Innovative Feeding Strategy Research Articles

Sustainable Poultry Feeding Strategies for Achieving Zero Hunger and Enhancing Food Quality

As global demand increases for poultry products, innovative feeding strategies that reduce resource efficiency and improve food safety are urgently needed. This paper explores the potential of alternative sustainable poultry feeding strategies aimed at achieving SDG2 (Zero Hunger) while increasing production performance and food quality, focusing on the potential recycling of by-products, plants, and food waste derived from fruits, vegetables, and seeds, which account for up to 35% annually. The paper provides a review analysis of the nutritional (protein, fat, fiber, and ash) and minerals (i.e., calcium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, copper, and iron) content as well as the bioactive compounds (polyphenols, antioxidants, carotenoids, fatty acids, and vitamins) of alternative feed ingredients, which can contribute to resource efficiency, reduce dependency on conventional feeds, and lower production costs by 25%. The nutritional benefits of these alternative feed ingredients, including their effects on poultry production and health, and their potential for improving poultry product quality, are presented. Carrot, paprika, rosehip, and some berry waste represent a great source of carotenoids, polyphenols, and vitamins, while the seed meals (flax, rapeseed, and sea buckthorn) have been reported to enhance the essential fatty acid composition in eggs and meat. Numerous plants (basil, sage, rosemary, and lettuce) are natural reservoirs of bioactive compounds with benefits for both animal and food products. Some challenges in implementing these alternative sustainable feeding strategies, including inconsistencies in quality and availability, the presence of anti-nutrients, and regulatory barriers, are also explored. In conclusion, future research directions in sustainable poultry feeding with alternative feed ingredients should be considered to achieve SDG2.

Effects of circadian variation of dietary protein sources on growth performance, carcass composition and intestinal enzyme activity in beluga, Huso huso

AbstractThe main cost in aquaculture production is feed, so management practices and feeding strategies aim to optimize both feed intake and efficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the growth performance of beluga, Huso huso, affected by periodic changes in dietary protein sources and hence identify possible innovative feeding strategies toward more efficient use of dietary protein. This study was designed with two experimental diets, namely fish meal (diet A) and plant protein blend (diet B) (protein 40%, fat 16%), which were used in different food schedules for feeding beluga (initial weight 82.08 ± 4.1 g) during 8 weeks. The experimental treatments included: continuously feeding a fish meal diet (A); continuously feeding a plant protein diet (B); alternating between diet A in the morning and diet B in the afternoon (A am/B pm); alternating between diet B in the morning and diet A in the afternoon (B am/A pm); and alternating between diet A for one day and diet B for one day (1A/1B). At the end of the eight‐week trial, superior growth performance and feed utilization were respectively observed in fish receiving A, Bam/Apm, and Aam/Bpm diets compared with the remaining treatments. The specific activity of trypsin and chymotrypsin was significantly high in fish fed Aam/Bpm and Bam/Apm. Feeding the fish‐meal‐based diet (A) continuously, led to decreased protein and increased fat deposition in the carcass. Among the mixed feeding schedules, the highest cost‐saving was recorded with the Aam/Bpm and Bam/Apm schedules. Based on economic analysis, applying Aam/Bpm and Bam/Apm schedules led to the reduced cost of beluga production compared with the other treatments. Therefore, the optimal feeding schedules for beluga are Aam/Bpm and Bam/Apm, which should be used as a practical feeding guideline for H. huso production.

The "Crosstalk" between Microbiota and Metabolomic Profile of Kefalograviera Cheese after the Innovative Feeding Strategy of Dairy Sheep by Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two different feeding systems, a control or a flaxseed and lupin diet (experimental), for a sheep flock, on the microbiota and metabolome of Kefalograviera cheese samples produced by their milk. In particular, the microbiota present in Kefalograviera cheese samples was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) was applied to investigate the chemical profile of the cheeses, considering the different feeding systems applied. The metagenomic profile was found to be altered by the experimental feeding system and significantly correlated to specific cheese metabolites, with Streptococcaceae and Lactobacillaceae establishing positive and negative correlations with the discriminant metabolites. Overall, more than 120 features were annotated and identified with high confidence level across the samples while most of them belonged to specific chemical classes. Characteristic analytes detected in different concentrations in the experimental cheese samples including arabinose, dulcitol, hypoxanthine, itaconic acid, L-arginine, L-glutamine and succinic acid. Therefore, taken together, our results provide an extensive foodomics approach for Kefalograviera cheese samples from different feeding regimes, investigating the metabolomic and metagenomic biomarkers that could be used to foresee, improve, and control cheese ripening outcomes, demonstrating the quality of the experimental Kefalograviera cheese.

