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Creatine concentration and total content in egg compartments in control and 0.15% GAA 392
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There is great potential in supplementation of broiler breeder hens with beneficial additives for affecting nutrient deposition into the fertile egg. GAA (guanidinoacetate) is the endogenous precursor of creatine that is used as a feed additive for improving cellular energy metabolism in animal nutrition. In the current study, we have investigated...
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Context 1
... indicated in Table 3, significant increases in creatine concentrations were found in freeze-dried 189 samples of yolk and albumen of eggs obtained from the GAA group, compared to the control group. 190 Accordingly, total creatine contents in yolks, albumens and whole eggs were significantly increased as 191 a result of 0.15% GAA supplementation. ...Context 2
... study presents evidence of molecular mechanisms of GAA transport from broiler breeder feed and 223 subsequent transport of creatine to the hatching egg, resulting in increased egg creatine conent and 224 subsequently affecting creatine synthesis gene expression in day old broilers. This was the first study to 225 examine the effects of GAA supplementation in broiler breeder feed on creatine content in hatching 226 eggs (Table 3). Furthermore, CRT expression was demonstrated for the first time in hen ovaries and 227 ovidcuts (Fig. 1A), as well as in the yolk sac tissues (YST) of broiler embryos (Fig. 1B). ...Context 3
... a significant increase in creatine content within the albumens of eggs from 248 GAA-fed hens was observed whilst GAA levels where below the detection level in control as well as 249 GAA-fed hens. Although egg yolk formation occurs within the ovary ( Perry et al., 1978), no 250 differences were found in ovary CRT relative expression (Fig. 3A) to correlate with the significantly 251 increased creatine content in yolks of eggs laid by the GAA goup (Table 3). This contradiction may be 252 explained by a unique process of nutrient transport in the chicken oocyte, receptor mediated 253 endocytosis. ...Context 4
... supports our findings regarding the effects of GAA supplementation in 266 broiler breeder feed on gene expression patterns within the tissues of their progeny. The significant 267 decrease in CRT relative expression in the small intestine of day old chicks of supplemented hens 268 demonstrates a molecular response within embryonic and hatchling small intestines to the significantly 269 elevated levels of creatine in their egg albumens and yolks (Table 3). During the last days of 270 incubation, yolk content is transporterd directly to the embryo's intestine via the yolk stalk (Romanoff, 271 1960). ...Citations
... CR is a protein of significant energy value deposited in the yolk by the hen (Reicher et al., 2020). Chicken embryos can synthesize this metabolite to meet their energy needs (Walker, 1979;Liu et al., 2021) starting from the 11th day of incubation, at which point it serves as an energy source (Dayan et al., 2023). ...
One possible approach to selecting chicks based on quality involves identifying biomarkers in biological samples. Concurrently, understanding the metabolic profile of chicks from different-aged breeders is essential for developing strategies to mitigate the age-related effects on hatchability. This study investigated whether chick quality and breeder age influence the metabolic profile of layer chick meconium. A total of 143 chicks from laying breeder hens, categorized as young, middle-aged or old, were visually assessed for quality, and meconium samples were collected for metabolomic analysis. Sixteen metabolites were found to be associated with good-quality chicks across all breeder ages, with an overall accuracy of 81.94 %. Using metabolite profiles, the accuracy for predicting young-hen-chick quality was 93.2 %, with high sensitivity (92.30 %) and specificity (93.75 %). Four metabolites were associated with poor-quality chicks with an overall accuracy of 77.53 %. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed enhanced metabolite separation in good-quality chicks, with five metabolites exhibiting high area under the curve (AUC) values (>90 %) in chicks from young hens compared to chicks from hens of other ages, including metabolites related to energy metabolism, hormonal activity, vitamin D synthesis and peptide constitution. Disregarding maternal age, five metabolites varied between good- and poor-quality chicks, but with a low accuracy of 61.26 % for quality discrimination. Chicks from young, middle-aged, and old hens exhibited 12, 11, and 2 metabolites that varied the expression between good and poor qualities, with accuracies for predicting good-quality chicks of 74.46 %, 70.83 %, and 51.06 %, respectively. Certain metabolites with 70 < AUC < 80 % have emerged as potential biomarkers for distinguishing between good- and poor-quality layer chicks. These include metabolites related to energy and growth metabolism, tryptophan and methionine metabolism, antioxidants and some with no known function in embryos. This work identified potential metabolites that can be investigated to mitigate the effects of hen age on hatchability. Additionally, several metabolites have emerged as potential biomarkers for distinguishing between good- and poor-quality chicks, depending on the breeder's age.
