Low Palatability Research Articles

Comparison of the characteristics of prolamins among foxtail millet varieties with different palatability: Structural, morphological, and physicochemical properties

Recently, there are considerable interests in the influence of prolamins on eating quality of grains. To inquire the potential effect of prolamins on the palatability of foxtail millet, prolamin characteristics under its raw (PR) and post-cooked (PC) state among three typical varieties with high (Zhonggu, ZG), medium (Zhaonong, ZN), and low (Hongmiao, HM) palatability were compared. The distinctive differences in amino acid composition, molecular structure, physicochemical properties were found in PRs and PCs, especially for HM variety. HM-PR recorded the lowest hydrophobic amino acids and surface hydrophobicity while having the superior hydration properties. The lowest denaturation temperature was found in HM-PR, which also had the highest denaturation enthalpy (ΔH). Nevertheless, HM-PR exhibited irregularly spherical protein body with the largest mean diameter. Evidenced by the highest random coil and lower α-helix and β-sheet content, a less stable secondary structure of HM-PR was found, corresponding to the most intensified disulfide cross-linking and protein aggregations in HM upon cooking. Overall, HM-PR was presumed to greatly affect the hydro-thermal utilization efficiency of starch granules during cooking, given the steric-hindrance effect of prolamins on granules in endosperm. The Present study provided new insights into the role of prolamins on foxtail millet palatability.

Unusual record of a multiple predation of the Patagonian seahorse Hippocampus patagonicus by the Narrownose smooth-hound Mustelus schmitti in Argentine coastal waters

Seahorses (Genus Hippocampus) are rarely reported as prey items. Their low population numbers, their ability to blend with the environment and their low palatability are the features making them an unsuitable option for predators. Five individuals of the Patagonian seahorse Hippocampus patagonicus were found in the stomach of a single narrownose smooth-hound shark Mustelus schmitti from a sample of 959 stomachs analyzed. This rare record in a single stomach out of hundreds analyzed suggests that these individuals might have clustered in a group which was detected by the opportunistic M. schmitti.

Effect of feeding level on the digestibility of alternative protein-rich ingredients for African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of nutrients and individual amino acids (AA) for 13 feed ingredients as affected by feeding level were determined for African catfish, a species of economic importance in Africa. Results from two trials are reported. In each trial, ADC were determined using a reference diet and test diets with yttrium oxide as indicator. Juvenile African catfish (averaging 53.9 g, trial 1; 40.4 g, trial 2) were stocked in tanks connected to a common recirculation aquaculture system. Ingredients tested included hydrolysed feather meal (HFM), fishmeal (FM), insect meal (IM), soybean meal (SBM), sunflower meal (SFM), poultry meal (PM), corn dried distillers grains with solubles (CDDGS), faba beans (FB), lupine meal (LM), pea protein (PP), guar meal (GM), canola meal (CM) and yeast meal (YM). The effect of feeding level on ADC was determined by feeding fish restrictively (80% satiation) for 5 weeks and subsequently to apparent satiation for 2 weeks. Inclusion of yeast meal at 30% resulted in low palatability. ADC of nutrients were significantly affected by feeding level (except for fat and carbohydrate), but the effect was ingredient-dependent. African catfish was able to digest protein very effectively in almost all tested ingredients with ADC values ranging from 85.6 to 105.1% across feeding periods. Several ingredients tested, including animal protein ingredients and YM had similar high ADC for dry matter as FM. However, the ADC of AA differ among ingredients, indicating a need for digestible amino acid profile data. Methionine (Met) was the first limiting essential amino acid in HFM, FB, and LM with values ranging from 5−6 g/kg, expressed as digestible Met (dMet) per unit of digestible protein (DP), compared to FM (27 g dMet/kg DP). IM had comparable and sometimes higher overall digestible essential AA values compared to FM, except for methionine and lysine. For oilseeds and legumes, SBM tended to be the best quality AA source, as it had the highest digestible essential amino acid profile. These data provide information concerning nutrient and digestible AA values, which will allow a more efficient use of alternative ingredients in African catfish diets. Formulating diets based on the digestible AA in ingredients will aid precise feed formulation, thereby minimising economic losses and reducing the environmental footprint of aquaculture production.

Comparative Efficacy of Two Types of Antibiotic Mixtures in Gut Flora Depletion in Female C57BL/6 Mice.

