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The red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis has a potent antimethanogenic effect, which has been proven both in vitro and in vivo. Vegetable oil immersions of this seaweed (hereafter Bromoil) help stabilise the bromoform (CHBr 3 ) responsible for its antimethanogenic effect. We evaluate the effects of increasing the levels of CHBr 3 in lamb diets on growth performance, methane (CH 4 ) production, animal health and meat quality. Twenty-four Merino Branco ram lambs were fed a ground complete compound feed, supplemented with 50 mL/kg DM of sunflower oil with different CHBr 3 content. The treatments were defined by the CHBr 3 doses in the oil: 0 mg (control - B0), 15 mg (B15), 30 mg (B30) and 45 mg (B45) of CHBr 3 per kg of feed DM. The feed was prepared daily by mixing Bromoil with the compound feed. At the end of the experiment, the lambs were sacrificed, the ruminal content was collected for in vitro fermentation to evaluate CH 4 production and organic matter (OM) degradability, and the rumen mucosa was sampled for histological examination. Meat samples were collected for chemical composition and CHBr 3 analysis. The half-life of CHBr 3 in the air-exposed feed was 3.98 h making it very difficult to establish the practiced level of CHBr 3 supplementation. Lambs-fed treatments B30 and B45 decreased DM intake by up to 28%. Average daily gain was also reduced due to CHBr 3 supplementation, with B45 showing results 40% lower than B0. DM feed conversion ratio was similar for all treatments. The degradability of OM, the volume of total gas and of gas without CH 4 were unaffected by the experimental treatments, evaluated by the in vitro method. However, the volume of CH 4 decreased by up to 75% for treatments above 30 mg/kg DM, while the yield of CH 4 /g OM degraded was reduced by up to 78% with treatments above 30 mg/kg DM. Meat chemical composition was not affected by Bromoil supplementation and no traces of CHBr 3 were found in meat samples. During this experiment, the animals presented normal health and behaviour. However, postslaughter examination of the rumen showed distinct lesions on the ventral region of the rumen mucosa of animals supplemented with Bromoil. These lesions were more severe in the animals receiving treatments B30 and B45. This research determined that although concentrations of CHBr 3 in the diet above 30 mg/kg DM helped to reduce CH 4 emissions, it negatively affected the performance and rumen wall., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study provides new empirical evidence on the changes in competition and entry decisions of pharmacies after regulatory changes. It investigates the development of the retail pharmacy market in Portugal, which underwent major regulatory changes in 2004 and 2007. Sale of OTC drugs and ownership of pharmacies were liberalized while entry restrictions related to market size and the location of new pharmacies prevailed. Our empirical strategy was based on entry models and provided indirect information on the toughness of competition and entry decisions of firms in the market. We estimated and compared the entry thresholds and their ratios before and after liberalization. Such a comparison allows to see if competition got tenser with OTC drugs deregulated. There were three main findings from the study. First, the entry thresholds decreased regardless of the number of pharmacies in the market, suggesting that room for the realization of profits is broader than it was in the past. Second, although the entry thresholds were lower in value, their increase was steeper with each incumbent in 2020, suggesting harsher price competition with new entrants. Third, the current rule of 3,500 patients per pharmacy is likely overly restrictive, pharmacies could break-even even in smaller markets.

Two groups of 8 individually housed young crossbred-bulls, in the finishing period, were used to test the effect of a Total Mixed Ration diet with high forage content (54% DM), low starch content (14% DM), supplemented with sunflower seeds (10% DM) (HFS) on growth performance, carcass and meat quality, fatty acid profile and carbon footprint, with reference to a conventional concentrate-based (90% DM) (Control) diet. The experiment lasted 64 days before slaughter. During the experiment, feed intake was monitored daily and live weight every 14 days. Individual CH 4 emissions were assessed at 16-days intervals, using a GreenFeed for Large Animal unit. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were higher for HFS diet, but average daily weight gain and feeding costs were similar for the two diets. Dressing percentage was reduced with HFS diet. The HFS increased redness, yellowness and Chroma of subcutaneous fat, but did not compromise commercial value of the carcasses. Meat colour, shear force, or sensory parameters were not affected by diet. The HFS diet allowed a healthier FA profile, due to the higher proportions of 18:3n-3, t11-18:1 and c9,t11-18:2 and the lower proportion of t10-18:1. The HFS diet did not reduce the carbon footprint in the finishing period of young bulls, due to increased digestive CH 4 emissions. The results of this experiment showed that the HFS diet can be an alternative to the conventional diets used in finishing young-bulls. Although it may result in a slight reduction in animal performance, it has a strong impact on reducing dependence on