The aims of the present study were to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with rumen-protected taurine (RPT) on the whole-body protein turnover, the plasma metabolomics, and the whole blood cell transcriptomics in steers. Eight steers, averaging 220 ± 3.26 kg of liveweight, were allocated in a replicate 4 × 4 Latin square design. The experimental treatments consisted of four levels of RPT supplementation: 0, 25, 50, and 75 g RPT per day, added to a basal diet. The results showed that supplementation with RPT linearly decreased the fecal nitrogen (N) excretion ( = 0.001) and the N fractional recovery rate ( = 0.047), while it linearly increased the urinary excretion of taurine ( = 0.045) as well as the average daily weight gain ( = 0.003), the protein synthesis ( < 0.001), the protein degradation ( < 0.001) and the whole-body protein turnover ( < 0.001). Supplementation with RPT linearly increased the plasma concentrations of growth hormone ( = 0.005) and quadratically affected the plasma concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 ( = 0.013), and it linearly decreased the plasma concentration of albumin ( = 0.022). Supplementation with RPT altered the whole blood cell mRNA expression and upregulated the expressions of the marker genes, including , , , and which are related to protein metabolism. The plasma metabolomics profiling indicated that supplementation with RPT upregulated the plasma concentrations of taurine, lysine and methionine. The experiment revealed the impact and the mechanisms of taurine on driving whole-body protein turnover and protein accretion in steers. Two novel marker genes which could be related to body protein degradation in steers were identified.

This study investigated the impact of different ratios of soluble to insoluble dietary fiber (SDF:IDF) formulations by sugar beet pulp (SBP) supplementation on piglet growth performance, nutrient digestibility, immune function, intestinal morphology, intestinal microbiota and intestinal health. A total of 60 crossbred piglets (Duroc × [Landrace × Yorkshire]) at 40 d old with body weight of 10.0 ± 0.3 kg were randomly assigned to 5 treatments with 6 replicates per treatment and 2 piglets per replicate in a 21-d trial. The dietary treatments included a corn-soybean meal diet (0% SBP supplementation; CON), and diets supplemented with 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% SBP, representing different SDF:IDF ratios at 10.16%, 13.53%, 16.79%, 19.86%, and 24.81%, respectively. The results indicated that the 8% SBP treatment had a negative effect on feed-to-gain ratio (linear,  = 0.009) compared with the CON treatment ( = 0.021). The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of crude protein was lower in treatments supplemented with SBP ( = 0.002) and showed a linear decrease ( = 0.001), while the ATTD of IDF showed a linear increase ( = 0.037) in four SBP treatments compared to the CON treatment. The 4% SBP treatment increased serum concentrations of triglyceride (quadratic,  = 0.019) and K (linear,  < 0.0037), and decreased alanine transaminase concentration (quadratic,  = 0.015) compared with the CON treatment. The concentrations of Cit, Cys, Ile, Leu, Orn, Arg, taurine, urea, 1-methylhistidine, α-aminoadipic acid, α-aminobutyric acid and cystathionine in the 4% SBP treatment were highest among all treatments ( < 0.05). The serum concentrations of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, transforming growth factor-β, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the 6% SBP treatment were higher than those in the CON treatment ( < 0.05), which also increased mucin-2 and G protein-coupled receptor 41 mRNA expression ( < 0.05) in colonic mucosa compared with the CON treatment and improved the intestinal barrier function. Diets containing more than 19.86% SDF:IDF could impair the intestinal health in piglets when SBP was used as the SDF source. Supplementing nursery piglet diets with 16.79% to 19.86% SDF:IDF is recommended for improving intestinal barrier function, increasing short-chain fatty acids concentrations, and improving intestinal microbiota composition.

extract (MCE) is a potential replacement for antibiotics. In the current study, effects of MCE on the gastrointestinal health and humoral responses of host animals were explored. A total of 30 weanling goats with similar body weight of 9.15 ± 1.36 kg were randomly allocated into three groups ( = 10 per group): control group (CON group, fed with a basal diet), antibiotic group (Abx group, fed with the basal diet supplemented with 0.18 g/d vancomycin and 0.36 g/d neomycin), and MCE group (fed with the basal diet supplemented with 5 g/d MCE), for three weeks. Results showed that antibiotic addition decreased the height and area of rumen papillae, ruminal mucosa Toll-like receptor 8 (), interleukin-8 () and interleukin- () gene relative expression levels and microbial diversity, altered the volatile fatty acid (VFA) profile in the rumen, and increased monocytes amount and CD4 T cells percentage in the peripheral blood ( < 0.05) compared to CON group. MCE addition increased the average daily gain, ileal villus height, villus height/crypt depth, and immunoglobulin M (IgM) content in the peripheral blood ( < 0.05) compared to the CON. Additionally, MCE addition decreased the proportion of isobutyric acid in the chyme of the ileum ( = 0.005) compared to the CON group. These results suggest that antibiotic supplementation may suppress the epithelial state and microbial diversity and fermentation in goats, but stimulate cellular response to maintain the growth performance of goats. MCE administration improved the epithelial state and humoral response to promote the growth performance in goats.

