Replacing soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets with only other plant-based protein-rich ingredients or only non-bound amino acids (NBAA) may compromise growth performance in broiler chickens. However, combining both to replace SBM may be feasible while maintaining broiler performance. A 3 × 2 full factorial designed experiment was conducted to include three levels of SBM inclusions (conventional, medium

Reducing nitrogen loss and improving nitrogen utilization efficiency in dairy cows can reduce economic costs and mitigate the environmental impact of nitrogen emissions. Red clover isoflavone, a natural compound derived from plant extract, has the advantage of biological safety. This study aimed to investigate the effects of red clover isoflavone on lactation performance and nitrogen metabolism in

This study aimed to investigate the limitations and interactive effects of dietary crude protein (CP; 15%, 17% and 19%), excess branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) inclusions (0%, 20% and 40%), and net energy (NE; 9.0, 9.7 and 10.4 MJ/kg) on performance and nutrient utilization for Cobb 500 mix-sex broilers, using a Box-Behnken design. The study consisted of 2 experiments: Exp. 1 involved 1092 chickens

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) could be utilized as an effective strategy to promote growth performance of calves and to further study its impact on decreasing diarrhea. A total of 18 healthy Holstein calves (age 8 ± 3 days, weight 42.48 ± 1.04 kg) were raised in a centralized manner to minimize differences and then divided into two groups:

Arachidonic acid (ARA) is crucial for the growth, antioxidant capacity, and reproductive performance of fish. This study was conducted to assess the impact of dietary ARA on female rice field eel (Monopterus albus) broodstocks. A total of 600 eels, averaging 117.96 ± 3.65 g, were randomly distributed into 12 tanks, with each tank containing 50 fish. Four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets comprising

Arginine (Arg) can potentially increase milk yields in early lactating dairy cows by stimulating the development of mammary gland and the biosynthesis of milk proteins and fatty acids (FA); however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. The hypothesis that rumen-protected Arg addition would increase milk, milk fat, and milk protein yields was tested, aiming to dlucidate the possible mechanism

Arecoline is an alkaloid extracted from the plant betel nut with important pharmacological effects and is an agonist at muscarinic receptors (M receptors). In this study, we investigated the effects of dietary arecoline supplementation on hepatopancreatic and muscle glycolipid metabolism in adult grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). A total of 450 healthy adult grass carp with an initial body weight

This study investigated the impacts of feeding different lipid sources on raw goose foie gras quality characteristics. A total of 1080 Landes geese at 60 d old with body weight 3.87 ± 0.13 kg (mean ± SEM) were randomly assigned to three treatments: a corn meal-based diet with 25 g/kg soybean oil, with 25 g/kg goose fat, or with 15 g/kg goose fat plus 10 g/kg soybean oil (MIX). Each treatment was split

Skeletal muscle constitutes the largest tissue in fish and represents the primary edible portion. Given the substantial differences in muscle growth dynamics between fish and mammals, fish serve as a crucial and distinctive model organism for investigating the fundamental mechanisms of growth regulation in vertebrates. Myo-inositol (MI), originally discovered in muscle, plays significant biological

Meat quality and lean meat percentage are important to pig industry. Muscle and adipose tissues are regarded as secretory organs that release myokines and adipokines to mediate muscle-adipose tissue crosstalk, which regulates lipid deposition and skeletal muscle development. The Taoyuan Black (TB) pig, a Chinese indigenous breed, exhibits abundant lipid deposition and is known for excellent meat quality

The study investigated the metabolic responses of yaks to dietary net energy for gain (NEg) and metabolizable protein (MP), and explored potential biomarkers for average daily gain (ADG) in serum metabolites. A total of 40 three-year-old yaks (initial body weight = 255 ± 8.04 kg) were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement based on dietary NEg (4.18 vs 4.81 MJ/kg DM; low NEg [LE] vs high

