Understanding Communication Barriers: Demographic Variables and Language Needs in the Interaction between English-Speaking Animal Professionals and Spanish-Speaking Animal Caretakers.

This study focused on assessing the language needs of English-speaking animal professionals in their interactions with Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers. A survey was administered to a target audience of non-Spanish speaking and bilingual animal professionals to identify communication gaps while interacting with Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers. The data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics, including ordinal regression analyses to examine the impact of demographic variables on respondents' answer choices. The results showed that English-speaking professionals struggled with written and oral communication, which differed compared to bilingual professionals (p < 0.05). Additionally, responses of female professionals varied regarding the aspects of Spanish necessary for interacting with Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers, as well as the topics likely to be addressed when agriculture professionals communicate with animal caretakers (p < 0.05). Communication difficulties in the oral medium for both oral receptive skills (listening) and oral productive skills (speaking) were reported as the major barriers that animal professionals need to overcome in their attempt to communicate with the Hispanic/Spanish-speaking workforce in farm settings. This emphasizes the need to address oral communication barriers, and to a lesser degree, the development of reading and writing skills. The topics: typical clinical signs of illness, euthanasia, treatment-drugs, and identification of sick or injured animals were identified as the most likely to be addressed during on-farm interactions. These findings indicate that there are gaps in communication that need to be overcome to improve communication with on-farm Hispanic/Spanish-speaking animal caretakers and consequently contribute to enhancing animal health, welfare, and production.

A Comparison of Stocking Methods for Pasture-Based Growing-Finishing Pig Production Systems.

Two alternative stocking methods (rotational and strip-grazing) were compared to continuous stocking at a stocking rate of 47 pigs ha-1 in tall fescue pastures. The research was conducted during two twelve-weeks grazing periods in North Carolina (USA). In total 144 (females and castrated males, 17.5 and 29.1 kg initial body weight) crossbred Yorkshire X Berkshire, Yorkshire/Landrace X Hampshire and Yorkshire/Landrace X Duroc pigs without nose rings were used. Greater soil bulk density and soil concentrations of NO3-, P, K, Mn, Zn and Cu were observed in paddocks managed continuously, while greater final ground cover (+22%) was recorded in paddocks managed with rotational and strip-grazing stocking methods. No differences were detected in botanical composition of the paddocks. Greater weight gains (+8.5%) were registered for rotationally managed pigs. Feed efficiency was better (+8%) for rotationally than for continuously stocked pigs, while strip-grazed pigs presented intermediate values. The results indicated the potential of both alternative stocking methods to be implemented in sustainable pasture-based pig production systems.

Effects of Growing-Finishing Pig Stocking Rates on Bermudagrass Ground Cover and Soil Properties.

This study compares four stocking rates (37, 74, 111 and 148 pigs ha-1) for growing to finishing pigs (18.4 ± 0.5 kg and 118.5 ± 2.0 kg and 35.7 ± 2.1 kg and 125.7 ± 2.3 kg initial and final BW for grazing periods 1 and 2, respectively) and their effect on ground cover and soil traits in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers) pastures, over two 14-week grazing periods (July-September and May-August). The study was conducted at the Center for Environmental Farming systems at the Cherry Research Station, Goldsboro North Carolina. A continuous stocking method was implemented to manage the pasture. The percent ground cover was estimated with a modified step point technique. Soil samples were collected in three sampling positions (center, inner and outer areas of the paddocks) and two soil sampling depths (0-30 and 30-90 cm). The experimental design was a completely randomized block with three field replicates. Data were analyzed using the PROC GLIMMIX procedure of SAS/STAT ® Version 9.4. Greater ground cover and lesser soil nutrient concentrations were registered in bermudagrass paddocks managed with 37 pigs ha-1. The results of this study also validated the existence of a spatial pattern of soil properties, which differed among sampling positions and depths.

Sows-Gilts Stocking Rates and Their Environmental Impact in Rotationally Managed Bermudagrass Paddocks.

Ground cover maintenance and nutrients management are key elements to reduce the environmental impact of outdoor swine production. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of sows-gilts stocking rates on vegetative ground cover and soil nutrient concentrations in rotationally stocked bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers) pastures. Three stocking rates (10, 15 and 25 sows-gilts ha-1) were compared during three 8-week grazing periods. Increasing the stocking rate from 10 to 25 sows-gilts ha-1 decreased the ground cover of the paddocks from 65 to 48%, and increased soil nutrient concentrations (ammonium 47%; nitrate 129%; phosphorus 53%; zinc 84%; and copper 29%).

