Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.

Objective: This study investigated the meat quality characteristics, endogenous proteolytic enzymes, collagen content, and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms of different muscles of Thai native cattle (TNC).Methods: Infraspinatus (IF), Longissimus thoracis (LT), and Supraspinatus (SS) muscles were obtained from two TNC breeds, Kho-Lan (KL, n = 7) and Kho-Isaan (KI, n = 7). The muscle and meat characteristics of TNC breeds and their relationship with MyHC expression were examined.Results: Three MyHC isoforms namely MyHC I, MyHC IIa, and MyHC IIx were detected in the muscles. The KL had higher (p<0.05) MyHC IIx than the KI. The IF muscle had higher (p<0.05) MyHC I compared to other muscles. The LT muscle had the least MyHC I. The LT had higher (p<0.05) MyHC IIx than the IF and SS muscles. The IF presented the least MyHC IIx. The KL had higher (p<0.05) lightness and moisture content and lower crude protein, redness, cooking loss, shear force, and calpastatin than the KI. The glycogen, total collagen, soluble collagen, crude protein, ash contents, and troponin T degradation product of IF and SS were lower (p<0.05) than that of LT. Ether extract in LT was lower (p<0.05) than that of IF and SS. The percentage of MyHC I, MyHC IIa, and MyHC IIx were significantly correlated with muscle and meat characteristics of TNC.Conclusion: These results suggest that the differences in the MyHC isoforms may partly account for the variation in meat quality between breeds and among muscles of TNC.

Dead on arrival (DOA) refers to animals, particularly poultry, that die during the pre-slaughter phase. Elevated rates of DOA frequently signify substandard welfare conditions and might stem from multiple causes, resulting in diminished productivity and economic losses. This study included 18,643 truckload entries from 45 farms, encompassing a total of 23,191,809 meat-type ducks sent to a single slaughterhouse in Eastern Thailand between January 2019 and December 2023. The objective of this study was twofold: first, to classify high DOA rates (≥ 0.15%) using several predictors, including season, period of the day, number of ducks per truckload, distance, duration of transportation, age, average body weight, lairage time, and temperature at the lairage area. This classification was performed using machine learning (ML) algorithms such as Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forests (RF), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). Additionally, several data-sampling techniques, including oversampling, undersampling, Random Over-Sampling Examples (ROSE), and Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE), were utilized to address the issue of imbalanced data. Second, to analyze variable importance contributing to the predictive outcomes. The descriptive analysis revealed a mean DOA percentage of 0.14% (range: 0 to 22.46%, SD = 0.49). The results of the high DOA classification indicated that among all models, XGBoost-Up, XGBoost-Down, and RF-Down were the top three models, achieving the highest overall scores in evaluation metrics including Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC), sensitivity, precision, and F1-score. The primary factors contributing to the high predictive performance of the models were the number of ducks per truckload, temperature at the lairage area, and average body weight. Additionally, the duration and distance of transportation, as well as the period of transportation, were secondary factors contributing to the outcome. These factors should be further investigated to minimize losses during the pre-slaughter phase in meat-type ducks. Additionally, considering these factors when managing transportation can help create conditions that reduce duck deaths.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) products have gained attention in poultry nutrition for their rich content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), bioactive compounds, and potential functional benefits. However, findings on their impact on laying-hen performance, egg quality, and yolk fatty acid profiles have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary hemp products on laying-hen performance, egg quality traits, and yolk fatty acid composition, while exploring potential sources of heterogeneity across studies. A comprehensive literature search identified 21 studies that met the inclusion criteria. A random-effects model was used to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for various outcomes, including production performance, egg quality, and yolk fatty acid profiles. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses assessed the influence of factors such as inclusion level, hen age, and hemp product type. The results showed that hemp supplementation had no significant effect on hen-day production, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, or feed intake. However, yolk redness (SMD = 4.40; 95% CI: 2.46, 6.33; p < 0.001) and yellowness (SMD = 4.45; 95% CI: 2.75, 6.16; p < 0.001) were significantly enhanced. Hemp feeding also increased n-3 PUFA levels in egg yolk, including C18:3n3, C20:5n3, and C22:6n3, while reducing saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Subgroup analysis indicated that inclusion levels > 10% and hen age ≤ 25 weeks were associated with slight reductions in hen-day production, whereas older hens (>25 weeks) showed increased egg weight. In conclusion, hemp products can enrich yolk pigmentation and n-3 PUFA content in eggs, supporting the production of functional, value-added eggs without compromising the laying-hen performance.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of host-specific and locally isolated multistrain probiotics on piglet performance, mortality, inflammatory responses, and gut microbiome.Methods: A total of 52 piglet litters-34 from Landrace sows and 18 from Large White sows-were allocated to two groups: a control group and a multi-strain probiotic group. The probiotic group comprised seven strains of lactic acid bacteria (MLAB): Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus paraplantarum, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus pentosus, Weissella cibaria, and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Each strain was included in equal concentrations, resulting in a final liquid mixture containing 109 colony forming units/mL. The MLAB group received the probiotics orally starting from 7 days of age until weaning at four weeks. Following weaning, supplementation continued via feed spraying for an additional four weeks.Results: MLAB supplementation did not significantly affect piglet performance but showed a trend towards reducing the mortality rate (p = 0.06). It influenced the inflammatory response by upregulating the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 (p<0.05). Microbial community analysis indicated that MLAB supplementation increased both microbial diversity (Simpson index: p = 0.06) and species richness (Chao1 index: p = 0.02). Piglets receiving MLAB had a significantly higher abundance of the phylum Firmicutes (p<0.01) compared to the control group, while the abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota was markedly reduced (p<0.01). In addition, the relative abundance of the bacterial genera Prevotellaceae_NK3B31 (p<0.01) and Chlamydia (p = 0.03) was lower in the MLAB group.Conclusion: Overall, these results suggest that while MLAB supplementation does not directly improve piglet growth performance, it has the potential to improve immune function and promote a healthier gut microbiota in weaning piglets, which could ultimately reduce mortality rates.

This study investigated the effects of dietary fructooligosaccharide (FOS) supplementation, administered via feed or drinking water, on growth performance, gut morphology, microbiota, stress response, and meat quality in broiler chickens reared under reused litter conditions. A total of 900 one-day-old male Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated to three groups: a control (CON), 0.5 % FOS in drinking water (FOS-W), and 0.5 % FOS in feed (FOS-F), over a 38-day trial conducted using reused litter to simulate oxidative and physiological stress. FOS administration route had no significant effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics, gut morphology, cecal microbiota composition, stress indicators, meat quality, or ribonucleotide levels. Furthermore, FOS supplementation, irrespective of delivery method, did not influence growth, carcass traits, or meat quality when compared to the control. However, both FOS-supplemented groups exhibited significantly higher villus height-to-crypt depth ratios in the ileum and jejunum, increased cecal Lactobacillus counts, and reduced heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, indicating enhanced intestinal integrity and reduced physiological stress. In conclusion, while FOS supplementation did not affect performance or meat quality under reused litter conditions, it positively influenced gut morphology, microbial balance, and stress response. These findings support the potential of FOS as a functional feed additive to improve intestinal health and resilience in broiler chickens under intensive production systems.