AHEAD OF PRINT

Several farrowing induction programs have been used to increase the proportion of sow farrowing during the work period and the rate of farrowing supervision, as well as to promote the success of cross-fostering and the practice of all-in all-out in swine production. The present overview aimed to evaluate the effects of farrowing induction on farrowing duration, birth interval, birth weight, dystocia/birth assistance, and stillbirth in pigs. The results showed that via different routes of administration, either natural or synthetic prostaglandins alone or in combination mostly with uterotonic drugs, including oxytocin and carbetocin, have been used for the induction of farrowing. Sometimes other drugs, such as dexamethasone, estradiol, xylazine, ergometrine, and AGN190851, were added. Vulvar and perinatal routes reduced the intramuscular dose of prostaglandins by 50% to 75%, while equal effects remained. A split dose of prostaglandin 6 h apart should be used because it may enhance complete luteolysis. Additionally, if uterotonic drugs are used following prostaglandin injection, they should be injected after the birth of the first piglets at the earliest timepoint to ensure full opening of the cervix. These two practices decrease the farrowing duration, the birth interval, and dystocia. Induction should not be conducted more than 2 days earlier than the expected farrowing date in order to keep the stillbirth rate and birth weight unaltered. This review also revealed that certain factors, such as the rate of farrowing supervision, natural differences in piglets’ birth weights, litter size, gestation length, and treatment with altrenogest before induction, may be confounding factors that possibly alter the effect of induction programs on certain farrowing characteristics.

Reducing the use of fishmeal (FM) in aquafeed means a significant saving in the amount of FM at the global level and reducing environmental impacts. One of the potential protein sources to replace FM in shrimp diet is the use of insects’ meal. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effects of replacing FM with mealworm (MW; Tenebrio molitor) on the growth, digestive enzymes activity and hepatopancreatic biochemical indices of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Shrimp were fed for 60 days with a control diet (T0) and 4 practical diets (T15, T30, T60 and T100) where 15, 30, 60 and 100% of the FM was substituted by MW, respectively. Results showed that there were significant differences in weight gain (WG) and hepatopancreatic index (HPI) among treatments and the lowest and highest values for were observed in T0 and T30, respectively. Our findings indicated a significant increase (P<0.05) in activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total nitric oxide (TNO) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and a meaningful decrease (P<0.05) of malondialdehyde (MDA) in hepatopancreas of L. vannamei juveniles fed diets containing MW. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the T0 did not show a significant difference (P>0.05) with other experimental treatments. Protease and lipase indicated an increasing trend with increasing the amount of MW up to 60%. The protease activity showed a significant difference (P<0.05) between the treatments containing MW and the control treatment. These findings indicated that MW could be a feasible candidate for replacing FM in diets of the Pacific white shrimp without any detrimental effects.

In the nanotechnology era, nanotechnology applications have been intensifying their prospects to embrace all the vigorous sectors persuading human health and animal. The safety and concerns regarding the widespread use of engineered nanomaterials (NMA) and their potential effect on human health still require further clarification. Literature elucidated that NMA exhibited significant adverse effects on various molecular and cellular alterations. Epigenetics is a complex process resulting in the interactions between an organism’s environment and genome. The epigenetic modifications, including histone modification and DNA methylation, chromatin structure and DNA accessibility alteration, regulate gene expression patterns. Disturbances of epigenetic markers induced by NMA might promote the sensitivity of humans and animals to several diseases. Also, this paper focus on the epigenetic regulators of some dietary nutrients that have been confirmed to stimulate the epigenome and, more exactly, DNA histone modifications and non-histone proteins modulation by acetylation, and phosphorylation inhibition, which counteracts oxidative stress generations. The present review epitomizes the recent evidence of the potential effects of NMA on histone modifications, in addition to in vivo and in vitro cytosine DNA methylation and its toxicity. Furthermore, the part of epigenetic fluctuations as possible translational biomarkers for uncovering untoward properties of NMA is deliberated.

Conserved forages are important feed for livestock and equine all over the world. However, contamination with mycotoxins may occur, leading to health issues to the animals and to humans that consume products of animal origin. As information on the occurrence of mycotoxins in conserved grass and legume forages is scarce, a review of the literature published between January 1992 and July 2022 was performed to assess the worldwide occurrence and levels of mycotoxins in hay, haylage, and silage. Zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON), and aflatoxins (AFs) were the most common mycotoxins found in conserved forage in North America, Africa, and the Middle East, with ZEN and AFs in levels above the maximum levels determined in European Union (EU) regulations for animal feed. Ochratoxin A (OTA) was detected in high levels in conserved forages in Europe. Although other mycotoxins were found, they were detected in lower frequencies and levels. Co-occurrence of mycotoxins was identified in more than half of the studies analyzed. There were few studies carried out in Asia, Middle East, Oceania, and not information was available on Central and South America, reinforcing the need of studies on the issue in these regions.

Aquatic food production system raises aquatic organisms including fish, shellfish and seaweeds for human consumption and associated value chains. Moreover, as the global human population continues to expand at a high rate and is expected to reach over 9 billion by 2030, developing a cost-efficient production method is a significant challenge in the future development of the aquatic food production industry to provide food and nutritional security with high-quality animal protein. Recent advancements in biotechnological tools and approaches provided a new toolset that can be used to design and optimize the existing processes such as food preservation, fermentation, packaging, quality control and setting proper guidelines to manufacture and process genetically modified fish. At the same time, with the refinement of technology, these are becoming easier applicable and transferable to several other aquatic species production systems. These trends have resulted in exploiting new and unconventional microbial systems with sophisticated properties, which render promising results in the production industry. Here, we highlight the recent advances in the newly emerging biotechnological technology in the production of fish and fish products and discuss the potential of these tools as a sustainable platform for centuries to come with a significant impact on the aquatic food production industry.

The world aquaculture industry seeks sustainable production strategies to respond to the needs of the growing world population for valuable food. Biofloc technology (BFT) is accepted as a novel sustainable method that reduces the pollution load on receiving water resources with its zero-water-discharge approach, eliminates extra water treatment costs with its biological cycles, and supports the growth performance of reared animals and thereby reduces feed costs. However, each BFT system has its own set of difficulties and obstacles. This review focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of BFT systems in terms of economy, sociability and applicability. The BFT shows more effective results in the conversion of toxic nitrogenous compounds to nontoxic compounds compared with the technologies based on nitrification processes. In addition, the growth performance and health of the cultured animals are generally better in BFT systems than those in conventional rearing systems (continuous water flow). The risk of common diseases occurrence due to pathogenic microorganisms appears to be lower in BFT systems compared to conventional aquaculture. It is also noteworthy that the immune system, biochemical stress indicators and antioxidant activities of organisms held in BFT systems are positively affected. In BFT systems based on microbial activity, the high water temperature demanded by bacteria is a limiter for the system. Moreover, a higher aeration/energy requirement is the case in BFT to meet the oxygen demand of all organisms including fish, shrimp, heterotrophic bacteria, nematodes, rotifers and others inside. There is also another concern about the acceptability potential of the cultured organism in BFT systems for consumption. Finally, since the high temperature demand of the system will create high energy costs, it should be considered as another restriction that forces the application. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of BFT systems as sustainable aquaculture, this review provides a guide for future studies and full-scale implementations.

Poultry production significantly contributes to bridging the food gap worldwide. Several nations have limited the usage of antibiotic growth promotors due to bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the occurrence of residual antibiotics in the edible tissues of birds. The world is now turning to using natural alternatives to increase poultry production as well as birds’ resistance to diseases. Withania somnifera (WS; family: Solanaceae) is a precious medicinal herb utilized in several countries due to its distinct chemical, medicinal, and physiological properties. This plant has antioxidant, anti-aging, antimicrobial, antitumor, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, antistress, and growth-promoting activities. In poultry, the dietary inclusion of WS revealed a promising result in enhancing productive performance, increasing disease resistance, reducing stress effects, and maintaining the bird’s health. Thus, the current review highlights the morphological features, distribution, chemical structure, and pharmacological features of Withania somnifera as a growth promoter herb for farming broiler chickens.

