Rebecca El Hawat, Selene Massaro, Nicolò Amalfitano
et al.
ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the transfer of terpenes from fresh aromatic plants, hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and savory (Satureja hortensis L.), into cow milk, quantify their transfer efficiency, and explore their dynamics. Six Simmental dairy cows were allocated to a single concurrent 3 × 3 Latin square design with 3 dietary treatments: a TMR as control (CTRL) and the same ration supplemented with fresh hemp (HEMP) or savory (SAV) leaves. Each period lasted 14 d, with herb supplementation administered from d 1 to d 6 at increasing doses (0.2–0.8 kg/d DM). Milk samples were collected daily and analyzed to determine terpene concentrations and transfer kinetics. Terpenes were extracted using headspace solid-phase microextraction and analyzed by GC-MS. A total of 24 terpenes were identified across feed and milk. The HEMP had the highest terpene content (85,962 µg/kg), followed by SAV (11,313 µg/kg) and CTRL (228 µg/kg). Corresponding milk concentrations were 388.8 µg/kg (HEMP-diet), 48.7 µg/kg (SAV-diet), and 50.8 µg/kg (CTRL). Despite the lower absolute terpene content in CTRL, its relative carryover to milk was highest (15.4%) compared with HEMP-diet (8.7%) and SAV-diet (6.2%). Key terpenes such as α-farnesene, β-caryophyllene, and p-cymene were transferred to milk. The results demonstrate that terpenes can be transferred to milk in a compound-dependent manner, with hemp producing the highest absolute terpene concentration in milk. This research supports the application of terpene-rich plants in dairy diets to enhance milk quality, traceability, and value, contributing to more sustainable and differentiated dairy production systems.
Bridger B. Sparks, Hunter Ford, Tainara C. Michelotti
et al.
ABSTRACT: Lipolysis of adipose tissue is a natural occurrence during the periparturient period in dairy cows. However, when lipolysis rates exceed the capacity of other tissues to used nonesterified fatty acids, it may lead to the development of ketosis and other diseases. Additionally, PUFA can become oxidized into oxylipins, which modulate inflammation and metabolism. The objective of this work was to identify depot-specific differences on adipose tissue oxylipin profile in dairy cows with and without subclinical ketosis and assess the effects of oxylipins on adipocyte function in vitro. Subcutaneous adipose tissue from the flank (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue from the omentum (VAT) were collected through laparotomy from multiparous dairy cows (5–14 DIM) and grouped according to blood BHB into nonketotic (NK; n = 5; BHB ≤ 0.8 mmol/L) and subclinical ketotic (SCK; n = 5; BHB 1.4 and ≤ 2.6 mmol/L). A targeted lipidome capable of detecting a 154 oxylipins was performed in paired SAT and VAT samples from all animals. Data were analyzed using the PROC GLIMMIX procedure in SAS (v9.4, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) for the effect of depot (SAT, VAT), ketosis status (SCK, NK), and their interaction (depot × ketosis status) on oxylipin abundance. The oxylipins thromboxane-B2 (TXB2), prostaglandin-A2 (PGA2), and 5-hydroxeicostretanoic acid (5-HETE) were selected from lipidomic data based on effects of ketosis status and depot-specificity to further investigate their effects on SAT and VAT adipocyte function. Lipidomic data revealed 50 oxylipins across both adipose tissue depots. SCK was associated with a decreased abundance of TXB2 and tended to associate with an increase in PGA2 and prostaglandin-E1 (PGE1). Additionally, PGE1, 15-keto-prostaglandin-E2, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin-E2, 5-HETE, and 15-HETE were increased in SAT. Although VAT had a greater abundance of 9,10-dihydroxy-12Z-octadecenoic acid, 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid, 9-oxo-10E,12Z,15Z-octadecatrienoic acid, and 13S-hydroxy-9Z,11E,15Z-octadecatrienoic acid (13[s]-HOTrE). In vitro, an average (AVG) dose of 5-HETE on VAT cells tended to increase proliferation at d 7 compared with the control, HGH dose of TXB2 tended to decrease lipid accumulation in SAT compared with control, and AVG dose of PGA2 on VAT cells tended to lower ROS compared with the control. Overall, postpartum dairy cows have depot-specific adipose tissue lipidomic profiles which are associated with changes in ketosis status.
