Bleeding of Farmed Atlantic Cod: Residual Blood,Color, and Quality Attributes of Pre- and Postrigor Fillets as Affected by Perimortem Stress and Different Bleeding Methods

The main objectives of the study were to (a) assess the effect of perimortem stress on blood drainage, (b) compare the efficiency of gill cutting and direct gutting as bleeding methods, and (c) compare pre- and postrigor filleting strategies for presence of residual blood in Atlantic cod fillets. Anesthetized cod had significantly higher drainage of blood compared to stressed fish. Nevertheless, the visual assessments of residual blood were not affected by stress or bleeding method. Some minor, but significant, differences between pre- and postrigor fillets were found. Stressed fish were initially less light in color than those unstressed, but after ice storage there was no noticeable difference. However, initially, the largest difference in fillet color was due to different bleeding methods. Fillets cut from fish subjected to gill cutting were lighter and less red in color than those bled by direct gutting. After 7 and 21 days of storage, the color differences observed in fresh and salted fillets, respectively, were mainly due to the different rigor status when they were filleted, indicating that fillets cut postrigor were superior to fillets cut prerigor. Prerigor filleting resulted in lower water holding capacity after ice storage in anesthetized, direct gutted cod.     

Effect of air exposure on scallop behaviour, and the implications for subsequent survival in culture

Scallop spat produced for continued culture normally requiretransportation between sites, and the associated stresses may causemortalities. In the present experiment, scallops of 40–55 mm shell heightwere emersed in air for time intervals up to 24 h and their behaviourexamined once re-immersed. Scallops were placed upside-down and thenumber of movements and the cumulative numbers righting in 5 min timeblocks were recorded. The greatest frequency for all behaviouralresponses was found at 15–17 °C in August. Responses were reducedin November and June (9–11 °C) and least at 5 °C in January.All effects of treatment, temperatures and season, and increases in airexposure were significantly different. Following the treatments, mortalitiesafter 10 days in culture was about 10–30% for scallops emersed for 18 and24 h in August and June. Scallops did not show significantly differentbehaviour whether they were emersed upright or inverted. However,scallops emersed at 15 °C had fewer responses than scallops held at <10 °C, so chilling during transport may prolong scallop vitality. Theresults suggest that air exposure >12 h should be avoided. At temperatures>9 °C, behavioural responses may be a simple and effective method toassess vitality which can assist in the management of scallop culture.     

Dispersal distances for airborne spores based on deposition rates and stochastic modeling

ABSTRACT A new modeling framework for particle dispersal is explored in the context of the particles being fungal spores dispersed within a field. The model gives rise to both exponentially decreasing and polynomially decreasing two-dimensional densities of deposited fungal spores. We reformulate the model in terms of time to deposition, and show how this concept is equivalent to the deposition rate for fungal spores. Special cases where parameter values for wind and gravitation lead to exponentially or polynomially decreasing densities are discussed, and formulas for one- and two-dimensional densities of deposited spores are given explicitly in terms of parameters for diffusion, wind, gravitation, and spore release height.     

Effects of long-term contrasting lime and phosphorus applications on barley grain yield,root growth and abundance of mycorrhiza

Lime and phosphorus (P) applications are common agricultural management practices. Our aim was to quantify the effects of long-term application practices on root growth and abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) under field conditions. We assessed the effects of lime and P fertilizer applications on barley yield, root growth and AMF abundance in 2016. Treatments were no, low, medium and high liming rate corresponding to application of 0, 4, 8 and 12 Mg lime ha⁻¹ every 5–9 years since 1942 combined with no or yearly application of 15.6 kg P ha⁻¹ since 1944. At harvest, grain yield, root intensity (core-break) and AMF abundance at different soil depths were estimated. Root development was monitored during early growth with minirhizotrons in treatments receiving low, medium and high liming rates and P fertilization. A quadratic model relating grain yield to liming rate estimated yields to peak at 6.4 Mg lime ha⁻¹ with yields of 4.2 and 3.2 Mg grain ha⁻¹ with and without P fertilization, respectively. Low and medium liming rates resulted in greater AMF abundance, especially in the no P treatments. During early growth in P-fertilized treatments, 77% and 65% more roots developed in the soil profile when treated with medium and high liming rate, respectively, compared to low liming rate. We conclude that long-term application of lime in soils receiving yearly P fertilization improved conditions for root growth in soil layers below 30 cm, but at the high liming rate, this did not translate into higher yield.     

