Influence of rosehip (Rosa canina L.) leaves as feed additive during first stage of laying hens on performances and egg quality characteristics.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of rosehip leaves (RL) supplementation on the production performances and egg quality of laying hens during the first stage of laying. For that, 90 Lohmann Brown Classic hens, aged 26 wk, were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments as follows: a control diet (RL0), an experimental diet containing 0.5% rosehip leaves (RL0.5), and an experimental diet containing 1% rosehip leaves (RL1). The laying hens were accommodated in an experimental hall with identical pens (3.96 m2), and controlled microclimate conditions. The dietary treatments were administered for a 6-wk experimental period (26-32 d of age). During this time, production performance of hens was recorded. To assess the impact of RL on egg weight and its components evolution, egg yolk and albumen color, and primary chemical composition of egg constituents were determined every 2 wk. The effect on egg yolk fatty acids profile was determined only at the end of the trial. The results showed that RL0.5 and RL1 dietary treatments significantly improved laying rate, feed conversion ratio and egg mass compared with RL0 group. A significant effect on egg weight and its components was observed only over time, showing that RL has no effect on these parameters. Significant changes in egg yolk coloration were observed over time, with significant increases in L*, a* and b* chromomeric parameters in both RL0.5 and RL1 compared to RL0. Significant alterations were obtained from the sum of egg yolk fatty acids. The RL1 egg yolk presented significantly higher n-3, and significantly lower n-6 fatty acids, compared with both RL0 and RL0.5. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term effects of rosehip leaf supplementation on laying hens performance and egg quality.

Assessing the effects of microencapsulated Lactobacillus salivarius and cowpea seed supplementation on broiler chicken growth and health status.

This study aimed to assess the nutritional quality of cowpea seeds (cv. Doljana - CSD) and the impact of partially replacing soybean meal with CSD, along with the supplementation of microencapsulated Lactobacillus salivarius (LS), on the growth performance, selected carcass traits, biochemical plasma profile, tibia bone quality, and microbial populations in the ceca and excreta of broiler chickens aged 1 to 35 days. A total of 432 mixed-sex Ross 308 broiler chickens, aged one day, were randomly allocated to four groups, with 108 birds in each group, further divided into 6 pens containing 18 birds each. The experimental design featured a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with two cowpea seed levels (CSD0 and CSD15%) and the presence or absence (Yes/No) of microencapsulated LS probiotic (0 and 1 g/kg feed). The experimental diets did not significantly influenced (p > 0.05) production performances. However, the production efficiency factor was notably higher in the CSD0 (336.8%) and CSD15 (332.2%) groups with LS compared to CSD0 (322.4%) and CSD15 (320.6%) groups without LS supplementation. Regarding carcass traits, the CSD15 group with LS supplementation exhibited higher dressing (70.69%) and liver (2.47%) percentages compared to the other groups. Plasma profile analysis revealed significant reductions (p < 0.05) in total cholesterol (from 115 mg/dL to 105 mg/dL) and triglycerides (from 54.80 mg/dL to 46.80 mg/dL) in the CSD15 group with LS supplementation compared to the CSD0 group, with or without LS supplementation. Moreover, the CSD15 group with LS had significantly higher total protein, albumin, and calcium levels and significantly lower (p < 0.05) uric acid levels compared to the CSD0 group, irrespective of LS supplementation. Tibia bone traits and minerals showed no significant effects. However, the pH exhibited a linear decrease from 6.90 in the CSD0 group without LS to 6.69 in the CSD15 group with LS supplementation. In terms of cecal microbial populations, Coliforms decreased from 7.14 CFU/g in the CSD15 group without LS to 5.48 CFU/g in the CSD15 group with LS. Significant alterations were also observed in Clostridium spp., E. coli, Enterococcus spp., and Staphylococcus spp. in the ceca and excreta of the CSD15 group with LS supplementation compared to the CSD0 group, with or without LS supplementation. Beneficial bacteria, specifically Lactobacillus spp., significantly increased in the cecal content of CSD0 (9.06 CFU/g) and CSD15 (9.01 CFU/g) groups with LS compared to CSD0 (8.41 CFU/g) and CSD15 (8.11 CFU/g) groups without LS. In summary, this study suggests that cowpea seeds can be used as a partial replacement for soybean meal in broiler chicken diets, and microencapsulated Lactobacillus salivarius can be employed as a probiotic supplement.

