Evaluation of heat-processed sorghum, high-oleic and low-trypsin inhibitor soybean cultivars as alternatives for corn and conventional soybeans for broilers

Dr. Marcia C. Shannon, Dissertation Supervisor.includes vitaFour 21-d experiments were conducted to compare soybean meal (SBM) from high oleic to parent soybean cultivars on growth performance, energy and ileal AA (IAA). Soybean meal was prepared by laboratory-scale mechanical extraction. Two replicate chick assays (Exp. 1 and 2) with similar treatments were conducted to evaluate the growth efficiency. In Exp. 1 and 2, 50 d-old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly placed in battery cages and allocated to 2 dietary treatments with 5 replicates and 5 birds per replicate. The SBM sources consisted of cold-pressed conventional SBM (CON) and cold-pressed high oleic SBM (HO). All SBM sources were heated in a forced-air oven at 120 degrees C for 20 min. Diets were formulated to meet or exceed NRC (1994) and Aviagen nutrient requirements for Ross 308 in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. Broilers were weighed and feed disappearance measured on d 7, 14, and 21 in Exp. 1, and on d 10 and 21 on Exp. 2. Two assays (Exp. 3 and 4) were conducted to determine IAA digestibility and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) in Exp. 3 or ileal digestible 24 energy (IDE) in Exp. 4. In Exp. 3 and 4, 100 d-old broilers randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments with 10 replicates and 5 birds per replicate. Chicks were fed a corn-SBM based diet for 17 d, and a diet was developed by substituting the soybean cultivars in a corn starch-dextrose basal diet and fed from d 18 to 21. A nitrogen-free diet was fed to determine ileal endogenous AA losses. Titanium dioxide (0.5 percent) was included in all diets as a digesta flow marker. Excreta and ileal samples were collected on d 21. Statistical analyses were performed as a completely randomized design using PROC GLM of SAS with significance level set at P less than or equal to 0.05. In Exp. 1, chicks fed diets containing HO had decreased ADG (P less than 0.05; 25.3 vs. 29.4 g) and increased feed:gain ratio (P less than 0.05) from d 0 to 14 (1.71 vs. 1.56) and d 0 to 21 (1.54 vs. 1.47), compared with chicks fed CON diet. In Exp. 2, chicks fed HO had lower BW at d 10 (P = 0.028; 143 vs. 153 g), lower ADG from d 0 to 10 (P = 0.030; 10.90 vs. 11.90 g), and greater feed:gain ratio from d 0 to 10 (P = 0.043; 1.55 vs. 1.45) compared with chicks fed CON diet. In Exp. 3, AA digestibility did not differ among all essential AA. There were no differences in AME (kcal per kg) from SBM between CON and HO, with values of 2,921 and 2,901 (P = 0.73), respectively. In Exp. 4, the digestibility of glutamic acid (P = 0.026; 94.4 vs. 95.2 percent) and arginine (P = 0.008; 94.4 vs 95.4 percent) from HO were lower than CON; however, the IDE of CON and HO were similar (3,419 and 3,343 kcal/kg; P = 0.08), respectively. In conclusion, although there were no differences in nutrient digestibility, in conditions of this study, broilers fed HO had impaired growth performance, mainly from 1 to 14 d of age.Dr. Marcia C. Shannon, Dissertation Supervisor.|Includes vita.Includes bibliographical references (pages 113-126)

Effects of reduced protein and diet complexity on performance and cost of nursery pigs

