Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2016-07-28T12:41:14Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Guilherme Brunno de Medeiros Leal - 2016.pdf: 1377496 bytes, checksum: be97f29665e29f6b6646be9497341b6a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-07-28T14:26:56Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Guilherme Brunno de Medeiros Leal - 2016.pdf: 1377496 bytes, checksum: be97f29665e29f6b6646be9497341b6a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-28T14:26:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Guilherme Brunno de Medeiros Leal - 2016.pdf: 1377496 bytes, checksum: be97f29665e29f6b6646be9497341b6a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-09 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás - FAPEG / The welfare's absence in animal breeding has a direct impact on food production, affecting internal trade and especially exports. Environmental enrichment is the improvement of facilities in order to make the environment more appropriate to behavioral needs. Inserting objects in the environment such as, tires, chains, ropes, plastic bottles, wood or plastic bars are the most common types of environmental enrichment. However, only few tests have been made on swine's preference by the types of objects available to enrich its environment. It was aimed to evaluate the preferred behavior, as well as, animal performance (daily feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion) and lesion rates in pigs in the nursery stage using different types of objects (tire and metal chain), and scenarios (suspended, embedded in the wall, fixed on the floor). The experiment was performed in a commercial farm from July 30 to September 21, 2015. The animals were housed in collective cages, partially slatted floor, equipped with semi-automatic feeders and nipple drinkers. Every room with eight cages 113,02 ft² each, which makes a 2712,51 ft² experimental area. 696 pigs were used in Choice Genetics® breed, with an average age of 21 days, average weight of 12,34 pounds, divided between males and females. The pigs were divided into the treatment groups of 29 animals. The experimental design was a randomized block, with four different presentation scenarios of objects (control = without enriching object; T + C suspended = tire + suspended metal chain; T + C wall = tire and embedded metal chain on the wall; T + C floor = tire and fixed metal chain on the floor), repeated six times in a row. Camcorders were used for filming and subsequent evaluation of the behavior recorded every 10 minutes during 11 hours per day (7 a.m. to 6 p.m.), once in a week, 41 days. In the treatments with environmental enrichment, there were differences in the interaction with enriching objects (P <0.05). Regarding the presentation and the type of object, the animals preferred the suspended position and metal chain, respectively. The animal performance factors (daily feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion), and lesion rates, were not influenced by environmental enrichment. / A ausência do bem-estar na produção animal, repercute diretamente na produção dos alimentos, afetando o comércio interno e, principalmente, as exportações. O enriquecimento ambiental consiste no aperfeiçoamento das instalações com o objetivo de tornar o ambiente mais adequado às necessidades comportamentais. Inserir no ambiente, pneus, correntes, cordas, garrafas pet, barras de madeiras ou plástico são os tipos mais comuns de enriquecimento ambiental. Entretanto, poucos testes têm sido realizados quanto à preferência dos suínos pelos tipos de objetos disponíveis para enriquecimento do ambiente. Objetivou-se avaliar o comportamento preferencial, desempenho zootécnico (consumo diário de ração, ganho em peso diário, conversão alimentar) e escore de lesão em suínos na fase de creche com diferentes tipos de objetos (pneu e corrente de metal), e esquemas de apresentação (suspenso, enraizado na parede, fixo no piso). O experimento foi conduzido em granja comercial, no período de 30 de julho a 21 de setembro de 2015. Os animais foram alojados em baias coletivas, de piso parcialmente ripado, providas de comedouro semiautomático e bebedouro tipo chupeta. Cada sala com 8 baias de 10,5 m2 cada, totalizando uma área experimental de 252 m2. Foram utilizados 696 suínos da linhagem Choice Genetics®, com idade média de 21 dias, peso médio inicial de 5,6 kg, divididos entre machos e fêmeas. Os suínos foram distribuídos nos tratamentos em grupos de 29 animais. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, com quatro diferentes esquemas de apresentação dos objetos (Controle – sem objeto enriquecedor; P + C suspenso – pneu + corrente de metal suspensa; P + C parede – pneu e corrente de metal enraizado na parede; P + C piso – pneu e corrente de metal fixo no piso), repetidos seis vezes no tempo. Foram utilizadas câmeras filmadoras, para gravação de imagens e posterior avaliação dos comportamentos a cada 10 minutos durante 11 horas diárias (7 h às 18 h), uma vez por semana, durante 41 dias. Nos tratamentos com enriquecimento ambiental houve diferença na interação com os objetos enriquecedores (P<0,05). Em relação a apresentação e o tipo de objeto, os animais preferiram quando na posição suspenso e corrente de metal, respectivamente. As variáveis de desempenho zootécnico (consumo diário de ração, ganho em peso diário, conversão alimentar) e escore de lesão não foram influenciadas pelo enriquecimento ambiental.

