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School of Agriculture

Faculty of Agriculture Forestry and Natural Environment

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Laboratory of : Farm Animal Nutrition

Year of Endorsement: 1960

Number of Endorsement’s Act/Government’s Gazette Number (FEK): 91/27.6.1960

 

Address / Communication

Laboratory of Nutrition Physiology & Applied Farm Animal Nutrition Building, AUTH Farm, Thermi, PC 57001

and

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, School of Agriculture, PC 54124

 

Email: vdotas@agro.auth.gr

Tηλ: +302310 991735, 998695

 

Members – Teaching Staff

Vassilios Dotas, Associate Professor of Animal Nutrition

Τηλ.: +30 2310 991735, 998695

e-mail: vdotas@agro.auth.gr

https://people.auth.gr/vdotas/?lang=en

 

Research Field

Animal Nutrition

 

History

The Laboratory of Nutrition Physiology & Applied Farm Animal Nutrition was founded in 1960 (FEK 91/27.6.1960). The Laboratory operates both in the School of Agriculture at the University Campus, as well as in the namesake building at the AUTH Farm in Thermi, providing rich teaching and research work. The construction and equipment of the Laboratory at the Farm were funded by the Livestock Development Program of the Ministry of Agriculture that was completed in 1982, under the tireless efforts of the esteemed late Professor Christos N. Skipitaris. The Laboratory is scientifically active both in nutritional physiology and the energy metabolism of farm animals, as well as in the applied nutrition of small ruminants, cattle, horses, pigs and productive poultry. Since 1973, within the framework of the postgraduate specialization “Animal Science”, it provides postgraduate studies of the 1st and/or 2nd cycle and has contributed to the completion of more than 70 postgraduate and 20 doctoral theses. The Laboratory has developed close cooperation in recent years with the AUTH School of Veterinary Medicine, the School of Animal Science of the AUA, the School of Agriculture of the IHU and the Institute of Animal Science of the ELGO “DEMETER”.

Teaching Activities

The sole member of the Laboratory of Nutrition Physiology & Applied Farm Animal Nutrition is tasked with the teaching of eight (8) undergraduate courses (Farm Animal Nutrition Ν013Υ, Nutrition Physiology of Farm Animals I Ν406Υ, Nutrition Physiology of Farm Animals II Ν444Ε, Applied Ruminant Nutrition Ν403Υ, Description, Preservation & Technology of Feedstuffs Ν405Υ, Grasslands – Pastures – Pasture Management Ν412Υ, Applied Monogastric Nutrition Ν409Υ, Applied Poultry Nutrition Ν448Υ) of the School of Agriculture.

 

Research Activities

Nutrition constitutes an important pillar of animal production, given that it represents 50-70% of the total production cost of livestock products. The Laboratory of Nutrition Physiology and Applied Farm Animal Nutrition provides education and research in all aspects of both theoretical and applied nutrition for all categories of productive animals. The role of farm animal nutrition has been particularly upgraded nowadays after the prolonged economic and energy crisis and the threatened food sufficiency.

The Laboratory’s research focuses on increasing production and nutritional efficiency, as well as the production of quality livestock products with high added value, that respond to the modern demands of the consumer, with parallel care for the welfare and health of animals, but also the protection of the environment.

The main research objectives of the Laboratory are the following:

