Biochemical parameters, dynamic tensiometry and circulating nucleic acids for cattle blood analysis: a review

Metabolic profile of Charolais young bulls transported over long-distance

Long-distance transport can cause stress to beef cattle impairing health and growth performances. This study aimed to deepen the knowledge of the effects of long-distance transport on young bulls' metabolic profile to identify reliable blood parameters for monitoring their health and welfare. Eighty Charolais young bulls, transported for 12 hours to the final fattening unit, were weighed and blood sampled at three time intervals: before leaving the commingling centre (day -1), upon arrival at the fattening unit (day 0), and 7 days post-arrival (day 7). These bulls were part of a larger study aimed at testing whether the animals have some benefit from the supplementation of live yeast and selenium through slow-release rumen boluses that were administered to half of them before departure from France ('Yeast' vs 'Control' group). The effect of the supplementation on the parameters considered in this study was included in the statistical analysis to account for the structure of the experimental design. Transport affected the initial body weight of the animals, which dropped on day 0 and it was not fully recovered on day 7. Most plasma traits of protein, energy, hepato-muscle, and mineral profiles were affected by transport. Cortisol was also assessed and peaked at day 0. The footprint of the long-distance transport on bulls' metabolic profile indicated a combination of stress, energy deficit, and muscle damage, with a certain degree of dehydration and liver impairment. Plasma traits measured on day -1 highlighted that stressful conditions and physiological responses of the bulls to recover homeostasis already started during the commingling phase before departure. No effect of supplementation was detected, except for higher selenium plasma level in Yeast bulls at day 7. Among blood parameters, non-esterified fatty acids, total protein, cortisol, glucose, and iron were those responsible for most of the variation in metabolic profile of bulls undergoing long journey. Therefore, these traits might be used as major biomarkers to assess stress in transported beef cattle, helping to identify critical situations for which proper mitigating actions should be taken. The outcomes of this study suggested that preventive measures against transport stress in beef cattle should start at the commingling of the animals in the collection centers, thus before departure.

Effects of abomasal infusion of branched-chain amino acids or branched-chain keto-acids on liver function, inflammation, and oxidative stress in multiparous fresh cows

Reduced liver function, increased oxidative stress, and inflammation in early lactation negatively impact lactation performance and health of fresh cows. Previous findings from our group demonstrated that branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) infusion improved lactation performance and branched-chain ketoacids (BCKA) infusion decreased liver triglyceride (TG) in fresh cows. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of BCAA and BCKA on blood and liver biomarkers of liver function, oxidative stress, and inflammation as well as expression of genes regulating inflammation and antioxidant metabolism in the liver. Thirty multiparous Holstein cows were used in a randomized block design receiving continuous abomasal infusion for 21 d after parturition. Treatments (10 cows each) were control (CON), cows abomasally infused with 0.9% saline; BCA, cows abomasally infused with BCAA (67 g valine, 50 g leucine, and 34 g isoleucine); and BCK, cows abomasally infused with BCKA (77 g ketovaline, 57 g ketoleucine, and 39 g ketoisoleucine). All cows were randomly assigned to treatments after parturition and received the same diet throughout the experimental period. Blood was collected at 3, 7, 14, and 21 d postpartum for liver function, oxidative stress, and inflammation biomarker profiling. Liver was also harvested on 7, 14, and 21 d postpartum for quantification of glutathione, protein carbonylation, and expression of genes. ANOVA was conducted for all data using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS. No treatment differences were observed for liver function biomarkers (bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and aspartate aminotransferase). Cows receiving BCAA had lower blood NO2- and NO3- concentrations compared with CON. A tendency for lower advanced oxidized protein products was also observed in BCA cows compared with CON. Additionally, on d 7, BCA cows had lower protein carbonylation in the liver compared with CON. In contrast, BCK cows had higher plasma thiol and albumin, as well as liver reduced and total glutathione compared with CON cows. Compared with CON, BCK cows had higher expression glutathione reductase in the liver. Overall, these results suggest favorable alterations in oxidative stress and inflammation status in fresh cows receiving BCAA or BCKA infusion during the first 3 weeks of lactation, which likely contributed to previously-observed changes in lactation performance and liver TG concentrations. Future work is required to evaluate the interrelated metabolism of BCAA and BCKA to better understand their effects on oxidative and immune metabolism.

