Dairy small ruminants account for approximately 21% of all sheep and goats in the world, produce around 3.5% of the world's milk, and are mainly located in subtropical-temperate areas of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Dairy sheep are concentrated around the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, where their dairy products are typical ingredients of the human diet. Dairy goats are concentrated in low-income, food-deficit countries of the Indian subcontinent, where their products are a key food source, but are also present in high-income, technologically developed countries. This review evaluates the status of the dairy sheep and goat sectors in the world, with special focus on the commercially and technically developed industries in France, Greece, Italy, and Spain (FGIS). Dairy small ruminants account for a minor part of the total agricultural output in France, Italy, and Spain (0.9 to 1.8%) and a larger part in Greece (8.8%). In FGIS, the dairy sheep industry is based on local breeds and crossbreeds raised under semi-intensive and intensive systems and is concentrated in a few regions in these countries. Average flock size varies from small to medium (140 to 333 ewes/farm), and milk yield from low to medium (85 to 216 L/ewe), showing substantial room for improvement. Most sheep milk is sold to industries and processed into traditional cheese types, many of which are Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) cheeses for gourmet and export markets (e.g., Pecorino, Manchego, and Roquefort). By comparing break-even milk price among FGIS countries, we observed the following: (1) most Greek and French dairy sheep farms were unprofitable, with the exception of the intensive Chios farms of Greece; (2) milk price was aligned with cost of production in Italy; and (3) profitable farms coexisted with unprofitable farms in Spain. In FGIS, dairy goat production is based on local breeds raised under more extensive systems than sheep. Compared with sheep, average dairy goat herds are smaller (36 to 190 does/farm) but milk yield is greater (153 to 589 L/doe), showing room for improvement. Goat milk is mainly processed on-farm into dairy products for national markets, but some PDO goat milk cheeses (e.g., Murcia al Vino) are exported. Processed goat milk is sold for local human consumption or dehydrated for export. Mixed sheep-goat (e.g., Feta) and cow-sheep-goat milk cheeses are common in many countries. Strategies to improve the dairy sheep and goat sectors in these 4 countries are proposed and discussed.
R. Alonso, Inés Sittón-Candanedo, Ó. García
et al.
Abstract Today’s globalized and highly competitive world market has broadened the spectrum of requirements in all the sectors of the agri-food industry. This paper focuses on the dairy industry, on its need to adapt to the current market by becoming more resource efficient, environment-friendly, transparent and secure. The Internet of Things (IoT), Edge Computing (EC) and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) are all crucial to the achievement of those improvements because they allow to digitize all parts of the value chain, providing detailed information to the consumer on the final product and ensuring its safety and quality. In Smart Farming environments, IoT and DLT enable resource monitoring and traceability in the value chain, allowing producers to optimize processes, provide the origin of the produce and guarantee its quality to consumers. In comparison to a centralized cloud, EC manages the Big Data generated by IoT devices by processing them at the network edge, allowing for the implementation of services with shorter response times, and a higher Quality of Service (QoS) and security. This work presents a platform oriented to the application of IoT, Edge Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain techniques in Smart Farming environments, by means of the novel Global Edge Computing Architecture, and designed to monitor the state of dairy cattle and feed grain in real time, as well as ensure the traceability and sustainability of the different processes involved in production. The platform is deployed and tested in a real scenario on a dairy farm, demonstrating that the implementation of EC contributes to a reduction in data traffic and an improvement in the reliability in communications between the IoT-Edge layers and the Cloud.
Plant proteins are constantly gaining attention as potential substitutes for dairy proteins, due to their suitable functionality and nutritional value. This study was designed to compare the structural and functional responses of different plant protein isolates (soy, pea, lentil, and chickpea) with two commonly used dairy protein (whey protein isolates and sodium caseinate) under different pH treatments (pH 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 9.0). The results showed that pH had a different alteration on the structural, surface properties and functional properties of plant and dairy proteins. Plant protein generally possessed a darker color, lower solubility, emulsifying properties, and foaming capacity, whereas their foaming stability and water holding capacity were higher than those of dairy proteins. Soy protein isolates were characterized by its comparable proportion of β-turn and random coils, zeta-potential, emulsifying (30.37 m2/g), and water-holding capacity (9.03 g/g) at alkaline conditions and chickpea protein isolates showed good oil-holding capacity (3.33 g/g at pH 9) among plant proteins. Further analysis confirmed that pH had a greater influence on the structural and functional properties of proteins as compared to protein sources, particularly at acidic conditions. Overall, this study might help processors select the appropriate plant protein as dairy alternatives for their target application in plant-based food products.