T.J. Valdés-Arciniega, E. Anta-Galván, I.M.R. Leão
et al.
ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to determine the relationship between circulating progesterone (P4) concentrations and milk yield during the ovulatory follicular wave on the proportion of multiple ovulation (MOV) in multiparous high-producing Holstein cows (n = 1,345). The study used first-service multiparous cows submitted to a Double-Ovsynch program (GnRH; 7 d later, PGF2α; 3 d later, GnRH; 7 d later, GnRH [G1]; 7 d later, PGF2α [PG1]; 1 d later, PGF2α; ∼32 h later, GnRH [G2]; ∼16 h later, timed AI [TAI]). To assess ovulatory response and proportion of MOV, ovarian ultrasonography examinations were performed at G1 (n = 1,215) and G2 (n = 1,345) and from 40 to 48 h after each GnRH. Average milk yield (kg/d) for the weeks before G1 and PG1 were recorded. Blood samples were collected at G1 (n = 1,242) and PG1 (n = 1,333) to measure serum P4 concentrations. Milk yield for the 2 weeks before PG1 was 56.0 ± 0.2 kg/d. Overall, ovulation to G1 was 71.5%, and MOV to G1 was 16.6%. Circulating P4 concentration at G1 was higher in cows with single ovulation (SOV) at G1 than in cows with MOV (4.31 ± 0.08 vs. 3.70 ± 0.20 ng/mL, respectively). Overall, ovulation to G2 was 90.2%, and MOV to G2 was 13.7%. Cows with MOV to G2 also had lower P4 concentration at PG1 than cows with SOV (7.24 ± 0.28 vs. 8.91 ± 0.11 ng/mL, respectively). The interaction of serum P4 tertiles at PG1 × milk yield tertiles was not significant for MOV to G2. Nevertheless, independent of each other, MOV to G2 was positively associated with milk yield and negatively associated with serum P4 at PG1. The proportion of cows with MOV to G2 was greater for cows with previous MOV to G1 (32.9%) than for cows with SOV to G1 (9.8%). In summary, MOV in multiparous high-producing Holstein cows was highly associated with serum P4 concentrations, milk yield, and previous MOV. In addition, an increased proportion of MOV was associated with high milk yield tertile (≥58.5 kg/d) regardless of the serum P4 concentrations during the growth of the ovulatory follicle.
Improving the energy efficiency of traditional production methods while preserving their cultural and economic value is a challenge aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 agenda. Refrigeration during cheese maturation is particularly energy-intensive, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs. An approach to make traditional cheese production more sustainable, through the development of a prototype ripening chamber with a natural refrigerant-based refrigeration system powered by renewable energy was studied. A dedicated system based on an Internet of Things architecture was developed using low-cost sensors, microcontroller units, and single-board computers to enable real-time measurement and monitoring of environmental variables and energy consumption throughout the ripening process. A comparative analysis was conducted using ewe’s milk cheese, produced and ripened with Protected Designation of Origin conditions, in both the prototype and the conventional chambers over four weeks, quantifying energy consumption and evaluating product quality. Results demonstrate the technical feasibility of energy efficient and sustainable refrigeration systems, as well as the possibility of retrofitting installed cheese ripening chambers with affordable IoT monitoring systems, while maintaining traditional cheese quality standards.
Fergus P. Hannon, Martin J. Green, Luke O'Grady
et al.
