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Research on the Nutrition and Physiology of Dairy and Beef Cattle

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A Special Issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472) belonging to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 4693

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Editors

Dr. Ewa Pecka-Kielb

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Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida Str. 31, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: cows; nutrition; milk; dairy sciences; calves; physiology; sheep; beef cattle
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Andrzej Zachwieja

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Guest Editor

Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Chłmońskiego Str. 38c, 51-630 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: cows; nutrition; milk; dairy sciences; beef cattle; calves; colostrum; meat
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Anna Zielak-Steciwko

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Guest Editor

Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Chłmońskiego Str. 38c, 51-630 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: ruminants; nutrition; milk production; dairy sciences; beef cattle; calves; colostrum; goats; wool

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ruminants play a fundamental role in global agriculture by providing milk and meat rich in bioactive nutrients essential to the human diet and, in many regions, cattle farming forms the backbone of rural economies and supports local livelihoods. Due to their ability to digest crude fiber, ruminants can convert fibrous forages, which are inedible to humans, into nutritious food products. Nutrition is one of the key factors influencing the physiology of dairy and beef cattle, as well as the ultimate quality of animal-derived products. There is growing interest in nutritional strategies that enhance production efficiency, support animal welfare, and promote the sustainable development of agriculture.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present insights into nutrition’s impact on physiological processes in dairy and beef cattle, and to analyze how nutritional strategies affect the quality and characteristics of products such as milk and meat. Additionally, nutrition is key to colostrum quality, a critical factor in calf rearing and the economic success of cattle production. Nutritional effectiveness is assessed through specific indicators found in colostrum, milk, blood, and muscle tissue.

We hope the contributions in this Special Issue will enrich scientific knowledge and serve as a valuable resource for researchers, nutritionists, feed producers, and breeders.

Dr. Ewa Pecka-Kielb
Prof. Dr. Andrzej Zachwieja
Dr. Anna Zielak-Steciwko
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

dairy cattle
beef cattle
nutritional strategies
physiological processes
animal-derived products
blood biochemical indicators

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 892 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Soybean Hull Pellet Inclusion on Growth Performance and Digestive Kinetics of Beef Cattle Fed Annual Ryegrass Baleage

by Paige N. Tipton, Miriam A. Snider and J. Daniel Rivera

Agriculture 2026, 16(12), 1359; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16121359 - 21 Jun 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 419

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of varying inclusion levels of soybean hull pellets (SHP) with annual ryegrass baleage (BAL) on animal performance and digestive kinetics in beef cattle. In Experiment 1 (Exp. 1), 60 weaned mixed-sex beef calves were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 0.0%, 0.5%, or 1.0% body weight (BW) SHP with ad libitum access to BAL for 48 days (d). Animal performance, including BW, dry matter intake (DMI), and average daily gain (ADG), was evaluated for the duration of the study. In Experiment 2 (Exp. 2), six ruminally cannulated beef steers received the same treatments utilized in Exp. 1. Steers were dosed with ytterbium (Yb)-labeled BAL to evaluate ruminal passage rate across three 24 d periods. All data were analyzed using SAS 9.4. In Exp. 1, total BAL intake decreased in calves supplemented with SHP, while cumulative ADG increased from 0.30 (0.0% BW SHP) to 0.54 (0.5% BW SHP) and 0.74 kg/d (1.0% BW SHP), respectively. Final BW at D47 also increased as SHP inclusion increased. In Exp. 2, ruminal retention time decreased from 38.0 h (0.0% BW SHP) to 15.1 h (1.0% BW SHP), while cecum-to-proximal colon passage rate did not differ among treatments (p = 0.06). Baleage DMI did not differ between treatments. Results suggest that SHP supplementation improved calf performance despite reduced BAL intake in Exp. 1, with the greatest cumulative ADG observed in calves supplemented with 1.0% BW SHP. In Exp. 2, 1.0% BW SHP produced the greatest effects on passage rate kinetics, while BAL DMI was unaffected by SHP supplementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on the Nutrition and Physiology of Dairy and Beef Cattle)

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24 pages, 4223 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Altitudinal Grassland Systems on Forage Antioxidant Potential and Nutritional Quality of Beef from Cattle Raised in Caraș-Severin County, Romania

by Alexandra-Ioana Ibric, Ileana Cocan, Ersilia Alexa, Călin Jianu, Monica Negrea, Cristian Argyelan, Alina Dragoescu-Petrica and Tiberiu Iancu

Agriculture 2026, 16(11), 1251; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16111251 - 5 Jun 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 568

