Effects of fenugreek seed extracts on growth performance and intestinal health of broilers.

The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of fenugreek seed extract (FSE) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal immunity and cecal micro-organisms in yellow-feathered broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old male yellow-feathered broilers were selected and randomly assigned to four treatments with 6 replicates per group and ten broilers per replicate. Started from the third day, birds were fed with basal diet (CON group) or basal diet supplemented with 30 mg/kg Zinc bacitracin (ZB group), or basal diet supplemented with 50 (D-FSE group) or 100 (H-FSE group) mg/kg FSE, respectively. The experiment lasted for 56 d. The results showed that dietary FSE supplementation improved average daily weight gain (ADG) and ratio of feed to weight gain (F: G) (P < 0.01), increased intestinal villus height (VH), villus height to crypt depth ratio (V/C) (P < 0.05), serum concentrations of IL-10, and the contents of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) (P < 0.05), as well as decreased the activity of iNOS (P < 0.05). The high-throughput sequencing results showed that dietary FSE supplementation increased the alpha diversity of cecal microbes, and Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria taken up 95% of all phyla detected, FSE significantly reduced Campylobacter, Synergistes, and Lachnoclostridium abundance (P ≤ 0.05). There were significant difference in more than 30 KEGG pathways between FSE added group and control group or ZB group. FSE supplementation, in other words, maintained gut microbiota homeostasis while improving broiler growth performance. As a result, FSE has the potential to replace prophylactic antibiotic use in poultry production system.

Effect of glucose, soya oil and glutamine on protein expression and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 pathway of jejunal crypt enterocytes in weaned piglets.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of glucose, soya oil or glutamine on jejunal morphology, protein metabolism and protein expression of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signalling pathway in jejunal villus or crypt compartment of piglets. Forty-two 21 d-weaned piglets were randomly allotted to one of the three isoenergetic diets formulated with glucose, soya oil or glutamine for 28 d. On day 14 or 28, the proteins in crypt enterocytes were analysed with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification and proteins involved in mTORC1 signalling pathway in villus or crypt compartment cells were determined by Western blotting. Our results showed no significant differences (P > 0·05) in jejunal morphology among the three treatments on day 14 or 28. The differentially expressed proteins mainly took part in a few network pathways, including antimicrobial or inflammatory response, cell death and survival, digestive system development and function and carbohydrate metabolism. On day 14 or 28, there were higher protein expression of eukaryotic initiation factor-4E binding protein-1 in jejunal crypt compartment of piglets supplemented with glucose or glutamine compared with soya oil. On day 28, higher protein expression of phosphor-mTOR in crypt compartment was observed in piglets supplemented with glucose compared with the soya oil. In conclusion, the isoenergetic glucose, soya oil or glutamine did not affect the jejunal morphology of piglets; however, they had different effects on the protein metabolism in crypt compartment. Compared with soya oil, glucose or glutamine may be better energy supplies for enterocytes in jejunal crypt compartment.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Diannan small-ear pig (Sus Scrofa).

In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Diannan small-ear pig in Yunnan Province was firstly reported, which was determined through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The total length of mitochondrial genome of Diannan small-ear pig was 16720 bp, including 34.77% A, 26.18% C, 25.81% T and 13.24% G, and in the order A > C > T > G. Mitochondrial genome contained a major non-coding control region (D-Loop region), 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) and 22 transfer RNA genes. The mitochondrial genome of Diannan small-ear pig provides an important data set for the study on genetic mechanism.

Monosodium L-Glutamate and Dietary Fat Differently Modify the Composition of the Intestinal Microbiota in Growing Pigs.

BACKGROUND: The Chinese have been undergone rapid transition to a high-fat diet-consuming lifestyle, while monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) is widely used as a daily food additive. It has been reported that fat alters the composition of intestinal microbiota. However, little information is available on the effects of oral MSG on intestinal microbiota, and no study was done focusing on the interaction effect of fat and MSG with respect to intestinal microbiota. The present study thus aimed to determine the effects of MSG and/or fat on intestinal microbiota, and also to identify possible interactions between these two nutrients. METHODS: Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets were provided to growing pigs. The microbiota from jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon were analyzed. RESULTS: Our results show that both MSG and fat clearly increased the intestinal microbiota diversity. MSG and fat modified the composition of intestinal microbiota, particularly in the colon. Both MSG and fat promoted the colonization of microbes related to energy extraction in gastrointestinal tract via different ways. MSG promoted the colonization of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Roseburia, while fat increased the percentage of Prevotella in colon and other intestinal segments. CONCLUSION: Our results will help to understand how individual or combined dietary changes modify the microbiota composition to prevent obesity.

[Effects of exogenous metallothionein on thermoresistance and SOD gene expression of dairy cattle].

To approach the effects of exogenous metallothionein (Zn-MT) on the thermoresistance and SOD gene expression of dairy cattle, an experiment was conducted with 28 lactating cows, which were randomly allocated to groups A, B, C and D, and supplemented with 0, 6.0, 12.0 and 16.0 mg Zn-MT x capita(-1), respectively, by intravenous injection. The results showed that the pulse, breath rate, and serum MDA content of the cows in groups B, C and D were lower (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), while their milk yield, serum- and milk MT contents, blood GSH-PX activity, erythrocyte SOD activity, and SOD gene expression level were higher (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) than those in group A. All the test indices of the cows in groups C and D were superior (P < 0.05 or P > 0.05) than those in group B, but no significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between groups C and D. Exogenous Zn-MT had the best effects on the thermoresistance and SOD gene expression of dairy cattle 30 days after injection. All of these suggested that exogenous Zn-MT should be a physiologically active substance effective to the thermoresistance and SOD mRNA expression of dairy cattle, and presented time- and dose-dependent effects.