Effects of L-Arginine Supplementation on Lactating Mares and the Development of Foals

Background: Most animal species are able to produce Arginine (Arg) under normal conditions. However, in some situations, its degradation can be higher than its production. For example, during a period of lactation or disease, there is an increase in the consumption of Arg. In this case, endogenous production is not enough for the animal’s demands. Indeed, Arg supplementation in animals has several benefits for the animal’s body, such as the increase of angiogenesis, improvements in immunity and the reproductive system, as well as the stimulation of lactogenesis. During the early phase of growth, a deficiency of Arg could cause a reduction in the growth rate and metabolic activity of animals. Therefore, this amino acid is considered essential in some phases of the life of animals. However, very few studies of the supplementation of this amino acid in horses have been carried out. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of supplementing lactating mares and their foals with Arg.Materials, Methods & Results: Lactating mares (n = 10) were divided into two groups (control group: n = 3 / supplemented group: n = 7) and maintained exclusively under grazing. The supplemented group received 50 g of Arg during the lactation period. Samples of milk and blood from mares and blood from foals were collected at different phases of the lactation period. The following parameters were measured in milk: Glutamine (Gln); Glutamate (Glu); protein; fat; casein; lactose; urea and total solids. The following parameters were measured in blood: Gln; Glu; total plasmatic protein (TPP); albumin; urea; creatinine; uric acid; triglycerides; total cholesterol; calcium (C); phosphorous (P); magnesium (Mg) and ferrous (Fe). In addition, the biometric parameters of Wither Height (WH), Chest Perimeter (CP), Cannon Bone Circumference (CBC) and Fat Percentage (FP) of foals were obtained. A significant increase of Gln was observed in the milk in both groups (P < 0.05). The highest concentration of Gln was detected in the third month of the lactation period in the supplemented group (~ 2.26 mmol/mL), and the control group (~ 1.91 mmol/mL) during the same period. Gln did not alter in the blood (P > 0.05), although Glu was higher in the control group in the first month of the lactation period (~ 0.21 mmol/mL) (P < 0.05). An increase in uric acid (~ 0.19 mmol/L) in both groups on the day of birth (P < 0.05). In the supplemented group, increases in triglycerides (~ 0.60 mmol/L), Ca (~ 2.90 mmol/L) and Mg (~ 0.52 mmol/L) were observed in the first month of the lactation (P < 0.05). At birth, foals exhibited high levels of urea (~ 4.67 mmol/L) and uric acid (~ 0.21 mmol/L), and low levels of P (~ 2.02 mmol/L) (P < 0.05). The levels of Gln in the blood of foals remained between 0.50 and 0.70 mmol/mL throughout the lactation period (P > 0.05). Even when they were added (Gln + Glu), no differences were observed (P > 0.05). However, when the biometric parameters were analyzed, significant variations were detected in almost all characteristics (weight, WH, CP and CBC). In particular, the control group exhibited higher body mass and CP in the fifth month, when compared with the group of foals born from supplemented mares (P < 0.05). The FP did not alter in either of the groups analyzed (P > 0.05).Discussion: The results indicate that the supplementation of lactating mares with Arg produced few alterations in the parameters analyzed for both mares and foals. In addition, the supplementation did not produce side effects among the supplemented animals

Exigência de lisina para suínos em crescimento e terminação, alimentados com rações de baixo teor de proteína, formuladas de acordo com o conceito de proteína ideal - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v26i4.1760

A performance trial was carried out to determine the total lysine requirement of growing-finishing pigs (35.1±3.35 a 84.7±7.09kg), fed low protein diet, formulated according to ideal protein concept. It was used 32 barrows, 16 pigs from a common genetic group (CGG) and 16 from an improved genetic group (IGG). The treatments consisted of four diets (0.75, 0.90, 1.05 and 1.20% of total lysine in the growing phase and 0.60, 0.75, 0.90, 1.05 in the finishing phase). The results for IGG, either for growing and finishing phase, showed a decrease of DFI and DWG, without effect on G:F. In the CGG there was no effect of lysine level on pigs performance and plasma urea nitrogen (PUN). The results suggest that the total lysine requirement of barrows from both genetic groups is 0.75 and 0.60%, respectively for growing and finishing phase.O experimento objetivou determinar a exigência de lisina total em rações com baixo teor de proteína, formuladas de acordo com o conceito de proteína ideal, para suínos em crescimento e terminação (35,1±3,35 a 84,7±7,09kg). Foram utilizados 32 suínos machos castrados, 16 do grupo genético comum (GGC) e 16 do grupo genético melhorado (GGM). Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro dietas (0,75% 0,90% 1,05% e 1,20% de lisina total para o crescimento e 0,60% 0,75% 0,90% e 1,05% para a terminação). Para o GGM, tanto na fase de crescimento como na de terminação, níveis crescentes de lisina levaram à redução do CRD e do GPD, sem, contudo, influenciar a CA. No GGC, o desempenho e o nitrogênio da uréia plasmática não foram influenciados. Os resultados sugerem que a exigência de lisina total para suínos machos castrados, de ambos os grupos genéticos, é 0,75% para o crescimento e 0,60% para a terminação

