The blood-milk barrier (BMB) forms at parturition when the gland switches form a non-lactating state to one of copious milk production and becomes leaky again when milk removal ceases and mammary involution is initiated. In this review the importance of the BMB in milk production and, in particular, its hormonal regulation is explored. Tight junctions (TJ) between adjacent mammary epithelial cells form a barrier to the two-directional paracellular movement of small molecules between the blood and milk and are responsible for establishing and maintaining the BMB. They form part of the cell's junctional complex and consist of transmembrane proteins that are linked to the mammary cell's cytoskeleton. This means that when, during lactation, TJ become “leaky” the resulting perturbation of the cytoskeleton interferes with the cell's secretory function. As such, TJ are involved in regulating and maintaining milk production. Mammary TJ are under hormonal control, with progesterone, glucocorticoids, prolactin, parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) and serotonin (5-HT) being the key hormones. Progesterone prevents closure of TJ and the immediate prepartum drop in its concentration is a prerequisite for TJ closure. A simultaneous increase in the levels of glucocorticoids and prolactin is necessary for full TJ closure and initiation and maintenance of lactation. Both PTHrP and 5-HT are important hormones in maintaining extracellular calcium concentrations, a requirement for maintaining TJ integrity. Whereas PTHrP reduces TJ permeability, necessary for establishing and maintaining milk production, 5-HT has an opening effect on TJ. The latter may help speed up mammary involution and facilitate the movement of immune factors into the gland, preventing intramammary infections. In summary, mammary TJ make up the BMB and play a role in establishing and maintaining milk production and are under hormonal control, with progesterone, glucocorticoids, PTHrP and 5-HT being key regulatory hormones and prolactin likely playing a supporting role.

There is increasing demand for milk and dairy products and an associated increase in milk production in Asia and Africa, making them important emerging dairy markets for the future. To the best of our knowledge, there has been little effort to comprehensively review literature on dairy production in these regions despite the changing situation, growth and challenges that require sustainable solutions. Thus, the objective of this review was to present an overview and evaluation of the dairy industry in selected countries in Eastern Africa and Asia using recent literature. The countries were selected based on the potential of dairy production in the respective regions. It focused on two types of countries: those in East Africa, which are at different stages of intensification regarding the global production issue, and those in Asia, which have large dairy industries. Based on this, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania were selected from eastern Africa, while India, Pakistan and China were selected from Asia. The review revealed that dairy production in Eastern Africa predominantly relies on small-scale production systems. Factors such as inadequate feed, disease prevalence, poor access to breeding and formal/organized market pose significant challenges to this region's dairy industry. However, recent efforts have focused on improving productivity through technology adoption, livestock breeding programmes and market development initiatives. In contrast, Asia showcases a diverse range of dairy production systems. Countries like India are known for their large-scale dairy operations involving both indigenous and exotic dairy breeds. Additionally, cooperative models and public-private partnerships have contributed to the growth of the dairy sector in Asian countries. Nevertheless, challenges such as land/feed availability, environmental concern, and market competitiveness remain areas for improvement. While Eastern Africa aims to enhance small-scale farming systems through partly upgrading scale of production, innovation and market access, Asia seeks to bridge the gaps in productivity and sustainability.

