Lactation Season Research Articles

The Impact of Varying Pasture Levels on the Metabolomic Profile of Bovine Ruminal Fluid.

A pasture or concentrate-based dietary regime impacts a variety of factors including both ruminal health and function, and consequently milk production and quality. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of feeding differing pasture levels on the metabolite composition of bovine ruminal fluid. Ruminal fluid was obtained from rumen-cannulated spring-calving cows (N = 9, Holstein-Friesian breed, average lactation number = 5) fed one of three diets across a full lactation season. Group 1 (pasture) consumed perennial ryegrass supplemented with 5% concentrates; group 2 received a total mixed ration (TMR) diet; and group 3 received a partial mixed ration (PMR) diet which included pasture and a TMR. Samples were taken at two timepoints: morning and evening. Metabolomic analysis was performed using nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy. Statistical analysis revealed significant changes across the dietary regimes in both morning and evening samples, with distinct alterations in the metabolite composition of ruminal fluid from pasture-fed cows (FDR-adjusted p-value < 0.05). Acetate and butyrate were significantly higher in samples derived from a pasture-based diet whereas sugar-related metabolites were higher in concentrate-based samples. Furthermore, a distinct diurnal impact on the metabolite profile was evident. This work lays the foundation for understanding the complex interaction between dietary regime and ruminal health.

Reference limits for blood gas analysis performed from coccygeal vessels of multiparous Holstein dairy cows: Effects of stage of lactation and season of sampling

Blood gas analysis is a great support to the diagnostic process of critically ill patients. Its correct application to the medicine of dairy cows depends on the availability of specific reference intervals that are still difficult to find in the literature. They may vary according to the type of blood sampled, animals' age and production stage, and climatic conditions. This study aimed at calculating the reference limits for some blood gas parameters in the blood collected from the coccygeal vessels of multiparous Holstein dairy cows. This site of sampling implies the risk of withdrawing blood of unknown origin (venous, arterial, or mixed), but has a high practical interest for the easy and quick performance and the minimal animal restraint required. Data from 379 cows were used, and reference limits were produced for pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), bicarbonate concentration (HCO3), total carbon dioxide concentration (tCO2), oxygen saturation (sO2), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), base excess (BE), glucose, Na, K, and ionized calcium (iCa). The effects of stage of lactation (5 to 60 vs. > 60 DIM) and season of sampling (cold vs. hot) were investigated, and specific reference limits were produced for each variable and each level of the factors whenever a significant effect was detected. The pH, sO2, K, and iCa were not influenced by season or stage of lactation. All the other blood gas parameters were significantly affected by season of sampling, and Hb, Hct, glucose, and Na were also affected by stage of lactation. Reference limits provided in this study are specific to the site of sampling (coccygeal vessels) and the animal category considered. Further studies are needed to produce reference intervals for other blood gas parameters, cow categories, and blood types.

Evaluation of the Relationship of Some Environmental Factors and Number of Inseminations per Pregnancy with Milk Yield in Holstein Cows

In order to investigate the relationship between some environmental factors and the number of artificial inseminations per pregnancy with milk yield, data of 90 healthy Holstein breed dairy cows in a private dairy farm in Karapınar district of Konya province were taken. For the utilization of the data, age, number of artificial inseminations, lactation yield, calving season and sequence of lactation records were taken from the herd management program in the enterprise and analysed. As a result of the analysis, the number of artificial inseminations per pregnancy in 2016 was 1.79 and lactation milk yield was 10079,41 kg; the number of artificial inseminations per pregnancy in 2017 was 2.16 and lactation milk yield was 9767.94 kg. There was a statistically significant relationship between the number of artificial inseminations per pregnancy and milk yield during lactation period in both years. As a result, the increase in the number of artificial inseminations per pregnancy negatively affected the average milk yield of lactation period. Genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a major role in this effect.

Milk production and nitrogen excretion of grazed dairy cows in response to plantain (Plantago lanceolata) content and lactation season.

