Influence of dietary corn distillers' dried grains with solubles on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and carcass traits in rabbits.

Two experiments were performed to evaluate the digestibility and growth performance of New Zealand White rabbits fed corn distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS). For the digestibility trial, 20 rabbits were housed in metabolic cages. The animals were distributed in two treatments, T1 (control diet without inclusion of DDGS) and T2 (control diet + 300 g kg-1 DDGS). For the growth performance trial, 100 rabbits (50 males and 50 females) were assigned in a factorial design 2 × 5 (2 gender × 5 inclusions of DDGS) and five replicates. The treatments were composed of diets with inclusions of 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 g kg-1 of DDGS. The rabbits were housed at 35 days old, and the experiment lasted 35 days. The DDGS showed high digestibility for protein (74.10%) and lipids (81.51%) and a high content of digestible energy (2979 kcal kg-1). In the second trial, growth performance and carcass yield and organ relative weights were evaluated. There were no interactions between gender and DDGS inclusions (P > 0.05). A linear decrease was observed for feed intake (FI) for the period from days 35 to 50 (FI, P = 0.001) and FI and FCR from days 35 to 70 (FI, P = 0.004; FCR, P = 0.001) with the increasing levels of DDGS. Rabbits supplemented with 240 g kg-1 had lower (P < 0.05) whole carcass yield (WCY) and carcass without head yield compared with the control rabbits. DDGS is highly digestible in rabbits, and when supplemented up to 240 g kg-1 in diets, it improved FCR but reduced FI and WCY.

Performance, metabolism, and meat quality of broilers fed dry brewery residue.

A study was conducted to assess the chemical composition and apparent metabolizable energy (AME), nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn), and their respective coefficients of dry brewery residue (DBR) for broilers. A second study was conducted to evaluate the increasing inclusions of DBR in broiler diets and its effects on growth performance, carcass traits, blood metabolites, and meat quality. In the first trial (metabolism assay), a total of 250 male broilers were assigned to 5 diets (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 g DBR/kg) composed by 5 replications with 10 animals per cage in a completely randomized design in the period from days 11 to 21. There was an increasing linear effect for AME, AMEn, metabolizable coefficient of gross energy (MCGE), and MCGE corrected for N (MCGEn). In the second experiment, a total of 840 one-day-old male broiler chickens were assigned to 6 treatments (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 g DBR/kg) with 7 replications and 20 animals per pen, from days 0 to 42. Growth performance was determined at days 21 and 42. There was an increasing linear effect for weight gain in the period from days 0 to 21 and for feed intake from days 0 to 42. A linear decreasing effect was observed at day 21 for cholesterol and quadratic effect for uric acid (UA), aspartate aminotransferase, and albumin. At day 42, there was a quadratic effect for UA and creatinine. At day 21, an increasing linear effect was observed for protein deposition rate. In conclusion, the inclusion of DBR up to 100 g/kg improved WG in the starter phase and did not negatively affect the productive parameters of broilers from days 0 to 42.

Effects of vitamin A on carcass and meat quality of broilers.

This study evaluated the level and length of time of vitamin A supplementation and its effects on carcass and cuts yield, meat quality, and myopathies in 42-day-old broilers. A total of 1,920 birds were divided into 6 groups, and each group received a different level of vitamin A: 0; 6,000; 16,000; 26,000; 36,000 and 46,000 IU/ kg. From d 1 to 21, the treatments were distributed among 16 replicates with 20 birds. From the 22nd d on, 8 repetitions remained with the initial treatment and the others received diets with no vitamin A supplementation. Twelve birds were slaughtered per treatment to evaluate carcass and cuts yield, shear force, cooking loss, water holding capacity, and the presence of substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid. The remaining birds were slaughtered and evaluated in loco for Wooden Breast (WB) and White Striping (WS). Wings weight was affected by vitamin A levels. The duration of the vitamin A supplementation process had effects on the weight of breast, legs with a dorsal portion, and meat color in the yellow intensity (b*). Incidence of WB had higher scores in birds supplemented until 42 d of age. WS showed a quadratic response and a lower response with supplementation of 29,700 IU/ kg. Even for WS, a higher occurrence of the normal score was found in birds supplemented until 21 d of age. Minimal quadratic responses were obtained for normal, moderate, and severe scores, in supplementations of 29,301; 29,959, and 29,827 IU/ kg, respectively. WB had lower occurrence rates in birds supplemented until 21 d of age. Consequently, the severe score was more frequent when supplementation was provided until 42 d of age. The level of vitamin A and the length of time during which this supplementation was provided had influence on cuts yield, meat color and the incidence of WB and WS of the 42-day-old birds.

Corrigendum: Effects of Whole Body Electrostimulation Associated With Body Weight Training on Functional Capacity and Body Composition in Inactive Older People.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.638936.].

Corrigendum: Effects of Whole Body Electrostimulation Associated With Body Weight Training on Functional Capacity and Body Composition in Inactive Older People.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.638936.].

Effects of Whole Body Electrostimulation Associated With Body Weight Training on Functional Capacity and Body Composition in Inactive Older People.

