Inhibiting methanogenesis by targeting thermodynamics and enzymatic reactions in mixed cultures of rumen microbes .

Mitigation of enteric methane (CH) emissions from ruminant livestock represents an opportunity to improve the sustainability, productivity, and profitability of beef and dairy production. Ruminal methanogenesis can be mitigated via two primary strategies: (1) alternative electron acceptors and (2) enzymatic inhibition of methanogenic pathways. The former utilizes the thermodynamic favorability of certain reactions such as nitrate/nitrite reduction to ammonia (NH) while the latter targets specific enzymes using structural analogs of CH and methanogenic cofactors such as bromochloromethane (BCM).

Prebiotic galactooligosaccharide improves piglet growth performance and intestinal health associated with alterations of the hindgut microbiota during the peri-weaning period.

Background: Weaning stress reduces growth performance and health of young pigs due in part to an abrupt change in diets from highly digestible milk to fibrous plant-based feedstuffs. This study investigated whether dietary galactooligosaccharide (GOS), supplemented both pre- and post-weaning, could improve growth performance and intestinal health via alterations in the hindgut microbial community.

Methods: Using a 3 × 2 factorial design, during farrowing 288 piglets from 24 litters received either no creep feed (FC), creep without GOS (FG-) or creep with 5% GOS (FG+) followed by a phase 1 nursery diet without (NG-) or with 3.

Dietary Prebiotic Oligosaccharides and Arachidonate Alter the Fecal Microbiota and Mucosal Lipid Composition of Suckling Pigs.

Background: Early intestinal development is important to infant vitality, and optimal formula composition can promote gut health.

Objectives: The objectives were to evaluate the effects of arachidonate (ARA) and/or prebiotic oligosaccharide (PRE) supplementation in formula on the development of the microbial ecosystem and colonic health parameters.

Methods: Newborn piglets were fed 4 formulas containing ARA [0.

Gruel Creep Feeding Accelerates Growth and Alters Intestinal Health of Young Pigs.

To combat the stress of weaning, we utilized novel gruel creep feeders to supplement suckling pigs with divergent soluble (n = 6 litters) versus insoluble (n = 6) diets compared with un-supplemented controls (n = 6). Post-weaning, pigs were fed a common phase 1 diet. Average daily weight gains of pigs fed soluble and insoluble creep diets were 53% and 17% greater than control pigs, respectively (p < 0.

Observable Metabolites and Metabolomic Sampling Protocols for Managed African Savanna Elephant () Whole Blood Using H-NMR Spectroscopy.

We used nuclear magnetic spectroscopy (NMR) to evaluate the metabolomics of heparinized whole blood drawn from six African savanna elephants () maintained on a well characterized diet. Whole blood samples obtained under behavioral restraint, then quickly frozen in liquid nitrogen, were stored at -80 °C until analysis. Frozen samples were thawed under controlled conditions and extracted with methanol and chloroform to separate the polar and non-polar metabolites.