Effect of ad lib and restricted milk feeding on the course of illness and body weight in young calves with diarrhea

Two different feeding regimens for calves (age up to 21 days) suffering from acute diarrhea were evaluated with respect to course of illness and change in body weight. The patients of the experimental group were given whole milk ad libitum three times a day. The patients of the control group were offered whole milk at a rate of 13% their body mass per day divided into three meals. In addition, both groups were offered an oral rehydration solution at a rate 9.5% of body mass per day, also divided into three portions. Data from 60 calves (30 in both groups) were available for statistical analysis. The duration of illness in the experimental group was 10.9 +/- 6.0 days vs. 10.0 +/- 5.2 days in the control group. The daily increase of body mass in the experimental group averaged 0.607 +/- 0.452 kg, the one in the control group 0.230 +/- 0.231 kg (p = 0.0002). The calves of the experimental group required 13.16 +/- 11.18 I milk per kg weight gain, the calves of the control group 21.39 +/- 12.80 I. Six calves of the experimental group and two calves of the control group subsequently had a relapse. On the basis of the results obtained, a feeding regimen for calves suffering from acute diarrhea is suggested.     

The effect of proteinase inhibitors in rats. 1. Report. Effect of a short-term application on the N balance, the free amino acids in liver and muscles and the biological half-life of the intestinal tissue proteins]

Short-term trials with a triazin derivative and a peptide aldehyde were carried out to investigate the in-vivo administration of proteinase inhibitors in rats for improving the N balance of the animals. The results of N balances suggest that the peptide aldehyde may be regarded as a promising substance that may be used to increase the rate of utilization of the absorbed N in the intermediary metabolism. The short-term use of both active compounds did not affect the true N digestibility. The two compounds did not influence the concentration of free amino acids in the liver and muscle tissue under the experimental feeding conditions used. Similarly, tests of the biological half-life of proteins taken from the small and large intestine did not reveal any changes due to the presence of the inhibitors. Animals receiving a protein-free diet exhibited longer half-life periods for proteins from the small and large intestine compared with animals of the other groups. A protein-free nutrition of the animals caused a general increase in the levels of free non-essential amino acids in the liver. This was accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in essential amino acids. The same type of nutrition led to a general decline in the concentration of free amino acids in muscular tissue, particularly of the essential amino acids. High-protein nutrition led especially to an increase in the concentration of branched-chain amino acids in both types of tissues investigated.     

Irradiation of chicken egg white. I. Effect on proteinase inhibitors

Commercial ovomucoid trypsin inhibitors (OMTI) and egg white were exposed to various doses of gamma irradiation, using a cobalt-60 source. The inhibitory activity of non-irradiated and irradiated samples on bovine trypsin was tested by the Kunitz method (Kunitz 1947). The activity of the inhibitors was shown to decrease exponentially with increasing radiation dose. The D₁₀ for OMTI was 0.6 Mrad and for the trypsin inhibitors in the crude egg white diluted 1: 5 in saline 3.0 Mrad under the conditions used. The activity of the non-irradiated and irradiated inhibitors upon various animal, microbial and plant proteinases was also determined by using the crosswise casein precipitating inhibition test (crosswise CPI-test) (Fossum 1970a). By this method, which is more sensitive than the Kunitz method, trypsin inhibitory activity in egg white could be detected after exposure to an irradiation dose of 9 Mrad. No inhibitory activity could be found against any enzyme after an irradiation dose of 15 Mrad.Irradiation as a preservation method for egg and egg products is discussed.     

Effect of restricted and ad libitum feeding on semen production and fertility in broiler breeder males

1. The effect of food restriction on the quality of semen production and fertility in broiler breeder males was studied.

2. Seventy‐two Ross broiler breeder males, from 20 to 54 weeks of age, were divided into 4 groups and fed as follows: group 1 = 110 g/bird/d; group 2 = 120 g/ bird/d; group 3 = 130 g/bird/d; group 4 = ad libitum.

