A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of resveratrol and essential oils from medicinal plants on the growth performance, immunity, digestibility, and fecal microbial shedding of weaned piglets. A total of 48 weaned piglets (8 kg initial weight, 28-d-old) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with 3 replications of 4 piglets each. The dietary treatments were NC (negative control; basal diet), PC (positive control; basal diet+0.002% apramycin), T1 (basal diet+0.2% resveratrol), and T2 (basal diet+0.0125% essential oil blend). All piglets were orally challenged with 5 ml culture fluid containing 2.3×108 cfu/ml of Escherichia coli KCTC 2571 and 5.9×108 cfu/ml Salmonella enterica serover Typhimurium. The PC group (p<0.05) showed the highest average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) throughout the experimental period, although feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved in the T1 group (p>0.05). Serum IgG level was increased in the T1 group, whereas TNF-α levels was reduced in the supplemented groups compared to control (p<0.05). The PC diet improved the dry matter (DM) digestibility, whereas PC and T2 diets improved nitrogen (N) digestibility compared to NC and T1 diets (p<0.05). Fecal Salmonella and E. coli counts were reduced in all treatment groups compared to control (p<0.05). Fecal Lactobacillus spp. count was increased in the T2 group compared to others (p<0.05). Dietary treatments had no significant effect on fecal Bacillus spp. count throughout the entire experimental period. Based on these results, resveratrol showed strong potential as antibiotic alternatives for reversing the adverse effects of weaning stress on growth performance, immunity and microbial environment in E. coli and Salmonella-challenged piglets.

The banning of the use of antibiotics as feed additive has accelerated investigations of alternative feed additives in animal production. This experiment investigated the effect of pure citric acid or acidifier blend supplementation as substitute for antibiotic growth promoters on growth performance, fecal microbial count, and humoral immunity in weaned piglets challenged with Salmonella enterica serover Typhimurium and Escherichia coli KCTC 2571. A total of 60 newly weaned piglets (crossbred, 28-d-old; average 8 kg initial weight) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments included NC (negative control; basal diet), PC (positive control; basal diet+0.002% apramycin), T1 (basal diet+0.5% pure citric acid), and T2 (basal diet+0.4% acidifier blend). All piglets were orally challenged with 5 mL of culture fluid containing 2.3×108 cfu/mL of E. coli KCTC 2571 and 5.9×108 cfu/mL of S. typhimurium at the beginning of the experiment. The PC group showed the highest ADG and ADFI, whereas gain:feed was improved in the PC and T1 group (p<0.05). All dietary treatments showed significant reduction in fecal counts of Salmonella and E. coli, compared to NC (p<0.05), with PC being better than T1 and T2. Significant elevation in fecal Lactobacillus spp. counts was shown by treatments with T1, T2, and PC, whereas Bacillus spp. counts were increased by treatment with T1 and T2 compared to NC and PC diet (p<0.05). Serum IgG concentration was increased by T1 diet (p<0.05), whereas IgM and IgA were not significantly affected by any of the dietary treatments (p>0.05). From these above results, it can be concluded that, as alternatives to antibiotics dietary acidification with pure citric acid or acidifiers blend did not fully ameliorate the negative effects of microbial challenges in respect of growth performance and microbial environment, however improved immunity suggested further research with different dose levels.

1. The present study was conducted to develop Citrus junos probiotics (CJP), using by-products of Citrus junos fermented with multispecies probiotic bacteria including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis. The effects of dietary CJP on the growth performance, immune status, caecal microbiology and meat oxidative stability of broiler were investigated. 2. A total of 240 one-day-old Ross broiler chicks were used in a 35-d experiment in which the chicks were randomly allotted to one of the 4 dietary treatments (0, 5, 10 and 20 g CJP/kg diet) in a completely randomised design. 3. Dietary supplementation of 5 g/kg CJP significantly increased body weight, average daily gain and average daily feed intake of broiler during the overall experimental period. 4. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)M concentration was significantly increased by 10 and 20 g/kg CJP, whereas the IgG and IgA concentration remained unaffected. In addition, 20 g/kg CJP significantly inhibited proliferation of Escherichia coli without affecting the concentration of Lactobacillus or Bacillus spp. 5. A significant reduction in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of breast and thigh meat was observed in response to increasing concentration of dietary CJP. 6. Thus, the results suggest that CJP up to a concentration of 20 g/kg can be used in the diet of broilers to improve immunity and to reduce caecal E. coli and TBARS values of breast and thigh meat without any adverse effects on growth performance.

