Milk Weight Research Articles

Mortality From Coronavirus Disease 2019 Increases With Unsaturated Fat and May Be Reduced by Early Calcium and Albumin Supplementation

Mortality From Coronavirus Disease 2019 Increases With Unsaturated Fat and May Be Reduced by Early Calcium and Albumin Supplementation

PRODUCTIVE QUALITIES OF COWS OF DIFFERENT BREEDING GROUPS OF THE BUKOVINSKY FACTORY OF THE UKRAINIAN RED-AND-WHITE DAIRY BREED

The studies were conducted on the materials of the breeding record of the breeding plant of JSC "Mirne" of Chernivtsi region - the basic farm of the Bukovyna factory type of the Ukrainian red-speckled dairy breed. 360 cows were selected for analysis, based on live weight, yields, fat and protein content of milk, total milk fat and protein content.
 The intensification of dairy cattle breeding necessitates the systematic evaluation of animals in herds and populations on the basis of economically useful traits.
 Analysis of the productive qualities of the cows of the different breeding groups showed that, by live weight, milk yield, milk fat and protein content, the two-breed (II breeding group) animals were better than the three-breed (I breeding group). The difference for the first lactation was 11.2; 32.9; 1.5; 1.0 kg respectively. In cows with the second lactation, the pattern remained, the difference was 22.2; 395.8; 15.8; 13.1 kg respectively, and for the third lactation – 31.4; 124.3; 4.8; 4.2 kg. The fat and protein content of milk varied between 3.88–3.89% and 3.33–3.34%, respectively. It should be noted that in cows of both groups there was a decrease in milk milk yield with increasing number of lactations.An evaluation of the productive qualities of the first-born cows of the different lines showed that Marshall's first-borns were better in live weight, milk yield, milk fat and protein, although they were inferior to other lines in terms of fat and protein content. In the firstborn of the Hanover Red line, the estimated values were lower than in animals of other lines, in particular – by live weight by 11.4 kg, milk yield by 1115.2 kg, milk fat by 44.1 kg, milk protein by 37.2 kg (Chif line), by 5.4; 1336.5; 52.7; 45.2 kg (Starbuck line) and 14.7; 1465; 55.1; 48.3 kg (Marshall Line).The effectiveness of breeding for increasing dairy productivity of cows depends on the efficiency of selection and selection of animals, taking into account the phenotypic and genetic correlation between economically beneficial traits. It was found that the highest positive values of correlation coefficients were observed in the cows of the studied groups between milk yield and protein content in the context of all lactations – 1st breeding group (r = 0,12–0,25), 2 nd breeding group (r = 0.19–0.3). In the cows of the first breeding group for the first and second lactations revealed not high but positive correlation of milk yield with live weight (r = 0.33–0.49). In the cows of the second breeding group for the first and second lactation positive correlation with milk fat content was found.The first positive cows of different lines showed the highest positive values of the correlation coefficients between milking and protein content (r = 0.19–0.43). There was also a low positive correlation of milk yield with live weight in the firstborn of all evaluated lines (r = 0.03–0.09), as well as milk fat content in cows of Starbuck and Marshall lines.Conclusions. 1. By live weight, milk yield, milk fat and protein content, two-bovine cows of the Bukovyna factory type of Ukrainian red-speckled dairy breed were better than three-born. The fat and protein content of milk varied between 3.88–3.89% and 3.33–3.34%, respectively. In cows of both groups there was a decrease in milk yield with increasing number of lactations.2. By live weight, milk yield, milk fat and protein content, Marshall Line firsts were better, although they were inferior to other lines in terms of fat and protein content. In the firstborn of the Hanover Red line, the estimates were lower than in other line animals.3. The highest positive values of correlation coefficients were observed between milk yield and protein content in the context of all lactations in the cows of Bukovyna factory type of Ukrainian red-rippled dairy breed. In two breeds of cows for the first and second lactation revealed not high but positive correlation of milk yield with live weight, and in three breeds for the first and second lactation positive correlation of milk yield with fat content.

