Dairy Goat Production Research Articles

Novel Method for Adulterated Identification of Saneen Goat Milk Based on Free Oligosaccharides α3'-Galactosyllactose and N-Acetylhexaminyllactose as Marker Molecules.

Methods for the detection of adulterated milk are essential for assessing the quality of goat milk products. We hypothesized that goat milk oligosaccharides could provide a basis for this purpose and compared the levels of α3'-galactosyllactose (α3'-GL) and N-acetylhexaminyllactose (NHL) between goat milk and bovine milk oligosaccharides using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The α3'-GL was detected to be three times more abundant in goat milk than in bovine milk, whereas NHL showed the opposite trend. Linear relationships were established between the relative proportions of α3'-GL and NHL levels for different ratios of bovine and goat milk, with a minimum detection limit of 2% bovine milk. The new method was validated by analyses of adulterants in eight commercially available goat dairy products. Overall, the degree of adulteration in goat milk products can be determined based on the relative proportions of α3'-GL and NHL.

Screening of goaty flavor-inhibiting lactic acid bacteria and their effects on the flavor profiles of goat milk cakes

The goaty flavor of traditional fermented Yunnan goat milk cake can be reduced by fermentation, but the bacteria species related to such functions have not yet been explored. This study therefore screened lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for their ability to inhibit goaty flavor in goat milk cake and sour juice samples. Three strains capable of inhibiting goaty flavor were identified as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis SD-3, Pediococcus lactis DN-1, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum GM-6. Goat milk cake was then fermented using orthogonally designed mixed strains. The optimum inoculums of strains were determined based on orthogonal experiment, sensory evaluation score and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, which were 6.7 × 106, 1.0 × 107 and 2.0 × 107 CFU/mL for strain SD-3, DN-1 and GM-6, respectively. The GC-MS analysis of samples fermented with such artificial adjunct starter combination confirmed that free fatty acids (FFA) with goaty flavor decreased. These included propionic acid, valeric acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, octanoic acid, and decanoic acid. In contrast, the content of aroma compounds with goaty flavor-inhibition effects increased, such as benzaldehyde, ethyl butyrate and hexanal. This study provides a reference for screening goaty flavor-inhibiting LAB and improving the flavor quality of goat dairy products by using artificial adjunct starters.

Diluent pH affects sperm motility via GSK3 α/β-hexokinase pathway for the efficient enrichment of X-sperm to increase the female kids rate of dairy goats

Dairy goats are the goats bred with the ability to produce large quantities of milk, and the increase of the female kid rate of breeding dairy goats is beneficial for milk production and economic benefits of dairy goat farms. Our previous study revealed that regulating the pH of dairy goat semen diluent to 6.2 or 7.4 respectively, the proportion of X chromosome bearing sperm (X-sperm) in the up and down layers of the tube after incubation was significantly higher than that of Y chromosome bearing sperm (Y-sperm) i.e. enriched X-sperm. In this study, fresh dairy goat semen collected in different seasons was diluted in different pH solutions to calculate the number and rate of X-sperm and to measure the functional parameters of enriched sperm. The artificial insemination experiments were performed with enriched X-sperm. The mechanisms of regulating the pH of diluent affecting sperm enrichment were further studied. The results showed that the proportion of enriched X-sperm in pH 6.2 and 7.4 diluents of sperm collected in different seasons showed no significantly different, but were significantly higher than that of the control group (pH 6.8). The in vitro functional parameters of X-sperm enriched in pH 6.2 and 7.4 diluent solution were not significantly different from those of the control group (P > 0.05). After artificial insemination with X-sperm enriched in pH7.4 diluent, the proportion of female offspring was significantly higher than that of the control group. It was found that the regulating pH of the diluent affected sperm mitochondrial activity and glucose uptake capacity via phosphorylating NF-κB and GSK3α/β proteins. The motility activity of X-sperm was enhanced under acidic conditions and weakened under alkaline conditions, which was conducive to the effective enrichment of X-sperm. This study demonstrated that the number and proportion of X-sperm enriched using pH 7.4 diluent were elevated, and the proportion of female kids was increased. This technology can be used for the reproduction and production of dairy goats in farms at large scales.

