The influence of sulphur, molybdenum and cadmium exposure on the growth of goat, cattle and pig

In growing billy goats, bulls and heifers, the supplementation of 10 g elementary S/kg ration dry matter reduced the daily weight gain by about 15%. The offer of 10 g S and 10 mg Mo/kg ration did not intensify growth depression. It occurred, however, when 10 g S were applied together with 3 mg Cd. Under these conditions, fattening bulls gained 19% less weight. The monogastric pig reacted less sensitively to the same exposure. The growth depression only reached about 10% and remained insignificantly. On the other hand, pigs with 10 g S and 3 mg Cd gained 17% less weight (p less than 0.05). The supplementation of 20 g elementary S/kg reduced their growth dramatically. These pigs only gained 89 g weight per day. The effect of S (and Mo or Cd) supplementation was mainly due to decreased feed consumption.     

Vitamin E requirements of laying hens

In 5 experiments with 1,296 laying hybrids at the age of 22-73 weeks producing eggs for consumption a varied supplementation of between 0 and 20 mg vitamin E per kg of a semisynthetic ration was tested. The vitamin E content of the basal ration was less than 1 mg per kg feed. The quotas of selenium and unsaturated fatty acids in the feed were taken into consideration. Vitamin E and Se supplements did not influence, feed intake, laying, performance, feed efficiency/100 g egg development of body weight and mortality. The supplementation of 14% vitamin-E-free sunflower oil caused a significant decrease of the laying performance by 15%. There was no relation between the humoral immune reaction and vitamin E supply. The peroxide value of the abdominal fat and the activities of the creatine phosphokinase, the aspartate and alanine amino transferase in the blood serum were not directionally changed by the vitamin E, Se and oil supplements. There were no significant relations between the vitamin E content of the feed and that of the yolk and the yolk sac of the chicken. A vitamin E requirement of less than 1 mg and a requirement norm, including a safety margin, of 5 mg per kg feed was derived from the results for laying hens for egg production. A supplement of synthetic vitamin E to laying hen feed is thus not necessary.     

松乳菇多糖对早期断奶乳猪生产性能和预防腹泻的影响

实验设3个松乳菇多糖添加剂组、1个抗生素（杆菌肽锌）添加剂组和1个基础日粮对照组,研究5种日粮对早期断奶仔猪生长性能、饲料转化率及腹泻影响,探讨松乳菇多糖作为饲料添加剂效果。结果表明,75、150 g/t添加松乳菇多糖组与基础日粮组相比日增重、料肉比和耗料量、腹泻率、腹泻指数没有显著差异;300 g/t添加松乳菇多糖粉与基础日粮组和抗生素组相比,日增重和耗料量分别提高15.06%和10.67%;料肉比和腹泻率分别降低4.05%和14.28%;降低饲料成本3.13%。     

摄食水平对黄颡鱼生长和饲料利用效率的影响

测定了饱食1/3、饱食2/3和饱食水平下黄颡鱼的生长和饲料利用情况。结果显示:①随着摄食水平上升,湿重、干重、脂肪、蛋白质和能量特定生长率显著上升,其中湿重特定生长率与摄食水平呈直线相关,干重、脂肪、蛋白质和能量特定生长率与摄食水平呈对数曲线相关;②饲料转化效率、蛋白质和能量储积率随摄食水平的上升而显著上升,但蛋白质和能量储积率在饱食2/3和饱食水平时差异不显著。     

