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Immunoglobulins G (IgG), A (IgA), and M (IgM) represent 70–80% of total proteins in cattle colostrum and are essential for the passive transfer of antibodies from the dam to the calf. Considering the practical difficulties of colostrum sample collection and the high cost of analysis, non-genetic sources of variation of the three immunoglobulins fractions have been scarcely studied together on a large scale in dairy cows. In the present study, IgG, IgA, IgM, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were determined in colostrum samples of Holstein cows through bovine-specific radial immunodiffusion kits; such phenotypes allowed to investigate the effects of parity, herd, and calving season, and interactions. Only the first colostrum was considered in the present study, as the calf was separated from the dam immediately after birth and was not allowed to suckle. The average of IgG (n = 676), IgA (n = 573), IgM (n = 658), total immunoglobulins (n = 525), and BSA (n = 614) was 91.31, 4.20, 105.99, 5.05, and 2.47 g/L, respectively, and all traits positively correlated to each other. Overall, the immunoglobulins were less concentrated in colostrum of first- and second-parity cows than later-parity cows. These findings suggest that colostrum quality, based on Ig, is overall greater in cows that experienced more than two lactations, likely due to a greater experience of the immune system and to a wider immune heritage compared to younger cows. As regards the effect of calving season, the concentration of all Ig tended to be generally greater in colostrum sampled from August to November. Moreover, there were differences in IgG, IgA, and IgM concentration among the nine herds involved. Future studies will investigate the relationships of these traits with yield, and gross and detailed composition of bovine colostrum and will consider their genetic background to evaluate potential selection strategies to improve colostrum quality.
A. Costa; A. Goi; M. Penasa; G. Nardino; L. Posenato; M. De Marchi. Variation of immunoglobulins G, A, and M and bovine serum albumin concentration in Holstein cow colostrum. Animal 2021, 15, 100299 .
AMA StyleA. Costa, A. Goi, M. Penasa, G. Nardino, L. Posenato, M. De Marchi. Variation of immunoglobulins G, A, and M and bovine serum albumin concentration in Holstein cow colostrum. Animal. 2021; 15 (7):100299.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Costa; A. Goi; M. Penasa; G. Nardino; L. Posenato; M. De Marchi. 2021. "Variation of immunoglobulins G, A, and M and bovine serum albumin concentration in Holstein cow colostrum." Animal 15, no. 7: 100299.
Extensive summer grazing is a dairy herd management practice frequently adopted in mountainous areas. Nowadays, this activity is threatened by its high labour demand, but it is fundamental for environmental, touristic and economic implications, as well as for the preservation of social and cultural traditions. Scarce information on the effects of such low-input farming systems on cattle health is available. Therefore, the present case study aimed at investigating how grazing may affect the health status of dairy cows by using milk traits routinely available from the national milk recording scheme. The research involved a dairy herd of 52 Simmental and 19 Holstein × Simmental crossbred cows. The herd had access to the pasture according to a rotational grazing scheme from late spring up to the end of summer. A total of 616 test day records collected immediately before and during the grazing season were used. Individual milk yield was registered during the milking procedure. Milk samples were analysed for composition (fat, protein, casein and lactose contents) and health-related milk indicators (electrical conductivity, urea and β-hydroxybutyrate) using mid-infrared spectroscopy. Somatic cell count (SCC) and differential SCC were also determined. Data were analysed with a linear mixed model, which included the fixed effects of the period of sampling, cow breed, stage of lactation and parity, and the random effects of cow nested within breed and the residual. The transition from barn farming to pasture had a negative effect on milk yield, together with a small deterioration of fat and protein percentages. Health-related milk indicators showed a minor deterioration of the fat to protein ratio, differential SCC and electrical conductivity, particularly towards the end of the grazing season, whereas the somatic cell score and β-hydroxybutyrate were relatively constant. Overall, the study showed that, when properly managed, pasture grazing does not have detrimental effects on dairy cows in terms of udder health and efficiency. Therefore, the proper management of cows on pasture can be a valuable solution to preserve the economic, social and environmental sustainability of small dairy farms in the alpine regions, without impairing cows’ health.
Giovanni Niero; Tania Bobbo; Simone Callegaro; Giulio Visentin; Cristina Pornaro; Mauro Penasa; Giulio Cozzi; Massimo De Marchi; Martino Cassandro. Dairy Cows’ Health during Alpine Summer Grazing as Assessed by Milk Traits, Including Differential Somatic Cell Count: A Case Study from Italy. Animals 2021, 11, 981 .
