Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) residues in milk are regulated in many parts of the world and can cost dairy farmers significantly due to lost milk sales. Additionally, due to the carcinogenicity of this compound contaminated milk can be a major public health concern. Thirty-four lactating dairy cows were utilised to investigate the relationship between somatic cell counts (SCC), milk yield and conversion of dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) into milk AFM1 (carryover (CO)). The AFM1 in milk increased as soon as the first milking after animal ingestion with a pattern of increment up to the observed plateau (between 7th and 12th days of AFB1 ingestion). There was a significant (P < 0.01) effect of the milk yield whereas no effect could be attributed to the SCC levels or to the milk yield × SCC interaction. Similarly, the main effect of milk yield was also observed (P < 0.01) on the total amount of AFM1 excreted during the ingestion period. Although the plasma concentration of gamma-glutamyl transferase was significantly affected by aflatoxin administration, levels of this liver enzyme were within the normal range for lactating dairy cows. The current data suggest that milk yield is the major factor affecting the total excretion of AFM1 and that SCC as an indicator of mammary gland permeability was not related to an increase in AFM1 CO.

Adding organic acids to piglet diets is known to be helpful in overcoming postweaning syndrome, and butyric acid is known to be the main energy source for the epithelial cells of the large intestine and the terminal ileum. This study investigated the effect of sodium butyrate (SB) on in vitro and in vivo swine microflora, piglet growth performance, and intestinal wall morphology. During a 24-h in vitro cecal fermentation, total gas production and maximal rate of gas production were reduced linearly by SB (P < 0.001). Ammonia in cecal liquor was increased linearly by SB after 4, 8, and 24 h of fermentation (P < 0.001). In the in vivo study, 48 piglets housed in individual crates were allotted to 4 treatment groups (12 animals per treatment) for 6 wk. Piglets received a basal diet with a) no addition (control), or with SB at b) 1,000 ppm, c) 2,000 ppm, or d) 4,000 ppm. After 6 wk, 6 animals per treatment were killed, and samples of intestinal content and mucosa were collected. Sodium butyrate did not improve the animal growth performance. In the cecum, SB increased pH and isobutyric acid concentration (linear, P < 0.05) and tended to increase ammonia concentration (P = 0.056). Intestinal counts of clostridia, enterobacteriaceae, and lactic acid bacteria as well as intestinal mucosal morphology were not affected by feeding SB. This study showed that SB influenced the cecal microflora in an in vitro system, reducing the total gas production but increasing ammonia concentrations. When fed to piglets, SB did not improve the animal growth performance, increased cecal pH, and tended to increase cecal ammonia concentrations. Further studies will be needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the effects observed when SB is fed to piglets. Copyright © 2007. . Copyright 2007 Journal of Animal Science

Gluconic acid (GA) derives from the incomplete oxidation of glucose by some Gluconobacter strains. When fed to nonruminant animals, GA is only poorly absorbed in the small intestine and is primarly fermented to butyric acid in the lower gut. This study investigated the effect of GA on in vitro growth response and metabolism of swine cecal microflora and on animal growth performance, intestinal wall morphology, and intestinal microflora. During a 24-h in vitro cecal fermentation, total gas production and maximum rate of gas production were increased by GA (linear, P < 0.001). Ammonia in cecal liquor was reduced by GA after 4, 8, and 24 h of fermentation (quadratic, P < 0.01). After 24 h of fermentation, total short-chain fatty acids, acetic acid, propionic acid, n-butyric acid, acetic to propionic acid ratio, and acetic + butyric to propionic acid ratio were linearly increased by GA (P < 0.001). In the in vivo study, 48 piglets were divided into 4 groups and housed in individual cages for 6 wk. Piglets received a basal diet with a) no addition (control) or with GA addition at b) 3,000 ppm, c) 6,000 ppm, or d) 12,000 ppm. After 6 wk, 4 animals per treatment were killed, and samples of intestinal content and mucosa were collected. Compared with control, GA tended to increase average daily gain (+13 and +14% for GA at 3,000 and 6,000 ppm, respectively; P of the model = 0.11; quadratic, P < 0.05). Daily feed consumption and gain to feed ratio were not influenced by GA. Intestinal counts of clostridia, enterobacteriaceae, and lactic acid bacteria were not affected by GA. Gluconic acid tended to increase total short-chain fatty acids in the jejunum (+174, +87, and +74% for GA at 3,000, 6,000, and 12,000 ppm, respectively; P of the model = 0.07; quadratic, P = 0.07). Morphological evaluation of intestinal mucosa from jejunum, ileum, and cecum did not show any significant differences among treatments. This study showed that feeding GA influences the composition and activity of the intestinal microflora and may improve growth performance of piglets after weaning.

