The Timing of Daily Grazing on Annual Ryegrass or Sulla Forage: The Effects on Milk Yield and Composition of Comisana Ewes

The timing and duration of grazing greatly affect the response of animals. Night grazing, in addition to grazing during the day, seems to be one of the most important practices for improving animal performance (Bayer et al., 1987). Many authors have already underlined the major benefits of night grazing, such as improved body condition, reduced heat stress, increased forage intake and milk production. However, labour constraints, insecurity, damage to crops by animals are considered as the main reasons for not practising day and night grazing. The aim of this research was to improve knowledge about the effects of daily grazing time in ryegrass or sulla forage on milk yield and composition of Comisana ewes

Use of Green Sulla Forage for Feeding. 1. Effects on Lamb Growth and Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasite Infestation

Recent studies have shown that some forage legumes containing condensed tannins (CT), such as sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.), can reduce the gastrointestinal nematode burden in sheep (Niezen et al., 1998) and increase post-ruminal protein availability (Waghorn et al., 1994). This study aimed to evaluate the anthelmintic and nutritional properties of sulla forage in relation to its CT content. Thus, the growth performance and the level of nematode infestation of lambs fed sulla were compared with those of lambs fed ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. subsp. wersterwoldicum), lacking in CT

Meat production from dairy breed lambs due to slaughter age and feeding plan based on wheat bran

This experiment aimed to investigate the possibility to increase the carcass weight of dairy breed lambs and produce moderate-fat meat by applying inexpensive feeding strategies based on restriction and through the use of a fibrous byproduct such as the durum wheat bran (DWB). Sixty-five 45-day-old lambs of the Valle del Belice breed, divided into 6 groups, were fed alfalfa hay supplemented with concentrate feeds including DWB at 0% or 20% (DWB0, DWB20), supplied ad libitum (L) or restricted at 75% (R), and slaughtered at 90 or 120 days of age. The groups were as follows: DWB0-90L (n = 14), DWB20-90L (n = 14), DWB0-120R (n = 10), DWB20-120R (n = 9), DWB0-120L (n = 9), DWB20-120L (n = 9). The diet did not affect feed intake, growth or carcass weight of lambs fed ad libitum, whereas 120-day-old lambs fed DWB associated to restriction showed the lowest weight gain (105 vs. 170, 185 and 190 g/day in DWD20-120R, DWB0-120R, DWB0-120L and DWB20-120L; p = 0.04). The incidence of fat tissue in the hind leg increased (p < 0.0001) from 90L (5.82 and 5.45% with DWB0 and DWB20) to 120R (8.80 and 8.43% with DWB0 and DWB20) and 120L lambs (10.7 and 11.8% with DWB0 and DWB20). Older lambs' meat, compared to that of 90L lambs, showed analogous levels of intramuscular fat, higher water retention, tenderness and lightness, and a more intense red colour. In meat from 120-day-old lambs, DWB intake tended to reduce the fat level (p = 0.009) and increased polyphenol content (1.10 vs. 1.62, and 1.02 vs. 1.65 g GAE/kg dry matter (DM) in 120R and 120L lambs; p = 0.02), antioxidant capacity (12.8 vs. 14.9, and 12.8 vs. 15.7 mmol trolox eq/kg DM in 120R and 120L lambs; p = 0.02), and the presence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) (1.61 vs. 2.81, and 1.43 vs. 2.61 g/100 g FA in 120R and 120L lambs; p = 0.007), thereby improving the meat's health properties. The panelists perceived the effects of DWB inclusion as well as the feeding level with triangle tests

Effect on the antioxidant, lipoperoxyl radical scavenger capacity, nutritional, sensory and microbiological traits of an ovine stretched cheese produced with grape pomace powder addition

An innovative ovine cheese enriched with red grape pomace powder (GPP) was produced to improve the functional properties of Vastedda cheese typology. Vastedda cheese making was performed adding GPP and four selected Lactococcus lactis strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190). For each strain, 40 L of pasteurized ewe’s milk was divided into two aliquots representing control and experimental trials. Control cheese (CC) production did not contain GPP, while the experimental cheese (EC) production was enriched with 1% (w/w) GPP. GPP did not slow down starter development and acid generation. Plate counts and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR analysis confirmed the dominance of the starters in all trials. The evolution of the physicochemical parameters showed that EC productions were characterized by lower fat content, higher protein content, and higher values of secondary lipid oxidation. Sensory evaluation indicated that the cheeses produced with the strain Mise94 were those more appreciated by the judges. Thus, the last cheeses were investigated for some functional aspects: GPP enrichment significantly increased antioxidant activity and lipoperoxyl radical scavenger capacity, confirming that grape polyphenol inclusion in cheese represents an optimal strategy for the valorization of ovine cheeses as well as winemaking industry by-products