Impact of replacing protein pellets with soybean grain on nutrient utilization and the rumen and blood parameters of feedlot cattle under tropical conditions

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of replacing protein pellets with soybean grain in high-concentrate diets with or without the addition of silage, on the intake, digestibility, and rumen and blood parameters of feedlot cattle in tropical regions. Four cannulated, crossbred steers were used, 4.5 ± 0.5 years old, with an average weight of 685.55 ± 111.78 kg. The steers were distributed in a 4 × 4 Latin square, in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme (two sources of protein: protein pellets or whole soybean grain, with or without added dietary bulk). There was no effect (P ≥ 0.109) from the interaction between the source of protein and the addition of silage to the diet on dry matter (DM) and nutrient intake, or the digestibility (P ≥ 0.625) of DM or crude protein (CP). However, both factors affected (P ≤ 0.052) the intake of DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC), as well as the independent digestibility (P ≤ 0.099) of fat, NFC, total carbohydrates (TC), and total cholesterol concentration. There was an effect (P ≤ 0.053) from the interaction between the source of protein and the addition of silage to the diet on the digestibility of NDF and total digestible nutrients (TDN), as well as on the glycose concentration (P = 0.003). Blood parameters (i.e. protein, albumin, creatinine, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)) were not affected (P ≥ 0.139) by the source of protein, the addition of silage, or their interaction. Lastly, including 150 g/kg silage DM in a high-grain diet, and using soybean grain as a source of protein in substitution of protein pellet could be a suitable nutritional strategy to ensure adequate DM and nutrient intake and digestibility, with no detrimental effects on rumen and blood parameters of feedlot cattle in the tropics.

Anti-mycotoxin feed additives: effects on metabolism, mycotoxin excretion, performance, and total tract digestibility of dairy cows fed artificially multi-mycotoxin-contaminated diets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different anti-mycotoxin feed additives on the concentration of mycotoxins in milk, urine, and blood plasma of dairy cows fed artificially multi-mycotoxin-contaminated diets. Secondarily, performance, total-tract apparent digestibility of nutrients, and blood parameters were evaluated. Twelve multiparous cows (165 ± 45 d in milk, 557 ± 49 kg body weight, and 32.1 ± 4.57 kg/d milk yield at the start of the experiment) were blocked according to parity, milk yield, and days in milk and used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment with 21-d periods, where the last 7 d were used for sampling and data analysis. Treatments were: 1) Mycotoxin group (MTX), basal diet (BD) without anti-mycotoxin feed additives; 2) Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCA), HSCA added to the BD at 25g/cow/d; 3) Mycotoxin deactivator 15 (MD15), MD (Mycofix® Plus, dsm-firmenich) added to the BD at 15 g/cow/d; and 4) Mycotoxin deactivator 30 (MD30), MD added to the BD at 30 g/cow/d. Cows from all treatments were challenged with a blend of mycotoxins containing 404 μg aflatoxins B1 (AFB1), 5,025 μg deoxynivalenol (DON), 8,046 μg fumonisins (FUM), 195 μg T2 toxin (T2), and 2,034 μg of zearalenone (ZEN) added daily to the BD during the last 7 d of each period. Neither performance (milk yield and composition) nor nutrient digestibility was affected by treatments. All additives reduced aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) concentration in milk, whereas MD15 and MD30 group had lower excretion of AFM1 in milk than HSCA. DON, FUM, T2, or ZEN were not detected in milk of MD15 and MD30. Concentrations in milk of DON, FUM, T2, and ZEN were similar between MTX and HSCA. Except for AFM1, none of the analyzed mycotoxins were detected in urine of MD30 group. Comparing HSCA to MD treatments, the concentration of AFM1 was greater for HSCA, whereas MD30 was more efficient at reducing AFM1 in urine than MD15. AFM1, DON, FUM, and ZEN were not detected in the plasma of cows fed MD30, and DON was also not detected in MD15 group. Plasma concentration of FUM was lower for MD15, similar plasma FUM concentration was reported for HSCA and MTX. Plasma concentration of ZEN was lower for MD15 than MTX and HSCA. Serum concentrations of haptoglobin and hepatic enzymes were not affected by treatments. Blood concentration of sodium was lower in HSCA compared with MD15 and MD30 groups. In conclusion, the mycotoxin deactivator proved to be effective in reducing the secretion of mycotoxins in milk, urine, and blood plasma, regardless of the dosage. This reduction was achieved without adverse effects on milk production or total-tract digestibility in cows fed multi-mycotoxin-contaminated diets over a short-term period. Greater reductions in mycotoxin secretion were observed with full dose of MD.