Obsah pvkov v kozom mlieku, sŕvatke, syroch a jogurte z ekologickej a konvenčnej farmy

Milk and dairy products are an important part of the human diet for numerous reasons. Goat milk is higher in the content of elements such as K and Ca. Nowadays, consumption of goat milk and goat dairy products increases because of better digestion and therapeutic value. However, goat milk can contain heavy metals and trace elements as well which can harm human health. The content of 22 elements in sixty-nine samples of goat milk, whey, three types of cheese, and yogurt from the ecological farm in region Orava and conventional farm in region Stredné Považie in Slovakia was measured in this study. The highest concentration of four elements Ca, K, Mg, and Na in samples of goat products was found. In our study, significant statistical differences (P < 0.05) were found only in levels of K, Ca, Li and Na when comparing milk samples from organic and conventional farm. Concentrations of K (1260.50 mg/kg), Li (0.02 mg/kg) and Na (293.46 mg/kg) were higher in samples from ecological farm, while concentration of Ca (1344.65 mg/kg) was higher in samples from conventional farm. Toxic elements were present in trace amounts or under the limit of detection. The consumption of goat milk and goat dairy products from monitored farms can be considered as safe and beneficial for human health regardless of the way of farming. According to the highest level of strontium in hard ripening cheese, frequent regular consumption should be considered for children as a preventive measure for development of bone health.

Health potential of fermented goat dairy products: composition comparison with fermented cow milk, probiotics selection, health benefits and mechanisms.

Goat milk as a preferable probiotic vehicle has been investigated and the contribution of fermented goat dairy products to the nutritional and economic wellbeing of the world is tremendous. This review presents the recent progress on fermented goat dairy products, including probiotic selection, composition comparison to fermented cow milk, health effects, and related mechanisms. Fermented goat milk maintains a better nutritional profile in comparison to fermented cow milk with higher values of protein, minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se), vitamins (A, D3 and B12) and some fatty acids. Lactobacillus is the predominant genus used in goat milk fermentation and endows goat milk with higher functional value, including gut microbiota regulation, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory functions, hypocholesterolemic effects, antioxidant effects, hypotensive effects, bone health, anemia recovery, anti-obesity, and anti-atherogenic function. The corresponding mechanisms have been elucidated at the molecular level. A series of collection on probiotics starters, fermentation strategy and characteristics of fermented goat dairy products are performed. Although the industrial applications of fermented goat milk remain underdeveloped, the improved functional annotation and fermentation strategy identified in this review provide a bright future and an excellent framework for the future fermented goat dairy market.

Reducing anthelmintic inputs in organic farming: Are small ruminant farmers integrating alternative strategies to control gastrointestinal nematodes?

To counter the global spread of anthelmintic resistance (AR), considerable efforts have been invested in the development and dissemination of sustainable alternatives to control gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in small ruminants. The degree to which these have been accepted and integrated by farmers, particularly in organic systems, where the drive to reduce chemical inputs is arguably even more pressing, has been little studied. To identify whether more comprehensive actions are needed to support the uptake of alternative GIN controls amongst organic farmers, this study conducted a survey in five European countries on organic dairy goat and meat sheep farmers to gain insight into current GIN control strategies and farmer attitudes towards AR and alternative measures in these countries. The structured survey was disseminated in the five European countries Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Lithuania and United Kingdom, receiving a total of 425 responses, 106 from organic dairy goat farmers and 319 from organic meat sheep farmers. Regression analyses were carried out to identify factors impacting anthelmintic drenching on meat sheep production systems, whereas all data were analysed descriptively. Four key findings emerged: i) The frequency of anthelmintic treatments averaged less than two per animal a year in all production systems; ii) Overall, organic farmers seemed well informed on the availability of alternative GIN control methods, but fewer stated to put them into practice; iii) Targeted selective treatment (TST) strategies of anthelmintics appears to be not commonly incorporated by organic farmers; iv) Despite operating under national and EU organic regulations, each of the organic dairy goat (Switzerland, France and Netherlands) and meat sheep (Switzerland, Lithuania and United Kingdom) production systems developed distinct approaches for GIN control. To increase uptake of alternatives to GIN control and optimise anthelmintic use, initiatives that promote research dissemination, farmer participatory and knowledge transfer activities at national level would be desirable.

