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Animals, Volume 12, Issue 20 (October-2 2022) – 168 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Standard magnetic resonance imaging, as a static technique that examines joints in functional rest, can underestimate or overlook key diagnostic findings in neurological and orthopaedical diseases. As a result, kinematic magnetic resonance imaging techniques were developed to evaluate joints and body parts under load conditions or during movement. To be specific, the real-time acquisition technique is one of the acquiring modalities, and this proof-of-concept study was designed to test its feasibility in veterinary medicine for the first time. Based on the results of this preliminary cadaveric study, real-time kinematic magnetic resonance imaging may be a feasible and valuable procedure that can be applied to the canine cervical spine and stifle joints. Moreover, it could be applied in a regular standard protocol MRI with little additional effort, risk, and cost. View this paper
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9 pages, 960 KiB  
Article
Compensability of Enhanced Cytoplasmic Droplet Rates in Boar Semen: Insights of a Retrospective Field Study
by Martin Schulze and Dagmar Waberski
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2892; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202892 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1787
Abstract
Retained cytoplasmic droplets (CD) provide the most abundant sperm abnormality in boar and reduce fertility. It is still unclear as to whether high CD rates in semen portions are compensable. The aim was to explore the impact of CD in relation to quantitative [...] Read more.
Retained cytoplasmic droplets (CD) provide the most abundant sperm abnormality in boar and reduce fertility. It is still unclear as to whether high CD rates in semen portions are compensable. The aim was to explore the impact of CD in relation to quantitative and qualitative sperm traits on fertility performance of sows. Retrospective data analysis of 1497 inseminations was performed. Ejaculates (n = 260) were assigned to three groups with low (<10%), medium (≥10% to <15%), and high (≥15%) CD rates. Average sperm numbers were lowest in the high CD group (2.08 × 109/mL). Membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity did not differ between the groups. Breakpoint analysis indicated a shift towards lower litter sizes when the CD rate exceeded 11%. Group comparisons revealed no difference in litter size (p = 0.205), together with a slightly higher farrowing rate in the high CD group (p < 0.001), which coincided with higher resistance against temperature stress in the stored semen samples (p < 0.001) and a higher sperm motility (p < 0.001). In conclusion, an increased prevalence of CD in boar semen is compensable by high tolerance against temperature stress, whereas sperm numbers per dose are less relevant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sperm Quality and Fertility of Livestock Animals)
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9 pages, 281 KiB  
Article
Occurrence of Bacterial and Protozoan Pathogens in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Central Italy
by Valentina Virginia Ebani, Chiara Trebino, Lisa Guardone, Fabrizio Bertelloni, Giulia Cagnoli, Simona Nardoni, Emily Sel, Emily Wilde, Alessandro Poli and Francesca Mancianti
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2891; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202891 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2889
Abstract
Most surveys of pathogens in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) have focused on particular agents. The aim of this study was to verify, with bacteriological and molecular analyses, the occurrence of the main bacterial and protozoan pathogens that are able to infect [...] Read more.
Most surveys of pathogens in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) have focused on particular agents. The aim of this study was to verify, with bacteriological and molecular analyses, the occurrence of the main bacterial and protozoan pathogens that are able to infect canids, in red foxes regularly hunted in Central Italy. Spleen, brain, kidney and fecal samples from red foxes were submitted to bacteriological and/or molecular analyses to detect Salmonella spp., Yersinia spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Brucella spp., Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella burnetii, Leptospira spp., Neospora caninum, Hepatozoon canis, Babesia spp. and microsporidia. Two (9.1%) strains of Yersinia enterocolitica biotype 1 and 2 (9.1%) of Yersinia frederiksenii were isolated from 22 fecal samples. Among the 22 spleen samples, seven (31.8%) were PCR-positive for H. canis and 3 (13.6%) for Babesia vulpes. Kidneys from two (2.9%) foxes, among 71 tested, were PCR-positive for L. interrogans. Even though the analyses were carried out on a small number of animals, the results suggested that red foxes from the selected geographic area may act as reservoirs of some investigated pathogens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Wildlife)
14 pages, 1115 KiB  
Review
Feed Safety and the Development of Poultry Intestinal Microbiota
by Dragana Stanley and Yadav Sharma Bajagai
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2890; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202890 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6767
Abstract
The first feed offered to young chicks is likely the most important meal in their life. The complex gut colonisation process is determined with early exposure and during the first days of life before the microbial community is formed. Therefore, providing access to [...] Read more.
The first feed offered to young chicks is likely the most important meal in their life. The complex gut colonisation process is determined with early exposure and during the first days of life before the microbial community is formed. Therefore, providing access to high-quality feed and an environment enriched in the beneficial and deprived of pathogenic microorganisms during this period is critical. Feed often carries a complex microbial community that can contain major poultry pathogens and a range of chemical contaminants such as heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticides and herbicides, which, although present in minute amounts, can have a profound effect on the development of the microbial community and have a permanent effect on bird’s overall health and performance. The magnitude of their interference with gut colonisation in livestock is yet to be determined. Here, we present the animal feed quality issues that can significantly influence the microbial community development, thus severely affecting the bird’s health and performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals’ Tenth Anniversary)
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14 pages, 308 KiB  
Article
Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in Wild Birds from a Wildlife Rescue Centre
by Gaia Casalino, Francesco D’Amico, Francesca Rita Dinardo, Giancarlo Bozzo, Valeria Napoletano, Antonio Camarda, Antonella Bove, Roberto Lombardi, Francesco Paolo D’Onghia and Elena Circella
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2889; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202889 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2516
Abstract
Climate change, excessive exploitation of agricultural land which reduces natural habitats, wildlife shooting, and the use of pesticides all cause difficulties for wildlife, with considerable numbers of animals being brought to wildlife rescue centres. Although the efforts of staff involved in wildlife management [...] Read more.
Climate change, excessive exploitation of agricultural land which reduces natural habitats, wildlife shooting, and the use of pesticides all cause difficulties for wildlife, with considerable numbers of animals being brought to wildlife rescue centres. Although the efforts of staff involved in wildlife management at these centres usually focus on therapeutic treatments to reintroduce them into the wild, the monitoring of pathogens that may be transmitted to humans is of relevance. Campylobacter (C.) jejuni and C. coli are frequently carried by animals without inducing clinical signs and are responsible for enteric disorders and more rarely extra-intestinal disease in humans. Farm species and poultry, in particular, are the main reservoirs of C. jejuni and C. coli, but wild animals may also be carriers. The aim of this paper was to investigate the presence of C. jejuni and C. coli in wild birds housed at a wildlife rescue centre and to evaluate the sensitivity of the detected strains to antibiotics. Campylobacter was found in 52 out of 209 (24.88%) birds from 33 different species. C. jejuni was more prevalent, while C. coli was only detected in three Long-eared Owls (Asio otus). The incidence of the infection was particularly high (72.22%) among omnivorous species. Infection rates were higher in birds housed indoors (57.14%) than outdoors (31.74%). Moreover, Campylobacter was not detected in species whose mean temperature body is below 40 °C or higher than 42.2 °C. The most common antibiotic resistance in the tested strains was against trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin. In addition, multi-drug resistance was also found. The results highlight the need to increase biosecurity measures at rescue centres so as to reduce health-related risks to workers involved in wildlife management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zoonoses and Wildlife - One Health Approach)
15 pages, 981 KiB  
Review
C-Reactive Protein as a Diagnostic Marker in Dogs: A Review
by Katarzyna Malin and Olga Witkowska-Piłaszewicz
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2888; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202888 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 7356
Abstract
Acute phase response is a nonspecific reaction to disturbances in homeostasis during which the production of some Acute Phase Proteins (APPs) is stimulated; they are sensitive but nonspecific markers of systemic inflammatory processes. The major positive APP in dogs is the C-reactive protein [...] Read more.
