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Effect of feeding single-dam or pooled colostrum on maternally derived immunity in dairy calves
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThe role of colostrum management in providing adequate immunological protection to neonatal calves has been widely investigated, and thresholds for colostrum quality, as well as optimum volume and timing for colostrum feeding have been established. However, limited information is available on the effect of colostrum source (single dam or pooled) on passive immunity, as well as subsequent antibody survival in the calf. This study aimed to assess the effect of feeding single-dam colostrum (own and other dam) or pooled colostrum on transfer of passive immunity, and also investigate the rate of depletion of disease-specific antibodies among dairy calves. In total, 320 cows and 119 dairy heifer calves were enrolled in the study. Calves were blood-sampled immediately after birth and received either own-dam, other-dam, or pooled colostrum. Calves were blood-sampled at 24 h to assess serum IgG concentrations and at monthly intervals thereafter to document disease-specific antibody survival. Mean colostrum IgG concentration was higher for other-dam treatment group, whereas own-dam and pooled treatments were similar. For all treatment groups, the mean IgG concentration was >80 mg/mL, exceeding the quality threshold of 50 mg/mL. Mean calf serum IgG concentration was lower for calves fed pooled colostrum compared with those that received colostrum from a single cow. There was a negative association with 24-h serum IgG and calf birth bodyweight; calves <30 kg at birth had the highest 24-h serum IgG concentration. Survival of antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea, Salmonella infection, leptospirosis, bovine parainfluenza 3 virus, bovine respiratory syncytical virus, rotavirus, and coronavirus was not associated with colostrum source; however, antibodies to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis had a greater period of survival among calves fed own-dam colostrum. We found that feeding single-dam colostrum can thus improve calf immunity through increased serum IgG levels and antibody survival rates. Furthermore, we hypothesize that immune exclusion may occur with pooled colostrum; therefore, providing pooled colostrum may still be a good practice as long as it can be ensured that enough antibodies are absorbed into the blood stream to deal with pathogens calves may encounter because different dams may have antibodies against different strains of viruses and bacteria, yielding cross protection
Engaging with selective dry cow therapy: understanding the barriers and facilitators perceived by Irish farmers
Get PDFpeer-reviewedBackground: Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) is widely promoted in dairy farming as a method to reduce anti‑
microbial usage. New legislation introduced by the European Union will restrict and regulate the prophylactic and
metaphylactic use of antibiotics from January 2022. Blanket dry cow therapy continues to be a practice engaged in by
many farmers in Ireland and for many of these farmers, moving towards SDCT would require a signifcant infrastruc‑
tural, behavioural and/or cultural change on their farm. Existing research has reported the important need to under‑
stand farmers’ motivations to initiate any substantial behaviour change. However, it is currently unknown what farm‑
ers know, think and believe about SDCT in Ireland. The aim of this study was to use qualitative methods to explore
what barriers and facilitators farmers perceived to exist with SDCT and explore if they had chosen to implement SDCT
after voluntarily participating in a funded dry cow consult with a trained veterinarian, with the objective of maximis‑
ing the dry period udder health performance and moving safely to SDCT.
Results: In this study, 19 farmers were contacted, and telephone interviews were conducted regarding farmers’
beliefs about the consequences of SDCT. Audio recordings were professionally transcribed verbatim and analysed
qualitatively using an inductive thematic analysis. The analysis identifed 6 barriers and 6 facilitators to implement‑
ing SDCT. A signifcant fear of increasing mastitis incidence was evident that caused reluctance towards SDCT and
reliance on antibiotics. Mixed perceptions on SDCT, infrastructure limitations, a perceived lack of preventive advice as
well as peer infuence were presented as barriers to SDCT. Farmers can build confdence when a graded approach to
SDCT is implemented, which could help overcome the fear of SDCT and reliance on antibiotics. Regulatory pressure,
high standards of farm hygiene and use of targeted veterinary consults were found to facilitate SDCT. Education was
suggested to motivate farmers in the future uptake of SDCT. Despite cited negative infuences, peer infuence can be
utilised to encourage the farming community.
Conclusions: This study prioritises areas to facilitate the major behaviour change required as a dairy industry in order
to move from blanket dry cow therapy to SDCT.
