Antón García

Carcass characteristics, fatty acid composition, and meat quality of Criollo Argentino and Braford steers raised on forage in a semi-tropical region of Argentina

The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare the carcass characteristics, cholesterol concentration, fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat and subcutaneous fat, and meat quality of Criollo Argentino and Braford steers reared in an extensive system, without supplementation, and slaughtered at approximately 400kg live weight. The Braford steers had greater (P<0.05) carcass weight, yield, conformation score, marbling degree, fat thickness and fatness score than Criollo Argentino steers. The tissue composition of the 10th rib was: 68.1% vs. 63.6% muscle, 23.9% vs. 20.4% bone and 8.2% vs. 16.3% fat for the Criollo Argentino and Braford breeds, respectively. The meat of Longissimus muscle from Braford steers was lighter, redder, yellower and more tender than that from Criollo Argentino steers. The meat of Longissimus muscle from Braford steers had a higher fat content, similar protein and ash contents and a lower (P⩽0.001) cholesterol concentration than that from Criollo Argentino steers. The subcutaneous depot was the most saturated, while the intramuscular fat had the most polyunsaturated fatty acids. Intramuscular fat showed the highest ∑h fatty acids, and PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios and for MUFA/SFA, 16:0/18:0 and h/H ratios were not significantly different between adipose tissue depots. The influence of breed on the fatty acid profile varies among adipose tissues. In general, both intramuscular fat and subcutaneous fat from Criollo steers contained more unsaturated fatty acids and less saturated fatty acids, than did fat from Braford steers.

Effects of weight at slaughter and sex on the carcass characteristics of Florida suckling kids

The effect of slaughter weight and sex on some carcass traits of suckling kids of the Florida breed was evaluated. A total of 60 kids (30 male and 30 female), fed exclusively on milk replacers, were slaughtered at 7-8kg (group 1), 10-11kg (group 2) or 14-15kg (group 3) of liveweight (mean weights of 7.6kg, 10.8kg and 14.4kg, respectively). Higher slaughter weights decreased the percentage of subproducts (blood, skin, head, feet) and internal organs (lungs+traquea, heart, liver, spleen, thymus) but significantly increased the percentage of intestine and fat depots (omental fat and mesenteric fat). Higher slaughter weights also increased carcass measures (L 40.5 vs 49.1; F 22.5 vs 25.9; G 10.4 vs 14.2; Wr 10.1 vs 13.9; Wth 8.0 vs 10.5; Th 16.5 vs 199; B 32.3 vs 42.4; PT 41.5 vs 50.8), compactness carcass index (96.6 vs 152.3) and compactness leg index (27.5 vs 44.1). Sex only significantly affected the percentages of feet, internal organs, omental fat, measure L, carcass compactness index and hind limb compactness index. The meat colour and fat colour were mainly scored as pale and white respectively in the carcasses of the lightest animals, whereas heavier kids were scored as pink and cream. Slaughter weight also influenced significantly the carcass fatness (score 1 in lightest kids and 2 or 3 in heavier ones). There were no significant (p>0.05) differences between slaughter weight group and sex in dressing percentages. Percentages corresponding to the long leg, back and neck (30-33%, 18-19% and 8-10%, respectively) decreased when the slaughter weight increased, whereas the ribs (23-25%) and the flank (10-11%) increased slightly. The carcasses comprised 57-58% muscle, 22-25% bone, 5-6% subcutaneous fat and 9-12% intermuscular fat. The percentage muscle stayed the same with increasing slaughter weight, whereas the bone decreased and the fat increased. The carcasses of the heavier females contained less lean and more fat than the males. The bone percentage was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the females and the carcass fat percentage was significantly (p<0.05) higher than in the males.

