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Toral PG, Hervás G, González-Rosales MG, Mendoza AG, Robles-Jiménez LE, Frutos P. Insects as alternative feed for ruminants: comparison of protein evaluation methods. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2022; 13:21. [PMID: 35144685 PMCID: PMC8832790 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-021-00671-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The high dependence of intensive ruminant production on soybean meal and the environmental impact of this crop encourage the search for alternative protein-rich feeds. The use of insects seems promising, but the extent of their ruminal protein degradation is largely unknown. This parameter has major influence not only on N utilization efficiency but also on the environmental burden of ruminant farming. In addition, although assessing ruminal N degradation represents a key first step to examine the potential of new feeds, it is a challenging task due to the lack of a reference method. This study was conducted to investigate the potential of 4 insects (Tenebrio molitor, Zophobas morio, Alphitobius diaperinus and Acheta domesticus) as alternative protein sources for ruminants, using 3 methodologies: 1) a regression technique based on the in vitro relationship between gas production and ammonia-N concentration; 2) a conventional in vitro technique of batch cultures of ruminal microorganisms, based on filtering the incubation residue through sintered glass crucibles; and 3) the in situ nylon bag technique. The in vitro intestinal digestibility of the non-degraded protein in the rumen was also determined. Soybean meal was used as a reference feedstuff. RESULTS Comparison of evaluation methods (regression, in vitro and in situ) did not allow to reliably select a single value of ruminal N degradation for the studied substrates, but all techniques seem to establish a similar ranking, with good correlations between methods, particularly between regression and in situ results. Regardless of the methodology, nitrogen from the 4 insects (with contents ranging from 81 to 112 g/kg of dry matter) did not show high ruminal degradation (41-76%), this value being always lower than that of soybean meal. Furthermore, the in vitro intestinal digestibility of non-degraded N was relatively high in all feeds (≥ 64%). CONCLUSION Overall, these results support the potential of the 4 studied insects as alternative feedstuffs for ruminants. Among them, T. molitor showed the lowest and greatest values of ruminal N degradation and intestinal digestibility, respectively, which would place it as probably the best option to replace dietary soybean meal and increase the sustainability of ruminant feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo G Toral
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Hervás
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain
| | | | - Alejandro G Mendoza
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain
| | - Lizbeth E Robles-Jiménez
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain.,Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, No. 100 Instituto Literario 100, Col. Centro, 50000, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Pilar Frutos
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain.
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Hristov AN, Bannink A, Crompton LA, Huhtanen P, Kreuzer M, McGee M, Nozière P, Reynolds CK, Bayat AR, Yáñez-Ruiz DR, Dijkstra J, Kebreab E, Schwarm A, Shingfield KJ, Yu Z. Invited review: Nitrogen in ruminant nutrition: A review of measurement techniques. J Dairy Sci 2019; 102:5811-5852. [PMID: 31030912 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-15829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen is a component of essential nutrients critical for the productivity of ruminants. If excreted in excess, N is also an important environmental pollutant contributing to acid deposition, eutrophication, human respiratory problems, and climate change. The complex microbial metabolic activity in the rumen and the effect on subsequent processes in the intestines and body tissues make the study of N metabolism in ruminants challenging compared with nonruminants. Therefore, using accurate and precise measurement techniques is imperative for obtaining reliable experimental results on N utilization by ruminants and evaluating the environmental impacts of N emission mitigation techniques. Changeover design experiments are as suitable as continuous ones for studying protein metabolism in ruminant animals, except when changes in body weight or carryover effects due to treatment are expected. Adaptation following a dietary change should be allowed for at least 2 (preferably 3) wk, and extended adaptation periods may be required if body pools can temporarily supply the nutrients studied. Dietary protein degradability in the rumen and intestines are feed characteristics determining the primary AA available to the host animal. They can be estimated using in situ, in vitro, or in vivo techniques with each having inherent advantages and disadvantages. Accurate, precise, and inexpensive laboratory assays for feed protein availability are still needed. Techniques used for direct determination of rumen microbial protein synthesis are laborious and expensive, and data variability can be unacceptably large; indirect approaches have not shown the level of accuracy required for widespread adoption. Techniques for studying postruminal digestion and absorption of nitrogenous compounds, urea recycling, and mammary AA metabolism are also laborious, expensive (especially the methods that use isotopes), and results can be variable, especially the methods based on measurements of digesta or blood flow. Volatile loss of N from feces and particularly urine can be substantial during collection, processing, and analysis of excreta, compromising the accuracy of measurements of total-tract N digestion and body N balance. In studying ruminant N metabolism, nutritionists should consider the longer term fate of manure N as well. Various techniques used to determine the effects of animal nutrition on total N, ammonia- or nitrous oxide-emitting potentials, as well as plant fertilizer value, of manure are available. Overall, methods to study ruminant N metabolism have been developed over 150 yr of animal nutrition research, but many of them are laborious and impractical for application on a large number of animals. The increasing environmental concerns associated with livestock production systems necessitate more accurate and reliable methods to determine manure N emissions in the context of feed composition and ruminant N metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Hristov
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
| | - A Bannink
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - L A Crompton
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Centre for Dairy Research, University of Reading, PO Box 237 Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, United Kingdom
| | - P Huhtanen
- Department of Agricultural Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-90, Umeå, Sweden
| | - M Kreuzer
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M McGee
- Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland C15 PW93
| | - P Nozière
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRA, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - C K Reynolds
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Centre for Dairy Research, University of Reading, PO Box 237 Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, United Kingdom
| | - A R Bayat
- Milk Production Solutions, Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), FI 31600 Jokioinen, Finland
| | - D R Yáñez-Ruiz
- Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC), Profesor Albareda, 1, 18008, Granada, Spain
| | - J Dijkstra
- Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - E Kebreab
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis 95616
| | - A Schwarm
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - K J Shingfield
- Milk Production Solutions, Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), FI 31600 Jokioinen, Finland; Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Z Yu
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210
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Olaisen V, Mejdell T, Volden H, Nesse N. Simplified in situ method for estimating ruminal dry matter and protein degradability of concentrates. J Anim Sci 2003; 81:520-8. [PMID: 12643497 DOI: 10.2527/2003.812520x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, dry matter and crude protein in situ degradation data from different concentrate feeds were used to test the accuracy of effective degradability (ED) measures when using reduced ruminal incubation times compared with models based on seven or eight incubation times. The ED was estimated both with and without correction for nylon bag particle loss. The crude protein ED corrected for particle loss of the calibration data set was widely distributed in a range from 16 to 90% with an overall mean value of 60.4%, and the dry matter ED was distributed in the range from 22.7 to 80.7%, with a mean value of 56.9%. The simplified method was developed based on bilinear regression models where all combinations of one to three disappearance values were tested to find the optimal time point combinations to estimate ED. Bilinear regression models based on two and three ruminal incubation times gave similar estimates to a standard in situ method over a wide range of passage rates both for the data set used to parameterize the models and the independent data set used to evaluate the models. Using two incubation times, the bilinear model based on 4 and 24 h gave the most accurate estimates, and the models based on 2, 8, and 24 h for uncorrected data and 4, 8, and 24 h for corrected data were most accurate of the three time points bilinear models. The number of nylon bags used by these models was reduced by 58 to 78% compared with the standard in situ method, and the total incubation time needed was substantially reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Olaisen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
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