RESUMO
The main purpose of this study was to assess the impact of using the thermally modified mineral adsorbent shungite (MAS) and the dried seaweed meal Fucus vesiculosus (DSM) with different doses in Brown Nick cross laying hens' diet on their productivity, nutrient digestibility, morphological and blood profile, immunity status, and egg quality. A total of 261,720 hens were used in this experiment at the age of 63 weeks, and they were randomly divided into 5 groups (feeding program) with six repetitions of 8724 chickens in each. The first served (control) as a control group where laying hens were fed the basal diet that was used on the farm only; the second and the third groups represented MAS+ and MAS++, where they received the basal diet supplemented by 0.1% and 0.25% (or 1.0 kg/t and 2.5 kg/t of feed) of the mineral adsorbent shungite (MAS) which was provided in the feed in powder form (5 microns) and was added to the feed at the feed mill; the fourth and fifth groups represented DSM+ and DSM++, which received the basal diet provided with 0.1% and 0.25% (or 1.0 kg/t and 2.5 kg/t of feed) of dried seaweed meal of F. vesiculosus algae (DSM). The average egg weight over the entire period of the experiment revealed significant differences between the experimental groups and represented in the control group 65.20 vs. 66.88, 66.87 and 68.10 and 68.13 g in the MAS+ and MAS++, and DSM+ and DSM++ groups, respectively. Once the dried seaweed meal F. vesiculosus (DSM) was used, the crude protein increased significantly (p < 0.05) in egg yolk by 2.64 and 2.67%, carotenoids by 1.13 and 1.20 mg/g DM. The inclusion of both MAS and DSM feed additives revealed a significant decrease in the level of crude fat (lipids) in their liver when compared with the control group. The level of erythrocytes (RBCs) increased (p < 0.05) in the MAS+ and MAS++ and DSM+ and DSM++ groups when compared to the control group. Similarly, a significant increase was noted in hemoglobin when DSM was supplemented when compared to the control one. Moreover, the number of heterophils increased (p < 0.05) in groups of MAS and DSM when compared to the control group. The percentage of phagocytic activity increased significantly by 5.39, 6.90, and 7.18% in MAS++, DSM+, and DSM++, respectively, relative to the control group. On the other hand, the phagocytic number decreased (p < 0.05) by 1.15 and 1.12 conditional units in MAS+ and MAS++ and by 1.03 and 0.83 conditional units in DSM+ and DSM++ when compared to the control group, respectively. Consequently, the inclusion of thermally modified mineral adsorbent shungite and the dried seaweed meal F. vesiculosus with different doses in Brown Nick cross laying hen diets improves the egg weight and egg quality, crude protein, carotenoids and vitamin A in the egg mass, the utilization of lysine and methionine nutrients, hemoglobin content, immunity status, while decreases the incidence of fatty liver occurrence.
RESUMO
The rapid expansion of the aquaculture industry with carnivorous fish such as salmon has been accompanied by an equally rapid development in alternative feed ingredients. This has outpaced the ability of prevailing authentication method to trace the diet and origins of salmon products at the retail end. To close this gap, we developed a new profiling tool based on amino acid δ13C fingerprints. With this tool, we discriminated with high-accuracy among wild-caught, organically, and conventionally farmed salmon groups, as well as salmon fed alternative diets such as insects and macroalgae. Substitution of fishmeal with macroalgae was detected at 5% difference level. The δ13C fingerprints of essential amino acids appear particularly well suited for tracing protein sources, and the non-essentials for tracing lipid origins (terrestrial vs. aquatic). In an industry constantly developing new feed proteins and functional additives, our method is a promising tool for tracing salmon and other seafood products.