The rapidly growing population has increased demand for protein quantities and, following a shortage of plant-based feed protein sources and the prohibition of animal-based feed protein, has forced the search for new sources of protein. Therefore, humans have turned their attention to edible insects. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia illucens L.) are rich in nutrients such as fat, protein and high-quality amino acids and minerals, making them a good source of protein. Furthermore, BSFL are easily reared and propagated on any nutrient substrate such as plant residues, animal manure and waste, food scraps, agricultural byproducts, or straw. Although BSFL cannot completely replace soybean meal in poultry diets, supplementation of less than 20% has no negative impact on chicken growth performance, biochemical indicators and meat quality. In pig studies, although BSFL supplementation did not have any negative effect on growth performance and meat quality, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was reduced. There is obviously less research on the feeding of BSFL in pigs than in poultry, particularly in relation to weaning piglets and fattening pigs; further research is needed on the supplementation level of sows. Moreover, it has not been found that BSFL are used in ruminants, and the next phase of research could therefore study them. The use of BSFL in animal feed presents some challenges in terms of cost, availability and legal and consumer acceptance. However, this should be considered in the context of the current shortage of protein feed and the nutritional value of BSFL, which has important research significance in animal production.

Under the background of the current shortage of feed resources, especially the shortage of protein feed, attempts to develop and utilize new feed resources are constantly being made. If the tomato pomace (TP) produced by industrial processing is used improperly, it will not only pollute the environment, but also cause feed resources to be wasted. This review summarizes the nutritional content of TP and its use and impact in animals as an animal feed supplement. Tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato processing, divided into peel, pulp, and tomato seeds, which are rich in proteins, fats, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids, as well as antioxidant bioactive compounds, such as lycopene, beta-carotenoids, tocopherols, polyphenols, and terpenes. There are mainly two forms of feed: drying and silage. Tomato pomace can improve animal feed intake and growth performance, increase polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and PUFA n-3 content in meat, improve meat color, nutritional value, and juiciness, enhance immunity and antioxidant capacity of animals, and improve sperm quality. Lowering the rumen pH and reducing CH4 production in ruminants promotes the fermentation of rumen microorganisms and improves economic efficiency. Using tomato pomace instead of soybean meal as a protein supplement is a research hotspot in the animal husbandry industry, and further research should focus on the processing technology of TP and its large-scale application in feed.

This study aimed to investigate how the consumption of purple neem foliage rich in anthocyanins improves rumen fermentation, growth performance and plasma antioxidant activity in growing goats. In total, 25 Anglo-Nubian Thai native male goats (about 20 ± 2 kg body weight; mean standard deviation (SD)) were assigned to 2 × 2 + 1 factorial in a completely randomized study design. There were five treatments: (1) control, (2) 3% normal neem foliage in concentrate, (3) 6% normal neem foliage in concentrate, (4) 3% purple neem foliage in concentrate and (5) 6% purple neem foliage in concentrate. The results show that the goats that were fed 6% purple neem foliage in concentrate had a higher (p < 0.01) feed intake gDM/d, %BW, g/kgBW0.75, nutrient intake, nutrient digestion, final weight, weight change and ADG than did the goats that were fed 3% purple neem foliage in concentrate, 3% normal neem foliage in concentrate, 6% normal neem foliage in concentrate and control treatment. The feeding of 6% purple neem foliage in concentrate had higher (p < 0.01) N intake, N urine, N digestion, N digestion (%), N retention and N retention (%) than the other treatments. The goats receiving 6% purple neem foliage in concentrate had no negative effect (p < 0.01) on pH but had a higher (p < 0.01) level of ammonia nitrogen, BUN, acetic acid, propionic acid, ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid and total VFA at 2 and 4 h after feeding compared to the other treatments. The effect of anthocyanin-rich 6% purple neem foliage was shown to be higher than the other treatments (p < 0.01) for total bacteria, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Streptococcus bovis at 2 and 4 h after feeding. The goats fed 6% purple neem foliage displayed higher (p < 0.01) levels of total antioxidant (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and catalase (CAT) antioxidant activity in plasma at 2 and 4 h after feeding. The goats fed 6% purple neem foliage had lower (p < 0.01) protozoa methanogen and malondialdehyde (MDA) at 2 and 4 h after feeding. In developing growing goats, the introduction of anthocyanin-rich purple neem foliage boosted plasma antioxidant capacity, improved rumen volatile fatty acids and caused a shift in the structure and relative abundance of the ruminal microbial community.