Technical note: Method for improving precision of in-parlor milk meters and adjusting milk weights for stall effects

Milk yield is a fundamental observation in most dairy experiments and is commonly determined using integrated milk meters that measure milk weight as the cow is being milked. These meters are heavily used in a harsh environment and often are not regularly calibrated, so calibration errors and mechanical problems may create artificial variation in milk weight data. Additionally, direct calibration by collection of milk in a bucket is difficult and imperfect because the use of the bucket may affect yield recorded by the milk meter. The objective of this work was to define a method to easily check parlor meter precision and adjust milk weight values for variation between individual stalls in a parlor. Because most cows are milked in a different stall at each milking, it has been proposed that stall deviations that represent the fixed effect of stall on milk weight could be statistically determined. Individual milk weights from 14 milkings across 7 d from approximately 200 cows were collected from the Penn State dairy farm, which is equipped with a double-10 herringbone parlor with an Afimilk 2000 milking system (S.A.E. Afikim, Afikim, Israel). Milk yield was measured automatically by in-line flow through milk meters (Afi 200; S.A.E. Afikim). The effect of stall on milk weight was modeled using a mixed model that included the fixed effect of stall and the random effects of day, milking time, and cow. First, stall deviations were calculated as the stall least squares means (LSM) minus the average LSM to identify malfunctioning meters requiring service (e.g., deviation exceeding 1 kg). A correction factor for each stall was then generated by dividing the LSM of each stall by the average LSM. Milk yields were then corrected by multiplying the meter weight value by the correction factor. To determine the effect of the correction, raw and corrected meter values were compared with weight of milk collected in a bucket (n = 3/stall). The corrected values had a 5% greater coefficient of determination than raw meter values (0.89 vs. 0.84) and had a lower average percent difference from the bucket milk weight compared with raw meter values (12.6% vs. 13.5%). The method was then used in 3 experiments with 121, 140, and 683 milk yield observations. In all data sets, correcting milk weights slightly improved model fit and had minimal effect on model term standard errors. However, this validation was completed in a parlor where the method was routinely used to identify stalls requiring service; the effect of stall corrections is expected to be larger in parlors without frequent monitoring. Stall deviations are expected to be due predominantly to calibration of the meter but also could be due to differences in pulsation or other stall-specific factors that result in a change in milk yield. It is important to account for these other sources of milk weight variation that are unrelated to treatment. Modeling the effect of stall is a simple, convenient, and low-cost method to monitor and improve milk meter precision and functionality and can be used to reduce artificial variation and experimental error.

Supplementation of brewer’s yeast slurry improves the performance of dairy cattle

Brewer's yeast slurry is the by-product of the beer processing industry which includes live cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is rich in high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals essential for the growth and well-being of animals. Moreover, Saccharomyces cerevisiae improves the growth of beneficial microflora in the rumen of ruminant animals. Sri Lanka is importing a large amount of milk and milk products to fulfill the demand of consumers. Lack of high-quality feed is one of the major concerns which hinders the dairy production in the country. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing brewer's yeast slurry on the performance of dairy cattle in large scale production. In this study, 120 lactating cows were selected and divided into two groups as control and treatment considering their production, breed, and stage of lactation. The complete study period was 77 days. In the first period, the treatment group was fed with brewer's yeast slurry for 32 days. In the second period, which included 26 days both treatment and control groups were not fed brewer's yeast slurry. In the third period, the treatment group was fed brewer's yeast slurry for 19 days. Milk samples were collected daily and milk weight, fat content and density were measured. According to the results, milk production was significantly higher in the treatment group. Furthermore, supplementation of brewer's yeast slurry has improved the total solids and fat content of the milk.

Prediction of 24-hour milk yield and composition in dairy cows from a single part-day yield and sample

Abstract The objective was to evaluate the accuracy of predicting 24-hour milk yield and composition from a single morning (AM) or evening (PM) milk weight and composition. A calibration dataset of 37,481 test-day records with both AM and PM yields and composition was used to generate the prediction equations; equations were validated using 4,644 test-day records. Prediction models were developed within stage of lactation and parity while accounting for the inter-milking time interval. The mean correlation between the predicted 24-hour yields and composition of milk, fat and protein and the respective actual values was 0.97 when based on just an AM milk yield and composition with a mean correlation of 0.95 when based on just a PM milk yield and composition. The regression of predicted 24-hour yield and composition on the respective actual values varied from 0.97 to 1.01 with the exception of 24-hour fat percentage predicted from a PM sample (1.06). A single AM sample is useful to predict 24-hour milk yield and composition when the milking interval is known.

