Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of multi-microbe probiotics (comprising Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus oryzae) prepared by submerged liquid (LF) and solid substrate fermentation (SF) methods and different antibiotics in weaning pigs [Landrace × (Yorkshire × Duroc)]. In both experiments (Exp.), 288 weaned pigs were randomly allotted to four treatments, on the basis of body weight and sex in a randomized complete block design. There were four replicate pens per treatment and each pen comprised 18 pigs. In Exp. 1, the effects of LF and SF probiotics on performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients and faecal microflora were investigated. The basal diet was prepared without any antimicrobials (negative control, NC), and 100 mg chlortetracycline/kg, 0.30% LF and 0.30% SF probiotics were added to the diets of positive control (PC), LF and SF treatments, respectively. Pigs fed PC and probiotic diets showed improved (P < 0.05) overall performance compared to pigs fed NC diet. Additionally, the overall gain and ATTD of CP were greater in pigs fed PC and SF diets than in pigs fed LF diet. On d 28, pigs fed PC and SF diets had less (P < 0.05) faecal Clostridia and coliforms compared with pigs fed NC diet, while pigs fed SF diet had more (P < 0.05) faecal Lactobacillus than pigs from other treatments. In Exp. 2, a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was used to investigate the effects of probiotic products (0.30% LF or SF) and antibiotic (40 mg colistin/kg or 44 mg lincomycin/kg) on growth performance, ATTD of nutrients, small intestinal morphology, and intestinal microflora in pigs. Pigs fed SF probiotics showed improved growth performance, ATTD of DM and CP and had more beneficial intestinal bacteria and less harmful bacteria in the ileum than pigs fed LF probiotics. Antibiotics had no effect on the growth performance and there were no antibiotic × probiotic interaction effect on any of the measured variables. However, pigs fed lincomycin had lower caecal Clostridia counts and greater villus height:crypt depth at jejunum and ileum, whereas pigs fed colistin had lower counts of caecal coliforms and Bifidobacteria. These results indicate multi-microbe probiotics prepared by SF method to be superior to probiotics prepared by LF in improving growth performance and beneficial gut microflora and reducing harmful gut microflora.

1. A total of 240 d-old male Ross chicks (average BW 37.15 +/- 0.49 g) were fed on an iron (Fe)-deficient semi-synthetic diet (45 mg Fe/kg) from d 1-7 post hatching.2. At d 7, all 240 chicks (average BW 140.15 +/- 1.4 g) with depleted Fe-stores were randomly assigned to three treatments on the basis of BW to study the efficiency of dietary inorganic and organic iron (Fe) utilisation. Each treatment had 4 replicates with 20 birds in each.3. Dietary treatments were: maize-soyabean meal-based basal diet, containing 103 to 106 mg Fe/kg (control); and basal diets supplemented with an additional 80 mg/kg Fe either from an inorganic (FeSO4 center dot H2O, 28% Fe) or organic (ferrous methionine chelate, 10% Fe) source. The starter and finisher diets were fed from d 7 to 21 and d 21 to 35, respectively.4. Improved body weight gain and FCR during finisher phase and overall study period; and greater DM and CP retention, and excreta Fe excretion, at d 20 to 21 and d 34 to 35; were observed in birds fed on Fe supplemented diets when compared with birds fed on control diet. At d 35, the RBC, Hb, haematocrit, and Fe concentration in plasma, tibia and liver were higher in birds fed on Fe supplemented diets than birds fed on the control diet.5. Supplementation of Fe in organic form resulted in greater Fe concentration in the tibia and liver and less Fe excretion at d 34 to 35, when compared with birds receiving inorganic Fe.6. These results indicate the necessity to supplement Fe in the commercial diets of broilers; however, organic and inorganic sources of Fe supplementation at 80 mg/kg were equally effective in improving performance, nutrient retention and haematological indices. In addition, Fe supplementation through an organic source seems to be more efficient in depositing Fe in the haemopoietic organs (liver and tibia) of birds under Fe depleted conditions.

