Effects of beet pulp supplementation on growth performance,fecal moisture,serum hormones and litter performance in lactating sows

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of beet pulp supplementation on growth performance, fecal moisture, serum hormones and litter performance in lactating sows. Ninety primiparous sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments in a 21‐day trial starting 3 days before parturition. The three dietary treatments were supplemented with 0, 10 and 20% beet pulp, respectively. Backfat loss and fecal moisture content were increased (P < 0.05), where cortisol and norepinephrine levels were decreased (P < 0.05) in sows fed beet pulp supplementation diets compared with control diet, but there was no difference between 10% and 20% beet pulp supplementation treatments. No effect was observed on bodyweight, average daily intake, weaning to estrus interval, epinephrine level in sows and litter weight, litter size, survivability in piglets among dietary treatments. Taken together, beet pulp supplementation has no significant effect of growth performance of lactating sows and piglets with decreased cortisol and norepinephrine levels in lactating sows, but it can increase fecal moisture content which is beneficial for sow feces excretion.     

甜菜粕替代玉米对肉牛生长性能及瘤胃发酵成分的影响

文章旨在研究日粮添加不同水平甜菜粕替代玉米对肉牛生长性能、瘤胃发酵能力及营养物质表观消化率的影响。试验选择初始体重为(237.2±24.5)kg的肉牛36头,随机分为4组,每组9头牛,每头牛作为1个重复,试验共进行20周。试验基础日粮以玉米和青贮高粱为主,处理组分别用33%、67%和100%甜菜粕等量替代玉米。结果:试验期间肉牛总增重和日增重随甜菜粕替代水平的升高表现为显著二次曲线效应(P<0.05),料比表现为显著二次曲线降低(P<0.05)。日粮添加甜菜粕显著提高肉牛瘤胃pH(P<0.05),33%甜菜粕替代玉米组瘤胃氨氮含量最高(P<0.05);随着日粮甜菜粕添加水平的升高,总脂肪酸、乙酸、丁酸含量及乙酸与丙酸比值表现为显著线性升高(P<0.05),而丙酸和异丁酸含量表现为显著线性降低(P<0.05)。有机物、粗蛋白质、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维和纤维素摄入量随日粮甜菜粕水平的升高表现为显著二次曲线增加效应(P<0.05),而粗脂肪摄入量表现为显著二次曲线降低效应(P<0.05)。有机物、中性洗涤纤维、纤维素和半纤维素表观消化率随甜菜粕水平的升高表现为显著线性升高(P<0.05)。血清肌酸酐、胆固醇水平随甜菜粕添加水平的升高表现为显著线性降低(P<0.05),而血清尿素氮、甘油三酯、IGF-1、皮质醇和T4含量表现为显著二次曲线升高效应(P<0.05)。结论:在本试验条件下,肉牛日粮用甜菜粕替代玉米可有效提高营养物质的消化率,改善肉牛瘤胃的发酵能力,在不损害动物健康的前提下提高日增重,降低料肉比,其适宜替代水平为67%。     

Effects of replacing steam-flaked corn with shredded sugar beet pulp on feed sorting,behavior, blood metabolites,and growth performance of dairy calves

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of partial replacement of steam-flaked corn (SFC) with shredded sugar beet pulp (SBP) in the starter diet on selective intake (sorting), feeding and chewing behavior, blood biochemical parameters, and growth in newborn female Holstein dairy calves. A total of 48 calves (3 d old; 40.1 ± 0.84 kg body weight; mean ± SE) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 feeding treatments containing 0 or 25% SBP (percentage of dry matter [DM]) in the starter diet. Calves were weaned on d 61 and remained in the study until d 81. Intake of starter feed and total intake of DM (milk DM + starter feed DM), crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber were increased (P < 0.05) by feeding SBP; however, intake of starch (P < 0.01) and total intake of ether extract (P = 0.03) were decreased with no apparent effect on total intake of ME. Average daily gain, feed efficiency, final weight, and skeletal growth also showed no significant changes. Circulating concentrations of glucose, total protein, and albumin were not affected by partial replacement of SBP with SFC; however, higher concentrations of blood urea-N (P = 0.01) and a lower albumin-to-globulin ratio (P = 0.03) were observed in SBP- vs. SFC-fed calves. Calves fed SBP sorted more for particles retained on the 4.75-mm sieve (P = 0.02) and against particles retained on the 0.6-mm sieve and bottom pan (P < 0.01). Intake of neutral detergent fibers and starch from particles retained on all sieve fractions was increased and decreased (P < 0.01), respectively, by replacing SFC with SBP. Replacement of SBP with SFC was associated with increased meal length and meal size and increased rumination frequency and length, but decreased intervals between rumination (P ≤ 0.01). Calves fed SBP spent more time eating, rumination, and standing and less time lying and non-nutritive oral behaviors (P < 0.01). In general, 25% replacement of SFC with SBP did not affect calf performance but increased time spent rumination and eating and decreased non-nutritive oral behaviors.     