Seaweed Inclusion in Finishing Lamb Diet Promotes Changes in Micronutrient Content and Flavour-Related Compounds of Raw Meat and Dry-Cured Leg (Fenalår).

Innovative feeding strategies tend to improve the quality properties of raw material and dry-cured products. In the present study, Norwegian White female lambs (n = 24) were finished during 35 days on three different diets: control (CD), control supplemented with seaweed (5% DM) (SD), and pasture (PD). The quality of raw meat (Semimembranosus + Adductor) and deboned dry-cured lamb leg (fenalår; n = 24) was studied. The heme, SFA, MUFA, and PUFA content in raw meat was not affected with finishing diet. The SD significantly increased the selenium, iodine, and arsenic content in raw meat and in the dry-cured leg the iodine and arsenic. The dry-cured leg from SD-lamb had the highest amount of iodine with 130 µg I/100 g which corresponds to 60% of Adequate Intake. Aldehydes, ketones, and esters in raw meat and dry-cured lamb leg were significantly affected by finishing diet; CD showed increased esters in raw meat and aldehydes in the dry-cured leg compared to SD and PD. The significantly higher content of simple sugars, mannose being the most dominant, was found in the dry-cured leg from SD-lamb compared to CD and PD. Finishing diets had no effect on the taste profile of dry-cured lamb leg. This study showed the potential of seaweed in iodine biofortification of lamb meat and dry-cured products. Iodine-rich meat products should reduce iodine-deficiency among humans.

Exceptionally simple, rapidly replaced teeth in sauropod dinosaurs demonstrate a novel evolutionary strategy for herbivory in Late Jurassic ecosystems

BackgroundDinosaurs dominated terrestrial environments for over 100 million years due in part to innovative feeding strategies. Although a range of dental adaptations was present in Late Jurassic dinosaurs, it is unclear whether dinosaur ecosystems exhibited patterns of tooth disparity and dietary correlation similar to those of modern amniotes, in which carnivores possess simple teeth and herbivores exhibit complex dentitions. To investigate these patterns, we quantified dental shape in Late Jurassic dinosaurs to test relationships between diet and dental complexity.ResultsHere, we show that Late Jurassic dinosaurs exhibited a disparity of dental complexities on par with those of modern saurians. Theropods possess relatively simple teeth, in spite of the range of morphologies tested, and is consistent with their inferred carnivorous habits. Ornithischians, in contrast, have complex dentitions, corresponding to herbivorous habits. The dentitions of macronarian sauropods are similar to some ornithischians and living herbivorous squamates but slightly more complex than other sauropods. In particular, all diplodocoid sauropods investigated possess remarkably simple teeth. The existence of simple teeth in diplodocoids, however, contrasts with the pattern observed in nearly all known herbivores (living or extinct).ConclusionsSauropod dinosaurs exhibit a novel approach to herbivory not yet observed in other amniotes. We demonstrate that sauropod tooth complexity is related to tooth replacement rate rather than diet, which contrasts with the results from mammals and saurians. This relationship is unique to the sauropod clade, with ornithischians and theropods displaying the patterns observed in other groups. The decoupling of herbivory and tooth complexity paired with a correlation between complexity and replacement rate demonstrates a novel evolutionary strategy for plant consumption in sauropod dinosaurs.

Transient shifts in hydraulic retention times improve the methane production from ruminal hydrolysates of agave bagasse

AbstractBACKGROUNDValorization of lignocellulosic wastes such as agave bagasse from tequila industries can be enhanced using efficient biomass pretreatments. However, the next challenge requires finding the best process conditions to produce methane and remove chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the pretreatment hydrolysates. In this work, an innovative feeding strategy based on alternating hydraulic retention times (HRT) was investigated to improve methane production from ruminal hydrolysates of Agave tequilana bagasse.RESULTSThe ruminal hydrolysate provided a substrate rich in volatile fatty acids (VFA) for direct use in the methanogenic process. The alternating feeding strategy increased the volumetric methane production rate by up to 25% (from 0.76 ± 0.05 to 0.95 ± 0.03 L CH4 L−1 d−1) compared to operating at a constant feeding rate, equivalent HRT of 15 h, and organic loading rate (OLR) of 8 g COD L−1 d−1. The alternating HRT operation improved VFA conversion without modifying the methane yield, and the COD removal was increased by 14%. The system stability, measured through the alkalinity index, was maintained during the proposed feeding strategy and after the increase in OLR.CONCLUSIONThe proposed feeding strategy is a promising tool for improving methane production from agave bagasse hydrolysates. The strategy was robust and easy to apply, which could expand its use for a wider variety of substrates. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Dietary diversity affects feeding behaviour of suckling piglets