Prüfung von zwei Rattenvertilgungsmitteln

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

A two-year comparison on nutritive value and yield of eight lucerne cultivars and one red clover cultivar

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and lucerne (Medicago sativa) are among the most common legume species used for ruminant feeding systems. Besides the greater nutritive quality and first-year ley yield compared to lucerne, red clover decreases its yield over the years. However, under unfavourable soil conditions the persistency of lucerne can be compromised, not performing as expected. This study compared yield and chemical composition of eight lucerne cultivars and one tetraploid red clover cultivar, with similar growth capacity as lucerne, replicated over two years. In the second year, four lucerne cultivars and the red clover cultivar were analysed for crude protein (CP) fractions, dry matter and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility. A randomized block design was used with three field blocks per cultivar for the multiple comparisons within each year. There were differences in DM yield, concentrations of CP and NDF and CP fractions among the lucerne cultivars, but the differences were inconsistent between years and between growth cycles within year. The red clover cultivar had lower CP and NDF concentrations than a majority of the lucerne cultivars, and greater in vitro organic matter digestibility compared to all of the lucerne cultivars. Also, the red clover cultivar had greater rumen undegradable-to-degradable CP ratio but confirmed its lower yield persistency compared to the lucerne cultivars.     

Segment-based coancestry,additive relationship and genetic variance within and between the Norwegian and the Swedish Fjord horse populations

ABSTRACT

The Fjord horse originates from Norway but forms a global population due to several small populations in foreign countries. There exists no information about the additive relationship and the genetic variance between these subpopulations. By collecting blood samples from Norwegian and Swedish Fjord horses, a sample of 311 Norwegian and 102 Swedish horses gave 485,918 SNPs available for analysis. Their inbreeding coefficients were calculated and compared to the pairwise coancestry and the shared genomic segments. The effective population size was almost similar with the two methods in the Norwegian Fjord horse population (63 and 71), but very different in the Swedish population (269 and 1136) and unprecise due to a much smaller number of observations. The study showed that coancestry from shared genomic segments can be used to estimate additive genetic relationship and genetic variation within and between the global populations of the Fjord horse.     

Effects of pressurization on structure, water distribution, and sensory attributes of cured ham: can pressurization reduce the crucial sodium content?

This study investigated the replacement of tumbling (intermittent vacuum tumbling for 6 h) with pressure treatment (7 MPa for 4 s) in the production of a cured ham product with the aim of elucidating if the pressure treatment could reduce the amount of salt added to obtain a satisfactory product. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed a pressure-induced loosening of the meat structure, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry revealed that this structural modification of the meat had an impact on water properties and water distribution in both cooked and cooked/fried products. Three salt levels (0.6, 1.1, and 1.7% w/w) were investigated, and sensory profiling revealed that the pressured-cooked meat obtained a significantly higher juiciness score at low and medium salt levels. In addition, sensory profiling assessments revealed that at the lowest salt concentration the pressured product was perceived to be saltier compared with the tumbled product; however, the difference was not significant and was absent upon frying. In contrast, in sensory time intensity analysis the maximum intensity and the total salt taste were significantly higher in the pressured samples at the low and medium salt levels in the cooked samples. In conclusion, the present study showed strong evidence that the structure and biophysical characteristics of cured ham is altered by pressurization and suggested that pressurization may reduce the critical amount of salt required in a ham product.     

Bacterial cholangiohepatitis in a dog

A 9-year-old female Yorkshire terrier was presented for vomiting and diarrhea. Blood chemistry tests revealed hepatic dysfunction, cholestasis, and inflammation. Liver ultrasonography and liver biopsy were consistent with cholangiohepatitis. Fine-needle aspiration of the gallbladder revealed the presence of bacteria later identified as Clostridium spp. The cholangiohepatitis was successfully treated.