Animal Feed

A study was conducted to evaluate some plant parts (already tested for their antimethanogenic activity in in vitro gas production test in the authors' laboratory) as feed additive to combat methane emission from sheep. Sixteen male sheep with average body weight of 29.96±1.69 kg (22 months of age) were divided into four groups in a randomized block design. The animals were fed on a diet containing forage to concentrate ratio of 1:1. The concentrate fraction composed (in parts) of maize grain, 32; wheat bran, 45; deoiled soybean meal, 20; mineral mixture, 2 and common salt, 1.

Dietary restriction (DR) is a robust nongenetic, nonpharmacological intervention that is known to increase active and healthy lifespan in a variety of species. Despite a variety of differences in the protocols and the way DR is carried out in different species, conserved relationships are emerging among multiple species. 2009 saw the field of DR mature with important mechanistic insights from multiple species. A report of lifespan extension in rapamycin-treated mice suggested that the TOR pathway, a conserved mediator of DR in invertebrates, may also be critical to DR effects in mammals.

Information on daily nutrient requirements is more complete for farm animals than for horses, pets and man. Very little is known, particularly in man, horses and pets of the relationship between nutrition and longevity. Therefore, a slightly higher intake of essential nutrients would appear to be preferable, the more so as the body can readily remove any surpluses. This also holds true for man and animals in suboptimum living conditions.

Reducing food intake to induce undernutrition but not malnutrition extends the life spans of multiple species, ranging from single-celled organisms to mammals. This increase in longevity by dietary restriction (DR) is coupled to profound beneficial effects on age-related pathology. Historically, much of the work on DR has been undertaken using rodent models, and 70 years of research has revealed much about the physiological changes DR induces. However, little is known about the genetic pathways that regulate the DR response and whether or not they are conserved between species.

This study evaluated effects of farming practice scenarios aiming to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and subsequent alternative land use on environmental impacts of a beef cattle production system using the life cycle assessment approach. The baseline scenario includes a standard cow-calf herd with finishing heifers based on grazing, and a standard bull-fattening herd using a diet mainly based on maize silage, corresponding to current farm characteristics and management by beef farmers in France. Alternative scenarios were developed with changes in farming practices.

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of postweaning management of British crossbred heifers on growth and reproduction. In Exp. 1, 239 spring-born, crossbred heifers were stratified by weaning BW (234 ± 1 kg) and allotted randomly to 1 of 2 treatments. Treatments were fed at a rate equivalent to 1.14 kg/d while grazing dormant forage (6.5% CP and 80% NDF, DM basis) and were 1) 36% CP containing 36% RUP (36RUP) or 2) 36% CP containing 50% RUP (50RUP).

Five feeding trials based on the isonitrogenous and isoenergetic experimental diets containing 34% protein, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% or 14% lipid respectively in the circulating water culture system for both 30 and 60 days were conducted to investigate the effect of the dietary lipid level on the growth and immunity in white shirmp, Litopenaeus vannamei adults. The body weight and specific growth rate of white shrimp in different treatments indicated that shrimps fed the diet of 12% lipid level for 30d and 10% lipid level for 60d had the best developmental status.

With the aim to improve the mass rearing feasibility of tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa armigera H¸bner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), design of experimental methodology using Taguchi orthogonal array was applied. To do so, the effect of 16 ingredients of an artificial diet including bean, wheat germ powder, Nipagin, ascorbic acid, formaldehyde, oil, agar, distilled water, ascorbate, yeast, chloramphenicol, benomyl, penicillin, temperature, humidity, and container size on some biological characteristics of H. armigera was evaluated.

The US has a pet population of approximately 70 million dogs and 74 million cats. Humans have developed a strong emotional bond with companion animals. As a consequence, pet owners seek ways to improve health, quality of life and longevity of their pets. Advances in canine and feline nutrition have contributed to improved longevity and well-being. Dietary fibers have gained renewed interest in the pet food industry, due to their important role in affecting laxation and stool quality.