Enhancing Weaned Piglet Health and Performance: The Role of Autolyzed Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and ß-Glucans as a Blood Plasma Alternative in Diets.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of the autolyzed yeast (AY) Saccharomyces cerevisiae with or without an immunomodulator (1,3/1,6 ß-glucans) as a total/partial substitute for blood plasma (BP) in the diet of post-weaning piglets; zootechnical performance, intestinal health and microbiota, immune responses and energy metabolism were assessed. A total of 240 castrated male and female piglets, with a mean age of 22 days and mean initial weight of 5.24 ± 0.82 kg, were randomly divided into blocks of four treatments with 12 replicates. The dietary inclusions were blood plasma (BP), autolyzed yeast (AY), autolyzed yeast + immunomodulator (AYI) and 50% BP and 50% AY (BPAY). In pre-initial phase II (29-35 days), piglets fed AY showed better feed conversion (FCR = 1.358) than the piglets in the BP (1.484), AYI (1.379) and BPAY (1.442) groups, i.e., 8.49% (0.126), 1.52% (0.021) and 4.50% (0.084), respectively (p = 0.0293). In the total period (21-42 days), better FCR was observed in the AYI (1.458) group, i.e., 4.64% (0.071), 1.15% (0.017) and 4.58% (0.070), than in the BP (1.529), AY (1.475) and BPAY (1.528) groups, respectively (p = 0.0150). In piglets fed AY (n = 3) and BPAY (n = 2), there was a reduction in the number of medications, i.e., 82.35% (-14n) and 88.23% (-15n), respectively (p = 0.0001), compared with that in the BP group (n = 17). In the AY group (73.83 mg/dL), AYI group (69.92 mg/dL), and BPAY group (69.58 mg/dL), piglets exhibited increases in triglyceride levels of 79.32%, 69.83%, and 69.00%, respectively, in comparison to those in the BP group, which had triglyceride levels of 41.17 mg/dL (p = 0.0400). The beta-hydroxybutyrate concentration in the AY group (79.96 ng/µL) was lower by 31.95%, 22.64%, and 5.89% compared to the BP group (117.50 ng/µL), AYI group (103.36 ng/µL), and BPAY group (84.67 ng/µL), respectively (p = 0.0072). In the AYI group, there was modulation of the microbiota, with an increase in the relative abundance of bacteria of the genera Lactobacillus, Collinsella and Bulleidia. AY, associated or not associated with an immunomodulator, is a potential substitute for BP in diets for piglets in the nursery phase, with positive effects on immune, metabolic, and intestinal microbial performance.

Effect of orange fibre on nutrient digestibility and fermentation products in faeces of cats fed kibble diets.

The aim of the present study was to compare orange fibre, beet pulp and inulin as fibre sources for cats. A control diet (CON) was formulated without inclusion of a fibre source. Further experimental diets were also based on diet CON but were supplemented with 1% orange fibre (diet 1%OF); 3% orange fibre (diet 3%OF); 3% beet pulp (diet 3%BP) or 1% inulin (diet 1%IN). Forty cats were used in a randomised block design (4 blocks of 10 cats, 2 animals per food in each block, totalling 8 animals per treatment). Each block lasted 20 d, with 10 d of adaptation, 10 d of faecal collection for digestibility as well as evaluation of pH-value and fermentation products. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, starch and gross energy did not vary between diets. In diet 1%OF, dietary fibre revealed a greater digestibility than in diet CON (p < 0.05). Faecal production was higher in cats fed diets 3%OF and 3%BP than in those fed diet 1%IN (p < 0.05). Faecal concentrations of acetate and total short-chain fatty acids were higher for cats fed diet 3%BP than for those fed diets 1%IN and CON (p < 0.05), while diets 1%OF and 3%OF showed intermediate results. Faecal propionate concentration was higher for cats fed diet 3%BP, intermediate for diets 1%OF, 3%OF and 1%IN and lower for animals fed diet CON (p < 0.05). Compared with diets CON and 1%IN, the faecal concentration of tyramine was higher for cats fed diet 3%OF (p < 0.05). Orange fibre was fermentable; up to 3% inclusion it did not interfere with the digestibility of nutrients, faecal score and faecal moisture content, and promoted the formation of short-chain fatty acids and tyramine by the intestinal microbiota, with possible effects on intestinal function.

Threonine incorporation in tissues of growing broiler chickens using L-[15 N] threonine.

Most amino acid requirement trials appear for whole-body responses, but there is little information concerning amino acid incorporation in individual tissues, which may vary according to the age. L-[15 N] threonine was used to evaluate its incorporation rate and distribution among broiler tissues in different ages. Seventy-two male broiler chickens were distributed into three different phases: starter (4 to 9 days old), grower (18 to 23 days old) and finisher phase (32 to 37 days old). L-[15 N] threonine was added on balanced diets, and birds were fed for five days in each phase. Enriched samples of breast muscle, feathers, liver, jejunum and plasma were collected at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hr after fed birds with the tracer in each phase. In the tissues were analysed dry matter, nitrogen and stable nitrogen. The 15 N isotope abundance according to the time was fitted into exponential or linear equations using a same intercept. The ratio of the steepness or slope coefficients was determined to compare the L-[15 N] threonine incorporation according to the age. In addition, L-[15 N] threonine mass balances were performed to assess the L-[15 N] threonine distribution among the evaluated tissues. Except for feathers, the L-[15 N] threonine incorporation rate decreased with ageing. Taking into account the L-[15 N] threonine distribution in the tissues, only in the jejunum was not observed an increase as the broiler grew. The L-[15 N] incorporation varied in each tissue and according to the age of the broiler chickens. These outcomes could be useful to comprehend changes in amino acid requirements tissue-specific according to age.