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M. J. Gomes

Bio: M. J. Gomes is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Weaning & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 1003 citations.

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01 Jan 1995
TL;DR: This work has shown that purine metabolism in ruminants is regulated by a mixture of xanthine plus hypoxanthine and uric acid, and the determination of allantoin by a colorimetric method and that the latter is determined by an enzymatic method.
Abstract: Introduction 1 Principle of the method 1 Brief background of purine metabolism in ruminants 2 Limitation of the method 5 Sample collection 5 Determination of purine derivatives 6 Dilution of urine samples 6 List of published methods 8 Determination of allantoin by a colorimetric method 9 Determination of xanthine plus hypoxanthine by enzymatic method 12 Determination of uric acid by uricase method 15 Calculations 16 Daily excretion of purine derivatives 17 Calculation of microbial N supply 17 Presentation of results 18 Use of spot samples 19 Related Literature 19

1,060 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Aug 2022-Foods
TL;DR: In this article , the effect of weaning and slaughter ages on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Arouquesa, a Portuguese Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) meat and to evaluate the psychological effect of knowing the weaning age on the consumer's hedonic evaluation.
Abstract: (1) Background: Autochthonous breeds meat is well accepted due to its sensory characteristics, perceived low environmental impact, and animal welfare. We aimed to evaluate the effect of weaning and slaughter age on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Arouquesa, a Portuguese Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) meat and to evaluate the psychological effect of knowing the weaning age on the consumer’s hedonic evaluation. (2) Methods: Meat from 26 animals was assigned to 4 groups, with combinations of weaning (W) at 9 or 5 months and slaughter (S) at 9 or 12 months: W9-S9, W9-S12, W5-S9, and W5-S12. The meat was analysed for pH24h, colour (L*a*b*), cooking losses and shear force. A Check All that Apply test was made with 70 consumers; they were also asked to punctuate the hedonic appreciation of anonymous and weaning age-identified meat. (3) Results: W9-S9 were more tender, had lower shear force, and was juicier than W5-S9. When animals were slaughtered at 12 months, there were no differences in the physicochemical and sensory characteristics between the weaning ages. The effect of information about the weaning age influences the consumer’s hedonic evaluation, as revealed by the comparison between the anonymous and identified samples. (4) Later weaning resulted in more tender meat when the slaughter was at 9 months and positively impacted consumer perception.

1 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
20 Sep 2022-Animals
TL;DR: In this paper , the effect of different production systems on carcass and meat traits for the Arouquesa breed was compared and it was shown that the traditional systems improved with practices, such as supplementation, can in turn improve meat production without affecting beef quality or certification.
Abstract: Simple Summary Animal production in mountain regions is changing and improvements to maintain autochthonous breeds and traditions should be defined. One of the strategies to add value and improve productivity is to produce meat with a PDO (protected denomination of origin) label. One example in Portugal is the Arouquesa PDO beef. This work aimed to compare different production systems and understand if they affect growth performance, carcass, and meat parameters for the Arouquesa PDO beef. Systems using supplementation had better results regarding live weight and average daily gain. The finishing period increased subcutaneous fat. The meat quality parameters differ in the improved production system with early weaning leading to lesser exudative and cooking losses. In conclusion, the traditional systems improved with practices, such as supplementation, can in turn improve meat production without affecting beef quality or PDO certification. This study demonstrates that improved production systems can advance the Arouquesa autochthonous breed production, while in turn maintaining the valued characteristics of a PDO product. Abstract Arouquesa is an autochthonous bovine breed known for its Arouquesa PDO beef labeling. There are several production systems under the definition of PDO labeling. This study aimed to compare the effect of different production systems on carcass and meat traits for the Arouquesa breed. Two trials differing in diet and weaning age were conducted. The first trial included a TF group fed the traditional way and weaned at 9 months; a TF + S1 group, equal to TF, but with a starter supplement; and finally, a S1 + S2 group that was fed with a starter and a growth supplement and weaned at 5 months. The second trial was composed of a TF + S3 group fed like the TF + S1 group but reared until 12 months with a finishing supplement, and finally, the S3 group fed like the S1 + S2 group but reared until 12 months. In the first trial, the TF + S1 and S1 + S2 groups showed higher final live weight and average daily gain. In the second trial, we observed differences in the subcutaneous fat that was higher in the S3 group. Regarding meat traits, we observed differences in exudative and cooking losses in the first trial. In general, supplementation improved meat production without affecting meat quality parameters.

