Changes in the rumen and milk fatty acid profile and milk composition in response to fish and microalgae oils supplementation to diet alone or combination in dairy goats.

Dietary fat supplementation in the ruminant diet is known to be a good strategy to increase beneficial milk fat compounds such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to compare and combine fish oil (FO) and Schizachyrium microalgae oil (MA) supplementation to the diets of dairy goats. This study aimed to investigate the inclusion of FO, MA, and their combinations in the diets for effects on performance, milk composition, milk fatty acids, ruminal biohydrogenation, and fermentation parameters in dairy goats. Four cannulated Saanen dairy goats in the second lactation with a daily 3.25 ± 0.10 L milk yield and 45.08 ± 0.5kg body weight were assigned to four treatments: (1) no lipid supplementation (CON), (2) supplementation with 20 g/kg of FO, (3) 20 g/kg of MA, (4) 10 g/kg FO + 10 g/kg MA (FOMA). Milk and fatty acid composition were determined in samples taken from three consecutive days of milking after 21 days of adaptation. On the same days, ruminal fatty acids were determined. Dietary oil supplementations did not affect the performance parameters in dairy goats. However, fat yield decreased in FOMA. The oil supplementations did not affect the milk composition. However, cholesterol in milk increased in FO (P < 0.05). C16:0 FA in milk increased in MA. C18:0 FA in milk was lowest in MA. The highest milk trans-11 C18:1 FA was in the MA group. Cis-9, trans-11 CLA, trans-10, cis-12 CLA, and ∑PUFA increased in milk with oil supplementations to diet. Milk ∑SFA was the lowest in the FO group. Ruminal C18:0 fatty acid was decreased in oil supplementations to diet. Ruminal trans-11 C18:1, cis-9, trans-11 CLA, trans-10, and cis-12 CLA were increased in oil-supplemented groups. Ruminal fermentation parameters were not affected by oil supplementation to diet; however, there was a propionate increase in the MA group. The serum glucose and cholesterol levels were not affected by oil supplementation to diet.

Effects of vitamin and mineral premix withdrawal from diets on carcass and meat quality of feedlot steers.

The primary objective of the present study was to assess the effects of vitamin and mineral premix (VMP) withdrawal from the diets 30 and 60 days ahead of slaughter on carcass and meat quality of Holstein Friesian steers. A total of 45 animals at 16 to 17 months of age were used and the selected animals were divided into three experimental groups: control group (fed with a diet with VMP), VMP withdrawal 30 days ahead of slaughter (VMP30 group), and VMP withdrawal 60 days ahead of slaughter (VMP60 group). Meat samples were taken at 24 h postmortem from the 13th rib section and meat quality was evaluated on the Longissimus dorsi thoracis (LT) muscle. After slaughter, carcass yield and meat drip loss, cooking loss, thawing loss, and shear force traits were determined. Meat pH and color parameters were measured at 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h of postmortem. The fatty acid composition in 13th rib section' adipose tissue was determined. The hot and cold carcass weights, carcass yield and chilling loss were not affected by the withdrawal of VMP from the diet. Withdrawal of VMP from the diets 30 and 60 days ahead of slaughter did not have any significant effects on ultimate pH, drip loss, cooking loss, thawing loss, shear force, and meat color. Additionally, dry matter, crude protein, ash, fat contents, moisture-protein ratio of the meat samples, and fatty acid profiles were not affected by VMP30 and VMP60 treatments. It was concluded based on present finding VMP could be withdrawn safely from the diets 30 and 60 days ahead of slaughter without any negative effects on carcass and meat quality traits of feedlot steers. Withdrawal of VMP may reduce feeding costs and environmental damages generated by animal breeding systems.

Effect of Hempseed (Cannabis sativa sp.) Inclusion to the Diet on Performance, Carcass and Antioxidative Activity in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

This study was conducted to determine the effects of hempseed (H) on performance, carcass traits, and antioxidant activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 192 quail with seven-days old were divided into four experimental groups with four replicates. The treatments were; i) Control diet (C, no hempseed); ii) 5% hempseed in diet (H5); iii) 10% hempseed in diet (H10); and iv) 20% hempseed in diet (H20). The body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) of quail was determined at 7, 21 and 42 d of age. At 42 d of age four quail were slaughtered and the carcass and internal organ traits were determined. Malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), nitric oxide (NO) and total protein were determined in the blood serum end of the experiment. The BW of the groups were not significant at 7 and 21 d, however in the 20% hempseed group BW decreased at 42 d (p<0.05). The FI and feed conversion ratio were not significant among the treatment groups. The carcass, liver, intestine and heart weight and their percentage to carcass were significantly differ in treatment groups (p<0.05). The serum MDA and NO decreased in hempseed addition (p <0.001). The serum SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were increased by hempseed supplementation (p<0.001). In conclusion, hempseed supplementation to quail diets may not improve quail performance traits but increase antioxidant activity in blood.