Milk Feeding Research Articles

A Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase the Supply of Mother’s Own Milk for Preterm Newborn Admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University

Background Mother’s own milk for preterm infants is a complete nutrition. In NICUs, there is a delay in starting and decreased frequency of breast milk expression leading to inadequate supply of mother’s own milk for preterm babies. There is a lack of knowledge about the importance of mother’s own milk for preterm babies in the general population and a paucity of studies on this topic from Bangladesh. This quality improvement initiative will serve as a baseline study for increasing the use of mother’s own milk for preterm babies in our country. Objectives To observe the effects of the quality improvement initiative to increase the supply of mother’s own milk for preterm newborns admitted in the NICU. Methods This QI study was conducted in the Department of Neonatology, in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, over the period of 1 year. Inborn Preterm neonates ≤34 weeks and/or ≤1800 gm and mother dyads, anticipated to stay in NICU for ≥ 7 days, were included in this study. In the observation phase, baseline data were collected. The intervention phase was started with a comprehensive counseling package, the demonstration of breast milk expression, and the early (within 6 h of delivery) and frequent (2 h) expression of breast milk. Results A total of 96 preterm newborns and mother dyads were enrolled. There was an improvement in the percentage of mothers expressing breast milk within 6 h of birth and on day 1 from 0% to 100% and from 14.5% to 100%, respectively, after implementing the QI initiative. The amount of expressed breast milk on days 1, 3, and 7 in the intervention group was higher than that of the observation group. The percentage of neonates receiving only mother’s own milk on day 1 was increased from 14.5% to 100% after giving intervention. Conclusion A significant improvement in early expression of breast milk, an increase in total amount of expressed breast milk, and an exclusive mother’s own milk feeding among the preterm neonates admitted in the NICU were observed.

Crude protein oscillation in diets adequate and deficient in metabolizable protein: Effects on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, plasma amino acids, and greenhouse gas emissions

Reducing dietary CP is a well-established means to improve N use efficiency. Yet, few studies have considered if transient restrictions in dietary CP could reduce the environmental footprint of late-lactation cows. We hypothesized that the effects of CP feeding pattern on digestibility and environmental outputs would be amplified at lower dietary CP. We tested CP levels below and near predicted requirements (low protein [LP], 13.8%; high protein [HP], 15.5%) offered in 2 feeding patterns: where diets alternated ±1.8 percentage units CP every 2 d (oscillating [OF]) or remained static. Our study used a 2 × 2 factorial design with 16 mid- to late-lactation Holsteins (mean = 128, SD = 12 DIM), divided into rumen-cannulated (n = 8) and noncannulated subsets (n = 8). For each 28-d experimental period, we recorded feed intake and milk production and took samples of orts (1×/d) and milk (2×/d) for 4 d. For the cannulated subset, we measured and sampled from the total mass of feces and urine production and collected plasma 2×/d across 4 d. For the noncannulated subset, we sampled carbon dioxide and methane emissions 3×/d for 4 d. For each subset, we fit linear mixed models with fixed effects for CP level, CP feeding pattern, the interaction of CP level and CP feeding pattern, period, and a random effect for cow. For plasma and urinary urea-N, we conducted time series analysis. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no evidence that dietary CP level and CP feeding pattern interacted to influence N balance, nutrient digestibility, or gas emissions. Results showed HP resulted in similar milk N but increased manure N, reducing N use efficiency (milk true protein N/intake N) relative to LP. For OF, urea-N in urine and plasma peaked 46 to 52 h after the first higher-CP phase feeding. Nutrient digestibility and gas emissions were similar across treatments, except CO2 production was greater for OF-HP. In summary, measured variables were minimally affected by dietary CP alternating ±1.8 percentage units every 48 h, even when average dietary CP was fed below predicted requirements (LP). Although our findings suggest that mid- to late-lactation cows are resilient to oscillation in dietary CP, oscillating CP neither reduced the environmental footprint by improving nutrient use efficiencies nor reduced the potential for direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.

