Search Results (11)

The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of two dietary regimens, characterized by different forage-to-concentrate ratios, on feed intake, milk yield and composition, as well as economic and environmental sustainability in lactating buffalo cows. Group H was fed a high-forage diet, while Group L was fed a diet with a lower forage-to-concentrate ratio. Despite a lower energy value (Unit for Feed Lactation: UFL 0.89 vs. 0.91), the diet of group H met the animals’ nutritional requirements, with similar dry matter intake (DMI) and body condition scores observed in both groups. While there was no significant difference in milk yield, protein, and lactose, group H exhibited significantly higher milk fat content and an enhanced fatty acid profile, characterized by increased oleic acid, conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs), and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids have been linked to potential health benefits in humans, including anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anticarcinogenic effects. From an economic perspective, the H group’s diet was found to be more cost-effective, resulting in EUR 0.46 savings per head per day and a higher yield of mozzarella cheese. From an environmental perspective, the high-forage diet reduced reliance on imported concentrates and irrigation-dependent crops, aligning with sustainable development goals. In conclusion, increasing the forage content in buffalo diets has been demonstrated to support animal performance, improve milk quality, reduce environmental impact, and enhance economic returns for producers. Full article

There is growing interest among consumers in the nutritional value of the food they consume. The objectives of this study were (1) to document the nutritional value, with a focus on the fatty acid profile, of beef from cattle from one commercial production system that only ever received grass-based feed ingredients compared with similar animals finished in more conventional, i.e., with high-concentrate or concentrate-supplemented grass silage, production systems; (2) to determine the effect of the dietary treatments on muscles representing a range in intramuscular fat concentrations and commercial value, viz supraspinatus, semitendinosus, longissimus lumborum and psoas major; and (3) to determine if the fatty acid profile can be used to distinguish between different beef muscles. Dietary treatment and muscle type influenced the concentration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, with the highest concentrations observed in psoas major from cattle fed grass only. These data should be of use to the meat industry and to those updating nutritional databases. The possibility of discriminating beef according to its dietary background based on the fatty acid profile was confirmed. While this approach was moderately successful with respect to the separation of supraspinatus, longissimus lumborum and psoas major, discrimination between the more valuable longissimus lumborum and the lower-value semitendinosus is more challenging. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the microalgae (MIAs) Schizochytrium sp. as a dietary supplement for dairy cows with respect to the yield, composition, and fatty acid profile of milk using a meta-analytical method. The data used in the statistical analyses were obtained from 11 peer-reviewed scientific publications. The effect size was assessed using the weighted mean differences (WMDs) between MIA-supplemented and control treatments. Dry matter intake, milk fat yield, and milk fat content decreased (p < 0.001) in response to the dietary inclusion of Schizochytrium sp. MIAs. However, Schizochytrium sp. MIAs supplementation increased (p = 0.029) milk yield. The dietary inclusion of Schizochytrium sp. MIAs decreased (p < 0.05) the content of the fatty acids (FAs) butyric, caproic, caprylic, capric, undecanoic, lauric, pentadecanoic, palmitic, heptadecanoic, stearic, arachidic, and total saturated FAs, and it resulted in a ω-6/ω-3 ratio in milk. In contrast, Schizochytrium sp. MIAs supplementation increased (p < 0.05) the content of linoleic, conjugated linoleic, eicosapentaenoic, behenic, docosahexaenoic, total monounsaturated FAs, total polyunsaturated FAs, and total omega-3 FAs in milk. The results showed that Schizochytrium sp. MIAs could be used as a dietary supplement to improve the milk yield and fatty acid profile of milk obtained from dairy cows. Full article

Grass-finished beef (GFB) can provide beneficial bioactive compounds to healthy diets, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and secondary bioactive compounds, such as phytochemicals. The objective of this study was to compare fatty acids (FAs), micronutrients, and phytochemicals of beef fed a biodiverse pasture (GRASS), a total mixed ration (GRAIN), or a total mixed ration with 5% grapeseed extract (GRAPE). This was a two-year study involving fifty-four Red Angus steers (n = 54). GFB contained higher levels of n-3 PUFAs, vitamin E, iron, zinc, stachydrine, hippuric acid, citric acid, and succinic acid than beef from GRAIN and GRAPE (p < 0.001 for all). No differences were observed in quantified phytochemicals between beef from GRAIN and GRAPE (p > 0.05). Random forest analysis indicated that phytochemical and FA composition of meat can predict cattle diets with a degree of certainty, especially for GFB (5.6% class error). In conclusion, these results indicate that GFB contains higher levels of potentially beneficial bioactive compounds, such as n-3 PUFAs, micronutrients, and phytochemicals, compared to grain-finished beef. Additionally, the n-6:n-3 ratio was the most crucial factor capable of separating beef based on finishing diets. Full article

