Composition differences between organic and conventional meat: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Demand for organic meat is partially driven by consumer perceptions that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods. However, there have been no systematic reviews comparing specifically the nutrient content of organic and conventionally produced meat. In this study, we report results of a meta-analysis based on sixty-seven published studies comparing the composition of organic and non-organic meat products. For many nutritionally relevant compounds (e.g. minerals, antioxidants and most individual fatty acids (FA)), the evidence base was too weak for meaningful meta-analyses. However, significant differences in FA profiles were detected when data from all livestock species were pooled. Concentrations of SFA and MUFA were similar or slightly lower, respectively, in organic compared with conventional meat. Larger differences were detected for total PUFA and n-3 PUFA, which were an estimated 23 (95 % CI 11, 35) % and 47 (95 % CI 10, 84) % higher in organic meat, respectively. However, for these and many other composition parameters, for which meta-analyses found significant differences, heterogeneity was high, and this could be explained by differences between animal species/meat types. Evidence from controlled experimental studies indicates that the high grazing/forage-based diets prescribed under organic farming standards may be the main reason for differences in FA profiles. Further studies are required to enable meta-analyses for a wider range of parameters (e.g. antioxidant, vitamin and mineral concentrations) and to improve both precision and consistency of results for FA profiles for all species. Potential impacts of composition differences on human health are discussed

Effects of new polymorphisms in the bovine myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) gene on the expression rates of the longissimus dorsi muscle

Myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D), a product of the MEF2D gene, belongs to the myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) protein family which is involved in vertebrate skeletal muscle development and differentiation during myogenesis. The aim of the present study was to search for polymorphisms in the bovine MEF2D gene and to analyze their effect on MEF2D mRNA and on protein expression levels in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Polish Holstein–Friesian cattle. Overall, three novel variations, namely, insertion/deletion g.−818_−814AGCCG and g.−211C<A transversion in the promoter region as well as g.7C<T transition in the 5′untranslated region (5′UTR), were identified by DNA sequencing. A total, 375 unrelated bulls belonging to six different cattle breeds were genotyped, and three combined genotypes (Ins-C-C/Ins-C-C, Del-A-T/Del-A-T and Ins-C-C/Del-A-T) were determined. The frequency of the combined genotype Ins-C-C/Ins-C-C and Del-A-T/Del-A-T was varied between the breeds and the average frequency was 0.521 and 0.037, respectively. Expression analysis showed that the MEF2D variants were highly correlated with MEF2D mRNA and protein levels in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Polish Holstein–Friesian bulls carrying the three different combined genotypes. The highest MEF2D mRNA and protein levels were estimated in the muscle of bulls with the Ins-C-C/Ins-C-C homozygous genotype as compared to the Del-A-T/Del-A-T homozygotes (P < 0.01) and Ins-C-C/Del-A-T heterozygotes (P < 0.05). A preliminary association study showed no significant differences in the carcass quality traits between bulls with various MEF2D combined genotypes in the investigated population of Polish Holstein–Friesian cattle

Strategies for keeping dairy cows and calves together – a cross-sectional survey study

Although it is still most common to rear dairy calves separately from adult cattle, the interest in prolonged contact between dairy calves and lactating cows during early life is increasing. Previous research has documented positive effects of cow-calf contact (CCC) on for example early calf growth and udder health of suckled cows, but also negative effects such as increased separation distress and reduced weight gains after weaning. The aim of this study was to use information from European farms with prolonged cow-calf contact to identify innovative solutions to common challenges for CCC farms. Commercial dairy farms that kept calves with adult lactating cows for seven days or more after birth were invited to participate, and interviews were performed with 104 farmers from six countries. During interviews, information about farm management, calf rearing, farmers’ perception of animal health on their farm, and farmers’ drivers and barriers for implementing CCC were collected. We found that CCC was practised in a large variety of housing and management systems, and that calves could be reared together with their dam, with foster cows, or using a combination of the two. The contact period varied considerably (7–305 days) between farms and about 25% of the farms manually milk fed the calves during parts of the milk feeding period. Daily contact time varied between farms, from 30 minutes per day to permanent contact except at milking. Behaviours indicative of separation distress, most commonly vocalisation in cows and calves, were reported by 87% of the farmers. Strategies to alleviate separation distress, for example simultaneous gradual weaning and separation, were used on some farms. Building constraints were most often mentioned as a barrier for implementing CCC. Our findings suggest that CCC is practised in a variety of commonly used husbandry systems. Reported challenges were primarily related to weaning and separation, and to building constraints; these aspects should be areas of future research

Grundlagen fuer diodengepumpte Nd-dotierte Festkoerperlaser hoher Leistung. Teilvorhaben: Untersuchung von Festkoerperlasern mit verschiedenen Festkoerpermaterialien fuer Anwendung in Messtechnik und Medizin

