Evaluating feed value of native Jeju bamboo (Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai) for beef cattle.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, indigenous Korean grass Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai (SQ) has garnered much interest as a roughage source for livestock to mitigate its adverse effects on habitat diversity. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the ruminal fermentation, palatability, and nutrient digestibility of SQ for Korean native beef cattle (Hanwoo) using in vitro rumen fermentation, in situ rumen degradability, and in vivo feeding trials. METHODS: Using in vitro tests with rumen fluid as the inoculum for 48 h, ruminal fermentation of SQ was evaluated and compared with that of other roughage sources commonly used in Korea (i.e., rice straw, Timothy hay, and Italian ryegrass [IRG]). Additionally, an in situ trial 96 h was performed using three cannulated Hanwoo steers. Further, an in vivo trial was performed using eight Hanwoo steers to compare the palatability of SQ with rice straw in total mixed ration (TMR) and forage-concentrate separate feeding conditions. Finally, an in vivo digestibility trial of SQ fed as TMR of two particle sizes was performed with four Hanwoo steers. RESULTS: In vitro and in situ trials revealed that SQ was comparable or superior to rice straw in terms of the ruminal fermentation characteristics of pH, gas production, total volatile fatty acid content, and effective ruminal dry matter digestibility (DMD), although its fermentability was lower than that of Timothy hay and IRG. In the palatability test, steers showed a greater preference for SQ when given as TMR. The total tract DMD of SQ fed as TMR was 75.9%±1.37%, and it did not differ by particle size. CONCLUSION: The feed value of SQ as a roughage source for Hanwoo steers is comparable or superior to that of rice straw, particularly when provided as TMR.

Effects of Supplemented Resveratrol on In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation and Growth Performance of Hanwoo Calves.

We investigated the effects of resveratrol supplementation on in vitro ruminal fermentation and growth performance of Hanwoo calves. Treatment with three resveratrol concentrations (0%, 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%) was used for in vitro ruminal fermentation. Resveratrol concentrations and pH of rumen fluid were negatively correlated (p < 0.05); therefore, total gas production, total volatile fatty acids, and acetate, propionate, and butyrate levels were significantly higher in the treatments than in the control at all time periods (p < 0.05). The appropriate resveratrol concentration that could be added without negative effects on the rumen was 0.3%. In farm experiments, we divided 14 Korean cattle calves into control (C) and 0.3% resveratrol (T) groups. There were no significant differences in the daily weight gain, feed conversion, final body weight, body length, withers height, and height at hip cross in the resveratrol-fed Hanwoo calves. Immunoglobulin G level was significantly higher in the treatment than in the control (p < 0.05), but IgA and IgM levels did not differ. Supplemental feeding of resveratrol is beneficial to in vitro ruminal fermentation, but it is important to supplement it at 0.3%. Furthermore, resveratrol affects calf immunoglobulin G.

Effects of Feed Composition in Different Growth Stages on Rumen Fermentation and Microbial Diversity of Hanwoo Steers.

Ruminants are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and information on ruminant fermentation and microorganisms is essential to understand ruminant digestion, which is associated with environmental pollution. The present study investigated rumen fermentation and microbial diversity according to the three different growth stages of four Hanwoo steers: growing (12 months, G), early fattening (18 months, EF), and late fattening (25 months, LF). No significant differences were observed in rumen pH and ammonia nitrogen among growth stages. Total volatile fatty acids were significantly higher and propionate and valerate significantly lower in G than in EF and LF (p < 0.05). Ten bacterial phyla were detected, including Firmicutes (47.5−53.5%) and Bacteroidetes (28.4−31.7%), which accounted for 79.2−82.3% of the total bacteria. Prevotella accounted for the highest proportion (31.6−42.6%) of all bacteria in this study but did not differ significantly among the different growth stages. Metaprevotella abundance was significantly higher in G than in the other treatments (p < 0.05). In addition, Paraprevotella tended to be higher in LF than in the other treatments (p = 0.056). Given the differences in the genera of microorganisms with relatively low abundance, additional experiments are needed to determine the effect on fermentation.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Oil on Broiler Health.

Insects are a potential source of proteins and fats which can be incorporated into diets of broiler chickens. Accordingly, black soldier fly larvae oil (BSFLO) needs to be tested as an appropriate fat source to produce healthy chickens for consumers. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the replacement of soybean oil (SBO) with BSFLO in broiler diets on intestinal health and blood profiles. A total of 210 one-day-old male broilers were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments (10 replicates of seven birds per group): a control diet and two experimental diets in which SBO was replaced with 50% (50 BSFLO) or 100% (100 BSFLO) BSFLO. At the end of the study (35 days), 18 birds (six broilers per treatment) were slaughtered to determine the intestinal morphology, digestibility, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) profile. Blood samples were collected from 24 randomly selected birds (eight broilers per treatment) to determine the blood profiles. BSFLO supplementation positively affected villus height but did not affect digestibility. BSFLO showed no adverse effects on the VFA and blood profiles. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that SBO can be replaced by BSFLO without any adverse effects on broiler health.