Acute phase response is a nonspecific reaction to disturbances in homeostasis during which the production of some Acute Phase Proteins (APPs) is stimulated; they are sensitive but nonspecific markers of systemic inflammatory processes. The major positive APP in dogs is the C-reactive protein (CRP). The dynamic of its concentration changes fast, rising and decreasing rapidly with the onset and removal of the inflammatory stimulus. It increases within the first 4–24 h after the stimulus and reaches up to a 50–100-fold increase of the baseline level. It has been documented that this APP’s concentration is elevated during several diseases, such as pyometra, panniculitis, acute pancreatitis, polyarthritis, sepsis, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, and neoplasia in dogs. In clinical practice, canine CRP is mostly measured to detect and monitor systemic inflammatory activity and the efficacy of treatments, because it is a more sensitive marker than shifts in leukocyte counts. Blood serum CRP concentration is becoming a part of routine biochemistry panels in many countries. In this article, changes in CRP concentration and its clinical application in healthy and diseased dogs are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)
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15 pages, 2596 KiB  
Article
Testicular Transcriptome of Males and Pseudo-Males Provides Important New Insight into Sex Reversal of Rana dybowskii
by Yuan Xu, Shiquan Cui, Ting Li, Zhiheng Du, Fangyong Ning, Haixu Jiang, Xiujuan Bai, Xibiao Wang and Jun Bao
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2887; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202887 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1934
Abstract
Rana dybowskii (R. dybowskii) is an ecological species found in China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Like most amphibians, R. dybowskii lacks heterotypic sex chromosomes, limiting the in-depth study of sex determination and sex reversal mechanisms. Previous studies have shown that certain [...] Read more.
Rana dybowskii (R. dybowskii) is an ecological species found in China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Like most amphibians, R. dybowskii lacks heterotypic sex chromosomes, limiting the in-depth study of sex determination and sex reversal mechanisms. Previous studies have shown that certain environmental factors can modify R. dybowskii genotypic females into phenotypic males, but the mechanism is still unknown. Considering the difficulties in identifying and collecting sex reversal gonads at different stages of differentiation under natural conditions, testes from sexually mature wild adult R. dybowskii were taken in this study, and the genotypic sex of individuals and sex reversal were identified by two male-linked genetic markers reported in our most recent findings. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on testicular tissue from males and pseudo-males, as well as female ovary tissue. The results show that the gene expression patterns of pseudo-males’ testes were similar to those of the males but highly differed from females’ ovaries. One hundred and seventeen differentially expressed genes between testes of pseudo-males and males were found, and the up-regulation of doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (Dmrt1) in testes of pseudo-males may play a key role in R. dybowskii sex reversal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Herpetology)
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9 pages, 973 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Commercial Poultry Semen Extenders Modified for Cryopreservation Procedure in the Genetic Resource Program of Czech Golden Spotted Hen
by Kristýna Petričáková, Martina Janošíková, Martin Ptáček, Lukáš Zita, Filipp Georgijevič Savvulidi and Agnieszka Partyka
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2886; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202886 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2259
Abstract
Spermatozoa cryoconservation represents an important strategy for partial in vitro or rescue programs designed for threatened livestock populations. The procedure for the semen cryopreservation of the Czech Golden Spotted Hen was proposed due to the lower fertilization rate of poultry semen compared to [...] Read more.
Spermatozoa cryoconservation represents an important strategy for partial in vitro or rescue programs designed for threatened livestock populations. The procedure for the semen cryopreservation of the Czech Golden Spotted Hen was proposed due to the lower fertilization rate of poultry semen compared to mammalian species. The aim of this study was to compare commercial extenders designed for liquid storage preservation with the use of a predefined cryoprotectant, and, thus, to propose an important tool for the procedure of the semen cryopreservation of the Czech Golden Spotted Hen. Ejaculates were sampled from four roosters during five semen collection days. The samples were frozen in Poultry media®, Raptac® and NeXcell® extenders supplemented with a 9% N-methylacetamide (NMA) cryoprotectant. Sperm parameters of the total motility (MOT; %), plasma membrane and acrosome intactness (PAI; %), plasma membrane damage (%), acrosome damage (%) and cells with plasma membrane and acrosome damage (%) were assessed using a mobile mCASA analyzer and flow cytometer after the cryopreservation of the insemination doses (IDs). For Poultry media® (PAI = 51.11%; MOT = 23.58%) and Raptac® (PAI = 52.04%; MOT = 23.13%) extenders with the addition of an NMA cryoprotectant, the comparable results were detected after thawing. For NexCell® media, the results were poor (PAI = 7.07%; MOT = 3.83%). Our results indicated two extenders suitable for the cryopreservation procedure, with the applied modification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Status and Advances in Semen Preservation)
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12 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Epidemiological Study of the Occurrence of Typhus Group Rickettsia Natural Infection in Domiciliated Dogs from a Rural Community in South-Eastern Mexico
by Marco Torres-Castro, Enrique Reyes-Novelo, Manuel Bolio-González, Cesar Lugo-Caballero, Karla Dzul-Rosado, Pablo Colunga-Salas, Sokani Sánchez-Montes, Henry Noh-Pech, Fernando I. Puerto and Roger Iván Rodríguez-Vivas
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2885; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202885 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2873
Abstract
The aim is to describe the Typhus group (TG) Rickettsia infection in dogs and to identify factors associated with this infection. We collected blood samples and gathered exposure and clinical data of 142 dogs from a rural community of Yucatan. The Rickettsia group [...] Read more.
