Search Results (139)

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of two distinct dietary protein sources, soybean meal (SBM, 454 g CP/kg dry matter [DM]) and fermented protein source (FPS, 635 g CP/kg DM), on milk yield (MY), milk quality traits, and serum biochemistry in crossbred dairy cows. Methods: This study employed a randomized complete block design with four groups (n = 6 per group): Control (120 g/kg SBM), FPS30 (30 g/kg FPS and 75 g/kg SBM), FPS40 (40 g/kg FPS and 60 g/kg SBM), and FPS50 (50 g/kg FPS and 45 g/kg SBM). Results: After 66 days (21-day adaptation period and 45-day feeding trial), DM intake, milk protein content, and milk density did not differ significantly across groups. However, MYs were significantly higher in the FPS50 group (p = 0.043). Additionally, milk fat (p = 0.021), DM (p = 0.013), solids-non-fat (SNF, p = 0.047), and lactose content (p = 0.007) were significantly higher in the FPS groups. Although serum biochemistry did not differ across groups on day 0, blood urea nitrogen (BUN, p = 0.044) and serum Ca (p = 0.041), P (p = 0.039), and Mg (p = 0.041) concentrations were significantly lower in the FPS groups on day 66. Moreover, FPS intake correlated positively with MY (R = 0.680), milk DM (R = 0.706), fat (R = 0.665), SNF (R = 0.566), lactose content (R = 0.653), and fat-to-protein ratio (R = 0.507) and negatively with milk density (R = −0.429) and mineral content (R = −0.271). Conclusions: These findings indicate that FPS is effective in increasing productivity and improving/maintaining milk quality traits in cows fed diets substituting specific amounts of SBM with FPS. The induced reduction in BUN can be interpreted as increased protein utilization. Full article

As part of the PRISMA project, which promotes research and innovation for productive, resilient, and healthy agro-pastoral systems in West Africa, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the apparent seroprevalence and investigate epidemiological factors associated with bovine brucellosis in dairy herds. The survey was carried out in Mali (Bamako, Koulikoro, Mopti, and Sikasso regions) and Niger (Tahoua, Dosso, and Tillabéry regions). A total of 1230 animals from 82 herds were tested, including 645 animals from 43 herds in Mali and 585 animals from 39 herds in Niger. At the herd level, apparent seroprevalence was significantly higher in Mali than in Niger (37.21% vs. 15.38%). Within each country, animal-level seroprevalence varied across region, with the highest levels observed in Bamako (11.11%) and Mopti (7.62%) in Mali, and Dosso (6.67%) in Niger. High within-herd prevalence (>20%) was identified in only one herd per country. The higher overall herd-level seroprevalence in Mali was primarily driven by a greater number of herds with low (≤10%) within-herd seroprevalence. Univariate risk factor analysis at the animal level identified a borderline trend toward higher odds of seropositivity in crossbred cattle than other breeds (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.00–3.81, p = 0.0503). In addition, a classification tree analysis highlighted seven exploratory signals of the positive herd status. These included four animal/management-level factors—herd region, environmental disposal of aborted placentas, the number of lactating cows (as a proxy for animal density), and reported herd abortions—as well as three human-level signals within the household: a history of miscarriage, experiencing heavy night sweats, and suffering from undulant fever. In conclusion, this survey provides new insights into bovine brucellosis and its epidemiology in dairy herds in Mali and Niger, confirming established high-prevalence areas such as Bamako and identifying new zones of concern, such as Mopti and Dosso. Our findings underscore that bovine brucellosis remains an important public health and economic threat in both countries. Given that the identified positive regions are hubs for milk production and consumption, these data may support health authorities in implementing targeted surveillance, control, and prevention strategies under a One Health approach. Full article

The accumulation of agricultural waste poses significant agronomic and environmental challenges in tropical smallholder farming systems where organic wastes remain underutilized. This study evaluated the effectiveness of vermicomposting with Eisenia fetida in enhancing nutrient recovery and improving the quality of organic fertilizers produced from agricultural waste. Four substrate treatments—poultry manure and vegetable waste (T1), cow dung, chicken manure, and vegetable waste (T2), cow dung and vegetable waste (T3), and a control without earthworms (T4)—were assessed over a period of 60 days. Key physicochemical properties evaluated included bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium, and the C:N ratio. Vermicomposting significantly improved nutrient composition, with the C:N ratio decreasing from 26.43 in the control treatment to 12.23, indicating enhanced compost maturity. Treatment T2 recorded the highest concentrations of total nitrogen (2.63%), phosphorus (1.21%), and potassium (1.45%). A significant reduction in organic carbon also indicated enhanced mineralization during the decomposition process. Compared with traditional composting, vermicomposting improved nutrient availability, compost maturity, and overall compost quality. These findings demonstrate that vermicomposting is an effective resource recovery strategy for converting agricultural waste into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer while supporting sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural systems. Full article

