scholarly journals Novel transgenic pigs with enhanced growth and reduced environmental impact

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianwei Zhang ◽  
Zicong Li ◽  
Huaqiang Yang ◽  
Dewu Liu ◽  
Gengyuan Cai ◽  
...  

In pig production, inefficient feed digestion causes excessive nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen to be released to the environment. To address the issue of environmental emissions, we established transgenic pigs harboring a single-copy quad-cistronic transgene and simultaneously expressing three microbial enzymes, β-glucanase, xylanase, and phytase in the salivary glands. All the transgenic enzymes were successfully expressed, and the digestion of non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) and phytate in the feedstuff was enhanced. Fecal nitrogen and phosphorus outputs in the transgenic pigs were reduced by 23.2–45.8%, and growth rate improved by 23.0% (gilts) and 24.4% (boars) compared with that of age-matched wild-type littermates under the same dietary treatment. The transgenic pigs showed an 11.5–14.5% improvement in feed conversion rate compared with the wild-type pigs. These findings indicate that the transgenic pigs are promising resources for improving feed efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianwei Zhang ◽  
Zicong Li ◽  
Huaqiang Yang ◽  
Dewu Liu ◽  
Gengyuan Cai ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIn pig production, insufficient feed digestion causes excessive nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which are then released to the environment. To address the issue of environmental emissions, we have established transgenic pigs harboring a single-copy quad-cistronic transgene and simultaneously expressing three microbial enzymes, β-glucanase, xylanase, and phytase in the salivary glands. All the transgenic enzymes were successfully expressed, and the digestion of non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) and phytate in the feedstuff was enhanced. Fecal nitrogen and phosphate outputs were reduced by 23%–46%, and growth rate improved by 23.4% (gilts) and 24.4% (boars) when the pigs were fed on a corn and soybean-based diet and high-NSP diet. The transgenic pigs showed a 11.5%– 14.5% improvement in feed conversion rate compared to the age-matched wild-type littermates. These findings indicate that transgenic pigs are promising resources for improving feed efficiency and reducing nutrient emissions to the environment.


2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 749-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Zhang ◽  
C. M. Nyachoti ◽  
S. Arntfield ◽  
W. Guenter ◽  
S. Cenkowski

The effect of micronization of peas and enzyme supplementation on performance, nitrogen and phosphorus excretion as well as manure output was investigated in a study with 12 Cotswold gilts (26.9 ± 3.6 kg initial body weight). Three diets based on barley-raw peas (control), barley-micronized peas, or barley-micronized peas plus a multi-enzyme blend were used. The study was conducted in two blocks and within a block; each diet was randomly assigned to four pigs to give a total of eight observations per diet. Pigs fed micronized peas and micronized peas plus enzyme diets had higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion than the control. Compared with the control, micronization of peas reduced (P < 0.05) wet and dry fecal output by 33 and 25%, respectively. Urine volume was not influenced (P > 0.05) by dietary treatment. Total fecal phosphorus excretion was lower (P < 0.001) in gilts fed the micronized peas or micronized peas plus enzyme diets compared with the control. Micronization of peas reduced (P < 0.05) total nitrogen excretion in pig manure by 21.5% (17.39 vs. 13.65 g d-1). In conclusion, formulating pig grower diets with micronized peas improves nitrogen and phosphorus utilization and reduces total manure volume. Key words: Pigs, nitrogen, phosphorus, manure volume, micronized peas


1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Færgemand

The age at which fish are transferred to seawater and the feeding strategies employed during the breeding season affect the economics underlying production of rain trout, as well as the environmental loading of phosphorus and nitrogen. An experiment was undertaken to evaluate the effects of i) age at seawater transfer, ii) feeding level and iii) use of a finishing feed, upon production economics. Monosex female rainbow trout (500-900g grown to 3500g) transferred to seawater at either 1 or 2 years of age, were examined. Feeding level was either that normally used by the farm or reduced by 20%. A commercial feed type with a protein-fat content of 48-28% was used throughout the experiment. Seven weeks prior to slaughter, fish were placed on a finishing diet with a protein-fat content of 60-9%. A set of economic-environmental models were established to evaluate the effects of the different production protocols upon farm profitability. Calculations were based upon fish performance evaluated as daily growth rate (% body wt/d), feed conversion rate, mortality, and weight data by means of visceral loss and gonadal development. The results of the present study illustrate that it is not possible to optimize both environmental impact and economic benefit during the production of trout.


