The olive oil agro-industry generates large quantities of by-products, such as olive cake (OC), whose sustainable valorisation in animal feed can contribute to the principles of circular economy, waste reduction, and resource efficiency. This study evaluated the effects of incorporating OC into the diets of growing Bísaro pigs, focusing on productive parameters and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD). Two trials were carried out. In the first trial, 25 pigs were fed five diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% exhausted OC (EOC) for 15 days. The results showed a linear decrease in ATTD with increasing EOC levels (p < 0.001), but the increased feed intake compensated for the reduced digestibility, and growth performance was maintained. The initial and final live weight (LW), average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were not affected (p > 0.05). In the second trial, 40 pigs were fed five diets for 82 days: a control diet and four diets incorporating 10% crude OC, 10% two-phase OC, 10% EOC, and 10% EOC with 1% olive oil. No significant differences were observed in final weight, ADG, ADFI, FCR, or the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, CF, and NDF. The results suggest incorporating moderate levels of OC into Bísaro pig diets could be a viable strategy for valorising by-products, reducing agro-industrial waste and increasing sustainability in animal production. In addition, the inclusion of OC had no negative impact on animal performance, highlighting the potential of OC as a sustainable ingredient for animal feed, which aligns with the objectives of the circular economy and sustainable livestock farming practices.

The olive oil industry generates large quantities of olive cake (OC), making its use in animal feed an environmentally sustainable alternative. Considering that the ham of Bísaro pigs is traditionally used for the production of cured ham, the analysis of raw meat is essential to understand how diet influences its quality before the maturation process. This study examined the effect of different types of OC in the diets of Bísaro pigs, focusing on the chemical compositions and fatty acid profiles of three fresh ham muscles—biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM), and semitendinosus (ST). Forty Bísaro pigs were assigned to five diets: control (CD), 10% raw OC (COC), two-phase OC (TPOC), exhausted OC (EOC), and exhausted OC with 1% olive oil (EOC-OO). The diets significantly influenced moisture, protein, collagen, and haem pigments (p < 0.05). TPOC had the highest moisture content, while CD had the lowest. Protein levels were higher in BF and SM for OC-fed pigs. Collagen in ST was highest in CD and lowest in EOC. Haem pigments varied, with EOC highest in BF and ST and EOC-OO highest in SM. Significant MUFA differences were found in BF (p < 0.001), highest in CD and lowest in TPOC. PUFA levels and the PUFA/SFA ratio were highest in TPOC (p < 0.001), while SFA remained unchanged. The results suggest that up to 10% OC can be included in pig diets without compromising meat quality, but factors such as economic viability and nutritional variability must be considered. This study provides new insights into how OC affects muscle composition, contributing to optimizing feeding strategies for better meat quality and sustainability.

Olive oil production generates by-products, such as olive cake (OC), which can be used in animal feed, reducing the environmental impact. This study assessed the effects of OC in pig diets on intestinal morphometry and blood parameters. Twenty-four Bísaro pigs were randomly assigned to three treatments: OC0 (control), OC15 (15% dehydrated OC), and OC25 (25% dehydrated OC) for 93 days. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), and fiber (NDF) was evaluated through total feces collection. No significant differences in average daily gain (ADG) or feed conversion ratio (FCR) were found (p > 0.05). However, average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased from 2.84 kg (control) to 3.46 kg (OC15) and 3.64 kg (OC25). OC inclusion increased the ADFI of CF (90.8 g to 171.5 g and 169.2 g) and NDF (586.8 g to 896.6 g and 1115.4 g). The ATTD of all parameters decreased with 25% OC. The digestible intake of DM, OM, and CP was unaffected, but CF intake was higher in OC-fed groups (p = 0.005). Histomorphometric analysis revealed no significant differences in villi size. Lymphocyte counts were higher in OC25 (p < 0.05). This study suggests that up to 15% OC inclusion is feasible without compromising the pigs’ performance.

