Farmers' actions toward sustainability: a typology of dairy farms according to sustainability indicators.

Milk production is an important economic and social activity in Brazil. Failure to meet institutional and market demands for quality and sustainability has led farmers, particularly small-scale farmers, to leave agriculture. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the sustainability of dairy farms in Paraná, Brazil. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 75 dairy farm operators. Sustainability indicators were generated on the basis of economic, environmental and social data using exploratory factor analysis. Factor scores were subjected to hierarchical clustering, which resulted in the formation of three groups of dairy farms. Groups 1, 2 and 3 had high, intermediate and low levels of sustainability, respectively. Group 1 comprised large-scale dairy farms with high productivity. Dairy farms with intermediate sustainability (group 2) had medium production capacity, and farms with low sustainability (group 1) had the smallest production scale and capacity. Large-scale dairy farms have greater economic, environmental and social sustainability and are, therefore, more likely to survive in the medium and long term.

Mechanical removal (epidermal scarification) of pododermatitis injuries reduces the presence of both inflammatory tissue and its associated microbiota in broiler feet.

Chicken feet have become an important commodity in the international market, representing a significant portion of poultry products exported by countries such as Brazil and the USA. However, the presence of pododermatitis in the footpad is an important barrier to exportation, since importing countries do not accept injured feet or allow the use of automatic equipments to remove the affected tissue. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of using an automatic equipment to remove injuries of pododermatitis on histological and microbiological traits of broiler feet processed according to commercial practices. A total of 240 broiler feet obtained from a commercial processing plant was visually classified according to the degree of pododermatitis and distributed in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, totalizing eight treatments with 30 replications. Factors were feet classification (1 to 4) and injury removal (yes or no). Feet were sampled for microbiological and histological analysis before and after the mechanical removal of pododermatitis injuries by an automatic machine that promoted footpad epidermal scarification. No significant interaction between feet classification and injury removal was detected for any of the analyzed variables. Also, no significant effect of feet classification was detected on aerobic plate counts, total coliforms and Escherichia coli. Feet inflammation score tended to increase (P = 0.06) according to the downgrading of feet classification, but the mechanical removal of pododermatitis injuries reduced feet inflammation score (P < 0.01), total coliform counts (P = 0.01), and E. coli (P = 0.01) independently of feet classification. Together, these results demonstrate the efficacy of the automatic equipment in removing both the inflammatory tissue and its associated microbiota in broiler feet affected by pododermatitis. Therefore, in addition to the already authorized use of blades, the use of automatic equipments for epidermal scarification in the processing of broiler feet deserves further consideration by the regulatory agencies.

Microbiological, chemical, physical, and proteolytic activities of raw milk after thermal processing / Atividade microbiológica, física, química e proteolítica do leite cru após o processamento térmico

The aim was to evaluate the microbiological, chemical- physical, and shelf-life quality of milk samples after pasteurization (HTST) for 10 days or ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment for 120 days. Raw milk counts of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, Staphylococcus spp. and thermotolerant coliforms before HTST and UHT processing were 6.73 and 7.77; 2.84 and 4.30, and 4.68 and 4.37log10, respectively. Pseudomonas spp. were found in raw milk samples. No presence of any other microorganisms studied was detected and no microbial inhibitor was found. Processed samples met microbiological legal requirements. However, aerobic mesophilic counts for HTST pasteurized milk samples stored for 5 and 10 days increased to values comparable to those in raw milk. Composition chemical- physical of all samples were within legal limits. These results demonstrate that, although HTST and UHT processed milk comply with the microbiological standards required by Brazilian law, high microbial counts in raw milk are an issue, possibly due to failures in the early stages of the production chain. Increase in casein macropeptide (CMP), probably because of proteases psychrotrophic bacteria. It is concluded that the quality of raw milk directly influences the progressive increase of the CMP values.(AU)

O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi avaliar a qualidade microbiológica, fisco-química e a vida de prateleira de amostras de leite, após o processo de pasteurização rápida (HTST) ou de ultra-alta temperatura (UHT) durante 10 dias, ou de ultra-alta temperatura (UHT) por 120 dias. As contagens de micro-organismos aeróbios mesófilos, Staphylococcus spp. e de coliformes termotolerantes do leite cru utilizado para tratamentos HTST e UHT foram, respectivamente (log10): 6,73 e 7,77; 2,84 e 4,30 e 4,68 e 4,37. Foi constatada a presença de Pseudomonas spp. no leite cru. Não foi detectada a presença de nenhum outro micro-organismo estudado, e as amostras estavam isentas de inibidores microbianos. Após a pasteurização, todas as amostras apresentaram contagens microbianas compatíveis com os limites legais. No entanto, as amostras de leite pasteurizado apresentaram contagens de aeróbios mesófilos semelhantes ao leite cru após cinco e 10 dias de armazenamento. A composição físico-química de todas as amostras estava de acordo com os limites legais. Observou-se acréscimo dos níveis de caseinomacropeptídeo (CMP) no leite UHT, provavelmente em função das proteases de bactérias psicrotróficas. Conclui-se que a qualidade do leite cru influencia diretamente os valores de CMP.(AU)

SID tryptophan levels and B6 vitamin supplementation do not change blood parameters, organ weights, carcass traits, and meat quality of barrows (70-100kg).

