Dietary supplementation of inulin or flavomycin and type of cut of rabbit meat: changes on fatty acid profile and sensorial characteristics

The demand for meat from animals raised with the minimum use of antibiotics is growing. Also, the use of prebiotics, antibiotics, type of cut of meat to modify the fatty acid profile and the effects on consumer preferences are still not clear. The present study investigated the fatty acid profile, the health, and risk fatty acid indices and the consumer sensory evaluation of rabbit’s meat fed inulin and flavomycin as additives. Forty-eight New Zealand rabbits were randomly arranged into 4 treatments of 12 animals each. The control group did not receive antibiotic or inulin supplementation. The second group was supplemented with inulin while the third group received flavomycin as supplement. The fourth group received both inulin and flavomycin. Inulin addition in rabbit’s diet increases beneficial fatty acids (CLA and n3-PUFA) and enables a better health-promoting index while reducing the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices of meat. The type of cut of meat (loin, fore legs and hind legs) had a minor impact on changing the fatty acid profile. In contrast, inulin or flavomycin addition showed larger modifications than type of cut of meat on this respect. Flavomycin reduced hedonic properties of meat. Loin tended to be the most preferred cut of meat. Inulin is a good alternative to avoid the utilization of antibiotics in rabbit’s feeding

efecto de la mezcla ensilada de penisetum purpureum y tithonia diversifolia sobre la fermentacion ruminal in vitro y su emision de metano en el sistema rusitec

Los ganaderos del trópico tradicionalmente han usado dietas con base en gramineas con limitaciones nutricionales. Tal deficiencia, exigen el suplemento con especies leñosas de alta calidad proteica. Se evaluó el patrón de fermentación ruminal y la liberación de metano en un sistema de Simulación del Rumen (RUSITEC) utilizando como ensilaje control Pennisetum prurpureum al 100% (T1) versus ensilaje de una mezcla (67% Pennisetum prurpureum / 33% Tithonia diversifolia ) enriquecido, o no, con aditivos: (T2) sin aditivo; (T3) Lactobacillus paracasei T735; (T4) inóculo comercial SIL-ALL®4x4. Se hizo un suministro diario de MS para mantener constante el flujo en el sistema y evaluar los cuatro tratamientos, durante un periodo de ocho días. Los datos se analizaron mediante un diseño completamente al azar. No hubo efecto de los tratamientos (T2, T3 y T4) versus control (T1) en la concentración de NH4-N (p 0.05). La disminución en la emisión de CH4 por gramo de MS en ensilajes (PP/TD), posiblemente se explica por una menor degradación de la fibra y sugiere que habrá menos emisiones de CH4 por unidad de proteína comestible producida. Sin embargo, la cantidad total de metano que se libera no fue diferente estadísticamente

Botanical Composition and Nutritive Value of Grazing Lands from Organic and Conventional Agrosilvopastoral Production Systems of Tropical Southeastern Mexico

In the current situation of agriculture, organic livestock farming has been not only adapted to ameliorate undesirable impacts on environment but also it is challenged to hold or improve agricultural yields obtain-ed by conventional agriculture. In the Mesoamerican biological corridor, a region recognized with an abundant diversity, almost all animal husbandry is based on extensive grazing and traditional agrosilvopastoral systems (Nahed-Toral et al. 2009; Nahed et al. 2010). Furthermore, the conversion of natural jungle areas to new farmland through deforestation is a prevalent problem for biological conservation. Therefore, precise knowledge for suitable agriculture and livestock product-ion are needed to stop the ecological damage while the economic and social aspects are attended. The present study aims to investigate the relative frequency of botanical species for ruminant production in organic and conventional systems in south-eastern Mexico. The study would help to describe forage availabilities and nutritive potential of species that can be use as basis to plan more efficient agrosilvopastoral systems while preserving ecological and sustainable farming practices

Radical scavenging activity and health and risk fatty acid indices of soft goats’ milk cheeses

Dairy products are important sources of valuable nutrients. However, it is feared that some of their components, particularly the lipid fraction, may contribute to health problems. In the present research, 21 commercial soft goats’ milk cheeses of the three varieties: Sainte-Maure, Feta, and Panela were assessed regarding their radical scavenging activity (RSA), polyphenols content, and cholesterol/saturated-fat (CSI), atherogenic (AI), thrombogenic (TI), and health-promoting (HPI) indexes. Qualitative RSA was higher in Sainte-Maure and Panela than in Feta. However, the best quantitative RSA was recorded for the Feta brand «Bon Rennes» (42%). Total polyphenols content expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) was statistically lower in Panela than in Sainte-Maure and Feta cheese (2.2 vs. 2.97 and 3.07 mg GAE/100 g, respectively). Cholesterol content was higher in Feta and Sainte-Maure than in Panela. The «Mikonos Light» brand Sainte-Maure cheese had notably low values of CSI (1.2), while Feta cheeses averaged 2.72. Based on these results, consumption of Mikonos Light is recommended. «Chateau Blanc» brand is also recommended for its high HPI and low TI. In contrast, «Laclette» is the least recommended brand because of its high cholesterol, and saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents and low HPI. «Cabrero» brand recorded a low CSI, but is not recommended due to its high SFA and AI and low HPI. Modification of saturated:polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio by some means, such as animal feeding, would improve the HPI of the local soft goats’ milk cheeses

Phenolic Compounds in Organic and Aqueous Extracts from Acacia farnesiana Pods Analyzed by ULPS-ESI-Q-oa/TOF-MS. In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Anti-Inflammatory Response in CD-1 Mice

