Journal of Agriculture and Food Research (Jun 2025)
Synchronizing livestock metabolism with feeding schedules: Advancing sustainable animal husbandry practices
Abstract
Circadian rhythms, orchestrated by the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and peripheral clocks in metabolic tissues, regulate diverse physiological processes in livestock, including metabolism, nutrient absorption, and energy utilization. These biological rhythms align internal functions with external factors. In animal husbandry, attention is paid to nutrition quality, however, the effect of feeding schedules on circadian rhythms and overall livestock performance and health is not well explored. This study evaluates research on feeding schedules and their influence on livestock productivity, metabolism, and environmental impact. About 550 sources, including original articles, reviews, thesis, and books were reviewed, with 304 relevant studies analyzed. Keywords included “chronophysiology”, “Chrono nutrition”, “circadian rhythm”, amongst others, and extending to rats, humans, and insects, where livestock data was limited. The results showed that feeding schedules act as key time cues (Zeitgebers) that influence metabolic and physiological processes. Misalignment with the central biological clock disrupted metabolism, reproductive efficiency, and animal welfare. Evening feeding improved nutrient digestibility, milk yield, and metabolic efficiency while reducing heat stress parameters in tropical climates. Additionally, chrono-nutrition strategies reduced methane emissions. Aligning feeding with natural biological rhythms enhanced reproductive performance, offspring growth, and milk composition. Feeding time is a promising tool for optimizing livestock productivity, welfare, and sustainability. Further research is needed to explore the influence of feeding schedules at a species-specific level, including how they affect the gut microbiota of each livestock species. Additionally, the impact of a gravid dam's feeding schedule on the performance of offspring during their productive years should be investigated. The quality of animal products resulting from such feeding regimes could also be evaluated.
