Peppermint extract improves egg production and quality, increases antioxidant capacity, and alters cecal microbiota in late-phase laying hens

Menthol in Livestock: Unveiling Its Multifaceted Properties and Future Potential for Sustainable Agriculture

Menthol, the primary active compound in the widely cultivated peppermint plant (Mentha piperita), is well known for its use in human products such as topical analgesics and cold remedies. Menthol's cooling sensation and ability to locally modulate pain through interactions with transient receptor potential channels make it a valuable bioactive compound. In recent years, menthol's antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties have drawn attention in the livestock industry as a natural alternative to synthetic antibiotics in feed additives. This review comprehensively examines the existing literature to assess menthol's effects on animal growth performance, product quality, immune function, gastrointestinal microbial ecosystems, and metabolism across various livestock species. Notably, menthol shows potential for improving feed efficiency, mitigating chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, inhibiting environmental and gastrointestinal pathogens, and enhancing calcium absorption. However, optimal dosages, treatment durations, synergies with other phytogenic compounds, and regulatory mechanisms require further investigation. Additionally, with increasing global temperatures and growing concerns about animal welfare, menthol's cooling, methane-reducing, and analgesic properties present promising opportunities for advancing sustainable livestock practices.

Artemisia annua Residue Regulates Immunity, Antioxidant Ability, Intestinal Barrier Function, and Microbial Structure in Weaned Piglets

Artemisia annua residue (AR), as the byproduct of industrial extraction of artemisinin, contains rich nutrients and active ingredients. This study was conducted to determine the effects of AR as an unconventional feed material on growth performance, immunity, and intestinal health in weaned piglets. Thirty-two piglets weaned at 21 days (7.53 ± 0.31 kg average BW) were fed with a corn-soybean basal diet (BD) and a basal diet with 1% (LAR), 2% (MAR), and 4% (HAR) AR diets for 28 days. AR diets increased the serum IgA and complement component 3 levels, superoxide dismutase activity, and villus height in the duodenum (p < 0.05). The MAR group increased the ADG, serum total protein, and mRNA expression levels of Claudin-1 in the duodenum and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and the mucin 2 (MUC2) in the colon, as well as colonic Romboutsia and Anaerostipes abundances, and decreased the Proteobacteria abundance (p < 0.05). To sum up, dietary AR supplementation may enhance growth performance by improving serum immunoglobulin and antioxidant enzyme activity, intestinal morphology, tight junction protein expression, and gut microbiota of weaned piglets. Regression analysis showed that the optimal AR supplemental level for growth performance, immunity, antioxidant ability, and intestinal health of weaned piglets was 2.08% to 4.24%.

Effects of various supplemental levels of multi-enzyme complex on amino acid profiles in egg yolk, antioxidant capacity, cecal microbial community and metabolites of laying hens

This study aimed to investigate the effects of multi-enzyme (alkaline protease, xylanase, glucanase, β-mannanase, cellulase, acid protease, glucoamylase, and α-galactosidase) on antioxidant capacity, egg quality, amino acid profiles in yolk, cecal microflora and metabolites in laying hens. A total of 384 Jingfen No.6 laying hens aged 65 weeks were randomly divided into 4 treatments groups (6 replicates per group) and fed diets containing 0, 150, 300, or 600 mg kg-1 multi-enzyme over an 8-week feeding duration. Our findings revealed that supplementation with 600 mg kg-1 of multi-enzyme significantly increased the albumen height (P < 0.05) and haugh unit (P < 0.05). Moreover, as the levels of multi-enzyme supplementation in the diet increased, there were significant increases in activities of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum (P < 0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver (P < 0.05). Different levels of multi-enzyme supplementation significantly affected the composition of amino acid profiles in the yolk. Furthermore, the results from 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics analysis of cecal content revealed that multi-enzyme supplementation altered the cecal microflora and metabolite profiles. We found the relative abundance of the Bacteroidota phyla in T600 group was significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared to CON and T150 groups, but the relative abundance of the Firmicutes phylum in T600 group were significantly lower than T150 group (P < 0.05). At the genus level, the relative abundance of the Parabacteroides genera in T300 group, the Faecalibacterium genera in T300 and T600 groups, the norank_f_Prevotellaceae genera in treatment groups (T150, T300 and T600), the norank_f_Peptococcaceae genera in T600 group, and the Monoglobus genera in T1 group were significantly increased. The KEGG pathway analysis showed that the common enrichment metabolic pathways of each treatment group compared to the CON group were glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, foxo signaling pathway and mTOR signaling pathway, and the enrichment metabolic pathways shared by T300 vs CON and T600 vs CON was galactose metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathways. Correlation analysis identified notable relationships between specific microbes and metabolites with T-AOC in serum, GSH-Px activity in the liver, amino acids in yolk, albumen height, and haugh units. Overall, this study suggests that multi-enzyme supplementation regulated the cecal microbial community and metabolism, potentially influencing amino acid profiles in yolk, antioxidant capacity, and egg quality.

