Bioavailability of zinc sources and their interaction with phytates in broilers and piglets

Zinc (Zn) is essential for swine and poultry and native Zn concentrations in feedstuffs are too low to meet their Zn requirement. Dietary Zn bioavailability is affected by phytate, phytase and Zn supplemented in organic form is considered as more bioavailable than inorganic sources. A meta-analysis using GLM procedures was processed using broiler and piglet databases to investigate, within the physiological response of Zn, (1) the bioavailability of inorganic and organic Zn sources (Analysis I); (2) the bioavailability of native and inorganic Zn dependent from dietary phytates, vegetal and supplemental phytase activity (Analysis II). Analysis I: the bioavailability of organic Zn relative to inorganic Zn sources ranged, depending on the variable, from 85 to 117 never different from 100 (P > 0.05). The coefficients of determination of the regressions were 0.91 in broilers and above 0.89 in piglets. Analysis II: in broilers, bone Zn was explained by supplemental Zn (linear and quadratic, P 0.05). The coefficients of determination of the regressions were 0.92 in broilers and above 0.92 in piglets. The results from the two meta-analyses suggest that (1) broilers and piglets use supplemented Zn, independent from Zn source; (2) broiler use native Zn and the use is slightly enhanced with supplemental phytase; (3) however, piglets are limited in the use of native Zn because of the antagonism of non-hydrolyzed dietary phytate. This explains the higher efficacy of phytase in improving Zn availability in this speci

How Investment Agreements Can Protect Free Media

Freedom of expression historically has been regarded as a domestic concern. But modern communication technologies and the unprecedented forces of globalization are blurring the distinction between what is national and what is international, creating an interconnected world that is not bound by traditional borders. International investment treaties, as well as trade agreements, can be used to to protect media from efforts to suppress it

Repeatability of traits for characterizing feed intake patterns in dairy goats: a basis for phenotyping in the precision farming context

International audienceIn ruminants, feeding behaviour variables are parameters involved in feed efficiency that show variation among individuals. This study aimed to evaluate during the first two production cycles in ruminants the repeatability of feed intake pattern, which is an important aspect of feeding behaviour. Thirty-five dairy goats from Alpine or Saanen breeds were housed in individual pens at four periods (end of first gestation, middle of first and second lactations and middle of second gestation which is also the end of first lactation) and fed a total mixed ration (TMR) ad libitum. Individual cumulative dry matter intake (DMI) was automatically measured every 2 min during the last 4 days of each period. Feed intake pattern was characterized by several measures related to the quantity of feed eaten or to the rate of intake during the 15 h following the afternoon feed delivery. Two main methods were used: modelling cumulative DMI evolution by an exponential model or by a segmentation-clustering method. The goat ability to sort against dietary fibre was also evaluated. There was a very good repeatability of the aggregate measures between days within a period for a given goat estimated by the day effect within breed and goat, tested on the residual variance (P > 0.95). The correlations between periods were the highest between the second and either the third or fourth periods. With increasing age, goats sorted more against the fibrous part of the TMR and increased their initial rate of intake. Alpine goats ate more slowly than Saanen goats but ate during a longer duration. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on all the aggregate measures of feed intake patterns. The factor score plots generated by the PCA highlighted the opposition between the different measures of feed intake patterns and the sorting behaviour. The projection of the animals on the scoring plots showed a breed effect and that there was a continuum for the feed intake pattern of goats. In conclusion, this study showed that the feed intake pattern was highly repeatable for an animal in a given period and between periods. This means that phenotyping goats in a younger age might be of interest, either to select them on feeding behaviour and choose preferentially the slow eaters or to adapt the quantity offered and restrict feed delivery to the fast eaters in order to increase feed efficiency and welfare by limiting the occurrence of acidosis, for example

Milk yield estimation during suckling using the double oxytocin injection-milking and the double weighing-suckling methods in dairy goats

