105 Feed Additives That Optimize Nitrogen Bio-availability in Nursery Pigs Fed Reducing Crude Protein Diets

Reducing dietary crude protein in early nursery has been suggested as a way to conquer the challenge of post-weaning diarrhea. In order to meet the amino acid requirement in RCP diets, feed grade amino acids are typically used, but the detrimental effect on growth performance associated with the aggressive usage of these amino acids resulted in the establishment of dietary limits. Given the fact that protein deposition rate is the highest in young pigs, lower amino acid consumption could slow the growth rate and feed efficiency in early nursery phase. Therefore, identifying feed additives that increase nutrient retention not only can further reduce dietary nitrogen but also maintain GI tract health. Among all feed additives that exert improvements on nutrient digestibility, peptide and organic acids will be discussed here. Peptide, a di- tri amino acid, is absorbed more efficiently than free amino acids in the small intestine through a peptide transporter at the enteric site. In addition, aside from meeting the amino acid requirement, the bioactive peptide possesses functions such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and as a stimulated Peptide transporter associated with nutrient absorption. Hence, a dietary peptide can help pigs meet the nutrient requirement in RCP diets. Organic acids, on the other hand, have been found to lower gastric pH which improves nutrient absorption, alters microbiome structure (via bacteriostatic and bactericidal) and promotes the growth and health of animals. In addition, organic acids are a ready energy source which is especially critical since nutrient supply disruption, due to low intake during early weaning, is commonly found in weaning pigs. It is noteworthy that variations of growth-promoting effects do exist for both peptide and organic acid products. Thus, understanding the mode of action and response of dietary peptide and organic acid supplements when used across different farm settings is important to help producers decide when to transfer to an antibiotic-free, low zinc operation.

Sulfur-Containing Amino Acids and Lipid Metabolism

ABSTRACT The metabolism of methionine and cysteine in the body tissues determines the concentrations of several metabolites with various biologic activities, including homocysteine, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), taurine, and glutathione. Hyperhomocysteinemia, which is correlated with lower HDL cholesterol in blood in volunteers and animal models, has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. In humans, the relation between methionine intake and hyperhomocysteinemia is dependent on vitamin status (vitamins B-6 and B-12 and folic acid) and on the supply of other amino acids. However, lowering homocysteinemia by itself is not sufficient for decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease progression. Other compounds related to methionine metabolism have recently been identified as being involved in the risk of atherosclerosis and steatohepatitis. Indeed, the metabolism of sulfur amino acids has an impact on phosphatidylcholine (PC) metabolism, and anomalies in PC synthesis due to global hypomethylation have been associated with disturbances of lipid metabolism. In addition, impairment of H2S synthesis from cysteine favors atherosclerosis and steatosis in animal models. The effects of taurine on lipid metabolism appear heterogeneous depending on the populations of volunteers studied. A decrease in the concentration of intracellular glutathione, a tripeptide involved in redox homeostasis, is implicated in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases and steatosis. Last, supplementation with betaine, a compound that allows remethylation of homocysteine to methionine, decreases basal and methionine-stimulated homocysteinemia; however, it adversely increases plasma total and LDL cholesterol. The study of these metabolites may help determine the range of optimal and safe intakes of methionine and cysteine in dietary proteins and supplements. The amino acid requirement for protein synthesis in different situations and for optimal production of intracellular compounds involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism also needs to be considered for dietary attenuation of atherosclerosis and steatosis risk.

Evaluation of a decision support system for precision feeding of gestating sows

Precision feeding (PF) with the daily mixing of 2 diets with different lysine content (high (H) or low (L)) was previously reported for growing pigs to reduce protein intake and N excretion compared with a conventional feeding (CF) based on a single diet (C). Using a simulation approach based on farm data, the objective of the present paper was to describe and evaluate a decision support system for the PF of gestating sows allowing the daily distribution of a tailored ration to each sow. Two datasets, 1 of 2,511 gestations (farm A) and 1 of 2,528 gestations (farm B), reporting sows’ characteristics at insemination and objectives at farrowing were used as inputs for a Python model. This model, mainly based on InraPorc, calculates the nutrient requirements of each sow over gestation and simulates the impact of PF in comparison to CF. Simulated diets L, H, and C contained 3.0, 6.5, and 4.8 g/kg of standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) and 2.0, 3.3, and 2.5 g/kg of standardized total tract digestible phosphorus (STTD-P), respectively. The influence of farm, parity, gestation week, and their interactions, on calculated SID Lys and STTD-P requirements was analyzed applying a mixed model. The calculated SID Lys and STTD-P requirements increased markedly in the last third of gestation (P < 0.01) and were higher for primiparous than for multiparous sows, unless after week 14 for STTD-P requirement. The calculated SID AA and mineral requirements were lower for farm B than farm A (respectively, 2.94 vs. 3.08 g/kg for SID Lys and 1.30 vs. 1.35 g/kg for STTD-P, P < 0.01). On average, feed L represented 86% and 92% of the feed projected to be delivered by the PF strategy in farms A and B, respectively. Compared to CF, average calculated dietary SID Lys content was lowered by 27% and 32% with PF, for farms A and B, respectively, while average calculated dietary phosphorus content was lowered by 13% and 16%. The simulated proportions of sows in excess and deficient in SID Lys were reduced with PF. Compared to CF, the PF strategy allowed for a 3.6% reduction in simulated feed cost per sow during gestation, and reduced nitrogen and phosphorus intake (by 11.0% and 13.8%, respectively) and excretion (by 16.7% and 15.4%, respectively). To conclude, these simulations indicate that PF of gestating sow appears to be relevant to meet the amino acid requirement while reducing feed cost, and supplies and excretion of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Amino acids profile of catfish, crayfish and larva of edible dung beetle

