The effect of energy supplementation for short period on follicular turnover and estradiol 17-β (E2) concentration during the estrus cycle in the subtropics was studied in 13 ewes (7 ewes subjected to high energy, HEG and 6 as normal energy group, NEG). After ovulation (day 0), a high-energy diet (10.87MJ ME/kg diet; 130 % of maintenance) was fed to HEG from day 1 to day 4 after ovulation and from day 8 to Day 11 of the cycle (4 days each). The high-energy diet consisted of 850 g concentrate mixture and 150 g alfalfa hay, plus ad libitum access to wheat straw. The NEG was offered as maintenance diet throughout the experiment. Follicular development was ultrasonographically observed every other day while blood samples were collected daily throughout the experiment for the analysis of albumin, globulin, glucose, total cholesterol, urea, triglycerides, total proteins, E2 and progesterone (P4). Mean plasma concentrations of glucose were significantly (P 0.05) higher in the HEG animals than in the NEG ones at almost all days during the treatment period. For ovarian performance, the total number of medium and large follicles that developed on the day prior to the 2nd ovulation in the HEG ewes (3.5±0.17) was significantly higher than that of the NEG (1.87±0.26) ones. Ovulation rate (2.8±1.0) in the HEG animals was significantly higher than that of the NEG counterparts (1.15±0.6). No significant difference was detected in the concentrations of P4 and E2 throughout the experiment between animals of the different groups except for E2 peak concentration on Day 8. The present experiment demonstrated that short-term intermittent nutritional stimulus in cyclic ewes increased the total number of ovulatory follicles and the ovulation rate in association with increasing plasma concentrations of glucose and peak levels of E2.

The effect of energy supplementation for short period on follicular turnover and estradiol 17-β (E2) concentration during the estrus cycle in the subtropics was studied in 13 ewes (7 ewes subjected to high energy, HEG and 6 as normal energy group, NEG). After ovulation (day 0), a high-energy diet (10.87MJ ME/kg diet; 130 % of maintenance) was fed to HEG from day 1 to day 4 after ovulation and from day 8 to Day 11 of the cycle (4 days each). The high-energy diet consisted of 850 g concentrate mixture and 150 g alfalfa hay, plus ad libitum access to wheat straw. The NEG was offered as maintenance diet throughout the experiment. Follicular development was ultrasonographically observed every other day while blood samples were collected daily throughout the experiment for the analysis of albumin, globulin, glucose, total cholesterol, urea, triglycerides, total proteins, E2 and progesterone (P4). Mean plasma concentrations of glucose were significantly (P 0.05) higher in the HEG animals than in the NEG ones at almost all days during the treatment period. For ovarian performance, the total number of medium and large follicles that developed on the day prior to the 2nd ovulation in the HEG ewes (3.5±0.17) was significantly higher than that of the NEG (1.87±0.26) ones. Ovulation rate (2.8±1.0) in the HEG animals was significantly higher than that of the NEG counterparts (1.15±0.6). No significant difference was detected in the concentrations of P4 and E2 throughout the experiment between animals of the different groups except for E2 peak concentration on Day 8. The present experiment demonstrated that short-term intermittent nutritional stimulus in cyclic ewes increased the total number of ovulatory follicles and the ovulation rate in association with increasing plasma concentrations of glucose and peak levels of E2.

