Response of growing pigs to the inclusion of hybrid rye in low or high-energy diets.

Previous research has shown reduced feed intake and growth rate in pigs fed diets with hybrid rye replacing wheat. A reduction in growth rate caused by reduced feed intake will conceivably be counteracted by increasing the dietary energy level. Our objective, therefore, was to determine the effects of 40% hybrid rye inclusion replacing wheat in diets formulated to be either low or high net energy (NE) on growth, feed intake, energy digestibility, and lesion scores in growing-finishing pigs. We hypothesized that pigs fed 40% hybrid rye would perform better on the high than the low energy diets. A total of 160 pigs (body weight [BW] 70.1 kg) housed in 32 pens, 5 pigs per pen, were fed diets with 0% or 40% hybrid rye (var. 'KWS Bono'; KWS LOCHOW GMBH), either with low (2,350) or high (2,450) kcal NE per kg of diet over two growth phases (phase 1; 70 to 85 kg BW; phase 2; 85 to 130 kg BW). The BW, and feed disappearance were measured on days 0, 8, 17, 28, 42, and 50. Fecal samples obtained in phase 2 (~100 kg BW) were used to calculate apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy (GE). Lesion scores were measured weekly. The ATTD of GE was unaffected by rye inclusion and was reduced in low vs. high NE diets. Overall, (days 0 to 50), pigs fed the low-energy rye diet gained 0.08 kg/d less (P < 0.01) than those fed the high-energy rye diet or the low-energy diet without rye, which was caused by a reduced weight gain during the initial 17 d of the trial. Final BW and overall feed intake were not affected by rye inclusion or NE level. The NE intake was greater (P < 0.05) and feed efficiency (G:F) was reduced (P < 0.05) in pigs fed rye diets compared to those fed diets without rye, whereas there was no effect of NE level on NE intake or G:F. There was no effect of rye inclusion or NE level on lesion scores. In conclusion, pigs can be fed diets including 40% hybrid rye with only minor changes in growth performance. Increasing the NE level of the first phase diet in the grower-finisher barn may be useful to avoid a reduction in growth performance when feeding hybrid rye.

Feeding different cultivars and quality levels of faba bean to broiler chickens.

A concern of both pulse growers and poultry producers is how frost damage around harvest time affects the nutritional quality of faba bean for broiler chickens. To investigate, two zero-tannin cultivars (Snowbird, Snowdrop) and one low vicine and convicine cultivar (Fabelle) sourced from seed growers were spring planted 3 weeks later than recommended (mid-May) and harvested late October to purposely increase frost damage. Parent, certified seed (high quality), and harvested frost damaged beans (low quality) of the three cultivars were fed to 740 chickens housed in 64 floor pens in a 2 × 3 factorial plus control (9 pens of 11 or 12 birds per treatment). Starter (d 0 to 11), grower (d 12 to 24), and finisher (d 25 to 40) diets included 15%, 30%, and 45% faba bean in partial (starter, grower) or total replacement of soybean meal (SBM; control). Harvested Snowbird, Snowdrop, Fabelle averaged 52%, 62%, 17% blackened hull and 35%, 43%, 51% immature beans, respectively. There was a cultivar × quality interaction (P < 0.05) on daily feed disappearance (ADFI) and gain-to-feed (G:F). Broilers fed low-quality Snowdrop consumed 10 g/d more finisher and 6 g/d more feed overall than those fed low-quality Snowbird or Fabelle; broilers fed parent seed were intermediate. Feeding low-quality Fabelle resulted in best overall G:F (0.646) versus high-quality Snowbird (0.611), high-quality Fabelle (0.624), or low-quality Snowdrop (0.624). Average daily weight gain (ADG) and bird body weight (BW) at the end of each growth phase were not affected by cultivar or quality level. Controls fed SBM only grew 2.75 g/d faster overall and were 113.5 g heavier at the end of the trial than broilers fed faba bean (P < 0.05). Controls fed SBM only had 0.024 g/g better overall G:F than broilers fed faba bean (P < 0.05). Feeding low-quality beans or high-quality seed had no effect on antemortem BW, chilled carcass weight (WT), dressing percentage or yield of saleable cuts except that broilers fed Snowbird or Snowdrop had 0.8%-unit larger thighs than those fed Fabelle. Controls fed SBM only were 110 g heavier at slaughter, had 72 g heavier chilled carcass WT, and 0.5%-unit greater dressing percentage than broilers fed faba bean (P < 0.05). These results indicate that feeding frost damaged and(or) immature faba bean, to the extent observed in this trial, did not negatively affect growth performance or carcass attributes of broiler chickens compared to feeding parent, certified, high-quality seed of these cultivars.

