Novel Approaches and Strategies in Nutrition and Feeding of Animals

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 May 2023) | Viewed by 14298

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Oradea, 1 University St., 410087 Oradea, Romania
2. Doctoral School of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: animal nutrition; feeding management; feed efficiency; animal product quality (fatty acid profile, health lipid indices, bioactive compounds and antioxi-dants); alternative feed ingredients
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Guest Editor
Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 26 Gen. Magheru Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Interests: bioactive compounds; phenols; glucosinolates; functional food; nutraceuticals; antioxidant capacity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

 The global request for animal products is constantly growing, determined by population growth but also by improving the standard of living worldwide. In addition, animal products must be not only a source of normal dietary nutrients, but also a source of bioactive compounds with direct benefits to human health. As animal feeding plays a key role in animal production, it is necessary to adopt strategies in the nutrition and feeding of animals to meet this growing request, but also to ensure a sustainable balance between productivity, the quality of animal products, human security and environmental sustainability. This can only be achieved through high-quality scientific research and the dissemination of acquired knowledge over time. There is a high interest in improving the quality of products of animal origin for human consumption; improving animal health and welfare; the identification and evaluation of new feed and additives; finding optimal nutritional solutions in the context of climate change; and reducing the impact of animal production on environmental pollution.

The goal of the current Special Issue is to publish high-quality original scientific articles, paying special (but not exclusive) attention to the following topics: the effect of animal nutrition and feeding strategies on the efficiency and sustainability of animal production systems, nutritional quality and bioactive compounds content of products of animal origin with an impact on human health; novel approaches and strategies in the nutrition and feeding of animals in the context of climate change; advances in novel alternative animal feed; and exploring the use of innovative prebiotics, probiotics, natural extracts, and by-products in non-ruminant feeding. In addition, this Special Issue encourages the simultaneous development of innovative feeding strategies aimed at improving animal welfare and health, reducing environmental pollution on animal farms.

Both reviews and original research papers are welcome in this Special Issue. Reviews should be closed with an outlook, open questions, and directions for future research.

Prof. Dr. Daniel Mierlita
Prof. Simona Ioana Vicas
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • animal nutrition
  • animal production efficiency
  • animal product quality (milk, eggs, meat)
  • bioactive compounds
  • sustainability
  • feeding management
  • advanced grazing management
  • feed aditives
  • alternative feed ingredients
  • fish nutrition
  • nutrition and health
  • human health

