The objective of this study was to compare the fatty acid and terpene profile of ovine and caprine milk from animals raised under a semi-extensive production system in commercial farms located in Northwest Greece. Regarding fatty acid profile, ovine milk had a higher percentage of conjugated linoleic acid (CLAcis-9, trans-11) as well as higher percentages of both n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in relation to caprine milk. Terpene profile analysis showed a high frequency of appearance for α-pinene, d-limonene, β-pinene in both types of milk. β-Caryophyllene was detected in the majority of the examined ovine and caprine milk samples suggesting that its presence could be used as a potential biomarker of grass feeding. The relative frequency of appearance was higher in caprine milk for the majority of identified terpenes. Ovine milk had better nutritional value in comparison to caprine milk that had an enriched terpene profile than ovine milk.

Definition and establishment of a fixed reference lactation length could provide useful tools for on-farm comparison of ewes and flock management as well as genetic evaluations for the breeding programme. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate different reference lactation lengths for the Chios dairy sheep and (ii) define the most suitable reference length for the breed. A total of 260 042 test-day milk records from 24 474 ewes in 130 flocks collected between 2003 and 2014 were used; 15 different lactation lengths were evaluated ranging from 120 to 260 days, defined at 10-day intervals as reference for the Chios sheep. The evaluation criteria included: (a) heritability and repeatability of milk yield in each reference lactation, (b) genetic correlation of reference lactation milk yield with actual lactation milk yield and yield at first test-day record and (c) correlated response in reference lactation milk yield from selection based on first test-day milk yield. The latter emulates genetic gains achieved for milk yield based on early lactation selection. Heritability and repeatability estimates of reference lactation milk yield and genetic correlation with actual lactation yield favoured long reference lactations (180 to 230 days). On the contrary, correlation with first test-day record milk yield was higher for short lactations (120 to 170 days). Moreover, selection on first test-day record milk yield would lead to a correlated response in reference yield in 220 days equal to 85% of the highest estimate achieved in the maximum reference length of 260 days (190 days when only considering first lactation milk yield). Based on the results of the present study, an overall reference lactation length for the Chios breed of 220 days post-lambing and a first lactation reference length of 190 days post-lambing are recommended.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of season on the fatty acid and terpene composition in ewe milk. A total of 760 samples of bulk sheep milk were collected during winter (147 samples), spring (314 samples) and summer (299 samples) of 2011, from 90 commercial farms of dairy sheep from the prefecture of Grevena, Greece. Regarding fatty acid composition, summer samples had higher concentrations of α-linolenic acid, cis-9, trans 11- CLA, trans-11, C18 : 1 and PUFAs but lower content of saturated fatty acids particularly C12 : 0, C14 : 0 and C16 : 0. The winter milk had the lowest content of terpenes, in particular sesquiterpenes, compared to spring and summer milk. The terpene profile of milk samples, in all three seasons, revealed the presence of monoterpenes: a-pinene, b-pinene and D-limonene, especially with a higher frequency of appearance in summer. The most common and abundant sesquiterpenes found in milk samples were β-caryophyllene and α-caryophyllene with a higher frequency of appearance in summer. In conclusion, the available pastures in semi-extensive farming systems can contribute to the production of high quality milk.

1. A trial was conducted to study the effect of Melissa officinalis supplementation on organic broiler performance and meat chemical, microbiological, sensory and nutritional quality. 2. Male and female day-old Ross 308 chicks were fed on a standard commercial diet containing 0, 2.5, 5 or 10 g/kg feed ground M. officinalis for 84 d before slaughter. 3. Weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in the broilers receiving either 5 or 10 mg M. officinalis/kg feed. 4. Inclusion of M. officinalis did not affect muscle chemical and fatty acid composition. 5. On the basis of microbiological and sensory experimental data and subsequent extension of meat shelf life, M. officinalis did not reduce the microbial populations of the meat, but was effective in limiting lipid oxidation.

