Veterinary Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Analysis of Seven Duck Populations of Bangladesh Using Microsatellite Markers.","authors":"Pranto Saha, Krishna Chandra Barman, Minjun Kim, Dongwon Seo, Md Munir Hossain, Seung Hwan Lee, Md Azizul Haque, Mohammad Shamsul Alam Bhuiyan","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040407","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040407","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objectives of this paper were to assess the genetic diversity, population structure, genetic differentiation, and phylogenetic relationships among seven duck populations using 14 microsatellite (MS) markers. This paper included 176 individuals representing seven duck populations of Bangladesh: indigenous duck (BLD), Nageswari (NAG), Rupali (RUP), Jinding (JIN), Pekin (PEK), BAU Black and White (BWC), and BAU White (WHC). A total of 133 alleles were observed with a mean of 9.50 alleles per locus. Genetic diversity was evaluated using measures such as allele frequency, observed and expected heterozygosity, and Shannon's information index with average values of 5.44 ± 0.31, 0.59 ± 0.02, 0.64 ± 0.02, and 1.28 ± 0.05, respectively. Population differentiation and inbreeding analysis (F-statistics) indicated moderate genetic diversity and a slight degree of inbreeding across populations. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that 75% of the total genetic diversity was attributable to the within-population variation, whereas 9% and 16% were attributed to the variation among individuals and population differentiation, respectively. Indigenous duck populations (BLD, NAG, and RUP) had a close genetic relationship with JIN ducks and an intermediate relationship with two crossbreds (BWC and WHC), and the highest genetic distance was observed with PEK ducks. Neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Bangladeshi indigenous duck populations formed a single cluster, while the two crossbreds (BWC and WHC) and PEK exhibited their distinct genetic identities in separate clusters. Furthermore, structure analysis at K = 2 to 5 confirmed the distinct genetic architecture (ΔK = 4.00) of the studied duck populations. This paper provides important insights into genetic diversity measures and population differentiation that will be helpful in future genetic improvement, conservation initiatives, and the design of appropriate breeding programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Some of the Newest Therapeutic Methods in Canine Atopic Dermatitis.","authors":"Constantin-Cătălin Mazilu, Anamaria-Hortensia Strichea, Gheorghe Solcan","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040403","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040403","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Canine atopic dermatitis is a hereditary chronic inflammatory and pruritic skin disease, which is mediated by T cells and requires long-term, individualized management. In recent years, numerous studies have described a wide range of therapeutic approaches for canine atopic dermatitis, including fast-acting symptomatic treatments, long-term immune-modulating interventions, and strategies to support skin barrier function and microbial balance. This review summarizes the principal treatment modalities currently available, including glucocorticoids, cyclosporine A, mycophenolate, Janus kinase inhibitors, lokivetmab, and allergen-specific immunotherapy, as well as complementary strategies aimed at restoring skin barrier integrity. Emphasis is placed on the importance of a multimodal and personalized approach to optimize long-term disease control and improve quality of life in affected dogs. Providing an integrated overview of current evidence, this article aims to guide clinicians in making informed, evidence-based decisions and to support the safe and effective management of canine atopic dermatitis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119673/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chronic Heat Stress Is Associated with Brain Injury, Blood-Brain Barrier Impairment, and Neuroinflammatory Gene Expression in Broilers.","authors":"Siliang Feng, Chenyang Zhou, Yajin Tie, Zhanqin Zhao, Mengyun Li, Lifang Si","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040405","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040405","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the effects of chronic heat stress (HS) on brain injury in broilers and the associated molecular changes. A chronic HS model was established by exposing broilers to 35 °C from 08:00 to 20:00 daily from 21 to 42 days of age, and samples were collected at 28, 35, and 42 days of age. Chronic HS significantly impaired growth performance and was associated with histopathological and ultrastructural alterations in brain tissue. Serum antioxidant enzyme activities and the total antioxidant capacity were significantly reduced, whereas malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased, indicating sustained oxidative stress (OS). Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, assessed by Evans blue extravasation, was significantly higher in HS birds and was accompanied by reduced mRNA expression of the tight junction-related genes ZO-1 and Claudin-5. In addition, chronic HS was associated with increased mRNA expression in genes related to cellular stress, oxidative stress, and inflammation, including key components of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, as well as decreased expression of IL-4. These findings suggest that chronic HS is associated with enhanced OS, altered neuroinflammatory gene expression, and BBB impairment in the broiler brain. Overall, this study provides evidence that chronic HS is associated with brain injury in broilers and highlights a potential link among OS, inflammation-related transcriptional changes, and BBB dysfunction, thereby offering a basis for further mechanistic and interventional studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120492/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dual Immunomodulatory and Anti-Virulence Mechanisms of Curcumin Against <i>Salmonella enterica</i> Infection in Broilers: An Integrated Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Study.","authors":"Muhammad Jabbar, Mohamed Tharwat, Muhammad Younus, Muhammad Tariq, Abdallah A Mousa, Saleh Alkhedhairi","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040406","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040406","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Salmonella enterica</i> infection remains a major threat to poultry health and food safety, largely due to its ability to invade the intestinal epithelium, modulate host immunity, and persist intracellularly. <i>Curcumin</i>, a bioactive phytochemical, has shown promising antimicrobial and immunomodulatory potential; however, its precise molecular interplay with host and pathogen systems remains unclear. An integrated computational pipeline was applied, combining target prediction, host immune network construction, Salmonella virulence interaction analysis, STRING-based PPI mapping, KEGG/GO enrichment, and molecular docking validation. Host immune hub genes and Salmonella virulence regulators were identified, followed by docking of curcumin to key host (AKT1, STAT3, TNF) and pathogen proteins (invA, phoP, ssrB). Host network analysis revealed enrichment in the PI3K-AKT, NF-κB, FoxO, and IL-10 signaling pathways, indicating roles in epithelial protection, immune regulation, inflammation suppression, and antioxidant defense. Salmonella virulence hubs were primarily associated with epithelial invasion, Type III secretion, intracellular survival, and global virulence reg-ulation. Docking analysis demonstrated a strong binding affinity of curcumin toward AKT1 (-7.4 kcal/mol), STAT3 (-6.5 kcal/mol) and TNF (-5.8 kcal/mol), supporting host immunomodulation and epithelial protection. Simultaneously, curcumin showed notable affinity for phoP (-6.8 kcal/mol), invA (-6.3 kcal/mol), and ssrB (-5.8 kcal/mol), suggesting the potential suppression of virulence signaling, invasion machinery, and intracellular persistence. This integrated host-pathogen systems analysis demonstrates that curcumin exerts a dual regulatory effect by enhancing host immune protection while concurrently disrupting Salmonella virulence mechanisms. These findings provide mechanistic insight supporting curcumin as a promising natural therapeutic candidate for controlling Salmonella infection in broilers.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119812/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extraction of Kinematic Parameters and Comparative Study of Endurance Levels in Mongolian Horses.","authors":"Yakai Shen, Lide Su, Yong Zhang, Jin Liu, Zhihao Zhang, Shun Zhang","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040404","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mongolian horses are an indigenous Chinese breed known for their endurance capacity, yet quantitative descriptions of their gait-related kinematic characteristics remain limited. This pilot exploratory study aimed to describe the kinematics of Mongolian horses during walk, slow trot, and fast trot, and to examine whether selected variables differed between race-result groups in a 12 km endurance race. Forty-six horses were classified into an excellent group and an ordinary group based on the result of a single race. Kinematic data were collected using optical motion capture and three-dimensional skeletal modelling. Separate gait-specific linear mixed-effects models were fitted, with horse identity as a random effect and group and speed as fixed effects. The results showed gait-dependent between-group differences. During walk, the excellent group had significantly greater range of motion of the tarsal, hip, and elbow joints, as well as a greater maximum forelimb retraction angle (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). During slow trot, the excellent group showed significantly greater stride length (<i>p</i> = 0.009), elbow joint range of motion (<i>p</i> < 0.001), minimum hindlimb forward extension angle (<i>p</i> = 0.033), and minimum forelimb forward extension angle (<i>p</i> = 0.004). During fast trot, the between-group differences were most pronounced, with significantly greater stride length (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and range of motion of the tarsal joint (<i>p</i> < 0.001), hip joint (<i>p</i> = 0.015), and elbow joint (<i>p</i> = 0.014), together with greater maximum hindlimb retraction angle (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and minimum forelimb forward extension angle (<i>p</i> = 0.026). Overall, these findings provide preliminary evidence that gait-related kinematic differences may exist between race-result groups in Mongolian horses. However, because this was an exploratory study based on a single race, the findings should be interpreted cautiously and require validation in larger and more diverse cohorts.