Use of grape residue flour in lactating dairy sheep in heat stress: Effects on health, milk production and quality

Glucose Metabolism-Modifying Natural Materials for Potential Feed Additive Development

Glucose, a primary energy source derived from animals' feed ration, is crucial for their growth, production performance, and health. However, challenges such as metabolic stress, oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota disruption during animal production practices can potentially impair animal glucose metabolism pathways. Phytochemicals, probiotics, prebiotics, and trace minerals are known to change the molecular pathway of insulin-dependent glucose metabolism and improve glucose uptake in rodent and cell models. These compounds, commonly used as animal feed additives, have been well studied for their ability to promote various aspects of growth and health. However, their specific effects on glucose uptake modulation have not been thoroughly explored. This article focuses on glucose metabolism is on discovering alternative non-pharmacological treatments for diabetes in humans, which could have significant implications for developing feed additives that enhance animal performance by promoting insulin-dependent glucose metabolism. This article also aims to provide information about natural materials that impact glucose uptake and to explore their potential use as non-antibiotic feed additives to promote animal health and production. Further exploration of this topic and the materials involved could provide a basis for new product development and innovation in animal nutrition.

Use of grape by-products in aquaculture: New frontiers for a circular economy application

Grape by-products have already been used in cosmetics, food industries, but also animal feed industry, especially monogastrics and in aquaculture. Grape by-products have been studied for a long time and their principal activities are antimicrobial and antioxidant. Concerning aquaculture, the great demand and necessity to replace animal sources with vegetable ones, has placed grape by-products as possible new phytonutrients with beneficial properties. The purpose of this review is to describe the use of grape by-products in aquaculture, during the last decade, concerning their effects on: 1) gut health and welfare status; 2) growth performances; 3) quality of fillets and flesh during the rearing cycle and shelf-life products. Although other studies highlighted that the high supplementation of grape by-products could negatively affect fish health and growth, due to antinutritional factors (tannins), grape by-products are proven to be valuable phytonutrients that can be incorporated into fish feed to enhance growth and health during rearing conditions. Even in fish products, their utilization has proven to elongate the properties and shelf-life of fillets and minces. Further studies to evaluate the possible integrations or replacements with grape by-products in fish feed in order to evaluate their effectiveness in aquaculture from a sustainable circular economy perspective will be desirable to enhance the use of these products.

Evaluation of the Economic, Environmental, and Social Impact of the Valorization of Grape Pomace from the Wine Industry

The increase in the world population has led to intensive food production systems that are generating increasing amounts of solid waste. In this work, the valorization of the most important waste generated during wine production, grape pomace, is evaluated. Eight processes are proposed to approach different types of valorization (production of energy and value-added products), from economic, environmental, and social points of view. The best process depends on the budget available, the production capacity, and the weight of each impact produced by the factory (economic, environmental, or social). For small (less than 0.1 kg/s) or very large (greater than 10 kg/s) capacities, the production of high-value-added products outperforms the other processes in all three impacts and in profitability. For intermediate capacities, combustion and gasification stand out as having the highest greenhouse emissions and intermediate economic benefits. Anaerobic digestion is remarkable for its low greenhouse gas emissions, while tannin production is the best-balanced process from both economic and environmental points of view. Pyrolysis is the worst process of all three impacts.

Comprehensive review of resveratrol as a feed additive in dairy cows: exploring its potential diverse effects and implications

Heat stress and growing demand for dairy products in tropical regions exert metabolic pressure on dairy cows, leading to metabolic diseases and economic losses. Resveratrol (RSV) is known for its numerous beneficial health effects and can be used as a barrier against metabolic abnormalities and prevent economic losses. Several studies have investigated the effects of RSV in humans and various animal species. In this review, we attempted to investigate the effects of RSV from different aspects so that we could have a practical proposal for its utilization in dairy cows. RSV was found to have potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and antimicrobial effects, leading to improved reproductive performance. It is interesting that the effect of RSV on the microbial population leads to a significant decrease in methane emissions. However, high doses of RSV have been associated with possible adverse effects, underscoring the dose dependence of its efficacy. In conclusion, RSV polyphenol at optimal doses is a promising agent for the prevention and treatment of metabolic abnormalities in dairy cows, based on our literature review and study results.

