Search results for "lcsh:Animal culture"
showing 10 items of 61 documents
Relationship between beta lactoglobulin and subclinical mastitis in Valle del Belice sheep breed
2010
The objective of the following research was to determine the effect of LGB genotypes on subclinical mastitis in Valle del Belice dairy sheep. Ewes were classified as affected or not by subclinical mastitis within a lactation based on i) a positive culture in one of the test-days and ii) more than 750,000 somatic cells. Generalized linear mixed models were fitted to assess the significance of LGB genotypes on MTB and MTC. The LGB genotypes significantly affected MTB (p=0.0387), and showed a tendency on MTC (p=0.1104). Least square means showed that in the analysis for MTB, individuals with genotypes BB and AB had a higher frequency of subclinical mastitis. Moreover, the least square differen…
Productivity of an Atriplex halimus shrubbery and effects of grazing on lambs
2009
The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate the productivity and forage quality of Atriplex halimus, 2) investigate modifications to shrub structure induced by grazing, and 3) assess live weight changes in lambs grazing on A. halimus with and without a feed supplement (wheat straw ± barley grain). The results showed that A. halimus had low productivity (approximately 1000 kg DM ha–1) but high tolerance to grazing by lambs, although minor modifications in plant structure due to grazing were observed. Lambs grazing A. halimus as a sole diet lost weight (about 60 g lamb−1 d–1; P < 0.01), probably as a consequence of the high salt content of the forage reducing bot…
Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) characterization of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from different rearing systems
2009
The present study aimed to predict by NIRS the proximate chemical composition and some carcass traits of sea bass coming from 11 farms with different rearing systems (extensive, intensive in land-based basins, sea cages) and located in northern (Friuli, Veneto), central (Tuscany) and southern (Puglia and Sicily) Italy. NIRS analysis of freeze dried sea bass fillets gave fairly good predictions of slaughter weight and fillet yield (R2cv=0.48-0.55), while results for carcass yield were poor. NIRS analysis was highly predictive for the condition factor (R2cv=0.790, SECV=0.09) and for water, ether extract and gross energy showing high correlations (R2cv>0.90) with NIR spectral infor- mation and…
The genetic heritage of Alpine local cattle breeds using genomic SNP data
2020
Abstract Background Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure provides important control metrics to avoid genetic erosion, inbreeding depression and crossbreeding between exotic and locally-adapted cattle breeds since these events can have deleterious consequences and eventually lead to extinction. Historically, the Alpine Arc represents an important pocket of cattle biodiversity with a large number of autochthonous breeds that provide a fundamental source of income for the entire regional economy. By using genotype data from medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, we performed a genome-wide comparative study of 23 cattle populations from the Alpine Arc an…
Pedigree verification with multiple candidate parents using Pedverif software
2010
Species like sheep and beef cattle are commonly raised in large herds and often on pasture with multiple sires joining the females for unrecorded natural insemination. This leads to offspring with multiple candidate parents and therefore uncertain parentage. Twins or triplets can be from multiple sires as well. Pedigrees from such populations are often problematic and need proper verification. The Pedverif computer program is able to verify normal pedigrees as well as pedigrees with multiple candidate parents.
Effect of the dam’s feeding regimen on the meat quality of light suckling lambs
2010
In order to verify the effect of the introduction of concentrates without GMO risk and at low aflatoxin risk in the diet of grazing milk ewes on the quanti-qualitative production of meat of their milk-fed light lambs, two trials were carried out - in Sicily, on 32 Comisana lambs, slaughtered at 49±4 days (trial 1); and in Sardinia, on 28 Sarda lambs, slaughtered at 31±4 days(trial 2) - comparing the following grazing dams’ feeding regimes: High stocking rate + Organic (barley – tickbean or pea) Concentrate (HO); High stocking rate + Conventional (maize-soybean) Concentrate (HC); Low stocking rate + Organic Concentrate (LO); Low stocking rate + Conventional Concentr…
Effects of foal presence at milking and dietary extra virgin olive oil on jennet milk fatty acids profile
2009
TwelveRagusanajennetswerestudiedtoinvestigatetheeffectsof dietaryextra Twelve Ragusana jennets were studiedtoinvestigatetheeffectsof dietaryextra studied to investigatetheeffectsof dietaryextra the effects of dietaryextra dietary extra virgin olive oil and thepresenceofthefoal duringmilkingonmilkfattyacids(FA)profile.At20, 50 thepresenceofthefoal duringmilkingonmilkfattyacids(FA)profile.At20, 50 he presence of the foal during milking on milk fatty acids (FA) profile. At 20, 50 and 90 days post-foaling, each jennet was milked 4 times per day. The feeding system and the milking procedures are given by Alabiso et al. (2009). FA profiles of the composites from milkings without foals (1MNF+3MNF)…
Effects of tannin-containing diets on small ruminant meat quality
2010
Tannins are phenolic compounds present in several forages, tree leaves and by-products used for small ruminant feeding in the Mediterranean area. Although the effects of dietary tannins on small ruminant growth performances have been largely studied, only in the last ten years researchers have started to study the effects of tannins on meat quality. Meat from small ruminants given tanniniferous diets is lighter in colour compared to meat from animals given the same diets but in which the effects of tannins have been eliminated by the supplementation of polyethylene glycol. This result has been obtained with tannins from different feeds (carob pulp, acacia leaves or sulla fresh herbage). Rec…
Effect of Mycoplasma agalactiae mastitis on milk production and composition in Valle dell Belice dairy sheep
2019
Contagious agalactia (CA), a disease caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae and other pathogenic mycoplasmas, is a well-known multietiological syndrome affecting dairy breeds of sheep and goats in the Mediterranean basin. The aim of this work was to study the effect on milk production and composition of mastitis caused by M. agalactiae in Valle del Belice dairy sheep. All ewes were manually milked twice daily and the milk from both daily milking was analysed for milk composition and somatic cell counts. Moreover the morning milk samples were collected aseptically from each animal for bacteriological analyses. A mixed linear model was utilised to consider milk production and composition between ani…
Demographic characterization and genetic variability of the Girgentana goat breed by the analysis of genealogical data
2004
The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the actual Sicilian Girgentana population structure by the analysis ofgenealogical data. Statistics show that in 1983 the population consisted of 30,000 Girgentana goats; ten years lateralmost 98% of the entire Girgentana population disappeared. The remaining population consists of 461 individuals (134males and 327 females), with 368 living animals. The effective population size is 380 individuals. The inbreeding rate pergeneration was equal to 0.13%. The average estimated inbreeding level within the living male population was equal to0.8% (0-15%); and the average inbreeding level within the living female population was equal to 0.7% (0-31%…