Justyna Więcek

The study aimed to determine the effect of blue lupin seeds (BLS) and rapeseed meal (RM) as substitutes for soybean meal (SBM) in feed mixtures for growing pigs on the quality of meat and health-promoting indices, and the quality of a model meat product. The experiment was performed with 20 growing pigs. The animals were divided into two groups (C—SBM; E—17.5% BLS and approx. 6.0% RM). In the first fattening period, the share of SBM was 2.0%, and in the second fattening period, its share was completely eliminated. The conducted experiment demonstrates no adverse effect of the feed mixtures containing BLS and RM on the chemical and physical parameters of pork and the finished product, which indicates their practical usability as feedstuff materials in the feeding of pigs. The improvement in dietary quality of pork, manifested in the slightly lower positive value for the meat color index L*, decrease in TI values (p = 0.093), and increased DFA:OFA value (p = 0.167), makes BLS and RM viable components of feed mixtures. Additionally, we found higher n-3 PUFA content (p = 0.001) in the meat from animals from group E, as well as lower cooking losses (p = 0.001). The satisfactory results of chemical analyses and consumer assessment prove the advisability of the use of protein substitutes for SBM in fattener feeding.

Ross 308 chickens were randomly divided into 2 groups of 600 birds each: a control group (C) and an experimental group (M). The birds were reared for 42 days in accordance with the flock management guidelines. Group M was exposed to music for 2 h/day and for 30 min before slaughter (~70 dB). After slaughter, the carcasses were cooled, and after 24 h, the pectoral muscles were collected for further physicochemical analyses. The study results revealed a lower value of drip loss in the pectoral muscles of the chickens from group M than in those from group C (p ≤ 0.01). Moreover, the muscles from group M chickens had higher pH values at 15 min, 1 h, and 12 h (p ≤ 0.01) and also at 4 h (p ≤ 0.05) post-mortem. Pectoral muscles of group M chickens also showed lower L* and b* color parameters (p ≤ 0.01), collagen content (p ≤ 0.05), and GSH concentration (p ≤ 0.01), compared to control birds. Exposure to ambient relaxation music in the scheme used in the study may be an effective form of environmental enrichment for broiler chickens, leading to physicochemical changes in their pectoral muscles consistent with potentially lower pre-slaughter stress.

This study involved 30 male pigs (DanBred × Duroc), which were divided into three groups of 10 animals each. Control group (C)—immunologically castrated boars with a slaughter weight of 120 kg; and experimental groups: E1—uncastrated boars with a slaughter weight of 120 kg, and E2—uncastrated boars with a slaughter weight of 105 kg. Animals from all groups were fed a complete feed mixture in a liquid form three times a day. After slaughter, their meat and backfat were analysed for the physicochemical parameters and for the contents of indole, skatole, androstenol, and androsterone. A higher protein content was determined in the meat of boars from group E1 (23.48%) compared to those from groups C (22.87%) and E2 (22.99%) (p ≤ 0.01), and a higher content of n-6 PUFAs in the meat of boars from group C (5.21 mg/g of meat) compared to those from group E2 (4.81 mg/g of meat) (p ≤ 0.05). Analysis of the chemical composition of backfat showed a lower protein level in the backfat of boars from group C (4.70%) compared to those from group E1 (6.20%) and a higher fat level in the backfat from boars from group C (70.09%) compared to those from groups E1 (65.90%) and E2 (64.75%) (p ≤ 0.05). Body weight and immunocastration status were also shown to affect the fatty acid profile. Immunocastration also reduced the content of androstenol and androsterone in meat and fat. A higher content of indole was demonstrated in the meat of boars from group C and in the backfat of those from group E2 compared to the animals from the other groups (p ≤ 0.001).

Game meat is high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol, and has n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio that is optimal for consumers. Quality of the meat may vary according to the sex and age of hunted animals. The aim of the study was to analyse quality of meat from male and female wild boars of different ages, slaughtered in central Poland. Samples of longissimus lumborum muscle from 80 wild boars were studied. Animals were grouped into three age categories: squeakers (♀ and ♂), pigs of the sounder (♀ and ♂), adult (boars of the 3rd year and sows). The meat samples were analysed for chemical composition, water holding capacity (WHC), and fatty acid content in meat intramuscular fat. The age of animals had an effect (P≤0.01) on the water, protein and fat content of the meat, and on WHC. Sex had an effect (P≤0.01) on collagen content in meat. The content of individual fatty acids varied according to age and sex of the slaughtered animals. The n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio was >4 in adult wild boars, and followed WHO recommendations in the other age groups. The PUFA to SFA ratio was >0.4 regardless of the age and sex of slaughtered animals. The atherogenic index (AI) ranged from 0.52 to 0.61 and depended on age (P≤0.01) and sex (P≤0.01) of the wild boars. The thrombogenic index (TI) was significantly (P≤0.01) influenced by sex of the wild boars.

This work addresses the problem of synurbization, with its causes and effects specified using the example of wild boar (Sus scrofa). It presents basic biological parameters of the species, including those that promote its synurbization—small habitat demands, omnivorism, as well as ecological, behavioral, and demographic flexibility. It also discusses intra-species transformations stemming from wild boar adaptation to the urban space and pinpoints habitat fragmentation, ecological restoration, and phenotypic flexibility as the underlying causes of people–wild boar interactions. These interactions are primarily negative because wild boars attack humans and domestic animals and cause many traffic accidents. An analysis of the literature included in this study shows that, unfortunately, there are currently no fully effective methods that could protect urban areas and their inhabitants from the threats posed by wild boars. In order for sustainable urban development policies to be effectively implemented, there is a need for intensive, holistic research and cooperation between experts in many fields: wildlife, economics, public health, sociology, ethics, psychology, and urban planning. The synurbanization of wild boars is a large and growing social problem, but from an ecological perspective, there is a need to take action and develop methods to mitigate human/wild animal conflicts, not only from a human perspective. A one-sided view and action can be a threat to many animal species.