Feeding and Nutritional Factors That Affect Somatic Cell Counts in Milk of Sheep and Goats

The purpose of this quantitative review is to highlight the effects of feeding strategies using some mineral, vitamin, marine oil, and vegetable essential oil supplements and some agri-food by-products to reduce SCCs in the milk of sheep and goats. According to the results, only specific dietary factors at specific doses could reduce SCCs in the milk of dairy sheep and goats. The combination of Se and vitamin E in the diet was more effective in sheep than in goats, while the inclusion of polyphenols, which are also present in food matrices such as agro-industrial by-products, led to better results. Some essential oils can be conveniently used to modulate SCCs, although they can precipitate an off-flavoring problem. This work shows that SCCs are complex and cannot be determined using a single experimental factor, as intramammary inflammation, which is the main source of SC in milk, can manifest in a subclinical form without clinical signs. However, attention to mineral and vitamin supplementation, even in the most difficult cases, such as those of grazing animals, and the use of anti-inflammatory substances directly or through by-products, can improve the nutritional condition of animals and reduce their SCCs, offering undeniable benefits for the milk-processing sector as well.

Determining the Effects of Pelleted Cranberry Vine Grains on the Ewe and Offspring during Pregnancy and Lactation

When creating any new anti-parasitic interventions, it is important to evaluate their effects across all life stages. This study had three objectives, which were to evaluate the effect of feeding cranberry vine pellet (CVP) on (1) ewes' body weights and BCS during late gestation and lactation; (2) ewes' milk quality during lactation; and (3) lambs' body weight and growth parameters from birth to 65 days of age. Across two years, 41 Dorset ewes were fed either a 50% CVP or a matching control pellet (CON) from 104 ± 1.60 days of gestation for 62.8 ± 0.68 days of lactation. Measurements were collected from ewes (BW, BCS, and milk) and lambs (BW and body size). Milk from CVP ewes exhibited reduced milk fat and solids (p < 0.01) and increased concentrations of milk urea nitrogen (p = 0.02) when evaluated for the treatment-time. There was no significant difference in the BCS, protein, lamb BW, or growth measurements for treatment-time (p ≥ 0.05). Additional research that targets blood biochemistry and metabolic assessments is needed to fully determine the impact of this pellet on ewes and lambs.

Evaluation of chemical-nutritional characteristics of whey and Ricotta obtained by ewes fed red grape pomace dietary supplementation

This study aimed to investigate the effect on the chemical quality of whey and Ricotta obtained from ewes fed a red grape pomace (GP) dietary supplementation. The analyses were performed on whey, before and post Ricotta cheese-making, and in Ricotta after 1 (T1) and 5 (T5) d of ripening at 4°C. Moreover, fatty acid profile of whey before ricotta (WBR) cheese-making and Ricotta T1 of ripening and volatile profile of Ricotta T1 and T5 were investigated. The diet did not affect whey and Ricotta lipid content, conversely, significant variations were instead observed with regard to color. A lower amount of total phenolic compounds was found in WBR cheese-making, on the contrary, an opposite trend was highlighted in Ricotta T1 although no variations in antioxidant properties were detected. Moreover, GP modified fatty acid profile of whey and Ricotta but did not have any effect on protein profile of the main whey protein. The reduction of hexanal in Ricotta during the ripening suggest a better oxidative stability. The obtained results therefore suggested that the GP inclusion in the ewes diet, while modifying some chemical parameters, did not induce negative effects on the characteristics and quality of dairy by-products.

