Rapeseed is the second largest plant protein resource in the world with an ideal profile of essential amino acids. Rapeseed meal (RSM) is one of the by-products of rapeseed oil extraction. Due to the anti-nutritional components (glucosinolates and fiber) and poor palatability, RSM is limited in livestock diets. Recently, how to decrease the anti-nutritional factors and improve the nutritional value of RSM has become a hot topic. Therefore, the major components of RSM have been reviewed with emphasis on the methods to improve the nutritional value of RSM as well as the application of RSM in pig diets.

The current study aimed to assess the effects of different levels of essential oil/palygorskite composite (EO-PGS) supplementation on performance, egg quality, oxidative status, immunity and intestinal morphology of laying hens. A total of 480 laying hens aged 65 wk were randomly assigned into 4 groups (6 replicates of 20 hens each). Hens were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet), 0.5, 0.75 or 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS for 56 d. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA. Results showed that birds fed with diet supplemented with EO-PGS had increased the egg production (P < 0.05) more than birds fed with control diet. The yolk index and shell thickness were increased in 0.75 and 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS groups at d56 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma biochemical parameters among all groups. Compared with the control group, supplementation of EO-PGS increased the immunoglobulin-G and interleukin-2 levels in plasma (P < 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity in plasma and liver, the plasma catalase concentration, the activity of total superoxide dismutase in the liver and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the spleen were increased in the EO-PGS groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of malondialdehyde in the liver was decreased with the increasing level of EO-PGS (P < 0.05). The crypt depth of ileum and duodenum of birds fed with EO-PGS supplemented diet had a tendency to decrease (0.05<P < 0.1) and the villus height to crypt depth ratio of ileum increased (P < 0.05), compared with birds fed with control diet. In summary, EO-PGS supplementation improved the egg production, enhanced antioxidation and immune functions, and ameliorated egg quality and intestinal morphology of laying hens, and a level of 0.75 g/kg EO-PGS was recommended in laying hens diets.

The intestinal mucus barrier is a crucial component of the host's innate defense system, playing a vital role in regulating intestinal microecology and maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Glycosylated mucins, the core components of this barrier, are essential for preserving its integrity by preventing bacterial degradation. Additionally, mucins significantly contribute to establishing a balanced symbiotic relationship between the host and microbes. These mucins have the potential to mitigate intestinal epithelial damage by capturing and transporting cell debris and pathogenic bacteria. Meanwhile, certain bacteria help maintain the equilibrium and stability of the gut microbiome by degrading glycosylated mucins to utilize the carbohydrate chains, thus affecting the cytokine expression to regulate the synthesis and secretion of specific glycans. Investigating the complex connections between the mucus barrier and mucin glycosylation holds great promise for advancing our understanding of gastrointestinal disease mechanisms, paving the way for innovative prevention and treatment strategies.

This experiment investigated the effects of xylanase on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum metabolites, and fecal microbiota in growing pigs fed wheat–soybean meal-based diets. Seventy-two crossbred pigs (Duroc × [Landrace × Large White]) pigs (body weight of 23.30 ± 1.51 kg) were allotted two treatments with six pens per treatment and six pigs per pen. The diets were a wheat–soybean meal-based diet (Control group) and a wheat–soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 500 U/kg xylanases (XYL group). The experiment was divided into two periods (phase 1: days 1 to 35 and phase 2: days 36 to 70). Xylanase improved G:F during phase 1 and the entire experiment (P < 0.05) and tended to improve G:F during phase 2 (P = 0.09). Compared with the control group, pigs in the XYL group had greater apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and gross energy on days 35 and 70 (P < 0.05) and had greater apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids (histidine, lysine, methionine, and serine) on day 70 (P < 0.05). The fecal microbiota in the XYL group contained greater abundances of g_Terrisporobacter, g_Lactobacillus, g_Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and g_Romboutsia than the Control group on day 70. Xylanase increased the fecal Lactobacillus populations on day 35 (P < 0.05). On days 35 and 70, xylanase reduced the fecal E. coli populations (P < 0.05). Supplementing xylanase to wheat–soybean meal-based diets collectively improved fecal microbiota, and nutrient digestibility, thereby improving growth performance in growing pigs. The potentiality of wheat on nutritive value is not fully realized because of the presence of (NSP). The arabinoxylan in the wheat represents about 70% of the total NSP, which may bring about the encapsulation of nutrients and increase digesta viscosity. In this experiment, we found that a wheat–soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 500 U/kg xylanases could improve the fecal microbiota and nutrient digestibility, thereby improving growth performance in growing pigs.

