Search Results (118)

The objective of the study was to assess whether supplementing dairy heifers with Se-biofortified hay during the last 40 days of pregnancy and early lactation improves performance, metabolism, oxidative status, and immune response in the dams and their calves. Ten Jersey and eight Holstein pregnant dairy heifers were divided into two groups and supplemented with Se-biofortified or a control alfalfa hay from 40 days before to 2 weeks postpartum. The calves born to the heifers were also monitored during the first month of life. Supplementation of Se-biofortified hay improved milk yield in Holstein heifers only, but had minor effects on blood parameters measured and the liver transcriptome. Similarly, we did not detect any impact of feeding Se-biofortified hay to heifers on their offspring. The data indicated a better immune system and oxidative status in Holstein compared to Jersey heifers. Overall, our data did not support the hypothesis that supplementing Se-biofortified hay to pregnant heifers improves their performance and the health of dams and offspring, at least at the dose we provided. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate whether the addition of a phytobiotic additive formulated based on cinnamon and oregano essential oils (50% free and 50% microencapsulated) combined with turmeric extract and tannins to the diet of cows has beneficial effects on health, productivity, and milk quality. In a completely randomized design, eighteen Jersey cows were used in a compost barn system over 45 days. The cows were divided into two homogeneous groups: one control (without additive; n = 9) and another treatment (with a phytobiotic at a dose of 2 g/cow/day; n = 9). The diet was formulated based on corn silage, hay and concentrate for daily 30 L/cow production. Blood and milk samples were collected at 15-day intervals. There was a treatment × day interaction: cows that consumed the phytobiotic additive produced a more significant amount of milk at days 14, 17, 18, 30, 39 and 45 (p ≤ 0.05). When we corrected milk production for fat percentage, we observed higher milk production in the cows that consumed phytobiotics compared to the control during the experimental period (p = 0.01). The feed intake of cows fed phytobiotics was lower (p = 0.01). Thus, feed efficiency was better in cows that consumed phytogenics. There was a higher percentage of fat in the milk of cows that consumed phytobiotics and a higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to the control (p = 0.02). There was an increase in total protein and globulin levels (p = 0.01), which may be associated with the interaction of the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties of the phytobiotic additive. An increase in immunoglobulins (p = 0.01) and a reduction in acute-phase proteins (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in the blood of cows in the phytobiotic group. Lower levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and higher levels of IL-10 in the serum of cows that consumed the phytoactive (p = 0.01) reaffirm the anti-inflammatory effect of the additive. Lower levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were observed in the serum of cows in the phytobiotic group. Greater catalase and superoxide dismutase activity was observed in cows that consumed the phytogenic (p < 0.01). Therefore, it can be concluded that the additive in question has antioxidant, immunological, and anti-inflammatory actions and has the potential to improve productive performance when corrected for milk fat. Full article

An in vitro and an in vivo study were conducted to investigate the effects of a blend of cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and capsicum oleoresin (CEC) on rumen fermentation parameters, animal performance, and methane (CH₄) emissions in dairy cows. Continuous culture fermenters (CCF) were utilized to test one of two treatments: (1) CON; no supplementation and (2) CEC supplemented at 0.0125 g/d. The basal diet consisted of grass hay and concentrate (50:50). Supplementation with CEC increased (p < 0.01) total volatile fatty acids (VFA; mM) and decreased (p = 0.02) CH₄ concentration compared with CON in vitro. Additionally, protozoa abundance tended (p = 0.07) to decrease in CEC compared with CON. The in vivo experiment utilized forty Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (32% primiparous and 68% multiparous) averaging 163 ± 48 days in milk (DIM) and 38 ± 6.2 kg/d of milk yield (MY). Cows were blocked by parity and randomly assigned to one of two treatments: (1) CON; no supplementation and (2) CEC supplemented at 1.2 g/cow/d. The basal diet consisted of grass hay and concentrate (40:60). Individual CH₄ emissions were recorded using the sniffer technique. Dry matter intake (DMI) and eating rate were increased (p < 0.01; 3.6% and 5.2%, respectively), while feed efficiency decreased (p < 0.05) in CEC compared with CON. Additionally, CEC decreased (p = 0.02) CH₄ yield by 16.4% and tended to reduce daily CH₄ production (p = 0.09) and CH₄ intensity (p = 0.08) by 13.4% and 14.0%, respectively. Supplementing CEC decreased CH₄ concentration in vitro and CH₄ yield in vivo without negatively impacting performance parameters. Full article