M.A. Killerby, G.M. de Souza, K.E. Ruh-Etteldorf
et al.
ABSTRACT: Increasing AA sequestration in milk is essential for improving N efficiency in dairy cows and to reduce the environmental impacts of dairy production. Isoleucine, Leu, and Met are promising AA to improve milk protein yield and N efficiency due to their signaling roles in mammary epithelial cells. Glucogenic diets can also stimulate milk protein synthesis and, through their effect on insulin, potentiate the signaling effects of AA. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of Ile, Leu, and Met on production performance and N metabolism, and the role of energy source (ES; glucose or acetate) on lactating cows' responses to AA. The experiment consisted of a 4 × 4 Latin square design replicated 4 times with 4 periods of 21 d and 4 treatments arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial. Sixteen ruminally cannulated, multiparous, Holstein cows were housed in tiestalls and fed the same experimental diet with 4% energy and 15% MP deficiency. The 4 treatments were continuously infused into the abomasum and consisted of isoenergetic amounts (2.86 Mcal/d) of glucose (GLC) or acetate (ACE), without AA as negative control, or with a mix of 12 g/d of Ile, 50 g/d of Leu, and 20 g/d of Met (ILM). Experimental periods consisted of 2 wk of adaptation and 1 wk of sampling, in which feed, urine, milk, and blood samples were collected. Data were analyzed with a mixed model in R, containing the fixed effects of period, square, AA infusion, ES, and ES × AA interaction, and the random effects of cow within square. Overall, ES did not alter the response to AA on production or N metabolism (i.e., no significant interactions). Infusion of ILM, regardless of ES, increased circulating insulin concentration, milk protein and fat contents, and yields of de novo and mixed fatty acids, as predicted by Fourier-transform mid-infrared spectroscopy, but decreased lactose yield and concentration and tended to decrease milk yield. Meanwhile, ILM did not alter ECM or N efficiency for milk production. Compared with ACE, GLC increased DMI, circulating concentrations of glucose and insulin in plasma, and yields of milk and milk protein, but decreased circulating levels of acetate, BHB, and nonesterified fatty acids, as well as yields of presynthesized fatty acids, total milk fat, and fat-corrected milk. Similar to AA infusion, ES did not affect ECM yield nor N efficiency for milk production. In summary, compared with ACE, GLC did not alter the performance response to ILM but independently affected production and metabolism, consistent with its insulinemic potential. Cows responded mildly to AA infusion, most remarkably increasing de novo milk fatty acid production and milk protein content without impairing N efficiency, while also decreasing milk lactose concentration and yield.
ABSTRACT: Cornerstone is a semihard farmstead cheese with a natural rind that was developed as an “American original.” The production of Cornerstone cheese relies on the use of unpasteurized (raw) milk, natural milk starters, and the colonization and activity of adventitious microbes native to each farmstead operation. This study describes and compares the microbial community dynamics as well as the metabolites, volatile compounds, and sensory attributes of Cornerstone cheese produced at 3 different facilities. The microbial composition of samples (n = 96) collected along the cheesemaking continuum was determined via amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal internal transcribed spacer genes. Despite the high bacterial diversity observed within raw milk samples, the natural milk starters produced on-site at 3 different facilities were primarily Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. Microbial communities in the pastes of the resulting cheeses were similar, and ultimately attributed, to their respective natural milk starters throughout aging. The cheese rind microbiota established early and persisted throughout aging. Differential abundance analysis identified microbes uniquely abundant in cheeses produced at each facility. Beta diversity metrics indicated that bacterial communities clustered by production facility, not by aging location, whereas fungi were likely influenced by some combination of both. Aging shelves, fans, and cheese forms were identified as primary environmental sources of microbes. Descriptive sensory analysis revealed significant differences in textural attributes between cheeses but only minor differences in flavor. Volatile compounds clustered by aging day more than production location whereas there was no clear clustering by metabolites. These observations demonstrate the critical importance of natural milk starters and environmental microbes at the site of production on the structure of cheese microbial communities and the complex interplay between microbial communities, metabolic processes, and the development of sensory characteristics in cheese.
