The ameliorative effect of ascorbic acid (AA) on live weight following transportation is vital in animal husbandry. This study investigated the influence of AA on live weight, rectal temperature (rt), and oxidative status of transport stressed goats in a hot humid tropical environment. Twenty-four goats were divided into four groups, A, B, C and D of six animals each. Group A were administered AA 100 mg/kg intramuscularly 30 min prior to 3.5 h transportation. Group B was administered AA following transportation. Group C were transported but not administered AA as positive controls while group D were not transported but were administered normal saline as negative controls. Live weight, rt and blood samples were collected before, immediately post-transport (pt), 24 h, 3 days, 7 days and 10 days pt. Plasma was used for malondialdehyde (MDA) analysis while hemolysates were used for superoxide dismutase (SOD) analysis. There was minimal live weight loss in group A compared to groups B and C. Group A recorded reduced MDA activities and increased SOD activities compared to groups B and C which recorded significantly high MDA activities. This study revealed that AA administration ameliorated the stress responses induced by transportation in animals in hot humid tropical environments. The administration of AA to goats prior to transportation could ameliorate stress and enhance productivity.
This study was conducted to examine the potential for implantation and sustainable fetal development of mouse embryos cultured from the pronuclear to blastocyst stage. Pronuclear embryos from ICR mice (Harlan Sprague-Dawley) were cultured in Sydney IVF sequential media (Cook) to the blastocyst stage in medium only or co-cultured with autologous cumulus cells. We also experimented with co-culture in 100 µL drops. Drop co-culture produced blastocyst formation rates with a mean of 47.0%, which was significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to embryos cultured in identical culture conditions except without cumulus cells at 27.3%. Blastocysts obtained in vitro in Cook medium only and co-cultured in Cook medium with cumulus cells were transferred to pseudopregnant females of ICR strain. The day of blastocyst transfer into surrogate females was designated as post-transfer of blastocyst day 1 (PT 1). The implantation and fetal development was compared to embryo transfer of in vivo derived blastocysts, which served as controls. There were no statistical differences for implantation and fetal development rates for blastocysts cultured in vitro in either Cook medium only or co-culture in Cook medium with cumulus cells compared to in vivo-derived blastocysts. The advantage of the co-culture system is in generating more blastocysts available for transfer.
A rotatable central composite design (CCD) was used to study the effect of cryoprotectants (skim milk, sucrose and lactose) on the survival rate of a probiotic Lactobacillus strain, L. reuteri C10, for poultry, during freeze-drying and storage. Using response surface methodology, a quadratic polynomial equation was obtained for response value by multiple regression analyses: Y = 8.59546-0.01038 X(1)-0.09382 X(2)-0.07771 X(3)-0.054861 X(1)(2)-0.04603 X(3)(2)-0.10938 X(1)X(2). Based on the model predicted, sucrose exerted the strongest effect on the survival rate. At various combinations of cryoprotectants, the viability loss of the cells after freeze-drying was reduced from 1.65 log colony forming units (CFU)/mL to 0.26-0.66 log CFU/mL. The estimated optimum combination for enhancing the survival rate of L. reuteri C10 was 19.5% skim milk, 1% sucrose and 9% lactose. Verification experiments confirmed the validity of the predicted model. The storage life of freeze-dried L. reuteri C10 was markedly improved when cryoprotectants were used. At optimum combination of the cryoprotectants, the survival rates of freeze-dried L. reuteri C10 stored at 4°C and 30°C for 6 months were 96.4% and 73.8%, respectively. Total viability loss of cells which were not protected by cryoprotectants occurred after 12 and 8 weeks of storage at 4°C and 30°C, respectively.