The study aimed to quantify milk production and urinary nitrogen (UN) excretion of dairy cows grazing pastures containing varying contents of plantain (Plantago lanceolata) in different seasons, under a typical farm practice. Four pasture treatments: perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) - white clover (Trifolium repens) (RGWC), RGWC + low plantain rate, RGWC + medium plantain rate, and RGWC + high plantain rate, were established in four adaptation areas (1 ha each) and 20 experimental plots (800 m2 each), and rotationally grazed by dairy cows over 14 grazing events during two lactation years. In each grazing (8-9 days), 60 or 80 Jersey-Friesian lactation cows were assigned to their pasture treatments, adapted to their pastures over the first six days, then each group of 15 or 20 cows were randomly allocated for grazing in five treatment plots over a two or three-day measurement period. Milk, urine, and faecal samples were collected from individual cows during the measurement period. The pasture treatments did not affect milk production, the yield and composition of milk solids, protein, fat, and lactose. However, cows grazing pastures containing between 17-28% dietary plantain reduced UN concentration by 15-27%, decreased UN excretion by 4-9%, and increased urine volume by 22-40%, compared to grazing the RGWC pasture. The change in UN concentration, and urine volume were associated with plantain proportion in the diet and were greater during late summer and autumn than during early summer. Incorporating 17%-28% dietary plantain with RGWC pastures can reduce the risk of nitrogen losses from pastoral systems, while maintaining the milk production of dairy cows.

An Assessment of the Epidemiology and Herd-Level Impact of the Fractured Humerus Epidemic in New Zealand Dairy Cattle, 2007–2015: Results from Four Studies

A multi-method approach integrating data from four independent sources was used to describe some key features of the epidemiology and estimate the herd and within-herd incidence of fractured humeri in New Zealand dairy cattle for the period 2007–2015. The first dataset was from a national case series where cases of humeral fractures in dairy cattle were identified by veterinarians across New Zealand between the 2007/2008 and 2011/2012 lactation seasons. The second dataset was from a pet food company based in the Waikato region, which collated the number of casualty first- and second-lactation cows found to have a fractured humerus post-slaughter in the 2014/2015 lactation season, and the third dataset was a case series conducted by veterinarians employed in a Waikato veterinary business, also from the 2014/2015 lactation season. For the final dataset, 505 randomly selected New Zealand dairy farmers completed a phone survey on the incidence of non-responsive, non-weight-bearing forelimb lameness in first- and second-lactation cows in the 2014/2015 lactation season. Using the telephone survey results, the within-herd and herd-level incidence of cases for first- and second-lactation dairy animals was calculated. The national case series reported 149 cases of humeral fractures in 22 dairy herds; the pet food case series identified 61 cases from 41 farms; and the practice-based case series found 14 cases from 10 farms. Humeral fractures exclusively affected first- and second-lactation dairy cows and had a peak incidence between calving and early mating. The national telephone survey found that non-weight-bearing forelimb lameness requiring euthanasia of first- or second-lactation cows occurred in 11.7% of herds, with a mean within-herd incidence of 2.6% for first lactation cows and 2.8% for second-lactation cows for affected herds. These combined datasets demonstrate that humeral fractures in young, lactating dairy cattle are more common than previously suspected and that they occur nationally and over multiple years on some farms. Further work on this condition is urgently required in New Zealand to establish cost-effective management practices that will reduce unnecessary animal suffering and waste.

Associations of Grazing and Rumination Behaviours with Performance Parameters in Spring-Calving Dairy Cows in a Pasture-Based Grazing System.

