The aim of the study was to determine the effect of dietary antioxidant supplementation to ducks kept under constant high environmental temperature (30 +/- 1 degrees C for 24 h per day during days 14 to 42 d) on their antioxidant status, rectal temperature, production parameters, nutrient digestibility and the chemical composition of their meat. Fourteen days old mixed-sex Cherry Valley type hybrid ducks were randomly placed into three experimental groups, each containing 20 birds in 5 replicates. This was repeated two times and in total 900 ducks was used. Ducks were housed in a high environmental temperature room (HT: constant 30 +/- 1 degrees C for 24 h, relative humidity 62 +/- 5%) during 28 days. The three experimental diets (T1, T2, T3) were maize-soybean meal based. T1 was a control diet only with premix. T2 and T3 had differently increased concentration of Vitamin E, C, selenium and zinc (T2: 540 mg/kg, 998 mg/kg, 0.60 mg/kg, 97 mg/kg and T3: 1540 mg/kg, 1996 mg/kg, 0.90 mg/kg, 148 mg/kg) respectively. It was concluded that the digestibility of crude protein and dry matter, the rectal temperature and the chemical composition of duck breast and leg meat were not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary treatments under heat stress. However, several production parameters (feed intake, live weight at 14 d and 42 d, daily weight gain; feed conversion ratio) and serum antioxidant capacity (malondialdehyde, superoxide-dismutase, antioxidant capacity of water- and lipid-soluble compounds, glutathione-peroxidase) of 14-42 day old ducks were significantly improved (P < 0.05) with antioxidant supplementations (T2, T3). The improved antioxidant capacity of the serum in the T2 and T3 groups thus led to an increase in duck performance under heat stress. Based on the present results, at high environmental temperature in the summer we recommend using T2 (Vitamin E: 540 mg/kg diet, Vitamin C: 998 mg/kg diet, Se: 0.60 mg/kg diet and Zn: 97 mg/kg diet) supplementation in practical duck nutrition.

To meet the challenges in the 21st century in pig and poultry nutrition, it is necessary to involve into the innovation activities besides classical animal nutrition knowledge, newer areas of natural and technical sciences (e.g. molecular biology, molecular nutrition, molecular genetics, nutrigenomics, information technology, etc.). The importance of these disciplines will continue to grow in the near future, in the following 5-10 years. Animal nutrition will need to increasingly focus on the production of safe and nutritious foods in a traceable manner produced within systems that care for the environment and animal welfare using ingredients not suitable for human consumption. The use of precision animal nutrition in practice greatly contributes to the changes required for the successful production of animal derived foods in the 21st century, as well as for the success of innovation activities. In order for the animal agricultural sector to be able to provide proper quantities of safe animal origin food materials to the food industry, there is a rapidly increasing need for better cooperation between medical and agricultural sciences on the basis of professional logic, as well as cooperation in R&DI programs and education. It is highly probable that new areas of science will revolutionise animal nutrition sciences such as bioinformatics, molecular biology, molecular nutrition, as well as quantum biology. These areas of science will greatly contribute to the development of animal nutrition science and, as a result, to a more efficient animal nutrition, as well as to a better quality and safe food base material production of animal origin.

It is known that climate change has a major impact on agricultural production. High ambient temperature not only adversely affects crop production, but also animal agriculture. This chapter present the impact of the adverse effects of heat stress on the antioxidant status, energy metabolism and performance of pigs and poultry. It also aims to demonstrate how to repair the damaged antioxidant system and to improve the performance of animals by means of nutritional tools. Based on literature data, it is clear that changes in climatic conditions will directly influence animals, with the changes most likely involving higher temperatures in the future. More heat production due to heat stress means more energy loss by animals. Associated with heat stress are changes in the antioxidant system too. In addition, climate changes (heat stress) can also influence the performance (e.g., feed intake, daily gain feed conversion efficiency, meat quality) of pigs and poultry. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that different nutritional methods are available to compensate the harmful effects of heat stress: e.g. antioxidant vitamins (e.g. A, C, E, etc.), micro minerals (e.g. zinc, selenium, etc.), monovalent ions (e.g. Na-, K-bicarbonate, K-hydro carbonate, K-sulphate) and fat addition to diets. Feeding low protein diets with synthetic amino acids according to the ideal protein concept and adding dietary betaine to diets may also be an option to reduce heat stress.