The aim is to describe the Typhus group (TG) Rickettsia infection in dogs and to identify factors associated with this infection. We collected blood samples and gathered exposure and clinical data of 142 dogs from a rural community of Yucatan. The Rickettsia group was determined by semi-nested PCR. Generalized linear models with binomial error distribution were used to model the associated factors from the dog sample for risk ratio (RR) estimation. Thirty-four dogs (23.9%) showed molecular evidence of TG Rickettsia DNA. The multivariate model showed that mixed-breed dogs (RR = 0.06) and dogs that had received antiparasitic treatment (RR = 0.049) had a lower risk of getting infected, taking as reference the purebred group and the non-treated dogs, respectively. Looking at variable interactions, adult dogs without outdoor activities had a lower infection risk than puppies (RR = 0.26). Among dogs with antiparasitic treatment, females had a higher infection risk than male dogs (RR = 26.2). The results showed enzootic TG Rickettsia circulation in dogs of a rural community. The factors outdoor activities, age and previous antiparasitic treatment, as well as the clinical variables signs of hemorrhages and epistaxis, were associated with a less chance of natural infection in the studied dogs. Prevention and control of the enzootic transmission risk of TG Rickettsia should help to reduce the potential zoonotic transmission of this pathogen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Threats to Animals by Arthropod-Borne Disease)
22 pages, 6321 KiB  
Article
Fine-Grained Butterfly Recognition via Peer Learning Network with Distribution-Aware Penalty Mechanism
by Chudong Xu, Runji Cai, Yuhao Xie, Huiyi Cai, Min Wang, Yuefang Gao and Xiaoming Ma
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2884; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202884 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2052
Abstract
Automatic species recognition plays a key role in intelligent agricultural production management and the study of species diversity. However, fine-grained species recognition is a challenging task due to the quite diverse and subtle interclass differences among species and the long-tailed distribution of sample [...] Read more.
Automatic species recognition plays a key role in intelligent agricultural production management and the study of species diversity. However, fine-grained species recognition is a challenging task due to the quite diverse and subtle interclass differences among species and the long-tailed distribution of sample data. In this work, a peer learning network with a distribution-aware penalty mechanism is proposed to address these challenges. Specifically, the proposed method employs the two-stream ResNeSt-50 as the backbone to obtain the initial predicted results. Then, the samples, which are selected from the instances with the same predicted labels by knowledge exchange strategy, are utilized to update the model parameters via the distribution-aware penalty mechanism to mitigate the bias and variance problems in the long-tailed distribution. By performing such adaptive interactive learning, the proposed method can effectively achieve improved recognition accuracy for head classes in long-tailed data and alleviate the adverse effect of many head samples relative to a few samples of the tail classes. To evaluate the proposed method, we construct a large-scale butterfly dataset (named Butterfly-914) that contains approximately 72,152 images belonging to 914 species and at least 20 images for each category. Exhaustive experiments are conducted to validate the efficiency of the proposed method from several perspectives. Moreover, the superior Top-1 accuracy rate (86.2%) achieved on the butterfly dataset demonstrates that the proposed method can be widely used for agricultural species identification and insect monitoring. Full article
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13 pages, 739 KiB  
Article
Potential New Therapeutic Approaches Based on Punica granatum Fruits Compared to Synthetic Anthelmintics for the Sustainable Control of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Sheep
by Fabio Castagna, Roberto Bava, Vincenzo Musolino, Cristian Piras, Antonio Cardamone, Cristina Carresi, Carmine Lupia, Antonio Bosco, Laura Rinaldi, Giuseppe Cringoli, Ernesto Palma, Vincenzo Musella and Domenico Britti
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2883; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202883 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2175
Abstract
Parasites, in particular, gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) represent one of the main burdens affecting small ruminant farming and pose a serious threat to their health, welfare, productivity, and reproduction. The correct management of animals and the correct use of anthelmintic drugs are the pillars [...] Read more.
Parasites, in particular, gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) represent one of the main burdens affecting small ruminant farming and pose a serious threat to their health, welfare, productivity, and reproduction. The correct management of animals and the correct use of anthelmintic drugs are the pillars of the GIN control programs for small ruminants. However, globally due to the indiscriminate use of synthetic anthelmintics, there is a significant increase in anthelmintic resistance phenomena to one or more classes of drugs. Even if such a problem never represented a serious threat in southern Italy because of the favourable environmental conditions and because of the good farm management, the phenomenon is actually showing a steep increasing trend and requires alternative treatment measures and constant monitoring. The use of phytotherapies is considered a valuable alternative approach for GIN control in small ruminants and could help with reducing the amount of synthetic drugs used and the forthcoming anthelmintic resistance. From this perspective, the Calabria territory offers a wide number of plants with anthelmintic efficacy that could be helpful for this purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) macerate compared to the treatment with Ivermectin and Albendazole in sheep naturally infected with GINs. The pomegranate macerate derives from the ethnoveterinary knowledge of the Calabria region, Southern Italy. The anthelmintic efficacy was evaluated according to the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRt) using the FLOTAC techniques in two sheep farms in Southern Italy. The FECR was calculated from individual samples using the formula FECR = 100 × (1 − [T2/C2]). The treatment with Albendazole in the first farm showed an efficacy of 99.8% after 14 days and 94.8% after 21 days, while the treatment with Ivermectin in the second farm showed an efficacy of 99.9% after 14 days and 96.5% after 21 days of treatment. The pomegranate macerate, in both farms, showed a value of efficacy of around 50% from day 7 to day 21 after the treatment. Previous studies highlighted the presence of gallic acid as the main component in the pomegranate macerate, and its efficacy in nematode control has been as well previously demonstrated in other plant extracts. This in vivo study demonstrated the unequivocal efficacy of plant macerate in easily reducing 50% of the number of GIN eggs in sheep faeces. These results, obtained without the use of synthetic anthelmintics, indicate the use of green veterinary pharmacology as a sustainable alternative to the use of synthetic drugs to reduce the increase in drug resistance phenomena and the environmental impact. Full article
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13 pages, 1661 KiB  
Article
Effects of Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) as a Prebiotic Supplement in the Diet of Red Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)
by Clara Trullàs, Mariya Sewaka, Channarong Rodkhum, Nantarika Chansue, Surintorn Boonanuntanasarn, Manoj Tukaram Kamble and Nopadon Pirarat
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2882; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202882 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2354
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a Jerusalem artichoke-supplemented diet on the blood chemistry, growth performance, intestinal morphology, expression of antioxidant-related genes, and disease resistance against Aeromonas veronii challenge in juvenile red tilapia. A completely randomized design [...] Read more.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a Jerusalem artichoke-supplemented diet on the blood chemistry, growth performance, intestinal morphology, expression of antioxidant-related genes, and disease resistance against Aeromonas veronii challenge in juvenile red tilapia. A completely randomized design (CRD) was followed to feed red tilapias with three experimental diets: control, 5.0 g/kg JA-supplemented (JA5), or 10.0 g/kg JA-supplemented (JA10) diets in triplicates for 4 weeks. The results revealed that the growth performance, weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and average daily gain (ADG) of fish fed diets JA5 and JA10 were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of fish fed the control diet. Fish fed the control diet had significantly higher T-bilirubin, D-bilirubin, and ALT in blood serum than fish fed JA5 and JA10, as well as higher BUN than fish fed JA5. The number of goblet cells in the proximal and distal parts of the intestine revealed that the number of acid, neutral, and double-staining mucous cells of fish fed diets JA5 and JA10 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in fish fed the control diet. The diets including the prebiotic (JA5 and JA10) were associated with a significant increase in the expression of gpx1 and gst antioxidant-related genes and disease resistance against A. veronii in juvenile red tilapia. Therefore, JA5 and JA10 can be employed as promising prebiotics for sustainable red tilapia farming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of Feed Additives in Health and Immunity of Fish)
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19 pages, 1458 KiB  
Review
Exosomes in Mastitis—Research Status, Opportunities, and Challenges
by Zhong-Hao Ji, Wen-Zhi Ren, Hong-Yu Wu, Jia-Bao Zhang and Bao Yuan
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2881; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202881 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5380
Abstract
Mastitis, which affects milk quality and yield, is one of the most common diseases in dairy cows, causing large economic losses. Cow mastitis is classified into clinical and subclinical types. Subclinical mastitis presents without obvious lesions in the udder or noticeable change in [...] Read more.
