Search Results (1,445)

Gastrointestinal strongyle infections are a common challenge in dairy goat farming, potentially impacting animal health and milk production. We, therefore, conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of pour-on eprinomectin (EPM) in early-lactating dairy goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal strongyles and to verify the related effects on milk yield and quality. A total of 42 pluriparous Camosciata delle Alpi goats, from two farms (F1 and F2), were involved in the trial. In each farm, the goats were divided into two groups: untreated (CONTROL) or treated (EPM, 1 mg/kg BW). Following the treatment, faeces were individually collected weekly for one month, subjected to copromicroscopic analysis, a faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test, and coproculture; according to the same time schedule, individual milk yield was recorded, and individual milk samples were collected and analysed (fat, protein, lactose, and somatic cell count). Data were statistically analysed by a mixed-model procedure for repeated measures over time. The low efficacy of EPM was demonstrated at all experimental times; overall FECR percentages (90% CI lower and upper bounds) were 39.00% (30.12–50.53) for F1 and 38.82% (30.08–50.10) for F2. Coprocultures allowed the identification of larvae of the genera Haemonchus, Teladorsagia, and Trichostrongylus. Goats treated with EPM showed a lower prevalence of Teladorsagia and Trichostrongylus larvae, and higher prevalence of Haemonchus larvae, compared with CONTROL goats (p < 0.001). The treatment did not significantly improve milk yield or overall milk composition. Full article

Integrating positive welfare indicators into dairy science is gaining attention, yet the biological correlates of affective states in commercial herds remain poorly understood. This study explored associations between dairy cows’ emotional states quantified through the Positive Affect Index (PAI) derived from the Qualitative Behaviour (QBA) Assessment and milk biomarkers, yield, and udder health indicators across 37 commercial farms. Descriptive statistics, housing-adjusted linear regressions, and partial Spearman correlations were used to explore these relationships. Higher PAI values, indicating more positive herd-level emotional states, were significantly associated with lower SCC (22% reduction, p = 0.016) and lower odds of elevated DSCC (OR = 0.69, p = 0.002), reflecting improved udder health. Positive affect was also linked to a higher lactose concentration (p < 0.001) and an increased fat-to-protein ratio (FPR). A tendency for higher milk yield (+1.07 L per milking, p = 0.077) and slightly lower protein content was observed, consistent with a dilution effect. These associations remained robust after sensitivity analyses and were independent of housing type. The results demonstrate that milk composition and udder health biologically reflect positive emotional states, supporting the integration of behavioural assessments and milk biomarkers as a non-invasive framework for advancing welfare-oriented and precision dairy farming. Full article

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) typically consist of 2-8 D-galactose units linked together, terminating in a D-glucose unit. GOS are commonly used in dairy products, infant formulas, and functional foods. GOS offer beneficial properties for food processing, such as low caloric value, mild clean taste, and excellent solubility in water. Additionally, GOS function as non-digestible prebiotics, supporting microbiota balance and offering benefits such as promoting infant health, immune modulation, laxative effects, and potential metabolic advantages. β-galactosidase plays a key role in GOS production, catalyzing both hydrolysis and transglycosylation reactions. In this study, a putative GH2 family β-galactosidase from Kosakonia oryzendophytica (Koor β-gal) was identified. The enzyme exhibited optimal activity at pH 7.0 and 45–50 °C with the addition of 1 mM Mg²⁺, showing a specific activity of approximately 288.6 U/mg towards o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG). After optimizing the reaction conditions, Koor β-gal successfully produced 124.7 g/L of GOS from 300 g/L D-lactose, achieving a GOS yield of 41.6%. LC-MS analysis revealed that the primary products consisted of GOS with degrees of polymerization (DP) ranging from 2 to 4. Additionally, Koor β-gal was heterologously expressed in Bacillus subtilis following comprehensive optimization of the promoter and 5′-UTR, resulting in an enzyme activity in culture filtrate of 106.2 U/mL after 60 h. Full article

