1,721,402 research outputs found
Comparing local and cosmopolitan cattle breeds on added values for milk and cheese production and their predicted methane emissions
No full textThe aim of this study was to compare added values for milk yield and predicted methane emissions of cows from local and cosmopolitan breeds reared in Italian circumstances. A number of studies showed that milk from local breeds is more suitable to be processed into cheese than that of cosmopolitan populations, so that the development of payment systems which account for the added values of milk destined to cheese production could support the conservation and valorization of local animal genetic resources. Also, the link of local breeds with traditions and the environment might partially compensate their low milk production. Breeders of Burlina, Reggiana, Rendena and Valdostana cows sell products in niche markets and they realize an extra added values per kg of milk of 66 percent, compared with Holstein Friesian. Market-oriented strategies to payment systems that include the added values of milk yield could enhance profitability and interest in rearing and safeguarding of local animal genetic resources; but, not all countries can apply these market strategies. Therefore, other alternative strategies to enrich the added values of milk production might be based on the differences in greenhouse gases emissions among breeds. Indeed, local animal genetic resources are expected reducing the greenhouse gases emissions because of their lowest metabolic body weight, respect to high selected animals. Individual methane emissions might be indirectly calculated using dry matter intake; the latter can be estimated using milk and fat production, and body weight. A reduction of 10 percent of daily methane emissions per kg of metabolic body weight is expected for local compared with cosmopolitan breeds. In average, no differences were found among local and cosmopolitan breeds in terms of daily methane emission per kg of milk yield. In conclusion, animal genetic resources needs to be evaluated not only per unit of output but for other direct and indirect units of output related to social and human returns
Characterization of muscle fiber type in the Pectoralis major muscle of slow-growing local and commercial chicken strains
Full text linkThe study aimed to characterize muscle fiber type of the Pectoralis major muscle of slow-growing chickens belonging to Padovana purebreed and to the commercial hybrid Berlanda gaina and their crosses. Forty-five chickens (both males and females) from the different genotypes were grown up to 180 days. Histochemical and morphometrical analysis were performed to characterize muscle fiber types, myofiber density and myofiber size of the different genotypes. The effects of genotype, sex and their interaction were estimated. Muscle samples appeared almost entirely made up of IIB fiber type, whereas a low percentage of area (5 to 6%) was composed of hypercontracted fiber. Myofiber density was significantly higher (P<0.05) in Padovana strains and cross sectional area was significantly lower (P<0.01) than in Berlanda strain. Muscle fiber characteristics appeared not to be affected by interaction genotype x sex
Population proteomics as a novel tool for breed charcaterization: practical considerations
No full textAnalysis of different milk payment systems in Veneto region dairy industries and effect on economic value of milk quality traits
No full textStatus of Milk Production and Market in Italy
Full text linkAim of this review was to describe the milk production and market in Italy evidencing crucial points both in terms of weakness and strength. The weight of Italian dairy sector in terms of agriculture gross domestic product (GDP) is around the 10%. The cow milk production in Italy is 10.5 million of tons (52% of self- sufficient) and this quota is about the 9% of total amount of milk of EU-15. The Italian dairy herds structure radically change in the last decades and the most important aspects of this change were the progressive concentration and specialization of dairy herds. The number of dairy cows, from 1988 to 2002, are reduced more than 65% and in the same period the average herd size is almost tripled (28.84 cows/herds in 2002). Average milk yield production per cow is 6,010 kg in 2001/02 and it is comparable with other EU countries, but above the levels of other Mediterranean countries.
The peculiarity to Italian milk production is the high quota of fluid milk used for cheese making (68% of total domestic milk yield). The 80% of cheese manufacture is of varieties that are exclusive to the localities from they come and that cannot therefore be made outside those areas (e.g. Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano). A weakness point for Italian dairy industry is due to the structure extremely fragmented with almost 70% of Italian cheese output produced by enterprise handling less than 4,000 tonnes of milk per year. This high fragmentation can be transformed in a competitive element if Italian dairy industries will invest on typical and local dairy products
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