The present experiment was conducted to obtain an appropriate addition strategy of magnesium oxide (MgO) for feedlot lambs and to elucidate how the combined addition of MgO and sodium bicarbonate ...(NaHCO3) influences the growth performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot lambs. Sixty male Dorper-Hu hybrid lambs (32.76 ± 0.85 kg) were randomly assigned to 20 pens (3 lambs per pen; 5 pens per treatment). Lambs received a corn-based total-mixed ration (TMR, 80:20 concentrate to forage) without supplementation (CON) or with the inclusion (dry matter basis) of 15 g/kg NaHCO3 (SB), 2.5 g/kg MgO + 7.5 g/kg NaHCO3 (MG1) or 5 g/kg MgO + 7.5 g/kg NaHCO3 (MG2). Buffer addition effectively increased ruminal pH and water intake in feedlot lambs (P < 0.01). The MG2 group had lower dry matter intake (P ≤ 0.03), while the MG1 group showed higher average daily gain and lower feed-to-gain ratio than the other groups (P < 0.01). Compared to the CON and SB groups, MG1 and MG2 groups had greater total tract nutrient digestibility, except for the stage 1 of DM and ADF (P < 0.01). Adding MgO with NaHCO3 improved total volatile fatty acids concentration (P < 0.01). Microbial community analysis revealed enhanced Prevotella abundance in both MG1 and MG2 groups (P = 0.04). Additionally, MG1 and MG2 groups also both exhibited greater serum antioxidant capacity compared to CON and SB groups (P ≤ 0.03). The MG1 group showed greater dressing percentage, and ribeye area than other groups (P < 0.01). Overall, the recommended supplementation strategy for the lambs' diet was 2.5 g/kg MgO + 7.5 g/kg NaHCO3. The mixture of MgO and NaHCO3 enhanced the total tract nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and serum antioxidant capacity in lambs, resulting in improved lamb growth and carcass performance.
•MgO and NaHCO3 supplementation could maintain a favorable rumen environment.•MgO and NaHCO3 supplementation enhanced total tract nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation.•MgO and NaHCO3 supplementation improved serum antioxidant capacity and carcass fat deposition.•The appropriate addition strategy for feedlot lambs was 2.5 g/kg MgO + 7.5 g/kg NaHCO3.
Gut microbiota play an important role in the gut ecology and development of pigs, which is always regulated by nutrients. This study investigated the effect of L-Citrulline on growth performance, ...carcass characteristics, and its potential regulatory mechanism. The results showed that 1% dietary L-Citrulline supplementation for 52 days significantly increased final weight, liveweight gain, carcass weight, and average backfat and markedly decreased drip loss (
p
< 0.05) of finishing pigs compared with the control group. Microbial analysis of fecal samples revealed a marked increase in α-diversity and significantly altered composition of gut microbiota in finishing pigs in response to L-Citrulline. In particular, these altered gut microbiota at the phylum and genus level may be mainly involved in the metabolic process of carbohydrate, energy, and amino acid, and exhibited a significant association with final weight, carcass weight, and backfat thickness. Taken together, our data revealed the potential role of L-Citrulline in the modulation of growth performance, carcass characteristics, and the meat quality of finishing pigs, which is most likely associated with gut microbiota.