Alkaline semen diluent combined with R848 for separation and enrichment of dairy goat X-sperm.

A large number of female goats are needed for the dairy goat industry; therefore, the development of a method to ensure the birth of more females than males in a single pregnancy will lead to economic benefits. Increasing the number of X-sperm would be an effective way to increase the proportion of female offspring. In this study, goat semen was incubated at pH 7.4 in alkaline diluent combined with resiquimod (R848) and the number of X-sperm was enriched by the swim-up method. The percentage of X-sperm was determined using the double TaqMan qPCR method. Sperm total motility, progressive motility, average path velocity, straight-line velocity, and curvilinear velocity were measured using a computer-aided sperm analysis system, and the functional parameters of the sperm plasma membrane, the acrosome, mitochondrial activity, ATP content, and reactive oxygen species levels were also measured. Lastly, the ratio of female embryos was determined by in vitro fertilization, and the number of female kids and the pregnancy rate of does was assessed by artificial insemination. The results showed that dilution of semen in an alkaline buffer containing R848 could enrich the number of X-sperm to 85.57% ± 3.27%. The progressive motility, average path velocity, straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, mitochondrial activity, and ATP level of the collected X-sperm-enriched semen were significantly reduced, but its total motility, plasma membrane, and acrosome were not affected. The in vitro fertilization experiments showed that the rate of female embryo production using X-sperm-rich seminal fluid could reach 83.25% (174/209), which was significantly higher than the proportion of female embryos in the control group, 47.71% ± 1.80% (104/218). As determined by artificial insemination, the number of female kids in the test group increased by 62.79% (243/387), which was significantly higher than that in the control group (47.65%, 193/405). There was no significant difference in pregnancy rate between the test group and the control group (71.71% vs. 78.48%). Therefore, this study demonstrated that use of a pH 7.4 diluent containing R848 is a simple and effective method of X-sperm enrichment for dairy goat production. Its application would allow does to produce more female offspring for herd expansion and milk production.

Nano and natural zeolite feed supplements for dairy goats: Feed intake, ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites, and milk yield and fatty acids profile

Zeolite particle size can affect its characteristics as a rumen modifier, thus its form may not only affects the goats' health during the transition period but also their milk quantity and quality. Our objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of zeolite supplementation either in its natural or nano form on ruminal fermentation characteristics, blood biochemical parameters, and milk production and chemical composition of dairy goats. Thirty-nine late pregnant Damascus goats (initial body waight: 26.1 ± 0.93 kg, mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to three experimental dietary treatments (n = 13/ treatment) for 90 days of an experimental period: The control treatment was fed a basal diet without feed additives, natural zeolite [supplemented at 20 g/kg of dry matter (DM) to the basal diet], and nano zeolite (supplemented at 0.4 g/kg DM to the basal diet). Both zeolite forms increased (P < 0.05) ruminal pH, total protozoal count, Diplodinium spp ciliates, and reduced (P < 0.01) ammonia, while nano zeolite enhanced the total short-chain fatty acids concentration compared to the control. Supplementation of nano zeolite increased (P = 0.01) the blood calcium and reduced (P < 0.05) total cholesterol, total lipids, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase activities compared to other diets. Goats fed nano zeolite produced higher (P < 0.01) milk yield without affecting the feed intake, while both zeolite forms resulted in similar reductions (P < 0.05) in milk fat, protein, lactose, solid not fat, and somatic cell count. No differences were detected in milk total saturated fatty acids and total odd and branched-chain fatty acids among treatments while, nano zeolite reduced (P = 0.03) milk concentration of eicosanoic acid (C20:0). Natural zeolite tended to reduce (P = 0.08) the concentrations of total mono-unsaturated fatty acids in milk, while nano zeolite resulted in higher (P = 0.04) miristoleic (C14:1-Cis9; omega 5) than the control. No differences were detected in the total and individual polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to the control. In conclusion, nano zeolite was more pronounced as a feed additive than its natural form to support goats through late pregnancy to early lactation and to enhance milk quality.

