Effects of rumen-protected betaine supplementation on meat quality and the composition of fatty and amino acids in growing lambs.

Rumen-protected betaine (RPB) can enhance betaine absorption in the small intestine of ruminants, while betaine can alter fat distribution and has the potential to affect the meat quality of livestock. Hence, we hypothesized that RPB might also affect the meat quality of lambs. Sixty male Hu sheep of similar weight (30.47 ± 2.04 kg) were selected and randomly subjected to five different treatments. The sheep were fed a control diet (control treatment, CTL); 1.1 g/day unprotected-betaine supplemented diet (UPB); or doses of 1.1 g/day (low RPB treatment; L-PB), 2.2 g/day (middle RPB treatment; M-PB) or 3.3 g/day (high RPB treatment; H-PB) RPB-supplemented diet for 70 days. Slaughter performance, meat quality, fatty acid and amino acid content in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle, shoulder muscle (SM) and gluteus muscle (GM) were measured. Compared with CTL, betaine (including UPB and RPB) supplementation increased the average daily weight gain (ADG) (P < 0.05) and average daily feed intake (P < 0.01) of lambs. Rumen-protected betaine increased ADG (P < 0.05) compared with UPB. With increasing RPB doses, the eye muscle area of the lambs linearly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, betaine supplementation decreased water loss (P < 0.05) in SM and increased pH24 in the SM (P < 0.05) and GM (P < 0.05). Compared with UPB, RPB decreased water loss in the GM (P < 0.01), decreased shear force (P < 0.05) in the LD and SM and increased the pH of the meat 24 h after slaughter (pH24). With increasing RPB doses, the shear force and b* value in the LD linearly decreased (P < 0.05), and the pH24 of the meat quadratically increased (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, betaine supplementation increased the polyunsaturated fatty acid in the GM (P < 0.05). Compared with UPB, RPB supplementation decreased the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content in the LD (P < 0.05) and increased the unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), mono-unsaturated fatty acids and UFA/SFA ratio in the LD (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, the content of histidine in the LD increased with betaine supplementation. Compared with UPB, RPB supplementation increased the content of total free amino acids and flavor amino acids in the LD of lambs (P < 0.05). With increasing RPB, the isoleucine and phenylalanine contents in the LD linearly increased (P < 0.05). Overall, the data collected indicated that the meat quality of lambs (especially in the LD) improved as a result of betaine supplementation, and RPB showed better effects than those of UPB.

Thiamine ameliorates inflammation of the ruminal epithelium of Saanen goats suffering from subacute ruminal acidosis.

This study aimed to examine the role of thiamine in the local inflammation of ruminal epithelium caused by high-concentrate diets. Eighteen mid-lactating (148 ± 3 d in milk; milk yield = 0.71 ± 0.0300 kg/d) Saanen goats (body weight = 36.5 ± 1.99 kg; body condition score = 2.73 ± 0.16, where 0 = emaciated and 5 = obese) in parity 1 or 2 were selected. The goats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 6/group): (1) control diet (concentrate:forage 30:70), (2) high-concentrate diet (HC; concentrate:forage 70:30), and (3) high-concentrate diet with 200 mg of thiamine/kg of dry matter intake (THC; concentrate:forage 70:30). Goats remained on experimental diets for 8 wk. On the last day of 8 wk, ruminal and blood samples were collected to determine ruminal parameters, endotoxin lipopolysaccharide, and blood inflammatory cytokines. Goats were slaughtered to collect ruminal tissue to determine gene and protein expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathways. Thiamine supplementation increased ruminal pH (6.03 vs. 5.42) compared with the HC group. Propionate (21.08 vs. 31.61 mM), butyrate (12.08 vs. 19.39 mM), lactate (0.52 vs. 0.71 mM), and free lipopolysaccharide (42.16 vs. 55.87 × 103 endotoxin units/mL) concentrations in ruminal fluid were lower in THC goats compared with HC goats. Similar to plasma interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) concentration (209.31 vs. 257.23 pg/mL), blood CD8+ percentage (27.57 vs. 34.07%) also decreased in response to thiamine. Compared with HC goats, THC goats had lower ruminal epithelium activity of the enzymes myeloperoxidase and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9. In contrast to HC, THC had downregulated mRNA expression of nuclear factor-κB (NFKB), TLR4, IL1B, MMP2, and MMP9 in ruminal epithelium. Thiamine supplementation led to lower relative protein expression of IL-1ß, NF-κB unit p65, and phosphorylated NF-κB unit p65 in ruminal epithelium. Taken together, these results suggest that thiamine supplementation mitigates HC-induced local inflammation and ruminal epithelial disruption.

