In recent years a growing demand for ratite meat, including ostrich, emu, and rhea has been observed all over the world. However, consumers as well as the meat industry still have limited and scattered knowledge about this type of meat, especially in the case of emu and rhea. Thus, the aim of the present review is to provide information on technological and nutritional properties of ostrich, emu, and rhea meat, including carcass composition and yields, physicochemical characteristics, and nutritive value. Carcass yields and composition among ratites are comparable, with the exception of higher content of fat in emu. Ostrich, emu, and rhea meat is darker than beef and ratite meat acidification is closer to beef than to poultry. Ratite meat can be recognised as a dietetic product mainly because of its low level of fat, high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), favourable n6/n3 ratio, and high iron content in comparison with beef and chicken meat. Ratite meat is also rich in selenium, copper, vitamin B, and biologically active peptides such as creatine (emu) and anserine (ostrich), and has low content of sodium (ostrich). The abundance of bioactive compounds e.g. PUFA, makes ratite meat highly susceptible to oxidation and requires research concerning elaboration of innovative, intelligent packaging system for protection of nutritional and technological properties of this meat.

Although low plasma taurine concentrations have been associated with congestive cardiomyopathy in cats, the cause of taurine depletion in cats consuming adequate quantities of taurine is unknown. Taurine depletion and cardiovascular disease (cardiomyopathy and thromboembolism) developed unexpectedly in 3 of 6 healthy adult cats during a potassium-depletion study. Plasma taurine concentration decreased significantly (P < 0.05) and rapidly over an 8-week period (from 98 to 36 nmol/ml) in 6 cats that consumed a potassium-deficient diet (0.20% potassium, dry matter basis) that was acidified with 0.8% ammonium chloride, despite containing dietary taurine concentrations (0.12% dry matter basis) in excess of amounts currently recommended. Taurine concentrations were significantly lower in cats fed the acidified diet than in 6 cats fed a potassium-deficient diet that was not acidified (36 nmol/ml vs 75 nmol/ml) after 8 weeks. In addition, plasma taurine concentrations did not decrease over a 6-month period in 8 cats that were fed a potassium-replete diet with acidifier. Plasma taurine concentrations were lowest in 3 cats that died of cardiovascular disease in the group receiving potassium-deficient, acidified diets. These data indicated an association between taurine and potassium balance in cats and suggested that development of taurine depletion and cardiovascular disease may be linked to concurrent potassium depletion.

Objective: To evaluate 4 methods used to measure plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF) 1 concentrations in healthy cats and cats with diabetes mellitus or other diseases. Animals: 39 healthy cats, 7 cats with diabetes mellitus, and 33 cats with other diseases. Procedures: 4 assays preceded by different sample preparation methods were evaluated, including acid chromatography followed by radioimmunoassay (AC-RIA), acid-ethanol extraction followed by immunoradiometry assay (AEE-IRMA), acidification followed by immunochemiluminescence assay (A-ICMA), and IGF-2 excess followed by RIA (IE-RIA). Validation of the methods included determination of precision, accuracy, and recovery. The concentration of IGF-1 was measured with all methods, and results were compared among cat groups. Results: The intra-assay coefficient of variation was < 10% for AC-RIA, A-ICMA, and AEE-IRMA and 14% to 22% for IE-RIA. The linearity of dilution was close to 1 for each method. Recovery rates ranged from 69% to 119%. Five healthy cats had IGF-1 concentrations > 1,000 ng/mLwith the AEE-IRMA, but < 1,000 ng/mL with the other methods. Compared with healthy cats, hyperthyroid cats had significantly higher concentrations of IGF-1 with the A-ICMA method, but lower concentrations with the IE-RIA method. Cats with lymphoma had lower IGF-1 concentrations than did healthy cats regardless of the method used. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Differences in the methodologies of assays for IGF-1 may explain, at least in part, the conflicting results previously reported in diabetic cats. Disorders such as hyperthyroidism and lymphoma affected IGF-1 concentrations, making interpretation of results more difficult if these conditions are present in cats with diabetes mellitus.

