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Response of starter pigs to supplementation of corn-soybean meal diets with organic acids.

Four growth experiments were conducted to assess the effects of organic acid supplementation on performance of starter and finisher pigs. Three 4-wk starter experiments utilized 392 pigs fed simple corn-soybean meal diets. A fourth experiment employed 135 finisher pigs in a 6-wk study. Each of the starter experiments was initiated immediately after weaning; piglets were 30 +/- 3 d of age. In Exp. 1, weanling pigs fed a 19% crude protein, simple corn-soybean meal diet were compared with pigs fed similar diets supplemented with 2% propionic, fumaric, or citric acid. Addition of each acid improved (P less than .07) efficiency of gain, while propionate depressed (P less than .05) feed intake. Additions of 1, 2, 3 or 4% fumarate were made in Exp. 2, resulting in linear daily gain and feed efficiency improvements (P less than .05). In Exp. 3, a possible protein-sparing effect of fumaric acid was investigated. Increasing protein levels from 16 to 20% improved daily gain (P less than .01) and feed efficiency (P less than .0001); fumarate supplementation (2%) increased (P less than .01) gain:feed. However, there was no protein X fumaric acid interaction. In Exp. 4, no treatment effects were noted with performance of finisher pigs fed a 14% crude protein, corn-soybean meal diet was compared with that of pigs fed similar diets supplemented with 1.5 or 3% fumaric acid.

Animals↗

Estimates of genetic parameters and selection strategies to improve the economic efficiency of postweaning growth in lambs.

The objectives of this study were to estimate (co)variance components for growth and feed efficiency measures, and to compare selection strategies to improve economic efficiency of gain. Variance components for pre- and postweaning growth, body weight, and measures of feed efficiency were estimated from data collected on 1,047 Targhee lambs over 7 yr. Approximately 21 d after weaning, lambs were group-fed for 4 wk, with ad libitum access to a diet of 37% whole barley grain and 63% pelleted alfalfa hay. Lambs were then individually fed for 6 wk. Lambs were then returned to group feeding for another 4-wk period. The mean feed conversion ratio (gain/intake) for the individual feeding period was 0.11. Mean postweaning ADG for the total 14-wk feeding period was 0.26 kg. (Co)variance components were estimated from single- and two-trait animal models using REML. The selection strategies compared included direct selection, index selection, and restricted index selection. Estimates of (co)variances derived from single- and two-trait models were similar, except for mid-test body weight. Preweaning growth had a low heritability estimate (0.03 +/- 0.04) compared with postweaning growth measures (0.25 to 0.39), but all measures of growth were highly correlated (r2 > 0.98). Heritability estimates of measures of gain efficiency were variable (total feed intake = 0.39; feed conversion ratio = 0.26; residual feed intake = 0.26). Total feed intake was strongly correlated genetically with feed conversion ratio (0.79) and residual feed intake (0.77). The estimate of genetic correlation between feed conversion ratio and residual feed intake was low (0.23). Comparison of selection strategies showed the superiority of index selection (ADG, total feed, body weight) for economic improvement compared with other strategies. Economic response to direct selection for ADG was at least twice that for direct selection for feed conversion ratio or against total feed intake, and that for restricted indices (selecting against residual feed, while holding body weight and/or gain constant). Selection for ADG may be a practical approach for indirectly improving efficiency of gain in lambs.

Analysis of Variance↗

Egg characteristics and production efficiency of dwarf (dw) White Leghorn hens divergently selected for body weight.

Egg characteristics, feed efficiency (egg mass/daily feed intake), and performance efficiency (egg mass/body weight) were studied in dwarf White Leghorns after four generations of selection for divergent body weight at 20 weeks of age. Sexual maturity and livability were not significantly different among high (H), low (L), or control (C) lines. Mean 20-week body weights for H, L, and C lines were 1.50 kg, .76 kg, and 1.02 kg, respectively. Daily feed intake, egg mass, egg weight, and yolk, albumen, and shell weights were significantly (P less than .05) different between H and L hens and were directly related to body weight. Percent yolk was greatest and percent yolk mottling and percent albumen were lowest in eggs from L hens. Percent shell was not significantly different among the lines. Albumen quality (Haugh units) was significantly better in eggs from H and L hens than from C hens. Percent hen-day egg production was not significantly different among lines. Feed efficiency was greatest in C hens with both C and L hens significantly more efficient than H hens. Performance efficiencies of C and L hens were significantly better than H hens throughout the experiment, and L hens were significantly more efficient than C hens during peak egg production. These results suggest that there may be minimum body weight requirements for efficient egg production.

