Standardized ileal amino acid digestibility and performance indices in pullets and laying hens fed expeller-pressed Canadian prairie soybean meal.

Soybean meals (SBM) from different locations differ in their protein content, subsequently influencing their amino acid (AA) profile. In this study, standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA and growth or production performance were evaluated in pullets and hens fed SBM derived from soybean grown in Western Canada, primarily Manitoba (MB) labelled as A-, B- and C-SBM compared with that from Eastern Canada (Ontario, ON-SBM) and contained 38.3 ± 0.

Splenic gene expression of cytokines at multiple time points following lipopolysaccharide challenge in layers.

Objective: To investigate inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection in layers.

Animals: 33 40-week-old laying hens were used.

Methods: 30 laying hens were divided into 2 groups: the first group was injected with 8 mg/kg LPS, while the second group was injected with sterile saline.

The Effect of Increasing Concentrations of Omega-3 Fatty Acids from either Flaxseed Oil or Preformed Docosahexaenoic Acid on Fatty Acid Composition, Plasma Oxylipin, and Immune Response of Laying Hens.

Background: There is a lack of nutrition guidelines for the feeding of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to laying hens. Knowledge as to whether the type and concentrations of α-linolenic acid (ALA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the diet can make a difference to the birds' immune responses when subjected to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge is limited.

Objectives: The study was designed to determine the potential nutritional and health benefits to laying hens when receiving dietary omega-3 PUFA from either ALA or DHA.

Effects of zinc deficiency and zinc supplementation on homocysteine levels and related enzyme expression in rats.

Methionine synthase (MS) and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) are both zinc (Zn)-dependent methyltransferases and involved in the methylation of homocysteine. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary Zn supply on homocysteine levels and expression of the two enzymes in growing rats. Male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly to four dietary groups (n=8/group) for 3 weeks: Zn deficient (ZD; <1mg Zn/kg); Zn control (ZC; 30mg Zn/kg); Zn supplemented (ZS; 300mg Zn/kg); pair fed (PF; 30mg Zn/kg) to the ZD group.

The effect of peripheral administration of zinc on food intake in rats fed Zn-adequate or Zn-deficient diets.

Zinc deficiency induces a striking reduction of food intake in animals. To elucidate the mechanisms for this effect, two studies were connectedly conducted to determine the effects of peripheral administration of zinc on food intake in rats fed the zinc-adequate or zinc-deficient diets for a 3-week period. In study 1, two groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were provided diets made either adequate (ZA; 38.

Effects of zinc on hepatic antioxidant systems and the mRNA expression levels assayed by cDNA microarrays in rats.

Background: This study evaluated effects of zinc on the hepatic lipid peroxidation, antioxidant components and mRNA expression levels in rats.

Methods: Three diets with different Zn levels including Zn adequacy (ZA; 34.50 mg/kg, control), Zn deficiency (ZD; 3.

Distribution and characteristics of endogenous digestive enzymes in the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans.

Distribution and properties of the main digestive enzymes including protease and amylase, from stomach, pancreas and the anterior, middle and posterior intestine of the adult red-eared slider turtle Trachemys scripta elegans were studied at various pHs and temperatures. The optimum temperature and pH for protease in stomach, pancreas and the anterior, middle and posterior intestine were 40 degrees C, 2.5; 50 degrees C, 8.

Insights on zinc regulation of food intake and macronutrient selection.

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element required for human beings and animals. This divalent cation is involved in many physiological functions, including immune and antioxidant function, growth, and reproduction. Deficiency of Zn produces several pathological disorders and abnormalities in its metabolism, such as anorexia, weight loss, poor efficiency, and growth retardation.

Effect of zinc on biochemical parameters and changes in related gene expression assessed by cDNA microarrays in pituitary of growing rats.

Objective: The present study simultaneously investigated the effects of different zinc (Zn) levels on the growth performance and relative biochemical parameters in growing rats and analyzed the molecular mechanism of zinc influencing food intake.

Methods: Three diets with different Zn levels--Zn adequate (ZA; 35.94 mg/kg, control), Zn deficient (ZD; 3.