PSIII-4 Preliminary exploration of relationship of automated sensor data with feed intake and efficiency in lactating dairy cattle

Abstract Feed costs represent the greatest expense on a dairy farm, making feed efficiency an important trait to consider among production traits. Current tools to measure feed intake have limited application in commercial settings, due to affordability and lack of portability of technologies. Therefore, development of automated sensor-based indicator traits for feed intake could prove to be valuable. The objective of the current study was to determine if automated eartag data was associated with feed intake. Activity and inner ear temperature were collected every 19 minutes utilizing Quantified Ag eartags (n = 48 lactating cows). Ear tags were placed 5 days prior to the start of the trial, with cows ranging from 67-192 days in milk (DIM). Daily feed intake, milk weights, milk components and body weight (BW) were also recorded. Data were analyzed using PROX GLIMMIX in SAS. Dry matter intake (DMI) was modeled including fixed effects for DIM, milk weight, component composition, metabolic body weight (BW0.75), eartag activity or temperature, as well as the random effects of parity and group. To identify informative timeframes with reduced influence of environmental noise, data were analyzed over 3-day rolling windows of time. Six windows were significantly associated with dry matter intake (P ≤ 0.05) when utilizing ear tag activity. Three windows of time of ear tag temperature were found to be significantly associated with DMI (P ≤ 0.05). These findings indicate that eartag sensor data may be useful indicators of feed intake; however, days in milk and season may impact the informativeness of sensor data. Additional studies are warranted to validate the efficacy of activity and ear temperature as indicators of feed intake and determine the impact of other variables on these potential sensor indicator traits over time.

Short-term efficacy of two breast pumps and impact on breastfeeding outcomes at 6 months in exclusively breastfeeding mothers: A randomised trial.

The provision of breast pumps is a potential strategy to increase breastfeeding duration. This trial compared the effectiveness and acceptability of two breast pumps in mothers exclusively breastfeeding (EBF) their healthy term infant. It also tested whether provision of pumps versus vouchers of equivalent value influenced breastfeeding or attainment of mothers' goals at 3 and 6months. Mothers were randomised at 3- to 4-week post-partum (Beijing [n=30], Moscow [n=34], London [n=45], New York [n=3]) to groups A (Philips single-electric pump, Natural bottle), B (Medela Swing single-electric pump, Calma bottle), or C (Control; vouchers). At 6weeks, group A and B mothers expressed for 10min/breast; milk weight and opinions of pump/bottle were recorded. Feeding practices were assessed using questionnaires at 3 and 6months. Milk weight/flow pattern did not differ between groups. Pump A scored significantly better for ease-of-use, cushion-feel, need-to-lean-forward, pleasant, comfort. At 3 and 6months, %EBF or meeting their goal was not significantly different; (3months: 86%, 85%, 84%; 6months: 20%, 15%, 26%; meeting goal 24%, 17%, 27% for A, B, and C). Expressed breast milk (EBM) provision was higher in groups A and B (3months: 76%, 76%, 24% (p<0.001); 6months: 83%, 87%, 32% (p<0.001); and negatively predicted EBF at 6months (OR no EBM 5.07, 95% CI [1.56, 16.5]). The pumps were equally effective for milk expression at 6weeks. Pump provision did not significantly influence breastfeeding practices or attainment of goals but resulted in higher EBM provision, which was associated with lower EBF but not other breastfeeding categories at 6months.

Effect of supplementary feeding of sheep ration pellets and sprouted Black-Eyed Beans (Vigna unguiculata) on milk intake and weight gain in suckling barbados blackbelly lambs

Eleven Barbados Blackbelly ewes and their 22 lambs were used to study the impact of supplementary feeding of sheep ration pellets and sprouted black-eyed beans on milk intake, and weight gain in suckling lambs during first 6 weeks of dam's lactation. The newborn lambs were separated from the dams 72 h after birth and randomly allotted to one of two groups. Lambs in Gr I were offered commercial sheep ration pellets (CSR), while lambs in Gr II, sprouted black-eyed beans (SBB) separately as creep feed from day 4 to day 42. Milk intake by suckling lambs from day 4 to 42 was obtained using a ‘weigh-suckle-weigh ’method. The average daily milk intake (ADMI), daily gain (ADG) and the ratio of ADMI: ADG for CSR and SBB were similar (P>0.05). The mean ADMI/ADG for CSR week 1–3 and SBB week 1–3 were 8.0±0.10 and 7.9±0.11, respectively and the corresponding values for CSR week 4–6 and SBB week 4–6 were 8.3±0.18 and 8.2±0.53. The ewes weighed 47.9±0.88 kg on day 2 and 45.0±0.93 kg on day 36 of lactation. The average milk yield (g/day/ewe) for the six weeks was 1009±32.1with a peak of 1151±91.8 in week 4. The estimated means for daily gain of lambs in week 1–3 and week 4–6, for the CSR and SBB groups were 62.71±0.80, 61.76±0.80, 63.85±0.80 and 65.15±0.80g, respectively. In conclusion, feeding sprouted black-eyed beans as creep feed during weeks 4 to 6 had advantage in promoting weight gain in milk fed lambs.