Over the last decade, interest in the role of the microbiome in health and disease has increased. The use of germ-free animals and depletion of the microbial flora using antimicrobials are 2 methods commonly used to study the microbiome in laboratory mice. Germ-free mice are born, raised, and studied in isolators in the absence of any known microbes; however, the equipment, supplies, and training required for the use of these mice can be costly and time-consuming. The use of antibiotics to decrease the microbial flora does not require special equipment, can be used for any mouse strain, and is relatively inexpensive; however, mice treated in this manner still retain microbes and they do not live in a germ-free environment. One commonly used antibiotic cocktail regimen uses ampicillin, neomycin, metronidazole, and vancomycin in the drinking water for 2 to 4 wk. We found that the palatability of this mixture is low, resulting in weight loss and leading to removal of mice from the study. The addition of sucralose to the medicated water and making wet food (mash) with the medicated water improved intake; however, the low palatability still resulted in a high number of mice requiring removal. The current study evaluated a new combination of antibiotics designed to reduce the gut microbiota while maintaining body weights. C57BL/6NCrl mice were placed on one of the following drinking water regimens: ampicillin/neomycin/metronidazole/vancomycin water (n = 16), enrofloxacin/ampicillin water ( n = 12), or standard reverse osmosis deionized water (RODI) ( n = 11). During an 8 day regimen, mice were weighed and water consumption was measured. Feces were collected before and after 8 d of treatment. Quantitative real-time PCR (real-time qPCR) for 16S bacterial ribosome was performed on each sample, and values were compared among groups. The combination of enrofloxacin and ampicillin improved water intake, together with a greater reduction in gut flora.

Healthy Eating in Low-Income Rural Louisiana Parishes: Formative Research for Future Social Marketing Campaigns.

High rates of obesity and chronic disease exist in the southeastern United States (US). Knowledge about the attitudes, beliefs, and barriers of the rural low-income Louisiana population regarding healthy eating is limited. Focus Group discussions based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) were conducted in rural parishes (N = 3) with low-income residents of Louisiana (N = 29). Grounded Theory methods and cross-case analysis were used. The participants were primarily single Black females of age 18–30 years who earned a high school diploma, were employed, and had children. Beliefs included healthy eating was physically beneficial, yet financial impacts and the low palatability of healthy foods were barriers. Professional resources for nutrition education were limited which led to reliance on friends, family, and the internet. Friends and family were positive and negative influences on eating choices. Control beliefs included the high prices and low palatability of healthy foods, the wide availability of Energy Dense Nutrient Poor (EDNP) foods, and low motivation to sustain eating behavior changes. Formative research to optimize campaign distribution channels may improve accessibility to social marketing support and healthy eating resources. Persuasive messages that address control beliefs are needed in social marketing campaigns for rural low-income Louisiana environments.

Seed Meals from Brassica nigra and Eruca sativa Control Artificial Nosema ceranae Infections in Apis mellifera.

Nosema ceranae is a widespread parasite responsible for nosemosis Type C in Apis mellifera honey bees, reducing colony survival. The antibiotic fumagillin is the only commercial treatment available, but concerns are emerging about its persistence, safety, and pathogen resistance. The use of natural substances from Brassicaceae defatted seed meals (DSMs) with known antimicrobial and antioxidant properties was explored. Artificially infected bees were fed for 8 days with candies enriched with two concentrations, 2% and 4%, of two DSMs from Brassica nigra and Eruca sativa, containing a known amount of different glucosinolates (GSLs). The food palatability, GSL intake, bee survival, and treatment effects on N. ceranae spore counts were evaluated. Food consumption was higher for the two 2% DSM patties, for both B. nigra and E. sativa, but the GSL intake did not increase by increasing DSM to 4%, due to the resulting lower palatability. The 2% B. nigra patty decreased the bee mortality, while the higher concentration had a toxic effect. The N. ceranae control was significant for all formulates with respect to the untreated control (312,192.6 +/− 14,443.4 s.e.), and was higher for 4% B. nigra (120,366.3 +/− 13,307.1 s.e.). GSL hydrolysis products, the isothiocyanates, were detected and quantified in bee gut tissues. Brassicaceae DSMs showed promising results for their nutraceutical and protective effects on bees artificially infected with N. ceranae spores at the laboratory level. Trials in the field should confirm these results.

