Milk somatic cell count and its relationship with milk yield and quality traits in Italian water buffaloes.

ABSTRACT In Southern Italy, buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) milk is mostly intended for the manufacture of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) cheese. Despite the economic boost of the last 2 decades, the buffalo farming system should be improved to maximize the efficiency of the dairy industry, improve yield and quality of milk and cheese, and work toward better animal welfare. Milk somatic cell count (SCC) is used worldwide as an indicator of udder health in individual milk and is useful for monitoring farm hygiene in bulk milk. Mastitis data are currently not available on a large scale in Italy; thus, SCC is essential for identifying animals with suspected udder infection and inflammation. Moreover, high milk SCC is associated with altered composition and acidity, and poor technological properties of milk. However, payment systems of the PDO area are based simply on the delivered volume of milk rather than on quality characteristics. Hence, currently there are no penalties for elevated SCC in bulk milk in the Italian buffalo dairy industry. In addition, SCC for buffalo milk is not mentioned by either the European Community regulations or the PDO protocol, evidencing a lack of rules for the maximum SCC limit. To provide a phenotypic characterization of SCC at the population level and to improve knowledge on buffalo milk quality, 876,299 test-day records of 70,156 buffaloes reared in the PDO area were analyzed. Data revealed that around 11% of herd-test-dates (≥5 animals sampled each) showed average milk SCC ≥400,000 cells/mL (i.e., above the threshold fixed by the European Community for bovine milk). This suggests that there is room to improve SCC at both the farm and individual level. Within first parity, more than 28 and 15% of lactations had average SCC ≥200,000 and ≥300,000 cells/mL, respectively. Both percentages increased with parity and were 39 and 25% in sixth parity, respectively. Supporting this, the proportion of lactations with average SCC ≥500,000 cells/mL increased from 6% in first parity to 12% in sixth parity. Milk yield and SCC were negatively correlated with each other, especially when SCC level was high. An ANOVA was carried out on test-day record milk yield and composition traits, with fixed effects of parity, lactation stage, class of somatic cell score (n = 6), month of calving, and their interactions; buffalo, herd-test-date, and residual were considered random effects. Significantly lower milk yield and lactose percentage were estimated in progressively higher classes of somatic cell score, whereas no significant differences were observed for fat and protein percentages. This is the first attempt to investigate milk SCC in a large data set of Italian dairy buffaloes. These findings may be helpful for defining reliable and effective SCC thresholds to be adopted whenever specific penalties for high SCC are included in milk payment systems. Finally, these results could be used in mastitis monitoring plans aiming to reduce SCC and udder issues at both the individual and farm levels in the Italian buffalo population

Genetic relationships of lactose and freezing point with minerals and coagulation traits predicted from milk mid-infrared spectra in Holstein cows

The aim of the present study was to assess the relationships of lactose percentage (LP), lactose yield (LY), and freezing point (FRP) with minerals and coagulation properties predicted from mid-infrared spectra in bovine milk. To achieve this purpose, we analyzed 54,263 test-day records of 4,297 Holstein cows to compute (co)variance components with a linear repeatability animal model. Parity, stage of lactation, season of calving, and herd-test-date were included as fixed effects in the model, and additive genetic animal, within- and across-lactation permanent environment, and residual were included as random effects. Lactose percentage was more heritable (0.405 ± 0.027) than LY (0.121 ± 0.021) and FRP (0.132 ± 0.014). Heritabilities (± standard error) of predicted milk minerals varied from 0.375 ± 0.027 for Na to 0.531 ± 0.028 for P, and those of milk coagulation properties ranged from 0.348 ± 0.052 for rennet coagulation time to 0.430 ± 0.026 for curd firming time. Lactose percentage showed favorable (negative) genetic correlations with milk somatic cell score (SCS) and FRP, and it was almost uncorrelated with casein-related minerals (Ca and P) and coagulation properties. Moreover, LP was strongly correlated with Na (−0.783 ± 0.022), a mineral known to increase in the presence of intramammary infection (IMI) and high somatic cell count. Indeed, Na is the main osmotic replacer of lactose in mastitic milk when the blood–milk barrier is altered during IMI. Being strongly associated with milk yield, LY did not favorably correlate with coagulation properties, likely because of the negative correlation of this trait with protein and casein percentages. Milk FRP presented moderate and null genetic associations with Na and SCS, respectively. Results of the present study suggest that the moderate heritability of LP and its genetic correlations with IMI-related traits (Na and SCS) could be exploited for genetic selection against mastitis. Moreover, selection for LP would not impair milk coagulation characteristics or Ca and P content, which are important for cheesemaking

