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RESULTS Inclusion of SMB-treated FVD in the TMR tended to quadratically increase partitioning factor. No effect was seen on total-tract digestibility of organic matter, ether extract, crude protein, and acid detergent fiber, except for neutral detergent fiber digestibility that tended to linearly increase with increasing SMB-treated FVD in the TMR. The progressive increase of FVD preserved with SMB in the diet had no effect on nitrogen metabolism. Treatment had no effect on serum antioxidant capacity and blood metabolites assayed. Voluntary feed intake was not impaired by inclusion of SMB-treated FVD in the TMR. CONCLUSION It appears that FVD preserved with SMB can be safely incorporated into TMR as replacement of corn grain without impairment of nutrient metabolism and feed intake.Objective The ecosystem of an animal farm is composed of various elements, such as animals, farmers, plants, feed, soil, and microorganisms. A domesticated animal’s health is largely connected with the reservoir of bacteria and viruses in animal farms. Although a few studies have focused on exploring the gut microbiome of animals, communities of microbiota and viruses in feedlots have not been thoroughly investigated. Methods Here, we collected feces and dust samples (4 groups. Cattle feces; C_F, Horse feces; H_F, Cattle dust; C_D, and Horse dust; H_D) from cattle and horse farms sharing the same housing and investigated their microbiome/virome communities by Illumina sequencing. Results Dust groups (C_D and H_D) showed higher microbial diversity than feces groups (C_F and H_F) regardless of animal species. From the microbial community analysis, all the samples from the four groups have major phyla such as Proteobacteria (min 37.1% – max 42.8%), Firmicutes (19.1% – 24.9%), Bacteroidetes (10.6% – 22.1%), and Actinobacteria (6.1% – 20.5%). The abundance of Streptococcus, which commonly recognized as equine pathogens, was significantly higher in the horse group (H_D and H_F). Over 99% among the classified virome reads were classified as Caudovirales, a group of tailed bacteriophages, in all four groups. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus and equine adenovirus, which cause deadly diseases in cattle and horse, respectively, were not detected. Conclusions Our results will provide baseline information to understand different gut and environmental microbial ecology between two livestock species.Objective The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters and trends for milk, fat, and protein yields in the first three lactations of Thai dairy cattle using a 3-trait,-3-lactation random regression test-day model. Methods Data included 168,996, 63,388 and 27,145 test-day records from the first, second, and third lactations, respectively. Records were from 19,068 cows calving from 1993 to 2013 in 124 herds. (Co) variance components were estimated by Bayesian methods. Gibbs sampling was used to obtain posterior distributions. The model included herd-year-month of testing, breed group-season of calving-month in tested milk group, linear and quadratic age at calving as fixed effects, and random regression coefficients for additive genetic and permanent environmental effects, which were defined as modified constant, linear, quadratic, cubic and quartic Legendre coefficients. Results Average daily heritabilities ranged from 0.36 to 0.48 for milk, 0.33 to 0.44 for fat and 0.37 to 0.48 for protein yields; they were higher in the third lactation for all traits. Heritabilities of test-day milk and protein yields for selected DIM were higher in the middle than at the beginning or end of lactation, whereas those for test-day fat yields were high at the beginning and end of lactation. Genetics correlations (305-d yield) among production yields within lactations (0.44 to 0.69) were higher than those across lactations (0.36 to 0.68). The largest genetic correlation was observed between the first and second lactation. The genetic trends of 305-d milk, fat and protein yields were 230-250, 25-29, and 30-35 kg per year, respectively. Conclusion A random regression model seems to be a flexible and reliable procedure for the genetic evaluation of production yields. It can be used to perform breeding value estimation for national genetic evaluation in the Thai dairy cattle population.Objective This study aimed to elucidate the effect of miR-140 on the proliferation of porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFFs) and identify the target genes of miR-140 in PFFs. Methods In this study, bioinformatics software was used to predict and verify miR-140 target genes. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot were used to detect the relationship between miR-140 and its target genes in PFFs. Dual luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to assess the interactions among miR-140, type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R), and SRY-box 4 (SOX4). The effect of miR-140 on the proliferation of PFFs was measured by CCK-8 when PFFs were transfected with a miR-140 mimics or inhibitor. The transcription factor SOX4 binding to promoter of IGF1R was detected by dual luciferase reporter gene assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP). Results miR-140 directly targeted IGF1R to inhibit proliferation of porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFFs). Meanwhile, miR-140 targeted transcription factor SOX4 that bound to promoter of porcine IGF1R to indirectly inhibit the expression of IGF1R. In addition, miR-140 inhibitor promoted PFFs proliferation, which is abrogated by SOX4 or IGF1R knockdown. Conclusion miR-140 inhibits porcine fetal fibroblasts proliferation by directly targeting IGF1R and indirectly inhibiting IGF1R expression via SOX4.Objective Cold stress induces oxidative damage and impairs energy status of broilers. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) exhibits antioxidant properties and modulates energy metabolism of animals. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of NAC on energy status and antioxidant capacity of heart and liver in the cold-stressed broilers. Methods The experiment consisted of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two diets (basal diet or plus 0.1% NAC) and two ambient temperatures (thermoneutral (conventional ambient temperature) or cold stress (10 ± 1°C during days 15-42)). Results No ascites were seen in cold-stressed broilers. NAC did not attenuate the impaired growth performance of stressed birds. Foretinib solubility dmso However, NAC decreased plasma asparagine but increased aspartate levels in cold-stressed birds (P less then 0.05). NAC reduced hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) but elevated adenosine diphosphate contents in unstressed birds (P less then 0.05). The hepatic ratio of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to ATP was increased in birds fed NAC (P less then 0.