Automatic milking systems (AMSs) are increasingly adopted in dairy farms, and barn design, particularly regarding cow traffic design (CowTD), plays a key role in system performance. This study evaluated the association between different CowTDs and operational and production indicators of AMS Brazilian dairy farms. The data were obtained from 149 commercial dairy farms equipped with AMS (average of 1.6 AMS per farm) encompassing approximately 14,642 lactating cows recorded between June and December 2025. Cow traffic designs were classified as free or smart-gated systems, including milk-first (MF) and feed-first (FF) configurations. Mixed models were used to evaluate the effects of regions, housing system, and CowTD on the number of lactating cows per AMS (NCowsAMS), milking frequency (MFreq), milk yield per milking (MYMilking), daily milk yield per cow (MYcow), daily milkings per AMS (MilkingsAMS), and daily milk yield per AMS (MYAMS). On average, farms milked 58 cows per AMS with a mean MFreq of 2.69 milkings/cow per day and produced 2227 kg of milk per AMS per day. Smart-gated CowTD supported a greater number of cows per AMS than free CowTD systems (FF = 57 and MF = 58 vs. Free = 53 cows/AMS). Although free CowTD increased MFreq to approximately three milkings/cow/day, this advantage did not translate into greater or equivalent MYAMS, despite MF and free CowTD exhibiting similar MYcow (37.0 and 37.2 kg/day, respectively). Even though free CowTD achieved the highest MilkingsAMS (Free = 156 vs. MF = 151 and FF = 143 milkings/day), it milked fewer cows per robot, resulting in lower MYAMS. Consequently, FF and MF systems produced 86 and 180 kg/day more MYAMS, respectively, than free CowTD. These results suggest that AMS performance is primarily driven by the NCowsAMS rather than MFreq alone. Under Brazilian commercial conditions, smart-gated CowTD systems appear to be more efficient, as evidenced by higher MYAMS, while allowing higher stocking densities, potentially without increasing labor requirements. Full article

Changes in consumer behavior have intensified the demand for alternative protein sources, driving changes in food consumption patterns. At the same time, the increasing consumer awareness considering the health and environmental impacts in food systems, has stimulated interest in more functional and sustainable products. In this context, plant-based beverages (PBBs) have gained attention as potential alternatives to milk. This study was aimed at evaluating plant-based beverages as alternatives to cow’s milk, focusing on their nutritional composition, environmental impact, and technological challenges. Although cow’s milk has a high biological value and nutritional density, plant-based beverages present variable compositions, generally with lower levels of protein and minerals. However, they stand out for the presence of bioactive compounds and have a nutritional quality which can be improved through fortification strategies. From an environmental perspective, their production is associated with a substantially lower carbon footprint compared to dairy farming. Despite these advantages, the sector still faces technological challenges related to physicochemical stability and sensory acceptance due to complex residual flavors. This review highlights the need for improvements in terms of manufacturing processes and regulatory frameworks to establish these beverages as safe, nutritious, and sustainable options in the global market. Full article

Background: Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is caused by a Capripoxvirus. Live attenuated vaccines, which are commercially available, could be not safe because of the side effects. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the safety, immunogenicity, and effects on the qualitative and quantitative parameters of milk. The feasibility of identifying vaccinated animals using our inactivated vaccine in dairy cows was analysed. The vaccine was tested in guinea pigs as an immunogenicity predictive model. Methods: LSD virus was propagated on Madin–Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells, then inactivated and supplemented with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) protein, obtaining a positive marker vaccine. This was inoculated in guinea pigs and in dairy cows, and animal sera were analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a serum neutralisation (SN) test. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on milk. Results: The vaccine was previously tested for efficacy in vaccinated calves, showing a pronounced reduction in clinical symptoms after challenge. The safety and immunogenicity obtained in calves were also confirmed in dairy cows in this study. In fact, high values of the SN test (1:20 to 1:80) and ELISA (90 and 240 S/P%) were obtained after vaccination. Moreover, high immunogenicity of the vaccine was also assessed in guinea pigs. In addition, the results of the milk analyses did not show any differences between vaccinated and control groups. The KLH was able to elicit an immune response detectable using an ELISA (3.0 and 3.5 optical density values). Finally, our vaccine could be used to reduce LSD symptoms and identify vaccinated animals. Full article

