Botanical Composition and Nutritive Value of Grazing Lands from Organic and Conventional Agrosilvopastoral Production Systems of Tropical Southeastern Mexico

In the current situation of agriculture, organic livestock farming has been not only adapted to ameliorate undesirable impacts on environment but also it is challenged to hold or improve agricultural yields obtain-ed by conventional agriculture. In the Mesoamerican biological corridor, a region recognized with an abundant diversity, almost all animal husbandry is based on extensive grazing and traditional agrosilvopastoral systems (Nahed-Toral et al. 2009; Nahed et al. 2010). Furthermore, the conversion of natural jungle areas to new farmland through deforestation is a prevalent problem for biological conservation. Therefore, precise knowledge for suitable agriculture and livestock product-ion are needed to stop the ecological damage while the economic and social aspects are attended. The present study aims to investigate the relative frequency of botanical species for ruminant production in organic and conventional systems in south-eastern Mexico. The study would help to describe forage availabilities and nutritive potential of species that can be use as basis to plan more efficient agrosilvopastoral systems while preserving ecological and sustainable farming practices

Radical scavenging activity and health and risk fatty acid indices of soft goats’ milk cheeses

Dairy products are important sources of valuable nutrients. However, it is feared that some of their components, particularly the lipid fraction, may contribute to health problems. In the present research, 21 commercial soft goats’ milk cheeses of the three varieties: Sainte-Maure, Feta, and Panela were assessed regarding their radical scavenging activity (RSA), polyphenols content, and cholesterol/saturated-fat (CSI), atherogenic (AI), thrombogenic (TI), and health-promoting (HPI) indexes. Qualitative RSA was higher in Sainte-Maure and Panela than in Feta. However, the best quantitative RSA was recorded for the Feta brand «Bon Rennes» (42%). Total polyphenols content expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) was statistically lower in Panela than in Sainte-Maure and Feta cheese (2.2 vs. 2.97 and 3.07 mg GAE/100 g, respectively). Cholesterol content was higher in Feta and Sainte-Maure than in Panela. The «Mikonos Light» brand Sainte-Maure cheese had notably low values of CSI (1.2), while Feta cheeses averaged 2.72. Based on these results, consumption of Mikonos Light is recommended. «Chateau Blanc» brand is also recommended for its high HPI and low TI. In contrast, «Laclette» is the least recommended brand because of its high cholesterol, and saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents and low HPI. «Cabrero» brand recorded a low CSI, but is not recommended due to its high SFA and AI and low HPI. Modification of saturated:polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio by some means, such as animal feeding, would improve the HPI of the local soft goats’ milk cheeses

Phenolic Compounds in Organic and Aqueous Extracts from Acacia farnesiana Pods Analyzed by ULPS-ESI-Q-oa/TOF-MS. In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Anti-Inflammatory Response in CD-1 Mice

Abstract: Background: Acaciafarnesiana (AF) pods have been traditionally used to treat dyspepsia, diarrhea and topically for dermal inflammation. Main objectives: (1) investigate the antioxidant activity and protection against oxidative-induced damage of six extracts from AF pods and (2) their capacitytocurbtheinflammationprocessaswellastodown-regulatethepro-inflammatorymediators. Methods: Five organic extracts (chloroformic, hexanic, ketonic, methanolic, methanolic:aqueous and one aqueous extract) were obtained and analyzed by UPLC-ESI-Q-oa/TOF-MS. Antioxidant activity (DPPH•, ORAC and FRAP assays) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS assay) were performed. Assessmentofanti-inflammatorypropertieswasmadebytheearedemainducedmodelinCD-1mice andMPOactivityassay. Likewise,histologicalanalysis,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-10,TNF-α,COXmeasurements plus nitrite and immunohistochemistry analysis were carried out. Results: Methyl gallate, gallic acid,galloyl glucose isomer 1, galloyl glucose isomer 2, galloyl glucose isomer 3, digalloyl glucose isomer 1, digalloyl glucose isomer 2, digalloyl glucose isomer 3, digalloyl glucose isomer 4, hydroxytyrosol acetate, quinic acid, and caffeoylmalic acid were identified. Both organic and aqueous extracts displayed antioxidant activity. All extracts exhibited a positive effect on the interleukins, COX and immunohistochemistry assays. Conclusion: All AF pod extracts can be effective as antioxidant and topical anti-inflammatory agents. Keywords: Acacia farnesiana pods; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities; bioactive compounds; polyphenol

Contribución de la producción animal en pequeña escala al desarrollo rural

La producción y el consumo de productos de origen animal han experimentado un rápido crecimiento en todo el mundo, y se prevé que continuarán aumentando. Se considera que la mayor parte del incremento en la producción provendrá de sistemas de producción en pequeña escala, que representan el medio de vida de hasta un 70% de la población rural pobre del mundo.1 La producción animal en pequeña escala se reconoce en todo el mundo como un elemento que contribuye al alivio de la pobreza en el medio rural, mediante generación de ingresos, oportunidades de ocupación y dinamismo del uso de los recursos disponibles. Por lo tanto, es de suma importancia conocer las dinámicas de estos sistemas de producción animal y su contribución al desarrollo rural en México. Investigadores y extensionistas deben priorizar las demandas de la producción animal en las comunidades rurales, ya que la producción animal en pequeña escala ha contribuido a mejorar la calidad de vida y a disminuir la vulnerabilidad de las familias productoras. En el México prehispánico la población sólo criaba xoloitzcuintle y guajolotes como animales domésticos, y complementaba en proteínas su dieta con la caza y la pesca. Sin embargo, con la llegada de los españoles en 1521 llegaron también los primeros bovinos a la Nueva España, que se reprodujeron con suma rapidez. La carne de bovino llegó a constituir una parte sustancial de la dieta alimenticia de toda la población.2 A pesar de que al inicio la producción animal era casi nula, ésta empezó a desarrollarse rápidamente y en la actualidad representa un pilar importante para el desarrollo rural en las familias campesinas de nuestro país, pues es vista como una fuente de ingreso

