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Biomedical subjects

M Focant

Publications and source records attributed to M Focant.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Effect of dietary vitamin E on rumen biohydrogenation pathways and milk fat depression in dairy cows fed high-fat diets.

Six lactating Holstein cows were assigned to a replicated Latin square design to test the effect of dietary vitamin E on milk fat depression and on the increased production of milk trans-10 C18:1 classically observed when feeding high doses of unsaturated fatty acids with low-fiber diets. Two diets (linseed diet and linseed diet + 12,000 IU of vitamin E/d) were compared during 2 periods of 21 d. The linseed diet presented a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 50:50 and contained extruded linseed (1.86 kg/d) and linseed oil (190 g/d). It was conceived to favor the "trans-11 to trans-10 shift" (low structural value and high level of unsaturated fatty acids). Milk yield and protein content were not affected by the diets. Milk of cows fed the linseed diet presented the typical symptoms of milk fat depression associated with a shift in biohydrogenation pathways: low fat content and high level of trans-10 C18:1. However, the high dose of dietary vitamin E provided significantly increased milk fat content (by 17.93%) and yield (by 15.56%) and decreased trans-10 C18:1 content (by 47.06%). In addition, it managed to significantly increase the daily yields of vaccenic (by 102.56%) and rumenic acids (by 56.67%). However, the sequence of administration of vitamin E influenced its effect, as vitamin E seemed to be more active in limiting the "trans-11 to trans-10 shift" when it was incorporated in the diet simultaneously with the fat. Once the shift had occurred, the subsequent addition of vitamin E was no longer able to completely counteract this process.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1998

The effect of vitamin E supplementation of cow diets containing rapeseed and linseed on the prevention of milk fat oxidation.

Two experiments involving lactating Holstein cows were carried out to quantify the effect of a 550-g supplement of lipids from extruded rapeseed and linseed on milk fatty acid profiles and the susceptibility of milk fat to oxidation. The effect of a daily oral supplement containing 9616 IU of vitamin E (all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) on milk alpha-tocopherol and protection against oxidation was also evaluated. The intake of oilseeds decreased protein and fat contents in milk, and the proportion of all C18 fatty acids increased. The trans isomers were 2.7 and 10.76% of the milk fatty acids, respectively, for cows fed the control diet and the diet containing extruded rapeseed and linseed. The ratio of oleic to palmitic acid was doubled, and the resistance to oxidation was reduced by 30 to 40% in both experiments. The dietary vitamin E supplement increased the alpha-tocopherol concentration in milk by about 45% and was sufficient to prevent milk fat depression and oxidation. The diet containing oilseeds and supplemented with an adequate amount of vitamin E allowed cows to yield milk that could be used to manufacture butter with high oleic acid content, good spreadability, and resistance to oxidation.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1990

Probiotics in animal nutrition: a review.

The normal microflora colonizing the digestive tract in livestock species at five to six days after birth can be summarized as following: 400 to 500 different bacterial strains for a total count of 10(14) bacteriae. The role of the gut flora is multifarious: fermentation of feed compounds, induction of anatomical and physiological changes in the intestinal cell wall structure, increase in animal resistance against enteropathogenic bacteriae, etc. In the present review, the numerous hypotheses for explaining the beneficial effects of probiotics on zootechnical performances and also the healthy aspects for men and animals are summarized, and the possible mechanisms of bacterial attachment are enumerated. The different assumptions on mode of action and fixation mechanisms of probiotics in the gut are critically discussed, and the required characteristics of the ideal probiotic are listed. Finally, some zootechnical results obtained with lactic acid bacteria are shown for calves, piglets and broilers.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1990

[Effects of extrusion of peas (Pisum sativum) on the intestinal flow of nitrogen in cows].

Six Friesian heifers fed a 40% pea diet were used in a cross-over design. Ground and extruded peas were compared. Decreased nitrogen (N) solubility produced by extrusion was associated with an increase in non-ammonia-N flow (+ 36%; P less than 0.001) resulting from improvements in bacterial N flow (+ 53%; P less than 0.01) and in feed N flow (+ 19%; P greater than 0.05).

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Influence of flaking of wheat on the intestinal flow of nitrogen in the cow].

Six Friesian heifers fed a 75% wheat diet were used in a 6 x 2 x 2 cross-over design. Rolled and steam-flaked wheat were compared. Starch gelatinization failed to increase the DM intestinal flow. Decreased N solubility produced by steam-flaking was associated with an increase in non-NH3-N flow (+/- 12%; P less than 0.05).

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1984

[Feeding behavior, rumination, reticulo-ruminal fermentation and plasma volatile fatty acids, compared in goats and sheep; influence of the diet].

Two-year old Alpine she-goats (n = 3) and Texel ewes (n = 3) were compared as to eating behaviour, rumination and volatile fatty acids (VFA) in rumen and blood. The animals were fed once daily with two different proportions (20 and 80%) of barley and hay. Dry matter intake was fixed at 48 g D.M/kg P0.75 per day. In similar feeding and environmental conditions, eating behaviour and rumination of goats and sheep did not differ much: the goats tended to eat faster and there were more rumination periods in the sheep. Latency time, mean duration of rumination periods, daily rumination time and circadian pattern of rumination did not differ significantly between the two species (fig. 1). With both diets we observed a higher VFA concentration and a lower acetate/propionate ratio in the rumen of the ewes; however, rumen pH was lower only in those eating the 80% barley ration (fig. 2). Blood VFA in the jugular vein did not differ between sheep and goats (fig. 3). The proportion of cereals and hay in the diets affected rumen fermentation and rumination pattern in both species. With a higher concentrate/roughage ratio, rumen and plasma VFA increased, while the pH and acetate/propionate ratio in the lumen juice, the number of rumination periods and daily rumination time decreased. When the animals were fed the 80% barley ration, there was practically no rumination in the first 9 h after the single meal. During this time, rumen pH was minimal and VFA levels in the rumen and blood were maximal.

Animal Feed↗