The main objective of this experiment was to evaluate the use of rumination time (RT) during the peripartum period as a tool for early disease detection. The study was carried out in an experimental freestall barn and involved 23 Italian Friesian cows (9 primiparous and 14 multiparous). The RT was continuously recorded by using an automatic system (Hr-Tag, SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel), and data were summarized in 2-h intervals. Blood samples were collected from 30 d before calving to 42 d in milk (DIM) to assess biochemical indicators related to energy, protein, and mineral metabolism, as well as markers of inflammation and some enzyme activities. The liver functionality index, which includes some negative acute-phase proteins and related parameters (albumin, cholesterol, and bilirubin), was used to evaluate the severity of inflammatory conditions occurring around calving. The cows were retrospectively categorized according to RT observed between 3 and 6 DIM into those with the lowest (L) and highest (H) RT. The average RT before calving (-20 to -2d) was 479 min/d (range 264 to 599), reached a minimum value at calving (30% of RT before calving), and was nearly stable after 15 DIM (on average 452 min/d). Milk yield in early lactation (on average 26.8 kg/d) was positively correlated with RT (r = 0.33). After calving, compared with H cows, the L cows had higher values of haptoglobin (0.61 and 0.34 g/L at 10 DIM in L and H, respectively) for a longer time, had a greater increase in total bilirubin (9.5 and 5.7 μmol/L at 5 DIM in L and H), had greater reductions of albumin (31.2 and 33.5 g/L at 10 DIM in L and H) and paraoxonase (54 and 76 U/ml at 10 DIM in L and H), and had a slower increase of total cholesterol (2.7 and 3.2 mmol/L at 20 DIM in L and H). Furthermore, a lower average value of liver functionality index was observed in L (-6.97) compared with H (-1.91) cows. These results suggest that severe inflammation around parturition is associated with a slower increase of RT after calving. Furthermore, more than 90% of the cows in the L group had clinical diseases in early lactation compared with 42% of the H cows. Overall, our results demonstrate the utility of monitoring RT around calving, and in particular during the first week of lactation, as a way to identify in a timely fashion those cows at a greater risk of developing a disease in early lactation.

A targeted survey was designed with the aim of describing the diffusion of precision livestock farming (PLF) tools in one of the most intensive dairy farming provinces in Italy. Technicians at the Provincial Breeder Association of Cremona interviewed 490 dairy farmers and obtained data regarding the role and age of the respondents; the land owned by the farmers; their herd sizes (HS, lactating plus dry cows; small HS < 101, medium HS 101–200, large HS > 200 cows/herd); their average 305 day milk yield (low MY < 9501, medium MY 9501–10,500, high MY > 10,500 kg/head); the cow to employed worker ratio (low CW < 33, medium CW 33–47, high CW > 47 cows/worker); the use of PLF tools to monitor production, reproduction, and health; and the criteria and motivations for investing in PLF tools. The use of automated MY recording and estrus detection systems was primarily associated with HS (more present in larger farms), followed by MY (more present in more productive farms), and then CW (more present with a high cow: worker ratio). Concern about the time required to manage data was the most common subjective issue identified as negatively affecting the purchase of these tools. The future of PLF use in this region will depend upon the availability of an effective selection of tools on the market.

Condensed tannins (CT) are plant polyphenols that can affect feed digestibility and are potentially able to reduce enteric CH₄ emissions in ruminants. In this in vivo trial with 8 lactating goats, we investigated the effects of 4 levels of inclusion of a commercial CT extract from quebracho (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% on dry matter basis; CON, Q2, Q4, and Q6, respectively). The experimental design was a repeated 4 × 4 Latin square with 28-d periods (24 d of diet adaptation and 4 d of sample collection) using metabolic cages and 4 open-circuit respiration chambers. The inclusion of CT in the diets did not affect the dry matter intake (DMI) but caused a linear decrease in diet digestibility, with reductions up to -11% for dry matter, -21% for crude protein (CP), -23% for α-amylase- and sodium sulfite-treated neutral detergent fiber corrected for insoluble ash (aNDFom), and -13% for gross energy, when comparing the Q6 and CON diets. However, ruminal total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration was not affected by CT, although there were changes in VFA proportions. Milk yield was highest for Q4 (3,371 g/d) and lowest for Q6 (3,066 g/d). In terms of milk composition, CT induced a linear reduction of fat and CP concentrations. The reduction in CP digestibility resulted in a linear reduction in the milk urea level, up to -37% with Q6. Positively, CT linearly reduced the somatic cells count expressed as linear score. The feed efficiency was linearly decreased by CT inclusion. Furthermore, a shift from urinary to fecal nitrogen excretion was observed with CT. The retained nitrogen was always negative (on average -1.93 g/d). The CH₄ yield (on average 19.2 g of CH₄/kg DMI) was linearly reduced by CT inclusion, up to -18% with Q6. Regarding the CH₄ intensity, CT induced a linear reduction when expressed per kilogram of milk, but not per kilogram of fat and protein-corrected milk. Moreover, the CH₄ production per kilogram of digestible aNDFom was linearly increased by CT. The metabolizable energy intake (MEI) was not affected by the treatments, but the metabolizability (q = MEI/gross energy intake) was reduced as CT inclusion increased. From the results of the present study, it turned out that CT have a negative impact on feed digestibility and feed use efficiency. Condensed tannins can lower CH₄ emissions from ruminants; however, the main mechanism of action is likely the decrease in feed digestibility. Furthermore, CT did not improve the N use efficiency. According to these findings, the positive environmental impacts of CT are only related to the shift from urinary to fecal N excretion.