Effects of Selenium and Cadmium on Breast Muscle Fatty-Acid Composition and Gene Expression of Liver Antioxidant Proteins in Broilers

The present work was part of a project intended to evaluate whether organic selenium (Se) has the potential to protect against toxic effects exerted by cadmium (Cd). For this reason, 300 as-hatched, one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated in four dietary treatments with five replicate pens per treatment. Chickens in T1 treatment, were offered a diet supplemented with 0.3 ppm Se (as Se-yeast), without added Cd; in T2 treatment, they were offered a diet with 0.3 ppm Se and 10 ppm Cd; in T3 treatment, they were offered a diet with 0.3 ppm Se and 100 ppm Cd; in T4 treatment, chickens were offered a diet supplemented with 3 ppm Se and 100 ppm Cd. Cadmium was added to the diets in T2, T3, and T4 as CdCl2. On the fourth and sixth weeks, liver and breast samples were obtained from two broilers per replicate pen. Relative gene expression levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and 2 (SOD2), methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MSRA) and B3 (MSRB3), iodothyronine deiodinase 1 (DIO1), 2 (DIO2), and 3 (DIO3), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) and 4 (GPX4), thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) and 3 (TXNRD3), and metallothionein 3 (MT3) were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR in liver, whereas the fatty-acid (FA) profile of breast muscle was determined by gas chromatography. Broilers supplemented with 0.3 ppm Se could tolerate low levels of Cd present in the diets, as there were no significant changes in the breast muscle FA profile, whereas excess Cd led to decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and in particular n-6 PUFA. Furthermore, treatments mainly affected the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of SOD2, TXNRD3, and MT3, while age affected CAT, MSRB3, DIO2, DIO3, GPX4, TXNRD1, and MT3. In conclusion, dietary Se may help against the negative effects of Cd, but cannot be effective when Cd is present at excessive amounts in the diet

Bioactive Compounds in Food Waste: A Review on the Transformation of Food Waste to Animal Feed

Bioactive compounds are substances which are present in foods in small amounts and have the ability to provide health benefits. Bioactive compounds include but are not limited to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, carotenoids, peptides, and polyphenols. The aim of the present study is to review literature for potential bioactive compounds present in food waste material and discuss the transformation of food waste to animal feed under the perspective that usage of food waste, rather than disposal, may tackle food insecurity and provide health benefits. Finally, applications in poultry and swine nutrition, with emphasis on the presence of fatty acids on food waste material, are discussed

Μeat Quality Traits as Affected by the Dietary Inclusion of Food Waste in Finishing Pigs

An increasing world population along with increasing human needs have raised demand for animal origin products. Moreover, high prices of conventional animal feeds have led to a demand for alternative feedstuff. Food waste can be an alternative feed ingredient. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary inclusion of dried hotel residues (DHR) on the growth performance, blood biochemical parameters and meat quality traits in finishing pigs. In each of the 2 trials conducted, 20 castrated male pigs were allotted into 2 treatments. In both trials, control treatment pigs were fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet without hotel residues. In the first trial, a DHR1 treatment contained 100 g DHR1/kg with meat residues (approximately 5%). In the second trial, a DHR2 treatment, contained 80 g DHR2/kg with no meat residues. Average daily feed intake tended to be lower and average daily weight gain was lower in DHR1 compared to control pigs in the first trial, while in the second no differences were detected. However, final body weight, FCR and dressing percentage were not affected in any of the two trials. Minor differences in several meat physical traits, hematological parameters were observed among treatments and trials. In conclusion, the results indicate that the dietary addition of DHR did not affect the feed utilization and the quality of the produced meat; hence, the use of DHR in pig feeding can be supported