Effect of dietary supplementation with grape residue flour on weight gain, metabolic profile, leukogram, proteinogram and antioxidant response in suckling lambs

The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of grape residue flour (GRF) in the diet of suckling lambs would improve their health and consequently enhance their growth. We used 48 lambs, 30 days of age divided into four treatments with four repetitions each, with each repetition consisting of three animals. The groups were identified as follows: G-0%, used as a control (without GRF) and G-0.5%, G-1% and G-2% referring to treatment with grape residue flour in doses of 0.5%, 1%, and 2% of inclusion in the concentrate, respectively. Lambs in groups G-1% and G-2% had higher final body weights, weight gain and average daily gain (ADG) compared to the other groups. GRF dietary supplementation had good antioxidant potential, being able to stimulate glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and consequently reduce levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lambs that consumed the highest dose of GRF (G-2%). GRF supplementation improved humoral responses, with increased serum levels of heavy-chain and light-chain immunoglobulins; however, there was a reduction in serum ceruloplasmin levels in these lambs. We observed higher concentrations of glucose and triglycerides in lambs in the 2% group. There were lower lymphocyte counts in lambs that received GRF. Lambs supplemented with the highest doses of GRF (G-1% and G-2%) had lower total bacterial counts in the feces. We conclude that the use of GRF in the supplementation of suckling lambs improved animal health, as it stimulated the antioxidant and immune systems and consequently favored their growth.

Upgrading wineries to biorefineries within a Circular Economy perspective: An Italian case study

In the challenge of transforming waste into useful products that can be re-used in a circular perspective, Italian wine industry can represent a suitable model for the application of the bioeconomy principles, including the valorisation of the agricultural and food waste. In the present study, a comprehensive environmental assessment of the traditional production of wine was performed and the potentiality of a biorefinery system, based on winery waste and aimed at recovering useful bio-based products, such as grapeseed oil and calcium tartrate, was examined through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The wine company "I Borboni", producing Asprinio wine in the Campania Region (Italy), was proposed as a case study. The hotspots of the linear production system were identified and the bottling phase, in particular the production of packaging glass, resulted to contribute to the generation of impacts at 63%, on average, versus 14.3% of the agricultural phase and 22.7% of the vinification phase. The LCA results indicated human carcinogenic toxicity, freshwater eutrophication and fossil resource scarcity impact categories as the most affected ones, with normalized impacts amounting to 9.22E-03, 3.89E-04 and 2.64E-04, respectively. Two side production chains (grapeseed oil and tartrate production) were included and circular patterns were designed and introduced in the traditional production chain with the aim of valorising the winery residues and improving the overall environmental performance. By implementing the circular approach, environmental impacts in the global warming, freshwater eutrophication and mineral resource scarcity impact categories, in particular, resulted three times lower than in the linear system. The results achieved demonstrated that closing the loops in the wine industry, through the reuse of bio-based residues alternatively to fossil-based inputs within the production process, and integrating the traditional production system with new side production chains led to an upgrade of the wineries to biorefineries, towards more sustainable production patterns.

Dietary supplementation of grape seed tannin extract stimulated testis development, changed fatty acid profiles and increased testis antioxidant capacity in pre-puberty hu lambs