Alterations in Essential Fatty Acids, Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM), and Enteric Methane Emission in Primiparous Sows Fed Hemp Seed Oil and Their Offspring Response.

This study shows the effects of dietary hemp seed oil on the milk composition, blood immunoglobulins (Ig), and enteric methane (E-CH4) production of primiparous sows, and their offspring's response at three time points. A bifactorial experiment was conducted for 21 days (d) on 18 primiparous sows (195 ± 3 days old). The sows were fed two diets: (i) a control diet (SO) based on soybean oil (1.6%), with an 18.82 n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratio; (ii) an experimental diet (HO) based on hemp seed oil (1.6%), with a 9.14 n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio. The milk contained an elevated level of linoleic acids (LA), n-3 FA, and especially alpha-linolenic acids (ALA), while the n-6:n-3 ratio declined using hemp oil. The Ig concentration was higher in colostrum than in milk. In the first few hours, the IgG in the plasma of piglets was more than double that of maternal plasma IgG (+2.39 times). A period effect (p < 0.0001) for IgG concentration in the plasma of piglets was recorded (40% at 10 d, respectively 73% lower at 21 d than 12 h after parturition). However, the sow diet did not affect Ig (p > 0.05). The frequency of diarrhoea declined after about 7 d. The value of the rate of diarrhoea was 6.2% lower in the PHO group. We found a 4.5% decline in E-CH4 in the HO group. Applying multiple linear regression, feed intake, n-6:n-3 ratio, ALA, and lean meat were potential indicators in estimating E-CH4. In conclusion, sow dietary hemp seed oil increased lean meat %, milk EFA, and milk IgM. Significant changes in the other dependent variables of interest (body weight, plasma Igs in sows and offspring, E-CH4 production) were not recorded. There was reduced diarrhoea which shows that EFA could play a therapeutic role in the incidence of diarrhoea and in lowering of E-CH4 emission in sows and progeny. All dependent variables were significantly altered at different time points, except for fat concentration in milk and sow plasma IgG.

Evaluation of Performance, Nitrogen Metabolism and Tissue Composition in Barrows Fed an n-3 PUFA-Rich Diet.

We investigated changes in nitrogen metabolism and chemical, fatty acid (FA) and amino acid (AA) composition in tissues (longissimus dorsi (LD) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles, heart, spleen, liver and cecum) following the dietary addition of extruded linseed and walnut meal (50:50 mix). Plasma creatinine and urea nitrogen were determined as well. Two trials were designed using barrows (five replicates) allotted in two groups [(control, (SM) and experimental, (LEW))] in metabolic cages. The experimental diet rich in n-3 FA led to a significant increase of retained nitrogen (>8.09% in the LEW group). The biological value of feed protein was 14.8% higher in the LEW group than in the SM group. LD muscles from the SM group and liver from the LEW group had greater nitrogen contents, whereas the heart and spleen had lower concentrations of nitrogen in the LEW group. Diet had a pronounced effect on n-3 FA, particularly on α-linolenic fatty acid (ALA) (p < 0.0001). The highest levels of ALA were recorded in the cecum (>6.06 times in LEW) and heart (>5.44 times in LEW). The highest level of lysine was noticed in the LD muscle (>2.1% in SM). An n-3-rich diet significantly reduced the amount of nitrogen excreted; greater than 40% nitrogen was retained, thus improving the meat composition.