Effects of “fresh mechanically deboned meat” inclusion on nutritional value, palatability, shelf-life microbiological risk and digestibility in dry dog food

Fresh mechanically deboned meat (MDM) is usually claimed as high-quality ingredient on dry pet food recipes and this aspect may positively influence consumer choice. It is important to determine the scientifically sustainability of this claim and to assess the microbiological safety of MDM inclusion in dry pet food. Objectives were: 1) to evaluate the effect of inclusion of MDM in dry dog food on fatty acid profile and in vivo and in vitro digestibility, proposing a new system (DaisyII Incubator) to measure the in vitro digestibility for dogs; 2) to compare palatability of dry dog food containing MDM with dry dog food in which meat by-products (MBP) are the only animal protein sources; 3) to determine, whether or not, the inclusion of that ingredient changes the microbiology and the storage quality. Results indicated that MDM product was characterized by significant higher nutritional value in terms of fatty acids profile, in vitro digestibility (HV-IVD method) and lower palatability than the MBP product. Microbiological risk assessment showed no microbiological hazards for either product. After 6-months storage, the total mesophilic bacterial count ranged between 1.77 and 2.09 log CFU/g feed, while polyamine values were higher in the MDM (0.37 g/kg) than in the MBP (0.27 g/kg). The DaisyII Incubator was found to be a valid instrument for studying in vitro digestibility also for dogs, providing data simply, quickly, with less variability and costs than in vivo trials. In conclusion, MDM inclusion in dry dog food is microbiologically safe and it can improve its nutritional quality, at the expense of a reduced palatability. The higher polyamine levels fount in MDM-enriched petfood after 6-months storage, however, may represent a possible hazard, and further studies are still warranted.

Potency of Low Tannin Sorghum Bran in Diets on Productive Performance and Meat Quality of Native Chicken

Sorghum bran is a by-product of sorghum flour production which can still be used as animal feed. The low palatability is a one of the obstacles in using sorghum bran as native chicken feed. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential use of sorghum bran as feed on the performance and meat quality of native chicken. 180 DOC native chickens were divided into 3 treatments and 6 replications using a completely randomized design for 60 days. The treatments used were different level of sorghum bran usage in the feed, namely; 0% (control), 10% (T1), 20% (T2). The data observed included feed consumption, growth, feed conversion ratio, carcass percentage and meat quality. Giving up to 20% sorghum bran in feed did not significantly affect the feed consumption, growth, feed conversion, carcass percentage, and meat quality of native chicken. Therefore, sorghum bran can be used as an energy source of feed up to 20% and has no negative effect on the performance and quality of local chicken meat

Long-term effects of white-tailed deer overabundance, hybrid poplar genotype and planting stock type on tree growth and ecosystem services provision in bioenergy buffers

Populus hybrids are increasingly planted in multifunctional bioenergy buffers bordering crop fields. However, such small agroforestry systems are vulnerable to damage caused by overabundant deer populations. We measured after 8 years the effects of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), genotype and planting stock type on tree growth and ecosystem services provision (biomass production; energy, nutrient and carbon storage; and phytoaccumulation of soil nitrate and phosphorus) in 15-m wide buffers located downslopes of hayfields in southern Québec (Canada). Two deer protection treatments (fenced and unfenced), two genotypes (P. deltoides × P. nigra, genotype D×N-3570 and P. maximowiczii × P. balsamifera, genotype M×B-915311) and two stock types (bare-root stocks: ±1.8 m in height and whips: 2.5 m in height) were studied. In unfenced plots, deer heavily browsed poplars (increase in the height of the first branch by 59 cm), repeatedly rubbed tree bark (36% of trees with rubs for genotype D×N-3570, and 59% for genotype M×B-915311), slightly decreased survival (by 2.9%), which reduced tree-level and stand-level productivity. Proportion of trees with rubs, first branch height and survival were correlated (p < 0.001) with woody biomass yields. Fenced poplars increased wood volume, biomass and energetic content by 20–21%, and C, N and P stocks in aboveground biomass by 13–20%. Higher soil phosphorus bioavailability was also found in unfenced plots. Genotype D×N-3570, which allocates less biomass to branches, grows its first branches farther from the ground and rapidly develops a rough and thick bark, was the least affected by deer, despite its high palatability. Genotype M×B-915311, which had higher biomass allocation to branches, a smooth and thin bark, but low palatability, was the most affected by deer. Soils in plots of genotype M×B-915311 had the lowest macronutrients availability, except for nitrate. Biomass feedstock quality (i.e. low nutrient concentrations and high heating value of woody biomass) was highest for genotype M×B-915311. In both fenced and unfenced plots, whips were more productive than bare-root stocks, especially for genotype D×N-3570. Optimizing ecosystem services provision in bioenergy buffers can be achieved by fencing, and by genotype and stock type selection.

