Short-Term Adaptation of Dairy Cattle Production Parameters to Individualized Changes in Dietary Top Dress

Immediate and short-term changes in diet composition can support individualized, real-time interventions in precision dairy production systems, and might increase feed efficiency (FE) of dairy cattle in the short-term. The objective of this study was to determine immediate and short-term effects of changes in diet composition on production parameters of dairy cattle fed varying amounts of top dressed commodities. A 4 × 4 replicated Latin square design was used to evaluate responses of twenty-four Holstein cows fed either no top dress (Control) or increasing amounts of: corn grain (CG), soybean meal (SBM), or chopped mixed grass hay (GH) top dressed on a total mixed ration (TMR) over four, 9-day periods. Throughout each period, top dressed commodities were incrementally increased, providing 0% to 20% of calculated net energy of lactation (NEL) intake. Measured production responses were analyzed for each 9-d period using a mixed-effects model considering two different time ranges. Samples collected from d 3 and 4 and from d 7 and 8 of each period were averaged and used to reflect “immediate” vs. “short-term” responses, respectively. In the immediate response time frame, control fed cows had lower milk yield, milk fat yield, and milk true protein yield than CG and SBM supplemented animals but similar responses to GH supplemented animals. Milk fat and protein percentages were not affected by top dress type in the immediate term. In the short-term response time-frame, GH supplemented animals had lower DMI and milk fat yield than all other groups. Control and GH supplemented cows had lower milk yield than CG and SBM fed cows. In the immediate response time frame, FE of SBM supplemented cows was superior to other groups. In the short-term time frame, FE of GH and SBM groups was improved over the control group. Results suggest that lactating dairy cows show rapid performance responses to small (<20% NEL) changes in dietary composition, which may be leveraged within automated precision feeding systems to optimize efficiency of production. Before this potential can be realized, further research is needed to examine integration of such strategies into automatic feeding systems and downstream impacts on individual animal FE and farm profitability.

Estimation the Genetic Parameters for Milk Yield in Romanian Spotted, Simmental Type Cattle Breed

The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters for test-day traits milk yield and the breeding value in Romanian Spotted, Simmental type cattle. Random regression test-day animal model was used to estimate the genetic parameters. The number of records were 2062 test-day from 302 cows. The data were obtained from Romanian Breeding Association Romanian Spotted, Simmental type. The heritability estimates values for milk yield ranged between 0.377 and 0.417. The heritability for fat test-day yield in our study was low the values ranged between 0.117 and 0.236 and for protein test-day yield was medium, the values ranged between 0.308 and 0.372. The breeding value for the best ten cows for milk yield ranged from 1946.57 to 3250.38 kg, for fat yield were between 64.92 and 98.86 kg and for protein ranged from 67.26 to 102.21 kg. The correlations between test-day milk yields ranging from 0.28 to 1. Genetic correlations between test day fat and protein yields were high.

Associations between polymorphisms of SLC22A7, NGFR, ARNTL and PPP2R2B genes and Milk production traits in Chinese Holstein

Background Our preliminary work confirmed that, SLC22A7 (solute carrier family 22 member 7), NGFR (nerve growth factor receptor), ARNTL (aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator like) and PPP2R2B (protein phosphatase 2 regulatory subunit Bβ) genes were differentially expressed in dairy cows during different stages of lactation, and involved in the lipid metabolism through insulin, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, AMPK, mTOR, and PPAR signaling pathways, so we considered these four genes as the candidates affecting milk production traits. In this study, we detected polymorphisms of the four genes and verified their genetic effects on milk yield and composition traits in a Chinese Holstein cow population. Results By resequencing the whole coding region and part of the flanking region of SLC22A7, NGFR, ARNTL and PPP2R2B, we totally found 20 SNPs, of which five were located in SLC22A7, eight in NGFR, three in ARNTL, and four in PPP2R2B. Using Haploview4.2, we found three haplotype blocks including five SNPs in SLC22A7, eight in NGFR and three in ARNTL. Single-SNP association analysis showed that 19 out of 20 SNPs were significantly associated with at least one of milk yield, fat yield, fat percentage, protein yield or protein percentage in the first and second lactations (P < 0.05). Haplotype-based association analysis showed that the three haplotypes were significantly associated with at least one of milk yield, fat yield, fat percentage, protein yield or protein percentage (P < 0.05). Further, we used SOPMA software to predict a SNP, 19:g.37095131C > T in NGFR, changed the structure of NGFR protein. In addition, we used Jaspar software to found that four SNPs, 19:g.37113872C > G,19:g.37113157C > T, and 19:g.37112276C > T in NGFR and 15:g.39320936A > G in ARNTL, could change the transcription factor binding sites and might affect the expression of the corresponding genes. These five SNPs might be the potential functional mutations for milk production traits in dairy cattle. Conclusions In summary, we proved that SLC22A7, NGFR, ARNTL and PPP2R2B have significant genetic effects on milk production traits. The valuable SNPs can be used as candidate genetic markers for genomic selection of dairy cattle, and the effects of these SNPs on other traits need to be further verified.

