Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research
Not a member yet
2067 research outputs found
Sort by
Phenolic profile of grapevine cv. Tempranillo skins is affected by timing and severity of early defoliation
No full textAim of study: To investigate the effects of three early leaf removal treatments on the phenolic compounds of cv. ‘Tempranillo’ (Vitis vinifera L.) grape skins.Area of study: The experiment was conducted in a vineyard located in Requena, Valencia (South-eastern Spain) over two consecutive seasons.Materials and methods: Four treatments were investigated over two seasons in drip-irrigated vines: Control (C), non-defoliated and three defoliation treatment, applied at different phenological stages and intensities where all leaves from the first 6 nodes were eliminated just before flowering (ED) and at fruitset (LD). The fourth defoliation treatment was performed at the same time of ED but only the leaves facing east of the eight first nodes were removed (EED). At harvest, thirty-eight phenolic compounds were quantified by HPLC in the grape skins, including anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids and their tartaric derivatives.Main results: A general increase of the skin phenolic compounds concentration was found in response to the defoliation treatments. The largest and more significant effects were observed for LD in 2009 with relative increases with respect to the un-defoliated vines of 14.8, 86.0, 119.0, and 75.9% for anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols and hydroxycinnamates, respectively. On the other hand, EED did not clearly modify any polyphenolic compound. In addition, the response of phenolic families analyzed to defoliation treatments was different. Malvidine derivatives were not altered by any of the treatments, while the contents of quercetin and kaempferol derivatives and ferulic and coumaric acids, increased in both years when LD was applied.Research highlights: The defoliation effects on specific phenolic substances were dependent on timing, severity, and the season. Skin phenolic compounds increase in response to defoliation treatments and flavonols and hydroxycinnamates were the most affected families
Debt vs. self-financing innovation projects: An exploratory study of Spanish agri-food SMEs
No full textAim of study: This paper determines the preferences for debt or equity ‒ common stock and self-financing ‒ that are shown by agri-food companies to finance innovation investment strategies and identify the monitoring role that third-party funding providers can play.Area of study: A sample of 41,109 Spanish SMEs (364,020 observations).Material and methods: The information was obtained from the SABI database, using the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) estimator and a logistic regression like contrast methodologies.Main results: Spanish agri-food companies undertake innovation projects by financing these investments through owners’ resources, mainly from current common stock, as they are independent of these companies’ capacity to generate internal funds. This may be conditioned by the problems of severe negative self-financing presented by this sector in Spain which make it difficult to use retained earnings as a source of financing for new investments; 30% of these firms have a negative self-financing level of EUR 100,000 as the losses accumulated by economic activity are higher than the reserves provided.Research highlights: Agri-food companies prefer to use owners’ funds to finance innovation projects which allows them to maintain the concentration of power, a decision that is reinforced by the limitation to credit access due to innovation creates intangible assets that are not usually accepted as collateral by financial institutions. Meanwhile, given the particularities of these companies ‒ instability and liquidity problems due to the need for funds of operations ‒ the recourse to debt is an appropriate control mechanism to prevent overinvestment decisions
Short communication: Effect of subclinical mastitis on reproductive performance of Holstein dairy cows in the Northwest of Spain
No full textAim of study: To investigate the effect of subclinical mastitis (SCM) before and after first artificial insemination (AI), characterized by a somatic cell count (SCC) higher than 200×103 cell/mL, on reproductive performance including first service conception rate (FSCR) and pregnancy loss (PL) in Holstein dairy cows.
Area of study: The central area of Lugo, Galicia, Spain.
Material and methods: This retrospective study was conducted on herd database of a population of 80 commercial Holstein dairy cow farms. A total number of 2053 lactations were included in this study. A binary logistic regression was carried out to analyse all data.
Main results: The results of this study indicated that cows that registered a SCC lower than 200×103 cell/mL within 30 days after first AI were more likely to conceive pregnancy than cows with a higher SCC (31.2% and 25.1% FSCR, respectively; OR=1.285, 95% CI=1.000-1.653). Additionally, an increased SCC neither 30 days before nor 30 days after first AI had a negative effect on prevalence of PL in dairy cows.
