Heavy Pigs Reared for Italian Dry-Cured Products: Does Immunocastration Influence the Fatty Acid Profile of Loins and Backfat?

The Italian pig sector requires heavy pigs (raised for at least nine months and slaughtered at >160 kg). In order to avoid boar taint and lower the impact on welfare, immunocastration provides an alternative to surgical castration. This study investigated the effects of immunocastration compared to surgical castration on the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of loins (longissimus dorsi muscle) and adipose tissue in Italian heavy pigs raised for dry-cured ham. Twenty-four male pigs were subjected to surgical castration (n = 12) or immunocastration (n = 12). Carcass parameters were monitored at slaughter, and samples of longissimus dorsi muscle and subcutaneous fat were analysed. This study showed no significant differences in carcass characteristics and proximate composition of fresh meat. However, variations were observed in the fatty acid profiles of meat and adipose tissue between groups. Notably, saturated fatty acids, particularly stearic acid (18:0), were higher in the intramuscular fat (IMF) of the immunocastrated pigs compared to the surgically castrated pigs. Conversely, monounsaturated fatty acids, predominantly oleic acid (18:1n-9), were higher in the IMF from the surgically castrated pigs compared to the immunocastrated pigs. While immunocastration may offer benefits in terms of animal growth and carcass composition, it could lead to unfavourable lipid changes in fresh loin meat for Italian heavy pigs.

Non-invasive estimation of in vivo optical properties and hemodynamic parameters of domestic animals: a preliminary study on horses, dogs, and sheep.

Biosensors applied in veterinary medicine serve as a noninvasive method to determine the health status of animals and, indirectly, their level of welfare. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been suggested as a technology with this application. This study presents preliminary in vivo time domain NIRS measurements of optical properties (absorption coefficient, reduced scattering coefficient, and differential pathlength factor) and hemodynamic parameters (concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin, deoxygenated hemoglobin, total hemoglobin, and tissue oxygen saturation) of tissue domestic animals, specifically of skeletal muscle (4 dogs and 6 horses) and head (4 dogs and 19 sheep). The results suggest that TD NIRS in vivo measurements on domestic animals are feasible, and reveal significant variations in the optical and hemodynamic properties among tissue types and species. In horses the different optical and hemodynamic properties of the measured muscles can be attributed to the presence of a thicker adipose layer over the muscle in the Longissimus Dorsi and in the Gluteus Superficialis as compared to the Triceps Brachii. In dogs the absorption coefficient is higher in the head (temporalis musculature) than in skeletal muscles. The smaller absorption coefficient for the head of the sheep as compared to the head of dogs may suggest that in sheep we are indeed reaching the brain cortex while in dog light penetration can be hindered by the strongly absorbing muscle covering the cranium.

Lameness in Pregnant Sows Alters Placental Stress Response.

Pregnant sows from commercial pig farms may experience painful states, such as lameness, an essential indicator in assessing sow welfare. We investigated the effect of lameness during the last third of pregnancy on reproductive performance and placental glucocorticoid concentrations in sows. Periodic locomotion assessments were carried out on two commercial pig farms using a validated 0-5 scoring system (from 0: normal locomotion; to 5: a downer animal). Sows from both farms (N = 511) were grouped based on their average locomotion scores. On Farm 1, 30 sows were selected and grouped as either Not Lame (NL = 16; X¯ = 0-1) or Lame (L = 14; X¯ > 1). On Farm 2, 39 sows were selected and grouped as either Not Lame (G1 = 12; X¯ = 0-1), Moderately Lame (G2 = 13; X¯ = 1.1-2), or Severely Lame (G3 = 14; X¯ ≥ 2.1). Reproductive data (gestation length, litter weight, average piglet weight, litter size, and the number of piglets born alive/mummified/stillborn) were recorded on both farms. Moreover, on Farm 2, piglet intrauterine growth restriction score and the number of piglets dead during the first week were also recorded, and placenta samples were collected to determine their cortisol/cortisone concentrations. A linear mixed model was used to analyze the data. The proportion of lameness in pregnant sows (N = 511) was >40%, and the gestation length tended to decrease with the presence of lameness (p < 0.1) in both farms. G2 sows had a higher placental cortisol/cortisone ratio than G1 and G3 sows (p < 0.01). In conclusion, lameness was high in the sows assessed, which may decrease sow gestation length and reduce placental efficiency in protecting the offspring from the sows' stress response.

