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Projeto de investigação
Inclusion of Laminaria and Ulva seaweeds as a feedstuff in piglet diets: effect on animal performance and physiology
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Evaluation of Laminaria Digitata and enzymatic supplementation on the post-weaning piglet nutrition: an holistic approach
Publication . Santos, David Miguel Ribeiro Vieira; Almeida, André Martinho de; Freire, João Pedro Bengala; Prates, José António Mestre
Laminaria digitata is a brown seaweed with prebiotic properties for monogastrics. However, its cell wall can elicit anti-nutritional effects, preventing access of endogenous enzymes to intracellular nutrients. Enzymatic supplementation is a putative solution to this problem. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of a high level of dietary incorporation of L. digitata in weaned piglet diets through gut health, digestibility, meat quality, blood metabolites, and tissue metabolism.
A total of 40, 35-day old piglets (♂) were divided into four experimental diets (n=10): control, LA (10% L. digitata), LAR (LA + 0.005% Rovabio® Excel AP) and LAL (LA + 0.01% alginate lyase). Piglets were housed individually in metabolic cages and the trial lasted for two weeks.
Experimental diets did not influence growth performance. The digestibility of ADF was lower in seaweed-fed piglets, with LAL mitigating this decrease. The gut microbiome of seaweed-fed piglets was enriched with beneficial VFA-producing bacteria such as Prevotella and Prevotellaceae, which contributed to a lower pH in these contents. The ileum of control piglets had an increased abundance of glucose and glycolytic proteins, showing a putative higher reliance on seaweed-fed piglets in other sources of energy such as butyrate. The seaweed had anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic effects in the blood of piglets, and reduced blood glucose, which was replenished to control-like levels by enzymatic supplementation. The meat and liver n-3 PUFA content was significantly improved by seaweed incorporation, which could be related to a putative increase in fatty acid oxidation in the liver, via PPARα signalling. Meat lipid oxidation was reduced by dietary seaweed, possibly in relation with improved muscle mannitol contents.
The seaweed improved many gut health, blood and tissue composition parameters. However, its use at such levels could prove too costly due to its poor nutritional composition.
Effect of dietary incorporation of Chlorella vulgaris and CAZyme supplementation on the hepatic proteome of finishing pigs
Publication . Ribeiro, David M.; Coelho, Diogo; Osório, Hugo; Martins, Cátia; Freire, João; Almeida, João; Moreira, Olga; Almeida, André; Prates, José A.M.
The combination of several factors, including an increase in world population and living standards in developing
countries and world dependency on conventional crop imports drive a search for alternative feedstuffs for
poultry and pig diets. This would reduce the environmental impact associated with the foreseeable increase in
the demand for animal products. One of such alternatives are microalgae, a diverse group of aquatic organisms
with interesting nutritional properties. Chlorella vulgaris is a green microalga with a crude protein content
comparable to that of soybean meal. However, its recalcitrant cell wall prevents it from being used as a nutrient
source in monogastric diets. CAZyme supplementation is a putative strategy to increase its nutritional value,
aiming at disrupting the cell wall and make intracellular nutrients available for digestion. The impact of these
dietary strategies on the hepatic metabolism is currently unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate
the hepatic proteome of pigs fed with 5% C. vulgaris with or without CAZyme supplementation. Microalga inclusion
has affected lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. CAZyme supplementation has caused higher oxidative
stress in the liver, possibly caused by the higher digestive availability and consequent hepatic oxidation of fatty
acids.
Significance: C. vulgaris, a microalga, is a novel feedstuff that is an alternative to conventional crops such as maize
and soybean meal. Its recalcitrant cell wall may cause antinutritional effects when included in monogastric diets.
This can be prevented by using exogenous enzyme supplementation, namely CAZymes, aimed at degrading this
cell wall during digestion. Liver proteomics was used to identify the impact of these diets in finishing pig
metabolism
The effect of species and sex on the element content of Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) and Caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) tissues
Publication . Ribeiro, David Miguel; Raundrup, Katrine; Mourato, Miguel; Almeida, André
Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) are wild ruminants that inhabit the Greenland
tundra. They are part of the diet of many Greenlanders, being important sources of protein and micronutrients such as iron.
