Intestinal strongyles are common helminths of donkeys, in which they may be responsible for disease and poor performance. This study aimed to identify intestinal strongyle genera in 55 naturally infected donkeys from three different farm typologies in Tuscany, central Italy, using morphological and metrical analysis of third stage larvae (L3) obtained from faecal cultures. Larvae were identified using two previous reported morphological identification keys. Moreover, eggs per gram (EPG) data were also evaluated to assess differences, if any, according to the farm typology, sex, and age of the examined donkeys. The results showed that small strongyles were prevalent in all donkey farms. In all examined farms, most (92–100%) of L3 were identified as cyathostomin species of the genera Cylicocyclus spp. and Cylicostephanus spp. Large strongyles of the genera Strongylus spp. and Triodontophorus spp., were identified at low percentage (8%), only in the single organic farm included in the study. A high agreement was observed between the two different morphometric keys used. No significant differences were found for EPG according to farm typology, and sex and age from the examined donkeys. This is the first report about genera identification of intestinal strongyles infecting donkeys in Tuscany, Italy.

Scotta is a dairy industry waste obtained by ricotta cheese production. Because of its high availability and its high lactose content, scotta could be used as an additive to improve fermentation characteristics of alfalfa silage. Silage samples were obtained for 2 years from an alfalfa second cut, collecting the forage at three growth stages: mid bud (MB), early flowering (EF), and late flowering (LF). After wilting the forage at 38% dry matter (DM), four scotta doses were added (0, 75, 150, and 300 g/kg fresh forage) and the main chemical and microbiological characteristics were evaluated after 3, 13, and 90 days of ensiling (DOE). The lowest pH (4.3) was recorded in the EF and LF growth stages, after 90 DOE and with the highest scotta dose (300 g/kg fresh forage). After 90 DOE, the concentration of the main spoilage microorganisms and clostridial spore loads was always negligible. The addition of scotta decreased pH and fiber fractions, increased the relative feed value, and had no effect on the crude protein concentration or the total digestible nutrients. Therefore, the scotta can be successfully used as an additive to improve the fermentation characteristics of alfalfa silage.

Legume–cereal mixtures are pivotal in yielding a more balanced forage composition compared to the sole crops, due to the well-adjusted equilibrium of carbohydrate and protein. However, great attention is required in choosing the optimal ratio of the components for the mixtures and other agronomic practices (including N fertilization and stage of harvest), because they can sharply change the forage composition and quality. To fill this gap, the present research compared the herbage and silage qualities and key fermentative and nutritional traits of biomasses obtained by: (i) five mixtures (i.e., 100:0; 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) of hybrid barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba var. minor); (ii) two N barley fertilization rates (0 vs. 140 kg N ha−1); and (iii) three stages of harvest (milky, early dough and soft dough). We found that the presence of faba bean improved the forage quality, either herbage or silage, through different mechanisms. In the herbage mixtures, faba bean inclusion increased crude protein (CP), and, when compared to the fertilized barley, also water-soluble sugar (WSCs) concentration, with small effects on the relative feed values (RFV) and total digestible nutrients (TDN). In the silage, the higher the faba bean share in the mixture, the higher the RFV, the non-fibrous carbohydrates, and total and lactic acid concentrations, and the lower the pH and the hemicellulose and cellulose concentrations, particularly at the early and mid stages of harvest. These improvements were likely due to the high ability of faba bean to attain a vegetative status (i.e., low dry matter concentration) by the end of the cropping season, and to improve the organic acid production. Our results suggest that the inclusion of faba bean in a barley-based silage system can widen the window for silage harvesting, thanks to its ability to sustain the fermentation process, despite a lower WSC to CP ratio compared to the unfertilized barley. These results occurred almost irrespectively of the faba bean share in the mixture and barley fertilization. This implies that when designing intercrop mixtures, the effect of crop densities on yield should be considered more than on quality.

(1) Background: the production of onion seeds is limited by the competition between seeds and the vegetative organs and by scape lodging. However, information on the effects of plant growth regulation on onion seed production is scarce. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the seed yield components and germination ability of onion seeds as affected by the timing and dose of an ethylene application, a plant growth regulator able to modulate shoot–flower competition; and chitosan, an elicitor of plant defense mechanisms able to increase its tolerance to various stresses. (2) Methods: Onion was treated with ethylene at the recommended dose (100% RD) of a commercial product, at 150% RD in two contrasting phenological phases or untreated (control), or ‘with’ or ‘without’ chitosan, and the seed yield components and germination trend were measured. (3) Results: 100% RD at an early phase of growth did not influence the seed yield and increased the thousand seed weight (TSW) by 3.2%. The application of 150% RD decreased the seed yield by 33.5%, and this occurred irrespective of the timing of application. Such decreases were due to a reduction in the number of seeds per flower. The application of chitosan did not affect the crop at 100% RD and increased the seed yield and slightly increased, but not significantly, the TSW under 150% RD. Germination of the fresh seed was 92%, and 17 months of aging reduced it by 14%, with no effects of the treatments on the germination pattern. (4) Conclusions: the ethylene application mostly affected TSW but not the yield, whereas high doses of ethylene reduced yields irrespective of the timing of application. Such a result may have been due to a delay in the flowering onset that occurred in a relatively dry month. Chitosan sustained its yield when the yield potential was reduced by 150% RD, and such a result was likely due to physical protection from the transpiration since the synthetic fungicides applied did not likely allow the pathogens to infections. These results have implications for establishing the timing and dose of application of plant growth regulators and elicitors in seed onions to sustain the seed quality.