AMA StyleGiovanni Niero, Tania Bobbo, Simone Callegaro, Giulio Visentin, Cristina Pornaro, Mauro Penasa, Giulio Cozzi, Massimo De Marchi, Martino Cassandro. Dairy Cows’ Health during Alpine Summer Grazing as Assessed by Milk Traits, Including Differential Somatic Cell Count: A Case Study from Italy. Animals. 2021; 11 (4):981.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanni Niero; Tania Bobbo; Simone Callegaro; Giulio Visentin; Cristina Pornaro; Mauro Penasa; Giulio Cozzi; Massimo De Marchi; Martino Cassandro. 2021. "Dairy Cows’ Health during Alpine Summer Grazing as Assessed by Milk Traits, Including Differential Somatic Cell Count: A Case Study from Italy." Animals 11, no. 4: 981.
A. Costa; G. Niero; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. De Marchi; M. Penasa. Short communication: Iodine content in bovine milk is lowly heritable and shows limited genetic variation. Journal of Dairy Science 2021, 104, 3292 -3297.
AMA StyleA. Costa, G. Niero, M. Franzoi, M. Cassandro, M. De Marchi, M. Penasa. Short communication: Iodine content in bovine milk is lowly heritable and shows limited genetic variation. Journal of Dairy Science. 2021; 104 (3):3292-3297.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Costa; G. Niero; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. De Marchi; M. Penasa. 2021. "Short communication: Iodine content in bovine milk is lowly heritable and shows limited genetic variation." Journal of Dairy Science 104, no. 3: 3292-3297.
Milk somatic cell count (SCC), an indicator of udder health and milk hygiene, has not been implemented either in milk payment systems or in the current selection index of Italian buffalo so far. As a matter of fact, there is room to improve udder health through genetic and management strategies in this species. Repeated milk SCC test-day (TD) records on the same animal are useful to derive novel phenotypes on lactation basis by using somatic cell score (SCS) and thus to disclose buffaloes with udder issues to be monitored. In this study, sources of variation of SCC-derived traits in buffalo milk were investigated and their effect on milk yield and composition traits was estimated. Mean SCS (SCS150), standard deviation of SCS (SCS_SD150) and severity (SEV150, ratio between the number of TD SCC >200,000 cells/mL and total number of TD available in the first 150 DIM) in the first 150 days in milk were calculated using TD data of 45,312 lactations from 35,623 buffaloes. Sources of variation of such traits were investigated through a linear model. Both SCS150 and SEV150 increased with parity, whereas SCS_SD150 decreased (p < .001). Subsequently, the three traits were separately included in the model as explanatory variables to estimate their effect on milk yield and composition traits. Results showed that milk yield and lactose content were lower in animals with high and variable SCS in the first 150 days of lactation (p < .001). This study opens the debate on the development of an udder health index for the Italian buffalo.
Angela Costa; Massimo De Marchi; Gianluca Neglia; Giuseppe Campanile; Mauro Penasa. Milk somatic cell count-derived traits as new indicators to monitor udder health in dairy buffaloes. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2021, 20, 548 -558.
AMA StyleAngela Costa, Massimo De Marchi, Gianluca Neglia, Giuseppe Campanile, Mauro Penasa. Milk somatic cell count-derived traits as new indicators to monitor udder health in dairy buffaloes. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2021; 20 (1):548-558.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAngela Costa; Massimo De Marchi; Gianluca Neglia; Giuseppe Campanile; Mauro Penasa. 2021. "Milk somatic cell count-derived traits as new indicators to monitor udder health in dairy buffaloes." Italian Journal of Animal Science 20, no. 1: 548-558.
In bovine milk, Ca and P are partitioned between micellar (MP) and soluble phase (SP), both having important effects on coagulation properties. In particular, greater mineral content in the MP translates into better milk coagulation ability. Nevertheless, the high analytic costs of gold standard methods hamper the possibility to deepen partition of minerals in MP and SP on a large scale. In this study, MP and SP of Ca and P were predicted from 111,653 milk mid-infrared spectra of Holstein cows to investigate genetic parameters. The average coefficient of determination of the prediction models in cross validation was 0.73. Heritability estimates of MP and SP of Ca and P ranged from 0.472 to 0.548 and the two phases of the same mineral were negatively correlated. The MP of Ca was genetically associated with protein yield (0.284) and content (0.658); in the case of MP of P, the latter were equal to 0.262 and 0.808, respectively. The current selection index of Italian Holstein places positive emphasis on protein percentage and yield, thus it is likely that the MP of the investigated minerals is increasing at the expense of the SP. In perspective, it would be important to assess genetic correlations between measured and predicted phenotypes to corroborate the use of such predictions for management and breeding purposes.
Marco Franzoi; Angela Costa; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi. Genetic background of calcium and phosphorus phases predicted from milk mid-infrared spectra of Holstein cows. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2021, 20, 777 -783.
