Sustav organske proizvodnje govedine: kakvoća polovica mesa

The aim was to verify organic system effect on carcass and meat quality of beefs. Twelve carcasses derived from Limousine x Red Pied beef, reared in the San Rossore Park (Tuscany) and slaughtered at 24 months of age, were used. After 24h post-mortem, carcasses were evaluated according to UE classification grid: on right half carcasses several measurements were taken and carcass compacteness was calculated. After 7 days of ageing longissimus thoracis, semitendinosus and triceps brachii muscles were analysed for pH, meat colour, water holding capacity, tenderness, chemical composition, fatty acid and cholesterol content. Results underlined the good quality of meat obtained from organic system in terms of colour, tenderness, water holding capacity and suitability for domestic storage. The meat had a low content of intramuscular fat; atherogenic and thrombogenic indices were rather high, testifying the high saturated fatty-acids content, probably due both to the inadequate finishing period, both to the high slaughtering age. An appropriate finishing period, in respect of the organic guidelines, should anticipate slaughtering age and improve carcass performance, obtaining higher intramuscular fat, and perhaps lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indices. Semitendinosus appeared agreeable due to its paler and lighter meat, but was less tender and had worst water holding capacity; instead longissimus thoracis and triceps brachii, although slightly darker, gave meat more tender and with better water holding capacity.Cilj je bio provjeriti djelovanje organskog sustava na kakvoću polovica i mesa goveda. Upotrijebljena su 12 trupla podrijetlom od Limousina x goveda crveni Pied, uzgojenih na San Rossore Parku (Toskana) i zaklanih u dobi od 24 mjeseca. Dvadeset i četiri sata nakon klanja trupla su procijenjena prema EU klasifikaciji: na desnim polovicama obavljeno je nekoliko mjerenja i izračunata zbijenost mesa. Nakon što je meso odležalo 7 dana analizirani su longissimus thoracis, semitendinosus i mišići triceps brachii za pH, boju mesa, kapacitet zadržavanja vode, mekoću, kemijski sastav, masne kiseline i sadržaj kolesterola. Rezultati su pokazali dobru kakvoću mesa dobivenu u organskom sustavu u odnosu na boju, mekoću, kapacitet zadržavanja vode i prikladnost za čuvanje u domaćinstvu. Meso je imalo nizak sadržaj međumišićne masnoće; aterogeni i trombogeni indeksi bili su prilično visoki, potvrđujući visoki sadržaj zasićenih masnih kiselina, vjerojatno zbog neadekvatnog završnog razdoblja a i visoke dobi kod klanja. Odgovarajuće završno razdoblje u smislu organskih smjernica, trebalo bi predvidjeti dob klanja i poboljšati rezultate polovica, čime bi se dobili viša međumišićna masnoća i možda niži aterogeni i trombogeni indeksi. Semitendinoza je izgledala dobra zbog bljeđeg i svjetlijeg mesa ali je bila slabije mekoće i imala najslabiji kapacitet zadržavanja vode; umjesto toga longissimus thoracis i triceps brachii dali su meso, iako nešto tamnije, veće mekoće i boljeg kapaciteta zadržavanja vode

Effect of dietary turmeric powder (Curcuma longa L.) on cooked pig meat quality

The study was carried out on raw meat samples derived from pigs fed with a control diet and a diet supplemented with daily 4.5 g of turmeric powder per pig. After slaughter raw meat was stored for 7 days at 4°C. At Day 0 and Day 7 samples were cooked in a preheated oven at 163°C to the internal temperature of 71°C. Colour parameters, Warner Bratzler shear force, TBARS and antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH and FRAP) were determined at Day 0 and Day 7. Dietary turmeric powder induced an increase in cooked meat of L* value (P < 0.001) and reductions in a*, b* indexes and in C* value (P < 0.01, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Colour modifications in cooked meat were correlated with colour parameters of raw samples. The Curcuma longa powder dietary supplementation did not affect lipid oxidation, Warner Bratzler shear force and antioxidant capacity of cooked meat (P > 0.05)

Preliminary genetic variability analysis of the native Garfagnina goats based on microsatellite polymorphism

