A maternal diet that provides adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation is vital to the neurodevelopment of offspring. Deficiencies in nutrients during fetal growth can lead to altered early ...life nutritional programming such as spina bifida, a neural tube defect. One-carbon metabolism plays a vital role in the closure of the neural tube of the developing embryo; however, the impact of maternal dietary deficiencies on offspring neurological function later in life remains relatively unknown. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death globally, and its prevalence is expected to increase in younger age groups as the incidence of various risk factors for stroke increases. Furthermore, dietary deficiencies in one-carbon metabolism are a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of maternal nutritional deficiencies on cerebral and peripheral blood flow after ischemic stroke in adult offspring.
Adult female C57BL/6J mice were placed on either control (CD), choline (ChDD) or folic acid (FD) deficient diets for four weeks to deplete stores prior to mating. Females were maintained on the assigned diet during pregnancy and lactation. Offspring were weaned onto a control diet. Ischemic stroke was induced in the sensorimotor cortex of 2-month-old female (n = 18) offspring using the photothrombosis model. Four weeks after induction of stroke, peak velocity measurements were taken using Pulse Wave Doppler tracing of the posterior cerebral artery. The data was analyzed by 2 individuals blinded to experimental groups and statistical analysis involved conducting a one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s pairwise comparison for any significant main effects.
Female offspring from ChDD mothers had reduced blood flow in the posterior cerebral artery compared to CD mice. We did not observe any changes in offspring from FD dams.
The findings of our study suggest that a maternal diet deficient in choline results in reduced blood flow in female offspring after ischemic stroke. This result points to the important role of the maternal diet in early life programming, while emphasizing its effects on both fetal development and long-term cerebrovascular health. Additional studies are currently underway to measure blood flow in males and analyze peripheral blood flow in all offspring.
AHA and NIH.
Condensed tannins (CTs) account for up to 20% of the dry matter in forage legumes used as ruminant feeds. Beneficial animal responses to CTs have included improved growth, milk and wool production, ...fertility, and reduced methane emissions and ammonia volatilization from dung or urine. Most important is the ability of such forages to combat the effects of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. Inconsistent animal responses to CTs were initially attributed to concentration in the diet, but recent research has highlighted the importance of their molecular structures, as well as concentration, and also the composition of the diet containing the CTs. The importance of CT structural traits cannot be underestimated. Interdisciplinary research is the key to unraveling the relationships between CT traits and bioactivities and will enable future on‐farm exploitation of these natural plant compounds. Research is also needed to provide plant breeders with guidelines and screening tools to optimize CT traits, in both the forage and the whole diet. In addition, improvements are needed in the competitiveness and agronomic traits of CT‐containing legumes and our understanding of options for their inclusion in ruminant diets. Farmers need varieties that are competitive in mixed swards and have predictable bioactivities. This review covers recent results from multidisciplinary research on sainfoin (Onobrychis Mill. spp.) and provides an overview of current developments with several other tanniniferous forages. Tannin chemistry is now being linked with agronomy, plant breeding, animal nutrition, and parasitology. The past decade has yielded considerable progress but also generated more questions—an enviable consequence of new knowledge!
Display omitted
•Producers mix greater total amounts of TMR than what would be dictated by the formulated ration.•Grains, protein sources, hay, and grain silages are mixed in excessive amounts in ...relation to the formulated ration.•Minerals, molasses, straw, and nongrain silages are mixed in deficient amounts in relation to the formulated ration.•Divergences in total amount of feed or in individual ingredients are quadratically associated with milk yield.
Details from every mixing load of total mixed ration (TMR) fed to ∼19,000 cows distributed in 92 pens from 21 farms, along with individual milk yield of each cow in every pen and farm, were collected from a feeding and management system (algoMilk; www.algomilk.com) between 2020 and 2022 on a daily basis to assess the impact of quality of mixing TMR on animal performance. Divergence between expected and actual amounts of ingredients mixed in every load was calculated and expressed as a percentage relative to expected amounts. Ingredients were classified as (1) energy grains (i.e., corn, wheat), (2) protein sources (i.e., soybean meal, canola meal), (3) hays (i.e., alfalfa hay), (4) grain silages (i.e., corn silage), (5) nongrain silages (i.e., alfalfa silage), (6) minerals (i.e., salt, sodium bicarbonate), and (7) straw (i.e., wheat straw). Milk yield was averaged within farm and pen on a weekly basis, and mixing divergences were also averaged by load or by ingredient type and week within pen and farm. The weekly standard deviation (SD) of mixing divergences was calculated for every pen and farm. The average divergence of the total amount of TMR prepared was 1.52 ± 0.017% (mean ± SD), which means that, in general, mixing errors were caused by adding an excess of one or more ingredients. Energy grains (1.20 ± 0.037%), grain silages (1.78 ± 0.023%), hays (2.29 ± 0.044%), and protein sources (1.82 ± 0.043%) were mixed in excessive amounts (mean ± SD), whereas nongrain silages (−1.5 ± 0.037%), molasses (−3.05 ± 0.067%), minerals (96.9 ± 0.084%), and straw (−0.6 ± 0.063%) were mixed (mean ± SD) in lower amounts than expected. Divergence in the total amount of TMR was weakly quadratically (concave) correlated (R2 = 0.04) with milk yield. Similarly, divergence in the amounts of grains, protein sources, hay, silages, minerals, and molasses mixed in the TMR wagon in relation to the formulated ration was also weakly and quadratically (concave) with milk yield. Minimizing mixing errors may have positive effects on milking performance.
