Dairy Goat Production Research Articles

Antimicrobial and modulating activity of essential oils against bacteria isolated from goat dairy products in northeastern Brazil

In recent years, novel strategies to combat (multi-) drug-resistant microorganisms have been investigated. Essential oils (EOs) with bactericidal, bacteriostatic, and fungicidal activity have been used to treat infections and in food sanitation. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial and modulating activity of Cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon) and Eugenia caryophyllus (clove) essential oils against microorganisms isolated from goat milk processing plants in northeastern Brazil, and their synergistic effect when combined with antimicrobial agents. The microdilution technique was used to obtain the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal concentrations (MBC) and the antibiotics studied were ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cephalothin, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, meropenem, norfloxacin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and tetracycline. Klebsiella pneumoniae (MIC50) and Escherichia coli (MIC90) were sensitive to cinnamon EO. Clove EO did not inhibit the growth of either microorganism. In regard to MBC, cinnamon EO had a bactericidal effect against six K. pneumoniae and six E. coli samples. For the antibiotics evaluated, a greater synergistic effect was observed for cinnamon EO associated with gentamicin and meropenem, and antagonistic effect with ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and tetracycline. As such, EOs may be an alternative for the control of pathogenic microorganisms.

Characterization of dairy goat production systems in coastal valleys of the Lima region

Goat farming in Peru is a husbandry activity that, although it is considered secondary in the country, has a great economic and social impact on the rural population, that is why government efforts to develop is so important. The objective of this study was to characterize dairy goat rearing systems in the coastal valleys of the Lima region to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. This cross-sectional research was conducted in four provinces located in the Lima region, Peru. A total of 62 goat farmers participated in the trial. For data collection, a standard survey was prepared with open and closed questions distributed across two components (socioeconomic and productive). The surveys were processed for qualitative variables using a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) followed by a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to differentiate the types of farming systems prevalent based on the survey population. The hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in the formation of three separate groups of goat farmers, which can be classified as extensive systems differentiated by management practices and their production and marketing objectives. The test showed a significant difference; therefore, it can be affirmed that they are associated with the groups or clusters formed. These results will allow actors related to goat farming, such as state and regional entities, to focus efforts on addressing specific demands of the different types of goat farmers found in this study.

HEAT TOLERANCE INDEX IN DAIRY GOATS: CLASS REPORT

To evaluate the influence of the environment on the behavioral and physiological parameters of Saanen and alpine brown goats, disciplinary work was carried out in which a field experiment was conducted, in the municipality of Lajes do Cabugi, Rio Grande do Norte, on the Três property. Brothers, which is a dairy goat production farm. The adaptation of animals to the breeding environment is an important factor for them to have good health and achieve greater productivity, which is one of the objectives of the action of veterinarians, acting preventively (SOUZA et al., 2010; LOPES et al., 2012). When academics participate in pedagogical activities, they develop and prepare more completely for professional life. During the pedagogy, two specimens of each breed were used and observed over a 90-day interval. The following sequence of observations was adopted: 1st observation carried out at 9 am and the 2nd observation was carried out at 3 pm. All animals were female and carried out their normal grazing activities. The animals had access to pasture under identical conditions, as well as access to nutritional supplementation when they returned to the pen at night. The rectal and environmental temperature variables were recorded at 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, and these were used by applying them in the ITC formula (1.0 ta – 20 d +60) (FERREIRA, 2011). The average results obtained were 32.67ºC for room temperature; rectal temperature of the Saanen and alpine brown in the morning and afternoon, respectively, were 40.18ºC and 39.95ºC in the morning; 39.8ºC and 39.75ºC in the afternoon. It was concluded, with the results obtained during the field classes, that the Saanen presented better results compared to the alpine brown for the edaphoclimatic conditions of the property where the research work was carried out. Pedagogically, this activity carried out in the field increases the learning efficiency of veterinary medicine students and favors their better training, reflecting the community's desires and everyone's well-being.

The use of PCR method for adulteration detection of goat dairy products manufactured by smallholders

The analysis of food adulteration is an important element of improving health safety. Both accidental and intentional adulteration of food, can cause serious health consequences for humans and can be considered as health hazard. In recent years, molecular biology techniques has been increasingly used in food analysis due to their high precision and the ability to obtain results in a short time, as well as the identification and quantitative determination of food adulterants. The samples tested in the study were goat's milk, yogurts, fresh and ripening cheeses produced by smallholders all over Poland. The analysis included DNA isolation, which was used as template for duplex PCR and detection of goat’s and cow’s mitochondrial DNA fragments. The obtained results indicate that the applied technique enabled the rapid identification of adulteration in analyzed goat’s milk products, among which in only one product out of thirty five the presence of undeclared cow’s milk was detected. This indicates good food safety standards applied on small-scale farms.

