Role of fibre in broiler diets - Firend or foe?

The fibrous fraction of the feeds encompasses a group of heterogeneous compounds differing in chemical composition and physical properties (Graham and Aman, 1991, Bach Knudsen, 2001). Dietary fiber is the most used term to define the fiber fraction of ingredients and feeds, and includes cell walls, stored non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), and lignin (Bach Knudsen, 2001). Based on their physico-chemical properties, DF can be divided into soluble and insoluble fractions with distinct effects on digestive physiology and animal metabolism. Consequently, the benefits of fiber inclusion in poultry diets will vary depending on factors such as characteristics of the fiber source, type of bird, and digestive health status

Effects of the inclusion of oat hulls or sugar beet pulp in the diet on gizzard characteristics, apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients, and microbial count in the ceca in 36 day old broilers reared on floor

The effects of the inclusion of oat hulls (OH) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) in the diet on gizzard characteristics, apparent ileal nutrient digestibility (AID), and Clostridium perfringens, Enterobacteriaceae, and Lactobacillus proliferation in the ceca were studied in 36 d?old broilers. There were a control diet with a low CF content (1.61%) and 2 additional diets that resulted from the dilution of this feed with 5% of either OH or SBP

Effect of dietary sunflower hulls on nutrient digestibility, ileal morphology, and volatile fatty acid concentration in broilers and pullets fed a broiler diet from 1 to 21 days of age

The effects of sunflower hulls (SFH) inclusion on performance, TTAR of nutrients, ileal mucosa morphology, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration in the ceca were studied in birds from 1 to 21 d of age. There were 4 treatments organized as 2 × 2 factorial with 2 chicken lines (broilers vs. pullets) and 2 levels of SFH (0 vs. 3%). Each treatment was replicated 7 times (10 birds). The corn-soybean meal control diet contained 3,010 kcal AMEn/kg, 1.25% digestible Lys, and 8.7% NDF. In the experimental diet, SFH was included at the expense (wt:wt) of the control diet. Diets were offered in mash form. No interactions between main effects were detected for any trait. From 1 to 21 d of age, ADG was greater and FCR was better in broilers than in pullets (P < 0.001) but SFH inclusion did not affect bird performance. The TTAR of all nutrients was higher (P < 0.05) in broilers than in pullets. The inclusion of SFH improved AMEn of the diet (P < 0.05) at both ages and DM and N retention (P < 0.001) at 21 d. Broilers had larger villus and deeper crypt (P < 0.01) than pullets. Broilers tended to have higher (P = 0.077) cecal proportion of acetate than pullets but no effects were observed for the other VFA. SFH inclusion tended to increased villus height (P < 0.05) and cecal proportion of acetate and propionate (P < 0.01). In summary, broilers grew faster, were more efficient, had higher ileum absorptive capacity, TTAR of nutrients than pullets. The inclusion of 3% SFH in substitution (wt:wt) of the whole diet improved AMEn without showing any negative effect on growth performance of the bird

Efecto de la dl-metionina y la hidroxi-análoga de la dl-metionina sobre la productividad en pollos de engorde

La metionina (Met) es el aminoácido (AA) más limitante en dietas comerciales para avicultura. Durante los últimos 25 años, la DL-Met y la forma líquida del hidroxi análogo de la DL-Metionina ácido libre (MHA-FA) han sido las fuentes propuestas como suplementación en condiciones comerciales. Niveles excesivos de proteína bruta aumentan el coste y pueden perjudicar el desarrollo de las aves (Binder y Lemme, 2007). El objetivo de este ensayo fue evaluar los efectos de niveles crecientes de dos fuentes de Metionina sintética en pollos de engorde de 1 a 34 días de edad

Análisis de la distribución de hidrógeno en contención y pozo seco de C.N. Cofrentes.

