The field of animal production, especially dairy cattle projects, has witnessed remarkable development in the use of modern natural and safe alternatives to improve animal health and productive efficiency. Among the most important of these alternatives are plant feed additives (phytobiotics) and feed enzymes due to their ability to improve digestion and increase feed utilization efficiency without relying on traditional methods of adding antibiotics. Enzymes play a vital role in improving digestion, especially fiber digestion, and stimulate rumen microbial activity, which leads to enhanced energy production, improved feed conversion efficiency, and increased milk production. In addition, they reduce nutrient losses and prevent some digestive problems and acidosis, making them an important additive in high-producing dairy cow rations. Plant additives (phytobiotics) enhance health and immunity due to their content of essential oils and phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants. Recent studies have shown that plant additives enhance milk production, improve rumen microbial balance, act as anti-inflammatory agents, and reduce rumen gas emissions (methane). Although antibiotics act rapidly compared to plant additives, they cause major digestive disturbances, bacterial resistance, and chemical residues in meat and milk at undesirable concentrations. Meanwhile, plant additives provide a good and safe alternative that sustainably enhances productivity and animal health without environmental or health risks, making them the globally preferred alternative in modern animal production systems. Therefore, the inclusion of phytobiotics with enzymes achieves advanced management strategies to enhance the health and productivity efficiency of dairy cows, thus achieving a balance between biosecurity and economic efficiency. This approach aligns with food safety management systems and directs progress toward more effective and sustainable feeding systems.

In the present study, a total of 480 milk and milk product samples comprising 220 raw milk, 80 pasteurized milk, 60 ice-cream, 60 lassi, 30 butter and 30 paneer collected from dairy farms, milk vendors and dairy shops and analyzed to assess bacteriological quality in relation to Standard Plate Count (SPC) and coliform count. In raw milk (n=220), SPC ranged from 4.47 to 7 log₁₀ cfu/ml with a mean of 6.06±0.03. Only 48.6% samples complied with FSSAI standards, while 51.4% exceeded permissible limits. Coliform contamination was high, with 85% samples showed counts >10/ml (mean 2.99±0.10 log₁₀ cfu/ml), indicating poor hygienic practices during production and handling. In pasteurized milk (n=80), SPC ranged from 2.47 to 5.44 log₁₀ cfu/ml with a mean of 4.30±0.03; 11.2% samples failed to meet standards. However, 95% samples were satisfactory for coliform count (

Automatic milking systems (AMS) are increasingly used in dairy farming for their benefits to farmers (e.g., increased milk production, saving labor, positive lifestyle changes) and cows (e.g., voluntary milking). Providing cows choice over when to be milked allows for a form of behavioral freedom (i.e., agency) within an environment where control may otherwise be limited. Our narrative review critically explores how cows interact with AMS, including the timing and frequency of accessing the milking unit. We describe how external system-based factors can affect access to the AMS. For example, we note that "voluntary" milking still requires cows to be milked at regular intervals, typically incentivized through rewards such as feed. Within this constraint, free-flow systems (in contrast to forced-flow systems) provide animals with greater control over the milking process and other activities. However, feed reward predictability tends to be lower in free-flow systems compared with forced-flow systems, as too-frequent AMS entries are unrewarded. We also describe how characteristics of the individual cow affect access to the AMS, including the positive effects of prior experience with milking robots (e.g., multiparous cows, AMS training), higher social status, personality, and motivation to obtain AMS-associated rewards. Animals lacking these characteristics, such as primiparous or lower-ranking individuals, may be more susceptible to barriers restricting access to the AMS. We conclude that AMS can increase agency over the milking process, but design characteristics aimed at enhancing labor efficiency and milk production constrain agency. Moreover, the degree of control over the milking process is limited by characteristics of the cow. New research is required to understand how AMS can be managed to better accommodate individual differences and enhance animal agency.

The dairy sector plays a pivotal role in agricultural growth and rural livelihoods in Karnataka, supported by cooperative institutions and sustained public investment. Despite substantial growth in milk production and institutional capacity, the extent to which this expansion has translated into tangible socio-economic benefits for dairy farmers remains insufficiently examined. Existing research predominantly addresses aggregate growth patterns or programme-specific outcomes, offering limited integrated evidence linking sectoral growth with farmer welfare at the regional level. This study examines dairy sector growth in Karnataka and evaluates the socio-economic impact of public support programmes with special reference to Mysuru district. Using secondary data on production trends and primary survey data from 385 dairy farmers, the analysis employs descriptive statistics, growth measures, welfare indices, and inferential techniques. The findings reveal that public interventions have significantly contributed to productivity enhancement, income stability, and asset formation among dairy farmers, although benefits are uneven across farmer categories due to institutional and access-related constraints. By integrating macro-level growth analysis with micro-level welfare assessment in a district-specific context, the study provides policy-relevant insights for promoting inclusive and welfare-oriented dairy development.