VETERINARY ETHOLOGY APPLIED TO A DAIRY GOAT HERD: CLASS REPORT

Environmental stress on farm animals is a limiting factor for all livestock farming. In this sense, the action of professionals, such as veterinarians is essential to outline the best management and the best actions to develop with livestock in a region. In this manner the results from the study performed by Furtado (2007) presented information on the behavior of dairy goats that favor new evaluations. The influence of the environment on the behavioral parameters of dairy goats was observed in Lajes do Cabugi, Rio Grande do Norte, on a dairy goat production farm. Ethology is a science that favors the understanding of the adaptation of animals (i.e. behavior) to the environment in which they are found. Therefore, this knowledge field helps the veterinarian in the clinical assessment of animals’ health and well-being, promoting animal aid to achieve greater productivity, which is one of the objectives of the animals' actions professionals. Through research carried out in a brief bibliographical-secondary survey, the objective of this study is to evaluate the recorded ethogram of a goat herd, which had been exposed at two different times of breeding. The environmental variations recorded at the beginning and end of the experiment (June and September 2007) were, respectively: i) ambient temperature 25.82ºC and 25.88 ºC; ii) relative humidity 67.48% and 66.64%. The outcome obtained with ethogram was that the animals had many more episodes of lying under the shade in August compared to June, as well as grazing in the shade, brooding in the shade, standing still in the shade and walking. These results show that the herd spent much more energy to maintain homeostasis under heat stress (FURTADO; SILVA; TELES, 2018; GAIA et al., 2019). It was concluded that the herd must be relocated in terms of access to nutritional supplementation with hay and concentrates, have access to more shaded areas and promote relocation in grazing and stabling hours, with the aim of preventing pathologies linked to heat stress, as well as having a better quality of life and animal well-being.

Genomic analysis of conservation status, population structure, and admixture in local Czech and Slovak dairy goat breeds

While dairy goat production, characterized by traditional production on small farms, is an important source of income in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, locally adapted breeds have not been fully consolidated over the last 100 years due to large fluctuations in population size and inconsistent breeding programs that allowed for different crossbreeding strategies. Our main objective in this study was therefore to assess the conservation status of 4 Czech (Alpine Goat, White Shorthair, Brown Shorthair and Czech Landrace) and one Slovak (Slovak White Shorthair) local goat breeds, to analyze their population structure and admixture, and to estimate their relatedness to several neighboring breeds. Our analyses included 142 goats belonging to 5 local breeds genotyped with the Illumina 50K BeadChip and 618 previously genotyped animals representing 15 goat breeds from Austria and Switzerland (all analyses based on 46,862 autosomal SNPs and 760 animals). In general, the conservation status of the Czech and Slovak local goat breeds was satisfactory, with the exception of the Brown Shorthair goat, as the analyzed parameters (heterozygosity, haplotype richness, ROH-based inbreeding and effective population size) were mostly above the median of 20 breeds. However, for all 5 Czech and Slovakian breeds, an examination of historical effective population size indicated a substantial decline about 8 to 22 generations ago. In addition, our study revealed that the Czech and Slovakian breeds are not fully consolidated; for instance, White Shorthair and Brown Shorthair were not clearly distinguishable. Considerable admixture, especially in Czech Landrace (effective number of parental clusters equal to 4.2), and low but numerous migration rates from other Austrian and Swiss breeds were found. These results provide valuable insights for future breeding programs and genetic diversity management of local Czech and Slovak goat breeds.

Optimizing Feed Formulation Strategies for Attaining Optimal Nutritional Balance in High-Performing Dairy Goats in Intensive Farming Production Systems

Abstract Genetic factors play a pivotal role in shaping feed formulation strategies for dairy goats, influencing milk production, composition, and overall productivity through the modulation of genetic parameters and polymorphisms associated with milk protein fractions and yield. Moreover, environmental challenges, including heat stress and feed availability fluctuations, pose significant hurdles in achieving optimal nutrition and performance, necessitating precision livestock farming and the utilization of local by-products to mitigate their impact on herd health and productivity. In addition, nutritional interventions, such as supplement utilization and alternative feed incorporation, offer promising avenues for addressing specific deficiencies and enhancing overall performance, from fatty acid supplementation to herbal feed additives, while balancing rations to meet evolving nutritional needs and ensuring long-term sustainability remains paramount for optimizing herd nutrition, health, and performance in intensive dairy goat production systems. The aim of this study was to explore the multifaceted influences of genetic factors, environmental challenges, and nutritional interventions on feed formulation strategies and overall herd nutrition, health, and performance in intensive dairy goat production systems.

