Special Issue "Environment, Food Production, Health and Welfare Challenges in the Nutrition of Ruminants"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Adam Cieślak
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Nutrition, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolyńska 33, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Interests: ruminant nutrition; rumen microbiology; microbiology in environmental protection; quality of ruminant products
Dr. Amlan Kumar Patra
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Nutrition, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Belgachia, Kolkata, India
Interests: ruminant nutrition; rumen microbiology; poultry nutrition; nutritional modeling and meta-analysis; livestock and environment; gut barrier function; phytochemicals; heavy metal toxicity
Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Szumacher-Strabel
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Management, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
Interests: ruminant nutrition; rumen microbiology; microbiology in environmental protection; quality of ruminant products
Dr. Zora Váradyová
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Animal Physiology, Centre of Biosciences of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovak Republic
Interests: ruminant nutrition; rumen physiology and microbiology; gastro-intestinal fermentation; herbal nutraceuticals; alternative therapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

World human population is projected to become 9.5 billion by 2050. As a consequence of increasing human population and pattern of animal protein consumption, the global production of dairy products and beef is also projected to rise significantly. Also, increasing consumers’ awareness for healthy foods with low carbon prints produced from ethically reared animals needs remodelling of current ruminant production. These are real challenging in future food production system because these issues are inherently correlated. Ruminant nutrition plays an essential role in fulfilling the demands of ruminant derived healthy foods. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain high welfare standards. Ruminant nutrition and feeding also need to be ethically defensible and socially acceptable. Among the challenges of ruminant nutrition facing in the coming years are: risk of protein deficit (hence ruminants compete with human in protein consumption), ruminal health, over-production stress and its consequences on overall health, the danger of greenhouse gas emission and environmental pollution, increased water consumption and others.

Original manuscripts that address any aspects of ruminant nutrition mentioned above are invited for this special issue. Topics of special interest are how nutrition relates to environment status, food production, animal health and welfare.

Dr. Adam Cieślak
Dr. Amlan Kumar Patra
Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Szumacher-Strabel
Dr. Zora Váradyová
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 papers will be 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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1800 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

  • ruminant nutrition
  • ruminal microbiology
  • greenhouse gas emissions
  • protein deficit
  • nitrogen and phosphorus excretion
  • healthy ruminant foods
  • ruminant welfare
  • gut health
  • alternative therapy