The effect of energy supplementation for short period on follicular turnover and estradiol 17-β (E2) concentration during the estrus cycle in the subtropics was studied in 13 ewes (7 ewes subjected to high energy, HEG and 6 as normal energy group, NEG). After ovulation (day 0), a high-energy diet (10.87MJ ME/kg diet; 130 % of maintenance) was fed to HEG from day 1 to day 4 after ovulation and from day 8 to Day 11 of the cycle (4 days each). The high-energy diet consisted of 850 g concentrate mixture and 150 g alfalfa hay, plus ad libitum access to wheat straw. The NEG was offered as maintenance diet throughout the experiment. Follicular development was ultrasonographically observed every other day while blood samples were collected daily throughout the experiment for the analysis of albumin, globulin, glucose, total cholesterol, urea, triglycerides, total proteins, E2 and progesterone (P4). Mean plasma concentrations of glucose were significantly (P 0.05) higher in the HEG animals than in the NEG ones at almost all days during the treatment period. For ovarian performance, the total number of medium and large follicles that developed on the day prior to the 2nd ovulation in the HEG ewes (3.5±0.17) was significantly higher than that of the NEG (1.87±0.26) ones. Ovulation rate (2.8±1.0) in the HEG animals was significantly higher than that of the NEG counterparts (1.15±0.6). No significant difference was detected in the concentrations of P4 and E2 throughout the experiment between animals of the different groups except for E2 peak concentration on Day 8. The present experiment demonstrated that short-term intermittent nutritional stimulus in cyclic ewes increased the total number of ovulatory follicles and the ovulation rate in association with increasing plasma concentrations of glucose and peak levels of E2.

The effect of energy supplementation for short period on follicular turnover and estradiol 17-β (E2) concentration during the estrus cycle in the subtropics was studied in 13 ewes (7 ewes subjected to high energy, HEG and 6 as normal energy group, NEG). After ovulation (day 0), a high-energy diet (10.87MJ ME/kg diet; 130 % of maintenance) was fed to HEG from day 1 to day 4 after ovulation and from day 8 to Day 11 of the cycle (4 days each). The high-energy diet consisted of 850 g concentrate mixture and 150 g alfalfa hay, plus ad libitum access to wheat straw. The NEG was offered as maintenance diet throughout the experiment. Follicular development was ultrasonographically observed every other day while blood samples were collected daily throughout the experiment for the analysis of albumin, globulin, glucose, total cholesterol, urea, triglycerides, total proteins, E2 and progesterone (P4). Mean plasma concentrations of glucose were significantly (P 0.05) higher in the HEG animals than in the NEG ones at almost all days during the treatment period. For ovarian performance, the total number of medium and large follicles that developed on the day prior to the 2nd ovulation in the HEG ewes (3.5±0.17) was significantly higher than that of the NEG (1.87±0.26) ones. Ovulation rate (2.8±1.0) in the HEG animals was significantly higher than that of the NEG counterparts (1.15±0.6). No significant difference was detected in the concentrations of P4 and E2 throughout the experiment between animals of the different groups except for E2 peak concentration on Day 8. The present experiment demonstrated that short-term intermittent nutritional stimulus in cyclic ewes increased the total number of ovulatory follicles and the ovulation rate in association with increasing plasma concentrations of glucose and peak levels of E2.

Due to growing concerns about antibiotic resistance and the potential for a ban for antibiotic growth promoters, there is an increasing interest in finding alternatives to antibiotics in poultry production. The effects of prebiotics and probiotics or direct fed microbials (DFM) on gut health and performance in poultry as well as other species are studied. The interactions between intestinal microbiota, the gut epithelium and the immune system are important in the competitive exclusion process. Such feed additives have already been shown to affect relevant functions of the intestinal mucosa such as lowering the secretory response to theophylline or stimulating sodium/glucose cotransport in rat, but knowledge of the plausible interactions between food contaminants and natural components has not yet been studied. In this study we examined the effects of prefeeding of a microbial feed additive (Lactobacillus sp.), prebiotic (chicory rich in inulin) and synbiotic feed additive (combination of probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium, prebiotic chicory rich in inulin and immune stimulating substances derived from sea algae) on glucose transport of isolated jejunal mucosa of broiler chicks in the presence or absence of deoxynivalenol by the Ussing chamber technique. The addition of glucose on the mucosal side in Ussing chamber produced a significant increase in short-circuit current (Isc) (P 0.001) in all treated groups relative to the basal values. This increase in Isc for prebiotic and probiotic feed additives is equivalent to an increase of about 2 times that for the basal values and 3 times for the synbiotic group, while in the control group is about half fold that for the basal value. Further addition of DON to the mucosal solution decreased the D-glucose-stimulated current and returned to the basal value. In the second experiments, the addition of D-glucose to the mucosal side after preincubation of the control tissues with DON had no effect on the Isc (P > 0.05). While, the glucose addition after preincubation of the tissue with DON produced a higher increase in the Isc from the basal values in the prebiotic group (70%), probiotic group (20%) and the synbiotic group (26%) compared with the control group (13%), suggesting that the dietary prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic supplementation of the broilers increased the glucose transport in the presence of DON which could be promising to reduce the alterations caused by DON on gut physiology. This may offer the host protection against the negative effects of DON on intestinal glucose absorption. Thus, this study supports the concept that probiotics, prebiotic and synbiotic may exert beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tract.