AMA StyleMarco Franzoi, Angela Costa, Mauro Penasa, Massimo De Marchi. Genetic background of calcium and phosphorus phases predicted from milk mid-infrared spectra of Holstein cows. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2021; 20 (1):777-783.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarco Franzoi; Angela Costa; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi. 2021. "Genetic background of calcium and phosphorus phases predicted from milk mid-infrared spectra of Holstein cows." Italian Journal of Animal Science 20, no. 1: 777-783.
The growing interest of consumers for milk and dairy products of high nutritional value has pushed researchers to evaluate the feasibility of including fatty acids (FA) in selection programs to modify milk fat profile and improve its nutritional quality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters of FA profile predicted by mid-infrared spectroscopy, milk yield, composition, and total and differential somatic cell count. Edited data included 35,331 test-day records of 25,407 Italian Holstein cows from 652 herds. Variance components and heritability were estimated using single-trait repeatability animal models, whereas bivariate repeatability animal models were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations between traits, including the fixed effects of stage of lactation, parity, and herd-test-date, and the random effects of additive genetic animal, cow permanent environment and the residual. Heritabilities and genetic correlations obtained in the present study reflected both the origins of FA (extracted from the blood or synthesized de novo by the mammary gland) and their grouping according to saturation or chain length. In addition, correlations among FA groups were in line with correlation among individual FA. Moderate negative genetic correlations between FA and milk yield and moderate to strong positive correlations with fat, protein, and casein percentages suggest that actual selection programs are currently affecting all FA groups, not only the desired ones (e.g., polyunsaturated FA). The absence of association with differential somatic cell count and the weak association with somatic cell score indicate that selection on FA profile would not affect selection on resistance to mastitis and vice versa. In conclusion, our findings suggest that genetic selection on FA content is feasible, as FA are variable and moderately heritable. Nevertheless, in the light of correlations with other milk traits estimated in this study, a clear breeding goal should first be established.
Tania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. Genetic Parameters of Bovine Milk Fatty Acid Profile, Yield, Composition, Total and Differential Somatic Cell Count. Animals 2020, 10, 2406 .
AMA StyleTania Bobbo, Mauro Penasa, Martino Cassandro. Genetic Parameters of Bovine Milk Fatty Acid Profile, Yield, Composition, Total and Differential Somatic Cell Count. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2406.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Genetic Parameters of Bovine Milk Fatty Acid Profile, Yield, Composition, Total and Differential Somatic Cell Count." Animals 10, no. 12: 2406.
Food antioxidants enhance products shelf life and stability during technological treatments through the maintenance of their physical and chemical properties. Moreover, they are endowed with several positive effects on human health, including cell membranes preservation, enzyme functionality, and DNA integrity. Milk has been described in relation to a wide array of fat soluble and water-soluble antioxidant compounds, in particular vitamin A, C, and E, lactoferrin and peptides derived from casein and whey proteins. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) of milk is a novel and scarcely explored trait, defined as the sum of antioxidant contributions of the aforementioned compounds. On this background, the aims of the present study were to investigate the variability of milk TAA on a large scale exploiting predictions obtained through mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy and to estimate genetic parameters of this trait in Holstein cows. Individual milk samples were collected between January 2011 and December 2018 during the routine milk recording procedure. Samples were analysed for gross composition through MIR spectroscopy and MIR spectra were stored. Milk TAA was then predicted (pTAA) from the stored milk MIR spectra (111,653 test-day records of 9519 cows in 344 herds) using the previously developed prediction model; considering the prediction accuracy, pTAA might be considered a proxy of the TAA determined through the reference method. Overall, pTAA averaged 7.16 mmoL/L of Trolox equivalents, showed a nadir around 40 days after calving and increased thereafter, following a linear trend up to the end of lactation. The lowest pTAA was observed in milk sampled from June to September. Milk pTAA was heritable (0.401 ± 0.015) and genetically associated to fat yield (0.366 ± 0.049), crude protein (CP) yield (0.238 ± 0.052), fat percentage (0.616 ± 0.022) and CP percentage (0.754 ± 0.015). The official selection index of Italian Holstein put the 49% of the emphasis on fat and protein yield and percentage; therefore, it derives that an indirect favourable selection for milk pTAA should be already in progress in Italian Holstein population.
Giovanni Niero; Angela Costa; Marco Franzoi; Giulio Visentin; Martino Cassandro; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa. Genetic and Non-Genetic Variation of Milk Total Antioxidant Activity Predicted from Mid-Infrared Spectra in Holstein Cows. Animals 2020, 10, 2372 .
