Effects of an Enterococcus faecium‐based probiotic on growth performance and health of Pirarucu,Arapaima gigas

Intensive fish farming has resulted in an increased concern for disease outbreaks. Probiotic use is one of the strategies being developed to improve fish health and productivity. Measures of probiotic colonization, growth performance, haematological characteristics and parasite load were used to evaluate the effect of diets supplemented with Enterococcus faecium on growth and health of Arapaima gigas juveniles. A completely randomized design with four treatments (diet with E. faecium at 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g and 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g, control diet and diet with the culture medium MRS) and three replicates was used. Ninety‐six Arapaima juveniles were distributed in 12 cages fed with the specified diet for 68 days. Colonization of the intestinal tract by lactic acid bacteria reduced the total number of heterotrophic bacteria in fish fed with probiotics compared to controls. Fish fed a supplemented diet containing 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g presented higher values of weight gain, survival and fish growth uniformity, and lower values of feed conversion ratio. The prevalence of Trichodina sp. could have affected the survival of fish in the control group. Reduction in parasite load and an increase in haematocrit, the number of erythrocytes, thrombocytes, neutrophils and monocytes were also observed in fish fed the diet containing 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g. Enterococcus faecium presented a probiotic effect in A. gigas juveniles and can be recommended for use at a concentration of 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g to modify the gut microbiota, improve growth performance and haematology and reduce parasitic load.     

Microsatellite pedigree analysis reveals high variance in reproductive success and reduced genetic diversity in hatchery-spawned northern abalone

The northern (or pinto) abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana, is a broadcast-spawning marine gastropod that was recently listed as endangered in Canada. To aid in species recovery, a captive-breeding and supplementation program is underway in Barkley Sound, British Columbia. We genotyped first generation progeny for five microsatellite loci and used a pedigree reconstruction program (Pedigree 2.2) to identify their genealogical relationships in the absence of information on parental genotypes. We analyzed progeny from three separate group-spawning events and inferred considerable variation in the number of offspring produced by each parent; in the most severe case a single male sired all the progeny produced during one spawning event. After only one generation of captive-breeding we found a 55–60% reduction in allelic richness and a 17–18% reduction in heterozygosity relative to the diverse wild source population. This study illustrates the difficulty of managing genetic diversity in hatchery populations of a broadcast-spawning species, even when gametes are collected separately from each individual broodstock.     

Effect of supplementation of multi-microbe probiotic product on growth performance, apparent digestibility, cecal microbiota and small intestinal morphology of broilers

The present study investigated the effect of inclusion of multi-microbe probiotic product on growth performance, apparent digestibility of nutrients, cecal microbiota and small intestinal morphology in broilers. Four hundred days-old Ross chicks were randomly allotted to five treatments on the basis of body weight (BW). Each treatment had four replicates of 20 chicks in each. Experimental diets were fed in two phases, starter (day 0-21) and finisher (day 22-35). Dietary treatments were; basal diet without any antimicrobial (NC), basal diet added with 20 mg Avilamycin/kg of diet (PC), 10(7) cfu multi-microbe probiotic/kg of diet (P1), 10(8) cfu multi-microbe probiotic/kg of diet (P2), and 10(9) cfu multi-microbe probiotic/kg of diet (P3). Overall BW gain and feed conversion ratio were better (p < 0.05) for treatments PC, P2 and P3 compared with NC and P1, with P1 being better (p < 0.05) than NC. Overall feed intake in treatments PC, P1, P2 and P3 were greater (p < 0.05) than NC. Apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude protein were greater (p < 0.05) in treatments PC, P2 and P3 compared with NC, with P1 being intermediate and not different form NC, PC, P2 and P3. At d 21 and 35, treatments PC, P1, P2 and P3 showed lower (p < 0.05) cecal Clostridium and Coliforms count in relation to NC. Moreover, cecal Clostridium (d 21) and Coliforms (d 21 and 35) count were lower (p < 0.05) in treatment PC in relation to P1; with P2 and P3 being intermediate and not different from PC. However, there was no effect of dietary treatments on cecal total anaerobic bacteria and Bifidobacterium spp. count. The villus height of duodenum in treatment PC was greater (p < 0.05) than NC, with P1, P2 and P3 being intermediate. Villus height of ileum in treatment PC was greater (p < 0.05) than in treatments P1 and NC, whereas it remained comparable among treatments PC, P2 and P3. Villus height to crypt depth ratio of ileum was greater (p < 0.05) for treatment PC, P2 and P3 compared with that in P1 and NC. It is concluded that multi-microbe probiotic inclusion at 10(8) and 10(9) cfu/kg diet had beneficial effects on broilers growth performance, apparent digestibility of nutrients and intestinal morphology and can be used as replacement to antibiotics growth promoter in broiler nutrition.     