Scope of dairy goat production in India

Scope of dairy goat production in India

Consumer attitudes toward dairy products from sheep and goats: A cross-continental perspective.

This study aimed to assess consumer knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward dairy products from sheep and goats. A web-based survey was conducted in Latin America (Mexico and Chile), Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece, and Denmark), and Asia (Bangladesh). From March to June 2021, adult participants answered an online survey available in 5 languages. In total, 1,879 surveys were completed. Categorical and ordinal data were analyzed as frequencies and percentages. To determine the relationship between the variables for purchasing and consumption behaviors of respondents who declared that they consume dairy products, a multiple correspondence analysis was carried out. Most completed surveys were from Mexico and Italy (30% and 33.7%, respectively). Most respondents were between 18 and 29 yr old, female, highly educated, and employed. The majority of respondents (70.8%) declared that they consume dairy products from small ruminants. Consumers preferred products from both sheep and goats (49.4%); however, it was observed that in Mexico, Denmark, and Bangladesh, more than 50% preferred goat dairy products. The most-consumed products were mature and fresh cheeses. Mature cheese was the most-preferred product in Chile; in Mexico, Italy, Greece, and Denmark, it was fresh cheese. Unlike the rest of the countries, in Bangladesh, dairy product consumption from small ruminants was observed by more than 30% of respondents. In Mexico, a higher percentage of people do not consume sheep or goat dairy products because they are unfamiliar with them. In Mexico, Chile, and Bangladesh, limited market availability was also a variable responsible for nonconsumption. In European and Asian countries, sheep and goat dairy products are not consumed because consumers dislike them, in addition to a greater awareness of sustainability and climate change issues. The multiple correspondence analysis defined 5 dimensions. Dimension 1 was associated with the geographic location of the respondent (country and continent), the type of milk (sheep or goat), and the consideration of well-being and health as characteristics associated with the consumption of dairy products from small ruminants. Dimension 2 was associated with the respondent's country of origin and the frequency of consumption. Dimension 3 was associated with gender, education, and employment status. Dimension 4 was associated with the respondent's age, the association of the "healthy" concept of sheep and goat dairy products, and the consideration of the nutritional benefits of dairy as responsible for considering them healthy. Dimension 5 was associated with a "strong smell and taste" of sheep and goat dairy products. This study showed that consumer attitudes toward dairy products from sheep and goats vary between continents. In conclusion, results showed consumer interest in animal welfare and environmental impact issues related to small ruminant farming as well as a general attraction to local products. It seems that these factors contribute to consumers' perception of the quality of dairy products, so the industry and select farmers should carefully consider incorporating them into their supply chain.

Incorporation of Blue Honeysuckle Juice into Fermented Goat Milk: Physicochemical, Sensory and Antioxidant Characteristics and In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion.

