This study investigated the effect of NaCl levels in minced wild boar meat on the physicochemical and textural properties of model sausages ; we compared mince prepared from normal and DFD muscle (M. longissimus thoracis) from wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomystax). NaCl (1.0 to 3.0% of mince weight) was added to each mince, mixed well, and the mince mixture was then boiled to produce the model sausage. Cooking loss, L*, a*, and b* values, and textural profiles in the model sausages were analyzed. The NaCl level did not significantly affect any of the tested parameters except the b* value in sausages made from normal meat. There were no significant differences in the L* values of sausages containing 1.0% NaCl that were made from normal or DFD meats. The a* values of sausages containing 1.5% or less NaCl made from DFD meat were significantly higher than those made from normal meat. The values of the cohesiveness and load of gumminess of both sausages made from normal and DFD meats could be evaluated as having deformation resistance. These results suggest that it is possible to alter the level of NaCl in sausages to achieve the desired characteristics if they are made from normal boar meat. However, it is desirable to use 1.0% NaCl in the mince in terms of color if the sausage is made from DFD boar meat.

The Japan Farm Animal Welfare Association (JFAWA), established in 2016, developed an animal welfare assessment system for dairy cattle. Based on it, the association initiated a certification system. This study assessed correlation between the JFAWA assessment system animal welfare score and dairy cattle behaviour to validate the assessment system. On 10 dairy farms, animal welfare assessments were performed using the JFAWA assessment system. Milking cattle behaviours, postures, and standing up and lying down movements were investigated. Milking cattle at these farms were kept in a free-stall barn (3 farms), tie-stall barn (3 farms), or grazing system (4 farms). The JFAWA assessment system includes 45 standards of three categories: animal, facility and management. The assessment produces a score for each category and a total score. Higher scores indicate better animal welfare. The mean time spent on self-grooming behaviour was significantly correlated negatively with the total score. The prevalence of bovine chorioptic mange, which increases self-grooming behaviour motivation, was found to have significant strong positive correlation with the mean time spent on self-grooming behaviour of rubbing against objects. A lying posture with the neck relaxed and the head against the flank in a lying position is meant to be a sleeping posture. The mean time spent in this posture was significantly correlated positively with the management score. The mean time spent lying flat on the side showed a positive trend with the animal, facility, and total scores. Significant strong negative correlation was found between the mean time spent in standing while ruminating and the management score and between the mean time used for standing up and the management score. The incidence of contact with the environment during standing up and lying down movements was significantly correlated negatively with the animal score and total score. This study revealed a clear relation between the JFAWA animal welfare score and the behaviour, posture, and standing up and lying down movements of dairy cattle, indicating good validity of the JFAWA animal welfare assessment system.

Ketosis is one of the major periparturient diseases of dairy cows and increases the risk of other diseases. Recumbency during feeding can be associated with early signs of various diseases. The present study aimed to establish a method for predicting the occurrence of ketosis by long-term monitoring of recumbent frequency in dairy cows during the peripartum period. Holstein cows (four healthy cows and four cows with ketosis) calved between April and August 2020 were examined for metabolic profiles and recumbent frequency from -2 to 2 months postpartum. In cows with postpartum ketosis, changes in blood metabolites indicated decreased liver function from 0 to 1 month after calving. During 2 to 1 months before calving, an increase in recumbent frequency was observed : The percentage of recumbent time after feeding was 13.6 times higher in cows with ketosis than in healthy cows. These results suggest that recumbent frequency during the peripartum period can effectively predict postpartum ketosis in dairy cows.

The purpose of this study was to investigate a statistical model to improve the accuracy of estimating body weight from chest girth in Holstein females. Data used in the analysis consisted of 46,200 records from 3,163 cows born between 2003 and 2015. Both measurements of chest grith as the independent variable and body weight as the dependent variable were log-transformed, and linear and quadratic regression models (Models I-1 and I-2) and linear to quartic Legendre polynomial regression models (Models II-1 to II-4) were examined to estimate body weight from chest girth. The regression coefficients for all models were statatically significant at the 1% level (P<0.01). To evaluate the prediction accuracy in each model, we next performed a linear regression analysis of the actual measurements on the estimates for body weight. In the range of chest girth from 80 to 250 cm, the estimates of body weight obtained from Model II-4 showed the smallest bias with an intercept of 0.07 kg and a slope of 1.00. The Model II-4 had the best fit with coefficients of determination and mean square errors of 96.08% and 44.08 kg, respectively.