Evaluation of 2’-Fucosyllactose and Bifidobacterium longum Subspecies infantis on Growth, Organ Weights, and Intestinal Development of Piglets

Human milk is rich in oligosaccharides that influence intestinal development and serve as prebiotics for the infant gut microbiota. Probiotics and 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) added individually to infant formula have been shown to influence infant development, but less is known about the effects of their synbiotic administration. Herein, the impact of formula supplementation with 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis Bi-26 (Bi-26), or 2’-FL + Bi-26 on weight gain, organ weights, and intestinal development in piglets was investigated. Two-day-old piglets (n = 53) were randomized in a 2 × 2 design to be fed a commercial milk replacer ad libitum without (CON) or with 1.0 g/L 2’-FL. Piglets in each diet were further randomized to receive either glycerol stock alone or Bi-26 (109 CFU) orally once daily. Body weights and food intake were monitored from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 33/34. On PND 34/35, animals were euthanized and intestine, liver and brain weights were assessed. Intestinal samples were collected for morphological analyses and measurement of disaccharidase activity. Dry matter of cecum and colon contents and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis abundance by RT-PCR were also measured. All diets were well tolerated, and formula intake did not differ among the treatment groups. Daily body weights were affected by 2’-FL, Bi-26, and day, but no interaction was observed. There was a trend (p = 0.075) for greater total body weight gain in CON versus all other groups. Jejunal and ascending colon histomorphology were unaffected by treatment; however, there were main effects of 2’-FL to increase (p = 0.040) and Bi-26 to decrease (p = 0.001) ileal crypt depth. The addition of 2’-FL and/or Bi-26 to milk replacer supported piglet growth with no detrimental effects on body and organ weights, or intestinal structure and function.

Supplementation with Agave fourcroydes powder on growth performance, carcass traits, organ weights, gut morphometry, and blood biochemistry in broiler rabbits

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with Agave fourcroydes powder on growth performance, carcass traits, organ weights, gut morphometry, and blood biochemistry in broiler rabbits. A total of 40 male rabbits (New Zealand × Californian) weaned at 35 d were randomly selected for a control diet (CD) and CD + 1.5% of A. fourcroydes powder, with 10 replicates and two rabbits per replicate. After 60 d, A. fourcroydes powder increased body weight, feed intake, and weight gain (P<0.05), without affecting feed conversion ratio and viability (P>0.05). Furthermore, this natural product did not affect the edible portions and the indicators determined in the Longissimus dorsi, nor the organ relative weights and the intestinal morphometry (P>0.05); however, a decrease in cecal pH was observed and consequently an increase in cecal beneficial bacteria (P<0.05) were found. Also, A. fourcroydes powder reduced (P<0.05) the serum concentration of glucose, harmful lipids, HDL and atherogenic index although without change for the ureic nitrogen, creatinine and VLDL (P>0.05). Agave fourcroydes powder as a zootechnical additive promoted better growth, in addition, it showed lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic effects, without modifying the edible portions and organs digestive.

Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) and Garlic (Allium Sativum) Oil (GGO) Mixtures on Carcass Characteristics and Sensory Evalaution of Broiler Chickens

An experiment was conducted to assess the influence of GGO on carcass features and sensory assessment of broiler chickens. 120 1-day-old (Arbo acre) birds were separated into five treatments, each with three replicates of 8 birds. Throughout the 8-week trial, clean feed and water were available at all times. NRC's basal diet was designed to suit avian nutritional needs (1994). A 0% GGO meal was given to the birds in treatment 1, whereas GGO levels of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 percent were given to the birds in treatments 2, 3, 4, and 5. As well as studying the phytochemical content of (Zingiber officinale) and garlic (Allium sativum) oil, carcass and organ features of birds were also studied. Zingiber officinale contains phenols (8.21%), alkaloids (5.12%), flavonoids (7.49%), tannins (6.52%), saponins (3.18%), streiods (2.38%), glycosides (0.18%), oxalates (0.07%), and phytate (0.07%). (0.02 %). Sativum contains flavonoids (10.67%) alkaloids (7.02%) tannins (4.72%) steroids (3.65%) saponin (2) glycoside (0.33%) oxalates (0.26%) and phytate (0.26%). (0.05 %). Dressing %, carcass and relative organ weights differed across treatments (P0.05). The liver, kidney, spleen, and other internal organs showed no signs of inflammation. GGO altered meat sensory assessment (tenderness, juiciness, taste, and fragrance) except meat color which was not significantly (P0.05) different across treatments. GGO may be fed to broilers up to 0.4 percent without affecting their health or performance.

