Silage fermentation and digestibility characteristics, ruminal fermentation, and chewing activity in dairy cattle fed whole-crop rice silages having short panicle cultivars "Tachisuzuka," "Tachiayaka," and "Tsukisuzuka" were evaluated. All cultivars used in this study were grown under identical conditions, harvested using a fine-cutting harvesting machine, and ensiled in a round baler for the chopped material along with Lactobacillus inoculation. Four nonlactating, nonpregnant, rumen-cannulated Holstein cows were housed in a climate-controlled room and fed one of the three silage diets in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Every 2 weeks, the cows were housed in respiration chambers for 5 days to measure gaseous exchange, energy and nitrogen balance, apparent total-tract digestibility of nutrients, and chewing activity. All cultivars showed fermentation quality with low pH and high acetic acid content. The digestibilities of fiber and nonfibrous carbohydrates were higher in Tachisuzuka and Tachiayaka than in the other cultivars, respectively. The total digestible nutrient contents in Tachisuzuka, Tachiayaka, and Tsukisuzuka were 61.4%, 60.8%, and 59.4%, respectively. The roughage value index was 79-86. The high digestibility of these silage cultivars suggests that they could be used as feed for lactating cows; however, their high chewing stimulus also needs to be considered.
This study evaluated the effects of dietary Pracaxi (Pentaclethra macroloba) oil inclusion on productive performance, egg quality, nutrient metabolizability, yolk fatty acid composition, serum biochemical parameters, organ biometry, and intestinal morphometry in laying Japanese quails. A total of 175 84-day-old quails were assigned to five dietary treatments containing 0%, 0.045%, 0.090%, 0.180%, and 0.360% Pracaxi oil in a completely randomized design with seven replicates of five birds over two consecutive 28-day experimental periods. Productive performance, egg quality, serum biochemical parameters, and organ biometry were not affected by dietary treatments, although feed conversion per dozen eggs increased linearly with increasing dietary Pracaxi oil inclusion. Crude protein and mineral matter metabolizability increased linearly. Among yolk fatty acids, only α-linolenic acid showed a quadratic response, with a maximum predicted concentration of 0.182% at a dietary Pracaxi oil inclusion level of 0.170%. Duodenal crypt depth decreased linearly, whereas the remaining intestinal morphometric variables were unaffected. Overall, dietary Pracaxi oil produced limited biological responses under the conditions evaluated, with no improvements in productive performance despite increases in crude protein and mineral matter metabolizability, changes in yolk α-linolenic acid concentration, and reduced duodenal crypt depth. Further studies are warranted before practical recommendations can be established.
Calpain is a key proteolytic enzyme involved in muscle development. Overactivation in diseases can lead to muscle atrophy, and its role in postmortem meat tenderization affects consumer acceptability. To develop a rapid and sensitive zymography protocol for the efficient detection of calpain activity in skeletal muscle cells, we addressed the limitations of traditional methods that require lengthy assay times and high protein inputs. A previously published zymography method was modified by increasing the Ca2+ concentration from 4 to 8 mM and reducing the incubation time from overnight to 6 h. Calpain activity was assessed in differentiated C2C12 myotubes using varying protein concentrations (1-8 μg), and band intensity was quantified using ImageJ software. The optimized conditions enhanced the detection sensitivity up to tenfold and enabled reliable visualization of calpain activity using only 1 μg of protein within 8 h. The 8 mM Ca2+ incubation buffer yielded stronger, clearer lytic bands compared with 4 mM, indicating improved calpain activation. This modified zymography protocol significantly reduces assay time and protein requirement while maintaining high sensitivity. The method serves as an efficient tool for studying calpain-mediated proteolysis in muscle atrophy research and postmortem meat quality evaluation.
