Influence of Dietary Metformin on the Growth Performance and Plasma Concentrations of Amino Acids and Advanced Glycation End Products in Two Types of Chickens

Glycation is a non-enzymatic reaction inducing the bonding of glucose to amino acids and proteins. Glycated amino acids are not useful for protein synthesis, suggesting that glycation reduces the utilization of amino acids. Metformin (MF) is well known as a therapeutic drug for type II diabetes that inhibits glycation. It is possible that treatment with MF raises the utilization of amino acids by the inhibition of glycation, thereby improving the growth performance of chickens. In the present study, therefore, we investigated the influence of dietary MF on the growth performance, and plasma concentrations of free amino acids and N^ε-(Carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), which is an advanced glycation end product, in layer (Experiment 1) and broiler (Experiment 2) chickens. From 7 d of age, chicks were allowed free access to one of the experimental diets containing MF at 3 supplementation levels (0, 150, and 300 mg/kg diet) for 14 days. Body weight and feed intake were measured every week. At the end of the experiments, blood and breast muscle (M. pectoralis major) were collected for further analysis. Dietary MF did not affect weight gain, feed intake, or feed efficiency in both layer and broiler chickens. Dietary MF at the level of 150 mg/kg diet increased breast muscle weight in both layer and broiler chickens. Dietary MF increased plasma concentrations of branched chain amino acids and decreased concentrations of CML in layer chickens, although it did not affect plasma concentrations of glucose. The present study suggested that dietary MF might have the potency to increase breast muscle weight of layer chickens with an increment in plasma concentrations of branched-chain amino acids.     

Atypical ocular Chelonoid herpesvirus manifestations in a captive Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)

A captive loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) of unknown sex, 3 years of age, presented with bilateral mucoid secretions, severe chemosis, conjunctival hyperemia, and globe retraction. The animal was evaluated ophthalmologically and systemically, and hematological, microbiological, and conjunctival cytological and biopsy samples were collected for complementary diagnosis. The histopathological examination showed amphophilic intranuclear inclusions associated with severe inflammatory infiltrate. The diagnosis of Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChAHV 5) was confirmed with end point PCR. Following systemic treatment with L‐lysine, acyclovir and vitamin A, the ocular signs resolved. No amphophilic intranuclear inclusions were seen in a follow‐up biopsy 5 months later, and there has been no recurrence of clinical ophthalmic signs during a 4‐year follow‐up. It is suggested that ChAHV 5 be considered as a differential diagnosis in captive marine turtles that present for conjunctival disease other than fibropapillomatosis.     

Amino Acid Resources of the Wild Relative of Barley (Hordeum spontaneum) in Israel

Measurements were made on amino acid contents in collection of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum)., grown in pot conditions, and in some Israeli breeding lines and cultivars of Hordeum vulgare. H. spontaneum was low in lysine content and high in prolilne plus glutamic acid compared to H. vulgare. Lysine content was positively correlated, in H. spontaneum, to all other ammo acids except proline and giutamic acid. Inter-populanon rnean differences for Iv-saie in H. spontaneum were small and lysine variation was obscured due to variation in protein content. The use of H. spomancum in breeding high protein. nutritionally improved barley is discussed.     

Dietary requirements of rainbow trout for tryptophan,lysine and arginine determined by growth and biochemical measurements

Three separate studies were performed to determine the dietary requirements of rainbow troutSalmo gairdneri for tryptophan (Trp), lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg) from both growth and biochemical data. The growth studies were carried out over a 12 week period. From graphical plots of % mean weight gain against % amino acid in diet the following requirement values were obtained, Trp 0.25% diet (0.4% dietary crude protein); Lys 1.9% diet (4.3% dietary protein); and Arg 1.6–1.8% diet (3.6–4% dietary protein). Plasma and liver amino acid concentrations measured 20h after feeding did not prove useful for determination of requirement values. Hepatic activities of Trp pyrrolase (TP), Lys ketoglutarate reductase (LKGR) and arginase were not significantly affected by varying levels of Trp, Lys and Arg respectively in the diet. TP has a cytosolic location and a Km of 0.2 mM for Trp; LKGR is mitochondrial and the Km for Lys is 7.3 mM; arginase is also mitochondrial and has a Km of 4.9 mM for arginine. Measurements of expired¹⁴CO₂, after injection of a tracer dose of¹⁴C amino acid, did allow estimates of requirement levels to be made. The values obtained from the oxidation studies reinforced the values obtained from the growth data but were not precise enough to justify using this method on its own.     