Forage Consumption and Its Effects on the Performance of Growing Swine-Discussed in Relation to European Wild Boar (Sus scrofa L.) in Semi-Extensive Systems: A Review.

Due to its distinct properties, wild boar meat is considered a highly desirable consumer product, in a market that is expanding. Outdoor production is also favoured by consumers who value animal welfare and environmental sustainability when choosing meat products. There is evidence that farms that include pasture for grazing typically have reduced feeding costs. Such production systems can also be more environmentally sustainable as the input (pasture) is inedible to humans, compared to conventional indoor systems, which use human-edible feeds (e.g., soya). However, some wild boar farms have performed poorly compared to those rearing other swine such as hybrid wild boar and domestic pigs. Diet is central to all livestock production and is likely a significant influencing factor of wild boar performance, both in terms of forage consumption and nutritional composition. Other factors may also influence performance, such as weather, behaviour and grazing management. Wild boar production systems hold their own intrinsic value in a growing marketplace. However, information gathered through the study of wild boar has external applications in informing outdoor domestic pig production systems to encourage the use of pasture as part of the habitat of domestic pigs.

Effect of including sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam) meal in finishing pig diets on growth performance, carcass traits and pork quality.

The partial replacement of a commercial concentrate at 10-20% and 15-30% (the first percentage of each dietary treatment corresponded to weeks 1-3 and the second to weeks 4-7 of the experiment, respectively) by sweet potato meal (SPM; 70% foliage: 30% roots) was evaluated for growth performance, carcass yield, instrumental and sensory pork quality using 36 commercial crossbred pigs (56.8 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight). Three dietary treatments were compared in a randomized complete block design. Most growth, carcass traits and pork quality variables were not affected by the SPM inclusion. Growth performance averaged 868 g/day and feed efficiency 0.24 kg/kg. However, feed intake increased 2.2% (P = 0.04) in pigs fed the 10-20% SPM diets, in a similar order of magnitude as the decrease in dietary energy. Despite an increase in gastrointestinal tract as a percent of hot carcass weight (+14.7%) (P = 0.03) with SPM inclusion, carcass yield averaged 69.4%. Conversely, decreases in loin yield (-4.2%) (P = 0.05), backfat thickness (-6.0%) (P < 0.01) and pork tenderness (-13%) (P = 0.02) were observed with 15-30% SPM inclusion. Results suggest that up to 20% SPM inclusion is a viable feed strategy for finishing pigs, easily replicable in small farm settings. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Caracterización anatómica y física de los músculos del conejo / Anatomical and physical characterization of the rabbit muscles

El propósito de este estudio fue obtener una descripción anatómica de los músculos del conejo (Oryctolagus cuniculus) así como determinar la textura o terneza de la carne, cruda y cocida, representada por las regiones musculares de importancia comercial entre machos y hembras, para lo cual fueron utilizados 20 conejos mestizos California y Nueva Zelanda, 10 machos y 10 hembras. Para el estudio descriptivo anatómico de los músculos se efectúo una disección simple de los mismos. La caracterización física de los músculos del conejo se realizó mediante la evaluación de la textura de los siguientes músculos crudos y cocidos en machos y en hembras: Gastrocnemius, Biceps femoris, Quadriceps femoris, Flexor digitorum longus, Latissimus y Triceps brachii. Muestras de estos músculos se colocaron en el texturómetro INSTRON 3342, modeloIX/S y los valores de las lecturas se expresaron en kilogramos-fuerza (kg-F). La mitad de los cortes se procesó en crudo y el resto fue sometido a cocción hasta alcanzar una temperatura de 65°C. El Latissimus dorsi presentó en crudo, tanto en machos como en hembras, la menor textura, mientras que al cocinarse, el Quadriceps femoris mostró la menor textura (1,22Kg-F). Los músculos Flexor digitorum superficiales y Gastrocnemius crudos y en ambos sexos presentaron la más alta textura,mientras que el Biceps femoris, Gastrocnemius y Latissimus dorsi cocidos, no mostraron diferencia significativa entre ellos, ni entre machos y hembras, y el Flexor digitorum superficialis si presentó diferencia significativa (P <0,01) entre sexos, correspondiendo la mayor textura en las hembras.

