Condensed tannins fed to dairy goats: Effects on digestibility, milk production, blood parameters, methane emission, and energy and nitrogen balances.

Condensed tannins (CT) are plant polyphenols that can affect feed digestibility and are potentially able to reduce enteric CH4 emissions in ruminants. In this in vivo trial with 8 lactating goats, we investigated the effects of 4 levels of inclusion of a commercial CT extract from quebracho (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% on dry matter basis; CON, Q2, Q4, and Q6, respectively). The experimental design was a repeated 4 × 4 Latin square with 28-d periods (24 d of diet adaptation and 4 d of sample collection) using metabolic cages and 4 open-circuit respiration chambers. The inclusion of CT in the diets did not affect the dry matter intake (DMI) but caused a linear decrease in diet digestibility, with reductions up to -11% for dry matter, -21% for crude protein (CP), -23% for α-amylase- and sodium sulfite-treated neutral detergent fiber corrected for insoluble ash (aNDFom), and -13% for gross energy, when comparing the Q6 and CON diets. However, ruminal total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration was not affected by CT, although there were changes in VFA proportions. Milk yield was highest for Q4 (3,371 g/d) and lowest for Q6 (3,066 g/d). In terms of milk composition, CT induced a linear reduction of fat and CP concentrations. The reduction in CP digestibility resulted in a linear reduction in the milk urea level, up to -37% with Q6. Positively, CT linearly reduced the somatic cells count expressed as linear score. The feed efficiency was linearly decreased by CT inclusion. Furthermore, a shift from urinary to fecal nitrogen excretion was observed with CT. The retained nitrogen was always negative (on average -1.93 g/d). The CH4 yield (on average 19.2 g of CH4/kg DMI) was linearly reduced by CT inclusion, up to -18% with Q6. Regarding the CH4 intensity, CT induced a linear reduction when expressed per kilogram of milk, but not per kilogram of fat and protein-corrected milk. Moreover, the CH4 production per kilogram of digestible aNDFom was linearly increased by CT. The metabolizable energy intake (MEI) was not affected by the treatments, but the metabolizability (q = MEI/gross energy intake) was reduced as CT inclusion increased. From the results of the present study, it turned out that CT have a negative impact on feed digestibility and feed use efficiency. Condensed tannins can lower CH4 emissions from ruminants; however, the main mechanism of action is likely the decrease in feed digestibility. Furthermore, CT did not improve the N use efficiency. According to these findings, the positive environmental impacts of CT are only related to the shift from urinary to fecal N excretion.

Predicting CO2 production of lactating dairy cows from animal, dietary, and production traits using an international dataset.

Automated measurements of the ratio of concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide, [CH4]:[CO2], in breath from individual animals (the so-called "Sniffer-technique") and estimated CO2 production can be used to estimate CH4 production, provided that CO2 production can be reliably calculated. This would allow CH4 production from individual cows to be estimated in large cohorts of cows, whereby ranking of cows according to their CH4 production might become possible and their values could be used for breeding of low CH4 emitting animals. Estimates of CO2 production are typically based on predictions of heat production, which can be calculated from body weight (BW), energy-corrected milk yield, and days of pregnancy. The objectives of the present study were to develop predictions of CO2 production directly from milk production, dietary, and animal variables, and furthermore develop different models to be used for different scenarios, depending on available data. An international data set with 2,244 records from individual lactating cows including CO2 production and associated traits, as dry matter intake (DMI), diet composition, BW, milk production and composition, days in milk and days pregnant, was compiled to constitute the training data set. Research location and experiment nested within research location were included as random intercepts. The method of CO2 production measurement (respiration chamber (RC) or GreenFeed (GF)) was confounded with research location, and therefore excluded from the model. In total, 3 models were developed based on the current training data set: Model 1 ("Best Model"), where all significant traits were included, Model 2 ("On-Farm Model"), where DMI was excluded, and Model 3 ("Reduced On-Farm Model"), where both DMI and BW were excluded. Evaluation on test data sets either with RC data (n = 103), GF data without additives (n = 478) or GF data only including observations where nitrate, 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), or a combination of nitrate and 3-NOP were fed to the cows (GF+: n = 295), showed good precision of the 3 models, illustrated by low slope bias both in absolute values (-0.22 to 0.097) and in percentage (0.049 to 4.89) of mean square error (MSE). However, the mean bias (MB) indicated systematic over-prediction and under-prediction of CO2 production when the models were evaluated on the GF and the RC test data set, respectively. To address this bias, the 3 models were evaluated on a modified test data set, where the CO2 production (g/d) was adjusted by subtracting (where measurements were obtained by RC) or adding absolute MB (where measurements were obtained by GF) from evaluation of the specific model on RC, GF, and GF+ test data sets. By this modification, the absolute values of MB and MB as percentage of MSE became negligible. In conclusion, the 3 models were precise in predicting CO2 production from lactating dairy cows.