Mastitis, which affects milk quality and yield, is one of the most common diseases in dairy cows, causing large economic losses. Cow mastitis is classified into clinical and subclinical types. Subclinical mastitis presents without obvious lesions in the udder or noticeable change in milk samples, indicating persistent chronic infection that is difficult to detect and treat. Therefore, finding specific biomarkers is of great significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of subclinical mastitis. As mediators of intercellular communication, exosomes have been shown to be extensively involved in various physiological and pathological processes in the body. Exosomes in milk, blood, and cell supernatant can carry stable cell source-specific nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. Hence, exosomes show great application prospects for early diagnosis, targeted therapy, and disease mechanism analysis. In this review, we summarize the biogenesis, biological functions, and methods of isolating and identifying exosomes and review the current status of exosome research related to mastitis. Finally, in view of the application of exosomes to diagnose, treat, and perform disease mechanism analysis in mastitis, deficiencies in recent research on mastitis exosomes are described, and the direction of future exosome research efforts in mastitis is proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dairy Cattle Mammary Health—Reducing Mammary Disease)
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13 pages, 1349 KiB  
Article
Effects of Eugenol on Water Quality and the Metabolism and Antioxidant Capacity of Juvenile Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) under Simulated Transport Conditions
by Yuhang He, Zhengyi Fu, Shiming Dai, Gang Yu, Yunfeng Guo and Zhenhua Ma
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2880; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202880 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2212
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of added eugenol on water quality and the metabolism and antioxidant capacity of the liver and gills of the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) during simulated transport. The juvenile fish (10.34 ± 1.33 g) were transported in [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effects of added eugenol on water quality and the metabolism and antioxidant capacity of the liver and gills of the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) during simulated transport. The juvenile fish (10.34 ± 1.33 g) were transported in sealed plastic bags containing different eugenol concentrations at a density of 24.79 kg/m3 for 8 h. The different eugenol concentrations were divided into five groups: 0 μL/mL (control group), 0.0125 μL/mL, 0.025 μL/mL, 0.0375 μL/mL, and 0.05 μL/mL, with three replicates of each. The results showed that 0.05 μL/mL of eugenol could significantly increase dissolved oxygen, but 0.025 μL/mL–0.0375 μL/mL resulted in a significant decrease in dissolved oxygen and significant increases in NH4+-N and NO2-N. It was found that 0.05 μL/mL of eugenol caused significant up-regulation of the relative expression of CPT-1 in the liver, significant down-regulation of the relative expression of FAS and PK in the liver and gills, a significant increase in glycogen concentration, and a significant decrease in glucose concentration. This suggests that 0.05 μL/mL of eugenol could reduce the metabolic capacity of fish. In addition, 0.05 μL/mL of eugenol caused significant up-regulation of the relative expression of CAT and a significant decrease of MDA concentration in the liver. Meanwhile, the gills showed significant up-regulation of CAT relative expression, significant down-regulation of Keap1 relative expression, and a significant increase in GSH activity, resulting in a significant increase in MDA concentration when the concentration of eugenol reached or exceeded 0.025 μL/mL. This suggests that 0.05 μL/mL eugenol could improve the antioxidant capacity of fish and lipid peroxidation levels in the gills. In conclusion, the addition of 0.05 μL/mL eugenol could improve water quality, and the metabolic and antioxidant capacities of liver and gills, but it could also increase lipid peroxidation levels in the gills under transport conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Welfare Assessment: Challenges for Aquaculture and Research)
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23 pages, 1272 KiB  
Article
Untargeted Metabolomics Profiling Reveals Beneficial Changes in Milk of Sows Supplemented with Fermented Compound Chinese Medicine Feed Additive
by Wanjie Zou, Linglan Deng, Huadong Wu, Zhiyong Liu, Wei Lu and Yuyong He
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2879; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202879 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2091
Abstract
Different untargeted metabolomics approaches were used to identify the differential metabolites between milk samples collected from two groups. Sows were supplemented with fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive at levels of 0 g/d/sow (control group, n = 10) and 50 g/d/sow (experimental group, [...] Read more.
Different untargeted metabolomics approaches were used to identify the differential metabolites between milk samples collected from two groups. Sows were supplemented with fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive at levels of 0 g/d/sow (control group, n = 10) and 50 g/d/sow (experimental group, n = 10), respectively, from d 104 of gestation to d 25 of lactation, samples of colostrum and mature milk were collected. Data indicated that supplementing fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive to sows significantly increased the concentrations of quercetin, pinocembrin, chlorogenic acid, methyl succinic acid, L-tryptophan, adenosine, guanine, arteannuin, ferulic acid, echimidine N-oxide, pogostone and kynurenine in the colostrum and inosine, guanosine, benzene-1,2,4-triol, hypoxanthine, adenine, trehalose 6-phosphate in mature milk, respectively. Seven pathways (flavone and flavanol biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, stilbenoid and gingerol biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, ABC transporters and purine metabolism) in colostrum and two pathways (sucrose metabolism and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling) in mature milk were significantly enriched in the experimental group compared to control group, respectively. The supplementation of fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive to sows increased the level of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients in milk and the findings of this study hint that supplementation with fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive in sows is beneficial for the improvement of milk quality. Full article
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12 pages, 2376 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Burrow Opening Dimensions and Biomass of Intertidal Macroinvertebrates by Feeding Mode (Surface Deposit Feeders vs. Suspension Feeders)
by Bon Joo Koo, Jaehwan Seo and Min Seong Jang
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2878; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202878 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1843
Abstract
Biomass and abundance are fundamental parameters in ecology, conservation biology, and environmental impact assessment. Distinguishing features, such as burrow openings and feeding pellets, made by different intertidal macroinvertebrate species on the surface are used as proxies to establish the abundance of intertidal macroinvertebrates. [...] Read more.
