The goal of this investigation was to clarify the impact of a diet containing aflatoxin B1(AFB1), Chlorella vulgaris, and their mixture on performance, oxidative status, Muscle Amino Acids, and pathological alterations in broilers. 200 male, one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were allocated into 4 dietary treatment groups, each including 50 birds. Each treatment consisted of five replicates, totalling 10 birds per treatment. Each group was administered targeted dietary supplements. T1 received a basic diet devoid of additions. T2 received a treatment of 2.5 mg/kg of AFB1. T3 received a treatment of 1 g/kg of Chlorella. T4 received a treatment of 2.5 mg/kg of AFB1 and 1 g/kg of Chlorella. The findings indicated that AFB1 diminished growth performance and induced hepatic damage, as seen by elevated liver enzymes and impaired lipid metabolism(p < 0.05). Furthermore, AFB1 generated oxidative stress, characterised by a significant elevation in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and reductions in glutathione (GSH) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. Conversely, the phagocytic index was considerably (p < 0.05) reduced by AFB1 toxicity, but phagocytic activity and phagocytic index were enhanced by dietary Chlorella. Furthermore, Chlorella supplementation significantly improved (p < 0.05) energy biomarkers and coenzyme Q10 in the liver and significantly boosted amino acid profiles. Also, a histopathological examination of breast muscles and intestines is performed to evaluate different microscopical alterations. Collectively, dietary Chlorella supplementation effectively mitigates AFB1 toxicity in broilers by enhancing growth performance, antioxidant status, muscle amino acid profiles, and reducing pathological alterations.
Piglets are born with limited energy reserves, and early energy supplementation may improve their growth. This study evaluated the efficacy of an early energetic supplement on growth, mortality, behaviour and gut microbiota (GM). Twenty-two sows and their litters (12.9 ± 0.3 piglets) were assigned to two groups: ENER: piglets received 2 mL/day of an energetic product during the first three days of life; CTR: untreated piglets. Piglets were weighed at birth (d0) and classified by body weight class (BWC): LBW (<1300 g), NBW (1300–1700 g), and HBW (>1700 g). The interaction between treatment and BWC tended to affect the average daily gain (ADG; p < 0.10); the ENER group’s ADG was similar among LBW, NBW and HBW at d0-d2 and between NBW and HBW at d0-d27. The ENER piglets’ mortality rate was greater than CTR (p < 0.001). On d1 and d2, ENER piglets had less nose-to-nose contact with the sow and more positive behaviours on d2 (p < 0.05). On d5, ENER piglets spent less time lying near a heat source (p < 0.05) and tended to stay closer to the mother (p = 0.10). The GM of ENER piglets (d5) was enriched in Phascolarctobacterium, positively correlated to ADG (r > 0.4, p < 0.05), whereas Bartonella, negatively correlated to ADG (r = −0.37, p < 0.05), was more abundant in CTR (padj < 0.05). In conclusion, early energy supplementation could promote growth of LBW piglets and a more favourable GM profile; however, it does not support better survivability.
Anthropogenic methane (CH4) production is one of the most important drivers of climate change, among its main sources, dairy cattle is responsible for about 30% of all CH4 emissions in the agricultural sector. CH4 production is correlated with dry matter intake, which has been successfully modelled by lactation curve models. Directly measured CH4 production has not yet been described by these models. The objective of this study was to evaluate the following nonlinear lactation curve models: Wood, Wilmink, Ali-Shaeffer, Guo & Swalve and Pollott, to determine which model better described the CH4 production along the lactation curve in dairy cattle. CH4 measurements from 185 Holstein dairy cows, in different parities (1, 2, ≥3), were used to fit the five models. Wood’s and Guo & Swalve’s models were the only ones that fitted all individual lactations as well as the total; being Wood’s model the one that rendered the best results for modelling CH4 production along the lactation curve.