The effects of feeding different dosages of metabolite combination of L. plantarum RS5, RI11, RG14 and RG11 strains (Com3456) on the performance of broiler chickens was studied. A total of 504 male Ross broilers were grouped into 7 treatments and offered different diets: (i) standard corn-soybean based diet (negative control); (ii) standard corn-soybean based diet +100 ppm neomycin and oxytetracycline (positive control); (iii) standard corn-soybean based diet + 0.1% metabolite combination of L. plantarum RS5, RI11, RG14 and RG11 strains (Com3456); (iv) standard corn-soybean based diet + 0.2% of Com3456; (v) standard corn-soybean based diet + 0.3% of Com3456 (vi) standard corn-soybean based diet + 0.4% of Com3456 and (vii) standard corn-soybean based diet + 0.5% of Com3456. Supplementation of Com3456 with different dosages improved growth performance, reduced Enterobacteriaceae and increased lactic acid bacteria count, and increased villi height of small intestine and fecal volatile fatty acid concentration. Treatment with 0.4% and 0.2% Com3456 had the best results, especially in terms of growth performance, feed conversion ratio and villi height among other dosages. However, the dosage of 0.2% was recommended due to its lower concentration yielding a similar effect as 0.4% supplementation. These results indicate that 0.2% is an optimum level to be included in the diets of broiler in order to replace antibiotic growth promoters.
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding fermented fish (FF) to layers on laying performance, and polyunsaturated fatty acid and cholesterol levels in eggs and plasma. A total of 96, 13-week-old Babcock B380 pullets were used in this study. They were randomly assigned to four numerically equal groups with eight replicates per treatment, three birds per replicate. All the birds were housed in individual cages. The dietary treatments were: Control diet, without FF; FF3 diet containing 3% (w/w) FF, FF6 diet containing 6% (w/w) FF and FF9 diet containing 9% (w/w) FF. The study was carried out for 16 weeks inclusive of two weeks of adjustment. Weekly feed intake and egg production were recorded. Blood plasma cholesterol and fatty acid profiles were assayed at the end of the experiment. FF did not enhance (P > 0.05) egg mass but (P < 0.05) decreased egg weight slightly. However, egg yolk cholesterol and plasma cholesterol concentrations were reduced (P < 0.05) by FF. The n-6:n-3 fatty acids ratio in the egg yolk (Control = 7.9, FF9 = 6.2) and plasma (Control = 10.6, FF9 = 6.2) were decreased by feeding FF. Moreover, FF was able to increase (P < 0.05) the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations in egg yolk and plasma. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that FF increased DHA and reduced egg yolk cholesterol in poultry eggs.
This study examined the effects of dietary blend of 80% canola oil and 20% palm oil (BCPO) on the physicochemical properties, antioxidant status, oxidative stability and fatty acid composition of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle from goats during chill storage. Over a 14-week feeding trial, 24 Boer bucks were randomly assigned to and supplemented with diets containing 0, 4 or 8% BCPO on a dry matter basis, slaughtered and the LTL was subjected to a 7 day chill storage. Neither diet nor post mortem ageing influenced (P > 0.05) antioxidant enzyme activities, chemical composition and cholesterol. Diet had no effect on the carbonyl content, free thiol content, water-holding capacity, tenderness, pH and glycogen. Oil-supplemented goats had higher (P 0.05) changes were found in the proportion of individual fatty acids throughout storage. Total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) decreased while total saturated fatty acids increased as storage progressed. Dietary BCPO enhanced n-3 PUFA without compromising the quality attributes of chevon.