Prediction of calving among cattle based on body temperature is used to prevent calving accidents. However, conventional threshold-based methods often miss or misdetect signs of calving. We quantitatively compared a machine learning-based model with conventional threshold-based methods for calving prediction using vaginal temperature data from wearable devices. Vaginal temperature was recorded at 5-min intervals from approximately 7 days before the expected calving date until parturition in beef (n = 77) and dairy cattle (n = 78). Twenty-six time-series features were extracted, and a machine learning-based calving prediction model was developed using gradient-boosted decision trees. The model predicting calving within 24 h achieved 84.4% and 94.9% sensitivity and 60.2% and 56.1% precision in beef and dairy cattle, respectively, compared with 70.1% and 76.9% sensitivity and 38.3% and 51.7% precision for a conventional threshold-based model using fixed threshold values derived from previous literature. Furthermore, the model predicting calving within 12 h achieved performance comparable to that of the 24-h model (81.8% and 84.6% sensitivity; 50.0% and 42.3% precision, respectively), suggesting the feasibility of customizable alert timing across multiple time windows. Further improvements, including larger datasets and refined feature engineering and model optimization, are needed to reduce missed and false detections.
Commercial broiler production faces the challenge of optimizing animal welfare and rapid genetic gains in growth rate, with locomotor disorders and footpad lesions remaining important limiting factors. Antibiotic growth promoters and probiotics are dietary strategies for modulating gut health, whereas environmental enrichment promotes physical development. This study evaluated the effects of dietary additives and environmental enrichment on welfare indicators in broiler chickens. A total of 1440 male chicks were assigned to a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial design (control, antibiotic, and probiotic diets, with or without environmental enrichment), with eight replicates per treatment. Environmental enrichment consisted of a plastic ramp and rotating objects (mirrors, hay, chains, and balls). Locomotor traits, including gait score, pododermatitis, angular deformities, and latency to lie, were assessed. A significant interaction between dietary additives and environmental enrichment was observed for femoral degeneration, with probiotic-fed birds under enriched conditions showing the lowest degeneration scores. Probiotics also improved gait score at 36 days, whereas both probiotics and antibiotics reduced pododermatitis severity. No effects were detected on tibial dyschondroplasia, spondylolisthesis, latency to lie, angular deformities, dorsocranial myopathy, or bone strength. The combination of probiotics and environmental enrichment positively influenced selected locomotor welfare indicators, whereas both dietary additives reduced pododermatitis without affecting major skeletal disorders.
A potential alternative protein source for ruminants, tamanu (Calophyllum inophyllum) kernel cake (TKC), a by-product of tamanu oil extraction, is rich in protein and bioactive compounds. This study evaluated carcass characteristics, microstructure, physicochemical quality, and fatty acid (FA) profile of lamb meat fed diets containing TKC. Dietary treatments consisted of forage and concentrate with TKC at 0% (T0, control), 15% (T15), 30% (T30), and 30% with mineral premix supplementation (T30m). Twenty male thin-tailed lambs were assigned to four treatments with five replicates and fed for 3 months. Results showed that T30 produced the highest carcass percentage, whereas all TKC treatments significantly increased the percentage of Boneless Closely Trimmed Retail Cuts (%BTCRC) compared to the control. However, TKC inclusion had no significant effect on overall yield grade. Physicochemical analysis revealed lower cooking loss in T30 and T30m compared to T15 and the control, whereas T30 significantly increased intramuscular fat content. Microstructural analysis indicated greater perimysium, endomysium, and muscle fiber area in T30 and T30m. Additionally, all TKC treatments increased unsaturated fatty acids and reduced saturated fatty acids. In conclusion, a 30% TKC inclusion is recommended to enhance carcass percentage, muscle microstructure, and FA profile of lamb meat.
