Effects of low-phytic acid corn on growth performance, bone strength, and serum osteocalcin concentration in growing-finishing pigs

A 91-d experiment was conducted to evaluate whether low-phytic acid corn (NDLP, Exseed Genetics) (90% phosphorus (P) availability) could replace dent corn (DC) without adversely affecting growth performance or bone parameters in growing-finishing pigs. Total Pand phytate P were 0.24 and 0.16% in DC; 0.32 and 0.03% in NDLP, by analysis. Pigs were blocked by initial BW (18.5 to 22.5 kg) into four pens per treatment (trt) of eight crossbred pigs per pen. Two trts were fed; trt 1 contained DC and trt 2 contained NDLP. Three phases were fed; each was four wks in length. Dietary calcium and non-phytate Pw ere computed to provide 0.75 and 0.36, 0.63 and 0.30, or 0.55 and 0.28% in phases I, II, and III, respectively. Total Pw as computed to provide 0.57, 0.50, or 0.47% for trt 1; and 0.47, 0.40, or 0.36% for trt 2, in phases I, II, and III, respectively. Dicalcium phosphate concentration was decreased by 0.73, 0.78, and 0.85% units in trt 2, for phases I, II, and III, respectively. One gilt per pen was chosen, based on average pen BW (92 to 106 kg), for slaughter at 91d. All third and fourth metacarpals (MC) and metatarsals (MT) were used to analyze bone-breaking strength. Blood was collected from two pigs per pen at 90d for serum osteocalcin (OC) analysis (an indicator of bone turnover). Gain/feed (trt 1 = 316, trt 2 = 350, P > 0.09), BW (trt 1 = 97.3 kg, trt 2 = 98.7 kg, P > 0.71), and ADG (trt 1 = 840 g/d, trt 2 = 860 g, P > 0.57) were not affected. There were no differences in bone strength of third and fourth MC and fourth MT bones (P > 0.28). Overall, MC and MT bone strength was higher (15.04 vs. 12.83 MPa, P 0.92), suggesting no difference in bone turnover. This study proposes that NDLPcorn can be formulated with 90% Pa vailability and replace dent corn without adversely affecting pig performance

Prebiotic mannan oligosaccharide diet improves health status of the digestive system of marron, Cherax tenuimanus (Smith, 1912)

The aim of this experiment was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with mannan oligosaccharide (MOS; BioMos, Alltech, USA) on the gut microbiota and histology of marron, Cherax tenuimanus. Marron were fed six different diets supplemented with 0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.8% of MOS for a duration of 112 days. Total bacteria in the gut were highest when marron were fed diets which included 0.1% to 0.4% BioMos, whereas total bacteria/Vibrio spp. ratio was highest in the marron fed 0.4% BioMos diet only. The marron fed 0.2% and 0.4% BioMos diets showed normal morphology and higher densities of microvilli, and thicker layer of gut epithelium than other inclusion rates. The results suggest that application of 0.2% to 0.4% of MOS in the diet improves digestive system health in marron

Commentary on Coefficient Alpha: A Cautionary Tale

reliability, coefficient alpha, violation of assumptions, structural equation modeling,

Efeito do acondicionamento térmico ambiental sobre o desempenho reprodutivo da fêmea suína Effect of a system with thermic acondition environment on reproductive efficiency of female swine

O objetivo deste experimento foi avaliar um sistema de acondicionamento térmico artificial para salas de porcas em gestação, em Ponte Nova-MG. Foram utilizadas 95 porcas Cambourough 22® (matriz comercial da Agroceres®), de segundo parto em diante, distribuídas em dois tratamentos. No tratamento 1, foram utilizadas 46 matrizes, submetidas, nos primeiros 35 dias de gestação, a um sistema de acondicionamento térmico artificial com o uso de ventiladores e nebulizadores, acionados automaticamente de acordo com a temperatura do ar (VFN). No tratamento 2, foram utilizadas 49 porcas submetidas, nos primeiros 35 dias de gestação, a um ambiente sem qualquer sistema de acondicionamento térmico artificial (SVFN). Após os 35 dias de gestação, todos os animais receberam o mesmo manejo até o parto. A temperatura média ambiente, para os tratamentos VFN e SVFN, foi de 22,6 e 23,4ºC, respectivamente. Nas horas mais quentes do dia, o sistema de acondicionamento térmico foi eficiente em reduzir a temperatura do ar em 2ºC. Apesar dessa diferença, o VFN não foi eficiente em reduzir a temperatura ambiente para a temperatura de conforto dos animais (18-20ºC); em ambos os tratamentos, os animais apresentaram frequência respiratória elevada. Entretanto, esta foi eficiente na manutenção da temperatura retal, o que significa que as porcas não foram submetidas a uma condição muito severa de estresse por calor, que justificasse a utilização do sistema de acondicionamento empregado. Ainda, para os parâmetros de eficiência reprodutiva, não foi observada diferença entre os tratamentos. Os níveis de progesterona no 6º e 13º dia pós-cobertura estavam dentro da normalidade para a espécie suína. Assim, para a época do outono, na região de Ponte Nova-MG, o sistema de acondicionamento térmico constituído por ventilação e nebulização não incrementou a eficiência reprodutiva.<br>The objetive of this experiment was to evaluate a system of thermal artificial condition for gestation sow housing, at Ponte Nova-MG. A total of 95 Cambourough 22® sows from the second parturition were assigned to two treatments. Forty-six sows of treatment one were submitted, during the first 35 days of gestation, to a system of controlled thermal artificial condition (fans and aspersion) which were automatically turned on according to the air temperature (VFN). In treatment two, during the same period 49 sows of the same variety as the first ones were submitted to any artificial thermal condition (SVFN). From 35 days on of gestation to the parturition, all the animals received the same management. The average room temperature for treatments VFN and SVFN were 22.6ºC and 23.4ºC, respectively. During the hottest hours of the day, this system was efficient to reduce the temperature by 2ºC. In spite of such difference, the system could not reduce the room temperature to an adequate level to these animals (18-21ºC). For this reason the animals showed high breathing frequency in both treatments, but this was capable to maintain the body temperature of the sows. There were no differences on the evaluated parameters of reprodutive efficiency and progesterone levels. That is why the ventilation and nebulization systems during the autumn is not justified since the temperatures at this time of the year is not high enough to take the animals to a stress condition which could directly affect their reproductive performance