Publications by authors named "Febel H"

It is postulated that there is negative correlation between milk yield and reproductive performance. However, some studies definitely doubt this causality. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between milk production and fertility on three dairy farms.

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Excessive use of azole fungicides in agriculture poses a potential threat to honeybees and other pollinator insects; however, the detailed effects of these molecules remain largely unclear. Hence, in the present study it was aimed to investigate the acute sublethal effects of tebuconazole on the redox homeostasis and fatty acid composition in the brain of honeybees. Our findings demonstrate that tebuconazole decreased total antioxidant capacity, the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione and disturbed the function of key antioxidant defense enzymes along with the induction of lipid peroxidation indicated by increased malondialdehyde levels, while it also altered the fatty acid profile of the brain.

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Butyrate promotes rumen epithelium growth and function; however, the effect of prepartum butyrate supplementation on dairy cow productivity, health and their offspring has not been extensively studied. Furthermore, no studies have investigated the effect of magnesium butyrate (MgB), which is also a source of magnesium. A trial was performed to test the hypothesis that prepartum MgB supplementation (105 g/cow/day) would increase colostrum quality and improve calving, newborn calf vitality and cow health.

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Background: Magnesium butyrate (MgB) supplementation of dairy cows during the three-week close-up period was tested for its effects on blood energy analytes, rumination time, inflammation, and lactation performance.

Methods: Daily milk yield was recorded and weekly milk samples collected for the first 70 days of lactation from MgB supplemented (MgB, n = 34), and unsupplemented (Control, n = 31) multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows. During a period from week 3 to week 10 postpartum, blood samples were taken and analyzed for various parameters, and ruminant activity was measured.

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Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was employed to determine the differences between forage mixtures of winter cereals and Italian ryegrass and to evaluate fermentation characteristics of mixed silages. Forages were harvested on five phases (Cuts 1-5), with 1 week interval (n = 100). The yield of the last harvest (Cut 5) was ensiled and analyzed on four different days (D0, D7, D14, and D90) (n = 80).

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Background: Sows are exposed to severe stress and hormonal challenges during their whole productive life. As polyunsaturated fatty acids play an important role in immune and reproductive functions, with a better understanding of their role in breeding sows' nutrition, improved performance and more sustainable pig production can be achieved.

Objectives: In this study, we investigated the effects of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the antioxidant status and hormone levels of sows.

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The aim of this study was metagenomics analyses of acquired antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in the intestinal microbiome of two important food-animal species in Hungary from a One Health perspective. Intestinal content samples were collected from 12 domestic pigs () and from a common carp (). Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of DNA purified from the intestinal samples was performed on the Illumina platform.

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Short chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate has various beneficial effects on the gut microbiota as well as on the overall health status and metabolism of the host organism. The modulatory role of butyrate on gut barrier integrity reflected by tight junction protein expression has been already described in mammalian species. However, there is limited information available regarding chickens.

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The intestinal microbiome of dogs can be influenced by a number of factors such as non-starch polysaccharides as well as some non-digestible oligo- and disaccharides. These molecules are only decomposed by intestinal anaerobic microbial fermentation, resulting in the formation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which play a central role in maintaining the balance of the intestinal flora and affecting the health status of the host organism. In the present study, the effects of lactulose and psyllium husk (Plantago ovata) were investigated regarding their influence on concentrations of various VFAs produced by the canine intestinal microbiome.

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Influencing the endocrine metabolic regulation of chickens by nutritional factors might provide novel possibilities for improving animal health and productivity. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of dietary cereal type (wheat-based (WB) vs. maize-based (MB) diets), crude protein level (normal (NP) vs.

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Article Synopsis
  • Several mathematical models exist to assess the digestibility efficiency of various feedstuffs, but there is limited understanding of how different diets impact the physical response of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in growing pigs.
  • The study adapted smooth muscle electromyography (SMEMG) from rats to pigs to investigate how diets with controlled and increased fibre levels affect GIT motility in nine barrow pigs.
  • Results showed a significant increase in myoelectric activity in the small intestine (20-25 cycles per minute) with a higher fibre diet, while the stomach and large intestine activities remained unchanged, indicating that SMEMG is a viable method for evaluating dietary effects on pig GIT function.
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The Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) frequently contaminate grain crops, especially maize, the basis of poultry's feed. Mycotoxins enter the food chain and induce pathological changes in edible tissues. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for the treatment of liver disease in humans because of its antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects, but its utility in veterinary use is poorly examined.

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Introduction: Fatty liver can develop as a result of diseases, surgical procedures, medicaments, malnutrition or excessive alcohol consumption, however, fat and poor fiber feeding can be attributed as the primary cause. Non-alcoholic fatty liver can be found in 20-30% of the population. Generally, alimentary-induced fatty liver in early state is described as uncomplicated liver injury.

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The short-chain fatty acid butyrate, either in unprotected or protected form, is widely applied as a growth-promoting feed additive in poultry nutrition; however, its possible effects on the carcass composition of broilers have not been fully elucidated. Further, lowering dietary crude protein (CP) levels is an important issue in poultry farming, contributing to ecologically beneficial lower nitrogen excretion. The main aims of this study were to test how unprotected and protected forms of butyrate and decreased dietary CP content with essential amino acid (lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan) supplementation ("LP-EAA" diet) affect carcass parameters and the chemical composition of muscles in broilers.

