Effect of ensiling pumpkin Cucurbita maxima with the addition of inoculant or without it on chemical composition and quality of silages. The aim of the studies was to determine the effect of ensiling the pumpkin on chemical composition and quality of silages. The silages were produced from pumpkin of Justynka variety. Before ensiling, the disintegrated pumpkin fruits were mixed with the dried beet pulp in ratio equals 80 : 20. Two variants of silages were prepared: with the inoculant and without it. In the silages, the following basic chemical composition was determined: the content of dry matter, crude ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fi bre, NDF, ADF and ADL. The indicators, being an evidence of the run of ensiling process and the quality of the obtained silages, were also determined, i.e. pH, lactic, acetic and butyric acids, ammonia nitrogen, ethanol and aerobic stability. In the obtained silages, as compared to the material before ensiling, the lower content of crude fi bre and ADF was found whereas in the silage with inoculant, NDF level was also lowered. The silages with the inoculant were characterized by higher content of lactic and acetic acids and lower level of nitrogen, ammonia and ethanol. The silages with the inoculant had also higher aerobic stability. The conducted studies indicate that the application of inoculant has affected the improvement of the quality of the obtained
The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality and nutritive value of meat of bulls receiving wheat or maize DDGS (distillers dried grains with solubles) as a source of protein in a feed ration. The Hereford bulls were fed maize silage, hay and concentrates. The factor differentiating the feeding of experimental groups was the composition of concentrates. All concentrates contained cereal meals, rapeseed cake, and additionally - depending on the group: soybean meal (group CC), wheat DDGS (group EC-1), and maize DDGS (group EC-2).The feed ration was found not to affect the chemical composition of Longissimus thoracis muscle. All feeding groups were characterised by a similar total content of SFA, MUFA and PUFA. The EC-2 group was characterised by a significantly higher content of C18:1 n-7 acid as compared to the two other groups and of CLA when compared to EC-1 group. L. thoracis muscle of animals from CC group was characterised by the highest content of C14:1, C 16:1 n-9, C 17:1 and C20:1 n-9 acids, with the differences being statistically significant when compared to EC-2 group. In group EC-2 analyses demonstrated a statistically higher n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, in respect of the other groups. Muscle of the animals from EC-2 group, compared to that of CC group, was characterised by a significantly higher content of α-tocopherol. Out of the analysed quality parameters of meat, only pH value in group EC-1 was higher than in EC-2 group.
Pumpkins are often used as a fodder component and food due to their high nutritional value and share of bioactive components (e.g., carotenoids, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs)). Due to their high moisture content, they must be preserved; drying is still the most popular method. Our work aimed to assess the optimal drying temperature to keep the best possible nutritional value of the raw material. For this purpose, pumpkin was dried at 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C. Then, the proximate composition, carotenoid content, fatty acids, and antioxidant properties were determined. The results indicate that the carotenoids were relatively stable up to 60 °C and then decreased sharply. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was the highest at 40 °C and 60 °C. However, in the case of PUFA content, drying at 80 °C was the most effective, probably due to the shorter exposure time to the stimulus.
The hygienic practices on farms should reduce pathogenic microorganisms while simultaneously not harming the animals themselves; they must also not degrade the products’ quality. We assessed the effect of covering feed tables with paint containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the periodic spraying of effective microorganisms (EM) on production indicators and basic chemical composition, mineral content and fatty acid profiles in the bodies of Cornu aspersum aspersum snails. The animals were divided into four groups: (1) control, (2) with feed tables covered with AgNPs paint, (3) with EM spray applied and (4) with both factors—AgNP paint and EM spray. The highest increase in Ag, Zn, Fe and Ca retention, and the remodelling of the fatty acid profile in the carcasses of snails was found to be in the group of animals in contact with the feed tables covered with AgNP paint. In the group of animals exposed to the action of EM, an increased retention of Fe, Cu, P, Mg and Zn was found.
1. A comparison of selected performance indicators, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance parameters in Californian and Flemish Giant rabbits Janusz Strychalski, Andrzej Gugołek, Tomasz Daszkiewicz, Małgorzata Konstantynowicz, Ilona Kędzior, Cezary Zwoliński Journal of Applied Animal Research CrossRef
Sturgeon farming is a rapidly developing aquaculture sector which requires high-quality feeds. As an ingredient of animal feeds, fishmeal is often replaced with cheaper plant-based protein sources, such as rapeseed cake meal, a by-product of canola oil pressing. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of diets containing various levels of rapeseed cake meal on the juvenile Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) growth, hematological and biochemical parameters, as well as muscle composition. An 8-week feeding trial was conducted on fish with average body weight of 216.2 ± 45.7 g. Fish were fed diets were 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% of fish meal and soybean meal were replaced with rapeseed meal (groups A, B, C, and D, respectively). Additionally in E diet (30% rapeseed meal) effects of phytase addition RENOZYME® HiPhos 20000 in concentration 2000 IU was tested. During the experiment, no mortalities were observed in each of the studied groups. Similar values of morphometric and breeding parameters were observed in groups A, B, C, D and E. No hematological effects of rapeseed diets occurred, except for significantly lower erythroblast levels in groups B, C, D, and E compared to A. Group B showed a higher plasma glucose concentration compared to the other groups. ALT activity in groups D and E were lower than in groups A, B, and C. The muscles of individuals from group B showed the highest dry matter and fat content, while the highest protein content occurred in group C. Despite significant differences in the values of some parameters, the obtained results indicate that the replacement of 10–30% of fishmeal with rapeseed meal in the feed for the juvenile Siberian sturgeon did not compromise fish survivability, growth performance, health, or body composition, although phytase addition did not improve the effects of administering rapeseed-containing feed.
The experiment was conducted on two groups of Black-and-White cows (10 animals per group) during the perinatal period.Cows in the experimental group received a ration with 300 g/d/animal of whole-plant Echinacea purpurea meal for 3 weeks from the 10"' day before the expected calving.Whole Echinacea meal contained 1.26% of a biologically active substance -coffeic acid.Milk samples were collected three times a day to determine somatic celi count, and colostrum for determination of the lactoimmunoglobulin (o, p) level.Blood samples from calves and cows were collected to determine the immunoglobulin (a, p\ y) content.Statistically significant differences (P<0.01) were found only in the content of y-immunoglobulins in cows from the experimental group after three weeks of Echinacea administration.Differences in somatic celi count between the groups in successive samplings of milk were not significant (P>0.05).