Looking for high-production and sustainable diets for lactating cows: A survey in Italy.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate, through a survey conducted on commercial farms, the global warming potential (GWP) of different lactating cow total mixed rations (TMR) and to identify the best dietary strategies to increase feed efficiency (FE) and reduce enteric CH4 emission. A total of 171 dairy herds were selected: data about dry matter intake (DMI), lactating cow TMR composition, and milk production and composition were provided by farmers. Diet GWP (kg of CO2 equivalents; CO2eq) was calculated as sum of GWP (kg of CO2eq) of each included ingredient, considering inputs needed at field level, feed processing, and transport. For soybean solvent meal, land use change was included in the assessment. Enteric methane production (g/d) was estimated [using the equation CH4 (g/d) = 2.54 + 19.14 × DMI] to calculate CH4 emission for kilograms of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM). The data set was analyzed by generalized linear model and logistic analysis using SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). The frequency distribution showed wide variation among farms for GWP (kg of CO2eq) of TMR: approximately 25% of the surveyed farms showed a diet GWP of 15 kg of CO2eq, 20% showed a GWP of 13 kg of CO2eq, and 16.7% showed a GWP of 17 kg of CO2eq. The variation among farms was due to the feedstuffs used. Among feedstuffs, soybean meal (SBM) had the highest correlation with the GWP of the TMR as shown by the following equation: TMR GWP (kg of CO2eq) = 2.49 × kg of SBM + 6.9 (R2 = 0.547). Moreover, diets with inclusion of SBM >15% of dry matter (DM) did not result in higher milk production than diets with a lower inclusion of SBM (≤15%). Average daily milk production of cows was 29.8 [standard deviation (SD) 4.83] kg with fat and protein contents of 3.86% (SD 0.22) and 3.40% (SD 0.14), respectively. The average DMI (kg/d) of lactating cows was 22.3 (SD 2.23). Logistic analysis demonstrated that corn silage ≤30% of diet DM was associated with higher FE. Almost 50% of farms had an average value of 15.0 g of CH4/kg of FPCM and about 30% of farms had an average of 12.5 g of CH4/kg of FPCM. The results demonstrated that lower enteric CH4 production was related to inclusion (% of diet DM) of ≤12% alfalfa hay and >30% corn silage. Diets with >34% neutral detergent fiber had higher CH4 production (>14.0 g/kg of FPCM) than those with lower neutral detergent fiber content. In contrast, lower enteric CH4 production (≤14.0 g/kg of FPCM) was related to diets characterized by net energy of lactation (NEL) >1.61 Mcal/kg and >4% ether extract. The variability in TMR GWP shows significant potential for reducing the GWP of a diet through choice and inclusion levels of ingredients (mainly SBM) and the possibility of decreasing methane enteric emission associated with milk production on a commercial scale.

Milk production, methane emissions, nitrogen, and energy balance of cows fed diets based on different forage systems.

Eight lactating Italian Friesian cows were housed in individual respiration chambers in a repeated Latin square design to determine their dry matter intake (DMI) and their milk and methane production, as well as to collect the total feces and urine to determine the N and energy balances. Four diets, based on the following forages (% of dry matter, DM), were tested: corn silage (CS, 49.3), alfalfa silage (AS, 26.8), wheat silage (WS, 20.0), and a typical hay-based Parmigiano Reggiano cheese production diet (PR, 25.3 of both alfalfa and Italian ryegrass hay). The greatest DMI was observed for cows fed PR (23.4 vs. 20.7 kg/d, the average of the other 3 diets). The DM digestibility was lower for PR (64.5 vs. 71.7%, the average of the other diets). The highest ash-free neutral detergent fiber digestibility values were obtained for CS (50.7%) and AS (47.4%). In the present study, no differences in milk production were observed between diets, although PR showed a higher milk yield trend. The highest milk urea N concentration (mg/dL) was found for the cows fed the WS diet (13.8), and the lowest was observed for the cows fed AS (9.24). The highest milk urea N concentration for the cows fed WS was also correlated with the highest urinary N excretion (g/d), which was found for the cows fed that same diet (189 vs. 147 on average for the other diets). The protein digestibility was higher for the cows fed the CS and WS diets (on average 68.5%) than for the cows fed AS and PR (on average 57.0%); dietary soybean inclusion was higher for CS and WS than for AS and PR. The rumen fermentation pattern was affected by the diet; the cows fed the PR diet showed a higher rumen pH and decreased propionate production than those fed CS, due to the lower nonfiber carbohydrate content and higher ash-free neutral detergent fiber content of the PR diet than the CS diet. Feeding cows with PR diet increased the acetate:propionate ratio in comparison with the CS diet (3.30 vs. 2.44 for PR and CS, respectively). Cows fed the PR diet produced a greater daily amount of methane and had a greater methane energy loss (% of digestible energy intake) than those fed the CS diet (413 vs. 378 g/d and 8.67 vs. 7.70%), but no differences were observed when methane was expressed as grams per kilogram of DMI or grams per kilogram of milk. The PR diet resulted in a smaller net energy for lactation content than the CS diet (1.36 vs. 1.70 Mcal/kg of DM for the PR and CS diets, respectively). Overall, our research suggests that a satisfactory milk production can be attained by including different high-quality forages in balanced diets without any negative effect on milk production or on the methane emissions per kilogram of milk.

