In 2011, the Committee on Nutrition of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition systematically reviewed published evidence related to the safety and health effects of the administration of formulae supplemented with pro- and/or prebiotics compared with unsupplemented formulae. We updated evidence on the effects of the administration of prebiotic-supplemented infant formulae (IF) compared with unsupplemented IF. Five databases were searched up to March 2017 for randomised controlled trials. In all, forty-one publications were identified, including twenty-five new publications. The administration of currently evaluated prebiotic-supplemented formulae to healthy infants does not raise safety concerns with regard to growth and adverse effects. Some favourable clinical effects are possible, primarily stool softening, which may be beneficial in some infants. Currently, there is no existing robust evidence to recommend the routine use of prebiotic-supplemented formulae. The latter conclusion may reflect the small amount of data on specific prebiotics and outcomes, rather than a genuine lack of an effect. The efficacy and safety should be considered for each prebiotic(s)-supplemented formula.

Gut maturation naturally accelerates at weaning in altricial mammalian species, such as the rat. Mimicking this, gut development can also be induced precociously, 3–4 d earlier than it would occur naturally, by enteral exposure to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), or various proteases. We investigated the early effects of gut provocation on intestinal barrier and pancreatic functions, to get a better understanding of the mechanisms that initiate gut maturation. The effects of oral administration of protease (trypsin) or PHA to 14-d-old suckling rats were studied during 24 h in comparison with water-fed controls. Intestinal in vivo permeability was assessed by oral administration of different-sized marker molecules and measuring their passage into the blood or urine 3 h later. A period of 24 h following oral administration, both PHA and protease provocation stimulated small intestinal (SI) growth and pancreatic secretion, as indicated by decreased pancreatic trypsin and increased luminal enzyme content. Within 1 h of oral administration, both treatments prevented the absorption of macromolecules to blood that was observed in controls. PHA treatment hindered the passage of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FD) 4 to blood, whereas protease treatment temporarily increased plasma levels of FD4, and the urine lactulose:mannitol ratio, indicating increased intestinal leakiness. Following protease treatment, fluorescence microscopy showed decreased vesicular uptake of FD70 in the proximal SI and increased epithelial fluorescence in the distal SI. In conclusion, PHA and protease differed in their early effects on the intestinal barrier; both exerted a blocking effect on epithelial endocytosis, whereas protease treatment alone temporarily increased epithelial leakiness, which seemed to be confined to the distal SI.

Weaning of piglets is associated with important changes in gut structure and function resulting from stressful events such as separation from the sow, moving to a new facility and dietary transition from a liquid to a solid feed. This may result in post-weaning diarrhoea and a decrease in feed intake and growth. In humans, the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis (SP) and the freshwater microalga Chlorella vulgaris (CV) are known for their beneficial health effects. This study aimed to determine the effects of early oral administration of Spirulina and Chlorella in piglets on mucosal architecture and cytokine expression in the intestine around weaning, and consequences on growth performance and diarrhoea incidence. The experiment was conducted on 108 suckling piglets of 14 days of age (initial BW=4.9±0.7 kg) and weaned at 28 days of age (day 0). Animals received orally 385 mg/kg BW per day of SP or CV, or water (negative control (NC)) during 4 weeks from day −14 to day 14 and their growth performance was measured daily. After weaning, growth, feed intake and diarrhoea incidence were measured daily. Intestinal morphology and functionality were assessed at day −1, day 2, and day 14. During the suckling period, average daily gain (ADG) in SP piglets was higher, resulting in a higher weaning BW compared to NC and CV piglets (P<0.05). No significant difference between treatments was observed for ADG, average daily feed intake, and gain to feed (G : F) ratio after weaning, but the extent of growth retardation after weaning was the lowest in piglets supplemented with Chlorella (P<0.01). Supplementation with Spirulina reduced diarrhoea incidence by 50% from day 0 to day 14 (P<0.05). Mucosal architecture at the jejunum was unaffected by Spirulina or Chlorella administration (P>0.10). Shorter ileal villi were measured in SP and CV piglets than in NC piglets (P<0.05). Cytokine expression did not differ between treatments in response to weaning. At day 14, IL-8 expression in the ileum was higher in SP piglets, while IL-1β expression in the jejunum was higher in CV piglets (P<0.05). This study shows that Spirulina administration around weaning alleviates diarrhoea in weaned piglets, without marked modulation of local inflammation.