AMA StyleGiovanni Niero, Angela Costa, Marco Franzoi, Giulio Visentin, Martino Cassandro, Massimo De Marchi, Mauro Penasa. Genetic and Non-Genetic Variation of Milk Total Antioxidant Activity Predicted from Mid-Infrared Spectra in Holstein Cows. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2372.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanni Niero; Angela Costa; Marco Franzoi; Giulio Visentin; Martino Cassandro; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa. 2020. "Genetic and Non-Genetic Variation of Milk Total Antioxidant Activity Predicted from Mid-Infrared Spectra in Holstein Cows." Animals 10, no. 12: 2372.
Miniaturized coagulation (MC) models have been proposed for the evaluation of curd yield (CY) in individual milk samples of different dairy species and breeds, and for the analysis of cheese microstructure and texture. It is still unclear if MC using less than 50 mL of milk is suitable to evaluate CY and chemical composition, and if preservative added to raw milk may interfere with MC process. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating repeatability and reproducibility of CY, curd moisture, and fat and protein content on curd dry matter (DM) from MC trials using 40 g of milk. Miniaturized coagulations were performed by 3 different operators on 3 consecutive days, using raw milk (RM) and raw milk added with preservative (RMP). Repeatability of CY, calculated as relative standard deviation on 6 miniaturized curds obtained within a day by the same operator, was below 5% for MC carried out with both RM and RMP. The Horwitz ratio, which is the ratio between measured and expected reproducibility, highlighted good reproducibility for CY from RM and fair reproducibility for CY from RMP. The same ratio highlighted lower accuracies for curd moisture and fat and protein content on curd DM, especially for MC trials carried out with RMP. The z-test was performed to evaluate the similarity between curds manufactured with RM and RMP in terms of average yield and chemical composition; z-scores did not highlight significant differences between values obtained from MC carried out with RM and RMP. It can be concluded that preservative had negligible effects on MC, giving the opportunity to extend milk physical and chemical stability, to schedule laboratory trials on longer time span, and to broaden the sample size within a batch of analyses.
G. Niero; A. Goi; V. Vigolo; M. Saugo; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. Penasa; M. De Marchi. Technical note: Repeatability and reproducibility of curd yield and composition in a miniaturized coagulation model. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 11100 -11105.
AMA StyleG. Niero, A. Goi, V. Vigolo, M. Saugo, M. Franzoi, M. Cassandro, M. Penasa, M. De Marchi. Technical note: Repeatability and reproducibility of curd yield and composition in a miniaturized coagulation model. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (12):11100-11105.
Chicago/Turabian StyleG. Niero; A. Goi; V. Vigolo; M. Saugo; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. Penasa; M. De Marchi. 2020. "Technical note: Repeatability and reproducibility of curd yield and composition in a miniaturized coagulation model." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 12: 11100-11105.
Changes in milk production traits over time might be informative of the health status of cows and may contain useful information for selective breeding purposes. In particular, early indicators are useful for traits such as longevity, which become available late in the cow's life. Lactose percentage (LP) tends to decrease in the presence of udder infection and with parity. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that cows exhibiting limited changes in LP across lactations have experienced fewer udder infections in their productive life and have a higher chance to stay longer in the herd than cows with more pronounced reduction of LP across lactations. In this study, 9 descriptors of change in LP during a cow's lifetime were defined and evaluated as potential indicators for selective breeding. For the purpose of this study, test-day records of the first 44 days in milk (DIM) of each lactation were discarded, and cows were required to have at least 5 test-days/cow per lactation (≥45 DIM) over the first 3 lactations. In this study, descriptors of LP were available for 69,586 Italian Holstein cows. Changes in LP in each lactation were quantified by regressing LP on DIM; thus, β1, β2, and β3 represented the changes in LP within lactations 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Changes in LP across multiple lactations were also quantified by regressing LP on DIM (with exclusion of the first 44 DIM of each lactation); briefly, β12 was the change of LP over lactation 1 and 2, β23 was the change of LP over lactation 2 and 3, and β123 was the change of LP over lactation 1, 2, and 3. Alternatively, changes in the LP lactation means (Δ) were quantified between lactations 1 and 2 (Δ12), 2 and 3 (Δ23), and 1 and 3 (Δ13). For comparison, β and Δ were also derived for milk yield (kg/d), somatic cell score, and log-transformed total somatic cells excreted daily in milk (units). Variance components and estimated breeding values (EBV) for all β's and Δ's were estimated. In addition, EBV for bulls with at least 25 daughters were used to assess Calo's genetic correlations between descriptors of change in LP with official published EBV for functional traits. Heritabilities for β and Δ of LP ranged from 0.06 (Δ23) to 0.20 (Δ13), and differed significantly from 0. Furthermore, LP EBV for β and Δ were correlated with official EBV for functional longevity index, udder health index, udder score (mammary gland morphology) index, and milk persistency; Calo's genetic correlations of LP β123 with functional longevity and udder health index were 0.52 and 0.33, respectively. Cows with a stronger reduction of LP across lactations (i.e., stronger and negative β, and greater and positive Δ) were characterized by lower milk persistency, impaired longevity, and worse udder health and morphology than cows with smaller reduction in LP across lactations. Results highlighted that changes in milk LP have the potential to be exploited as indicators for functional traits in Italian Holstein cattle. Further research on the biological relationship between changes in LP and mastitis is recommended.