Grape seed tannin extract (GPE) from wine grape pomace has many effective anti-oxidative effects and is used as a promising natural feed additive in the animal feed industry. This study investigated the effect of GPE as a source of tannin on the antioxidant capacity and testis development in Hu lambs. Twenty-seven 3-month-old ram lambs were randomly assigned to three groups. For each treatment group, nine lambs were allocated to nine pens (one lamb per pen). The lambs in the control group were fed a control diet without GPE for 61 days from D21 to D80. Group I (TAN1) was fed with 0.36% GPE diet, and Group II (TAN2) was fed with 0.72% GPE diet. After an 81-day feeding trial, all lambs except the heaviest and lightest in each group were humanely slaughtered and investigated. Results showed that feeding GPE did not affect the body weight, average daily gain, dry matter intake, scrotal circumference, and testis index. Meanwhile, feeding with 0.36% GPE diet increased testis weight, testis volume, and epididymis weight (P ≤ 0.05) compared with those of the control, but no difference was found between TAN1 and TAN2 groups. Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu-ZnSOD), steroid acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), elongation of very long chain fatty acid protein 2 (ELOVL2), fatty acid desaturase (FADS2), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) mRNA in TAN1 and TAN2 groups were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). GPE also markedly increased the antioxidant status of testis. Compared with the control group, the treatment groups showed significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (314.23 ± 18.64 U/mg prot in control, 505.22 ± 63.47 U/mg prot in TAN1 and 587.88 ± 55.94 U/mg prot in TAN2, P < 0.05) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) (98.23 ± 18.99 U/g prot in control, 202.15 ± 34.19 U/g prot in TAN1 and 189.57 ± 18.95 U/g prot in TAN2, P < 0.05). Consuming 0.72% GPE also changed the fatty acid profiles in testis with increased C15:1, C22:6n3, and total n-3 fatty acids (P < 0.05) but decreased C22:5n3 (P < 0.05). Therefore, feeding lambs with GPE stimulated testis seminiferous tubule development and increased the number of Sertoli cells (10.56 ± 0.44 in control, 14.10 ± 0.57 in TAN1 and 13.60 ± 0.42, P < 0.05), and seminiferous tubule diameter (109.30 ± 4.56 μm in control, 164.49 ± 5.37 μm in TAN1 and 146.56 ± 4.53 μm in TAN2, P < 0.05). These results suggested that feeding GPE in the early reproductive development stage of lambs upregulated the expression of antioxidative, steroidogenesis, and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism-related genes, changed the fatty acid profiles, increased the antioxidant capacity in lamb's testis, and contributed to testis development and spermatogenesis.

Positive effects of biocholine powder dietary supplementation on milk production and quality, and antioxidant responses in lactating ewes: A new nutritional tool

We determined whether the dietary supplementation with a commercial product (vegetable biocholine - VB) for Lacaune ewes at peak lactation would improve animal health and production as well as milk quality. We also determined the effects of VB as a feed additive. We used thirty Lacaune ewes at 30 days of lactation, allocated into three groups: T0 (control, without VB), T5 (5 g of VB/animal/day) and T10 (10 g of VB/animal/day). T10 sheep had greater milk yield during the experimental period. T10 ewes had also a significantly lower feed conversion ratio than the other groups. Total solids concentration of milk was higher in T10 than in the other groups on day 20. The somatic cell count in milk was lower in ewes that consumed VB in the highest dose (T10) than in the T0 and T5 in days 15 and 20. Lower levels of lipoperoxidation (LPO) and of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were observed in milk from ewes fed with the VB supplemented diet on day 20, associated with increased levels of total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity in milk. In serum, we found that T5 and T10 animals had significantly higher levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (non-protein thiols) associated with reduced LPO and ROS content. Higher levels of globulins were observed in T10 than in T0 sheep on day 20. These data suggest that VB dietary supplementation stimulates antioxidant responses and increases the concentration of globulins in a manner beneficial to sheep health. Milk production, feed conversion rate, and milk SCC were also improved.

Dietary supplementation with curcumin-loaded nanocapsules in lambs: Nanotechnology as a new tool for nutrition

Curcumin-containing nanocapsule powder formulations have not been used in ruminant feed to date, despite the fact that curcumin is known to be a functional food additive. The objective of this study was to determine whether ethyl polymethacrylate (Eudragit L-100) nanocapsules loaded with curcumin (N-CU) would improve health and growth of lambs. Thirty-two male Lacaune lambs (body weight [BW] = 16 ± 0.99 kg; 45 d of age) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: T0, T1, T2 and T4, representing supplementation of curcumin at 0, 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg concentrate, respectively. The animals in each treatment were allocated in 4 pens of 2 lambs each (8 lambs per treatment). The experiment lasted 17 d, with samples and measurements collected on d 0, 7, 12, and 17. The T2 lambs had greater average daily gain than T0 lambs. Regression analysis showed that the ideal dose of N-CU to enhance weight gain was 1.89 mg/kg concentrate. There were significant interactions (P < 0.05) between treatments × time for hematological variables, particularly for increases in erythrocytes (T2) and reductions in counts of leukocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes in T1 and T2. There were significant interactions between treatment × time for total protein, globulin, urea, and triglyceride levels. Stimulation of the antioxidant system was also observed. There were increased levels of non-protein thiols (NPSH), as well as increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in the supplemented animals. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were lower in the serum of supplemented lambs. In general, the 4 mg/kg dose had no positive effects on growth or health. This was an unexpected result, given the known properties of curcumin. Taken together, these findings suggest that addition of low concentrations of nanoencapsulated curcumin (T1 and T2) in lamb feed improves health, minimizing oxidative stress and generates anti-inflammatory effects that may have contributed indirectly to greater weight gain. Nanocapsules potentiate the effects of curcumin and may emerge as a new tool in animal nutrition.

