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In the last decades, the development of livestock has coincided with improvements of the animals performance. The swine has been strongly selected for several traits that determined a significant spread of some genetic types, more productive than the old autochthonous genetic types (AGT). Therefore, the AGT suffered a growing demographic contraction. The AGT are able to reduce the loss of genetic variability, pot entially useful for the new generation and they play an important economic role for their productive capacity in harsh environments; furthermore, they can be used to obtain natural and ‘traitdional' products. In the current research the black AGT Casertana (CT) was compared with the crossbreed CT× Duroc in relation to gender (castrated males and entire females) and farming systems: Open Air and utdoor (plus access to the bush) for some qualitative properties of meat. In addition ‘Fiocco’ ham, a raditional product, from CT, CT×DU and Pen ar Lan pigs was analyzed. The results showed that the CT pigs had a significantly higher percentage of fat, a thicker adipose tissue, and their meat had lower values of hardness, chewiness, shear force, and appeared significantly redder than other genotypes meat. The farming systems and gender did not affect the carcass composition and physical traits of meat.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the forage preservation method (silage vs. hay) on volatile compounds and sensory properties of a traditional Caciocavallo cheese during ripening. A brown-midrib sudangrass hybrid was cultivated on a 7-ha field and at harvesting it was half ensiled in plastic silo bags and half dried to hay. Forty-four lactating cows were equally allotted into 2 groups fed a isonitrogenous and isoenergetic total mixed ration containing as the sole forage either sorghum hay (H group) or sorghum silage (S group). Milk from the 2 groups was used to produce 3 batches/diet of Caciocavallo ripened for 30, 60, and 90 d. Milk yield and composition as well as cheese chemical and fatty acid composition were not markedly affected by the diet treatment and ripening time. By contrast, ripening induced increased levels of the appearance attribute "yellowness," along with the "overall flavor," the odor/flavor attributes "butter" and "hay," the "salty," "bitter," and "umami" tastes, and the texture attribute "oiliness," whereas the appearance attribute "uniformity" and the texture attribute "elasticity" were reduced. The silage-based diet induced higher perceived intensities of several attributes such as "yellowness"; "overall flavor"; "butter"; "grass" and "hay" odor/flavors; "salty," "bitter," and "umami" tastes; and "tenderness" and "oiliness" textures. In S cheese we also observed higher amounts of ketones and fatty acids. Conversely, H cheese showed the terpene α-pinene, which was not detected in S cheese, and a higher intensity of the appearance attribute "uniformity." These differences allowed the trained panel to discriminate the products, determined an increased consumer liking for 90-d ripened cheese, and tended to increase consumer liking for hay cheese.

A new approach to environmental studies was investigated by the authors, who propose the use of cryopreserved biological systems in ecotoxicological bioassays. The feasibility of spermiotoxicity tests using cryopreserved semen of the sea bream Sparus aurata, with sperm motility parameters as the endpoint, was evaluated. Thawed sperm was incubated in environmental samples (sediment elutriate and dumpsite leachate) and in a reference toxicant (cadmium) at scaled concentrations. Motility was then evaluated by video-microscopy using both visual and computer-assisted analyses. Activation time, sperm motility and velocity and motility duration were assessed on thawing and at the end of the incubation time, and the difference with respect to the control was statistically evaluated. All the endpoints of the bioassay proved to have good sensitivity even at the highest dilutions of the tested matrices. Observed differences in the sensitivity thresholds of the endpoints were considered to be representative of different aspects of sperm physiology. Therefore the proposed bioassay is a promising starting point for the development of toxicity tests that are increasingly tailored to the needs of ecotoxicology and environmental quality evaluation strategies for aquatic environments.

The aim of this research was to estimate the effects of grading up of Gentile di Puglia with Ile de France on carcass traits and the composition of cuts in lambs slaughtered at 35 and 54 days of age. Data was collected on 223 lambs of both sexes, single birth, belonging to the genetic types Ile de France (IF), Gentile di Puglia (GP) and the result of grading up of the latter with Ile de France rams (F1 and F2). About half of the subjects were fed with maternal milk (natural feeding) while the others were fed on a milk replacer (artificial feeding). The lambs of both groups were randomly allocated in two slaughter age subgroups: 35 and 56 days. The results of statistical analysis showed that the considered factors of variation significantly influences the weight of the carcass, the percentage of cuts and their composition. Most of the variation was due to the age and to the feeding system. The F2 lambs on average had the heaviest carcass and sides, the GP had the highest percentage of fore quarter while the IF had the highest percentage of back quarter. Furthermore F1 lambs did not show any heterotic effect compared with both parental breeds, while F2 breeds showed better performance. The carcass of the males resulted heavier than the females, with a lower percentage of dissectible fat at the neck, brisket, shoulder and leg and a higher percentage of meat in the shoulder cut. The lambs slaughtered at 35 days of age showed a higher incidence of kidney, shoulder and leg weight, while at 56 days furnished a higher percentage of kidney fat, brisket and loin weight. The artificially fed lambs furnished a lighter carcass and neck and shoulder cuts than naturally fed lambs, less kidney fat and a higher percentage of kidney, rib and loin weight. The employment of artificial feeding permitted a higher percentage of lean and less dissectible fat as well as a higher lean/bone ratio. These results show that Ile de France rams crossbreed with Gentile di Puglia determine good productive performance if the lambs derive from the F2 crossbreed and are artificially fed and slaughtered at 56 days of age.

