This study determined whether Cu and Zn balance was affected by feeding either Zn methionine (ZnMet) + Cu lysine (CuLys) or Zn sulfate (ZnSO4) + Cu sulfate (CuSO4) before and after stressing calves. Eight Charolais crossbred steer calves weighting 167 +/- 5 kg were randomly assigned to two treatments in a crossover experimental design. The millet hay and soybean meal diet when supplemented with the inorganic salts provided 9.2 ppm of Cu and 36.6 ppm of Zn or when fortified with the metal complexes contained 10.5 ppm of Cu and 36.6 ppm of Zn. Gentled calves were fed their respective diets for 28 d before an 18-d mineral balance trial was conducted. Collection consisted of five periods: 1) a 5-d baseline period, 2) 3 d of no Cu and Zn supplement, 3) 3 d of stress consisting of feed and water restriction and ACTH (80 IU) injections i.m. every 8 h, 4) 3 d of refeeding with no Cu and Zn supplement, and 5) 4 d of Cu and Zn repletion. Calves fed CuLys had 53% greater apparent Cu absorption and increased Cu retention (P < .05) during repletion compared with calves fed CuSO4. The 18-d mean retention of Cu from CuLys was greater (P < .05) than that from CuSO4. No differences (P > .05) in apparent absorption or retention of Zn were found between Zn sources, although during the 18-d trial mean retention was 58% higher when ZnMet was fed. Urinary Cu and Zn excretion decreased (P < .01) during stress.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of a mixture of functional oils (Essential, Oligo Basics Agroind. Ltda) on performance response of chickens challenged with coccidiosis and the determination of apparent metabolizable energy (AME), nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn), the coefficients of protein and ether extract digestibility and intestinal morphology of broilers fed with diets containing Essential. In Exp. 1, a completely randomized design (CRD) was used, with one control diet without Essential inclusion with coccidiosis (Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria tenella) challenged birds and two different inclusion rates of Essential (1.5 kg/ton and 2 kg/ton) with coccidiosis-challenged and non-challenged birds for each inclusion rate, using 10 replicates and 50 birds per experimental unit. After 7 d of coccidiosis challenge, the livability was approximately 10% lower (p<0.05) for the control group. Intestinal lesion scores were lower (p<0.05) in the anterior intestine and the cecum for the chickens supplemented. Feed efficiency and growth rate were improved in birds supplemented with Essential (p<0.05) before the coccidiosis challenge and during the first 7 d post infection. In Exp. 2, a CRD was used, with one control diet without Essential inclusion and one diet with inclusion of Essential (1.5 kg/ton), using nine replications and 33 chicks per pen. The diets with Essential yielded approximately 4% higher AME (p = 0.003) and AMEn (p = 0.001). Essential supplementation increased villus height in the jejunum on d 14 (p<0.05). Villus height:crypt depth ratio for the supplemented birds was larger (p<0.05) in the jejunum on d 7, larger (p<0.05) in the jejunum and ileum on d 14. In conclusion, these functional oils improved the energy utilization and the livability and decreased lesions caused by coccidiosis in supplemented birds.

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The environmental impact of bovine somatotropin (bST) use in dairy cattle (Bos taurus) was analyzed with the following assumptions: base herd (1989) of 10.1 × 106 cows, milk production 6475 kg of 3.5% fat per 305 d; bST herd of 8.96 × 106 cows, 3.8 kg/d increase during 215 d treatment period; 100% adoption rate, 60 d dry period, 40% replacement rate; all formulated diets from: alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay, corn (Zea mays L.) silage, cracked corn, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] meal, and supplement to satisfy level of production. Using these assumptions, the analysis indicates that the current U.S. milk supply could be produced by 11% fewer cows fed 9% less feed produced on 6% less land, and soil loss would be 5% less. Fossil fuel requirements would be 6% less and irrigation water use would be reduced by 9%. Output of the greenhouse gas methane would be decreased 9%; manure production and outputs of N and P declined by 10, 8, and 10%, respectively.

Nutrient digestion and kinetic characteristics of alfalfa hay, brewers grains, beet pulp, and cottonseed hulls were studied in two experiments. In the first experiment, these feedstuffs were fed with a mineral/vitamin supplement in a 4 x 4 Latin square to eight ewes to determine total tract digestibilities by 8-d total collection and rates of passage using Yb as a marker. In the second experiment samples of the same feedstuffs were incubated in situ in four ruminally fistulated steers in a 4 x 4 Latin square design to quantify ruminal disappearance of NDF and ADF. Three Dacron bags were placed in the rumen for each of six time periods: 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Total tract digestibilities of DM ranged from 33% for cottonseed hulls to 78% for beet pulp. Digestibilities of NDF ranged from 32% for cottonseed hulls to 81% for beet pulp. Total tract retention times ranged from 74 h for beet pulp to 44 h for alfalfa. Retention time for alfalfa was lower (P < .05) than those for beet pulp or cottonseed hulls. Calculation of TDN values yielded values similar to those of NRC other than for cottonseed hulls, for which NRC values were 18 to 29% higher. Alfalfa hay and beet pulp were the feedstuffs with the most rapidly disappearing NDF, .124/h for alfalfa and .116/h for beet pulp, which were faster (P < .05) than those found in brewers grains and cottonseed hulls, .035 and .043/h, respectively. Potentially digestible NDF ranged from 55% for alfalfa hay to 94% for beet pulp.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of functional oils containing cashew nutshell and castor oil on turkey performance and intestinal morphology. In experiment 1, 585 hatchlings were randomly placed in 15 replicate floor pens, (13 poults/pen) with recycled litter and provided feed and water ad libitum . Birds were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments from 1 to 12 wk: nonmedicated control, 0.15% functional oils, and 66-ppm monensin. From wk 13 to 20, each initial treatment group was further divided into 3 treatments—control (no additive), 0.15% of functional oils, or 20 ppm of virginiamycin to produce 9 different treatments, 5 replicate pens per treatment. Data on feed weights were collected weekly, and body weight bi-weekly. At termination (20 wk), birds were euthanized, and their meat was processed to determine mass of carcass sections and meat quality, while intestinal samples were collected for histology. In experiment 1, toms fed monensin or functional oils were 10.5 and 4.5% heavier ( P < 0.05), respectively, than the controls at 12 wk. Birds fed monensin had a 4% improvement ( P < 0.05) in feed conversion as compared to the other treatments. Neither virginiamycin nor the functional oils affected bird performance when fed from 13 to 20 wk. The jejunum villi surface area at 3 wk was most enhanced ( P < 0.05) for the poults fed monensin. Supplementation with functional oils significantly reduced leg yield and thiobarbituric-acid reactive substances of white meat after 7 D of storage ( P < 0.05). There were no effects on performance or carcass characteristics in experiment 2. While additional confirmatory studies are needed, functional oils in the diet of turkey toms may be a viable alternative to antibiotic growth promotants.