"December 2013.""A Thesis presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School University of Missouri--Columbia In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements of the Degree Master of Science."Thesis supervisor: Dr. Marcia Carlson Shannon.Two 35-d experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of reducing crude protein by 2.5% and diet complexity with amino acid supplementation on performance and feed cost during the nursery phase. In Exp. 1 and 2, 32 PIC barrows (initial wt. = 7.28 ± 0.44 and 6.89 ± 0.77 kg, respectively) were weaned at 21 d and allotted to one of four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design (RCD) with four replicate pens per treatment with two pigs/pen. The four diets were: 1) corn-soybean meal based diet; 2) diet 1 with inclusion of fishmeal (FM) and spray-dried plasma (SDP) in Exp. 1 or soy protein concentrate (SPC) and spray-dried blood cells (SDBC) in Exp. 2; 3) low crude-protein diet (LCP) with 2.5% reduction; 4) LCP containing FM and SDP in Exp. 1 or SPC and SDBC in Exp. 2. In order to reduce CP by 2.5%, diets were supplemented with synthetic lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan (Trp) in Exp. 1 and in Exp. 2, LCP diets were additionally fortified with synthetic valine (Val) and isoleucine (Ile). Blood samples were collected on d 14, 21, 28 and 35 for determining plasma urea N (PUN). Growth performance was determined weekly. Overall in Exp. 1, pigs fed corn-soybean meal based diet containing higher CP had greater ADG (P = 0.001) than pigs fed LCP diet (0.60 vs. 0.52 kg/d, respectively) and final BW (25.28 vs. 22.95 kg, respectively) (P = 0.002). Pigs fed diets containing FM and SDP had higher final BW when compared to pigs fed less complex diets (24.87 vs. 23.35 kg, respectively) (P = 0.034). These data suggest that Val and Ile become the next limiting amino acids in LCP nursery diets. In Exp. 2, there was no effect on overall ADG and final BW. However, pigs fed HCP diets had decreased ADFI (P = 0.009) when compared to pigs fed LCP diets (0.92 vs. 1.01 kg/d, respectively). Meanwhile, pigs fed diets containing SDBC and SPC had decreased ADFI (P = 0.019) compared to pigs fed noncomplex diets (0.93 vs. 1.00 kg/d, respectively). Overall in Exp. 1 and 2, pigs fed LCP diets had lower PUN coIncludes bibliographical references (pages 98-116)

Effects of aleurone supplementation on glucose-insulin metabolism and gut microbiome in untrained healthy horses

Aleurone, a layer of the bran fraction, is deemed to be responsible for the positive health effects associated with the consumption of whole-grain products. Studies on rodents, pigs, and humans report beneficial effects of aleurone in five main areas: the reduction of oxidative stress, immunomodulatory effects, modulation of energy management, digestive health, and the storage of vitamins and minerals. Our study is the first aleurone supplementation study performed in horses. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an increase in the dose levels of aleurone on the postprandial glucose-insulin metabolism and the gut microbiome in untrained healthy horses. Seven adult Standardbred horses were supplemented with four different dose levels of aleurone (50, 100, 200, and 400 g/day for 1 week) by using a Latin square model with a 1-week wash out in between doses. On day 7 of each supplementation week, postprandial blood glucose-insulin was measured and fecal samples were collected. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing was performed and QIIME2 software was used for microbiome analysis. Microbial community function was assessed by using the predictive metagenome analysis tool Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) and using the Metacyc database of metabolic pathways. The relative abundancies of a pathway were analyzed by using analysis of composition of microbiomes (ANCOM) in R. There was a significant dose-dependent increase in the postprandial time to peak of glucose (p = 0.030), a significant delay in the time to peak of insulin (p = 0.025), and a significant decrease in both the insulin peak level (p = 0.049) and insulin area under the curve (AUC) (p = 0.019) with increasing dose levels of aleurone, with a consideration of 200 g being the lowest significant dose. Alpha diversity and beta diversity of the fecal microbiome showed no significant changes. Aleurone significantly decreased the relative abundance of the genera Roseburia, Shuttleworthia, Anaerostipes, Faecalibacter, and Succinovibrionaceae. The most pronounced changes in the relative abundance at phyla level were seen in Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia (downregulation) and Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes (upregulation). The PICRUSt analysis shows that aleurone induces a downregulation of the degradation of L-glutamate and taurine and an upregulation of the three consecutive pathways of the phospholipid membrane synthesis of the Archaea domain. The results of this study suggest a multimodal effect of aleurone on glucose-insulin metabolism, which is most likely to be caused by its effect on feed texture and subsequent digestive processing; and a synergistic effect of individual aleurone components on the glucose-insulin metabolism and microbiome composition and function

Glucose oligosaccharide and long-chain glucomannan feed additives induce enhanced activation of intraepithelial NK cells and relative abundance of commensal lactic acid bacteria in broiler chickens

Restrictions on the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry stimulate the development of alternative nutritional solutions to maintain or improve poultry health. This requires more insight in the modulatory effects of feed additives on the immune system and microbiota composition. Compounds known to influence the innate immune system and microbiota composition were selected and screened in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo. Among all compounds, 57 enhanced NK cell activation, 56 increased phagocytosis, and 22 increased NO production of the macrophage cell line HD11 in vitro. Based on these results, availability and regulatory status, six compounds were selected for further analysis. None of these compounds showed negative effects on growth, hatchability, and feed conversion in in ovo and in vivo studies. Based on the most interesting numerical results and highest future potential feasibility, two compounds were analyzed further. Administration of glucose oligosaccharide and long-chain glucomannan in vivo both enhanced activation of intraepithelial NK cells and led to increased relative abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) amongst ileum and ceca microbiota after seven days of supplementation. Positive correlations between NK cell subsets and activation, and relative abundance of LAB suggest the involvement of microbiota in the modulation of the function of intraepithelial NK cells. This study identifies glucose oligosaccharide and longchain glucomannan supplementation as effective nutritional strategies to modulate the intestinal microbiota composition and strengthen the intraepithelial innate immune system.The Dutch Research Council (NWO) in conjunction with Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health in the context of stimulating Public–Private research collaboration and part of the research program of NWO Earth and Life Sciences (ALW).http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vetscipm2022Veterinary Tropical Disease

