Over 100 years of vitamin E: An overview from synthesis and formulation to application in animal nutrition.

The groundbreaking discovery of vitamin E by Evans and Bishop in 1922 was an important milestone in vitamin research, inspiring further investigation into its crucial role in both human and animal nutrition. Supplementing vitamin E has been proved to enhance multiple key physiological systems such as the reproductive, circulatory, nervous and muscular systems. As the main antioxidant in the blood and on a cellular level, vitamin E maintains the integrity of both cellular and vascular membranes and thus modulates the immune system. This overview showcases important and innovative routes for synthesizing vitamin E on a commercial scale, provides cutting-edge insights into formulation concepts for successful product form development and emphasizes the importance and future of vitamin E in healthy and sustainable animal nutrition.

Multi-functional application of octacosanol as a feed additive in animal and aquaculture: A review.

Demand for sustainable animal and aquaculture production drives the exploration of novel feed additives. We highlight octacosanol, a long-chain alcohol from plant sources, as a promising multifunctional feed additive. The review comprehensively evaluates octacosanol's applications in animal and aquaculture nutrition, including its molecular properties and mechanisms of action. It elucidates how octacosanol affects lipid metabolism, energy utilization and immune modulation. Octacosanol enhances livestock growth, efficiency, carcass quality and stress resilience. We thoroughly discuss how it enhances feed utilization, disease resistance and overall performance in finfish and shellfish in aquaculture. The review also addresses the ecological and sustainability aspects of octacosanol utilization. We identify challenges and knowledge gaps in octacosanol research, prompting suggestions for future investigations. We address regulatory considerations, dosage optimization and potential interactions with other feed additives to ensure the safe and effective use of octacosanol. In conclusion, the review highlights octacosanol's potential as a versatile feed additive in the animal and aquaculture industries and urges further research to uncover its benefits and sustainability contributions, proposing a prospective research plan for this purpose. This thorough analysis is a valuable resource for researchers, nutritionists and industry professionals looking to find innovative methods to improve production practices and advance sustainable food systems.

A biofloc system avoids the adverse effects of diets with suboptimal protein levels on zootechnical performance, intestinal histomorphometry, and protein metabolism of Nile tilapia juvenile fed Spirulina biomass (Arthrospira platensis) as an alternative protein source.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the biofloc technology (BFT) system and the replacement of fish meal with Spirulina biomass on productive performance, intestinal histomorphometry, plasma biochemistry, and oxidative stress of Nile tilapia juveniles (Oreochromis niloticus) fed suboptimal levels of protein. Two factors were evaluated: production systems (clear water × BFT) and replacement of fish meal with Spirulina (0, 33, 66 e 100%). The design was in a 2 × 4 randomized factorial scheme with four replications, and the fish were evaluated for 48 days. Four isoproteic (28% crude protein) diets were formulated with gross energy values close to 4300 kcal kg-1. Nile tilapia juveniles (0.23 ± 0.01 g) were distributed in 16 circular tanks (70 L) at seven fish/tank. The diets were formulated with protein levels approximately 20% below that required for the species and life stage. No interaction was observed between the factors evaluated (production systems × Spirulina inclusion). Rearing the fish in the BFT system avoided the adverse effects of diets with suboptimal protein levels on performance, intestinal histomorphometry, and protein metabolism. Lower values lower lipid peroxidation and higher antioxidant capacity were observed in fish reared in the BFT system, showing evidence of improvements in antioxidant responses and lower levels of physiological oxidative stress. Spirulina completely replaced fish meal in the diets of Nile tilapia juveniles without adverse effects on intestinal morphometry, protein metabolism, and antioxidant response. Replacing 66% of fish meal with Spirulina improved the productive performance, regardless of the rearing system.

Assessment of cecal microbiota modulation from piglet dietary supplementation with copper.