Effect of dietary starch concentration and fish oil supplementation on milk yield and composition, diet digestibility, and methane emissions in lactating dairy cows.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets with different starch concentrations and fish oil (FO) supplementation on lactation performance, in vivo total-tract nutrient digestibility, N balance, and methane (CH4) emissions in lactating dairy cows. The experiment was conducted as a 4×4 Latin square design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement: 2 concentrations of dietary starch [low vs. high: 23.7 and 27.7% on a dry matter (DM) basis; neutral detergent fiber/starch ratios: 1.47 and 1.12], the presence or absence of FO supplement (0.80% on a DM basis), and their interaction were evaluated. Four Italian Friesian cows were fed 1 of the following 4 diets in 4 consecutive 26-d periods: (1) low starch (LS), (2) low starch plus FO (LSO), (3) high starch (HS), and (4) high starch plus FO (HSO). The diets contained the same amount of forages (corn silage, alfalfa and meadow hays). The starch concentration was balanced using different proportions of corn meal and soybean hulls. The cows were housed in metabolic stalls inside open-circuit respiration chambers to allow measurement of CH4 emission and the collection of separate urine and feces. No differences among treatments were observed for DM intake. We observed a trend for FO to increase milk yield: 29.2 and 27.5kg/d, on average, for diets with and without FO, respectively. Milk fat was affected by the interaction between dietary starch and FO: milk fat decreased only in the HSO diet. Energy-corrected milk (ECM) was affected by the interaction between starch and FO, with a positive effect of FO on the LS diet. Fish oil supplementation decreased the n-6:n-3 ratio of milk polyunsaturated fatty acids. High-starch diets negatively influenced all digestibility parameters measured except starch, whereas FO improved neutral detergent fiber digestibility (41.9 vs. 46.1% for diets without and with FO, respectively, and ether extract digestibility (53.7 vs. 67.1% for diets without and with FO, respectively). We observed a trend for lower CH4 emission (g/d) and intensity (g/kg of milk) with the high-starch diets compared with the low-starch diets: 396 versus 415g/d on average, respectively, and 14.1 versus 14.9g/kg of milk, respectively. Methane intensity per kilogram of ECM was affected by the interaction between starch and FO, with a positive effect of FO for the LS diet: 14.5 versus 13.3g of CH4/kg of ECM for LS and LSO diets, respectively.

Evaluation of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) equations to predict enteric methane emission from lactating cows fed Mediterranean diets.

The study aimed to evaluate Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 (2006 and 2019) to predict enteric CH4 emissions from lactating cows fed Mediterranean diets. The effects of the CH4 conversion factor (Ym; CH4 energy loss as a percentage of gross energy intake) and digestible energy (DE) of the diet were evaluated as model predictors. A data set was created using individual observations derived from 3 in vivo studies on lactating dairy cows housed in respiration chambers and fed diets typical of the Mediterranean region based on silages and hays. Five models using different Ym and DE were evaluated following a Tier 2 approach: (1) average values of Ym (6.5%) and DE (70%) from IPCC (2006); (2) average value of Ym (5.7%) and DE (70.0%) from IPCC (2019; 1YM); (3) Ym = 5.7% and DE measured in vivo (1YMIV); (4) Ym = 5.7 or 6.0%, depending on dietary NDF, and DE = 70% (2YM); and (5) Ym = 5.7 or 6.0%, depending on dietary NDF, and DE measured in vivo (2YMIV). Finally, a Tier 2 model for Mediterranean diets (MED) was derived from the Italian data set (Ym = 5.58%; DE = 69.9% for silage-based diets and 64.8% for hay-based diets) and validated on an independent data set of cows fed Mediterranean diets. The most accurate models tested were 2YMIV, 2YM, and 1YMIV with predictions of 384, 377, and 377 (g of CH4/d), respectively, versus the in vivo value of 381. The most precise model was 1YM (slope bias = 1.88%; r = 0.63). Overall, 1YM showed the highest concordance correlation coefficient value (0.579), followed by 1YMIV (0.569). Cross-validation on an independent data set of cows fed Mediterranean diets (corn silage and alfalfa hay) resulted in concordance correlation coefficient of 0.492 and 0.485 for 1YM and MED, respectively. The prediction of MED (397) was more accurate than 1YM (405) in comparison with the corresponding in vivo value of 396 g of CH4/d. The results of this study showed that the average values proposed by IPCC (2019) can adequately predict CH4 emissions from cows fed typical Mediterranean diets. However, the use of specific factors for the Mediterranean area, such as DE, improved the accuracy of the models.

Venous thromboembolism is a relevant and underestimated adverse event in cancer patients treated in phase I studies.