In this study, the effect of a potential multimicrobe probiotic subjected to high-temperature drying was investigated. Potential multimicrobe probiotics produced by solid substrate fermentation were dried at low (LT, 40°C for 72 h) or high (HT, 70°C for 36 h) temperature. In Exp. 1, 288 weaned pigs (BW, 6.43 ± 0.68 kg) were allotted to 4 treatments on the basis of BW (4 pens per treatment with 18 pigs in each pen). Dietary treatments were negative control (NC; basal diet without any antimicrobial), positive control (PC; basal diet + 0.1% chlortetracycline), basal diet with 0.3% probiotic LT, and basal diet with 0.3% probiotic HT. Diets were fed in 2 phases, phase I (d 0 to 14) and phase II (d 15 to 28); and growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD, d 28), and fecal microflora (d 14 and 28) were evaluated. Over the 28-d trial, pigs fed PC and probiotic diets had greater ADG (P < 0.001), ADFI (P < 0.05), and G:F (P < 0.01) than pigs fed NC diet. The ATTD of DM and GE was greater (P < 0.05) in pigs fed probiotic diets when compared with pigs fed the NC diet. At d 28, fewer Clostridia (P < 0.01) were identified in the feces of pigs fed PC and probiotic diets than pigs fed the NC diet. However, the performance, ATTD of DM and GE, and fecal Clostridia population were similar among pigs fed probiotic LT and HT diets. In Exp. 2, 288 weaned pigs (initial BW, 5.84 ± 0.18 kg) were allotted to 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement on the basis of BW. The effects of 2 levels of probiotic HT (0.30 or 0.60%), each with or without antibiotic (chlortetracycline, 0 or 0.1%), on performance, ATTD, intestinal morphology, and fecal and intestinal microflora were investigated. Feeding of 0.60% probiotic HT diet improved (P < 0.05) overall ADG, ATTD of DM and GE, and Lactobacillus population in the feces and intestine, and reduced the population of Clostridium and coliforms in feces (d 14) and ileum. Inclusion of antibiotic improved (P < 0.05) the overall ADG, ADFI, and ATTD of DM at d 14 and reduced fecal Clostridium population at d 28. Increased (P < 0.05) villus height at jejunum and ileum, and villus height:crypt depth at the ileum was noticed in pigs fed 0.60% probiotic HT and antibiotic diets. In conclusion, high drying temperature had no effect on the efficacy of potential multimicrobe probiotic product. However, the probiotic product dried at high temperature was more effective at 0.60% inclusion, whereas inclusion of an antibiotic improved pig performance but did not show any interaction with probiotics.

试验旨在研究接受高温干燥对潜在多微生物益生素的影响。潜在多微生物益生素通过固体基质发酵生产,在低温(LT,40℃72h)或高温(HT,70℃36h)下干燥。试验1,288头断奶仔猪(体重6.43±0.68kg)根据体重分配给4个处理(每个处理4个猪圈,每个猪圈18头猪)。日粮处理为负对照组(NC组,不添加抗菌剂的基础日粮)、正对照组(PC组,基础日粮+金霉素0.1%)、含LT益生素0.03%的基础日粮、含HT益生素0.03%的基础日粮。日粮分两个阶段饲喂,0~14d为第1阶段,15~28d为第2阶段。评估猪的生长性能、总消化道养分表观消化率(ATTD,第28天)和粪便微生物区系(第14和28天)。试验结果表明,在28d试验期中,与饲喂NC组日粮的猪只比较,饲喂PC组和益生素日粮的猪只有较高的平均日增重(P<0.001)、酸性洗涤纤维进食量(P<0.05)和饲料转化率(P<0.01)。与饲喂NC组日粮的猪只比较,饲喂益生素日粮猪只干物质的ATTD和总能较高(P<0.05)。第28天,与饲喂NC组日粮的猪只比较,饲喂PC组和益生素日粮猪只粪便中发现较少的梭状芽胞杆菌(P<0.01),不过,饲喂LT益生素和HT益生素日粮猪只之间的生长性能、干物质ATTD和总能及粪便梭状芽胞杆菌菌群相似。试验2,288头断奶仔猪(起始体重5.84±0.18kg)根据体重以2×2因子设计分为4个处理,研究添加或不添加抗生素(金霉素,0、0.1%)的2个HT(0.30、0.60%)益生素水平对生产性能、ATTD、小肠形态学及粪便与肠道菌群的影响。试验结果表明,饲喂HT益生素0.60%日粮的仔猪改善了总平均日增重、干物质ATTD、总能及粪便和肠道中的乳酸菌菌群,降低粪便和回肠中梭状芽胞杆菌和大肠杆菌群(第14天)(P<0.05)。抗生素的加入改善了总的平均日增重、酸性洗涤纤维进食量和干物质ATTD(第14天),降低粪便梭状芽胞杆菌菌群数量(第28天)(P<0.05)。在饲喂HT益生素0.60%和抗生素日粮的猪只中,观察到空肠和回肠绒毛高度、回肠绒毛高度与腺窝深度的比值增加(P<0.05)。试验结果表明,较高的干燥温度对潜在多微生物益生素的功效无影响。不过,高温干燥益生素以0.60%比例加入日粮时更有效,而抗生素的加入可改善猪只的生产性能,但是抗生素与益生素之间无交互作用。

