Animal最新文献

{"title":"Kinetic activity in slow-growing chickens: effect on antioxidant content, fatty acids profile, lipid oxidation and metabolism of blood and thigh muscles","authors":"S. Mattioli ,&nbsp;E. Angelucci ,&nbsp;L. Madeo ,&nbsp;C. Bonnefous ,&nbsp;A. Cartoni Mancinelli ,&nbsp;C. Ciarelli ,&nbsp;A. Collin ,&nbsp;C. Signorini ,&nbsp;A. Dal Bosco ,&nbsp;C. Oger ,&nbsp;J.M. Galano ,&nbsp;T. Durand ,&nbsp;C. Castellini","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The adaptation of chickens to extensive rearing systems depends on several factors, including genotype, and individual motivation for kinetic activity. The time spent outdoors is positively associated with the intake of grass and many bioactive compounds (e.g., tocols, carotenoids, polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids). In this study, the relationships among kinetic activity, intake of bioactive compounds and body metabolism in outdoor-reared chickens were investigated. One hundred eighty chicks of the Naked Neck genotype were reared indoors (60 birds) or in an outdoor range (120 birds, 20 chickens/pen, three replications/experimental group). The outdoor animals were monitored from 60 to 80 days of age through a ChickenGate placed 5 m from each shelter. The obtained results were used to discriminate high (<strong>OHA</strong>, crossing the Gate more than 250 times) and low (<strong>OLA</strong>, crossing the Gate less than 40 times) activity chickens. The grass intake in the different pens was estimated from 21 to 81 days of age. Blood and meat samples were collected at slaughtering in 12 chickens/group for lipid (<strong>TBARS</strong>, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and protein oxidation, antioxidants, reactive oxygen species (<strong>ROS</strong>), fatty acid profile and isoprostanoid evaluations. Furthermore, the thigh muscle was dissected to obtain the most glycolytic (PIL) and oxidative (PIFM) muscles. Blood showed lower levels of α-tocotrienol (0.40, 0.45 and 0.79 pmol/mL) and TBARS (15.80, 19.38 and 23.75 nmoL MDA/mL) in OHA chickens, followed by OLA and indoor chickens. The trends of carbonyls, and ROS were not significantly affected by the kinetic activity of chickens. OHA resulted in lower levels of n-3 derivative isoprostanoids (on average 1.65 and 2.33-fold lower values of F₃-isoprostanes and F₄-neuroprostanes, respectively), than OLA and indoor chickens. The trend of antioxidants in meat was similar to that in blood; however, the two muscles of the thigh differed in several traits. Despite the almost double antioxidant content of PFIM with respect to PIL, the TBARS and carbonyl levels were also higher. OHA chickens presented higher total n-6 levels and n-6/n-3 ratios (16.96 vs 9.63 and 7.31 in OLA and indoor), whereas arachidonic acid, total n-3 and n-3 long−chain polyunsaturated fatty acids levels were lower. The present study highlights that more active animals ingested more grass than low-foraging animals, affecting the intake levels of the main antioxidants and fatty acids. However, this greater amount was not entirely transferred into the blood or muscles, probably due to the contemporary greater consumption of these compounds for antioxidant and energetic purposes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 7","pages":"Article 101569"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social aspects of integrated crop-livestock systems: key for future policy","authors":"L.M. Alderkamp ,&nbsp;R.M.E. van Zandbrink ,&nbsp;F. Meulman ,&nbsp;C.E. van Middelaar ,&nbsp;E.M. de Olde ,&nbsp;A. Hoes ,&nbsp;N. de Roo","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101564","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101564","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The regional integration of crop and livestock production systems (<strong>ICLS</strong>) has been proposed as a solution towards a more sustainable and circular food system. Studies on ICLS, however, tend to focus on the agronomical consequences of such collaborations, with little insight into the influence of social aspects (e.g., policies, trust) on the development of ICLS. This study aims to enhance understanding concerning the role of social aspects in collaborations between arable and dairy farms. We apply a conceptual framework distinguishing (1) external factors, (2) internal factors related to the characteristics of the actors involved, and (3) internal factors related to the organisation and management of collaborations. The analysis draws on interviews with 20 farmers and three farm consultants. The interviewees are involved in nine arable-dairy farm collaborations that are based on land exchange and are located in five different regions across the Netherlands. The interviews were conducted between October 2022 and September 2023. Two main external factors that influence collaborations were identified. According to interviewees, agricultural policies and markets focus on individual farms and are sector-specific. These perceptions lead them to regard that policies and markets fail to recognise ICLS practices, and might even obstruct them. The collaborations studied both influenced and were influenced by regional culture, unwritten rules, and a certain level of social control. We further identify four main internal factors that influence collaborations. With regard to actor-related factors, farmers