The economic damage that results from aerobic deterioration of silage is a significant problem for farm profitability and feed quality. This paper quantifies the dry matter (DM) and nutritional losses that occur during the exposure of corn and sorghum silages to air over 14 d and assesses the possibility of enhancing the aerobic stability of silages through inoculation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The trial was carried out in Northern Italy on corn (50% milk line) and grain sorghum (early dough stage) silages. The crops were ensiled in 30-L jars, without a LAB inoculant (C), with a Lactobacillus plantarum inoculum (LP), and with a Lactobacillus buchneri inoculum (LB; theoretical rate of 1 × 10(6) cfu/g of fresh forage). The pre-ensiled material, the silage at silo opening, and the aerobically exposed silage were analyzed for DM content, fermentative profiles, yeast and mold count, starch, crude protein, ash, fiber components, 24-h and 48-h DM digestibility and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability. The yield and nutrient analysis data of the corn and sorghum silages were used as input for Milk2006 to estimate the total digestible nutrients, net energy of lactation, and milk production per Mg of DM. The DM fermentation and respiration losses were also calculated. The inocula influenced the in vitro NDF digestibility at 24h, the net energy for lactation (NE(L)), and the predicted milk yield per megagram of DM, whereas the length of time of air exposure influenced DM digestibility at 24 and 48 h, the NE(L), and the predicted milk yield per megagram of DM in the corn silages. The inocula only influenced the milk yield per megagram of DM and the air exposure affected the DM digestibility at 24h, the NE(L), and the milk yield per megagram of DM in the sorghum silages. The milk yield, after 14 d of air exposure, decreased to 1,442, 1,418, and 1,277 kg/Mg of DM for C, LB, and LP corn silages, respectively, compared with an average value of 1,568 kg of silage at opening. In the sorghum silages, the milk yield, after 14 d of air exposure, decreased to 1,226, 1,278, and 1,250 kg/Mg of DM for C, LB, and LP, respectively. When the estimated milk yield per megagram of harvested DM of corn and sorghum silage were related to mold count, it was shown that the loss of potential milk production occurred when the mold count exceeded 4 log cfu/g of silage, and it was almost halved when the mold count reached values greater than 8 log cfu/g of silage. Inoculation with L. buchneri, at a rate of 1 × 10(6) cfu/g of fresh forage, enhanced the stability of the silage after exposure to air, and, consequently, contributed to maintaining the nutritional value of the harvested forage over time, for air exposure up to 7 d.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the sources of variation of milk fatty acids (FA) routinely predicted by mid-infrared spectroscopy in Holstein-Friesian (HF), Brown Swiss (BS), Simmental (SI) and Alpine Grey (AG) cattle breeds. A linear mixed model was used to analyse the data which included 153,801 individual milk samples from 14,301 cows. Fixed effects included in the model were breed, month of sampling, year of sampling, stage of lactation, parity and first order interactions between them, and random effects were herd nested within breed, cow nested within breed and the residual error. Milk of AG cows exhibited the lowest content of saturated FA and the greatest content of unsaturated FA, whereas milk of BS had an opposite pattern. HolsteinFriesian and SI were intermediate between AG and BS breeds for all the FA except for total C18:1, which was the greatest in HF. Saturated FA, C14:0 and C16:0 increased from calving until 120 days in milk, whereas unsaturated FA and C18:1 decreased. First parity cows produced milk with lower concentration of de novo FA than multiparous animals. The greatest content of unsaturated FA and C18:1 was observed in summer, whereas saturated FA, C14:0, C16:0 and C18:0 decreased in summer and increased in winter. The differences in milk FA profile among breeds are useful for genetic selection and for feeding strategies.ARTICLE HISTORY

The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of different doses of silymarin in diet on broiler performances and meat quality. For the trial, 180 male chicks (ROSS 508), were allocated in to three groups (S0, S40 and S80) of 60 animals each receiving a basal diet supplemented with 0 ppm, 40 ppm and 80 ppm of a sylimarin (provided by a dry extract of Silybum marianum fruits) respectively. During the trial feed consumption and live body weight were taken every 20 days. At the age of 40 and 60 days blood samples were taken in order to evaluate protein, aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, tryglicerides and uric acid. At the age of 60 days animals were slaughtered, dressing percentages were evaluated and samples of breast and meat were taken to evaluate chemical composition and susceptibility of lipid peroxidation by means of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Silymarin at the tested doses did not affect growth performances but slightly affected slaughtering yields negatively, no specific hepatoprotective effect was found. Treatments reduced lipid content of both breast and thigh and increased muscles resistance to oxidative stress.