Events with Different Emotional Valence Affect the Eye's Lacrimal Caruncle Temperature Changes in Sheep.

Infrared thermography (IRT) has been recently applied to measure lacrimal caruncle temperature non-invasively since this region is related to the sympathetic response, and it seems a promising technique that is able to infer negative emotions in sheep (e.g., fear). However, the scientific literature so far is limited in understanding whether a caruncle's temperature changes also in response to positive emotional states in sheep. Through classical conditioning, we aimed to assess how a positive or a negative event affects the physiological (lacrimal caruncle temperature measured with IRT and cortisol levels) and behavioral responses of sheep (ear position). Fourteen ewes from the same flock were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: positive (n = 7) and negative (n = 7). Each group was then trained through classical conditioning to associate a neutral auditory (ring bell) stimulus to an oncoming event: for the positive group, the presence of a food reward (maize grains), while for the negative one, the opening of an umbrella. After three weeks of training, before (at rest) and after (post-treatment), lacrimal caruncle temperature was non-invasively measured via IRT, and saliva samples were gently collected to measure cortisol levels. During treatment, sheep behavior was videorecorded and then analyzed using a focal animal sampling technique. At rest, the eye's lacrimal caruncle temperature was similar in both groups, while post-treatment, a significant increase was shown only in the negative group (t-test; p = 0.017). In the anticipation phase, sheep in the positive group kept their ears forward longer compared to those in the negative one (Mann-Whitney; p < 0.014), 8.3 ± 2.1 s and 5.2 ± 4.2 s, respectively. The behavioral response observed reflects a learnt association between a neutral stimulus and events with different emotional valence. Cortisol concentration slightly increased in both groups post-treatment. Our results confirm that IRT is a non-invasive technique that can be useful when applied to assess how positive and negative events may affect the physiological response in sheep.

Assessment of Seasonal Variation in Methane Emissions of Mediterranean Buffaloes Using a Laser Methane Detector.

A direct assessment of the methane (CH4) emission level and its variability factors is needed in each animal species in order to target the best mitigation strategy for the livestock sector. Therefore, the present study aimed to (1) test a laser methane detector (LMD) for the first time in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes (IMB), a non-invasive tool to quantify CH4 emissions; (2) test the effect of season on the emissions; and (3) compare the results measured directly with the ones estimated with the existing equations. CH4 emissions of twenty non-productive IMB, under the same feeding regimen, were monitored for 12 days in summer and winter. Significantly higher THI (74.46 ± 1.88 vs. 49.62 ± 4.87; p < 0.001), lower DMI (2.24 ± 0.04 vs. 2.51 ± 0.03% DMI/kg live weight; p < 0.001) and lower emission intensities (0.61 ± 0.15 vs. 0.75 ± 0.13; p < 0.001) were found during the summer period when compared with winter. LMD was found to be a versatile tool to be used in buffaloes, and it was clear that a summer increase in THI could act as a stressor for the animals, influencing their emissions. In addition, measured emissions were significantly higher than when estimated with the existing equations (p < 0.001), suggesting the need for further research in this area.

Effect of Diet and Essential Oils on the Fatty Acid Composition, Oxidative Stability and Microbiological Profile of Marchigiana Burgers.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of including linseed (L) or linseed plus vitamin E (LE) in the diet of Marchigiana young bulls on the oxidative stability, color measurements, microbiological profile and fatty acid composition (FA) of burgers treated with and without a blend of essential oils (Rosmarinus officinalis and Origanum vulgare var. hirtum) (EOs). For this aim, the burgers were analysed for pH, thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substance (TBARS) content, Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power Assay (FRAP), vitamin E and colour measurements (L, a*, b) at 3, 6, 9, 12 days of storage: the TBARs were the highest in group L compared to C and LE after 12 days of storage (0.98, 0.73, and 0.63 mg MDA/kg, respectively). The TBARS content was also influenced by the use of EO compared to burgers not treated with EO (p < 0.05). The vitamin E content was influenced by the diet (p < 0.01), but not by the EO. The meat of the L group showed the lowest value of redness (a*) compared to C and LE (p < 0.01), while the use of EO did not affect colour parameters. The microbiological profile of the burgers showed a lower Pseudomonas count for L and LE at T0 (2.82 ± 0.30 and 2.30 ± 0.52 Log CFU/g, respectively) compared to C (3.90 ± 0.38 Log CFU/g), while the EO did not influence the microbiological profile. The FA composition was analysed at 0 and 12 days. The burgers from the LE group showed the highest value of polyunsaturated FA compared to the L and C groups (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that the inclusion of vitamin E in a concentrate rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids is useful to limit intramuscular fat oxidation and to preserve the colour stability of burgers from young Marchigiana bulls enriched with healthy fatty acids. Moreover, linseed and vitamin E had a positive effect on microbial loads and growth dynamics, containing microbial development through time.