ABSTRACT: Targeted reproductive management (TRM) aims to improve the fertility efficiency of the dairy herd by applying group-level management strategies based on expected reproductive performance. Key to the utility of TRM is the accuracy with which an animal's reproductive performance can be predicted. Automatic milking systems (AMS) allow for the collection of data relating to milk quantity, quality, and robot visit behavior throughout the transition period. In addition to this, auxiliary data sources, such as rumination and activity monitors, as well as historical cow-level data, are often readily available. The utility of this data for the prediction of fertility has not been previously explored. The first objective of this study was to assess the accuracy with which the likelihood of expression of estrus between 22 and 65 DIM and conception to first insemination between 22 and 80 DIM could be predicted using data collected by AMS from 1 to 21 DIM. Our second objective was to assess the change in model performance following the addition of 2 auxiliary data sources. Using data derived solely from the AMS (RBT dataset) a binary random forest classification model was constructed for both outcomes of interest. The performance of these models was compared with models constructed using AMS data in conjunction with 2 auxiliary sources (RBT+ dataset). Expression of estrus was classified with an area under the receiver operator curve (AUC-ROC) of 0.6 and 0.65, conception to first insemination with an AUC-ROC of 0.56 and 0.62 for the RBT and RBT+ datasets, respectively. No statistically significant improvement in classification accuracy was achieved by the addition of auxiliary data sources. This is the first study to report the utility of data collected by AMS for the prediction of reproductive performance. Though the performance described is comparable with previously reported models, their utility for the implementation of TRM is limited by poor classification accuracy within key subgroups. Of note within this study is the failure of the addition of auxiliary data sources to increase the accuracy of prediction over models built using AMS data alone. We discuss the advantages and limitations the integration of additional data sources imposes on model training and deployment and suggest alternative methods to improve performance while preserving model parsimony.
ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the timing of presumptive conceptus attachment (pCA) and its relationship with subsequent pregnancy loss (PL) in lactating dairy cows following timed artificial insemination with conventional (TAI-C) or X-sorted (TAI-S) semen or timed embryo transfer (TET) with frozen-thawed in vitro–produced (IVP) embryos. Lactating cows (n = 417, predominantly Holstein-Friesian) located in 3 herds were blocked based on parity, calving date, and economic breeding index and randomly assigned to receive TAI-C (n = 136), TAI-S (n = 136) or TET with a single, grade-1 frozen-thawed IVP blastocyst (n = 145). Cows were synchronized with a 10-d Progesterone-Ovsynch protocol, and were either inseminated (TAI-C, TAI-S) 16 h after the second GnRH or received TET on d 7 after presumptive estrus. Serum progesterone was measured in all cows on d 7 after expected ovulation. For all cows that had not returned to estrus, serum pregnancy-specific protein B (PSPB) was measured on d 7, 17, and daily from d 19 through 28 after expected ovulation to characterize the timing of pCA. The day of pCA was defined as the first day of an increase in PSPB of ≥12.5% from baseline (d 17) followed by 2 more consecutive days of ≥12.5% increase from the previous day. Pregnancy was diagnosed in cows that had not returned to estrus via ultrasound examination on d 32, 62, and 120 postovulation, and calving data were recorded. Day of pCA (mean; 95% CI) was earlier for TAI-C (20.0; 19.7, 20.3) compared with TET (20.6; 20.3, 20.9), and TAI-S (20.3; 19.9, 20.6) was not different from the other 2 treatments. Calving/service event (C/SE) was greater (83.2% vs. 54.4%) and PL during the interval from pCA to expected calving date was less (16.8% vs. 45.6%) for cows with early pCA (≤d 20; 23/137) compared with cows that had late pCA (≥d 21; 36/79). The incidence of PL was greater for cows assigned to TAI-S (30.7%) and TET (33.8%) than TAI-C (16.4%). Consistent with previous studies, measuring time to pCA provides new insights into understanding early pregnancy establishment and PL in lactating dairy cows. The timing of pCA was later for TET compared with TAI-C and may be associated with increased risk of PL. Further research into the regulatory mechanisms underlying conceptus attachment is warranted.
Laura Hüneke, Christin Schmidtmann, Hatem Alkhoder
et al.