An inverse association between offspring birth weight (BW) and higher risk of parental cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and morbidity has been reported. Shared environmental, genetic and intrauterine factors may be responsible for explaining these associations. We studied the role of parental CVD risk factors in the association between offspring BW and CVD mortality among mothers and fathers. All births registered in Medical Birth Registry Norway (1967–2012) were linked to three health surveys, National Educational Registry and Cause of Death Registry. Number of births with information of parental CVD risk factors available for the analyses was 1,006,557 (520,670 for mothers and 485,887 for fathers). Cox proportional hazards regression models were used, following CVD deaths in parents from 1974 to 2012. An inverse association between offspring BW and CVD mortality was observed among both parents: hazard ratio 1.60 (1.44–1.75) for mothers and 1.16 (1.10–1.23) for fathers. Among mothers, adjustment for smoking, triglycerides and diabetes reduced the risk to 1.36 (1.25–1.52), 1.57 (1.43–1.73) and 1.58 (1.43–1.79), respectively. Adjustment for diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) both reduced the risk to 1.53 (1.37–1.66). Among fathers, adjustments for smoking, DBP, SBP reduced the risk to 1.08 (1.02–1.15), 1.13 (1.06–1.19) and 1.14 (1.08–1.22), respectively. Triglycerides and diabetes both reduced the risk to 1.15 (1.09–1.12). Our results indicate that shared environmental factors might be important in the association. A stronger association in mothers suggest that intrauterine factors also are at play.

The prevalence of a sub-clinical vitamin B12 deficiency in the vegetarians is high. Total serum vitamin B12 concentration alone does not reliably reflect vitamin B12 status. Holotranscobalamin (holo-TC) II is a bioactive B12 fraction promoting specific uptake of B12 by cells and the circulating concentration reflects the intake of B12, whereas total homocysteine (tHcy) indicates the metabolic ability. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic value of circulating holo-TC, B12, folate and homocysteine in vegetarians who were at risk of B12 deficiency. B12-related biomarkers were measured in 119 young, healthy graduate vegetarians. None was folate deficient. As per reported definition, half were B12 deficient; 70 % of males and 50 % of females had low plasma holo-TC concentrations; and 92 % of males and half of females had hyperhomocysteinaemia. None had any clinical signs of B12 deficiency. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated similar AUC at the B12 concentration of 100 and 150 pmol/l when holo-TC (0·777 and 0·784) and homocysteine (0·924 and 0·928) were used as variables. Cut-off value of 100 pmol/l resulted in the highest sensitivity of 77·78 % and specificity of 71·05 % with a predictive value of 19·6 pmol/l for holo-TC and a sensitivity of 82·72 % and specificity of 89·7 % with a predictive value of 21·7 µmol/l for homocysteine. The combination of B12, holo-TC and tHcy improves the diagnostic accuracy at these cut-offs, and we suggest that for the young Indian vegetarians the cut-off for plasma B12 and holotrancobalamin is 100 pmol/l and 19·6 pmol/l, respectively, and for homocysteine it is 17·6 (females) and 27 µmol/l (males) for identifying B12 deficiency.

The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of total replacement of oat hay by rosemary distillation residues (RR) on growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Barbarine lambs. A total of 21 lambs were divided into three groups. The control group (C) was offered 600 g of oat hay; the RR87 and RR60 groups received 600 g of pellets containing 87% and 60% of RR, respectively. The CP content was 9% and 14% for RR87 and RR60, respectively. All animals were supplemented by 600 g of concentrate. After 77 days of fattening, lambs were slaughtered. The DM and CP intakes were significantly increased with RR diets. The average daily gain was higher (P<0.001), while the feed conversion rate was lower for RR60 and RR87 than C group. The dressing percentage was similar for all groups. The tissular (muscle, fat and bone) and the regional (leg, shoulder, etc.) carcass composition did not differ among groups. The bony organs and gut weights were similar among groups, while functional ones (skin, liver, kidney and testicles) were significantly heavier for both RR groups than control. The ultimate pH, water cooking loss and color variables were similar among groups and the chemical composition (protein, fat, myoglobin, collagen and iron) did not differ also among groups. These results revealed the opportunity of RR use in fattening lambs without adverse effects on carcass and meat characteristics. Moreover, 9% CP in RR pellets are enough given the same growth performance recorded as that of RR with 14% CP.

This study determines the prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intakes consumed by long-term care (LTC) residents. This cross-sectional study was completed in thirty-two LTC homes in four Canadian provinces. Weighed and estimated food and beverage intake were collected over 3 non-consecutive days from 632 randomly selected residents. Nutrient intakes were adjusted for intra-individual variation and compared with the Dietary Reference Intakes. Proportion of participants, stratified by sex and use of modified (MTF) or regular texture foods, with intakes below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) or Adequate Intake (AI), were identified. Numbers of participants that met these adequacy values with use of micronutrient supplements was determined. Mean age of males (n 197) was 85·2 (sd 7·6) years and females (n 435) was 87·4 (sd 7·8) years. In all, 33 % consumed MTF; 78·2 % (males) and 76·1 % (females) took at least one micronutrient pill. Participants on a MTF had lower intake for some nutrients (males=4; females=8), but also consumed a few nutrients in larger amounts than regular texture consumers (males=4; females =1). More than 50 % of participants in both sexes and texture groups consumed inadequate amounts of folate, vitamins B6, Ca, Mg and Zn (males only), with >90 % consuming amounts below the EAR/AI for vitamin D, E, K, Mg (males only) and K. Vitamin D supplements resolved inadequate intakes for 50–70 % of participants. High proportions of LTC residents have intakes for nine of twenty nutrients examined below the EAR or AI. Strategies to improve intake specific to these nutrients are needed.