The replacement of fishmeal (FM) with economical and nutritious FM alternatives including plant and animal-based protein ingredients has become a global research priority. However, the presence of several anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) in these alternatives may impair nutrient utilization in fish. The supplementation of exogenous protease as feed additives could be an effective approach to improve the nutrient digestibility of these alternative proteins. Proteases are protein-digesting enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of complex protein macromolecules into simpler amino acids. Exogenous protease supplementation stimulates the activities of endogenous proteolytic enzymes for better nutrient digestion and absorption in fish. This review article summarizes the optimum protease supplementation levels in various fish species and its beneficial effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, whole-body composition, physiochemical parameters, immunity, and gene expression of fish. Moreover, the interactive effects of exogenous protease with organic acids and probiotics are also discussed. Overall, the supplementation of exogenous protease in fish feed is a viable solution for poor nutrient utilization of FM alternatives. Important gaps, however, exist in the current knowledge, particularly with regard to the effect of protease supplementation in animal-based proteins as most of the studies have focused on the effect of protease supplementation on plant-based proteins as FM alternatives. Moreover, additional studies focused on the effect of protease supplementation on the digestive enzyme activities, immunity, gut microbes and antioxidant parameters of fish will provide the basis for a better understanding of the mode of action of protease. The scarce knowledge in these areas limits the scope of protease supplementation as a feed additive in the aquaculture sector.

The aim of this study was to assess the changes occurring as a result of boiling (100°C, 1 h) small brown snail (Cornu aspersum aspersum) meat in relation to its proximate composition, calcium, phosphorus and cholesterol content, as well as the profile of fatty acids and nutritional quality indices of the lipids. This species of snail was selected for research because it is currently of the greatest economic importance among edible terrestrial snails. It was hypothesized that the cooking effect may be different for foot and visceral sac. Samples for the research were collected from 6 populations bred on experimental fields of the National Research Institute of Animal Production in Balice (Poland). The foot and the visceral sac, the edible parts of the snail species under investigation, were analysed separately, raw and boiled in water. The results were then compared to analogous studies carried out by other authors on beef, pork and poultry. It was found that in the visceral sac of Cornu aspersum aspersum the shares of dry matter, crude protein, fat, ash, calcium and phosphorus were greater than those in the foot (P<0.05), both in the raw and boiled material, whereas the cholesterol content was higher in the foot (P<0.05). Generally, especially in the foot, the heat treatment elevated the levels of the afore-mentioned quantities, yet the increases were not always statistically significant. Boiling the snail meat caused moderate changes in the fatty acid composition. The profile of the fatty acids and the nutritional quality indices of the foot fat were more advantageous than those in the visceral sac. In both parts of the snail carcass, the polyunsaturated fatty acids / saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) ratio substantially exceeded the minimum value of 0.45 recommended by the British Department of Health. However, the n-6/n-3 ratio was too high, exceeding the maximum recommended level of 4.0 twofold and as much as threefold in the case of the foot and the visceral sac, respectively. In the foot, due to boiling, an increase of the share of SFA and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) was observed, while PUFA, n-6 and n-3 decreased. In the visceral sac, the changes were less pronounced with a slight decrease of the share of SFA and PUFA, and an increase of MUFA. Therefore, in the foot, boiling worsened the PUFA/SFA ratio, the nutritive value index (NVI = (C18:0 + C18:1) / C16:0) and dietary fatty acids having a desirable neutral and hypocholesterolemic effect in humans (DFA = Σ MUFA + Σ PUFA + C18:0), but in the visceral sac these indices practically did not change. On the whole, the trends of the changes in terms of chemical composition due to boiling found in the small brown snail meat are similar to those after heat treatment of meat from popular farm animals, but the ranges of the changes differ.

A broad spectrum of cytologically specific immunophenotypic, biochemical, physiological and molecular attributes of neonatal and adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exists. Taking into account the biological traits of these types of multipotent stem cells, they play a pivotal role in the wide utilization of MSC-mediated engineering and MSC-based assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) for animal production, veterinary research, regenerative and reconstructive medicine, and cell/tissue transplantology. Consequently, this paper sought to comprehensively provide research highlights, and insightful interpretation of current goals and future targets related to the agricultural, embryological and biomedical application of MSC-assisted biotechnological strategies and MSC-dependent interdisciplinary research techniques.

Brassicaceae familyare traditional, medicinal and nutritional value plants. Brassicaceae family produced valuable components to provide different types of beneficial effects for humans and animals such as anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-scurvy, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-tumor, anti-diabetes, anti-stomach diseases, and anti-cardio, This review mainly focus to observeBrassicaceae family response in aquatic animalsandprovides some information collected from literature analysis regarding the development of aquaculture applications like Brassicaceae family plants used as a supplement to enhance nutritional value, replacement of fish meal, antimicrobial activity against pathogens, immunomodulatory effects, antioxidant, and growth activity of aquatic animals. This literature review analysis is helpful to enlighten for future research and development on the application in the aquaculture sector.

Soybean meal (SBM) is fed to various livestock species worldwide. It is also present in dog food as a plant protein source, combined with animal-derived ingredients. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of dietary supplementation with fishmeal (FM, an animal protein source) and high amounts of SBM (a plant protein source) on nutrient digestibility, gastrointestinal function and enzyme activity in mink, a model carnivore. The experiment was performed on 14 female American mink of a standard strain. Diet FM was supplemented with 12% FM and 8% ground wheat grain with sugar beet pulp, and diet SBM contained 20% SBM. It was found that the dietary addition of 20% SBM to mink diets negatively affected the digestibility of protein, carbohydrates and energy. Enhanced colonic fermentation processes as a source of additional energy, observed in SBM group mink, were not sufficient to compensate for the loss of nutrients and energy in the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Therefore, SBM should be applied with caution in diets for carnivorous species.

The main objective of the current trial was to investigate the impacts of supplemented tilapia diets with S-methylmethionine sulfonium chloride (MMSC) on the growth performance, feed efficiency, body analysis, blood biochemistry and regulation of myostatin (MSTN) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) genes of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The experimental fish (n =180) weighing 22.4±0.17 g were allocated randomly into three equal groups in triplicate as follows; the control group received an un-supplemented diet; the other two groups received two different levels of MMSC (0.2 and 0.4 g/kg) for eight weeks. The obtained findings demonstrated that tilapia diets enriched with small dosages of MMSC considerably (P<0.05) enhanced all assessed growth performance and feed efficiency indicators when compared with the control group. When compared to the control group, supplemented tilapia meals with 0.2 g MMSC significantly (P<0.05 or 0.01) raised blood protein profile, particularly total protein and globulin levels. Contrarily, blood creatinine levels were significantly (P<0.01) reduced in the group of tilapia fed diets containing MMSC (0.2 or 0.4 g/kg) compared to the group without receiving any supplementation. Whereas, fish body analysis showed higher significant increases in crude protein and ether extract levels (P<0.01) as well as reduced ash content (P<0.05) in the fish group that received lower MMSC doses in comparison to other treated and control groups. In addition, MMSC dietary supplementation significantly down-regulates the expression of MSTN and upregulates IGF-1 mRNA expression compared with the control group. Additionally, both dosages of MMSC supplementation modestly enhanced the intestinal villus histomorphometric score indices with observed tall, thick, and various broad tips in comparison to the control group. In conclusion, it could be recommended that supplemented fish diets with 0.2 g MMSC per kg diet may promote the growth and general health status of Nile Tilapia.

Chamomile oil or extract, derived from the chamomile flower, is a natural remedy with various therapeutic properties. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the medicinal properties of chamomile oil or extract including its antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. Chamomile oil has exhibited antibacterial and antifungal properties against various microbes, involving Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. It has also been found to regulate blood sugar levels in animal and human studies, making it a potential candidate for diabetes treatment. Moreover, chamomile oil has antitumor properties, as it can induce apoptosis in cancer cells and inhibit their growth. In addition, chamomile oil has anti-inflammatory features, making it a possible option for treatment under inflammatory circumstances such as eczema, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Chamomile oil has also been found to have valuable impacts on poultry farming due to its antimicrobial properties. It may be utilized as an organic substitute for antibiotics in chicken production. It is effective against common poultry pathogens, including Salmonella and E. coli, and can also improve poultry growth and feed conversion rate. In conclusion, chamomile oil or extract are promising natural remedy with various therapeutic properties and useful impacts on poultry and small ruminants.

The aquafeed industry faces many challenges, including reducing the cost of feed by reducing the quantity of fish meal and soybean meal and researching to replace them with other ingredients lower in cost. Furthermore, new low-cost feeds must improve growth and feed utilization while also ensuring fish health. During the past few decades, researchers have shown one of the low-cost and with appropriate nutritional value alternative protein sources to replace fish meal (FM) or soybean meal (SBM) is dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS). Recently, the production of grain-based ethanol as a fuel additive has been increasing as the demand for biofuel has increased, and lessening dependency on fossil fuels has resulted in a dramatic rise in the amount of grains used for ethanol. DDGS are the primary co-product of dry-grind fuel ethanol plants. DDGS has the advantages of having high protein, fat, phosphorus, yield, and low cost. These valuable particles attributed to DDGS have raised controversy amongst feed nutritionists as to how they can proficiently replace fish meal or soybean meal. It has been discovered that DDGS can be replaced with fish meal or soybean meal without affecting growth. Therefore, the present review discusses the effects of dietary DDGS application in the fish feed formulation, the best dietary presence, the possible advantages in fish health, nutrient retention, and the economic benefits of DDGS application in Aquafeeds.

