A total of 130 silages samples (53 of maize silages and 77 of grass silages ), which were ensiled with or without silage additives, with different soil contamination levels, with different weed percentages and with or without wilting, were used to evaluate the dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) ruminal degradability. The ruminal degradability of the samples was calculated from the corresponding in situ degradation parameters and from the measured passage rates of the silages fed to each experimental animal. The DM and CP degradation parameters were obtained using the logistic model of Van Milgen and Baumont. The fitting of the models to the kinetics of degradation and particle passage was carried out by non-linear regression. The value of the effective degradability, considering in the rumen simultaneously an outflow compartment and a mixing-reduction compartment, were calculated in both cases from an adaptation of the general procedure proposed by Ørskov and McDonald. A NIRSystems 6500 spectrometer was used for the prediction of the DM and the CP degradation characteristics of the samples. Calibration equations were obtained by modified partial least squares regression, using reflectance spectra transformed into the second derivative. The results showed that near infrared spectroscopy is a good method for predicting the DM and CP degradation characteristics. The calibrations for effective degradability of maize and grass silages indicated a high consistency.

Abstract.Here we provide evidence of multiple paternities in naturally mated sows under conditions ensuring that (a) sows had the same probability of being mated by any of the available boars and (b) no differences in hybrid vigour existed. Total DNA was obtained from 19 Gochu Asturcelta piglets from three different sows, each with the same chance of natural mating with two different boars. A set of 20 microsatellites were typed on all the individuals. The program CERVUS was used to asses the informative ability of the microsatellite set and to perform paternity assignment. Allelic frequencies at population level were obtained using a total of 141 Gochu Asturcelta individuals. Offspring were always assigned to a candidate boar with high statistical confidence. All litters had different parents. Our results show that multiple paternities are possible in domestic pigs under natural mating. Furthermore, the current study can be useful to further understand the mating system of the wild boar.

The injection protocol applied allows milk with specific immunoglobulins against Campylobacter jejuni to be obtained. Traditional pasteurisation did not reduce this activity.

The ban on the use of animal‐origin by‐products such as meat and bone meal (MBM) in compound feeds was one of the measures implemented in the European Union to stop the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and to prevent its reoccurrence. It is now clear that the blanket ban will only be lifted if reliable analytical methods are available that ensure the detection of animal by‐products. Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is likely to be the most rapid method for testing feedingstuffs, enabling a substantial increase in the number of samples tested and providing instant detection of adulteration, especially when samples are analyzed in intact form. This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of NIRS predictive models for detecting and quantifying MBM in intact compound feedingstuffs, and to demonstrate the transferability of calibration models between two NIRS instruments. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study shows the potential of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a fast screening method for detecting the adulteration of compound feedingstuffs with animal‐origin meals, useful for the feed industry and the inspection bodies. NIRS could provide the first line of defense of the food chain, allowing a large‐scale analysis and making more costly methods to be used more productively on suspect specimens.

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