The increase of slaughter weight in gilts as a strategy to optimize the production of Spanish high quality dry-cured ham.

Crossbred pigs (n=120) from Duroc sires mated to Landrace x Large White dams, with a mean BW of 110.5+/-2.3 kg, were used to investigate the effect of increasing the slaughter weight of gilts with regard to that of the barrows on the production of high quality dry-cured hams from Spain (Teruel ham). There were 3 treatments: barrows slaughtered at 130 kg of BW (B), gilts slaughtered at 130 kg of BW (G1), and gilts slaughtered at 134 kg of BW (G2). Growth performance was similar for G1 and G2, and both consumed less feed (P<0.001) and had less BW gain (P<0.05) and better G:F (P<0.01) than B. Also, the B treatment showed thicker backfat (P<0.001) and covering fat over the gluteus medius (GM) muscle (P<0.05) than G1 or G2, but no differences in carcass fat were detected between G1 and G2. Loin and ham yields were similar for B and G2, and both were less than those for G1 (P<0.01). Treatment did not affect the proportion of carcasses with a minimum weight of 84 kg, but the percentage of carcasses with a minimum fat depth over the GM muscle of 18 mm and the percentage of carcasses that fulfill both requirements (as required for the Teruel ham trademark) were less for G1 than for B or G2 (P<0.001). Meat from B had greater (P<0.05) intramuscular fat content than meat from G1 with loin from G2 being intermediate. Thawing losses of the loins were greater (P<0.05) for B than for G2 with loins from G1 being intermediate. Shear force value was greater for meat from G1 than for that from G2 with meat from B being intermediate (P<0.05). Fat over the GM muscle from the B treatment was more saturated and had decreased PUFA/SFA ratio than that from G1 with fat from G2 being intermediate (P<0.001). Also, backfat from the B treatment showed decreased (P<0.01) PUFA proportion than backfat from G1 or G2. We conclude that increasing the slaughter weight of gilts by 4 kg with respect to that of barrows optimized the 2 criteria used for the selection of carcasses destined for the production of Teruel ham.

The effect of seasonality of the growing-finishing period on carcass, meat and fat characteristics of heavy barrows and gilts.

A trial was conducted to study the effect of gender (barrows; gilts) and seasonality of growing-finishing period (S, summer; W, winter) on the carcass and meat characteristics and fatty acid (FA) profile of subcutaneous fat of pigs slaughtered at 131kg of body weight. No significant gender×seasonality interaction was detected and the differences between genders were scarce. The S pigs had a 13.2% thinner fat depth over the Gluteus medius muscle and a higher yield of shoulders and loins by 10.6% and 10.0%, respectively than W pigs. Meat from S pigs had 32.5% lower intramuscular fat content and higher cooking losses (9.1%) and shear force (6.4%) than meat from W pigs. Subcutaneous fat from S pigs had a 7.8% higher percentage of saturated FA and 4.9% lower monounsaturated FA than that from W pigs. It is concluded that in Spanish natural-environment facilities, the seasonality of the growing-finishing period affects the carcass, and meat and fat quality of heavy pigs.

The effects of sex and slaughter weight on growth performance and carcass traits of pigs intended for dry-cured ham from Teruel (Spain).

Crossbred pigs (n = 200) from Duroc sires mated to Landrace x Large White dams, with a mean BW of 107.0 +/- 2.4 kg and intended for highquality dry-cured hams (Teruel ham) from Spain, were used to investigate the effects of sex (barrows and gilts) and slaughter weight (SW; 120, 125, 130, 135, and 140 kg of BW) on growth performance and carcass characteristics. For productive performance, there were 5 treatments based on 5 SW; each treatment was replicated 4 times and the replicate was a pen made up of 5 barrows and 5 gilts allotted together. For carcass traits, there were 10 treatments based on 2 sexes and 5 SW; each treatment was replicated 20 times and the replicate was a carcass. Barrows had fatter carcasses (P < 0.001) and wider hams (P < 0.01) but a lower yield of trimmed shoulder (P < 0.05), loin (P < 0.001), and ham (P < 0.001) than gilts. Also, castrates tended to show a greater proportion of final suitable carcasses for Teruel ham (P < 0.10) than females because more barrows than gilts fulfilled the minimum requirement of carcass weight and fat thickness in the gluteus medius (GM) muscle (P < 0.01). An increase in SW tended to decrease ADG and G:F (P < 0.10). In addition, dressing percentage, fat, and dimensions of carcass and ham increased as SW increased (P < 0.001). Although the weight of trimmed primal cuts (shoulder, loin, and ham) increased with SW, the yield of trimmed loin or ham decreased (P < 0.01). The proportion of final suitable carcasses for Teruel ham improved as SW increased up to 130 kg of BW but not thereafter (P < 0.001) because of an increase in percentage carcasses that fulfilled the minimum carcass and ham weight (P < 0.001) and fat in GM (P < 0.05). We can conclude that barrows were better than gilts when intended for Teruel ham. Furthermore, an increase in SW up to 130 kg in pigs impaired growth performance but improved some aspects of carcass quality that are required by the Teruel ham industry.

