Advances in the Usage of Sustainable Feed Materials in Animal Nutrition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 19056

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: non-ruminant nutrition; poultry; companion animals; feed additives; insects as food and feed; alternative protein and energy source; GIT microbiology; GIT physiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Nutrition, Poznań University of Life Science, Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: ruminant nutrition; feed additives; silages; tools to estimate dairy cow nutrition; dairy cows’ transition period physiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the era of commonly used environmentally unfriendly feed materials in livestock nutrition, as well as the societal disagreement to use of GMO products, there is room to implement novel and innovative feedstuffs. Thus, sustainable farming should not only be based on establishing the rearing conditions but the usage of alternative protein, dietary energy sources, as well as feed additives that may reduce carbon, water footprint and nitrogen emissions in animal nutrition. According to the reuse, recycle, renew, repurpose idea (4R), as well as the assumption of the Horizon2020 Green Deal UE project, there is a need to provide deep and effective solutions in animal nutrition, particularly in terms of intensive production. These changes should be accelerated and implemented in the whole livestock nutrition sector including poultry, pigs, cattle, and aquaculture nutrition. Additionally, better nutrient requirements would improve farm economy and decrease the negative impact of animal keeping on the environment. Therefore, scientific knowledge should be widely available and rapidly transferred to field conditions to exhibit positive effects.

The goal of the Special Issue is related to the exhibition of any solutions connected to novel and innovative technologies, feeding programs, specific products such as feedstuffs, and feed additives used in animal nutrition that may reduce the harmful influence on the environment via the limitation of water usage, nitrogen emission, as well as carbon footprint. It is crucial to include the effect of various products, etc., on the animal growth performance, digestibility coefficients, gut development, final product quality, gut microbiota modulations, physiological and immunological status, metabolic response, health and fertility. Additionally, the characteristics (nutritional aspects) of different products are welcome. We invite you to publish original scientific articles as well as review papers to expand the current knowledge in the field.

The main aim of the Special Issue:

  • implementation of various insect meals in animal nutrition;
  • addition of alternative and environmentally friendly energy sources in animal nutrition;
  • the usage of algae in livestock production;
  • non-GMO feed materials in animal nutrition;
  • precision feeding;
  • limitation of water and carbon footprints through nutrition;
  • production of alternative feedstuffs;
  • the technological processes to improve feed quality.

Dr. Bartosz Kierończyk
Dr. Robert Mikuła
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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 semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • Alternative protein
  • Alternative dietary energy source
  • Non-GMO products
  • Animal health
  • Productivity parameters