Metabolic syndrome is one of the utmost frequent diseases with the augmentation of the fast oscillations in societies’ lifestyles. On the other side, various medicinal plants have recently been extensively used for plentiful therapeutics. Among these, curcumin and turmeric are the main components derivative from the rhizome of plants, with significant effects on preventing metabolic syndromes. Due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, the biological activities of turmeric and its bioactive element, curcumin, have antidiabetic properties via augmenting insulin release and anti-hyperlipidemia effects via enhancing fatty acids uptake, anti-obesity properties via declining lipogenesis, and antihypertensive properties via augmenting nitric oxide synthesis. Moreover, the dietary presence of turmeric and its bioactive element, curcumin, significantly affected poultry productivity, health and welfare. According to human and animal trials, turmeric or curcumin has important values as dietary supplementation and complementary therapy in some metabolic syndromes. This scenario highpoint on the potential effects of curcumin (turmeric) on poultry health and its role in complementary therapy in metabolic syndrome. Additional high-quality clinical trial investigations are required to establish the clinical efficiency of the curcumin complement confidently.

Heat stress (HS) is considered a severe concern for rabbit buck’s health, welfare and reproductive features. Thymoquinone (THQ) is a natural molecule with robust antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Thereafter, three months of feeding research was applied to assess the role of THQ-enriched diets in improving the health, semen attributes and testicular changes of stressed rabbit bucks. Forty rabbit bucks were used in this research, and animals were fed diets containing 0 (THQ0; serve as a heat stress group), 100 (THQ100), 200 (THQ200), and 400 (THQ400) mg/kg of THQ for three months continually during the summer season. Outcomes displayed that THQ significantly enhanced FBW (final body weight), DBWG (daily body weight gain), and FI (feed intake) but did not affect FCR (feed conversion ratio). Compared with the THQ0 group, dietary THQ addition significantly decreased creatinine, TB (total bilirubin), TG (triglycerides), and GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) levels. Bucks receiving 200 mg of THQ had higher TAC (total antioxidant capacity) and GSH (glutathione) than other groups. At the same time, MDA was significantly shrunk in THQ-treated groups relative to the THQ group. The levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-ᵞ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were significantly diminished (P <0.001), but nitric oxide and lysosome activity were significantly increased in bucks given diets containing THQ (200 and 400 mg/kg) as relative to the TH0 group. Libido score and reaction time were significantly improved by THQ dietary inclusion. Semen attributes, including volume, motility, concentration, and vitality, were significantly augmented in THQ100 and THQ200 groups. Histological screening of testicular tissues showed moderate to severe degenerative and necrotic changes in the testicular tissues of bucks exposed to HS. This was enhanced with the supplementation of THQ at different levels. Collectively, THQ (200 or 400mg /kg diet) can improve health, semen attributes and restore testicular damage in rabbit bucks via boosting antioxidant and reducing inflammatory cytokines.

The dietary effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaves powder (RLP) were tested on the performance and welfare of Nile tilapia (Oreochrmis niloticus) fingerlings subjected to lead (Pb) toxicity. Two-hundred fish (31.9±0.28 g) were stocked into 20 85-L glass aquaria (10 fish/aquarium) to represent four treatments with five replicates each. Fish were fed on 0.0% (control; T1) and 1.0% RLP (T2) along with continuous exposure to either 0.0 (T3) or 7.94 mg Pb/L (T4) for 60 days. Compared with the control diet, feeding Nile tilapia on RLP alone improved the growth performance and haemato-biochemical, antioxidant, and immunological indices. Conversely, the Pb toxicity negatively affected hematocrit, hemoglobin, white and red blood cell counts, and growth indices. Furthermore, Pb exposure raised blood cortisol, glucose, total cholesterol, serum transaminases (ALT and AST levels), alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase accompanied with significant reductions in serum total lipids, protein, albumin, and globulin values. Furthermore, Pb exposure decreased respiratory burst, lysozyme, total immunoglobulins, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total antioxidant capacity. On the other hand, dietary RLP significantly reduced the negative impacts of Pb toxicity on the above-mentioned indices. Additionally, the dietary RLP reduced the Pb accumulation in Pb-intoxicated fish leading to significant enhancements in Nile tilapia’s growth and welfare. These findings suggest that dietary 1% RLP could alleviate the Pb toxicity effects on Nile tilapia performance and welfare.

In-vitro meat production has entered into the phase of pilot-commercial scale production from the conceptual-laboratory phase. The main challenge for in-vitro meat production on a commercial scale is the very high cost of its production, mainly due to the cost of cell culture media, growth regulators, and the requirement of highly skilled manpower. The development of serum-free and animal-free culture media with plant, microbial, and fungi-derived compounds through recombinant technology and media recycling is crucial for scaling up in-vitro meat production and reducing the price of the end products. The proper design of bioreactors specific to in-vitro meat production, their automation, utilization of natural and edible scaffolds, and microcarriers made up of edible materials are the present focus of researchers. The co-culturing by proliferating various cells such as adipocytes, chondrocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells are applied for imparting textural and organoleptic attributes to developed products similar to conventional meat. The industrial process to produce in-vitro meat needs a clear synergy between the biological, chemical, technical, and industrial fields because at the moment the main research focus is on the development and improvement of cell lines available to set up cell culture and culture media, bioreactors, cell lines, scaffolding, and biofabrication. The research on in vitro meat is limited by the fact that from the industry the protocols are not properly divulgated.

Worldwide, microbial infections have a serious impact because they cause infectious diseases, death, and significant economic losses. Zoonosis is now a major public health issue on a global scale because of the fast expansion of human exploitation of nature and animal husbandry. Notably, in the past 30 years, over 30 novel human infections have been discovered, 75% of which fall under the category of zoonosis. Resistant strains have emerged as a result of improper use of antibiotics and insufficient infection management posing a serious risk to both public health and the global economy. As alternatives, antimicrobial peptides are showing good results. The majority of living things use antibacterial peptides (ABPs) as a key part of their natural defenses against invading infections. These peptides are cationic, amphipathic, and relatively tiny with varied sequences, structures, and lengths. For the delivery of these efficacious biological peptides, nanoparticles are providing opportunities for effective, safe, and viable delivery. An innovative method of treating infectious diseases is demonstrated by nanoparticles and antibacterial peptides. When ABPs are combined with carrier nanoparticles to optimize distribution, their half-life may be increased, allowing for lower dosages and ultimately lower toxicity. For biological applications, ABPs and nanoparticle conjugates have become effective methods, enabling the treatment, prevention of disease, and detection. More than 50 peptide medications have been made available for purchase on the market as of 2018. Around 25 billion USD is spent on peptide medications each year, including ABPs. But still, there is a gap in the distribution of these ABPs as an alternative to synthetic antibiotics. It might be due to the high cost of these goods. Thus, scientists, researchers, and commercializing companies should work together so that these ABPs with a safe delivery system should be available in the market to combat resistant strains of bacteria. In doing so, we draw attention to the significant advancements made in the field as well as the difficulties still encountered in developing imaging species, active therapies, and nano-drug delivery systems that are functionalized with peptides and proteins for clinical use.

The simulation of investment strategies with different farm-scale scenarios has been evaluated for best management plan in cage farming business for the establishment of a salmon production with either full capacity – or progressive investment. Economical revenues were analyzed with business risk assessment based on operating-and fixed costs for each of the four scenarios. In the theoretical model projected for the stimulation of best management plans, structural elements for the construction of an offshore Turkish salmon farm in the Black Sea were designed and investment costs for an annual production capacity of 4,000 tons were re-scaled by 25, 50 and 75% reduction, corresponding to 3,000, 2,000 and 1,000 tons per year, respectively. Economic variables of operational costs were comparatively evaluated with the revenues and annual profit conditions by sales of harvested fish. The break-even points for all investment strategies with different farm-scale scenarios were remarkably lower (on average 302,574.7 kg/year) than the harvest yields from the farms (on average 3,702,857.1 kg/year). Based on break-even points and margin of safety (MOS over 85%), all farms gained net profits with low risks in the first year, whether the farm received full investment, or initiated business with reduced investment expenditures for a gradual and progressive expansion plan. Findings of this study exhibit useful indications for farm management in understanding conditions of a step-wise establishment of business plans for salmon farming in offshore conditions.