The addition of fruit juice may improve the physicochemical and functional characteristics of dairy products. The study evaluated the effect of 1–6% (v/v) blue honeysuckle juice (BHJ) on the physicochemical, sensory and antioxidant characteristics of fermented goat milk (FGM) during 21 days of refrigerated storage and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The incorporation of BHJ significantly increased (p < 0.05) the water-holding capacity, viscosity, redness (a*) value, total phenolic content (TPC) and ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power during storage. Additionally, BHJ affected the microstructure and sensory score of the samples. FGM treated with 4% (v/v) BHJ exhibited the highest overall acceptability. The supplementation of BHJ diminished the goaty flavor and promoted in vitro protein digestion. Furthermore, the TPC was enhanced in addition to the antioxidant activity of FGM containing BHJ throughout the in vitro digestion. Therefore, FGM supplemented with BHJ serves as a novel and attractive goat dairy product.

High-spatial-resolution multi-spectroscopic provides insights into the interaction and release of δ-decanolactone and decanoic acid with β-lactoglobulin

Flavor retention during processing and stability in processed products is a major concern in the goat dairy products. Herein a novel strategy, combined with high-spatial-resolution multi-spectroscopic and molecular docking techniques, was developed and applied to investigate the non-covalent binding interactions in δ-decanolactone and decanoic acid to the β-lactoglobulin. Direct mass spectrometry and proteomics identified that both δ-decanolactone and decanoic acid bound to β-lactoglobulin in 1:1 stoichiometric ratio, and were localized on LSFNPTQLEEQCHI and YLLFCMENSAEPEQSLACQCLVR, respectively. Fluorescence experiments proved that the binding of δ-decanolactone and decanoic acid to β-lactoglobulin was state quenching with good affinity at 298 K. The binding constant values were 5.36 × 105 L mol−1 and 6.85 × 105 L mol−1, implied decanoic acid had stronger binding affinity toward β-lactoglobulin than δ-decanolactone. Molecular docking elucidated that decanoic acid and δ-decanolactone competed for the binding of the Val43 and Thr18 of β-lactoglobulin, causing the decrease in fluorescence intensity. The cooperativity made the δ-decanolactone and decanoic acid release stably in the model system. Therefore, this experiment systematically evaluated the binding effect of δ-decanolactone and decanoic acid on β-lactoglobulin, provided foundations for reasonable stable release of flavor molecules in the goat dairy products.

Characterization of autochthonous lactobacilli from goat dairy products with probiotic potential for metabolic diseases

The present study aimed to design functional fermented goat milk with probiotic potential for metabolic diseases. Thereby, autochthonous lactobacilli from goat dairy products that target improving the inflammatory, lipid, and glycemic profile were characterized. We designed fermented goat milk using Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus CRL1447 as starter strain, supplemented with different probiotic consortia formed by Limosilactobacillus fermentum CRL1446, Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum CRL1449, and CRL1472 strains. These lactobacilli were selected for their positive effects on inhibition of α-glucosidase, bile salts hydrolase activity, cholesterol assimilation, and decreased triglyceride percentage in Caenorhabditis elegans. Furthermore, the lactobacilli oral administration to obese mice caused a significant decrease in body weight gain and ameliorated hyperglycemia and hyperlipemia. These results reveal the potential of this goat dairy product as a functional food to prevent obesity and related pathologies. Goat milk-derived products stand out for their marketing potential. Hence, fermented goat milk incorporating novel probiotics represents a group of food products with broad prospects by their promising nutritive and therapeutic properties for metabolic diseases. The goat dairy product designed in this study could be used in the prevention of dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia in obese people.

