This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH) on serum concentrations of acute phase proteins (APP) during the peripartum period of Holstein cows and to correlate this disorder with biochemical parameters, body condition score (BCS), body weight (BW), and milk production. According to total calcium concentrations (Ca_t) before calving, the animals were divided into two groups: normocalcemic (NC; >8.5 mg dL^-1, n = 13) and SCH (≤8.5 mg dL^-1, n = 7). Blood samples were collected in the prepartum and postpartum to determine serum concentrations of glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, phosphorus, Ca_t, non-esterified fatty acids, insulin, and APP: albumin (ALB), haptoglobin (HP), and paraoxonase (PON) were analysed. Prepartum, SCH group showed an increase in HP concentrations and decreased ALB related to NC. Postpartum, SCH group showed a greater decrease in BCS and BW, a reduction in negative acute phase proteins ALB and PON and increased HP, and lower milk production than NC cows. We observed that during the peripartum SCH cows experienced more evident changes in their metabolism, alterations in the synthesis of APP, BCS, BW, and milk production, there by demonstrating the importance of calcium homeostasis for health and production of dairy cows.

Lysine addition to swine diets via either feed-grade lysine or protein sources costs producers. To better understand how diet affects lysine oxidation (LOX), weanling pigs were fed a control (C), high protein (HP), low protein (LP), high lysine (HL), or low lysine (LL) diets. No diet-induced alterations in lysine catabolism were detected in heart or kidney (P > 0.05). Liver lysine α-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR) (P < 0.05), saccharopine dehydrogenase (P < 0.05) activities, and α-aminoadipate δ-semialdehyde synthase abundance (P < 0.01) were reduced by 30%, 35%, and 52%, respectively, in pigs consuming LL compared with pigs consuming C. Expression of ornithine carrier-1 (ORC-1) mRNA in pigs fed HL was 170% greater (P < 0.05) than that in pigs fed C, whereas expression of the ORC-1 mRNA in pigs fed LL was 50% lower (P < 0.05) than that in pigs fed C. Expression of ORC-2 mRNA in pigs fed HL was 88% higher (P < 0.05) than that in pigs fed LL. The ORC transporters and LKR phosphorylation are likely points of regulation of LOX and, interventions aimed at these targets may be the best opportunity to decrease LOX and thus the requirement, subsequently decreasing feed costs.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using production and health records from Québec dairy herds which were integrated with the objectives of calculating different lifetime profitability measures and developing analyses of the impact of selected reproduction and health variables on profitability. The dataset for the study consisted of lifetime records for a total of 13 668 Holstein cows from 113 herds and in cohorts of cows calving for the first time between 2000 and 2009. To calculate profit, all the revenues and costs were accumulated on a lifetime basis, and cumulative lifetime profit and cumulative lifetime profit adjusted for the opportunity cost of postponed replacement were selected for analysis. There were statistically significant effects in both profit measures because of age at first calving, cumulative number of days in milk, and cumulative number of days dry as well as the number of health events accumulated by animal lifetime (clinical mastitis, reproductive problems, and feet and legs problems). The results of lifetime profit measures and management variables with an effect on profit results could help dairy producers in the process of monitoring and making decisions regarding profit goals and herd life of their cows.

Our objective was to investigate the effects of supplements with soybean oil source, administered either daily or three times per week, on meat quality and carcass characteristics of heifers finished on pasture. Forty-two crossbred heifers aged 17 ± 3 mo with an initial mean body weight (BW) of 297.1 ± 13.5 kg were selected for pasture finishing. The animals were randomly assigned to six treatments. Each treatment consisted of two feeding frequencies, daily (DAI; seven times per week, supplemented at 0.75% BW) or alternating (MWF; three times per week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, supplemented at 1.75% BW on each day), and three different soybean oil sources: soybean oil (SO), rumen-protected fat (RPF), and whole soybean (WS). There was no interaction (P > 0.05) between the feeding frequencies and soybean oil source on meat quality and carcass characteristics. Supplements with WS resulted in a greater C18:0 concentration in the longissimus muscle compared with those with SO or RPF (P = 0.02). Supplements with SO increased the rumenic acid deposition, the total monounsaturated fatty acids, and the monounsaturated:saturated fatty acids ratio (P < 0.05). We conclude that reduction in the supplementation frequency does not alter the carcass and meat quality traits.