Stimulating solid feed intake in suckling piglets is important to facilitate the weaning transition, exemplified by the positive correlation between pre- and post-weaning feed intake. The present study compared the effect of dietary diversity (i.e. offering two feeds simultaneously) and flavour novelty (i.e. regularly changing the flavour of one feed) on the feeding behaviour and performance of suckling piglets until weaning at day 22. It was hypothesized that presentation of the feed in a more diverse form, by varying multiple sensory properties of the feed, stimulates pre-weaning feed intake. Piglets received ad libitum feed from 2 days of age in two feeders per pen (choice feeding set-up). One group of piglets (dietary diversity (DD), n = 10 litters) were given feed A and feed B which differed in production method, size, flavour, ingredient composition and nutrient profile, smell, texture and colour. The other group of piglets (flavour novelty (FN), n = 9 litters) received feed A plus feed A to which one of 4 flavours were added from day 6 in a daily sequential order. Feeding behaviour was studied by weighing feed remains (d6, 12, 16, 22) and by live observations (4-min scan sampling, 6 h/d; d9, 14, 21; n = 6 litters per treatment). Observations were also used to discriminate ‘eaters’ from ‘non-eaters’. All piglets were weighed at d2, 6 and 22. Piglets did not prefer feed A (d2–22: 1.4 ± 0.16 kg/litter) over B (1.6 ± 0.18) within DD nor had a preference for feed A with (d6–22: 1.1 ± 0.06 kg/litter) or without additional flavours (0.9 ± 0.07) within FN. Nevertheless, DD-litters (d2–22: 3.0 ± 0.32 kg) ate significantly more than FN-litters (2.0 ± 0.12 kg; P = 0.02) and explored the feed 2.6 times more at d14 (P = 0.001). Furthermore feed A, the common feed provided in DD and FN, was more consumed in DD (d2–22: 1.4 ± 0.16 kg) compared to FN (1.0 ± 0.07 kg; P = 0.04). The percentage of eaters within a litter did not differ over time between DD (d9: 26%, d14: 78%, d21: 94%) and FN (20%, 71% and 97%) and no effect was found on pre-weaning weight gain. In conclusion, this study showed that provision of dietary diversity to suckling piglets stimulated their feed exploration and intake more than dietary flavour novelty only, but did not enhance the percentage of piglets within a litter that consume the feed or their growth performance. These data suggest that dietary diversity could be an innovative feeding strategy to stimulate solid feed intake in suckling piglets.

Effects of alternate feeding with different lipid sources on fatty acid composition and bioconversion in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alternate feeding schedules, in which diets with different lipid sources were alternated, on fatty acid profile, accumulation of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n−3 LC-PUFA) and expression of selected fatty acid bioconversion genes in European sea bass juveniles. Five treatments were administered to fish; fish oil treatment (FO; continuously fed a fish oil (FO)-diet), canola oil treatment (CO; continuously fed a canola oil (CO)-diet), blend oil treatment (BLD; continuously fed with a diet containing both FO and CO), alternate schedule treatment (AST; fish fed for 3weeks with CO and the following 3weeks with BLD), and finishing schedule treatment (FST; fish fed for 9weeks with CO and the following 3weeks with FO) for 12weeks. Significantly higher SGR and lower FCR were detected in fish fed the FO, BLD and FST diets compared to those fed with CO and AST diets. As expected, the n−3 LC-PUFA accumulation (mainly EPA and DHA) was generally decreased in the whole body, flesh and liver in the CO fish compared to FO fish. Although the FST and AST fish consumed the same quantity of fish oil and canola oil throughout the experimental period, the proportion of n−3 LC-PUFA in the flesh of the FST fish was significantly higher than in the AST fish, confirming the major effect of the fish oil intake at the final stages (3weeks) of the experiment. Moreover, no significant effects were detected at the molecular level for hepatic transcriptional factors involved in the regulation of the fatty acid bioconversion metabolic pathway (peroxisome proliferator activated receptors-α; PPARα and sterol regulatory element binding proteins-1; SREBP1), or in the key enzymes involved in fatty acid bioconversion (D6-desaturase enzyme; D6D and fatty acid elongases; ELOVLs) across all treatments, suggesting that the n−3 LC-PUFA level in sea bass cannot be modified through increased fatty acid bioconversion capacities in the liver (at least a molecular level). In conclusion, a nutritional modulation of n−3 LC-PUFA content in flesh was observed in relation to the feeding schedules independently to modifications of the fatty acid bioconversion capacities. Statement of relevanceWe previously shown an increasing LCPUFA activity in freshwater fish fed with alternate feeding regimes. Thus, this promoted us to find more information on possible mechanisms involved in this effect in marine species that needs further clarification related with genes involved in bioconversion of fatty acids. In the present study, even though the analysis of gene expression showed that there was a huge individual difference in response to alternative feeding, especially PPAR-α and SREBP1, there are some potential effects underlying these feeding regimes. However, there is still a need for further nutritional studies to confirm the absence of effects of alternate feeding on genes involved in fatty acid synthesis in fish, hence possible innovative feeding strategies towards more efficient use of dietary fish oil should be identified.