Diversité herbacée dans les parcours du noyau de sélection du Centre de recherches zootechniques de Kolda en zone soudanienne du Sénégal

Situé dans la zone soudanienne du Sénégal, le Centre de recherches zootechniques de Kolda est subdivisé en zone de parcours et en zone de cultures annuelles. Du fait de sa tolérance à la trypanosomose, la race Ndama est la seule race bovine qui fait l’objet d’étude de sélection dans le Centre. Cependant, on assiste depuis quelques années à une forte pression sur les zones de parcours liée à l’augmentation de la taille du troupeau et des superficies allouées aux cultures annuelles. Cela risque de réduire la diversité des espèces fourragères et ainsi d’impacter la performance génétique des animaux, compromettant les objectifs de sélection. Cette étude a eu pour objectif d’évaluer l’effet combiné du surpâturage et des activités agricoles sur la structure taxonomique de la végétation herbacée dans un système semi-extensif. Des relevés de végétation ont été effectués dans les différentes unités d’occupation du sol en fin de saison des pluies dans 75 placettes de 0,25 mètre carré. Ainsi, 69 espèces réparties dans 43 genres et 13 familles ont été inventoriées. La richesse spécifique a été plus importante dans les jachères, suivies des zones de parcours avec respectivement 36 et 26 espèces.m². La diversité spécifique a été faible dans les champs de légumineuses et les champs de coton. Dans les zones de parcours ont surtout dominé les Rubiaceae (Diodia sarmentosa, Spermacoce stachydea) et les Lamiaceae (Mesosphaerum suaveolens), familles de plantes à faible appétibilité, ainsi que des graminées à enracinement profond (Andropogon gayanus, Schizachyrium sanguineum). Les résultats ont révélé que le système d’exploitation des terres du Centre affectait négativement la composition et la diversité des herbacées et favorisait la prolifération des espèces faiblement appétées par les bovins.

Climate warming and introduced herbivores disrupt alpine plant community of an oceanic island (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

Invasive alien species and climate change are two of the main current threats to conservation of biodiversity worldwide. Their effects have been extensively studied individually, but we know less about their combined effect. This study analyzes the population changes in the plant community of the high mountain legume shrub habitat of Tenerife over 10 years (between 2009 and 2018), using alien herbivore exclusion plots distributed over two sectors with different patterns of climate. Our outcomes show contrasting effects of herbivory and climate in plant communities, with significant shifts in community composition. The dominant species, Teide broom (Spartocytisus supranubius), is negatively affected by both climate and alien herbivores, leading to a regression of its abundance. In contrast, a formerly rare species, Pterocephalus lasiospermus, is benefiting from warmer temperatures and from herbivore presence owing to its low palatability. Simultaneously, some thermal native species from the neighboring pine forest are invading the alpine ecosystem. We conclude that the alpine habitat is changing very quickly and differently according to whether it is in warmer or colder sectors of the summit of Tenerife. This work reveals the need to simultaneously consider multiple drivers to understand the response of mountain ecosystems to global change.

Traditional Practices and Consumer Habits regarding Consumption of Underutilised Vegetables in Kilimanjaro and Morogoro Regions, Tanzania.

