Buffalo Sensory Analysis of Meat in the City of Medellin, Colombia, South America

The aim of this study was to determine the organoleptic properties of meat buffaloes in the town of Medellin, Colombia. It was a methodology employed with satisfaction hedonic scale of five-point verbal. GLM method was employed, with the technical MANOVA, with the orthogonal contrasts canonical, determining the dimensionality, in that the response variables were expressed by the criterion of maximum likelihood. The analysis was complemented through the technique of Spearman, using the SAS statistical package version 9.0. In making, the MANOVA, for the response variables smell, taste, tact and general appearance of the product found no statistical differences (p> 0.05). However, the variables above presented statistical relationship (p <0.05), when the ANOVA analysis for each gender. The Spearman correlation coefficient showed that there are significant correlations between the different responses, for both men and women. This result indicates that the meat buffaloes, will present a good acceptance by the general public and therefore an acceptable marketing in the city of Medellin

Random regression models for milk, fat and protein in Colombian Buffaloes

Objective. Covariance functions for additive genetic and permanent environmental effects and, subsequently, genetic parameters for test-day milk (MY), fat (FY) protein (PY) yields and mozzarella cheese (MP) in buffaloes from Colombia were estimate by using Random regression models (RRM) with Legendre polynomials (LP). Materials and Methods. Test-day records of MY, FY, PY and MP from 1884 first lactations of buffalo cows from 228 sires were analyzed. The animals belonged to 14 herds in Colombia between 1995 and 2011. Ten monthly classes of days in milk were considered for test-day yields. The contemporary groups were defined as herd-year-month of milk test-day. Random additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual effects were included in the model. Fixed effects included the contemporary group, linear and quadratic effects of age at calving, and the average lactation curve of the population, which was modeled by third-order LP. Random additive genetic and permanent environmental effects were estimated by RRM using third- to- sixth-order LP. Residual variances were modeled using homogeneous and heterogeneous structures. Results. The heritabilities for MY, FY, PY and MP ranged from 0.38 to 0.05, 0.67 to 0.11, 0.50 to 0.07 and 0.50 to 0.11, respectively. Conclusions. In general, the RRM are adequate to describe the genetic variation in test-day of MY, FY, PY and MP in Colombian buffaloes.Key words: Cattle, genetics, zootechnics (Source: EuroVoc)

Modelación de parametros genéticos mediante regresión aleatoria en búfalos lecheros

The Random regression models (RRM) for genetic evaluation in dairy cattle consider individual lactation curves as deviations from the mean, using ordinary polynomials of linear functions. A total 5386 milk yields records were analyzed, corresponding to1,546 first lactations of crossbred buffalo cow, daughters of 30 bulls and 446 cows, between 1998 and 2005. Variance components were estimated using the statistical package WOMBAT. The model included as random additive genetic effects and permanent environmental as fixed effects of contemporary groups (month and year of the control) and age of the cow at calving (quadratic effect). The residual variances were modeled using classes residual variance with 4 classes. The results of the Akaike information criterion and Schwarz Bayesian, suggested that consider the 7th model order Legendre polynomial for the additive effect and 6th order polynomial for the permanent environmental effect was the best. The Heritabilities ranged from 0.10 to 0.33 throughout lactation. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that RRM are appropriate to study the lactation curve in dairy buffaloes in this herd.Los modelos de regresión aleatoria (MRA) son utilizados para estudiar las curvas de lactancia individuales como desvíos de la media, mediante el uso de polinomios ordinarios de funciones lineales. Fueron analizados 5.386 registros para La PDC de 1.546 primeras lactancias de búfalas mestizas, hijas de 30 toros y 446 búfalas, entre 1998 y 2005. Los componentes de varianza fueron estimados utilizando el paquete estadístico WOMBAT. El modelo incluyó como aleatorios los efectos genéticos aditivo y de ambiente permanente, como efectos fijos los grupos contemporáneos (mes y año del control) y edad de la búfala al parto (efecto lineal y cuadrático). Las varianzas residuales fueron modeladas utilizando clases de varianza con 4 clases residuales. Los resultados de los criterios de información de Akaike y de Bayesiano de Schwarz, sugirieron que el modelo que considero el 7 orden del polinomio de Legendre para el efecto aditivo y el 6 orden polinomial para el efecto de ambiente permanente fue el mejor. Las heredabilidades variaron desde 0,10 hasta 0,33 a lo largo de la lactancia. En conclusión, los MRA son apropiados para estudiar la curva de lactancia en búfalos lecheros en este rebaño

Effect of crude protein levels and organic selenium supplementation in the diets fed during the breeding season on reproductive parameters of red-winged tinamous (Rhynchotus rufescens)

