Search Results (19)

Honeybees are some of the smallest farmed animals, and apiculture by-products, e.g., honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, and pollen contribute to animal nutrition. For the effective production of these by-products, the optimal development and nutrient supply of the honeybee is required. Beginning with the development of the mouth and anal pores on the second day of embryonic development, the digestive tract differentiates into the mouth and fore-, mid-, and hindgut during the pupal stage. The various glands within the oral cavity are particularly important, secreting enzymes and substances that are crucial for digestion and hive nutrition, e.g., invertase and royal jelly. Honeybees rely on a specialized caste system, with worker bees collecting nectar, pollen, water, and resin for the nutrition of the entire hive. Macronutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, obtained primarily from pollen and nectar, are essential for the growth and development of larvae and the overall health of the colony. Inadequate nutrient intake can lead to detrimental effects on larval development, prompting cannibalism within the hive. Apiculture by-products possess unique nutritional and therapeutic properties, leading to a growing interest in the use of honey, beeswax, propolis, and pollen as a feed additive. In recent years, the use of apicultural by-products in animal nutrition has been primarily limited to in vivo studies, which have demonstrated various positive impacts on the performance of farm animals. Honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, and pollen are listed feed stuffs according to Regulation (EC) No. 68/2013. However, for animal nutrition there is not any specific legal definition for these products and no legal requirements regarding their ingredients as given for honey or beeswax in European food law. Full article

Due to the increasing costs of livestock farming, it is important to find cost-effective alternatives of feed stuffs. This study investigated the effects of high-moisture ear corn (HMEC) feeding on the production performance, serum antioxidant capacity, immunity, and ruminal fermentation and microbiome of dairy cows. Thirty pluriparous Chinese Holstein cows were randomly allocated to two groups: steam-flaked corn (SFC) and HMEC (replacement of 2 kg equal dry matter SFC) and fed for a 60 day trial. The results showed replacing SFC with HMEC significantly increased dry matter intake, milk yield, and 4% fat-corrected milk yield (p < 0.05). Serum levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and immunoglobulins G, M, and A were significantly higher, and those of creatinine and cholesterol were significantly lower, in the HMEC group than in the SFC group (p < 0.05). HMEC also significantly increased total volatile fatty acid and acetate (p < 0.05) concentrations. In both groups, the dominant phyla of ruminal bacteria were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria, and the dominant genera were Prevotella, NK4A214-group, and Succiniclasticum. Mogibacterium, Eubacterium nodatum group, norank-f-Lachnospiraceae, and Eubacterium brachy group were significantly enriched in the ruminal fluid of HMEC-group cows (p < 0.05). In conclusion, replacing SFC with HMEC improved production performance, antioxidant capacity, and immunity, while regulating both ruminal fermentation and the composition of the ruminal microbiome in dairy cows. Full article

Using invasive plants in animal production can provide an economical and eco-sustainable competitive advantage in a globalized market. The Opuntia ficus-indica and the Agave americana L. are invasive plants historically used by Azorean farmers as an alternative ruminant water source in the summer. This study aims to better understand their properties and how they vary throughout the year, so their use to complement animal diets can be optimised. Six samples of each species were collected on the Terceira Island during 2 growth seasons: winter (January 2021) and summer (September 2021), and their chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, and gas production, were determined. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were found in all parameters between the summer and the winter, with larger variations in both fibre (NDF and ADF) and digestibility parameters found between the Opuntia and the Agave. Gas production was greater in the summer for Opuntia and in the winter for Agave. Even though the digestibility was lower in the summer, we found that both plants offer a viable ruminant feed complement in both seasons, providing a cheap and eco-sustainable alternative water source, that can be associated to dry forage and compound feeding stuff with a high crude protein content when designing ruminant diets. Full article