Developing a technology for making goat's cottage cheese using the preparation Yodkazeine

In recent years, there has been a deficit of several essential components, with the iodine deficiency of varying degree, from mild to severe, relating to the most common phenomena and is observed in 90 % of the Ukrainian population. Deficiency of iodine is the cause of many illnesses: disturbance of thyroid gland function, delayed mental and physical development of children, deafness, blurred vision, neurological cretinism. Therefore, one of the most important tasks in the food industry is to provide people with foods containing iodine in the required amount, and to expanding the range of iodine-containing products. To improve the quality of cottage cheese made from goat's milk and to enrich it with iodine, we have used the iodine-containing protein preparation Yodkazeine. It was established that the enrichment of milk with Yodkazeine in the amount of 0.01‒0.025 % by weight in the production of cottage cheese from goat's milk improves its quality. The application of the preparation, which includes a complex of organic iodine, associated with the protein, in the amount of 0.01 to 0.025 % by weight of milk in the production of experimental batches of product (E.1, E.2) helps increase the moisture-retaining capacity of the cheese. This property predetermines an increase in the mass proportion of moisture in the product by 0.87 and 2.37 %. That affects the reduction of the mass share of fat in cheese by 0.5 and 1.74 %, compared with the similar indicator in control. However, under the influence of the above-specified dosage of the preparation, there was an increase in the mass fraction of protein by 0.19 and 0.25 % and a reduction of the total amount of low molecular fatty acids, responsible for the manifestation of the taste and smell of goat's fat and sweat, by 0.18 and 0.31 %, respectively. It attests to the improvement of organoleptic indicators in the experimental batches of cottage cheese, enriched with the experimentally determined rational dosage of Yodkazeine, as well as its saturation with organic iodine

Behavioural and physiological responses to pest flies in pastured dairy cows treated with a natural repellent

The effects of reducing fly attack intensity, using an essential oil fly repellent, on fly avoidance behaviour, grazing, milk production and stress was evaluated. Twenty Holstein dairy cows on pasture were divided into two groups of 10, which were alternatively treated with the repellent, or left untreated, over a 9-wk period. Once a week, fly counts and observations of defensive behaviours (full and partial tail flick, skin twitch, head throw, leg stamp, lick side) were performed. Grazing, rumination time and milk weights were recorded and milk cortisol measured. Treated cows had lower fly densities than untreated ones. Treated cows had lower rates of tail flicks (2.73 vs. 5.15), skin twitches (0.96 vs. 3.53), head throws (0.06 vs. 0.53), and leg stamps (0.04 vs. 0.22) per min. Treated cows spent more time grazing (122.7 vs. 104.4 min), tended to spend less time ruminating (11.5 vs. 20.0 min) and travelled shorter distances on pasture (0.27 vs. 0.30 km) per 180-min period. There were no differences in milk yield or milk cortisol between treated and untreated cows. The treatment of cattle with repellent reduced pest fly presence and defensive behaviours, and increased grazing time.

Survival variability of 12 strains of Bacillus cereus yielded to spray drying of whole milk