Developing a Reference Database for Typical Body and Organ Growth of the Artificially Reared Pig as a Biomedical Research Model

Objectives: The pig is a common model utilized to support substantiation of novel bioactive components in infant formula. However, reference ranges for outcomes to determine safety are unclear. Our objective was to use historical data to objectively define typical body and organ growth metrics of the domesticated pig in research.Methods: Twenty-two studies were compiled to assess typical growth of body and organ weights in young pigs. Metadata were organized to include milk replacer sources, bioactive components, sex, breed, source of herd, feeding regimen, and rearing environment. A combination of statistical models including simple linear regression and linear mixed effect models were used to assess typical growth patterns.Results: Over 18,000 data points from 786 animals were available. In general, minimal differences in the growth of pigs who were male and female, artificially- or sow-reared, or fed ad libitum- or by scheduled-feeding, were observed in the first 30 days of life (P &gt; 0.05). A weight-for-age chart from reference pigs was developed to compare body weights of pigs demonstrating growth characterized as accelerated, typical, reduced, and failure to thrive to illustrate effects of dietary interventions. Distributions of relative brain, liver, and intestine weights (as % of total body weight) were similar between rearing environments and sexes. An alternative bivariate level approach was utilized for the analysis of organ weights. This approach revealed significant biologically-relevant insights into how deficient diets can affect organ weight that a univariate level assessment of weight distribution was unable to detect.Conclusions: Ultimately, these data can be used to better interpret whether bioactive ingredients tested in the pig model affect growth and development within typical reference values for pigs in the first 30 days of life.

Biochemical and haematological enhancement activities of aqueous and methanol leaves, stem and roots extracts of Chasmanthera dependens (Hochst) and Dictyandra arborescens (Welw.)

Background Africa is blessed with rich floral biodiversity which are harnessed as herbal medicines and remedies for several ailments. Since there has been evidence of organ toxicity following prolonged ingestion of medicinal plant concotions, this study investigated the biochemical and hematological enhancement activities of aqueous and methanolic leaves, stem and roots extracts of Chasmanthera dependens (Hochst) and Dictyandra arborescens (Welw) in adult male albino rats. Results Leaves, stem and roots extracts of D. arborescens, as well as extracts of leaves and roots of C. dependens did not record any mice mortality even at 5000 mg/kg b.wt but extracts of C. dependens stem in both medium recorded death at 2900 mg/kg b. wt and 5000 mg/kg b.wt. Ingestion of the extracts by rats over a 14-day period increased (p < 0.05) the body weights of the experimental animals in the C. dependens and D. arborescens treated groups. The relative organ weights of rats that received the extracts did not differ (p < 0.05) significantly from those of the standard and normal control. Administration of the extracts revealed significant (p < 0.05) increase in haematological parameters (PCV, Hb, RBCs, WBCs, MCH, Neutrophils, Lymphocytes and MCHC) at 200 mg/kg−1 body weight. For biochemical parameters, levels of ALT, AST, ALP, total protein, and albumin were not significantly (p < 0.05) elevated following administration of the extracts. Conclusion These parameters did not differ significantly from the normal and standard control. Since these extracts did not exhibit any chronic toxicity on experimental animals, suggesting no harmful effects following their use, their continuous use in ethno-medicine is therefore justified.

Growth performance, visceral organ weights, and gut health of weaned pigs fed diets with different dietary fiber solubility and lipid sources