East African cattle, including Malagasy native cattle (ZMA), are generally thought to have been shaped by admixture between African taurine and Asian indicine lineages, but the detailed position and formation history of ZMA within this broader diversity remain unclear. We analyzed worldwide SNP data from 145 cattle populations comprising 4093 individuals using principal component analysis (PCA), pairwise weighted FST, outgroup-f3, f4, qpWave, and qpGraph. ZMA fell along the African taurine-Asian cattle axis in PCA. Although several West African taurine populations showed the highest absolute outgroup-f3 values with ZMA, outgroup-f3 profile comparisons showed that ZMA was most closely matched by East African cattle, especially East African Shorthorn Zebu, Boran, and Sheko, consistent with a shared African taurine ancestry background. However, f4, qpWave, and qpGraph showed that these relationships are not adequately explained by a simple clade-like relationship or a single shared admixture event, but instead suggest multiple waves of gene flow from different Asian indicine populations. Our results refine African-wide models of heterogeneous indicine ancestry by showing that, in the East African-Malagasy context, ZMA are best understood as part of a shared African taurine-related ancestry background overlaid by later lineage-specific and internally heterogeneous indicine-related admixture histories.
This study aimed to investigate the relationships between Maillard reaction products (pyrropyridine, crossline, pentosidine, Nε-carboxymethylarginine, Nε-carboxymethyllysine), browning intensity, substrate contents (reducing sugar and free amino acids), and physicochemical characteristics (moisture content and pH) in raw and cooked chicken breast meat of four Japanese jidori chicken breeds (Choshu-Kurokashiwa, Awa-Odori, Hinai-Jidori, and Nagoya-Cochin) and two commercial broilers (Ross 308). Specifically, we determined the substrate that acts as the limiting factor for Maillard reaction product formation in chicken breast. All characteristics were analyzed in both raw and grill-cooked breast (180°C). Breeds with high-reducing sugar content in raw meat (Choshu-Kurokashiwa, Hinai-Jidori, and Nagoya-Cochin) exhibited significantly more intense browning and higher concentrations of Maillard reaction products after cooking. Although Awa-Odori and a broiler sample contained significantly higher free amino acid contents, their browning and Maillard reaction product formation were weak. Principal component analysis and correlation analysis confirmed that reducing sugar content was strongly correlated with Maillard reaction indicators, independent of amino acid variations. These results suggest that chicken breast meat contains abundant amino compounds, whereas reducing sugars act as the rate-limiting factor. This study also revealed that high-reducing sugar content and Maillard reactivity was not a universal characteristic of any jidori breed.
The genetic components for meat quality traits, such as physical characteristics and chemical traits, remain unclear. This study focused on estimating heritability for 44 meat quality traits, including chemical traits, such as general composition (moisture, crude fat, and crude protein), and fatty acid composition in Japanese Duroc populations. We collected samples from 312 commercial Duroc pigs at three different stations. Fatty acid compositions were measured in the loin eye (longissimus thoracis) muscle and subcutaneous fat. Estimates of heritability for general composition traits ranged from 0.11 to 0.87. In addition, the heritability estimates related to pork tenderness were assumed to be moderately heritable. The heritability estimates for fatty acid composition in both tissues ranged from 0.00 to 1.00. The weighted heritability estimates obtained by meta-analysis ranged from 0.01 to 0.61 for general composition traits and 0.25 to 1.00 for fatty acid composition in both tissues. Our findings suggest that most of meat quality traits in these Japanese Duroc populations are influenced by substantial genomic factors, and the influence of genetic factors on these traits could be shared across breeds. These results provide valuable genetic information needed to design a breeding program aimed at improving the pork quality of Duroc breeds.
Lactoferrin is an important bioactive protein in milk associated with immune function in mammary glands. However, cost-effective measurement of lactoferrin concentration in mature milk remains challenging, thus highlighting the potential of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a predictive tool. To practically implement FTIR-predicted lactoferrin concentrations, understanding both the methodological factors affecting prediction accuracy and the biological relevance of the predicted values is important. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors affecting the predictive accuracy of lactoferrin concentration in mature milk from Japanese Holstein cows using FTIR spectral data and evaluate the practical applicability of the predicted values. A total of 1624 milk samples were analyzed. Prediction models were developed using different spectral derivative preprocessing methods, spectral wavenumber ranges, and regression models. Predictive accuracies were generally comparable among the regression models, with Bayesian regularized neural network regression achieving the highest coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.57) under nonderivative preprocessing and spectral regions associated with milk quality traits. Environmental effects on the predicted lactoferrin concentrations showed patterns similar to those observed for the measured values, which suggests their potential applicability for herd-level monitoring. These results indicate the promising potential of FTIR spectral information to predict lactoferrin concentration in mature milk.
