Summary: In terms of botanical composition, grassland vegetation in experimental plots and field studies can be described by means of different parameters (plant density, cover, frequency or yield proportion). Each parameter describes different features, which under certain circumstances may be correlated one to each other to some extent, but are not fully equivalent. The choice of the parameter to be assessed depends therefore, in first instance, on the specific aim of the investigation. For the assessment of the chosen parameter, many methods are available that differ from each other in terms of subjectivity, precision, effort and requirement for technical equipment. The choice of method depends mainly on the required precision, the affordable effort and on the available resources.

High-yielding forage grasslands frequently contain low species diversity and receive high inputs of nitrogen fertilizer. To investigate multispecies mixtures as an alternative strategy, the 26-site international LegacyNet experiment systematically varied the diversity of sown grasslands using up to six high-yielding forage species (grasses, legumes, and herbs) managed under moderate nitrogen inputs. Multispecies mixtures outyielded two widely used grassland practices: a grass monoculture with higher nitrogen fertilizer and a two-species grass-legume community. High yields in multispecies mixtures were driven by strong positive grass-legume and legume-herb interactions. In warmer sites, the yield advantage of legume-containing multispecies mixtures over grass monocultures with higher nitrogen fertilizer inputs increased. Improved design of grassland mixtures can inform more environmentally sustainable forage production and may enhance adaptation of productive grasslands to a warming climate.

The influence of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on feed consumption, milk yield, composition and fatty acid (FA) profile was investigated in lactating dairy cows. According to a Latin square design, twelve cows were assigned to three experimental settings which received a haybased diet supplemented with one of the following mixtures: cracked barley (1.0 kg) and cracked maize (0.5 kg) as Control diet (C-diet); full fat ground rapeseed (1.0 kg), cracked barley (1.0 kg) and cracked maize (0.5 kg) as Rapeseed diet (R-diet) and extruded linseed (1.2 kg), cracked barley (1.0 kg) and cracked maize (0.5 kg) as Linseed diet (L-diet). Diet supplemented with rape- and linseed did not affect dry matter intake. As result of the high amount of dietary ether extract R- and L-diet showed higher crude fat intake as compared to the control. Despite the higher intake of crude fat and, in particular, of the polyunsaturated fraction, milk yield and composition resulted similar among treatments. Compared to C-diet, R-diet resulted in milk containing significantly lower amounts of saturated fatty acids (SFA) (60.9 vs 66.9% of total detected SFA) as well as higher amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (30.6 vs 24.2%). However, R-diet had no effect on polyunsaturated fatty acid content (PUFA). With respect to C-diet, L-diet also significantly reduced the content of SFA (59.8 vs 66.9%) and increased both MUFA (29.1 vs 24.2%) and PUFA (4.7 vs 4.1%) contents. Feeding about 1 kg of whole oilseeds per head per day had no clear effects on milk vaccenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid contents. The inclusion of rapeseed in the diet significantly reduced the content of n-6 FA in the milk, whereas the linseed-supplemented diet significantly increased the content of n-3 FA. In comparison to C-diet, n-6/n-3 ratio was lower in L-diet milk and intermediate in R-diet milk. Feeding lactating dairy cows with oilseeds rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) did not exert any effects on productive performance. Considering the increase in PUFA and the reduction of n-6/n-3 ratio as a desirable enrichment of milk fat for human health, under our experimental condition feeding linseed appears to improve the nutritional value of milk better than rapeseed

