Oils derived from non-traditional seeds, such as safflower, milk thistle, and black cumin seeds, have recently grown in popularity. Seed oil is in high demand due to consumer interest in illness prevention and health promotion through healthier diets that include a high concentration of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant phenolic components. This study assessed the quality characteristics of cold-pressed seed oil at three unique storage times: at the beginning of the trial (i.e., before storage), after 2 months, and after 4 months. The results of the performed analyses indicate that the acidity of extracted black cumin, safflower, and milk thistle seed oil fluctuates considerably over time. The highest acidity level change was detected for black cumin seed oil, from 10.26% after the extraction to 16.96% after 4 months of storage at 4 °C. Consequently, changes between pre- and post-storage peroxide concentrations were discernible after four months. Peroxide value in milk thistle and safflower seed oils increased by 0.92 meq/kg and 2.00 meq/kg, respectively, during the assessed storage time, while that of black cumin was very high and fluctuated. The storage period substantially affects oxidative changes and the oxidation stability of the oil. Major changes were observed in the polyunsaturated fatty acids in seed oil during storage. The essential changes were detected in the black cumin seed oil odor profile after 4 storage months. Their quality and stability, as well as the nature of the changes that occur during the storage of oil, require extensive investigation.

The objective of this study was to investigate a connection between CH₄ emissions and reticulorumen pH and temperature. During the experiment, we registered the following parameters: reticulorumen pH (pH), reticulorumen temperature (RR temp.), reticulorumen temperature without drinking cycles, ambient temperature, ambient relative humidity, cow activity, heat index, temperature–humidity index (THI), and methane emissions (CH₄). The experimental animals were divided into two groups based on the reticulorumen pH: 1. pH < 6.22 and 2. pH 6.22–6.42. We found that cows assigned to the second pH class had higher (46.18%) average values for methane emissions (p < 0.01). For the other indicators, higher average values were detected in cows of the first pH class, RR temperature (2.80%), relative humidity (20.96%), temperature–humidity index (2.47%) (p < 0.01), and temperature (3.93%) (p < 0.05), which were higher compared to cows of the second pH class. Reticulorumen pH was highly negatively correlated with THI and temperature (r = −0.667 to 0.717, p < 0.001) and somewhat negatively with heat index, relative humidity, and RR temperature (r = −0.536, p < 0.001; r = −0.471 to 0.456, p < 0.01). Cows with a higher risk of heat stress had a higher risk of lower reticulorumen pH.

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of lameness in dairy cow herds, focusing on its relationship with milk traits, metabolic profile, and dry period management. Lameness was evaluated in 4221 multiparous Holstein dairy cows during early lactation (up to 60 days postpartum) using a 1-to-5 scale. The average lameness score was 1.67, with a prevalence of 10.66% (scores 3 to 5) and 4.55% classified as severe (scores 4 to 5). Severe lameness was associated with energy-corrected milk losses of −11.00 kg/day (p < 0.001) and a decrease in milk lactose concentration by −0.16 percentage points (p < 0.001), alongside a rise in somatic cell scores by +0.11. The incidence of cows with a milk fat-to-protein ratio below 1.2 increased by 21.7 percentage points, while those with a ratio above 1.4 rose by 19.1 percentage points as lameness worsened. Additionally, non-esterified fatty acid concentrations increased by 1.46 times as lameness severity intensified (p < 0.001). Cows without lameness had blood cortisol levels 1.86 times lower than affected cows, with cortisol tripling in those with the highest scores. A dry period of 30 to 60 days was correlated with more healthy cows, whereas periods over 90 days resulted in 1.586 times higher odds of lameness (p < 0.05). This research underscores the need for improved management strategies to enhance dairy cow welfare and productivity.

The use of non-invasive technologies is among the most accurate methods for assessing meat quality parameters. Beef tenderness and palatability are strongly influenced by the amount of intramuscular fat, commonly referred to as marbling. Marbling is widely used in breeding programs to select animals with superior meat quality. In this study, we analyzed 236 Angus bulls and 22 Angus heifers from various farms in Lithuania, all aged 450 ± 112 days. Ultrasound examinations were performed using a linear transducer with a silicone standoff to evaluate the loin eye area. Key meat quality indicators, such as fat thickness, loin area and thickness, and intramuscular fat, were found to increase with the weight of bulls, ranging from 365 ± 12.70 kg to 825.57 ± 11.75 kg (p < 0.001), and heifers, ranging from 273 ± 20.71 kg to 767 ± 41.01 kg (p < 0.001). The highest intramuscular fat values were observed at 7.50 ± 0.75% (p < 0.05) to 6.9 ± 1.36% (p < 0.1) in bulls weighing 431.33–825.57 kg and 7.98 ± 0.28% (p < 0.001) in heifers weighing 603 kg. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of selecting Angus cattle for improved meat quality traits across different weight categories.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between the length of the dry period (DL) and the risks of dystocia and stillbirths in Holstein cows. A total of 1072 healthy cows in lactations 1 and ≥2 were categorized based on the DL (mean: 58.07 ± 0.33 days) into three groups: short DL (70 days; 26.9%). Dystocia occurred in 12.4% of cows, while stillbirths accounted for 4.1% of calves. The medium DL group had the highest number of unassisted calvings. The dystocia rates were 11.4% for cows with gestation (GA) ≤ 274 days; 6.0% for cows with GA = 275–282 days; and 19.9% for cows with GA ≥ 283 days (p < 0.001). In season 1 (November–April), dystocia occurred in 15.0% of cases compared to 8.8% in season 2 (May–October) (p < 0.001). The stillbirth rates ranged from 3.6% to 4.0% for cows with medium and long DLs; while those with a short DL had 5.8% (p < 0.05). The stillbirth rates were 5.2% for cows with GA ≤ 274 days; 3.2% for cows with GA = 275–282 days; and 5.1% for cows with GA ≥ 283 days (p < 0.001). Season 1 had a stillbirth rate of 4.8%, while season 2 had a stillbirth rate of 3.3% (p < 0.001). This research provides insights that could assist the dairy industry in making informed decisions to reduce the incidence rates of dystocia and stillbirths in cows.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between dry period (DP) length and various indicators of productivity, reproduction, and udder health in cows managed with an automatic milking system. We analyzed records from 3861 cows, categorizing them into three groups based on their DP duration: (1) 70 days. Cows with a DP of 40–70 days had an average energy-corrected milk production that was 8.2 kg greater than that of cows with a short DP and 5.0 kg greater than that of cows with a long DP (p < 0.001). Milk from the 40–70-day DP group exhibited the highest lactose concentration (4.64 ± 0.01%). Additionally, cows with the longest DP had the smallest proportion of animals with a milk fat-to-protein ratio of 1.2 to 1.4. Cows with a DP of 40–70 days also showed the lowest milk electrical conductivity across all udder quarters, whereas cows with the shortest DP had the highest conductivity. The highest conception rates were observed in the group with the shortest DP. These results suggest that a DP of 40–70 days is optimal for maximizing milk production and improving both udder health and reproductive performance under AMS. Proper management of DP duration can be an effective strategy for sustainable dairy herd management.