BACKGROUND: To investigate, retrospectively, the role of tumour histotype and antiangiogenic drugs for venous thromboembolism (VTE) development in advanced cancer patients treated in phase I studies. METHODS: Patients enrolled and treated in phase I studies conducted by SENDO (Southern Europe New Drugs Organisation) were considered. RESULTS: Data of 1415 patients were included in the analysis: 526 (37.2%) patients were males, median age was 57.3 years (range: 13-85). Fifty-six (3.96%) patients developed a VTE. At multivariate analysis gynaecologic (hazard ratio (HR): 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29-6.23, P=0.009) and gastrointestinal tumours (HR: 3.23, 95% CI: 1.18-8.87, P=0.023) as well as combination regimens of cytotoxic and antiangiogenic agents (HR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.11-6.30, P=0.028), white blood cell >11,000 µl(-1) (HR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.10-6.09, P=0.028) and haemoglobin<10 g dl(-1) (HR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.07-8.94, P=0.037) were statistically correlated with VTE development. Venous thromboembolism was the fourth most common cause of drug discontinuation. The median time from first drug administration to discontinuation was 1.4 for VTE and 2.3 months for the other adverse events (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Venous thromboembolism is a relatively common complication among patients treated in the context of phase I studies, and may lead to early drug discontinuation. A greater risk of developing VTE is associated with the diagnosis of gynaecologic and gastrointestinal tumours and the combined use of chemotherapy and antiangiogenic drugs.

Incidence, risk factors and clinical implications of venous thromboembolism in cancer patients treated within the context of phase I studies: the 'SENDO experience'.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the incidence, risk factors and clinical implications of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in advanced cancer patients treated in phase I studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients enrolled and treated in phase I studies conducted by SENDO (Southern Europe New Drugs Organization) Foundation between 2000 and 2010 in 15 experimental centers were considered for the study. Clinical data, including adverse events, were prospectively collected during the studies and retrospectively pooled for VTE analysis. RESULTS: Data of 1415 patients were considered for analysis. Five hundred and twenty-six (37.2%) patients were males, and median age was 57.3 years (range: 13-85). Eighty-five percent of patients had metastatic disease, while the remaining had locally advanced irresectable disease. For 706 (49.9%) of the patients, the study treatment was with cytotoxic agent(s) only, for 314 with target therapy(ies) only, while the remaining patients received a target therapy in combination with a cytotoxic drug. Fifty-six (3.96%) patients who developed a VTE, almost all (89.3%) during the course of treatment, the remaining during the follow-up. At univariate analysis, the Khorana score, the combination of an antiangiogenic agent with a cytotoxic drug, and the time from first cancer diagnosis to study entry (as continuous variable) were associated with a statistically significant increase of VTE occurrence. The multivariate analysis confirmed only a statistically significant association for the Khorana score. The hazard ratio of VTE occurrence was 7.88 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.86-21.70) and 2.74 (95% CI 1.27-5.92) times higher for the highest (≥3) and intermediate (1-2) scores as compared with score = 0. CONCLUSIONS: VTE is a relatively common complication among patients treated in the context of phase I studies. The Khorana score predicts VTE development and can be used to identify patients at high of VTE.

Milk production, nitrogen balance, and fiber digestibility prediction of corn, whole plant grain sorghum, and forage sorghum silages in the dairy cow.

Total mixed rations containing corn (CS), whole plant grain sorghum (WPGS), or forage sorghum (FS) silages were fed to 6 primiparous Italian Friesian cows to determine the effects on lactation performance, nutrient digestibility, and N balance. Furthermore, the relationship between in vivo total-tract neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (ttNDFD) and the ttNDFD derived by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) model was assessed. Cows were assigned to 1 of 3 diets in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with 28-d periods. The experimental treatment was silage type and 3 different silages were included in the diets. The diets were formulated to be iso-NDF. Accordingly, each diet was formulated to contain 41.5% CS silage, 36.7% WPGS silage, or 28.0% FS silage, on a DM basis. Starch content was balanced by adding the appropriate amount of corn meal. Separate collection of total urine and feces was performed. Dietary forages were analyzed for in vitro NDF digestibility (6 and 24h of incubation) to predict fiber digestion rate with 2 NDF pools (digestible and indigestible). Rumen digestibility of the potentially digestible NDF pool was predicted using CNCPS version 6.1, using the in vitro forage fiber digestion rate. The ttNDFD was predicted assuming that intestinal digestibility of the NDF amount escaping rumen digestion was 20%, according to the CNCPS model. Dry matter intake was decreased by approximately 1.8 kg/d in cows fed the FS diet compared with the other diets, probably for the greater particle size of FS diet. Hence, milk yield (kg/d) was lowest for FS (23.6), intermediate for WPGS (24.6), and highest for the CS diet (25.4). Milk urea N (mg/dL) was highest for FS (12.9), intermediate for WPGS (11.9), and lowest for CS (10.7) diet. In vivo ttNDFD (%) was 51.4 (CS), 48.6 (WPGS), and 54.1 (FS); this was probably due to a higher retention time of FS diet in the rumen rather than to a better quality of the FS silage, as confirmed by in situ and in vitro results. Urinary N excretion (% N intake) was highest for FS (31.8), intermediate for WPGS (29.3), and lowest for the CS (27.5) diet. The predicted ttNDFD (37.7, 36.3, and 39.5% for CS, WPGS, and FS, respectively) were lower than the in vivo results. Providing an adequate starch supplementation, whole plant grain sorghum silage can replace corn silage in dairy cows TMR. Forage sorghum silage had rumen NDF digestibility comparable to the other silages; however, it had a negative effect on dry matter intake and milk production, probably due to an inadequate effect of processing.