Low doses of lactoferrin supplementation in weaning calves

Different trials demonstrated lactoferrin (LF) to possess antimicrobial, antiviral, antimycotic and anti-inflammatory activity. This molecule is an iron-binding protein that could have preventive effects on calf diseases. Several authors studied the effects of LF at doses between 1 and 10 g/calf/day as a supplement in milk administrated to weaning calves. The results are variable and not always consistent. Twenty-two female replacement calves divided into 2 groups (Control-C and Treated-LF) during a 56-d experimental period were employed to investigate the effect of the use of 0.1 g/d of LF during weaning on growth performances, feed efficiency and health status. The field trial was conducted employing an early weaning protocol (49-d of length, excluding the colostral phase). After parturition, density and immunoglobulin G (IgG) content of dam colostrum were measured as a colostrum quality indicator. Only colostrum with at least 50 mg/mL of IgG was bottle-fed to the calf. Morphometric measurements and feedstuff intake were recorded weekly. Health status and milk consumption were evaluated daily. Calves receiving low doses of LF had numerically less incidence of diarrhoea than the C group (P > 0.05). From a statistical point of view, any significant difference was observed between groups both on growth performances and feed efficiency. A trend for an increase of the FCR was found for LF group at weaning (P = 0.099). More researches are needed to define the optimal dose and the real action of LF in weaning calves

Corsican Pine (Pinus laricio Poiret) Stand Management: Medium and Long Lasting Effects of Thinning on Biomass Growth

With the aim of acquiring better comprehension of the ecological and productive aspects of the management of pine forests, we monitored logging damage and evaluated the effects of thinning on stand growth 20 years after the treatment in a Pinus laricio Poiret stand in central Italy. The objectives of the present study were to estimate the injury levels to the remaining trees after thinning; to assess logging damage in the long-term by monitoring residual trees at the end of thinning; to evaluate the effect of damage on the radial growth of trees; to assess the stand dynamics in relation to injury levels and the treatment applied in a twenty-year range; to understand a possible treatment return time; and to evaluate the existence of the “thinning shock”. The results were that 20 years after treatment, the stand dynamics showed a complete recovery; logging damage did not affect the radial growth of P. laricio over time; a second treatment seem to be sustainable starting from the fifteenth year after the previous treatment; and the thinning shock can be clearly evaluated in the first six to seven years after the treatment

Heritability and repeatability of milk lactose and its relationships with traditional milk traits, somatic cell score and freezing point in Holstein cows

Lactose percentage (LP) in milk is currently determined in most herd-testing schemes, and globally, it is usually routinely recorded in the framework of the official milk recording procedures. However, few studies have investigated the phenotypic and genetic variability of this component. Data used in the present paper consisted of 59 811 test-day records from 4355 Holstein cows in 266 herds. Heritabilities of LP and lactose yield (LY) were estimated through single-trait repeatability animal models, whereas genetic and phenotypic correlations of LP and LY with milk composition and production traits, somatic cell score and milk freezing point were estimated using bivariate models. Fixed effects included in the analyses were herd-test-date, season of calving, parity, stage of lactation and the interaction between parity and stage of lactation. Random effects were animal additive genetic, within and across lactation permanent environment and the residual. Lactation curves of LP and LY increased from parturition to the peak of lactation and decreased thereafter, mirroring the typical curve of milk yield. Lactose percentage was greater in first- than later-parity cows. Heritabilities of LP and LY were 0.43 ± 0.03 and 0.14 ± 0.02, respectively, and LP and protein percentage were the most repeatable traits. Genetic correlations (ra) of LP with somatic cell score, LY and milk freezing point were −0.22 ± 0.08, 0.28 ± 0.08 and −0.46 ± 0.05, respectively. Genetic relationships of LY with milk yield (ra = 0.97 ± 0.00), fat percentage (ra = −0.71 ± 0.06), protein percentage (ra = −0.57 ± 0.06) and protein yield (ra = 0.64 ± 0.06) were moderate to strong. Results suggest that milk LP could be considered in breeding strategies to accelerate the gain of correlated low heritable traits. Further research is needed to evaluate the feasibility of including LP in the selection index of Italian Holstein population to address country-specific needs and market demands

