Pasture-based swine management: behaviour and performances of growing-finishing pigs

A pasture-based swine management (PBSM) trial was conducted in Piemonte (N-W Italy) to study the performances and the carcass yield of 16 hybrid pigs (8 castrated males and 8 females; average initial weight: 90 kg). Animals were allowed to forage pea, clover, beet and alfalfa pastures for 170 days in a crop-pasture rotation on different paddocks. A concentrate was fed to supply 50% of estimated energy requirements. Forage dry matter intake (DMI) ranged from 0.32 kg/day (alfalfa) to 2.85 kg/day (pea), depending on the period and forage type. Pigs were weighted every 30 days and at slaughtering; average daily gain (ADG) was 0.29 kg. The stocking rate (SR) ranged from 109 kg/ha LW (clover) to 2347 kg/ha LW (pea). Data collected at slaughtering (average final weight: 141 kg) were: hot carcass weight and yield, lean and fat cuts weight, backfat thickness, pH45 and pH24. The statistical analysis (ANOVA of SPSS) did not show differences between males and females. Results showed that PBSM should be especially appealing to limited-resource farmers due to low inputs needed; pasture can be used to replace 50% of the nutritional needs, helping to save on grain costs, without affecting carcass characteristics

The establishment of a database of Italian feeds for the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System

A field application of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) in Italy has been limited because thefeed bank is based on North American feedstuffs and still few laboratories are able to analyze feeds as requested by theCNCPS. Moreover, the standardization of analytical procedures is still not homogeneous among laboratories. This workwas carried out to establish a first database for feeds commonly used in Italy, providing nutritionists and producers anaccurate and current feed composition, also indicating methods and apparatus for analytical procedures potentially availablefor routine analysis. A total of 909 samples of hays, silages and raw materials (protein feeds, cereals and by-products)were analyzed through 1999 and 2002; analysis included protein solubility and degradability, protein fractions,structural carbohydrate fractions and the calculation of neutral detergent structural carbohydrates. When possible, averagedata were compared with those included in the feed bank of CNCPS ver. 3 and with those obtained by another Italianlaboratory. The main differences were observed in chemical composition of forages and silages, whose composition largelydepends on environmental conditions and physiological stage; protein feeds, cereals and by-products showed somedifferences in crude protein, soluble protein and protein fractions even in feeds of national origin.The intent to modify the feed bank values of CNCPS for establishing an Italian data base of feeds will require a collaborativestudy of many laboratories not only for forages, hays and silages samples - whose composition is greatly dependenton environmental factors and agronomic techniques - but also for protein fractions, whose values are largely influencedby even small changes in analytical techniques

Inclusion of Cocoa Bean Shell in the Diet of Dairy Goats: Effects on Milk Production Performance and Milk Fatty Acid Profile

The use of agro-industrial by-products in animal nutrition is a promising strategy to reduce the food-feed competition, the diet cost at farm level and the environmental impact of animal-derived food production. In this study, the suitability of cocoa bean shell (CBS), a by-product of the cocoa industry, as a feed ingredient in the diet of dairy goats was evaluated, with a focus on the related implications on feed intake, milk yield, milk main constituents, and fatty acid (FA) profile of milk fat. Twenty-two Camosciata delle Alpi goats were divided into two balanced groups. All the goats were fed mixed hay ad libitum. The control group (CTRL; n = 11) also received 1.20 kg/head × day of a commercial concentrate, while in the experimental group (CBS; n = 11) 200 g of the CTRL concentrate were replaced by the same amount of pelleted CBS. The total dry matter intake of the goats was reduced by the dietary inclusion of CBS (P ≤ 0.01). The milk yield, as well as the milk fat, protein, and casein contents and yields were unaffected by the treatment. Milk from the CBS-fed goats showed decreased urea content when compared to the CTRL group (P ≤ 0.001). Milk from the CBS group of goats also showed increased concentrations of total branched-chain FA (both iso and anteiso forms; P ≤ 0.001) and total monounsaturated FA (P ≤ 0.05), as well as a decreased ∑ n6/∑ n3 FA ratio (P ≤ 0.05). De novo saturated FA, total polyunsaturated FA, total conjugated linoleic acids, and the majority of ruminal biohydrogenation intermediates remained unaffected by the dietary treatment. These results suggest that CBS can be strategically used as an alternative non-conventional raw material in diets intended for lactating goats, with no detrimental effects on their milk production performance. The use of CBS in goat nutrition may be hindered by the presence of theobromine, a toxic alkaloid. Special attention is needed by nutritionists to avoid exceeding the theobromine limits imposed by the current legislation. Detheobromination treatments are also suggested in literature to prevent toxic phenomena

Effect of the granulometric characteristics of monensin sodium on controlling experimental coccidiosis in broiler chickens