Keywords: Selective dry cow therapy, Farmer, Psychology, Behaviour change, CellChec
The effect of Holstein-Friesian, Jersey × Holstein-Friesian, and Norwegian Red × (Jersey × Holstein-Friesian) cows on dry matter intake and production efficiencies in pasture-based systems
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThe objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cow genotype and parity on dry matter intake (DMI) and production efficiencies in pasture-based systems. Three dairy cow genotypes were evaluated over 3 yr; 40 Holstein-Friesian (HF), 40 Jersey × HF (JEX), and 40 Norwegian Red × JEX (3WAY) each year, with each genotype grazed in equal numbers on 1 of 4 grazing treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments [diploid or tetraploid perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with or without white clover (Trifolium repens L.)]. A total of 208 individual cows were used during the experiment. The effect of parity (lactation 1, 2, and 3+) was also evaluated. Individual DMI was estimated 8 times during the study, 3 times in 2015 and in 2017, and twice in 2016, using the n-alkane technique. Days in milk at each DMI measurement period were 64, 110, and 189, corresponding to spring, summer, and autumn. Measures of milk production efficiency calculated were total DMI/100 kg of body weight (BW), milk solids (kg fat + protein; MSo)/100 kg of BW, solids-corrected milk (SCM)/100 kg of BW, and unité fourragère lait (net energy requirements for lactation equivalent of 1 kg of standard air-dry barley; UFL) available for standard (4.0% fat and 3.1% protein content) milk production after accounting for maintenance. During the DMI measurement periods HF had a greater milk yield (23.2 kg/cow per d) compared with JEX and 3WAY (22.0 and 21.9 kg/cow per d, respectively) but there was no difference in MSo yield. Holstein-Friesian and JEX, and JEX and 3WAY had similar DMI, but HF had greater total DMI than 3WAY (DMI was 17.2, 17.0, and 16.7 kg/cow per d for HF, JEX, and 3WAY, respectively). Jersey × Holstein-Friesian cows were the most efficient for total DMI/100 kg of BW, SCM/100 kg of BW, and MSo/100 kg of BW (3.63, 4.96, and 0.39 kg/kg of BW) compared with HF (3.36, 4.51, and 0.35 kg/kg of BW) and 3WAY (3.45, 4.63, and 0.37 kg/kg of BW), respectively. Unité fourragère lait available for standard milk production after accounting for maintenance was not different among genotypes. As expected, DMI differed significantly among parities with greater parity cows having higher DMI and subsequently higher milk and MSo yield. Although all 3 genotypes achieved high levels of DMI and production efficiency, JEX achieved the highest production efficiency. Some of the efficiency gains (SCM/100 kg of BW, MSo/100 kg of BW, and total DMI/100 kg of BW) achieved with JEX decreased when the third breed (Norwegian Red) was introduced
Basic principles in starch multi-scale structuration to mitigate digestibility: A review
Get PDFpeer-reviewedBackgroundIn the human diet, starch makes a significant contribution to the maintenance of human nutrition and health due to its controlled digestibility. Starch digestion is controlled by its microstructure. Increasing developments in the modification of starch multi-scale structures that modulate digestibility have taken place due to increasing attention to health-promoting starchy foods. The process of starch structuration is a challenging concern in food science since the basic principles for designing starch structures with a specific digestibility are unknown. Scope and approachStarch multi-scale structures significantly affect digestibility. However, starch digestibility cannot be precisely modulated without a solid theory of starch structuration to inform the tailoring of the digestibility of starchy foods. In this review, the effects of starch multi-scale structures (fine structures of amylose and amylopectin; short-range ordered structures; helical, crystalline, lamellar, aggregate structures; and structures formed after food processing) on the digestibility and the molecular mechanisms of the regulation of starch digestion are comprehensively discussed. The key structures that can be manipulated for target-modulation of starch digestibility are summarized. Key findings and conclusionsBasic principles for mitigating starch digestibility, such as increasing the thickness of semi-crystalline lamellae and crystalline lamellae, nanoscale aggregates, V-, A-, or B-type crystals, double helices, long amylopectin helices, short-range ordered structures, the content of amylose fractions and high-branched amylopectin are established. Ordered starch structures, including short-range and long-range ordered structures, play critical roles in mitigating starch digestibility while faulty- and perfectly arranged helical, crystalline, lamellar structures, and nano aggregates are proposed to be slowly digestible and resistant starches, respectively
The immune response in bovine primary dermal fibroblasts is influenced by Interleukin 8 promoter haplotype and vitamin D