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of altitudinal grassland systems on forage antioxidant properties and the nutritional composition of beef produced in Caraș-Severin County, Romania. We hypothesised that cattle raised at higher altitudes would produce beef with a superior nutritional profile, characterised by a more favourable lipid composition and enhanced antioxidant-related characteristics. Samples of fresh grass and hay were gathered from three representative areas: plain (Sacu, 154 m), hill (Văliug, 550 m), and mountain (Cozia, 1130 m). The beef samples were represented by two categories of commercially important muscles: Longissimus thoracis (loin) and Semimembranosus (topside), sourced from animals raised in each location. The proximate composition of forage samples indicated substantially higher levels of fatty acids, protein, and ash in mountain grasslands compared to lowland regions (p < 0.05). The total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH test) revealed a similar pattern, with the strongest antioxidant activity (lowest IC₅₀ value) recorded for Cozia hay (GHC) samples. The composition of beef was additionally influenced by the production area. Samples derived from mountainous regions exhibited elevated protein concentrations, moderate intramuscular fat levels, and enhanced mineral composition in comparison to samples from plain areas. Fatty acid analysis revealed that mountain-sourced beef had significantly reduced levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and elevated concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including the nutritionally beneficial n-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Principal component analysis distinctly classified beef samples based on production method, with mountain-origin samples indicating better lipid properties and enhanced antioxidant-related variables. The findings demonstrate that natural grasslands at higher altitudes may enhance both the bioactive quality of fodder and the nutritional value of beef. Mountain pasture systems are a sustainable approach for producing high-quality beef with enhanced lipid composition and increased market value. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on the Nutrition and Physiology of Dairy and Beef Cattle)

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16 pages, 3063 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Alterations in Serum Immune Parameters, Cytokines, Intestinal Permeability, Fecal Microbiota, and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Healthy and Diarrheic Suckling Calves

by Peiyun Gao, Shaoyang Pang, Yaqin Tang, Qianqian Wang, Qiuyan Li, Wenju Zhang, Cunxi Nie, Junli Niu and Kexun Lian

Agriculture 2025, 15(21), 2289; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15212289 - 3 Nov 2025

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1534

Abstract

This study compared serum immunological parameters, cytokines, intestinal permeability, fecal microbiota, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) between healthy and diarrheic suckling calves. Serum and facecal samples were analyzed using ELISA kits, 16S rDNA sequencing, and targeted metabolomics. Compared with healthy calves, the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), endotoxin (ET), and diamine oxidase (DAO) were significantly higher (p < 0.05), whereas the serum levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were significantly lower in diarrheic calves (p < 0.05). The contents of propionic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid significantly decreased in the fecal of diarrheic calves (p < 0.05). Moreover, the Chao1 and observed_features index of fecal microbiota significantly decreased in diarrheic calves (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Streptococcus was significantly higher (p < 0.05), whereas Phascolarctobacterium, Ruminococcus torques group, and Faecalibacterium were significantly lower in diarrheic calves (p < 0.05). Escherichia-Shigella abundance was positively correlated with ET, DAO, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels (p < 0.05). Faecalibacterium abundance was significantly positively correlated with IgG, IgA, IL-10, and butyric acid but negatively correlated with ET and DAO levels (p < 0.05). In summary, diarrheic suckling calves exhibited reduced immune function, inflammatory response, and increased intestinal permeability. The relative abundance of fecal microbiota of Escherichia-Shigella and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 increased, while propionic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid concentration were decreased in calves with diarrhea. This underscores the critical interplay between microbiota balance and gut health in diarrhea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on the Nutrition and Physiology of Dairy and Beef Cattle)

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20 pages, 600 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Saponaria officinalis Root Supplementation During the Dry Period on Blood Biochemical Parameters in Cows and Calves and the Biological Quality of Colostrum and Milk

by Ewa Pecka-Kiełb, Alina Pikhtirova, Andrzej Zachwieja, Jowita Kaszuba, Jarosław Króliczewski, Oksana Shkromada and Bożena Króliczewska

Agriculture 2025, 15(20), 2123; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15202123 - 13 Oct 2025

Viewed by 1365

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of dietary Saponaria officinalis inclusion in the diet of dairy cows during the dry period on colostrum and milk quality, focusing specifically on the somatic cell count (SCC), the physicochemical composition and fatty acid (FA) profile. The effect of the addition on various biochemical parameters was evaluated in the serum of cows and their calves. This study was conducted on Ukrainian Black and White cattle. Twenty-four cows were selected from the herd twenty-one days prior to their expected calving date. They were allocated into three groups of eight cows each (n = 8) and began to be fed soapwort, as outlined below. Group C was fed a conventional TMR diet (0 g/cow per day); Group E1—TMR and 20 g of dry soapwort root powder per cow per day; and Group E2—50 g of dry soapwort root powder per cow per day. Blood samples were collected from the cows 21 d before labour and on the day of calving, and from calves on day 3, in week 2, and in week 6. Biochemical profiles of the liver, lipids, and kidneys were evaluated in the collected samples. Colostrum was collected from the cows two hours after calving during the initial complete milking, and milk was collected in the eighth week of lactation. The fundamental composition, SCC, and FA profiles were assessed in colostrum and milk. Higher protein levels were found in the serum of calves in the second week of life in groups E1 (p < 0.01) and E2 (p < 0.05) compared to group C. In calves, serum ALT levels were higher in group C than in groups E1 and E2 at 2 and 6 weeks of age (p < 0.05). The addition did not affect the biochemical profiles of lipids, liver, or kidneys in cows. The SCC in the colostrum was higher in group E2 than in group C (p < 0.05). A decrease (p < 0.01) in SCC was noted in the milk of groups E2 and E3 compared to the control group. In the colostrum of cows in group E2, an increase in UFA levels was observed, including beneficial acids, such as C18:2n6c, C22:6n3, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), while trans isomers decreased. The results suggest that Saponaria officinalis can be used as a supplement in the feeding of cows during the dry period to improve colostrum quality and also support the physiological development of calves and the health of the cows’ mammary glands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on the Nutrition and Physiology of Dairy and Beef Cattle)

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