Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from Mexican intensive dairy farms

The objectives of this study were to compare estimates of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) as CH4 (enteric-manure), N2O (manure), and CO2 (fuel and energy use), the use of water and soil, the excretion of nutrients in manure, and feed efficiency from Mexican intensive dairy farms. Data from 26 dairy farms were analysed with a multivariable cluster analysis. Three grades of intensifications were identified (low, medium and high). Mathematical models were used to estimate GHG. Feed efficiency (kg milk per kg DMI) was better in high intensive production systems. Enteric methane was identified as the major source of GHG in all types of systems. High intensive dairies generated the lowest emissions of CH4, N2O and CO2 equivalent by unit of product, 18.6 g, 0.12 g and 828 g, respectively. Water footprint was lower in low intensive dairies using 427 L of water/L of milk. Cropland was highest in intensive systems but milk yield per area was better (30,938 kg/ha). Excretions of N, P, and K were lower in intensive dairies per kg of milk, at 13.2, 2.4, and 6.4 g, respectively. As intensification in the dairy system increased feed efficiency (kg milk/kg DMI) was better. Per unit of product (kg of milk), dairies with the highest intensification generated the lowest GHG emissions, nutrient excretion values and land and water use as compared to dairies with medium and low intensification. Increasing intensification and therefore feed efficiency of Mexican dairy systems could help to decrease GHG emissions, natural resources use and nutrient excretion.Keywords: Carbon footprint, environmental impact, methane, milk productio

Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids in diets fed to sows on fatty acids in brain, muscle and skin of their piglets

The aim of this research was to determine fatty acid profiles in piglet brain, skin, and muscle, and in the milk of sows fed fat with different saturation grades during gestation and lactation. At 42 days of gestation, 50 multiparous sows were randomly allocated to one of two treatments, namely a diet containing pork lard (n = 25) and a diet containing soybean oil (n = 25). The fats were provided at 3.6% during gestation and at 4% during lactation. The experimental diets were offered through the weaning of the piglets. The fatty acid profile of the milk was determined fourteen days after parturition. At weaning (21 days postpartum) and seven days later, one of the piglets (n = 64) from 16 sows allocated to each treatment was selected at random to determine fatty acid profiles in brain, skin and muscle. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were higher in the diet with pork lard than in that with soybean oil, in which the polyunsaturated fat content was higher. A higher saturation of fatty acids was found in milk from the sows that consumed pork lard, which contained more saturated fatty acids than the milk from sows that consumed soybean oil. The fatty acid profiles in muscle and skin of the piglets were affected by the diet of the sows. However, the fatty acid profile of the piglets’ brains was not affected by the diet of their mothers. Keywords: fat saturation, lard, piglet survival, sow feeding, soybean oi

Effects of dietary beef tallow on performance, rumen fermentation, carcass traits and meat quality of growing lambs

Growing lambs were evaluated for the effect of increasing dietary levels of beef tallow (BT) on performance, rumen fermentation, and carcass and meat characteristics. Twenty-one 5-month-old male Rambouillet lambs were assigned randomly to one of three diets with 0, 20, and 40 g BT/kg dry matter (DM) and similar energy and protein contents. Lambs were adapted to the diets for 15 days, followed by a 45-day evaluation trial. Data were analysed using a mixed model. Growth, feed intake and ruminal fermentation were not affected by the dietary level of BT. Daily metabolizable energy intake (MEI), carcass yield and degree of fatness, increased linearly as the BT level increased. Carcass classification and muscle conformation were not affected by BT. Most meat characteristics (texture, pH, myoglobin, protein content, colour, cathepsins, and chemical composition) five and eight days post-mortem were not affected, except for fat content in meat, which increased linearly as diet BT level increased. Fatty acid (FA) profiles of the meat from lambs fed the three diets were similar. In conclusion, addition of BT at 20 and 40 g/kg DM to diets for growing lambs allowed reduced grain usage and increased forage levels (from 0 to 270 g/kg DM), increasing energy intake, carcass yield and fatness, and intramuscular fat without causing harmful effects on growth, feed intake or ruminal fermentation characteristics. Keywords: dietary fat, fatty acids, meat colour, shee

Effect of natural zeolite on live weight changes, ruminal fermentation and nitrogen metabolism of ewe lambs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of natural zeolite on the performance and nitrogen metabolism of Rambouillet ewe lambs. Forty Rambouillet ewe lambs with an initial weight of 41.06 ± 3.9 kg were randomly assigned to one of four experimental diets, namely 0, 20, 40 and 60 g of natural zeolite (Comercializadora Omega® México) per kg dietary dry matter in a completely randomized design and sixteen ewe lambs were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square metabolism study. Performance was not modified by natural zeolite levels in the diet, and daily gain showed a quadratic response. Ammonia concentration at 8 and 12 hours increased linearly with zeolite. Zeolite increased ruminal pH linearly at 8 and 12 hours. Acetate and butyrate presented a quadratic response, and total ruminal volatile fatty acid concentration was linearly increased by zeolite. Nitrogen retention showed a linear and quadratic response to zeolite. The estimated fractions of protein digested in the small intestine, when rumen-fermentable energy was limiting (PDIE) and when rumen-fermentable nitrogen was limiting, showed a linear and quadratic response to zeolite. PDIE was positively correlated (r = 0.96) with average daily gain.Keywords: Sheep, ammonium, ruminal fermentation, productive, soluble nitroge

