Search results for " ewes"

Effect of the inclusion of fresh lemon pulp in the diet of lactating ewes on the properties of milk and cheese

2017

This study investigated the effects of fresh lemon pulp (FLP), as a natural antioxidant in the diet, on the intake of feed and the production of milk and cheese of Valle del Belice lactating ewes during the hot summer in Sicily. A total of 15 second-lambing ewes, kept individually in 3 × 3 m pens, were divided into 3 homogeneous groups fed with 3 diets in a 3 × 3 Latin square design, with 3 experimental phases of 21 days each. The diets were: mixed hay ad libitum plus 600 g/day of concentrate (FLP0); mixed hay ad libitum plus 400 g/day of concentrate and 1 kg/day of FLP (FLP1); and mixed hay ad libitum plus 200 g/day of concentrate and 2 kg/day of FLP (FLP2). Nine experimental Pecorino chee…

Effects of ewes grazing sulla or ryegrass pasture for different daily durations on forage intake, milk production and fatty acid composition of cheese

2016

Sulla (Sulla coronarium L.) forage is valued for its positive impact on ruminant production, in part due to its moderate content of condensed tannin (CT). The duration of daily grazing is a factor affecting the feed intake and milk production of ewes. In this study, the effects of grazing sulla pasture compared with annual ryegrass, and the extension of grazing from 8 to 22 h/day, were evaluated with regard to ewe forage intake and milk production, as well as the physicochemical properties and fatty acid (FA) composition of cheese. During 42 days in the spring, 28 ewes of the Comisana breed were divided into four groups (S8, S22, R8 and R22) that grazed sulla (S) or ryegrass (R) for 8 (0800…

Chemometric Approaches to Analyse the Composition of a Ewe’s Colostrum

2023

Colostrum is a major source of immunity in lambs and, in general, in all newborn ruminants. It allows the transfer of antibodies from the ewe to the lamb, and it becomes the exclusive source of nutrients for a newborn. Among the most significant Pearson correlations, the positive correlation between the Brix refractive index (Brix) and protein (0.90) should be noted. Both parameters (protein percentage and Brix) were then positively correlated with the percentage of fat (0.38 and 0.41), urea (0.81 and 0.67), calcium (0.39 and 0.29), and magnesium (0.58 and 0.59), as well as the yellowness (0.78 and 0.75). Somatic cell count (SCC) and pH, parameters which are indicators of subclinical mastit…

Effect of hairless gene polymorphism on the breeding values of milk production traits in Valle del Belice dairy sheep

2013

The aim of this work was to assess the association between the hairless genotypes and estimated breeding values (EBVs) for milk yield (MY), fat (FAT) and protein (PRT) content in Valle del Belice dairy sheep breed. A data set from 465 randomly chosen unrelated individuals was analyzed. EBV for MY, FAT and PRT contents were estimated by REML analysis of a single trait repeatability animal model. The genotype effect on EBV was assessed by ANOVA and by the Tukey–Kramer multiple comparison test. The PCR-SSCP test showed the presence of CC and CT genotypes in Valle del Belice individuals. Some differences in milk production traits between the genotypes were found. For MY, individuals with CT gen…

Biodiversity and dairy traits of indigenous milk lactic acid bacteria grown in presence of the main grape polyphenols

2020

ABSTRACT The present work was developed to select lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to be used as starter cultures in functional cheese production. The indigenous milk LAB populations were isolated from fermented raw ewes’ milks (four bulks) added with 0.5 mg/mL of nine polyphenols commonly found in winery by-products. After 48 h of fermentation, all milks were characterized by an increase of LAB levels of about 3–4 Log cycles. All different colonies were purified and characterized for the main physiological and biochemical traits and then differentiated genetically at strain level and identified. Ten species belonging to the LAB genera Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Leuconostoc and L…

Milk production and physiological traits of ewes and goats housed indoor or grazing at different daily timing in summer

2009

During a 6 week trial in summer, 3 homogeneous groups, each consisting of 5 Comisana ewes and 5 Rossa Mediterranea goats, grazed watered forage resources during day (D) or night (N), or were housed indoor and supplied with mowed herbage (H). Maximum THI peaked at 94 at the end of July, and was almost constantly higher of 80. Milk yield was higher in N than in D and H goats, whereas N ewes produced more milk than H group, but their milk yield was higher than D ewes only in the period with the highest THI values. The lower urea in N goat milk, and the higher casein in N ewe milk, seem to indicate a better efficiency in dietary nitrogen utilization of night grazing animals. N ewes showed lower…

Contagious agalactiae: a prelimanr study on the impact on milk production of sicilian sheep

2014

Effects of grazing Trifolium subterraneum and Lolium multiflorum in various proportions on forage intake and milk production of dairy ewes

2011

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of grazing Trifolium subterraneum (T) and Lolium multiflorum (L), as pure or associated crops, on forage intake and milk yield and composition in Comisana ewes. The four following fenced subplots, each of 2500 m2, were used for grazing: T, 100% of surface; L, 100% of surface; TL, T and L on 66.6 and 33.3 % of surface; LT, T and L on 33.3 and 66.6% of surface, respectively. Each subplot was divided into two parcels in order to have two replicates. Forty ewes were divided into eight homogeneous groups, with regard to milk yield, days in milk and live weight. In spring for 70 days, each group grazed daily for 8 h one of the fenced parcels. M…

Effect of the inclusion of lemon citrus pulp in the diet of Valle del Belice lactating ewes. Milk production and composition.

2015

Lemon citrus pulp residues from the citrus juice industry; it belongs to the citrus by-product that are more extensively used for livestock feeding. Furthermore, citrus pulp is a source of flavonoids such as hesperidin and naringin, which have antioxidant properties. This study aimed to investigate the effect of fresh lemon citrus pulp (LP) as natural antioxidant, on feeding behavior, milk yield and milk quality of Valle del Belice lactating ewes in the hot summer season in Sicily. A total of 15 second lambing ewes were individually allocated in 3¥3 m box and fed with 3 diets in a 3 ¥ 3 Latin square design, with 3 phases composed of 21 days. The diets were: LP0, mixed hay ad libitum plus 60…

Dehydrated Sulla forage in dairy ewes feeding: effects on cheese properties

2021

Feeding green sulla forage (GSF) (Sulla Coronarium L.), a shortlived perennial legume containing phenolic compounds, especially condensed tannins, showed to increase intake, milk yield and casein level in ruminants, and enhance fatty acid (FA) profile and antioxidant activity of dairy products. To obtain analogous favourable effects using conserved sulla forage, dehydration could be a valid alternative to the haymaking process which causes greater losses of biomass and its nutritional and bioactive compounds. The aim of this research was to evaluate the dairy products from ewes fed with pelleted dehydrated sulla forage (PDSF) in the diet by comparisons with those obtained using sulla hay (S…