Glutamine and glutamate supplementation raise milk glutamine concentrations in lactating gilts

Abstract Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in milk, and lactation is associated with increased glutamine utilization both for milk synthesis and as a fuel for the enlarged small intestine. A number of recent studies have indicated that lactation is accompanied by a mild catabolic state in which skeletal muscle proteins are degraded to provide amino acids that are used to synthesize additional glutamine. In this study we tested the hypothesis that supplemental L-glutamine or the commercially available glutamine supplement Aminogut (2.5% by weight mixed into daily feed) provided to gilts from 30 days prior to parturition until 21 days post-parturition would prevent a decrease in skeletal muscle glutamine while increasing the glutamine content of the milk. Muscle glutamine content decreased (P P P = 0.053). Milk glutamate remained constant between day 7 and 21 of lactation in the control and L-glutamine supplemented groups, but by day 21 of lactation the free glutamine, glutamate, and glutamine plus glutamate concentrations in milk from Aminogut-treated gilts were higher than those of control gilts. Thus dietary glutamine supplementation can alleviate the fall in intramuscular glutamine content during lactation in gilts, and may alleviate some of the catabolic effects of lactation. Furthermore, the increased milk glutamine content in the supplemented gilts may provide optimum nutrition for piglet development.</p

Inclusion of glutamine associated with glutamic acid in the diet of piglets weaned at 21 days of age

The effects of dietary inclusion levels of the association of glutamine with glutamic acid (AminoGut: AmG) on the performance, gastrointestinal morphophysiology, and diarrhea incidence of piglets weaned at 21 days of age were evaluated. In the experiment, 120 piglets with 6.24 ± 1.00 kg initial weight were distributed according to a randomized block experimental design into five treatments with six replicates of four animals each. The following treatments were applied: negative control diet (0% AmG); 0.5% AmG; 1.0% AmG; 1.5% AmG; positive control diet (0% AmG, 4% inclusion of porcine plasma). The inclusion of 1.0% AmG, as compared to the positive control diet, improved weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. The lowest diarrhea score was observed when 1.0% AmG was included, whereas the best villus height and villus:crypt ratio were obtained with the inclusion of 0.82% AmG. Villus height, crypt depth, and villus:crypt ratio values obtained with 1.0% AmG were similar to those obtained with the positive control diet, except in the period of 21 to 28 days, when the diet with 1.0% AmG promoted higher villus:crypt ratio. The supplementation of 0.5 and 1.0% AmG affected organ weights, and reduced digestive content pH in the pylorus and in the ileum relative to the positive control diet. The dietary supplementation of 1% glutamine associated with glutamic acid improves the performance and the morphophysiology of piglets weaned at 21 days of age

Effects of different grinding levels (particle size) of soybean hull on starting pigs performance and digestibility

Two experiments were carried out to study the effects of grinding of soybean hulls (SH) on starting pigs (15-30 kg) diets. Experiment I consisted of a digestibility trial with 12 barrows, initial average body weight 21.9±1.29 kg, in which the best digestibility coefficient (DC) of DM and GE was obtained with SH ground through a 2.5mm screen mesh, evaluated for CP and ME, a best DC was attained with 3.0 mm screen mesh. In the Experiment II, five diets with increasing SH (2.5 mm) levels (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 %) for starting piglets were formulated. A quadratic response in daily weight gain (DWG) occurred, according to SH inclusion. Worst DWG occurred at 7.75 % SH inclusion. Daily feed intake, feed: gain ratio and plasma urea nitrogen were not affected by inclusion levels. In conclusion, although soybean hull grinding improves the digestible nutrients, inclusion of SH on starting pig diets is economically unfeasible