Immunological effects of feeding different sources of vitamin E and seaweed in a sheep herd during the winter season

In winter fed organic raised sheep inadequate plasma vitamin E levels is common and therefore supplementation is recommended. The objective of the present work was to test the supplementation of natural vitamin E and seaweed meal on the immune status of ewes and their offspring. Forty Norwegian White Sheep ewes were randomly allocated to three supplementation treatments: natural vitamin E, synthetic vitamin E, seaweed meal, and control. The feeding experiment lasted the entire indoor feeding period. Ewes and newborn lambs were vaccinated against different environmental microorganisms and pathogens. Different immunological parameters were measured. Supplementing the ewes with natural vitamin E had positive effect on immunity against Mycobacterium bovis in lambs. Seaweed, on the other hand, had negative effect on the passive transfer of maternal antibodies in lambs the first week after birth. The adaptive immunity was not affected by seaweed supplementation

Locally produced legumes and seaweed. Sustainable protein sources for a self-sufficient European animal production?

The animal feeding industry is looking for new local sources of high quality protein in order to reduce import and ensure sustainable and environmental friendly animal production systems. Local legumes and seaweeds may be alternative sources of protein. We present in this paper the background for the ongoing Norwegian Research Council project Legumes and seaweeds as alternative protein sources for sheep (AltPro), which aims to investigate the suitability and potential of legumes and seaweeds as new and underutilized protein sources in sheep diets. The project addresses several critical aspects for the future development of the agriculture industry in Norway applicable to other European countries from an integrated social and natural scientific approach: 1. use of protein sources alternative to soya, 2. environmental, climatic, societal and economical sustainability, 3. animal health and welfare

In vitro ruminal fermentation and methane production of different seaweed species

Author's accepted version (post-print).Available from 29/03/2018.Seaweeds have potentials as alternative feed for ruminants, but there is a limited knowledge on their nutritive value. Seven seaweed species collected along the coast above the Arctic circle of Norway, both in spring and autumn, were assessed for nutrients and total polyphenols (TEP) content, gas production kinetics and in vitro rumen fermentation in batch cultures of ruminal microorganisms. The seaweeds were three red species (Mastocarpus stellatus, Palmaria palmata and Porphyra sp.), three brown species (Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata and Pelvetia canaliculata) and one green species (Acrosiphonia sp.). Additionally, the abundance and diversity of total bacteria, protozoa and archaea in the cultures with the three red seaweeds collected in spring were analyzed by quantitative PCR and PCR-DGGE, respectively. The crude protein (CP) content varied widely. Pelvetia had the greatest (P  0.05) among the other seaweeds in VFA production, but Porphyra sp. had the second highest methane production (P  0.05) by either seaweed species or the collection season. Higher final pH (P  0.05) in the abundance or the diversity of total bacteria, protozoa and archaea. In the PCR-DGGE analysis, samples were separated by the incubation run for all microbial populations analyzed, but not by seaweed species. The results indicate that seaweed species differ markedly in their in vitro rumen degradation, and that samples collected in autumn had lower rumen degradability than those collected in spring.acceptedVersio

Preserving saccharina latissima and porphyra umbilicalis in multinutrient blocks : An in vitro evaluation

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Preserving Porphyra umbilicalis and Saccharina latissima as Silages for Ruminant Feeding

The study analyzed the characteristics, chemical composition, and in vitro gas production kinetics of Porphyra umbilicalis and Saccharina latissima silages. Each seaweed was ensiled in vacuum bags (three bags/silage) following a 2 × 3 factorial design, with two pre-treatments (unwilted or pre-wilted) and three silage types: unwashed seaweed ensiled without additive; seaweed washed and ensiled without additive; and seaweed washed and ensiled with 4 g of formic acid (FAC) per kg seaweed. Silages were kept for 3 months in darkness at 20 °C. Pre-wilting prevented (p < 0.001) effluent formation and reduced (p ≤ 0.038) the production of NH3-N and volatile fatty acids for both seaweeds. Both pre-wilting and washing increased (p < 0.05) the ruminal degradability of P. umbilicalis silages but not of S. latissima silages. The pH of the FAC-treated silages was below 4.0, but ranged from 4.54 to 6.23 in non FAC-treated silages. DL-lactate concentrations were low (≤23.0 g/kg dry matter) and acetate was the predominant fermentation product, indicating a non-lactic fermentation. The estimated ruminal degradability of the P. umbilicalis and S. latissima silages was as average, 59.9 and 86.1% of that for high-quality rye-grass silages, respectively, indicating a medium-low nutritional value of these seaweed silages for ruminants.publishedVersio