高效液相色谱-荧光检测法测定尿中1-羟基芘

[目的]通过C18固相萃取小柱洗脱液浓缩与不浓缩试验对比,改进尿样中1-羟基芘的高效液相色谱-荧光检测器测定方法。[方法]取2组相同尿样,经酶避光水解后,通过C18固相萃取小柱进行富集,甲醇洗脱。一组对洗脱液进行氮吹浓缩后定容至1.5 ml,另一组直接洗脱定容至1.5 ml,然后,使用高效液相色谱-荧光检测器检测。以V乙腈∶V水=75∶25为流动相,等度洗脱,流速为1 ml/min,荧光检测器λex=275 nm,λem=430 nm。[结果]浓缩后测定的1-羟基芘的值为不浓缩测定值的72.9%～80.6%。利用不浓缩的酶水解高效液相色谱-荧光检测器法测定尿样中的1-羟基芘,检出限为0.02 ng/ml,在给定浓度范围内,1-羟基芘的峰面积与浓度有良好的线性关系,线性回归方程为y=2.404 1x-0.083(r=0.999 9),加标回收率为94.8%～108.7%,平均相对标准偏差为2.7%。[结论]不浓缩的酶水解高效液相色谱-荧光检测器法可用于测定尿样中的1-羟基芘,且该方法具有操作简单,灵敏度、精密度高,重现性、回收率好的特点。     

精料补充料在家兔日粮中的应用研究

选择35日龄左右、健康无病的齐卡大型白兔120只,随机分为4组,分别饲喂全价饲料和3种不同营养水平的精料补充料,观察其采食量、日增重和成活率。结果表明:饲喂青草加精料补充料较饲喂全价饲料成本低。而精料补充料以消化能12.76MJ/kg、粗蛋白19.28%、粗纤维6.21%的营养水平饲喂效果最佳。     

Improvement of flesh quality in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed supranutritional dietary selenium yeast is associated with the inhibited muscle protein degradation

Supranutritional dietary selenium (Se) has been demonstrated beneficial for fish health, however, its effects on fish flesh quality remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of supranutritional dietary Se on the flesh quality of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and their potential mechanism. Fish were fed a basal diet supplemented with or without graded Se yeast for 10 weeks. Results showed that Se supplementation significantly increased fillet crude protein and enhanced fillet water‐holding capacity as well as fillet firmness. Supplementing with both 2 and 4 mg/kg Se significantly downregulated the expressions of two autophagy–lysosome‐related genes (autophagy‐related 12‐like and gamma‐aminobutyric acid type A receptor‐associated protein‐like 1) in fish muscle, while supplementing with 4 mg/kg Se also significantly downregulated the expression of two ubiquitin–proteasome‐related genes (muscle RING finger 2 and F‐box protein 25). Correlation analysis indicated that the improved fillet quality parameters were closely correlated with the expressions of these differentially expressed genes. This study revealed that dietary Se was effective for the improvement of rainbow trout flesh quality, and the improved fish flesh quality was associated with the inhibited protein degradation in fish muscle.     