Effects of Dietary Inclusion Level of Microwave-Dried and Press-Defatted Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Meal on Carcass Traits and Meat Quality in Broilers.

Limited information is available regarding the use of microwave-dried Hermetia illucens larvae meal (HILM) as a dietary protein source for broiler diets. Therefore, we investigated the effects of microwave-dried HILM on carcass traits, meat quality, fatty acid (FA) profiles of abdominal fat and meat, and heavy metal residues of the meat in broilers. A total of 126 male broilers were randomly assigned to three dietary treatment groups (6 replicates and 7 birds/pen): a control diet and two experimental diets in which soybean meal was replaced with 25 or 50% HILM. The broilers were slaughtered at 35 days; the carcasses were weighed, and breast and leg meats were excised from 12 birds per treatment (2 birds/pen) for meat analysis. The breast meat quality and proximate composition showed satisfactory results. For the higher HILM diet, the content of saturated FA in the abdominal fat was increased and that of polyunsaturated FA was decreased (p < 0.001); the FA profile of leg meat did not significantly differ between groups. The concentrations of undesirable heavy metals in the HILM and leg meat were below permissible levels. However, the carcass weight was decreased (p < 0.001) in the 50% HILM group. Microwave-dried HILM is a potential ingredient for broiler diets, with up to 25% substitution showing no detrimental effects on carcass traits, meat quality, FA profiles, and heavy metal residues in the meat.

Evaluation of black soldier fly larvae oil as a dietary fat source in broiler chicken diets.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of black soldier fly larvae oil (BSFLO) from the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as a partial or total replacement of soybean oil (SBO) on growth performance, fatty acid (FA) profile, and meat quality of broiler chickens from 1 to 5 wk of age. A total of 210 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) at one-day of age were randomly allotted to 3 dietary treatments (10 replicates and 7 birds/group): a basal control diet (CON), the basal diet in which the SBO was replaced by 50% (50 BSFLO) or 100% (100 BSFLO) of BSFLO. The growth performance, physical measurements and chemical traits of leg meat, and sensory analysis of breast meat were not influenced by diets. However, the relative weight (g/kg) of gizzard of CON was significantly higher (14.85, 12.52, and 13.02 for CON, 50 BSFLO, and 100 BSFLO; p < 0.05) than that of other treatments. As expected, the FA profile of breast meat was affected by BSFLO inclusion. The proportion (%) of saturated fatty acid (SFA) was increased (27.16, 27.58, and 28.72 for CON, 50 BSFLO, and 100 BSFLO; p < 0.05) by BSFLO inclusion and the percentage (%) of MUFA was also increased (43.36, 44.58, and 48.55 for CON, 50 BSFLO, and 100 BSFLO; p < 0.01). On the contrary, the proportion (%) of PUFA was decreased (29.49, 27.84, and 22.74 for CON, 50 BSFLO, and 100 BSFLO; p < 0.01). In conclusion, the present study suggests that the replacement of BSFLO did not show an adverse effect on growth performance and it could be an ingredient as a dietary fat source for a broiler diet.

Comparison of sample preparation procedures of inductively coupled plasma to measure elements in dog's hair.

The pre-treatment condition affects on the element analysis of inductively coupled plasma (ICP). In this study the pre-treatment condition of ICP has been studied to quantify elements in dog's hair. The hair samples were collected from twelve female Beagles by clipping them into 1 or 2 cm at the back neck. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of elements in hairs were performed by using ICP. By ICP nine elements were qualitatively detected and quantitatively analyzed (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, Se, Zn). The measured amounts of elements were compared between 3 step and 2 step procedures which were with and without the acetone based washing step. The quantitative analysis showed that the concentrations of K, Na, P, and Se were significantly decreased in hair samples with acetone-based washing (p < 0.005 or 0.001) unlike those without the acetone-based washing. It implied that some minerals are lost by the acetone based washing during the sample preparation step. Therefore, the acetone based washing process is not suitable for quantifying elements in dog's hair. In addition, the results of qualitative and quantitative analysis were compared. Although there was a difference in absolute values of elemental contents in hair, the results of qualitative and quantitative analysis were significantly correlated each other. This finding suggested that the results of qualitative analysis can be used to monitor elemental contents in dog's hair.

