Determination of optimal dietary selenium levels by full expression of selenoproteins in various tissues of broilers from 1 to 21 d of age

The current NRC dietary selenium (Se) requirement (0.15 mg/kg) of broilers is primarily based on growth performance data reported in 1986. Our study aimed to determine optimal dietary Se levels of broilers fed a practical corn-soybean meal diet for the full expression of selenoproteins in various tissues. A total of 384 one-d-old male broilers (n = 8 replicates/diet) were fed a basal corn-soybean meal diet or the basal diet supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 or 0.5 mg Se/kg in the form of Na₂SeO₃ for 21 d. Regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the optimal dietary Se levels using broken-line, quadratic or asymptotic models. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in the plasma, liver, kidney and pancreas, iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO) in the plasma, liver and pancreas, and thioredoxin reductase (Txnrd) in the liver and pancreas, the mRNA levels of Gpx1, Gpx4, Dio1, selenoprotein (Seleno) h, Selenop and Selenou in the liver, Gpx4, Dio1, Txnrd1, Txnrd2, Selenoh, Selenop and Selenou in the kidney, and Gpx1, Gpx4, Selenoh and Selenou in the pancreas, and the protein levels of GPX4 in the liver and kidney of broilers were influenced (P < 0.05) by added Se levels, and increased quadratically (P < 0.05) with the increase of added Se levels. The estimates of optimal dietary Se levels were 0.07 to 0.36 mg/kg based on the fitted broken-line, quadratic or asymptotic models (P < 0.001) of the aforementioned selenoprotein expression in the plasma, liver and kidney, and 0.09 to 0.46 mg/kg based on the fitted broken-line models (P < 0.001) of the aforementioned selenoprotein expression in the pancreas. The results indicate that the optimal dietary Se levels would be 0.36 mg/kg to support the full expression of selenoproteins in the plasma, liver and kidney, and 0.46 mg/kg to support the full expression of selenoproteins in the pancreas of broilers fed a practical corn-soybean meal diet from 1 to 21 d of age.     

Supranutritional dietary selenium depressed expression of selenoprotein genes in three immune organs of broilers

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supranutritional dietary selenium (Se) on selenoproteins expression in three immune organs of chickens. A total of 160 1‐day‐old male Cobb broilers were randomly divided into two groups and fed a Se‐deficient corn‐soybean basal diet supplemented with 0.3 (adequate) and 3.0 (excess) mg/kg Se for 42 days. Immune organs were collected, and effects of supranutritional Se on messenger RNA abundance of 23 selenoprotein genes and eight inflammation‐related genes were compared at day 42. Also enzyme activities were measured at days 14, 28 and 42. The results showed supranutritional dietary Se depressed growth performance of chicken and down‐regulated nine and three selenoprotein genes in thymus and spleen, respectively, and only Sepp1 was up‐regulated in the bursa of Fabricius. Also three, three and seven inflammation‐related genes were up‐regulated in three organs, respectively. Supranutritional Se elevated (P < 0.05) activities of superoxidase dismutase, total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase, mainly in early stages. In summary, supranutritional Se resulted in down‐regulation of selenoprotein genes and up‐regulation of inflammation‐related genes in three immune organs of chicken, which indicated potential roles of those selenoprotein genes in immune organs of the chicken.     

Determination of the fourth and fifth limiting amino acids in broilers fed on diets containing maize, soybean meal and poultry by-product meal from 28 to 42 d of age

