The emulsifying stability of soy hull polysaccharides with different molecular weight obtained from membrane-separation technology

Polysaccharides are macromolecules used for food development, and their further separation into different molecular weights allows their broader application in the food industry. Here, we performed microwave-assisted ammonium oxalate extraction of soy hull polysaccharide (SHP; MASP), followed by their separation and purification using membrane-separation technology and analyses of the emulsifying stability and MASP mechanism at different molecular weights. Additionally, we compared the composition and structural differences in SHP components and evaluated the separation and grading-emulsification stability properties of the membrane-emulsified components. The results showed improved emulsification stability properties of high molecular weight SHPs that had been separated and purified by membrane separation, with the formed emulsion exhibiting a high degree of viscosity, uniform particle-size distribution, smaller particle size, less interfacial tension, and a high Zeta potential. Moreover, the chemical composition, monosaccharide composition, and molecular weight of SHP were different.

Growth Performance of Short Scrotum and Castrated Hair Sheep Lambs on Pasture During Different Seasons

Castrated lambs tend to grow slower compared to intact males. Rendering lambs short scrotum offers an opportunity to achieve comparable growth to an intact lamb while allowing them to be co-grazed with ewe lambs. Here we evaluated lamb growth in a mixed flock of castrated (CA), short-scrotum (SS) and female (FE) Barbados Blackbelly and St. Croix hair sheep lambs. Lambs were born in December (n = 30) and April (n = 45) from the same ewe flock mated to different sires each season. Ram lambs were either rendered short scrotum or completely castrated using elastrator bands at weaning, and all lambs transitioned in dry lot for 2 mo before return to pasture. Lambs co-grazed in a rotational pasture system and were moved based on visual assessment of forage availability and were provided bermudagrass hay when forage availability was limited. Lambs were supplemented with soy hull at 3% BW to ensure diet continuity between forage environments. Ewe lambs were grown to target weights of 35 kg and males to 40 kg. Data were analyzed for sex class, breed, and season as main effects. Pasture ADG was higher (P < 0.001) in SS (132 g/d) than in CA (102 g/d) and FE (96 g/d) lambs. Age at target weight tended to be earlier (P < 0.1) in SS (261 d) than CA (291 d). December-born lambs had higher pen ADG (236 vs. 135 g/d; P< 0.001) than April-born lambs, but had similar pasture ADG (102 vs. 108 g/d). In contrast, St. Croix lambs had similar pre-pasture growth to Blackbelly lambs, but higher pasture ADG (118 vs. 94 g/d; P < 0.001) and reached target weight 40 d earlier (P < 0.001). Data indicate that the forage environment allowed differences in growth potential derived from sex type and breed to be expressed, but that soy hull supplementation likely masked seasonal differences associated with forage quality.

Influence of Season of Birth, Breed and Reproductive Status on Carcass Traits of Male Hair Sheep Lambs

Compared to intact males, castrated lambs generally grow slower and have lighter and fatter carcasses. However, short-scrotum lambs can retain growth and carcass composition of intact males. This study evaluated carcass traits of castrated and short-scrotum Barbados Blackbelly (BB; n = 16) and St. Croix (STX; n = 15) hair sheep lambs. Ram lambs born in December (DEC; n = 10) and April (n = 21) were used in the study and were either rendered short scrotum (SS; n = 17) or castrated (CA; n = 14) using elastrator bands at weaning (63 d). All lambs transitioned in dry lot for 2 mo before return to pasture. Lambs co-grazed in a rotational system, were moved based on visual assessment of forage availability and provided Bermuda grass hay when forage was limiting. Lambs were provided soy hull at 3% BW to ensure diet continuity between forage environments. At target weights of 40 kg, SS and CA lambs were slaughtered and carcass data recorded. Carcass data were analyzed with reproductive status, breed and season born as main effects. DEC (230 d) and STX lambs (251 d) attained target weights earlier (P < 0.02) than APR (307 d) and BB (317 d) lambs. APR lambs had lower (P < 0.04) breast (0.9 kg) and loin cut weights (2.1 kg) than DEC lambs (1.1 and 2.4 kg, respectively). Carcass length was greater (P < 0.05) for SS (109 cm) than CA lambs (106 cm). There were also significant interactions (P < 0.05). APR-STX lambs had the lowest dressing% (42%) compared to APR-BB (48%), DEC-STX (47%) and DEC-BB (46%) lambs. DEC-STX (109 cm) and APR-BB (109 cm) carcasses were longer than DEC-BB (104 cm) and APR-STX (106 cm) lambs. DEC-SS lambs (84 cm) had the greatest leg circumference, while CA-STX (16 mm) lambs had the greatest body wall thickness in this study. Data suggest that reproductive status, breed and birth season all had varying influences on carcass traits of lambs in this study.

123 Effects of Different Feeding Regimes During Wean-to-estrus Interval on Sow Reproductive Performance

A total of 386 mixed parity sows were used to evaluate the effects of different feeding regimes during the wean-to-estrus interval (WEI) on reproductive performance. At weaning, sows were blocked by genetic line (PIC Yorkshire and Camborough, Hendersonville, TN), parity category (Parity 1 and 4+), weaning visual body condition scores (BCS), and allotted to one of two treatments in a randomized complete block design. The number of weaned piglets of the previous lactation was balanced across treatments. Sows with BCS of 1 at weaning (based on a 3-point scale BCS system) were excluded from the study. A corn-soybean meal-soy hull-wheat bran-based gestation diet with 2.97 Mcal of ME/kg and 0.70% SID lysine was fed in the study. Treatments included two feeding regimes during WEI: T1) feed allowance of 4.5 kg/d with 200 g/day of top-dressed glucose; T2) feed allowance of 3 kg/day. Sows from T1 received two 2.25-kg meals at 0800 and 1630 with 200 g of glucose top-dressed in the morning meal. Sows from T2 received one 3-kg meal at 0800. Experimental data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models with the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS and sow as the experimental unit. There was no evidence for differences between treatments on WEI (T1: 4.48 days; T2: 4.53 days; P = 0.60); percentage of sows that returned to estrus within 7 days post-weaning (T1: 86.01%; T2: 89.64%; P = 0.47); or conception rate at day 35 of the subsequent gestation (T1: 95.87%; T2: 98.50%; P = 0.44). In conclusion, feeding 4.5 kg of gestation diet and 200 g of glucose per day during WEI did not improve return to estrus or conception rate compared to feeding 3 kg of gestation diet per day for weaned sows with BCS greater than 1 on a 3-point scale.