Given the observable toxicity of lithium carbonate, neuropharmacology requires effective and non-toxic lithium salts. In particular, these salts can be employed as neuroprotective agents since lithium ions demonstrate neuroprotective properties through inhibition of glycogen synthetase kinase-3β and other target proteins, increasing concentrations of endogenous neurotrofic factors. The results of theoretical and experimental studies of organic lithium salts presented here indicate their potential as neuroprotectors. Chemoreactomic modeling of lithium salts made it possible to select lithium ascorbate as a suitable candidate for further research. A neurocytological study on cerebellar granular neurons in culture under conditions of moderate glutamate stress showed that lithium ascorbate was more effective in supporting neuronal survival than chloride or carbonate, i.e., inorganic lithium salts. Biodistribution studies indicated accumulation of lithium ions in a sort of “depot”, potentially consisting of the brain, aorta, and femur. Lithium ascorbate is characterized by extremely low acute and chronic toxicity (LD50 > 5000 mg/kg) and also shows a moderate antitumor effect when used in doses studied (5 or 10 mg/kg). Studies on the model of alcohol intoxication in rats have shown that intake of lithium ascorbate in doses either 5, 10 or 30 mg/kg did not only reduced brain damage due to ischemia, but also improved the preservation of myelin sheaths of neurons.

This research is aimed at the influence of different doses of lithium ascorbate on pigs’ diet estimation, at farrowing sows’ antioxidant status increase, and at lipid peroxidation product level decrease. The research was conducted in farrowing sows of the Irish landrace breed during the second farrow. Three groups of animals were formed, with ten livestock units in each. Thirty days after successful insemination, the sows of the E10, E5 and E2 experimental groups started receiving lithium ascorbate powder together with feed stuff in dosages of 10, 5 and 2 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. Their weighing and biochemical examinations were performed before the substance introduction as well as on the 60th and 110th days of pregnancy. The following were detected in sows’ blood plasma: malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, SH/SS ratio, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity. Lithium ascorbate usage during sows’ breeding cycle caused a significant increase in SH (reduced glutathione) level by 21% (p < 0.05), SS (oxidized glutathione) level decrease by 17% (p < 0.05), and malondialdehyde level decrease by 60% (p < 0.05). These data outline antioxidant defense system activization, reducing the risk of oxidative stress under the influence of feeding with lithium ascorbate. Lithium ascorbate in dosages of 10 mg/kg per body weight given together with feed stuff shows prominent adaptogene and stress protective features in the most effective way. The research conducted regarding lithium ascorbate usage for farrowing sows can reduce the negative consequences of oxidative stress, increase sows’ health preservation level, and contribute to fertility boost.