The aim of this study was to identify molecular defects caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA in cases of recurrent and multiple canine tumours. We presented molecular differences in the mtDNA genome for two tumours observed in different body parts of 5 dogs and throughout time in the case of the recurrence. Mitochondrial DNA was sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq sequencer using a 600-cycle kit in a paired-end mode targeting at least 100x coverage. The sequences obtained were subjected to bioinformatic analyses in order to determine mutation and polymorphic sites within the analysed mtDNA genome in the tumour tissue. The total amount of changes: single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), indels, mutations, and heteroplasmy detected in this study was 329. Ten polymorphisms were found in all analysed samples: ins.2679_2680G (tRNA-Leu (UUR)), m.5367C>T (COX1), m.5444T>C (COX1), m.6065A>G (COX1), m.8368C>T (ATP6), m.8807G>A (COX3), ins.9913_9914TG (ND4L), m.13299T>A (ND5), m.15814C>T, and m.16418A>G (control region). Interestingly, the highest number of differences in the mtDNA genome was observed between non-cancerous pyogranuloma tissue and epithelioma glandulae sebacei. The mutations in the non-cancerous tissue were mainly found in positions where polymorphisms were observed in blood and tumour tissue. The lowest number of changes was observed for the youngest analysed dog, which may indicate that some changes appeared in the mitogenomes with age. There were fewer heteroplasmic alterations in the larger than smaller tumour, which may suggest that the tumour growth is enhanced by genomic stability. The changes in the protein-coding genes were mostly synonymous, and nonsynonymous changes did not lead to alterations in protein properties. New mutations were observed in the post-recurrence tumours in comparison with the pre-recurrent tissue and blood.

Environmental impact, quality, and quantity of food products of ruminant origin (especially beef and mutton) are considered major challenges in meeting the nutritional requirements of the growing human population worldwide. Therefore, we conducted this in vitro study to explore the potential of Paulownia leaves silage (PLS) to reduce the environmental impact of feedlot lamb production and improve ruminal fatty acids (FAs) profile by influencing ruminal biohydrogenation. In the present study, Paulownia leaves silage (PLS) and alfalfa silage (AAS) were mixed in a proportion of 1:0 (Control, PLS 0%), 0.75:0.25 (PLS 25%), 0.5:0.5 (PLS 50%), 0.25:0.75 (PLS 75%) and 0:1 (PLS 100%) on dry matter (DM) basis in the lamb diet. The experimental findings demonstrated that 100% replacement of AAS with PLS in the lamb diet significantly improved the ruminal fermentation by increasing the in vitro DM degradability (P<0.01), total volatile fatty acid (P<0.01), and propionate production (P<0.01) while reducing the acetate: propionate (A/P) ratio (P<0.01) and CH₄ concentration (mM; L and Q P<0.05) and CH₄, mM/g DM (L and Q P<0.05). Meanwhile, 100% PLS inclusion in the diet increased the total monounsaturated fatty acids (P<0.05), total unsaturated fatty acids (P<0.01) and total n-3 fatty acids (P<0.05) particularly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; C18:3 n-3; P<0.05) in the rumen fluid after incubation. Moreover, the total saturated fatty acids concentration was reduced (P<0.01). These findings suggested that PLS could be a climate-friendly and sustainable alternative to AAS in the lamb feedlot diet for quality meat production.

The main objective of the current trial was to evaluate the beneficial influences of Origanum vulgare leaf extract (OVLE) on growth, some blood indices, redox status, and the expression of some growth and immune-related genes. Three thousand seven hundred and eighty Nile tilapia fingerlings were allocated six equal groups. The first group served as a control and received a basal diet, while the other five groups were fed diets containing graded amounts of OVLE (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 %, respectively) and defined as OVLE_0.1, OVLE_0.2, OVLE_0.3, OVLE_0.4, and OVLE_0.5 for 98 days. Growth performance and feed efficiency parameters were significantly improved in OVLE_0.4 and OVLE_0.5 groups compared with the control group. The hematological indices, specifically hemoglobin, red blood cell, and white blood cell count were significantly increased in the fish group fed a 4% OVLE-supplemented diet compared to other groups. Fish fed higher dietary inclusion levels of OVLE significantly increased total protein and albumin concentrations compared to other experimental groups. The OVLE_0.4 and OVLE_0.5 supplemented groups promoted innate immune response and phagocytic activity and stimulated the lipase enzyme activity of Nile tilapia. All estimated redox markers were significantly improved in the fish groups that received 4 or 5 % OVLE compared with the control and other OVLE groups. The fish groups fed higher levels of OVLE significantly up-regulated the expression of GH, IL-8, and IL-1β genes and downregulated the expression of the Hsp70 gene. Furthermore, the intestinal histological features demonstrated normal structure in all OVLE-administered fish groups, with improved intestinal villus length compared to the untreated group. Finally, it could be concluded that including OVLE in the Nile tilapia diet at higher levels (0.4 up to 0.5%) could improve performance and general health status.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are the focus of this manuscript, as bioconservative molecules that constitute a major defense mechanism in many organisms. Various antimicrobial peptides have been isolated and identified, but AMPs derived from Hermetia illucens (HI) will be the focus of this review. The review focuses mainly on cecropins, defensins, and attacins. Hermetia illucens is a remarkable organism adapted to life in a diverse, often highly polluted environment, and its resilience is largely attributed to AMPs. AMPs are active against many bacterial and fungal species and also act to induce the osmotic lysis of protozoa. They attack pathogenic microorganisms without damaging host cells in the process. Given the increasing antibiotic resistance of many bacterial strains in animal production, AMPs appear to be a tempting alternative as substances that limit and inhibit the growth and development of pathogens, as well as an option in veterinary medicine as potential substitutes for antibiotics, the administration of which must be limited in the European Union. The AMP content of HI larvae extracts, which determines their activity, depends on the larval diet and the solvent used. This review presents in vitro studies on the effects of AMPs from Hermetia illucens on microorganisms and in vivo studies on the potential of HI larvae meal as a feed supplement.

In this study, we investigated the dietary effects of dandelion root extract (DRE) on growth performance, body composition, serum biochemical parameters, intestinal and liver histology, and fish resistance against Lactococcus garvieae infection in the rainbow trout. In total, 540 rainbow trout fry (22.05±1.740 g and 13.03±0.470 cm) were used. Six experimental groups (Control, 2.5 mL/kg (DRE-1), 5 mL/kg (DRE-2), 10 mL/kg (DRE-3), 20 mL/kg (DRE-4), and 40 mL/kg (DRE-5) dandelion root extract) with three replicates were formed. In each tank, 30 fish were placed and fed for 90 days, and the volume of water was adjusted to 80 L with a flow-through system. The results showed that the final fish weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, and protein deposition rate were significantly higher in the DRE-4 group, while the feed conversion ratio and fat deposition ratio were significantly lower compared to that in the control group (P<0.05). The viscerosomatic index and the hepatosomatic index decreased in the experimental groups depending on the concentration of the extract used, while the condition factor was higher than that in the control (P<0.05). The DRE significantly decreased glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels in blood serum in the fish from the experimental groups, but it significantly increased high-density lipoprotein, alkaline phosphatase, and total protein levels (P<0.05). Similarly, the DRE positively affected intestinal histology by increasing the stratum compactum, submucosa, lamina propria, villi length, villi width, absorption area, tunica muscularis thickness, mucosal folds, and goblet cell count. In the liver, depending on the high-fat diet (crude lipid = 20%), vacuolization areas, hepatocellular degeneration areas, apoptotic hepatocyte nucleus, and necrotic areas recorded in the control group decreased or even disappeared completely in the extract groups. The results of the challenge test showed that adding 2.5 mL/kg of the DRE to the feed positively affected the disease resistance against Lactococcus garvieae infection. The results of the quadratic polynomial regression showed that an average level of 23.91±1.048 mL/kg of DRE would be suitable for optimum fish growth.

Livestock farming is considered one relevant cause of global warming. The aim of this article is to show that the environmental footprint of broilers and laying hens is small among farmed animal species. Author examines the increase in the production of broilers and laying hens over the past decades as a result of genetic selection, and as a consequence their greenhouse gas emissions, land, water and energy use have decreased. It was evidenced that with the increase of production the environmental footprint per unit of product decreases. On the other hand, in alternative housing systems, especially in free-range and organic production, all indicators deteriorate. Supplying the Earth's ever-growing population with a sufficient amount of high-quality food of animal origin, in such a way that the environmental footprint of poultry farming is reduced, can be achieved with intensive production taking into account animal welfare. New tools and methods such as genomic selection, gene editing or precision poultry breeding will help in this.