Effect of Breast Milk Feeding on Retinopathy of Prematurity in Neonates Less than 1800 Grams: A Cohort

Introduction Human milk has many antioxidants like Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), inositol, and vitamin E that combat oxidative stress deregulating VEGF which is implicated in the pathogenesis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Thus, it is biologically plausible that human milk is protective towards ROP. Aim and objective The study aimed to find the association between ROP and breast milk feeding. Methodology The prospective cohort study was carried out for 18 months at the Newborn unit, SJH. In our study, mothers were asked to maintain a feeding diary (type of milk fed) and history was taken from the mother regularly. Each neonate was later assigned a feeding category including exclusively breast milk fed, more than 50% breast milk fed, more than 50% top milk-fed, and exclusively top milk fed. At four weeks of age, all these neonates were called to undergo screening for ROP. In the case of immature retina, neonates were followed up for repeat fundus exams and results were included in the study. Result A study on 521 neonates between birth weight of 1–1.8 kgs found that predominant breast milk feeding reduces the chance of any stage ROP (needing repeat screening or intervention). The total incidence of any stage ROP in this study was noted to be 16.2% where 4.1% of total neonates from the predominantly breastfed group as compared to 37.8% from the predominantly top-fed group developed any stage ROP. Conclusion Breast milk feeding has a significant benefit in reducing any stage ROP and ROP needing intervention, thus it has the potential to prevent a significant cause of childhood blindness. What is already known – Breast milk feeding may be protective towards ROP What the study adds – Breast milk feeding is independently protective towards ROP

Stress indicators in dairy cows adapting to virtual fencing.

Virtual fencing (VF) enables livestock grazing without physical fences by conditioning animals to a virtual boundary delimited with an audio tone (AT) and an electric pulse (EP). The present study followed the adaptation process of lactating dairy cows to a VF system with changing virtual boundaries and investigated its impact on animal welfare. Twenty cows were divided into stratified groups (2× VF; 2× electric fencing, EF) of five individuals. Each group grazed half-days in a separate EF paddock of comparable size during 3d of acclimation (P0), followed by 21, 14, 14, and 7d of experimental treatment (P1 to P4). At the start of the trial, all cows were equipped with an IceQube pedometer (Peacock Technology Ltd, Stirling, UK) and a VF collar (Nofence AS, Batnfjordsøra, Norway). During P0, cows were accustomed to their first paddock with a deactivated virtual boundary and wearing the sensors. In P1 to P4, an active virtual boundary for the VF groups, and a second EF for the EF groups was set up parallel to an outer EF within their paddock. Throughout the trial, the sensors continuously tracked cow positions and activity behavior at 15-min intervals. From P1 onwards, the VF collars additionally recorded each AT and EP per cow with a georeferenced time stamp. During P0 to P4, daily feed intake, body weight, and milk yield were recorded in the barn. A total of 26 milk samples were collected per cow to determine milk cortisol levels. Behavioral observations were conducted for 2h on day 23 to record agonistic behaviors, vocalizations, and excretions. The total number of stimuli per cow ranged from 37 to 225 ATs (mean ± SD: 1.9 ± 3.3 per day) and 3 to 11 EPs (mean ± SD: 0.1 ± 0.7 per day) throughout the trial. The maximum number of EPs per day was 8 for an individual cow and occurred once on D1. Mean EP/AT decreased by 55% during the first three half-days of grazing and with each paddock change from 0.2 EP/AT in week 1 to 0.03, 0.02, and 0 EP/AT in weeks 4, 6, and 8, respectively. Linear and generalized mixed effects models revealed that milk yield and cortisol, feed intake, body weight, and activity and lying behavior did not significantly differ between VF and EF groups. A higher number of agonistic behaviors were observed in the VF groups when the VF system was activated. However, due to the short observation periods only few contacts were observed in total. Overall, all cows adapted to the VF system without evidence of lasting adverse effects on animal welfare.