Background Wild vegetables serve an important purpose in the health and diet of many people residing in the rural areas. Various traditional practices associated with their processing and consumption are uncommon and unknown to the present generation, resulting to their underutilization. Methods Qualitative data were obtained through focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and participant observation. Using a checklist and questionnaire, a total of 120 individuals from 120 randomly selected households in Kilimanjaro and Morogoro regions were interviewed. Results. Underutilised indigenous vegetables from Morogoro and Kilimanjaro regions were investigated. Out of 40 vegetables, four underutilised vegetables (UVs), Sunga (Launea cornuta), Kikundembala (Vigna vexillata), Mokiki (Momordica foetida), and Inyiri (Basella alba), were identified, collected, and studied. Over 75% of respondents preferred UVs to exotic species, the likes of cabbage, amaranth, eggplant, pumpkin leaves, and spinach. It was further noted that with the existing myths and fads associated with consumption of UVs, as well as the widespread use of the exotic vegetable species among the modern generation, UVs' future demand is diminishing. Conclusion There are many varieties of UVs in Morogoro and Kilimanjaro regions. However, the UVs are currently showing decreasing demand due to various reasons including difficulties in preparation, low palatability, and negative image to consumers; introduction of exotic species of vegetables was found to further suppress the use of UVs.

Supplementation strategies to enhance intake of romerillo (Chiliotrichum diffusum) by sheep in southern Patagonia

Abstract Romerillo (Chiliotrichum diffusum) is an unpalatable and invasive shrub occurring in over 1 M ha of Magellan rangelands, which constraints livestock operations and reduces biodiversity. Low nutrient content and the presence hydrolizable tannins (HT) explain the low palatability of the shrub. We determined whether supplemental macronutrients (Exp. 1) or polyethylene glycol (PEG; Exp. 2), a compound that reduces bioavailability of tannins, enhance intake of romerillo by sheep. An in vivo digestion trial (Exp. 3) assessed the influence of nutrient supplementation on apparent DM digestibility in sheep fed romerillo. In Exp. 1, 28 yearling ewes were penned individually and randomly assigned to 4 groups (7 ewes/group), where they had supplements high in energy (HE; corn), high in protein (HP, canola meal), a choice between HE and HP (CH), or no supplement (Control; C). Subsequently, all ewes had ad libitum amounts of freshly cut romerillo followed by 1% BW of grass hay. Intake of romerillo was HP > C > HE (8.4, 6.3, 4.5 g/Kg BW, respectively; P 0.05), but ewes supplemented with HP showed the greatest intakes of the shrub (6.6 g/Kg BW; P = 0.0002). In Exp. 3, 15 wethers were housed in metabolic crates and assigned to HP, C and Mix treatments (5 animals/group), and fed as in Exp. 1. Romerillo intake did not differ among groups, but the group HP tended (P = 0.0874) to show greater values of digestibility than the group C, and the supplemented groups presented greater DM retention values (P

A feature collection of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) by nutritious value of seeds

The study purpose was to summarize and analyze multi-year data on the nutritional quality of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) accessions from the basic collection of the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine (NCPGRU).Materials and methods. In 1992–2018, 555 accessions of the NCPGRU’s basic collection of lentils were studied. Lens culinaris Medik. accessions were represented by two subspecies: subsp. microsperma and subsp. macrosperma.The collection accessions of lentils were investigated and morphologically described; they were grouped by economic and biological features according to the Classifier of the genus Lens L.The protein content in seeds was determined by the Kjeldahl digestion in the Laboratory of Genetics, Biotechnology and Quality of the Plant Production Institute nd. a. VYa Yuriev NAAS.Results and discussion. The nutritional parameters of lentil seeds were evaluated in the full ripeness phase: protein content, cooking time, palatability, colors of cotyledons and seed coat, resistance to infuscation, and seed size.As to the protein content in seeds, the collection includes the following accessions: with a very high protein content (&gt;30%) – one reference accession UD0600398 (Ukraine) with the protein content of 30.34%; with high protein content (29-30%) – 26 accessions; with medium protein content (26–28%) – 55 accessions; with low protein content (20–25%) – 79 accessions. As to the cooking boiling rate, the collection includes 154 accessions: with a very good rate (&lt; 40 minutes) – 45 accessions; with a good rate (40–60 minutes) – 89 accessions; with a medium rate (61–80 minutes) – 20 accessions. Reference accessions for various levels of lentil palatability were distinguished and included in the collection: very low palatability (3 points) – LUG 330/04 (Ukraine); low palatability (5 points) – 1743 T 19 (Canada); high palatability (7 points) – Miledi, (Russia).The seed appearance is an important aspect of the market value of food lentils: the seed coat color, cotyledon color, resistance to infuscation. The accessions were grouped by cotyledon color as follows: yellow – 87 accessions; hot-yellow – 67 accessions; green – 6 accessions. In accordance with the Classifier of the genus Lens, there are currently eight types of the seed coat pigmentation; their references are listed below: white – LUG 45/09 (Ukraine); pink – LUG 116/09 (Ukraine); green – Zelenyy Chervonets (Ukraine); yellow-green – Krasnohradska 250 (Ukraine); gray – 1743 T 19 (Canada); gray-red – Elista (Slovakia); brown – UD0600444 (Ethiopia); and black – Beluga (Israel).Given the ability of the seed coat to infuscate, the reference accessions for this trait were chosen: infuscating – Krasnohradska 250 (Ukraine); non-infuscating – LUG 45/09 (Ukraine).

