Evaluation of Digestible lysine levels in diets with high energy density for finishing pigs

ABSTRACT Objective. To evaluate the effects of different levels of digestible lysine in diets with high energy density on productive performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs. Materials and Methods. Seventy crossbred barrows (initial body weight of 83.36 kg) were used and allotted in a randomized block design with five treatments, seven replications and two pigs per experimental unit. Pigs were fed ad libitum with diets containing 3.5 kcal/kg of ME and five levels of digestible lysine (0.46, 0.52, 0.58, 0.64 and 0.70%) during four weeks. Final live weight (FLW), daily feed intake (DFI), daily weight gain (DWG), feed conversion (FC), daily lysine intake (DLI), and the amount of lysine per body weight gain (DLI/DWG), were evaluated. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were taken from each pig to determine urea nitrogen concentration (UN) in serum and slaughtered to evaluate quantitative and qualitative carcass characteristics. Results. The FLW increased linearly (p<0.05).There were no differences among treatments for DFI, DWG, FC, carcass characteristics and UN. The DLI and DLI/DWG varied significantly (p<0.001) and increased linearly (p<0.001) with each lysine level. Pigs that consumed the limiting diet in lysine (0.46%) showed less DLI and DLI/DWG (p<0.001) than pigs fed the other diets. Conclusions. The amount of DLI/DWG increased with the evaluated levels of digestible lysine in diets with high energy density, without effects on productive performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs.   RESUMEN Objetivo. Evaluar los efectos de diferentes niveles de lisina digestible en dietas con alta densidad energética sobre el desempeño productivo y características de la canal de cerdos en finalización. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizaron 70 cerdos (peso inicial de 83.36 kg) mestizos castrados, distribuidos en un diseño de bloques al azar con cinco tratamientos, siete repeticiones y dos cerdos por unidad experimental. Los cerdos fueron alimentados ad libitum con dietas que contenían 3.5 Mcal/kg de energía metabolizable y cinco niveles de lisina digestible (0.46, 0.52, 0.58, 0.64 y 0.70%) durante cuatro semanas. Se evaluaron: peso vivo final (PVF), consumo diario de alimento (CDA), ganancia diaria de peso (GDP), conversión de alimento (CA), consumo diario de lisina (CDLis) y la cantidad de lisina por peso ganado (CDLis/GDP). Al final de experimento, se extrajeron muestras de sangre de todos los cerdos para determinar la concentración de nitrógeno ureico (NU) en suero sanguíneo y luego se sacrificaron para evaluar las características cualitativas y cuantitativas de la canal. Resultados. No se observaron diferencias significativas entre tratamientos para CDA, GDP, CA, características de la canal y NU. El PVF incrementó linealmente (p<0.05). El CDLis y la CDLis/GDP variaron significativamente (p<0.001) e incrementaron linealmente (p<0.001) con cada nivel de lisina. Los cerdos que consumieron la dieta limitante en lisina (0.46%) mostraron menor consumo y CDLis/GDP (p<0.001) que los cerdos alimentados con las otras dietas. Conclusiones. Los niveles de lisina digestible evaluados en dietas con alta densidad energética aumentan la CDLis/GDP, sin efectos sobre el desempeño productivo y las características de la canal de los cerdos en finalización

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Efecto de dos Tipos de Material de Cama sobre la Carga Parasitaria de Cerdos en Crecimiento y Engorde Alojados en Cama Profunda

