Replacing maize silage with hydroponic barley forage in lactating water buffalo diet: Impact on milk yield and composition, water and energy footprint, and economics.

This study investigated the feasibility of integrating hydroponic barley forage (HBF) production into dairy ruminant production, focusing on its effect on milk yield and components, energy and water footprints, and economic implications. Maize silage (MSil) was used as a benchmark for comparison. The research was conducted on a water buffalo dairy farm equipped with a fully automated hydroponic system producing approximately 6,000 kg/d of HBF as fed (up 1,000 kg/d on DM basis).

Effect of slaughter age on environmental efficiency on beef cattle in marginal area including soil carbon sequestration: A case of study in Italian Alpine area.

The production of beef carries significant environmental repercussions on a worldwide level. Considering that the production of beef in Alpine mountainous regions, such as South Tyrol (Italy), constitutes a modest yet progressively growing segment within the local agricultural sector focus must be put on minimizing the environmental impact of producing one kilogram of meat, while also accounting for the carbon sequestered by Alpine pastures in such marginal areas. To this end 20 beef farms distributed in the South Tyrolean region (Italy) were divided based on the age at slaughter of the beef cattle: 10 farms with a slaughter age of 12 months (SA12) and 10 farms with a slaughter age of 24 months (SA24).

Caciocavallo Podolico Cheese, a Traditional Agri-Food Product of the Region of Basilicata, Italy: Comparison of the Cheese's Nutritional, Health and Organoleptic Properties at 6 and 12 Months of Ripening, and Its Digital Communication.

Traditional agri-food products (TAPs) are closely linked to the peculiarities of the territory of origin and are strategic tools for preserving culture and traditions; nutritional and organoleptic peculiarities also differentiate these products on the market. One such product is Caciocavallo Podolico Lucano (CPL), a stretched curd cheese made exclusively from raw milk from Podolian cows, reared under extensive conditions. The objective of this study was to characterise CPL and evaluate the effects of ripening (6 vs.

Case Study on the Impact of Water Resources in Beef Production: Corn vs. Triticale Silage in the Diet of Limousine × Podolian Young Bulls.

In this study, we have included the water footprint (WF) in the process of optimizing animal feed rations. The global footprint of cattle production accounts for the largest share (33%) of the global water footprint of livestock production. Using two homogeneous groups of Limousine × Podolian young bulls, two different diets were compared: corn silage feeding (CSF), with a corn silage-based diet; and triticale silage feeding (TSF), with a triticale silage-based diet.

The Challenge of Global Warming in Water Buffalo Farming: Physiological and Behavioral Aspects and Strategies to Face Heat Stress.

Water buffaloes have morphological and behavioral characteristics for efficient thermoregulation. However, their health, welfare, and productive performance can be affected by GW. The objective of this review was to analyze the adverse effects of GW on the productive behavior and health of water buffaloes.

Strategies and Mechanisms of Thermal Compensation in Newborn Water Buffaloes.

Hypothermia is one of the principal causes of perinatal mortality in water buffaloes and can range from 3% to 17.9%. In ruminants, factors affecting hypothermia in newborns may be of intrinsic (e.

Human-Animal Interactions in Dairy Goats.

It is widely assumed that the quality of human-animal interactions may have a strong impact on animals' living conditions and is fundamental to improving farm animal welfare. This work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of methods for assessing and monitoring the welfare of lactating goats. In particular, attention was paid to the methods regarding the assessment of the human-animal relationship.

Use of GnRH Treatment Based on Pregnancy-Associated Glyco-Proteins (PAGs) Levels as a Strategy for the Maintenance of Pregnancy in Buffalo Cows: A Field Study.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of GnRH administrated at day 35 after artificial insemination (AI) on the reproductive performance of buffalo cows. In ten buffalo farms in the period January−February, 481 buffalo cows were subjected to estrus synchronization protocol and fixed-time artificial insemination (Ovsynch−TAI program). Radioimmunoassays (RIA) for pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) were used to detect pregnancy at day 28 after AI (cut-off value: ≥1 ng/mL).

Neurophysiology of Milk Ejection and Prestimulation in Dairy Buffaloes.

The present review aims to integrate the anatomical characteristics of the mammary gland and the neurophysiology of milk ejection to understand the milking capacity of the water buffalo. Since one of the main uses of this species is milk production, this article will analyze the controversies on the use of oxytocin as a stimulant during milking as well as the existing alternatives that farmers apply to promote correct stimulation during milk letdown. According to the available literature, the efficiency of the milking process, the quality of the milk, and the health of the animals are elements that require the consideration of species-specific characteristics to enhance the performance of buffaloes.

Environmental and biodiversity effects of different beef production systems.

Agricultural livestock production ranks among the most environmental impactful industry sectors at the global level, and within the livestock sector, beef production accounts for a large proportion of environmental damage. Beef production in Alpine mountain regions, such as in South Tyrol (Italy), is a small, but increasing agricultural sector. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the environmental impact of different organic and conventional beef production systems in South Tyrol and to compare their environmental impact and effect on biodiversity under Alpine production conditions.

The human-animal relationship in dairy animals.

