study the use of feed additives in swine diets and their effects on pig performance
(productivity, reproduction, development)
Activitatea stiintifica/Science activity
An Animal nutritionist is a person who specializes in the dietary needs of
agricultural animals. Their job sites include farms, laboratories, classrooms and
commercial-based marketing for foods. Animal nutrition is a science combining
chemistry, physics, biochemistry, mathematics, animal behavior, economics, food
processing and animal production techniques.
A Science in agricultural, biological or related life sciences is usually required. A
typical course would study metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals,
vitamins and water, and the relationship of these nutrients and animal production.
The Ph.D. program in Animal nutrition at the Agrarian State University of
Moldova provides the breadth and depth of knowledge and the basic and applied
laboratory and field-based research skills of students.
Typical applications of the knowledge gained during the Ph.D. degree include the
research-based improvement:
Evaluating the chemical and nutritional value of various animal feeds, feed
supplements, grass and forage for livestock and birds
Nutritional disorders and the preservation of feeds
Diet formulation and ration size
Diets for performance and health
Diets for reproduction of animals
Economics of feeding systems
Dietary regimes
Animal studies and laboratory trials
Quality control and performance of feeds
Investigating nutritional disorders and diet related diseases.
Prepares the student to understand and to critically analyze the current literature,
to develop research hypotheses, to design hypothesis-based experimental research.
Participation in scientific symposium, writing scientific papers, scientific
experiments in nutrition pigs
Activitatea de cercetare/Research activity
Swine
Swine are sensitive to mycotoxins, especially nursing or nursery-age swine. In
general, mycotoxins cause reductions in feed intake, growth performance, and immune
function when levels are relatively low. Producers must be aware that if one toxin is
identified in a sample, the chances are high that other toxins are present. Some toxins
may not have been identified as of yet, but research on known mycotoxins provides
insight into the expected effects in swine and potential methods to reduce those effects.
Mycotoxins can cause a wide variety of negative impacts on animal health,
depending among various other factors on their nature and concentration.
Favorable research results have been seen when adsorbent materials, such as clays
(bentonites), are added to mycotoxin-contaminated diets of rats, poultry, swine, and
cattle. Adsorbent materials bind some mycotoxins, reducing their availability to the
animal. Research as shown that adsorbents, added to diets containing aflatoxin,
significantly reduce aflatoxin residues in milk. Feed additives are products used in animal
nutrition for purposes of improving the quality of feed and the quality of food from
animal origin, or to improve the animals’ performance and health, e.g. providing
enhanced digestibility of the feed materials. Feed additives may not be put on the market
unless authorisation has been given following a scientific evaluation demonstrating that
the additive has no harmful effects, on human and animal health and on the environment.
Domeniul ştiinţific de cercetare/The scientific field of research
The studies performed using breeding young pigs in the conditions of the
enterprise “Moldsuingibrid” specializing in pig selection and hybridization. To carry out
the scientific and economic trial on the principle of analogy, taking into account the
breed, age, sex, body weight, and growth energy, 40 breeding pigs selected, which were
then divided into four groups (LC- control and LE1, LE2, LE3-experimental groups).
The aim of the trial was to study the effectiveness of the introduction into the
main fodder of additives with different levels of the preparation in the fodder for piglets.
It was found out that the addition of the preparation to the mixed fodder for growing pigs
had, in general, a positive effect on the dynamics of the live weight of the piglets.
Determining faecal digestible energy
In faecal - DE value is determined with pigs kept in metabolism cages. Over the first 10
to 14 days, the pigs are allowed to adjust to the test diets, then over the next five to seven
days, the feed intake is kept constant and the faeces produced during this period are
collected. At the end of the collection period, the faeces are mixed, sampled and
analysed. The feed is also analysed and its DE food is calculated.
Direcţie de cercetare în cadrul departamentului/Direction of research within the
department
Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology provides animal nutrition and feed technology
i.e., biochemical and physiological basis of protein, energy, mineral and vitamin
metabolism, nutritional effects and performance criteria, nutritional quality, safety and
toxicity of feedstuffs, aspects of practical animal feeding, production, processing and
preservation of feedstuffs covering farm, pet, wild and aquatic animals.
