Impacts of production conditions on goat milk vitamin, carotenoid contents and colour indices.

The content, composition and variation of vitamin compounds in goat milk have been little studied. An experimental design was based on 28 commercial farms, selected considering the main feeding system (based on main forage and especially pasture access), goat breed (Alpine vs Saanen) and reproductive management (seasonal reproduction), in the main French goat milk production area. Each farm received two visits (spring and autumn) that included a survey on milk production conditions and bulk milk sampling.

Vitamin B concentration in cow milk: Quantification by a new UHPLC method and prediction by visible and near-infrared spectral analysis.

Until now, there are few information on vitamin B concentration variability in milk. In this study, a novel analytical method to quantify total vitamin B in milk was developed and applied on 676 samples. In parallel, spectral analysis (colorimetry and near infrared spectroscopy) were performed to develop prediction models of vitamin B concentration in milk.

Carotenoid, Tocopherol, and Phenolic Compound Content and Composition in Cover Crops Used as Forage.

Secondary compounds of grassland and forage plant species such as vitamins or phenolic compounds are involved in different health-promoting effects in animals. However, information on their concentration and composition in forage plant species remains scarce. The objective of this study was to characterize the composition of secondary compounds of seven grazed cover crop plant species harvested at two stages of growth.

Exploration of Biological Markers of Feed Efficiency in Young Bulls.

The efficiency with which ruminants convert feed to desirable products is difficult to measure under normal commercial settings. We explored the use of potential biological markers from easily obtainable samples, that is, blood, hair, and feces, to characterize potential causes of divergent efficiency when considered as residual feed intake (RFI) or feed conversion efficiency (FCE). A total of 54 Charolais bulls, 20 in period 1 and 34 in period 2, were examined for individual dry matter intake (DMI) and growth.