Biomass and abundance are fundamental parameters in ecology, conservation biology, and environmental impact assessment. Distinguishing features, such as burrow openings and feeding pellets, made by different intertidal macroinvertebrate species on the surface are used as proxies to establish the abundance of intertidal macroinvertebrates. This study investigated the feasibility of estimating biomass from the burrow opening dimensions as a proxy. We analyzed the relationship between the burrow opening dimensions and body weights of intertidal macroinvertebrates and compared surface deposit feeders with suspension feeders. Regression analysis evaluated the relationship between burrow opening diameter, body size, and biomass. The diameters of surface deposit feeder burrow openings were significantly related to biomass, but this was not the case for suspension feeders. Our results indicate that burrow opening dimensions can be used as a proxy to estimate the biomass of surface deposit feeders. However, additional studies are needed to clarify further the relationship between the burrow opening diameter and biomass of the suspension feeders. This is a preliminary study to spatially quantify the biomass of intertidal macroinvertebrates by extracting the dimension of burrow openings from drone images through object detection tools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Behavioral Ecology of Aquatic Animals)
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26 pages, 709 KiB  
Review
Formulating Diets for Improved Health Status of Pigs: Current Knowledge and Perspectives
by Lucas A. Rodrigues, Bonjin Koo, Martin Nyachoti and Daniel A. Columbus
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2877; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202877 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 6415
Abstract
Our understanding of nutrition has been evolving to support both performance and immune status of pigs, particularly in disease-challenged animals which experience repartitioning of nutrients from growth towards the immune response. In this sense, it is critical to understand how stress may impact [...] Read more.
Our understanding of nutrition has been evolving to support both performance and immune status of pigs, particularly in disease-challenged animals which experience repartitioning of nutrients from growth towards the immune response. In this sense, it is critical to understand how stress may impact nutrient metabolism and the effects of nutritional interventions able to modulate organ (e.g., gastrointestinal tract) functionality and health. This will be pivotal in the development of effective diet formulation strategies in the context of improved animal performance and health. Therefore, this review will address qualitative and quantitative effects of immune system stimulation on voluntary feed intake and growth performance measurements in pigs. Due to the known repartitioning of nutrients, the effects of stimulating the immune system on nutrient requirements, stratified according to different challenge models, will be explored. Finally, different nutritional strategies (i.e., low protein, amino acid-supplemented diets; functional amino acid supplementation; dietary fiber level and source; diet complexity; organic acids; plant secondary metabolites) will be presented and discussed in the context of their possible role in enhancing the immune response and animal performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals’ Tenth Anniversary)
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18 pages, 2121 KiB  
Article
Condensed and Hydrolyzable Tannins for Reducing Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Dairy Manure—A Laboratory Incubation Study
by Byeng Ryel Min, Will Willis, Kenneth Casey, Lana Castleberry, Heidi Waldrip and David Parker
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2876; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202876 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2350
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the effects of plant condensed (CT) and hydrolyzable tannin (HT) extracts on CH4 and N2O emissions; (2) identify the reactions responsible for manure-derived GHG emissions, and (3) examine accompanying microbial community [...] Read more.
The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the effects of plant condensed (CT) and hydrolyzable tannin (HT) extracts on CH4 and N2O emissions; (2) identify the reactions responsible for manure-derived GHG emissions, and (3) examine accompanying microbial community changes in fresh dairy manure. Five treatments were applied in triplicate to the freshly collected dairy manure, including 4% CT, 8% CT, 4% HT, 8% HT (V/V), and control (no tannin addition). Fresh dairy manure was placed into 710 mL glass incubation chambers. In vitro composted dairy manure samples were collected at 0, 24, 48, and 336 h after the start of incubation. Fluxes of N2O and CH4 were measured for 5-min/h for 14 d at a constant ambient incubation temperature of 39 °C. The addition of quebracho CT significantly decreased the CH4 flux rates compared to the tannin-free controls (215.9 mg/m2/h), with peaks of 75.6 and 89.6 mg/m2/h for 4 and 8% CT inclusion rates, respectively. Furthermore, CT significantly reduced cumulative CH4 emission by 68.2 and 57.3% at 4 and 8% CT addition, respectively. The HT treatments failed to affect CH4 reduction. However, both CT and HT reduced (p < 0.001) cumulative and flux rates of N2O emissions. The decrease in CH4 flux with CT was associated with a reduction in the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Cattle)
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15 pages, 299 KiB  
Article
Assessing Performance and Safety of Feeding a Standardized Macleaya cordata Extract to Calves
by Ray A. Matulka, Janaka Wickramasinghe, Juliane Dohms, Flavio Rodrigues Borges Ribeiro and Ranga Appuhamy
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2875; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202875 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1644
Abstract
This study examined the effects of Sangrovit®, a Macleaya cordata plant extract (MCE) preparation on feed intake, growth, blood chemistry, and tissue-residue levels of calves. Twenty male and 20 female calves (~5 d of age) were assigned to one of four [...] Read more.
This study examined the effects of Sangrovit®, a Macleaya cordata plant extract (MCE) preparation on feed intake, growth, blood chemistry, and tissue-residue levels of calves. Twenty male and 20 female calves (~5 d of age) were assigned to one of four daily Sangrovit® doses: 0.0 and 0.0 (CTL), 2.0 and 4.0 (D1), 5.0 and 10.0 (D2), and 10.0 and 20.0 (D3) g/calf in pre-weaning (5 to 49 d of age) and post-weaning (50 to 95 d of age) periods, respectively. Sangrovit® doses were fed in milk replacer pre-weaning and top-dressed on calf starter post-weaning. Milk replacer and calf starter intake was recorded daily. Body weight, hematology, and serum chemistry were measured at 5, 49, and 95 d of age. Calves were slaughtered at 95 d of age for MCE tissue residue analysis. Compared to CTL, D1 increased milk-replacer intake (4.90 to 5.09 L/day), but decreased calf starter intake pre- (0.65 to 0.53 kg/d) and post-weaning (3.42 to 3.20 kg/d). No Sangrovit® dose affected average daily gain. The hematology and blood chemistry of all treatment groups fell within the ranges of healthy calves. Results showed no adverse effects of MCE on health and growth performance of calves when fed up to 10.0 g/calf/day pre-weaning and up to 20.0 g/calf/day post-weaning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Cattle)
16 pages, 4477 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Adaptation Status of Reintroduced Equus Przewalskii Based on Comparative Analysis of Fecal Bacteria with Those of Captive E. Przewalskii, Domestic Horse and Mongolian Wild Ass
by Dini Hu, Chen Wang, Make Ente, Ke Zhang, Dong Zhang, Xuefeng Li, Kai Li and Hongjun Chu
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2874; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202874 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1623
Abstract
Intestinal microbiota play an important role in the survival of the host. However, no study to date has elucidated the adjustment of intestinal microbiota of the host during rewilding. Thus, this study aims to describe the intestinal bacterial community of reintroduced Przewalski’s horse [...] Read more.
