Nutritional strategies to alleviate heat stress in pigs

Pigs are comparatively less heat tolerant than other species of production animals, which poses challenges for stock productivity and management during seasonal heat waves that occur in summer. The issues surrounding heat and pig production are predicted to increase, based on the actions of climate change increasing the intensity, frequency and duration of heat waves. Furthermore, future growth areas of pig production are going to be in tropical regions such as South-east Asia and Latin America. Efforts by the pig to dissipate excess body heat come at a cost to health and divert energy away from growth, compromising efficient pig production. Management of heat stress requires multiple strategies, and recent research is improving the understanding of the application of nutritional strategies to ameliorate the effects of heat stress. In particular the use of feed additives is an important, flexible and economical method to alleviate heat stress and the intensive nature of pig production lends itself to the use of additives. Some specific examples include antioxidants, betaine and chromium, which have been proved effective or being tested in mitigating some certain impacts of heat stress in pigs. The aim of this review is to summarise recent advances in the nutritional management of heat stress in pigs.

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Nutritional strategies to alleviate heat stress effects through feed restrictions and feed additives (vitamins and minerals) in broilers under summer conditions

Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology ◽

10.31893/2318-1265jabb.v7n3p123-131 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 123-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohamed Abdelhameed Salah Abdelhameed ◽

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Lozovskiy Alexander Robertovich ◽

Ali Amany Muhammad Ahmed ◽

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...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Feed Additives ◽

Stress Effects ◽

Nutritional Strategies

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Perspective Chapter: Using Feed Additives to Eliminate Harmful Effects of Heat Stress in Broiler Nutrition

10.5772/intechopen.101030 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

László Babinszky ◽

Csaba Szabó ◽

Márta Horváth

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Heat Production ◽

Heat Waves ◽

Effective Means ◽

Feed Additives ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Agricultural Industry ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Acute Heat Stress ◽

Antioxidant Parameters

Global warming is one of the major challenges for mankind, with animal breeding one of the most affected sectors in the agricultural industry. High ambient temperatures negatively affect all domestic animals. While it is true that pork and dairy production suffer the consequences of heat waves, it is actually the poultry industry which is hit the hardest by the heat stress poultry must endure due to hotter weather. Consequently, we have a fundamental interest in reducing and/or eliminating the negative effects of climate change, i.e. prolonged high ambient temperatures. The aim of this chapter is to present the adverse effects of heat stress on energy metabolism, anti- and pro-oxidant capacity and production in birds. A further goal is to show how various feed additives (e.g. vitamin A, C and E, selenium, zinc, betaine, plant extract, and probiotics) can reduce the negative effects of heat stress. Based on the large number of recent scientific findings, the following conclusions were drawn: Using fat in the diet (up to 5%) can reduce heat production in livestock. Vitamins (e.g. A, E and C) are capable of reacting with free radicals. Vitamin E and Vitamin C, Zn, and Se supplementation improved antioxidant parameters. Antioxidant potential of vitamins and micro minerals is more efficient in combination under heat stress in poultry nutrition. Plant extracts (e.g. oregano) could decrease the negative effects of heat stress on antioxidant enzyme activity due to its antioxidant constituents. Betaine reduces heat production in animals at high ambient temperatures. While acute heat stress induces a drop in feed intake, with the resulting increased nutrient demand leading to weight loss, if heat stress is prolonged, adaptation will occur. Probiotics and vitamins (C and E) seem to be the most effective means to reduce the negative effects of heat stress.

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Heat Stress and Goat Welfare: Adaptation and Production Considerations

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11041021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 1021

Author(s):

Veerasamy Sejian ◽

Mullakkalparambil V. Silpa ◽

Mini R. Reshma Nair ◽

Chinnasamy Devaraj ◽

Govindan Krishnan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Body Condition Score ◽

Heat Exposure ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Production Performance ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Meat Production ◽

Important Species ◽

Tropical Regions ◽

Tropical Climates

This review attempted to collate and synthesize information on goat welfare and production constraints during heat stress exposure. Among the farm animals, goats arguably are considered the best-suited animals to survive in tropical climates. Heat stress was found to negatively influence growth, milk and meat production and compromised the immune response, thereby significantly reducing goats’ welfare under extensive conditions and transportation. Although considered extremely adapted to tropical climates, their production can be compromised to cope with heat stress. Therefore, information on goat adaptation and production performance during heat exposure could help assess their welfare. Such information would be valuable as the farming communities are often struggling in their efforts to assess animal welfare, especially in tropical regions. Broadly three aspects must be considered to ensure appropriate welfare in goats, and these include (i) housing and environment; (ii) breeding and genetics and (iii) handling and transport. Apart from these, there are a few other negative welfare factors in goat rearing, which differ across the production system being followed. Such negative practices are predominant in extensive systems and include nutritional stress, limited supply of good quality water, climatic extremes, parasitic infestation and lameness, culminating in low production, reproduction and high mortality rates. Broadly two types of methodologies are available to assess welfare in goats in these systems: (i) animal-based measures include behavioral measurements, health and production records and disease symptoms; (ii) resources based and management-based measures include stocking density, manpower, housing conditions and health plans. Goat welfare could be assessed based on several indicators covering behavioral, physical, physiological and productive responses. The important indicators of goat welfare include agonistic behavior, vocalization, skin temperature, body condition score (BCS), hair coat conditions, rectal temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, sweating, reduced growth, reduced milk production and reduced reproductive efficiency. There are also different approaches available by which the welfare of goats could be assessed, such as naturalistic, functional and subjective approaches. Thus, assessing welfare in goats at every production stage is a prerequisite for ensuring appropriate production in this all-important species to guarantee optimum returns to the marginal and subsistence farmers.

