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This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hydroponic fodder on the growth and reproductive performance of Black Bengal goats in East Champaran, Bihar, during the years 2020-21 and 2021-22. A total of 24 goats were randomly assigned to four groups: Control (C) with extensive grazing, gram straw, concentrate feed, and green fodder; Treatment 1 (T1) receiving C + 300 g/day of wheat hydroponic fodder; Treatment 2 (T2) with 300 g/day of maize hydroponic fodder alone; and Treatment 3 (T3) receiving C + a combination of 150 g/day of wheat and 150 g/day of maize hydroponic fodder. Each group comprised 6 animals. The nutrient composition analysis revealed that wheat hydroponic fodder had significantly higher (P < 0.05) levels of dry matter, crude protein, and lignin, whereas maize contained higher nitrogen-free extract, crude fiber, ether extract, and ash. In terms of growth performance, T3 showed the highest body weight gain and daily weight gain, outperforming T2, T1, and the control group (P < 0.05). Though differences between T2 and T3 were not significant (P > 0.05) across both years, T3 consistently exhibited better performance. Reproductive performance indicators, such as age at puberty, age of first kidding, and kid mortality rates, were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in T3, T1, and the control group compared to T2. However, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between T2 and T3 in these parameters. T3 also showed the highest kidding size and birth weight of kids (P < 0.05), followed by T2, T1, and the control group. The cost of feed per kilogram of body weight gain was lowest in T3, followed by T2, T1, and the control. In conclusion, the combination of maize and wheat hydroponic fodder (T3) resulted in better growth and reproductive performance compared to feeding maize or wheat hydroponic fodder alone. Furthermore, this feeding strategy reduced the cost per kilogram of live weight gain, indicating its potential for enhancing the sustainability and profitability of goat farming systems in the region.

Background: This study investigated the relationship between long-term body weight gain after maturity and the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: The participants were 303 men without a history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, kidney dysfunction, or dialysis treatment. Their body weight gain after maturity was examined using a standardized self-administered questionnaire. The participants were divided into two groups based on the presence/absence of a body weight gain of ≥10 kg since 20 years of age. Results: After a 6-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence of CKD was significantly higher in participants with a body weight gain of ≥10 kg than in participants without body weight a body weight gain of ≥10 kg since 20 years of age (log-rank test: P = 0.041). After adjusting for the age, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate levels, smoking and drinking habits, and the presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia at baseline, the normal body weight participants with a body weight gain of ≥10 kg since 20 years of age was significantly related to the incidence of CKD (hazard ratio 2.47; 95% confidence of interval, 1.02–6.01, P = 0.045). Conclusions: These results suggest that long-term body weight gain after maturity in normal body weight participants may be associated with the incidence of CKD, independent of current body weight.

The rearing of calves is a difficult period for farmers due to health problems to which the animals are prone this time. Since the use of antibiotics as growth promoters has been forbidden, various innovative feed additives have been tested in many countries around the world. In this study, experimental (E) calves were supplemented with a novel feed additive consisting of the pancreatic-like enzymes protease and lipase, a fat-coated mixture of organic fumaric, malic, citric and sorbic acids, sodium butyrate and silicon dioxide nanoparticles. Control (C) calves received feed without additive. During the supplementation, white blood cell (WBC) counts with leukocyte differentiation, percentages of B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes and their subpopulations, phagocytic activity and oxidative burst of circulating monocytes and granulocytes were examined. Body weight (b.w.) gains of the calves were also monitored. The WBC counts in the E and C calves were within the reference ranges throughout the study. In the analysis of the percentages of the lymphocyte subpopulations, phagocytic activity and oxidative burst, no statistically significant differences were reported between the E and C groups. However, higher average daily body weight gains were obtained for the E calves. The study revealed that the examined feed additive did not modulate the immune response of the calves significantly. The tendency to higher daily average b.w. gains in the E calves than in the C calves suggests a beneficial effect of this feed additive.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate cardiac status, ascites susceptibility, thyroid hormones, some hematological parameters and performance of five commercial broiler strains. Chicks were selected from strains of Cobb, Hubbard, Ross 308, Arbor Acres, and Arian (Iranian commercial broiler strain). Management and nutritional conditions were the same for all strains. Ascites related factors, and growth performance were measured. The highest and lowest, RV weight/live weight at 21 day of age were related to Arian and Ross 308 strains, respectively (p < 0.05). The TV weight, TV weight/live weight and the RV weight/live weight were significantly different between various strains at 49 and 54 days of age (p < 0.05). Strain had no effect on RV/TV. Performance, T3 and T4 hormones, hematological parameters, and mortalities were not significantly different among the strains (p > 0.05). Ascites mortalities in the Ross 308 was zero; however, it had no significant difference with other strains (p > 0.05). It was concluded that, based on performance and physiological status, even though considered broiler strains did not differ significantly because of the same genetic programs probably, but according to the prices and market conditions each can be selected for breeding.

