Milk ejection during automatic milking in dairy cows

Tactile stimulation (manual or mechanical) of the mammary gland causes alveolar milk ejection through a neuro-endocrine reflex arc (Dzidic et al., 2004). Oxytocin is the hormone that induces the contraction of the myoepitelial cells surrounding the alveoli

Milking procedures, milk flow curves and somatic cell count in dairy cows

Recent availability of electronic mobile milk flow meters allows to study in details milk flow patterns during milking. A normal milk flow profile is characterized by an incline phase, with increasing milk flow, a plateau phase, with steady milk flow, and a decline phase. In these phases milk flow is influenced by many factors: genetic characteristics of the cows, regulation of milking machine and milking routine

Efficiency of cleaning procedure of milking equipment and bacterial quality of milk

The cleaning and sanitation of milking equipment could be consider a critical point in the milking procedure because a cleaning failure could influence the level of bacteria contamination of bulk tank milk. Aim of the study is to monitor the cleaning procedures of milking systems in 7 dairy cows farms in Lombardy and to find a relation between efficacy of cleaning system and the bacterial quality of bulk tank milk, remaining washing water through milking equipment and teat cup surface. Cleaning procedures were monitored with Lactocorder, that measured: duration, water temperature, turbulence, percentage of water in pipes, water conductivity of pre- and post-rinse and detergent phases. Results showed that the monitored farms the most of the cleaning parameters were lower than recommendations, in particular maximum water temperature (42.1±9.9°C) and percentage of water during detergent phase (76.1±13.9 %). A maximum temperature of detergent phase <40°C determined a high Standard Plate Count (SPC), thermoduric bacteria and Coliform Count (CC) of bulk tank milk, SPC and CC of teat cup surface. The research indicated that monitoring the efficiency of cleaning milking equipment with proper tools provide useful information about possible sources of contamination of bulk tank milk. Improving cleaning milking efficiency allow to improve milk quality

Influence of feed delivery frequency on behavioural activity of dairy cows in freestall barns

Research on feeding management in more competitive free-stall settings indicates that frequency of delivery of fresh feed stimulates feed bunk attendance and can affect other aspects of cows’ time budgets apart from feeding such as time spent standing vs. lying down. The objective of this study was to examine how the frequency of feed delivery affects the behavior in two farms, one with a conventional and one with automatic milking system (AMS). The feeding frequency was varied from two to three times per day in the conventional dairy farm; one to two times per day in the AMS farm. The experiment was carried out in two different seasons. All behaviours of the cows were monitored in continuous by video recording. As expected, behavioral indices have been significantly affected by environmental conditions both in conventional farm and AMS farm. The variation in the frequency of feed delivery seems to affect the cow behavioural activity only in a limited way and modify only slightly the daily averages of the time spent in different activities mainly increasing the time cows spend standing (+4- 5%)

Relationships among lying and standing behaviour, body condition score and milk production in primiparous cows

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The management of desmoid tumours: A joint global consensus-based guideline approach for adult and paediatric patients

Abstract Desmoid tumor (DT; other synonymously used terms: Desmoid-type fibromatosis, aggressive fibromatosis) is a rare and locally aggressive monoclonal, fibroblastic proliferation characterised by a variable and often unpredictable clinical course. Previously surgery was the standard primary treatment modality; however, in recent years a paradigm shift towards a more conservative management has been introduced and an effort to harmonise the strategy amongst clinicians has been made. We present herein an evidence-based, joint global consensus guideline approach to the management of this disease focussing on: molecular genetics, indications for an active treatment, and available systemic therapeutic options. This paper follows a one-day consensus meeting held in Milan, Italy, in June 2018 under the auspices of the European Reference Network for rare solid adult cancers, EURACAN, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group (STBSG) as well as Sarcoma Patients EuroNet (SPAEN) and The Desmoid tumour Research Foundation (DTRF). The meeting brought together over 50 adult and pediatric sarcoma experts from different disciplines, patients and patient advocates from Europe, North America and Japan

Milk production, feeding systems and environmental impact of dairy cattle farming in Alpine areas: results of a field study

Intensification of milk production occurs even in areas traditionally characterized by low-intensive farming systems like mountain areas, leading to environmental concern. The aim of this study was to analyze management and feeding systems in a sample of 31 dairy farms in a mountain area of Lombardy (Valtellina) and their effects on milk production and environmental sustainability. In 2006 daily milk sold was 17.5&plusmn;5.6 kg/cow on average and daily DMI was 19.4&plusmn;1.3 kg/cow, with a high forages content (65.8&plusmn;9.2% DM). Rations were quite energetically balanced (+0.09&plusmn;17.6 MJ/d of ME). Rations higher in starch and lower in NDF resulted in higher milk yields but significantly compromised farm self-sufficiency (which was 62.9&plusmn;16.8% DM on average). Average Metabolizable Protein balance was negative (-280&plusmn;203 g/d of MP), mainly due to the low CP content of diets (13.5&plusmn;1.5% DM). When CP content increased, N manure and N excreted in urine increased (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively), probably due to insufficient energy intake which is partly caused by the scarce quality of forages. An improvement in forages quality could increase ME and MP contents of diets without compromising farm self-sufficiency