Impact of alkaloids in food consumption, metabolism and survival in a blood-sucking insect

The sense of taste provides information about the “good” or “bad” quality of a food source, which may be potentially nutritious or toxic. Most alkaloids taste bitter to humans, and because bitter taste is synonymous of noxious food, they are generally rejected. This response may be due to an innate low palatability or due to a malaise that occurs after food ingestion, which could even lead to death. We investigated in the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus, whether alkaloids such as quinine, caffeine and theophylline, are merely distasteful, or if anti-appetitive responses are caused by a post-ingestion physiological effect, or both of these options. Although anti-appetitive responses were observed for the three alkaloids, only caffeine and theophylline affect metabolic and respiratory parameters that reflected an underlying physiological stress following their ingestion. Furthermore, caffeine caused the highest mortality. In contrast, quinine appears to be a merely unpalatable compound. The sense of taste helps insects to avoid making wrong feeding decisions, such as the intake of bitter/toxic foods, and thus avoid potentially harmful effects on health, a mechanism preserved in obligate hematophagous insects.

Perennial plant patches are sinks for seeds in semi‐arid woodlands in varying condition

AbstractQuestionsUnderstanding the processes that influence resilience in semi‐arid woodland communities is of critical importance in landscapes where livestock grazing is the dominant land use and an important driver of site condition. Seed banks are a critical component of site resilience as their persistence can be crucial for recovering from disturbances. We predicted that site condition and landscape structural elements (perennial plant patches) would strongly influence the richness and density of the soil seed bank.LocationNew South Wales, Australia.MethodsWe conducted a seedling emergence study to investigate the germinable seed bank in semi‐arid woodland. Soil samples were collected from three woodland communities (Cypress pine, Black box, Red gum) from sites in three levels of site condition (poor, average, good) and from four patch types (tree, shrub, grass, open). Seed bank species were assigned to three plant trait groups based on: (a) origin; (b) lifespan; and (c) palatability. We used linear models to assess the effects of community, site condition and patch type on the richness and seed density of the germinable seed bank.ResultsSite condition did not affect the seed bank density or richness, except for a lower density of highly palatable species at poor‐condition sites. Across all communities the importance of patch type on the soil seed bank density and richness varied with plant traits. The seed bank of perennial plant patches had a greater density of perennial species, a lower density of low palatability plants, and a greater richness of native and perennial species than interspaces.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that the germinable soil seed bank in semi‐arid woodlands can be relatively resilient to degradation. This suggests that disturbed sites where perennial patches remain, may still have the ability to recover, because these patches act as important seed reservoirs.

Consumer Palatability of Beef Muscles From Australian and US Production Systems With or Without Enhancement

The objective was to assess the consumer (n = 360) palatability and satisfaction of enhanced (7%) and nonenhanced Australian grain-fed, Australian grass-fed, and US grain-fed beef from 2 beef muscles. Strip loin (longissimus lumborum [LL]) and top sirloin butt (gluteus medius [GM]) subprimals were collected from 12 Australian grass-fed, 12 Australian grain-fed, and 12 US grain-fed (USDA Choice) carcasses. In addition, tenderloin (psoas major) and eye of round (semitendinosus) subprimals were collected from the same US carcasses to serve as anchors for high and low palatability. All subprimals were aged until 29 to 32 d postmortem. All fabrication and enhancement occurred in Lubbock, Texas. Data were analyzed initially as a randomized complete design and subsequently as a split-split plot design, with the main effects of country of origin/diet (Australian grain-fed, Australian grass-fed, and US grain-fed), muscle (LL and GM), and enhancement (0% or 7%) and all potential interactions as fixed effects. Enhancement significantly improved palatability in both LL and GM steaks as evidenced by greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) consumer ratings for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, overall liking, and satisfaction. Enhancing LL steaks resulted in consumer responses that were comparable or superior to consumer responses for psoas major samples. Similarly, enhancing GM steaks resulted in consumer responses that were comparable or superior to nonenhanced LL samples. Consumers reacted least favorably to nonenhanced Australian grass-fed beef as they rated all palatability traits lowest (P &amp;lt; 0.05) for both LL and GM samples. However, enhancing grassfed beef resulted in consumer responses that were similar (P &amp;gt; 0.05) to nonenhanced grain-fed beef. This response to enhancement was observed in consumer scores for both LL and GM samples. Consumers could not detect differences (P &amp;gt; 0.05) in tenderness, juiciness, flavor, overall liking, or satisfaction between grain-fed beef from Australia and the US.