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-08-03T18:02:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Ricardo Wagner Guimar?es da Rocha.pdf: 4992988 bytes, checksum: e9aa73941b3eed9f8d5e545ac7f6b085 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-03T18:02:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Ricardo Wagner Guimar?es da Rocha.pdf: 4992988 bytes, checksum: e9aa73941b3eed9f8d5e545ac7f6b085 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-22 / This study aimed to bring together national and international scientific research on rabbits in order to carry out a study to identify the limiting of production and consumption of rabbit meat in the state of Pernambuco.As contemporary discussions in the search for g?nerose actions to submit simultaneously improvement in condition living standards, preserving the environment through alternativos capaz products to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability to meet the indig?ncias of future generations is a strategic factor for a company with growth prospects. The expected sustainable development is the result of a skillful planning, well prepared and the recognition that all natural resources are find?veis, suggests in fact, quality rather than quantity by reducing the use of substances and products that lead to the depletion of natural resources on which humanity depends and increasing reuse and reciclagem. No current scenario, Brazil is developing rapidly and this field of agribusiness, acunicultura, is little explored to Brazil, providing significant growth potential. What can be seen over the last years is that the population of Brazil rabbits has increased. In the case of meat it is also possible to estimate that the amount produced without security, since most of it is made in informal conditions. What is known is that the demand for meat is greater than the supply, since the latter is very pequena. Muitas issues undertake the creators of rabbits and the lack of specific public policies that encourage activity, deserves attention, lack of preparation Rabbit Breeders of working in isolation, shortage of slaughterhouses and meat processing, poverty of materials and equipment of good quality, the lack of public information on the nutritional qualities of rabbit meat and high consumer prices / Este trabalho buscou reunir pesquisas cient?ficas nacionais e internacionais sobre cunicultura, a fim de efetuar um estudo que identificasse os limitadores de produ??o e consumo da carne de coelho no estado de Pernambuco. As discuss?es contempor?neas na busca por g?neros e a??es que simultaneamente apresentem melhoria na condi??o de vida das popula??es, conservando o meio ambiente atrav?s de produtos alternativos capazes de suprir as necessidades da gera??o atual, sem comprometer a capacidade de atender as indig?ncias das futuras gera??es ? fator estrat?gico para uma sociedade com perspectivas de crescimento. O desenvolvimento sustent?vel esperado resulta de um planejamento h?bil, bem elaborado e do reconhecimento de que todos os recursos naturais s?o find?veis, sugere de fato, qualidade em vez de quantidade, com a redu??o do uso de subst?ncias e produtos que levem ao esgotamento dos recursos naturais dos quais a humanidade depende e o aumento da reutiliza??o e da reciclagem. No cen?rio atual, o Brasil encontra-se em franco desenvolvimento e este ramo do agricultura, a cunicultura, ? pouco aproveitado no Brasil, possibilitando grande potencial de crescimento. O que se verifica ao longo dos derradeiros anos ? que a popula??o de coelhos brasileira tem aumentado. Em se tratando da carne n?o ? poss?vel a estimativa segura da quantidade produzida, uma vez que a maior parte dela ? feita em condi??es informais. O que se conhece ? que a procura por esta carne ? maior do que a oferta, visto que esta ?ltima ? muito pequena. Muitas quest?es comprometem os criadores de coelhos e a falta de pol?ticas p?blicas espec?ficas que favore?am a atividade, merece destaque. Falta preparo dos cunicultores, trabalhando de forma isolada, escassez de abatedouros e processamento da carne, pobreza de materiais e equipamentos de boa qualidade, a aus?ncia de not?cia p?blica sobre as qualidades nutricionais da carne do coelho e o alto pre?o ao consumidor.

A Agroinova é uma empresa de prestação de serviços especializados em tecnologia de informação e soluções inteligentes na agropecuária. Após o seu início no segmento de aquicultura, a empresa realizou estudos para continuar expandindo seu negócio e iniciou o desenvolvimento de um software para gestão na bovinocultura de leite. Este segmento foi escolhido devido ao grande volume de informação gerada diariamente, o que dificulta seu controle e também pela sua importância econômica no mercado. Sem um sistema de computador e um sistema de coleta de dados, uma gestão adequada fica praticamente impossível. Devido à complexidade do segmento foi desenvolvido um software com programação em nuvem, que permite o controle dos indicies zootécnicos e financeiros através de interfaces ricas, de maneira fácil e rápida, com alimentação em aplicativos no sistema android e suporte integral ao cliente. Durante o processo de implementação do software nas fazendas, foi percebido que alguns clientes estavam com dificuldade em obter as informações, pois ocorria extrema demora no envio dos dados e/ou mandavam dados antigos que seriam pouco utilizados. O tempo médio que esses clientes ficaram estacionados nessa fase inicial foi de quatro meses. Este estudo se propõe a analisar os pontos críticos de gestão nas fazendas durante o processo de implementação do sistema Inovaleite® e também avaliar se houve relação dos problemas com as inovações incorporadas ao sistema. Nesse trabalho foi utilizada a metodologia qualitativa, já que a percepção do problema ocorreu com a interação entre o pesquisador e os usuários da ferramenta de gestão. Essa interação gerou os registros das conversas dos usuários, que expõem suas opiniões e pensamentos sobre o determinado problema, o que possibilitou dentro da metodologia qualitativa realizar uma análise de discurso. Para analisar melhor e poder comparar as situações das fazendas, foram criados três grupos de clientes: Fazendas desistentes, fazendas em andamento e fazendas finalizadas. Após analisar todas as falas e as situações das fazendas de cada grupo, foram identificados três problemas que ocorreram durante as implementações: dificuldade dos proprietários em achar mão de obra tecnificada, centralização do poder da informação e o impacto que o sistema Inovaleite® causou nas propriedades, exigindo mudança na postura dos gestores e na rotina das atividades da fazenda. Essa mudança gerou um impacto muito grande, podendo sofrer grande resistência por parte do funcionário e/ou do proprietário, pois em muitos casos, novas atividades precisaram ser incorporadas na fazenda, como a organização da informação e a coleta de dados. As inovações propostas no software não causaram