Yuichi Yoshizawa, Naruomi Yamada, Akika Nagira
et al.
ABSTRACT: We investigated the effects of Lactobacillus paragasseri OLL2716 on sleep under psychological stress. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 78 healthy Japanese students in the fourth year of medical school were exposed to 2 consecutive academic exam stressors. They were randomly assigned to the OLL2716 or placebo group, and each group consumed 85 g of yogurt containing L. paragasseri OLL2716 or placebo yogurt daily for 8 wk. Two examinations were performed after 4 and 7 wk of intake. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess anxiety level. As the primary endpoint, subjective sleep was evaluated using the Ogri-Shirakawa-Azumi sleep inventory MA version (OSA-MA) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Objective sleep was assessed using Fitbit sleep-monitoring devices. Saliva was collected for 2 min between 1600 and 1800 h. Salivary cortisol and chromogranin A levels were measured to assess physiological stress response. These data were obtained at baseline (0 wk) and during the intake periods (2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 wk after intake). The STAI data showed that anxiety levels were similar in both groups. The OSA-MA data showed that the changes in “sleepiness on rising” score at 2 and 4 wk and “dreaming” score at 8 wk were significantly improved, and the changes in objective sleep length at 2, 4, and 7 wk were significantly increased in the OLL2716 group compared with those in the placebo group. Additionally, the salivary chromogranin A secretion rate at 4 wk and salivary cortisol secretion rate at 5 wk were significantly decreased in the OLL2716 group compared with those in the placebo group. These results suggest that the intake of L. paragasseri OLL2716 improves stress-induced sleep deprivation, maintains sleep homeostasis, and moderates the stress response. Therefore, L. paragasseri OLL2716 is a potential strategy for reduced daytime performance associated with sleep dissatisfaction among individuals living in the modern stressful society.
E. Valero-Cases, Débora Cerdá-Bernad, J. Pastor
et al.
In alignment with Hippocrates’ aphorisms “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food” and “All diseases begin in the gut”, recent studies have suggested that healthy diets should include fermented foods to temporally enhance live microorganisms in our gut. As a result, consumers are now demanding this type of food and fermented food has gained popularity. However, certain sectors of population, such as those allergic to milk proteins, lactose intolerant and strict vegetarians, cannot consume dairy products. Therefore, a need has arisen in order to offer consumers an alternative to fermented dairy products by exploring new non-dairy matrices as probiotics carriers. Accordingly, this review aims to explore the benefits of different fermented non-dairy beverages (legume, cereal, pseudocereal, fruit and vegetable), as potential carriers of bioactive compounds (generated during the fermentation process), prebiotics and different probiotic bacteria, providing protection to ensure that their viability is in the range of 106–107 CFU/mL at the consumption time, in order that they reach the intestine in high amounts and improve human health through modulation of the gut microbiome.
Rosa I. Vázquez, Devon Charlier, Carol Peterson
et al.
ABSTRACT: This project implemented Seguridad en las Lecherías, an award-winning, bilingual (Spanish and English), 5-module curriculum approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The intervention aimed to increase safety knowledge among immigrant dairy workers, encourage a safety culture, and identify challenges faced by the dairy farming community in Minnesota and South Dakota. A total of 360 Hispanic immigrant workers from 19 participating dairies were trained. Pre- and post-assessments revealed a statistically significant increase in knowledge after each training. Producers and managers provided positive feedback noting improved awareness of safety and positive behavior changes to reduce farm incidents. A flexible approach to implementation was essential to the intervention's success, including synchronizing training with workers' shifts. Overall, this application of the Seguridad en las Lecherías curriculum suggests that comprehensive, culturally responsive safety training delivered in the language spoken by workers can have a positive effect on workers' safety knowledge, practices, and behavior on dairy farms. Continued efforts to prioritize and reinforce worker safety are vital to the sustainability and well-being of the dairy farming community in the region and beyond.