In this study, 600 Ross broiler chicks (initially 44.2 +/- 2.11 g) were used to investigate the use of potato protein (PP) as an alternative to antibiotics. The PP was obtained from the tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Golden valley potatoes known to have antimicrobial activity against gram positive and negative bacteria. Birds were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments, comprising 4 replicates in each with 30 birds per replicate. Dietary treatments were basal diet added with antibiotics (PC, Positive control), and basal diet added with 0.0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75% PP.Birds fed PC diet had greater body weight gain (P = 0.098) during starter period than birds fed 0.0 and 0.75% PP diet, while the apparent metabolisability of DM was higher (P = 0.037) in birds fed 0.50% PP and PC diet when compared with birds fed 0.0% PP diet. In general the population of total bacteria and coliforms in excreta and cecal contents was lowest in birds fed PC diet and highest in birds fed 0.0% PP diet. An increase in dietary PP resulted in an increase (quadratic, P = 0.051) in feed intake of birds during starter period, wherein the highest feed intake was noticed in birds fed 0.50% PP diet. In addition, linear reduction in the number of coliforms (d 21, P < 0.10, and d 42, P < 0.01) and total bacteria (d 42, P < 0.01) in excreta, and total bacteria (P < 0.01) and coliforms (P < 0.10) in cecal contents were noticed as the level of PP inclusion was increased in the diet of birds. Thus, potato protein obtained from tubers of Golden valley potatoes showed in-vivo antimicrobial activity being more effective at 0.75% inclusion level, while the feed intake, body weight gain and nutrient metabolisability were maximized when PP were included at 0.50% level in the diet of birds. Hence potato protein has the potential to be used as an alternative to antibiotics in the diet of broilers.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate dietary lactose levels during different starter phases on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and fecal microbial populations. In experiment (Exp.) 1, a total of 192 weaning pigs (Landrace×Yorkshire; 21±2days of age; 6.94±0.97kg) were used and randomly allotted according to a 2×2 factorial arrangement to test the effects of dietary lactose levels and different starter feeding programs. Two different three phase starter feeding programs comprising of phase I (15 or 25% lactose), phase II (10% lactose) and phase III (0% lactose) diets were employed. Under feeding program 1, the phase I, II, III diets were fed during days (d) 0–7, d 7–21, and d 21–35 and under feeding program 2, the phase I, II, III diets were fed during d 0–14, d 14–21, and d 21–35, respectively. In Exp. 2, a total of 192 weaning pigs (Landrace×Yorkshire; 28±3d of age; 9.57±0.79kg) were used and assigned by a 2×2 factorial design similar to Exp. 1 and the same phase I, II and III diets were used. Under feeding program 1, the phase I, II, III diets were fed during d 0–7, d 7–14, and d 14–35; whereas, under feeding program 2, the phase I, II, III diets were fed during d 0–7, d 7–21 and d 21–35, respectively. In both the experiments, high lactose diets improved performance and nutrient digestibility and increased microbial populations of Lactobacillus spp. Additionally in Exp. 1, high lactose diets reduced fecal coliform population when compared with low lactose diets. These results demonstrated that maximum performance could be obtained through including 25% lactose during the initial 14d post-weaning to pigs weaned at 21d of age and during the 7d post-weaning to pigs weaned at 28d of age, respectively.

