Effect of the granulometric characteristics of monensin sodium on controlling experimental coccidiosis in broiler chickens

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of monensin sodium grain size on controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. Three hundred and fifty Cobb 700 chicks were infected experimentally with 8 × 10(4) sporulated oocysts of Eimeria spp. The birds were fed with diets supplemented with powdered (n = 150) or granulated (n = 150) monensin, with particle sizes of ≤100 µm and 450-650 µm, respectively. The remaining chicks (n = 50) were used as an unmedicated control group. The birds’ weights and number of oocysts per gram of litter in each group were recorded weekly. A total of 96 birds were randomly selected and culled during the trial. Their intestinal oocyst counts and lesion scores were determined. No significant differences in body weights were found between the groups at the end of the study. The percentages of infected animals, oocyst counts and lesion scores were significantly higher in the control group than in the other two groups; the two treated groups did not show any appreciable differences to each other. Enteritis was observed in 14 birds, all in the group supplemented with granulated monensin. These results suggest that powdered and granulated monensin have comparable efficacy in controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. However, treatments with monensin sodium of high grain size may be subject to contraindications relating to enteritis.O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a eficácia da monensina sódica com diferentes granulometrias no controle da coccidiose em frangos de corte. Trezentos e cinquenta pintos Cobb 700 foram infectados experimentalmente, utilizando-se 8 × 10(4) oocistos esporulados de Eimeria spp. As aves foram alimentadas com dietas suplementadas com monensina em pó (n = 150) ou granulada (n = 150), com partículas de dimensão ≤100 µm e de 450-650 µm respetivamente. As aves restantes (n = 50) foram utilizadas como grupo controle não sujeito a tratamento. O peso das aves e o número de oocistos por grama de material de cama de cada grupo foram avaliados semanalmente. Um total de 96 aves foi selecionado aleatoriamente e submetidos à eutanásia durante o período experimental. Nestas aves foram analisados o número de oocistos intestinais e o respectivo escore das lesões. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas relativas ao peso dos animais dos diferentes grupos no final do período experimental. A proporção de animais infectados, a quantidade de oocistos e o escore das lesões foram significativamente superiores no grupo de controle, quando comparado com os dois grupos tratados, não encontrando diferenças significativas entre estes últimos. Foi observada enterite em 14 aves, pertencentes ao grupo suplementado com monensina granulada. Estes resultados indicam que a eficácia da monensina em pó e granulada é semelhante no controle de coccidiose em frangos de corte. No entanto, o tratamento com monensina sódica de elevada granulometria pode ser objeto de contraindicações associadas à enterite

Inclusion of Cocoa Bean Shell in the Diet of Dairy Goats: Effects on Milk Production Performance and Milk Fatty Acid Profile

The use of agro-industrial by-products in animal nutrition is a promising strategy to reduce the food-feed competition, the diet cost at farm level and the environmental impact of animal-derived food production. In this study, the suitability of cocoa bean shell (CBS), a by-product of the cocoa industry, as a feed ingredient in the diet of dairy goats was evaluated, with a focus on the related implications on feed intake, milk yield, milk main constituents, and fatty acid (FA) profile of milk fat. Twenty-two Camosciata delle Alpi goats were divided into two balanced groups. All the goats were fed mixed hay ad libitum. The control group (CTRL; n = 11) also received 1.20 kg/head × day of a commercial concentrate, while in the experimental group (CBS; n = 11) 200 g of the CTRL concentrate were replaced by the same amount of pelleted CBS. The total dry matter intake of the goats was reduced by the dietary inclusion of CBS (P ≤ 0.01). The milk yield, as well as the milk fat, protein, and casein contents and yields were unaffected by the treatment. Milk from the CBS-fed goats showed decreased urea content when compared to the CTRL group (P ≤ 0.001). Milk from the CBS group of goats also showed increased concentrations of total branched-chain FA (both iso and anteiso forms; P ≤ 0.001) and total monounsaturated FA (P ≤ 0.05), as well as a decreased ∑ n6/∑ n3 FA ratio (P ≤ 0.05). De novo saturated FA, total polyunsaturated FA, total conjugated linoleic acids, and the majority of ruminal biohydrogenation intermediates remained unaffected by the dietary treatment. These results suggest that CBS can be strategically used as an alternative non-conventional raw material in diets intended for lactating goats, with no detrimental effects on their milk production performance. The use of CBS in goat nutrition may be hindered by the presence of theobromine, a toxic alkaloid. Special attention is needed by nutritionists to avoid exceeding the theobromine limits imposed by the current legislation. Detheobromination treatments are also suggested in literature to prevent toxic phenomena

Full-fat insect meals in ruminant nutrition: in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and lipid biohydrogenation

BACKGROUND: The most used protein sources in ruminant nutrition are considered as having negative impacts in terms of environmental sustainability and competition with human nutrition. Therefore, the investigation of alternative and sustainable feedstuffs is becoming a priority in ruminant production systems. RESULTS: This trial was designed to evaluate eight full-fat insect meals (Acheta domesticus – ACD; Alphitobius diaperinus – ALD; Blatta lateralis – BL; Gryllus bimaculatus – GB; Grylloides sygillatus – GS; Hermetia illucens – HI; Musca domestica – MD; and Tenebrio molitor – TM) as potential protein and lipid sources in ruminant nutrition. Fermentation parameters and fatty acids (FA) of rumen digesta after 24-h in vitro ruminal incubation of the tested insect meals were measured and compared with those of three plant-based meals (soybean meal, rapeseed meal and sunflower meal) and fishmeal (FM). Similarly to FM, the insect meals led to a significantly lower total gas production (on average, 1.75 vs. 4.64 mmol/g dry matter—DM), methane production (on average, 0.33 vs. 0.91 mmol/g DM), volatile FA production (on average, 4.12 vs. 7.53 mmol/g DM), and in vitro organic matter disappearance (on average, 0.32 vs. 0.59 g/g) than those observed for the plant meals. The insect meals also led to lower ammonia of rumen fluid, when expressed as a proportion of total N (on average, 0.74 vs. 0.52 for the plant and insect meals, respectively), which could be an advantage provided that intestinal digestibility is high. Differences in ruminal fermentation parameters between the insect meals could be partially explained by their chitin, crude protein and ether extract contents, as well as by their FA profile. In particular, high content of polyunsaturated FA, or C12:0 (in HI), seems to partially inhibit the ruminal fermentations. CONCLUSIONS: The tested full-fat insect meals appear to be potentially an interesting protein and lipid source for ruminants, alternative to the less sustainable and commonly used ones of plant origin. The FA profile of the rumen digesta of ACD, ALD, GB, GS and TM, being rich in n-6 polyunsaturated FA, could be interesting to improve the quality of ruminant-derived food products. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-022-00792-2