Effect of increasing doses of neem (Azadirachta indica) seed oil on feed intake, nutrients digestibility, ruminal fermentation and nitrogen utilization of Omani sheep.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of neem (Azadirachta indica) seed oil (NSO) on feed intake, ruminal fermentability, feed digestibility, nitrogen balance, and blood parameters in Omani sheep. Nine Omani male sheep (BW; 54.44 ± 8 kg/sheep) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin Square design with three dietary treatments and three periods, with each period lasting 21 days. The animals were randomly assigned into three treatment groups: basal diet without NSO (control); 20 mL/sheep per day NSO (low dose) or 40 mL/sheep per day NSO (high dose). Sheep fed with high dose presented lower (p < 0.05) intake, fiber digestibility, and excreted N in urine. However, diet supplemented with high NSO dose had a lower (p < 0.05) ruminal acetate proportion, while increased (p < 0.05) ruminal propionate compared to the control group. Moreover, sheep offered with NSO showed a linear decrease (p = 0.052) in ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration. The high dose increased (p < 0.05) blood glucose and cholesterol, while decreased urea nitrogen concentrations. Emission of predicted methane (CH4) reduced (p = 0.007) by 13% for high dose compared to the control group. In conclusion, these results suggested that NSO is a potential feed additive with up to 20 ml/kg of DM alters rumen fermentation profile, decreased CH4 production, feed digestibility, and nitrogen metabolism for sheep.

Nutritional significance and health benefits of omega-3, -6 and -9 fatty acids in animals.

The balance between omega-3 (ω-3), omega-6 (ω-6) and omega-9 (ω-9) fatty acids (FAs) is very important because these types of oils constitute essential components for the formation of the cell membrane, also they are precursors for a large number of substances in the body. One of the most important strategies for improving the increment of polyunsaturated FAs in poultry and animal meat is the dietary administration of these FAs. Additionally, the different sources of ω-3 or 6 in the diet improve the performance, public health and physiological aspects including anti-oxidative properties and immunity. ω-3 FAs have anti-inflammatory characteristics due to their ability to reduce cytokines liberation. High-level of ω-6 FAs is always associated with an increased incidence of dangerous disorders like depression and heart disease. These FAs showed a tremendous series of beneficial impacts like improved cholesterol levels and a decreased occurrence of coronary heart diseases. This article includes some information on the use of ω-3, ω-6 and ω-9 FAs in animal and human diets. These oils are vital for the physiological and health aspects, and the information mentioned here will improve our understanding of the functions and roles of these FAs in the body.

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.

Influence of microbial probiotics on ruminant health and nutrition: sources, mode of action and implications.

Globally, ruminant production contributes immensely to the supply of the highest quality and quantity of proteins for human consumption, sustenance of livelihoods, and attainment of food security. Nevertheless, the phasing out of antibiotics in animal production has posed a myriad of challenges, including poor growth, performance and nutrient utilization, pathogen colonization, dysbiosis, and food safety issues in ruminants. Probiotics (direct-fed microbials), comprising live microbial strains that confer health and nutritional benefits to the host when administered in appropriate quantities, are emerging as a viable, safe, natural and sustainable alternative to antibiotics. Although the mechanisms of action exerted by probiotics on ruminants are not well elucidated, dietary probiotic dosage to ruminants enhances development and maturation, growth and performance, milk production and composition, nutrient digestibility, feed efficiency, pathogen reduction, and mitigation of gastrointestinal diseases. However, the beneficial response to probiotic supplementation in ruminants is not consistent, being dependent on the microbial strain selected, combination of strains, dose, time and frequency of supplementation, diet, animal breed, physiological stage, husbandry practice, and farm management. Nonetheless, several studies have recently reported beneficial effects of probiotics on ruminant performance, health and production. This review conclusively re-iterates the need for probiotics inclusion for the sustainability of ruminant production. Considering the role that ruminants play in food production and employment, global acceptance of sustainable ruminant production through supplementation with probiotics will undoubtedly ensure food security and food safety for the world. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

A comparison of milk production from Holstein Friesian and Jersey cattle breeds under hot climate of Oman.

Data of milk production and performance under Oman climatic conditions are limited. The current study presents a 9-year analysis of daily milk performance of Holstein and Jersey cattle breeds born and raised in Oman and fed similar diets of concentrate and Rhodes grass hay. Data on the daily cow's milk production, during the entire lactation period for nine consecutive milking years between 2009 and 2018, were collected. The data was introduced to a linear mixed model and was analyzed to evaluate the breed variations in milk production across lactations and across years. Holstein Friesian (HF) cows had significantly (P < 0.001) higher daily milk production of 17.6 ± 0.4 kg/cow/day compared to 11.7 ± 0.8 kg/cow/day for Jersey cows. Across years, we observed a gradual annual improvement in total milk production in both HF and Jersey breeds of 5% and 6%, respectively. The highest daily milk production was in the third and fourth lactations for HF cows and in the second and third lactations for Jersey cows. In a region where much of the expected demand in milk will be met by exotic breeds and importation, our results provide an insight into the performance of temperate breeds in hot and arid climatic conditions. As such, our results shall be useful for dairy producers seeking to maximize milk production under such conditions.