Effect of quantifying peptide release on ruminal protein degradation determined using the inhibitor in vitro system.

The aim of this work was to compare use of an o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) colorimetric assay (OPA-C), which responds to both free AA and peptides, with an OPA fluorimetric assay (OPA-F), which is insensitive to peptides, to quantify rates of ruminal protein degradation in the inhibitor in vitro system using Michaelis-Menten saturation kinetics. Four protein concentrates (expeller-extracted soybean meal, ESBM; 2 solvent-extracted soybean meals, SSBM1 and SSBM2; and casein) were incubated in a ruminal in vitro system treated with hydrazine and chloramphenicol to inhibit microbial uptake of protein degradation products. Proteins were weighed to give a range of N concentrations (from 0.15 to 3 mg of N/mL of inoculum) and incubated with 10 mL of ruminal inoculum and 5 mL of buffer; fermentations were stopped after 2 h by adding trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Proteins were analyzed for buffer-soluble N and buffer extracts were treated with TCA to determine N degraded at t=0 (FD0). The TCA supernatants were analyzed for ammonia (phenol-hypochlorite assay), total AA (TAA; OPA-F), and TAA plus oligopeptides (OPA-C) by flow injection analysis. Velocity of protein degradation was computed from extent of release of 1) ammonia plus free TAA or 2) ammonia plus free TAA and peptides. Rate of degradation (kd) was quantified using nonlinear regression of the integrated Michaelis-Menten equation. The parameters Km (Michaelis constant) and kd (Vmax/Km), where Vmax=maximum velocity, were estimated directly; kd values were adjusted (Akd) for the fraction FD0 using the equation Akd=kd-FD0/2. The OPA-C assay yielded faster degradation rates due to the contribution of peptides to the fraction degraded (overall mean=0.280/h by OPA-C and 0.219/h by OPA-F). Degradation rates for SSBM samples (0.231/h and 0.181/h) and ESBM (0.086/h) obtained by the OPA-C assay were more rapid than rates reported by the National Research Council (NRC). Both assays indicated that the 2 SSBM differed in rumen-undegradable protein (RUP) content; the more slowly degraded SSBM had RUP content (35% by OPA-C) similar to that reported by the NRC. The RUP content of ESBM (42% by OPA-C) was lower than the NRC value. Preliminary studies with 4 additional protein concentrates confirmed that accounting for peptide formation increased degradation rate; however, a trend for an interaction between assay and protein source suggested that peptide release made a smaller contribution to rate for more slowly degraded proteins. The OPA-C assay is a simple and reliable method to quantify formation of small peptides.

Technical note: precision and accuracy of in vitro digestion of neutral detergent fiber and predicted net energy of lactation content of fibrous feeds.

The objective of this study was to test the precision and agreement with in situ data (accuracy) of neutral detergent fiber degradability (NDFD) obtained with the rotating jar in vitro system (Daisy(II) incubator, Ankom Technology, Fairport, NY). Moreover, the precision of the chemical assays requested by the National Research Council (2001) for feed energy calculations and the estimated net energy of lactation contents were evaluated. Precision was measured as standard deviation (SD) of reproducibility (S(R)) and repeatability (S(r)) (between- and within-laboratory variability, respectively), which were expressed as coefficients of variation (SD/mean × 100, S(R) and S(r), respectively). Ten fibrous feed samples (alfalfa dehydrated, alfalfa hay, corn cob, corn silage, distillers grains, meadow hay, ryegrass hay, soy hulls, wheat bran, and wheat straw) were analyzed by 5 laboratories. Analyses of dry matter (DM), ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) had satisfactory S(r), from 0.4 to 2.9%, and S(R), from 0.7 to 6.2%, with the exception of ether extract (EE) and CP bound to NDF or ADF. Extending the fermentation time from 30 to 48 h increased the NDFD values (from 42 to 54% on average across all tested feeds) and improved the NDFD precision, in terms of both S(r) (12 and 7% for 30 and 48 h, respectively) and S(R) (17 and 10% for 30 and 48 h, respectively). The net energy for lactation (NE(L)) predicted from 48-h incubation NDFD data approximated well the tabulated National Research Council (2001) values for several feeds, and the improvement in NDFD precision given by longer incubations (48 vs. 30 h) also improved precision of the NE(L) estimates from 11 to 8%. Data obtained from the rotating jar in vitro technique compared well with in situ data. In conclusion, the adoption of a 48-h period of incubation improves repeatability and reproducibility of NDFD and accuracy and reproducibility of the associated calculated NE(L). Because the in vitro rotating jar technique is a simple apparatus, further improvement would probably be obtained by reducing the laboratory differences in rumen collection procedures and type of animal donors, which, however, reflect practical conditions.

Evaluation of the effects of different diets on microbiome diversity and fatty acid composition of rumen liquor in dairy goat.