In order to be able to produce safe, uniform, cheap, environmentally- and welfare-friendly food products and market these products in an increasingly complex international agricultural market, livestock producers must have access to timely production related information. Especially the information related to feeding/nutritional issues is important, as feeding related costs are always significant part of variables costs for all types of livestock production. Therefore, automating the collection, analysis and use of production related information on livestock farms will be essential for improving livestock productivity in the future. Electronically-controlled livestock production systems with an information and communication technology (ICT) focus are required to ensure that information is collected in a cost effective and timely manner and readily acted upon on farms. New electronic and ICT related technologies introduced on farms as part of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) systems will facilitate livestock management methods that are more responsive to market signals. The PLF technologies encompass methods for electronically measuring the critical components of the production system that indicate the efficiency of resource use, interpreting the information captured and controlling processes to ensure optimum efficiency of both resource use and livestock productivity. These envisaged real-time monitoring and control systems could dramatically improve production efficiency of livestock enterprises. However, further research and development is required, as some of the components of PLF systems are in different stages of development. In addition, an overall strategy for the adoption and commercial exploitation of PLF systems needs to be developed in collaboration with private companies. This article outlines the potential role PLF can play in ensuring that the best possible management processes are implemented on farms to improve farm profitability, quality of products, welfare of livestock and sustainability of the farm environment, especially as it related to intensive livestock species.

Summary Th e objective of the present study was to investigate the eff ect of an essential oil product on growth performance and cellular immune response of 28-day-old weaned piglets. A total of 348 piglets (50% gilts, 50% barrows) were assigned to three dietary treatments (6 pens/trt). Th e basal diet was a commercial feed that was supplemented without any growth promoter (NC), with antibiotic growth promoter of 40 ppm avilamycin (PC), or with 0.25 g of an essential oil product (EO) per kg of feed. All pigs were immunized by inactivated Aujeszky’s disease virus vaccine at week one and three of the experiment (28- and 44-days-age, respectively). Blood samples were taken four times (on day one, 16, 24, 32 of the experiment) for lymphocyte stimulation (LST) tests with ConA, PWM, PHA used as non-specifi c and Aujeszky virus used as specifi c mitogens from 2 pigs/pen. All piglets were individually weighed on day 0, 8, 16, 24 and 32 of the trial. Th ere was no signifi cant diff erence among average daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of piglets fed diff erent dietary treatments. Th e non-specifi c LST test at the 4th blood sampling showed higher values in pigs received feeds with essential oil supplementation (EO) than that of the positive (PC) and negative control (NC) groups (P<0.05). However, no signifi cant diff erence in specifi c immune response of pigs in diff erent dietary treatments was found. It can be concluded that essential oil supplementation may enhance the non-specifi c immunocompetence of 28-day-old weaning pigs without compromising their growth performance.

Nowadays the use of fiber rich by-products is increasing in pig feeding. However, dietary fiber has significant impact on the nutritive value of the feed; therefore knowledge on the effect of inclusion of different fibrous components on digestibility of nutrients, particularly amino acids is crucial. The aim of the present trial was to study how the apparent ileal digestibility of selected amino acids (lysine, methionine, cystine, threonine, isoleucine, arginine, tryptophan, valine) is changed as a response of increasing dietary NDF from different source such as wheat bran and soyhulls. For that purpose a total of 40 cannulated growing pigs (35 kg BW) were used in two replicates. Ten experimental treatments were achieved by including 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 g wheat bran (WB) or soyhulls (SH) per kg of a corn, soybean based diet. The 5 days adaptation period was followed by a 3×12 hours of ileal digesta collection. The effect of different WB and SH levels on the apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids were analyzed separately by ANOVA. Our results show that dietary NDF has negative impact on the apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids and, however, the magnitude of this reducing effect is depending on the NDF source. Due to the fact that 25 g/kg of wheat bran and soyhulls level depress the apparent ileal digestibility of the most amino acids but higher rate of inclusion has no further negative effect, the amino acid supplementation should not be increased if more than 25 g/kg of wheat bran or soyhulls are used in diet formulation. (