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major opportunistic pathogen and a leading cause of severe infections in infants under two years of age. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), key bioactive components of breast milk, possess immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties. In this study, the antipneumococcal effects of HMOs are investigated across multiple S. pneumoniae serotypes, focusing on concentration-dependent activity and underlying mechanisms. Growth inhibition and bacterial viability were evaluated using growth curve analysis and colony-forming unit (CFU) assays. HMOs inhibited pneumococcal growth in a concentration-dependent manner, with suppression observed at 1.5–2.5 mg/mL and complete killing at 5 mg/mL for all serotypes. Nonencapsulated strains were more sensitive, with inhibition at 1 mg/mL. In the CFU assays, killing occurred at 1.25–5 mg/mL depending on the strain. At physiologically relevant colostrum concentrations (20–25 mg/mL), HMOs achieved complete bactericidal effects across all the tested strains. In contrast, lactose at equivalent doses showed no measurable antimicrobial activity, confirming the specificity of the observed effects. Overall, HMOs exhibit serotype-independent antipneumococcal activity, possibly through interference with bacterial adhesion or metabolic disruption. These findings suggest a potential role for HMOs as adjunctive agents in the prevention of pneumococcal infections in vulnerable populations, such as infants, and warrant further in vivo studies to validate these effects and explore clinical applications. Full article

The use of lactose-utilizing microalgae offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach for the bioconversion of dairy industry side-streams and the reduction in microalgae production costs. This work aims to improve the biomass productivity of the lactose-utilizing microalgal strain Graesiella emersonii MSCL 1718 in concentrated cheese whey permeate. It was demonstrated that the mixotrophic growth of the axenic G. emersonii culture resulted in a significantly higher biomass productivity in 20% permeate medium compared to the heterotrophic cultivation. Furthermore, supplementation of the permeate medium with iron, zinc, cobalt, and molybdenum resulted in 12.8%, 12.9%, 9.3%, and 28.9% significant increases (p < 0.05) in biomass synthesis, respectively, compared to the control permeate group. In the subsequent experiment, G. emersonii cultivated in molybdenum-supplemented permeate resulted in 0.34 ± 0.02 g/(L·d) biomass productivity and twofold higher lipid content (30.21 ± 1.29%) compared to the photoautotrophic control in defined synthetic medium. Analysis of the fatty acid composition revealed a twofold increase in saturated fatty acids, reaching 62.16% under mixotrophic cultivation in permeate, compared with the photoautotrophic control. Overall, concentrated cheese permeate proved to be a suitable medium for G. emersonii biomass production, supporting both enhanced growth and increased lipid accumulation. Full article

Objectives: This study proposes a systematic strategy for optimizing sustained-release formulations using mixture experiments. Methods: Model variables were identified and screened via LASSO regression, Smoothly Clipped Absolute Deviation (SCAD), and Minimax Concave Penalty (MCP), leading to the construction of a quadratic inference function-based objective model. Using this model, three multi-objective optimization algorithms—NSGA-III, MOGWO, and NSWOA—were employed to generate a Pareto-optimal solution set. Solutions were further evaluated through the entropy weight method combined with TOPSIS to reduce subjective bias. Results: The MCP-screened model demonstrated strong fit (AIC = 19.8028, BIC = 45.2951) and suitability for optimization. Among the Pareto-optimal formulations, formulation 45, comprising HPMC K4M (38.42%), HPMC K100LV (13.51%), MgO (6.28%), lactose (17.07%), and anhydrous CaHPO₄ (7.52%), exhibited superior performance, achieving cumulative release rates of 22.75%, 64.98%, and 100.23% at 2, 8, and 24 h, respectively. Compared with the original formulation, drug release was significantly improved across all time points. Conclusions: This integrated workflow effectively accounted for component interactions and repeated measurements, providing a robust and scientifically grounded approach for optimizing multi-component sustained-release formulations. Full article

