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The aim of this study was conducted to determine the effects of sepiolite usage on pellet production parameters and pellet quality characteristics for dairy cattle concentrate feed under regular industrial conditions. In the experiment, 14 mt pellet feeds for control and two treatment groups with 7 batch each were produced in a commercial feed factory. Each batch was 2 mt. Control group feed produced contained 87.37% dry matter, 18.06% crude protein, 6.95% crude fibre and 5.34% ether extract. For the treatment groups, 1% and 1.5% sepiolite (Exal T) were used as top dressed in the mixer. Pelleting disc having 6.5 mm hole diameter was used in the factory. Energy consumption during pellet manufacturing was decreased with sepiolite supplementation (P<0.001) and pellet durability index (PDI) was enhanced with 1.5% sepiolite (P<0.05). These findings demonstrated that 1.5% sepiolite in dairy cattle concentrates as top dressed may be used as a binder to improve pellet quality and to reduce energy consumption during pellet production in the feed mill.

The present study aimed to examine the influence of sepiolite on growth performance, meat quality, intestinal health, some blood parameters, and digestibility of nutrients in broilers fed low protein diets with the constant energy-protein ratio. A total of 252, daily male broiler chicks were allocated to four treatment groups further divided into 9 replicates each containing 7 chicks. Low protein diets having a constant energy-protein ratio were formulated by lowering protein and energy levels of the control group diet by 5%. Sepiolite was used at the level of 1% in the diets. After 42 days trial total feed consumption, total body weight gain, total feed conversion ratio, and carcass yield were not influenced by reducing protein, sepiolite supplementation, and interaction between low protein-low energy diet and sepiolite. Reducing protein in the diets led to reducing the digestibility of nutrients, increasing ileal viscosity, decreasing villus height, villus surface area in duodenum and jejunum, and increasing abdominal fat, ether extract, cooking losses, total oxidant status, and oxidative status index in breast meat. Sepiolite supplementation to low protein diets increased crude protein digestibility, reduced viscosity, increased villus height/crypt depth values, reduced cooking losses, and increased water holding capacity. Blood serum biochemical parameters and minerals were not affected by sepiolite supplementation to low protein diets. Therefore, it is concluded that sepiolite can be added as a beneficial supplement in broiler diets as well as in low protein diets with a constant energy-protein ratio.