Temperature and meal size effects on the postprandial metabolism and energetics in a boid snake

We investigated the combined effect of meal size and temperature on the aerobic metabolism and energetics of digestion in Boa constrictor amarali. Oxygen uptake rates ((V) over dot o(2)) and the. duration of the digestion were determined in snakes fed with meals equaling to 5%, 10%, 20%, and 40% of the snake's body mass at 25degrees and 30 degreesC. The maximum (V) over dot o(2) values attained during digestion were greater at 30 degreesC than at 25 degreesC. Both maximal (V) over dot (o2) values and the duration of the specific dynamic action. (SDA) were attained sooner at 30 degreesC than at 25 degreesC. Therefore, the temperature effect on digestion in Boa is characterized by the shortening of the SDA duration at the expense of increased. Energy allocated to SDA was not affected by meal size but. was greater at 25 degreesC compared to 30 degreesC. This indicates that a postprandial thermophilic response can be advantageous not only by decreasing the duration of digestion but also by improving digestive efficiency. Maximal (V) over dot o(2) and SDA duration. increased with meal size at both temperatures.

Determination of the betaine content of feed ingredients using high-performance liquid chromatography

A series of studies was conducted to establish a methodology for the accurate and efficient determination of betaine in different feed ingredients. The final methodology involves an extraction step in which the feed sample is heated for 3h in a methanolic KOH solution using a Goldfisch apparatus. Impurities are removed by the addition of activated charcoal and concentrated (36%) HCl. After centrifugation the extractant is passed through a strong cation exchange resin (Dowex 50W-X12, H+). The betaine retained in the column is eluted with 1.5 N HCl. A 2 nil aliquot of the elute is air dried and reconstituted with 1 ml of deionised water. HPLC separation with a cation exchange column (Partisil SCX-10) is used for the separation of betaine from other compounds. The mobile phase is kept constant at 50mm KH2PO4 in water, and eluted compounds are detected by UV absorbance (200nm). The flow rate is maintained at 1.5ml min(-1). This assay is very accurate over the range of betaine concentrations from 15 to 650 mug ml(-1), with a lower detection limit in feeds of approximately 500 mug g(-1) when 4g of sample is extracted. Recovery assays done with standard betaine hydrochloride and hard red wheat resulted in a consistent recovery of 80%. Betaine content was quantified in several feed ingredients, including alfalfa (1.77 mg kg(-1)), wheat (3.96 mg kg(-1)), wheat middlings (4.98 mg kg(-1)) and poultry meal (0.77 mg kg(-1)). Betaine in corn and soybean meal was not detectable by this method, even when 16g of sample was used (<125 mg kg(-1)). Betaine present in several feed ingredients should influence choline supplementation to animal feeds and may have implications for human health. (C) 2002 Society of Chemical Industry.

Uso de indicadores para estimar fluxos de matéria seca ileal em eqüinos fistulados

This experiment was carried out with six half-bred Bretao-Campolinacolts with ileum fistulated to evaluate the difference in the ileum dry matter flow estimated by chromic oxide, cellulose, NDF, lignin and fecal lignin through the collection of ileum samples digesta at 28 h intervals, totalizing six samples per animal, starting at 10:00 a.m. The animals were fed ad libitum with the following diets: R1: clephantgrass, R2: elephantgrass plus ground corn, and R3: elephantgrass plus ground corn plus soybean meal. The data was statistically described, based on the coefficient of variation. The values of dry matter prececal digestion coefficients were, respectively, for diets 1, 2 and 3, at six schedules, for cellulose (-16.4; 21.4 and 6.6%), NDF(-34.7; 28.8 and -12.8%), to lignin (-51.5; -5.1 and -25.7%), in two schedules for cellulose (-13.4; 25.6 and 21.5%), fecal lignin (-37.1, 16.6 and -6.4%) and chromic oxide (-219.3, 36.4 and 9.5%). The coefficients of variation were, respectively, for the diets i, 2 and 3, at six schedules, for cellulose (148.3; 107.5 and 522.7%), NDF (95.4; 80.9 and 314.3%), lignin (210.2; 752.3 and 209.6%), at two schedules for cellulose(148.5; 80.7 and 70.0%), fecal lignin, (262.4; 177.9 and 723.5%) and chromic oxide (141.1; 158.9 and 473.4%). In diet i, the ileum dry matter now were over estimated for all markers, showing that chosen collection lime to estimate the flows were not adequate. Based on the coefficient of variation of the diets 2 and 3, the cellulose at two schedules was the most marker indicator to determine the ileum dry matter flow.

Avaliação das Sub-Frações dos Carboidratos e das Proteínas, Usando as Metodologias do Cncps e In situ com Bovinos da Raça Nelore. 2. Milho e Farelo de Algodão

The chemical composition of corn and cottonseed meal was determined in accordance with the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) in diets with forage:concentrate ratios of 80:20 (D1) and 60:40(D2) using Nellore cattle. The potential and effective degradabilities of the carbohydrate and protein subfractions were also determined. For corn. diet 2 resulted in an increase for potentially degradable dry matter (DM). An increase was observed in the effective degradation of DM (EDDM) when lag time was not considered, however, the use of Eng time increased the EDDM for both diets, 23 and 18% for DI and D2. respectively. For cottonseed meal, diet 2 determined a reduction in the potentially degradable DM: therefore, the use of lag time increased the EDDM for bath diets, 14% for D1 and 15% for D2. The availability of corn starch (fraction B1) was lower than that determined by CNCPS. The higher values for the degradability of corn and cottonseed meal protein subfractions may indicate an underestimation by the model, and, or, could be attributed to the Zebu animals used in this study.

