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The aim of this study was to evaluate dietary chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) supplementation on meat quality, chemical composition and oxidative stability in frizzled chickens. A total of 360 one-day-old female frizzled chickens with an average body weight of 34.38 ± 1.23 g were randomly allocated to four groups with six replications (10 chickens/replication) in this 84-day experiment. The chickens in the control group (CON) fed the basal diet and the other three experimental diets were based on the basal diet with 300, 600 and 900 mg/kg COS supplementation, respectively. The results indicated that dietary COS increased growth performance, eviscerated and breast muscle yield while decreased abdominal fat yield, accompanied with increasing pH45min, pH24h, Lightness, drip loss and cooking loss in breast and thigh muscle. The scavenging activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt, the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in breast and thigh muscle were improved by COS while malondialdehyde content was decreased. COS up-regulated the gene expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase-1, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px in breast and thigh muscle. In conclusion, dietary COS supplementation improved meat quality by improving pH, colour, water holding capacity and anti-oxidant capacity, accompanied with decreased lipid metabolism in frizzled chickens. Dietary 600 mg/kg COS was recommended in frizzled chickens' diet to improve meat quality. COS improves growth performance of frizzled chickens. COS improves meat quality of frizzled chickens. COS enhances anti-oxidant capacity of frizzled chickens' meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effects of heat stress on lipid metabolism in the liver and abdominal adipose deposition in broilers, totally, 120 female 21-day old broilers were selected and randomly allocated to 2 groups with 6 replication and 10 broilers per each replication. Broilers in the control group (CON) were reared at 24 °C, and broilers in the heat stress group (HS) were reared at 34 °C. Heat stress exposure increased (P < 0.05) rectal temperature, relative weight of abdominal adipose and liver, serum triacylglycerol (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) level, liver TG, TC, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) content. Hepatic mRNA expression level of fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), and abdominal adipose mRNA expression level of ACC and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBPα) were up-regulated (P < 0.05) when compared with the CON group. Heat stress exposure increased serum and hepatic TC and TG content, up-regulated the mRNA expression of FAS and ACC in liver, and promoted preadipocytes differentiation by increasing C/EBPα mRNA expression in abdominal adipose. Therefore, heat stress exposure increased abdominal adipose deposition, which related to increase in hepatic de novo lipogenesis, and promoted preadipocytes differentiation in abdominal adipose. Heat stress increased abdominal adipose deposition Heat stress increased hepatic de novo lipogenesis Heat stress promoted preadipocytes differentiation in abdominal adipose [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress jeopardised animal health by inducing oxidative stress and inflammation. This study was done to investigate the effects of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on oxidative stress and inflammation response in liver and spleen of yellow-feather broilers under high ambient temperature. A total of 144 35-day-old female Chinese indigenous yellow-feather broilers (body weight 450.21 ± 10.05 g) were randomly allocated into 3 dietary treatments with 6 replication pens, each pen had 8 broilers. The treatments were: Control, basal diet; COS100, basal diet with 100 mg/kg COS; COS200, basal diet with 200 mg/kg COS. During day 22 to 42 (57 to 77 days of age), broilers in the COS200 group had higher (p <.05) ADFI than broilers in the Control group. Broilers in the COS200 group had lower (p <.05) serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and tumour necrosis factor-α levels, and spleen malondialdehyde (MDA) content, but had higher (p <.05) liver superoxide dismutase activity and serum interleukin-10 level than broilers in the Control group. Broilers in the COS100 and COS200 groups had lower (p <.05) serum and liver MDA content, and serum interleukin-1β level, but had higher (p <.05) serum glutathione peroxidase activity than broilers in the Control group. In conclusion, dietary COS supplementation can alleviate heat stress-induced oxidative stress and inflammation response in liver and spleen by decreasing lipid peroxidation, increasing anti-oxidant enzyme activities and IL-10 level. Dietary COS decreased serum ALT, AST, IL-1β, TNF-α and MDA. Dietary COS increased serum GSH-Px and IL-10, liver SOD, and spleen GSH-Px. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted this study to compare the effects of lactic acid bacteria complex (L. casei, L. rhamnosus, L. lactis, L. plantarum, S. thermophilus, and B. longum) and Enterococcus faecium DSM 7134 in weanling pigs. A total of 120 weanling pigs (24-day-old) were used in a 5-week feeding trial. Pigs were allotted into three dietary treatments: CON, basal diet; LA, CON + 0.1% lactic acid bacteria complex; EF, and CON + 0.1% E. faecium DSM 7134. From days 0 to 14, days 15 to 35, and the overall period, average daily gain was higher (P < .05) in EF than that in CON. Higher gain:feed ratio was also observed in EF compared with CON during the overall period. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and gross energy was greater (P < .05) in LA and EF compared with CON on days 14 and 35. Faecal Lactobacillus counts were increased (P < .05) and faecal pH was decreased in LA and EF compared with CON on days 14 and 35. Results of the current study indicated that E.faecium DSM 7134 has better effects on growth performance than lactic acid bacteria complex in weanling pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to evaluate the effects of dietary essential oils (EO) and betaine on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum hormones in growing-finishing pigs under heat stress conditions. A total of 96 crossed pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] with an initial body weight (BW) of 24.7 ± 0.27 kg were used in an 18-week trial. Pigs were randomly allocated to four treatments according to BW and gender. There were six replication pens in each treatment, with four pigs (two barrows and two gilts) per pen. Treatment groups were: (1) control group (CON), basal diet + 23°C for 24 h; (2) heat stress group (HC) with basal diet + 37°C for 9 h, 23°C for 15 h; (3) group HEO, HC with 0.01% EO; (4) group HBE, HC with 0.1% betaine. During the overall period, groups HEO and HBE had higher (p < 0.05) average daily gain than group HC. At week 6, group HC had a lower apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM) (p < 0.05), but at week 12, this group had lower ATTD of DM, nitrogen and gross energy than group HEO (p < 0.05). At week 12 and 18, dietary EO decreased (p < 0.05) serum cortisol and norepinephrine concentration. At week 18, dietary EO and betaine decreased (p < 0.05) epinephrine concentration. Conclusively, dietary EO may be a potential nutritional strategy to alleviate heat stress in growing-finishing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted this study to compare the effects of lactic acid bacteria complex (L. casei, L. rhamnosus, L. lactis, L. plantarum, S. thermophilus, and B. longum) and Enterococcus faecium DSM 7134 in weanling pigs. A total of 120 weanling pigs (24-day-old) were used in a 5-week feeding trial. Pigs were allotted into three dietary treatments: CON, basal diet; LA, CON + 0.1% lactic acid bacteria complex; EF, and CON + 0.1% E. faecium DSM 7134. From days 0 to 14, days 15 to 35, and the overall period, average daily gain was higher (P < .05) in EF than that in CON. Higher gain:feed ratio was also observed in EF compared with CON during the overall period. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and gross energy was greater (P < .05) in LA and EF compared with CON on days 14 and 35. Faecal Lactobacillus counts were increased (P < .05) and faecal pH was decreased in LA and EF compared with CON on days 14 and 35. Results of the current study indicated that E.faecium DSM 7134 has better effects on growth performance than lactic acid bacteria complex in weanling pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]