Dietary energy level, feeder space, and group size on growth performance and carcass characteristics of growing-finishing barrows and gilts.

To benefit from feeding low net energy (NE) diets, growing-finishing pigs must be able to increase feed intake to compensate for lower caloric density, but this might be difficult in pens with a high stocking density. Access to the feeder, trough space, and(or) floor area may limit voluntary feed intake. The objective of this study was to clarify the relationships among dietary NE level, feeder space, group size, sex, and interactions in growing-finishing pigs. In a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, 1,920 pigs (33 kg) housed in 96 fully slatted floor pens (6.1 × 2.4 m) with 2 or 3 feeder spaces, and 18 or 22 barrows or gilts per pen, were fed either low (9.2 MJ/kg) or high (9.85 MJ/kg) NE diets over 5 growth phases (Grower 1: day [d] 0 to 20, Grower 2: d 21 to 41, Grower 3: d 42 to 62, Finisher 1: d 63 to 80, Finisher 2: d 81 to slaughter). Pen body weight (BW) and average daily feed disappearance (ADFD) were measured for each growth phase, biweekly from the start of shipping and at slaughter. Warm carcasses were weighed and graded (Destron). For the entire trial, pigs fed low versus (vs.) high NE diets had 0.119 kg/d greater (P < 0.001) ADFD, but 0.556 MJ/d lower (P < 0.050) average daily caloric disappearance (ADCD), and 0.017 kg/kg lower (P < 0.001) gain-to-feed (G:F). Pens with 18 vs. 22 pigs had 0.062 kg/d greater (P < 0.001) ADFD, 0.730 MJ/d greater (P < 0.010) ADCD, and 0.029 kg/d greater (P < 0.001) average daily weight gain (ADWG). Pigs in pens with 3 vs. 2 feeding spaces had 0.051 kg/d greater (P < 0.010) ADFD, 0.511 MJ/d greater (P = 0.050) ADCD but 0.004 kg/kg lower (P < 0.050) G:F. Pigs fed low vs. high NE diets had 0.6 kg lower (P < 0.050) carcass weight and 0.9 mm lower (P < 0.050) loin depth. Pens with 18 vs. 22 pigs took 2.8 days less (P < 0.001) to reach 130 kg slaughter BW. Pens with 18 vs. 22 pigs had a 0.4 %-point decrease (P < 0.050) in dressing percentage. Feeding low vs. high NE diets reduced (P < 0.001) feed cost by Can$21.87/tonne, $3.34/pig, $0.03/kg gain, and increased (P < 0.05) gross income subtracting feed cost by $1.82/pig. Housing 18 vs. 22 pigs per pen increased (P < 0.010) ISFC by $1.98 per pig. Lack of interactions between NE level, feeder space, and group size for ADFD indicate that low NE diets can be fed to pigs even if they have lower than recommended floor area allowance during part of the finishing phase.

Ileal digestibility of energy and amino acids in three faba bean cultivars (Vicia faba L.) planted and harvested early or late in broiler chickens.