Diversity in the dry land mixed system and viability of dairy sheep farming

Castilla La Mancha is a Spanish region where sheep farming system is traditionally pasture-based. Recently, this territory has undergone a recession of dairy sheep activity, which changed the type and intensity of land utilization and led to environmental and landscape degradation. The present study analyzed the diversity and viability of dairy sheep of mixed systems. Multivariate analysis was conducted on 157 dairy sheep farms, factor analysis selected 3 productivity factors (level of intensification, land use, size and family labour), and cluster analysis classified farms into three groups. Group 1, smallholders – with the smallest size (405.5 ewes and 564.7 ha), lowest area in ownership (1.5%), and agriculture activity (6.5% crops area): family farms (90.8%) highly dependent on external inputs. Group 2, large-scale farms (1058.7 ewes and 1755.1 ha) – with the lowest stocking rate (0.14 livestock unit/ha) and productivity: non-family farms (39.1%) with low area in ownership (4.1%) and agriculture activity (7.6%). Group 3, mixed-technified – with the highest levels of technology and least use of family labour (27.0%): large-scale farms (1387.4 ewes and 955.8 ha), combining milk production with agricultural activities (55.7% crops area), with the highest area in ownership (63.1%) and the best productivity performance. In conclusion, the dry land mixed system of Castilla La Mancha showed diversity of farms. Improving viability requires a systemic approach where the key tool is grazing, allowing the mixed system to be consolidated as a model that enhances the positive impact of livestock on the environment in the Mediterranean basin.

Spatial and temporal epidemiology of bovine trichomoniasis and bovine genital campylobacteriosis in La Pampa province (Argentina)

The venereal diseases bovine trichomoniasis (BT) and bovine genital campylobacteriosis (BCG) cause economic losses in endemic areas like La Pampa province in Argentina, where beef cattle are usually managed extensively. This study used data compiled under a Provincial Programme for the Control and Eradication of BT and BGC (PCE) to determine the spatio-temporal distribution of these diseases and identify spatial clusters. The study population comprised 29,178 non-virgin bulls drawn from 3766 herds, tested for BT and BGC in 2010. Preputial smegma samples were cultured for BT detection, while BGC was diagnosed by direct immunofluorescence testing of these samples. Campylobacter fetus infection was detected in 1.5% of bulls and 2.3% of herds, and Tritrichomonas foetus infection was found in 1.1% of bulls and 5.1% of herds. The proportion of positive tests was highest in February for BT, while in April it was highest for BCG, and was inversely related to the number of tests, which was greatest during the breeding season (spring). An elliptical spatial cluster of high risk for BGC and a circular cluster for BT were both identified in the south of La Pampa province, which could not be explained by cattle herd density. The spatial and temporal patterns identified in this study provide baseline data for monitoring the success of BT and BGC control activities in La Pampa.

Economic Sustainability of Organic Dairy Sheep Systems in Central Spain

Sheep production systems in regions with a Mediterranean climate are important in social, economic and environmental terms. Modeling these systems allows, among others, evaluation of the costs efficiencies which in turn permits assessing the expected effects of changes in production variables. This paper presents a prototype analysis of the economic sustainability of ecological dairy sheep systems of Castilla-La Mancha, Central Spain evaluated through the estimation of costs efficiencies. Costs functions were developed using data from 31 farms. Rate of supplementary feeding, labour use, and flock size were used to measure the cost efficiency. On average, cost efficiency was 61.7±15.5%, with significant differences among typological groups. High efficiency was found in only 29% of the farms. The economic analyses performed suggest that the continued existence of economically unsustainably farms is explained by the available subsidies, lack of amortization of fixed assets leading to progressive decapitalization, and subsistence incomes by family groups (gross family income).

Pathways towards to improve the feasibility of dairy pastoral system in La Pampa (Argentine)

Over the last decade, pastoral systems have been intensified in response to an increasing demand for meat and milk, by generating environmental and social problems due to its high dependence on external inputs. The objective of this research was to analyze the economic feasibility of dairy pastoral system in La Pampa (Argentina). The main successful factors were identified through technical efficiency analysis, and subsequently improvement actions were suggested. The technique data envelopment analysis creates efficiency indexes by comparing the performance of each farm with the best practice, which defines the production frontier. The farms were classified attending to two criteria: first, the level of efficiency, second, the regular use of supplementation feed. The results showed that about 40% of the farms were efficient and the efficiency rate of the farms without supplementary feed was 80%. A 70% of the farms uses their own grassland resources adjusting milk yield to the capacity of the pasture. The technical efficiency for this group is 14% higher than the rest. Inefficient farms can adopt different strategies to enhance by practicing benchmarking. One of the examples studied shows two ways to do it: on the one hand the extensification by producing at a minimum cost; on the other hand, the technification, linked to the increase of stocking rate and the use of strategic supplementation. Finally, small changes in the management of the farms positively impact on performance, use of resources, and the sustainability of the system.