Experimental evidence indicates that maintenance of urinary pH less than or equal to 6.4 is the single most effective means of preventing feline struvite crystalluria or urolithiasis of noninfectious causes. This may be accomplished by dietary acidification, but must be moderated to avoid potential adverse effects of excessive acidification, including bone demineralization, negative calcium balance, potassium depletion, and renal disease. Effects of chronic dietary phosphoric acid supplementation on acid-base balance and on mineral and bone metabolism were investigated in adult, domestic cats. One group of 6 cats was fed a basal, naturally acidifying diet without added acidifiers, and another group of 6 cats was fed 1.7% dietary phosphoric acid. Changes observed during 12 months of study included development of noncompensated metabolic acidosis, increased urinary calcium excretion, and lower but positive calcium balance in cats of both groups. Urinary pH decreased in cats of both groups, but was significantly (P < 0.05) and consistently maintained less than or equal to 6.4 in cats given dietary phosphoric acid. Urinary phosphorus excretion increased in cats of both groups, but was significantly (P < 0.05) greater in phosphoric acid-supplemented cats, leading to lower overall phosphorus balance as well. Potassium balance decreased in cats of both groups, but was only transiently negative in the phosphoric acid-supplemented cats midway through the study, and normalized at positive values thereafter. Plasma taurine concentration was not affected by dietary acidification, and remained well within the acceptable reference range for taurine metabolism. Double labeling of bone in vivo with fluorescent markers was followed by bone biopsy and histomorphometric measurement of several static and dynamic variables of bone formation. Overall indices of bone formation decreased in cats of both groups with age and confinement, but were not affected by dietary phosphoric acid supplementation. Dietary supplementation with phosphoric acid used as the principal inorganic P source to achieve moderate and stable degree of urinary acidification, did not appear over the course of 1 year, to have induced adverse effects on mineral, bone, or taurine balance in these adult domestic cats.

A functional assay for equine plasminogen was established, using urokinase as the activator, a synthetic chromogenic substrate, a computer-assisted centrifugal analyzer, and acidified/neutralized plasma. One documented effect of plasma acidification appears to be inactivation of alpha-2-antiplasmin. Intra- and interassay precision testing yielded coefficients of variation of 4.1% (n = 10) and 5.6% (n = 26), respectively. Plasminogen was stable in equine plasma stored up to 1 week at 4 C and up to 5 months at -70 C. Plasminogen in nonacidified equine plasma was not activated by urokinase, streptokinase, tissue plasminogen activator, or tissue plasminogen activator plus soluble fibrin. Streptokinase also failed to activate plasminogen in acidified/neutralized equine plasma.

Objective: This work investigated the impact of acidified turmeric on growth, blood profile, and gut bacterial counts of broiler chickens stocked in an overcrowding stress condition. Materials and Methods: A total of 285 14-day-old Lohmann broiler strains were distributed to T0 (chicks receiving basal feed raised at a density of 9 chicks/m2), T1 (chicks receiving basal feed raised at 16 chicks/m2), T2 (chicks receiving 1% turmeric powder raised at 16 chicks/m2), and T3 (chicks receiving 1% acidified turmeric powder raised at 16 chicks/m2). Body weight and feed intake were determined weekly. On day 37, blood and intestinal content were collected and analyzed. Results: Body weight was higher while feed conversion ratio was lower in T0 than in other groups. Compared to T0, T1 had a lower thymus weight. Erythrocytes and hematocrits were greater in T0 than in T2 and T3. Hemoglobin was higher in T0 than in T3. Serum superoxide dismutase differed as T0 < T1 < T2. Ileal coliform was higher in T0 than in T1 and T3. Lactic acid bacteria counts were higher in T0 and T1 than in T2 and T3. Conclusions: Acidified turmeric was capable of maintaining the relative weight of the immune organ and ameliorating the oxidative stress of the broiler during overcrowding stress. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2022; 9(1.000): 87-94]