Red deer, Cervus elaphus, is native to Europe and is one of the most frequently managed ungulate species. Reintroduction programmes often use farmed animals because they require less effort than live-captured wild animals, but farmed animals may struggle to acclimatise to life in the wild. We conducted this study in central Croatia from 2017 to 2024 and analysed the post-release spatial behaviour of 16 farmed red deer fitted with GPS collars (10 ♀ and six ♂) after a hard release (animals released from the trailer without acclimated period). Overall mortality reached 69% (11 animals) and poaching mortality showed a sex bias, with 100% mortality in males and 40% in females. Females had an average home range (minimum convex polygon, 95%) of 27.4 km2 and males 98.4 km2. We found no significant sex difference in the home range establishment period, defined as the time until stabilisation of post-release space use, although sample size was small (six out of 10 females, two out of six males). The high mortality rate supports that farmed deer struggle to adapt to the wild. Future work should evaluate if success is higher if using wild deer for reintroductions and evaluate soft release (animals released from the enclosure after acclimated period).
Soft-shell crabs harvested immediately after moulting represent a delicacy among seafood products. Among several species, the soft-shell crabs derived from Mediterranean green crabs (Carcinus aestuarii), known as ‘moeca’ (plur. moeche), stand as culturally and economically valuable products in the Northern Adriatic. Despite their cultural significance, comprehensive information on their biometric, rheological, and chemical traits is lacking. This study provides the first integrated characterisation of the quality of moeca, assessing site- and sex-specific variation and comparing them with hard-shell crabs. Two sites, North and South, of the Lagoon of Venice were selected for sampling. A total of 160 soft-shell crabs from the North site and 80 from the South site, along with 40 hard-shell crabs per site, were collected in batches of ∼1.2 kg, transported to the laboratory, and immediately analysed for biometry, texture profile analysis, and colour. In addition, whole soft-shell crabs were analysed for proximate composition, mineral, fatty acid, and amino acid profiles. Biometric measurements indicated larger individuals in the southern site, while all crabs were of marketable size (32.6 ± 5.6 mm carapace width). Texture profile analysis revealed softer, more cohesive, and more elastic carapaces in moeche than hard-shell crabs, with significant differences between sites. Site- and sex-related differences were found in carapace brightness and chromatic indices. Modest but significant site-related variations were recorded in protein, lipid, ash, chitin, mineral, and fatty acid profiles. Overall, our findings provide a detailed baseline dataset for the characterisation of moeche, supporting product valorisation strategies such as labelling policies.
Aquaculture is recognised as a key sector for ensuring a sustainable supply of animal protein to a growing global population. However, consumer acceptance and confidence in farmed seafood products remain low. This study aimed to explore consumer attitudes towards aquaculture through a text-mining analysis of the scientific literature, identifying key thematic patterns, research trends, and potential pathways for improving aquaculture acceptance. Relevant studies published between 1991 and 2024 were retrieved from Scopus®. After screening, 89 papers were included and analysed using text-mining techniques, including semantic network analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modelling. Most publications originated from Europe, highlighting the region’s interest in consumer-aquaculture interactions. Seven main thematic areas were identified: ecolabelling and added product values, sustainability perceptions, comparison between wild and farmed fish, knowledge building, aquaculture development perspectives, willingness to pay for safety and quality attributes, and consumption attitudes towards fishery and aquaculture products. Results showed that farmed fish is still perceived less favourably than wild-caught fish, but there is increasing interest in product and production characteristics, contributing to greater consumer awareness. Beliefs and perceptions are influenced by several factors, particularly consumer knowledge and contextual variables, making broad generalisations difficult. More educational and awareness-raising initiatives are needed to improve familiarity with and transparency of the sector through clear communication of both the advantages and limitations of aquaculture production systems. However, strengthening transparent and science-based communication is essential to support the sustainable expansion and social acceptance of aquaculture.