Fat supplementation plays an important role in defining milk fatty acids (FA) composition of ruminant products. The use of sources rich in linoleic and α-linolenic acid favors the accumulation of conjugated linoleic acids isomers, increasing the healthy properties of milk. Ruminal microbiota plays a pivotal role in defining milk FA composition, and its profile is affected by diet composition. The aim of this study was to investigate the responses of rumen FA production and microbial structure to hemp or linseed supplementation in diets of dairy goats. Ruminal microbiota composition was determined by 16S amplicon sequencing, whereas FA composition was obtained by gas-chromatography technique. In all, 18 pluriparous Alpine goats fed the same pre-treatment diet for 40±7 days were, then, arranged to three dietary treatments consisting of control, linseed and hemp seeds supplemented diets. Independently from sampling time and diets, bacterial community of ruminal fluid was dominated by Bacteroidetes (about 61.2%) and Firmicutes (24.2%) with a high abundance of Prevotellaceae (41.0%) and Veillonellaceae (9.4%) and a low presence of Ruminococcaceae (5.0%) and Lachnospiraceae (4.3%). Linseed supplementation affected ruminal bacteria population, with a significant reduction of biodiversity; in particular, relative abundance of Prevotella was reduced (-12.0%), whereas that of Succinivibrio and Fibrobacter was increased (+50.0% and +75.0%, respectively). No statistically significant differences were found among the average relative abundance of archaeal genera between each dietary group. Moreover, the addition of linseed and hemp seed induced significant changes in FA concentration in the rumen, as a consequence of shift from C18 : 2n-6 to C18 : 3n-3 biohydrogenation pathway. Furthermore, dimethylacetal composition was affected by fat supplementation, as consequence of ruminal bacteria population modification. Finally, the association study between the rumen FA profile and the bacterial microbiome revealed that Fibrobacteriaceae is the bacterial family showing the highest and significant correlation with FA involved in the biohydrogenation pathway of C18 : 3n-3.

Effect of alfalfa silage storage structure and roasting corn on production and ruminal metabolism of lactating dairy cows.

The objective of this study was to determine if feeding roasted corn would improve production and nutrient utilization when supplemented to lactating cows fed 1 of 3 different alfalfa silages (AS). Forty-two lactating Holstein cows (6 fitted with ruminal cannulas) averaging 77 d in milk and 43 kg of milk/d pretrial were assigned to 2 cyclic changeover designs. Treatments were AS ensiled in bag, bunker, or O2-limiting tower silos and supplemented with ground shelled corn (GSC) or roasted GSC (RGSC). Silages were prepared from second-cutting alfalfa, field-wilted an average of 24 h, and ensiled over 2 d. Production and N utilization were evaluated in 36 cows during four 28-d periods, and ruminal fermentation was evaluated with 6 cows during five 21-d periods. Experimental diets contained 40% AS, 15% corn silage, and 35% of either GSC or RGSC on a dry matter basis. No significant interactions between AS and corn sources were detected for any production trait. Although the chemical composition of the 3 AS was similar, feeding AS from the O2-limited tower silo elicited positive production responses. Yields of 3.5% fat-corrected milk and fat were increased 1.7 kg/ d and 150 g/d, and milk fat content was increased 0.3% when cows were fed diets based on AS from the O2-limiting silo compared with the other 2 silages. The responses in milk fat were paralleled by an average increase in acid detergent fiber digestibility of 270 g/d for cows fed AS from the O2-limiting tower silo. However, ruminal concentrations of lipogenic volatile fatty acids were unchanged with AS source. Cows fed RGSC consumed 0.6 kg/d more dry matter and yielded 30 g/ d more protein and 50 g/d more lactose than cows fed GSC diets. There was no evidence of increased total tract digestibility of organic matter or starch, or reduced ruminal NH(3) concentration, when feeding RGSC. Free amino acids increased, and isovalerate decreased in rumen fluid from cows fed RGSC diets. However, responses in production with roasted corn were mainly due to increased dry matter intake, which increased the supply of energy and nutrients available for synthesis of milk and milk components.

Phase IB and pharmacological study of the novel taxane BMS-184476 in combination with doxorubicin.

The aim of this study was to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the pharmacological profile of the paclitaxel analogue BMS-184476 given once every 3 weeks, or on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks (d1&8), in combination with a fixed dose of 50 mg/m(2) of Doxorubicin (Doxo) administered on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. Adult patients with advanced solid malignancies received escalating doses of BMS-184476 infused over 1 h after bolus Doxo. Pharmacokinetics (PK) of BMS-184476, Doxo and metabolites were investigated. The effect of BMS-184476 on doxorubicinol formation was studied in the cytosol from human myocardium. The MTD of 3-weekly BMS-184476 was 30 mg/m(2). The MTD/recommended Phase II dose was 35 mg/m(2)/week (70 mg/m(2) per cycle) in the d1&8 schedule. The dose-limiting toxicity was neutropenia for both schedules. Other toxicities were loss of appetite, asthenia, and mild, cumulative peripheral neuropathy. The objective response rate in 17 previously untreated or minimally pretreated patients with breast cancer treated at 35 mg/m(2)/week of BMS-184476 was 59% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 33-82%). Two of the 7 patients not responding to the study regimen later responded to Doxo and paclitaxel. Plasma disposition of BMS-184476 at 30, 35 and 40 mg/m(2) was linear without evidence of a PK interaction with Doxo. In studies with cytosol from human myocardium, the formation of cardiotoxic doxorubicinol was not enhanced by BMS-184476. Dosing of BMS-184476 for 2 consecutive weeks allowed the administration of larger doses of the taxane with a promising antitumour activity in patients with untreated or minimally pretreated breast cancer. The higher than expected myelotoxicity of the 3-weekly schedule is unexplained by the investigated interactions. Lack of enhanced doxorubicinol formation in human myocardium is consistent with the cardiac safety of the regimen.