Cordyceps militaris is a rare and exotic medicinal mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine. The secondary metabolite, cordycepin (3?-deoxyadenosine), produced from C. militaris is a biologically active compound. Cordycepin has been demonstrated to exert several pharmacological effects, such as anti-microbial and anti-tumor activities. However, the effect of cordycepin on the immune modulation of porcine alveolar macrophages (PAM) is poorly investigated. In the current study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effect of cordycepin from C. militaris hot water (CMHW) extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) simulated PAM. The CMHW significantly reduced LPS-stimulated nitric oxide production and cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression levels in a dose-dependent manner. The LPS-induced phosphorylation of p38 was impaired by CMHW treatment, thereby decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6. Similar to CMHW, cordycepin also had similar effects on LPS-stimulated PAM. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that CMHW has an inhibitory effect on LPS-induced inflammatory responses in PAM through regulation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Thus, CMHW is a potential novel feed additive for immunomodulation in farm animals.

Systems that objectively assess beef carcasses are becoming more common in slaughterhouses. The objectives of this study were to investigate differences in the EUROP classification of beef carcasses between independent national senior assessors and abattoir assessors, and to investigate the results of calibration and validation tests for the German VBS 2000 system in Poland. All the procedures involving calibration sample analysis and the certification test were conducted in accordance with the guidelines of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1249/2008. The results show that evaluations provided by abattoir assessors significantly differ to those given by national assessors (P < 0.01), and that fat class is the best predictor of differences in EUROP evaluations. Pearson’s correlation coefficients for the median of evaluations from five assessors and evaluations from the VBS 2000 system were high for both conformation and fat classes: 0.905 and 0.907, respectively. A strong linear correlation between evaluations of conformation and fat obtained from assessors and the VBS 2000 system was found. Remuneration for livestock producers depends on the assessment of carcasses, and therefore, the evaluation process should be improved with an increase in the precision of carcass classification, and automated technologies give such possibility.

Differences in methane emission between cattle types and 273–4903-d-old cattle were evaluated. Rumen content from 59 beef and 32 dairy cattle, collected at an abattoir, was used for in vitro incubation with a forage-based diet alone or supplemented with extruded linseed. Incubating rumen fluid from dairy cows yielded lower methane per gram of diet dry matter (DM) incubated (?5.5%), methane/total gas ratios (?8.5%), and ammonia concentrations (?38%) than that from beef cattle. Linseed decreased methane yield (?6.5%), total gas production (?3.6%), and methane/total gas ratio (?2.7%). High emitters responded slightly more to linseed than low emitters. Lower methane yield (?15%), total gas (?11%), and ammonia concentrations (?20%), and a trend for lower methane/total gas ratios (?5.2%) were found in Limousin × Brown Swiss than in Limousin × Holstein. In beef cattle, methane yield increased (up to 40 mL g^-1 DM) with age in a linear manner, whereas in overall dairy and beef animals the relationship was curvilinear (high in young and old animals) concerning methane/total gas ratio and ammonia concentration (trend in beef). In conclusion, rumen fluid from slaughtered animals may be useful to study variations in methane emission from different cattle types.

A total of 17 356 test-day milk yield (TDMY) records from 642 first lactations of Alpine goats were used to model variations in lactation curve using random regression models (RRM). Orthogonal Legendre polynomials and B-splines were evaluated to obtain adequate and parsimonious models for the estimation of genetic parameters. The analysis was performed using a single-trait RRM, including the additive genetic, permanent environmental, and residual effects. We estimated the mean trend of milk yield, and the additive genetic and permanent environmental covariance functions through random regression using different orders of orthogonal Legendre polynomial (three to six) and B-spline functions (linear, quadratic, and cubic, with three to six knots). This study further evaluated different number of classes of residual variances. The covariance components and the genetic parameters were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method. Heritability estimates presented similar trends for both functions. The RRM with a higher number of parameters better described the genetic variation of TDMY throughout the lactation. The most suitable RRM for genetic evaluation of TDMY of Alpine goats is a quadratic B-spline function with six knots, for the mean trend, curves of additive genetic and permanent environmental effects, and five classes of residual variance.

The skulls of 165 red foxes (75 wild and 90 farm-bred individuals) collected in Poland in the years 2012–2014 were measured, analysed, and compared to further investigate the effect of ancestry and selective breeding on craniometrical variation between wild and farm red fox populations. Univariate comparisons of skull measurements (19 cranial traits), as well as four craniometric indices, revealed significant differences among vast majority of the studied measurements. Principal component analyses and two-dimensional plots showed almost complete separation of the two studied populations of the red fox, as well as clear separation of sexes between populations and within the farm population. This may suggest that the selective forces (artificial vs. natural selection) acting upon cranial morphology of the red fox vary between wild and farm populations. Furthermore, the second important factor which cannot be ignored when considering morphological differences between wild and farm foxes is the origin of compared populations (the Eurasian wild red fox population vs. the red foxes of North American origin — a founder population of farm foxes). Thus, the ancestry of the farm foxes is discussed as well.

