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.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of sumac and turmeric on performance, egg quality traits, and blood parameters of laying hens. Forty Lohman Brown hens at 30 weeks of age were distributed into four groups, consisting of five replicates with two hens in each. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Laying hens were fed different basal diets in treatment groups and control groups. The groups consisted of hens fed a basal diet with 0.5% sumac, a basal diet with 0.5% turmeric, and a basal diet with 0.25% sumac + 0.25% turmeric. Hens were given ad libitum access to feed and water during the experiment. The results revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in terms of final body weight, egg production, egg weight, and feed intake after the groups were fed according to the diets as 0.5% sumac, 0.5% turmeric, and 0.25% sumac + 0.25% turmeric. Addition of turmeric increased egg production and egg weight, but reduced the feed conversion ratio compared with the control group. On the other hand, dietary supplementation with sumac decreased egg weight. Shape index, yolk index, albumen index, Haugh unit, and yolk color parameters were also not affected by dietary supplementation of turmeric and sumac. When layers were fed the 0.25% sumac + 0.25% turmeric-supplemented diet, yolk index was higher in number, but Haugh unit and albumen index were lower. Dietary addition of sumac and turmeric does not have any negative influence on performance and egg quality traits of laying hens. Dietary treatments do not significantly affect blood serum cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. With the supplementation of turmeric, AST and ALT levels are higher in number among all the groups. Dietary sumac and turmeric can be added at 0.5% level to laying hen rations without changing animal performance.

Ergin, S. and Gumus, H. 2020. Silage quality, fermentation dynamics and chemical composition of alfalfa silage prepared with salt and lactic acid bacteria inoculants. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 20: 367–380. The present study was carried out to investigate the silage quality, fermentation profile and chemical composition of alfalfa silage prepared with salt (NaCl) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as inoculants. After harvesting, fresh alfalfa samples were chopped into small pieces and the silage additives were manually applied to fresh alfalfa in a plastic basin. Four groups were established of salt and LAB inoculant i.e., CON (no supplementation); LAB (LAB supplementation), SALT (salt supplementation) and SALT-L (LAB inoculant and salt supplementation). Four silos from each group were opened for the analysis of silage quality, fermentation quality and chemical composition on 7, 14, 30 and 60^th d of ensiling. The physical quality of silages revealed that good and excellent quality silages were obtained regardless of the duration of ensiling. All additives remarkably increased (P<0.01) the Flieg point during ensiling. After 7 d of ensiling, the pH value was linearly decreased in all silages throughout fermentation (P0.05) among groups in terms of NH₃-N/TN content on all treatment days. All inoculants tended to increase acetate and lactate levels (P<0.01) and decrease propionate and butyrate levels (P<0.01) compared to CON- silage irrespective of the days of ensiling. The highest LAB numbers were observed in LAB-treated silages than CON-silage. Silage prepared with salt had greater (P<0.01) CO₂ production whereas those prepared with LAB exhibited lower CO₂ production (P<0.05) compared to CON-silage. There were significant differences (P<0.01) among groups in DM, CP, ash CF, NDF, ADF and hemicellulose at d 60 of ensiling. This study showed that LAB inoculant was more efficient than S and SALT-L inoculant to improve fermentation quality.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of probiotic on ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen, production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and number of Ruminococcus albus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens. The probiotics blend was tested in vitro for 48 h incubation using “Hohenheim Formation Test” (HFT). There was no interaction effect of the treatment and incubation time on the ruminal pH and ammonia-nitrogen concentration. A supplemental probiotics blend tended to increase the total SCFA concentration in comparison to the non-supplemented control fermenter fluids (P> 0.05). There was a significant interaction effect of the treatment groups and incubation time on butyrate (P=0.042), valerate (P=0.045) and isovalerate (P= 0.028) concentrations. Total protozoa and total bacteria numbers were higher in probiotics supplemented fluid than in non-supplemented control fluid (P<0.001 and P0.05) the number of copies of R. albus. However, population of R. flavafaciens was lower (P<0.01) in the probiotic supplemented group as compared with the non-supplemented control group. Our results showed that the probiotics blend might modulate both microbial metabolic activity and population of ruminal microorganisms.

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a new and promising strategy for eliminating foodborne pathogenic bacteria in food preservation, reducing associated health risks for consumers. This study aimed to develop an innovative PDI‐based system to inactivate Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 on eggshells. The system includes 405 nm light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) and the application of curcumin or carvacrol as photosensitizers. The antibacterial activity of the system was investigated in eggshells inoculated with S. Enteritidis PT4 at different temperatures (4, 25, and 37°C) and exposure times (15, 30, and 45 min). Carvacrol + LEDs application was completely inhibited S. Enteritdis PT4 at 4 (after 30 min), 25, and 37°C at the 45th min. Curcumin + LED completely inhibited bacterial growth after 45 min at 4 and 25°C. The results showed that simultaneous use of carvacrol or curcumin with LEDs at various temperatures exhibited significant antibacterial activity against the bacteria depending on the exposure time. The application of curcumin or carvacrol sourced via PDI in the originally developed system resulted in any significant changes in egg quality parameters and sensory properties. This study demonstrated that PDI‐based system using curcumin or carvacrol as photosensitizers could be a potential tool for decontamination of eggs contaminated with S. Enteritidis PT4.