Exposure to heat stress (HS) detrimentally affects pig performance. This study explored whether a dietary phytogenic solution based on Capsicum spp. (PHY) could enhance the thermal tolerance of heat-stressed growing pigs. Forty-two individually housed pigs were randomly assigned to three treatments: thermoneutral pigs on a control diet (TN-C) and pigs subjected to HS fed the control diet either without (HS-C) or with supplemental PHY (HS-PHY). The TN-C group exhibited increased average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (FI) compared to both HS-C (p < 0.01) and HS-PHY pigs (p < 0.05) and better feed efficiency compared to HS-C pigs only (p < 0.01). However, the HS-PHY pigs showed significantly higher FI (p < 0.01) and ADG (p < 0.05) compared to HS-C pigs. HS pigs displayed higher body temperatures (BTs) than TN pigs (p < 0.01), yet HS-PHY pigs experienced a lesser increase in BT compared to HS-C pigs (p < 0.05). Supplementation with PHY mitigated some effects of HS, increasing serum superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, reducing HSP90 expression in longissimus dorsi muscle, and elevating jejunal villus height compared to HS-C pigs (p < 0.05), reaching levels akin to TN-C pigs. Additionally, PHY supplementation resulted in lower serum urea levels than HS-C pigs (p < 0.01) and similar myosin gene expression to TN-C pigs (p > 0.1), suggesting enhanced amino acid post-absorptive utilization for lean tissue growth. In conclusion, dietary PHY supplementation partially offset the adverse effects of HS on pig performance by improving thermal tolerance.

El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el efecto de la alimentación húmeda de cerdos en finalización (alimento:agua, 1:1) de una dieta basada en sorgo y harina de soya (15.0% PC, 3,200 kcal EM/kg MS), sobre el comportamiento productivo, composición de la canal y calidad de la carne. Dieciséis cerdos cruzados (York-Landrace x Duroc) de 68.4±2.4 kg de peso fueron alojados individualmente, y asignados a dos tratamientos (n=8 repeticiones por tratamiento): AS, alimentación seca; AH, alimentación húmeda. Alimento fue ofrecido diariamente en dos porciones iguales (0800 y 1500 h) durante cinco semanas. Semanalmente se registraron el peso vivo (PV) y el consumo de alimento individuales, para calcular ganancia diaria de peso (GDP) y eficiencia alimenticia (EA). Se midió la composición de la canal; la calidad de la carne fue medida en muestras de Longissimus dorsi. Cerdos AH tuvieron mayor (P<0.05) PV final (108.4 vs 101.9 kg) y GDP (1.043 vs 0.990 kg/día) que los cerdos AS. Cerdos AS tuvieron menor consumo (semana 5) y EA (semana 3) que los cerdos AH (Interacción Tratamiento x Semana, P<0.05). Cerdos AH tuvieron pesos mayores de pierna, canal caliente y fría (P0.05) entre tratamientos. Valores de dureza, adhesividad, masticabilidad y resistencia fueron menores (P<0.05) en carne de cerdos AH. En conclusión, los cerdos que recibieron alimento húmedo tuvieron mejor comportamiento productivo, composición de la canal y características de la carne que cerdos que recibieron alimento seco.

A Capsicum spp.-based phytogenic solution (PHY) improved the performance and thermal tolerance of heat-stressed (HS) growing pigs. Two trials were conducted to further evaluate the HS pig response to supplemental PHY. Trial 1: The effects on the serum concentrations of amino acids (AAs) and the gene expression of tight junction proteins in the jejunum and ileum were assessed with 42 pigs (Landrace-Hampshire-Duroc; 27.0 ± 4.5 kg BW). There were three treatments (14 replicates): pigs under thermoneutral (TN) conditions fed control diet (TN-C); and HS pigs fed control diet without (HS-C) or with PHY (HS-PHY). Trial 2: Two-period digestion trial with eight ileal-cannulated pigs to analyze apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of AAs. Period 1: All TN pigs, fed the control (TN-C) or PHY-supplemented (TN-PHY) diet. Period 2: All HS pigs, fed the same diet as in period 1 (HS-C and HS-PHY). The control diet was based on wheat–soybean meal. In the jejunum, HS-C pigs had reduced occludin gene expression (p < 0.01) compared to TN-C pigs. HS-PHY pigs increased claudin-2 and tight-junction-protein-1 gene expression compared to HS-C (p < 0.05). In the ileum, HS-C and HS-PHY pigs had reduced occludin gene expression (p < 0.01). The serum concentrations of AAs decreased in HS-C compared to TN-C pigs (p < 0.05); except for arginine and isoleucine, HS-PHY pigs partially recovered serum AA levels. HS tended to reduce (p < 0.10; lysine and methionine) and reduced (p < 0.05) the AID of essential AAs. PHY did not mitigate the HS-associated reduced AA digestibility. In conclusion, these results support the concept that a phytogenic solution improves intestinal integrity and partially restores the post-absorption metabolism of amino acids, independent of the amino acid digestibility of heat-stressed pigs.