Optimizing fiber and protein levels in diet of lactating Murrah buffaloes to ameliorate heat stress: Effect on physiological status and production performance

The objective of study was to assess the outcome of feeding six total mixed rations (TMR), differing in NDF and protein content, for their synergistic effect on ameliorating heat load of lactating Murrah buffaloes evident through improved physiological and production performance. Thirty six lactating Murrah buffaloes (587 ± 12.3, MY 9 ± 2.2, Parity 2.5 ± 1.5) were arranged in a 3 × 2 factorial design with three levels of dietary NDF (30, 34.5 and 37% dietary NDF) and two levels of metabolizable protein (MP; 7.0% and 8.4%). Buffaloes were fed either of six dietary treatments: 30%NDF; 7.0% MP (CF1, as recommended), 34.5%NDF; 7.0% MP (MF1), 37%NDF; 7.0% MP (HF1), 30%NDF; 8.4% MP (CF2), 34.5%NDF; 8.4% MP (MF2) and 37%NDF; 8.4% MP (HF2). TMR offered with maize silage and respective concentrate for 90 days feeding trial. Fortnightly feed samples and weekly milk samples collection was done for analyses. Metabolic trial conducted in mid of experiment for estimating nutrient digestibility. Throughout the trial, THI level (79.7-83.8) denoted that buffaloes were exposed to stressful environment. Higher MP in diet reduced pulse rate in buffaloes as compared with lower MP diet. Rectal temperature was lower in Murrah buffaloes fed MF2 diet whereas; minimum breathing rate was recorded for high protein fed group. The MF2 diet increased dry matter intake (kg/d) by 2.7%, milk yield (kg/d) by 8.3% and feed efficiency (milk/DMI) by 7.2% as compared with CF1 group indicating reduced heat load. Increase in protein intake along with improved protein digestibility in MF2 group was recorded. Measured 6%FCM and ECM (kg/d), milk fat (%) and total solid (%) were higher in MF2 treatment group. Results revealed that 34.5% NDF and 8.4% MP have a positive influence on amelioration of heat stress in present experimental conditions.

Effects of dietary mulberry leaf powder on growth performance, blood metabolites, meat quality, and antioxidant enzyme-related gene expression of fattening Hu lambs

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the mulberry [Morus alba var. multicaulis (Perrott.) Loud.] leaf powder (MLP) supplementation in dietary concentrates on growth performance, blood metabolites, meat quality, and antioxidant enzyme (AOE) gene expression in fattening Hu lambs. Forty approximately 3-mo-old Hu lambs (16.5 ± 0.6 kg) were randomly allocated to five groups and fed with concentrates containing 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, or 60% MLP (control, T15, T30, T45, and T60, respectively). The results showed that 15%–30% MLP supplementation maintained growth and carcass performance, and the weight of total stomach, especially of rumen in T15 and T30, were higher than those of the control. Dietary MLP supplementation decreased serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, but increased the high-density lipoprotein levels. Moreover, MLP supplementation improved the longissimus lumborum muscle color (redness), tenderness, and water-holding capacity. It was further observed that 15% MLP supplementation enhanced all AOE mRNA levels apart from that of EPHX1. In summary, dietary MLP supplementation could partially improve the blood metabolites, meat quality, and AOE mRNA levels in the liver of fattening Hu lamb, and the level of 15% supplementation was the most promising.

