M. A. Jabbar

Oxidative stability and lipid components of eggs from flax-fed hens: Effect of dietary antioxidants and storage

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary antioxidants and storage on fatty acid profile, oxidative stability, and vitamin E concentration of n-3 fatty acid-enriched eggs. Eggs (384, 48/diet) were collected from ISA Brown layers fed diets containing corn-soy (control) with 100 g/kg of flax seed and 2 types of antioxidants [alpha-tocopherols (alpha-TOC) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)] at 0, 50, 100, or 150 IU or mg/kg. Eggs were stored at 4 degrees C. On d 0, 20, 40, and 60 of storage, 2 eggs were selected randomly from each replicate (totaling 12 eggs per treatment) and analyzed. Eggs from hens fed flax had increased alpha-linolenic (18:3n-3), eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3), and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA, 22:6n-3) and decreased arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) and total n-6:n-3 ratio when compared with control eggs (P<0.05). The n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio was lowest in the flax+50 IU of alpha-TOC, flax+100 IU of alpha-TOC, and flax+BHT supplemented group when compared with the flax group (P<0.05). With the exception of flax+100 mg of BHT, addition of antioxidants led to a reduction in palmitic acid in fresh eggs (P<0.05). During the first 20 d of storage, over a 17% reduction in total n-3 fatty acids was observed in eggs from flax+50 mg of BHT supplemented groups (P<0.05). Docosahexaenoic acid was the predominant long-chain n-3 fatty acid in egg and was stable during storage in the control, flax, flax+100 IU of alpha-TOC, flax+150 IU of alpha-TOC, and flax+150 mg of BHT groups. However, antioxidant supplementation had no effect on DHA upon storage in flax+50 IU of alpha-TOC and flax+50 mg of BHT eggs where over 13 to 17% reduction in DHA content was observed during 20 to 60 d of storage (P<0.05). Inclusion of alpha-TOC led to over 4.5- to 12-fold increases in alpha-TOC in eggs. Egg storage for 40 d or longer led to over 50% reduction in egg alpha-TOC (P<0.05). Feeding flax seeds led to an increase in TBA reactive substances in eggs (P<0.05). alpha-Tocopherol was better in preventing lipid oxidation than BHT at d 0 of storage. However, neither had a significant effect on egg TBA reactive substances upon 60 d of storage (P>0.05). These studies demonstrate that the level and type of antioxidants and duration of egg storage significantly affected the fatty acid profile, alpha-TOC status, and oxidative stability of chicken eggs.

Sensory evaluation and consumer acceptance of eggs from hens fed flax seed and 2 different antioxidants

The sensory attributes and consumer acceptance of eggs from flax seed-fed hens were evaluated by trained and untrained panelists. Hens were fed diets containing 0% flax seed (control), 10% flax seed (flax), 10% flax seed+100 IU/kg of vitamin E (flax+α-tocopherol), or 10% flax seed+100 mg/kg of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (flax+BHT). Fresh eggs collected within 24 h were hard-boiled, coded, and were offered to trained panelists in 4 testing sessions. Sensory traits evaluated were aroma, flavor, off-flavor, and overall difference. The trained panelists rated flax, flax+α-tocopherol, and flax+BHT eggs to be different from control eggs (P<0.001). In a second study, sensory attributes were tested by untrained panelists. The majority (75 to 80%) of the panelists could not distinguish flax seed-fed versus control eggs for aroma and flavor. A consumer preference test was also conducted to gauge end-user response to flax seed-fed eggs. Consumer acceptance testing did not find any significant difference (P>0.05) between control and flax seed-fed eggs. These results suggest that flax seed when incorporated at 10% in the layer diet can produce eggs that are acceptable to untrained panelists and consumers. However, trained panelists are able to detect differences in flavor, aroma, and off-flavor and overall difference in eggs from hens fed flax seed. Antioxidant supplementation (vitamin E, BHT) did not enhance the acceptability of flax seed-fed eggs by trained panelists.