Antinutritional factors in feedstuffs may limit their utilization in livestock production, but fermentation process can be used to improve feed quality; however, studies on fermented soybeans for laying hens remain limited. We investigated the effect of fermented soybean meal (FSBM) at various inclusion levels as a partial replacement for soybean meal (SBM) on egg production, egg quality, amino acid digestibility, gut morphology and microbiota, antioxidant capacity and immune response of young laying hens. A total of 360 Hy-line Brown laying hens aged 18 weeks were selected and divided into 5 groups of 6 replicates each and 12 birds per replicate. The control group received a basal diet while the trial group received the basal diet with FSBM included at 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0%, respectively, for 12 weeks. Our findings revealed that the nutritional value of FSBM was higher compared to that of SBM in terms of reduced content of trypsin inhibitors and increased contents of crude protein, amino acids and minerals. FSBM enhanced egg production ( < 0.05), feed-to-egg ratio ( < 0.05), and albumen quality (albumen height and Haugh unit) ( < 0.05). Furthermore, FSBM improved apparent fecal amino acid digestibility ( < 0.05), gut morphology (increased villus height, villus width, villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and decreased crypt depth) ( < 0.05), antioxidant capacity (reduced malondialdehyde and increased catalase, total superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity) ( < 0.05) and immune function (increased concentrations of IgG, IgA, and IgM; increased levels of transforming growth factor beta and Toll-like receptor 2; and reduced levels of interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor alpha) ( < 0.05). Further analysis showed that FSBM altered the composition of the gut microbiota favoring beneficial microbes. These findings suggest that probiotic fermentation improved the nutritional value of SBM. The inclusion of FSBM in the diets of laying hens at 2.5% or 5.0% improved amino acid digestibility, gut health, immune function, egg production and egg quality.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of dietary calcitriol or quercetin supplementation on eggshell and bone quality of laying hens. In trial 1, 72 Hy-Line Brown layers (80-week-old) with weak-shelled strength (25 to 30 N) were assigned into 4 dietary treatments with 6 replicates of 3 birds and fed a basal diet (4% calcium level) or basal diets supplemented with 0.5% calcium, 5 μg/kg calcitriol or 500 mg/kg quercetin for 4 weeks. In trial 2, 360 Hy-Line Brown layers (60-week-old) were divided into 3 groups with 8 replicates of 15 birds: control group (basal diet), calcitriol group (basal diet + 5 μg/kg calcitriol), and quercetin group (basal diet + 500 mg/kg quercetin). This trial lasted for 12 weeks. The results showed that dietary calcitriol or quercetin improved eggshell quality in both trials ( < 0.05). In trial 2, compared with the control group, both calcitriol and quercetin supplementations improved femoral bone quality, calcium retention of hens and calcium content in uterine fluid at 18.5 h post-oviposition (PO) ( < 0.05), along with enhancing uterine morphology. Compared to the control group, supplemental calcitriol or quercetin up-regulated the relative mRNA expression levels of uterine transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 6 () at 8.5 h PO and plasma membrane calcium-ATPase (), vitamin D receptor (), estrogen receptor alpha () at 18.5 h PO ( < 0.05), but down-regulated the uterine caspase 3 () relative mRNA expression level at 8.5 h PO ( < 0.05). Meanwhile, the femoral relative mRNA expression levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase () (up-regulated at 8.5 and 18.5 h PO) and alkaline phosphatase () (up-regulated at 8.5 h PO but down-regulated at 18.5 h PO) were also affected by calcitriol or quercetin supplementation ( < 0.05). Compared to the calcitriol, quercetin increased hen-day egg production and femoral medullary bone volume/bone tissue volume but reduced femoral stiffness ( < 0.05), which were accompanied by increased relative mRNA expression levels of uterine , estrogen receptor beta () at 18.5 h PO ( < 0.05). Overall, both dietary calcitriol and quercetin could improve eggshell and bone quality by modulating calcium metabolism of aged layers. Compared to calcitriol, dietary quercetin up-regulated the expression of uterine calcium transporters, without affecting eggshell quality.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2022.06.010.].