壳聚糖硒对蛋雏鸡生长、组织硒含量及血清肝酶活性的影响

为探索壳聚糖硒对蛋雏鸡生长、组织硒含量及血清肝酶活性的影响,选取135只1日龄SPF蛋雏鸡,随机分为3组:一组为对照组,饲喂基础日粮;二组和三组在基础日粮中分别添加硒水平为0.15 mg/kg的亚硒酸钠和壳聚糖硒。结果显示:14日龄时亚硒酸钠组和壳聚糖硒组的耗料量、血清碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性和胸肌、心肌、肾脏、全血的硒含量显著高于对照组(P<0.05),壳聚糖硒组心肌和肝脏的硒含量显著高于亚硒酸钠组(P<0.05);28日龄时壳聚糖硒组与亚硒酸钠组的体重、血清AKP活性和肝脏、肾脏、胸肌、心肌、全血的硒含量显著高于对照组(P<0.05),壳聚糖硒组的耗料量和肾脏、心肌、全血的硒含量显著高于亚硒酸钠组(P<0.05)。研究表明:壳聚糖硒能促进鸡的生长和硒的沉积,提高血清AKP活性,且效果优于亚硒酸钠。     

Pathological changes in chickens, ducks and turkeys fed high levels of rapeseed oil.

Rations containing 25% of either regular rapeseed oil (36% erucic acid), Oro rapeseed oil (1.9% erucic acid), soybean oil or a mixture of lard and corn oil were fed to chickens, ducks and turkeys. The regular rapeseed oil ration caused growth depression, increased feed conversion and anemia in all species. All the ducks and some of the chickens fed the regular rapeseed oil ration died. These dead birds were affected with hydropericardium and ascites. No deaths in the turkeys could be attributed to the regular rapeseed oil ration but some turkeys fed this ration had degenerative foci characterized by infiltrations of histiocytic and giant cells in the myocardium. Severe fatty change in the heart, skeletal muscles, spleen and kidney was found at an early age in all birds fed the regular rapeseed oil ration. Less severe fatty change but no other lesions were found in birds fed the Oro rapeseed oil and soybean oil rations.     

Effects of sodium selenite addition on ruminal fermentation,microflora and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in Holstein dairy bulls

Researches on sodium selenite (SS) mainly focus on production performance and rumen fermentation in ruminants, and the influence of dietary Se addition on ruminal microbial population and enzyme activity in dairy bulls is scarce. This study mainly evaluated the effects of SS on ruminal fermentation, microflora and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD) in dairy bulls. Eight ruminally cannulated dairy bulls were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Treatments were control, low SS (LSS), medium SS (MSS) and high SS (HSS) with 0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 mg/kg of selenium (Se) from SS in dietary dry matter (DM), respectively. The supplement of SS (1.0 g/kg of Se) was mixed into the first third of the daily ration. Bulls were fed a total mixed ration with corn silage to concentrate ratio of 50:50 on a DM basis. Dry matter intake was not affected, average daily gain linearly increased, while feed conversion ratio quadratically decreased with increasing Se addition. The linearly increased digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre was observed. Both ruminal pH and ammonia‐N concentration linearly decreased, whereas total volatile fatty acid concentration linearly increased. A lower acetate to propionate ratio was observed due to the unchanged acetate proportion and increased propionate proportion. Activity of cellobiase, xylanase, pectinase, α‐amylase and protease, populations of total bacteria, fungi, protozoa, Ruminococcus (R.) albus, R. flavefaciens, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Ruminobacter amylophilus as well as urinary total PD excretion linearly increased, whereas populations of total methanogens and Prevotella ruminicola linearly decreased. The data indicated that dietary Se addition stimulated ruminal microbial growth and enzyme activity, and resulting in the increased nutrient digestion and growth performance, and the optimum supplementary dose of Se was 0.3 mg/kg dietary DM from SS in dairy bulls.     

Water intake, pH and ammonia levels in the ruminal contents of sheep fed pelleted feed]

Wethers were studied for the effect of the complete pelleted feed ration on the intake of water and concentration of pH and ammonia in the rumen. The animals consumed daily 1300 g of dry matter of the diet containing 41.81% of meadow hay, 25.8% of barley, 15.37% of sawdust, 14.98% of molasses, 1.32% of urea and 1.24% of vitamin mineral supplement. This feed was given to them for six months. The pelleted diet increased the intake of water (the dry matter consumption remaining the same in the control and experimental group), reduced pH concentration (6.0--6.2) and slightly increased the level of ammonia in the first hour after feeding; this was probably due to a rapid release of nitrogen compounds from the feed and to intensive rumen fermentation.     

