Understanding the physiological condition of grazing cows according to the season is effective for proper feeding management. To clarify the effects of season, this study investigated differences between spring and summer on the body temperature, steps-taken, and body weight of Japanese black cows. The pasture periods were 7 days in both seasons. The amount of grass was measured before and after pasture. The same 5 non-pregnant, non-nursing cows were used in both seasons. The body (vaginal) temperature was recorded using a data-logger attached to a CIDR. A pedometer was attached to the foreleg to measure the number of steps taken. To calculate the body weight gain, each cow’s body weight was measured before and after pasture. The body temperature fluctuations were different between seasons. The body temperature and steps-taken during pasture were significantly higher in spring than summer (P<0.01). There was a significant negative relation between the number of steps taken and the body weight gain (P<0.05). In conclusion, the amount and quality of grass in the pasture differed due to the pasture season, and it is possible that the increase in steps-taken was due to walking around the pasture looking for grass. Moreover, it was suggested that the increased number of steps-taken caused the seasonal difference in body temperature fluctuations.

This research aimed to study and search the biological and functional properties as well as physiological effects of hydrolysates of Japanese-style mold fermented ham splayed with dried bonito bacteria (Eurotium herbariorum). The fermentation of cured ham was carried out at 20℃ and with humidity with 85% for 10 days. After fermenting, the surface of samples was covered by blue mold. The drying and ripening of fermented ham were carried out at 18℃ and with humidity with 65% until the yield of each samples reduced to 70% (14 days storage), 60% (32 days storage) and 50% (84 days storage). The final pH of these Japanese-style mold fermented hams was about 6. The water activities in Experiment 1 (70% yield), 2 (60% yield) and 3 (50% yield) were 0.878, 0.869 and 0.802, respectively. All samples separately hydrolyzed with pepsin and trypsin. Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of the hydrolysates was determined by rabbit lung enzyme. The antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates was determined by the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Hydrolysates of Japanese-style mold fermented hams showed the high ACE inhibitory activity and high DPPH inhibition activity. Free amino acids increased during ripening. Glutamic acid (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp), alanine (Ala), valine (Val), leucine (Leu) and isoleucine (Ile) increased especially. This high level of Glu and Asp seemed to be related to Umami of Japanese-style mold fermented ham. Val, Leu and Ile were related to a sports nutrition.

Based on their remarkable ACE inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity, we suggest that the hydrolysates from Japanese-style mold fermented ham may have potential applications as functional food. These Japanese-style mold fermented hams inoculated with dried bonito bacteria showed the acceptable sensory quality characteristic.

The objective of this study was to obtain the basic information on the development of fermented total mixed ration (TMR) including malt whisky distillery byproducts for fattening cattle. Fermented TMR consisted of barley distillers grains (BDG), barley distillers solubles (BDS), rice straw, sugar beet pulp and molasses was prepared to determine its fermentation quality, animal preference and nutritive value. Laboratory ensiling method using a plastic pouch for packing was applied to compare the fermentative quality among four treatments: a mixture of 50％ BDG and 50％ BDS in a FM basis (BDG・BDS), a mixture of 40％ BDG and 60％ BDS (BDS60), BDG・BDS with lactic acid bacterial inoculant (BDG・BDS・LAB) and BDS60 with the bacterial inoculant (BDS60・LAB). Flieg score (99 points) of the fermented TMR in the BDS60・LAB pouch was significantly higher than those of other treatments (P＜0.05), suggesting that the quality was much superior to others. The intake rate of the BDS60・LAB by fattening steers increased day by day after feeding, and the average intake rate reached about 80％ on the 3rd day. Thus, it was shown that the animals preferred the BDS60・LAB. Crude protein content and total digestible nutrients of the BDS60・LAB were 15.1 and 68.5％, respectively. In conclusion, malt whisky distillery byproducts prepared by 50％increase of BDS in a mixture of BDG and BDS, rice straw, sugar beet pulp and molasses ensiled with LAB can cause excellent fermentative quality, and relatively higher palatability and nutritive value.

This study was conducted to examine the fermentative quality and palatability of the fermented total mixed ration (TMR) containing spent mushroom substrate (SMS) derived from culture medium based on different oil palm byproducts, i.e. empty fruit bunches (EFB) and oil palm trunk (OPT). Fermented TMR was composed of 46.5% timothy hay, 8.6% concentrates, 14.6% pineapple residue and less than 0.1% lactic acid bacterial inoculant on a wet basis. The 120-L silos of the fermented TMR were assigned to five treatments (three replicates each): no SMS (control), 5 or 10% fermented EFB-based SMS replacement of control diet and 5 or 10% OPT-based SMS replacement on a wet basis, and their moisture was adjusted to 45-50%. The pH of the fermented TMR in all treatments was less than 4.3. Lactic acid and acetic acid contents were not significantly different among treatments, and butyric acid was not identified in all treatments. Flieg score of the fermented TMR in all treatments was more than 99 points, showing no significant difference among treatments. The palatability of the fermented TMR by beef breeding cows was not different among treatments. It was concluded that EFEB- or OPT-based SMS could replace up to 10% of the fermented TMR without SMS, because fermentative quality and palatability were not different among dietary treatments.

In this work, we aimed to study the effect of super-chilled storage at −1℃ on the shelf life of pork and chicken. Vacuum packaged pork and chicken were stored at −1℃ for 0-57 days and 0-47 days, respectively. Sensory evaluation showed no abnormality until day 41 in pork and 30 in chicken. Aerobic, psychrophilic, and anaerobic bacterial abundance increased with super-chilled storage; however, the increase was lower than the regulation levels. The pH and levels of metmyoglobin, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and volatile basic nitrogen indicated no adverse effects in terms of food sanitation. In addition, no muscle cell collapse was observed by the ice crystal formation. Therefore, we recommend setting the shelf life of pork and chicken at 32 and 24 days, respectively.

Deer osteophagia, although rarely occurring in Japan, was observed on Mageshima Island. We examined the relationships among bone density of sika deer, plant species composition, and Ca and P contents in plants of the island. Samples were collected during summer in 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998 from 1 m² quadrats placed in grasslands in northern, central, and southern areas of the island. Species constitution of the flora changed considerably among years but Gramineae plants comprised more than 89% of the flora in any year. Plant P contents in northern, central, and southern areas were as low as 0.08%–0.1%, 0.12%–0.23%, and 0.07%–0.13%, respectively. The Ca:P ratio mostly ranged from 1:1 to 5:1. The bone density tended to be reduced (p = 0.0542) between 1991 and 1993, and kept low from 1993 through 1998. During the same period, the Mageshima Island deer population was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in bone density than the Tanegashima Island deer population. As the period of low bone density coincides with 1992 when the incidence of osteophagia increased drastically, a relationship between bone density and osteophagia may exist. These results suggest P shortage could occur in the Mageshima Island sika deer population.