must have the right attitude towards collaboration. Interviewees indicated that collaborators should understand the reasons and motivations behind the specific farm management choices of their collaboration partners, as well as their working methods and the regulations to which they must adhere. Mutual trust between collaborators is essential to good collaboration. With regard to factors relating to organisation and management, a fair distribution of risks and benefits in the long term is key for a successful collaboration. Moreover, the farms in a collaboration develop a mutual dependency that tends to increase over time. Self-reinforcing mechanisms or feedback loops strengthen the influence of certain social factors such as trust and mutual dependency. The identification of these aspects across collaborations highlights the importance of integrating both the environmental and social components of collaborations in policies for the further development of ICLS. We conclude that policies should consider the regional social context and its diversity, must have a cross-sectoral focus, and that organising collaborations takes time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 8","pages":"Article 101564"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144588089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Micronutrient supply, developmental programming, and strategic supplementation in ruminant livestock.","authors":"J S Caton, M S Crouse, C R Dahlen, A K Ward, W J S Diniz, C J Hammer, R M Swanson, K M Hauxwell, L P Reynolds","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101563","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2025.101563","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Developmental programming, also known as fetal programming, is the idea that changes in offspring development with both immediate and longer-term consequences can arise from in utero stress, including compromised maternal nutrition. Large animal models demonstrate that perturbed maternal nutrition, including macro- and micronutrient supply, (amino acids, vitamins, and trace elements) can alter development during gestational and postnatal offspring outcomes. Strategic supplementation of micronutrients (methionine, arginine, selenium, folate, vitamin B₁₂, choline, cobalt, sulfur and others) also alters placental function and therefore, fetal nutrient supply. Specifically, in the offspring, multiple visceral tissues, metabolism, growth, and reproduction are impacted by compromised nutrition and these effects are potentially mitigated by strategic supplementation. Furthermore, compromised maternal nutrition and strategic supplementation alter gene expression, metabolomic patterns, and biochemical pathways in the offspring. Developmental programming is mechanistically driven, at least in part, by epigenetic mechanism and one carbon-metabolism and associated specific micronutrients. The concept of developmental programming is strongly supported by data from ruminant animal models, wherein compromised maternal nutrition is a stressor driving programming events. Changes in the offspring's transcriptome and metabolome can be influenced by changes in maternal nutrition during development. Evidence suggests that strategic supplementation of micronutrients potentially mitigates the compromised development. Future research needs include efforts focused on: mechanistic investigations, livestock production outcomes, animal health implications, and host-microbiome interrelationships associated with maternal nutrition, developmental programming and strategic supplementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":" ","pages":"101563"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144512731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring genetic diversity and genomic inbreeding across local beef cattle breeds","authors":"G. Gomez Proto ,&nbsp;E. Mancin ,&nbsp;A. Quaglia ,&nbsp;F. Sbarra ,&nbsp;R. Mantovani ,&nbsp;C. Sartori","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101565","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101565","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Beef cattle breeds from Central and Southern Italy, such as Marchigiana, Chianina, Romagnola, Maremmana, and Podolica, represent a unique genetic resource shaped by centuries of natural and artificial selection. Their origin, partly linked to the Podolian group, remains debated, while their adaptation to diverse environments and close association with regional economies enhance their zootechnical and cultural value. Despite their importance, comprehensive assessments of their genomic diversity are still limited, especially in an international context where preserving local breeds is crucial to maintain global biodiversity and resilience in livestock systems. This study investigates population structure, inbreeding, selection signatures, and effective population size using medium-density single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes. Multivariate and clustering approaches confirmed clear genetic differentiation among breeds, with Chianina and Romagnola being the most divergent, in line with their intensive selection history. In contrast, Maremmana and Podolica displayed shared ancestral components, reflecting their adaptation to extensive and marginal environments. Pairwise F_st values supported these