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Partially defatted olive cake in finishing pig diets: implications on performance, faecal microbiota, carcass quality, slurry composition and gas emission
- P. Ferrer, S. Calvet, P. García-Rebollar, C. de Blas, A. I. Jiménez-Belenguer, P. Hernández, O. Piquer, A. Cerisuelo
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One of the key factors to improve swine production sustainability is the use of agro-industrial by-products in feeds, such as olive by-products. However, it is necessary to assess its effects on the overall production process, including the animal and the environment. With this aim, an experiment was conducted to determine the effects of including a partially defatted olive cake (PDOC) in pig diets on growth performance, faecal microbiota, carcass quality and gas emission from the slurry. Two finishing diets were formulated, a control (C) diet and a diet with PDOC included at 120 g/kg. Eighty finishing male pigs Duroc-Danbred × (Landrace × Large White) of 60.4 ± 7.00 kg BW were divided between these two treatments. During the finishing period (60 to 110 kg BW, 55 days) average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded. Faecal samples from the rectum of 16 animals per treatment were incubated for bacteria enumeration. At the end of finishing period, backfat thickness and loin depth (LD) were measured. Animals were slaughtered to obtain carcass weight and carcass composition parameters, and subcutaneous fat was sampled to analyse the fatty acid (FA) profile. In addition greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions were measured during pig slurry storage using the methodology of dynamic flux chambers. An initial slurry characterisation and biochemical methane potential (B0) were also determined. No significant differences between treatments were found in performance, carcass quality and microbial counts with the exception of LD, which was lower in PDOC compared with C animals (45.5 v. 47.5 mm, SEM: 0.62; P = 0.020). The FA profile of the subcutaneous fat did not differ between treatments, but the monounsaturated FA (MUFA) concentration was higher and the polyunsaturated FA was lower in the animals fed PDOC (50.9 v. 48.3, SEM: 0.48, P < 0.001; 17.6 v. 19.3, SEM: 0.30, P < 0.001 in mg/100 g of Total FA, for PDOC and C animals, respectively). The initial pig slurry characterisation only showed differences in ADF concentration that was higher (P < 0.05) in the slurry from PDOC treatment. Regarding gas emission, slurries from both treatments emitted similar amounts of ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as B0 values. The results obtained suggest that PDOC may be included in balanced pig diets at rates of up to 120 g/kg without negative effects on performance, carcass quality, gut microflora and slurry gas emission, while improving the MUFA concentration of subcutaneous fat.
Beyond scoring systems: usefulness of morphometry considering demographic variables, to evaluate neck and overall obesity in Andalusian horses
- T. Martin-Gimenez, C. N. Aguirre-Pascasio, I. de Blas
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Morphometry has proven to be a useful tool, both for the clinician and horse owners, for evaluating the body condition in equids due to its objectivity, easiness and capacity for detection of important metabolic disturbances. However, limited information is available on the use of morphometric ratios to characterize regional and overall adiposity and much less about their application in different genders, ages and horses with different levels of obesity. The objectives were to evaluate body and neck absolute measurements and ratios; factors affecting them such as the influence of gender, age, appearance of the neck crest and overall body condition and; relationships among these measurements. A total of 154 Andalusian horses classified according to their gender, age, body score status and cresty neck condition were evaluated in this cross-sectional study. Two evaluators assigned a body condition score (BCS, 1 to 9) and a cresty neck score (CNS, 0 to 5) to each horse. Horses were divided into males and females; young (2 to 5 years) and adults (6 to 15 years); obese (BCS⩾7) and non-obese (BCS<7); cresty neck (CNS⩾3) and non-cresty neck horses (CNS<3). Morphometric measurements (cm) included were: height at the withers (HW); body length (BL), girth (GC) and waist (WC) circumferences; neck length (NL); three neck circumferences (NCs), over the first (NC25%), the second (NC50%) and the third part (NC75%) of the NL and neck crest height (NCH). These measurements were also used to calculate the following ratios: GC : HW, WC : HW, GC : BL, WC : BL, NC25% : HW, NC50% : HW, NC75% : HW, NC25% : BL, NC50% : BL, NC75% : BL, NC25% : NL, NC50% : NL, NC75% : NL, NC25% : NCH, NC50% : NCH and NC75% : NCH. The results showed that most of the absolute measurements and ratios were greater than those described in other light breeds. In addition, most neck ratios were higher (P<0.050) in males than in females, however, all body ratios were greater (P<0.001) in females. Among the absolute measurements, WC in obese horses and NC25% and NC75% in cresty neck horses highlighted as higher. Either GC : HW or WC : HW and NC75% : BL were alternative surrogates for the appraisal of overall and regional adiposity in Andalusians. Several interactions were observed between the gender and adiposity scoring systems affecting the morphometric evaluation. This study establishes absolute morphometric measurements and ratios in Andalusian horses. It also highlights the variability of morphometric values and how the outcome of these can be influenced by demographic variables and the breed analyzed. Further studies are necessary to set morphometric reference values in other breeds.