The effects of inclusion levels of urea-treated potato pulp silage in concentrate and roughage sources on finishing performance and carcass quality in cull beef cows

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of inclusion levels of potato pulp silage in concentrate (0, 15, 30 or 45%; on a dry matter basis) and roughage sources (rice straw or wheat straw) on finishing performance and carcass quality of cull beef cows. Sixteen Japanese Black (Wagyu) mature cull cows (490 ± 31 kg of BW) were used in this experiment. Increasing the levels of potato pulp silage in concentrate and roughage sources did not significantly affect feed intake in cows. In addition, the final body weight, daily gain and feed : gain ratio were not influenced by the inclusion levels of potato pulp silage in concentrate and the type of roughage. Increasing the inclusion levels of potato pulp silage in concentrate would probably decrease the marbling score. The L* values of the longissimus muscle (LM) tended to respond quadratically ( P  = 0.078) as the inclusion levels of potato pulp silage in concentrate increased, and was lowest for cows fed the concentrate which included 30% potato pulp silage. The a* and b* values of the LM and fat color were not affected by the inclusion levels of potato pulp silage in concentrate. No effects of roughage sources on finishing performance were observed.     

The effects of drought-affected grain and carbohydrase inclusion in starter diets on broiler chick performance

Two 18-d studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of drought stress and carbohydrase enzyme inclusion on broiler performance and nutrient digestibility in either yellow dent corn or sorghum. Both experiments employed a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with 2 growing environments (normal or stressed), and carbohydrase enzyme cocktail (yes or no). In each experiment, 256 chicks were randomly assigned with 8 birds/pen and 8 replicates/treatment. Enzyme inclusion did not affect any variable in either experiment, and environment did not alter 18-d BW, mortality, or the digestibility of DM or CP. In Experiment 1, birds consuming normal corn had improved FCR compared to those fed drought-affected corn (1.27 vs. 1.33, respectively), which was potentially driven by the difference in apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of EE. Alternatively, FCR was not affected by environment in birds fed sorghum-based diets in Experiment 2, but those that consumed normal sorghum had lower feed intake than those fed drought-affected corn (750 vs. 796 g, respectively). In summary, commercial carbohydrase inclusion did not improve growth performance or nutrient digestibility in birds fed normal or drought-affected corn or sorghum. Birds fed drought-affected corn and sorghum affected growth performance variables, but environment did not affect final weight or mortality of broiler chicks.     

Growth performance,carcass traits,meat chemical composition and blood serum metabolites of broiler chicken fed on diets containing flaxseed oil

1. This study evaluated the effects of diets with partial and total substitution of soya bean oil (SO) with flaxseed (linseed) oil (FO) on broiler chicken performance, carcass traits, meat chemical composition and blood serum metabolites.

2. A total of 448 one-d-old Cobb 500 broiler chicken were used. They were allotted among 4 treatments with 8 replications, using a completely randomised design, for 35 d. Four diets were compared: T1 = 100% SO (3%, 1–7 d; 4%, 8–21 d; and 5%, 22–35 d); T2 = 50% SO + 50% FO; T3 = 25% SO + 75% FO and T4 = 100% FO.

3. No significant differences were observed in body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and blood serum metabolites (total triglycerides, TRI; total cholesterol, CHO; high-density lipoprotein, HDL; low-density lipoprotein, LDL; glucose, GLU; albumin, ALB; globulin, GLO; and total proteins, TPs). Significant effects were observed for TRI, CHO, HDL, GLU, HDL, LDL, ALB and GLO with regard to the day of collection.

4. Carcass traits did not show significant differences for the treatments. No significant differences were observed for breast and drumstick chemical compositions, with the exception of drumstick fat concentration (quadratic effect).

5. In conclusion, the partial or total substitution of SO with FO did not affect growth performance, carcass traits, meat chemical composition or blood serum profile in broiler chicken. Therefore, FO can be an alternative to SO in the diet formulation for broiler chicken.     