Animal Welfare and Parasite Infections in Organic and Conventional Dairy Farms: A Comparative Pilot Study in Central Italy.

The study investigated and compared welfare conditions and gastrointestinal (GI) parasites distribution among organic (ORG) and conventional (CONV) farms in central Italy. Five ORG and five CONV farms were assessed for animal welfare with an adapted version of the AssureWel protocol. Faecal samples collected from the rectum of the animals both in ORG (n = 150) and CONV (n = 150) were analysed using conventional copromiscroscopy. The presence of skin damages in the rear legs was significantly predominant (p < 0.001) in CONV (26.7%) compared with ORG farms (10.0%). No differences were found for lameness, cleanliness, Body Condition Score, hair loss, body lesions and swelling prevalence. Data concerning the productive performances, e.g., total milk, fat and protein yields standardised in mature equivalent (ME) were collected. ME milk yield (ORG: 9656.9 ± 1620.7 kg; CONV: 12,047.2 ± 2635.3) and ME fat yield (ORG: 396.6 ± 66.8; CONV: 450.3 ± 102.8) were significantly lower in ORG farms (p < 0.001). Anthelmintics were used regularly in 4/5 CONV and 0/5 ORG farms. In 2 CONV farms (40%) and 4 ORGs (80%) at least one animal tested positive for GI parasites. No significant differences in parasites prevalence emerged (ORG = 10.7%; CONV = 8%). These data indicate that ORG farming does not influence parasite prevalence and animal welfare status.

Evaluation of Brix Refractometry to Estimate Immunoglobulin G Content in Buffalo Colostrum and Neonatal Calf Serum.

Brix refractometry has been widely demonstrated to be a useful tool for monitoring colostrum management program and passive immunity transfer (PIT) in Bovines, but its suitability has never been verified in Buffalo. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of a simple and rapid tool such as a digital Brix refractometer to estimate colostrum quality and for evaluating the success of passive transfer of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in Buffalo calves. The optimal cut points levels for Brix Refractometry for distinguishing good- and poor-quality colostrum and for assessing the adequacy of passive immunity transfer in calves were determined. For this aim, 26 first-milking maternal colostrum (MC) were collected from first-calf heifers. Blood samples were obtained from their calves at birth (T0) and 72 hours after (T3). Colostrum and Serum IgG content were determined by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), whereas total protein (TP, g/dL) and percentage Brix (%Brix) by means of a digital Brix refractometer. The mean colostrum IgG was 64.9 ± 29.3 mg/mL. The mean serum %Brix at T3 was 9.6 ± 0.9 %. The mean serum IgG content at T3 was 11.1 ± 2.0 mg/mL. Pearson's correlation coefficient (rp) was determined between Brix and ELISA measurements: colostrum %Brix showed a significant correlation with serum %Brix (rp = 0.82, p < 0.001); serum %Brix was highly correlated with serum TP (STP, g/dL) (rp = 0.98, p < 0.001) and serum IgG (mg/mL) (rp = 0.85, p < 0.001). A cut point of 18% Brix to estimate samples of MC ≥ 50 mg/mL from first-calf heifers was more appropriate for the buffalo. A cut point of 8.4% Brix resulted in the greatest percentage of calf serum samples being correctly classified. Based on our findings, a digital Brix refractometer could be a useful tool to monitor colostrum quality and to estimate PIT in Buffalo calves.