Typology of dairy goat production systems in a semiarid region of Brazil

Socio-productive initiatives that culminated with the advent of the Food Acquisition Program in the Milk modality (PAA Milk) in 2003 boosted the development of Local Productive Arrangements for the dairy goat farming, especially in the area located between the states of Paraíba and Pernambuco, belonging to the Northeast region of Brazil. Considerable changes were performed in goat production systems with the introduction of specialized breeds, new facilities, and increased consumption of external inputs, especially concentrate feed, among other changes. This study characterized the socioeconomic, productive, and structural diversity of dairy goat production systems on 334 farms in the state of Paraíba and 220 farms in the state of Pernambuco aiming to understand the current situation of the production systems and to bring reflections on possible actions for improvement. Multiple correspondence and hierarchical cluster analyses were performed in sequence to establish the typology. Qualitative and quantitative variables were analyzed in the multiple correspondence analysis, and then the first three dimensions (coordinates) were retained for the cluster analysis, which generated three groups of farms: Group I with 216 farms (39% of the sample), Group II with 127 farms (22.9% of the sample), and Group III with 211 farms (38.1% of the sample). Group I had a lower percentage of landowners (34%), a lower presence of retired producers, lower frequencies of cactus pear areas and annual planting for forage conservation, low livestock diversity, few water facilities, and high access to PAA Milk ( 92%). In Group II, 80% of producers own their farms, have the smallest goat herd (18 heads), high presence of cactus pear areas and annual planting, and, consequently, a high practice of forage conservation and diversity of water facilities. Group III presented the oldest producers, larger areas of properties (41 ha), high presence of native pasture area, and higher daily milk production per farm (21 L). The results showed diversity among the identified groups, but with important similar aspects, such as the introduction of specialized breeds for milk production, the fragility of the feed security of herds, high stocking rates of ruminants, and a strong dependence on external feeds compared to those produced in the systems, particularly concentrate feeds, in addition to the high dependence on PAA Milk for production distribution and production stagnation due to few commercialization alternatives. It is necessary to implement solutions for the main identified distortions, such as improvement in the use of native and cultivated forages, adequacy of the stocking rate, reassessment of the composition strategy of the goat herd with specialized animals, and, mainly, the search for new dairy products and marketing channels to reduce the dependence on PAA Milk.

REVIEW ON THE IMPACT AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE OCCURRENCE OF MULTIPLE BIRTHS IN CATTLE AND GOATS

Background: The large animal species such as cattle, buffaloes and horses are monotocous with one or sometimes two newborns per birth whereas small farm animal species such as sheep, goats and pigs are usually polytocous animals are highly prolific and especially pigs often produce a dozen newborns at each farrowing. Cattle usually produce only one calf per gestation resulting from ovulation of a single follicle. The most common form of twinning in cattle occurs due to multiple ovulations which may produce dizygotic twins. The twin births in dairy cattle often negatively impacts the reproduction, production, health and reduces the productive lifespan of cows. Therefore, there is a great interest to know the multiple ovulations and multiple births to reduce the twinning rate in dairy cattle herds. Objective: This review updates the status of multiple births and its impact and consequences on production of dairy cattle and goats. Materials and Methods: The related literatures on the multiple births in cattle and goats have been reviewed for which the search was carried out in Google Scholar, PubMed, CrossRef, Banglajol and also the online daily newspapers. Results: Although multiple births with up to quadruplets have been reported from different countries, the prevalence of twin births are commonly reported in dairy cattle. The prevalence of twinning rates are varied widely in different breeds like twin calving in Holstein Friesian cattle is 3 to 5%, 5.6% Spanish dairy herd and 3.9% in Iranian Holsteins, whereas triplet and quadruplet births represent 0.015% and 0.004% of the total births, respectively. Twin calving shorten gestation length, increased dystocia, stillbirths, decrease birth weight, perinatal calf mortality, retained placenta, decrease milk production, increases the occurrence of metabolic diseases, reduced conception rate, increased calving interval, shorten the productive lifespan of the dam and increases overall culling rate. Two strategies- the transfer of a single embryo produced in vitro and follicular drainage of co-dominant follicles at AI have been suggested to prevent twin pregnancies. Conclusion: Multiple births in dairy cattle is not desirable due to negative effects on both cows that calve twins and calves born as twins that result in economic losses in dairy herds. Regardless of the direct effect of multiple births on health and fertility, reducing the occurrence of multiple ovulations to decrease the risk of twin births is desirable to mitigate the negative consequences of twinning in dairy cattle. The estimated losses due to twinning range between US$ 59 to 161 per twin pregnancy and attempting manual embryo reduction decreased the economic losses of a twin pregnancy by US $ 23 to 45. Bangladesh scientists discovered a new technique to produce twin calves but the future research on this aspect need to consider the negative effects of twin births in cattle.

