a Small amount of alcohol makes the pigs healthier.
The Japanese island of Kyushu is famous for the fact that it is a huge number of pig farms is one of the major breeding regions of the island nation. Also, this piece of land is almost the only place where is Japanese alcoholic beverage Shochu. It is stronger than "Japanese vodka" sake but weaker than whiskey, tequila and other products of the alcohol industry. Recently, Japanese producers of alcohol turned to scientists for help after making the drink they are waste used in the production of Shochu potato, rice and barley, the disposal of which is very expensive. Researchers needed to find a residual product useful and they quickly realized that they can be fed live on the island of pigs. It turned out that such food does not harm animals and even makes them happier.
In the manufacture of beverage Shochu, the Japanese for over 500 years the use of barley, rice, potatoes and other foods with high starch content. The mixture of these ingredients with the addition of yeast infused to obtain a mash, which is subsequently distilled several times through a kind of moonshine. The result is a 25-degree beverage, which many well-known tight SAC, which contains about 15% alcohol. After production, the Japanese remains the barley mixture, the disposal of which is quite expensive.
Shochu drink in Japan but in the world, this beverage is not particularly popular.
Researchers from the University of Tokyo found a brilliant solution — they decided to feed barley mash to pigs on the island of Kyushu thousands! In their opinion the fact that this compound is unsuitable for human consumption, does not mean that it can't eat pigs. Because the digestive system of many animals are much stronger than humans, therefore pigs can digest what not under force to us. However, not to accidentally harm animals, the scientists decided to proceed with caution.
in Total there are 8 species of pigs.
According to , at first, they tried to add fermented barley mush to feed six young pigs. The experiment lasted three months and during that time the animals did not show any signs of illness and behaved quite adequately. After the test period, the researchers decided to study the indicators of health and was completely stunned — in the organisms of pigs has undergone dramatic changes, with a strictly positive.
First, in the saliva of animals, the researchers found high levels of the immunoglobulin class A. They are contained in the mucous membranes of humans and animals to protect organisms from viruses. That is, participated in the experiment pigs and compared with their relatives, was less susceptible to disease.
New food improves health of pigs.
Second, in animals revealed low levels of cortisol, which is also known as the stress hormone. The fact that residues from the production of Japanese alcohol animals was also demonstrated on the example of mice. As shown, the rodents that were subjected to stress tests came back to normal much faster if fed on barley mash. So, if alcohol is harmful to the human body, some animals are small its content is good.
After conducting these experiments, the researchers decided to compare how a new food affects the taste of animal meat. To this end, they assembled a group of tasters, who were blindfolded and allowed to taste the meat involved in the experiment, the pigs and their relatives-abstainers. People said that the first type of pork has more juiciness and flavour. The reason for changing the taste meat, researchers believe the chemical differences in its structure — the fat began to melt at lower temperatures, so the meat is literally "melt in your mouth".
Actually, the craving for alcohol has not only man, but many species of animals. For example, researchers have many times noticed how the elephants and some monkeys like to eat overripe fruit that allow them to get drunk. But did you know that on our planet there are animals that ? About them recently told the author Hi-News.ru Alexander Bogdanov — read the article right now!
