In vitro digestibility of mountain-grown irrigated perennial legume, grass and forb forages is influenced by elevated non-fibrous carbohydrates and plant secondary compounds.

BACKGROUND: Perennial legumes cultivated under irrigation in the Mountain West USA have non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) concentrations exceeding 400 g kg-1 , a level commonly found in concentrate-based ruminant diets. Our objective was to determine the influence of NFC concentration and plant secondary compounds on in vitro rumen digestion of grass, legume and forb forages compared with digestion of their isolated neutral detergent fiber (NDF) fraction. Forages were composited from ungrazed paddocks of rotationally stocked, irrigated monoculture pastures between May and August 2016, frozen in the field, freeze-dried, and ground. RESULTS: The maximum rate (RMax ) of gas production was greater for the legumes alfalfa (ALF; Medicago sativa L.) and birdsfoot trefoil (BFT; Lotus corniculatus L.) than for the legume cicer milkvetch (CMV; Astragalus cicer L.) the grass meadow brome (MBG; Bromus riparius Rehm.) and the non-legume forb small burnet (SMB; Sanguisorba minor Scop.), and intermediate for the legume sainfoin (SNF; Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.). The RMax of isolated NDF was greatest for BFT and CMV, intermediate for ALF, SNF and SMB and least for MBG. CONCLUSIONS: More than 900 g of organic matter kg-1 dry matter of legumes was digested after 96 h. Across forages, the extent of whole-plant digestion increased with NFC and crude protein concentrations, decreased with NDF concentrations, and was modulated by secondary compounds. The extent of digestion of isolated NDF decreased with concentration of lignin and residual tannins. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bacillus cereus bacteremia in a patient with an abdominal stab wound.

Bacillus cereus is a gram positive microorganism commonly involved in gastrointestinal infection but capable of causing severe infections and bacteremia. We describe here a case of bacteremia caused by B. cereus in a previously healthy young woman admitted to the intensive care unit following emergency surgery due to a penetrating abdominal stab wound and subsequent hepatic lesion. She developed fever during admission and cultures were taken. B. cereus was isolated in blood and hepatic fluid collection cultures. Treatment was adjusted according to the isolate, with good clinical results. It is important to highlight the pathogenic potential of this microorganism and not underestimate it as a contaminant when it is isolated from blood samples.

Plant Community Chemical Composition Influences Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Intake by Sheep.

Nutrients and plant secondary compounds in aspen (Populus tremuloides) may interact with nutrients in the surrounding vegetation to influence aspen use by herbivores. Thus, this study aimed to determine aspen intake and preference by sheep in response to supplementary nutrients or plant secondary compounds (PSC) present in aspen trees. Thirty-two lambs were randomly assigned to one of four molasses-based supplementary feeds to a basal diet of tall fescue hay (N = 8) during three experiments. The supplements were as follows: (1) high-protein (60% canola meal), (2) a PSC (6% quebracho tannins), (3) 25% aspen bark, and (4) control (100% molasses). Supplements were fed from 0700 to 0900, then lambs were fed fresh aspen leaves collected from stands containing high (Experiment 1, 2) or low (Experiment 3) concentrations of phenolic glycosides (PG). In Experiment 2, lambs were simultaneously offered aspen, a forb (Lathyrus pauciflorus), and a grass (Bromus inermis) collected from the aspen understory. Animals supplemented with high protein or tannins showed greater intake of aspen leaves than animals supplemented with bark or the control diet (P < 0.05), likely because some condensed tannins have a positive effect on protein nutrition and protein aids in PSC detoxification. Overall, animals supplemented with bark showed the lowest aspen intake, suggesting PSC in bark and aspen leaves had additive inhibitory effects on intake. In summary, these results suggest that not only the concentration but also the types and proportions of nutrients and chemical defenses available in the plant community influence aspen use by herbivores.

Does exposure to environmental radiofrequency electromagnetic fields cause cognitive and behavioral effects in 10-year-old boys?

