Background and Aim: Weaning pigs normally suffer from many stressors which have impaired growth performance and immunity. Hydrolyzed yeast has been proposed as an alternative feed additive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of various levels of hydrolyzed yeast (HY) supplementation in the feed of weaning pigs on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, immunity, antioxidant capacity, and microbial populations. Materials and Methods: A total of 144 crossbred weaning pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Large White) with a mean body weight (BW) of 7.46 kg were randomly assigned to one of four treatments during a 5-week feeding trial. Treatments consisted of a basal diet without HY inclusion (control), or the basal diet supplemented with HY at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg of diet, respectively. Results: Piglets fed with 1.0 or 1.5 g/kg HY presented significantly increased BW (p=0.009) and decreased incidence of diarrhea (p=0.001). The final BW (p=0.012), average daily gain (p=0.094), and average daily feed intake (p=0.091) showed a linear improvement with the level of HY inclusion. However, the gain-to-feed ratio was unaffected by dietary treatments. Linear responses to the HY supplementation levels were also observed for blood urea nitrogen (p=0.030), total protein (p=0.017), lymphocyte percentage (p=0.064), catalase activity (p=0.089), malondialdehyde (MDA) level (p=0.001), Salmonella spp. (p=0.024), Escherichia coli (p=0.021), and Lactobacillus spp. (p=0.048). Dietary inclusion of HY at 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg resulted in increased immunoglobulin A and G secretions (p=0.042 and p=0.022, respectively) and decreased MDA concentration (p<0.01) and Salmonella spp. (p=0.026) and E. coli (p=0.050). Conclusion: It was concluded that HY inclusion at 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg in the diet of weaning pigs improve BW, immunoglobulin secretion, and antioxidant enzyme activity, whereas it lowers diarrhea occurrence, lipid peroxidation, and pathogenic bacteria in weaning pigs.

The addition of xylanase to piglet diets is known to improve performance and nutrient digestibility. The present study aimed to assess the impact of new xylanase on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut function of weaned piglets. A total of 144 pigs, weaned at 28 days (7.48 kg initial body weight, IBW), were assigned to 36 pens and 9 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments were a basal complex control diet, and the basal diet supplemented with 45,000, 90,000 and 135,000 U/kg xylanase. Performance was measured at days 0, 14 and 35. At day 35, samples were collected for assessment of intestinal histology, and volatile fatty acid and ammonia concentrations. After two weeks post-weaning, additional 12 piglets (11.34 kg IBW) were placed in metabolic crates for assessment of apparent total tract nutrient digestibility using a dietary marker. The addition of xylanase at 90,000 and 135,000 U/kg significantly improved average daily gain (333.6 g/day control, 364.86 g/day, 90,000 U/kg, 405.89 g/day, 135,000 U/kg, p < 0.05), G:F (0.557 control, 0.612 90,000 U/kg, 0.692 135,000 U/kg, p < 0.05), and reduced diarrhoea. This was driven improved nutrient digestibility and villus height in the jejunum (372.87 µm control, 432.53 µm 45,000 U/kg, 465.80 µm 90,000 U/kg, 491.28 µm 135,000 U/kg, p < 0.05). Xylanase supplementation also linearly increased faecal butyrate levels and had a quadratic relationship with propionate concentrations. 135,000 U/kg xylanase also reduced ammonia emissions. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with xylanase improved growth performance and feed efficiency in weaning piglets, likely driven by improvements to gut structure and function.

