Effect of feeding fermentable fibrerich feedstuffs lupin and chicory prior to slaughter with special emphasis on the effect on chemical boar taint in organic entire male and female pigs and technological meat quality

Boar taint is an off-flavour of pork caused primarily by skatole and, androstenone. Pig off-odour and flavour mostly caused by higher skatole concentrations in backfat. It is a problem in all types of pork production and is not restricted to entire male pigs. If uncastrated, 5-10% of Danish entire male pigs (100 kg liveweight) have > 0.25 ppm skatole in backfat and are then classified as boar tainted, having a markedly reduced value. Even backfat skatole values above 0.15 ppm enhance the off-odour for skatole sensitive consumers. An alternative way to reduce high skatole concentrations may be feeding with fibre-rich feedstuffs. This idea is based on previous studies which have demonstrated that 10% dried chicory or more in the feed reduces skatole in entire male pigs significantly after 7, 14 and 21 days of feeding, resulting in a significant reduction in perceived boar taint and thus an improvement in the flavour and taste of meat. Significantly decreased skatole concentrations and a tendency to increased eating quality have also been demonstrated by feeding 25% lupines to female and castrated male pigs during the whole fattening period. The question remains, however, whether the effects of lupines on skatole and other sensory characteristics of female and entire male pigs can be obtained when used only in the last 1 or 2 weeks before slaughter. Two experimental replicates each consisting of 24 pigs (12 entire male and 12 female) was divided into three treatments according to litter and initial weight and kept in pairs (pens) of either female or entire male pigs. The male and female pigs were kept in different stables. The pairs of pigs have been fed three organic diets for either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter of which two diets contained different fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs (10% dried chicory root plus 90% organic control feed and 25% blue lupine seed plus 75% other organic feed components). These two treatments were compared with a control; where the pairs of pigs were fed organic control concentrate (“conventional”) either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter (at approx. 104 kg liveweight). Levels of skatole and indole in blood plasma from Vena jugularis were monitored at the start of the experiment and just before slaughter, and skatole in backfat was measured at slaughter. Production results were registered (daily weight gain, FUp per kg gain, slaughter weight, carcass meat percentage, warm and cold carcass weight), and after slaughter at Research Centre Foulum the following technological meat quality attributes were measured on M. Longissimus dorsi (LD): meat colour (L*, a*, and b* values), drip loss, pH measurements, temperatures and glycogen at 45 minutes and 24 hours post mortem. There was a significant reduction in skatole in blood and backfat for both sexes by feeding 25% blue lupine one or two weeks prior to slaughter (P<0.001). The 10% (and 13.3%) dried chicory roots showed no significant effect. This is possibly due to error in the heat treatment of the roots during the drying process. A majority of the meat quality parameters were not significantly affected by either of the two dietary treatments. However, glycogen contents tended to be higher 45 minutes and 24 hours post mortem (P<0.10) and the drip loss lower in the lupine-fed pigs. There were clear tendencies to significant differences in production results as the 25% lupines showed negative impact on growth rate, feed conversion ratio, slaughter weight and carcass weight. Newly mixed entire male pigs showed worse performance than newly mixed female pigs during the short time experiment

Studies on the antioxidative activity of red pigments in Italian-type dry-cured ham

Aqueous phosphate buffer extracts and acetone/water extracts of pigments from Parma ham were assessed as antioxidants by (1) electron spin resonance spectroscopy using a spin probing technique to evaluate their efficiencies as scavengers of free radicals, and (2) by electrochemical measurement of oxygen depletion rate in an aqueous methyl linoleate emulsion to evaluate their efficiencies as chain-breaking antioxidant, and using both methods, compared with the effect of apomyoglobin and nitrosylmyoglobin. Aqueous phosphate extracts and acetone/water extracts of Parma ham pigment both scavenged a semi-stable nitroxide radical (Fremy's salt), and both extracts reduced the rate of oxygen consumption for lipid peroxidation (initiated by metmyoglobin) very efficiently. For apomyoglobin no antioxidative capacity was observed, and the heme moiety of the pigment(s) of Parma ham were concluded to have antioxidative properties. The more lipophilic pigment, as extracted by acetone/water, had the most significant effect, and its ability to inhibit lipid oxidation was further tested in a model food system based on cooked pork. The lipid oxidation was increasingly inhibited by increasing additions from 0.12 ppm to 0.24 ppm Parma ham pigment, and the pigment protected a-tocopherol against degradation in a concentration dependent manner

An Argument and an Outline for a New Employment Scheme

Liberalism is celebrating triumphs in these years. As faith in the welfare state and Keynesianism began to crack in the 1970s, capitalist principles were revitalised and the old virtues and dogmas were found and dusted. Now all that restrained the free competition in the market were considered a danger to the growth and the welfare. The impact of trade unions on wage formation should be limited, the welfare state should be reduced, and ‘modernised’ and the incentive structure strengthened by reducing social policy standards. Unemployment was again considered a natural part of the economy where individual choices were crucial to whether you were unemployed or not: lower your wage claims and you would probably get a job. (...