... The efficiency of energy utilisation is highly dependent on the available enzymatic reactions (Shastak and Pelletier, 2023), oxygen (Khalil et al., 2021a), and energy transporters. For example, L-carnitine transports fatty acids to mitochondria (Yousefi et al., 2023), whereas Cre transports the produced ATPs from the mitochondrial matrix to the site of energy utilisation in the cytoplasm (Reicher et al., 2020). Cre may be limited in fast growing animals due to their higher demand for Cre to supply the fast-growing muscles (Portocarero and Braun, 2021). ...
This research endeavour examined several nutritional approaches aimed at optimising the energy content of the
broiler diets using mixtures with distinct mechanisms of action in low metabolisable energy diet (LME). Within
this context, the impact of various xylanase (Xyl), emulsifier (EM), and guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) mixtures
supplemented to LME diets were investigated on the following parameters: growth performance, energy and
protein efficiency ratios, oxidative biomarkers, gene expression, and intestinal morphology. Seven hundred one�day-old (Ross 308) male-broilers were assigned to five experimental treatments (28 birds/replicate). The positive
control group (PC) fed as breed-recommendations. A dietary change was made to the PC, where the dietary
energy content was reduced by 200 kcal/kg feed, served as negative control group (NC). The other experimental
diets were as in NC group, fortified with either Xyl+EM, Xyl+GAA or Xyl+EM+GAA. The results demonstrated
a negative impact on the NC group’s productivity and biometric parameters compared to the PC group (p <
0.05). Combinations of Xyl+GAA or Xyl+EM+GAA were as effective as PC in term of growth performance (p >
0.05), but they were more efficient in terms of energy efficiency ratio (p < 0.05). In contrast to the PC group,
The Xyl+EM group had lower protein efficiency ratio (p <0.05). The oxidative biomarkers, gene expression, and
intestinal morphology of the NC groups supplemented with various mixtures were better than those of the PC
group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the overall benefits in the Xyl+EM+GAA group were notable. It is possible to
compensate for LME (-200 kcal/kg feed) by using Xyl+EM+GAA mixture.
... As a valuable feed additive, it has potential applications in promoting animal fattening and improving meat's nutritional quality [39]. Moreover, Reicher et al. demonstrated that supplementing guanidinoacetic acid in broiler feed enhances nutrient absorption and deposition into breeding eggs, which may have implications for guanidinoacetic acid absorption and creatine synthesis in broiler progeny [40]. ...
Simple Summary
Paper mulberry (PM) is an unconventional protein feed material, and silage is its main processing method. The present study aimed to investigate the health benefits and meat quality of supplementing Yangzhou geese with paper mulberry silage. Results indicated that paper mulberry silage supplementation had a promotional effect on the growth of Yangzhou geese, the sensory quality of the breast muscles improved, and the nutritional quality enhanced. Untargeted metabolomics analysis demonstrated that PM treatment enhanced guanidinoacetic acid levels in breast muscles and facilitated the metabolism of amino acids and the role of substances in lipid antioxidant pathways. Consequently, paper mulberry could be considered to be a novel protein feed option capable for geese.