M. oleifera is the best known and the most utilized of the 14 known species of the genus Moringa. Moringa is used as animal fodder and a medicinal plant as well as in the purification of water. Studies have shown that the day/night temperature of 30/20 °C is the most favorable for M. oleifera germination, plant growth and development. M. oleifera plants prefer sandy, well-drained loam soils due to their susceptibility to waterlogged soil conditions. It is recommended to use fertilizers to improve plant growth and the amount of forage production in areas with low rainfall and extreme temperatures. For forage production, an area of 20 × 20 cm is adapted to 16,000 plants per hectare. Chemical analyses confirmed the presence of different groups of pharmacologically active chemical compounds, as well as functional compounds of nutritional value such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins, in M. oleifera. The reviewed literature particularly encourages the use of M. oleifera whole plants as nonconventional forage in ruminants’ nutrition, as well as using M. oleifera leaves or leaves extract as a protein source for broilers and laying hens. M. oleifera in livestock feed with the ultimate goal of producing functional food (meat, eggs and milk) with appropriate contents of human health-promoting substances such as omega-3 and organic selenium remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, M. oleifera inclusion in livestock feed has the potential to increase the shelf-life of animal products during storage and processing. Further research is needed to determine the appropriate supplementation level of different plant parts or their extracts, as well as the appropriate processing methods or treatments of M. oleifera, in order to improve its palatability and consequently enhance the production performance of livestock without compromising animal health. Full article

The present study aims to estimate the dynamic effects of moisture levels and inoculants on the fermentation quality and in vitro degradability of Stylosanthes silage. In this experiment, Stylosanthes was ensiled with (1) no additive (control), (2) Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), (3) Lactobacillus plantarum carrying heterologous genes encoding multifunctional glycoside hydrolases (xg), or (4) LP + xg and was wilted until different moisture levels (60% and 72%) were attained. The ensiled bags were unpacked after different storage periods to determine the chemical composition and fermentation quality of the Stylosanthes silage. Moreover, the in vitro degradability was also determined 45 days after the ensiling process. The results show that the silage prepared with freshly mowed Stylosanthes also had a lower pH and NH₃- N content. Adding transgenic engineered lactic acid bacteria xg not only decreased the NDF and ADF content of the silage, but also improved the in vitro digestibility significantly. We concluded that the addition of xg to Stylosanthes silage can improve its quality and increase in vitro digestibility and gas production. The results provide technical support and a theoretical basis for the utilization of warm-season forage silage. Full article

This research is aimed at the influence of different doses of lithium ascorbate on pigs’ diet estimation, at farrowing sows’ antioxidant status increase, and at lipid peroxidation product level decrease. The research was conducted in farrowing sows of the Irish landrace breed during the second farrow. Three groups of animals were formed, with ten livestock units in each. Thirty days after successful insemination, the sows of the E10, E5 and E2 experimental groups started receiving lithium ascorbate powder together with feed stuff in dosages of 10, 5 and 2 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. Their weighing and biochemical examinations were performed before the substance introduction as well as on the 60th and 110th days of pregnancy. The following were detected in sows’ blood plasma: malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, SH/SS ratio, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity. Lithium ascorbate usage during sows’ breeding cycle caused a significant increase in SH (reduced glutathione) level by 21% (p < 0.05), SS (oxidized glutathione) level decrease by 17% (p < 0.05), and malondialdehyde level decrease by 60% (p < 0.05). These data outline antioxidant defense system activization, reducing the risk of oxidative stress under the influence of feeding with lithium ascorbate. Lithium ascorbate in dosages of 10 mg/kg per body weight given together with feed stuff shows prominent adaptogene and stress protective features in the most effective way. The research conducted regarding lithium ascorbate usage for farrowing sows can reduce the negative consequences of oxidative stress, increase sows’ health preservation level, and contribute to fertility boost. Full article

The paper, based on RCA, LFI and GL indices, and logistic regression analysis, allowed us to track the dynamics of the comparative advantage/disadvantage of the Czech Republic in individual commodity aggregates in relation to individual EU partners, and to comprehend the role of the main production factors. The only production factor with a statistically significant effect is capital. Trade with countries richly endowed with agricultural land and capital, in most cases, appeared not favorable for the Czech Republic in terms of having a comparative advantage over them, if measured with LFI index. The values of the GL index disclosed that trade with these countries is mostly of an inter-industry character. The analysis revealed the following top-3 mostly competitive Czech aggregates: S3-08 (animal feed stuff), S3-06 (sugar and sugar preparations), along with S3-04 (cereals and cereal preparations). Some aggregates appeared to not have any comparative advantage: S3-01 (meat, meat preparations), S3-05 (vegetables and fruits), and S3-41 (animal oils and fats). Speaking of developmental trends, from 2000 to 2019 the Czech Republic has managed to improve its position in agri-food trade within the EU-27 by 43.81% if measured with LFI, and by 51.63% if measured with RCA. These positive changes also appeared to be statistically significant. Full article