Immunomodulation in weanling swine with dietary selenium

The capability of dietary selenium (Se) to augment the immune response was evaluated in 96 crossbred weanling swine. Six groups of 16 pigs were fed diets with Se supplemented as sodium selenite at 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, and 1.5 mg/kg. The basal diet contained 0.068 mg of Se/kg. Weight gain, feed consumption, and feed efficiency were similar for all diets. Whole blood concentrations of Se linearly increased as the dietary concentrations of Se increased. The humoral response was monitored by immunoglobulin G titers to lysozyme and ribonuclease, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Although no significant difference in immunoglobulin G titers to either antigen was detected among diets, a similar trend in antibody response was noted. The diet with 0.9 mg of added Se/kg produced the highest antibody response to both antigens, whereas the diet with 0.3 mg of added Se/kg produced the lowest titers for both antigens. Cell-mediated immunity was evaluated in the pigs by the dermal response to phytohemagglutinin. Significant difference was not detected in pigs fed the various diets in terms of the mean diameters of their dermal reactions to phytohemagglutinin injections. Although blood concentrations of Se were increased, rate and efficiency of weight gain and humoral and cell-mediated immunity were not significantly improved by adding 0.3 to 1.5 mg of Se/kg to diets.     

Effect of dietary alfalfa on zearalenone toxicity and metabolism in rats and swine

Experiments were conducted with rats and swine to determine the potential of dietary alfalfa as a treatment for zearalenone (Z) toxicosis. Ninety-six female weanling Wistar rats were fed a casein-based semipurified diet containing 0, 15 or 25% alfalfa and 0 or 250 micrograms Z/g feed. Exposure to Z for 14 d resulted in reduced growth, feed consumption and feed efficiency as well as kidney and liver enlargement and reduced activity of 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 alpha-HSD). Z had no effect on uterine weight. Including alfalfa in these diets reduced the inhibitory effects of Z on growth and feed consumption, minimized Z-induced liver enlargement and increased hepatic 3 alpha-HSD activity. Dietary alfalfa also reduced concentrations of residual Z and zearalenols (Zl) in liver. In a second experiment, 108 Yorkshire gilts weighing 8 to 11 kg were fed diets containing 0, 15 or 25% alfalfa and 0, 10, 20 or 40 micrograms Z/g feed for 4 wk. Z caused uterine enlargement when fed as low as 10 micrograms/g feed, although no effects were seen in growth rate, feed consumption or feed efficiency. Alfalfa decreased uterine enlargement (P less than .05), but caused a depression in feed efficiency (P less than .05). Hepatic 3 alpha-HSD activity was five times lower in swine than in rats, although activity still tended to decrease with Z and increase with alfalfa feeding. Residues of Z and Zl in pig liver indicated species differences in the metabolism of Z. These studies show that dietary alfalfa promotes Z metabolism in rats and that this feedstuff may also be useful for treating Z toxicosis in livestock.     

Supplementation of swine feed rations with zeolite during cage rearing

The effect of the addition of zeolite to pig feed ration was studied in the cage rearing system under production conditions. Zeolite was mixed in the COS I and COS II feed mixtures directly in the feed plant, the mixing ratio being 100 kg feed mixture + 5 kg zeolite. The feed mixture was administered in granular form ad libitum. The test group had 648 weanlings and the control group 674 weanlings; the piglets, kept in two-story cages in four sections, were arranged so that the test group could be a mirror-like reflection of the control group. The trial lasted 45 days. The piglets given the fortified feed ration had daily weight gains higher by 0.017 kg and feed consumption lower by 0.234 kg per 1 kg of gain, as compared with the control animals. The costs of the feed ration required for producing a kilogram of gain were 8.55 Cz. crowns in the zeolite group and 9.422 crowns in the control group.     