Effects of Beta-lactoglobulin Gene Polymorphism and Some Factors on Milk Quality and Yield in Dairy Cattle of Kashmir, India

Background: Polymorphisms in candidate beta-lactoglobulin genes are associated with traits of economic importance in cows and are related to milk composition, quality, production as well as cheese-production. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of breed, season and polymorphism on milk quality and yield in Jersey and Crossbred Holstein Friesian cows. Methods: The quality traits studied were fat %, lactose %, protein %, SNF, density and ash while quantity traits were average monthly milk yield, protein yield and fat yield. The beta-lactoglobulin gene exon IV (262 bp) was screened for polymorphisms by PCR-RFLP using BsuRI (Hae III) enzyme. Result: Our investigation revealed only two patterns AA and AB in both the breeds under study. BB genotype was absent. AA genotype was most abundant in Jersey cows (0.68) and crossbred HF cows (0.56). A allele frequency was highest in Crossbred HF cows (0.72) and Jersey cows (0.66). In Jersey genotype AB was observed to be responsible for high milk yield, protein and fat yield in each season whereas it was genotype AA of crossbred HF cows affecting milk yield, protein and fat yield. In crossbred HF cow, genotype effect was observed to be non-significant (p greater than 0.05) on all quality traits and effect of season was significant on lactose % and fat %. In Jersey cows, genotype and season effects were significant (P less than 0.05) on fat % concluding that the breed, season and genotype affectmilk quality and yield.

Bias of Calf Sex on Milk Yield and Fat Yield in Holstein Crossbreed Cows

In order to examine the biased milk production depending on the sex of calves, data on calving and milk yield characteristics of 15,181 Holstein type cows in PK Belgrade, Serbia were analyzed. A total of 30,362 lactations that were realized in the period from 1985 to 2017 were analyzed. Data were prepared and analyzed using the SAS software package (SAS Institute Inc. Software License 9.3, 2012). The expression and variability of investigated traits were determined using the PROC MEANS procedure, while the effect of individual factors on milk yield traits was analyzed using the PROC GLM procedure. Obtained results deviate from the views of the Trivers–Willard (TW) hypothesis. The results indicate that mothers invest more in female offspring by producing a higher milk and fat yield in the first and second lactation compared to male offspring. This is especially emphasized under better environmental conditions. The highest milk yield (7788 kg) and fat yield (271 kg) in the second lactation were achieved in the combination with two consecutive female calves in the group of higher-than-average milk production farms, and lowest in the combination of two consecutive male calves (6783 kg for the MY and 243 kg for the FY), respectively.

Determination of factors affecting milk yield, composition and udder morphometry of Hair and cross-bred dairy goats in a semi-intensive system

In this Research Communication we report milk yield, milk composition and udder morphometry of Hair, Alpine × Hair F1 (AHF1), and Saanen × Hair F1 (SHF1) cross-bred goat genotypes managed in a semi-intensive system. The SHF1 genotype had significantly higher lactation milk yield, fat yield, protein yield, and electrical conductivity than other genotypes, whilst AHF1 was intermediate. The milk fat, protein, lactose, solids-non-fat and total solids contents as well as pH and density of the Hair goat milk were significantly higher than the corresponding values of the cross-bred genotypes. The highest correlation amongst udder characteristics and production was between lactation milk yield and udder volume (P < 0.01; r = from 0.63 to 0.77). The results of this study suggest that crossbreeding can have a positive effect on the milk production characteristics of local goats, thereby reducing the pressure on the ecosystem, and suggest that udder measurements, especially volume, can be a helpful tool for estimating milk yield.