Blood metabolism in dairy cows is crucial for milk quality, functioning primarily through the “blood–milk” metabolic axis. Allium mongolicum Regel (AMR), a functional Allium herb, has been shown to regulate on ruminant lipid metabolism. This study investigated the impact of AMR ethanol extract (AME) on lactation performance, blood lipid parameters, and blood–milk metabolomes. Twelve mid-lactation Holsteins (606 ± 11 kg; milk yield 33.14 ± 2.08 kg/d) of parity 2–3 were assigned to either a basal diet (CON) or a diet supplemented with 54 g/d of AME (AEE). Results indicated that AME significantly decreased plasma triglycerides (TG), C15:0, C16:1, C18:1 n-9 c, C18:3 n-6, monounsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.05) and significantly increased C18:2 n-6 c, polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.05). Lactation performance, including the average daily dry matter intake, daily yields of milk fat, protein and lactose, remained unaffected by the AME addition (p > 0.05). Metabolomic profiling revealed that AME significantly enriched the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway in plasma, upregulating key phospholipid precursors such as L-serine and Sphinganine. Concurrently, milk metabolomics showed an upregulation of short-chain Acylcarnitines. Plasma TG correlated negatively with both plasma L-serine and milk Acylcarnitines, whereas low-density lipoprotein correlated positively with these energy-driven milk metabolites. These findings suggest that AME may contribute to remodeling the plasma lipid metabolic profile in a manner that could facilitate plasma-to-milk lipid flux. This appears to occur through enhanced hepatic lipid processing and increased mammary lipid utilization, offering preliminary insights into potential nutritional strategies for supporting lipid metabolism in dairy cows. Full article

Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) plays a critical role in regulating uterine endometrial function and supporting embryonic development during early pregnancy in ruminants. However, its precise roles in shaping the uterine microenvironment remain unclear. Herein, 1 mg PGE₂ was infused daily into the uterus of dairy heifers from days 12 to 14 of the estrus cycle. ULF was subsequently collected for integrated proteomic, metabolomic, and targeted lipidomic analyses. In addition, bovine endometrial epithelial cells were used to evaluate the effects of PGE₂ on epithelial adhesion and responsiveness to interferon tau (IFNT). PGE₂ infusion resulted in 909 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs), which are primarily associated with early embryonic development, immune regulation, and cell adhesion. Untargeted metabolomics analysis identified 587 altered metabolites, which were enriched in sphingolipid, arachidonic acid, phenylalanine, and tryptophan metabolism. Proteomic–metabolomic analyses showed that these alterations were primarily associated with early embryonic development, immune regulation, and cell adhesion. Targeted lipidomic analysis showed a global reduction in lipid accumulation, with glycerophospholipid metabolism and choline metabolism most significantly affected. In vitro, PGE₂ reduced epithelial microvilli density, increased osteopontin (OPN) expression, and decreased the expression of junctional proteins (zona occludens-1 (ZO-1), E-cadherin (CDH1), and fibronectin 1 (FN1)). Moreover, PGE₂ enhanced the responsiveness of bEECs to IFNT by interferon alpha/beta receptor 1 (IFNAR1) and IFNAR2, and prostaglandin E receptor 4 (PTGER4) was identified as the primary receptor mediating this response. Collectively, these findings suggest that PGE₂ may modulate lipid metabolism and adhesion-related processes in the endometrium and influence endometrial responsiveness to IFNT, providing insights into molecular mechanisms associated with pregnancy establishment in dairy cows. Full article

This pilot study aimed to evaluate the early postpartum dynamics of lactoferrin concentration in bovine colostrum and to investigate its relationship with rapid on-farm quality indicators during the first 12 h after calving. Colostrum samples were collected from six multiparous cows immediately after calving (0 h) and again 12 h later. Colostrum specific gravity and % Brix values were measured on-farm, and lactoferrin concentration was determined using LC–MS/MS analysis. Temporal changes were assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and relationships between variables were evaluated using linear regression and Spearman correlation analysis. Lactoferrin concentration decreased significantly between 0 and 12 h after calving (median: 3.350 vs. 2.175 mg/mL; p = 0.031). In parallel, statistically significant decreases were observed in both colostrum specific gravity and % Brix values over the same period (p = 0.031 for both indicators). Linear regression analyses showed positive slopes between lactoferrin concentration and specific gravity and between lactoferrin concentration and % Brix at both 0 and 12 h after calving; however, these relationships did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05 for all models), with explained variance ranging from R² = 0.156 to 0.409. Spearman correlation analysis also revealed moderate positive correlation coefficients (p > 0.05), although none of the correlations reached statistical significance. These results indicate a rapid decline in lactoferrin concentration during the first 12 h after calving, occurring in parallel with significant decreases in widely used on-farm colostrum quality indicators. Despite the lack of statistically significant associations, the observed positive relationships indicate that lactoferrin may represent an additional component of colostrum composition that is not directly reflected by refractometric and density-based indicators. Full article