Sorghum, a drought-tolerant crop, may serve as a promising forage alternative to corn in water-scarce regions. The study objective was to assess the effect of replacing conventional (nonbrown midrib) corn silage (CCS) with brown midrib male-sterile sorghum silage (BMR-MS-SS) at replacement rates of 0% (control), 25% (25%-BMR-MS-SS), and 50% (50%-BMR-MS-SS) on apparent total-tract nutrient digestibility (TTD), DMI, and ECM production. Compared with the control, protein concentrates and grass hay were decreased and dry ground corn increased in 25%-BMR-MS-SS and 50%-BMR-MS-SS to maintain similar nutrient composition among diets. Dietary treatments were randomly assigned to 48 cows and a subsample of 30 cows was randomly selected for TTD measurements. The 50%-BMR-MS-SS diet had the lowest TTD of DM, CP, starch, ADF, and NDF, which may be partially explained by its increased DMI. Compared with the control, the DMI of 25%-BMR-MS-SS and 50%-BMR-MS-SS diets were 12.7% and 11.4% greater, resulting in higher DMI as a percentage of BW, as well as increased milk and ECM yields. Dry matter intake and ECM were greater for cows fed 25%-BMR-MS-SS (26.6 and 44.4 kg/d) and 50%-BMR-MS-SS (26.3 and 43.7 kg/d) compared with the control cows (23.6 and 40.4 kg/d, respectively). We concluded that BMR-MS-SS can be a viable forage alternative to partially replace CCS in lactating dairy cow diets when diets are balanced for similar nutrient composition.

Microplastics contamination of milk and milk products in Bangladesh: Characterization, dietary exposure, and risk assessment

Breeding programs in dairy sheep (Ovis aries) have significantly increased milk production but have led to a decline in other functional aspects like reproductive efficiency. While including functional traits in these programs has mitigated this decline, enhancing productivity remains the main goal due to its importance for sector sustainability. The present study aims to assess changes in reproductive physiology resulting from increased productivity, particularly focusing on the structural and functional characteristics of sperm, occurred over the last 25 years, which are closely linked to male fertility. Ejaculates from 145 mature rams belonging to Manchega dairy sheep breed from 7 different generations, along 2 decades, were collected using an artificial vagina and cryopreserved. After thawing, fertility-related parameters such as sperm motility, viability, and apoptosis-like changes, acrosomal status, mitochondrial activity, and membrane fluidity were assessed at 0 h and 2 h of incubation at 37°C. A regression analysis was carried out in which the changes in each of the sperm parameters were explained based on the generation to which each animal belongs and the animal itself. The genetic trend of these parameters was estimated using the pedigree information of the breed and the BLUPF90 suite. In addition, we analyzed potential alterations in allele and genotypic frequencies of genes associated with the assessed sperm traits by analyzing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within or in proximity to these genes across generations. Our results indicate minimal generational changes in the assessed sperm structural and functional parameters, despite a general positive trend toward more recent generations. No changes in the genetic trends of the evaluated parameters have been observed. Likewise, there were no significant changes in the allele and genotypic frequencies of the markers associated with the genes of interest. The observed changes across sperm parameters were subtle but detectable. Our results indicate that environmental alterations during the cryopreservation process, specifically the duration of storage, seem to be responsible for the differences between generations, as there were no genetic changes due to selection for the trait "milk production."

Comparative yak and Simmental rumen microbiome-metabolome across lactation stages: Implications for milk nutritional superiority.

The demand for traditional dairy products in the form of ready to eat with extended shelf life has increased steadily, and to prepare them, minimum moisture has to be maintained by the application of different drying technologies. These technologies have some limitations and these can be overcome by application of foam-mat drying. This method has clear benefits, as it is capable of maintaining nutritional and sensory qualities, providing improved energy efficiency, and reducing costs. This paper covers the applications of foam mat drying in various dairy products, including yogurt, cheese, and whey powder. The challenges linked to foam stability and operational complexity need to be addressed for large scale implementation of foam mat drying.