Demand for eggs from laying hens is increasing as the world population continues to grow. The use of insects as animal feed is a strategic opportunity to find a new innovative, economic and sustainable source of protein. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Italian consumer inclination for eggs produced with the use of insect-fed hens. The investigation on consumers’ readiness to adopt eggs from insect-fed hens was carried out through an online survey conducted on 510 participants. Survey results outlined four different clusters on the basis of the willingness to buy/eat eggs fed with insects: “ready” (40.1%), “environmentalist” (24.3%), “cautious” (21.7%), and “reluctant” (13.9%). “Ready”, “environmentalist”, and “cautious” were quite favorable to the use of insects as feed stuffs and share drivers for product choice: cheap, organic, and with an explicit indication of use of insects. On the other hand, for the “reluctant”, the diet based on insects was the main negative factor influencing product acceptance. This cluster also showed the highest level of neophobia. Italian consumers showed a considerable level of readiness to accept insects as feed material for egg production, which should be reinforced with further information on the origin and the environmental benefit of using insects. Full article

Several functions are acknowledged for saliva secretion in different animal species following prehension and mastication of feed. Most of such are linked to the specific role of lubrication and softening of the bolus to allow taste perception and easy swallowing. Moreover, enzymatic components are produced in the saliva, some of which are destined to contribute to the digestion of different nutrients (to various extents according to animal species) and to exert antimicrobial activity (lysozyme). In addition, the buffering power and the virtuous recycle of water, electrolytes, and other metabolites are of particular importance for proper digestion and for nutrition–related aspects. Moreover, salivation appears to be involved in a number of other functions. Recent studies on salivary production and roles point to salivary glands as target organs of neuroendocrine regulation in response to many external stimuli coming from the outer world, for which feed still represents the chief external stimulus. Various animal species establish an adaptive strategy when coming into contact with different feeding stuffs and/or dietary substances by modifying both the composition and amount of saliva produced. In the light of recent updates, this review provides a focus on the functional roles of saliva secretions, showing the broad involvement of salivary response in several mechanisms beyond the digestive function and influencing feed selection. Full article

Maize and soybean intercropping is a cereal-legume intercropping pattern that not only increases grain yield but also improves the nutritional value of silage. Experiments were conducted in the summer season to compare the yield and nutritional composition of the forage and silage quality of mono-cropped maize and intercropped maize-soybean harvested at two stages of maturity. The main treatments were one sole crop maize (SM) and four maize-soybean intercropping patterns (one-row maize to one-row soybean (1M1S), one-row maize to two-row soybean (1M2S), one-row maize to three-row soybean (1M3S), and two-row maize to one-row soybean (2M1S). The crops were harvested when the maize reached the milk (R3) and maturity (R6) stages. Results indicated a significant increase in the fresh biomass and dry-matter production of maize fodder alone compared with those of maize intercropped with soybean fodder. After 60 days of ensiling period, silage samples were analyzed for pH, organic acids, dry matter, crude protein (CP), ether extract, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and other mineral compositions. All intercropped silages showed higher CP values (1M1S, 12.1%; 1M2S, 12.2%; 1M3S, 12.4%; and 2M1S, 12.1%) than the SM silage (8.7%). Higher organic acids were produced in 1M3S than in the other silages. Correlation data showed that CP was highly correlated with lactic acid but negatively associated with crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, and NDF. Thus, the intercropping of maize and soybean silage is recommended due its enhanced crop production, nutritional values in dairy animals, and prolific animal feedings and because it was scientifically evaluated as a feed stuff. This study indicated that 1M3S was the most preferable among intercropped silages in terms of nutrient composition. Full article

