Effect of glucoamylase enzyme extract on in vitro gas production and degradability of two diets with 25% of corn or sorghum grains

The optimal use of starch is fundamental in improving performance of ruminants fed high grain diets (Huntington 1997, Rojo et al. 2000). Many strategies were developed to increase starch digestion rate and grain energetic value such as ground, dry rolled and steamed, and harvest of grains with high moisture content (Owens et al. 1997). Amylolytic enzymes in the rumen are extracellular or cell-bound (Thurn and Kotarsky 1987), and the extracellular enzymes are the most important in the group of amylolytic bacteria (Cotta 1988). Amylases are present in protozoa (Mendoza et al. 1993 1995) and ruminal fungi (Yanke et al. 1993). Exogenous amylolytic enzymes are obtained from controlled fermentation of bacteria or fungi (Declerk et al. 1997) and they are used in the food industry for starch hydrolysis (Reilly 1985).The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of glucoamylase enzyme (GEZ) extract on the in vitro ruminal gas production (GP) and degradability of 2 total mixed rations (TMR) of 25% of corn and other of 25% of sorghum grains. The 2 diets were treated with 0, 1.5 and 3 g of GEZ protein (65% of protein) per kg of grain in diet. Diets GP were measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation. Incubations were stopped after 72 h where pH was measured and supernatant was filtered to determine in vitro dry matter (DMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDFD), and acid detergent fiber (ADFD) degradabilities. Addition of GEZ to corn diet had no effect on kinetics of GP, whereas GEZ added to sorghum diet, at the high dose of the enzyme (3 g/kg DM), was traduced by an increase of the rhythm of GP (c) and the volume of GP at 2, 4 and 6 h of incubation. Likewise, effect of GEZ was not affected either on the DMD or cell wall (NDFD and ADFD) of both diets (sorghum or corn). Irrespective to enzyme supply, kinetics of GP and pattern of degradation of corn were generally higher than those of sorghum. A net effect of the diet and the interactions between diet and enzyme were recorded for the volume of GP at different incubation times. The use of high doses of GEZ should be tested on the pattern rumen fermentation

Detection of sensitive and mutant ruminal bacteria isolates from sheep, cattle, and buffalo using 14 therapeutic antibiotics

Subtherapeutic antibiotic use in ruminant feeding to optimize rumen fermentation may lead to residues in meat and milk (6), as well as an increase in the inhibition of ruminal bacterial populations (7). For this reason, in 2006, the European Union banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in livestock feeding due to potential toxicities to host animals, potential rumen microbial adaptation, and risk of the presence of residues of these compounds in milk and meat, with potential effects on human health (8).In the present study, sensitive and mutant colonies of some ruminal bacterial species isolated from sheep, cattle, and buffalo were detected. We counted and considered “mutant colonies” the bacterial colonies grown in the clear inhibition zone in the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test. Detected mutant colonies were higher in buffalo than in cattle and sheep. Duricef and metronidazole caused no mutations in any species. The others formed mutant colonies, where roxithromycin = polymyxin = chloramphenicol = gentamicin streptomycin = piperacillin > erythromycin > vancomycin = cefoperazone = cefotaxime > roxithromycin > polymyxin > chloramphenicol). The number of sensitive isolates of the different ruminant species for all the antibiotics was highest in buffalo, followed by cattle and then sheep (P < 0.05). We could conclude that subtherapeutic antibiotic use in ruminant feeding may lead to the formation of antibiotic-resistant mutant colonies, making their subtherapeutic effect nonexistent

Influence of cellulase addition to dairy goat diets on digestion and fermentation, milk production and fatty acid content

Twenty four French Alpine goats (39 ± 2·0 kg) were individually housed in a completely randomized design and fed a basal diet containing 146 g crude protein and 356 g neutral detergent fibre (NDF)/kg in the absence (control – CTRL) or presence (CELL) of 2 ml of cellulase/kg dry matter intake (DMI) for 70 days, which included a 10-day adaptation period. The feed was offered three times daily at 07·00, 13·00 and 19·00 h, but the single daily dose of cellulase was only fed at 07·00 h. Goats were hand milked daily; milk production recorded and samples taken for compositional analysis. During the last 5 days of the experimental period, goats from each group were individually housed in stainless steel metabolic cages to enable separate and total collection of faeces and urine for nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation determinations. Goats fed CELL had greater DMI and greater digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter and NDF than CTRL goats. CELL goats had greater ruminal pH, concentration of acetic acid and concentration of propionic acid than CTRL goats. However, the concentration of ruminal butyric was lower in CELL goats compared with CTRL goats. CELL goats had greater milk yield, energy corrected milk, milk energy content, milk energy output and milk density than CTRL goats and the milk content for total solids, fat, protein and lactose were also greater for CELL goats than for the CTRL goats. The milk of CELL goats had greater palmitoleic acid, cis-10-heptadecanoic acid content and mono-saturated acids than the milk of CTRL goats and lower linoleic acid, linolenic acid contents and saturated fatty acids than the milk of CTRL goats. These results suggest that addition of 2 ml cellulase/kg DM of feed in the diet of lactating French Alpine goats elevated their milk production and improved its composition probably due to improved feed utilization.UAE