The relationship between exposure to electromagnetic fields from non-ionizing radiation and adverse human health effects remains controversial. We aimed to explore the association of environmental radiofrequency-electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) exposure with neurobehavioral function of children. A subsample of 123 boys belonging to the Environment and Childhood cohort from Granada (Spain), recruited at birth from 2000 through 2002, were evaluated at the age of 9-11 years. Spot electric field measurements within the 100 kHz to 6 GHz frequency range, expressed as both root mean-square (S(RMS) and maximum power density (S(MAX)) magnitudes, were performed in the immediate surrounds of childrens dwellings. Neurocognitive and behavioral functions were assessed with a comprehensive battery of tests. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used, adjusting for potential confounders. All measurements were lower than reference guideline limits, with median S(RMS) and S(MAX) values of 285.94 and 2759.68 µW/m(2), respectively. Most of the cognitive and behavioral parameters did not show any effect, but children living in higher RF exposure areas (above median S(RMS) levels) had lower scores for verbal expression/comprehension and higher scores for internalizing and total problems, and obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic stress disorders, in comparison to those living in areas with lower exposure. These associations were stronger when S(MAX) values were considered. Although some of our results may suggest that low-level environmental RF-EMF exposure has a negative impact on cognitive and/or behavior development in children; given limitations in the study design and that the majority of neurobehavioral functioning tasks were not affected, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn.

Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) intake and preference by mammalian herbivores: the role of plant secondary compounds and nutritional context.

Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) has evolved a chemical defense system comprised of phenolic glycosides (PG), which effectively deter insect herbivory. However, much less is known about the role of PG and the nutritional quality of the associated plant community on aspen browse susceptibility to mammalian herbivores. In three successive periods during the growing season, we conducted experiments with sheep by offering leaves from two aspen stands with different concentrations of PG (LOW, HIGH) or aspen leaves vs. leaves from a forb (Utah pea, Lathyrus pauciflorus) or a grass (smooth brome, Bromus inermis Leyss.) growing in an aspen understory. Intake of aspen (19 to 35 % PG) was low in all periods (1 to 6 g/Kg(0.75) in 2 hr) supporting the notion that aspen's defense system may contribute to its ecological success. However, lambs ate larger amounts of LOW than of HIGH suggesting that sheep could discriminate between aspen stands with different concentrations of PG, even when both stands were relatively well defended. Concentration of nutrients and chemical defenses in aspen leaves remained fairly stable across the growing season, and preference for aspen increased over the growing season. In contrast, preference for the forb and the grass decreased across the growing season in concert with a decline in the nutritional quality of these plants. The data suggest that nutritional context of aspen and associated forage species drove preference more than contrasts in defense chemistry of aspen. There may be periods of "susceptibility" of aspen use by mammalian herbivores, despite high concentrations of chemical defenses, which can potentially be targeted by management to reduce aspen herbivory.

Temporal and Spatial Influences on Fawn Summer Survival in Pronghorn Populations: Management Implications from Noninvasive Monitoring.

Monitoring vital rates allows managers to estimate trends in growth rates of ungulate populations. However, connecting the influence of nutrition on ungulate demography is challenging. Noninvasive sampling offers a low-cost, low-effort alternative for measuring nutritional indices, allowing for an increased understanding of the mechanistic relationships between environmental factors, nutrition, and specific population vital rates. We examined the temporal influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn recruitment. We collected fresh fecal samples from adult female pronghorn in five subpopulations spanning three sampling periods associated with critical maternal life-history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season) for 2 years to investigate both intra- and interannual influences. Intrinsic factors were fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), nutritional indices (fecal nitrogen (FN) and 2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAPA)), and dietary composition (protein intake of forbs, graminoids, legumes, other, shrubs), while the extrinsic factor was vegetative greenness (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). We found variations in DAPA, protein intake of forbs, variation in forb protein intake, and protein intake of legumes during late gestation positively influenced fawn recruitment. Fecal nitrogen during early lactation showed the strongest positive influence on the recruitment of any measured parameter. Finally, breeding season NDVI and the variation in DAPA values positively influenced the subsequent year's fawn recruitment. Our longitudinal study enabled us to investigate which parameter was most important to specific periods of fawn development and recruitment. We combined the results across five subpopulations, but interpretation and subsequent management decisions should be made at the subpopulation level such that pronghorn subpopulations with low recruitment can be positively influenced by increasing nitrogen on the landscape available to adult females during the early lactation period. As the use of noninvasive monitoring methods continues to expand, we believe our methodologies and results can be broadly applied to other ungulate monitoring programs.