This study investigated the relationship of the length of time spent grazing and ruminating with the performance parameters of spring-calved grazing dairy cows (n = 162) over the lactation period for three lactation seasons (n = 54 per season). The cows were Holstein Friesian (HFR), Jersey (JE), and a crossbreed of Holstein Friesian/Jersey (KiwiCross), with 18 cows from each breed. The cows were either in their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th lactation year, and had different breeding worth (BW) index values (103 < BW > 151). The cows were managed through a rotational grazing scheme with once-a-day milking in the morning at 05:00 h. The cows were mainly fed on grazed pastures consisting of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), red clover (Trifolium pretense), and white clover (Trifolium repens), and received additional feeds on various days in the summer and autumn seasons. This study used an automated AfiCollar device to continuously record the grazing time and rumination time (min/h) of the individual cows throughout the lactation period (~270 days) for three consecutive years (Year-1, Year-2, and Year-3). The milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score data of the individual animals for the study years were provided by the farm. PROC CORR was used in SAS to determine the correlation coefficients (r) between the behaviour and production parameters. A general linear model fitted with breed × lactation year, individual cows, seasons, feed within the season, grazing time, rumination time, as well as their interactions, was assessed to test the differences in milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score. The type I sum of squares values were used to quantify the magnitude of variance explained by each of the study factors and their interactions in the study variables. Grazing time exhibited positive associations with MY (r = 0.34), MF (r = 0.43), MP (r = 0.22), MS (r = 0.39), LW (r = -0.47), and BCS (r = -0.24) throughout the study years. Rumination time was associated with MY (r = 0.64), MF (r = 0.57), MP (r = 0.52), and MS (r = 0.57) in all study years, while there were no effects of rumination time on LW (r = 0.26) and BCS (r = -0.26). Grazing time explained up to 0.32%, 0.49%, 0.17%, 0.31%, 0.2%, and 0.02%, and rumination time explained up to 0.39%, 6.73%, 4.63%, 6.53%, 0.44%, and 0.17% of the variance in MY, MF, MP, MS, LW, and BCS, respectively.

Seasonal dynamics of bulk milk somatic cell count in grazing Norwegian dairy goats

Somatic cell count (SCC) is a widely used indicator of milk quality in the dairy industry. It is a relatively good indicator of udder health in dairy cows, but strongly confounded by non-infection factors, including season, in dairy goats. This study's objectives were to estimate the variation in SCC explained by season and stage of lactation. We also investigated associations between SCC and other milk quality parameters routinely measured, including total bacterial count, fat, protein, and lactose content, in different seasons and stages of lactation. In this observational study, we included results from the routine analyses of bulk milk samples (n = 5,180) collected every third day in 88 Norwegian goat herds through one year. Herd information was collected via a questionnaire and from the dairy herd recording system. The herds had a notable increase in bulk SCC associated with the pasture season. The median bulk SCC was 470,000 cells/mL in deliveries from the indoor spring period and 1,100,000 cells/mL in the pasture season. During the indoor fall season, when most goat herds are in late lactation, the median SCC was 940,000 cells/mL. The combined effect of the season and herd stage of lactation explained 53.5% of the variation in bulk milk SCC. Fat and protein contents varied significantly with season and stage of lactation, and the association with SCC was non-significant for fat content and explained less than 3% of the variation in protein content. Lactose content was associated with SCC, stage of lactation, and season. Total bacterial count was associated with SCC and the indoor seasons. Determination of normal seasonal variation of goat bulk milk SCC is necessary to establish thresholds for defining milk as abnormal and unacceptable for further processing and improving the usefulness of SCC as a tool for milk quality improvement in dairy goats. The results suggest that SCC thresholds for taking action to improve the milk quality should be adjusted for season and stage of lactation.

Influence of season and stage of lactation on the milk composition of Berari goat

The study was planned to obtain gross composition of milk and investigate the influence of season and stage of lactation on composition of milk in Berari goats. Milk samples were collected from the goats reared at Berari Goat and Deccani Sheep Research, Demonstration and Training Centre, Borgaon Manju, Dist. Akola during different season and stages of lactation. The milk samples analyzed using the milk analyzer Lactoscan SL showed fat % (5.32±0.10), protein % (3.26±0.02), lactose % (5.18±0.05), TS % (14.95±0.10), SNF % (9.63±0.06) and density (1032.33±0.35 Kg/cm3). The results from this study show that the season had a significant effect on protein %, lactose %, solid not fat %, total solid % and density and a non-significant effect on fat %; whereas the stage of lactation had a significant effect on all the milk constituents of Berari goat. The protein, lactose, solid not fat, total protein and density content were higher in rainy season and lower in summer season. Fat per cent was higher during late lactation and lower during early lactation whereas the protein, lactose and solid not fat content was higher during early and late lactation, and lower during mid lactation.