The study was designed to evaluate the effect of 2% seamustard (Undaria pinnatifida) by-product (SW) on growth performance, immunity, carcass characteristics, cholesterol content and fatty acid profile in Hanwoo steers. A total of 20 Hanwoo steers (ave. 22 months old; 619 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to control (basal diet) and 2% SW supplemented diet. Dietary SW supplementation significantly (p<0.05) improved average daily gain and gain:feed ratio as well as serum immunoglobulin G concentration. Chemical composition and quality grade of meat and carcass yield grades evaluated at the end of the trial were found to be unaffected by SW supplementation. Dietary SW significantly reduced meat cholesterol concentration (p<0.05). Dietary SW supplementation significantly reduced the myristic acid (C14:0) and palmitoleic acid (C16:ln-7) concentration, while SW increased the concentration of stearic acid (C18:0) and linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) compared to control (p<0.05). Dietary SW supplementation had no effect on saturated fatty acids (SFA), unsaturated fatty acids, poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) or mono unsaturated fatty acid content in muscles. A reduced ratio of PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 were found in SW supplemented group (p<0.05). In conclusion, 2% SW supplementation was found to improve growth, immunity and fatty acid profile with significantly reduced cholesterol of beef.

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This study was conducted to develop a functional feed additive, citron (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) probiotics (CPB) for beef cattle, using citrus junos by-product (CJ) with probiotics. A two-step fermentation process was developed for the production of CPB and the effects of CPB on growth performance, immune status, carcass characteristics and fatty acid profile in Korean native (Hanwoo) steers were investigated. Twenty (20) Hanwoo steers (22 months old; 619.00±10 kg BW) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments in a completely randomized design: control (basal diet) and 1.0% CPB (basal diet + CPB 1.0% DM basis). At the end of the trial, steers were slaughtered and carcasses were evaluated. Dietary CPB supplementation significantly increased the average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (kg gain/kg DMI) of Hanwoo steers as compared to the control (P < 0.05). Additionally, serum IgG and carcass weight of Hanwoo steers were increased in response to CPB dietary supplementation (P < 0.05). No difference (P > 0.05) was observed in muscle composition while cholesterol concentration reduced in CPB supplementation group (P < 0.05). Overall, the concentrations of n-3 fatty acids were increased, while the ratio of n-6/n-3 decreased in the CPB dietary group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary CPB improved growth, immunity and carcass weight of Hanwoo steers while reducing muscle cholesterol concentration with an elevated n-3 fatty acids concentration, indicating that CPB can be used as a functional feed additive for beef cattle.

The present study was conducted to develop a functional feed additive, Alisma canaliculatum probiotic (ACP), for beef cattle, using the medicinal plant Alisma canaliculatum along with probiotic strains. A three-step fermentation process was developed for the manufacture of ACP. The effects of dietary ACP on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat composition and oxidative stability in Hanwoo steers were investigated. Twenty-four Hanwoo steers (average 592.91 ± 10 kg bodyweight) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: control (basal diet), ACP 0.5% (basal diet + 0.5% ACP) and ACP 1.0% (basal diet + 1.0% ACP). Overall, dietary ACP resulted in significant elevation of bodyweight gain and feed efficiency compared with the control (P < 0.01). No significant differences in carcass characteristics were found among the dietary treatments, although carcass quality grade was improved by the ACP 0.5% diet (P = 0.007). Moisture, crude ash and crude protein contents were unaffected; however, crude fat and cholesterol contents were lower in steers fed ACP 0.5% (P < 0.05). Whereas the calcium of Hanwoo beef was unaffected by the dietary treatments, iron and magnesium contents were elevated by the ACP 0.5% diet compared with the control or ACP 1.0% diet (P < 0.01). Further, the ACP 0.5% diet improved the meat fatty acid profile by reducing saturated fatty acid content, especially myristic acid (P ≤ 0.05), as well as by increasing unsaturated fatty acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content, especially α-linolenic acid (P < 0.10). The ACP diet was found to have positive effects on unsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid and n-6/n-3 ratios (P ≤ 0.05). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values of the control group were higher compared with either of the ACP diet groups (P < 0.001). Overall, these data indicate that dietary ACP conferred beneficial effects on the growth performance, fatty acid profile, meat composition and oxidative stability in Hanwoo steers. Therefore, ACP may be used as a feed additive for beef cattle.