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Yoghurt is one of the well-known fermented dairy products that play an important role in the human diet. At present, products made of goat's milk are becoming more popular. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of physicochemical properties of yoghurt fortified with vitamin C. Six different yoghurts were developed: from goat's and cow's milk without any addition, with L-ascorbic acid and acerola addition. The results showed that the addition of L-ascorbic acid significantly decreased pH. Based on the sensory evaluation, the natural cow's yoghurt has scored higher in the overall rating among yoghurts. The addition of L-ascorbic acid to natural goat's yoghurt positively affected the color, taste, flavor, and consistency. In the case of cow's milk yoghurt, the addition of L-ascorbic acid and acerola deteriorated the taste of the product.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of phytogenic product-supplemented, organic acid-supplemented, and prebiotic-supplemented diets on the production results, antioxidative status, and selected welfare indices in broiler chickens. A total of 1155 one-day old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: Group C, no additives, Group A, supplemented with phytogenic supplement (50% hop), and Group P, supplemented with 65% organic acids and their salts, and 30% prebiotic complex. Health condition and production results were monitored during the entire experiment. After 42 days, 10 birds from each dietary treatment group were selected for blood sampling and slaughter analysis. The results obtained revealed that over the whole feeding period, none of the investigated additives significantly affected broiler performance indices. However, feeding the birds treatment-A increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in caecal digesta compared to the other treatments, whereas feeding treatment-P increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus compared to the control treatment. Overall, treatment-A was more effective at increasing relative abundance of Clostridia in birds at 42 days of age than treatment-P. Finally, there were no changes in blood levels of antioxidant indices or liver function indicators.

Simple Summary Selenium (Se) plays an important role in many biological functions, especially in the immune system. We studied the effects of injectable Se supplementation on the immune status, blood parameters, body weights and average daily gain of lambs. The results of the study indicate that the Se preparation induced an increase in the values of the parameters of both non-specific and specific immunity. Lambs from the experimental group achieved higher body weights and daily gains. The present findings can contribute to a better understanding of the biological functions of Se and improve the efficacy of this mineral in livestock production. Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the effects of long-acting selenium (Se) preparation in sheep. The experimental material comprised Skudda ewes and their lambs. The animals were divided into two equal groups: C-control, and E-experimental. Between days 70 and 80 of pregnancy, group E ewes were injected with Se preparation (Barium Selenate Injection, BVP Animal Care, Ireland) at f 1 mL/50 kg body weight. Hematological, biochemical and immunological blood parameters as well as Se levels were analyzed in ewes. The growth rate of lambs, the dimensions of the musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD) cross-section, and fat thickness over the loin-eye area were also determined. It was found that barium selenate stimulated the mechanisms of humoral and cellular immunity. The injection was an effective form of Se supply, which was confirmed by its increased concentration in the blood serum of lactating ewes. The offspring of the experimental ewes were characterized by a faster growth rate, and they achieved significantly higher body weight (p ≤ 0.05) at 100 days of age. The lambs also had significantly higher parameters of MLD (p ≤ 0.05) at similar carcass fat content.