Feed handling practices, aflatoxin awareness and children's milk consumption in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia

Consumption of milk is linked to improved nutrient intake and reduced risk of child malnutrition in low and middle-income countries. However, these benefits are contingent on the safety and quality of the milk. Milk consumption may alleviate the widespread risk of malnutrition in rural Ethiopia, but milk-borne contaminants may also compromise child health. We aimed to: i) identify the types of dairy feeds used, their storage conditions, and potential risk of aflatoxin contamination; ii) assess stakeholders' knowledge about aflatoxin contamination along the value chain; and iii) assess parental practices on feeding milk to infants and young children.This qualitative study was conducted in the Sidama region, southern Ethiopia. In-depth interviews (n = 12) and key-informant interviews (n = 18) were conducted with actors along the dairy value chain. Focus-group discussions were conducted with farmers (9FGD/n = 129) and child caregivers (9FGD/n = 122). Study participants were selected to represent a rural-urban gradient, as well as low- and high- dairy cow holdings.We found that while animal-feed processors and their distribution agents had relatively good knowledge about aflatoxin, farmers and retailers did not. Feed storage conditions were poor. Many respondents linked moldy feeds to animal health but not to human health. Farmers' feed choice was influenced by cost, seasonality, and herd size. Small-holding farmers had limited access to commercial feed. Children's consumption of milk was limited to skim milk, as butter was extracted and sold for income. The high cost of dairy products also led some parents to dilute skim milk with water before feeding children, compromising the nutritional value and safety of the milk.Our findings underscore the need to address the gaps in aflatoxin and food safety knowledge, improve storage conditions, and ensure the availability of quality feed to increase the sector's productivity, but most importantly to protect consumers' health and well-being, especially infants and young children.

Performance and nutritional status of Holstein crossbred cows in a selected area of Bangladesh under the existing farming system

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the body weight (BW), milk yield, nutritional status, and profitability of moderate genetic (MG) and high genetic (HG) merit of Holstein crossbred (HC) cows in a tropical region under the existing farming system. Materials and Methods: Data was gathered from 204 nursing cows of MG (n = 99) and HG (n = 105) merit of HC cows throughout a year in the dairy zone Keraniganj, Bangladesh. HC cows of MG and HG merit contained 50.0%–67.7% and 75.0%–87.5% Holstein blood, respectively. Data on genetic merit, BW, lactation stage and number, daily milk yield, feed intake, feed, and milk price were documented. All variables were except genetic merit analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. Results: HC cows of MG and HG merit had 433 and 493 kg BW (p < 0.01), and daily produced 11.99 and 14.06 kg milk (p = 0.07) with having 0.99 and 1.15 feed efficiency (p = 0.06), respectively but dry matter intake did not vary (p > 0.05). HC cows of both genetic merit daily offered surplus metabolizable energy and digestible crude protein through roughage and concentrate than their requirement (p > 0.05). The milk production cost of both genetic merit HC cows was alike (p > 0.05), whereas almost two times more profit was obtained in HG merit HC compared to MG merit HC cows (p < 0.05). Conclusion: HC cows of HG merit showed superior potentiality of milk yield, profit, and feed efficiency, whereas MG merit HC cows revealed inferior feed efficiency and milk yield.

Effect of dietary Chinese herbal preparation on dry matter intake, milk yield and milk composition, serum biochemistry, hematological profile, and reproductive efficiency of Holstein dairy cows in early postpartum period.