Lactation curves and body weight changes of Alpine, Saanen and Anglo-Nubian goats as well as pre-weaning growth of their kids

Thirty-six goats: 15 Alpine (AG), 13 Saanen (SG) and 8 Anglo-Nubian (ANG) were used to evaluate dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW) changes and milk production to validate Wood’s model in lactation curves. The kids pre weaning weight, weaning weight (WW) and daily weight gain (DWG) were determined. Milk production was measured daily for a period of 90 d. The DWG was quantified daily, while BW was recorded weekly. Performance of 48 kids (20 AG, 15 SG and 13 ANG), aged 15 d were evaluated. Wood’s model was utilised to describe goat’s lactation curve in the different studied goat breeds. Milk production was differed between breeds and according to the number of kids suckled (P < 0.05). Both of DMI and BW showed a linear increase (P < 0.05) during the studied period. Both of WW and DWG were unaffected by type of kidding and breed and were higher in males than in females. It is suggested that equation ofWood’s model is adequate to describe the lactation curve in studied goat breeds. The ANG and AG breeds versus SG had more persistence for milk production which was higher for those with single type of birth than those with twins.Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Universidad Autónoma Chaping

The effects of three total mixed rations with different concentrate to maize silage ratios and different levels of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris on in vitro total gas, methane and carbon dioxide production

The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of adding Chlorella vulgaris algae at different levels on in vitro gas production (GP) of three total mixed rations (TMR) with different concentrate (C): maize silage (S) ratios (25C : 75S, 50C : 50S, 75C : 25S). Chlorella vulgaris was added at 0, 20, 40 and 80 mg/g dry matter (DM) of the TMR and total gas, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production were recorded after 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24 and 48 h of incubation in three runs. Increasing concentrate portion in the TMR linearly increased the asymptotic GP and decreased the rate of GP without affecting the lag time. Addition of C. vulgaris at 20 mg/ g DM to the 25C : 75S TMR increased the asymptotic GP, CH4, CO2 and GP at 48 h. Addition of C. vulgaris to the 50C : 50S TMR decreased the asymptotic GP and GP at 48 h. Higher CH4 production was observed at 48 h of incubation when C. vulgaris was included at (per g DM): 20 mg for the 25C : 75S ration, 40 mg for the 50C : 50S ration and 80 mg for the 75C : 25S ration. Inclusion of C. vulgaris linearly increased CH4 production for the 50C : 50S ration and increased CO2 production at 10 and 12 h of incubation for the 50C : 50S ration, whereas 20 and 40 mg C. vulgaris/g DM of the 75C : 25S TMR decreased CO2 production. The 25C : 75S TMR had the highest in vitro DM disappearance with C. vulgaris addition. Chlorella vulgaris addition was more effective with rations high in fibre content than those high in concentrates. It can be concluded that the optimal level of C. vulgaris addition was 20 mg/g DM for improved ruminal fermentation of the 25C : 75S TMR

Rumen degradation and nutritive utilization of wheat straw, corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse ensiled with multienzymes

Agricultural wastes such as wheat straw, corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse are carbohydrate-rich materials with a large potential as a source of dietary energy for ruminants. However, such feeds have poor nutritional value with low nitrogen and high fibre content (Tang et al. 2013; Ghorbani et al. 2014; Kholif et al. 2014). Although ruminant production systems depend mainly on forages as the main nutritional components, the digestion of these fibrous forages in the rumen is limited by their high content of fibre and inefficient fibre degradation (Krause et al. 2003; Khattab et al. 2013), thus limiting their use as the sole feed for actively growing or high-performing ruminants (Dean et al. 2013). The high fibre content also prevents the access of ruminal hydrolytic enzymes to cellulose and hemicellulose (Chesson 1984).The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anaerobic ensiling of raw agricultural wastes with a fibrolytic enzyme cocktail (EZ) as a cleaner and sustainable biological product for animal feed. Ten 1-kg samples of wheat straw, corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse were chopped at 5 cm length and mixed with EZ at three levels of 0, 1 or 3 L enzyme/ton of feed, moistened to a relative humidity of approximately 50% and ensiled in plastic bales for 30 days. Additionally, fibrous samples were incubated for 72 h with rumen liquor to determine the digestion of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre. Increasing enzyme level lowered ether extract and nitrogen-free extract contents of fibrous feeds and increased the biodegradation of acid detergent lignin of wheat straw. Anaerobic ensiled corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse with EZ improved the biodegradation of DM and fibre fractions. It could be concluded that ensiling fibres of the three wastes with EZ improved and enhanced their ruminal digestion with the biodegradation rate at 3 L/ton and subsequently produced a cleaner product for animal feed from agriculture wastes