The olive oil industry, recognised for its beneficial products for health and food culture, generates a significant amount of by-products that, if not appropriately managed, can pose considerable environmental challenges. This study examined six olive cakes (OC) from the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro regions, collected on different dates and mills: two obtained by pressing (COC), two by centrifugation (TPOC), including one partially pitted and one dehydrated, and two exhausted (EOC), which were subjected to conventional chemical analyses, namely dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude fat (CF), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL) profiling fatty acid (FA) and phosphorus and phytic acid content. The dehydrated TPOC had only 8% moisture content (due to drying), followed by EOC with 10% and COC (65–79%). The CF content was high in COC 1 (14.5% in DM), residual in EOC (1.5%) and intermediate in TPOC (9–10%). CP ranged from 5.3 to 7.3%. Notably, NDF levels were high (>65% in 5 samples; pitted TPOC 57.4%) and very lignified (ADL > 23%). Different FA profiles were observed: COC had the highest monounsaturated (76.36 g/100 g), while EOC had the highest saturated (16.56 g/100 g) and polyunsaturated (14.14 g/100 g). Phosphorus and phytic acid content (g/100 g) of EOC 2, TPOC pitted, TPOC dehydrated, COC 1 and COC 2 showed similar values to each other (mean of 0.12 ± 0.02 and 0.44 ± 0.0, respectively), with EOC 1 having the lowest levels (0.07 ± 0.01 and 0.26 ± 0.04, respectively). These results highlight the potential of OCs, especially dry TPOC, which offers transport, conservation and utilisation benefits.

Over the years, numerous techniques have been explored to assess the composition and quality of sheep carcasses. This study focuses on the utilization of video image analysis (VIA) to evaluate the composition of light lamb carcasses (4.52 ± 1.34 kg, mean cold carcass weight ± SD). Photographic images capturing the lateral and dorsal sides of fifty-five light lamb carcasses were subjected to analysis. A comprehensive set of measurements was recorded, encompassing dimensions such as lengths, widths, angles, areas, and perimeters, totaling 21 measurements for the lateral view images and 29 for the dorsal view images. K-Folds stepwise multiple regression analyses were employed to construct prediction models for carcass tissue weights (including muscle, subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat, and bone) and their respective percentages. The most effective prediction equations were established using data from cold carcass weight (CCW) and measurements from both dorsal and lateral views. These models accounted for a substantial portion of the observed variation in the weights of all carcass tissues (with K-fold-R2 ranging from 0.83 to 0.98). In terms of carcass tissue percentages, although the degree of variation explained was slightly lower (with K-fold-R2 ranging from 0.41 to 0.78), the VIA measurements remained integral to the predictive models. These findings underscore the efficacy of VIA as an objective tool for assessing the composition of light lamb carcasses, which are carcasses weighing ≈ 4–8 kg.

Sheep and goat meat production includes the increased demand for grass-fed and organic meat and value-added products such as sausages, meatballs, and burgers [...]

IntroductionLupins and other legumes have been considered as alternative plant-based protein sources to soybeans for both humans and livestock. Furthermore, they can contribute to more sustainable agricultural systems. The productivity and chemical composition of legumes is highly variable between species, cultivars, and with the edaphoclimatic conditions.MethodsThis work evaluated the adaptability of seven Lupinus cultivars in two different sowing locations, during two consecutive years, through the characterization of their seed, as a means of investigating their suitability to be used as a source of food and/or feed.Results and discussionLupinus angustifolius cv. Tango and Lupinus luteus cv. Acos were the most stable genotypes across the environments when considering the seed and protein production, while L. luteus cv. Alburquerque and L. luteus cv. Mister showed less variation in the total alkaloid content across the environments. The edaphoclimatic conditions affected seed and protein yields, as higher rainfall resulted in high productivity. The lower temperatures observed in the first year at both locations caused a reduction in the production of alkaloids in L. luteus cv. Acos and Cardiga. Due to the high alkaloid content of some of the studied cultivars their use as food or feed can pose some safety concerns. However, these cultivars can have high levels of resistance to herbivore and insect attacks, which can be of the utmost importance for the use of these crops for recovering poor or exhausted soils.