At a global level, the supply of protein sources is insufficient to support the current magnitude of pig production. Moreover, given the exorbitant expense of conventional protein feed options like soybean meal and fish meal, it becomes imperative to promptly explore alternative sources of protein feed for the sustainable advancement of the pig industry. Cottonseed meal, a by-product from the extraction of cottonseed oil, exhibits significant potential as a protein source for pig feed owing to its high protein content, high yield, low cost, well-balanced amino acid composition, and sufficient accessibility. However, cottonseed meal possesses several anti-nutritional factors, especially gossypol, which adversely affect growth and reproductive performance, resulting in the limited utilization of cottonseed meal in pig feed. To maximize the benefits of cottonseed meal and promote its application in pig production, it is imperative to acquire comprehensive knowledge regarding its nutritional value and current utilization. In this review, we initially presented a summary of the nutritional values of cottonseed meal, primary anti-nutritional factors, and effective approaches for improving its utilization as a protein source feed. Subsequently, we comprehensively summarized the latest research progress of cottonseed meal application in pig nutrition over the past decade. The outcome of this review serves as a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the research and application of cottonseed meal in pig nutrition and promotes the reduction of soybean meal utilization in the pig industry.

This study aims to elucidate the mechanism of lipid metabolism disorder in intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) pigs and the potential alleviating effects of dimethylglycine sodium salt (DMG-Na). A total of 60 male newborn piglets were selected for this study. Within each litter, one normal birth weight (NBW) male piglet (1.53 ± 0.04 kg) and two IUGR male piglets (0.76 ± 0.06 kg) were chosen based on their birth weight. The piglets were divided into three groups for the study: NBW pigs received a PBS gavage and a common basal diet (NBW-C group), IUGR pigs received the same PBS gavage and common basal diet (IUGR-C group), and IUGR pigs received a 70-mg DMG-Na gavage along with a common basal diet supplemented with 0.1% DMG-Na (IUGR-D group). At 150 d of age, all piglets underwent euthanasia by exsanguination following electrical stunning, after which plasma, liver, and longissimus dorsi (LM) samples were promptly collected. The IUGR-D group demonstrated improvements in plasma parameters ( < 0.05), with lower triglyceride and free fatty acid (FFA) values, and hormone levels ( < 0.05), with lower growth hormone, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance values. Restoration of lipid metabolism was observed ( < 0.05), with lower triglyceride and FFA, and higher hepatic lipase and total lipase values in the liver, and lower triglyceride and FFA values in the LM. Mitochondrial ETC complexes showed increased levels ( < 0.05), including higher complex III values in the liver, and higher complex I, complex III, and complex V values in the LM. Enhanced levels of energy metabolites were noted ( < 0.05), with higher NAD, NAD/NADH, adenosine triphosphate, and mtDNA values, and lower NADH values in the liver and LM. Additionally, meat quality parameters showed improvement ( < 0.05), with higher pH 24 h and a∗ values, and lower drip loss 48 h, L∗, and b∗ values. The expressions of lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function-related genes and proteins were upregulated ( < 0.05) compared to the IUGR-C group. In conclusion, it was indicated that IUGR pigs experienced lipid metabolism disorders and diminished performance. However, supplementation with DMG-Na showed promise in mitigating these adverse physiological effects by safeguarding body tissues and modulating energy metabolism.