BACKGROUND:Maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain may have persistent effects on offspring fat development. However, it remains unclear whether these effects differ by severity of obesity, and whether these effects are restricted to the extremes of maternal body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain. We aimed to assess the separate and combined associations of maternal BMI and gestational weight gain with the risk of overweight/obesity throughout childhood, and their population impact.METHODS AND FINDINGS:We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis of data from 162,129 mothers and their children from 37 pregnancy and birth cohort studies from Europe, North America, and Australia. We assessed the individual and combined associations of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain, both in clinical categories and across their full ranges, with the risks of overweight/obesity in early (2.0-5.0 years), mid (5.0-10.0 years) and late childhood (10.0-18.0 years), using multilevel binary logistic regression models with a random intercept at cohort level adjusted for maternal sociodemographic and lifestyle-related characteristics. We observed that higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain both in clinical categories and across their full ranges were associated with higher risks of childhood overweight/obesity, with the strongest effects in late childhood (odds ratios [ORs] for overweight/obesity in early, mid, and late childhood, respectively: OR 1.66 [95% CI: 1.56, 1.78], OR 1.91 [95% CI: 1.85, 1.98], and OR 2.28 [95% CI: 2.08, 2.50] for maternal overweight; OR 2.43 [95% CI: 2.24, 2.64], OR 3.12 [95% CI: 2.98, 3.27], and OR 4.47 [95% CI: 3.99, 5.23] for maternal obesity; and OR 1.39 [95% CI: 1.30, 1.49], OR 1.55 [95% CI: 1.49, 1.60], and OR 1.72 [95% CI: 1.56, 1.91] for excessive gestational weight gain). The proportions of childhood overweight/obesity prevalence attributable to maternal overweight, maternal obesity, and excessive gestational weight gain ranged from 10.2% to 21.6%. Relative to the effect of maternal BMI, excessive gestational weight gain only slightly increased the risk of childhood overweight/obesity within each clinical BMI category (p-values for interactions of maternal BMI with gestational weight gain: p = 0.038, p < 0.001, and p = 0.637 in early, mid, and late childhood, respectively). Limitations of this study include the self-report of maternal BMI and gestational weight gain for some of the cohorts, and the potential of residual confounding. Also, as this study only included participants from Europe, North America, and Australia, results need to be interpreted with caution with respect to other populations.CONCLUSIONS:In this study, higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain were associated with an increased risk of childhood overweight/obesity, with the strongest effects at later ages. The additional effect of gestational weight gain in women who are overweight or obese before pregnancy is small. Given the large population impact, future intervention trials aiming to reduce the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity should focus on maternal weight status before pregnancy, in addition to weight gain during pregnancy.

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the association between weight changes across adulthood and mortality.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingUS National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1988-94 and 1999-2014.Participants36 051 people aged 40 years or over with measured body weight and height at baseline and recalled weight at young adulthood (25 years old) and middle adulthood (10 years before baseline).Main outcome measuresAll cause and cause specific mortality from baseline until 31 December 2015.ResultsDuring a mean follow-up of 12.3 years, 10 500 deaths occurred. Compared with participants who remained at normal weight, those moving from the non-obese to obese category between young and middle adulthood had a 22% (hazard ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval 1.11 to 1.33) and 49% (1.49, 1.21 to 1.83) higher risk of all cause mortality and heart disease mortality, respectively. Changing from obese to non-obese body mass index over this period was not significantly associated with mortality risk. An obese to non-obese weight change pattern from middle to late adulthood was associated with increased risk of all cause mortality (1.30, 1.16 to 1.45) and heart disease mortality (1.48, 1.14 to 1.92), whereas moving from the non-obese to obese category over this period was not significantly associated with mortality risk. Maintaining obesity across adulthood was consistently associated with increased risk of all cause mortality; the hazard ratio was 1.72 (1.52 to 1.95) from young to middle adulthood, 1.61 (1.41 to 1.84) from young to late adulthood, and 1.20 (1.09 to 1.32) from middle to late adulthood. Maximum overweight had a very modest or null association with mortality across adulthood. No significant associations were found between various weight change patterns and cancer mortality.ConclusionsStable obesity across adulthood, weight gain from young to middle adulthood, and weight loss from middle to late adulthood were associated with increased risks of mortality. The findings imply that maintaining normal weight across adulthood, especially preventing weight gain in early adulthood, is important for preventing premature deaths in later life.