Tributyrin is a butyrate glyceride, shown to have positive effects on broiler performance. This study investigated the differences in growth performance between Ross 308 and Ross 708 birds, and compared how each strain responds to tributyrin supplementation. Two-hundred-and-forty-day-old Ross 308 and 240-d-old Ross 708 chicks were divided and fed a basal diet, or diets supplemented with low or high levels of tributyrin for 35 d. Neither strain nor tributyrin supplementation had an effect on average daily gain or feed:gain (P > 0.05). All Ross 708 birds had significantly decreased relative abdominal fat weight at 3 and 5 wk of age compared with Ross 308 birds of the same treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Tributyrin supplementation only decreased relative abdominal fat weight compared with controls in Ross 708 birds at 5 wk of age (P ≤ 0.05). Ross 708 control birds had significantly higher breast muscle fat deposition than Ross 308 controls (P ≤ 0.05), and tributyrin lowered this deposition in both strains (P ≤ 0.05). Significant differences in hepatic expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism were observed between strains, and with tributyrin supplementation (P ≤ 0.05). These results support the modulation of lipid metabolism by tributyrin, and show different broiler strains responded uniquely to tributyrin supplementation.

Two experiments were performed to determine the chemical composition of by-product of passion fruit seed (BPFS) and to evaluate the performance, blood variables, carcass yield, meat quality, and oxidation of broilers fed diets containing increasing levels of BPFS. In experiment 1, a total of 60 twenty-one-day-old Cobb male broilers were distributed in a completely randomized design, with two treatments (reference feed and test diet) and five replicates of 6 birds each. Energy content in BPFS was 3945 kcal kg^-1 of apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance and 10.68% crude protein. In experiment 2, a total of 864 one-day-old male Cobb broilers were distributed in a completely randomized design, with six treatments (control, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, 10%, and 12.5% BPFS) and six replicates of 24 birds each. Feed conversion linearly worsened (P < 0.05). At 21 d of age, blood triglyceride levels linearly decreased (P < 0.05). At 42 d, there was a linear decrease in villus height in the jejunum as the inclusion of BPFS increases. Meat quality was not affected by the different levels of BPFS. For lipid oxidation, used samples of thigh in a 6 × 3 factorial design (six levels of addition of BPFS and three storage periods) with four replications. In the treatments with 5% BPFS, the phenolic compounds present in the by-product led to a delayed and reduced oxidation. In conclusion, from 1 to 21 d and 1 to 42 d, BPFS can be used up to 5% in broiler diets without harming the parameters evaluated.

