Effects of oral supplementation of probiotic strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Enterococcus faecium on diarrhoea events of foals in their first weeks of life

Foal first diarrhoea is one of the most prominent problems in the early life of horses. Probiotics might have the potency to prevent or at least diminish neonatal diarrhoea. We hypothesised that the treatment of foals with probiotic strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Enterococcus faecium starting early after birth and then daily over 2 weeks would prevent or mitigate foal heat diarrhoea. The influence of this probiotic treatment on diarrhoea incidence and growth and health performance of young foals was investigated. Thirty‐four foals were randomly allocated to two groups. From day 1 to 14 of life, the foals received either placebo (PG, n = 16) or the probiotic treatment (TG, n = 18). Clinical examination was performed, and the faeces consistency score (FCS, 1–5; with diarrhoea defined by ≤3) was recorded once per day in weeks 1 and 2 and once weekly in weeks 3–8 of life (WL). The body height was measured at birth and after two and eight WL. Diarrhoea occurred in the 1st WL in 19% and 61% of PG and TG foals respectively. In the 1st WL, diarrhoea lasted 0.3 ± 0.8 and 1.6 ± 1.4 days in PG and TG foals respectively. In the 2nd WL, diarrhoea occurred in 94% and 84% of PG and TG foals, respectively, and lasted for 3.0 ± 1.5 and 3.7 ± 1.6 days respectively. At least two periods of diarrhoea developed in 33% and 65% of PG and TG foals respectively. The TG foals grew slightly slower than the PG foals. The results indicated that the probiotic treatment of neonatal foals as performed in this study was not suitable to reduce diarrhoea within the first two WL, because contrary to the hypothesis, the TG foals suffered more frequently and for longer periods from diarrhoea than the PG foals.     

Evaluating the nutritive profile of three insect meals and their effects to replace soya bean in broiler diet

This study was conducted to evaluate the comparative effect of maggot meal, silkworm meal and mealworm as dietary protein source on the production performance and some aspects of meat quality in broilers. In this regard, maggot meal was reared on chicken offal and poultry waste. Silkworm meal was obtained from silk industry, while mealworm was developed through beetles rearing. A total of 120‐day‐old broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups where soya bean meal (M0) was replaced with maggot meal (M1), silkworm meal (M2) and mealworm (M3) respectively. Each group was further divided into three replicates. The study was carried out for a period of 5 weeks. Diets containing mealworm significantly reduced overall feed consumption and resulted into higher weight gain (p < .05). Lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was recorded for birds fed with mealworm diet (p < .05). Tenderness and juiciness of meat were higher (p < .05) in M3 compared to the control and other treatments. Mortality did not vary between the control and the treated groups. Therefore, it is concluded that insect meal is rich in essential nutrients and could be successfully used in broiler ration without compromising acceptability. In the light of this study, mealworm is the best choice in broiler ration, in comparison with maggot and silkworm.     

Effects of a DHA‐rich unextracted microalgae as a dietary supplement on performance,carcass traits and meat fatty acid profile in growing‐finishing pigs

Two 125‐day experiments of the same design were conducted to evaluate the effects of a heterotrophically grown microalgae (AURA) containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on pig performance, carcass traits and the fatty acid composition of lean and adipose tissue. In each experiment, 144 Hypor pigs were blocked by sex, allocated to three treatment groups, and fed 0, 0.25% or 0.50% AURA in isonutritive, isocaloric diets. Pigs were weighed on days 0, 28, 56, 84 and 112. Feed and water intakes were measured every 28 days. Pigs were slaughtered on day 125. Data from the two studies were analysed as a single data set. Performance and carcass traits did not differ between treatments. Both microalgae treatment levels enriched (p < .05) Longissimus lumborum (LL) and backfat in DHA and improved (p < .05) their ratios of n‐6 to n‐3 fatty acids.     

Amino acid profiles of rumen undegradable protein: a comparison between forages including cereal straws and alfalfa and their respective total mixed rations

