Feeding potentially health promoting nutrients to finishing bulls changes meat composition and allow for product health claims.

Supplementation of feed for bulls with selenium (+50%), vitamin D3 (+300%), vitamin E (+825%), vitamin K3 (+325%) and omega-3 fatty acids (+120%) affected beef nutrient composition. Twelve bulls (½â€¯year old) were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments; control (Con) or supplemented (Sup), and fed 170 days pre-slaughter at an amount of 1% of body weight. Daily gain and feed efficiency were equal in the two groups. Homogenate meat from left forequarter in the Sup group contained more selenium (+26%), vitamin MK4 (+123%), D (+197%), E (+318%), and had lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio (-24%) compared to Con meat. Sup meat fulfilled the requirements to be labelled by health claims and nutrient claims as: "A food item containing a significant amount of selenium, vitamin K and vitamin D". We suggest supplementation of cattle rations during the finishing period as a strategy to increase meat content of specific nutrients important to human health.

(90)Sr, (210)Po and (210)Pb in lichen and reindeer in Norway.

Concentrations of (90)Sr, (210)Po and (210)Pb in lichen and reindeer were studied in central (Østre Namdal) and southern Norway (Vågå) during 2000-2003. The study focussed on potential differences in concentrations of these nuclides in reindeer of different ages. Concentrations of (90)Sr in bones of approximately 10 year old adult females were about 40% higher than those in calves' antlers ((90)Sr concentrations in antlers and bones of calves are similar), while the available data from Vågå suggest that (90)Sr concentrations in reindeer calves decreased with an effective ecological half-time of 9.03+/-0.06 years during 1988-2002. Furthermore, (90)Sr concentrations were 50-80% higher in bone of reindeer of a similar age from Vågå compared to those from Østre Namdal. Concentrations of (210)Po and (210)Pb in muscle and liver tissues were comparable to those reported for reindeer in other Nordic areas, with no significant difference in (210)Po and (210)Pb concentrations between adults and calves or between reindeer from the two different study areas.

Chernobyl radioactivity persists in reindeer.

Transfer of 137Cs in the soil-plant/lichen-reindeer food chain was studied in central (Østre Namdal) and southern Norway (Vågå) during 2000-2003. Reindeer from these areas have been continuously subjected to countermeasure application since the 1986 Chernobyl accident. In both areas no decline in 137Cs concentrations was detectable in reindeer slaughtered in autumn since 1995, or in reindeer slaughtered in winter since 1998-1999. Seasonal differences in 137Cs concentrations in reindeer have been less pronounced in recent years, with 137Cs concentrations occasionally higher in autumn than in winter. Soil-to-plant 137Cs transfer was significantly higher in Østre Namdal than in Vågå. Climatic influences on lichen growth and abundance, and on soil properties that influence the availability of 137Cs for plant uptake, are hypothesized to have a larger impact on long-term transfer of radiocaesium in the soil-plant/lichen-reindeer food chain than has been previously observed.

Ileal and total tract nutrient digestibility in blue foxes (Alopex lagopus) fed extruded diets containing different protein sources.

This study compared apparent ileal and total tract digestibility of macronutrients and amino acids in blue foxes (Alopex lagopus) fed dry extruded diets. The control diet contained fish meal as the main protein source, while in the other diets 50% of the fish meal protein was replaced by not de-hulled solvent-extracted soybean meal, meat meal or bacterial protein meal. Ileal digestibility was obtained with animals modified with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA method). There were no significant differences in the average digestibility of CP, Lys, Trp, Val, Ala or Glu between IRA modified and intact animals. Average ileal digestibilities of His, Thr, Asp, Cys, Gly, Hyp, Pro, Ser, starch and total carbohydrates (CHO) were significantly lower compared with total tract values. Average ileal digestibility of Arg, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Tyr and crude fat was significantly higher than total tract digestibility. Digestibility measured in IRA modified animals showed less variability compared with values from intact animals. There were significant differences among diets in ileal as well as total tract digestibility of orude protein, most amino acids, starch and CHO, and in ileal digestibility of crude fat. Ileal crude protein digestibility of the diets ranged from 81.0-86.4% and total tract digestibility from 82.5-86.4%. Ileal amino acid digestibilities ranged from 70.1 (Asp) to 93.3% (Arg) and total tract values ranged from 72.8 (Cys) to 92.2% (Arg). Both ileal and total tract digestibilities of crude protein and most amino acids were significantly lower for diets containing meat meal or bacterial protein meal compared with the control fish meal-based diet and the diet with soybean meal. Although ileal digestibility may be more accurate than total tract digestibility in estimating the protein and amino acid supply in blue foxes, total tract digestibility may be acceptable because of numerically small differences between ileal and total tract digestibilities for protein and most amino acids. It was further concluded that ileal digestibilities of starch and CHO in the blue fox are lower than corresponding total tract digestibilities.

Concentrations of 137Cs in lynx (Lynx lynx) in relation to prey choice.

Concentrations of (137)Cs were determined in 747 lynxes killed in Norway during the period 1986-2001. Highly variable (137)Cs concentrations and aggregated transfer coefficient values were observed, probably caused by variable (137)Cs concentrations in prey and the lynx's extensive home ranges and roaming distances. Adult lynxes had higher (137)Cs concentrations than sub-adults, and lynxes killed in regions with extensive reindeer grazing areas were more contaminated than others. A model with (137)Cs deposition density, the year lynxes were killed, age, and extent of reindeer grazing area accounted for 50% of the variability in observed (137)Cs concentrations. The analyses were equivocal regarding the influence of stomach content on (137)Cs concentrations in lynx muscle, i.e., on the lynx's specialization in prey species. Gender was not significant. Information on caesium retention in lynx and better estimates of deposition densities in lynxes' home ranges are important for further elucidation of factors influencing (137)Cs contamination in lynxes.

Ovine metabolism of lithogenic sapogenins. Synthesis of [2,2,4,4-(2)h(4)]sarsasapogenone, [2,2,4,4-(2)h(4)]sarsasapogenin, and [2,2,4,4-(2)h(4)]episarsasapogenin and evaluation of deuterium retention in a sheep-dosing trial.

The suitability of [2,2,4,4-(2)H(4)]sarsasapogenone (1b), [2,2,4,4-(2)H(4)]sarsasapogenin (2b), and [2,2,4,4-(2)H(4)]episarsasapogenin (3b) as isotopically labeled dosing substrates to determine the levels of free and conjugated sapogenins present in feces from sheep grazing saponin-containing plants implicated in the development of ovine heptagenous photosentization diseases was investigated. A 1:4 mixture of [2,2,4,4-(2)H(4)]sarsasapogenin (2b) and [2,2,4,4-(2)H(4)]episarsasapogenin (3b), obtained by reduction of [2,2,4,4-(2)H(4)]sarsasapogenone (1b), was found to retain 94% of incorporated deuterium, when dosed to one sheep. The recovery of the dosed mixture of genins 2b and 3b was calculated to be 85%. Considerable loss of deuterium and a lower recovery of genin material were observed when [2,2,4,4-(2)H(4)]sarsasapogenone (1b) was dosed.