{"title":"Physiological and Nutritional Effects of Dietary Zanthoxylum acanthopodium Seed Supplementation on Growth Performance, Immune Response and Disease Resistance in Neolissochilu shexagonolepis (McClelland 1839).","authors":"Chandan Debnath","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the nutritional potential of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium seed supplementation in enhancing growth, immunity, and disease resistance of Neolissochilus hexagonolepis (chocolate mahseer) against Saprolegnia parasitica infection. Juvenile fish (10.5 ± 0.3 g) were randomly distributed into 12 tanks representing four treatment groups in triplicate: control (basal diet) and three experimental groups fed diets supplemented with 0.5%, 1% or 2% Z. acanthopodium seed powder. The experiment comprised a 60-day feeding trial with sampling conducted at Days 0, 15, 30 and 60, followed by a 14-day pathogen challenge with sampling at Says 7 and 14 post-challenge. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Nutritional analysis revealed Z. acanthopodium seeds contained significant bioactive compounds including alkaloids (3.45 ± 0.28 mg/g), flavonoids (2.87 ± 0.19 mg/g), and terpenoids (4.12 ± 0.31 mg/g). The 1% supplementation level demonstrated optimal effects, significantly enhancing lysozyme activity (65.2% higher, p < 0.05), respiratory burst activity (84.2% higher, p < 0.05) and serum immunoglobulin levels (72.3% higher, p < 0.05) compared to control. Growth performance showed highest weight gain (241.0 ± 9.4%, p < 0.05) and specific growth rate (2.0 ± 0.1%/day, p < 0.05) in this group. Following S. parasitica challenge, the 1% group exhibited superior disease resistance with 86.67 ± 3.3% survival compared to 58.33 ± 4.4% in control (p < 0.05), while sham-challenged fish maintained 100% survival across all treatments. Molecular analysis confirmed significantly lower fungal loads in treated groups, with 1% treatment showing minimum fungal DNA copies (1.5 × 10<sup>6</sup> copies/mg tissue) versus control (4.8 × 10<sup>6</sup> copies/mg tissue, p < 0.05). These results establish Z. acanthopodium seed's efficacy as a sustainable nutritional supplement for improving fish health and productivity while reducing synthetic antimicrobial dependency in aquaculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145286075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christian Anayo Mbajiorgu, Ifeanyichukwu Princewill Ogbuewu, Monnye Mabelebele
{"title":"Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Spirulina Intervention in Mitigating the Negative Impact of Heat Stress on Production Physiology and Health Indices of Broilers.","authors":"Christian Anayo Mbajiorgu, Ifeanyichukwu Princewill Ogbuewu, Monnye Mabelebele","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is an increasing number of published studies on the effect of spirulina (an aquatic plant known for its high nutritional value and potential health benefits) intervention on productivity and health of heat-stressed broilers. However, the effect of spirulina intervention on the performance of broilers exposed to heat stress is poorly understood. A better understanding of the productivity of heat-stressed broilers on spirulina intervention will assist in utilizing these data in decision-support systems in the poultry industry. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of spirulina intervention in enhancing production physiology and health indices of heat-stressed broilers using a meta-analysis approach. A detailed search performed on PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science databases on the topic identified 865 publications following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Thirteen peer-reviewed studies comprising 4904 broilers exposed to heat stress conditions were used for meta-analysis. Raw mean differences (RMD) between the heat-stressed broilers with and without spirulina intervention were used to calculate the effect sizes. Heat-stressed broilers on spirulina intervention had their average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and average daily gain (ADG) enhanced by 3.39 g/bird/day (p = 0.002), -0.08 (p = 0.010), and 2.83 g/bird/day (p < 0.001), respectively when compared to those in control group. Restricted subgroup analysis showed that moderators (broiler strains, dose level of spirulina, and production phases) affected ADFI, FCR, and ADG in heat-stressed broilers on spirulina intervention. Dressing percentage (RMD = 1.60%; p < 0.001), and weights of breast, thigh, liver, heart, gizzard, spleen, and thymus were higher, but the abdominal