For the development of an appropriate programme for conservation of animal genetic resources, genetic typifying is considered an important preliminary step. In this paper, we have done a preliminary genetic variability analysis of 48 adult Garfagnina goats belonging to a single flock of Tuscany using 12 STR markers (MAF065, SRCRSP05, INRA023, McM527, CSRD247, SRCRSP23, OarFCB20, TGLA53, INRA005, INRA063, ETH10, ILSTS87) some of which belonged to a markers panel validated by the International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG) and others routinely used by the facilities of the Laboratorio di Genetica e Servizi (Associazione Italiana Allevatori, Migliaro, Italy). Garfagnina is an Italian native goat breed registered on the Tuscan regional repertory of genetic resources at risk of extinction and have a total of about 745 animals belonging to 17 flocks. Garfagnina breed is important for livestock biodiversity preservation, being a key animal for specialized cheese market in the Tuscan region. For each marker the following parameters were computed: number of alleles, effective allele size, observed heterozygosity and polymorphism information content (PIC). Allelic frequencies were estimated by direct counting. To analyze the genetic variability of the population, the following parameters were computed at population level: molecular co-ancestry coefficients (fij), kinship distance (Dk), and inbreeding coefficient (Fi). Moreover, genetic similarities (GS) among all animals were investigated using the Individual Multilocus Genotype. The number of alleles ranged from 3 to 9 (mean 5.92) whereas the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.48 to 0.83 (mean 0.69). There was a high genetic similarity within the whole population (0.43) showing the great homogeneity of the sampled animals, as confirmed also by the small kinship distance (0.34). However inbreeding coefficient was low (0.32). The results of this research indicate that, despite the fact that animals are considered to belong to the same breeding, the genetic variability of this Garfagnina goat population is acceptable for a population with a reduced numerical value

Abstracts of the Giornate di Coniglicoltura ASIC 2007

(2008). Abstracts of the Giornate di Coniglicoltura ASIC 2007. World Rabbit Science. 16(2). doi:10.4995/wrs.2008.634SWORD16

Effect of turmeric powder (Curcuma longa L.) and ascorbic acid on antioxidant capacity and oxidative status in rabbit burgers after cooking

[EN] The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of turmeric powder and ascorbic acid on lipid oxidation and antioxidant capacity in cooked rabbit burgers. The burgers were derived from 3 different formulations (C, control, with no additives; Tu with 3.5% of turmeric powder and AA with 0.1% of ascorbic acid) and were stored at 4°C for 0 and 7 d and cooked. The lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]) and antioxidant capacity (2,2-azinobis-[3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] {ABTS}, 1,1-diphenyl-2-pircydrazyl [DPPH] and ferric reducing ability [FRAP]) were evaluated. A significant interaction between storage time and formulation (P<0.001) was observed for DPPH, FRAP and TBARS in cooked burgers. At day 0 and day 7, the DPPH value was higher in Tu and AA compared to C burgers. At day 0, C showed a lower level of FRAP than the Tu and AA burgers. At day 7, the FRAP values tended to decrease but remained significantly higher in Tu and AA compared to C burgers. Lipid oxidation at day 0 in Tu and AA showed lower TBARS values compared to C burgers. The addition of 3.5% turmeric powder in rabbit burgers exerts an antioxidant effect during storage and it seems more effective in controlling lipid oxidation than ascorbic acid after cooking.Mancini, S.; Preziuso, G.; Paci, G. (2016). Effect of turmeric powder (Curcuma longa L.) and ascorbic acid on antioxidant capacity and oxidative status in rabbit burgers after cooking. World Rabbit Science. 24(2):121-127. doi:10.4995/wrs.2016.4207SWORD12112724

Effects of low doses of dexamethasone on productive traits and meat quality of veal calves

An experimental administration of dexamethasone was carried out on 15 veal calves in order to assess the rôle of low doses of exogenous glucocorticoids on productive traits and meat quality. Three groups, of five veal calves each, were formed : one group received oral dexamethasone (0.4 mg per calf per day for 25 days), another intramuscular (i. m.) dexamethasone (2 mg at days 14 and 21), and the third was the control. Calves were slaughtered at 165 days of age (day 31). Food conversion ratio (FCR), hot dressing percentage (HDP), chilled dressing percentage (CDP) and shrinkage were determined. From all carcasses, samples of m. longissimus thoracis (between the 8th and 10th rib) were taken in order to evaluate the chemical composition and some organoleptic characteristics : meat colour, water-holding capacity and tenderness. The animals treated with oral dexamethasone showed the lowest daily weight gain (P < 0.05) and the poorest FCR (P < 0.05). Hot dressing percentage, cold dressing percentage and shrinkage were not affected by the oral treatment. The i. m. injections of dexamethasone did not influence the overall performance. Muscle chemical composition and pH were not affected by the treatments; the meat of calves treated with oral dexamethasone was significantly lighter (P < 0.05) and tended to be paler, while i. m. treatment induced intermediate characteristics. The shear force of the meat was rather low. Shear force of cooked meat from animals treated with dexamethasone (both oral and i. m.) was significantly lower than the control (P < 0.05). Treatment with dexamethasone i. m. induced a decrease in water-holding capacity; the oral treatment had no effect on this parameter

