Effect of beet pulp on growing performance, digestibility, N balance, and ammonia emission in the heavy pig

A relevant aspect of pig farm units concerning the environmental impact is the ammonia emission from slurries, which is detrimental for animal (and sometimes also for human) welfare. This emission is co-responsible for acid rains, for the increase of bad smells and is detrimental for the respiratory apparatus (Portejoie et al., 2002)

Nitrogen and energy partitioning in two genetic groups of pigs fed low-protein diets at 130 kg body weight

The aim was to evaluate the effect of low-protein (LP) or low-amino acid diets on digestibility, energy and nitrogen (N) utilisation in 2 genetic groups (GG) of pigs (129±11 kg BW). Duroc×Large White (A) pigs were chosen to represent a traditional GG for ham production, and Danbred Duroc (D) pigs to represent a GG with fast growing rate and high carcass lean yield. Dietary treatments: a conventional diet (CONV) containing 13.2% CP, and two LP diets, one with LP (10.4%) and low essential AA (LP1), the second with LP (9.7%) and high essential AA (LP2). Compared to CONV, LP2 had the same essential AA content per unit feed, while LP1 the same essential AA content per unit CP. Feed was restricted (DMI=6.8% BW0.75). Four consecutive digestibility/balances periods were conducted with 24 barrows, 12 A and 12 D. Metabolic cages and respiration chambers were used. No significant difference between diets was registered for digestibility. Nitrogen excreted: 41.3, 33.4 and 29.0 g/d (P=0.009), for CONV, LP1 and LP2 diets, respectively. Nitrogen retention was similar between the diets. Heat production (HP) was the lowest for LP diets. There was a tendency (P=0.079) for a lower energy digestibility in D group. The D pigs also had a higher HP and hence a lower retained energy in comparison with the A pigs. In conclusion: it is possible to reduce N excretion using very LP diets and LP-low AA diets; Danbred GG have a higher heat production and a lower energy retention than A pigs

Growth and slaughter performance, nitrogen balance and ammonia emission from slurry in pigs fed high fibre diets

The aim of the work was to determine digestibility, nitrogen balance and ammonia emission from excreta, in the typical Italian heavy pig during the last phase of growth, when fed diets with a high fibre content. In comparison with a traditional control diet (C), two diets with 12 and 24% wheat bran (WB12 and WB24) and two other diets with 12 and 24% dried beet pulp (BP12 and BP24) were tested. Totally 76 Landrace x Large White fattening barrows, from 45 to 170 kg live weight distributed in 16 pens, were utilized in the trial. Thirty pigs were allocated to 6 metabolic cages in 5 consecutive periods in order to have 6 observations per treatment. For diets C, WB12 and WB24 daily weight gain (DWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and slaughtering performances were also registered, on 20 pigs per dietary treatment. Growing and slaughter performances were similar for pigs fed C and WB12 diets, whilst diet WB24 determined a significant (P<0.05) decrease in performances (growth and feed conversion) in the first period of fattening and a lower dressing percentage at slaughter (85.5, 84.4 and 82.5% for C, WB12 and WB24, respectively). Comparing the diets with the same level of inclusion of the fibrous feeds, WB diets had a lower OM and energy digestibility, while BP diets registered a lower protein but a higher fibre digestibility. Consistently with other experiments, BP diets determined an increase of faecal and a reduction of urinary N, as a percentage of the intake N, as well as a decrease of ammonia emission from the slurries (- 16.6 and -25.3% for BP12 and BP24, in comparison with C diet). For the WB diets the reduction of urinary N and the increase in faecal N were less marked and a reduction of ammonia emissions was not registered

Feeding behaviour, digestibility, energy balance and productive performance of lactating goats fed forage-based and forage-free diets

Six lactating Saanen goats have been used in a Latin Square design to evaluate a grass-based diet (G), a hay-based diet(H) and a nonforage diet (NF). On dry matter, grass and hay contributed for 55% of the diets and had 13.7 and 16.1%CP, 55.4 and 49.4% NDF, 38.0 and 31.6% ADF, respectively. Diet NF had beet pulp, cracked carob beans and whole cottonseedas main ingredients, with more than 75% of the particles greater than 2 mm.Independently of the dietary treatment, the goats spent more time eating than ruminating. Diet NF proved to be effectivein stimulating chewing activity, despite a trend for a lower chewing activity for eating (178, 185, 125 min/kg DMIfor diets G, H and NF, respectively), but not for ruminating (84, 80, 80 min/kg DMI for diets G, H and NF, respectively).Feed intake did not differ among diets, while regarding digestibility diet NF had the highest values for DM (74.1%), OM(75.7%) and non-fibrous carbohydrates (92.0%), but the lowest for ADF (44.5%). For treatments G, H and NF milk yieldswere 3011, 3688 and 3212 g/d (P<0.05 between H and G), while milk fat and protein were respectively 3.37, 3.24,2.96% (P<0.05 between G and NF) and 3.11, 3.32, 3.29%. Milk urea N was lower for diet NF (18.8, 18.6, 12.7 mg/100ml, P<0.001). Diet NF increased the concentration of the short chain fatty acids of milk fat and decreased the content ofC18:0, C18:1 and C18:3 in comparison to the other two diets. No difference among treatments was recorded for CLA.Intake energy was digested to a lesser extent for diet G (68.9, 70.0, 72.7%, P<0.05 between G and NF) due to its poorquality forage. Urinary energy losses reflected the corresponding protein contents of the diets, while no difference wasrecorded for methane production. ME resulted higher for diet NF (60.0, 60.7, 65.1% of the intake energy, P<0.01), whileheat production and milk energy yield were similar in the three treatments. Diet NF had a higher ME content (11.13,11.26, 11.93 MJ/kg DM, P<0.05), while no significant difference among the diets was recorded in terms of kl (0.64, 0.70,0.69) and NEl (7.20, 7.93, 8.30 MJ/kg DM).It is concluded from the study that a nonforage diet with an adequate amount of structured fibre could substitute a rationbased on poor quality forage in lactating goats; however, good forage seems to enhance milk performance to a greaterextent

