Insects in chicken nutrition. A review

Increasing chicken meat production needs an alternative and easily available protein source as a potentional substitute for soybean meal or fishmeal. The insect meals seem to be the most appropriate alternative. Of all insect species, Tenebrio molitor, Hermetia illucens and Musca domestica are the most suitable species for commercial exploitation in poultry feed. On the basis of numerous studies, insect meals contain sufficient nutrients (high quality protein and fat) for broiler production. Potential of insect meals used for feed of chickens is discussed based on published data. Many reviews summarizing the latest insights about the insect meals as an alternative protein source in poultry have been written. However, the present work describes not only the insect production, nutritional value and digestibility of the insect meals, but mainly the effect on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of chickens fed insect meals, which has not been in any review summarized yet. The study describes also the risks and safety of the insect meals. Based on numerous studies, insect meals can have a positive influence on growth without negative impact on carcass and meat quality characteristics

Effect of feeding regime on the performance and blood parameters of male and female broiler chickens

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of feeding regime on changes in growth, mortality, carcass composition, and blood parameters of male and female broiler chickens during feed restriction and the realimentation period. In the experiment, males and females were split into three groups: i) ADL, a group fed ad libitum during the entire experiment; ii) R80, a group that received 80% ad libitum; and iii) R65, a group that received 65% ad libitum. Restriction was applied in both groups from 7 to 14 days old. Daily weight gain (DWG) was reduced significantly in males to 35% in R80 and 39% in R65, and in females to 40% in R80 and 45% in R65. Insignificant compensatory growth occurred in the last week of the growing period. Feed restriction reduced mortality, with a higher mortality reduction in the R65 groups. There was no effect of feed restriction on dressing percentage or thigh yield. However, breast yield was lower and abdominal fat yield was higher in restricted birds. There was a minor effect of feeding regime on blood biochemical and haematological measurements. Males showed significantly higher compensatory growth, feed intake, mortality and thigh yield than females, but dressing percentage and abdominal fat levels were significantly higher in females. Blood total protein and urea concentration were affected by the interaction between sex, group and age.Keywords: blood measurements, carcass yield, feed restriction, growt

Cerebrolysin Inhibits Lipid Peroxidation Induced by Insulin Hypoglycemia in the Brain and Heart of Mice

Summary As a consequence of enhanced production of oxygen free radicals, lipid peroxidation leads to the degradation of membrane lipids and disturbances of membrane permeability. Lipid peroxidation increases under stress conditions such as hypoxia, ischemia or acidosis as well as in metabolic diseases, e.g. diabetes mellitus. We have shown that subcomatous doses of insulin (6.0 IU/kg) significantly increase thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), especially malondialdehyde (MDA) -the endproduct of lipid peroxidation, in the brain and heart of mice. In our model of insulin-induced hypoglycemia, mice were treated with the neuroprotective, peptide-containing drug Cerebrolysin (100 mg/kg b.w.). Animals were sacrificed by decapitation two or three hours after the injection of tested substance and samples were taken to determine several serum parameters (glucose, total protein, triglycerides and lactic acid) and TBARs in the brain and heart. Although Cerebrolysin was not able to affect serum parameters after subcomatous insulin injection, the drug significantly influenced lipid peroxidation. A single injection of Cerebrolysin already decreased TBARs levels in the brain and heart tissue. Presuming that an increase of TBARs reflects disturbances of the cell membrane, we have documented a promising effect of Cerebrolysin on cell integrity

Genome analysis and comparative genomics of a Giardia intestinalis assemblage E isolate

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Giardia intestinalis </it>is a protozoan parasite that causes diarrhea in a wide range of mammalian species. To further understand the genetic diversity between the <it>Giardia intestinalis </it>species, we have performed genome sequencing and analysis of a wild-type <it>Giardia intestinalis </it>sample from the assemblage E group, isolated from a pig.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified 5012 protein coding genes, the majority of which are conserved compared to the previously sequenced genomes of the WB and GS strains in terms of microsynteny and sequence identity. Despite this, there is an unexpectedly large number of chromosomal rearrangements and several smaller structural changes that are present in all chromosomes. Novel members of the VSP, NEK Kinase and HCMP gene families were identified, which may reveal possible mechanisms for host specificity and new avenues for antigenic variation. We used comparative genomics of the three diverse <it>Giardia intestinalis </it>isolates P15, GS and WB to define a core proteome for this species complex and to identify lineage-specific genes. Extensive analyses of polymorphisms in the core proteome of <it>Giardia </it>revealed differential rates of divergence among cellular processes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicate that despite a well conserved core of genes there is significant genome variation between <it>Giardia </it>isolates, both in terms of gene content, gene polymorphisms, structural chromosomal variations and surface molecule repertoires. This study improves the annotation of the <it>Giardia </it>genomes and enables the identification of functionally important variation.</p

Sediment source fingerprinting: benchmarking recent outputs, remaining challenges and emerging themes

Abstract: Purpose: This review of sediment source fingerprinting assesses the current state-of-the-art, remaining challenges and emerging themes. It combines inputs from international scientists either with track records in the approach or with expertise relevant to progressing the science. Methods: Web of Science and Google Scholar were used to review published papers spanning the period 2013–2019, inclusive, to confirm publication trends in quantities of papers by study area country and the types of tracers used. The most recent (2018–2019, inclusive) papers were also benchmarked using a methodological decision-tree published in 2017. Scope: Areas requiring further research and international consensus on methodological detail are reviewed, and these comprise spatial variability in tracers and corresponding sampling implications for end-members, temporal variability in tracers and sampling implications for end-members and target sediment, tracer conservation and knowledge-based pre-selection, the physico-chemical basis for source discrimination and dissemination of fingerprinting results to stakeholders. Emerging themes are also discussed: novel tracers, concentration-dependence for biomarkers, combining sediment fingerprinting and age-dating, applications to sediment-bound pollutants, incorporation of supportive spatial information to augment discrimination and modelling, aeolian sediment source fingerprinting, integration with process-based models and development of open-access software tools for data processing. Conclusions: The popularity of sediment source fingerprinting continues on an upward trend globally, but with this growth comes issues surrounding lack of standardisation and procedural diversity. Nonetheless, the last 2 years have also evidenced growing uptake of critical requirements for robust applications and this review is intended to signpost investigators, both old and new, towards these benchmarks and remaining research challenges for, and emerging options for different applications of, the fingerprinting approach

The Analysis of Czech Genetic Resources of Nutrias (Myocastor coypus)

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effective population size and fertility in the Czech Genetic Resources of nutrias during the last ten years. This study includes three Czech colour types of nutrias: Czech Type of Standard (ST), Moravian Silver (MS), and Prestice Multicolour (PM). The effective population size of ST shows that this colour type is endangered, while MS and PM are critical. The average number of pregnancy was the highest (P ≤ 0.004) in ST (1.7 pregnancy) and the lowest in PM (1.3 pregnancy). ST and MS nutrias had the significantly biggest litter size (P ≤ 0.004). For the number of kits born per female in a year (P < 0.001) the significantly lowest value was in PM (5.1 kits). For weaned kits the highest value (P ≤ 0.006) was in ST (4.8 kits). The results showed that the population size of MS and PM is low and there is a risk of biodiversity loss in these colour types