Impact of Heat Stress on the In-Line Registered Milk Fat-to-Protein Ratio and Metabolic Profile in Dairy Cows
, Karina Džermeikaitė 1, Justina Krištolaitytė 1, Ieva Ribelytė 1, Agnė Bespalovaitė 1, Deimantė Bulvičiūtė 1, Kotryna Tolkačiovaitė 1 and Walter Baumgartner 2Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
This work effectively contributes to the scientific understanding of the impact of heat stress on dairy cows' milk quality. It could be reconsidered with a few minor revisions to adhere to the recommendations and some questions followed.
- In summary section could be reconsideration to shorten up with novelty result.
- In abstract, by the sentence … similarly negligible correlation with Beta Hydroxybutyrate (BHB; r = 0-.046, p = 0.417), “0-.046” please recheck.
- Although the introduction section is primarily dedicated to significant research, it is possible to highlight how heat stress affects the content and nutritional value of milk. As a result, the sensor records the data in real time for future use. Please reconsider to revised.
- In methodology of animal unit for experiment, how was the THI grouping or housing temperature designed by the author to provide consistent conditions over the research period? Please give more information on cows characterized by parity, day in milk, production, herd health within the group. The author didn't sufficiently defend and explain your decision on the experimental design and hypothesis testing, which could have been used to explain the statistical model.
- How many cows were collected for blood samples and how often to measured? Please give more details on the real-time collection data for each cow or group for further evaluation.
- according to the results in Table 1, why does the animal number appear to be different? The author could be pointed out on the methodology.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Authors are very thankful for the comments, which help us to improve the manuscript. All changes proposed have been included in the manuscript and highlighted in yellow and track changes.
Best Regards,
Prof. Ramunas Antanaitis
You can find your questions and comments along with our responses here:
This work effectively contributes to the scientific understanding of the impact of heat stress on dairy cows' milk quality. It could be reconsidered with a few minor revisions to adhere to the recommendations and some questions followed.
Answer: Thank you very much for the positive response
- In summary section could be reconsideration to shorten up with novelty result.
Answer: Corrected and added information about novelty of results.
- In abstract, by the sentence … similarly negligible correlation with Beta Hydroxybutyrate (BHB; r = 0-.046, p = 0.417), “0-.046” please recheck.
Answer: corrected.
- Although the introduction section is primarily dedicated to significant research, it is possible to highlight how heat stress affects the content and nutritional value of milk. As a result, the sensor records the data in real time for future use. Please reconsider to revised
Answer: we added infomation in introduction section - “The composition of milk is significantly changed during hyperthermia, showing that HS affects not only the total production of milk but also the synthesis of its components [3]. Heat stress is known to affect dairy cows by impacting milk production and composition, as well as altering the overall amounts of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids present in the milk fat [11]. Heat stress evidently has a more pronounced direct impact on the production and composition of milk protein and casein than the indirect effect caused by reduced intake [12]. While there are limited studies on how heat stress affects milk protein composition or protein fractions, with existing findings being somewhat inconsistent”
- In methodology of animal unit for experiment, how was the THI grouping or housing temperature designed by the author to provide consistent conditions over the research period? Please give more information on cows characterized by parity, day in milk, production, herd health within the group. The author didn't sufficiently defend and explain your decision on the experimental design and hypothesis testing, which could have been used to explain the statistical model.
We added information - “Out of 1200 cows, 319 were selected. The research involved cows in their second and more lactation, producing an average of 35 kg of milk daily per cow. These cows consumed an average of 19 kg of DM as feed each day. The milk characteristics included 4.3% fat, 3.55% protein, an average somatic cell count of 190,000/mL, and an average milk urea nitrogen content of 22%. According to the results of clinical examinations, all cows were categorized as clinically healthy”
- How many cows were collected for blood samples and how often to measured? Please give more details on the real-time collection data for each cow or group for further evaluation.