ABSTRACT: A total of 90 Holstein dairy cows (24 primiparous, 66 multiparous, mean parity = 3.0) were fed diets containing either 150, 160, or 170 g CP/kg DM from 8 to 180 DIM, with all diets designed to supply at least 100% MP requirements. On d 181, half of the cows in each treatment changed to a diet containing 140 g CP/kg DM (supplying 100% MP requirements), with the remaining cows continuing to be offered their original treatment diets. This resulted in 6 treatments in the mid-late lactation period (181–280 DIM): 150, 150/140, 160, 160/140, 170, and 170/140 g CP/kg DM. Decreasing dietary CP concentration from 170 to 150 g CP/kg DM did not affect DMI, milk yield, milk fat or protein yield in early lactation (8–181 DIM), but reduced MUN and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids in milk, as well as serum albumin, globulin, total protein, and urea concentrations. In addition, reducing dietary CP content from 170 to 160 g CP/kg DM improved N use efficiency (NUE; milk N/N intake), with no further improvement with 150 g CP/kg DM. Treatment had no effect on apparent total-tract ration digestibility in early lactation. Urinary N output decreased with decreasing dietary CP content in early lactation, whereas manure N (fecal N plus urinary N) output increased. Urinary N/manure N decreased from 170 to 160 g CP/kg DM diet, whereas no further reduction was observed with the 150 g CP/kg DM diet. Cows that remained on the 150 g CP/kg DM treatment in mid-late lactation (181–280 DIM) had a lower DMI than those which remained on the diet containing 170 g CP/kg DM. Reducing the dietary CP concentration to 140 g CP/kg DM in mid-late lactation reduced DMI, milk yield, and milk fat and protein yields, compared with offering the 170 or 160 g CP/kg DM diet throughout lactation, possibly reflecting a response to oversupply of MP with the latter treatments, rather than an undersupply of MP with the former, although this is uncertain. Concentrations of C18:2 cis-9,trans-11 and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids in milk were lower for cows offered diets containing 140 or 150 g CP/kg DM in mid-late lactation compared with 160 or 170 g CP/kg DM. Reducing dietary CP concentration from 170 to 140 g CP/kg DM improved NUE from 0.28 to 0.34 in mid-late lactation. Nitrogen digestibility was reduced when cows were offered the 140 g CP/kg DM diet compared with the 150 or 160 g CP/kg DM diet. Lowering the dietary CP concentration from 170 to 140 g CP/kg DM in mid-late lactation decreased N output in milk, feces, urine, and manure. These results indicate that a dietary CP content of 160 g CP/kg DM, which met the MP requirement of cows, may be optimal to support performance over a whole lactation, improve NUE, and reduce N excretion, thus contributing to a more sustainable approach to dairy cow production.
Daniel Talmón, Alejandra Jasinsky, Federica Marin
et al.
ABSTRACT: Grazing dairy production systems have gained interest due to the increasing consumer preferences associated with environmental care and animal welfare perception. Nonetheless, grazing dairy cows have lower feed conversion than those fed indoors with a TMR, partly because of increased maintenance energy costs associated with grazing and walking activity. However, to our knowledge, the energy cost of grazing has not been quantified for dairy cows. The objectives of the present work were to evaluate the effects of grazing on the oxygen pulse (O2P; mL O2 consumed per heartbeat; experiment 1) and to quantify the energy cost of grazing in dairy cows using the oxygen pulse–heart rate (O2P-HR) technique (experiments 1 and 2). In both experiments, heat production (HP) was measured using the O2P-HR technique and synchronized with animal activity records. In experiment 1, 15 dairy cows were used to measure the O2P when resting and then immediately after the first grazing session to assess the effect of grazing on O2P. Grazing activity increased HR and oxygen consumption compared with when the cows were resting. However, the increase in both variables was proportional; therefore, O2P was similar, indicating that the change in HR was the main component in the response to an increased O2 demand due to grazing. Hence, it is possible to use the O2P-HR method to measure HP during grazing in dairy cows. The energy cost of grazing was estimated by the difference in HP between when the cow was grazing and when it was not grazing (i.e., idling or ruminating) and ranged from 6.63 ± 1.12 to 7.85 ± 0.68 kJ/kg0.75 per hour and 1.31 ± 0.28 to 1.59 ± 0.14 kJ/kg per hour, respectively. In addition, the energy cost of walking was calculated as the difference in HP when the cow was walking to and from the pasture and the milking parlor versus when it was idling or ruminating. The energy cost of walking was 24.03 ± 1.12 kJ/kg0.75 per hour or 4.72 ± 0.28 kJ/kg per hour. Hourly energy expenditure (kJ/h) was similar between grazing and consuming TMR at the feed bunk, indicating that the extra energy required by dairy cows when fed in a grazing system is mostly explained by the longer time spent to harvest the pasture and the energy cost of walking between the pasture and the milking parlor compared with confined cows fed TMR. Finally, the results of this study suggest that O2P is not affected by grazing and therefore that the O2P-HR technique is a promising methodology to estimate the energy cost of grazing animals without substantially affecting their behavior within the production system.
