ANIMAL NUTRITIONin the company of physiology

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Poland’s accession into the European Unionin 2004 has enabled the country to transformits agriculture sector. From the initialconcerns from farmers fearing they woulddrown in a sea of subsidised produce, whathas actually happened is an increased spend,with payments from the Polish state nearlytripling since accession. One expert, JerzyWilkin, an economics professor at Warsaw University even commented that “This is agolden age of Polish farming,” adding that“Never before has such large amounts ofmoney flowed into agriculture.”

The process of accession gave farmers accessto funds from the Common Agricultural Policy,and in particular to direct payments thatcame with a threshold set at just one hectare.

The dairy sector, for instance has flourished,partly fuelled by a need to comply with costlyregulations governing any modernisationplans. This, in turn, has attracted internationalagri-food companies to Poland, and helpedprompt an export boom.

However, Poland is currently in a battle withthe EU following a French accord with Russiato lift its ban on live pig and pork imports,saying they broke the “principle of Europeansolidarity”. Pressure is mounting on theEuropean Union to consider toughersanctions on Russia following the continuedcrises in Ukraine. France is expected to seethe ban on live pigs, offal and fat, that wasimposed by Moscow a year ago, to be liftedfor France.

A Polish agriculturetransformation

Following Poland’s accession in 2004, their agriculture sector has seen atransformation in terms of growth, but the desire for improvements continue.Adjacent Government outlines the latest developments…

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Poland’s Agriculture Minister Marek Sawicki hassaid that both the EU health commissioner,Vytenis Andriukaitis, and the farmcommissioner, Phil Hogan, said they didn’tgive a green light for bilateral deals withRussia. Britain, Germany, and the Baltic statesare backing the Polish stance, demandingthat the EU retains its solidarity.

Aside from the current political fighting,Minister Sawicki continues to fight for therights (and payments) for Polish agriculture.Looking ahead to the financial perspectiveto 2020, funds are likely to be similar towhat has been spent so far. The Rural AreasDevelopment Programme will have aconsistent system of payments, which hasbeen focussed on active farmers, so that the

highest number of family-owned farms willbe able to become permanently bound withthe market and at the same time, gainfinancial stability. This should allow for thefurther development of Polish, and Europeanagriculture. The demand for food will grow,as will high quality food. With around 30% ofPolish agricultural production exported,Poland will still be looking for new targetmarkets – the Russian embargo introduced in2014 confirming this approach as a necessity.

Adjacent Governmenteditorial@adjacentgovernment.co.ukwww.adjacentgovernment.co.uk

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The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiologyand Nutrition (KIAP&N) of the Polish Academyof Sciences in Jablonna (Poland) is one of theleading research centres whose mission is toconduct fundamental and applied researchin the fields of farm animal nutrition andphysiology.

The studies related to animal nutritionencompass the metabolism and utilisation ofnutrients and biologically active substancesfrom feeds, the improvement of the health-promoting qualities of poultry, pork, and lambmeat, as well as the symbiotic microorganismscolonising various sections of the digestive tract.

The main research areas of animal physiologyare related to the central mechanisms regulatinggrowth, maturation, and reproduction ofanimals as well as the development of thestructure and function of the digestive tract.

Studies are carried out by 35 researcherssupported by technical staff, working in fivedepartments and two interdepartmentallaboratories: Department of MonogastricNutrition, Department of Ruminant Physiologyof Nutrition, Department of Protein and EnergyMetabolism, Department of Endocrinologyand Department of Neuroendocrinology, aswell as in the Laboratory of Chemistry andLaboratory of Molecular Biology.

To produce healthy pork and poultryThe Department of Monogastric Nutritionspecialises in conducting research on thephysiology of nutrition of pigs and poultry(broiler chickens in particular). One line ofresearch focuses on improving feedingrecommendations, while others investigatethe influence of nutritional factors on thedevelopment of the gastrointestinal tract,nutrient digestibility and metabolism.

Animal nutrition in thecompany of physiology

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Animal houses

Administration and Laboratory building

For pigs, particularly for weaned piglets,changes in the composition, form, and qualityof feedstuffs may cause health problems andinhibit their growth. Morphological andfunctional changes in the digestive tract canbe modulated by bioactive compoundspresent in feedstuffs or added to the diet.In addition to changes in morphology, a veryimportant issue is microbial activity, mostlyin the large intestine. Species composition,as well as the number of microbes, influencesnot only fermentation of nutrients reachingthe caecum and colon, but also creates theenvironment for the digesta. Recent investigationshave concerned the influence of varioustypes of protein, differing in their digestibilityin the small intestine, fed with indigestiblecarbohydrates (resistant starch, pectin, cellulose)on fermentation processes in the largeintestine, and their role in digestive tractdevelopment. It has been found that theeffect of protein type on microbial activity inthe large intestine is modified by the type ofcarbohydrate in the diet and that this shouldbe taken into account during formulation ofdiets for pigs. In other research connectedwith digestive tract development and microbialactivity, the possibility of using inulin-typefructans from chicory roots or Jerusalemartichoke as feed additives was examined.In piglets and chickens, some beneficialresults that depended on the degree of fructan

polymerisation were observed. Dietarysupplementation with inulin and a probioticpreparation also had a beneficial effect.