Mountain dairy cattle farming systems are pivotal for the economy, as well as for social and environmental aspects. They significantly contribute to rural development, which is currently strongly prioritized in the common European Union agricultural policy; at the same time, they are also increasingly criticized for having a relatively high environmental impact (such as greenhouse gas emissions) per kilogram of product. Consequently, the aim of this study was to assess and compare the environmental efficiency of 2 common alpine dairy farming systems, with a focus on the effects of grazing, considering the seasonal variability in feeding at the individual cow level and farm management over a 3-yr period. This study focuses on alpine farming systems, but can also be considered to effectively represent other topographically disadvantaged mountain areas. We compared an intensively managed and globally dominating production system (high-input) aimed at high milk yield through relatively intensive feeding and the use of the high-yielding dual-purpose Simmental cattle permanently confined in stables, with a forage-based production system (low-input) based on seasonal grazing and the use of the autochthonous dual-purpose breed Tyrolean Grey. For the present analysis, we used a dataset with information on feed intake and diet composition, as well as animal productivity at the individual cow level and farm management data based on multiyear data recording. We quantified 4 impact categories for 3 consecutive years: global warming potential (GWP₁₀₀), acidification potential (AP), marine eutrophication potential (MEP), and land use (LU; in square meters per year and eco points [Pt], with the latter additionally considering the soil quality index). In addition to being attributed to 1 kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM), these impact categories were also related to 1 m² of on-farm area. Due to limited agronomic options beyond forage production and pasture use in alpine regions, net provision of protein was calculated for both farming systems to assess food supply and quantify the respective food-feed competition. Overall, the low-input farming system had greater environmental efficiency in terms of MEP per kilogram of FPCM, as well as MEP and AP per square meter than the high-input system. Land use was found to be consistently higher for the high-input than for the low-input system, the GWP₁₀₀ per kilogram of FPCM was lower for the high-input system. Additionally, pasture access had a significant effect on the reduction of environmental impacts. Lastly, the net protein provision was slightly negative for the high-input system and marginally positive for the low-input system, indicating a lower food-feed competition for the latter. Future studies should also address the social and economic aspects of the farming systems in order to offer a comprehensive overview of the 3 key factors necessary for achieving more sustainable farming systems, particularly in disadvantaged marginal regions such as mountain areas.

Hay milk is a traditional dairy product recently launched on the market. It is protected as “traditional specialty guaranteed” (TSG) and subjected to strict regulations. One of the most important restrictions is that the cow’s feed ration must be free from silage. There is the need for analytical methods that can discriminate milk obtained from a feeding regime including silage. This study proposes two analytical approaches to assess the authenticity of hay milk. Hay milk and milk from cows fed either with maize or grass silage were analyzed by targeted GC-MS for cyclopropane fatty acid (dihydrosterculic acid, DHSA) detection, since this fatty acid is strictly related to the bacterial strains found in silage, and by HPLC-HRMS. The presence of DHSA was correlated to the presence of maize silage in the feed, whereas it was ambiguous with grass silage. HPLC-HRMS analysis resulted in the identification of 14 triacylglycerol biomarkers in milk. With the use of these biomarkers and multivariate statistical analysis, we were able to predict the use of maize and grass silage in the cow’s diet with 100% recognition. Our findings suggest that the use of analytical approaches based on HRMS is a viable authentication method for hay milk.

Livestock production systems with ruminants play a relevant role in the emission of the greenhouse gas CH₄, which is known to significantly contribute to global warming. Consequently, it is a major societal concern to develop strategies in mitigating such emissions. In addition to breeding toward low-emitting cows, management strategies could also help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms. However, information is required for appropriate decision making. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that considers different, already available equations to estimate CH₄ emissions of small-scale dairy farms in the mountain region, which largely differ from large dairy farms in the lowlands concerning management and production. For this study, 2 different production systems, both typical for small-scale dairy farming in mountain regions, were simultaneously run over 3 yr at an experimental farm as follows: (1) a high-input production system, characterized by intensive feeding with high amounts of external concentrates and maize silage, year-round housing, and high yielding Simmental cattle breed, and (2) a low-input production system, characterized by prevailing hay and pasture feeding and silage ban, thus covering most of the energy requirements by forage harvested on-farm and the use of the local Tyrolean Grey cattle breed. Results reveal that feeding management has a significant effect on the amount of CH₄ emissions. The low-input production system produced less CH₄ per cow and per day compared with the high-input production system. However, if calculated per kilogram of milk, the high-input scenario produced proportionally less CH₄ than the low-input one. Findings of this study highlight the potential to assess in a fast and cost-effective way the CH₄ emission in different dairy production systems. This information contributes to the debate about the future of sustainable milk production in mountain regions, where the production of feed resources is climatically constrained, and could be useful for breeding purposes toward lower CH₄-emissions.