The objective of this study was to determine the effects of substituting barley grain with short-season, high-moisture shelled corn, and barley grain and barley silage with snaplage on ruminal fermentation and the site and extent of digestion in beef cattle fed finishing diets. Six ruminally and duodenally cannulated heifers (420 ± 16.4 kg body weight) were fed a barley grain and silage finishing diet (BG), a diet where half of the barley grain was replaced with high-moisture shelled corn (HC), or a diet where the barley silage and a portion of grain were replaced with snaplage (SN) in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. While dry matter and starch intake were unaffected, feeding SN resulted in greater (P = 0.02) ruminal but not total tract starch digestibility than BG. Ruminal pH did not differ between HC and BG, but SN reduced (P = 0.02) minimum ruminal pH relative to BG. Feeding BG increased (P = 0.04) ruminal ammonia concentrations over HC. In conclusion, high-moisture shelled corn can partially replace barley grain with minimal impact on nutrient digestibility or ruminal fermentation, but replacement of barley silage and some barley grain with snaplage may increase the risk of ruminal acidosis.

This study assessed the impact of dry- (DR) versus temper-rolled (TR) and low- (13%, LP) versus high-protein (18%, HP) wheat on ruminal fermentation, growth, and liver abscesses in feedlot cattle. Crossbred Angus steers (302 ± 34 kg; n = 160; 24 ruminally cannulated) were used in a backgrounding (BG) to finishing (FN) trial. The BG diet consisted of 60% barley silage, 35% wheat, and 5% supplement, and the FN diet contained 10% barley silage, 85% wheat, and 5% supplement (dry matter basis). Four transition (TN) diets were used to adapt cattle to the FN diet. A numerical increase in large particles and reduction in small particles occurred when both HP and LP wheat were TR, with this response being greater for HP wheat. Steers experienced lower (P ≤ 0.03) ruminal pH with HP-DR and LP-TR than HP-TR wheat during TN. Steers fed HP wheat BG diets tended to exhibit greater (P ≤ 0.09) gain:feed and NEg than steers fed LP wheat. Greater (P = 0.01) average daily gains were exhibited by FN steers fed LP wheat. Liver abscesses were more (P < 0.001) severe with HP wheat. While HP wheat improved the growth of BG cattle, it increased the severity of liver abscesses during FN.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia (NH₃) emissions, land and water use associated with feedlot cattle (n = 40 hd treatment⁻¹ trial⁻¹) treated with or without productivity-enhancing technologies were modelled for a multiyear study (n = 4). Heifers (H) were assigned to the following treatments: (1) implanted (HTBA); (2) provided with melengestrol acetate (HMGA); (3) nonimplanted control, weight-adjusted (CON_Adj) to achieve the same final carcass weight (CW) as 1 (HCON_AdjTBA); or (4) CON_Adj to achieve the CW as 2 (HCON_AdjMGA). Steers (S) were assigned as follows: (1) implanted (STBA); (2) implanted and provided with ractopamine hydrochloride (SRAC; conducted in the last 2 years); (3) CON_Adj to achieve the same CW as 1 (SCON_AdjTBA); or (4) CON_Adj to achieve the same CW as 2 (SCON_AdjRAC). The GHG and NH₃ emissions from HTBA, HMGA, STBA, and SRAC were 3.8%, 3.0%, 10.1%, and 8.5% lower and 4.3%, 2.9%, 7.4%, and 7.6% lower, respectively, than the respective control cattle. The land required to produce feed was also reduced by 6.6%, 4.8%, 9.9%, and 10.9%, while water use was reduced by 6.4%, 4.8%, 10.1%, and 11.1% for HTBA, HMGA, STBA, and SRAC, respectively. This modelling study clearly demonstrates that conventional beef production systems have a lower environmental footprint than nonconventional systems.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a natural organic sulfur component that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, injury of porcine intestinal epithelial cell (IPEC-J2) models were used to investigate the effect of MSM on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced porcine intestinal epithelium barrier damage. The results of the cell cycle showed that the cells in the G2/M phase decreased significantly with the supplementation of 300 mmol/L MSM (P < 0.05). The ELISA assay revealed that MSM could significantly inhibit the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, MSM could significantly increase the value of cell monolayer transepithelial electrical resistance while reducing the FITC-dextran flux permeability and lactate dehydrogenase activity in IPEC-J2 cells (P < 0.01). Additionally, 300 mmol/L MSM significantly increased both mRNA and protein expression of occludin, claudin-1, and ZO-1 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, MSM prevented the downregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by LPS, indicating that MSM might enhance tight junction function through mechanisms of activation of EGFR-mediated protein synthesis in IPEC-J2 cells. Therefore, our findings suggested that MSM has protective effects on inflammation and epithelial barrier injury in LPS-induced IPEC-J2 cells, indicating that MSM might be used as a potential therapeutic agent in the pig industry.

The objective of this study was to determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of protein and amino acids (AA) and calculate the digestible indispensable AA score (DIAAS) of three varieties of Canadian grown pulses (faba bean, lentil, and yellow pea). Three steam-pelleted (80 °C) diets (faba/lentil/pea; 40% inclusion) and a nitrogen-free diet were fed to eight cannulated growing pigs in a 4 × 4 replicated Latin square design. The SID values were used to calculate DIAAS. There were no differences in SID of protein and AA when all diets were compared (P > 0.05). The SID of methionine was 95% for faba beans, 96% for lentils, and 96% for peas. The SID of lysine was 93% for faba beans, 92% for lentils, and 90% for peas. Tryptophan had the lowest SID across all indispensable AA of all pulses (59% faba, 61% lentil, and 41% pea). All other indispensable AA SID were above 80%. Tryptophan was the limiting indispensable AA for all pulses as determined by DIAAS, with scores of 30 (faba), 57.83 (lentil), and 27.27 (pea). These values will aid in optimal inclusion of steam-pelleted pulses in diets for swine and provide an insight on the protein quality of pulses for humans.