Artificial Intelligence Applied to a Robotic Dairy Farm to Model Milk Productivity and Quality based on Cow Data and Daily Environmental Parameters

Increased global temperatures and climatic anomalies, such as heatwaves, as a product of climate change, are impacting the heat stress levels of farm animals. These impacts could have detrimental effects on the milk quality and productivity of dairy cows. This research used four years of data from a robotic dairy farm from 36 cows with similar heat tolerance (Model 1), and all 312 cows from the farm (Model 2). These data consisted of programmed concentrate feed and weight combined with weather parameters to develop supervised machine learning fitting models to predict milk yield, fat and protein content, and actual cow concentrate feed intake. Results showed highly accurate models, which were developed for cows with a similar genetic heat tolerance (Model 1: n = 116, 456; R = 0.87; slope = 0.76) and for all cows (Model 2: n = 665, 836; R = 0.86; slope = 0.74). Furthermore, an artificial intelligence (AI) system was proposed to increase or maintain a targeted level of milk quality by reducing heat stress that could be applied to a conventional dairy farm with minimal technology addition.

Can Agro-Industrial By-Products Rich in Polyphenols be Advantageously Used in the Feeding and Nutrition of Dairy Small Ruminants?

Simple Summary

In the Mediterranean area, where dairy sheep and goats are widespread, the use of by-products in the diet of small ruminants is an ancient practice. Today the great availability of industrial by-products produced at the local level (e.g., grape, olive, tomato and myrtle residues), appears to be a promising strategy for reducing competition with human edible foods and the cost of off-farm produced feeds since they are imported worldwide. Moreover, these co-feeds can contribute to reducing the ecological and water footprint associated with crop cultivation. The presence of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, confers added value to these materials. Several positive aspects are apparent when such by-products are included in the diets of small dairy ruminants, in particular on ruminal metabolism, animal health, and the quality of derived products.

Abstract

Recently, the interest in industrial by-products produced at the local level in Mediterranean areas, resulting from fruit and vegetable processes, has increased because of their considerable amounts of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols. In this review, we analyze the most recent scientific results concerning the use of agro-industrial by-products, naturally rich in polyphenols (BPRP), in the diets of small dairy ruminants. Effects on milk production, milk and rumen liquor fatty acid profile, metabolic parameters, and methane production are reviewed. The feed intake and digestibility coefficients were generally depressed by BPRP, even though they were not always reflected in the milk yield. The main observed positive effects of BPRP were on quality of the milk’s FA profile, antioxidant activity in milk and blood, a reduction of rumen ammonia, and, consequently, a reduction of milk and blood urea. The expected beneficial effects of dietary polyphenols in small ruminants were not always observed because of their complex and variable matrices. However, owing to the large quantities of these products available at low prices, the use of BPRB in small ruminant nutrition offers a convenient solution to the valorization of residues arising from agricultural activities, reducing feed costs for farmers and conferring added value to dairy products at the local level, in a sustainable way.

Subclinical mastitis in Lacaune sheep: Causative agents, impacts on milk production, milk quality , oxidative profiles and treatment efficacy of ceftiofur