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of monensin sodium grain size on controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. Three hundred and fifty Cobb 700 chicks were infected experimentally with 8 × 10(4) sporulated oocysts of Eimeria spp. The birds were fed with diets supplemented with powdered (n = 150) or granulated (n = 150) monensin, with particle sizes of ≤100 µm and 450-650 µm, respectively. The remaining chicks (n = 50) were used as an unmedicated control group. The birds’ weights and number of oocysts per gram of litter in each group were recorded weekly. A total of 96 birds were randomly selected and culled during the trial. Their intestinal oocyst counts and lesion scores were determined. No significant differences in body weights were found between the groups at the end of the study. The percentages of infected animals, oocyst counts and lesion scores were significantly higher in the control group than in the other two groups; the two treated groups did not show any appreciable differences to each other. Enteritis was observed in 14 birds, all in the group supplemented with granulated monensin. These results suggest that powdered and granulated monensin have comparable efficacy in controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. However, treatments with monensin sodium of high grain size may be subject to contraindications relating to enteritis.O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a eficácia da monensina sódica com diferentes granulometrias no controle da coccidiose em frangos de corte. Trezentos e cinquenta pintos Cobb 700 foram infectados experimentalmente, utilizando-se 8 × 10(4) oocistos esporulados de Eimeria spp. As aves foram alimentadas com dietas suplementadas com monensina em pó (n = 150) ou granulada (n = 150), com partículas de dimensão ≤100 µm e de 450-650 µm respetivamente. As aves restantes (n = 50) foram utilizadas como grupo controle não sujeito a tratamento. O peso das aves e o número de oocistos por grama de material de cama de cada grupo foram avaliados semanalmente. Um total de 96 aves foi selecionado aleatoriamente e submetidos à eutanásia durante o período experimental. Nestas aves foram analisados o número de oocistos intestinais e o respectivo escore das lesões. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas relativas ao peso dos animais dos diferentes grupos no final do período experimental. A proporção de animais infectados, a quantidade de oocistos e o escore das lesões foram significativamente superiores no grupo de controle, quando comparado com os dois grupos tratados, não encontrando diferenças significativas entre estes últimos. Foi observada enterite em 14 aves, pertencentes ao grupo suplementado com monensina granulada. Estes resultados indicam que a eficácia da monensina em pó e granulada é semelhante no controle de coccidiose em frangos de corte. No entanto, o tratamento com monensina sódica de elevada granulometria pode ser objeto de contraindicações associadas à enterite

Nutritive value and energy content of the straw of selected Vicia L. taxa from Tunisia

The chemical composition and energy value of straws of <em>Vicia sativa</em> L. (varieties Languedoc and Mghila, and subspecies <em>amphicarpa</em>) and <em>Vicia villosa</em> Roth. (variety Sejenane and accession 2565) were investigated. The plants were grown in a Mediterranean environment, under identical environmental conditions. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) and energy values (digestible energy, metabolisable energy, and net energy for lactation) were estimated according to the equations developed by the 2001 Dairy National Research Council. Both ether extract (EE) or total fatty acids (FA) amounts, and digestible neutral detergent fibre (dNDF) calculated from chemical analysis or measured using a 48-hour rumen <em>in vitro</em> assay were used for calculations. Significant differences were observed in the chemical composition and energy value of the straws of the considered <em>V. sativa</em> and <em>V. villosa</em> varieties. Within the same variety, the TDN was similar using either EE or FA values for calculation. The energy resulted largely dependent on the dNDF values. Energy was higher when <em>in vitro</em> dNDF was used for calculation in low-NDF straw samples, while the opposite occurred for high-NDF samples

Comparing milk yield, chemical properties and somatic cell count from organic and conventional mountain farming systems

A study was undertaken to investigate the effects of farming systems (organic vs. conventional), diet (hay/concentrate vs. pasture) and their interaction on milk yield, gross composition and fatty acid (FA) profile of dairy cows bred in mountainous areas. For this purpose four dairy farms (two organic and two conventional) were chosen in the alpine territory of Aosta Valley (NW Italy); individual milk yield was recorded daily and bulk milk samples were collected monthly from February to September 2007 to cover dietary variations. Higher levels of milk production (P<0.05) and lower milk protein amounts (P<0.01) were observed in the organic farms with respect to the conventional ones, while no significant differences were noticed in milk fat and lactose contents and in somatic cell count. Concerning fatty acids, only small differences were detected between organic and conventional milk and such differences seemed to be related mainly to the stabled period. Diet affected almost all variables studied: pasture feeding provided a significant improvement in the fatty acid composition in both organic and conventional systems leading to lower hypercholesterolemic saturated fatty acids, higher mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid amounts (P<0.001)