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.

RESUMO: Apesar do volume de leite produzido, a qualidade da matéria-prima é um dos maiores entraves ao desenvolvimento tecnológico e à consolidação da indústria de laticínios no Brasil. Dentre os entraves, toma destaque a contagem de células somáticas do leite, que é o indicador mais usado em programas de controle e prevenção da mastite em todo o mundo. Com objetivo de identificar características no manejo de ordenha e quantificar fatores de risco que elevam a mastite subclínica e seus principais agentes causadores, realizou-se coleta de dados in loco em propriedades leiteiras na região Oeste do Paraná, coletas que consistiam na aplicação de dois questionários guia semi-estruturados, acompanhamento de uma ordenha e coleta de leite de três vacas que apresentassem o teste de CMT positivo. Com a utilização do método estatístico de análise de correspondência múltipla (ACM) chegou-se a um montante de 12 variáveis a serem estudadas e a formação das dimensões 1 e 2 com 28,54% e 21,06% da variância explicada respectivamente. Com a análise de classificação hierárquica ascendente permitiu reduzir o universo inicial de 112 vacas para quatro grupos homogêneos de produção (G1, G2, G3, G4). As características de manejo de ordenha: tipo de ordenha, secagem dos tetos antes da ordenha, tratamento para casos de mastite clínica, higiene das mãos do ordenhador e treinamento dos ordenadores foram identificados como fatores de risco para mastite subclínica com isolamento do agente Staphylococcus coagulase negativo, o qual foi o agente mais prevalente nos isolamentos microbiológicos das amostras de leite com mastite subclínica.

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.

Many markers can be used in digestibility assays for swine, but needs to be evaluated before its use. An assay was carried out with the objective of measuring the coefficients of ileal apparent (CIAD) and standardized digestibility (CISD) of amino acids in meat and bone meal for swine using different markers. Eight crossbred barrows were equipped with T-cannulas in the distal ileum. Four animals received a free protein diet and another four received a diet containing meat and bone meal as the only protein source in the diet. The treatments consisted in evaluating the chromic oxide, acid-insoluble ash naturally occurring in the diet, cellulose and lignin as markers to determine the apparent and standardized digestibility of the amino acids contained in the meat and bone meal. All data were submitted to analysis of variance and means were compared using the Tukey test, with a significance of 5%. The CIAD, obtained using chromic oxide as external marker, were lower (P<0.05) than those obtained when acid insoluble ash, lignin and cellulose were used as markers, observing differences for all the amino acids evaluated. Similarly, the CISD from all the studied amino acids were lower (P<0.05) when the chromic oxide was used for determining the indigestibility factor. It is concluded that chromic oxide used as a external marker, to determine the coefficients of apparent and standardized ileal digestibility of the amino acids of the meat and bone meal, is most appropriate than the acid insoluble ash naturally occurring in diets, lignin and cellulose.Index terms: Acid-insoluble ash, cellulose, chromic oxide, lignin, simple T-cannula. RESUMOMuitos indicadores podem ser utilizados em ensaios de digestibilidade para suínos, mas precisam ser avaliados antes de serem utilizados. O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de determinar os coeficientes de digestibilidade ileal aparentes (CDIA) e estandardizados (CDIE) dos aminoácidos da farinha de carne e ossos, para suínos, utilizando diferentes indicadores. Oito suínos, machos castrados, foram submetidos à cirurgia para aimplantação de cânulas T simples, no íleo distal. Quatro animais receberam uma dieta isenta de proteína e outros quatro uma dieta contendo farinha de carne e ossos como única fonte protéica na dieta. Os tratamentos consistiram em avaliar o óxido crómico, cinza insolúvel em ácido naturalmente contido na dieta, celulose e lignina como indicadores para determinar os CDIA e CDIE dos aminoácidos da farinha de carne e ossos. Os dados foram submetidos a análise de variância e as médias foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey, ao nível de 5% de significância. Os CDIA, obtidos usando o óxido crômico como indicador externo, foram menores (P<0,05) em relação aos obtidos utilizando cinza insolúvel em ácido, lignina e celulose como indicadores, observando-se diferenças para todos os aminoácidos avaliados. O CDIE de todos os aminoácidos estudados foram menores (P<0,05) quando o óxido crômico foi utilizado para a determinação do fator de indigestibilidade. Conclui-se que...

High extrusion temperatures may compromise the functionality of probiotics in dry food. This study aimed to (i) evaluate the effects of two types of microencapsulation techniques, different encapsulating agents, and 120 days of storage on the viability of a commercial probiotic product and (ii) investigate fecal microbiota populations and fecal characteristics of adult cats fed with diets supplemented with probiotics. Three experimental treatments were evaluated: T1, commercial feed (control); T2, commercial kibbles coated with probiotics; and T3, commercial feed supplemented with freeze-dried probiotics and fructooligosaccharides. Fructooligosaccharides and gum arabic were used as encapsulating agents for freeze drying and spray drying and a pool containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Enterococcus faecium, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a probiotic. Diets were provided to 18 adult cats for 20 days. Feed samples were evaluated microbiologically, and feces were characterized according to their microbial content, pH, and fecal score. Freeze drying was more effective in maintaining microbial viability. Microcapsules prepared using fructooligosaccharides as encapsulants had the highest bacterial count: 8.74 log CFU/g of lactic acid bacteria and 8.75 log CFU/g of enterococci. Probiotics and synbiotics positively modulated (P<0.05) the fecal microbiota of cats, increasing the lactic acid bacteria counts from 3.65 to 4.87 and 5.07 log CFU/g, respectively. Microbial viability decreased significantly (P<0.05) after storage, demonstrating the need for effective protection mechanisms against extrinsic agents. In conclusion, the supplementation of cat diets with probiotics positively affected the gut microbiota. However, the results reinforce that probiotic microorganisms must be incorporated into the animal feed via effective mechanisms to withstand harsh processing conditions and storage.