A. Costa; H. Bovenhuis; M. Penasa. Changes in milk lactose content as indicators for longevity and udder health in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 11574 -11584.
AMA StyleA. Costa, H. Bovenhuis, M. Penasa. Changes in milk lactose content as indicators for longevity and udder health in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (12):11574-11584.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Costa; H. Bovenhuis; M. Penasa. 2020. "Changes in milk lactose content as indicators for longevity and udder health in Holstein cows." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 12: 11574-11584.
Thomas Zanon; Angela Costa; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa; Sven Koenig; Matthias Gauly. Milk yield and quality of Original Brown cattle reared in Italian alpine region. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2020, 19, 1157 -1169.
AMA StyleThomas Zanon, Angela Costa, Massimo De Marchi, Mauro Penasa, Sven Koenig, Matthias Gauly. Milk yield and quality of Original Brown cattle reared in Italian alpine region. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2020; 19 (1):1157-1169.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThomas Zanon; Angela Costa; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa; Sven Koenig; Matthias Gauly. 2020. "Milk yield and quality of Original Brown cattle reared in Italian alpine region." Italian Journal of Animal Science 19, no. 1: 1157-1169.
T. Bobbo; M. Penasa; A. Rossoni; M. Cassandro. Short communication: Genetic aspects of milk urea nitrogen and new indicators of nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 9207 -9212.
AMA StyleT. Bobbo, M. Penasa, A. Rossoni, M. Cassandro. Short communication: Genetic aspects of milk urea nitrogen and new indicators of nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (10):9207-9212.
Chicago/Turabian StyleT. Bobbo; M. Penasa; A. Rossoni; M. Cassandro. 2020. "Short communication: Genetic aspects of milk urea nitrogen and new indicators of nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 10: 9207-9212.
The aim of the present study was to investigate sources of variation in bulk milk composition, somatic cell score, coagulation properties, and mineral content of Alpine Grey and Pinzgauer single-breed herds in the Italian alpine area. A total of 56,914 bulk milk samples from 461 farms located in the Bolzano province (Northeast Italy) were available for statistical analysis. Least squares means revealed that Pinzgauer herds produced milk with greater fat content and shorter rennet coagulation time than Alpine Grey herds, but the latter had greater milk protein content and lower somatic cell scores than Pinzgauer herds. The greatest content of Ca, protein, and casein and the most favorable coagulation properties were observed in milk sampled in autumn in both breeds. Results should serve to differentiate the milk of Alpine Grey cattle and Pinzgauer cattle from milk of other cattle breeds and thus provide necessary arguments for developing new production concepts that might expand future opportunities for further valorizing these local, dual-purpose breeds and therefore contribute long-term to their preservation.
Thomas Zanon; Angela Costa; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa; Sven König; Matthias Gauly. Quality Profile of Single-Breed Alpine Grey and Pinzgauer Bulk Milk. Agriculture 2020, 10, 283 .
AMA StyleThomas Zanon, Angela Costa, Massimo De Marchi, Mauro Penasa, Sven König, Matthias Gauly. Quality Profile of Single-Breed Alpine Grey and Pinzgauer Bulk Milk. Agriculture. 2020; 10 (7):283.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThomas Zanon; Angela Costa; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa; Sven König; Matthias Gauly. 2020. "Quality Profile of Single-Breed Alpine Grey and Pinzgauer Bulk Milk." Agriculture 10, no. 7: 283.
A. Benedet; A. Costa; M. De Marchi; M. Penasa. Heritability estimates of predicted blood β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids and relationships with milk traits in early-lactation Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 6354 -6363.
AMA StyleA. Benedet, A. Costa, M. De Marchi, M. Penasa. Heritability estimates of predicted blood β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids and relationships with milk traits in early-lactation Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (7):6354-6363.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Benedet; A. Costa; M. De Marchi; M. Penasa. 2020. "Heritability estimates of predicted blood β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids and relationships with milk traits in early-lactation Holstein cows." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 7: 6354-6363.
