Publications by authors named "Kieran McCarthy"

A pasture or concentrate-based dietary regime impacts a variety of factors including both ruminal health and function, and consequently milk production and quality. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of feeding differing pasture levels on the metabolite composition of bovine ruminal fluid. Ruminal fluid was obtained from rumen-cannulated spring-calving cows (N = 9, Holstein-Friesian breed, average lactation number = 5) fed one of three diets across a full lactation season.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explored how the stage of lactation and diet (high, medium, or no pasture) affect the composition and quality of Cheddar cheese.
  • It found that while overall cheese composition remained similar across diets, fatty acid profiles varied significantly, with pasture-fed cheese showing higher levels of beneficial nutrients like omega-3s.
  • Additionally, the stage of lactation had a more pronounced effect on the ripening characteristics and protein content of the cheese than diet alone.
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Introduction: Bovine milk contains a rich matrix of nutrients such as carbohydrates, fat, protein and various vitamins and minerals, the composition of which is altered by factors including dietary regime.

Objectives: The objective of this research was to investigate the impact of dietary regime on the metabolite composition of bovine whole milk powder and buttermilk.

Methods: Bovine whole milk powder and buttermilk samples were obtained from spring-calving cows, consuming one of three diets.

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Article Synopsis
  • A review was conducted on the impact of the ketogenic diet on epilepsy treatment in children and adolescents, following systematic guidelines and including 12 qualifying studies.
  • The ketogenic diet showed positive results in reducing the frequency and severity of seizures while presenting manageable side effects like gastrointestinal issues and dehydration.
  • Variations of the ketogenic diet were found beneficial for seizure management, serving as either a complementary or alternative treatment for young patients with epilepsy.
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Microchemical analysis of trace elements in otoliths and bio-mineralised earstones of teleost fishes is an emerging approach to analysing the environmental migratoryand life histories of fish species. The migration history of the three-spine stickleback () collected in western Ireland was examined using calcium (Ca) and strontium (Sr) concentrations in otoliths. The otolith Sr:Ca values fluctuated with the habitat.

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There is an increasing consumer desire for pasture-derived dairy products, as outdoor pasture-based feeding systems are perceived as a natural environment for animals. Despite this, the number of grazing animals globally has declined as a result of the higher milk yields achieved by indoor TMR feeding systems, in addition to the changing climatic conditions and lower grazing knowledge and infrastructure. This has led to the development of pasture-fed standards, stipulating the necessity of pasture and its minimum requirements as the primary feed source for products advertising such claims, with various requirements depending on the region for which it was produced.

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This study investigated the effects of diet and stage of lactation (SOL) on sensory profiles, texture, volatile profiles, and colour of Cheddar cheese. Cheddar cheese was manufactured from early-, mid-, and late-lactation milk obtained from seasonally calved cows (n = 54). Cows were assigned a diet; group 1: perennial ryegrass (GRS), group 2: total mixed ration (TMR), and group 3: partial mixed ration (PMR).

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Globally, the majority of dairy cows are milked twice a day (TAD); however, in pasture-based production systems, such as in Ireland, the idea of milking once a day (OAD) is being considered for reasons such as improved work-life balance. The immediate effects within a lactation, as well as the multilactation consequences of OAD, compared with TAD milking, require understanding. The objective of this randomized experiment was to compare OAD and TAD milking, over a 3-yr period, by examining the differences in milk production and composition, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), dry matter intake (DMI), udder characteristics, locomotion score, and milking time.

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The objective of this study was to examine the impact of increasing proportions of grazed pasture in the diet on the composition, quality, and functionality of bovine milk across a full lactation. Fifty-four spring-calving cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups (n = 18), blocked on the basis of mean calving date (February 15, 2020 ± 0.8 d), pre-experimental daily milk yield (24.

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The development of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) luminophores with tuneable emission profiles is a key requirement in the development of multi-analyte ECL sensing platforms. This study presents the first reported use of cadmium selenide sulfide (CdSeS) quantum dots (QDs) as ECL emitters in which both the ECL emission profile and cathodic potential can be tailored by alteration of the Se/S ratio. CdSeS QDs were synthesised using an aqueous synthetic route thereby avoiding the use of organic reagents, high temperatures and inert gasses.

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A scalable and cost-effective process is used to electroplate metallic Zn seeds on stainless steel substrates. Si and Ge nanowires (NWs) are subsequently grown by placing the electroplated substrates in the solution phase of a refluxing organic solvent at temperatures >430 °C and injecting the respective liquid precursors. The native oxide layer formed on reactive metals such as Zn can obstruct NW growth and is removed in situ by injecting the reducing agent LiBH .

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Recent studies have shown that anguillid eel populations in habitats spanning the marine-freshwater ecotone can display extreme plasticity in the range of catadromy expressed by individual fishes. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was used to differentiate between European eels (Anguilla anguilla) collected along a short (2 km) salinity gradient ranging from <1 per thousand to approximately 30 per thousand in Lough Ahalia, a tidal Atlantic lake system. Significant differences were recorded in mean delta13C, delta15N and C:N values from eels collected from fresh, brackish and marine-dominated basins.

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Physa fontinalis (L.) gives a characteristic, chemically mediated escape response when stimulated by the majority of British leeches and flatworms. The snail responds rapidly and consistently to contact with all the molluskivorous leeches but also to three species which may be considered harmless.

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