A concern of both pulse growers and poultry producers is how the timing of planting and harvesting affect the nutritional quality of faba bean for broiler chickens. To investigate, half of the seed of 2 zero-tannin cultivars (Snowbird and Snowdrop) and 1 low vicine and convicine cultivar (Fabelle) were planted at a single site either in early May and harvested in late September (EARLY) or planted in late May and harvested in late October (LATE). Diets of the 3 EARLY or LATE cultivars (95% inclusion) were fed to 756 broiler chickens (Ross 708) from d 15. Chickens were housed in 56 floor pens (13-14 birds/pen) in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (7 pens/diet). A nitrogen-free diet to correct for endogenous amino acid (AA) losses was fed to broilers in 14 pens from d 20. Ileal digesta was collected after euthanizing birds on day 23 or 24. Planting and harvesting LATE vs. EARLY increased the proportion of immature beans from 5 to 64% for Snowbird, 7 to 79% for Snowdrop, and 22 to 80% for Fabelle. Planting and harvesting LATE vs. EARLY increased the proportion of frost-damaged beans from 20 to 83% for Snowbird, 36 to 88% for Snowdrop, and 5 to 29% for Fabelle. Planting and harvesting LATE vs. EARLY increased (P < 0.001) apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of gross energy (GE) by 45% and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP by 13%. Planting and harvesting LATE vs. EARLY increased (P < 0.001) SID of AA by 11% except Cys. Snowbird and Snowdrop had greater (P < 0.05) SID of AA by 4.5% except Thr and Trp compared with Fabelle. Fabelle had 13% greater (P < 0.001) SID of Trp compared with Snowbird or Snowdrop. Results indicate that planting and harvesting LATE vs. EARLY increased GE, CP, and AA digestibility possibly by frost interrupting bean ripening on the field. Hull tannin content may have reduced the AA digestibility of Fabelle compared with Snowbird or Snowdrop.

Effect of feeding 3 zero-tannin faba bean cultivars at 3 increasing inclusion levels on growth performance, carcass traits, and yield of saleable cuts of broiler chickens.

A trial was conducted to evaluate how rapidly one could introduce faba bean in broiler diets and to what maximum level one could feed 3 zero-tannin faba bean cultivars to broiler chickens based on growth performance, carcass traits, and yield of carcass cuts. A total of 662 male broiler chickens (Ross 708) were fed one of 10 dietary treatments over 3 growth phases (starter [Str], day 0-12; grower [Gwr], day 13-25; and finisher [Fnr], day 26-41). Treatment diets included 3 different zero-tannin faba bean cultivars (Snowbird, Snowdrop, and Tabasco), each fed at 3 different inclusions: low inclusion level of 5% in Str, 10% in Gwr, and 20% in Fnr; medium inclusion level of 10% in Str, 20% in Gwr, and 30% in Fnr; and high inclusion level of 15% in Str, 30% in Gwr, and 40% in Fnr. Wheat grain-soybean meal (SBM) diets were fed as control. Faba bean cultivars replaced SBM and wheat grain in phase diets. Neither cultivar nor inclusion level affected overall trial or growth phase BW, ADFI, ADG, G:F, slaughter weight (WT), chilled carcass WT, and proportion of saleable cuts. Carcass dressing was 0.6% units lower for high vs. medium or low faba bean inclusion level (P < 0.05). There was no effect on overall trial or growth phase ADFI and there were only slight reductions (P < 0.05) in BW, ADG, G:F, slaughter WT, chilled carcass WT, dressing percentage, and percentage of drumstick yield in broilers fed the treatment diets including faba bean compared with those fed the wheat-SBM control diet. The control diet's advantage was largely attributed to dehulling and the greater extent of processing to produce SBM vs. feeding raw, merely rolled, faba bean. In conclusion, broiler producers can feed any of the 3 zero-tannin faba bean cultivars evaluated as the most aggressive of the 3 inclusion levels tested (15, 30, 40% for the starter, grower, finisher phase) to maximize faba bean inclusion in broiler diets.

The man who lost his body: Suboptimal multisensory integration yields body awareness problems after a right temporoparietal brain tumour.