The combined use of somatic cell count (SCC) and differential somatic cell count (DSCC), which is the ratio of neutrophils plus lymphocytes to total milk SCC, represents a novel approach to define cow’s udder health status, as it allows to identify healthy animals (those with low SCC and DSCC), cows susceptible to mastitis (those where an immune response has begun, so that there is an increase of neutrophils, i.e. DSCC, but not yet of total SCC), animals with a mastitic event in progress (those with high SCC and DSCC) and animals with possible chronic inflammation (those with high SCC and low DSCC, as macrophages prevail). We investigated the association of cow’s udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in four cattle breeds. Results demonstrated that milk traits vary among cows with different udder health status, especially in terms of fat percentage, lactose percentage and coagulation ability. The most pronounced worsening in milk yield and coagulation ability was observed for animals with chronic inflammation. Our findings support the new approach based on the combined use of SCC and DSCC to screen for cow’s udder health, as it would allow to identify susceptible cows that will probably undergo a mastitic event and chronic cows that would possibly reduce the herd milk production and quality.
Tania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. Combining total and differential somatic cell count to better assess the association of udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in cattle. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2020, 19, 697 -703.
AMA StyleTania Bobbo, Mauro Penasa, Martino Cassandro. Combining total and differential somatic cell count to better assess the association of udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in cattle. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2020; 19 (1):697-703.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Combining total and differential somatic cell count to better assess the association of udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in cattle." Italian Journal of Animal Science 19, no. 1: 697-703.
Antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide issue whereby a more prudent use of medications is needed, especially for those antimicrobials (AM) classified as ‘highest priority critically important antimicrobials’ (HPCIAs) which are likely contributors to the development of resistance. So far, data on antimicrobial use (AMU) in EU are mainly reported at sales level while information on real use, mostly in beef production, is poor. The most reliable indicator to measure AMU is the treatment incidence (TI100) calculated by using the Defined Daily Dose Animal (DDDA) as stated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Although Italy ranks second among EU countries with regard to the AM sales in livestock production, data on AMU of the Italian beef production is still lacking, whereby the aim of this study was to provide information on the current scenario of AMU in Italian beef cattle. Data were collected from January 2016 to April 2019 from specialized beef fattening farms located in the north of Italy yielding a final dataset of 1376 batches. Data on performance and AM agents used in the study were collected and TI100 indexes per batch were calculated according to both Italian and EMA’s DDDA. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to check for differences between years and seasons. Results showed a significant variation between years and seasons with a reduction of TI100 based on Italian DDDA as time progressed (P < 0.05). However, about 40% of the total amount of treatments administered were HPCIAs with macrolides accounting for the 27.7% of the total amount. The most common reasons of administration of AM were respiratory diseases (68.9%) and lameness (17.6%). Penicillins was the class of AM used on the highest proportion of batches (84.4%) showing that broad-spectrum AM were widely exploited among herds. In summary, despite a general reduction of AMU in beef cattle over time, a great use of HPCIAs was still observed suggesting that AM stewardship for Italian beef production should pay particular emphasis on the reduction of HPCIAs use. This shows how overall knowledge on where efforts need to be optimized is important to develop targeted strategies for a more responsible AM stewardship. Results of the current study may also contribute to define national and EU benchmark criteria for AMU as a comparison with studies carried out in other countries or on other food-producing sectors is still challenging to achieve.
Alessia Diana; Matteo Santinello; Mauro Penasa; Federico Scali; Edoardo Magni; Giovanni Loris Alborali; Luigi Bertocchi; Massimo De Marchi. Use of antimicrobials in beef cattle: an observational study in the north of Italy. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2020, 181, 105032 .
AMA StyleAlessia Diana, Matteo Santinello, Mauro Penasa, Federico Scali, Edoardo Magni, Giovanni Loris Alborali, Luigi Bertocchi, Massimo De Marchi. Use of antimicrobials in beef cattle: an observational study in the north of Italy. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2020; 181 ():105032.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlessia Diana; Matteo Santinello; Mauro Penasa; Federico Scali; Edoardo Magni; Giovanni Loris Alborali; Luigi Bertocchi; Massimo De Marchi. 2020. "Use of antimicrobials in beef cattle: an observational study in the north of Italy." Preventive Veterinary Medicine 181, no. : 105032.
The organic livestock sector has been experiencing a fast growth and, lately, organic farming has become a trending topic. However, the scientific research behind the organic livestock sector is not often clear. A bibliometric review is the first approach to a topic because it helps to provide an overview of the research conducted on the topic itself. It identifies the countries involved in organic livestock production research and the scientific interaction between countries and authors, and it allows to map the keywords of the published papers. These are all key aspects to bear in mind when starting a new research area or writing a research proposal. The bibliometric analysis conducted here includes peer-reviewed documents to guarantee, from a scientific point of view, the quality of the selected studies. In this paper, we present a new technique to analyze the literature from a bibliometric point of view, and the results and conclusions extracted from the investigated topic (i.e., organic livestock production).