The effect of extrusion of pea seeds (Pisum sativum) (PS), faba bean (Vicia faba, variety minor) (FB) and lupin seeds (Lupinus albus, variety multitalia) (LS) on broiler performance were evaluated. Four hundred sixty two 1d-old Ross male chicks, Marek vaccinated, were randomly assigned to seven dietary treatments (3 pens per treatment/22 birds per pen). Chicks were floor housed, ad libitum fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets and had free access to water. Artificial light was provided 10 h/d. The bulk of the base diet (control diet) was corn (48.8%, 53.7% and 57%), solvent-extracted soy- bean meal (42.8%, 37.3% and 33.4%), corn oil (4.4%, 5.2% and 6.3%), plus synthetic amino acids, minerals, trace minerals and vitamins, respectively for the 1-10d-old, 11-28d-old and 29 to 42d-old growing periods. The amounts of PS, FB and LS used on an as fed basis were: PS and extruded PS (EPS): 353 (1-10d-old), 356 (11-28d-old) and 350 (29- 42d-old) g/kg; FB and extruded FB (EFB): 479 (1-10d-old), 497 (11-28d-old) and 500 (29-42d old) g/kg; LS and extrud- ed LS (ELS): 360 (1-10d-old) and 300 (11-42d-old) g/kg. High levels of pea (350 g/kg) and faba bean (500 g/kg) did not show negative effects on body weight gain (BWG) and bird feed intake compared to control. Lupin at the 300 g/kg level reduced (P< 0.05) the BWG during the finishing period (22 to 42 d), however the effect disappeared over the whole experimental period (1-42 d) compared to the control group. The ELS group had a lower (P< 0.01) feed intake com- pared to the control group and to the LS group. The feed conversion rate (FCR) was similar among groups for the whole experimental period; however during the grower period the FCR was higher (P< 0.05) for the PS, FB and EFB groups com- pared to the control group. Birds consuming the PS diet had a reduced (P< 0.05) eviscerated carcass yield compared to the control group. The breast meat percent yield was higher (P< 0.01) for birds consuming the FB and EFB diets compared to the control group. There were no statistical differences in percent yield of the leg quarters and in blood parameters

A set of 180 forages (47 alfalfa hays, 26 grass hays, 52 corn silages, 35 small grain silages and 20 sorghum silages) were randomly collected from different locations of the Po Valley (Northern Italy) from 2009 to 2010. The forages were characterised for chemical composition (11 parameters), NDF digestibility (five parameters) and net energy for lactation (NEL). The latter was calculated according to the two approaches adopted by the 2001 Nutrient Research Council and based on chemical parameters either alone (NEL3x-Lig) or in combination with 48 h NDF degradability in the rumen (NEL3x-48h). Thereafter, a principal component analysis (PCA) was used to define forage populations and limit the number of variables to those useful for obtaining a rapid forage quality evaluation on the basis of the calculated NEL content of forages. The PCA identified three forage populations: corn silage, alfalfa hay and a generic population of so-called 'grasses', consisting of grass hays, small grain and sorghum silages. This differentiation was also confirmed by a cluster analysis. The first three principal components (PC) together explained 79.9% of the total variation. PC1 was mainly associated with protein fractions, ether extract and lignin, PC2 with ash, starch, NDF and indigestible NDF (iNDF) and PC3 with NDF digestibility. Moreover, PC2 was highly correlated to both NEL3x-Lig (r = -0.84) and NEL3x-48h (r = -0.94). Subsequently, forage-based scores (FS) were calculated by multiplying the original standardised variables of ash, starch, NDF and iNDF with the scoring factors obtained from PCA (0.112, -0.141, 0.227 and 0.170, respectively). The FS showed a high determination coefficient for both NEL3x-Lig (R 2 = 0.86) and NEL3x-48h (R 2 = 0.73). These results indicate that PCA enables the distinction of different forage classes and appropriate prediction of the energy value on the basis of a reduced number of parameters. With respect to the rumen in situ parameters, iNDF was found to be more powerful at discriminating forage quality compared with NDF digestibility at different rumen incubation times or rates of NDF digestion.