Dietary vitamin or mineral mix removal during the finisher period on broiler chicken performance

The effect of dietary vitamin (VS) and mineral (MS) mix withdrawal between 42 and 49 d of age on broiler chicken performance was evaluated. The diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal, and the experiments were conducted in floor pens using wood shavings as litter. Trial I evaluated withdrawal of VS and MS mix at 42, 45, and 49 d. The results of this trial showed that VS and MS mix withdrawal at 42 d of age did not impair feed intake (FI) or weight gain (WG), but feed conversion (FC) was improved (P = 0.043) when both mixes were maintained in the diets until 49 d of age. Trial 2 assessed the withdrawal of VS or MS mix at 42 d of age. FI and WG were not affected by withdrawal, but FC was poorer (P = 0.035) for the broilers fed the diet without VS. The relative liver weight was reduced by VS or MS mix withdrawal (P = 0.014 and P = 0.001, respectively). Carcass, breast, and leg yields were not affected by VS or MS mix withdrawals in either trial. The findings of the study suggested that VS mix withdrawal during the final period of broiler chicken growth was more deleterious than the withdrawal of MS mix, because it affected FC ratio. VS or MS withdrawal during this period did not affect carcass yield.

Evaluation of Rhodocyclus gelatinosus biomass for broiler pigmentation

We evaluated the influence of dietry inclusion of corn gluten meal, apocartenoic acid ethyl ester (APO-EE), canthaxanthin, and Rhodocylus gelatinosus R-1 biomass on broiler carcass color. These oxycarotenoid sources were used as pigment supplements to a basal ration containing yellow corn as the sole source of xnathophylls. Objective color values of L (lightness),C (chroma), and h (hue) were measured on skin and meat surfaces of broiler carcasses. on both surfaces, R. gelatinosus R-1 biomass oxycarotenoids enhanced the chroma values (color saturation), as compared to yellow corn xanthophylls, and tended to provide yellowness to broiler carcasses, whereas the APO-EE and canthaxanthin tended to provide redness. At the concentrations studied, R. gelatinosus R-1 biomass oxycarotenoids were less effective than APO-EE and canthaxanthin in enhancing color saturation. Lightness, chroma, and blue values did not differ significantly between males and females. However, skin showed significantly higher color saturation than meat in breast and thigh portions of the carcass.

Efeitos da amonização sobre o valor nutritivo do feno de capim-braquiária

This work was conducted to determine the effects of ammoniation and supplementation on the nutritive value of signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf) hay. The hay was treated with anhydrous ammonia (3.0% DM) and introduced into the rations for sheep with 12.00% of CP, identified as T1 grass hay without NH3 + cotton seed meal; T2 = treated hay (3.0% de NH3); T3 = treated hay (3.0% de NH3) + com grain meal; T4 = hay + cotton seed meal + corn grain meal. nit: following coefficients of digestibility were determined for T1, T2, T3 e T4, respectively: DM (54.90; 55.50); 54.50; and 56.12%); NI)I: (51.36; 60.20; 55.30; and 48.35%); ADF (47.36; 58.66; 56.03; and 47.07%); hemicellulose (58.80; 63.32; 56.00; and 49.70%); cellulose (55.58; 71.80; 68.07; and 58.21%); lignin (10.10; 32.18; 31.74; and 0.72%) and protein (64.6; 59.36; 56.16; and 70. 15%). nle N balances for T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 5.69; 3.88; 3.90; and 8,82 g N/day. It was concluded that the ammoniation was equivalent to the vegetable protein supplementation in the rations. Furthermore, this treatment showed a greater potential to increase fiber digestion, particulary for ADF and cellulose.

Use of ideal protein concept for precision formulation of amino acid levels in fish-meal-free diets for juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.)

This study was undertaken in a closed system with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to examine the effects of total replacement of fish meal (FM) by soybean meal. Nile tilapia fingerlings with an average weight of 5.34+/-0.08 g were hand-fed one of the five isoenergetic (approximate to13.5 MJ digestible energy kg(-1)) and isoproteic (approximate to31% of digestible protein) experimental diets to satiation, six times a day during 85 days in eight replicate fibreglass tanks (six fish per tank). The control diet containing FM was substituted by soybean meal, with and without essential amino acids (lysine, methionine and threonine) or dicalcium phosphate supplementation. The supplemental amino acids were added at levels to simulate the reference amino acid profile of Nile tilapia carcass protein, based on the ideal protein concept. The results showed that soybean meal diet supplemented only with dicalcium phosphate was inferior to the control diet with FM and soybean meal diets supplemented with dicalcium phosphate and essential amino acids. Multiple essential amino acids and dicalcium phosphate incorporation in soybean meal diets was associated with performance, whole-body composition and carcass yield equal to that of the fish fed with the control diet containing FM. These data suggest that a diet with all plant protein source, supplemented with essential amino acids, based on tissue amino acid profile, can totally replace FM in a diet for Nile tilapia, without adverse effects on the growth performance, carcass yield and composition.