By the described diode pumped, frequency-doubled Nd:YAG solid state laser an efficient generation of green cw laser beams (532 nm) could be realized. The laser power (cw green) could be raised up to 2W corresponding to an overall optical/electrical efficiency of 5.6% at 35.6 W laser diode power input. For the frequency-doubling crystals dielectric coating systems with R&lt;0.1% have been developed. Theoretical modeling comprises pump beam absorption and pump radiation distribution. Application of the laser is proposed for ophthalmology. (WEN)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F94B2051+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Modeling the Economy as a Complex System

Dawid H. Modeling the Economy as a Complex System. In: Alves Furtado B, Sakowski PAM, Tovolli MH, eds. Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies. Brasilia: IPEA; 2015: 191-216

Wpływ rasy krów i sezonu żywienia na zawartość bioaktywnych białek serwatkowych w mleku produkowanym według zasad biodynamicznego rolnictwa

The aim of this study was to determine genetic effect of cow breed and feeding season on content of bioactive whey protein of cow's milk. In the selected biodynamic dairy farm, cows of two different breeds, i.e. Brown Swiss (BS) and Holstein-Friesian black and white (HF) were kept under the same environment conditions. The samples of milk were collected twice (in summer and winter) from 30 cows (in the same for number from BS and HF). Content of following whey protein: P-lactoglobuline (P-LG), a-lactoalbumine (a-LA), lactoferrin (Lf), lacto-peroxidase (Lp), lisozyme (Lz) and bovine serum albumine (BSA) were determined used RP-HPLC technique. The studies showed a significant effect of breed and feeding season on the content of whey proteins in milk. The average content of whey proteins in milk of cows ranged from 0.73% for the HF breed in winter to 0.84% for the BS breed in summer. Important differences weren't stated in the content of lactoferrin and lactopero-xidase in the milk, and for her the content fluctuated from 0.201 to 0.259 g/l and from 0.111 to 0.154 g/l appropriately at examined breeds. There were no statistically significant differences in the level of a-lactoalbumine in the milk of cows. Its content was ranged from 1.663 to 1.994 g/l. Statistically important differences were shown in conducted experience for the breeds and the feeding season (P < 0.01) for the content of P-lacto-globuline from BS cows in the period of summer feeding was 5.38 g/l, however reduced to the level herself by the winter 4.62 g/l. The similar trend was shown in the milk of HF cows in the summer season the concentration of this white was 4.60 g/l, and in the winter season underwent lowering up to 4.41 g/l. The experiment demonstrated statistically significant differences for the breed and feeding season for the content of P-lactoglobuline in cow's milk.Wpływ rasy krów i sezonu żywienia na zawartość bioaktywnych białek serwatkowych w mleku produkowanym według zasad biodynamicznego rolnictwa. Celem pracy było określenie zawartości białek serwatkowych w mleku w zależności od rasy i sezonu żywienia. W wybranym gospodarstwie specjalizującym się w produkcji mleka według zasad rolnictwa biodynamicznego utrzymywane są w tych samych warunkach środowiskowych dwie rasy krów, tj. Brown Swiss (BS) i Polska Holsztyńsko-Fryzyj-ska (PHF). Próbki mleka od 30 krów (w tej samej liczbie od BS i PHF), były pobierane dwukrotnie w sezonie żywienia letniego i zimowego. Przy wykorzystaniu wysokosprawnej chromatografii cieczowej w odwróconym układzie faz RP--HPLC oznaczono następujące białka serwatkowe: P-laktoglobulinę (P-LG), a-laktoalbuminę (a-LA), laktoferynę (Lf), laktoperoksydazę (Lp), lizozym (Lz) i bydlęcą albuminę serum (BSA). W badaniach wykazano istotny wpływ rasy (P < 0,05) i sezonu żywienia (P < 0,01) na zawartość białek serwatkowych w mleku. Wykazano większą ogólną zawartość białek serwatkowych w mleku obu ras bydła w okresie żywienia letniego w porównaniu z żywieniem alkierzowym. Średnia zawartość białek serwatkowych w mleku krów wahała się od 0,73% dla rasy PHF zimą do 0,84% dla rasy BS latem. Nie stwierdzono istotnych różnic w kształtowaniu się zawartości laktoferyny i laktopero-ksydazy w mleku, a ich zawartość wahała się od 0,201 do 0,259 g/l i od 0,111 do 0,154 g/l odpowiednio w mleku badanych ras. Nie stwierdzono również statystycznie istotnych różnic w poziomie a-laktoalbuminy w mleku badanych krów. Jej zawartość kształtowała się na poziomie wartości referencyjnych w zakresie od 1,663 do 1,994 g/l. W przeprowadzonym doświadczeniu wykazano statystycznie istotne różnice dla rasy i sezonu żywienia (P < 0,01) dla zawartości P-laktoglobuliny. Koncentracja P-laktoglobuliny w mleku krów rasy BS w okresie żywienia letniego wynosiła 5,38 g/l, jednakże zimą obniżyła się do poziomu 4,62 g/l. Podobną tendencję wykazano w mleku krów rasy PHF. W sezonie letnim stężenie tego białka wynosiło 4,60 g/l, a w sezonie zimowym uległo obniżeniu do 4,41 g/l