ABSTRACT: Twinning in dairy cattle poses substantial risks for both cows and calves, including increased rates of calving difficulties, stillbirths, postpartum complications, and negative effects on calf viability and growth. These challenges lead to substantial economic losses and raise serious concerns for animal health and welfare. Consequently, selecting against twin births in German Holstein cattle could be beneficial. In this study, we analyzed the trait twin birth by estimating variance components and genetic correlations with other traits using population-wide data from German Holstein cattle. Breeding values were calculated using a single-step SNP BLUP model, treating twin births as 2 genetically correlated traits: (1) in first parity, and (2) in second and later parities. Heritability was estimated at 0.008 (± 0.0004) for the first parity and 0.026 (± 0.0008) for later parities. Genetic correlations with milk traits were close to zero, slightly positive with fertility, and slightly negative with longevity. The highest genetic correlation of 0.326 (± 0.0229) was observed for stillbirth rate. Comparison of breeding values with daughter phenotypes revealed substantial variability among bulls, whose genetic potential was expressed in varying twin birth rates among their daughters. It is therefore possible to lower twin birth rate through breeding. The estimation of the phenotypic impact of twin births on milk, longevity, calving ease, stillbirth, and health traits highlights the potential to breed against twin births to improve economics, herd performance and animal welfare.
Elisa Canazza, Miriam Grauso, Dasha Mihaylova
et al.
Inulin, a type of fructan primarily extracted from chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, and dahlia, is a prebiotic dietary fiber increasingly valued for its multifunctional roles in food systems. Beyond its well-established nutritional benefits linked to gut microbiota modulation and metabolic health, inulin also provides unique techno-functional properties that make it a versatile structuring ingredient. This review emphasizes inulin’s ability to form gel-like networks and emulsion gels, examining the mechanisms of gelation and the influence of chain length, degree of polymerization, and processing conditions on gel stability and performance. Inulin-based gels act as effective fat replacers, texture modifiers, and carriers of bioactive compounds, supporting the reformulation of foods with reduced fat and sugar while maintaining desirable texture and sensory quality. Applications span a wide range of food systems, including dairy, meat, bakery, confectionery, plant-based, and gluten-free products, where inulin contributes to enhanced structure, stability, and palatability. Furthermore, the potential to obtain inulin from agro-industrial by-products strengthens its role in sustainable food design within a circular economy framework. By integrating nutritional, structural, and technological functionalities, inulin and inulin-based gels emerge as promising tools for the development of innovative and health-oriented food products.
Lubos Vostry, Hana Vostra-Vydrova, Nina Moravcikova
et al.
ABSTRACT: Although dairy goat production, characterized by traditional production on small farms, is an important source of income in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, locally adapted breeds have not been fully consolidated over the last 100 yr due to large fluctuations in population size and inconsistent breeding programs that allowed for different crossbreeding strategies. Our main objective in this study was therefore to assess the conservation status of 4 Czech (Alpine Goat, White Shorthair, Brown Shorthair, and Czech Landrace) and 1 Slovak (Slovak White Shorthair) local goat breeds, to analyze their population structure and admixture, and to estimate their relatedness to several neighboring breeds. Our analyses included 142 goats belonging to 5 local breeds genotyped with the Illumina 50K BeadChip, and 618 previously genotyped animals representing 15 goat breeds from Austria and Switzerland (all analyses based on 46,862 autosomal SNPs and 760 animals). In general, the conservation status of the Czech and Slovak local goat breeds was satisfactory, with the exception of the Brown Shorthair goat, as the analyzed parameters (heterozygosity, haplotype richness, runs of homozygosity–based inbreeding, and effective population size) were mostly above the median of 20 breeds. However, for all 5 Czech and Slovakian breeds, an examination of historical effective population size indicated a substantial decline about 8 to 22 generations ago. In addition, our study revealed that the Czech and Slovakian breeds are not fully consolidated; for instance, White Shorthair and Brown Shorthair were not clearly distinguishable. Considerable admixture, especially in Czech Landrace (effective number of parental clusters = 4.2), and low but numerous migration rates from other Austrian and Swiss breeds were found. These results provide valuable insights for future breeding programs and genetic diversity management of local Czech and Slovak goat breeds.
Eleni C. Pappa, Efthymia Kondyli, Athanasios C. Pappas
et al.