problemas na implementação, uma vez que o problema principal ficou concentrado na fazenda, no momento de levantar as informações. Os produtores perceberam a necessidade de melhorarem sua gestão e procuram um software para isso, porém muitos desses produtores ainda precisam organizar e estruturar a produção e criar uma rotina de trabalho que permita o levantamento e armazenamento das informações corretamente. Somente assim um sistema de gestão irá funcionar, pois a ferramenta é somente um facilitador para que o gestor consiga avaliar e comparar dados de maneira mais rápida e segura. / Agroinova is a company that provides agriculture services specialized in managing information and developing intelligent solutions. After Agroinova initial launch focused on aquaculture field, the company conducted studies to expand its business and develop a software for dairy production management. This field was chosen because of the large volume of information generated in a daily basis, which can be challenging to manage, also because the economic importance of the dairy industry. The management of data can be problematic specially without a computer and a system for data collection. Due to the complexity of the field, a cloud programing was developed that allows control of livestock performance data and financial index by rich interfaces that can be accessed thru android system in a simple way, also providing complete customer support. During the software implementation at the farm level, some customers had difficulty managing the data, causing delays when uploading the information, also sending old data, which had little use. The average time spent by customers during this stage was four months. The goal of this study is to analyze the critical points of management on farms during the implementation process Inovaleite®, analyzing the correlation between issues in the process and the innovations built into the system. Since the analysis was done by the researcher and management tool users, a qualitative methodology was used in this study. User interaction generated data containing recorded conversations, which highlighted their opinions and resulted in qualitative methodology analysis. In order to better analyze recorded conversation and different scenarios, three groups were created: farms that terminated the service, farms with service in progress and farms that completed the service. After analysis was complete, three issues were noted during system implementation: owner challenge in finding qualified workers, centralization of the information and the impact caused by Inovaleite® system resulting in management changes and daily farm schedule. These changes in the farm routine, such as data collection can create resistance by both employee and owner. The software innovations do not cause implementation problems. Dairy farmers realize the need of management improvement and often search for software but many of them still need to organize and structure their production and create a work schedule that includes correct data collection and information storage. This software works only as a tool that allows producer manage the system and production, evaluating and comparing data quickly and safely.

Os objetivos desta pesquisa foram estudar as perdas de colheita, a composição morfológica, as dinâmicas de acúmulo e perfilhamento e, a densidade populacional de perfilhos sobre a variedade de cana-de-açúcar IAC86-2480 submetida a três métodos de colheita. No corte manual (MAN), as plantas foram colhidas por meio do corte com podão na base da planta. Para o corte mecanizado (MEC), a colhedora de forragem, regulada para altura de corte de 20 cm, foi tracionada por trator provido de sistema redutor, seguida por vagão forrageiro. Para o corte mecanizado seguido de rebaixamento manual (MEC+MAN), seguiu-se o mesmo procedimento do corte MEC, entretanto, após o corte, os tocos remanescentes foram recepados rente ao solo com uso de podão. A área experimental (0,34 ha) foi constituída por seis blocos, com 3 parcelas cada. As parcelas eram formadas por 8 linhas de plantio com 15 m de comprimento em espaçamento entrelinhas de 1,3 m. A produtividade colhida e a massa de forragem disponível no início do experimento (em t MV e MS/ha) foram similares entre os tratamentos (P>0,05). As perdas totais foram superiores (P<0,05) para o tratamento MEC+MAN, atingindo 18,5% da MV em relação à produtividade colhida. Entretanto, as perdas se tornaram similares (P>0,05) quando relativas à produtividade colhida em MS, variando de 17,7 a 25,7% para os tratamentos MAN e MEC+MAN, respectivamente. As perdas quantitativas e relativas das frações palha e cana ponta foram semelhantes entre os tratamentos (P>0,05), sendo a fração colmo responsável pela diferenças entre os tratamentos, gerando valores de perdas relativas à produtividade colhida em MV de 1,5% para MAN, 7,6% para o corte MEC, e de 12,7% para MEC+MAN. O número de toletes danificados foi superior (P>0,05) para o corte MEC+MAN, de um a cada 0,7 m. O número de plantas inteiras deixadas a campo foi superior (P>0,05) para o corte MEC, de uma a cada 1,5 m. As perdas totais geradas pelo corte MEC+MAN aumentaram em 8 unidades percentuais as perdas em MS, quando comparadas aos outros métodos. Sendo assim, o comportamento da colheita mecanizada (com ou sem rebaixamento) foi considerado satisfatório. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) entre a biomassa acumulada em MV e MS entre os tratamentos. O número final de perfilhos por metro foi de 16 para o tratamento MAN, 14 para MEC e 15 para MEC+MAN, e não diferiu (P>0,05) entre os tratamentos. Os perfilhos basais e de primeira ordem foram os principais componentes da população final de perfilhos. O perfilhamento aéreo apresentou valor máximo de 5 perfilhos/m para o corte MEC e perdurou por até 90 dias após colheita. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) entre os tratamentos para as variáveis de peso de planta inteira e colmo, altura, diâmetro, número de nós, número e peso de folhas verdes, senescentes e mortas, índice de maturação e grau brix. Os métodos de colheita não alteraram a composição morfológica, o padrão de crescimento e de perfilhamento das variáveis durante o primeiro ciclo de avaliação. / This research aimed to study harvesting losses, morphologic composition, dynamics of tillering and accumulation and, tiller density of sugarcane IAC86-2480 variety under three harvesting methods. In manual harvesting (MAN), plants were harvested to ground level, using a cutter. For mechanical harvesting (MEC), the harvester (adjusted for 20 cm from the ground) was pulled by a tractor and had a wagon attached to it to accommodate the harvested material. For mechanical harvesting followed by manual (MEC + MAN), the same procedures for mechanical harvesting were followed, however, after cutting, the remaining stalks were cut to ground level with a cutter. Experimental units (plots) (0.34ha) were composed in complete