BACKGROUND: Swine production expanded in the last decades. Efforts have been made to improve meat production and to understand its relationship to pig gut microbiota. Copper (Cu) is a usual supplement to growth performance in animal production. Here, two performance studies were conducted to investigate the effects of three different sources of Cu on the microbiota of piglets. A total of 256 weaned piglets were randomly allocated into 4 treatments (10 replicates per treatment of 4 piglets per pen in Trial 1 and 8 replicates of 3 piglets per pen in Trial 2). Treatments included a control group (fed 10 mg/kg of Cu from CuSO4), a group fed at 160 mg/kg of Copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4) or tri-basic copper chloride (TBCC), and a group fed with Cu methionine hydroxy analogue chelated (Cu-MHAC) at 150, 80, and 50 mg/kg in Phases 1 (24-35 d), 2 (36-49 d), and 3 (50-70 d), respectively. At 70 d, the cecum luminal contents from one pig per pen were collected and polled for 16 S rRNA sequencing (V3/V4 regions). Parameters were analyzed in a completely randomized block design, in which each experiment was considered as a block. RESULTS: A total of 1337 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were identified. Dominance and Simpson ecological metrics were statistically different between control and treated groups (P < 0.10) showing that different Cu sources altered the gut microbiota composition with the proliferation of some bacteria that improve gut health. A high abundance of Prevotella was observed in all treatments while other genera were enriched and differentially modulated, according to the Cu source and dosage. The supplementation with Cu-MHAC can modify a group of bacteria involved in feed efficiency (FE) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production (Clostridium XIVa, Desulfovibrio, and Megasphera). These bacteria are also important players in the activation of ghrelin and growth hormones that were previously reported to correlate with Cu-MHAC supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that some genera seem to be directly affected by the Cu source offered to the animals. TBCC and Cu-MHAC (even in low doses) can promote healthy modifications in the gut bacterial composition, being a promising source of supplementation for piglets.

Discrimination of different feed additives and poly-herbal formulations based on their untargeted phytochemical profiles.

INTRODUCTION: Feed additives represents a valid tool in animal nutrition to improve animal performance and livestock productivity under a sustainable perspective; however, there is a paucity of information about their comprehensive metabolomic and bioactive profiles. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we tested the ability of an untargeted metabolomics approach to discriminate nine commercial feed additives and unique blends of botanical extracts used in both ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, according to their phytochemical profiles and different in vitro bioactive properties. METHODS: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometry and multivariate statistics were combined to search for potential markers, in order to better discriminate the different commercial samples. RESULTS: Several phytochemicals were identified, namely alkaloids, phenolics, organosulfurs, and terpenoids. The polyherbal formulation Zigbir was the best source of phytochemicals, accounting for a cumulative total content of phytochemicals equal to 3.03 mg Eq./g, being particularly abundant in terpenoids, stilbenes, phenolic acids, and small-molecular-weight phenolics. Multivariate statistics allowed to group the different products in 2 bioactive subclusters. The diterpenoid andrographolide recorded the highest abundance in Zigbir and Sangrovit. The most predictive biomarkers were: piperine, isoquercitrin, 6-methylthiohexyldesulfoglucosinolate, 6-methylumbelliferone, benzoic acid, (+)-(1R,2R)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol, and piperitenone. Flavonoids were highly correlated with both in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide new insights into the comprehensive phytochemical composition of commercial feed additives and blend of botanical extracts used for both ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition. A great importance of polyphenols in relation to the biological activities was detected.

Implementing fermentation technology for comprehensive valorisation of seafood processing by-products: A critical review on recovering valuable nutrients and enhancing utilisation.