The present study investigated the effects of various inclusion levels of dietary Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) preparation on feed consumption, milk yield and milk composition, serum biochemistry, hematological profile, and reproductive efficiency of Holstein dairy cows. A total of 117 lactating Holstein cows were randomly divided into four groups as control (n = 27; without CHM supplementation) and treatment groups CHM-0.5 (n = 31), CHM-0.75 (n = 29), and CHM-1 (n = 30) fed diet supplemented with 0.5, 0.75, and 1 kg/cow/d for 30 days, respectively. The study began at d 20 postpartum (d 0 of the study). At d 50 postpartum, the cows in all groups were subjected to estrus synchronization using a modified Ovsynch protocol (GPGMH) and observed for reproductive variables. Feed intake, milk yield and milk composition, serum biochemistry and hematological profile, and reproductive efficiency were measured. A significantly higher milk yield with improved milk lactose, milk protein and milk fat were found in the CHM-0.75 group compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). Besides, the estrus response, ovulation rate, ovulatory follicle diameter, and pregnancy rate increased in CHM-0.75 compared to CHM-0 or CHM-0.5 group (p < 0.05). The serum metabolites (glucose, AST, arginine, BUN, and NO) showed variations among the treatment groups at different time points (synchronization, AI, or post-AI). In conclusion, CHM supplementation improves the milk yield, milk composition, and serum metabolites in dairy cows. Daily supplementation of 0.75 kg CHM before the GPGMH protocol application enhances the reproductive traits in dairy cows under summer conditions.

Sisvan food intake markers from six to 23 months: critical analysis and validation.

To explore the internal structure and analyze evidence of measurement invariance of the Sisvan form of food intake markers of the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (Sisvan) for children aged six to 23 months. Sisvan microdata from 2015 to 2019 were used. After analyzing sample adequacy, exploratory factor analysis was carried out considering factor loadings (≥ 0.30 and < 0.85), communality (> 0.20), model fit indices - Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) > 0.90, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) < 0.08. A critical analysis of the form items was performed to adjust the parameters. Measurement stability was investigated between age groups, macro-regions and longitudinally by multi-group confirmatory factor analysis in configural, metric, and scalar invariance models. Configural invariance was accepted if RMSEA < 0.08 and TLI and comparative fit index (CFI) > 0.90. Metric and scalar invariances were accepted if ΔRMSEA < 0.015 and ΔCFI < 0.01, compared to the previous model. After critical analysis, items were grouped (vegetables and leafy greens; meat or eggs and liver) and excluded (salty food; porridge with milk; rice, potatoes, yams, cassava, flour, or pasta). The exploratory model comprised three factors: healthy complementary feeding (fruit; vegetables; orange or dark green leafy vegetables or fruits; meat, offal, or egg; beans), ultra-processed (yogurt; hamburger and/or sausages; sweetened drinks; instant noodles, packet snacks, or salty cookies; sandwich cookies, sweets, or treats), and milk feeding (breast milk; other milk), with satisfactory factor loadings, communalities and fit (TLI: 0.918, RMSEA: 0.071). The reformulated instrument was stable in the invariance models tested. With the incorporation of the modifications to the Sisvan form, the food intake markers subsidize a more adequate interpretation of the feeding situation of children aged six to 23 months.

Digital Combatant: Harassing Cutting-Edge Technologies Toward Combat Climate Variability Obstacles in Diverse Domains of Real-Life

Many fields face grave threats because of climate change. Consider agriculture, where variability in the climate has an impact on the soil, crop productivity, and accessibility to water. Moreover, this phenomenon threatens livestock due to the effects on livestock and milk production, biodiversity, livestock illnesses, water availability, feed crop and forage quality, and breeding of animals. Accordingly, the variability of climate threatens the sustainability and resilience of resources. Hence, several adaptation strategies are embraced through global conferences. As well as minimizing greenhouse gas emissions which are a direct result of the agricultural sectors' contributions to greenhouse gases by altering land-use management strategies. Concurrently, livestock farming is responsible for 14.5% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, which exacerbates climate change. Likewise, vehicle exhaust and pollutants. On the other hand, new and cutting-edge technologies are leveraging to mitigate and adapt the climate change through various studies. For instance, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and drones can play a significant role in combating climate change. This technology offers a cost-effective and efficient way to monitor and track the impacts of climate change, particularly in relation to forest degradation and deforestation. Moreover, drones are also being used in the process of reforestation. Finally, the objective of this study represents in showcases the role of UAVs in climate variability to combat the climate’s obstacles. Hence, the evaluating of UAVs implications in climate change is crucial process. Finally, MCDM techniques are main contributors in this process where stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and the multi-objective optimization on the basis of ratio analysis (MOORA) are used as techniques of MCDM. These techniques have been bolstered in an ambiguity environment by neutrosophic theory.