Intestine derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is closely related to systemic inflammation and disorders, yet little is known about its roles in the weanling stress of piglets and its potential as a nutritional intervention target. This study aimed to investigate the potential of essential oils (EO) and organic acids (OA) in mitigating weaning stress in piglets by modulating the circulation of intestine derived LPS. Seventy-two weaned piglets at 21 d old with body weight of 8.12 ± 0.168 kg were randomly divided into a control group (CON) and an experimental group, each consisting of six pens with six piglets per pen, and were fed either a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 3 kg/t OA + 500 g/t EO (EO + OA). On the 14th day of the feeding trial, 12 weaned piglets were randomly selected from the CON group, and 6 piglets were selected from the experimental group. Based on diet composition and stress treatment, these 18 piglets were divided into the following three groups: 1) CON group. Piglets were fed a basal diet and received an intraperitoneal injection of saline as a control. 2) LPS group. Piglets were fed a basal diet and received an intraperitoneal injection of LPS (100 μg/kg body weight) to induce stress. 3) EO + OA + LPS group. Piglets were fed a basal diet supplemented with EO and OA and received an intraperitoneal injection of LPS (100 μg/kg body weight) to induce stress. The results showed that EO + OA significantly ameliorated the oxidative imbalance and inflammation disorder induced by LPS in piglets' serum and intestine by inhibiting the activation of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Furthermore, compared to the LPS group, supplementation with EO + OA restored LPS-induced reductions in Bcl-2 protein expression in the piglets' intestines ( < 0.05) and mitigated morphological damage; it also enhanced both the protein expression and relative gene expression of the tight junction proteins occludin and claudin-1 ( < 0.05), and reduced the plasma diamine oxidase activity (DAO) and LPS content ( < 0.05). Compared to the CON group, supplementation with EO + OA altered the composition of the intestinal microbiota, increasing beneficial bacteria relative abundance () ( < 0.05) and decreasing harmful bacteria relative abundance [ ( < 0.01), ( < 0.05)]. Further analysis revealed that plasma LPS content in piglets was negatively correlated with the relative abundance of (r = -0.662,  = 0.021), (r = -0.492,  = 0.031), and average daily gain (ADG) (r = -0.912,  = 0.041). Plasma LPS content was also positively correlated with the plasma inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1β (r = 0.591,  = 0.021), IL-6 (r = 0.623,  = 0.021), IL-12 (r = 561,  = 0.031) contents, and the relative abundance of (r = 0.712,  = 0.041). In summary, the addition of EO + OA prevents the leakage of intestine derived LPS into the circulation by improving intestinal integrity and microbiota composition, thereby enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities and growth performance of weaned piglets.

To evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with succinic acid on growth performance, flesh quality, glucose, and lipid metabolism of Nile tilapia () fed a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD), five iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipidic diets were prepared as follows: HCD (control group) consisting of 55% corn starch and HCD supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, and 4.0% succinic acid, respectively. Tilapia with an initial body weight of 204.90 ± 1.23 g randomly assigned to 15 tanks with 3 replicates per group and 10 fish per tank fed for 8 weeks. Increasing dietary succinic acid supplementation resulted in significant second-order polynomial relationship in the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency rate (PER), viscerosomatic index, condition factor, and contents of muscular crude lipid and glycogen ( < 0.05). The hepatosomatic index, mesenteric fat index, liver glycogen content and crude lipid contents of the whole-body and liver demonstrated significantly linear and second-order polynomial relationship ( < 0.05). Quadratic curve model analysis based on WGR, SGR, PER, and FCR demonstrated that optimal supplementation with succinic acid in the HCD of Nile tilapia ranged from 1.83% to 2.43%. Fish fed with 1.0% succinic acid had higher muscular hardness, increased the contents of alkali-soluble hydroxyproline in collagen, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3PUFA) in muscle, and lower total fatty acid content in muscle ( < 0.05) compared with the control group. Compared to the control group, dietary supplementation with 1.0% succinic acid significantly increased the contents of total bounding amino acid (arginine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, alanine, proline), total flavor amino acid (free aspartic acid), the catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity, and the mRNA relative expression levels of , superoxide dismutase (), and nuclearfactor erythroidderived 2-like 2 () in muscle ( < 0.05). Furthermore, succinic acid supplementation significantly up-regulated mRNA relative expression levels of glycolysis genes (hexokinase 2 [], phosphofructokinase, muscle-A [], and phosphofructokinase, muscle-B []), a key glycogen synthesis gene (glycogen synthase []), and lipid catabolism genes (carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1B [], hormone sensitive lipase [], and lipoprotein lipase []), while down-regulating the mRNA relative expression level of fatty acid synthase () in muscle ( < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 1.83% to 2.43% succinic acid improved muscle quality by increasing muscle antioxidant capacity and hardness, changing muscle amino acid and fatty acid composition, and regulating muscle glucose and lipid metabolism.

essential oil (PEO), extracted from , has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-stress properties, as well as the ability to improve gastrointestinal digestion. This study aims to evaluate the effects of PEO on the performance, rumen epithelial morphology, and barrier function in heat-stressed beef cattle. Thirty-six male Jingjiang cattle at 18 months old were randomly assigned into four groups and fed a diet containing PEO at 0 (control), 50, 100, or 150 mg/kg in the feed concentrate ( = 9). All experimental cattle were fed under high temperature and humidity in summer for 60 days. The results indicated that 50 mg/kg of PEO treatment enhanced the average daily gain of beef cattle compared with the control group ( = 0.032). All PEO treatments reduced the diamine oxidase activity ( = 0.004) and malondialdehyde content ( = 0.008) in serum. In addition, the content of 70 kDa heat shock protein in the 100 mg/kg group was increased, and the activity of glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity in both 100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg groups were enhanced compared to the control group ( < 0.05). More importantly, PEO treatment with 50 mg/kg enhanced the mRNA relative expressions of occludin in ruminal epithelia but decreased the mRNA relative expressions of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, P38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, caspase-3, Beclin1 ( < 0.05), and extremely significant declined the mRNA relative expressions of extracellular regulated protein kinases and ubiquitin-binding protein in contrast to the control group ( < 0.01). These findings indicated that dietary PEO supplementation might be favorable to improve growth performance and repairing damaged rumen epithelium of heat-stressed cattle by down-regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