The aim was to verify the validity of the double oxytocin-milking (DOT) method as milk yield estimator during the suckling period of lactating dairy goats. To this end, it was necessary to determine whether the weighing suckling weighing (WSW) and DOT methods of milk yield estimation satisfied the criteria to be considered valuable, the accuracy between both methods and the suitability of DOT to evaluate actual milk. At parturition, sixty lactating Murciano Granadina breed goats were separated into 2 groups, in mixed (MS; n = 24) and artificial rearing (ARS; n = 36) management systems. Until the sixth week of lactation (weaning), MS goats suckled one kid while kids from ARS goats were artificially reared; moreover, goats in both systems were submitted to once-a-day milking. Once per week, actual milk yield for ARS goats and potential milk yield were recorded using DOT method for all goats, except for 12 goats in ARS which remained as a control. Twelve goats from each management system were used to evaluate diurnal variation in milk production (DVM) by DOT method for 6 consecutive days in week 4 of lactation. No difference in DVM was found by DOT method in 4-h milk production of goats in MS (P = 0.099) or ARS (P = 0.220), which allowed sixfold multiplication of milked milk volume to obtain potential milk per day. ARS goats subjected to a weekly DOT and control group goats showed a similar (P = 0.379) lactation curve for the first 6 weeks of lactation. The DOT method slightly overestimated (3.4%, P = 0.005) the milk yield evaluated by WSW method for goats under an MS, but fitted the actual milk obtained by common milk records for the group of goats in an ARS submitted to the DVM test (P = 0.357) and the group in ARS alone (P = 0.163). The DOT method applied for 8 consecutive days led to a drop of 6 12% in milk yield during the following week for both production systems. In conclusion, DOT was an accurate method to estimate milk yield during the first weeks of lactation both in MS and ARS under the conditions of this experiment. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fernández Martínez, N.; Balasch Parisi, S.; Pérez Baena, I.; Rodríguez Garcia, M.; Peris Ribera, CJ. (2013). Milk yield estimation during suckling using the double oxytocin injection-milking and the double weighing-suckling methods in dairy goats. Small Ruminant Research. 112(1-3):181-185. doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.12.023S1811851121-

The Future of International Investment Regulation: Towards a World Investment Organisation?

With growth in foreign investment and in the number of companies investing in foreign countries, the application of general principles of public international law has not been deemed adequate to regulate foreign investment and there is, as yet, no comprehensive international treaty on the regulation of foreign investment. Consequently, states have resorted to bilateral investment treaties (BITs), regional trade and international investment agreements (IIAs) and free trade agreements (FTAs) to supplement and complement the regime of protection for foreign investors. In the absence of an international investment court, states hosting foreign investment or investor states have opted for investor-state dispute settlement mechanism (ISDS). This mechanism has brought about its own challenges to the international law of foreign investment due to inconsistency in the application and interpretation of the key principles of international investment law by such arbitration tribunals, and further, there is no appellate mechanism to bring about some cohesion and consistency in jurisprudence. Therefore, there are various proposals mooted by scholars to address these challenges and they range from tweaks to BITs and IIAs, the creation of an appellate mechanism and the negotiation of a multilateral treaty to proposals for reform of ISDS only. After assessing the merits and demerits of such proposals, this study goes further, arguing for the creation of a World Investment Organisation (WIO) with a standing mechanism for settlement of investment disputes in order to ensure legal certainty, predictability and the promotion of the flow of foreign investment in a sustainable and responsible manner