Effects of nanoselenium on the performance, blood indices, and milk metabolites of dairy cows during the peak lactation period.

To compare the impact of nanoselenium and sodium selenite on the performance, blood indices, and milk metabolites of dairy cows during the peak lactation period, two groups of dairy cows under the same conditions were selected as the control group (CON group) and treatment group (NSe group) for a 38-day (10 days for adaptation and 28 days for sampling) experiment. The control group (CON) was provided a basal diet +3.3 g/d of sodium selenite (purity1%), whereas the nanoselenium group (NSe) was offered the same diet +10 mL/d of nanoselenium (selenium concentration 1,500 mg/L). The results showed that NSe significantly increased the milk yield, milk selenium content, and feed efficiency (p < 0.05), but had no significant effect on other milk components (p > 0.05). NSe significantly increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p < 0.05), but had no significant effects on malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), blood total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), or blood selenium (p > 0.05). In addition, the nontargeted metabolomics of the milk was determined by LC-MS technology, and the differentially abundant metabolites and their enrichment pathways were screened. According to these findings, NSe considerably increased the contents of cetylmannoside, undecylenoic acid, 3-hydroxypentadecanoic acid, 16-hydroxypentadecanoic acid, threonic acid, etc., but decreased the contents of galactaric acid, mesaconic acid, CDP-glucose etc. Furthermore, the enriched metabolic pathways that were screened with an impact value greater than 0.1 included metabolism of niacin and niacinamide, pyruvate, citrate cycle, riboflavin, glycerophospholipid, butanoate and tyrosine. Pearson correlation analysis also revealed a relationship between different milk metabolites and blood selenium, as well as between milk selenium and blood biochemical indices. In conclusion, compared with sodium selenite, nanoselenium improves the milk yield, feed efficiency, and milk selenium content of dairy cows and regulates milk metabolites and related metabolic pathways in Holstein dairy cows during the peak lactation period, which has certain application prospects in dairy production.

Recent aflatoxin levels in maize, feed mixtures, milk and cheese in Serbia

Aflatoxins are the most widespread mycotoxins primar?ly produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus such as A. flavus and A. parasiticus, infecting grains during storage, spices, nuts, milk and animal feed. Even in low concentrations, they are highly toxic. Major forms of aflatoxins include B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1. Mammals that ingest AFB1 contaminated food eliminate amounts of the main hepatic metabolite known as milk toxin or aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) via milk. The incidence of contamination of aflatoxin in maize, feed mixtures, milk and cheese samples collected from Serbian producers was investigated by using the competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. In this study, a total of 22 samples of maize, 25 samples of feed mixtures, 284 samples of raw, pasteurised and UHT milk and 20 samples of cheese were examined in 2021. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was quantified in 3 samples (13.6%) of maize, at levels ranging from 2.45?g/kg to 48.31?g/kg and 12 samples (48%) of feed mixtures at levels ranging from 2.04 ?g/kg to 21.48 ?g/kg. On the other hand, AFM1 was quantified in 51 samples (17.90%) of milk at levels ranging 0.02 ?g/kg to 0.26 ?g/kg and 15 samples (75%) of cheese at levels ranging from 0.15 ?g/kg to 0.46 ?g/kg. In the Republic of Serbia, maximum limit of AFB1 in maize used for livestock is 30 ?g/kg and for feed mixtures for dairy cows is 5 ?g/kg. On the other hand, maximum limit of AFM1 in milk is 0.25 ?g/kg. Maximum limit of AFM1 in cheese is not set. These results suggest the obvious presence of AFB1 in maize and the fact that number of feed mixture, milk and cheese samples contaminated with aflatoxins is not negligible. The occurence of aflatoxins in raw milk and comercially available milk is one of the most serious problems, as milk is a key source of nutrients for infants and young children. There?fore, continuous monitoring over milk is necessary as well as further research and risk analysis on AFM1 presence in cheese.