fat weight was lower in response to spirulina intervention. Additionally, spirulina intervention increased the levels of hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), white blood (WBC), total protein, albumin, and globulin, and decreased the levels of uric acid, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in broilers exposed to heat stress conditions. The results indicate significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) in broilers in comparison with controls. It can be concluded that spirulina intervention has the potential to improve growth performance, organ and carcass parameters, blood characteristics, immune functions, and antioxidative capacity of broilers exposed to heat-stress. These findings can be used by farmers, feed manufacturers, poultry nutritionists, and policymakers in decision-support systems to advance the use of spiruli","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145251164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vasileios V Paraskeuas, Ioannis Brouklogiannis, Anja Pastor, Konstantinos C Mountzouris
{"title":"Effects of an Isoquinoline Alkaloids Blend on the Expression of Genes Relevant for Antioxidant Capacity, Barrier Integrity and Inflammation Along the Broiler Gut.","authors":"Vasileios V Paraskeuas, Ioannis Brouklogiannis, Anja Pastor, Konstantinos C Mountzouris","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intensive broiler production may lead to perturbations of gut function and health. The maintenance of intestinal homeostasis in broilers through the use of dietary phytogenic components such as isoquinoline alkaloids (IQs) is an emerging topic of scientific investigations. In this respect, IQs effects on the underlying mechanisms involved in gut antioxidant capacity, barrier integrity and inflammatory response still remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary administration of an IQs blend on the expression of genes relevant for gut antioxidant response, barrier function, and inflammatory status, along the intestine of 35-days-old broilers. One hundred eighty-two one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly distributed into 2 experimental treatments with 7 replicates of 13 broilers each for 35 d, namely: control treatment (NC) with no IQ addition in the diet and treatment (M) with dietary supplementation at 200 mg/kg diet of an IQs standardized blend. Broiler performance responses did not differ (p > 0.05) among the two treatments. The results showed that M birds had significantly higher (p < 0.05) expression levels for antioxidant capacity, barrier integrity and inflammation-related genes, at the duodenum compared to NC. Furthermore, at the cecal level, treatment M showed significant (p < 0.05) downregulation of TLR (Toll-like receptors) signaling and the subsequent inflammation components, compared to NC. Overall, under the optimal conditions of the trial, there were no significant growth performance benefits of IQs blend dietary addition in broilers diets. Nevertheless, IQs blend promoted gut homeostasis in 35-days-old broilers via the beneficial modulation of antioxidant and inflammatory responses, primarily at the duodenal level. The latter, under stress challenge conditions, may prove beneficial also for performance that needs to be specifically studied.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nathaniel Ogunkunle, Monya Simpson, Felix Samuel, Xianyan Kuang, Ernst Cebert, Gamal AbdelRahim, Judith Boateng
{"title":"Effect of Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa) Supplementation on Rumination Behaviour, Plasma Antioxidant Enzymes and Stress Biomarkers in Angus Cattle.","authors":"Nathaniel Ogunkunle, Monya Simpson, Felix Samuel, Xianyan Kuang, Ernst Cebert, Gamal AbdelRahim, Judith Boateng","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Oxidative stress is known to affect the behaviour, performance and well-being of cattle. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of industrial hemp (IH) supplementation on rumination behaviour, stress biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes in Angus cattle. A total of 20 black Angus heifers were completely randomized into either control (CON) (receiving commercial concentrates) or IH (150 g of IH/kg of commercial concentrates) in a trial that lasted for 35 days with IH supplementation for 21 days and 14 days post-supplementation. Rumination behaviour (rumination time, ruminal pH, temperature and water intake) was recorded with smaXtec bolus, plasma antioxidants (total antioxidant activity [TAA], superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [Gpx], catalase [CAT], nitric oxide [NO], malondialdehyde [MDA]) and stress biomarkers (cortisol and heat shock proteins) were analyzed. Results showed that IH supplementation decreased water intake with an average consumption of 51.39 L/day in the IH group and 55.09 L/day in the CON. No significant (p = 0.67) difference was observed in the ruminal pH and rumination time (p = 0.58) of the animals. The TAA increased from 7.26 to 17.95 U/mL in the IH group during supplementation but decreased to 11.48 U/mL post-supplementation. GPx was significantly (p = 0.0023) higher in IH (46.47 mmol/L) than in CON (44.01 mmol/L) group. Similar results were observed with NO. MDA was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the CON compared to the IH group. Cortisol was significantly (p = 0.03) lower in the IH group (97.54 ng/mL) than CON (122.23 ng/mL). No significant (p < 0.05) difference was observed for heat shock proteins 70 and 72. Conclusively, IH improved rumination behaviour in cattle by maintaining optimum rumen pH. Furthermore, IH increased the antioxidant status as well as the reduction of oxidative stress biomarkers, suggesting that IH supplementation could improve the health and welfare of Angus cattle.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mostafa Bokharaeian, Baris Kaki, Abdolhakim Toghdory, Taghi Ghoorchi
{"title":"Effects of Maternal Curcumin Nano-Micelle Supplementation on Ewes and Their Offspring: Impact on Nutrient Digestibility, Ruminal Fermentation Parameters, Milk Composition and Metabolic Health During the Transition Period.","authors":"Mostafa Bokharaeian, Baris Kaki, Abdolhakim Toghdory, Taghi Ghoorchi","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The transition period in ewes, typically defined as the interval from ~3 weeks before lambing to 3 weeks after lambing, is marked by increased nutritional and metabolic demands. This study evaluates the effects of maternal supplementation with curcumin nano-micelles (CNM) on nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, milk composition and metabolic health in ewes and their offspring. A total of 32 pregnant crossbred ewes were randomly assigned to receive either a control diet or a diet with 40 mg CNM daily, from Day 125 gestation to Day 21 postpartum. Parameters assessed included feed intake, nutrient digestibility, milk yield and composition, colostrum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, ruminal fermentation parameters, blood biochemistry and glucose tolerance. CNM supplementation improved live body weight (LBW) and dry matter intake (DMI) in both ewes and their lambs. In lambs, maternal CNM supplementation resulted in higher birth weight, greater average daily gain (ADG) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR), while also showing reduced serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. The CNM group also showed improved nutrient digestibility, with increased neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility postpartum. Milk yield was increased by CNM supplementation, while its composition showed reductions in protein, fat and total solids. Colostrum IgG levels were higher in the CNM group, potentially enhancing lamb immunity. Ruminal fermentation improved with lower pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH<sub>3</sub>-N) and protozoa counts, while total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) and acetate concentrations increased. Blood analysis revealed improved metabolic health with lower glucose, albumin and cholesterol levels and increased total protein levels. Glucose tolerance tests showed lower glucose and insulin levels, with reduced areas under the curve (AUC) for both glucose and insulin in CNM-supplemented ewes. These results suggest that maternal CNM supplementation enhances health and productivity during the transition period, benefiting both ewes and their offspring.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145199421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Micelle-Based Phytogenic Compounds in Nonruminant Nutrition: A Review.","authors":"Golam Sagir Ahammad, In Ho Kim","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) have gained widespread attention in poultry and swine nutrition due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their practical application is often hindered by poor solubility, low stability, and limited bioavailability. Micelle technology has emerged as an innovative approach to overcoming these challenges by enhancing the solubility, absorption, and efficacy of phytogenic compounds. This review explores the mechanisms of micelle-based delivery systems, highlighting their role in improving nutrient utilization, gut health, and overall animal performance. Specific micelle-encapsulated phytogenic, such as micelle silymarin and micelle quercetin, have demonstrated significant benefits in growth performance, feed efficiency, and oxidative stress reduction in poultry and swine. The potential of micelle technology in reducing antibiotic dependency and mitigating environmental impacts is also discussed. Overall, the integration of micelle-based phytogenic compounds in animal nutrition represents a promising strategy for optimizing productivity, sustainability, and animal welfare in modern livestock production.