In the present study, the physicochemical characteristics of 108 yoghurts purchased from the Greek market have been assessed. Generally, the range of the mean pH values of samples was 3.58–4.64, of fat 0–10.8%, of protein 3.29–10.05%, of total solids 10.75–25.18%, and of ash 0.5–1.17%. Samples were categorized as strained and non-strained (traditional with a crust or plain without a crust). The milk origin was classified as being from sheep, goats, cows, mixture of sheep–goat–cow milk, or cow–donkey milk combination. A significant effect of species origin was determined for yoghurt physicochemical attributes, whereas geographical origin, mainland or island, affected yoghurt acidity only. Discriminant analysis revealed MDA, pH, acidity, syneresis, fat, and protein content and color lightness and redness as the traits responsible for the discrimination of yoghurts into milk-type classes, whereas fat, protein, and ash content, pH, and syneresis attributes were responsible for the discrimination into fat content classes. Yoghurt samples were sufficiently clustered according to their fat content, whereas protein content and species origin discriminated yoghurts to a lesser extent. This first in-depth descriptive research on a wide range of samples of the renowned Greek yoghurt showed that several physicochemical characteristics can be used for sample discrimination.
Samantha Roldán-Pérez, Sara Lucía Gómez Rodríguez, José Uriel Sepúlveda-Valencia
et al.
Lactic Acid Bacteria play an important role in the milk fermentation processes of traditional cheeses and have become an important target for the development of novel cheese cultures because of their ability to confer health benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the probiotic potential of 12 Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) strains previously isolated and molecularly identified from an artisanal Colombian Double-Cream Cheese. Probiotic properties, including safety (hemolysis and sensibility to antibiotics), pH and bile salt tolerance, auto-aggregation, cell surface hydrophobicity, antibacterial activity, and exopolysaccharide production, were examined. None of the strains were hemolytic, and Pediococcus (16, 18) and Lactobacillus (28, 29) were found to be sensitive to all antibiotics. Moreover, all the strains tolerated pH (3.0, 6.5 and 8.0) and bile salt conditions (0.3, 0.6 and 1.0 % w/v). Pediococcus pentosaceus (16), Leuconostoc citreum (17), Pediococcus acidilactici (18), Enterococcus faecium (21,22), Enterococcus faecalis (24) and Limosilactobacillus fermentum (29) exhibited medium autoaggregation and affinity to chloroform. Six of the strains exhibited a ropy exopolysaccharide phenotype. Antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, was found to be strain dependent, with the strains 16, 18, 21, 26, 28 and 29 presenting a higher inhibition (>4 mm) against all of them. According to Principal Component Analysis, P. pentosaceus (16), Leu. mesenteroides (26), L. casei (28), L. fermentum (29), and E. faecium (21) showed strong probiotic properties. Our findings suggest that five strains out of the 12 sampled strains are potential probiotics that could be used in the processing of traditional dairy products on an industrial scale to improve their quality.
Sophie A. Mahendran, Nicola Blackie, D. Claire Wathes
et al.
