This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feed conditioners(single-layer, double-layer and retentionconditioner) on the growth performance, meat quality and intestinal morphology of pigs throughout the growing to finishing phase. A total of 96 growing pigs((28.70±3.20) kg) were selected and randomized into three treatment groups with four replicates per group. Eight pigs were used per replicate for the 17-week feeding trial. The grower diet was given at 0 to 6 weeks and a finisher diet was given at 6 to 17 weeks. The treatments were as follows: SC diet(control; single-layer conditioning), DC diet(double-layer conditioning), and RC diet(retention-conditioning). Starch gelatinization was significantly higher(P<0.05) in the RC treatment than in the SC treatment, however, there was no significant difference in the starch gelatinization between the DC group and the RC group. In the growing phase, the feed to gain index(F:G) was significantly lower(P<0.05) in the RC group than in the SC and DC groups. Between growing and finishing, the F:G was the lowest(P<0.05) in the SC group compared to the RC or DC group. Drip loss, a measurement of meat quality, was significantly lower(P<0.05) in longissimus dorsi tissue collected from pigs fed the RC diet than in tissues collected from pigs fed the SC diet. The intestinal quality of the duodenum and jejunum tissues showed a significant increase(P<0.05) in the crypt depth and villus height in the RC group compared to the SC-or DC-treated pigs. These results demonstrated that the retentionconditioner treatment decreased the F:G in growing pigs, improved intestinal morphology and enhanced the meat quality in the finishing pigs. However, the retention-conditioner treatment had a negative impact on growth performance in the finishing pigs.
Gluconeogenesis responses was assessed during a short starvation period and subsequent refeeding in Siberian sturgeon(Acipenser baerii) previously fed different dietary carbohydrates levels and experienced to a glucose stimuli during early life. The sturgeon larvae were previously fed either a high glucose diet(G) or a low glucose diet(F) from the first feeding to yolk absorption(8 to 12 d post-hatching [dph]). Each group of fish was sub-divided into 2 treatments at 13 dph and was fed either a high-carbohydrate diet(H) or a low carbohydrate diet(L) until 20 wk. In the current study, the fish in 4 groups(GL, FL, GH and FH) were experienced to starvation for 21 d following by re-feeding of their corresponding diets for 21 d.Fish were sampled at postprandial 6 and 24 h before starvation(P6 h and P24 h), starvation 7,14 and 21 d(S7, S14 and S21) and 1, 7,14 and 21 d during refeeding(R1, R7, R14 and R21). Plasma samples during refeeding were taken at P6 h at each time point. Glycaemia levels, liver and muscle glycogen contents,activities and mRNA levels of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes were examined. We found that both dietary carbohydrate levels and early glucose stimuli significantly affected the metabolic responses to starvation and refeeding in Siberian sturgeon(P < 0.05). During prolonged starvation, Siberian sturgeon firstly mobilized the liver glycogen and then improved gluconeogenesis when the dietary carbohydrates were abundant, whereas preserved the liver glycogen stores at a stable level and more effectively promoted gluconeogenesis when the dietary carbohydrates are absent to maintain glucose homoeostasis.During refeeding, as most teleostean, Siberian sturgeon failed controlling the activities and mRNA levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase cytosolic forms(PEPCK-C), fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase(FBPase),but particularly controlled phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mitochondrial forms(PEPCK-M) activities and mRNA expression of glucose-6-phosphatase(G6 Pase, except in GL group). Siberian sturgeon has a fu