In an experiment with 480 one-day-old male broiler chickens, the effect of partial replacement of soybean meal and corn with raw field peas (FP; Pisum sativum L.) on growth performance and carcass and meat quality was determined. In the 42-d experiment, broiler chickens were allocated to 5 dietary treatments: FP-none, FP-low, FP-medium, FP-high, and FP-very high with 4 pens per treatment and 24 broiler chickens per pen, and received a diet ad libitum. The experiment was divided into 3 periods: starter period (1–14 d of age), grower period (15–28 d of age), and finisher period (29–42 d of age). In all 3 periods, the diets for treatment FP-none had no FP (control), while those for treatments FP-low, FP-medium, FP-high, and FP-very high included 40, 80, 120, and 160 g FP/kg, respectively, during the starter period, 60, 120, 180, and 240 g FP/kg, respectively, during the grower period, and 120, 240, 360, and 480 g FP/kg, respectively, during the finisher period. Replacement of soybean meal and corn with up to 480 g FP/kg of diet resulted in similar productive performance. Moreover, carcass yield traits, skin color, and chemical composition were not affected by feeding diets with increasing levels of FP. Some differences (P<0.05) were observed in fatty acid distribution in total lipids of breast- and leg muscles, but the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids remained unaffected. In conclusion, depending on the age, inclusion levels up to 480 g raw FP/kg can be used as an alternative protein and energy source to replace soybean meal and corn in broiler chicken diets.

In this study, the level of technical efficiency of 58 sheep farms rearing the Chios breed in Greece was measured through the application of the stochastic frontier analysis method. A Translog stochastic frontier production function was estimated using farm accounting data of Chios sheep farms and the impact of various socio-demographic and biophysical factors on the estimated efficiency of the farms was evaluated. The farms were classified into efficiency groups on the basis of the estimated level of efficiency and a technical and economic descriptive analysis was applied in order to illustrate an indicative picture of their structure and productivity. The results of the stochastic frontier model indicate that there are substantial production inefficiencies among the Chios sheep farms and that these farms could increase their production through the improvement of technical efficiency, whereas the results of the inefficiency effects model reveal that the farm-specific explanatory factors can partly explain the observed efficiency differentials. The measurement of technical inefficiency and the detection of its determinants can be used to form the basis of policy recommendations that could contribute to the development of the sector.

In this study the level of technical efficiency of 58 Chios sheep farms is estimated with the implementation of Data Envelopment Analysis. This level of technical efficiency is used as a classification criterion and the main technical and economic indices of the farms are analyzed in order to investigate their contribution to the improvement of technical efficiency. Next, the structural and economic characteristics of the farms that utilize the existing technology efficiently are described and compared with the average farm. The results show the presence of substantial inefficiencies in the allocation of the existing resources among farms that rear Chios sheep in Greece, which indicates that there is considerable room for development. The estimated mean level of technical efficiency is 0.76, suggesting that the average farm could increase its value of production by 24%, given the level of inputs and the existing production technology. Furthermore, larger farms are associated with higher levels of efficiency. A technical and economic description indicates that the efficient farms, compared to the average Chios breed farm, use less land and labor, rear a smaller number of ewes, utilize less variable and fixed capital and achieve a higher income in order to produce the same level of output.

The objective of this study was to examine the prion protein gene locus (PRNP) in Chios sheep. PRNP is linked with scrapie resistance in small ruminants. Here, its impact on milk production (test-day and total lactation yield) and reproduction (age at first lambing, conception rate at first service, and prolificacy) was assessed. Genotyping at codons 136, 154 and 171 (classical scrapie) and 141 (atypical scrapie) was performed using DNA from milk somatic cells and PCR-RFLP analysis. A total of 1013 Chios ewes raised in 23 flocks were used. This constituted a random sample of the national breeding population. A total of 15 genotypes and 6 alleles linked to codons 136, 154 and 171 were detected. All animals were homozygous for the leucine allele at codon 141. Linear mixed models were used to assess the impact of PRNP genotypes and alleles on milk production and reproduction traits. The TRQ allele, whose association with such traits was assessed for the first time, had an adverse effect on age at first lambing. All other PRNP alleles, including ARR, which is associated with increased resistance to classical scrapie, had no significant effect on the traits studied. No significant associations of the PRNP genotypes with production and reproduction traits were observed. It was concluded that selection for scrapie-resistant sheep is not expected to affect the ongoing breeding programme that aims to enhance the milk yield and reproduction of the Chios breed.

