Fermented mixed feed alters growth performance,carcass traits,meat quality and muscle fatty acid and amino acid profiles in finishing pigs

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fermented mixed feed(FMF)on growth performance,carcass traits,meat quality,muscle amino acid and fatty acid composition and mRNA expression levels of genes related to lipid metabolism in finishing pigs.In the present study,144 finishing pigs(Duroc×Berkshire×Jiaxing Black)were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments with 4 replicate pens per group and 12 pigs per pen.The dietary treatments included a basal diet(CON),a basal diet+5%FMF and a basal diet+10%FMF.The experiment lasted 38 d after 4 d of acclimation.The results showed that 5%and 10%FMF significantly increased the average daily gain(ADG)of the females but not the males(P<0.05),but FMF supplementation showed no impact on carcass traits.Moreover,10%FMF supplementation increased the meat color45 min and meat color24 h values,while it decreased the shear force relative to CON(P<0.05).In addition,10%FMF significantly increased the contents of flavor amino acids(FAA),total essential AA(EAA),total non-EAA(NEAA)and total AA relative to CON(P<0.05).Furthermore,the diet supplemented with 10%FMF significantly increased the concentration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA),n-6 PUFA and total PUFA,and the PUFA to saturated fatty acids ratio(P<0.05),suggesting that FMF supplementation increased meat quality.Moreover,compared with the CON,10%FMF supplementation increased the mRNA expression of lipogenic genes,including CEBPα,PPARγ,SREBP1 and FABP4,and upregulated the expression of unsaturated fatty acid synthesis(ACAA1 and FADS2).Together,our results suggest that 10%FMF dietary supplementation improved the female pigs’growth performance,improved the meat quality and altered the profiles of muscle fatty acids and amino acids in finishing pigs.This study provides a reference for the production of high-quality pork.

Probiotic Paenibacillus polymyxa 10 and Lactobacillus plantarum 16 enhance growth performance of broilers by improving the intestinal health

With the ever-growing strict prohibitions on antibiotic growth promoters(AGP)in animal production,in-feed probiotics are becoming attractive alternatives to antibiotics in the poultry industry.To investigate the effects of Paenibacillus polymyxa 10 and Lactobacillus plantarum 16 on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers,540 male Cobb 500 broilers of 1 d old were randomly divided into 3 groups with 6 replicates per group and 30 chicks per replicate.Broilers were fed with either a basal diet or basal diets supplemented with 1×108 colony-forming units(CFU)/kg P.polymyxa 10(BSC10)or L.plantarum 16(Lac16)for 42 d.Results showed that Lac16 treatment improved(P<0.05)the growth performance(body weight and feed conversion)of broilers at the starter phase,while BSC10 treatment slightly improved(P>0.05)the growth performance of the starter phase broilers.The increased villus height(P<0.05)at d 14,21 and 42 and villus height to crypt depth ratio(P<0.05)at d 14 and 21 were observed in the ileum of the 2 probiotic groups.Besides,transmission electron microscopy results showed that the 2 probiotics enhanced the intestinal epithelial barrier.Both probiotic treatments up-regulated(P<0.05)the mRNA expression of fatty acid binding protein 1(FABP1)and sodium-dependent glucose transporters-1(SGLT-1)in the ileal mucosa of broilers at d 21.In addition,BSC10 and Lac16 treatments significantly(P<0.05)increased the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acids-producing bacteria,such as Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum,Faecalibacterium prausnitzii,Lachnospira and Cop-rococcu,and significantly(P<0.05)decreased the relative abundance of enteric pathogens(Escherichia coli,Bacteroides fragilis and Shigella sonnei).Furthermore,the 2 probiotic treatments also increased the positive connection among the intestinal microbes and the carbohydrate metabolism-related pathways of the intes-tinal bacteria(P<0.05),with decreasing(P<0.05)nucleotides biosynthesis-related pathways of the intestinal bacteria.Overall,these results suggest that the 2 probiotics,especially Lac16,have a potential beneficial effect on the growth performance and intestinal health of starter phase broilers.

Effects of starch and gelatin encapsulated vitamin A on growth performance,immune status and antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets

To evaluate the effects of gelatin and starch encapsulated vitamin A on growth performance,immune status and antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets,a total of 96 weaned piglets(body weight=9.11±0.03 kg,30-d-old)were randomly allotted to 3 treatments with 4 replications of 8 piglets each.The 3 treatments were control diet(basal diet without addition of vitamin A),gelatin vitamin A diet(basal diet+13,500 IU/kg gelatin encapsulated vitamin A),and starch vitamin A diet(basal diet+13,500 IU/kg starch encapsulated vitamin A),respectively.The results showed that piglets fed starch vitamin A diet had significantly higher final body weight and average daily gain compared to those in control and gelatin vitamin A groups(P<0.05).Gelatin and starch vitamin A supplementation both highly increased serum retinol concentration and immunoglobulin(Ig)M level when compared with the control group(P<0.05).Additionally,serum IgA level and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)activity were significantly increased by gelatin vitamin A diet on d 21 and starch vitamin A diet on d 42,respectively(P<0.05).These results demonstrated that dietary supple mentation of vitamin A could improve immune function and antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets,and starch vitamin A is better than gelatin vitamin A,especially in promoting the growth performance of piglets.

Studies on the fat mass and obesity-associated(FTO)gene and its impact on obesity-associated diseases

Obesity has become a major health crisis in the past∼50 years.The fat mass and obesity-associated(FTO)gene,identified by genome-wide association studies(GWAS),was first reported to be positively associated with obesity in humans.Mice with more copies of the FTO gene were observed to be obese,while loss of the gene in mice was found to protect from obesity.Later,FTO was found to encode an m6 A RNA demethylase and has a profound effect on many biological and metabolic processes.In this review,we first summarize recent studies that demonstrate the critical roles and regulatory mechanisms of FTO in obesity and metabolic disease.Second,we discuss the ongoing debates concerning the association between FTO polymorphisms and obesity.Third,since several small molecule drugs and micronutrients have been found to regulate metabolic homeostasis through controlling the expression or activity of FTO,we highlight the broad potential of targeting FTO for obesity treatment.Improving our understanding of FTO and the underlying mechanisms may provide new approaches for treating obesity and metabolic diseases.