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Quantitative information on the concurrent changes in major rumen microbial functions induced by dietary lipids in relation with the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids is scarce. During a three-period essay (9 days per period), rapeseed (Brassica napus L., RO), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., SO) and linseed (Linum usitatissimum L., LO) oils at the high level of 80 g/kg dry matter input (DMI) and a control without oil were compared in four 1-L dual outflow fermenters inoculated with bovine rumen microbiota and maintained on a maize silage-based diet. Neither the fermentation medium pH and redox potential nor starch and protein degradabilities were significantly altered. Oil supply significantly decreased butyrate and methane specific productions of to the benefit of propionate and hydrogen specific productions and decreased the microbial protein outflow and synthesis efficiency while increasing the outflows of ammonia and isovalerate, these effects being amplified by the fatty acids’ unsaturation degree. Besides, with no impact of the degree of unsaturation, oil supply increased the amount of fermented hexose, the productions of all SCFAs except butyrate and the specific production of acetate. The rumen variables apparently sensitive to oil unsaturation degree were thus related either to metabolic hydrogen removal pathways or to protein metabolism.

The aim of this Research Reflection is to describe the basic rumen function of goats and its modification in response to environmental factors, as well as to discuss similarities and differences when compared to other ruminants. In so doing we shall reveal the adaptive capacity of goats to harsh environments. The basic rumen function in goats is similar to other species of ruminants, as stressed by the opportunity to apply the updates of feeding systems for ruminants to goats. The rumen epithelium acts as a protective barrier between the rumen and the host, but it can be damaged by toxic compounds or acidosis. The rumen also plays an important role in water balance, both for dehydration and rehydration. Recent studies show that the microbiota exhibits a high fractional stability due to functional redundancy and resilience, but this needs more investigation. The microbial community structure differs between goats and cows, which explains the difference in sensitivity to milk fat depression following intake of high lipid diets. Goats also differ from other ruminants by their enhanced ability to feed-sort, but as with cows they can suffer from acidosis. Nevertheless, goats can be considered to be very resistant to environmental factors such as water stress, salt stress or heat stress, and this is especially so in some endogenous breeds. They also are able to detoxify tannins, polyphenols and other secondary metabolites. Some new trials involving feeding behaviour, microbiota and omics or approaches by meta-analyses or modelling will improve our knowledge of rumen function in goats.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the supplementation of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; 4.5 g of cis-9,trans-11 C18:2 and 4.5 g of trans-10,cis-12 C18:2) on milk performance, milk fatty acid (FA) composition, and adipose tissue reactivity in dairy goats fed a high-concentrate diet based on corn silage. Twenty-four multiparous dairy goats in early to mid lactation were used in a 10-wk trial, with a 3-wk adaptation to the experimental total mixed ration that contained corn silage (35%, dry matter basis), beet pulp (20%), barley (15%), and a commercial concentrate (30%). Goats were randomly allocated to 2 experimental groups and they were fed 45 g/d of a lipid supplement (either CLA or Ca salts of palm oil added on top of the total mixed ration). Individual milk production and composition were recorded weekly, and milk FA composition was analyzed in wk 2, 5, and 6. In the last week of the trial, an isoproterenol challenge was performed for 12 goats before morning feeding. The CLA supplementation had no effect on dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), milk yield, milk protein content, and lactose yield and content, but it significantly decreased milk fat yield and content by 18 and 15%, respectively. The decrease in milk fat yield was related to a lower secretion of FA synthesized de novo, of the medium-chain FA, and to a lesser extent of the long-chain FA that are taken up from the peripheral circulation. The CLA supplementation decreased the proportion of the sum of C16:0 and C16:1 and the sum of total cis C18:1, and it increased the proportions of the sum of long-chain (C >16) and the sum of iso FA without modification of the total trans C18:1 and the sum of FA synthesized de novo (C

The effects of a concentrate diet on growth, carcass fat, and fatty acid (FA) composition of muscle (supraspinatus), perirenal, and intermuscular adipose tissues of Creole goats (n = 32) were evaluated. Goats were fed a tropical green forage Digitaria decumbens ad libitum with no concentrate (G0) or 1 of 3 levels of concentrate: 140 (G100), 240 (G200), and 340 g•d(-1) (G300), respectively. Goats were slaughtered according to the standard procedure at the commercial BW (22 to 24 kg of BW). Goats fed the concentrate diets (G100, G200, and G300) had greater ADG (P 0.05). Increased concentrate supplementation did not affect (P > 0.05) the proportion of MUFA in all tissues and had very little effect on SFA in perirenal tissue, but increased the PUFA proportion in muscle (P < 0.05). The major effect of feeding increased concentrate was an increase in n-6 PUFA proportions in all tissues (P < 0.001) and, surprisingly, a decrease in n-3 PUFA (P < 0.001). Focusing on FA, which are supposed to have a beneficial or an adverse effect on human health, feeding increased concentrate did not increase the content of any cholesterol-increasing SFA in meat, but increased the n-6/n-3 ratio above 4 when more than 240 g of concentrate was fed per day.