This study examines the impact of soybean meal (SBM) substitutes, including solvent-extracted 00 rapeseed meal (RSM), narrow-leaved lupin (LUPIN), and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) (each used at a ratio of 250 g/kg−1 in the diet), as well as administered probiotic (L. casei, L. plantarum, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, S. cerevisiae), on gut microbiota activity, diversity and performance. The experimental treatments were arranged in a 4 × 2 factorial design, with the factors being protein source in the diets (SBM only, RSM, LUPIN or DDGS) given from 8 to 35 days of age, and with or without a probiotic preparation administered in drinking water during the entire rearing period. The performance declined in birds fed with SBM substitutes (P≤0.01). The RSM diet decreased concentration of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) (PClostridiales and Lactobacillales diversity in the ileal and caecal digesta. Probiotic administration did not affect performance, but it did alleviate some negative effects of SBM substitutes on microbiota activity and diversity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a long-acting selenium (Se) preparation administered to sheep. The experiment was conducted on 30 dams and 36 lambs divided into three equal groups of 10 dams and 12 lambs each: Control—C, and two experimental groups—E (Se administered to pregnant ewes) and EI (Se administered directly to lambs after the colostral period). The Se preparation (Barium Selenate Injection, BVP Animal Care, 50 mg/mL) was administered by injection at 1 mL/50 kg (1 mg Se/kg) body weight (BW) to group E ewes in the third month of pregnancy (between 70 and 90 days) and to group EI lambs between 4 and 7 days of age. The following parameters were determined: Se concentration in the blood of ewes, milk yield, milk composition, Se concentration in milk, hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters and Se concentration in the blood of lambs, growth rate and in vivo measurements of lean meat and fat content in lambs. Barium selenate significantly improved the Se status of dams and lambs, regardless of whether it was administered to pregnant ewes or directly to lambs in the first week of their life. The milk of ewes receiving the Se preparation was characterized by higher concentrations of fat and dry matter. The Se preparation induced significant changes in immunological parameters, thus enhancing defense mechanisms in lambs. The Se preparation exerted more stimulatory effects on humoral and cellular immune responses when administered directly to lambs after the colostral period (group EI) than to pregnant ewes (group E). The results of this study indicate that the long-acting Se preparation delivers benefits to sheep by boosting their immunity and, therefore, improving performance.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid (HMB) on live weight loss and selected blood parameters in goat kids after transportation to the slaughterhouse. The study was performed with goat kids that were weaned at 30 days of age and divided into two groups (GK): a control group and an experimental group whose diet was supplemented with HMB (at 50 mg kg−1 of BW) for 60 consecutive days. At the end of the 90-day rearing period, the animals were fasted for 12 h (with access to water) and were transported to the slaughterhouse in the following morning. Blood for analysis was sampled before transportation (BST1) and after unloading in the slaughterhouse (BST2). The animals were weighed on the same dates to determine live weight loss. Red blood cell counts (RBC), white blood cell counts (WBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), neutrophil to lymphocyte (N:L) ratio, and cortisol and glucose concentrations were determined in the sampled blood. The experimental goat kids were characterized by lower weight loss after transportation. Group of kids and BST did not induce variations in RBC, WBC, HGB, and HCT. Cortisol concentration was affected by both GK and BST. Cortisol levels increased after transportation in both groups, but this parameter was significantly higher in the control than in experimental animals at BST2. Glucose levels and the N:L ratio did not differ significantly between GK, but glucose concentration and the N:L ratio were higher at BST2 than at BST1 in both groups. The experimental goat kids were characterized by lower weight loss and lower cortisol concentration after transportation, which could point to the efficacy of HMB in boosting immunity and alleviating transportation stress in goat kids.

The study included 2 groups of lambs (GL): control (C) and experimental (E) which since day 11 of life was receiving an addition of dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae preparation. At the age of 100 days, 12 lambs from each group were weaned from mothers for 12-h pre-slaughter fasting, and transported to a slaughter house. Blood was sampled for analyses: before weaning from mothers (BST 1), before and after transport (BST 2 and 3). Blood samples were assayed for: values of neutrophils and lymphocytes, N:L (neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio), cortisol and glucose. After 24-h chilling of lamb carcasses, musculus longissimus dorsi was subjected to measurements of final acidity (pH 24 ) and colour (CIE Lab), and muscle samples were collected for evaluation of water absorption and shear force. The GL and BST had a significant effect on the N:L ratio. No significant differences were found in the cortisol concentration between groups of lambs. This indicator was significantly different in the analyzed blood sampling time (P < 0.01). In the entire period of pre-slaughter handling, in group C cortisol concentration increased × 8.5, whereas in group E it increased × 4.3 compared to the baseline value. In both groups, the study showed an increase (P < 0.01) in glucose concentration in BST 3 compared to BST 1 and BST 2. Meat of lambs from group E was characterized by lower (P < 0.05) values of pH 24 , WHC, SF, and indicator a*. The obtained results suggest the advisability of applying a preparation of dried brewer’s yeast in rearing slaughter lambs in order to strengthen their immunity and to alleviate effects of pre-slaughter stress. Sheep, yeast, pre-slaughter handling, blood indicators, meat quality Pre-slaughter handling is a production stage of raw materials of animal origin that has important influence on the product quality. At this stage, animals are exposed to complex effects of many stress-inducing activities including: pre-slaughter fasting, loading on the means of transport, transport including its conditions and duration, and unloading at the

