ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate: A feed supplement influencing performance, bone metabolism, intestinal morphology, and muscle quality of laying hens: a preliminary one-point study.

Laying hens, selectively bred for high egg production, often suffer from bone fragility and fractures, impacting their welfare and causing economic losses. Additionally, gut health and muscle quality are crucial for overall health and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on performance, bone metabolism, intestinal morphology, and muscle quality in laying hens. Forty-eight Bovans Brown hens were divided into a control group and an HMB-supplemented group (0.02% HMB in diet). The study spanned from the 31st to the 60th wk of age. Assessments included bone mechanical testing, serum hormonal analysis, histological analysis of bone and intestine, and muscle quality analysis. The HMB supplementation led to decreased feed intake without affecting body weight or laying rate in laying hens. It caused an increase in both mean daily and total egg weight, indicating improved feed utilization, without influencing the feed intake to egg weight ratio. Enhanced bone formation markers and altered intestinal morphometric parameters were observed, along with improved trabecular bone structure. However, no changes in measured other bone quality indices, including geometric, densitometric, or mechanical properties were observed. Muscle analysis revealed no significant changes in overall meat quality, except for a decrease in cholesterol content and alterations in the fatty acid profile, notably a reduction in total n-3 polyunsaturated and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). In conclusion, although not all effects of HMB supplementation were unequivocally beneficial, the positive changes in performance data and trabecular bone microarchitecture support further research into various doses and durations of supplementation. Such studies are necessary to fully understand and optimize the benefits of HMB for enhancing the health and productivity of laying hens.

Yolk Fatty Acid Profile and Amino Acid Composition in Eggs from Hens Supplemented with ß-Hydroxy-ß-Methylbutyrate.

In recent years, a supplementation of livestock animals, including poultry, with ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) has gained attention for its effects on protein and fat metabolism. This study investigates the effects of HMB in the laying hen diet on egg quality, focusing on amino acid and fatty acid composition. Laying hens were supplemented with 0.02% HMB, with performance parameters and egg components analyzed. HMB supplementation led to increased albumen weight, influencing egg weight while also reducing feed intake per egg without affecting laying rate, yolk indices, fat, or cholesterol content. Notably, the study revealed significant changes in egg amino acid and fatty acid profiles due to HMB supplementation. Various amino acids, including glycine, serine, and isoleucine, were altered in the yolk, impacting nutritional value and potential health benefits. Regarding fatty acids, the study observed changes in both saturated as well as n-6 and n-3 fatty acids, affecting the overall lipid profile of egg yolks. However, the shifts in fatty acid composition could have implications for cardiovascular health due to altered ratios of n-6/n-3 fatty acids. Further research is required to comprehensively understand the implications of these findings for consumer-oriented egg quality and health benefits.

Artificial reproduction of the indoor-cultured brackish form of maraena whitefish (Coregonus maraena) under recirculated aquaculture system (RAS) conditions.

Maraena whitefish (Coregonus maraena) is a promising coldwater aquaculture species, especially in terms of meat quality. This versatile whitefish species, which inhabits both fresh and brackish waters, including the Baltic Sea, offers promising prospects for aquaculture breeding and cultivation. However, the main problem is the lack of availability of spawners of this species. Therefore, in this study, an attempt was made to raise the spawning stock under controlled conditions and then artificially reproduce the fish to obtain high-quality gametes and then larvae. The conducted research showed that successful culture of maraena whitefish spawners is possible under recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) conditions. The application of proper nutrition and manipulation of environmental conditions allowed the breeding of sexually mature whitefish spawners in less than two years in captivity (meat weight 476 g). Through stimulation of environmental conditions (temperature and photoperiod), it was possible to stimulate the final maturation of gametes of the F1 generation of cultured fish. The use of Ovaprim hormonal stimulation induced 100% of females to ovulate within 10 days of injection, compared to 60% of females in the control group. Additionally, the other examined parameters, such as the pseudogonado-somatic index (PGSI: 11.46% vs. 6.80%), fertilization rate (94.2% vs. 60.1%), embryo survival rate (92.6% vs. 41.1%) and embryo survival rate to the eyed-egg-stage (90.0% vs. 28.0), were significantly higher in the hormonally induced group, finally two times and three times, respectively. The mortality rate of spawners, after spawning and within three months of artificial spawning, was extremely low. The results obtained from the study demonstrate the feasibility of culturing the spawning stock of maraena whitefish in captivity and successfully inducing artificial spawning.

Basal Blood Morphology, Serum Biochemistry, and the Liver and Muscle Structure of Weaned Wistar Rats Prenatally Exposed to Fumonisins.

