Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside is the main flax (Linum usitatissimum) lignan that is converted to the mammalian lignans enterodiol (ED) and enterolactone (EL) by gastrointestinal microbiota. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the role of ruminal microbiota and the effects of flax oil on in vivo metabolism of flax lignans and concentration of EL in biological fluids. Four rumen-cannulated dairy cows were used in a 4 £ 4 Latin square design. There were four periods of 21 d each and four treatments utilising flax hulls (1800 g/d) and oil (400 g/d) supplements. The treatments were: (1) oil and hulls administered in the rumen and abomasal infusion of water; (2) oil and hulls administered in the abomasum; (3) oil infused in the abomasum and hulls placed in the rumen; (4) oil placed in the rumen and hulls administered in the abomasum. Samples were collected during the last week of each period and subjected to chemical analysis. The site of supplementation of oil and hulls had no effect on ruminal EL concentration. Supplementing flax oil in the rumen and the abomasum led to similar EL concentrations in urine, plasma and milk. Concentrations of EL were higher in the urine, plasma and milk of cows supplemented with hulls in the rumen than in those placed with hulls in the abomasum. The present study demonstrated that ruminal microbiota play an important role in the metabolism of flax lignans.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a substituição do milho pela casca, farinha de varredura ou raspa de mandioca sobre ganho médio diário, consumo e conversão alimentar e rendimento de carcaça de novilhas confinadas. Foram utilizadas 28 novilhas mestiças, com aproximadamente 24 meses de idade e peso médio inicial de 365 kg, distribuídas em um delineamento em blocos casualizados, em um experimento de 56 dias, com quatro tratamentos e sete repetições. Não houve efeito da substituição do milho pelos produtos da mandioca sobre ganho médio diário, conversão alimentar e rendimento de carcaça. No entanto, o consumo foi inferior nas rações contendo raiz e resíduos da mandioca.

Extratos etanólicos de própolis obtidos a partir de diferentes concentrações de própolis e com álcool hidratado com diferentes teores de álcool/água foram analisados. A ação antioxidante destes extratos foi determinada através da captura do radical livre 1,1-difenil-2-picril-hidrazila (DPPH•) e do poder de redução férrico (FRAP) utilizando o complexo férrico-tripiridiltriazina (Fe 3+ -TPTZ). O teor de compostos fenólicos totais e a quantificação de flavonóides também foram verificados e obtidos por espectrometria de massas com ionização por electrospray (ESI(-)-MS) dos extratos. Observou-se que a composição química dos extratos de própolis e sua atividade antioxidante variam com a concentração de própolis e, principalmente, com o teor de álcool/água do etanol hidratado utilizado na extração. Foi possível perceber também que a atividade antioxidante dos extratos é significativamente dependente destes parâmetros de extração e que as composições de compostos fenólicos e flavonóides também variam muito. Os valores de FRAP não apresentaram, porém, boa correlação com o teor de flavonóides.Ethanolic extracts of propolis obtained with different concentrations of propolis and made using hydrous ethanol with various water/ethanol contents were analyzed. The antioxidant action of the extracts was determined by free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•) scavenging and by ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), using the ferric-tripyridyl triazine (Fe 3+ -TPTZ) complex. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined, and the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry spectra (ESI(-)-MS) of the extracts were acquired. The chemical composition of propolis extracts and their antioxidant activity were observed to vary with the concentration of propolis, and especially with the water/ethanol contents of the hydrous ethanol used for extraction. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was also found to be significantly dependent on these extraction parameters, as well as on the composition of the phenolic compounds and flavonoids. FRAP values showed, however, poor correlation with the flavonoid content. Keywords: total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity, ESI(-)-MS fingerprint, propolis extraction, flavonoids IntroductionPropolis is a resin produced by honey bees by mixing wax, pollen, salivary secretions and collected natural resins. 1 The chemical composition of propolis is complex and varies with the vegetation visited by bees, as well as with bee species. [2][3][4][5][6] As propolis has characteristics that are beneficial to human health, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and anticancer activities, its chemical composition and properties have been extensively studied. [7][8][9][10] The antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of propolis has been evaluated by free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH • ) scavenging, 8 by the ferric reducing ability power (FRAP) using the ferric-tripyridyltriazine Antioxidant Activity and Composition of Propolis Obtained by Different Methods o...