Optimizing nitrogen utilization efficiency and mitigating nitrogen losses in cows plays a pivotal role in fostering economic sustainability within contemporary agricultural systems. Biochanin A (BCA), a natural component in red clover, has the potential to improve nitrogen metabolism in dairy cows. The primary objective of this study was to probe the impact of biochanin A supplementation on lactational performance, nitrogen metabolism, and blood metabolites in dairy cows. A complete randomized block design experiment was conducted over 28 d, involving 36 multiparous Holstein cows (comparable milk yield = 37.1 ± 2.90 kg, BW = 642 ± 70.0 kg, days in milk = 92 ± 8.0 d, and parity = 2.4 ± 0.50), which were allocated to three treatment groups: the Control group (with 0 g/d BCA), the Low group (with 10 g/d per cow BCA), and the High group (with 40 g/d per cow BCA). Biochanin A supplementation improved the lactational performance of cows by increasing milk yield by 6.3% ( = 0.007) and feed efficiency by 12.7% ( = 0.009). Total intestinal apparent digestibility was unaffected by BCA supplementation ( > 0.05), but microbial nitrogen was increased by 30.0% ( = 0.002) for promoting nitrogen utilization efficiency by 20.7% ( = 0.004). Milk competent yields (protein, lactose, and non-fat milk solid) were increased with increasing BCA supplementation ( < 0.05). Urea nitrogen levels in plasma and milk were both decreased by BCA supplementation ( < 0.05). Blood routine parameters and plasma biochemical parameters both received no effect by BCA supplementation ( > 0.05). BCA did not affect body health of dairy cows. Additionally, none of the plasma endocrine hormones were affected ( > 0.05). A total of 95 significantly different metabolites were screened from the plasma metabolites of cows in the BCA-added and non-added groups. After performing an enrichment analysis of the metabolic pathways associated with the different metabolites, six specific pathways were identified: bile acid biosynthesis, aspartate metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, the urea cycle, and ammonia recycling. The inclusion of BCA is suggested to enhance milk yield and modulate nitrogen metabolism by influencing relevant metabolites within the metabolic pathways.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of solid-state fermentation products of yeast (SFPY) on liver and intestinal health and disease resistance of common carp (). A total of 200 common carp with an initial average weight of 2.55 ± 0.004 g were divided into 5 groups (4 replications per group and 10 fish per replication), and were fed with one of five diets, including a control diet and 4 diets supplemented with 2‰ (Y2), 3‰ (Y3), 4‰ (Y4), or 5‰ (Y5) SFPY, respectively, for 8 weeks. Results indicated that, the addition of SFPY to the diet of common carp did not affect the growth performance or survival rate of fish ( = 0.253). Interestingly, with the addition of SFPY, the triacylglycerol (TAG) content of the liver presented a linear decreasing tendency ( = 0.004), with significantly decreased in Y4 and Y5 groups ( = 0.035) compared with control. Serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity presented a negative linear relationship with the addition of SFPY ( = 0.015,  = 0.030), while serum lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) content first decreased and then increased ( < 0.001). The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in the intestine of fish increased continuously with increasing SFPY supplementation ( = 0.026), reaching the highest level in Y5 group. The villus height in all experimental groups were significantly higher than that in the control group ( < 0.001). Furthermore, compared to the control, adding 3‰ SFPY to the control diet of common carp significantly increased the relative abundance of Fusobacteria ( = 0.018) and decreased that of Proteobacteria ( = 0.039) at phylum level, and increased the relative abundance of (= 0.018) and decreased that of ( = 0.013) at genus level. Compared with the control, the relative mRNA expression level of spring viraemia of carp virus N protein ( ) in the kidney was lower than that of the control group without significance and bottomed out in Y4 group ( = 0.138). In conclusion, dietary SFPY enhanced the SVCV resistance capacity of common carp by improving liver and intestinal health and modulating the gut microbiota. Thus, SFPY is a potential feed additive to be used in aquaculture to reduce the huge economic loss of common carp due to SVCV disease. Based on liver TAG content and intestinal villus height, the optimal addition level of SFPY was 3.02‰ and 2.72‰, respectively.

