Browsing by Author "Guedes, Cristina"
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- Effects of Olive Cake on the Performance, Digestibility, Blood Parameters, and Intestinal Villi of Bísaro PigsPublication . Paié-Ribeiro, Jessica; Outor-Monteiro, Divanildo; Guedes, Cristina; Gomes, Maria; Teixeira, José; Teixeira, Alfredo; Pinheiro, VictorOlive oil production generates by-products, such as olive cake (OC), which can be used in animal feed, reducing the environmental impact. This study assessed the effects of OC in pig diets on intestinal morphometry and blood parameters. Twenty-four Bísaro pigs were randomly assigned to three treatments: OC0 (control), OC15 (15% dehydrated OC), and OC25 (25% dehydrated OC) for 93 days. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), and fiber (NDF) was evaluated through total feces collection. No significant differences in average daily gain (ADG) or feed conversion ratio (FCR) were found (p > 0.05). However, average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased from 2.84 kg (control) to 3.46 kg (OC15) and 3.64 kg (OC25). OC inclusion increased the ADFI of CF (90.8 g to 171.5 g and 169.2 g) and NDF (586.8 g to 896.6 g and 1115.4 g). The ATTD of all parameters decreased with 25% OC. The digestible intake of DM, OM, and CP was unaffected, but CF intake was higher in OC-fed groups (p = 0.005). Histomorphometric analysis revealed no significant differences in villi size. Lymphocyte counts were higher in OC25 (p < 0.05). This study suggests that up to 15% OC inclusion is feasible without compromising the pigs’ performance.
- Exploring the Potential of Olive By-Products in Bísaro Pig Feed: Effects on the Chemical Compositions and Fatty Acid Profiles of Three Different MusclesPublication . Paié-Ribeiro, Jessica; Pinheiro, Victor; Guedes, Cristina; Gomes, Maria José; Teixeira, José; Leite, Ana; Vasconcelos, Lia; Teixeira, Alfredo; Outor-Monteiro, DivanildoThe olive oil industry generates large quantities of olive cake (OC), making its use in animal feed an environmentally sustainable alternative. Considering that the ham of Bísaro pigs is traditionally used for the production of cured ham, the analysis of raw meat is essential to understand how diet influences its quality before the maturation process. This study examined the effect of different types of OC in the diets of Bísaro pigs, focusing on the chemical compositions and fatty acid profiles of three fresh ham muscles—biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM), and semitendinosus (ST). Forty Bísaro pigs were assigned to five diets: control (CD), 10% raw OC (COC), two-phase OC (TPOC), exhausted OC (EOC), and exhausted OC with 1% olive oil (EOC-OO). The diets significantly influenced moisture, protein, collagen, and haem pigments (p < 0.05). TPOC had the highest moisture content, while CD had the lowest. Protein levels were higher in BF and SM for OC-fed pigs. Collagen in ST was highest in CD and lowest in EOC. Haem pigments varied, with EOC highest in BF and ST and EOC-OO highest in SM. Significant MUFA differences were found in BF (p < 0.001), highest in CD and lowest in TPOC. PUFA levels and the PUFA/SFA ratio were highest in TPOC (p < 0.001), while SFA remained unchanged. The results suggest that up to 10% OC can be included in pig diets without compromising meat quality, but factors such as economic viability and nutritional variability must be considered. This study provides new insights into how OC affects muscle composition, contributing to optimizing feeding strategies for better meat quality and sustainability.
