Introduction Intensive swine production systems in China face dual challenges of severe soybean meal (SBM) resource shortages and environmental nitrogen pollution. While low-protein diets offer a potential solution, the synergistic effects of ingredient diversification and exogenous enzyme supplementation on the sow-milk-piglet axis remain poorly characterized. Methods A 2×2 factorial design experiment with 40 multiparous sows was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a low-protein, diversified diet (LDD, formulated with a variety of feed ingredients) supplemented with compound enzymes (E). Sows were assigned to four groups: conventional corn-SBM (CS), CS+E, LDD, and LDD+E. Results LDD maintained similar production performance including average daily feed intake, backfat loss, and piglet weaning weight compared with CS. The LDD+E group had the shortest weaning-to-estrus interval (4.5 d) and higher crude protein digestibility (83.47%). LDD+E decreased maternal serum urea nitrogen and piglet serum tumor necrosis factor-α concentration, and enriched beneficial bacteria Ligilactobacillus and Enterococcus in piglets. Conclusions LDD effectively reduces SBM without compromising production performance in lactating sows. When combined with compound enzymes, it further improves nitrogen utilization efficiency, alleviates maternal inflammation, and shortens the WEI, thereby promoting offspring health via the sow-milk-piglet axis.

This investigation explored the effects of royal jelly (RJ) administration in rams on reproductive parameters, with a specific focus on semen quality, post-thaw characteristics, sperm function, and testicular health. Rahmani Rams (n=15) were divided into 3 groups: the control group received 1 mL of distilled water orally (RJ0), and two treatment groups received 250 mg (RJ250) or 500 mg (RJ500) of RJ three days per week, every other day per head for 6 months. Oral administration of RJ resulted in significant improvements in sperm mass motility, viability, and plasma membrane integrity (p < 0.001). Conversely, ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, and the percentage of morphological abnormalities showed no significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). The RJ administration resulted in a significant reduction in oxidative markers such as MDA, H 2 O 2 , and NO, and an increase in TAC and CAT compared to the RJ0 group (p <0.01) in raw and post-thawed semen. In cryopreserved semen, the progressive motility, viability, and membrane function were significantly higher in all RJ-treated rams (p <0.01). The majority of sperm parameters, including progressive motility, distance average path, distance curve linear, distance straight line, average path velocity, curve linear velocity, and straight line velocity, were superior in the RJ groups compared to the untreated ram group (p <0.05). The orally administered RJ affected both sperm membrane and acrosome status significantly (p <0.01). Specifically, RJ supplementation significantly increased the proportion of viable spermatozoa with intact acrosomes, while concurrently reducing the percentages of both viable acrosome-damaged and non-viable acrosome-intact cells across all treatment groups (p <0.05). Sperm viability was significantly higher in the RJ250 and RJ500 groups compared to the RJ0 treatment (p < 0.001). Furthermore, RJ administration significantly decreased the incidence of early apoptotic, late apoptotic, and necrotic spermatozoa relative to the RJ0 group (p < 0.05). Regarding the microbial profile, both coliform and total bacterial counts in post-thawed semen were significantly lower in RJ-treated rams than in the RJ0 group (p < 0.05). Oral administration of RJ significantly preserved testicular histoarchitecture, characterized by the maintenance of seminiferous tubule integrity, an increased population of spermatogonia, and the distinct presence of intraluminal spermatozoa. Furthermore, RJ treatment maintained the critical ultrastructural components of the spermatozoa, including the structural integrity of the plasma membrane, the mitochondrial sheath, and the nucleus. Collectively, these findings suggest that oral RJ supplementation enhances reproductive performance and post-thaw semen quality in rams, likely mediated by its potent antioxidant properties and its protective role during the cryopreservation process.