Goat’s Milk Intake Prevents Obesity, Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance in Mice Fed A High-Fat Diet by Reducing Inflammatory Markers and Increasing Energy Expenditure and Mitochondrial Content in Skeletal Muscle

Goat’s milk is a rich source of bioactive compounds (peptides, conjugated linoleic acid, short chain fatty acids, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols such as phytoestrogens and minerals among others) that exert important health benefits. However, goat’s milk composition depends on the type of food provided to the animal and thus, the abundance of bioactive compounds in milk depends on the dietary sources of the goat feed. The metabolic impact of goat milk rich in bioactive compounds during metabolic challenges such as a high-fat (HF) diet has not been explored. Thus, we evaluated the effect of milk from goats fed a conventional diet, a conventional diet supplemented with 30% Acacia farnesiana (AF) pods or grazing on metabolic alterations in mice fed a HF diet. Interestingly, the incorporation of goat’s milk in the diet decreased body weight and body fat mass, improved glucose tolerance, prevented adipose tissue hypertrophy and hepatic steatosis in mice fed a HF diet. These effects were associated with an increase in energy expenditure, augmented oxidative fibers in skeletal muscle, and reduced inflammatory markers. Consequently, goat’s milk can be considered a non-pharmacologic strategy to improve the metabolic alterations induced by a HF diet. Using the body surface area normalization method gave a conversion equivalent daily human intake dose of 1.4 to 2.8 glasses (250 mL per glass/day) of fresh goat milk for an adult of 60 kg, which can be used as reference for future clinical studies

Goats’ Feeding Supplementation with Acacia farnesiana Pods and Their Relationship with Milk Composition: Fatty Acids, Polyphenols, and Antioxidant Activity

Background: Research efforts have focused on the evaluation of the bioactive quality of animal products (milk, cheese, meat, and other by-products) contrasting various feeding strategies coming from different ecological zones. The study aimed to describe the fatty acids (FA), polyphenols (P), bioactive compounds (BC), and antioxidant activity (AA) of goat’s milk. Methods: Dairy goats were fed with five systems: (1) Grazing; (2) conventional diet (CD); (3) CD + 10% of Acacia farnesiana (AF) pods; (4) CD + 20% AF; and (5) CD + 30% AF. The fatty acid profile, health promoting and thrombogenic indexes were calculated. Milk extracts were evaluated by HPLC to determent phenolic compounds (gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic, and ferulic acids, catechin, epicatechin, and quercetin). Antioxidant activity of goat’s milk extract was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Results: Conventional diet showed the highest content of polyunsaturated fatty acids while grazing showed the best n-6:n-3 and the linoleic:alpha linolenic acid ratio. Similarly, grazing and AF boosted the polyphenol content. Conclusions: Acacia farnesiana inclusion in the goats’ diets increased the presence of bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activity while diminishing the cholesterol content of goat’s milk

Efecto de la complementación alimenticia de gramíneas tropicales con un alimento complejo catalítico sobre las variables de fermentación ruminal en bovinos y ovinos

Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecni

Reviewing the Benefits of Grazing/Browsing Semiarid Rangeland Feed Resources and the Transference of Bioactivity and Pro-Healthy Properties to Goat Milk and Cheese: Obesity, Insulin Resistance, Inflammation and Hepatic Steatosis Prevention

The rangeland is an ecological resource that provides multiple benefits for environment and agriculture. Grazing/browsing on rangelands is a useful and inexpensive means to produce food derived from animal products. The aim of this study was to review the benefits of producing milk and cheese under this system in terms of bioactivity and the health benefits of their consumption in model animals. To conduct this review, we particularly considered the experiments that our research group carried out along the last fifteen years at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán in Mexico. Firstly, we examined the forages consumed by goats on the rangelands in terms of plant bioactive compound occurrence and their concentration. Further, goat milk and cheese coming from (1) grazing animals, (2) animals managed indoors, and from (3) animals managed indoor supplemented with rich plant bioactive compounds, were analyzed. Milk was discussed to modulate the negative effects of high-fat diets in mice. Forages consumed by goats on the rangelands showed a close correlation between antioxidant activity assessed by the DPPH+ radical with total flavonoid and total polyphenol contents (TPC). Milk concentration of PUFA, MUFA, and n-3 fatty acids from grazing goats (4.7%, 25.2%, and 0.94% of FAME) was higher than milk from goats fed indoor diets (ID). Similar results were shown in cheese. TPC was higher in cheese manufactured with milk from grazing goats (300 mg of GAE/kg of cheese) when compared to cheese from milk goats fed ID (60 mg of GAE/of cheese). Acacia pods are a semiarid rangeland feed resource that transfers pro-healthy activity, inhibited in vitro lipid peroxidation (inhibition of TBARS formation) and diminished the damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, in vivo assessment revealed that Acacia species increased free radical scavenging (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and anti-inflammatory activity. The results highlight that grazing/browsing practices are superior to indoor feeding in order to promote the transference of bioactive compounds from vegetation to animal tissue, and finally to animal products. Grazing management represents a better option than indoor feeding to enhance bioactivity of milk and cheese. Supplementation with rich-bioactive compound forages increased total polyphenol, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoid concentrations in milk and cheese. The consumption of goat milk prevents obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and hepatic steatosis while on a high-fat diet induced obesity in mice