Four experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of corn distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS) diets with mannanase on performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy and nutrients, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics of grower-finisher pigs. In Exp. 1, 96 grower pigs ( initial BW, 57.6 kg), 6 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment, were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 10% DDGS and 0, 200, 400, or 600 units ( U) of mannanase/kg. The ADG and blood glucose increased ( linear, P < 0.05) with increasing concentrations of dietary mannanase. Pigs fed diets containing increasing levels of mannanase had improved ATTD of DM and CP ( quadratic, P < 0.05). In Exp. 2, 64 finisher pigs ( initial BW, 92.7 kg) were allotted to 4 treatment groups with 4 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment. Pigs were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 15% DDGS and 0, 200, 400, or 600 U of mannanase/kg. Linear increases ( P < 0.05) in ADG, blood glucose, and ATTD of DM, GE, and CP were observed with increasing levels of dietary mannanase supplementation. In Exp. 3, 208 grower pigs (initial BW, 60.5 kg) were allotted to 4 treatment groups with 13 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment. Pigs were fed diets containing 0 or 10% DDGS and 0 or 400 U of mannanase/ kg in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. An increase ( P < 0.05) in ADG and blood glucose for pigs fed diets containing mannanase was observed. The ATTD of DM and CP (P < 0.05) was decreased with the inclusion of DDGS, whereas pigs fed the mannanase-supplemented diets had an increased (P < 0.05) ATTD of CP. In Exp. 4, 208 finisher pigs (initial BW, 86.5 kg), with 13 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment, were fed diets containing 0 or 15% DDGS and 0 or 400 U of mannanase/ kg in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. The ADG and blood glucose increased ( P < 0.05) when mannanase was included in the diets. The ATTD of DM ( P < 0.05), GE ( P < 0.10), and CP ( P < 0.05) increased by the supplementation with mannanase in the diets of finisher pigs. The carcass characteristics and meat quality were not affected by the DDGS or mannanase inclusion. These results indicated that including 10 and 15% DDGS in conventional swine grower and finisher diets had no detrimental effects on growth performance or carcass characteristics. In addition, supplementation with 400 U of mannanase/ kg to diets containing 10 and 15% DDGS fed to grower and finisher pigs may improve growth performance and the ATTD of CP.

Different dietary cereal sources and fat types in the lactation diet were evaluated to investigate their effects on reproductive performance. milk composition, blood metabolites and hormones in multiparous sows. Twenty-four sows were randomly assigned to one of four treatments according to a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Each treatment had 6 replicates comprising I sow. Two cereal (corn or wheat) and two fat (tallow or soybean oil) sources were used to prepare iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets. Sows fed corn-based diets lost less body weight (p = 0.003) and backfat thickness (p = 0.034). consumed more feed (p = 0.032) and had shorter wean-to-estrus interval (p = 0.016) than sows fed wheat-based diets. Fewer piglets and lower body weight of piglets (p<0.05) at weaning were noted in sows fed wheat-based diets than in sows fed corn-based diets. However. no significant effects (p>0.05) of dietary fat source and its interaction with dietary cereal source on sow body condition and reproductive performance were observed during lactation. Feeding of a corn-based diet improved (p<0.05) sow milk total solid. protein and fat, increased blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.032) and triglyceride (p = 0.018). and decreased blood creatinine (p = 0.011) concentration at weaning when compared with sows fed wheat-based diets, Sows fed corn-based diets had higher concentration of insulin (p = 0.048) and 1,11 (p<0.05) at weaning than sows fed wheat-based diets. The results indicate that feeding corn-based diets to lactating sows improved sow body condition and reproductive performance compared with wheat-based diets regardless of fat sources.

Twenty-four multiparous sows were used to investigate the effects of dietary glucose inclusion on reproductive performance, milk compositions, blood metabolites and hormones during lactation. The sows were randomly assigned to four treatments and each treatment had six replicates (sows). The diets were added with 0%, 1%, 3% or 5% glucose at the expense of corn and fed to sows for 24 days. The loss of backfat thickness during lactation was quadratically decreased (p = 0.008) and the wean-to-oestrus interval was shortened (linear, p = 0.013; quadratic, p = 0.009) with increasing levels of dietary glucose supplementation. The reproductive performance was not affected (p > 0.05) by different dietary glucose contents. Increased concentrations of total solid and fat in milk were noted (p < 0.05), whereas there was no difference on colostrum compositions. With increasing levels of dietary glucose inclusion, the concentrations of blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.004) and glucose (p = 0.029) were linearly increased at weaning. The concentrations of insulin were increased at post-farrowing (linear, p = 0.027; quadratic p = 0.013) and weaning (linear, p = 0.029; quadratic, p = 0.017), respectively. Furthermore, the pulses of insulin and FSH at weaning were linearly (p = 0.049) and quadratically (p = 0.015) increased with the increasing levels of dietary glucose inclusion. In conclusion, this study indicated that inclusion of 3% glucose in lactating diet could reduce backfat loss, increase milk fat and have no negative effect on reproductive performance in multiparous sows.