Reports on patients who lack ownership over their entire body are extremely rare. Here, we present patient SA who suffered from complete body disownership after a tumour resection in the right temporoparietal cortex. Neuropsychological assessment disclosed selective bilateral ownership problems, despite intact primary visual and somatosensory senses. SA's disownership seems to stem from a suboptimal multimodal integration, as shown by the rubber hand illusion and the beneficial effect during and after simple exercises aiming at multisensory recalibration.

Parental touch reduces social vigilance in children.

The sense of touch develops in utero and enables parent-child communication from the earliest moments of life. Research shows that parental touch (e.g., licking and grooming in rats, skin-to-skin care in humans) has organizing effects on the offspring's stress system. Little is known, however, about the psychological effects of parental touch. Building on findings from ethology and psychology, we propose that parental touch-even as subtle as a touch on the shoulder-tells children that their environment is safe for exploration, thus reducing their social vigilance. We tested this hypothesis in late childhood (ages 8-10) and early adolescence (ages 11-14) in 138 parent-child dyads. Parents were randomly assigned to touch or not touch their child briefly and gently on the shoulder, right below the deltoid. Parental touch lowered children's implicit attention to social threat. While parental touch lowered trust among socially non-anxious children, it raised trust among those who needed it the most: socially anxious children. The effects were observed only in late childhood, suggesting that parental touch loses its safety-signaling meaning upon the transition to adolescence. Our findings underscore the power of parental touch in childhood, especially for children who suffer from social anxiety.

Increasing hybrid rye level substituting wheat grain with or without enzyme on growth performance and carcass traits of growing-finishing barrows and gilts.

New European, fall-planted hybrid rye grown in western Canada is more resistant to ergot and fusarium and has lower content of anti-nutritional factors than common rye. We evaluated the effect of feeding increasing hybrid rye level substituting wheat grain and non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) enzyme inclusion in diets fed to growing-finishing pigs raised under western Canadian commercial conditions. In total, 1,008 pigs (~44 kg body weight [BW]) housed in 48 pens by sex, 21 pigs per pen, were fed diets with one of three rye (var. KWS Bono; KWS LOCHOW GMBH) inclusion levels substituting wheat grain: low (L; one-third of wheat replaced), medium (M; two-thirds of wheat replaced), or high (H; most wheat replaced), either without (WO) or with (W) enzyme inclusion (280 units of ß-glucanase and 900 units of xylanase per kilogram feed; Endofeed W DC; GNC Bioferm) over four growth phases (Grower 2: d 0 to 22, Grower 3: d 23 to 42, Finisher 1: d 43 to 63, Finisher 2: d 64 to slaughter). Pen BW, feed added, and orts were measured on d 0, 22, 42, 63, 76, 91, and at slaughter weight (130 kg). Warm carcasses were weighed and graded (Destron). BW was not affected by either increasing hybrid rye level substituting wheat grain or enzyme inclusion throughout the trial. For the entire trial (d 0 to 76), pigs fed increasing hybrid rye level substituting wheat grain had decreased (P < 0.050) average daily feed intake (ADFI; L 3.05, M 2.98, H 2.91 kg/d) and average daily weight gain (ADG; L 1.01, M 1.00, H 0.97 kg/d). Enzyme inclusion did not affect ADFI but tended (P = 0.080) to increase ADG (WO 0.98, W 1.00 kg/d). Enzyme inclusion improved (P < 0.050) gain-to-feed ratio only in pigs fed the H rye level. Most carcass traits were not affected by either increasing hybrid rye level substituting wheat grain or enzyme inclusion. Increasing dietary hybrid rye level substituting wheat grain increased (P < 0.001) cost per tonne of feed (L 240.28, M 241.28, H 242.20 Can$/kg), but did not affect feed cost per pig or per kilogram BW gain. Enzyme inclusion increased (P < 0.001) cost per tonne of feed (WO 240.36, W 242.15 Can$/kg), but feed cost per pig (WO 82.14, W 80.44 Can$ per pig) and per kilogram BW gain (WO 0.96, W 0.94 Can$/kg gain) were reduced (P < 0.050). In conclusion, fall-planted hybrid rye can completely replace wheat grain in grower-finisher pig diets without affecting feed efficiency, feed cost per pig or feed cost per kilogram BW gain. Inclusion of NSP enzyme would be recommended for diets including high rye levels to improve feed efficiency and ADG.