Effects of organic acid salts on ruminal biogas production and fermentation kinetics of total mixed rations with different maize silage to concentrate ratios

Methane is a major greenhouse gas (GHG) produced during the normal digestive process in ruminant animals (Blaxter and Clapperton, 1965) with a global warming potential, 25-fold that of carbon dioxide (IPCC, 2007). In addition to environmental implications, ruminant methanogenesis represents a loss of 2e12% of the gross energy intake (Johnson and Johnson, 1995; Soltanali et al., 2015) with a greater environmental impact from the confinement system compared with pasture-based system (O'Brien et al., 2012). A cow can produce 250 to 500 L of methane (CH4) per day depending on the quantity and quality of the feed which affects rate of digestion and rate of passage in the fermentation process (Johnson and Johnson, 1995). Furthermore, cattle consuming high fibre diets typically lose about 6% of gross dietary energy as methane (CH4), whereas those on high concentrate rations generally lose about 3% of dietary gross energy as CH4 (Mc Geough et al., 2012). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the livestock sector is responsible for about 18% of total global anthropogenic GHG emissionsRuminants are one of the major generators of methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) with a global warming potential, 25-fold that of carbon dioxide. Methane production by ruminants also reduces the gross feed energy intake utilization by about 2e12%. The present study aimed to test the effects of different levels of a ruminal fermentation modulator (RFM) on in vitro ruminal fermentation and GHG production of five total mixed rations (TMR) with different silage (S) to-concentrate (C) ratios (0S:100C, 25S:75C, 50S:50C, 75S:25C, and 100S:0C). The RFM contained mainly calcium propionate and malate, and monopropylene glycol. The rumen inoculum was collected from a Brown Swiss cow fed a TMR of concentrate and alfalfa hay (1:1 dry matter (DM)) ad libitum. Gas production (GP) measurements were recorded up to 72 h of incubation. There were interactions (P 0.05) on methane production. The DM digestibility increased (linear effect; P ¼ 0.003) as silage level increased. Overall, increasing silage in the TMR lowered the asymptotic GP and DM digestibility. The asymptotic GP was higher with the addition of the RFM without any effect on fermentation kinetics. These results suggest that the RFM can be used as an environmental cleaner product in animal farming due to its ability to improve ruminal fermentation of feedstuffs and to reduce methane emission

Anaerobic ensiling of raw agricultural waste with a fibrolytic enzyme cocktail as a cleaner and sustainable biological product

Global crop production is growing continuously, with large amounts of crop residues being produced. Besides, the high cost of concentrates and quality forages has raised the interest to include fibrous roughages in ruminant nutrition, as indicated by Alsersy et al. (2015) in their work on effect of Mediterranean saltbush (Atriplex halimus) ensilaging with two enzyme cocktails on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation in sheep.The increasing expansion of agricultural activities have resulted in an unending production of agricultural waste which constitutes environmental nuisance, if not properly disposed. In most developing countries, this waste is burnt causing environmental problems and health challenges. The utilization of biodegraded ensiled agricultural waste, as an energy source, in livestock nutrition is proposed as a viable solution of reducing pollution. Agricultural waste such as straws is carbohydrate-rich materials that have a large potential as a dietary energy source for ruminants. This study aimed to determine the effect of anaerobic ensiling of raw agricultural waste with a fibrolytic enzyme cocktail as a cleaner and sustainable biological product for animal feed. Ten samples of 1 kg each of wheat straw, corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse were ensiled with enzyme cocktail at 0, 1 or 3 mL/kg dry matter of feed. Before ensiling, feed samples were chopped at 5 cm and moistened to a relative humidity of approximately 50% and then kept for 30 d in plastic bales. Feed type enzyme level interactions were observed (P < 0.01) for nutrient contents and fermentation kinetics. Increasing the level of enzyme cocktail increased (P < 0.01) crude protein and ether extract contents but decreased organic matter and non-structural carbohydrates contents of the three feeds. The enzyme cocktail also decreased (P < 0.01) neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose and hemicellulose contents of corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse. The high level of the enzyme cocktail increased (P < 0.05) methane production from corn stalks but decreased it from sugarcane bagasse. Fermentation parameters response to ensiling differed among the ensiled feeds. It can be concluded that anaerobic fermentation of enzyme-treated agricultural waste and feeding it to livestock is one of the viable ways of utilizing this waste which otherwise could have constituted nuisance and pollution to the environment, if incinerated or improperly disposed