Relevance of Individual Data When Assessing the Gastrointestinal Nematode Infection Level, Nutritional and Productive Variables in a Tropical Farm Context: The Median Isn't the Message.

We evaluated the relationship between individual and herd GIN infection level, nutrition, production performance and anemia parameters in a tropical farm context. Fifty-four female goats were monitored to assess their body condition score (BCS, nutritional status indicator), live weight (LW) and LW gain (LWG, both used as production level indicators), FAMACHA© and hematocrit (HT, both used as anemia indicators). Goats browsed for 4 h in a tropical forest and received balanced feed and chopped grass. The eggs per gram of feces (EPG) indicated the GIN burden, with fecal samples obtained at 7:00 (AM) and 15:00 h (PM.) from each goat at six sampling points during the study. The variables and their relationship with GIN burdens were analyzed using Kruskall-Wallis, ANOVA and Friedman tests and Spearman correlations. The fecal samples obtained in the AM and PM can be equally representative of parasitic burdens (similar and highly correlated). However, the EPG of individual goats from periods of 30 days apart can be considered independent. The BCS and LWG varied between sampling times (p < 0.05), whereas EPG, LW and HT did not (p > 0.05). The GIN burden was negatively correlated with HT and BCS (-0.21, p = 0.01 for each one). The individual pattern of infection demonstrates the true impact of GINs on their hosts. Additionally, feeding and nutritional status may present important variations influencing the performance of the goats more than the impact of GINs under the farm conditions of the present study. However, GIN infection contributed to the variation in goat health and productivity in this tropical farm.

Trade-offs between selection of crude protein and tannins in growing lambs.

Tannins are phenolic compounds that provide benefits to ruminants due to their protein-binding affinities and antioxidant properties. However, tannins may also have negative orosensorial and postingestive effects that decrease feed intake. This study explored how lambs trade off the ingestion of crude protein (CP) with the ingestion of potentially beneficial and toxic condensed and hydrolyzable tannins, and the ensuing impacts on diet digestibility, animal performance, and blood parameters. Thirty-two lambs were housed in individual pens for 8 wk and had access to 2 isoenergetic diets that varied in the concentration of CP (High-high in protein [HP] or Low-least preferred [LP]) and the presence of a mix of condensed and hydrolyzable tannins (4% DM). Animals were assigned to 4 treatment groups (N = 8 lambs/group) and received a simultaneous offer of: HP and LP (Control); HP and LP + tannins (HP - LP+); HP+ tannins and LP (HP + LP-); and both HP and LP with tannins (HP + LP+). All lambs preferred HP over LP and they avoided tannins in the diets (P < 0.001). Dry matter and CP intake were the lowest in HP + LP- (P < 0.0001), and DMD did not differ between Control and the other groups (P > 0.05), but it was greater for HP - LP + (P < 0.0001). CP digestibility was greater for groups without tannins in HP (P < 0.0001), but average daily gain (ADG) did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05). No differences between Control and HP + LP + were found in plasma antioxidant activity, total phenolic concentration, or haptoglobin concentration (P > 0.05). Intake of tannins was HP + LP+ > HP + LP- > HP - LP + (P < 0.0001), and fecal excretion of nitrogen (N) was HP + LP+ > HP - LP+ = HP + LP- > Control (P < 0.05). In addition, intake of tannins with both diets reduced blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration relative to Control (P < 0.05), thus suggesting a shift in the partitioning of N excretion from urine to feces. In summary, lambs prioritized the selection of HP over LP, regardless of the presence of a tannin extract in either or both diets. Nevertheless, lambs modulated their tannin consumption as a function of the specific diet where the tannin extract was added, with increasing levels of intake as tannins were present in just LP, then in just HP, and finally in both diets. Dietary tannins did not constrain ADG and resulted in a shift in the partitioning of N excretion from urine to feces. Such shifts have been found to result in reduced production of environmental pollutants such as ammonia, nitrous oxide, and nitrates.