MILK PRODUCTIVITY OF BLACK-AND-WHITE CATTLE WITH DIFFERENT GENOTYPES OF PROLACTIN AND SOMATOTROPIN

Изучена взаимосвязь аллельных вариантов генов пролактина и соматотропина с показателями молочной продуктивности коров черно-пестрой породы по 1 и 3 лактации. У первотелок, как и у полновозрастных животных, наиболее высокий удой (4642 и 6240 кг), количество молочного жира (174,1 и 215,0 кг) и молочного белка (149,0 и 182,5 кг) достигнуты в группе с генотипом PRL АА. По массовой доле жира и белка в молоке коровы с генотипом PRL ВВ достоверно превосходили животных с генотипом PRL АА на 0,12% (Р<0,05) и 0,05% (Р<0,05) соответственно. По гену соматотропина наибольший уровень молочной продуктивности выявлен у коров с генотипом GH LL при достоверном преимуществе над GH VV у первотелок по удою на 439 кг (Р<0,01), выходу молочного жира — на 13,6 кг (Р<0,001), выходу молочного белка — на 15,3 кг (Р<0,01). У полновозрастных коров превышение над остальными группами было только по удою — на 219—548 кг (Р<0,05). Наибольшая жирномолочность характерна животным с генотипом GH VV по 1 лактации — 3,83% и по 3 лактации — 3,82%, а лучшая белковомолочность — коровам, имеющим аллель V гена GH: 3,21 и 3,23% соответственно. Полученные данные свидетельствуют о более высоком уровне молочной продуктивности у коров с генотипом PRL АА и GH LL, но лучшая жирномолочность и белковомолочность отмечены у особей, имеющих в своем генотипе аллели В гена PRL и V гена GH. The interrelation of allelic variants of prolactin and somatotropin genes with indicators of milk productivity of black-and-white cows for the 1st and 3rd lactation was studied. The highest milk yield (4642 and 6240 kg) amount of milk fat (174.1 and 215.0 kg) and milk protein (149.0 and 182.5 kg) were in the group with the PRL AA genotype in first-calf heifers as well as in full-age animals. In terms of the mass fraction of fat and protein of milk, the cows with the PRL BB genotype significantly exceeded animals with the PRL AA genotype by 0.12% (P<0.05) and 0.05% (P<0.05), respectively. According to the somatotropin gene, the highest level of milk productivity was revealed in cows with the GH LL genotype with a significant advantage over GH VV in first-calf heifers in milk yield by 439 kg (P<0.01), milk fat yield by 13.6 kg (P<0.001), milk protein yield by 15.3 kg (P<0.01). The excess over the other groups in full-age cows was only in terms of milk yield that was by 219-548 kg (P<0.05). The highest protein content of milk is a characteristic of animals with the GH VV genotype, 3.83% is for the 1st lactation and 3.82% is for the 3rd lactation, and the best protein content of milk in cows with V allele of the GH gene is 3.21 and 3.23%, respectively. The obtained data indicated a higher level of milk productivity in cows with the PRL AA and GH LL genotypes but the best fat and milk content was noted in cows with alleles B of the PRL gene and V of the GH gene in their genotype.