Maternal Phylogenetic Relationships and Genetic Variation among Rare, Phenotypically Similar Donkey Breeds.

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop of endangered and critically endangered breeds has been studied to identify maternal lineages, characterize genetic inheritance, reconstruct phylogenetic relations among breeds, and develop biodiversity conservation and breeding programs. The aim of the study was to determine the variability remaining and the phylogenetic relationship of Martina Franca (MF, with total population of 160 females and 36 males), Ragusano (RG, 344 females and 30 males), Pantesco (PT, 47 females and 15 males), and Catalonian (CT) donkeys by collecting genetic data from maternal lineages. Genetic material was collected from saliva, and a 350 bp fragment of D-loop mtDNA was amplified and sequenced. Sequences were aligned and evaluated using standard bioinformatics software. A total of 56 haplotypes including 33 polymorphic sites were found in 77 samples (27 MF, 22 RG, 8 PT, 19 CT, 1 crossbred). The breed nucleotide diversity value (π) for all the breeds was 0.128 (MF: 0.162, RG: 0.132, PT: 0.025, CT: 0.038). Principal components analysis grouped most of the haplogroups into two different clusters, I (including all haplotypes from PT and CT, together with haplotypes from MF and RG) and II (including haplotypes from MF and RG only). In conclusion, we found that the primeval haplotypes, haplogroup variability, and a large number of maternal lineages were preserved in MF and RG; thus, these breeds play putative pivotal roles in the phyletic relationships of donkey breeds. Maternal inheritance is indispensable genetic information required to evaluate inheritance, variability, and breeding programs.

Maternal and Neonatal Behaviour in Italian Mediterranean Buffaloes.

The aim of this study was to describe the neonatal and maternal behaviour of Italian Mediterranean buffaloes. Thirty primiparous buffaloes were moved into individual pens 12.5 (±2.5) days before calving. Maternal and neonatal behaviours were recorded for 48 h after calving and the analysis was performed in continuous sampling with the software BORIS. Calves' clinical evaluations (temperature, weight, and heart and respiratory rates) were performed at different time intervals and correlated with behavioural data from the dam. Data were analysed with parametric and non-parametric methods after controlling their distribution. The maternal behavioural pattern found highlighted buffaloes' priorities during the post-partum period: firstly, they stand and start grooming to ensure proper care for the calf; it is only after this that they dedicate time to maintenance behaviours (feeding and lying). The dams mainly groomed the calf during the first six hours after calving (average time in the 1-6-h interval: 7.7 ± 2.5 min., F = (2.5, 60.2) = 75.0; p < 0.001) to ensure the formation of the mother-infant bond; thereafter, the behaviour decreased over time. As reported in the literature, inexperienced mothers could sometimes delay the calf's first suckling with aggressive or rejection behaviours. In this regard, 16 buffalo dams showed at least one maternal rejection behaviour, which was found to negatively correlate with calves' daily weight gain (DWG) at 14 (rs = -0.5, p = 0.02) and 21 days (rs = -0.7, p < 0.001). The calves took on average 212.0 ± 110.0 min to suckle, and this behaviour was mainly shown during the first six hours. Overall, suckling behaviour was correlated with standing: (rs = 0.6, p < 0.001) and walking (rs = 0.9, p < 0.001). The calves' live weight and DWG were consistently higher than the values reported in the literature. Our results present a detailed description of maternal and neonatal behaviour in the early post-partum period in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes. We also found that maternal rejection behaviours can negatively influence the calves' growth. Finally, we think that such results can improve the management of buffaloes during the period around parturition.

