Promoting sustenability in family-sized dairy farms from North-East of Romania - use of thermography for monitoring udder health and improvement of milk quality (preliminary study)

Romania is a country with a lot of potential for high-quality food production. However, despite rising demand for milk and dairy production, the production has been declining in recent years and Romanian milk farmers face growing competition from other farms on a national and international basis in terms of production and milk quality. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential use of a phone-connected infrared camera, as a potential non-invasive tool for the monitoring of udder health and control of bovine subclinical mastitis in family-size farms. The somatic cell count (SCC) (r=0.79) was positively correlated with the udder skin surface temperature (USST), a difference of 1.4 °C being observed between healthy and mastitis affected quarters. Infrared thermal imaging using phone-connected camera could be used as a potential noninvasive, quick cow-side diagnostic method for monitoring udder health and improvement of milk quality in family-sized farms

Formulation and evaluation of antibacterial phytotherapeutic gels containing metal ions and essential oils

The purpose of this study was to develop topical phytotherapeutic gels containing essential oils alone or in combination with copper ions and to assess their antibacterial activity in vitro. Following the formulation of the gels, the organoleptic properties, physicochemical properties, and in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated. Copper sulfate demonstrated strong synergistic antibacterial activity when combined with the selected essential oil blend. This preliminary study assessed and confirmed the synergistic antimicrobial properties of sulfate copper and essential oils in phytotherapeutic formulations with topical applications

Efficiency of some screening methods used in monitoring the quality of vegetable substrates and the presence of mycotoxins

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of screening methods applied in the analysis of plant products (cereal seeds, feed, hay, etc.) used in agriculture and animal husbandry. Their screening can be done both during the harvesting season aswell as during their storage for the cold season. Information regarding the physico-chemical parameters and mycotoxicological load may be obtained by applying this rapid screening techniques. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) screening techniques can provide a quick result regarding the quality of plant products. In this study, the efficiency of using the Perten FT-NIR Analyzer in determining the physico-chemical parameters was tested. The sample were scanned and the values were provided shortly after. The analyzed products were also tested from a mycotoxicological point of view by identifying the presence of different types of mycotoxins in plant products by applying thin layer chromatography (TLC). The use of fast screening methods leads to lower costs, elimination of toxicity and shortening of the time to results

Nanomaterials and essential oils as candidates for developing novel treatment options for bovine mastitis

Nanomaterials have been used for diagnosis and therapy in the human medical field, while their application in veterinary medicine and animal production is still relatively new. Nanotechnology, however, is a rapidly growing field, offering the possibility of manufacturing new materials at the nanoscale level, with the formidable potential to revolutionize the agri-food sector by offering novel treatment options for prevalent and expensive illnesses such as bovine mastitis. Since current treatments are becoming progressively more ineffective in resistant bacteria, the development of innovative products based on both nanotechnology and phytotherapy may directly address a major global problem, antimicrobial resistance, while providing a sustainable animal health solution that supports the production of safe and high-quality food products. This review summarizes the challenges encountered presently in the treatment of bovine mastitis, emphasizing the possibility of using new-generation nanomaterials (e.g., biological synthesized nanoparticles and graphene) and essential oils, as candidates for developing novel treatment options for bovine mastitis

Cryopreservation of Bălțată cu Negru Românească cattle immature oocytes by slow freezing method: preliminary research

Research on bovine oocytes cryopreservation is important for successful preservation of genetically valuable animal. The transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular puncture coupled with in vitro embryo production has become competitive and alternative method for MOET (Multiple ovulation and embryo transfer) in dairy cattle. The aim of this preliminary research is to presents the result of Bălțată cu Negru Românească (BNR) cows oocytes recovery by two different protocols and its cryopreservation by slow freezing method. By applying the recovery oocytes from slaughterhouse ovary we obtained an average of 16.34 ± 6.71 oocytes per cow, much higher compared with the Ovum Pick Up (OPU) method, which reveals an average of 2.75 ± 0.2 oocytes per cow. After applying the slow freezing procedures using the ethylene glycol cryoprotectant we observed the oocytes with cumulus cells normal with the spherical shape and normal zone pellucida

Phytocomplex with Zingiber officinale extract, Piper nigrum and Piper cubeba oil - in vitro antimicrobial effect

Vegetal compounds are known for their therapeutic actions in correlation with their antioxidant activity so that in recent times the interest in their properties has greatly increased. The phytocomplex obtained by combining the Zingiber officinale extract, Piper nigrum and Piper cubeba oil is distributed and recommended in European space as a multi-benefit nutritional supplement for swine, poultry, cattle, horses and others. As the individual properties of the three compounds are known, we aimed to test the antimicrobial activity of the phytocomplex on various Gram negative pathogens. In the time-kill assay, in vitro inhibitory effects were visible after 15 minutes of contact and total inhibition of the species Samonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was obtained after 24 hours. The results obtained in vitro showed a very good antimicrobial activity which clearly contributes to the overall beneficial effects of the Zingiber officinale extract, Piper nigrum and Piper cubeba oil phytocomplex

Early pregnancy asessment in dairy cattle using rapid milk progesterone(P4) assay

Background: Milk progesterone-based assays may be a valuable tool for the assessment of reproductive performance in dairy cattle, because the milk progesterone levels are directly interconnected with certain fertility events such as estrus, pregnancy, acyclicity or ovarian disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a rapid progesterone (P4) assay for determining early gestation in dairy cows in two family-type farms. Material and Method: Milk samples was collected from 9 cows in day 18 post artificial insemination, respectively day 21. A small volume of milk sample was collected from each cow in clean Falcon tubes, after the first jets of milk were discarded. Subsequently, 1 ml of milk sample was centrifuged 10000 rpm for 10 minutes. The milk sample was separated into 3 layers and the serum located at the bottom of the tube was recovered with a pipette. A drop of serum was placed in the cassette and the results were read in maximum 5 minutes. Results: From the 9 females taken into study, 3 were considered non-pregnant and 6 pregnant according to the results of the P4 rapid assay. The non-pregnancy diagnosis was confirmed by rectal palpation at 60 days, while pregnancy was confirmed for 5 out of the 6 cows examined at 60 days post-IA. Conclusions: The rapid P4 assay may be performed directly by farmers from either milk or urine and the results are available in less than 5 minutes, the ease and reduced costs together with the ability to determine early gestation and assess the reproductive status are making the rapid milk progesterone assay a useful tool for effective management of dairy herds including, smallholder dairy farms

Evaluation of the Antibacterial Properties of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Pullulan Scaffolds Loaded with <i>Nepeta racemosa</i> Lam. Essential Oil and Perspectives for Possible Applications

Essential oil of Nepeta racemosa Lam. was extracted and characterized to determine its antimicrobial activity and potential use in applications. The essential oil was loaded on polyvinyl alcohol-pullulan films and gels and characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy before having its antimicrobial capacities assessed. The essential oil extracted from Nepeta racemosa Lam. was characterized using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy, which indicated that the most abundant component was nepetalic acid (55.5%), followed by eucalyptol (10.7%) and other compounds with concentrations of about 5% or less. The essential oil, as well as the loaded films and gels, exhibited good antibacterial activity on both gram-positive and gram-negative strains, with growth inhibition zones larger in some cases than for gentamicin, indicating excellent premises for using these essential-oil-loaded materials for applications in the food industry or biomedicine