Caracterización estructural del sistema ovino-caprino de la región noroeste de república dominicana

Resumen es: Con el objetivo de estudiar la estructura productiva del sistema ovino y caprino de la region noreste de Republica Dominicana, se realizo un muestreo ale...

Time series analysis of bovine venereal diseases in La Pampa, Argentina

The venereal diseases bovine trichomoniasis (BT) and bovine genital campylobacteriosis (BGC) cause economic losses in endemic areas like La Pampa province in Argentina where beef cattle are usually extensively managed. This study used data compiled between 2007 and 2014 by a Provincial Program for the Control and Eradication of venereal diseases in order to develop and analyze retrospective models of time series for BT and BGC. Seasonality and long-term trend were explored with decomposition and simple regression methods. Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average models (ARIMA) were used to fit univariate models for the prevalence and persistence of BT and BGC. Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with Explanatory Variable models (ARIMAX) were used to analyze the association between different time series, replacement entries and herd samplings. The prevalence and persistence of BT and BGC have decreased from 2007 to 2014. All the BT and BGC time series are seasonal and their long-term trend is decreasing. Seasonality of BT and BGC is similar, with higher rates of detection in autumn-winter than is spring-summer. Prevalence and persistence time series are correlated, indicating their changes are synchronic and follow a similar time pattern. Prevalence of BT and BGC showed the best fitting with the ARIMA (0,0,1)(0,1,1)12 model. While for persistence of BT and BGC, the best adjustment was with the same model with no seasonal difference where the current number of cases depends on the moving averages of the month and the previous season. Including covariates improve the fitting of univariate models, in addition, estimations using ARIMAX models are more precise than using ARIMA models. The time distribution of the samplings could be increasing the false negative ratio. According to the obtained results, the ARIMA and ARIMAX models can be considered an option to predict the BT and BGC prevalence and persistence in La Pampa (Argentina).

Carcass quality of Criollo Cordobes and Anglo Nubian suckling kids. Effects of age at slaughter

espanolSe estudiaron las caracteristicas de la canal de cabritos lactantes de las razas Criollo Cordobes y Anglo Nubiana, utilizando 20 machos de cada raza. Los animales se sacrificaron a dos edades: 60±2 dias (grupo I) y 90±3 dias (grupo II). Los rendimientos canal y el grado de engrasamiento fueron superiores en Anglo Nubiana. La raza y la edad al sacrificio tuvieron un efecto significativo en la valoracion subjetiva, en las medidas e indices de la canal y en el quinto cuarto. EnglishThe objective of this study was to assess the carcass characteristics of two goat breed types reared under extensive system. Forty male kids, 20 Criollo Cordobes and 20 Anglo Nubian, were used. The animals were slaughtered at 60±2 days old (group I) and at 90±3 days old (group II). The carcass yield and fatness was significantly higher in Anglo Nubian than in Criollo Cordobes kids. Breed and age at slaughter significantly affect carcass conformation, some carcass measures and indices, and non-carcass components.

P25-13 Spinal cord injury at birth as a consequence of a postulated prenatal anterior spinal artery ischemic infarct: The value of electromyographic studies

Method: Focusing on corticospinal tract, the time course of FA in posterior limb of the internal capsule (FA/PIC) was analyzed in group of normal control and of neurotrauma (A; shaken baby syndrome and infant acute subdural heamtoma, B; neonatal intracranial bleeding, C; congenital hydrocephalus, D; other). Using 1.5T MRI (GE Signa), DTI image was obtained with pulse sequence EPI, b value 1000, Matric 128×128, slice depth 4 mm, MPG 15 axis. On FA map, FA of PIC was mesured by manual ROI on both sides. Result: (1) FA/PIC was reliabe, independent of examiner. (2) In early infancy, FA/PIC showed steep increase in first 20 weeks and gradual afterward. (3) In Gp. A and D, the decrease of FA/PIC correlated with later motor development delay and spasticity. Conclusion: To evaluate the effect of neurotrauma on infant moter development, analysis FA/PIC was one handy method to detect and to prospect future developmental delay. DTI provide marked information of white matter damage which other modality could not, and futher case studies are required.