546 Meat quality of Suffolk and Bergamasca lambs slaughtered at 90 days of age

Twenty lambs, 10 Suffolk (S) e 10 Bergamasca (B) born from single (SI) and twin type of birth (TW), were employed. Lambs fed the same diet. Chemical-physical analysis were performed on raw Longissimus lumborum (LL). B showed the lowest cooked loss on cooked LL, the highest value of a* and b* on raw meat. As regard fatty acid composition, LL of B showed the highest saturated fatty acids and the lowest value of polyunsaturated acids. Twin subjects showed raw meat with the lowest value of ether extract and with a healthy fatty acid composition

Official control and self-monitoring: Data agreement report in the integrated food safety system of an Italian dairy chain

Abstract The dairy industry's silos is a critical point in the safety and quality control system. However, limited scientific evidence is available on measurement agreement between the milk analyses done by official control bodies and the self-monitoring analyses done by milk processing industries. Milk production data from a milk processing plant were collected for four months and analyzed by an official control body and the dairy company for freezing point, total bacterial count, somatic cell count, and for fat, lactose and protein percentages. Correlation and Bland-Altman analysis showed a good agreement between the two determinations for most of the variables (Spearman's rho > 0.82 for Somatic cell count, Fat% and Protein %), while low agreement was found for total bacterial counts (Spearman's rho =0.78). It was found that the difference between total bacterial counts was influenced by collecting route, time between sampling and analysis, and milk temperature inside the truck tank

Risk Categorization in On-Farm Welfare in Different-Sized Dairy Sheep Flocks

: The objective of the present work was to categorize the risks in the on-farm welfare of dairy sheep in semi-extensive systems in order to highlight if risks in welfare vary according to the farm size. To the best of our knowledge, this study constitutes one of the few categorizations of the risks in the welfare of dairy sheep reared semi-extensively. The survey was conducted on 12 semi-extensive dairy sheep farms in Tuscany (Central Italy), which were classified according to flock size: <500, from 500 to 1000, and >1000. The results showed an adequate rating for all the farms included in the study. The most critical issues concerned the ratio between the number of stockpersons and the number of animals within the farms, the small decubitus areas, the lack of udder cleaning procedures during milking operations, and, in terms of biosecurity, the lack of prevention, control, and eradication plans for the most important infectious ovine diseases. The results show that different items in the five areas evaluated, including the assessments of management of the flock, the number of daily inspections, and the hygiene of the water supplies are associated with the farm size. In large farms, the assessment of management of the flock was better, but the number of daily inspections and the hygiene of the water supplies were worse

CONSERVAZIONE DEL LATTE D’ASINA: ASPETTI NUTRIZIONALI E IGIENICO-SANITARI

RIASSUNTO - Negli ultimi anni, l’attenzione verso la produzione del latte d’asina per uso pediatrico è aumentata. Il motivo di questo interesse risiede nella sua composizione, sotto certi aspetti simile al latte umano che lo rende utilizzabile come alimento alternativo nei casi di allergia alle proteine del latte bovino (APLV). In Toscana è presente l’Asino Amiatino, una razza autoctona originaria del Monte Amiata la cui presenza ha permesso di creare una filiera locale supportata da studi specifici di gestione igienico-sanitaria e riproduttiva. Recentemente è stato avviato un progetto di ricerca finanziato dalla Regione Toscana intitolato “Il latte d’asina di razza Amiatina nella gestione del bambino con allergia alle proteine del latte vaccino: aspetti innovativi, clinici, allergologici e nutrizionali”, con l’obiettivo di valutare l’efficacia dell’impiego di latte d’asina Amiatina nella dieta di bambini affetti da APLV testandone le caratteristiche nutrizionali, nutraceutiche e igienico-sanitarie. Scopo di questo lavoro è stato quindi quello di verificare alcune caratteristiche nutrizionali e igienico-sanitarie del latte d’asina pastorizzato e conservato a temperatura di refrigerazione a +3°C (±2°C) e di congelamento a -20°C (±5°C). Nell’arco di un mese, con cadenza settimanale, sono stati effettuati 3 campionamenti di latte di massa proveniente dalla mungitura del mattino effettuata in un allevamento di circa 150 asine di razza Amiatina. Il latte è stato pastorizzato (65°C per 30 minuti), suddiviso in aliquote e conservato a temperatura di refrigerazione a +3°C (±2°C) per 21 giorni o congelato a -20°C (±5°C) fino a 90 giorni. Per ciascun campionamento le aliquote sono state sottoposte con cadenza settimanale ad analisi chimiche (pH, sostanza secca, grasso, proteine, lattosio, ceneri, sali minerali e profilo acidico) e microbiologiche (Microrganismi totali a 30°C, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., Staphylococchi coagulasi positivi, Enterobacteriacee). In entrambe le valutazioni, la conservazione non ha determinato variazioni qualitative rilevanti. La pastorizzazione è stata efficace ed i requisiti previsti dal Reg.(CE) 2073/2005 nel periodo di conservazione, sia a temperature di refrigerazione che congelamento, sono sempre stati rispettati. La conta dei microganismi totali a 30°C non ha mai superato il valore di 102 UFC/ml