- From Waste to Resource: Compositional Analysis of Olive Cake’s Fatty Acids, Nutrients and AntinutrientsPublication . Paié-Ribeiro, Jessica; Baptista, Filipa; Teixeira, José; Guedes, Cristina; Gomes, Maria J.; Teixeira, Alfredo; Barros, Ana Novo; Pinheiro, Victor; Outor-Monteiro, DivanildoThe olive oil industry, recognised for its beneficial products for health and food culture, generates a significant amount of by-products that, if not appropriately managed, can pose considerable environmental challenges. This study examined six olive cakes (OC) from the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro regions, collected on different dates and mills: two obtained by pressing (COC), two by centrifugation (TPOC), including one partially pitted and one dehydrated, and two exhausted (EOC), which were subjected to conventional chemical analyses, namely dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude fat (CF), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL) profiling fatty acid (FA) and phosphorus and phytic acid content. The dehydrated TPOC had only 8% moisture content (due to drying), followed by EOC with 10% and COC (65–79%). The CF content was high in COC 1 (14.5% in DM), residual in EOC (1.5%) and intermediate in TPOC (9–10%). CP ranged from 5.3 to 7.3%. Notably, NDF levels were high (>65% in 5 samples; pitted TPOC 57.4%) and very lignified (ADL > 23%). Different FA profiles were observed: COC had the highest monounsaturated (76.36 g/100 g), while EOC had the highest saturated (16.56 g/100 g) and polyunsaturated (14.14 g/100 g). Phosphorus and phytic acid content (g/100 g) of EOC 2, TPOC pitted, TPOC dehydrated, COC 1 and COC 2 showed similar values to each other (mean of 0.12 ± 0.02 and 0.44 ± 0.0, respectively), with EOC 1 having the lowest levels (0.07 ± 0.01 and 0.26 ± 0.04, respectively). These results highlight the potential of OCs, especially dry TPOC, which offers transport, conservation and utilisation benefits.
- From Waste to Sustainable Animal Feed: Incorporation of Olive Oil By-Products into the Diet of Bísaro Breed PigsPublication . Paié-Ribeiro, Jessica; Pinheiro, Victor; Guedes, Cristina; Gomes, Maria José; Teixeira, José; Teixeira, Alfredo; Outor-Monteiro, DivanildoThe olive oil agro-industry generates large quantities of by-products, such as olive cake (OC), whose sustainable valorisation in animal feed can contribute to the principles of circular economy, waste reduction, and resource efficiency. This study evaluated the effects of incorporating OC into the diets of growing Bísaro pigs, focusing on productive parameters and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD). Two trials were carried out. In the first trial, 25 pigs were fed five diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% exhausted OC (EOC) for 15 days. The results showed a linear decrease in ATTD with increasing EOC levels (p < 0.001), but the increased feed intake compensated for the reduced digestibility, and growth performance was maintained. The initial and final live weight (LW), average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were not affected (p > 0.05). In the second trial, 40 pigs were fed five diets for 82 days: a control diet and four diets incorporating 10% crude OC, 10% two-phase OC, 10% EOC, and 10% EOC with 1% olive oil. No significant differences were observed in final weight, ADG, ADFI, FCR, or the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, CF, and NDF. The results suggest incorporating moderate levels of OC into Bísaro pig diets could be a viable strategy for valorising by-products, reducing agro-industrial waste and increasing sustainability in animal production. In addition, the inclusion of OC had no negative impact on animal performance, highlighting the potential of OC as a sustainable ingredient for animal feed, which aligns with the objectives of the circular economy and sustainable livestock farming practices.
- Using Image Analysis Technique for Predicting Light Lamb Carcass CompositionPublication . Afonso, João J.; Almeida, Mariana; Batista, Ana Catharina; Guedes, Cristina; Teixeira, Alfredo; Silva, Severiano; Santos, VirgíniaOver the years, numerous techniques have been explored to assess the composition and quality of sheep carcasses. This study focuses on the utilization of video image analysis (VIA) to evaluate the composition of light lamb carcasses (4.52 ± 1.34 kg, mean cold carcass weight ± SD). Photographic images capturing the lateral and dorsal sides of fifty-five light lamb carcasses were subjected to analysis. A comprehensive set of measurements was recorded, encompassing dimensions such as lengths, widths, angles, areas, and perimeters, totaling 21 measurements for the lateral view images and 29 for the dorsal view images. K-Folds stepwise multiple regression analyses were employed to construct prediction models for carcass tissue weights (including muscle, subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat, and bone) and their respective percentages. The most effective prediction equations were established using data from cold carcass weight (CCW) and measurements from both dorsal and lateral views. These models accounted for a substantial portion of the observed variation in the weights of all carcass tissues (with K-fold-R2 ranging from 0.83 to 0.98). In terms of carcass tissue percentages, although the degree of variation explained was slightly lower (with K-fold-R2 ranging from 0.41 to 0.78), the VIA measurements remained integral to the predictive models. These findings underscore the efficacy of VIA as an objective tool for assessing the composition of light lamb carcasses, which are carcasses weighing ≈ 4–8 kg.