Objective: Postprandial hyperglycemia is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase can attenuate postprandial glycemic response (PPGR). This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of mulberry leaf and corn silk on these enzymes in vitro and their impact on postprandial glucose (PG) levels in prediabetic individuals using milk-based matrices. Research Design and Methods: In vitro, enzyme inhibition was assessed using the DNS method (α-amylase) and pNPG method (α-glucosidase). A randomized crossover trial was conducted in 11 prediabetic individuals with four interventions: pure milk; lactose-hydrolyzed milk; lactose-hydrolyzed milk with mulberry leaf, corn silk, and resistant dextrin; and GOS milk with mulberry leaf and corn silk. PPGR was assessed by area under the glucose curve, 1 and 2 h PG, maximum PG, and 2 h glucose excursion. Paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for comparisons. Results: Mulberry leaf and corn silk extracts inhibited both enzymes dose-dependently, with synergistic effects. No significant differences in PPGR indices were observed across interventions in the overall prediabetic individuals. However, in the overweight subgroup, the combination of GOS milk supplemented with mulberry leaf and corn silk significantly reduced 1 h PG (median difference [P25, P75]: −0.84 mmol/L [−1.05, −0.49]), maximum PG (−0.54 mmol/L [−0.75, −0.25]), and glucose excursion (−0.62 mmol/L [−0.75, −0.24]) compared to pure milk. Conclusions: Mulberry leaf and corn silk extracts inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase in vitro and may attenuate postprandial glucose excursions in overweight prediabetic individuals when delivered in a GOS milk matrix. Full article

The present study assessed the efficacy of selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) on two commercial Holstein-Friesian farms in the Czech Republic, involving 572 quarter milk samples from 74 cows collected over a two-year period. Quarter samples were taken both at dry-off (n = 296) and post-calving (n = 276) to assess somatic cell count (SCC), cultured microbial results (counts), milk composition, and mastitis incidence. The average SCC at dry-off was 264,000 cells/mL (SD = 650,000) in Farm 1 and 224,000 cells/mL in Farm 2. Mastitis incidence averaged 24.42% and 18.75% in Farms 1 and 2, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between pre-dry-off milk parameters and post-calving udder health indicators, including negative correlations between SCC prior to drying-off and lactose content after calving (r = −0.161, p < 0.01). Statistical analyses showed a significant farm effect on cultured microbial occurrence and mastitis occurrence after calving (p < 0.05), as well as a significant influence of lactation number on postpartum mastitis and SCC (p < 0.05). Also, mastitis incidence was significantly higher (9.43%, p < 0.05) in treated quarters. The use of selective non-antibiotic dry cow therapy does not impair udder health and milk quality but helps reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance. Further refinement of diagnostic criteria is needed to optimize treatment decisions and improve herd-level outcomes. Full article

Nutrition during late pregnancy plays a critical role in fetal development. This study was conducted to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of protocatechuic acid (PCA) and PCA-rich Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract (EU) on reproductive performance using late-pregnancy sows as a model. A total of 30 sows (Landrace × Yorkshire; average parity: 3–4) with similar body condition (assessed as a score of 4 on a 5-point scale) were randomly assigned to three treatments (n = 10 per group) from day 80 of gestation until farrowing and fed either a basal diet, a basal diet supplemented with 200 g/t of PCA, or 1000 g/t of EU. Results demonstrated that dietary supplementation with PCA and EU, which delivered a negligible amount of PCA but contained other bioactive phytochemicals such as chlorogenic acid, significantly increased litter weight at birth and the number of healthy piglets (p < 0.05), along with elevated levels of colostral immunoglobulins and reduced serum interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations (p < 0.05). Furthermore, PCA supplementation was associated with a decrease in fasting glucose levels and improved insulin sensitivity (p < 0.05), accompanied by an increased relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (p < 0.05). Analysis of gut microbial composition revealed that both PCA and EU reduced the relative abundance of Paraprevotella (p < 0.05), while PCA increased the abundance of the dgA11_gut_group (p < 0.05), and EU enriched Caldicoprobacter (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that PCA- and EU-modulated genera, such as Lysinibacillus, were positively associated with colostrum lactose and colostrum fat but negatively correlated with the number of somatic cells, colostrum protein, degreased dry matter, total solids, and urea nitrogen (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PCA and EU differentially enhanced reproductive performance and colostrum immunoglobulins, at least partially, through the modulation of inflammation and glucose metabolism-related gut microbiota in late-pregnancy sows. Full article