The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effects of partial replacement of soybean meal by lupins on lambs’ diets, on the carcass traits, meat characteristics, and meat fatty acid profile. Two trials were conducted: In trial 1, the soybean meal (control; C) was partially replaced by Lupinus albus or Lupinus luteus (50 g/kg; LA5 and LL5, respectively); in trial 2, lambs were fed four diets with graded levels of Lupinus luteus (0, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg; C, LL10, LL15, LL20, respectively). At the end of the feeding trials, animals were slaughtered to evaluate carcass characteristics and meat composition, including fatty acids. Carcass composition in tissues was not affected (p > 0.05) by diet in both trials. Additionally, no significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed in meat quality attributes between diets in trials 1 and 2. Overall, the Longissimus muscle’s fatty acid content was not affected by diet (p > 0.05) in both trials. Carcass and meat quality was overall comparable between lambs fed with soybean meal and lupins, indicating the latter as a potential alternative protein source. However, the lack of significant differences could also be attributed to the small sample size.

Sheep and goat extensive production systems are very important in the context of global food security and the use of rangelands that have no alternative agricultural use. In such systems, there are enormous challenges to address. These include, for instance, classical production issues, such as nutrition or reproduction, as well as carbon-efficient systems within the climate-change context. An adequate response to these issues is determinant to economic and environmental sustainability. The answers to such problems need to combine efficiently not only the classical production aspects, but also the increasingly important health, welfare, and environmental aspects in an integrated fashion. The purpose of the study was to review the application of technological developments, in addition to remote-sensing in tandem with other state-of-the-art techniques that could be used within the framework of extensive production systems of sheep and goats and their impact on nutrition, production, and ultimately, the welfare of these species. In addition to precision livestock farming (PLF), these include other relevant technologies, namely omics and other areas of relevance in small-ruminant extensive production: heat stress, colostrum intake, passive immunity, newborn survival, biomarkers of metabolic disease diagnosis, and parasite resistance breeding. This work shows the substantial, dynamic nature of the scientific community to contribute to solutions that make extensive production systems of sheep and goats more sustainable, efficient, and aligned with current concerns with the environment and welfare.

In Europe, the most appropriate strategy to replace soybean meal (SBM) in animal feed has been the development of diets containing locally produced protein sources. One of these sources is lupine (Lupinus spp.). The effect of the total substitution of SBM by white lupine (WL) and yellow lupine (YL) seeds in the diets of growing rabbits and of gender on meat quality and the fatty acids (FA) profile were evaluated. Sixty hybrid weaned rabbits (New Zealand × Californian) (20 rabbits per diet), were fed diets that contained 150 g/kg of SBM (SBMD) and WL (WLD) or YL (YLD) for 35 to 69 days. At the end of this period, 30 rabbits (10 rabbits per diet) were slaughtered to evaluate the carcass and meat characteristics and the FA profile of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. In general, the carcass and meat characteristics (pH and colour) were not affected (p > 0.05) by diet or gender. Further, there was no observed effect (p > 0.05) of gender on meat FA and on the calculated indexes related to human health. However, diet had an effect (p < 0.05) on the FA profile, FA categories, and calculated indexes related to human health. The meat from rabbits fed SBMD presented higher (p < 0.05) saturated FA (SFA; 44 vs. 39 g/100 g average on lupine diets) and lower (p < 0.05) polyunsaturated FA (PUFA; 24 vs. 28 g/100 g average on lupine diets). Our results showed that SBM may be completely replaced by WL or YL, improving the quality of LD muscle FA in terms of nutritional quality for humans.