This study was performed on 21,622 lactation of Mediterranean Italian dairy buffalo recorded by AIA with ICAR standard from 1992 to 1996 in Caserta province. The extending of lactation was performed using integrative methods (Pilla et al., 1979), taking into account the effect of lactation number per day, calving order and month of calving. The results showed that the obtained coefficient was able to extending the lactation at 270 days with good approximation also beginning from a part –lactation of 90 days. In this case, the correlation coefficient between real and estimate milk yield varied from 0.91 to 0.93 in the considered groups. Moreover, the percentage of difference between real and estimated average milk yield is not over 5%.

The study was carried out on 86 ‘Cilentana’ goats, distributed in four herds. Milk samples were collected during morning and evening milking, and pH, dry matter, fat, protein and lactose percentage as well as the lactodynamometric profile were detected to determine enzymatic phase duration, coagulation speed and curd consistency. Polymorphism of the s1-casein protein was detected. Four alleles (designated A, B, E and F) and nine genotypes were detected. The association of these nine genotypes with chemical composition and lactodynamometric characteristics was investigated. The BF genotype was the most frequent (35.5 %), followed by EE (15.1 %) and AF and BB (10.4%). The F allele showed the highest frequency and it negatively influenced cheesemaking as it was associated with a low s1-casein content. Goats with the AB genotype produced milk with higher dry matter, protein and fat content compared with the FF genotype. Moreover, milk from the AB genotype has a lower enzymatic phase duration and a higher coagulation speed than the BB genotype. Curd consistency is higher for milk from the AA genotype, when compared with the EF genotype. All the chemical and lactodynamometric characteristics varied with herd and months of control; furthermore, the milk obtained from morning milking showed better coagulation properties.

The production of river buffalo meat in Italy has long been under discussion due to poor acceptance by consumers. In order to understand whether dietary energy content may affect the organoleptic characteristics of buffalo meat, two groups of river buffalo calves were fed on two diets, with high (H) and low (L) energy contents. The animals were slaughtered at 4-monthly intervals starting from 6 months old (10, 14 and 18 months) and five muscles were dissected on the half-carcass: Caput longum tricipitis brachii (CloTB), Gluteobiceps (Gb), Semitendinosus (St), Semimembranosus (Sm) and Longissimus dorsi (LD). The results showed that from 6 to 10 months of age the meat lipid content decreases and protein content increases for both diets. The lipid content increases slowly with both diets from 10 to 14 months. In the last experimental period (from 14 to 18 months) an increase in the percentage of lipids with diet H and a decrease with diet L was observed. At all slaughtering ages the meat from the animals fed on diet H had a higher energy content. The different energy content of the two diets did not significantly influence the composition of triglycerides only formed by SFA and triglycerides with a higher degree of unsaturation. The triglycerides with an unsaturated fatty acid in position sn 2 did not show the same behaviour in relation to age and diet. The energy content of the feed did influence the unsaturated fatty acid composition: MUFA increased with an increased energy level of the diet, while PUFA increased with a reduction in the energy level of the diet. The muscle LD showed a significantly higher (P

Calcium Release Channel (CRC) is a “candidate DNA segment encoding protein (gene)” of high interest for pork quality. It maps on the short arm of chromosome 6 and has two allelic forms: N (normal dominant allele) and n [mutated recessive allele, also known as “halothane sensitivity” allele (Haln)]. Haln is due to a point mutation (SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism) which consists in the transition of a thymine nucleotide base for a cytosine at position 1843 in the 134 bp exon, responsible for the synthesis of a protein containing a substitution of an “arginine” for a “cysteine” at position 615; in the muscle fiber this substitution induces anomalies in the calcium flow regulation at sarcoplasmic reticulum level (ionic calcium deregulation). This deregulation in pig species is manifested as PSS (Porcine Stress Syndrome). Meat of PSS animals displays PSE (Pale Soft Exudative) myopathy, which makes meat less acceptable to consumer and poorly suitable to transformation in products of a good quality. The individuation of the point mutation allowed to set up a fast and efficient “genetic prophylaxis” test based on the genotype determination at CRC locus in order to detect heterozygous carriers of mutated allele and their incidence. In fact, the halothane test does not distinguish between the heterozygous (Nn) and homozygous normal (NN) animals, because both of these genotypes are non reactive. Furthermore, some nn subjects are halothane negative due to incomplete penetrance. In order to individuate the possible presence of mutated allele within Casertana (CT) and Calabrese (CA) AAGTs, a genetic screening was performed on 110 subjects of CT AAGT and 40 CA AAGT pigs, reared at ConSDABI experimental farm, using PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction Restriction Fragment Lenght Polymorphisms) method (Russo et al., 1993). The results showed that all Casertana AAGT pigs were NN (100%) while in AAGT Calabrese the frequencies of NN and Nn genotypes were 75% and 25% respectively. No nn genotype was found in the tested animals. It is opportune to specify that familiar relationships exist between Calabrese subjects, due to the reduced consistency of pig population. These results, valid within the observation field, confirm what found in a previous research (Matassino et al., 2000), in which Casertana was different from Calabrese and Nero Siciliano AAGTs for genotypic frequencies values: NN: 100,0% vs 65,5% vs 93,9%