ABSTRACT: Preweaning calves are kept in a range of housing types that offer variable protection against the weather and provide differing internal environments. This cross-sectional observational study assessed the effect of housing type (shed, polytunnel, or hutches) on internal environmental parameters, using 2 blocks of 8-wk measurements from 10 commercial dairy farms in the south of England, covering both summer and winter periods. Continuous measurements for internal and external temperature and humidity were recorded by data logger placed within the calf housing and used to calculate the temperature-humidity index (THI). Weekly point readings were also taken for temperature, humidity, light, air speed, ammonia level, and airborne particulate matter. Airborne bacterial levels were determined at wk 2, 5, and 8 by incubating air samples at 35°C for 24 h in aerobic conditions. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models. Housing type influenced THI significantly in both seasons. In summer, calves were exposed to heat stress conditions (THI ≥72) for 39, 31, and 14 of 46 d in polytunnel housing, hutches, and sheds, respectively. The maximum summer temperature (37.0°C) was recorded in both hutch and polytunnel housing, with sheds remaining consistently cooler (maximum 31.0°C). In winter, the lowest minimum internal temperature recorded was in hutches at −4.5°C, with both the sheds and polytunnel, but not hutches, providing a significant increase in temperature compared with the external environment. Hutches remained ≤ 10°C for 86% of the winter study period. Light levels were reduced in all housing types compared with the external environment. The particulate matter in air that is capable of reaching the lungs (particulate matter <10 μm) was highest in sheds, intermediate in hutches, and lowest in polytunnel housing (0.97 ± 3.75, 0.37 ± 0.44, and 0.20 ± 0.24 mg/m3, respectively). This was mirrored by airborne bacterial numbers, which were also highest in sheds (8,017 ± 2,141 cfu/m3), intermediate in hutches (6,870 ± 2,084 cfu/m3), and lowest in the polytunnel (3,357 ± 2,572 cfu/m3). Round, white, catalase-positive, and oxidase-negative colonies were most prevalent, likely indicating Staphylococcus species. This study demonstrated that UK calves are routinely exposed to either heat or cold stress, especially when housed in hutches or polytunnels. Sheds had the highest levels of particulate matter and airborne bacteria, both known contributory factors for respiratory disease. These findings demonstrate that all calf housing systems result in environmental compromises that could have long-term impacts on calf health and growth; therefore, further studies should identify husbandry and housing modifications to mitigate these factors.
The relevance of the article lies in determining the directions for the sustainable functioning of the region’s economy under the sanctions of unfriendly states, assessing the enterprises of the fuel and energy com¬plex of the Orenburg region and, on this basis, substantiating the creation of an integrated petrochemical cluster. The purpose of the article is to identify the territorial features of the sustainable development of the region’s economy under the impact of sanctions, identify its problems and develop recommendations for the formation of an integrated petrochemical cluster. In modern conditions, there is a decrease in the profitability of enterprises, an increase in risks and their possible bankruptcy, which ultimately provokes the unsustainable development of both enterprises and the regional economy. It is shown that the current situation contributes to the disruption of logisti¬cal ties in the export industries of the fuel and energy complex, the electronic and machine-building industries, and the agricultural sector, which has a negative impact on the sustainable functioning of the region’s economy. These conclusions are confirmed by many authors whose research results are presented in the article. The leading methods of this research are the analysis and generalization of scientific publications, methods of classification and retrospective analysis. The novelty of the study lies in clarifying the concept of sustainable development of the region’s economy, determining its factors and results. The authors show that the fuel and energy and agricultural sectors of the economy will have a key impact on the functioning of the economy. This conclusion is substanti¬ated by the given statistical and other factual data. In particular, it is shown that in the total volume of industrial production of the Orenburg region, the fuel and energy sector accounts for about 60% and provides an annual production of more than 15 billion m3 of gas, more than 21 million tons of oil and gas condensate, as well as the processing of about 5 million tons of oil. More than 2.5 million tons of grain crops are grown annually in the region (2020 more than 4 million tons), over 33 thousand tons of meat products, 260 thousand tons of dairy prod¬ucts. All of the above creates favorable conditions for the innovative development of the economy. As an example, a diagram of the organizational and production specialization of an integrated innovative petrochemical cluster is given. The practical significance of the results of the study lies in the development of a set of measures to implement an effective regional policy aimed at achieving sustainable development through the creation of an innovative petrochemical cluster. Further research is supposed to be carried out in the direction of developing the theoretical and practical foundations for the organization and functioning of integrated petrochemical agglomerations.
EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP), Claude Lambré, José Manuel Barat Baviera
et al.