randomized block design, with six replications. Each plot corresponded to eight 15 m-long rows spaced 1.3 from each other. The losses were expressed in moisture and dry matter. Productivity and available forage (in t FM and DM/ha) were similar among the treatments (P>0.05). Total losses were higher (P<0.05) for MEC+MAN treatment, showing 18.5% of FM in relation to productivity. Nevertheless, losses became similar (P>0.05) when compared to productivity of DM harvesting, ranging from 17.7 to 25.7% for MAN and MEC+MAN treatments, respectively. Quantitative losses and losses related to straw and stalk fractions were similar among the treatments (P>0.05), stalk fractions accounted for the differences, generating values of relative losses in FM of 1.5% for MAN, 7.6% for MEC, and of 12.7% for MEC+MAN. The number of damage stalks was higher (P>0.05) for MEC+MAN treatment (one each 0.7 m). The number of whole plants left on the field was higher for MEC treatment (one each 1.5 m). Thus, the transit of the harvester over the crop, in the first cycle, determined the losses and damages increase to the harvest, although it was considered satisfactory. During regrowth and plant growth in the subsequent cycle, characteristics were evaluated monthly, as follows: No difference P>0.05) was found between accumulated biomass in FM and DM among the treatments. MAN harvesting showed DM accumulation rates higher than the others P<0.05). The final number of tillers by meter was 16 for MAN treatment, 14 for MEC and 15 for MEC+MAN, no difference (P>0.05) reported among treatments. Basal and linear tillers were the main components of the final population of tillers, being that the aerial tillering remained alive until 90 days after harvesting, and presented 5 tillers/meter maximum for the MEC harvesting. No difference (P>0.05) was registered among the treatments in relation to whole plant and stalk weights, height, diameter, knots number, number and weight of green, senescent and dead leaves, maturation rate and brix. Harvesting methods presented no changes in morphologic composition, tillering and growth standards of the variables analyzed during the first cycle of evaluation.

<p>Postmortem aging has been extensively practiced as value-adding process due to the beneficial impacts on meat palatability. Meat tenderization occurred through proteolytic fragmentation of myofibrillar structural proteins via endogenous protease systems, which is considered as the primary drive to enhance major palatability attributes including tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Recent theoretical framework proposes apoptosis, or programmed cell death, as the preceding step that initiates postmortem proteolysis. Whereas small heat shock proteins have been consistently recognized as meat quality biomarkers, probably due to their protective activities against proteolysis through anti-stress, anti-apoptotic, and chaperoning functionalities. To shed light on detailed mechanisms controlling postmortem proteolysis and consequential impacts on the development of fresh meat quality characteristics, postmortem proteolytic changes of small heat shock proteins, apoptotic factors, and myofibrillar structural proteins were profiled in postmortem skeletal muscles under different metabolic backgrounds and across species. </p> <p>In beef, three muscles, <i>longissimus lumborum</i> (LL), <i>semimembranosus</i> (SM), and <i>psoas major</i> (PM), have been selected to represent glycolytic, intermediate, and oxidative muscle types. Tenderness and water - holding capacity were determined, and proteolysis, apoptotic features, and small heat shock proteins were measured in 8 beef carcasses at 1, 2, 9, 16, and 23 days of aging. PM exhibited limited aging potential in quality developments shown by lower extents of shear force, water-holding capacity, and proteolytic changes, including calpain 1 autolysis, troponin T, and HSP27 compared to LL and SM. Conversely, LL had an increase in tenderization and water-holding capacity, which was accompanied with more extended calpain 1 autolysis, proteolysis and HSP27 degradation, compared with other muscles. The results of this study suggest that postmortem proteolytic changes of myofibrillar proteins, small HSPs and apoptotic factors occur in a muscle-specific manner, which is likely attributed to different rate and extent of meat quality developments of each muscle during aging. </p> <p>Callipyge lambs are a unique genetic background showing calpastatin over-expression, muscle hypertrophy in loin and hindquarter area, substantially compromised meat tenderization potential, and a shift of muscle fiber composition towards fast-glycolytic directions. Proteome and metabolome changes in muscles from callipyge mutation (+/C) and non-callipyge phenotype (+/+, C/+, and C/C) lambs were profiled to provide insight into the biochemical changes affecting meat quality attributes. M. longissimus thoracis from lambs with all four possible callipyge genotype (n = 4, C/+, C/C, +/C, and +/+) were collected after 3d aging and analyzed using mass-spectrometry based platforms. Among identified proteomes, cytochrome c (pro-apoptotic protein) was detected with significantly lower abundances in +/C. Anti-apoptotic HSP70, BAG3, and PARK7 were over-abundant in +/C, which could result in delayed apoptosis and possibly attributed to tougher meat in callipyge lambs. Eight glycolysis enzymes were overabundant in +/C lambs, whereas 3 enzymes involved in TCA cycle were overabundant in non-callipyge ones (C/C and/or C/+). Twenty-five metabolites were affected by genotypes (P < 0.05), including metabolic co-factors, polyphenols, and AA/short peptides.</p> <p>Pig production is facing increased public pressure regarding antibiotic usage restriction. Recently, dietary L-glutamine at cost effective level (0.2%) was identified as an effective antibiotic alternative in post-transport nursery pig diets. To evaluate carcass and meat quality characteristics in market-ready pigs when 0.2% dietary L-glutamine was applied as for early-life post-weaning and transport recovery, pigs (N=480) were weaned and transported in two replication trials in SPRING (April of 2017) vs. SUMMER (July of 2016), fed 3 different diets (Non: no antibiotic, Anti: 441 ppm chlortetracycline and + 38.6 ppm tiamulin, Gln: 0.20% L-glutamine) for 14 days after transport, and fed basal diet until reaching market weight. Pairs of <i>longissimus dorsi</i> (LD) and <i>psoas major</i> (PM) muscles from each carcass (n=10/diet/trial) were separated at 1 d and 7 d postmortem, respectively. Carcass yield and meat physical and quality attributes were evaluated. Overall impacts of Gln on physical attributes of carcasses and porcine muscles were minimal. No dietary effects were found in carcass, proximate composition, water-holding capacity, or shear force. Significant difference between trials were found in terms of productivity and pork/carcass qualities, where SPRING replicates showed increased body weight, faster pH decline, paler surface color, higher intra-muscular fat deposition, and improved tenderness and water-holding capacity as indicated by lower shear force values, thaw-purge loss, and cooking loss (P < 0.05).