Effekten av fôrtilskudd fra sjø og land på bakteriebalansen i tarmen hos søyer og deres avkom

E vitamin er nødvendig for drøvtyggere for å opprettholde et velfungerende immunsystem, høyt reproduksjonsnivå, og god melk- og kjøttkvalitet. Innholdet av antioksidanter i råmelken påvirker absorpsjonen av antistoffer hos nyfødte kalver. Selen-innholdet i jord kan være lavt, og dermed kan hjemmedyrket grovfôr være fattig på selen. Hvis grovfôret også er fattig på E-vitamin, som samhandler med selen i sine biologiske effekter, kan underforsyning lett oppstå. Derfor blir rasjonene til drøvtyggere supplert med syntetisk produsert E-vitamin for å sikre tilstrekkelig inntak. Det er imidlertid kjent at syntetisk E-vitamin består av 87,5 % molekyler med ikke-naturlig konfigurasjon og som biologiske ikke er like effektiv (Jensen & Lauridsen, 2007). Av denne grunn er det viktig å finne alternative naturlige vitamin- og antioksidantkilder som er billige, bærekraftig å utvinne og enkle å håndtere, spesielt med tanke på økologisk husdyrproduksjon, men også for tradisjonell husdyrproduksjon. Det ble derfor gjennomført et forsøk med drektige søyer for å teste tang og naturlig E-vitamin som mulige kilder for E-vitamintilskudd og deres effekt på dyrehelsen hos søyene og avkommene

Interspecies and seasonal variations in macroalgae from the Nordic region: Chemical composition and impacts on rumen fermentation and microbiome assembly

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Acidified Litter Benefits the Intestinal Flora Balance of Broiler Chickens

The alterations in the balance of the normal intestinal bacterial flora of chickens exposed to acidified wood-derived litter were analyzed and compared to those of a control group exposed to nonacidified litter. A total of 1,728 broilers were divided into two groups, with six replicates in each. One group was exposed to dry wood-derived litter, and the other was exposed to dry wood-derived litter sprayed with a mixture of sodium lignosulfonate, formic acid, and propionic acid. At five different times, five chickens from each pen were killed and the intestinal contents from ileum and caeca were collected. The samples were diluted and plated onto selective media to identify coliforms, Lactobacillus spp., Clostridium perfringens, and Enterococcus spp. Covariance analysis of bacterial counts showed significantly lower counts for C. perfringens in the caeca and the ileum and for Enterococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. in the ileum in chickens exposed to the acidified litter. Lactobacillus spp. showed significantly higher counts in the caeca in chickens exposed to acidified litter. There was no difference between the two litters with regard to coliforms in the ileum and the caeca or to Enterococcus spp. in the caeca. The study shows that exposing the chickens to acidified litter lowers the intestinal bacterial number, especially in the ileum, without negative consequences for the chicken's health or performance. Of special interest are the lower counts of C. perfringens and Enterococcus spp. that might reduce the risk of developing clinical or subclinical necrotic enteritis and growth depression

Effect of feeding vitamin E from different sources on the immune system and intestinal microbiota in small ruminants. Presentation of an on going Norwegian project

Vitamin E is important for ruminants to maintain an optimal immune function, reproduction traits and a high quality of milk and meat. Synthetic vitamin E consists of 87.5% tocopherol molecules with a non-natural configuration and is biological ineffective. The aim of this project is to study the effects of supplementing the diets with seaweed meal or oil seeds extracts as natural vitamin E sources on the immune system and gastrointestinal microbiota in sheep and their off-springs. Of special interest is the group fed with seaweed meal, since seaweed is an abundant and easy accessible raw material on the Norwegian coastline with a huge economical potential. The study includes 40 ewes and their future lambs. The animals will be followed from mating until the animals are put out to pasture. The animals were divided in four even groups, with two pens per group. Each group gets a concentrate including the different vitamin E sources. Intestinal microbiota parameters, production of specific antibodies and cell mediated immunity following immunization, production of antibodies against environmental microbes and the immunoglobulin concentration in the mothers and the lambs will be monitored. We will also assess the mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation and intradermal skintest reaction to both mitogen and antigen in lambs. The hypothesis is that supplementation with natural vitamin sources improves the immunologic status and the gastrointestinal microbiota composition in sheep