Carcinomatosis peritoneal por tumor apendicular / Peritoneal carcinomatosis by appendiceal tumour

• Introducción: el término Pseudomixoma Peritoneal es una entidad rara que hace referencia a la diseminaciónperitoneal de un tumor cuyas células producen gran cantidad de mucina. Suele proceder de un tumorapendicular perforado, y se distribuyen de una forma característica por la superficie peritoneal. Aunque histológicamentepuedan no mostrar agresividad, clínicamente sí lo son.• Material y métodos: presentamos el caso de una mujer diagnosticada de carcinomatosis peritonealpor un carcinoma apendicular. Fue tratada mediante cirugía y quimioterapia sistémica basada en 5FU. De estaforma conseguimos una larga supervivencia con un buen control sintomático.• Conclusiones: no existen tratamientos de elección para esta enfermedad. Basándose en su peculiarcomportamiento clínico, algunos autores intentan una aproximación curativa, mediante cirugías agresivas yquimioterapia intraperitoneal. Se trata de un procedimiento complicado, no validado en ensayos clínicos. El casoque presentamos muestra que una opción razonable de tratamiento puede basarse en cirugía convencional yquimioterapia sistémica

• Purpose: Mucinous ascites by mucus-producing tumour epithelial cells with peritoneum disseminationis a rare condition known as pseudomyoma peritonaei. In nearly all the cases the cause is a primary tumour ofthe appendix. It is an entity with multifocal peritoneal epithelial implants, distributed in a characteristic way.Although it can be not aggressive histologically, it is invariably fatal clinically.• Material and methods: We present the case of a woman diagnosed of peritoneal carcinomatosis byan appendicular carcinoma, who was treated by surgery and systemic chemotherapy based on 5-FU. With thisapproach we got a long survival with a good symptomatic control.• Conclusion: There are no standard treatments for this disease. Based on its particular behaviour, theapproach of some specialists is an aggressive surgery combined with intraperitoneal chemotherapy. However,it is a complex procedure, not validated by clinical studies. Our case shows that it can be achieved a goodclinical control with conservative surgery and systemic chemotherapy

[Advanced urethral carcinoma. Which is the best management of a infrequent disease?]. / Carcinoma uretral con extensión locorregional importante. Cómo manejamos una patología infrecuente?

Urethral cancer is an uncommon tumor (<0.1% of all genitourinary neoplasms). Most of them are squamous carcinoma, adenocarcinomas are about 5% of all urethral cancer. Surgery is the only curative treatment. Surgical technics depend of tumoral location and extension. Conservative surgery is elective if survival is not compromised. Extensive surgery is needed in large lesions. Chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) must be used in patients in which surgery is not possible. Due to the low incidence of this neoplasm is not well established the best therapeutic approach. We present the case of a female (35 years old) with a diagnosis of urethral adenocarcinoma. The initial stage was IV due to non-regional lymph nodes metastases. Surgery was impossible and the patient received chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The patient achieved complete response with CT but a progression was observed in course of RT. The patient died due to systemic progression.

Carcinoma uretral con extensión locorregional importante. ¿Cómo manejamos una patología infrecuente? / Advanced urethral carcinoma. Which is the best management of a infrequent disease?

El carcinoma primario de uretra es un tumor de escasa incidencia, ocupa menos del 0,1 por ciento de las neoplasias genitourinarias. La mayoría de tumores corresponden a carcinomas escamosos, siendo mucho menos frecuentes los adenocarcinomas. El tratamiento curativo es la cirugía y las técnicas dependen de la localización del tumor. La cirugía conservadora será de elección siempre que ésta no comprometa la curación. Determinadas localizaciones o extensión de enfermedad pueden requerir cirugía mutilante. En aquellos casos en los que no es posible un tratamiento quirúrgico se emplean otras estrategias terapéuticas (radioterapia o quimioterapia), sin que se disponga de estudios con número suficiente de pacientes que permitan establecer la mejor actitud terapéutica. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 35 años afecta de adenocarcinoma parauretral avanzado al diagnóstico. Ante la imposibilidad de recibir tratamiento quirúrgico fue tratada con quimioterapia más radioterapia. El tratamiento combinado produjo respuesta completa pero posteriormente apareció una recaída precoz que condicionó el exitus (AU)