Twelve adult Slovak warmblood sport horses were used to study the effect of dried grape pomace (DGP) on health through blood serum biochemical indicators, and on apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). The digestibility analysis was carried out by two in vivo methods, total faeces collection (TFC) and using lignin as a marker (ADL). Animals were divided into 3 groups: control group (C, without supplementation), experimental group 1 (E1, feed rations + 200 g of DGP) and experimental group 2 (E2, feed rations + 400 g of DGP). In animals, no health problems were detected during the trial. Of the blood serum indicators, only the concentrations of potassium (increase in E2 group compared to C group) and alanine aminotransferase (decrease in E2 group in comparison with E1 and C group) were affected (P < 0.05). The ADL method resulted in underestimated digestibility coefficients due to low recovery rates of lignin (less than 90%) in C group and E1 group. According to TFC, in E1 group higher digestibility coefficients were detected for DM, OM and CP (P > 0.05) compared to C group. However, in E2 group lower digestibility of all the studied nutrients was found (P > 0.05) in comparison with C group and E1 group. These results suggest that DGP could be used in horse diets up to 200 g without negative effect on their health and for a possible digestibility improvement of some nutrients.

The objective of the present study was to determine the fatty acid profile of grape pomace, grape stem and grape bunch of three different cultivars of Vitis vinifera sp. (Green Veltliner, Pinot Blanc and Zweigelt) from two countries as a possible sources for animal nutrition. Fatty acid profile analysis was performed using the Agilent 6890 A GC machine. Significant differences (P <0.05) in fatty acid content of analyzed samples were detected between the countries, as well as between the cultivars within countries. Grape pomaces and grape bunches were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (70.91-71.86%), represented mainly by linoleic acid (69.79-70.32%), and low in saturated fatty acids (12.42-12.96%). Grape stems were characterized by a high saturated fatty acids content (24.46-30.85%), but on the other hand, these samples had the highest α-linolec acid concentration (9.98-14.52%). Oleic acid (12.24-15.17%) was the most abundant from monounsaturated fatty acids (12.69-15.33%) in all the analyzed samples. These results indicate a strong impact of the grape variety and location on the fatty acid profile of grape by-products and their potential to be evaluated as feed additives with high polyunsaturated fatty acids concentration in animal nutrition.

The aim of the experiment was study the effect of different feeding system on fatty acids (FA) profile of cow's milk. The tank's samples from two farms were collected. On these farms breed: the Slovak Spotted cattle was reared. Feeding system was realized on the base pasture + supplementary feeding without silage -grazing feeding system (farm A) and silage feeding system (farm B). The FA profile in the milk samples with the apparatus (Agilent 6890A GC, Agilent technologies, USA) were analysed. Feeding system affects FA profile of cow's milk. Significantly higher proportion of FA in milk samples: C4:0, C17:0, C18:1 cis-n9, C18:2 cis-n9, C18:3-n3 and C20:0 in milk from grazing feeding system (farm A) was detected. The samples of milk only from this feeding system contained C20:5 n3. Significantly higher content of 18:2 cis n6 and presence of C13:0, C20:3 n6 and C20:4 n6 only in milk samples from silage feeding system were determined. Significantly lower proportion of saturated FA was typical for milk from farm A and significantly higher proportion of polyunsaturated FA was characteristic for the samples from farm B. The influence of the feeding system on the monounsaturated FA content was not confirmed. In milk samples from both feeding systems very different n6/n3 FA ratio was detected, with lower value for milk from grazing feeding system (1.36 vs. 9.12).

The aim of this study was to find the effect of dried grape pomace (GP) feeding on the nutrients digestibility coefficients and biochemical parameters of sheep blood serum. The experiment was divided into three feeding periods—C (control), GP1 (1% grape pomace concentration), and GP2 (2% grape pomace concentration). Wethers in three groups in balance cages were housed for right feces collection. The C feed diet consisted of hay, ground wheat, soybean meal, mineral and vitamin lick. An experimental diet with 1% and 2% addition of GP from the daily dry matter intake was fed. After that, digestibility coefficients (in %) were calculated by the difference between nutrient intake and excretion. Furthermore, in the wethers’ blood, biochemical parameters (mineral, energetic, nitrogen, and enzymatic profile) were analyzed. After the GP2 feeding, statistically significant higher digestibility of CP (crude protein), NFC (nonfiber carbohydrates), NDF (neutral detergent fiber), and OM (organic matter) was found. However, the addition of dried GP increased significantly the content of Cl− and decreased the value of glucose, nevertheless, their concentrations were within the reference interval. Parameters of the wethers’ blood serum nitrogen and enzymatic profile were not affected by GP feeding. Dried grape pomace in an amount of 2% diet dry matter can be considered a suitable source of nutrients in sheep feeding, which in addition should improve the digestibility of diet crude protein.

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