Using a multi-analytical approach, this investigation characterized Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese produced with milk from dairy cows fed different diets. Ten samples of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese, aged for 24 months, were produced with milk from dairy cows fed only dry hay (P-DH; N = 6) or a diet with part of the dry hay replaced with fresh herbage (P-FF; N = 4). Instrumental (Flash GC-FID) analysis of the volatile fraction, image analyses, and sensory quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA^®) were carried out. The Parmigiano Reggiano cheese belonging to the P-FF group showed a higher intensity of yellow than P-DH for both sensory and image analyses. Regarding the volatile profiles, no differences were observed related to the two experimental groups, while sensory analyses allowed for some discrimination, in particular color and aroma attributes. Instrumental and sensory characterization can be used to obtain a unique analytical profile for Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheeses produced with milk from dairy cows fed different forage sources and help to define the quality and authenticity of this typical high-value food product. Full article

This study evaluated environmental relative humidity’s (ERH) impact on dry matter (DM) in hay and total mixed ration (TMR), exploring strategies to stabilize milk production in lactating cows by maintaining a consistent TMR DM content. We hypothesized that precise TMR DM adjustments mitigate ERH effects on milk production stability. Experiment 1 showed that grass hay exhibited greater DM variability than alfalfa hay under high ERH. Experiment 2 revealed that high daily ERH variability (>25%) caused fluctuations in hay moisture, affecting TMR DM stability. Increasing TMR DM reduced milk composition variation. In Experiment 3, precise TMR DM adjustments and heat stress levels were evaluated under different temperature–humidity indexes (THIs) in 46 cows over three 28-day periods. The results showed a significant improvement in milk yield (non-adjustment: 26.99 vs. adjustment: 27.29; SEM: 0.32; THIs: 65 to 82; p < 0.05) and a reduction in the variation in milk composition under heat stress. The differences in energy-corrected milk were lower (non-adjustment: 0.47 ± 0.06 vs. adjustment: 0.20 ± 0.09; p < 0.05). This study confirmed that monitoring hay DM and adjusting TMR DM stabilize milk production under variable ERH. Dairy producers can implement routine hay DM monitoring and TMR adjustments to enhance lactating cows’ performance. Full article

Milk from cows grazing on alpine pastures has higher quality than milk from indoor-fed cows, likely due to diet-driven differences in rumen microbiota. We assessed the effects of supplementing alpine herbs—each varying in its content of fiber, protein, and polyphenol—on rumen microbiota via in vitro fermentation, comparing these to a grass hay control using metagenomic sequencing. Fermentations with alpine herbs compared to grass hay control had higher content of fibrolytic Prevotella and lower abundances of Butyrivibrio, Ruminococcaceae, Anaerovibrio, Succiniclasticum, and Desulfovibrio. Fermentations with high starch content (Alchemilla vulgaris, Gallium odoratum and Sanguisorba officinalis) had low, microbial diversity, while fermentations with high content of structural fibre (Sisymbrium officinale, Tanacetum vulgare, and Cicerbita alpina) had high microbial diversity. C. alpina, Sa. officinalis, and T. vulgare fermentations that had high lignin content showed a higher abundance of Bacteroidetes and a lower abundance of Firmicutes. Fermentations with high protein content (G. odoratum and T. vulgare) induced higher abundance of fibrolytic Lachnospiraceae. Sa. officinalis and A. vulgaris fermentations with high content of polyphenols were associated with increased abundances of Streptococcus and family RF-16 and lower abundances of family BS11 and Desulfovibrio. Fermentations with C. alpina and Si. Officinale induced higher abundance of fibrolytic Fibrobacter succinogenes. The beta diversity between fermentations corresponded to differences in the contents of protein, lignin, and polyphenols in the plant material. In conclusion, different herbs can promote the abundance of various fibrinolytic bacteria and change the microbial diversity, which has potential to increase the feed efficiency and the robustness of microbiota and reduce methane production. Full article