Increasing productivity is one of the main mitigation strategies for the livestock sector, as it reduces emission intensities while delivering benefits for livelihoods and food security. However, reducing emission intensities does not necessarily result in net emissions reductions. Analyzing the evolution of the cattle sector over 15 years, we describe the relationship between increased productivity and GHG emissions, as mediated by animal numbers. Globally, productivity per animal and total production have increased and emission intensity has decreased. Without this reduction in emission intensities, emissions in 2020 would have been 24 % higher for dairy and 10 % for beef. However, global progress on net GHG mitigation from these sectors has not materialized, as animal numbers and total emissions have increased. These results hide significant heterogeneity, as the dairy sector of upper-middle countries, and both the dairy and beef sectors of high-income countries, have achieved net greenhouse gas mitigation while increasing total production by increasing productivity and reducing animal numbers. These cases demonstrate that it is possible to achieve net reductions in GHG emissions without reducing the production of animal source foods. However, in low-income countries, production growth is still driven by increases in animal numbers. International trade can play a role in reducing emissions: 95 % of dairy and 59 % of beef exports come from geographies that reduced their emissions intensities, but only 41 % of dairy and 9 % of beef exports come from countries that reduced their absolute emissions. Facilitating the transitions of the livestock sector towards reduced herd sizes and increased productivity is required for reducing the sector's emissions in line with ambitious climate stabilization targets like the ones set in the Paris Agreement. • Increased cattle productivity in the last 15 years resulted in the avoidance of 366 Mt CO 2 e in 2020. • However, as cattle numbers increased, global emissions from the sector still increased. • Many countries reduced emissions and increased production with fewer but more productive cattle. • Managing animal numbers, we can increase output and achieve net mitigation. • Addressing both simultaneously it is possible to achieve sustainable livestock development.

AFM1 binding by Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Enterococcus faecalis in human breast milk under different incubation conditions.

Use of different machine learning algorithms and their ability to predict organic matter digestibility in grass from constituent or spectral data

With rising household incomes and increasing health awareness, consumers are exhibiting a growing preference for quality food with safety attributes. However, the extent to which consumers value food safety and quality attributes and how relevant information influences their purchasing behaviour has not been widely evaluated, particularly in developing countries such as Nepal. This study aims to analyse the preferences, willingness to pay and relative importance of various safety and quality attributes for making choice decisions among Nepalese milk consumers. This study employed a discrete choice experiment, which involved 401 participants in Kathmandu. A multinomial logit model, random parameter logit model and latent class model were utilised to examine preference heterogeneity, focusing on five key attributes: place of production, good manufacturing practices labelling, fat content, packaging material and price. The results indicated that all five attributes were significant in informing participants' purchase decisions. Consumers demonstrated a marked preference for good manufacturing practices labelled milk, with a willingness to pay a 42.78% premium relative to conventional milk. Additionally, consumers expressed a positive valuation for domestically produced milk and milk packaged in plastic jars. We identified two distinct consumer segments, "Food safety-conscious consumers" and "Budget-conscious consumers". This study provides strong empirical evidence of the evolving preferences of Nepalese milk consumers towards food safety and quality attributes. In response to these evolving consumer demands, policymakers and dairy industry stakeholders should prioritise the production of milk that is safe, high in quality, and securely packaged, while also ensuring transparent and credible communication to build consumer trust.

The growing demand for plant-based functional beverages has encouraged the development of value-added oat milk products enriched with probiotics. However, direct incorporation of probiotic cultures may adversely affect sensory quality and stability. The present study aimed to evaluate the sensory characteristics of oat milk fortified with microencapsulated probiotic formulations prepared at different composition levels (T1-T20). Sensory attributes, including colour, taste, texture, flavour, appearance, and overall acceptability, were assessed using a nine-point hedonic scale, and statistical analysis was performed to determine significant differences among treatments (p ≤ 0.05). Results revealed that microencapsulation significantly influenced The organoleptic properties of oat milk. Sensory scores varied across treatments, with colour ranging from 5.9 to 8.5, taste from 5.3 to 8.2, texture from 5.8 to 8.5, flavour from 5.1 to 8.1, and appearance from 5.9 to 8.8. Among all formulations, treatments T13 and T18 demonstrated superior sensory performance, recording the highest overall acceptability scores (8.4 and 8.0, respectively). These treatments showed balanced flavour perception, improved mouthfeel, and enhanced visual appeal, suggesting optimal microcapsule incorporation. In contrast, formulations with comparatively higher encapsulating matrix concentration exhibited reduced sensory preference. The findings indicate that appropriate optimisation of microencapsulation parameters enables successful incorporation of probiotics into oat milk without compromising consumer acceptability. The study highlights the potential of microencapsulation technology in improving the sensory quality of plant-based functional beverages while maintaining product appeal.