Performance and blood parameters when lambs and meat‐goat kids were finished on pasture with and without whole cottonseed (Gossypium hirsutum) supplementation

We evaluated forage production patterns, weight gains and blood parameters when lambs (Ovis aries) and meat‐goat (Caprus hircus) kids were finished on a mixed sward of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) with (SUP) and without (UNSUP) supplemental whole cottonseed (Gossypium hirsutum; WCS) in a replicated study. Botanical composition and energy/protein ratios of the sward varied with year and with time during the growing season. Swards had greater amounts of red clover relatively early and more cocksfoot later in the season. Suffolk (SX) lambs had the heaviest body weights, Katahdin (KA) lambs were intermediate, and meat‐goat (GX) kids were the lightest at the end of each year. Overall body weight gain followed a trend of SX > KA > GX, and WCS supplementation increased weight gain for all animals by 18%. Only in 2008 did SUP animals have higher blood urea nitrogen levels, which may indicate less efficient use of dietary nitrogen when grazing grass–legume pastures managed for high nutritive value compared with UNSUP animals. Gossypol in WCS did not affect blood packed cell volume between SUP and UNSUP lambs and meat‐goat kids. Suffolk lambs, Katahdin lambs and cross‐bred Boer meat‐goat kids finished on pasture with and without WCS supplementation produced desirable body weights for most ethnic markets in the USA.     

Modelling the food web for assessment of the impact of stock supplementation in a reservoir ecosystem in India

Comparative estimates of trophic status and energy flow were carried out in a tropical reservoir ecosystem in India to assess the impact of fish stocking. Mass‐balanced models of the reservoir ecosystem were constructed for two periods – 1982–1983 and 2002–2003 – using ecopath software to determine the impacts on different groups before and after stocking. Mixed trophic impact (MTI) analyses indicated that phytoplankton and detritus have a positive impact on most groups. There was a decrease in nutrient flow through the system from pre‐stocking to post‐stocking (22.28%). The baseline was higher by 0.29% in the post‐stock phase indicating maturity. The ecosystem indices tested indicate that the reservoir was in a more resilient state post‐stocking than during the pre‐stocking phase. The ‘health’ of the ecosystem showed an improvement, which indicates a positive impact of stocking.     

补充母源性有机硒与蛋氨酸对后代仔鸡腿肉过热味的影响

通过测定后代仔鸡腿肉冷藏期间过热味发生的氧化产物含量变化,探讨母源性有机硒和蛋氨酸补充对后代仔鸡腿肉过热味产生的影响。选用450只52周龄狼山种母鸡随机分成9个处理组,每组5个重复,每个重复10只鸡,分别在玉米-豆粕型基础日粮中添加不同水平的有机硒和蛋氨酸。各处理组有机硒(0.1%)的水平为0.13,0.43和0.73mg/kg,DL-蛋氨酸(99%)的水平为0.32,0.40和0.54mg/kg。饲喂后收集种蛋孵化。每处理组挑选160只健康雏鸡,随机分成5个重复,饲喂相同日粮。13周龄时,从每个重复随机挑选2只仔母鸡,屠宰,取样,测定指示过热味发生的氧化产物含量的变化。研究发现:在过热味发展初期(6h)母源性有机硒和蛋氨酸对总醛、己醛、1-戊醇、2,3-辛二酮和2-戊基-呋喃的含量影响显著,存在互作效应(P0.05);对过热味发展后期(3d)挥发性氧化产物的含量影响不显著。高硒高蛋氨酸组与低硒低蛋氨酸组总醛、己醛和1-戊醇的含量最低,而2,3-辛二酮与2-戊基呋喃的含量最高;两组间各物质含量差异不显著。冷藏时间对各种挥发性氧化产物的含量均有极显著影响(P0.01)。因此,在种母鸡日粮中添加硒和蛋氨酸可防止13周龄仔鸡腿肉过热味的产生。