Abstract The food enzyme α‐amylase (4‐α‐D‐glucan glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.1) is produced with the non‐genetically modified microorganism Bacillus licheniformis strain T74 by Novozymes A/S. The production strain met the qualifications of the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach. The food enzyme is intended to be used in eight food manufacturing processes: starch processing for the production of glucose syrups and other starch hydrolysates, distilled alcohol production, refined and unrefined sugar production, brewing processes, cereal‐based processes, fruit and vegetable processing for juice production, fruit and vegetable processing for products other than juices and the production of dairy analogues. Since residual amounts of total organic solids (TOS) are removed during two food processes (starch processing for the production of glucose syrups and other starch hydrolysates, distilled alcohol production), dietary exposure was calculated only for the remaining six food manufacturing processes. It was estimated to be up to 0.291 mg TOS/kg body weight per day in European populations. Since the production strain meets the requirements for the QPS approach and no issues of concern arose from the production process of the food enzyme, the Panel considered that toxicological studies were unnecessary. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and no match was found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use, the risk of allergic reactions upon dietary exposure to this food enzyme cannot be excluded (except for distilled alcohol production), but the likelihood is low. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Chemical technology
Jillian Hendricks, Daniel M. Weary, Marina A.G. von Keyserlingk
ABSTRACT: Both male and female calves that are not required in the dairy herd sometimes receive inadequate care on dairy farms. Veterinarians work with farmers to improve animal care, and farmers often view veterinarians as trusted advisors; however, little is known about the attitudes of veterinarians on surplus calves. This study investigated the perspectives of Canadian cattle veterinarians on the care and management of surplus calves, as well as how they view their role in improving care. We conducted 10 focus groups with a total of 45 veterinarians from 8 provinces across Canada. Recorded audio files were transcribed, anonymized, and coded using thematic analysis. We found that veterinarians approached surplus calf management issues from a wide lens, with 2 major themes emerging: (1) problematic aspects of surplus calf management, including colostrum management, transportation, and euthanasia, and suggested management and structural solutions, including ways to improve the economic value of these calves, and (2) the veterinarian's role in advising dairy farmers on the care of surplus calves, including on technical issues, and more broadly working with farmers to better address public concerns. We conclude that veterinarians are concerned about the care of surplus calves on dairy farms and believe that they have an important role in developing solutions together with their farmer clientele.
J.C. Amaro-Hernández, G.I. Olivas, C.H. Acosta-Muñiz
et al.
ABSTRACT: Rennet milk curds were prepared under 4 different temperature and acidity conditions. The development of different types of inter-protein chemical bonds (disulfide, hydrophobic, electrostatic, hydrogen, and calcium bridges) was monitored for 60 min after curd cutting. Hydrophobic inter-protein interactions originally present in casein micelles in milk were substituted by electrostatic, hydrogen, and calcium bonds throughout the curd curing period. Disulfide bonds were not disturbed by the experimental conditions employed in the study, remaining at a constant level in all studied treatments. Acidification of curds increased the availability of soluble ionic calcium, increasing the relative proportion of calcium bridges at the expense of electrostatic-hydrogen bonds. Although pH defined the nature of the interactions established among proteins in curd, temperature modified the rate at which such bonds were formed.
Negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) diets have been implemented to combat hypocalcemia, a common peripartal disease in dairy cows; however, the extent of compensatory metabolic acidosis necessary and the subsequent effects on performance are still debated. Additionally, there is a need for an inexpensive, accurate method to measure urine pH on farm during the prepartum period to assess the extent of metabolic acidosis achieved by negative DCAD diets. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to determine the accuracy of Fisher pH sticks (pHF; ThermoFisher Scientific) and pHion balance test strips (pHI; pHion Balance) compared with a portable pH meter (pHP; Accumet AP115, ThermoFisher Scientific) in measuring urine pH (UpH) and the effect of UpH on pre- and postpartum dry matter intake (DMI), milk, and milk composition yields. Cows consumed a total mixed ration with a DCAD of −118 mEq/kg for 4 wk prepartum and 397 mEq/kg for 4 wk postpartum. Prepartum UpH measurements (n = 75) for each cow were averaged and used to classify cows in terms of urine pH as low (UpH ≤5.54; mean ± standard deviation; 5.44 ± 0.07), medium (UpH >5.54 and ≤5.90; 5.67 ± 0.09), or high (UpH >5.90; 6.42 ± 0.36). Cows were milked twice a day, and milk samples were taken on d 7 ± 1.3, 14 ± 1.4, and 28 ± 1.1 relative to calving. Milk yield and DMI were recorded daily and averaged weekly. Bland-Altman plots and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) were used to assess the agreement between pHP and pHF or pHI (n = 375). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the threshold with pHF and pHI that best discriminated between UpH >5.75 and ≤5.75 compared with pHP, and area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess the accuracy. At the UpH threshold of 5.75 for pHF and pHI, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 89.5 and 87.4, 99.1 and 97.0, and 0.94 and 0.92, respectively. The CCC was 0.93 for pHF and pHI, indicating near-perfect agreement with pHP. The UpH did not affect pre- or postpartum DMI. There was a tendency for a UpH × week interaction for milk yield, in which milk yields were less for cows in the low and medium groups. In conclusion, pHI and pHF are accurate measurements for UpH, and UpH did not affect DMI; however, when UpH was low or medium, milk yield was decreased at wk 1 postpartum.
