This Research Communication describes the effects of a synthetic analogue of the Bovine Appeasing Pheromone (BAP) on milk parameters in Valdostana dairy cows during the first turning out from ...tie-stalls to confined lowland pastures around the farms. Thirty healthy lactating Valdostana cows were enroled in the study and randomly divided into 2 groups: experimental group (EG, n = 15) and control group (CG, n = 15). The two groups were separately housed in the same farm and managed outside in two different pens. Treatment (BAP and solution) and control (solution only) were poured on the nuchal skin area between the horns when the animals were inside the farm at the feeding rack every 7 d for 28 d (T0-T4). Milk samples were evaluated at the same time points (T0-T4). Daily milk production (kg/day) was higher in the EG than in the CG, particularly during the first day after the turning out to pasture (T1). Somatic Cell Count (103 cells/ml) was higher in the placebo group than in the EG, especially at T1. Proteins, fat, fat-free dry matter and casein (g/100 g) were not affected by the treatment. In T1 urea (mg/dl) content was higher in CG vs. EG, suggesting a more correct metabolic balance in the group treated with BAP. The use of BAP appears to modulate adaptation in ways that may improve dairy cow performance in the context of changes in management routines.
European consumers demand locally produced meat, preferably from regional breeds, but meat quality is unknown. Heifers from two dual-purpose breeds, Valdostana Chestnut (VC) and Valdostana Red Pied ...(VR), autochthonous to the Aosta valley, were compared with Piedmontese (PI), a beef breed. Fourteen VC and VR each grazed high alpine pastures, and ten PI received fresh grass in a lowland barn. In each group, the heavier half of the animals were slaughtered after the grass-feeding period. All others received hay and concentrate for another 48 days. Properties of the carcase and the longissimus thoracis (LT) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles (aged 7 or 28 days) were determined. Sensory analysis of the LT and BF muscles was performed by 10 trained panellists and 53 consumers, respectively. The VC and VR grew faster than the PI, but dressing percentages and conformation scores were inferior. The LT was perceived as less tender from the VC and VR compared to the PI, and shear force and insoluble collagen were also higher. Finishing accentuated the problem for VC and did not improve carcase and meat quality otherwise. Prolonged ageing did not render the beef more tender. Compared to the LT, the BF was more resistant to factors of influence in quality. Consumers perceived long-aged beef to be preferable and comparably inexpensive for its quality. No other factor influenced sensory impression. In conclusion, the LT and, less so, the BF from the autochthonous breeds were not fully competitive in quality with those of the beef breed.
HIGHLIGHTS
Grass-fed autochthonous Valdostana breeds were compared with Piedmontese cattle.
Valdostana heifers performed better but were inferior in dressing percentage and carcase conformation.
The beef from the Valdostana breeds was less tender than that from the Piedmontese.
Hazelnut skin (HS) was evaluated as a source of nutrients for dairy cows. In total, 26 Aosta Red Pied cows were divided into two balanced groups. All cows were fed hay ad libitum. The control group ...was also given 6 kg of concentrate, while the hazelnut skin group (HAZ) was given 1 kg of the same concentrate that was substituted by 1 kg of HS. The dry matter intake of the cows was reduced by the dietary inclusion of HS (p ≤ 0.001). The milk yield and main constituents were unaffected by treatment. Milk from HAZ cows showed decreased concentrations of de novo saturated fatty acids (FAs), odd- and branched-chain FA, α-linolenic acid, and long-chain n-3 FAs, as well as increased concentrations of stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, total monounsaturated FAs, trans biohydrogenation intermediates, and α–tocopherol. Replacing the concentrate with HS increased the human-inedible feed quota in the diet and improved the sustainability of milk production in terms of the food-feed competition. Our results suggest that it is possible to add economic value to organic waste from the hazelnut industry using HS as a feed ingredient for dairy cows, enhancing the feed efficiency and milk antioxidant activity and having expected impacts on the nutraceutical quality of milk fat.