This experiment investigated the effects of dietary tannic acid (TA) supplementation on growth performance, hematology, plasma iron status, and faecal microflora in weanling pigs. One hundred and eighty male pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc; 6.485 ± 0.66 kg; 21 ± 3 day) were randomly allotted to one of five treatments (4 pens per treatment; 9 piglets per pen) on the basis of initial body weight. The basal diet was formulated without any additional iron in the premix. The treatment diets were supplemented with 125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg TA/kg. The supplemental levels of TA were obtained by adding albumin tannate containing 500 g TA/kg to the diets. The trial lasted for 28 days. Faeces were collected on days 14 and 28 and the population of total anaerobic bacteria, Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Clostridium spp. and coliform bacteria were counted. Two pigs from each pen were bled at days 7, 14, 21 and 28 of the experiment to determine blood hematology and plasma Fe status. An increase in TA concentration reduced linearly overall average daily gain (P < 0.001), feed efficiency (P = 0.021), faecal coliform count (day 14, P = 0.014) and tended to reduce feed intake (P = 0.088). The excretion of Fe in faeces was higher (linear, P = 0.005) in pigs fed TA diets. Total erythrocyte count, hemoglobin, hematocrit on days 21 and 28 and plasma iron concentration on day 21 were linearly reduced (P < 0.05) with increased levels of TA. Additionally, TA reduced the faecal coliform bacteria count (linear, P = 0.014) at day 14 and had no influence on the other faecal bacteria. It is concluded that inclusion of TA in the diet had a negative impact on performance, hematological indices and plasma iron status of pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate multi-microbe submerged liquid (SLF) and solid substrate (SSF) fermented probiotic products in broilers. The SLF and SSF probiotics were comprised of Lactobacillus acidophilus (1.1x10(9) and 4x10(8) cfu/g), Bacillus subtilis (1.1x10(9) and 4.8x10(9) cfu/g), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1.5x10(7) and 1.0x10(4) cfu/g) and Aspergillus oryzae (2.6x10(7) and 4.3x10(7) cfu/g), respectively. In Exp. 1, 640 day-old Ross chicks were allotted to 4 treatments, each comprising 4 replicates (40 chicks/replicate). The basal diet was prepared without any antimicrobials (negative control, NC), and 20 mg/kg avilamycin (positive control., PC), 0.3% SLF and 0.3% SSF probiotics were added to the basal diets as treatments. Birds fed PC and SSF diets showed improved (p<0.001) overall weight gain and F/G than birds fed NC and SLF diets, whereas, birds fed SLF diet had better weight gain and F/G than birds fed NC diet. Retention of CP was higher (p<0.05) in birds fed the SSF diet than birds fed PC, SLF and NC diets. Birds fed the SLF diet tended to have higher (p<0.10) cecal total anaerobic bacteria than birds fed PC and NC diets; whereas, lesser cecal coliforms were noticed in birds fed PC, SLF and SSF diets than birds fed the NC diet. In Exp. 2, 640 day-old Ross chicks were randomly allotted to 4 treatments in a 2x2 factorial arrangement. Each treatment had 4 replicates (40 chicks/replicate). Two different multi-microbe probiotic products (0.3% SLF or SSF) each with two different antibiotics (10 mg/kg colistin, or 20 mg/kg avilamycin) were used as dietary treatments. Birds fed the SSF diet had greater weight gain (p<0.001), better F/G (p<0.05), greater retention of energy (p<0.001) and protein (p<0.05), and lesser cecal Clostridium (d 35) than birds fed SLF diet. Birds fed the colistin-supplemented diet had less (p<0.01) cecal coliforms when compared with birds fed the avilamycin diet. Additionally, birds fed the avilamycin diet had greater energy retention (p<0.05) than birds fed the colistin diet. Thus, the results of this study suggest the multi-microbe probiotic product prepared by a solid substrate fermentation method to be superior to the probiotic product prepared by submerged liquid fermentation; moreover, feeding of probiotics with different antibiotics did not elicit any interaction effect between probiotic and antibiotic.

