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[Objectives] This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of soluble corn fiber(Fibersol-2, Fib2)on cecum microbial diversity, organic acids and intestinal barrier function in piglets. [Methods] 448 hybrid(Duroc×Landrace×Large white)piglets with an initial body weight of(9.65±0.44)kg at age of 28 d were randomly allotted to 4 groups with 8 replicates of 14 piglets per pen. The piglets in the four groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0(control group), 1, 2 and 4 g·kg-1 Fib2, respectively. Pre-test was 7 d and the test was 28 d. [Results] Dietary Fib2 supplementation significantly decreased the relative abundances of Tenericutes and Actinobacteria(P < 0.05, linear), increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and decreased the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria(P < 0.05, linear and quadratic)at the phylum level. At the family level, Fib2 significantly enhanced the relative abundances of Prevotellaceae, Bacteroidaceae and Porphyromonadaceae and reduced the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Clostridiaceae 1, Erysipelotrichaceae and unclassified Mollicutes RF9(P < 0.05, linear), enhanced the relative abundance of Bacteroidales S24-7 group(P < 0.05, quadratic), enhanced the relative abundance of Lactobacillaceae and reduced the relative abundance of Peptostreptococcaceae(P < 0.05, linear and quadratic). At the genus level, Fib2 significantly increased the relative abundances of Prevotella, Alloprevotella, Bacteroides and Parabacteroides and decreased the relative abundances of Ruminococcus 1, Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and unknown genus(P < 0.05, linear), increased the abundance of unclassified Bacteroidales S24-7 group(P < 0.05, quadratic), increased the relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Prevotellaceae UCG and decreased the relative abundances of Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group, Subdoligranulum and Terrisporobacter(P < 0.05, linear and quadratic). Fib2 significantly increased the contents of lactate, acetate, propionate, valerate, total volatile fatty acids(P < 0.05, linear), isobutyrate and isovalerate(P < 0.05, linear and quadratic). On day 14, Fib2 significantly reduced serum D-lactate and endotoxin contents(P < 0.05, linear), and diamine oxidase activity(P < 0.05, linear and quadratic). Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a correlation between cecum microbiota and organic acids or intestinal permeability. [Conclusions] Under the conditions of this experiment, dietary Fib2 supplementation altered the structure of cecum microbiota, increased the contents of organic acids, and reduced the permeability of intestine, ultimately ameliorating the intestinal health of piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[ Objectives] This study investigated the effects of dietary betaine levels on meat quality, glycolysis level and antioxidant ability of Xueshan chicken. [Methods] A total of 400 one-day-old female Xueshan chickens were randomly divided into five groups with eight replicates of ten chickens for a 102-day feeding trial. Broilers were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0( control), 125, 250, 500 and 1 000 mg· kg-1 anhydrous betaine, respectively. [ Results ] Betaine supplementation linearly improved dressed percentage and reduced the percentage of abdominal fat ( P < 0. 05). Dietary betaine linearly decreased cooking loss ( P < 0. 05), linearly and quadratically decreased drip loss( 24 and 48 h postmortem) and shear force( P<0.05), and increased pH24h. value in thigh muscle. Betaine supplementation linearly enhanced the thigh muscle springiness and the ratio of the immobilized water peaks area ( P21 ) ( P<0.05), and linearly reduced free water peaks area( A22 ) and their ratio ( P22 ) ( P<0.05). Additionally, the lactate content and glycolytic potential ( GP ) of thigh muscle were quadratically decreased by betaine supplementation. With increasing betaine levels, the activity of catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity ( T-AOC) and the ratio of reduced glutathione/ oxidized glutathione ( GSH/GSSG) linearly increased( P<0.05), and the content of oxidized glutathione( GSSG) linearly decreased( P<0.05), the content of glutathione ( GSH) linearly and quadratically increased ( P < 0. 05). Besides, dietary betaine linearly upregulated thigh muscle mRNA expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 ( Nrf2), CAT, glutathione peroxidase gene ( GPx) and γ-glutamate· cysteine ligase catalytic subunit gene(γ-GCLc). [Conclusions] Betaine could improve meat quality by reducing lactate content to increase ultimate pH, altering moisture distribution to enhance muscle springiness, water-holding capacity and tenderness, and regulating enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems activated by Nrj2 to improve muscle antioxidant capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]