Profiling the aerobic window of horses in response to training by means of a modified lactate minimum speed test : flatten the curve

There is a great need for objective external training load prescription and performance capacity evaluation in equestrian disciplines. Therefore, reliable standardised exercise tests (SETs) are needed. Classic SETs require maximum intensities with associated risks to deduce training loads from pre-described cut-off values. The lactate minimum speed (LMS) test could be a valuable alternative. Our aim was to compare new performance parameters of a modified LMS-test with those of an incremental SET, to assess the effect of training on LMS-test parameters and curve-shape, and to identify the optimal mathematical approach for LMS-curve parameters. Six untrained standardbred mares (3–4 years) performed a SET and LMS-test at the start and end of the 8-week harness training. The SET-protocol contains 5 increments (4 km/h; 3 min/step). The LMS-test started with a 3-min trot at 36–40 km/h [until blood lactate (BL) > 5 mmol/L] followed by 8 incremental steps (2 km/h; 3 min/step). The maximum lactate steady state estimation (MLSS) entailed >10 km run at the LMS and 110% LMS. The GPS, heartrate (Polar®), and blood lactate (BL) were monitored and plotted. Curve-parameters (R core team, 3.6.0) were (SET) VLa1.5/2/4 and (LMS-test) area under the curve (AUC>/<LMS), LMS and Aerobic Window (AW) via angular vs. threshold method. Statistics for comparison: a paired t-test was applied, except for LMS: paired Wilcoxon test; (p < 0.05). The Pearson correlation (r > 0.80), Bland-Altman method, and ordinary least products (OLP) regression analyses were determined for test-correlation and concordance. Training induced a significant increase in VLa1.5/2/4. The width of the AW increased significantly while the AUC</>LMS and LMS decreased post-training (flattening U-curve). The LMS BL steady-state is reached earlier and maintained longer after training. BLmax was significantly lower for LMS vs. SET. The 40° angular method is the optimal approach. The correlation between LMS and VMLSS was significantly better compared to the SET. The VLa4 is unreliable for equine aerobic capacity assessment. The LMS-test allows more reliable individual performance capacity assessment at lower speed and BL compared to SETs. The LMS-test protocol can be further adapted, especially post-training; however, inducing modest hyperlactatemia prior to the incremental LMS-stages and omitting inclusion of a per-test recovery contributes to its robustness. This LMS-test is a promising tool for the development of tailored training programmes based on the AW, respecting animal welfare

Glucose Oligosaccharide and Long-Chain Glucomannan Feed Additives Induce Enhanced Activation of Intraepithelial NK Cells and Relative Abundance of Commensal Lactic Acid Bacteria in Broiler Chickens

Restrictions on the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry stimulate the development of alternative nutritional solutions to maintain or improve poultry health. This requires more insight in the modulatory effects of feed additives on the immune system and microbiota composition. Compounds known to influence the innate immune system and microbiota composition were selected and screened in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo. Among all compounds, 57 enhanced NK cell activation, 56 increased phagocytosis, and 22 increased NO production of the macrophage cell line HD11 in vitro. Based on these results, availability and regulatory status, six compounds were selected for further analysis. None of these compounds showed negative effects on growth, hatchability, and feed conversion in in ovo and in vivo studies. Based on the most interesting numerical results and highest future potential feasibility, two compounds were analyzed further. Administration of glucose oligosaccharide and long-chain glucomannan in vivo both enhanced activation of intraepithelial NK cells and led to increased relative abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) amongst ileum and ceca microbiota after seven days of supplementation. Positive correlations between NK cell subsets and activation, and relative abundance of LAB suggest the involvement of microbiota in the modulation of the function of intraepithelial NK cells. This study identifies glucose oligosaccharide and long-chain glucomannan supplementation as effective nutritional strategies to modulate the intestinal microbiota composition and strengthen the intraepithelial innate immune system