Alberto Sabbioni

The Authors refer the results of researches about the use of organic chromium from yeast, used as feed integrator, in the feeding of replacement calves during weaning. Organic chromium, added to rations so that the chromium content of the rations was of 300, 400 and 500 p.p.b. for the cycle ot 120 days, has improved the weight gain (resp. 4.5%, 10.5% and 13.5%), the feed utilization (resp. 3.7%, 9.5% and 14%) and the health status, with a strengthening of the organic resistance of calves to respiratory and gastro-intestinal diseases. About the chromium content of the rations, the Authors conclude that the requirement of calves is met with 500 p.p.b..

Dairy cattle ration integration with rumen-protected pantothenic acid. Effects on milk production and reproductive efficiency. The Author has integrated the ration of dairy cows, during the first 5 months of lactation, with pantothenic acid, protected by microincapsulation with fatty acid film or not protected, at the doses of 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg of active substance/head/day. Protected pantothenic acid, regardless to the doses, and not protected pantothenic acid at the dose of 200 mg has improved the health status of the herd (reduction by 60% of most frequent diseases), fecundity (resp. 1,70; 1,60; 1,47; 2,10 services per conception vs 2,37; 2,30; 2,50; 2,50 of controls), milk production (resp. 5,60%; 9,50%; 10,00%; 4,50%), milk fat (resp. 7,80; 6,70; 8,50: 4,50) and milk protein content (resp. 4,80%; 6,00%; 8,50%; 4,50%) no effect was shown on cheese making characteristics of milk. At the same doses, protected or not protected, pantothenic acid has caused changes in same bloo...

The Authors carried out an experiment about the use of biotin, protected after microencapsulation by fatty acids film, in heavy swine feeding (slaughter weight 160 Kg). At the doses of 200 p.p.b., 300 p.p.b. and 400 p.p.b. the biotin has improved the weight gain (resp. 6.50%, 7.20 % and 7.50%), the feed utilization (resp. 7.70 %, 8.40% and 8.20%), the killing percentage (resp. 7.50%, 7.80%, 8.40%), the yield of ham (resp. 14.80 %, 16.70% and 18.60%) the meat digestibility (resp. +5,40%, + 6,00%, + 6,70% digestile protein after in vitro pepsin digestion) and the meat tenderness (resp. -36.00%, -38.80%, -41.30% of connective tissue after in vitro trypsin digestion). Biotin has reduced the rate of insaturated fatty acids of backfat. At the same doses, biotin has favourably conditioned the energetic metabolism, as stated by the biochemical-clinical reliefs carried out on blood and feces. The use of biotin at the dose of 100 p.p.b. was ineffective. To meet the swine requirement of biotin...

The Authors refer the results of researches about the use of organic chromium, used as feed integrator, in the feeding of heifers. Organic chromium from yeast, added to rations from 4th month of age to farrowing so that the chromium content of the rations was of 400 and 500 p.p.b., has improved the weight gain (resp. 9.5% and 12%), the feed utilization (resp. 14.5% and 18%), the reproductive efficiency, valued from the number of services per conception (resp. 1.3 and 1.2 vs 1.6) and the health status, with a strengthening of the organic resistance of heifers to respiratory and gastro-intestinal diseases. At a lower level (300 p.p.b.) the chromium doesn't meet the requirements.

An experiment was conducted on 27 Sarda breed male lambs, between 50 and 100 d of age, with the aim to value the effects of increasing (from 0% to 60%) malt sprouts in complete pelleted diets containing also concentrate, alfalfa hay and wheat straw. Increasing malt sprouts percentages increases protein and lipid content and decreases crude fiber in the diets; lamb performance were not affected, as intakes were depressed (P>0.05). The nutritive value of malt sprouts was 69.42 F.U, for meat production/100 kg of d.m.. The Authors think to be not convenient the inclusion of the by-product in diets over 15%.

The Authors refer the results of researches about the use of organic chromium from yeast in the feeding of heavy pigs (slaughter weight 160 kg). Organic chromium, added at the doses of 300 and 400 p.p.b. for the entire cycle, has improved the weight gain (resp. 6.45% and 8.35%), the feed/gain ratio (resp. 10% and 13%), the carcass (resp. 6.9% and 7.6%), ham (resp. 15% and 19.3%) and loin yield (resp. 18.75% and 23.3%), the cooling (resp. 34.57% and 45.43%) and trimming losses of ham (resp. 30% and 33%), the meat digestibility (resp. 7% and 7.31% of digestible protein after in vitro pepsinic digestion) and tenderness (resp. -40.45% and -43.82% of connective tissue after in vitro tripsinic digestion). The use of organic chromium at lower doses (100 and 200 p.p.b.) was ineffective on pig productivity. Regardless to the dose, the organic chromium was able to improve the health status, by mean ofa strengthening of the resistance to the digestive and respiratory diseases.