Introduction: Early post-hatch feed and water deprivation, as happens practically, may negatively influence the growth performance and health of broiler chickens due to severe dehydration, suppressed ...mitotic activity of satellite cells, poorer gut health, and development as well as retarded yolk sac (YS) absorption. Decelerated YS absorption may be associated with a higher incidence of YS infection and lower transfer of maternal antibodies from the YS to the chick body. Royal Chick is a nutritious gel providing adequate quantities of water and essential nutrients for newly-hatched chicks. The product also contains probiotic organisms, prebiotic, yeast nucleotides, and natural anti-stress substances. Royal Chick is an innovative nutrient-enriched powder product that forms a jelly mass when mixed with water. As claimed by the manufacturer, the product prevents initial weight loss, alleviates oxidative stress, improves skeletal muscle growth, and stimulates the development of the digestive and immune systems of the newly hatched chicks. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of early feeding with Royal Chick on productive performance, carcass traits, immune system function, and jejunum morphometry of broiler chickens.Materials and Methods: A total of 420 d-old straight-run Ross 308 broiler chicks were used in a completely randomized design with 5 treatment groups and 6 replicates per each. A group of chicks were deprived of both feed and water for the first 24 h post-hatch and served as control (CON). In the second group, each bird was treated with HRCH gel in two separate 2 g dosages from which the first was given in the chick box and the second was administered immediately after placement in combination with the first meal of the starter diet (T1). In the third group, each bird was treated with a mixture of 2 g HRCH and 2 g starter feed in the chick box (T2). In the fourth group, each bird was treated with a single 2 g dose of HRCH in the chick box (T3). In the fifth group, each bird received a mixture of 2 g HRCH gel and 2 g starter feed immediately after placement (T4). All chicks were held in chick box up to 24 h post-hatch and then were transferred to the associated floor pens and reared for 42 days on standard starter (2 to 10 d of age), grower (11 to 24 d of age), and finisher (25 to 35 d of age) diets. On days 10, 24, and 35 birds of each pen were weighed together. Offered feed and refused feed were also weighed and mortality records were kept for each phase. Then weight gain (WG), feed intake (FI), and mortality-corrected feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. On days 2 and 25, blood samples were taken from 2 birds per replicate to evaluate maternal immunity and humoral immune responses to vaccination against Newcastle disease virus (NDV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), and avian influenza virus (AI). The birds from which blood samples were taken on day 2 were killed at the same time to measure residual yolk sac weight. At the end of the experiment, 2 female birds per pen were weighed and decapitated to investigate carcass traits and to sample the mid jejunum for morphometric analysis.Results and Discussion: Birds in T1 and T2 groups tended to have lighter residual yolk sac than their control counterparts (P=0.076). During the starter phase, T2, T3, and T4 groups had significantly (P<0.05) higher WG and FI compared to those in the control group with no improvement in FCR. During the grower phase, the T4 group consumed more feed than the control one (P<0.05). No treatment effect was detected on performance traits at the finisher phase and throughout the experimental period (P>0.05). Birds in T2 and T3 groups produced the most pronounced antibody responses against IBV. The highest carcass yield was obtained in birds treated with a combination of HRCH and starter feed in the chick box (T2). The same birds also tended to have the highest breast yield (P=0.077).Conclusion: Administration of hydrated Royal Chick gel in chick box (with or without a starter diet) or immediately after placement (in combination with a starter diet) can bring beneficial effects on the health and productivity of broiler chickens. Further investigations are necessary to identify possible interactions of different EF regimens involving HNG with breeder age, deprivation duration, and pre-placement environmental conditions on subsequent performance and health status in broiler chickens.
The study aimed to evaluate the profitability, meat quality, and carcass parameters of fast-, medium-, and slow-growing meat-type chicken genotypes of Bangladesh. Nine hundred DOCs were randomly ...allocated to 6 treatments: T1 = commercial broilers, T2 = CPF-3 (central poultry farm-3), T3 = cockerel, T4 = sonali, T5 = NDD (non-descriptive desi), and T6 = hilly, having 5 replications of 30 chicks each. Birds were reared under complete confinement until their respective market ages (commercial broilers = 35 d; CPF-3 = 45 d; cockerel = 56 d, and hilly = 77 d; sonali = 63 d and NDD = 77 d) and fed commercial broiler diets. Net returns, meat quality, growth, and carcass yield were measured. NDD and hilly showed significantly the highest profitability and superior meat quality. Commercial broilers exhibited the highest final body weight (2355.59 g/b) followed by hilly (1241 g/b) and NDD (1006 g/b), while CPF-3 (860.21 g/b), cockerel (915.49 g/b), and sonali (788.43 g/b) had lower final body weights at their respective market ages. Commercial broilers had the highest carcass weight and dressing yields, followed by hilly and cockerel, and lower in sonali, CPF-3, and NDD. The study concluded that rearing slow- or medium-growing NDD and hilly is superior to fast-growing commercial broilers or CPF-3 regarding profitability, and meat quality. The results of current findings help small-scale farmers in choosing a suitable meat-type chicken that yields better profitability and also for the consumers who wish to pay a fair price for the birds, considering the meat quality specific to each chicken genotype.