The study examined the effects of blend of 80% canola oil and 20% palm oil (BCPO) on nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, rumen fermentation and fatty acids (FA) in goats. Twenty-four Boer bucks were randomly assigned to diets containing 0, 4 and 8% BCPO on a dry matter basis, fed for 100 days and slaughtered. Diet did not affect feed efficiency, growth performance, intake and digestibility of all nutrients except ether extract. Intakes and digestibilities of ether extract, unsaturated fatty acids (FA) and total FA were higher (P
Native Lantang and commercial Duroc pigs were used as animal models to evaluate the differences existing in dietary fiber utilization ability between breeds. Animals were fed the same diet from weaning (4 weeks) to 4 months of age. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from wheat bran (as substrate) and fecal samples from the two breeds (as inoculum) were used in an in vitro gas production trial. Results showed that cumulative and maximum gas productions were higher in inocula from Lantang than those from the Duroc breed (P
Papaya leaf methanolic extract (PLE) at concentrations of 0 (CON), 5 (LLE), 10 (MLE) and 15 (HLE) mg/250 mg dry matter (DM) with 30 mL buffered rumen fluid were incubated for 24 h to identify its effect on in vitro ruminal methanogenesis and ruminal biohydrogenation (BH). Total gas production was not affected (P > 0.05) by addition of PLE compared to the CON at 24 h of incubation. Methane (CH4 ) production (mL/250 mg DM) decreased (P
The present study assessed the effect of feeding palm oil (PO), sunflower oil (SO) and their combination on performance, fat deposition, fatty acid composition and lipogenic gene expression of broilers reared for 42 days. A total of 144 1-day-old broilers (Cobb500) were randomly allotted into four treatment diets with each having six replicates of six chicks in each replicate following a completely randomized design. Live weight gain and feed efficiency was significantly (P
Examined was the effect of post mortem refrigerated storage on microbial spoilage, lipid-protein oxidation and physicochemical traits of goat meat. Seven Boer bucks were slaughtered, eviscerated and aged for 24 h. The Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Semitendinosus (ST) muscles were excised and subjected to 13 days post mortem refrigerated storage. The pH, lipid and protein oxidation, tenderness, color and drip loss were determined in LL while microbiological analysis was performed on ST. Bacterial counts generally increased with increasing aging time and the limit for fresh meat was reached at day 14 post mortem. Significant differences were observed in malondialdehyde (MDA) content at day 7 of storage. The thiol concentration significantly reduced as aging time increased. The band intensities of myosin heavy chain (MHC) and troponin-T significantly decreased as storage progressed, while actin remained relatively stable. After 14 days of aging, tenderness showed significant improvement while muscle pH and drip loss reduced with increase in storage time. Samples aged for 14 days had higher lightness (P
This study assessed the effects of dietary selenium (Se), iodine (I) and a combination of both on growth performance, thyroid gland activity, carcass characteristics and the concentration of iodine and selenium in Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle in goats. Twenty-four bucks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments: control (CON), basal diet without supplementation, basal diet + 0.6 mg Se/kg dry matter (DM) (SS), 0.6 mg I/kg DM (IP), or combination of 0.6 mg/kg DM Se and 0.6 mg/kg DM I (SSIP) and fed for 100 days. Animals fed diet SSIP exhibited higher (P < 0.05) body weight and better feed conversion ratio (FCR) than those fed other diets. Dressing percentage of goats fed the supplemented diets was higher (P < 0.05) than that of the control. Carcasses from the IP group had higher (P < 0.05) total fat proportion than the SSIP group. The levels of both elements were significantly elevated (P < 0.05) in LL muscle in supplemented goats. Thyroid follicular epithelial cells of IP and SSIP animals were significantly higher than those of CON and SS groups. The study demonstrated that the combined Se and I dietary supplementation improves growth performance, carcass dressing percentage and increases the retention of Se and I in goat meat.
The study appraised the effects of Carotino oil on in vitro rumen fermentation, gas production, metabolism and apparent biohydrogenation of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. Carotino oil was added to a basal diet (50% concentrate and 50% oil palm frond) at the rate of 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8% dry matter of the diet. Rumen inoculum was obtained from three fistulated Boer bucks and incubated with 200 mg of each treatment for 24 h at 39°C. Gas production, fermentation kinetics, in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), volatile fatty acids (VFA), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), metabolizable energy and free fatty acids were determined. Carotino oil did not affect (P > 0.05) gas production, metabolizable energy, pH, IVOMD, IVDMD, methane, total and individual VFAs. However, Carotino oil decreased (P < 0.05) the biohydrogenation of linoleic and linolenic acids but enhanced (P < 0.05) the biohydrogenation of oleic acid. After 24 h incubation, the concentrations of stearic, palmitic, pentadecanoic, myristic, myristoleic and lauric acids decreased (P < 0.05) while the concentration of linolenic, linoleic, oleic and transvaccenic acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLAc9t11) increased (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of Carotino oil. Carotino oil seems to enhance the accumulation of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids without disrupting rumen fermentation.