Lebanese fermented goat milk products: From tradition to meta-omics

Ambriss, Serdaleh and Labneh El Darff are traditional Lebanese products made from fermented goat’s milk. A questionnaire completed by 50 producers of these products showed that they are prepared by periodic percolation either by milk or by Laban in amphora or goat skins during the lactation season. Production is carried out on a small scale and in a limited number of production units, often by elderly people, resulting in a real risk of disappearance of these products and loss of the corresponding microbial resources. In this study, 34 samples from 18 producers were characterized by culture-dependent and -independent analyses. The results obtained from these two methods were radically different, the latter revealing in Ambriss and Serdaleh the co-dominance of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, a fastidious-growing species, and Lactococcus lactis in a viable but not culturable state. Overall, their composition is reminiscent of kefir grains. Phylogenomic and functional analyses of the genomes of the key species Lb. kefiranofaciens have revealed differences from those found in kefir, particularly in their polysaccharide genes, which may explain the absence of grains. However, Labneh El Darff displayed a dominance of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, probably due to the addition of Laban. In addition, the study identified several zoonotic pathogens, including Streptococcus parasuis, which dominated in one sample. Metagenome-Assembled Genome (MAG) analysis indicated that this pathogen acquired lactose utilization genes through horizontal gene transfer. The contamination of the herd with Mycoplasmopsis agalactiae in the Chouf region was also revealed by MAG analysis of the Serdaleh samples. Antibiotic resistance genes were detected in most of the samples, particularly in the Serdaleh ones, where the dominant L. lactis strains possessed a plasmid with a multi-resistance island. Finally, this study paves the way for further analyses to shed light on the resilience of these ecosystems established in amphora or in goatskins and to improve hygiene practices for milk production.

Impact of natural betaine supplementation on rumen fermentation and productive performance of lactating Damascus goats

Two natural betaine sources; dehydrated condensed molasses fermentation solubles (Bet1) and Betafin®, a commercial anhydrous betaine extracted from sugar beet molasses and vinasses (Bet2); were used to investigate their impact on rumen fermentation parameters and lactation performance of lactating goats. Thirty-three lactating Damascus goats, with an average weight of 37 ± 0.7 kg and their age ranged from 22 to 30 months (2nd and 3rd lactation season), were divided into three groups, each group contained 11 animals. The control group (CON) was fed ration without betaine. While the other experimental groups were fed a control ration supplemented either with Bet1 or Bet2 to provide a 4 g betaine/kg diet. Results confirmed that betaine supplementation improved nutrient digestibility and nutritive value, and increased milk production and milk fat contents with both Bet1 and Bet2. Significant increases in concentration of ruminal acetate were observed in betaine-supplemented groups. Goats fed dietary betaine non-significantly recorded higher concentrations of short and medium-chain fatty acids (C4:0 to C12:0), and significant lower concentrations of C14:0 and C16:0 in milk. Also, both Bet1 and Bet2 non-significantly decreased the blood concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides. Therefore, it could be concluded that betaine can improve the lactation performance of lactating goats and produce healthy milk with beneficial characteristics.

Productivity of Ukrainian black-spotted dairy cows depending on calving season and duration of lactation

Productivity of Ukrainian black-spotted dairy cows depending on calving season and duration of lactation

Effect of birth and lactation season on the growth of Korean Hanwoo calves

Effect of birth and lactation season on the growth of Korean Hanwoo calves

Nutritional value and factors affecting milk production and milk composition from dairy sheep: A review

Sheep milk contains much higher concentrations of protein, fats, minerals, and vitamins than milk from other common domestic species such as cows and goats. High nutritional value and lower allergic sensitization compared to cow milk make sheep milk an ideal source of nutrition for humans. Moreover, advantages in physicochemical characteristics also make sheep milk a very good raw material for processing, especially in cheese making. However, dairy sheep industry remains small in many regions of the world, mostly due to restricted genetics and limited milk production. Milk yield and composition are influenced by various factors including genetic parameters, dietary nutrient composition, parity, lambing season, milking frequency, and stage of lactation. Future research on dairy sheep in different production systems especially in developing countries and new genes regulating milk production and quality need to be undertaken.

