The impact of digestible lysine and sulfur amino acids on eggshell quality and egg weight control in old ISA brown hens during 62 to 74 wk.

Modifying dietary amino acids has been proposed as a strategy to improve eggshell quality by slowing down increases in egg weight (EW). This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of digestible lysine (dLYS) and ratios of digestible sulfur amino acids (dTSAA) to dLYS on performance and eggshell quality in ISA brown hens. A total of 288 hens were individually housed and assigned to 8 treatments, which combined 2 levels of dLYS (5.9 and 5.5 g/kg) with 4 ratios of dTSAA:dLYS (90, 85, 80, and 75) in a factorial arrangement. The study lasted 12 wk, starting at 62 wk of age. The number of eggs was not affected by the interaction between dLYS and dTSAA:dLYS or their main effect. However, the interaction between dLYS and dTSAA:dLYS showed that reducing the dTSAA:dLYS ratio from 85 to 75 when hens were fed 5.5 g/kg of dLYS resulted in a lower EW. Conversely, when hens were fed 5.9 g/kg of dLYS, no significant difference was found in EW among the different ratios of dTSAA:dLYS. Although there was no interaction between the levels of dLYS and dTSAA:dLYS on eggshell quality, reducing the dLYS level from 5.9 to 5.5 slowed down the deterioration in eggshell-breaking strength and eggshell thickness, regardless of the dTSAA:dLYS ratio. These findings suggest that adjusting dietary dLYS while maintaining the dTSAA:dLYS ratio of no less than 85 may be an effective strategy for decelerating the deterioration of eggshell quality in laying hen operations without impacting the egg production rate.

Dietary protein reduction with stepwise addition of crystalline amino acids and the effect of considering a minimum glycine-serine content in broiler diets.

Reducing the dependency on soybean meal (SBM) is necessary to improve the sustainability of the poultry industry. Moreover, the recommendations for minimum contents of dietary Gly+Ser require further research. Two parallel studies were executed to determine the effects of replacing SBM with crystalline amino acids (CAA) to meet the amino acid requirements and to determine whether a minimum content of Gly+Ser is necessary for broiler diets. In study 1, 1,860 one-day-old male chicks were fed a common starter phase diet (22.8% CP). During the grower-1, grower-2, and finisher phases, the control CP content was reduced (up to 2.1%) with the stepwise addition of CAA (treatments 1-5). Within each feeding phase, AME, standardized ileal digestible Lys, and the minimum Met, Thr, Val, Gly+Ser, Ile, Arg, and Trp to Lys ratios were similar. In study 2, 1,488 male chickens were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design with the Gly+Ser content and feed ingredients used as main factors. Performance was monitored during 41 d in both studies. Reduction in CP content linearly increased (P < 0.05) BW, ADG, and ADFI in the grower-1, grower-2, and finisher phases. When the overall FCR was adjusted considering the BW differences (FCRadj); FCRadj linearly decreased with the weighted average CP (WACP) content (P < 0.001). In the lowest CP treatment, estimated dietary N utilization efficiency was improved by 10%, and the overall N excretion was reduced by 16% compared with the control (P < 0.001). The overall SBM and soybean oil intakes were linearly reduced relative to WACP (-12.0 and -20.2% in control vs. treatment 5, respectively; P < 0.001). Formulating with a minimum Gly+Ser content in the starter phase improved the FCR (P < 0.05) only in the corn-SBM-based diet. In grower-1, increasing Gly+Ser content improved the FCR independent of the feed ingredients used (P < 0.05). Crystalline amino acids can be used to partially replace intact protein reducing the dependency on SBM. Young birds may not synthesize enough Gly endogenously and a minimum content should be provided in the early phases.

The effect of gradually decreasing the dietary energy content, at constant or increased lysine:energy ratio on broiler performance, carcass yield, and body composition.

Formulating diets with high AME, especially in the grower and finisher phases, hinders the inclusion of alternative ingredients that are usually cheaper and have lower AME. Moreover, as the chicken grows the feed intake capacity is greater and may be able to maintain BW over a wide range of AME. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of chickens fed diets with progressive AME reductions, at constant or increased standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine:AME ratio (Lys:AME). Treatment 1 (control) was formulated following the SID lysine and AME recommendations for a 4-phase feeding program. Treatment 5 was formulated with -4, -8, and -12% AME in the grower-1, grower-2, and finisher phases, respectively, and with the same Lys:AME compared with the control. Treatment 9 had the same AME as treatment 5 but higher SID lysine, increasing the Lys:AME by 1.5, 3.5, and 5.0% compared with treatment 5. In the grower-1, grower-2, and finisher phases, the final 9 dietary treatments were prepared by mixing the control diet with either treatment 5 or 9 at different proportions (75:25, 50:50, or 25:75). All birds were fed the same starter control diet. Treatments were replicated in 10 pens with 31 male chickens each, and the growth performance of birds was monitored for 42 d. Final BW linearly decreased (P < 0.05) when lowering dietary AME, but it followed a positive quadratic response with higher Lys:AME (P < 0.05). Feed intake increased (P < 0.05) with low AME, independently of the Lys:AME; but the linear regression in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) had a lower slope when the Lys:AME increased. At the end of the study, there were no differences in carcass or breast meat yield (P > 0.10). Progressively reducing AME in the last feeding phases may be a viable nutritional strategy to increase the inclusion of alternative ingredients and potentially reduce feeding costs, despite increments in feed intake and FCR. Adjusting the Lys:AME in low AME diets may help maintain the final BW of birds.