Selection animals. Modern methods of animal selection are inseparably connected with
recent achievements in the fields of quantitative and population genetics. Selection is
based on the planned utilization of genetic variation inherent in all living creatures. An
understanding of the nature of genetic variation and the laws by which it is governed is
indispensable for the formulation of an effective programme of selection work.
Great discoveries of science in UK/USA
Numerous important discoveries in swine nutrition have been made by animal scientists
during the past century and many have shaped where we are today.
Several sources were used to help identify important areas of discovery in swine nutrition
during the past century. Hanson (1958) prepared an excellent review of the first 50 yr of
progress in swine nutrition from 1908 to 1958. Similar reviews were prepared by Baker
and Speer (1983) on protein-amino acids, Seerley and Ewan (1983) on energy, and Miller
and Kornegay (1983) on mineral and vitamin nutrition. Other reviews were prepared by
Wahlstrom (1983) and Baker (2003).
Protein
One of the major discoveries in the first half of the past century was the recognition that
all protein sources were not the same. Certain protein sources were found to be
nutritionally superior to other sources; hence, the concept of "protein quality" was born.
An example is the early studies of Osborne and Mendel (1914) with rats and later with
pigs.
Minerals
Some of the initial discoveries in mineral nutrition in the past century involved the
identification of the roles of Ca, P, and salt for pigs. One of the early pioneers in swine
nutrition, John Evvard at Iowa State University, developed a mineral mix that was widely
used in the 1920s; it was based on salt (which he called "white gold"), and potassium
iodide (Speer, 1990). This was followed by discoveries of the roles and essentiality of the
other major minerals and the trace elements along with the establishment of their
requirements.
More studies have been conducted with swine on Ca and especially P in the past 50 yr
than for any of the other major minerals. (review by Cromwell, 2005).
Also, the deficiency Iron became increasingly important when the industry moved from
farrowing pigs in outside pens to inside quarters on concrete floors where pigs rapidly
developed Fe-deficiency anemia from not having access to the soil. The development of
injectable Fe complexes to prevent anemia occurred because of this (Barber et al., 1955;
McDonald et al., 1955; Ullrey et al., 1959). Also, studies at the University of Illinois
(Harmon et al., 1967) and elsewhere identified sources of oral iron that were highly
available (e.g., Fe sulfate, Fe ammonium citrate) and those that were poorly available (Fe
oxide) for young pigs.
The discovery that small amounts of Se were essential and that it was not simply a toxic
mineral was one of the more important discoveries of the past century (Eggert et al.,
1957). This mineral was found to be an important component of glutathione peroxidase,
an enzyme that protects against peroxidative damage to cells (Rotruck et al., 1973).
For many years, little was known about the bioavailability of many of the minerals,
especially those in commonly used feedstuffs such as cereal grains, oilseed meals, and
byproduct feeds.
Vitamins
Numerous deficiency disorders such as scurvy, beriberi, and rickets described in the
second century, but nutritional means of preventing these conditions was not discovered
until many centuries later (McDowell, 1989).
Antimicrobial Agents and Other Feed Additives
The discovery of the growth-promoting properties of antibiotics was one of the more
important discoveries of the past century. This discovery was made when researchers
were in the process of establishing the vitamin B12 activity in a fermentation media and
observed that growth rate of chicks was considerably greater than could be attributed to
the amount of vitamin B12 present in the media (Stokstad et al., 1949).
Within a few years, numerous papers were published and the advent of subtherapeutic
use of antibiotics became well established as the swine industry rapidly adopted the use
of antibiotics in diets for swine.
Certain organic acids, when added to starter diets, were discovered to improve growth in
young pigs (Kirchgessner and Roth, 1982; Giesting and Easter, 1985). Numerous
supplements that alter the microbial populations in the gut, commonly called probiotics
(e.g., Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus faecium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or
prebiotics (e.g., fructooligosaccharides) have been evaluated by many researchers, but
they have not consistently been observed to enhance growth performance of pigs
(Cromwell, 2001).