Matrix effects in the determination of bromate in drinking water by ion chromatography.

Bromate is a well known by-product produced by the ozonation of drinking water; the allowed concentration for human consumption has to be regulated to low microgram l-1 range. By using a high-capacity anion-exchange column, it should be possible to determine bromate at this low concentration by direct injection of a very large volume (up to 1 ml) without any sample preconcentration and pretreatment. The feasibility of this technique for the determination of bromate in drinking water has been explored in our work. The experimental results showed that matrix effect, due to inorganic ions contained in drinking water, strongly influenced the chromatographic behaviour of the bromate peak. The increase of the total ion content led to a correlated decrease in the efficiency of the analyte peak so that effective detection limits depended on the matrix composition. In this work chromatographic parameters (efficiency, asymmetry and resolution) of bromate peak are discussed in relation to the concentration of the main inorganic anions, and the injection volume (from 250 microliters to 1 ml).

Zinc-responsive dermatosis in northern-breed dogs: 17 cases (1990-1996).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the response rate of zinc-responsive dermatosis to zinc supplementation, the optimal dosage of zinc required for resolution of lesions, the rate of recurrence of lesions, and to develop recommendations for maintenance dosages of zinc to be administered to dogs with this type of zinc-responsive dermatosis. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 17 northern-breed dogs with a diagnosis of zinc-responsive dermatosis. PROCEDURE: Histologic evaluation of skin biopsy specimens and review of medical records. Additional information was obtained from veterinarians and owners via a telephone questionnaire. RESULTS: In 12 of 17 dogs, lesions were unilateral initially, then became symmetrical as the disease progressed. Pyoderma was evident in 5 of 17 dogs, whereas 10 were pruritic. Most lesions initially developed between September and April, and 12 of 17 dogs developed lesions in February, October, and November. Initial dosages of zinc supplement ranged from 0.8 to 4.6 mg/kg of body weight/d (0.36 to 2.09 mg/lb/d). Effective/ maintenance dosages ranged from 0.5 mg/kg (0.23 mg/lb), twice weekly, to 8.0 mg/kg/d (3.6 mg/lb/d). Fifteen of 17 dogs had complete resolution of lesions after zinc supplementation. Lesions recurred in 9 of 16 dogs. Approximately half of the recurrent lesions were a result of a missed dose or a decrease in dosage or frequency of zinc supplementation. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: An initial dosage of zinc supplement of 1.0 mg of elemental zinc/kg (0.45 mg of elemental zinc/lb), PO, every 24 hours is recommended. Treatment should be continued for 1 month to determine response to treatment, and the daily dosage should be increased by 50% if the initial dosage is not effective. Dogs are prone to recurrence of lesions if a dose of zinc is missed or the dosage or frequency is decreased.

Canine zinc-responsive dermatosis.

Zinc is important in a multitude of biological functions, including regulation of the immune response, modulation of keratogenesis and wound healing, maintenance of normal reproductive function, and acuity of taste and smell. Zinc-responsive dermatosis is an uncommon disease of dogs resulting from either an absolute or relative deficiency in zinc. Dermatological lesions are characterized by erythema, alopecia, scales, and crusts that primarily affect the head. Two forms of the disease exist: a familial form affecting Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies and a form that affects growing puppies fed zinc-deficient or oversupplemented diets. The history, clinical signs, and skin biopsy results are typically diagnostic. Life-long zinc supplementation is usually necessary in the familial form of the disease, although dietary correction alone may be curative in the second form. Lethal acrodermatitis is a rare inherited disorder of Bull Terriers that does not respond to zinc supplementation and is invariably fatal.

Digestibility and metabolic utilization of diets containing whole-ear corn silage and their effects on growth and slaughter traits of heavy pigs.

