Antonio Mimosi

Milk yield, gross composition and fatty acid profile of dual‐purpose Aosta Red Pied cows fed separate concentrate‐forage versus total mixed ration

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of two feeding methods on milk yield, composition and fatty acid (FA) profile obtained from dual-purpose cattle. Twenty-four Aosta Red Pied cows beyond peak of lactation were assigned to two groups and fed hay and concentrates in the proportions 0.69 and 0.31 on a dry matter basis for 10 weeks. Concentrates were offered separately from forages 6 times a day (separate ration, SR) or as a total mixed ration (TMR). The feeding method did not significantly influence dry matter intake (16.8 vs. 16.9 kg/head/day for SR- and TMR-fed cows, respectively), milk yield (17.4 vs. 17.5 kg/head/day), milk fat, protein and lactose contents (36.4 vs. 35.2, 33.5 vs. 32.8, and 47.3 vs. 47.4 g/kg) and yields (607.9 vs. 613.4, 567.4 vs. 572.7 and 805.5 vs. 829.7 g/head/day). The overall milk FA profile was very similar between groups. Milk concentrations of FA used as indirect markers of rumen function (C18:2 t10c12, odd- and branched-chain FA) and the extent of ruminal biohydrogenation were comparable (P > 0.05) between SR- and TMR-fed cows, suggesting that ruminal pH did not vary considerably as a consequence of the feeding strategy applied.

Effect of Breed, Cage Type, and Reproductive Phase on Fecal Corticosterone Levels in Doe Rabbits

Fecal corticosterone concentration (FCC) is increasingly being used as a noninvasive indicator of stress in assessment of nonhuman animal welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of breed, cage type, reproductive phase, and their interactions on FCC levels in doe rabbits. A total of 252 doe rabbits were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Does were individually housed in either standard dimension cages (SC) or in cages with a volume more than double that of the SC. Bigger cages (BC) were equipped with a plastic foot mat. Breed, cage type, and reproductive phase significantly affected FCC. New Zealand hybrids showed higher FCCs (p < .001) when compared witho the autochthonous breed (27.77 ± 0.47 vs. 24.61 ± 0.36 pg g−1, respectively). Increased cage size coupled with a plastic foot mat resulted in a significant decrease in doe FCC. The highest FCCs were detected at partum (BC: 30.40 ± 0.81 pg g−1; SC: 33.36 ± 0.86 pg g−1; p ≤ .05), followed by postweaning (BC: 25.09 ± 0.95 pg g−1; SC: 27.63 ± 0.95 pg g−1; p ≤ .05). These results support the hypothesis that measurement of FCC provides a useful indicator of chronic stress in doe rabbits.

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

Abstract 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).

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

Abstract A field application of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) in Italy has been limited because the feed bank is based on North American feedstuffs and still few laboratories are able to analyze feeds as requested by the CNCPS. Moreover, the standardization of analytical procedures is still not homogeneous among laboratories. This work was carried out to establish a first database for feeds commonly used in Italy, providing nutritionists and producers an accurate and current feed composition, also indicating methods and apparatus for analytical procedures potentially available for 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, average data were compared with those included in the feed bank of CNCPS ver. 3 and with those obtained by another Italian laboratory. The main differences were observed in chemical composition of forages and silages, whose composition largely depends on environmental conditions and physiological stage; protein feeds, cereals and by-products showed some differences 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 collaborative study of many laboratories not only for forages, hays and silages samples - whose composition is greatly dependent on environmental factors and agronomic techniques - but also for protein fractions, whose values are largely influenced by even small changes in analytical techniques.

Effect of Cage Type on Fecal Corticosterone Concentration in Buck Rabbits During the Reproductive Cycle

Fecal corticosterone concentration (FCC) was measured in 14 buck rabbits individually housed in standard-dimension cages (SC) or in bigger cages (BC; with a volume more than double that of SC and equipped with a plastic foot mat) during 4 consecutive reproductive cycles. Cage type and reproductive phase (estrous synchronization of doe rabbits, artificial insemination, partum, preweaning, and postweaning) were not statistically significant but tendentially affected FCCs (.05 < p < .10). Buck rabbits housed in SC showed higher FCCs than those housed in BC (27.42 pg g− 1 dried feces and 25.57 pg g− 1, respectively; SEM = 2.952). The highest FCC values were detected at artificial insemination (BC, 27.91 pg g− 1; SC, 30.45 pg g− 1; SEM = 3.520), highlighting that the phase of semen collection could be one of the most critical moments for buck rabbits, although further investigations are needed. These preliminary results suggest that measurement of FCC could be used as an indicator of chronic stress in buck rabbits.