The objective of this study is to analyse the element profiles of three tissues from these species: skeletal muscle, liver and
adipose tissue, and to determine if they are affected by species and sex (male vs. female). Samples were obtained from annual
hunts in two different regions of West Greenland. Element profiles were analysed using inductively-coupled plasma–optical
emission spectrometry. The interaction between species and sex was only detected in Na (sodium) in the muscle and adipose
tissue, where male and female caribou had the highest concentrations, respectively. The effect of sex was not statistically
significant in the liver samples and only occasionally in the other tissues. Species was the most relevant factor in element
profiles found in this study. Caribou had higher concentrations of K (potassium) and S (sulphur) in the muscle and liver.
Fewer differences were detected between species in the adipose tissue, compared to the other tissues. These differences may
reflect the feeding behaviour and the geographical location of both species. This study contributes to evaluate the element
composition of the edible tissue of these wild ungulate species, as well as evaluating the factors of sex and species that could
differentiate their composition.
Influence of dietary supplementation with an amino acid mixture on inflammatory markers, immune status and serum proteome in LPS-Challenged Weaned Piglets
Publication . Prates, José A.M; Freire, João; Almeida, André; Martins, Cátia Falcão; Ribeiro, David M.; Osorio, Hugo; Pinho, Mário; Lopes, Paula Alexandra; Correia, Jorge Manuel de Jesus; Pinto, Rui M. A.
In order to investigate the effect of a dietary amino acid mixture supplementation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged weaned piglets, twenty-seven 28-day-old (8.2 ± 1.0 kg) newly weaned piglets were randomly allocated to one of three experimental treatments for five weeks. Diet 1: a CTRL treatment. Diet 2: an LPS treatment, where piglets were intraperitoneally administered LPS (25 μg/kg) on day 7. Diet 3: an LPS+MIX treatment, where piglets were intraperitoneally administered LPS on day 7 and fed a diet supplemented with a mixture of 0.3% of arginine, branched-chain amino acids (leucine, valine, and isoleucine), and cystine (MIX). Blood samples were drawn on day 10 and day 35, and serum was analysed for selected chemical parameters and proteomics. The LPS and LPS+MIX groups exhibited an increase in haptoglobin concentrations on day 10. The LPS group showed an increased cortisol concentration, while this concentration was reduced in the LPS+MIX group compared to the control group. Similarly, the LPS+MIX group showed a decreased haptoglobin concentration on day 35 compared to the two other groups. Immunoglobulin concentrations were affected by treatments. Indeed, on day 10, the concentrations of IgG and IgM were decreased by the LPS challenge, as illustrated by the lower concentrations of these two immunoglobulins in the LPS group compared to the control group. In addition, the supplementation with the amino acid mixture in the LPS+MIX further decreased IgG and increased IgM concentrations compared to the LPS group. Although a proteomics approach did not reveal important alterations in the protein profile in response to treatments, LPS-challenged piglets had an increase in proteins linked to the immune response, when compared to piglets supplemented with the amino acid mixture. Overall, data indicate that LPS-challenged piglets supplemented with this amino acid mixture are more protected against the detrimental effects of LPS.
Using microalgae as a sustainable feed resource to enhance quality and nutritional value of pork and poultry meat
Publication . Martins, Cátia F.; Ribeiro, David M.; Costa, Mónica; Coelho, Diogo; Alfaia, Cristina M.; Lordelo, Madalena; Almeida, André; Freire, João; Prates, José A.M.
Cereal grains and soybean meal are the main feedstuffs used in swine and poultry feeding,
two of the most consumed meats and of key relevance to food security worldwide. Such crops are
grown mostly in North and South America and transported over large distances creating sustainability
concerns and, furthermore, are in direct competition with human nutrition. Alternatives to these
ingredients are, thus, a pressing need to ensure the sustainability of swine and poultry production.
Microalgae seem to be a viable alternative due to their interesting nutritional composition. The use
of different microalgae in monogastric feeding has been addressed by different researchers over the
last decade, particularly their use as a supplement, whilst their use as a feed ingredient has been
comparatively less studied. In addition, the high production costs of microalgae are a barrier and
prevent higher dietary inclusion. Studies on the effect of microalgae on meat quality refer mostly to
fatty acid composition, using these either as a functional ingredient or as a feedstuff. Within such a
context and in line with such a rationale, in this review we address the current research on the topic
of the use of microalgae in poultry and swine nutrition, particularly aspects concerning pork and
poultry meat quality and nutritional traits
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SFRH/BD/143992/2019