Cereals are often contaminated with fumonisins, which are the toxic byproducts of mold. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of maternal exposure to fumonisins on the development and the liver function of the offspring at weaning. Two doses of fumonisins (60 and 90 mg/kg b.w.) were tested. The changes in the basal blood morphology, the biochemical parameters, the absolute and relative weights of the vital organs, and the changes in the cardiac and biceps brachii muscle histology were studied. The liver damage was assessed by evaluating the liver morphology and the common clinical liver panel. Maternal fumonisin intoxication caused a decrease in the body weight at birth and an increase in the heart, liver, kidney, lungs, ovaries, and testes weights. The cytokines and hormones, as well as the red blood cell counts and hemoglobin levels, were elevated in a dose-dependent manner following the exposure to fumonisins. Maternal exposure caused degenerative morphological and structural changes in the liver, as well as inflammation in the striated muscles, such as the heart and biceps brachii, and disproportionate development of the rat offspring in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, FB exposure resulted in the disproportional development of the rat offspring in a dose-dependent manner, which was probably caused by the bodily hormonal dysregulation. Prenatal fumonisin exposure can be a pathological precursor for serious diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, later in life.

Morphology and Chemical Coding of Rat Duodenal Enteric Neurons following Prenatal Exposure to Fumonisins.

Fumonisins (FBs), including fumonisin B1 and B2 produced by the fungus Fusarium verticillioides, are widespread mycotoxins contaminating crop plants as well as processed food. The aim of the experiment was to determine whether the exposure of 5-week-old pregnant rats to FBs at 60 mg/kg b.w. (group FB60) or 90 mg/kg b.w. (group FB90) results in morphological changes in the duodenum of weaned offspring, particularly the enteric nervous system (ENS). In addition, the levels of expression of galanin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the ENS were analysed by immunofluorescence in the control and experimental groups of animals. No significant morphological changes in the thickness of the muscle layer or submucosa of the duodenum were noted in group FB60 or FB90. In group FB90 (but not FB60), there was a significant increase in the width of the villi and in the density of the intestinal crypts. Immunofluorescence analysis using neuronal marker Hu C/D showed no significant changes in group FB60 or FB90 in the morphology of the duodenal ENS, i.e., the myenteric plexus (MP) and submucosal plexus (SP), in terms of the density of enteric ganglia in the MP and SP, surface area of MP and SP ganglia, length and width of MP and SP ganglia, surface area of myenteric and submucosal neurons, diameter of myenteric and submucosal neurons, density of myenteric and submucosal neurons, and number of myenteric and submucosal neurons per ganglion. In both groups, there was an increase (relative to the control) in the percentage of Hu C/D-IR/VIP-IR (IR-immunoreactive) and Hu C/D-IR/galanin-IR myenteric and submucosal neurons in the ganglia of both the MP and SP of the duodenum. In addition, in groups FB60 and FB90, there was an increase in the number of nerve fibres showing expression of VIP and galanin in the mucosa, submucosa and circular muscle layer of the duodenum. The results indicate that prenatal exposure to FBs does not significantly alter the histological structure of the duodenum (including the ENS) in the weaned offspring. The changes observed in the chemical code of the myenteric and submucosal neurons in both experimental groups suggest harmful activity of FBs, which may translate into activation of repair mechanisms via overexpression of neuroprotective neuropeptides (VIP and galanin).

Effects of Bee Pollen on Growth Performance, Intestinal Microbiota and Histomorphometry in African Catfish.

This study aimed to determine the dietary effects of honeybee pollen (BP) on growth parameters, intestinal microbiota, hepatic histoarchitecture, and intestinal histomorphometry of African catfish Clarias gariepinus juveniles. The feeding experiment was carried out in a recirculating aquaculture system under controlled conditions for 21 days to achieve more than a 10-fold increase in weight in fish from the control group. Fish were fed well-balanced commercial feed without any supplements and served as a reference group (group C) and other diets enriched with varying BP levels as 1% (BP1), 2% (BP2), and 3% (BP3). Results showed a significant (p < 0.05) effect of the dietary BP not only on the growth parameters (such as final body weight: 5.0 g to 6.6−7.5 g, weight gain: 0.23 g/d to 0.31−0.35 g/d, body length: 84.7 mm to 93.8−95.9 mm, and specific growth rate: 11.7%/d to 13.1−13.7%/d, group C vs. experimental groups, respectively) but also on the development of beneficially important gut microbiota, such as lactic acid-producing bacteria. In BP-enriched groups, an average of 45% higher body weight gain was observed compared to those reared in the control group. The histological analysis showed that dietary BP may have a positive effect on the development of the intestinal tract and may enhance the absorption of nutrients with the potential ability to maintain a normal hepatic histoarchitecture of the treated African catfish. The results obtained suggest the optimum level of BP additive to feed for African catfish should be 1%.

The Influence of Prenatal Fumonisin Exposure on Bone Properties, as well as OPG and RANKL Expression and Immunolocalization, in Newborn Offspring Is Sex and Dose Dependent.

