Natural Feed Additives in Livestock Nutrition
A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 3
Special Issue Editors
Interests: antioxidants; bioavailability of plant active compounds; agro-industrial by-products; sustainability; feed and food quality analysis; functional foods; extraction/purification technologies; chromatographic methods; plant extracts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: oxidative stability of foods; food design; natural antioxidants and mechanisms of action; lipid peroxidation; food shelf life; in vivo and in vitro methods for antioxidant activity and bioavailability assessment; extraction methods; isolation of plant active compounds; waste valorization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The growing interest in sustainable livestock production has led to increased research on novel feed additives derived from natural and alternative resources, particularly plant-based by-products from the agri-food industry. Their valorization as feed additives contributes not only to waste reduction but also to the development of functional feeds capable of improving animal health, performance, and the quality of animal-derived products. Increasing attention is therefore directed toward the nutritional characterization, bioaccessibility, digestibility, and biological effects of such innovative additives in livestock nutrition.
This Special Issue aims to publish high-quality original research articles and reviews addressing recent advances, innovative approaches, and practical implications of new feed additives in livestock nutrition. To this end, principal topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Valorization of plant-based agri-food by-products (fruits, vegetables, and other vegetal residues) as sustainable feed additives, supporting circular economy principles and resource efficiency.
- Nutritional, chemical, and functional characterization of novel feed additives, with particular emphasis on antioxidant capacity and bioactive compound profiles.
- In vitro evaluation of nutrient bioaccessibility and digestive stability, using simulated gastrointestinal models to assess the release and availability of key nutrients and bioactive compounds.
- In vivo digestibility studies and nutrient utilization assessment in livestock species, including effects on feed efficiency and metabolic responses.
- Effects of innovative feed additives on animal health and physiological status, focusing on oxidative balance, gut functionality, immune modulation, and productive performance.
- Impact of functional feed additives on the quality of animal-derived products, including nutritional value, shelf life, oxidative stability, and sensory attributes of meat, milk, and eggs.
- Technological processing of agri-food by-products (fermentation, enzymatic treatments, extrusion) to improve nutritional value, safety, and bioavailability of nutrients and bioactive compounds.
- Interactions between novel feed additives and the gut microbiota, including modulation of microbial diversity, short-chain fatty acid production, and implications for animal health and performance.
- Use of phytogenic feed additives as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters, with emphasis on antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects.
- Omics-based approaches (metabolomics, proteomics, transcriptomics) to elucidate mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds in livestock nutrition.
Dr. Iulia Varzaru
Dr. Arabela Elena Untea
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- livestock nutrition
- agri-food by-products
- bioactive compounds
- functional feeds
- nutrient bioaccessibility
- digestibility
- quality of animal-derived products
- gut microbiota
- oxidative stress
- animal health
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