Proceedings Volume 2010 (format .pdf) - SimpBTH

feeding source. The bovines are achieving the highest concentration of carotenoids,mainly β-carotene, most probably due to the low efficiency of vitamine Asynthetisation in enterocytes (Noziere et al., 2006).Due to their properties strongly anti-oxidante, some carotenoids have ananti-cancer potential and others help to the protection against cardiovacular andocular diseases. The animal body restriction of the food with these pigments maylead to specific colour loosing (Internet, 2009). The biological content, the maturitystudy and the cow fodder conservation way are factors to influence the milkcomposition of fatty acids, vitamines and carotenoids (Lucas et al.,2006). Takinginto account the fact that carotenoid molecules have a long chain of bonded doubleliaisons, those react very easy with the acids, the basis, the oxygen and the light, areason for having a special care when low caretenoids content products areanalysed (Schoefs, 2002).2. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP AND METHODS2.1 EXPERIMENTAL SET-UPFor these experiments we have analyzed samples of green fodder from theBucegi Blana area. This area is located at 1800 m altitude, on a low slop terrain.Primary vegetation was dominated by juniper (Pinus mugo) and glade of spruce(Picea abies), after their clearing it has installed a herbaceous vegetationdominated by Festuca nigrescens, F. ovina and Agrostis rupestris. After a periodthese grasses were invaded also by not valuable Nardus stricta species.The samples A, C, D and T were collected from a improved subalpinepasture, situated in the Research Base Blana Bucegi , and the sample E has beencollected from the area near of the experimental field. Each plot D, C, A has anarea of 0.75 ha with a stocking rate of three cows that graze around 85 days duringthe summer period. The medium samples within A, C, D and T experimental fieldswere collected using three metal cages of 2 square meters for each plot. The tablebelow shows the characteristics of the five types sub-alpine pasture where thestudied samples have been collected.2.2 METHODSUV-VIS spectrophotometry. Carotene concentration of green fodder hasbeen determined with UV-VIS 550 spectrophotometer. On each plot have beenharvested medium samples of green fodder. The samples have been prepared foranalysis to realise an optimal extraction. The carotene extraction has been realisedwith organic solvents (acetone, n-hexane) and β-carotene separation of the otherscarotenoids and coloured substances has been done by coloumn chromatographyusing a filling of activated aluminium oxyde and anhydrous sodium sulphate. Thecolouring intensity of β-carotene extract (BC) in hexane has been measured withspectrophotomer at 450 nm wave lenght, having as referance the n-hexane.284