Mammalian animal toxicity of ochratoxin A (OTA) has focused largely in the past half-century on pigs because of initial recognition of it as a principal cause of intermittent growth suppression and renal disease caused by mouldy feed. Subsequent classical toxicology has used laboratory rodents because renal pathology in pigs raised questions concerning possible involvement in the human idiopathic bilateral renal atrophy of Balkan endemic nephropathy for which OTA was a focus of attention for human nephropathy through 1980s and into 2000s. Emphasis on human nephropathy has more recently concerned the plant metabolite aristolochic acid. Recognition that agricultural management can often minimise food and feed-stuff spoilage by OTA-producing Aspergilli and Penicillia has moderated some of the risks for animals. Legislation for human food safety combined with sophisticated analysis generally provides safety in the developed world. Chronic experimental exposure of male rats, in the absence of clinical dis-ease, specifically causes renal cancer. The possibility of this as a unique model for the human has generated considerable experimental evidence which may be more directly relevant for carcinogenesis in the complex kidney than that obtained from biochemical toxicities in vitro. Nevertheless, there does not appear to be any case of human renal or urinary tract cancer for which there is verified etiological proof for causation by OTA, contrary to much claim in the literature. To contribute to such debate, histopathology review of OTA/rat renal cancers, augmented where appropriate by immune profiles, has been completed for all remaining tumours in our research archive. Overall consistency of positivity for vimentin, is matched with occasional positives either for CD10 or the cytokeratin MNF 116. The current situation is discussed. Suggestion that OTA could cause human testicular cancer has also been challenged as unsupported by any experimental findings in rats, where the Leydig cell tumour immune profile does not match that of human germ cell neoplasms. Full article

About three-quarters of food exports from European Union (EU) countries goes to the common market in which the free movement of products is ensured. Therefore, it is important to examine from which EU countries the food is exported, what food products they are, and what hazards may be present in these products. The data for research were obtained for 1999–2018 from the Eurostat database (according to the Standard International Trade Classification—SITC) and the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) database. Then, cluster analysis was performed using joining (tree clustering) and two-way joining methods. The main food exporters were the following countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. They exported: cereals, fruits and vegetables, beverages and feeding stuff (in quantitative terms) and fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy products, and cereals (in terms of value). In turn, the most frequently notified hazards in food originating from these countries were: pathogenic micro-organisms, microbial contaminants, metals, composition, foreign bodies, allergens, and pesticide residues. The increase in the number of alert notifications in the RASFF is particularly noticeable in recent years. The results of the research may be useful for activities related to food traceability, changes in the European law, and encouraging the use of extensive methods in agriculture. Full article

Forage maize is often infected by mycotoxin-producing Fusarium fungi during plant growth, which represent a serious health risk to exposed animals. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) are among the most important Fusarium mycotoxins, but little is known about the occurrence of their modified forms in forage maize. To assess the mycotoxin contamination in Northern Germany, 120 natural contaminated forage maize samples of four cultivars from several locations were analysed by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) for DON and ZEN and their modified forms deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON3G), the sum of 3- and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3+15-AcDON), α- and β-zearalenol (α-ZEL, β-ZEL). DON and ZEN occurred with high incidences (100 and 96%) and a wide range of concentrations, reaching levels up to 10,972 and 3910 µg/kg, respectively. Almost half of the samples (46%) exceeded the guidance value in complementary and complete feeding stuffs for ZEN (500 µg/kg), and 9% for DON (5000 µg/kg). The DON related mycotoxins DON3G and 3+15-AcDON were also present in almost all samples (100 and 97%) with amounts of up to 3038 and 2237 µg/kg and a wide range of concentrations. For the ZEN metabolites α- and β-ZEL lower incidences were detected (59 and 32%) with concentrations of up to 423 and 203 µg/kg, respectively. Forage maize samples were contaminated with at least three co-occurring mycotoxins, whereby 95% of all samples contained four or more mycotoxins with DON, DON3G, 3+15-AcDON, and ZEN co-occurring in 93%, together with α-ZEL in 57% of all samples. Positive correlations were established between concentrations of the co-occurring mycotoxins, especially between DON and its modified forms. Averaged over all samples, ratios of DON3G/DON and 3+15-AcDON/DON were similar, 20.2 and 20.5 mol%; cultivar-specific mean ratios ranged from 14.6 to 24.3 mol% and 15.8 to 24.0 mol%, respectively. In total, 40.7 mol% of the measured DON concentration was present in the modified forms DON3G and 3+15-AcDON. The α-ZEL/ZEN ratio was 6.2 mol%, ranging from 5.2 to 8.6 mol% between cultivars. These results demonstrate that modified mycotoxins contribute substantially to the overall mycotoxin contamination in forage maize. To avoid a considerable underestimation, it is necessary to analyse modified mycotoxins in future mycotoxin monitoring programs together with their parent forms. Full article

