Modern poultry production looks for feed and water additives that improve the welfare of chickens. The utilization of herbs as additives in feed or drinking water is becoming increasingly well known. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of milk thistle extract (Silybum marianum), administered in drinking water, on chickens’ welfare, production results, selected physicochemical properties of the breast muscles, the activity of selected enzymes, and the antioxidant potential of blood serum and breast muscles. A total of 102 one-day-old male ROSS 308 chicks were allocated into three treatment groups. The material was an infusion of dried milk thistle seeds in two doses, administered in drinking water for chickens (group: C = 0; E1 = 0.24; E2 = 0.36 g/day/animal) under standard rearing conditions. As a result of adding the milk thistle to the drinking water, there was an improvement in the welfare of the chickens and in the production results, enzymatic capacity of selected enzymes, and antioxidant capacity in the blood serum and in pectoral muscle (p ≤ 0.05). The addition of a milk thistle seed infusion for chickens can be used in poultry production to improve the rearing performance antioxidant capacity and welfare of chickens.

Edible snails are an attractive protein source due to their high growth rate, cost-efficiency, and nutritional value. Calcium is crucial for snail growth, reproduction, and shell formation, while magnesium plays a role in enzyme function and muscle tone. This study aimed to optimise calcium and magnesium levels in Cornu aspersum diets to optimise the production and technological characteristics of the derived animal products. Snails were fed specific diets in controlled conditions with varying calcium and magnesium levels (44.3, 66.1, 88.7, 103.5 Ca g/kg feed and 3.3, 5.6, 7.2 Mg g/kg feed) for four months. Their growth, shell characteristics, and meat composition were evaluated. As calcium in the feed increased, carcass and shell weights were higher. Also, the crushing force of the shells was higher with increasing amount of calcium in the feed. In the group with 10.35% calcium and 0.72% magnesium, snail growth significantly slowed down after three months, with lower mortality. It is suggested that a shortened fattening cycle by 3–4 weeks compared to the magnesium-free diet is possible. However, based on meat, shell, mortality, and feed intake analysis, a 0.56% magnesium concentration in the feed seems to give better results, as magnesium content at 0.72% might be toxic to snails. Further investigation is to confirm the possibility of neutralising the negative effects of magnesium in the diet through increasing calcium and phosphorus intake.

The purpose of this study was to determine the nutritional suitability of WDGS in pigs’ feeding and production. Pigs were liquid fed and divided into 3 groups. Pigs in the control group were fed diets based on cereal grains, while the experimental groups were also given 10% or 15% WDGS, which partially replaced their cereal grains. During this study, the average daily gains (ADG), feed intake, chemical composition of meat, fatty acid profile of meat, and quality parameters of the carcass and meat were examined. The highest statistical weight gains were detected for the group WDGS 10% during the first stage of the fattening period. No statistical differences were detected for the final body weight, carcass traits, chemical composition of the meat or the composition of fatty acids such as SFAs, PUFAs, and MUFAs, with the exception of eicosenoic acid (C20:1n9). Pigs fed on 10% WDGS exhibited lower peroxidation of lipids (TBARS) than the control group or WDGS 15%. Similarly, water holding capacity (WHC) was the lowest for the group WDGS 10%. Of the meat coloration, redness (a*), yellowness (b*), and chroma (C*) were affected by the WDGS’ inclusion, where the highest values were observed for the group WDGS 10%. In conclusion, WDGS can be utilized in the liquid feeding of pigs for up to 15% of their DM.

Prolonged high temperatures cause heat stress in fattened cattle, negatively affecting growth and health. This study evaluated dietary supplements in Limousin bulls under mild heat stress (THI = 75.01 ± 4.13). Forty-eight bulls were divided into four groups, receiving either a standard TMR or TMR supplemented with selenium yeast (YSE), betaine (BET), or capsaicin (CAP) for 60 days. Results showed all additives improved daily gains ( p ≤ 0.05). Redox markers varied; total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was highest in the control group, while BET had the lowest. The BET also showed the highest GPx activity ( p ≤ 0.01). Heat shock protein (HSP70) concentrations were elevated in YSE and BET compared to CON and CAP. Lymphocyte content decreased in YSE and BET. The CAP reduced calcium and creatinine levels ( p ≤ 0.05). Feeding behavior differed, with CON and CAP having longer feeding times, while YSE and BET spent more time resting ( p ≤ 0.01). The BET and YSE provided the greatest economic benefits, while the higher cost of CAP reduced its economic advantage despite improved production performance. In conclusion, all supplemented additives were effective under mild heat stress. The factor limiting the practical use of capsaicin compared to other additives may be its price. Further research is needed on the interaction of these supplements for practical application.

The study aimed to analyse the impact of silage from modified corn wet distillers’ grains plus solubles (WDGS) in dairy cow diets on milk production, composition, animal health and economic performance. The modified WDGS were prepared as a mixture of wet distillers’ grains (WDG),...

The gastronomic industry generates by-products, which could be used as insect feed. The objective of the experiment was to determine the potential of utilising post-gastronomic plant and animal products as a feed source for mealworm larvae. The insects were fed diets comprising of varying proportions of plant or animal fractions. The control group (Ctrl) received oatmeal with apples, while the experimental groups received oatmeal mixed with different proportions of the plant and meat fractions of restaurant leftovers. The plant fraction was incorporated into feed at 25, 50, and 75% (groups R25, R50 and R75), while the meat fraction was mixed at 25 and 50% (groups M25 and M50). The experiment lasted 48 days. The highest dry matter (DM) intake was observed in the M25 and R75 groups. Larvae in the experimental groups exhibited higher final body mass and total mass gain compared to the Ctrl group (p < 0.01). The survivability of larvae in the R50 and M25 groups was significantly higher than the Ctrl group (p < 0.01), while the lowest survivability was observed in the R25 group. The lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) for dry matter was observed in the R50 and M50 groups, while the highest FCR was recorded in the M25 and Ctrl groups. The highest dry matter levels, crude protein, and crude fat were found in the M25 and groups (p < 0.01). Groups R25 and Ctrl exhibited the highest content of crude ash (p < 0.05). This suggests that mealworm larvae could be one of the potential solutions for the disposal of gastronomic by-products.