SummaryItalian hard cooked types of cheese, like Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano, are characterised by positive nutritional qualities. In fact, they contain substances that have particular biological activities, and therefore they can be fully considered, according to the defi nition given by the European Unit, as 'functional' foods. This short review concisely describes these components and the benefi cial eff ects related to their activities. The description of the biologically active components has been organised in the following paragraphs: protein and peptides, fat and lipids, carbohydrates and prebiotics, probiotic bacteria, vitamins, mineral salts, and components of dairy products active in disease prevention. In particular, several known bioactive peptides were found in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese samples: for example, phosphopeptides, which are known for their mineral-binding capacity and vehiculation activity, peptides with immunomodulatory activity, and angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory peptides with anti-hypertensive eff ects. Among lipids, the role of conjugated linoleic acid and other fatt y acids present in these cheese types was taken into consideration. The presence of oligosaccharides with prebiotic properties and probiotic bacteria was also described. Finally, particular emphasis was given to highly available calcium and its impact on bone health.

The royal python (Python regius) is commonly bred in captivity. To have a successful breeding season, accurate monitoring of the reproductive activity is necessary. The use of non-invasive monitoring methods in exotics is important in order to minimize stress. For this purpose ultrasound has been anecdotally used to monitor royal python reproductive activity. However, there is limited information regarding the reproductive cycle of this species. The aim of the present study is to monitor the female reproductive cycle of the royal python using ultrasonography and gonadal steroid metabolite measurements in the faeces. The reproductive activity of one hundred twenty-nine adult female P. regius was examined during two consecutive years. We performed brief scans on non-anaesthetized snakes using a portable ultrasound system and a 10–12 MHz linear array transducer (MyLab™ 30 Gold, Esaote). Ultrasound features, dimension and echogenicity of the reproductive structures were determined. During the second reproductive cycle, the hormonal profiles of 30 animals were also evaluated, with a monthly collection of faecal samples. These samples were classified according to reproductive stage, as identified by ultrasonographic examination, and the mean faecal progesterone and 17β-estradiol levels were calculated using the results from an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Progesterone levels increased during the reproductive cycle. Estradiol levels showed greater variability, although they appeared to increase before coupling when compared to the levels between coupling and egg laying. The present study suggests that it is possible to identify different phases in the female royal python reproductive cycle: anovulatory phase, transition, folliculogenesis and embryogenesis. Ultrasound is also useful for identifying follicular regression or slugs. Gonadal steroid metabolite measurements from the faeces could help integrate reproductive information. The use of ultrasonography in addition to the steroid metabolite measurement in the faeces gives an accurate picture of ovarian activity in captive adult female royal pythons.

Fat rich microorganisms, such as microalgae Schizochytrium spp., are potential biotechnological tools in the modulation of rumen microbiome towards ecofriendly and high nutritional value end-products. However, limited in vivo trials have been reported on the topic. The aim of this study was to contribute to the knowledge on the effect of fat rich microalgae on the methanogenic and feed degrading particle-associated microbes in goats’ rumen content. For the trial, twenty-four goats were divided into four homogenous clusters (six goats/treatment) according to their fat corrected (4%) milk yield, body weight and age and individually were fed with alfalfa hay and concentrate feeds (F/C = 50/50). The concentrate of the control group (CON) contained no microalgae, while those of the treated groups were supplemented daily with 20 (ALG20), 40 (ALG40), and 60 (ALG60) g of Schizochytrium spp./goat. The relative abundances of total Archaea, methanogens, Methanomassiliicoccales, Methanobrevibacter spp., Methanosphaera stadmanae and Methanobacterium formicicum were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in microalgae-fed goats compared to the CON ones. Moreover, a significant decline in the relative abundances of Firmicutes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Butyrivibrio fibrosolvents, and Neocallimastigales in the rumen particle-associated microbiota of microalgae supplemented goats were observed. In conclusion, goats’ diets supplementation with Schizochytrium spp., could be considered a sustainable nutritional strategy for methanogens inhibition in their rumen particle-associated microbiota.