Bioelectrical impedance analysis for the prediction of hot carcass weight in buffalo calf

Twenty young buffalo male calves were fed ad libitum with a total mix ration and with vitamin-mineral integration for 14 months. Seven days before slaughter, the animals were weighed and bioelectrical impedance measurements were collected in live animals. Physical and chemical characteristics were assessed on the Longissimus dorsi muscle after slaughter. Correlations and regression equations were calculated to determine the possible use of bioelectrical impedance for evaluating hot carcass weight. Bioelectrical impedance analysis at different frequencies, simple correlation and analysis of regression were examined for all the data collected, supporting the possibility of hot carcass weight prediction with equation at multifrequency. The results show that, probably due to the variability in animal live weight, the distribution of the colour parameters was not normally distributed. Moreover, using different frequencies of resistance and reactance, hot carcass weight in buffalo may be predicted with the following equation: Y=98.47–8.84(Rs100KHz)+4.41(Rs1000 KHz)-116.27(Xc5 KHz)+51.04(Xc50 KHz)+20.30(Xc100 KHz)-33.92(Xc500 KHz)+9.01(Xc1000 KHz)±ε (Adjusted R Square value of .907 and SE of 5.728) However, further studies are required to improve the technique also in buffalo, after standardization of the method

Milk yield and quality to estimate genetic parameters in Buffalo cows

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for daily milk yield, fat and protein milk contents and their relationship with "mozzarella" cheese production using the classic instruments of the quantitative genetics. A total of 5130 daily milk yields records, belonging to 6 herds in South Italy were analyzed. The traits studied were: accumulated 270-day milk yield, milk fat and protein percentages, and milk yield day and mozzarella production. Descriptive statistics of the variable studied have been obtained with the procedure MEANS and FREQ, while the variation sources have been investigated using procedure GLM. With the objective to characterize the effects of greater impact on the production of milk (kg/days), fat and protein content (%) and "mozzarella" production (kg/days), has been used analysis of variance (ANOVA). On average, buffalo cow's milk production during lactation was 9.21 ± 2.79 kg/d with 8.73% of fat and 4.98% of protein. Heritability estimates were low. The genetic correlation estimates between milk yield and % of fat and % of protein were low. These results showed that the genes with the affect on milk yield have an antagonistic effect on % of fat and % of protein traits. Its suggests that selection to increase milk yield, would in the long term probably cause a reduction in milk constituents

Effect of Environmental Pollution on Production and Metabolic Profile in Buffalo Cows

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Moving Buffalo Farming beyond Traditional Areas: Performances of Animals, and Quality of Mozzarella and Forages

An observational case study was designed to highlight issues associated with a possible expansion of dairy buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) farming outside the traditional coastal plains of southern Italy. Twenty pregnant buffaloes were transferred to a hilly inland farm. After calving, production and reproduction data were collected monthly throughout lactation. From 4 to 6 months of lactation, buffaloes were enrolled in a feeding trial to evaluate the effects of locally grown forages (maize silage vs. hay) on milk production and in vivo digestibility. Sensory properties of mozzarella cheese produced at a local dairy were also evaluated. No obvious effects of diet were found. Compared to the data recorded in the previous lactation completed in the farm of origin, milk yield was reduced by 37.2%, and milk protein by 6.1%, whereas milk fat improved (+4.5%). A lower pregnancy rate (−13.3%), increased days open (+122%), and a prolonged intercalving period (+26.9%) were also observed. Lactation length was shorter than the standard value of 270 d. The results showed that peculiar reproductive characteristics, lower environmental temperatures, and the specificity of the mozzarella production process are the main problems to be addressed in an expansion of buffalo farming outside traditional area

Characterization of blood redox status of early and mid-late lactating dairy cows