•PBP can be used as low-input and sustainable feeds for ruminant meat production.•Transport and processing of PBP are vital hotspots for gaining eco-benefits.•Some PBP contain bioactive compounds ...such as unsaturated FA and phytochemicals.•Feeding bioactive-rich PBP may decrease GHG emissions while improving meat quality.•PBP-based feeding strategies could positively impact global food security.
Ruminant meat production is associated with a large environmental cost compared to other livestock products. Feed production, transport, and utilisation play a major role in global food security and greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production. Replacement of edible feed crops with human-inedible biomass in animal diets is a potential strategy that could reduce food-feed competition and mitigate the environmental impacts of livestock. Globally, plant by-products (PBP) represent an important human-inedible feed resource for livestock production. These waste streams can be obtained from agro-industrial processes such as distillery and biofuel production, oilseed processing, fruit and vegetable processing, sugar production, root and tuber processing, and herb, spice and tree processing. The microbial population in the forestomach (rumen) of ruminants allow PBP to be used effectively compared to monogastric livestock. Assessing and improving the utilisation of PBP may enhance the environmental sustainability of ruminant meat production without compromising the quality attributes and consumer acceptability of meat. Some PBP contain a considerable amount of residual bioactive compounds such as vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, and phytochemicals. Feeding innovations based on the utilisation of bioactive-rich PBP may reduce enteric methane and nitrogen emissions in ruminants while improving the nutritional composition and shelf-life quality of meat and meat products. This review examines the dual-impact of dietary PBP on environmental sustainability and meat quality attributes in ruminant production. In addition, the paper highlights the implications of this alternative feeding strategy on meat safety and the strategic interventions pertinent to its practical application for ruminant meat production.
A study with 884 Ross 308 male broilers, housed in 68 floor pens (0.75 m2) from 0 to 35 days of age was conducted to evaluate the effects of low crude protein (CP) diets, with partial replacement of ...soybean meal by free amino acids (AA), on performance, slaughter yields, litter quality and footpad lesions. During the first 11 d, all broilers received the same control starter diet (216 g/kg CP, 11.5 g/kg apparent fecal digestible (AFD) lysine, and 2900 kcal/kg AMEn). Thereafter, four experimental feeding programs with different levels of dietary CP (control and control with 1% (CP-1%), 2% (CP-2%) and 3% (CP-3%) less CP units) were provided in both the grower and finisher phase. In the control grower and finisher diet, the CP content was 208 and 198 g/kg, respectively. All diets were formulated to meet or exceed the recommendations concerning AFD AA, and to be iso-caloric within each feeding phase. Feed and water were provided for ad libitum intake during the entire experimental period.
None of the low CP feeding programs affected body weight gain, feed intake or mortality from 0 to 35 d. However, CP conversion was improved with the reduction of CP content of the diet. Broilers fed the CP-2% or CP-3% feeding program had an improved feed conversion ratio. Broilers fed the low CP protein feeding programs had a better litter quality and less footpad lesions, compared to broilers fed the control feeding program. Broilers fed the CP-3% feeding program had a lower breast meat yield than broilers fed the control feeding program. Slaughter yields of broilers fed CP-1% or CP-2% feeding program did not differ from the control feeding program. This study demonstrated that the CP content of grower and finisher diets can be reduced by 2.2–2.3% units without adverse effects on growth performance of broilers, while CP reduction seems promising to reduce nitrogen excretion from broiler houses, improve bird welfare, and reduces dependence on vegetable protein sources.
Soybean is one of the most important agronomical crops used both in human and animal nutrition, and for processing. The content of soybean in protein and oil may vary from one variety to another ...being between 30% protein content and 17-25% oil content, in seeds, and 15% protein content and 5% oil content, in plants, respectively. Also, these are very much influenced by both the environment factors (temperature, humidity, type of soil) and the technology applied (irrigation, nonirrigation, and entire system of cultivation, and the cultivars, too. The experiment was designed to determine if the biochemical particularities are influenced by the two factors: cultivar and herbicide. Two Romanian cultivars have been used, Danubiana and Columna, being cultivated under herbicide treatment ( a mixture of Gallat -2l/ha + 70g Dynam), and non herbicide (control) conditions. The experiment shows that the herbicide did not influence the mineral substance, protein and lipid content, for instance the highest value of total dry matter content of soybean pods was registered for Columna variety being of 28,54% for control and 25,67 % for herbicide mixture variant. In addition the content of mineral elements may vary between 1,56% for Danubiana variety under herbicide mixture variant and 1,78 % for Columna variety as control . Nevertheless the herbicide had a great influence on the both seed weight varieties, increasing from 130g to 171g for Danubiana and from 150g to 167g for Columna variety, respectively.The differences between cultivars are small, for water, and mineral element content, and fat acids, but they are much higher for lipid and protein content.Amongst the two varieties, Danubiana is recommended to be used in the animal nutrition due to its mineral elements and protein.
