Impact of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) seeds in fattener diets on pig performance and carcass traits and fatty acid profile and cholesterol of meat, backfat and liver

Impact of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn.) Seeds in Broiler Chicken Diets on Rearing Results, Carcass Composition, and Meat Quality

“…The content of total protein in the evaluated seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn.) ranged from 161 to 250 g/kg as reported by many researchers [21,22,28,65]. In turn, a higher content of protein in milk thistle seeds (up to 30.09%), depending on the variety and origin, was found by Aziz et al [24].…”

“…In turn, a higher content of protein in milk thistle seeds (up to 30.09%), depending on the variety and origin, was found by Aziz et al [24]. In the opinion of Grela et al [21] and Aziz et al [24] milk thistle seeds are not only a source of protein but also energy, which is corroborated by the level (up to 24.8%) of crude fat determining the energy value of the raw material. A lower (17.5-21.6%) content of fat in milk thistle seeds was demonstrated by Růžičková et al [66], and a higher content (26.05-30.5%) of this component was found in the experiments by [25,26].…”

“…Dry matter, protein and ash content of breast and thigh meat did not significantly differ between the control and dried Silybum marianum extract fed groups. In turn, Grela et al [21] analyzing the content of crude fat in the longissimus lumborum muscle of fatteners fed with rations containing 3% or 6% of milk thistle seeds noted a significant reduction in the content of this ingredient only when the content of milk thistle in the diet was reduced.…”

“…Currently, milk thistle (Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn) is increasingly popular in animal nutrition [9,[19][20][21]. Milk thistle seeds have a different content of protein (160-300 g/kg) containing a lot of exogenous amino acids, which is confirmed by EAAI-the essential amino acid index (60.32) [22][23][24].…”

Presence of Mycotoxins in Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Food Supplements: A Review

“…However, the biomass of MT can also be used in a non-medicinal way, including e.g., human and animal nutrition, bioenergy production, phytoremediation, agriculture, or cosmetic industry [21]. The supplementation of feed with MT/silymarin has proven useful in the livestock diet The improved growth rate and meat quality in pigs [44] and rabbits [45] and increased milk yield and/or quality in cows [46] and sheep [47] have been linked to such supplementation. Moreover, an increase in the egg yield was observed in hens whose feed has been supplemented with MT [48].…”