Animals↗

Heterosis and recombination effects in Hampshire and Landrace swine: II. Performance and carcass traits.

Twelve different mating types among the Hampshire and Landrace breeds were used to determine direct, maternal, heterosis, and recombination effects for performance and carcass traits. Mating types used were two purebred, two F1, two F2, two F3, and four backcross. Carcass data were collected on 238 barrows and 262 gilts over four replications. Traits measured were length (LENG), 10th rib off midline backfat (BF10), longissimus muscle area (LMA), and dressing percentage (DRS%). Average backfat (AVBF) was calculated as the mean of three midline fat depths measured opposite the first rib, last rib, and last lumbar vertebra. The model used to evaluate the carcass traits included main effects of mating type, farrowing season, and sex and included slaughter weight as a covariate. The performance traits of ADG, feed efficiency (FE), daily feed consumption (DFC), lean gain per day (LNGN), and lean efficiency (LNEF) were measured on a pen basis. Comparisons of reciprocal F1 crosses showed that carcasses from pigs sired by Hampshire boars were leaner and had more LMA than those sired by Landrace boars. Heterosis percentages were significant for AVBF (7.2%; P less than .01), BF10 (8.8%; P less than .01), DRS% (1.5%; P less than .01), ADG (11.5%; P less than .01), DFC (10.2%; P less than .01), LNGN (10.6%; P less than .01), and LNEF (6.0%; P less than .05). Epistatic recombination losses in the offspring were significant for LENG (3.6 cm; P less than .05) and approached significance for BF10 (6.1 mm; P less than .10).

Adipose Tissue↗

Effect of age of maternal flock and strain on the incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia in growing chicks.

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of age of the maternal flock (27 vs. 57 weeks of age at time the eggs were set) and strain of broiler chicks (Cobb 500, Ross, Arbor Acres, and Avian) on the incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in broiler cockerels grown to 3 weeks of age. The chicks were fed a corn/soybean meal-based diet containing 3145 kcal metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen retention (MEn)/kg, 24% protein, and 0.50% available phosphorus. Each treatment was replicated four times with eight chicks per pen. In Expt. 1, chicks from the old parent flock had significantly higher body weights (P < or = 0.05) than those from the young parent flock. There were no significant differences in feed efficiency or incidence of TD. In Expt. 2, body weights, feed efficiency, and TD were unaffected by strain.

Animal Feed↗

A prospective, longitudinal study of feeding skills in a cohort of babies with cleft conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the natural history of feeding skills in babies with clefts and identify risk factors and predictors of poor feeding. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two babies with clefts were examined at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 14 months of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feeding ability, oral motor function, and feeding efficiency were assessed. Univariate analyses were used to determine whether oral motor function and sequelae varied according to feeding ability or cleft condition. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to determine risk factors for poor feeding. RESULTS: Poor feeding skills were detected in one third of newborns. The prevalence of poor feeding reduced to 19% at 3 months of age and 15% at 14 months of age. Oral motor dysfunction and sequelae (particularly nasal regurgitation) were more commonly observed in babies with poor feeding skills irrespective of comorbidity. The main risk factor for poor feeding was a diagnosis of syndrome or Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). At 2 weeks of age, babies with syndrome or PRS were 15 times more likely to have poor feeding skills than their nonsyndromic counterparts. When syndrome or PRS was controlled for, babies with cleft palate and cleft lip and palate were equally likely to have poor feeding skills. Parental report of feeding efficiency was predictive of poor feeding in young babies. CONCLUSIONS: Poor feeding skills are relatively common in newborns with cleft palate and cleft lip and palate. Treatment for feeding problems may be needed beyond the first year of life, especially for babies born with PRS or a syndrome.

Airway Obstruction↗

Pituitary porcine growth hormone (pGH) and a recombinant pGH analog stimulate pig growth performance in a similar manner.