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lola Nomblot, Kerry M Borkin, Sarah J Bury, Amandine Sabadel
{"title":"Diet-Faeces Trophic Discrimination Factor and Gut Passage Time of an Aotearoa New Zealand Insectivorous Bat, Chalinolobus tuberculatus, Determined via Controlled Feeding Experiment.","authors":"Lola Nomblot, Kerry M Borkin, Sarah J Bury, Amandine Sabadel","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studying bat diet is challenging due to their rarity, cryptic nature, nocturnal habits, and protected status. Stable isotope analysis of bat faeces offers a promising noninvasive and nonlethal method to understand their trophic interactions. However, this requires knowledge of the isotopic difference between food items and resulting faeces, known as the trophic discrimination factor (TDF). Accurate TDF calculations rely on precise dietary information, typically obtained through controlled feeding experiments. We used the rare opportunity of a captive rehabilitating Chalinolobus tuberculatus, a threatened Aotearoa New Zealand insectivorous bat, to conduct a feeding trial to determine its diet-faeces TDF. Given the bat was fed three different food types, we used DNA metabarcoding to match food items to faeces and estimate gut passage time-the time it takes for food to travel from ingestion to excretion. We calculated TDF values for nitrogen and carbon as-0.89 ± 1.19‰ and 0.82 ± 0.23‰, respectively, with both not significantly different from zero. The gut passage time was less than 3-4 h. Altogether, these findings add to our understanding of bat trophic ecology, particularly for Chalinolobus, but also highlight that where TDFs remain poorly constrained and close to zero, applying them may not always improve diet reconstruction accuracy, and uncorrected stable isotope values may be just as informative.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yu-Long Ren, Jun-Hong Wang, Bo-Shi Yan, Xiao-Jing Liu, De-Peng Li, Yan-Ming Wang, Ming-Cheng Sun, Long Wang, Lin Wang
{"title":"Combined Supplementation of Rumen-Protected Choline and Chromium Propionate as a Novel Feeding Strategy to Improve Lactation Performance, Immunity and Reduce Disease Incidence in Transition Dairy Cows.","authors":"Yu-Long Ren, Jun-Hong Wang, Bo-Shi Yan, Xiao-Jing Liu, De-Peng Li, Yan-Ming Wang, Ming-Cheng Sun, Long Wang, Lin Wang","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rumen protective choline (RPC) has drawn much attention for its significant impact on dairy cow metabolism and performance. Yet, its high cost hinders large-scale application. Chromium propionate (CrPr) is a cost-effective micronutrient supplement that enhances energy metabolism. However, the combined effect of RPC and CrPr on transition cows remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of RPC and CrPr co-supplementation versus RPC alone on health and lactation performance in transition cows. 120 transition Holstein cows were randomly divided into four groups (n = 30): Control (basal diet), CrPr (20 g/cow/day CrPr), RPC (60 g/cow/day RPC), and CrPr + RPC groups (20 g/cow/day CrPr + 30 g/cow/day RPC). The feeding lasted from 30 days prepartum to 21 days postpartum. Blood parameters (immune and oxidative markers) were assessed at -30, -21, 1, 14, and 21 days relative to calving. Milk was collected on days 7, 14, and 21 postpartum for its nutritional composition analysis. The results showed that RPC alone or in combination with CrPr significantly increased dry matter intake, rumination time, milk yield, and milk quality in transition cows and both treatments improved immune function (IgG, IgM) and antioxidant status (T-AOC, SOD, MDA, CAT). Importantly, all supplemented groups showed reduced incidence of ketosis, ruminal acidosis, milk fever, and mastitis during the first 150 lactation days. These findings demonstrate that CrPr+RPC co-supplementation achieved comparable effects to RPC alone in enhancing transition cow performance and health. This combined strategy offers a cost-effective alternative to improve metabolic health and farm profitability.