The present study aims to identify margins for the improvement of dairy animal welfare and production based on the quality of the human-animal relationship (HAR). The main tool proposed to improve the quality of HAR in dairy animals is training of stock-people by targeting their attitude and behaviour. Given that a good quality HAR may benefit the welfare of dairy animals and productivity, new technologies, by monitoring the handling routine on farm, may be more effective in promoting good practices.

Effects of Chickpea in Substitution of Soybean Meal on Milk Production, Blood Profile and Reproductive Response of Primiparous Buffaloes in Early Lactation.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the use of chickpea meal in substitution of soybean meal on plasma metabolites, reproductive response, milk yield and composition and milk coagulation traits of primiparous buffaloes in early lactation. Eighteen primiparous buffaloes were blocked by age, body weight and days in milk and equally allotted to two experimental groups from 10 to 100 days of lactation. The experimental diets consisted of the same forage integrated with two different isonitrogenous and isoenergetic concentrates containing either 210 g/kg of soybean meal or 371 g/kg chickpea.

Human-Animal Interactions in Dairy Buffalo Farms.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between stockperson behavior and buffalo behavior. The research was carried out in 27 buffalo farms. The behavior of stockpeople and animals during milking and the avoidance distance at the feeding place were recorded.

Two-Color Radiation Generated in a Seeded Free-Electron Laser with Two Electron Beams.

We present the experimental evidence of the generation of coherent and statistically stable two-color free-electron laser radiation obtained by seeding an electron beam double peaked in energy with a laser pulse single spiked in frequency. The radiation presents two neat spectral lines, with time delay, frequency separation, and relative intensity that can be accurately controlled. The analysis of the emitted radiation shows a temporal coherence and a shot-to-shot regularity in frequency significantly enhanced with respect to the self-amplified spontaneous emission.

Efficiency to reach age of puberty and behaviour of buffalo heifers (Bubalus bubalis) kept on pasture or in confinement.

In order to evaluate the influence of rearing system (free-ranging (FR) v. confinement (C)) on buffalo heifer efficiency to reach age of puberty and on behavioural and immune functions, two experiments were conducted from September 2010 to October 2011. In Experiment I, 32 subjects aged 8 to 9 months at the start of experiment were used.

Two color free-electron laser and frequency beating.

We review the theory of two color high gain free-electron laser emission, derive the integral equation characterizing the evolution of the optical intensities, and provide a description of the relevant dynamics. The characteristic feature of this regime is the existence of a mutual bunching, whose origin and role are discussed.

Observation of time-domain modulation of free-electron-laser pulses by multipeaked electron-energy spectrum.

We present the experimental demonstration of a new scheme for the generation of ultrashort pulse trains based on free-electron-laser (FEL) emission from a multipeaked electron energy distribution. Two electron beamlets with energy difference larger than the FEL parameter ρ have been generated by illuminating the cathode with two ps-spaced laser pulses, followed by a rotation of the longitudinal phase space by velocity bunching in the linac. The resulting self-amplified spontaneous emission FEL radiation, measured through frequency-resolved optical gating diagnostics, reveals a double-peaked spectrum and a temporally modulated pulse structure.

High-order-harmonic generation and superradiance in a seeded free-electron laser.

Higher order harmonic generation in a free-electron laser amplifier operating in the superradiant regime [R. H. Dicke, Phys.

High-gain harmonic-generation free-electron laser seeded by harmonics generated in gas.

The injection of a seed in a free-electron laser (FEL) amplifier reduces the saturation length and improves the longitudinal coherence. A cascaded FEL, operating in the high-gain harmonic-generation regime, allows us to extend the beneficial effects of the seed to shorter wavelengths. We report on the first operation of a high-gain harmonic-generation free-electron laser, seeded with harmonics generated in gas.

Self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser with an energy-chirped electron beam and undulator tapering.

We report the first experimental implementation of a method based on simultaneous use of an energy chirp in the electron beam and a tapered undulator, for the generation of ultrashort pulses in a self-amplified spontaneous emission mode free-electron laser (SASE FEL). The experiment, performed at the SPARC FEL test facility, demonstrates the possibility of compensating the nominally detrimental effect of the chirp by a proper taper of the undulator gaps. An increase of more than 1 order of magnitude in the pulse energy is observed in comparison to the untapered case, accompanied by FEL spectra where the typical SASE spiking is suppressed.

Effect of stretching on the sensitivity of the guinea pig ileum to bradykinin and on its modification by bradykinin potentiating peptides.

The sensitivity of the guinea pig isolated ileum to bradykinin, but not to other agonists, was increased ca. 2-fold during the 3-4 h following mounting of the preparation under 1 g load. Concomitantly, a decrease was observed in the bradykinin potentiating effect of BPP9a, and of potentiator B but not potentiator C.

Bradykinin potentiating and sensitizing activities of new synthetic analogues of snake venom peptides.

The structural requirements for prolonged residual ("sensitizing") activity in bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPP's) were investigated through a study of seven synthetic BPP's including three not previously described: [Lys6]-BPP9a, [Gly6]potentiator B, and [Lys6,Gln8]potentiator B. The quantitation of the sensitizing activities in the isolated guinea pig ileum indicated that the structural requirements for bradykinin potentiation and for sensitization were not the same. The most potent sensitizers were potentiator B and [Lys6]-BPP9a.