Selenium and vitamin E deficiency in pigs. I. Influence on growth and reproduction.

The effect of selenium (Se) and vitamin E (Vit. E) on reproductive performance, growth and health was studied in pigs. Two levels of Se were used, 0.03 and 0.06 nag per kg feed. The major component of the experimental diets was barley originating from soil which had formerly produced crops with a very low content of Se. Prior to seeding, the area was divided into 2 plots, 1 of which was treated with Se in the form of sodium selenite, 100 g Se per ha. The use of Se enriched fertilizer was an effective way of increasing the Se concentration of the grain. Thus the concentration of Se in the barley produced on the treated area was 5 times higher than in barley from the untreated one.Vit. E was added at a level of 30 i.u. per kg feed, and the concentrations were approx. 15 and 45 i.u. in the basal and experimental diets, respectively.The higher level of Se or Vit. E was not significantly associated with milk yield of the sow, litter size, birth weight or haemoglobin levels. However, there was a tendency to an increase in milk yield of the sows following additions of Se plus Vit. E, and litter size was slightly higher from sows which had received an addition of Vit. E. The concentration of Se and Vit. E was much higher in colostrum than in sow milk, and additions of dietary Se and Vit. E were associated with marked increases in the concentrations of these compounds in both colostrum and sow milk. There was a moderately improving effect of a high Se concentration in feed on growth rate and feed utilization. Low dietary levels of Se and Vit. E were followed by increased mortality rate in piglets; iron toxicity in connection with iron treatment was observed in piglets on low dietary Vit. E. Symptoms characteristic of PSE were not observed in the Se and Vit. E deficient pigs.     

Effect of inorganic selenium supplementation on selenosis in postweaning swine

A total of 72 pigs weaned at 4 wk of age were allotted by litter and weight to nine treatment groups and fed 20% protein cornsoybean meal diets supplemented with various levels of inorganic Se during a 37-d postweaning period. Eight groups were fed diets with 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 or 40 ppm Se provided as sodium selenite, while a ninth was offered the 0- and 40-ppm Se diets in separate feeders. Gains and feed intakes were similar during the trial for the 0- and 2.5-ppm Se diets. Both gain and feed intake declined as dietary Se levels above 5.0 ppm increased. At a dietary Se concentration of 40 ppm, feed consumption ceased within a few days of feeding and subsequent gains were negative. Pigs offered both the 0- and 40-ppm Se diets preferentially selected the basal as compared with the 40-ppm Se diet. When the feeders were switched at 28 d they refused the 40-ppm Se diet within a few hours. After a 17-d period, pigs fed the 20- or 40-ppm Se diet were not able to coordinate their walk, with many exhibiting an inability to stand. Alopecia was demonstrated in pigs fed 15 ppm Se or higher at 17 d, but was evident in the 5.0-ppm group at 37 d. At the termination of the trial, abnormal hoof formation at the coronary band was evident in pigs fed diets containing Se greater than or equal to 5 ppm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Prolonged feeding of high dietary levels of organic and inorganic selenium to gilts from 25 kg body weight through one parity

