Traditional Feeding System Research Articles

Seasonal variation in fatty acid composition of milk from ruminants reared under the traditional feeding system of Sindh, Pakistan

The objective of this work was to study changes in the fatty acid (FA) profile of ruminants' milk (buffalo, cow, goat and ewe) throughout the year, raised under the conventional feeding system of Sindh, Pakistan. Milk samples were collected during the four periods of the year; in winter (Dec–Feb), spring (Mar–Apr), summer (May–Sep) and autumn season (Oct–Nov). Animals were fed on seasonal forages except in winter and late spring when shortage of green forage occurs and ruminants were fed crops byproduct and residues (wheat straw, cotton seed cake, rice husk) along with available green fodder. Overall the concentration of short chain FAs (< 14:0) in milk were highest in the winter and lowest during summer months, while the content of C-16:0 was lower in summer as compared with all months and varied by 20–38% throughout the year in all ruminant species. Summer milk produce more elevated concentration of total polyunsaturated (4–35%), trans (16–35%) and conjugated linoleic acid contents (24–48%) in comparison to winter milk among ruminant species studied. Results of present study suggest that availability of fresh grass in summer season promotes the synthesis of fatty acids beneficial for human health, including unsaturated and conjugated fatty acids in ruminants' milk, possibly due to altered biohydrogenation pathway and other unidentified characteristics.

Intramuscular fatty acid profile of longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscle from Pateri goats fed under traditional feeding system of Sindh, Pakistan

The present study was undertaken to assess the intramuscular fatty acid composition of different muscles taken from male Pateri ( n = 15) goats, reared on naturally grown grasses, leaves and pods of Acacia nilotica and crushed cereal, under traditional way of feeding. Goats were slaughtered with an average weight of 68 ± 7 kg and age 12 ± 1 month. The samples were taken from longissimus dorsi region (between the 12th and 13th rib) and distal region of semitendinosus muscle. Results of total fat content and fatty acids composition does not show significant ( P > 0.05) variation among muscles investigated. The fatty acid composition of muscles studied were primarily composed of oleic (31.50–33.38%), followed by palmitic acid (19.84–22.05%) and stearic acid (22.25–24.91%) respectively. Muscle tissue in general contained an average 51.13% of saturated fatty acids and 48.87% of unsaturated fatty acids. The mean conjugated linoleic acid was found 0.41%, 0.43% and 0.47% in ribeye and loin portion of longissimus dorsi muscle and distal region of semitendinosus muscle, respectively.

Effect of free-choice and traditional feeding systems on goat feeding behaviour and intake

The influence of two feeding systems – free-choice and traditional – on feeding behaviour and nutrient intake was investigated using six goats for each system. All goats were allocated to individual feeding cages. In free-choice system (group F) alfalfa hay, pasture hay, flaked barley, chick peas and broad beans grain, and beet-pulp in an unrestricted amount were offered. In the traditional system (group T), alfalfa hay in an unrestricted amount and flaked barley, according to 50% of goat energy requirements, were distributed. Dry matter intake (DMI) for each feed, total faeces output, live weight (LW), and body condition score (BCS) were measured over 13 periods: one in dry physiologic stage (D), three in pregnant stage (P1–P3) and nine in lactation (L1–L9). DMI and faecal output were measured daily for 5 consecutive days, while LW and BCS were measured at the beginning and end of each period. During pregnancy, both groups showed similar level of DMI. In group F, DMI strongly increased before delivery (+12%); in group T, it increased from period D to P1 (+44%). The shift from pregnancy to lactation in group F produced an increase in DMI from 76.4 to 89.03 g/kg MW and in group T from 74.68 to 79.26 g/kg MW. In both groups DMI reached its highest value in period L2 (120.59 g/kg MW in the F group and 96.84 g/Kg MW in the T group). The availability of food in unlimited amount did not cause an unusual intake in F group goats. In the F group, the diet feed contribution changed according to goat physiologic stage: barley and beet-pulps intake decreased during pregnancy; on the other hand, chick peas, broad beans and alfalfa hay increased. The diet chemical composition also changed: the CP content progressively increased with advancing pregnancy (12.6 vs. 16.4%), while the starch decreased (33.3 vs. 31%), and the NDF remained almost constant (above 40%). After delivery, a reverse trend was observed. During lactation, the CP content decreased by 3–4 percentage units, the starch increased by 2–3 percentage units and the NDF remained at the same value (40%). In group T, the diet was poorer in CP for 1 percentage units, and starch for 9 percentage units, while NDF doubled. The feeding adjustment of the diet might be interpreted as a need for animals to better meet their requirements. In fact, according to physiological stage evolution, the goats increased diet CP content in late pregnancy and starch content during lactation. Variation of live weight and BCS progressively improved from the first to the second year, and remained at higher levels than those of group T (around plus 10 kg of live weight and plus 0.5 in BCS). Group T remained the same during all the trial. The use of free-choice system has the advantage that farmers don’t need any particular knowledge in feeding and nutrition.

Influence of Different Systems of Feeding in the Appearance of Cryptosporidiosis in Goat Kids

This study evaluated how different systems of feeding may influence the appearance, maintenance, or both of cryptosporidial infection. Animals reared with natural lactation, a traditional artificial feeding system, and a variety of the latter were studied for oocysts in feces. The diagnosis was made by examination of fecal smears stained with auramine-O. Morbidity and mortality were high, particularly in farms with bad hygienic conditions and natural feeding systems. The traditional artificial feeding system is not enough to reduce the presence of parasites. Isolation of newborns at birth and colostrum administration with a feeding bottle, obtained in the most aseptic conditions possible, seems to be an effective prophylactic method for cryptosporidiosis control.

Priestleyana

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the rearing season (autumn vs winter) on the carcass and meat quality of light lambs, obtained according to the traditional farming system usual in central Italy. Eighty carcasses from 60 d ± 3 old unweaned Apennine single birth male lambs, permanently reared indoor, half in autumn (receiving milk from ewes permanently pastured) and half in winter (which dams did never acceded to pasture), were weighed, classified according to the EU classification system for light lambs, and their Longissimus lumborum meat was analysed for pH, colour, drip and cooking losses, proximate composition and fatty acids profile of intramuscular fat. Most of the carcasses fully responded to the 1st quality EU requirements and no effects of the rearing season was evident on carcass characteristics. On the contrary, L. lumborum of lambs born and reared in autumn, receiving milk from ewes permanently pastured, evidenced a lower Lightness L* (P = 0.02), a higher Chroma C* (P = 0.01), with a higher fat content (P = 0.04) than lambs reared in winter, which dams were permanently stall-fed. Moreover the intramuscular fat of the former was characterized by a greater PUFA concentration (P = 0.01), a more favourable n-6/n-3 ratio (P < 0.001), and a higher CLA content (P < 0.001) than the latter, as a result of the difference related to the sheep traditional feeding system.