The Effects of Stocking Density and Distances on Electroencephalographic Changes and Cortisol as Welfare Indicators in Brahman Crossbred Cattle.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of stocking density and distances on electroencephalographic changes and cortisol as welfare indicators in Brahman crossbred cattle. Sixty Brahman crossbred heifers were subjected to road transport from a cattle feedlot farm located in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang to a commercial ruminant abattoir in Shah Alam, Selangor. Animals were assigned to long (850 km) and short (450 km) distances and high (600 sqm), medium (400 sqm), and low (200 sqm) stocking densities. Results revealed that the intensity of cortisol responses and EEG parameters (such as alpha <0.001, beta < 0.001, delta < 0.001, theta < 0.001, MF < 0.001 and Ptot < 0.001) increased significantly. Long-distance transport also resulted in significantly more intense (<0.001) responses to nociception during slaughter than animals that had been transported over a shorter distance, as indicated by EEG and cortisol.

Effects of Stocking and Transport Conditions on Physicochemical Properties of Meat and Acute-Phase Proteins in Cattle.

This study's objective was to evaluate the effects of distance and stocking density on physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of meat and acute-phase proteins in Brahman crossbred cattle transported by road under hot and humid tropical conditions. Sixty Brahman crossbred heifers were subjected to road transport from a cattle feedlot farm located in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, to a commercial ruminant abattoir in Shah Alam, Selangor. Animals were assigned to long and short distances and high, medium, and low stocking densities. The results revealed that the intensity of response significantly increased in meat samples from animals subjected to long-distance transportation and higher stocking density. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and serum amyloid-A values increased considerably and were different from the baseline values recorded at preload. In conclusion, the current results revealed that the color, pH, shear force values, water holding capacity (WHC), glycogen level, and malondilaldehyde assay (MDA) concentrations in meat and acute-phase proteins (APP) were affected by both distances and stocking densities, as evidenced by the significant changes recorded from the parameters above.

The Effects of Sea and Road Transport on Physiological and Electroencephalographic Responses in Brahman Crossbred Heifers.

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of sea and road transport on the acute phase proteins (APP), cortisol, metabolic, haematological and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses of Brahman crossbred heifers. Sixty Brahman crossbred heifers were subjected to 14 d of transportation by sea from Darwin Port, Australia, to Pasir Gudang Port, Johor, Malaysia, and 330 km of road transportation. Results revealed that the intensity of response for most blood biochemical parameters increased significantly and were different from the baseline values taken while the animals were in Darwin Port, Australia. Haematological results obtained also revealed a significant increase and were different from the baseline values. Cortisol and APP (bovine alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and serum amyloid-A) values increased significantly and were different from the baseline values. Haematological parameters, APP, cortisol and EEG data (alpha, beta, delta and theta waves, total power and median frequency) decreased significantly following 4 and 7 days post-transport, suggesting a recovery of the animals from the stressfulness of transport. In conclusion, the current results revealed that the concentrations of biochemical and haematological parameters, cortisol, APP and EEG data were affected by both sea and road transport as evidenced by the significant changes recorded from the parameters above.

Autolysis of bovine skin, its endogenous proteases, protease inhibitors and their effects on quality characteristics of extracted gelatin.

The autolysis of pretreated bovine skin (PBS) (treated with 0.1 M NaOH and 1% HCl), its endogenous proteases, inhibitors and their effects on quality attributes of gelatin were examined. PBS was subjected to different temperatures (20-90 °C) and pH (2-9) and treated with different protease inhibitors. Maximum autolytic activity of PBS was observed at 40 °C and pH 5. Ethylene-bis (oxyethylenenitrilo) tetraacetic acid (EGTA) was the most effective in impeding the degradation of γ-, ß- and α- chains of PBS protein indicating that metallocollagenases were the predominant endogenous proteases in bovine skin. Gelatin was extracted in the absence (GAE) and presence (GPE) of EGTA, and EGTA with papain enzyme (GPEP). GPEP had a higher yield and lower gel strength than GEA and GPE. Metallocollagenases partook in the degradation of gelatin thereby affecting its functional properties. Pretreating PBS with or without EGTA, and papain influenced the quality attributes of gelatin.

Effects of Ultrasound Assisted Extraction in Conjugation with Aid of Actinidin on the Molecular and Physicochemical Properties of Bovine Hide Gelatin.

Actinidin was used to pretreat the bovine hide and ultrasonic wave (53 kHz and 500 W) was used for the time durations of 2, 4 and 6 h at 60 °C to extract gelatin samples (UA2, UA4 and UA6, respectively). Control (UAC) gelatin was extracted using ultrasound for 6 h at 60 °C without enzyme pretreatment. There was significant (p < 0.05) increase in gelatin yield as the time duration of ultrasound treatment increased with UA6 giving the highest yield of 19.65%. Gel strength and viscosity of UAC and UA6 extracted gelatin samples were 627.53 and 502.16 g and 16.33 and 15.60 mPa.s, respectively. Longer duration of ultrasound treatment increased amino acids content of the extracted gelatin and UAC exhibited the highest content of amino acids. Progressive degradation of polypeptide chains was observed in the protein pattern of the extracted gelatin as the time duration of ultrasound extraction increased. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy depicted loss of molecular order and degradation in UA6. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed protein aggregation and network formation in the gelatin samples with increasing time of ultrasound treatment. The study indicated that ultrasound assisted gelatin extraction using actinidin exhibited high yield with good quality gelatin.

Scoring System for Lesions Induced by Different Strains of Newcastle Disease Virus in Chicken.

Newcastle disease virus strains are velogenic, mesogenic, and lentogenic. This study aims to design a scoring system for lesions induced by different strains of Newcastle disease virus in chicken. Three experiments were conducted. In experiments 1 and 2, chickens were divided into infected and control groups. Infected groups of experiments 1 and 2 consisted of 6 and 24 specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens, respectively. Control groups in experiments 1 and 2 consisted of 6 and 15 SPF chickens, respectively. In infected groups, infection was induced by intranasal administration of 105 50% EID50/0.1 mL of velogenic Newcastle disease virus strain (vNDV). Infected chickens in experiment 1 were euthanised by cervical dislocation on days 3, 6, and 7 postinoculation (pi). Infected chickens in experiment 2 were euthanised at hours (hrs) 2, 4, 6, 12 and days 1, 2, 4, and 6 pi. Chickens of the control group in experiment 1 were euthanised on days 3 and 7 pi, whereas control group chickens in experiment 2 were euthanised on days 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 pi. Then in experiment 3, 15 SPF chickens were divided into three groups; in the first group, 5 SPF chickens were infected with vNDV, in the second group, 5 SPF chickens were infected with lentogenic NDV (lNDV) (103.0 EID50/0.1 mL), and the third group was kept without infection as a control group. Chickens were euthanised on day 5 pi. In all previous experiments, tissues of brain, trachea, lung, caecal tonsil, liver, kidney, spleen, heart, proventriculus, intestine, and thymus were collected, fixed in 10% buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned. HS staining was applied. Tissues were examined under light microscope and changes were recorded. A scoring system was designed for lesions induced by different strains of NDV and, accordingly, lesions were scored. The scoring system was found helpful in the evaluation of disease severity.