Presence of fed β-carotene in digesta, excreta, blood, and hepatic and adipose tissues of Holstein steers

Effects of hydrogenated fat-spray-coated β-carotene supplement on plasma β-carotene concentration and conception rate after embryo transfer in Hanwoo beef cows

We hypothesised that hydrogenated fat (HF)-spray-coated β-carotene (βC) supplement could be used to increase plasma βC concentration and conception rates after embryo transfer (ET) in Hanwoo beef cows. In Experiment 1, 12 multiparous Hanwoo cows were fed one of four experimental diets in a triplicate 4 × 4 Latin square design for a 28-day period. Treatments included no βC addition (control), HF-uncoated βC (HFuβC), HF-spray-coated βC (HFβC), and HF-spray-coated βC and vitamin A (HFβCA). The cows under βC-supplemented treatments were fed 400 mg/day of βC, and a daily intake for vitamin A of HFβCA treatment was 30 000 IU/day as retinyl acetate. Blood was collected on days 0, 26, 27, and 28 to analyse βC and other metabolite concentrations. In Experiment 2, 199 Hanwoo cows with low fertility were randomly assigned to either control (n = 99) or HFβC treatments (n = 100) based on the results of Experiment 1. The oestrus of the cows was synchronised for ET. The HFβC group was fed from 4 weeks before to 4 weeks after ET with a daily intake of 400 mg βC. Pregnancy for conception rates was diagnosed on day 60 after ET, and blood was collected for βC concentrations on the day before ET. Supplementing βC resulted in a high plasma βC concentration (P < 0.001). Supplementing HFβC or HFβCA resulted in higher βC concentrations than HFuβC (P < 0.001); however, there was no difference between HFβC and HFβCA groups. Plasma retinol concentration was lower in the HFβCA treatment than in the control and HFβC groups (P < 0.05). Blood metabolites were unaffected by the treatments. The retinol:βC ratio was lower in the βC-supplemented treatments than in the controls, and was lower in HFβC and HFβCA than in HFuβC groups (P < 0.001). Plasma βC concentration was positively correlated with plasma high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol (P < 0.05). Plasma retinol concentration was negatively associated with plasma protein (P < 0.01), but positively associated with plasma creatinine (P < 0.001) and urea (P < 0.01). Supplementing HFβC to low-fertility cows resulted in higher plasma βC concentration (P < 0.001) and conception rates (P = 0.024) than those in the controls. In conclusion, HFβC had a better bioavailability than HFuβC, and an increase in conception rates by supplementing HFβC may be beneficial for producing more calves given the low pregnancy rates of bovine ET in Korea.

A comprehensive review on carotenoids in foods and feeds: status quo, applications, patents, and research needs

Carotenoids are isoprenoids widely distributed in foods that have been always part of the diet of humans. Unlike the other so-called food bioactives, some carotenoids can be converted into retinoids exhibiting vitamin A activity, which is essential for humans. Furthermore, they are much more versatile as they are relevant in foods not only as sources of vitamin A, but also as natural pigments, antioxidants, and health-promoting compounds. Lately, they are also attracting interest in the context of nutricosmetics, as they have been shown to provide cosmetic benefits when ingested in appropriate amounts. In this work, resulting from the collaborative work of participants of the COST Action European network to advance carotenoid research and applications in agro-food and health (EUROCAROTEN, www.eurocaroten.eu, https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA15136/#tabs|Name:overview) research on carotenoids in foods and feeds is thoroughly reviewed covering aspects such as analysis, carotenoid food sources, carotenoid databases, effect of processing and storage conditions, new trends in carotenoid extraction, daily intakes, use as human, and feed additives are addressed. Furthermore, classical and recent patents regarding the obtaining and formulation of carotenoids for several purposes are pinpointed and briefly discussed. Lastly, emerging research lines as well as research needs are highlighted.

Effects of feeding β-carotene on levels of β-carotene and vitamin A in blood and tissues of beef cattle and the effects on beef quality

The effects of feeding β-carotene (βC) on levels of βC and vitamin A (retinol) in blood and tissues, and on beef quality, were evaluated in 120 steers. Each steer received supplementary βC (at concentrations of 0, 600, 1200, or 1800 mg/day) for 90 days and then received no supplementary βC for 60 days. βC significantly increased in blood serum, liver, and subcutaneous and omental fat; linearly increased in the intestine and muscle; and remained unchanged in perirenal fat during supplementation. Differences between treatment groups were eliminated in subcutaneous and omental fat and in the liver by days 120 and 150, respectively, but remained significant at day 150 in blood. Retinol increased significantly in the liver and intestine during supplementation. Intramuscular fat content, meat color, and retinol in blood, muscle, or adipose tissues were not affected. Backfat thickness decreased slightly with increasing βC supplementation and significantly differed between groups during depletion.

Variations in carotenoids, vitamins A and E, and color in cow's plasma and milk following a shift from hay diet to diets containing increasing levels of carotenoids and vitamin E