No consistent cooling of the real hand in the rubber hand illusion.

In the rubber hand illusion (RHI), participants view a rubber hand that is stroked synchronously with their real, hidden hand. This procedure results in experiencing an increased sense of ownership over the rubber hand and demonstrates how multisensory information (vision, touch) can influence the sense of body ownership. However, it has also been suggested that a (lack of) sense of ownership over an own body part may in turn influence bodily processes. This suggestion has previously been supported by the observation that a decrease in skin temperature in the real hand correlated with ownership over the rubber hand. However, this finding has not been consistently replicated. Our lab has conducted several studies in which we recorded temperature of the hands during the RHI using various measures and in different circumstances, including continuous temperature measurements in a temperature-controlled room. An overall analysis of our results, covering five attempts to replicate the traditional RHI experiment and totalling 167 participants, does not show a reliable cooling of the real hand during the RHI. We discuss this failure to replicate and consider several possible explanations for inconsistencies between reports of hand temperature during the RHI.

Approaching threat modulates visuotactile interactions in peripersonal space.

The region surrounding our body (i.e. peripersonal space) is coded in a multimodal representation by fronto-parietal bimodal neurons integrating tactile stimuli on the body with nearby visual stimuli. This has often been suggested to serve a defensive purpose, which we propose could be mediated through visuotactile predictions. An approaching threat would then be of particular interest to peripersonal space processing. To investigate this, we asked participants to respond as fast as possible to a tactile stimulus on the hand, while looking at an animation of an approaching or receding spider or butterfly. Tactile stimulation was applied at one of 25 possible time points during the animation. Tactile reaction times were faster when an approaching stimulus was closer to the hand at the time of tactile presentation. Critically, this effect of distance on reaction times was larger when participants saw an approaching spider compared to an approaching butterfly, but only for participants who were afraid of spiders. This finding demonstrates that the perceived threat of an approaching stimulus modulates visuotactile interactions in peripersonal space and is consistent with the idea that visuotactile predictions are important for defensive purposes and maintaining bodily integrity.

Transcranial direct current stimulation to the parietal cortex in hemispatial neglect: A feasibility study.

OBJECTIVES: Prior research suggests that dampening neural activity of the intact, presumably overactive hemisphere, combined with increasing neural activity in the damaged hemisphere, might restore cortical interhemispheric balance and reduce neglect. In the present study we repeatedly applied a relatively new technique, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), to the posterior parietal cortex to modulate spontaneous neural activity levels in a polarity dependent fashion to find evidence for improvements in severe hemispatial neglect in chronic patients. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients were initially identified from our databases as having neglect, after thoroughly screening databases, consulting medical practitioners and baseline testing, only five met our inclusion criteria and agreed to participate. Sixty-five patients were excluded as they did not meet safety criteria for tDCS (epilepsy, metal implants), suffered from other medical conditions (i.e., heart disease, epilepsy, current psychiatric disorder) or displayed only mild neglect at baseline testing. Five patients with severe chronic hemispatial neglect were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment program. TDCS or placebo was applied for 20 minutes over the left (cathodal) and right (anodal) posterior parietal cortex at an intensity of 2 mA on five consecutive days. Treatment conditions were separated by a four week wash-out period. Baseline corrected change in performance on the conventional subtests of the Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT) was our primary endpoint. RESULTS: No treatment-related effects were observed for the BIT change scores and performance on individual subtests. Moreover, patients' performance somewhat improved only during the stimulation period (day one vs day five, irrespective of whether it was placebo or tDCS), but not thirty days later, indicating a practice effect. DISCUSSION: The present study does not provide evidence that tDCS to the posterior parietal cortex improves chronic hemispatial neglect. As a result of in- and exclusion health and safety criteria the majority of patients were excluded, which indicates that performing large randomized controlled trials is not feasible in chronic neglect patients.