This study was conducted to establish the extent to which different doses of pituitary porcine growth hormone (ppGH) increase pig growth performance. Pigs were treated daily for 11 wk with 0, 35 or 70 micrograms ppGH/kg BW. In addition, these effects were compared with those produced by treating pigs with 0, 35, 70 or 140 micrograms.kg BW-1.d-1 of a recombinantly derived analog of porcine growth hormone (rpGH). This analog lacks the first seven amino acids at the NH2 terminus. Growth rate was increased similarly by ppGH and rpGH (the maximal increase was 19%). Feed efficiency was improved by ppGH and rpGH (the maximal response was 25%). This improvement in feed efficiency was associated with a decrease in feed intake (17% with the largest dose of rpGH). Both ppGH and rpGH decreased adipose tissue growth and increased muscle mass. Carcass lipid was decreased by 68% in pigs treated with the largest dose of rpGH. The recombinant pGH analog appeared to be less potent than ppGH in decreasing adipose tissue growth rate. All other parameters measured, however, indicated that rpGH mimicked the biological effects of ppGH (including binding to pig liver membranes and induction of insulin-like growth factor I production). Sensory panel evaluations indicated that neither ppGH nor rpGH affected pork palatability. Larger doses of pGH (greater than 70 micrograms/kg BW) adversely affected pig mobility. This impairment in mobility appears to be due to osteochondrosis. Our findings establish that the rpGH analog is equipotent to ppGH in stimulating growth performance and that pigs can be treated without any significant adverse effects when they are treated with less than 70 micrograms of pGH.kg BW-1.d-1.

Animals↗

Removal of the alpha-galactosides of sucrose from soybean meal using either ethanol extraction or exogenous alpha-galactosidase and broiler performance.

Two studies using broiler chicks and one using adult White Leghorn roosters were conducted to determine the influence of stachyose and raffinose (alpha-galactosides of sucrose) present in soybean meal (SBM) on the nutritional value of the meal. In Experiment 1, the addition of four levels (0, .05, .10, or .20 g/kg) of alpha-galactosidase with and without 1 g/kg of invertase to a corn-SBM diet had no effect on weight gain, feed efficiency, protein digestibility, or the digestible energy value of the feed when fed to broiler chicks. However, both enzymes decreased (P < .001) dietary AMEn. In Experiment 2, ethanol extraction and incubation of SBM with alpha-galactosidase decreased the concentrations of the alpha-galactosides of sucrose in SBM from 6.59 to .81 and 1.43%, respectively. However, when broiler chicks were fed semi-purified diets containing SBM, ethanol-extracted SBM, water-incubated SBM, or water plus alpha-galactosidase-incubated SBM, no improvements in weight gain, feed efficiency, or apparent protein digestibility were observed. There was also no improvement in TMEn when the above meals were precision fed to adult White Leghorn roosters (Experiment 3). These results indicate that the removal of up to approximately 90% of the alpha-galactosides of sucrose has no beneficial effect on the nutritional value of SBM for chickens.

Animal Feed↗

Estimates of partial efficiency of young beef bulls.

Gain, feed consumption and feed efficiency records of 1,409 bulls that were individully fed at central test stations were analyzed. Feed for maintenance and feed for gain were estimated and used to study partial and gross efficiency and relative feed intake. Among the eight breed groups represented there was a range of 3.4% in the breed means for partial efficiency and of 1.6% in the means for gross efficiency. Relative feed consumption ranged from 2.82 to 3.10 times maintenance among the eight breed groups. Effects associated with location, year, breed and the interactions among these effects were significant for traits related to partial efficiency. If the bulls presented to these central tests are representative of their respective breeds, these results emphasize the importance of making comparisons within tests and finding more efficient cattle within the breed of choice.

Animal Feed↗

Efficacy of supplemental microbial phytase at different dietary calcium levels on growth performance and mineral utilization of broiler chickens.

