The experiment aimed to assess the effect of dietary inclusion of meals derived from Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae on the meat quality in broilers. The birds were divided into three groups according to the formulated diets: control (CON)– receiving standard diet, Т1 – receiving 5% partially defatted and Т2 – receiving 5% full fat BSF meal during the finishing period (14–35 d). At the age of 35 days, 10 broilers from each group were slaughtered for meat quality evaluation. The dietary inclusion of the BSF meals was associated with decrease of pH and lighter colour of the meat. The total amount of the saturated fatty acids (SFA) and atherogenic index (AI) were increased, while polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), the ratios between PUFA and SFA (P/S), n-6/n-3 PUFA and hypo/hypercholesterolemic fatty acids (h/H) were decreased in the meat of the broilers consuming insect meals. The results of the study suggest good prospective for further research with the examined BSF meals for broiler nutrition to formulate feeding strategies that will not alter negatively meat quality and its healthy value.

Abstract. The fatty acid profile and the related indices of the nutritional quality of breast and thigh muscles were studied in two lines of chickens -La Belle (LB) and White Plymouth Rock (WPR) -slaughtered at the age of 9 and 18 weeks. The fatty acid profile was more affected by the age than the line of the birds; however, the influence of both differed between the breast and thigh. The content of total saturated fatty acids (SFAs) increased in the thigh (P < 0.01), while that of the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) decreased with age in both muscles (P < 0.001). This corresponded to the significant decrease in C18:1 in the older chickens and the lower desaturase activity (P < 0.001). The contents of C20:4n-6, C22:5n-3 and C22:6n-3 and the total amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in breast were higher (P < 0.001) at the age of 18 weeks. A similar pattern in the individual and total PUFA was observed in the thighs. The effect of line was more visible in the breast, leading to a lower C14:0 content and C20:5n-3 and a higher C18:0 content in the WPR chickens (P < 0.001), corresponding to the higher elongase and thioesterase indices in these birds. Both atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic (TI) indices were lowered, while the ratio of hypocholesterolemic / hypercholesterolemic fatty acids (h / H) and polyunsaturated / saturated fatty acids (P / S) increased in the breast of the birds at 18 weeks. In breast and thigh meat, the ratio of n-6 / n-3 PUFA decreased in the older chickens (P < 0.001).

The study aimed to compare and assess some of the quality characteristics (morphology, colour of the yolk, total carotenoid content and fatty acid profile) of eggs obtained from hens reared conventionally or in alternative system having access to pasture. Twenty eggs of each rearing system were analysed for the above characteristics. The eggs obtained from the layer reared under the alternative system were significantly heavier than the conventional ones, displayed higher diameters of the albumen and albumen index, as well as increased diameter and weight of the yolk. On the other hand, their shell thickness and Haugh units were lower when compared to the eggs from conventionally reared hens. The colour of the eggs from the alternative system was darker and they had lower values of L* and higher of a* in the yolk, corresponding to the significantly higher content of the total carotenoids in comparison to the eggs obtained from the hens reared conventionally. Furthermore, the eggs from the hens having access to pasture showed clear advantage in the fatty acid profile and the related lipid nutritional indices. In general, the rearing in alternative system reduced considerably the content of C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, C16:1n-7 and C18:1n-9, as well as the saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). On the other hand, with the exception of C20:3n-6, the contents of both individual and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were dramatically increased in the eggs from the hens reared in the alternative system. This led to favourably decreased values of n-6/n-3 ratio as well as values of both atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic (TI) indices but augmented ratio between hypo-and hypercholesterolemic fatty acids.

Twenty four pregnant Danube white sows were allocated to 4 groups. All animals were fed basal diet formulated to meet their nutrient requirements. In addition to the basal diet, the sows from the II group were given the probiotic "Lactina" (500 g/ton) from the 5 day of pregnancy until the weaning of their offspring (35 days of age ) and their piglets were offered 800 g/ton Lactina during the pre-starter period and 500 g/ton throughout the starter period. The probiotic was only supplemented to the sows in the III group and to the piglets of the IV group in the same quantities as those in the second group.Both sows and piglets diets in the I (control) group were not supplemented with Lactina. Blood samples were taken from 20 randomly chosen piglets (5 in each group) at 5 and 35 days of age.The probiotic Lactina, supplemented both to the sows and piglets diets (II group) , increased complement activity in the piglets (P<0.05) at 5 days of age compared to control group, while the addition of Lactina to sows only (III group) or to piglets only (IV group) did not produce significant effect. Supplemental Lactina decreased plasma cholesterol level (P<0.05) at 35 days of age in II group of piglets. Plasma indol level declined in the piglets of the II group at the age of 35 days, while urea level were not changed in any of the Lactina supplemented groups, with the exception of the IV group where the piglets had higher (P<0.001) urea level at 5 days of age.Taken together our results indicate that the beneficial effect of Lactina on the nonspecific response and on the studied biological parameters is most emphasized when the probiotic is supplemented both to the sows and piglets diets.Besides, Lactina stimulated complement activity at the beginning of the neonatal period (5 day) and had no effect at the end of the neonatal period (35 day).

An experiment with male layer-type chickens of the Lohmann Brown Classic breed was carried out at the Institute of Animal Science-Kostinbrod, Bulgaria, aiming to investigate the effect of age at slaughter on the meat quality. The birds were reared in a controlled microclimate, with an initial stocking density of 22 birds/m2. At five weeks of age, fragmentation of the stocking density was applied, decreasing the number to seven birds/m2. Chickens were slaughtered at five and nine weeks of age at an average live weight of 329 g and 1096 g, respectively. After slaughter, 10 chickens from each age group were subjected to analysis to determine the quality of breast and thigh meat. The results of the study showed that the age affected the meat quality parameters of the male layer-type chickens and its effect differed between the breast and thigh. The chickens slaughtered at nine weeks of age displayed a lower pH but darker meat color (p < 0.001) than those slaughtered at five weeks. Furthermore, the older birds showed a significant decrease in the intramuscular fat content in thigh meat (p < 0.01) and a tendency for diminishing in breast meat. This decrease corresponded to the lower percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in the meat of the nine-week-old chickens (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the meat of the older chickens displayed a higher content (p < 0.01) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially n-6, leading to a considerably higher n-6/n-3 ratio.