3. Body weight, sperm quality (volume, concentration, % motility and % live cells) and fertility were measured. The birds were slaughtered at 55 weeks of age; the abdominal fat pad and testicles were weighed.

4. Groups 2 and 3 produced the highest volume of semen. The quality of semen was very similar in all the restricted groups.

5. Males fed ad libitum produced semen with the best motility and percentage of live cells. Groups 3 and 4 showed the best fertility percentage (79%) against group 1 and 2 (59 and 72% respectively).     

Action of proteinase inhibitors in rats. 3. Influence of leupeptin on the rate of protein synthesis and the intracellular protein degradation by use of a test system including constant infusion of labelled amino acids, estimation of 3-methyl-histidine excretion and a triple-labelling technique

Male Wistar rats (initial body weight 90 g) were fed ad libitum a whole-egg diet containing 10,5% crude protein. The animals of the experimental group received in each case of 1 mg leupeptin per 100 g of body weight in 12 hrs-intervals by i. p.-injection (3 days of treatment). Control animals got a leupeptin free solution. In addition, lysine dihydrochloride-alpha-15N was applied during the first three days of experiment to all animals and the nitrogen balance was determined. Urine from the N-Balance collection was analysed for 3-methyl-histidine excretion in order to calculate the degradation rate of myofibrillar proteins. On the fourth day the fractional rate of protein synthesis in several organs was estimated using the continuous infusion technique with 14C-leucine and 14C-lysine. The apparent biological half-lives of tissue protein were determined by a triple labelling technique, with (14C)-guanidino-L-arginine, L-5-3H-arginine and 15N-Lysine. The short-term treatment 3 days) with leupeptin did not affect the weight gain, the apparent digestibility of nitrogen and the N-balance. The fractional rate of protein synthesis was highest in the small intestine followed by the large intestine, liver and skeletal muscle and no influence of leupeptin treatment was observed. Furthermore no differences in the degradation rates of myofibrillar proteins between treated and untreated animals were found. The 3-methyl-histidine excretion via urine was 1.44 mg . kg-1 day-1 in both groups corresponding to a fractional rate of degradation of myofibrillar proteins of 2,5% per day. Apparent half-lives of tissue proteins in the small intestine, large intestine and liver, respectively, were shortest when estimated from the decay curves for the 14C-label and longest from the curves for the 15N-label. Leupeptin treatment resulted in prolonged apparent half-lives of the proteins in the large intestine and of the slowly turning over proteins in the liver. However, this effect seems to be caused rather by an increased reutilization of labelled amino acids than by a decreased protein degradation. Before continuing this kind of work the rate of uptake of injected leupeptine into tissues has to be investigated. Studies dealing with the in vivo action of proteinase inhibitors on protein metabolism have to include estimations of N-balance, protein synthesis rate, intracellular degradation rate of proteins as well as amino acid reutilization.     

Action of proteinase inhibitors. 4. Effect of short-term application of chymostatin on nitrogen metabolism in the digestive tract and protein metabolism in tissue

Chymostatin is an effective inhibitor of intracellular proteinases in vitro. In the present experiment male rats were injected intraperitonealy during a 3 days period twice daily with a solution containing 0,9 mg Chymostatin per 100 g live weight. Reference animals received a control injection containing the same solvents but no chymostatin. During this period a daily nitrogen balance was made and metabolic faecal nitrogen and true digestibility of nitrogen were estimated using 15N-labelled animals. Furthermore, apparent biological half lives of proteins in liver and intestinal tissues were determined following the decay curves for radioactivity in proteins 48 hours after injection of L-[5-3H]-arginine und L-[guanido-14C]-arginine. The fractional rate of protein synthesis in tissues was measured by a 6 hours continuous infusion technique with L-[U-14C]-tyrosine and L-[U-14C]-leucine. Among the parameters estimated only the apparent biological half lives of proteins in liver and intestinal tissues were influenced by chymostatin. However, the prolonged half lives seemed to be rather an effect of an increased reutilisation of amino acids resulting from the intracellular protein breakdown than a decreased rate of protein degradation. The in vivo effect of the proteinase inhibitor was by far inferior compared with the action in vitro. Factors like distribution, degradation and excretion of the inhibitor could be responsible for the moderate in vivo action of chymostatin.     