As a lactation source, donkey milk contains a higher percentage of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the milk fatty acid profile than cow’s milk, especially the percentage of α-linolenic acid (ALA). We hypothesized that the ratio of dietary concentrate/roughage could influence the composition of the fatty acid (FA) profile of donkey milk, and that the substitution of low-quality roughage with high-quality roughage could improve the composition of the polyunsaturated fatty acid profile of donkey milk. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of the partial dietary replacement of low-quality roughage with alfalfa hay to increase the proportion of roughage in the diet on the FA profiles in the milk of lactating donkeys, with the goal of optimizing the FA profiles of donkey milk. The trial design was a single-factor randomized design. Sixteen Dezhou donkeys of similar age, weight, parity, and lactation days were selected and equally divided (n = 8 per group) into a low alfalfa hay group (LG, 40 concentrate/60 roughage, alfalfa hay: 44.85 g/kg dry matter) and a high alfalfa hay group (HG, 30 concentrate/70 roughage, alfalfa hay: 179.48 g/kg dry matter). The trial lasted 8 weeks and the energy and protein levels of the two diets were identical. The results showed that the profile of milk ALA increased (p = 0.048) and the n-6/n-3 ratio and index of thrombogenicity were decreased (p = 0.019 and p = 0.002) in the HG. Partial replacement of low-quality roughage with alfalfa hay and increasing the percentage of dietary roughage from 60% to 70% optimized the FA quality of donkey milk fat. Full article

In hay milk production, fermented feed, like silage, is forbidden. This study aims to reveal the presence of silages made from maize or grass in the diet of dairy cows through the detection of cyclopropane fatty acids (CPFAs) in their milk. It also investigates how CPFAs in their milk declines when the diets of the cows are transitioned from one containing silage to one that does not include silage. CPFAs were quantified in silages collected on the farm, and the relationship between the dietary intake of CPFAs from silages and the marker concentration in milk was investigated. Except for one sample (below LOQ), CPFAs were never detected in hay milk, while they were found in 98% and 85% of milk samples obtained from cows whose diet included maize or grass silage as the only fermented component, respectively. CPFAs were found to still be detectable in milk 56 days after the removal of maize silage from the diet, while they were no longer detectable about three weeks after removing grass silage from the ration. A quantitative positive relationship was detected between CPFAs content in the milk and the dietary intake of CPFAs from silages. CPFAs can be regarded as reliable markers to detect the occurrence of silages in the ration, but it is more effective for maize than for grass silage. Full article

During pregnancy and lactation, maternal nutrition is linked to the full development of offspring and may have long-term or lifelong effects. However, the influence of the doe’s diet on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of young kids remains largely unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the effects of doe roughage sources (alfalfa hay, AH, or corn straw, CS) during pregnancy and lactation on kid growth, GI morphology, barrier function, metabolism, immunity, and microbiome composition. The results indicate that, compared with the CS group, does fed an AH diet had significantly higher feed intake (p < 0.01). However, CS-fed does exhibited higher neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in animal (doe or kid) weight among the groups (p > 0.05). In the rumen of goat kids, the AH group exhibited a higher papillae width and increased levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) compared with the CS group (p < 0.05). In the jejunum of goat kids, the AH group showed a higher villus-height-to-crypt-depth (VH/CD) ratio, as well as elevated levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), IL-10, acetate, and total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs), when compared with the CS group (p < 0.05). Transcriptome analysis revealed that the source of roughage in does was associated with changes in the GI transcriptome of the kids. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the rumen were mainly associated with tissue development and immune regulation, while the DEGs in the jejunum were mainly associated with the regulation of transferase activity. Spearman correlation analyses indicated significant associations between GI DEGs and phenotypic indicators related to GI development, immunity, and metabolism. LEfSe analysis identified 14 rumen microbial biomarkers and 6 jejunum microbial biomarkers. Notably, these microorganisms were also enriched in the rumen or day 28 milk of the does. Further microbial composition analysis revealed significant correlations between the rumen and milk microbiomes of does and the rumen or jejunum microbiomes of kids. Association analyses indicated that microbial biomarkers interact with host genes, thereby affecting the development and function of the GI system. Additionally, correlation analyses revealed significant association between milk metabolites and the rumen and jejunum microbiomes of kids. This study demonstrated that maternal diet significantly influences the development of microbial ecosystems in offspring by modulating microbial communities and metabolite composition. The early colonization of GI microorganisms is crucial for the structural development, barrier function, immune capacity, and microbial metabolic activity of the GI system. Full article