Mastitis is a major disease affecting dairy sheep. It is caused by microorganisms that generate inflammation of the mammary gland in response to tissue invasion. This syndrome affects the welfare of ewes, as well as the production and quality of the milk, thereby reducing its productive efficiency. Because mastitis causes inflammation process, it also increases the production of free radicals that cause lesions via lipoperoxidation, causing damage to proteins, cells and tissues. One way to minimize the impact of the disease is antimicrobial treatment. Nevertheless, the continuous use of antimicrobials contributes to microbial resistance, in addition to producing residues in the milk and derivatives if not given during the grace period. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the consequences of subclinical mastitis on ewe health, milk production, milk composition and quality. We also evaluated the susceptibility of the bacteria in vitro using disk diffusion antibiograms. Finally, we performed two-way testing of efficacy of treatment in Lacaune ewes using the same agents. In the first stage of the study, 30 lactating ewes (±90 days) were used, 10 of which were negative on the CMT (California Mastitis Test) used as control group (CG) and 20 sheep with subclinical mastitis diagnosed by CMT (MG). Samples were collected and several analyses were performed on the milk and blood. We found that ewes in the MG had higher lipid peroxidation in serum and milk, as well as lower production, with reduction of the total dry extract in milk. There were 15 isolates of Staphylococcus hyicus, four isolates of each S. epidermidis and S. intermedius, and two isolates of Corynebacterium spp. The primary hematological result was leukocytosis in ewes with mastitis. Based on the antibiogram, we chose ceftiofur for in vivo tests. In this stage, we divided the sheep with subclinical mastitis into two subgroups of 10 ewes each, to receive drug by two routes: intramuscular (IM) and intramammary (IMM). In the IMM group, of the 10 CMT-positive ewes at the beginning of the experiment, seven were already negative by the racket test 120 h after the last application (70% efficacy). In the IM group, of the 10 positive ewes, only four were negative after 120 h of the final application, a low efficacy treatment (40%). We evaluated antimicrobial residues in the milk of treated animals. We found this material within 5 days after treatment in the two forms used; despite the fact that the product's stated withholding period is 3 days. We conclude that ewes with mastitis produce less milk of lower quality. We also conclude that, although ceftiofur is 100% effective in vitro, when used in ewes with mastitis, the efficacy did not exceed 70%, and was more efficient when administered via the intramammary route.

Impacts of the supplementation of açai lump flour in the diet of laying hens on productive performance, and fatty acid profiles and antioxidant capacity in the fresh and stocked eggs

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the supplementation with açaí flour in the feed of laying hens at the end of the production cycle has beneficial effects on the health and performance of the birds and on the quality of the eggs. Groups received basal diets supplemented with 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% açaí lump flour. We observed better productivity linked to oviposition and egg mass in a dose-dependent manner. We also observed higher shell resistance in stored eggs and higher % albumen and peel in fresh eggs. Lower levels of lipoperoxidation were observed in fresh eggs (2.0%). In stored eggs, lipoperoxidation levels were lower in all supplemented groups. The antioxidant capacity levels in fresh or stored eggs was higher (2.0%). We also observed a higher content of monounsaturated fatty acids in the supplemented groups, whereas saturated fatty acids were lower in the egg yolks. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Based on a regression analysis, we verified that 1.47% of açaí flour is ideal in terms of productive efficiency. Dietary supplementation with açaí flour improved performance, egg quality, and had positive effects on the health of hens. Supplementation with açaí flour increased egg shelf life, reducing lipid peroxidation, biochemical reaction responsible for egg putrefaction.

Benefits of the inclusion of açai oil in the diet of dairy sheep in heat stress on health and milk production and quality

The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of açai (Euterpe oleracea) oil in the diets of lactating sheep under heat stress exerted beneficial effects on health as well as milk production and quality. Eighteen multiparous Lacaune sheep (2 or 3 parities; 28-30 days of lactation; average milk production of 1.7 L/sheep/day) were stratified by parity and milk production and were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 treatments (9 sheep/treatment): diet supplemented with 2% of soybean oil (SOY) or 2% of açai oil (AÇAI) in the concentrate for 14 days. The amount of oil added in the diet was equivalent to 0.65% of the total diet (dry matter basis). Blood and milk samples were collected on days 1, 10 and 14. On day 14, the AÇAI group sheep had lower serum concentrations of leukocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes than did the SOY group sheep. On day 14, AÇAI group sheep had lower serum concentration of triglycerides and urea, milk concentration of fat and total solid and milk lipid peroxidation than did SOY group sheep. However, on day 14, AÇAI group sheep had higher serum concentrations of glucose and globulin, serum and milk antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals, milk production and productive efficiency than did SOY group sheep. The fatty acids profile in milk did not differ between groups. These data suggest that açai oil improved the antioxidant activity in serum and milk and improved milk production and quality in dairy sheep under heat stress.