Oxidative Status of Marchigiana Beef Enriched in n-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin E, Treated With a Blend of Oregano and Rosemary Essential Oils.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of basal dietary supplementation with linseed and linseed plus vitamin E in Marchigiana young bulls on the instrumental color, oxidative stability, and fatty acid composition of beef steaks with and without treatment with a blend of essential oils (oregano and rosemary) after storage times of 0, 3, 6, and 9 days. The fatty acid composition was evaluated in meat after 0 and 9 days of storage. No variation in the fatty acid composition of each type of meat was observed after storage. The use of dietary linseed and vitamin E, compared with linseed alone, significantly improved the oxidative stability, lightness (L*), and redness (a*) of the meat. A higher degree of oxidation was observed in meat samples from animals in the group fed linseed (L) followed by the control group (C) and the group fed linseed and vitamin E (LE). Moreover, the essential oils treatment (O) exerts a significant effect on beef oxidative stability of the group LE more than groups C and L during storage. The fatty acid composition of the meat was also affected by the diet: levels of healthful fatty acids (PUFA, n-3 PUFA, and CLA) were higher in meat from the groups that received linseed than the control group. Our results suggest that dietary vitamin E and treatment with essential oils are effective approaches to preserving the stability of beef cattle receiving a diet enriched in unsaturated fatty acids for up to 9 days of storage.

Analysis of Hindgut Microbiome of Sheep and Effect of Different Husbandry Conditions.

The microbiome is now seen as an important resource to understand animal health and welfare in many species. However, there are few studies aiming at identifying the association between fecal microbiome composition and husbandry conditions in sheep. A wide range of stressors associated with management and housing of animals increases the hypothalamic-pituitary axis activity, with growing evidence that the microbiome composition can be modified. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to describe the core microbiome in sheep, characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and to explore whether exposure to stressful husbandry conditions changed sheep hindgut microbiome composition. Sheep (n = 10) were divided in two groups: isolated group (individually separated for 3 h/day) and control group (housed in the home pen for the entire trial period). Sheep core microbiome was dominated by Firmicutes (43.6%), Bacteroidetes (30.38%), Proteobacteria (10.14%), and Verrucomicrobia (7.55%). Comparative results revealed few operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with significantly different relative abundance between groups. Chao1, abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE), and Fisher's alpha indices did not show differences between groups. OTU-based Bray-Curtis distances between groups were not significant (p-value = 0.07). In conclusion, these results describing the core microbiome of sheep do not suggest a strong effect of stressful husbandry conditions on microbial composition.

Reliability of fNIRS for noninvasive monitoring of brain function and emotion in sheep.

The aim of this work was to critically assess if functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) can be profitably used as a tool for noninvasive recording of brain functions and emotions in sheep. We considered an experimental design including advances in instrumentation (customized wireless multi-distance fNIRS system), more accurate physical modelling (two-layer model for photon diffusion and 3D Monte Carlo simulations), support from neuroanatomical tools (positioning of the fNIRS probe by MRI and DTI data of the very same animals), and rigorous protocols (motor task, startling test) for testing the behavioral response of freely moving sheep. Almost no hemodynamic response was found in the extra-cerebral region in both the motor task and the startling test. In the motor task, as expected we found a canonical hemodynamic response in the cerebral region when sheep were walking. In the startling test, the measured hemodynamic response in the cerebral region was mainly from movement. Overall, these results indicate that with the current setup and probe positioning we are primarily measuring the motor area of the sheep brain, and not probing the too deeply located cortical areas related to processing of emotions.

Venous blood gas parameters in healthy Mediterranean buffalo calves in the first 72 hours of life.

In the first hours after calving the neonate radically modifies its anatomy and physiology to adapt to extrauterine life. These modifications, however, make the calf prone to respiratory and metabolic dysfunction. Thus, stillbirth, defined as the death of the neonate within 48 h after birth, represents a relevant issue for buffalo farming. Of the clinical procedures, the blood gas analysis of venous samples provides useful information regarding the acid-base status of the neonate, allowing the optimal management of potential illness calves. However, the blood gas parameters have never been studied in the buffalo calf in the first 72 h of life. Thus, this study aimed to report blood gas parameters at calving and 1, 12, 24, and 72 h after birth in healthy buffalo neonates born after normal parturition. The study involved 20 healthy buffalo calves, born from normal pregnancy and parturition. The parturition and the first hours after were monitored by closed-circuit television cameras, and within 1 min after calving the buffalo neonate received a clinical evaluation (APGAR, temperature), venous blood sampling for blood gas (pH, partial pressure carbon dioxide - pCO2, partial pressure oxygen - pO2, base excess, bicarbonate concentration, oxygen saturation, total carbon dioxide - tCO2, and lactate), and glycemia analysis. The same evaluations were performed after 1, 12, 24, and 72 h. The present study showed a moderate mixed acidosis at calving, similar to that reported in the bovine neonate, likely due to the high venous blood pCO2 and lactate. This acidemia resolved spontaneously within 12 h as a reduction of pCO2 (P ≤ 0.05). Lactate reduced significantly (P ≤ 0.05) only at 72 h, similarly to the trend reported previously for the bovine calf. Blood lactate concentration was correlated with glycemia at calving and 1 h (r = 0.677, P = 0.014), and with stage 2 duration (r = 0.647, P = 0.006). These findings support a possible mechanism of glucose generation induced by catecholamines coupled to anaerobic metabolism soon after calving. After calving, all the blood gas parameters changed rapidly reaching values comparable with those reported in the literature for older buffalo calves from 72 h after calving. No correlations were found between APGAR score and venous blood gas parameters, likely due to the inclusion criteria that selected only health buffalo calves born after normal parturition. The findings suggested that the venous blood gas analysis could be considered supportive rather than an alternative to the clinical evaluation of the buffalo calf.