Unhealthy dietary habits have been identified as a risk factor for the development and progression of cancer. Therefore, adopting a healthy eating pattern is currently recommended to prevent the onset of different types of cancers, including breast carcinoma. In particular, the Mediterranean diet, based on high consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (N-3 PUFAs), such as those found in cold-water fish and other seafood, nuts, and seeds, is recommended to reduce the incidence of several chronic-degenerative diseases. Indeed, the consumption of N-3 PUFAs, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), reduced the risk of different types of cancer, including breast cancer. Moreover, they can counteract breast cancer progression and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer survival. Studies have demonstrated that DHA, exhibiting greater antitumor activity than EPA in breast cancer, can be attributed to its direct impact on breast cancer cells and also due to its conversion into various metabolites. N-docosahexaenoyl ethanolamine, DHEA, is the most studied DHA derivative for its therapeutic potential in breast cancer. In this review, we emphasize the significance of dietary habits and the consumption of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly DHA, and we describe the current knowledge on the antitumoral action of DHA and its derivative DHEA in the treatment of breast cancer. Full article

Different dietary forage sources regulate health-promoting fatty acids (HPFAs), such as conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), in the milk of lactating cows. However, the overall mechanism of forages regulating lipid metabolism from the gastrointestinal tract to the mammary glands (MGs) is not clear. Three isocaloric diets that contained (1) 46% corn silage (CS), (2) a mixture of 23% corn silage and 14% grass hays (MIX), and (3) 28% grass hays (GH) as the forage sources and six cannulated (rumen, proximal duodenum, and terminal ileum) lactating cows were assigned to a double 3 × 3 Latin square design. Our results show that a higher proportion of grass hay in the diets increased the relative contents of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), CLAs, and n-3 PUFAs. The lower relative content of SCFA in the milk of CS was predominantly due to the reduction in acetate production in the rumen and arteriovenous differences in the MG, indicating that the de novo synthesis pathways were inhibited. The elevated relative contents of total CLA and n-3 PUFA in the milk of GH were attributed to the increases in apparent intestinal digestion and arteriovenous differences in total CLA and n-3 PUFA, together with the higher Δ⁹-desaturase activity in the MG. In conclusion, this study provides an overall mechanism of dietary forages regulating HPFA status in the milk of dairy cows. Full article

In the present study, the evaluation of the carcasses and meat quality, in terms of chemical composition and fatty acid profile, of lambs from five autochthonous sheep breeds (Altamurana, Bagnolese, Gentile di Puglia, Laticauda, and Leccese) reared in continental Southern Italy, were studied. All the carcasses were evaluated according to the EU Mediterranean classification system for carcasses weighing less than 13 kg. Meat chemical composition and fatty acids profile were assessed on both loin and leg commercial cuts. Fatty acid composition of loin resulted in differences among breeds, displaying lower values of saturated fatty acid in Altamurana, Bagnolese, and Leccese breeds and the highest content of polyunsaturated fatty acid in the Altamurana breed. Principal component analysis grouped lamb according to fatty acid content and to conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), omega n-3 and n-6 fatty acids; thus, Altamurana, Bagnolese, and Leccese breeds are characterized by the highest values of CLA content. Our data demonstrated that lamb meat from autochthonous breed has good carcass quality and the content of CLA, n-3, and n-6 was valuable for human consumption; therefore, the valorisation of local meat quality can help to avoid the extinction of the autochthonous breed offering to the market and consumer’s high nutritive products. Full article