Le fichier annexe contient une correction : The term "nutritional offer" appears incorrectly throughout the paper. The correct term should be "nutritional intake."Fig 1 and its caption appear incorrectly in the published article. Please see the correct Fig 1 and its caption below.; In stud management, broodmares are commonly fed concentrates in late pregnancy. This practice, however, was shown to correlate with an increased incidence of osteochondrosis in foals, which may be related to insulin sensitivity. We hypothesized that supplementation of the mare with barley in the last trimester of pregnancy alters the pre-weaning foal growth, glucose metabolism and osteoarticular status. Here, pregnant multiparous saddlebred mares were fed forage only (group F, n=13) or both forage and cracked barley (group B, n=12) from the 7th month of pregnancy until term, as calculated to cover nutritional needs of broodmares. Diets were given in two daily meals. All mares and foals returned to pasture after parturition. Post-natal growth, glucose metabolism and osteoarticular status were investigated in pre-weaning foals. B mares maintained an optimal body condition score (>3.5), whereas that of F mares decreased and remained low (

The objective of this trial was to study the interaction between the supplementation of lipid-encapsulated conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; 4.5 g of cis-9,trans-11 C18:2 and 4.5 g of trans-10,cis-12 C18:2) and feeding level to test if milk performance or milk fatty acid (FA) profile are affected by the interaction between CLA and feeding level. Twenty-four dairy goats were used in an 8-wk trial with a 3-wk adaptation to the experimental ration that contained corn silage, beet pulp, barley, and a commercial concentrate. During the third week, goats were assigned into blocks of 2 goats according to their dry matter intake (DMI), raw milk yield, and fat yield. Each block was randomly allocated to control (45 g of Ca salt of palm oil/d) or CLA treatment. Within each block, one goat was fed to cover 100% (FL100) of the calculated energy requirements and the other was fed 85% of the DMI of the first goat (FL85). Individual milk production and composition were recorded weekly, and milk FA composition was analyzed in wk 3, 5, and 7. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation reduced milk fat content and fat yield by 17 and 19%, respectively, independent of the feeding level. It reduced both the secretion of milk FA synthesized de novo, and those taken up from the blood. No interaction between CLA and feeding level was observed on milk secretion of any group of FA. The CLA supplementation had no effect on DMI, milk yield, protein, and lactose yields but it improved calculated net energy for lactation balance. Goats fed the FL100 × CLA diet tended to have the highest DMI and protein yield. The interaction between CLA and feeding level was not significant for any other variables. Compared with the goats fed FL100, those fed FL85 had lower DMI, lower net energy for lactation balance, and lower digestible protein in the intestine balance. The body weight; milk yield; milk fat, protein, and lactose yields; and fat, protein, lactose, and urea contents in milk were not affected by feeding level. In conclusion, reduction in energy spared via fat yield reduction after CLA supplementation was not partitioned toward milk lactose or protein in goats at a low feeding level, possibly because of a simultaneous shortage of energy and amino acids. In goats on the high feeding level, energy spared tended to be partitioned toward milk protein yield, and at the same time to the prevention of excessive lipid mobilization.