patterns of divergence, while the phylogenetic tree grouped specialised beef breeds (Marchigiana, Chianina, Romagnola) separately from the more rustic ones (Maremmana and Podolica). Historical Ne trajectories revealed long-term contraction in Chianina and Romagnola, whereas Podolica maintained higher Ne over time. Runs of homozygosity (<strong>ROH</strong>) were used to estimate inbreeding coefficients (<strong>F_ROH</strong>) and to distinguish ancient (ROH ≤ 4 Mb) from recent inbreeding (ROH ≥ 8 Mb). Chianina exhibited the highest F_ROH values, mainly composed of shorter ROH, suggesting older inbreeding episodes. ROH islands were detected on BTA5 and BTA6 and included genes such as <em>FGF5</em>, <em>RAB21</em>, <em>KRT71</em>, and <em>DCAF16</em>, which are linked to coat characteristics, growth, and environmental adaptation. Gene Ontology enrichment analyses indicated their involvement in relevant biological functions. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive genomic characterisation of five Italian beef cattle breeds, emphasising their differentiation, demographic history, and signatures of selection. These findings enhance the understanding of local genetic resources and contribute to broader strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of animal biodiversity in the face of global challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 7","pages":"Article 101565"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The ruminal and faecal microbiota, digestion processes, and milk composition of dairy cows are modified by the botanical biodiversity of pastures","authors":"M. Musati ,&nbsp;M. Coppa ,&nbsp;C. Delbès ,&nbsp;I. Verdier-Metz ,&nbsp;M. Popova ,&nbsp;V. Niderkorn ,&nbsp;M. Bouchon ,&nbsp;Y. Farizon ,&nbsp;F. Enjalbert ,&nbsp;M. Renna ,&nbsp;C. Lussiana ,&nbsp;G. Mangione ,&nbsp;B. Martin ,&nbsp;A. Ferlay","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pasture botanical diversity is known to change milk composition and improve dairy product quality. However, the chemical and physiological mechanisms behind this effect are only partially known and the role of ruminant’s microbiota is still unclear. To study the effects of pasture botanical biodiversity on rumen microbiota, fermentation parameters and milk composition of dairy cows, an <em>in vivo</em> experiment, including <em>in vitro</em> measurements, was carried out with two balanced groups of seven dairy cows each. After a 5-week pre-experimental period on a common permanent grassland plot, the two groups of cows grazed for 4 weeks (experimental period) on two plots characterised by contrasting levels of plant biodiversity: low diversity (<strong>LD</strong>; 19 species, mainly grasses) and high diversity (<strong>HD</strong>; 56 species, mostly dicots). Samples of simulated bites, rumen fluid, faeces, and milk were collected at the end of the pre-experimental and experimental periods. The species richness (α-diversity) of bacteria and fungi in the rumen and faeces of the cows did not differ between treatments, contrary to the composition and relative abundance (β-diversity) of bacterial and fungal communities. In addition, during <em>in vitro</em> rumen fermentation, total gas production of HD herbage was lower compared with LD, probably because of the different chemical characteristics of the substrates and the partial inhibition of bacterial activity by tannins. Furthermore, methane production <em>in vitro</em> was reduced in the HD group compared to the LD one, as indicated by the higher CO₂:CH₄ ratio. Thus, the differences in β-diversity may be explained both by herbage fibre and plant secondary metabolite contents. Plant tannins also protected dietary proteins from degradation, as indicated by the lower ammonia to CP ratio obtained <em>in vitro</em> in HD than in LD digesta. Comparable proportions of C18:3 n-3 were found in milk, despite the lower total fatty acid and C18:3 n-3 contents of the HD herbage. Plant secondary metabolites in the rumen could have partially inhibited the activity of ruminal bacteria responsible for the biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study explains how grazing dairy cows on permanent grasslands rich in plant biodiversity helps transferring polyunsaturated fatty acids from herbage to milk and likely reduces methane and ammonia emissions by influencing ruminal and faecal microbiota thanks to plant secondary metabolites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 6","pages":"Article 101537"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144177895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Insect diseases in mass production systems: Risks, prevention, diagnostics and management.","authors":"A Lecocq, A B Jensen","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101559","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2025.101559","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The field of insect pathology, which is the study of insect diseases, serves two primary applied purposes. Firstly, it aims to manipulate these diseases in order to control pest insect populations using natural enemies, a practice known as biological control. Secondly, it seeks to better protect beneficial insects from diseases. This review focuses on the latter purpose. Historically, research was limited to studies involving the two main domesticated insects, the honeybee and the silkworm. Today, crickets, beetles and flies are being mass-produced for a variety of additional uses including food and feed. These insects are now considered the new livestock and as such, producers are concerned with maintaining their health. This review describes the main pathogen types associated with these insects and their transmission routes. It also discusses additional risks associated with insect diseases in mass production systems and how new and future technologies might help producers manage and protect their livestock throughout their development.