Supplemental chromium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles affect growth, serum metabolites and intestinal histology in broilers

The goal of the present research was to evaluate the effects of chromium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Cr-CNPs) on production performance, viscera development, serum metabolites and intestinal histology in broilers. Two hundred (200) day-old broilers were randomly divided into five groups with five replicates (n = 8). Birds in the first group served as control and were fed a corn soybean-based diet, while the remaining four supplemented groups were offered 200, 400, 800, and 1200 μg Cr-CNPs/kg of feed, respectively, for 35 days. Weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) remained unaffected with Cr-CNP supplementation. No changes were observed in the relative weights of viscera. The relative length of the small intestine was decreased in birds supplemented with 200 and 800 μg Cr-CNPs/kg compared with the 1200 μg Cr-CNP-supplemented group and control. Serum metabolites remained unaffected with Cr-CNP supplementation except for serum HDL, which was increased. Cr-CNPs decreased the retention of chromium in the bone at higher concentrations. Jejunal villus height, villus surface area, and villus height to crypt depth ratio were increased in the 800 μg Cr-CNP-supplemented group. In conclusion, Cr-CNPs did not affect growth performance, viscera development, and most of the serum metabolites, but enhanced jejunal morphological attributes at 800 μg Cr-CNPs/kg of feed. Keywords: blood biochemistry, health, nano-biotechnology, prebiotics, poultry, trace minera

Influence of β-galacto-oligosaccharide on growth performance and components of intestinal barrier in broilers during heat stress

This study aimed to investigate the influence of β-galacto-oligosaccharides (β-GOS) on growth performance, organ development and intestinal microarchitecture of broilers during heat stress. Day-old chicks (n = 125) were divided into five groups. The control or thermoneutral zone group (TNZ) was raised under standard management until the 35th day. Four groups were exposed to cyclic heat stress (35 °C 8 h/d) from the 22nd to the 35th day. The TNZ and heat stress control (HSCT) groups were fed a corn-based diet and HS + 0.1% β-GOS; HS + 0.2% β-GOS; and HS + 0.5% β-GOS were fed a corn-based diet supplemented with β-GOS (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.5%), respectively. Exposure to heat stress reduced feed consumption, feed efficiency and the relative weight of the liver, bursa of Fabricius, and small intestine, compared with the TNZ group. Morphometric evaluation of the small intestine revealed reduced villus surface area, villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH : CD) and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in all segments, and reduced acidic goblet cells (AGCs) in the ileum of the HSCT group compared with the TNZ group. Compared with the HSCT group, dietary β-GOS (0.2% and 0.5%) improved the feed efficiency and relative weight of the small intestine. Furthermore, dietary β-GOS (0.1%) increased villus surface area in the duodenum and IEL count in the small intestine compared with the HSCT group. Dietary β-GOS 0.5% increased villi surface area (VSA) in the jejunum and ileum, whereas the IEL count in the small intestine and acidic goblet cells (AGCs) in the jejunum and ileum were reduced compared with the HSCT group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of β-GOS (0.2% and 0.5%) improved the growth performance and intestinal microarchitecture of broilers during heat exposure, along with partial immune stimulation. Keywords: Feed efficiency, goblet cell, intraepithelial lymphocytes, mucosal architecture, prebiotics, poultry, villus morphometr

Effect of maternal yeast feeding on dam performance and serum health biomarkers of Beetal goat kids

Supplementation with dietary yeast has improved digestibility and productive performance in ruminants. In this research the primary objective was to appraise the effects of dietary yeast supplementation of female goats during the transition period on milk composition and yield and on production and serum health biomarkers of their kids. Twenty-four Beetal goats (4 ± 1.2 years) were randomly assigned to three groups, which received 0, 5, and 10 grams/animal/day of live dried yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 60 days (30 days pre- and post-partum). All goats were fed 500 grams of concentrate with water and green fodder ad libitum. Milk samples were collected at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post kidding. Kids were weighed on days 0, 7, 15, 22, and 30, and blood samples were collected on days 15 and 30 for serum metabolites (glucose, urea, cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), serum total proteins, albumin, globulin, albumin to globulin ratio, serum oxidant and antioxidant activity (malondialdehyde) (MDA) and catalase), and liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) assessment. Milk yield was significantly (P =0.02) higher during the post-partum period in yeast-fed goats. Yeast-fed goats also produced milk containing more fat (P <0.001) and protein (P <0.001) compared with control goats. Birth weight, average daily gain, and serum health biomarkers of the kids were not influenced by the treatments. In conclusion, dietary yeast supplementation resulted in increased production performance of the dams without significant impact on their offspring.Keywords: average daily gain, catalase activity, hepatic enzymes, milk production, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, transition perio

