Leveraging milk mid-infrared spectroscopy to authenticate animal welfare, farming practices, and dairy systems of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Increasing consumer concerns underscore the importance of verifying the practices and origins of food, especially certified premium products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of Fourier-transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy to authenticate animal welfare parameters, farming practices, and dairy systems. Data on farm characteristics were obtained from the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium in northern Italy.

Added Value of Products from Endangered Local Sheep Breeds in Mountain Areas.

Local sheep breeds in the Italian eastern Alps passed from ex situ to in situ conservation. These breeds are mainly reared by smallholders in low-input farming systems. To allow the sustainable use of genetic resources, the economic sustainability of farmers must be supported through production guidelines.

Body and milk production traits as indicators of energy requirements and efficiency of purebred Holstein and 3-breed rotational crossbred cows from Viking Red, Montbéliarde, and Holstein sires.

This study aimed to compare rotational 3-breed crossbred cows of Viking Red, Montbéliarde, and Holstein breeds with purebred Holstein cows for a range of body measurements, as well as different metrics of the cows' productivity and production efficiency. The study involved 791 cows (440 crossbreds and 351 purebreds), that were managed across 2 herds. Within each herd, crossbreds and purebreds were reared and milked together, fed the same diets, and managed as one group.

Animal Welfare and Farmers' Satisfaction in Small-Scale Dairy Farms in the Eastern Alps: A "One Welfare" Approach.

The multidimensional concept of animal welfare includes physical health, good emotional state, and appropriate behavior of the animals. The most recent methods for its assessment are inspired by the Welfare Quality, a project compiling animal-, resource-, and management-based measures. Recently, animal welfare assessment has also considered the human factor in a so-called "One Welfare" approach.