Additives with bioactive properties can improve chickens&rsquo, gut health. This study investigated the physiological status of the gut, including its morphological structure and microbiome activities in chickens fed diets supplemented with phytogenic ingredients with hops (Anta&reg, Phyt) or a mixture of a free butyrate acidifier and gluconic acid (PreAcid). In this study, 1155 broilers were distributed to three dietary treatments with 5 replicate pens per treatment, 77 birds each. Anta&reg, Phyt was added at 400/300/200/200 mg/kg diet whereas PreAcid was added at 3/2/1/1 g/kg starter/grower I/grower II/finisher diet respectively. Dietary treatments did not compromise body weight in different growth periods. In the birds fed PreAcid-supplemented diet, higher gut concentration of butyric acid was observed, particularly in the early stage of growth, while the profile of the short-chain fatty acids was maintained among the treatments. Neither additive significantly affected cecal bacterial enzyme activities. Feeding the birds with Anta&reg, Phyt and PreAcid had beneficial effects on gut morphostructure indices, including intestinal wall thickness, crypt depth and the villus height to crypt depth ratio, in 35- and 42-day old birds. In conclusion, the feeding Anta&reg, Phyt- or PreAcid-supplemented diet exerted beneficial effects on the indices determining the physiological status of the gut and maintained good performance of birds of different ages.

The effect of supplementing sheep diets with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Inter Yeast® dried brewer's yeast (Leiber GmbH, Bramsche, Germany) or with a Biolex® Beta-S (Leiber GmbH, Bramsche, Germany) extract containing over 70 % β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan was investigated. Experiment 1 was carried out with 120 ewes and 190 lambs. The animals were divided into three groups: I – control; II – fed yeast; and III – fed Biolex. The supplements were administered during a 3-week preparation period for tupping and a 70-day lamb-rearing period. The following reproductive parameters were analysed: fertility, prolificacy, lamb rearing and breeding performance, milk yield and lamb growth rate. Experiment 2 was conducted with 120 ewes divided into two groups: I – control and II – fed yeast during a 3-week preparation period. Fertility and prolificacy were analysed. Significant increases in prolificacy were recorded in sheep administered dried brewer's yeast: 28.51 % in experiment 1 and 31.33 % in experiment 2. Breeding performance was also higher by 35 %. Both yeast supplements had a stimulating impact on the milk yield of ewes and the growth rate of their offspring. Milk from the experimental ewes, especially in the group fed Biolex, had a substantially higher content of dry matter, mainly fat. The lambs in this group had the highest body weight at the age of 70 days. Finally, however, the production of livestock per mother was highest in the group fed the supplement with Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding silage made from different plant species to lambs. The experimental materials comprised 24 Kamieniec rams weaned at 70 days of age, allocated into one of three groups, and offered ad libitum three types of silage: red clover silage (RC), alfalfa silage (ALF), grass silage (GR). All lambs also received 0.5 kg ground barley per animal per day and 12.5 g mineral–vitamin premix per animal per day. The animals were kept in individual pens throughout a 60-day experimental period. The growth rate and selected blood biochemical indices of lambs were determined. On day 60, the greatest (34.7 kg) and the least (31.8 kg) body weights of lambs were from groups ALF and GR, respectively ( P ≤ 0.01). The difference between groups RC and GR was also significant. The nutritional regime had no effect on blood parameters, whereas lambs fed legume silages were characterized by increased blood glucose levels, decreased total blood protein levels ( P ≤ 0.05) and greater urea concentrations ( P ≤ 0.01), compared with lambs receiving grass silage. Lambs offered legume silages showed better growth performance, in comparison with those offered grass silage, which resulted from greater intake and supply of metabolizable energy and protein from alfalfa silage, and more effective utilization of nutrients contained in red clover silage.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan, isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on indicators of milk and meat performance in sheep as well as on selected non-specific indicators of humoral and cellular defense. The experiment was carried on 26 suckling ewes divided into 2 equal groups, and their offspring (21 in each group). The ewes were administered concentrate with the addition of β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan at a dose of 3 g/kg. Indicators of milk performance and markers of humoral and cellular immunity were analyzed on days 28 and 70 of lactation; and the indicators of meat performance of lambs on day 28 and 70 of their life. The addition of β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan was observed to cause an increase in milk performance by 13.5–14%. Simultaneously, milk was characterized by a lower somatic cell count. Diet supplementation had a positive effect on the chemical composition of milk, which was manifested by increased percentage contents of fat (by 15– 30%) and protein (by 11%). Lambs were characterized by a higher growth rate and better muscle tissue development. The supplementation caused an increase of gamma-globulin concentration (by 6.33–9.5 g/l), lysozyme activity (by 0.1 mg/l), respiratory burst activity (by 0.11–0.14), potential killing activity (by 0.10–0.12), proliferative response of T-cells stimulated by mitogen concanavalineA (by 0.07–0.09 RI) and proliferative response of B-cells stimulated by mitogen lipopolysaccharide (by 0.13–0.16 RI) in sheep’s blood. The activity of β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan as a natural immunostimulator has been studied in many animal species, however, this is the first study conducted on sheep.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of yeast preparations on selected properties of meat from suckling lambs. The experiment was conducted on 30 Kamieniec rams divided into three groups: I - control, II and III - experimental. Throughout the 100-day rearing period, the experimental animals were fed diets supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae prebiotics: Inter Yeast S® brewer's yeast in group II, and Biolex®-Beta S in group III. Fat content was determined by Soxhlet extraction. The fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat was determined by esterification followed by gas chromatography analysis. The content of vitamins A and E was determined by liquid chromatography. A significant increase in the content of fat, cholesterol, and vitamin E was noted in the meat of lambs of group II in comparison with control. The fat of animals in group II contained more fatty acids: C14:1, C18:2, C22:6 (P≤0.05), and C18:2 n-6 cis9trans11 (P≤0.01), and less C20:4 (P≤0.01). The fat of animals of group III contained more C18:0 and C22:6 fatty acids (P≤0.05), and less C18:0 (P≤0.05). The fat in this group had also lower concentrations of MUFA (P≤0.05), UFA, and, consequently, a lower UFA/SFA ratio (P≤0.05) in comparison with controls. The yeast-based supplements significantly affected selected health-promoting properties of lamb meat. The applied diet supplements had no significant effect on AI and TI values.