The purpose of this research is to develop and test a new approach to prevent clostridial disease in cattle, based on the use of a new compound biologically active feed additive (BFA). Some properties of the separate components of BFA are characterized. The research showed that a strain of the bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens159 has an expressed antagonism to toxin-producing strains of C. perfringens. When using the test strains of C. perfringens from the ATCC collection (13,124 as type A, 10,543 as type C, 12,916 as type F), the anticlostridial activity of the tested strains varied, with size range of 14.0 ± 0.95–15.0 ± 1.28 mm of delayed growth zones. The bactericidal properties of lauric acid and the sorption properties of diatomaceous earth, included in BFA, were confirmed. The experiment was conducted on Holstein cows at the beginning of lactation (control, C (n = 15) vs. experimental E48 (n = 15), E80 (n = 15) and E112 (n = 15), 48, 80 and 112 g/head/day BFA, respectively. All cows were vaccinated with “Coglavax” (vaccine against bovine and sheep clostridial disease, Ceva-Phylaxia VeterinaryBiologicals, Hungary), reinjected two weeks before the experiment. At the end of the experiment (3.5 months after the vaccination and 3 months after the start of BFA feeding according to the scheme of the experiment), the immune response in the control and Group E48 to C. perfringens β-toxin remained at the initial level, while the response in Group E80 and Group E112 became higher under the influence of BFA feeding. Cows fed BFA saw a guaranteed improvement in non-specific resistance. The increase in serum lysozyme concentration in cows of Groups E was 1.01–2.91 mkg/mL vs. control (p < 0.001). TP, GLB, ALB/GLB vs. Groups C and E48 (p < 0.001); this stabilized and normalized while feeding Group E80 and E112 animals with BFA. They also had improved nitrogen, fat, mineral metabolism, as indicated by significant increase in ALB (p < 0.05), UREA (p < 0.01), CHOL (p < 0.01), and CHL (p < 0.01) vs. Groups C and E48. Consumption of BFA increased the amount of anti-oxidants in the blood (highest TAWSA values in Group E80 14.45 mg/g, p = 0.002). Serum TBA–AP/ CP ratio was directly related to TBA–AP (r = 0.87, p < 0.001), and decreased in Group E80. The milk productivity increased under the action of BFA; the average daily milk yield of the cows from the experimental groups for the period of the experiment (d0–d98) was 1.24–1.66 kg higher than that of the control. At the same time, Group E112 cows had a significant increase in milk yield (by 5.1%, p = 0.03 vs. Control). Thus, feeding BFA to dairy cows was found to improve resistance, prevent toxicoses and increase milk production of cattle, which can serve as an additional strategy for bioprotection of cattle against infection.

This study examines certain identifiable non-genetic sources of variation (parity number, year and season farrowing) for their effects on Large White sow litter performance traits, such as litter size, mortality and weight of piglets at birth and at weaning. The population used for the present study is from a pig farm managed by Tavriys’ki svyni, LLC, located in Skadovsky district (Kherson Oblast, Ukraine). Reproductive performance records on 280 Large White (LW) sows were used. A total of 633 litters were farrowed from January 2007 to July 2017. The litter records included information on the total number of piglets born (TNB), number of piglets born alive (NBA), number of stillborn piglets (NSB), frequency of stillborn piglets (FSB), average weight of piglets at birth (AWPB), litter size at weaning (NW), piglet pre-weaning mortality (PWM) and average weight of piglets at weaning (AWPW). To determine the effect of parity number, year and month farrowing on reproductive performance traits, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. Results obtained showed significant influence of parity number on most of the reproductive parameters studied, apart from AWPB, PWM and AWPW. The total litter size at birth was the lowest in primiparous sows and in cases second-parity sows, but significantly exceeded the overall average population estimation during the fourth-sixth parities farrowing. The least squares estimates of the mortality rate of piglets at birth were significantly lower than in second parity sows, however they significantly increased in sows at eighth parity. The year of the sow's farrowing had the most significant influence on the weight of piglets at birth and at weaning. Moreover, a clear upward trend can be noted in relation to the weight of piglets at birth, which is accompanied by a gradual increase of the corresponding least squares estimates during 2007-2015. Late summer and early autumn (August-October) are the seasons when the litter size traits in the LW sows consistently show the lowest values, indicating a ‘seasonal infertility period’. Thus, all the analysis performed in the present work shows that in the LW sows, as in other pig breeds, the parity number, year and season farrowing influence the reproductive and developmental processes.

Animal welfare includes health but also concerns the need for natural factors that contribute to the increase in viability. Therefore, quantitative parameters are necessary to predict the risks of early culling of cows. In the study of the age dynamics of the disposal rate (culling for sum of reasons + death) in dairy cow populations, it was found that the average productive life span can be predicted by the value of the reciprocal culling/death rate (reciprocal value of Gompertz function) at the first lactation. This means that this potential of viability is formed during the developmental periods preceding the onset of lactation activity. Therefore, taking into account current data in the field of developmental biology, it can be assumed that the structural prerequisites for viability potential are laid down during prenatal development and in the early periods of postnatal life. To prevent unfavorable deviations in these processes due to negative welfare effects, it is advisable to monitor the physiological status of mothers and young animals using biosensors and Big Data systems.