Since ancient times, thistles have been used as clotting agents in the production of traditional cheeses, particularly in the Mediterranean area. In recent years, their use in cheesemaking has increased to satisfy the growing requests from vegetarian consumers. In this research paper, four different cheeses, typical of the Mediterranean area, were evaluated from a nutritional point of view: Caciofiore (from Italy) and Torta del Casar (from Spain), both typically produced using vegetable rennet, and Queso de Murcia al vino (from Spain) and Feta (from Greece), traditionally produced using animal rennet. All the cheeses were manufactured according to their traditional cheesemaking procedures and used as controls. Experimental cheeses were produced using aqueous extracts obtained from flowers of either spontaneous or cultivated thistles indigenous to the Mediterranean area (respectively Onopordum tauricum for Caciofiore, and Cynara humilis for Torta del Casar, Queso de Murcia al vino, and Feta). All cheeses were characterized for fat-soluble and mineral compounds to assess their nutritional adequacy according to the recommended daily intake of each evaluated nutrient. All the cheeses were found to be a good source of vitamin A, calcium and phosphorus, with an optimal Ca/P molar ratio, except for Feta. By consuming the recommended serving (50 g) of the studied cheeses, the salt and cholesterol intake is, on average, 16.4% and 15.9%, respectively of recommended intake. The use of aqueous thistle extracts in cheesemaking appears to have no effect on the nutritional quality of the studied cheeses.

The aim of this Research Communication was to develop new flow cytometric tools for the fine identification and characterization of milk somatic cells in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Four multicolour panels of antibodies were designed to identify different subsets of live leukocytes and epithelial cells in bulk milk samples. Panel 1, including the CD18/CD172a/CD14/CD16 markers and Live/Dead vitality dye, allowed us to identify total lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocyte/macrophage subsets. Panel 2 (CD18/CD4/CD8/δ chain/CD335 and Live/Dead dye) allowed us to identify T helper (CD4+), T cytotoxic (CD8+), γδ lymphocytes and NK cells. Panel 3 (CD18/CD79a/CD21 and Live/Dead dye) allowed us to identify total and CD21+ B lymphocytes. Finally, with Panel 4 (CD18/MHC-I/pan Cytokeratin and Live/Dead dye) the epithelial cells were distinguished from leukocytes. In conclusion, we propose a fine characterization of live milk somatic cell (live differential cell count (LDCC)) in buffalo species. In the future the determination of LDCC could used to identify new markers for detecting early inflammatory states of the mammary gland or for monitoring the technological properties of milks of different somatic cell composition.

We investigated the hypothesis that supplementing milk replacer (MR) with exogenous lactoferrin (LF) would improve average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency and decrease scouring incidence in dairy calves. Lactoferrin is an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory glycoprotein naturally found in bovine colostrum and milk that is low in MR. Previous studies suggest that supplementing LF to MR enhances ADG and feed efficiency while reducing disease occurrence in pre-weaning dairy calves. In our experiment, 103 Holstein heifer calves were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a randomized complete block design from birth to d56 of age. Each calf received 340.1 g/d of 24% protein, 20% fat basal MR fed twice daily from d1 to 42 and once daily from d43 to 49, supplemented with 0 (L0), 1 (L1), 2 (L2) or 4 (L4) g/hd/d of LF treatment (45% purity). Calves were weaned at 49d of age. Body weight was measured at d1, 14, 28, 42, 49 and 56 of age. Faecal scores were measured weekly. Milk replacer and calf starter intake was measured daily and calculated biweekly. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model with fixed effects of LF inclusion, and random effects of source herd and nursery room. In the first two weeks of life, ADG and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) were numerically (non-statistically) increased in L4 tended compared with L1 and L2, but this effect was not maintained throughout the rest of the pre-weaning period or entire experiment. Average faecal score during the entire 56d experiment was greater in L2 compared with L0, L1 and L4, although faecal scores of all treatment groups were generally low. Under the conditions of the present study, LF supplementation at the inclusion levels provided showed minimal effects on feed intake, growth rate or calf health.

Buffalo are shy breeders and poor fertility traits are a major hindrance in exploiting the production potential of the animal. This study hypothesizes that polymorphisms in the luteinizing hormone beta (LHβ) gene can affect oestrus behaviour in buffaloes. A total of 100 animals were screened by calculating the heat index (threshold-50) and animals were categorized into two groups (Group1 > 50, Group2 < 50). Animals were subjected to blood sampling, genomic DNA isolation, specific primer based polymerization and sequencing of amplicons. A total of six genomic variations were identified in the gene. c.V15M was a non synonymous mutation found in line with the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium and was significantly associated with the trait. Functional impact of the variation was determined by three-dimensional structure of the protein. Effect of c.V15M on the functionality of the gene was evident and hypothesis was supported so this can potentially be used as a marker for the future development of superior animal breed or regulating the expression of the gene to get the optimal oestrus cyclicity in river buffalo of Pakistan.