There is little information on the nutrition of red-winged tinamous (Rhynchotus rufescens) reared in captivity, and their nutritional requirements still need to be determined. This study aimed at determining dietary crude protein requirements and testing four organic selenium supplementation levels in the diet of red-winged tinamous during the breeding season. Birds were housed in a conventional broiler house divided in 16 boxes with one male and three females each. Iso-energy (2800kcal ME/kg) pelleted feeds, based on corn and soybean meal, were supplied in tube feeders. In the first experiment, treatments consisted of four different diets containing different crude protein (CP) contents (15, 18, 21, or 24%) and in the second experiment, the four diets contained equal protein level (22.5%) and four different organic selenium levels (0, 0.2, 0.4, or 0.8ppm). Data were analyzed by the least square method. The best egg weight and eggshell thickness were obtained with 22.5% dietary CP. Organic selenium did not influence the studied reproductive traits of red-winged tinamous (Rhynchotus rufescens) males or female

Study on antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized by gamma irradiation method using different stabilizers

In order to observe the microbiological status of CMT positive samples, 734 apparently health mammary quarters from buffalo cows were submitted to physical evaluation, strip cup test and CMT. After milk samples inoculation in 10% ovine blood agar base media and in MacConkey agar and incubation under aerobic condition for 72 hours at 37 degrees C, identification was proceeded. According to CMT, 227 quarters (30,93%) were positive, among them 73 (32,16%) presented 1+ reaction, 53 (23,35%) were 2+ and 101 (44,49%) were 3+. Microbiological exams of such samples were positive in 147 (64,76%) out of 227 CMT positive samples and among the remaining 72 (31,72%) were negative and 8 (3,52) were contaminated. In the 147 microbiological positive samples 204 bacteria were found in pure or associated growth and the most frequent agents were: Corynebacterium sp (59,25%); Staphylococcus sp (17,65%) among which 86,11% were coagulase negative and 13,89% were coagulase positive; and Micrococcus sp (6,37%). The results revealed that, excluding the eight contaminated samples, 147 (67,12%) quarters out of 219 CMT positive could be considered as bacteria-carrier and that even in a smaller percentage false-positive results can cause problems in a sanitary program for mastitis control in dairy buffalo cows

Effect of lactation length adjustment procedures on genetic parameter estimates for buffalo milk yield

The objectives of this study were to estimate the genetic parameters for milk yield unadjusted and adjusted for days in milk and, subsequently, to assess the influence of adjusting for days in milk on sire rank. Complete lactations from 90 or 150 days of lactation to 270 or 350 days in milk were considered in these analyses. Milk yield was adjusted for days in milk by multiplicative correction factors, or by including lactation length as a covariable in the model. Milk yields adjusted by different procedures were considered as different traits. Heritability estimates varied from 0.17 to 0.28. Genetic correlation estimates between milk yields unadjusted and adjusted for days in milk were greater than 0.82. Adjusting for days in milk affected the parameter estimates. Multiplicative correction factors produced the highest heritability estimates. More reliable breeding value estimates can be expected by including short length lactation records in the analyses and adjusting the milk yields for days in milk, regardless of the method used for the adjustment. High selection intensity coupled to the inclusion of short length lactations and adjustment with multiplicative factors can change the sire rank.

What can be considered fair marketing in the fashion industry?: Building a green and fair consumer rating scheme for garment brands

The object of this paper is to tackle the issues that are linked to the unsustainability of today’s garment industry. The externalities that arise from this industry –that are known to harm the environment and its inhabitants– are largely talked about today. Whether it be by society, non-governmental organisations, regulatory bodies or companies involved in these destructive practices. Even though a lot is being said on the matter, and that a lot of work is in progress, not many actions to resolve the issues have yet been established. However it may seem, the amount of actions companies claim to be operating, to tackle these issues, are not always as valuable as they appear to be. This is the main issue that is covered throughout this thesis. “What can be considered fair marketing in the fashion industry?”. By coming up with a way of determining the true purpose of a garment brand’s practices, anyone may now challenge the beliefs they have towards a company. The tool discloses a company’s true engagement towards more sustainable operations and is able to establish whether companies are as trustworthy as they claim to be or whether they are misleading the public. Results have shown the reliability of the tool and considerable suggestions have been expressed for the development of the solution. Providing a digital prototype of the created tool would be a meaningful way of promoting it. This is a solution that could, imaginably, become a mobile application, accessible to consumers all around the world. This tool is considered as a helping hand to raise people’s awareness on the true nature of brands. It is also suggested that giving an opportunity to consumers to raise their own awareness might be a good way to promote change. Endorsing third-party’s points of view is a good start, but reaching their own reasoning and feeling about a matter can be even more valuable

Short communication: Genetic analysis of lactation curves in buffaloes, using Wood’s model

Aim of study: To estimate the heritability and genetic correlations for lactation curve traits in buffaloes.Area of study: The buffalo cows were raised on properties located in the states of São Paulo, Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.Material and methods: The individual parameters of Wood’s model ( , , and ) were obtained using a non-linear mixed model. Peak yield (PY), peak time (PT) and lactation persistency (LP) were also calculated. These individual parameters were employed in multi-trait analysis with the milk yield (MY) using Bayesian inference.Main results: The heritability estimates were of low to moderate magnitudes, with values ranging from 0.156 ( ) to 0.299 (PY). The estimates for genetic correlation between the Wood’s parameters and MY were of low to high magnitude and ranged from -0.533 (  and MY) to 0.983 (PY and MY).Research highlights: The heritability estimates obtained indicate that the traits studied can be used in animal breeding programs