An experiment was conducted oil 20 male buffalo calves (average body weight 75.30 +/- 2.20 kg) to elucidate the effect of supplemental vitamin E and/or selenium (Se) oil their haematology, blood metabolic profile, serum enzymes and thyroid hormones status. Group I served as control (without any supplementation), groups II, III and IV were supplemented with 0.3 mg Se, 300 IU of DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, and both 300 IU DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate and 0.3 mg Se, respectively. Animals were fed oil wheat straw and concentrate mixture to meet their nutrient requirements. Blood was collected at zero day and subsequently at 45, 90, 135 and 190 days and analysed for haematological Parameters, blood chemistry and level of thyroid hormones. Results revealed no significant difference (P>0.05) in haematological Parameters (haemoglobin, Packed cell volume. red blood cell, white blood cell) due to the supplementation Of vitamin E Se or both vitamin E + Se in buffalo calves. Similarly, the concentration Of various blood biochemical components (glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, Urea, creatinine, total cholesterol, and triglycerides) except high density lipid (HDL) cholesterol was statistically similar in 4 groups. Results revealed significantly (P<0.01) higher concentration (mg/dl) of HDL cholesterol in buffalo calves given Se and Se + vitamin E as compared to control and Vitamin F supplemented groups. There was no significant difference in serum enzymes (serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase. alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase) activities due to different treatments. Level of triiodothyronine was significantly (P<0.01) higher in buffalo calves supplemented with selenium, and vitamin E + Se, as compared to non-supplemented control group whereas concentration of thyroxine (nmol/l) was statistically similar in 4 groups, without showing any effect of different treatments. It may be concluded that supplementation of Se and vitamin E in the diet of buffalo calves had no beneficial effect on blood haematology and blood chemistry except an increase in the serum levels of high density lipid cholesterol and triiodothyronine as compared to non-supplemented control buffalo curves.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate potato protein (PP, experiment 1) and refined PP (RPP, experiment 2) obtained from Gogu valley tubers as an antimicrobial agent in broiler diets. In both the experiments, 1-d-old male Ross 308 chicks were allotted to 5 treatments and performance, nutrient retention, and microbial populations in excreta and cecum were studied. Dietary treatments were as follows: basal diet (negative control, NC), basal diet with antibiotic (positive control, PC, 10 mg/kg of avilamycin), and low, medium, or high levels of PP (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75%, respectively, in experiment 1) or RPP (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg, respectively, in experiment 2). The overall gain and retention of DM (d 20 to 21) and CP (d 20 to 21 and d 41 to 42) were greater in birds fed PC and high PP diets than birds fed the NC diet. Population of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms was lowest in the cecum and excreta of birds fed the PC diet and highest in birds fed the NC diet. An increase in dietary PP linearly improved BW gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio during starter phase and overall BW gain. Also, there was linear improvement in retention of DM (d 20 to 21) and CP (d 20 to 21 and d 41 to 42) and reduced populations of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms in the cecum (d 42) and excreta (d 28 and 42) due to an increase in dietary PP. In the second experiment, the PC diet and diets with increasing levels of RPP had no effect on performance and nutrient retention. Birds fed the PC diet had the lowest microbial population in excreta and cecum, whereas the population of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms in excreta and cecum decreased (linear, P < 0.05) as the level of RPP was increased in the diet. These results suggest that both PP and RPP obtained from Gogu valley potato tubers have in vivo antimicrobial activity.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the feeding value of wood vinegar in weanling pigs. In Experiment 1, weanling pigs (n = 224; LandracexYorkshirexDuroc, 21 +/- 3 d-old, initial BW 6.12 +/- 0.10 kg) were assigned to four dietary treatments. Different levels of wood vinegar were added to the diets as dietary treatments (0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%). Each treatment comprised 4 replicates with 14 piglets in each. Experimental feeding was conducted for 28 d in two phases (phase I, d 0 to 14 and phase II, d 15 to 28). Feeding of wood vinegar linearly (p < 0.05) improved the phase I, phase II and overall ADG and increased (linear, p < 0.05) the overall and phase II ADFI. Linear improvements in the apparent fecal digestibility of dry matter (p = 0.013), gross energy (p = 0.019) and crude protein (p = 0.033) were observed as the level of wood vinegar was increased in the diet of pigs. Experiment 2 was conducted to compare dietary wood vinegar with commonly used growth promoters, organic acid (mixture of 21% phosphoric acid, 3.25% propionic acid, 2.8% formic acid, 10% calcium formate and 5% calcium propionate) and antibiotic (aparamycin). A total of 283 weanling piglets (LandracexYorkshirexDuroc, 22 2 d-old, initial BW 6.62 +/- 0.31 kg) were assigned to four treatments with four replicates (18 piglets/pen) for 28 days and fed in 2 phases: phase I, d 0 to 14 and phase II, d 15 to 28. The dietary treatments were control (corn-soybean meal basal diet without antibiotics) and diets containing 0.2% antibiotic, 0.2% organic acid and 0.2% wood vinegar. Pigs fed antibiotic showed higher (p < 0.001) ADG and better feed efficiency followed by pigs fed wood vinegar and organic acid diets while those fed the control diet had lowest ADG and poorest feed efficiency. The overall and phase I ADFI was highest (p < 0.001) in pigs fed wood vinegar and lowest in pigs fed the control diet. Apparent fecal digestibility of dry matter, gross energy and crude protein was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in pigs fed the antibiotic diet when compared with pigs fed the control but comparable among pigs fed antibiotic, organic acid and wood vinegar diets. Higher populations of Lactobacillus (p = 0.004) were noted in the ileum of pigs fed the wood vinegar diet, while the population of coliforms in the ileum and cecum was higher (p < 0.001) in pigs fed the control diet when compared with pigs fed antibiotic, organic acid or wood vinegar diets. These results indicated that wood vinegar could improve the performance of weanling pigs by improving the nutrient digestibility and reducing harmful intestinal coliforms; moreover performance of pigs fed wood vinegar was superior to those fed organic acid.