Objective: To analyze the effects of whole body electrostimulation (WB-EMS) with body weight training on functional fitness and body composition of older men. Methods: Twenty physically inactive older men were randomized into: Control group (control), performed the body weight exercise training wearing electrostimulation clothing, but without receiving electrical current stimuli (n = 10), and body weight associated with whole body electrostimulation group (BW+WB-EMS), performed the body weight exercise training wearing electrostimulation clothing plus whole body electrostimulation (n = 10). The training sessions were performed twice a week for 6 weeks and included eight exercises using body weight, performed in two sets of eight repetitions. Physical function was assessed using a battery composed of seven tests, six derived from the Senior fitness test and a handgrip strength test. We also measured the muscle thickness (MT) of the biceps and triceps brachii and vastus lateralis. Results: The BW+WB-EMS group presented increased (p < 0.05) performance in the 30-s chair stand test (10.2 ± 3.3 vs. 13.8 ± 5.0 reps), arm curl (16.6 ± 3.9 vs. 19.9 ± 6.1 reps), 6-min walk test (402 ± 96 vs. 500 ± 104 m), and handgrip strength test (30 ± 11 vs. 32 ± 11 kgf). The BW+WB-EMS group also presented increased MT (p < 0.05) in the biceps brachii (17.7 ± 3.0 vs. 21.4 ± 3.4 mm), triceps brachial (14.7 ± 3.6 vs. 17.5 ± 4.1 mm), and vastus lateralis muscles (15.1 ± 2.6 vs. 18.6 ± 4.3 mm). Moderate correlations were found in arm curl (p = 0.011, r = 0.552) but not handgrip strength (p = 0.053, r = 0.439) with changes in the biceps MT. Moderate changes in the 6-min walk distance were significantly correlated with changes in vastus lateralis MT (p = 0.036, r = 0.471). There was a moderate correlation between the changes in the 30-s chair stand test (p = 0.006, r = 0.589) and changes in the vastus lateralis MT. Furthermore, although a moderate correlation (r = 0.438) was found between triceps MT and handgrip strength no significant difference (p = 0.053) was reported. Additionally, there were no statistical differences in any parameters for the control group. Conclusion: WB-EMS with body weight training increased functional fitness and MT in physically inactive older men.

Different enzymatic associations in diets of broiler chickens formulated with corn dried at various temperatures.

The effect of supplementation of different enzymatic associations in the feed of broiler chickens formulated with corn dried at 80°C or 110°C on growth performance and carcass yield was evaluated. In addition, the influence of the different enzymatic associations on the cecal microbiota was studied. One-day-old male broiler chicks (1,320) were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement (6 replicates; 22 birds/replicate). The treatments were 2 corn drying temperatures (80°C and 110°C) and 5 diets. The diets consisted of a positive control (PC), a negative control (NC) with a reduction of 100 kcal/kg of apparent metabolizable energy, and 3 enzyme combinations added to the NC diet: amylase, amylase + xylanase, and amylase + xylanase + protease. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 1 to 7 d of chickens fed diets formulated with corn dried at 80°C was better (P = 0.045) than that of chickens fed diets dried at 110°C. Regardless of the enzymatic association, the supplementation improved body weight gain (P = 0.01) of the NC group to the same level as the PC group. The FCR of the NC was similar to that of the PC only when the 3 enzymes were included from 1 to 21 d (P = 0.001) and regardless of the enzymatic association for the period from 1 to 42 d (P = 0.007). Regarding cecal microbiota, the alpha diversity was similar among the groups (P > 0.05). The beta-diversity analysis showed that the microbiota of the birds receiving the combination of the 3 enzymes was similar to that of birds fed the PC diet (P = 0.18; R = 0.074), with a similar effect observed for the predicted metabolic functions (Linear discriminant analysis effect size). In conclusion, chickens fed diets formulated with corn dried at 80°C had better FCR during the prestarter phase. The enzymatic supplementation improved the FCR of the birds, which may partially be explained by the modulation of the cecal microbiota.

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of slow-growing broilers fed diets containing dry residue of cassava, with or without the addition of carbohydrases.

This study evaluated the carcass and portion yield and meat quality of slow-growing broilers fed diets with increasing levels of dry residue of cassava (DRC), with or without the addition of carbohydrases. A total of 1100 Label Rouge male broilers were distributed in a completely randomized 2 × 5 factorial design (with or without the addition of carbohydrases and five levels of DRC [0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0%]), with five replicates and 22 birds per experimental unit. No interaction (P > 0.05) was observed between enzyme addition and DRC levels for the carcass yield, portion yield (back, legs, wings, breast), or abdominal fat variables. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) between the addition of enzyme and DRC on breast pH 15 min post-mortem and the a* intensity of the breast in a colorimetry test. There was a quadratic effect on b* intensity independent of adding enzymes, with the lowest intensity predicted at 8.89% DRC. Regarding feet color, increasing DRC supplementation (independent of enzyme supplementation) led to an increase and decrease in L* and b* intensity, respectively (P < 0.05). Moreover, there was a quadratic effect on a* intensity, with a lower level of intensity predicted at 6.93% DRC (P < 0.05), regardless of the inclusion of enzymes. The inclusion of up to 10% dry residue of cassava in slow-growing broiler diets does not affect carcass and portion yield or the qualitative characteristics of the meat but does reduce the color of the breast meat and feet.