In equids, placentation is diffuse and nutrient supply to the fetus is determined by uterine size. This correlates with maternal size and affects intra-uterine development and subsequent post-natal growth, as well as insulin sensitivity in the newborn. Long-term effects remain to be described. In this study, fetal growth was enhanced or restricted through ET using pony (P), saddlebred (S) and draft (D) horses. Control P-P (n = 21) and S-S (n = 28) pregnancies were obtained by AI. Enhanced and restricted pregnancies were obtained by transferring P or S embryos into D mares (P-D, n = 6 and S-D, n = 8) or S embryos into P mares (S-P, n = 6), respectively. Control and experimental foals were raised by their dams and recipient mothers, respectively. Weight gain, growth hormones and glucose homeostasis were investigated in the foals from birth to weaning. Fetal growth was enhanced in P-D and these foals remained consistently heavier, with reduced T3 concentrations until weaning compared to P-P. P-D had lower fasting glucose from days 30 to 200 and higher insulin secretion than P-P after IVGTT on day 3. Euglycemic clamps in the immediate post-weaning period revealed no difference in insulin sensitivity between P-D and P-P. Fetal growth was restricted in S-P and these foals remained consistently lighter until weaning compared to S-D, with elevated T3 concentrations in the newborn compared to S-S. S-P exhibited higher fasting glycemia than S-S and S-D from days 30 to 200. They had higher maximum increment in plasma glucose than S-D after IVGTT on day 3 and clamps on day 200 demonstrated higher insulin sensitivity compared to S-D. Neither the restricted nor the enhanced fetal environment affected IGF-1 concentrations. Thus, enhanced and restricted fetal and post-natal environments had combined effects that persisted until weaning. They induced different adaptive responses in post-natal glucose metabolism: an early insulin-resistance was induced in enhanced P-D, while S-P developed increased insulin sensitivity.

Eighty eight lambs were used in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement 1) to investigate the effect of maternal dietary linseed supplementation and /or lamb linseed supplemented concentrate on growth performance, carcass fat quality and fatty acid (FA) composition of muscle and dorsal adipose tissue of indoor lambs 2) to study the relationships between subcutaneous fat quality and FA composition. Feeding linseed to ewes increased C18:3 n-3 (ALA) proportion in milk and therefore the ALA supply to suckling lambs. However, ALA and n-3 polyunsaturated FA (n-3 PUFA) proportions in lamb tissues were not affected. Feeding linseed to lambs during the post-weaning period significantly increased the proportions of ALA and n-3 PUFA in tissues. Softer and more coloured fat was associated with a decrease in even medium-chain saturated FA and increases in odd and methyl FA proportions but not with ALA proportion in subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Ce projet avait pour but de decrire la structure genealogique de 226 sujets asthmatiques recrutes au Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean (SLSJ). Les sujets ont ete regroupes selon leur statut de porteur de polymorphismes associes a l'asthme pour les genes candidats CX3CR1, PLAU, IL-13 et IL-4R et nous avons verifie si certains sous-groupes presentaient des caracteristiques genealogiques particulieres lorsqu'on les comparait avec un groupe temoin. Les analyses statistiques ont demontre qu'il n'est pas possible de faire de distinction entre les individus asthmatiques et ceux du groupe temoin. En effet, nous n'avons detecte aucune difference significative entre les groupes, que ce soit lors du calcul des coefficients d'apparentement et de consanguinite ou des mesures de contribution genetique des ancetres et des fondateurs regionaux. La frequence des variants etudies, l'heterogeneite genetique de la maladie, la structure genealogique regionale et ia prevalence elevee de l'asthme dans la population pourraient constituer des facteurs explicatifs de cette absence de difference entre les sujets asthmatiques et les temoins. Sur le plan de la demogenetique, ce projet a permis de mieux connaitre la structure de Sa population du SLSJ et l'effet de son histoire demographique sur Sa composition du pool genique contemporain.