Fermentation technology is a biorefining tool that has been used in various industrial processes to recover valuable nutrients from different side streams. One promising application of this technique is in the reclamation of nutritional components from seafood side streams. Seafood processing generates significant amounts of waste, including heads, shells, and other side streams. These side streams contain high quantities of valued nutritional components that can be extracted using fermentation technology. The fermentation technology engages the application of microorganisms to convert the side stream into valuable products like biofuels, enzymes, and animal feed. Natural polymers such as chitin and chitosan have various purposes in the food, medicinal, and agricultural industry. Another example is the fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) from seafood side streams. FPHs are protein-rich powders which could be used in animal nutrition and nutraceutical industry. The resulting hydrolysate is further filtered and dried resulting in a FPH powder. Fermentation technology holds great possibility in the recovery of valuable nutrients from seafood side streams. The process can help reduce waste and generate new value-added products from what would otherwise be considered a waste product. With further research and development, fermentation technology can become a key tool in the biorefining industry.

Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Defense in the Heart, Liver, and Kidney of Bat Species with Different Feeding Habits.

The aim of this study was to compare the oxidative metabolism of four neotropical bat species with different feeding habits and investigate the relationship between their feeding habits and oxidative status. In terms of oxidative damage, our findings revealed major differences among the four bat species. In particular, hematophagous bats had lower levels of oxidative damage in the heart but higher levels in the liver. Nectarivorous bats had lower levels of carbonyl groups in the kidneys compared to insectivorous and hematophagous bats. The activity of various antioxidant and non-antioxidant enzymes in the heart, liver, and kidney also showed significant differences among the bat species. H2O2 consumption was lower in the heart of hematophagous bats, while insectivorous bats exhibited the highest enzymatic activity in the kidney. SOD activity was lower in the heart of hematophagous bats and lower in nectarivorous bats in the liver. Fumarase activity was higher in the heart of frugivorous/insectivorous and lower in nectarivorous/hematophagous bats. GPx activity was higher in the heart of nectarivorous/insectivorous and higher in the kidney of insectivorous bats. GST activity was higher in the heart of nectarivorous and lower in hematophagous bats. The correlation analysis between oxidative markers and enzymatic/non-enzymatic antioxidants in the heart, liver, and kidney exhibited distinct patterns of correlations due to variations in antioxidant defense mechanisms and oxidative stress responses in different organs. The observed differences in oxidative damage, antioxidant enzyme activities, and correlations between oxidative markers and antioxidants highlight the adaptability and complexity of the antioxidant defense systems in these bats. Each organ appears to have specific demands and adaptations to cope with oxidative stress based on its physiological functions and exposure to dietary components. Our results have major significance for the conservation and management of bats, which are threatened species despite being crucial components of ecosystems. Our study's implications go beyond bat biology and offer valuable insights into comparative oxidative physiology.

Addition of chromium propionate in dog food: metabolic, immunological, and oxidative effects.

Chromium is a trace element essential in metabolising carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins and is involved in other biological functions. Therefore, this study determined whether chromium propionate supplementation in dogs improves haematologic, metabolic, immune/inflammatory, and antioxidant biomarkers. A commercial product (Labex® Chromium) containing 0.4% chromium was used at 500 g/ton of food, which provided an additional calculated amount of 2 mg of chromium per kg of food. We used ten beagles divided into two treatments: the chromium group (supplemented with 0.380 mg of chromium/dog/day; T-CHR) and the control group comprised dogs fed a basal diet (no chromium supplementation). The experiment included two periods of 28 days, with an interval of 15 days, i.e. the dogs in the control group in the first period were in the chromium group in the second period (all dogs underwent all treatments in a crossover design). Dogs supplemented with chromium had higher serum mineral levels on days 14 and 28 (P ≤ 0.001). The group in the chromium group showed significantly higher numbers of total leukocytes and lymphocytes and concentrations of total protein, globulin, thio-proteins, and catalase activity in blood than the control group. Serum urea concentrations and TBARS (lipid peroxidation) were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in the chromium group. Tendencies towards lower concentrations of reactive oxygen species were observed on day 28 in the T-CHR group (P = 0.10). Chromium supplementation increased the concentration of cytokines in serum (tumour necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], IFN-γ, and IL-10) and C-reactive protein (P ≤ 0.05). Dogs in the chromium group had higher gamma globulin concentrations than controls (P ≤ 0.001). These findings suggest that supplementation with chromium propionate (2 mg/kg) in food positivity modulates metabolic, antioxidant, and immune indicators in dogs.

