This paper focuses on the role of n-3 fatty acids as a nutrient crucial to the proper functioning of reproductive and immune systems in cattle. Emphasis was placed on the connection between maternal and offspring immunity. The summarized results confirm the importance and beneficial effect of n-3 family fatty acids on ruminant organisms. Meanwhile, dietary n-3 fatty acids supplementation, especially during the critical first week for dairy cows experiencing their peripartum period, in general, is expected to enhance reproductive performance, and the impact of its supplementation appears to be dependent on body condition scores of cows during the drying period, the severity of the negative energy balance, and the amount of fat in the basic feed ration. An unbalanced, insufficient, or excessive fatty acid supplementation of cows’ diets in the early stages of pregnancy (during fetus development) may affect both the metabolic and nutritional programming of the offspring. The presence of the polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 family in the calves’ ration affects not only the performance of calves but also the immune response, antioxidant status, and overall metabolism of the future adult cow.

Boswellia serrata resin (BSR), exhibiting a variety of therapeutic properties, is applied in Asian traditional medicine. These properties can be used in poultry production as well. Application of the resin as a phytobiotic in broiler chicken rearing can increase the productivity and improve meat quality. However, the optimum and maximum levels of BSR in broiler diets need to be assessed. The study determined the effect of different levels of supplementation of BSR (directly derived, unprocessed) in diets for broiler chickens on the production traits, selected slaughter analysis parameters, nutrient digestibility and selected hematological, biochemical and immunological parameters. In total, 200 1-day-old broiler chickens were assigned randomly to four treatments with five replicate cages of 10 broiler chickens/cage (five females and five males). The experiment lasted 6 weeks, and the broiler chickens were fed diets containing 0% (control), 3% (BSR3), 4% (BSR4) or 5% (BSR5). In the broiler chickens receiving diets with addition of resin BSR3 and BSR4, there was an increase in (P<0.05) BW gain, ether extract, ADF, organic matter and energy digestibility of the diets. Moreover, the best carcass quality with a high proportion of muscles and low abdominal fat content (P<0.05) was noted in these groups. The content of uric acid (P<0.01) and the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.001) and alkaline phosphatase (P<0.05) in blood plasma decreased upon the BSR supplementation. Globulin content increased in blood plasma (P<0.05) along the increasing level of BSR. The blood immunoglobulin A concentration was only affected by the BSR treatments (P<0.05). It may be concluded that BSR can be regarded as a safe and effective dietary additive for broiler chicken.

This paper aims to verify whether cereal products are a good source of Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn in the diets of Poles. The study material comprised of 445 cereal products including baked goods, breakfast cereals and groats, pasta, and rice. Products that required culinary treatment (pasta, groats, rice) were boiled in drinking quality water as recommended by the producer. The content of Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn was determined by using the FAAS method. The average content of microelements in the analyzed products can be represented as Fe (17.9 mg kg⁻¹ ± 10.3) > Zn (12.4 mg kg⁻¹ ± 5.2) > Mn (9.6 mg kg⁻¹ ± 6.7) > Cu (3.9 mg kg⁻¹ ± 2.9). Considering the daily requirement of the analyzed minerals among adult Poles, it was determined that cereal products supply 58% RDA Cu, 61% AI Mn (men)–78% AI Mn (women), 19% RDA Fe (women)–34% RDA Fe (men), and 16% RDA Zn (men)–22% RDA Fe (women). Baked goods account for as much as about 90% of all Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn consumed as cereal products in a daily diet. Based on the results, it can be concluded that cereal products are the main source of Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn in the diets of Poles. In connection with low assimilability of minerals, they should not be considered the fundamental source of those microelements in the diets of Poles.

The study was focused on assessment of the effect of an extract of long-chain inulin (LCI) and dried tubers of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) and a multispecies probiotic preparation as well as a combination thereof on growth performance and blood parameters of fattening pigs. In total, 144 pigs (initial body weight 30.0 ± 0.5 kg) were used in a 98-d experiment. The six dietary treatments consisted of the control diet (Con), diet Con supplemented with probiotics (ConP) and four diets supplemented with LCI or JA alone or with probiotics (diets LCIP and JAP). Throughout the fattening period, there was a beneficial effect of the probiotic supplementation to the inulin-containing diets and the average daily gain (ADG) was increased by supplementation of probiotics in combination with inulin sources (p < 0.05). At the end of the fattening period, ADG and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were higher after supplementation of LCI only (p < 0.05). Compared with group ConP, in groups LCI and JA, the ADG and FCR were improved (p < 0.05). Only in the first fattening stage, the addition of the prebiotics and/or probiotics had an impact on the level of white blood cells and some biochemical indices in pigs. In younger animals, probiotic or LCI supplementation increased the IgG level (p < 0.05). There was also an interaction between the probiotics and JA resulting in increased IgG and IgA concentrations (p < 0.05). In the finishing period, LCI addition increased the IgM level (p < 0.05), whereas JA addition increased IgG and IgM levels as well (p < 0.05). In conclusion, both dietary sources of inulin and probiotic supplementation can improve the fattening performance and health status of growing pigs.

This study was carried out on the farm specializing in organic pig production on 80 fatteners of the Polish native Pulawska breed, allocated into 4 groups (20 pigs each): EM - entire (uncastrated) males, IM - immunocastrates - males vaccinated with ImprovacR, CM - surgically castrated males and G - gilts. The highest average daily gains were achieved by the IM group, slightly lower by EM, whereas the lowest by CM and G groups. Content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in intramuscular fat and backfat (10.19% and 10.68%, respectively) of IM was lower (P ≤ 0.05) than in fat of EM (11.4% and 13.20%, respectively), but higher (P ≤ 0.05) in comparison to CM (8.43% and 8.71%, respectively). Vaccination of boars against GnRH has not decreased quality traits of organically produced pork. Furthermore, comparing to meat from surgically castrated males, it resulted in better qualities (lower fat content in carcass, higher PUFA level in fat, better physicochemical meat properties).