Effect of Integration of Linseed and Vitamin E in Charolaise × Podolica Bulls’ Diet on Fatty Acids Profile, Beef Color and Lipid Stability

Dietary supplementation with oilseeds improves the fatty acid profiles of meat, but results are often inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary linseed and vitamin E supplementation on fatty acid profile, cholesterol content and color stability of beef samples. Dorsal subcutaneous fat samples were subjected to lipid stability assessment. Eighteen young bulls (385 ± 15 kg BW, age 8–9 months) were allocated into three homogeneous groups, each receiving ad libitum wheat straw and concentrate only (CON = 5.5 kg/day), concentrate with linseed (LIN = 80 g/kg, i.e., 440 g/head/day), and concentrate with linseed plus vitamin E (L + E = 80 g/kg, i.e., 440 g/head/day + 2500 IU/head/day of Vitamin E). Group L+E showed significantly lower cholesterol content, lower n-6/n-3 ratio and a higher PUFA percentage compared to the CON group. Meat color was affected by feeding LIN with a decrease in a*, b*, and C* compared to the CON group. The experimental diets increased H◦ values compared to the CON group. A positive effect of vitamin E in protecting lipids of dorsal subcutaneous depots from oxidation was detected in group L+E compared to group LIN. The supplementation with extruded linseeds in the diet had positive effects on the nutritional profile of the meat. When vitamin E was included, linseed did not alter the color of meat, and the lipid stability of the subcutaneous fat improved

Nutritional Characterization of Hay Produced in Campania Region: Analysis by the near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Technology

: Since the dietary characteristics of hays can be very variable, it is of great importance for nutritionists to know their chemical composition in order to formulate adequate rations for the animals. Laboratory analyses are time-consuming and expensive while the Near Infrared Spectroscopy offers several advantages, including obtaining information on feeds nutritional characteristics very quickly and in situ at the farm, thanks to portable NIRS. In this trial, over 400 hay samples collected in the Campania region (Italy) were analyzed with portable NIRS device. The final aim was to analyze the differences in hay quality in different production areas, highlighting the possible factors involved and suggesting possible corrective measures. All the analyzed hays (polyphite, Gramineae and alfalfa) were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the area of cultivation/preservation. In particular, the polyphite and Gramineae hays produced in most of the areas of Campania region showed poor nutritional value due to the low protein content and high structural carbohydrate that significantly reduced its digestibility. The use of high-quality forages in the ration represents a pivotal factor to allow the production of high-quality products of animal origin. The use of NIRS seems to be a valuable strategy to select potential treatments that can increase feed digestibility and to avoid long chemical analysis

Effects of a Nutritional Supplement (DìRelaxTM) on Anxiety in Dogs in a Randomized Control Trial Design

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The effects of a nutraceutical product, DìRelax(TM), were tested in a cohort of anxious dogs by the C-BARQ questionnaire to assess the presence of problematic behaviors, and by the impossible task paradigm, an experimental procedure to explore dogs’ cognitive performance following an expectancy frustration. Hematological and biochemical analyses showed no adverse effects. The treatment with DìRelax(TM) showed a positive effect on the dog’s performances, with some of the behaviors appearing improved. The results suggested that DiRelax(TM) may have some ameliorative effect on the cognitive performances of anxious dogs. ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of DìRelax(TM), a nutraceutical formulated to reduce anxiety in dogs, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. The C-BARQ questionnaire, some clinical investigations, and the impossible task test were performed in dogs before and after treatment. The C-BARQ questionnaire is particularly useful for assessing the frequency and severity of problematic behaviors. The impossible task paradigm provides insight into the decision-making processes in the realm of expectancy frustration. Results showed an ameliorative effect on the performances of treated dogs during the solvable phases, with a significant decrease in the time needed to solve the task. No behavioral difference was found between treated and untreated anxious dogs during the unsolvable phase. According to the results from the C-BARQ questionnaire, some of the behaviors appeared to improve. Clinical investigations, including a complete blood cell count and blood chemistry, showed no difference between groups, thus suggesting the safety of the product. In general, this study suggests that DìRelax(TM) can be safely administered with no adverse effects and can exercise a beneficial effect on anxious dogs by enhancing their cognitive abilities, but further studies should investigate the best method of administration

Milk Quality and Animal Welfare as a Possible Marketing Lever for the Economic Development of Rural Areas in Southern Italy

The aim of the present work was to investigate the consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for dairy products obtained by grazing animals or fed with a high forage/concentrate ratio diet. To this aim, a survey was carried out on Italian consumers in the Campania Region and data collected were analyzed both by simple descriptive statistics and by an econometric model. Our results highlight that young age, knowledge of milk properties, and a healthy lifestyle are extremely important components in determining a higher WTP

The “Noble Method®”: A One Health Approach for a Sustainable Improvement in Dairy Farming

The Noble Method® has been successfully introduced in the last few years in Italy and in some foreign countries. This novel livestock management provides, among other rules, a high forage/concentrate ratio, no use of silage and supplements, no GMOs and the availability of outdoor paddocks. One of the goals is to achieve high-quality milk in terms of nutritional properties. Other benefits have been reported; amongst them, the forage/concentrate ratio of the diet was shown to reduce the amount of methane produced by animals, also, the system provides economic benefits, mainly for small breeders, in terms of the sustainability and market placement of milk. Thus, the method represents a sustainable approach to improve the production and the supply chain, from the land to the final product. In this review, the most recent studies on Noble Method® are depicted, showing that, besides the nutritional proprieties of dairy products, the method is able to improve animal welfare, human health and environmental sustainability, thus falling within a “One Health” approach