EVALUATION OF THE BREEDING VALUE AND GENETIC POTENTIAL OF THE STUD BULLS USED IN THE STUD FARM

Определена племенная ценность и генетический потенциал 21 быка-производителя голштинской породы, используемого в стаде племенного завода Тверской области, где проводилась их ранговая оценка по ряду селекционных признаков. Удой дочерей оцениваемых быков 8700—10804 кг молока с массовой долей жира от 3,81 до 3,95% и выходом молочного жира — 346,4—414,9 кг. Белок в молоке у дочерей разных производителей был на одном уровне — от 3,17 до 3,19%. По суммарному выходу молочного белка из-за колебаний в удое, размах признака варьировал от 279 до 344 кг. Племенная ценность (ПЦ) быков по удою составила 91,6—113,3%, 13 из них имели ПЦ ниже 100%, 8 голов — выше 100%. ПЦ по массовой доле жира равнялась 97,7—100,3%, по массовой доле белка — 99,6—100,3%. Суммарная ранговая оценка производителей по сочетаемости признаков их дочерей и женских предков показала, что бык АльтаПилснер 70344827 имеет явное преимущество по ПЦ перед другими производителями, его интегрированный коэффициент связи самый высокий и составляет — 0,78. Производитель Тач 69774799, напротив, занимает последнее место. Дана экономическая оценка использования производителей. Полученные материалы позволяют обеспечить положительную динамику селекционного процесса в молочном скотоводстве. The breeding value and genetic potential of 21 Holstein-stud bulls used in the herd of the stud farm of the Tver region were determined, where they were ranked according to a number of selectional features. The milk yield of the daughters of the evaluated bulls is 8700—10804 kg of milk with a mass fraction of fat from 3.81 to 3.95% and a milk fat yield of 346.4—414.9 kg. The protein in the milk of the daughters of different studs was at the same level-from 3.17 to 3.19%. According to the total yield of milk protein due to fluctuations in milk yield, the range of the trait varied from 279 to 344 kg. The breeding value (BV) of bulls according to the milk yield was 91.6—113.3%, 13 of them had a BV below 100%, 8 heads - above 100%. The BV for the mass fraction of fat was equal 97.7-100.3%, for the mass fraction of protein - 99.6-100.3%. The total ranking of the studs by the combination of the characteristics of their daughters and female ancestors demonstrated that the Altapilsner bull 70344827 has a clear advantage in BV over other studs, its integrated coupling coefficient is the highest and amounts 0.78. Tach 69774799 stud, on the contrary, takes the last place. There is given the economic evaluation of the studs usage. The obtained materials allow to ensure the positive dynamics of the selective process in dairy cattle breeding.

Genetic Polymorphism in Prolactin Gene and its Effect on Test Day Milk Production Traits in Sahiwal Cattle

Background: The selection of genetically superior animals at an early stage of life, the molecular markers are used along with traditional selection. The study was carried out to identify the genetic polymorphism in the exon3 region of the Prolactin and enumerate its effect on milk production performance in Sahiwal cattle. Prolactin plays an imperative regulatory role in mammary gland development, milk emission and lactogenesis. Analysed the sequence of this gene to explore whether mutations in this sequence and it could be accountable for quantitative variations in milk production and its composition traits.Methods: Total DNA was isolated from the blood samples of 98 pedigreed Sahiwal population. Using PCR-RFLP method and direct sequencing, noticed a single-nucleotide polymorphism in exon3 region of the Prolactin gene in 156bp and also the effect of non- genetic factors on each trait was assessed by least-squares analysis for non-orthogonal data by a fixed model.Result: PCR-RFLP was done with RsaI restriction endonuclease for the identification of different genotypes. The frequency of G and A alleles of the Prolactin gene was evaluated as 0.575 and 0.425, whereas the frequencies of GG, GA and AA genotypes for the Prolactin gene were 0.45, 0.25 and 0.30, respectively. SNP (G55A) conferred an increase in test-day milk yield around 321.5g, in test day fat yield around 13.9g and in test day SNF yield increase was 19.4g, respectively. High correlation was perceived from test day (TD2) onwards between test day traits and lactation milk yield indicating that selection based on identified SNP in TD2 increased test day milk yield, fat yield and SNF yield by 1.1472 kg, 29.6gm and 45.4gm, respectively.

Valorisation of Coffee Roasting By-Products: Recovery of Silverskin Fat By Supercritical CO2 Extraction

Recovery of agro and food-industrial waste and their valorisation via green technologies can help to outline new concepts of industrial strategies. In this contest, a fat enriched of added-value components was extracted from coffee silverskin by applying a supercritical fluid extraction technique (sc-CO2). An appropriate modulation of process parameters like temperature (T = 35, 50, 60 °C) and pressure (p = 200–300 bar) influences the fat yield and the chemical composition, opening the way for targeted extraction. The extraction time, the organic solvent use and the energy consume were reduced compared to Soxhlet. Moreover, a mathematical model was constructed based on the experimental data collected, employed apparatus, and physico-chemical characteristics of biomass, pointing to a possible industrial scale-up. The experimental results are accompanied by a preliminary cost of manufacturing (COM), highlighting how the high investment for the apparatus is compensated by several benefits. Graphic Abstract