[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3168/jdsc.2024-0668.].
Manipulations at the intersection of nutrition, behavior, and management may be an important way to apply novel feeding strategies that take advantage of affordable feeds and a cow's natural behavior to increase feed intake. The grain fuel sector continues to modify methods for how corn ethanol is produced. This has resulted in different feed coproducts that can be utilized by the dairy industry. The objective of this study was to determine how preferences of various corn milling coproducts differ and also compare them with corn grain. Eight lactating Jersey cows (169 ± 4 DIM, 29.7 ± 4.55 kg/d milk yield, 21.3 ± 2.78 kg/d DMI; mean ± SD) were utilized. The treatments tested included dried corn distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in meal form, corn fermented protein (CFP) product in meal form, pelleted corn distillers grains (PEDG), and finely ground corn grain (CRNG). During the experiment, cows consumed a corn-silage-based TMR with 59.8% DM, 17.3% CP, 25.6% starch, and 26.0% NDF. Preference testing was always provided before providing the dairy allotment of TMR. Cows were offered 0.45 kg in each treatment, which was randomly arranged for each cow within their feed bunk. Cows were allowed access to all treatments for 1 h or until the single most preferred feed was fully consumed. Feeds were offered for 9 d with all treatments presented the first 4 d. The most preferred feed was then removed, and the remaining 3 feeds were offered for 3 d. The process was repeated for the last 2 d. Feed preference was ranked from 1 to 4 with 1 being the most preferred and 4 the least. The rankings of each treatment for each cow were summed and averaged. The PEDG was chosen as the most preferred feed (1.00 ± 0.25; mean ± SD) followed by CRNG (2.14 ± 0.38), DDGS (2.50 ± 0.58), and CFP (4.00 ± 0.00). The results were then examined using the Plackett-Luce model to determine the probability a treatment would be chosen first based on the current dataset. The probability of PEDG being selected first was observed to be 98.8% ± 1.60%, whereas the probabilities of CRNG, DDGS, and CFP being selected first were 0.93% ± 0.69%, 0.21% ± 0.73%, and 0.07% ± 0.86%, respectively. Results of this study demonstrate preference is increased over corn when DDGS are pelleted.
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of dietary Bacillus subtilis PB6 supplementation on inflammatory mediators in milk during an intramammary LPS challenge in dairy cows. A secondary objective was to determine if repeated LPS challenges induced the development of innate immune memory and immunological tolerance. Mid-lactation Holstein cows (n = 20; 147 ± 48 DIM; 2.2 ± 0.93 parity; 42.1 ± 7.6 kg/d of milk; mean ± SD) were enrolled in a crossover design. Treatments included Bacillus subtilis PB6 (BSP) or limestone (control; CON) at 13 g/d, which were top-dressed daily onto a basal lactating TMR for 28-d periods. An intramammary LPS challenge (10 µg, Escherichia coli O111:B4) was conducted in a rear quarter on d 24 of each period. Milk samples were collected at 0, 3, 12, and 24 h relative to the intramammary LPS challenge from the challenged quarter to measure SCC and cytokines. For cytokines, milk samples were treated with rennet and centrifuged to obtain whey, and 13 cytokines/chemokines were measured using a multiplex assay (IFNF, IL1A, IL1B, IL4, IL6, IL10, IL17A, IL36RN, CXCL10, CCL2, CCL3, TNF, and VEGFA). Linear mixed models included the fixed effects of treatment, period, and time, and their interactions, and the random effects of cow nested within period, block, and block by period. Dietary BSP supplementation increased SCS at 3 h but decreased SCS at 12 h during period 1 as compared with CON; we found were no treatment effects on SCS during period 2. Dietary BSP increased whey CCL2 (monocyte chemokine) at 3, 12, and 24 h relative to the LPS challenge during period 1; however, during period 2, dietary BSP decreased whey CCL2 at 3 and 12 h as compared with CON. These data suggest that dietary BSP supplementation may have enhanced innate immune training during period 1, and these effects carried over into the CON cows during period 2. Independent of treatment sequence, period 1 had greater concentrations of whey IL1A and IL1B at 3 h following the LPS challenge as compared with period 2, suggesting the development of endotoxin tolerance. In conclusion, our data suggest that dietary BSP supplementation may alter whey CCL2 concentrations, which may have influenced immune cell trafficking to the mammary gland during an intramammary LPS challenge. Period effects point to the development of endotoxin tolerance in cows receiving 2 intramammary LPS challenges.