The aim of the present research was to characterize two pig ancient autochthonous genetic types (AAGT) [Casertana (CT) and Calabrese (CA)] at H-FABP (Heart- Fatty Acid Binding Protein) loci as well as to evaluate the associations of qualitative and quantitative meat traits. H-FABP is a candidate DNA segment coding protein (gene) for intramuscular fat depot (IMF). The identification of haplotypes suitable for IMF may represent a valid tool for molecular assisted selection (MAS) to improve meat qualitative traits functional to human well being and welfare. Genotyping was performed on 150 pigs (100 CT and 50 CA) reared at ConSDABI Experimental Farm by PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction – Restriction Fragment Lenght Polymorphism) method. Three diallelic point mutations were investigated: one located in a 700 bp sequence in the 5’upstream region (HinfI restriction site) and two in a 850 bp sequence, about 300 bp apart, located in intron 2 (HaeIII and MspI restriction sites, respectively) of the H-FABP DNA segment; in total, these mutations map in a region of about 7.000 bp and may define a three locus haplotype. Some qualitative characteristics (colour and rheological traits) were detected on Psoas Major, Longissimus dorsi, Caput longum tricipitis brachii and Supraspinatus muscles of 59 CT and 50 CA. Experimental data were analyzed using carcass weight as covariate (SAS package) and the significance of comparisons between the estimated mean values was tested by Student’s t test. 27 possible haplotypes taking into account the diallelic polymorphism of each locus were calculated. The results, in the limits of the observation field, showed some haplotypes ‘AAGT- exclusive’ [3 in Casertana (HHDdAA; HHDDAa; HHddaa) and 2 in Calabrese (hhddAA; hhddaa)] and a different incidence of the common haplotypes: in CT the most frequent was HHddAa (38%) while in CA was HhddAa (22%). The relation between genetic structure of H-FABP loci and quanti-qualitative characteristics of meat evidenced the association between H-FABP loci and fatty traits. CA carriers of HhddAa haplotype evidenced a significant higher backfat weight (19.11 kg) in comparison with carriers of HHddaa haplotype which showed the lower fatness (6.35 kg); furthermore, the former haplotype also affected the fatness in other cuts (jowl and belly). Animals with the hhddAA haplotype evidenced a higher thickness of backfat at shoulder level (79.41 mm), while HhddAa showed the lowest value in the Calabrese AAGT. A different chromatic behavior of meat was observed in relation to both muscle type and haplotype. In Casertana, meat of HHDdAA carriers was lighter as consequence of the highest lightness value (43.44; P

The electrical stimulation (ES) has been proposed in the last 30 years as an alternative or supporting method to the usually ageing of refrigerated animal carcass, improving the rheological and colorimetric characteristics of meat, flavour and promoting a stronger degradation of myofibrils. This work aimed to enlarge the knowledge about the chemical and physical modifications occurring on muscle myofibrils owing to some post-mortem (p.m.) treatments of carcass. Moreover, the protein identification was performed to increase knowledge on the goat proteome. The study was carried out on the Longissimus dorsi muscle of 6 male heavy kids ‘Derivata di Siria’ undergone 4 different post-mortem treatments: A (ageing for 48hrs, +4 °C), ES220v (220v applied 30’ p.m., sampled 8hrs p.m.), ES48vj (48v applied at the slaughtering, sampled 8hrs p.m.), ES48vs+A [48v applied at the slaughtering, sampled at the end of the ageing period (48hrs)]. The samples obtained from the 12 half-carcasses were analyzed using the common proteomic procedures (two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, image analysis of gels, protein identification through the Maldi-ToF mass spectrometer). The Maldi-ToF peptide mass fingerprinting allowed to identify with high expectation values a pool of 9 unspecific proteins: Actin (MW_39kD; Pi_5.2), Myosin light chain 2 fast (MLC2f) (a, b, c isoforms) (MW_17kD; Pi_4.6-4.9), Myosin light chain 2 slow (MLC2s) (MW_18.5kD; Pi_5.1), Myosin light chain 1 fast (MLC1f) (a, b isoforms) (MW_23kD; Pi_5.1-5.2), Heat shock protein 27 kDa (MW_25Kd; Pi_6.1), Spot n° 797 (MW_24Kd; Pi_5.8). The volume value of each one of them was computed from the relative spots on gels. The subsequent image analysis allowed to verify the relation between treatment of carcass and myofibrillar proteolysis degree (linked with the volume decrease of spots). The meat stimulated using a middle voltage (ES220v) and analyzed 8 hours p.m. presented proteolysis values similar to the meat aged for 48 hours (A), while the use of low voltage (ES48vj) produced the lowest values of proteolysis in comparison with the other treatments employed (P