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Despite the general use of endoxylanases in poultry feed to improve broiler performance, the abundance of different endoxylanase products and the variable response to their application in the field prevent a clear understanding of endoxylanase functionality in vivo. To gain insight into this functionality, we investigated the impact of endoxylanase type (Belfeed from Bacillus subtilis versus Econase XT from Nonomuraea flexuosa) and dose (10, 100, 1,000 mg/kg) in combination with broiler age on arabinoxylan (AX) hydrolysis and fermentation in broilers (Ross 308) fed a wheat-soy based diet. In a digestibility trial and a performance trial, a total of 1,057 one-day-old chicks received the control diet or 1 of the 6 endoxylanase supplemented wheat-soy based diets with, respectively, 5 replicate cages and 8 replicate pens per dietary treatment per trial. The AX content and structure, the AX digestibility values and the short-chain fatty acids produced were analysed at the level of the ileum, caeca and excreta at d 11 and 36. Endoxylanase supplementation resulted in a more extensive solubilisation of wheat AX and a reduction in the intestinal viscosity compared to the control (P

Around the world, declines in the mean size of nesting sea turtles have been reported with concerns of a concomitant decrease in the reproductive output of populations. Here, we explore this possibility using long-term observations of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles. Based on > 4500 individual measurements over 21 years (1996–2016), we found the curved carapace length of nesting females declined by about 0.64 cm per decade, from 111.43 to 110.08 cm. For 391 individuals that were measured more than once with measurement interval of 2.8–19 years apart, the mean growth rate was 0.14 cm year−1. Comparisons between the size of adult females and males were based on 23 and 14 weight measurements, 107 and 33 carapace length measurements and 103 and 33 carapace width measurements, respectively, taken during 1981–1983. Adult females were larger than males, with the sexual dimorphism index, i.e. the ratio of size of the larger sex to the smaller, being 1.09 and 1.10 for carapace length and width, respectively, and 1.25 for weight. Smaller females tended to lay fewer eggs per clutch but the decrease in female mean size was accompanied by increases in numbers of turtles nesting annually, such that the estimated total numbers of eggs per year increased from 1.3 million to 2.0 million between 1996 and 2016. Therefore, a decrease in mean size of nesting females has not compromised egg production for this population.

The inclusion of fibre-rich ingredients in diets is one possible strategy to enhance intestinal fermentation and positively impact gut ecology, barrier and immunity. Nowadays, inulin-type fructans are used as prebiotics in the feed of piglets to manipulate gut ecology for health purposes. Likewise, some by-products could be considered as sustainable and inexpensive ingredients to reduce gut disorders at weaning. In the present study, chicory root and pulp, citrus pulp, rye bran and soya hulls were tested in a three-stepin vitromodel of the piglet’s gastro-intestinal tract combining a pepsin-pancreatin hydrolysis (digestion), a dialysis step using cellulose membranes (absorption) and a colonic batch fermentation (fermentation). The fermentation kinetics, SCFA and microbiota profiles in the fermentation broth were assessed as indicators of prebiotic activity and compared with the ones of inulin. The immunomodulatory effects of fermentation supernatant (FS) were investigated in cultured intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) by high-throughput quantitative PCR. Chicory root displayed a rapid and extensive fermentation and induced the second highest butyrate ratio after inulin. Citrus pulp demonstrated high acetate ratios and induced elevatedClostridiumclusters IV and XIVa levels. Chicory root and pulp FS promoted the intestinal barrier integrity with up-regulated tight and adherens junction gene expressions in comparison with inulin FS. Chicory pulp FS exerted anti-inflammatory effects in cultured IPEC-J2. The novel approach combining anin vitrofermentation model with IPEC-J2 cells highlighted that both chicory root and pulp appear to be promising ingredients and should be considered to promote intestinal health at weaning.