This study evaluated the effects of standardized ileal digestible (SID) tryptophan and B6 on blood parameters, organ weights, carcass traits, and longissimus lumborum quality of barrows (70-100kg). Sixty-four crossbred barrows averaging 70.77±2.07kg were distributed in a 4×2 factorial with four SID tryptophan levels (0.130, 0.155, 0.180, and 0.205%) and two B6 levels (1 and 5mg/kg) in eight replicates of one animal each. The meat lightness degree answered linearly (P=0.015) to SID tryptophan levels and the shear force answered quadratically (P=0.050), with estimates of a higher value (31.67N) at 0.163% SID tryptophan. Although B6 showed positive effects (P<0.05) on hot and cold carcass yields and pH24, it resulted in a negative effect (P<0.05) on ham weight and yield, and increased the drip loss and cooking fluid. The dietary SID tryptophan requirement for barrows (70-100kg) was not higher than 0.130% (4.07g/day) and did not change due to B6.

Effect of active packaging on low-sodium restructured chicken steaks.

Contributing for a healthier lifestyle, the technology of active and biodegradable packaging with antimicrobial and/or antioxidants compounds and reduced sodium intake have been increasingly applied in meat and meat products. Thus, the objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of oregano essential oil (OEO) and potassium sorbate incorporated in packaging applied to the restructured chicken steaks with 40 % reduction in sodium chloride in frozen storage for 150 days. The composition of packaging did not influence moisture, crude protein, total lipids, ash, sodium and potassium content as well as pH evaluated on days 0 and 150. Salty taste was the only significant indication in the sensory analysis (p < 0.05). The use of 1 % and 0.5 % OEO incorporated in packaging reduced rancidity through lipid oxidation and can be regarded as an active antioxidant; the use of oregano or potassium sorbate in active films caused the development delay effect E. coli. Thus, the use of active packaging may maintain the product quality.

Digestibilidade da silagem de grãos úmidos de milho com diferentes granulometrias para suínos / Digestibility of high moisture corn grain silage with different particle size for swines

Avaliou-se a composição química e determinaram-se os valores de energia digestível (ED) e metabolizável (EM), os coeficientes de digestibilidade da matéria seca (CDMS), da proteína bruta (CDPB), da matéria mineral (CDMM); do extrato etéreo (CDEE); da fibra bruta (CDFB), da energia bruta (CDEB) e do extrativo não nitrogenado (CDENN) e os coeficientes de digestibilidade (CDEB) e metabolizabilidade da energia bruta (CMEB) da silagem de grãos úmidos de milho (SGUM). Foram utilizados 20 suínos, com peso vivo inicial de 28,89±4,9kg, distribuídos em gaiolas de metabolismo. Foi utilizada uma única SGUM, com quatro diferentes granulometrias 513, 587, 717 e 1363µm, que substituiu em 30 por cento a dieta-referência. Os CDMS, CDPB, CDEE, CDMM e CDENN diminuíram com o aumento da granulometria da SGUM. Os CDEB e CMEB também diminuíram de 89,0 para 94,3 por cento, e de 82,9 para 88,5 por cento, respectivamente. Os valores energéticos variaram de 4439 a 4493kcal EB/kg, de 3999 a 4194kcal ED/kg e de 3729 a 3939kcal EM/kg, na matéria seca. Os CDEB e CMEB se reduziram até os diâmetros geométricos médios de 754 e 831µm, respectivamente. A digestibilidade dos nutrientes da SGUM foi influenciada negativamente ao se aumentar o diâmetro geométrico médio das partículas.

The chemical composition; the values of digestible (DE) and metabolizable (ME) energy; the coefficients of digestibility of dry matter (CDDM), crude protein (CDCP), mineral matter (CDMM), ether extract (CDEE), crude fiber (CDFB), crude energy (CDCE), and non nitrogen extractive (CDENN); as well as the coefficient of metabolizability of gross energy (CMGE) of high moisture corn grain silage (HMCGS) were evaluated. Twenty swines, averaging 28.89±4.9kg of live weight, randomly allotted in metabolism cages were used. HMCGS with different particle sizes 513, 587, 717, and 1363µm, replacing 30 percent of basal diet was used. CDDM, CDCP, CDEE, CDMM, and CDENN decreased as the particle size of the HMCGS increased. CDGE and CMGE also decreased from 89.0 to 94.3 percent and from 82.9 to 88.5 percent, respectively. The energy values varied from 4,439 to 4,493kcal of GE/kg, 3,999 to 4,194kcal DE/kg, and 3,729 to 3,939kcal ME/kg, in dry matter basis. CDGE and CMGE decreased until the medium geometric diameters of 754 and 831µm, respectively, and the digestibility of the nutrients of the HMCGS was negatively influenced as the medium geometric diameter of the particles increased.