This experiment was conducted to determine the variations in carotenoid, vitamins A and E concentrations, and color in the plasma and milk of dairy cows following a shift from a hay diet to diets containing increasing levels of carotenoids and vitamin E. This study was performed on 32 multiparous Montbéliarde dairy cows in midlactation. After a 6-wk preexperimental period on a diet based on hay and concentrates, the cows were allocated to 4 homogeneous groups, and thereafter fed for 6 wk on isoenergetic experimental diets where the hay was replaced by an experimental feed rich in carotenoids and vitamin E, consisting in 75% grass silage and 25% alfalfa protein concentrate (PX Agro Super Desialis, Châlons en Champagne, France). The hay-to-experimental feed ratios were 100/0 in group 1, 67/33 in group 2, 33/67 in group 3, and 0/100 in group 4, providing 1.6, 3.6, 5.4, and 7.4 g/d of total carotenoids, respectively. Variations in carotenoid, vitamins A and E concentrations as well as variations in color index (CI) were monitored from d -7 through to d 42 on the experimental diets. Zeaxanthin, lutein, 13-cis-beta-carotene, and all-trans-beta-carotene accounted for an average 3, 10, 9, and 78%, respectively, of total carotenoids in plasma and 0, 17, 12, and 71%, respectively, of total carotenoids in milk. The switch from preexperimental to experimental diets only slightly affected zeaxanthin, lutein, and vitamin A concentrations in plasma and milk. A rapid increase in vitamin E and beta-carotene (BC) was observed during the first week in both plasma and milk. For vitamin E, the time to reach a plateau was from 8 d (group 2) to 28 d (group 4) in plasma, and 5 d (groups 2-4) in milk. Plasma concentrations of BC had stabilized after 28 d in group 2 but were not stabilized after 42 d in groups 3 and 4, whereas milk concentrations of BC plateaued from d 21 in group 2 and d 28 in groups 3 and 4. At the end of the experimental period, BC and vitamin E concentrations in plasma and vitamin E concentrations in milk fat were linearly related to the proportion of experimental feed in the diet. In contrast, BC concentrations in milk fat did not differ between groups 2, 3, and 4, reflecting saturation at high levels of carotenoid intake (i.e., when plasma BC exceeded 5 mug/mL). These results suggested that under high-carotenoid diets, milk secretion of BC is not limited by the amount of plasma BC arriving to the mammary gland but by mechanisms involved in the BC transfer from plasma to milk. These mechanisms will need to be investigated. The BC concentrations were responsible for more than 80% of CI variations in plasma and 56% of CI variations in milk, where there was wide variability among individuals. Plasma CI appeared to be a more promising tool than milk CI as an indicator of the carotene content of the diets ingested by dairy cows.

Digestion and absorption of carotenoids in sheep given fresh red clover

Digestion and absorption of carotenoids were studied in sheep given, twice daily, fresh red clover. Digestive fluxes were measured in six sheep cannulated in the rumen, duodenum and ileum using the double marker technique. Another five sheep were fitted with catheters allowing nutrient net flux measurements across the portal-drained viscera. Carotenoids in the red clover consisted of lutein (136 μg/g dry matter (DM)), epilutein (40 μg/g DM),trans-β-carotene (16 μg/g DM) and 13-cis-β-carotene (13 μg/g DM). Intake was 174, 52, 21 and 17 mg/day, and faecal excretion was 181, 25, 50 and 41 mg/day, for lutein, epilutein,trans- and 13-cis-β-carotene respectively, indicating net production of β-carotene in the digestive tract. The difference between duodenum and intake was positive for all carotenoids (30, 4, 43 and 37 g for lutein, epilutein,trans-β-carotene and 13-cis-β-carotene, respectively) suggesting net production and/or release of carotenes and xanthophylls by rumen microbes. Apparent digestibility in the small and large intestines was 0·18 and −0·05 for lutein, 0·30 and 0·29 for epilutein, 0·39 and 0·26 fortrans-β-carotene, 0·53 and 0·21 for 13-cis-β-carotene. Only lutein and epilutein were recovered in arterial plasma, at a concentration of 14·3 and 10·8 μg/l, respectively. Their portal net appearance was not different from 0, suggesting that absorption occurred mainly via the lymphatic system.

Variations in Carotenoids, Fat-Soluble Micronutrients, and Color in Cows’ Plasma and Milk Following Changes in Forage and Feeding Level

The main aim of this work was to assess factors affecting the secretion of carotenoids in cows' milk. Our objectives were 1) to determine the kinetics of the decrease in carotenoids in plasma, milk, and adipose tissues following a switch from a high- to a low- carotenoid diet; and 2) to specify whether, during lipomobilization, the restitution of these compounds stored in the adipose tissues is sufficient to modify their secretion in milk. During the preexperimental period, 32 cows in midlactation were fed a grass silage-based diet, and were then assigned to 4 groups; 2 groups were maintained on the grass silage diet and 2 were switched to a late hay diet. For each forage diet, one group was fed according to net energy for lactation and nitrogen requirements, and the other was submitted to an energetic underfeeding, with similar forage and carotenoid intake between groups. Variations in concentration of carotenoids and color index (CI) of plasma and milk were monitored over 8 wk. Other components of nutritional interest; i.e., vitamin E (VE), vitamin A, and fatty acids, were also measured. The switch from grass silage to hay diet induced a rapid decrease in concentration of betal-carotene (BC) and VE and in the CI of plasma and milk during the first 2 wk. Pools of BC in adipose tissues also decreased by 40%. Concentrations of BC at the end of the experiment for silage and hay groups were 5.10 and 1.71 microg/mL in plasma and 0.17 and 0.07 microg/mL in milk, respectively. The energetic underfeeding did not affect BC concentration in plasma and induced a small increase in milk BC concentration, related to a decreased milk yield. In the silage group, the energetic underfeeding after 3 to 4 wk induced a decrease in CI and VE of plasma, but not of milk. The fatty acid profile in milk was modified by the change from grass silage to hay diet (C10 to C14 and linoleic acid increased; stearic and linolenic acid percentages decreased) and by underfeeding (oleic, vaccenic, and rumenic acid percentages increased). This study shows that BC and VE levels persist in midlactation cows' plasma and milk for about 2 wk. The results could not confirm a release of BC by bovine adipose tissue, but the level of underfeeding was moderate in this trial. The concentration of BC explained 58 and 40% of variation in CI of plasma and milk, respectively. These CI appear to be valuable tools for diet traceability (i.e., silage vs. hay).