Tannins in Ruminant Nutrition: Impact on Animal Performance and Quality of Edible Products

Tannins are widespread throughout the plant kingdom, occurring as hydrolysable and condensed tannins and at different levels in several animal feeding sources. Recent years have seen an increasing interest in the use of tannin-rich plants and plant extracts in ruminant diets for improving the quality of their edible products. Some results show that this strategy is effective in improving the fatty acid profile of meat and milk, increasing the level of health-beneficial fatty acids as well as enhancing the oxidative stability of the products. However, the use of tannin-rich feed in animal diets requires great care, due to its possible detrimental effects on animal performance and induction of metabolic disorders. Although promising, the results of studies on the effects of tannins on animal performance and quality of their products are still controversial, probably depending on type and chemical structure of tannins, amount ingested, composition of diet, and species of animal. In this chapter, the current knowledge regarding the effect of dietary tannins on animal performance and the quality of their products (meat and milk), particularly on the fatty acid profile, oxidative stability, and organoleptic properties, is reviewed. The tannin chemistry diversity and its occurrence in ruminant diets, as well as its beneficial and adverse effects on ruminants, will be briefly reviewed, and aspects related to oral cavity physiology, saliva production/composition, and postingestive effects will also be discussed.

Efeito do sistema de produção nas características físico-químicas e no perfil lipídico de três músculos de suínos alentejanos

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo testar o efeito do sistema de produção com dieta rica em ácido oleico nas características zootécnicas, de carcaça, físico-químicas e no perfil lipídico dos músculos Longissimus dorsi (LD), Biceps femoris (BF) e Semimembranosus (SM) de suínos de raça Alentejana. Foram utilizados 15 animais, divididos em dois grupos, o grupo IN (n=9) foi mantido em parques individuais abertos ao exterior com 3 m2 e o grupo OUT (n=6) foi mantido numa área de 3 ha com acesso a pastagem. O grupo OUT obteve melhores performances zootécnicas. O rendimento de carcaça foi igual para ambos os grupos, e o rendimento comercial e proporção de peças nobres foi superior nos OUT. Estes obtiveram menores teores de lípidos intramusculares mas maiores teores de PUFA (ácidos gordos polinsaturados) e melhores valores para os rácios PUFA/SFA (ácido gordos saturados) e n-6/n-3. O SM foi menos afetado pelo sistema de produção; Abstract: Effect of the rearing system in the physical-chemical characteristics and the lipid profile of three muscles from Alentejano pigs The present study aims to test the effect of rearing system with oleic acid rich diet on performance, carcass and physical-chemical characteristics, and lipid profile of the muscles Longissimus dorsi (LD), Biceps femoris (BF) and Semimembranosus (SM) from Alentejano pigs. The study used 15 animals, divided into two groups. The Group IN (n = 9) was kept in individual parks open to the exterior with 3 m2, and the OUT (n = 6) was held in an area of 3 ha with access to pasture. The OUT group obtained the best performances. The carcass yield was the same for both groups, meat yield and the proportion of noble parts was superior in the OUT. These obtained lower levels of intramuscular fat but larger PUFA levels (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and best values for the ratios PUFA/SFA (saturated fatty acids) and n-6/n-3. The SM was the least affected by the rearing system