Effects of Prosopis laevigata pods on growth performance, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites in finishing lambs

Twenty-one non-castrated male Rambouillet lambs (21±1.44 kg body weight) were used to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary levels of Prosopis laevigata pods (PLP) in a 72 d growth performance trial. Three dietary treatments defined as PLP0 (control, 0 g PLP/kg DM), PLP250 (250 g PLP/kg DM), and PLP500 (500 g PLP/kg DM) were evaluated. Animals fed PLP250 and PLP500 had higher daily weight gain (P<0.05) and feed intake (P<0.01) than lambs fed PLP0. Feed conversion was improved by PLP addition in the diets. Feeding cost decreased linearly as the level of PLP in the diet increased. Blood urea-N concentration increased linearly as PLP increased in the diet. Lambs fed PLP500 had higher (P<0.05) blood uric acid concentrations than lambs fed PLP0 and PLP250. Ruminal total volatile fatty acid (VFA) increased linearly with increasing dietary PLP. Lambs fed PLP250 and PLP500 had higher ruminal ammonia N concentrations (P<0.05) than lambs fed PLP0. Dietary inclusion of PLP did not affect health status of lambs. Prosopis laevigata pods can be used safely in finishing lambs’ diets at 500 g/kg.Keywords: carcass, feed cost, performanc

Technical note: Rabbit meat production under a small scale production system as a source of animal protein in a rural area of Mexico

[EN] The aim of this study was to obtain information on rabbit meat consumption habits and rabbit production in Xocotlan, a rural community in Mexico. In the first part of the study, 20 families were requested to describe the rabbit production situation in the community, before 1989 and during 1995. Results indicated that before 1989, the percent of rabbit breeders was 70% of the population while during 1995 a decline to 45% was noticed. This fact can be explained by the outbreak of the Viral Hemorrhagic Disease in 1989. The percentage of the breeders that raised one to five does before 1989 was 64% and decreased to 55% in 1995. Seventy two percent of the breeders before 1989 assigned their production to self-consumption while in 1995 this percentage increased to 89%. Moreover, the breeders that ate rabbit meat one to two times per month before 1989 was 79% while in 1995 this percent reduced to 67%. In the second part of the study, a rabbit production program was performed with nine families, five from Xocotlan and four from Purificacion. The results showed that one family from Xocotlan got a litter size at birth of 9.5±1.7 kits, while two families did not get any results due to abnormal behaviour of the does. In general, the breeders from Xocotlan obtained higher performance than those from Purificacion. The range of rabbit meat consumption per capita per month was 310 to 644 g and the highest meat consumption was recorded by the Xocotlan families.García-Lopez, J.; Pro-Martinez, A.; Becerril-Perez, C.; Suarez-Oportes, M.; Pinos-Rodríguez, J. (2006). Technical note: Rabbit meat production under a small scale production system as a source of animal protein in a rural area of Mexico. World Rabbit Science. 14(4). doi:10.4995/wrs.2006.561SWORD14

Effects of supplemental seminal plasma on cryopreserved boar sperm quality

To analyse the effects of supplemental autologous seminal plasma on boar semen quality before freezing and after thawing, thirty ejaculates were collected from six Pietrain boars. The main factors of a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments were Beltsville thawing solution (BTS), seminal plasma before freezing, and seminal plasma after freezing-thawing. The percentage of acrosome-intact sperms was reduced by semen dilution. There were no interactions of main factors. The addition of seminal plasma to semen before freezing did not affect semen quality, but the addition of seminal plasma after freezing-thawing increased the percentage of acrosome-intact sperm. This approach indicates that the addition of seminal plasma to boar semen after freezing-thawing improves semen quality.Keywords: Acrosome integrity, freezing, thawing, seme

Influence of Zilpaterol and Mineral-Yeast Mixture on Ruminal Fermentation and Growth Performance in Finishing Steers

To evaluate the effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) and a mineral-yeast (MY) mixture two experiments were conducted on finishing steers. Four treatments were: 1) control; 2) MY (chromium, selenium and zinc yeast); 3) ZH; 4) YM+ZH. 125 and 800 g/ton of Zilmax© (ZH) and Bioplex© (MY), respectively, were supplemented to the total mixed ration (TMR). Four beef steers (420±32 kg) fitted with ruminal cannulae and 20 BrahamanxSwiss beef steers (375±6 kg BW) divided in four equal groups were used in the two experiments, respectively. Ruminal pH, volatile fatty acids, ammonia N and DM degradability were not affected (P > 0.05) by treatments. After 40 d of feeding ZH alone or with MY improved average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion (F:G). Dressing percentage (hot and cold) were higher (P < 0.05) in supplements fed steers and the highest values were observed with MY+ZH. Our results suggested a beneficial synergetic effect of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) and mineral-yeast (MY) mixture on growth, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics of finishing steers

Diario de Burgos : de avisos y noticias: Año LXXXVII Número 56737 - 1977 noviembre 6

Copia digital. España : Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Subdirección General de Coordinación Bibliotecaria, 201