The variability in spore survival during spray drying of 12 Bacillus cereus strains was evaluated. B. cereus spores were inoculated on whole milk (7.2 ± 0.2 log10 spores/g dry weight) and processed in a spray-dryer. Twelve independent experiments were carried out in triplicate. The spore count was determined before and after each drying process, based on the dry weight of whole milk and powdered milk. Then, the number of decimal reductions (γ) caused by the spray drying process was calculated. B. cereus strains presented γ values ranging from 1.0 to 4.7 log10 spores/g dry weight, with a high coefficient of variation (CV) of 46.1%. Cluster analysis allowed to group B. cereus as sensitive (strains 511, 512, 540, 432 and ATCC 14579), intermediate (strains B18, B63, and B86) and resistant strains (strains B3, B94, B51 and 436). Three strains (one of each group) were selected for further investigation and characterization of their physicochemical and molecular (proteomics) differences. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine physicochemical characteristics and glass transition temperature (Tg), respectively. No differences in signs among the three strains were found in spectra ranging from 900 to 4000 cm−1. The endothermic peak ranged between 54 and 130 °C for strain 540; between 81 and 163 °C for strain B63; and between 110 and 171 °C for strain 436. However, they showed different Tg: 88.82 °C for strain 540; 114.32 °C for strain B63; and 122.70 °C for strain 436. A total of eleven spots were identified by mass spectrometry, with the spore coat protein GerQ, sporulation protein YtfJ (GerW), and peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase being found in at least two strains. Altogether, the results suggested that the high survival variability of B. cereus spores to the spray drying process seems to be mainly associated with different Tg and protein content. The study highlights the importance of quantifying the effects of this unit operation over the target microorganisms. These data may be relevant for the development of effective measures aiming to control the occurrence of B. cereus in milk powder as well as to reduce spoilage or safety issues associated with the presence of this bacterium in foods, particularly those formulated with milk powder.

Maternal intake of milk and milk proteins is positively associated with birth weight: A prospective observational cohort study

A striking number of low birth weight (LBW) Indian babies are born annually. Previous studies have confirmed the positive association between milk intake and birth weight. However, the relations between protein and vitamin B12 from milk and birth weight have not been systematically explored. We examined the relations between birth weight and maternal intake of milk, protein from milk and vitamin B12 from milk. This prospective, observational cohort study was conducted in an urban South Indian hospital. The dietary intakes of milk and milk products were assessed using validated food frequency questionnaire and at delivery birth outcomes were measured. The relations between milk products, milk protein, and vitamin B12 from milk with birth weight and gestational weight gain were assessed in 2036 births with first trimester dietary and delivery data. Median consumption of milk products in the first trimester was 310g·day-1 and average birth weight was 2876g. Birth weight was positively associated with intake of milk products and of % protein from milk products (%milk protein) in the first trimester [β=86.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 29.1, 144.6; β=63.1, 95% CI: 10.8, 115.5; P<0.001 for both]. Intake of milk products and of %milk protein in the third trimester was positively associated with gestational weight gain (GWG) between the second and third trimester (One-way ANOVA, P<0.001 and=0.001, respectively). Neither birth weight nor GWG were associated with %vitamin B12 from milk products. These findings indicate that intake of milk products in the first trimester and especially, protein from milk products is positively associated with birth weight in this South Asian Indian population.

Effect of milk centrifugation and incorporation of high-heat-treated centrifugate on the composition, texture, and ripening characteristics of Maasdam cheese

This study investigated the effect of centrifugation (9,000 × g, 50°C, flow rate = 1,000 L/h), as well as the incorporation of high-heat-treated (HHT) centrifugate into cheese milk on the composition, texture, and ripening characteristics of Maasdam cheese. Neither centrifugation nor incorporation of HHT centrifugate into cheese milk had a pronounced effect on the compositional parameters of any experimental cheeses, except for moisture and moisture in nonfat substance (MNFS) levels. Incorporation of HHT centrifugate at a rate of 6 to 10% of the total milk weight into centrifuged milk increased the level of denatured whey protein in the cheese milk and also increased the level of MNFS in the resultant cheese compared with cheeses made from centrifuged milk and control cheeses; moreover, cheese made from centrifuged milk had ∼3% higher moisture content on average than control cheeses. Centrifugation of cheese milk reduced the somatic cell count by ∼95% relative to the somatic cell count in raw milk. Neither centrifugation nor incorporation of HHT centrifugate into cheese milk had a significant effect on age-related changes in pH, lactate content, and levels of primary and secondary proteolysis. However, the value for hardness was significantly lower for cheeses made from milk containing HHT centrifugate than for other experimental cheese types. Overall, centrifugation appeared to have little effect on composition, texture, and ripening characteristics of Maasdam cheese. However, care should be taken when incorporating HHT centrifugate into cheese milk, because such practices can influence the level of moisture, MNFS, and texture (particularly hardness) of resultant cheeses. Such differences may have the potential to influence subsequent eye development characteristic, although no definitive trends were observed in the present study and further research on this is recommended.