Impact of parity, stage of lactation, and subclinical mastitis on the concentration of vitamin c in Shami camel milk

A study was conducted at Deir Al-Hajar Research Station for Shami Camels, Administration of Livestock Research, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR) during 2019 and 2020 to find the relation between vitamin c concentrations in milk, and either stage of lactation, parity (lactation number) or the presence of mastitis. For this purpose, thirty lactating Shami camels from different parties were used.Milk samples were collected monthly over one entire lactation season lasting 11 months. The concentration of vitamin c was 35.01±9.81 mg/l milk during considered parities without significant differences in its concentration. However, vitamin c concentration was affected by lactation month P<0.0.5, and the values ranged between 18.99 and 53.03 mg/l milkduring lactation. An evident decline in vitamin c concentration in camel milk appeared with positive interactions for the California test. The average concentration of vitamin c in milk produced from healthy and infected udders was 35.01±9.81 mg/l and 22.99±1.30 mg/l, respectively. It has been concluded that vitamin c in milk is crucial indicator of udder health status

Effect of season and stage of lactation on milk components in Purnathadi buffaloes

The present study was designed to observe the effect of season and stage of lactation on milk components of Purnathadi buffaloes. Total 346 milk samples were collected, from three different seasons (winter, summer and rainy) and stage of lactation (early, mid and late) for the study. Overall milk fat, protein, lactose, solid not fat (SNF) and total solids (TS) were observed as 8.44±0.07, 3.99±0.02, 3.96±0.02, 8.78±0.04, and 17.23±0.08% respectively. There was significantly higher fat and total solids percent during winter (9.01±0.23 and 17.62±0.26% respectively) and lower during summer (8.25±0.14 and 16.73±0.14% respectively) season, but milk SNF percent was significantly higher during rainy (9.00±0.04%) and lower during summer (8.48±0.05%). Stage of lactation had also significant effect on milk components; milk fat, protein, SNF, and TS percent increased significantly with the advancement of lactation stage, whereas milk lactose was nonsignificant. Milk fat during early, mid and late lactation was 7.43±0.10, 8.40±0.07 and 8.79±0.12%; protein was 3.83±0.06, 3.94±0.02 and 4.06±0.02%; SNF was 8.36±0.14, 8.70±0.04 and 8.96±0.05% and TS was 15.61±0.17, 17.10±0.08 and 17.75±0.12%, respectively. Thus, results of the present investigation indicated that season and stage of lactation affect certain milk components in Purnathadi buffaloes and could be minimized by better farm management practices.

​Effect of Breed, Season and Stage of Lactation on Different Milk Parameters at Organized Farm

Background: The current study had been conducted to understand the impact of breed as well as season and stage of lactation on various milk constituents viz. freezing point, SNF, pH, lactose, protein, fat and electric conductivity of Sahiwal and Kankrej cows maintained at LRS”Livestock Research Station”, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, RAJUVAS, Bikaner, Rajasthan. Methods: Milk samples from 45 each Sahiwal and Kankrej cows were collected and analyzed for milk composition parameters. Data have been classified as per breed along with season and stage of lactation. Result: The analysis of variance for breed demonstrated highly significant impacts of fat and SNF whereas non-significant effect was found on pH, freezing point, lactose and protein.The analysis of variance demonstrated highly significant (P less than 0.01) impact of season on fat, SNF, freezing point and significant effect on protein whereas non-significant effect on lactose, pH and Electric conductivity in Kankrej cattle however highly significant (P less than 0.01) effect was found on fat in Sahiwal cattle.The analysis of variance presented significant (P less than 0.05) effect of lactation stage on fat and Protein in Sahiwal cattle whereas on fat and SNF in Kankrej cattle.

Body Condition Score and Its Association with Productive and Reproductive Performance and Health Status in Dairy Cattle: Review Article

Body condition score is a well pointer of cows energy reserves during the lactation season and can be a good measure of cows that are capable of balance well between milk production and feed intake. From a review of researches, it was found the importance of determining the body condition score in the management of dairy cows, as it is related to milk production, reproductive performance and health status, as the over or excessive and low body condition score has a negative impact on the general performance of dairy cows. Thus, measuring the body condition may be an essential instrument in the management of cows to increase milk production, improve reproductive performance and reduce the incidence of health problems.

