Dry fractionation creates fractions of wheat distillers dried grains and solubles with highly digestible nutrient content for grower pigs.

Nutrient digestibility in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is limited by constraints such as particle size and fiber. Wheat DDGS contains more fiber than corn DDGS that may reduce its nutritional value in swine feeds. Dry fractionation may create DDGS fractions with low and high fiber content; therefore, wheat DDGS was processed sequentially using a vibratory sifter and gravity table. Sufficient material was obtained from 3 wheat DDGS fractions that differed in particle size from fine to coarse (Fraction A [FA], Fraction C [FC], and Fraction D [FD]). Five cornstarch-based diets were mixed that contained either 40% wheat DDGS, 30% FA, 30% FC plus 10% soybean meal (SBM), 30% FD plus 15% SBM, or 35% SBM. A sixth, N-free diet served to subtract basal endogenous AA losses and as control for energy digestibility calculations. Six ileal-cannulated barrows (29 kg BW) were fed 6 diets at 2.8 times maintenance for DE in six 9-d periods as a 6 × 6 Latin square. Feces and ileal digesta were collected sequentially for 2 d each. Wheat DDGS FA, FC, and FD were 258, 530, and 723 µm in mean particle size and contained 44.8, 39.3, and 33.8% CP and 29.1, 35.1, and 37.5% in NDF, respectively. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of GE was greater (P < 0.05) for SBM than wheat DDGS, was greater (P < 0.05) for FA than wheat DDGS, and did not differ between FC, FD, and wheat DDGS. The standardized ileal digestibility (SID) did not differ between SBM and wheat DDGS (P > 0.05) for most AA. The SID of Arg, Lys, Trp, and available Lys was greater (P < 0.05) for FD than wheat DDGS but was similar for FA, FC, and wheat DDGS and was greater (P < 0.05) for FD than SBM. The DE and NE value was greater (P < 0.05) for SBM, FA, and FC than wheat DDGS and did not differ between FD and wheat DDGS. The SID content of indispensable AA and available Lys was greater (P < 0.05) for SBM than wheat DDGS. The SID content of Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, and Val was greater (P < 0.05) for FA than wheat DDGS but did not differ for indispensable AA between FC and wheat DDGS. The SID content of His, Ile, Leu, Met, and Phe was lower (P < 0.05) for FD than wheat DDGS. In conclusion, dry fractionation creates DDGS fractions with a differing chemical composition. Fine particle fractions contain less fiber and more CP than coarse particle fractions, but their AA digestibility was lower, likely due to most of the solubles being fine particles that are more susceptible to AA damage than protein entrapped in particles of larger size.

Growth performance, diet nutrient digestibility, and bone mineralization in weaned pigs fed pelleted diets containing thermostable phytase.

Traditional supplemental dietary phytase loses activity during steam pelleting. The thermal tolerance and bioefficacy of a phytase product with a thermoprotective coating [coated phytase (C-phytase)] was compared in mash and pelleted diets to a traditional, uncoated phytase (U-phytase) added to a negative control (NC) diet, formulated with reduced dietary Ca and P, and compared with a corn-soybean meal based positive control (POC) diet. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and third metacarpal bone characteristics were response variables. Weaned pigs (n = 56; 8.20 ± 0.5 kg initial BW; 28 d of age) were individually housed and randomly allotted to 1 of 7 diets for 21 d. The diets were 1) POC mash, 2) NC mash, 3) NC pelleted at 90°C, 4) NC mash + 500 U/kg U-phytase, 5) NC mash + 500 U/kg C-phytase, 6) NC + 500 U/kg C-phytase pelleted at 80°C, and 7) NC + 500 U/kg C-phytase pelleted at 90°C. The POC and NC diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isolysinic. The content of Ca and available P was 1.01 and 0.40% and 0.83 and 0.22% in the POC and NC diets, respectively. Pig BW and feed intake were measured on d 7, 14, and 21, and feces were collected for 2 d. On d 21, pigs were killed and ileal digesta and the third metacarpal bone collected. Pigs fed POC had greater (P < 0.05) ADG, G:F, P digestibility, and bone mineralization but lower (P < 0.01) energy digestibility than pigs fed NC. Pelleting the NC diet did not improve performance, nutrient digestibility, or P use. Adding the U-phytase to NC mash diet increased (P < 0.05) ADG, G:F, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of CP and Ile, Leu, Phe, Thr, Val, and Ser, and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of P compared with pigs fed NC. Pigs fed C-phytase in NC mash diets had increased (P < 0.05) G:F and an AID of CP and AA and ATTD of P compared with pigs fed NC but not different than pigs fed U-phytase NC mash diets. Pigs fed pelleted NC diet with C-phytase had a greater (P < 0.05) ATTD of P and energy than pigs fed mash NC diet with C-phytase but had similar growth performance, AID of CP and AA, and bone mineralization to pigs fed U-phytase. In conclusion, release and bioefficacy of phytase after pelleting was not affected by the thermal protective coating.