Abstract: Background: Acaciafarnesiana (AF) pods have been traditionally used to treat dyspepsia, diarrhea and topically for dermal inflammation. Main objectives: (1) investigate the antioxidant activity and protection against oxidative-induced damage of six extracts from AF pods and (2) their capacitytocurbtheinflammationprocessaswellastodown-regulatethepro-inflammatorymediators. Methods: Five organic extracts (chloroformic, hexanic, ketonic, methanolic, methanolic:aqueous and one aqueous extract) were obtained and analyzed by UPLC-ESI-Q-oa/TOF-MS. Antioxidant activity (DPPH•, ORAC and FRAP assays) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS assay) were performed. Assessmentofanti-inflammatorypropertieswasmadebytheearedemainducedmodelinCD-1mice andMPOactivityassay. Likewise,histologicalanalysis,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-10,TNF-α,COXmeasurements plus nitrite and immunohistochemistry analysis were carried out. Results: Methyl gallate, gallic acid,galloyl glucose isomer 1, galloyl glucose isomer 2, galloyl glucose isomer 3, digalloyl glucose isomer 1, digalloyl glucose isomer 2, digalloyl glucose isomer 3, digalloyl glucose isomer 4, hydroxytyrosol acetate, quinic acid, and caffeoylmalic acid were identified. Both organic and aqueous extracts displayed antioxidant activity. All extracts exhibited a positive effect on the interleukins, COX and immunohistochemistry assays. Conclusion: All AF pod extracts can be effective as antioxidant and topical anti-inflammatory agents. Keywords: Acacia farnesiana pods; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities; bioactive compounds; polyphenol

LivestockPlus: The sustainable intensification of forage-based agricultural systems to improve livelihoods and ecosystem services in the tropics

As global demand for livestock products (such as meat, milk, and eggs) is expected to double by 2050, necessary increases to future production must be reconciled with negative environmental impacts that livestock cause. This paper describes the LivestockPlus concept and demonstrates how the sowing of improved forages can lead to the sustainable intensification of mixed crop–forage–livestock–tree systems in the tropics by producing multiple social, economic, and environmental benefits. Sustainable intensification not only improves the productivity of tropical forage-based systems but also reduces the ecological footprint of livestock production and generates a diversity of ecosystem services (ES), such as improved soil quality and reduced erosion, sedimentation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Integrating improved grass and legume forages into mixed production systems (crop–livestock, tree–livestock, crop–tree–livestock) can restore degraded lands and enhance system resilience to drought and waterlogging associated with climate change. When properly managed tropical forages accumulate large amounts of carbon in soil, fix atmospheric nitrogen (legumes), inhibit nitrification in soil and reduce nitrous oxide emissions (grasses), and reduce GHG emissions per unit livestock product. The LivestockPlus concept is defined as the sustainable intensification of forage-based systems, which is based on three interrelated intensification processes: genetic intensification – the development and use of superior grass and legume cultivars for increased livestock productivity; ecological intensification – the development and application of improved farm and natural resource management practices; and socio-economic intensification – the improvement of local and national institutions and policies, which enable refinements of technologies and support their enduring use. Increases in livestock productivity will require coordinated efforts to develop supportive government, non-government organization, and private sector policies that foster investments and fair market compensation for both the products and ES provided. Effective research-for-development efforts that promote agricultural and environmental benefits of forage-based systems can contribute towards implemention of LivestockPlus across a variety of geographic, political, and socio-economic contexts

Reviewing the Benefits of Grazing/Browsing Semiarid Rangeland Feed Resources and the Transference of Bioactivity and Pro-Healthy Properties to Goat Milk and Cheese: Obesity, Insulin Resistance, Inflammation and Hepatic Steatosis Prevention

The rangeland is an ecological resource that provides multiple benefits for environment and agriculture. Grazing/browsing on rangelands is a useful and inexpensive means to produce food derived from animal products. The aim of this study was to review the benefits of producing milk and cheese under this system in terms of bioactivity and the health benefits of their consumption in model animals. To conduct this review, we particularly considered the experiments that our research group carried out along the last fifteen years at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán in Mexico. Firstly, we examined the forages consumed by goats on the rangelands in terms of plant bioactive compound occurrence and their concentration. Further, goat milk and cheese coming from (1) grazing animals, (2) animals managed indoors, and from (3) animals managed indoor supplemented with rich plant bioactive compounds, were analyzed. Milk was discussed to modulate the negative effects of high-fat diets in mice. Forages consumed by goats on the rangelands showed a close correlation between antioxidant activity assessed by the DPPH+ radical with total flavonoid and total polyphenol contents (TPC). Milk concentration of PUFA, MUFA, and n-3 fatty acids from grazing goats (4.7%, 25.2%, and 0.94% of FAME) was higher than milk from goats fed indoor diets (ID). Similar results were shown in cheese. TPC was higher in cheese manufactured with milk from grazing goats (300 mg of GAE/kg of cheese) when compared to cheese from milk goats fed ID (60 mg of GAE/of cheese). Acacia pods are a semiarid rangeland feed resource that transfers pro-healthy activity, inhibited in vitro lipid peroxidation (inhibition of TBARS formation) and diminished the damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, in vivo assessment revealed that Acacia species increased free radical scavenging (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and anti-inflammatory activity. The results highlight that grazing/browsing practices are superior to indoor feeding in order to promote the transference of bioactive compounds from vegetation to animal tissue, and finally to animal products. Grazing management represents a better option than indoor feeding to enhance bioactivity of milk and cheese. Supplementation with rich-bioactive compound forages increased total polyphenol, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoid concentrations in milk and cheese. The consumption of goat milk prevents obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and hepatic steatosis while on a high-fat diet induced obesity in mice