The effects of dietary L-lactic acid (L-lactic acid or LAC) supplementation in weaned piglets were investigated. 24 healthy weaned piglets (Duroc & times; Yorkshire & times; Landrace) (body weight = 8.76 +/- 0.42 kg) were randomly assigned into 4 treatments with 6 replicate pens per treatment and 1 piglet per pen. The treatment consisted of basal diets serves as control and groups supplemented with 0.5% (LAC0.5%), 1% (LAC1%) or 2% of L-lactic acid (LAC2%), respectively. We examined the growth performance, oxidative status, immune, inflammatory biomarkers, lactate transporters associated genes and caecal microbial composition. The results showed that growth performance (final body weight, feed intake and feed conversion) was not affected by LAC supplementation. However, higher (P < 0.01) antioxidant capacity, immune and metabolic biomarkers were observed. Positive effects on increased of metabolic biomarkers including acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.001), pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-8; P < 0.01) and anti-inflammatory IL-10 (P < 0.01) were found. In contrast, Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG and IgM) decreased (P < 0.01) in response to LAC treatments. Expression of lactate transport genes (MCT1, MCT2 and MCT4) increased (P < 0.01) in colon but decreased in muscle. Microbial composition and richness were not affected but taxa such as Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group were enriched (FDR P < 0.05) in LAC05% and LAC1%. Adverse effects were observed on intestinal morphology such as progressive villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia in LAC1% and LAC2% treatments but not in LAC0.5%. Overall, while growth performance was largely not affected, low level of LAC supplementation (0.5%) appeared to be safely used in weaning piglets while higher levels (1-2%) could negatively impact intestinal health and immune status of weaned piglets.
This study evaluated the effects of chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) fruit powder as a functional dietary supplement for honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies, focusing on colony development, antioxidant defences, nutritional status, behaviour, and honey yield under field conditions. A total of 48 colonies were randomly assigned to four feeding treatments (control, 2, 5, and 10 g L−1 chokeberry supplementation), with six colonies per treatment in each apiary (n = 6 per apiary; n = 12 per treatment). The experiment was conducted as a balanced field trial across two apiaries. Colonies were fed sucrose syrup supplemented with chokeberry powder for 21 days. Following the feeding period, colonies were transferred to two high-altitude summer apiaries where colony development, flight activity, defensive behaviour, antioxidant biomarkers, and end-of-season honey yield were evaluated. Results demonstrated that chokeberry supplementation significantly improved colony development, with significant dose effects on brood area and bee-covered frames (both p < 0.001). Flight activity also increased with supplementation dose (p < 0.001), whereas defensive behaviour was not affected. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activity, and haemolymph total protein concentration all increased significantly with supplementation (all p < 0.001). End-of-season honey yield was significantly higher in supplemented colonies than in the control group (p < 0.001). Overall, these findings demonstrate that chokeberry fruit powder represents a promising functional dietary supplement capable of improving colony performance through the combined contribution of its nutritional composition and bioactive phytochemicals under practical field conditions.
This study aims to investigate the effects of fermented Chinese herbal medicine compounds on lactation performance, serum antioxidant and immune indices, rumen fermentation parameters, and ruminal microbiota in early lactating dairy cows. The FCHM consisted mainly of Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica sinensis, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Pueraria lobata. A total of 24 pluriparous Holstein cows (37.9 +/- 2.87 kg/head & times; d of milk, 2.4 +/- 0.49 of parity, and 28.4 +/- 3.92 days in milk) were randomly divided into two groups: control group (CON, fed with a farm basal diet) and fermented Chinese herbal medicines group (FCHM, fed with the farm diet supplemented with 200 g FCHM/head & times; day). The trial consisted of an adaptation period of 14 days, followed by an experimental period of 42 days. Milk samples were collected from each cow on days 1, 21, and 42 of the trial period to determine milk composition and somatic cell count. On day 42, prior to morning feeding, blood samples were drawn from the coccygeal vein for serum biochemical, antioxidant, and immune indices, and rumen fluid was sampled using an orogastric tube to assess rumen fermentation parameters and microbial community structure. Milk yield, dry matter intake, and milk composition were measured repeatedly during the experiment, and analysed using the Linear Mixed Model. Blood and rumen fluid were sampled only on the final day, and thus analysed by one-way ANOVA. The results showed that FCHM significantly increased milk yield, milk protein, 4% fat-corrected milk and feed efficiency (p < 0.05), while significantly decreased somatic cell count (p < 0.05) compared with CON. Additionally, serum levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total antioxidant capacity were significantly higher (p < 0.05), while tumour necrosis factor-alpha was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in FCHM when compared with those in CON. In the rumen of FCHM cows, the contents of propionate and microbial crude protein were significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the acetate/propionate ratio was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed that the abundances of Bifidobacteriaceae, Gastranaerophilales, and Lachnospiraceae_UCG_004 in the rumen liquor were significantly higher (p < 0.05), while those of RF39, Saccharofermentans, Hungateiclostridiaceae, Anaerorhabdus, Tyzzerella, Erysipelotrichaceae, Oribacterium, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group, and Anaerorhabdus_furcosa_group were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in FCHM when compared with those in CON. In conclusion, FCHM supplementation improved lactation performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in early lactating dairy cows, while enhancing ruminal fermentation and modulating rumen microbiota composition.