This study compared selected parameters of milk and rennet cheese produced from milk obtained from alpine goats during winter and summer feeding under climatic conditions of the Warmia and Mazury region. Milk from the winter season contained more protein, less vitamin A and over seven times less vitamin E than milk obtained in summer. In cheese from the winter season, the content of dry matter, fat, protein and vitamin A was lower when compared with cheese from the summer period. The content of total biogenic amines in cheese was almost twice as high in winter than in summer (1056.4 vs 567.6 mg/kg). Winter cheese contained more cadaverines and histamine than summer cheese. The content of tyramine and putrescine was comparable in cheese from both seasons and was higher than the level of histamine. Milk fat from milk obtained in winter contained more long-chained SFA and MUFA in comparison with the summer period. Fat from cheese produced in summer had a higher content of SFA, CLA and ALA, whereas cheese from the period of winter feeding contained more C16:0izo and C18:1. The content of hyper- and hypocholesterolemnic acids was comparable in milk and in cheese with a slightly smaller proportion of hyper-acids and a slightly higher proportion of hypocholesterolemnic acids during summer feeding of goats. In conclusion, it was found that the feeding season had a minor impact on the chemical composition of milk, although it significantly differentiated the chemical composition of rennet cheese produced from that milk and the health quality parameters of both products. Milk from winter feeding had a higher content of protein, whereas the chemical composition of cheese was more beneficial in winter as the content of dry matter, fat and protein was higher. The health properties of both products were more beneficial in summer, which was determined by the profile of fatty acids and the content of vitamin A.

The experiment was conducted on 26 nursing Kamieniec ewes from a breeding herd. The animals were divided into two equal groups characterized by the same litter type, age and sex of suckling lambs: I – control and II – experimental. Throughout the 70-day lactation period, both groups were fed identical diets comprising haylage of grasses and legumes, meadow hay and CJ concentrate in daily rations of: 2.80 kg haylage of grasses and legumes, 0.6 kg meadow hay and 0.6 kg CJ concentrate per ewe. Group II animals were fed the CJ concentrate with the addition of Inter Yeast S® Saccharomyces cerevisiae dried yeast in the amount of 50 g kg–1 of the concentrate. Milk was sampled during control milking runs on lactation day 28 and 70. The collected samples were analyzed to determine the content of protein, whey protein, casein, αs, β and κ casein fractions. Blood was sampled twice from the jugular vein on lactation day 28 and 70. After separation of serum, the following nutrient concentrations were determined: inorganic phosphorus (P in ), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). No significant variations were reported in the percentage share of whey proteins in ewe’s milk during the peak and towards the end of lactation. The yeast preparation had no effect on the casein content of milk. Yeast supplementation si