Milk Properties and Morphological Characteristics of the Donkey Mammary Gland for Development of an Adopted Milking Machine—A Review

Donkey milk (DM) has been known in the world for 5000 years for its benefits for human nutrition and health. Nowadays, DM has become more and more attractive as a commercial product. DM contains several physiologically functional components, including high-quality whey proteins, vitamins, important minerals, unsaturated fatty acid and bioactive components. Therefore, it is not only consumed as food but also as a remedy. The average daily milk yield of a female donkey over the entire lactation season was 1.57 ± 1.12 kg/day and fluctuated between 0.20 and 6.00 kg/day. Average milk concentrations (±SD) of fat, protein, lactose, total solids and ash in DM were 0.63 ± 0.41%, 1.71 ± 0.24%, 6.34 ± 0.37%, 9.11 ± 0.95% and 0.39 ± 0.04%, respectively. Interestingly, DM is similar in composition to mare’s milk, and both are similar to mother’s milk. The anatomical and morphological properties of the mammary gland of the female donkey are special and can be compared with those of mare udders. However, the cistern cavity of the mammary gland of female donkeys is characterized by the presence of multiple pockets that open directly into the teat, instead of a single cistern cavity. Therefore, the mammary gland capacity in donkey mare is low and milking technique and routine are of most importance. So far there is no special milking machine for female donkeys and mares. The milking machines used nowadays were initially designed for smaller sheep and goat udders. The company Siliconform, Germany, has set itself the task of developing an optimized milking machine for donkey mares, which is adapted to the anatomical and morphological properties of the donkey mammary gland. Furthermore, it should achieve a physiologically ideal milking process meeting high animal welfare standards for increased milk production with high quality standards.

Environmental factors affecting milk composition in Holstein cattle breed

The incidence of mastitis in dairy herds is one of the main difficulties faced by dairy farmers, with a negative effect on the productivity of the herd and the welfare of the animals. Somatic cell count in milk is an indicator of udder health and frequency of clinical and subclinical mastitis incidence in dairy herds, and it is also often used to determine quality payments to dairy producers. Milk urea can be an indicator of the nutritional status of the dairy cows. The interpretation of these parameters assists in making important management decisions with regards to the health status and nutrition of dairy cattle. The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate environmental factors (farm, season, parity and stage of lactation) which affect the milk production and composition of Holstein breed, using field data. The presented research included 25,460 individual milk samples which were analysed as part of the Dairy Herd Improvement program, from 11 Holstein dairy farms in the region of Vojvodina, Northern Serbia. Analyses of raw milk samples were carried out on the FOSS instruments - CombiFossTMFT+, a combination instrument consisting of the MilcoScanTMFT+ and the FossomaticTMFC. Statistical data processing was carried out by applying General Linear Model procedure, Statistics 13. Farm, season of milk control, parity and stage of lactation were included in the models as fixed effects. Significant differences in milk urea concentrations and somatic cell count were observed between farms (P&lt;0.01), seasons (P&lt;0.01), parity (P&lt;0.01) and stage of lactation (P&lt;0.01). Results showed that there were a highly significant (P&lt;0.01) positive relationships between milk urea (MU) concentration and milk yield, MU and milk fat content, and between MU and solids non-fat (SNF), also between somatic cell count (SCC) and milk fat content, between SCC and protein content, as well as in between SCC and SNF. Highly significant negative relationships were found between milk urea and protein content and SCC, and between SCC and daily milk yield and lactose content. Proper analyses and interpretation of obtained results of milk samples obtained within the Dairy Herd Improvement program could contribute to better health management on the farms and it could have a positive impact on composition and nutritional value of milk, as well as on milk safety. It would be important to carry out further research in order to facilitate the detection of subclinical mastitis with MU as a potential indicator.

Integrated effects of lactation stages and seasons on milk somatic cells and some haematological entities in healthy Tarai buffaloes

Integrated effects of lactation stages and seasons on milk somatic cells and some haematological entities in healthy Tarai buffaloes