This experiment evaluated the effects of sugarcane extract (SCE) on growing pigs' diarrhea incidence, serum immunity, intestinal morphology, and antioxidant enzyme activity. A total of 116 52-day-old commercial pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Jiaxing Black, average weight of 11 ± 1 kg) were randomly allocated to control (CON, basal diet) and 1% SCE group (SCEG, basal diet + 1% SCE). The experiment lasted four weeks. Compared with CON, diarrhea incidence (SCEG: 74.11% versus CON: 54.76%) and diarrhea index (SCEG: 83.65% versus CON: 73.61%) dropped largely in pigs supplemented with SCE. Villus height in the duodenum (p < 0.01) and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (p < 0.05) increased in SCEG. Dietary SCE enhanced the activity of catalase (CAT) capacity, and decreased tumor necrosis factor α, and malondialdehyde levels in serum (p < 0.05). CAT activity in the ileum increased (p < 0.05) in piglets supplemented with SCE. Thus, dietary supplementation with SCE improved diarrhea incidence, serum antioxidant capacity and immunity, and intestinal villus morphology and may be used as an efficient antibiotic alternative in weaned piglet feed.

Pulses are important as alternative sources of protein and carbohydrates for the animal industry and, thus, require accurate evaluation of their nutrient profile during processing. Extrusion is a thermal processing of ingredients to induce physiochemical changes that convert them into more valuable products. The current study evaluated the effects of extrusion on the starch and fibre components of Amarillo peas, Dun peas, chickpeas, faba beans, lentils, and soybean meal (SBM). Pulses were extruded at 18% or 22% moisture and 110, 130, or 150 °C. Extrusion decreased (P < 0.05) the starch content in Amarillo and Dun peas but increased (P < 0.05) the same in faba beans, lentils, and SBM when compared with their whole counterparts. There was no difference in the total dietary fibre content of whole and extruded Amarillo peas, Dun peas, chickpeas, and SBM. Extrusion increased (P < 0.05) the soluble dietary fibre (SDF) content of all pulses and SBM except chickpeas. Extrusion increased (P < 0.05) for all fibre types in faba beans. Results indicate that extrusion increased the starch and SDF content of most pulses but had negative or no effects on other fibre components in all pulses except faba beans.

In this study, 206 breast fillets were purchased from grocery stores in the province of Quebec and evaluated for the presence of different quality defects. Of these fillets, 48.5% showed breast muscle myopathies (BMM), 19.4% showed pale, soft, and exudative (PSE), and 6.8% showed dark, firm, and dry (DFD) attributes. BMM were equally present (P > 0.05) in fillets of economical, commercial, and high-quality brands, while PSE-like fillets were more present in economical brands (P < 0.0001). The combined effect of BMM and DFD induced significantly higher counts of Salmonella (P = 0.03) and Enterobacteriaceae (P = 0.03) in myopathic than in unaffected fillets. These quality defects also altered the nutritional quality of breast meat: BMM-affected fillets had greater fat content (P < 0.0001) and DFD fillets had lower protein content (P = 0.041) than normal fillets. The technological quality was only slightly impacted by BMM, while PSE-like fillets had higher cooking loss (P = 0.009) and a tougher texture after cooking (P < 0.0001) than DFD fillets. For the first time, this study confirmed the presence of multiple quality issues in the Quebec poultry supply chain, and provided valuable data to support future research efforts.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of cinnamon and Bacillus subtilis on the growth, meat characteristics, and lipid profiles of broiler chickens. In experiments 1 and 2, a total of 320 day-old broiler chicks were assigned to D₁ (control), D₂ (4 g cinnamon/kg), D₃ (6 g cinnamon/kg), D₄ (8 g cinnamon/kg) with four replicates, and D₁ (control), D₂ (0.4 g B. subtilis (BS)/kg), D₃ (0.6 g BS/kg), D₄ (0.8 g BS/kg), D₅ (6 g cinnamon/kg) with three replicates, and 10 chicks/replication for 35 and 30 days, respectively. In experiment 1, no significant difference was observed among diets for growth and meat yield. However, test diets performed better than the control diet in terms of water-holding capacity of meat (WHCM), cooking loss of meat (CLM), blood lipids profiles (BLP), sensory quality score (SQS) (p > 0.05), and flavor (p < 0.05). In experiment 2, there was no significant difference among diets for growth, meat yield, WHCM, CLM, and BLP of the bird (p > 0.05), except for SQS (p < 0.001). Notwithstanding, the D₅ tended to increase growth, meat yield, WHCM, and SQS, and decrease CLM and BLP. Thigh meat showed higher SQS than breast meat in both experiments. Therefore, the 6 g cinnamon/kg diet may be used for producing a safe, quality, and cost-effective broiler.

Light impacts layer hen's welfare and production. This study investigated the effects of a novel LED light system on blood physiological variables in laying hens. In each of the two trials, 320-layer pullets were allocated to 16 groups of 20 birds. Treatments included the prototype LED lighting (two rooms) and the conventional 2700 K LED bulbs (two rooms). On each sampling day, blood samples were collected and analyzed immediately. Results show that only a few physiological variables were affected by treatments, but age had effects on most examined variables. No effects of treatments or age on plasma corticosterone signify a similar level of physiological stress.