title: Nutritional and metabolic impacts of a defatted green marine microalgal (Desmodesmus sp.) biomass in diets for weanling pigs and broiler chickens.
abstract: Two experiments were conducted to determine the nutritional and metabolic impacts of defatted green microalgal (Desmodesmus sp.) biomass (DGM), protease, and nonstarch polysaccharide degrading enzymes (NSPase) in diets for weanling pigs and broiler chicks. Pigs fed 10% DGM for 28 days had growth performance comparable to the controls, but 23-39% lower (P < 0.05) plasma urea nitrogen concentrations. Broilers fed 15% DGM had 16% greater (P < 0.05) gain/feed efficiency than the control (0.78 vs 0.67) over the 42 day period. Supplemental protease (0.06%) decreased (P < 0.03) plasma uric acid concentrations in pigs on day 14, whereas supplemental NSPase showed negative effects in broilers. Dietary inclusions of DGM or enzymes altered (P < 0.05-0.1) hepatic and muscle protein levels of key regulators in the mTOR pathway. In conclusion, weanling pigs and broiler chicks tolerated dietary inclusions of 10 and 15% DGM, respectively, and adding protease might help digestion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ekmay
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gatrell
authors.forename: Krystal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lum
authors.forename: Jonggun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Xin Gen
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development; D000460:Chlorophyta; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D058086:Microalgae; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009753:Nutritive Value; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D014527:Uric Acid; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: microalgal biomass; poultry; production; protein metabolism; swine