Plant chemistry and food web health.

Plants are systemically relevant to our planet not only by constituting a major part of its biomass, but also because they produce a vast diversity of bioactive phytochemicals. These compounds often modulate interactions between plants and the environment, and can have substantial effects on plant consumers and their health. By taking a food web perspective, we highlight the role of bioactive phytochemicals in linking soils, plants, animals and humans and discuss their contributions to systems health. The analysis of connections among food web components revealed an underexplored potential of phytochemicals to optimize food web health and productivity

Efficacy of oral administration of specific immunoglobulins in preventing neonatal calf diarrhoea in dairy herds.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of bovine concentrated lactoserum (BCL) containing specific immunoglobulin G against Escherichia coli, rotavirus and coronavirus in preventing neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD). METHODS A total of 489 newborn calves from 35 herds were orally given either BCL or a placebo before the first feeding of colostrum and clinically supervised by the farmers for the first 14 days of life. The diarrhoea score was defined according to the following criteria: 0 = no diarrhoea; 1 = light diarrhoea without medical treatment; 2 = diarrhoea requiring oral treatment (rehydration and/or antibiotic therapy); and 3 = severe diarrhoea requiring parenteral rehydration or resulting in death. RESULTS A total of 138 calves suffered from diarrhoea (28%), and 65 (13%) showed signs of diarrhoea requiring treatment. The odds of getting NCD were reduced (odds ratio = 0.326; p < 0.001) in the BCL group. There was a tendency towards a reduction in the duration of NCD in the BCL group (2.25 (±1.7) days vs. 2.88 (±2.7) days in the placebo group) (p = 0.052). Furthermore, no calves died in the BCL group, whereas four calves died in the placebo group. LIMITATIONS Because of the design of the study using animals in practice, the mechanisms explaining the clinical findings remain as hypotheses. Diarrhoea scoring performed by farmers has to be analysed and interpreted with caution. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that BCL as a single preventive treatment is effective in reducing the incidence of NCD even in a region with good general management of dairy calves and overall good colostrum quality

Milk fatty acid profile related to energy balance in dairy cows

Milk fatty acid (FA) profile is a dynamic pattern influenced by lactational stage, energy balance and dietary composition. In the first part of this study, effects of the energy balance during the proceeding lactation [weeks 1-21 post partum (pp)] on milk FA profile of 30 dairy cows were evaluated under a constant feeding regimen. In the second part, effects of a negative energy balance (NEB) induced by feed restriction on milk FA profile were studied in 40 multiparous dairy cows (20 feed-restricted and 20 control). Feed restriction (energy balance of −63 MJ NEL/d, restriction of 49 % of energy requirements) lasted 3 weeks starting at around 100 days in milk. Milk FA profile changed markedly from week 1 pp up to week 12 pp and remained unchanged thereafter. The proportion of saturated FA (predominantly 10:0, 12:0, 14:0 and 16:0) increased from week 1 pp up to week 12 pp, whereas monounsaturated FA, predominantly the proportion of 18:1,9c decreased as NEB in early lactation became less severe. During the induced NEB, milk FA profile showed a similarly directed pattern as during the NEB in early lactation, although changes were less marked for most FA. Milk FA composition changed rapidly within one week after initiation of feed restriction and tended to adjust to the initial composition despite maintenance of a high NEB. C18:1,9c was increased significantly during the induced NEB indicating mobilization of a considerable amount of adipose tissue. Besides 18:1,9c, changes in saturated FA, monounsaturated FA, de-novo synthesized and preformed FA (sum of FA >C16) reflected energy status in dairy cows and indicated the NEB in early lactation as well as the induced NEB by feed restrictio

Turnover of Benzoxazinoids during the Aerobic Deterioration of Maize Silage (Zea mays).