Effect of starvation on global gene expression and proteolysis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fast, efficiently growing animals have increased protein synthesis and/or reduced protein degradation relative to slow, inefficiently growing animals. Consequently, minimizing the energetic cost of protein turnover is a strategic goal for enhancing animal growth. Characterization of gene expression profiles associated with protein turnover would allow us to identify genes that could potentially be used as molecular biomarkers to select for germplasm with improved protein accretion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We evaluated changes in hepatic global gene expression in response to 3-week starvation in rainbow trout (<it>Oncorhynchus mykiss</it>). Microarray analysis revealed a coordinated, down-regulated expression of protein biosynthesis genes in starved fish. In addition, the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism/transport, aerobic respiration, blood functions and immune response were decreased in response to starvation. However, the microarray approach did not show a significant increase of gene expression in protein catabolic pathways. Further studies, using real-time PCR and enzyme activity assays, were performed to investigate the expression of genes involved in the major proteolytic pathways including calpains, the multi-catalytic proteasome and cathepsins. Starvation reduced mRNA expression of the calpain inhibitor, calpastatin long isoform (CAST-L), with a subsequent increase in the calpain catalytic activity. In addition, starvation caused a slight but significant increase in 20S proteasome activity without affecting mRNA levels of the proteasome genes. Neither the mRNA levels nor the activities of cathepsin D and L were affected by starvation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest a significant role of calpain and 20S proteasome pathways in protein mobilization as a source of energy during fasting and a potential association of the CAST-L gene with fish protein accretion.</p

Influence of Trichoderma reesei or Saccharomyces cerevisiae on performance, ruminal fermentation, carcass characteristics and blood biochemistry of lambs fed Atriplex nummularia and Acacia saligna mixture

The mixtureof A.nummularia and A.saligna (1:1 DM)was autoclaved(TuttnauerUSACo.Ltd.,NY,USA)at121 °C and1.5psi for 15mintodestroyanymicrobes.Thecontentwasallowedto cool andlaterinoculatedwiththesporesof T.reesei at arateof 40 mLofthesporesuspensioncontaining107 spores permL/kg DM ofautoclaved A.nummularia and A.saligna mixture. Thein- oculatedsubstrateswerethenincubatedatambienttemperature for 10days.Bytheendoftheincubationperiod,theforageswere fullycoveredwiththefungus.Theywerethenovendriedat70 °C in aforcedairdryingoven(CascadeTEK’s ModelTFO-10,OR,USA) for 24hsoastostopfungalgrowthandpreventfurtherdena- turationofproteins.The aim of this study was to evaluate whole substitution of Egyptian berseem hay (Trifolium alexandrinum) with a mixture of Atriplex nummularia and Acacia saligna (1:1 DM) in the diet of Barki lambs for 70 days. Thirty six lambs (27.0±0.89 kg initial BW) were divided into four treatment groups of nine lambs each and fed: (1) the Control group with no substitution (70% concentrate mixture and 30% berseem hay, DM basis), (2) A. nummularia and A. saligna mixture without fungal treatment (treatment group AU), or (3) Trichoderma reesei treated A. nummularia and A. saligna mixture (treatment group AF), or (4) A. nummularia and A. saligna mixture supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 0.5 g/kg DM of feed (treatment group AS) replaced 100% of berseem hay in the diet. Live-weight change, rumen fermentation parameters, blood chemistry, carcass characteristics and intestinal histology were investigated. Significant (P0.05). Lambs fed AF and AU diets had lower (P<0.05) feed conversion efficiency than lambs fed the AS and Control diets. Lambs fed AF and AS had increased (P<0.05) volatile fatty acid production compared to Controls. Blood albumin and urea concentrations increased (P<0.05) with lambs in AS treatment compared to lambs in the other treatments, while lambs fed AF had lower (P<0.05) cholesterol and glucose concentrations compared to the Controls. The AS lambs had the highest (P<0.05) dressing percentage. Decreased intramuscular fat weights were obtained with lambs fed halophytes compared to Control lambs. Histology of the ileum, sub mucosa and Peyer's patches were normal in all lambs. In conclusion, untreated halophyte mixtures of A. nummularia and A. saligna (at 1:1 DM) can be substituted for berseem hay without negative effects on performance while treatment with S. cerevisiae may improve performance and, like T. reesei, change certain biochemical responses