Decreased fixation stability of the preferred retinal location in juvenile macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration is the main cause for diminished visual acuity in the elderly. The juvenile form of macular degeneration has equally detrimental consequences on foveal vision. To compensate for loss of foveal vision most patients with macular degeneration adopt an eccentric preferred retinal location that takes over tasks normally performed by the healthy fovea. It is unclear however, whether the preferred retinal locus also develops properties typical for foveal vision. Here, we investigated whether the fixation characteristics of the preferred retinal locus resemble those of the healthy fovea. For this purpose, we used the fixation-offset paradigm and tracked eye-position using a high spatial and temporal resolution infrared eye-tracker. The fixation-offset paradigm measures release from fixation under different fixation conditions and has been shown useful to distinguish between foveal and non-foveal fixation. We measured eye-movements in nine healthy age-matched controls and five patients with juvenile macular degeneration. In addition, we performed a simulation with the same task in a group of five healthy controls. Our results show that the preferred retinal locus does not adopt a foveal type of fixation but instead drifts further away from its original fixation and has overall increased fixation instability. Furthermore, the fixation instability is most pronounced in low frequency eye-movements representing a slow drift from fixation. We argue that the increased fixation instability cannot be attributed to fixation under an unnatural angle. Instead, diminished visual acuity in the periphery causes reduced oculomotor control and results in increased fixation instability.

The feasibility of computer-based prism adaptation to ameliorate neglect in sub-acute stroke patients admitted to a rehabilitation center.

INTRODUCTION: There is wide interest in transferring paper-and-pencil tests to a computer-based setting, resulting in more precise recording of performance. Here, we investigated the feasibility of computer-based testing and computer-based prism adaptation (PA) to ameliorate neglect in sub-acute stroke patients admitted to a rehabilitation center. METHODS: Thirty-three neglect patients were included. PA was performed with a pair of goggles with wide-field point-to-point prismatic lenses inducing an ipsilesional optical shift of 10°. A variety of digitalized neuropsychological tests were performed using an interactive tablet immediately before and after PA. RESULTS: All 33 patients [mean age 60.36 (SD 13.30)], [mean days post-stroke 63.73 (SD 37.74)] were able to work with the tablet and to understand, perform, and complete the digitalized tests within the proposed time-frame, indicating that there is feasibility of computer-based assessment in this stage post-stroke. Analyses of the efficacy of PA indicated no significant change on any of the outcome measures, except time. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, there is feasibility of computer-based testing in such an early stage, which makes the computer-based setting a promising technique for evaluating more ecologically valid tasks. Secondly, the computer-based PA can be considered as a reliable procedure. We can conclude from our analysis, addressing the efficacy of PA, that the effectiveness of single session PA may not be sufficient to produce short-term effects on our static tasks. Further studies, however, need to be done to evaluate the computer-based efficacy with more ecologically valid assessments in an intensive double-blind, sham-controlled multiple PA treatment design.

[Transcranial direct current stimulation; potential new treatment for unilateral neglect]. / Transcraniële gelijkstroomstimulatie; mogelijk nieuwe behandeling voor unilateraal 'neglect'.

One of the most devastating cognitive deficits following a stroke is when the patient neglects one half of the body and surroundings (unilateral neglect). Unilateral neglect following a stroke has a high prevalence and is one of the most important predictors of poor functional outcome. Various treatment methods have been studied over the past decades but their effects appear too short-term or task-specific and therefore, difficult to extrapolate to other untrained situations. A possible new intervention is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which is capable of modulating brain activity by polarizing neurons with the aid of a constant low current. Recent research suggests that inhibiting the intact hemisphere or increasing the neuronal activity in the damaged hemisphere might reduce unilateral neglect. For treating unilateral neglect, tDCS appears to be a promising technique; however, more research is necessary to reveal its therapeutic potential.