Summer transhumance is often practiced in mountainous farming systems. It includes moving dairy cows from lowland (LO) to highland (HI) pastures during summer. It is known that high genetic merit ...cows are susceptible to the HI conditions, but it is unclear if this also applies to more adapted, regional cow types. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of HI sojourn on cheese-making properties of Aosta Red Pied cows, a dual purpose cattle type. Milk coagulation properties were measured in the milk of 47 cows before and after transhumance. Sources of variation were investigated using linear mixed models, including parity, site, milking time, the interaction parity × site, milking time × site and milking time × parity. Cow was nested within site, and used as subject for repetition, and sampling date was included as repeated factor. Curd-firming time and curd firmness did not vary between LO and HI, whereas rennet coagulation time was prolonged in HI compared to LO in both primiparous (16.4 vs. 18.5 min) and multiparous cows (17.5 vs. 21.1 min, respectively). The percentage of non-coagulating samples was greater in HI (15.0%) compared to LO (8.5%). The lower milk reactivity to rennet addition in HI seems to be mostly related to the simultaneously increasing somatic cell score. Morning and evening milk were similar in coagulation properties. In conclusion, even indigenous dual purpose cows were affected by HI conditions and the experience the multiparous cows had with the transhumance was not helpful either.
In the mountains, autochthonous and robust breeds are often used to valorize biodiverse grasslands. Along with their lower nutrient requirements, compared to specialized dairy breeds, they are ...expected to be better adapted to complex environments and valorize grasslands into dairy products of high quality. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the grazing selection of three contrasting dairy breeds on a biodiverse mountain pasture, and its consequences on milk fatty acid (FA) profile and prevalence of individual terpenes. A dual-purpose breed from the Italian Alps, the Valdostana Red Pied (Va), was compared to Montbéliardes (Mo), more specialized in milk production, and the highly specialized Holsteins (Ho). Diet selection was measured by scan-sampling, calculating selectivity indexes, and collecting simulated bites during two consecutive days in June (end of first grazing cycle) and July (second grazing cycle). Milk samples were collected at each milking during these experimental periods. Yield of milk and its fat and protein contents were measured. Milk FA and terpenes were analyzed by gas chromatographic methods. We tested the effects of breed, period and their interaction in a repeated mixed model, and calculated Pearson's correlations between behavioral data and milk FA as well as terpenes. The Va grazed less mature vegetation than Ho, but this difference was not sufficient to lead to a major breed effect on milk FA profile and prevalence of terpenes. However, the proportion of α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) was always higher in the milk fat of Va than Ho (Mo were intermediary), but this without any correlation to grazing selection. This could be a consequence from a different metabolism concerning ruminal biohydrogenation, but must be further investigated. Finally, we confirmed previous studies that highlighted a link between milk quality and cows' grazing behavior, but here without differences among breeds. All cows adapted their behavior to the herbage evolution during the season, leading to higher proportions of unsaturated FA in July than June milks. Our study suggests that under mountain grazing conditions (biodiverse pasture and cows in late lactation), milk quality depends more on herbage composition than on cow breed.
Different grazing management systems are practiced on upland dairy farms during summer, depending on topography, local traditions, and infrastructure. The present experiment compared two distinct ...management systems with respect to feeding behavior and milk-related properties. Two similar groups of eight Valdostana Red Pied cows originating from two farms were followed during three grazing events in summer on three upland grazing sites. Cows in the full-time grazing group were kept exclusively on pasture and milked twice daily in a mobile milking parlor. Cows in the part-time grazing group had access to pasture for 4 h and 2 h after their morning and evening milkings, respectively. The part-time grazing cows differed markedly in their feeding behavior; they exhibited shorter daily ingestion times and longer durations of ingestion and idling bouts than full-time grazing cows. Part-time grazing cows had lower milk protein and casein contents, but milk yield and milk coagulation properties did not differ from the full-time grazing cows. As a result of the fasting periods in the barn, part-time grazing cows synthesized less fatty acids de novo and mobilized body fat reserves, as evidenced by the higher proportion of oleic acid in their milk fat.