Modelling-based Innovative Feeding Strategy for Beam Blanks Mould Casting Aimed at As-cast Surface Quality Improvement

Within an investigation focused on effect of casting conditions on steel quality in an industrial beam blanks mould, different nozzle geometries were tested with Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling. The innovative nature of the work consisted in feeding with only one nozzle, whereas two nozzles in the flange-tip zone are commonly used. This configuration has the advantage of a simplified mono-slide gate casting layout, but single nozzle feeding can bring about risks of too high steel velocity in the mould, harmful for shell integrity and meniscus stability. Having in mind the mentioned constraints, different geometry solutions were checked and, to assess the solutions found, suitable indices were defined, related to flow conditions able to prevent slag entrapment at the meniscus, and hot-spotting at walls, harmful for the solid shell integrity. The modelling work gave general indications on undesired flow features and guidelines to improve reference conditions, involving number of holes and holes angle, size and shape. For the caster mould and the operating conditions under concern, a solution was found satisfying the indices, and expected to fulfil the quality requests. It consisted of a nozzle with a 50 mm diameter throat, a 50 mm× 60 mm elliptical lateral port inclined 25° downwards and a 20 mm-diameter bottom hole. A water model check with such a nozzle prototype validated the model supporting the solution identified to be used on plant.

Brains, tools, innovation and biogeography in crows and ravens.

BackgroundCrows and ravens (Passeriformes: Corvus) are large-brained birds with enhanced cognitive abilities relative to other birds. They are among the few non-hominid organisms on Earth to be considered intelligent and well-known examples exist of several crow species having evolved innovative strategies and even use of tools in their search for food. The 40 Corvus species have also been successful dispersers and are distributed on most continents and in remote archipelagos.ResultsThis study presents the first molecular phylogeny including all species and a number of subspecies within the genus Corvus. We date the phylogeny and determine ancestral areas to investigate historical biogeographical patterns of the crows. Additionally, we use data on brain size and a large database on innovative behaviour and tool use to test whether brain size (i) explains innovative behaviour and success in applying tools when foraging and (ii) has some correlative role in the success of colonization of islands. Our results demonstrate that crows originated in the Palaearctic in the Miocene from where they dispersed to North America and the Caribbean, Africa and Australasia. We find that relative brain size alone does not explain tool use, innovative feeding strategies and dispersal success within crows.ConclusionsOur study supports monophyly of the genus Corvus and further demonstrates the direction and timing of colonization from the area of origin in the Palaearctic to other continents and archipelagos. The Caribbean was probably colonized from North America, although some North American ancestor may have gone extinct, and the Pacific was colonized multiple times from Asia and Australia. We did not find a correlation between relative brain size, tool use, innovative feeding strategies and dispersal success. Hence, we propose that all crows and ravens have relatively large brains compared to other birds and thus the potential to be innovative if conditions and circumstances are right.

Impact of Personalized Feeding Program in 100 NICU Infants

In neonatal intensive care unit infants referred for home-tube feeding methods, we evaluated the effect of an innovative diagnostic and management approach on feeding outcomes at discharge and 1 year, by comparing data from historical controls; we hypothesized that clinical and aerodigestive motility characteristics at evaluation were predictive of feeding outcomes at discharge; we assessed the economic impact of feeding outcomes. Patients (N = 100) who were referred for development of long-term feeding management strategy at 46.4 ± 13.1 weeks' postmenstrual age were compared with 50 historical controls that received routine care. The focused approach included swallow-integrated pharyngoesophageal manometry, individualized feeding strategy, and prospective follow-up. Feeding success was defined as ability to achieve oral feedings at discharge and 1 year. Motility characteristics were evaluated in relation to feeding success or failure at discharge. Higher feeding success was achieved in the innovative feeding program (vs historical controls) at discharge (51% vs 10%, P < 0.0001) and at 1 year (84.3% vs 42.9%, P < 0.0001), at a reduced economic burden (P < 0.05). Contributing factors to the innovative program's feeding success (vs feeding failure) were earlier evaluation and discharge (both P < 0.05), greater peristaltic reflex-frequency to provocation (P < 0.05), normal pharyngeal manometry (P < 0.05), oral feeding challenge success (P < 0.05), and suck-swallow-breath-esophageal swallow sequence (P < 0.05). Probability of feeding success demonstrated a prediction rate of 79.6%. Short-term and long-term feeding outcomes in complex neonates can be significantly improved with innovative feeding strategies at a reduced cost. Clinical and aerodigestive motility characteristics were predictive of outcomes.