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 292 KiB  
Article
Total Replacement of Fish Meal by the Combination of Fish Residue Meal and Soy Protein from Soymilk in the Diet of Red Sea Bream (Pagrus major)
by Amal Biswas, Yuta Takahashi, Kota Isaka, Fumiaki Takakuwa, Hideki Tanaka and Kenji Takii
Animals 2022, 12(23), 3351; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233351 - 29 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1106
Abstract
Three experiments were performed to explore (i) the complete replacement of fish meal (FM) with a combination of fish residue meal (FRM, 65% round discarded fish + 35% byproduct), soy protein concentrate (SPC) from soymilk and corn gluten meal (CGM) in Trial 1 [...] Read more.
Three experiments were performed to explore (i) the complete replacement of fish meal (FM) with a combination of fish residue meal (FRM, 65% round discarded fish + 35% byproduct), soy protein concentrate (SPC) from soymilk and corn gluten meal (CGM) in Trial 1 and (ii) the utilization of diets composed of increasing byproducts in FRM in the summer (Trial 2) and winter (Trial 3) seasons. In Trial 1, the ratio of (SPC + CGM):FM in the control diet (C) was 8:2. The FM component from diet C was replaced with FRM (diet, RM20), where the ratio of (SPC + CGM):FRM became 8:2, and this ratio was changed to 6:4, 4:6 and 2:8, and referred to as RM40, RM60 and RM80, respectively. In Trials 2 and 3, the ratios of round discarded fish and byproducts in FRM were adjusted to 65:35 (FRM1), 30:70 (FRM2) and 0:100 (FRM3), and the FRM component from diet RM40 in Trial 1 was replaced with FRM1, FRM2 and FRM3 to formulate diets RM1, RM2 and RM3, respectively. In Trials 1, 2 and 3, rearing periods were 10, 8 and 12 weeks, respectively. In Trials 1 and 3, there were no significant differences in growth parameters, nutrient retention efficiency or plasma constituents among the treatments, irrespective of the inclusion levels of FRM in the diets (p > 0.05). Although there were no significant differences in final mean weight (p > 0.05), daily feeding rate and feed conversion ratio in diet RM3 were significantly higher and lower, respectively, compared to the control group in Trial 2 (p < 0.05). These results suggest that FM can be entirely replaced with FRM, and that the total elimination of round discarded fish from FRM does not affect growth or health status in red sea bream either in summer or winter seasons. Full article
15 pages, 647 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Protease Supplementation and Faba Bean Extrusion on Growth, Gastrointestinal Tract Physiology and Selected Blood Indices of Weaned Pigs
by Anita Zaworska-Zakrzewska, Małgorzata Kasprowicz-Potocka, Klaudia Ciołek, Ewa Pruszyńska-Oszmałek, Kinga Stuper-Szablewska and Andrzej Rutkowski
Animals 2022, 12(5), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12050563 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1914
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate how the extrusion of faba bean seeds (var. Albus) and/or the addition of protease to pigs’ diets affected the animals’ growth parameters, digestibility of nutrients, selected physiological parameters of the digestive tract, and biochemical blood [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to investigate how the extrusion of faba bean seeds (var. Albus) and/or the addition of protease to pigs’ diets affected the animals’ growth parameters, digestibility of nutrients, selected physiological parameters of the digestive tract, and biochemical blood parameters. A 28-day experiment was conducted on 32 pigs weighing 9 ± 0.2 kg. The animals were allocated to four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with the main effects of extrusion (raw or extruded) and effects of protease supplementation (0 and 0.05%). Extrusion reduced the levels of neutral detergent fibre, trypsin inhibitor, phytate-P, and resistant starch but did not improve the digestibility of protein and dry matter in faba bean seeds. The pigs’ growth performance, ileal digestibility, enzyme activity, and morphometric parameters of the ileum were not significantly affected by extrusion, except for a higher feed intake between the 15th and 28th day of the experiment. The protease supplementation gave comparable results as the diet without protease, except the feed conversion ratio (in the periods of 15–28th day and 0–28th day), which was higher than in the groups without protease. The extrusion and protease increased acetate and acetoacetate contents in the cecal digesta, but propionate, butyrate, and isovalerate concentrations in the digesta of the pigs in this group were lower. Thanks to protease supplementation, protein and oil levels in the diet were reduced, which cut the cost of feed mixtures. The extrusion and protease additive combined together did not improve the pigs’ growth performance in this experiment. Full article
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14 pages, 288 KiB  
Article
Impact of Dry Sugar Beet Pulp on Milk Production, Digestibility Traits, and Blood Constituents of Dairy Holstein Cows
by Mohamed K. Mohsen, Mohamed F. Ali, Hamed M. Gaafar, Taha S. Al-Sakka, Salama M. Aboelenin, Mohamed M. Soliman and Mahmoud A. O. Dawood
Animals 2021, 11(12), 3496; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123496 - 8 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2890
Abstract
Thirty multiparous lactating Holstein cows with an average live body weight of 642 ± 21 kg and an average daily milk yield of 30.46 ± 0.59 kg were used in this study. Cows with parities of 2 and 4 were used following their [...] Read more.
Thirty multiparous lactating Holstein cows with an average live body weight of 642 ± 21 kg and an average daily milk yield of 30.46 ± 0.59 kg were used in this study. Cows with parities of 2 and 4 were used following their peak period, and were divided into three groups, with ten cows in each group. The control group was fed yellow corn grain rations (YCG), while for the 2nd and 3rd groups, 25 and 50% of YCG was replaced with dry sugar beet pulp (DSBP), denoted as DSBP25 and DSBP50, respectively. The contents of dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, nitrogen-free extract, and fiber carbohydrate in the experimental rations tended to decrease; however, crude protein, crude fiber, ash, and fiber fractions tended to increase in the DSBP25 and DSBP50 groups. Only crude fiber digestibility increased (p < 0.05) in the DSBP rations. Rumen pH value and concentration of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) decreased, while the concentration of total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) increased in the DSBP25 and DSBP50 groups. The concentrations of total protein and globulin in blood plasma were higher (p < 0.05) in DSBP25 and DSBP50 than in YCG. However, plasma albumin concentration, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were lower (p < 0.05) in DSBP50 than in YCG. Milk yield and yield of 4% fat-corrected milk (4% FCM) were higher (p < 0.05) in DSBP25 and DSBP50 than in YCG. Fat, protein, solids not fat (SNF), and total solids (TS) contents in milk increased significantly (p < 0.05) for feeding rations containing DSBP. Feed cost was reduced, but the output of milk yield increased with DSBP. In conclusion, introducing DSBP into the rations of Holstein dairy cows led to significant improvements in their productive performance. Full article