Tannins are plant chemicals that can provide benefits to ruminants due to their antioxidant activity and positive effects on nutrient uptake. However, tannins could also promote negative (i.e., toxic) effects on herbivores. This study explored how lambs build their diets when offered between 2 diets that varied in protein concentration (low or high), both with and without tannins (4%) and the ensuing consequences on diet digestibility, animal performance, and some blood parameters indicative of antioxidant activity and inflammation. All lambs preferred the high-over the low-protein diet, regardless of the inclusion of tannins in the diets. Digestibility of dry matter did not differ between lambs that had diet choices with or without tannins, and body weight gains were not different across all treatments. No differences were found among dietary treatment groups in blood antioxidant activity or indicators of inflammation. Tannin intake promoted a shift in the fate of nitrogen excretion from urine to feces, suggesting reductions in environmental pollutants such as ammonia, nitrous oxide, and nitrates. Thus, tannins did not promote negative impacts on animal performance with potential concomitant beneficial effects on the environment.

Prognostic Study of Colorectal Cancer: Differences between Screen-Detected and Symptom-Diagnosed Patients.

Background and objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of mortality in Spain, with screening programs, such as the faecal occult blood test and colonoscopy, having shown effectiveness in reducing CRC incidence and mortality. Despite these advancements, CRC screening uptake remains low in Spain, highlighting the need for studies comparing outcomes between screening-diagnosed and symptom-diagnosed patients to better understand the impact on overall survival and to quantify the clinical benefit in prognosis at diagnosis and at the end of follow-up. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with the following objectives: to compare stage at diagnosis, all-cause mortality, and disease-specific mortality among people diagnosed with CRC based on screening and based on symptoms; to identify the risk factors associated with mortality in this population; and to evaluate the effectiveness of screening on survival and early detection. Our study included people diagnosed with CRC in the public hospital of Elda (Spain) from 2014 to 2018; follow-up was until 2023 or death. Our primary outcome was all-cause mortality, which we analysed using Kaplan-Meier curves. We also investigated CRC-specific mortality and other-cause mortality. Results: Our sample included 315 people (186 with symptom-based diagnoses, 129 with screening-based diagnoses). The mean length of follow-up was 62.8 months. The screening group had a higher prevalence of a family history of CRC (p = 0.008), a distal tumour location (p = 0.002), and a cancer stage of 0 or I (p < 0.001). The symptoms group had a higher prevalence of a proximal CRC (p = 0.002), other chronic diseases (p < 0.001), and stages II, III, and IV (p < 0.001). Two variables were associated with mortality: stage IV at diagnosis and previous cancers. People with a symptom-based diagnosis had a higher prevalence of stage IV at diagnosis and a higher cumulative incidence of CRC mortality and all-cause mortality at the end of follow-up (p < 0.05). The Kaplan-Meier curves also showed a higher rate of all-cause mortality in the symptoms group throughout the follow-up. Conclusion: CRC screening enables an earlier diagnosis and improves survival. These findings support public health policies that promote accessible and effective screening.

Seasonal shifts in pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) diets under a new lens: Examining diet composition using a molecular technique.

Foraging is one of the most fundamental activities contributing to the maximization of an animal's fitness, and thus herbivores must optimize their diet selection and intake to meet their nutrient demands for survival, growth, and reproduction. Using plant DNA barcoding, we determined diet composition of five subpopulations of adult female pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) grazing rangelands in southern and southeastern Idaho, USA. Fecal samples were collected for two years (2018-2019), and across metabolically-important adult female life history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season). Plant DNA barcoding yielded 137 detected species within pronghorn diets across subpopulations and sampling periods with forbs being the most abundant. Pronghorn dietary functional group composition ranged from 52.2-60.3% from forbs followed by shrubs (22.6-28.2%), graminoids (8.7-15.7%), and legumes (5.5-9.6%). Dietary protein intake was also highest from forbs and ranged from 32.4-62.4% followed by graminoids (1.2-43.1%), shrubs (18.7-21.3%), and legumes (2.6-7.4%). We found significant intra- and interannual differences in the mean number of genera-based plant detections in pronghorn diets. Dietary protein intake of cultivated legumes (e.g., alfalfa [Medicago sativa] and sainfoin [Onobrychis viciifolia]) was lower than expected, ranging from <1.0-30.8%, suggesting that even within an agricultural-dominated landscape, factors other than plant nutritional composition contributed to pronghorn diets. Although the plant DNA barcoding technique exhibits limitations, it demonstrated potential for elucidating pronghorn dietary species richness, particularly for plants consumed in small proportions, as well as for observing temporal fluctuations in functional group composition and dietary protein intake explained through the interplay between environmental factors, plant chemical composition, and the animals' physiological needs.