1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 73-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Iversen

The main environmental problems associated with fish farming in Denmark are attributable to the dam, the “dead reach” and nutrient and organic matter discharge. The environmental regulation of fish farming in Denmark started with the Environmental Protection Act of 1974, the Statutory Order of 1985 forbidding wet feed, and the Action Plan on the Aquatic Environment of 1987. In the case of freshwater fish farms, the latter was implemented through the measures stipulated in the 1989 Statutory Order on Fish Farms. The impact of Danish legislative measures to reduce and regulate the environmental effects of freshwater fish farms can be summarized as follows: - the number of fish farms has been reduced from about 800 in 1974 to about 500 at present; - production has tripled since 1974 and has been stable since 1989; - a change from wet to dry feed has reduced the environmental impact of the farms; - the national goals of the Action Plan on the Aquatic Environment of 1987 for reducing fish farm discharges of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus have been fulfilled. The main remaining problems are that: - the local impact of fish farms on downstream stream quality is still much too high in about 15% of cases; - the problem of the passage of migrating invertebrates and fish is still unsolved at some farms; - the problems posed by “dead reaches” are still unsolved. It is concluded that sustainable fish farming is possible in Denmark, but with the present technology production will have to be significantly reduced.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Czech ◽  
Eugeniusz Ryszard Grela ◽  
Martyna Kiesz

AbstractThe aim of the study was to assess the effect of fermented dried soybean (FSBM) and/or fermented rapeseed meal (FRSM) in diets for weaned piglets on production results, nutrient digestibility, gastrointestinal tract histology, and the composition of the gut microbiota. Piglets in the control group received standard diets with soybean meal. Animals in all experimental groups received diets in which a portion of the soybean meal was replaced: in group FR—8% FRSM; in group FR/FS—6% FRSM and 2% FSBM; in group FS/FR—2% FRSM and 6% FSBM and in group FS—8% FSBM. The use of 8% FRSM or 6% FRSM and 2% FSBM in the piglet diets had a positive effect on average daily gains. Piglets from the FR and FR/FS groups had the highest feed conversion rate. Group FS/FR and FS piglets had significantly lower mortality and lower incidence of diarrhoea. Piglets fed a diet with the fermented components, in particular with 8% FRSM or 6% FRSM and 2% FSBM, exhibited a positive effect on the microbiological composition and histology of intestines, which resulted in improved nutrient digestibility coefficients (ATTD and AID).


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang He ◽  
Xuan Liu ◽  
Yuanyang Dong ◽  
Jiaqi Lei ◽  
Koichi Ito ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The development and utilization of probiotics had many environmental benefits for replacing antibiotics in animal production. Bacteria in the intestinal mucosa have better adhesion to the host intestinal epithelial cells compared to bacteria in the intestinal contents. In this study, lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the intestinal mucosa of broiler chickens and investigated as the substitution to antibiotic in broiler production. Results In addition to acid resistance, high temperature resistance, antimicrobial sensitivity tests, and intestinal epithelial cell adhesion, Enterococcus faecium PNC01 (E. faecium PNC01) was showed to be non-cytotoxic to epithelial cells. Draft genome sequence of E. faecium PNC01 predicted that it synthesized bacteriocin to perform probiotic functions and bacteriocin activity assay showed it inhibited Salmonella typhimurium from invading intestinal epithelial cells. Diet supplemented with E. faecium PNC01 increased the ileal villus height and crypt depth in broiler chickens, reduced the relative length of the cecum at day 21, and reduced the relative length of jejunum and ileum at day 42. Diet supplemented with E. faecium PNC01 increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus, decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroides in the cecal microbiota. Conclusion E. faecium PNC01 replaced antibiotics to reduce the feed conversion rate. Furthermore, E. faecium PNC01 improved intestinal morphology and altered the composition of microbiota in the cecum to reduce feed conversion rate. Thus, it can be used as an alternative for antibiotics in broiler production to avoid the adverse impact of antibiotics by altering the gut microbiota. Graphic Abstract


Author(s):  
J.M. Sorjonen ◽  
M. Karhapää ◽  
S. Holm ◽  
A. Valtonen ◽  
H. Roininen

As insect farming is becoming more popular in Europe and in the US, the use of food industry by-products in insects’ feed is drawing more attention. However, it is still unclear how to maximise the use of by-products in the feeds while meeting the nutritional requirements and maintaining profitable rearing yields with the current production technology. In this study, we conducted an experiment in Finnish small-scale cricket farming and laboratory conditions to determine whether five diet treatments, including by-product diets with barley mash and turnip rape, modify the overall fresh yield (kg), development time and feed conversion rate of the house crickets (Acheta domesticus). We discovered that the diets differed in the overall fresh cricket yield (kg) but not in the development time or the feed conversion rate of the crickets. The diets with a high proportion of by-product decreased the price of the feed but at the same time reduced the yield. Based on our results, complex by-product diets with the by-product proportion of 20-41% are the most suitable for house cricket rearing.


