Search results for " Goat"
showing 10 items of 63 documents
Use of weaning concetrate in the feeding of suckling kids: effects on meat quality
2006
A study was conducted to investigate the effect of a feeding supplementation with starter concentrate on “Capretto” meat production and its qualitative characteristics. To this end, 31 Girgentana kids, slaughtered at 59 days of age from two feeding groups (concentrate group (CG) and milk group (MG)) were utilised. Carcass measurements (body components, carcass joints, pelvic limb tissue composition, meat fatty acid composition and M. longissimus dorsi (LD) physical characteristics), body weight at birth, and at slaughter, were evaluated. The effect of concentrate supplementation did not influence the slaughter weight, slaughter and dissection data, tissue composition and meat chemical compo…
Effects of litter size and sex on meat quality traits of kid meat
2004
The influence of litter size and sex on meat quality traits was investigated using 40 Nebrodi kids slaughtered at 47 days of age. Carcass measurements (body components, carcass joints, pelvic limb tissue composition, meat fatty acid composition and M. longissimus dorsi (LD) colour), body weight at birth and at slaughter were evaluated. Nebrodi kids had a low body weight at birth, with significant differences between male and female (4.1 kg versus 3.9 kg) and between single and twin (4.2 kg versus 3.8 kg). Male kids were heavier at birth and at slaughter, however, females had a higher percentage of kidney and pelvic fat (2.1% versus 1.5% of the right side; P < 0.01). Both males and females, …
Aseasonal sheep and goat milk production in the Mediterranean area: Physiological and technical insights
2015
Abstract Aseasonal or out-of-season milk production for small ruminants raised in Mediterranean areas refers generally to milk having to be produced at a time that corresponds to summer which is when conditions are generally unfavourable with respect to both physiological aspects and nutritional factors related to seasonal climatic trends. In fact, sheep and goat milk production in the Mediterranean basin is mostly based on pasture utilization and thus follows the pasture availability pattern. This causes a strong seasonal pattern to the amount of milk processed by cheese processes plants, with the peak being in the spring, a marked reduction in early summer and nil or low availability of m…
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…
Relationships between dietary factors and milk urea nitrogen level in goats grazing herbaceous pasture
2008
This investigation aimed to individuate the dietary factors affecting the milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentration in goats grazing herbaceous pasture and, particularly, to verify the relationship linking the diet crude protein (CP) content to MUN. A total of 205 individual observations regarding dietary and milk variables of 37 Girgentana goats involved in two experiments were used. Goats, averaging 154±14 days in milk and 38.1±5.4 kg of live weight, grazed on swards and received 500 g/d of barley meal. Sward biomass, herbage selected by goats and individual milk yield were measured and sampled weekly. The herbage intake and diet digestibility were estimated by the n-alkane met…
Whole mitochondrial genomes unveil the impact of domestication on goat matrilineal variability
2015
Background The current extensive use of the domestic goat (Capra hircus) is the result of its medium size and high adaptability as multiple breeds. The extent to which its genetic variability was influenced by early domestication practices is largely unknown. A common standard by which to analyze maternally-inherited variability of livestock species is through complete sequencing of the entire mitogenome (mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA). Results We present the first extensive survey of goat mitogenomic variability based on 84 complete sequences selected from an initial collection of 758 samples that represent 60 different breeds of C. hircus, as well as its wild sister species, bezoar (Capra aega…
Multivariate factor analysis of Girgentana goat milk composition
2005
The interpretation of the several variables that contribute to defining milk quality is difficult due to the high degree of correlation among them. In this case, one of the best methods of statistical processing is factor analysis, which belongs to the multivariate groups; for our study this particular statistical approach was employed. A total of 1485 individual goat milk samples from 117 Girgentana goats, were collected fortnightly from January to July, and analysed for physical and chemical composition, and clotting properties. Milk pH and tritable acidity were within the normal range for fresh goat milk. Morning milk yield resulted 704 ± 323 g with 3.93 ± 1.23% and 3.…
Identification of two new alleles at k-casein (CSN3) gene in Girgetana goat breed
2013
In the milk of ruminants, more than 95% of proteins are synthesized by six structural genes, four caseins and two whey proteins. The κ-casein fraction plays an important role in the formation, stabilization and aggregation on casein micelles and thus affects technological and nutritional properties of milk. Goat κ-casein (CSN3) gene comprises five exons with the mRNA coding region for mature protein spanning from exon 3 to exon 4. The κ-casein locus has been widely investigated and several genetic variants have been found in different goat breeds. At protein level, AIEF and BIEF groups corresponding to isoelectric point 5.53 and 5.78, respectively, have been identified. In this study, exon …
Polymorphisms of beta-lactoglobulin promoter region in three Sicilian goat breeds
2012
Several beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) polymorphisms have been described within the proximal promoter region and coding region of the caprine gene, although no genetic variants affecting the protein amino acid composition and/or expression level have been characterized so far. Binding sites for several transcription factors (TFs) are present in the BLG promoter region. The aims of this work were to sequence the full-length promoter region of three Sicilian goat breeds in order to identify polymorphisms, analyze the identified haplotypes, search for differences between breeds for the presence of polymorphisms in this gene region, search for putative TFs binding sites, and check if polymorphisms la…
Two-dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) for milk proteins characherization in Girgentana goat breed
2015
Milk proteomics has rapidly become an eligible approach, since the protein fraction constitutes the most biologically relevant component in milk. Proteomic applications can vary greatly from straightforward protein identification to complex characterization of post-translational modifications and protein-protein interactions. The aim of this work was to compare protein profile of Girgentana whole milk samples between lactation periods and geographical areas by two dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). Milk samples were collected in two flocks located in two different areas of Sicily at three different time points from calving: 30, 55, and 120 days, respectively. Protein p…