A circular phosphorus (P) bioeconomy is not only worthwhile for conserving limited mineral P reservoirs, but also for minimizing negative environmental impacts caused by human-made alterations. Although P is an essential nutrient, most of the P in concentrates based on cereals, legumes and oilseed byproducts is organically bound to phytate. The latter cannot be efficiently utilized by monogastric animals and is therefore diluted into the environment through the manure pathway. This review examines various strategies for improved P utilization in animals and reflects the respective limitations. The strategies considered include feeding of debranned feedstuffs, pre-germinated feed, co-feeding of phytase and feeding material with high native phytase activity. All these approaches contribute to an improved P bioavailability. However, about half of the organic P content continues to be excreted and therefore remains unused by the animals. Nevertheless, technologies for an efficient utilization of P from cereal-based feed already exist; however, these are not industrially established. Conditioning feed material prior to feeding fosters P-reduced feed; meanwhile, P bound to phytate can be recovered. Based on known techniques for P separation and solubilisation from cereal products and phytate conversion, potential designs for feed material conditioning processes are proposed and evaluated.

For years, there has been an increasing interest in natural alternatives to the conventional coccidiostats applied as feed additives, which have been used for decades to prevent coccidiosis in poultry and fattening rabbits. This study aimed to compare the possible anticoccidial effects of oregano oil to the established substance diclazuril in growing rabbits. The control group (CG) received a non-supplemented basal compound feed, to which either diclazuril (1 mg/kg; DG) or oregano oil (75 mg/kg; OG) was added. In each of the three trials, subgroups of 50 rabbits each were assigned to one of the three experimental groups (CG, DG and OG). Natural Eimeria infection was monitored weekly by fecal oocyst counts and Eimeria species identification following sporulation. Additionally, the performance parameters were determined at the middle and the end of the trials, and the deceased rabbits were subjected to necropsy. Neither oocyst excretion nor the performance parameters differed significantly between the three experimental groups. Eimeria media, Eimeria magna, Eimeria perforans and Eimeria exigua were identified as the occurring species. The highest animal losses (16.0%) occurred in the OG, while the losses were 12.7% in the DG and 12.0% in the CG. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Overall, neither diclazuril nor oregano oil was superior to the non-supplemented feed. This underlines the importance of diagnostics, as this study’s results indicate that in the absence of the highly pathogenic Eimeria species, economic rabbit rearing and fattening is achievable without the use of coccidiostats.

Zusammenfassung: Im Oktober 2022 kam es in einem nordwestdeutschen Schweinemastbetrieb innerhalb weniger Tage zum vermehrten Auftreten von anorektalen Abszessen bei Endmastschweinen. Der Mäster hält ca. 3000 Schweine. Betroffen waren ausschließlich Endmastschweine (ca. 100kg) in verschiedenen Stallabteilen und -buchten. Die betroffenen Schweine wiesen eitrig-entzündliche Veränderungen zwischen Rektum, Anus und Schwanzansatz auf. Anzeichen mechanischer Verletzungen oder Kannibalismus konnten nicht nachgewiesen werden. Der Halter berichtete von einer plötzlichen auftretenden Futterverweigerung ca. 2 Wochen vor dem Auftreten der Abszesse. Ab diesem Zeitpunkt erfolgte der Einsatz einer neuen Charge Corn-Cob-Mix. Die Tiere erhielten Flüssigfutter aus Getreide (Gerste, Weizen), Corn-Cob-Mix und ein Ergänzungsfuttermittel. Im Anmischbehälter der Flüssigfütterung konnten untypische, schwarze, stecknadelkopfgroße Partikel festgestellt werden. Nach Rücksprache mit dem Landwirt, der den Mais für den Corn-Cob-Mix angebaut hatte, konnte Gewöhnlicher Stechapfel (Datura stramonium) als Kontamination ermittelt werden. Eine Anfälligkeit von Schweinen auf die antinutritiven Effekte von Stechapfel ist bekannt. Diese umfasst neben der Futterverweigerung auch eine Reduktion der Magen-Darmmotorik. Im vorliegenden Fall konnte vom Tierhalter eine Verstopfung bei betroffenen Schweinen nicht direkt beobachtet werden, scheint aber dennoch wahrscheinlich. Diese könnten in der Folge zu den beschriebenen anorektalen Abszessen geführt haben.