The use of supplementary feeds, including concentrates, on New Zealand dairy farms has increased in recent decades and this could have mitigated methane (CH4) emissions by decreasing the forage-to-concentrate ratio. The forage-to-concentrate ratio in the diet can be easily managed in cows that receive a total mixed ration, but under grazing conditions, the cows select their own diets by increasing

The intestinal mucus barrier is a crucial component of the host's innate defense system, playing a vital role in regulating intestinal microecology and maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Glycosylated mucins, the core components of this barrier, are essential for preserving its integrity by preventing bacterial degradation. Additionally, mucins significantly contribute to establishing a balanced symbiotic

Traditional feeding strategy during lactation can result in nutrient deficiencies and negatively impact long-term productivity, compromising both the sustainability and profitability of the swine industry. Precision feeding, supported by decision-making systems built on advanced predictive models, offers a promising solution to address these challenges. This study aimed to develop prediction models

Curcumin has been shown to affect lipid metabolism in various ways, but its molecular mechanisms in hens remain poorly understood. In this study, 378 Hy-Line Brown hens, aged 58 weeks, were randomly assigned into three groups, each consisting of 6 replicates with 21 hens per replicate. The control group was fed a basal diet, while the experimental groups received diets supplemented with either 50 or

The velocity of nitrogen release impacts nitrogen utilization efficiency and animal growth. Yet the crucial junctures linking nitrogen release and utilization from diverse feed ingredients to digestion kinetic parameters remain obscure. This study aimed to evaluate and subdivide in vitro protein digestion characteristics (such as release rate of free amino acids [FAA]) of three commonly used protein

An experiment was conducted to investigate the optimal dietary calcium (Ca) levels in Jing Tint 6 layer chicks fed different sources of zinc (Zn). A total of 1440 day-old birds with similar body weight (38 ± 0.5 g) were selected and divided into 10 groups with 6 replicates per group, each containing 24 chicks. The experimental period lasted from hatch to d 14. Diets were formulated to contain 2 sources

This inherently speculative review provides a perception that the feed grain basis of a reduced-crude protein (CP) diets modifies the anabolic impact of insulin in broiler chickens for the first 21 to 28 days post-hatch. Insulin is a powerful anabolic hormone in non-ruminant, mammalian species; however, the importance of insulin in avian species is usually dismissed because broiler chickens are held

Improving sow health during the perinatal period is crucial for reproductive performance. Cinnamaldehyde (CA), a naturally occurring compound, is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and gut microbiota-modulating properties. This study evaluated the effects of dietary CA supplementation during the perinatal period on reproductive performance, milk composition, redox status, and gut microbiota

Given the role of the rumen microbiome in providing nutrients to the host ruminant, it is expected that rumen microbes contribute to inter-animal variations in feed efficiency. However, the link between microbial structure and an “efficient” host phenotype is unclear. We hypothesized that extreme residual feed intake (RFI) phenotypes would display distinctive microbiome features regardless of the diet

Low-protein (LP) diets play a pivotal role in inducing skeletal muscle remodeling toward an oxidative phenotype in pigs, the underlying targets and mechanisms remain uncertain. This study aimed to investigate whether fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), an endocrine signal associated with low protein intake, mediates the effect of LP diets on myofiber type transition in pigs. Twenty-four healthy castrated

Nettle is not only a nutrient-rich forage but also possesses the potential to act as a nutritional and physiological regulator. This study investigated the effects of supplementing nettle hay into the total mixed rations (TMR) on milk yield, milk composition, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and plasma metabolome in dairy cows. Twenty multiparous Holstein cows with similar days in milk (102 ±

Ambient temperature is an important factor affecting metabolic processes in animals, and its effect on energy metabolism is becoming more evident. Yet, integrative analysis of energy metabolism in finishing pigs at different combinations of ambient temperature, energy density and energy sources, still remain underexplored. In order to determine the special characteristics of energy metabolism of finishing

High feed costs and compromised meat quality are among the major issues perturbing the global broiler industry. This study therefore investigated Vachellia erioloba pods-derived oyster mushroom spent substrate (OMSS) as a potential nutraceutical feed ingredient to replace wheat bran for enhancing meat quality in broilers. Four hundred male Ross 308 chicks at 14 d of age were randomly allocated to 40

The dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) has the potential to influence the physiological functions of animals. Nonetheless, there is a notable scarcity of research in the field of ruminant science regarding its effects on fattening sheep, particularly with respect to the rumen microbiota. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of varied DCAD levels on growth performance, rumen fermentation

Amino acids (AA), including methionine (Met) and leucine (Leu), stimulate milk synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) via activation of protein kinase mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). In this study, we further explored the potential role of myotonic dystrophy-related CDC42-binding kinase alpha (MRCKα), previously identified as a critical mediator of prolactin-stimulated milk synthesis

This review provides an overview of the current research on prebiotics and their applications in animal nutrition and health. Various types of prebiotics are introduced and classified, with an analysis of agro-industrial residues as sources. The potential of prebiotics as substrates for the growth and/or activity of probiotic microorganisms, as well as their applications in animal feeds, were examined

This study was designed to investigate the effects of Fermented Broussonetia papyrifera (FBP) on growth performance, meat quality, and the expression of meat quality-related genes in Taihe black-bone silky fowl (TBsf). In the present study, 360 ninety-day-old TBsfs (body weight = 781 ± 0.85 g) were divided into 4 groups with 5 replicates (18 hens per replicate), of which the control group was fed the

Antarctic krill meal (KM) (Euphausia superba) as a substitute for fishmeal in aquatic animal diets is gaining popularity worldwide. A quantitative approach investigating the efficacy of using this protein on the production performance of aquatic animals remains widely limited. Here, we employed a meta-analysis to quantify the overall effects (Hedges’g [g] value effect size) of KM on the specific growth

Lentinan (LNT) is a bioactive polysaccharide that has been proven to improve the production performance of animals. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of LNT on lactation performance and rumen fermentation in dairy cows. Through random block design, 80 Holstein cows were randomly assigned to four treatments (CON, control group, fed a basal diet; and 5LNT, 10LNT, 15LNT groups

Enteric methane emissions account for approximately 17% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and represent 2% to 12% of energy losses from energy intake in ruminants. To reduce these emissions and accelerate the achievement of carbon neutrality, it is critical to understand the factors driving methanogenesis in the rumen and develop effective methane mitigation strategies. Methanogenesis

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of replacing dietary fish oil (FO) with black soldier fly larval oil (BSFO) on growth performance, antioxidant and immune response, lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function of the juvenile mud crab. A total of 160 mud crabs (18.58 ± 0.02 g) were randomly distributed into five treatments spread across 160 aquaria. There were 4 replicates

The impacts of substituting dietary soybean meal (SBM) with yellow mealworm meal (YMM) were investigated during a 56-day feeding trial on growth, antioxidant capacity, immunity, intestinal morphology, and intestinal microbiota of grass carp. A total of 750 grass carp were divided into 5 groups (3 replications per group and 50 fish per replication) with different levels of YMM: SBM (control group),

This experiment explored the effects of lysophospholipids on hybrid grouper (initial average weight: 22.65 ± 0.03 g) hepatic lipid metabolism and immunity at the transcriptome and metabolome levels. A total of 375 hybrid groupers were divided into 5 groups of 3 replicates of 25 fish each. Five isoproteic and isolipidic diets were formed by adding 0 (L0, control group), 0.05% (L0.05), 0.1% (L0.1), 0

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a prevalent mycotoxin found in plant-based feed ingredients, and it negatively impacts the performance of aquatic animals. However, the mechanism of this toxicity remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of dietary FB1 on the growth performance of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). A total of 720 juvenile grass carp (10.92

Early colostrum feeding facilitates the passive transfer of immunoglobulin G (IgG), which contributes to the defensive establishment of neonates; however, the molecular mechanisms of IgG absorption in the small intestine of neonatal mammals remain largely unknown. In this study, a total of 16 neonatal goat kids with similar body weight (2.05 ± 0.31 kg) were selected and randomly assigned to 1 of 2