Can banana peel and sweet potato vines serve as efficient feed ingredients in diets for growing rabbits?

This study aimed to evaluate the use of banana peel (BP) and sweet potato vines (SPV) as a replacement for maize and alfalfa hay in diets for rabbits. Animal performance, economic analyses, meat composition, and color were evaluated for 49 days in a total 50 New Zealand White rabbits weaned at 35 days with an average body mass of ± 614 g. The animals were allotted, in a completely randomized design, having five dietary groups: control diet (0), without banana peels and sweet potato vines, or experimental diets, 25, 50, 75, and 100-with 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of banana peels and sweet potato vines in substitution to maize and alfalfa hay, respectively. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, while the means were compared by Tukey test (p < 0.05). The results indicate that daily feed intake, mass gain, and feed conversion were not statistically different from one another in the test groups compared to the control group treatment. In addition, the study shows no differences were observed in centesimal compositions and muscle color. The replacement of maize and alfalfa hay by the combination of BP and SPV resulted in reduction in feed costs, reaching 50% in the experimental diet with 100% of substitution the ingredients. It can be concluded, based on the results on animal performance, meat/color composition, and economic analyses, that BP and SPV may be used as a substitute for maize and alfalfa hay up to 100% in diets for growing rabbits.

Sugarcane yeast with urea in replace of soybean meal in the diet of Murrah buffaloes does not cause metabolic, endocrine, and mineral disorders.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the replacement of soybean meal by increasing levels of sugarcane yeast and urea on the energy, enzymatic, protein, mineral, and hormonal profiles of buffalo heifers. Twenty Murrah heifers with an average body weight of 168 ± 2.0 kg and 1 year old were used in a completely randomized design. The treatments consisted of the replacement of soybean meal by increasing levels of sugarcane yeast and urea (0, 33, 67, and 100% dry matter). The animals were weighed at the beginning and end of the experimental period, and blood was collected on the final day. The replacement of soybean meal with sugarcane yeast influenced the performance and metabolic dynamics, with total weight gain (P = 0.005) and average daily gain (P = 0.015), presenting, for both variables, a quadratic effect. Considering the biochemical profile, there was an influence on the serum concentration of triglycerides (P = 0.055), the serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05), in addition to the serum concentration of phosphorus (P = 0.007) and potassium (P = 0.053), which showed positive linear effects. The hormonal profile was not influenced by diets (P > 0.05). The elements copper, iron, and zinc were able to be quantified at all levels of sugarcane yeast and urea in the diets offered. The use of sugarcane yeast with urea promotes adequate metabolic response of buffalo heifers and can replace up to 100% of soybean meal in the concentrate.

Effects of supplementing processed velvet beans (Mucuna pruriens L. DC. var. utilis) on nutrients intakes, growth performance, and blood profile in goats.

Ruminant production in West Africa faces both qualitative and quantitative feeding constraints during the dry season and animal diseases in smallholder farms. High-protein legume seeds can represent an alternative and sustainable feed that could enhance animal performance. The use of legume beans, limited by their anti-nutritional factor contents, can be improved through different detoxification methods. The study evaluated the effects of processed velvet beans compared to raw velvet beans on the nutritive value of the beans, nutrient intakes, growth performance, and blood profile in West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Four diets were tested, including 22.22% of raw velvet beans (RW diet), soaked beans (SK diet), boiled beans (BL diet), or roasted beans (RT diet). Twenty WAD goats of 6.85 ± 0.93 kg of body weight were divided equally into 4 groups and fed one of the four experimental diets. The processing method affects the crude protein content of velvet beans; in particular, tannin content was reduced with soaking or boiling. Dry matter and nutrient intakes resulted significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the SK diet compared to the control. Daily weight gain was highest in SK and RT diets and lowest in BL and the control diets RW. Therefore, the FCR was highest in BL and lowest in SK diets. In addition, SK diet showed the lowest feeding cost (1046.70 XOF/kg WG in SK). Our study revealed that processed velvet beans obtained using simple methods (e.g., soaking, boiling, or roasting) could be used as low-cost protein supplements in smallholder farms to enhance goats' performance. The soaking method appears the simplest and cheapest process that smallholder farmers can easily use to enhance goats' productivity and improve their livelihoods.