Protein is an important nutrient for growth and development of humans and its quality depends on the types and composition of its amino acids. The amino acid profile of dung beetle larva was determined and compared with those of catfish and crayfish by HPLC using Applied PTH Biosystem amino acid analyzer. The data obtained were analyzed with inferential statistics of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and means separated using LeastSignificance Difference (LSD). The results showed that there were significant differences in the samples for all the set criteria for amino acid quality: total amino acid (F = 219.9), percentage amino acid (F = 1095.4), 2, 6 2, 6 essential amino acid score (F = 2588.4), essential to non-essential amino acid ratio (F = 236.7) and predicted 2, 6 2, 6 protein efficiency ratio (F = 1049.4) all at P < 0.05. About 66.7% of the essential amino acids in dung beetle 2, 6larva satisfy human nutritional requirement while amino acids like tryptophan, histidine and threonine were significantly higher in dung beetle. The amino acid score of this insect was higher as it has the potential of over 100% protein synthesis as against 68.2% and 80.9% respectively for catfish and crayfish. Moreover, a consumption of 46 g of dung beetle larva can effectively satisfy the daily human amino acid requirement. The study concluded that the protein quality of insects especially dung beetle larva compared favorably with commonly consumed human protein diets like catfish and crayfish. Therefore entomophagy should be encouraged in the face of the present dwindling availability of animal protein food sources. Keywords: Amino acid score, Entomophagy, Protein energy malnutrition, Dung beetle

— Invited Review — Amino acid requirements in horses

Evaluating amino acid requirements, specifically threonine requirements, in horses will enable better feed formulation and result in economic production, improved animal health, and reduced environmental pollution. However, the current knowledge of protein and amino acid requirements in horses is still limited. Because horses have a unique digestive system and consume a variety of feed ingredients, their protein digestibility may be affected than other species by different feed composition, and thus amino acid requirements are susceptible to vary between situations. Therefore, a careful evaluation of amino acid requirements with a proper method is needed for various conditions. This review will also provide comprehensive information that needs to be considered when designing an amino acid requirement study in horses.

Methionine plus cystine requirements for the maintenance and efficiency of utilization with tambaqui of different body weights

ABSTRACT Methionine is an essential amino acid, and generally, the first limiting one in the diets of tambaqui, the main native fish produced in continental aquaculture in South America. However, there is a lack of information on their amino acid requirement, especially for maintenance and efficiency of utilization. The present study aimed to determine the requirement of [methionine plus cystine] for the maintenance and efficiency of utilization using tambaqui of different body weights. Two experiments were carried out using 250 tambaqui with weights of 100 and 300 g. They were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatment groups (0.264, 0.396, 0.528, and 0.660% of digestible [Met + Cys]), five replications. The control treatment (CT) was performed with the addition of methionine at the first level (0.264%) until the second level was reached (0.396%). The maintenance requirement was determined by the regression analysis between the consumption of [Met + Cys] and protein retention equal to zero. The efficiency was determined using the value of the slope coefficient of the line obtained by the linear regression. The protein and methionine retention values of tambaqui weighing 100 to 300 g were compared by the parallelism test, and no difference was observed between the parameters of the equations indicating the need for only one equation to describe the responses to body weights. The requirement of digestible [Met + Cys] for the maintenance of tambaqui with weights from 100 to 300 g was 60.47 mg kg-0.7 day-1 and the efficiency of utilization of 42%.

Effect of nutrition plane on meat quail kept in thermoneutral environment: performance and carcass characteristics

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of protein reduction, with or without the supplementation of limiting amino acids, on the performance and carcass characteristics of meat quails from 22 to 42 days of age in a thermoneutral environment. A total of 324 European quails were randomly allocated into nine diets. The diets were formulated based on the recommended requirement (control) and were differentiated according to crude protein (CP) reduction levels into moderate reduction (10%) and severe reduction (20%). The diets were supplemented or not with limiting amino acids. The diets with severe and moderate protein reduction meeting the methionine + cystine, lysine and threonine requirements led to weight gain equivalent to that of the control quails. The diet with a moderate reduction in CP, with or without meeting the methionine + cystine requirement or meeting the methionine + cystine and lysine requirement, led to the greatest carcass yield and a greater leg weight and were similar to the control treatment. It is observed that supplementation with the crystalline sources of the amino acids is able to improve the performance of the quails, in addition, the attendance of methionine + cystine requirement important factor when the CP levels are reduced. In our studies, diets with 17.5% CP and supplemented with methionine + cystine, lysine and threonine meet the requirements of quails, thus generating a limiting amino acid requirement, so they are recommended for meat quails from 22 to 42 days old housed in thermoneutral environment.