Several factors can affect lamb body weight (BW) and immune status during the first days of life, including colostrum source and timing of the first colostrum feeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of colostrum source (goat or sheep) and timing of the first colostrum feeding (2 or 14h after birth) on lamb BW and immune status. In this study, 40 lambs were removed from their dams at birth and randomly assigned into 4 groups of 10 lambs each. Lambs were subsequently fed at 2 or 14h after birth with goat or sheep colostrum. Blood samples and BW recording were performed before feeding. Blood plasma was used to measure the immunoglobulin concentration (IgG and IgM), chitotriosidase activity, and complement system activity (total and alternative pathways). In general, no differences in any of the measured variables were observed among the 4 groups, indicating that neither colostrum source nor timing of the first colostrum feeding had an effect on these variables. These findings may improve management on lamb farms that raise animals under artificial conditions, because our results indicate that it is not necessary to feed colostrum to lambs immediately after birth and that goat colostrum may be used to feed newborn lambs.

The influence of the breed (Mos (Spanish indigenous breed), Sasso T-44 and X-44 (commercial strains)) and the age (5, 6, 7 and 8 months) of capons (castrated male cockerels) on some qualitative traits of breast and drumstick meat were studied. The chemical composition (dry matter, protein, lipid and ash contents), pH, water holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss, colour and texture (compression test and shear force) were measured. In breast meat, the Mos capon showed lower water holding capacity, higher drip loss and was lighter than the other breeds. In drumstick meat, the Mos capon showed lower lipid content, lower water holding capacity and was lighter and less red than the other breeds. Chemical composition, pH, water holding capacity, drip loss, colour and texture of the meat were significantly influenced by the age of the capons. The meat of the youngest animals showed higher ash content, higher pH, lower water holding capacity, higher drip loss, higher lightness and lower shear test values, than that of the older ones. In conclusion, the capon meat quality is influenced by breed and age of the capons.

Thirty-six dairy goats of 3 breeds (Majorera, Tinerfeña, and Palmera) in mid lactation (124 ± 8 d in milk) were subjected unilaterally to once (× 1) or twice daily milking (× 2) for 5 wk to evaluate udder morphology, milk partitioning, and somatic cell count. Majorera and Palmera goats presented the highest and lowest udder depth values, respectively, whereas the differences between initial and final cistern-floor and teat-floor distances were not affected by milking frequency or breed factors. Cisternal and alveolar milk percentages were similar between × 1 and × 2 in the studied breeds. Milking frequency did not affect milk composition in the cisternal fraction, suggesting a greater transfer of milk from the alveoli to the cistern during early udder filling. However, milking frequency caused diverse changes in the milk composition in the alveolar fraction, especially in fat, lactose, and total solids contents. No udder halves presented clinical mastitis during the experimental period, suggesting that × 1 does not impair udder health and indicating that the studied breeds are adapted to this milking frequency.

The utilization of male chickens for fattening constitutes a potential advantage of the dual-purpose concept. In addition to the use of commercial hybrids, producers could introduce alternative chicken genotypes or further develop local breeds. To gain more information about the genetic effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics, physicochemical meat traits, and sensory attributes, 60 cockerels belonging to Les Bleues (developed from the French breed Bresse Gauloise), Canarian (Spanish local breed), and Dominant Red Barred D459 (DRB D459; commercial dual-purpose hybrid) genotypes were reared under free-range conditions in a warm tropical climate and slaughtered at 15 wk of age. The major findings were as follows: (i) Les Bleues chickens exhibited the best growth rate and the body weight of 2.44 kg reached by this strain at 15 wk would be gained only after 18 to 19 wk with DRB D459 and it would take even 2 wk longer for Canarian breed, according to the growth modeling using the Morgan equation, although the body weights between the latter were statistical similar at 15 wk; (ii) Les Bleues strain had a good capability in terms of meat production performance, presenting carcasses with significantly heavier commercial cuts, and higher fleshiness than the other 2 genotypes; (iii) although significant differences among genotypes appeared in the physical characteristics of the breast meat, especially those concerning the skin and meat color and water-holding capacity, which was significantly reduced for Canarian chickens, no significant differences were detected in the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the breast meat; (iv) trained panelists (n = 8) pointed out that leg meat of none of the genotypes is better in terms of global appreciation, but untrained consumers (n = 99) perceived that the Les Bleues leg meat was significantly more palatable than the DRB D459 leg meat.