The quality of meat is influenced by several aspects, among which post-vaccination abscesses and bruises stand out as primary factors for the condemnation of carcasses. However, economic losses resulting from improper handling practices can severely compromise the profitability of both the packing plant and the producer. The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of occurrence of abscesses and bruises in carcasses of animals slaughtered in a packing plant and analyze the economic losses generated by them. The number of animals examined was determined according to the slaughter flow in the packing plant (10-20% of animals/day). Data pertaining to region and number of bruises, abscess location, weight of excised portions and distance from the municipalities of origin of the animals were collected and evaluated by descriptive statistical analysis. The occurrence of lesions was 78% trauma- and 45% abscess-derived. The presence of these lesions resulted in economic losses, representing a depreciation of BRL 2.99/animal in the profit obtained by the cattle farmer. A comparison between the “sex classes” and “bruising” factors revealed that the females had higher occurrence and distribution of bruises and abscesses than uncastrated and castrated males. Bruises were more frequent in the hindquarter region, regardless of the distance, while abscesses were restricted to the forequarter. The weight of discarded tissues was higher on farms less than 200 km away from the packing plant; however, these results were influenced by the number of animals evaluated in the group.
Artificial shading is widely used to provide thermal comfort to animals and has been extensively researched due to its relationship with their welfare and performance. This study examines the physiological and behavioral traits of sheep in a feedlot system with and without access to shade. Twenty male Santa Inês × Dorper crossbred sheep with an initial average weight of 25 kg were used in the experiment. The animals were kept in two collective stalls, one of which was equipped with a polypropylene mesh shade net with 80% light interception capacity. The experiment was conducted in the feedlot of the Fazenda Escola farm at UEG, São Luís de Montes Belos Campus, state of Goiás, Brazil. Environmental indices (ambient temperature, relative humidity, temperature-humidity index), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and surface temperature (ST) were measured once weekly and behavioral assessments were performed one day after the physiological assessment, between 07h00 and 19h00. The following behaviors were evaluated: feeding, rumination, rest/sleep, social, play and anomalous activities. There were no significant differences for the analyzed variables and treatments. Animals with access to shade had the following physiological results: RR - 75.06 mov. min-1; ST - 33.03 ºC; and RT - 39.21 ºC. Those without access to shade, in turn, showed the following indices: RR - 81.52 mov. min-1; ST - 33.45 ºC; and RT - 39.43 ºC. The evaluated behaviors did not differ significantly, averaging 226.11 and 225.44 min (feeding), 153.33 and 149.44 min (rumination), 341.39 and 339.72 min (rest/sleep) and 152.50 and 154.72 min (other activities) recorded in the sheep with and without access to shade, respectively. Despite the lack of differences between the analyzed responses, the animals with access to artificial shade showed greater comfort, welfare and quality of life.
Objetivou-se avaliar fungos ruminais como potenciais probióticos em associação a dietas de alto grão no desempenho e rendimento de carcaça, e quadro de acidose em borregos Santa Inês/Dorper. Adotou-se fatorial 4x2 em DIC, sendo dois processamentos (grão moído ou inteiro) e quatro inoculantes (sem inóculos, com Rhizomucor spp., com Aspergillus terreus e com mistura dos dois fungos). Utilizou-se oito baias com cinco borregos/baia, durante 75 dias. Dietas com 85% de milho associadas à 15% de núcleo foram fornecidas ad libitum duas vezes ao dia, com inóculos aspergidos no arraçoamento. Realizou-se cinco coletas de amostras dos ingredientes das dietas e das sobras durante o ensaio para realização das análises centesimais. Pesou-se os animais quinzenalmente para avaliação dos índices de desempenho. Ao final do ensaio, na ocasião do abate, foram calculados os rendimentos de carcaça de cinco animais por tratamento. Os dados foram submetidos à ANOVA e as médias dos dados comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5 %. Não houve interação entre os fatores processamento e probióticos para as variáveis de desempenho (P > 0.05), assim como, não houve efeito da adição dos probióticos sobre o desempenho dos ovinos alimentados com os diferentes tratamentos (P > 0.05). Foi observado maior consumo de MS, MM, EE, FDN e CNF para os animais alimentados com milho grão inteiro (MGI) (P < 0.05). Não houve diferença significativa (P > 0.05) para o consumo de MO, PB, GPMD, ingestão de alimento e nem para eficiência alimentar. O aumento da concentração dos fungos e a associação dos fatores na dieta não demonstrou ser eficaz.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.