2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M.R. Sousa ◽  
C.A. Agostinho ◽  
F.A. Oliveira ◽  
D. Argentim ◽  
P.K. Novelli ◽  
...  

The performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) raised in cages furnished with an automatic dispenser, supplied at different frequencies (once per hour and once every two hours) and periods (daytime, nighttime and both) was evaluated. Eighteen 1.0m³ cages were placed into a 2000m² pond, two meters deep with a 5% water exchange. One hundred and seventy tilapias, with initial weight of 16.0±4.9g, were dispersed into each 1m³ cage and the feed ration was adjusted every 21 days with biometry. Data was collected from March to July (autumn and winter). Significant difference to final weight (P<0.05) among treatments was observed. The increase in feeding frequency improves the productive performance of Nile tilapias in cages and permitted better management of the food. The better feed conversion rate for high feeding frequency (24 times day-1) can result in saving up to 360kg of food for each ton of fish produced, increasing the economic sustenance for tilapia culture and suggesting less environmental pollution.


2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (7) ◽  
pp. 2038-2045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline B. Michielse ◽  
Arthur F. J. Ram ◽  
Paul J. J. Hooykaas ◽  
Cees A. M. J. J. van den Hondel

ABSTRACT Reductions to 2, 5, and 42% of the wild-type transformation efficiency were found when Agrobacterium mutants carrying transposon insertions in virD2, virC2, and virE2, respectively, were used to transform Aspergillus awamori. The structures of the T-DNAs integrated into the host genome by these mutants were analyzed by Southern and sequence analyses. The T-DNAs of transformants obtained with the virE2 mutant had left-border truncations, whereas those obtained with the virD2 mutant had truncated right ends. From this analysis, it was concluded that the virulence proteins VirD2 and VirE2 are required for full-length T-DNA integration and that these proteins play a role in protecting the right and left T-DNA borders, respectively. Multicopy and truncated T-DNA structures were detected in the majority of the transformants obtained with the virC2 mutant, indicating that VirC2 plays a role in correct T-DNA processing and is required for single-copy T-DNA integration.


Author(s):  
Lucian IONITA ◽  
Elena POPESCU-MICLOSANU ◽  
George NICA ◽  
Cornel Octavian PANA

The purposes of determining the influence of the light and sexing on growth performance and slaughter results atyoung quails from Balotesti population, was organized an experiment on 150 quails, betwen age of 28 and 70 days. The chicks were divided into two groups (control and experimental), and growth and slaughter performance were determined separately by sex. Have studied 2 lighting programs, a program of continous lighting with photoperiod duration of 16 hours (16 L + 8 N, control group) and a program with lighting with asymetric hours intervals with photoperiod duration of 16 hours (10L+2N+6L+6N, experimental group).Males and females from the experimental group were recorded average performance of growth high during the period 28 - 70 days. Live weight at age of 70 days was higher with 7.54 %, average weight gain was higher with 14.86 % and feed conversion rate was lower with 13.51 % at males from experimental group compared to males from the control group. Also, the live weight at the age of 70 days was higher with 18.09 %; average weight gain was higher with 35.12 %, while feed conversion rate was reduced with 30.08 % on females from the experimental group compared to females from the control group.The results of the slaughter at 70 days were superior in the caseof females from the both groups versus males. The average weight of the carcase was higher with 17.53 % in case of the females than that of males from the experimental group, and the carcase yield was 65.37 % at the females and 65.56 % for males. Also, the average weight of the carcase was higher with 5.08 % in case of females compared to that males from the control group, and the carcase yield was 64.20 % to females 66.70 % on males.Superior results recorded in the case of females and males from the experimental group recommended the program of lighting with asymmetric hours intervals in the growth of youth quail. Also, the higher slaughter results recorded in the case of females of the two groups recommended them in the meat production through a broiler of quail that combine advantages in the production of both males and females. 


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