Effects of the foal at the milking and dietary supplementation with extra virgin olive oil on jennet milk production

The effects of the foal at the milking and the extra virgin olive oil supplementation in the diet, on the milk obtained by 12 Ragusana jennets were studied. The jennets were each fed 3.5+1.5 kg/d of concentrate+bran, and hay ad libitum. They were divided into 2 equal groups with one group receiving an additional dietary supplement of 100 ml/d of olive oil. Milk was collected at day 20 post foal- ing and every 15-18 d for 5 times. At each collection period jennets were milked 4-times per day. At 07:30 h foals were separated from the jennets and after a 4 hour interval were milked manually (1MNF;1st milking, foal absent). At the end of the 1MNF, each jennet was milked again, with the foals kept near the udder, but prevented from suckling (2MYF; 2nd milking, foal present). After 2MYF, foals were removed a second time and the sequence repeated after another 4 hour interval for the 3rd (3MNF) and 4th (4MYF) milkings. Milk yield was recorded at each milking and samples analyzed for qualitative variables. The milk yield was 26% higher than that reported by Giosue et al. (2008) in similar conditions. The milk fat content were positively influenced by the presence of the foal at the milking but was not effect by the dietary supplement of olive oil

The Company Clusters Power in Tourism Destinations: The Network Configuration and the Business Organisation

Better and greater coordination and integration between companies are essential for tourist destination development processes improving competitiveness. Moreover, it is difficult to imagine that all companies can cooperate. In this way, we can imagine finding a group of companies that, for several reasons, decide to cooperate, creating some clusters as small groups. Companies with stable connections with other clusters or relevant companies could be relevant and central to Tourism Destination (TD) management. In this way, the knowledge of network articulation seems to be critical for TD management business dynamics. In most cases, the relationships are hidden and not formalised, increasing the complexity in TD analysis. The presence of clusters is possibly vitrificated using the Social Network Analysis (SNA) methodology. The present work could be framed in cooperative networks since it analyses the companies’ commercial networks and clusters groups. The article focuses on how groupings of small firms can govern Tourism Destinations. This paper uses network indexes and metrics to emphasise structural features regarding the density and centrality of relationships. As the main result, in the case study analysed, there is a relational framework where three clusters of companies with a high density of exchanges emerge. These groups can influence the tourism business at the destination

Network analysys of a tourist destination

We have focused on the role played by three families within the tourist destination assessing their role as an aggregating and driving force. This has been made possible by using one of the tools provided by SNA, namely Ego network analysis. This tool has allowed us to focus our attention on the role that individual businesses belonging to the three main families in San Vito Lo Capo (that we call Ego) play in the management of the destination. In particular, since the network of business relationships at this scarcely developed destination (i.e., in terms of density), the subjects are more likely to form relationships with those individuals who are acknowledged leaders. Within these tighter networks (Ego networks), the entities involved are urged to share norms and values that characterize the Ego and in this sense one can understand why leadership creates the social capital. It is easy to note that each business, when taken alone, cannot manage the entire destination but needs the help and support of the family of belonging to expand its sphere of influence

A Relational Approach to Networks in a Tourism Destination: Business and Family Networks in San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily

This article constructs a relational framework using the principles of the Network Approach to examining the business exchange structure of a tourist destination. Network Analysis is the methodology to analyse the metrics of collaboration and cooperation among destination companies. The model was applied in a remote tourist destination named San Vito Lo Capo on the island of Sicily, where tourism has significantly expanded in the last twenty years. The focus is on how groupings of small companies within family relations can govern and be responsible for tourism destination cooperation. As the main result, the existence was identified, of a relational framework where three clusters of families with a high density of exchanges emerge. These families can influence the tourism business at the destination, guaranteeing cooperation among other business companies. The findings show the existence and the importance of informal business networks and the contribution of Network Analysis to understanding the structure and cohesiveness of a tourist destination

Tourism Destination Brokers: a network analytic approach

Understanding the interactions of tourist companies could be relevant for the destination’s organisation and management. The present article employs a network analysis to examine inter-organisational interactions and the various roles that some companies assume in tourism destinations. The results reveal the existence of a network in which enterprises, identified as brokers, take on strategic roles both within and outside of their specific sub-sectors of origin. This study proposes new social network analysis indicators to identify the distinctive and prevalent position of company brokers, who manage inter-organisational relations by spontaneously assuming specific roles within the tourist destination network. Brokers facilitate cooperative and collaborative practices among companies in different tourism sub-sectors, thus increasing actors’ network cohesion across a given tourist destination

¿Por qué Turismo? Repensar el auge del turismo

In the present work we consider the reasons that explain the spectacular tourism boom in the last 5 decades. The traditional responses to this phenomenon, presented a whole "frond" of tourist-economical interactions: tourism as a "motor of development", tourism as "dynamizing the economic system", etc. Therefore, our objective is to contrast this Tourism-Development-Economic Growth framework, certainly suggestive. In order to avoid mystifications it is necessary to define somewhat ambiguous concepts such as Development (and its interactions with Tourism) and to deepen the economic impact of Tourism, the ultimate root of all that "frond" that seems to be the basis of This formidable theoretical-empirical expansion of Tourism. Therefore, the final purpose of our work is to propose a revision, from the complexity, of the Relational triangle Development-Economic Growth-Tourism, forming a "plural" framing that, on the one hand, allows a fertile reflection around the matter and, On the other, widen the limits of the playing field, fostering new responses to the tourism boom, in line with the current global context

Interfirm Network Analysis in Marginal Tourist Destinations: The Mediator Company in Business Relationships

