Wastes from artichoke and broccoli crops and cannery industries represent an environmental problem. A viable option to this problem is ensiling them for use as ruminants feed. The aim of this study was to characterise the ensiling process of broccoli and artichoke by-products and assess their suitability to be part of the ruminant diet, as well their minimum shelf life. Twenty-one commercial round bale silos (300 kg and 0.64 m³) of each by-product were made. Samples were analysed at days 0, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 200 to determine microbial populations, fermentation metabolites, nutritional components, and phytosanitary residues. Feedstuffs showed good suitability for ensiling, and stabilisation was achieved on day 30. The variables with the greatest significant differences among sampling times were microbial populations and fermentative components. There were no important dry matter losses, and some significant differences were observed in the nutritional composition, especially in crude protein and fibrous fractions, but they were not relevant for the loss of nutritional quality of silages. The phytosanitary residues determined on day 200 were below the maximum residue limits set by European legislation. So, ensiling these by-products in commercial round bale silos is a suitable and profitable technique that allows their preservation for a long time (200 days).

Mango is one of the most cultivated tropical fruits worldwide and one of few drought-tolerant plants. Thus, in this study the effect of a sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) strategy on mango yield and quality was assessed with the aim of reducing irrigation water in mango crop. A randomized block design with four treatments was developed: (i) full irrigation (FI), assuring the crop’s water needs, and three levels of SDI receiving 75%, 50%, and 33% of irrigation water (SDI₇₅, SDI₅₀, and SDI₃₃). Yield, morphology, color, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), organic acids (OA), sugars, minerals, fiber, antioxidant activity (AA), and total phenolic content (TPC) were analyzed. The yield was reduced in SDI conditions (8%, 11%, and 20% for SDI₇₅, SDI₅₀, and SDI₃₃, respectively), but the irrigation water productivity was higher in all SDI regimes. SDI significantly reduced the mango size, with SDI₃₃ generating the smallest mangoes. Peel color significantly changed after 13 days of ripening, with SDI₇₅ being the least ripe. The TA, AA, and citric acid were higher in SDI₇₅, while the TPC and fiber increased in all SDI levels. Consequently, SDI reduced the mango size but increased the functionality of samples, without a severe detrimental effect on the yield.

The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of a 40% inclusion of broccoli by-product (BB) and artichoke plant (AP) silages in dairy goat diets on the milk yield, composition and animal health status during a full lactation. Feed consumption was lower in AP and BB animals due to their composition and higher moisture content, and BB animals showed a significant reduction in body weight. Milk from the BB treatment had the highest fat content, total solids and useful dry matter content (5.02, 13.9 and 8.39%, respectively). The Se level was slightly lower in AP and BB animals; however, the milk of these treatments was the lowest in Na and, in the case of BB animals, the richest in Ca (1267 mg/kg). Control and AP milk showed a similar fatty acid profile, although AP had a more beneficial aptitude for human health (lower ratio of n6/n3, 12.5). Plasma components, as metabolic parameters, were adequate for goats. It was concluded that a 40% inclusion of AP is an adequate solution to reduce the cost of feeding without harming the animals’ health or performance and to improve the nutritional milk quality. It is necessary to lower the BB level of inclusion to increase feed consumption.

Large amount of vegetal by-products are generated during production and processing steps. Introducing silage from vegetable by-products into dairy goat feed would be of great interest from the point of view of reducing costs and supporting the circular economy. The aim of this research was to study the effect of 40% inclusion of silage broccoli by-products and artichoke plant by-products in the diet of Murciano-Granadina goats throughout the lactation to establish milk suitability for fermented milks production. The novelty of this study is the use of milk from goats fed for a long term with a high inclusion of silages from artichoke plant and broccoli by-products, being the first one on broccoli inclusion. Two starter cultures thermophilic (YO-MIX^TM300), and, mesophilic (MA400) were used and fermented milks were analyzed at two storage times after fermentation. Fermentation enhances antioxidant properties of fermented milks from all diets (p < 0.05), especially when mesophilic starter cultures are used. The main findings are that long term inclusion of 40% silage from broccoli and artichoke plant by-products in balanced diets of dairy goats yields milk suitable for fermentation by yogurt and cheese cultures, the inclusion of broccoli silage enhances antioxidant properties (p < 0.05), and, the inclusion of plant artichoke enhances fatty acids health indexes (p < 0.05).

Traditional farming practices include the use of local agricultural by-products in the diet of ruminants. Artichoke harvesting and transformation yield high amounts of by-products that, if properly used, may reduce farming costs and the environmental impact of farming. The present study tests the inclusion of silages from artichoke by-products (plant and outer bracts) in the diet of dairy goats (0%, 12.5% and 25% inclusion) on the technological and sensory properties of milk during a five-month study. Milk composition, color, stability, coagulation and fermentation properties remained unaffected by diet changes. Panelists were not able to differentiate among yogurts obtained from those milks by discriminant triangular sensory tests. Silages of artichoke by-products can be included in isoproteic and isoenergetic diets for dairy goats, up to a 25% (feed dry matter), without negatively affecting milk technological and sensory properties whereas reducing feeding costs.

A divergent selection experiment for environmental variance of litter size variance was carried out in rabbits over thirteen generations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inflammatory response in the two lines of the experiment, in order to analyse the effect of selection on susceptibility to diseases after challenging to stressful situations, such as 24 h after the first delivery. A total of 78 females were used in this study, 39 from each line. The line selected for litter size heterogeneity (the high line) showed lower white blood leukocyte count (WBC; −0.87 × 10³/µL), lower percentage of basophils (−0.11%), higher concentration of TNF-α (+13.8 pg/mL), and greater concentration of CRP (+38.1 µg/mL) than the line selected for litter size homogeneity (the low line). The high line had also higher concentrations of bilirubin, cholesterol, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) compared to the low line (difference between lines were +0.08 µmol/L, +0.14 µmol/L, +0.35 U/L and +2.4 U/L, respectively). The high line showed higher inflammatory response than the low line, in accordance with a larger susceptibility to infectious disorders. In conclusion, the line selected to increase litter size environmental variability seems to have poor capacity coping with environmental stressors. Therefore, selection for litter size environmental variability can be a useful way to improve animal welfare.