Is the Introduction into a New Environment Stressful for Young Bulls?

Several events in an animal's life are considered stressful. Among them, the most studied and significant are transportation, weaning, and adaptation to climate change. Moreover, other events, such as the separation from the dam, moving from the original farm to another, management practices, such as regrouping with other animals, and new hierarchical conditions, represent routine conditions in the bovine's life, which can influence the animal's homeostasis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes in blood parameters of 45 calves introduced into a new environment from their original farms. Blood samples were collected upon arrival at a genetic center (T1), 7 (T2), 30 (T3), and 120 (T4) days after arrival. Blood count, protein electrophoresis, clinical chemistry, and innate immunity parameters were performed on the samples. Significant alterations in some clinical chemistry parameters were related to liver function in the serum protein and the values of IL-6 and TNF-α; the main cytokines mediating the stress response emerged from the results. The evidence indicates the mild response to adaptation stress by calves raised in close association with people after their introduction into a new environment.

Effect of Potato Vine and Leaf Mixed Silage Compared to Whole Corn Crops on Growth Performance, Apparent Digestibility, and Serum Biochemical Characteristics of Fattening Angus Bull

This study aims to explore the different growth performances of the Angus bull on potato vine and leaf mixed silage in the early fattening period and to provide a reference animal production trial. Thirty-six 13-month-old Angus bulls were divided into three groups with 403.22 ± 38.97 kg initial body weight and fed with three different silage diets: (1) control: whole-plant corn silage as control (CS); (2) treatment 1: 50% whole-plant corn +50% potato vine and leaf silage (PVS1); and (3) treatment 2: 75% potato vine and leaf +15% rice straw +10% cornmeal silage (PVS2). After the 14 days pre-feeding, the formal experiment was carried out for 89 days. The result showed that the ash content of the potato vine and leaf mixed silage (PVS) in the treatment groups was higher than that in control group, and the ash content of PVS1 and PVS2 even reached 10.42% and 18.48% (DM%), respectively, which was much higher than that of the CS group at 4.94%. The crude protein content in silage also increased with the additional amount of potato vine and leaf. The apparent crude protein digestibility of the PVS groups was also significantly higher than that of the CS group (p < 0.05). In terms of serum biochemical indexes, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in the experimental groups was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with PVS2, cholesterol (CHO) was significantly lower in the CS and PVS1 groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of PVS2 were significantly higher than those of the CS and PVS1 group (p < 0.05), and daily gain (ADG) as a key production index had a significantly negative correlation with the CHO (r = -0.38, p < 0.05) and HDL-C (r = -0.40, p < 0.05) of cattle. In conclusion, PVS had higher crude protein content and ash but less starch than whole-corn silage. The PVS could replace whole-plant corn silage at the same dry matter status and did not affect the weight gain in this trial.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors as an alternative treatment in canine mast cell tumor

The current gold standard treatment for canine mast cell tumors (MCT) uses vinblastine sulfate (VBL) as chemotherapy, although tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have recently been shown to be worthy candidates for treatment. This systematic review aimed to analyze the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), and complete (CR) or partial response (PR) in dogs with MCT treated with TKI compared to standard VBL treatment. The systematic review was registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF) database under the identifier 10.17605/OSF.IO/WYPN4 (https://osf.io/). An electronic search was performed in nine databases. References from eligible studies were also selected to find more registers. A total of 28 studies met the eligibility criteria, and one more was recovered from the references of eligible studies, totaling 29 selected studies. The overall response rate, complete response, and partial response were higher in dogs treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors than in dogs treated with vinblastine. The overall survival and progression-free survival of vinblastine-treated dogs were higher compared to tyrosine kinase inhibitors-treated dogs. Dogs with mutated KIT treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors have longer overall survival and progression-free survival compared to those treated with vinblastine. It is important to consider the limitation of the study which should temper the interpretation of the results, videlicet, the extracted data lacked sample standardization and included variables such as animal characteristics, mutation detection methods, tumor characteristics, and treatment types which may have influenced the outcome of the study.