Intestinal microbiota play an important role in the survival of the host. However, no study to date has elucidated the adjustment of intestinal microbiota of the host during rewilding. Thus, this study aims to describe the intestinal bacterial community of reintroduced Przewalski’s horse (RPH) after being released into their original habitat for approximately 20 years in comparison with that of captive Przewalski’s horse (CPH), sympatric domestic horse (DH) and Mongolian wild ass (MWA) by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that the prevalent bacterial communities were different among CPHs, RPHs, DHs and MWAs at the family level. NMDS and ANOSIM analysis showed that the pattern of bacterial community composition in captive equines was distinct from that in the wild groups. It is shown that some bacteria had significant differences among different taxa (p < 0.001), such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Armatimonadetes, Clostrida, Bacteroidia, Clostridiales, Bacteroidales, Rikenellaceae and Bacteroidales_UCG-001. These bacteria were associated with the transition from in captive to in the wild (CPH and RPH), which reflected the change of environmental conditions. Meanwhile, Proteobacteria, Clostridia, Bacilli, Negativicutes, Gammaproteobacteria, Clostridiales, Bacillales, Selenomonadales, Pseudomonadales and Planococcaceae were the changed groups among RPHs, MWAs and DHs, which are related to feeding habits and diseases. Our results clearly showed the differences between intestinal microbiota in reintroduced animals and wild animals and led us to understand the survival state of reintroduced animals in the wild. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Intestinal Microbiota in the Conservation of Wild Animals)
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15 pages, 1372 KiB  
Article
Detection and Molecular Characterization of Enteric Viruses in Poultry Flocks in Hebei Province, China
by Libao Chen, Ligong Chen, Xuejing Wang, Shuying Huo and Yurong Li
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2873; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202873 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1941
Abstract
Enteric viruses, as a potential pathogen, have been found to be vital causes of economic losses in poultry industry worldwide. The enteric viruses widely studied to date mainly include avian nephritis virus (ANV), avian reovirus (ARe), chicken astrovirus (CAstV), chicken parvovirus (ChPV), fowl [...] Read more.
Enteric viruses, as a potential pathogen, have been found to be vital causes of economic losses in poultry industry worldwide. The enteric viruses widely studied to date mainly include avian nephritis virus (ANV), avian reovirus (ARe), chicken astrovirus (CAstV), chicken parvovirus (ChPV), fowl adenovirus group I (FAdV-1), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), and avian rotavirus (ARoV). This paper aimed to identify single and multiple infections of the seven enteric viruses using the data obtained from positive 145 enteric virus samples in poultry flocks from different areas in Hebei Province, throughout the period from 2019 to 2021. Next, the correlation between bird age and clinical signs was investigated using PCR and RT-PCR techniques. Furthermore, the whole genomes of seven parvovirus strains and open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of six CAstV strains and eight ANV strains were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis and recombination analysis, to characterize the viruses and evaluate species correlation and geographic patterns. A total of 11 profiles of virus combinations were detected; 191 viruses were detected in 145 samples; 106 single infections were reported in 73.1% of the samples; and multiple infections were detected in the remaining 26.9%. For viruses, 69% of ChPV was correlated with single infection, while ANV (61.4%) and CAstV (56.1%) were correlated with multiple infections. However, IBV and ARe were not detected in any of the samples. Recombination events were reported in parvovirus, and all CAstV sequences investigated in this paper were included within genotype Bii. The eight ANV strains pertained to different subtypes with significant differences. The above results revealed for the first time the complexity of enteric viruses over the past several years, thus contributing to disease prevention and control in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Vaccines and Molecular Immunology)
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10 pages, 1119 KiB  
Article
Human–Wildlife Conflicts: Does Origin Matter?
by Marcelo Hernán Cassini
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2872; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202872 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1911
Abstract
Conservation biologists have divided wildlife in two antagonist categories—native and introduced populations—because they defend the hypothesis that the latter acquires or expresses harmful qualities that a population that remains in its original environment does not possess. Invasion biology has emerged as a branch [...] Read more.
Conservation biologists have divided wildlife in two antagonist categories—native and introduced populations—because they defend the hypothesis that the latter acquires or expresses harmful qualities that a population that remains in its original environment does not possess. Invasion biology has emerged as a branch of conservation biology dedicated exclusively to conflicts between introduced wildlife and human interest, including the protection of biodiversity. For invasion biology, the damage caused by native species is different and must be managed differently. However, the consensus around this native–introduced dichotomy is not universal, and a debate has intensified in recent years. The objective of this work was to compare the impacts of native and introduced species of terrestrial vertebrates of the United States using the dataset provided by Wildlife Services (WS), which depend upon the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture. Annually, they receive thousands of reports and complaints of human–wildlife conflicts. I analyzed the WS databases and found, against expectations, that native species produce significantly more damage than nonnative ones, especially regarding damage to agriculture, property and health and safety. In the category of impacts on biodiversity and natural ecosystems, the differences were minor. I discuss several potential explanations of these patterns in the results. I also discuss the ecological foundations of the native–introduced dichotomy hypothesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Human-Animal Interactions, Animal Behaviour and Emotion)
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14 pages, 5458 KiB  
Article
Cladomorphus petropolisensis, a New Species of Stick Insect from the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
by Jane Costa, Jacenir R. S. Mallet and Daniela Maeda Takiya
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2871; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202871 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2445
Abstract
Cladomorphus petropolisensis sp. nov., a new species of stick insect from Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is herein described and compared to the other sympatric species, C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 (Phasmatidae, Cladomorphinae). The description of the new species is supported by morphological and [...] Read more.
Cladomorphus petropolisensis sp. nov., a new species of stick insect from Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is herein described and compared to the other sympatric species, C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 (Phasmatidae, Cladomorphinae). The description of the new species is supported by morphological and molecular evidence. Kimura-2-parameter (K2P) intraspecific COI divergences among the holotype of C. petropolisensis sp. nov. and C. phyllinus individuals ranged from 2.9% to 4.4%, which are suggestive of distinct species, especially when considering that all Cladomorphus individuals studied were collected in the Petrópolis municipality. The new species can be distinguished from C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 by several characteristics: smaller size, the presence of two spines on the hind femora, the relative longer length of the ovipositor, and spiny tegument, especially in the mesonotum, sculpturing of the operculum of the egg. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals’ Tenth Anniversary)
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12 pages, 261 KiB  
Article
Effects of Fermenting the Plant Fraction of a Complete Feed on the Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilization, Antioxidant Functions, Meat Quality, and Intestinal Microbiota of Broilers
by Haoxuan Sun, Da Chen, Huiyi Cai, Wenhuan Chang, Zedong Wang, Guohua Liu, Xuejuan Deng and Zhimin Chen
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2870; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202870 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3350
Abstract
We investigated the effects of fermenting the plant fraction of a solid complete feed (FPFF) on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, meat quality, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens. The plant-based fraction of the complete feed was fermented using Lactobacillus and [...] Read more.
