Animal Feed Supplement Research Articles

Development of a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Method and a Near Infrared Calibration Model for the Rapid Determination of Lipid Content in the Field Pea (Pisum sativum).

Pisum sativum is a leguminous crop suitable for cultivation worldwide. It is used as a forage or dried seed supplement in animal feed and, more recently, as a potential non-traditional oilseed. This study aimed to develop a low-cost, rapid, and non-destructive method for analyzing pea lipids with no chemical modifications that would prove superior to existing destructive solvent extraction methods. Different pea accession seed samples, prepared as either small portions (0.5 mm2) of endosperm or ground pea seed powder for comparison, were subjected to HR-MAS NMR analyses and whole seed samples underwent NIR analyses. The total lipid content ranged between 0.57–3.45% and 1.3–2.6% with NMR and NIR, respectively. Compared to traditional extraction with butanol, hexane-isopropanol, and petroleum ether, correlation coefficients were 0.77 (R2 = 0.60), 0.56 (R2 = 0.47), and 0.78 (R2 = 0.62), respectively. Correlation coefficients for NMR compared to traditional extraction increased to 0.97 (R2 = 0.99) with appropriate correction factors. PLS regression analyses confirmed the application of this technology for rapid lipid content determination, with trends fitting models often close to an R2 of 0.95. A better robust NIR quantification model can be developed by increasing the number of samples with more diversity.

Insights into the Research Trends on Bovine Colostrum: Beneficial Health Perspectives with Special Reference to Manufacturing of Functional Foods and Feed Supplements.

Bovine colostrum (BC) is the initial mammary secretion after parturition, which is nature’s bountiful source consisting of nutritional and bioactive components present in a highly concentrated low-volume format. All mammalian newborns require colostrum to enhance physiological processes such as lifelong immunity, gastrointestinal development, and resistance to microbial infections. The genetic, environmental, and processing methods can all have an impact on the biochemical contents of BC and its supplements. BC and its derivatives have been intensively researched for their potential use in functional foods, medicines, and animal feed. Evidence from clinical studies suggests that BC products are well-tolerated, nontoxic, and safe for human ingestion. Functional foods, feed, and pharmaceutical formulations based on bovine colostrum are playing noteworthy roles in the development of innovative products for promoting health and the prevention of chronic illnesses. This systematic review sheds light on recent research on (a) the effects of processing techniques on BC components, (b) emerging techniques used in the isolation and identification of novel components, (c) BC-based functional foods for human consumption and animal feed supplements, and (d) the role of BC in current drug delivery, as well as future recommendations.

BLOOD MEAL SUPPLEMENT IMPROVES EXPLORATION BEHAVIOUR BUT INCREASES ESCAPE ATTEMPT

Blood meal as an animal feed supplement promotes agricultural sustainability. Blood meal which is high in proteins, lacks certain nutrients hence is expected to give impact on the chicken behaviour and welfare. This study was carried out to determine the impact of blood meal supplement on chicken behaviour. The study involved 100 chickens which were bred in semi-opened poultry house for 6 weeks. At 6th week, chickens provided with fish meal (FM) only had a higher body weight compared to that of the group provided with FM and blood meal supplement (FBM). Normal behaviour such as walking, standing, feeding, drinking, dust bathing and lying down were not significantly affected by the changes in the meal (p>0.05). However, based on a single assessor assessment, FBM group displayed higher score in explore and escape characteristics, than the FM group. On the other hand, FM group displayed a slightly higher score for fear behaviour than the FBM. Findings in this study leads to the conclusion that blood meal supplement has influence on the welfare in chickens farming in terms of their exploration, fear, and escape behaviours. Therefore, amount of blood meal as animal feed supplement in poultry production should be determined carefully to avoid any potential detrimental effect on poultry welfare

Sustainable Production of Pigments from Cyanobacteria.