The use of organic chromium, as feed integrator, in heavy swine feeding: effects on seasoned hams. The Authors refer the results of a trial carried out with the aim to value the quality traits of seasoned hams from heavy pigs (slaughter weight 160 kg) fed with rations integrated by organic chromium from yeast at the doses of 100, 200, 300 and 400 p.p.b.. At the doses of 300 and 400 p.p.b., organic chromium positively affected the seasoning yield (resp. 3% and 5.5%), the yield of saleable sliced ham as percent of seasoned ham (resp. 2.5% and 4.5%) and some quality traits of the meat (digestibility and tenderness) and of external adipose tissue (fatty acid composition). At lower doses (100 p.p.b. and 200 p.p.b.) diet integration by organic chromium was ineffective. Regardless to the dose, organic chromium was not a source of variation for the chemical composition and meat color.

The Authors explain the results of investigations about the use of dehydrated artichoke leaves meal in the weaning calf feeding. The by-product, included in the mixed feeds at doses of 5% and 10% in substitution of dehydrated alfalfa meal, is able to improve the weight gain (resp. 5.5% and 7.7%) and the feed/gain ratio (resp. 6.5% and 9 %) and doesn't vary the health status.

Selenium in heifer feeding. The Authors refer the results of researches about the use of selenium, as a feed integrator, in heifer feeding. During a trial involving 60 heifers on a Se-deficient diet (60 p.p.b.), they have shown that adding to the rations sodium selenite from 4 months of age to farrowing, at doses able to rise the Se content to 100, 150 and 200 p.p.b., can improve the weight gain (resp. 4%, 11% and 14%), the feed utilization (resp. 9%, 15% and 21%), the health status and, limitedly to the doses of 150 and 200 p.p.b., the reproductive efficiency, valued by the member of services per conception (resp. 1.40 and 1.20 vs 1.80). With reference to the selenium requirement of heifers, they conclude that the same is fully met by rations bringing doses between 150 and 200 p.p.b.

Per questo studio \ue8 stato misurato con ecografo lo spessore del grasso e del muscolo di 214 scrofe provenienti da 4 diversi allevamenti del bacino padano, selezionati sulla base di gestioni manageriali similari. Tali misurazioni sono state fatte sulle medesime scrofe in due momenti cruciali: al parto e allo svezzamento, per valutare la differenza dello stato corporeo della scrofa tra l\u2019inizio e la ine della lattazione. Quindi sono stati raccolti tutti i dati produttivi delle singole scrofe nel ciclo in cui sono state rilevate le misurazioni ecograiche e in quello successivo; tutto ci\uf2 per evidenziare eventuali correlazioni tra lo spessore di grasso e muscolo dorsali e le performance delle scrofe. E\u2019 stato preso in esame il rapporto muscolo dorsale/grasso dorsale (MSD/GRD), mai considerato in bibliograia. Il rapporto MSD/GRD al parto \ue8 inversamente proporzionale al numero di suinetti nati totali e nati vivi; quindi se lo spessore di muscolo \ue8 molto elevato rispetto al grasso, la scrofa partorir\ue0 meno nati totali e vivi. Altamente signiicativo risulta essere anche il rapporto tra MSD/GRD allo svezzamento e il numero di suinetti svezzati nonch\ue9 quelli nati nel ciclo successivo. Quindi minore \ue8 il rapporto MSD/GRD, ossia maggiore \ue8 lo spessore del grasso rispetto al muscolo dorsali, pi\uf9 numerosi saranno i suinetti svezzati e quelli partoriti nel successivo ciclo. Concludendo, l\u2019ipertroia muscolare comporta risultati produttivi negativi.For this study we selected 214 sows from 4 commercial herds in Po valley. For each sow, we measured back fat and back lean (Agroscan Noveko AC 037L, 3.5 MHtz) on site P2 at farrowing and at weaning. Performances data for each sow has been registered. We consider the ratio between back lean and back fat, never evaluated in literature before. This ratio at farrowing is inversely proportional to number of born alive and total born piglets. Therefore if body muscle is high in comparison with body fat, sows will farrow less piglets. The ratio at weaning is proportional to number of weaned piglets and to number of total born piglets in the next farrow. Therefore if body fat is high in comparison with body muscle, sows will wean more piglets and farrow more piglets in the next parity. In conclusion the muscular hypertrophy is a cause of negative performances

Relationships between the manganese content of the ration and the rise of the effects of zinc deficiency in dairy cows. The Author refers the results obtained after researches carried out in three farms with the aim to verify the relationships between high manganese levels in the ration and the rise of the signs of zinc deficiency in dairy cows. Ninety Italian Fresian dairy cows were fed with rations containing a normal rate of zinc (50 p.p.m.) and manganese levels of 30 (control groups), 40, 60 and 80 p.p.m. In correspondence of the manganese level of 80 p.p.m., the cows showed a secondary zinc deficiency with a drop of plasma zinc content (from 90 to 70 μg/100 ml), with the rise of lesions in the soft tissues offoot (digital and interdigital dermatitis, interdigital hyperplasia, interdigital phleamon) in a high percentage (47%), with a reduced reproductive efficiency (2,30 services per conception vs 1,65 of the control groups), with a drop in milk pro. duction (11%) and with a ris...