</p>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":" ","pages":"101559"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144486838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Nutrient requirements of migratory and desert locusts farmed for food or feed.","authors":"W Yakti, D G A B Oonincx","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101558","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2025.101558","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Locusts are important pests of crops and natural vegetation, and they have been intensively studied in the last decades. With the emergence of insect farming for food and feed applications, the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) and the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) hold great potential due to their high nutritional value and suitability for large-scale production. In this review, existing literature on nutritional requirements of these two species, and the interplay between dietary composition, locust growth, and performance are summarised. The provision of nutritionally balanced feed plays critical roles in sustaining physiological functions, which in turn reflect in their zoological performance. The article provides insights into optimising feed for locust farming and identifies knowledge gaps in available knowledge.</p>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":" ","pages":"101558"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144530916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems","authors":"M. Berton,&nbsp;E. Sturaro,&nbsp;S. Schiavon,&nbsp;G. Bittante,&nbsp;A. Cecchinato,&nbsp;G. Xiccato,&nbsp;L. Gallo","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conventional analyses of the carbon footprint of livestock systems do not consider the relationships between the characteristics and sources of each greenhouse gas (<strong>GHGs</strong>; CH₄, N₂O, CO₂) and the different livestock systems. This study aimed to assess the carbon footprint of a variety of livestock systems, including different animal categories (dairy cattle, beef cattle, pig and poultry) and production circumstances (lowland and mountain areas). An attributional cradle-to-gate-of-the-farm Life Cycle Assessment was used, considering the emission pattern of each GHG and distinguishing fossil and biogenic origins. The production stages included animal and manure management, on– and off-farm feed production and the production and use of the farm materials. The functional unit was 1 kg of crude protein in animal food (<strong>CPAF</strong>). Emissions per single GHG and production stage were analysed with a general linear model which included the effect of the livestock system, which proved to significantly influence the emission pattern of all GHGs, both in absolute terms (kg/kg CPAF) and with respect to the single production stage. The CO₂ (fossil-based) resulted as the most emitted GHG (10.2–27.6 kg/kg CPAF), 10–255 and 284–646 times greater than CH₄ and N₂O, respectively. Methane was found to be more associated with the animal category (ruminants), whereas N₂O and CO₂ were more associated with the input intensity level. Livestock systems strongly influenced the biogenic GHG emissions but not the fossil-related one, with dairy, pig and poultry systems showing similar and lower values than beef. In conclusion, the evaluation of the pattern of each GHG as well as of their biogenic or fossil origin can give indications to address the reduction of global warming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 7","pages":"Article 101562"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144329686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of algal supplementation on broiler chicken growth performance, gut development, blood leukocyte counts and antibody levels","authors":"E. Ivarsson ,&nbsp;H. Wall ,&nbsp;A. Wistedt ,&nbsp;G. Cervin ,&nbsp;H. Pavia ,&nbsp;E. Wattrang","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101560","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Brown macroalgae contains complex polysaccharides including laminarins that have shown prebiotic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate if feeding algal products from <em>Saccharina latissima</em> to either broiler breeders or directly to their chickens could affect growth performance, gut- and immune development in the chickens. A total of 45 hens of the parent line of Ross 308 were used to obtain fertilised eggs. The hens were fed one of three experimental diets, a control, the addition of 0.6% algal meal or addition of 0.08% algal extract. The progenies of those hens were followed in an experiment using a split-plot design where eggs from the three hen treatments were distributed into 24 modules. Half of the modules were assigned