Effect of diet quality and shearing on feed and water intake, in vitro ruminal methane production, and blood parameters of Omani sheep.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diet and animal shearing on the feed and nutrient intakes, water intake, in vitro ruminal methane production, and blood parameters of Omani sheep. A pens trial was carried out for 16 days each in March and June of 2017 using 20 Omani non-castrated yearling rams selected from the sheep herd in the research station and randomly assigned to four groups with 5 animals per group. Group 1: sheared animals fed a high concentrate (HC) diet, group 2: fleeced animals fed a HC diet, group 3: sheared animals fed a low concentrate (LC) diet, group 4: fleeced animals fed a LC diet. Furthermore, a metabolic crates trial was carried out in July of 2017 on three animals from each group over a 10-day period. The effect of diet and shearing on the tested parameters was evaluated using the mixed linear model, where animals were fitted as a random effect to account for the individual animal deviation from the overall mean. Results showed that rams fed on the high concentrate diet had a significantly increased organic matter intake of the total diet (62 g/kg 0.75 Live Weight (LW) in HC group to 54 g/kg 0.75 LW in LC group), an increased water intake (6.3 L/day vs 4.8 L/day in LC group), and a reduced in vitro methane production (i.e. the invitro ruminal CH4 was measured and converted to daily CH4 using the daily feed intake data and was 20.4 g CH4 per head/day in HC group vs 27.3 g CH4 per head/day in LC group), compared with rams fed on the low concentrate diet. Furthermore, shearing had a significant effect (P < 0.01) on increased feed and nutrients intake. The apparent and organic matter digestibility was significantly different (P < 0.01) between the experimental groups and was greater for those rams fed on the HC diet. Partial substitution of low-quality Rhodes grass hay by high-quality concentrate significantly improved the total diet organic matter digestibility (P < 0.01) and nutrients digestibility, whereas no significant effects on biochemical blood parameters or animal health were observed. These results show the importance of utilizing effective feeding and shearing plans to improve the productivity and reduce the methane emission of Omani sheep.

Showcasing the multifaceted aspects of agricultural transformation: The example of mountain oases in Oman.

In the Anthropocene the consequences of land-use transformation on ecosystem services are of growing concern, particularly in fragile areas of mountain agriculture that often represent high nature-value farmland. This study uses a decadal repeated survey approach to analyse the effects of modernisation on oasis systems in the Jabal Al Akhdar region of northern Oman. This rugged mountain region at the north-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula experiences a growing influx of regional and international tourists since the opening of a modern highway 15 years ago. In 2007, at the onset of transformation processes, a survey was conducted with all households (HH) located in three major settlements along the 1000-m-altitude gradient of the Wadi Muaydin watershed. The survey was repeated in 2018, including all remaining HH of the three settlements. This longitudinal approach allowed studying the consequences of social-ecological transformation processes on crop and livestock husbandry, agricultural labour use, product marketing, and perception of the region's future by its local residents. Though the village inhabitants are aging and declining in numbers, they still adhere to agriculture, largely because of tradition and identity. Fallowing and abandoning farmland increased over the investigated time span but was paralleled by increased application of agrochemicals and animal manure on fields, purchase of roughage and concentrate feeds for small ruminants, concentration on cash crop and meat production for sale, and increased employment of migrant workers. These indicators of modernisation of oasis agriculture are accompanied by predominantly pessimistic views on future prospects of oasis farming. Commonly perceived problems are shortage of irrigation water and profound societal change. Against these challenges, value chain generation and direct marketing opportunities for local agricultural produce are seen as prerequisites to keep the high nature-value farmland of these mountain oases alive.

Effect of dietary concentrate content on feed intake, feed efficiency, and meat quality of Holstein steers fattened in a hot environment.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of feeding high and low concentrate diets on feed intake and feed efficiency, the morphological characteristics of the rumen papillae, and meat quality of Holstein steers fattened under hot climate conditions in Oman. Ten male Holstein calves, of 5 months of age, were selected for the experiment. The animals were fed concentrate and Rhodes grass hay and were divided into two groups of high concentrate (HC, n = 5) and low concentrate diets (LC, n = 5), in which their feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency were evaluated across three growing periods. Feed intake and efficiency and average daily gain (ADG) of the HC group were significantly greater than for the LC group and were affected by the diet (p < .01) and the period (p < .001). Across the fattening periods, ADG declined in both groups, with ADG improved by 35% for steers on the HC diet compared to steers on the LC diet. Carcass meat quality was not affected significantly by the dietary concentrate level. In conclusion, our results can be used to make improvements in feed efficiency of Holstein steers under hot climate conditions.

Current situation and the development of the dairy industry in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.