Effect of bamboo vinegar powder on the expression of the immune-related genes MyD88 and CD14 in weaning piglets.

The aim was to explore the feasibility of using bamboo vinegar powder as an antibiotics substitute in weaning piglets. Forty-five healthy Duroc × Landrance × Yorshire piglets (weight 6.74 ± 0.17 kg; age 31 days) were randomly divided into the control group (basic diet), ANT group (basic diet + 0.12% compound antibiotics), BV1 group (basic diet + 0.1% bamboo vinegar powder), BV5 group (basic diet + 0.5% bamboo vinegar powder) and BV10 group (basic diet + 1% bamboo vinegar powder). MyD88 and CD14 expression in immune tissues was examined using real-time PCR. MyD88 expression in the control group were significantly lower than that in other groups in all tissues (p⟨0.05), while CD14 expression showed the opposite trend. MyD88 expression was significantly higher in the BV10 group than in other groups in lung tissue (P⟨0.05), significantly higher in the ANT group than in the BV1 group in the kidneys (P⟨0.05), significantly higher in the BV10 group than in the BV1 group in the thymus (P⟨0.05), and signifi- cantly higher in the BV1 group than in the BV10 group in the lymphatic tissue (P⟨0.05). These differences between experimental groups were not observed for the CD14 gene (P>0.05). Thus, adding bamboo vinegar powder to the basic diet of weaning piglets had immune effects similar to antibiotics and the effect was dose-dependent. Moreover, the MyD88 and CD14 genes appear to play a role in these immune effects.

[Effects of semen Cuscutae, rhizoma Curculiginis, radix Morindae officinalis on human spermatozoan's motility and membrane function in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Semen Cuscutae (SC), Rhizoma Curculiginis (RC) and Radix Morindae Officinalis (RMO) on human sperm motility in vitro and cytomembrane function. METHODS: Compare the sperm motility of the above-mentioned medicinal plants with modified Tyrode's solution (MTS) and MTS added caffeine in vitro. Human spermatozoa were incubated with decoctions of medicinal plant at various concentrations in 37 degrees C for 30 minutes. The motility of sperm was evaluated by the sperm capillary penetrating test, sperm speed test and sperm activity index calculations. The spermatozoa membrane function was evaluated by spermatozoal hypo-osmotic swelling test together with eosin staining methods. RESULTS: The sperm motility improved markedly and sperm membrane function became more stabilized after incubation, the SC had best effect, RC took second place, RMO was relatively poor. CONCLUSIONS: SC decoction is an effective promoting preparation for sperm motility and the membrane function stabilized. Therefore, SC may be beneficial in treating male sterility and may raise success rate in artificial insemination.

[Effect of herbal prostatitis decoction on experimental prostatitis in rats].

Herbal prostatitis decoction is a great effective prescription to treat chronic prostatitis in promoting the blood circulation and relieving the stasis. The authors had succeeded in making rats experimental fibrous proliferation type prostatitis models by using xiaozhiling injection method. Rats were divided into two groups: the decoction-given group (DG) and the water-given group (WG). Microscopically, both inflammatory cell infiltration and fibroblast proliferation of interstitial tissue in the DG were slight than the WG (P less than 0.025, P less than 0.05). Transmission electron microscopic observations showed both the secretary particles and metal-granule-like substances (including Zn) of the gland cells in the DG were obviously increased. The lysosomes in the cytoplasm were increased also. The results performed a certain experimental basis for the functional mechanism of the herbal prostatitis decoction treatment.