Effects of partial replacement of barley grain with beet pulp on performance,ruminal fermentation and plasma concentration of metabolites in transition dairy cows

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of partial replacement of barley grain with beet pulp (BP) on dry matter intake (DMI), ruminal fermentation, plasma concentration of metabolites and milk yield of transition dairy cows. Twenty‐four multiparous Holstein cows [735 ± 26 kg of body weights and 3.5 ± 0.05 of body condition score (BCS)] were used in a randomized complete block design. Cows were assigned randomly on day 28 relative to expected parturition date to one of three treatments containing (i) 0% BP, (ii) 25% BP or (iii) 50% BP substituted for barley grain on a DM basis. During the pre‐partum period, DMI and energy intake were greater (P < 0.01) in cows fed the BP diet compared with cows fed the barley grain diet. During the post‐partum period, substituting BP for barley grain caused a response in DMI and energy intake, with the highest amount for the 25% BP diet and lowest for the 50% BP diet (P < 0.01). Milk yield was lowest (P < 0.01) for 50% BP diet than the other treatments. During the post‐partum period, cows fed the 50% BP diets had greater rumen pH, molar proportion of butyrate and acetate: propionate ratio (P < 0.01) in the rumen compared with cows fed the 0% BP diets. In addition, cows fed the BP diets had greater (P < 0.01) plasma β‐hydroxybutyrate and lower plasma glucose (P < 0.05) and blood urinary nitrogen (BUN) (P < 0.01) concentrations than cows fed the barley grain diets. Results showed that substituting BP for barley grain was effective in increasing DMI, but it did not have a significant effect on net energy balance during the post‐partum period. However, replacing BP for barley grain at 50% had adverse effects on DMI, milk yield and metabolic status, as indicated by key blood metabolite concentrations.     

The effects of pelleting and glucanase supplementation in hulled barley based diets on feed manufacture,broiler performance,and digesta viscosity

Feeding broilers barley-based diets requires special consideration primarily due to effects on increased digesta viscosity and decreased nutrient digestion. Pelleting and glucanase supplementation are commonly performed prior to feeding broilers barley-based diets; however, the interaction of these practices is complex. The objective of this study was to establish a comprehensive evaluation of glucanase efficacy including: degree of processing, activity postpelleting, broiler performance, and digesta viscosity. Treatments were arranged in a 5 (diet formulation) × 2 (processing) factorial in a randomized complete block design with 8 replications/treatment. The 5 diet formulations consisted of positive control (PC), negative control (NC), glucanase A (GA) 125 or 1,000 β-Glu-U/kg feed, and glucanase B (GB) 1,000 β-Glu-U/kg feed. The PC and NC diets differed in metabolizable energy by 150 kcal/kg and enzymes were added to NC formulations. Diets were either fed as unprocessed mash or ground pellets. Diet formulation × processing did not interact for feed intake (FI), FCR, or total tract viscosity (P > 0.05); however, a trend was observed for ending bird weight, demonstrating that for ground pellets, GA 1,000 β-Glu-U/kg feed was improved relative to NC and similar to PC (P = 0.0903). Benefits associated with GB were not of similar magnitude, perhaps in part due to a 50% decrease in activity postpelleting. In addition, GA benefits were not suggested for unprocessed mash. The main effect processing was significant (P < 0.0001) demonstrating that broilers fed ground pellets resulted in greater pen ending bird weight, FI, and bird live weight gain (LWG) compared to birds fed unprocessed mash diets. Evaluations of glucanase should go beyond in vitro activity and include live bird performance using feed that has undergone pelleting.     

谷氨酸锌对肉仔鸡生长性能、血清含锌酶活性及免疫器官指数的影响

本试验旨在研究谷氨酸螯合锌(zinc glutamine,Glu-Zn)对肉仔鸡生长性能、血清含锌酶活性、免疫器官指数的影响。选用240只7日龄商品代AA肉用仔鸡,随机分成6个处理。1组为对照组饲喂含80mgZnSO4·H2O形式的Zn的基础日粮,其余5组分别在基础日粮中添加20、40、60、80mg/kg和100mg/kg谷氨酸螯合锌形式的Zn。饲养期为35d。结果表明:试验各周及全期,随着日粮中谷氨酸螯合锌水平的增加,肉仔鸡日增重和饲料转化效率均得到改善,同时,40mg/kg谷氨酸螯合锌组显著提高了试验全期的平均日增重(P0.05);血清碱性磷酸酶活性随着日粮锌水平的增加先上升,而后又下降,在锌添加水平为60mg/kg时取得最大值;谷氨酸螯合锌组在胸腺指数、脾脏指数上,明显优于对照组,且存在显著差异(P0.05),而法氏囊指数并不敏感。从本试验各项指标和经济效益综合分析,建议肉仔鸡饲料中添加60mg/kg的谷氨酸螯合锌。     

Effects of dietary supplementation of choline and carnitine on growth performance,meat oxidative stability and carcass composition of broiler chickens fed diets with different metabolisable energy levels

1. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of two lipotropic factors (choline and carnitine) on growth performance, oxidative stability of leg and breast muscles and carcass characteristics in broiler chickens fed diets differing in metabolisable energy (ME) levels.