Protein content reduction in broiler breeder diets has been increasingly investigated. However, broiler breeders reared on low protein diets are characterized by a deterioration of the feather condition. Furthermore, polydipsia induced by controlled feed intake increases litter moisture and as a consequence pododermatitis. This project aimed to study the litter moisture, pododermatitis and feather condition of breeders fed with a 25% reduced balanced protein (RP) diet during the rearing and laying period over three successive generations. The experiment started with two treatments for the F0 generation: control (C) group fed with standard C diets and RP group fed with RP diets. The female F0-progeny of each treatment was divided into the two dietary treatments as well, resulting in four treatments for the F1 generation: C/C, C/RP, RP/C and RP/RP (breeder feed in F0/F1 generation). The RP diet fed breeders received on average 10% more feed than C diet fed breeders to achieve the same target BW. The female F1-progeny of each treatment were all fed with C diets which resulted in four treatments for the F2 generation: C/C/C, C/RP/C, RP/C/C and RP/RP/C (breeder feed in F0/F1/F2 generation). Litter moisture, footpad and hock dermatitis were recorded at regular intervals throughout the experimental period in all three generations. For the F0 and F1 generation, the pens of breeders receiving C diets had significantly higher litter moisture than the RP diets fed groups (P

Endoxylanases are frequently used in cereal-based broiler feeds to improve the nutritional quality of the feed. It is hypothesized that the age of broilers and the age-related development of their intestinal microbiota influence the efficacy of these enzymes. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify possible age-related changes in arabinoxylan (AX) digestion in the different parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of broilers. A feeding trial was performed with 240 one-day old chicks (Ross 308) receiving a wheat-based feed containing no supplemented endoxylanase. Digesta samples from every section of the GI tract were collected at 5, 10, 15, 21, 28 and 35 d of age and analyzed for AX content, AX digestibility, intestinal viscosity and microbial endoxylanase and arabinofuranosidase activity. In the first two weeks, the microbiota were able to solubilize a part of the water-unextractable arabinoxylan (WU-AX), thereby increasing intestinal viscosity and water-extractable arabinoxylan (WE-AX) concentrations in the GI tract. In these young birds, WU-AX and WE-AX with low arabinose to xylose ratios were able to enter the caeca but were not yet extensively fermented by the caecal microbiota as indicated by the high caecal AX concentrations at 5 and 10 d (P < 0.01). Establishment of a more mature microbial community at three weeks of age resulted in a further increase in both the solubilization of WU-AX and fermentation of WE-AX at the ileum and caecum (P < 0.10). Furthermore, the increase in AX degrading enzyme activities with age denotes the high AX degrading capacity of the caecal microbiota. Finally, a total tract AX digestion of 24% was achieved at slaughter age (d 35). Our results clearly indicate that the capacity of intestinal microbiota to degrade AX in the hindgut increases as the broiler ages. This suggests that the benefits of endoxylanase supplementation of broiler feeds depend on the interaction of the intestinal microbiota and AX present in the GI tract at specific broiler ages. ispartof: POULTRY SCIENCE vol:98 issue:10 pages:4606-4621 ispartof: location:England status: published

ispartof: POULTRY SCIENCE status: Published online

The behavior of 2 generations of broiler breeders undergoing a 25% reduced balanced protein (RP) dietary treatment was investigated in the current study. There were 2 treatments for the F0 generation: control (C) breeders fed with standard C diets and RP breeders fed with RP diets. The female progeny of each treatment was again subjected to 2 dietary treatments, resulting in 4 treatments for F1 generation: C/C, C/RP, RP/C, and RP/RP (breeder feed in F0/F1 generation). To maintain the target body weights throughout the trial, breeders on RP diet received on average 10% more feed than C diet breeders. The behavior of the breeders at 8h30 (30 min before feeding at 9h00), 12h00, and 15h30 in weeks 23 and 37 of the F0 generation and in week 6, 11, and 22 of the F1 generation was observed. Litter scratching, feather pecking, and object pecking were occasionally increased by RP diet feeding which indicated feeding frustration. Drinking behavior decreased dramatically by the RP dietary feeding and resulting in a better litter condition which could benefit dust bathing behavior. In addition, feeding the breeders RP diet in the F0 generation decreased litter scratching (week 6) and feather pecking (week 22, 15h30) but increased sitting (week 11, 15h30) and drinking (a tendency in week 6 and a significant effect in week 11) behavior of offspring breeders (F1 generation). In general, breeders fed with reduced balanced protein diets, to some extent, spent less time drinking and their offspring could have an adaptation to the maternal RP diet. The mechanism of this adaptation still needs to be further investigated. In general, positive effects were found by reducing protein level of breeder diets. However, negative side effects such as feeding frustration were also observed, which merit further study. ispartof: POULTRY SCIENCE vol:98 issue:10 pages:4301-4312 ispartof: location:England status: published

