Condensed tannins fed to dairy goats: Effects on digestibility, milk production, blood parameters, methane emission, and energy and nitrogen balances.

Condensed tannins (CT) are plant polyphenols that can affect feed digestibility and are potentially able to reduce enteric CH emissions in ruminants. In this in vivo trial with 8 lactating goats, we investigated the effects of 4 levels of inclusion of a commercial CT extract from quebracho (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% on dry matter basis; CON, Q2, Q4, and Q6, respectively). The experimental design was a repeated 4 × 4 Latin square with 28-d periods (24 d of diet adaptation and 4 d of sample collection) using metabolic cages and 4 open-circuit respiration chambers.

Scientific Productions on Precision Livestock Farming: An Overview of the Evolution and Current State of Research Based on a Bibliometric Analysis.

The interest in precision livestock farming (PLF)-a concept discussed for the first time in the early 2000s-has advanced considerably in recent years due to its important role in the development of sustainable livestock production systems. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the PLF literature is lacking. To address this gap, this study analyzed documents published from 2005 to 2021, aiming to understand the historical influences on technology adoption in livestock farming, identify future global trends, and examine shifts in scientific research on this topic.

Effect of a Polyphenol-Based Additive in Pig Diets in the Early Stages of Growth.

The weaning period is a stressful period for the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of piglets. This work aims to evaluate the effects of the commercial polyphenol-based product GreenFIS on: (1) GIT health and performance of 60 weaned piglets; (2) digestibility in 18 growing pigs. Three diets were tested: a control diet (C), C plus 2.

Unraveling the Relationship between Milk Yield and Quality at the Test Day with Rumination Time Recorded by a PLF Technology.

The study aimed to estimate the components of rumination time (RT) variability recorded by a neck collar sensor and the relationship between RT and milk composition. Milk test day (TD) and RT data were collected from 691 cows in three farms. Daily RT data of each animal were averaged for 3, 7, and 10 days preceding the TD date (RT).

A Survey of Italian Dairy Farmers' Propensity for Precision Livestock Farming Tools.

A targeted survey was designed with the aim of describing the diffusion of precision livestock farming (PLF) tools in one of the most intensive dairy farming provinces in Italy. Technicians at the Provincial Breeder Association of Cremona interviewed 490 dairy farmers and obtained data regarding the role and age of the respondents; the land owned by the farmers; their herd sizes (HS, lactating plus dry cows; small HS < 101, medium HS 101-200, large HS > 200 cows/herd); their average 305 day milk yield (low MY < 9501, medium MY 9501-10,500, high MY > 10,500 kg/head); the cow to employed worker ratio (low CW < 33, medium CW 33-47, high CW > 47 cows/worker); the use of PLF tools to monitor production, reproduction, and health; and the criteria and motivations for investing in PLF tools. The use of automated MY recording and estrus detection systems was primarily associated with HS (more present in larger farms), followed by MY (more present in more productive farms), and then CW (more present with a high cow: worker ratio).