While plant-specialized metabolites can affect mammal health, their fate during the aerobic deterioration of crop silage remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the metabolization of benzoxazinoids (BXs) in silages of two maize genotypes (W22 wild type and bx1 mutant line) during aerobic deterioration. In W22 plants, concentrations of the aglucone BXs DIMBOA and HMBOA in silage decreased over time upon air exposure, while concentrations of MBOA and BOA increased. Mutant plants had low levels of BXs, which did not significantly vary over time. Aerobic stability was BX-dependent, as pH and counts of yeasts and molds were higher in W22 compared to that in bx1 silage. The nutrient composition was not affected by BXs. These preliminary results may be used to estimate the amounts of BXs provided to farm animals via silage feeding. However, further research is warranted under different harvest and storage conditions

Colour measurement of colostrum for estimation of colostral IgG and colostrum composition in dairy cows

Instruments for on-farm determination of colostrum quality such as refractometers and densimeters are increasingly used in dairy farms. The colour of colostrum is also supposed to reflect its quality. A paler or mature milk-like colour is associated with a lower colostrum value in terms of its general composition compared with a more yellowish and darker colour. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between colour measurement of colostrum using the CIELAB colour space (CIE L*=from white to black, a*=from red to green, b*=from yellow to blue, chroma value G=visual perceived colourfulness) and its composition. Dairy cow colostrum samples (n=117) obtained at 4·7±1·5h after parturition were analysed for immunoglobulin G (IgG) by ELISA and for fat, protein and lactose by infrared spectroscopy. For colour measurements, a calibrated spectrophotometer was used. At a cut-off value of 50mg IgG/ml, colour measurement had a sensitivity of 50·0%, a specificity of 49·5%, and a negative predictive value of 87·9%. Colostral IgG concentration was not correlated with the chroma value G, but with relative lightness L*. While milk fat content showed a relationship to the parameters L*, a*, b* and G from the colour measurement, milk protein content was not correlated with a*, but with L*, b*, and G. Lactose concentration in colostrum showed only a relationship with b* and G. In conclusion, parameters of the colour measurement showed clear relationships to colostral IgG, fat, protein and lactose concentration in dairy cows. Implementation of colour measuring devices in automatic milking systems and milking parlours might be a potential instrument to access colostrum quality as well as detecting abnormal mil

Exact Solutions of Open Bosonic String Field Theory

In this paper we present two solutions of open bosonic string field theory defined on D0-brane background that correspond to the change of the D0-brane position in the transverse space.Comment: 18 page

Effect of voluntary waiting period on metabolism of dairy cows during different phases of the lactation.

An extended calving interval (CInt) by extending the voluntary waiting period (VWP) could be associated with altered metabolism in dairy cows. The aim of this study was first to evaluate the effects of VWP on metabolism and body condition during the first 305 days after the first calving in the experiment (calving 1), around the end of the VWP, and during pregnancy (280 d before calving 2). Second, the effects of the VWP on metabolism were determined from 2 wk before until 6 wk after calving 2. Third, individual cow characteristics were used to predict milk production and body condition of cows after different VWP. Holstein-Friesian cows (N=154, 41 primiparous (PP), 113 multiparous (MP)) were blocked for parity, milk production, and lactation persistency, randomly assigned to a VWP of 50, 125, or 200 days (VWP50, VWP125, or VWP200) and followed from calving 1 until 6 wk after calving 2. In the first 6 wk after calving 1 and from 2 wk before until 6 wk after calving 2, weekly plasma samples were analyzed for non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). From wk 7 after calving 1 until 2 wk before calving 2, insulin and IGF-1 were analyzed every 2 wk. Fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) and body weight (BW) gain were measured weekly. Cows were divided in two parity classes based on calving 1 (PP and MP) and remained in these classes after calving 2. During pregnancy, MP cows in VWP200 had greater plasma insulin and IGF-1 concentration and lower FPCM compared with MP cows in VWP125 (insulin: 18.5 vs 13.9 µU/mL, CI 13.0 - 19.7, P<0.01; IGF-1: 198.5 vs 175.3 ng/mL ± 5.3, P=0.04; FPCM: 22.6 vs 30.0 kg/d ± 0.8, P<0.01) or VWP50 (insulin: 15.8 µU/mL, P<0.01; IGF-1: 178.2 ng/mL, P<0.01; FPCM: 26.6 kg/d, P<0.01) and had a greater daily BW gain compared with cows in VWP50 (3.6 vs 2.5 kg/d ± 0.2; P<0.01). After calving 2, MP cows in VWP200 had greater plasma NEFA concentration (0.41 mmol/L) compared with MP cows in VWP125 (0.30 mmol/L, P=0.04) or VWP50 (0.26 mmol/L, P<0.01). For PP cows, the VWP did not affect FPCM or body condition during the first lactation in the experiment, or metabolism after calving 2. Independent of the VWP, higher milk production and lower body condition before insemination were associated with higher milk production and lower body condition at the end of the lactation. Variation in these characteristics among cows could call for an individual approach for an extended VWP