Effect of type of suckling and polyunsaturated fatty acid use on lamb production. 2. Chemical and fatty acid composition of raw and cooked meat

This study was carried out in order to examine the chemical and fatty acid composition of raw and cooked meat obtained fromlambs raised under mothers or reared by artificial suckling with acidified milk replacers with or without polyunsaturated fattyacid (PUFA) supplementation. Meat samples were taken from twenty Gentile di Puglia male lambs subjected to the followingfeeding treatments: the control group received only maternal milk (MM, n.=6) while two groups were reared by artificial sucklingwith an acidified milk replacer (MR, n.=7) or with an acidified milk replacer supplemented with 10 ml/l of a PUFA enrichedoil (MR+PUFA, n.=7). Lambs were slaughtered at 45 days of age. After 24 hours of refrigeration at 4 °C, the lumbar regionwas dissected from each right half-carcass and split into pieces, one of which was used raw while the other was cooked in aventilated electric oven at 180 °C until an internal temperature of 75 °C was reached. Chemical and fatty acid analysis wereperformed on raw and cooked meat, while only raw meat was assessed for cholesterol. Cooking losses were also evaluated.Meat obtained from MR+PUFA fed lambs contained more fat (P<0.01) and less protein (P<0.05) than MM lambs. Nursingunder mothers increased the total amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA), compared with both the MR group (P<0.05) and tothe MR+PUFA one (P<0.01). In MM meat samples, fewer PUFAs (P<0.01) and omega-6 fatty acids (P<0.01) were found incomparison with both MR diets. The highest PUFA/SFA ratio of meat was recorded for the MR+PUFA group (0.27), with statisticaldifferences respect to the MR group (0.21; P<0.05) and to the MM one (0.14; P<0.01). Lambs raised with maternalmilk produced meat containing more cholesterol than the MR+PUFA group (85.89 vs 76.26 mg/100 g; P<0.05). The atherogenicityindex of meat was higher following natural rearing in comparison with the MR+PUFA treatment (1.34 vs 1.05;P<0.05), while the PCL/PCE ratio was significantly higher in MR+PUFA samples than in both MM and MR ones (0.93 vs 0.77and 0.76, respectively; P<0.05). Cooking cancelled the differences between treatments with regard to the all the dieteticparameters evaluated. In conclusion, artificial suckling with acidified milk replacers improves some meat quality features.Supplementation of milk replacers with PUFAs, although in a limited way, may improve the dietetic properties of lamb meat

Cashmere production from Scottish Cashmere kids and crossbreed Scottish Cashmere x Jonica kids

This study is part of a much wider research programme to evaluate the possibility of producing valuable textile fibres, such as cashmere, from goat breeds reared in Italy. In order to achieve this, we have used crossbreeding. The first stage of the programme consisted of evaluating cashmere production in F1 kids obtained by crossing white-haired Jonica does, which have no secondary fibres, with Scottish Cashmere bucks. The trial lasted one year starting in March 2007, and took place in the Department of Animal Production of the University of Bari (Italy). We used 14 male kids: 7 Scottish Cashmere (SC group), and 7 F1 (SC x J group) derived from crossing Scottish Cashmere bucks with does of the Jonica breed, commonly reared in southern Italy. All the parameters considered (live weight, number and active percentage of primary and secondary follicles, S/P ratio, patch weight, growth and length of guard hair and down, yield, down production and diameter, blood protein and T3 and T4) were significantly influenced (P<0.01) by age. Genotype also had a significant effect (P<0.01) on all parameters except for the active percentage of primary follicles and the blood protein level. The factors which influence down production showed the heterosis effect to a varying extent in F1, but they still produced significantly less than the SC group kids (38.5±4.04 vs 68.5±9.16 g; P<0.01). These results are largely due to both their low number of secondary follicles (30.0±1.46 vs 39.3±1.02; P<0.01), which also have a lower percentage of activity (64.7±2.47 vs 90.0±1.53; P<0.01), and also to the down length which was 28% shorter than in SC group. This genetic combination is clearly unsatisfactory so others must be sought, probably by using more rustic local breeds, as well as more productive breeds for crossbreeding