A dynamic method based on the specific substrate uptake rate to set up a feeding strategy for Pichia pastoris

BackgroundPichia pastoris is one of the most important host organisms for the recombinant production of proteins in industrial biotechnology. To date, strain specific parameters, which are needed to set up feeding profiles for fed batch cultivations, are determined by time-consuming continuous cultures or consecutive fed batch cultivations, operated at different parameter sets.ResultsHere, we developed a novel approach based on fast and easy to do batch cultivations with methanol pulses enabling a more rapid determination of the strain specific parameters specific substrate uptake rate qs, specific productivity qp and the adaption time (Δtimeadapt) of the culture to methanol. Based on qs, an innovative feeding strategy to increase the productivity of a recombinant Pichia pastoris strain was developed. Higher specific substrate uptake rates resulted in increased specific productivity, which also showed a time dependent trajectory. A dynamic feeding strategy, where the setpoints for qs were increased stepwise until a qs max of 2.0 mmol·g-1·h-1 resulted in the highest specific productivity of 11 U·g-1·h-1.ConclusionsOur strategy describes a novel and fast approach to determine strain specific parameters of a recombinant Pichia pastoris strain to set up feeding profiles solely based on the specific substrate uptake rate. This approach is generic and will allow application to other products and other hosts.

Can dietary lipid source circadian alternation improve omega-3 deposition in rainbow trout?

With the salmonid industry currently exploiting the vast majority of globally available fish oil, there is the need to optimise fish oil utilisation by increasing its efficiency in terms of transferring the health-promoting long chain omega-3 fatty acids ( n− 3 LC-PUFA) into farmed fish flesh. The aim of this study was to evaluate if dietary fatty acid deposition is affected by the time of feeding, and hence identify possible innovative feeding strategies towards more efficient use of dietary fish oil. Over a period of 12 weeks, three diets with different lipid sources, canola oil (CO), fish oil (FO) or a 50/50 blend of the two oils (Mix), were alternated daily and fed to rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss). Six treatments were administered to fish, reference treatment (REF, continuously fed FO), control treatment (CT, continuously fed Mix), am canola oil ration (amCOR), pm canola oil ration (pmCOR), am canola oil satiation (amCOS) and pm canola oil satiation (pmCOS). Fish received either the CO diet in the am or pm feeds and received the FO diet at the opposite time. A significant increase in growth and feed consumption was noted in the pmCOS treatment. Fillet fatty acid profile was modified by associated feeding schedules and was generally reflective of dietary fatty acid profile. No significant increases in n− 3 LC-PUFA deposition were observed. However, both linoleic acid (18:2 n− 6) and α-linolenic acid (18:3 n− 3) contents were significantly higher in pmCOR compared to amCOR and CT. The results of the present study suggest the existence of cyclical circadian patterns in fatty acid deposition in rainbow trout.

THE ROLE OF VENOM DELIVERY STRATEGIES IN SNAKE EVOLUTION.

The recent proposal that front-fanged venom delivery systems have been derived independently from the rear-fanged condition at least five times in the history of snakes (Savitsky, 1978) suggests the need for a reassessment of the role of venom delivery in ophidian history. Despite the fact that serous oral glands have long been known in aglyphous (fangless) and opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) members of the family Colubridae (see Taub, 1967, p. 1618 for a historical resume), venom delivery has been ascribed a major role only in the evolution of front-fanged snakes. The latter group embraces two polyphyletic assemblages, the solenoglyphs (such as vipers, pit vipers, and mole vipers) with relatively kinetic fang-bearing maxillae, and the proteroglyphs (such as cobras, coral snakes, and seasnakes), which generally possess less mobile maxillae. Both groups possess specialized glands for the secretion and storage of venom and gland-deforming musculature to aid in delivering the venom. My premise is that envenomation has been a key adaptation in determining the success of all of the higher snakes. Furthermore, although envenomation is not the first innovative feeding strategy in ophidian history, its special role in the adaptive radiation of advanced snakes derives from a complex morphological response to changing environmental conditions that embraced both the locomotor and feeding systems of snakes. The current fluid nature of ophidian