Effects of Bacillus subtilis on performance, immune system and gut in Salmonella-challenged broilers

The goal of this study was to compare the effects of Bacillus subtilis and the antibiotic enrofloxacin on growth performance, immune response, intestinal histomorphometry and cecal Salmonella numbers in broilers challenged with S. gallinarum. Salmonella-free chicks (n = 240) were allocated to four groups, comprising six replicates (n = 10) each. Group NN was not infected and received no treatment. Group SN was infected with Salmonella and received no treatment. Group SE was infected with Salmonella and treated with the antibiotic enrofloxacin. Group SP was infected with Salmonella and treated orally with the probiotic B. subtilis. Initially the groups that were infected with Salmonella had reduced growth performance compared with NN. By the fourth week, SE and SP had recovered and weighed as much as or more than NN. The SP group had greater cellular immunity and relative weights of the bursa and thymus than the other groups. SN had the lowest villus height in all the segments of the small intestine and a larger Salmonella population in the ceca. Probiotic supplementation reduced the pathological outcomes more than enrofloxacin. Prophylactic use of B. subtilis-type probiotics had similar effects to the use of antibiotics, alleviated the stress related to infection of S. gallinarum, and improved the growth performance, immune function, and gut mucosal development in broilers. Keywords: growth promoters, immunity, probiotics, poultry villi lengt

Novel Methods for Surface EMG Analysis and Exploration Based on Multi-Modal Gaussian Mixture Models

<div><p>This paper introduces a new method for data analysis of animal muscle activation during locomotion. It is based on fitting Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) to surface EMG data (sEMG). This approach enables researchers/users to isolate parts of the overall muscle activation within locomotion EMG data. Furthermore, it provides new opportunities for analysis and exploration of sEMG data by using the resulting Gaussian modes as atomic building blocks for a hierarchical clustering. In our experiments, composite peak models representing the general activation pattern per sensor location (one sensor on the long back muscle, three sensors on the gluteus muscle on each body side) were identified per individual for all 14 horses during walk and trot in the present study. Hereby we show the applicability of the method to identify composite peak models, which describe activation of different muscles throughout cycles of locomotion.</p></div

Growth performance, immune status and organ morphometry in broilers fed Bacillus subtilis-supplemented diet

The present research aimed to investigate the effects of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) on performance, immune system, gut, and lymphoid organs’ microarchitecture in broilers. A total of 120 day-old broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four groups. The birds were fed a corn-soy-based basal diet (BD) (control) or the same BD supplemented with 10% zinc bacitracin (ZnB), 0.05 g/kg or 0.1 g/kg of B. subtilis (BS). The broilers fed 0.1 g/kg of B. subtilis had superior mean bodyweight and lower feed conversion ratio compared with the non-supplemented or ZnB-fed groups. The BS-0.1 group registered higher antibody titer against the Newcastle disease (ND) virus. Cell-mediated immune response post Phytohaemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) injection was attained by both BS-0.1 and BS-0.05 groups. Histomorphological study revealed increased thymus cortical width, and cortex/medulla ratio in BS-0.1 group compared with control. Area of bursal follicles and germinal centres of spleen also improved in BS-0.1 group. Compared to ZnB and control, higher villus height (VH) and villus crypt ratio of the duodenum and jejunum were recorded on day 21, and higher VH of duodenum and ileum was noted on day 35 in BS-0.1 and BS-0.05 groups. In conclusion, B. subtilis-type probiotics contributed positively to better growth performance, improved immune system and modulated morphology of lymphoid organs and gut mucosa in broilers.Keywords: Immunity, intestinal mucosa, poultry, probiotic

CLINICAL PICTURE AND THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT OF LEAD TOXICOSIS IN SHEEP

The project was aimed at evaluation of comparative therapeutic efficacy of two treatment regimes for the treatment of lead poisoning in sheep. For this purpose 20, two-months-old, lambs of Buchi breed were used as experimental animals. Five animals were kept as healthy control, whereas the remaining 15 animals were given oral aqueous solution of lead acetate daily. The dose was started from 5 mg/kg bodyweight and was increased gradually till it reached 100 mg/kg body weight by the end of 2nd month when clinical toxicosis was observed. Clinical findings included diarrhea, hindquarter weakness and reduction of feed intake, accompanied by anemia and elevated blood lead levels up to 2.72 ppm. The 15 toxicated animals were divided into three groups A, B and C comprising of 5 animals each. Disodium calcium edetate, which was used to treat animals of group A, resulted in 52.7% fall in blood lead level in 5 days. A combination of disodium calcium edetate and thiamine hydrochloride was used to treat animals of group B, which showed 73.8% fall in blood lead levels. Group C served as untreated control. Thus, combination therapy appears to be more effective for treatment of lead toxicosis