From feed quality to food quality

Aim of this research group is to acquire detailed information about the nutrients contained in feedstuffs and diets fed to different species and categories of animals in order to improve their production performance, to reduce food waste and to improve the quality of products (milk and meat).

The specific objectives of the group are:

• the development of standardized procedures for estimating the in vitro digestibility of feedstuffs
• to evaluate the differences between in vivo and in vitro digestibility of feeds for ruminants and monogastrics
• to evaluate the accuracy and precision of estimates of the nutritional value of feeds on the basis of their in vitro digestibility.

The activities of the group are mainly carried out at the laboratories of DISAFA and the facilities of the Department (farm and slaughter house).

The studies are carried out independently or in collaboration with other Italian Departments (Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin; Agriculture, Food and Environment Science of the University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Piacenza) and foreign Departments, as well as with private companies and farmers.

Insights
"Nutritive value and energy content of straw of selected Vicia L. Taxa from Tunisia"

• By-products and new protein sources in animal nutrition (ex 60% 2018)
• Standardization of in vitro digestibility methods using rumen fluid from slaughtered beef cattle (ex 60% 2014)
• The NIR as a tool in the qualitative an functional evaluation of animal products in relation to feeding and breeding techniques (ex 60% 2013).

• Tassone S., Fortina R., Valle E., Cavallarin L., Raspa F., Boggero S., Bergero D., Giammarino M., Renna M. (2020). Comparison of In Vivo and In Vitro digestibility in Donkeys. Animals, 10, 2100; dei: 10.3390/ani10112100
• Marzoni M., Castillo A., Franzoni A., Nery J., Fortina R., Romboli I. and Schiavone A. (2020). Effects of Dietary Quebracho Tannin on Performance Traits and Parasite Load in an Italian Slow-Growing Chicken (White Livorno Breed). Animals, 10, 684; doi: 10.3390/ani10040684
• Tassone S., Fortina R. and Peiretti P. G. (2020). In Vitro Techniques Using the daisyii Incubator for the Assessment of Digestibility: A Review. Animals, 10, 775; doi: 10.3390/ani10050775
• Tassone S., Renna M., Barbera S., Valle E., Fortina R. (2019). In vitro digestibility measurement of feedstuffs in donkey using the Daisy Incubator. J. Equine Vetrinay Sci., 75, 122-126
• Renna M., Gasmi-Boubaker A., Lussiana C., Battaglini L. M., Belfayez K., Fortina R. (2014). Fatty acid composition of the seed oils of selected Vicia L. taxa from Tunisia. Ital. J. of Anim. Sci., 13, 308-316