Physiological stress response and fear levels were evaluated in broiler chickens fed control diets, chicory (1 kg/ton) and Lactobacillus sp. (1 x 108 cfu/kg) supplemented diets for 5 wk. At the end of the experiment, the birds were subjected to 80 km transport journey (90 min approximately). The fear levels of birds were measured using tonic immobility reaction (TI). The duration of TI and the susceptibility of the birds to the test were measured immediately after the birds had arrived to the laboratory and repeated after one week following their transport. Heterophil (H) counts, Lymphocyte (L) counts and Heterophil to Lymphocyte (H/L) ratios were determined immediately on arrival and at 24 h following birds transport. There was no significant differences were recorded in the fear levels of broilers supplemented with either chicory or Lactobacillus sp. compared with their control counterparts. However, in a comparison with fear levels after one week (without transport), a significant difference was observed (P=0.001) irrespective to dietary supplementation. Handling and transport on this relatively short journey was apparently equally frightening for broilers independent of dietary supplementation. H/L ratios either immediately on arrival or at 24 h following birds transport showed a significant difference between the dietary treatments. Chicory and Lactobacillus sp. supplemented groups decreased H/L ratios compared with control group which is important in reduction of stress effects on birds. In conclusion, supplementation of broiler diet with either chicory or Lactobacillus sp. can modulate the physiological stress response of transported birds and consequently enhance tolerance to stress without change in their behavioural index of fear

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of long-term high-protein flushing on ovarian function and metabolic status in Ossimi ewes. Fourteen cycling Ossimi ewes were divided into high protein (210 % of maintenance crude protein) or treatment group (TG; n = 7) and control group (CG; n = 7). Oestrous was synchronized by PGF2α, monitored ultrasonographically daily for two oestrous cycles. The CG fed a maintenance diet (9.5 % CP) through-out the experiment. The mean number of small (2–2.9 mm), medium (3–5 mm) ovarian follicles, and follicular waves were higher (P0.01) in ewes of TG compared to that of CG in the first and second oestrous. The size of large, subordinate and ovulatory follicles were greater (p 0.05) in ewes of TG compared to those of CG. Ewes of the TG recorded a higher (p 0.05) ovulation rate in the first cycle while, ovulation rate did not show any significant change in second oestrous. Long term flushing of high-protein ration significantly influenced the concentration of glucose and some metabolic profiles. Concentration of serum total proteins was greater at 0, 1 and 13 days, while serum total cholesterol was greater at day 0 and 1 after first oestrous (ovulation is day 0) in ewes of TG as compared to ewes of CG. Serum glucose was increased significantly (p0.05) at day 3 and 13 after first oestrous and at day 0 and 7 after second ovulation in TG when comparing to CG. There was significant (p 0.05) increase in serum concentrations of progesterone at day 13 after first oestrous in TG and at day 3 after second oestrous. The level of serum estradiol 17-β increased significantly at day 0, 1, 3, 7 and 13 in the first oestrous and at day 0 on second oestrous in TG as compared to CG. In conclusion, the long term protein flushing increased the number of small and medium follicles and follicular waves, the size of ovulatory follicles in the first and second oestrous, the reproductive efficiency in subtropical ewes. Long term protein flushing increase ovulation rate in the first but had no effect on the second oestrous.