Previous grazing experience on high alpine pastures may help cows to optimise feed selection and minimise impairments in milk production. Eight inexperienced and eight experienced Aosta Red Pied cows ...were compared (primiparous:multiparous = 1:1). Measurements were performed when cows grazed sites at 600, 1800 and 2100 m a.s.l. The statistical model included experience, parity and site as fixed effects. The longest ingestion time was recorded for primiparous inexperienced cows at 1800 m a.s.l. Milk yield remained unaffected by experience, but the main milking time was shorter in inexperienced cows in the lowlands. Milk of inexperienced cows had a higher urea content than experienced cows. Somatic cell score remained unaffected by experience, but inexperienced cows had more incidences of clinical mastitis on alpine pastures. Compared with experienced cows, proportions of the fatty acids ΣC16:1 and ΣC17:1 in milk fat of inexperienced cows were higher and proportions of C18:1 t9 and C18:1 t6-8 lower. Overall, alpine grazing had substantial effects on milk yield and composition coinciding with results from previous studies. There were interactions between experience and site in milking characteristics and milk composition, and for the latter also between experience and parity. In conclusion, experience had effects on several of the variables tested, effects which were sometimes exhibited already on lowland pasture. Still, the effects of experience were much lower than those of the transhumance system.
Highlights
The advantages of previous site-specific and age experience of cows were studied on alpine pasture.
Lack of experience had mostly minor effects on economically relevant traits.
Experience helped to maintain udder health in this alpine environment.
Short-term effects of transhumance to high altitude were investigated in Valdostana bovine milk and Fontina cheeses. The study included samples taken at each milking on days 1, 2 and 5 after ...transhumance compared with 5 days before; individual cow milk was collected and bulk milk was manufactured to cheese. Somatic cell count and milk fat content increased the day immediately after transhumance. In bulk milk, transhumance effects were less pronounced. Except for sour taste, no clear trend for impaired composition or sensory properties was observed in the cheeses produced on the day after transhumance and ripened for 115 days. Milking time and, with that, manufacturing time influenced milk and cheese quality, leading to higher fat and more melting cheeses in the evening. These results allow better characterisation of the changes during this transition and will help farmers to tackle the difficulties in producing cheese during this period.
This study was designed to evaluate the effects of two feeding methods on milk yield, composition and fatty acid (FA) profile obtained from dual‐purpose cattle. Twenty‐four Aosta Red Pied cows beyond ...peak of lactation were assigned to two groups and fed hay and concentrates in the proportions 0.69 and 0.31 on a dry matter basis for 10 weeks. Concentrates were offered separately from forages 6 times a day (separate ration, SR) or as a total mixed ration (TMR). The feeding method did not significantly influence dry matter intake (16.8 vs. 16.9 kg/head/day for SR‐ and TMR‐fed cows, respectively), milk yield (17.4 vs. 17.5 kg/head/day), milk fat, protein and lactose contents (36.4 vs. 35.2, 33.5 vs. 32.8, and 47.3 vs. 47.4 g/kg) and yields (607.9 vs. 613.4, 567.4 vs. 572.7 and 805.5 vs. 829.7 g/head/day). The overall milk FA profile was very similar between groups. Milk concentrations of FA used as indirect markers of rumen function (C18:2 t10c12, odd‐ and branched‐chain FA) and the extent of ruminal biohydrogenation were comparable (P > 0.05) between SR‐ and TMR‐fed cows, suggesting that ruminal pH did not vary considerably as a consequence of the feeding strategy applied.
Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the effects of two feeding methods on milk yield, composition and fatty acid (
FA
) profile obtained from dual‐purpose cattle. Twenty‐four
A
osta
R
ed
P
...ied cows beyond peak of lactation were assigned to two groups and fed hay and concentrates in the proportions 0.69 and 0.31 on a dry matter basis for 10 weeks. Concentrates were offered separately from forages 6 times a day (separate ration,
SR
) or as a total mixed ration (
TMR
). The feeding method did not significantly influence dry matter intake (16.8
vs
. 16.9 kg/head/day for
SR
‐ and
TMR
‐fed cows, respectively), milk yield (17.4
vs
. 17.5 kg/head/day), milk fat, protein and lactose contents (36.4
vs
. 35.2, 33.5
vs
. 32.8, and 47.3
vs
. 47.4 g/kg) and yields (607.9
vs
. 613.4, 567.4
vs
. 572.7 and 805.5
vs
. 829.7 g/head/day). The overall milk
FA
profile was very similar between groups. Milk concentrations of
FA
used as indirect markers of rumen function (
C
18:2
t
10
c
12, odd‐ and branched‐chain
FA
) and the extent of ruminal biohydrogenation were comparable (
P
> 0.05) between
SR
‐ and
TMR
‐fed cows, suggesting that ruminal
pH
did not vary considerably as a consequence of the feeding strategy applied.
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