The objective of this study was to comparatively analyse the physical parameters, basic chemical composition and the macro- and microelement content of offal obtained from fattening pigs raised in deep litter and slatted floor housing systems. The experiment involved a group of 80 Puławska fatteners, including 40 pigs kept in deep-litter pens (group I) and 40 pigs in slatted pens without bedding (group II). Offal (tongues, kidneys, hearts, lungs and livers) were evaluated for weight, physical characteristics (pH₄₅, pH₂₄, WHC), chemical composition (water, protein, fat) and the content of minerals: macro- (K, Na, Mg, Ca) and microelements (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu). Based on the results obtained, associations were found between housing system and basic chemical composition of some offal, i.e. percentage of water (slatted floor<deep litter) and protein (slatted floor>deep litter) in lungs, content of protein (slatted floor>deep litter) and fat (slatted floor<deep litter) in liver, and content of fat in heart (slatted floor<deep litter). The amount of macro- and microelements was significantly differentiated by the housing system with regard to the kidneys: potassium, magnesium, calcium and manganese (slatted floor<deep litter), sodium (slatted floor>deep litter); lungs: sodium (slatted floor>deep litter), potassium (slatted floor<deep litter); and liver: iron (slatted floor>deep litter) and copper (slatted floor<deep litter). In general, the housing system of fattening pigs modified the physical parameters and chemical composition of the analysed offal.

Starvation and malnutrition are one of the most destructive problems faced by the poor and needy in the world. With the world population expected to increase by 9.7 billion by 2050, there are growing concerns about the long-term sustainability of many existing food production systems to meet future needs for food. Aquaculture is one of the important sources of food supply, the development of which is of great importance as an important weapon in the global fight against malnutrition and poverty, especially in developing countries and arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In recent decades, aquaculture has dominated all sectors of livestock production in terms of growth and increasingly contributes to food security, poverty reduction, job creation and sources of income. It is important to follow sustainable development goals to increase aquaculture production. Climate change is currently affecting food security through increasing temperature and decreasing rainfall, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Food security is a global concern and access to affordable, nutritious, safe and properly cultivated food is one of the most important issues globally. The main emphasis in the development of aquaculture in arid and semi-arid areas is the use of new technologies based on water saving, such as biofloc technology (BFT), integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system (IMTA) and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). In this study, the importance of aquaculture as a sustainable source of food production in arid and semi-arid regions is discussed.

Xylooligosaccharides (XOSs) are increasingly being explored as prebiotics in fish diets; however, their effects and modes of action have not been well evaluated. Reports have shown that dietary XOS has the potential to improve the proliferation of beneficial gut microbes, and their metabolites, and enhance disease resistance in several fish species. In contrast, other studies report no substantial changes in immune and growth parameters compared to control groups. Like all prebiotics, the mode of action of XOS is based on their selective stimulation of beneficial gut microbiota, which will outcompete and prevent pathogen proliferation in the gut, and produce metabolites that modulate host immune responses. The reports of improved growth performance of XOS fed fish may be due improved intestinal microbiome, enhanced glycolysis activity and elevated gastrointestinal enzymatic activities. Dietary XOSs have different effects on fish performance depending on the fish species and the structure of XOSs (degree of XOS polymerization and substitution). Nevertheless, further research is essential to determine the optimal dosage, degree of polymerization, and substitution levels required to improve each fish species' gut health and growth performance. This review highlights the prebiotic effects of XOSs, their mechanism of action, and knowledge gaps.

Aquaculture is another mainly crucial food manufacturing division in the globe and it’s also economical importance in many countries. Disease outbreaks are mainly affected to decrease aquatic production, prior chemotherapeutics and antibiotics treatments are supportive to manage the infections. In this method, residues cause side effects on humans and aquatic animals. Researchers find out pro-pre-synbiotics methods used to enhance the feed quality and aquatic production. Herbal dietary feed supplementation development is eco-friendly, non-toxic, cost-effective, and easily handle for the preparation of feeds for aquatic animals in aquaculture. This review provides some information regarding herbal dietary feed supplements is assist to improve aquatic animals’ health and also getting better quality of aquatic feed in the aquatic sector. These review reports enlighten the way of upcoming investigations progress of novel applications in aquaculture.

Especially in arid regions, developing tilapia culture with the ability to survive a wide range of salinities is crucial due to the limited availability of fresh water for aquaculture. The present study focused on evaluating the growth performance of Nile tilapia in a biofloc system under three salinity levels: 0 (BFT0), 4 (BFT4), and 8 g/L (BFT8). Fingerling fish were raised for 37 days in tanks with a water volume of 140 liters and a stocking density of one fish per liter. The results of the water quality parameters showed that dissolved oxygen and pH decreased with increasing salinity. Furthermore, the BFT8 group had the highest concentrations of settled solid (19.98 ml/L) and total suspended solid (428.37 mg/L), while the BFT8 group had the lowest TAN concentration (4.32 mg/L). The final weight and specific growth rate were significantly higher in the BFT8 and BFT4 groups compared to the BFT0 group. Survival rates were not significantly different across treatments, and all of them were higher than 97%. The protein and lipid content of Nile tilapia bodies and bioflocs decreased with increasing salinity, while the ash content increased. The highest body ash content in Nile tilapia (13.81% of dry weight) and bioflocs (31.78% dry weight) was found at 8 g/L salinity. Based on the present study, it is suggested that salinities of 4 and 8 g/L can improve water quality, growth performance, survival, and carcass composition of Nile tilapia fingerlings in the biofloc system. This finding suggests that brackish waters can be utilized for sustainable aquaculture for the rearing of Nile tilapia.

Sarcoids are the most common dermatological tumor of equids worldwide. These fibroblastic tumors rarely regress, more often they remain and can be locally invasive. To explore the functional importance of DNA methylation during the BPV-dependent neoplasia of equine dermal tissues, this study assessed a methylation level of CpG islands (CGIs) in the promoter region of LPAR1, MPZL3, and POPDC2 genes, and within the gene body of the EHF gene, which were found to be differentially expressed in sarcoid samples in a previous study and harbored the differentially methylated sites (DMSs) in their sequences. The results of bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) showed a decrease in the methylation levels of CGIs of LPAR1 and EHF genes and an increase in the case of POPDC2. The obtained data did not reveal any changes in the level of DNA methylation in the analyzed promoter region of the MPZL3 gene between the tumor and healthy tissues. Our observations confirm the presence of CpG methylation alternations in the equine sarcoid and provide new insight into a better understanding of the epigenetic regulation of this tumor development.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of replacing soybean meals with legume grains in diets on laying performance of hens and egg quality, with particular emphasis on egg lysozyme content. The study included 4 breeds/strains of laying hens included in the conservation programme in Poland, i.e.: Green-legged Partridge (Z-11), Yellow-legged Partridge (Ż-33), Rhode Island Red (R-11), and Leghorn (H-22). At 41–56 weeks of age, the hens of each strain were divided into two groups: I (control) – fed ad libitum with a standard diet based soybean meal, and II (experimental) – fed ad libitum with a diet that contained beans, peas and lupins instead of soybean meal. At 56 weeks of age, 32 eggs were taken at random from each group of hens and each strain, which were subjected to quality assessment. The results of the study confirm the possibility of feeding the above-mentioned hens with a diets in which soybeans were replaced with 28% of faba bean, pea, and yellow lupin grains without a significant effect on laying performance, but with a change in some egg quality characteristics. In groups of hens fed a diet without soybean, a decrease in egg and albumen weight, albumen and yolk pH values, and an increase in yolk colour towards yellow were recorded, as well as an increase in Haugh units and air cell height and shell porosity. There was a significant effect of genotype and diet and simultaneously of both factors on the content and activity of lysozyme in the thin and thick albumen. In the experimental groups, the average content and activity of lysozyme in the thin albumen decreased and in the thick albumen increased. Regardless of diet, statistically significant variation in egg internal quality and egg shell quality between hen strains was shown, as well as a correlation between the content and activity of lysozyme in eggs and shell colour.

The human population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. One of the main challenges will be the demand for food and food security. With time farmland is being lost especially due to environmental change and anthropogenic activities. There is huge competition for the utilisation of farmland for human food production, animal feed production, energy production and other sectors that are utilising the farmland. To minimize the competition between human food and animal feed production, in terms of land use, alternative growing systems, such as hydroponics, may serve to address this problem. Hydroponics is a technology of sprouting grains or growing plants in a soilless environment, with only water or nutrient-rich solution. The present review aims to provide an evaluation of hydroponically-sprouted maize and barley in food producing animals, underlining benefits and limitations in its application.