The Girgentana Goat Breed: A Zootechnical Overview on Genetics, Nutrition and Dairy Production Aspects

In recent years, there has been a great interest in recovering and preserving local livestock breeds. An interesting situation is represented by the Girgentana goat, an ancient local breed reared in Sicily. Over recent years, this breed has become almost extinct, in part as a consequence of the marked decrease in fresh goat milk consumption. On the basis of these considerations, several studies on its genetic structure and management aspects have been conducted in order to protect the Girgentana goat from the risk of extinction and recover its genetic and economic value. In this context, information on genetics, nutrition and dairy production aspects may have a crucial role in the improvement and management of the breed. Thus, this chapter describes some points of these applications through recent investigations on this goat breed

Relationships among diet, plasma and milk total polyphenol content in milking goats

Some Mediterranean forages are interesting for their polyphenol content, which may perform beneficial functions to animal and nutraceutical effects on consumer. In ruminants, the fraction transferred into the milk may reflect the feeding regime and thus used as biomarker for the diet traceability. In order to highlight the relationships among polyphenols in feed intake, plasma and milk, total polyphenols was measured in the diets used by goats and in the corresponding plasma and milk. During March-May, twelve Girgentana goats, averaging 37.2 kg live weight, 86 days in milk and 2.0 kg milk yield were allocated to three groups and, according to a 3 x 3 Latin square design with three periods of 21 days (14 days for adaptation and 7 days for measuring and sampling), fed with three diets in succession: sulla fresh forage (SFF), sulla fresh forage plus 800 g/d barley meal (SFB), mixed hay plus 800 g/d barley meal (MHB). During each period, offered and refused feed of each goat were weighed daily, sampled twice and disaggregated into botanical parts to estimate the mean amount and the quality of feed intake; the individual milk yield was recorded daily and samples of milk and blood were collected at the end of each period. During each period, observations means of total polyphenols intake (ItP), and the corresponding total polyphenols in plasma (PtP) and milk (MtP) were used for Pearson correlation. Due to the polyphenols content of sulla forage, such as condensed tannins, the SFF and SFB diets increases ItP (9.21 and 9.29 vs. 2.84 g GAE/d; P<0.001), PtP (304 and 309 vs. 294 microg/ml GAE; P<0.05) and MtP (0.964 and 1.081 vs 0.819 g GAE/d; P<0.05). During the first period of experiment (March), a positive correlation between ItP and MtP was detected (r=0.60; P=0.040). This relationship might depend on a high percentage of leaf blade in the fresh forage ingested in this period compared to the others. Also, ItP and PtP content showed a positive correlation (r=0.61; P=0.038). Regarding all experimental periods, a positive correlation between plasma free polyphenol content and MtP content was found (r=0.38; P=0.031). Our results suggests that polyphenol content in animal diets is reflected in mil

Relationships among diet, plasma and milk total polyphenol content in milking goats.

Some Mediterranean forages are interesting for their polyphenol content, which may perform beneficial functions to animal and nutraceutical effects on consumer. In ruminants, the fraction transferred into the milk may reflect the feeding regime and thus used as biomarker for the diet traceability. In order to highlight the relationships among polyphenols in feed intake, plasma and milk, total polyphenols was measured in the diets used by goats and in the corresponding plasma and milk. During March-May, twelve Girgentana goats, averaging 37.2 kg live weight, 86 days in milk and 2.0 kg milk yield were allocated to three groups and, according to a 3 x 3 Latin square design with three periods of 21 days (14 days for adaptation and 7 days for measuring and sampling), fed with three diets in succession: sulla fresh forage (SFF), sulla fresh forage plus 800 g/d barley meal (SFB), mixed hay plus 800 g/d barley meal (MHB). During each period, offered and refused feed of each goat were weighed daily, sampled twice and disaggregated into botanical parts to estimate the mean amount and the quality of feed intake; the individual milk yield was recorded daily and samples of milk and blood were collected at the end of each period. During each period, observations means of total polyphenols intake (ItP), and the corresponding total polyphenols in plasma (PtP) and milk (MtP) were used for Pearson correlation. Due to the polyphenols content of sulla forage, such as condensed tannins, the SFF and SFB diets increases ItP (9.21 and 9.29 vs. 2.84 g GAE/d; P<0.001), PtP (304 and 309 vs. 294 microg/ml GAE; P<0.05) and MtP (0.964 and 1.081 vs 0.819 g GAE/d; P<0.05). During the first period of experiment (March), a positive correlation between ItP and MtP was detected (r=0.60; P=0.040). This relationship might depend on a high percentage of leaf blade in the fresh forage ingested in this period compared to the others. Also, ItP and PtP content showed a positive correlation (r=0.61; P=0.038). Regarding all experimental periods, a positive correlation between plasma free polyphenol content and MtP content was found (r=0.38; P=0.031). Our results suggests that polyphenol content in animal diets is reflected in mil