Numerous enzyme supplements have been tested in recent years and some combinations
have been shown to improve digestibility of certain types of feeds, particularly those that
are high in fiber. One of the most significant developments in the enzyme area was the
discovery and subsequent commercial production and use of phytase as a means of
reducing the amount of inorganic P supplementation needed in the diet and thus reducing
the amount of P excreted in the manure (Jongbloed et al., 1992; Cromwell et al., 1993).
Gary L. Cromwell
Professor, Swine Nutrition, Coordinator of Swine Section
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Kentucky
Swine nutrition research with emphasis in mineral bioavailability and requirements,
Amino acid requirements, evaluation of feed ingredients, and efficacy and safety of feed
additives.
Courses Taught
Swine Science and Advanced Nonruminant Nutrition
More studies have been conducted with swine on Ca and especially P in the past 50 yr
than for any of the other major minerals. (review by Cromwell, 2005).
Numerous supplements that alter the microbial populations in the gut, commonly called
probiotics (e.g., Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus faecium, Saccharomyces
cerevisiae) or prebiotics (e.g., fructooligosaccharides) (Cromwell, 2001).
One of the most significant developments in the enzyme area was the discovery and
subsequent commercial production and use of phytase as a means of reducing the amount
of inorganic P supplementation needed in the diet and thus reducing the amount of P
excreted in the manure (Jongbloed et al., 1992; Cromwell et al., 1993).
ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF MOLDOVA
The Academy of Sciences of Moldova (A.S.M.), in its role of the highest scientific
forum of the country, represents the only public institution of national interest in the
sphere of science and innovation, is a plenipotentiary coordinator of scientific and
innovation activity, scientific consultant of the public authorities of the Republic of
Moldova, has an autonomous statute and acts on the basis of self-administration
principles.
The Academy of Sciences develops its activity according to the provisions of the
Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, the Code on Science and Innovation, the
Partnership Agreement with the Government of the country, its Statute and other
legislative and normative documents.
The first President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova was Iachim Grosul,
Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of USSR, Academician of the
A.S.M., Doctor Habilitat of Historical Sciences (1961-1976), followed by Alexandru
Jucenco, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of USSR, Academician of
the A.S.M., Doctor Habilitat of Biological Sciences (1977-1989), by Andrei Andries,
Academician of the A.S.M., Doctor Habilitat of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
(1989-2004) and Gheorghe Duca, Academician of the A.S.M., Doctor Habilitat of
Chemical Sciences (beginning with 2004).
An essential new stage in the development of the Academy of Sciences, of hopes
and searches, is the period that followed after the proclamation of sovereignty (June 23,
1990) and independence (August 27, 1991) of the Republic of Moldova, due to which the
A.S.M. has become a real scientific republican forum, an institution of research, with an
adequate autonomy to solve its internal problems.
The Academy of Sciences of Moldova comprises 6 Sections of Sciences:
Economical and Mathematical; Biological, Chemical and Ecological; Physical and
Engineering; Medical; Agricultural; Humanities and Arts, brining together in its
composition Titular Members, Corresponding Members, Honorary Members, scientific
researchers, as well as R&D institutes with the statute of institutional member, profile
member and affiliated member, who works in the same field of science and innovation
sphere.
Fundamental and applied researches are performed in such fields of science as:
mathematics and informatics, theoretical physics, solid-state physics, micro-and
optoelectronics, transfer processes in magnetic fields, geophysical and geological
processes, physical and technical processes in energetics, chemistry of coordinated
compounds, bioinorganic chemistry, analytical and ecological chemistry, bioorganic
chemistry, theoretical chemistry, physiology and biochemistry, zoology, microbiology,
botany, geography, ecology, renovation and rational utilization of flora and fauna,
physiology of stress, sanocreatology, genetics, medicine, history, linguistics and
literature, philosophy, sociology, economics, political sciences, archaeology,
ethnography, art, etc.