Milk yield and quality of Aosta cattle breeds in Alpine pasture

Riassunto Produttività e qualità del latte di razze bovine valdostane in alpeggio. Lo studio riferisce sulla produttività e qualità del latte di bovine di razza Pezzata Rossa, Pezzata Nera e Castana Valdostana, allevate in dieci alpeggi della Valle d’Aosta. Sono state studiate le caratteristiche del latte individuale prelevato in momenti rappresentativi della fase di pascolamento estivo. I risultati confermano l’elevato grado di adattabilità delle lattifere anche in condizioni climatiche di particolare difficoltà (stagione estiva 2003); tuttavia, la composizione acidica del latte segnala un significativo calo dei PUFA in coincidenza del peggioramento della qualità dell’erba dei pascoli.

Effect of ruminally unprotected Echium oil on milk yield, composition and fatty acid profile in mid-lactation goats

This study investigated the effects on goat milk yield and composition of a diet supplemented with Echium plantagineum oil (EPO). Twenty-four mid-lactation multiparous Camosciata goats were divided into two balanced groups and fed for 44 d a diet based on hay and concentrate, supplemented (EPO group, Echium) or not (CON group, control) with 40 ml of ruminally unprotected EPO. Individual milk yield was recorded and individual milk samples were collected at 11, 22, 33, and 44 d after supplementation. Milk samples were analysed for milk components and fatty acids (FA). Data were statistically analysed by repeated-measures analysis of variance. Milk yield, protein and lactose contents were significantly higher in EPO than CON group. The inclusion of EPO significantly decreased total saturated FA and total branched-chain FA, and contemporarily sharply increased trans biohydrogenation intermediates (P ⩽ 0.001). Milk concentration of α-linolenic, stearidonic and γ-linolenic acids increased by 23, 1000 and 67%, respectively (P ⩽ 0.001). Due to extensive ruminal biohydrogenation, their apparent transfer rate was less than 3%. As a consequence, the milk concentrations of very long-chain (VLC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as eicosapentaenoic (20:5 n-3) and dihomo-γ-linolenic (20:3 n-6) acids, significantly increased with EPO treatment, but values remained very low. Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) was undetectable in all analysed milk samples. Results show that ruminally unprotected EPO can enhance milk yield and protein and improve the overall goat milk FA profile. However, this kind of supplementation cannot be considered a valuable strategy to develop goat functional dairy products enriched with VLC n-3 PUFA for human consumption.

Autochthonous breeds, sustainable local exploitation, and quality of animal products: the case study of Piemontese cattle.

The purpose of this paper is to outline an approach, called the textual approach, to theoretically confirm the intersubjectivity of assessments of animal welfare. The field of medical hermeneutics is used as a source for inspiration of how to correlate results of disparate empirical methods in order to better understand the health status of another being. The textual approach suggests that farm animals should be assessed as physiological objects as well as experiencing subjects. Stress-measurements add information about the animal as an object, while the adjective-based method adds information about the animal as a subject. The textual approach also implies, morally, that the assessed animal should be treated as an intrinsically valued being. The concern for intersubjectivity is thus not only based on scientific concerns, but also concerns for the animals in themselves.As part of the IDEFICS obesity intervention study, baseline opinions about key issues were elicited from the parents of children about to take part in the intervention in eight European countries. This was done by a questionnaire, in which a set of questions was specifically designed to investigate attitudes towards ethical and public-policy aspects of interventions on healthy lifestyle and diet. The aim of these questions was partly to elicit parents’ views concerning the ethics and effectiveness of interventions, responsibilities of schools and parents themselves, and also to gain some indication as to how parents might view some of the policy options available. Here we present analysis of three of the questions on public-policy regarding healthy eating: 1. “I feel that the authorities don’t do enough to support healthy eating.” 2. “There should be a controlled restriction on advertising of high-fat and high-sugar foods.” 3. “Very unhealthy foods should be highly taxed while healthy foods should be subsidised.” We report here that there are statistically significant differences between the respondents both by country, and by gender. There is strong support among parents for controlled restriction on advertising of high-fat and high-sugar foods, as well as supporting of taxation of ‘unhealthy’ foods and subsidising of ‘healthy’ foods. In most countries men are more critical of authorities’ support of healthy eating than women, and they are also more in favour of taxation and subsidising of certain types of food.