This Research Communication presents a cross-sectional study to compare the prevalence of contagious, environmental, opportunistic and other intramammary infection pathogens in mountain dairy herds. In the Italian Apennine mountains, areas where dairy farming is thriving are interspersed among areas where only a few dairy herds remain. The disappearance of some dairy farms relates to the reduction of agricultural and veterinary services in a process that can jeopardize dairy herd profitability. Sixteen herds were screened for intramammary infection (IMI) pathogens. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of mastitis pathogens was performed, and data on antimicrobial use was collected from the herd treatment registry. The prevalence of contagious IMI pathogens was significantly higher in areas where dairy farming is reducing, whereas environmental and opportunistic infections were more abundant in herds in thriving areas where farmers had a more consistent relationship with veterinarians. Antimicrobial resistance levels were low throughout all areas and did not relate to antimicrobial use, although it was significantly higher in areas where dairy herds were thriving.

Sub-clinical ketosis (SCK) significantly affects post-partum dairy cow performance and welfare. A total of 11,327,959 test-day (TD) records over two years on 1.76 million Holstein cow lactations and 2840 farms were processed to ascertain thresholds for milk acetone (mACE) and β-hydroxybutyrate (mBHB) as indicators of SCK on the basis of a significant milk yield loss at the TD. The set thresholds for mACE and mBHB were 0.10 mmol/L and 0.14 mmol/L, respectively. The prevalence of SCK in the population during the first 60 days in milk (DIM) was estimated based on herd size and milk yields, utilizing one or both of these metabolites surpassing their respective thresholds. Analyzing both mACE and mBHB together revealed a higher occurrence of SCK in small herds (fewer than 100 cows) and a lower occurrence in the two most productive milk categories. The prevalence had an inverse relationship with the daily milk yield at 60 DIM, indicating a surprisingly high frequency of low-productivity herds in the risk classes exceeding 30%. These results suggest that assessing SCK prevalence through the combined evaluation of mACE and mBHB is a more effective approach than using the milk fat to protein ratio, especially when considering different herd sizes and daily milk yield at 60 DIM.

The objectives of the study were to determine somatic cell count (SCC) and evaluate the presence of pathogens (IMI – intramammary infection) in late lactation (LL), followed by the start (colostrum, CL) and approximate peak (established lactation, EL) of the next lactation, as well as to assess the possible transmission of IMI from lactation to lactation. The study was performed on a dairy farm in northern Slovakia. A total of 489 half udder milk samples (242, 80 and 167 in LL, CL and EL, respectively) were collected. Pathogens were identified using MALDI-TOF MS and PathoProof (the latter only in LL). SCC was determined only in LL and EL. Samples were divided according to SCC in four groups from lowest (SCC1 < 500 × 103 cells mL−1) to highest (SCC4 ≥ 2000 × 103 cells mL−1). SCC was higher in LL than in EL. The prevalence of pathogens identified using MALDI-TOF MS was 16.5, 38.8 and 12.6% in LL, CL and EL, respectively. Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM) were the most common isolated pathogens in goat milk and colostrum. Staphylococcus (S.) caprae and S. epidermidis species tended to cause persistent IMI in the next lactation. The identification of pathogens using PathoProof was higher than with MALDI-TOF MS. Of all the pathogens (n = 262) identified using PathoProof, the most common were Staphylococcus spp. (86.7%) of which 65.8% exhibited the β-lactamase gene. Additionally, Escherichia coli (4.2%), S. aureus (2.7%), Enterococcus spp. (2.3%), Streptococcus uberis (1.9%), Mycoplasma spp., Protetheca spp. (0.8% each), Arconabacterium pyogenes/Peptoniphilus indolicus and yeast (0.4% each) were also detected using PathoProof. Better identification of pathogen presence in samples with high SCC could contribute to the discussion about SCC as an indicator of subclinical mastitis in goats.