Carmen L. Manuelian; Mauro Penasa; Luciana Da Costa; Sara Burbi; Federico Righi; Massimo De Marchi. Organic Livestock Production: A Bibliometric Review. Animals 2020, 10, 618 .
AMA StyleCarmen L. Manuelian, Mauro Penasa, Luciana Da Costa, Sara Burbi, Federico Righi, Massimo De Marchi. Organic Livestock Production: A Bibliometric Review. Animals. 2020; 10 (4):618.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarmen L. Manuelian; Mauro Penasa; Luciana Da Costa; Sara Burbi; Federico Righi; Massimo De Marchi. 2020. "Organic Livestock Production: A Bibliometric Review." Animals 10, no. 4: 618.
The collection of phenotypes related to livestock methane emissions is hampered by costly and time-demanding techniques. In the present research, a laser methane detector was used to measure several novel phenotypes, including mean and aggregate of methane records, and mean and number of methane peak records, considering Simmental heifers as a case study. Phenotypes showed satisfactory repeatability and reproducibility for log-transformed data. The number of emission peaks had great variability across animals and thus it is a promising candidate to discriminate between high and low emitters.
Giovanni Niero; Filippo Cendron; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi; Giulio Cozzi; Martino Cassandro. Repeatability and Reproducibility of Measures of Bovine Methane Emissions Recorded using a Laser Detector. Animals 2020, 10, 606 .
AMA StyleGiovanni Niero, Filippo Cendron, Mauro Penasa, Massimo De Marchi, Giulio Cozzi, Martino Cassandro. Repeatability and Reproducibility of Measures of Bovine Methane Emissions Recorded using a Laser Detector. Animals. 2020; 10 (4):606.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanni Niero; Filippo Cendron; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi; Giulio Cozzi; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Repeatability and Reproducibility of Measures of Bovine Methane Emissions Recorded using a Laser Detector." Animals 10, no. 4: 606.
Population-level phenotyping of blood metabolites is hardly achievable due to the limitation of reference analyses. Mid-infrared spectroscopy has recently been used to develop prediction models for major blood metabolites, allowing their determination on a large scale. The current study investigated the variation of blood β-hydroxybutyrate, non-esterified fatty acids, and urea nitrogen predicted from a large milk mid-infrared spectra database of Brown Swiss, Holstein-Friesian, and Simmental cows. Holstein-Friesian cows had the greatest concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate and non-esterified fatty acids, and the lowest urea nitrogen in blood, which may underline an altered energy and nutritional status. Serum metabolic profile is a common method to monitor health and nutritional status of dairy cows, but blood sampling and analysis are invasive, time-consuming, and expensive. Milk mid-infrared spectra have recently been used to develop prediction models for blood metabolites. The current study aimed to investigate factors affecting blood β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and urea nitrogen (BUN) predicted from a large milk mid-infrared spectra database. Data consisted of the first test-day record of early-lactation cows in multi-breed herds. Holstein-Friesian cows had the greatest concentration of blood BHB and NEFA, followed by Simmental and Brown Swiss. The greatest and the lowest concentrations of BUN were detected for Brown Swiss and Holstein-Friesian, respectively. The greatest BHB concentration was observed in the first two weeks of lactation for Brown Swiss and Holstein-Friesian. Across the first month of lactation, NEFA decreased and BUN increased for all considered breeds. The greatest concentrations of blood BHB and NEFA were recorded in spring and early summer, whereas BUN peaked in December. Environmental effects identified in the present study can be included as adjusting factors in within-breed estimation of genetic parameters for major blood metabolites.
Anna Benedet; Marco Franzoi; Carmen Loreto Manuelian; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi. Variation of Blood Metabolites of Brown Swiss, Holstein-Friesian, and Simmental Cows. Animals 2020, 10, 271 .
AMA StyleAnna Benedet, Marco Franzoi, Carmen Loreto Manuelian, Mauro Penasa, Massimo De Marchi. Variation of Blood Metabolites of Brown Swiss, Holstein-Friesian, and Simmental Cows. Animals. 2020; 10 (2):271.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnna Benedet; Marco Franzoi; Carmen Loreto Manuelian; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi. 2020. "Variation of Blood Metabolites of Brown Swiss, Holstein-Friesian, and Simmental Cows." Animals 10, no. 2: 271.