Influence of saponins and tannins on intake and nutrient digestion of alkaloid-containing foods.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that eating a food containing saponins (SAP), or tannins (TAN) prior to foods containing the alkaloids gramine (GRA) or 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (TRP) would provide benefits not possible when the alkaloid-containing foods were eaten alone. METHODS: In Trial 1, four groups of five lambs were first offered food with SAP for 30 min followed by food with either GRA or TRP for 3.5 h in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of a completely randomized design that included alkaloid (GRA or TRP) with or without SAP. In Trial 2 TAN replaced SAP. All foods were isocaloric (3.3 Mcal kg⁻¹) and isonitrogenous (14% crude protein). Foods, fecal and urine samples were collected and analyzed for dry matter intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter, energy (in megajoules, MJ), nitrogen (N), and neutral detergent fiber. RESULTS: Supplemental SAP did not affect digestibility of the parameters tested (P > 0.10). Supplemental TAN increased digestibility of N (g kg⁻¹, P = 0.04), N retained (g day⁻¹, P = 0.07), N digested (g day⁻¹, P = 0.06), and N retained/N consumed (g kg⁻¹, P = 0.07). However, digestibilities of dry matter (g kg⁻¹, P = 0.0026), energy (MJ 1000 MJ⁻¹, P = 0.003), neutral detergent fiber (g kg⁻¹, P = 0.008), and digested N retained (g kg⁻¹, P = 0.07) were lower for lambs fed TAN than for unsupplemented animals. CONCLUSIONS: Tannin supplementation can improve retention of nitrogen in animals fed alkaloid-containing grasses such as reed canarygrass and tall fescue. Combinations of forages with complementary primary and secondary compounds enable animals to maintain intake and improve nutrient utilization.

Supplementing endophyte-infected tall fescue or reed canarygrass with alfalfa or birdsfoot trefoil increases forage intake and digestibility by sheep.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that alfalfa (ALF) or birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) eaten prior to a meal of endophyte-infected tall fescue (TF) or reed canarygrass (RCG) would provide benefits not possible when TF or RCG are eaten alone. In trial 1, four groups of five lambs were first offered ALF for 30 min followed by either TF or RCG for 3.5 h in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of a completely randomized design that included grass (TF or RCG) with or without ALF. Trial 2 was similar to trial 1 except we used a new group of lambs fed BFT. Forage, fecal and urine samples were collected and analyzed for dry matter intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter, energy (in Kcal), nitrogen and neutral detergent fiber. RESULTS: A meal of either ALF or BFT prior to eating TF or RCG caused lambs to eat more total dry matter and nitrogen (both in g d⁻¹) and energy (in MJ d⁻¹) than lambs fed only TF or RCG (P < 0.05). Lambs fed ALF slightly reduced intake of TF and RCG relative to unsupplemented animals. Lambs fed BFT ate slightly less RCG, but much more TF than unsupplemented animals (P < 0.10). Lambs ate much less BFT than ALF, but they were stimulated to eat TF to a greater degree by BFT than by ALF. CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced intake of TF by lambs provided BFT, as well as the greater nutrient intake by lambs fed legumes and grasses was likely due in part to complementary profiles of alkaloids, saponins, and tannins.

Preference for inorganic sources of magnesium and phosphorus in sheep as a function of need.

We determined whether sheep discriminate among different mineral supplements containing P and Mg and if they modify their selection as a function of the basal diet received. Forty lambs were offered four-way choices among inorganic sources of P and Mg: magnesium oxide in its coarse 1) C-MgO and granular 2) MgO forms and magnesium phosphate: 3) Mag33 (33% Mg and 2.7% P), and 4) MGP (25% Mg and 15% P), and two-way choices between MGP and each of the other minerals, and between MgO and C-MgO (baseline). Subsequently, lambs were randomly assigned to four groups (10 lambs/group) and fed rations such that the levels of Mg and P were low (LMg_LP), adequate (NMg_NP), low in Mg and adequate in P (LMg_NP), or adequate in Mg and low in P (NMg_LP). After 29 d, choice tests (post-deficiency) were repeated. During baseline, lambs ate and preferred Mag33 > C-MgO = MGP > MgO (P < 0.05). This pattern remained during post-deficiency tests, but lambs in LMg_LP and LMg_NP increased their preference for MGP and C-MgO, respectively, whereas lambs in NMg_LP increased their preference for C-MgO and MGP relative to baseline (P < 0.05). The serum concentrations of P and Mg increased after preference tests, and preference for MgO and MGP in low-Mg groups increased as the serum concentration of Mg declined (P < 0.05). Thus, lambs discriminated among different minerals and some groups modified their preferences based on the basal diets received, which rectified mineral imbalances.