A 3-wk feeding trial with 240 sexed, day-old broiler chickens was conducted to determine the efficacy of microbial phytase at different levels of dietary Ca on performance and utilization of minerals in broiler chickens fed a low-P corn-soybean diet. The experimental design was a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments; Ca at 0.6, 1.0, and 1.25% and phytase at 0 and 600 phytase U/kg diet. Phytase supplementation, regardless of Ca level, increased (P < or = 0.005) feed intake, (P < or = 0.0001) body weight, and (P < or = 0.025) feed efficiency at 21 d; the optimum levels of body weight, feed intake, and feed efficiency were obtained with low (0.6%) dietary Ca plus phytase. Retentions of P, Ca, and N were increased (P < or = 0.05) by phytase supplementation. Although maximum retentions of P and N were obtained at the 1.0 and 1.25% Ca levels, respectively, they were not significantly different from the values obtained at 0.6% Ca. The increasing level of dietary Ca decreased plasma P ( P < or = 0.05) and Cu (P < or = 0.06). Phytase supplementation had the opposite effect; i.e., increased plasma P (P < or = 0.03) and Cu (P < or = 0.02). The maximum level of plasma P was obtained with phytase at the 1.0% Ca level, but this value was not significantly different from the value obtained with phytase at the 0.6% Ca level. Phytase supplementation increased (P < 0.04) the ash content of both tibia head and shaft but had no effect on mineral contents in the ash. The optimum level of ash content was observed with the 0.06% Ca diet plus phytase. The results show that microbial phytase supplementation to a low P diet improved growth performance and mineral utilization in broiler chickens. Dietary Ca levels had a significant effect on the response to phytase; the optimum growth performance and mineral utilization were achieved at the low (0.6%) level of dietary Ca supplemented with phytase.

6-Phytase↗

Effects of vitamin C and vitamin E on performance, digestion of nutrients and carcass characteristics of Japanese quails reared under chronic heat stress (34 degrees C).

This study was conducted to determine the effects of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (DL-alpha-Tocopheryl acetate) on performance, digestion of nutrients and carcass characteristics of Japanese quails reared under chronic heat stress (34 degrees C). A total of 180 10-day-old Japanese quails were randomly assigned to six treatment groups, three replicates of 10 birds each. The birds with a 2 x 3 factorial design received either two levels of vitamin C (100 and 200 mg/kg of diet) or three levels of vitamin E (125, 250, or 500 mg/kg of diet). Then, 200-mg vitamin C/kg of diet, compared with that of 100 mg/kg of diet, and higher dietary vitamin E inclusions resulted in a higher performance. The interaction between vitamin C and vitamin E for final body weight change (p=0.01) and feed efficiency (p=0.02) was detected. Final body weight change and feed efficiency increased to a higher extent by increasing dietary vitamin C when higher vitamin E levels were fed. Carcass characteristics improved with an increase of both dietary vitamin C and vitamin E (p=0.004). The interactions on carcass characteristics were all significant (p=0.02) and manifested themselves in a way that they were improved to a higher extent by an increase of dietary vitamin C when higher vitamin E levels were fed. Digestibility of nutrients (DM, OM, CP and EE) was greater with higher dietary vitamin C (p < 0.02) and also with higher vitamin E (p=0.07). There were no interactions detected for digestibility of nutrients (p=0.32). Taken together, the results of the present study conclude that a combination of 200 mg of vitamin C and 250 mg of vitamin E provides the greatest performance in Japanese quails reared under heat stress and can be considered as a protective management practice in poultry diet, alleviating the negative effects of heat stress.

Animals↗

Different commercial broiler crosses have different susceptibilities to leg weakness.

A trial was conducted to investigate the susceptibility of different genotypes of broilers to leg weakness. Four crosses of commercial broiler lines were assessed. Birds were reared on commercial diets at commercial stocking densities. Indices of leg weakness examined included: walking ability, tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), foot pad burn, hock burn, and angulation of the hock joint. Body weight and feed efficiency were also measured. There were small differences in BW and feed efficiency among the commercial crosses; however, there were large differences in some of the indices of leg weakness among the crosses. Three crosses had similar prevalence of TD; one cross had much less TD than the others. There were large differences in walking ability among crosses. There were also differences among crosses in the prevalence of foot pad and hock burn and angulation of the hock joint. Adjusting the observations for differences in BW did not substantially alter the findings. There were differences among genotypes regarding the correlation coefficients between walking ability and BW, walking ability and hock burn, and TD and BW. It was concluded that there were large differences in some important traits associated with leg weakness among the commercial line crosses.

Animal Husbandry↗

Melatonin supplementation can ameliorate the detrimental effects of heat stress on performance and carcass traits of Japanese quail.