REVIEW ON THE IMPACT AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE OCCURRENCE OF MULTIPLE BIRTHS IN CATTLE AND GOATS

Background: The large animal species such as cattle, buffaloes and horses are monotocous with one or sometimes two newborns per birth whereas small farm animal species such as sheep, goats and pigs are usually polytocous animals are highly prolific and especially pigs often produce a dozen newborns at each farrowing. Cattle usually produce only one calf per gestation resulting from ovulation of a single follicle. The most common form of twinning in cattle occurs due to multiple ovulations which may produce dizygotic twins. The twin births in dairy cattle often negatively impacts the reproduction, production, health and reduces the productive lifespan of cows. Therefore, there is a great interest to know the multiple ovulations and multiple births to reduce the twinning rate in dairy cattle herds. Objective: This review updates the status of multiple births and its impact and consequences on production of dairy cattle and goats. Materials and Methods: The related literatures on the multiple births in cattle and goats have been reviewed for which the search was carried out in Google Scholar, PubMed, CrossRef, Banglajol and also the online daily newspapers. Results: Although multiple births with up to quadruplets have been reported from different countries, the prevalence of twin births are commonly reported in dairy cattle. The prevalence of twinning rates are varied widely in different breeds like twin calving in Holstein Friesian cattle is 3 to 5%, 5.6% Spanish dairy herd and 3.9% in Iranian Holsteins, whereas triplet and quadruplet births represent 0.015% and 0.004% of the total births, respectively. Twin calving shorten gestation length, increased dystocia, stillbirths, decrease birth weight, perinatal calf mortality, retained placenta, decrease milk production, increases the occurrence of metabolic diseases, reduced conception rate, increased calving interval, shorten the productive lifespan of the dam and increases overall culling rate. Two strategies- the transfer of a single embryo produced in vitro and follicular drainage of co-dominant follicles at AI have been suggested to prevent twin pregnancies. Conclusion: Multiple births in dairy cattle is not desirable due to negative effects on both cows that calve twins and calves born as twins that result in economic losses in dairy herds. Regardless of the direct effect of multiple births on health and fertility, reducing the occurrence of multiple ovulations to decrease the risk of twin births is desirable to mitigate the negative consequences of twinning in dairy cattle. The estimated losses due to twinning range between US$ 59 to 161 per twin pregnancy and attempting manual embryo reduction decreased the economic losses of a twin pregnancy by US $ 23 to 45. Bangladesh scientists discovered a new technique to produce twin calves but the future research on this aspect need to consider the negative effects of twin births in cattle.

Characterization of dairy goat production systems using autochthonous breeds in Andalusia (Southern Spain): Classification and efficiency comparative analysis

The main characteristic of caprine production in southern Spain is its heterogeneity, which has prevented a proper classification of the different systems. This leads to lack of knowledge and difficulties in the decision-making processes and in the adoption of sectorial strategies. In this context, this article aimed to characterize and classify the different dairy goat systems using autochthonous breeds in Andalusia, according to their feed management practices and productivity. Based on this classification, this work intended to define the technical and economic characteristics of those dairy goat systems by analyzing their differences, performing a comparative analysis of their technical efficiency and assessing the current framework within which the activity takes place. For this purpose, twenty-one farms were monitored during 2018. The technical-economic information obtained allowed the performance of a Cluster Analysis to segregate different groups with common characteristics. Subsequently, an input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis was also performed, followed by a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The work carried out made it possible to identify four well-defined dairy goat systems: Pastoral systems; Grazing systems with high feed supply; Indoor systems with associated crops; and Indoor systems without associated crops. They displayed significant differences from a technical-economic point of view, but not in terms of technical efficiency, which was not determined by the production system as such, but by the appropriate management practices implemented in each case. The SWOT analysis revealed the existence of many common elements together with important differences, which justified the use of a specific approach to the reality of each system.

