Kennelled dogs are at risk of suffering chronic stress due to long-term spatial, social and feeding restrictions. Chronic stress may decrease the dogs' capacity to feel pleasure when facing hedonic experiences, modifying their perception for palatable ingredients. However, different abilities to cope with environmental stressors could prevent the onset of anhedonia. Fourteen kennelled Beagle dogs were used to study the acceptability and preference for different dilute sucrose and monosodium glutamate (MSG) solutions. Coping style of animals was previously evaluated through a human approach test (HAT) and classified as close dogs (CD; proactive) or distant dogs (DD; reactive) according to whether or not they approached an unfamiliar human when a feeding opportunity was presented. Consumption results were analysed taking into account the sucrose/MSG concentrations, HAT (CD or DD), age, and weight of the animals. DD presented a lower intake of sucrose (p = 0.041) and MSG (p = 0.069) solutions compared with CD. However, DD exhibited a higher consumption of MSG than CD at its highest concentrations, supporting that their intake depends on solution palatability. Finally, DD did not prefer sucrose or MSG solutions over water at any dilute solution offered. Together, these results suggest that dogs that are categorized as reactive animals could diminish their ability to perceive dilute palatable solutions, reflecting depressive-like behaviours as anhedonia.

A ten-year database of food preference tests (n = 1021; period 2007−2017) was used to explore the feeding behavior of domestic cats. Principal component (PC) analysis and linear regression between food nutrients and preferences (for the most preferred diet of each test; Diet A) were performed. Intake and preference for Diet A were analyzed by intrinsic cats’ variables and climate season. The PC1 (calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and ash), PC2 (lipids and ether extract) and PC4 (crude fiber; CF) had borderline significance (p < 0.06; β = −1.42, β = −1.56, and β = 2.68, respectively). Ash and CF contents presented negative correlations with food preference (rho = −0.269, p = 0.031; rho = −0.338, p = 0.006, respectively), and Ca had borderline significance and negative correlation with food preference (rho = −0.241, p = 0.054). Body weight and sex influenced the intake of Diet A, being lower for females (β = 11.758; p = 0.014) and heaviest cats (β = −5.490; p < 0.001). However, only body weight affected food preferences, where the heaviest cats had greater preferences for Diet A. Hot season decreased food intake (β = −2,117; p = 0.032), mostly in females (rho = −3.537; p = 0.002). Males had greater preferences for Diet A during hot seasons (β = 10.216; p = 0.023) and females presented similar preferences throughout the year (p = 0.950). Mineral contents, body weight and sex affected food intake and preferences of cats under the influence of climate season, probably explained by adaptive changes in food detection.

To evaluate increased levels of dehydrated olive cake (DOC) in lambs ration on main carcass traits, 40 Suffolk Down male lambs (75.8 ± 7.4 days of age, 24.5 ± 3.1 kg live weight) were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups. Four experimental isoenergetic and isoproteic diets were used with different levels of DOC: 0, 16, 32 and 48%, and an un-weaned group were kept with their mothers on grazing. Lambs had 8 days of adaptation to the diets, which were gradually introduced along with good quality alfalfa hay. During 47 days of the experiment, the lambs were confined in individual pens (1.4 m 2 ) and subsequently slaughtered at 123 ± 7 days with an average live weight of 32.56 ± 2.62 kg. The live weight at slaughter (LWS), hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, commercial yield (CY), real dressing percentage (RDP), body components weight (blood, hide, head, legs, full and empty digestive tract, and viscera), rib eye area (REA), back fat thickness (BFT), renal pelvic fat weight, and commercial cutting yield (CCY) were recorded. Additionally, the tissue composition and its ratios were calculated from the shoulder and leg. The carcass traits, CY, RDP, and REA decreased and BFT increased with increasing amounts of DOC in the diet (P≤0.05). No significant differences (P>0.05) in CCY, tissue composition and ratios among the tissues of the shoulder and leg joints were detected. The addition of DOC to the diet did not affect the quality of the lamb carcass. Se evaluo la inclusion de alperujo deshidratado de oliva (ADO) en la racion de corderos sobre las principales caracteristicas de la canal, utilizando 40 corderos Suffolk Down (75,8 ± 7,4 dias de edad, 24,5 ± 3,1 kg peso vivo). ADO se incluyo en cuatro dietas: Dieta control con 0% ADO (DC), DC con 16, 32 y 48% ADO, mas un grupo a pastoreo que se mantuvo con sus madres. Durante el ensayo (47 dias), los corderos se mantuvieron en corrales individuales (1,4 m 2 ). Los corderos fueron sacrificados a los 123 ± 7 dias, y peso vivo promedio de 32,56 ± 2,62 kg. Al sacrificio se registro: peso vivo, peso de la canal caliente, peso de la canal fria, rendimiento comercial (RC), rendimiento verdadero de la canal (RV), peso de los componentes del cuerpo (sangre, piel, cabeza, piernas, el tracto digestivo lleno y vacio, y visceras), area del ojo del lomo (AOL), espesor de grasa dorsal (EGD), peso de grasa peri-renal y rendimiento de corte comercial (RCC). Adicionalmente, en espaldilla (E) y pierna (P) se estudiaron los componentes del tejido (CT) y sus proporciones (PT). El incremento de ADO en la dieta causo una disminucion de RC, RV y AOL y un aumento de EGD (P 0,05) en RCC, ni en CT y PT de H y P. La adicion de ADO a dietas de corderos, en los niveles utilizados en este trabajo, no afecto la calidad de la canal de cordero.