The mechanism of action of leptin in pregnant breeding sows, in which hyperphagia is managed through dietary strategies, is yet to be clarified. The aim of this study was to monitor leptin concentrations and their interactions with lactogenic hormones in Large White×Landrace breeding multiparous sows (n=15). All sows showed a normal body condition (mean body condition score: 2.96). Blood samples were collected the day after weaning the litters, at insemination, every 15 days up to day 45 of pregnancy and every 7 days from day 46 to farrowing. At delivery, the placenta was collected for the analysis of leptin and leptin receptor expressions. Plasma leptin levels increased from the end of mid gestation (day 72) and remained high until farrowing (P<0.05). As expected, plasma prolactin (PRL), low during most of pregnancy, increased during the 2 weeks before farrowing (P<0.05), whereas progesterone levels reached plateau at 30 days of gestation and decreased at farrowing (P<0.05...

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Ostrich farming has been introduced in Italy in 1990 (Endrighi et al., 1997), as ostrich slaughtering is a recent activity, officially allowed just in 1998 (Ministry of Health bulletin no.3, March 9th 1998, according to the Presidential Decree no. 559, December 30th 1992, published on "Gazzetta Ufficiale" no.28, February 4th 1993). Until then, birds were reared just for reproduction, meat consumption was very low and provided exclusively by imported slaughtered birds and topics related to quality were not considered. Meanwhile, researchers started to take this kind of meat into account, comparing its quality with others, but collecting samples, from imported slaughtered birds, already packed from supermarkets (Paleari et al., 1998). When the first facilities for ostrich slaughtering were built up, questions con-cerning slaughtering conditions and animal type for meat production sprang out. Quarantelli et al. (2000) carried out a research to verify the productive charac-teristics and meat quality of ostrich reared in Italy and they concluded that slaughter weight should be about 100 kg and that carcass weight affects its own characteristics and meat quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of several factors, related to the bird, to the type of breeding and slaughtering conditions on meat chemical compo-sition and some qualitative parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty-five African Black x Blue Neck ostriches (Struthio camelus), from 12 farms in the north of Italy, were slaughtered during 3 months in the same slaughter house. The birds, 55 males and 10 females, from 10 to 54 months old (mean ± s.e.: 14.8 ± 0.8), were fed the same concentrate from commerce (n=35) or concentrate plus hay (n=30) and they were slaughtered after a resting period varying from 2 to 26 hours (mean ± s.e.: 13.2 ± 1.9). Ostriches were weighted before and after slaughtering to evaluate yields; from left side of carcass of each animal a sample of fibularis longus (FL) muscle, about 600 g, was collected, immediately vacuum-sealed packed and brought to the laboratory for analysis.

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Bovine neonates, as soon, after birth, are subjected to an environment rich in pathogenic as well as opportunistic Gram-negative microbial agents. Since they are born essentially agammaglobulinemic, infectious diseases (diarrhea, bronchitis, pneumonia) remain the major cause of calf morbidity, mortality and economic losses to cattle producers. Neonatal mortality is attributed to the presence of infectious agents (eg. Rotavirus, Coronavirus, Respiratory syncytial virus, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Pasteurella spp., Salmonella spp. and Cryptosporidium species), along with immunodeficiency typical of the calf, and due to seasonality, congenital defects and poor management conditions. As dairy farms raising thousands animals, usually antimicrobials drugs are added to milk or milk replacers for prophylactic or metaphylactic purpose. Because of concerns that antibiotic use in food animal production has the potential to increase antibiotic resistance in human pathogens, alternative ...

Riassunto Fattori che influenzano la curva di lattazione in bovine di razza Reggiana – E’ stata analizzata la produzione (kg) di latte, di latte FCM, di grasso e di proteine di 541 bovine di razza Reggiana, adattandola al modello di Wood; i coefficienti ottenuti sono stati elaborati attraverso ANOVA (effetti fissi: allevamento, ordine e stagione di parto, effetto casuale: toro). Le primipare hanno messo in luce una produzione di latte, FCM e proteine inferiore rispetto alle pluripare, sia all’inizio che al picco, ed una maggiore persistenza (P<0,05). Le bovine con parto autunnale hanno prodotto più FCM, grasso e proteine (P<0,05).

During 5 years, 125 male Sarda lambs, between 50 and 100 d of age were fed ad libitum 45 complete pelleted diets ; the ingredients of the diets were 40% concentrate and 60% lucerne hay (LH), wheat straw (WS) or a by-product different for each year (brewers'grain, BG ; corn gluten feed, CG ; barley roots, BR ; tomato skins, TS ; sorghum straw. SS), alone or in different ratios. Intakes (g or MJ/d), ingestion (g or MJ/kg BW 0.75 /d) of nutrients, body weight gain (BWG) and feed efficiency were recorded. Also, retentions of nutrients there measured by comparative slaughter technique. Associative effects (i.e., the effects of the diets with only one component vs those of binary and ternary associations) and additive effects of each feed in comparison with the diets not containing it, were estimated for each trial by multiple regression analysis. The associative effect was significant for the consumption of the diets, of DM, OM, protein, crude fiber and GE (P<0.05) in the 4th tria...