Hydrolyzed protein formula improves the nutritional tolerance by increasing intestinal development and altering cecal microbiota in low-birth-weight piglets

Background

Prematurity or low birth weight (LBW), poses a significant challenge in global health. Exploring appropriate and effective nutritional interventions is crucial for the growth and development of LBW infants. Hydrolyzed protein formula has been suggested as a potential solution to prevent intestinal dysfunction and improve digestion and absorption in infants.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the benefits of hydrolyzed protein formula on feeding intolerance, intestinal morphological development, and microbiota in a LBW piglet model.

Methods

A total of 24 male piglets (3 d of age, 0.95-1.25 kg average BW) were assigned (8 pens/diet; 1 pigs/pen) into three dietary treatments and fed with a basic formula (BF), standard premature infant formula (SF) and hydrolyzed protein formula (HF) respectively, for 7 d. After the piglets sacrifice, growth performance, amino acid metabolism and intestinal morphology were assessed. 16S rRNA sequencing and microbial metabolic phenotypes analyzed the effects of different formula treatments on intestinal flora structure of LBW piglets.

Results

The HF diet reduced the rates of diarrhea and milk vomiting were reduced by 20.44% (p > 0.05) and 58.44% (p > 0.05), and decreased the crypt depth in the ileum while increasing the ratio of villus height/crypt depth and the mRNA expressions of y+LAT1 and b0,+AT in the ileum (p < 0.05). HF increased the final body weight, serum Thr and essential amino acid contents, and CAT2 and b0,+AT mRNA expressions in ileal mucosa compared with the SF diet (p < 0.05). Microbiota sequencing results showed that the colonic microbial richness indices (Chao1, ACE, and observed species), the diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson), and the phyla Actinobacteriota, unidentified_Bacteria, Acidobacteriota and Actinobacteria, the genus Rubrobacter and RB41 were reduced (p < 0.05) in SF and HF groups. Microbial metabolic phenotypes analysis showed a reduction in the richness of biofilm-forming bacteria (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

In summary, hydrolyzed protein formula had better nutrition and tolerance in LBW suckling piglets by improving amino acid transport and intestinal development, and regulating gut microbial communities.

Differences in Milk Fatty Acids Profile of Two Breeds of Water Buffaloes Explained by Their Gastrointestinal Microbiota

This experiment investigated gastrointestinal microbes' role in milk fatty acid differences between Murrah and Nili-Ravi buffaloes. After 30 days of a basal diet, rumen microbial diversity was similar, but Murrah buffaloes had greater partially unsaturated fatty acids like C18:2c9t11. Rumen bacteria like Acetobacter, Ruminococcus, and Prevotellaceae_YAB2003_group correlated positively with milk fatty acids C22:5n-6 and C18:3 in Murrah. Fecal microbial beta diversity differed, with UCG-005 and Prevolla positively correlated with C18:2c9t11 and C22:5n-6. The greater quantity of milk fatty acids C18:3, C18:2c9t11, and C22:5n-6 in Murrah milk was linked to rumen and fecal microbes. This suggests that gastrointestinal microbes like Acetobacter, Ruminococcus, and UCG_005 regulate milk fatty acid concentrations in buffaloes.

Improving gut functions and egg nutrition with stevia residue in laying hens

This study aimed to investigate the effect of stevia residue (STER) on the production performance, egg quality and nutrition, antioxidant ability, immune responses, gut morphology and microbiota of laying hens during the peak laying period. A total of 270 Yikoujingfen NO. 8 laying hens (35 wk of age) were randomly divided into 5 treatments. The control group fed a basal diet and groups supplemented with 2, 4, 6, and 8% STER. The results showed that STER significantly increased egg production, the content of amino acids (alanine, proline, valine, ornithine, asparagine, aspartic acid, and cysteine) in egg whites, and decreased the yolk color (P < 0.05). Additionally, STER significantly increased acetate, HOMOγ linolenic acid and cis-13, 16-docosadienoic acid levels in egg yolk (P < 0.05). IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 levels in serum significantly increased by STER (P < 0.05), while IL-1β significantly decreased (P < 0.05). STER also increased total antioxidant activity (T-AOC) in the liver and estradiol level in the oviduct (P < 0.05), but decreased the cortisol level in the oviduct (P < 0.05). For the intestinal morphology, the jejunal villus height and crypt-to-villus (V:C) significantly increased by STER (P < 0.05). STER increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota (P < 0.05), while deceased Proteobacteria, Desulfobacterota, and Synergistota (P < 0.05). In conclusion, STER improved egg production, quality and nutrition, improved the immune responses, antioxidant capabilities, estrogen level, gut morphology, and increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria while decreased the harmful bacteria. Among all treatments, 4 and 6% STER supplementation yielded the most favorable results in terms of enhancing production performance, egg nutrition, gut health, and immune capabilities in laying hens.