Scoring pleurisy in slaughtered pigs using convolutional neural networks.

Diseases of the respiratory system are known to negatively impact the profitability of the pig industry, worldwide. Considering the relatively short lifespan of pigs, lesions can be still evident at slaughter, where they can be usefully recorded and scored. Therefore, the slaughterhouse represents a key check-point to assess the health status of pigs, providing unique and valuable feedback to the farm, as well as an important source of data for epidemiological studies. Although relevant, scoring lesions in slaughtered pigs represents a very time-consuming and costly activity, thus making difficult their systematic recording. The present study has been carried out to train a convolutional neural network-based system to automatically score pleurisy in slaughtered pigs. The automation of such a process would be extremely helpful to enable a systematic examination of all slaughtered livestock. Overall, our data indicate that the proposed system is well able to differentiate half carcasses affected with pleurisy from healthy ones, with an overall accuracy of 85.5%. The system was better able to recognize severely affected half carcasses as compared with those showing less severe lesions. The training of convolutional neural networks to identify and score pneumonia, on the one hand, and the achievement of trials in large capacity slaughterhouses, on the other, represent the natural pursuance of the present study. As a result, convolutional neural network-based technologies could provide a fast and cheap tool to systematically record lesions in slaughtered pigs, thus supplying an enormous amount of useful data to all stakeholders in the pig industry.

Effects of three different diets on the fatty acid profile and sensory properties of fresh Pecorino cheese "Primo Sale".

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of three different diets on the fatty acids (FA) profile and sensory properties of a characteristic Italian fresh cheese: Pecorino "Primo Sale" (PS). METHODS: Fifty-four sheep were divided into three feeding groups: total mixed ration (TMR) enriched with extruded linseed (TL), control diet with TMR without any integration (TC), and pasture (P). During cheese production, six cheeses per experimental group were produced each week, stored for 10 days at 4°C, and then analyzed for chemical composition, FA profile, and sensory properties. RESULTS: Saturated fatty acids (SFA) were significantly higher in PS from group TC (82.11%) than in cheese from other two groups (P 75.48% and TL 66.83%). TL and P groups presented higher values of polyunsaturated fatty acids, 4.35 and 3.65%, respectively, than that of TC group (2.31%). The lowest SFA/unsaturated fatty acid ratio was found in TL and P groups, while the highest was found in the TC group. Vaccenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) were higher in group P (p<0.05) than in groups L and TC. Sensory properties of cheese from group P received the highest scores for odor intensity and friability, while control group had a greater chewing consistency. Overall, all cheeses received good scores for acceptability. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study showed how the integration of extruded linseed improved the FA profile of fresh pecorino cheese PS preserving its sensory properties. Levels of CLA in the PS group achieved using this approach was not higher than that in a grazing diet. Cheeses from groups P and L contained a higher value of FA, with nutritional implications for humans, when compared with un-supplemented diet. Linseed may be a good feeding strategy when pasture is not available.

Effect of Ewe Diet on Milk and Muscle Fatty Acid Composition of Suckling Lambs of the Protected Geographical Origin Abbacchio Romano.

