Identifying alternative dietary protein sources and new types of outdoor rearing techniques that enhance animal welfare, thus optimising costs and production performance, are among the main objectives of nutritionists and breeders. The aim of this study was to compare two types of rations where pea and potato concentrate completely substituted soybean in intensively and extensively bred swine. Forty Large White × Duroc piglets weighing about 40 kg were divided into 4 groups of 10 sex-and weightmatched individuals: Indoor rearing + Control diet, Indoor rearing + Experimental diet, Outdoor rearing + Control diet, Outdoor rearing + Experimental diet. Different diets were formulated for the growing phase (40-100 kg) and the fattening period (100-slaughter); pigs, weighed individually every 40 days to estimate the average daily gain and feed conversion rate, were slaughtered when they reached the weight for Italian ham production. The following measurements were obtained: carcass weight, slaughtered yield, weight of lean cuts, pH 45 minutes and 24 hours post mortem. 40 semimembranosus muscle samples were analysed for colour parameters (L*, a* and b*), moisture, fat, protein and ash while the energy values were calculated. Semimembranosus intramuscular fat and ham backfat were analysed for fatty acid profile. Statistical analysis of performances data was conducted using design with repeated measures and the slaughterhouse, meat and fat composition data were subjected to ANOVA. The results show that soybean can be completely substituted with other protein crops. Rearing and slaughterhouse performances were not affected by the diet, whereas significant differences emerged with the rearing system. Diet composition significantly affected lean meat proportion (50.0 vs 48.2) and fat thickness of 3/4 Thoracic Vertebra (25.3 vs 28.3 mm), while the rearing system significantly affected all carcass quality measures. Some parameters were better in outdoorthan indoor-subjects. Meat colour was also significantly influenced by the rearing effect, being less light and yellow in the former subjects (L* 49.9 vs 37.3; b* 3.7 vs 2.3). Chemical analysis demonstrated that the meat of outdoor-reared subjects was leaner (1.96% vs 1.38% fat) and had a lower water content (72.8% vs 71.8%). The complete replacement of soybean is thus compatible with a strong characterization and an enhancement of the value of swine products. In addition, the rearing system can result in distinctive quality features, such as ham colour and fat content, allowing products from outdoor rearing to be clearly recognized from those obtained from intensive rearing.

The effects of a sunflower cake supplement on the quantity and quality parameters of Marchigiana carcasses and meat were assessed. Live-animal and post-mortem performances were not significantly different in the animals receiving the supplement, whereas significant differences were noted in conformation and fatness. The colour parameters were also influenced by the diet, which resulted in a more brilliant red colour, greatly appreciated by consumers, in the subjects fed sunflower cake

In the last twenty years, the increased interest in breeding jumping horse has not been paralleled by research into their energy requirements. A crucial factor in breeding race horses is the quality of the ration, which must sustain and promote high performances. In addition to the energy required for maintenance, energy needs depend on muscular, skeletal, respiratory and cardiovascular system activity. The energy expenditure related to work performed depends on effort duration and intensity, but it may be affected by the effect of the lack of oxygen at the end of the work, increased energy requirement as a reaction to "stress", and a general increase in metabolic rate. Formulation of a diet that meets the nutrient requirements of athlete horses must also consider the effects of the combination of different dietary components. The present research was carried out in jumping horses to evaluate the nutritional value and t h e d ig e s t i bi l i t y o f t h r ee types of roughages administered with two different feedstuffs.

The increased availability of sunflower cake, a by-product of oilseed extraction for biodiesel production, prompted us to test the scope of its utilization in the diet of Quarter Horses employed in equestrian shows. We substituted 600 and 1200 g of feed with 300 and 600 g of sunflower cake, respectively, so as to obtain isoproteic and isoenergetic diets. Digestibility evaluation by the AIA method evidenced generally improved nutrient utilization with the lower cake diet (300 g sunflower). The higher cake diet was associated with a reduction in organic matter, protein and ether extract digestibility coefficients. In particular, the trend of the protein coefficients (88.5-91.5-87.7 for control, 300 and 600 g sunflower cake, respectively) was confirmed by higher plasma urea levels.

RIASSUNTO-Panello di girasole vs. soia f.e. nella produzione del suino: performance e digeribilità. Scopo del presente lavoro è stato quello di valutare, in suini in accrescimento ed ingrasso, la completa sostituzione della farina di estrazione di soia con panello di girasole ottenuto per pressione. A tale scopo sono stati utilizzati 10 suini ibridi suddivisi in due gruppi: Controllo e Sperimentale. Le diete erano isoenergetiche ed isoproteiche (PG 17,7 vs. 17,5% s.s.; ED 3134 vs. 3113 kcal/ kg s.s.). I suini sono stati controllati per le performance di allevamento e al fine di valutare la digeribilità della dieta, con la tecnica delle AIA, sono stati effettuati da ogni soggetto prelievi di feci che successivamente sono stati analizzati. L'accrescimento medio giornaliero è stato di 650 g/d per il gruppo Controllo e di 610 g/d per il gruppo Sperimentale; l'indice di conversione degli alimenti è risultato migliore per il gruppo di controllo (4,7 vs. 5,0). I coefficienti di utilizzazione digestiva sono risultati tutti migliori per il gruppo controllo rispetto a quello sperimentale, indicando un effetto limitativo della fibra, apportata con il panello, sulla digeribilità dei parametri analizzati.