Systematic review registration

https://osf.io/, identifier: 10.17605/OSF.IO/WYPN4.

Diagnostic applications and limitations for the use of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in animal husbandry and wildlife management

In animal breeding, a species sex can influence the value of the animal. For example, in the horse breeding industry, mares are preferred as polo horses, while in wildlife breeding males with larger horns are more valuable. Therefore, the economic advantages of knowing the unborn fetus' sex are important to successful animal management. Ultrasonography is used to determine the sex of unborn fetuses, but this method places additional stress on the animal and require specialized equipment and expertise. Conversely, molecular-based sexing techniques require less invasive sampling and can determine sex more reliably. Although in humans, various studies have evaluated the use of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) for prenatal sexing, very few animal studies have been published in this field. Several factors can affect the sensitivity of cffDNA-based sex determination, for example the gestational age. These factors are often not optimized and validated when establishing a protocol for prenatal sexing. In this review, we summarize the current literature on cffDNA in animals. We discuss the diagnostic applications and limitations in the use thereof in animal husbandry and wildlife management. Lastly, the feasibility of implementing diagnostic tests is evaluated and solutions are given to the current drawbacks of the technology.

Using probiotics to improve the utilization of chopped dried date palm leaves as a feed in diets of growing Farafra lambs

The study determined the ability of three probiotics to improve the nutritional value of date palm leaves in diets of growing lambs. Twenty male Farafra lambs (26 ± 0.33 kg) were randomly allocated to one of four treatments (n = 6) and fed: a control or basal diet (C; 70% concentrate + 30% date palm leaves without additives) and supplemented with Bacillofort containing 2 × 1011 CFU of Bacillus subtilis/g (BAC treatment), Lacotpro containing 1 × 1012 CFU of Lactobacillus acidophilus/g (LAC treatment) or ZAD containing 6 × 108 CFU of R. albus/g (ZAD treatment) at 4 g of all additives for 150 days. As a result of this study, LAC improved (P < 0.05) growth performance and feed efficiency compared to control. Additives increased (P = 0.001) concentrations of albumin, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine, hemoglobin concentration and red blood cells and decreased (P = 0.001) globulin and urea-N. Additives increased hot carcass (P = 0.040) while BAC increased Longissimus dorsi, meat and fat without affecting water holding capacity compared to other treatments. In the metabolism experiment, BAC increased the digestibility of crude protein, while BAC and ZAD increased the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber. Additives did not affect nitrogen (N) intake and urinary N; however, decreased fecal N and increased N balance compared to the control. BAC and ZAD increased ruminal volatile fatty acids concentration compared to the control. Based on our results, Lacotpro could be used to improve growth performance and feed efficiency, while Bacillofort could be used to improve meat quality of in lambs.

Changes in Blood Metabolic Profiles Reveal the Dietary Deficiencies of Specific Nutrients and Physiological Status of Grazing Yaks during the Cold Season in Qinghai Province of China

This study aimed to investigate the changes in the blood metabolic profiles of grazing yaks during the cold season to reveal their physiological status and seek the nutrients needed to be supplemented. Six castrated yaks (3 years old) with 166.8 kg (standard deviation = 5.3) of liveweight grazed in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau were used as experimental animals without supplementary feeding. Blood samples of each animal were collected in October and December 2015, and March 2016 for the analysis of serum biochemicals and metabolome. Results showed serum indices involved in protein metabolism in grazing yaks showed greater differences during the cold season than the metabolisms of energy or minerals. Cold stress in December had minor effects on the serum metabolic profiles of yaks compared with those in October. Yaks in October and December shared seven differential serum metabolites and enrichments of the “arachidonic acid metabolism” and “glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism” pathways compared with those in March caused by the shortage of feeds. Summarily, the nutrient deficiency would be influential on the physiological status of grazing yaks during the cold season, especially on the protein metabolism, which could be improved by supplementary feeds.

