No abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine metabolic status in late pregnant (n = 15) and puerperal (n = 15) Simmental dairy cows. The various blood metabolites and serum enzyme activities were determined by photometric methods. The early lactation cows had the indicative values of the beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) (> 1.20 mmol/l) but did not display any clinical signs, which means that they had a typical subclinical condition. The lipomobilization markers, serum BHB and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations, were markedly enhanced (P<0.05) in early lactation cows. Liver steatosis compromised hepatocyte metabolism, leading to significantly weaker (P<0.05) circulating concentrations of glucose, triglyceride (TG) and urea, and induced some cellular lesions as evidenced by significant increases (P<0.05) in the serum bilirubin concentrations and theaspartate transaminase (AST) enzyme activities in early lactation cows. On the basis biochemistry estimation, early lactation cows had metabolic disturbances which were associated with ketosis, and some degree of hepatic lesions, probably due to fat infiltration. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31001]

The objective of the present study was to investigate nutritional and metabolic status in Simmental cows during early and mid-lactation. Fifteen early lactation cows and 15 mid lactation cows were chosen for the analysis. Blood samples were collected to measure beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), triglycerides (TG), glucose and the activity of aspartate transaminase (AST). Blood metabolites, milk yield, dry matter intake (DMI) and energy balance (EB) were recorded. Correlation analysis showed that DMI was significantly negatively correlated with NEFA, BHB and AST, and positively with glucose and TG. EB was significantly negatively correlated with NEFA, BHB and AST, and positively with glucose. Early lactation as compared to mid lactation cows were found to have significantly higher blood serum concentrations of NEFA, BHB and AST activities and lower blood serum concentrations of glucose and TG, but not significant. These metabolic changes were in correlation with DMI and EB, but not with milk yield. Suggest that they can serve as useful indicators of the nutritional and metabolic status of dairy cows during lactation.

As generally known, broiler meat quality is a very complex issue that can be looked at from several aspects. In terms of the meat processing industry and consumers' interests, fattened chicks should be characterised by good dressing percentage, desired conformation, as much meat on the carcass as possible, optimal distribution of fat tissues, appropriate skin colour and least damage possible occurring during fattening, loading and unloading. With respect to that, the proportions of major basic carcass parts (breast, drumstick and thigh) as well as the presence of certain tissues in them are regarded as vital parameters determining broiler meat quality (Lewis et al., 1997;Sütö et al., 1998;Holcman et al., 2003;Ristic, 2003). The above-mentioned quality traits depend on a number of factors. Of the biological ones, the greatest impact is produced by genotype, sex and age (Lewis et al., 1997;Bokkers and Koene, 2003;Hellmeister et al., 2003).Among numerous non-genetic factors that may have a considerable effect on meat quality, a broiler rearing system has been recognised over the past years by a large number of authors as being particularly important (Lewis et al., 1997;Bokkers and Koene, 2003;Hellmeister et al., 2003;Ristic, 2003). ABSTRACT:The objective of this study is an analysis of meat quality in broilers of standard fast-growing hybrid Hybro G, reared in two different non-industrial systems (extensive rearing in a poultry house or "extensive indoor" system and rearing in a poultry house using a free range or "free-range" system). Quality parameters, i.e. proportions of basic carcass parts (breasts, drumsticks and thighs), abdominal fat, and proportions of basic tissues (muscles, bones and skin) in more valuable carcass parts, were investigated. The aim of the investigation was to analyse the effect of the two non-industrial rearing systems and broiler sex on the above-mentioned traits of broiler meat quality. The used rearing systems (free-range and extensive indoor ones) did not have a statistically significant effect on the proportions of major basic carcass parts and of abdominal fat in broiler chickens (P > 0.05). Heavier carcasses at slaughter (on the 56 th day of fattening) were recorded in the male broilers compared to the female ones, the differences being statistically significant (P < 0.01). The drumstick proportion in the male broiler carcasses was statistically significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the proportion in the female broilers. The interaction between the investigated effects (of sex and rearing system) did not exert a statistically significant effect on the proportions of major basic carcass parts and abdominal fat in broiler chickens (P > 0.05). The rearing system (free-range and extensive indoor) and the interaction between the investigated effects (of sex and rearing system) did not affect statistically significantly the differences expressed in the meat, skin and bone proportions in breasts, drumsticks and thighs of the broilers (P > 0.05). The sex effect on the skin proportions in b...

This study was aimed at evaluating the antioxidant activity and efficacy of the ethanolic extract of the endemic plant species Kitaibelia vitifolia in inhibiting the growth of selected fungi and bacteria. Antimicrobial activity was tested using the broth dilution procedure for determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). MICs were determined for eight selected indicator strains. The highest susceptibility to K. vitifolia ethanolic extract among the bacteria tested was exhibited by Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883 (MIC=15.62 μg/mL), followed by Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Proteus mirabilis ATCC 14153 (MIC=31.25 μg/mL), and Proteus vulgaris ATCC 13315 (MIC=62.50 μg/mL). Of the fungi, Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (MIC=15.62 μg/mL) showed the highest susceptibility, and Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404 (MIC=31.25 μg/mL) had the lowest. Results showed that K. vitifolia extract possesses antioxidant activity, with total antioxidant capacity of 75.45±0.68 μg of ascorbic acid/g and 50% inhibition concentration values of 47.45±0.55 μg/mL for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity, 35.35±0.68 μg/mL for inhibitory activity against lipid peroxidation, 95.25±0.52 μg/mL for hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, and 31.50±0.35 μg/mL for metal chelating activity. Total phenolics, flavonoids, condensed tannins, and gallotannins were 85.25±0.69 mg of gallic acid (GA)/g, 45.32±0.55 mg of rutin/g, 54.25±0.75 mg of GA/g, and 41.74±0.55 mg of GA/g, respectively. The phenolic composition of K. vitifolia extract was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Rosmarinic acid was found to be the dominant phenolic compound of the extract.