1. Valine (Val) is considered the 4th limiting amino acid for broilers fed on diets containing ingredients from vegetable origin. However, Val and Isoleucine (Ile) may be co-limiting for broilers fed on diets containing animal protein meals. An experiment was conducted to examine growth responses and meat yield of broilers provided diets varying in digestible Val (dVal) and digestible Ile (dIle) concentrations from 28 to 42 d of age. 2. Eight experimental diets varying in dVal (dVal to dLys ratios from 0·66 to 0·76) and dIle (dIle to dLys ratios from 0·57 to 0·67) were studied; digestible Lysine (Lys) was formulated to 9·9 g/kg in all diets. 3. Broilers fed on a negative control (NC) diet supplemented with crystalline Val (L-Val) and crystalline Ile (L-Ile), dVal to dLys = 0·76 and dIle to dLys = 0·67, grew faster and had higher breast meat yield than birds fed on NC + L-Ile (dVal to dLys = 0·66 and dIle to dLys = 0·67), NC + L-Val (dVal to dLys = 0·76 and dIle to dLys = 0·57), and NC + reduced L-Val and L-Ile (dVal to dLys = 0·71 and dIle to dLys = 0·62). 4. Feeding broilers on the NC + L-Val and L-Ile (dVal to dLys = 0·76 and dIle to dLys = 0·67) diets gave similar BW gain, carcase weight and yield and total breast meat weight and yield to birds fed on the positive control-fed broilers with no added L-Val and L-Ile (dVal to dLys = 0·76 and dIle to dLys = 0·67). 5. These results indicate that Val and Ile are co-limiting in diets containing poultry by-product meal.     

日粮酪氨酸水平对泰和乌骨鸡生产性能及组织黑色素含量的影响

选用28日龄泰和乌骨鸡135只,随机分成3组,每组设5个重复,每个重复10只鸡(公母各半),饲养至12周龄.在5～8周龄3个处理组日粮酪氨酸水平分别为0.424%、0.566%和0.708%,在9～12周龄3个处理组日粮色氨酸水平分别为0.402%、0.521%和0.640%.结果表明:(1)在5～8周龄,泰和乌骨鸡平均日增重随日粮酪氨酸水平的提高显著降低(P<0.05),但酪氨酸水平对料重比和平均日采食量无显著影响(P>0.05);泰和乌骨鸡胸肌黑色素含量随日粮酪氨酸水平的提高极显著增大(P<0.01),但腿肌和皮肤黑色素含量未受酪氨酸水平影响(P>0.05).(2)在9～12周龄,日粮酪氨酸水平对泰和乌骨鸡平均日增重、料重比和平均日采食量均无显著影响(P>0.05),但显著影响胸肌和腿肌黑色素含量(P<0.05),而对皮肤黑色素含量无显著影响(P>0.05).在3个处理组中,高酪氨酸水平组的胸肌和腿肌黑色素最高.在本试验的酪氨酸水平范围内,提高日粮酪氨酸水平可促进泰和乌骨鸡组织黑色素沉积而不影响生产性能.     

Influence of dietary rapeseed meal levels on growth performance,organ health and standardized ileal amino acid digestibility in meat ducks from 15 to 35 days of age

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary rapeseed meal (RSM) inclusion levels on growth performance, organ health and standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAAD) in meat ducks from 15 to 35 days of age. Six hundred and eighty 15‐days‐old ducks were randomly allotted to five treatments based on body weight. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated on a digestible amino acid basis by replacing 0% (the control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% (based on fresh) of protein from soya bean meal (SBM) with protein from RSM. The corresponding levels of RSM in experimental diets were 0%, 6.66%, 13.32%, 19.98% and 26.64% respectively. With increasing dietary RSM levels, body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) linearly decreased (p < 0.001), whereas feed‐to‐gain ratio (F: G) linearly increased (p = 0.0078). Ducks fed the diets with 13.32% or more RSM had significantly lower (p < 0.05) BW, ADG and ADFI, or higher F: G than ducks fed the control diet. The maximum limit of dietary RSM supplementation was estimated to range from 4.27% to maximize ADG for 15 to 35 days to 11.69% to maintain feed intake for 15 to 35 days on the basis of a broken‐line model. At day35, the 4th primary wing feather length and SIAAD (except for Met, Thr and Val) linearly decreased (p < 0.001), and the thyroid glands weight (% of BW) linearly increased (p < 0.05) with increasing dietary RSM levels. Ducks fed the RSM inclusion diets had significantly lower (p < 0.0001) serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities than ducks fed the control diet. These results suggested that the maximum limit of dietary RSM containing 7.57 μmol/g glucosinolates was estimated to be 4.27% to avoid growth reduction.