This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of selenium-enriched probiotics (SeP) on production performance and intestinal microbiota of piglets raised under high ambient temperature. Forty-eight cross-bred weanling piglets (28 days old), randomly allotted into 12 pens (four piglets/pen) and four dietary treatments (three pens/treatment group), were fed ad libitum for 42 days a basal diet (Con) or the basal diet supplemented with probiotics (Pro), sodium selenite (ISe) or a SeP preparation. Blood and faecal samples were collected on days 0, 14, 28 and 42 post-treatment. The SeP group had higher final BW (p < 0.05), greater ADG (p < 0.05) and lower FCR (p < 0.01) than the Pro, ISe or Con group. The diarrhoea incidence rate of either SeP or Pro group was lower (p < 0.01) than the ISe or Con group. Blood Se concentration and GSH-Px activity were both higher (p < 0.01) in the SeP than in the Pro, ISe or Con group. On days 28 and 42, the serum concentrations of T3 were higher (p < 0.01) and T4 lower (p < 0.01) in the SeP than in the ISe group, and the T3 and T4 concentrations in the ISe group, in turn, were higher (p < 0.05) and lower (p < 0.01), respectively, than in the Pro or Con group. Also on days 28 and 42, the faecal counts of lactobacillus bacteria were higher (p < 0.01) while Escherichia coli lower (p < 0.01) in the SeP or Pro group as compared to the ISe or Con group. The results of RFLP showed that the faecal microbial flora in the SeP group changed the most (numerically) as compared to the Pro or ISe group. These results suggest that the SeP product may serve as a better alternative to antibiotics than the solo probiotics for using as a growth promoter for weanling piglets.

To investigate the mechanism underlying the regulatory effect of Met on broiler growth, the growth performance, organ development, serum profile, myogenic gene expression, and methylation of myostatin gene exon 1 region in response to dietary Met status were evaluated. A total of 192 one-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were housed in 3-layer cages in a temperature-controlled room with continuous lighting. The temperature of the room was maintained at 32 to 34°C for the first 3 d and then reduced by 2 to 3°C per week to a final temperature of 20°C. Cages were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments with 6 replicate cages (8 males and 8 females/cage) per treatment. Control starter and finisher diets contained 0.50 and 0.43% Met, respectively. Corresponding values for a +Met treatment were 0.60 and 0.53% Met, respectively. The birds receiving the +Met diets had a greater (P < 0.05) G:F throughout the experiment. The +Met diets increased (P < 0.05) the relative weight of breast muscle and the concentrations of uric acid and triglyceride in serum at 42 d of age, whereas other serum measurements were not affected by treatments. Increased myogenic factor 5 (Myf5) and myocyte enhancer factor 2B (MEF2B) and decreased myostatin mRNA expression were observed in broilers fed the +Met diets (P < 0.05). However, methylation of myostatin gene exon 1 region was not different between groups. In conclusion, broilers fed the +Met diets increased breast muscle growth that was reflected in the expected expression of myostatin, Myf5, and MEF2B genes.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of oxidative modification of soy protein isolate (SPI) after exposure to heat on the growth performance and immune function of broilers. The SPI was heated in an oven at 100°C for 1, 4, and 8 h, respectively, and resultant oxidative status was evaluated. A total of 320 one-day-old Arbor Acres chickens were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups with 8 replicates of 10 birds, and fed diets supplemented with the native SPI or 1 of the 3 heat-treated SPI for 21 d. The results showed that heat exposure of SPI for 4 and 8 h caused an increase in protein carbonyl (P < 0.05), and a simultaneous decrease in sulfhydryl and free amine groups (P < 0.05) compared with native SPI. The BW of broilers fed diets supplemented with SPI heated for 8 h were significantly lower than that of broilers fed diets supplemented with native SPI (P < 0.05). Compared with native SPI, heat-treated SPI (heated for 8 h) diminished liver weight at 14 d (P = 0.01), spleen (P < 0.01) and bursa (P < 0.05) weights at 21 d; and the content of IgG in serum and duodenal mucosa of broilers (at 14 d) was decreased when diets supplemented with heat-treated SPI (heated for 8 h; P < 0.01). No significant differences were observed in the mucosa secretory IgA contents of broilers among the treatment groups (P > 0.05). Compared with native SPI, a significant increases were observed in the content of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol in serum of broilers fed the heat-treated SPI (heated for 8 h) at 21 d (P < 0.05); and the myeloperoxidase activities in serum (at 14 d) and mucosa of broilers were increased when diets supplemented with heat-treated SPI (heated for 8 h; P < 0.05). The present study suggests that protein oxidation of SPI is induced by heating, and oxidized protein may negatively affect the immune function of broilers.

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) may adversely affect the prevention and cure of diseases. The effects of three polyether ionophore antibiotics, salinomycin (SAL), monensin (MON), and maduramycin (MAD) on the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol (FFC) were investigated in broilers. The chickens were fed rations with or without SAL (60 mg/kg feeds), MON (120 mg/kg feeds), or MAD (5 mg/kg feeds) for 14 consecutive days. FFC was given to the chickens either intravenously (i.v.) or orally (p.o.) at a single dose of 30 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples were taken from each chicken at 0-24 h postadministration of FFC. The plasma concentration of FFC was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography. The plasma concentration of FFC decreased with i.v. or p.o. co-administration of SAL, MON, or MAD in broilers, implying occurrence of DDIs during the co-administration of FFC with these ionophores. Our findings suggest that more attention should be given to the use of FFC to treat bacterial infections in chickens supplemented with polyether ionophore antibiotics.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental common yeast culture (CY) and glycerol-enriched yeast culture (GY) on performance, plasma metabolites, antioxidant status, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) mRNA expression in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress. During summer months, 30 healthy multiparous lactating cows (parity 3.25 ± 0.48; 60 ± 13 d in milk [DIM]; 648 ± 57 kg BW; an average milk yield of 33.8 ± 1.6 kg/d) were blocked by parity, previous milk yield, and DIM and randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments: no supplemental yeast culture (Control), 1 L/d of CY (33.1 g yeast) per cow, and 2 L/d of GY (153.2 g glycerol and 31.6 g yeast) per cow. During the 60-d experiment, values of air temperature and relative humidity inside the barn were recorded hourly every 3 d to calculate temperature-humidity index (THI). Weekly rectal temperatures (RT) and respiration rates and daily DMI and milk yield were recorded for all cows. Milk and blood samples were taken twice monthly, and BW and BCS were obtained on d 0 and 60. In this experiment, THI values indicated cows experienced a moderate heat stress. Cows supplemented with CY and GY had greater yields of milk, energy-corrected milk and milk fat, and milk fat percent but lower HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes than Control cows (P < 0.05). Supplementing CY and GY tended (P < 0.15) to decrease RT at 1400 h, increase milk protein yield and erythrocyte glutathione, and reduce plasma urea nitrogen compared with Control. Lower plasma NEFA concentration and HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes (P < 0.05) and tendencies towards greater plasma glucose concentration (P = 0.11) but less BW loss (P = 0.14) were observed in GY relative to CY cows. In conclusion, either CY or GY supplementation partially mitigated the negative effects of heat stress on performance and HSP70 mRNA expression of lactating cows, and GY supplementation provided additional improvements in energy status and HSP70 gene expression of lactating cows.