Spiny lobster fishing in the Seychelles is an artisanal done essentially by skin divers operating at night in the shallow waters surrounding by the islands. Because of human population distribution lobster fishing grounds are concentrated on the inner granitic islands. In September 1992, a random stratified samoling program was set up to gather biological information from the entire granitic Mahe plateau. Direct census of fishery resources by Scuba divers swimming underwater transects was selected as the most feasible and expedient means by which to enact the Resource Survey. This report present partial result gathered for the survey around Mahe Island only and provides an estimate of the Maximum sustainable yield for the granitic plateau by extrapolation of the Mahe results. Around Mahe, three species were found in the catches, P penicillatus being the most abundant and caught mainly by skin divers between 2 and 8 meters. P. longipes and P. versicolor were more rare and often found in deeper water in the Scuba diving zone. Catch rates were much higher for skin divers than scuba divers (4.63 lobsters per man hour against 0.63 for Scuba divers) Mean carapace length of each species were respectively for males and females: (P.p.)=95.8, P.p.)=95.9; (P.1.)=86.6, (P.1.)=70.1, (P.v.) =106, and (P.v.P=78.5 mm. In total, during the two months survey, the percentage of mature females was found to be :) P.P.)=52.9, (P.1.)=55.5 and) P.v.)=25, Cephalothoracic length at first maturity for females was found to be 79.2 mm for P.penicillatus and 74.2 mm for females of P.longipes. The length-weight relationship per species for males and females respectively, were found to be :) P.p.): W=1.63*L2.66, (P.p.): W=2.25*L2.25. (P.1.): W=2.03*L2.64, (P.1.): W=1.45*L2.81; (P.v.): W=-0.688*L2.96, (P.v.): W=-0.715*L3.3 (W=gr, L=cm). The minimal size at first capture for P.penicillatus should be increased from 75mm to 80mm of cephalothoraicc length. Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for Mahe Island was found to be 1.17 tonnes/year, and simple extrapolation of the Mahe data to the entire granitic plateau gives a MSY of 3.5 tonnes. This MSY is probably an underestimate based on standing stock rather than virgin biomass. Another estimate of the virgin biomass was done utilizing the maximum biomass found in a station for each biotype. This approach lead to an MSY in the Mahe waters off 4.7 tonnes, while for the whole plateau it gives a MSY of 15.5 tonnes. The fact that only 33.9_310= of the lobsters caught in the Mahe waters could be retained by a fishery, obliges one to adopt the conservative approach. Published lobster fishery

Two different groups of lobsters are of commercial importance in the Seychelles: spiny lobsters and slipper lobsters. The spiny lobsters are: Panulirus penicillatus, Panulirus longipes, Panulirus versicolor and Panulirus ornatus. Fishing for spiny lobster in Seychelles is a traditional activity in the shallow waters surrounding the main granitic Islands. Fishing is conducted at night by skin divers operating with lights. Following the development of the tourist industry during the seventies the local demand for lobsters increased to several tonnes a year. After being open for many years, the fishery was closed from 1983 to 1989. The fishery was reopen from December 1989 to May 1990, during which time an estimated 10 tonnes of spiny lobsters were supplied to the local market. The regulations for lobster fishing included: a closed season from the 1st May to 30th of September; a minimal size of 7,5 cm cephalothoracic length; a ban on the catching of berried females; no fishing was allowed in marine parks and reserves; and all lobsters had to be sold alive to one company (SMB). Subsequently, the fishery was closed again due to abuse of the regulations. Since the closure, 15 tonnes of frozen lobsters per year were imported from Singapore, representing an expenditure of 225.000 US$. The imported lobsters are of the same species as the local one. In September 1991, a lobster survey began, to better assess the resource on the granitic areas of the Mahe plateau. It is anticipated that if limited to the granitic areas a well managed artisanal fishery will not supply 15 tonnes a year to the local market. It is therefore recommended that the lobster artisanal fishery be developed in the outer Islands. One of the main constraints of that development is a problem of quality control. It is felt that this constraint could be overcome by using the right preservation methods and by organizing training course. A research survey in the Amirantes is proposed in order to better assess the resource and assess the development possibilities. Published lobster fishery