• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.539-550
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• 1996

Experiment was conducted to study the effect of sources of dietary fiber on the intestinal morphology of geese. Sixty white Roman geese of two-week-old were divided randomly into six groups and were fed with isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets which contain alfalfa meal, barley hull, rice hull, purified cellulose, lignin, or pectin as the major dietary source of fiber. Different sources of dietary fiber significantly influenced the villi height and the crypt depth in the duodenum, and the villi height and the muscle layer thickness in the ileum (p < 0.05). The duodenal villus in the geese that fed diets with alfalfa meal, rice hull or pectin supplemented were significantly longest ($968.5{\mu}m$), whereas the lignin group was significantly shortest villus and deepest crypt depth (p < 0.05). The thicknesses of the ileal and caecal muscle layer were significantly thicker in the geese fed with cellulose supplemented diets than in those fed with the other treatment diets. The caecum of the barley bran fed geese possessed significantly longest villi and the most thick muscle layers (p < 0.05). From scanning electronic microscopic observation, the leafy and plate-like in the duodenal villi morphology of geese represented a more effective nutrient absorption in the small intestine. The morphology of ileal villi in geese was similar from herbivorous rabbit and from the African Green monkey.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.447-454
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different copper sources (inorganic and organic) on the growth performance, fecal copper excretion, intestinal morphology, and health in growing pigs. A total of 40 growing pigs (30.22 ± 1.92 kg) were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments: a basal control diet (CON), 4 experimental diets supplemented with either copper sulfate (CuSO₄), Cu-glycine complex (CuGly), Cu-amino acid complex (CuAA), or Cu-hydroxy-4-methylthio butanoate chelate complex (CuHMB) at 100 ppm, respectively. At the end of the study (28 days), fecal and blood samples were collected, and the pigs were slaughtered to determine the intestinal morphology. During the 28 days of the experimental period, pigs fed the inorganic and organic copper showed a higher average daily gain (p < 0.01) and gain feed ratio (p < 0.01). There were no differences in mineral concentrations of the serum; however, the copper concentration of the feces was lower (p < 0.01) in the CuAA and CuHMB groups. The intestinal morphology and blood profiles did not significantly differ between the groups. In conclusion, the organic copper sources (CuAA and CuHMB) can be used as a growth promoter to replace the CuSO₄ without any negative effects on health in growing pigs and to reduce fecal copper excretion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1673-1679
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• 2003

Two hundred forty 1-d-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were used to investigate the effects of Cu (II)-exchanged montmorillonite (CEM) or montmorillonite on the growth performance, intestinal microflora, bacterial enzyme activities and morphology of broilers. The chicks were assigned randomly into three groups with 80 chicks per treatment. The three dietary treatments were basal diet only (control group), basal diet +1 g $kg^{-1}$ montmorillonite, and basal diet +1 g $kg^{-1}$ CEM. The results showed that the addition of CEM to the diet increased significantly the body weight and feed efficiency, but a similarly significant increase was not found in broilers fed the diet containing montmorillonite. Supplementing the CEM in the diet of broilers also decreased the numbers of Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli in the small intestine and cecum. The addition of either CEM or montmorillonite to the diet depressed the activities of $\beta$-glucosidase and $\beta$-glucuronidase in the small intestinal and cecal contents. Data of villus height and crypt depth for duodenum, jejunum and ileum indicated that dietary addition of CEM or montmorillonite improved the small intestinal mucosal morphology.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.10.1-10.6
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• 2018

Background: Stress causes inflammation that impairs intestinal barrier function. Dietary spray-dried plasma (SDP) has recognized anti-inflammatory effects and improvement of gut barrier function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary SDP on intestinal morphology of mated female mice under stress condition. Results: Villus height, width, and area of small intestines were low on gestation day (GD) 3 or 4 under stress conditions, and higher later (Time, P < 0.05). Crypt depth of colon was low on GD 4 and higher later (Time, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the SDP treatments improved (P < 0.05) intestinal morphology, indicated by increased villus height, villus width, villus area, and ratio between villus height and crypt depth of small intestines and crypt depth of colon, and by decreased crypt depth of small intestines, compared with the control diet. The SDP treatments also increased (P < 0.05) the number of goblet cells in intestines compared with the control diet. There were no differences between different levels of SDP. Conclusion: Dietary SDP improves intestinal morphology of mated female mice under stress condition.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.548-553
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• 1999

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of high dietary copper supplementation on the gastrointestinal tract morphology of broiler chickens. Eighty 3-week-old broiler chicks were divided randomly into eight groups of four dietary treatments and over three week were fed isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets that contained 0, 100, 250, or 500 mg/kg of supplemental copper from cupric sulfate. The copper supplementation in the broiler diet up to 250 mg/kg did not significantly influence broilers' performance. A high dietary copper supplementation of 500 mg/kg did significantly depress growth and feed conversion in the broilers (p<0.05). Copper supplementation more than 250 mg/kg in the broiler diet significantly influenced the morphology of the GI tract, as shown by severe oral lesions and gizzard erosion. It also significantly depressed the villi height and significantly thickened the muscular layer in the duodenum (p<0.05). The severely damaged villi were observed by scanning electronic microscope from the duodenum samples of broilers fed a 500 mg/kg copper supplemented diet. The 500 mg/kg copper supplemented diet also significantly influenced the plasma constituents. Plasma glucose concentration was significantly depressed (p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1773-1778
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• 2008