</p> <p>The pork and carcass quality results give rise to a postulation that different metabolism and animal growth might have been occured between the two production trials, consequentially differentiated meat quality development. In this regard, myofibrillar proteolysis, small heat shock proteins, and apoptotic factors were characterized during 7 d postmortem aging in porcine LD and PM muscles from both seasonal trials, combined with metabolomics profiles of 1d samples using the GC-TOF-MS/MS platform. Compared to SUMMER counterparts, SPRING muscles showed concurrence of more extended apoptosis, further calpain 1 autolysis, and increased structural protein degradation (P<0.05). SPRING muscles showed more ATP catabolism compounds and increase in carbohydrates, branched-chain amino acids, and 16-18 carbon fatty acids, which could be chemistry fingerprints of increased cellular oxidative stress, consequentially favoring onset of apoptosis and proteolysis. Meanwhile, SUMMER pigs showed increased stress-defending metabolites, such as ascorbic acid, antioxidant amino acids, and decreased inhibitory neuro-transmitter GABA, which may indicate elevated stress-defending activity in SUMMER pigs that possibly inhibited apoptosis and proteolysis. </p>

<p>Within the last decade, the popularity and interest in dry-aging have constantly increased among both consumers and producers. Dry-aging is a natural value-adding process where meat is exposed to a controlled refrigerated environment without any protective barrier during the aging process. This process leads to the development of unique flavors in the final meat product. Although the prevalence of this process is increasing, there are inconsistent reports regarding the impacts of dry-aging on meat sensory attributes, especially on the flavor aspect. Given that flavor generation is dependent on the composition and availability of flavor precursors, the presence or absence of these precursors may contribute to the inconsistency observed. Thus the main objective of the research described here was to characterize the flavor precursors in dry-aged meat and elucidate potential factors or mechanisms favoring to their production.</p> <p> To achieve this objective, metabolomics analysis was conducted in conjunction with various chemical analyses (free amino acids, fatty acids, sugar content and volatile analysis), microbiome profiling and meat quality analysis (tenderness, water holding capacity, color stability, oxidative stability, microbial attributes and sensory analysis) to identify the essential flavor precursors and their production process. In addition, similar analyses were conducted using multiple meat sources (grass-fed beef loins, cull cow beef loins and pork loins) aged by wet-aging (WA), conventional dry-aging (DA), dry-aging in bag (DWA) and UV-light dry-aging (UDA) to elucidate the impact of the different aging treatments on meat quality, sensory attributes and flavor precursor availability.</p> <p>Regardless of the meat source, the results demonstrated that dry-aging altered the meat flavor precursor compositions, primarily by increasing the presence of protein-derived precursors (e.g., free amino acids and dipeptides), especially glutamine and glutamate compounds. Additionally, nucleotide and carbohydrate-derived compounds such as adenosine and reducing sugars were greatly increased after the dry-aging process. While the fatty acid profile was minimally affected, metabolomics analysis revealed a decrease in sterol and terpenoid lipids following dry-aging, which could potentially reduce off-flavors development in the meat. Other compounds such as vitamin B and vitamin C were also detected in the dry-aged product, which potentially could contribute to the flavor development.</p> <p>Analysis of the liberation mechanisms demonstrated that dehydration played a role in increasing the concentration of the flavor precursors in the dry-aged product, potentially promoting greater (e.g., Maillard reaction) during cooking. Furthermore, microorganisms might be responsible for further increasing the availability of flavor precursors in dry-aged meat, especially free amino acids, along with the dehydration process. Microbiome profiling found that <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. are the most prominent bacterial species in microbial communities found on dry-aged meat which could affect the precursor release in dry-aged meat. Metabolomics analysis also indicated increased glutathione metabolism during dry-aging, which could lead to the liberation of glutamine-related compounds. The analysis also identified other compounds such as porphyrin rings (iron-related) and shikimic acid (bacterial metabolism), providing further examples of how metabolomics can identify dry-aged flavor precursors and reveal other potential mechanisms related to flavor development mechanisms.</p> <p>These outcomes demonstrate that dry-aging alters meat flavor precursor composition, mainly by increasing the availability of protein-, nucleotide- and carbohydrate-derived compounds. Such results indicate that the Maillard reaction is likely be the main mechanism in flavor generation in dry-aged meat. The current results provided more insights into the dry-aging flavor development, especially highlighting important flavor precursor such as glutamate and glutamine containing products, likely to contribute to the dry-aged flavor. Future study to identify the impact of different microorganism (especially mold and yeast) on dry-aging flavor development would be of interest. Additionally, impact of different cooking process should also be studies to maximize the dry-aged flavor potential from the product.</p>