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Red deer () hinds ( ) of identical initial body weight (BW, ca. 68 kg) were reared on a monocotyledonous grass (G group), on a grass- (GP group) or on pure papilionaceous pasture each of 2 ha (P group) for 219 d. At the end of the experiment carcass tissue composition was assessed by means of computer tomography, slaughter value and meat quality were characterized and tissue -  (LTL), thigh and liver - samples were taken for fatty acid composition analysis.

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Scarce studies have investigated the impact of fumonisin B (FB) on the hepatic tissue fatty acid (FA) profile, and no study is available on piglets. A 10-day in vivo experiment was performed on seven piglets/group: control and FB-fed animals (diet was contaminated with fungal culture: 20 mg FB/kg diet). Independent sample -test was carried out at < 0.

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Male Wistar rats were intraperitoneally dosed with fumonisin B1 (FB; 0, 20, 50 and 100 mg kg dietary dose equivalent) for 5 & 10 days to assess dose- and time-dependent effects on renal and hepatic phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) fatty acid (FA) profiles. Renal PC showed increasing FA saturation (SAT) after 5 days; after 10 days polyunsaturation (PUFA) decreased markedly (Σ n3 (total n3), Σ n6, PUFA, unsaturation index (UI) and average FA chain length (ACL)), mostly with linear dose response. In the PI FAs similar changes were observed, decreasing monounsaturated FA, PUFA, UI and ACL (5 & 10 days), while the PE fraction was responsive in Σ n6 (↓) and SAT (↑), but only after 5 days (without dose response for both PI & PE).

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This study investigates the metabolic effects of maize- or wheat-based diets with normal (NP) and lowered (LP) dietary crude protein level [the latter supplemented with limiting amino acids and sodium (n-)butyrate at 1.5 g/kg diet] at different phases of broiler fattening. Blood samples of Ross 308 broilers were tested at the age of 1, 3 and 6 weeks.

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(1) Background and (2) Methods: A 14-day in vivo, multitoxic (pure mycotoxins) rat experiment was conducted with zearalenone (ZEA; 15 μg/animal/day), deoxynivalenol (DON; 30 μg/animal/day) and fumonisin B₁ (FB₁; 150 μg/animal/day), as individual mycotoxins, binary (FD, FZ and DZ) and ternary combinations (FDZ), via gavage in 1 mL water boluses. (3) Results: Body weight was unaffected, while liver (ZEA↑ vs. DON) and kidney weight (ZEA↑ vs.

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Intestinal cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes play key role in the first pass metabolism of orally ingested xenobiotics, providing a primary metabolic barrier, being of special importance in maintaining animal health and production. This study was aimed to investigate how intestinal drug-metabolizing CYPs can be modulated by nutritional factors in broiler chicken. We investigated the effects of the natural growth promoter (n-)butyrate of different origin (feed supplementation of protected or non-protected forms and/or inducing caecal microbial production by supporting higher level of dietary non-starch polysaccharides [NSP]) on the activity of duodenal CYPs.

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Background: Lipid accumulation in the liver and pancreas is primarily caused by combined hyperlipidemia. However, the effect of isolated hypercholesterolemia without hypertriglyceridemia is not fully described. Therefore, our aim was to investigate whether hypercholesterolemia alone leads to alterations both in hepatic and pancreatic lipid panel and histology in rats.

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The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of prepartum and postpartum (PP) supplementation with 2 isomers of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on reproductive parameters and some related metabolic factors in dairy cows. High-producing, multiparous Holstein Friesian cows (n = 60) were allotted to 3 treatment groups: the CLA1 group (n = 20) was supplemented with 70 g of lipid-encapsulated CLA providing 7 g each of cis-9,trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12 CLA from d 21 (d 21) before expected calving until d 7 after artificial insemination (AI), that is, until 77 to 91 d PP; the CLA2 group (n = 20) was supplemented with the same amount of CLA beginning at calving until d 7 after AI; and the control group (n = 20) received an isocaloric, isonitrogenous, and isolipidic diet. Blood samples were taken weekly to measure glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and leptin.

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Weaned rabbits were fed diets contaminated with 2 mg/kg diet T-2 toxin alone, or 10 mg/kg diet fumonisin B (FB) alone, and both toxins in combination (2 + 10 mg/kg, respectively) compared to a toxin-free control diet. Samplings were performed after 4 weeks (blood and liver). Bodyweight of T-2-fed group was lower after 4 weeks; the liver weight was increased dramatically (threefold of control).

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Adult male Wistar rats were enrolled in a study to test the acute hepatic effects of 50 mg/kg fumonisin B in feed for 5 days. Fumonisin B depressed growth and feed intake, and absolute and relative liver weight showed a significant increase. The proportions of C17:0, C18:3 n3, C22:5 n3 and C22:6 n3 fatty acids decreased in the hepatic phospholipid fraction.

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The present experiment tested a dietary supplementation with linseed oil and selenium to growing rabbits. The basal diet (B) contained 3% sunflower oil, while it was substituted with 3% linseed oil in the experimental feed (S). The selenium (Se) content of the two diets was 0.

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