This study investigated the effects of dietary inclusion of silicic acid powder containing bamboo vinegar liquid (SPV) on production performance, egg quality, intestinal microflora, and alterations of intestinal villi in laying hens. Eighty ISA Brown hens were randomly divided into four treatment groups, with five replicates per treatment and four hens per replicate. They were fed ad libitum, a basal diet supplemented with SPV at 0, 2, 4, or 6 g kg^-1 level, for 16 wk. Egg production significantly increased with the 2 g kg^-1 SPV diet for hens of 34–37 wk old, while egg mass was highest for hens fed the 2 g kg^-1 SPV diet in 38–41 wk age range (P < 0.05). Internal and external egg qualities were not significantly affected by SPV (P > 0.10). In the ileal content, populations of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. tended to decrease in the SPV-supplemented groups compared with the control group (P < 0.10). Villus height of jejunum and villus area of duodenum and jejunum were highest in the hens fed the 2 g kg^-1 SPV diet (P < 0.05). The present results indicate that dietary SPV at 2 g kg^-1 could stimulate intestinal functions, decrease ileal pathogenic bacteria counts, and result in higher egg production performance.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Enterococcus faecium (EF) and endo-1,4-β-xylanase (XY) in finishing pigs. The pigs were randomly divided into four treatments with eight replications per treatment and four pigs per pen in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two levels of EF (0 or 0.1 g kg⁻¹ of feed) and XY (0 or 0.1 g kg⁻¹ of feed). During 0–12 wk, average daily gain and gain to feed ratio (G:F) increased by addition of EF in the diets (P < 0.05). The G:F increased by addition of XY in the diets (P < 0.05). At the 6th week, the results showed that digestibility of dry matter (DM), nitrogen, and energy increased with pigs fed EF supplemented diet compared with diets without EF supplementation (P < 0.05). In addition, administration of XY improved DM digestibility compared with treatments without XY supplementation (P < 0.05). The fecal Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus counts decreased and increased respectively by addition of EF or XY in the diets (P < 0.05). In conclusion, providing finishing pigs with diets that contained EF and XY can improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, Lactobacillus population, and decrease E. coli counts.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dry corn (DC) and fermented corn (FC) supplemented to alfalfa haylage (AH) (Medicago sativa L.) on feed intake, digestibility, and nitrogen (N) balance in wether sheep. The study consisted of five feeding treatments incorporating AH alone and AH supplemented with 5 or 10 g of DC (DC5 and DC10, respectively) or FC (FC5 and FC10, respectively) kg^-1 body weight (BW) d^-1 to Suffolk wethers. The DC5 and FC5 treatments were higher in acid detergent fibre (ADF) intake (P < 0.001), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) intake (P < 0.001), and N intake (P < 0.05) compared with the DC10 and FC10 treatments. Both energy sources (DC and FC) and supplemental levels (5 and 10 g kg^-1 BW d^-1) increased (P < 0.05) the digestibility of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM), and the digestibility of OM in DM (D value), and decreased the digestibility of ADF (P < 0.05). The DC10 and FC10 treatments had higher D values (P < 0.05) and reduced ADF digestibility values (P < 0.05) compared with the DC5 and FC5 treatments. The FC supplemented treatments had reduced N balances compared with DC treatments (P < 0.001). It was concluded that DC was a better supplement to AH than FC in terms of NDF intake, crude protein (CP) digestibility, and N balance. The main effect of increasing the level of starch supplementation to the diet was a reduced N and fibre intake, as well as N and fibre digestibility, but an increased D value.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of alanyl-glutamine (Ala-Gln) dipeptide supplementation on the intestinal mucosa barrier in weaned piglets challenged by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of 96 piglets were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design and randomly divided into four groups. The main effects were LPS challenge (0 or 100 μg kg^-1 body weight) and diets (0.62% Ala or 0.5% Ala-Gln). The results showed that LPS challenge significantly increased the crypts depth and decreased the villi height of small intestine in the piglets (P < 0.05), whereas, dietary Ala-Gln supplementation increased the villi height of small intestine (P < 0.05). The LPS challenge decreased the mRNA expressions of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) in the jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05), and Ala-Gln supplementation promoted the mRNA expressions of EGFR and IGF-1R. In addition, Ala-Gln supplementation also increased the mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin-1 and zonula occludens protein-1 (P < 0.05), decreased the number of goblet cells in the jejunal and ileal epithelium (P < 0.05) and the mRNA expressions of interleukin-1β and interleukin-8 in the jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05). There was no significant interaction between Ala-Gln supplementation and LPS challenge in most parameters except for the concentrations of the jejunal mucosa immunoglobulins (P < 0.05). The results indicated that Ala-Gln supplementation was beneficial to strengthen the intestinal mucosal barrier in piglets and could partially attenuate the adverse effects caused by LPS challenge.

This experiment was conducted to compare the impact of corn and barley on growth performance, meat quality, and muscle fatty acid (FA) composition of goat kids. Twenty-four Boer males (25.1 ± 1.5 kg) were blocked by body weight and allotted randomly within block to one of three experimental diets. Treatments consisted in varying ratios of barley to corn in the concentrate: (1) 100:0, (2) 50:50, and (3) 0:100. Fifteen randomly selected kids (n = 5 kids per treatment) were slaughtered and longissimus thoracis et lumborum was collected. Inclusion of barley in the diet linearly increased concentrate intake (P < 0.01) and tended to increase average daily gain (P = 0.08). There were no significant differences on carcass traits and meat quality among treatments. Levels of n-3 and n-6 FA increased linearly (P < 0.01), whereas n-6:n-3 ratio linearly decreased (P < 0.01) as corn inclusion in the diets increased.

The present study evaluated the impact of growth-promoting implants and their interaction with high-voltage electrical stimulation (HVES) on meat quality of steers at time of grading (24 h) and following wet ageing (6 and 14 d). Ninety-six crossbred steers were assigned for implanting (120 mg trenbolone acetate and 24 mg estradiol benzoate) or control (nonimplanted). During the slaughter process, HVES was applied to alternate carcass sides. Implanted steers were heavier (P < 0.01) and had larger rib eye areas (P < 0.01), but estimated lean yield was not significantly different from control carcasses (P = 0.41). Implants resulted in meat with lower intramuscular fat content, lower subjective scores for juiciness, and beef flavor intensity. Colour from meat exposed to HVES was significantly lighter, more saturated, and was redder at 24 h and 6 d post mortem. A significant three-way interaction among implant, HVES, and ageing was observed for the longissimus lumborum (LL) (P < 0.05). Stimulation reduced shear force with a decline in effect after 6 and 14 d. After 14 d of ageing, HVES LL muscles were more tender than unstimulated. This interaction suggests that HVES practices may require further study to optimize meat quality in implanted animals.