This study evaluated the effects of replacing soybean hulls with exhausted olive pomace (EOP) on feed intake, milk production and composition, and rumen fermentation parameters. A cyclical changeover design experiment was used with 4 rumen-fistulated Holstein cows, 3 corn silage-based diets containing 0%, 3%, or 6% of EOP (DM basis), and three 21-d periods. Measurements were taken from d 15 to 21, and rumen contents were sampled on the last day. Diet did not affect feed intake, milk production and composition, or MUN. Ruminal pH, total short-chain fatty acid concentrations, and molar proportions of individual acids were also unaffected by the different dietary treatments. These findings suggest that EOP comprises a sustainable feed resource for late-lactating dairy cows fed corn silage-based diets, supporting circular economy approaches to promote the compound feed industry's resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability.
Synthetically manufactured bromoform may provide a sustainable and economically viable alternative to macroalgae harvesting and cultivation for mitigating methane emissions in ruminants. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of varying doses of synthetic bromoform stabilized in vegetable oil on rumen fermentation, digestibility, and methane production using an in vitro batch culture system. Four treatments were evaluated: 0 (BR0), 1,000 (BR1), 2,500 (BR2), and 5,000 (BR5) mg bromoform/kg oil, added to batch culture vessels at a 2% DM basis. A randomized complete block design was applied across 3 periods, with incubations conducted for 3, 6, 12, 24, and 72 h in each period. Treatments were replicated 3 times at each incubation time. At 72 h, methane (mg/g of disappeared DM) was reduced by 32.3%, 96.4%, and 100% in BR1, BR2, and BR5, respectively, compared with BR0. The inclusion of bromoform at varying doses did not influence fermentation medium pH or apparent substrate disappearance, as measured by DM, NDF, and ADF disappearance. Bromoform inclusion modified the ruminal VFA profile. At 12 h, BR2 and BR5 treatments exhibited decreased acetate concentrations relative to BR1, whereas at 24 h, these treatments had reduced acetate concentrations compared with BR0. Moreover, by 72 h, BR5 had the lowest acetate concentrations among treatments. The acetate-to-propionate ratio was lesser in BR5 and marginally lesser in BR2 compared with BR0. Butyrate concentration was greater in BR1 and BR5 compared with BR0. At 72 h, BR2 and BR5 showed greater concentrations of valerate and caproate concomitant with a decrease in isobutyrate concentrations relative to BR0 and BR1. Isovalerate and 2-methylbutyrate concentrations were greater in BR1 compared with BR2 and BR5. The collective findings of this study indicate that synthetic bromoform inclusion (BR2 and BR5) markedly reduced methane production, preserved digestibility, and altered rumen fermentation characteristics, suggesting a compensatory shift in reducing equivalents utilization by the rumen microbiota.
In dairy cattle, conformation and linear-type traits are routinely recorded as categorical or ordinal phenotypes. Some traits originating from continuous biological measurements are discretized into categorical scores. These traits are moderately heritable and play a crucial role in breeding programs, serving as indicators of longevity, fertility, and overall lifetime productivity. However, over time, the underlying phenotypic distributions can evolve due to selection, management, and environmental changes. As a result, the mapping between biological measurements and categorical scores may become obsolete. This paper investigates phenotypic distribution shifts within ordinal scoring systems, using stature in Brown Swiss cattle as a case study. We present an analytical characterization of these shifts and their genetic consequences. A simulation study based on a real pedigree was conducted to quantify the extent of these effects and to explore methods for predicting these changes. The results emphasize periodic recalibration of threshold boundaries to keep the ordinal scoring systems aligned with current population distributions and safeguard the validity of genetic improvement programs. We anticipate that our findings will provide practical guidance for detecting, interpreting, and managing distributional shifts in categorical phenotypes within structured genetic evaluation and selection programs.