In this study, the antibacterial effects of postbiotics obtained from Pediococcus acidilactici, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Latilactobacillus sakei, which were grown in sterile cow’s milk and De Man Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) Broth, against some food pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Brucella melitensis) was investigated. It was observed that lactic acid bacteria postbiotics produced in MRS Broth formed larger inhibition zones than those developed in cow’s milk against pathogenic bacteria. In order to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the postbiotics on chicken breast meat and to compare this effect with lactic acid decontamination, samples contaminated with Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were immersed into the postbiotics of L. plantarum and L. sakei, 2.1% lactic acid solution, and distilled water for 10 minutes. Microbial changes in the groups were investigated during the storage at 4 ˚C for 17 days. On the 8^th day of storage, it was determined that the number of Salmonella spp. in the groups treated with postbiotics decreased by 0.9 log₁₀ CFU/g compared to the control and distilled water groups. While the number of L. monocytogenes increased during storage in the control and distilled water groups, the postbiotics and 2.1% lactic acid exhibited a bacteriostatic effect on L. monocytogenes during storage period. Compared to the postbiotics, 2.1% lactic acid had higher reduction (1.8 log₁₀ CFU/g) rates against Salmonella spp. (P<0.05), also a significant difference was observed against L. monocytogenes in the first and last days of storage (P<0.05). While the shelf life of chicken breast meat was determined to be 5 days in the control and distilled water groups, postbiotic treatments extended the shelf life of chicken breast meat by an extra 9 days, and %2.1 lactic acid treatment extended an extra 12 days compared to the control and distilled water treatments.

This experiment aimed to ascertain whether adding chitosan-oligosaccharides (COS) to the diet will affect Mandarah laying hens’ productivity and reproductive efficiency. At the age of 34 weeks, 120 laying hens and 12 cocks of the Mandarah chicken strain were separated into four groups, each consisting of 30 hens and three cocks. The 1^st group served as a control group, receiving only a basic diet. The 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th experimental groups received 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 g/kg of chitosan-oligosaccharides as an addition to the base diet, respectively. According to the findings of this study, the majority of the analyzed attributes differed significantly between treatment groups. Comparing the COS-treated birds to the control birds, the COS-treated birds significantly increased egg production, improved feed conversion, haugh unit score, shell thickness, fertility, hatchability, ovary weight, and the number of yellow ovarian follicles as well as blood estradiol-17β (E₂) and testosterone concentrations. Furthermore, compared to the other treated groups, introducing COS at a level 0.1 g/kg diet resulted in the best laying rate, egg mass, and feed conversion. The highest percentage of fertility, hatchability of hatching eggs, ovary weight, number of yellow ovarian follicles, and serum E2 concentration was also found in birds fed COS at a dose of 0.2 g/kg feed. In addition, compared to the control diet, COS treatment at 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 g/kg enhanced relative economic efficiency by 464.43, 457.41, and 352.75%, respectively. It is concluded that chitosan improves economic efficiency, reproductive performance, productivity in laying hens, and overall health when used at a 0.1 g/kg diet.

A nutritional study was conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary fish oil (FO) sparing by using a mixture of vegetal oils (VO) on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles (30.0 g). A basal diet was supplemented with the experimental oils at a 10% level, including FO (FO diet), a blend of VO (sunflower, soybean and, rapeseed oils with a 1:1:1 ratio), and a mixture (1:1 ratio) of FO and the blends of VO (MIX). In a raceway system, four hundred and fifty fish were stocked in nine rectangular concrete tanks (50 fish. tank⁻¹). Three experimental diets, with three replicate each, were offered to fish up to visual satiation for eight weeks. Growth performance did not change among groups (P>0.05). The highest and lowest proportions of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n-3 long chain-PUFA, especially docosahexaenoic acid, and n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio were in the whole body of FO and the VO groups, respectively (P<0.05). Serum catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in VO group were higher than others. Serum superoxide dismutase activity in fish-fed FO and VO diets was higher than MIX group (P<0.05). VO group had higher serum lysozyme, alternative complement pathway, and total immunoglobulin levels than other experimental groups. MIX group had highest serum triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins. Serum high-density lipoproteins, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels in VO treatment were in the lowest level compared to others (P<0.05). The highest relative transcription levels of fatty acid synthase, delta-6 fatty acyl desaturase, and apolipoprotein b-100 genes were in the liver of fish fed the MIX diet. The relative transcription level of the fatty acid-binding protein1 gene did not change (P>0.05). In summary, the results of this study revealed that dietary FO sparing with VO did not adversely affect the growth and health indices of rainbow trout; nevertheless, it had adverse effects on its nutritional values by reducing whole-body n-3 LC-PUFA content.

In this trial, the effects of early qualitative feed restriction and barrier perch access on some meat quality traits, growth performance, and diet cost analysis of broiler chickens were investigated. A total of 504 1-d old male chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to four treatments (qualitative feed restriction-QFR; absence-/presence+ and barrier perch-BP; absence-/presence+) with three replicate pens in a completely randomised design involving a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Broiler chickens in the treatment of QFR (-) were fed with a corn-soybean meal diet containing protein and energy at the level specified in the commercial hybrid catalogue during d 0-42. The treatment of QFR (+) was fed with a corn-soybean meal diet containing lower energy (10%) and protein (20%) for the first d 21, and then between d 22-42, they were fed with a diet specified in the commercial hybrid catalogue. In the treatment of BP (+), the barrier perch was placed between the feeder and the drinker. Meat quality traits (pH, lightness-L*, redness-a*, yellowness-b*, chroma, hue angle, and cooking loss-CL), growth performance (body weight-BW, body weight gain-BWG, feed intake-FI, and feed conversion ratio-FCR), and diet cost analysis (total diet cost and diet cost per unit weight gain) were recorded. Except for the a* value and hue angle measured at 24-h post-slaughter, the effect of QFR treatments on meat quality traits was insignificant in all measurements. During d 0-42, in the treatments of QFR (+) of BW, BWG, and FI were lower (respectively P<0.001, P<0.001, and P=0.005), and FCR was worse (P=0.014). The QFR treatments did not differ significantly in dietary cost per unit weight gained during d 0-42. As a result, it can be said that early qualitative feed restriction did not significantly affect meat quality traits. The treatment of QFR (+) resulted in reduced growth performance. However, diet cost per unit weight gain showed similar values in both the QFR treatments (QFR+ €0.75, QFR- €0.76, P=0.511).

Weaned rabbits become extremely vulnerable to enteric infections as a result of ban of using antibiotics as growth promoters. Recently, there are a growing interest in natural alternatives of antibiotics that could be used in rabbit production. Nutraceuticals are dietary components that offer additional health benefits override their nutritive benefits. Nutraceuticals include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, enzymes, organic acids, fatty acids, medicinal plants, etc. Due to its potential impacts on maintaining the normal physiological status, strengthening the immune system, and preventing illness, which ultimately led to an increase in productivity, nutraceuticals have recently attracted a lot of attention in rabbit farms. The objective of the present review is to provide information on recent findings about the advantages of dietary supplementation of nutraceuticals on performance, digestibility, meat quality, antioxidative properties, and immunological response in rabbits.

Toxic secondary metabolites of some fungi (mainly representatives of Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium genera) may contaminate agricultural products, representing serious health hazards both to humans and animals. Along with this, the economic losses due to the mycotoxins’ presence in feed production, including crop and animal feedstuff processing and distribution, motivated the plentiful research of detoxification strategies. Feed supplementation with mineral adsorbents (zeolites, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), bentonites, etc.) is the most prominent approach widely applied. Besides these, other products for mycotoxin level reduction based on the constituents of the yeast cell wall or Lactobacilli are often used. Recently, many investigations are directed toward plant-derived products that can efficiently adsorb mycotoxins in their native (biosorbents) or modified forms (e.g. activated carbon, biochar etc.). These renewable, easily accessible and readily prepared sorbents are economically viable and safe alternatives for mycotoxin decontamination of feed resources. Organic polymers (chitosan, cellulose, etc.) as well as synthetic polymers, such as polyvinyl pyrrolidine, also might reduce mycotoxins’ level in feed. Besides these conventional methods, new research trends are nanotechnologies, the promising, effective, low-cost way for mycotoxins’ removal. This overview systematically summarizes information on binding agents of different origins for the reduction of mycotoxins’ levels in feed. Furthermore, the knowledge of potential applications of binding agents in the feed industry is also reviewed and discussed.

All organisms require the ability to engage in either sexual or asexual reproduction in order to ensure their own survival. In aquaculture, when one sex outgrows the other faster, farmers use hormones to stimulate growth. Furthermore, the production of fish based on sexual dimorphism is predominantly executed through the utilization of estrogens and androgens. Environmentally, these compounds may pollute the ecosystem and cause endocrine system alterations that cause harmful effects; thus, they must be handled carefully to assure environmental, biological, and food safety. Phytoestrogens as natural non-steroidal phenolic plant chemicals that resemble 17-β-estradiol, could be employed as a safe alternative source of natural estrogens. The phytoestrogens have many biological effects due to their ability to compete with estrogen receptors, but they may negatively affect fish production, reproduction, and behaviors under controlled conditions. Thus, the current literature emphasizes on the beneficial effects of phytoestrogens on aquatic animal performance, behaviors, and some reproductive features.

