How to evaluate body conditions of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in an alpine environment?

Aim of this investigation was to compare different indices for evaluating nutritional conditions of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in alpine environment during the autumn, in order to detect the most convenient for management purposes in our specific situation. Body conditions of 274 red deer were evaluated using kidney fat index, back fat index and body condition scores. Body Condition Scores was the easiest but less reliable method. Both kidney fat index and back fat index were significantly affected by age- and sex-class (always lower in younger animals) and, in females, also by lactation status. In stags, a negative regression effect of culling date on both kidney fat index and back fat index was observed. A significant positive correlation between kidney fat index and back fat index was recorded. Both kidney fat index and back fat index were objective indicators of nutritional status and sensitive to changes in physical conditions, but back fat index was quicker and easier to be measured. As a direct implication, we suggest that back fat index can be a practical and reliable indicator for monitoring red deer conditions in alpine areas during the autumn, provided that the effects of sex, age and date of culling are taken into account

NMR and biochemical studies

RNA‐containing vesicles, recovered from the supernatant of high‐density cell samples of human colon carcinoma, produce a high‐resolution 1H NMR spectrum of lipids characterized by isotropic tumbling; these vesicles contain large amounts of triglycerides and cholesterol esters. Both findings have strict analogies to what is displayed by the proteolipid complexes isolated from the sera of tumor‐bearing patients [(1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 3455–3459; (1986) FEBS Lett. 203, 164–168]. Lipid analysis and enzymatic tests indicate that these vesicles are selected micromaps of plasma membranes, analogous to those that can be recovered from culture media in which tumor cells are grown [(1985) Dev. Biol. 3, 33–57]. Peculiar lipids, an acylated oligopeptide and a modified phospholipid, are also present in the vesicles

La filiere laitiere en Afrique sahelienne: valorisation du produit local

Une \ue9tude bibliographique et de synth\ue8se sur la fili\ue8re laiti\ue8re en Afrique sah\ue9lienne a \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9e. Apr\ue8s une description g\ue9n\ue9rale sur le Sahel et le r\uf4le des produits laitiers au sein des \ue9conomies locales, ce travail fait le point sur la d\ue9pendance des importations du lait en poudre par plusieurs de ces pays. Bien que le lait repr\ue9sente un \ue9l\ue9ment important dans les civilisations pastorales au Sahel, les fili\ue8res laiti\ue8res locales tardent \ue0 s\u2019affranchir des march\ue9s internationaux. L\u2019\ue9tude analyse la fili\ue8re locale dans ses diff\ue9rents aspects et en particulier son r\ue9cent d\ue9veloppement dans un contexte urbain et celui plus traditionnel au niveau pastoral. La chaine urbaine, \ue9tant plus d\ue9velopp\ue9e et complexe fait l\u2019objet d\u2019une analyse plus approfondie. Les \ue9tapes de production, transformation, commercialisation et consommation sont pass\ue9es en revue selon les deux contextes, en faisant ressortir les possibilit\ue9s d\u2019am\ue9lioration et les freins qui emp\ueachent la croissance de la fili\ue8re locale. Une description des produits laitiers locaux est suivie par l\u2019analyse des potentialit\ue9s qu\u2019ils pourraient jouer dans le processus de lutte \ue0 l\u2019ins\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire. Cette zone d\u2019Afrique souffre encore de ce probl\ue8me et le lait produit localement pourrait intervenir comme un important maillon de la chaine alimentaire. Pour \ue9manciper les pays sah\ue9liennes de la d\ue9pendance des importations et promouvoir la production locale, il est important que la recherche et l\u2019aide au d\ue9veloppement s\u2019orientent davantage vers la fili\ue8re laiti\ue8re, au profit d\u2019un \ue9change \ue9conomique plus \ue9quilibr\ue9 et de la valorisation des produits locaux. Une connaissance plus approfondie de cette fili\ue8re au Sahel vise \ue0 faire conna\ueetre et \ue0 mieux d\ue9velopper les programmes orient\ue9s \ue0 la promotion et valorisation du lait local et de ses produits d\ue9riv\ue9s

Biodiversità e allevamento in Niger : il Parco W

Il video racconta del progetto \u201cDifesa e valorizzazione della biodiversit\ue0 in Niger attraverso programmi di educazione ambientale e strategie operative\u201d finanziato dal Comune di Milano e svolto sotto la supervisione scientifica del Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanit\ue0 Pubblica in partenariato con l'ONG Terre Solidali.Lo scopo del progetto \ue8 stato la valorizzazione della biodiversit\ue0 nella zona di transizione della Riserva della Biosfera del Parco W, al confine tra Niger, Benin e Burkina Faso, attraverso il rafforzamento delle capacit\ue0 degli attori locali (guardie del Parco, allevatori, giovani in et\ue0 scolare), che possono essere a vario titolo coinvolti nella salvaguardia della biodiversit\ue0, e la messa a punto di strategie operative di gestione delle risorse naturali. ATTIVIT\uc0 REALIZZATE: - Formazione delle guardie del Parco W a una corretta gestione della biodiversit\ue0. - Allestimento di un Centro Visitatori all\u2019interno del Parco per la divulgazione e la sensibilizzazione del pubblico sui temi legati alla biodiversit\ue0. - Monitoraggio delle interazioni spaziali e sanitarie tra animali domestici e selvatici nelle aree alla periferia del Parco W. - Messa a punto di uno specifico database in grado di catalogare e rappresentare graficamente le informazioni raccolte. - Attivit\ue0 formative sulla corretta gestione degli animali domestici rivolte agli allevatori situati alla periferia del Parco W. - Realizzazione di interventi formativi di educazione ambientale per la popolazione locale in et\ue0 scolare nei villaggi limitrofi al Parco