Grazing diverse combinations of tanniferous and nontanniferous legumes: implications for foraging behavior, performance, and hair cortisol in beef cattle.

A diversity of forages with different types and concentrations of nutrients and plant secondary compounds may lead to complementary relationships that enhance cattle performance and welfare. We determined whether grazing combinations of tanniferous legumes (Lotus corniculatus, birdsfoot trefoil [BFT], Onobrychis viciifolia, sainfoin [SF]), and alfalfa [ALF] (Medicago sativa) influence foraging behavior, performance, and hair cortisol concentration in beef cattle compared with grazing the same legumes as monocultures. Twenty-one pairs of heifers grazed three spatial replications of seven treatments: monocultures of BFT, SF, or ALF, and all possible two- and three-way choices among strips of these legumes: SF-BFT, ALF-BFT, ALF-SF, and ALF-SF-BFT in two periods of 25 d each (adaptation phase + experimental period) during two consecutive years. The lowest incidence of grazing events occurred in the BFT treatment (42.0% of the total scans recorded; P < 0.10), with the rest of the treatments ranging between 47.8% (SF-BFT) and 52.6% (ALF-SF) of the total scans recorded. Heifers selected a varied diet, preferring SF over BFT or ALF in a 46:27:27 ratio for the three-way choice, and in a 70:30 ratio for both two-way choices. Heifers preferred BFT over ALF (62:38 ratio) in a two-way choice. All treatments followed similar daily grazing patterns (P > 0.10), with two major grazing events (1 h after sunrise and 3 h before dark). No differences among treatments were observed for the number of steps taken by heifers on a daily basis, motion index, or the percentage of time heifers spent standing (1,599, 5,356, and 45.3%, respectively; P > 0.10), suggesting that heifers on choice treatments did not invest extra time in walking, searching, or patch switching activities relative to heifers grazing monocultures. Heifers grazing the three-way choice gained more body weight (1.27 kg/d) than the average gains observed for animals grazing in all legume monocultures (1.00 kg/d; P = 0.014) or two-way choices (0.97 kg/d; P = 0.007), suggesting a synergism among pasture species for the treatment with the highest diversity. No differences in hair cortisol concentration were observed among treatments, with values ranging between 1.4 (BFT) and 2.12 ng/g (three-way choice; P > 0.10). Thus, forage diversity has the potential to enhance animal performance without affecting grazing efficiency, likely explained by the spatial arrangement of the forage species presented in the study.

The effect of plant bioactive compounds on lamb performance, intake, gastrointestinal parasite burdens, and lipid peroxidation in muscle.

Plant extracts have been widely used in animal production systems due to the benefits promoted by their bioactive components, mainly through their antioxidant effects and positive effects on animal growth, health, and meat quality. We determined whether bioactive compounds (BC) from grape (Vitis vinifera), olive (Olea europaea), and pomegranate (Punica granatum) have beneficial effects on lamb growth while controlling gastrointestinal parasitism and reducing skeletal lipid peroxidation in muscle. Fourteen lambs (4 to 5 mo of age) were housed in individual pens and assigned to two treatment groups (seven animals/group), where they received: 1) a basal diet of beet pulp:soybean meal (90:10) (CONTROL) and 2) the same diet, but containing 0.3% of BC extracted from grape, olive, and pomegranate (BNP). After 21 d of consuming their respective rations (period 1), all lambs were dosed with 10,000 L3 stage larvae of Haemonchus contortus. Intake, production, and physiological parameters were determined before infection (period 1), after oral dosage with L3 (period 2), and during early (period 3) and later (period 4) developmental stages of infection. Groups of animals did not differ in their ration intake or average daily gain, either before or after the infection, or in their parasitic burdens estimated through fecal egg counts (P > 0.05). Lambs under BNP showed greater feed efficiency before infection (P < 0.001), but the pattern reversed after infection. In addition, the inclusion of plant bioactives to the diet did not have an effect (P > 0.05) on blood or lipid peroxidation in muscle or on hemogram, serum concentration of haptoglobin, and immunoglobulin E. These results could be explained by low dietary doses and constrained absorption or ruminal inactivation of these compounds. Changes in feed efficiencies suggest a negative interaction between BC in the diet and parasitism, which warrants further research.