Despite the preweaning period being critical for immune system development, heat abatement for calves in summer is often overlooked during this early-life period. Herein, we evaluated selected markers of innate and adaptive immunity development in outdoor hutch-housed Holstein dairy heifers with 2 types of ventilation during a Midwestern summer. Heifer calves were housed in outdoor hutches with passive (PASS; 0.07 m/s natural air speed, n = 16) or active ventilation (ACT; 1.1 m/s air speed via solar-powered fans, n = 16) from birth to 28 d of life. At d 28, fans were turned off, and all heifers were naturally ventilated. Heifers were weaned at 49 d and monitored until 56 d of age. Blood samples were collected at various stages of the preweaning period (d 1-56) to assess IgG, glucose, blood hematology, gene expression, and functional assays. At birth, circulating IgG, glucose, and hematology parameters were not different between groups. Relative to heifers exposed to PASS, ACT heifers had reduced white blood cell, monocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts, particularly the first 28 d. The ACT heifers had a greater percentage of neutrophils with phagocytic activity on d 28 and 42 of life, and tended to have neutrophils with greater percentage of oxidative burst on d 42. The mRNA expression of haptoglobin, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ, and NFKβ1 was downregulated in peripheral blood leukocytes of PASS heifers, relative to ACT. Providing active ventilation to heifers during the first 4 wk of life in summer enhances neutrophil phagocytic capacity, reduces circulating neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, and downregulates the expression of key pro-inflammatory cytokine and interleukin genes in peripheral leukocytes.
This study was conducted to assess the effects of encapsulated algae oil (EAO) supplementation on the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched milk in mid-lactation dairy cows. A total of 60 mid-lactation dairy cows were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups, comprising the addition of EAO (DHA >17%) at 0, 60, 120, and 180 g/d per head (equivalent to 0, 10, 20, and 30 g/d DHA). The experiment lasted for 8 wk, with an additional 10-d prefeeding period. Compared with the control group, the ECM and fat content were increased in 10 g/d DHA group, but decreased with the 20 g/d and 30 g/d DHA levels. No significant treatment effect was observed on DMI and milk composition. The content of milk DHA exceeded 100 ppm (10 mg/100 mL) by the fifth week when 30 g/d DHA was administered. The conversion rate for all groups exceeded 10%, whereas the group supplemented with 10 g/d DHA exhibited the highest level. No significant differences were found in SFA or MUFA levels. In contrast, PUFA, including DHA, significantly increased with the EAO supplementation. In addition, compared with raw milk, the DHA content of pasteurized milk decreased by 8.39%, and UHT milk decreased by 25.64%. In summary, EAO supplements significantly increased the milk DHA content without influencing the overall milk performance of dairy cows.