We investigated the effects of fermenting the plant fraction of a solid complete feed (FPFF) on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, meat quality, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens. The plant-based fraction of the complete feed was fermented using Lactobacillus and Bacillus subtilis. A total of 240, 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated into four treatment groups, each comprised of six replicates. The groups were fed a corn–soybean meal-based diet (basic diet) or the same diet supplemented with 5%, 10%, or 15% FPFF for 6 weeks. As results, adding 10% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1–21 days, and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1–42 days. Adding 15% fermented feed significantly improved the metabolic rate of the birds in 19–21 days and significantly increased the monounsaturated fatty acid concentration in the chickens. Adding fermented feed significantly reduced the cholesterol content in the chickens. In conclusion, adding 10% fermented feed significantly reduced the feed conversion ratio in 1–21 days and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the average daily gain and the average daily feed intake in 1–42 days. In addition, consuming fermented feed improved the meat quality of broilers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feed Evaluation for Animal Health and Product Quality)
12 pages, 1912 KiB  
Article
Effects of Feeding 5-Aminolevulinic Acid on Iron Status in Weaned Rats from the Female Rats during Gestation and Lactation
by Junhui Li, Yuhuai Xie, Min Li, Shaotao Zhang, Qun Cheng and Weiren Yang
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2869; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202869 - 21 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1470
Abstract
Using female Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats as a model, the current study aimed to investigate whether feeding 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) to female SD rats during gestation and lactation can affect the iron status of weaned rats and provide new ideas for the iron supplementation [...] Read more.
Using female Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats as a model, the current study aimed to investigate whether feeding 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) to female SD rats during gestation and lactation can affect the iron status of weaned rats and provide new ideas for the iron supplementation of piglets. A total of 27 pregnant SD rats were randomly assigned to three treatments in nine replicates, with one rat per litter. Dietary treatments were basal diet (CON), CON + 50 mg/kg 5-ALA (5-ALA50), and CON + 100 mg/kg 5-ALA (5-ALA100). After parturition, ten pups in each litter (a total of 270) were selected for continued feeding by their corresponding mother, and the pregnant rats were fed diets containing 5-ALA (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg diet) until the newborn pups were weaned at 21 days. The results showed that the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in weaned rats in the 5-ALA100 group was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the CON or 5-ALA50 group. The diet with 5-ALA significantly increased (p < 0.05) the hemoglobin (HGB) concentration, hematocrit (HCT) level, serum iron (SI) content, and transferrin saturation (TSAT) level in the blood of weaned rats, as well as the concentration of Hepcidin in the liver and serum of weaned rats and the expression of Hepcidin mRNA in the liver of weaned rats, with the 5-ALA100 group having the highest (p < 0.05) HGB concentration in the weaned rats, and the 5-ALA50 group having the highest (p < 0.05) Hepcidin concentration in serum and in the expression of Hepcidin mRNA in the liver of weaned rats. The other indicators between the 5-ALA groups had no effects. However, the level of total iron binding capacity (TIBC) was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the 5-ALA50 group. Moreover, the iron content in the liver of weaned rats fed with 5-ALA showed an upward trend (p = 0.085). In addition, feeding a 5-ALA-supplemented diet could also significantly reduce (p < 0.05) the expression of TfR1 mRNA in the liver of weaning rats (p < 0.05), and the expression of Tfr1 was not affected between 5-ALA groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 5-ALA could improve the blood parameters, increase the concentration of Hepcidin in the liver and serum, and affect the expression of iron-related genes in the liver of weaned rats. Moreover, it is appropriate to add 50 mg/kg 5-ALA to the diet under this condition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Reproduction)
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11 pages, 1015 KiB  
Article
Preliminary Investigation into Developing the Use of Swabs for Skin Cortisol Analysis for the Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola)
by Rachel M. Santymire, Marissa Young, Erin Lenihan and Michael J. Murray
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2868; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202868 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1666
Abstract
The ocean sunfish (mola; Mola mola) is the heaviest bony fish in the world. This slow-moving fish often is injured by fishing boats that use drift gillnets attributing to its listing as Vulnerable by the IUCN. The Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey, CA, [...] Read more.
The ocean sunfish (mola; Mola mola) is the heaviest bony fish in the world. This slow-moving fish often is injured by fishing boats that use drift gillnets attributing to its listing as Vulnerable by the IUCN. The Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey, CA, USA) has a program that brings in smaller molas from the ocean and acclimates them for an exhibit. When they grow too large for the million-gallon Open Seas exhibit, they are returned to Monterey Bay through a “reverse” acclimatization. Our overall goal was to use skin swabs to evaluate mola stress physiology to better understand the effects of this program. Our objectives were to validate this non-invasive method by taking opportunistic swabs throughout acclimatization and during stressful events. We swabbed each individual (n = 12) in three different body locations. Swabs were analyzed using a cortisol enzyme immunoassay. We averaged the three swabs and examined the absolute change of cortisol from the first taken upon handling to during treatments and the different acclimation stages. We considered elevated cortisol concentrations to be ≥1.5-fold higher than the first sample. Overall, mean (±SEM) cortisol varied among individuals (564.2 ± 191.5 pg/mL swab (range, 18.3–7012.0 pg/mL swab). The majority (four of six) of molas swabbed within the first week or month had elevated skin cortisol compared to their first sample. All seven molas that were being treated for an injury or illness had elevated skin cortisol (range, 1.7- to 127.6-fold higher) compared to their post-acclimation sample. This is the first step in validating the use of non-invasive skin swabs for glucocorticoid analysis in the mola. Further biochemical analysis is needed to determine the specific steroids that are being measured. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-invasive Methods of Stress Monitoring in Animals under Human Care)
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15 pages, 2699 KiB  
Article
Effect of Salmonella Typhimurium Colonization on Microbiota Maturation and Blood Leukocyte Populations in Broiler Chickens
by Kelsy Robinson, Anna L. F. V. Assumpcao, Komala Arsi, Gisela F. Erf, Annie Donoghue and Palmy R. R. Jesudhasan
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2867; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202867 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2368
Abstract
Reducing Salmonella in commercial chickens is vital to decreasing human salmonellosis infections resulting from contact with contaminated poultry and poultry products. As the intestinal microbiota plays an important role in preventing pathogen colonization, we sought to understand the relationship between Salmonella infection and [...] Read more.