inputs from outside the farm., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Thirty-two bulls were assigned to four total mixed biodiverse haylage-based diets to evaluate the effects of partial substitution of grains by agroindustrial byproducts, sunflower seeds (SS) supplementation and haylage level on growth, in vitro methane production and carcass and meat quality. Dietary treatments included a grain-based diet with 30% grain and haylage:concentrate ratio (H:C) of 60:40 (DM basis) (MCe); a by-product-based diet where 50% of the grain was substituted for by-products (H:C, 60:40) (MBp); a byproducts diet with 10% sunflower seed and 90% (DM) MBp (H:C, 54:46) (MBpSS); and a byproducts, SS diet with increased haylage (H:C, 67.5:32.5) (HBpSS). Dry matter intake and growth rate were lower in HBpSS, but feed conversion ratio was unaffected by diet. In vitro methane emissions were reduced by SS. Meat colour and shear force were similar among diets. Lipid oxidation in cooked meat was reduced and fatty acid composition was improved with SS. Biodiverse haylage-based diets may be a viable option for finishing bulls., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Growth performance, carcass and meat quality of 16 Alentejana bulls fed for 90 days with a conventional cereal-based (Control) or a high-fibre and low-starch (HFLS) diet were studied. The HFLS diet included 20% alfalfa hay, 4.8% soybean oil, 6% soybean hulls, 6% dehydrated citrus and 6% sugar beet pulps in substitution of grain. Ryegrass hay was offered to a maximum of 20% of total intake in both diets. Bulls were individually housed, weighed every 14 days, and feed intake was registered daily. Average daily weight gain, dry matter intake, carcass and most meat quality traits were not affected by the diet (P > .05). Feeding an HFLS diet, therefore, can improve beef fatty acid profiles without negatively impacting animal performance or meat quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the associations between abundance of rumen ciliate protozoa and the proportion of the main bioactive fatty acids related to rumen biohydrogenation, as 18:0, t10-18:1, t11-18:1, c9,t11-18:2, 18:3n-3 and 18:2 n-6, in rumen and meat of growing lambs, using data derived from 3 production experiments. A global correlation analysis and a linear regression analysis considering the effect of the experiment were performed. Ten of the 86 lambs involved in the experiments did not present ciliate cells in rumen liquor and the remaining lambs presented an average of 1.35 × 106ciliates / ml rumen liquor. From the nine genera of ciliates identified, Entodinium was the most abundant, averaging 1.17 × 106 cells / ml of rumen liquor. A large variation among lambs was observed for both rumen concentration and community structure of ciliates. Rumen t11-18:1 (P < 0.001) and meat deposition of t11-18:1 (P < 0.001) and of c9,t11-18:2 (P < 0.001) increased linearly with total ciliates, whereas the t10/t11 ratio in rumen (P = 0.002) and in meat (P = 0.036) decreased linearly. Entodiniomorphids seems to be strongly related with meat deposition oft11-18:1 and c9,t11-18:2 and with the reduction of the trans-10 shifted pathway. Completeness of RBH decreased linearly with Holotrichs (P = 0.029), Entodiniomorphids (P = 0.029), Isotricha (P = 0.011) and Epidinium (P = 0.027) abundances. Rumen 18:0 also decreased linearly with increasing counts of total ciliates (P = 0.015), Holotrichs (P = 0.020), Entodiniomorphids (P = 0.010) and Isotricha (P = 0.014). Rumen protozoa were positively linked with the deposition of healthy bioactive FA and simultaneously negatively associated with the occurrence of trans-10 shift., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This study evaluates the effect of the replacement of cereals by dried citrus pulp (DCP) in diets supplemented with 5% of soybean oil, on ewe milk yield and composition, including milk fatty acid (FA). Four Serra da Estrela multiparous ewes in the second month of lactation were used in a double 2×2 Latin square design. Ewes were individually penned and milked twice a day with an 8-h interval. Each experimental period included 14 d of diet adaptation followed by 5d of measurements and sampling. The 2 diets included on dry matter basis 450 g/kg of corn silage and 550 g/kg of either a soybean oil-supplemented concentrate meal containing barley and maize (cereal) or dried citrus pulp (DCP; citrus). Feed was offered ad libitum, considering 10% of orts, and intake was measured daily. Milk yield was higher and dry matter intake tended to be higher with the citrus diet. Milk composition and technological properties for cheese production were not affected by treatments, except for lactose, which was lower with the citrus diet. Replacement of cereals by DCP resulted in a 3-percentage-point decrease of both 18:0 and cis-9-18:1 that were mostly compensated by the 4.19- and 1.68-percentage-point increases of trans-11-18:1 and cis-9,trans-11-18:2, respectively. The intake of C18 FA tended to increase with the citrus diet compared with the cereal diet, but the apparent transfer of 18:2n-6 and of 18:3n-3 did not differ between diets. The milk output of C18 FA increased with the citrus compared with the cereal diet, mostly due to the increase of trans-11-18:1 and cis-9,trans-11-18:2 because the daily milk output of 18:0, trans-10-18:1, cis-9-18:1, 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 did not differ between diets. Replacing cereals with DCP in an oil-supplemented diet resulted in a selective increase of trans-11-18:1 and cis-9,trans-11-18:2 in milk, with no major effect on other biohydrogenation intermediates., (Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Parent-adolescent communication seems to depend largely of some socio-demographic characteristics. The main goal of this research is the analysis of parent-adolescent perception about their communication considering some socio-demographic variables: sex, residence, socioeconomic status, education and family composition. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used to analyze the perception of 336 parents and 268 children about the quality of communication using the Perception Scale of Parenting Communication.: It was revealed that: boys tend to share their problems mostly with fathers; mothers have better perception of communication; there weren't statistical differences on communicational conflict in the sex variable; members of high socioeconomic classes and urban contexts have better perception about communication; and adolescents of post-divorce families tend to share their problems mostly with mothers than adolescents of intact nuclear families. Considering the influence of some socio-demographic variables on parent-adolescent communication, it is possible design concrete clinical interventions. It suggests the need to pay attention to particular contexts (rural places and low socioeconomic classes). These results demystify the belief that post-divorce families have more difficulties than nuclear intact families.

The effects of the slaughter season and muscle type on lipid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) contents, fatty acid composition and isomeric profile of CLA in Arouquesa veal, from calves reared according to the specifications of the protected designation of origin (PDO), were assessed. Arouquesa purebred calves (n=31) were raised in a traditional production system, slaughtered in early autumn (October) or late spring (June), and the longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscles were sampled for analysis. Arouquesa-PDO veal only showed seasonal differences in the levels of some minor fatty acids (16:1c9, 17:1c9, 18:1t, 18:3n-3, 20:0 and 22:4n-6) and CLA isomers (t12,t14, t9,t11 and c11,t13). Furthermore, significant interactions between the slaughter season and muscle type were obtained for several fatty acids and CLA isomers, total lipids and CLA, and the PUFA/SFA ratio. In both seasons, veal-PDO depicts values of pasture-fed cattle. From a human nutritional perspective, veal-PDO in both slaughter seasons has relatively high CLA contents and percentages of the c9,t11 CLA isomer, which is favourable, while the n-6/n-3 ratios are within the recommended values for the human diet. In conclusion, the results suggest that intramuscular fat in Arouquesa-PDO veal has high nutritional value throughout the year.

This paper describes the influence of slaughter season on lipid content, fatty acid composition, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomeric profile and nutritional value of fat in Barrosã veal from calves reared according to the specifications of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Barrosã purebred calves (n=27) were raised in a traditional production system and slaughtered in early autumn (October) and late spring (June). Barrosã-PDO veal only presented seasonal differences in the levels of some minor fatty acids and CLA isomers, as well as in the PUFA/SFA ratio. Based on the analysed grass intake indicators, it was shown that veal-PDO has similar values to pasture-fed cattle for both slaughter seasons. From a human nutrition perspective, intramuscular fat in Barrosã-PDO veal has a high nutritional value throughout the year, since CLA contents and the percentages of the c9,t11 isomer are relatively high, and the n-6/n-3 ratios are within the recommended values for the human diet.

The purpose of this study was to characterise and compare the nutritional value of Portuguese Carnalentejana-PDO beef, obtained from Alentejana purebred bullocks reared in a semi-extensive system, with the meat from Alentejana×Charolais crossbred bullocks produced in a conventional intensive concentrate-based system. In addition, seasonal changes in Carnalentejana-PDO beef quality were assessed, by analysing meat samples from animals slaughtered in early autumn and late spring. The results showed that beef-PDO has different intramuscular fat characteristics in comparison with meat from crossbred bullocks fed intensively with concentrate. However, the finishing period of Alentejana purebred bullocks with concentrate seems to attenuate most of the typical grass-fed characteristics of meat fat. Nevertheless, from a human nutrition perspective, Carnalentejana-PDO beef seems to be healthier than that from intensively reared animals since it has a lower n-6/n-3 ratio, although always above the recommended guidelines for human diet, and higher proportions of c9,t11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomer and total CLA relative to saturated fatty acids plus total cholesterol (CLA/SFA+CHR). Furthermore, no seasonal variation in the nutritional quality of beef-PDO was apparent. Taken together, the data indicate that Carnalentejana-PDO beef is of greater nutritional value than intensively produced beef from crossbred bullocks throughout the year.