Increased salt sensitivity of ambulatory blood pressure in women with a history of severe preeclampsia.

Cardiovascular diseases are the principal cause of death in women in developed countries and are importantly promoted by hypertension. The salt sensitivity of blood pressure (BP) is considered as an important cardiovascular risk factor at any BP level. Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that arises as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study measured the salt sensitivity of BP in women with a severe preeclampsia compared with women with no pregnancy hypertensive complications. Forty premenopausal women were recruited 10 years after delivery in a case-control study. Salt sensitivity was defined as an increase of >4 mm Hg in 24-hour ambulatory BP on a high-sodium diet. The ambulatory BP response to salt was significantly increased in women with a history of preeclampsia compared with that of controls. The mean (95% confidence interval) daytime systolic/diastolic BP increased significantly from 115 (109-118)/79 (76-82) mm Hg on low-salt diet to 123 (116-130)/80 (76-84) on a high-salt diet in women with preeclampsia, but not in the control group (from 111 [104-119]/77 [72-82] to 111 [106-116]/75 [72-79], respectively, P<0.05). The sodium sensitivity index (SSI=Δmean arterial pressure/Δurinary Na excretion×1000) was 51.2 (19.1-66.2) in women with preeclampsia and 6.6 (5.8-18.1) mm Hg/mol per day in controls (P=0.015). The nocturnal dip was blunted on a high-salt diet in women with preeclampsia. Our study shows that women who have developed preeclampsia are salt sensitive before their menopause, a finding that may contribute to their increased cardiovascular risk. Women with a history of severe preeclampsia should be targeted at an early stage for preventive measures of cardiovascular diseases

Pea (Pisum sativum) and faba beans (Vicia faba) in dairy cow diet: effect on milk production and quality

The use of alternative plant proteins in place of the soybean meal protein in diets for producing animals aims to reduce the extra-EU soybean import and partially substitute the GMO in the food chain. Among possible alternatives, the heat-processed legume grains seem interesting for dairy cow diets. Two consecutive experiments were carried out to evaluate flaked pea and faba beans as substitute for soybean meal in diets for Reggiana breed dairy cows producing milk for Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese-making. In both experiments a C concentrate (110 g/kg soybean meal, no pea and faba beans) was compared to a PF concentrate (150 g/kg flaked pea, 100 g/kg flaked faba beans, no soybean meal). Forages fed to animals were hay (mixed grass and alfalfa) in experiment 1 and hay plus mixed grass in experiment 2. Concentrate intake, milk yield and milk quality (rennet coagulation traits included) were similar between feeding groups. Parameters on the grab faecal samples, as empirical indicators of digestibility, had a smaller (P<0.01) amount of residual concentrate in the PF group compared to the C group (2.4 vs 3.1 and 2.3 vs 2.8%, respectively for PF and C in experiment 1 and 2). Some blood indicators of nitrogen metabolism (protein, albumin, urea) were similar between the feeding groups.The inclusion of pea and faba beans, within the allowed limit of the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium for diet formulation, could represent a feasible opportunity for a total substitution of soybean

Valutazione degli alimenti di interesse zootecnico. 3. Degradabilit\ue0 e valore proteico degli alimenti per i ruminanti.

none21noneP. Susmel; M. Antongiovanni; P. Bani; S. Bartocci; N. Berardo; F. Costantini; G. Cozzi; G.M. Crovetto; M. Dattilo; A. Di Francia; T. Di Lella; G. Greppi; F. Infascelli; G. Licitra; F. Martillotti; F. Masoero; A. Mordenti; O. Pedron; G. Piva; M. Ramanzin; B. StefanonP., Susmel; M., Antongiovanni; P., Bani; S., Bartocci; N., Berardo; F., Costantini; Cozzi, Giulio; G. M., Crovetto; M., Dattilo; A., Di Francia; T., Di Lella; G., Greppi; F., Infascelli; G., Licitra; F., Martillotti; F., Masoero; A., Mordenti; O., Pedron; G., Piva; Ramanzin, Maurizio; B., Stefano

Subacute rumen acidosis in lactating cows: an investigation in intensive Italian dairy herds

Subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) represents one of the most important metabolic disorders in intensive dairy farms that affects rumen fermen- tations, animal welfare, productivity and farm profitability. The aim of the present study was to study the occurrence of SARA in intensive Ital- ian dairy herds and to determine the relationship between diet composi- tion, ruminal pH and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentration. Ten commercial dairy herds were investigated; twelve cows in each herd were selected randomly among animal without clinical signs of disease, with good body condition and between 5 and 60 day-in-milk (DIM), to perform rumenocentesis and obtain rumen fluid. Ruminal pH was deter- mined immediately after sampling and concentration of SCFA in rumi- nal fluid was determined on samples after storage. An other objective of this research was to study in detail the effects of rumenocentesis on ani- mal health: this study could confirm the extreme validity of this tech- nique as ruminal sampling. Results were subject to anova and correlation analysis using sigma stat 2.03. The results indicated the pres- ence of SARA in three herds (more than 33% cows with rumen pH < 5.5), a critical situation (more than 33% cows with rumen pH < 5.8) in five farms and a normal rumen pH condition in two herds. In particular, dairy herds show on average SCFA concentration of 150, 145, 123 mmol/l for low pH, critical pH and normal pH herds respec- tively. There were not significant differences among diet composition even if herds with SARA showed a light discordance between initially chemistry composition and residual feed. In the affected herds it was not possible to understand the exact causes of SARA. Animal manage- ment seems to be one of the most important factors in developing SARA including total mixed ration preparation

Faba beans (Vicia faba) in dairy cow diet: effect on milk production and quality

The use of alternative plant proteins in place of the soybean meal protein in diets for farmed animals aims to reduce the extra-EU soybean import and partially substitute the GMO in the food chain. Among the possible alternatives, the heat-processed (flaked) faba beans appears interesting for dairy cow diet. Two consecutive experiments were carried out to test flaked faba beans as a partial substitute for soybean meal in the diet of Reggiana breed dairy cows producing milk for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese-making. In both experiments a "Control" concentrate (12% soybean meal, no faba beans) was compared with a "Faba" concentrate (7.5% soybean meal and 10% flaked faba beans). Forages fed to animals were hay (mixed grass and alfalfa) plus mixed grass in experiment 1, hay only in experiment 2. Milk yield and quality and the characteristics of grab faecal samples as empirical indicators of digestibility, were similar between feeding groups. The milk urea content was slightly lower in the "Faba" group, particularly in experiment 2 ("Control" vs "Faba": 34.6 vs 32.9 mg/dL in experiment 1, P<0.1; 27.4 vs 23.4 mg/dL in experiment 2, P<0.01); the plasma urea content in experiment 2 confirmed the trend observed in milk (3.9 vs 3.0 mmol/L, P<0.01)