D-mannose, essential for protein glycosylation, has been reported to have immunomodulatory effects and to maintain intestinal flora homeostasis. In addition to evaluating growth performance, we examined the impact of D-mannose on the structure of epithelial cells and apical junction complexes in the animal intestine. All 1800 grass carp (16.20 ± 0.01 g) were randomly divided into six treatments with six replicates of 50 fish each and fed with six different levels of D-mannose (0.52, 1.75, 3.02, 4.28, 5.50 and 6.78 g/kg diet) for 70 d. The study revealed that D-mannose increased feed intake ( < 0.001) but did not affect the percent weight gain (PWG), special growth rate, and feed conversion ratio ( > 0.05). D-mannose supplementation at 1.75 g/kg increased crude protein content in fish and lipid production value ( < 0.05). D-mannose supplementation at 4.28 g/kg increased intestinal length, intestinal weight and fold height of grass carp compared to the control group ( < 0.05). This improvement may be attributed to the phosphomannose isomerase (PMI)-mediated enhancement of glycolysis. This study found that D-mannose supplementation at 4.28 or 3.02 g/kg reduced serum diamine oxidase activity or D-lactate content ( < 0.05) and improved cellular and intercellular structures for the first time. The improvement of cellular redox homeostasis involves alleviating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through the inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), RNA-dependent protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK), and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) signaling pathways. The alleviation of ER stress may be linked to the phosphomannomutase (PMM)-mediated enhancement of protein glycosylation. In addition, ubiquitin-dependent [PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin] and ubiquitin-independent [BCL2-interacting protein 3-like (BNIP3L), BCL2-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), and FUN14 domain containing 1 (FUNDC1)] mitophagy may play a role in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. The enhancement of intercellular structures includes enhancing tight junction and adherent junction structures, which may be closely associated with the small Rho GTPase protein (RhoA)/the Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway. In conclusion, D-mannose improved intestinal cellular redox homeostasis associated with ER stress and mitophagy pathways, and enhanced intercellular structures related to tight junctions and adherent junctions. Furthermore, quadratic regression analysis of the PWG and intestinal reactive oxygen species content indicated that the optimal addition level of D-mannose for juvenile grass carp was 4.61 and 4.59 g/kg, respectively.

The study aimed to assess the effects of dietary black soldier fly oil (BSFO) on the growth performance, flesh quality, and health status of largemouth bass (). Six iso-nitrogenous and isolipid diets were formulated by substituting fish oil and soybean oil (1/2, wt/wt) with BSFO in percentages of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%, respectively. The diets were fed to 960 fish (initial body weight = 16.5 g) in four replicates for 8 weeks. Indicators related to growth performance, body composition, hematology, flesh quality, expression of genes related to inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis, and the response of fish to challenge were analyzed. The results showed that the weight gain rate was numerically improved in all BSFO substitution groups, ranging from 9.3% to 44.0% compared to the control group. The highest survival rate and the lowest hepatosomatic index and condition factor were observed in the BFSO20 group. In terms of flesh quality, the water-holding capacity of the dorsal muscle was elevated with higher levels of dietary BSFO. However, significant changes in texture properties (cohesiveness, gluing, and chewiness) were observed in the BSFO20 group ( < 0.05). Six hematological parameters related to glycolipid and liver function were optimized in most of the BFSO substitution groups. Furthermore, the expressions of six inflammation- and apoptosis-related genes , , , , , and ) were significantly affected by dietary BSFO ( < 0.05). Following bacterial challenge, the seven-day cumulative survival rates of fish were considerably increased from 10.0% in the control group to 60.0% and 66.7% in the BSFO80 and BSFO100 groups, respectively. One-variable linear regression analysis revealed that various parameters related to fish growth, flesh quality, and health status were significantly influenced by dietary BSFO substitution levels in a dose-dependent manner ( < 0.05). In conclusion, substituting around 20% of dietary fish oil and soybean oil with BSFO is promising in improving the growth performance and flesh quality of . However, to enhance immunity and disease resistance, it is recommended to further increase the inclusion of BSFO in the diet.