An experiment evaluated the selenosis effects from feeding high dietary Se levels of organic or inorganic Se sources to growing gilts with the dietary treatments continued through a reproductive cycle. A total of 88 gilts were allotted at 25 kg BW to two replicates in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design. Inorganic Se (sodium selenite) or organic (Se-enriched yeast) Se were added to diets at 0.3, 3, 7, or 10 ppm Se. At 105 kg BW, four gilts per treatment were killed and livers collected for Se analysis. At 8 mo of age, three gilts from each treatment group were bred and fed their treatment diet, with subsequent reproductive performance and selenosis effects evaluated. Serum collected at various intervals in gilts, sows, and progeny measured glutathione peroxidase activity and Se concentrations. Sow colostrum and milk was analyzed for their Se concentrations. Three pigs per treatment were killed before colostrum consumption and at weaning (14 d) and tissue collected for Se analysis. Gilt gains (P < 0.01) and feed intakes (P < 0.05) declined during the grower period as dietary Se level increased for both Se sources. Serum and liver Se concentrations increased as dietary Se level increased and was higher when organic Se was fed (P < 0.01). Sows fed dietary Se levels at > 7 ppm had lower gestation weights (P < 0.05) and lower lactation feed intakes (P < 0.05). As Se level increased, sows fed organic Se had a lower number of live pigs born (P < 0.05) and weaned fewer pigs (P < 0.05) with lower litter gains (P < 0.05) than did sows fed inorganic Se. Colostrum and milk Se concentrations increased as dietary Se levels increased particularly when organic Se was fed (P < 0.01). Neonatal and weanling pig tissue Se and serum Se concentrations increased as dietary Se level increased and when organic Se was fed, resulting in interaction responses (P < 0.01). Pigs nursing sows fed > 7 ppm inorganic Se had hoof separation and alopecia, with the severity being greater when sows were fed the inorganic Se source. These results suggest that both the organic and inorganic Se sources were toxic when fed at 7 to 10 ppm for a prolonged period, but organic Se seemed to express the selenotic effects more on reproductive performance, whereas inorganic Se was more detrimental during lactation.     

Selenium toxicosis in feeder pigs.

Selenium toxicosis was diagnosed in feeder pigs on a central Michigan farm. Use of a commercial supplement, found to contain approximately 20 times the intended Se concentration, resulted in a Se concentration of 8.1 mg/kg of the complete feed. This was fed for 34 days during which daily feed consumption decreased approximately 35%, several pigs developed weakness and forelimb paresis, and 1 pig died. The highest serum Se concentration measured was 1,550 ng/ml (normal range, 140 to 190 ng/ml). Normal feed consumption returned when an alternative feed was provided. Mean serum Se concentrations of representative pigs, monitored over the subsequent 26 days, decreased from 905 to 258 ng/ml. Histologic examination of a recovering pig revealed skeletal and cardiac myopathy and bilaterally symmetric malacia of the gray matter of the ventral horns of the spinal cord. During the developing toxicosis, the pigs consumed an estimated 11.4 mg of Se/pig/d.     

Toxic effects of selenium on growing swine fed corn-soybean meal diets

A total of 96 crossbred pigs received various levels of sodium selenite to determine the effect of dietary selenium (Se) on growing swine fed corn-soybean meal diets. Levels of supplemental Se were 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 micrograms/g. There were linear decreases (P less than .01) in both gain and feed intake with increasing levels of dietary Se. Feed/gain increased numerically as dietary Se increased. Hair Se increased quadratically (P less than .01) and blood Se increased linearly (P less than .01) with increasing level of dietary Se. Cell volume and hemoglobin were not affected by dietary treatment. Increasing dietary Se significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (GOT). and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT). External signs of selenosis were noted in some pigs fed 12 or 20 micrograms/g of Se. The toxic level of Se in a corn-soybean meal diet for crossbred pigs appears to be between 4 and 8 micrograms/g. Of variables studied, growth rate was the most sensitive indicator of chronic selenosis in swine.     

Ergotropic efficacy of 2,3-dimethylquinoxaline-1,4-dioxide and 2-methylquinoxaline-1,4-dioxide in growing broilers using hydrocolloid-rich rations as well as broiler fattening feed

2,3-dimethyl-quinoxaline-1,4-dioxide and 2-methyl-quinoxaline-1,4-dioxide proved to be ergotropic in the feeding of a hydrocolloid ration as well as of a broiler fattening feed. They are at least equal to Nitrovin. The ergotropic effect of the hydrocolloid ration was higher than that of the conventional ration. For this reason methylated quinoxaline-1,4-dioxides are considered as belonging to the intestinal stabilisers. They increased nutrient and energy retention and decreased feed efficiency by approximately equal to 10%. Residues in the liver, the kidneys and the intestines could only be detected after 10 times the ergotropic amount.     