1 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Dairy-4-Future project as discussed by the authors focuses on improving the sustainability of dairy farming in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, and Portugal by supporting and expanding the positive impacts and services that dairy farming has upon, and offer to, the local communities and by reducing the disservices, or negative impacts associated with dairying.
Abstract: The Dairy-4-Future project focuses on improving the sustainability of dairy farming in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, and Portugal. Improvement in dairying sustainability can be achieved by supporting and expanding the positive impacts and services that dairy farming has upon, and offer to, the local communities and by reducing the disservices, or negative impacts associated with dairying. To create a qualitative identification of a relevant, ranked list of items or issues associated with dairying in each territory in the project, interactive workshops with local stakeholders were organized in each regional case study. Stakeholders identified positive or negative impacts of local dairy farming on their territories, broken down into four specific categories: provisioning (e.g., food), rural vitality, environmental quality, cultural heritage, and quality of life. A total of 165 services and 135 dysservices were identified, balanced across the four categories. From these services and dysservices, groupings showed correlations between items and/or territories (for example, between Northern Ireland and Cornwall; Southern Ireland and Normandy; Galicia and Brittany). The impact of farm system type, specifically grassland, played a strong role in the linking of services and dysservices. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2022-03-03-010 Full Text: PDF

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TL;DR: Twenty-four multiparous dairy cows were blocked by days in milk and assigned to six balanced 4 x 4 Latin squares with 21-d periods, suggesting that this was the optimal level for utilization of dietary NPN from alfalfa silage and other sources.

597 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results from this study showed limited effects of MEO supplementation on nutrient utilization, ruminal fermentation, and milk performance when cows were fed diets containing either AS or CS as the sole forage source.

289 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Different mechanisms of N salvage and recycling were involved when animals were fed low-N diets that ensured a supply of endogenous N to the gastrointestinal tract and, due to the reduced contribution of dietary N, an increased efficiency of the N recycled was observed.
Abstract: To study the effect of dietary N level on urea kinetics and recycling, four Holstein heifers (267 +/- 3.6 kg) were used in a Youden square design. Isocaloric diets with a N content of 1.44, 1.89, 2.50, 2.97, and 3.40% were fed at approximately 1.8 times maintenance intake. Increasing the N content of the diet increased urinary N excretion (P < 0.001) and N balance (P < 0.01), but did not affect the fecal N excretion (P = 0.21). Increasing the level of dietary N, increased urea production (P < 0.001) and excretion (P < 0.001), but no effect (P = 0.24) could be detected in the amount of N recycled to the gut. Urea recycled with the saliva, however, increased (P < 0.001) both in absolute and relative terms, with increasing dietary N. No difference could be detected on the amount of recycled N that was used for anabolism or returned to the ornithine cycle, but less (P = 0.001) N originating from urea was excreted in feces as dietary N increased. Ruminal ammonia concentration increased (P < 0.001) with increasing N intake, but total tract neutral detergent fiber digestibility was depressed only on the lowest N intake diet. No difference (P = 0.30) was detected in ruminal microbial yield among diets, but more (P < 0.003) N was derived from blood urea at low N intakes, and the efficiency of use of the recycled N decreased (P < 0.001) with increasing levels of dietary N. Adaptive changes to low-N diets were a decrease (P < 0.003) in the renal clearance of urea and an increase (P < 0.001) in the gastrointestinal clearance of urea. Urea transporters were present in the rumen wall of the heifers and differentially expressed depending on dietary N content, but their role in the transfer of urea into the rumen remains uncertain. Different mechanisms of N salvage and recycling were involved when animals were fed low-N diets that ensured a supply of endogenous N to the gastrointestinal tract and, due to the reduced contribution of dietary N, an increased efficiency of the N recycled was observed.

239 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Interactions were found between level of physically effective fiber, forage source, and level of RFC on production and pH, complicating the inclusion of these effects in dairy ration formulation and evaluation.

159 citations