Correlations between the Major Amino Acids and Biochemical Blood Parameters of Pigs at Controlled Fattening Duration

Analytical control of protein and amino acid (AA) contents of animal tissues is an important problem in the fundamental and applied aspects. The aims of the work were the following: to measure the pig blood AAs; and to establish the correlations between AAs and biochemical parameters in dependence on the pig fattening duration. All 80 animals were divided onto 4 animal groups: 65, 72, 82, and 90 fattening days. The correlations between AAs and the total protein or its fractions (TP&F), nitrogen metabolites, carbohydrates, lipids, some enzymes in the pig blood for each of these animal groups obtained for the first time. The authors established the following total amounts of correlation coefficients (with reasonable p-values) in each of the group separately: group 1, 1* (p < 0.05); group 2, 0; group 3, 28* (p < 0.05) and 9** (p < 0.01); group 4, 28* (p < 0.05) and 25** (p < 0.01). Thus, about 82−90 days (groups 3 and 4) can be the optimal for the pig fattening, based on the correlation analysis for the numerous data of major AA and biochemical parameters of pig blood. These results can be useful for animal health monitoring and husbandry.

Correlations between the Total Antioxidant Activity and Biochemical Parameters of Cow Milk Depending on the Number of Somatic Cells

The aim of the work was to study the correlations between the total amount of water-soluble antioxidants (TAWSA) and biochemical parameters (BC) of cow milk depending on the somatic cell count (SCC). The BC and TAWSA values of cow milk were measured by spectroscopic and amperometric methods, respectively. The milk samples from the black-and-white cows (Moscow region) were divided according to SCС values: (1) ≤200, (2) 200-499, (3) 500-999, and (4) ≥1000 thousand units/mL. The average TAWSA values for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 (33, 15, 13, and 12 milk samples) were the following: $15.95\pm 0.74$ , $14.45\pm 0.84$ , $16.04\pm 0.63$ , and $14.58\pm 1.18$ . The correlations between TAWSA and BC (group 1) were the following: total fat percentage (TFP) -0.305; true protein percentage (TP1) -0.197; total nitrogen percentage (TN2) -0.210; lactose -0.156; solids-not-fat (SNF) -0.276; total dry matter (TDM) -0.399; freezing point (FP) -0.112; pH -0.114; somatic cell count (SCC) - (-0,052). The correlations between TAWSA and BC (group 2) were the following: TFP -0.332; TP1 -0.296; TN2 -0.303; lactose - (-0.308); SNF -0.159; TDM -0.391; FP -0.226; pH - (-0.211); SCC -0.193. The correlations between TAWSA and BC (group 3) were the following: TFP - (-0.352); TP1 - (-0.411); TN2 – (-0.401); lactose - (-0.166); SNF - (-0.462); TDM - (-0.504); FP - (-0.766); pH - (-0.047); SCC - (-0.698). The correlations between TAWSA and BC (group 4) were the following: TFP -0.159; TP1 -0.046; TN2 – 0.077; lactose - (-0.317); SNF - (-0.237); TDM -0.058; FP - (-0.036); pH - (-0.477); SCC - (-0.072). These data are important in assessing the physiological-biochemical status and state of the antioxidant defense system of cows’ organism.

An innovative approach to assessing the integral parameters of the hybrid pig blood for the methodological support of animal husbandry development