Endometritis is the most common pathology in animals. However, in the context of an inflamed endometrium, alterations occur in the production of prostaglandins (PGs) and the noradrenergic innervation of the uterus, although the precise relationship between noradrenaline (NA), adrenoreceptors (ARs), and the output of PGF2α remains unclear. To clarify this issue, the participation of α1-, α2- and β-ARs in NA-influenced the PGF synthase (PGFS) and PG 9-ketoreductase/carbonyl reductase (CBR1) protein abundances in the porcine inflamed endometrium, and the secretion of PGF2α from the tissue were determined. E.coli suspension (E.coli group) or saline (CON group) was injected into the uterine horns. After eight days, severe acute endometritis was diagnosed in the E.coli group. Endometrial explants were treated with NA and/or α1-, α2- and β-ARs antagonists. In the CON and E.coli groups, NA increased endometrial PGFS and CBR1 protein abundances and PGF2α secretion, compared to the control values (obtained from an endometrium that had not undergone any in vitro treatment). In the E.coli group, NA-stimulated CBR1 protein abundance and PGF2α release were higher, while PGFS protein abundance was lower than in the CON group. In the latter group, the antagonists of α1A-, α1D-, α2B- and α2C-ARs isoforms and β2-ARs subtype decreased NA-stimulated PGFS protein abundances, compared to NA action alone. In the E.coli group, this effect on PGFS abundances evoked α1D-, α2C-, β1- and β2-ARs antagonists with NA. Antagonists of α1B-, α2B-, β1- and β2-ARs in the CON group and antagonists of α1B-, α1D-, α2A-, α2C-, β1- and β2-ARs in the E.coli group eliminated a rise in the NA-stimulated CBR1 abundance of protein versus the NA influence alone. In comparison to NA effect alone, α1D-, α2C- and β2-ARs antagonists with NA reduced PGF2α secretion in both the CON and E.coli groups. Such effect on PGF2α release was also exerted in the E.coli group by α1B-, α2A- and β1-ARs antagonists with NA. Summarizing, in the porcine inflamed endometrium, NA increases PGFS protein abundance via α1D-, α2C- and β(1, 2)-ARs, and CBR1 protein abundance and PGF2α release by α1(B, D)-, α2(A, C) and β(1, 2)-ARs. The obtained findings suggest that, in an indirect manner, NA may affect the PGF2α-regulated processes by influencing its production and secretion. The results could offer new targets for drugs to regulate inflammation and improve uterine and ovarian functions.

Cattle breeding in Poland, including the maintenance of indigenous breeds, is exposed to the occurrence of many diseases of infectious and non-infectious etiologies. Bovine MHC (BoLA)-DRB3 is a highly polymorphic gene that plays an important role in the immune response to antigens. This pilot study aimed to analyze BoLA-DRB3 genetic diversity among Polish Red and White (PRW) and Polish Holstein-Frisian (PHF) cattle. DNA sequencing revealed haplotypes for 48 out of 106 PRW and 10 out of 26 PHF cows. Analysis indicated 42 alleles detected in the PRW breed and 16 in the PHF animals. Interestingly, within the PRW breed three alleles BOLA03100|BoLA-DRB3*001:01|554, BOLA03113|BoLA-DRB3*009:02|270 and BOLA03302|BoLA-DRB3*049:01|236 were observed in 24 cows. Overall, the presented study demonstrated the genetic diversity of the BoLA-DRB3 gene in the indigenous cattle breed Polish Red and White cattle breed for the first time. The acquired results broaden the knowledge of BoLA-DRB3 diversity in cattle, whose genetic variants promote resistance or susceptibility to viral or bacterial diseases.

This study delves into the potential of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with corn gluten meal (CGM) in the diet of Litopaeneaus vannamei. We aimed to investigate the effects of a dietary soybean meal replacement on various aspects of shrimp, including survival, biochemical indices, digestive enzymes, metabolomics, and disease resistance against Vibrio harveyi . To conduct the study, we fed 840 juvenile Pacific shrimp seven different diets, each containing varying levels of CGM. The control group received a diet with 0% CGM; the other diets contained 3%, 5%, 7%, 9%, 12%, and 14% CGM. Each group comprised three replicates, and the shrimp were fed their diets for eight weeks. Our findings revealed that the survival rate of the shrimp ranged from 90.83% to 97.50% and did not differ significantly between the control and those fed diet treatments 2-5. Additionally, there were no significant differences in crude protein, moisture, and lipid content. However, we observed that total antioxidant capacity content increased with the dietary inclusion of CGM. Furthermore, malondialdehyde content decreased with increasing CGM levels, while superoxide dismutase increased, indicating no obvious oxidative damage was observed in CGM treatment groups. Interestingly, shrimp fed diets 2 and 3 had considerably lower alanine aminotransferase activity than shrimp in the control group. The disease resistance in shrimp was improved across all treatment groups, with a notably higher CGM inclusion having the highest level of mortality during the challenge test. Finally, we analyzed the metabolomics data and found PCA score plots clearly separated the control group and shrimp-fed CGM diets. Our study revealed that a 3% substitution rate of SBM with CGM can enhance survival and immunity, regulate metabolites and improve disease resistance.

Lighting in poultry production holds notable importance with the advancement and modernization of the industry, as it plays a significant role in the physiology and growth of broiler chickens. Increasing attention has been paid to the impacts of lighting management on growth performance, immune status, and welfare of meat-type chickens. It is essential to have an appropriate lighting regimen that includes the light source, intensity, duration, and wavelength of light to improve broilers’ growth and behavior. By manipulating various physiological, immunological, and behavioral activities, altering the color of light has been acknowledged as a potent managerial strategy capable of mitigating an array of stressors in broiler chickens. Assessing animal welfare is necessary for animal behavior and product quality perspectives. Birds have a unique visual system, and their behavior is primarily mediated by vision. Different monochromatic light regimes can affect feed conversion ratio, modulating broiler chickens’ systematic immune response and aggressive behaviour. With the advancement of lighting technology, new possibilities have emerged to enhance traditional lighting programs in poultry houses. This review integrates recent findings on the use of monochromatic light and its impact on broilers’ welfare, growth, and physiological response.

Biofloc technology is instrumental in improving growth performance and yield in shellfish aquaculture, while leading to enhanced water quality through maintaining the nutrients level within a safe range. More specifically, toxic nitrogenous wastes are converted into beneficial microbial biomass known as “biofloc”, contributing to improve shellfish immune system. Among the various parameters affecting the efficiency of the process is the carbon source and C:N ratio. In light of these, the present work critically reviews the effects of biofloc systems on growth performance, immunity and diseases resistance in shellfish production. Moreover, it scrutinizes the microbial diversity and nutritional composition of biofloc. Then, the application of the technology in various shellfish cultures, including shrimp, freshwater prawn, crabs, crayfish, clam, and oyster, are presented. Overall, biofloc systems contribute to enhanced shellfish survival rate to the highest value of 96-100% for marine shrimp, 95-99% for freshwater prawn, 70-83% for crayfish, 83-100% for oyster, Crassostrea sp. and up to 2% for mud crabs larvae through substantially reducing the ammonia level in the culture (summarized in table 1- table 5). Finally, the main challenges in utilizing biofloc systems, i.e., suitable aeration and mixing and microbial mechanisms involved are also explained to shed light on future research directions in the field.

With increasing intensive aquaculture production, the search for nourishing, environmentally, and economically viable fishmeal (FM) alternative is an endless approach. Therefore, the present study examines the use of black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, larvae meal (BSFM) as an alternative protein for FM in the diet of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, on nitrogen wastes, zootechnical performance, body composition, and hematobiochemical parameters. A total of 315 Nile tilapia fingerlings (4.11± 0.12 g/fish) were divided into seven treatments in triplicate. The fish were stocked in glass aquaria (50 × 40 × 30 cm; 60 L each) at a rate of 15 fish per aquaria. Experimental diets contained BSFM at increasing levels of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% as FM replacers were offered twice daily to apparent satiation for 84 days. The results revealed that BSFM replacements significantly (p = 0.001) enhance water quality and reduce the total ammonia, NH3, and NO2 levels compared to the control. The growth performance, feed conversion ratio, and survival were improved with increasing BSFM meal inclusion levels up to 25% (p = 0.001, 0.017, and 0.001 respectively). However, the zootechnical performance of the experimental fish started to decline with increasing replacement levels to 30%. Also, by an increase in BSFM level to 25%, hematobiochemical markers were considerably (p ≤ 0.01) enhanced. The liver and kidney function indicators improved (p = 0.001) with dietary BSFM. The economic evaluation revealed that feed costs and fish weight gain were decreased by increasing BSFM levels in fish diets. The current study highlighted the potential environmentally beneficial use of BSFM as an FM replacer in terms of reducing water nitrogen waste levels and improving growth performance, health status, and enhancing the economic feasibility of the commercial tilapia diet.