Broiler chickensOne important topic is the improvement ofthe functional properties of broiler chickenmeat. Excess saturated fatty acids and a highproportion of n-6 to n-3 unsaturated fatty acidsin human diets can promote many diseasesof civilisation, such as cardiovascular disease,obesity, cancer, and diabetes. Numerousresearch has been conducted to increase thedeposition of polyunsaturated fatty acids,particularly from the n-3 family, in pigs andpoultry. This can be achieved by using varioussources of unsaturated fatty acids, includingfish oil, linseed oil, and rapeseed oil indifferent combinations and fed them atdifferent times before slaughter. In parallel, asupplementation with natural antioxidants isnecessary. It was found that rapeseed and fishoil can be used for the modification of fattyacid composition in broiler meat. The meatand fat of broilers fed diets with rapeseed,linseed, and fish oil can be considered high inn-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, but the dietarylevel of fish oil should not exceed 1% to avoiddeterioration of the sensory characteristicsof animal products. Increased levels ofunsaturated fatty acids in the diet, and finallyin the meat and fat of broiler products,

The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition

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Scanning carcass composition Broiler chickens

requires supplementation with vitamin Eand selenium to counteract oxidative stressand to increase the stability of these acidsduring frozen storage.

Protein sourcesSince the use of feeds derived from thegenetically modified (GM) plants is stronglycriticised in Poland, we investigated thepossibility of adverse effects of their use inbroiler feed mixtures. The use of GM soybeanmeal and maize in broiler diets did not affectperformance or immunological status, intestinalmorphology, epithelial cell turnover rate in thesmall intestine, intestinal ecosystem compositionand activity. However, Clostridia in birds fedGM soybean meal were more resistant tokanamycin compared with conventionalsoybean meal.

Also the effects of using locally producedplant protein sources as an alternative toGM soybean meal were evaluated. Amongothers, different varieties of pea and lupineseeds, raw or processed, as well as rapeseedproducts were used in pig and broiler dietssupplemented with enzymes or probiotics.It was found that partial replacement ofsoybean meal by protein from differentlegumes or rapeseed products in diets forgrowing pigs and broiler chickens is possiblewithout adverse effect on feed utilisation

and digestive tract physiology. The totalelimination of soybean meal from broilerdiets is possible only with a complementarydose of potato protein concentrate.

Health-promoting compounds in ruminantsRecent studies show that omega-3polyunsaturated fatty acids (Ω-3 PUFA)reduce inflammation and can help lower therisk of chronic diseases such as heart disease,arthritis, and cancer. Ω-3 PUFA are highlyconcentrated in the brain and appear to beimportant for cognitive (brain memory andperformance) and behavioral function.Infants who do not get enough Ω-3 PUFAfrom their mothers during pregnancy are atrisk for developing vision and nerve problems.Symptoms of Ω-3 PUFA deficiency includefatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heartproblems, mood swings or depression, andpoor circulation. On the other hand, most Ω-6 PUFA tend to promote inflammation.Unfortunately, the typical western diet tendsto contain a high level of saturated fatty acidsas well as 14–25 times more Ω-6 PUFA thanΩ-3 PUFA, which many nutritionally orientedphysicians consider to be much too high onthe Ω-6 side.

The current studies are focused on themetabolism of amino acids (especially essentialamino acids), Ω-3 PUFA, and CLA isomers in

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Piggery with laboratories HPLC analysis devices

both the ruminal fluid and livestock carcasses,using in vivo and in vitro techniques. It wasshown that dietary selenium (Se), plant andfish oils positively modify the profile ofhealth-promoting fatty acids, as well as reducethe level of harmful oxidized species in theedible parts of carcasses of farm animals.Moreover, the optimal health-promotinglevels of lycopene and different chemicalforms of Se added to the diets of farm animalshave been established; this is importantinformation for nutritionists carrying outinvestigations to improve the nutritive valueof food for human health. The studies onlaboratory animals also revealed that dietaryCLA isomers reduced the content of fattyacids and stimulated the accumulation ofamino acids (and thus proteins), especiallyessential amino acids, in the muscles ofmonogastric animals. Finding that selenateand some selected CLA isomers fed tomonogastric animals considerably increasethe level of Se, Zn, CLA isomers, non-CLAfatty acids containing double bonds(anabolites of dietary and endogenic CLAisomers) and other PUFA in the muscles oflaboratory animals is valuable informationfor physiologists.

Gastrointestinal tract development inpig’s neonatesThe development of the mammalian

gastrointestinal tract is a complex processthat starts prenatally and ends in the earlypostnatal period. It involves tissue growthcombined with cells differentiation and thedevelopment of digestive functions, whichleads to irreversible gut maturation. Anydisruption in this process may generateserious consequences for the neonate, whichoften causes high mortality in suckling piglets.

