Effects of soybean hulls and lignocellulose on performance, nutrient digestibility, microbial metabolites and immune response in piglets.

A feeding trial with 96 piglets was performed to investigate the effect of added soluble (SDF) and insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) sources on performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), concentration of microbial metabolites and pro-inflammatory marker genes as indicators for immune response. Piglets were allotted to four treatments (T): T1 control, T2 with soybean hulls (IDF/SDF: 8.35) and T3 and T4 with two different kinds of lignocellulose (IDF/SDF: >70). Diets were isofibrous for their value of total dietary fibre to underline the particular physicochemical properties of fibre sources. No differences were observed regarding average daily feed intake, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio and body weight, while T2 expressed higher ADG in the grower phase (day 14-54) vs. T3. Soybean hulls (T2) resulted in higher ATTD of dry matter and organic matter vs. T4; ether extract vs. T1 and neutral detergent fibre vs. T1, T2 and T3. The concentration of short chain fatty acids did not differ among treatments. Ileal digesta in T2 generated higher amounts of cadaverine vs. T3 and T4, likewise T1 vs. T4. Finally, no impact on immune response was detected. In conclusion, soybean hulls affected ATTD positively and lignocellulose prevented the formation of cadaverine, no overall direct response of SDF nor of IDF for the inclusion level  were observed.

Physicochemical properties to support fibre characterization in monogastric animal nutrition.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to rank conventionally used fibre rich feeds for their physicochemical properties and detect possible correlation between analytical fibre determinations. A total of 22 samples were analysed for proximate fibre values, soluble dietary fibre (SDF), insoluble dietary fibre (IDF), crude protein (CP) and crude ash (CA). Physicochemical properties were determined in vitro by hydration capacity (HC) [water holding capacity (WHC), water binding capacity (WBC), swelling property (SwP)] and buffering capacity [linear buffering rate (LBR)]. RESULTS: Fibre content and physicochemical properties varied markedly between the samples. HC was highest for beet pulp and lowest for rice and millet bran. Buffering capacity expressed minimum values for lignocelluloses and maximum values for rape seed hulls. The correlation of methods was positively between WBC, WHC and SwP (r ≤ 0.89; P ≤ 0.003) but not significant for HC and buffering capacity. SwP negatively correlated with crude fibre (CF), neutral detergent fibre (aNDFOM ) and IDF (r ≤ -0.48; P ≤ 0.05). WBC and SwP positively correlated with SDF (r ≤ 0.63; P ≤ 0.04). LBR was negatively correlated with CF, aNDFOM , IDF and total dietary fibre (r ≤ -0.55; P ≤ 0.02), but positively with CP (r = 0.53; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The determination of physicochemical properties is applicable to rank fibre rich feeds, some correlations between fibre analytical measurements and physicochemical properties were detected. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of an organic acids based feed additive and enrofloxacin on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in cecum of broilers.

Increasing antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. Fluoroquinolones are used to treat and prevent poultry diseases worldwide. Fluoroquinolone resistance rates are high in their countries of use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an acids-based feed additive, as well as fluoroquinolone antibiotics, on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli. A total of 480 broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to 3 treatments: a control group receiving a basal diet; a group receiving a feed additive (FA) based on formic acid, acetic acid and propionic acid; and an antibiotic enrofloxacin (AB) group given the same diet, but supplemented with enrofloxacin in water. A pooled fecal sample of one-day-old chicks was collected upon arrival at the experimental farm. On d 17 and d 38 of the trial, cecal samples from each of the 8 pens were taken, and the count of E. coli and antibiotic-resistant E. coli was determined.The results of the present study show a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in one-day-old chicks. Supplementation of the diet with FA and treatment of broilers with AB did not have a significant influence on the total number of E. coli in the cecal content on d 17 and d 38 of the trial. Supplementation with FA contributed to better growth performance and to a significant decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in E. coli resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline compared to the control and AB groups, as well as to a decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli compared to the AB group. Treatment with AB increased (P ≤ 0.05) the average daily weight compared to the control group and increased (P ≤ 0.05) the number of E. coli resistant to ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline; it also decreased (P ≤ 0.05) the number of E. coli resistant to cefotaxime and extended spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing E. coli in the ceca of broilers.

Fontes orgânicas e inorgânicas de selênio na nutrição de vacas leiteiras: digestão, absorção, metabolismo e exigências / Organic and inorganic sources of selenium in the nutrition of dairy cows: digestion, absorption, metabolism and requirements

A suplementação de bovinos leiteiros com selênio é feita tanto em sua forma orgânica como inorgânica. Nas plantas, o Se é incorporado aleatoriamente na sua forma orgânica e encontra-se como análogo de aminoácidos sulfurados, ou seja, selenometionina e selenocisteína. As formas inorgânicas, por sua vez, correspondem aos sais selenato (SeO4-2) e selenito (SeO3-2). Contudo, enquanto a forma orgânica é metabolizada inicialmente como o aminoácido sulfurado análogo, as formas inorgânicas são metabolizadas diretamente via seleneto (HSe-) para serem incorporadas em selenoproteínas funcionais, como a glutationa peroxidase. Assim, a selenometionina é metabolizada como a metionina, sendo incorporada ao acaso em proteínas do organismo. Somente após o turnover protéico, a selenometionina é então liberada, podendo servir como fonte de Se. Além disso, em animais de alta produção, a incorporação de selenometionina a proteínas do leite pode torná-la indisponível às selenoproteínas funcionais. Em função disso, análises da concentração de Se no solo, nos alimentos dos animais e no leite, são somente complementares à análise da atividade da glutationa peroxidase, pois não indicam o grau com que o Se vai ser metabolizado pelo animal. O Se no leite, por sua vez, reflete a concentração de fontes orgânicas de Se no sangue. Em torno de 70 por cento do Se no leite está incorporado à caseína. A suplementação de Se para bovinos leiteiros é necessária em qualquer fase de crescimento ou estado fisiológico dos animais, mas o metabolismo das diferentes fontes de Se precisa ser considerado. Enquanto que, em deficiências agudas, fontes inorgânicas parecem ser mais apropriadas, as fontes orgânicas podem ser eficientes em casos de deficiência crônica ou em períodos de suplementação ineficiente de Se.

Selenium is supplemented for dairy cattle using organic or inorganic selenium sources. In plants, Se is randomly incorporated also in proteins and its organic form is found as an analogue of sulphur amino acids, i.e. selenomethionine (SeMet) or selenocystein (SeCis). Inorganic forms are mostly found as selenite (SeO3-2) or selenate (SeO4-2). However, it is important to distinguish between the metabolism of the different Se sources. Whereas the organic form (SeMet and SeCis) can be metabolized as amino acid, the inorganic forms are readily incorporated through selenide (HSe-) into functional selenoproteins, like glutathione peroxidase. Thus, selenoamino acids are incorporated randomly to any body protein and are available as potential Se sources only after protein turnover. In addition, there is a risk for high yielding dairy cows to loose Se for functional selenoproteins when selenoamino acids, especially SeMet, are incorporated into milk proteins, considering that about 70 percent of Se in milk is incorporated to casein. Measurements of Se content in soil and feed samples have therefore only a complementary value, because the metabolism in dairy cows is difficult to be foreseen with only the Se content in soil and feeds. Se supplementation is important for all animals, but metabolism of the different Se sources needs to be taken into consideration. Whereas acute deficiencies are corrected with inorganic Se sources, organic sources seem to be more efficient to overcome temporarily deficiencies.