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Feed efficiency Feed efficiency in ruminants can be defined as the fraction of feed nutrient captured in marketable products (VandeHaar et al., 2016). It allows farmers
to utilise their resources more effectively. Farmers’ economic expectations are growing with cost increases, especially to- day. Improving feed efficiency has a significant impact on the profitability of ruminant farming. The digestion system of ru- minants plays a huge role in determining the level of feed ef- ficiency achieved. The rumen and its microbial population are central to this digestion process. The nutritional supplements that address this challenge mainly focus on optimising rumen fermentation to extract maximum nutrients from the feed. Maintaining a stable environment for the rumen microbial population by minimising changes in rumen pH allows bacte- ria to live in harmony, digesting the range of carbohydrates consumed by the ruminant. Feed efficiency of ruminants is going to be an essential area to focus on in the future, both economically and environmentally.
Welfare The concept of animal welfare includes three ele- ments: the animal’s normal biological functioning (ensuring that the animal is healthy and well nour-
ished), its emotional state (including the absence of negative emotions, such as pain and chronic fear) and its ability to ex- press certain normal behaviours (Fraser et al., 1997). Regard- ing the first element and mitigating stressful situations, many nutritional solutions and natural alternatives can be proposed to farmers in order to have healthy animals. Generally, the aim is to prevent problems of respiratory diseases, locomo- tion, digestive problems linked to parasitism or the negative consequences of heat stress.
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Animal product quality The goal of the industry is to provide consumers with safe products with high-quality characteristics. Many studies have demonstrated that nutrition af-
fects the quality of animal products such as milk or meat. For milk, we are generally talking about the protein, fat or lac- tose content. For meat, we are looking to manage marbling (intramuscular fat content), tenderness, juiciness and flavour. With a well-balanced diet, good feeding management and the supply of some specific nutrients or additives, we are able to support these characteristics. Some specific formulations or additives can be integrated into the diet to improve meat or milk characteristics, such as short fatty acids, vitamins or rumen-protected amino acids. For example, we know that feeding vitamin E improves col- our stability and freshness, tenderness, juiciness and oxida- tive stability, as well as extending the shelf life of meat ( Dirinck et al., 1996; Enser, 1999, Aalhus & Dugan, 2001).
Nutritional supplements Wisium has developed a portfolio of nutritional supplements for ruminants which cover different types of production challenges. These supplements are the result of our nutri- tional know-how with a specific composition. They all have one or more attributes. These range from improving the characteristics of animal products to taking into account ani- mal welfare, as well as the environmental consequences of animal production. These solutions often include a holistic approach, including laboratory analysis and/or on-farm technical support in addition to formulation.
* ADQuation, 2019 – 308 farmers interviewed ▶ DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 9, No. 3, 2022 25
Nutritional supplements improve diges- tive functions; promote vitality, health, immu- nity and repro- duction; and maintain a good body balance.
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