Effects of the Physiological Status and Diet on Blood Metabolic Parameters in Amiata Dairy Donkeys

Body weight changes and blood metabolic parameters in jennies feeding two different diets and in three physiological statuses were investigated (maintenance vs. pregnancy; maintenance vs. lactation). The relationships between blood metabolic profile and milk quality were also evaluated. Fourteen jennies were allocated to two groups (1: pregnant/lactating; 2: nonpregnant, non–lactating). Pregnant jennies and maintenance jennies (during the first 10‐week measurement period) fed a diet consisted of ad libitum grass hay (diet 1); lactating jennies and maintenance jennies (during the last 10‐week measurement period) fed ad libitum grass hay plus 2 kg/head/day of concentrate (diet 2). Blood sampling was performed on the jennies of both groups; individual milk samples were also collected during the first 70 days in milk. Higher blood NEFA (p < 0.05) were found in pregnant compared to maintenance jennies (diet 1) (68 vs. 37 μmol/L). Lactating jennies showed higher (p < 0.01) average blood NEFA (268 vs. 26 μmol/L) and glucose (66 vs. 55 mg/dL) compared to the maintenance (diet 2). Blood glucose was positively correlated to milk fat (p < 0.05), while negative significant correlations between de novo milk fatty acids and NEFAs were observed. Positive correlations between plasma B‐HBA and somatic cell count (p < 0.01) were also found

Dermatophytosis in donkeys (Equus asinus) due to Microsporum racemosum, an unusual geophilic agent

Reports about ringworm in donkeys are scanty and refer to zoonotic agents such as Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton verrucosum. Seventeen Asino Amiatina donkeys semi-extensively farmed in paddocks showed alopecic nummular, scaling areas mainly on head and neck. Microsporum racemosum cultivated from the lesions was identified by morphology and PCR. Affected animals healed spontaneously. The present record reports for the first time the occurrence of ringworm due to M. racemosum in naturally infected animals

Influence of Wet Ageing on Beef Quality Traits

Fresh samples of Longissimus thoracis of Charolais (n = 12), Romagnola (n = 15), Limousine (n = 77), and crossbreed (n = 62) animals were evaluated with different storage periods (0, 4, 9, and 14 days). Proximate analysis (i.e., pH, humidity, color, free water content, and physical parameters) was performed for each sample. The data obtained were evaluated with a mixed model, setting 5 fixed effects (breed, storage time, animals age, EUROP conformation, number of animal transports) and the animal as random. The results demonstrated that meat quality was affected mainly by the wet ageing period and that the visual and tactile parameters were also found to be susceptible to the storage time. The conservation entailed a decrease in meat humidity and an increase in L* and b* traits; it also led to a decrease in the hardness of the sample, in turn affecting the other texture profile analysis parameters considered. Fixed effects affected in different ways the traits analyzed i.e., pH and humidity changed with breed, as well as with EUROP classification, animals’ age for some TPA parameters, and the number of animal transports for both visual and tactile parameters. Wet ageing influenced the meat quality, often improving it, confirming how important further research would be to identify precise storage times in relation to the parameters studied

Use of donkey milk in infant feeding

There are still few literature about the role of donkey milk (DM) in human nutrition and increasing knowledge is crucial in order to provide practical advice for DM consumption. The aim of this study was to monitor nutritional quality, hygiene and health risks, and the impact of DM in the feeding of children with cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). DM was supplied by a farm located in central Italy, conforming with EU regulation 853/2004. Eighteen pasteurised milk samples (at 65 °C for 30min) were taken monthly. Pasteurised DM showed a total average viable count of 4332.22 CFU/mL (±3046.78), a slightly alkaline pH (7.12±0.17), a lactose percentage of 6.83±0.34, a total protein percentage of 1.63±0.19, while casein was 0.81%±0.11. Fat percentage (0.51±0.52) was lower compared to ruminant milk and about 48% of the total milk fatty acids were unsaturated. In addition, DM contained 7.52±2.49 g/100 g of fat of n3 linolenic acid. Eighty-one children with CMPA referred to the Allergy Unit of the Anna Meyer Children’s Hospital were recruited. They underwent to an allergological work-up including an oral food challenge (OFC) with DM; during the OFC the palatability of the milk was also evaluated. In children ≥3 years of age, DM palatability was assessed with a specific Wong-Baker modified pain scale, while in children <3 years of age it was assessed through the physician’s judgment. The results of the allergological work-up showed that DM did not caused allergic reactions in the 98.7% of patients, in addition, a good palatability of the milk was found. DM was included for six months in nutritional plans for 16 children with IgE-mediate CMPA (mean age of 20±18.4 months at the beginning of the study) and six with Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (mean age of 5.33±1.75 months). The daily dose of DM varied from a maximum of 1000mL to a minimum 200– 250mL according to the age of the children. Given the low fat of DM, the diet of the children was supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (EVO) according to the age (from a minimum of 1.5 g of EVO and 1.5 g of Medium Chain Triglycerides vegetable oil in each 100mL of milk to a maximum of 8–10mL of EVO added to the daily meals). All the children that underwent to the nutritional plans were monitored twice (at the beginning and at the end of the study) for the auxological parameters. The results showed that DM did not change the normal growth rate of allergic children