The main aims of research were: to measure the surface tension (ST) values of hybrid pig blood; to establish the relationships between these ST-values and obtained biochemical parameters of the same blood samples. All studied animals (n=43) were healthy and grown at the feeding stations (Russia). The ST-values (measured using PAT-device) of the pig blood were obtained at initial (n=30) and final (n=13) points of animal fattening. The following correlations between eST at final (or initial) point of pig fattening and the biochemical parameters were obtained: +0.80 (+0.19) with the ratio of albumins to globulins (A/G), -0.39 with globulins (-0.38) with phospholipids, +0.32 (+0.40) with the “de Ritis” coefficient, -0.52 (+0.35) with Cl. The correlations between eTA at same fattening points and the biochemical parameters were obtained: +0.32 with A/G ratio, +0.18 with globulins, +0.36 with phospholipids, +0.28 (+0.17) with the “de Ritis” coefficient, -0.32 (+0.21) with Mg, +0.35 with Fe, +0.30 with Cl, +0.31 (+0.34) with the ratio of calcium to phosphorus (Ca/P). Such tendency indicated the stabilization of pig physiological-biochemical status during their fattening. The authors recommended the following eST (42-46 mN/m) and eTA (10-30 mN·m-1·s-½) blood parameters as reference values for further applications in husbandry.

Dose-dependent effect of chronic exposure to lead acetate on the dynamics of the content of delta-aminolevulinic acid and essential trace elements in the serum of laying hens

  One of the most global and dangerous pollutants is considered to be lead, due to its ability to accumulate in living organisms, to be included in the metabolic cycle, to form highly toxic organometallic compounds, not being biodegradable. To study the chronic effects of lead acetate, an experiment was performed on laying hens of Lohmann Brown cross. For research, one control and three experimental groups were formed, 20 chickens in each. Birds of the experimental groups were administered lead acetate daily with compound feed in doses (in terms of metal): Group I – 50 mg/kg of feed, II – 75 mg/kg of feed, III – 150 mg/kg of feed. Access to water was not restricted. The birds of the control group received a complete diet without lead acetate. On the 30th, 90th, 120th days of the experiment and the 20th day after withdrawal of the toxicant (the 140th day of the experiment), we took blood samples from birds for biochemical and toxicological studies. The concentration of delta-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA) in the serum of laying hens was determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Determination of the content of lead in the serum of laying hens was performed by X-ray fluorescence analysis. The concentration of total calcium, inorganic phosphorus, and magnesium in the serum of the laying hens was determined using production kits. We detected the dose-dependent chronic effect of lead acetate on the dynamics of the content of delta-aminolevulinic acid and essential trace elements in the serum of laying hens. The administration of lead acetate into the body of productive poultry for 120 days in doses of 50, 75, and 150 mg/kg with feed did not cause visible clinical signs of poisoning, but caused a violation of porphyrin metabolism, manifested in a reliable increase in the concentration of delta-aminolevulinic acid in serum on the 30th, 90th and 120th days of the experiment. It has been experimentally proven that the administration into the body of laying hens of lead acetate in doses of 50, 75 and 150 mg/kg of feed for 120 days leads to the maximum accumulation of lead in the serum on the 30th, 90th, and 120th days of the experiment. Prolonged administration of lead acetate to laying hens at high concentrations is characterized by a reliable decrease in the content of total calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium in the serum of laying hens and a reliable increase in the content of ferrum. In the future it is necessary to study the intensity of lipid peroxidation processes in laying hens under chronic exposure to lead acetate.

Correlations between Antioxidant and Biochemical Parameters of Blood Serum of Duroc Breed Pigs

Simple Summary

Human nutrition is currently one of the most important factors that determine health, performance, duration and quality of life. The increasing demand for high-quality livestock products requires scientists and practitioners to develop an advanced complex approach to assessing the composition of animal meat and methods of its regulation. One of these products is pork, the value of which lies primarily in the lipid and protein content, which are necessary for human nutrition. The significance of this paper is also determined by the high popularity of pork in Russia and in a number of other countries worldwide.

Abstract

Correlations between the major biochemical (BC) and antioxidant (TAWSA) parameters of pigs’ blood are necessary to study in order to assess physiological–biochemical status (PhBS), animal health, production, etc. Blood samples were obtained from Duroc breed boars (n = 77), divided into groups 1 (n = 25), 2 (n = 40) and 3 (n = 12), which were fattened for 65, 72 and 100 days, respectively. Significant positive and negative correlations were found between TAWSA and BC parameters of pigs’ blood for group 3: very high in the case of total protein (TP) (−0.75) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (−0.79); high in the case of cholesterol (−0.72), glucose (0.66), alkaline phosphatase (0.66), calcium ions (−0.60) and globulins (0.53); moderate in the case of albumins (−0.36), triglycerides (−0.35), magnesium (−0.32) and phosphorus (−0.27). The same was found for group 2: high in the case of TP (0.51); moderate in the case of globulins (0.48), cholesterol (0.33) and phosphates (0.25). The only moderate correlation was found for group 1: magnesium (−0.48), glucose (0.36) and calcium (−0.25). This tendency indicated the stabilization of pig PhBS during growth and fattening, which can be useful for understanding the PhBS and antioxidant features of pigs, the factors of their nutrition, maintenance, etc.

