Full-fat insect meals in ruminant nutrition: in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and lipid biohydrogenation.

BACKGROUND: The most used protein sources in ruminant nutrition are considered as having negative impacts in terms of environmental sustainability and competition with human nutrition. Therefore, the investigation of alternative and sustainable feedstuffs is becoming a priority in ruminant production systems. RESULTS: This trial was designed to evaluate eight full-fat insect meals (Acheta domesticus - ACD; Alphitobius diaperinus - ALD; Blatta lateralis - BL; Gryllus bimaculatus - GB; Grylloides sygillatus - GS; Hermetia illucens - HI; Musca domestica - MD; and Tenebrio molitor - TM) as potential protein and lipid sources in ruminant nutrition. Fermentation parameters and fatty acids (FA) of rumen digesta after 24-h in vitro ruminal incubation of the tested insect meals were measured and compared with those of three plant-based meals (soybean meal, rapeseed meal and sunflower meal) and fishmeal (FM). Similarly to FM, the insect meals led to a significantly lower total gas production (on average, 1.75 vs. 4.64 mmol/g dry matter-DM), methane production (on average, 0.33 vs. 0.91 mmol/g DM), volatile FA production (on average, 4.12 vs. 7.53 mmol/g DM), and in vitro organic matter disappearance (on average, 0.32 vs. 0.59 g/g) than those observed for the plant meals. The insect meals also led to lower ammonia of rumen fluid, when expressed as a proportion of total N (on average, 0.74 vs. 0.52 for the plant and insect meals, respectively), which could be an advantage provided that intestinal digestibility is high. Differences in ruminal fermentation parameters between the insect meals could be partially explained by their chitin, crude protein and ether extract contents, as well as by their FA profile. In particular, high content of polyunsaturated FA, or C12:0 (in HI), seems to partially inhibit the ruminal fermentations. CONCLUSIONS: The tested full-fat insect meals appear to be potentially an interesting protein and lipid source for ruminants, alternative to the less sustainable and commonly used ones of plant origin. The FA profile of the rumen digesta of ACD, ALD, GB, GS and TM, being rich in n-6 polyunsaturated FA, could be interesting to improve the quality of ruminant-derived food products.

Carotenoid, Tocopherol, and Phenolic Compound Content and Composition in Cover Crops Used as Forage.

Secondary compounds of grassland and forage plant species such as vitamins or phenolic compounds are involved in different health-promoting effects in animals. However, information on their concentration and composition in forage plant species remains scarce. The objective of this study was to characterize the composition of secondary compounds of seven grazed cover crop plant species harvested at two stages of growth. Carotenoids and tocopherols were characterized and quantified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array, and soluble phenolic compounds were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. All species were rich in carotenoids, especially at the vegetative stage, even if the concentrations varied between plant species. Variations in tocopherol concentrations and phenolic composition were more important between plant species than between stages within species. Among the plant species tested, sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop) contained the most secondary metabolites.

Additive effects of trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid and propionic acid on milk fat content and composition in dairy cows.

Diet is a relatively simple way to modify milk fat yield and composition in dairy cows as the end-products of digestion are precursors or inhibitors of milk fat synthesis. The individual effects of these end-products are well-known, but it is still not known whether these nutrients have an additive effect or an interaction effect on milk fat secretion. Thus our objective was to investigate the effects of two of these nutrients on milk fat secretion, trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and propionic acid (C3) supplied alone or together, under the same experimental conditions. Four Holstein dairy cows were used in a 4x4 Latin square design with 14-d periods. Treatments were control, CLA (duodenal infusion of 1.85 g/d of trans-10, cis-12 CLA), C3 (ruminal infusion of 500 g/d of C3) and CLA+C3 (duodenal infusion of 1.85 g/d of trans-10, cis-12 CLA plus ruminal infusion 500 g/d of C3). Infusions of trans-10, cis-12 CLA reduced milk fat content and yield by 18% whereas C3 infusions had no significant effect on milk fat secretion. Trans-10, cis-12 CLA decreased the yields of all milk fatty acids (FA). This reduction was proportionally greater for FA synthesized de novo than for preformed long-chain FA. Infusions of C3 decreased the yields and percentages of 4:0 and 18:0 and increased the yields and percentages of all odd-chain FA. Interactions between trans-10, cis-12 CLA and C3 infusions on milk fat content, yield and FA composition were never significant. Overall, this study showed that trans-10, cis-12 CLA has different and greater effects on milk fat secretion than C3. Moreover, under our experimental conditions, their effects on milk FA yields, which reflect their effects on mammary lipogenesis, were additive, whatever their individual effect.