Canada jays (Perisoreus canadensis) balance protein and energy targets simultaneously in both consumed and cached food.

Food scarce periods pose serious physiological challenges for birds, especially in energetically demanding conditions. For species in the northern hemisphere, a decrease in available resources during winter adds further physiological stress to the energetic demands of life at low temperatures. Some species cache food to provide a reliable energy and nutrient resource during scarcity. Canada Jays are a year-round food-caching resident of the North American boreal forest. Canada Jays also rear their young prior to spring green up, making food caching not only essential for adult winter survival, but also potentially important for meeting the requirements of growing offspring in late winter and early spring. We examined the diet choices of Canada Jays immediately prior to winter, and the macronutrient composition of the foods Canada Jay consumed and cached at this time. We found that Canada Jays cache the same relative amounts of macronutrients as they consume but did not vary macronutrients seasonally. The similarities in the macronutrient proportions cached and consumed suggest a consistent nutrient intake pattern, and that Canada Jays are foraging to simultaneously meet similar minimum energy and minimum protein targets for both the present and future. These simultaneous targets constrain the caching decisions of jays when presented with dietary choices.

Phytochemical characteristics of Paulownia trees wastes and its use as unconventional feedstuff in animal feed.

Due to the continuous increase in animal feed prices, and the presence of competition between humans and animals on food materials, it is imperative to identify other non-food plant resources to assist the animal feed industry and improve livestock productivity. Plant wastes may cause air, soil, and water pollution. However, if judiciously managed, they would be important resources. Plant wastes are used as feedstuffs and fertilizers. However, their use as animal feed is more useful than fertilizers. Because of the high content of fiber and non-protein N, these wastes are more valuable for feeding ruminants than poultry. The use of the plant wastes as feedstuffs could improve the environmental quality and profits for feed producers. Paulownias are fast-growing trees initially cultivated for wood production. However, due to their good nutritive value, their leaves have been used for ruminants, non-ruminants animals and poultry feeding. Furthermore, they are well-known for its medicinal and antibacterial properties. However, little is still known about its characteristics. This review aimed at providing detailed information about the nature, nutritional value, phytochemicals, and uses of Paulownia as a promising feedstuff in the fields of ruminants, non-ruminants, and poultry nutrition.

Nutraceutical Role of Polyphenols and Triterpenes Present in the Extracts of Fruits and Leaves of Olea europaea as Antioxidants, Anti-Infectives and Anticancer Agents on Healthy Growth.

There is currently a worldwide consensus and recognition of the undoubted health benefits of the so-called Mediterranean diet, with its intake being associated with a lower risk of mortality. The most important characteristics of this type of diet are based on the consumption of significant amounts of fruit, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, which provide, in addition to some active ingredients, fiber and a proportion of vegetable protein, together with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as the main sources of vegetable fat. Fish and meat from poultry and other small farm animals are the main sources of protein. One of the main components, as already mentioned, is EVOO, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and to a lesser extent in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The intake of this type of nutrient also provides an important set of phytochemicals whose health potential is widely spread and agreed upon. These phytochemicals include significant amounts of anthocyanins, stilbenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenes of varying complexities. Therefore, the inclusion in the diet of this type of molecules, with a proven healthy effect, provides an unquestionable preventive and/or curative activity on an important group of pathologies related to cardiovascular, infectious, and cancerous diseases, as well as those related to the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this review is therefore to shed light on the nutraceutical role of two of the main phytochemicals present in Olea europaea fruit and leaf extracts, polyphenols, and triterpenes, on healthy animal growth. Their immunomodulatory, anti-infective, antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-carcinogenic capabilities show them to be potential nutraceuticals, providing healthy growth.