The effect of the stage of lactation on blood redox homeostasis of bovine and buffalo cows was evaluated. The investigation was carried out on early lactating and mid-late lactating cows, reared in a farm located in Campania (southern Italy). Plasma concentration of α-tocopherol and ascorbate, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase activities were higher (P < 0.01) in mid-late lactating cows, thus suggesting a higher consumption of antioxidants during early lactation. Plasma concentration of protein-bound carbonyls (PC) and nitrotyrosine (N-Tyr), and the level of lipid hydroperoxides (LPO) were higher (P < 0.01) in early lactating cows, thus suggesting that lipid peroxidation and peroxynitrite production are crucial in determining oxidative modifications in plasma. TAC was positively correlated with ascorbate concentration (P < 0.03), and negatively correlated with PC concentration (P < 0.002), and ascorbate was negatively correlated with PC (P < 0.03) in mid-late lactating group. These findings demonstrate that circulating ascorbate plays a major role in preventing protein modifications induced by carbonyls, and that ascorbate scavenging effect is impaired during early lactation. We calculated a protein oxidative stress index as the ratio (PC + N-Tyr)/TAC multiplied by 100, and we found that this parameter was higher (P < 0.0001) in early lactating cows. Therefore, it could be useful for assessing the extent of protein oxidative damage in relation to the whole antioxidant status. Further, we suggest that the LPO/GPx ratio multiplied by 100 might be used as lipid oxidative stress index in lactating cows. This index was higher (P < 0.0001) in early lactating cows, and might represent a standard parameter for evaluating the lipid damage depending on a deficiency of the enzymatic antioxidant defence. These parameters are proposed for a possible effective description of physiological changes associated with lactation

Nutritional Characterization of Hay Produced in Campania Region: Analysis by the near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Technology

: Since the dietary characteristics of hays can be very variable, it is of great importance for nutritionists to know their chemical composition in order to formulate adequate rations for the animals. Laboratory analyses are time-consuming and expensive while the Near Infrared Spectroscopy offers several advantages, including obtaining information on feeds nutritional characteristics very quickly and in situ at the farm, thanks to portable NIRS. In this trial, over 400 hay samples collected in the Campania region (Italy) were analyzed with portable NIRS device. The final aim was to analyze the differences in hay quality in different production areas, highlighting the possible factors involved and suggesting possible corrective measures. All the analyzed hays (polyphite, Gramineae and alfalfa) were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the area of cultivation/preservation. In particular, the polyphite and Gramineae hays produced in most of the areas of Campania region showed poor nutritional value due to the low protein content and high structural carbohydrate that significantly reduced its digestibility. The use of high-quality forages in the ration represents a pivotal factor to allow the production of high-quality products of animal origin. The use of NIRS seems to be a valuable strategy to select potential treatments that can increase feed digestibility and to avoid long chemical analysis

Bioelectrical impedance analysis for the prediction of hot carcass weight in buffalo calf

Twenty young buffalo male calves were fed ad libitum with a total mix ration and with vitamin-mineral integration for 14 months. Seven days before slaughter, the animals were weighed and bioelectrical impedance measurements were collected in live animals. Physical and chemical characteristics were assessed on the Longissimus dorsi muscle after slaughter. Correlations and regression equations were calculated to determine the possible use of bioelectrical impedance for evaluating hot carcass weight. Bioelectrical impedance analysis at different frequencies, simple correlation and analysis of regression were examined for all the data collected, supporting the possibility of hot carcass weight prediction with equation at multifrequency. The results show that, probably due to the variability in animal live weight, the distribution of the colour parameters was not normally distributed. Moreover, using different frequencies of resistance and reactance, hot carcass weight in buffalo may be predicted with the following equation: Y=98.47&ndash;8.84(Rs100KHz)+4.41(Rs1000 KHz)-116.27(Xc5 KHz)+51.04(Xc50 KHz)+20.30(Xc100 KHz)-33.92(Xc500 KHz)+9.01(Xc1000 KHz)&plusmn;&epsilon; (Adjusted R Square value of .907 and SE of 5.728) However, further studies are required to improve the technique also in buffalo, after standardization of the method

Indirect calculation of wild boar density (Sus scrofa) on the National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano (South Italy)

The increased damage in cultivated crops caused by wild animals, don't informed about the number of wild boars involved. For the higher nutritive value, wild boars prefer cultivated crops like corn, potato, sugar beets, sunflowers, grain, barley, oat, rye. Quantity and quality damage for the period 1995-1997 was utilized by authors for an indirect method to estimate the number of wild boars into the National Park of Cilento e Vallo di Diano