Numerous studies have shown a link between the consumption of fermented dairy foods and improved health outcomes. Since the early 2000s, especially probiotic-based fermented functional foods, have had a revival in popularity, mostly as a consequence of claims made about their health benefits. Among them, fermented dairy foods have been associated with obesity prevention and in other conditions such as chronic diarrhea, hypersensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, Helicobacter pylori infection, lactose intolerance, and gastroenteritis which all are intimately linked with an unhealthy way of life. A malfunctioning inflammatory response may affect the intestinal epithelial barrier’s ability to function by interfering with the normal metabolic processes. In this regard, several studies have shown that fermented dairy probiotics products improve human health by stimulating the growth of good bacteria in the gut at the same time increasing the production of metabolic byproducts. The fermented functional food matrix around probiotic bacteria plays an important role in the survival of these strains by buffering and protecting them from intestinal conditions such as low pH, bile acids, and other harsh conditions. On average, cultured dairy products included higher concentrations of lactic acid bacteria, with some products having as much as 109/mL or g. The focus of this review is on fermented dairy foods and associated probiotic products and their mechanisms of action, including their impact on microbiota and regulation of the immune system. First, we discussed whey and whey-based fermented products, as well as the organisms associated with them. Followed by the role of probiotics, fermented-product-mediated modulation of dendritic cells, natural killer cells, neutrophils, cytokines, immunoglobulins, and reinforcement of gut barrier functions through tight junction. In turn, providing the ample evidence that supports their benefits for gastrointestinal health and related disorders.
The manufacture of fermented milk products has a long history, and these products were initially produced either from spontaneous fermentation or using a batch of previously produced product, that is, back-slopping. Milk of different mammal species has traditionally been used for the manufacture of fermented milk products. Cow’s milk is the basis for most dairy fermented products around the world. Milk from other mammals, including sheep, goat, camel, mare, buffalo, and yak may have been historically more important and remain so in certain regions. The milks from different species have differences in chemical composition and in certain, vital for the fermentation, components. The diversity of fermented milk products is further influenced by the wide variety of manufacturing practices. A great number of fermented dairy products have been traditionally produced worldwide, and many of them are still produced either following the same traditional process or manufactured industrially, using standardized processes under controlled conditions with specified starter cultures. The evolution from traditional to industrial production, their specific regional differences, their special characteristics, and the microbiological aspects of fermented dairy products are discussed. Throughout the evolution of fermented milk products, functional and therapeutic properties have been attributed to certain components and thus, yogurts and fermented milks have gained a significant market share. These products have gained wide global recognition as they meet consumers’ expectations for health-promoting and functional foods. The exploitation of microbiological methods based on DNA (or RNA) extraction and recently high-throughput techniques allowed for the accurate identification of the microbiota of fermented milk products. These techniques have revealed the significance of the properties of the autochthonous microbes and provided novel insights into the role of the microbiota in the functional and organoleptic properties of many fermented milk products.
Caitlin E. Jeffrey, Tucker Andrews, Sandra M. Godden
et al.