18 pages, 8978 KiB  
Article
Oxidative Quality of Acid Oils and Fatty Acid Distillates Used in Animal Feeding
by Elisa Varona, Alba Tres, Magdalena Rafecas, Stefania Vichi, Roser Sala and Francesc Guardiola
Animals 2021, 11(9), 2559; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092559 - 31 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2864
Abstract
Acid oils (AO) and fatty acid distillates (FAD) are byproducts from chemical and physical refining of edible oils and fats, respectively. Their high energy value makes their upcycling interesting as alternatives to conventional fats in animal feeding. The objective of this study is [...] Read more.
Acid oils (AO) and fatty acid distillates (FAD) are byproducts from chemical and physical refining of edible oils and fats, respectively. Their high energy value makes their upcycling interesting as alternatives to conventional fats in animal feeding. The objective of this study is to characterize their oxidative quality and to provide recommendations about their evaluation for animal feeding purposes. The oxidation status (peroxide value (PV), p-Anisidine value (p-AnV), % polymeric compounds (POL)), the oxidative stability (induction time by the Rancimat at 120 °C (IT)), the fatty acid composition (FA), and tocopherol and tocotrienol content of 92 AO and FAD samples from the Spanish market were analyzed. Both AO and FAD showed low PV (0.8 and 1 meq O2/kg); however, p-AnV was higher in FAD (36.4 vs. 16.4 in AO) and POL was higher in AO (2.5% vs. not detected in FAD) as a consequence of the type of refining process. The botanical origin of AO and FAD influenced FA and tocol composition, and they influenced IT. A high variability was observed for most analyzed parameters, reinforcing the need for standardizing AO and FAD to obtain reliable feed ingredients and to include primary and secondary oxidative parameters within their quality control. Full article
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10 pages, 264 KiB  
Article
Effects of Replacing Yellow Corn with Olive Cake Meal on Growth Performance, Plasma Lipid Profile, and Muscle Fatty Acid Content in Broilers
by Ahmed Saleh and Mohammed Alzawqari
Animals 2021, 11(8), 2240; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082240 - 29 Jul 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3224
Abstract
The current study focused exclusively on evaluating the effects of replacing corn with olive cake meal (OCM) in the diet of broilers on their growth performance, abdominal fat, selected plasma parameters, and muscle fatty acid (FA) content. A total of 480 one-day-old male [...] Read more.
The current study focused exclusively on evaluating the effects of replacing corn with olive cake meal (OCM) in the diet of broilers on their growth performance, abdominal fat, selected plasma parameters, and muscle fatty acid (FA) content. A total of 480 one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were divided into four treatment groups with 12 replicates/treatment. The control group was fed the base diet, whereas the second to fourth groups were fed diets of corn with 5%, 10%, and 20% contents of OCM, respectively. Broilers fed with the 5% and 10% OCM diets showed better body weight (p = 0.04) and feed conversion ratio than the 20% OCM group (p < 0.048). Both nitrogen retention and ether extract digestibility were not improved by replaced corn with OCM. Replacing corn with OCM led to a decreased abdominal fat percentage (p = 0.023) compared with the control group. Birds in the OCM groups showed the lowest total cholesterol values (p = 0.038). The breast muscle (musculus pectoralis superficialis) content of oleic and linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids was significantly high in birds fed with OCM diets. However, their palmitic acid level was significantly decreased. Vitamin E was increased by increasing the OCM level. Thus, we concluded that replacing corn with OCM, especially at a 10% level, is more effective than other replacement levels in improving growth performance, plasma lipid profile, and muscle FA content, as well as in causing a reduction in abdominal fat in broilers. Full article
22 pages, 6452 KiB  
Article
Canola Meal versus Soybean Meal as Protein Supplements in the Diets of Lactating Dairy Cows Affects the Greenhouse Gas Intensity of Milk
by Lucia Holtshausen, Chaouki Benchaar, Roland Kröbel and Karen A. Beauchemin
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1636; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061636 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4739
Abstract
Soybean meal (SBM) and canola meal (CM) are protein supplements used in lactating dairy cow diets and, recently, an enteric methane-mitigating effect (i.e., lower Ym value) was reported for CM. Before recommending CM as a greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategy, it is [...] Read more.
Soybean meal (SBM) and canola meal (CM) are protein supplements used in lactating dairy cow diets and, recently, an enteric methane-mitigating effect (i.e., lower Ym value) was reported for CM. Before recommending CM as a greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategy, it is necessary to examine the net impact on total GHG emissions from milk production. The objective was to determine whether using CM rather than SBM in lactating dairy cow diets decreases GHG per kilogram of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM), and whether the decrease depends upon where the meals are produced. Cradle to farm-gate life cycle assessments were conducted for a simulated dairy farm in eastern (Quebec) and western (Alberta) Canada. Scenarios examined the source of protein meal, location where meals were produced, and the methane-mitigating effect of CM. The Holos model was used to estimate GHG emissions from animals, manure, crop production, imported feeds, and energy use. GHG intensities (CO2e/kg FPCM) were 0.85–1.02 in the east and 1.07–1.11 in the west for the various scenarios, with enteric methane comprising 34 to 40% of total emissions. CM produced in western Canada with a low up-stream emission factor and low Ym value reduced CO2e/kg FPCM by 3% (western farm) to 6.6% (eastern farm) compared with SBM. We conclude that using CM rather than SBM in the diet of lactating dairy cows can be a GHG mitigation strategy depending upon where it is produced and whether it decreases enteric methane emissions. Full article
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