Food value of straw meal in the nutrition of pigs. 1. Digestibility of the nutrients and N-balance after feeding with partially hydrolized straw meal]

Straw Meal was mixed with concentrated HCl at a mass proportion of approximately 10 : 1. After a one-hour duration of action the mixture was diluted with water (in proporation to the added HCl volume the double amount of water) and steamed in an electric steaming caldron for one hour. The partially hydrolised final product was neutralised with calcium hydroxide (3,5 kg per 10 kg HCl). In a digestibility experiment 4 pigs were fed according to the differential method with barley (supplemented with lysine and methionine) without straw meal resp. with straw meal (717 g barley dry matter+386 g straw meal dry matter per animal and day for pigs with an average live weight of 64.3 kg). In this test 21.0% of the organic matter of partially hydrolised straw meal, 0.5% of the crude fibre and 42.3% of the N-free extractives were digestible. When the animals were fed with barley exclusively (1045 g dry matter per day and animal of an average body weight of 61,4 kg), 17,1% of the 26,0 t N per animal and day were excreted in feces. After the feeding with straw meal admixtures, 34,5% of the 20,9 g N per animal and day were excreted in feces. When the feed consisted of 1,99 kg barley, 220 g fish meal and 565 g straw meal (dry matter in each case) per animal and day for the same pigs with an average body weight of 97,1 kg a digestibility of the organic matter of the partially hydrolised straw meal of 24,6% was achieved. 24.3% of the nitrogen consumed (72.9 g) by each animal per day were excreted in feces. After slaughtering, the pH-value in the caecum sould be ascertained as 6.0 to 6.5. The conclusion of this is that partially hydrolised straw meal contains approximately 20% utilisable carbohydrates and has a positive dietic effect in the digestive tract.     

Effect of ovariectomy and ad libitum feeding on body composition, thyroid status, ghrelin and leptin plasma concentrations in female dogs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ovariectomy (i) and ad libitum feeding (ii) on energy intake, body weight (BW), body composition, thyroid status, leptin and ghrelin plasma concentrations. Four young adult female Beagle dogs were fed a maintenance diet for 6 weeks prior to ovariectomy, then 6 months after. Food allowance was adjusted in order to maintain optimal BW. Then, a diet slightly higher in energy concentration was fed ad libitum for 4 months. The maintenance diet was then fed ad libitum for one additional month. The maintenance of optimal BW after ovariectomy required a significant decrease in energy allowance. No increase in fat mass was observed. Ghrelin concentration remained unchanged. During the first month of ad libitum feeding, plasma ghrelin concentration and energy intake increased, then they decreased. Mean BW, plasma leptin, thyrotropin (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3) and total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations significantly increased over the study. The BW increase was exclusively due to an increase in body fat. In conclusion, energy allowance should be strictly controlled in spayed female dogs. The results suggest that in dogs, thyroid hormones, leptin and ghrelin concentrations change in response to a positive energy balance in an attempt to limit weight gain. However, the significant weight gain shows that this goal was not achieved.     

Effect of feeding technique, ad libitum, dry or wet force feeding, on the metabolisable energy values of raw materials for poultry

1. Metabolisable energy values (AME, AMEn, TME and TMEn) of three raw materials (maize, sunflower meal and soyabean meal) were determined in adult cockerels using two classical feeding e techniques (ad libitum and force-feeding of dry food) and a new one in which birds were force-fed wet diets. 2. In the wet force-feeding assay nitrogen balances and food intakes were similar to those achieved with ad libitum feeding. The duration of the assay using wet force-feeding was only 2 d as compared to the 3 or 7 d experimental periods for the dry or the ad libitum assays respectively. 3. TMEn values were not dependent on the feeding technique used; AME and AMEn data obtained in the ad libitum and wet force-feeding assays were close to TMEn values. As expected, these values were underestimated in the dry force-feeding assay.     

