Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 

About: Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition is an academic journal published by Wiley. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Broiler & Feed conversion ratio. It has an ISSN identifier of 0931-2439. Over the lifetime, 4973 publications have been published receiving 66937 citations. The journal is also known as: Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition (1986. Print) & Zeitschrift für Tierphysiologie, Tierernährung und Futtermittelkunde (1986).

Liver lipid metabolism

Abstract: The liver plays a key role in lipid metabolism. Depending on species it is, more or less, the hub of fatty acid synthesis and lipid circulation through lipoprotein synthesis. Eventually the accumulation of lipid droplets into the hepatocytes results in hepatic steatosis, which may develop as a consequence of multiple dysfunctions such as alterations in beta-oxidation, very low density lipoprotein secretion, and pathways involved in the synthesis of fatty acids. In addition an increased circulating pool of non-esterified fatty acid may also to be a major determinant in the pathogenesis fatty liver disease. This review also focuses on transcription factors such as sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein-1c and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, which promote either hepatic fatty acid synthesis or oxidation.

Gastrointestinal health and function in weaned pigs: a review of feeding strategies to control post‐weaning diarrhoea without using in‐feed antimicrobial compounds

Abstract: For the last several decades, antimicrobial compounds have been used to promote piglet growth at weaning through the prevention of subclinical and clinical disease. There are, however, increasing concerns in relation to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and the potential of these and associated resistance genes to impact on human health. As a consequence, European Union (EU) banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in swine and livestock production on 1 January 2006. Furthermore, minerals such as zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) are not feasible alternatives/replacements to antibiotics because their excretion is a possible threat to the environment. Consequently, there is a need to develop feeding programs to serve as a means for controlling problems associated with the weaning transition without using antimicrobial compounds. This review, therefore, is focused on some of nutritional strategies that are known to improve structure and function of gastrointestinal tract and (or) promote post-weaning growth with special emphasis on probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids, trace minerals and dietary protein source and level.

In vitro gas production: a technique revisited

Abstract: Summary The stoichiometrical relationship between gas volumes and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production has been exemplified for an in vitro gas test based on the bicarbonate buffer. It is outlined that, even though variation in the molar proportion of acetate, propionate and butyrate will influence gas volumes, quite similar amounts of total carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are required for widely different SCFA patterns (0.748: 0.194: 0.058 or 0.459: 0.462: 0.079 for C2: C3: C4), namely, 2.20–2.34 mg to produce 1 ml of gas. However, the variation in microbial biomass production per mole adenosine triphosphate (ATP) presents a serious limitation for in vitro gas tests, since these tests reflect SCFA production only. As a consequence in vitro gas tests need to be complemented by a quantification of substrate concomitantly truly degraded to avoid selection of a substrate with proportionally higher SCFA production and lower microbial biomass yield. This intrinsic problem of in vitro gas tests was experimentally demonstrated for 61 roughages, where a gravimetric determination of microbial biomass yield showed a highly significant (r = −0.78, p < 0.0001) negative relationship between microbial biomass and gas volumes in vitro when both were related to 100 mg of substrates truly degraded. The relationship was further examined for 35 roughages, being representative of the 61 samples, using incubations with stable isotopie nitrogen (15N). In these studies, 15N incorporation and gas production were significantly (r = −0.78, p < 0.001) inversely related. An in vitro method is proposed which combines gas volume and substrate degradability measurements to estimate microbial yield and these estimations agreed well (r = 0.82, p < 0.0001) with 15N measurements. Zusammenfassung Die stochiometrischen Zusammenhange von Gas -und kurzkettiger Fettsauren - Produktion im Bikarbonat gepufferten in vitro Gastest wurden exemplarisch dargestellt. Es wird gezeigt, das unterschiedliche molare Anteile von Essig -, Propion - und Buttersaure zwar Auswirkungen auf das Gasvolumen haben, die Masse an Kohlen-, Wasser-und Sauerstoff, die fur 1 ml Gas notig ist, jedoch fur unterschiedliche molare Fettsaurenzusammensetzung (0.748: 0.194: 0.058 oder 0.459: 0.462: 0.079 fur C2: C3: C4) mit 2.20 bis 2.34 mg sehr ahnlich ist. Unterschiedliche mikrobielle Biomasse-Bildung per mol Adenosintriphosphat (ATP) begrenzt jedoch die Aussagefahigkeit des Gastests, da dieser nur die Bildung von kurzkettigen Fettsauren reflektiert. In vitro Gastests bedurfen der begleitenden Quantifizierung der Menge an wahr abgebauter Substanz, um die Selektion von Substraten zu vermeiden, die eine proportional hohe kurzkettige Fettsauren-Produktion aber niedrigere mikrobielle Biomasse-Bildung aufweisen. Diese Beziehung wurde experimentell fur 61 Rauhfuttermittel aufgezeigt. Die gravimetrisch bestimmte mikrobielle Biomasse zeigt, bezogen auf 100 mg wahr abgebaute Substanz, eine hoch negative Beziehung (r = −0.78, p < 0.0001) zwischen diesem Parameter und dem Gasvolumen. Diese Beziehung wurde mit 35 (von den 61) representativen Rauhfuttermittel, unter Anwendung von stabilen Stickstoff - Isotopen (15N) uberpruft. Die Untersuchungen zeigten eine signifikante (r = −0.78, p < 0.001) negative Beziehung zwischen 15N Anreicherung und Gasvolumen. Es wird eine in vitro Methode vorgeschlagen, die Messungen von Gasvolumen und Substratabbau vereint und die es ermoglicht, die mikrobielle Biomasse abzuschatzen. Diese Schatzungen wiesen eine gute Ubereinstimmung (r = 0.82, p < 0.0001) mit 15N Bestimmungen auf.

Heat stress effects on livestock: molecular, cellular and metabolic aspects, a review.

Abstract: Elevated ambient temperatures affect animal production and welfare. Animal's reduced production performances during heat stress were traditionally thought to result from the decreased feed intake. However, it has recently been shown that heat stress disturbs the steady state concentrations of free radicals, resulting in both cellular and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Indeed, heat stress reorganizes the use of the body resources including fat, protein and energy. Heat stress reduces the metabolic rates and alters post-absorptive metabolism, regardless of the decreased feed intake. Consequently, growth, production, reproduction and health are not priorities any more in the metabolism of heat-stressed animals. The drastic effects of heat stress depend on its duration and severity. This review clearly describes about biochemical, cellular and metabolic changes that occur during thermal stress in farm animals.

Phytate and phytase in fish nutrition

Abstract: Phytate formed during maturation of plant seeds and grains is a common constituent of plant-derived fish feed. Phytate-bound phosphorus (P) is not available to gastric or agastric fish. A major concern about the presence of phytate in the aquafeed is its negative effect on growth performance, nutrient and energy utilization, and mineral uptake. Bound phytate-P, can be effectively converted to available-P by phytase. During the last decade, phytase has been used by aqua feed industries to enhance the growth performance, nutrient utilization and bioavailability of macro and micro minerals in fish and also to reduce the P pollution into the aquatic environment. Phytase activity is highly dependent on the pH of the fish gut. Unlike mammals, fish are either gastric or agastric, and hence, the action of dietary phytase varies from species to species. In comparison to poultry and swine production, the use of phytase in fish feed is still in an unproven stage. This review discusses effects of phytate on fish, dephytinisation processes, phytase and pathway for phytate degradation, phytase production systems, mode of phytase application, bioefficacy of phytase, effects of phytase on growth performance, nutrient utilization and aquatic environment pollution, and optimum dosage of phytase in fish diets.