Get PDFpeer-reviewedInterleukin-8 (IL-8) is a potent inflammatory chemokine, and two gene promoter haplotypes have been previously reported to segregate in cattle populations. Our earlier work showed how these divergent IL8 genotypes influence IL-8 expression and other immune response parameters at a systemic level. Here we extend that work to characterise the influence of haplotype on the local immune response – in primary bovine dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, we also investigated how this response is modulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). Significant induction of IL8 expression was observed in cells from both haplotypes at 3 and 24 h post-stimulation with the TLR1/2 ligand, Pam3CSK4 and with the TLR4 ligand, LPS. IL8 expression was elevated in response to both LPS and Pam3CSK4 in fibroblasts carrying the IL8-h1 haplotype and this result was supported by significantly enhanced IL-8 protein secretion. Gene expression profiles for other known fibroblast immune mediators (SAA3 and CCL20) did not show significant differences between haplotypes but NOS2 gene expression was significantly elevated in response to vitamin D, even above the level detected in response to both TLR ligands. In conclusion, this work has demonstrated that the IL-8 response of dermal fibroblasts is dependent on IL8 haplotype and that the immune response profile in these cells is significantly differentially regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3. Fibroblasts have important immune response capacity and their function in driving inflammatory responses (including iNOS) is underappreciated. Understanding the relationship between cattle genotype and immune function is critically important for uncovering sustainable solutions for animal disease
The potential of non-starter lactic acid bacteria from Cheddar cheese to colonise the gut
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThis study was undertaken to assess the potential of Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria (NSLAB) from Cheddar cheese to survive gastric transit and display probiotic-related traits including bile salt hydrolase activity, the ability to adhere to the gut epithelium and inhibition of enteropathogen binding. Populations of NSLAB, up to 107 CFU/g per cheese were recovered following exposure of cheese to Simulated Stomach Duodenum Passage (SSDP) conditions. A total of 240 isolates were randomly selected from twelve Cheddar cheeses and assessed for probiotic traits. Two strains Lactobacillus paracasei DPC 7150 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus DPC 7102 showed the most probiotic potential. The Lb. paracasei and Lb. rhamnosus strains displayed adhesion rates of 64% and 79%, respectively and inhibited binding of pathogenic Escherichia coli by >20%. This research demonstrates that Cheddar cheese harbours potentially beneficial bacteria, a large portion of which can survive simulated digestion and potentially exhibit health beneficial effects once ingested
Formulation of a decision support tool incorporating both genetic and non-genetic effects to rank young growing cattle on expected market value
Get PDFpeer-reviewedWhile breeding indexes exist globally to identify candidate parents of the next generation, fewer tools exist that provide guidance on the expected monetary value of young animals. The objective of the present study was therefore to develop the framework for a cattle decision-support tool which incorporates both the genetic and non-genetic information of an animal and, in doing so, better predict the potential market value of an animal, whatever the age. Two novel monetary indexes were constructed and their predictive ability of carcass value was compared to that of the Irish national Terminal breeding index, typical of other terminal indexes used globally. A constructed Harvest index was composed of three carcass-related traits [i.e., 1) carcass weight, 2) carcass conformation and 3) carcass fat, each weighted by their respective economic value] and aimed at purchasers of animals close to harvest; the second index, termed the Calf index, also included docility and feed intake (weighted by their respective economic value), thus targeting purchasers of younger calves for growing (and eventually harvesting). Genetic and non-genetic fixed and random effect model solutions from the Irish national genetic evaluations underpinned all indexes. The two novel indexes were formulated using three alternative estimates of an animal's total merit for comparative purposes: 1) an index based solely on the animal's breed solutions, 2) an index which also included within-breed animal differences, and 3) an index which, as well as considering additive and non-additive genetic effects, also included non-genetic effects (referred to as production values [PVs]). As more information (i.e., within breed effects and subsequently non-genetic effects) was included in the total merit estimate, the correlations strengthened between the two proposed indexes and the animal's calculated carcass market value; the correlation coefficients almost doubled in strength when total merit was based on PV-based estimates as compared to the breed solutions alone. Including phenotypic live-weight data, collected during the animal's life, strengthened the predictive ability of the indexes further. Based on the results presented, the proposed indexes may fill the void in decision support when purchasing or selling cattle. In addition, given the dynamic nature of indexes, they have the potential to be updated in real-time as information becomes available
Microscopy-Assisted Digital Photography as an Economical Analytical Tool for Assessment of Food Particles and Their Distribution Through The use of the ImageJ Program
Get PDFpeer-reviewedNumerous technologies are available for particle analysis,
such as laser diffraction, laser in-line particle size analysis,
acoustic attenuation spectroscopy etc. However, in many
situations, particle size analysis needs only to be conducted in
single-type research, negating the purchase of high cost
equipment. Microscopy assisted photography can be used
followed by the analysis of the photo in ImageJ program in this
case. It has been known seaweeds possess a high nutritional
profile and can partially replace some ingredients such as salt.