a control diet, and half of the modules were a diet supplemented with 725 ppm algal extract. A total of 255 chicks remained after hatching and individual marking, they were weighed at hatch, on days 3, 7, 14, and 37 and blood samples for determination of leukocyte counts and serum antibody levels were drawn on days 3, 7 and 12. Chickens were killed to assess organ development at days 7, 14 and 37, and histological examination of ileal tissue was performed on day 7. The results showed that chicks fed the algal extract diet had higher (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) BW on days 3, 7 and 37, a higher proportion of serum immunoglobulin Y (<strong>IgY</strong>) and a lower proportion of maternal antibodies to infectious bronchitis virus on day 12 (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Chicks fed algal extract showed higher numbers (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) of CD4+CD8- helper T-cells and total T-cell receptor (<strong>TCR</strong>)γ/δ+ T-cells, and among the TCRγ/δ+ T-cell subpopulations, the TCRγ/δ+CD8- T-cells were increased, and lower (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) numbers of cluster of differentiation (<strong>CD</strong>)4+CD8αα+ and TCRγ/δ+CD8αβ+ T-cells in the circulation. Feeding algal extract to the breeders resulted in higher chick BW on day 7, and the villus height−to−crypt depth ratio was higher (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) for chicks from hens fed algal extract than for chicks from hens fed algal meal. In conclusion, feeding algal extract from <em>Saccharina latissima</em> directly to the chicken improved growth performance throughout the growing period and altered the composition of T-cell populations in the circulation and may have enhanced the chicks’ IgY production. Maternal supplementation of algal extract to breeder hens had positive effects on the chickens’ early growth performance and gut architecture. However, no synergistic effects of both maternal feeding and direct supplementation to the chicken were found.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 7","pages":"Article 101560"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feeding on the move: assessing the effect of feeding during long-distance ferry transport on the physiology, clinical signs of disease and activity of unweaned calves","authors":"L.L. van Dijk ,&nbsp;S. Siegmann ,&nbsp;P. Bennett ,&nbsp;K. Sugrue ,&nbsp;C.G. van Reenen ,&nbsp;E.A.M. Bokkers ,&nbsp;G. Sayers ,&nbsp;M. Conneely ,&nbsp;N.L. Field","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101561","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101561","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-distance transport of unweaned calves and associated fasting can negatively impact their physiology, and practical strategies to mitigate extended fasting times have not been studied previously. This study aimed to assess changes in the physiology, clinical signs of disease, and activity of unweaned calves as a result of providing access to feed (milk replacer) on board a trailer during a road/ferry/road journey from Ireland to The Netherlands. Calves were transported from an assembly centre (Ireland), via lairage (France), to a veal farm (The Netherlands). Calves were provided milk replacer on-board the trailer during the ferry section of the transport using an on-board feeding system (<strong>FEED</strong>; n = 40), or included as controls (<strong>CONT</strong>; n = 60). Calves were blood sampled and weighed, and clinical signs of disease were scored prior to departure from Ireland (Day 0), upon arrival at the lairage (Day 1), upon arrival at the veal farm (Day 2), and 1−week postarrival (Day 9). A subset of calves were equipped with activity sensors and continuous glucose monitors (<strong>CGM</strong>). Most blood variables differed between FEED and CONT calves on Day 1; glucose was higher (4.8 vs 4.0 mmol/L) and beta-hydroxybutyrate (0.20 vs 0.34 mmol/L), non-esterified fatty acids (0.52 vs 0.71 mmol/L), and lactate (0.85 vs 1.25 mmol/L) were lower for FEED compared to CONT calves; no blood variables showed significant differences at the next timepoint (all <em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). Clinical signs of disease and BW did not reveal significant differences between treatment groups during transport. Step count was higher for FEED than for CONT calves at the time of feeding on the ferry (172 vs 37 steps/h), but not at any other time. CGM glucose was higher for FEED calves at 21 h (5.9 vs 4.9 mmol/L) and 22 h (6.0 vs 4.9 mmol/L), but lower for FEED calves at 27 h (7.4 vs 9.3 mmol/L), 28 h (7.9 vs 9.1 mmol/L), and 30 h (7.3 vs 8.3 mmol/L). In general, blood variables showed a shift towards normal ranges after on-board feeding; however, these effects diminished following a second prolonged fasting period after lairage in France. Differences in clinical signs of disease, weights, activity, and CGM were inconsistent across time points. On-board provision of milk replacer is currently challenging but has the potential to improve the physiological status of calves. Systems need to be developed further, and more research is needed to perfect the on-board feeding of calves during transport.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 7","pages":"Article 101561"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}