Pigments are intensely coloured compounds used in many industries to colour other materials. The demand for naturally synthesised pigments is increasing and their production can be incorporated into circular bioeconomy approaches. Natural pigments are produced by bacteria, cyanobacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, plants and animals. There is a huge unexplored biodiversity of prokaryotic cyanobacteria which are microscopic phototrophic microorganisms that have the ability to capture solar energy and CO2 and use it to synthesise a diverse range of sugars, lipids, amino acids and biochemicals including pigments. This makes them attractive for the sustainable production of a wide range of high-value products including industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and animal-feed supplements. The advantages of cyanobacteria production platforms include comparatively high growth rates, their ability to use freshwater, seawater or brackish water and the ability to cultivate them on non-arable land. The pigments derived from cyanobacteria and microalgae include chlorophylls, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins that have useful properties for advanced technical and commercial products. Development and optimisation of strain-specific pigment-based cultivation strategies support the development of economically feasible pigment biorefinery scenarios with enhanced pigment yields, quality and price. Thus, this chapter discusses the origin, properties, strain selection, production techniques and market opportunities of cyanobacterial pigments.

Platforms to accelerate biomanufacturing of enzyme and probiotic animal feed supplements: discovery considerations and manufacturing implications

Probiotics and enzymes are important components of the global livestock feed supplement market, which is expected to be approximately US$56 billion by 2027. They make essential contributions to animal health and productivity and are very important for on-farm economics, as well as feed supplement and bulk feed businesses. Despite the variety of on-market products, there remains a strong drive to develop new function or more effective enzymes (e.g. more active or stable) and probiotics (e.g. for specific health or nutrition requirements) that can be produced economically and commercialised to gain market share. Various large and established supplement development, manufacture and supply companies with highly refined, efficient and vertically integrated processes dominate the market. In contrast, many challenges exist for less established players, such as feed companies, large farming corporations, start-up companies and the research community, to develop and commercialise improved feed supplements. These less established players may have niche markets or needs or may have identified highly novel candidate products through basic or collaborative academia-industry applied research. In these situations, the path from discovery and development to a commercial product is unclear and likely to be very challenging. However, the risk of not progressing is that the value of research investments is not realised, or the needs of specific niche markets are not met. For these situations, new pathways to market based on rapid discovery, production (at various scales), and testing feedback loops, along with appropriate intellectual property management and clear regulatory strategies need to be established. To deliver these new pathways, it is essential to define key performance, production and economic criteria, have a rapid route from laboratory to pilot-scale manufacture and livestock feeding trials, and include all the necessary participants in the value chain from research development, manufacturing, distribution, and regulatory management to the end user. These issues are discussed with reference to the current state-of-the-art and our development of new pathways for a specific enzyme and probiotic based on efficient laboratory-to-market platforms. Although new supplements have been brought closer to market, challenges remain regarding scaling to commercial manufacture for new products without an established market.

Groundnut Shells as a Potential Feed Supplement for Ruminants on Pastures: A Review

Communal grazing does not offer adequate forage for ruminants throughout the year. This problem is exacerbated during the dry season when grazing is scarce and of poor nutritional quality. Mineral shortages are common in communal grazing environments and yet they are nutritional requirements for optimal development, physiologic functioning and productivity in animals, as well as for cattle growth, reproduction and health. However, the use of groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) shell (GNS) that are readily available but have no direct nutritional benefit in humans, have not been extensively investigated as a potential source of animal feed. This paper investigates the potential of GNS as feed supplement for ruminants on pasture and its use in other industries. After extracting the seed, the groundnut shell, accounts for roughly 21-29 per cent of the total weight of the nut. Despite the high lignin content of the shell that necessitates adequate processing before use in animal feed, groundnut shell includes 0.50 per cent crude protein, 59.0 per cent crude fiber, 2.50 per cent ash and 4.43 per cent carbs. Sodium (42.00 mg/100 g), potassium (705.11 mg/100 g), magnesium (3.98.00 mg/100 g), calcium (2.28 mg/100 g), iron (6.97 mg/100 g), zinc (3.20 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (10.55 mg/100 g) are all abundant in groundnut shells. In view of this, GNS, a by-product of industrial processing of groundnuts is a rich source of nutrients and can be used to supplement ruminants on pastures during times when pastures are in short supply and of poor quality. Studies are needed to investigate their use to supplement cattle on pasture grazing during times of feed shortage. However, its use as animal feed supplement is likely to face challenges from other industries such as biofuel production.