The authors (Silva, S.R., et al.) unintentionally omitted to cite the article by O'Leary et al. [...].

Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) has been considered a promising new flatfish species for Mediterranean marine fish farming. Accurate prediction of fillet traits in live animals may allow for more efficient control of muscle deposition in fish. In this sense, this study was undertaken to develop a non-invasive method to predict in vivo fish fillet volume and yield using real-time ultrasonography (RTU). The trial was conducted with 44 market weight Senegalese sole (298.54 ± 87.30 g). Fish were scanned with an Aloka SSD 500V with a 7.5 MHz probe. Ten RTU cross-sectional images were taken from the operculum to the caudal fin at regular intervals. These images were analyzed using Fiji software. These data were then used to estimate the partial volumes of the fillet. Actual fillet volume was determined using Archimedes’ principle. Simple and stepwise multiple regression analyses were then used to develop prediction models of fillet volume and yield. The most cranial RTU sections of the fish fillet were the best single predictors of both fillet volume and fillet yield and were the ones included in the best stepwise models. The best RTU slice area explained 82% of the variation observed in fillet volume, but the other RTU slice areas used as predictors of fillet volume showed poor to moderate accuracy (0.035 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.615). Single RTU partial volumes showed poor to very high accuracy (0.395 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.970) as predictors of fillet volume. The best stepwise model based on the RTU slice areas included three independent variables and explained 88.3% of the observed variation. The best stepwise models based on RTU partial volumes (single volumes and/or combinations of single volumes) explained about 97% of the variation observed in fillet volume. Two RTU volume traits, V1–5 + V6–9, and V1+()+9, showed to be practically direct predictors of the actual fillet volume, explaining, respectively, 97% and 96% of the variation observed in the actual fillet volume. The fillet yields show lower correlations with slice areas (r between 0.044 and 0.601) than with volumes (r between 0.288 and 0.637). While further studies are clearly necessary to better understand the potential of RTU for the estimation of fillet yield in fish in general and Senegalese sole in particular, the present results showed that RTU traits can be very good predictors of Senegalese sole’s fillet volume, either used in regression models or as direct predictors.

Lupins are suitable candidates to replace soybean meal in livestock feeding in the Mediterranean area, presenting a solution for the European Union’s dependence on soybean importations. This study aimed to assess the effect of incorporating Lupinus albus and Lupinus luteus into Churra da Terra Quente lambs’ diets on growth performance and digestibility. Two trials were conducted over two years. In trial 1, two experimental diets containing 50 g/kg Lupinus albus and 50 g/kg Lupinus luteus were tested. In trial 2, lambs were fed with diets containing higher incorporations of Lupinus luteus (100, 150, and 200 g/kg: LL10, LL15, and LL20, respectively). Total dry matter, hay dry matter, and crude protein intake were calculated, as well as average daily gains. At the end of the growth trials, dry matter, organic matter, and NDF digestibility was determined. Incorporating 50 g/kg of lupins did not affect (p > 0.05) the performance. Lambs fed on LL20 diets presented the lowest HDMI and CPI values (p < 0.05). The highest intakes (p < 0.05) were observed from LL15 lambs. No differences were found in apparent digestibility coefficients between diets (p > 0.05), except for NDF digestibility which was highest (p < 0.05) for LL20. The optimum level of lupin inclusion in lambs’ diets seems to be 150 g/kg.