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Bacillus subtilis-Based Probiotic Improves Skeletal Health and Immunity in Broiler Chickens Exposed to Heat Stress

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11061494 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1494

Author(s):

Sha Jiang ◽

Fei-Fei Yan ◽

Jia-Ying Hu ◽

Ahmed Mohammed ◽

Heng-Wei Cheng

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Subtilis ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Heat Waves ◽

Stress Sensitivity ◽

Current Data ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Skeletal Health ◽

Welfare Issue ◽

And Performance

The elevation of ambient temperature beyond the thermoneutral zone leads to heat stress, which is a growing health and welfare issue for homeothermic animals aiming to maintain relatively constant reproducibility and survivability. Particularly, global warming over the past decades has resulted in more hot days with more intense, frequent, and long-lasting heat waves, resulting in a global surge in animals suffering from heat stress. Heat stress causes pathophysiological changes in animals, increasing stress sensitivity and immunosuppression, consequently leading to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and related neuroinflammation. Probiotics, as well as prebiotics and synbiotics, have been used to prevent or reduce stress-induced negative effects on physiological and behavioral homeostasis in humans and various animals. The current data indicate dietary supplementation with a Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic has similar functions in poultry. This review highlights the recent findings on the effects of the probiotic Bacillus subtilis on skeletal health of broiler chickens exposed to heat stress. It provides insights to aid in the development of practical strategies for improving health and performance in poultry.

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Secondary Functions of Arginine and Sulfur Amino Acids in Poultry Health: Review

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10112106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2106

Author(s):

Fernanda Lima de Souza Castro ◽

Woo K. Kim

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Bone Mineral ◽

Bone Development ◽

Sulfur Amino Acids ◽

Mineral Density ◽

Eimeria Spp ◽

Nutritional Strategies ◽

Eimeria Infection ◽

Health Review

Amino acids such as arginine, methionine, and cysteine are the precursors of essential molecules that regulate growth and health, being classified as functional amino acids. This review describes the metabolism of arginine and the sulfur amino acids and how they modulate, directly or indirectly, different tissues. Emphasis is placed on their effects in supporting health during challenging conditions, such as heat stress and Eimeria infection. The use of arginine has been shown to reduce abdominal fat pad in ducks and increase lean tissue and bone mineral density in broilers. Additionally, the sulfur amino acids have been shown to improve bone development and are beneficial during heat stress. The use of L-methionine increased the cortical and trabecular bone mineral densities, in laying hens. Moreover, the dietary inclusion of these amino acids could reduce the damage caused by Eimeria spp. infection by regulating the antioxidant system and cell repair. Understanding how these amino acids can mitigate stressful conditions may provide us novel insights of their use as nutritional strategies to modulate the health status of chickens.

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Potential Seasonal Heat Stress of Sheep: Assessment of Four Husbandry Areas in Greece

Applied Engineering in Agriculture ◽

10.13031/aea.32.11451 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 125-129 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Seasonal Heat

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Effect of herbal feed additives on performance, immunity, serum parameters and E. coli counts of broilers under heat stress

Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition ◽

10.5958/2231-6744.2021.00009.8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 61-67

Author(s):

Hanumanth Rao ◽

Srinivas Gurram

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Feed Additives ◽

Serum Parameters ◽

E Coli

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The impact of extreme climatic events on pasture-based dairy systems: a review

Crop and Pasture Science ◽

10.1071/cp16394 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 68 (12) ◽

pp. 1158 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

J. Chang-Fung-Martel ◽

M. T. Harrison ◽

R. Rawnsley ◽

A. P. Smith ◽

H. Meinke

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Heat Waves ◽

Animal Health ◽

Adaptation Strategies ◽

Pasture Production ◽

Potential Productivity ◽

Extreme Climatic Events ◽

Dairy Systems ◽

The Impact

Extreme climatic events such as heat waves, extreme rainfall and prolonged dry periods are a significant challenge to the productivity and profitability of dairy systems. Despite projections of more frequent extreme events, increasing temperatures and reduced precipitation, studies on the impact of these extreme climatic events on pasture-based dairy systems remain uncommon. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has estimated Australia to be one of the most negatively impacted regions with additional studies estimating Australian production losses of around 16% in the agricultural sector and 9–19% between the present and 2050 in the south-eastern dairy regions of Australia due to climate change. Here we review the literature on the impact of climate change on pasture-based dairy systems with particular focus on extreme climatic events. We provide an insight into current methods for assessing and quantifying heat stress highlighting the impacts on pastures and animals including the associated potential productivity losses and conclude by outlining potential adaptation strategies for improving the resilience of the whole-farm systems to climate change. Adapting milking routines, calving systems and the introduction of heat stress tolerant dairy cow breeds are some proposed strategies. Changes in pasture production would also include alternative pasture species better adapted to climate extremes such as heat waves and prolonged periods of water deficit. In order to develop effective adaptation strategies we also need to focus on issues such as water availability, animal health and associated energy costs.

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