Research highlights: These findings revealed that SCM within 30 days after first AI negatively affected FSCR, whilst 30 days before first AI did not affect it. Therefore, it could be suggested that preventing subclinical mastitis after first AI, during a critical period of 30 days, is important to maximize the reproductive performance of dairy cows
Effect of harvesting frequency and maturity stage of Jerusalem artichoke forage on yield, chemical composition and in vitro fermentation of the tubers and forage
No full textAim of study: To evaluate the effect of maturity stage and harvesting frequency of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) forage on the nutritional quality of the tubers and forages.Area of study: The plant cultivation and laboratory experiments were carried out in Karaj (Alborz, Iran) and Tehran (Tehran, Iran), respectively.Material and methods: Forages were harvested every 60, 90 and 120 days during the growing season (four, three and two harvests per year, respectively). Tubers were harvested just once, at the end of the growing season, from plots with four, three and two forage cuts per year. Biomass production, chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of the forages and tubers were assessed.Main results: Compared to 90 and 120 days, the forages harvested every 60 days contained the highest (p<0.05) yearly dry matter (DM) biomass (27.16 t/ha), crude protein (98.6 to 145 g/kg DM), organic matter digestibility (0.607 to 0.691) and microbial biomass production (350 to 369 g/kg DM). Compared to 60 and 90 days, harvesting JA forage every 120 days caused the tubers with the higher (p<0.05) water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), in vitro digestibility and DM yield (7.63 t/ha). Jerusalem artichoke forages and tubers contained the low phenolics (4.93 to 13.2 g/kg DM) and nitrate (1.12 to 3.19 g/kg DM). Overall, the best harvesting interval of JA forage to achieve tubers with the highest yearly yield, WSC and digestibility was every 120 days, while the highest nutritive value and yield of the forages were observed with harvesting JA every 60 days.Research highlights: The best harvesting interval of JA forage to obtain the highest yearly DM, protein and energy biomass from both tubers and forage was every 60 days
Short communication: Genetic analysis of lactation curves in buffaloes, using Wood’s model
No full textAim of study: To estimate the heritability and genetic correlations for lactation curve traits in buffaloes.Area of study: The buffalo cows were raised on properties located in the states of São Paulo, Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.Material and methods: The individual parameters of Wood’s model ( , , and ) were obtained using a non-linear mixed model. Peak yield (PY), peak time (PT) and lactation persistency (LP) were also calculated. These individual parameters were employed in multi-trait analysis with the milk yield (MY) using Bayesian inference.Main results: The heritability estimates were of low to moderate magnitudes, with values ranging from 0.156 ( ) to 0.299 (PY). The estimates for genetic correlation between the Wood’s parameters and MY were of low to high magnitude and ranged from -0.533 ( and MY) to 0.983 (PY and MY).Research highlights: The heritability estimates obtained indicate that the traits studied can be used in animal breeding programs
Acute stress assessment using infrared thermography in fattening rabbits reacting to handling under winter and summer conditions
No full textAim of study: This study assesses acute stress by measuring, through infrared thermography in summer and winter, the temperature of the eye, outer ear, inner ear and nose in 40 fattening rabbits before and after handling.Area of study: Seville (Spain).Material and methods: Body thermographic temperatures were recorded during a 38-day fattening period twice weekly and twice a day, before and after the handler held the rabbits in their arms for one minute. Ambient temperature and relative humidity were also recorded, and their influence on body temperatures was assessed. For each anatomical part, the variation of the temperature between the handled and undisturbed rabbit, and the differential temperature between the anatomical part in the undisturbed rabbit and the ambient temperature were calculated.Main results: The variation in temperatures between handled and undisturbed rabbits ranged from 0.25±0.041 ºC for eye to 3.09±0.221 ºC for outer ear in summer and -0.41±0.182 ºC for nose to 2.09±0.178 ºC for outer ear in winter. The day of the fattening period influenced all the temperature traits during summer and winter, except for the inner ear in winter. In summer, unlike winter, the temperature variation at the end of fattening period between handled and undisturbed rabbits was lower than at weaning (-0.04 to 1.94 ºC vs. 0.54 to 5.52 ºC, respectively). The temperatures in undisturbed rabbits were correlated with ambient temperature.Research highlights: Measuring body temperature with infrared thermography is a useful tool to evaluate acute stress in handled rabbits, with the inner ear and eye the most reliable body parts for measuring it
Dietary sodium chloride effect in Nile tilapia fed with fish meal-free diets
No full textAim of study: To evaluate the effect of the dietary NaCl level for Nile tilapia fingerlings.Area of study: Palotina sector of Federal University of Paraná, in southern Brazil.Material and methods: An experiment was carried using 750 Nile tilapia fingerlings (4.61 ± 0.09 g) distributed in 30 1,000-L circular tanks in a completely randomized design with six treatments and five replicates. NaCl was added to extruded fish meal-free diets at 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 (g/kg). After the experimental period, fish were submitted to a 24 h-fast and weighed. All data were submitted to an analysis of variance and Tukey’s test followed by Levene’s test and regression test, using the Statistica 7.0® software package.Main results: Fish fed the NaCl-free diet presented better growth performance (p<0.05) compared to the other diets. Linear decrease effects on final weight (y = 50.1754 – 0.1672x, r2 = 0.6984), specific growth rate (y = 45.5418 – 0.1688x, r² = 0.6966), weight gain (y = 4.9465 – 0.008x; r² = 0.6886) and apparent feed conversion (y = 0.7113 + 0.0043x; r² = 0.7655) were noted. Efficiency and apparent protein retention were better in the NaCl-free diet (p<0.05). Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed for fillet fat and crude protein content. Increasing NaCl levels led to significant decreases (p<0.05) in Nile tilapia fingerling protein efficiency rates (y = 3.7804 - 0.0116x; r² = 0.6549).Research highlights: Thus, NaCl should not be included in fish meal-free diets for Nile tilapia fingerlings