There are limited published reports regarding the optimal dosage of spent mushroom. This study investigated the effect of various levels of spent mushroom derived from C. militaris as an alternative growth promoter to an in-feed antibiotic on the growth performance, blood profiles, immunoglobulin, inflammation, and microbial count of weaning pigs. A total of 120 pigs (6.63 ± 0.13 kg initial body weight) were blocked by weight and sex in a randomized complete block design. Each treatment had six replicates of four pigs each. The pigs were allotted into five treatments: (1) positive control (PC) with 150 mg/kg colistin; (2) negative control (NC) without antibiotic inclusion; and (3–5) negative control groups with 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg of C. militariss pent mushroom (SM), respectively. Blood samples were collected at day 35 for determination of blood-related lipid metabolism and immunity. Fresh fecal samples were collected to examine microbial counts on day 35 postweaning. The results showed that SM at 1.5 g/kg improved the body weight, average daily weight gain, and average daily feed intake of weaning pigs in the overall period (p < 0.05). Moreover, the highest dosage of SM caused improvements in the concentrations of high-density lipoprotein, and immunoglobulin A, along with suppressions of total cholesterol, interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-α, and E. coli (p < 0.05). Therefore, the weaned pigs fed a 1.5 g/kg SM diet showed improved growth performance and displayed greater immunoglobulin secretion and lower inflammation, pathogenic population, and cholesterol concentration.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of three drying methods, namely sun drying, microwave–vacuum drying, and hot-air-oven drying, on the physical and nutritional properties of cricket powder for use in poultry feed. The results showed that the drying method significantly affected color parameters (L*, a*, and b*; p < 0.05), and particle size distribution at 850 µm and 250 µm (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). Microwave–vacuum drying produced the lightest powder with a higher proportion of coarse particles, while sun drying resulted in a darker color and greater particle retention at 850 µm. Hot-air-oven drying yielded the lowest moisture content (1.99%) and the highest gross energy (6126.43 kcal/kg), with no significant differences observed in crude protein (p = 0.61), ether extract (p = 0.08), crude fiber (p = 0.14), ash (p = 0.22), or amino acid profiles (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that all drying methods preserved the nutritional value of cricket powder, and based on the overall results, hot-air-oven drying is the most suitable method for producing high-quality cricket meal with optimal physical properties and feed value, while also providing a practical balance between drying efficiency and cost.

This study evaluated the effects of citric acid by-product (CABP), either alone or in combination with fibrolytic enzyme (F) and Lactobacillus spp. (L), in broiler diets. A total of 160 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks (average initial body weight 43.0 ± 0.16 g) were randomly assigned to four CABP-based diets (4 replicates × 10 birds each): 12% CABP, CABP+F (0.05%), CABP+L (0.025%), and CABP+FL (0.05% F + 0.025% L). Birds were fed for 35 days in three phases: starter (days 1–10), grower (days 11–24), and finisher (days 25–35). Compared with the CABP-only group, broilers receiving CABP+F, CABP+L, or CABP+FL exhibited higher body weight and weight gain during the finisher and overall phases (p < 0.05). Carcass traits did not differ significantly among treatments, although meat hardness was reduced in the CABP+FL group (p < 0.05). Additive-supplemented groups also showed changes in intestinal morphology, with a lower villus height-to-crypt depth ratio compared with CABP alone. Red blood cell counts were not different between CABP and CABP+L, while hepatic enzyme activities (ALT, AST, ALP) remained unchanged across treatments, indicating no adverse effects on liver function. Overall, supplementation of CABP-based diets with fibrolytic enzymes and/or Lactobacillus spp. improved broiler performance and certain meat quality traits relative to CABP alone, without negative impacts on liver health or carcass yield. However, as no conventional corn–soy control diet was included, the results should be interpreted as comparisons within CABP-based diets.

This study evaluated the effects of protected and non-protected black soldier fly larvae oil (BSFLO), palm oil (PO), and rice bran oil (RBO) on ruminal fermentation characteristics and nutrient digestibility using an in vitro gas production technique. A completely randomized design with a 3 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement was employed, consisting of three oil sources, three oil forms (non-protected, calcium soap, and potassium soap) supplemented at 4% of dry matter, and a control without oil. The results showed that oil supplementation without the basal diet reduced total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) production and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) concentration at 24 h, indicating an inhibitory effect of free fatty acids on rumen microorganisms. With the basal diet, TVFA concentrations at 24 h were higher in oil-supplemented treatments compared to the control. Specifically, protected BSFLO in both Ca-soap and K-soap forms showed the numerically highest TVFA concentrations (127.02 and 125.87 mmol, respectively), although these did not differ significantly from those of RBO Ca-soap and K-soap; BSFLO K-soap had a lower TVFA concentration than the control at 48 h. Oil supplementation significantly modified VFA profiles by decreasing the proportion of acetic acid, increasing propionic acid, and consequently lowering the acetate-to-propionate ratio. Ruminal pH was not affected by oil supplementation. While in vitro dry matter degradability was lower in the oil-supplemented treatments than in the control, IVDMD did not show differences between non-protected oil and protected oil treatments. Abomasal simulated digestion was not adversely affected by oil source or protection form. In conclusion, in the presence of a basal diet, BSFLO in Ca-soap and K-soap forms increased TVFA at 24 h, and BSFLO in all forms increased propionate proportions, without compromising rumen stability or abomasal simulated digestion under the conditions tested. These in vitro results indicate protected BSFLO’s potential as a lipid source in ruminant diets and warrant in vivo confirmation.