Genetic selection is a viable tool for improving feed efficiency due to its cumulative nature. However, it has not been investigated how selection for feed efficiency affects other breeding goal traits. This work investigated associations between the feed efficiency-related traits BW (representing energy requirement for body maintenance), genetic residual feed intake (gRFI; representing deviations from expected feed intake calculated from milk yield, maintenance, and changes in BW), genetic Feed Saved (gFS; representing deviations from expected feed intake calculated from milk yield, and changes in BW), and all breeding goal traits in the Nordic Total Merit (NTM) index. Phenotypic data were collected from 5,104 cows across 8 commercial herds using the Cattle Feed InTake system, and GEBVs for feed efficiency were estimated using the single-step genomic BLUP methodology. Genetic correlations were approximated using Pearson correlation between GEBVs for different traits. The genetic correlations were weakly negative between BW and NTM (-0.15 to -0.18) or longevity (-0.13 to -0.15), and it was not associated with the yield index. The genetic correlations were generally moderate between BW and conformation traits such as stature and chest width but not with dairy form. The genetic correlations for gRFI in different lactation stages were weakly to moderately correlated with the yield index (-0.23 to 0.21) and weakly correlated with functional traits (-0.10 to 0.10; e.g., mastitis, female fertility). Furthermore, gRFI in early lactation of multiparous cows was weakly and unfavorably correlated with longevity (-0.14). The genetic correlations between gFS and yield, functional traits, and longevity were low (-0.13 to 0.16). However, the moderate negative genetic correlation between gFS and frame (-0.37 to -0.28) indicated that more efficient cows have a smaller frame. In conclusion, our results indicated that feed efficiency traits such as gRFI and gFS can be integrated into breeding goals with limited adverse effects on yield, functional traits, and longevity. Selection for lower BW may enhance longevity without compromising yield.
The single-step genomic best linear unbiased predictor (ssGBLUP) along with the algorithm for proven and young (APY) are used to compute GEBV in livestock populations with extensive genomic data. Calculating GEBV reliabilities is computationally expensive, particularly with many genotyped animals, because it requires inverting the left-hand side of the mixed model equations. However, reliabilities in ssGBLUP models can be approximated by leveraging the sparse structure of the APY. The primary computational bottleneck of the algorithm lies in a matrix multiplication step, which scales quadratically with the size of the core set. This study aimed to decrease the computing time for approximating GEBV reliabilities in ssGBLUP by reducing the size of the core set in APY without compromising the precision of the reliability approximations. Reliabilities were approximated for a single-trait model for calf respiratory disease in Holsteins (h2 = 0.042). A dataset comprising 4,563,070 animals in the pedigree, 1,629,592 genotypes, and 1,585,306 records was used for the study. Core sets of varying sizes (25k, 20k, 15k, 10k, and 5k) were evaluated. Approximated reliabilities obtained with a core set size of 25k were used as a comparison benchmark. Correlations between approximated reliabilities obtained with different core sizes and the benchmark ranged from 0.94 to 1.00, whereas the intercept and slope of the regression of the benchmark reliabilities on the smaller core reliabilities ranged from -0.16 to 0.38 and from 0.64 to 1.15, respectively. Computing times varied significantly, with the fastest approximation (55.02 min) achieved using a 5k core, compared with 171.27 min for the 25k core benchmark. This represents a 3.1-fold reduction in computing time and a 2.1-fold reduction in memory usage when comparing the 25k core size with the 5k core size. Additionally, more substantial savings can be obtained as the number of traits increases. Having fewer genotyped animals in the APY core is a reasonable approach to accelerate GEBV reliability calculations; however, changes in the approximated reliabilities occur, underscoring the trade-off between computational efficiency and the accuracy of the approximations.
Animal management and environmental conditions influence milk composition and processing properties. Seasonal calving systems are used in milk production to optimize costs and align milk supply with forage availability; however, the effects of concentrating calvings in fall and winter, compared with extended calving, on milk composition and heat coagulation time (HCT) have not been clearly defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether calving strategy affects milk composition and HCT in a pasture-based dairy system. Thirty New Zealand Holstein cows were assigned to 3 calving systems-extended (EXT: March-October, spanning fall-winter with calvings distributed across both seasons), winter seasonal (WIN: June-August, concentrated in winter), and fall seasonal (FC: March-May, concentrated in fall)-with 10 cows per system, and monitored over one production year. Composite milk samples were collected in 4 seasonal windows (spring, summer, fall, and winter) and analyzed for composition (protein, casein, TS, SNF, urea, citric acid, lactose, and titratable acidity) and heat stability, assessed both as HCT at native pH and as HCT-pH profiles after adjustment to target pH values from 6.5 to 7.0. No single compositional variable consistently explained the observed HCT patterns across calving systems and seasons. In pooled linear regression models, HCT was positively associated with grazed pasture in the diet and days in milk, and negatively associated with DMI. These findings highlight the complexity of milk heat stability under pasture-based conditions and indicate that more detailed studies are needed to identify robust predictors of HCT.
