Factors influencing somatic cell count and leukocyte composition in cow milk: a field study.

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of studies investigating the composition of somatic cell count (SCC) of milk, focusing on neutrophils (NEU), lymphocytes (LYM), and macrophages (MAC). These 3 components are indeed crucial for the animal's immune response to mastitis-causing pathogens. The study examined various factors influencing somatic cell count and leucocyte components in cow milk, including lactation stage, parity, and milk electrical conductivity, using data from 179 dairy cows across 6 farms throughout the entire lactation.

Text mining approach in chicken meat welfare.

The aim of the study was to analyze the aspects affecting broiler welfare with the use of Text Mining technique. This approach converts text into numerical data and analyzes word frequency distributions, enabling the extraction of useful information and the identification of relationships between elements. Text mining has limitations, i.

Unlocking insights: text mining analysis on the health, welfare, and behavior of cows in automated milking systems.

Automated Milking Systems (AMS) have undergone significant evolution over the past 30 yr, and their adoption continues to increase, as evidenced by the growing scientific literature. These systems offer advantages such as a reduced milking workload and increased milk yield per cow. However, given concerns about the welfare of farmed animals, studying the effects of AMS on the health and welfare of animals becomes crucial for the overall sustainability of the dairy sector.

Risk factors of high somatic cell count and differential somatic cells in early lactation associated with selective dry cow therapy.

The routine use of intramammary antimicrobial products in all dairy cows at the beginning of the dry period is no longer allowed in European Union (EU) countries due to the new Regulation (EU) 2019/6 to reduce antimicrobial resistance. This study investigated the application of a selective dry cow therapy scheme and the risk factors of high individual milk somatic cell count (SCC) and individual neutrophil count in early lactation, as a response to the application of a selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) protocol. The study was carried out on three commercial farms, and a total of 243 lactating cows were monitored at the end of lactation and at the beginning of the next one, 91 of which were dried off without the use of antimicrobials (NoT) based on milk SCC, differential somatic cell count (DSCC), and the response of Vetscan DC-Q milk analyser, using a secret algorithm.

Comparison of the use of life cycle assessment and ecological footprint methods for evaluating environmental performances in dairy production.

One popular methodology for assessing the environmental impact of livestock sector is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), that quantifies the environmental impact of a product. Ecological Footprint (EF) performs an environmental sustainability assessment, by comparing the demand for natural capital by an economic activity with the offer of such capital within a certain territory. The aim of the study was the comparison between LCA and EF in assessing the environmental performances of milk production, assuming as case study three cattle farms with increasing levels of production intensity.

Evaluation of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) equations to predict enteric methane emission from lactating cows fed Mediterranean diets.

The study aimed to evaluate Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 (2006 and 2019) to predict enteric CH emissions from lactating cows fed Mediterranean diets. The effects of the CH conversion factor (Y; CH energy loss as a percentage of gross energy intake) and digestible energy (DE) of the diet were evaluated as model predictors. A data set was created using individual observations derived from 3 in vivo studies on lactating dairy cows housed in respiration chambers and fed diets typical of the Mediterranean region based on silages and hays.

Diffusion of precision livestock farming technologies in dairy cattle farms.

The rising global demand for animal products and the growing public concerns about the environment and animal welfare require dairy farms to improve their efficiency and apply more sustainable farming systems. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) could represent a valuable support in addressing these challenges. In recent years, dairy farms have been modernising and introducing new sensors and automatic systems for managing the herd.

Air Quality, Management Practices and Calf Health in Italian Dairy Cattle Farms.

Among factors that can affect calf health, microbial quality of the pen air is poorly studied. In 25 Italian dairy farms, data concerning air quality in the calf pens, hygiene of pens and equipment, microclimatic conditions, calf health and management were collected during the winter season (January-March 2020 and December-March 2021). The average air Standard Plate Count (SPC) of 85 pens was 4.

Association between Udder and Quarter Level Indicators and Milk Somatic Cell Count in Automatic Milking Systems.

Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) record a lot of information, at udder and quarter level, which can be useful for improving the early detection of altered udder health conditions. A total of 752,000 records from 1003 lactating cows milked with two types of AMS in four farms were processed with the aim of identifying new indicators, starting from the variables provided by the AMS, useful to predict the risk of high milk somatic cell count (SCC). Considering the temporal pattern, the quarter vs.

Diet supplementation with canola meal improves milk production, reduces enteric methane emissions, and shifts nitrogen excretion from urine to feces in dairy cows.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of isonitrogenous substitution of solvent-extracted soybean meal (SBM) with solvent-extracted canola meal (CM) on enteric CH production, ruminal fermentation characteristics (including protozoa), digestion (in situ and apparent total-tract digestibility), N excretion, and milk production of dairy cows. For this purpose, 16 lactating Holstein cows, of which 12 were ruminally cannulated, were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square (35-d periods; 14-d adaptation). The cows averaged (mean ± SD) 116 ± 23 d in milk, 692 ± 60 kg of body weight, and 47.

Milk production, methane emissions, nitrogen, and energy balance of cows fed diets based on different forage systems.

Eight lactating Italian Friesian cows were housed in individual respiration chambers in a repeated Latin square design to determine their dry matter intake (DMI) and their milk and methane production, as well as to collect the total feces and urine to determine the N and energy balances. Four diets, based on the following forages (% of dry matter, DM), were tested: corn silage (CS, 49.3), alfalfa silage (AS, 26.

Looking for high-production and sustainable diets for lactating cows: A survey in Italy.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate, through a survey conducted on commercial farms, the global warming potential (GWP) of different lactating cow total mixed rations (TMR) and to identify the best dietary strategies to increase feed efficiency (FE) and reduce enteric CH emission. A total of 171 dairy herds were selected: data about dry matter intake (DMI), lactating cow TMR composition, and milk production and composition were provided by farmers. Diet GWP (kg of CO equivalents; COeq) was calculated as sum of GWP (kg of COeq) of each included ingredient, considering inputs needed at field level, feed processing, and transport.

Rearing of on Different Organic By-Products: Influence on Growth, Waste Reduction, and Environmental Impact.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of three by-products as growing substrates for (Black Soldier Fly (BSF)) larvae: okara, maize distiller, brewer's grains, and a control hen diet. The study focused on larval growth and bioconversion performance, production of methane by larvae and environmental burden of larvae production, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on a lab scale. Chemical composition of substrates differed: okara had the highest crude protein and ether extract contents, while brewer's grains showed the highest fiber content.

Environmental impact of rabbit meat: The effect of production efficiency.

The aim of this trial was to analyse the environmental impact of the rabbit production system, through a cradle to-slaughterhouse gate using a life cycle approach. Since in a rabbit farm the production efficiency depends on the feed conversion and quantity of meat produced, scenarios characterized by different slaughter weights and dissimilar level of mortality during the fattening phase were hypothesized. Climate change determined in the standard rabbit resulted in 3.

Impact assessment of traditional food manufacturing: The case of Grana Padano cheese.

The dairy sector is recognised as one of the most impacting agricultural activities. In Italy approximately 24% of cow's milk is destined to Grana Padano, a Protected Designation of Origin long ripening cheese. The Grana Padano production has increased by 10% in the last decade and approximately reached 183,000 t in 2015.