A common and efficient analgesic-antipyretic medication for a variety of syndromes is paracetamol (PAR). The use of PAR was associated with acute kidney injury and other side effects, and its hazardous effects were influenced by oxidative stress and inflammation. Black seed oil's primary active ingredient, thymoquinone (TQ), has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties. A few animal models for drug-induced nephrotoxicity described promising outcomes of its renoprotective action. The main goal of this work was to evaluate TQ nanoparticles' (TQNP) powerful renoprotective properties in a rat model of nephrotoxicity caused by PAR. Three groups of eight rats each were assigned; group one (the control group, CON) was given gavaged normal saline. Group 2 (PAR group, PAR) received 600 mg/kg of gavaged PAR diluted in regular saline. One hour after PAR delivery, group 3 (the TQNP group) received TQNP 0.5 mg/kg via oral administration. In rat kidney tissues, PAR resulted in renal damage, a rise in blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, cystatin C (CYC), myeloperoxidase, protein carbonyl (PC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and a decrease in nitric oxide and cellular antioxidants. In rats given PAR, TQNP effectively reduced renal damage, lowered serum levels of creatinine, BUN, and CYC, and improved oxidative stress (MDA, MYO, and PC) and inflammatory markers (TNFα and IFN-γ). TQNP treatment resulted in modestly dilated/congested blood vessels in the renal tissues of PAR. The TQNP's reno-protective action is an effective preventative against PAR-induced nephrotoxicity, primarily by enhancing cellular defense mechanisms and reducing inflammatory and oxidative indicators in a rat model. However, additional research and clinical trials should be needed for testing in future studies.

Environmental changes have an impact on agriculture, especially the production of poultry. These changes have caused grave concerns that will negatively affect the health and productivity of chickens. We must consider illumination, density, and dietary aspects when determining the optimal environmental conditions for poultry rearing and output. Each of these variables influences the performance and behavior of birds uniquely. A crucial aspect of evaluating animal well-being is that it understands animal behavior. Artificial lighting has been widely investigated in poultry production over the last fifty years to enhance muscle gain and egg production while preserving an effective feed conversion ratio, bird health, and well-being. Yet, researchers and breeders still disagree over the ideal light quality and quantity, density, and feeding levels for poultry farming, particularly for chickens. This evaluation, therefore, covered the most up-to-date practical methods for enhancing illumination, density, and feeding-related aspects of poultry behavior, health, and production.

Grape seed oil (GSO) is a rich resource of unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and phenolic compounds that have been shown to affect physiological disorders associated with chronic diseases positively. The article demonstrates GSO’s chemical structure and health benefits, including its ability to alleviate oxidative stress, modulate cytokines, exhibit antimicrobial activity, and potentially prevent cancer. The review highlights the positive impact of GSO on livestock growth and products quality, particularly when in combined with grape pomace in broiler and rabbits diets. Including grape seed extract in animals^’ diets improved carcass traits under oxidative stress conditions. It may also help reduce total lipid levels and lower LDL cholesterol levels, benefiting heart health. The article emphasizes the need for more studies to better understanding of the optimal bioactivity of GSO and to determine the recommended doses of GSO for human consumption. The review suggests that GSO could be a promising natural feed additive for improving poultry health and product quality.

Sheep are an important source of protein for humans, and recent decades have seen a significant increase in the production of sheep-based products, thus indicating an increase in demand for this commodity. At a time when this sector is growing, sheep are exposed to various challenges. These include climate change, which can cause heat stress in sheep, including rams, which later negatively affects their growth and reproductive performance. Exposure to heat stress results in physiological and reproductive behaviour responses in rams, which could also be used to visually identify the effect of heat stress as it will affect the productivity of livestock. In addition, the year-round hot and humid climate of the tropics is expected to contribute to a higher probability of heat stress occurrences in rams reared in developing countries around the equator. Nevertheless, the adaptability of rams to heat stress varies according to their origin, whereby native breeds tend to adapt better. Despite that, native breeds still can be affected by adverse environmental conditions and rely on thermoregulation mechanisms to mitigate heat stress. This results in numerous negative physiological changes, such as sweating and increased heart rate. This review highlights the effects of heat stress on the physiology, reproductive behaviour and reproductive performance of male sheep. The review also discusses the impact of management systems on heat stress in rams, which affects sheep productivity.

This study reports runs of homozygosity (ROH) and heterozygosity (ROHet) distributed in a large population of Holstein cattle on the basis of two microarrays of medium (50k; 2163 animals; 54 609 SNPs) and high single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) density (HD; 600 animals; 777 692 SNPs). To assess the inbreeding values of Holstein cattle, the ROH-based genomic inbreeding coefficient (F_ROH) was calculated. The comparison of SNP panels suggested that F_ROH values above 4 Mb should be considered for panels of medium densities as a relatively reliable measure of inbreeding. Moreover, ROH hotspots and coldspots were identified and compared between the HD and 50k SNP panels and were carefully examined for association with production and functional traits. The obtained results pinpointed genomic regions presumably under selection pressure in Holstein cattle. The regions overlapped with a large number of genes, including GHR, GBF1, SUMF1, CCL28, NIM1K, U6, BTRC and FABP1, many of which are involved in important Holstein cattle characteristics. We also found that some ROH hotspots and coldspots identified with the HD panel were not detected with the 50k panel, mainly because of insufficient SNP density in certain genomic regions. This suggests that using medium-density panels might not be the best choice when precise identification of ROH patterns is the main goal. In summary, in this work, we confirmed that a high-density SNP panel compared to a medium-density SNP panel allows for more precise identification of ROH patterns, especially in the case of short ROH that could be associated with ancestral inbreeding.

The dose-response analysis was used to investigate the effects of green coffee (GC) on growth performance, feed utilization, carcass traits, and health status of newly weaned rabbits. A total of 60 clinically healthy growing rabbits (5-weeks old) reared during summer season were divided randomly into three experimental groups, 20 rabbits each, and received 0, 2, and 4 g GC /kg diet, (GC0, GC2, and GC4), respectively. Growth performance (live body weight, LBW and average daily gain, ADG) and feed utilization (feed conversion ratio, FCR) as well as the dressing percentage and the relative weight of liver were improved significantly in the GC-treated groups compared to the control group. The dose-response regression analysis showed that the optimal doses were 2.75 and 3g GC/kg diet for ADG and FCR, respectively. Moreover, GC treatments significantly decreased both of rectum temperature and respiration rate compared to GC0, with an optimal dose being at 2.5g GC /kg diet. Erythrocytes and leukocyte counts improved significantly in the GC-treated groups compared to the GC0 group. Blood protein and its fractions, liver and kidney functions, and lipid profile were quadratically improved by GC supplementation. The optimal dose was 3g GC/kg diet for total protein and its fractions, ALT, and TG, while it was 2.5 and 2.75 g GC/kg diets for creatinine and TC, respectively. Total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione activities were significantly higher, while the levels of malondialdehyde were significantly lower in the GC-treated groups than the GC0 group. A level of 2.5g GC/kg diet was the optimal dose required for improving immunoglobulin A and G. improved in blood serum of GC treated groups compared to the control. Economically, dietary addition of GC enhanced the economic efficiency of the supplemented diets, thereby improving the profitability of the fattening process. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of GC at level of 2.5－3g/kg diet could be effectively used to enhance the growth indices, redox status, immune function, and economic efficiency of rabbits fattened during the summer season.

The evaluation of oocytes and zygotes, based on their size, shape and morphology, is a valuable tool for predicting subsequent embryo development. While this assessment is non-invasive and made possible with time-lapse monitoring systems, not all the assessment criteria used for zygotes with pale cytoplasm can be used for domestic cat zygotes, which have dark cytoplasm. In this study, feline presumptive zygotes were evaluated for shape, size, and morphology. Measurements were also made of the diameter of the entire zygote, its cytoplasm, and the zona pellucida. Differences in the dataset were assessed using the generalized linear model (GLM) procedure. While there was no relationship between a combination of the tested parameters with the potential for cleavage, blastocyst development, and hatching, the parameters of the shape and size of the entire oocyte, and of the zona pellucida, were related to the development potential. The results presented in this study indicate that the assessment procedure for human zygotes have to be adjust to be used in the cat model, however the relationship between measurements of the diameter of presumptive feline zygotes and the thickness of zona pellucida with their developmental potential deserve further investigation to optimize assessment of cat presumptive zygotes.