In represented method we describe an analytical tool for food
particle size diameter analysis and probability distribution
validated using four different seaweed separates (2360 to 355
µm mesh sizes). This method is cheap and consists of an
ordinary digital camera (or cell phone camera), any microscope
(or cell phone lens) or digital micrometer (forlarge particles)
and open-sourced software – ImageJ. For seaweed sample
separates obtained from 212 to 180 µm sieve mesh sizes, only
microscopy equipped with a digital camera was employed. This
method can be applied for any other industry such as biological
samples, pharmaceutical etc., witha particular any range of
particles distribution depending on accuracy required and
camera lens resolution
Evaluation of the fertiliser replacement value of phosphorus-saturated filter media
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThe use of filter media to adsorb phosphorus (P) from nutrient-rich waters is an effective, simple and low-cost method to recover and reuse P as an inorganic fertiliser replacement. Although it is assumed that the saturated filter media can be applied to cropland as a safe fertiliser replacement, there is presently a lack of information on the fertiliser replacement value (FRV) of such products and their negative effects on plants and soil. Therefore, the aims of this paper were to evaluate the (1) P removal capacity and plant response to soil application of waste media from three sectors (industry, agriculture, and construction and demolition), and natural and synthetic materials (2) potentially confounding risks arising from the reuse of media as a fertiliser replacement, and (3) factors affecting their fertilising efficiency once applied to soil. The predominant factors affecting the FRV of P-saturated media were their adsorption capacity and chemical composition, soil pH, and composition of water used for saturation. Some measures to overcome the negative impacts of the land application of P-saturated media include selecting the most appropriate soil-filter material combinations, the use of P solubilising microorganisms, and mixing with manure before land application. Despite confounding factors and a lack of information on the performance of some media under comparable study conditions, this study found that there is a significant potential for P-saturated filter media to partially replace the use of P mineral fertilisers and aid in the attainment of a “circular economy” in agriculture
Evaluation of the contribution of 16 European beef production systems to food security
Get PDFpeer-reviewedContext
Livestock production, and more particularly ruminants, is criticized for its low conversion efficiency of natural resources into edible food.
Objective
The objectives of this paper are to propose an evaluation of the contribution to food security of different European cattle farms through three criteria: 1) food production assessed by the amount of human-edible protein (HEP) and energy (HEE) produced at farm level, 2) feed-food competition at the beef production scale estimated in terms of net human-edible protein and energy and in terms of land used, and 3) food affordability assessed by the production cost of meat, protein and energy.
Methods
The analysis is based on 16 representative beef production systems in France, Belgium, Ireland, Italy and Germany and covers cow-calf systems, finishing systems, dairy and mixed dairy- finishing systems, with or without cash crops.
Results and conclusions
The results show that, at the farm level, systems producing both beef and milk or cereals have higher HEP and HEE production per hectare (up to 370 kg of HEP and 60,000 106J.ha−1) than specialized beef systems (up to 50 kg of HEP and 1600 106J.ha−1) and have lower production costs (approximately €6 kg−1 of HEP in mixed beef system and €29 kg−1 of HEP in a specialized cow-calf-fattener system). Beef systems are almost all HEE net consumers. Results are more variable concerning net HEP efficiency. The cow-calf enterprises are mostly net producers of HEP but, in order to produce human edible meat, these systems need to be combined with finishing systems that are mostly net consumers of HEP. In most cases, cow-calf-finishing systems are net consumers of HEP (between 0.6 and 0.7) but grass-based systems using very little concentrates or systems using co-products not edible by humans are net HEP producers. The grass-based systems use more land area per kilogram of carcass but a major part of this area is non-tilled land, thus these systems are not in direct competition with human food production. The lowest meat production costs are the finishing systems producing the most live weight per livestock unit (LU) per year and dairy systems in lowland which share the costs between milk and meat.
Significance
Although most of HEE and HEP efficient farms typically have higher meat production costs, some grassland based systems stand out positively for all indicators. These results pave the way for improvements of the contribution of beef production systems to food security.
Graphical abstract
Net Human Edible Protein and Energy Efficiencies of meat production (M_HEP_eff and M_HEE_eff)