Consumers increasingly pay more attention to the lipid profile of meat products and consume less meat to reduce cholesterol and heart disease. In Italy, sheep producers are increasingly feeding sheep fresh forage. We investigated whether the supplementation of dam diet with extruded linseed would be an alternative strategy to pasture for improving the intramuscular and subcutaneous FA compositions of their suckling lambs. The ewe diets were enriched with either extruded linseed (L), un-supplemented farm diet (F), or pasture (P). Milk saturated fatty acids (SFA) decreased in P and L compared with F, while the opposite pattern was observed for polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acids after seven days. The FA composition of lamb meat was similar to that of their dam's milk, showing higher PUFA in P and L compared to F, while SFA was higher in F. Regarding the lamb meat obtained from barn-held ewes, L had lower n-6/n-3 content compared to F, while an intermediate content was found in P. These results indicate a better n-3 FA profile in milk and lamb's meat from pasture and linseed-enriched diets. No changes in lamb performance were observed.

Effect of dietary grape marc on fresh and refrigerated boar semen.

In several studies there has been evaluation of the dietary addition of antioxidants to improve the quality of fresh and stored semen in domestic animals. Grape marc (GM), as the residue of vinification, contains large amounts of polyphenols with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiaging effects. In this study, two regimens of dietary GM supplementation (2% and 4%) were tested regarding effects on the characteristics and lipid peroxidation of fresh and stored semen. The dietary supplementation of GM improved sperm characteristics in fresh semen, especially at 4% of GM. There were greater values for all kinetic variables and membrane integrity, and lesser values for sperm abnormalities and lipid peroxidation with 2% and 4% GM supplementation. Lipid peroxidation of the pellet was less with both 2% and 4% GM supplementation. During sperm storage, the dietary supplementation of GM improved the quality of sperm, with greater values for kinetic variables and membrane integrity at day 15 of storage. In the present study, supplementation of GM in boar diets improved fresh semen characteristics and reduced the lipid peroxidation of ejaculated spermatozoa, possibly due to the effect of polyphenols present in the GM. Consequently, this likely resulted in improved sperm quality during storage.

Thermography as a Non-Invasive Measure of Stress and Fear of Humans in Sheep.

No data have been published on the use of infrared thermography (IRT) to evaluate sheep emotions. We assessed whether this technique can be used as a non-invasive measure of negative emotions. Two voluntary animal approach (VAA) tests were conducted (and filmed) on five ewes before and after being restrained. The restraining process was performed by a handler for five minutes. IRT was used during restraint and the VAA tests. The lacrimal caruncle temperature was significantly higher during restraint and in the VAA test after the restraint compared with the VAA test before the restraint (Wilcoxon's test; p = 0.04). The latency period until first contact was longer in the second VAA test (132 s) than in the first one (60 s). Our preliminary results suggest that IRT, combined with behavioral data, is a non-invasive technique that can be useful to assess stress and infer about negative emotions in sheep.

Analgesic effects of intravenous flunixin and intrafunicular lidocaine or their combination for castration of lambs.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the effectiveness of intrafunicular lidocaine and intravenous flunixin for reducing pain and signs of stress in lambs undergoing surgical castration. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: One university teaching hospital in Italy. PARTICIPANTS: 30 healthy male lambs, 9-12 weeks old. INTERVENTION: Allocation to five groups: a control group (C), undergoing general anaesthesia but not castration; a surgery group (S), undergoing orchiectomy without analgesic treatment; a surgery-lidocaine group (SL), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving intrafunicular 2 per cent lidocaine solution; a surgery-flunixin group (SF), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving intravenous flunixin; a surgery-flunixin-lidocaine group (SFL), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving both intrafunicular lidocaine and intravenous flunixin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nociception and stress were assessed through intraoperative indicators, serum cortisol concentration, glycaemia, behaviour, immune response and clinical evaluation of the heart rate (HR), respiratory rate and rectal temperature after surgery. RESULTS: Groups S and SL showed increased values of intraoperative HR, mean arterial pressure and postoperative cortisol concentration. In group SFL, cortisol values were similar to those of group C. No other difference could be detected. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of intravenous flunixin and intrafunicular lidocaine reduced the pain and discomfort of lambs castrated under general anaesthesia. Intrafunicular lidocaine alone did not prevent pain or discomfort associated with castration. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 30/2012/CEISA/COM.