The purpose of this study was to obtain an anatomical description of the muscles of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculu) as well as determining the texture and tenderness of the meat raw and cooked represented by the regions muscle of commercial significance between males and females, for which were used 20 rabbits mixed breed California and New Zealand, 10 males and 10 females. For the descriptive study of the muscles anatomy was made simply dissection. The physical characterization of rabbit muscle was conducted by evaluating the texture of the following muscles, raw and cooked for males and females: Gastrocnemius, Biceps femoris, Quadriceps femoris y Flexor digitorum longus, Latissimus y Triceps brachii. Samples of these muscles were placed in the texturometer INSTRON 3342 model IX/S and the values of the readings were expressed in force-kilograms (kg-F). Half of the cuts will process raw and the remnant underwent cooking until it reaches a temperature of 65°C. The Latissimus dorsi presented, in raw and in male as females, the lowest texture while cooking to the Quadriceps femoris showed the slightest texture (1.22 kg-F). The muscles Flexor digitorum superficiales y Gastrocnemius raw and in both sexes had the highest texture, while the Biceps femoris, Gastrocnemius y Latissimus dorsi cooked showed no significant difference between them or between males and females, and the Flexor digitorum superficialis presenting significant difference (P<0.01) between sexes with the largest texture to the females.

La suplementación de vitamina D3 sobre la calidad de la carne en bovinos mestizos a pastoreo / Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on meat quality in grazing bovine crossbred

Se evalúo la aplicación de sobredosis de vitamina D3 en dos niveles (6x106 y 10x106 de UI) sobre un grupo de 60 novillos mestizos, Indicus × Continental, de 2 años de edad, distribuidos aleatoriamente en tres tratamientos compuestos por 20 animales: Testigo (T1), 6x106 UI de vitamina D3 (T2) y 10x106 UI de vitamina D3 (T3). Se midió la resistencia al corte con Warner-Bratzler (WB) en crudo y cocinado, determinaciones de Ca en plasma y músculo. Para el análisis sensorial se realizaron dos evaluaciones: luz blanca (Apariencia total (AT) y color (CO)); y luz roja: color (CO), olor (OL), sabor (SA), sensación grasa (SG), terneza (TE), jugosidad (JU) y cantidad de tejido conectivo (TC). Los datos fueron evaluados mediante un análisis de varianza utilizando un modelo lineal general. En consumo de vitamina D3 por el animal (ca) no hubo diferencia significativa (P>0,01) entre los tratamientos. Para la concentración de calcio en plasma sanguíneo los grupos suplementados con vitamina D3 presentaron entre un 25 y 40 por ciento más de calcio en plasma sanguíneo que el grupo no suplementado. En textura no hubo diferencia significativa entre los tratamientos en crudo y cocido. Para la concentración de calcio en músculo se encontró diferencia, siendo la sobredosis de 10x106 UI de vitamina la que aumentó en una mayor proporción aproximadamente un 60 por ciento con respecto a la sobredosis de 6x106 UI de vitamina y al control. Se encontraron diferencias significativas (P<0,01) para CO, OL, SA, TE y TC. Se concluye que la adición ante-mortem de 6x106 UI de vitamina D3 mezclado en la ración diaria de alimento aumenta la concentración de calcio en plasma sanguíneo, disminuye el WB en crudo y cocido y mejora significativamente las características organolépticas del músculo Longissimus lumborum.

Sixty large framed, Indicus × Continental, crossbred beef 2-year steers grazing in a tropical dry forest environment, were used to investigate the effect of supplementing diets with various levels of vitamin D3 (VITD) to provide 0, 6, and 10 million IU/(steer×d) for 8 d before slaughter on plasma (PCa) and Longissimus lumborum muscle Ca2+ (MCa) concentrations, texture analysis (TX), and sensorial analysis of the organoleptic qualities, in which appearance (A), odor (O), flavor (F), juiciness (J), amount of connective tissue (CT), and tenderness (T) were evaluated. Steers were slaughtered using an approved humane technique. A randomly subsample of five steers of the three individual VITD treatments (n = 15) was chosen for meat quality and palatability analyses. Following a 24-h chilling period -4°C, carcasses (a randomly selected subsample n=15) were ribbed, one strip loin of Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle was removed from each carcass. Steaks were vacuum-packed. The data were analyzed in a completely randomized design using the General Linear Models procedures. Warner-Bratzler shear force (WB) was measured on strip loin at 7 d postmortem. Steaks for WB and sensory evaluation were thawed to 2°C. Blood plasma Ca2+ and muscle Ca concentration of cattle treated with VITD were higher (P < 0.01) than controls. VITD supplementation did not (P> 0.01) affect TX. Sensory traits of appearance, odor, flavor, juiciness, connective tissue, and tenderness were improved (P< 0.01) by all VITD treatments in LL steaks. Treatment with VITD will effectively improve tenderness in grazing crossbred indicus x Continental cattle in tropical conditions.