Purification and characterization of phytase from Bacillus subtilis P6: Evaluation for probiotic potential for possible application in animal feed

AbstractThe antinutritional property of phytate is the main problem associated with food animals, but phytase‐producing probiotic strain could be the best alternative for resolving this problem. In the present study, phytase from probiotic strain Bacillus subtilis P6 was purified to homogeneity, which showed a relative molecular mass of 40 kDa on native and SDS‐PAGE. The purification fold of purified phytase was 86.99, with a specific activity of 104.39 U/mg protein. The purified enzyme showed optimum activity at 40°C and pH 6.0. Semi‐metal ions, such as K+ and Ca2+, slightly enhance the enzyme activity while Cu2+, Co2+, and Zn2+ prominently inhibited phytase activity. Purified phytase showed the highest substrate specificity toward its natural substrate phytate and did not hydrolyze other substrates having a phosphate bond. The purified enzyme exhibited strong proteolytic tolerance against trypsin and pepsin. Further, we evaluated the probiotic potential of B. subtilis and noted that it showed excellent resistance toward high acidic and bile concentrations. Subsequently, it revealed exceptional antimicrobial activity, good hydrophobicity, autoaggregation ability, nonhemolytic, and nonlecithinase activity. Additionally, B. subtilis P6 displayed susceptibility against major antibiotics. Owing to the excellent biochemical properties of phytase with notable probiotic characteristics, B. subtilis P6 may offer the possibility of being a promising candidate for the application in animal feed and food supplements. However, the in vivo use of strain secreting phytase needs to be studied in animals for its intended benefits

Nannochloropsis oceanica as a Microalgal Food Intervention in Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rats.

The microalgal genus Nannochloropsis has broad applicability to produce biofuels, animal feed supplements and other value-added products including proteins, carotenoids and lipids. This study investigated a potential role of N. oceanica in the reversal of metabolic syndrome. Male Wistar rats (n = 48) were divided into four groups in a 16-week protocol. Two groups were fed either corn starch or high-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (C and H, respectively) for the full 16 weeks. The other two groups received C and H diets for eight weeks and then received 5% freeze-dried N. oceanica in these diets for the final eight weeks (CN and HN, respectively) of the protocol. The H diet was high in fructose and sucrose, together with increased saturated and trans fats. H rats developed obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, fatty liver disease and left ventricular fibrosis. N. oceanica increased lean mass in CN and HN rats, possibly due to the increased protein intake, and decreased fat mass in HN rats. Intervention with N. oceanica did not change cardiovascular, liver and metabolic parameters or gut structure. The relative abundance of Oxyphotobacteria in the gut microbiota was increased. N. oceanica may be an effective functional food against metabolic syndrome as a sustainable protein source.

Dephenolization of palm oil mill effluent by oil palm fiber-immobilized Trametes hirsuta AK04 in temporary immersion bioreactor for the enhancement of biogas production.

The dephenolization of palm oil mill effluent (POME) with oil palm fiber-immobilized Trametes hirsuta AK 04 was conducted in a temporary immersion bioreactor to reduce the inhibitory effects of phenolics in anaerobic digestion. Longer immersion times provided greater removal of phenolics due to a higher release of manganese peroxidase. The most effective dephenolization was observed at 6 h immersed and 2 h non-immersed time (immersion ratio 6/8) with maximum removal of 85% from 1277 mg L-1 of phenolics in 4 days. The immobilized fungus maintained its high activity during multiple repeated batch treatments. The pretreated POME of 2 h showed higher methane yields compared with the untreated POME substrate. The methane yields increased with increasing pretreatment time and dephenolization levels. The results suggested that an increased abundance of methanogens was associated with the detoxification of phenolics. The fungal biomass contained crude protein, amino acids, and essential phenolics, which can be used as animal feed supplements.

Hydrolysis of lignocellulosic forages by Trichoderma longibrachiatum isolate from bovine rumen

Fungi of the genus Trichoderma hydrolyze lignocellulosic materials, thus promoting the production of fermentable sugars. In the present study, the production of cellulases by Trichoderma longibrachiatum from ruminal fluid was evaluated in submerged fermentation of Urochloa decumbens hay (UD) or sugarcane bagasse (SB). Moreover, the biomass of this fungus was analyzed by supplementing it with urea or ammonium sulfate and with two buffer systems for the production of cellulases by T. longibrachiatum using SB or UD. The fermentations were carried out in test tubes containing Sabouraud broth, and the carbon source was packed in nonwoven fabric sachets. The fermentations were performed at 39 °C for 10 days. The factorial design was completely randomized, and the final pH, fungal biomass, substrate dry matter degradation, total protein, and cellulolytic enzymes were evaluated after the fermentation process. The fungal development was better in the medium supplemented with ammonium sulfate than that supplemented with urea, and it showed better degradation of UB than SB. The evaluated isolate promoted better protein synthesis during fermentation of SB buffered with sodium acetate; however, the medium containing UB produced higher concentrations of total cellulase, carboxymethylcellulase, and avicelase than the medium containing SB. Thus, rapid cellulose production by this fungus may aid in the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials for animal feed supplementation for ruminants; furthermore, the use of these enzymes for biotechnological purposes is promising.