Use of a culture-independent on-farm algorithm to guide the use of selective dry-cow antibiotic therapy

An algorithm using only computer-based records to guide selective dry-cow therapy was evaluated at a New York State dairy farm via a randomized field trial. DairyComp 305 (Valley Ag Software, Tulare, CA) and Dairy Herd Improvement Association test-day data were used to identify cows as low risk (cows that might not benefit from dry-cow antibiotics) or high risk (cows that will likely benefit). Low-risk cows were those that had all of the following: somatic cell count (SCC) ≤200,000 cells/mL at last test, an average SCC ≤200,000 cells/mL over the last 3 tests, no signs of clinical mastitis at dry-off, and no more than 1 clinical mastitis event in the current lactation. Low-risk cows were randomly assigned to receive intramammary antibiotics and external teat sealant (ABXTS) or external teat sealant only (TS) at dry-off. Using pre-dry-off and postcalving quarter-level culture results, low-risk quarters were assessed for microbiological cure risk and new infection risk. Groups were also assessed for differences in first-test milk yield and linear scores, individual milk weights for the first 30 d, and culling and mastitis events before 30 d in milk. A total of 304 cows and 1,040 quarters in the ABXTS group and 307 cows and 1,058 quarters in the TS group were enrolled. Among cows to be dried, the proportion of cows that met low-risk criteria was 64% (n = 611/953). Of cultures eligible for bacteriological cure analysis (n = 171), 93% of ABXTS cured, whereas 88% of TS cured. Of the non-cures, 95% were contributed by the minor pathogens coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 19/20). These organisms also accounted for 57.5% of new infections (n = 77/134). We found no statistical differences between treatment groups for new infection risk (TS = 7.3% quarters experiencing new infections; ABXTS = 5.5%), milk production (ABXTS = 40.5 kg; TS = 41.2 kg), linear scores (ABXTS = 2.5; TS = 2.7), culling events (ABXTS, n = 18; TS, n = 15), or clinical mastitis events (ABXTS, n = 9; TS, n = 5). Results suggest that the algorithm used decreased dry-cow antibiotic use by approximately 60% without adversely affecting production or health outcomes.

Study of physical and electrical characteristics of skim milk

The present investigation was carried out to determine the various physical and electrical characteristics of skim milk with respect to density, specific weight and electrical conductivity. These physical characteristics were determined considering three levels of temperatures 25, 30 and 350C at intervals of 0, 1, 2 and 3 h. The highest values for density and specific weight of skim milk were observed as1032.32 kg/m3 and 10.13 kN/m3at 250C respectively and with respect to time it was observed 1030.99 kg/m3 and 10.12 kN/m3 at 3 h respectively. The highest electrical conductivity of skim milk was 5.62mS/cm at 350C and with respect to time it was observed 5.54mS/cm at 3 h. There is not much appreciable effect of variation on physical and electrical characteristics with respect to time, whereas the temperature had shown significant effect(P less than 0.05) on physical characteristics of skim milk. The data generated in the present investigation can be utilized as guidelines for designing of skim milk based processing systems like evaporated plant and skim milk spray drying plant etc.

A randomized controlled trial on the effect of incomplete milking during the first 5 days in milk on culling hazard and on milk production and composition of dairy cows

An incomplete milking in early lactation could help limit negative energy balance in dairy cattle, but its potential effects on culling hazard and on milk production and composition throughout the entire lactation are unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an incomplete milking during the first 5 d in milk on culling hazard, milk weight, milk fat and protein concentrations, and energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield during the whole lactation. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 13 dairy farms near St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. Approximately 1 mo before expected calving, Holstein multiparous cows calving between December 2013 and March 2015 (n = 846 cow lactations) were randomly assigned to a control or a treatment group. Cows in the control group were milked conventionally, whereas cows in the treatment group were submitted to an incomplete milking protocol (maximum of 10, 12, and 14 L/d of milk was collected on days in milk 1-3, 4, and 5, respectively). All farms were registered on Dairy Herd Improvement Association, which was used to obtain records on culling, monthly milk yield, and milk fat and protein concentrations. In addition, daily milk yield records were available for 6 farms. A Cox proportional hazards model with a herd frailty term was fitted to the data to compare culling hazard among treatment groups. Regarding milk production and composition, 4 linear mixed models with herd as a fixed effect, cow as a random effect, and using an autoregressive covariance structure were used to study the effect of the incomplete milking on (1) milk weight, (2) milk fat concentration, (3) milk protein concentration, and (4) ECM yield. Culling hazard did not differ among treatment groups (hazard ratio = 1.0; 95% CI = 0.82, 1.3). We observed no differences in milk weight, milk fat, or protein concentration among treatment groups between weeks in milk (WIM) 2 and 44 (the studied period). We noted a difference in ECM between treatment groups for WIM 38, with incompletely milked cows producing less milk than conventionally milked cows (-2.7 kg/d; 95% CI = -0.02, -5.2 kg/d), but no differences were found for any of the other WIM. These results suggest that this strategy for controlling the negative energy balance has negligible effect on cow productivity.