High milk somatic cell count (SCC) influences milk production and quality; however, very little is known about the effect of low SCC on milk quality, especially in terms of mineral content and coagulation properties. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of somatic cell score (SCS), calculated as log2(SCC/100) + 3, on milk yield, composition (fat, crude protein, casein, lactose, milk urea nitrogen, protein fractions, and mineral contents), and coagulation properties of Brown Swiss, Holstein Friesian, and Simmental cows from multibreed herds. Milk composition and coagulation traits were predicted using mid-infrared spectroscopy. The data set comprised 95,591 observations of 6,940 cows in 313 multibreed herds, collected from January 2011 to December 2017. Observations were divided into 8 classes based on SCS. Statistical analysis was performed using a linear mixed model, which included breed, parity, stage of lactation, SCS class, and their interactions as fixed effects, and herd test day, cow, and residual as random effects. The probability that cows experienced SCS > 4.00 at 30 ± 5, 60 ± 5, or 90 ± 5 d after the observation test day was calculated for each SCS class, and odds ratios to the reference class (-1.00 < SCS ≤ 0.00) were reported. Results showed that the relationship between SCS and milk traits followed a third-order polynomial regression. The average loss of milk, fat, and crude protein yields were 0.43, 0.01, and 0.01 kg/d, respectively, for each SCS unit higher than 1.00. Very low SCS (<-1.00) had detrimental effects on milk yield and quality traits similar to or even stronger than high SCS (>4.00). Moreover, cows with SCS lower than -1.00 on a test day were about 7 times more likely to present high SCS within the following 90 ± 5 d than cows with SCS between -1.00 and 0.00. Breeds responded similarly to the increase of SCS, but the overall loss of fat and crude protein yields, and several minerals among Holstein Friesian were lower with increasing SCS. The best milk yield and quality were observed between SCS 0.00 and 1.00, but milk quality of Holstein Friesians started to decrease at lower SCS compared with milk quality of Brown Swiss and Simmental cows. Results suggest a breed-dependent optimum of SCS, and highlighted that very low SCS can be an indicator of udder health problems and, thus, may be used for early detection of mastitis.
M. Franzoi; C.L. Manuelian; M. Penasa; M. De Marchi. Effects of somatic cell score on milk yield and mid-infrared predicted composition and technological traits of Brown Swiss, Holstein Friesian, and Simmental cattle breeds. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 791 -804.
AMA StyleM. Franzoi, C.L. Manuelian, M. Penasa, M. De Marchi. Effects of somatic cell score on milk yield and mid-infrared predicted composition and technological traits of Brown Swiss, Holstein Friesian, and Simmental cattle breeds. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (1):791-804.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Franzoi; C.L. Manuelian; M. Penasa; M. De Marchi. 2020. "Effects of somatic cell score on milk yield and mid-infrared predicted composition and technological traits of Brown Swiss, Holstein Friesian, and Simmental cattle breeds." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 1: 791-804.
Dairy cows commonly experience an unbalanced energy status in early lactation, and this condition can lead to the onset of several metabolic disorders. Blood metabolic profile testing is a valid tool to monitor and detect the most common early lactation disorders, but blood sampling and analysis are time-consuming and expensive, and the procedure is invasive and stressful for the cows. Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is routinely used to analyze milk composition, being a cost-effective and nondestructive method. The present study aimed to assess the feasibility of using routine milk MIR spectra for the prediction of main blood metabolites in dairy cows, and to investigate associations between measured blood metabolites and milk traits. Twenty herds of Holstein Friesian, Brown Swiss, or Simmental cows located in Northeast Italy were visited 1 to 4 times between December 2017 and June 2018, and blood and milk samples were collected from all lactating cows within 35 d in milk. Concentrations of main blood metabolites and milk MIR spectra were recorded from 295 blood and milk samples and used to develop prediction models for blood metabolic traits through backward interval partial least squares analysis. Blood β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), urea, and nonesterified fatty acids were the most predictable traits, with coefficients of determination of 0.63, 0.58, and 0.52, respectively. On the contrary, predictive performance for blood glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase were not accurate. Associations of blood BHB and urea with their respective contents in milk were moderate to strong, whereas all other correlations were weak. Predicted blood BHB showed an improved performance in detecting cows with hyperketonemia (blood BHB ≥ 1.2 mmol/L), compared with commercial calibration equation for milk BHB. Results highlighted the opportunity of using milk MIR spectra to predict blood metabolites and thus to collect routine information on the metabolic status of early-lactation cows at a population level.
A. Benedet; M. Franzoi; M. Penasa; Erika Pellattiero; M. De Marchi. Prediction of blood metabolites from milk mid-infrared spectra in early-lactation cows. Journal of Dairy Science 2019, 102, 11298 -11307.
AMA StyleA. Benedet, M. Franzoi, M. Penasa, Erika Pellattiero, M. De Marchi. Prediction of blood metabolites from milk mid-infrared spectra in early-lactation cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 2019; 102 (12):11298-11307.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Benedet; M. Franzoi; M. Penasa; Erika Pellattiero; M. De Marchi. 2019. "Prediction of blood metabolites from milk mid-infrared spectra in early-lactation cows." Journal of Dairy Science 102, no. 12: 11298-11307.