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Article
Effect of Slow-Release Urea Administration on Production Performance, Health Status, Diet Digestibility, and Environmental Sustainability in Lactating Dairy Cows
Animals 2021, 11(8), 2405; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082405 - 14 Aug 2021
Viewed by 445
Abstract
The effects of partially replacing soybean meal (SBM) with a slow-release urea source (SRU) on production performance, feed efficiency, digestibility, and environmental sustainability of dairy cows were evaluated. A total of 140 lactating Holstein Frisian cows were allocated into two study groups: (i) [...] Read more.
The effects of partially replacing soybean meal (SBM) with a slow-release urea source (SRU) on production performance, feed efficiency, digestibility, and environmental sustainability of dairy cows were evaluated. A total of 140 lactating Holstein Frisian cows were allocated into two study groups: (i) control (diet entirely based on SBM), and (ii) treatment (diet of 0.22% on dry matter basis (d.m.)) of SRU. Milk yield, dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion rate (FCR), body condition score (BCS), reproductive parameters, and milk quality were evaluated. The chemical composition of the feeds and feces were analyzed to calculate the in vivo digestibility of the two diets. The carbon footprint (CFP) and predicted methane (CH4) emissions were evaluated. The inclusion of SRU significantly increases milk yield, DMI, and FCR (p < 0.0001), whereas milk quality, BCS, and reproductive indicators were not affected (p > 0.05). In the treatment group, the digestibility of crude protein (CP) (p = 0.012), NDF (p = 0.039), and cellulose (p = 0.033) was significantly higher, while the other nutritional parameters weren’t affected. All the environmental parameters were significantly improved in the treatment group (p < 0.0001). Replacing SBM with SRU can be a strategy to enhance dairy cows’ sustainability due to improved production efficiency, reduced feed CFP, and predicted CH4 production. Full article
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Article
Effects of Medicinal Plants and Organic Selenium against Ovine Haemonchosis
Animals 2021, 11(5), 1319; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051319 - 05 May 2021
Viewed by 493
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of traditional medicinal plants typical to Central Europe as well as organic selenium on increasing the resistance of lambs to gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection with Haemonchus contortus. 21 female lambs were infected with [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of traditional medicinal plants typical to Central Europe as well as organic selenium on increasing the resistance of lambs to gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection with Haemonchus contortus. 21 female lambs were infected with third-stage larvae of H. contortus on the day (D) 0 and re-infected on D49 and D77. The animals were divided into three groups based on a treatment diet: a basal diet (control), a diet enriched with dry plants (Herbmix), and a diet enriched with selenized yeast (Selplex). The number of eggs per gram (EPG) of feces was quantified on D21, D28, D35, D42, D49, D56, D63, D70, D77, D84, D91, D98, D105, D112, and D119. The mean reductions in EPG on D28 were 43.4 and 28.6% for Selplex and Herbmix, respectively. The reduction in egg output was nearly uniform throughout the experiment for Selplex. However, for Herbmix the mean reduction was only 19.8% up to D91 and 46.1% after D91. Glutathione peroxidase activity in the blood from D35 to D98 was two to three-fold higher for Selplex than the other groups. Both supplements slowed the dynamics of GIN infection and gradually increased the resistance of lambs against ovine haemonchosis. Full article
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Article
Effect of Artemisia absinthium and Malva sylvestris on Antioxidant Parameters and Abomasal Histopathology in Lambs Experimentally Infected with Haemonchus contortus
Animals 2021, 11(2), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020462 - 09 Feb 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 752
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of Artemisia absinthium and Malva sylvestris on antioxidant response and histopathological changes in the abomasa of the Haemonchus contortus infected lambs. Twenty-four lambs were divided into four groups: unsupplemented lambs (UNS), lambs supplemented with A. absinthium (ART), lambs [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the effect of Artemisia absinthium and Malva sylvestris on antioxidant response and histopathological changes in the abomasa of the Haemonchus contortus infected lambs. Twenty-four lambs were divided into four groups: unsupplemented lambs (UNS), lambs supplemented with A. absinthium (ART), lambs supplemented with M. sylvestris (MAL), and lambs supplemented with both plants (ARTMAL). Lambs were infected orally with approximately 5000 third-stage (L3) larvae of H. contortus. The experiment was conducted for 75 d (days), all animals were then slaughtered, and the abomasal tissues were examined for antioxidant parameters and histopathology. The concentration of malondialdehyde in the abomasal mucosa was lower in ARTMAL (p < 0.05), and the total antioxidant capacity was higher in MAL (p < 0.05), than in UNS. Increased mucus production was observed in the ARTMAL. The number of mast cells in UNS and ART was significantly higher than the number in MAL (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). Plasma cell numbers were higher in ARTMAL than the number in MAL (p < 0.05). Abomasal tissue regenerated more frequently in ARTMAL. These results represent the first report of the impact of A. absinthium and M. sylvestris on antioxidant parameters and local immune responses of abomasal mucosa of lambs infected with a GIN parasite. Full article
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Article
Effects of Dietary N-Carbamylglutamate on Growth Performance, Apparent Digestibility, Nitrogen Metabolism and Plasma Metabolites of Fattening Holstein Bulls
Animals 2021, 11(1), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010126 - 08 Jan 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 631
Abstract
N-carbamylglutamate (NCG), a structural analog of N-acetylglutamate, improves nitrogen utilization in dairy cows. However, the effects of NCG on bulls are unknown. The purpose of the current research was to investigate the effects of adding different amounts of NCG on growth [...] Read more.
N-carbamylglutamate (NCG), a structural analog of N-acetylglutamate, improves nitrogen utilization in dairy cows. However, the effects of NCG on bulls are unknown. The purpose of the current research was to investigate the effects of adding different amounts of NCG on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen metabolism and plasma metabolites of fattening Holstein bulls. Twenty-four Holstein bulls with similar body weights (BW, 408 ± 21.9 kg) and ages (450 ± 6.1 d; all mean ± SD) were selected for the feeding trial. After 2 weeks of adaptation, bulls were blocked by BW and age and subsequently randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) CON group (control diet), (2) L group (supplementation with 20 mg/kg BW NCG), (3) M group (supplementation with 40 mg/kg BW NCG), or (4) H group (supplementation with 80 mg/kg BW NCG). The addition of NCG linearly and quadratically increased the average daily gain (CON vs. L vs. M vs. H = 1.03 vs. 1.19 vs. 1.40 vs. 1.26 kg/d) (p < 0.05), feed conversion ratio (CON vs. L vs. M vs. H = 11.92 vs. 9.22 vs. 7.76 vs. 8.62) (p < 0.05), crude protein digestibility (CON vs. L vs. M vs. H = 64.3 vs. 63.8 vs. 67.7 vs. 65.8%) (0.05 < p < 0.10), N retention (p < 0.05) and N utilization (p < 0.05) of bulls, whereas the contents of fecal N (0.05 < p < 0.10) and urinary N (0.05 < p < 0.10) in NCG-fed bulls linearly decreased compared with those in CON bulls. Bulls fed NCG showed a quadratic increased plasma nitric oxide (p < 0.05) concentration. Furthermore, Arg (p < 0.05), Ile (p < 0.05), Val (p < 0.05), Ala (p < 0.05), Glu (p < 0.05), Ser (p < 0.05), total essential amino acid (p < 0.05) and total nonessential amino acid (p < 0.05) concentrations linearly and quadratically increased with increasing doses of NCG. In contrast, plasma urea (p < 0.05) and ammonia (p < 0.05) concentration linearly and quadratically decreased with increasing doses of NCG. Overall, the addition of NCG increased plasma Arg, Ile, Val, TEAA and TNEAA concentration, which in turn resulted in a higher N utilization and, therefore, higher average daily gain in NCG-fed bulls, providing baseline data for the widespread application of NCG in beef cattle production. Full article
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