Purple Napier grass is a semi-dwarf, purple-leaved Napier grass. The purple color is anthocyanins. Anthocyanin is classified as a group of flavonoids. It has antioxidant properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of plant spacing and harvesting age on the forage yield, morphological characteristics, chemical composition, and anthocyanin composition of purple Napier grass. An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of plant spacing and harvesting age on the forage yield, morphological characteristics, chemical composition, and anthocyanin composition of purple Napier grass when grown on a sandy soil. The cultivars were Napier Pakchong 1 (Pennisetum purpureum × Pennisetum americanum cv. Pakchong 1) and purple Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum “Prince”), with plant spacings of 50 × 50, 50 × 75, and 75 × 75 cm, and the harvesting ages were 45, 60, and 75 days. The experiment was a 2 × 3 × 3 factorial layout in a randomized complete block design with four replications, for a total of 72 plots, each 5 × 5 m. The purple Napier grass had a higher number of tillers per plant than the Napier Pakchong 1 grass. The LSR value (leaf/stem ratio) was influenced by the interaction of cultivar × plant spacing × harvesting age. The purple Napier grass planted at 75 × 75 cm for 45 days had the highest LSR value. The crude protein of the purple Napier grass, the grass planted at 75 × 75 cm, and the grass for 45 days were significantly higher than the other treatments. The purple Napier grass planted at 75 × 75 cm for 45 days had the highest (p < 0.05) anthocyanin content. It was concluded that purple Napier grass planted at 75 × 75 cm for 45 days would contain the proper number of tillers per plant, LSR value, chemical composition for ruminants, and the highest anthocyanin composition.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effect of Purple Neem foliage as a feed supplement on nutrient apparent digestibility, nitrogen utilization, rumen fermentation, microbial population, plasma antioxidants, meat quality and fatty acid profile of goats. Eighteen Boer male goats (approximately 20 ± 2 kg body weight; mean ± standard deviation (SD)) were randomly allocated into three treatments. All goats were fed a 60 d daily feeding with three treatments: (1) control, (2) 3% Purple Neem foliage (PNF) + 3% sunflower oil (SFO) in concentrate, and (3) 6% Purple Neem foliage (PNF) + 3% sunflower oil (SFO) in concentrate. The findings indicate that goat feed containing 6% PNF + 3% SFO in concentrate increased feed consumption, nutrient intake, nutrient apparent digestibility and nitrogen utilization compared to the goat feed at 3%PNF + 3%SFO and the control group. The feeding of goats with 6%PNF + 3%SFO in concentrate resulted in high ammonia nitrogen, BUN, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and the total VFA levels were increased at 2 and 4 h after feeding (p < 0.01). The individual microbial population with 6%PNF + 3%SFO had higher (p < 0.01) total bacteria, higher Butyrivibrio fibrisolven, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefacises, and Streptococcus bovis, decreased protozoa and methanogen levels at 2 and 4 h after feeding. The antioxidant in plasma indices varied, with 6%PNF + 3%SFO having higher total antioxidant (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and catalase (CAT) antioxidant activity and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma at 2 and 4 h after feeding. Additionally, goat fed 6%PNF + 3%SFO can improve meat quality by lowering drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, and saturated fatty acid as well as increase the fatty acid profile (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) in goat meat. Our findings suggest that Purple Neem foliage might be an excellent alternative additive for goat feed.