This study investigated the individual and synergistic effects of exogenous emulsifiers and lipase supplementation on growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, lipid metabolism, and gene expression in broilers receiving reduced-energy diets. All diets formulated using identical ingredient ratios except for energy-contributing components, which were adjusted through modification in soybean oil content to achieve target energy levels while maintaining amino acid profiles. Three hundred one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five treatment groups. The experiment consisted of 30 pens, with 10 birds per pen. Each treatment group included 6 replicate pens (n = 60 birds per treatment).positive control (PC) fed standard energy diets; negative control (NC) fed diets with 80 kcal/kg energy reduction; NC + emulsifier (250 g/ton Emulsifier equivalent to (20 g lysophospholipids/ton of feed); NC + lipase (100 g/ton equivalent 1 million lipase unit/ton of feed equivalent); and NC + combined emulsifier and lipase supplementation. Results demonstrated that energy reduction significantly impaired body weight gain and feed conversion ratio compared to PC birds. However, combined emulsifier and lipase supplementation restored growth performance parameters compared with NC, achieving superior body weight gain (2,222 g vs. 2,053 g in NC group) and improved feed conversion efficiency (1.344 vs. 1.491 in NC group). Crude protein retention increased significantly in emulsifier-supplemented groups (81.4-81.8% vs. 76.3% in NC), while ether extract retention improved across all supplemented treatments. Carcass characteristics remained unaffected, though abdominal fat deposition decreased significantly in all reduced-energy groups compared to PC birds. Serum biochemical analysis revealed beneficial effects on lipid metabolism, with total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations decreasing in supplemented groups. Antioxidant status improved, evidenced by elevated glutathione peroxidase activity and reduced malondialdehyde concentration in liver tissue of treated birds. Histological examination revealed that energy reduction caused intestinal villus atrophy and enteritis in NC birds, while emulsifier and lipase restored normal villus architecture. Gene expression analysis showed significant downregulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) mRNA in NC birds, which was restored to PC levels following combined supplementation. These findings indicate that lysophospholipid emulsifiers and exogenous lipase can effectively compensate reduced dietary energy density in broiler diets.

Introduction Heat stress is a major constraint to poultry production in arid and semi-arid regions. Methods This study evaluated the performance of a newly developed multi-stage direct evaporative cooling (DEC) system in comparison with a conventional DEC system in broiler and layer poultry houses in Kuwait. Results The multi stage DEC System achieved a 24% reduction in energy use intensity and a 48% reduction in water use intensity. Broiler body weight increased by 18.5% (battery -reared) and 38.6% (floor-reared) and feed efficiency improved by 15- 51%. For laying hens, feed efficiency improved by 18-23%, egg weight increased by 5% and egg mass by 10%. Discussion The multi-stage DEC system enhances cooling efficiency and poultry performance under arid conditions, providing a sustainable solution.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding zeolite to Fayoumi laying hens’ diets on productive performance, egg quality characteristics, carcass characteristics, litter quality, and gut microbiota. Three hundred and sixty Fayoumi layer hens (40 weeks old) were randomly allocated to four experimental groups, with three replicates per group (30 hens/replicate). The hens were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 10, 15, or 20 g zeolite/kg, and the experiment lasted for 16 weeks. The results displayed that the addition of zeolite substantially enhanced ( P < 0.001) body weight (BW), weight gain (BWG), growth rate, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in a dose-dependent manner, however, also lowering feed intake (FI). Birds fed diets provided with 20 zeolite g/kg showed the highest final BW (2055.00 g) and the highest overall growth rate (8.62%), accompanied by the lowest FCR (3.17). Carcass attributes also significantly improved, with increased weight of the carcass, liver, heart, gizzard, and edible parts, and a notable reduction in abdominal fat weight ( P < 0.001). Egg production parameters, involving egg number, weight, mass, and laying rate, substantially improved in all zeolite-treated birds, with the best results yielded at a level of 20 g/kg. Moreover, Egg quality traits were also significantly enhanced ( P < 0.001), such as yolk, albumen, and shell weight, eggshell thickness, Haugh units (HU), yolk index, and shape index. Regarding litter quality, it was observed that zeolite addition resulted in a substantial reduction in NH 3 concentrations, pH, and moisture content in litter. Besides, it positively enhanced gut microbiota health by lowering the total bacterial count, coliforms, E. coli , and Salmonella , whereas augmenting Lactobacillus counts. These results prove that dietary zeolite, remarkably at a level of 20 g/kg, is an applicable natural feed additive for enhancing productivity, egg quality, overall health, and gut microbiota in Fayoumi layer hens.

This study evaluated the potential of Camelina sativa as a forage crop for extensive horse breeding focusing on body condition, serum biochemical parameters, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and metabolomic profiling of mares’ feces. The aim was to characterize microbiota composition, predict microbial functions, and identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Six mares underwent a longitudinal study over 12 weeks: in the first 6 weeks, the mares grazed on a control pasture; afterwards, they were shifted to a pasture containing camelina for a further 6 weeks. At the end of each grazing period, blood and feces were individually collected for analysis. Grazing on camelina pasture increased the contents of ash, acid detergent lignin (ADL), and acid insoluble ash (AIA) (p < 0.01), while it decreased the fecal concentration of N-free extracts (p < 0.05), crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber ( NDF ) (p < 0.01), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), non-protein nitrogen (NPN), cholesterol, chlorides, calcium, and potassium (p < 0.05). Alpha- and beta-diversity metrics clearly distinguished pre- and post-diet collected fecal samples, clustering into two different microbiota subclusters. A beneficial effect on the gut microbial community was observed, with an increase in the relative abundance of specific taxa acting as homeostasis biomarkers, i.e., the genera Lysinibacillus and Planococcaceae indicate an enhanced bile acid biotransformation capacity. Although limited by the small sample size, our statistically significant VOCs and predicted metabolic pathways suggest biosynthetic flexibility in response to fiber-rich diets, showing possible microbial adaptation to maintain redox balance with an increased energy yield under fermentative conditions and improved metabolic efficiency in producing short chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