We investigated the effect of adding 3 levels of sodium bicarbonate (SB: 0, 0.74 and 1.47% of total mixed ration (TMR) dry matter) to a low-roughage TMR (20.8% wheat silage, 9% wheat hay and 2.3% clover hay) on feed intake, production (milk and milk-component yields), whole-tract apparent digestibility, rumen pH and rumination time. After 2 wk of receiving the same TMR, 42 mid-lactation multiparous cows were blocked into groups of 3 according to their dry matter intake and energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield and divided into 3 treatment groups. The experimental rations were fed for 7 wk while monitoring intake, production and rumination. Rumen pH was measured after 6 h without access to feed and 6 h after feeding (at 0600 and 1500 h) every other week, and feces samples were taken for whole-tract apparent digestibility at wk 7. Dietary SB level did not affect intake, ECM yield, digestibility or efficiency. Dietary SB concentration negatively correlated with daily rumination time but did not affect rumen pH measured before or after feeding. Lactating cows may, therefore, increase their rumination time to compensate for lack of buffer but overall, removing SB from a wheat-based, low roughage TMR does not impair intake or milk or milk-component yields.

Our aim was to evaluate a foster cow–calf rearing system on the adoption or acceptance of fostered calves, milk production and udder health, as well as calf health and weight gain, and to compare this fostering system to traditional rearing. The foster group (FG) consisted of 8 cows each suckling 3 fostered calves with continuous contact. The control group (CG) was a conventional milking system, whereby cows and control calves were kept separate. The duration of the experiment was 8 weeks. Behavioural observations were carried out after the calves were introduced to the FG to find out if and how many calves were adopted or accepted (complete or incomplete maternal behaviour expressed, respectively). Milk production (let down) was recorded daily for CG and once a week for FG (after 8-h of no suckling). Milk samples were collected once a week from both groups for California mastitis test, Wisconsin test, and somatic cell count. A daily record of the incidence of diarrhoea was made on the calves and they were weighed once a week. Results showed that six of the eight FC cows had adopted the three calves, whilst one adopted two calves and accepted one and one adopted one calf and accepted two. One other cow refused all three calves from the outset and was removed from the study. Milk production at a single milking was 2.52 ± 1.04 (mean ± sd) 10.07 ± 0.76 l for FG and CG, respectively. Udder health improved over time in FG as evidenced by a progressive reduction in SCC. The average weight gain for FG calves was higher than for CG (700.7 ± 97.7 vs. 471 ± 188.7 g/d). In conclusion, the foster-cow rearing system was well received by most cows, the udder health on FG showed an improvement in comparison to the CG, and a higher weight gain was found in FC compared to the CC in a traditional rearing system.

In free-range (extensive) dairy farming the wealth and type of consumed vegetation positively affects milk characteristics such as flavour. As free-range feeding is included as a requirement in the specifications of certain protected designation of origin cheeses, there is a need to develop methodology to identify different animal feeding regimes. This study evaluated goat milk based on two feeding regimes, namely free-range and intensive (controlled diet fed exclusively at the farm). Conventional mid-infrared spectroscopy (4000–400 cm−1) using Fourier transformed infrared technology was assessed for the discrimination of 65 milk samples obtained during spring time from the same dairy farm and breed of animals, which could be categorized as intensive and free-range feeding regimes. Chemometric analysis, whereby a supervised method of orthogonal partial least-square-discriminant analysis was applied, was shown to be essential for interpreting the spectroscopic data. The produced model returned distinct clusters of the two milk types, intensive and free-range with 95.4% correct classification accuracy.