Lameness remains a significant welfare and productivity challenge in dairy farming, often underdiagnosed due to the limitations of conventional detection methods. Unlike most previous approaches to lameness detection that rely on a single-sensor or gait-based measurement, this study integrates four complementary data domains—behavioural, physiological, biochemical, and milk composition parameters—collected from 272 dairy cows during early lactation to enhance diagnostic accuracy and biological interpretability. The main objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the diagnostic classification performance of multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms trained on multimodal data collected at the time of clinical lameness diagnosis during early lactation, and to identify the most influential physiological and biochemical traits contributing to classification accuracy. Specifically, six algorithms—random forest (RF), neural network (NN), Ensemble, support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), and logistic regression (LR)—were assessed. The input dataset integrated physiological parameters (e.g., water intake, body temperature), behavioural indicators (rumination time, activity), blood biochemical biomarkers (non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)), and milk quality traits (fat, protein, lactose, temperature). Among all models, RF achieved the highest validation accuracy (97.04%), perfect validation specificity (100%), and the highest normalized Matthews correlation coefficient (nMCC = 0.94), as determined through Monte Carlo cross-validation on independent validation sets. Lame cows showed significantly elevated NEFA and body temperatures, reflecting enhanced lipid mobilization and inflammatory stress, alongside reduced water intake, milk protein, and lactose content, indicative of systemic energy imbalance and impaired mammary function. These physiological and biochemical deviations emphasize the multifactorial nature of lameness. Linear models like LR underperformed, likely due to their inability to capture the non-linear and interactive relationships among physiological, biochemical, and milk composition features, which were better represented by tree-based and neural models. Overall, the study demonstrates that combining sensor data with blood biomarkers and milk traits using advanced ML models provides a powerful, objective tool for the clinical classification of lameness, offering practical applications for precision livestock management by supporting early, data-driven decision-making to improve welfare and productivity on dairy farms. Full article

Grape pomace (GP), a by-product of winemaking, is rich in polyphenols and fiber, making it a promising and sustainable feed supplement for ruminants. This study evaluated the safety and productive impact of a 5% GP-supplemented diet (GP5) including non-lactating end-cycle (EC) ewes regularly destined for slaughter and human consumption, and lactating (LAC) ewes, over a 30-day period. Control (CTRL) animals received a standard pellet diet with no GP inclusion. Sampling was performed at four time points (T0, T10, T20, and T30), corresponding to days 0, 10, 20, and 30 of the experimental period. The study assessed clinical status, hematology/biochemistry (T0 and T30), milk composition (T0, T10, T20, and T30), meat quality traits and oxidative stability in EC ewes (T30). Since no significant differences were observed in the CTRL animals, the effects were evaluated within the GP5 group by comparing T0 vs. T30. Meat quality was assessed by comparing EC-GP5 to CTRL at T30. The GP extract showed a high total phenolic content (254.02 ± 20.39 mg GAE/g DW). No clinical or hematological alterations were observed, and most values remained within physiological ranges. Biochemical analysis revealed significant increases in albumin, bilirubin, creatinine, and triglycerides (p < 0.05), with significant decreases in plasma urea and glucose (p < 0.05). In LAC-GP5 ewes, milk urea and lactose concentrations decreased (p < 0.05), while pH increased (p < 0.05), with no significant changes in fat or casein content. These findings are consistent with reduced ruminal propionate availability, leading to decreased hepatic gluconeogenesis and lactose synthesis, with secondary effects on nitrogen metabolism and the acid–base profile of milk. In EC-GP5 ewes, meat quality traits were unaffected, and DPPH scavenging activity did not differ from CTRL (p > 0.05). GP5 was metabolically safe, induced adaptive changes in milk composition, and had no negative effects on meat quality, supporting the valorization of grape pomace as a sustainable feed resource. This trial was designed as a metabolic safety assessment, representing a preliminary step toward future mechanistic and molecular investigations. Full article

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play a crucial role in acid-curd cheese production by driving milk protein coagulation and forming metabolites that determine texture, safety, and flavor. This study investigated the effect of enzymatic lactose hydrolysis using β-D-galactosidase (Maxilact LX5000) on the quality of full-fat curd cheeses (16.5% and 20.8% dry matter) produced without whey separation. Cheeses were manufactured with or without prior lactose hydrolysis, inoculated with a mesophilic Flora Danica starter culture, and stored for 28 days at 4 °C. Chemical composition, sugar profile (HPLC), pH, LAB viability, textural properties (hardness, adhesiveness, and water-holding capacity), and sensory attributes were determined. Lactose hydrolysis completely eliminated lactose and increased glucose and galactose concentrations, without significant changes in protein, fat, or pH level. In our data, lactose was undetectable in hydrolyzed samples across storage, glucose/galactose exhibited only minor fluctuations, and LAB counts and pH remained stable, indicating a largely stable sugar profile and limited microbial activity under refrigeration. Hydrolyzed samples showed improved texture, especially higher hardness and moisture retention in low-dry-matter variants, while sensory characteristics were comparable to the control and free from excessive sweetness. These results demonstrate that enzymatic lactose hydrolysis is an effective tool for producing lactose-free curd cheese without compromising quality. This process can be recommended for sustainable whey-free cheese manufacture aimed at lactose-intolerant consumers. Full article