Pawel Droździel, Tetiana Vitenko, Viktor Voroshchuk
et al.
The basis of the discrete-impulse energy supply (DIES) concept is the efficient use of supplied energy. The references describe in detail the general principles of DIES, examine the energy and thermodynamic aspects and the main mechanisms of intensification that can be initiated on the basis of this principle. DIES mechanisms conveniently can be divided into hard and soft ones. The former should be used to stimulate hydromechanical processes, and the latter to accelerate the processes of phase heat and mass transfer, or for the purpose of intensive mixing of multicomponent media. The authors have studied the possibility of using DIES to intensify the hydromechanical processes, in particular emulsification of milk fat (homogenization of milk, preparation of spreads), processing of cream cheese masses. Objects of research were whole non-homogenized milk, fat emulsions, cream cheese mass. In order to evaluate the efficiency of milk homogenization the homogenization coefficient change was studied, which was determined by centrifugation method as the most affordable and accurate one. Emulsions were evaluated according to the degree of destabilization, resistance and dispersion of the fat phase. The rheological characteristics of cheese masses were evaluated by the effective viscosity change.
Automated sensor-based monitoring of cows has become an important tool in herd management to improve or maintain animal health and welfare. Location systems offer the ability to locate animals within the barn for, for example, artificial insemination. Furthermore, they have the potential to measure the time cows spend in important areas of the barn, which might indicate need for improvement in the management of the herd or individuals. In this study, we tested the sensor-based real-time location system (RTLS) Smartbow (SB, Smartbow GmbH) under field conditions. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the accuracy of the system to predict the location of the cow and the agreement between visual observations and RTLS observations for the total time spent by cows in relevant areas of the barn and (2) to compare the performance of 2 different algorithms (Alg1 and Alg2) for cow location. The study was conducted on a commercial Austrian dairy farm. In total, 35 lactating cows were video recorded for 3 consecutive days. From these recordings, approximately 1 h was selected randomly each day for every cow (3 d × 35 cows). Simultaneously, location data were collected and classified by the RTLS system as dedicated to the alley, feed bunk, or cubicle on a 1-min resolution. A total of 6,030 paired observations were derived from visual observations (VO) and the RTLS and used for the final data analysis. Substantial agreement of categorical data between VO and SB was obtained by Cohen's kappa for both algorithms (Alg1 = 0.76 and Alg2 = 0.78). Similar results were achieved by both algorithms throughout the study, with a slight improvement for Alg2. The ability of the system to locate the cows in the predefined areas was assessed, and the results from Alg2 showed sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of alley (74.0, 91.2, and 76.9%), feed bunk (93.5, 86.2, and 89.1%), and cubicle (90.5, 83.3, and 95.4%) and an overall accuracy of 87.6%.The correlation coefficient (r) between VO and SB for the total time cows spent (within 1 h) in the predefined areas was good to strong (r = 0.82, 0.98, and 0.92 for alley, feed bunk, and cubicle, respectively). These results show the potential of the system to automatically assess total time spent by cows in important areas of the barn for indoor settings. Future studies should focus on evaluating 24-h periods to assess time budgets and to combine technologies such as accelerometers and location systems to improve the performance of behavior prediction in dairy cows.