El desarrollo del modelo de la Contención de C.N. Cofrentes mediante GOTHIC se ha llevado a cabo introduciendo todos los datos geométricos y de estructuras de la Contención, pudiendo así modelar todos los recintos interiores y habitaciones que la componen. De esta forma se ha obtenido un modelo 3D detallado y con la precisión suficiente para el estudio global de la gestión del hidrógeno, permitiendo tener en cuenta, a la hora de la distribución del hidrógeno, la asimetría tanto de la contención como de las descargas de masa y en energía que en ella se realizan, permitiendo simular la distribución del vapor y el hidrógeno presentes en el accidente severo para poder determinar las zonas de mayor riesgo de deflagración o detonación durante la evolución del accident

Effects of the inclusion of sunflower hulls in the diet on growth performance and digestive tract traits of broilers and pullets fed a broiler diet from zero to 21 d of age. A comparative study

The effects of including 3% sunflower hulls (SFH) in the diet on growth performance, nutrient retention (TTAR), and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) traits were studied in chicks from zero to 21 d of age. Four treatments that resulted from the combination of 2 chicken lines (female broilers vs. brown pullets) and 2 levels of SFH (zero vs. 3%) were used. The control diet contained 2,980 kcal AMEn/kg, 1.25% digestible Lys, and 8.7% neutral detergent fiber. The experimental diet included 3% SFH at the expense (wt:wt) of the whole diet. Growth performance, TTAR of nutrients, and the AMEn of the diet were greater (P = 0.097 to P < 0.001) in broilers than in pullets. In absolute terms, all the organs of the GIT were heavier (P < 0.001) and the small intestine and cecum were longer (P < 0.001) in broilers than in pullets. At 21 d of age, however, the relative weight (% BW) of all the organs of the GIT (P < 0.001) and the relative length (cm/kg BW) of the small intestine and cecum (P < 0.01) were greater in pullets. Gizzard pH (P < 0.001), total short chain fatty acids concentration in the cecum (P = 0.098), and villus height (P < 0.001) and crypt depth (P < 0.05) of the ileum mucosa were higher in broilers. The inclusion of SFH increased (P < 0.05) the AMEn content of the diet but did not affect bird performance, moisture content of the excreta, or the concentration and profile of fatty acids in the cecum. Dietary SFH increased gizzard weight and reduced gizzard pH (P < 0.001) at both ages. In conclusion, broilers had better growth performance, nutrient retention, and ileum absorptive capacity than pullets. The inclusion of 3% SFH at the expense of the control diet did not have any negative effect on chick performance and, in fact, increased gizzard weight, reduced gizzard pH, and improved the energy content of the diet

Influence of energy concentration and feed form of the diet on growth performance and digestive traits of brown egg-laying pullets from 1 to 120 days of age

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Towards an optimized management of accidents

Nuclear safety has been one of the main research domains in EURATOM programs for decades, and accident prevention and mitigation have drawn much of the attention paid over the years to this framework. In the essence of this interest are designs of reliable systems, accurate methods to estimate risk, and a permanent search for optimizing accident management. This is the focus of PIACE, MUSA, and AMHYCO projects. A fully passive system for decay heat removal in off-nominal conditions based on the concept of isolation condenser is the subject of PIACE. A harmonized approach for analyzing uncertainties and sensitivities associated with severe accidents, particularly with the source term to the environment, is the final aim of MUSA. And finally, AMHYCO is exploring the potential for enhancing the management of combustible gas risk. Despite the project’s diversity, they all will converge on the same outcome: an optimization of nuclear safety from better safety systems, risk estimating methods, and in-accident guidelines. These projects have received funding from the H2020 EURATOM research and training program under grant agreements 847715 (PIACE), 847441 (MUSA), and 945057 (AMHYCO)

The catalytic role of glutathione transferases in heterologous anthocyanin biosynthesis

Anthocyanins are ubiquitous plant pigments used in a variety of technological applications. Yet, after over a century of research, the penultimate biosynthetic step to anthocyanidins attributed to the action of leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase has never been efficiently reconstituted outside plants, preventing the construction of heterologous cell factories. Through biochemical and structural analysis, here we show that anthocyanin-related glutathione transferases, currently implicated only in anthocyanin transport, catalyse an essential dehydration of the leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase product, flavan-3,3,4-triol, to generate cyanidin. Building on this knowledge, introduction of anthocyanin-related glutathione transferases into a heterologous biosynthetic pathway in baker's yeast results in >35-fold increased anthocyanin production. In addition to unravelling the long-elusive anthocyanin biosynthesis, our findings pave the way for the colourants' heterologous microbial production and could impact the breeding of industrial and ornamental plants