The literature on tourist destinations and the use of empirical approaches evidence the need to adopt this model to increase tourism economies. In model application, the enterprises, and local stakeholders, sometimes represent limitations or opportunities. This article opens the view to tourist destination networks, described as relational structures that can influence and determine the destination-building process. The Network Analysis methodology offers a better understanding of inter-firm relational dynamics when applied in a small context, and in this case, the application was undertaken on the island of Sicily, in Menfi town and its hinterland. Findings show the presence of a company that assumes a central role in the network, maintaining a solid web of relationships between others. In this way, a mediator company is essential in remote tourist destinations. Policymakers need to facilitate the development of tourism companies, thereby increasing the relationality and business network ties among them

NETWORK ANALYSIS OF A TOURIST DESTINATION

This paper relates to the study of relationships within a tourist destination in order to prove the existence of structural models around which the entire supply system is developed. All this is made possible by the analysis of the links existing between businesses belonging to the destination. A useful tool for this purpose is Social Network Analysis (SNA), which provides a series of indicators and techniques to study the complexity of the network of relationships within a tourist destination and allows identifying the existence of a possible reference framework that can characterize the specificity of the destination. Based on the results from a previous analysis carried out in the San Vito Lo Capo area (Iannolino and Ruggieri 2012), we have focused on the role played by three families within the tourist destination assessing their role as an aggregating and driving force. This has been made possible by using one of the tools provided by SNA, namely Ego network analysis. This tool has allowed us to focus our attention on the role that individual businesses belonging to the three main families in San Vito Lo Capo (that we call Ego) play in the management of the destination. In particular, since the network of business relationships at this scarcely developed destination (i.e., in terms of density), the subjects are more likely to form relationships with those individuals who are acknowledged leaders. Within these tighter networks (Ego networks), the entities involved are urged to share norms and values that characterize the Ego and in this sense one can understand why leadership creates the social capital. It is easy to note that each business, when taken alone, cannot manage the entire destination but needs the help and support of the family of belonging to expand its sphere of influence. Only the coordination and cooperation of the three families can create an informal network that supports and sustains the entire destination

VALUTAZIONE DEL LIVELLO DI RIEMPIMENTO DELLA MAMMELLA D’ASINA A DIVERSI INTERVALLI DI MUNGITURA

Scopo del presente lavoro è stato quello di valutare il livello di riempimento della mammella d’asina a diversi intervalli di mungitura per definire il numero di mungiture giornaliere e il relativo intervallo che, nel rispetto della fisiologia della mammella dell’asina e del benessere animale, permettano di migliorare la produzione di latte. Durante lo studio differenti controlli batteriologici sono stati effettuati per verificare la qualità igienica del latte, considerando la principale destinazione del latte all’alimentazione dei lattanti affetti da Allergia alle Proteine del Latte Vaccino. Lo studio è stato condotto su 12 asine Ragusane pluripare in lattazione nel novembre 2011 presso l’Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia a 100 m sul livello del mare. Durante la prova gli animali sono stati confinati in un ampio recinto dove venivano alimentati con fieno ad libitum e 3,5 kg/capo/giorno di concentrato. Le asine sono state munte manualmente in presenza del puledro usando diversi intervalli di mungitura: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 e 12 ore dalla separazione del puledro. Alla separazione del puledro la mammella è stata svuotata con una mungitura preliminare. Il latte munto è stato registrato, e campioni di latte individuale e di massa sono stati raccolti e analizzati per la determinazione dei parametri qualitativi e batteriologici. La quantità di latte accumulata nella mammella è sempre aumentata passando dalla mungitura effettuata dopo 1 ora a quella dopo 12 ore, mentre il contenuto in grasso ha fatto registrare un andamento opposto. La produzione di latte/ora è aumenta fino a 3-4 ore dalla separazione del puledro, e poi è diminuita negli intervalli di mungitura più lunghi. Le proteine e il lattosio non sembrerebbero influenzate dall’intervallo di mungitura. Il rapporto NPN/NT si è attestato su valori intorno al 15%. Il controllo batteriologico specifico ha evidenziato in diversi casi la presenza di Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. a cui è corrisposto un maggior contenuto medio in cellule somatiche. Nel latte di un soggetto è stato trovato più volte la Granulicatella adiacens. Le cellule somatiche del latte di massa sono state comprese tra 2.000 e 123.000 cellule/mlThis trial aimed to investigate the level of jennet udder filling at different milking interval, in order to define the daily milking times and the relative intervals improving milk production, while respecting the jennet udder physiology and the animal welfare. During the trial, different bacteriological tests were conducted to check the milk hygienic quality, since the jennet milk is mainly destined to feed young patients affected by Cow Milk Protein Allergy. The trial was carried out in November 2010 at the “Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia” (100 m a.s.l.) using twelve pluriparous lactating jennets. The animals were kept in a large paddock and fed hay ad libitum and concentrate (3.5 kg/day per jennet). The jennets were hand-milked with the foals, using 7 different milking intervals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 12 hours after the foals’ separation. At the separation, the udder was emptied by a preliminary milking. The milk amounts were recorded, and samples of individual and bulk milk were collected and analyzed for the main quality and bacteriological parameters. The quantity of milk accumulated in the udder is always increased passing from the milking made after 1 hour to that after 12 hours, while the fat content showed an opposite trend. The milk yield/hour increased up to 3-4 hours from the foals’ separation, and then it decreased at longer milking intervals. Milk protein and lactose do not seem influenced by the milking interval. The ratio NPN/NT showed values around 15%. In different cases, specific bacteriological tests underlined the presence of Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. in milk, corresponding to a higher content in somatic cells. The Granulicatella adiacens was always found in the milk of one jennet. The values of somatic cells in bulk mass milk ranged from 2.000 to 123.000 cells/m