Recent evidence has raised the possibility of the existence of a sixth taste modality – that is, taste for fat – which is mediated by lingual CD36 and plays a role in obesity. Consequently, the genetic polymorphism of CD36 has been shown to be associated with altered oro-sensory detection of dietary lipids. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between oro-sensory perception of linoleic acid (LA), two CD36 polymorphisms (rs1527483 and rs3212018), obesity parameters and craving habits for dietary lipids in young Czech adults. We also sequenced 5 and 6 exons of CD36 to trace out any new mutation that might be responsible for the difference in taste perception. We observed that craving for dietary lipids was correlated with anthropometric parameters (P<0·05) and LA detection threshold (P=0·033). The participants with the CC genotype of the rs1527483 polymorphism had lower BMI (P=0·011), waist circumference (P=0·005), waist:height ratio (P=0·010) and higher sensitivity for LA (P=0·037) than the participants with the CT and TT genotypes. Interestingly, we did not observe any association between the rs3212018 polymorphism and the studied parameters. Moreover, we did not observe any mutation in exons 5 and 6 of the CD36 gene in these subjects. Finally, we can state that rs1527483, but not rs3212018, is associated with high body weight in young Czech subjects.

As the number of gestating sows reared in group housing increases, a better understanding of behavioral traits needed to negotiate these more complex social interactions promises to increase animal welfare and productivity. However, little is known about different behavioral strategies or coping styles in sows, and even less is understood about their ontogeny. To study the development of coping styles in adult gestating sows, 36 sows from the same sire line and same commercial maternal genetics were followed from birth through their second parity. Each animal was observed in a battery of stress-related behavioral tests at 5 weeks, and 3 months of age as well as 24 h postpartum as a parity 1 sow, and during introduction to subsequent gestation period in group housing. The tests at different ages included response to handling, open field exploration, human interaction, litter handling and social interactions with conspecifics. Many of the observed behaviors were correlated during the same period of the animal’s life and provided the motivation for a principal component analysis by age. Using principal component analysis, multiple traits were determined at each age point; at 5 weeks old: active, non-exploratory and cautious explained 82.5% of the variance; at 3 months of age: active, non-exploratory and low fear of humans explained 87.7% of the variance; and as primiparous sows: active, aggressive/dominant and submissive explained 82.0% of the variance. Several individual juvenile behaviors were associated with adult behavioral traits. For instance, the response to handling at 5 weeks was significantly predictive (β=0.4; P<0.05) of the aggressive/dominant trait of parity 1 sows. Taken together results presented here suggest that early behavioral responses of prepuberal gilts during specific instances of elevated environmental or social stress can predict future behavioral response as gestating sows.

As a result of the increase in herd size and the intensification of production, the complexity of reproductive management has been growing in dairy herds. The aim of our study was to examine the associations of management practices and reproductive performance in Holstein cows on large commercial dairy farms. Management practices applied to cows were surveyed between 22 May and 6 November 2015 in 34 large Holstein-Friesian dairy herds in Hungary. Individual data of 23 784 cows that calved between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2014 in the surveyed herds were gathered. Associations between the management practices and the reproductive parameters were analyzed by mixed effects models. Regarding heat abatement we found that ventilation with sprinklers was associated with the shortest breeding interval (P<0.01), the shortest calving to conception interval (P<0.01), and the highest odds of being pregnant by 200 days in milk (P<0.01). Solely ventilation showed similar (P>0.05) results to lack of heat stress protection. It was also revealed, that lack of a well-established voluntary waiting period (VWP) or a VWP shorter than 50 days was associated with less days to first service (P<0.01), shorter breeding interval (P<0.01) and calving to conception interval (P<0.05), as well as higher odds of carrying a calf by 200 days in milk (P<0.01) compared with those using a VWP of at least 50 days. Those farms that applied transrectal ultrasonography were more likely to use ventilation with sprinklers (P<0.05), hormonal synchronization (P<0.01) and to perform early pregnancy diagnosis followed by pregnancy recheck (P<0.05). The application of transrectal ultrasonography with one of the aforementioned practices was associated with reduced days to first service (P<0.05), shorter breeding interval (P<0.05) and higher odds of pregnancy at 200 days in milk (P<0.05). Our study highlights the management practices most closely related to improved reproductive performance, which are, therefore, suggested to be applied on dairy farms, considering the local circumstances of the individual farms.