Aiming to investigate the impact of different stocking densities on the ability of Pacific white shrimp () to utilize (CHL), a 3 × 2 factorial design stocking experiment was used in this study. Specifically, shrimp was fed with two dietary protein sources (fishmeal [FM] and CHL) at low (LSD; 100 per m), medium (MSD; 200 per m) and high (HSD; 300 per m) stocking densities for 8 weeks. The growth performance and resistance to (1.0 × 10 CFU/mL) of shrimp decreased with the increase of stocking density, but dietary CHL improved this result. Differences between the CHL and FM groups for . resistance were significant only under high-density conditions ( < 0.05). Significant interactions between stocking density and protein source were found on the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenol oxidase (PO), and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hepatopancreas and the activities of intestinal amylase, most of which were significantly different between CHL and FM groups only at high stocking density ( < 0.05). Analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing showed that dietary CHL increased the alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota, inhibited the colonization of pathogenic bacteria and enhanced the abundance of beneficial bacteria. Transcriptomic results showed that at high stocking densities, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the FM vs CHL group were mostly upregulated and primarily enriched in immune and metabolic related pathways including Toll, immune deficiency (Imd) and glycolysis-gluconeogenesis pathways. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant correlation between the top ten intestinal bacteria at the genus level and markedly enriched DEGs, also more were detected under high density situations. In conclusion, CHL has great potential as a novel protein source in the intensive farming of shrimp.

The objective of this study was to examine the early serum proteomic and inflammatory profiles of weaned piglets subjected to iron deficiency. Twelve healthy piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large Yorkshire, body weight: 4.96 ± 0.05 kg) were weaned at 21 days of age. Subsequently, these animals were randomly allocated to one of two groups, with six replicates in each group (maintaining a male-to-female ratio of 1:1), the control group (administered 100 mg/kg Fe as FeSO·HO) and L-Fe group (no additional Fe supplementation). The results showed that 42 days after initiating, compared with control group, routine blood analysis revealed a reduction in serum iron content, red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (HGB) content, hematocrit (HCT), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) ( < 0.05). Subsequent sample analysis indicated a noteworthy decrease in iron deposition in the liver, spleen, and kidneys of piglets fed the L-Fe diet compared with control group ( < 0.05). However, final body weight, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed conversion ratio, and tissue coefficients were similar between the two groups ( > 0.05). During the early stages of iron deficiency, piglets exhibited increased villus height (VH) and the ratio of VH to crypt depth (CD) in the duodenum ( < 0.05) and increased expression levels of iron transporters, including duodenal cytochrome (), divalent metal transport 1 (), and ferritin light chain () ( < 0.05). Subsequently, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) were used to identify serum proteins. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the differentially abundant proteins (DAP) revealed that 24 of the 30 DAP were involved in platelet function, immune response, cellular metabolism, transcription, and protein synthesis. Notably, prothrombin, asporin (), and Rac family small GTPase 3 (3) expression was induced, whereas glycoprotein Ib platelet subunit alpha () expression was decreased. This was accompanied by a substantial reduction in serum complement 3 (C3) and complement 4 (C4) contents ( < 0.05), with elevated the contents of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) ( < 0.05). Our findings underscore the essential role of dietary iron supplementation in maintaining iron homeostasis and modulating inflammatory responses in piglets.

Dietary fat content can reduce the methane production of dairy cows; however, the relevance fatty acid (FA) composition has towards this inhibitory effect is debatable. Furthermore, in-depth studies elucidating the effects of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) on rumen function and the mechanism of reducing methane (CH) production are lacking. This study exposed 10 Holstein cows with the same parity, similar milk yield to two total mixed rations: low unsaturated FA (LUFA) and high unsaturated FA (HUFA) with similar fat content. The LUFA group mainly added fat powder (C16:0 > 90%), and the HUFA group mainly replaced fat powder with extruded flaxseed. The experiment lasted 26 d, the last 5 d of which, gas exchange in respiratory chambers was conducted to measure gas emissions. We found that an increase in the UFA in diet did not affect milk production ( > 0.05) and could align the profile of milk FAs more closely with modern human nutritional requirements. Furthermore, we found that increasing the UFA content in the diet lead to a decrease in the abundance of in the rumen (|linear discriminant analysis [LDA] score| > 2 and  < 0.05), which resulted in a decrease in the relative abundance of multiple enzymes (EC:1.2.7.12, EC:2.3.1.101, EC:3.5.4.27, EC:1.5.98.1, EC:1.5.98.2, EC:6.2.1.1, EC:2.1.1.86 and EC:2.8.4.1) during methanogenesis ( < 0.05). Compared with the LUFA group, the pathway of CH metabolism was inhibited in the HUFA group (|LDA| > 2 and  < 0.05), which ultimately decreased CH production ( < 0.05). Our results illustrated the mechanism involving decreased CH production when fed a UFA diet in dairy cows. We believe that our study provides new evidence to explore CH emission reduction measures for dairy cows.