Alkaline and acid extraction of an L-tryptophan–sunflower flour red colorant: Production, characterization, and utilization

Genetic evaluations are the cornerstone of modern dairy breeding programs, facilitating selection for traits of economic and environmental importance. The utility of any genetic evaluation is dependent on its ability to predict phenotypic performance in an independent population. This is of particular importance for traits that are not routinely measured on commercial farms, such as feed intake and efficiency. The objective of the present study was to characterize the performance of grazing dairy cows stratified on their EBV for energy intake. After edits, 14,451 net energy intake (NEI) records each with a corresponding live weight, BCS, and milk production record from 5,060 lactations on 2,521 cows were available; the cows were a mixture of Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, Montbéliarde, Norwegian Red, and crossbreds across 5 separate Irish research farms. These NEI records were divided into a calibration and a corresponding validation dataset using 2 validation scenarios: (1) validation by year of recording or (2) validation by farm. Cows in the validation populations were stratified, within experimental treatment by year, into 4 strata based on their within-breed EBV for NEI. Predicted marginal means were estimated using linear mixed models for a series of performance traits in each EBV stratum. Predicted marginal means for NEI increased progressively across strata of increasing EBV for NEI in both the validation-by-year of recording and validation-by-farm scenarios. In fact, for the validation-by-year scenario, cows ranked in the bottom 25% on genetic merit for NEI (i.e., genetic merit for lower NEI) consumed, on average, 1.0 unité fourragère du lait (UFL)/d less than cows in the top 25%; average NEI in the dataset was 17.2 UFL. Similarly, when based on the validation-by-farm scenario, cows ranked in the bottom 25% on genetic merit for NEI (i.e., genetic merit for lower NEI) consumed, on average, 0.5 UFL/d less than cows in the top 25%. Additionally, cows genetically predisposed to higher NEI produced more milk, were heavier, and produced more milk relative to their metabolic BW than their herd contemporaries genetically predisposed to consume less. When validated by farm, cows ranked in the top 25% on genetic merit for NEI produced 3% more milk (NEL) and weighed 9.2 kg more than cows in the bottom 25%; the mean NEL and mean live weight in the entire dataset was 9.8 UFL/d and 513 kg, respectively. The findings of the present study will help inform the potential of direct selection for feed intake to deliver phenotypic change in feed intake among grazing dairy cows.

Subacute ruminal acidosis, induced by high-concentrate diets, can trigger systemic inflammation and mastitis, a pathology linked to ruminal dysbiosis and disruption of the host's circadian rhythm. In this study, 32 mid-lactating Saanen goats (41.5 ± 1.79 kg BW) were randomly allocated to 4 treatment groups (n = 8/group): a low-concentrate diet (LC; 30:70 concentrate:forage ratio), a high-concentrate diet (HC; 70:30), and their respective counterparts supplemented with 200 mg/kg of DM thiamine (LCT and HCT). Results demonstrated that the HC diet decreased ruminal pH, induced microbial dysbiosis, and increased plasma LPS concentrations. This resulted in systemic and mammary inflammation, characterized by elevated cytokine expression and a significant decline in milk yield and quality. Thiamine supplementation in the high-concentrate diet (HCT group) effectively reversed these changes. It stabilized ruminal pH, modulated the microbiota by enriching beneficial taxa such as f_Ruminococcaceae, reduced inflammatory cytokine levels, and restored milk production. At the molecular level, goats receiving thiamine supplementation exhibited reduced activation of the NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways and higher expression of core clock proteins (CLOCK, BMAL1) in the mammary tissue. In conclusion, thiamine alleviates SARA-induced mastitis by stabilizing the rumen microbiota and mitigating inflammation, and these protective effects are associated with concurrent changes in the NF-κB/NLRP3/CLOCK signaling axis in the mammary gland.

During the transition period in dairy cows, the incidence of disease increases due to a negative energy balance affecting both the metabolic and immune health status. Limiting milk production at the beginning of lactation improves the metabolic status of cows. However, past strategies tested to achieve this reduction either negatively impacted milk yield for the rest of the lactation or were difficult to implement on large-scale dairy farms. This study evaluated the impact of a temporary reduction in metabolizable protein (MP) supply during the transition period on the rumen and milk microbiota and their metabolic composition. Treatment cows (n = 5) were fed 80% of their MP needs (80MP) from 14 d before calving to 14 d after calving, before being switched to a 100% MP diet (100MP) for an additional 14 d. Control cows (n = 6) were fed 100MP for the entire experiment. Samples of rumen content and milk were taken in the immediate Postpartum phase (PP) on d 2 and 7, as well as after dietary change in the experimental Recovery phase (RP) on d 21 and 28 postpartum. All samples were extracted for DNA and analyzed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing (Illumina NovaSeq). Milk samples were additionally analyzed for composition, and rumen fluid was analyzed for short-chain fatty acids and ammonia-N. Significant changes to the microbial composition were almost exclusively associated to effect of day of sampling, with the exception being the family Micrococcaceae, which was found to be differentially abundant in the 100MP compared with the 80% group in PP milk samples. This study used a metagenomics approach to understanding the impact of altered protein supply on rumen and milk microbiota, to better understand impacts on these separate ecosystems.

