The objective of this study was to investigate toxic effects of aflatoxin B1(AFB1) on growth performance, organs, hepatic enzyme activities, apparent digestibility of nutrients and digestive enzyme activities in ducks. Ninety 1-day-old Cherry Valley commercial ducks were designed to three treatment groups with three replicates of ten birds each. Group I (control) was fed conventional feed free of AFB1, group II or III was fed the diets containing 20 μg/kg or 40 μg/kg AFB1-contaminated rice respectively. The feeding trial lasted 6 weeks. The results were that decreased body weight gain and feed intake, increased feed to gain ratio and selected organ weights (liver, kidney and pancreas) were observed in AFB1-treated groups. The activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly increased in AFB1-contamined groups. The apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP) was significantly lower while activities of digestive enzyme from duodenum contents including protease, chymotrypsin, trypsin and amylase were increased in AFB1-treated group. These results indicated that AFB1 of feed could decrease growth performance and apparent digestibility of nutrients, change digestive enzyme activities of duodenum contents in duck. 相似文献
The Lanyu pig is an indigenous breed from the Lanyu Islet, which is southeast of Taiwan. Two herds of Lanyu pigs were introduced from the Lanyu Islet into Taiwan in 1975 and 1980. The current population of conserved Lanyu pigs consists of only 44 animals with unknown genetic lineage. The Lanyu pig possesses a distinct maternal genetic lineage remote from Asian and European pigs. The present study aimed to understand the phylogenetic relationship among conserved Lanyu, Asian, and European type pigs based on the cytochrome b coding gene, to ascertain the maternal lineage and genetic diversity within the conserved Lanyu pigs, and to address whether genetic introgression from exotic or Formosan wild pigs had occurred in the conserved Lanyu pigs. Entire mitochondrial genomes of both types of Lanyu pig comprised 2 ribosomal RNA, 22 transfer RNA, and 13 protein-coding genes. Only 2 haplotypes of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and cytochrome b were identified in the conserved Lanyu pig herds. When maximum likelihood trees were constructed, the Type I Lanyu mitochondrial genes formed a unique clade with a large pairwise distance of both cytochrome b and the control region from Asian and European type breeds, Formosan wild pigs, and exotic breeds. Significant loss of genetic diversity of mtDNA within the conserved Lanyu pigs was demonstrated by low haplotype and nucleotide diversities, supported by Fu and Li's D* neutrality test (1.44055; P < 0.05). The mtDNA control region sequences of extant pigs in the Lanyu Islet, however, showed high haplotype and nucleotide diversity, and clustered with exotic pigs. These results indicate no maternal lineage mtD-NA gene introgression from Formosan wild pigs and introduced exotic pigs to conserved Type I Lanyu pigs, and a severe loss of heterozygosity of mtDNA in conserved Lanyu pigs. The remaining extant pigs on the Lanyu Islet have been introgressed with exotic breeds. Strategies for future conservation of native Lanyu pigs are now even more urgent and important. 相似文献
The advantage of supplemental sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) on eggshell quality in laying hens changes with age. Besides increasing calcium (Ca) secretion in the eggshell gland, it may improve Ca absorption in the intestine or kidney.
Hy-Line Brown layers (n = 384), 25 weeks of age, were allocated to two treatment groups in two experiments, each of which included 4 replicates of 24 hens. Hens were fed a basal diet (control) or the basal diet containing 3 g NaHCO3 g/kg for 50 or 20 weeks in Experiment 1 or 2, respectively. A 24-h continuous lighting regimen was used to allow hens to consume the dietary supplements during the period of active eggshell formation.
In Experiment 1, particularly from 25 to 50 weeks of age, and in Experiment 2, NaHCO3 supplementation favoured hen-d egg production at the expense of lower egg weight. The increased eggshell thickness should have nothing to do with the additional eggshell formation, because of the unchanged egg mass and daily eggshell calcification.
At 35 weeks of age in both experiments, NaHCO3 supplementation increased duodenal expression of calbindin-d28k (CaBP-D28k) protein, contributing to higher Ca retention and balance.
From 50 to 75 weeks of age in Experiment 1, the hens had little response to NaHCO3 supplementation and showed a negative trend on eggshell thickness and strength.
It is concluded that dietary supplementation with 3 g NaHCO3 g/kg improves Ca absorption and eggshell quality of laying hens during the peak but not late production period, with the introduction of continuous lighting.