Fractionation of linseed and obtaining ingredients rich in protein and fibers: alternatives for animal feed.

BACKGROUND: Linseed fractionation was performed in laboratory scale to obtain concentrated protein and fiber fractions. Three methods were tested to obtain the linseed protein concentrate (LPC). The isoelectric pH method was more efficient in increasing the protein content and also provided higher yield. In the fractions obtained, the chemical composition (dry matter, ash, lipids, crude protein, total dietary fiber, calcium and phosphorus), total phenolic compounds and the physicochemical properties were evaluated. The profile of amino acids was determined for linseed meal and LPC, and the profile of monosaccharides was evaluated for linseed grain, soluble and insoluble fractions of the fiber. RESULTS: The results indicated that the protein concentration method by isoelectric pH improved the amino acidic profile and in vitro digestibility of LPC. The fractioning of the linseed fiber was efficient, since the soluble fiber of the soluble fraction corresponded to 675 g kg-1 . The separation of the fiber from the linseed concentrated the phenolic compounds in the insoluble fraction. For linseed grain there was a higher concentration of glucose, followed by xylose, galacturonic acid and arabinose. The same monosaccharides were identified in the insoluble fraction, with the exception of arabinose. In the soluble fraction, higher levels of xylose were found, followed by glucose, galacturonic acid and arabinose. CONCLUSION: The present study allows us to conclude that it is possible to separate the linseed into different fractions, obtaining a protection concentrate and fibers. The inclusion of these products in animal feed needs to be evaluated to determine levels of acceptance. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of dietary electrolyte balance on performance, energy balance, and expression of genes related to acid-basic balance, absorption, and transport of nutrients in broilers.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) levels on performance characteristics (feed intake, FI; body weight gain, BWG; and feed efficiency, FE), energy balance (retained energy, RE; metabolizable energy ingested, MEI; heat production, HP; and energy retention efficiency, ERE), and the expression of genes related to acid-base balance, nutrient absorption, and transport in broilers from 1 to 21 days of age. A total of 245 male Cobb chickens were used in a completely randomized design with five DEB levels (110, 175, 240, 305, and 370 mEq/kg) and seven replicates of seven birds each. The inclusion of DEB levels influenced FE; 110 mEq/kg provided the better values for this characteristic both in the pre-initial phase and in the initial phase but was different only concerning 175 mEq/kg (1-7 days) and 240 mEq/kg (1-21 days). Birds that ingested diets with a level of 240 mEq/kg of DEB had a higher MEI and HP. This DEB level caused a lesser and greater expression of the SLC12A2 gene in the liver and the ATP1A1 gene in the intestine, respectively. On the other hand, the ATP1A1 gene was less expressed in the liver and kidney of broilers supplemented with 370 mEq/kg compared to a level of 110 mEq/kg. In general, a level of 110 mEq/kg DEB in the ration seems to be the most suitable for good performance, energy balance, and gene expression of broilers from 1 to 21 days of age.

Organoids: a promising new in vitro platform in livestock and veterinary research.

Organoids are self-organizing, self-renewing three-dimensional cellular structures that resemble organs in structure and function. They can be derived from adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, or induced pluripotent stem cells. They contain most of the relevant cell types with a topology and cell-to-cell interactions resembling that of the in vivo tissue. The widespread and increasing adoption of organoid-based technologies in human biomedical research is testament to their enormous potential in basic, translational- and applied-research. In a similar fashion there appear to be ample possibilities for research applications of organoids from livestock and companion animals. Furthermore, organoids as in vitro models offer a great possibility to reduce the use of experimental animals. Here, we provide an overview of studies on organoids in livestock and companion animal species, with focus on the methods developed for organoids from a variety of tissues/organs from various animal species and on the applications in veterinary research. Current limitations, and ongoing research to address these limitations, are discussed. Further, we elaborate on a number of fields of research in animal nutrition, host-microbe interactions, animal breeding and genomics, and animal biotechnology, in which organoids may have great potential as an in vitro research tool.