Water scarcity, poor soil, and low water and fertilizer utilization are major challenges on agricultural production in the tableland region of China’s Loess Plateau. Optimizing tillage patterns and improving soil nutrient status can improve crop yield and water and fertilizer utilization efficiency. A field trial was initiated in 2005 to assess the impacts of various tillage and fertilization practices on dryland agricultural production. A split-plot design was used, with tillage practices (traditional tillage and no tillage) as the main plot treatment and fertilization management (no fertilization (CK), mineral nitrogen (N), mineral phosphorus (P), composted cow manure (M), a combination of mineral nitrogen and phosphorus (NP), and a combination of mineral nitrogen, phosphorus, and composted cow manure (NMP)) as the split-plot treatment. An experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2024. The NMP treatment resulted in lower bulk density, a lower three-soil-phase index, and higher mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, soil water storage, total nitrogen, and soil organic matter than the CK. In the no-tillage treatment, the crop roots were less effective at extracting water from the deep subsoil, leading to greater residual moisture at depth (especially in the 120–200 cm soil layer) and lower yield and water use efficiency than in traditional tillage. The grain yield and water use efficiency were 9.2% and 8.4% lower, respectively, under no tillage than under traditional tillage. The NMP under traditional tillage exhibited lower surface soil bulk density and a higher three-soil-phase index, mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and water use efficiency than the unfertilized control, resulting in higher grain yields. The NMP under traditional tillage is recommended to increase grain yield and water use efficiency in wheat–maize rotation systems in the tableland region of China’s Loess Plateau. Future studies should analyze the deep root architecture and the effect of weed competition on soil water depletion. Full article

In modern smart dairy farms, precise feed management and accurate monitoring of dairy cows’ feeding behavior are crucial for improving production efficiency and reducing feeding costs. However, in practical applications, complex environmental factors such as varying illumination, frequent occlusion, and dense multi-targets pose significant challenges to real-time visual perception. To address these issues, this paper proposes a lightweight multi-target detection model, BFDet-YOLO, for the joint detection of dairy cows’ feeding behavior and feed density levels in pasture environments. Based on the YOLOv10 framework, the model incorporates four targeted improvements: (1) a bidirectional feature fusion network (BiFPN) to address the insufficient multi-scale feature interaction between dairy cows (large targets) and feed particles (small targets); (2) a lightweight downsampling module (Adown) to preserve fine-grained features of feed particles and reduce the risk of small target miss detection; (3) an attention-enhanced detection head (SEAM) to mitigate occlusion interference caused by cow stacking and feed accumulation; (4) an improved bounding box regression loss function (DIoU) to optimize the localization accuracy of non-overlapping small targets. Additionally, this paper constructs a pasture-specific dataset integrating dairy cows’ feeding behavior and feed distribution information, which is annotated and expanded by combining public datasets with on-site monitoring data. Experimental results demonstrate that BFDet-YOLO outperforms the original YOLOv10 and other mainstream target recognition models in terms of detection accuracy and robustness while maintaining a significantly streamlined model scale. On the constructed dataset, the model achieves 95.7% mAP@0.5 and 70.7% mAP@0.5:0.95 with only 1.85 M parameters. These results validate the effectiveness and deployability of the proposed method, providing a reliable visual perception solution for intelligent feeding systems and smart pasture management. Full article

Sward structure and post-grazing heights (SH) significantly influence plant growth and animal intake, crucial for dairy grazing systems. However, these interactions are dynamic and vary with season, resource heterogeneity, and defoliation patterns. Seasonal effects of control (TC), medium (TM), and lax (TL) post-grazing SH of grazed Lolium arundinaceum-based pasture on forage production and utilization, herbage mass, green cover, and chemical composition were tested during autumn-winter and spring seasons and among tall (TP), medium (MP), and short (SP) patches in spring. Thirty-six lactating Holstein cows were randomized evenly to TC, TM, and TL grazing treatments to achieve 6, 9, and 12 cm of post-grazing SH during autumn-winter, and 9, 12, and 15 cm in spring. Forage production was higher on TL than TM and TC, yet utilization was similar across all treatments. The TP relative to MP on SP increased for TL compared to TC and TM. The TP-TC presented higher leaf-density and leaf-proportion, than TP-TL, without modifying leaf canopy distribution of superior-medium horizons among treatments. Grazing management modulated forage production and structural heterogeneity across SH treatments. Critically, monitoring patch-level dynamics—rather than mean height—is essential for optimizing production and harvest efficiency in temperate systems by improving grazing horizon accessibility. Full article