Effect of phytase and xylanase supplementation or particle size on nutrient digestibility of diets containing distillers dried grains with solubles cofermented from wheat and corn in ileal-cannulated grower pigs.

Nutrient digestibility in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is limited by physical constraints such as particle size and by biochemical limitations such as phytate and fiber or nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP). To determine the separate effects of these limitations on nutrient digestibility, ground DDGS (383 µm) supplemented with phytase (0 or 250 units/kg of feed) and xylanase (0 or 4,000 units/kg of feed) was evaluated in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments together with unground DDGS (517 µm) and an N-free diet in a 6 × 6 Latin square. Cofermented wheat and corn DDGS contained 8.6% moisture, 31.0% CP, 1.04% Lys, 8.0% ether extract, 2.0% starch, 40% NDF, and 0.85% P (as-is basis). Diets contained 43.7% DDGS as the sole source of AA; the digesta from pigs fed the N-free diet served to subtract basal endogenous AA losses and as control for energy digestibility. Six ileal-cannulated barrows (37.1 ± 0.8 kg of BW) were fed 6 diets at 2.8 × maintenance for DE in six 9-d periods. Feces and ileal digesta were collected for 2 d each. The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of GE and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of GE and NDF were 2.3, 0.5, and 5.1%-units greater (P < 0.05) for the ground than unground DDGS diet, respectively. Consequently, the ATTD of GE was 1.3%-units greater (P < 0.05) and the DE content was 0.06 Mcal/kg greater (P < 0.05) for ground than unground DDGS, respectively. Grinding of DDGS did not affect (P > 0.05) the ATTD of crude fiber, ADF, P, and Ca in diets. Grinding of DDGS increased (P < 0.05) the AID of most AA in diets including Lys, Met, and Thr by 6.9, 1.1, and 1.7%-units, respectively. Grinding of DDGS increased (P < 0.05) the SID of Lys by 6.2%-units and SID content of Lys and Thr by 0.06 and 0.02%-units, respectively. Phytase and xylanase did not interact (P > 0.05) to affect nutrient digestibility. Phytase increased (P < 0.001) the ATTD of P by 10.5%-units, but did not affect (P > 0.05) AA digestibility. Xylanase did not affect nutrient digestibility. In conclusion, particle size is an important physical characteristic affecting digestibility of energy and AA, but not P in DDGS. Phytate in DDGS limits digestibility of P, but not energy and AA. The substrate for xylanase in DDGS did not hinder energy and AA digestibility.

[Mortality related with alcohol in Spain and the different Autonomous Communities of Spain in 2004]. / Mortalidad relacionada con el consumo de alcohol en España y en las comunidades autónomas en el año 2004.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol consumption is associated with great morbidity-mortality rate. The aim of this study is to analyze the mortality that can be attributed to alcohol consumption in Spain and in its different Autonomous Communities during 2004. METHOD: The records of deaths by cause of death were used, grouped by age, gender and 60 diagnostic categories. The number of deaths attributable to alcohol consumption according to gender and age group in 2004 for Spain and the different Autonomous Communities was calculated by means of the alcohol attributable fractions proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for calculating the mortality rates in the U.S.A. in 2001. The raw and adjusted mortality rates attributable to alcohol per 100,000 inhabitants were calculated with respect to the European population standard. RESULTS: Alcohol-related mortality in Spain was 2.3%; 3.2% for men and 1.2% for women. The Community of Murcia, with a mortality rate of 2.9%, together with those of Andalusia, the Canary Islands, the Basque Country and Asturias, had the highest rates of mortality attributable to alcohol in 2004. The highest adjusted mortality rates attributable to alcohol were found in Asturias, Murcia, Galicia and the Basque Country. CONCLUSIONS: In the different Autonomous Communities of Spain, alcohol consumption is an important cause of death. This information is of use for identifying priorities and to evaluate intervention programs. Chronic causes, in general, have a greater weight in mortality rates than acute causes, disease of the digestive system having the highest rate of contribution.

Effect of low-phytate barley or phytase supplementation to a barley-soybean meal diet on phosphorus retention and excretion by grower pigs.