This study investigates the use of refined potato protein (RPP) obtained from the potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers of "Gogu valley" for their antimicrobial properties and its effects on growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility and microbial populations in feces and large intestine of weanling pigs. Pigs (n = 280; Landrace x Yorkshire x Duroc; average initial body weight of 5.96 +/- 0.66 kg: 23 +/- 3 d of age) were allotted on the basis of their body weight and sex to five dietary treatments (each treatment comprised of 4 replicate pens with 14 pigs in each) in a randomized complete block design. The dietary treatments were: PC (positive control; basal diet + 150 ppm apramycin sulfate and 10 ppm colistin sulfate), and RPP (basal diet added with 0, 200, 400 and 600 ppm RPP). The RPP showed in vitro antimicrobial activity and at the concentration of 150 ppm inhibited the growth of tested microbes (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesuis, Salmonella gallinarum and Escherichia coli). Pigs fed with antibiotic diet showed better growth performance and had lower populations of total bacteria, coliforms and Staphylococcus spp. in the feces and large intestine when compared with pigs fed RPP diets. Increasing the levels of RPP in diets linearly improved performance and reduced the populations of total bacteria, coliforms and Staphylococcus spp. in feces and contents of colon and rectum. The apparent fecal digestibility of DM, CP and apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids did not differ among pigs fed antibiotic and RPP diets. These results suggest that antibiotics were more effective in improving the performance of pigs, while feeding of RPP also improved the performance and reduced the harmful microbes being more effective at higher levels. Thus at higher levels RPP obtained from the potato tubers of Gogu valley can be a potential replacement of antibiotics in the feed of weanling pigs. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An experiment was conducted on 20 male buffalo calves (average body weight 75.30 +/- 2.20 kg) to study the effect of supplemental vitamin E and/or selenium on their antioxidant enzyme status. Group I served as control (without any supplementation), groups II, III and IV were supplemented with 0.3 mg selenium, 300 IU of DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, and both 300 IU DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate and 0.3 mg selenium, respectively. Animals were fed on wheat straw and concentrate mixture to meet their nutrient requirements. Blood was collected at zero day and subsequently at 45, 90, 135 and 180 days and analysed for activity of antioxidant enzymes: catalase, super oxide dismutase (SOD), lipid peroxidase (LPO) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Concentration of glutathione (GSH) was also measured in blood. Results revealed that the activity of erythrocyte LPO, catalase, and SOD did not differ (P>0.05) among the different treatments. Similarly, the concentration of GSH was also alike in 4 groups. However, erythrocyte GSH-Px activity and plasma Se concentration were found to be significantly higher in all the three supplemented groups as compared to control. The a-tocopherol concentration in plasma was found to be significantly higher in group III and IV as compared to group I and II. It may be concluded that vitamin E and Se supplementation increased the plasma level of these micronutrients and improved the antioxidant status of male buffalo calves in terms of erythrocyte GSH-Px activity.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding different levels of lacquer (Rhus verniciflua Stokes) meal on the growth performance, carcass traits, fatty acid profile and meat quality of longissmuss dorsi (LD) muscle in finishing pigs. Pigs (n = 117; LandracexYorkshirexDuroc; initial body weight 80 +/- 0.4 kg) were allotted to three dietary treatments and fed lacquer at 0, 2 and 4% of the diet for five weeks. Inclusion of lacquer meat in the diets of pigs had no influence on their growth performance, carcass yield, loin eye area and fat free lean; however, pigs fed lacquer diets had lower backfat (linear, p = 0.006; quadratic, p = 0.004). Pigs fed increasing levels of lacquer meal had lower moisture (linear, p < 0.001; quadratic, p = 0.008), crude fat (linear, p < 0.001) and crude protein (linear, p < 0.001; quadratic, p = 0.002) in LD muscle. The LD muscle of pigs fed lacquer