Several studies report that dietary mannan-oligosaccharides (MOSs) improve the growth performance of piglets, however, only a few studies focus on nutrient digestibility. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of dietary MOS on ileal digestibility of nutrients and on N-balance and growth performance of piglets weaned at 28 days of age. Three experiments were conducted: a digestibility trial with a total of 30, simple T-cannulated piglets (Exp. 1), a N-balance trial with a total of 48 intact piglets (Exp. 2) and a performance trial with a total of 324 piglets (Exp. 3). In Exp. 1 and 2, the same five dietary treatments were carried out by supplementing the basal diet with 0, 1, 2, 4 g MOS or with 0.2 g antibiotic growth promoter (AGP, Avilamycin) per kg of diet. In Exp. 3, three dietary treatments were used as follows: the basal diet was supplemented no additive, 2 g MOS or 0.2 g AGP (Avilamycin) per kg of diet. Dietary MOS (2 or 4 g/kg) enhanced the ileal digestibility of crude protein similar to antibiotics. Addition of 1 g/kg MOS significantly increased the digestibility of Ca and P by 8.4% and 7.7% units, respectively; however, further increment did not enhance the absorption. Addition of 1 or 2 g/kg MOS significantly increased the ileal digestibility of lysine, methionine, cystine and threonine with the same magnitude or even more than the AGP. In our study, MOS supplementation had no influence on N-balance and growth parameters. Because of the better apparent ileal digestibility of certain nutrients, however, the protein, lysine, methionine, cystine, threonine, Ca and P contents of the diet can probably be reduced without weakening the rearing performance of piglets, when the diet is supplemented with 2 g/kg MOS.

Abstract The aim was to estimate the energetic cost of fat deposition from fermentable non-starch polysaccharides (fNSP), starch, and unsaturated fatty acids. A slaughter trial was conducted with a total of 58 individually housed pigs (48–106 kg). The energetic efficiency was monitored at two energy levels; the lysine supply of the pigs was limiting for protein deposition. Control diets were fed either at two or three times of maintenance energy requirement, and the treatments were achieved by isoenergetic addition of the daily nutrient intake (0.2 MJ DE/kg0.75) derived either from fNSP, or digestible starch (dSt), or digestible fat (dFat) above the nutrients from the control diets. Chemical composition of the pigs was determined at 48±4 kg (10 pigs) or 106±3 kg body weight (BW) (48 pigs). In conclusion, under protein limiting conditions, the energetic transformation of fNSP, dSt, and dFat for fat retention (NEfat/DE) was 62%, 80%, and 57%, respectively. The efficiency of fat deposition from a specific energy source was constant, irrespective of the actual feeding level.

The effect of different doses of mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) on specific and non-specific immune responses was studied in piglets, weaned at 28 days. A total of 58 piglets were used in six groups. Five groups were fed 0, 1, 2, 4 g MOS product per kg diet or with growth promoting antibiotics and immunized by inactivated Aujeszky’s disease virus (AyV) vaccine at week 1 and 3 of the experiment (35 and 49 days). A sixth group, receiving the same non-supplemented diets was not immunized. Blood samples for lymphocyte stimulation (LST) and AyV neutralization (VN) tests were taken from all pigs on the first day of the experiment and at weekly intervals for 5 weeks. At week 8, the immunized piglets were infected orally with transmissible gastroenteritis virus. All piglets were weighed and slaughtered at week 10, digesta from small intestine were collected and tested for the presence of secretory (s)IgA. Feeding MOS supplementation resulted in enhanced specific and non-specific immune responses, however, a regressive dose-response of MOS was observed. Both the specific cellular (LST) and humoral responses (VN) were enhanced after 2 weeks of feeding 1 g/kg MOS and significantly differed from the antibiotic positive control. The same tendency was detected in case of the non-specific LSTs, although these started some weeks later showing significant differences by the fifth week. Higher doses of MOS had no further beneficial effect on systemic immunity. In addition, 1 g/kg MOS supplementation group also showed some advantage in local immune responsiveness. Therefore, based on the studied immune variables, 1 g/kg MOS product is suggested in the diet of weaned piglets.