Optimizing the amino acid (AA) profile of rumen undegradable protein (RUP) can positively affect the amount of milk protein. This study was conducted to improve knowledge regarding the AA profile of rumen undegradable protein from corn stover, rice straw and alfalfa hay as well as the total mixed ratio diets (TMR) based on one of them as forage source [forage‐to‐concentrate ratio of 45:55 (30% of corn stover (CS), 30% of rice straw (RS), 23% of alfalfa hay (AH) and dry matter basis)]. The other ingredients in the three TMR diets were similar. The RUP of all the forages and diets was estimated by incubation for 16 hr in the rumen of three ruminally cannulated lactating cows. All residues were corrected for microbial colonization, which was necessary in determining the AA composition of RUP from feed samples using in situ method. Compared with their original AA composition, the AA pattern of forages and forage‐based diets changed drastically after rumen exposure. In addition, the extent of ruminal degradation of analysed AA was not constant among the forages. The greatest individual AA degradability of alfalfa hay and corn stover was Pro, but was His of rice straw. A remarkable difference was observed between microbial attachment corrected and uncorrected AA profiles of RUP, except for alfalfa hay and His in the three forages and TMR diets. The ruminal AA degradability of cereal straws was altered compared with alfalfa hay but not for the TMR diets. In summary, the AA composition of forages and TMR‐based diets changed significantly after ruminal exposure, indicating that the original AA profiles of the feed cannot represent its AA composition of RUP. The AA profile of RUP and ruminal AA degradability for corn stover and rice straw contributed to missing information in the field.     

Using the indicator amino acid oxidation technique to study threonine requirements in horses receiving a predominantly forage diet

Threonine has been reported to be the second limiting amino acid in typical equine diets, but its actual requirement has not been determined in horses. To evaluate amino acid metabolism and requirements, the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method has been successfully used in other species. The objective of this research was to estimate threonine requirements in mature horses fed timothy hay and concentrate in 4:1 ratio using the IAAO method. Six Thoroughbred mares (579.9 ± 46.7 kg) received each of 6 levels of threonine intake, 41, 51, 61, 70, 80 and 89 mg/kg BW/day, in a randomly determined order. Each study period was 7‐day long, and on day 6, blood samples were collected before and 90 min after feeding to measure amino acid concentrations using HPLC. On day 7, horses underwent IAAO procedures, which included a 2‐hr primed, constant intravenous infusion of [¹³C]sodium bicarbonate to measure total CO₂ production and a 4‐hr primed, constant oral administration of [1‐¹³C]phenylalanine to estimate phenylalanine oxidation to CO₂. Blood and breath samples were collected to measure blood [¹³C]phenylalanine, using GC‐MS analysis and breath ¹³CO₂ enrichment, using an infrared isotope analyser. Increasing threonine intake levels did not affect plasma phenylalanine oxidation by the ANOVA test (p > 0.05) but resulted in a linear decrease in phenylalanine oxidation (p = 0.04) without a breakpoint by the orthogonal linear contrast. This study is the first attempt to evaluate threonine requirements in horses by the IAAO method; however, threonine requirements are still unknown in mature horses at this time.     

浙江南部近海小黄鱼肌肉脂肪酸组成及食源指示分析

小黄鱼（Larimichthys polyactis）是我国近海重要的经济和优势鱼种,在食物网结构中起承上启下的关键作用。利用气相色谱质谱联用仪测定了浙江南部近海小黄鱼的肌肉脂肪酸含量并分析其组成变化特点,基于特征脂肪酸的食源指示功能开展小黄鱼的食性分析。结果表明：小黄鱼肌肉中共检测出30种脂肪酸,主要脂肪酸包括C16∶0、C17∶0、C18∶1n9c、C18∶3n3、C16∶1n7、C20∶1、C20∶4n6、C20∶5n3（EPA）和C22∶6n3（DHA）等,其中C16∶0含量最高（23.12%）,其次为C18∶1n9c（16.67%）、C16∶1n7（11.45%）和C22∶6n3（11.40%）;肌肉中不饱和脂肪酸（UFA）平均含量达到60.20%,显著高于饱和脂肪酸（SFA）的含量（39.80%）,DHA和EPA在机体中含量占比达15.54%,体现出小黄鱼肌肉具有较高营养价值;双因素方差分析显示饱和脂肪酸含量在体长组间存在显著差异,含量随着体长的增大而减小,而单不饱和脂肪酸（MUFA）含量存在显著的季节性差异;绝大多数特征脂肪酸在各季节的体长组间无显著差异,而120~139 mm体长组和>180 mm体长组的C16∶1n7、C20∶1和C18∶1n9c在冬季的含量显著小于其他季节;基于脂肪酸食源指示功能,小黄鱼属于浮游、底栖与游泳动物混合食性的鱼类,初始碳源包括浮游硅藻类、甲藻类和底栖生物等。本研究利用了特征脂肪酸稳定指示食物来源的特点,进一步补充和验证文献资料中小黄鱼的胃含物分析结果,为小黄鱼的摄食生态学研究提供重要参考。     

Genome Mining as an Alternative Way for Screening the Marine Organisms for Their Potential to Produce UV-Absorbing Mycosporine-like Amino Acid