Pork quality related to the diet content of fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs (chicory and lupine) with special emphasis on the effect on boar taint and meat quality

Boar taint is an off-flavour of pork caused primarily by skatole and, androstenone. Pig off-odour and flavour mostly caused by higher skatole concentrations in backfat. It is a problem in all types of pork production and is not restricted to entire male pigs. If uncastrated, 5-10% of Danish entire male pigs (100 kg liveweight) have > 0.25 ppm skatole in backfat and are then classified as boar tainted, having a markedly reduced value. Even backfat skatole values above 0.15 ppm enhance the off-odour for skatole sensitive consumers. An alternative way to reduce high skatole concentrations may be feeding with fibre-rich feedstuffs. This idea is based on previous studies which have demonstrated that 10% dried chicory or more in the feed reduces skatole in entire male pigs significantly after 7, 14 and 21 days of feeding, resulting in a significant reduction in perceived boar taint and thus an improvement in the flavour and taste of meat. Significantly decreased skatole concentrations and a tendency to increased eating quality have also been demonstrated by feeding 25% lupines to female and castrated male pigs during the whole fattening period. The question remains, however, whether the effects of lupines on skatole and other sensory characteristics of female and entire male pigs can be obtained when used only in the last 1 or 2 weeks before slaughter. Two experimental replicates each consisting of 24 pigs (12 entire male and 12 female) was divided into three treatments according to litter and initial weight and kept in pairs (pens) of either female or entire male pigs. The male and female pigs were kept in different stables. The pairs of pigs have been fed three organic diets for either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter of which two diets contained different fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs (10% dried chicory root plus 90% organic control feed and 25% blue lupine seed plus 75% other organic feed components). These two treatments were compared with a control; where the pairs of pigs were fed organic control concentrate (“conventional”) either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter (at approx. 104 kg liveweight). Levels of skatole and indole in blood plasma from Vena jugularis were monitored at the start of the experiment and just before slaughter, and skatole in backfat was measured at slaughter. Production results were registered (daily weight gain, FUp per kg gain, slaughter weight, carcass meat percentage, warm and cold carcass weight), and after slaughter at Research Centre Foulum the following technological meat quality attributes were measured on M. Longissimus dorsi (LD): meat colour (L*, a*, and b* values), drip loss, pH measurements, temperatures and glycogen at 45 minutes and 24 hours post mortem. There was a significant reduction in skatole in blood and backfat for both sexes by feeding 25% blue lupine one or two weeks prior to slaughter (P<0.001). The 10% (and 13.3%) dried chicory roots showed no significant effect. This is possibly due to error in the heat treatment of the roots during the drying process. A majority of the meat quality parameters were not significantly affected by either of the two dietary treatments. However, glycogen contents tended to be higher 45 minutes and 24 hours post mortem (P<0.10) and the drip loss lower in the lupine-fed pigs. There were clear tendencies to significant differences in production results as the 25% lupines showed negative impact on growth rate, feed conversion ratio, slaughter weight and carcass weight. Newly mixed entire male pigs showed worse performance than newly mixed female pigs during the short time experiment

Phytoestrogens and Their Metabolites in Bulk-Tank Milk: Effects of Farm Management and Season

Phytoestrogens have structures similar to endogenous steroids and may induce or inhibit the response of hormone receptors. The objectives of the present study were to compare the effects of long-term vs. short-term grassland management in organic and conventional dairy production systems, compare organic and conventional production systems and assess seasonal variation on phytoestrogen concentrations in bulk-tank milk. The concentrations of phytoestrogens were analyzed in bulk-tank milk sampled three times in two subsequent years from 28 dairy farms: Fourteen organic (ORG) dairy farms with either short-term or long-term grassland management were paired with 14 conventional (CON) farms with respect to grassland management. Grassland management varied in terms of time since establishment. Short-term grassland management (SG) was defined as establishment or reseeding every fourth year or more often, and long-term grassland management (LG) was defined as less frequent establishment or reseeding. The proportion of red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) in the herbage was positively correlated with milk concentrations of the mammalian isoflavone equol. Therefore, organically produced bulk-tank milk contained more equol than conventionally produced milk, and milk from ORG-SG farms had more equol than milk from ORG-LG farms. Milk produced during the indoor-feeding periods had more equol than milk produced during the outdoor feeding period, because pastures contained less red clover than fields intended for silage production. Organically produced milk had also higher concentrations of the mammalian lignan enterolactone, but in contrast to equol, concentrations increased in the outdoor-feeding periods compared to the indoor-feeding periods. There were no indications of fertility problems on ORG-SG farms who had the highest red clover proportions in the herbage. This study shows that production system, grassland management, and season affect milk concentrations of phytoestrogens. However, compared to soy products, milk concentrations of phytoestrogens are low and future studies are required to investigate if the intake of phytoestrogens from dairy products has physiological effects in human