2. A total of 540 one-d-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were allotted to 9 experimental diets, including three ME levels (control, or 0.42 or 0.84 MJ/kg higher ME) and three types of supplemental lipotropic factors (control, 1000 mg/kg of choline or 100 mg/kg of carnitine) as a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded during the starter (1–14 d of age), grower (15–28 d of age) and finisher (29–42 d of age) periods.

3. Results showed that the increase in dietary ME level had no impact on ADFI during the starter and grower periods. In the finisher period, increasing dietary ME decreased (P < 0.001) ADFI. Raising dietary ME level by 0.84 MJ/kg resulted in the greater ADG during the grower (P < 0.05) and finisher (P < 0.001) periods. Moreover, an improvement in FCR was observed with feeding the +0.84 MJ/kg diet. Dietary supplementation of lipotropic factors improved FCR values in birds fed the control and +0.84 MJ/kg diets during the grower and finisher periods (P < 0.01).

4. Dietary supplementation of both choline and carnitine increased (P < 0.05) moisture content of leg muscle, although malondialdehyde content of leg muscle was decreased (P < 0.01) in the presence of both lipotropic factors. Dietary supplementation of carnitine decreased (P < 0.01) leg fat content, and this effect was more obvious with higher ME levels, giving a significant ME × lipotrope interaction (P < 0.05). Higher dietary ME level (+0.84 MJ/kg) reduced (P < 0.05) protein content of breast muscle, but this factor was increased (P < 0.05) by dietary supplementation of choline.

5. Although dietary ME level had no marked effect on carcass yield and internal organ weight, supplemental choline increased (P < 0.01) carcass yield.

6. The results from this trial indicated that dietary supplementation with lipotropic factors can improve feed efficiency in high energy diets. In addition, oxidative stability of leg/breast muscles was improved as a result of dietary supplementation with choline or carnitine.     

Effect of including sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam) meal in finishing pig diets on growth performance,carcass traits and pork quality

The partial replacement of a commercial concentrate at 10‐20% and 15‐30% (the first percentage of each dietary treatment corresponded to weeks 1–3 and the second to weeks 4–7 of the experiment, respectively) by sweet potato meal (SPM; 70% foliage: 30% roots) was evaluated for growth performance, carcass yield, instrumental and sensory pork quality using 36 commercial crossbred pigs (56.8 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight). Three dietary treatments were compared in a randomized complete block design. Most growth, carcass traits and pork quality variables were not affected by the SPM inclusion. Growth performance averaged 868 g/day and feed efficiency 0.24 kg/kg. However, feed intake increased 2.2% (P = 0.04) in pigs fed the 10‐20% SPM diets, in a similar order of magnitude as the decrease in dietary energy. Despite an increase in gastrointestinal tract as a percent of hot carcass weight (+14.7%) (P = 0.03) with SPM inclusion, carcass yield averaged 69.4%. Conversely, decreases in loin yield (?4.2%) (P = 0.05), backfat thickness (?6.0%) (P < 0.01) and pork tenderness (?13%) (P = 0.02) were observed with 15‐30% SPM inclusion. Results suggest that up to 20% SPM inclusion is a viable feed strategy for finishing pigs, easily replicable in small farm settings. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

The effect of dietary supplementation with globin and spray-dried porcine plasma on performance,digestibility and histomorphological traits in broiler chickens

This study evaluated the effects of globin and spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) on growth performance, digestibility, nitrogen retention, energy retention efficiency (ERE) and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 336-day-old male broiler chickens were reared from 1 to 40 days of age and fed 3 diets (8 replicates/diet, 14 birds/replicate) during 3 feeding phases: starter (1–12 days), grower (12–25 days) and finisher (25–40 days). Isonitrogenous diets were formulated by replacing gluten protein isolate contained in the control diet (C diet) with 2% (starter) or 1% (grower and finisher) spray-dried porcine plasma in the plasma diet (SDPP diet). The globin diet (G diet) was obtained by adding globin on the top of C diet at a dose of 0.08% for the whole rearing period. Total tract apparent digestibility (aD), nitrogen retention and ERE were assessed during the three growing phases. At 12  and 40 days of age, one bird per pen was slaughtered to sample gut, liver, spleen and bursa of Fabricius for histomorphological investigations. The SDPP diet increased body weights of chickens at 12 (+60 g; p < .001), 25 (+101 g; p < .001) and 40 days (+130 g; p = .018) of age compared to C and G diets. Also SDPP improved crude protein aD (+9.7%) and ERE (+12.3%) during the starter phase (p < .001). Dietary globin and SDPP inclusion did not affect either the gut morphology or the histopathological findings in birds at 12 and 40 days of age, despite a numerical (+6.90% and +7.40% respectively) villus height improvement in the SDPP group. Overall, these results confirm that dietary supplementation with SDPP and, to a lesser extent, with globin can improve growth performance and dietary protein and energy utilization in broiler chickens without effect on gut functionality.     