Performance, meat characteristics and economic viability of rabbits fed diets containing banana peel.

In developing countries, agricultural areas are used to grow ingredients for rabbits' nutrition instead of food for the human population. In this context, in places where people starve, it is unreasonable to use ingredients, such as maize, in rabbits' diets. This research aimed to evaluate performance, meat composition and coloration, and economic viability in rabbits fed with diets containing banana peel (BP) in substitution to maize. Forty-five White New Zealand rabbits were used; they were weaned at 35 days old and divided into five treatments in a completely randomized design. The animals were fed with some of the following diets: control diet (0BP)-without banana peel; experimental diets: 25BP, 50BP, 75BP and 100BP-with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of banana peel in substitution to maize, respectively. Means were compared through analysis of variance, followed by Tukey test (0.05). Results indicate there were no differences in performance and meat parameters. Banana peel inclusion resulted in lower costs. Therefore, banana peel can replace maize up to 100% in diets for rabbits with no loss in performance and meat composition, representing a promising alternative in rabbits' nutrition.

Bioactive peptides from milk: animal determinants and their implications in human health.

Milk is an important protein source in human diets, providing around 32 g protein/l (for bovine milk, which constitutes some 85% of global consumption). The most abundant milk proteins are α-lactalbumin, ß-lactoglobulin, αs-casein, ß-casein, and κ-casein. Besides their nutritional value, milk proteins play a crucial role in the processing properties of milk, such as solubility, water bonding, heat stability, renneting and foaming, among others. In addition, and most importantly for this review, these proteins are the main source of bioactive components in milk. Due to the wide range of proposed beneficial effects on human health, milk proteins are considered as potential ingredients for the production of health-promoting functional foods. However, most of the evidence for bioactive effects comes from in vitro studies, and there is a need for further research to fully evaluate the true potential of milk-derived bioactive factors. Animal genetics and animal nutrition play an important role in the relative proportions of milk proteins and could be used to manipulate the concentration of specific bioactive peptides in milk from ruminants. Unfortunately, only a few studies in the literature have focused on changes in milk bioactive peptides associated to animal genetics and animal nutrition. The knowledge described in the present review may set the basis for further research and for the development of new dairy products with healthy and beneficial properties for humans.

The Use of Lupin as a Source of Protein in Animal Feeding: Genomic Tools and Breeding Approaches.

Livestock production in the European Union EU is highly dependent on imported soybean, exposing the livestock farming system to risks related to the global trade of soybean. Lupin species could be a realistic sustainable alternative source of protein for animal feeding. Lupinus is a very diverse genus with many species. However, only four of them-namely, L. albus, L. angustifolius, L. luteus and L. mutabilis-are cultivated. Their use in livestock farming systems has many advantages in relation to economic and environmental impact. Generally, lupin grains are characterized by high protein content, while their oil content is relatively low but of high quality. On the other hand, the presence of quinolizidine alkaloids and their specific carbohydrate composition are the main antinutritional factors that prevent their use in animal feeding. This research is mainly related to L. albus and to L. angustifolius, and to a lesser extent, to L. lauteus and L. mutabilis. The breeding efforts are mostly focused on yield stabilization, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, biochemical structure associated with seed quality and late maturing. Progress is made in improving lupin with respect to the seed quality, as well as the tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. It has to be noted that modern cultivars, mostly of L. albus and L. angustifolius, contain low levels of alkaloids. However, for future breeding efforts, the implementation of marker-assisted selection and the available genomic tools is of great importance.