Abstract
There have been few investigations into the health benefits and meat quality of supplementing Yangzhou geese with paper mulberry silage. One hundred and twenty 28-day-old Yangzhou geese were selected for the experiment and randomly divided into two groups: a control group (CON) and a paper mulberry silage group (PM), with six replicates in each group. The experiment lasted for a total of 6 weeks. The experiment found that compared with CON, PM had a promoting effect on the average daily weight gain of Yangzhou geese (p = 0.056). Sensory and nutritional analysis of breast muscles revealed a decrease in a* value (p < 0.05) and an increase in protein content (p < 0.05) following PM treatment. Through untargeted metabolomics analysis of breast muscle samples, it was found that 11 different metabolites, including guanidinoacetic acid and other substances, had a positive effect on amino acid metabolism and lipid antioxidant pathways of PM treatment. Overall, the strategy of feeding Yangzhou geese with paper mulberry silage is feasible, which can improve the sensory quality and nutritional value of goose meat. The experiment provides basic data for the application form of goose breeding, so exploring the impact of substances within paper mulberry on goose meat should be focused on in the future.
... When laying hens were fed a reduced protein diet with supplemental GAA, egg production and feed intake decreased compared to the control diet (Dao et al., 2021). Supplementing GAA (1.5 g/kg) in broiler breeder feed improved its absorption and deposition into hatching eggs, altering GAA and creatine absorption and synthesis within broiler progeny (Reicher et al., 2020). Moreover, adding 0.6 g/kg GAA to the feed of hens during the post-hatch period or injecting eggs with a 1% arginine solution could increase growth rates in lowtemperature post-hatch environments Miri et al., 2022). ...
Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is an amino acid derivative and precursor for creatine which plays a significant role in energy metabolism. However, because of creatine’s instability during the manufacturing process and cost, GAA has been explored as an effective alternative to creatine supplements. GAA has been tested as a potential feed additive to enhance energy utilization and growth performance in the poultry and swine industries. Moreover, GAA has been combined with methionine to improve growth outcomes and may also act as an arginine-sparing agent in birds. The safety of the GAA supplements for animals, consumers, and the environment and its efficacy in numerous livestock species have been proven. This narrative review discusses the scientific evidence regarding the metabolism and effects of GAA supplementation in swine and poultry, identifying the knowledge gaps and future directions for further research on GAA supplementation. A systematic search of the literature identified published research findings related to GAA supplementation in swine and poultry and their findings are summarized in this narrative review to confirm the impacts of GAA supplementation on growth performance, reproductive performance, and meat quality in swine and poultry. Amongst its many demonstrated benefits, GAA is effective at improving body creatine concentration, growth parameters, feed conversion ratio, and performance of animals. Although GAA exerts many non-creatine roles, including the stimulation of insulin secretion, neuromodulation, and vasodilation, further research may require in-depth elaboration.
... A similar conclusion can be reached based on the results observed in deposition of GAA, creatinine and homocysteine in eggs from laying hens fed GAA at 1,200 mg/kg complete feed. Although creatine concentration in eggs was significantly increased with regard to the control, these levels would be in the range (3.3-5.9 mg/kg egg) reported in the scientific literature (Comert and Gokmen, 2020;Reicher et al., 2020). 29 The marginal increases in deposition observed in quail eggs are not considered to appreciably increase the exposure of consumers. ...
Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) when used as nutritional additive in feed and water for drinking for all animal species. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that GAA at 1,200 mg/kg complete feed is safe for chickens for fattening, piglets and pigs for fattening. This concentration in complete feed would correspond to maximum concentrations in water of 600 mg GAA/L for chickens for fattening, piglets and pigs for fattening. The Panel is not in a position to conclude on a safe level of GAA in laying/reproductive birds. In the absence of data on ruminants and salmonids, the FEEDAP Panel cannot conclude on the safety of GAA for all animal species. There is no concern on consumer safety resulting from the use of GAA in feed for poultry and pigs at the proposed conditions of use. The limited data do not allow to conclude on the safety for the consumer when the additive is used in feed for ruminants or fish. GAA is not toxic by inhalation, it is not an irritant to skin and eyes, and it is not a dermal sensitiser. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that the use of GAA as feed additive is not expected to pose a risk to the environment. The use of the additive under assessment in animal nutrition at the proposed conditions of use has the potential to be efficacious in all growing avian, Suidae and ruminant (except for preruminants) species; in growing fin fish other than salmonids and in frog. It is not possible to conclude on the efficacy of the additive in other species, and in reproductive animals.