Subacute Ruminal Acidosis in Zebu Cattle: Clinical and Behavioral Aspects

Simple Summary

Cattle that are fed high levels of concentrates may develop short-term rumen acidity that may occur frequently leading to necrosis of the rumen wall and reduced nutrient absorption, thereby decreasing animal productivity. This condition is known as subacute acidosis. Here, we evaluated an experimental model to induce such a condition in Nelore cattle, a Zebu breed widely used in Brazil, and assessed several clinical and feeding behavioral patterns of affected animals to better understand the disease pathogenesis and clinical outcomes. Subacute acidosis led to a reduction in food consumption and rumination time, and an increase was observed in the time spent in decubitus. Additionally, subacute acidosis caused different degrees of depression that was more pronounced with higher ruminal lactic acid concentrations.

Abstract

We evaluated the clinical aspects and feeding behavior of cattle with subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) caused by short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Ten healthy Nelore heifers were subjected to an adjusted SARA induction protocol using citrus pulp (CP). Clinical examinations were performed at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 h intervals after induction, with ruminal fluid, blood, and feces sampling. The animals’ feeding behavior was evaluated on, before, and for 3 days after SARA by observing the animals every 5 min for 24 h. The dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded daily. The ruminal pH during SARA was always lower than baseline, with an acidotic duration of 547 ± 215 min, a minimum pH of 5.38 ± 0.16, and an average pH of 5.62 ± 0.1. SARA was mainly caused by SCFAs (maximum 118.4 ± 9.3 mmol/L), with the production of l-lactic acids (7.17 mmol/L) and d-lactic acids (0.56 mmol/L) 6 h after the experiment began. The DMI was reduced by 66% and 48% on days 1 and 2, respectively, and returned to normal levels on day 3. SARA caused a reduction in feed intake and rumination time, as well as an increase in the time spent in decubitus on days 1 and 2. These results were influenced by the ruminal pH, ruminal movement, and osmolarity. Furthermore, SARA caused different degrees of depression, which became more pronounced with higher ruminal lactic acid concentrations.

Comparative Study of the Water-Soluble Antioxidants in Fodder Additives and Sheep Blood Serum by Amperometric and Biochemical Methods

The effects of chitosan as feed additive for animals (FAFAs) on various digestive processes are an important to study because of the animal nutrition and production quality, healthcare and farming. The aims of this study were to evaluate the total amount of water-soluble antioxidants (TAWSA) of chitosan and high protein microbiologically synthesized concentrate as FAFAs; to assess the effect of these FAFAs on TAWSA values, parameters of sheep blood serum and rumen content by biochemical, physical and chemical methods. The laboratory studies of TAWSA values of feed components based on chitosan from different manufacturers or/and a high-protein concentrate were implemented. The animal experiments were carried out on six rumen-fistulated ewes (in three rounds of 14 days each, i.e., three groups) to confirm the results of the laboratory studies. The particular differences of the TAWSA of sheep blood by using both FAFAs by amperometric method were determined. A strong negative correlation -0.67 (or -0.86) was observed between TAWSA and the total protein (globulin's) content in the blood for the Group 3 of animals. A moderate (0.40) or strong (0.73) positive correlation between TAWSA and total protein content in the blood for the Group 2 of animals than weak correlation 0.23 (or 0.26) for the control Group 1. In conclusion, the correlations between the value changes of TAWSA vs. major biochemical parameters of a blood serum of rumen-fistulated ewes (Group 3 > Group 2 > Group 1) or some indicators of the rumen content (ingesta pH, total content of volatile fatty acids, etc.) were found for the first time.