Biopolymer-based hydrogels have emerged as functional materials with distinct characteristics such as nontoxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and water absorption, which offer valuable properties that can contribute to sustainability and environmentally safe products. They can be modified and adapted for various applications, such as biomedical, pharmaceutical, industrial, textile, and agricultural purposes. With emerging concerns about environmental contamination and safe animal production practices for increased animal welfare and human health, research has increased in search of alternatives to antibiotics, bioactive substance delivery, and growth boosters that will promote sustainable production. The application of naturally derived and bio-based hydrogels presents a great opportunity for exploration and application for animal production purposes, especially as functional feed ingredients, feed processing, wound treatment, farm waste management, antibacterial agents, encapsulation, and nutrient delivery. This review provides an overview of recent research regarding the applications of hydrogels in animals and provides insights into areas with limited information to stimulate research interest in the utilization of hydrogel composites for animal growth, development, and health.
Rapid progress in sequencing technology has made it possible to study the genome and transcriptional maps of single cells. However, to fully grasp the intricacies of multicellular organisms, methods that enable high-throughput measurements while retaining spatial information about the tissue context or subcellular localization of the analyzed nucleic acids are essential. Over the past few years, as transcriptome research has advanced, the limitations of traditional transcriptomic approaches have become increasingly evident. In response, innovative sequencing techniques, such as spatial transcriptome sequencing, have emerged to better accommodate diverse research contexts. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the evolution and limitations of spatial transcriptomics. We summarize its applications in livestock and poultry research and explore its potential future developments. By providing insights into the current state and future directions of spatial transcriptomics, this review highlights its importance in advancing our understanding of complex biological systems.
Rabies is a fatal disease caused by a virus belonging to the genus Lyssavirus in the family Rhabdoviridae. The virus has the potential to infect all warm-blooded animals, with primary reservoirs including dogs, wild carnivores (such as foxes, jackals, hyenas, and skunks), and bats. These reservoirs pose a significant public health risk, particularly in regions where human–animal interactions are frequent. The Somali Region in Ethiopia is predominantly home to pastoral and agropastoral communities, which inhabit vast swathes of land with diverse wildlife populations. The coexistence of these communities, domestic animals, and wildlife presents a unique environmental challenge that requires careful management. In times of drought, pastoralists may be compelled to migrate to remote and isolated habitats in search of grazing lands, resulting in heightened interaction between livestock and wildlife. The major causes of rabies outbreaks in the Somali Region include increased interaction between wildlife and livestock in remote pastoral settings without adequate control measures, such as lack of mass vaccination for at-risk dogs, low dog ownership rates, poor animal health infrastructure, limited diagnostic capacity, and weak surveillance systems. Comprehensive response of one-health approach is necessary to prevent and control rabies outbreaks in the Somali Region. These include increasing vaccination coverage for at-risk dogs, improving the animal health infrastructure, enhancing surveillance systems, increasing awareness and education, and strengthening wildlife management. These measures can improve the health and well-being of animals and humans. This review aims to highlight the major causes of rabies outbreaks and the need to implement a one-health approach in the Somali Region.
The circadian clock significantly impacts animal health and productivity, with light playing a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms. However, the mechanisms behind light-induced circadian transmission remain unclear, particularly in light-sensitive avian species. The pineal gland is a key component acting as the photosensitive master oscillator in the avian clock system. Using transcriptome sequencing and small RNA sequencing technologies, we identified circadian genes and miRNAs in the chick pineal gland under light–dark and sudden constant-light conditions. We observed rhythmic oscillations in up to 1299 genes during the light–dark cycle, with 400 genes maintaining rhythms under constant light. Our findings highlight the light-sensitive temporal organization in birds as the phase distribution of circadian genes in the pineal gland correlates with light exposure changes. A novel regulatory mechanism involving light, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, light-sensitive miRNAs, such as gga-miR-34b-5p, and light-sensitive circadian genes, such as CRY2, was discovered to participate in the light input system of the chick pineal clock, through which light regulates the oscillators and outputs of the circadian clock system. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, and Oil Red O staining revealed cyclic changes in lipid synthesis and metabolism throughout the circadian day, which may be a key mechanism through which the circadian clock influences pineal physiology. Our results enhance the understanding of light-induced circadian transmission mechanisms and identify potential targets for optimizing the circadian clock through light.