限饲和自由采食条件下色氨酸对断奶仔猪血清IGF-1浓度的影响

IGF-1是动物出生后生长调节的重要因子,试验采用2×3因子试验设计,研究了饲喂方式(自由采食和限饲)和日粮色氨酸水平(0.12%、0.19%或0.26%)对仔猪血清IGF-1水平的影响,旨在探讨色氨酸对仔猪生长的调节途径。试验选用48头28日龄断奶、初始体重为(8.6±0.13)kg的二元杂交(长白×大白)阉公猪,按照随机区组的原则分成6个处理,每个处理8个重复。试验第10天,仔猪空腹12h,采血,制备血清,测定IGF-1浓度。结果表明:色氨酸具有改善仔猪生长性能、促进血清IGF-1浓度上升(P<0.01)的作用,饲喂方式和日粮色氨酸水平对血清IGF-1有互作效应(P<0.01),这表明色氨酸促进仔猪生长可能与血液中IGF-1水平升高有关。     

Effect of T-2 toxin on brain biogenic monoamines in rats and chickens.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of T-2 toxin on brain biogenic monoamines and their metabolites. Male rats (180 g) and cockerels (28 day, 300 g) were orally dosed with T-2 toxin at 2.5 mg kg-1 body weight. In the first experiment, whole brains were collected 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h postdosing and analyzed for monoamines by high performance liquid chromatography with electro-chemical detection. T-2 toxin did not influence whole brain concentrations of monoamines in either species. In the second experiment, brains were collected 24 h postdosing, dissected into five brain regions, and analyzed for monoamines. T-2 toxin treatment resulted in increased serotonin and 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid in all brain regions of the rat. However, this was not seen in poultry where T-2 toxin treatment resulted in an increase in 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid, no alteration in serotonin concentration and a decrease in regional norepinephrine and dopamine concentrations. These results suggest that T-2 toxin influences brain biogenic amine metabolism and that there is an intraspecies difference in the central effects of this mycotoxin.     

Effect of feeding pine needles on ovine reproduction.

Estrous cycles were not altered in 30 mature ewes fed pine needles 11 to 13 days prior to breeding. Pregnancy and lambing rates were not affected by the feeding of pine needles. An antiestrogenic effect of pine needles on the reproductive process in ewes was not clinically detectable. There was no indication of any toxic effects on ewes consuming a 37% pine needle diet.     

The effect of a reduced drinking water dose on the digestibility of nutrients and several metabolic parameters in sheep. 2. N-balance, water balance and several physiologic parameters

Wethers of an average live weight of 43.2 kg received alfalfa pellets either according to maintenance requirement (1.3 kg = group I) or ad libitum (1.5 times the amount; 2.0 kg = group II). In variant a both groups received water ad libitum, in variant b the animals received 1/3 of the amount of water, which was taken in ad libitum. Apparent digestibility was between 59 and 64%, the lower value of which was ascertained with the higher feed intake in variant a. 85% of the apparently digested nitrogen were excreted in urine after optimal water supply and ca. 100% after reduced water supply, so that a slightly negative N balance (Ib) and an N balance of +2.3% res (IIb) were achieved. The N balances amounted to +9.4% (Ia) and +8.4% (IIa) resp. after sufficient water supply. The water intake in liters/kg consumed DM reached the following values (in brackets total water intake from drinking water + water in the feed): Ia = 3.16 (3.30), Ib = 1.38 (1.52), IIa = 2.94 (3.08) and IIb = 1.58 (1.72). The water balance (in % of the total water intake) reached the following values in the same sequence: 13.7, 13.2, 17.2 and 25.3. The water content of the body (according to the phenazone dilution method determined from one sheep each) decreased in Ib by 4.7% and in IIb by 5.7% and thus did not reach critical limits. The quota of urea N in urine significantly increased after water restriction. Urea concentration and haematocrit in the blood plasma did not show any significant changes in dependence on water intake; the same was ascertained for the molar quotas of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid and in faeces.