A multidisciplinary research programme was developed to get a scientific expertise for the quality assessment of products obtained from cloned livestock. Thirty-seven bovine Holstein female clones of five different genotypes and their products were analysed in comparison with 38 control animals obtained by conventional artificial insemination and raised under the same conditions at the same experimental farm. Animal evaluation included over 150 criteria and more than 10 000 measurements to check the physiological status and health over a 3-year period. All the parameters studied were in the normal range for age and breed, but some significant differences were detected between clone and control groups in terms of delayed onset of puberty in clones, higher neutrophil counts in haematology or lower biochemical plasma concentrations of gamma glutamyl transferase. Milk and meat analyses were conformable to expected values. We, however, found some differences in fatty acid (FA) composition of milk and muscle suggesting a possible deviation in lipid metabolism as assessed by higher delta-9 desaturase activity indexes in both milk and muscles from clones compared with controls. Repeated muscle biopsies in the semitendinosus muscle of the same animals demonstrated a higher oxidative activity in muscle of young clones (8 months of age) compared with controls, suggesting a delayed muscle maturation in clones. Nutritional evaluation of milk and meat using the rat feeding trials did not show any difference between clone and control products for food intake, growth rate, body composition of the rats, nor for possible allergenicity. Possible reactivation of bovine endogenous retroviruses (BERVs) was analysed and compared between normal and cloned cattle. As expected, these BERV sequences are not transcribed and no RNA was detected in the blood of clones, donor animals or controls; therefore, it may be assumed that the sanitary risk associated with BERV sequences is not higher in cattle derived from somatic nuclear transfer than in cattle born from conventional reproduction. Our results confirm that the quality and safety of products (milk and meat) from adult and clinically healthy cloned cattle is globally similar to normal animals. However, from a strictly biological point of view, the slightly delayed maturation we observed in the muscle of clones together with some marginal differences identified in FA composition of both muscle and milk, point to the need for more refined analysis to totally exclude any risks from the consumption of those products.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of substituting cereals by sugar beet pulp in the feed on the fatty acid (FA) composition of subcutaneous adipose tissue in indoor lambs. Forty-nine male lambs of the Lacaune dairy breed were fed from 23.6 (± 4.1) to 41.0 (± 1.9) kg live weight with hay and a pelleted concentrate containing either 80% of barley and wheat (group C) or 70% sugar beet pulp (group P). The FA composition of caudal adipose tissue sampled at slaughter was determined. The subcutaneous adipose tissue softness was not different between the two groups. The water content and the proportion of odd-numbered (oddFA) and methyl branched-chain FA (BCFA) were high but not significantly different between the two groups (respectively, 22.6% of wet weight, 7.7 and 9.7% of total FA). On the contrary, the proportion of even-numbered saturated FA (ESFA) and especially C18:0 was low but slightly higher in the P group. The proportions of C18:2 and C18:3 were higher in group C than in group P (3.2 vs. 2.2%, P, Effet de la nature de l'énergie ingérée, céréales vs. pulpes de betteraves, sur la composition en acides gras du tissu adipeux caudal d'agneaux de bergerie. L'objectif de ce travail était de mesurer l'incidence de la distribution de pulpes de betteraves en remplacement des graines de céréales dans le régime alimentaire d'agneaux de bergerie sur la composition en acides gras (AG) du tissu adipeux de couverture. Au total, 49 agneaux mâles, de race Lacaune " lait " ont été engraissés de 23,6 (± 4,1) à 41,0 (± 1,9) kg. Ils disposaient en libre accès de foin et d'un aliment concentré aggloméré composé de 80 % d'orge et de blé (lot C) ou de 70 % de pulpe de betterave (lot P). La composition en AG d'un échantillon de tissu adipeux caudal prélevé sur chaque animal lors de l'abattage a été déterminée. L'index de fermeté ne diffère pas significativement entre les 2 groupes. La teneur en eau et la proportion des AG à chaîne carbonée impaire ou ramifiée ont été élevées et non significativement différentes (respectivement, 22,6 % du poids frais, 7,7 et 9,7 % des AG totaux). Inversement, les teneurs en AG saturés pairs et notamment en C18:0 ont été faibles. Les teneurs en C18:2 et C18:3 ont été plus élevées dans le lot C que dans le lot P (3,2 vs. 2,2 %, P