Display omitted
•The 2021 NASEM proposed an equation to predict milk fat yield.•The model uses dairy cow characteristics and diet composition as input variables.•An external evaluation has been ...conducted using records from Canadian dairy herds.•The prediction of milk fat yield was shown to be precise and accurate.•The model can be targeted for on-farm application.
In 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) issued an equation to predict milk fat yield using dairy cow characteristics and diet composition as input variables. This model was evaluated externally using a data set composed of 541 feed and production records obtained from 23 eastern Canadian dairy herds. The use of the developed equation requires the prediction of dry matter intake. Cow intake used in the model assessment has been obtained by NASEM equations based on (1) animal factors, or (2) a combination of feed composition and animal factors. The prediction of milk fat yield was shown to be accurate. The best prediction was obtained using intake estimated based solely on animal factors (concordance correlation coefficient = 0.68).
Display omitted
•Oral Ca bolus supplementation was not associated with milk yield or pregnancy to first service.•Supplementation protocols must be reevaluated if group level effects are ...sought.•Further research is needed to evaluate target oral Ca bolus supplementation.
Among the commonly implemented strategies developed to support calcium (Ca) metabolism postpartum, oral Ca supplementation is within the most studied. However, research shows varying responses to treatment in regard to production and reproduction. Our objectives were (1) to identify and synthesize the literature evaluating the associations between postpartum oral Ca supplementation as bolus and milk yield and risk of pregnancy to first service using a systematic review, and (2) to quantify these associations using meta-analytical methods. Nine relevant studies published between January 2010 and September 2021 were identified after systematic search of 4 databases (Biosis, CAB Abstracts, Medline, Scopus). The studies were conducted in commercial confined and grazing farms. Eight of the 9 studies reported feeding low to negative dietary cation-anion difference diets prepartum. Oral Ca bolus supplementation strategies varied among studies but were predominantly centered on the first 24 h postpartum. Milk yield and pregnancy to first service were evaluated in 9 and 6 of the studies, respectively. Other productive (energy-corrected milk yield, peak milk yield, or fat and protein concentrations) and reproductive (estrus cyclicity, days from calving to first service, or pregnancy by 150 or 210 days in milk) outcomes were evaluated in 4 of the studies. The meta-analyses revealed a lack of evidence for associations between prophylactic blanket postpartum oral Ca bolus supplementation and milk yield (including 8 studies) or risk of pregnancy to first service (including 6 studies). Some of the evaluated studies reported statistically significant associations after data stratification. However, not enough studies reported estimates for the evaluated conditional factors to perform a meta-analysis among the identified subgroups. In conclusion, future research should study and report the production, reproduction, and health estimates of cow-level conditional factors of interest for the evaluated response, and investigate alternative regimes of oral Ca bolus supplementation.
Evaluate the interaction of dietary betaine and two different sources of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): alpha-linolenate (ALA) and combined eicosapentaenoate (EPA) and docosahexaenoate ...(DHA) on subsequent circulating single carbon metabolism and metabolomics.
This study was a complete factorial with or without added betaine and 3 levels of PUFA. Forty eight domestic short hair cats with an average age of 5.8 years (range 1–12) were used in this study. All cats were assigned to a pre-feed period (14 days) and then assigned to one of the six treatment foods: control, control plus 0.35% ALA (flaxseed used to increase ALA), control plus 0.27% EPA&DHA combined (added fish oil as a source), control plus 0.5% betaine, control plus ALA and 0.5% betaine or control plus EPA&DHA and 0.5% betaine. All treatment foods were fed for sixty days. Blood analysis (CBC, chem screens, fatty acid profiles, and metabolome) was completed at the beginning and at the end of the study. Statistical analysis used PUFA source or intake, betaine and interaction with p ≤ 0.05 used as significant.
Dietary betaine increased circulating betaine, dimethyl glycine, sarcosine and methionine while adding ALA increased circulating ALA, and EPA&DHA increased their respective circulating concentrations. Betaine increased circulating arachidonic acid when added alone or with ALA with no change when betaine and EPA&DHA were added together. Dietary betaine increased the slope of the linear relationship between circulating EPA (or DHA) to dietary EPA (or DHA). Dietary betaine resulted in an increased concentration of alpha-tocopherol. Similar results were observed with circulating beta- and gamma-tocopherol (combined).
Dietary betaine influences the circulating concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the methyl donor pathway. It also increases circulating tocopherols.
This study was funded by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc.
PDF