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in dairy production, with direct implications for animal health, food safety, and public health. This study aimed to characterize the phenotypic and genotypic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus spp. and Mammaliicoccus spp. isolated from milk and teat apex samples of 50 Lacaune sheep in early lactation. A total of 100 isolates (50 from milk and 50 from the teat apex) were identified using MALDI-TOF and subjected to disk diffusion tests with oxacillin (1 µg) and cefoxitin (30 µg). Molecular screening for mecA and mecC genes was performed by PCR on all isolates, including those that were phenotypically susceptible. Overall, 19% of isolates were resistant to oxacillin and 10% to cefoxitin. The mecA gene was detected in 2 oxacillin-resistant strains, whereas mecC was identified in 7 isolates, including Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and Mammaliicoccus sciuri. Notably, several mecC-positive isolates were phenotypically susceptible, highlighting the limitations of conventional methods and the risk of underdiagnosis. These findings underscore the value of molecular screening as a complementary tool for the accurate detection of methicillin resistance, particularly in NAS from small ruminants. The detection of resistance genes in isolates from both milk and the teat apex suggests that the teat apex may act as a reservoir and source of antimicrobial resistance dissemination. This study provides important insights into resistance dynamics in dairy sheep. It highlights the role of this anatomical interface in the transmission chain, emphasizing its importance in integrated surveillance efforts within the One Health framework.
A recent study found that 30% of all dairy farms in British Columbia (BC) were positive for Salmonella Dublin, which has prompted a need to determine how to properly manage and mitigate Salmonella Dublin within the province. The overarching goal of this study is to use the components of a Danish Salmonella Dublin risk scoring tool to perform a cross-sectional, exploratory study to evaluate whether the tool, or components therein, can differentiate between Salmonella Dublin bulk tank milk (BTM)-positive versus BTM-negative BC dairy farms. A total of 70 BC dairy producers completed the survey and were classified as positive or negative based of BTM surveillance results. Overall, the components outlined in the modified Danish tool failed to differentiate herds that were positive or negative for Salmonella Dublin on BTM, with only 2 risk factors being identified. Farms that reported housing more than one adult dairy cow in the maternity pen were 4 times more likely to be positive for Salmonella Dublin on BTM than farms that only kept one adult in the maternity pen at a time. Future research should seek to determine if further modifications to the risk factor survey would be useful, especially the inclusion of questions on factors that target introduction of Salmonella Dublin versus on-farm transmission of Salmonella Dublin.
Mycoplasma spp. are highly contagious bacteria that cause chronic, subclinical infections in dairy cattle and are intrinsically resistant to many antimicrobials. This retrospective case control study evaluated whether different calfhood and peripartum variables were associated with postcalving intramammary Mycoplasma spp. infections. We analyzed data from 475 first-lactation animals from one commercial dairy herd, comprising 95 cases with intramammary infections caused by Mycoplasma spp. and 380 culture-negative controls. Data on colostrum Brix%, birth body weight, otitis and pneumonia events, age at first breeding, age at conception, days in the close-up pen, age at calving, days in the fresh cow pen, and calving season were retrospectively extracted from electronic herd records and analyzed using univariable logistic regression models. We found that age at the first otitis event was associated with the occurrence of an intramammary infection with Mycoplasma spp. Cows that experienced an otitis event during calfhood, specifically at ≤23 d of age, had greater odds of postcalving intramammary infection with Mycoplasma spp. No associations were found for other variables. These results suggest that otitis in early life may represent an important predictor of susceptibility to intramammary Mycoplasma spp. infection postcalving and highlight the potential value of calfhood monitoring for mastitis prevention strategies.