To promote sustainable biomass recycling and support food security, Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae can serve as an eco-friendly source of food and feed. This study compared the survival, growth performance, and nutritional composition of TM larvae fed five diets. The control (CON) diet contained distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and wheat bran (WB), while the experimental diets included 10–40% lignocellulose-rich organic products from rewetted peatlands (LPRP) replacing WB, with DDGS adjusted to maintain equivalent protein levels (about 21%). A total of 2500 larvae were divided into five replicates per treatment (100 larvae each). Survival exceeded 90% across all groups. Larvae fed the CON diet had a higher final body weight than those on the 30% and 40% LPRP diets (p < 0.05), with no significant differences among the CON and 10% and 20% LPRP groups. The feed conversion ratio (fresh matter) was significantly lower in the CON and 10% LPRP groups than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Larvae fed the 10% LPRP diet showed slightly higher crude protein content (55.8%) compared to the control group (54.8%) and the other treatment groups, whereas those fed the 30% LPRP diet had the highest numerical total amino acid content. Taken together, these results indicate that incorporating 10% LPRP with DDGS and WB provides the best overall balance between growth performance and nutritional quality for TM larvae, supporting sustainable production and circular economy goals.

Colostrum is the primary source of nutrients for newborn piglets, significantly influencing their growth, health and survival. This study examines the relationship between sow litter weight gain and the fatty acid composition of colostrum, including crude protein, lactose, calculated gross energy and total solids. The n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio was higher in low-performing sows (p < 0.05), suggesting that a lower ratio, associated with higher n-3 fatty acid content, may positively impact litter weight gain. Specific fatty acids such as myristic acid (C14:0), pentadecanoic acid (C15:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), margaric acid (C17:0), elaidic acid (C18:1n9t), linoleic acid (C18:2n6c), α-linolenic acid (C18:3n3), behenic acid (C22:0), docosadienoic acid (C22:2) and eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n3) were also found in lower concentrations in the colostrum of low-performing sows (p < 0.05). The study suggests that the content of n-3 fatty acids and perhaps the n-6:n-3 ratio of the colostrum and the content of some special fatty acids could serve as a selection criterion for improving litter performance in the future.

The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of diclazuril and robenidine, used for decades to prevent rabbit coccidiosis, with oregano oil as a potential phytogenic alternative. Four compound feed variants were tested: one variant without additive for the control group (CG), a second supplemented with diclazuril (1 mg/kg; DG), a third with robenidine hydrochloride (66 mg/kg; RG) and a fourth added with oregano oil (75 mg/kg; OG). A total of 48 SPF rabbits aged 5 weeks were kept in groups of three animals. Four groups (12 rabbits) were assigned to each of the 4 dietary variants. At Day 10 after arrival, each animal was experimentally infected with 1300 sporulated oocysts ( Eimeria media, Eimeria magna, Eimeria perforans, Eimeria flavescens and Eimeria coecicola ) originating from German rabbit stocks. Absolute excreted oocyst numbers were determined, Eimeria species identified, and reproduction rates calculated. Feed and water intake, body weight gain and feed conversion were assessed in addition to excreted faecal weights and their dry matter content. In all groups, the experimental infection resulted in markedly reduced performance parameters, changed faecal consistencies and reduced faecal weights. None of the three feed additives significantly reduced Eimeria reproduction or improved zootechnical parameters and faecal quality compared to the control animals. The present study confirms for the first time the complete and simultaneous ineffectiveness of diclazuril and robenidine due to multiple resistance in rabbit Eimeria species. Oregano as a herbal alternative for the prevention of coccidiosis in rabbits is not scientifically justified.