Enteric calicivirus and rotavirus infections in domestic pigs
- N. HALAIHEL, R. M. MASÍA, M. FERNÁNDEZ-JIMÉNEZ, J. M. RIBES, R. MONTAVA, I. De BLAS, O. GIRONÉS, J. L. ALONSO, J. BUESA
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- Journal:
- Epidemiology & Infection / Volume 138 / Issue 4 / April 2010
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 28 September 2009, pp. 542-548
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We report the prevalence of rotavirus and calicivirus infections, along with their respective association with diarrhoea in the porcine population of the region of northern Spain. A total of 221 samples were collected at random from different farms in the region and from the main slaughterhouse facility in the city of Zaragoza. Faecal samples were scored as diarrhoeic or normal and grouped into five groups to match general farm management and age criteria: group I (suckling 0–4 weeks), group II (weaning >4–8 weeks), group III (transition >8–16 weeks), group IV (fattening >16–24 weeks) and group V (adults >24 weeks). Group A rotavirus detection and caliciviruses were investigated by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). Conventional RT–PCR was performed using primers designed to detect rotavirus group A, caliciviruses and/or human noroviruses. A real-time RT–PCR was carried out using TaqMan probes for genogroups GI and GII of noroviruses. Rotaviruses and caliciviruses were detected with an overall prevalence of 16·7% and 12·2%, respectively. Rotavirus detection in faecal samples was associated with both age and faecal consistency, being more frequent in piglets aged <8 weeks with odds ratios (ORs) equal to 4·3 and 4·9, respectively. Calicivirus shedding in faecal samples was homogenously distributed in all ages, showing no significant association with age or faecal consistency (OR 0·87 and 0·99, respectively). A selection of rotavirus-positive stools were genotyped by multiplex nested PCR. G10, P[6], G12 P[8], G9 [p8] and G4 P[23] genotype combinations were found. Three isolates showed a G3 genotype, but their VP4 gene could not be amplified. It should be noted that the G9 genotype was the major G genotype circulating during that period in Spain. None of the porcine samples was positive for norovirus by real-time RT–PCR, despite the ability of this technique to detect at least 18 human norovirus genotypes. Our data indicate that human noroviruses are unlikely to be circulating in the porcine population; however, sapoviruses have been found. Contrary to rotavirus infection, Calicivirus infection is asymptomatic. Specific primers to detect porcine noroviruses are needed.
Effect on digestion and performance of dietary protein content and of increased substitution of lucerne hay with soya-bean protein concentrate in starter diets for young rabbits
- S. Chamorro, M. S. Gómez-Conde, A. M. Pérez de Rozas, I. Badiola, R. Carabaño, J. C. De Blas
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The aim of this work was to study the effect of protein source / availability on the intestinal microbiota, digestive traits and nutritional performance of early-weaned rabbits. The effects of supplemental antibiotics in the drinking water were also evaluated. Four isoenergetic and isofibrous diets were formulated: a control diet with a high protein (207 g/kg dry matter (DM)) and lucerne hay content (HPHL), a diet with low crude protein (CP) (179 g/kg DM) and high lucerne hay content (LPHL) and low protein diets in which the lucerne hay in diet LPHL was replaced partially (LPML) or totally (LPLL) with soya-bean protein concentrate. Rabbits, weaned at 25 days (52 per diet), were fed the experimental diets for a 2-week period and thereafter received a commercial diet until 56 days of age. The incidence of mortality was investigated using 70 animals per diet without supplemental medication. The profile of the ileal microbiota was studied at 35 days of age in rabbits treated (18 per diet) or not (12 per diet) with antibiotic. As expected, supplementation with antibiotics effectively reduced fattening mortality rate and microbial biodiversity. However, lowering of also the dietary CP content led to a reduction in the mortality rate ( P < 0.05), both in animals treated with (by 80%) or without (by 39%) antibiotics. In addition, there was a reduction ( P < 0.05) in the frequency of Clostridium perfringens in non-medicated animals. Neither jejunal morphology nor growth performance, over the whole fattening period, was affected by dietary CP content of the experimental diets. However, with HPHL, feed efficiency was higher (by 4.8%; P < 0.01) than with LPHL diets. Substitution of lucerne hay with soya-bean meal in low protein diets did not affect apparent faecal or ileal digestibility of DM and CP. However, the ileal digestibility of cystine, alanine, aspartic acid, and proline was lowered ( P < 0.05) with increasing substitution by soya bean. Nevertheless, ileal CP flow, incidence of mortality and presence of C. perfringens were unaffected. Our results suggest that a reduction in dietary CP, resulting in reduced lumenal flows of nitrogen through the ileum, may be beneficial for young rabbits and limit the numbers of potentially harmful bacteria in the lower gut. Modulation of dietary CP should be contemplated as a strategy to increase the intestinal health in rabbits.