Production, intake, and feeding behavior of dairy goats fed alfalfa via grazing and cassava

This study examined the replacement of maize and soybean meal with cassava chips and alfalfa grazing, respectively. Twelve lactating Anglo-Nubian goats were kept on a Panicum maximum cv. Tobiatã pasture. The experiment was laid out in a Latin square design in which the following diets were tested: ground maize + soybean meal, cassava chips + soybean meal, ground maize + alfalfa grazing, and cassava chips + alfalfa grazing. The evaluated variables were feed intake, daily weight gain, milk yield [...]

English

Dairy goat farming is a significant source of income, particularly for low-income families. However, 75% of the dairy goat products business is still unorganized in Kenya, making its marketing difficult. This study surveyed dairy products in selected supermarkets in Nyeri, Meru and Kiambu counties. The purpose was to identify the types of dairy products sold in supermarkets, the sales preferences, reasons for stocking and not stocking the dairy goat products and perceptions about the dairy goat products. The study targeted all the supermarkets that sold dairy products, excluding those that did not sell dairy products or were not willing to be surveyed. A sample of 40 supermarkets and 5 milk dealers in the three counties was obtained through purposeful sampling. Close-ended questionnaires were administered to managers or appointees of the outlets. According to the findings, 10 types of dairy products were stocked by the outlets as follows: Raw cow milk (11%), pasteurized cow milk (87%), long life cow milk (82%), cow milk yoghurt (93%), ghee (24%), cow mil ice cream (67%), cow milk butter (31%), cow milk cheese (36%), cow sour milk (76%) and pasteurized goat milk. Out of the 45 supermarkets/milk vendors surveyed only 5 outlets sold the dairy goat products (pasteurized milk) which thus indicate the gap in the marketing of dairy goat milk and its products in the study counties. The dairy goat products were not stocked because the products were not available (63%), lack of customers&rsquo; awareness (40%), they were not preferred by customers (18%) and high price (10%). The dairy goat milk was stocked due to customers&rsquo; preferences (100%). The general perception of the supermarkets was that dairy goat milk was moderately preferred (36%), highly (4%) and not preferred (60%) mainly due to lack of customers&rsquo; awareness. Thus, measures should be put in place to promote dairy goat milk as an alternative to dairy cow milk due to its high nutritive value and potential. Key words: Dairy goat products, marketing, supermarkets, sales, preferences, stocking.

DNA-based qualitative and quantitative identification of bovine whey powder in goat dairy products

As one of the main ingredients in some milk powders, whey powder is sometimes added to pure goat milk products, which can cause health risks, economic fraud, and unfair competition of food industries. This study is the first to explore qualitative and quantitative methods to identify adulteration of bovine whey powder in goat dairy products based on DNA. We extracted DNA from whey powder using a modified DNA extraction method; this exhibited good quality and integrity, with purity of 1.53 to 1.75 and concentration of 122 to 179 ng/μL. Conventional PCR and real-time PCR were compared for qualitative detection of bovine whey powder; real-time PCR demonstrated sensitivity of 0.01 ng/μL, which was higher than the 0.05 ng/μL detected by the conventional PCR method. Furthermore, real-time PCR was conducted for DNA quantitative detection, with good linearity (R2 = 0.9858) obtained for bovine whey powder contents from 0.1% to 30%. Relative error decreased with increase of the mixing proportion of whey powder; the coefficient of variation above 0.1% of the mixing ratio was close to or less than 5%; and the relative standard deviation of repeatability results was less than 5%. Considering the economic costs of testing, conventional PCR could be performed first, and samples with obvious intentional adulteration detected can be further accurately quantified by real-time PCR. Overall, this research provides a realistic and effective method for qualitative and quantitative identification of bovine whey powder in goat dairy products, thus laying a good foundation for verification of goat dairy product label claims and industrial control.