Tracking Free-Ranging Pantaneiro Sheep during Extreme Drought in the Pantanal through Precision Technologies Gianni Aguiar da Silva, Sandra Aparecida Santos, Paulo Roberto de Lima Meirelles, Rafael Silvio Bonilha Pinheiro, Marcos Paulo Silva Gôlo, et al. Agriculture Switzerland, 2024 The Pantanal has been facing consecutive years of extreme drought, with an impact on the quantity and quality of available pasture. However, little is known about how locally adapted breeds respond to the distribution of forage resources in this extreme drought scenario. This study aimed to evaluate the movement of free-grazing Pantaneiro sheep using a low-cost GPS to assess the main grazing sites, measure the daily distance traveled, and determine the energy requirements for walking with body weight monitoring. In a herd of 100 animals, 31 were selected for weighing, and six ewes were outfitted with GPS collars. GPS data collected on these animals every 10 m from August 2020 to May 2021 was analyzed using the Python programming language. The traveled distance and activity energy requirements (ACT) for horizontal walking (Mcal/d of NEm) were determined. The 31 ewes were weighed at the beginning and end of each season. The available dry matter (DM) and floristic composition of the grazing sites were estimated at the peak of the drought. DM was predicted using power regression with NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) (R2 = 0.94). DM estimates averaged 450 kg/ha, ranging from traces to 3830 kg/ha, indicating overall very low values. Individual variation in the frequency of use of grazing sites was observed (p < 0.05), reflecting the distances traveled and the energetic cost of the activity. The range of distances traveled by the animals varied from 3.3 to 17.7 km/d, with an average of 5.9 km/d, indicating low energy for walking. However, the traveled distance and ACT remained consistent over time; there were no significant differences observed between seasons (p > 0.05). On average, the ewes’ initial weight did not differ from the weight at the drought peak (p > 0.05), indicating that they maintained their initial weight, which is important for locally adapted breeds as it confers robustness and resilience. This study also highlighted the importance of the breed’s biodiverse diet during extreme drought, which enabled the selection of forage for energy and nutrient supplementation. The results demonstrated that precision tools such as GPS and satellite imagery enabled the study of animals in extensive systems, thereby contributing to decision-making within the production system.
Physicochemical Quality and Fatty Acid Profile in the Meat of Goats Fed Forage Cactus as a Substitute for Tifton 85 Hay Rafael S. B. Pinheiro, Iasmin M. S. C. Farias, Caroline L. Francisco, Greicy M. B. Moreno Animals, 2023 Low rainfall in Northeast Brazil is a limiting factor for animal production. Forages that present crassulacean acid metabolism, such as forage cactus, are adapted to the edaphoclimatic conditions of this region, as they lose little water through the stomata. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the physical and chemical quality, fatty acid profile and sensory acceptance of the meat from goats fed forage cactus as a substitute for Tifton 85 hay. Twenty-one uncastrated mixed-breed goats with a mean body weight of 18 ± 0.86 kg and 7 ± 1 months of age were used. A completely randomized design with three treatments and seven replications per treatment was performed. The inclusion of 0 (control), 25 and 55% of forage cactus in substitution of Tifton 85 hay in the diet of the goats was evaluated. The lipid content in the meat of animals fed 25 and 55% of forage cactus was 1.33% and 1.26%, respectively, and was lower (p < 0.05) in relation to the meat of animals that received the control diet (1.56%). The inclusion of 55% of forage cactus provided an increase (p < 0.05) in the content of monounsaturated fatty acids in the meat (52.71%) in relation to the control meat (37.75%). Sensory analysis differed (p < 0.05) between treatments. We recommend replacing Tifton 85 hay with 55% forage cactus, as it presents greater sensory acceptance, and provides lower lipid content and higher content of monounsaturated fatty acids in goat meat.