The nutritional applications of garlic (Allium sativum) as natural feed additives in animals.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is an essential vegetable that has been widely utilized as seasoning, flavoring, culinary and in herbal remedies. Garlic contains several characteristic organosulfur compounds, such as diallyl sulfide, allicin (diallyl thiosulphate), γ-glutamylcysteine, and S-allyl cysteine (alliin) and ajoene, which garlic has beneficial effects on inflammation, oxidative stress markers, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and endothelial function in vitro or in animal model. These bioactive molecules are also playing pivotal role in livestock and fisheries production apart from its application in humans. Supplementation of animal feed with garlic and its related products is consistent with the modern agricultural concept of organic animal husbandry. This review compiles the information describing the effects of feeding garlic and its extracts on selected performance parameters in animals (chicken, rabbits, ruminants, pigs and fish). This review may provide reference for scientists and entrepreneurs to investigate the applications of feeds added with garlic and allicin by-products for the improvement of animal husbandry and aquatic production.

Bioprospecting wild South African microalgae as a potential third-generation biofuel feedstock, biological carbon-capture agent and for nutraceutical applications

Microalgae are among the few biological resources studied that are found to possess vast biotechnological potential. This study isolated, identified and investigated two wild green microalgal species with substantial potential as a bioresource and climate change mitigation importance. Two isolates, Chlorella sorokiniana and Tetradesmus reginae were cultivated in selected artificial media under laboratory conditions. The isolates were analysed for nutrient consumption, biomass productivity, CO2 biosequestration rate, elemental composition and fatty acid methyl profiles/composition. The outcome showed maximum daily biomass productivity of 0.128 ± 0.003 and 0.2 ± 0.004 g L−1 for C. sorokiniana and T. reginae, respectively. CO2 biosequestration rate of T. reginae was the highest among the isolates, indicating that it can act as a biological climate change mitigation agent. Moreover, T. reginae recorded a significantly higher (p < 0.05) total lipid and carbohydrate content than C. sorokiniana. The C/N ratio for T. reginae was significantly higher than the C/N ratio for C. sorokiniana. Tetradesmus reginae also demonstrated the ability to produce a considerable quantity of omega-3 oils; hence, the species is of nutraceutical importance. Furthermore, T. reginae demonstrated maximal carbohydrate content and is therefore considered a potential feedstock for bioethanol production. Chlorella sorokiniana, on the other hand, showed a remarkable (p < 0.05) protein content making it a potential source for human food and animal feed supplement. Finally, the two isolates met both European and American quality biodiesel standards with exceptional cetane (CN) and iodine numbers (IV).

Conversion of biogas from anaerobic digestion to single cell protein and bio-methanol: mechanism, microorganisms and key factors - A review

Biogas is a mixture of mainly CH4 and CO2, which can be generated from anaerobic digestion of organic materials. The use of biogas is mostly limited to thermal energy and electricity generation. However, the abundance of cheap shale gas and solar energy could drive out biogas for such applications in the near future. Hence, alternative applications of biogas have recently received great attention among researchers across the globe. This review, for the first time, discusses the feasibility of the bioconversion of biogas to value-added products, including single cell protein as animal feed supplement, and methanol that is an important building block in the chemical industries. Mechanisms of the process, microorgnisms involved and key parameters affecting their efficiency are discussed in detail. Some future research needs are suggested in order to deepen our understanding of these biochemical processes.

Bio-hydrolysis of used soybean oil: environmental-friendly technology using microbial consortium.