This study was conducted to investigate potential regulatory mechanisms of feed efficiency (FE) in sheep by linking rumen microbiota with its host by the multi-omics analysis. One hundred and ninety-eight hybrid female sheep (initial body weight = 30.88 ± 4.57 kg; 4-month-old) were selected as candidate sheep. Each test sheep was fed in an individual pen for 60 days, and the residual feed intake (RFI) was calculated. The ten candidate sheep with the highest RFI were divided into the Low-FE group, and the ten with the lowest RFI were divided into the High-FE group, all selected for sample collection. The RFI, average daily gain and average daily feed intake were highly significantly different between the two experimental groups ( < 0.05). Compared with Low-FE group, the insulin-like growth factor-1 and very low-density lipoprotein in serum and the propionate in rumen significantly increased in High-FE group ( < 0.01), but the acetate:propionate ratio in rumen significantly decreased in High-FE group ( = 0.034). Metagenomics revealed sp. and were key bacteria, and increased abundance of the genes encoding the enzymes for cellulose degradation and production of propionate in High-FE group. The results of proteomics and section showed the rumen papilla length ( < 0.001) and expression of carbonic anhydrase and Na/K-ATPase were significantly higher in High-FE group ( < 0.05). On the other hand, the acetyl-CoA content significantly increased in the liver of High-FE group ( = 0.002). The relative expression levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 and apolipoprotein A4 genes were significantly up-regulated in the liver of High-FE group ( < 0.01), but relative expression level of monoacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 3 gene was significantly down-regulated ( = 0.037). These findings provide the mechanism by which the collaborative interaction between rumen microbiota fermentation and host uptake and metabolism of fermentation products impacts feed efficiency traits in sheep.

The aim of this study was to investigate the reasons for the differences in lipid accumulation between lean and obese pigs. The bile acids with varying levels within two types of pigs were found and then in vitro experiments were conducted to identify whether these bile acids can directly affect lipid accumulation. Fourteen pigs, including seven lean and seven obese pigs with body weights of approximately 80 kg, were fed the same diet at an amount approximately equivalent to 3% of their respective body weights daily for 42 d. In vitro, 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were cultured in medium with high glucose levels and were differentiated into mature adipocytes using differentiation medium. Then, bile acids were added to mature adipocytes for 4 d. The results showed that there was a difference in body lipids levels and gut microbiota composition between obese and lean pigs ( < 0.05). According to the results of gut microbial function prediction, the bile acid biosynthesis in colonic digesta of obese pigs were different from that in lean pig. Sixty-five bile acids were further screened by metabolomics, of which 4 were upregulated ( < 0.05) and 2 were downregulated ( < 0.05) in obese pigs compared to lean pigs. The results of the correlation analysis demonstrated that chenodeoxycholic acid-3-β-D-glucuronide (CDCA-3Gln) and ω-muricholic acid (ω-MCA) had a negative correlation with abdominal fat weight and abdominal fat rate, while isoallolithocholic acid (IALCA) was positively associated with crude fat in the liver and abdominal fat rate. There was a positive correlation between loin muscle area and CDCA-3Gln and ω-MCA ( < 0.05), however, IALCA and 3-oxodeoxycholic acid (3-oxo-DCA) were negatively associated with loin eye muscle area ( < 0.05). Isoallolithocholic acid increased the gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma () and the number of lipid droplets ( < 0.05), promoting the lipid storage when IALCA was added to 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes in vitro. In conclusion, the concentration of bile acids, especially gut microbiota related-secondary bile acids, in obese pigs was different from that in lean pigs, which may contribute to lipid accumulation within obese pigs.

Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) exist in dietary foods and are produced by the fermentation of gut microbiota, and are considered an important element for regulating host health. Through blood circulation, SCFA produced in the gut and obtained from foods have an impact on the intestinal health as well as vital organs of the host. It has been recognized that the gut is the "vital organ" in the host. As the gut microbial metabolites, SCFA could create an "axis" connecting the gut and to other organs. Therefore, the "gut-organ axes" have become a focus of research in recent years to analyze organism health. In this review, we summarized the sources, absorption properties, and the function of SCFA in both gut and other peripheral tissues (brain, kidney, liver, lung, bone and cardiovascular) in the way of "gut-organ axes". Short chain fatty acids exert both beneficial and pathological role in gut and other organs in various ways, in which the beneficial effects are more pronounced. In addition, the beneficial effects are reflected in both preventive and therapeutic effects. More importantly, the mechanisms behinds the gut and other tissues provided insight into the function of SCFA, assisting in the development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for maintaining the host health.