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119970/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multimodal Topical Formulations Combining Synthetic Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Levofloxacin, and Plant Extracts for Veterinary Wound and Inflammation Care: In Vivo Efficacy.","authors":"Maria-Teodora Pițuru, Marina Ionela Nedea, Miruna Maria Apetroaei-Leucă, Dana Tăpăloagă, Andreea Letiția Arsene, Denisa Ioana Udeanu, Cosmin Șonea, Bruno Ștefan Velescu, Tudor Ion Năstasescu, Constantin Vlăgioiu","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040399","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040399","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skin wound management in veterinary medicine requires therapies able to control inflammation, limit microbial burden, and support tissue repair. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and immunomodulatory effects of four novel topical formulations combining synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and plant extracts in rat experimental models. Burn injury was induced in male Wistar rats for wound-healing assessment, while kaolin- and dextran-induced paw edema models were used to assess anti-inflammatory activity. The tested formulations were meloxicam, dexamethasone, and levofloxacin; thyme extract with meloxicam and dexamethasone; burdock extract with dexamethasone and levofloxacin; and thyme extract combined with burdock extract. Wound evolution was monitored macroscopically, edema was quantified by plethysmometry, and selected inflammatory mediators were measured by immunoassay. In the burn model, the thyme-containing formulation with meloxicam and dexamethasone, and the thyme-burdock formulation, achieved complete wound closure by the end of follow-up, whereas the reference product did not. In the acute inflammation models, all innovative formulations significantly reduced edema at the main early time points compared with the negative control and outperformed the reference product. The thyme-burdock formulation also showed the most favorable immunomodulatory profile, including normalization of interleukin-10 and marked reduction in interleukin-1 beta in both models. These results support the potential of multi-component topical formulations, particularly plant extract-based combinations, as promising candidates for veterinary wound care.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119778/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oxidative Stress Markers in the Common Bream <i>Abramis brama</i> Parasitized with <i>Ligula intestinalis</i>.","authors":"Nadezhda P Kantserova, Irina V Sukhovskaya, Albina A Tsekova, Daria I Lebedeva, Liudmila A Lysenko","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040400","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040400","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The present study investigated the effect of <i>Ligula intestinalis</i> L. infection on several components of the antioxidant system and on protein oxidation in the host fish, common bream <i>Abramis brama</i> L. In ligulosed bream, the hepatopancreatic antioxidant system response included a decrease in catalase (CAT) activity, an increase in glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, and no change in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The contents of molecular antioxidants in the organs of infected bream were inconsistent; for instance, hepatopancreatic α-tocopherol content was significantly lower, whereas retinol content was significantly higher than in uninfected individuals. In contrast, no significant differences were found in the α-tocopherol or retinol content in the skeletal muscles of infected and uninfected fish. The protein oxidation, estimated via protein carbonyl content, was unaffected by ligulosis, as was the activity of proteasomes. However, the activity of calpain, another protease, was significantly higher in the skeletal muscle of infected fish. Overall, the data reveal moderate and tissue-specific alterations in oxidative stress markers in <i>A. brama</i> infected with <i>L. intestinalis</i>, suggesting a complex host-parasite interaction that does not result in severe systemic oxidative damage under the studied conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomic and Pathogenic Characterization of a Novel Capsule-Deficient Neonatal Meningitis-Associated <i>Escherichia coli</i> from Calves.","authors":"Jinchun Cai, Borui Qi, Jingjing Ren, Shuzhu Cao, Yongjian Li, Keshuang Li, Mengying Du, Shilei Zhang, Lin Yang, Yongjie Wang, Yayin Qi","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040401","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040401","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neonatal meningitis-associated <i>Escherichia coli</i> (NMEC) is a formidable pathogen in veterinary medicine. The emergence of atypical, multidrug-resistant (MDR) variants complicates disease control. An <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) strain was isolated from the brain tissue of a deceased calf with acute meningitis. Comprehensive characterizations were performed, including whole-genome sequencing (WGS), multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), murine pathogenicity assays, and RT-qPCR evaluation of neuroinflammatory cytokines. Results: The isolate (O18ab:H14) was identified as a capsule-deficient NMEC strain belonging to phylogroup A and sequence type ST1434. WGS showed that the genome size of this strain is 5.1 Mb, containing 73 strictly defined antimicrobial resistance genes and 202 virulence factors. These may be involved in the compensatory mechanism for capsule deficiency, and further functional verification is required. Phenotypically, it exhibited a robust MDR profile. In the murine model, the strain demonstrated high lethality, and induced severe multi-organ lesions characteristic of both meningitis and systemic sepsis. While intraperitoneal injection bypasses natural colonization routes, the brain-specific bacterial persistence and neuronal pathology imply neurotropic potential. Furthermore, RT-qPCR confirmed a severe neuroinflammatory response, marked by the significant upregulation of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the infected brains. This study characterizes a novel, highly virulent, and MDR capsule-deficient NMEC/SEPEC hybrid strain. The findings emphasize the urgent need for continuous genomic surveillance of atypical <i>E. coli</i> pathotypes in livestock.