... However, other possible mechanisms that rule out CT1 expression and density might be involved as well, including an accelerated maximal velocity of CT1, a reduced creatine efflux from the cell, or other unknown channels. An upregulation of CT1 gene expression and creatine deposition has been described in pigs and broilers who were supplemented with guanidinoacetic acid (GAA), a natural precursor of creatine (44,45), yet the mechanism of GAA-driven CT1 stimulation remains unaddressed. Another nutritional study reported an elevated gene expression of CT1 in mice exposed to a 10week high-fat diet and treated with nitrite (46), perhaps due to mechanisms that are both dependent and independent of proton-gradient uncoupling. ...
Nutrient availability in eggs can affect early metabolic orientation in birds. In chickens divergently selected on the Pectoralis major ultimate pH, a proxy for muscle glycogen stores, characterization of the yolk and amniotic fluid revealed a different nutritional environment. The present study aimed to assess indicators of embryo metabolism in pHu lines (pHu+ and pHu−) using allantoic fluids (compartment storing nitrogenous waste products and metabolites), collected at days 10, 14 and 17 of embryogenesis and characterized by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of metabolic profiles revealed a significant stage effect, with an enrichment in metabolites at the end of incubation, and an increase in interindividual variability during development. OPLS-DA analysis discriminated the two lines. The allantoic fluid of pHu− was richer in carbohydrates, intermediates of purine metabolism and derivatives of tryptophan-histidine metabolism, while formate, branched-chain amino acids, Krebs cycle intermediates and metabolites from different catabolic pathways were more abundant in pHu+. In conclusion, the characterization of the main nutrient sources for embryos and now allantoic fluids provided an overview of the in ovo nutritional environment of pHu lines. Moreover, this study revealed the establishment, as early as day 10 of embryo development, of specific metabolic signatures in the allantoic fluid of pHu+ and pHu− lines.
Optimal embryonic development and growth of meat-type chickens (broilers) rely on incubation conditions (oxygen, heat, and humidity), on nutrients and on energy resources within the egg. Throughout incubation and according to the embryo’s energy balance, the main energy storage molecules (creatine and glycogen) are continuously utilized and synthesized, mainly in the embryonic liver, breast muscle, and the extraembryonic yolk sac (YS) tissue. During the last phase of incubation, as the embryo nears hatching, dynamic changes in energy metabolism occur. These changes may affect embryonic survival, hatchlings’ uniformity, quality and post hatch performance of broilers, hence, being of great importance to poultry production. Here, we followed the dynamics of creatine and glycogen from embryonic day (E) 11 until hatch and up to chick placement at the farm. We showed that creatine is stored mainly in the breast muscle while glycogen is stored mainly in the YS tissue. Analysis of creatine synthesis genes revealed their expression in the liver, kidney, YS tissue and in the breast muscle, suggesting a full synthesis capacity in these tissues. Expression analysis of genes involved in gluconeogenesis, glycogenesis, and glycogenolysis, revealed that glycogen metabolism is most active in the liver. Nevertheless, due to the relatively large size of the breast muscle and YS tissue, their contribution to glycogen metabolism in embryos is valuable. Towards hatch, post E19, creatine levels in all tissues increased while glycogen levels dramatically decreased and reached low levels at hatch and at chick placement. This proves the utmost importance of creatine in energy supply to late-term embryos and hatchlings.
