Feeding Strategies And Nutritional Quality Of Animal Products

The production of food enriched with bioactive compounds, through natural means, represents a concept desired by nutritionists, doctors and consumers. Animal products with high nutritional quality can be designed using innovative feeding strategies. Animals are known to be able to ''bio-convert'' health-promoting components from their diet into their eggs, milk or meat. The nutritional quality of animal products depends on genetic, physiological and environmental conditions, but also upon their diets. Lately, various feed additives have been shown to increase the nutritional quality of animal-origin food, which in turn promotes a healthy human diet. Some of them have proven effects on productive parameters or on the sensory attributes of animal products, or modify the nutrient composition of products. Nutritional evaluations of animal products and feeds are necessary for establishing the bioconversion yield of nutrients, from feeds to animal-origin food. This Special Issue focuses on, but is not limited to, the development of new feeding formulas thst lead to improved animal production or the enhanced nutritional profiles of conventional or ecological animal products. Studies presenting feed additives that have beneficial effects on the production and quality of animal products, as well as natural feeding solutions that are environmentally friendly, were also welcomed. The proposed Special Issue is addressed to specialists from the domains of animal nutrition, food quality, chemistry and biology.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global and increasing threat. Stewardship campaigns have been established, and policies implemented, to safeguard the appropriate use of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants. Restrictions on their use in animal production are on the agenda worldwide. Producers are investing in measures, involving biosecurity, genetics, health care, farm management, animal welfare, and nutrition, to prevent diseases and minimize the use of antimicrobials. Functional animal nutrition to promote animal health is one of the tools available to decrease the need for antimicrobials in animal production. Nutrition affects the critical functions required for host defence and disease resistance. Animal nutrition strategies should therefore aim to support these host defence systems and reduce the risk of the presence in feed and water of potentially harmful substances, such as mycotoxins, anti-nutritional factors and pathogenic bacteria and other microbes. General dietary measures to promote gastrointestinal tract health include the selective use of a combination of feed additives and feed ingredients to stabilize the intestinal microbiota and support mucosal barrier function. This knowledge, used to establish best practices in animal nutrition, could allow the adoption of strategies to reduce the need for antimicrobials and contain antimicrobial resistance.

This book contains the scientific contributions published within the Animals topical collection “Feeding Strategies to Improve Sustainability and Welfare in Animal Production”. Originally a Special Issue, it has turned into a permanent collection, with its first article being published in July 2019 and more than 30 published articles a year later: evidence of the great interest from the scientific community regarding the topics addressed. The articles, which are grouped by species (poultry, ruminants, pigs, etc.) and by topic, deal with a wide range of arguments that, first of all, highlight the extraordinary complexity and diversity that exists in the animal production sector, and then, the great influence that nutrition and feeding can have in terms of optimizing the use of environmental resources and improving the welfare of farmed animals. In addition, all this is closely connected with the urgent need to safeguard the resources of the planet on which we live.

This lively book examines recent trends in animal product consumption and diet; reviews industry efforts, policies, and programs aimed at improving the nutritional attributes of animal products; and offers suggestions for further research. In addition, the volume reviews dietary and health recommendations from major health organizations and notes specific target levels for nutrients.

Animal products are good source of disposable income for many small farmers in developing countries. In fact, livestock are often the most important cash crop in many small holder mixed farming systems. Livestock ownership currently supports and sustains the livelihoods of rural poor, who depend partially or fully on livestock for their income and/or subsistence. Human population growth, increasing urbanization and rising incomes are predicted to double the demand for, and production of, livestock products in the developing countries over the next twenty years. The future holds great opportunities for animal production in developing countries. Animal Sourced Foods for Developing Economies addresses five major issues: 1) Food safety and nutritional status in developing world; 2) the contribution of animal origin foods in human health; 3) Production processes of animal foods along with their preservation strategies; 4) functional outcomes of animal derived foods; and finally, 5) strategies, issues and polices to promote animal origin food consumption. Animal sourced food contain high biological value protein and important micronutrients required for optimal body functioning but are regarded as sources of fat that contribute to the intake of total and saturated fatty acids in diet. The quality of protein source has a direct influence on protein digestibility, as a greater proportion of higher quality proteins is absorbed and becomes available for bodily functions. Animal foods has high quantity and quality of protein that includes a full complement of the essential amino acids in the right proportion. Land availability limits the expansion of livestock numbers in extensive production systems in most regions, and the bulk of the increase in livestock production will come from increased productivity through intensification and a wider adoption of existing and new production and marketing technologies. The significant changes in the global consumption and demand for animal source foods, along with increasing pressures on resources, are having some important implications for the principal production systems. In this book, contributors critically analyze and describe different aspects of animal’s origin foods. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific type of food from animal source, its nutritional significance, preservation techniques, processed products, safety and quality aspects on conceptual framework. Special attention is given to explain current food safety scenario in developing countries and contribution of animal derived food in their dietary intake. Existing challenges regarding production, processing and promotion of animal’s origin foods are also addressed with possible solutions and strengthening approaches.

This classic text has been reorganised to provide a clear and comprehensive introduction to the science and practice of animal nutrition. Animal Nutrition is split into six main sections covering: The components of food; The digestion and metabolism of nutrients; Quantifying the nutrient content of foods: digestibility, energy and protein values; The nutrient requirements of animals; The nutritional characteristics of foods; and Animal products and human nutrition. The Appendices provides comprehensive tables on the composition of foods and feeding standards for dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry, and horses. The full text downloaded to your computer With eBooks you can: search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either offline through the Bookshelf (available as a free download), available online and also via the iPad and Android apps. Upon purchase, you'll gain instant access to this eBook. Time limit The eBooks products do not have an expiry date. You will continue to access your digital ebook products whilst you have your Bookshelf installed.

For more than 30 years, modelling has been an important method for integrating, in a flexible, comprehensive and widely applicable way, basic knowledge and biological concepts on digestion and metabolism in farm animals. The purpose of this book is to present the 'state of art' in this area. The chapters are written by leading teams and researchers in this field of study, mainly from Europe, North America and Australasia. Considerable progress has been made in topics dealing with: modelling methods, feeding behaviour, digestion and metabolic processes in ruminants and monogastric animals. This progress is clearly illustrated by the emergence of a new paradigm in animal nutrition, which has moved from the aim to cover the requirements of the animal to explaining and predicting the responses of the animals to diets (e.g., productivity and efficiency, impact on quality of products, environmental aspects, health and well-being). In this book several chapters illustrate that through empirical models, meta-analysis is an efficient tool to synthesize information gathered over recent decades. In addition, compared with other books on modelling farm animal nutrition, two new aspects received particular attention: expanding knowledge of the individual animal to understanding the functioning and management of herds, and the consideration of the environmental impact of animal production. This book is a valuable source of information for researchers, nutritionists, advisors, and graduate students who want to have up-to-date and concise information on mathematical modelling applied to farm animals.