The rapidly growing population has increased demand for protein quantities and, following a shortage of plant-based feed protein sources and the prohibition of animal-based feed protein, has forced the search for new sources of protein. Therefore, humans have turned their attention to edible insects. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia illucens L.) are rich in nutrients such as fat, protein and high-quality amino acids and minerals, making them a good source of protein. Furthermore, BSFL are easily reared and propagated on any nutrient substrate such as plant residues, animal manure and waste, food scraps, agricultural byproducts, or straw. Although BSFL cannot completely replace soybean meal in poultry diets, supplementation of less than 20% has no negative impact on chicken growth performance, biochemical indicators and meat quality. In pig studies, although BSFL supplementation did not have any negative effect on growth performance and meat quality, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was reduced. There is obviously less research on the feeding of BSFL in pigs than in poultry, particularly in relation to weaning piglets and fattening pigs; further research is needed on the supplementation level of sows. Moreover, it has not been found that BSFL are used in ruminants, and the next phase of research could therefore study them. The use of BSFL in animal feed presents some challenges in terms of cost, availability and legal and consumer acceptance. However, this should be considered in the context of the current shortage of protein feed and the nutritional value of BSFL, which has important research significance in animal production.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was developed and validated to estimate the phenolic acids (gallic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, sinapic acid, and ferrulic acid), flavonoids (catechin rutin, myricetin, quercetin, apigenin, and kaempferol), ascorbic acid, and eugenol. The chromatogram condition was set in suitable wavelength 272 nm and run flow rate 0.7 μl/minutes using HPLC Agilent Technologies 1260 Infinity, a reversed-phase Zorbax SB-C18 column (3.5 μm particle size, i.d. 4.6 mm × 250 mm) with the mobile phase solution (1:9, HPLC-grade acetonitrile:1% acetic acid). The linearity, precision, limit of detection, limit of detection, and accuracy were R2 > 0.9907, relative standard deviation < 1%, 0.005 μg/ml, 0.015 μg/ ml, and 96%–102%, respectively. As a result, all the selective compounds were successfully separated, identified, and quantified. The enormous contents were found in quercetin and eugenol, expressing crude content (mean, 5.989 mg/g) and residue content (mean, 1.934 mg/g) for quercetin, while crude content (mean, 3.209 mg/g) and residue content (mean, 0.184 mg/g) for eugenol. Consequently, this method could be applied, repeated, and developed for the later observation, especially in commercially inclination of Piper betle analysis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to predict and identify ways to increase conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) formation in ruminant-derived products to treat human health issues with dietary tannins. The objective was to compare and confirm the effects of dietary tannins on CLA formation by analyzing in vitro and/or in vivo studies. We reported the results of the meta-analysis based on numerical data from 38 selected publications consisting of 3712 treatments. Generally, via multiple pathways, the CLA formation increased when dietary tannins increased. Concurrently, dietary tannins increased Δ⁹ desaturation and the CLA indices in milk and meat (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, with average R² values of 0.23 and 0.44, respectively), but they did not change the rumen fermentation characteristics, including total volatile fatty acids (mmol/L) and their acid components. In vitro observations may accurately predict in vivo results. Unfortunately, there was no relationship between in vitro observations and in vivo results (R² < 0.10), indicating that it is difficult to predict CLA formation in vivo considering in vitro observations. According to the statistical meta-analysis results regarding animal aspects, the ranges of tannin levels required for CLA formation in vitro and in vivo were approximately 0.1–20 g/kg dry matter (DM) (P < 0.001) and 2.1–80 g/kg DM (P < 0.001), respectively. In conclusion, the in vivo method was more suitable for the direct observation of fatty acid transformation than the in vitro method.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth performance and plasma antioxidant activity of meat goats fed diets containing mangosteen peel powder (MPP; 41.25 g/kg dry matter). Twelve goats (body weight, 23.1 ± 1.49 kg) were fed a total mixed ration for 0–38 days under a severe temperature–humidity index (temperature, 80.96–103.64°F; humidity, 63%). Body weight and samples of feed, rumen fluid, blood, faeces, and urine were analysed. The MPP diet included condensed tannins, flavonoids, and cinnamic acid. Compared to the control group (CTL; no MPP), dietary MPP increased the nutrient digestibility of organic matter and body weight percentage of goats. Total volatile fatty acids, with a higher proportion of acetic acid, were higher in the MPP group; however, pH and NH₃-N remained unchanged for both groups. Methane production in the rumen was reduced in the MPP group. Dietary MPP partly improved biochemical indicators such as plasma total protein (PTP) and albumin (ALB), and modulated antioxidant activity by increasing the glutathione peroxidase concentration and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity in plasma. These findings indicate that feeding meat goats the proposed MPP diet represents an environmentally friendly strategy for improving growth performance and plasma antioxidant activity under a severe temperature–humidity index.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the fungal treatment (Pleurotus ostreatus) of urea-treated rice stubble on growth performance in slow-growing goats. Eighteen crossbred Thai-native x Anglo-Nubian male goats (average body weight: 20.4 ± 2.0 kg) were randomly assigned to three experimental total mixed rations containing 35% rice stubble (RS) that were either untreated (URS), urea treated (UTRS), or treated with urea and fungi (UFTRS). URS and UTRS were cultivated and harvested from an aseptically fungal spawn, incubated at 25–30 °C for 25 days. Indicators of growth performance were monitored, and feces were collected quantitatively to assess nutrient digestibility, during a 12-week feeding trial. All goats remained healthy throughout the experiment. The goats fed UFTRS had a lower feed conversion ratio (kg feed/kg growth) compared to goats fed URS or UTRS. Compared to URS, dietary UFTRS increased the nutrient digestibility of slow-growing goats, such as organic matter (OM) (+8.5%), crude protein (CP) (+5.5%), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (+39.2%), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (+27.4%). Likewise, dietary UFTRS tended to increase rumen ammonia concentrations, but rumen pH and volatile fatty acids were not affected by UFTRS. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the fungal treatment of RS is an effective tool to improve the growth performance of slow-growing goats.

At present, there is little information regarding whether supplementation with Piper betle powder (PBP) and sunflower oil (SFO) has a synergistic effect on lowering methane emissions without negatively impacting ruminal fermentation. This study investigated the effects of PBP, supplemented either with or without SFO, on biogas release, fermentation end-products, and microorganisms in the rumen of lactating goats. The treatments were run in a completely randomized 3 × 5 factorial arrangement, whereby 0, 15, and 30 mg SFO were combined with 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg PBP on a dry matter basis. The outcomes were assessed in vitro. PBP was obtained from the perennial plant Piper betle L., which is an abundant source of flavonoids and their aromatic derivatives. SFO, which reduces dietary methane emissions, was supplemented to confirm whether it interacted with other nutrients in the ruminant diet. SFO × PBP significantly (p < 0.05) decreased methane production, enhanced total volatile fatty acid concentrations, and decreased the number of rumen protozoa. We found that 15-30 mg, but not 45-60 mg, PBP combined with 0, 15, and 30 mg SFO increased (p < 0.05) total gas production (including CO2) from fermentation. However, our results suggested that at least 45 mg PBP, either alone or combined with SFO, was required to reduce ammonia-N (p < 0.05). Not all treatments affected rumen pH. In conclusion, supplementing PBP (< 30 mg), either alone or combined with SFO, has a suppressing effect on methane production while preserving an optimum rate of rumen fermentation.