The current study examined the effects of exposure of pregnant dams to fumonisins (FBs; FB1 and FB2), from the seventh day of pregnancy to parturition, on offspring bone metabolism and properties. The rats were randomly divided into three groups intoxicated with FBs at either 0, 60, or 90 mg/kg b.w. Body weight and bone length were affected by fumonisin exposure, irrespective of sex or dose, while the negative and harmful effects of maternal FBs' exposure on bone mechanical resistance were sex and dose dependent. The immunolocalization of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL), in bone and articular cartilage, indicated that the observed bone effects resulted from the FB-induced alterations in bone metabolism, which were confirmed by the changes observed in the Western blot expression of OPG and RANKL. It was concluded that the negative effects of prenatal FB exposure on the general growth and morphometry of the offspring bones, as a result of the altered expression of proteins responsible for bone metabolism, were dose and sex dependent.

Trabecular Bone Parameters, TIMP-2, MMP-8, MMP-13, VEGF Expression and Immunolocalization in Bone and Cartilage in Newborn Offspring Prenatally Exposed to Fumonisins.

Fumonisins are protein serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors and potent inhibitors of sphingosine N-acyltransferase (ceramide synthase) disrupting de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of fumonisins (FB) exposure from the 7th day of pregnancy to parturition on offspring bone development. The rats were randomly allocated to either a control group (n = 6), not treated with FBs, or to one of the two groups intoxicated with FBs (either at 60 mg FB/kg b.w. or at 90 mg FB/kg b.w. Numerous negative, offspring sex-dependent effects of maternal FB exposure were observed with regards to the histomorphometry of trabecular bone. These effects were due to FB-inducted alterations in bone metabolism, as indicated by changes in the expression of selected proteins involved in bone development: tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8), matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The immunolocalization of MMPs and TIMP-2 was performed in trabecular and compact bone, as well as articular and growth plate cartilages. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the exposure of pregnant dams to FB negatively affected the expression of certain proteins responsible for bone matrix degradation in newborns prenatally exposed to FB in a dose- and sex-dependent manner.

Changes in the Intestinal Histomorphometry, the Expression of Intestinal Tight Junction Proteins, and the Bone Structure and Liver of Pre-Laying Hens Following Oral Administration of Fumonisins for 21 Days.

Fumonisins (FB) are metabolites found in cereal grains (including maize), crop products, and pelleted feed. There is a dearth of information concerning the effects of FB intoxication on the intestinal histomorphometry, the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins, and the bone structure and liver in pre-laying hens. The current experiment was carried out on hens from the 11th to the 14th week of age. The hens were orally administered an extract containing fumonisin B1 (FB1) and fumonisin B2 (FB2) at doses of 0.0 mg/kg b.w. (body weight), 1.0 mg/kg b.w., 4.0 mg/kg b.w., and 10.9 mg/kg b.w. for 21 days. Following FB intoxication, the epithelial integrity of the duodenum and jejunum was disrupted, and dose-dependent degenerative changes were observed in liver. An increased content of immature collagen was observed in the bone tissue of FB-intoxicated birds, indicating intensified bone turnover. A similar effect was observed with regards to the articular cartilage, where enhanced fibrillogenesis was observed mainly in the group of birds that received the FB extract at a dose of 10.9 mg/kg b.w. In conclusion, FB intoxication resulted in negative structural changes in the bone tissue of the hens, which could result in worsened bone mechanics and an increase in the risk of bone fractures. Fumonisin administration, even at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg b.w., can lead to degradation of the intestinal barrier and predispose hens to intestinal disturbances later in life.

Influence of Phytase Supplementation at Increasing Doses from 0 to 1500 FTU/kg on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Bone Status in Grower-Finisher Pigs Fed Phosphorus-Deficient Diets.

The objective of the current study is to assess the effects of the inclusion of 6-n phytase to a phosphorous-deficient diet on the growth performance (feed intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio), apparent digestibility of calcium and phosphorus, and bone characteristics of grower-finisher pigs. The experimental diets included a phosphorus-deficient diet containing 0 (negative control), 250, 500, 1000, or 1500 FTU/kg of 6-phytase, and a diet formulated to meet the phosphorus nutrient requirements of pigs (positive control). Pigs were fed the experimental diets from the time they were ~35 kg body weight until they reached slaughter weight of ~110 kg. Bone status of the metacarpal (ash, mineral content) and femur (mineralization, geometry, and mechanical strength) bones were assessed. There was no effect of dietary treatment on feed intake. Feed conversion ratio was improved following inclusion of phytase at a dose of 500 FTU/kg or higher. Phytase inclusion at a dose of 1000 FTU/kg increased the average daily weight gain of grower-finisher pigs. Phytase inclusion at a dose of 500 FTU/kg was sufficient to increase metacarpal phosphorus content. Femur mid-diaphysis ash percentage was significantly increased even after the inclusion of the lowest dose of phytase. Analysis of structural parameters of femur mechanical strength (Young's modulus, yield stress, yield strain, ultimate stress, ultimate strain) showed that the inclusion of a phytase dose of 500 FTU/kg in growing/finishing diets was sufficient to significantly improve bone status of grower-finisher pigs at slaughter.