Laboratory methods (LAB) for feed analysis are reliable but time-consuming and expensive. Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) offers a non-destructive alternative, and portable devices have increased interest for on-farm real-time monitoring of feed composition. However, their accuracy relative to LAB remains insufficiently validated. This study evaluated two portable NIRS instruments compared with LAB methods for chemical characterisation of total mixed rations (TMR) for dairy buffaloes. 230 TMR samples were collected, scanned with both devices, and analysed with LAB methods. Parameters assessed included dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), ASH, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, and starch. Agreement among methods was examined using Bland-Altman and Passing-Bablok analyses, while differences were evaluated with Friedman ANOVA. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to explore the multidimensional structure of the dataset. Finally, Passing-Bablok regression was used to correct NIRS bias and reassess agreement with the reference method. Good agreement was observed for DM (mean differences 3.12% for NIRS_A, 0.99% for NIRS_B) and moderate for EE (<0.5%), while larger discrepancies occurred for fibre fractions, CP, ASH, and starch. Passing-Bablok regression revealed significant constant and proportional biases, particularly for fibre and starch. Bias correction improved agreement, with DM and EE predictions closely matching LAB values (e.g. DM: slope = 1.00, intercept = 0.95). The PCA indicated that NIRS devices capture overall compositional patterns, with NIRS_B showing lower variability. In conclusion, portable NIRS devices cannot yet replace laboratory analyses for buffalo TMR; however, after bias correction, they may have potential as tools for on-farm monitoring.
This retrospective study provides a demographic characterisation of the reproductive parameters of the Sicilian Mastiff (Mannara Dog) a local Italian breed recognised by the ENCI in 2014. We analysed official studbook records from 2015-2024, involving 136 whelping events from 89 bitches and 61 sires. Due to the retrospective nature of the registry data, the analysis focused on 'registered litter size' (puppies alive at similar to 25 days), which serves as a proxy for net reproductive productivity rather than prolificacy at birth. Mean bitch age at first whelping was 28.42 +/- 17.33 months, with an average registered litter size of 3.96 +/- 2.13. A Generalised Linear Mixed Model (GLMM), accounting for the dam as a random effect, revealed that maternal age negatively influenced registered litter size; each additional month of age was associated with a 1% reduction in the number of pups (p < 0.05; CI: -0.0143, -0.0004). A significant seasonal trend was observed, with whelping frequencies peaking in March compared to June and July (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). While this peak suggests a potential influence of environmental cues or breeder management preferences, the findings provide a necessary baseline for the conservation and demographic monitoring of this rural breed. Further research using prospective designs is needed to account for parity, neonatal mortality, and kennel-specific effects in this developing population.