This study investigated the effects of plant-derived bioactive compounds on the fermentation characteristics and aerobic stability of berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) silage and evaluated their impact on ruminal fermentation. In Experiment 1, curcumin, resveratrol, eugenol, limonene, and thymol were applied at 400 and 800 mg/kg fresh matter in combination with molasses (50 g/kg) and ensiled for 60 days to screen their effects on silage quality. Bioactive supplementation modified fermentation in a compound- and dose-dependent manner, reflecting differences in physicochemical properties and antimicrobial selectivity. Among the tested compounds, eugenol was the most effective in enhancing silage fermentation and aerobic stability, as it reduced pH, increased lactic acid concentration (p < 0.05), and maintained Flieg's score comparable to the control. Experiment 2 evaluated the ruminal consequences of eugenol-treated silage using in vitro incubation at 24 and 48 h. Eugenol supplementation reduced nutrient degradability and microbial protein synthesis at 48 h and decreased methane production at both incubation times (p < 0.05). Overall, eugenol showed promising effects for improving silage preservation and aerobic stability; however, it reduced in vitro nutrient degradability and microbial protein synthesis, suggesting that optimization of inclusion strategies is required to minimize potential negative effects on ruminal nutrient utilization.
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of two red macroalgae species (RMS; Asparagopsis taxiformis and A. armata) on rumen fermentation profiles, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, microbiome changes, and anti-methanogenic activities. The two RMSs were included at dietary levels of 0%, 2%, and 4% (as-fed basis) in an in vitro experiment with triplicate incubations (n = 3). Gases were collected using an ANKOM Gas Production system and analyzed for methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) via gas chromatography. The RMS supplementation increased total gas, lactate, butyrate, valerate, hexanoate, heptanoate, 4-ethylphenol production, and AGR (non-glucogenic [acetate + butyrate]/glucogenic [propionate]) ratio (p < 0.01), while reducing production of CH4 (mg/g DM), acetate, propionate, iso-butyrate, phenylpropionate, phenylacetate, and acetate/propionate (A/P) ratios (p < 0.01), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD; % DM) (p < 0.01) as RMS supplementation increased. With both algal species present, there were decreases in Actinobacteria, Firmicutes (p < 0.001), Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B), and Methanobrevibacter sp. (p < 0.01), but increases in Spirochetes, Proteobacteria (methanotrophs; p < 0.001), Candidatus methanomethylophilus alvus (CMC), and non-methanogenic archaea Thermoplasma sp. (p < 0.001) at 2% and 4% DM. Therefore, it may be possible to suppress methanogenesis both directly and indirectly by adding RMS.
Reining performance is influenced by subjectivity and competition structure, challenging genetic evaluation. This study estimated genetic parameters for reining performance in Brazilian Quarter Horses using random regression models (RRM) and evaluated how alternative phenotypic definitions affect genetic inference and predictive ability. A dataset comprising 21,165 longitudinal records from 1603 horses was analyzed, comparing within-group rank (RANK) and Blom-transformed rank (BLOM). Model comparison indicated that cubic RRM provided the best fit for both phenotypes. Heritability estimates were low and age-dependent, ranging from 0.01 to 0.17 for RANK and from 0.06 to 0.23 for BLOM. Permanent environmental and rider effects accounted for substantial phenotypic variance. Genetic correlations were higher between adjacent ages and declined across distant ages. RANK showed greater additive genetic stability across ages and slightly higher theoretical accuracy for total EBV among selected stallions. In contrast, BLOM showed greater consistency for the combined additive genetic + permanent environmental component, stronger favorable genetic trends, and better LR-based predictive performance across several age classes. Overall, both rank-based phenotypes were useful and complementary for genetic evaluation of reining performance. BLOM showed modest advantages for several criteria, whereas RANK retained relevant information for representing relative competitive performance on the observed scale.