The aim of this research was to evaluate the nutritional enhancement of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA) composition of edible lamb Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle, heart, kidney, and liver in response to dietary supplementation of lot-fed lambs with or without omega-3 oil fortified pellets. The hypothesis tested was that fortifying feedlot pellets with omega-3 oil will enhance the human health beneficial n-3 LC-PUFA composition of edible lamb muscle tissue and organs. Seventy-five Tattykeel Australian White lambs exclusive to the MARGRA brand, with an average body weight of 30 kg at six months of age, were randomly assigned to the following three dietary treatments of 25 lambs each, and lot-fed as a cohort for 47 days in a completely randomized experimental design: (1) Control grain pellets without oil plus hay; (2) Omega-3 oil fortified grain pellets plus hay; and (3) Commercial whole grain pellets plus hay. All lambs had ad libitum access to the basal hay diet and water. Post-slaughter fatty acid composition of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle, liver, kidney, and heart were determined using thee gas chromatography–mass spectrophotometry technique. Results indicated significant variations (p < 0.05) in fatty acid profiles between tissues and organs. Omega-3 oil fortified pellets significantly (p < 0.05) increased ≥C20 n-3 LC-PUFA (C20:5n-3 eicosapentaenoate, EPA + C22:5n3 docosapentaenoate, DPA + C22:6n3 docosahexanoate DHA); C18:3n-3 alpha-linolenate, ALA; C18:2 conjugated linoleic acid, CLA; total monounsaturated fatty acids, MUFA; polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA contents; and reduced the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in all lamb organs and tissues without impacting shelf-life. The findings demonstrate that the inclusion of omega-3 oil in feedlot diets of lambs enhances the human health beneficial omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid profiles of edible muscle tissue and organs without compromising meat quality. Full article

Dietary recommendations by health authorities have been advising of the importance of diminishing saturated fatty acids (SFA) consumption and replacing them by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly omega-3. Therefore, there have been efforts to enhance food fatty acid profiles, helping them to meet human nutritional recommendations. Ruminant meat is the major dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) source, but it also contains SFA at relatively high proportions, deriving from ruminal biohydrogenation of PUFA. Additionally, lipid metabolism in ruminants may differ from other species. Recent research has aimed to modify the fatty acid profile of meat, and other animal products. This review summarizes dietary strategies based on the n-3 PUFA supplementation of ruminant diets and their effects on meat fatty acid composition. Additionally, the role of n-3 PUFA in adipose tissue (AT) development and in the expression of key genes involved in adipogenesis and lipid metabolism is discussed. It has been demonstrated that linseed supplementation leads to an increase in α-linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but not in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), whilst fish oil and algae increase DHA content. Dietary PUFA can alter AT adiposity and modulate lipid metabolism genes expression, although further research is required to clarify the underlying mechanism. Full article

Over the last decades a renewed interest in n−3 very long polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), derived mainly from fish oils in the human diet, has been observed because of their potential effects against cancer diseases, including breast carcinoma. These n−3 PUFAs mainly consist of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that, alone or in combination with anticancer agents, induce cell cycle arrest, autophagy, apoptosis, and tumor growth inhibition. A large number of molecular targets of n−3 PUFAs have been identified and multiple mechanisms appear to underlie their antineoplastic activities. Evidence exists that EPA and DHA also elicit anticancer effects by the conversion to their corresponding ethanolamide derivatives in cancer cells, by binding and activation of different receptors and distinct signaling pathways. Other conjugates with serotonin or dopamine have been found to exert anti-inflammatory activities in breast tumor microenvironment, indicating the importance of these compounds as modulators of tumor epithelial/stroma interplay. The objective of this review is to provide a general overview and an update of the current n−3 PUFA derivative research and to highlight intriguing aspects of the potential therapeutic benefits of these low-toxicity compounds in breast cancer treatment and care. Full article

Milk is a highly nutritious food that contains an array of macro and micro components, scientifically proven to be beneficial to human health. While the composition of milk is influenced by a variety of factors, such as genetics, health, lactation stage etc., the animal’s diet remains a key mechanism by which its nutrition and processing characteristics can be altered. Pasture feeding has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on the nutrient profile of milk, increasing the content of some beneficial nutrients such as Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vaccenic acid, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), while reducing the levels of Omega-6 fatty acids and palmitic acid. These resultant alterations to the nutritional profile of “Grass-Fed” milk resonate with consumers that desire healthy, “natural”, and sustainable dairy products. This review provides a comprehensive comparison of the impact that pasture and non-pasture feeding systems have on bovine milk composition from a nutritional and functional (processability) perspective, highlighting factors that will be of interest to dairy farmers, processors, and consumers. Full article