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a versatile and multipurpose crop with a wide range of industrial, commercial, environmental and medicinal applications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hemp hay on the oxidative and inflammatory status of grazing goats. The high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids with anti-inflammatory activity makes hemp hay a promising feed that can be used to improve animals’ health by means of its metabolic profile, as well as its oxidative and inflammatory status. Studies on hemp hay suggest that its usage could replace alfalfa hay to obtain beneficial effects in terms of the milk yield and health status of goats. Indeed, because of the various biological compounds in hemp hay, the effects of its administration should be accurately explored. A total of 20 multiparous goats were equally divided immediately after calving (February) into two groups (C: control vs. H: hemp) that were homogeneous in terms of live weight (49 ± 2 kg) and milk yield at the previous lactation (2250 ± 200 g/head/day). The animals remained in the pasture but received 500 g/head/day of a barley and corn meal mixture. In addition, group H received 250 g/head/day of hemp hay, and group C was fed the same amount of alfalfa hay. Blood samples were taken before the trial and four months later and analyzed for clinical biochemistry, oxidative status, and anti-inflammatory profile. Reactive oxygen metabolites, biological antioxidant potential, Interleukins 6 (IL-6) and 10 (IL-10), and TNF-α were determined. In group H, a significant decrease in TNF-α level (22.7 vs. 12.7 pg/mL, p = 0.01) and an opposite but not significant trend for IL-10 was detected. In addition, there was a significant decrease (184.6 vs. 111.4 UCARR, p = 0.001) in d-ROM content and an increase in the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) values (3238.1 vs. 3886 μmol/L). A significant anti-inflammatory effect was only registered for TNF-α, whereas IL6 and IL10 were not affected. Full article

The high degradability of crude protein (CP) from fresh grass can impair its utilization in ruminants. The presence of a moderate level of polyphenolic substances in the diet of grazing animals could help to overcome this problem. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation with two varieties of faba bean, with different polyphenol contents, on milk yield and quality, as well as on grazing behaviour, in Cinisara grazing cows. A total of 30 cows, homogeneous per days in milk (61 ± 29) and milk yield (12.9 kg ± 3.2), fed on a mixed pasture (CP 17.9% DM) and supplied with grains (an equal mixture of barley, oats, and wheat) and mixed hay (CP 10.2% DM), were assigned to three dietary treatments and supplemented as follows: control group (C, 10 cows), 1 kg of hay, 6 kg of grains mixture, and 0.4 kg soybean meal; low polyphenols group (LP, 10 cows), 1 kg of hay, 4 kg of grains mixture, and 2 kg/d of faba bean var. Torrelama (total polyphenols 4.4 mg GAE/g DM; CP 28.4% DM); high polyphenols group (HP, 10 cows), 2 kg of hay, 4 kg of grains mixture, and 2 kg/d of faba bean var. Fanfare (total polyphenols 16.4 mg GAE/g DM; CP 28.9% DM). All groups were allowed to graze for 20 h/d on natural pasture forage. The HP supplement tended to increase the milk yield compared to that of the LP and C groups (17.1 vs. 15.3 and 14.6 kg/d, respectively; p = 0.057) but reduced the protein (3.20 vs. 3.39 and 3.47%; p = 0.009) and casein proportions (2.45 vs. 2.67 and 2.74%, respectively; p = 0.007) compared to those from the LP and C treatments. HP milk also showed a higher milk urea nitrogen (MUN) value compared to that of C milk, while an intermediate level was measured in LP milk (25.5 vs. 22.9 and 20.9 mg/dl, respectively; p = 0.036). No dietary effect was evident in the milk fatty acid profile. Eating time at pasture and biting rate were not affected by supplementation. The results do not seem to suggest a difference in the efficiency of use of supplements with different polyphenol contents. In any case, they seem to demonstrate that the use of faba beans, regardless of their polyphenol content, represents a valid alternative to soyabeans, also taking into account the tendency for an increased milk yield found by integrating pasture grazing with faba beans possessing a high level of polyphenols, without significant worsening of the qualitative characteristics of the milk or negatively affecting grazing behaviour. Full article

To enhance the sustainability of marginal olive and dairy farms in the Sorrento peninsula, two separate crossover trials were conducted on two farms in the area to evaluate olive pruning residue (OlPr) and olive mill leaves (OlLes) as forage sources for lactating cows. Each trial lasted six weeks and consisted of two treatment periods, each including a 15-day adaptation phase followed by a 6-day measurement phase. During the measurement phase, milk production, feed intake, and olive residue consumption were assessed for two homogeneous cow groups: one receiving a ration supplemented with olive by-products and the other receiving a control diet. The olive-supplemented groups exhibited higher dry matter intake and roughage consumption (hay + olive residue) compared to the control groups. The intake of OlLes was about 30% higher than that of OlPr. Compared to the respective control, milk from OlLe-fed cows a had higher fat content and a higher fat-to-protein ratio, a more favorable fatty acid composition in terms of higher monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid contents, a reduced atherogenic index, and a saturated-to-unsaturated ratio. Likely due to the lower level of olive by-product ingestion, only marginal differences were observed in milk fatty acid composition of cows fed OlPr compared to the control. We conclude that the use of OlLes in dairy cow diets may represent a promising strategy for improving milk quality, promoting a more circular agricultural system, reducing reliance on external feed inputs, and mitigating the environmental impact of both olive and milk production. Full article

