<i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive Review
This review explores the potential of <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> (CLV) as an alternative supplement in animal feed. CLV is rich in essential nutrients including fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, as well as bioactive compounds such as antioxidants, which contribute to its h...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/6/879 |
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| author | Ishaya Usman Gadzama Saraswati Ray René Méité Isaac Maina Mugweru Takudzwa Gondo Md Atikur Rahman Md Rahat Ahmad Redoy Md Fazle Rohani Ahmed Eid Kholif Md Salahuddin Andre F. Brito |
| author_facet | Ishaya Usman Gadzama Saraswati Ray René Méité Isaac Maina Mugweru Takudzwa Gondo Md Atikur Rahman Md Rahat Ahmad Redoy Md Fazle Rohani Ahmed Eid Kholif Md Salahuddin Andre F. Brito |
| author_sort | Ishaya Usman Gadzama |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This review explores the potential of <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> (CLV) as an alternative supplement in animal feed. CLV is rich in essential nutrients including fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, as well as bioactive compounds such as antioxidants, which contribute to its health-promoting properties. The nutritional composition of CLV can vary depending on factors such as cultivation methods, nutrient availability, light intensity, temperature, water pH, strain, and processing techniques. The rigid cell wall of the microalga limits nutrient accessibility, particularly in monogastric animals. However, processing techniques such as enzymatic treatments can disrupt the cell wall, enhancing nutrient bioavailability and improving its utility as a feed ingredient. Research across livestock species has demonstrated the positive effects of CLV supplementation. For instance, CLV has improved milk production and composition in ruminants, modulated rumen microbiota, enhanced lamb growth, and elevated blood immunoglobulin levels. Moreover, the impact of CLV on ruminal fermentation is dose-dependent, with higher inclusion rates exhibiting more pronounced effects, and it may also play a role in mitigating methane emissions. In poultry, CLV supplementation leads to better growth, feed conversion ratios, immune responses, and meat and egg quality. Similarly, studies on pigs suggest that CLV can benefit immune response and fatty acid profiles, while in rabbits, CLV has been found to reduce oxidative stress and improve immune responses. Additionally, CLV has shown promise in aquaculture, improving feed utilization, immunity, and disease resistance in various fish species. While CLV shows considerable potential, the variability in animal responses and the need for optimized inclusion levels necessitate further species-specific research to elucidate the long-term implications of its inclusion in animal diets. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e669a361cf644a7c8240be09ef5caa68 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-e669a361cf644a7c8240be09ef5caa682025-08-20T03:43:50ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-03-0115687910.3390/ani15060879<i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive ReviewIshaya Usman Gadzama0Saraswati Ray1René Méité2Isaac Maina Mugweru3Takudzwa Gondo4Md Atikur Rahman5Md Rahat Ahmad Redoy6Md Fazle Rohani7Ahmed Eid Kholif8Md Salahuddin9Andre F. Brito10School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaSchool of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL), University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, AustraliaLeibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374 Müncheberg, GermanyDepartment of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (COANRE), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi 002001, KenyaDepartment of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, CanadaDepartment of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USADepartment of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USANutrition and Seafood Laboratory (NuSea.Lab), School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Queenscliff, VIC 3225, AustraliaDepartment of Animal Science, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USAPoultry Center, Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USADepartment of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USAThis review explores the potential of <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> (CLV) as an alternative supplement in animal feed. CLV is rich in essential nutrients including fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, as well as bioactive compounds such as antioxidants, which contribute to its health-promoting properties. The nutritional composition of CLV can vary depending on factors such as cultivation methods, nutrient availability, light intensity, temperature, water pH, strain, and processing techniques. The rigid cell wall of the microalga limits nutrient accessibility, particularly in monogastric animals. However, processing techniques such as enzymatic treatments can disrupt the cell wall, enhancing nutrient bioavailability and improving its utility as a feed ingredient. Research across livestock species has demonstrated the positive effects of CLV supplementation. For instance, CLV has improved milk production and composition in ruminants, modulated rumen microbiota, enhanced lamb growth, and elevated blood immunoglobulin levels. Moreover, the impact of CLV on ruminal fermentation is dose-dependent, with higher inclusion rates exhibiting more pronounced effects, and it may also play a role in mitigating methane emissions. In poultry, CLV supplementation leads to better growth, feed conversion ratios, immune responses, and meat and egg quality. Similarly, studies on pigs suggest that CLV can benefit immune response and fatty acid profiles, while in rabbits, CLV has been found to reduce oxidative stress and improve immune responses. Additionally, CLV has shown promise in aquaculture, improving feed utilization, immunity, and disease resistance in various fish species. While CLV shows considerable potential, the variability in animal responses and the need for optimized inclusion levels necessitate further species-specific research to elucidate the long-term implications of its inclusion in animal diets.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/6/879microalgae<i>Chlorella vulgaris</i>rumen fermentationantioxidantsimmune responsenutrient digestibility |
| spellingShingle | Ishaya Usman Gadzama Saraswati Ray René Méité Isaac Maina Mugweru Takudzwa Gondo Md Atikur Rahman Md Rahat Ahmad Redoy Md Fazle Rohani Ahmed Eid Kholif Md Salahuddin Andre F. Brito <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive Review Animals microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> rumen fermentation antioxidants immune response nutrient digestibility |
| title | <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full | <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_fullStr | <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_short | <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> as a Livestock Supplement and Animal Feed: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_sort | i chlorella vulgaris i as a livestock supplement and animal feed a comprehensive review |
| topic | microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> rumen fermentation antioxidants immune response nutrient digestibility |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/6/879 |
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