Natural Antioxidants in Small Ruminant Nutrition: Revolutionizing Meat and Dairy Quality
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Small Ruminants".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 55
Special Issue Editors
Interests: milk quality; dietary antioxidants; animal welfare
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: animal health and welfare; herd health management; veterinary epidemiology; One Health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The fortification of animal diets with natural antioxidants presents a promising avenue for enhancing the quality of animal-derived products, protecting them against oxidation and bacterial spoilage, and safeguarding consumer health against foodborne diseases. Natural bioactive compounds have the potential to ensure the safety and quality of animal products by serving as biopreservatives against the deterioration caused by oxidation, spoilage bacteria, and foodborne pathogens. As a result, natural bioactive compounds are being increasingly studied and consistently evaluated in small-ruminant production systems to promote animal health and welfare status, as well as improve milk and meat quality, extend their shelf life, and increase their market value, aligning with the principles of sustainable production, the green economy, and environmental protection. Dietary supplementation with natural antioxidants has, therefore, emerged as an effective strategy to enhance milk and meat quality and safety, as bioactive compounds tend to accumulate where they are most needed. Specifically, natural agents can manipulate the bacteria involved in ruminal biohydrogenation, thereby mitigating methane emissions, improving health and welfare status, reinforcing antioxidant and anti-spoilage properties, and positively influencing milk and meat quality traits in small ruminants.
This Special Issue aims to present original research and review articles that examine the effects of natural dietary antioxidants on small-ruminant milk and meat quality traits.
Dr. Panagiotis Simitzis
Dr. Athanasios I. Gelasakis
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- sheep
- goat
- meat
- milk
- natural agents
- oxidative stability
- food safety
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