The effect of dietary fiber and fat content on energy and nutrient digestibility was evaluated and regression equations were developed to predict dietary digestible energy (DE) content. A total of 125 barrows (39 kg BW) were fed with diets based on five wheat bran (0, 150, 300, 450, and 600 g/kg) and five added fat levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 g/kg) in a 5x5 factorial arrangement. DE intake was adjusted as 2.6 times of the maintenance requirements. Results show that despite the fact that both fiber and fat digestibility are significantly influenced by fiberxfat interaction, digestibility of energy is principally affected by dietary fiber content. The model calculation indicates that DE content of the feed can be more precisely compute, if digestibility of energy is used in diet formulation rather than addition of energy contents of calculated digestible nutrients, so far as the digestibility coefficients of energy and nutrients are derived from regression equations.

43-49Body fat, insulin resistance, energy expenditure and serum concentrations of leptin, adiponectin and resistin before, during and after pregnancy in healthy

The calcium and phosphorous retention of layers was evaluated at different production levels (45 - 75 - 95 % of final production peak) with Hy-Line Brown hybrid layers during the first twelve weeks of the laying cycle. 32 layers evenly distributed over 4 treatments (Trts). The Ca content of the diets was identical across all Trts (32,5 g/kg), while P contents and phytase activities differed. In the first Trt the P content of the diet was 2.5 g/kg non-phytate P, without any phytase added. In the second Trt the P content of the diet was reduced by 40 % compared to Trt 1 (1.5 g/kg non-phytate P) without phytase supplementation. In the third and fourth Trts the P content of the diets was the same as in 2 (1.5 g/kg non-phytate P) but the diets were supplemented with phytase (3-phytase produced by trichoderma reesei) at a rate of 250 PPU/kg (Trt 3) and 500 PPU/kg (Trt 4), respectively. According to the results the different P content of the diets affected (P≤0.05) the rate of Ca retention at all trial phases. In the case of reduced P level diets the different phytase inclusion rates did not influence the amount of Ca retained by the birds (P≥0.05). Within the same Trt Ca retention increased (P≤0.05) with increased production intensity. At reduced P content phytase improved (P≤0.05) the P retention of the layers at all trial phases. There was no difference between both phytase application rates. As a result of phytase supplementation P retention reached the P retention of positive control birds (Trt 1) in all trial phases.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary fermentable carbohydrates (FC = faecal digestible organic matter - faecal digestible crude protein- faecal digestible crude fat - starch - sugars) on the body composition and meat quality of pigs. A total of seventy two Stamboek hybrid pigs were housed in groups of six per pen (two pens with gilts and two with barrows per treatment). Three diets were formulated with a low, medium and high FC content (63, 148, 233 g/kg in the grower diets (45-75 kg) and 67, 152, 237 g/kg in the finisher diets (75-110 kg)). Feed and water were offered ad libitum. At slaughter (110 kg LW) lean meat percentage, meat quality and chemical body composition were determined. Our data indicated, that carcass grading was improved by dietary FC. Diet with the high level of fermentable carbohydrates decreased fatness of the carcass and the organ fraction. It can be concluded that the fattening performance (FI, ADG, FCR) was not affected adversely by the high FC intake, but carcass quality in pigs could be improved. Feedstuffs high in fermentable carbohydrates can be valuable ingredients for pig diets, once their energy content has been properly estimated.