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119672/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnostic Significance of Renal Artery Resistive Index (RRI), Caudal Vena Cava Diameter (CVC), and Aorta (Ao) in Dogs with Hypovolemia.","authors":"Ghada Ashraf, Mohamed Marzok, Sabry El-Khodery, Al Mohamad Zakriya, Adel Almubarak, Mohammed Albaloushi, Mohamed Ali","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040402","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040402","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hypovolemia is a systemic state characterized by severe reduction in the effective blood volume with subsequent tissue hypoperfusion. It may be due to fluid loss, decreased water intake, fluid redistribution, or systemic disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic significance of the renal artery resistive index (RRI), caudal vena cava (CVC) diameter, and aorta (Ao) diameter in dogs with hypovolemia. For this purpose, 30 dogs (hypovolemic, <i>n</i> = 15; control, <i>n</i> = 15) were investigated. Clinical variables and hematological findings were investigated for each dog. Pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound was performed to measure the RRI and diameters of the CVC and Ao. Ultrasound examination revealed a markedly elevated RRI (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and significantly reduced CVC (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and Ao (<i>p</i> < 0.001) diameters in hypovolemic dogs compared to controls, reflecting increased vascular resistance and impaired venous return. Biochemical analysis showed significant increases in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and BUN:Cr ratio, while Cr remained unchanged. Hematological variables demonstrated limited diagnostic value, with only mild increases in packed cell volume (PCV%). Correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive correlation between RRI and BUN (r = 0.917; <i>p</i> < 0.01), RRI and BUN:Cr ratio (r = 0.664; <i>p</i> < 0.01), and CVC and Ao diameters (r = 0.832; <i>p</i> < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with area under the curve (AUC) identified RRI (AUC = 0.99), CVC diameter (AUC = 0.93), and Ao diameter (AUC = 0.88) as highly accurate markers of hypovolemia, whereas the CVC:Ao ratio and hematological markers provided poor discrimination. Logistic regression confirmed significant diagnostic value for RRI, CVC diameter, Ao diameter, and BUN, but final multivariate analysis revealed RRI as the sole independent early diagnostic marker (<i>p</i> < 0.001; OR: 196.0; 95% CI: 11.12-34.72). In conclusion, RRI measured by Doppler ultrasound is the most reliable and sensitive early diagnostic marker for hypovolemia in dogs, outperforming conventional biochemical and hematological markers.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119885/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Benefits of Utilization of Hydroxy-Methionine in Diets of Finishing Pigs Raised Under Hot Environmental Conditions.","authors":"Caio Abércio da Silva, Cleandro Pazinato Dias, Marco Aurélio Callegari, Kelly Lais de Souza, José Henrique Barbi, Naiara Simarro Fagundes, Rafael Humberto de Carvalho","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13040397","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13040397","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated the effects of DL-methionine (DL-Met) and hydroxy-methionine (OH-Met) on the performance and meat quality of finishing pigs raised under intermittent hot environmental conditions. A total of 120 pigs (PIC337 × Camborough; 63.26 ± 4.49 kg initial body weight) were assigned to two dietary treatments in a randomized block design. Growth performance, carcass traits, and physicochemical meat parameters were assessed during the finishing period. Overall performance and carcass characteristics did not differ between treatments (<i>p</i> > 0.05). However, during finishing phase II (141-168 days), pigs fed OH-Met showed higher average daily gain (ADG; 1.027 vs. 0.957 kg/day; <i>p</i> < 0.05) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR; 2.862 vs. 3.028; <i>p</i> < 0.05) compared with DL-Met. Meat from pigs receiving OH-Met presented a higher pH at 24 h postmortem (5.78 vs. 5.63; <i>p</i> = 0.022) and reduced water loss by pressure (26.14% vs. 28.78%; <i>p</i> = 0.047). No differences were detected for backfat thickness, longissimus dorsi depth, lean percentage, color parameters, or lipid oxidation (TBARS) (<i>p</i> > 0.05). In conclusion, under intermittent heat stress conditions during the late-finishing phase, diets formulated with OH-Met resulted in improved growth efficiency and reduced meat water loss compared with DL-Met diets.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120616/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}