Coconut oil has a high content of lauric acid, which has selective antibacterial activity. This study aimed to explore the effect of coconut oil ingestion on the gastrointestinal microbiomes of pigs. A 14-day-long feeding experiment included 19 pigs in two groups (9 on a normal diet and 10 on a diet supplemented with coconut oil). At the start and end of the experiment, a rectal swab sample was taken from each pig in both groups, and total bacterial DNA was extracted. We used 16S rRNA high-throughput amplicon sequencing to evaluate the microbiome changes during the feeding experiment. A total of 446 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected in the whole sample set. Shannon’s indices of bacterial diversity did not change significantly during the experiment. Changes in the bacterial community during the study period and in response to the coconut oil treatment were highly significant (p < 0.001). During the study, an increase in the abundance of Lactobacillus was detected in the group treated with coconut oil. An increase in Alloprevotella, Bifidobacteriales, and Lactobacillales and a decrease in Corynebacterium, Mitsuokella, Psychrobacter, and Pseudomonadales were attributed to the coconut oil treatment. Although the addition of coconut oil to pig feed did not affect Shannon’s index of diversity, it had a positive effect on the abundance of bacterial groups that are considered to be commensal and/or probiotic.

The aim of this study was to find the effect of dried grape pomace (GP) feeding on the nutrients digestibility coefficients and biochemical parameters of sheep blood serum. The experiment was divided into three feeding periods—C (control), GP1 (1% grape pomace concentration), and GP2 (2% grape pomace concentration). Wethers in three groups in balance cages were housed for right feces collection. The C feed diet consisted of hay, ground wheat, soybean meal, mineral and vitamin lick. An experimental diet with 1% and 2% addition of GP from the daily dry matter intake was fed. After that, digestibility coefficients (in %) were calculated by the difference between nutrient intake and excretion. Furthermore, in the wethers’ blood, biochemical parameters (mineral, energetic, nitrogen, and enzymatic profile) were analyzed. After the GP2 feeding, statistically significant higher digestibility of CP (crude protein), NFC (nonfiber carbohydrates), NDF (neutral detergent fiber), and OM (organic matter) was found. However, the addition of dried GP increased significantly the content of Cl⁻ and decreased the value of glucose, nevertheless, their concentrations were within the reference interval. Parameters of the wethers’ blood serum nitrogen and enzymatic profile were not affected by GP feeding. Dried grape pomace in an amount of 2% diet dry matter can be considered a suitable source of nutrients in sheep feeding, which in addition should improve the digestibility of diet crude protein.

The utilisation of different by-products from the food industry as nutrient sources for farm animals is both possible and beneficial. Grape pomace is a by-product that contains polyphenols and fatty acids, both of which have the potential to improve the nutritional quality of cow colostrum. This study aimed to explore how the addition of grape pomace to the diet of dry cows affects the concentration of nutrients and fatty acids of colostrum. Sixteen Slovak spotted cows in late pregnancy were used in this study. From the seventh day before expected calving to the day of calving, cows in the grape pomace group received a diet supplemented with dried grape pomace, at 0.116 kg/cow/day. Colostrum samples were analysed for basal nutrients and fatty acid concentrations. Between the control and experimental groups, the nutrient and fatty acid concentrations of all the colostrum samples did not show significant differences. The nutrient levels in the colostrum from both groups of cows were typical, as related to the time from calving. The addition of the grape pomace into the diet of dry cows had no effect on nutrient concentrations and the fatty acid composition of the colostrum. The somatic cell score of the colostrum sampled at the 12th hour after calving (4.2 versus 2.6) was positively affected by grape pomace addition. The results of this study revealed that grape pomace (fed in an amount of 0.116 kg/cow/day) had no positive or negative effect on the base nutrients and fatty acids of cow colostrum, and, therefore, grape pomace can be used as a nutrient source for dry cows in small amounts.

In our study the presence of bacteria, yeast, and microscopic fungi was evaluated. Three forms of corn silage were made including silage without additive, silage with microbial additive (lactic acid bacteria), and silage with nutritional additive (urea). Silage additives were applied to the matter within the recommended dosage, then the matter was ensiled into plastic bags and stored at a constant temperature. After 5.5 months of storage, average samples for microbial and mycotoxins analysis were taken. From microbiological points, the plate count agar method for enumeration of total count of bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, enterococci, yeasts, and microscopic fungi and mass spectrometry for microbiota identification were used. In total, 43 species of bacteria and yeasts and 6 genera of microscopic fungi were identified from all samples of corn silages. The most isolated species were Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Kazachstania exigua from bacteria resp. yeasts and Aspergillus and Penicillium from microscopic fungi. Mycotoxins were determined by HPLC-MS/MS and divided into two groups as regulated and emerging. In the corn silages only Fusarium mycotoxins were observed. All corn silages, regardless of the addition of the additive, were the highest in nivalenol content. Deoxynivalenol and beauvericin with the highest concentrations were present in silage with urea. Although the mycotoxins content of the variants changed, these changes were not statistically significant. In general, addition of lactic acid bacteria Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Lacticaseibacillus casei and urea as silage additives affect the microbial diversity; however, the hygienic quality of whole crop corn silage was not negatively changed.

The performance of ruminants is affected mainly by the rumen bacterial community. The composition and properties of the rumen bacterial community depend largely on the diet components that are fed to the ruminant. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of grape pomace intake on the rumen bacterial community of sheep. Four different diets, two of which contained dried grape pomace (DGP), were used in this study. Rumen fluid samples from 12 wethers were used for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and subsequent bacterial identification. At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes; at the family level, Prevotellaceae and Porphyromonadaeceae; and at the genera level, Prevotella and Verrucomicrobia_Subdivision5_genera_incertae_sedis were the most common regardless of the diet the animals were fed. After the addition of DGP to the diet, the relative abundance of Methanobrevibacter, Butytirivibrio, Fretibacterium, and Verrucomicrobia _Subdivision3 _genera_incertae_sedis significantly increased, whereas that of Succiniclasticum and Selenomonas significantly decreased. The upregulated pathway of methanogenesis from H₂ and CO₂ was supported by a significant increase in Methanobacteriaceae after the diet was supplemented with DGP. The rumen bacterial community diversity indices (Richness and Shannon) were significantly affected by diet composition as well as by the change of housing location. The addition of DGP into the wethers’ diet increased the richness of the rumen bacterial community, which is good for maintaining rumen bacterial homeostasis. No adverse effect of the addition of DPG on the rumen bacterial community was noted.