This research paper focuses on enrichment of yoghurt containing probiotic Lactobacillus casei with persimmon (Diospyros kaki) powder in concentrations of 0 (Control) and then 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% (A–D respectively) and determination of some characteristics of the product during refrigerated storage for 21 d. Powder addition affected the color characteristics, textural properties, titratable acidity and water-holding capacity values. The viability of both yoghurt bacteria (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) and L. casei increased proportionally to adding persimmon powder for all storage days. Furthermore, addition of fruit powder increased short-chain fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid contents. According to sensory analysis results, sample D had the lowest scores from the panelists, whereas the Control together with samples B and C were the most liked yoghurts in terms of flavor characteristics. In terms of overall acceptability, all of the samples received scores over three points on a five-point scale throughout storage. This study indicates that persimmon powder enriched yoghurt is a good vehicle for L. casei and yoghurt bacteria with improved fatty acid profile and acceptable sensory characteristics.

This research paper compares fertility traits, health indicators and health management routines of Swiss dairy farms characterized by short vs. long productive lifespans (SPL vs. LPL). We evaluated whether a longer productive lifespan will result in poorer cow health based on herdbook data from breeders associations (n = 142), farm questionnaire data (n = 67), veterinary treatment data (n = 64) and data obtained during farm visits (n = 30). Dairy farms were selected in such a way that they contrasted in terms of length of productive lifespan, but were representative of the Swiss dairy sector. Fertility performance was better on farms with LPL indicated by a lower number of inseminations per heifer, shorter average number of days open and shorter calving intervals. Consistently, the proportion of antibiotic veterinary treatments due to fertility problems was by tendency higher on SPL farms, as was the number of antibiotic treatments due to other problems (i.e. other than fertility, udder or locomotion problems). Other types of veterinary medical treatments did not differ by productive lifespan profiles. Average somatic cell score and proportions of test day records with elevated somatic cell count (SCC) were significantly higher on farms with LPL. However, this increase was smaller than what could be expected due to the age difference between contrasting productive lifespan profiles and was not associated with higher treatment incidences for clinical mastitis. Locomotion scores and lameness incidence did not differ by productive lifespan profile. Apart from a slightly higher proportion of farms with LPL practicing abrupt drying off, cow health management routines did not differ significantly between farms of contrasting productive lifespans. We conclude that a longer productive lifespan is not at the expense of health, even if the SCC level increased with age. Fertility, limb and udder health should be the main focus when aiming for a long productive lifespan.

We assessed the chemical, microbiological, rheological and sensory parameters of a fermented dairy product (FDP) containing a galactooligosaccharide (GOS) preparation. This was made from a solution of dried whey and skim milk containing 25% (w/w) lactose using a new enzyme with high transgalactosylation activity (Nurica: Danisco A/S). Conversion of the high initial lactose content enabled a good yield of 56% GOS to be achieved. The obtained GOS preparation was applied to the FDP with a probiotic culture of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis in amounts of 0, 2, 10, and 20% (w/w). The FDPs were stored and monitored for 9 weeks. Bifidobacteria showed counts higher than 106 CFU/g throughout the storage period. GOS were not significantly utilized during fermentation and their changes during storage were also insignificant. Gel strength after fermentation showed a slight decrease with increasing doses of GOS preparation, but after 6 weeks of storage, the differences were no longer evident. The sensory analysis revealed the overall acceptability of the prepared FDPs, whilst the highest dose (20% GOS preparation) led to a sweeter taste.