Dietary lysine requirement of juvenile gilthead seabream Sparus aurata L.*

The dietary lysine requirement of juvenile gilthead seabream was determined by the growth response of duplicate groups of fish (3.5 g initial weight) fed on six isonitrogenous (427 g kg^?1) and isolipidic (135 g kg^?1) diets containing graded levels of crystalline l ‐lysine HCl, with dietary lysine content ranging from 36.3 to 79.7 g kg^?1 of protein. The final indispensable amino acid profile of the diets except for lysine was formulated so as to resemble that of wild seabream whole body. Except for the reduced growth performance of fish groups fed the lysine‐deficient diets no other deficiency signs were apparent. Survival observed throughout the feeding period of 6 weeks was excellent. Weight gain (in %), specific growth rate, feed efficiency and daily protein deposition (DPD) were significantly improved in response to the increasing levels of dietary lysine up to 52.7 g kg^?1 of protein and remained nearly constant thereafter. Whole‐body protein content followed a similar pattern as growth parameters in relation to dietary lysine level. Non‐linear regression analysis of DPD against dietary lysine level using the four‐parameter saturation kinetic model indicated a lysine requirement of 50.4 g kg^?1 of protein for this species to support growth.     

饲养密度和饲粮赖氨酸水平对公母分饲肉鸡生长性能、胴体组成和健康状态的影响

本试验旨在研究不同饲养密度和饲粮赖氨酸水平对公母分饲肉鸡生长性能、胴体组成和健康状态的影响.试验采用2×2×3三因子完全随机设计,选用罗斯308商品代肉仔鸡公雏1314只和母雏1530只,随机分成12个处理,每个处理6个重复(栏).试验设高、低2个饲养密度,分别为42(16公/m2或18母/m2)和26 kg/m2(1...     

过瘤胃赖氨酸对奶牛产乳量及乳成分的影响

试验采用随机分组试验设计,选择健康的中国荷斯坦奶牛48头,按照胎次、产奶量、泌乳日期一致原则,均匀分成4组,试验各组基础日粮相同,就饲粮中添加过瘤胃赖氨酸对乳牛产乳量及乳成分的影响进行研究。4个处理组分别为:对照组(0添加组)不添加过瘤胃赖氨酸(RPLys)、试验Ⅰ组添加10g/(头·d)、试验Ⅱ组添加20g/(头·d)和试验Ⅲ组添加30g/(头·d)。试验结果显示:经过饲喂后,试验各组与对照组相比,产奶量显著提高;试验Ⅲ组和试验Ⅱ组都与对照组差异显著(P<0.05),其中试验Ⅲ组与对照组差异极显著(P<0.01);乳蛋白含量有所提高,其中试验Ⅲ组与对照组有显著差异(P<0.05);其他乳成分指标略有提高,但差异不显著(P>0.05)。     

o2与淀粉合成突变基因互作对子粒赖氨酸含量的影响

以o2、sh2、su1、wx 4个基因的郑58近等基因系品质基因聚合材料为研究对象,对聚合材料子粒中赖氨酸含量进行定量测定,分析o2与淀粉合成突变基因互作对子粒赖氨酸含量的影响。结果表明,聚合材料赖氨酸含量介于0.35%~1.05%,郑58子粒赖氨酸含量为0.28%,存在显著差异。o2与淀粉合成缺陷型突变基因(sh2、su1)互作可以显著增加赖氨酸含量,3个基因聚合的基因型o2sh2su1赖氨酸含量最高,为1.05%;其次为sh2o2和su1o2基因型,聚合材料粒重均不同程度下降。o2与淀粉修饰型突变基因(wx)互作赖氨酸含量未发生明显变化。su1o2以及su1o2wx既具有相对较高的赖氨酸含量,又保持一定的粒重。