In this work, strains of Bacillus subtilis were inoculated in consortium with Rhodotorula mucilaginosa into spent soy oil as aiming to biological treatment and low-cost reuse. The microorganisms were previously isolated and selected for the lipolytic capacity of the alperujo residue generated during the processing of olive oil. For fermentation, bioassays containing Rhodotorula mucilaginosa isolated from alperujo and Candida rugosa CCMA 00371, both co-inoculated with Bacillus subtilis CCMA 0085 in medium containing (% w/v) 0.075 glucose and 0.375 (NH4)3 PO4 in 75 mL of water and 75 mL of spent soy oil. Despite the low biomass productivity, it has favorable characteristics to be used in animal feed supplementation. Spent soy oil was used as a carbon source proven by Bartha respirometer. The strains of R. mucilaginosa UFLA RAS 144 and B. subtilis CCMA 0085 are promising inoculants for oil degradation and can be applied in a waste treatment system.

Valorization of swine wastewater in a circular economy approach: Effects of hydraulic retention time on microalgae cultivation

To optimize the swine wastewater (SWW) treatment, this study investigated different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) for microalgae cultivation. For this purpose, five pilot-scale reactors operated in semi-continuous flow, with HRTs equal to 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 days were evaluated in terms of SWW polishing and biomass production. The effluent treatment was discussed accompanied by principal component analysis, which allowed identification of causes of variance in the data set, ideal for studies with real effluent and influenced by environmental conditions. All reactors show satisfactory removals of N-NH4+ (91.6–95.3%), COD (15.8–39.9%), DO increment (in average 7.5 mg O2/L) and, only the longest HRT (21 days) was able to remove Ps (21%). The results obtained indicated that a consortium of microalgae and bacteria was developed for all the tested HRTs. On the other hand, HRT = 12 days provided a healthier culture of photosynthesizing organisms (chl-a/VSS = 3.04%). Carbohydrates (20.8–31.3%) and proteins (2.7–16.2%) were the compounds of commercial interest in the highest proportion in the biomass of all reactors, with contents comparable to that of terrestrial crops. Thus, it was suggested a valorization route of these compounds of high added value to return to pig farming, where the nutrients were intended to supplement the swine feed and clarified water for cleaning the pig stalls. Thus, in the circular economy context, this research contributes to water footprint reduction and the sustainability of the pig farming production chain. The economic and environmental analysis of the route is suggested to enable its implementation on a large scale, as well as further technical feasibility research (reactor types, exposure to external environment, evaluation of pathogen removal and animal feed supplementation from SWW microalgae biomass).

Fermentation profile and nutritive value of maize silage with Brachiaria species

The production of mixed silages is a technique that has emerged as a viable alternative for supplying nutrients during food-shortage periods in the dry season, in addition to guaranteeing the highest ensiled mass production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fermentation profile and nutritional value of maize silage with Brachiaria species. The experiment was carried out under a completely randomized experimental design with four replications. The treatments comprised the following types of silage: maize; Congo grass; Xaraes palisadegrass; Paiaguas palisadegrass; maize + 30% Congo grass; maize + 30% Xaraes palisadegrass; and maize + 30% Paiaguas palisadegrass. For ensilage, maize and grasses were harvested in a 105-day cycle at a depth of 20 cm from the soil surface. According to the results, the maize silage and mixed silages presented an adequate fermentation profile and improved nutritional value. Among the investigated Brachiaria species, Paiaguas palisadegrass emerged because of its protein increase and low ADF content; therefore, this species is recommended for use in mixed silage production. Thus, mixed silage can be used as an alternative for animal feed supplementation

Biochar as a Biocompatible Mild Anti-Inflammatory Supplement for Animal Feed and Agricultural Fields.

Biochar is an organic material and high in carbon content, besides its use for energy purposes, it is also a material that serves the purpose of improving soil fertility, organic matter content of soils and removing heavy metals from water and soil. This study aims to investigate the antimicrobial effects of biochar whose beneficial effects on agricultural productivity has been proven by different studies. Scientific literature concerning the antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of the apricot seed and olive seed biochar is limited. Biochar applications may help to alter the microbial diversity by modifying biological environment either in agriculture or in animal husbandry. Moreover, biochar has been used in animal husbandry to improve animal health especially by regulating the intestinal flora and inflammation in the intestines. Hence, in our study, we investigated the effect of biochar on the growth of Aspergillus niger, Cryphonectria parasitica, Phytophthora cinnamomi, Plenodomus tracheiphilus, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and two different bacteriophage strains. Biochar did not have any direct effect on the growth of either Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria, bacteriophages, and fungi. In order to test their direct effects on the immune cells, mammalian macrophages were used and biochar directly reduced the inflammatory cytokine levels produced by the in vitro activated macrophages.

