Digestibility of Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris)-based diets supplemented with four levels of Gliricidia sepium hay in hair sheep lambs.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of supplementing increasing levels of Gliricidia sepium hay (GS) with different levels of inclusion of Buffel grass (BG) hay on digestibility by hair sheep lambs (2.5 to 3.5 months of age). Eight male lambs were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 21-day experimental periods (n = 4). Animals were fed with BG with different levels of GS: 100% BG (T1, control), 90% BG + 10% GS (T2), 80% BG + 20% GS (T3), and 70% BG + 30% GS (T4). Dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) intakes were not affected by treatments. The intake of crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM), and gross energy was higher (P < 0.05) in those lambs fed with T4 diet than control. NDF and ADF digestibilities were higher (P < 0.05) in T1 than in the other treatments. CP digestibility was higher (P < 0.05) in T4 compared to T1, T2, and T3. The study showed that inclusion of GS up to 30% with BG in forage-based diets of sheep does not affect DM and fiber intake nor influence DM and OM digestibilities but it increases CP intake and reduces NDF and ADF digestibilities.

Development of Nutraceutical Ice Creams Using Flour Yellow Worm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor), Chia (Salvia hispanica), and Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa).

Functional ice creams were developed by adding larvae of the insect Tenebrio molitor mixed with a seed (Salvia hispanica) and a pseudocereal (Chenopodium quinoa) to strawberry-cranberry ice cream. The objective was to increase micronutrients, macronutrients, and antioxidants, thus rendering the product a food complement. Four ice cream formulations were manufactured: the control strawberry-cranberry ice cream and three experimental mixtures, one of them with an addition of Tenebrio larvae (HT) and two others with a combination of Tenebrio larvae, chia (HTC), and quinoa (HTQ). The ice creams were submitted to proximate chemical analysis: mineral, fatty acid, vitamin, and one antioxidant (cyanidin 3 glucoside) determination. The strawberry-cranberry ice cream was used as a control formulation to evaluate if there were significant differences among nutrients, to which a Dunnett test with a critical value of α = 0.05% was applied. The three formulations that were studied showed a significant increase in the analyzed micronutrients and macronutrients compared to the control formulation. We observed increases of up to 62% in lipid content in the HTC formulation, while an increase of 41% in the protein content of the HT formulation was observed. We quantified an increase and enrichment of vitamins and minerals in the manufactured products, so that their nutritional value was significantly enhanced. In the determination of cyanidin 3 glucoside, we found that the formulation to which chia had been added showed an increase of 74% as compared to the control ice cream; this is important because anthocyanins are a group of flavonoids that stand out for their antioxidant and antimutagenic capabilities.

Wood consumption by Geoffroyi's spider monkeys and its role in mineral supplementation.

Wood consumption is a rare behavior in frugivorous primates; however, it can be necessary for nutritional balancing as it may provide macro and/or micronutrients that are scarce in the most frequently eaten items (fruits). We tested this hypothesis in six spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) communities inhabiting continuous and fragmented rainforests in Lacandona, Mexico. We investigated the importance of both live and decayed wood in the diet of the monkeys, and assessed if wood consumption is related to the nutritional composition of these items. In general, wood consumption was focused on trees of Licania platypus (Chrysobalanaceae) and Ficus spp. (Moraceae), and was similar in continuous forest and in fragments (mean ± SD; 24±20% vs 18±16% of total feeding time, respectively), but marginally higher in females than in males (16±14% vs 5±4%, respectively). Live and decayed wood were both poorer in lipids, proteins, total nonstructural carbohydrates, and total digestible nutrients compared to mature and immature fruits. Moreover, decayed wood of L. platypus showed consistently higher levels of sodium and calcium compared to fruits. In conclusion, our findings suggest that wood from decaying trees of L. platypus and Ficus spp. and young branch piths of L. platypus represents an important source of sodium and/or calcium in the diet of spider monkeys, particularly in the case of females. The protection of decaying trees within forests and fragments is therefore necessary for the appropriate management and conservation of this endangered primate species.