The browsing preference and ecological carrying capacity (ECC) of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor brookei) in acacia plantations for management and conservation of the ecosystem were investigated at Sabal Forest Reserve in Sarawak, Malaysia. The identification of the species browsed by the sambar deer was based on an observation of the plant parts consumed. ECC estimation was based on body weight (BW) and the physiological stages of animals browsed in six fenced 4-ha paddocks. Sambar deer were found foraging on only 29 out of 42 species of secondary vegetation in the acacia plantation. The remaining species are too high for the deer to reach. Planted species, Shorea macrophylla are not palatable to the deer. This augurs well for the integration of sambar deer into shorea plantations. The most frequently exploited plants were Ficus spp. Sambar deer preferred woody species more than non-woody species and they are browser animals. By producing metabolizable energy of 19,000 to 27,000 MJ/ha, the ECC was five head/ha to 5.25 head/ha. Given its contribution to the conservation of wildlife and its capacity to sustain the ecosystem, the sambar deer integrated farming system offers a promising strategy for the future of tropical forestry management.
This study assessed the effect of halal slaughter and anesthesia pre-slaughter followed by bleeding on meat quality characteristics of goats. Eleven male Boer cross goats were divided into two groups and subjected to either halal slaughter (HS) or anesthesia with halothane and propofol pre-slaughter (AS). At pre-rigor, HS had significantly lower (P
This preliminary trial investigated the effect of transportation and lairage periods on physiological parameters of goats subjected to slaughter. Nine male Boer cross goats aged 8-12 months were transported for 6 h and kept at lairage for 3, 6, or 16 h (n = 3). Blood samples were collected at pre- (pre-T) and post-transportation (post-T), and post-slaughter (post-S) for determination of hematological parameters, serum enzyme, protein, and cortisol concentrations. Electroencephalogram readings were taken at pre-T, post-T, pre-slaughter (pre-S), and post-S to determine the median frequency (F50 ) and total power (Ptot) values. At post-T, there were manifestations of stress leukogram; increase in hematocrit, total protein, and muscle enzyme concentrations; and decrease in Ptot (p
Year by year, huge quantities of by-products are generated during the manufacturing process of soybean-based products. Okara is one of the by-products, and it is an insoluble portion of the soybean. It consists of high moisture (8.4-22.9%); on dry matter basis, it contains high metabolizable energy (9.0-14.2 MJ/kg) and other components that include crude protein (20.9-39.1%), crude fiber (12.2-61.3%), crude fat (4.9-21.5%), and ash (3.4-5.3%). Fermentation of okara improves its nutritional quality and reduces its anti-nutrient contents. Due to animals' palatability, okara can be used to replace the soybean meal/concentrate feed partially or completely in ruminant's diet and partially in nonruminant's diet. Okara feeding does not depress the intake, digestibility, growth, milk production, blood metabolic profiles, and meat quality of animals. However, this by-product decays quickly due to its high moisture content, and its heavy weight and sticky nature make it difficult to process and expensive to dry using conventional methods. This paper thoroughly summarizes the utilization of okara as animal feed in the cause of developing a general guideline with favorable levels of inclusion in the diets of animals for its exploitation and valorization. This review will encourage further research to develop eco-friendly and value added feed for animals.
Mature coconut water (MCW) has been demonstrated to contain bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. In vivo research showed that MCW supplementation increased semen quality in rats, suggesting that it may boost reproductive performance. This study investigated the impact of MCW on the reproduction of Boer bucks. Two groups of 12 sexually mature bucks were given either plain water (control) or MCW at 5 mL/kg of body weight daily for 60 days. Sexual behaviors were studied using the focal observation technique, whereas semen was collected for quality assessment. Oxidative stress markers, namely, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), along with reproductive hormones, specifically luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone, were quantified in blood serum samples via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The oxidative stress analysis showed elevated GSH and reduced MDA levels, accompanied by enhanced sperm quality, including superior motility, concentration, viability, and fewer morphological abnormalities (p