The Effects of Supplemental Protease Enzymes on Production Variables in Lactating Holstein Cows

Sequential use of nutritional additives in diets for finishing Nellore steers in confinement

The objective was to evaluate the effect of using prebiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii) or Monensin in the confinement initial phase and replacing monensin with probiotics (Bacillus toyonensis) in the final phase. Forty-eight Nellore steers were used, with an initial mean body weight of 356.2 ± 17.98 kg, distributed in a completely randomized design. Two animals per pen were confined in 80 m² pens. The experiment was divided into two stages. The first phase lasted from day 1 to the 30th day, during which the animals were divided into two groups of 24 animals each. The treatments were the nutritional additives added to the diet: monensin or prebiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii). In the second phase, each group was subdivided into 12 animals by treatment, which received monensin or probiotics (Bacillus toyonensis). Dry matter intake (DMI), animal performance, and economic evaluation of the use of additives were evaluated. There was no additive effect on DMI, average daily gain, and total weight gain of the animals in the first experimental stage (0-30th day). Likewise, in the second stage (31st-100th day), there was no treatment effect for the variables of intake and performance. There was no effect of the use of different nutritional additives on carcass characteristics. The use of prebiotics sequentially to probiotics promoted gross and net yield that was superior to that of the animals that consumed monensin. Yeasts and bacteria respectively in the first and second phases of confinement can replace monensin in confinement diets.

Improved dairy production through enzyme supplementation

The rumen ecosystem has the ability to transform low grade nutrients to high quality products owing to the numerous micro-flora colonies it harbours which produce different types of degrading enzymes. It has been assumed that normal rumen flora is able to digest only a small portion of the cellulosic biomass enteric rumen. This provides numerous opportunities for improving digestion via enhancing digestibility through degradation pathways in rumen. The modern animal nutrition science has utilized this knowledge to commercially harness enzymes for improving nutrient availability for production enhancement. Broadly categorized as fibrolytic, proteolytic and amylolytic, these enzymes act synergistically with the naturally available enzymes in rumen. Enzyme supplementations improve the digestibility of fibre and increase nutrient absorption and energy availability for production activities across physiological status of the animal. This review summaries response of large lactating ruminants to the external enzyme (in vivo) supplementation in terms of actual milk production, milk composition, body weights, dry matter intake and digestibility of nutrients, as well as to assess the economic benefit in terms of additional expenses incurred and benefit derived with increase in milk production.

Cloning, expression and characterization of a novel alkaline serine protease gene from native Iranian Bacillus sp.; a producer of protease for use in livestock

The use of proteases in the last decade has been welcomed in livestock and poultry industries and has led to significant results such as improved feed conversion ratio, weight gain and increased growth performance. In the present study, isolation and identification of a novel alkaline protease from Iranian Bacillus species was performed in order to use in livestock feed. After primary isolation of bacteria from soil samples of rice fields and early detection of bacterial genus, the zymogram plate was performed for evaluation of production extracellular proteases. Of the 11 strains producing protease, one strain that produced more enzymes was selected to continue the work. Characterization of alkaline protease was done using specific enzyme assays. To confirm the genus of isolates as well as to identify the species close to, molecular analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence was done. After that, bioinformatics analysis carried out in NCBI database for searching bacterial alkaline proteases gene sequences. The primer designed based on gene homology of close species for extraction of alkaline protease gene. The results showed that the enzyme extract had the highest activity at pH 9.0 and 50 °C. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was submitted for the strain called Bacillus sp. RAM on the NCBI site. According to the results of the phylogenetic tree, the bacterium was belonged to Bacillus genus and Bacillus sp. RAM was close to Thuringiensis C405. The isolated alkaline protease gene successfully cloned in pET28a and transferred to the expression host E.coli BL21. The expression of the protease gene was evaluated by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The induced recombinant cells expressed the protease and revealed molecular weight band of about 38 kDa. According to the enzyme properties, this alkaline protease can useful for application in animal industry.