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This study investigated the effects of inorganic trace elements (IEs) and sucrose chelated trace elements (SEs) on the growth performance, nutrients and energy utilization, antioxidant capacity, and mineral deposition in broiler chickens, and the efficiency of IEs replaced by SEs at different levels was also evaluated. A total of 448,21-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chickens with similar body weights were randomly assigned into 6 dietary treatments (8 cages/treatments) in a complete randomized design. Treatments were a basal diet including 2.0 g/kg of IE (IE-2.0) premix, and SE-2.0, SE-1.5, SE-1.0, SE-0.5, and SE-0 were basal diets in which IEs were replaced by SE premix at 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, 0.5, and 0 g/kg, respectively. In general, there was a linear and quadratic decrease in growth performance including average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG), apparent and true availability of nutrients (DM, OM, and CP), GE, trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, I, and Se), essential AA (Lys, Met, Arg, His, Phe, Thr, and Val), non-essential AA (Asp, Ser, Glu, Gly, and Cys), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and trace elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in the liver, and an increase in feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) and liver malondialdehyde (MDA), with decreasing SE levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, under the conditions of this experiment, using half of the sucrose chelated trace elements (Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn) instead of inorganic trace elements did not affect the growth performance, nutrients and energy utilization, antioxidant capacity, and liver trace element deposition in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment using 96 Hy‐Line brown laying hens at 29 weeks of age that were randomly allocated to four treatments with eight replicates was conducted to assess the effects of star anise (Illicium verum Hook.f.) oil (SAO) on nutrient and energy utilization. Dietary treatments were corn–soybean meal‐based diets supplemented with 0, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg SAO. The birds were fed the diets for 14 days. The conventional nutrients and amino acids of feed and excreta samples were measured for calculating apparent metabolic efficiency, and gross energy (GE) was analyzed for computation of apparent metabolic energy (AME) and true metabolic energy (TME). Endogenous losses were obtained from another 16 birds for calculating true metabolic efficiency. Birds supplemented with SAO had higher (p < 0.05) metabolic efficiency of crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM), Lys, Met, Arg, and Thr than those of control group. Quadratic effects on utilization of Lys, Met, and Thr were observed (p < 0.05). Inclusion of SAO to diet improved nutrient utilization, and the efficacy is best at 400 mg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa polysaccharide (APS) is a bioactive component extracted from alfalfa that exhibits potent antioxidant properties. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these properties remain unclear. To explore the molecular mechanism by which APS exerts antioxidant effects, an H2O2-induced oxidative stress mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) model was established. Cell proliferation, antioxidant enzyme activity, immune cytokine expression, and related protein expression were examined in APS-supplemented or non-supplemented conditions. The results suggested that APS strengthened the antioxidative capacity of MEFs, increasing cell proliferation, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). In addition, APS reduced the secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 as well as expression of the proinflammatory gene retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I). APS was also able to activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which promoted the translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) to the nucleus. However, expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was decreased after APS treatment. Overall, these results suggest that APS relieves H2O2-induced oxidative stress in MEFs by activating MAPK/Nrf2 signaling and suppressing NF-κB signaling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to link APS with MAPK/Nrf2, NF-κB and RIG-I, thus providing new perspectives regarding the mechanisms of the antioxidant activity of APS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study assessed the effects of oligosaccharide-chelated organic trace minerals (OTM) on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, blood parameters, slaughter performance, and meat quality indexes of mutton sheep. A total of 60 East Ujumuqin × small-tailed Han crossbred mutton sheep were assigned to two groups (10 duplicates per group) by body weight (26.12 ± 3.22 kg) according to a completely randomized design. Compared to the CON group, the results of the OTM group showed: (1) no significant changes in the initial body weight, final body weight, dry matter intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio ( p  > 0.05); (2) the activities of trypsin, lipase, and amylase in the jejunum were significantly increased ( p  < 0.05); (3) serum total protein, albumin, and globulin of the blood were significantly increased ( p  < 0.05), and the growth factor interleukin IL-10 was significantly higher ( p  < 0.05), while IL-2, IL-6, and γ-interferon were significantly lower (p < 0.05). Immunoglobulins A, M, and G were significantly higher ( p  < 0.05); (4) the live weight before slaughter, carcass weights, dressing percentage, eye muscle areas, and GR values did not differ significantly ( p  > 0.05); (5) shear force of mutton was significantly lower ( p  < 0.05), while the pH 45min , pH 24h , drip loss, and cooking loss did not show a significant difference ( p  > 0.05). The content of crude protein was significantly higher ( p  < 0.05), while the ether extract content was significantly reduced ( p  < 0.05), but no significant difference was detected between moisture and ash content; (6) the total amino acids, essential amino acids, semi-essential amino acids, and umami amino acids were significantly increased ( p  < 0.05). Although umami amino acids were not significant, the total volume increased ( p  > 0.05). Among these, the essential amino acids, threonine, valine, leucine, lysine in essential amino acids and arginine were significantly increased ( p  < 0.05). Also, non-essential amino acids, glycine, serine, proline, tyrosine, cysteine, and aspartic acid, were significantly higher ( p  < 0.05). The content of alanine, aspartate, glutamic acid, phenylalanine, and tyrosine in umami amino acids was significantly higher ( p  < 0.05)., Competing Interests: JZ employed by Nanning Zeweier Feed Co., LTD, China. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zhang, Wei, Zhou, Yang, Xiao, Du, Bao, Ju, Dong, Zheng and Bao.)

Alfalfa polysaccharide (APS) is a bioactive component extracted from alfalfa that exhibits potent antioxidant properties. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these properties remain unclear. To explore the molecular mechanism by which APS exerts antioxidant effects, an H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) model was established. Cell proliferation, antioxidant enzyme activity, immune cytokine expression, and related protein expression were examined in APS-supplemented or non-supplemented conditions. The results suggested that APS strengthened the antioxidative capacity of MEFs, increasing cell proliferation, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). In addition, APS reduced the secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 as well as expression of the proinflammatory gene retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I). APS was also able to activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which promoted the translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) to the nucleus. However, expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was decreased after APS treatment. Overall, these results suggest that APS relieves H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress in MEFs by activating MAPK/Nrf2 signaling and suppressing NF-κB signaling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to link APS with MAPK/Nrf2, NF-κB and RIG-I, thus providing new perspectives regarding the mechanisms of the antioxidant activity of APS.