Morphometric studies on European red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) living in sub-Mediterranean areas are rare. In this paper, we provide the first morphometric description of red deer from Apennine living in Prato Province, as well as a description of its skeletal growth pattern. We analysed 18 body, cranial and antler measurements from 905 deer carcasses, collected during 12 hunting seasons (2000-2012). The body size of red deer from Prato appeared comparable to that of other populations from Northern Apennine and Central Alps. A significant variation in weight during the hunting season was detected only in adult stags: they were estimated to lose 23% of their eviscerated body weight from the beginning of the rutting season until the end of winter. The relationship between eviscerated body weight (EW) and whole body weight (WW) was highly significant in both sexes within every age class (R 2 always higher than 0.75), thus linear regressions were assessed in order to estimate EW from WW, allowing to complete datasets when such information is missing. Growth equations were utilised to describe the development of a subset of skeletal measures (height at shoulder, hind foot length, mandible length, head-trunk length) commonly collected on hunted cervids. Hind foot length was the measure which first ceased to grow and with the highest growth constant; although the relationship between cohort hind foot length and environmental, climatic and demographic variables has to be tested for red deer from Apennine, these bones appeared a suitable biological indicator for long-term monitoring of the species.

The use of sensor technologies to monitor cows’ behavior is becoming commonplace in the context of dairy production. This study aimed at validating a commercial collar-based sensor system, the AFICollar® (Afimilk, Kibbutz Afikim, Israel), designed to monitor dairy cattle feeding and ruminating behavior. Additionally, the performances of two versions of the software for behavior classification, the current software AFIfarm® 5.4 and the updated version AFIfarm® 5.5, were compared. The study involved twenty Holstein-Friesian cows fitted with the collars. To evaluate the sensor performance under different feeding scenarios, the animals were divided into four groups and fed three different types of feed (total mixed ration, long hay, animals allowed to graze). Recordings of hourly rumination and feeding time produced by the sensor were compared with visual observation by scan sampling at 1 minute intervals using Spearman correlation, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), Bland–Altman plots and linear mixed models for assessing the precision and accuracy of the system. The analyses confirmed that the updated software version V5.5 produced better detection performance than the current V5.4. The updated software version produced high correlations between visual observations and data recorded by the sensor for both feeding (r = 0.85, CCC = 0.86) and rumination (r = 0.83, CCC = 0.86). However, the limits of agreement for both behaviors remained quite wide (feeding: −19.60 min/h, 17.46 min/h; rumination: −15.80 min/h, 15.00 min/h). Type of feed did not produce significant effects on the agreement between visual observations and sensor recordings. Overall, the results indicate that the system can provide farmers with adequately accurate data on feeding and rumination time, and can be used to support herd management decisions. Despite all this, the precision of the system remained relatively limited, and should be improved with further developments in the classification algorithm.

Abstract. GPS technologies represent a valuable tool to study animal behaviour remotely. The research is aimed at evaluating the use of GPS collars equipped with activity sensors to infer behaviour in grazing cattle. Six cows from two breeds (Limousin, Chianina) were equipped for 8 months with GPS collars with built-in tri-axial accelerometers providing activity measurements every 152 seconds. Four behaviours (resting, rumination, feeding, walking) were directly observed in synchrony with collar measurements. Behaviours were classified with discriminant analysis (DA), considering a set of six predictors and their logarithm: movement rate (metres/hour), activity measurements on the X (forward/backward) and Y (sideways) axes and their difference, mean and variance. We tested several models and reported the ones with the highest rate of correct classifications. These were achieved by adopting separate models for the two breeds and, within breed, for two season-related periods (spring/summer and autumn). This suggests that the environmental effects (e.g., weather), as well as the breed-specific habits, have to be taken into account when inferring behaviour in grazing animals, since they produce significant alterations in intensity of activity. Walking activity was misclassified in more than 80 % of cases, while rumination and resting behaviour were mutually mistaken. Feeding and walking were thus merged to obtain active behaviours, and rumination and resting were classified as inactive behaviours. On average, DA correctly classified over 90 % of active intervals and 85 % of inactive behaviours. In conclusion, the simultaneous use of GPS and activity sensors represents a useful technique to track movements of grazing livestock and, at the same time, to discriminate between active and inactive behaviours. This information could provide benefits for rangeland management in terms of improving their efficiency of utilisation and enhancing the productive performances of animals.Keywords: accelerometer, GPS/GSM collars, activity budget, classification, Gaussian Finite Mixture Models. IntroductionThe study of behaviour in grazing livestock assumes an essential role in research topics related to rangeland ecology and management, as well as in animal husbandry practices. The assessment of sustainable grazing systems, aiming at the mitigation of negative impacts deriving from excessive or reduced grazing, such as biodiversity loss [1], requires specific knowledge of plant ecophysiology associated with herbivore grazing behaviour and dynamics [2]. Thus, understanding the drivers of resource selection and mechanisms adopted by animals in order to cope with environmental conditions is crucial in free-ranging systems [3]. In livestock intensive farming, the continuous monitoring of behaviour provides farmers the opportunity to infer health conditions and well-being of animals, as well as to improve their management and enhance animal productive performances [4].The possibility to implement an efficient system for precision monitor...

Simple Summary: The increasing demand of natural and environmentally sustainable foods promotes the use of natural extract as curing agents in meat products. In this context, the extensive rearing system, characteristic of autochthonous pigs, could represent an added value for the consumers. Moreover, the introduction of new types of products to enhance the second-choice portion of meat can be economically important. The present study aims to test and to evaluate the quality traits during storage times of frankfurter-type sausages of Cinta Senese using natural extract to replace nitrites and nitrates as curing agents. Results of this study demonstrate that those products are safe for the human consumption, but some sensorial and physical traits could be improved. The implementation of a new product using meat of a local breed and agricultural by products as curing agents could be interesting both in terms of sustainability and valorization of the territory and of Cinta Senese products.Abstract: Frankfurter-type sausages (called sausages) were manufactured using Cinta Senese meat. Two different formulations were considered: (i) nitrite and nitrate as curing agents (NIT), (ii) natural mixture (NAT) totally replacing the synthetic curing agents. Microbiological, chemical, and physical characteristics during three different storage times (7, 30, 60 days) were investigated, while sensorial traits were evaluated at the end of the period. The main foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, coagulase positive Staphylococcus spp., Salmonella spp., total bacterium at 30 • C) were absent in both sausage groups. Both types of sausage had a high content of fat probably due to the high intramuscular fat of the local breed. The fatty acid composition of NAT sausages would seem slightly less efficient in the lipid oxidation control. Regarding color parameters, NIT sausages showed greater lightness and redness, while NAT ones were more yellow, thanks to the effect of nitrate on color. All texture parameters resulted higher in NIT, except for the springiness. Storage time mainly affected total microbial count, pH, and color. The addition of natural extract changed the perception of some sensorial properties above all in terms of taste and odor. Natural extract represented an alternative to synthetic additives in Cinta Senese sausages even if some attributes could be improved.

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