Background and Objectives: Milk with A2/A2 β-casein (A2 milk) is currently the subject of numerous studies on the effects of its consumption on health. Commonly consumed milk contains a mixture of β-casein of different genetic variants (most often A1 and A2). In the polypeptide chain of A2/A2 β-casein, proline occurs at position 67, while in β-casein A1/A2, histidine occurs. The main goal of the dietary intervention was to identify and compare the effects of consuming A2 milk, conventional milk (A1) and oat drink on bone health, cardiometabolic health and immune system function in adults. Methods: The controlled IMPA-CT (Investigating Milk and Plant Alternatives Comparative Trial) Study was a randomized study with three groups (A2 Milk group, A1 Milk group, and Oat Drink group). The study included 162 adults with normal and/or overweight, without coexisting chronic diseases, aged 30–60 years. The intervention study consisted of the consumption of 500 mL of an appropriate product (A2 milk/A1 milk/oat drink) daily for 12 weeks. After qualification of the subjects, before the start of the study (T1′), in the 4th week of the study (T2′), in the 8th week of the study (T3′) and at the end of the study, after 12 weeks (T4’), an assessment of the diet and nutritional status was planned. Body composition, bone mineral density (DEXA) and biochemical tests were done. The primary outcome will be the effect of cow’s milk variants and oat drink consumption on bone health. Secondary outcomes will include changes in nutrient intake and cardiometabolic health as well as the immune system in adults. Expected Results and Contributions: The study design, including extensive follow-up and robust endpoint measures, contributed to understanding the therapeutic potential and safety profile or otherwise of β-casein A2/A2 milk and plant-based drinks. Full article

Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) has been implicated in multiple biological processes during pregnancy in ruminants. However, the regulatory effects of PGE₂ on endometrial function during the diestrus period and its underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Herein, PGE₂ treatment promoted the accumulation of lipid droplets and induced cytoskeletal reorganization in bEECs. As a well-established inducer of lipid droplet formation, oleic acid (OA) treatment significantly increased the number of lipid droplets in bEECs, altered the distribution of F-actin and disrupted the expression patterns of key adhesion-related proteins. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the PPAR signaling pathway was the key pathway that responded to PGE₂ treatment in bEECs, and its downstream target gene FABP3 was markedly up-regulated. Knockdown of FABP3 led to a reduced number of BTC spheroids and down-regulation of adhesion-related proteins in bEECs while increasing the density of microvilli and up-regulating the expression of epithelial markers. Prostaglandin E receptor 4 (PTGER4) was the primary receptor that responded to PGE₂ treatment, and PTGER4 knockdown or pharmacological inhibition with GW-627368 suppressed FABP3 expression in bEECs. Moreover, uterine samples from dairy cows at different stages of the estrous cycle showed that FABP3 expression was significantly elevated in the endometrium tissue during mid-diestrus compared to metestrus, with predominant localization in the luminal and superficial glandular epithelium. Collectively, these findings indicate that FABP3 regulates lipid droplet accumulation and adhesion ability in bEECs via the PGE₂/PTGER4/PPAR signaling axis, providing new insights into the metabolic regulation of endometrial receptivity in ruminants. Full article

This study evaluates fermented raw-dried pork snacks enriched with plant-based functional ingredients—lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus officinalis), rosehip (Rosa canina), sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), and a hemp-derived CBD oil (Cannabis sativa)—produced from pork, with addition of cow sour whey and salt. We use “human grade” descriptively (compliance with human-food hygiene/microbiological requirements; no AAFCO/labeling claim). Functional enrichment modulated viscoelasticity (G′, G″), texture, water activity, density, and color. CBD oil softened the structure, increasing chewability and springiness, whereas TPA metrics were analyzed only for variants within the instrument range (control, CBD, rosehip). All variants reached a_w < 0.90 and tested negative for Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in 25 g. Safety inferences are limited to a_w- and pathogen-based criteria. Sea buckthorn showed the highest a_w, while rosehip displayed the highest total viable counts (~10⁸ CFU/g); microbiological results are reported descriptively without inferential statistics. Density was the highest for lion’s mane and rosehip. Proximate composition varied (e.g., higher protein with rosemary oil; higher fat/moisture with sea buckthorn) but was assessed by FoodScan™ 2 as screening-level data. Overall, selected botanicals enabled targeted structure–texture modulation without breaching predefined safety targets under the tested conditions. Full article