Consumer attitudes, motivations and barriers towards sheep and goat dairy products

Sheep and goat dairy products are part of the culinary tradition of most European countries. The paper explores consumers' perceptions and attitudes towards sheep and goat dairy products within seven European countries. A combination of focus group discussions and laddering interviews were used. Results showed that most consumers perceived those products as a speciality food with a unique taste that can be perceived as good or bad. Perceived quality, naturality and healthiness are the dominant motivational structures, while value-for-money is a secondary concern. More focus on communicating the hedonic dimension and positive health-related messages may increase consumers’ interest and acceptance.

Is there a market for goat dairy products in the state of Paraná, Brazil?

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o conhecimento e os hábitos de consumo das pessoas referentes ao leite caprino e aos seus derivados, bem como a disponibilidade desses produtos em três municípios (Londrina, Maringá e Arapongas) da região norte do estado do Paraná, Brasil, selecionados por conveniência e por estarem localizados próximos ao estado de São Paulo, um grande mercado que inclui o consumo de laticínios. Para isto, foi aplicado um formulário semiaberto, com 31 questões, hospedado no Google Forms. Entre os 247 entrevistados, 47% afirmaram não saber a diferença entre os leites de cabra e de vaca. Imagens de leite UHT e de queijos caprinos foram associadas (69%) a palavras positivas ou interesse. A prevalência do consumo de produtos láteos caprinos foi associada à faixa etária (maior consumo de leite a partir de 31 anos e de derivados de 41 a 60 anos) e ao rendimento familiar (46% até três salários mínimos e 27% de quatro a seis). O consumo de queijos também foi associado ao número de habitantes do município e ao seu nível de escolaridade. A maioria das pessoas que consomem ou já consumiram leite (cru, pasteurizado, longa vida ou em pó) e/ou derivados caprinos foram motivados pelo sabor ou por indicações de amigos ou médicos, nesta ordem. As principais razões apontadas para o não consumo foram a falta de conhecimento deste tipo de lácteo e a falta de hábito. Leites caprino UHT e em pó estavam disponíveis em todos os municípios avaliados, mas os queijos foram encontrados somente nos dois mais populosos. A região estudada é um mercado potencial para a venda de produtos lácteos de cabra. Portanto, deve-se considerar a divulgação dos benefícios destes produtos para a saúde, por meio de estratégias de marketing online e offline, além da sua maior disponibilização nos mercados.

Explorando o queijo de leite de cabra: uma revisão sistemática das técnicas e inovações de produção (2013-2023)

Abstract The global demand for milk and dairy products is rising, with cow's milk dominating production. However, goat dairy products have gained attention due to their nutritional value and bioactive components. Goat milk, in particular, is priced attractively, leading to increased interest from producers and investors. Goat milk-based products like yogurt, cheese, and fermented milk are available in the market and prepared using advanced processing technologies. Goat milk's exceptional quality, nutritional composition, and adaptability make it a superior choice, containing essential minerals and vitamins. The gourmet market has elevated goat cheese to a refined culinary delight. Therefore, this systematic review aims to summarize the state of successful research on goat milk cheese production from 2013 to 2023. The bibliographic search was carried out in September 2023 in electronic databases of scientific journals, namely Google Scholar, Science Direct, PUBMED, SCIELO, and Web of Science. Twenty (20) articles were included to discuss results that addressed the research question, meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The content presented provides a comprehensive overview of the cheese manufacturing process, encompassing stages such as filtration, pasteurization, addition of lactic cultures, coagulation (using various methods such as enzymatic, rennet, charcoal, or enzymes), cutting the curd, molding, salting, and maturation. The inclusion of bibliographic references further enhances understanding, highlighting the evolution of practices over time. These contributions are essential for improving the quality and efficiency of goat milk cheese production, offering valuable insights for researchers, producers, and industry enthusiasts.

Energetic and Monetary Analysis of Efficiency in Family-Owned Dairy Goat Production Systems in Andalusia (Southern Spain).

