Il perisperma di nocciola come ingrediente sostenibile in alimentazione zootecnica: risultati di una prova in vivo con vitelloni Piemontesi ​

Hazelnuts’ industry has a significant role in Italy, as our country is the second main producer of the field. Alongside the main product, two by-products are obtained: the shells and the skins. The shells are employed in the fuel industry, whereas the skins are currently identified as food waste. Even if this product represents only 2.5% of the hazelnut’s overall weight, it is produced in huge quantities. Nonetheless, hazelnut skins (HS) are characterized by low moisture content, high levels of crude fiber, unsaturated fatty acids and phenols. For these properties, it has been suggested that the integration of this product in beef cattle’s diet could have positive impacts on the animals’ productive and physiological parameters, as well as on the derived products. The aim of this project is to evaluate the potential effects of the inclusion of HS in beef cattle’s nutrition. To achieve this, an in vivo trial is being carried out at Az. Scaglia, in Rivoli (TO). The trial involves 80 male Piedmontese calves randomly divided into 8 groups (4 control- CTR- and 4 test-T). Both groups receive iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets divided in fattening and finishing phases. The test groups receive a diet containing HS in partial substitution (8%) of corn meal. The trial is still ongoing, so the obtained data are to be intended as preliminary promising results. The analyses performed so far are on in vivo parameters such as feed intake, growth performance and blood analysis. The results show higher (P <0.05) feed consumption and lower intake of hay and straw in the test group than in the control group. There are no differences between groups regarding body weight and daily weight gain during the fattening and finishing phases. However, an increase (P <0.05) in the feed conversion ratio was observed in the finishing phase for the test group. In addition, there was a difference (P <0.05) in the number of white blood cells and neutrophils at slaughter, with higher values in the control group than in the test group. In conclusion, the study has the potential to provide a new sustainable and nutritionally-rich resource in animal feed. The relevance of this study can be further addressed by considering the current climate crisis, the consequent price increase of raw materials and, last but not least, the growing necessity to provide a greater sustainability of the whole food chain.