This study used a meta-analytic approach to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with seaweed on milk yield, milk composition, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and enteric methane (CH₄) emissions of dairy cows. Data used in statistical analyses were obtained from 23 peer-reviewed scientific articles. Effect size was assessed using weighted mean differences (WMD) between seaweed-supplemented and control treatments. Dietary supplementation with seaweed decreased (p < 0.05) dry matter intake, milk protein content, milk urea nitrogen, and somatic cell count. In contrast, milk fat content, milk lactose content, and milk iodine increased (p < 0.05) in response to dietary supplementation with seaweed. Dietary supplementation with seaweed did not affect (p > 0.05) nutrient digestibility, total volatile fatty acids, acetate, and propionate. Dietary supplementation with seaweeds increased (p < 0.05) ruminal pH and ruminal concentration of butyrate and valerate. In contrast, lower (p < 0.05) ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration, acetate/propionate ratio, daily CH₄ emission, CH₄ yield, and CH₄ intensity were observed in response to dietary supplementation with seaweeds. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with seaweed modifies milk composition, improves ruminal fermentation, and decreases enteric methane emissions without negatively affecting milk yield or feed efficiency.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of a polyherbal mixture based onWithania somnifera,Ocimum tenuiflorum,Tinospora cordifoliaandEmblica officinalis, on lamb's growth and blood metabolites. Thirty-two lambs (initial body weight BW 25 +/- 4.1 kg) were randomly assigned to the treatments which consisted of the polyherbal ImmuPlus at dietary concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% of dry matter (DM) for 60 days. There was a quadratic response to polyherbal in average daily gain (p < 0.01) and feed conversion (p< 0.05). The optimal concentration estimated by regression for maximum ADG was 0.14 +/- 0.08% DM of ImmuPlus. Ruminal DM digestibility was not affected but pH was reduced linearly (p < 0.05). Ruminal N-NH3 (p< 0.01) and total VFA concentration showed a quadratic increment (p< 0.05) whereas butyrate proportion was increased linearly (p< 0.05). There was no effect in most blood metabolites related to energy metabolism, but uric acid was linearly reduced (p< 0.01) and bilirubin showed a quadratic decrement (p< 0.05). Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (p< 0.01) increased linearly (p < 0.10), lymphocytes and segmented neutrophils showed a quadratic response (p< 0.01) and platelets showed a linear reduction (linearp< 0.05). The inclusion of ImmuPlus improved the daily gain in finishing lambs and feed efficiency at 0.1% DM without altering blood chemistry and blood biometry.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary curcumin supplementation on growth performance, serum antioxidant status, intestinal morphology, and meat quality of broiler chickens. The database was constructed with 28 peer-reviewed scientific papers published between January 2013 and January 2025, identified and selected from the Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and PubMed databases following the PRISMA methodology. All response variables in the database were analyzed with random effects models using the R statistical software, and the results were reported as weighted mean differences (WMD). Dietary curcumin supplementation did not affect (p > 0.05) average daily feed intake. However, dietary curcumin supplementation increased (p < 0.001) daily weight gain and decreased (p < 0.001) feed conversion ratio. Dietary curcumin supplementation increased (p < 0.01) serum superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity but decreased (p < 0.001) serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Dietary curcumin supplementation decreased (p < 0.001) crypt depth (CD) and increased (p < 0.001) villus height (VH) and VH/CD ratio in the duodenum. Dietary curcumin supplementation increased (p < 0.05) carcass yield and color (L*, a*, and b*) in meat and, at the same time, decreased (p < 0.01) cooking loss and fat and MDA content in meat. Curcumin can be used as a dietary additive to improve productive performance, antioxidant status in blood serum, intestinal morphology, and meat quality in broiler chickens.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with calcium propionate (CaPr) or sodium propionate (NaPr) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, and meat quality of finishing lambs. Twenty-seven non-castrated Creole male lambs (24.95 ± 2.15 kg body weight (BW); 4.5 ± 0.5 months old) were randomly assigned to three treatments: (a) CON: basal diet without the addition of CaPr or Na Pr; (b) basal diet + CaPr (10 g/kg DM); and (c) basal diet + NaPr (10 g/kg DM). The data were analyzed using a completely randomized experimental design, with each lamb considered an experimental unit (nine replicates/treatment). Dietary supplementation with CaPr or NaPr did not affect (p > 0.05) growth performance or dietary energetics. However, greater (p = 0.05) apparent dry matter digestibility was observed in the lambs that consumed the diet with NaPr10. Dietary supplementation with CaPr or NaPr did not affect (p > 0.05) ruminal pH or ruminal concentrations of ammonia nitrogen, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and total volatile fatty acids. However, ruminal lactate concentration increased (p = 0.01) in lambs consuming the NaPr diet. Hot carcass weight and yield, backfat thickness, meat pH, meat color (L*, a*, and b*), cooking loss, and water holding capacity were not affected by dietary supplementation with CaPr or NaPr. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 10 g/kg DM of calcium propionate or sodium propionate does not affect growth performance, dietary energetics, ruminal fermentation, and the meat quality of finishing lambs.

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of an herbal choline feed plant additive on the productive parameters and blood metabolites of finishing lambs. Forty male Hampshire × Suffolk lambs (initial body weight of 30.36±3.75 kg) were assigned according to a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of dietary inclusion of the herbal additive BioCholine at 0, 3, 6, and 9 g/kg dry matter for 56 days. A linear response for herbal choline dose was observed for daily gain, final body weight, feed conversion, blood glucose, and blood phosphatidylcholine as herbal choline level was increased in the diet. Total protein, globulins, and low-density lipoproteins showed a quadratic effect, and there were no effects on intake, Longissimus dorsi area, back fat, blood cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins, or albumins. The inclusion of the herbal choline feed plant additive improved daily gain and feed efficiency of finishing lambs. The choline feed plant additive is a source that can be used to meet choline requirements in small ruminants, as demonstrated by blood phosphatidylcholine and lamb performance.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with increasing levels of a polyherbal phytogenic additive (PPA) on growth performance, health parameters, and blood metabolites of dairy calves. Forty female Holstein calves (43.35 ± 2.41 kg body weight and 25.1 ± 2.2 d of age) were housed in individual pens and randomly assigned to four treatments (n = 10) with increasing levels of PPA: 0 (CON), 2 (PPA2), 3 (PPA3), and 4 (PPA4) g PPA/d for 67 d. Compared to the CON treatment, supplementation with the PPA2 treatment increased (quadratic effect p = 0.02) the average daily gain and final body weight of the dairy calves. Also, a higher starter intake (SI), and intake of milk + milk replacer was observed (linear and quadratic effect p = 0.0001) in response to supplementation with the PPA2, PPA3, and PPA4 treatments. The evaluated treatments did not affect (p > 0.05) the feed conversion ratio, or the number of cases of diarrhea, pneumonia, and otitis. The evaluated treatments did not affect (p > 0.05) most of the hematological and biochemical blood parameters. However, compared to the CON treatment, supplementation with the PPA2 treatment increased (quadratic effect p < 0.05) the blood concentration of the segmented neutrophils and plasma protein. Likewise, the serum glucose concentration decreased (linear effect p < 0.05) with supplementation of the PPA2, PPA3, and PPA4 treatments. Compared with the CON treatment, the PPA4 supplementation decreased the serum urea concentration (linear effect p = 0.04). In conclusion, supplementation with 2 g/d of PPA can be used as a natural alternative to improve the growth rate and stimulate starter and milk + milk replacer intake in dairy calves without adverse effects on health parameters or blood metabolites.