The family-owned dairy goat sector in Andalusia presents great diversity. Taking into account the particularities of their economic strategies, which are focused on generating net value added and a stable long-term remuneration for family labor, this work aims to expand the scarce existing knowledge on the energetic and economic profiles of the different caprine management systems in a context of climate and energy crisis. For this purpose, twenty-one farms, representatives of the four typologies of the Andalusian dairy goat system, were monitored for one year: pastoral systems, grazing systems with high feed supply, indoor systems with associated crops, and indoor systems without associated crops. Technical-economic information was obtained that allowed the calculation of energy and economic indicators. In terms of socialized output, the differences found were due to the energy derived from milk sales, which was clearly lower in pastoral systems. The higher proportion of energy output obtained from manure with respect to edible products (milk and meat) highlights the importance of the former in energetic terms. High values for external inputs are found in the intensive group (111.22 GJ LSU-1), while the lowest results correspond to the pastoral group (36.96 GJ LSU-1). The main external input is the energy proceeding from purchased feed, which accounts for over 79% of the total external energy input in all four groups. The highest energy efficiency corresponds to the pastoral group, which is also the most efficient one in the use of non-renewable energy to produce milk and meat. Additionally, the level of eco-efficiency is higher in pastoral systems. Common Agricultural Policy funds contribute to increasing the remuneration of family work in pastoral systems, assimilating it to the rest of the systems. Therefore, intensification does not imply an absolute monetary advantage in all cases, while extensification can be remunerative for family-owned dairy farming.

The Bacteriocin-like Inhibitory Substance Producing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LPa 12/1 from Raw Goat Milk, a Potential Additive in Dairy Products

Goat milk is gradually becoming the preferred milk by consumers worldwide, including Slovakia. It is also demanded as a functional and/or nutraceutical drink as it is rich in bioactive components. However, another new development is the research into the beneficial autochthonous strains used to enrich goat dairy products. Among individual species, representatives in raw goat milk are also involved in lacticaseibacilli. Bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance-producing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LPa 12/1 was isolated from raw goat milk. This study focuses on its potential as a new additive in dairy products. No mortality was found when checking the safety of the LPa 12/1 strain using Balb/c mice. The strain reached higher counts in ewe–goat milk yoghurt (up to 6.1 cfu/g log 10) than in cow milk yoghurt (almost 5.0 cfu/g log 10). Cow milk yoghurts remained in more stable consistency after LPa 12/1 supplementation compared with ewe–goat milk yoghurts, although specific organoleptic tests were not performed. However, LPa 12/1 has survived sufficiently in both types of yoghurts. This bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance-producing strain LPa 12/1 in its encapsulated form applied in yoghurts seems suitable to supplement dairy products.

Connectedness between Intensive and Extensive Ruminant Production Systems: Using Dairy Cow Feed Leftovers to Generate Out-of-Season Bio-Economic Indices in Goats

Founded on a circular economy perspective, the possible effect of targeted supplementation with leftover feed from dairy cows (i.e., intensive system) upon the productive economic performance of crossbred–rangeland goats (i.e., extensive system) in northern arid Mexico was assessed. Multiparous goats (n = 38) with similar body condition score (BCS) and body weight (BW) were randomly assigned during the deep anestrus season (i.e., March–April, 25° N) into two groups: (1) the control-non-supplemented group (CONT; n = 19; BCS: 1.76 ± 0.06; BW: 44.3 ± 2.5 kg) and (2) the supplemented group (SUPL; n = 19; BCS: 1.76 ± 0.07; BW: 43.7 ± 1.8 kg). While the SUPL group received 400 g goat d−1 of dairy cow feed leftovers prior to grazing, both groups went daily to the rangeland (i.e., ≈8 h). The study considered an experimental period of 36 d with an experimental breeding of 11 d (d0–d10). Previously, on days −20, −10, −1 preceding the male-to-female interaction, the anovulatory status of goats was confirmed through ultrasonographic scanning. Prior to mating, the males were separated from goats and treated for a period of 3 weeks (i.e., every 3rd d) with testosterone (i.e., 50 mg i.m.). The response variables evaluated considered goats induced to estrus (GIE, %), goats ovulating (GO, %), ovulation rate (OR, units), pregnancy rate-1 (PRd36, %), pregnancy rate-2 (PRd50, %), embryo mortality-d50 (EMO, %), potential kidding index-d50 (PKId50,%), kid weight at birth simples (KWBS, kg), potential litter efficiency at birth (PLEB, kg), and potential litter efficiency at weaning (i.e., d21 post kidding), either expressed as kg head−1 (PLEW1) or USD head−1 (PLEW2). Although no differences (p > 0.05) occurred for GIE and PRd50, increases in the phenotypic expression of OR (1.42 vs. 0.73), PRd36 (68.4 vs. 36.8), EMO (23.0 vs. 0), PKId50 (74.7 vs. 26.8), and KWBS (4.1 vs. 3.3) occurred (p < 0.05) in the SUPL goats. To have a more integrative evaluation regarding the out-of-season reproductive outcomes, three bio-economic efficiency indices per goat exposed to males were generated: PLEB (4.3 vs. 0.6 kg), PLEW1-kg (7.7 vs. 3.1 kg), and PLEW2-USD (63.9 vs. 26.1 USD), which also favored (p < 0.05) to the SUPL goats. The last result occurred despite no differences (p > 0.05) regarding BW, BCS, and serum glucose concentrations between experimental groups. Furthermore, applying the main research outcomes from this specific study toward the large-scale goat production system in the Comarca Lagunera—one of the largest dairy goat production hubs in The Americas—denoted promising expectations, either from an economic or productive–reproductive standpoint. Certainly, goat producers from the region would increase their potential annual income just from the sale of kids by close to 250%; that is from MUSD 1.1 to 3.9. This result should reduce food insecurity and economic stress, as well as enhance the livelihoods of the goat keepers and their families.