Melatonin, the major pineal hormone, modulates growth in poultry by influencing hormones involved in growth. We investigated the effects of dietary melatonin supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, and excretion of nitrogen and some minerals in broiler Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) exposed to high-ambient-temperature stress (34 degrees C). One hundred twenty Japanese quails (10 d old) were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups, 3 replicates of 10 birds each. The birds were kept in either an environment-controlled room at a constant 22 degrees C or were kept at 22 degrees C for 16 h/d and at 34 degrees C for 8 h/d (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). At both temperatures birds were fed either a basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with 40 mg of melatonin per kilogram of diet. The experiment lasted for 32 d. Melatonin improved feed efficiency in both temperatures groups compared with their corresponding controls. Although feed intake was similar in all groups, the improvement in feed efficiency was more noticeable in melatonin-fed quails kept at high temperature (p< 0.01). Supplemental melatonin significantly increased live weight gain and carcass characteristics under stress conditions (p < 0.01) but did not show the same effect at thermoneutral conditions (p > 0.05). Heat exposure increased excretion of N, Ca, P, Zn, Fe, and Cr and decreased retention rates for them. Dietary melatonin supplementation returned these values to normal (p < 0.01). No interactions between melatonin and temperature were found in the parameters measured. The results of the study show that melatonin supplementation attenuated the retardation in performance as well as the excretion of minerals caused by heat stress in broiler quails. Our data suggest that melatonin might offer protection against heat-stress-related depression in the performance of broiler quails.

Animals↗

Energy value of hominy feed for finishing ruminants.

Three trials were conducted to evaluate the energy value of hominy feed in finishing diets for ruminants. Hominy feed contained 56.9% starch, 25.2% NDF, 11.1% CP, and 5.3% fat (DM basis). In all trials, hominy feed replaced dry-rolled corn. As the level of hominy feed or ground corn increased in a lamb digestion trial, DM digestibility decreased (P < .01); however, starch digestibility increased (P = .09). Hominy feed and ground corn interacted (linear, P = .08) with respect to NDF digestibility. As the level of ground corn increased, NDF digestibility decreased (linear, P = .10). In a finishing trial, yearling heifers were fed either hominy feed with or without fat added to hominy feed at 0, 13.3 (.67% added fat), 26.7 (1.33% added fat), and 40.0% (2.0% added fat) of diet DM. Fat addition did not interact with hominy feed level. Heifers fed 13.3 or 26.7% hominy feed or hominy feed + fat consumed more DM (P = .10) than heifers fed the 0 or 40.0% diets; however, gain and feed efficiency were similar. In a second finishing trial, steers fed 40% (diet DM) hominy feed consumed more (P = .05) DM, but daily gain and feed efficiency were similar to those of cattle fed dry-rolled corn. Steers fed all-concentrate diets were more efficient (P < .01) than cattle fed 7.5% forage. Results indicated that expeller-extracted hominy feed contained 1.35 Mcal of NEg/kg, or 87% of the energy of corn, when included at levels up to 40% of cattle finishing diets, despite its containing 20% less starch than corn.

Animal Feed↗

The role of water intake on sexual dimorphism for early growth of broilers.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate feed intake and body weight of males restricted to the water intake of ad libitum females immediately after hatch. Ad libitum males were heavier and consumed more feed than ad libitum females, with differences becoming significant after Day 10. Body weight and feed intake of water-restricted males and females were essentially identical, suggesting that when males and females receive the same amount of water, they also consume similar amounts of feed. Ad libitum males tended to have higher feed efficiencies than females, whereas water-restricted males and females had similar feed efficiencies. These data indicate that unless males are able to consume more water than females, there is an absence of development of sexual dimorphism in body weight during early life.

Animals↗

Effects of energy intake, implantation, and subcutaneous fat end point on feedlot steer performance and carcass composition.