Production performance,immune response and blood biochemical parameters in broiler chickens fed diet incorporated with prebiotics

This experiment was conducted to identify the suitable replacer of broiler feed antibiotics with prebiotics (mannan oligosaccharides‐MOS or fructooligosaccharide‐FOS). Two hundred and forty (240)‐day‐old chicks were randomly divided into 30 groups (6 treatments x 5 replicates/treatment x 8 chicks/replicate). Six experimental diets T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄, T₅ and T₆ were formulated to contain an additional 0, antibiotic, that is, bacitracin methylene di‐salicylate (BMD) @20 mg/kg, MOS (0.1% and 0.2%) and FOS (0.1% and 0.2%) respectively. Body weight gain was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in MOS‐0.2% supplemented group at 0–21 d and 0–42 d of broiler chicken. Humoral and in vivo cell‐mediated immune response were significantly improved (p < 0.05) in BMD, MOS @0.1% or 0.2% treated group. Significant (p < 0.05) increase was recorded in total protein (except 21 d), albumin and aspartate amino transferase (AST) and decrease (p < 0.05) in alanine amino transferase (except 42 d), cholesterol and uric acid concentration. The weight of breast, thigh, back, drumstick bursa of Fabricius and thymus were higher (p < 0.05) in the birds given the MOS @0.2% (T₄). It is concluded that MOS @0.2% may be suitable replacer of antibiotic growth promoter, and it has a beneficial effect on production performance, immune responses, blood biochemical parameters and cut up parts in broiler chickens.     

Effects of amino acids supplementation in low crude protein diets on growth performance,carcass traits and serum parameters in finishing gilts

This study investigated the effects of amino acids (AA) supplementation in low crude protein (CP) diets on growth performance and carcass characteristics in finishing gilts. One hundred and eighty gilts (59.1 ± 5.1 kg) were randomly allotted to one of five diets which consisted of a high CP (15.6%) diet or four low CP (11.6%) diets for 50 days. The low CP diets were supplemented with lysine + threonine + methionine (LCM), LCM + tryptophan (LCT), LCT + valine (LCV) or LCV + isoleucine (LCI), respectively. Gilts were housed at six pigs per pen with six pens per treatment. At the end of the 50‐day experiment, 30 gilts (one pig per pen) with average body weight (BW) of 98 kg were killed to evaluate carcass traits. The pigs fed the diet supplemented with LCV obtained the highest average daily gain (ADG), which was higher than those of pigs fed the diet supplemented with LCM (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with tryptophan, valine and isoleucine in low CP diets increased ADG (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05), serum levels of valine (quadratic effect, P < 0.05) and isoleucine (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05) in finishing gilts. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

日粮中添加茶多酚对青脚麻鸡生长性能、胴体品质和血脂的影响

本文研究了在基础日粮中添加0.02%、0.04%和0.06%水平的茶多酚对青脚麻鸡生长性能、胴体品质和血脂的影响。试验选用15日龄健康青脚麻鸡160只,随机分为4个处理组,每组4个重复,每个重复4只鸡。试验期42 d。试验结果表明:在饲粮中添加一定浓度水平的茶多酚能有效提高青脚麻鸡生产性能(P<0.05),但饲料转化率不和日粮中茶多酚添加量成正比;茶多酚对青脚麻鸡胴体品质的影响效果在不同性别间和部位间差异不同,可以有效降低胸、腿肌剪切力,显著提高青脚麻鸡肉的嫩度(P<0.01);随茶多酚添加浓度增加能有效降低青脚麻鸡的腹脂率(P<0.05),同时对青脚麻鸡与脂肪代谢有关的血液生化指标TC、TG、HDL-C、LDL-C和GLU影响在其43日龄左右的生长中期效果显著。要达到显著效果,茶多酚的添加量不少于0.04%为宜。