Two experiments were conducted to establish the prediction equations of growth performance and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) on chemical composition and enzymatic hydrolysate gross energy (EHGE) of corn, soybean meal (SBM), corn gluten meal (CGM), and wheat bran (WB) in chickens. Experiment 1 established the prediction equations of EHGE of four ingredients on chemical composition. In experiment 2, prediction equations of growth performance and AME based on EHGE of diets in chickens was developed. The variation was high for ether extract (EE) and crude protein (CP) of corn (6.78, 9.56) and WB (15.42, 10.41). The coefficient of variation of EE was higher than those of other ingredients in SBM and CGM. Two, seven, and eight equations for predicting the EHGE of corn, CGM, and WB based on dry matter (DM), GE, CP, and EE were established, respectively. However, statistical analysis showed that prediction equations of SBM were not significant. The prediction equations of ADFI, F/G and AME on EHGE of diets were ADFI = -2.143 * EHGEd + 54.066 (R2 = 0.955), F/G = -0.256 * EHGEd + 5.935 (R2 = 0.954), AME = 0.719 * EHGEd + 3.547 (R2 = 0.937), respectively. These results indicated that chemical compositions and the EHGE of corn, CGM, and WB could predict the growth performance and AME for chickens.
Skeletal muscle development and metabolic regulation are critical for livestock productivity and meat quality. This study investigated the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ) in myogenic differentiation and lipid droplet (LD) formation, focusing in particular on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. C2C12 myoblasts were induced to differentiate and treated with the PPARδ agonist GW501516 or antagonist GSK3787. Myogenic differentiation was then assessed via myosin heavy chain immunostaining and calculation of the fusion index and myotube area. LD formation was evaluated by BODIPY staining and analysis of Plin2 expression. Activation of p38 MAPK was analyzed via Western blotting, and its role was examined using the inhibitor SB203580. Activation of PPARδ significantly enhanced myogenic differentiation, whereas its inhibition suppressed this process. PPARδ activation also promoted LD formation and upregulated Plin2 expression during early differentiation. In addition, GW501516 increased p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Inhibition of p38 MAPK markedly attenuated both LD formation and myogenic differentiation induced by PPARδ activation. These findings demonstrate that PPARδ promotes myogenic differentiation through coordinated lipid metabolic remodeling and p38 MAPK signaling, highlighting an association between metabolic regulation and muscle differentiation. This pathway may represent a potential target for improving muscle development and meat quality in livestock.
Meat hardness is a key textural attribute perceived during consumption. Hardness is influenced by myofibrillar and collagen proteins. Papain from papaya has been reported to disrupt myofibrillar and collagen proteins in a balanced manner, whereas ficin from figs preferentially disrupts myofibrillar proteins to tenderize meat. Here, beef was immersed in papain or ficin solutions, and texture and impedance were measured using touch-type electrodes to examine the relationship between textural properties and impedance. Maximum load was significantly lower in the papain- and ficin-treated groups than in the control group (p < 0.01). Total loss was positively correlated with impedance in the control and papain groups (p < 0.01) and in the control and ficin groups (p < 0.05). Maximum load was negatively correlated with impedance in the control and papain groups (p < 0.01) and in the control and ficin groups (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that impedance measurements can nondestructively estimate water-holding capacity and hardness in beef tenderized with papain or ficin solutions.