Determinación de Hidroxifeniletanolaminas mediante formación de Ditiocarbamatos de Cobre (II)

A colorimetric method for the assay of hydroxyphenylethanolamines is proposed. The reaction of amines with carbqn disulfide is utilized as a basis for their analysis.Se ha estudiado, por método espectrofotométrico, la posibilidad de valorar hidroxifeniletilaminas haciendo uso de la reacción coloreada que tiene lugar al tratarlas con S2C, para formar el ácido ditiocarbámico, y su posterior complejación con Cu(II)

Determinación de Hidroxifeniletanolaminas mediante formación de Ditiocarbamatos de Cobre (II)

Se ha estudiado, por método espectrofotométrico, la posibilidad de valorar hidroxifeniletilaminas haciendo uso de la reacción coloreada que tiene lugar al tratarlas con S2C, para formar el ácido ditiocarbámico, y su posterior complejación con Cu(II).A colorimetric method for the assay of hydroxyphenylethanolamines is proposed. The reaction of amines with carbqn disulfide is utilized as a basis for their analysis

Professional profile of workers In spanish fitness clubs

El objetivo del presente estudio fue el de profundizar en el conocimiento de las características sociodemográficas de los profesionales del sector del fitness en España en función del puesto principal desempeñado dentro de la organización. La muestra estuvo formada por 1.662 profesionales (edad media=32,14; DT=6,80; 50,7 % hombres; 49,3 % mujeres). Para la recogida de datos se utilizó un cuestionario diseñado ad hoc. Los resultados mostraron que el género, la edad, y el nivel de formación, resultaban diferentes en función del puesto ocupado. Como conclusión principal, se puede afirmar que los profesionales del sector del fitness español, presentaban una dilatada experiencia en la profesión y un nivel de formación adecuado a las necesidades de sus respectivos puestosThe goal of the present study was to delve into the knowledge of the socio demographic features of professionals in the Spanish fitness sector according to the main position performed within the organization. The sample included 1,662 professionals (average age=32.14; SD=6.80; 50.7 % males; 49.3 % females). To collect data an ad hoc-designed questionnaire was used. Results showed that gender, age and level of training turned out to be different depending on the position held. It may be concluded, for starters, that professionals in the Spanish fitness sector have ample experience in their profession and a training level adequate to the needs of their respective position

Professional profile of workers in spanish fitness clubs

The goal of the present study was to delve into the knowledge of the socio demographic features of professionals in the Spanish fitness sector according to the main position performed within the organization. The sample included 1,662 professionals (average age=32.14; SD=6.80; 50.7 % males; 49.3 % females). To collect data an ad hoc-designed questionnaire was used. Results showed that gender, age and level of training turned out to be different depending on the position held. It may be concluded, for starters, that professionals in the Spanish fitness sector have ample experience in their profession and a training level adequate to the needs of their respective positions.El objetivo del presente estudio fue el de profundizar en el conocimiento de las características sociodemográficas de los profesionales del sector delfitness en Españaen función del puesto principal desempeñado dentro de la organización.La muestra estuvoformada por 1.662 profesionales(edad media=32,14; DT=6,80; 50,7 %hombres; 49,3 %mujeres). Para la recogida de datos se utilizó un cuestionariodiseñado ad hoc. Los resultados mostraron que el género, la edad, y el nivel de formación, resultabandiferentesen función del puesto ocupado. Como conclusión principal, se puede afirmar que los profesionales del sector del fitness español, presentaban una dilatada experienciaen la profesión y un nivel de formación adecuado a las necesidades desus respectivos puestos

Prediction of the nutritive value of maize silage using in vitro and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) techniques

Maize silage is by far the most used forage in the diets for dairy cows and beef cattle in a large part of the Po plain, Italy. However, its chemical composition and its nutritive value range widely according to the genotype and to the climatic and agronomic conditions, particularly with regards to the plant maturity at harvest

Tannin treated lucerne silage in dairy cow feeding

The effects of the addition of tannins to lucerne silage were investigated. At ensiling, chestnut hydrolyzable tannins were added to lucerne forage (T=tannins treated lucerne silage vs C=control lucerne silage). Fifty lactating Holstein cows, fed two diets different for lucerne silage treatment (C or T), were used in a cross-over design. In situ rumen soluble protein fraction (%CP) was higher for C (67.9 vs 59.4; P<0.01), whereas potentially rumen degradable protein (%CP) was lower (24.5 vs 32.1 for C and T; P<0.01). Intestinal rumen escape protein digestibility (%) was numerically higher for T (48.3 vs 54.3). Dry matter intake (21.5 kg/d for both diets) and milk yield (29.8 and 30.2 kg/d for C and T) were not affected by dietary treatment, whereas FCM was slightly higher for T diet (27.5 vs 27.9 kg/d for C and T; P<0.10). Adding tannins to lucerne silage is effective in shifting part of N utilization from the rumen to the intestine, leading to similar productive performance in lactating cows