Perlakuan Biologis Dengan Memanfaatkan Fungi Untuk Meningkatkan Kualitas Pakan Ternak Asal Limbah Pertanian.

ABSTRACTAn improvement in animal feeding is one of the important and basic conditions for the better management of farming of animals. It was recognized that poor quality of the feed is mainly responsible for the poor animal performance. For most farming practices, feed is an expensive component in livestock farming. Alternative feed can be obtained from agricultural by-products with huge amount around the world. The main factors limiting the utilization of agricultural by-products like paddy straw, wheat straw and corn stover are their low digestibility, low protein content and some time low palatability. However, the nutritive value of the agricultural by-products can be enhanced through their biological treatment and hence play an important role to meet nutrient requirements of the animals. Thus, an alternative approach is biological treatment especially fungi to increase digestibility of agricultural by-products. The use of white rot fungi, brown rot fungi and soft rot fungi that metabolize lignocelluloses is a potential biological treatment to improve the nutritional value of agricultural by-products. This paper aims to discuss the role of fungi in increasing the nutritional value of agricultural by-products like paddy straw, wheat straw and corn stover.Keywords: Agricultural by-products, Biological treatment, fungi, Lignocelluloses

Influence of diets with the various nutrient provision on the mineral metabolism in broiler chicken’s organism

The intensive development of industry in recent years led to the problem of the environment pollution and the survival of humanity in these circumstances became the central challenge today and affected all spheres of human activity. In some cases, technological processes have gone out of control resulting in the rapid accumulation of substances which are uncharacteristic for biosphere (radionuclides, heavy metals, and other toxicants).As it is known, the blood system and organs of hematopoiesis are the most sensitive, so-called “Critical systems”. In some cases, changes in the blood occur under relatively small doses of substances and may be the only diagnostic indicators of diseases and their consequences.Studying the influence of the feeding level on mineral metabolism causes some interest due to the application of different poultry feeding modes. In addition, the application of some new food means reduces the overall consumption of fodder due to low palatability, which proves the importance of such research once more.

Germination characteristics and phytotoxic inhibition of germination in Artemisia adamsii, a low-palatability weed in the Mongolian steppe

AbstractArtemisia adamsii is a weed with low palatability to livestock and is thus recognized as an indicator of rangeland degradation in Mongolia. We investigated the germination characteristics of this species, phytotoxic suppression of its germination by its own residue, and the applicability of such germination behaviour to the control of this species. We also discussed the ecological consequence of these factors regarding the vegetation dynamics of the Mongolian steppe. Germination of A. adamsii was tested at different light and temperature conditions. Germination was also tested for A. adamsii and four native grassland species in the presence or absence of A. adamsii residue. Germination of A. adamsii was light-demanding and temperature-dependent. Artemisia adamsii residue showed autotoxic but sub-fatal suppression of germination, and the chemicals causing that suppression were shown to be aqueous and volatile. Phytotoxicity of A. adamsii residue on the germination of grassland species was low, except for in Artemisia frigida. The applicability of the observed sub-fatal autotoxicity for controlling this species was likely to be low, but the elucidated germination characteristics could contribute to developing a strategy for controlling this species. The autotoxicity in A. adamsii germination was suggested to have an ecological consequence that mediates species transition from A. adamsii to other species in degraded land occupied by A. adamsii. As low-palatability A. adamsii can act as a nurse plant of palatable species under grazing conditions, the invasion of A. adamsii into disturbed grasslands may facilitate the recovery of such grasslands in terms of improving pasture quality.