To evaluate the impact of different roughages on the intestinal microbiota of yak calves, we fed them oat hay in substitution of alfalfa hay, in addition to milk replacer and starter powder. Twenty-one 45-day-old male yak calves were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: the milk replacer + starter + alfalfa hay group (AH), the milk replacer + starter + oat hay group (OH), and the milk replacer + starter + mixed hay group (AO), in which the alfalfa hay and oat hay were administered in a 1:1 ratio. All calves in the three groups were fed the same milk replacer and an equivalent amount of dry matter. The formal experiment commenced after a 21-day pre-test period and lasted for 120 days. Following the experiment, the contents of the jejunum and colon were collected to investigate the intestinal microbiota and metabolites using 16S rRNA sequencing and LC-MS metabolomics. The result showed that the AO group had greater final body weights overall than the AH group and OH group (p < 0.05). The AH group and OH group had considerably greater feed-to-gain ratios than the AO group (p < 0.05). At the phylum level, the OH group exhibited an increased relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Spirochaetota in the jejunum (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Actinobacteriota in the colon was increased in the AO group (p < 0.05). At the genus level, the AO group exhibited a decreased abundance of Clostridium sensu_stricto_1 (p < 0.05), and the OH group showed an increased abundance UCG-005 and Alistipes in the jejunum. There were many differential metabolites in the OH group and AO group compared to the AH group, and the different metabolites of the OH group were associated with the metabolic pathways of the nervous system, sensory system, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism in the jejunum and with lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and the nervous system in the colon. In the AO group, these metabolites were associated with the digestive system and the translation and metabolism of cofactors in the jejunum and with the metabolism of cofactors and vitamins in the colon. In summary, it is feasible to replace alfalfa hay with oat hay based on milk replacer and starter. The combination of the two forages enhanced nutrient absorption, improved immune function, maintained the internal homeostasis of yak calves, and was more beneficial to their growth and development. Full article

The EU market offers different types of milk, distinguished by origin, production method, processing technology, fat content, and other characteristics, which are often detailed on product labels. In this context, ensuring the authenticity of milk is crucial for maintaining standards and preventing fraud. Various food authenticity techniques have been employed to achieve this. Among them, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is valued for its non-destructive and rapid analysis capabilities. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a miniaturized NIR device combined with support vector machine (SVM) algorithms and LDA feature selection to discriminate between four commercial milk types: high-quality fresh milk, milk labeled as mountain product, extended shelf-life milk, and TSG hay milk. The results indicate that NIR spectroscopy can effectively classify milk based on the type of milk, relying on different production systems and heat treatments (pasteurization). This capability was greater in distinguishing high-quality mountain and hay milk from the other types, while resulting in less successful class assignment for extended shelf-life milk. This study demonstrated the potential of portable NIR spectroscopy for real-time and cost-effective milk authentication at the retail level. Full article

Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilizer combination is a crucial measure to maximize yield and production efficiency in a maize-soybean strip intercropping system (MSSI). In this field experiment, six maize/soybean N input combinations (0 kg ha⁻¹, F0; 255/30 kg ha⁻¹, F1; 255/45 kg ha⁻¹, F2; 255/60 kg ha⁻¹, F3; 210/45 kg ha⁻¹, F4; 300/45 kg ha⁻¹, F5) were set in 2022 and 2023. The results indicated that optimizing N combination (maize/soybean, 255/45 kg ha⁻¹) could synergistically increase yield and economic benefits. Path analysis results showed that the grain numbers in maize and soybean emerged as the most critical yield-affecting factors. Compared with F0, F5 showed the highest grain yield during the 2-year experiment, and the net return increased by 86.1% (F1), 133.3% (F2), 87.4% (F3), 104.7% (F4), and 128.3% (F5), respectively. Optimizing N input under F2 and F5 notably enhanced the leaf area index (LAI) of maize at the milk stage (R3) and soybean at the full pod stage (R4). Additionally, optimization of N distribution in maize stems at the tassel stage (VT) and soybean leaves at the initial flowering stage (R1) facilitated increased dry matter and N accumulation at the maturity stage, resulting in final land equivalent ratios (LER) of 1.44 and 1.55, respectively. Our results provide a more valuable field N combination for summer maize planting areas (sandy soil areas) in Huang-Huai-Hai and southern China, thus promoting the wider application of MSSI. Full article