Growth performance and rumen morphometrics of Nellore and ½ Angus/Nellore feedlot cattle adapted over 9 and 14 days to high-concentrate diets Daniel Hideki Mariano Watanabe, Gustavo Perina Bertoldi, Anderson Augusto dos Santos, Wilson Inacio da Silva Filho, Lucas Felipe Rebeschini de Oliveira, et al. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 2022 The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of adapting Nellore and ½ Angus/Nellore (AN) feedlot cattle over periods of 9 and 14 days to high‐concentrate diets on performance, feeding behaviour, carcass traits and rumen morphometrics. Seventy‐two yearling bulls (313.5 kg ± 24.5), 36 Nellore and 36 AN, were randomly allocated in 24 pens (3 animals/pen; 24 m2 and 2.0 m of bunk space/animal) according to a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments as follows: Nellore adapted for 9 days, Nellore adapted for 14 days, AN adapted for 9 days, and AN adapted for 14 days. Each treatment was composed by 6 pens (considered the experimental unit in this study). The adaptation lasted either 9 or 14 days and consisted of 3 step‐up diets. Therefore, yearling bulls received the finishing diet containing 86% concentrate either on day 10 or 15 of the study, which lasted 89 days taking into account adaptation and finishing periods. Cattle were slaughtered in a commercial abattoir, and two 1‐cm2‐rumen fragments, one from cranial and another from ventral sac, were collected. The AN cattle outperformed Nellore in terms of average daily gain (1.71 kg/day vs. 1.27 kg/day, p < 0.01), gain:feed ratio (0.137 kg/kg vs. 0.127 kg/kg, p = 0.02) and hot carcass weight (243.64 kg vs. 228.98 kg, p < 0.01). No main effect of the adaptation period was observed for any of the feedlot performance and carcass traits variables evaluated. Compared to feedlot cattle adapted for 9 days, feedlot cattle adapted for 14 days sorted against long (0.68 vs. 0.91, p < 0.01) and for fine particles (1.04 vs. 1.00, p = 0.01). An interaction (p < 0.01) of genotype and adaptation period was observed for rumenitis, where Nellore bulls adapted for 14 days presented the highest scores. In conclusion, there was no evidence that either Nellore or AN cattle benefit from an adaptation period shorter than 14 days.
Effects of dietary inclusion of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) extract on lamb muscle metabolomics and physicochemical properties in meat Richard R Lobo, Banny S B Correia, Yuli A Peña-Bermúdez, Rafaela Vincenzi, Caroline M da Silva, et al. Journal of Animal Science, 2021 This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) extract (YME) on muscle metabolomics and physicochemical properties of lamb meat. Thirty-six uncastrated male lambs (90 d old) were fed experimental diets, which treatments consisted of 0%, 1%, 2%, and 4% inclusion of YME. Animals were fed for 50 d before slaughter. Muscle and meat samples were collected for metabolomics and meat quality analysis, respectively. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design and analyzed using orthogonal contrasts. There was a quadratic effect of YME inclusion in tenderness (P &lt; 0.05) and a positive linear effect on meat lightness (P &lt; 0.05). No qualitative changes (P &gt; 0.05) on individual metabolites were observed; however, changes in the quantitative metabolic profile were observed, showing that animals fed 1% and 2% of YME have a greater concentration of desirable endogenous muscle antioxidants, with direct impact on metabolic pathways related to beta-alanine metabolism and glutathione metabolism. Therefore, YME dietary supplementation up to 2% of the diet to lambs had little to no effects on the majority of meat quality traits evaluated; moreover, 4% of YME inclusion negatively affected feed intake and meat quality traits.
Differences between cattle and buffalo in the water-soluble proteins of the Longissimus muscle as shown by electrophoretic techniques Rafael S. B. Pinheiro, Paulo R. R. Ramos, Roberto de O. Roça, Leilson R. Bezerra, Caroline L. Francisco, et al. Animal Production Science, 2020 Context Fraudulent information about food is an old and widespread problem, particularly regarding products with high economic value, such as meat and meat products. The motivation for food fraud is economic, but it can have serious impacts on public health, thus creating a food security problem. Approximately 90% of buffalo meat is marketed as beef in various regions where the consumption of buffalo meat is considered unusual. Aims To determine the electrophoretic profile of the raw Longissimus dorsi of cattle and buffalo species and to test the hypothesis that electrophoresis techniques can be used to distinguish meat from cattle from buffalo meat. Methods Fourteen 10-g samples of Longissimus dorsi (12th and 13th rib) tissue were taken from each animal of both species after slaughter. The meat of each species was analysed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (NATIVE PAGE) and by denaturing and non-denaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)–PAGE. Differences (P &lt; 0.05) were observed between water-soluble cattle and buffalo muscle proteins in both NATIVE PAGE (relative mobilities and percentages of protein bands) and non-denaturing and denaturing SDS–PAGE (molecular weights in kDa and optical density index). Key results With the NATIVE PAGE technique, 10 protein bands were observed in the gel, and three of these bands exhibited differences between species (P ≤ 0.05). The non-denaturing and denaturing SDS–PAGE techniques yielded significantly different protein bands in the gel. The electrophoretic profiles of some cattle and buffalo muscle proteins are distinct; therefore, raw meat flesh samples of these animal species can be distinguished using these electrophoresis techniques. Conclusions Each of the three electrophoresis techniques used can distinguish meat from different animal species; however, when there is doubt about the animal species, the use of more than one electrophoretic technique is recommended, so as to obtain more reliable results. Implications The use of electrophoresis techniques to differentiate cattle and buffalo meat is promising. This technique could be used in cases of suspected food fraud, such as the replacement of beef with buffalo or vice versa, with reliable results that will be accepted by supervisory bodies.
Fat coloring and meat quality of culling ewes slaughtered at distinct physiological stages Arquivo Brasileiro De Medicina Veterinaria E Zootecnia, 2010