Archivos Latinoamericanos de Producción Animal, es la publicación oficial de la Asociación Latinoamericana de Producción Animal Japanese quail is a species with great productive potential, requiring a diet balanced in energy and nutrient to meet the nutritional requirements. Conventional diets use mostly grains as energy sources, oilseed meals as the main source of amino acids, and limestone as source of calcium. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the nutritive value of dried citrus peel meal (HCN), and eggshell meal (HCH), to be used as unconventional sources of energy and calcium for balanced diets for laying quails. Combined Inclusion of 0, 5 and 10% dried citrus pulp and 0, 1, and 2 % of eggshell meal did not affect daily intake nor feed conversion rate of laying quails, though it has positive effects on pigmentation of yolk. La codorniz japonesa es una especie avícola promisoria por su gran eficiencia productiva, que para la adecuada producción de huevo requiere de alimentación balanceada en nutrientes y energía para cubrir sus requerimientos. Las dietas convencionales contienen mayormente granos como fuentes de energía y harinas de semillas oleaginosas como fuentes de aminoácidos. En el presente trabajo se determinó in vivo el valor nutricional de la harina de cáscara de naranja (HCN) y la harina de cascarón de huevo (HCH), para ser utilizadas como fuentes no convencionales de energía y calcio para dietas balanceadas de codornices de postura. La inclusión combinada de 3 niveles de harina de cáscara de naranja (0, 5, y 10 %) y harina de cascarón de huevo (0, 1 y 2 %) no afectó el consumo de alimento, ni la conversión alimenticia de las aves, y tiene efectos positivos en la pigmentación de la yema del huevo. A codorna japonesa é uma espécie avícola promissora devido à sua grande eficiência produtiva, que para a produção adequada de ovos requer uma dieta balanceada em nutrientes e energia para cobrir suas necessidades. As dietas convencionais contêm principalmente grãos como fontes de energia e farinhas de oleaginosas como fontes de aminoácidos. No presente trabalho foi determinado o valor nutricional da farinha de casca de laranja (HCN) e farinha de casca de ovo (HCH) in vivo, para serem utilizadas como fontes não convencionais de energia e cálcio para dietas balanceadas de codornas poedeiras. A inclusão combinada de 3 níveis de farinha de casca de laranja (0, 5 e 10%) e farinha de casca de ovo (0, 1 e 2%) não afetou o consumo de ração ou a conversão alimentar das aves e tem efeitos positivos na pigmentação da gema de ovo.

One hundred and twenty laying hens were used in a six-week trial to evaluate the influence of partial replacement of feed with pecan shelling by-product (PNP) on performance and egg yolk color. Treatments consisted of feed for laying hens containing 0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, or 7.5% of PNP (as fed basis). Partial replacement of feed with increasing levels of PNP did not affect (P>0.10) performance or egg yolk color. It is concluded that partial replacement of feed with PNP could marginally reduce feed cost and improve local feedstock utilization without affecting animal performance and egg quality.

The co-product canola meal contains little fat and has been used in swine production as a protein source for several decades. More recently, locally produced canola cake has also become available that contains important quantities of residual oil. Both canola co-products contain a considerable quantity of phosphorus (P) with low availability. Phytase supplementation can increase P digestibility in canola meal but its efficacy remains unclear for canola cake containing high residual oil. To explore whether phytase supplementation can increase digestibility of P and other nutrients in canola cake, four diets containing 500 g of locally produced cold-pressed canola cake or canola meal, with or without supplemental phytase (Ronozyme HiPhos; Aspergillus oryzae origin)/kg, were fed to seven pigs (initial body weight; 55.9 ± 3.8 kg) in four 9-day periods following a 4 × 4 Latin square plus a 4 × 3 Youden square. Phytase supplementation increased phytase activity from below the detection limit to reach a minimum of 1000 phytase units/kg in the canola meal and cake diets; respectively. Phytase supplementation increased (p < 0.05) coefficients of ileal and total tract digestibility of P by 60% and 46% for canola meal and 76% and 57% for canola cake, respectively, but did not affect the digestibility of crude protein or gross energy. Ileal or total tract digestibility of P did not differ between the canola cake and canola meal diets in growing-finishing pigs. In conclusion, fungal phytase is effective in increasing the P digestibility of canola cake similar to in canola meal fed to growing-finishing pigs. The similar ileal or total tract digestibility of P in canola meal and cake diets either with or without phytase supplementation indicated that the residual oil in canola cake did not affect P digestion and did not affect the efficacy of phytase in increasing P digestibility.