Effects of soybean hulls and corn stalk on the performance, colostrum composition and faecal microflora of pregnant sows.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different supplementation levels of soybean hulls and corn stalk in high-fibre gestation diet on the performance, colostrum composition and faecal microbiota of sows. Forty first-farrowing Danish Landrace sows were randomly assigned to five dietary treatment groups. The control (CON, 3.15% crude fibre) group was fed a normal diet, and the treatment groups were soybean hulls low-fibre (SHL, 6.00% crude fibre) group, soybean hulls high-fibre (SHH, 8.00% crude fibre) group, corn stalk low-fibre (CSL, 6.00% crude fibre) group and corn stalk high-fibre (CSH, 8.00% crude fibre) group. The weaning weight of the litter and the average daily feed intake of the lactating sows in the SHL, SHH and CSH groups were higher than those in the CON group (p < 0.05). The immunoglobulin A and G levels of the colostrum in the SHL, SHH, CSL and CSH groups were higher than those in the CON group (p < 0.05), and the immunoglobulin M levels in the SHL, SHH and CSH groups were higher than those in the CON group (p < 0.05). The abundance of Proteobacteria at the phylum level in the CON group was higher than that in the CSL, CSH and SHH groups (p < 0.05). The abundance of Lactobacillaceae at the family level in the SHH and CSL groups were higher than that in the CON group (p < 0.05). The abundance of Lactobacillus at the genus level in the SHH and CSL groups were higher than that in the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, SHH group had the best effect, and the optimal crude fibre level in the gestation diet of sows is 8%.

Effects of dietary resveratrol supplementation on the chemical composition, oxidative stability and meat quality of ducks (Anas platyrhynchos).

The effects of dietary resveratrol (0, 300, 400 and 500 mg/kg) on the chemical composition, antioxidative capacity, meat quality and volatile compound concentrations of duck meat were investigated. The results showed that dietary resveratrol had no significant effects on the chemical composition. Dietary resveratrol supplementation increased superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase activity, pH15 min, pH24 h and color, and reduced the malondialdehyde, and carbonyl contents and shear force, thereby improving water mobility and distribution (T2b, T21, T22), drip loss, cooking loss and volatile compounds concentration of duck meat. In conclusion, dietary resveratrol supplementation improved the meat quality of ducks by enhancing the antioxidant capacity, improving the color and shear force, and suppressing lipid and protein oxidation, and 500 mg/kg dietary resveratrol had the greatest effect in this study.

Antioxidant activity of black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) extract and its inhibitory effect on lipid and protein oxidation of pork patties during chilled storage.

This experiment was conducted to assess the antioxidant efficacy of black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) extract (BCE) in raw pork patties during chilled storage. The extracting conditions of frozen BCE including ethanol concentrations (0-100%) and extracting times (0.25-12h) were studied. BCE extracted with 40% ethanol for 2h had the highest anthocyanin content, the strongest radical scavenging activities as well as the second strongest reducing power. BCE was condensed and added to pork patties at 5, 10 or 20 g/kg. Compared with the control, BCE treatments significantly decreased the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance values and carbonyls formation and reduced the sulfhydryl loss of pork patties in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05), which showed that the BCE significantly inhibited lipid and protein oxidation. The BCE-treated patties showed significantly higher redness (P<0.05) than the control. The findings demonstrated strong potential for BCE as a natural antioxidant in meat and meat products.