Twenty-eight Merino Precoce suckling lambs raised under confinement in the Mediterranean semi-humid dryland of Central Chile were studied to evaluate meat quality and major carcass characteristics. Animals were grouped by slaughter weight (10 and 15 kg) and sex (7 males and 7 females in each weight group). The average commercial and true dressing percentages were 53 and 55%, the average ribeye area was 11.7 cm2, and the average dorsal fat thickness was 1.5 mm. The largest retail yields were those of the leg and shoulder, at 38 and 22%, respectively. The tissue composition of the leg was 58% muscle, 23% bone, 12% fat, 3.6% residues, and 3% shrink loss. The tissue composition of the shoulder was 57% muscle, 23% bone, 11% fat, 3.7% residues and 3.2% shrink loss. The average chemical composition of the fresh meat was 67% moisture, 19% protein, 13% ether extract, and 1.3% ash. Sensory panel evaluation indicated that almost all the sensory characteristics were within the ideal range, and the acceptability panel evaluation indicated that 15 kg lambs produced the most acceptable meat. Slaughter weight had the most significant effect on carcass and meat quality. These results confirm that Merino Precoce suckling lambs yield high-quality carcasses and highly acceptable meat.

Con el fin de determinar las caracteristicas de la composicion lactea en ganado caprino criollo, se seleccionaron 11 hembras prenadas de primer parto, aproximadamente de 1 ano de edad. Los animales fueron alimentados en base a heno de alfalfa pelletizado y se recolectaron muestras de leche en los dias 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90; 105, 120, 150, 180. En estas muestras se determino las concentraciones de: materia grasa, proteina total, lactosa, cenizas y solidos totales. Los resultados se expresan en rangos y medidas por variable y se establecen correlaciones de los componentes entre si y con los periodos de la lactancia. El analisis de los diferentes componentes lacteos indican que la composicion de la leche de cabra criolla se asemeja mas a aquellas provenientes de razas no lecheras. El analisis comparativo de los datos obtenidos indican una correlacion positiva y significativa entre solidos totales versus lactosa y proteinas respectivamente. El establecimiento de correlaciones estadisticas entre macronutrientes y produccion lactea indica que estas son negativas y estadisticamente significativas entre produccion versus solidos totales y proteinas respectivamente. Con el transcurso de la lactancia tanto solidos totales, proteina y lactosa, se afectan significativamente. En general, los macronutrientes obtienen sus valores mas altos al comienzo y hacia el final de la lactancia. A diferencia con lo que ocurre en otras especies, en la leche caprina no se encuentra presente la galactosa, lo que hace pensar que los procesos biosinteticos de la leche en el caprino pueden ser diferentes a los de otras especies. Es indudable, que este trabajo es solo el inicio de posteriores investigaciones concernientes al caprino criollo y en particular a su produccion y caracteristicas de la leche, que nos permitiran llegar a la caracterizacion integral, tanto fisiologica como productiva, de nuestro ganado caprino criollo.