Nonfat set yogurts are very popular in Japan because of their health properties, but have the disadvantage of being hard and having large curd particles compared to fat-containing yogurts. We investigated the effect of lactose hydrolysis on nonfat set yogurt to determine whether this technique can improve the sensory evaluation and the texture of a nonfat set yogurt. We prepared nonfat yogurt mixes with 0, 50, 75, and 100% lactose hydrolysis and fermented them. The sensory properties, physical properties, fermentation characteristics, extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) concentration and lactic acid bacteria count were then assessed. The results demonstrated that the lactose hydrolysis rate had no effect on the fermentation time. The 75% lactose hydrolysis increased the EPS concentration and inhibited post-acidification. The 100% lactose hydrolysis increased the number of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus) and further increased the EPS concentration, and despite the increase in the number of L. bulgaricus, the 100% lactose hydrolysis suppressed post-acidification. The results of a sensory evaluation showed that the 100% lactose hydrolysis increased the yogurt's viscosity and overall acceptability and suppressed its acidity. The physical-properties evaluation revealed that when the lactose hydrolysis rate was ≥75%, the curd hardness decreased, and the curd particles became smaller. We inferred that these sensory and physical changes originated from an increase in the EPS concentration, and we thus speculate that a 100% lactose hydrolysis rate before fermentation would be a useful means of solving the hardness and large curd particles of nonfat set yogurt.

The aim of this research was to investigate the ability of an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGID) to generate peptides from bovine lactoferrin (LF) that possess antibacterial activity. Escherichia coli was examined as the target pathogen due to its prevalence in foods and the well-documented antibacterial effect of both LF and LF peptides against this organism. Results showed that in-vitro digested LF, specifically gastric LF digesta, exhibited significant antibacterial activity at low concentrations against E. coli compared to its undigested counterpart. Additionally, the highest antibacterial activity in the gastric digesta was associated with a relatively high molecular weight fraction of >30 kDa obtained within the first 30 min of the SGID. This demonstrates that the digestive process can result in the generation of antibacterial LF peptides and contribute to improving the antimicrobial properties of LF exhibited in its undigested state, making it a suitable dairy food additive to potentially provide protection against bacterial pathogens within the gastrointestinal system.

The aim of this study was to evaluate parameters for the prediction of peripartum hypocalcemia in cattle. The study consisted of two independent investigations (A and B) conducted in different time periods and locations. Blood sera were analyzed for the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the concentration of ionized (iCa), and total calcium (Ca) two weeks before calving. On the day of calving, urinary net acid/base excretion was calculated, and the serum Ca concentration was analyzed. Ca concentration less than 2 mmol/l on the day of calving was defined as hypocalcemia. The results differed between the two investigations. Part A showed high predictive values for the antepartum parameters ALP and Ca concentration, but these could not be replicated in part B. Animals enrolled were quite young (average age 5.5 years) and the group of animals with hypocalcemia was comparably small in both investigations. The reason(s) for the different results in investigation A and B are not clear. These findings indicate that there are probably as yet unidentified parameters and influences on calcium homeostasis in cattle. None of the parameters investigated in the present study can be considered a reliable universal parameter for prediction of hypocalcemia risk in general.

This research paper describes a validation study evaluating the ability of IceTag accelerometers (Peacock Technology, UK) to detect play behaviour in weaned dairy calves. Play behaviour is commonly observed in young animals and is regarded as an indicator of positive welfare states. Eight Holstein Friesian calves aged three to five months old were monitored using leg-mounted accelerometers for 48 h. Data generated by accelerometers to quantify calf activity included step count, lying times and a proprietary measure of overall activity termed ‘motion index’ (MI). Calf behaviour was filmed continuously over the same 48-h period using closed circuit television cameras and analysed using one-zero sampling to identify the presence (1) or absence (0) of play within each 15-min time period. A positive correlation between MI and visually recorded play was found. Visual observations were compared with accelerometer-generated data and analysed using 2 × 2 contingency tables and classification and regression tree analysis. A MI value of ≥69 was established as the optimum threshold to detect play behaviour (sensitivity = 94.4%; specificity = 93.6%; balanced accuracy = 94.0%). The results of this study suggest that accelerometer-generated MI data have the potential to detect play behaviour in weaned dairy calves in a more time efficient manner than traditional visual observations.