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Milk thistle seeds contain a mixture of flavonoids known as silymarin, which consists of silybin, isosilybin, silychristine, and silydianin. Until now, there has been no evidence of monitoring the digestibility of silymarin complex in horses. The aim of the research was to evaluate the digestibility of silymarin complex and the effect of nutrient digestibility in horses. Different daily feed doses (FD) of milk thistle expeller (0 g, 100 g, 200 g, 400 g, 700 g) were administered to five mares kept under the same conditions and at the same feed rations. Digestibility of silymarin complex was monitored by HPLC-UV. Digestible energy (DE), crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract (NFE), crude ash, calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P) were determined according ISO/IEC 17025:2017. The biochemical profile of blood plasma (total protein, albumin, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), bilirubin, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triacyl glyceride (TAG), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), creatine kinase (CK), creatinine, urea, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant status (TAS), glucose, calcium, and inorganic phosphate) was investigated. Moreover, the flavonolignans of the silymarin complex in plasma were detected. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found between daily doses of milk thistle expellers in digestibilities. Our findings showed the digestibility of flavonolignans increased with the daily dose and then stagnated with the dose of milk thistle seed cakes at 700 g/day.

Veterinarians can recommend milk thistle for the treatment of equine liver disease and laminitis. Milk thistle seed cakes were fed in the range of normal feed doses in this study. The milk thistle seed cakes were fed (twice a day) to the experimental group of the horses (n = 5) and biochemical blood markers (TP, Albumin, ALT (alanine transaminase), AST (aspartate transaminase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), GGT (gamma-glutamyltransferase), Bilirubin, Cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotein), TAG (triacylglycerol), BHB (beta-hydroxybutyric acid), NEFA (non-esterified fatty acids), creatine kinase, creatinine, Urea, GSH-Px (glutathione peroxidase), TAS (total antioxidant status), lactate, glucose, cortisol, Ca, Pi) were monitored. The control group of horses (n = 5), bred and trained in the same conditions, was used for comparison. The control group received the entire feed dose as accepted by the horses in the experimental group before the beginning of the experiment. The aim was to find out whether the preparation of milk thistle seed cakes could have positive effects on the health of the horses. All ten horses received one feeding form before the beginning of the experimental monitoring. All horses were exposed to heavy physical exercise (regular combined driving training) after 56 days of milk thistle seed cakes feeding (up to 400 g/day). Three blood samples were taken (before physical exercise; about 15 min and 60 min after physical exercise). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were detected in the values of AST, NEFA, cortisol and Pi in the experimental group. The exercise effect was detected in the values of albumin, lactate, cortisol, NEFA, and calcium. Our results suggest that the feeding of milk thistle seed cakes could have a positive effect on the health of the horses.

Jerusalem artichoke is crop with the possibility of a wide using. The main nutrient of this plant is a non-starch polysaccharide inulin, which is considered like prebiotic. Young rabbits after weaning lose an immunity obtained from colostrum; are stressed by weaning; pre-moult; the permanent incisors are growing and a starch digestion by an enzyme amylase is not fully developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the dietary supplement of dried Jerusalem artichoke tuber and tops (the sources of non-starch saccharide) on growth performance and health status of broiler rabbits after weaning in view of prices and efficiency of feeding mixtures. The test was realized through experiments with a different percentage of Jerusalem artichoke tuber (25%, 10%) and top (30%, 20%, 10%). Every experiment was composed of 2 groups – the control group without a supplement of Jerusalem artichoke and an experimental group with a different percentage of Jerusalem artichoke tuber and top. Experimental animals (1095 HY PLUS broiler rabbits) were weaned at 33 - 35 days of age and were fed by complete granulated feeding mixture ad libitum for the whole feeding period. Statistical analyses were performed by using SAS 9.3 The statistical differences (P

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is one of the best known and very often used herbs with positive effect on liver. The aim of this article was to study influence of addition of milk thistle pressed parts in feed ration on liver histology and weight increase of laboratory rats. The experiment was tested by 15 pieces of laboratory rats divided into 3 groups (A, B, C). The rats in first group (A) hade feed ration with addition of 10% milk thistle pressed parts, second group (B) hade feed ration with 20% and control group (C) hade feed ration without addition of milk thistle pressed parts. The silymarin content of pressed milk thistle seed was 26.2 mg/g. The aim of this article is to study influence of addition of milk thistle pressed parts in feed ration on liver histology and weight increase of laboratory rats. The hypothesis is that the feeding addition - milk thistle seed pressed parts has positive effect on weight performance and liver histology. Does the feeding addition have any effect on these health indicators? Does feeding of milk thistle seed pressed parts have any sense? In results, the groups with addition of milk thistle had significant bigger average gain increases than the control group. Histological results vary considerably among groups of rats. All rats in the control group had dystrophic liver with sinusoidal congestion. In most rats of the group A, the dystrophy was minimal without congestion. On the other hand, most of rats of the group B had liver dystrophy caused by large droplets steatosis with congestion. All rats in control group C were found to have significant dystrophy caused by steatosis. The results indicate rats receiving the addition of milk thistle pressed parts in their feed had a lower incidence of liver steatosis due to the hepatoprotective effects of silymarin.

The presence of mycotoxins in animal feed cause health disorders and can also contribute to other factors such as stress, lack of nutrition, infectious agents etc. The aim of this article was to study effect of feed ration contaminated with mycotoxins on liver histology and live weight of laboratory rats. 15 pieces of laboratory rats were divided into 3 groups (A, B, C). The rats in first group (A) fed with part of 30 % mycotoxin-contaminated barley, in second group (B were fed with 60 % and in control group (C) were fed without mycotoxin-contaminated barley. Content of deoxynivalenol (DON) was 9634 µg/kg and content of zearalenone (ZEN) was 2192 µg/kg. Barley monodietus were given rats in all groups to induce a nutritional imbalance. The aim of this study was to monitor the effect of mycotoxins and nutritional imbalances on weight gains and liver histology. The question is, “will the presence of mycotoxins in feed dose increase negative effect of a monodiets on health status?” No significant differences were found between the observed parameters. The presence of mycotoxins did not aggravate the negative effect of the monodiets on liver histology of the experimental rats.