A 30-day feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of three fresh-live polychaetes as diets on growth and reproductive performance, biochemical indices and histology of different tissues in female Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) broodstock. Two novel polychaete species, Marphysa maxidenticulata (MM group) and Perinereis nuntia (PN group), and a traditional species, Perinereis aibuhitensis

Scutellariae radix flavonoid extract (SFE) has been acknowledged for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties in enhancing gastrointestinal microbial communities and improving the host’s immunity. Nevertheless, the impacts of dietary supplementation with SFE on the gastrointestinal microbes and host metabolism in dairy cows remain uncertain. Therefore, the aim of this study was

This study explored the impact of astaxanthin (AST) supplementation on growth performance, serum lipid profile, gut morphology, and antioxidant and immune function in the intestinal mucosa of Pekin ducks subjected to overfeeding. A total of 150 male Pekin ducks at one day of age were randomly allotted into five treatment groups with five replicates of six ducks each. The control group and ad libitum

A promising strategy to support broiler health and performance in a sustainable way is the enhancement of microbial fibre fermentation in broilers. This fermentation mainly occurs in the caeca, but the actual particle size range that allows caecal influx has not yet been described. This study aimed to understand the physical limitations of caecal influx as a function of broiler age by using both solid

The purpose of this research was to investigate how different bile acids impact lipid metabolism and carcass characteristics in finishing pigs, along with the potential mechanisms involved. Twenty-one finishing pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire [DLY]; average BW = 144.38 ± 8.92 kg) were assigned to three dietary treatments, with each treatment containing seven replicates, each consisting of one pig. The

This study evaluated the effect of maternal glycerol monolaurate (GML) supplementation during late gestation and lactation on sow reproductive performance, transfer of immunity and redox status, milk fat and fatty acid profile, and fecal microbiota. Eighty multiparous sows (Landrace × Large white) were randomly allocated to two treatment groups (with or without 1000 mg/kg GML) with 40 replicates per

Diarrhea is the leading cause of mortality in postnatal goat kids, seriously impacting breeding efficiency. This study aimed to explore the effects of Bacillus pumilus 315 (B. pumilus) on goat kids’ diarrhea and its regulatory mechanism. Thirty-six 1-day-old goat kids were assigned into four treatments, the control (CON) group and low-, medium- and high-dose groups supplemented with B. pumilus at 1 × 108

Maternal inulin intake has been shown to alleviate oxidative stress in piglets, but the role of bile acids (BAs) in this process remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the roles of gut microbiota and BAs metabolism in the amelioration of intestinal oxidative stress in piglets through a maternal inulin diet. A total of 40 sows were allocated into two dietary treatments from day 85 of gestation

Increasing forage proportion (FP) in the diets of dairy cows would reduce competition for human edible foods and reduce feed costs, particularly in low-input systems. However, increasing FP reduces productivity and may increases methane (CH4) emission parameters. This work aimed to investigate the impact of FP and breed on feed efficiency and CH4 emission parameters. Data from 32 individual experiments

This study investigated the effect of peroxidized lipids on piglets’ growth performance, intestinal morphology, inflammatory reactions, oxidative stress in the liver, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon, and ileal microbiota. Twenty piglets (Duroc × [Landrace × Yorkshire]; age = 21 d old, BW = 6.5 ± 1 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups with 10 replicates per group and one piglet per replicate

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ginger straw as a replacement of peanut straw on the growth, meat quality, rumen fermentation, and immunity of goats. In this study, 40 Huanghuai male goats, weighing 30 ± 0.5 kg at six months of age, were selected and randomly divided into four treatments: ginger straw 0% (G0), 5% (G5), 10% (G10) and 20% (G20) replacing peanut straw, with 10 goats in

This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with isochlorogenic acid (ICA) on growth performance and intestinal health of broilers. A total of 400 Cobb broilers (44.20 ± 0.16 g, one day old) were randomly assigned to 5 treatments (ICA supplementation at 0, 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 mg/kg diet) with 8 replicates of 10 birds each. The experimental trial lasted for 42 d. The feed-to-gain