Two studies were conducted to determine the effect of diets containing low-phytate barley or supplemented with phytase on P balance and excretion in grower pigs. In Exp. 1, eight 32-kg barrows were assigned to a repeated, 4 x 4 Latin square design and fed 4 diets that contained 96% barley: normal-phytate hulled barley (HB), low-phytate hulled barley (LPHB), normal-phytate hull-less barley (HLB), and low-phytate hull-less barley (LPHLB). The barley cultivars contained 0.16, 0.05, 0.24, and 0.03% phytate, respectively. Inorganic P (iP) was added to the HB and HLB diets to meet the 1998 National Research Council recommendation of available P (aP, 0.23%), whereas LPHB and LPHLB contained sufficient aP. The diets were fed at 2.5 times the maintenance requirement for ME. The apparent total tract digestibilities (ATTD) of P did not differ between the hulled and hull-less barley diets, but P retention (%) and excretion were greater in pigs fed the hull-less barley diets (P < 0.05). The ATTD of P was greater and P excretion was 35% lower in pigs fed the low-phytate compared with the normal-phytate diets (P < 0.001). The amount of P retained (g/d) was greater (P < 0.001) in pigs fed low-phytate barley, reflecting an ATTD of P of 65 and 49% for low-phytate and normal-phytate barley, respectively (P < 0.001). In Exp. 2, eight 21-kg barrows were assigned to a repeated, 4 x 4 Latin square design and fed 4 diets based on barley and soybean meal (SBM): HB-SBM, HB-SBM + iP, HB-SBM + phytase, and LPHB-SBM. The HB-SBM and HB-SBM + phytase diets were deficient in aP, whereas the HB-SBM + iP and LPHB-SBM diets had adequate aP. The feeding regimen was similar to that of Exp. 1. Adding iP to the HB-SBM diet did not affect the ATTD but increased the amount of P retained (g/d) and excreted (P < 0.001). The ATTD and amount of P retained (g/d) did not differ among pigs fed the HB-SBM + iP, HB-SBM + phytase, and LPHB-SBM diets. However, pigs fed the HB-SBM + phytase and LPHB-SBM diets excreted 32 and 29% less P, respectively, than pigs fed the HB-SBM + iP diet (P < 0.05), confirming that low-phytate barley is as effective as supplemental phytase in improving P digestibility and utilization and decreasing P excretion in grower pigs.

[Mortality related to alcohol consumption in Spain: 1981-1990]. / Mortalidad relacionada con el consumo de alcohol en España: 1981-1990.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the overall contribution of alcohol to Spanish mortality during 1981 to 1990, as well as the impact on the premature death. METHODS: To this purpose we have used the sources of data furnished by the 'Movimiento Natural de la Población' that provides data of causes of death. Figures of proportional mortality, adjusted mortality and years of potential life lost were calculated, as well as trend analysis. RESULTS: 6.3% (mean in the ten years period) of the mortality was due to alcohol. This mortality was higher among males than females. Adjusted mortality show a light increase during the period. The most important category referring to years of potential life lost was unintentional injuries. In this category, motor vehicle accidents were responsible for the majority of premature death. CONCLUSION: This study shows the importance of alcohol related mortality in our country and the large premature death.

[Study of an outbreak of hysteria after hepatitis B vaccination]. / Estudio de un brote de histeria después de la vacunación de hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe an epidemic outbreak of mass hysteria among adolescents which occurred after the immunisation with vaccine against hepatitis B and to determine the association with social variables related to the students. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All the available information was evaluated and a questionnaire was designed, which included sociodemographic, clinics and school environment variables. A case-control study was conducted. The data were analyzed and outbreak rate and odds ratio with their respective CI (95%) were calculated. RESULTS: 18 cases (among a set of 74 students of seventh of EGB) were clustered in time (10.30-11 h) and space (class of seventh B). There was a clear association between the cases and the female sex (odds ratio = 5.4; CI 95% 1.3 - 23.8). As for the sociological variables there was a association with increasing household members (odds ratio = 5.3; CI 95% 1.3 - 23.4) and with lower educational levels of the father (odds ratio = 10.6; CI 95% 1.2 - 239.9). Among the affected a more unfavorable opinion of the school was detected. CONCLUSIONS: This outbreak fulfils 8 of the 11 criteria classically admitted as usual characteristics of a mass psychogenic illness episode. The sensorial transmission remains demonstrated supporting the hypothesis of a chain reaction.

Alcohol-related mortality in Spain.

Alcohol-related mortality and years of potential life lost in Spain in 1986 have been studied according to the official statistics with regard to the population mortality in our country. 6.1% of the deaths in Spain in 1986 were related to alcohol consumption, mainly caused by malignant neoplasm (26.0%), digestive diseases (23.6%), and unintentional injuries (21.1%). Mean potential years of life lost for alcohol-related deaths until 65 was 7.3. Unintentional injuries were responsible for the greater part (61.2%) of alcohol-related years of potential life lost. The present study shows the high mortality rate associated with alcohol consumption in our country, as well as its importance in premature death.