It is well documented that heat stress impacts dairy cattle; however, the effects of heat stress on Girolando cows managed in automated milking systems (AMS) under tropical pasture conditions have been less explored. We aimed to evaluate the effects of environmental variables on milk yield and milking behaviour of Girolando cows managed in a pasture-based automated milking system. To achieve the aims, two databases were used. The first database was composed by 44,112 records of milking events obtained between January and August 2025 from an automated milking farm, and the second database was composed by 5,377 hourly environmental variable records from NASA-POWER. Daily milk yield per cow was negatively associated with both the number of hours with air temperature of ≥ 30 °C (p = 0.001) and relative humidity (p< 0.001). Additionally, the number of milking events decreased as relative humidity (p< 0.001) and the number of hours with air temperature ≥ 30 °C (p< 0.001) increased. Furthermore, mean air temperature (p< 0.001) and relative humidity (p< 0.001) increased the interval between milkings, milking box time and milking time. The percentages of incomplete milkings (p< 0.001) tended to increase with rising air temperature, whilst the percentage of blood (p< 0.001) increased in association with air temperature, relative humidity and the number of hours with air temperature ≥ 30 °C. Our results demonstrated that environmental conditions impacted milk production and milking behaviour in Girolando cows in a pasture-based automated milking system.

Coat color is an economically and culturally important trait in Pêga donkeys, influencing breed qualification, competitive categorization, and market value. Despite its relevance, the genetic mechanisms underlying coat color variation in this breed remain poorly understood. Among pigmentation genes, ASIP is a strong candidate due to its known role in mammalian coloration and reported associations with the light points phenotype in donkeys. This study aimed to characterize the coding region of the ASIP gene and investigate its possible association with coat color variation in Pêga donkeys. Twenty animals representing the full spectrum of coat colors accepted for breed registration were sampled. Genomic DNA was extracted from hair follicles, and the three coding exons of ASIP were amplified using previously validated primers. PCR products were purified and sequenced, and resulting sequences were aligned to the donkey reference genome for variant identification. No polymorphisms were detected within the analyzed exons, demonstrating monomorphism across individuals with distinct phenotypes. All animals carried the TT genotype for the previously reported SNP c.349T>C, consistent with the light points phenotype observed in the study population. These findings indicate that the coding region of ASIP does not contribute to the coat color variation documented in the Pêga donkey. The absence of variation suggests that regulatory or noncoding regions of ASIP , as well as additional genomic loci, may underlie pigmentation differences. Further studies incorporating genome-wide strategies are needed to clarify the genetic architecture of coat color in Pêga donkeys and to identify mechanisms responsible for the phenotypic diversity observed.

Continuous behavioral monitoring in feedlot systems is essential for improving animal welfare and production efficiency; however, traditional direct observation is labor-intensive and subject to observer-related limitations. This study aimed to validate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assess behavioral responses of beef cattle in a commercial feedlot. Data were collected over 21 non-consecutive days in 34 pens housing up to 150 animals each. A DJI Mini 2 drone recorded aerial images at altitudes between 10 and 20 m during the hottest hours of the day (13:00–15:00 h), while simultaneous direct visual observations were performed as the reference method. Behaviors were classified according to a predefined ethogram. Agreement between methods was evaluated using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), based on the number of animals exhibiting each behavior per 10-minute observation session recorded by each method. Excellent agreement was observed for eating behavior (ICC = 0.90), while standing (ICC = 0.86), lying (ICC = 0.80), and dominance/mounting behavior (ICC = 0.79) showed good reproducibility. In contrast, drinking (ICC = 0.48), ruminating (ICC = 0.41), and walking (ICC = 0.37) presented poor agreement. Higher reliability was associated with behaviors of longer duration and clearer postural definition, whereas dynamic and short-duration behaviors were more affected by visual and methodological constraints. Overall, UAV-based monitoring proved to be a reliable and non-invasive tool for assessing key behavioral patterns in feedlot cattle, particularly feeding activity, supporting its application in precision livestock farming systems.