The aim was to evaluate 2 levels of dietary inclusion of chopped whole-ear corn silage (WECS) on energy and nutrient utilization, growth, and slaughter performances of heavy pigs. Two in vivo experiments were conducted to determine digestibility and metabolic utilization of WECS using 18 barrows weighing 118 ± 8 kg BW on average, metabolic cages and respiration chambers (Exp. 1), and the effect of WECS on the growth performance and carcass traits on 42 barrows from 90 to 170 kg BW (Exp. 2). In both experiments, pigs were fed 3 experimental diets: a control diet (CON) containing cereal meals, extracted soybean meal, and wheat bran (80%, 9%, and 8% of DM, respectively) and 2 diets containing 15% (15WECS) or 30% WECS (30WECS) on a DM basis in place of wheat bran and corn meal. The diets were prepared daily by mixing the WECS to a suitable compound feed. Feed intake was always restricted to allow a daily DMI of 7.2% BW(0.75) in Exp. 1 and from 8.0% to 6.5% BW(0.75) in Exp. 2. Diets had similar NDF contents (15.2% to 15.8% of DM), and WECS inclusion resulted in a slight reduction in CP content (from 14.0% to 13.6% of DM) and a considerable decrease in P content (from 0.47% to 0.30% of DM). Digestibility of OM, CP, and fat was similar among diets, whereas P digestibility was lower (P < 0.05) for the 30WECS diet (33.5%) in comparison with the CON and 15WECS diets (45.5% and 44.1%, respectively). Nitrogen lost in feces and urine and N retained were not different among diets, whereas P retained decreased with the increase of WECS (5.4, 3.7, and 2.2 g/d for the CON, 15WECS, and 30WECS diets, respectively; P < 0.05). No difference among diets was observed for energy balance. The WECS contained 13.48 MJ ME and 9.39 MJ NE/kg DM. In Exp. 2, feed intake was not depressed by WECS inclusion, and the ADG for the whole experiment was not different among dietary treatments (from 737 to 774 g/d). Fecal pH was lower (P < 0.05) for the WECS diets than the control diet (7.10 and 7.00 vs. 7.40) and for the sampling at 150 kg BW than that at 130 and 110 kg BW (6.96 vs. 7.29 and 7.24). At slaughter, lean percentage in the carcass was lower in the 30WECS diet than those of the other 2 diets (46.8% vs. 48.3% and 48.6%, P = 0.05). The overall experimental data obtained in both trials indicate that substitution of wheat bran and corn meal for WECS (up to 30% of DM) does not affect, with the exception of P utilization and carcass leanness, energy and nutrient utilization and performance of heavy pigs in the last phase of growing.

Effects of alfalfa silage storage structure and roasting corn on ruminal digestion and microbial CP synthesis in lactating dairy cows.

The objective of this experiment was to quantify the effects of unroasted or roasted ground-shelled corn (GSC), when fed with alfalfa ensiled in bag, bunker, or O2-limiting tower silos on ruminal digestion and microbial CP synthesis in lactating dairy cows. The roasted corn was heat-treated in a propane-fired roasting system. Alfalfa was harvested as second cutting from fields with regrowth of the same maturity. A portion of each field was allotted to each silo. The diets with 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments were fed to six multiparous rumen-cannulated Holstein cows in a cyclic change-over design with five 21-day periods. Experimental diets were comparable and averaged (on dry matter (DM) basis): 410 g/kg alfalfa silage (AS), 150 g/kg corn silage, 350 g/kg GSC, 50 g/kg soybean meal, 40 g/kg roasted soybeans, 177 g/kg CP, 264 g/kg NDF and 250 g/kg starch. Nutrient flow was quantified by the omasal sampling technique with use of three markers (Co, Yb and indigestible NDF). Continuous infusion of 10% atom excess (15NH4)2SO4 was used to label microbial CP. None of the interactions between storage structure of dietary AS and corn type were significant. DM intake was not different among dietary treatments, averaging 24.5 kg/day across diets. Means of ADF digested in the rumen for cows fed diets with AS from bag, bunker and O2-limiting tower silo were 2.1, 1.7 and 2.1 kg/day, respectively, and was lower in cows fed AS from the bunker silo. This response may partly be a reflection of the higher intake of ADF by cows fed AS ensiled in the O2-limiting tower silo compared with the bunker. There was a slightly greater supply of fermentable substrates for cows fed diets with roasted compared with unroasted GSC. The small increases in yield of milk protein and lactose observed in the previous production trial in cows fed diets containing roasted corn may have occurred because of greater supply of fermentable substrates.

The contribution of club participation to adolescent health: evidence from six countries.

BACKGROUND: Social networks have been recognised as an important factor for enhancing the health of people and communities. Bridging social capital, characterised by numerous and varied weak ties, exemplifies a particular type of network that can help people reach their goals and improve their health. This study seeks to contribute to the evidence base on the use of positive social networks for young people's health by exploring the importance of club participation in predicting the health and health-related behaviours of 15-year-old girls and boys across Europe and North America. METHODS: Data are derived from a 2005-6 World Health Organization collaborative study, to establish the relationships between different types of club and a range of health outcomes (self-perceived health, wellbeing and symptoms) and health-related behaviours (smoking, drinking). Multi-level logistic regression was used to assess the independent effects of club participation by controlling for gender and socioeconomic position. Data were compared across six countries. RESULTS: All the considered outcomes, both in terms of perceived health and wellbeing and health behaviours were associated with participation in formal associations. The associations are in the expected direction (participation corresponding to better health) except for some particular association types. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in formal associations seems supportive for good health and health behaviours in adolescence, and should be promoted in this age group.