Para determinar el efecto de dos tipos de material de cama sobre la carga parasitaria de cerdos en crecimiento y engorde alojados en cama profunda, se realiz&oacute; un ensayo utilizando 92 cerdos machos inmunocastrados, con peso inicial promedio de 30 kg y 70 d de edad, hasta peso de finalizaci&oacute;n. Se utiliz&oacute; un dise&ntilde;o completamente alazar, con dos tratamientos basados en el material de cama, heno de gram&iacute;neas (HG) y concha de arroz (CA), con seis r&eacute;plicas y 46 animales/tratamiento distribuidos seg&uacute;n una densidad de 1,37 cerdos/m&sup2;. Se aministr&oacute; ad libitum un alimento comercial. Durante 90 d se evalu&oacute; la cantidad de material de cama requerido por animal (CCA), la humedadde la cama (HC), emisi&oacute;n de amonio (EAC), composici&oacute;n qu&iacute;mica de la cama, zonas de uso (% &aacute;rea limpia y sucia), presencia de ectopar&aacute;sitos(PE), carga parasitaria en la cama (CPC) y heces de los cerdos (CPH). Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados utilizando el m&eacute;todo PROCGENMOD del paquete estad&iacute;stico SAS. Se encontraron diferencias significativas (P&lt; 0,05) entre HG y CA, para las variables CCA (107,32y 84,157 kg/animal/ciclo), EAC (9,462 y 3,3274 ppm), PE (14,04 y 4,34 moscas/animal/d), zonas de uso y composici&oacute;n qu&iacute;mica de la cama en susfracciones de nitr&oacute;geno, prote&iacute;na, fibra, grasa cruda, ceniza y f&oacute;sforo. No se encontraron diferencias significativas para CPC, pero si para CPH. La CApresent&oacute; caracter&iacute;sticas de HC, EAC, CPH y zonas de uso m&aacute;s favorables que la HG. La presencia de ectopar&aacute;sitos fue mayor en los cerdos alojados en cama con HG. Adem&aacute;s, se requiri&oacute; menor cantidad de material de cama por animal en CA comparado con HG.&nbsp;AbstractTo determine the effect of two types of bedding material on parasitic burden in growing and fattening pigs housed in deep litter, an assay wasconducted using 92 immune castrated males, with an average initial weight of 30.00 kg and 70 days old until finalization weight. A completelyrandomized design was used, with two treatments based on bedding material, as follows: grass hay (GH) and rice husk (RH), with six replicates/treatment and 46 animals/treatment, according to a density of 1.37 pigs/m&sup2;. A commercial feed was given ad libitum. During the course of 90 days was evaluated: amount of bedding material required per animal (ABA), bedding moisture (BM) ammonia emission (AE), chemical composition of the bed, areas of use (% of clean and dirty area),presence of ectoparasites (PE), parasite burden in bed (PBB) and feces of pigs (PBF). The data obtained were analyzed using the PROC GENMOD methodology, of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). Statistically significant (P&lt;0.05) differences were found between GH and RH for the variables ABA (107.32 and 84.157 kg/animal/cycle), AE (9.462 and 3.3274ppm), PE (14.04, and 4.34 flies/animal/day), areas of use and chemical composition of the bed in their nitrogen, protein, fiber, crude fat, ash and phosphorus fractions:. No significant differences between treatments were found for PBB. In contrast, significant differences were shown for PBF. Thepresence of ectoparasites in pigs housed in deep litter with HG was greater. Additionally, a less amount of bed material was required per animal with RH, in comparison with HG

Efecto de la Harina de Girasol (Helianthus annuus) y Dos Complejos Enzimáticos sobre el Desempeño Productivo de Pollos de Engorde

Para evaluar el efecto de la harina de girasol (HG) y dos complejos enzim&aacute;ticos (CE) sobre el desempe&ntilde;o productivo de pollos de engorde en fase de finalizaci&oacute;n, se distribuyeron 720 pollos mediante un dise&ntilde;o completamente aleatorizadocon arreglo factorial 2 x 3, dos niveles de inclusi&oacute;n de HG: 0 y 3%; tres niveles de inclusi&oacute;n de CE: sin CE (SCE), con CE tipo A (con actividad de las enzimas proteasas y celulasas; CEA) y con CE tipo B (con actividad de las enzimas xilanasas y &beta;-glucanasas; CEB), con seis repeticiones de 20 pollos cada una. El factor CE afect&oacute; al adicionar el CEB, obteniendo conversi&oacute;n de alimento (P=0,032) de 1,555, &iacute;ndice de eficiencia europea (P=0,007) de 377,13, rendimiento de canal (P=0,012) de 76,69%, rendimiento de pechuga (P=0,044) de 24,86%. Para la interacci&oacute;n de factores se obtuvo un consumo de alimento (P=0,005) de 2.596,90 g (3% HG+SCE), conversi&oacute;n de alimento(P=0,0009) de 1,513 (0% HG+CEA), &iacute;ndice de eficiencia europea (P=0,0011) similares de 399,86 (0% HG+CEA) y 379,98 (3% HG + CEB), la dieta 3% HG+CEB con rendimiento de canal (P=0,0024) de 77,14% y rendimiento de pechuga (P=0,044) de 25,72%. Estos resultados demuestran que adicionando 3% HG no se afecta el desempe&ntilde;o productivo y la adici&oacute;n de ambos CEgeneran resultados positivos, con mayor eficiencia del CEB, obteniendo respuestas econ&oacute;micamente viables para la alimentaci&oacute;n de los pollos de engorde.AbstractTo evaluate the effect of sunflower meal (SM) and two enzyme complexes (EC) on the performance of finishing broilers, 720 broilers were distributed through a completely randomizeddesign 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, two levels with inclusion sunflower meal (SM); 0 and 3%; including three levels of EC; without EC (NEC), with EC A; (with activity of proteases andcellulases; ECA) and EC B enzymes, with activity the &beta;-glucanase and xylanase enzymes; CEB, with six replicates of 20 broilers each. The CE factor affected by adding the CEB, obtaining feedconversion (P=0.032) 1.555, european efficiency index (P=0.007) of 377.13, carcass yield (P=0.012) of 76.69%, breast yield (P=0.044) of 24.86%. For the interaction of factors wasobtained a feed intake (P=0.005) of 2596.90 g (3%SM+NEC), feed conversion (P=0.0009) of 1,513 (0%SM+CEA), similar index european Efficiency (P = 0.0011) of 399.86 (0% SM +CEA) and 379.98 (3%SM+CEB), the diet 3% SM + ECB with carcass yield (P=0.0024) of 77.14% and breast yield (P=0.044) of 25.72%. These results demonstrate that adding 3% HG donot affect production performance and the additionof both EC generate positive results, more efficiently ECB, obtaining a performance viable economicallyfor broilers feeding