Agricultural research has traditionally focused on staple crops, while relatively little attention has been given to minor crops. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the nutrient contents and some anti-nutritional factors in the seeds of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and the variation of phenotypic and morphological traits in field studies of 44 European accessions, originating from Russia, Ukraine, Poland (east and east-central Europe), the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary (south-central Europe), and Germany (west-central Europe) and grown in the same soil-climate conditions. A three-year field study was conducted from 2010 to 2012. Accessions originating from west-central Europe flowered three days earlier than those from south-central Europe. They also had the lowest seed number per pod (5.9) but the highest thousand seed weight (58 g) (p < 0.05). Vetch lines coming from south-central Europe contained the highest level of crude protein in comparison with vetch seeds originating from west-central Europe (353 vs. 324 g kg⁻¹, respectively) (p < 0.05), but the latter had the highest essential amino acid index value (75 vs. 71 in west-central Europe and south-central Europe, respectively) (p < 0.05). The highest protein level was noted in the seeds of Slovak origin (average 358 g kg⁻¹), whereas the lowest protein level (324 g kg⁻¹) was determined in the Russian and German lines. Vetch grain fat was rich in linoleic (53%) and linolenic (14%) acids. The best n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio (4) and the highest α-linolenic acid level were exhibited by the Slovak and Polish accessions (p < 0.05). The seeds of vetch accessions from east, east-central, and south-central Europe contained higher levels of (p < 0.05) iron than those originating from west-central Europe. The concentration of tannins, trypsin inhibitors, and hydrogen cyanide reached on average 8, 3, and 81 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The highest hydrogen cyanide (HCN) levels was determined in the accessions of German and Russian origin (126 and 119 mg kg⁻¹, respectively), and the lowest values were noted in the Slovak and Polish lines (50 and 67 mg HCN kg⁻¹, respectively). Furthermore, the Polish accessions contained the lowest levels of tannins and trypsin inhibitors. Common vetch seeds may be valuable protein feed/food stuff, but their nutritional usefulness is limited by the presence of anti-nutritional factors, especially HCN, which is difficult to remove. Further selection in this direction may be postulated. Full article

Buffalo and cattle are main dairy animals of Pakistan, making 30% of the total livestock. Out of total milk produced in the country, buffalo contributes about 68%, followed by cattle (27%), rest (5%) by sheep, goats, and camels. They are kept both in rural as well as peri-urban dairy production systems. These dairy animals mostly strive on low-quality feed stuffs including roughages and crop-residues with poor nutritive value resulting in poor production and reproduction performance. Recent investigations and published data show that there is also an issue of unjustified feeding without considering the production and physiological stages of dairy animals, resulting in overfeeding of non-productive and under-feeding of productive animals, leading to poor feed use efficiency. There is also no separate feeding system for different classes of dairy animals. Furthermore, in the prevailing dairy production scenario, there is absence of an efficient feeding system especially devised for growing heifers (kept as replacement herd) keeping in view their feeding requirements that could reduce their age at puberty with a significant reduction in the cost of feeding. Similarly, the introduction of milk replacer and early weaning of calves are very effective ways without any adverse effects on growth when given free access to good quality calf starter, and it could add to dairy economics. Fodder scarcity during the winter months (November to January) and summer (May–June) in Pakistan is another big constraint toward sustainable dairying. It is concluded that more efficient feed utilization in these dairy production systems could be achieved by developing innovative approaches and solutions (hay and silage making) to fight these scarcity periods and developments in dairy nutrition, like the establishment of nutrient requirements for dairy animals for local dairy breeds, adopting group feeding practices of dairy animals according to the stage of lactation and production status, and proper feeding systems for growing heifers and effective milk replacer feeding for calves. These practical and innovative steps could effectively lead to sustained dairy production in Pakistan. Full article