<p>The United States is ranked third for global pork production as well as first in pork exports according to the USDA Economic Research Service in 2019. The majority of the commercial pork production in the United States applies some form of confinement system with environmentally adapted facilities. However, with information and easy media access to the US consumers, news and reports on different farming practices and potential issues in the animal industry have come under the spotlight. Consumers are becoming more interested in knowing what goes on behind the scenes of the commercial animal industry and where and how their food is produced. Whether it is due to personal beliefs, ethical concerns, novelty-seeking, eating experience, or choice of lifestyle, consumers are demanding diversity in their meat purchasing options. Although the commercial pork industry has shifted to fewer and larger farms in the last 40 years, small specialty farms such as heritage breed pork are on the rise to form a niche market. Large Black pig is a pasture-raised heritage breed originating in England, and it remains one of the rarest British pig breeds. Due to differences in husbandry, pasture-raised Large Black pigs consume a relatively high forage diet compared to corn-based diet used in commercial swine production. Although heritage pork has been lauded to have unique and superior quality, enhanced eating experience, and is often sold at a premium price, there are very little data on pork quality of Large Black pig compared to Duroc-sired breeds which are commonly used in commercial pork production. The purpose of this study is to fill the dearth and investigate differences in pork processing characteristics between commercial Duroc-sired and Large Black genetic lines fed high forage or commercial diets.</p><p> The study contained a total of 50 pigs: 25 Duroc-sired (DS) and 25 Large Black sired (LB) pigs. After all the pigs were weighed, the pigs were randomly assigned with heavy and light weights as blocks to two dietary treatments: Fiber (FIB) and Control (CON); and the feeding trial lasted a total of 126 days. There were 14 Large Black pigs fed fiber diet (LB FIB); 11 Large Black pigs fed control diet (LB CON); 14 Duroc-sired pigs fed fiber diet (DS FIB) and 11 Duroc-sired pigs fed control diet (DS CON). Pigs were fed either a control Corn-Soybean Meal-DDGS based diet or a high fiber diet with wheat middlings and dehydrated alfalfa meal replacing corn and soybean meal in the control diet. Diets were fed over six 21 days phases with fibrous ingredient levels increasing from 8.5 to 30 percent of the diet with sequential dietary phase from 1 to 6. Pigs were harvested at a common age with some variations in body weight between genetics (DS 125 ± 2.23 kg, LB 99 ± 2.28 kg; <i>P</i> < 0.001). Individual batches of 80% lean : 20% fat sausage patties with seasoning (136g per patty) were made from the shoulder of each pork carcass. PVC packaging was applied to each batch of sausage patties. Fat smear was noted on day 0 with a fat smear scale of 1 (excessive far smearing) to 8 (clear fat particle definition). Color parameters that include lightness (L*), redness (a*), yellowness (b*), and lipid oxidation (2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) due to retail display effect were measured at days 0, 3, and 7 by placing packaged sausage patties under the retail display lighting. Boneless bellies were removed and weighed (fresh weight) from each pig and measurements for belly thickness, length, and firmness were recorded. Fresh bellies were injected to 110% fresh weight, thermally processed (62°C), and cooled (1°C internal temperature). Cooked weight was obtained before slicing. Belly processing yield was calculated as a percentage using (cooked weight / fresh weight) x 100. Adobe Photoshop was used to perform visual image analysis for bacon slice length (SL; cm), slice area (SA; cm²), and slice lean area (LA; %), one 0.64 cm bacon slice was obtained from 25, 50, and 75% distance respectively from the blade end of each cooked bellies for the analysis. RStudio (1.2.1335) was used to analyze data with breed and diet as fixed effects and least square means separated at (<i>P</i> < 0.05).</p><p> Results showed that only diet was significant for patty fat smear (<i>P </i>= 0.0104), CON patties had better particle definition than FIB patties. Difference for patty color L* (<i>P </i>= 0.0051), a* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and b* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) were found for days of retail display. Breed was significant in L* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and a* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) with DS patties being lighter and less red than LB patties. Days under retail display (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and breed x diet interaction (<i>P </i>= 0.0014) were found in lipid oxidation. DS CON had the least amount of lipid oxidation throughout retail display time. Breed and diet were significant for both belly thickness and length. LB (<i>P </i>= 0.0263) and CON (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) bellies were thicker than DS and FIB bellies respectively. DS (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and CON (<i>P </i>= 0.0045) bellies were longer than LB and FIB bellies respectively. A breed x diet interaction (<i>P </i>= 0.0527) was observed in belly firmness and LB CON had the firmest bellies. Processing yield was found to be greater in DS bellies (<i>P </i>= 0.0014) than LB bellies. Breed effect had a tendency (<i>P </i>= 0.065) on SL, DS slices were longer. CON had greater SA (<i>P </i>< 0.0048) than FIB slices. DS slices had significantly higher LA (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) than LB slices.</p> The study provided novel insights into the differences in processing characteristics between the DS and LB genetic lines as well as the effect of diet on each breed. Results such as thicker and firmer belly, lower LA in LB were expected since LB is a minor swine breed that has not undergone intense genetic selection for percent lean meat. Overall, each breed had a better product when fed their accustomed diet (FIB for LB, CON for DS) such as less lipid oxidation in sausage patties for DS CON compared to LB CON. Although LB fits into the niche market of heritage breed pork, future studies in management systems, processing methods, and genetic improvement should be considered to improve product quality to better meet modern consumer demands.

Prolificacy in sheep, under most types of flock management, may exert an overwhelming influence on profitability. Three major classes of sheep farming are found in New Zealand, namely Extensive farming, on high country and droughty areas where wool is the chief product, Store sheep farming, on harder hill country, where income is derived from sales of both wool and surplus stock, and Fat lamb farming, in the easier and improved areas, where sales of fat stock almost exclusively dictate the size of the income. In all three types, ewe fertility is of paramount importance. This investigation was undertaken as a pilot attempt to demonstrate, with more accuracy, the source of, or reason for, the additional lambs which result from flushing ewes, in as far as this practice may increase both ovulation rate and subsequent mortality or merely reduce mortality in developing ova at some as yet underdefined stage of early pregnancy. The nature of the experiment was such that a study of the time-relationships of ovum loss and embryo mortality at various stages in early pregnancy could be made. Thus the matings of 225 ewes in two separate mobs were observed and slaughter dates were measured for individual ewes from mating times. By this means a considerable collection of both field and laboratory data was made available for a study of comparative individual and group reactions to the flushing treatment applied.