Dynamics of the volatile defense of winter "dormant" balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera).

6-Hydroxycylohex-2-en-1-one (6-HCH) has been reported as a major chemical defense of the winter-dormant internodes of balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) against feeding by herbivores such as the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). We report that the concentration of 6-HCH in the fall internodes is triggered by a single hard frost, and then undergoes an exponential decline through volatilization over the winter that results in barely detectable quantities by early spring. We conclude that the role of 6-HCH in the defense of mature balsam poplar is more complex than simply acting as a toxin. Rather, 6-HCH's role as a defensive agent must evolve over the course of the winter from being a co-toxin to a cue for a conditioned flavor aversion (CFA) to finally having no role by late spring.

Use of biochar by sheep: impacts on diet selection, digestibility, and performance.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of biochar obtained from exothermic production of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) on sheep performance and diet digestibility and on preference for a ration enriched with this carbon-based material. Twenty-four lambs were housed in individual pens and assigned to one of three treatment groups (eight animals per group), where they received: 1) a 60:40 ration of alfalfa:barley (Control), 2) an isoenergetic and isonitrogenous ration with alfalfa, barley, and 2% biochar (BC), and 3) a simultaneous offer of the Control and BC rations (Choice). Lambs were exposed to two consecutive feeding periods (Period 1: 13 d and Period 2: 21 d), representing time intervals where the evolution of intake, animal performance, and rumen parameters were assessed; in vivo digestibility was determined during the last 5 d of the study. Ration intake did not differ among groups of lambs (P > 0.10), although during some days in Period 2, intake was greater for the BC and Choice groups than for the Control group (P < 0.05). Lambs in Choice had a lower preference for BC than for the Control ration (Period 1: P < 0.05; Period 2: P < 0.10), although they incorporated a substantial amount of BC (39 and 40%, for Periods 1 and 2, respectively) into their diets. No differences in body weight gains (ADG) or gain-to-feed ratios were found among groups of animals (P > 0.10), although dry matter digestibility and digestible dry matter intake was greater for lambs in the BC group than for lambs in Control group (P < 0.05). The ruminal concentration of the volatile acid acetate in Period 2 was greater for BC than for Choice (P < 0.05). During the same period, the concentration of valerate and ruminal pH values were greater in BC than in Control (P < 0.05). Thus, the addition of biochar to grain-based diets enhanced diet digestibility and influenced some ruminal parameters in lambs. Nevertheless, these positive effects were not reflected in significant improvements on ADG or feed conversion efficiencies. Lambs offered choices between Control and BC rations formed a diet with concentrations of biochar of ~1.2%, suggesting that these animals would tolerate such levels without reductions in ration palatability.

Grazing diverse combinations of tanniferous and non-tanniferous legumes: Implications for beef cattle performance and environmental impact.