International audience; The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of substituting wheat and barley by sugar beet pulp on the quality of subcutaneous adipose tissue of intensively reared lambs. Rumen fermentation and methylmalonate plasma concentration, both considered as indicators of lamb metabolism, were also studied. Forty-nine male lambs of the Lacaune dairy breed were fed from 23.6 ($\pm$ 4.1) kg to 41.0 ($\pm$ 1.9) kg live weight with hay and a pelleted concentrate containing either wheat and barley (80% , group C) or sugar beet pulp (70% , group P). Rumen fluid samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 4 or 6 hours after the last meal before slaughter from 5 lambs per diet at each time. The plasma concentration of methylmalonate was measured in two samples per lamb collected 12 and 36 d before slaughter. The calculated metabolisable energy intake and average daily gain were not significantly different between group C and P (3.27 mcal$\cdot$d$^{-1}$ and 309 g$\cdot$d$^{-1}$). Six hours after the last meal, the rumen concentration of total volatile fatty acids was higher in group C than in group P (186 vs. 137 mmol$\cdot$L$^{-1}$, $P < 0.01$) and the acetate/propionate ratio was lower (0.91 vs. 2.07, $P < 0.01$). The average concentration of methylmalonate in plasma was higher in group C than in group P (2.76 vs. 1.92 $\mu$mol$\cdot$L$^{-1}$, $P = 0.09$). However, the diet had no significant effects on the firmness and colour of subcutaneous adipose tissue; globally, the quality was poor. No relationship between plasma concentration of methylmalonate and fat firmness scores was observed.; Effet de la nature de l'aliment concentré, céréales vs. pulpes de betteraves, sur les fermentations ruminales, la concentration plasmatique en méthylmalonate et la qualité des gras de couverture d'agneaux de bergerie. Le but de ce travail était de vérifier l'effet de l'introduction de pulpes de betteraves dans le régime sur la qualité du gras de couverture des agneaux de bergerie, en s'intéressant plus particulièrement aux fermentations ruminales et aux concentrations plasmatiques en méthylmalonate, pris comme critères d'estimation du métabolisme des agneaux. Ainsi, 49 agneaux mâles, de race Lacaune "lait " , ont été engraissés de 23,6 ($\pm$ 4,1) à 41,0 ($\pm$ 1,9) kg. Ils disposaient en libre accès de foin et d'un aliment concentré aggloméré composé de 80 % de céréales (lot C) ou de 70 % de pulpes de betteraves (lot P). Des échantillons de jus de rumen ont été prélevés lors de l'abattage, 0, 1, 2, 4 ou 6 heures après la distribution du dernier repas, sur en moyenne 5 agneaux par temps et par régime. La concentration plasmatique en méthylmalonate a été mesurée sur 2 prélèvements effectués 12 et 36 jours avant abattage. L'ingestion d'énergie métabolisable calculée et la vitesse de croissance n'ont pas été significativement différentes sur la période de finition (3,27 mcal$\cdot$j$^{-1}$ et 309 g$\cdot$j$^{-1}$). Six heures après le début du repas, les concentrations ruminales en acides gras volatils totaux ont été plus élevées dans le lot C que dans le lot P (186 vs. 137 mmol$\cdot$L$^{-1}$, $p < 0,01$) et le rapport acétate/propionate plus faible (0,91 vs. 2,07, $p < 0,01$). Les concentrations plasmatiques moyennes en méthylmalonate du lot C ont été supérieures à celles du lot P (2,76 vs. 1,92 $\mu$mol$\cdot$L$^{-1}$, $p = 0,09$). Cependant, aucune influence significative du régime n'a été observée sur la fermeté et la couleur du gras sous-cutané ; la qualité des gras n'a été satisfaisante dans aucun des deux lots. Par ailleurs, aucune liaison n'a été mise en évidence entre les notes de fermeté du gras et les concentrations plasmatiques en méthylmalonate.