Mud crabs (Scylla spp.) with their high market demand and less susceptibility to diseases are farmed in the coastal waters worldwide. Although the availability of hatchery-produced crablets is a key prerequisite of sustainable Mud crab aquaculture, the hatchery production is at risk from diseases, frequently experiencing bacterial infection. The present study detected Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Shewanella algae DW01 strain in Mud crab brood, and Vibrio alginolyticus and Shewanella algae ATCC 51192 strain in egg samples. The antibiotic susceptibility test shows that Vibrio and Shewanella isolates were sensitive to cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and nitrofurantoin; Vibrio parahaemolyticus strain was exclusively sensitive to erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and nalidixic acid; V. alginolyticus to tetracycline; all S. algae strains were found to be sensitive to ciprofloxacin and most (80% isolates) were specifically sensitive to ampicillin, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. In contrast, V. alginolyticus strain was resistant to erythromycin, nalidixic acid, penicillin G, and vancomycin; V. parahaemolyticus strain was resistant to oxytetracycline, penicillin G, vancomycin, imipenem, and tetracycline; 60% S. algae strains were resistant to penicillin G and vancomycin. Accordingly, 75% isolates had multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR); V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, and one S. alga ATCC 51192 strain had the highest MAR value (0.3571). The results implicate that the isolated Vibrio and Shewanella strains had long-time exposure to several antibiotics, and broad-spectrum antibiotics oxytetracycline, erythromycin, nalidixic acid, and imipenem are no more effective against these bacterial strains. This study suggests the stringent practice of biosecurity measurements and appropriate utilization of approved antibiotics (cefotaxime and gentamicin) in the context of infection type, intensity, and environment.
Dietary selenium (Se) deficiency is recognized as a global problem, and exogenous Se supplementation can effectively enrich its levels in animal bodies. Offal tissues are equally important as meat in Se enrichment. Varying properties among Se species require information beyond total Se concentration to fully evaluate health risk/benefits. In the present study, the reliable inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and HPLC-ICP-MS methods were optimized to analyze total Se content and Se speciation in the muscle and kidney of sheep, kidney and liver of pig, and liver of chicken after different Se supplementation treatments. The total Se contents in the liver and kidney were higher than in muscle. Five Se species were detected in the muscle, and selenourea was additionally detected in the liver and kidney. Sheep muscle and chicken liver mainly contained selenomethionine, and other tissues mainly contained selenocysteine. As the levels of selenomethionine or selenium-enriched yeast increased in the feed, the proportion of selenomethionine in the sample increased, as well as the proportion of selenocysteine decreased, and almost no inorganic selenium was detected in all tissues. This study has provided insights for analyzing the Se enrichment patterns in tissues, which is significant for understanding the Se metabolism, animal health, and enriching the dietary Se supplementation for humans.
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has intensified global interest in antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as promising feed additives. Although AMPs were initially considered less prone to resistance due to their broad-spectrum activity, recent studies have revealed an alarming increase in bacterial resistance to AMPs, though the mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that Staphylococcus aureus can develop stable resistance to the plectasin-derived AMP NZ2114, as well as nisin and bacitracin, after 35 consecutive days of exposure. Comparative genomic analysis identified five candidate genes associated with resistance, with functional assays revealing significant mutations in ndh (Gln287*), lytD (Ala138Thr), and braS (Asn130Asp) as key contributors. Knockout studies showed that Δndh strains exhibited increased resistance to NZ2114, bacitracin, and nisin, alongside reduced intracellular ROS levels and rifampicin mutation rates. In contrast, ΔlytD and ΔbraS mutants displayed diminished resistance to NZ2114 and bacitracin, with enhanced biofilm formation in ΔlytD and reduced biofilm capacity in ΔbraS. To further investigate these mutations, we generated in situ complementation strains ∆::lytD-A138T and ∆::braS-N130D, both of which showed heightened resistance compared to wild type, indicating that functional alterations, rather than gene loss, mediate resistance. Notably, resistance phenotypes correlated inversely with bacterial surface anion levels, emphasizing the importance of electrostatic interactions between cationic AMPs and bacterial surface anions in antimicrobial efficacy. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of AMP resistance in S. aureus, highlighting the risk of cross-resistance and underscoring the need for stringent control of AMP use to mitigate the emergence of resistance.