Objective of this study was to determine the interactive effects of dietary fiber solubility and lipid source on growth performance, visceral organ weights, gut histology, and gut microbiota composition of weaned pigs. A total of 280 nursery pigs [initial body weight (BW) = 6.84 kg] weaned at 21 d were housed in 40 pens (7 pigs/pen). The pigs were fed four diets (10 pens/diet) in a randomized complete block design in two phases; Phase 1 from 0 to 2 weeks and Phase 2 from 2 to 5 wk. The diets were corn-soybean meal-based with either sugar beet pulp (SBP) or soybean hulls (SBH) as a fiber source and either soybean oil (SBO) or choice white grease (CWG) as a lipid source in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The BW and feed intake were determined by phase, whereas visceral organ weights, intestinal histology, and gut microbial composition were determined at the end of the trial. Dietary fiber solubility and lipid source did not interact (P &gt; 0.05) on average daily feed intake and average daily gain across all phases. However, the gain to feed ratio (G:F) for CWG-containing diets was lower (P &lt; 0.05) than that for SBO-containing diets for Phase 1. Also, G:F for SBP-containing diets was lower (P &lt; 0.05) than that for SBH-containing diets for Phase 1 and for the entire study period. Pigs fed SBP-containing diets had greater (P &lt; 0.05) stomach weight, and tended to have greater (P &lt; 0.10) small and large intestine weights relative to BW than those fed SBH-containing diets. Duodenal villous height to crypt depth ratio for CWG-based diets tended be greater (P = 0.09) than that for SBO-based diets. Fiber solubility and lipid source interacted (P &lt; 0.05) on relative abundance of Bacteroides in the colon such that the relative abundance of the Bacteroides for CWG was greater (P &lt; 0.05) than that for the SBO in SBP-based diet, but not in SBH-based diet. Relative abundance of Butyricicoccus in the colon for SBH-based diet was greater (P &lt; 0.05) than that for SBP-based diet. In conclusion, inclusion of SBH instead of SBP in corn-soybean meal-based diets for weaned pigs can result in increased feed efficiency and relative abundance of Butyricicoccus in the colon, which is associated with improved gut health. Also, inclusion of SBO instead of CWG in the diets for weaned pigs can result in improved feed efficiency during Phase 1 feeding; however, the pigs may recover from the low feed efficiency induced by dietary inclusion of CWG instead of SBO after Phase 1 feeding.

PSIII-12 The effect of maternal dietary isoflavone supplementation and infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus on the growth performance of offspring

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of maternal infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) on piglet prenatal development and pre-weaning growth, and the potential for isoflavone supplementation to alleviate these effects. First parity gilts (n = 24) at gestational day (GD) 65 were allotted to one of three treatments: uninfected and fed a diet devoid of isoflavones (CON), infected with PRRSV and fed the control diet (POS), or infected with PRRSV and fed a diet supplemented with 1,500 ppm soy isoflavones (ISF). Gilts were inoculated intranasally with saline or 2.5×104 TCID50/mL of suspended live PRRSV (NADC20 strain) on GD 70. To determine the effects of PRRSV infection in sows, feed intake (GD 70–114) and rectal temperatures (GD 70–91) were recorded daily, while serum TNF-α concentrations were measured weekly. After farrowing (GD 114 ± 2), two piglets closest to the average litter weight were culled either at birth or weaning (21 d of age) to determine body, muscle, and organ weights of offspring pigs. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed on left semitendinosus muscles for determination of muscle cell number and size at each time-point. At birth, whole body, muscle, and organ weights were not different (P &gt; 0.22) between groups except that relative liver weight was increased (P &lt; 0.05) in POS compared with CON piglets. At weaning, ISF reduced (P ≤ 0.05) whole body and muscle weights, but greater (P &lt; 0.05) kidney weight compared with CON, and greater (P &lt; 0.05) relative liver weight compared with CON or POS. However, muscle fiber number and size were not different (P &gt; 0.39) between groups at either time-point. These results suggest maternal PRRSV infection altered offspring organ growth, but dietary ISF did not alleviate the detrimental effects of PRRSV infection in sows or offspring.

Telomere Length and Regulatory Genes as Novel Stress Biomarkers and Their Diversities in Broiler Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) Subjected to Corticosterone Feeding

This study was designed to characterize telomere length and its regulatory genes and to evaluate their potential as well-being biomarkers. Chickens were fed a diet containing corticosterone (CORT) for 4 weeks and performances, organ weight, plasma CORT levels, telomere lengths and regulatory genes were measured and recorded. Body weights of CORT-fed chickens were significantly suppressed (p < 0.05), and organ weights and circulating CORT plasma levels (p < 0.05) were altered. Interaction effect of CORT and duration was significant (p < 0.05) on heart and liver telomere length. CORT significantly (p < 0.05) shortened the telomere length of the whole blood, muscle, liver and heart. The TRF1, chTERT, TELO2 and HSF1 were significantly (p < 0.05) upregulated in the liver and heart at week 4 although these genes and TERRA were downregulated in the muscles at weeks 2 and 4. Therefore, telomere lengths and their regulators are associated and diverse, so they can be used as novel biomarkers of stress in broiler chickens fed with CORT.