meal had lower pH (linear and quadratic, p < 0.05) at 6, 8 and 10 days, and linearly lower thio-barbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS, p < 0.01) at 8 and 10 days and water holding capacity (WHC, p < 0.05) at 3, 6, 8 and 10 days. The fatty acid composition of LD muscle revealed linearly lower stearic (p = 0.034) and total saturated fatty acid (p = 0.049) with increasing dietary lacquer meal levels. In general, higher lightness, redness and yellowness values were observed in LD muscle of pigs fed 2% lacquer meal on day 0 and subsequently on 3, 6, 8 and 10 days of refrigerated storage. The results of the current study suggest that lacquer meal can be incorporated up to 4% in the diet of finishing pigs without any adverse effects on performance; moreover, improvements in the meat quality during refrigerated storage can be obtained by inclusion of lacquer meal in the diet of finishing pigs.

Abstract The effects of lysine restriction during grower phase and realimentation during finisher phase on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, carcass traits and pork quality were studied. Sixty-four pigs (two castrated males and two females per pen) weighing 34.34±5.22 kg were assigned to four dietary treatments. During grower (35–55 kg), pigs were fed isoenergetic lysine-restricted diets. The different lysine content of diets were 0.950 (NRC recommendation), 0.760, 0.665 and 0.570%, corresponding to lysine restriction of 20, 30 and 40%. Then all pigs were fed with common finisher 1 (55–85 kg) and 2 (85–115 kg) diets. Lysine restriction during the grower phase resulted in poor performance and lower concentration of blood metabolites but improved the nutrient digestibility and efficiency of lysine utilization. Compensatory growth response in terms of improved weight gain and feed efficiency was observed in pigs previously fed lysine-restricted diets during finisher 1, but the concentration of blood urea nitrogen and total protein were lower. No differences in growth performance, digestibility of nutrients and blood metabolites were noted during finisher 2. Lysine restriction of grower diets decreased the dressing percentage (quadratic, P=0.024), and protein content of longissimus muscle (linear P=0.034, and quadratic P=0.009). Thus, it could be concluded that pigs subjected to lysine restriction during grower phase exhibited compensatory growth responses in weight gain and improved efficiency of feed and lysine utilization for weight gain and lean accretion during finisher phase.

This study investigated the effects of dietary nutrient restriction (energy and/or protein) during different phases (starter and finisher) on performance, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites and carcass traits in male broilers. In Experiment 1, birds were fed a Control diet or diets restricted in energy (10%, T1), protein (20%, T2) and both (10% energy and 20% protein, T3) during starter phase (0 to 3 wk). Then all the birds were fed a common finisher diet (4 to 6 wk). Feeding of nutrients restricted starter diets resulted in lower body weights, feed efficiency, serum cholesterol, glucose, total protein, dressing percent and breast meat, but improved metabolizability coefficients of CP and EE in comparison to birds fed Control diet. At the end of 6 wk final body weight of birds fed protein restricted starter diet was lowest while birds fed starter diet restricted in both protein and energy had lower serum cholesterol and total protein. In Experiment 2, birds were fed a common starter diet from 0 to 3 wk and during finisher phase (4 to 6 wk) birds were fed either Control diet or diets restricted in energy (10%, T1), protein (10%, T2) and both (10% energy and 10% protein, T3). Birds fed protein restricted finisher diet had final body weight similar to birds fed Control diet, while birds fed diets restricted in energy and both (energy and protein) had lower final body weight. Restriction of nutrients in finisher diets resulted in higher EE and CP metabolizability coefficient in birds fed energy and protein restricted finisher diets, respectively. Nutrient restriction of finisher diets had no influence on blood metabolites, organ weights, dressing and breast meat yield except for the lower serum glucose and abdominal fat in birds fed energy restricted diets. These results suggest that 10% of energy and 10% protein can be reduced in starter and finisher diets respectively, without having any negative impact on growth performance.