We tested the effect of increasingly diverse combinations of tanniferous legumes (birdsfoot trefoil-BFT, sainfoin-SF) and alfalfa (ALF) on cattle performance, methane (CH4) emissions and nitrogen (N) balance. Pairs of heifers (401 ± 49.6 kg) grazed three spatial replications of 7 treatments (n = 3/treatment): monocultures (BFT, SF, ALF) and all possible 2- and 3-way choices among strips of these legumes in a completely randomized block design of two 15-d periods during 2 consecutive years. Average daily gains (ADG) of heifers grazing the tanniferous legumes (1.05 kg/d) were 40% greater (p < 0.10) than of heifers grazing ALF (0.74 kg/d) during the first year. Heifers grazing the 3-way choice had greater intakes (10.4 vs 7.8 kg/d; p = 0.064) and ADG (1.21 vs. 0.95 kg/d, p = 0.054) than those grazing monocultures, suggesting a nutritional synergism among legumes. The average CH4 emissions for legume monocultures vs. 2- and 3- way choices was 222 vs. 202 and 162 g/kg BW gain (p > 0.10), respectively. For heifers grazing SF and BFT compared with ALF, blood urea N was less (14.3 and 16.8 vs 20.8 mg/dL; p < 0.05) as were urinary N concentrations (3.7 and 3.5 vs 6.0 g/L; p < 0.05), but fecal N concentrations were greater (34.5 and 35.5 vs 30.5 g/kg, respectively; p < 0.05). Combining both tanniferous legumes (SF-BFT) led to the greatest declines in urinary N (2.24 g/L) and urea-N (1.71 g/L) concentration, suggesting that different types of tannins in different legumes result in associative effects that enhance N economy. In addition, heifers grazing 3-way choices partitioned less N into urine (40.7 vs 50.6%; p = 0.037) and retained more N (36.1 vs 25.2%, p = 0.046) than heifers grazing monocultures. In summary, combinations of tanniferous legumes with alfalfa improved animal performance and reduced environmental impacts relative to monocultures, resulting in a more sustainable approach to beef production in pasture-based finishing systems.

Preference for inorganic sources of calcium and phosphorus by sheep as a function of need.

We hypothesized that ruminants discriminate among different mineral supplements and modify their selection as a function of need. Forty lambs were offered four-way choices among P, Ca, and Mg sources: monosodium phosphate (MSP), Magnesium phosphate (MGP), Monocalcium phosphate (MCP), and Dicalcium phosphate (DCP); and two-way choices between DCP and the other mineral sources (Baseline). Subsequently, lambs were randomly assigned to four groups (10 lambs/group) and fed rations such that levels of Ca and P were low (LCa_LP), adequate (NCa_NP), low in Ca and adequate in P (LCa_NP), or adequate in Ca and low in P (NCa_LP). Four- and two-way choice tests were repeated (Post-deficiency). During Baseline, lambs ate and preferred MSP > MGP>DCP = MCP (p < .0001), showing that they discriminated among minerals. This pattern remained during four-way Post-deficiency tests, but lambs in LCa_LP, LCa_NP, and NCa_LP showed increased preference for MCP, MGP, and DCP, respectively, relative to other groups and Baseline (p < .05). Some mineral preference also changed in relation to serum concentration of P and Ca. Thus, lambs discriminated among minerals and some groups modified their preferences from Baseline to Post-deficiency choice tests, likely influenced by mineral needs, which in turn contributed to rectify mineral imbalances.

Ingestive Behavior of Young Lambs on Contrasting Tropical Grass Sward Heights.

The efficiency of grazing ruminant production systems is directly associated to the animals' ingestive behavior, and to structural characteristics of the pastures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ingestive behavior of young lambs grazing three different heights of Capim Aruana (Panicum maximum). The experiment was carried out in two consecutive years, in which 30 tester lambs (4-5 months old) were equally divided into three paddocks (treatments) corresponding to different average sward heights of Aruana grass: (1) Tall-75 cm; (2) Medium-50 cm; and (3) Short-25 cm in a randomized block design. Ingestive behavior assessments were carried out every 28 days through 10-min observations of the main activities of the animals (grazing, ruminating, idling) and biting rate, from sunrise to sunset. In addition, the productive and qualitative characteristics of the pastures were assessed. Despite differences in pasture structure, grazing time (GT) and idling time were similar among treatments (P = 0.4266 and P = 0.2939, respectively). The shortest ruminating time (RT, P = 0.0181) was recorded in the treatment of lowest sward height. Lambs grazing on this treatment also showed 23% more bites per minute (P= < 0.0001) than animals in the Tall and Medium treatments. A Decision Tree analysis was performed for GT, identifying in a hierarchical order that the initial weight of the animals and sward height explained 62% (R 2 = 0.621) of the variation, representing the variables with the greatest influence on GT. Initial body weight explained 48% of the model. Thus, our research shows that the different sward heights of Capim Aruana mainly alter the lamb's RT and biting rate, and that the animals' initial body weight is a key factor influencing GT, given that this variable makes lambs more susceptible to changes in sward height.