Electronic Nose Analysis to Detect Milk Obtained from Pasture-Raised Goats

The nutritional peculiarities of dairy products made with milk from pasture-fed ruminants would require a rapid control to be authenticated and limit the risk of fraud. In the current study, ninety milk samples from two groups of goats were analysed by electronic nose, quantitative descriptive sensory (QDA) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis with the aim of discriminating between milk produced on grazing and on a confinement feeding system. The raw milk samples were taken at five different times over a period of three months (April, May and June 2021) from eighteen individual Saanen goats divided into two groups, one of which was fed outdoors on a highly biodiverse pasture. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), carried out on electronic nose data, was able to classify the two types of milk in terms of an animal feeding system (88% correct classification). Pasture milk scored higher for sensory descriptors such as “Grassy” and “Sweet aromatic” odours. Terpene compounds were the chemical class that qualitatively differentiates the pasture milk while volatile fatty acids were the most present quantitatively. Electronic nose has proven to be a rapid, reproducible and simple method for authenticating pasture raw milk in routine control analyses

Growth Performance of Buffalo Calves in Response to Different Diets with and without <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> Supplementation

The aim of the present trial was to evaluate the growth performance of buffalo calves fed on diets characterized by different forage/concentrate ratios, with or without Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation (CBS 493.94, Yea-Sacc®). Twenty-four male buffalo calves (mean age of 145.1 ± 16.1 days; mean weight of 108.0 ± 18.7 kg) were assigned randomly to 4 groups, homogeneous in age, that were fed four different diets: diet 1, F:C ratio 50:50; diet 2, F:C ratio 30:70; diet 3, F:C ratio 50:50 + Yea-Sacc®; and diet 4, F:C ratio 30:70 + Yea-Sacc®. Buffalo calves were individually weighted before the start of the experiment and the data were used as a covariate, being taken monthly until the end of the trial. Dry matter intake (DMI), daily weight gain (DWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. The differences in diets composition significantly (p ® at the dosage of 1 × 10E8 did not affect buffaloes’ growth performance

Effect of Integration of Linseed and Vitamin E in Charolaise &times; Podolica Bulls&rsquo; Diet on Fatty Acids Profile, Beef Color and Lipid Stability

Dietary supplementation with oilseeds improves the fatty acid profiles of meat, but results are often inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary linseed and vitamin E supplementation on fatty acid profile, cholesterol content and color stability of beef samples. Dorsal subcutaneous fat samples were subjected to lipid stability assessment. Eighteen young bulls (385 &plusmn; 15 kg BW, age 8&ndash;9 months) were allocated into three homogeneous groups, each receiving ad libitum wheat straw and concentrate only (CON = 5.5 kg/day), concentrate with linseed (LIN = 80 g/kg, i.e., 440 g/head/day), and concentrate with linseed plus vitamin E (L + E = 80 g/kg, i.e., 440 g/head/day + 2500 IU/head/day of Vitamin E). Group L+E showed significantly lower cholesterol content, lower n-6/n-3 ratio and a higher PUFA percentage compared to the CON group. Meat color was affected by feeding LIN with a decrease in a*, b*, and C* compared to the CON group. The experimental diets increased H&deg; values compared to the CON group. A positive effect of vitamin E in protecting lipids of dorsal subcutaneous depots from oxidation was detected in group L+E compared to group LIN. The supplementation with extruded linseeds in the diet had positive effects on the nutritional profile of the meat. When vitamin E was included, linseed did not alter the color of meat, and the lipid stability of the subcutaneous fat improved

Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase Activity and Gene Expression in the Adipose Tissue of Buffalo Bulls Was Unaffected by Diets with Different Fat Content and Fatty Acid Profile

Research on diet effects on buffalo meat quality may be critical to assess its possible consumption benefits in human nutrition. This study investigated, in growing buffalo bulls, the effects of two diets differing in total fat content and fatty acid profile on the activity and gene expression of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase (SCD) in the adipose tissue and on meat quality. Twenty buffalo bulls, 6 months old, were randomly assigned to the two dietary treatments until slaughtering (about 400 kg body weight). No significant difference between the groups was observed for chemical composition, fatty acid profile and CLAs content of Longissimus thoracis as well as for the SCD gene expression. Such results seem to be in contrast with similar studies performed on other ruminant species, but confirm that important differences occur between buffalo and bovine species, such as the lower content in fat of buffalo meat. Our results also confirm that specific studies should be performed on buffalo, also in terms of the metabolic pathways activated by different diets

Effects of Sorghum Silage in Lactating Buffalo Cow Diet: Biochemical Profile, Milk Yield, and Quality

The influence of replacing silage with sorghum silage in the diet of dairy buffalo cows on metabolic status and on milk yield, chemical characteristics, and fatty acid profile was studied. Forty dairy buffalo cows were included in the trial and divided into two homogeneous groups (SS, sorghum silage and CS, corn silage). Blood was collected at the end of the trial (120 days), individual milk yield was registered daily. Samples of milk were monthly collected and analyzed for fat, protein, and lactose. Moreover, fatty acid profiles of silages and milk were determined. Buffalo cows fed sorghum silage showed an average milk yield higher than group CS (kg/d 10.120 vs. 9.270; p p p < 0.01). Serum biochemistry showed no negative effects of the corn replacing with sorghum