This study investigated the effects of high-concentrate (HC) feeding during the growing stage on growth allocation and endocrine dynamics in Japanese Black heifers. Six heifers were assigned to a HC (3.0% body weight [BW]/day) or control (CON: 1.5% BW/day) group from 5 to 10 months of age. Feed intake, BW, muscle, bone, fat depot and visceral organ weights, histological traits of longissimus thoracis (LT), serum metabolites, and growth hormone (GH) dynamics were evaluated. At 10 months, the HC group showed greater BW and total muscle weight, with 18 muscles being heavier. The radius and ulna weights increased, but BW-adjusted ratios of several load-bearing bones tended to decrease. Subcutaneous fat deposition increased. LT adipocyte diameter and fat contents were greater, while muscle fiber type composition was unchanged. Liver weight and γ-glutamyl transferase activity increased. GH pulsatile secretion was reduced, whereas pituitary GH-positive cells, circulating IGF-1, and insulin concentrations remained unchanged. These findings indicate that HC feeding promotes overall growth but induces nonuniform development across tissues, reflecting a shift in growth allocation and endocrine regulation. Nutritional conditions during the growing stage may therefore play a critical role in shaping tissue development and subsequent productivity.
The objectives of this study were to explore the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 on (1) colostrum yield and compositions, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, minerals, and health of periparturient cows and (2) 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and minerals status, growth performance, and health of their calves. Forty multiparous dry cows were assigned to either vitamin D3 group or 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 group. After calving, all their calves received colostrum from their own dams; calves were respectively assigned to one of four treatments: (1) calves from D-VD group were fed vitamin D3; (2) calves from D-VD group were fed 25-hydroxyvitamin D3; (3) calves from D-25D group were fed vitamin D3; (4) calves from D-25D group were fed 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. Feeding 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 significantly increased (p < 0.05) 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, calcium and phosphorus in serum and colostrum, serum antioxidant capacity and immunoglobulin G (IgG) of periparturient cows, and significantly increased (p < 0.05) serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, calcium, and phosphorus in calves at birth. Feeding 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 calves improved (p < 0.05) weaning weight, skeletal growth, and average daily gain together with increased antioxidant capacity and IgG. In conclusion, supplementing 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 to periparturient cows and their calves improved colostrum and health of cows and growth and health of their calves.
Immunostimulatory CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs) are potent activators of innate immunity with promising applications in human and veterinary medicine. We previously developed carbonate apatite-based oligonucleotide particles (ODNcaps) for oral delivery, which are efficiently taken up by macrophages in jejunal Peyer's patches. To enhance macrophage-specific targeting, we introduced glycan modifications to ODNcaps, exploiting carbohydrate-binding receptors on macrophages. In this study, glycosylated ODNcaps were synthesized through N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) conjugation and evaluated for cellular uptake and immunostimulatory activity in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Uptake efficiency was quantified using fluorescently labeled CpG-ODNs, and immune activation was assessed by IL-6 mRNA expression and IL-6 secretion. GlcNAc-modified ODNcaps showed markedly higher uptake and induced the strongest IL-6 responses at both transcriptional and protein levels compared with non-glycosylated controls. These results demonstrate that glycosylation is a simple yet effective strategy to improve macrophage targeting and immunostimulation by CpG-ODNs. Beyond murine models, this platform may hold promise for oral or mucosal immune modulation in livestock such as cattle, poultry, and swine, offering a novel approach to enhance antigen-presenting cell activation and strengthen mucosal immunity in animal production.
The feasibility of altering the sex ratio of hatching ducklings artificially can be an important economic factor in reducing production costs. As a preliminary investigation, associations between seasonal and weather factors and the secondary sex ratio in domestic ducks were examined to establish mechanisms that may determine the sex ratio of offspring. Over several years, a predominance of male hatchlings was observed, with an average bias of 51%-52%. There was no significant relationship found between the sex ratio shift and a particular meteorological season. A greater robustness was achieved by separately considering the time cycles of growth and decline in oviposition. Examining weather factors, i.e., average temperature, wind speed, and sea level pressure, we found significant relationships between these parameters and the sex ratio of hatching ducklings during periods of increasing egg production of their mothers. Wind force had the greatest influence on hatchability, to a greater extent during periods of decline in egg production. The decrease in hatchability of the duck flock was associated with increased wind speed. Our findings are crucial for further experimental evaluation of the sex ratio under controlled ambient temperature and wind strength.
