The aim of this study was to determine whether high levels of heavy metals and selenium in water and soil affected pastures in Peru's high Andean mining zone beyond the maximum permitted levels. Data on heavy metals and selenium were collected from water (n=25), soil (n=95), and pastures (n=20)...

The study aims to assess the impact of oven-drying and decontamination on crude protein concentration and in vitro crude protein digestibility of yellow mealworms. Two kilograms of 12-wk-old mealworm larvae were subjected to freezing prior to the drying process. Approximately 1.5 kg of mealworm larvae were divided into 3 groups and exposed to oven-drying at temperatures of 50 °C for 36 h, 60 °C, and 70 °C for 24 h each. At intervals of 2 h, sets of 3 replicates were withdrawn to record water loss. Consistent weight stabilization was observed at 36 h for 50 °C (T50), 18 h for 60 °C (T60), and 14 h for 70 °C (T70). The remaining 0.5 kg of mealworm larvae was divided and dried under treatments T50, T60, and T70. Each treatment was then split into 2 portions, with one portion subjected to 90 °C for 15 min (denoted as T50-90, T60-90, T70-90) to eliminate microbial contamination. The 6 treatments were then used to determine concentrations of dry matter, crude ash, crude protein, pre-caecal protein digestibility, and dry matter residues after neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin treatments. No interaction was observed between drying and decontamination treatments (P > 0.17). Pre-caecal crude protein digestibility increased with decreasing temperature (T50: 58% crude protein; T60: 51% crude protein; T70: 50% crude protein). Therefore, lower temperatures for longer times preserve crude protein digestibility. These findings are crucial for understanding how drying temperature and time impact protein bioavailability.

This study evaluated the effects of partially replacing soybean meal with Tenebrio molitor larvae meal (TMM) at dietary inclusion levels of 0%, 2%, 5%, and 8% in finisher diets fed to 180 broiler chickens (22–42 days). Growth performance was monitored during the finisher phase, and breast meat from the same birds was analyzed for sensory and physicochemical quality. Sensory evaluation was performed by a consumer panel of 92 participants. No significant differences were observed in body weight gain, feed intake, or feed conversion ratio, confirming the nutritional feasibility of TMM inclusion up to 8%. Sensory evaluation showed that appearance and aroma were unaffected, while juiciness, flavor, tenderness, and texture decreased at inclusion levels ≥5%, indicating a threshold effect. Despite this reduction, all sensory scores remained within acceptable ranges for consumer preference. Physicochemical parameters, including acidity, water activity, thawing loss, and cooking loss, were not significantly influenced by dietary treatment. Minor variations in pH were detected but remained within the physiological range reported for broiler breast meat and did not compromise overall meat quality. Overall, TMM can replace soybean meal at inclusion levels up to 8% in finisher broiler diets without adversely affecting growth performance or physicochemical meat quality. However, because sensory attributes declined at inclusion levels ≥5%, dietary inclusion of TMM below 5% is recommended when maintaining sensory quality is a primary objective. Beyond its nutritional benefits, the partial replacement of soybean meal with TMM may contribute to diversifying protein sources for poultry nutrition and reducing reliance on conventional soybean-derived ingredients, thereby contributing to the development of more sustainable poultry production systems.

The present study evaluated the influence of three dietary levels of undegraded crude protein in the fermentative compartment (UDCP) on intake, fecal and urinary excretion, nitrogen partitioning, and apparent organic matter digestibility in alpacas. Eight male alpacas were assigned to low (14% crude protein), medium (24% crude protein), and high (34% crude protein) UDCP treatments in an incomplete and unbalanced 3‐period crossover design using isoproteic and isoenergetic diets. No differences were observed among treatments in dry matter intake, organic matter intake, fecal excretion of dry matter, organic matter, and nitrogen; nitrogen retention; or apparent organic matter digestibility. In contrast, water intake, nitrogen intake, urinary nitrogen excretion, nitrogen absorbed, and nitrogen efficiency ratios were influenced by UDCP treatment. The high UDCP treatment was characterized by lower urinary nitrogen losses and a higher proportion of retained nitrogen relative to absorbed nitrogen compared with the low UDCP treatment, despite similar nitrogen intake. Conversely, the low UDCP treatment promoted higher nitrogen absorption but was associated with greater urinary nitrogen excretion and a lower retention‐to‐absorption ratio. Overall, these results indicate that increasing the dietary contribution of UDCP reduces post‐absorptive nitrogen losses in alpacas, thereby improving nitrogen utilization efficiency relative to low UDCP diets.