Effect of diet energy source on weight gain and carcass characteristics of lambs

The effect of different sources of energy (lipids and carbohydrates) was studied on 36 Apennine male lambs divided by age, weight and paternity into three homogeneous groups receiving three different diets: lambs on diet 1 received ad libitum lucerne hay+concentrate supplemented with barley flakes (9%) (BC); lambs on diet 2 received ad libitum lucerne hay+concentrate supplemented with maize oil (5%) (MC) while lambs on diet 3 received only the concentrate given in diet 2 (MC). The two concentrates were isoenergetic and isonitrogenous. Lambs were slaughtered at 105 days of age. The conversion indices were similar (4.52, 4.77 and 4.61 Meat FU/kg gain) for the three treatments, but the diet 3 led to heavier carcasses (17.57kg), although with greater adipose covering, and better dressing percentages than the other two diets. The histological dissection of the proximal pelvic limb indicated a good tissue composition (total lean 56.16%) but confirmed the higher fat percentage (total fat 16.24%), particularly subcutaneous (11.44%), of the group receiving only MC. Animals on diet 3 gave carcasses with an adequate commercial weight at the age of 90–95 days and therefore it seems possible to anticipate slaughtering these animals earlier and perhaps obviate the excessive adiposity of the carcass. In general, this study further confirmed the good meat quality of Apennine carcasses slaughtered at 105 days

Demography and Genealogical Analysis of Massese Sheep, a Native Breed of Tuscany

This study investigates the genealogical and demographic trends of the Massese sheep breed in Tuscany from 2001 to 2021. The Herd Book kept by the Italian Sheep and Goat Breeders Association (Asso.Na.Pa) provided the data. The descriptive statistics were analyzed using JMP software. The pedigree parameters of a total of 311,056 animals (whole population-WP) were analyzed using CFC, ENDOG, and Pedigree viewer software. A total of 24,586 animals born in the period 2007-2021 represented the Reference Population (RP), and 18,554 animals the Base Population (BP). The demographic results showed an inconsistent trend of offspring registration. This study showed a short period of productivity for both ewes and rams, with means of 1.47 and 19.2 registered newborn ewes and rams, respectively. The genealogical analysis revealed incomplete data, highlighting inaccurate assessments of the relationships among the animals, and inbreeding with large differences among provinces. The average inbreeding coefficient in the WP was 1.16%, and it was 2.26% in the RP. The total number of inbreds was 2790 in the WP, with an average FPED of 13.56%, and 2713 in the RP, with an average FPED of 12.82%. The use of pedigree data is a key and economical approach to calculating inbreeding and relationship coefficients. It is the primary step in genetic management, playing a crucial role in the preservation of a breed. The regular updating of genealogical data is the first step to ensuring the conservation of animal genetic resources, and this study is compromised by the lack of such updates

Effects of bread in the diet of fattening pigs reared extensively

We evaluated the effects of adding unsold bread (i.e. a low-cost product) to the diet of fattening crossbreed pigs reared outdoors. A total of 27 Goland sows were allocated to three homogeneous groups and fed with different diets: A feed + 15% bread; B feed + 30% bread; C the control group (only feed). The pigs were weighed individually on arrival at the farm, at the start of the experiment, and at slaughter. Growth performance and carcass traits were evaluated. Two sections from the loin were taken from each animal and the following were analyzed: dry matter, crude protein, lipids, ash, fatty acids, pH, color, water-holding capacity, and lipid oxidation. Group B had higher gains and slaughter weights than group C, while group A showed intermediate values. The results show that a diet containing 30% bread facilitates weight gain of pigs, without affecting meat quality and nutritional value

Qualitative improvement of rabbit burgers using Zingiber officinale Roscoe powder

[EN] The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of Zingiber officinale powder on physical-chemical traits, microbiological growth and sensory properties of rabbit burger. Raw burgers (only meat and meat added with 1 and 2% w/w ginger powder) were stored at 4°C for 1, 4 and 7 d and then cooked. Ginger modified the colour of both raw and cooked burgers, leading to more yellow hue and reducing lightness. Aspect of burgers were affected by ginger powder addition, leading to a noticeable difference between the samples. During storage time, the highest modifications were recorded for control samples, followed by burgers with added ginger. Sensory evaluation highlighted that ginger enhanced the juiciness of the burgers; moreover, burgers with ginger powder presented a significant delay in microbial growth. Ginger powder might be considered as a potential ingredient in rabbit meat products to increase their quality and extend their shelf-life.Mancini, S.; Preziuso, G.; Fratini, F.; Torracca, B.; Nuvoloni, R.; Dal Bosco, A.; Paci, G. (2017). Qualitative improvement of rabbit burgers using Zingiber officinale Roscoe powder. World Rabbit Science. 25(4):367-375. doi:10.4995/wrs.2017.7656SWORD36737525