Multiple stressors are believed to deteriorate production performance and cause substantial economic losses in commercial poultry farming. Folic acid (FA) is an antioxidant compound that can improve oocyte function and regulate gut microbiota composition. The current study was conducted to investigate the role of FA in alleviating stress and improving production performance. Sixty Hyline Brown laying

The present study investigated whether replacing dietary rice straw with peanut vine (PEV) and Broussonetia papyrifera silage (BPS) reduces the use of soybean meal and explored its effects on the growth performance, blood biochemical indicators, serum metabolomics, and meat quality of fattening bulls. Forty-five Simmental crossbred bulls (initial body weight = 484.29 ± 8.49 kg) were randomly allotted

The current study aims to investigate the potential interaction between glycosylation profiles of the Ningxiang breed (NX) and Western Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire breed (DLY) weaned piglets, and their characteristic microbes, employing integrated analyses of transcriptomics and metagenomics. Twenty-four (12 NX and 12 DLY) at 28 days of age were transported into an experimental house and fed the same

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary geniposide supplementation on growth performance, lipid metabolism, health status, and ammonia stress resistance in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Four hundred fifty fish were randomly allocated into 5 treatments with triplicate tanks (30 fish per tank). They were hand-fed to apparent satiety for 56 d with a basal diet (GP0) or diets containing 100

The objectives of the experiment were to compare the effects of rumen-protected taurine (RPT) and rumen-protected methionine (RPM) on the nitrogen (N) metabolism, plasma biochemical parameters, and metabolomics in beef steers and to clarify whether taurine plays similar roles as methionine (Met) in the regulation of N metabolism in beef steers. Six Simmental steers aged 12 months (liveweight 325 ± 7 kg)

It has been found that thymol (Thy) and rosmarinic acid (Ros-A) improve the growth performance of piglets and relieve intestinal inflammation in animals. The effects of Thy and Ros-A separately or in combination (Thy × Ros-A) on the intestinal function and health of piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88 (E. coli K88) were investigated. A total of 30 piglets aged 21 d were assigned to 5 groups

The inclusion of various forages in a normal forage-to-concentrate ratio has widely been reported to reveal the changes that occur in the foregut tissues. However, the mechanism by which the wheat straw, alfalfa hay, or both alter the orchestrated crosstalk of microbiome and host-transcriptome in the rumen of lambs fed a high-concentrate diet is elusive. Sixty-three Hulunbuir lambs were randomly allotted

Feeding frequency represents a potential strategy to improve the utilization of protein sources by fish. This study investigated its impact on the utilization of protein blend in gibel carp. The dietary fishmeal was totally substituted with three protein blends consisting of Tenebrio molitor meal, Chlorella meal, Clostridium autoethanogenum protein, cottonseed protein concentrate, at ratios of 1:1:8:2

Maternal proline (Pro) supplementation enhances fetal survival and placental development in mice. However, the effect of Pro on fetal and placental development in gilts remains to be investigated, particularly in the context of obesity-induced impaired pregnancy. Here, we investigated the effect of dietary Pro on fetal and placental development in obese gilts. Exp.1: On day 60 of gestation, 48 gilts

Improving the nutrient utilization efficiency of ruminants is of utmost significance for both economic and environmental benefits. Optimizing dietary protein levels represents a key nutritional strategy to enhance ruminant growth performance and reduce nitrogen emissions. In a 63-day experiment, 24 healthy Hulunbuir lambs (initial weight 17.1 ± 2.0 kg, 2.5 months old) were subjected to three treatments:

An inadequate amino acid (AA) supply in animals under protein-restricted conditions can slow skeletal muscle growth. Protein translation can be activated by short-term leucine (Leu) stimulation; however, whether muscle mass increases under long-term Leu supplementation and how the gut and muscle respond to Leu supplementation are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated if muscle mass increases