Journal: Italian Journal of Animal Science

Abbreviation

Ital.J.Anim.Sci.

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Journal Volumes

ISSN

1594-4077
1828-051X

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2018 - 201922020 - 20222
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Publications 1 - 4 of 4
  • Beef quality in two autochthonous Valdostana breeds fattened in alpine transhumance: effect of lowland finishing and meat agein
    Item type: Journal Article
    Kreuzer, Michael; Pervier, Steve; Turille, Germano; et al. (2021)
    Italian Journal of Animal Science
    European consumers demand locally produced meat, preferably from regional breeds, but meat quality is unknown. Heifers from two dual-purpose breeds, Valdostana Chestnut (VC) and Valdostana Red Pied (VR), autochthonous to the Aosta valley, were compared with Piedmontese (PI), a beef breed. Fourteen VC and VR each grazed high alpine pastures, and ten PI received fresh grass in a lowland barn. In each group, the heavier half of the animals were slaughtered after the grass-feeding period. All others received hay and concentrate for another 48 days. Properties of the carcase and the longissimus thoracis (LT) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles (aged 7 or 28 days) were determined. Sensory analysis of the LT and BF muscles was performed by 10 trained panellists and 53 consumers, respectively. The VC and VR grew faster than the PI, but dressing percentages and conformation scores were inferior. The LT was perceived as less tender from the VC and VR compared to the PI, and shear force and insoluble collagen were also higher. Finishing accentuated the problem for VC and did not improve carcase and meat quality otherwise. Prolonged ageing did not render the beef more tender. Compared to the LT, the BF was more resistant to factors of influence in quality. Consumers perceived long-aged beef to be preferable and comparably inexpensive for its quality. No other factor influenced sensory impression. In conclusion, the LT and, less so, the BF from the autochthonous breeds were not fully competitive in quality with those of the beef breed.
  • Previous alpine grazing experience of cows has little medium-term effect on feeding behaviour, milk yield and composition in a traditional alpine system
    Item type: Journal Article
    Koczura, Madeline; Pervier, Steve; Manzocchi, Elisa; et al. (2019)
    Italian Journal of Animal Science
    Previous grazing experience on high alpine pastures may help cows to optimise feed selection and minimise impairments in milk production. Eight inexperienced and eight experienced Aosta Red Pied cows were compared (primiparous:multiparous = 1:1). Measurements were performed when cows grazed sites at 600, 1800 and 2100 m a.s.l. The statistical model included experience, parity and site as fixed effects. The longest ingestion time was recorded for primiparous inexperienced cows at 1800 m a.s.l. Milk yield remained unaffected by experience, but the main milking time was shorter in inexperienced cows in the lowlands. Milk of inexperienced cows had a higher urea content than experienced cows. Somatic cell score remained unaffected by experience, but inexperienced cows had more incidences of clinical mastitis on alpine pastures. Compared with experienced cows, proportions of the fatty acids ΣC16:1 and ΣC17:1 in milk fat of inexperienced cows were higher and proportions of C18:1 t9 and C18:1 t6–8 lower. Overall, alpine grazing had substantial effects on milk yield and composition coinciding with results from previous studies. There were interactions between experience and site in milking characteristics and milk composition, and for the latter also between experience and parity. In conclusion, experience had effects on several of the variables tested, effects which were sometimes exhibited already on lowland pasture. Still, the effects of experience were much lower than those of the transhumance system.
  • Are cheese-making properties of dual purpose cattle impaired by highland grazing? A case study using Aosta Red Pied cows
    Item type: Journal Article
    Niero, Giovanni; Koczura, Madeline; De Marchi, Massimo; et al. (2018)
    Italian Journal of Animal Science
    Summer transhumance is often practiced in mountainous farming systems. It includes moving dairy cows from lowland (LO) to highland (HI) pastures during summer. It is known that high genetic merit cows are susceptible to the HI conditions, but it is unclear if this also applies to more adapted, regional cow types. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of HI sojourn on cheese-making properties of Aosta Red Pied cows, a dual purpose cattle type. Milk coagulation properties were measured in the milk of 47 cows before and after transhumance. Sources of variation were investigated using linear mixed models, including parity, site, milking time, the interaction parity × site, milking time × site and milking time × parity. Cow was nested within site, and used as subject for repetition, and sampling date was included as repeated factor. Curd-firming time and curd firmness did not vary between LO and HI, whereas rennet coagulation time was prolonged in HI compared to LO in both primiparous (16.4 vs. 18.5 min) and multiparous cows (17.5 vs. 21.1 min, respectively). The percentage of non-coagulating samples was greater in HI (15.0%) compared to LO (8.5%). The lower milk reactivity to rennet addition in HI seems to be mostly related to the simultaneously increasing somatic cell score. Morning and evening milk were similar in coagulation properties. In conclusion, even indigenous dual purpose cows were affected by HI conditions and the experience the multiparous cows had with the transhumance was not helpful either.
  • In vitro screening of the ruminal methane and ammonia mitigating potential of mixtures of either chestnut or quebracho tannins with blends of essential oils as feed additives
    Item type: Journal Article
    Foggi, Giulia; Terranova, Melissa; Conte, Giuseppe; et al. (2022)
    Italian Journal of Animal Science
    Tannins and essential oils (EOs) have been previously described for their properties to mitigate ruminal methane and ammonia. Their combination might be even more efficient, as they have different modes of action on rumen pathways. This study aimed to screen in vitro the mitigating properties of variously combining tannins with EO in a total of 48 treatments: 12 single additives, 10 mg of EO or 20 mg of tannins/g diet, to establish their basal efficiency; 36 combinations of 20 mg of tannins/g + 10–15 mg of EO. Quebracho (Q) and chestnut (C) tannins defined C, Q and C/Q groups of mixtures with EO blends, formulated with oregano, thyme and clove EO, citrus peel, carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, α-pinene, and bornyl acetate. Supplements were added to a control diet, which was also incubated alone as a basis for comparisons with supplemented treatments, in a total of six runs. Effects on rumen pH, protozoal count, and proportions of individual volatile fatty acids (VFA) were limited. The tannins extracts seemed to cause most of the mitigating effects by suppressing ammonia by up to 31% and methane yield by up to 15%, with the highest reductions obtained with tannins-based supplements. However, this occurred by contemporary affecting the feeding value of the substrate, as indicated by reductions in total VFA and in vitro organic matter digestibility. Overall, six mixtures of C and Q groups were the most efficient and they need further studies to understand the mechanisms of actions and the synergistic effects occurring among compounds.
Publications 1 - 4 of 4