ABSTRACT: The primary objective of this cross-sectional observational study was to determine whether bulk tank milk quality, udder health, udder hygiene, and milk production outcomes were associated with facility type on organic dairies. A secondary objective was to identify other management-related risk factors associated with bulk tank milk quality, udder health, udder hygiene, and milk production on organic dairy herds in Vermont. We aimed to enroll 40 farms, to compare herds using the 2 most common systems (freestalls, tiestalls) for housing organic dairy cattle in the state with those using a bedded pack during the nongrazing season (typically November–May). Two general styles of bedded packs were observed: cultivated bedded packs and untilled deep-bedded packs. Due to the limited number of herds using bedded packs to house lactating dairy cattle in Vermont, we combined untilled and cultivated bedded packs to describe udder hygiene, milk quality, and udder health on these loose-housing systems deeply bedded with organic material. The study was completed on 21 farms (5 bedded packs, 6 freestalls, 10 tiestalls) before interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data captured from DHIA records from the test closest to the date of the farm visit included average SCS, standardized 150-d milk (pounds), percentage of cows with current high SCS (SCS ≥4.0), percentage of cows with newly elevated SCS (previous SCS <4.0 to current ≥4.0), and percentage of cows with chronically elevated SCS (SCS ≥4.0 last 2 tests). Multivariable linear regression models were used to describe outcomes by facility type, but suffered from limited statistical power due to small group sample sizes. Unconditional comparisons failed to find statistically significant differences between farms grouped by facility type in metrics captured from DHIA test data, bulk tank milk somatic cell count (BTSCC) and aerobic culture data, or udder hygiene scores. A secondary analysis was conducted using univariate linear regression to identify associations between herd-management factors and outcomes for all 21 farms combined. Although not all differences found were statistically significant in this secondary analysis combining all farms, numeric differences that may be biologically important are reported showing farms with deeper bedding had a lower BTSCC, lower newly elevated SCS, lower chronically elevated SCS, lower elevated current SCS, lower average SCS, and better udder hygiene metrics. Farms with lower mean udder hygiene scores had numerically lower chronically elevated SCS, lower elevated current SCS, and lower average SCS. We could not reject the null hypothesis that milk quality and udder health outcomes did not differ by facility type, and this does not preclude the existence of biological differences in these outcomes between facility types. The current study provides insight on factors affecting bulk tank milk quality, udder health and hygiene measures on organic dairy farms in Vermont. Bedded packs may be a viable option for confinement housing during the winter nongrazing season for pasture-based herds interested in a loose-housing system in the northeastern United States, but more research, such as longitudinal studies with a larger sample size, is needed to test this hypothesis.
Nancy L. Whitehouse, Devan L. Chirgwin, Charles G. Schwab
et al.
The calculation of the relative bioavailability (RBV) of rumen-protected AA supplements using the plasma free AA dose-response technique currently relies on blood samples obtained 2, 4, 6, and 8 h after the 0500 h feeding during the last 3 d of each period in Latin square experiments with cows fed every 8 h (0500, 1300, and 2100 h). The objective of this study was to determine if this current blood sampling protocol captures the changes that may occur in plasma Met concentrations within a 24-h day to adequately determine the RBV of Met from Smartamine M (SM). Five multiparous lactating Holstein cows were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design with 7-d periods. Treatments were (1) control (abomasal infusion of tap water), (2) 12 g/d of abomasally infused dl-Met, (3) 24 g/d of abomasally infused dl-Met, (4) 15 g/d of fed Met (20 g/d of SM), and (5) 30 g/d of fed Met (40 g/d of SM). Blood samples were collected via jugular catheters every 2 h after the 0500 h feeding starting on d 5 and ending on d 7 of each period. Plasma Met analysis was conducted using gas chromatography after chloroformate derivatization. Plasma Met concentration was averaged across days for 2–8 h after the 0500 h feeding, 2–8 h after the 1300 h feeding, 2–8 h after the 2100 h feeding, and 2–24 h after the 0500 h feeding. In addition, plasma Met concentration was regressed on 0, 12, and 24 g of infused dl-Met and 0, 15, and 30 g of fed Met. The calculated RBV of Met from SM averaged 83.8%, 83.6%, 87.4%, and 83.0% for the 2–8 h, 10–16 h, 18–24 h, and 2–24 h sampling periods, respectively. The similarity in the estimations of RBV for the 2–8 h and 2–24 h sampling periods indicates that our original blood sampling protocol seems reliable for determining the RBV of ruminally protected Met products.