An accurate grasp of the current situation and the development trend of livestock and poultry meat production in China is helpful to better ensure the adequate and stable supply of the meat market. In this paper, the trend and characteristics of China's livestock and poultry meat production over the past 30 years are analyzed from four aspects: production, structure, layout, and operation scale. The main factors affecting the evolution of China's livestock and poultry meat production from both internal and external aspects of the industry are explored. Finally, the development trend of the livestock and poultry industry in China is forecast based on the social and economic development trends and industry policy.
Salpingitis is a highly prevalent disease that reduces production performance and egg quality in laying hens, severely impeding the sustainable development of the egg-laying industry. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) play a significant role in regulating gut health and immune function. However, the mechanisms by which FOS alleviates salpingitis remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate how FOS mitigates salpingitis using multi-omics approaches. A total of 270 34-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group with a basal diet (CN), a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged group on a basal diet (CN_LPS), and an FOS-supplemented group (1 g/kg diet) with LPS challenge (FOS_LPS). The results showed that the supplementation of FOS significantly ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation and atrophy in the magnum of hens (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of TLR2, MYD88, NF-κB, and COX2 in the FOS_LPS group were significantly reduced in the magnum compared to the CN_LPS group (p < 0.05). In contrast, the expression of ABCA9, BIRC5, and MYRF genes was significantly higher in the FOS_LPS group than in the CN_LPS group. Compared to the CN_LPS group, the FOS_LPS group exhibited a reduction in the abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Alistipes, whereas the abundances of Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus_torques_group, and Phascolarctobacterium were increased in cecal chyme. In addition, the FOS_LPS group exhibited elevated relative concentrations of S-lactoylglutathione and thymol sulfate in plasma as compared to the CN_LPS group. Collectively, FOS mitigated LPS-induced salpingitis by modulating key inflammatory pathways, restoring gut microbiota (e.g., increased Lactobacillus, decreased Rikenellaceae), and enhancing metabolic homeostasis.
This study investigates the effects of different crude protein (CP) levels on growth performance, serum biochemistry, organ indices, intestinal morphology, colonic volatile fatty acids, and gut microbiota in Ningxiang finishing pigs. Ninety-six pigs (53.20 ± 0.53 kg) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: high-protein (HP, 15.56% CP), medium-protein (MP, 12.94% CP), and low-protein (LP, 10.31% CP), with four replicate pens per treatment and eight pigs per pen. Results showed that dietary CP levels had no significant effects on growth performance. However, the LP diet significantly reduced serum urea nitrogen, liver weight, and relative liver weight (p < 0.05). Additionally, jejunal crypt depth showed a linear decrease in response to graded reductions in dietary CP levels (Linear, p < 0.05). The LP diet significantly decreased the contents of isobutyric, isovaleric, and branched-chain fatty acids in colonic fermentation products (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the relative abundances of Terrisporobacter, Marvinbryantia, Turicibacter, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group, unclassified_f_Peptostreptococcaceae, norank_f_Eubacter_coprostanoligenes_group, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-007, and UCG-009 were significantly higher in the LP group (p < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid were negatively correlated with Lactobacillus and positively correlated with Streptococcus. In conclusion, the LP diet improved colonic microbiota composition while maintaining growth performance in Ningxiang finishing pigs. These results advance our understanding of protein nutrition in indigenous fat-type pig breeds, providing a theoretical foundation for optimizing dietary formulations specifically in Ningxiang pigs.