A simple method to evaluate body condition score to maintain the optimal body weight in dogs.

Overweight and obesity induce serious health problems that exert negative effects on dog's welfare. Body condition score (BCS) is a common method to evaluate the body fat mass in animals. By palpating and observing fats under the skin it is possible to predict animal's body fat accumulation condition. BCS is also a useful tool to estimate body fat composition in dogs. However, BCS can be subjective when it was performed by non-professionals like pet's owners. To develop a method to avoid the misevaluation of BCS twenty-four Beagles were enrolled and performed BCS evaluation. In addition, the length of chest and abdominal girths were measured. In correlation analysis, the sizes of chest and abdominal girth were significantly correlated with BCS. Especially, the difference and ratio of the chest and abdominal length were highly correlated with the BCS. With that, we suggested that this simple measurement of chest and abdominal girths by a measuring tape would be an effective method to estimate BCS scores in dogs that helps non-professionals to manage their own dog's nutritional condition by monitoring body fat accumulation condition.

Identification of the acclimation genes in transcriptomic responses to heat stress of White Pekin duck.

White Pekin duck is an important meat resource in the livestock industries. However, the temperature increase due to global warming has become a serious environmental factor in duck production, because of hyperthermia. Therefore, identifying the gene regulations and understanding the molecular mechanism for adaptation to the warmer environment will provide insightful information on the acclimation system of ducks. This study examined transcriptomic responses to heat stress treatments (3 and 6 h at 35 °C) and control (C, 25 °C) using RNA-sequencing analysis of genes from the breast muscle tissue. Based on three distinct differentially expressed gene (DEG) sets (3H/C, 6H/C, and 6H/3H), the expression patterns of significant DEGs (absolute log2 > 1.0 and false discovery rate < 0.05) were clustered into three responsive gene groups divided into upregulated and downregulated genes. Next, we analyzed the clusters that showed relatively higher expression levels in 3H/C and lower levels in 6H/C with much lower or opposite levels in 6H/3H; we referred to these clusters as the adaptable responsive gene group. These genes were significantly enriched in the ErbB signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and type II diabetes mellitus in the KEGG pathways (P < 0.01). From the functional enrichment analysis and significantly regulated genes observed in the enriched pathways, we think that the adaptable responsive genes are responsible for the acclimation mechanism of ducks and suggest that the regulation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase genes including PIK3R6, PIK3R5, and PIK3C2B has an important relationship with the mechanisms of adaptation to heat stress in ducks.

Effects of anti-heat diet and inverse lighting on growth performance, immune organ, microorganism and short chain fatty acids of broiler chickens under heat stress.

The present study investigated the effects of night restricted feeding of extreme heat diet (EHD) containing heat stress resistance nutrients, with inverse lighting program, on their growth performance in broiler chickens exposed to extreme heat stress (33 ± 2°C). EHD 1 contained soy oil, molasses, methionine and lysine. EHD 2 contained all nutrients of EHD 1 and vitamin C additionally. Three hundred broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomized into four dietary treatment groups according to a randomized block design on the day they were hatched. The treatment groups were: T1 (EHD 1, 10:00-19:00 dark, 19:00-10:00 light), T2 (EHD 2, 10:00-19:00 dark, 19:00-10:00 light), T3 (EHD 1, 09:00-18:00 dark, 18:00-09:00 light) and T4 (EHD 2, 09:00-18:00 dark, 18:00-09:00 light). The body weight gain of the broilers increased most significantly in T2, followed by T1, T4 and T3 (p < 0.05). Weights of the immune system, thymus and bursa of Fabricius recorded higher in T1 and T2 than in T3 and T4. The spleen was higher in T1, T2 and T3 than in T4 (p < 0.05). Blood triglyceride, total cholesterol and blood sugar were higher in T1 and T2 than in T3 and T4 (p < 0.05). LDL-C recorded high in the order of T4, T3, T2 and T1, but HDL-C showed the inverse order (p < 0.05). IgG, IgA and IgM were higher in T1 and T2 than in T3 and T4, however, the corticosterone concentration showed the inverse order (p<0.05). Lactobacillus in feces was higher in T1 and T2 than in T3 and T4, but total aerobic bacteria, E. coli, Coliform bacteria was higher in T4 and T3 than in T2 and T1 (p < 0.05). Contents of acetic acid, propionic acid and total Short chain fatty acid were significantly higher in the order of T2, T1, T3 and T4. Butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid and isovaleric acid were higher in T4 and T3 than in T1 and T2 (p < 0.05).