipurified diet was 8.57%, which agrees with the low acidity and weight of cecal contents of animals fed this diet (6.26 and 3.63% BW, respectively). From these results, we conclude that DGSM has a relatively high DE concentration and its inclusion at moderate levels (15%) in the diet exerts a positive effect on ADFI, DE intake, and ADG with no impairment of cecal fermentation and mortality.     

蚯蚓粉替代鱼粉对罗氏沼虾生长性能的影响

本试验旨在研究日粮中不同比例蚯蚓粉替代鱼粉对罗氏沼虾生长性能的影响.试验采用单因子设计,选取200尾罗氏沼虾幼虾,随机分为5组,即Ⅰ组(0%蚯蚓粉+100%鱼粉)、Ⅱ组(10%蚯蚓粉+90%鱼粉)、Ⅲ组(20蚯蚓粉+80%鱼粉)、Ⅳ组(30%蚯蚓粉+70%鱼粉)、Ⅴ组(40%蚯蚓粉+60%鱼粉),每组4个重复,每个重复...     

Effects of dietary Tenebrio molitor meal inclusion in free‐range chickens

Insects are currently being considered as a novel protein source for animal feeds, because they contain a large amount of protein. The larvae of Tenebrio molitor (TM) have been shown to be an acceptable protein source for broiler chickens in terms of growth performance, but till now, no data on histological or intestinal morphometric features have been reported. This study has had the aim of evaluating the effects of dietary TM inclusion on the performance, welfare, intestinal morphology and histological features of free‐range chickens. A total of 140 medium‐growing hybrid female chickens were free‐range reared and randomly allotted to two dietary treatments: (i) a control group and (ii) a TM group, in which TM meal was included at 75 g/kg. Each group consisted of five pens as replicates, with 14 chicks per pen. Growth performance, haematological and serum parameters and welfare indicators were evaluated, and the animals were slaughtered at the age of 97 days. Two birds per pen (10 birds/treatment) were submitted to histological (liver, spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, kidney, heart, glandular stomach and gut) and morphometric (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) investigations. The inclusion of TM did not affect the growth performance, haematological or serum parameters. The morphometric and histological features were not significantly affected either, thus suggesting no influence on nutrient metabolization, performance or animal health. Glandular stomach alterations (chronic flogosis with epithelial squamous metaplasia) were considered paraphysiological in relation to free‐range farming. The observed chronic intestinal flogosis, with concomitant activation of the lymphoid tissue, was probably due to previous parasitic infections, which are very frequently detected in free‐range chickens. In conclusion, the findings of this study show that yellow mealworm inclusion does not affect the welfare, productive performances or morphological features of free‐range chickens, thus confirming that TM can be used safely in poultry diets.     

Protein synthesis in the liver and breast muscle of chicks fed on a high protein diet

1. The influence of feeding a high protein diet containing 400 g crude protein (CP)/kg on liver and breast muscle protein synthesis in chicks was investigated using a large dose injection of l‐[4 ‐³H]phenylalanine.

2. Liver weight of chicks fed on the high protein diet was significantly heavier than that of chicks fed on a control diet with 200 g CP/kg, and breast muscle weight was not affected by the treatment.

3. Fractional and absolute protein synthesis rates, RNA and protein contents, and RNA:protein ratio of breast muscle were not influenced by feeding the high protein diet.

4. Feeding the high protein diet decreased fractional synthesis rate of liver protein, an observation explained by reduced RNA:protein ratio. Liver protein content was elevated by feeding the high protein diet and this resulted in no change in the absolute synthesis rate of liver protein.     

Effects of age and diet on the viscosity of intestinal contents in broiler chicks.