This study evaluated the effects of wheat (WH) and wheat-sugar (WHSU) biofloc substrate systems on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, and biofloc-associated bacterial communities of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) over a 104-day rearing period. Final body weight, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were not significant between WH and WHSU groups (p > 0.05). There was no significant effect of treatments on the condition factor of fish (p > 0.05). High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing for biofloc and fish digesta generated high-quality datasets (Q30 > 94%), with no sequencing bias among treatments. Significantly higher richness and evenness were observed in biofloc (BF) communities compared with posterior intestine (PI) samples (p < 0.05). Beta diversity (UniFrac, Bray-Curtis, Jaccard) consistently demonstrated strong habitat-driven segregation between PI and BF microbiota. At the phylum level, both BF and PI communities were dominated by Fusobacteriota, Pseudomonadota, and Bacteroidota. At the family level, Fusobacteriaceae were prevalent in both habitats, and Cetobacterium was the dominant genus in BF and PI samples. LEfSe analysis identified distinct diet-associated biomarkers: WHSU biofloc was enriched in Gammaproteobacteria and carbohydrate-degrading taxa, whereas WH biofloc favoured Verrucomicrobiota and Bdellovibrionota. In the intestine, both WH and WHSU treatments altered community structure relative to the control, with enrichment of Actinomycota and Rhodobacterales lineages. Overall, WH biofloc system substantially restructured microbial communities, highlighting habitat-specific ecological dynamics and functional redundancy within aquaculture BF systems.
The increasing demand for sustainability and food security in agri-food and livestock systems has driven the valorisation of agro-industrial co-products. This study investigated olive pomace (OP), a co-product of oil production, for its nutritional and functional potential through in vitro digestion (INFOGEST 2.0), simulated piglet diet formulations, and cell culture assays. OP exhibited a valuable nutritional profile, particularly for lipid content (18.10 +/- 0.07 g/100 g), although characterised by low dry matter digestibility (31.49 +/- 1.57%). During digestion, OP maintained a notable antioxidant capacity. When incorporated in vitro into simulated piglet diets at 2.5 and 5%, OP enhanced functional activity without significantly affecting digestibility compared to the control. In C2C12 muscle cell cultures, MTT assays showed that food-grade extracted OP supported cell viability after 24 h at concentrations of 0.015 mg/mL (105.76 +/- 5.91%), 0.03 mg/mL (101.27 +/- 5.28%), and 0.07 mg/mL (102.51 +/- 5.95%). However, cell viability remained significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in cultures supplemented with 10% FBS. Overall, these results highlight the potential of OP as a sustainable functional ingredient, yet to be optimised for cellular agriculture applications. HIGHLIGHTS The high environmental impact of the food/feed sector has prompted scientific research to valorise the co-products of the food chain. Olive pomace has proven to be a functional animal feed resource. Further studies are needed to confirm its potential as an additive in cellular agriculture.
Double-muscled cattle breeds show limited adipogenesis, making "fatty" phenotypes difficult to record and direct selection for fatness unfeasible. In the Piemontese population, age at slaughter, carcase weight and gain were analysed in 11,058 young bulls and 6,334 heifers (Dataset 1) using a multiple-trait REML model. Age at slaughter showed moderate heritability (0.19 in males, 0.26 in females), similar to carcase weight (0.18 and 0.21). However, strong negative genetic correlations were observed between age at slaughter and carcase weight (-0.83 in males, -0.47 in females), indicating that genetically faster-growing animals are slaughtered earlier. An experimental survey on 1,161 young bulls (Dataset 2) included carcase fatness scores, which revealed a significant negative genetic correlation with age at slaughter (-0.62) through a Bayesian threshold-linear sire model. This suggests that animals genetically predisposed to higher fat deposition tend to be slaughtered earlier. Thus, age at slaughter may serve as a proxy for slaughter precocity in terms of both carcase gain and fatness. Performance testing of 5,333 male calves (Dataset 3) confirmed strong genetic correlations between live weight/daily gain and carcase weight/daily gain (0.55-0.86), and negative correlations with age at slaughter (-0.79 to -0.85). These results indicate that performance testing of AI candidate calves is a valuable tool not only to improve growth rates in young bulls and heifers, but also to enhance slaughter precocity. Further research should clarify the relationships between slaughter age, carcase fatness, meat quality and cow reproductive efficiency, particularly through molecular genetic approaches.