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 262 KiB  
Article
Impact of Animal By-Products on Diet Digestibility and Fecal Quality in Beagle Dogs
by Bussarakam Chuppava, Diana-Christin Siebert, Christian Visscher, Josef Kamphues and Amr Abd El-Wahab
Life 2023, 13(3), 850; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13030850 - 22 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3004
Abstract
In animal feeds and pet food, meat industry rendered by-products as a source of high-quality protein are commonly used. Among all rendered protein sources, poultry carcasses and neck meal are frequently used as ingredients in commercial pet foods due to their agreeable fatty [...] Read more.
In animal feeds and pet food, meat industry rendered by-products as a source of high-quality protein are commonly used. Among all rendered protein sources, poultry carcasses and neck meal are frequently used as ingredients in commercial pet foods due to their agreeable fatty acid and amino acid profiles, and they have no impact on the palatability of the diet. Nonetheless, it is unclear how poultry by-product meal affects companion animals regarding diet digestibility and fecal quality. This study either aimed to provide information on poultry by-product meal, including coarsely, finely, or very finely ground varieties, regarding their nutrient digestibility and characteristics of feces in dogs. One type of animal by-product meal was used in the three aforementioned particle sizes. Beagle dogs (n = 6; body weight, 16.6 kg ± 2.03) participated in a crossover experiment design. Each trial consisted of a five day adaptation period to the diet, and five days of fecal samples were collected and measured for individual apparent nutritional digestibility and fecal scores. The animal by-product supplementation in the diet of dogs was well accepted, with an acceptable percentage of apparent nutrient digestibility. Different particle sizes had no significant effect on the organic matter, crude protein, and crude fat digestibility as well as the fecal fatty acid concentrations. In addition, feces remained firm and well-formed and increased fecal dry matter. This indicates that poultry by-products should be taken into account as a potential dietary protein source in dog food. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches and Strategies in Nutrition and Feeding of Animals)
25 pages, 9133 KiB  
Article
Protein- and Carbohydrate-Rich Supplements in Feeding Adult Black Soldier Flies (Hermetia illucens) Affect Life History Traits and Egg Productivity
by Patrick Klüber, Emna Arous, Holger Zorn and Martin Rühl
Life 2023, 13(2), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13020355 - 28 Jan 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3400
Abstract
The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (BSF; Diptera: Stratiomyidae), has come into the focus of research over the past decade since its larvae are polyphagous feeders with an exceptional substrate range, making them a promising candidate for the bioconversion of various organic side [...] Read more.
The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (BSF; Diptera: Stratiomyidae), has come into the focus of research over the past decade since its larvae are polyphagous feeders with an exceptional substrate range, making them a promising candidate for the bioconversion of various organic side streams into valuable insect protein. While larval nutritional requirements have been studied in detail, basic information on adult feeding is still lacking. The reproduction of adult flies is a bottleneck and key determinant in rearing BSF, which has extensive potential for improvement. In the present study, we examined the impact of different carbohydrate (honey and d-glucose) and protein sources (Spirulina and Chlorella powder) on a variety of life history traits using a highly standardized single pair approach. Feeding a 5% honey solution was shown to make females live 2.8 d longer, become more fecund (9 egg clutches per 10 females), lay more eggs (increasing 1.7-fold to 182.4 mg per 10 females), reduce the number of failed oviposition events 3-fold and increase multiple oviposition events from 2 to 15. Additionally, female longevity after oviposition improved 1.7-fold from 6.7 to 11.5 d. In order to further optimize adult feeding, mixtures of proteins and carbohydrates with varying ratios should be tested. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches and Strategies in Nutrition and Feeding of Animals)
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22 pages, 591 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Feeding Milled Rapeseed Seeds with Different Forage:Concentrate Ratios in Jersey Dairy Cows on Milk Production, Milk Fatty Acid Composition, and Milk Antioxidant Capacity
by Daniel Mierlita, Anita Santa, Stefania Mierlita, Stelian Vasile Daraban, Mihai Suteu, Ioan Mircea Pop, Olimpia Smaranda Mintas and Adrian Maximilian Macri
Life 2023, 13(1), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13010046 - 23 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2600
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the effects of milled rapeseed (MR) supplementation of low- or high-concentrate diets on milk production and composition, fatty acids (FAs) profile, and antioxidant capacity. Sixteen Jersey dairy cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design, for [...] Read more.
We aimed to evaluate the effects of milled rapeseed (MR) supplementation of low- or high-concentrate diets on milk production and composition, fatty acids (FAs) profile, and antioxidant capacity. Sixteen Jersey dairy cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design, for four periods of 4 weeks, and assigned to four treatments as a 2 × 2 factorial design. Dietary treatments consisted of iso-nitrogenated total mixed rations with high (65:35; LC—low concentrate) or low (50:50; HC—high concentrate) forage:concentrate (FC) ratios, supplemented with MR to provide 30 g oil/kg dry matter (DM) (LR and HR), or without MR supplement (L and H). Increasing the proportion of concentrates led to an increase in DM intake (DMI), net energy (NEL) intake, and milk production, but milk fat and protein content decreased. Supplementing diets with MR led to an increase in NEL intake and milk production, but did not affect DMI and milk composition. Diets supplemented with MR caused a decrease in the concentration of FAs with atherogenic effect and the increase in the level of FAs beneficial for human health (C18:1 cis-9, C18:1 trans-11, and C18:3 n-3), while the decrease in the FC ratio had a negative effect on omega-3 FAs. An improvement in the antioxidant capacity of milk was observed with diets with the high FC ratio but also by supplementing the feed with MR. These results could contribute to the development of effective strategies to improve the nutritional quality of milk without affecting the productive performance of cows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches and Strategies in Nutrition and Feeding of Animals)
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Review

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14 pages, 1272 KiB  
Review
Cultivation and Uses of Moringa oleifera as Non-Conventional Feed Stuff in Livestock Production: A Review
by Khalid Abdoun, Ahmed Alsagan, Osman Altahir, Gamaleldin Suliman, Ahmed Al-Haidary and Mohammed Alsaiady
Life 2023, 13(1), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13010063 - 25 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4045
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches and Strategies in Nutrition and Feeding of Animals)
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