The development of the dairy industry plays an important role in the economy of Middle Eastern countries. Judged by its growth rate, the dairy industry is viewed as one of the most progressive food industries in the Middle East. During the early 1970s, countries established executive programs to promote dairy farming; the major objective was to attain self-sufficiency in milk production. A massive investment was set up for importing top class cattle, complying with top industry operating standards, and a simultaneous introduction of the latest technology in processing, packaging, and distributing. Milk production has grown tremendously at rates of 6.6% and 4.9% in Syria and Saudi Arabia, respectively, between 2002 and 2007, which resulted in these nations being almost self-sufficient. Regarding Jordan, milk production has not yet met this target. An excessive growth in the dairy industry is quite noticeable in this region with an expanding capacity for exports. The aim of this study is to show the most recent trends and future prospects of the dairy industries in Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. It also attempts to investigate the drivers for the development of milk production, consumption, and trade in the region.

Techno-economic evaluation of biogas production from food waste via anaerobic digestion.

Food waste is a major constituent in municipal solid wastes and its accumulation or disposal of in landfills is problematic, causing environmental issues. Herein, a techno-economic study is carried out on the potential of biogas production from different types of food waste generated locally. The biogas production tests were at two-time sets; 24-h and 21-day intervals and results showed a good correlation between those two-time sets. Thus, we propose to use the 24-h time set to evaluate feedstock fermentation capacity that is intended for longer periods. Our approach could potentially be applied within industry as the 24-h test can give a good indication of the potential substrate gas production as a quick test that saves time, with minimal effort required. Furthermore, polynomial models were used to predict the production of total gas and methane during the fermentation periods, which showed good matching between the theoretical and practical values with a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.99. At day 21, the accumulative gas production value from mixed food waste samples was 1550 mL per 1 g of dry matter. An economic evaluation was conducted and showed that the case study breaks-even at $0.2944 per cubic metre. Any prices above this rate yield a positive net present value (NPV); at $0.39/m3 a discounted payback period of six years and a positive NPV of $3108 were calculated. If waste management fee savings are to be incorporated, the total savings would be higher, increasing annual cash flows and enhancing financial results. This economic evaluation serves as a preliminary guide to assess the economic feasibility based on the fluctuating value of methane when producing biogas from food waste via anaerobic digestion, thus could help biogas project developers investigate similar scale scenarios .

Nutritional and ecological evaluation of dairy farming systems based on concentrate feeding regimes in semi-arid environments of Jordan.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and ecological aspects of feeding systems practiced under semi-arid environments in Jordan. Nine dairy farms representing the different dairy farming systems were selected for this study. Feed samples (n = 58), fecal samples (n = 108), and milk samples (n = 78) were collected from the farms and analysed for chemical composition. Feed samples were also analysed for metabolisable energy (ME) contents and in vitro organic matter digestibility according to Hohenheim-Feed-Test. Furthermore, fecal nitrogen concentration was determined to estimate in vivo organic matter digestibility. ME and nutrient intakes were calculated based on the farmer's estimate of dry matter intake and the analysed composition of the feed ingredients. ME and nutrient intakes were compared to recommended standard values for adequate supply of ME, utilizable crude protein, rumen undegradable crude protein (RUCP), phosphorus (P), and calcium (Ca). Technology Impact Policy Impact Calculation model complemented with a partial life cycle assessment model was used to estimate greenhouse gas emissions of milk production at farm gate. The model predicts CH4, N2O and CO2 gases emitted either directly or indirectly. Average daily energy corrected milk yield (ECM) was 19 kg and ranged between 11 and 27 kg. The mean of ME intake of all farms was 184 MJ/d with a range between 115 and 225 MJ/d. Intake of RUCP was lower than the standard requirements in six farms ranging between 19 and 137 g/d, was higher (32 and 93 g/d) in two farms, and matched the requirements in one farm. P intake was higher than the requirements in all farms (mean oversupply = 19 g/d) and ranged between 3 and 30 g/d. Ca intake was significantly below the requirements in small scale farms. Milk nitrogen efficiency N-eff (milk N/intake N) varied between 19% and 28% and was mainly driven by the level of milk yield. Total CO2 equivalent (CO2 equ) emission ranged between 0.90 and 1.88 kg CO2/kg ECM milk, where the enteric and manure CH4 contributed to 52% of the total CO2 equ emissions, followed by the indirect emissions of N2O and the direct emissions of CO2 gases which comprises 17% and 15%, respectively, from total CO2 equ emissions. Emissions per kg of milk were significantly driven by the level of milk production (r (2) = 0.93) and of eDMI (r (2) = 0.88), while the total emissions were not influenced by diet composition. A difference of 16 kg ECM/d in milk yield, 9% in N-eff and of 0.9 kg CO2 equ/kg in ECM milk observed between low and high yielding animals. To improve the nutritional status of the animals, protein requirements have to be met. Furthermore, low price by-products with a low carbon credit should be included in the diets to replace the high proportion of imported concentrate feeds and consequently improve the economic situation of dairy farms and mitigate CO2 equ emissions.