A Comparative Analysis of Carbon Footprint in the Andalusian Autochthonous Dairy Goat Production Systems.

The small ruminant livestock sector faces the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Carbon footprint (CF) studies on dairy goats, the most widely used indicator to quantify the impact of livestock farming on global warming, are still few. The aim of this study was to calculate the CF of the different production systems of autochthonous dairy goat breeds presently occurring in Andalusia (S Spain) and identify systems and practices that can minimize their environmental impact in these terms. Twenty-one farms were monitored during a year, obtaining valuable information that allowed the CF calculation on a "cradle-to-gate" approach, taking into account both GHG emissions at the farm level and carbon sink by vegetation associated with land-based systems. Results showed similar CF values for the analyzed systems (1.42, 1.04, 1.15, and 1.17 kg CO2-eq kg-1 fat-protein corrected milk for indoor systems without associated crops, indoor systems with associated crops, grazing systems with high feed supply, and pastoral systems, respectively). To minimize their environmental impact, specific actions must be developed for each system, particularly regarding genetic improvement, reproductive and feeding management, including pasture management, and the integration of livestock activity into the bio-circular economy with the help of professional advice.

Dairy goat production in Kenya: A review

In sub-Saharan Africa, dairy goat farming presents a viable option to ensure food and nutrition security in addition to playing an important socio-economic function among rural farmer households. Dairy goat production can improve people’s livelihoods mainly by providing milk for household nutrition and agro-income. Additionally, the dairy goat enterprise supplies breeding stock, meat, skins, fibre (hair), manure, and also acts as an insurance against emergencies. Further, in most rural households, dairy goats also serve socio-cultural functions including weddings, blessing ceremonies and circumcision rites, among others. In 2009, the dairy goat sub sector contributed about 15.2% of the total livestock and 4.8% of the overall household incomes in Kenya. Milk production is a high-priority function for those involved in dairy goat production. In the year 2006, exotic dairy goat genotypes (Alpines, Toggenburg and Saanen) were introduced in various semi-arid lands of Kenya which were characterised by low, erratic rainfall amounts (below 750 mm annually), high day temperatures (29o to 35o Celsius), insufficient and low quality feeds, inadequate health care and inappropriate husbandry practices. Dairy goats are more adapted to semi arid conditions and climate change in general than dairy cows due to their smaller body size and physiology and thus they are becoming more important to the dairy industry. Goat milk is more nutritious than cow milk, is more digestible and is thus recommended for young children, the sick and the aged. Besides, dairy goats can survive a myriad of biotic stresses including diseases and parasites, have low feed and labour requirements, need little start-up capital and thus can be raised by the vulnerable members of the society. This review was aimed at describing dairy goat production and related husbandry practices among dairy goat farmers in Kenya. Policy guidance on the necessary interventions to improve the sub-sector is provided based on identified opportunities and constraints. Key words: Kenya, dairy goats, production systems, productive performance, constraints, opportunities

O52 (not presented) Effect of pasture-based feeding systems on milk production and composition of dairy goats in different mountainous areas of Kabylia

O52 (not presented) Effect of pasture-based feeding systems on milk production and composition of dairy goats in different mountainous areas of Kabylia