•First study to quantify the association between small lungworm infection and carcass characteristics in Australia.•Small lungworm prevalence and effect are similar in lambs and adult sheep.•Small ...lungworm is highly prevalent, but did not reduce production nor increase the risk of pneumonia.•Producers in southeast South Australia do not need to implement control measures for small lungworm.
This field and abattoir study assessed the association of the severity and prevalence of small lungworm lesions with the carcass characteristics of 1332 lambs and adult sheep bred on three farms in southeast SA. Liveweight and measures of lungworm infection were measured on farm, then lung lesions and carcass characteristics assessed at slaughter. The overall prevalence of small lungworm lesions at slaughter was 79 % (928/1177; 95 % CI 76, 81), with a prevalence of 87 % (569/658; 95 % CI 84, 89) in lambs, and 69 % (359/519; 95 % CI 65, 73) in adults, respectively. Small lungworm infected lambs and adults had a similar hot standard carcass weight and dressing percentage compared to non-infected animals, both overall and within their respective cohort. Overall, the mean carcass weight for non-infected and infected lambs was 23.4 kg (95 % CI 18, 29), and 23.6 kg (95 % CI 18, 29), respectively, with a mean difference of 0.2 kg (95 % CI -0.4, 0.8; P = 0.5). Mean carcass weight for non-infected and infected adults was 21.3 kg (95 % CI 15, 28), and 21.5 kg (95 % CI 15, 28), with a mean difference of 0.2 kg (95 % CI -0.5, 0.9; P = 0.5).
This study confirmed a very high prevalence of small lungworm lesions in sheep bred on farms in this region of SA, but their hot standard carcass weights were not reduced by these lesions. Additional information to compare the presence of lesions with productivity within an individual was collected at slaughter which provided more detailed information than is currently collected by routine abattoir surveillance. The limitations of the currently available diagnostic tests for small lungworm were also demonstrated. This indicated a need for the development of more sensitive tests to assess lungworm infections both on farm and at the abattoir. Currently, farmers in this region are concerned about the very high prevalence of small lungworm in their sheep, but this study provides reassurance that the presence of mild lesions does not reduce production.
•Coated cysteamine (CCS) did not affect growth performance of finishing pigs.•CCS had beneficial effects on carcass lean percentage and longissmus muscle area.•An appropriate level of CCS was able to ...increase growth hormone levels in serum.•An appropriate level of CCS was able to reduce somatostatin levels in serum.•CCS affected related enzyme activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue.
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of coated cysteamine (CCS) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid metabolism in finishing pigs. A total of 160 pigs (62.12 ± 1.43 kg body weight) were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 4 pens per group and 10 pigs (5 gilts and 5 barrows) per pen. Pigs were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg CCS, corresponding to 0, 27, 54, or 108 mg/kg cysteamine, respectively. All pigs were given free access to feed and water for forty days. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed to gain ratio were not affected by the CCS treatment. Supplemental CCS increased carcass lean ratio linearly (P < 0.05) and longissmus muscle area quadratically (P < 0.05), and the water-holding capacity as measured by 24 h drip loss was quadratically affected (P < 0.05) by CCS supplementation. The activity of hormone-sensitive lipase in subcutaneous adipose tissue was linearly increased (P < 0.001), while fatty acid synthase activity was linearly decreased (P < 0.05). Pigs fed CCS had a lower serum triacylglycerol (P < 0.001) level and lipase activity (P < 0.001), lower total cholesterol (P < 0.05) level, and a higher total protein (P < 0.001) and free fatty acids (P < 0.01) levels. In addition, CCS quadratically increased serum growth hormone (GH) (P < 0.001) level and quadratically affected somatostatin (SS) (P < 0.05) level. Consistently, significant effects of dietary CCS were observed on the mRNA expression of GH and SS in the anterior pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, respectively, where the intermediate CCS level showed the highest GH mRNA level and lowest SS mRNA level. The results indicate that dietary supplementation of CCS has beneficial effects on carcass characteristics and meat quality, and affects lipid metabolism in finishing pigs.