Reversibility of furazolidone-induced cardiotoxicosis in ducklings

Furazolidone cardiotoxicosis was induced in 2 groups (FZ and FZ-CR groups) of newly hatched male Pekin ducklings (100/group) by feeding a ration containing 650 mg of furazolidone/kg of feed (ppm) for 28 days. A third group (control ration, CR group; n = 100) was fed the same ration without furazolidone. On day 28, the control ration was initiated for the FZ-CR group initially given the furazolidone-containing ration, to allow recovery from the effects of the drug, whereas ducklings of the FZ group continued to consume the furazolidone-containing ration. Biweekly, beginning with week 4, ducklings were euthanatized to assess severity of gross lesions and to obtain sections of myocardium for histologic and ultrastructural examination. Clinical evidence (increased weight gain, increased feed consumption, decreased mortality, reduced prevalence of palpable ascites) of regression of cardiotoxicosis of ducklings of the FZ-CR group was nearly complete by day 56 (28 days after cessation of furazolidone intake). Likewise, regression of gross lesions, as measured by overall prevalence of gross lesions, left ventricular volume, and ascites prevalence and severity, were also essentially complete by day 56. Myofibrillar lysis was not seen in sections from the heart (examined ultrastructurally) obtained from ducklings of the CR group that were euthanatized on day 28, 56, or 98. Myofibrillar lysis was detected in all ducklings (4/4) fed furazolidone (FZ and FZ-CR groups) and euthanatized on day 28. Myofibrillar lysis was not seen in the heart of ducklings of the FZ-CR group that were euthanatized on day 56 or 98. Myofibrillar lysis was detected in the heart from all ducklings of the FZ group that were euthanatized on day 56.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

不同硒水平对幼鲤生产性能和免疫功能的影响

选择体重约10.4 g的健康幼鲤960尾,随机分为8组,每组3个重复,每个重复40尾,分别饲喂添加硒(亚硒酸钠,分析纯)0、0.1、0.2、0.3、0.4、0.5、0.6、0.7 mg/kg的8种不同饵料,试验期90 d。结果表明:随着饵料中硒添加水平的增加,幼鲤的增重和成活率提高,饵料系数降低,添加硒0.4mg/kg时,幼鲤生产性能最佳(P<0.05);添加0.3～0.5 mg/kg硒,可显著提高幼鲤头肾和脾脏重及其体指数,增加血液红细胞数量,降低白细胞数量,提高血清IgM水平和攻毒后成活率、血清溶菌酶活力及血清凝集抗体效价(P<0.05),从而增强幼鲤免疫功能和对疾病的抵抗力。幼鲤体增重、饵料系数、头肾重量、脾脏重量、血清溶菌酶活力和IgM抗体水平与饵料硒添加量呈显著的二次曲线相关。根据上述指标确定的最适硒水平为0.396～0.529 mg/kg。     

Excessive oral administration of iron to sheep. 1. Digestibility of rations, results of fattening and carcass yields]

4 digestibility trials (4 male sheep per group) and 2 growth trials were carried out with 24 (V 1) and 32 (V 2) fattening lambs to investigate the effect of abundant oral Fe doses on the digestibility of crude nutrients in a ration of barley + dried green feed and on the results of fattening and carcass yields. Fe supplementation (less than 1400 mg per sheep/day) did not significantly change the digestibility coefficients of crude nutrients. Increasing Fe levels in the concentrates decreased the rates of liveweight increase and food consumption in both growth trials. Well-established statistical evidence was provided for the decline in absolute carcass yields resulting from the lower weight of the lambs at the end of the fattening period after Fe supplementation.