Sheep herds are a significant capital of dairy industry in Greece, but as dairy farming becomes more complex and intense the need to provide assistance to dairy producers on milk quality is critical. In this study, the quality of raw milk produced in sheep farms of NE Greece was surveyed and the role of various factors was explored. In total, 21 dairy ewe's farms from the regions of Xanthi and Evros, in the north-eastern Greece were monitored. Milk samples were sampled after the morning milking every 15 days throughout the dairy period (March-June). For the study, a questionnaire was also filled by personal interview with the owners in order to collect information about herd characteristics, health status, handling practices etc. From each farm, air was also sampled for microbiological analysis. Milk samples were examined for chemical components: fat content, protein, lactose, non-fat dry matter (NFDM) and somatic cells count (SCC). Microbiological examination involved the estimation of Total Bacterial Counts (TBC), coliform count (CC), Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp., and preliminary incubation count (PIC). The possible correlation among different bacterial species and their interaction with SCC and chemical components of milk was also considered. It was examined whether farm management practices could influence the hygiene and the quality of milk. Our results show that as an average TBCs were 5.48 log cfu/ml, SCC: 6.05 log cells/ml, CC: 4.49 log cfu/ml, S. aureus: 3.94 log cfu/ml, Streptococcus sp.: 4.95 log cfu/ml and PIC: 5.7 log cfu/ml. The mean fat, protein, lactose and NFDM were 6.17%, 5.28%, 4.73% and 10.95% respectively. The study revealed significant positive correlation between TBC and PIC (0.825), while SCC was marginally positive correlated with protein and NFDM. No statistically significant correlations observed among SCC with any of the bacterial species. Herd size and farm management practices had considerable influence on SCC and bacterial species.

Sheep farming is considered to be one of the most dynamic sectors of the rural economy. Nevertheless, the operation of sheep farms presents several weaknesses, which are probably due to the relatively short period during which the sector has become systematised and has developed on a business basis. One of the most important problems facing this sector is the high production costs, which affect its competitive profile. This paper studies the potential of restructuring and promoting the business growth of sheep farms, by reducing their production costs. As an application of the proposed methodology, we used economic data from 110 Greek sheep farms. More specifically, through the application of principal component analysis, the present study examines the "internal cohesion" of the factors that shape the overall production costs, while analysing the structural relations between their primary parameters. Through the application of hierarchical cluster analysis, the farms in question are grouped into two clusters, based on the scores per cost component and the discriminating capacity of these components is highlighted. It is concluded that all efforts to reduce production costs should aim at: a) a productive use and rational utilisation of the fixed capital, b) a reduction of production costs for animal food, c) a productive valorisation of family labour. The latter (as a cost component) presents a discriminating capacity for all sheep farms. It is therefore obvious that a reduction in wages is a necessity for all such farms. A full valorisation of family labour, and an increased level of mechanisation per employee, is expected to lead to a reduction in the former's cost of use.

The aim of this paper was to study some of the teat characteristics involved in the milking ability of indigenous Greek goats such as the vacuum level of the milking machine that is required for the opening of the teat canal sphincter and the changes in the teat end wall thickness induced by milking. Thirty-six dams (12 of the first, 12 of the second and 12 of the third and subsequent lactations) were used after weaning (60 5 days). Dams were milked twice a day (8:00 and 18:00 h) for 12 weeks in a milking parlour 1 x 12 side by side of Casse type with 6 milking units and a low milk line and air pipeline. The main functional characteristics of milking machine were: vacuum level 44 kPa, pulsation rate 90 pulsations/min and pulsation ratio 50:50. Every 14 days, during morning and evening milking the vacuum level that was required for the opening of the teat sphincter (VOTS) was measured. The measurement of teat end wall thickness (TEWT) was performed before and after milking. The results of this study showed that during the experimental period the mean VOTS was 23.57 +/- 0.36 kPa and decreased significantly as the stage of lactation progressed (P < 0.001). The post-milking TEWT was 3.55% higher in comparison with that before milking (P < 0.01). A continuous and significant decrease in teat thickness was observed during the lactation stage (P < 0.001), which suggests a reaction to intramammary pressure and milk quantity in the udder. The TEWT was affected significantly by the parity (P < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between VOTS and TEWT before and after milking (0.4 and 0.36, respectively). It could be said that a lower vacuum level is required for the opening of the teat sphincter of the udder in goats of the indigenous Greek breed. The thicker teat end wall and more resistant sphincter could be less favourable in the machine milking of goats.

This paper focuses on AMNOS-mobile®, a PDA application developed to support the tasks undertaken by sheep inspectors when visiting the farms. It works in close cooperation with AMNOS®, an integrated web-based platform developed to record, monitor, evaluate and manage the dairy sheep population of the Chios and Serres breed in Greece. Within the context of this paper, the design features of AMNOS-mobile® are presented and the problems tackled by the use of handheld devices are discussed, illustrating how our application can enhance recording, improve the collection data process, and help farmers to more efficiently manage their flocks.