Browsing by Author "Sebastián, Francisco"

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Comparison of pure and crossbred japanese black steers in growth performance and metabolic features from birth to slaughter at a spanish fattening farm
(2022) Vázquez Mosquera, Juan Mesías; De Mercado, Eduardo; Fernandez Novo, Aitor; Gardón, Juan Carlos; Pesántez Pacheco, José Luis; Perez Solana, Mari Luz; Revilla Ruiz, Ángel; Martínez, Daniel; Villagrá García, Arantxa; Sebastián, Francisco; Pérez Garnelo, Sonia S.; Astiz, Susana
apanese Black (Wagyu) cattle produce high-quality beef. However, whether Wagyu steers can be profitably raised under conditions different than the traditional Japanese ones remains unclear. From 2018 to 2020, we raised 262 Wagyu purebred steers, 103 Wagyu-by-Angus (Wangus) crossbred steers, and 43 Angus-by-European (ACL) crossbred steers on a Spanish farm with high welfare standards and a locally sourced, high-olein diet. Factors and factors’ interactions impacting steer growth were analyzed using generalized linear models. ACL steers grew faster than the other two groups, with Wangus showing intermediate fattening and muscle development. Average daily weight gains (kg/day) were 0.916 for Wagyu, 1.046 for Wangus, and 1.293 for ACL during the weaning to growing period, and 0.628 for Wagyu, 0.64 for Wangus, and 0.802 for ACL during the growing to fattening phase. ACL showed the lowest marbling rates. Wagyu and Wangus usually showed higher cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein than ACL. ACL calves may experience greater stress at weaning, as suggested by higher glucose, lactate, and β-hydroxybutyrate than the other groups. The results suggest that Wagyu and Wangus steers showed adequate growth, health, and metabolic development in this type of production system, with Wagyu purebreds probably being more profitable than Wangus crossbreeds
MOET efficiency in a spanish herd of japanese black heifers and analysis of environmental and metabolic determinants
(2022) Mercado, Eduardo de; Bonet Bo, Martín; Pérez Villalobos, Natividad; Pesántez Pacheco, José Luis; Pérez Solana, María Luz; Gardón J., Juan Carlos; Vázquez Mosquera, Juan Mesías; Fernández Novo, Aitor; Astiz, Susana; Martínez Bello, Daniel; Pérez Garnelo, Sonia Salomé; Sebastián, Francisco; Villagrá García, Arantxa
Multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) systems have been intensively imple-mented in Japanese Black cattle in Japan and to create Japanese Black herds out of these areas. Environmental conditions influence MOET efficiency. Thus, we describe results of 137 in vivo, non-surgical embryo flushings performed between 2016–2020, in a full-blood Japanese Black herd kept in Spain and the possible effects of heat, year, bull, donor genetic value, and metabolic condition. Additionally, 687 embryo transfers were studied for conception rate (CR) and recipient related fac-tors. A total of 71.3% of viable embryos (724/1015) were obtained (5.3 ± 4.34/flushing). Donor metabolites did not affect embryo production (p > 0.1), although metabolite differences were observed over the years, and by flushing order, probably related to the donor age. CR was not affected by embryo type (fresh vs. frozen), recipient breed, and whether suckling or not suckling (p > 0.1). CR decreased significantly with heat (44.3 vs. 49.2%; (p = 0.042)) and numerically increased with recipient parity and ET-number. Pregnant recipients showed significantly higher levels of choles-terol-related metabolites, glucose, and urea (p < 0.05). Therefore, adequate MOET efficiency can be achieved under these conditions, and heat stress should be strongly avoided during Japanese Black embryo transfers. Moreover, recipients’ metabolites are important to achieve pregnancy, being probably related to better nutrient availability during pregnancy.