Machine milking parameters for Murciano-Granadina breed goats

[EN] In dairy ruminants, the combination of milking parameters must ensure good milking performance without harming udder conditions. Commonly, milking conditions for goats are established without having checked the admissible limits for optimal and fast milking. The aim of this study was to establish a limit combination of machine milking parameters that improves machine milking performance without altering milkability or udder status. To this end, we studied the effect of 2 combinations (42 kPa, 120 cpm, 60% vs. 44 kPa, 120 cpm, 60% in terms of kilopascals of vacuum level, cycles per minute of pulsator rate, and percentage of pulsator ratio, respectively) on milk production and composition, milk fractioning during milking, SCC, teat tissue thickness variation after milking, and the milk emission kinetics parameters throughout 1 lactation period (6 rno). The 42 and 44 kPa measured at the vacuum gauge level became average values of 37.5 and 39.3 kPa, respectively, measured at the teat sphincter level during milking. Milk flow significantly increased and total milking time decreased 25 s with the elevation of the vacuum level from 42 to 44 kPa without any adverse effect on milk fractioning at milking. However, the use of 44 kPa also showed an increase in tissue thickness above 5%, and we observed a tendency of average conductivity of milk to increase, although without any adverse effect on SCC. It seems that 44 kPa, 120 cpm, 60% is a possible limit combination of parameters to improve milking performance without altering milkability or udder conditions. We concluded that this combination can be used for milking Murciano-Granadina breed goats in conditions similar to those of this study (mid-level milking system and 1 milking/d), although further studies are necessary to verify its application in the case of 2 milkings/d.Fernández Martínez, N.; Martí Vicent, JV.; Rodríguez Garcia, M.; Peris Ribera, CJ.; Balasch Parisi, S. (2020). Machine milking parameters for Murciano-Granadina breed goats. Journal of Dairy Science. 103(1):507-513. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-16446S5075131031Alejandro, M., Roca, A., Romero, G., & Díaz, J. R. (2014). Short communication: Effects of milk removal on teat tissue and recovery in Murciano-Granadina goats. Journal of Dairy Science, 97(8), 5012-5016. doi:10.3168/jds.2014-7934Ali, A. K. A., & Shook, G. E. (1980). An Optimum Transformation for Somatic Cell Concentration in Milk. Journal of Dairy Science, 63(3), 487-490. doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(80)82959-6Blasco, E., Gomez, E. A., Vicente, C., Vidal, G., & Peris, C. (2016). Factors affecting milking speed in Murciano-Granadina breed goats. Journal of Dairy Science, 99(12), 10102-10108. doi:10.3168/jds.2016-10869BOE (Boletín Oficial del Estado). 2013. Real Decreto 53/2013, de 1 de febrero, por el que se establecen las normas básicas aplicables para la protección de los animales utilizados en experimentación y otros fines científicos, incluyendo la docencia.Delgado-Pertíñez, M., Guzmán-Guerrero, J. L., Mena, Y., Castel, J. M., González-Redondo, P., & Caravaca, F. P. (2009). Influence of kid rearing systems on milk yield, kid growth and cost of Florida dairy goats. Small Ruminant Research, 81(2-3), 105-111. doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2008.12.007Díaz, J. R., Alejandro, M., Peris, C., & Fernández, N. (2013). Use of ultrasound scanning to estimate teat wall thickness in Murciano-Granadina goats. Livestock Science, 155(1), 114-122. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2013.04.007Díaz, J. R., Romero, G., Muelas, R., Alejandro, M., & Peris, C. (2012). Effect of intramammary infection on milk electrical conductivity in Murciano-Granadina goats. Journal of Dairy Science, 95(2), 718-726. doi:10.3168/jds.2011-4698Diaz, J. R., Romero, G., Muelas, R., Sendra, E., Pantoja, J. C. F., & Paredes, C. (2011). Analysis of the influence of variation factors on electrical conductivity of milk in Murciano-Granadina goats. Journal of Dairy Science, 94(8), 3885-3894. doi:10.3168/jds.2011-4187Fernández, N., Martínez, A., Martí, J. V., Rodríguez, M., & Peris, C. (2015). Milkability and milking efficiency improvement in Murciano-Granadina breed goats. Small Ruminant Research, 126, 68-72. doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.03.001Gil, Z. (1988). Milk temperature fluctuations during milking in cows with subclinical mastitis. Livestock Production Science, 20(3), 223-231. doi:10.1016/0301-6226(88)90074-7Hamann, J., Mein, G. A., & Nipp, B. (1996). Recommended method for measuring changes in thickness of the bovine teat with spring-loaded calipers. Journal of Dairy Research, 63(2), 309-313. doi:10.1017/s0022029900031800Hamzaoui, S., Salama, A. A. K., Albanell, E., Such, X., & Caja, G. (2013). Physiological responses and lactational performances of late-lactation dairy goats under heat stress conditions. Journal of Dairy Science, 96(10), 6355-6365. doi:10.3168/jds.2013-6665Isaksson, A., & Lind, O. (1992). Teat Reactions in Cows Associated With Machine Milking*. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A, 39(1-10), 282-288. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0442.1992.tb00184.xLE DU, J., BENMEDERBEL, B., DANO, Y., COMBAUD, J. F., & TESSONNIÈRE, R. (1984). Aptitude des chèvres de race Saanen à la traite mécanique. Relations avec les caractéristiques physiques du trayon. Annales de Zootechnie, 33(3), 375-384. doi:10.1051/animres:19840307Peris, S., Caja, G., Such, X., Casals, R., Ferret, A., & Torre, C. (1997). Influence of Kid Rearing Systems on Milk Composition and Yield of Murciano-Granadina Dairy Goats. Journal of Dairy Science, 80(12), 3249-3255. doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(97)76299-4Requena, R., Balasch, S., Peris, C., Rodríguez, M., & Fernández, N. (2010). Dose response of lactating dairy ewes during suckling and milking to bovine somatotropin1. Journal of Animal Science, 88(9), 3136-3144. doi:10.2527/jas.2009-2690Zecconi, A., Hamann, J., Bronzo, V., & Ruffo, G. (1992). Machine-induced teat tissue reactions and infection risk in a dairy herd free from contagious mastitis pathogens. Journal of Dairy Research, 59(3), 265-271. doi:10.1017/s002202990003054