Enhancement of carotenoid production and its regulation in edible mushroom Cordyceps militaris by abiotic stresses

Cordyceps militaris carotenoids are widely used as food additives, animal feed supplements, and so on. However, the biosynthetic pathway of carotenoids in C. militaris is still obscure. In this paper, changes of mycelial morphology and carotenoid accumulation of C. militaris were investigated under oxidative (KMnO4) and osmotic stress (NaCl). Subsequently, qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression levels of genes related to carotenogenesis to explore the mechanism of adaptation to abiotic stress. When the concentrations of KMnO4 and NaCl were respectively 0.4 g/L and 2 g/L, carotenoid accumulation reached a maximum of 6616.82 ± 666.43 μg/g and 6416.77 ± 537.02 μg/g. Under the oxidative stress condition of KMnO4, the expressions of psy and hsp70 increased significantly compared with control. Besides, the genes fus3 and hog1 were significantly enriched in the MAPK signal pathway. Compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in expression of psy in the NaCl group. Moreover, the accumulation of triacylglycerols may contribute significantly to the increase in carotenoid accumulation. The increased accumulation of antioxidant carotenoids induced under environmental stress is to resist oxidative conditions. Fus3 and Hog1 signaling in the MAPK pathway was activated and subsequently take effects on the resistance of oxidative condition by regulating related metabolic processes. C. militaris resist the stress of high oxygen by producing a large amount of glycerol and carotenoids when this fungus is cultured in a saline environment for a long time.

β-Glucans Production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Using Tofu Waste as Animal Feed Supplement

Tofu industrial waste has the potential to become contaminant when it is not maximum processed, so it needs appropriate treatment to minimize the occurrence of pollution. β-Glucans can be produced from the yeast cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.As a feed supplement, β-Glucans have been used for an immunostimulant because it can increase the immune system. This study aimed to establish a suitable technology to produce β-Glucans fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae by utilize tofu waste as feed supplement. The Completely Randomized Design (CRD) model was used in the experimental method. This study used an experimental method with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) model.The treatment given wereP1: 1kg of tofu waste + 1kg of bran +0.2 kg fish meal + 0.2 lt molasses + 5.5 gSaccharomyces cerevisiae; P2: 1kg of tofu waste + 1kg of bran +0.2 kg fish meal + 0.2 lt molasses + 6.5 g Saccharomyces cerevisiae; P3: 1kg of tofu waste + 1kg bran + 0.2 kg fish meal +0.2 lt molasses + 7.5 g Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Each treatment was repeated 3 times, and fermented for five days.The results found that P1 by Saccharomyces cerevisiae 5.5 g was the best formulation to produced crude β-Glucans by weight of 25.9 g/kg of waste. Production of β-Glucans as an animal feed supplement is a waste-based feed technology development which is expected to increase livestock production both in quality and quantity.

Can Soil pH Correction Reduce the Animal Supplementation Needs in the Critical Autumn Period in Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem?

Extensive livestock production in Mediterranean climate conditions and acidic soils requires animal feed supplementation. This occurs during the summer and, frequently, also in the autumn and winter, depending on the prevailing rainfall patterns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dolomitic limestone application and of tree canopy on availability, quality, and floristic composition of a permanent pasture, grazed by sheep. At the end of autumn, winter, and spring of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 pasture green and dry matter production (GM and DM, respectively), crude protein (CP), and fiber (neutral detergent fiber) were monitored in 24 sampling points. Half of these points were located in areas amended with dolomitic limestone (COR) and half in unamended areas (UCOR). In each of these, half of the sampling points were located under tree canopy (UTC) and half outside tree canopy (OTC). Pasture floristic composition was monitored in spring 2020. The results show, in autumn, a positive and significant effect (i) of soil pH amendment on pasture DM and CP daily growth rate (kg·ha−1·day−1) (+28.8% and +42.6%, respectively), and (ii) of tree canopy on pasture CP daily growth rate (+26.4%). Both factors affect pasture floristic composition. Pasture species were identified as potential bio-indicators, characteristic of each field area. These results show the practical interest of the soil pH correction to reduce the animal supplementation needs in the critical autumn period in the Mediterranean montado ecosystem.