  • research across the whole range of farm animal nutrition, i.e., in nutritional physiology and applied farm animal nutrition
  • description of nutrients/components of the animal body, feedstuffs, and forage
  • in-depth study of the physiological role and significance of vitamins, macro-elements, and trace elements in animal nutrition, the digestion of feedstuffs, and the absorption of nutrients
  • understanding the mechanisms of digestive utilization of feeds and their nutrients, the metabolism of absorbed nutrients, as well as the utilization of feed energy by farm animals
  • applied nutrition of all categories of farm animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, productive poultry, equines, etc.) for all production stages
  • determination of the nutritional value of feedstuffs and forage
  • description and understanding of nutritional energy systems
  • determination of normal nutrient requirements of farm animals for maintenance, growth, reproduction, pregnancy, and production (milk, meat, eggs, etc.), in energy, protein, amino acids, vitamins, inorganic elements, etc.
  • formulation of rational, i.e., balanced and least cost, rations for all categories of farm animals in all production stages
  • chemical analyses of feedstuffs and biological materials for dry matter, organic matter, inorganic substances, ether extract (fat substances), nitrogenous substances, and fibrous substances (Weende analytical technique), as well as for fibrous substance fractions, i.e., NDF, ADF, cellulose, hemicelluloses + pectins, and lignin (Van Soest analytical technique), according to AOAC methods
  • comparative nutrition experiments to estimate the effect of adding feedstuffs/by-products/additives on animal yield and the quality characteristics of livestock products
  • in vivodigestibility experiments for the estimation of total (apparent or true) and ileal digestibility, as well as nutritional value, of rations and feedstuffs
  • in vivoexperiments for the estimation of the degree of degradability (fermentability) of rations and protein feedstuffs
  • production of innovative/functional livestock products (milk, meat, eggs), through targeted interventions in animal nutrition with parallel care for welfare and environmental protection

Facilities and Equipment

  • analytical balance with 4 decimal place precision
  • drying oven for the determination of dry matter and moisture
  • muffle furnace for the determination of inorganic matter (ash)
  • stereoscopes & microscopes
  • centrifuge
  • ether extract apparatus (for fatty substances/crude fat)
  • nitrogen determination apparatus (for nitrogenous substances/protein)
  • fiber determination apparatus (for fibrous substances/crude fiber)

Recent Research Projects

  • Research project titled “Assessment of grazing capacity in pastures of Northern Greece (Regional Unit of Florina) using geoinformatics techniques”. Implementing body: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) Special Account for Research Funds. [2015]
  • Research project titled “Integration of chelated trace elements in the diet of dairy ewes and the study of their effect on animal productivity and health and on milk quality”. Funding body: Bioergex Salatas Bros S.A., Implementing body: Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) – DIMITRA. [2016-2017]
  • Research project titled “Pilot study investigating development strategies for the poultry sector in the Region of Epirus”. Implementing body: Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Epirus Special Account for Research Funds. [2017-2018]
  • Research project titled “Nutritional value of MHA-FA and DLM in common Greek broiler diets”. Funding body: Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, Implementing body: Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) – DIMITRA. [2018]
  • Research project titled “Study on the structure of sheep and goat farms and investigation of development strategies for the sheep and goat farming sector in the Region of Epirus”. Implementing body: University of Ioannina Special Account for Research Funds. [2019-2020]
  • Research project titled “Effect of Ecobiol® on broiler health status and live performance in normal and low protein diets”. Funding body: Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, Implementing body: Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) – DIMITRA. [2019-2020]
  • Research project titled “Effect of Provigoro 14WA on the health and performance of broiler chickens”. Funding body: Polypan Group S.A., Implementing body: Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) – DIMITRA. [2021]
  • Research project titled “Efficiency of TechnoSpore® and TechnoCare® in improving broiler performance and gut health parameters in challenged birds”. Funding body: Biochem Zusatzstoffe Handels und Produktionsgesellschaft mbH, Implementing body: Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) – DIMITRA. [2024-2026]
  • Research project titled “Sustainable utilization of shellfish and crustacean shells aiming at the development of innovative food ingredients and the improvement of animal welfare through their addition to diets”. Funding body: Recovery and Resilience Facility “Greece 2.0” – General Secretariat for Public Investments & NSRF, Implementing body: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) Special Account for Research Funds. [2025]
  • Research project titled “Research for the production of cow’s milk and dairy products naturally enriched in omega-3 and antioxidants by utilizing by-products of the Thessaly flora”. Funding body: Recovery and Resilience Facility “Greece 2.0” – General Secretariat for Public Investments & NSRF, Implementing body: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) Special Account for Research Funds. [2025-2026]