•Performance and meat quality were examined in different cattle breeds.•The lowest feeding efficiency measured by RFI was observed in Holstein.•Sensory attributes were rated higher in Aberdeen Angus ...than in the other breeds.•Clear differences among breeds varying in age of maturity were revealed.
Growth, feeding efficiency, carcass traits, and meat quality (including as measured by sensory analysis) were examined in four cattle breeds differing by age at maturity and purpose of production. A total of 40 bulls of Aberdeen Angus (AA), Gascon (GS), Holstein (HO), and Fleckvieh (FL) breeds were fattened under identical housing and feeding conditions until slaughter at a similar age of 17 months. Whereas no breed difference was found in growth rate, dry matter intake was higher in AA and HO than in GS and FL (P < 0.001). The highest residual feed intake indicating the lowest feeding efficiency was observed in HO (P < 0.001). The highest killing-out and total lean meat proportions were found in GS, the lowest in HO and intermediary in AA and FL (P < 0.01). Lower shear force values indicating more tender meat were measured in grilled meat samples of AA than in HO (P < 0.05), with GS and FL being intermediary. Meat from AA and HO had highest concentrations of dry matter and intramuscular fat (P < 0.001). Most sensory attributes were rated higher in AA compared to the other breeds (P < 0.001). GS samples received the second-best scores (P < 0.001) for tenderness and residue. The study revealed clear differences among breeds in most of the traits examined that may be of value for beef producers. Whereas purebred GS bulls were superior in slaughter and carcass traits, eating quality characteristics were rated highest in AA.
The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of a standard total mixed ration (TMR) with containing anthocyanin-rich plants on animal performance, blood biochemical indices, rumen ...fermentation, microbial composition, and carcass characteristics in meat goats. Thirty-six healthy crossbred Thai-native Anglo-Nubian male goats (14.42 ± 0.6 kg) were used to compare the possibility of using anthocyanin-rich black cane silage (AS) in place of Napier grass silage (NS) as a functional feed resource. All goats received a 90-d routine feeding consisting of two experimental diets that were isocaloric and isonitrogenous: the control group received TMR containing 50% NS (NS;
= 18), and one group received TMR containing 50% AS (AS;
= 18). Average daily weight gain (ADG) and dry matter intake (DMI) were measured as indicators of performance. At the end of the experiment, meat, blood, and rumen samples were collected. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of final body weight, ADG, DMI, or ADG/DMI. There were no differences in rumen pH or total volatile fatty acids (VFAs); however, rumen ammonia N concentrations were lower in the AS group than in the NS group. Individual VFA concentrations varied, with AS group containing more
and NS group containing more methanogenic bacteria. Blood biochemical indices varied, with NS group having higher TBARS concentration and AS group having higher concentrations of TAC, SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and GSH-Rx. Goat meat from the AS group had higher levels of intramuscular fat and was more tender compared to goat meat from the NS group. The feeding of anthocyanin-rich black cane appears to be an attractive alternative for Napier grass in the nutrition of meat goats. The current results indicate that the feeding of a TMR containing 50% anthocyanin-rich black cane alleviates oxidative stress and promotes the production of tender meat.
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