This study aimed to evaluate whole lupin seeds (Lupinus. albus and Lupinus luteus) as an alternative crude protein (CP) source to soybean meal (SBM) in diets for growing rabbits. Diets contained 150 g/kg of SBM (control; CTD), white lupin seeds (LAD) or yellow lupin seeds (LLD) as the main protein source were used. The diets were similar in the level of digestible crude protein (CP), and digestible energy and limiting amino acids. Sixty hybrid rabbits (New Zealand x Californian; 20 rabbits per diet; 1025 +/- 72 g of live weight (LW)), weaned at 35 days of age, were used for growth performance evaluation from 35 to 69 days of age. A feed restriction (80 %) was performed during the first 14 days of the experiment (from 35 to 49 days). At the end of the growth trial, 30 rabbits (10 rabbits per treatment) were slaughtered without fasting. The caecum was weighted and its content was collected, the pH was measure and samples were taken and frozen for laboratorial analysis. Forty eight rabbits (24 cages and 16 rabbits per diet; 60 days of age; 2115.0 +/- 211.6 g LW) were selected from the growth trial and used in the digestibility assay. No significant (P > 0.05) effects was observed on the LW and feed intake between diets in all ages studied. Considering the total growing period (35-69 days), weight gain was higher (P < 0.05) in rabbits fed the CTD (47.7 g/day) than rabbits fed lupine diets (42.8, and 42.1 g/day in rabbits fed the LAD and LLD, respectively). Similarly, feed conversion rate was lower (P < 0.05) in rabbits fed CTD (3.1, 3.5 and 3.6 g/g in rabbits fed the CTD, LAD and LLD, respectively). There were differences in digestibility of organic matter with CTD presenting the highest value (0.622; P < 0.05). Regarding de digestibility of CP, the highest value was found for LLD (0.738; P < 0.05). Digestibility of fibre fractions was not affected by diet (P > 0.05). The caecal parameters were not affected by the replacement of SBM by lupine, except the pH values that were higher in lupine diets (5.74 and 5.77 LAD and LLD, respectively; P < 0.05). In conclusion white and yellow lupin seeds are a suitable dietary protein source for growing rabbits although a slightly worsened of the growth performance of rabbits fed LAD or LLD was observed. Future trials must be conducted using lower levels of lupine seeds in diets and including also an economic evaluation of the results.

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the leg volume obtained by the Microsoft Kinect sensor to predict the composition of light lamb carcasses. The trial was performed on carcasses of twenty-two male lambs (17.6 ± 1.8 kg, body weight). The carcasses were split into eight cuts, divided into three groups according to their commercial value: high-value, medium value, and low-value group. Linear, area, and volume of leg measurements were obtained to predict carcass and cuts composition. The leg volume was acquired by two different methodologies: 3D image reconstruction using a Microsoft Kinect sensor and Archimedes principle. The correlation between these two leg measurements was significant (r = 0.815, p < 0.01). The models to predict cuts and carcass traits that include leg Kinect 3D sensor volume are very good in predicting the weight of the medium value and leg cuts (R2 of 0.763 and 0.829, respectively). Furthermore, the model, which includes the Kinect leg volume, explained 85% of its variation for the carcass muscle. The results of this study confirm the good ability to estimate cuts and carcass traits of light lamb carcasses with leg volume obtained with the Kinect 3D sensor.

Specific animal-based indicators that can be used to predict animal welfare have been the core of protocols for assessing the welfare of farm animals, such as those produced by the Welfare Quality project. At the same time, the contribution of technological tools for the accurate and real-time assessment of farm animal welfare is also evident. The solutions based on technological tools fit into the precision livestock farming (PLF) concept, which has improved productivity, economic sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farms. PLF has been adopted recently; nevertheless, the need for technological support on farms is getting more and more attention and has translated into significant scientific contributions in various fields of the dairy industry, but with an emphasis on the health and welfare of the cows. This review aims to present the recent advances of PLF in dairy cow welfare, particularly in the assessment of lameness, mastitis, and body condition, which are among the most relevant animal-based indications for the welfare of cows. Finally, a discussion is presented on the possibility of integrating the information obtained by PLF into a welfare assessment framework.