Баланс азота у ремонтных телок при разных схемах выпойки цельного молока в раннем возрасте

In a study conducted on replacement heifers (111–116 days), nitrogen balance was studied when different whole milk feeding schemes were used at their early age. According to the results of the experiment, it was found that that a decrease in the milk norm established on the farm of 375 liters did not subsequently lead to significant changes in the nitrogen balance and the dynamics of growth and development of replacement heifers. At the same time, the greatest efficiency of using nitrogen taken with feed was noted in the experimental group of heifers that received 345 liters of whole milk. With an additional reduction in milk drinking rates to 285 liters, an increase in the average daily feed consumption was detected in the experimental animals.

Modernization of calf rearing technology elements in cattle breeding

The purpose of the research is to establish the timing of technological operations when feeding hay into feeders of different designs and the growth characteristics of calves with different growing technologies during the dairy period. On the 3rd day after birth, a control and experimental group of bull calves of the Simmental breed of 15 heads each were formed. Before reaching the age of 7 months, the calves of the control group were raised according to the technology adopted on the farm using manual milk feeding and hay consumption from a common feeder together with adult livestock. The eponymous peers of the experimental group were raised under nursing cows with full suction, rolled hay was fed to them in a coarse feed feeder designed for all age and gender groups of cattle, which was located in a common paddock with limited access to adult livestock (patent for invention RU 2810529 C1, 12/27/2023). The experimental groups of calves were provided with the same amount of coarse feed. The use of a new feeder ensured greater hay consumption than by individuals who consumed this feed from a feeder common to calves and adult animals with differences of 11.2 abs.%. Feeding hay from a common feeder meant filling it daily throughout the entire dairy period, which required 15 seconds of daily time, whereas according to the developed feeder – five times a day, the duration of each filling is on average 55 seconds, which indicates the obvious advantage of the new design. At the age of 7 months, the calves of the suckling group were superior in body weight (by 19.4 kg, P&gt;0.999) to their peers of the traditional (economic) cultivation technology adopted in dairy cattle breeding, which were fed coarse feed from a common feeder. The differences in profitability obtained between the compared groups of calves amounted to 10.2 abs.% and turned out to be in favor of the experimental group individuals, which confirms the effectiveness of the implemented solutions in the practice of raising calves.

Effects of starch content of calf starter on rumen properties and blood concentrations of metabolites and hormones in dairy calves under a high plane of milk feeding.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of calf starters with different starch content on rumen and blood properties in calves fed under a high plane of nutrition program. Twenty-seven Holstein calves (14 female, 13 male) were assigned to one of three starter treatment groups in a randomized block design: high-starch (41.8%) (n= 9), H; medium-starch (31.9%) (n= 9), M; low-starch (22.0%) (n= 9), L. Milk replacer on powder basis was fed up to 1.2kg/day as fed, gradually reduced from 6weeks of age; calves were weaned at 8weeks of age. Each starter (up to 3.5kg/day as fed) and chopped hay were provided ad libitum from 5days of age. Blood was collected from 4 to 13 weeks of age. Rumen fluid was collected at 6, 8, 10, and 13 weeks of age. Serum urea nitrogen concentration after weaning was the lowest in H. Plasma IGF-1 concentrations were higher in H than in L. Ruminal pH was not different, but the molar proportion of ruminal propionate was higher in H than in L throughout the study period. In summary, a high-starch starter may increase propionate production and microbial protein synthesis in the rumen, inducing higher plasma IGF-1 concentrations.

