Simple SummaryRecovery and valorization of residues are key factors for agro-industry to progress towards circular-economy models and more sustainable productions. In the vegetable oils industry, large quantities of spent seed cakes are produced downstream of the oil extraction processes, and their use as animal feedstuffs, mainly as protein supplements for ruminants, is a possible valorization strategy. In this study, we analyzed chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of spent cakes from sunflower, pomegranate, cardoon, tobacco and hemp that are multipurpose cultures emerging in Mediterranean area. The results showed that the cakes of tobacco, cardoon and hemp might be interesting alternative protein feeds for ruminants. The valorization of these cakes may potentially improve economic and environmental sustainability of the emerging vegetable-oil production chains.AbstractFifteen oilseed cakes from sunflower, pomegranate, cardoon, tobacco and hemp were characterized with regard to chemical composition, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) fractionation, in vitro digestibility of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, and crude protein. All the cakes presented low moisture, rather variable ether extract contents and medium to high levels of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber. The cakes significantly differed in terms of CNCPS partitioning and in vitro digestibility. Tobacco and hemp cakes presented high contents of slow degradable fractions of crude protein and carbohydrate joined to good post-ruminal protein digestibility. Cardoon cakes presented the highest rumen protein degradability. Based on crude protein content and intestinal digestibility of rumen undegraded protein, cakes of tobacco and hemp showed the better potential as alternative protein supplements for ruminants, while pomegranate appears to be the least suitable for ruminant feeding.

No abstract

Hemp is a dicotyledonous plant from the family of Cannabaceae, genus Cannabis, and is considered one of the oldest domesticated crops. For several years, this plant was used for different purposes, such as clothing and shoes, cordages, carpets and tarps, maritime ropes, sails and nets, and paper production (Crini et al., 2020).However, in the last century, hemp cultivation was decreased due

Cactus pear cladodes are used as forage in the most arid regions. In Italy, the human consumption of prickly pear fruits and juice is gradually increasing for their numerous health benefits. In manufacturing plants that produce prickly pear juice, several by-products (prickly pear by-products PPB) are obtained. Despite their interesting nutritional characteristics, PPB are not very usable because of their poor shelf-life which is related to their high moisture and sugar content. The aim of this study was to verify the efficacy of ensilage to preserve PPB and to compare different inclusion levels (0, 5, and 10% as fed) of wheat straw. For each treatment, four under vacuum micro-silos were prepared and, after 35 days of storage, the state of preservation was evaluated. Subsequently, the aliquots were analyzed for chemical composition and incubated with bovine rumen fluid to evaluate the fermentation kinetics. The PPB 5% of straw showed significant lower pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration, indicating a better preservation process. Moreover, PPB 5% of straw showed better nutritional parameters (higher crude protein and lower Neutral Detergent Fibre) and fermentation characteristics (higher degradability and VFA volatile fatty acids production) when compared with the other PPB silages. Ensilage with straw represents a suitable storage technique to preserve the nutritional characteristics of PPB.

In recent years, animal husbandry has aimed at improving the conditions of livestock animals useful for humans to solve environmental and health problems. The formulation of animal feeds or supplements based on antioxidant plant compounds is considered a valuable approach and an alternative for livestock productivity. Forest biomass materials are an underestimated source of polyphenolic compounds whose sustainable recovery could provide direct benefits to animals and, indirectly, human nutrition. In this context, an alcohol extract from leaves of Fagus sylvatica L. was first investigated through an untargeted ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) approach. Then, it was fractionated into a fatty acid-rich and a polyphenolic fraction, as evidenced by total lipid, phenol, and flavonoid content assays, with antiradical and reducing activity positively correlated to the latter. When tested in vitro with rumen liquor to evaluate changes in the fermentative parameters, a significant detrimental effect was exerted by the lipid-rich fraction, whereas the flavonoid-rich one positively modulated the production of volatile fatty acids (i.e., acetate, butyrate, propionate, etc.).