Effects of Varying Levels of Fungal (Arachniotus sp.) Treated Wheat Straw as an Ingredient of Total Mixed Ration on Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility in Nili Ravi Buffalo Calves

The study was carried out to explore the effects of replacing wheat straw with fungal treated wheat straw as an ingredient of total mixed ration (TMR) on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Nili Ravi buffalo male calves. Fungal treated wheat straw was prepared using Arachniotus sp. Four TMRs were formulated where wheat straw was replaced with 0 (TMR1), 33 (TMR2), 67 (TMR3), and 100% (TMR4) fungal treated wheat straw in TMR. All TMRs were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The experimental TMRs were randomly assigned to four groups of male calves (n = 6) according to completely randomized design and the experiment continued for four months. The calves fed TMR2 exhibited a significant improve in dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed economics compared to other groups. The same group also showed higher digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral-, and acid detergent fibers than those fed on other TMRs. It is concluded that TMR with 33% fungal-treated wheat straw replacement has a potential to give an enhanced growth performance and nutrient digestibility in male Nili Ravi buffalo calves.

Bifidogenicity of galacto-oligosaccharides in diarrhea management of acute malnourished infants and young children

Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli colonized by galacto-oligosaccharides modulate the gut environment by civilizing the abnormalities of both the intestinal flora and the colonic micro-flora. Maintenance of the gut environment is a key factor in determining outcome in the care of critically malnourished patients. Diarrhea is the leading cause of infant and child death in Pakistan. About 4 billion episodes of diarrhea/year cause 1.5 million deaths mostly in children of less than five years. Appropriately, the development of nutraceutical therapy for infantile diarrhea has become a major priority of the Pakistan Ministry of Health and of international funding agencies. Paradoxically, however, there is virtually no published anthropological literature on diarrhea-related pathologies and nutraceutical remedies for infants and young children who make up 24% of the nation’s population. The study reported on here focuses on these matters to through application of prebiotics. The objective was to assess the clinical and nutritional efficacy of prebiotics enriched functional foods for the treatment of acute diarrhea in severe acute malnourished infants and young children. In a prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial, severe acute malnourished infants were fed a control formula (F-75 an F-100) or Oligomate 55N/55NP enriched study formula (fortified F-75 an F-100 @ 1 g/100 kcal) respective to patient’s weight to 6–59 months infants and young children. Safety, tolerance, and immunological effect against diarrhea was assessed based on weight gain during the treatment period (primary outcome) as well as recumbent length, abdominal distention, digestive tolerance, stool consistency and adverse events (secondary outcomes). Forty infants and young children were enrolled. During the treatment period, difference in mean weight gain between control and study formula groups in both the intention-to-treat and per protocol populations were within the predefined equivalence boundaries of 3.9 g/d, indicating frequent weight gain in study formula fed infants. In prebiotic and control groups nutritional cure was similar (57.5% [23 of 40] and 50.0% [22 of 40]; P = 0.40). Between the groups secondary outcomes were also similar and in the prebiotic group (P = 0.06) subgroup analyses showed possible trends towards reduced outpatient mortality. Numbers of days in hospitalized stay were minimized in case of prebiotic fed study formula. Incidences of crying, regurgitation and vomiting were similar across all groups, indicating that GOS was well tolerated by and safe in infants and young children. Secondary outcomes did not show significant differences between groups during the treatment period. Infant formulas containing prebiotics resulted in increased rate of weight gain compared with those fed a control formula. The episodes of diarrhea were also significantly less in patients fed on fortified formula compared to control formula.

Long term use of bovine somatotropic (bST) on reproduction

The study was conducted to determine the effect of long term use of bovine somatotropic hormone (bST) on days to first oestrus post-partum, number of services per conception, pregnancy rate, lactation length, dry period and calving interval for a period of three years, from 2004 to 2007. Thirty Nili-Ravi lactating buffaloes with approximately similar milk yields and stage of lactation were selected and randomly allocated to two treatments, A and B, with 15 animals in each group. Group A served as control while animals in group B were given injections of bovine somatotropic hormone (250 mg intramuscular per animal) at intervals of 14 days over a period of three years. The calving interval, dry period and lactation length were shorter by 71, 63.9 and 7 days, respectively, in the treated compared with the control group. The days to first oestrus post-partum, service period and services per conception were 160 ± 56.9 vs .98.2 ± 76.4 days, 207.0 ± 85.0 vs . 115.1 ± 107.0 days and 1.47 ± 1.1 vs . 1.31 ± 0.5 in group A vs. B, respectively. Statistically, differences were significant for post-partum oestrous and service period but for services per conception the difference was non-significant. Prevalence of mastitis was significantly higher in the treated animals while differences in body weights of the animals in the groups were not significant .