Effect of Feeding Milk Replacer on the Productive Performance of Buffalo Newborn Calves in District Peshawar, Pakistan

Effect of Feeding Milk Replacer on the Productive Performance of Buffalo Newborn Calves in District Peshawar, Pakistan

The Effect of Supplementing White Sweet Lupine Grain Meal (Lupinus albus L.) on Blood and Milk Metabolites, Milk Yield, and Quality of Dairy Cows in Ethiopia

Feed is the cornerstone of dairy production, serving as a crucial input for sustainable milk production. This trial aimed to investigate the effect of white sweet lupine grain meal inclusion on feed intake, blood and milk metabolites, milk yield, and quality. The experimental cows had a parity of 2±0.71 (mean ± SD), a daily milk yield of 12.72 ± 0.9, and an average body weight of 412.6 ± 21.5 kg. The varying proportions of treatment diets were: 75, 50, 25 and 0% (T1, T2, T3 and T4) treatment groups respectively. Data collected during the study were subjected to analysis of variance to determine significant differences. Cows fed diet T1 showed a better dry matter (10.39 kg/day), organic matter (7.31 kg/day), nitrogen (2.42 kg/day), and NDF intakes (3.75 kg/day) that had significant difference on (p&lt;0.05). When lupine inclusions dropped from 75 to 50 and even to 25%, the N digestibility decreased from 76.63, 70.66, and 65.6%, respectively, and the digestibility of N in all treatment diets significantly decreased (p &lt; 0.01). Once more, cows fed T1 diet had the highest (p&lt;0.01) plasma glucose concentration (116.81 mg/dl) among the four experimental groups. Cows fed T2 and T4 diets showed significant variation at (p&lt;0.05) in plasma glucose levels, with values of 108.7 and 110.16 mg/dl, respectively. Cows fed T1 had relatively lower plasma beta-Hydroxybutyric acid and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations (p&lt;0.05) than others, with mean values of 3.23 and 1.28 mg/dl respectively. The partial inclusion of white sweet lupine grain meal up to the level of 75% is highly suggested as a better alternative feed source.

Effect of chop length of grass silage harvested at two maturity stages, and of concentrate protein level, on feed intake and milk production in dairy cows

AbstractThis study in dairy cow feeding explored the effects of growth stage and chop length for grass‐clover silage, and of concentrate protein level, including the interactions of these three factors. The experiment was conducted with 48 Norwegian Red cows according to a cyclic change‐over design with four 4‐week experimental periods and eight dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Round bale silage from a mixed sward of timothy, meadow fescue, and red clover was harvested at two growth stages (H1, H2) and offered to dairy cows either unchopped with median particle length of 152 mm or chopped to 19 mm median particle length before feeding. A low protein (LP) concentrate containing 7% lignosulphonate treated soybean meal (SBM) and a high protein (HP) concentrate containing 12% solvent extracted SBM were compared. Silage was offered ad libitum and supplemented with 8 kg concentrate per day. Silage dry matter intake was 2.0 kg higher for H1 than H2 silage, which supported a higher yield of milk, energy‐corrected milk and the milk constituents, fat, protein, and lactose. All these measures of milk production, as well as feed energy efficiency and N use efficiency, increased when silage was fed chopped rather than unchopped. Lignosulphonate treated SBM spared N in the diet without milk yield reductions. For efficient milk production with high energy and N utilisation, we recommend chopping to 20 mm for timothy, meadow fescue, and clover silages harvested in late stem elongation or in reproductive growth stages.

