Associations between milk infrared-predicted plasma biomarkers of stress resilience and fertility in dairy cattle: insights for enhancing breeding programs and herd management.

Fertility is a crucial aspect of dairy herd efficiency and sustainability. Among factors influencing fertility in dairy cattle, metabolic stress and systemic inflammation of animals are of main relevance, especially in the postpartum stage when ovarian activity begins and cows are inseminated. Our study aimed to infer the associations between milk infrared-predicted blood biomarkers of stress resilience and fertility traits, namely the interval from calving to first service (iCF), days open (DO), and the pregnancy rate at first service (PRF) in a multi-breed population of 89,097 dairy cows.

Combining genetic markers, on-farm information and infrared data for the in-line prediction of blood biomarkers of metabolic disorders in Holstein cattle.

Background: Various blood metabolites are known to be useful indicators of health status in dairy cattle, but their routine assessment is time-consuming, expensive, and stressful for the cows at the herd level. Thus, we evaluated the effectiveness of combining in-line near infrared (NIR) milk spectra with on-farm (days in milk [DIM] and parity) and genetic markers for predicting blood metabolites in Holstein cattle. Data were obtained from 388 Holstein cows from a farm with an AfiLab system.

Supplementation with antioxidants and phenolic compounds in ruminant feeding and its effect on dairy products: a systematic review.

Milk and dairy products have great importance in human nutrition related to the presence of different nutrients, including protein, fatty acid profile and bioactive compounds. Dietary supplementation with foods containing these types of compounds may influence the chemical composition of milk and dairy products and hence, potentially, the consumer. Our objective was to summarize the evidence of the effect of supplementation with antioxidants and phenolic compounds in the diets of dairy animals and their effects on milk and dairy products.

Effects of breed, farm intensiveness, and cow productivity level on cheese-making ability predicted using infrared spectral data at the population level.

Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra collected during milk recording schemes at population level can be used for predicting novel traits of interest for farm management, cows' genetic improvement, and milk payment systems. The aims of this study were as follows. (1) To predict cheese yield traits using FTIR spectra from routine milk recordings exploiting previously developed calibration equations.

Performance of different portable and hand-held near-infrared spectrometers for predicting beef composition and quality characteristics in the abattoir without meat sampling.

The availability of portable and handheld NIR instruments on the market opens up new possibilities in meat analysis. However, there is lack of research comparing different NIR instruments for evaluating beef characteristics from spectra obtained directly on the meat surface. Our aim, therefore, was to build and test calibration and prediction models for predicting beef characteristics, and to compare the performances of three NIR instruments differing in size and characteristics: a transportable visible-NIR spectrometer (Vis-NIRS), a portable (NIRS), and a hand-held Micro-NIRS.

Purebreeding with sexed semen and crossbreeding with semen from double-muscled sires to improve beef production from dairy herds: Live and slaughter performances of crossbred calves.

The use of sexed semen to produce purebred replacement heifers allows a large proportion of dairy cows to be mated to beef sires, and quantitative and qualitative improvements to be made to beef production from dairy herds. The major dairy and beef breeds are undergoing rapid genetic improvement as a result of more efficient selection methods, prompting a need to evaluate the meat production of crossbred beef × dairy cattle produced using current genetics. As part of a large project involving 125 commercial dairy farms, we evaluated the combined use of purebreeding with sexed semen and crossbreeding with semen from beef sires, particularly double-muscled breeds.

Integration of Wet-Lab Measures, Milk Infrared Spectra, and Genomics to Improve Difficult-to-Measure Traits in Dairy Cattle Populations.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data for dairy cattle breeding through two different approaches: (i) estimating the genetic parameters for 30 measured milk traits and their FTIR predictions and investigating the additive genetic correlation between them and (ii) evaluating the effectiveness of FTIR-derived phenotyping to replicate a candidate bull's progeny testing or breeding value prediction at birth. Records were available from 1,123 cows phenotyped using gold standard laboratory methodologies (LAB data). This included phenotypes related to fine milk composition and milk technological characteristics, milk acidity, and milk protein fractions.

Predicting the Content of 20 Minerals in Beef by Different Portable Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectrometers.

The aim of this study was to test the predictability of a detailed mineral profile of beef using different portable near-infrared spectrometers (NIRS). These devices are rapid, chemical waste-free, cheap, nondestructive tools that can be used directly on the meat surface in the work environment without the need to take samples. We compared a transportable Visible-NIRS (weight 5.

Pure-breeding with sexed semen and crossbreeding with semen of double-muscled sires to improve beef production from dairy herds: Factors affecting heifer and cow fertility and the sex ratio.

Using sexed semen to produce purebred replacement heifers makes it possible to mate a large proportion of dairy cows to double-muscled sires and to quantitatively and qualitatively improve beef production and increase the income from dairy herds. Net profit first depends on changes in the farm's overall fertility rate. The objective of this study was to analyze the conception rate in herds using a combination of conventional dairy semen (for pure- and crossbreeding), X-sorted dairy semen (to produce purebred replacement heifers), and conventional beef semen (for terminal crossbreeding).

Short communication: Pure-breeding with sexed semen and crossbreeding with semen from double-muscled sires to improve beef production from dairy herds: Weight and value of calves.

The use of sexed semen to produce purebred replacement heifers allows a large proportion of dairy cows to be mated to double-muscled sires and for quantitative and qualitative improvements to be made to beef production from dairy herds. A survey of 1,285 crossbred calves showed that they are destined not only for veal production (like purebred dairy calves) but also for beef production. Crossbred calves obtained from Belgian Blue sires (sold on average at 34 d of age and 64 kg of weight) had a higher market value (€363/calf) than those obtained from double-muscled INRA 95 sires (€297/calf, used for veal production) and from Limousin sires (€216/calf for veal and €271/calf for beef production).

Changes in milk characteristics and fatty acid profile during the estrous cycle in dairy cows.

The relationship of the estrous cycle to milk composition and milk physical properties was assessed on Holstein (n = 10,696), Brown Swiss (n = 20,501), Simmental (n = 17,837), and Alpine Grey (n = 8,595) cows reared in northeastern Italy. The first insemination after calving for each cow was chosen to be the day of estrus and insemination. Test days surrounding the insemination date (from 10 d before to 10 d after the day of the estrus) were selected and categorized in phases relative to estrus as diestrus high-progesterone, proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus increasing-progesterone phases.

Diagnosing pregnancy status using infrared spectra and milk composition in dairy cows.

Data on Holstein (16,890), Brown Swiss (31,441), Simmental (25,845), and Alpine Grey (12,535) cows reared in northeastern Italy were used to assess the ability of milk components (fat, protein, casein, and lactose) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral data to diagnose pregnancy. Pregnancy status was defined as whether a pregnancy was confirmed by a subsequent calving and no other subsequent inseminations within 90 d of the breeding of specific interest. Milk samples were analyzed for components and FTIR full-spectrum data using a MilkoScan FT+ 6000 (Foss Electric, Hillerød, Denmark).

Fertility traits of Holstein, Brown Swiss, Simmental, and Alpine Grey cows are differently affected by herd productivity and milk yield of individual cows.

Milk yield has a strong effect on fertility, but it may vary across different herds and individual cows. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of breed and its interaction with level of milk production at the herd level (Herd-L) and at a cow-within-herd level (Cow-L) on fertility traits in dairy cattle. Data were gathered from Holstein (n = 17,688), Brown Swiss (n = 32,697), Simmental (n = 27,791), and Alpine Grey (n = 13,689) cows in northeastern Italy.