Studies on the maturation and functioningof the gastrointestinal tract in newbornpiglets are part of research conducted inthe Department of Endocrinology. Theinvestigations concern bioactive colostrumand milk compounds, i.e. hormones, growthfactors and cytokines, which may affect gutmaturation as well as motor functions of thesmall intestines on both in vitro and in vivomodels. The researchers established theunique animal model that enables nursingand rearing of neonatal piglets in controlledlaboratory conditions. Studies in newbornpigs have an impact not only on progress inthese animals breeding, but to a large extentcan be transferred to the man. Especially theearly-born piglets may be regarded as theonly model for premature babies.

Current research focuses on nutritionalprogramming, a phenomenon based onepidemiological and animal model studies

The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition

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Chromatographic analysis Piglets in the lab

which have shown that development andgrowth during the early life period is markedlyinfluenced by maternal health and dietcomposition. It is suggested that maternaldiet influences the metabolic status andplays a crucial role in the development ofmetabolic functions in offspring and theirrisk of metabolic diseases in adulthood.

Central regulatory mechanismsA number of experimental techniques havebeen developed in the Department ofNeuroendocrinology that make it possibleto conduct experiments in vivo at the levelof the central nervous system (CNS). The stereotactic equipment conforming tothe atlases of the rat and sheep brainsenables precise implantation of cannulas intothe brain ventricles or chosen hypothalamicnuclei. Currently conducted studies addressa wide range of topics especially related todifferent hypothalamic-pituitary axes.

One of the investigations is focusing onthe relationship between the functional stateof GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus andthe expression of genes in gonadotrophs inthe anterior lobe of the pituitary gland.Analysis is based on changes in the activityof intracellular systems responsible forregulating the expression of genes determiningthe activity of promoters of gonadotropin

subunits and of the gonadotrope GnRHreceptor gene.

A further area of study deals with thecharacteristics of the Cu-GnRH complexactivity. This unique analogue of gonadoliberinis characterised by specific parameters ofintracellular activity, including increasedresistance to enzymatic degradation, as wellas the ability to activate different signalingpathways in pituitary gonadotropes. Due topotential use of the Cu-GnRH complex intreatment of GnRH-gonadotropin dysfunctions,it is particularly important to conduct acomprehensive study of this molecule’sactivity in gonadotropes.

Other research addresses the effect ofimmunological stress caused by bacterialand viral infections on the function of theGnRH/LH gonadotropic axis. Consequencesof stress of this type include disorders of theovulatory cycle, or even complete infertility.The focus of these studies is elucidation ofthe interactions between the reproductiveand immune systems, which are specific foreach level of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. The results of these studiessuggest that the hypothalamus – a structureintegrating the functioning of the nervous,hormonal and immune system – plays a keyrole in the inhibitory action of immunological

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DNA isolation Hamilton pipetting robot

stress on reproductive function. Duringinflammation various mediators likeinterleukins and cytokines are activated inthe CNS. These factors evoke changes inthe secretion of GnRH/LH either directly viatheir own receptors or indirectly throughintermediate regulatory neurons.

Another investigation studies the centralmechanisms regulating the secretory activityof the pituitary during lactation. Thedevelopment of the maternal behaviour,production and secretion of milk, reductionof responsiveness to stress, and the inhibitionof reproductive activity are some of thehormonally regulated aspects of the adaptationof a lactating female. Our key achievement inunderstanding the regulation of theseprocesses was the identification of salsolinolin the sheep hypothalamus and determinationof changes in its secretion in response tosuckling. Using the sheep model we showedthat salsolinol has stimulatory properties inrelation to prolactin and oxytocin, hormonesstrictly related to lactation, and that there is arelationship between the activity of endogenousopioid peptides and the synthesis of salsolinolin the hypothalamus. It is suggested thatsalsolinol may be an important terminalelement in the sucking stimulus, encouragingthe release of prolactin and oxytocin andmaking it possible to sustain increased

secretion of both hormones during lactation.The latest data also shows that salsolinolparticipates in inhibiting the reaction of thecorticotropic system to stressors, whichwould associate this molecule with themechanism responsible for reducing thesensitivity of lactating mothers to stress.

Journal of Animal and Feed SciencesThe KIAP&N publishes its own quarterlyinternational scientific journal, The Journal ofAnimal and Feed Sciences, in which originalpapers on basic and applied research inthe field of animal breeding and genetics,physiology of nutrition, animal feeding,feed technology and food preservation arepublished.

The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition

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Tissue processing

Scientific journal published by the KIAP&N

Slices of the ovine hypothalamus (brain)

Professor Tomasz MisztalDirector

The Kielanowski Institute of AnimalPhysiology and NutritionPolish Academy of Sciences Tel: +48 22 7653301Email: ofice@ifzz.plWeb: www.ifzz.pl