Experimentos em grande escala para avaliação do manejo do pastejo são raros, apesar de sua importância. O objetivo deste experimento foi avaliar metas de manejo para o capim-marandu submetido à pastejo rotativo definidas em série de experimentos de menor escala (piquetes), utilizando o nitrogênio para amplificar contrastes entre as estratégias de pastejo avaliadas. As avaliações ocorreram de fevereiro de 2009 a abril de 2010 e os tratamentos corresponderam a duas alturas pré-pastejo (25 e 35 cm) e duas doses de fertilizante nitrogenado (50 e 200 kg ha-1 ano de N) (designados como 25/50, 25/200, 35/50 e 35/200) e foram alocados às unidades experimentais (UE) segundo um delineamento de blocos completos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Cada UE foi formada por 6 piquetes de 0,5 ha cada, os quais foram manejados como mini-fazendas. Cada uma das 16 minifazendas recebeu três novilhos Nelore (média 327 kg) como animais-teste para mensuração do ganho de peso diário (GMD) e mais um número variável de animais para ajustes na taxa de lotação. A meta de altura pós-pastejo foi comum a todos os tratamentos (15 cm), porém foi permitido variar acima desse valor como forma de gerar flexibilidade e permitir a manutenção das metas de altura prépastejo. Pastos manejados na altura pré-pastejo de 25 cm apresentaram maior número de pastejos, menor intervalo de pastejo e menor período de ocupação que pastos manejados com a altura de 35 cm. Maiores valores de GMD (0,629 e 0,511kg animal-1 dia), ganho de peso por unidade de área (GP) (886 e 674 kg ha-1) e de taxa de lotação (3,13 e 2,85 UA ha-1) foram registrados nos pastos manejados com a altura pré-pastejo de 25 relativamente àquela de 35 cm, respectivamente. Por outro lado, pastos manejados com a altura pré-pastejo de 35 cm apresentaram maiores valores de massa de forragem pré (6.680 e 4.800 kg ha- 1 de MS de vivo) e pós-pastejo (4.010 e 3.320 kg ha-1 de MS de vivo) e de perdas por pastejo (24,1 e 20,3% da massa de forragem pré-pastejo) que pastos manejados com a altura de 25 cm, respectivamente. A aplicação de 200 kg ha-1 de N resultou em aumentos na porcentagem de folhas na massa de forragem póspastejo (11,9 para 15,6%), na taxa de acúmulo de forragem (29,1 para 51,9 kg ha- 1 dia-1), na taxa de lotação (2,55 para 3,44 UA ha-1), conseqüentemente, no GP (697 e 863 kg ha-1) relativamente à aplicação de 50 kg ha-1. Somente variações em estratégia de manejo do pastejo resultaram em um aumento de 31% no GP, valor maior que os 24% resultantes da aplicação de N, realçando a importância de manejo do pastejo adequado como forma de aumentar desempenho animal e produtividade do sistema. Este correspondeu às metas de pastejo rotativo caracterizadas pela altura pré-pastejo de 25 cm e de pós-pastejo de 15 cm. Nesse contexto, o uso de fertilizantes nitrogenados, irrigação e de suplementos deveriam ser considerados em experimentos futuros desta natureza como uma forma de aumentar a produção e a produtividade animal. / In spite of their importance, large scale experiments to evaluate grazing management strategies are rare. The objective of this experiment was to test targets of rotational stocking management for marandu palisadegrass defined in a series of paddock scale experiments, using nitrogen to amplify contrasts between grazing strategies evaluated. Treatments corresponded to combinations between two pre-grazing heights (25 and 35 cm) and two levels of nitrogen application (50 and 200 kg ha-1 year-1) (designated as 25/50, 25/200, 35/50 and 35/200), and were allocated to experimental units according to a complete randomised block design, with four replications. Each experimental unit was comprised of six 0.5 ha paddocks, and were managed as farmlets. Each farmlet received three Nellore steers (initial body weight of 327 kg) as test animals for measuring weight gain plus a variable number of extra steers to adjust stocking rate and allow grazing to be executed according to management specifications for individual treatments. Target post-grazing height was 15 cm, but fluctuated above that as a means to contribute to maintain target pre-grazing heights. Farmlets managed at 25 cm pre-grazing height showed larger number of grazings, shorter grazing interval and occupation period of paddocks than those managed at 35 cm. Larger values of weight gain per animal (0.629 and 0.511 kg animal-1), per unit area (886 and 674 kg ha-1) and of stocking rate (3.13 and 2.85 AU ha-1) were recorded on farmlets managed at 25 cm pre-grazing height relative to those managed at 35 cm, respectively. On the other hand, farmlets managed at 35 cm pre-grazing height showed larger values of herbage mass pre- (6680 and 4800 kg ha-1 green DM) and post-grazing (4010 and 3320 kg ha-1 green DM) and grazing losses (24.1 and 20.3% of the pre-grazing herbage mass) than those managed at 25 cm, respectively. Application of 200 kg ha-1 of N resulted in increased percentage of leaves on herbage mass post-grazing (11.9 to 15.6%), in rates of herbage accumulation (29.1 to 51.9 kg ha-1 day-1), in stocking rate (2.5 to 3.44 AU ha-1) and, consequently, in weight gain per unit area (697 to 863 kg ha-1) relative to the application of 50 kg ha-1. Grazing management alone resulted in a 31% increase in weight gain per unit area, larger than the 24% increase generated by N application, highlighting the importance of adequate grazing management to increase animal performance and systems productivity. This corresponded to targets of rotational stocking management corresponding to 25 cm of pre-grazing height and 15 cm of post-grazing height. In this context, nitrogen fertiliser, irrigation and use of supplements should be considered in future experiments of this nature as a means of augmenting animal production and productivity.

