Supplements and Feed Additives in Dairy Cattle Nutrition

Dear Colleagues,

Agricultural policies are designed to encourage agricultural practices that secure high yields of healthy animal products produced with less environmental impact, without negatively affecting animals, but they also must ensure environmental goals, such as minimizing the emission of greenhouse gases. Moreover, the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, a matter of global concern, has triggered a search from producers for alternative feed additives that can be used to improve animal production. Therefore, there is a growing range of feed additives, aimed for use in dairy cattle diets, that offer potential to improve feed efficiency and rumen metabolism, enhance gut health and/or reduce methane emissions. Nowadays, ‘natural’ products in various forms hold significant potential and include plant extracts, fatty acids, dietary lipids, essential oils, probiotics and condensed tannins. The aim of this Special Issue is to publish current and relevant information related to feed additives/supplements in dairy cattle nutrition. In particular, we invite original research papers and reviews that address any aspect of their use and their effect on rumen fermentation, feed efficiency, and animal health. In particular, original research papers and reviews on natural feed additives that can serve as an alternative to antibiotics and/or reduce methane emissions from dairy cattle are welcome.

Dr. Katerina Theodoridou
Dr. Jordi Ortuno Casanova
Guest Editors

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