The study aimed to evaluate the effects of linseed and oregano supplementation to the diet of goats on fatty acid profile and sensory properties of Padraccio, a typical cheese produced during spring through summer in the Basilicata region (southern Italy). Extruded linseed and dried oregano inflorescences were integrated in the pelleted concentrate supplementation (500 g/ head per day) in 21 grazing goats that were randomly assigned, 7 per group, to the following experimental treatments: concentrate, concentrate with addition of linseed, and concentrate with addition of linseed and oregano. Pooled milk from each group was used in cheesemaking. From a nutritional perspective, integration of extruded linseed in the goat diet improved the fatty acid profile of Padraccio cheese. Moreover, the cheese from this group evidenced the highest scoring on color, flavor, texture, and overall liking.

This study compared effects of a diet containing 3% extruded linseed (EL) (Linum usitatissimum L.) with a control diet (C) on growth, carcass traits, and meat quality in young Podolian bulls. After 208 days on feed, the bulls were slaughtered at 18 months of age. Samples of Longissimus lumborum (Ll) were analysed to assess their physical and chemical parameters and intramuscular fatty acid composition. Average daily gain, feed intake and feed efficiency were not affected by treatments. Bulls fed EL (n = 6) had significantly greater final (612 kg versus 593 kg) and slaughter weights (583 kg versus 563 kg) than those fed C (n = 6). Compared with C, EL significantly increased percentages of lean from the pelvic limb (71.9% versus 69.3%) and of bone from the lumbar region (30.0 versus 27.1%). Meat pH recorded at slaughter was significantly greater for C than EL (6.7 versus 6.4). Diet did not affect meat colour, chemical composition and shear force of either the raw or cooked meat. Total amounts of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were not influenced by the diets. Concentrations of linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) (3.30 versus 4.08) and total n-6 fatty acids (3.83 versus 4.73) were reduced by EL, while EL significantly enhanced linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) (0.45 vs 0.20) and total n-3 fatty acids (1.64 versus 1.18) in the meat compared with C. Thus, dietary supplementation with 3% EL improved the amount of n-3 fatty acids in the meat from young Podolian bulls without affecting their performance. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Sixteen carcasses of wild boars, pigs, hybrids F1 (wild boar x pig) and reared wild boar have been examined to study the meat quality and the fatty acid composition. Four carcasses came from hunted wild boars and twelve from animals reared in outdoor pens till nine months of age. The meat produced by the hunted wild animals, although not marketable, offers the best quality and nutritional characteristics. The use of hybrids reared in outdoor pens can approximate or equalize the hunted wild boars meat traits. Reared wild boar meat has, in the complex, better compositional characters than hybrids and domestic groups, but acidic quality of fat is not particularly useful for human feeding

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of a diet containing extruded linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on growth performances, carcass traits and meat quality in Nero Lucano pigs. Sixteen male piglets were weaned at about 50 days of age and divided into two homogeneous groups fed a control diet (C) or a diet containing 3% extruded linseed (EL). The trial lasted 32 weeks and pigs were slaughtered at 9 months of age. Samples from the Longissimus dorsi (Ld) muscle were analysed to assess physical and chemical parameters and intramuscular fatty acid composition. Average daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the diet. Pigs fed the C diet showed a significantly greater slaughter weight in comparison to the EL group (116.50 vs 108.25 kg) Meat pH and chemical composition were not influenced by the diet. No differences were found for shear force (WBS) in raw meat, while cooked meat of the EL group showed a lower WBS value. The EL diet significantly lowered total SFA and increased total PUFA, of both n-6 and n-3 series. Among the n-6, significant differences between dietary treatments were found for linoleic acid. As for the n-3 series, EL feeding significantly enhanced linolenic acid, EPA, DPA and DHA. Feeding EL also significantly lowered the PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios and the AI and TI, with benefits for human health. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 3% EL didn't affect growth performance while it improved the fatty acid profile of meat. Keywords: fatty acid profile, feeding, flaxseed, pork

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of faba bean, white lupin and pea seed when fed as protein supplements on growth performance, carcass characteristics and haematological characteristics of growing lambs. Forty-eight Gentile di Puglia male lambs, weaned at 38 ± 2 days old with an average initial bodyweight of 12.8 ± 0.5 kg, were divided into six homogenous groups. The six dietary treatments were RFB (diet containing raw faba bean seeds); EFB (diet containing extruded faba bean seeds); RL (diet containing raw lupin seeds); EL (diet containing extruded lupin seeds); RP (diet containing raw pea seeds); and EP (diet containing extruded pea seeds). Feeding lupin seeds reduced average daily feed intake compared with the other protein sources. Carcass conformation, loin weight as a percentage of half-carcass weight, and fat weight as a percentage of loin weight improved in the lambs that consumed both EP and RP diets. Extrusion reduced hide weight as a percentage of empty bodyweight and fat weight as a percentage of leg weight. The protein source had a significant effect on glucose and total cholesterol concentrations, albumin, α 1-globulin, β-globulin, and γ-globulin percentages and albumin-globulin ratios. The processing treatment decreased total cholesterol concentrations. Thus, feeding the various legumes did not affect growth performance, but only carcass characteristics; changes which may be due to the differences in feed intake. Extrusion also had minor effects, and further work is required to investigate the use of these protein sources, both raw and extruded.