Finition de la femelle de réforme Blanc-Bleu Belge cularde : influence de l’âge et du niveau énergétique de la ration

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Le signalement des équidés

Deuxième éditio

Growth performance, carcass characteristics, fatty acid profile, and meat quality of male goat kids supplemented by alternative feed resources: bitter vetch and sorghum grains

Bitter vetch and sorghum grains are alternative local feed resources that are underutilized in the southern Mediterranean area. This study aimed to assess the effects of incorporating these grains into the diet of local goat breeds on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Twenty-four goat kids were divided into three groups. The control group received a conventional diet consisting of oat hay, barley, and fava beans. In the first group, fava beans were replaced with bitter vetch, and in the second group, barley was replaced with sorghum. At the end of the trial, the animals were slaughtered and carcass characteristics and meat fatty acid profiles of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were determined. Alternative grain incorporation had no significant effect on the growth parameters. Still, it significantly affected carcass characteristics, especially in the sorghum group compared to the control group, where mesenteric fat was lower (266 vs. 437 g). The back color was lighter (L*=55.1 vs. 59.1) and less yellow (a*=-1.29 vs. 2.22). The diet also influenced the meat's chemical composition, with less protein and ash in the chevrons of animals receiving bitter vetch and sorghum grains, respectively. Regarding the fatty acid (FA) profile, sorghum grains had decreased C18:2 n-6 and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), whereas bitter vetch grains had increased C18:3 n-3, elongase activity, and nutritive value index (NVI). The control group exhibited intermediate results for C15:0, C16:0, C16:1, C20:3 n-3, n-3, health promoting index (HPI), and thrombogenic index (TI). No significant effects were reported for saturated FA (SFA) and monounsaturated FA (MUFA). Bitter vetch and sorghum grains can be safely incorporated into fattening diets of goat kids.</p

Fatty acids : nomenclature and dietary sources

Fatty acids are member of the lipid family. They are aliphatic monocarboxylic acids with or without double bond. They are classified according different nomenclatures : the international systematic name, the omega nomenclature and the trivial names. Fatty acids are major compounds of oils and fats. Among the saturated fatty acids, C12, C16 and C18 fatty acids are the most widely distributed, whereas in the unsaturated fatty acids group, C18 with 1, 2 or 3 double bonds are the most important within the vegetable and animal terrestrian products. Fatty acids with 4 or more than 4 double bonds and 20 to 24 atoms of carbon are largely represented in the marine products

Energy balance of goats grazing in a mountainous forest rangeland of Northern Morocco

editorial reviewe

Feeding behavior of local goats grazing in a north African forest pasture

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Using GPS Tracking Collars and Sensors to Monitor the Grazing Activity of Browsing Goats in Forest Rangeland

peer reviewedThe recent advancements in sensor technologies to monitor and record behavioral activities of livestock provide an accurate scope to extend the database and understand the animal behavior under actual grazing conditions. The aim of this work was to determine the seasonal variation in grazing activities of goats using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and leg sensor technologies. The study was conducted in the Southern Mediterranean forest pasture of Northern Morocco. Eight dairy alpine goats have been fitted with GPS tracking collars and tri-axial accelerometers over a 3-day period of each grazing season (spring, summer, and fall). Most of the behavioral activity of goats was dedicated to grazing (36 to 59%), followed by resting (22 to 30%) and walking without grazing (10 to 24%). During summer and fall, goats traveled longer distances compared to the spring. The combination of the two studied sensors provided useful data information to understand the behavioral activity of goat grazing in forest pasture

Effects of Olive Cake and Cactus Cladodes as Alternative Feed Resources on Goat Milk Production and Quality

In the Mediterranean area, the olive cake (OC) and cactus cladodes (CC) are two alternative resources widely available that could be used for ruminants’ feeding. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of OC and/or CC diet incorporation on the production performance and quality of goat milk. Forty-four lactating goats were randomly allocated to four groups. The control one (Co) received a conventional feed. Test groups (TOC; TCC and TOC+CC) received 20% OC, 30% CC, or 15% OC and 20% CC, respectively, on concentrate dry matter basis. Over three months, milk production was evaluated, and samples were collected to analyze the milk quality. No significant differences were observed between control and test groups for daily milk production, yield, composition and acidity. In milk fat, OC incorporation increased C18:1n-9, mono-unsaturated (MUFA) and n-9 fatty acid (FA), and decreased 9t-C18:1 and poly-unsaturated FA (PUFA) (p < 0.05). Significantly highest contents of C15:0, C18:1n-9, and C21:0, and lowest levels of C4:0, 9t-C18:1, 6t-C18:2, C20:0, and PUFA were obtained with cactus cladodes administration (p < 0.05). The TOC + CC diet reduced C4:0, 9t-C18:1, 6t-C18:2, C22:6n-3, and PUFA proportions, and increased C18:1n-9, MUFA/PUFA, and thrombogenic indexes. The incorporation rates of OC and CC that could reach 20% and 30%, respectively, had no major negative effects on milk production performance, composition, and quality. Thus, they could be introduced in the diets of lactating goats.Peer reviewe

Do olive cake and cactus cladodes affect the rumen microbial community and meat quality of goat kids ?

editorial reviewe