We added information - “Milk composition, including fat, protein, and blood parameters, was registered once for each cow during the period from 2023.06.01 to 2023.08.31 at different THI levels. Apart from THI, other conditions (feeding, housing, milking, etc.) remained the same throughout the investigated period”
- according to the results in Table 1, why does the animal number appear to be different? The author could be pointed out on the methodology.
Answer: we apologize, because it was a mistake, it should be – 276,43,319. We corrected this table.
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
The idea of this study is of interest to the readers and the producers.
- in the abstract (line 1) please define F/P ratio, the first time it appears
- Line 1: please delete the hypothesis since it is already mentioned at the end of the abstract
- Lines 13-14: delete "Significant differences ..... have been found."
- Please add some data about the milk yield and other milk components and feed intake
- Also, reproductive parameters such as pregnancy rate, estrous (heat) and calving rate are needed
- in the materials and methods, how many blood samples were collected?
- No need to mention the results again in the discussion section, please focus on discussing the results rather than having them again in this section
- in the discussion explained that the reason for glucose reduction is due to the reduction in the milk lactose content, How did the authors assure about this data since no milk lactose is presented in the manuscript?
- the conclusion is too long, please make it shorter
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Authors are very thankful for the comments, which help us to improve the manuscript. All changes proposed have been included in the manuscript and highlighted in yellow and track changes.
Best Regards,
Prof. Ramunas Antanaitis
You can find your questions and comments along with our responses here:
This work effectively contributes to the scientific understanding of the impact of heat stress on dairy cows' milk quality. It could be reconsidered with a few minor revisions to adhere to the recommendations and some questions followed.
Answer: Thank you very much for the positive response
- In summary section could be reconsideration to shorten up with novelty result.
Answer: Corrected and added information about novelty of results.
- In abstract, by the sentence … similarly negligible correlation with Beta Hydroxybutyrate (BHB; r = 0-.046, p = 0.417), “0-.046” please recheck.
Answer: corrected.
- Although the introduction section is primarily dedicated to significant research, it is possible to highlight how heat stress affects the content and nutritional value of milk. As a result, the sensor records the data in real time for future use. Please reconsider to revised
Answer: we added infomation in introduction section - “The composition of milk is significantly changed during hyperthermia, showing that HS affects not only the total production of milk but also the synthesis of its components [3]. Heat stress is known to affect dairy cows by impacting milk production and composition, as well as altering the overall amounts of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids present in the milk fat [11]. Heat stress evidently has a more pronounced direct impact on the production and composition of milk protein and casein than the indirect effect caused by reduced intake [12]. While there are limited studies on how heat stress affects milk protein composition or protein fractions, with existing findings being somewhat inconsistent”
- In methodology of animal unit for experiment, how was the THI grouping or housing temperature designed by the author to provide consistent conditions over the research period? Please give more information on cows characterized by parity, day in milk, production, herd health within the group. The author didn't sufficiently defend and explain your decision on the experimental design and hypothesis testing, which could have been used to explain the statistical model.
We added information - “Out of 1200 cows, 319 were selected. The research involved cows in their second and more lactation, producing an average of 35 kg of milk daily per cow. These cows consumed an average of 19 kg of DM as feed each day. The milk characteristics included 4.3% fat, 3.55% protein, an average somatic cell count of 190,000/mL, and an average milk urea nitrogen content of 22%. According to the results of clinical examinations, all cows were categorized as clinically healthy”
- How many cows were collected for blood samples and how often to measured? Please give more details on the real-time collection data for each cow or group for further evaluation.
We added information - “Milk composition, including fat, protein, and blood parameters, was registered once for each cow during the period from 2023.06.01 to 2023.08.31 at different THI levels. Apart from THI, other conditions (feeding, housing, milking, etc.) remained the same throughout the investigated period”
- according to the results in Table 1, why does the animal number appear to be different? The author could be pointed out on the methodology.
Answer: we apologize, because it was a mistake, it should be – 276,43,319. We corrected this table.