An exertion of enhance milk yield of native Pabna cattle through using different types of calcium salt of fatty acid

Keeping consideration on increasing quality milk production through addition of conventional fat, an experiment accords CRD design was conducted at Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka for a period of 30 days including 5 days of digestibility trial. Twenty lactating Pabna cattle of average 250.1 ± 13.64 kg (Bos indicus) of initial body weight with average milk yield of 2.88 ± 0.38 kg were selected and divided into four groups randomly having five cows in each. The imposed treatments were T0, T1, T2, and T3; in where To= German grass + Concentrate mixture without Ca salt of fatty acid + 2.5 % DCP, T1= German grass + Concentrate mixture + 2.5 % soybean based Ca salt of fatty acid, T2= German grass + Concentrate mixture + 2.5 % mustard based Ca salt of fatty acid and T3= German grass + Concentrate mixture + 2.5% palm-oil based Ca salt of fatty acid. The result showed that, calcium salt of fatty acid influenced to increase of milk yield significantly among (P&lt;0.001) the treatments; in where highest yield gained in T1 (3.53 kg d-1) followed by T2, T0 and T3 (3.33, 2.44 and 2.24, respectively). Besides this, all other parameters analytically examined in this experiment i.e. intake, apparent digestibility, gained body weight and chemical composition of milk showed non-significant difference among the treatments. From the analytical value and discussion, it may be suggested that, calcium salt of fatty acid formulated from soybean oil or mustard oil could be used for enhancing better quality milk yield.SAARC J. Agri., 15(2): 137-146 (2017)

Time Series Analysis for Shortened Labor Mean Interval of Dairy Cattle with the Data of BCS, RFS, Weight, Amount of Milk and Outlook

MTime series analysis for shortened labor mean interval of dairy cattle with the data of Body Condition Score (BCS), Rumen Fill Score (RFS), Weight, Amount of Milk and Outlook is conducted. Method for shortened the labor mean internal of Japanese dairy cattle based on time-series analysis with the data of visual index of BCS, RFS, Weight, Amount of Milk and Outlook is proposed. In order to shortened the labor mean interval of dairy cattle is the purpose of the research. Through the experiments with 17 Japanese dairy cattle of the 17 Japanese anestrus Holstein dairy cattle, it is found that the combination of weight, BCS and amount of milk is a good indicator for identification of productive cattle. Therefore, the cattle which need hormone treatments can be identified.

Lesions in the Skin of Cattle Associated to Hairy Vetch Consumption (Vicia villosa)

