The use of antibiotics as feed additives for farm animals

Effects of dietary vitamin E on fertility functions in poultry species

Vitamin E is found in high quantities in vegetable oils. Although vitamin E has multiple functions in humans and animals, its key function is protecting cells from oxidative damage. Since its discovery, several studies have demonstrated that vitamin E deficiency causes impaired fertility in humans and lab animals. However, the effects of vitamin E deficiency or of its supplementation on the fertility of farm animals, particularly on poultry, are less well studied. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the effects of dietary vitamin E on the fertility of poultry species is needed in order to understand the beneficial role of vitamin E in the maintenance of sperm and egg qualities. Based on the observations reviewed here, we found that a moderate amount of vitamin E in poultry diet significantly protects semen/sperm qualities in male birds and egg qualities in female birds via decreasing the lipid peroxidation in semen/sperms and eggs. This review provides an overall understanding of the effects of dietary vitamin E on fertility functions in poultry species.

Extension Education Symposium: The future of biosecurity and antimicrobial use in livestock production in the United States and the role of extension

As the global population continues to grow, food needs will increase as well. The amount of land and other resources devoted to agriculture production is not expected to grow significantly, leading most to agree that the substantial increases in food production to meet food security needs will come through the development of technologies that improve production efficiency. Diseases are constant threats to efficiency in all segments of agriculture. In livestock production, many of the bacterial pathogens that infect food animals are controlled through the use of antimicrobials. Antimicrobials are currently used in the United States not only to treat specific diseases, but also as feed additives to prevent bacterial disease in general or to improve growth performance. In recent years, there have been several proposals in the United States, both at state and federal levels, aimed at curtailing or dramatically reducing the use antimicrobials as feed additives, creating a policy similar to that of the European Union. Here we review the current policies on antimicrobial use in the European Union and their impact on food animal production. In addition, we discuss the future of antimicrobial use in food animal production in the United States and the increasing role of biosecurity programs. Finally, we discuss the role of Cooperative Extension Service in creating improved biosecurity programs and extension programs that provide policy makers and voters information on modern food animal production practices and technologies so that policies and regulations are effective and appropriate.

Effect of dietary oxytetracycline on microorganisms in turkey feces

Thirty-six two-day old male turkey poults were divided into three groups and fed three levels of oxytetracycline; 0, 110 or 440 mg. per kg. of ration, respectively, for nine weeks. The poults were given an oral spectinomycin plus vitamin treatment at the hatchery but were not fed before the start of the experiment. Defecated feces from each group were sampled at weekly intervals and analyzed for bacteriological content, especially for members of the Enterobacteriaceae. Total aerobic counts of 3 x 10(8) and total anaerobic counts of 2 x 10(9) were obtained. The majority of the Enterobacteriaceae were Escherichia coli but some Klebsiella sp., the Bethesda-Ballerup group of paracolon bacteria and Arizona sp. were also isolated. Antibiograms of the enteric isolates indicated that an increase in multiple antibiotic resistance occurred when increased amounts of antibiotic were fed.

Effects of fructose, sucrose and glucose feeding on plasma insulin concentrations and on adipose-tissue clearing-factor lipase activity in the rat

The rise in adipose-tissue clearing-factor lipase activity that results from feeding glucose to starved rats cannot be duplicated by giving equicaloric amounts of fructose or sucrose. An inability of the administered fructose and sucrose to raise the plasma insulin concentration probably accounts for this failure in enzyme response.