Seaweeds have been used to feed livestock for thousands of years and have been mentioned in Ancient Greece and the Icelandic sagas. Today, both seaweeds and biotechnologically produced microalgae are used in animals as feed additives rich in bioactive compounds. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA, DPA, DHA, etc.), essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and a vast variety of antioxidants and immunoregulatory substances justify the high importance of algae in animal nutrition. Considering these aspects, algae has been used in animal diets for a variety of reasons:
- To modify products' fatty acid profile by increasing ?3 in milk, meat, and eggs
- To enhance animal health in an effort to reduce antibiotic dependence
- To orchestrate rumen microbiome focusing on optimizing rumen function and mitigate methanogenesis
Although there is a growing number of research outputs related to algae on animal nutrition, the great diverse nature of algae requires a deeper understanding of the impact of their biochemical profile on animals. More specifically, algae chemical composition portrays great plasticity depending on culture conditions making it difficult the prediction of their effects on animals. Thus, there is space for further research on the impact of seaweeds and algae on:
- animal performance,
- products quality,
- health and immune-oxidative status,
- sustainable livestock systems, etc.
Research articles and Reviews exploring the role and impacts of seaweeds and algae on animal nutrition are welcome. The characterization and the chemical composition of selected species are encouraged.
Seaweeds have been used to feed livestock for thousands of years and have been mentioned in Ancient Greece and the Icelandic sagas. Today, both seaweeds and biotechnologically produced microalgae are used in animals as feed additives rich in bioactive compounds. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA, DPA, DHA, etc.), essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and a vast variety of antioxidants and immunoregulatory substances justify the high importance of algae in animal nutrition. Considering these aspects, algae has been used in animal diets for a variety of reasons:
- To modify products' fatty acid profile by increasing ?3 in milk, meat, and eggs
- To enhance animal health in an effort to reduce antibiotic dependence
- To orchestrate rumen microbiome focusing on optimizing rumen function and mitigate methanogenesis
Although there is a growing number of research outputs related to algae on animal nutrition, the great diverse nature of algae requires a deeper understanding of the impact of their biochemical profile on animals. More specifically, algae chemical composition portrays great plasticity depending on culture conditions making it difficult the prediction of their effects on animals. Thus, there is space for further research on the impact of seaweeds and algae on:
- animal performance,
- products quality,
- health and immune-oxidative status,
- sustainable livestock systems, etc.
Research articles and Reviews exploring the role and impacts of seaweeds and algae on animal nutrition are welcome. The characterization and the chemical composition of selected species are encouraged.