Objetivou-se, com esta pesquisa, inserir no mercado de produção intensiva de suínos, um método não invasivo para quantificar o bem-estar animal, por intermédio dos níveis de pressão sonora (ruídos) emitidos por suínos em fases de pré-creche e creche. Foram realizados três experimentos, a fim de estudar a utilização da pressão sonora (ruído) emitida por um grupo de suínos como resposta às condições ambientais as quais foram submetidos, em ambiente controlado e de produção intensiva, e estabelecer as faixas de pressão sonora de acordo com as faixas de temperatura e umidade para conforto e estresse. No experimento I o objetivo foi estudar a influência da distribuição dos decibelímetros na captação automática dos níveis de pressão sonora em ambiente de produção intensiva. Foi conduzido em uma granja comercial de suínos, sendo utilizada uma sala do galpão, que foi dividida em dez quadrantes idênticos, e os decibelímetros instalados no centro geométrico de cada quadrante. Os níveis de pressão sonora do ambiente foram registrados em todos os equipamentos, ao mesmo tempo, e, por intermédio da análise geoestatística, foi possível verificar que os decibelímetros não apresentaram dependência espacial entre si, e essa afirmação pôde ser confirmada pela análise de correlação entre cada decibelímetro testado para cada um dos layouts avaliados. No experimento II avaliou-se a influência das variáveis ambientais no nível de pressão sonora emitido por leitões em ambiente controlado. Os leitões foram confinados em uma câmara climática e submetidos à variação da temperatura e umidade do ambiente. O comportamento foi avaliado por intermédio do nível de atividade dos leitões, utilizando análise de imagens. Os níveis de pressão sonora emitidos pelos leitões foram registrados utilizando decibelímetros, e a extração do ruído de fundo foi possível após a retirada dos leitões da câmara. Foi possível concluir que os níveis de pressão sonora emitidos pelos leitões em câmara climática apresentaram correlação negativa com a variável temperatura e com o índice de conforto entalpia Foi possível predizer as faixas de níveis de pressão sonora emitidos pelos leitões, em relação às faixas de conforto e estresse existentes para a temperatura e o índice de conforto entalpia para as condições do presente experimento. O experimento III foi conduzido em uma granja comercial de produção de suínos, tendo como objetivo avaliar a influência das variáveis ambientais nos níveis de pressão sonora emitidos pelos leitões em confinamento intensivo. Foram instalados decibelímetros para a captação automática dos níveis de pressão sonora e loggers para coletar dados de temperatura e umidade do ar em uma sala do galpão de suínos. Para a captação do nível de pressão sonora de fundo, foram instalados, na área externa à sala de creche, decibelímetros para posterior subtração. Os dados foram submetidos à análise correlação e regressão entre as variáveis estudadas. Verificou-se que os níveis de pressão sonora emitidos pelos leitões apresentaram tendência de acréscimo, quando em desconforto térmico, sendo possível predizer as faixas de pressão sonora emitidas pelos leitões em relação às condições ambientais. / The objective of this research was to insert in the market of intensive swine production, a non invasive method to quantify animal welfare, through sound pressure levels (noises) emitted by swine in pre-nursering and nursering phases. Were realized three experiments to study the appliance of sound pressure (noise) emitted by a group of swine as an answer to the environment conditions that they were submitted in a controlled and in a intensive production environment, and to establish the bands of sound pressure according to the bands of temperature and humidity to comfort and stress. In experiment I, the objective was to study the influence of the distribution of the decibelimeters on the automatic capturing of sound pressure levels in a intensive production environment. It was conducted in a commercial swine farm, where a sheds room was used, which was divided in ten identical quadrants and the decibelimeters installed in the geometric centre of each quadrant. Environments sound pressure levels were registered in all equipments, at the same time, and through geostatistical analysis, it was possible to verify that the decibelimeters did not show spatial dependence amongst, and this affirmation could be confirmed by correlation analysis between each decibelimeter tested to each of the evaluated layouts. In experiment II the influence of environment variables on sound pressure levels emitted by piglets in a controlled environment was evaluated. Piglets were confined in a climatic chamber and submitted to a variation of environments temperature and relative humidity. Behaviour was evaluated through piglets activity level using image analysis. Sound pressure levels emitted by piglets were registered by decibelimeters, and backgrounds noise extraction was possible after the removing of piglets of the chamber. It was possible to conclude that sound pressure levels emitted by piglets in a climatic chamber showed a negative correlation with temperature variable and with the enthalpy comfort index. It was possible to predict sound pressure levels bands emitted by piglets, related to comfort and stress bands existents to temperature and enthalpy comfort index to the conditions of the present experiment. Experiment III was conducted in a farm of swines commercial production, and the objective was to evaluate the influence of environment variables on sound pressure levels emitted by piglets in a intensive confinement. Decibelimeters were installed to the automatic capture of sound pressure levels and loggers to collect temperature and air humidity data in a room of swines shed. To the capturing of backgrounds sound pressure level, were installed decibelimeters in the external área to nurserings room to a posterior subtraction. Data were submitted to correlation and regression analysis among the studied variables. It was verified that sound pressure levels emitted by piglets showed a raise tendency when in thermal discomfort, and it was possible to predict bands of sound pressure emitted by piglets in relation to environmental conditions.