There is limited knowledge on the effect of barley silage (BS) with different ruminal in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (ivNDFD) on dairy cow performance and chewing activity. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of BS varieties selected for varying rates of ivNDFD on lactation performance and chewing activity of high-yield dairy cows in comparison with a new corn silage (CS) hybrid. A 4 × 4 Latin square design was applied in this study with four mid-lactating multiparous Holstein cows. The cows were fed diets containing 49% barley-based concentrate and 51% forage (dry matter basis). The results show that cows fed CS produced more milk (P < 0.05) and had greater (P < 0.05) feed efficiency than cows fed BS. Cows fed BS with relatively higher ruminal ivNDFD did not show significant difference from the cows fed other BS varieties in milk yield and total chewing activity. The preliminary results indicated that a univariate approach with only one factor consideration (ivNDFD) might not be a satisfactory method for evaluating and ranking BS quality. However, a large-scale animal study with different stages of lactation (early, mid, late) is warranted to confirm this finding. This new corn forage hybrid may be an appropriate option as forage source for high-producing dairy cows in western Canada.

The effects of natural (d-α-tocopherol) and synthetic (dl-α-tocopherol acetate) vitamin E on growth performance and antioxidant capacity of broilers in early age were investigated. A total of 144 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into three treatments (48 birds in each treatment). The birds in the control group were fed the basal diet whereas those in the treatment groups were fed basal diets supplemented with 20 IU kg^-1 dl-α-tocopherol acetate or 20 IU kg^-1 d-α-tocopherol for 21 d, respectively. Vitamin E supplementation, irrespective of source, significantly increased (P < 0.05) the α-tocopherol concentrations in jejunum and ileum, as well as activities of plasma total superoxide dismutase, hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and ileal GSH-PX; however, the extent to increase hepatic α-tocopherol concentration was more pronounced when the source of vitamin E was natural form (P < 0.05). In addition, dietary natural vitamin E supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the concentration of plasma α-tocopherol as compared with the control group, whereas the similar effect was not observed in birds given the diet supplemented with synthetic vitamin E (P > 0.05). In conclusion, dietary vitamin E supplementation, especially natural form, could enhance the antioxidant capacity and α-tocopherol accumulation of broilers in early age.

This study was conducted to determine the true digestibility of phosphorus (P) in two different cold-pressed camelina meals using regression method. Six semi-purified experimental diets containing 120, 240, or 360 g of camelina meal (CM) per kilogram from camelina meal 1 (CM1) and camelina meal 2 (CM2) were formulated. A total of 384 male Ross 708 broilers were allocated to six dietary treatments with eight cages per treatment from day 18 to day 23 post hatching in a randomized complete block design. The result showed that body weight gain, gain:feed ratio, ileal dry matter (DM) digestibility, DM and nitrogen (N) retention decreased (linear, P < 0.001) with increasing levels of CM1 and CM2. Apparent ileal digestibility of P and Ca decreased (P < 0.01) with increasing dietary levels of CM. From the regressions of ileal and excreta P output against intake of P from CM1 or CM2, true ileal P digestibility and true P retention were determined to be 35% and 15%, and 24% and 21% for CM1, and CM2, respectively. Results from the current experiment showed that high level of dietary CM inclusion resulted in a significant reduction in utilization of P in diets, and there was a considerable range in P utilization between the two camelina meal samples.

Tibetan goat and Tibetan sheep are species peculiar to Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau which is the highest plateau in the world, and have high hypoxia resistance to the extremely bad environment. Unlike monogastrics, how the genes change responding to hypoxia in ruminants remains unclear. In this study, three healthy animals of Tibetan sheep, Tibetan goat, Chuanzhong goat, and Small-tailed Han sheep were selected. The expression of factor inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (FIH 1) hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), HIF-3α, and erythropoietin (EPO) in various tissues, including heart, liver, lungs, kidney, muscle, and brain, was investigated. The EPO was observed highly expressed in all the tissues of Tibetan goats and Tibetan sheep compared with low-altitude animals, respectively, implied that higher expression of EPO may give the explanation for the hypoxia resistance of plateau animals. Besides, we also cloned the promoters of FIH-1, HIF-1α, HIF-3α, and EPO in goats and sheep, analyzed their core regions and CpG islands. Higher methylation rate was observed in HIF-1α, HIF-3α, and EPO, whereas lower methylation rate hit on FIH-1. These data may be beneficial for revealing the response mechanism to hypoxia of plateau animals.