In recent years there has been increased interest in the production of novel functional foods by utilizing eco-friendly materials and methods. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine the effects of dietary spirulina (Spirulina platensis), a blue-green microalga, on growth performance, meat oxidative stability and fatty acid profile of broiler chickens. One hundred and twenty one-day-old broiler chickens of mixed sex were weighed individually and assigned randomly to three treatment groups with four replications of 10 birds. All birds were housed in floor cages with litter, and conventional breeding and management procedures were applied throughout the 42-day trial period. The treatment groups were as follows: control: 0 g spirulina/kg feed; S05: 5 g spirulina/kg feed; S10: 10 g spirulina/kg feed. The birds were fed with maize and soybean meal-based commercial diets for the starter (1 to 14 days), grower (15 to 28 days) and finisher (29 to 42 days) periods. Feed and drinking water were offered to all birds ad libitum. The results of the experiment showed that bodyweight gain (at 21 d and 42 d), feed conversion ratio and mortality did not differ among the groups, nor did breast and thigh meat lipid oxidation differ among the groups. The fatty acid profile of the thigh meat was enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid after spirulina supplementation. Therefore, spirulina could be a promising functional ingredient in broiler chicken nutrition.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the dietary use of sesame seed hulls on lamb performance parameters and some meat quality characteristics. A total of 36 lambs of Pelagonia (Florina) breed 68 ± 5 days old and with average initial body weight 18.5 ± 2.6 kg, were randomly allocated to 3 groups. The lambs of the Control group were fed a normal diet based on alfalfa hay, wheat straw and concentrate feed (mainly maize, barley and soybean meal), whereas those from Groups S100 and S200 were fed alfalfa hay, wheat straw and concentrate feeds containing sesame seed hulls at 100 g/kg feed and 200 g/kg feed, respectively. After 9 weeks, experimental period, the animals of Group S200 had significantly (P<0.05) better final body weight, fasting live weight, weight with empty rumen, hot carcass weight, and cold carcass weight compared to the Control group. Moreover, the dressing percentage was significantly higher (P<0.05) for group S200, compared to group S100, but not compared to the controls. Meat lipid oxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content did not differ among all three groups (P>0.05) after 2 or 4 days of refrigeration. Moreover, the fatty acid profile of the meat did not differ (P>0.05) for saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids among all groups. In conclusion, sesame seed hulls can be used in lamb nutrition with some possible benefits regarding the performance parameters.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the nutritive value of rapeseed meal (RSM) as a protein source for pigs, and the effect of graded inclusion levels of RSM as a replacement for imported soybean meal (SBM) on growth performance and carcass quality of pigs. Two trials were conducted, a digestibility trial, and a growth performance trial. In the digestibility trial, which lasted 38 days, four castrated male Large White × Landrace pigs with an initial bodyweight of 40.3 ± 2.4 kg were used. Digestible energy (DE) per kg of RSM, digestibility energy of RSM and the apparent digestibility coefficients (%) of RSM nutrients were assessed by the method of difference. A total of 64 (Large White × Landrace) pigs with average initial bodyweight of 11 ± 1.3 kg were used in the growth performance trial. The experiment lasted 15 weeks, and was divided into three growth stages. The RSM was added to the pig diets at levels from 1% to 21%. The dietary level of glucosinolates (GLS) ranged from 0.149 μmol/g to 3.129 μmol/g and RSM replaced from 3.4% to 100% of the SBM in the diets. It was proven that up to 15% of RSM of Greek origin with a GLS content of 14.9 μmol/g could be used in nutritionally balanced diets as an alternative to imported soybean meal for growing-finishing pigs, as it provides economic benefits and has positive effects on growth performance and carcass quality.

Rapeseed meal (RSM), a by-product of extracted rapeseed oil production, is a potential protein source for use in pig diets. To determine the best levels of RSM inclusion in diets of fattening pigs as well as the digestibility and energy value of diets containing gradually increasing levels of RSM, a digestibility trial was conducted. The trial was performed according to a 4x4 Latin square experimental design, with 4 Large White x Landrace castrated male pigs weighing on average 47.3kg. The animals were housed in metabolism cages during the whole period the duration of which was a total of 66 days. The experiment was divided into 5 periods, an adjustment period and 4 experimental periods, during which pigs consumed 4 experimental diets. The diet C (control) was a basal diet based on corn and soybean meal, while the other experimental diets included RSM at levels 90 (low- L), 180 (medium- M) and 270 (high- H) g.kg-1 of feed, respectively. Each experimental period consisted of 10 preliminary days during which the animals were adapted to the diets, followed by a 4 days period for collection of faeces, urine and feed refusal. The gradual increase in the level of RSM in the experimental diets resulted in a significant (P<0.05) reduction in the apparent digestibility of CP, but only for the diet with the highest level of RSM, compared to the control diet and this one with the lowest level of RSM . Any increase in the level of RSM in the experimental diets resulted in significant (P<0.05) increase on the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of CF and very significant (P<0.01) increase in diets M and H, compared to the control and diet L. Similar were the effects of RSM levels in the diets on the apparent digestibility coefficient of NDF, ADF and cellulose. As conclusion, the gradual increase in the level of RSM in the fattening pigs’ diets did not significantly affect ADC of DM and gross energy, caused a significant reduction in the ADC of CP, and a significant improvement in the ADC of CF as well.