Formulations of feeds for livestock are developing rapidly through the innovation and improvement of raw materials, additives, preparation process, as well as production technologies. This is also evident from the elevation in the number of patent applications filed each year worldwide in this area of livestock feeds research and development. Among, these novel formulations, the seaweeds could be used either as directly feeding supplement for livestock, or as additive for livestock feed. Rich in proteins and minerals, seaweeds can contribute and may help to enhance energy requirements of livestock, as well as livestock production and health. For example, a method of obtaining beef of increased shelf-life comprises the step of grazing cattle on forage into which seaweed supplement is incorporated during the feedlot finishing period. This work, in the form of patent analysis, describes the state of the art by introducing what has been patented in relation to seaweed-containing feeds for livestock. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the patentability of seaweed-containing feeds for livestock, their preparation methods and their formulations, is provided by determining publication years, patent classifications, inventors, applicants, owners, and jurisdictions. The patent classification codes reveal that most inventions intended for animal feeding-stuffs obtained by fermentation of natural products, such as vegetable material and biomass. Knowledge clusters and expert driving factors indicate that the research based on pre-treatment of feeding-stuffs with enzymes is concentrated in the most patents.

Both selenium (Se) and the probiotic Bacillus regulate animal metabolism to help in defense and improve performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and Bacillus subtilis (BS) in the form of SeNPs-enriched Bacillus subtilis (SNEBS) on growth performance, nutrient digestion, nitrogen balance and serum biochemistry in growing rabbits. One hundred and five 42-day-old New Zealand White male growing rabbits weighing 762 ± 13.8 g were randomly distributed in five equal groups (21 each), each treatment having seven replicates (3 rabbits each). Dietary treatments were control (no probiotic), while the other four groups were supplemented with probiotics (BS alone at doses 0.5 × 10⁹ and 1 × 10⁹ cfu /kg diet, SNEBS at doses 0.5 × 10⁹ and 1 × 10⁹ cfu /kg diet), respectively. The feed duration was 70 days. The results showed that rabbits fed a diet supplemented with either BS or SNEBS had higher final body weight (FBW) and average daily gain (ADG), digestibility coefficients of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF, nitrogen balance, and nitrogen absorbed (p<0.05) than rabbits fed a control diet. Adding different levels of BS and SNEBS to rabbit diet resulted in a considerable rise in the dressing percentage weight of the rabbits. Total protein, albumin, and globulin were significantly increased (P < 0.05), but serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) by supplementation with different levels of BS and SNEBS. It may be concluded that at the studied doses, the probiotic Bacillus subtilis alone or SeNPs-enriched Bacillus subtilis can be applied in rabbit rations to boost productivity with no adverse effects.

Silvopastoral systems (SPS) are known for their ability to offer ecosystem services that favor the producer, animal and plant life, the presence of trees in pastures positively affects biomass production and even has an influence on the floristic composition of the meadow. In order to evaluate the effect of SPS on dry matter production and floristic composition, 18 paddocks were selected to implement 3 experimental treatments with 6 blocks, each paddock is an experimental unit, the treatments being as follows: Silvopastoral Treatment 0 (T₀), 3 paddocks with 0% Tree Nuclei (TN); Silvopastoral treatment 5 (T₁), 3 paddocks with 5% TN; Silvopastoral Treatment 10 (T₂), 3 paddocks with 10% TN. Statistical analysis was descriptive and inferential with R Studio. The percentage of Dry Matter (DM) for T₀ was 40.9; for T₁ = 37.7 and T₂ = 35.1. The percentage of Legumes for T₀ was 3.18; for T₁ = 37.7 and T₂ = 5.63. DM Production per hectare for T₀ was 1484kg; for T₁₊₂ = 1712kg. For these 3 variables it was found that P was less than 0.05, that is, there is a statistical difference between the treatments. In the case of the percentage of participation of grasses and other plant species in the meadow, the value of P remained above 0.05, therefore these variables do not have a significant difference between the treatments. When the two silvopastoral treatments are compared with the control treatment, it is found that the DM production per hectare is higher in the silvopastoral plants despite the lower percentage of DM in their forages. SSPs favor DM production and affect the floristic composition by increasing the percentage of legumes in the pasture.