Carcass dissection is a more accurate method for determining the composition of a carcass; however, it is expensive and time-consuming. Techniques like VIA are of great interest once they are objective and able to determine carcass contents accurately. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of a flexible VIA system to determine the weight and yield of the commercial value of carcass cuts of light lamb. Photos from 55 lamb carcasses are taken and a total of 21 VIA measurements are assessed. The half-carcasses are divided into six primal cuts, grouped according to their commercial value: high-value (HVC), medium-value (MVC), low-value (LVC) and all of the cuts (AllC). K-folds cross-validation stepwise regression analyses are used to estimate the weights of the cuts in the groups and their lean meat yields. The models used to estimate the weight of AllC, HVC, MVC and LVC show similar results and a k-fold coefficient of determination (k-fold-R2) of 0.99 is achieved for the HVC and AllC predictions. The precision of the weight and yield of the three prediction models varies from low to moderate, with k-fold-R2 results between 0.186 and 0.530, p < 0.001. The prediction models used to estimate the total lean meat weight are similar and low, with k-fold-R2 results between 0.080 and 0.461, p < 0.001. The results confirm the ability of the VIA system to estimate the weights of parts and their yields. However, more research is needed on estimating lean meat yield.

The bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a non-destructive technique that has been successfully used to assess the body and carcass composition of farm species. This study aimed to predict intramuscular fat (IMF) and physicochemical traits in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle (LM) of beef, using BIA. These traits were evaluated in LM samples of 52 crossbred heifer carcasses. The BIA was performed in LM, using a 50 Hz frequency high precision impedance converter system. A correlation analysis of the studied variables was performed. Then a stepwise with a k-folds cross validation procedure was used to modelling the prediction of IMF and physicochemical traits from BIA parameters (24.5% ≤ CV ≤ 47.3%). Wide variation was found for IMF and BIA parameters. In general, correlations of BIA parameters with IMF and physicochemical traits were moderate to high and were similar for all BIA parameters (−0.50 ≤ r ≤ 0.50 only for total pigments, a* and pH48). It was possible to predict IMF and physicochemical traits from BIA. The best fit explained 79.3% of the variation in IMF, while for physicochemical traits the best fits were for sarcomere length and shear force (64.4% and 60.5%, respectively). The results confirmed the potential of BIA for objective measurement of meat quality.

In the last decade, there has been a significant development in rapid, non-destructive and non-invasive techniques to evaluate carcass composition and meat quality of meat species. This article aims to review the recent technological advances of non-destructive and non-invasive techniques to provide objective data to evaluate carcass composition and quality traits of sheep and goat meat. We highlight imaging and spectroscopy techniques and practical aspects, such as accuracy, reliability, cost, portability, speed and ease of use. For the imaging techniques, recent improvements in the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging to assess sheep and goat carcass and meat quality will be addressed. Optical technologies are gaining importance for monitoring and evaluating the quality and safety of carcasses and meat and, among them, those that deserve more attention are visible and infrared reflectance spectroscopy, hyperspectral imagery and Raman spectroscopy. In this work, advances in research involving these techniques in their application to sheep and goats are presented and discussed. In recent years, there has been substantial investment and research in fast, non-destructive and easy-to-use technology to raise the standards of quality and food safety in all stages of sheep and goat meat production.

Even though sheep and goat processed meat products are not as popular as pork, beef or poultry and are generally considered not as important, they have a very important role in meat consumption around the world. A concise review of the origin and type of the most important sheep and goat processed meat products produced in different countries and world regions is made. The manuscript also summarizes the most recent studies on sheep and goat processed meats on the physicochemical characterizations, sensory quality, microbiological quality and safety. Some conclusions and future trends in production, processing and commercial potentiality for sheep and goat processed meat products are discussed. Several possibilities exist to make them more diversified and appealing to the market. Processing meat from culled animals is an interesting way to value animals with low market acceptability. Some as fermented sausages, cured legs and pâtés have great commercial potential as highly acceptable consumer commodities. An interesting field of food research is the rediscovery of a new generation of goat and sheep meat products as functional foods that will respond to the constant innovation required by the meat industry. Everything related to food safety must be considered in the future.