The study was designed to analyse reproductive performance, piglet losses, their growth and sow health based on length of confinement in farrowing crates. Five groups of sows (n = 24 per group) were assigned. Group A was housed freely throughout the period in farrowing house. Group B was confined from day 115 of gestation until two days postpartum. Group C was confined from day 115 of gestation until four days postpartum. Group D was confined from day 115 of gestation until six days postpartum Group E was crated throughout the stay in farrowing pen. Parameters of reproductive performance were not affected by length of confinement. Confinement duration had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on piglet crushing. Groups C, D, and E had the fewest piglets crushed by the sow. Most piglets were crushed within first two days, most frequently in group A (p < 0.01). The sow confinement duration affected the piglet growth. The highest weaning weight was found in group A (p < 0.01), litter weaning weight in groups A and B (p = 0.05) and the highest daily gain was recorded in group A (p < 0.001). Assessment of sow health based on evaluation of skin lesions, lameness and shoulder ulcers showed no effect of confinement duration. In conclusion, free movement of sows in the farrowing pen increases piglet losses, but improves piglet growth.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with milk thistle (Silybum marianum) and green anise (Pimpinella anisum) on milk yield, milk nutritional characteristics, and the expression of selected candidate genes related to milk production, lipid metabolism, and antioxidant defence in grazing dairy goats. Twenty-four goats, homogeneous in parity, body weight, days in milk, and milk yield, were randomly allocated to three experimental groups: control (C), anise (A), and thistle (T). All goats grazed pasture and received corn supplementation in the barn, while groups A and T were additionally supplemented with 15 g/head/day of green anise or milk thistle, respectively. Significant differences among groups were observed: milk yield increased in A and T goats; milk percentages of fat and lactose were reduced in A and T goats, and milk fatty acid profile was improved in both herbal experimental groups. Gene expression analysis revealed significant improvements only for antioxidant-related genes. Overall, these findings indicate that supplementation with milk thistle and green anise can enhance milk yield and modulate antioxidant gene expression in grazing dairy goats.
Heat stress (HS) represents a critical environmental challenge that compromises growth performance, immune function, and metabolic homeostasis in rabbits, resulting in economic and production losses. This study evaluated the protective efficacy of Taraxacum officinale ethanolic extract (TOE) against heat stress-induced oxidative damage, immune dysfunction, inflammation, and growth retardation in growing rabbits. A total of 160 weaned rabbits were randomly assigned to four experimental groups and fed diets supplemented with 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg of TOE. The study was conducted under severe HS conditions, with the calculated temperature-humidity index (THI) ranging from 29.09 to 31.20, confirming sustained environmental stress . Characterisation of TOE showed high phenolic content (743.8 mg GAE/g), flavonoid content (16.72 mg QE/g), and antioxidant capacity of 41.54%. Dietary TOE supplementation improved feed intake, body weight and weight gain of rabbits in a quadratic dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01). Significant improvements were observed in erythrocytic parameters, and RBC counts showed a quadratic response (p < 0.05). TOE reduced blood urea , creatinine, LDH, and GGT, in quadratic response and enhanced protein metabolism, reflected by higher total protein and globulin (p < 0.05). TOE significantly enhanced serum antioxidant defences (CAT and GPx), nitric oxide, and immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG) (p < 0.01). Conversely, serum oxidative markers (MDA and 8-OxodG) and inflammatory mediators (IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, amyloid, and TLR4) were significantly suppressed (p < 0.01). The results of this study demonstrate that TOE supplementation counteracts the HS effects by suppressing oxidative and inflammatory cascades while bolstering immune function. Consequently, TOE represents a nutritional strategy for sustaining rabbit production under climate-induced heat stress.