Storytelling in applications for the EU quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs: place, origin and tradition
No full textAim of study: How are successful applications for quality labels for food and agricultural products written? This research aims to answer this question through the study of the applications for three quality labels within the EU Scheme for Agricultural and Foodstuffs: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG). The research focuses in determining the topics and narratives that describe the link with the geographical area for the two former and the traditional character for the latter.Area of study: Europe.Material and methods: Using a Qualitative Data Analysis, the research analyses 132 products registered on the scheme between January 2016 and April 2019. The researcher categorized a total of 1,724 excerpts and studied the sections on the link with the geographical area for PDOs and PGIs, and the key elements establishing the product’s traditional character for TSGs.Main results: Main results offer quantitative and qualitative outputs. They indicate that cultural and social issues make up the half of the story arguing about the products, and natural, space/place and time/history make up the second half in proportions that depend on the type of scheme. Topic and storytelling analyses revealed particular understandings of place, origins and traditions in narratives developing on agriculture, history and knowledge transference between generations. The applicants used socio-economic particularities, regional history, and environmental uniqueness to justify the special character of products.Research highlights: The results give practitioners, policymakers and institutions guidelines and recommendations about how to structure and write their applications for quality labels for food and agricultural products
Direct heat stress-induced effects on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability in sheep pair-fed alfalfa hay
No full textAim of the study: To investigate the direct effect of heat stress on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability of pair-fed rams to subsequently eliminate the confounding effects of dissimilar feed intake induced by heat stress exposure.Area of study: Saudi Arabia.Material and methods: Five rumen-cannulated desert rams (45 ± 1.63 kg body weight; 2–3 years of age) were placed individually in controlled climatic-chambers to be exposed to two successive periods. The 1st period was a control thermoneutral period (TN; 23.64 ± 0.14 °C; extended for 21 days) followed by a 2nd period of heat stress (HS; 44.26 ± 1.70 °C, for another 21 days). Each period was consisted of a temperature acclimation phase (7 days) and a data collection phase (14 days). Alfalfa hay was offered twice daily during both periods in a pair-fed manner (800 g DM per head and day).Main results: Exposing pair-fed desert rams to elevated ambient temperature had (p<0.05) elevated their respiration rate and skin temperature, without noticeable (p>0.05) changes in their rectal temperature. Most of the rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability were not affected by HS (p>0.05). However, exposure to HS increased (p<0.05) pre-feeding rumen total volatile fatty acids concentrations, pre-feeding molar proportion of acetate, and post-feeding rumen osmolality.Research highlights: HS had no direct effect on post-feeding rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability in desert sheep. This implies that strategic approaches to mitigate the adverse effects of HS have to be directed towards promoting feed intake and nutrients utilization under such conditions
Discriminant analysis using fatty acids profile, stable carbon isotopes and tocopherols content as tool for feeding system prediction in Iberian pigs
No full textAim of study: The application of three analytical methods (fatty acids: FA, tocopherols: TOC, and isotope ratio: ISO) to distinguish the feeding type received by Iberian pigs during the fattening stage.Area of study: This distinction is very important for the labelling of Iberian high-quality products in the Quercus forest located on the southwest of Iberian Peninsula, where several production systems coexist.Material and methods: Discriminant analysis on fat samples with unknown background obtained from commercial pigs was applied. The feasibility of the combination method to determine the authentication of feeding background was studied on samples from different fattening system: free-range feeding with acorn and pastures (BE); free-range feeding acorn and pastures plus commercial feeds (RE); open-air feeding with commercial feeds (CA); standard feeding with commercial feeds (CE).Main results: In a first application of the methods, the overall success rate was 60.1% for FA, 49.7% for ISO and 49.3% for TOC. When some of the batches were reclassified attending to those previous results and additional information available about farm characteristics, ISO and TOC analyses had a 70% of success rate in the four categories, whereas FA showed 40.5%, attributable to the use of high-oleic commercial diets. The predictions improved with the method combination. The ISO+TOC combination achieved a 84.1% of success in prediction. When it was reduced to just two categories (acorn vs non-acorn), the success reached a 95% for FA+TOC and ISO+TOC.Research highlights: The use of these methods as a complementary tool for quality controls is highly recommended to avoid undesirable misclassifications