Traditional risk factors for obesity and the metabolic syndrome, such as excess energy intake and lack of physical activity, cannot fully explain the high prevalence of these conditions. Insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment predispose individuals to poor metabolic health and promote weight gain and have received increased research attention in the past 10 years. Insufficient sleep is defined as sleeping less than recommended for health benefits, whereas circadian misalignment is defined as wakefulness and food intake occurring when the internal circadian system is promoting sleep. This Review discusses the impact of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment in humans on appetite hormones (focusing on ghrelin, leptin and peptide-YY), energy expenditure, food intake and choice, and risk of obesity. Some potential strategies to reduce the adverse effects of sleep disruption on metabolic health are provided and future research priorities are highlighted. Millions of individuals worldwide do not obtain sufficient sleep for healthy metabolic functions. Furthermore, modern working patterns, lifestyles and technologies are often not conducive to adequate sleep at times when the internal physiological clock is promoting it (for example, late-night screen time, shift work and nocturnal social activities). Efforts are needed to highlight the importance of optimal sleep and circadian health in the maintenance of metabolic health and body weight regulation.Insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment contribute to obesity risk. This Review discusses how modern society disrupts sleep, it considers evidence from human studies on how sleep disruption affects energy expenditure, appetite hormones and food intake, and discusses some potential strategies to reduce the adverse effects of sleep disruption.

The objective of this work was to study the lamb’s growth, the carcass yield and composition and the importance of main organs of Berber lambs slaughtered at 4 or 6 months. The study concerned 40 lambs reared under motherhood. Lambs of the first group were slaughtered at the age of 4 months (4M) and the second at 6 months (6M). Slaughter body weights (BW), hot and cold carcass weights and organs were recorded. The carcass was cut out and dissected. The average BW at birth was 4.14 + 0.506 kg while the BW at slaughter was 22.86 kg + 3.40 and 31.51 + 3.50 kg for 4M and 6M groups, respectively. The average daily gain were 172 and 164g for 4M and 6M groups, respectively. Therefore, during 2months the lambs of 6M group gained 8.67 kg in BW. The carcasses were heavier for 6M than 4M. The carcass commercial yields were 42% and 45% for 4M and 6M groups, respectively, resulting in 4.1 kg gain of meat during 2 months. The tissular (muscle, fat and bone) and the regional (leg, shoulder …) carcass composition did not differ among groups. All organs were heavier for 6M than 4M; however, their proportion in the empty body weight were variables. The BWand carcass gain at six months are encouraging to prolong the lamb’s slaughter age without carcass composition difference given the similar fat proportion in the carcass of both groups.

Composition of gut bacteria and serum metabolites in young, obese individuals is partially restored following weight loss surgery, including Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , which decreases serum glutamate levels and fat mass gain in mice. Emerging evidence has linked the gut microbiome to human obesity. We performed a metagenome-wide association study and serum metabolomics profiling in a cohort of lean and obese, young, Chinese individuals. We identified obesity-associated gut microbial species linked to changes in circulating metabolites. The abundance of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , a glutamate-fermenting commensal, was markedly decreased in obese individuals and was inversely correlated with serum glutamate concentration. Consistently, gavage with B. thetaiotaomicron reduced plasma glutamate concentration and alleviated diet-induced body-weight gain and adiposity in mice. Furthermore, weight-loss intervention by bariatric surgery partially reversed obesity-associated microbial and metabolic alterations in obese individuals, including the decreased abundance of B. thetaiotaomicron and the elevated serum glutamate concentration. Our findings identify previously unknown links between intestinal microbiota alterations, circulating amino acids and obesity, suggesting that it may be possible to intervene in obesity by targeting the gut microbiota.