Cheese manufacturing generates large volumes of whey with high biochemical and chemical oxygen demand, historically treated as waste. Yet, whey is rich in lactose, proteins, and minerals that can be fractionated and upgraded into foods and bio-based products. During cheese production, 80% to 90% of the total volume is discarded as whey, which can cause severe pollution. However, milk by-products can be a natural source of high-value-added compounds and a cost-effective substrate for microbial growth and metabolites production. The current review focuses on cheese whey as a key milk by-product, highlighting its generation and composition, the challenges associated with its production, methods for fractionating whey to recover bioactive compounds, its applications in functional food development, the barriers to its broader use in the food sector, and its potential as a substrate for producing value-added compounds. Particularly, the focus was on the recent solutions to use cheese whey as a primary material for microbial fermentation and enzymatic processes, producing a diverse range of chemicals and products for applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and biotechnology industries. This review contributes to defining a framework for reducing the environmental impacts of whey through its application in designing foods and generating biomaterials. Full article

Falciparum malaria is a life-threatening vector-borne disease prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. The complexity of severe malaria demands a thorough investigation of host–parasite interactions. Twenty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into two groups: uninfected controls and Plasmodium berghei-infected rats, infected via intraperitoneal injection of parasitized red blood cells. Serum samples were analysed using high-resolution untargeted Gas Chromatography–Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. Metabolomic analyses revealed altered metabolites and enriched metabolic pathways. Distinct metabolite profiles were observed between infected and control groups. Infected rats showed elevated urea levels and reduced concentrations of 1,5-anhydroglucitol, D-(+)-Talose, and arachidonic acid. Pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment of the glucose-alanine cycle, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, and linoleic acid metabolism in infected rats. Minimal enrichment was observed in arachidonic acid metabolism and lactose biosynthesis. The upregulation of the glucose-alanine cycle suggests increased gluconeogenesis in response to parasite-induced glucose depletion and energy demand. Elevated urea indicates enhanced amino acid catabolism. These findings highlight the potential of metabolomics as a diagnostic tool for malaria detection and prognosis. Full article

Yeast culture (YC) is widely used in dairy production to enhance milk yield and quality, yet effects vary due to differences in products, doses, and trial conditions. This meta-analysis evaluated the impact of YC supplementation on milk yield and composition in lactating Holstein cows, aiming to identify effective yeast culture types, dosages, and duration of use. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 2000 to 2024 was conducted. Following PICOS criteria, 23 RCTs comprising 32 comparisons and over 3200 cows were included. Data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata/MP 15.0 to compute standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals with random-effects models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results showed that YC supplementation significantly improved milk yield (SMD = 2.14), fat (SMD = 0.57), protein (SMD = 1.34), and lactose content (SMD = 0.61). Subgroup analysis revealed that supplementation with saccharomyces cerevisiae at a dosage of 10–50 g/d effectively increased milk yield during lactation 42–56 d. In contrast, during the lactation 21–30 d, different dosages of saccharomyces cerevisiae exerted differential effects on milk composition: supplementation at 60–120 g/d contributed to an increase in milk fat content, while supplementation at 10–50 g/d significantly enhanced milk protein level. Furthermore, lactose content was not significantly associated with the feeding period of saccharomyces cerevisiae; however, high-dose (>120 g/d) could significantly increase lactose content. Significant heterogeneity (I² = 70.7–89.6%) was observed, largely due to strain and dose variations. In conclusion, YC effectively enhances milk production and composition, with optimal outcomes depending on yeast type, dose, and duration, providing evidence-based recommendations for targeted supplementation strategies. Full article