Hoof lesion detection remains a challenge in lameness management on dairy farms. Recent studies have proposed locomotion score (LS)-based thresholds using an autonomous camera system (AUTO), which generates BCS and LS. However, these thresholds have limited ability to distinguish affected cows. In the first phase, the primary objective was to develop and tune classification models optimized for the F0.5 scores, which emphasize positive predictive value (PPV) over sensitivity. In the second phase, which was a prospective, live implementation design, the primary objective was to evaluate the positive classifications generated by the top-performing approach identified in phase 1, with a secondary objective of comparing its PPV to that of the farm's existing passive surveillance approach, defined as on-farm identification of cows for hoof trimming independent of structured locomotion scoring. In phase 1, a total of 511 Holstein cows between 8 and 100 DIM with no typically treated hoof lesions and no more than one prior noninfectious lesion were enrolled from 2 sites. Cows were classified based on hoof trimming outcomes as typically treated (TT), which included hoof lesions typically requiring treatment (e.g., digital dermatitis, sole ulcer, white line disease), or as typically not treated (TNT), which included. Five machine learning algorithms incorporating AUTO BCS and LS, along with health and milk production data, were tuned and evaluated across multiple feature sets using cross-validation. For the on-farm evaluation, cows similar to the enrollment criteria were processed by the model, and those classified as positive were trimmed by the on-site hoof trimmer. The PPV was calculated against on-site hoof trimmer-reported nonhealthy outcomes and compared with PPV from cows flagged through passive surveillance using the same subset. During development, the top-performing model was a random forest model incorporating AUTO-derived BCS and LS features from the 14-d period before hoof trimming, selected based on the highest F0.5 score (59.1), with PPV values of 100% (95% CI: 100, 100) in training and 92.3% (95% CI: 76.4, 100) in testing. During live implementation, this random forest model yielded a lower PPV of 13.7% (22/187; 95% CI: 9.9-17). Meanwhile, passive surveillance yielded a greater PPV of 48.6% (34/70; 95% CI: 40-57.9). Both passive surveillance and random forest identified a total of 78 cows with an outcome at hoof trimming. Of these, 12.8% (10/78) were flagged by both random forest and passive surveillance, 39.7% (31/78) by the random forest model only, and 47.4% (37/78) by passive surveillance only. Although the random forest model demonstrated lower PPV than passive surveillance, each approach identified cows that were not detected by the other. Although the model resulted in potentially more unnecessary trims, it also flagged cows that would have otherwise gone undetected. These findings highlight the potential complementary value of the model for hoof lesion detection; however, increased unnecessary trims may raise costs or occupy trimming capacity, delaying treatment for cows requiring intervention.

<h2>Abstract</h2> Animal management and environmental conditions influence milk composition and processing properties. Seasonal calving systems are used in milk production to optimize costs and align milk supply with forage availability; however, the effects of concentrating calvings in fall and winter, compared with extended calving, on milk composition and heat coagulation time (HCT) have not been clearly defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether calving strategy affects milk composition and HCT in a pasture-based dairy system. Thirty New Zealand Holstein cows were assigned to 3 calving systems—extended (EXT: March – October, spanning fall-winter with calvings distributed across both seasons), winter-seasonal (WIN: June – August, concentrated in winter), and fall-seasonal (FALL: March – May, concentrated in fall)—with 10 cows per system, and monitored over one production year. Composite milk samples were collected in 4 seasonal windows (spring, summer, fall, and winter) and analyzed for composition (protein, casein, total solids, solids-not-fat, urea, citric acid, lactose, and titratable acidity) and heat stability, assessed both as HCT at native pH and as HCT–pH profiles after adjustment to target pH values from 6.5 to 7.0. No single compositional variable consistently explained the observed HCT patterns across calving systems and seasons. In pooled linear regression models, HCT was positively associated with grazed pasture in the diet and days in milk, and negatively associated with dry matter intake (DMI). These findings highlight the complexity of milk heat stability under pasture-based conditions and indicate that more detailed studies are needed to identify robust predictors of HCT.