Improvement of Physico-chemical Properties of Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil Enriched with ß-Carotene from Fungi.

Nowadays the consumption of essential carotenoids is reduced due to the lower intake of fruits and vegetables, being humans not capable of synthesizing these molecules. ß-carotene is one of the most important carotenoids possessing anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and anti-cancer properties. The aim of this work consists of preparing virgin olive oils enriched in ß-carotene from fungi at different concentrations (0.041 and 0.082 mg/mL) in order to obtain new functional foods. Values of quality parameters (free acidity, peroxide value, coefficients of specific extinction and p-anisidine) have been obtained, showing that quality of olive oils was improved. Furthermore, the effect of ß-carotene was evaluated as possible oxidative stabilizer during microwave heating and ultra violet-light exposure of the oils. As expected, the enrichment process brought changes in olive oils color, turning them orange-reddish. The use of natural antioxidants, in particular ß-carotene could be an effective way to protect virgin olive oils from degradation and is a good strategy also to enhance the consumption of bioactive compounds improving olive oils shelf-life and nutritional value.

[Severe encephalopathy and vitamin B12 deficiency: reversibility after nutritional therapy]. / Encefalopatía grave y deficiencia de vitamina B12: reversibilidad tras la terapia nutricional.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: the vitamin cobalamin is essential for a proper functioning of the CNS, hematopoiesis, and DNA synthesis. Its deficiency is frequently secondary to pernicious anemia or strict vegetarian diets. Case report: an 18-month-old male infant presented with a decreased level of consciousness and movement disorder (tremor and choreiform movements) of several hours' standing. He had a history of delayed acquisition of motor milestones (not standing, monosyllabic language), and progressive loss of these over the last few weeks (head support and sitting). He had been breastfed from birth. His family has a vegetarian diet. In neuroimages, cranial CT and MRI scans showed generalized supratentorial atrophy involving both matters and the basal ganglia. Treatment was started with intramuscular vitamin B12, which increased its levels. Subsequently, the patient was subjected to dietary diversification and oral cyanocobalamin, with clinical normalization after 6 months and radiological normalization after 7 months. Conclusions: we emphasize the importance of vitamin B12 supplementation during pregnancy and lactation in vegetarina mothers and their infants.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: la vitamina cobalamina es esencial para el buen funcionamiento del SNC, la hematopoyesis y la síntesis de ADN. Su déficit es frecuentemente secundario a la anemia perniciosa o a las dietas vegetarianas estrictas. Caso clínico: lactante varón de 18 meses con disminución del nivel de conciencia y trastorno del movimiento (temblor y movimientos coreiformes) de horas de duración. Como antecedentes, presenta retraso de adquisición de hitos motores (no bipedestación, lenguaje monosilábico) y pérdida progresiva de los mismos en lúltimas semanas (sostén cefálico y sedestación). Alimentado mediante lactancia materna desde el nacimiento. La familia sigue una alimentación vegetariana. En las pruebas de neuroimagen, la TC y la RM craneales muestran atrofia supratentorial generalizada de ambas sustancias y de los ganglios basales. Se inicia tratamiento con vitamina B12 intramuscular, aumentando sus niveles. Posteriormente se procede a la diversificación alimentaria y la administración de cianocobalamina oral, con normalización clínica al cabo de 6 meses y radiológica al cabo de 7 meses. Conclusiones: recalcamos la importancia de la suplementación con B12 durante el embarazo y lactancia tanto en la mujer como en el lactante.

The effect of reducing dietary calcium in prestarter diets (0-4 D) on growth performance of broiler chickens, tibia characteristics, and calcium and phosphorus concentration in blood.

During the incubation period, the Ca-to-P weight (mg/mg) ratio in the yolk increases from 0.26 on day 0 to 0.92 on day 17.5 and to 2.9 at hatch. Moreover, the absolute Ca content in the yolk increases by 41%, whereas P content decreases by 87%, from day 0 to the day of hatching. Thus, at hatch and during the first days after hatching, there are high reserves of Ca relative to P in the residual egg yolk, risking hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia. A growth performance study was conducted to explore the effects of reducing dietary Ca content in the prestarter phase (0-4 D) on BW and bone mineral deposition during the first days after hatch and at market weight (day 37). Four prestarter (0-4 D) diets were formulated to have 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0% Ca content. After the prestarter phase, all birds were fed with the same commercial diets based on a 3-phase feeding program (starter, grower, and finisher). Growth performance (BW, ADG, ADFI, and feed conversion ratio [FCR]) was monitored throughout the study, and blood and tibia bone samples were collected on specific days. On day 4, BW and ADG decreased with dietary Ca contents higher than 0.6% (P < 0.05), but there were no differences in BW on day 14 onward (P > 0.10). For the overall study (0-37 D), there were no differences in ADG and ADFI, but the FCR decreased with lower Ca contents (P < 0.05). On day 4, there were no differences in blood plasma Ca concentration, but P concentration increased in the group treated with diet containing 0.4% Ca compared with the groups treated with diets containing 0.6 and 0.8% Ca (P < 0.05). Tibia ash content decreased in the group treated with diet containing 0.4% Ca (P < 0.05) compared with all other treatments at the end of the prestarter phase. Tibia ash content and tibia breaking strength, on day 37, were not different among the treatments (P > 0.10). In conclusion, during the prestarter phase, BW increased with dietary Ca contents lower than 0.6%, most likely improving Ca-P balance; bone mineral deposition was reduced in this period. On feeding with a diet containing higher Ca content, bone mineral content was rapidly recovered.