Former foodstuffs in feed: a minireview of recent findings.

The sustainability of all productive activities, including livestock farming, becomes a fundamental challenge in the current scenario. Livestock production faces both old and new challenges related to climate change, food safety, and feed-food competition. The latter aspect has recently become a hot topic, and many researchers are turning their attention to this issue. According to circular economy principles, former foodstuffs have characteristics that make them a promising source of raw material for animal feed. The main objective of the present review is to provide a brief overview of the most recent studies (published between 2016 and 2022) addressing the dietary inclusion of former foodstuffs for livestock. The articles analyzed cover key findings from both in vitro and in vivo studies of former foodstuffs included in the diets for pigs, cows, and broilers, and assess the associated safety aspects. The articles provide information on livestock performances and product quality, as well as feed digestibility, fecal microbiota, and blood analysis. Although the evidence supports the inclusion of former foodstuffs in livestock diets as a safe, effective, and sustainable ingredient, this analysis of the most recent literature also highlights gaps in our knowledge that need to be filled. The present overview will help researchers plan future research and standardize and promote the inclusion of former food products in livestock diets.

Influence of age, gender, and willingness to adopt former foodstuffs on the perception of Italian farm animal veterinarians.

Background: Veterinarians play an essential role in improving animal care, as they are often viewed as trusted advisors, particularly in relation to disease control and management; however, little is known about veterinarians' perceptions and attitudes toward alternative feeds. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of age, gender, and willingness to adopt on the attitudes of livestock veterinarians toward the use of alternative feeds in farm animals. Methods: A total of 136 active veterinarians completed the online survey, distributed through the main veterinary associations in Italy. The questionnaire contained items on dietary recommendation, awareness, benefit and safety perceptions, and a willingness to adopt former foodstuffs (FFs), complemented with socio-demographic questions. Results: Almost 90% of the population reported a willingness to adopt FFs as feed. Men and women did not share the same perceptions of the nutritional composition of FFs, while the importance of product availability was found to be a key factor driving the age difference. Participants willing to adopt FFs as feed linked positive attitudes to attributes such as digestibility, energy intake, and positive social implications. Conclusion: Our findings provide a basic background on the current use of the FFs in Italy and suggest the need for the development of educational programs and marketing strategies to enhance the acceptability of FFs in farm animals to ultimately promote the transition toward more sustainable animal production. This study has limitations, including the number of recorded responses and reliance on national estimates. Future research is needed to investigate the perceptions of farmers and animal nutritionist from different countries. This could provide a more detailed picture of the current situation in Europe about the potential of using FFs in farm animals' feed, thus further contributing toward a greener and safer livestock production sector.

Effects of Adding Phytase from Aspergillus niger to a Low Phosphorus Diet on Growth Performance, Tibia Characteristics, Phosphorus Excretion, and Meat Quality of Broilers 35 days after hatching.

This study was designed to determine the effect of phytase extracted from Aspergillus niger (Natuphos® E) on growth performance, bone mineralization, phosphorous excretion, and meat quality parameters in broilers fed available phosphorous (aP)-deficient diet. In total, 810 one-day-old Indian River broilers were randomly allotted into one of three dietary treatments, with six replicates per treatment. The three dietary treatments were 1) control group (CON: basal diet with sufficient aP), 2) low phytase (LPY: available phosphorus-deficient diet supplemented with 0.01% phytase), and 3) high phytase (HPY: available phosphorus-deficient diet supplemented with 0.02% phytase). Average daily gain and, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were measured for 35 days. Excreta were collected from each pen on day 35. One broiler from each cage was euthanized to collect visceral organs and tibia samples. Broiler chickens fed LPY and HPY showed improved (P<0.05) growth performance compared to broilers fed CON on day 35. The tibia length of HPY-fed broilers was more than those of broilers fed other diets on day 35 (P<0.05). However, tibia calcium and phosphorous contents in LPY-fed broilers was higher (P<0.05) than in CON and HPY-fed broilers. Tibia length and calcium and phosphorous content showed a positive correlation (P<0.05) with the weight gain of broilers on day 35. Phosphorous level in the excreta of LPY- and HPY-fed broilers was lesser than those of CON broilers on day 35 (P<0.05). Furthermore, HPY-fed broilers showed lower (P<0.05) phosphorous content in the excreta than LPY-fed broilers. LPY- and HPY-fed broilers showed higher (P<0.05) liver weight than the CON broilers. In conclusion, broilers fed aP-deficient diet supplemented with phytase from Aspergillus excreted less phosphorus, which enhanced growth performance and tibia development from time of hatching to day 35 post-hatching.