Reducing Salmonella in commercial chickens is vital to decreasing human salmonellosis infections resulting from contact with contaminated poultry and poultry products. As the intestinal microbiota plays an important role in preventing pathogen colonization, we sought to understand the relationship between Salmonella infection and the cecal microbiota and the host immune system. Day-of-hatch broiler chicks were assigned to three treatments: control, artificial (SA), and natural (SN) Salmonella infection. At seven days of age, control and SA birds were inoculated with PBS or Salmonella Typhimurium, respectively. Five SA birds were transferred to SN cages to facilitate natural infection. Cecal content and blood samples were collected at 0, 8, 14, and 21 days of age for microbiota and leukocyte analysis, respectively. A significant change in microbiota composition was observed in both groups as noted by a decrease in Lactobacillus and Escherichia and an increase in Bacteroides. Leukocyte analysis revealed a decrease in the percentage of circulating monocytes at 7 days post-infection while a decrease in thrombocyte and an increase in heterophil percentages were seen at 14 days post-infection. Taken together, these results demonstrate the ability of Salmonella to modulate the intestinal microbiota to facilitate colonization. Additionally, results indicated an early role of monocytes and thrombocytes during colonization, followed by heterophils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Animal Microbiome in Health and Disease)
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10 pages, 281 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Preslaughter Electrical Stunning on Serum Cortisol and Meat Quality Parameters of a Slow-Growing Chinese Chicken Breed
by Wenpeng Li, Chao Yan, Kris Descovich, Clive J. C. Phillips, Yongyou Chen, Huijing Huang, Xuan Wu, Jian Liu, Siyu Chen and Xingbo Zhao
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2866; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202866 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1941
Abstract
Electrical stunning is widely utilized prior to a neck cut to induce unconsciousness in order to improve animal welfare and slaughter efficiency in the broiler production industry. However, slaughter without stunning is still very commonly used in China, in part because there is [...] Read more.
Electrical stunning is widely utilized prior to a neck cut to induce unconsciousness in order to improve animal welfare and slaughter efficiency in the broiler production industry. However, slaughter without stunning is still very commonly used in China, in part because there is a belief that stunning reduces meat quality. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the physical (hemorrhages, pH, drip loss, and shear force) and chemical (inosinic monophosphate concentration and reducing sugar content) properties of broiler meat differed between chickens in preslaughter stunning and nonstunned slaughter groups, and whether the groups differed in their levels of cortisol as an indicator of stress. Serum cortisol levels of the nonstunned group were nearly twice as high as those in the stunned group (p < 0.05). Several meat quality indicators were better in the stunned group than in the nonstunned group. We concluded that electrical stunning prior to slaughter significantly decreases the stress caused by slaughter, resulting in both improved animal welfare and meat quality traits. Full article
17 pages, 1728 KiB  
Article
Effects of Maternal Protein Supplementation at Mid-Gestation of Cows on Intake, Digestibility, and Feeding Behavior of the Offspring
by Karolina Batista Nascimento, Matheus Castilho Galvão, Javier Andrés Moreno Meneses, Gabriel Miranda Moreira, German Darío Ramírez-Zamudio, Stefania Priscilla de Souza, Ligia Dias Prezotto, Luthesco Haddad Lima Chalfun, Marcio de Souza Duarte, Daniel Rume Casagrande and Mateus Pies Gionbelli
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2865; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202865 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2535
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the effects of maternal protein supplementation and offspring sex (OS) on the intake parameters of the offspring. Forty-three Tabapuã cows were randomly allocated in the following treatments: protein supplementation (PS) during days 100–200 of gestation (RES, 5.5% total [...] Read more.
This study aimed to assess the effects of maternal protein supplementation and offspring sex (OS) on the intake parameters of the offspring. Forty-three Tabapuã cows were randomly allocated in the following treatments: protein supplementation (PS) during days 100–200 of gestation (RES, 5.5% total crude protein (CP), n = 2, or CON, 10% total CP, n = 19) and OS (females, n = 20; males, n = 23). The offspring were evaluated during the cow–calf (0–210 days), backgrounding (255–320 days), growing 1 (321–381 days), and growing 2 (382–445 days) phases. The CON offspring tended to present higher dry matter intake (DMI) at weaning (p = 0.06). The CON males presented lower digestibility of major diet components in the growing 2 phase (p ≤ 0.02). The CON offspring spent 52% more time per day eating supplements at 100 days and 17% less time in idleness at 210 days. The CON males spent 15 min more per day ruminating than RES males in the feedlot phase (p = 0.01). We concluded that protein supplementation over gestation alters the offspring feed intake pattern as a whole, while protein restriction promotes compensatory responses on nutrient digestibility in males. Full article
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15 pages, 347 KiB  
Review
Microplastics as Contaminants in Water Bodies and Their Threat to the Aquatic Animals: A Mini-Review
by Mingshi Chen, Yuhua Yue, Xiaoxue Bao, Hui Yu, Yuansheng Tan, Binbin Tong, Suksan Kumkhong and Yingying Yu
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2864; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202864 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4587
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), which are particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm, have been extensively studied due to their serious global pollution. Typically, MPs in water originate from terrestrial input. A number of studies have reported the presence of MPs as a [...] Read more.
Microplastics (MPs), which are particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm, have been extensively studied due to their serious global pollution. Typically, MPs in water originate from terrestrial input. A number of studies have reported the presence of MPs as a stressor in water environments worldwide, and their potential threat to the aquatic animals, affecting the growth, oxidative stress responses, body composition, histopathology, intestinal flora, and immune and reproduction systems. During the plastic degradation process, a large variety of toxic substances are released. MPs have been proposed to be the carriers of toxic chemicals and harmful microorganisms. A study of the literature on MP pollution and stress on the aquatic animals associated with MPs was carried out. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Stress and Stress Responsiveness in Aquatic Species)
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14 pages, 2407 KiB  
Article
Clustering and Correlations amongst NEFA, Selected Adipokines and Morphological Traits—New Insights into Equine Metabolic Syndrome
by Zsofia Daradics, Mihaela Niculae, Cristian Mihăiță Crecan, Alexandru Florin Lupșan, Mirela Alexandra Rus, Sanda Andrei, Dana Mihaela Ciobanu, Florinela Adriana Cătoi, Ioana Delia Pop, Mircea Valerian Mircean and Cornel Cătoi
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2863; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202863 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1982
Abstract
Obesity is a common feature in horses suffering from metabolic syndrome. While adipokines involvement as biomarkers is better established in human pathology, little data are available on horses. This study aimed to investigate the possible association and relationship between selected metabolic parameters and [...] Read more.
Obesity is a common feature in horses suffering from metabolic syndrome. While adipokines involvement as biomarkers is better established in human pathology, little data are available on horses. This study aimed to investigate the possible association and relationship between selected metabolic parameters and morphological traits in equine metabolic syndrome. Adiposity was evaluated using body condition score (BCS) and cresty neck score (CNS). Plasma levels of total cholesterol, insulin, NEFA, and adipokines (omentin and chemerin) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Spearman correlation, univariate linear regression analysis and hierarchical clustering were performed. Significant positive correlations were observed between NEFA and bodyweight (r = 0.322; p = 0.006), BCS (r = 0.295; p = 0.013), and CNS (r = 0.267; p = 0.024), total cholesterol and bodyweight (r = 0.262; p = 0.027), and omentin and CNS (r = 0.234; p = 0.049). Cluster analysis supported these results and provided more details on the relationships between studied variables within and between the four resulting groups. These findings highlight NEFA, chemerin, and omentin as valuable biomarkers that could be further analyzed in other horse breeds for a better understanding of equine metabolic pathology. Full article
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