Understanding Calf Behavioral Responses to Environmental Changes and Challenges: An Applied Update

In most of the artificial raising operations, the separation of dairy calves from their dams immediately after birth and reared under a variety of housing and feeding systems, expose them to different environmental challenges. The objective of this review article was to describe how environmental changes and challenges influence the health and behavior of young calves. Natural behavior, health, and welfare of the calves may be affected when they are reared indoors apart from their dams with another mate. Fresh perspectives on calf nourishment strategies (e.g., intensified vs. conventional milk feeding, and forage feeding) and housing (group or pair vs. individual) have been developed to assimilate the natural environment of calves. In recent years, based on scientific evidence a positive relationship between early-life calf health and later performance of dairy heifers has been indicated. Chronic exposure to stressors may lead to chronic inflammation, resulting in increased infectious disease and suppressed animal performance. Therefore, an effective diagnostic tool for the identification and prediction of the health status and welfare of calves would be to monitor the behavior of calves regularly on the farm. The main factors affecting the behavior of calves and their subsequent productivity are, nutrition and feeding programs, ambient temperatures, incidences of diseases as well as housing systems. Genetics can affect calf response to environmental alterations. In general, it alleviates stress and improves herd profitability and sustainability for producers and farmers by understanding the calves' behavior in response to environmental challenges.

Exclusive human milk feeding and prevalence of early adiposity rebound in ELBW infants: a retrospective cohort study

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of early adiposity rebound (EAR) and factors associated with its occurrence in a cohort of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW). We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study including ELBW infants followed-up for up to 10 years after discharge. EAR was defined as occurring before 5 years of age. A multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate maternal and perinatal variables independently associated with EAR. Out of 212 ELBW infants included in the analysis, 40.6% developed EAR and 21.5% showed it before 4 years of age. Only formula milk feeding at discharge was independently associated with a higher risk of EAR. The mean BMI of children with EAR was higher than that of children without EAR. Furthermore, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher in the EAR group than in the timely AR group. Conclusions: ELBW infants in our cohort developed EAR in a relatively high percentage of cases. In this already at-risk population, EAR may represent a further risk factor for an adverse metabolic outcome. Monitoring preterm infants’ growth within a long-term follow-up program and promoting and supporting human milk feeding is advisable.What is Known:• Preterm-born infants are at high risk for long-term adverse health outcomes, especially cardiovascular and metabolic.• The occurrence of early adiposity rebound (EAR) is associated with the risk of later obesity and metabolic syndrome.What is New:• The occurrence of EAR in ELBW infants may represent an additional risk factor for later adverse metabolic outcomes in an already vulnerable population.• Future preventive strategies should include a long-term follow-up and the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding.

Effects of heat stress on feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, and feed efficiency in dairy cows: A meta-analysis

Heat stress compromises dairy production by decreasing feed intake and milk yield, and it may also alter milk composition and feed efficiency. However, little information is available for evaluating such effects across different levels of heat stress and cows enrolled in heat stress studies. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of heat stress on dry matter intake (DMI), energy-corrected milk (ECM), milk composition, and feed efficiency (kg ECM/kg DMI) and to investigate the relationship between such effects and heat stress intervention and animal characteristics by using meta-analytical approaches. Data from 31 studies (34 trials) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were used for analysis. Results showed that heat stress decreased DMI, ECM, and milk protein concentration, but did not alter milk fat concentration or feed efficiency. Meta-regression confirmed that such reductions in DMI and ECM were significantly associated with increasing temperature-humidity index (THI). Over the period of heat stress, for each unit increase in THI, DMI and ECM decreased by 4.13% and 3.25%, respectively, in mid-lactation cows. Regression models further revealed the existence of a strong interaction between THI and lactation stage, which partially explained the large heterogeneity in effect sizes of DMI and ECM. The results indicated a need for more research on the relationship between the effect of heat stress and animal characteristics. This study calls for the implementation of mitigation strategies in heat-stressed herds due to the substantial decrease in productivity.