Four ruminally lactating Holstein cows averaging 602+/-25 kg of body weight and 64+/-6 d in milk at the beginning of the experiment were randomly assigned to a 4 x 4 Latin square design to determine the effects of feeding whole flaxseed and calcium salts of flaxseed oil on dry matter intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation, milk production and composition, and milk fatty acid profile. The treatments were a control with no flaxseed products (CON) or a diet (on a dry matter basis) of 4.2% whole flaxseed (FLA), 1.9% calcium salts of flaxseed oil (SAL), or 2.3% whole flaxseed and 0.8% calcium salts of flaxseed oil (MIX). The 4 isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were fed for ad libitum intake. Experimental periods consisted of 21 d of diet adaptation and 7 d of data collection and sampling. Dry matter intake, digestibility, milk production, and milk concentrations of protein, lactose, urea N, and total solids did not differ among treatments. Ruminal pH was reduced for cows fed the CON diet compared with those fed the SAL diet. Propionate proportion was higher in ruminal fluid of cows fed CON than in that of those fed SAL, and cows fed the SAL and CON diets had ruminal propionate concentrations similar to those of cows fed the FLA and MIX diets. Butyrate concentration was numerically higher for cows fed the SAL diet compared with those fed the FLA diet. Milk fat concentration was lower for cows fed SAL than for those fed CON, and there was no difference between cows fed CON and those fed FLA and MIX. Milk yields of protein, fat, lactose, and total solids were similar among treatments. Concentrations of cis-9 18:1 and of intermediates of ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids such as trans-9 18:1 were higher in milk fat of cows fed SAL and MIX than for those fed the CON diet. Concentration of rumenic acid (cis-9, trans-11 18:2) in milk fat was increased by 63% when feeding SAL compared with FLA. Concentration of alpha-linolenic acid was higher in milk fat of cows fed SAL and MIX than in milk of cows fed CON (75 and 61%, respectively), whereas there was no difference between FLA and CON. Flaxseed products (FLA, SAL, and MIX diets) decreased the n-6 to n-3 fatty acid ratio in milk fat. Results confirm that flax products supplying 0.7 to 1.4% supplemental fat in the diet can slightly improve the nutritive value of milk fat for better human health.

No abstract

A degradação ruminal da matéria seca (MS) e a da proteína bruta (PB) de alguns alimentos foram deterninadas pela técnica in situ, usando-se três vacas Holandesa. Os alimentos concentrados foram moídos em peneira de 2 mm e os volumosos e a raspa de mandioca, em peneira de 5 mm, e incubados em sacos de náilon (53µ). A degradabilidade efetiva (DE) da MS (5%/h) de silagem de milho, silagem de sorgo, milho, sorgo, farelo de trigo, triticale, raspa de mandioca, polpa cítrica, farelo de soja, farelo de algodão e farinha de carne e ossos foi, respectivamente: 54,8; 46,0; 37,6; 54,3; 80,4; 88,7; 75,0, 67,5; 74,1; 65,9; e 39,4%. As degradabilidades efetivas da PB, 70,4; 67,9; 40,2; 42,7; 86,5; 89,3; 71,7; 62,1; 57,3; 81,4; e 47,5%, respectivamente. Foi realizado agrupamento dos alimentos quanto à dinâmica de degradação ruminal da MS e PB foram por meio do método de Tocher. A fração potencialmente degradável e a sua taxa de degradação foram as variáveis de maior poder discriminatório na formação dos grupos.