1. A standard methodology was developed for the determination of the viscosity of digesta in broiler chickens. 2. The best variables considered for use (those which gave the most consistent results) were: digesta obtained from the foregut area (defined as the region from the pancreas to Meckel's diverticulum) using a minimum of 6 replicates and offering experimental diets for 5 d before slaughter at 25 d of age. 3. There was evidence that the viscosity of digesta obtained from the hindgut (defined as the region between Meckel's diverticulum and the ileo-caecal junction) was reduced the longer the birds were fed on one diet, suggesting possible dietary acclimatisation. Hindgut digesta viscosity from birds fed on a barley-based diet over a longer period was 10% to 30% less than that of birds fed for 5 d. 4. There was an apparent reduction in viscosity with age of bird up to 45 d of age, with hindgut digesta viscosity from birds fed on barley-based diets falling from 20.6 cps at 25 d to 9.8 cps at 45 d. 5. In an assessment of the procedure developed, the following digesta viscosities were obtained at 25 d: 3.1 cps (wheat-based diet, foregut), 19.8 cps (barley-based diet, foregut), 5.7 cps (wheat-based diet, hindgut), 22.8 cps (barley-based diet, hindgut).     

饲喂全棉籽影响奶牛生产性能和血液指标的研究进展

我国饲料资源日渐紧缺,开发利用新的资源很关键,如果可以将产量丰富的农副产品—棉籽广泛应用于奶牛养殖,这将大大提高经济效益。文章综述了国内外棉籽应用于奶牛生产的试验研究,包括对奶牛生产性能、繁殖性能和血液指标的影响,旨在为奶牛养殖提供理论依据。     

Guar meal ameliorates Eimeria tenella infection in broiler chicks

Guar meal contains relatively high levels of saponins, which are known to have antiprotozoal activity and may be effective against coccidiosis. A 2x2 factorial experiment investigated the impact of guar meal (0 or 5%) corn-soy-based starter broiler diets on chicks unchallenged or challenged with Eimeria tenella. At 1 day of age, 120 unsexed RossxRoss broiler chicks were randomly distributed among four treatment groups. Chicks were challenged with 5x10(3) sporulated oocysts of E. tenella in 0.5ml at 10 days of age by oral gavage. Weekly body weight, body weight gains, feed conversion ratio and mortality rate were recorded for chicks fed from 0 to 21 days of age. Oocysts shed per gram feces were recorded from 6 to 10 days post-challenge. Results showed that challenged chicks fed 0% guar meal had significantly higher oocysts per gram shed in feces than the other groups. No significant differences among treatment groups in mortality rate were observed. Body weights of unchallenged and challenged chicks fed 0% guar meal were significantly higher than those fed 5% guar meal at 2 weeks of age. Results indicated that including 5% guar meal in the diet of chicks challenged with E. tenella decreased oocysts shed per gram feces and prevented bloody diarrhea, but without affects on body weight and feed conversion ratio at 11 days post-challenge.     

Effects of high ambient temperature on plasma metabolomic profiles in chicks

Exposure to high ambient temperature is detrimental to the poultry industry. To understand the influence from a metabolic perspective, we investigated the effects of exposure to high ambient temperature on plasma low‐molecular‐weight metabolite levels in chicks using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry‐based non‐targeted metabolomic analysis. Heat exposure for 4 days suppressed growth and food intake. Of the 92 metabolites identified, the levels of 29 decreased, whereas the levels of nine increased. We performed an enrichment analysis on the identified metabolites and found 35 candidates for metabolic processes affected by heat exposure. Among them, the sulfur amino acid metabolic pathway was clearly detected and the levels of the following related metabolites were decreased: cystathionine, cysteine, cystine, homocysteine and hypotaurine. Changes in the kynurenine pathway in tryptophan metabolism, which is linked to the immune system and oxidative stress, were also observed: kynurenine and quinolinic acid levels increased, whereas nicotinamide levels decreased. These results suggest the possible involvement of various metabolic processes in heat‐exposed chicks. Some of these metabolites would be important to understand the mechanism of biological responses to high ambient temperature in chicks.     

Effect of addition oral contraceptives in chicks diet

Contraceptives are used in poultry production aiming to increase the profit. The present study resulting in some data revealed that the application of contraceptive pills in chicks diet is negatively affecting the chick performance as shown from the insignificant (P greater than or equal to 0.05) decrease of body gain, feed conversion efficiency, deposit fat percent, liver weight percent and blood glucose content. Dressing percentage and total edible parts percentages, did not differ significantly (P greater than 0.05). Biochemical parameters in blood were measured and the results are discussed.     

