There is a need to develop tools for mastitis management in goats and to measure the effects of milking machines on teats. Infrared thermography (IRT), as shown in cows, was a good candidate for early mastitis detection and focusing on milking equipment and settings implicated in potential problems. The aim of this study was to test IRT to detect udder inflammation and the effects of mechanical milking on teats in relation to inflammation status, udder balance, and teat shape in Alpine goats. IRT spectra were compared before and after milking in 551 goats from three commercial herds compared to their individual SCC (somatic cell count). We found no regression or trend between logSCC and IRT measurement or response to milking, even in highly inflamed goat udders. The effect of milking was significant (p < 0.05) with global temperature reduction after milking, but differences were seen between teat parts and unbalanced half udders. The highest reduction in skin temperature was observed at the teat orifice (−1.06 ± 0.05) and the lowest at the teat barrel (−0.37 ± 0.05). The teats with long barrels showed more IRT reactions, which clearly indicates poor adaptation to the liners used. In conclusion, the IRT was not able to detect mastitis, but it is a good tool to diagnose the effects of the milking machine in order to adapt milking equipment and settings to the goats and improve their welfare.

High potency growth promoter implants (HGPs) are widely used under feedlot conditions but there are few reports under grazing conditions. The study’s goal was to assess the effect of HGPs on the average daily gain of steers fattened in pastures. A total of 57 crossbreed steers (Hereford × Angus)—initial body weight = 356.65 kg ± 5.04 (SEM)—were randomly allocated to one of three groups: Control without HGP (n = 19), Synovex group (n = 17), and Revalor group (n = 21). The fattening period was 67 days using paddocks of Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. Body weight was recorded three times in the period. The data were analyzed using an analysis of covariance with a level of significance of 5%. The average daily gain (ADG) (1.55 ± 0.07 and 1.48 ± 0.09 kg/d) and the total weight gain (103.4 ± 4.9 and 99.2 ± 5.8 kg) were similar for Revalor and Synovex, respectively (p > 0.05). Moreover, HGP groups showed higher ADG and total weight gain (p < 0.01) than the control group (ADG = 0.93 ± 0.08 kg/d and a total weight gain of 62.2 ± 5.2 kg). Final body weights were 527.8 ± 8.5 kg and 512.2 ± 9.9 kg for Revalor and Synovex, respectively; and 479.9 ± 10.1 kg for Control. In conclusion, grazing-finished steers showed better performance when high potency HGPs were used, improving the ADG and final live body weight, generating a marginal income that justifies the use of the technology under grazing conditions

There is a need to develop tools for mastitis management in goats and to measure the effects of milking machines on teats. Infrared thermography (IRT), as shown in cows, was a good candidate for early detection of mastitis and focusing on milking equipment and settings implicated in potential problems. The aim of this study was to test IRT to detect udder inflammation and the effects of mechanical milking on teats in relation to inflammation status, udder balance and teat shape in Alpine goats. IRT spectra were compared before and after milking in 551 goats from three commercial herds compared to their individual SCC (somatic cell count). We found no regression or trend between logSCC and IRT measurement or response to milking, even in highly inflamed goat udders. The effect of milking was significant (P

Extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) yeast were generated using a biotechnological solid-state fermentation method. The organic material used for fermentation consisted of a variety of fibrous substrates of agricultural origin, and their effect on the chemical composition and productivity of cellular biomass generated was evaluated. The substrates studied included the following: wheat straw, WS; barley straw, BS; chili stubble, CS; oat hull, OH and starch powder, SP (control). For incubation with Sc, 2 g of (dry) vegetable substrate were added to 12 mL of cultivation medium. The fermentation time was seven days under aerobic conditions (pH 5, 26ºC). After extraction of the yeast biomass, its chemical composition and productivity were analyzed. The results showed an effect (P≤0.01) of the type of vegetable substrate fermented on the crude protein (CP) and true protein (TP) contents of the yeast biomass. The highest concentration of CP was obtained by fermentation of the control TSP (treatment with the starch powder substrate ) (506.3 g kg-1 DM), followed by the treatment TOH (474.5 g kg-1 DM). The productivity of the yeast biomass was affected by the type of substrate fermented (P≤0.001). The highest value was obtained with TSP (327.10 mg g-1), followed by TOH (treatment with the oat hull substrate) (207.08 mg g-1). The lowest efficiency was measured in TCS (156.30 mg g-1). On the basis of these results, it may be inferred that an extract of high CP can be obtained from yeast (Sc) by the fermentation of fibrous substrates.

Proteolytic activity of enzymatic extracts generated from rumen microorganisms cultivated in vitro was evaluated. The incubation of rumen fluid used different substrates to generate a higher enzyme concentration and promote a broad spectrum of hydrolytic activity. The composition of the substrates used in the cultivation of the fluid was enriched in protein, starch or cell wall. Enzyme preparations were evaluated by incubating in 30 mL of buffer 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 6.5) at 39 ºC during 48 hours, 100 mg of crude protein from feeds soybean meal, canola meal, sunflower meal, gluten feed, dehydrated alfalfa meal, berseem clover, oat forage and perennial ryegrass. Enzyme extracts from cultivated rumen fluid showed an average protein breakdown of 75.5%, in eight feed samples tested. This value was very close to that measured with the technique of proteases from Streptomyces griseus (74.6% CP), but significantly lower (P≤0.05) than the one obtained by the in situ methodology (84.8% CP). The technique with extracted rumen enzymes showed higher level of proteolysis in the early hours of incubation (6 H) compared to the other techniques. These results suggest that the enzyme preparations of ruminal origin have the ability to predict degradability of feed proteins in the rumen, particularly in the first phase when most of proteins are hydrolyzed and become available for microbial utilization.

The in vitro crude protein (CP) digestibility (Divcp), true protein digestibility (Dtp) and degradation rate (kdcp) were measured in different protein extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) yeast. These extracts were generated through a biotechnological method (solid state fermentation). Wheat straw (TWS), barley straw (TBS), chili stubble (TCS), oats hull (TOH) and starch-glucose powder (TSP; control) were used as substrates for fermentation by Sc, and their effect on the aforementioned kinetic parameters in the generated cellular biomass was evaluated. In 12 mL cultivation medium, 2 mL Sc solution inoculum (6.7×106 spores mL-1) was added together with 2 g vegetable substrate (dry) and additional nitrogen source, and the mixture was incubated for 7 days at a constant temperature (26ºC at pH 5) under aerobic conditions. The average CP content of the yeast biomass (DM) was of 45%. The Divcp and Dtp were analyzed (two phases: pepsin/trypsin-pancreatin) after the extraction of the yeast biomass, and an effect of the fermented substrate on these values (P≤0.001 and P≤0.01, respectively) was observed. The greatest digestibility (Divcp) was obtained with TSP (78.9% CP) and the lowest with TCS (67.1% CP). In addition, differences in the kdcp between the treatments were also observed (P≤0.01). The high contents of CP, Divcp (71.8% on average) and kdcp (16.4% h-1 on average) suggest that Sc yeast biomass has the potential to become an alternative for the production of animal protein supplements.