Duckweed is a plant with high phytoremediation abilities, which is why it is used in the process of cleaning the aquatic environment. The present study aimed to determine the effect of various concentrations of pig slurry added to the growth media used to produce duckweed (Lemna minor) (laboratory Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW) (experimental groups 1–9, pig slurry concentration (%): 1—2.00, 2—1.50, 3—1.00, 4—0.75, 5—0.50, 6—0.25, 7—0.12, 8—0.06, 9—0.03, control group 0—0.00). The contents of nutrients in the growth media could be classified as high (gr. 1–3), optimal (gr. 4–6), and deficient (gr. 7–9). Analyses were conducted for duckweed yield and growth medium parameters (pig slurry concentration, pH, salinity, temperature, TDS, and EC) on days 0, 10, 20, and 30 of the experiment. No growth or poor growth of duckweed were noted in groups 1, 6–9, and 0. In turn, satisfactory yields of duckweed green mass were recorded in groups 3–5, which allowed choosing them for further observations and analyses, including proximate composition (including protein content); contents of Ca, Mg, K, Na, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Al, Cr, and α-tocopherol; and carotenoids—β-carotene, α-carotene, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, amino acids, fatty acids as well as N-NH₄ and N-NO₃. The plant material had an acceptable proximate composition and nutritionally safe analyzed component contents. Appropriate, stable growth medium conditions allowed the production of satisfactory duckweed yields. The study results allowed us to conclude that it is feasible to obtain feed material meeting basic quality standards by maintaining a closed circuit of duckweed culture, and use in the agricultural environment is possible through harnessing pig slurry for its production and ensuring its optimal growth conditions.

Improvement of lowly heritable traits is difficult, efforts must be made to take full advantage of the available information sources to improve them. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of the size of the litter in which the sow was born on her lifetime reproductive performance. Data on 22,683 litters were used to analyse the lifetime reproductive performance of 5623 Polish Large White sows. The sows from small litters (≤9) were on average the oldest at first farrowing, had the shortest herd life, the smallest number of litters, and the smallest sized litters (p ≤ 0.01). A positive relationship was established between the mean number of offspring born per litter and size of the litter in which the sow was born (p ≤ 0.01). For a sow to produce at least seven piglets per 100 days of reproduction, gilts from litters of at least 12 piglets should be selected for breeding.

This study aimed to explain the possibility of partial replacement of genetically-modified soybean meal (SBM GM) with pea seeds and rapeseed meal (RSM) in complete feed mixtures for growing-finishing pigs and to determine its impact on meat quality and health-promoting indices. The pigs (n = 50) were randomly divided into five groups, 10 animals each (gilts and barrows, 1:1, 3-breed: ♀ (landrace × yorkshire) × ♂ duroc), including the control group (C) and four experimental groups (E1, E2, E3, E4), and fed complete feed mixtures. The SBM GM was the only protein source in feed mixtures for control pigs. In feed mixtures for E1–E4 groups, it was partially replaced with pea seed doses of 5.0%, 10.0%, 15.0%, and 17.5% in groups E1, E2, E3, and E4, respectively. The feed mixtures were iso-energetic and iso-protein. After completed fattening, the animals were slaughtered. M. longissimus lumborum was sampled for analyses of the chemical and physical traits. The fatty acid profile determined in intramuscular fat (IMF) was used to compute the values of the health-promoting indices. The chemical and physical characteristics of meat were comparable in all groups. The study showed a dietetically-beneficial decrease in the values of atherogenicity index (AI), thrombogenicity index (TI), and saturation (S/P) in the meat of the experimental pigs vs. control group. The values of most of the analyzed quality attributes of pork justify using alternative protein sources as partial SBM GM replacers in diets for growing-finishing pigs in sustainable animal production.

Two experiments were conducted with fatteners (♀ (Landrace × Yorkshire) × ♂ duroc), 50 animals each (10 pigs per group). The fatteners from the control group (C) were administered feed mixtures with genetically modified soybean meal (SBM-GM) used as the only protein source; whereas these from experimental groups (E1–E4) received feed mixtures in which the SBM-GM was replaced with increasing amounts of raw seeds of pea (Experiment I) or blue lupin (Experiment II): E1—5.0%, E2—10.0%, E3—15.0%, and E4—17.5%. Once the fattening period was completed, production results were determined, and selected blood serum indices were assayed to establish the effect of the nutritional factor on body homeostasis and health status of the animals. Pigs from all groups revealed a similar growth rate and meatiness (p > 0.05). In Experiment I serum analyses showed lower (p < 0.001) concentrations of: cholesterol in E1, E3 and E4; creatinine in E1 and E4 and urea in E3 and E4, compared to the C. In Experiment II, lower (p < 0.001) concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine-aminotransferase, total protein, and Mg were determined in the serum of fatteners from E1–E4 compared to the C. Even though values of all analyzed blood markers differed among the groups, in most cases they fitted within reference values for the species, which indicates the maintenance of body homeostasis. Study results show that there are no contraindications to the use of pea and blue lupin seeds as alternative feed materials to SBM-GM in pig fattening.