Increase in resistance to acute experimental coli-septicaemia in chicks given high levels of ferrous sulphate in the diet.

The resistance of chicks to coli-septicaemia following injection of approximately 10(8) cells of Escherichia coli O78 was found to be appreciably increased in terms of mortality by the supplementation of their diet with 360 mg/kg or more of iron in the form of commercial hydrated ferrous sulphate. This was related to an increase in the plasma iron levels. The results suggest that increased resistance to infection could be partly achieved by correcting the hypoferraemia which has previously been shown to be produced in chickens by injections of E coli endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results also showed that haematological disturbances in survivors of coli-septicaemia can persist for up to at least 30 days after infection.     

酵母蛋白粉替代肉鸡日粮中鱼粉的效果研究

选用1日龄AA肉鸡600羽随机分成5组,每组设6个重复,每个重复20羽,分别饲喂鱼粉对照日粮和用酵母蛋白粉等能等蛋白替代对照日粮中25%、50%、75%和100%鱼粉的试验日粮,研究用活性酵母蛋白粉替代鱼粉作为蛋白源对肉鸡生长性能以及养分利用率的影响。结果表明:100%替代组的后期增重较对照组提高0.84%(P>0.05),100%替代组的后期及全期料重比较对照组降低2.20%和1.56%,但差异均不显著(P>0.05)。各组之间营养物质的利用率差异不显著(P>0.05)。100%替代组可以降低饲料成本和增重成本。酵母蛋白粉替代肉鸡日粮中的鱼粉是可行的。     

妊娠母猪饲粮中不同苜蓿鲜草替代量对其生产性能的影响

在母猪妊娠期用不同比例的紫花苜蓿鲜草代替部分精料,研究其对生产性能及经济效益的影响。试验选用胎次、配种时间、上胎产仔数、体况等基本一致的大长二元母猪30头,采用单因子完全随机设计,共分为6个组,每组5头猪,每头猪1个重复。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ组分别用紫花苜蓿鲜草代替10%,20%,30%,40%的基础日粮(按干物质折算),试验Ⅴ组用紫花苜蓿草粉代替20%的基础日粮。结果表明:1)和对照组相比,在妊娠母猪饲粮中无论是用不同比例的紫花苜蓿鲜草还是用20%的苜蓿草粉代替精料,均提高了饲粮中粗蛋白质、粗灰分、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维、钙和总磷的表观消化率,其中试验Ⅲ组的提高幅度最大,极显著高于对照组(P＜0.01);随着紫花苜蓿鲜草替代量的增加,粗脂肪的表观消化率依次下降,但苜蓿草粉组和对照组几乎无差别。2)随着紫花苜蓿鲜草替代量的增加,繁殖期母猪体增重和背膘增加量均呈先升后降的趋势,而妊娠期母猪背膘增加量和泌乳期母猪背膘减少量依次下降。和对照组相比,在妊娠期母猪饲粮中以紫花苜蓿鲜草和草粉替代等干物质量的精料,均提高了母猪的采食量,其中试验Ⅲ组的采食量最大,极显著(P＜0.01)高于对照组。紫花苜蓿鲜草和草粉替代精料后,断奶至发情时间间隔有所缩短,但各组之间差异不显著(P＞0.05)。3)随着紫花苜蓿鲜草替代精料量的增加,提高了初生窝产仔猪总数、初生窝产活仔数、断奶仔猪数、断奶窝重和断奶窝平均日增重;鲜草试验组(试验Ⅲ组除外)的断奶仔猪个体重和对照组相似,试验Ⅴ组显著(P＜0.05)高于对照组和其余各试验组,试验Ⅴ组的断奶仔猪日增重也极显著(P＜0.01)高于对照组和其他试验组。综合分析认为,母猪妊娠期饲粮中用30%的紫花苜蓿鲜草代替精料其生产性能和经济效益最佳。