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145113385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Effect of Dietary Micelle Silymarin Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Gas Emission, Fecal Score, and Blood Profile in Growing-Finishing Pigs.","authors":"Golam Sagir Ahammad, In Ho Kim","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with micelle silymarin (MS) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gas emissions, and blood profile of growing-finishing pigs. The objective was to evaluate whether different levels of MS in the diet could enhance overall pig performance and health outcomes. A total of 140 growing pigs, with an average body weight (BW) of 25.4 ± 4.34 kg, were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: CON (basal diet), TRT1 (basal diet + 0.025% MS), TRT2 (basal diet + 0.05% MS), and TRT3 (basal diet + 0.1% MS). Each group had seven replicates, with five pigs per replicate. The feeding trial lasted for 15 weeks. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gas emissions, fecal scores, and blood profiles were assessed. Dietary supplementation with MS resulted in linear improvements in BW at Weeks 5, 10 and 15, as well as average daily gain (ADG) throughout the experiment (p < 0.05). There was also a significant increase on average daily feed intake (ADFI) at Week 5 (p < 0.05). No significant effects on nutrient digestibility were observed (p > 0.05). However, there was a trend toward reduced ammonia gas emissions (p = 0.0945), and fecal scores remained unchanged (p > 0.05). A significant quadratic change in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels was observed in the blood profile (p = 0.0430). MS supplementation, especially at higher doses, improved growth performance and showed a tendency to reduce ammonia gas emissions in growing-finishing pigs. These findings suggest that MS could be a valuable dietary additive in pig production, offering both performance benefits and potential environmental advantages.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145113406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Claudia Lang, Mubarik Mahmood, Ratchaneewan Khiaosa-Ard, Anna Kaltenegger, Elke Humer, Stefanie Wetzels, Josef J Gross, Christelle A M Robert, Pierre Mateo, Matthias Erb, Qendrim Zebeli, Thomas Hartinger
{"title":"Effects of Native or Exogenous Benzoxazinoids on In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation and Degradability of Either Fresh or Ensiled Whole-Crop Maize-Based Diets in Cattle.","authors":"Claudia Lang, Mubarik Mahmood, Ratchaneewan Khiaosa-Ard, Anna Kaltenegger, Elke Humer, Stefanie Wetzels, Josef J Gross, Christelle A M Robert, Pierre Mateo, Matthias Erb, Qendrim Zebeli, Thomas Hartinger","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Benzoxazinoids (BXs) are secondary plant compounds and an important part of the plant's defence system against herbivore attacks and microbial pathogens in maize. Whole-crop maize represents a common feed for ruminant livestock and is most commonly fed as silage, a conservation process that promotes the conversion of BXs into the potent downstream metabolite 6-Methoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (MBOA). Possibly, the antimicrobial impact of BXs may not be restricted to plant pathogens but could as well affect the rumen ecosystem, which, however, has not yet been investigated. The present study analysed the effects of a low and a high BX maize genotype, either in fresh or ensiled form, on the in vitro ruminal fermentation and the degradability of main proximate nutrients using a rumen simulation technique. Moreover, the addition of exogenous MBOA when incubating the low BX maize genotype was tested. The data obtained showed no differences in ruminal fermentation variables, such as pH, short-chain fatty acids, gas production and gas composition. Likewise, the incubation of high BX maize genotype or the addition of exogenous MBOA did not affect the substrate degradability. The ensiling of maize slightly increased the degradability of certain proximate nutrients when compared to fresh maize, which, however, should not be related to maize genotype or exogenous MBOA. No detrimental impact of BXs on the in vitro ruminal fermentation were found and based on this, future studies may then focus on potential absorption and subsequent impact of BXs or its derivatives on the animal in long-term.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144955020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}