Background In recent years, researchers have focused on functional ingredients, functional foods, and nutraceuticals due to the rapidly increasing interest in bioactive components, especially in bioactive peptides. Dairy proteins are a rich and balanced source of amino acids and their derived bioactive peptides, which possess biological and physiological properties. In the dairy industry, microbial fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis are promising methods for producing bioactive peptides because of their rapid efficiency, and mild reaction conditions. However, these methods utilize less raw material, take long reaction time, result in low yields, and low activity products when used alone, which pose industry to seek for novel methods as pretreatments to increase the yield of bioactive peptides. Scope and Approach This review emphasizes the production of peptides from the dairy proteins and discusses the potential use of novel technologies as pretreatments to conventional methods of bioactive peptides production from dairy proteins, including the mechanisms of novel technologies along with respective examples of use, advantages, limitations, and challenges to each technology. Key Findings and Conclusion Noteworthily, hydrolysis of dairy proteins liberate wide-range of peptides that possess remarkable biological functions to maintain human health. Novel technologies in the dairy industry such as ultrasound-assisted processing (UAP), microwave-assisted processing (MAP), and high pressure processing (HPP) are innovative and environmentally friendly. Generally, novel technologies are less effectual compared to conventional methods, therefore used in combination with fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis, and are promising pretreatments to modify peptides’ profile, improve the yields, and high liberation of bioactive peptides as compared to conventional technologies. UAP is an innovative and most efficient technology as its mechanical effects and cavitation change the protein conformation, increase the biological activities of enzymes, and enhance enzymatic hydrolysis reaction rate.
Marion Rambault, Florence B. Gilbert, Philippe Roussel
et al.
ABSTRACT: Bovine mastitis is mainly caused by bacterial infection and is responsible for important economic losses as well as alterations of the health and welfare of animals. The increase in somatic cell count (SCC) in milk during mastitis is mainly due to the influx of neutrophils, which have a crucial role in the elimination of pathogens. For a long time, these first-line defenders have been viewed as microbe killers, with a limited role in the orchestration of the immune response. However, their role is more complex: we recently characterized a bovine neutrophil subset expressing major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules (MHC-IIpos), usually distributed on antigen-presenting cells, as having regulatory capacities in cattle. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the implication of different neutrophils subsets in the mammary gland immunity during clinical and subclinical mastitis. Using flow cytometry, we analyzed the presence of MHC-IIpos neutrophils in blood and in milk during clinical mastitis at different time points of inflammation (n = 10 infected quarters) and during subclinical mastitis, defined as the presence of bacteria and an SCC >150,000 cells/mL (n = 27 infected quarters). Our results show, for the first time, that in blood and milk, neutrophils are a heterogeneous population and encompass at least 2 subsets distinguishable by their expression of MHC-II. In milk without mastitis, we observed higher production of reactive oxygen species and higher phagocytosis capacity of MHC-IIpos neutrophils compared with their MHC-IIneg counterparts, indicating the high bactericidal capacities of MHC-IIpos neutrophils. MHC-IIpos neutrophils are enriched in milk compared with blood during subclinical mastitis but not during clinical mastitis. Moreover, we observed a positive and highly significant correlation between MHC-IIpos neutrophils and T lymphocytes present in milk during subclinical mastitis. Our experiments involved a total of 47 cows (40 Holstein and 7 Normande cows). To conclude, our study opens the way to the discovery of new biomarkers of mastitis inflammation.
Greece has a variety of cheeses that are registered as protected designation of origin and protected geographical indications, and many others that are produced in a traditional way, without such registration. This article aims to describe the characteristics of these cheeses, which do not bear a certification of geographical indication, in order to increase their significance. Therefore, in this work, the scientific data published about the history, production, composition, and other specific properties of some milk cheeses (Kariki, hard Xinotyri, soft Xinotyri, Kefalotyri, Kashkaval Pindos, Graviera, Manoura Sifnos, Teleme, Tsalafouti, Tyraki Tinou, Ladotyri Zakynthou, Touloumotyri, and Melichloro) and whey cheeses (Anthotyros, Myzithra, and Urda) are presented. This information may contribute to their better promotion and recognition, protecting their heritage, and supporting the local economy.