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of energy intake, implantation, and fat end point on feedlot performance and carcass composition of steers. Three hundred eighty-four yearling crossbred steers (368 +/- 23.1 kg) were allotted in a completely randomized design. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 3 x 2 factorial experiment. Main effect factors were two levels of intake, three implant strategies, and two compositional fat end points at slaughter. The levels of intake were ad libitum (AL) and restricted (RS) intake (90% ad libitum). The three implant strategies were Revalor-S (REV) (120 mg trenbolone acetate, 24 mg estradiol), Synovex-Plus (SYN) (200 mg trenbolone acetate, 28 mg estradiol benzoate), and no implant (control). The compositional target end points were 1.0 and 1.4 cm s.c. fat cover over the 12th and 13th rib. Restricted-intake steers consumed 9.2% less (P < .01) DM than AL steers. Ad libitum-intake steers gained weight 15.5% more rapidly (P < .01) than RS-intake steers. Steers implanted with REV tended (P < .07) to gain faster than SYN steers, who in turn gained 15.2% more (P < .01) than control steers. Ad libitum-intake steers were 4.8% more (P < .01) efficient than RS steers. Steers fed to a targeted 1.4 cm s.c. backfat cover were 2.9% less (P < .05) efficient than steers fed to 1.0 cm, and steers implanted with either REV or SYN had similar (P = .47) feed efficiencies, whereas control steers had lower (P < .01) feed efficiencies. Steers fed to a targeted compositional fat end point of 1.4 cm had 1.3% higher (P < .01) dressing percentage (DP) than steers fed to 1.0 cm. Control and SYN steers had similar (P = .13) DP; however, REV steers had 6.1% greater (P < .01) DP than SYN steers. Steers fed to 1.4 cm s.c. fat end point had higher (P < .01) numerical yield grades than steers fed to 1.0 cm (3.34 vs 2.71). There was an interaction (P < .01) for intake level and implant for marbling score. Marbling scores were lower (P < .05) for RS x SYN and AL x REV than in other treatments. Steers on the RS x REV treatment were intermediate in marbling to all treatments except AL control, which was higher (P < .01) than RS x SYN, AL x REV, and RS x REV. No interaction for dry matter intake level and anabolic implants was observed for growth performance. The depression in carcass quality resulting from implanting is reduced as backfat increases from 1.0 to 1.4 cm at slaughter.

Adipose Tissue↗

Dietary naringenin modulates antioxidant status and hepatic lipid deposition in marine medaka (Oryzias dancena) fed a high-fat diet.

High-fat diets (HFDs) are widely used in aquaculture to improve growth and feed efficiency; however, prolonged feeding can disrupt lipid metabolism, induce oxidative stress, and impair physiological homeostasis. This study evaluated the protective effects of dietary naringenin against HFD-induced physiological alterations in the marine medaka Oryzias dancena. Fish were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments and fed the respective experimental diets for 45&#xa0;days: a normal-fat diet (NFD, 8% crude lipid), a high-fat diet (HFD, 15% crude lipid), or an HFD supplemented with either 0.075% or 0.15% naringenin. Compared with the NFD group, HFD feeding impaired antioxidant status, altered the expression of genes associated with antioxidant defence and lipid metabolism, and promoted hepatic lipid accumulation. Dietary naringenin, particularly at 0.15%, mitigated these adverse effects by restoring muscle superoxide dismutase activity, enhancing total antioxidant capacity, reducing lipid peroxidation, partially normalizing the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes, and alleviating hepatic lipid vacuolation. These findings indicate that dietary naringenin improves antioxidant defence and helps maintain lipid metabolic homeostasis under high-fat feeding conditions, highlighting its potential as a functional dietary additive for aquaculture.

Animals↗

Effect of adrenalectomy on the responses of BHE rats to either a sucrose or starch diet.

The role of the adrenals in the development of the lipemic characteristic of the BHE strain of rat was studied. Male weanling rats were either adrenalectomized (ADX) or left intact and fed either a 65% starch or 65% sucrose diet. The rats were killed at 150 days of age and serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol plus hepatic lipids and enzymes (glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme and glycerophosphate dehydrogenase) were determined. Adrenalectomy did not affect the sucrose-induced rise in serum glucose and insulin levels nor did it have any marked effect on serum lipid levels. Growth and hepatic metabolism also were unaffected by adrenalectomy although diet differences were observed. Sucrose-feeding the ADX rats resulted in higher enzyme levels, higher blood lipids, greater weight gains and greater feed efficiencies than starch feeding. In spite of the importance of the adrenal hormones in the regulation of fuel utilization, we concluded that these hormones do not play an active role in the development of the lipemic tendencies by the BHE strain of rat.

Adrenal Glands↗