Background: Hairy vetch (Vicia spp.) is a high-protein source forage to cattle. The poisoning is clinically characterized by a systemic granulomatous disease, which causes dermatitis, diarrhea, decreased milk production and weight loss. The specie of hairy vetch related to systemic granulomatous disease in cattle is Vicia villosa. This work aims to describe the epidemiological, clinical, gross, microscopic and immunohistochemistry features of the skin lesions caused by the consumption of V. villosa in cattle affected by the systemic granulomatous disease.Materials, Methods &amp; Results: A retrospective study of necropsy and biopsy exams performed between the period of 2005-2016 aiming for cattle with systemic granulomatous disease after consumption of hairy vetch was carried out in the archives of the Setor de Patologia Veterinária from the UFRGS. Epidemiological data included the sex, age, and breed of the animals affected. Gross and microscopical lesions, in addition to the immunohistochemistry anti-T lymphocytes (CD3), anti-B lymphocytes (CD79a), and anti-macrophages (CD68) features, were evaluated. The histological lesions and immunohistochemistry staining were quantified in mild (+), moderate (++), and severe (+++). The diagnosis of systemic granulomatous disease with skin lesions after consumption of Vicia villosa was observed in eight cattle. All animals were females, with 5-8 year-old (average 6.6 years), Holstein Friesian cattle (7) and Jersey (1) breeds. These cattle had a clinical history of severe pruritus, anorexia, apathy, decreased milk production, weight loss, and hyperthermia. Grossly, lesions were characterized by alopecia (8/8), crusts (7/8), lichenification and seborrhea (2/8), and exudative lesions (2/8), and involved the head (7/8), limbs (5/8), neck (4/8), trunk (4/8), perineum area (3/8), udder (3/8), and tail (3/8). Histology revealed a mild to moderate inflammatory infiltrate (7/7), composed by lymphocytes (7/7), macrophages (7/7), occasional eosinophils, and rare multinucleated giant cells (1/7). It was also classified in mild to severe perivascular dermatitis (7/7), mild to moderate perifolliculitis (4/7), superficial dermatitis (3/7), moderate to severe mural folliculitis (2/7), and hidradenitis (1/7). Another findings were moderate apocrine sweat gland ectasia, mild to moderate orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis, mild to moderate spongiosis, mild to moderate acanthosis, mild to severe serocellular crusts, mild pigmentary incontinence, mild to severe Munro’s microabscesses, mild to moderate hydropic degeneration, apoptosis, ulcers, mild to moderate superficial edema of the dermis, variable epitheliotropism and erosions. Immunohistochemistry of all skin sections had mild to severe staining for T cell (CD3), mild staining for macrophages (CD68), and immunostaining was rare (4/7) or absent (3/7) for B cells (CD79a).Discussion: Cutaneous lesions observed in this study were similar to those previously described by other authors for this condition, and were characterized by focal to coalescent areas of alopecia, lichenification and seborrhea, associated clinically to a severe pruritus. Histologically, these consisted of perivascular dermatitis, and perifolliculitis with an inflammatory infiltrate composed predominantly by lymphocytes, macrophages, with occasional eosinophils and multinucleated giant cells. Immunohistochemistry demonstrates a marked immunostaining for T cells, while it was mild for macrophages, which reinforces the involvement of the delayed type hypersensitivity (type IV) reaction in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Association of rumination time and health status with milk yield and composition in early-lactation dairy cows

The objective of this study was to determine the associations of rumination time (RT) and health status with milk yield and milk composition. This study used 339 dairy cows from 4 commercial dairy farms in Ontario, Canada (first lactation, n = 107; second lactation, n = 112; ≥third lactation, n = 120). Rumination time was monitored (24 h/d) using an automated system from 1 to 28 d in milk (DIM). Cows were milked 3×/d on each farm, and 2 farms recorded milk weights at each milking to determine daily milk yield (n = 170). Cows were also monitored for milk composition (fat and protein content) 1×/wk. Last, subclinical ketosis (SCK) was diagnosed 1×/wk; cows with at least one blood sample with β-hydroxybutyrate ≥1.2 mmol/L postcalving were diagnosed with SCK. Cases of retained placenta, metritis, milk fever, or mastitis during the study period were also recorded. Cows were categorized into 1 of 4 groups: healthy cows that had no SCK or any other health issue (HLT; n = 139); cows that were treated for at least one health issue other than SCK (HLT+; n = 50); SCK cows with no other health problems during transition (HYK; n = 97); or cows that had SCK and one or more other health problems (HYK+; n = 53). All data were summarized by week across cows, and the associations between rumination time and milk yield (n = 170) and milk composition (n = 339) were modeled. Across all lactations, and including all health categories, milk yield increased by week, whereas fat and protein content both decreased by week. A positive association was found between summarized RT and milk yield in first-lactation (+0.006 ± 0.003 kg/min of RT) and second-lactation (+0.015 ± 0.004 kg/min of RT) cows from 4 to 28 DIM, as well as in ≥third-lactation cows; however, the relationship between RT and milk yield differed across weeks in those cows. A negative association between RT and milk fat content was found in ≥third-lactation cows (-0.002 ± 0.00059 percentage points/min of RT). From 4 to 28 DIM, ≥third-lactation HYK and HYK+ cows produced less protein (0.11 ± 0.051 and 0.13 ± 0.056 percentage points, respectively) than HLT cows. Over the 4-wk observation period, first-lactation HYK+ cows tended to deposit 0.11 ± 0.056 percentage points less protein in their milk compared with HLT cows. Second-lactation HYK+ cows produced less milk than HLT cows each week during early lactation. In summary, RT was positively associated with milk yield in early-lactation dairy cows, across all lactations, and negatively associated with milk fat content in ≥third-lactation cows. Further, the results showed that early-lactation cows that experience SCK, particularly with one or more other health problems, might have decreased milk yield and milk protein content.