1,721,044 research outputs found
Animal welfare and environmental sustainability of dairy buffalo farms in Northern Italy
No full textDietary supplementation of Aspergillus oryzae meal and its effect on performance, carcass characteristics, blood variables, and immunity of broiler chickens
No full textThis study investigated the effect of different levels and consumption periods of Aspergillus oryzae meal on performance, carcass characteristics, blood variables, and immunity of broiler chickens. A total of 270 (male and female) Ross 308 chicks were randomly assigned to 9 treatment groups. Two levels (2 g/kg diet and 4 g/kg diet as-fed) of Aspergillus oryzae meal (AO) and 4 consumption periods of AO (starter, grower, finisher, and entire period) in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement were used. Compared with control, AO used during the entire rearing period increased weight gain, reduced relative weight of abdominal fat, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum levels, and increased antibody titers against influenza and Newcastle disease vaccination and sheep red blood cells injection. Few differences in the variables considered were found if AO was added to broiler diets only during specific consumption periods, and between the two supplementation levels of AO. In conclusion, the addition of AO to the broiler diet can have beneficial effects in terms of performance, carcass composition, and health, but these positive effects were mainly reached adding AO for the entire rearing period
Comparison of AlphaLISA and RIA assays for measurement of wool cortisol concentrations
Full text linkRadioimmunoassay (RIA) methods have always represented a technique of choice for the determination of steroids in biological samples. The Amplified Luminescent Proximity Homogenous Assay-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (AlphaLISA) is now emerging as the new-generation immunoassay technology that does not require washing/separation steps. The aim of this study was to adapt the Perkin-Elmer's AlphaLISA kit for wool cortisol and compare it with a RIA wool cortisol assay. Wool from lambs, 35 at birth (A0) and 54 at two months old (A2), was collected and each extract was evaluated for wool cortisol concentrations (HCC) both by RIA and AlphaLISA immunoassay. The two methods showed good precision, sensitivity and specificity for determining HCC. Both methods were able to detect significant differences between the high and the low HCC assessed in lambs at A0 and A2 (P < 0.01). The HCC assessed with RIA were significantly higher than those assessed with AlphaLISA (P < 0.01). Moreover, the correlation between HCC measured using the AlphaLISA and RIA methods was strong (r = 0.878). The regression analyses show a constant and not proportional error. This could be due to the diversity in the dosage steps and to the diversity of the molecules used in the two methods. Results support the validity of using AlphaLISA as an alternative method to RIA for the quantification of cortisol in sheep wool and considering the performances showed it has a great potential to be further applied as an excellent tool to evaluate HCC in samples derived from animal species
Impact of autoinducer-2 activity on quality characteristics and bacterial community of fermented sausage
No full textThe quality of fermented sausages is significantly influenced by microbial metabolism, with quorum sensing serving a crucial regulatory role. This study investigated the impact of exogenous autoinducer-2 (AI-2) activity on the functional properties of Limosilactobacillus fermentum 332 and the quality of fermented sausages. The results showed that adding AI-2 at concentrations up to 100 μmol/L enhanced the hydroxyl radical scavenging and anti-lipid peroxidation abilities of L. fermentum 332, while decreasing AI-2 activity increased the nitrite degradation rate. Elevated AI-2 activity enhanced sausage texture, reduced water activity, and increased lightness (L⁎ values), whereas reduced AI-2 activity promoted the enrichment of Limosilactobacillus and Lactiplantibacillus, activating metabolic pathways related to carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. This resulted in increased levels of key volatile flavor compounds, including ethyl hexanoate, linalyl acetate, and ethyl oleate. These findings underscore AI-2's critical role in regulating lactic acid bacteria metabolism, providing insights into improving the quality and sensory characteristics of fermented sausages
Meat quality traits and the expression of tenderness-related genes in the loins of young goats at different ages
No full textSorghum silage and cover crop silage in diets for late-lactation cows: Effects on feed intake, digestibility, feeding behaviour, and milk yield
No full textClimate change poses new challenges in dairy cow nutrition. Sorghum has gained interest due to its higher water use efficiency and tolerance to drought conditions. In addition, the use of cover crops become increasingly popular for improving residual soil nitrogen and preventing erosion during fallow periods. The aim of the study was to assess feed intake, apparent total tract digestibility, feeding behaviour, performance, and milk quality in late-lactation dairy cows fed diets differing in silage type (Diet 1: sorghum silage; Diet 2: cover crop silage). The study used 8 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in the last stage of lactation fed experimental diets in a cross over design trial. Diet 1 resulted in higher apparent digestibility of dietary protein (P 0.05). The results indicate that cover crop silage can be used as an alternative to sorghum silage in diets of late-lactation dairy cows
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