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The current study aimed at genomic characterization and improved understanding of genetic diversity of two Indian mithun populations (both farm, 48 animals and field, 24 animals) using genome wide genotype data generated with Illumina BovineHD BeadChip. Eight additional populations of taurine cattle (Holstein and NDama), indicine cattle (Gir) and other evolutionarily closely related species (Bali cattle, Yak, Bison, Gaur and wild buffalo) were also included in this analysis (N = 137) for comparative purposes. Our results show that the genetic background of mithun populations was uniform with few possible signs of indicine admixture. In general, observed and expected heterozygosities were quite similar in these two populations. We also observed increased frequencies of small-sized runs of homozygosity (ROH) in the farm population compared to field mithuns. On the other hand, longer ROH were more frequent in field mithuns, which suggests recent founder effects and subsequent genetic drift due to close breeding in farmer herds. This represents the first study providing genetic evidence about the population structure and genomic diversity of Indian mithun. The information generated will be utilized for devising suitable breeding and conservation programme for mithun, an endangered bovine species in India.

This study evaluated the effects of increasing doses of pre-fermented rapeseed meal (FRM) without or with inclusion of the brown macroalgae Ascophyllum nodosum (AN) on weaner piglets’ performance and gut development. Ten days pre-weaning, standardized litters were randomly assigned to one of nine isoenergetic and isoproteic diets comprising (on DM basis): no supplement (negative control, NC), 2500 ppm ZnO (positive control, PC), 8, 10, 12, 15 or 25% FRM, and 10% FRM plus 0.6 or 1.0% AN. Fifty piglets receiving the same pre-weaning diets were weaned at 28 days of age and transferred to one pen, where they continued on the pre-weaning diet until day 92. At 41 days, six piglets per treatment were sacrificed for blood and intestinal samplings. The average daily gain was at least sustained at any dose of FRM (increased at 8% FRM, 28–41 days) from 18–41 days similar to PC but unaffected by inclusion of AN. The percentage of piglets that completed the experiment was increased by FRM compared to NC, despite detection of diarrhea symptoms. FRM showed quadratic dose-response effects on colon and mid-jejunum crypts depth, and enterocyte and mid-jejunum villus heights with optimum development at 8% or 10% FRM, respectively, but this was abolished when AN was also added. In conclusion, FRM sustained piglet growth performance and intestinal development similar to ZnO with an optimum inclusion level of 8–10% of dietary DM.

Direct-fed microbial products (DFM) are probiotics that can be used advantageously in ruminant production. The in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT) is a method to simulate rumen fermentation and can be used to measure degradation, gas production, and products of fermentation of such additives. However, inter-laboratory differences have been reported. Therefore, tests using the same material were used to validate laboratory reproducibility. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of adding two DFM formulations on fermentation kinetics, methane (CH4) production, and feed degradation in two different basal feeds while validating a newly established IVGPT laboratory. Six treatments, with three replicates each, were tested simultaneously at the established IVGPT lab at the University of Copenhagen, and the new IVGPT lab at Chr. Hansen Laboratories. Maize silage (MS) and grass silage (GS) were fermented with and without the following DFM: P1: Ligilactobacillus animalis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii (total 1.5 × 107 CFU/mL), P2: P1 with added Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis (total 5.9 × 107 CFU/mL). The DFM were anaerobically incubated in rumen fluid and buffer with freeze-dried silage samples for 48 h. Total gas production (TGP: mL at Standard Temperature and Pressure/gram of organic matter), pH, organic matter degradability (dOM), CH4concentration (MC) and yield (MY), and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and profiles were measured after fermentation. No significant differences between the laboratories were detected for any response variables. The dOM of MS (78.3%) was significantly less than GS (81.4%), regardless of the DFM added (P1 and P2). There were no significant differences between the effects of the DFM within the feed type. MS produced significantly more gas than GS after 48 h, but GS with DFM produced significantly more gas at 3 and 9 h and a similar gas volume at 12 h. Both DFM increased TGP significantly in GS at 48 h. There was no difference in total VFA production. However, GS with and without probiotics produced significantly more propionic acid and less butyric acid than MS with and without probiotics. Adding P2 numerically reduced the total methane yield by 4–6% in both MS and GS. The fermentation duration of 48 h, used to determine maximum potential dOM, may give misleading results. This study showed that it is possible to standardize the methodology to achieve reproducibility of IVGPT results. Furthermore, the results suggest that the P2 DFM may have the potential to reduce CH4 production without affecting organic matter degradation.

To stop hunger reducing food losses is a potential movement towards saving food. A 25 large portion of these losses could be avoided and reduced through the improved food 26 chain in many countries. Raising awareness on how and where food losses occur will 27 help recovering foods such as meat by identifying solutions and convincing people to 28 implement those solutions. This, in turn, will lead to private and public efforts to 29 recover meat that might be otherwise wasted. After highlighting the importance of 30 food saving benefits and relevant statistics, this paper explains the possible ways to reduce meat loss and waste in abattoirs and presents a framework for prevention 32 according to the estimates of meat losses in Iran meat supply. The current article 33 answers the questions of where do we have the meat loss in Iran and what approaches 34 are most successful in reducing losses in the meat industry. The national average loss and waste in meat production are about 300 000 metric tonnes (about 15 %). Many segments and players are involved with this huge amount of losses in the meat value chain, a large portion of these losses could be avoided and reduced by about 25 % through using by-products with the mechanization of design and manufacturing. The production amount of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) is 105,091,000 kg, concluding the major waste (88.33 %) of total poultry losses. Ensuring appropriate actions by exploiting the full potential of engaged Iranian associations and institutes is considered to reduce the losses.