RESUMO -Avaliaram-se os efeitos dos níveis de substituição do milho (MI) pela farinha de varredura de mandioca (FV) (25, 50, 75 e 100%) em rações para ovinos, sobre consumo voluntário, digestibilidade total dos nutrientes, balanços de nitrogênio (BN) e de energia (BE), pH e concentração de nitrogênio amoniacal (N-NH 3 ) do líquido ruminal. Foram utilizados quatro carneiros machos, castrados, sem raça definida, com peso médio de 41,4 kg de peso vivo em um ensaio de digestibilidade utilizando o método de coleta total de fezes e urina. Os animais foram mantidos em gaiolas metabólicas, distribuídos em delineamento experimental quadrado latino 4x4. O líquido ruminal foi obtido por meio de sonda esofágica, nos tempos de zero, 2, 4, 6 e 8 horas após à alimentação da manhã. Não houve efeito dos níveis de substituição para os consumos de matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN ABSTRACT -This work was carried-out to study the effect of substitution levels of corn (COR) by cassava by-product flour (CPF) (25, 50, 75 and 100%) in the ration for sheep on voluntary intake, nutrients apparent digestibility and nitrogen (NB) and energy (EB) balance, pH and ammonia concentration (N-NH 3 ) in ruminal liquid. Four male, castrated sheep, without defined race, with medium weight of 41.4 AW, in trial of digestibility were used, using the method of total collect feces and urine. The animals were kept in cages of metabolism in 4x4 latin square design. The ruminal liquid was obtained by means of probe esofagic in the times 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours (after feeding). There was no effect of substitution levels on intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), energy and nitrogen (N) and for apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, starch and gross energy (GE) and for NB and TDN levels. The intake of starch and GE presented quadratic increase until the level of 75% CPM in the ration. The concentration of the ammonia nitrogen and the pH of ruminal liquid did not differ in function of the substitution levels of the COR to CPM. It was concluded that CPM can totally substitute COR in the sheep ration.Key Words: cassava by-product flour, corn, digestibility, intake, nitrogen balance, sheep IntroduçãoA alimentação dos animais representa um dos maiores custos na produção animal, principalmente quando se utilizam fontes alimentares como o milho, que apesar das elevadas qualidades nutricionais apresentam em geral um custo elevado. Alguns subprodutos de indústria, como aqueles da produção de farinha de mandioca (casca de mandioca, farinha de varredura) possuem potencial e disponibilidade para serem utilizados como alimento energético e podem ser usados na alimentação de ruminantes (Pereira, 1987).A mandioca (Manihot esculenta, Crantz), uma fonte rica em energia para as rações animais, é um

RESUMO -O objetivo neste trabalho foi avaliar a digestibilidade aparente de rações com diferentes teores de proteína degradável no rúmen (PDR) e fonte de amido de baixa degradabilidade ruminal (milho moído) em ovinos. Utilizaram-se quatro ovinos castrados, sem raça definida (SRD), com peso vivo médio de 38,5 kg, em um delineamento experimental quadrado latino 4 x 4. As quatro rações experimentais utilizadas foram compostas de 75% de volumoso (feno de aveia) e 25% de concentrado à base de milho moído (MM), farelo de soja (FS), farelo de algodão (FA), farinha de peixe (FP), uréia e sal mineral, compostas com quatro teores de PDR (46, 50, 54 e 58% de PDR nas rações). Determinaram-se a digestibilidade aparente total dos nutrientes e o balanço de nitrogênio nos animais alimentados com as rações experimentais. Os consumos de MS, MO, PB, amido, FDN e FDA não diferiram entre as rações testadas. Da mesma forma, o nitrogênio ingerido (NI), o N excretado nas fezes e na urina, em g/dia, o balanço de nitrogênio (%NI) e os coeficientes de digestibilidade da MS, MO, PB, FDN e FDA não diferiram entre as rações experimentais, sendo estimados valores médios de 31,68; 6,34; 11,31 g/dia e 44,27% NI, respectivamente, e de 71,90; 73,00; 79,70; 61,10; e 52,00%, respectivamente. Independentemente dos teores de PDR em rações contendo milho como fonte de amido de baixa degradabilidade ruminal, não houve efeitos sobre a digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes e o balanço de nitrogênio em ovinos.Palavras-chave: coleta total, milho, retenção de nitrogênio, proteína degradável no rúmen Digestibility and nitrogen balance of sheep diets containing different levels of ruminal degradable protein and ground corn ABSTRACT -Four castrated sheep averaging 38.5 kg of body weight were randomly assigned to a 4 x 4 Latin square to evaluate the apparent digestibility of nutrients and nitrogen balance (NB) on diets containing different levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP): 46, 50, 54, and 58% and ground corn. The four experimental diets were composed by 75% of forage (oat hay) and 25% of concentrate containing ground corn (GC), soybean meal (SM), cottonseed meal (CM), fish meal (FM), urea, and mineral salt. No significant differences were observed on the intakes of DM, OM, CP, starch, NDF, and ADF by increasing the dietary RDP levels. Nitrogen intake (NI), urinary N excretion, fecal N excretion, and NB expressed as % NI averaged, respectively, 31.68 g/d, 6.34 g/d, 11.31 g/d, and 47.27% and did not differ across diets. Similarly, apparent total tract digestibilities of DM, OM CP, NDF, and ADF averaged, respectively, 71.90, 73.00, 79.70, 61.10, and 52.00% and did not differ when the RDP level was increased in the diet. It can be concluded that both digestibility of nutrients and NB were not affected by different dietary RDP levels under the conditions of this trial.Key Words: corn, nitrogen retention, total collection, rumen degradable protein IntroduçãoAs fontes de amido mais comumente utilizadas na nutrição animal são os grãos de cereais como milho, c...