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Essential oils are gaining more and more importance in the animal nutrition, due to their antimicrobial and immunostimulant properties. This experiment aimed to assess the effect of oregano essential oil (OEO) on feed intake growth performance, health and microbiological status of suckling piglets. A total of 71 piglets, originated from 8 sows, were randomly allocated to two treatments - control (C - 35 piglets) and experimental (OEO - 36 piglets). Sows from C group received an antibiotic-free diet, and sows from the OEO group - control diet + 0.500 g/kg feed OEO. Piglets from the OEO group were treated orally by 1 cm3/day by an emulsion of OEO from day 3 till day 14 of age and by 1 g/kg oregano powder added to creep feed from day 14 till day 35 of age. Application of OEO significantly increased sows' feed intake during the third and fifth weeks of lactation (P<0.01). In general, the use of oregano emulsion and powder had no effect on the growth performance and health status of suckling pigs. No significant difference was found in the results of bacteriological tests for the isolation of E. coli and Salmonella spp. of rectal swab samples between the OEO and C groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the probiotic Baykal EM-1 on some hematological and biochemical parameters of suckling pigs was tested in an experiment with 15 equalized by breed, origin, piglet age, farrowing sequence and litter size litters. A total of 154 pigs were included into the experiment, 82 pigs (8 litters) in the experimental and 72 pigs (7 litters) in the control treatment. The feed additive, a multi-purpose microbiological product containing a complex of living, useful microorganisms, Baykal EM-1, was added to the feed of the trial group, both to the feed of sows and piglets. The dosage was 10 ml/kg of feed, from the day 8th after birth to the day 35th at weaning of the pigs. On the day 35th, at weaning, blood samples were taken and hematological and biochemical parameters alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total protein level were tested. Through the whole experimental period, pigs were observed for clinical signs of diarrhea and a faecal scoring system was applied to indicate its presence and severity. A trend for a positive effect of adding the probiotic Baykal EM-1 on white blood picture in suckling pigs has been found, although not clearly demonstrated. Better biochemical status in piglets, consuming multi-strain probiotic (P < 0.01), was established. Elevated above reference values biochemical parameters in the control group were indicative of an existing, though not manifested, bacterial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving pig growth performance, nutrient digestibility and pork quality is a main goal of pig breeding. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of Larix sibirica dihydroquercetin (DHQ) or dry distilled rose (Rosa damascena) petals (DDRP) on growth performance, carcass composition, meat quality, blood parameters and histological changes in ovaries and liver in native Danube White fattening pigs. A total of 120 pigs were used in the experiment lasting 45 days prior to harvest. The pigs were divided into five groups. The control group (C) was fed a basal diet. The other four experimental groups were fed the same diets containing either 3.5 and 7.5 mg DHQ/kg/d or 0.255 and 0.545 g DDRP/kg/d. The supplementations with DHQ or DDRP increased the average body weight by 7.74 - 9.05%, the average daily gain by 27.06 - 30.13%, and feed to gain ratio by 12.53 - 15.99%, while decreasing the feed intake by 5.24 - 13.84% and the average liver weight by 10.53 - 21.12% compared to the control group. Both supplementations did not cause pathological changes in the histological structure of pigs' liver and ovaries; and had no influence on pH values and proximate composition of m. Longissimus thoracis and m. Semimembranosus. No pH determined stress-induced muscle damage was found and the pork carcasses were classified in classes E and U. The two used supplementations reduced the blood LDL cholesterol by 13.27 - 14.29 % and increased the erythrocytes, platelets, hematocrit, mean red blood cell count, mean hemoglobin concentration in erythrocytes, triglycerides and total cholesterol as well. The addition of 3.5 mg DHQ/kg/d or 0.545 g DDRP/kg/d to pigs 'diet can be used as growth promoters of natural origin with a favorable effect on blood metabolites and meat quality, due to their bioactive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the probiotic preparation Baykal EM-1 on the growth performance, blood parameters and behaviour of weaned pigs. А research experiment with a total of 96 growing pigs, divided into two groups - control (48) and experimental (48), fed with the probiotic Baykal EM-1 in the amount of 10 ml/kg feed, was carried out. The indicators average live weight, feed consumption, daily gain, feed conversion, blood parameters and behaviour of pigs, were studied. The following conclusions were made: The addition of Baykal EM-1 (10 ml/kg feed) in weaned pig diets improved the average daily gain by 11% (P = 0.031). The higher number of leukocytes and lymphocytes in pigs from the experimental group (P<0.001), compared to the control group, may be an indicator of better health and higher immunity. A trend for better comfort in animals with the microbiological supplement in the feed, contributing to the better absorption of nutrients, has been established. The results obtained in this study show that the combination of probiotics Baykal EM-1 has the potential for use as a dietary supplement in weaned pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of feed additives to improve the efficiency of growth and/or eggs production, prevent disease and improve feed utilization is a strategy to improve the efficiency of the poultry industry. Feed additives may not enter the market in Europe unless authorisation has been given following a scientific evaluation. The use and development of enzymes, phytogenics, prebiotics and probiotics has gained momentum in poultry feeding. The enzymes widely used by the industry are the non-starch polysaccharidases that cleave the non-starch polysaccharides in viscous cereals, microbial phytases that target the phytatecomplexes in plant ingredients. Proteases are of interest to improve protein and amino acid digestibility, particularly in very young animals. Phytogenics are an alternative to in-feed antibiotics to prevent the risk of developing pathogens and also to satisfy consumer demand for a food chain free of drugs. Probiotic feed additives generally consist of one single strain or a combination of several strains of bacteria, Bacillus spores or yeasts species. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients, such as fructo-oligo-saccharides, xylo-oligo-saccharides, mannan-oligo-saccharides and galacto-oligo-saccharides that are also used in feeds to protect poultry against pathogens. Future research needs to be directed towards understanding how combinations of these additives can be used to improve the effi ciency of poultry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovative approach for harvesting of carcass meat with functional properties through use of biological active substances, added to feed during animal rearing is current and significant scientific problem, whose mechanism until now is not sufficiently understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of 3.5 and 7.5 mg dihydroquercetin (DHQ) (samples D1 and D2, respectively), or 0.255 and 0.545 g dry distilled rose petals (DDRP) (samples R1 and R2, respectively) / kg live weight / day added as supplements to pig diets on free amino nitrogen content and water holding capacity in Longissimus lumborum and Semimembranosus muscles stored 1 and 7 d at 0 ± 4°C. A total of 24 pigs were randomly divided to five groups - control sample C and four experimental groups (samples D1, D2, R1 and R2) each fed 45 d prior to harvest with different levels DHQ and DDRP enriched diets. Supplementation of pigs with 3.5 mg DHQ/kg live weight/d and especially with 0.545 g of DDRP/kg of live weight/d contributes fast-growing (p ˂ 0.05) proteolysis in m. Longissimus thoracis, but supplementation with 3.5 mg DHQ/kg live weight/d and 0.242 g DDRP kg live weight/d shows strong inhibitory effect on free amino nitrogen accumulation in m. Semimembranosus. The supplementation of pigs with two doses of DHQ and DDRP does not result (p ˂ 0.05) in muscle damage caused by stress during the antemortem treatment of the animals and does not effect on water holding capacity of pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an experiment with 15 equalized by piglet age, origin and size litters, of which 8 litters in the trial and 7 litterts in the control group, the effect of Baikal EM-1 feed additive, a multi-purpose microbiological product containing a complex of living, useful microorganisms, on the weight development and the microbiological status of the gastrointestinal tract of the pigs, was studied. The additive was included in the feed of the sows and pigs at a dosage of 10 ml / kg of feed, from the day 8th after birth to the day 35th at weaning of the pigs. On the day 21st and day 35th the body weights of the pigs were recorded, and on the day 35th, 10 rectal tampon samples (RTS) from the two groups were taken and microbiologically examined. It was found that the data on weight development, total growth and average daily gain did not show any significant differences in the benefit of the trial group, which contradicts the hitherto established for many other feed additives. Microbiological tests showed that 40% of the RTS of both groups were positive for E. coli, of which in the trial group 75% were nonpathogenic and 25% pathogenic (O139:F4) in and in the control group 75% pathogenic (O139:F4) and 25% non-pathogenic, which represents the product as a good prophylactic remedy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment examined the effects of two field bean cultivar samples with different tannin contents, the effect of heat treatment (micronesian) and the effect of dietary supplementation of a proprietary enzyme preparation containing tannase, pectinase, and xylanase activities on metabolisable energy (ME), total tract dry matter digestibility (DMD) and ether extract digestibility (EED), nitrogen retention (NR), tannin degradability, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) development, and endogenous mucin losses excretion in broiler chickens. The Control diet contained per kg 221 g crude protein and 12.83 MJ ME. Four additional diets contained 300 g/kg of each of the two untreated or micronised experimental field bean cultivar samples. Each diet was then split into two batches and one of them was supplemented with 3400 units tannase per kg diet resulting in 10 diets in total. Each diet was fed to seven pens with two randomly selected male broilers each. Birds fed the high tannin bean sample had a lower weight gain (p < 0.001), and a lower determined apparent ME (p < 0.05), and DMD (p < 0.001) but a higher tannin degradability (p < 0.001). Compared to the Control diet, feeding field beans increased (p < 0.001) the weights of the proventriculus and gizzard of the birds, and also increased endogenous mucin losses (p < 0.05). Supplementing diets with the tannase-containing enzyme preparation improved dietary ME (p < 0.001), DMD (p < 0.001), NR (p < 0.001) and DEE (p < 0.05), but did not change tannin degradability. Heat treatment of the beans reduced the degradability of condensed tannins and increased endogenous mucin losses (p < 0.05). The differences in the feeding value of the different field bean samples were not improved by heat treatment, but enzyme supplementation improved the feeding value of all diets regardless of the bean samples or heat treatment. Further research is warranted to study the effectiveness of tannase supplementation in poultry diet formulations by dose response trials with purified tannase preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two methods for the preparation of LaCoO3 samples were used: thermal decomposition of La–Co citrate precursors obtained by freeze-drying of the corresponding solutions and by a solid state reaction. Microstructural characterization was made by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR). For assignment of the EPR signals, La1− x Sr x CoO3 samples were used as EPR references. The LaCoO3 oxides prepared from citrates and by a solid state reaction were shown to differ in respect of the mean oxidation state of the cobalt ions, the specific surface area and the particle morphology. EPR spectroscopy reveals for ex-citrate LaCoO3 ferromagnetic Co3+ and Co4+ coupled ions. For LaCoO3 samples obtained by a solid state reaction, EPR permits detecting Co3O4 impurities only. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanosized aluminum tungstate, Al2(WO4)3, is prepared by a precipitation reaction between Na2WO4 and Al(NO3)3. The structure of the precipitated composition is determined by powder XRD analysis, IR and 27Al MAS NMR spectroscopy. The thermal properties are examined by DSC, DTA and TG analyses combined with gas evolved analysis. Particle sizes and morphology are examined by TEM analysis. Precipitation reaction leads to the formation of an amorphous composition, which consists of dimer and trimer aluminum hydroxide species and WO4 2− groups. Finely dispersed particles with dimensions of about 25 nm are formed. The precipitated composition is decomposed to amorphous Al2(WO4)3 immediately after H2O release. At 630 °C, amorphous Al2(WO4)3 crystallizes in an orthorhombic modification of Al2(WO4)3, the enthalpy of crystallization being 58 kJ/mol. The nanosized particles remain intact after the crystallization of amorphous Al2(WO4)3. A significant particle growth take places when nanosized Al2(WO4)3 is heated from 600 to 800 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal-based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. Recommendations are also provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of pigs related to tail biting and related to the European Citizen's Initiative 'End the Cage Age'. For example, the AHAW Panel recommends how to mitigate group stress when dry sows and gilts are grouped immediately after weaning or in early pregnancy. Results of a comparative qualitative assessment suggested that long-stemmed or long-cut straw, hay or haylage is the most suitable material for nest-building. A period of time will be needed for staff and animals to adapt to housing lactating sows and their piglets in farrowing pens (as opposed to crates) before achieving stable welfare outcomes. The panel recommends a minimum available space to the lactating sow to ensure piglet welfare (measured by live-born piglet mortality). Among the main risk factors for tail biting are space allowance, types of flooring, air quality, health status and diet composition, while weaning age was not associated directly with tail biting in later life. The relationship between the availability of space and growth rate, lying behaviour and tail biting in rearing pigs is quantified and presented. Finally, the panel suggests a set of ABMs to use at slaughter for monitoring on-farm welfare of cull sows and rearing pigs., (© 2022 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KgaA on behalf of the European Food Safety Authority.)