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are small molecules with robust ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing capacities and a huge potential to be used as an environmentally friendly natural sunscreen. MAAs, temperature, and light-stable compounds demonstrate powerful photoprotective capacities and the ability to capture light in the UV-A and UV-B ranges without the production of damaging free radicals. The biotechnological uses of these secondary metabolites have been often limited by the small quantities restored from natural resources, variation in MAA expression profiles, and limited success in heterologous expression systems. Overcoming these obstacles requires a better understanding of MAA biosynthesis and its regulatory processes. MAAs are produced to a certain extent via a four-enzyme pathway, including genes encoding enzymes dehydroquinate synthase, enzyme O-methyltransferase, adenosine triphosphate grasp, and a nonribosomal peptide synthetase. However, there are substantial genetic discrepancies in the MAA genetic pathway in different species, suggesting further complexity of this pathway that is yet to be fully explored. In recent years, the application of genome-mining approaches allowed the identification of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that resulted in the discovery of many new compounds from unconventional sources. This review explores the use of novel genomics tools for linking BGCs and secondary metabolites based on the available omics data, including MAAs, and evaluates the potential of using novel genome-mining tools to reveal a cryptic potential for new bioproduct screening approaches and unrevealing new MAA producers.     

水华蓝藻酸解制备复合氨基酸液的研究

水华蓝藻打捞、处置及资源化利用已成为太湖水污染治理的一个重要措施.本试验采用单因素及正试验方法,研究了蓝藻硫酸水解提取复合氨基酸液的工艺条件,以氨基酸态氮的水解率为主要指标,考察了水解温度、时间、酸浓度、蓝藻固物含量等因素对水解氨基酸产生的影响.结果表明:蓝藻硫酸水解的最佳条件为:水解温度120 ℃,水解时间8 h,硫酸在溶液中的质量浓度为20%.同时对水解液进行检测后发现,溶液中氨基酸种类丰富,且已不含藻毒素.     

豆粕对乌鳢肠道菌群组成及微生物氨基酸代谢酶活性的影响

为研究豆粕替代鱼粉对乌鳢生长、肠道菌群组成和微生物相关氨基酸代谢酶活性的影响,分别用豆粕替代0、25%、50%和75%的鱼粉配制4组等氮等能的饲料饲喂初始体质量为(8.65±0.25) g的幼鱼(分别命名为G1、G2、G3和G4组),养殖实验在室内纤维玻璃钢桶中进行,实验周期为21 d。结果显示,各组间幼鱼成活率无显著性差异;G4组乌鳢幼鱼的生长性能显著低于G1和G2组,而G3组幼鱼生长性能与其余3组差异不显著。厚壁菌门在G1和G2组乌鳢肠道中的比例显著高于G3组,且在G4组中的比例最低;变形菌门在G1和G2组中的比例显著低于G3和G4组;G4组中乳球菌属、杆菌属、假单胞菌属、链球菌属、芽孢杆菌属和不动杆菌属的比例显著低于其余3组。另外,G4组幼鱼肠道微生物谷丙转氨酶、腺苷脱氨酶活性显著高于其余3组,而G1组乳酸脱氢酶的活性最高。研究表明,豆粕替代鱼粉除了对乌鳢幼鱼的生长产生影响外,也显著影响了肠道微生物组成及微生物相关氨基酸代谢酶的活性,本研究结果对于从微生态角度进一步理解豆粕在乌鳢配合饲料中的应用提供了理论依据和参考。     

几种经济红藻中茉莉酸合成途径的关键物质

为研究几种经济红藻中茉莉酸合成途径的关键物质,实验采用液相色谱—质谱联用技术(LC-MS)对茉莉酸生物合成途径相关物质建立检测方法,并对龙须菜、坛紫菜受到机械损伤时各物质的变化情况进行检测。以100%甲醇提取茉莉酸(JA)、茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)、12-氧-植物二烯酸(12-OPDA)和13-氢过氧化亚麻酸(13-HpOTE),利用XBridge TM C18色谱柱,以甲醇/水为流动相分离4种物质。优化条件下4种物质得到良好分离,加标回收率为81.23%～90.25%,检测限为0.04～0.56 ng/mL,灵敏度高。坛紫菜、龙须菜和真江蓠3种红藻中,坛紫菜中未检测到JA和13-HpOTE,4种物质均在另外2种藻中检测到。龙须菜受机械损伤胁迫后,4种物质在短时间内得到积累,其中13-HpOTE响应迅速。研究表明,红藻中可能存在类似于植物的茉莉酸合成途径,并参与对损伤的胁迫响应。