Effect of dietary Agriophyllum squarrosum on average daily gain, meat quality and muscle fatty acids in growing Tan lambs

The herb A. squarrosum is reputed to possess medicinal properties for humans, and has the potential to be a feed resource for livestock. We hypothesized that this herb would improve the meat quality of lambs. To test this hypothesis, 24 Tan ewe-lambs (27.7 ± 0.45 kg) were offered diets containing 0 (CON), 100 (AS₁₀₀), 200 (AS₂₀₀) and 300 (AS₃₀₀) g A. squarrosum/kg DM, and average daily gain, carcass traits, blood metabolites, meat quality and fatty acid profiles were determined. Drip loss % and cooking loss % decreased with the AS₁₀₀ and AS₂₀₀ diets (P < 0.05). Dietary A. squarrosum reduced muscle fiber area and diameter and increased density of the meat (P < 0.05), which indicated that the meat was more tender. The concentrations of C10:0 and C18:1n-9 t were 1ower and of C17:0 and C18:3n-3 were greater in the AS₂₀₀ and AS₃₀₀ treatments than CON (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that feeding lambs up to 200 g/kg DM of A. squarrosum can increase the water-holding capacity and L* value of meat without compromising growth. Further research is needed to determine the optimal level.

The contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to the global protein supply

The contribution of aquatic animal protein to the global, animal-source protein supply and the relative importance of aquaculture to capture fisheries in supplying this protein is relevant in assessments and decisions related to the future of aquatic food production and its security. Meat of terrestrial animals, milk, and eggs resulted in 76,966 Kt crude protein compared with 13,950 Kt or 15.3% from aquatic animals in 2018.While aquaculture produced a greater tonnage of aquatic animals, capture fisheries resulted in 7,135 Kt crude protein while aquaculture yielded 6,815 Kt. Capture fisheries production has not increased in the past two decades, and aquaculture production must increase to assure the growing demand for fisheries products by a larger and more affluent population. We estimated based on status quo consumption, that aquaculture production would need to increase from 82,087 Kt in 2018 to 129,000 Kt by 2050 to meet the demand of the greater population. About two-thirds of finfish and crustacean production by aquaculture is feed-based, and feeds for these species include fishmeal and fish oil as ingredients. Aquaculture feeds require a major portion of the global supply of fishmeal and fish oil. An estimated 71.0% of fishmeal and 73.9% of fish oil are made from the catch with the rest coming from aquatic animal processing waste. The catch of small, pelagic fish from the ocean is not predicted to increase in the future. Aquaculture should reduce its fishmeal and oil use to lessen its dependency on small wild fish important to the integrity of marine food webs and food security for the poor in many coastal areas. Fishmeal and fish oil shortages for use in aquaculture feed will result in a limit on production in the future if goals to lessen their use in feeds are not met.

Amino Acid Nutrition and Metabolism in Chickens

Both poultry meat and eggs provide high-quality animal protein [containing sufficient amounts and proper ratios of amino acids (AAs)] for human consumption and, therefore, play an important role in the growth, development, and health of all individuals. Because there are growing concerns about the suboptimal efficiencies of poultry production and its impact on environmental sustainability, much attention has been paid to the formulation of low-protein diets and precision nutrition through the addition of low-cost crystalline AAs or alternative sources of animal-protein feedstuffs. This necessitates a better understanding of AA nutrition and metabolism in chickens. Although historic nutrition research has focused on nutritionally essential amino acids (EAAs) that are not synthesized or are inadequately synthesized in the body, increasing evidence shows that the traditionally classified nutritionally nonessential amino acids (NEAAs), such as glutamine and glutamate, have physiological and regulatory roles other than protein synthesis in chicken growth and egg production. In addition, like other avian species, chickens do not synthesize adequately glycine or proline (the most abundant AAs in the body but present in plant-source feedstuffs at low content) relative to their nutritional and physiological needs. Therefore, these two AAs must be sufficient in poultry diets. Animal proteins (including ruminant meat & bone meal and hydrolyzed feather meal) are abundant sources of both glycine and proline in chicken nutrition. Clearly, chickens (including broilers and laying hens) have dietary requirements for all proteinogenic AAs to achieve their maximum productivity and maintain optimum health particularly under adverse conditions such as heat stress and disease. This is a paradigm shift in poultry nutrition from the 70-year-old "ideal protein" concept that concerned only about EAAs to the focus of functional AAs that include both EAAs and NEAAs.

A Systematic Review of Renal Health in Healthy Individuals Associated with Protein Intake above the US Recommended Daily Allowance in Randomized Controlled Trials and Observational Studies

A systematic review was used to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational epidemiologic studies (OBSs) that examined protein intake consistent with either the US RDA (0.8 g/kg or 10-15% of energy) or a higher protein intake (≥20% but <35% of energy or ≥10% higher than a comparison intake) and reported measures of kidney function. Studies (n = 26) of healthy, free-living adults (>18 y old) with or without metabolic disease risk factors were included. Studies of subjects with overt disease, such as chronic kidney, end-stage renal disease, cancer, or organ transplant, were excluded. The most commonly reported variable was glomerular filtration rate (GFR), with 13 RCTs comparing GFRs obtained with normal and higher protein intakes. Most (n = 8), but not all (n = 5), RCTs reported significantly higher GFRs in response to increased protein intake, and all rates were consistent with normal kidney function in healthy adults. The evidence from the current review is limited and inconsistent with regard to the role of protein intake and the risk of kidney stones. Increased protein intake had little or no effect on blood markers of kidney function. Evidence reported here suggests that protein intake above the US RDA has no adverse effect on blood pressure. All included studies were of moderate to high risk of bias and, with the exception of 2 included cohorts, were limited in duration (i.e. <6 mo). Data in the current review are insufficient to determine if increased protein intake from a particular source, i.e., plant or animal, influences kidney health outcomes. These data further indicate that, at least in the short term, higher protein intake within the range of recommended intakes for protein is consistent with normal kidney function in healthy individuals.

Global Provisioning of Red Meat for Flexitarian Diets

Although not always labeled as such, flexitarianism is the default lifestyle for much of the world, whereby meals based on plant materials provide the bulk of people's calories. The rich nutrition of meat and animal products is often the lynchpin of these diets, even when only consumed occasionally. It provides forms and concentrations of essential proteins, lipids, and micronutrients that are otherwise scarce. However, the production of this meat is resource intensive. It requires large quantities of arable land and water, and typically has lower conversion efficiency of farm inputs to edible outputs compared with crops, poultry, aquaculture, dairy, and eggs. An additional complication is that the quantity of ancillary products produced during slaughterhouse operations is large and underutilized. Each year, approximately 190 million metric tons (MMT) of red meat, including pork, lamb, sheep, veal, beef, and goats are produced globally, half of which will be consumed by less than 25% of the population living in developed countries. With demand for meat expected to exceed 376 MMT by 2030, an increase in the adoption of plant-based diets presents an opportunity for the world to re-evaluate how meat can be sustainably produced, with greater emphasis on animal welfare, nutritional value, product safety, better utilization, and distribution channels. In this article we consider the role meat plays in the modern diet, its production and consumption, opportunities to improve utilization of the animal, the benefits of incorporating a diverse range of red meat into diets, and the strategies that the meat industry should consider in response to flexitarianism.