Heat stress affects milk production and intake of dairy cattle. Strategies to mitigate the effects of heat stress suggest dietary supplements including electrolyte, energy, and osmolyte compounds (such as Bovine BlueLite, TechMix, Stewart, MN, which is a blend of these compounds), but direct and long-term evaluation of this supplement in lactating cows is needed. We hypothesized that the supplement would improve productivity of dairy cows (∼52 DIM) under heat stress. Cows (n = 52) were enrolled into a 4-wk 2 × 2 factorial arrangement as follows: (1) heat stress control (HT-CON, n = 13), (2) heat stress plus supplement (HT-SUP, n = 13), (3) cooling control (CL-CON, n = 13), and (4) cooling plus supplement (CL-SUP, n = 13). Cows were housed in a freestall barn. Supplement treatment was top-dressed on TMR (56.5 g/cow in the morning and 56.5 g/cow in the afternoon feeding). Evaporative cooling was provided to cows in the cooling groups, whereas heat-stressed cows only had shade. Milk yield, DMI, rectal temperature (RT), and respiration rate (RR) of individual cows were recorded during the study. Furthermore, milk contents of fat, protein, and lactose were measured weekly. Heat stress increased RR and RT relative to the cooling groups. Heat stress reduced DMI (HT = 20.3, CL = 24.5 ± 0.4 kg/d; ± SE), and supplementation reversed some of the effects in heat-stressed cows (HT-SUP = 20.9, HT-CON = 19.6 ± 0.5 kg/d) but did not affect cooled cows. The ECM yield was also decreased by heat stress (HT = 38.1, CL = 42.6 ± 0.8 kg/d), and supplementation partially reversed that effect in HT-SUP relative to HT-CON (HT-SUP = 39.6, HT-CON = 36.5 ± 1.1 kg/d). No main effects were observed for milk components, cortisol, or heat shock protein plasma concentration. Results suggest that supplementation partially mitigated the effects of heat stress on DMI and ECM in lactating dairy cows.
Omphalitis in newborn calves is an underreported disease with no gold standard diagnostic test. Comprehensive examination is often impractical on farms, and simplified protocols based on the umbilical stump diameter have been proposed. However, existing thresholds relied on expert opinion or limited clinical evidence. The objectives were to (1) assess the reliability of a technique for measuring umbilical stump diameter by evaluating intra- and interobserver agreement; (2) develop a statistical model describing umbilical stump diameter as a function of disease status in Holstein (HO) and Jersey (JE) heifers aged 3 to 10 d; and (3) propose thresholds to estimate farm-level prevalence (optimum sensitivity [Se] and specificity [Sp]) and to identify umbilici with a high probability of omphalitis (maximize Sp). The study enrolled newborn HO and JE heifers from commercial farms in the San Joaquin Valley (California): 157 calves for intraobserver analysis, 44 for interobserver analysis (3 raters), and 667 for threshold estimation. Intra- and interobserver agreement were assessed using the CV and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Because true disease status was unknown, thresholds were derived using an unsupervised machine-learning approach that inferred healthy and diseased subpopulations from the observed data. Thresholds were estimated separately by breed using 2-component Gaussian mixture models under the biological assumptions that (1) stump diameters arise from a mixture of healthy and diseased subpopulations, (2) diseased umbilici are larger on average, (3) diameters within each subpopulation follow a normal or log-normal distribution, and (4) distributions are stable in calves aged 3 to 10 d across herds. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was applied to a simulated sample to estimate diagnostic test performance. Umbilical stump diameter measurements at the external umbilical ring were reliable with good (CV = 5.94% [95% CI: 5.31-6.57]) and fair to good (ICC = 0.76 [95% CI: 0.65-0.85]) agreement for intra- and interobserver agreement, respectively. The breed-specific models accurately described the observed data. Diagnostic tests based on umbilical stump diameter can discriminate between healthy and diseased umbilici (HO area under the curve [AUC] of 0.56 [95% CI: 0.51-0.62]; JE AUC of 0.65 [95% CI: 0.58-0.72]). Thresholds optimizing the Se and Sp trade-off (HO: 16.5 mm; JE: 13.0 mm) achieved high Sp (0.91 and 0.97) but low Se (0.35 and 0.46) for HO and JE. Higher thresholds prioritizing Sp (HO: 19.3 mm; JE: 14.9 mm) yielded Sp ≥0.99, with Se of 0.22 and 0.28. The identified threshold should be interpreted cautiously given the low Se and modest ROC values. Further validation in independent populations and associations with clinical findings are needed.