Evaluación de dieta purificada para la obtención de biomodelo de ratas anémicas / Evaluation of a purified diet to obtain a biomodel of anemic rats

Introducción: el desarrollo científico y tecnológico en las ciencias biológicas y biomédicas ha sido posible gracias a la utilización de modelos animales experimentales. La anemia por deficiencia de hierro (Fe), afecta aproximadamente a la tercera parte de la población mundial. La rata recién destetada ha sido el modelo animal más empleado en la obtención de un biomodelo experimental de anemia. Para la obtención de anemia se utiliza el método de depleción de la hemoglobina (Hb), mediante una alimentación basada en una dieta deficiente en Fe. Objetivo: el objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia de una dieta purificada a partir de caseína en la obtención de ratas anémicas. Métodos: se utilizaron 40 ratas Sprague Dawley recién destetadas (21-24 días), la mitad de cada sexo. Se alojaron en grupos de 3 del mismo sexo en cajas de acero inoxidable con piso de rejillas. Durante 8 semanas se les administró agua desionizada y una dieta de caseína al 12,58 por ciento de proteínas y 1,28 mgFe/Kg. Cada dos semanas se midió el peso corporal y a partir de la cuarta semana, la concentración de Hb. Resultados: se obtuvo un incremento significativo del peso corporal sin observarse diferencias entre hembras y machos. Se tomó como criterio de obtención de la anemia aquellos animales cuya Hb disminuyó al menos en un 30 por ciento del valor inicial promedio por grupo. El porcentaje de animales anémicos a las 8 semanas fue superior en las hembras (75 por ciento), mientras que en machos (60 por ciento). La dieta utilizada en este estudio permitió obtener ratas anémicas en el sexo hembras con una eficiencia aceptable, en relación al porcentaje de animales anémicos y al incremento del peso corporal. Conclusiones: la dieta utilizada en este estudio permitió obtener ratas anémicas en el sexo hembras con una eficiencia aceptable, en relación al porcentaje de animales anémicos y al incremento del peso corporal

Introduction: the scientific and technological development of biological and biomedical sciences has been possible due to the use of experimental animal models. Iron- (Fe-) deficiency anemia affects about one third of the world population. Just weaned rats have been the animal model most commonly used to obtain an experimental biomodel of anemia. The disease is obtained by the hemoglobin (Hb) depletion method, feeding the animal an iron-deficient diet. Objective: evaluate the efficacy of a purified diet based on casein to obtain anemic rats. Method: a study was conducted of 40 just weaned (21-24 days) Sprague Dawley rats, 20 of each sex. The animals were housed in groups of 3 rats of the same sex in stainless steel boxes with mesh bottoms. For 8 weeks the animals were administered deionized water and a casein diet of 12.58 percent protein and 1.28 mgFe/kg. Body weight was measured every two weeks. Hb concentration was gauged from the fourth week onwards. Results: a significant increase in body weight was obtained, with no differences between male and female rats. The criterion for anemia was at least a 30 percent decrease in Hb with respect to the average baseline value per group. The percentage of anemic animals at 8 weeks was higher for females (75 percent ) than for males (60 percent ) Conclusions: the diet used for the study made it possible to obtain female anemic rats with acceptable efficiency in relation to the percentage of anemic animals and the increase in body weight

Estudio comparativo del valor nutritivo de varios coleoptera comestibles de México y pachymerus nucleorum (fabricus 1792)(bruchidae) de Brasil / Comparative survey of the nutritive value of several edible coleoptera from Mexico and pachymerus nucleorum (fabricus 1792)(bruchidae) from Brasil

Por medio de métodos normalizados oficiales se analiza y compara el valor nutritivo de algunas especies de escarabajos comestibles de México y el Pachymerus nucleorum de Brasil. Se concluye que los escarabajos comestibles de México y P. nucleorum poseen un alto valor nutritivo en proteínas, aminoácidos, grasas, calorías y minerales, por lo que su ingestión coadyuva a la nutrición de las poblaciones humanas que hacen acopio de este recurso alimenticio de acuerdo a su abundancia durante las diferentes estaciones del año, en las cuales son encontrados