BASIC PARAMETERS FOR DESIGNING PHYSICAL SEPARATION TREATMENTS FROM AN INTENSIVE ON-SHORE FISH FARM

The pollutant load was monitored in an intensive on-shore plant; evaluation especially concerned one basin,during a period of time in which the water temperature (21-23°c), the stocking density (25 kg/m3), the loading and unloading flow (40 dm3/s) remained steady at the highest values. The results show that the maximum pollution levels are characterized by high concentrations of suspended organic materials, as well as by high BOD5/COD rates; moreover, more than 60% of the suspended solid waste consists of particles with a maximum dimension ranging from 200 μm to more than 500 μm. Tests show that an effluent channel is not efficient in reducing the pollutant load of waste water. The laboratory sedimentation trials showed – for a period of about 3 hours – minimum and maximum solid particle sedimentation speeds of 2.56 mm/s and 46.8 mm/s respectively, which should be considered when deciding the turbid speed and the dimensions of basins for this type of effluent. In any case, the sedimentation process carried out in the laboratory was only just sufficient to bring the farm effluent within the legal limits. Therefore a mechanical filtration treatment may suit the specific requirements of the farm waste water used for the experimental trials. A 50 μm mesh would be considered sufficient for any critical situation

Some information on the biology of Illex coindetii Verany, 1839 (Cephalopoda, Ommastrephidae) in the South-Western Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterraneam)

Distribution, length frequency structure, sex-ratio, maturity and dorsal mantle length–total weight relationship for Illex coindetii (Verany, 1839) were described for the first time in the South-Western Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean). Samples came from six experimental bottom trawl surveys carried out within the framework of the Medits programme from 1997 to 2002. Although specimens have been collected at a wide depth range, I. coindetii concentrates between 50 and 200 m. The population had a smaller squid size and length at first maturity with respect to other Mediterranean and Atlantic regions, probably due to the interaction of some environmental factors (sea temperature and fishing pressure) and the biological characteristics of the species. There was no difference in males/females ratio by year, but there was a general dominance of females over males at larger sizes and of males over females at smaller sizes. The different proportion of juveniles and mature individuals in the catch suggested the possibility of a prolonged spawning season with a spring spawning peak. There was a pronounced sexual dimorphism, females mature at larger mantle length attaining larger size in respect of males. Length–weight relationship revealed a difference between sexes in maturing and mature individuals only, with males resulting heavier and more robust than females at the same size. There were no differences in body proportions between unsexed and immature individuals of both sexes, which were considerably slimmer than maturing and mature counterparts

A ‘‘Traffic’’ Light approach for the assessment of the Broadtail shortfin squid Illex coindetii Verany, 1839 in the Southern Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean

A multi-indicator system and the Traffic Light methodology (TL) to provide the first description of the Illex coindetii (Verany 1839) stock in the GFCM geographical sub-area (GSA) 18 (southern Adriatic Sea; Central Mediterranean) were applied using independent fishery data (‘‘Mediterranean Bottom Trawl Survey’’, ‘‘Medits’’, programme, years 1996–2004). The trajectories of nine population indicators of Frequency of Occurrence (F), Biomass (BI), Density (DI), Recruit Strength (RS), Spawner Strength (SS), Mean Body Weight (MBW), Mantle Length (ML), Mantle Length Excluding Recruits fraction (MLER), Mean mantle Length-Females Length at maturity ratio (MLLm), were analysed using statistical estimators as arithmetic and geometric mean, median, and 75th percentile. The TL methodology was applied to analyse the resulting multiple-indicator panel. Results describe a significant trend of the I. coindetii stock (in number) in the GSA 18 related to a shift within its structure due to a greater proportion of small specimens in the population. Factors that may be contributing to the observed changes are sea temperature, the reduction of possible predators, the recovery of some prey species mostly due to the fishing pressure occurring in the area, and the fast growth and short life span of I. coindetii. In a dynamic system like the Adriatic Sea, the capability to respond quickly to the ‘‘environmental’’ or ‘‘ecosystem’’ changes seem to give I. coindetii an advantage in competition with the long lived finfish species. Accordingly, there is potential to use squid population dynamics as recorders to track environmental and ecological changes, as well as overexploitation. The adopted methodology drew attention to changes occurring within the stock of I. coindetii, and could provide an opportunity for managers to consider action at an early stage. The multi-indicator system and the TL methodology are illustrated as means to follow dynamic changes within squid stock, and to provide usef

PRODUZIONE ANIMALE NEL RISPETTO DELL’AMBIENTE E DELLA SALUTE UMANA

Summary In recent years, the consumer expects from the food specific characteristics such as nutritional value, health, genuineness. Therefore, livestock production must be made taking into account environmental protection, animal welfare and human health. In farming techniques should be used to reduce air pollution, water and soil, while, on the strategies adopted, particularly foodstuffs, are aimed at tracing, security and quality of products of animal origin. Between those products, the meat is a major animal husbandry production and it plays an important role as food. The consumption of red meat, however, fell because of its high content in saturated fatty acids that are considered harmful to human health. In light of the recent development of the market for so-called "functional food" or functional foods, rich or "enriched" by biologically active components that are able to optimize the physical and mental well-being and to reduce the risk of contracting diseases, were conducted several studies in order to change the composition of acid intramuscular fat meat and then make that product a food "functional"