 

Recent Theses

PhD Theses:

  • Kargopoulos Anastasios, 2017. “Energy digestibility, nutrient availability, and utilization of rapeseed meal in swine diets”.
  • Kaimakamis Ioannis, 2017. “Typology of sheep and goat farms in the Regional Unit of Larissa in relation to production systems and implemented grazing systems”.
  • Gourdouvelis Dimitrios, 2018. “Study on the characteristics of zootechnical management of beef cattle farms in the Region of Central Macedonia”.
  • Koidou Maria, 2020. “Comparative study on the assessment of grazing capacity of semi-mountainous, mountainous, and subalpine grasslands in the Regional Unit of Florina”.
  • Hatzizisis Lampros, 2021. “Characteristics of zootechnical and economic management of broiler poultry farming in the Region of Epirus”.
  • Semos Nikolaos, 2023. “Current status and development strategies for the fur animal farming sector in the Region of Western Macedonia”.
  • Shina Vasiliki, 2023. “Carcass classification and meat quality of Greek pigs in relation to genotype, nutrition, and geographical region”.

 

Diploma Theses:

  • Metsi Dimitra, 2020. “The utilization of olive oil industry by-products in the nutrition of farm animals”.
  • Albanis Vasileios, 2020. “Replacement of soybean meal with ground lupin seeds in the nutrition of productive poultry”.
  • Ketsetzis Georgios, 2020. “Dietary value and use of extracted rapeseed meal in the nutrition of ruminant farm animals”.
  • Orfanioti Aikaterini, 2020. “Utilization of distillery grape pomace in the nutrition of dairy cows”.
  • Bogiatzi Despoina, 2020. “Production of innovative beef enriched with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and natural antioxidants of plant origin”.
  • Andreadis Nikolaos, 2021. “Interventions in the nutrition of pigs and productive poultry aiming at the production of livestock products enriched in omega-3 fatty acids and their importance for human nutrition and health”.
  • Kalaitzis Georgios, 2021. “The use of cottonseed cake in sheep nutrition”.
  • Pavlidou Eirini, 2021. “Grape pomace in the nutrition of farm animals”.
  • Anastasopoulos Konstantinos, 2021. “Effect of adding a commercial probiotic preparation on the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers”.
  • Katzou Eleni, 2021. “Effect of dietary protein level and probiotic addition on the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers”.
  • Kosmidou Anastasia, 2021. “Effect of dietary protein level and probiotic addition on the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers”.
  • Iordanou Ioanna, 2022. “Productive characteristics and health status of broilers in whose drinking water an enhanced acidifier preparation was added”.
  • Ntalla Margarita, 2022. “Effect of adding an acidifier preparation enriched with polyphenols on the performance and carcass quality of broilers”.
  • Bourli Ioanna, 2022. “Effect of adding a commercial acidifier preparation on the performance and carcass quality of broilers”.
  • Kastiza Alexandra-Maria, 2023. “Effect of dietary turmeric addition on the performance of laying hens and egg quality characteristics”.
  • Gaitanidou Marina, 2023. “Productive characteristics and carcass quality of broilers in whose diets olive leaf extract was added”.
  • Koutras Stavros, 2023. “Effect of oregano essential oil addition on the performance and carcass quality characteristics of broilers”.
  • Koutroumbi Konstantina, 2024. “Effect of dietary addition of Tenebrio molitor insect larvae on the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers”.
  • Daglartzi Athina, 2024. “Effect of phytobiotic preparation addition on the performance and carcass quality characteristics of broilers”.
  • Liasou Theofania, 2025. “Effect of dietary vitamin E addition on the performance of laying hens and egg quality characteristics”.

Tzamalis Fotios, 2025. “Effect of oregano essential oil addition via drinking water on the performance and carcass quality characteristics of broilers”.

Information