Two experiments were carried out to study the effects of corticosterone (CORT) administration on intestinal morphology and function of broilers. In both experiments, birds were randomly divided into two equal groups. One group was the control group (CTRL), and the birds were fed with a basal diet. The other was the experimental group (CORT), and the birds were fed with the basal diet plus 30 mg of CORT/kg diet. At 21 days of age, performance, morphological characteristics of intestine, D-xylose level in plasma, activities of digestive enzymes in digesta, digestibility of nutrients and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdUrd)-labeling index of intestinal epithelial cells were determined. CORT administration decreased feed intake, daily gain and feed conversion ratio (p<0.05). CORT also decreased duodenal and jejunal villus height (p<0.05) as well as crypt depth (p<0.05). The D-xylose level in plasma of CORT-treated broilers was lower than that of the control (p<0.05). CORT treatment caused a decrease in apparent digestibility of protein (p<0.05), whereas fat and starch apparent digestibilities were unaffected (p>0.05). CORT administration increased activities of trypsin and amylase (p<0.05), and decreased BrdUrd-labeling index of duodenal and jejunal epithelial cells (p<0.05). In conclusion, CORT administration impaired the normal morphology and absorptive capacity of the small intestine of broiler chickens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.462-470
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• 2022

The addition of dietary proteases (PRO) to weaner diets hydrolyzes soybean-based anti-nutritive factors and improves weaned pig's dietary digestibility and growth performance. Therefore, this study explores the effects of PRO in a lower crude protein (CP) level diet than that in a commercial diet on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal morphology of weaned pigs. A total of 90 weaned pigs were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments with 6 pigs per pen and 5 replicated pens per treatment using a randomized complete block design (block = body weight [BW]): 1) a commercial weaner diet as a positive control (PC; phase1 CP = 23.71%; phase2 CP: 22.36%), 2) lower CP diet than PC as a negative control (NC; 0.61% less CP than PC), and 3) an NC diet with 0.02% PRO. Pigs fed PC and PRO had higher (p < 0.05) final BW, average daily gain, and/or gain to feed ratio for the first three weeks and the overall experimental period than NC. The PC and PRO groups had greater (p < 0.05) apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter, CP, and energy than the NC group. Moreover, pigs fed PC and PRO increased (p < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility of CP compared with those fed NC. In addition, the PRO group had a higher number of goblet cells than the PC and NC groups. However, pig fed PC and PRO increased (p < 0.05) villus height and height to crypt depth ratio in the ileum compared with those fed NC. In conclusion, PRO supplementation in a commercial weaner diet with low CP levels improves growth rate and nutrient digestibility by modulating the intestinal morphology of weaned pigs.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.513-518
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• 2017

Soybean, one of most widely used swine feed component in the world, contains non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). The digestive system of weaned pigs is not yet fully developed, and thus weaned pigs cannot easily digest diets based on corn and soybean meal. Dietary exogenous enzymes supplementation has been intensively investigated to assist digestion of anti-nutritional factors, such as NSP. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary enzyme cocktail on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and nutrient digestibility of weaned pigs. A total 36 weaned pigs ($5.92{\pm}0.48kg\;BW$; 28 d old) were randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments (3 pigs/pen, 6 replicates/treatment) in a randomized complete block design. The dietary treatments were a typical diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON) and CON with 0.05% enzyme cocktail (Cocktail; mixture of xylanase, ${\alpha}-amylase$, protease, ${\beta}-glucanase$, and pectinase). Pigs were fed their respective diets for 6 wk. Growth performance, morphology of ileum, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, crude protein, and energy of weaned pigs were measured. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed for growth performance for the duration of the experimental period, and morphology of ileum, and nutrient digestibility between CON and Cocktail treatment groups. Therefore, the results from the current study indicated that enzyme cocktail supplementation in diets had no influence on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and nutrient digestibility of weaned pigs.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2016

The recovery of epididymal sperm in animals is considered as one of the important tools to preserve high value or endangered species. However, there are no appropriate castrating indicators such as months of age in bull, sperm morphology, and motility, particularly in young Korean native bull (Hanwoo). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate sperm number, morphology, and motility of sperm in the epididymis tail of young Hanwoo bulls at 8 and 15 months of age. After castration, epididymal tails were collected and minced with blades to recover sperm. In experiments 1 and 2, sperm number, morphology, and motility were examined. Total number of sperm and percentage of normal sperm from bulls at 8 months of age was lower than that of bulls at 15 months of age after collection (P<0.05). Percentage of abnormal head, tail, proximal cytoplasmic droplet, dead and damaged acrosome of sperm from bulls at 8 months of age were higher than those of bulls at 15 months of age (P<0.05). In experiment 3, sperm motility from bulls at 8 and 15 months of age were examined before freezing and after thawing. Frozen-thawed sperm at 8 months of age showed low total motility and motile sperm with ${\geq}25{\mu}m/sec$ compared to those at 15 months of age and commercially-used sperm (P<0.05). In conclusion, sperm derived from the epididymal tail of bulls at 8 months of age showed high abnormal morphology and poor motility, which are not adequate for AI and IVF. On the other hand, sperm derived from the epididymal tail of bulls at 15 months of age showed high normal morphology and motility.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.189-193
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• 2021

Jak-STAT pathway is required for embryogenesis, female gametogenesis, cytokine-mediated neuroprotection, diabetes, obesity, cancer, stem cell, and various tissues. The noncanonical role of Jak-STAT in mitochondria function was supported by the detection of STAT protein in mitochondria, however, several studies show that STAT protein is detected in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and not in mitochondria. STAT protein may alter mitochondria function without entering mitochondria, this involves regulation of fission and fusion proteins to change mitochondria morphology. However, how changes in mitochondria morphology lead to changes in mitochondria metabolism needs further investigation.