The current study aims to investigate the potential interaction between glycosylation profiles of the Ningxiang breed (NX) and Western Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire breed (DLY) weaned piglets, and their characteristic microbes, employing integrated analyses of transcriptomics and metagenomics. Twenty-four (12 NX and 12 DLY) at 28 days of age were transported into an experimental house and fed the same weaned piglet diet. The trail period was 7 days. Results revealed that the NX piglets had a higher growth-to-feed ratio, body weight gain scale, and lower pathological score of intestinal injury compared with the DLY piglets (P < 0.01). DLY piglets displayed elevated mRNA expression levels of MUC2 and MUC5AC in colonic mucosal tissue than NX piglets (P < 0.05). Within the O-linked glycosylated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), FNTA, GALNT18, POMGNT1, POMGNT2, and POMT1 were significantly upregulated in DLY piglets relative to NX piglets (P < 0.05). Conversely, C1GALT2, GALNT1, KMT2C, and OGT were significantly downregulated in DLY piglets compared to NX piglets (P < 0.05). The KMT2C gene was hardly expressed in the transcriptome of DLY piglets. At the phylum taxonomic level, NX piglets had a higher abundance of Firmicutes, while DLY piglets had a higher abundance of Proteobacteria. At the genus taxonomic level, NX piglets had a higher abundance of Lactobacillus, whereas DLY piglets had a higher abundance of Collinsella, Enterococcus and Escherichia. The results of the correlation between intestinal differential bacteria and O-chain glycosylated DEG showed that C1GALT2, GALNT1 and KMT2 were associated with Lactobacillus_pontis showed a positive correlation (R = 0.67). Through comparative analysis of differentially glycosylated genes and their associated functions, this study highlights the potential role of reduced expression of GALNT1 and KMT2C genes, involved in O-linked protein and glycan reactions, in impairing the intestinal barrier function of DLY piglets. Furthermore, members of the Lactobacillus and Prevotella genera may actively contribute to the regulation of piglet colon glycosylation profiles.

Trace minerals are essential for maintaining physiological functions in poultry, including antioxidant defense, immune regulation, and reproductive performance. However, the bioavailability of conventional inorganic trace elements is relatively low, and their effects on gut microbiota and reproductive physiology in broiler breeder hens remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated the effects of inorganic trace elements (ITE), methionine hydroxyl analog chelated trace minerals (MTE), and proteinate trace minerals (PTE) on performance, egg quality, antioxidant status, immune responses, reproductive hormones, and cecal microbiota. A total of 432 Hubbard female broiler breeders (50 weeks old) were randomly assigned to 3 treatments with 6 replicates of 24 birds each for 56 days. No significant differences were observed in laying performance or egg quality among treatments (P > 0.05). However, dietary organic trace minerals significantly increased the activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in plasma and eggs (P < 0.05). MTE and PTE also increased plasma estradiol (E2), progesterone (PROG), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), while PTE elevated plasma IgA and IgM levels (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in α-diversity indices of the cecal microbiota (P > 0.05). However, β-diversity analysis showed distinct clustering among treatments. LEfSe analysis identified differential microbial taxa, with the PTE group showing higher relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Enterococcus, while the ITE group exhibited higher relative abundance of Bacteroides. Overall, dietary organic trace minerals, particularly proteinate trace minerals, improved antioxidant status, immune function, hormonal profiles, and intestinal microbial structure in female broiler breeders, suggesting their potential advantages over inorganic trace mineral supplementation.