Economic valuation of zootechnical indicators in a tropical dairy goat production system

The objective of our study was to promote advances in the economic valuation method of zootechnical indicators in dairy goat farming by incorporating the analysis of the modeling of biological relationships between the indicators. A Multiple Linear Regression model was developed to predict milk production as a function of zootechnical indexes and to determine which indicators influenced and in what proportion the quantity of liters sold. The absolute and relative economic values of these indicators were then calculated. Milk production was influenced by prolificacy (P=0.00325), age at kidding (P=0.01886), duration of lactation (P=< 2e-16) and parity number (P=0.00575), with absolute and relative economic values respectively as follows: $ 0,086/kid/female/year and 62.3% for prolificacy, -$ 0.001/female/month and -0.5% for age at kidding, $ 0.002/female/day and 1.5% for duration of lactation, and $ 0.051/female/parity and 36.7% for parity number. High values for the age at first kidding and interval between kiddings may be responsible for the effect of age and parity number. In conclusion, the procedures were herein employed and validated to improve the economic valuation method proved to be viable and efficient for application in dairy goat farming. In the situation analyzed, more than 90% of the economic value was obtained by prolificacy and parity number; however, the scarcity of research on these aspects of goat farming and the different indicators analyzed demonstrate the need for continuity of research in order to improve the methods so that their use in the field is applicable in more accessible ways.

The Effect of Lameness on Milk Production of Dairy Goats.

Lameness on dairy goat farms is a welfare concern and could negatively affect milk production. This study's objective was to evaluate the effects of clinical lameness on the daily milk production of dairy goats. Between July 2019 and June 2020, 11,847 test-day records were collected from 3145 goats on three farms in New Zealand. Locomotion scoring of goats used a five-point scoring system (0 to 4). The dataset was split into two groups by lactation type, where goats were classified as being in seasonal lactation (≤305 days in milk) or extended lactation (>305 days in milk). A linear mixed model was used to analyze datasets using milk characteristics as the dependent variables. Severely lame goats (score 4) in seasonal and extended lactation produced 7.05% and 8.67% less milk than goats not lame, respectively. When the prevalence of severe lameness is between 5 and 20% of the herd, the estimated average daily milk income lost was between NZD 19.5 and 104 per day. This study established the negative impact of lameness on milk production and annual income in dairy goats on three farms.

Chi-miR-3880 mediates the regulatory role of interferon gamma in goat mammary gland

A healthy mammary gland is a necessity for milk production of dairy goats. The role of chi-miR-3880 in goat lactation is illustrated in our previous study. Among the differentially expressed genes regulated by chi-miR-3880, one seventh were interferon stimulated genes, including MX1, MX2, IFIT3, IFI44L, and DDX58. As the inflammatory cytokine interferon gamma (IFNγ) has been identified as a potential marker of caseous lymphadenitis in lactating sheep, the interaction between IFNγ and immune-related microRNAs was explored in this study. Chi-miR-3880 was found to be one of the microRNAs downregulated by IFNγ in goat mammary epithelial cells (GMECs). The study illustrated that IFNγ/chi-miR-3880/DDX58 axis modulates GMEC proliferation and lipid formation through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and regulates apoptosis through Caspase-3 and Bcl-2/Bax pathways. The role of the axis in mammary involution was reflected by the expression of p53 and NF-κB. In conclusion, IFNγ/chi-miR-3880/DDX58 axis plays an important part in lactation.

FarmDain, a Decision Support System for Dairy Sheep and Goat Production.

Managing a milk zone in the dairy industry is demanding. Data necessary for efficient management are difficult to acquire because they usually must be collected in organized and standardized ways. On the other hand, software practices constantly provide new tools that can go beyond simple record-keeping practices and add value to the data. In this work, FarmDain is a novel web-based application for sheep and goat management. It aims to improve milk production and processing by digitizing the value chain in data acquisition, processing and visualization between dairy production businesses and their milk suppliers. FarmDain uses state-of-the-art software technologies to model the data collection process and provides a straightforward user interface to facilitate data processing and visualization. Using the app in a case study carried out for 12 months in a dairy sheep farm resulted in lower feeding cost per milked ewe by 5.5% when ewes were allocated into high and low milk production groups compared to the scenario of remaining in one single group. Furthermore, based on reports provided by the app, culling and genetic selection decisions were made to improve the overall farm performance. Similar practices were applied in all farms optimizing their productivity, which led to increased profitability for farms and the Dairy Factory.