Extracellular vesicles (EV) are lipid bilayer nanoparticles secreted by most cell types and implicated in intercellular communication, immune regulation, and disease processes. Milk-derived EV, particularly those present in bovine colostrum (BCEV), may play critical roles in neonatal calf development and immunity; however, their characterization remains limited due to methodological challenges in isolating pure vesicle populations. This study aimed to evaluate different methods to detect and characterize BCEV. We isolated BCEV from colostrum of multiparous dairy cows using differential ultracentrifugation and employed complementary analytical techniques to evaluate their morphology, size distribution, and EV-associated markers. Dynamic light scattering indicated an average BCEV diameter of 127.3 ± 9.5 nm, whereas single-particle interferometric reflectance imaging sensing revealed a smaller population of 40- to 45-nm vesicles expressing CD9 and CD63. Transmission electron microscopy further confirmed spherical vesicles averaging 38.7 ± 2 nm, whereas cryogenic electron microscopy visualized intact lipid bilayer structures. These findings demonstrate that BCEV comprise heterogeneous populations detectable by multiple complementary approaches and underscore the importance of combined methodologies for their accurate characterization.
Fat-free mozzarella is valued for its low-calorie, low-fat nutrition, but suffers from poor melting, excessive browning, and rubbery texture when baked, limiting its appeal. This study builds on prior findings that soaking fat-free mozzarella shreds in water improves pizza baking performance. The research evaluates the effects of soaking on frozen-thawed shreds and on leftover pizza after refrigeration and microwave reheating, using rheometer-based analysis. Results show that soaking lowers the melting temperature and enhances flowable texture, with improvements persisting after freeze-thaw cycles and reheating. Hydrating shreds thus consistently improves performance of fat-free mozzarella pizza.
This observational study with voluntary participation investigated drying-off practices and dry period-related udder health key performance indicators in 3 important dairy production regions in Germany (the north [NR], east [ER], and south [SR]). Data from DHI testing and information about drying-off practices were collected during a single herd visit between 2016 and 2019 from 253, 252, and 260 farms in NR, ER, and SR, respectively. Abrupt cessation of lactation was most common in NR and ER, but only practiced on about half of the farms in SR (NR: 79%, ER: 75%, SR: 56%). Blanket dry cow therapy (BDCT, the use of antibiotic agents for all cows) dominated in NR and ER (63% and 65%, respectively), whereas in SR, primarily selective dry cow therapy (SDCT, targeted use of antibiotic agents at drying-off for individual cows according to farm-specific criteria; 56%) or even no use of antibiotic dry cow therapy (20%) were adopted. The use of teat sealants (TSL) with or without the use of antibiotics was most common in ER (66%), followed by farms in NR (54%), and least common in SR (30%). The median new infection risk (using a SCC threshold of 100,000 cells/mL of milk) during the dry period (NIRD; cows with SCC ≤100,000 before dry period and SCC >100,000 at first test-day post dry period) in NR, ER, and SR was 24% (interquartile range: 13%-35%), 25% (18%-35%), and 24% (8%-37%), and the cure risk during the dry period (CRD; cows with SCC >100,000 before dry period and SCC ≤100,000 at first test-day post dry period) in NR, ER, and SR was 63% (51%-72%), 57% (47%-65%), and 60% (42%-75%), respectively. The NIRD and CRD varied greatly between farms, indicating improvement potential on many dairy farms.