Genetic and Non-Genetic Variation of Milk Total Antioxidant Activity Predicted from Mid-Infrared Spectra in Holstein Cows

Food antioxidants enhance products shelf life and stability during technological treatments through the maintenance of their physical and chemical properties. Moreover, they are endowed with several positive effects on human health, including cell membranes preservation, enzyme functionality, and DNA integrity. Milk has been described in relation to a wide array of fat soluble and water-soluble antioxidant compounds, in particular vitamin A, C, and E, lactoferrin and peptides derived from casein and whey proteins. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) of milk is a novel and scarcely explored trait, defined as the sum of antioxidant contributions of the aforementioned compounds. On this background, the aims of the present study were to investigate the variability of milk TAA on a large scale exploiting predictions obtained through mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy and to estimate genetic parameters of this trait in Holstein cows. Individual milk samples were collected between January 2011 and December 2018 during the routine milk recording procedure. Samples were analysed for gross composition through MIR spectroscopy and MIR spectra were stored. Milk TAA was then predicted (pTAA) from the stored milk MIR spectra (111,653 test-day records of 9519 cows in 344 herds) using the previously developed prediction model; considering the prediction accuracy, pTAA might be considered a proxy of the TAA determined through the reference method. Overall, pTAA averaged 7.16 mmoL/L of Trolox equivalents, showed a nadir around 40 days after calving and increased thereafter, following a linear trend up to the end of lactation. The lowest pTAA was observed in milk sampled from June to September. Milk pTAA was heritable (0.401 ± 0.015) and genetically associated to fat yield (0.366 ± 0.049), crude protein (CP) yield (0.238 ± 0.052), fat percentage (0.616 ± 0.022) and CP percentage (0.754 ± 0.015). The official selection index of Italian Holstein put the 49% of the emphasis on fat and protein yield and percentage; therefore, it derives that an indirect favourable selection for milk pTAA should be already in progress in Italian Holstein population

Acceptability and Adherence in a Chemoprevention Trial among Women at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer Attending the Modena Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer Center (Italy)

Chemoprevention for women at risk for breast cancer has been shown to be effective, but in actual practice, women's uptake of chemoprevention has been poor. We explored factors that influence acceptability, adherence, and dropout in the International Breast (Prevention) Intervention Study during our first 3 years of activity at the Modena Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer Center. We evaluated socio-demographic characteristics, health status, adherence, and side effect intensity. Semi-structured interviews analyzed reasons for accepting/refusing/stopping the trial. A total of 471 postmenopausal women were invited to participate, of which 319 declined to participate (68%), 137 accepted to participate (29%), and 15 participants did not make a final decision (3%). Breast cancer-related worries and trust in our preventive and surveillance programs were the most frequent reasons for accepting. Side effect-related worry was the most frequent reason for refusing. General practitioners' and family members' opinions played an important role in the decision-making process. Adherence significantly decreased after a 12-month follow-up, but it remained unchanged after 24- and 36-month follow-ups. Mild/moderate side effects reported by women did not change after 12 months of treatment. Forty percent of women withdrew from the study due to complaints of side effects. We concluded that chemoprevention trials are difficult medical experiments and that the process of deciding about whether or not to participate is based mainly on beliefs and values. This study has important clinical implications. During counselling with prospective participants, it is important to emphasize the potential benefits and to promote an informed choice. How participants make decisions, their belief systems, and their perception of risk are all factors that should be investigated in future research

Six-Year Prescription Pattern of Antimicrobial Use in Cats at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Pisa

: The use of antimicrobials has greatly contributed to improving animal health. However, their inappropriate use reduces their effectiveness in treating bacterial infections and contributes to the selection of resistance. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the six-year pattern (2017-2022) of antimicrobial use in cats visiting the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) of the University of Pisa (Italy). The total number of prescribed antimicrobials, the number of animals for which an antimicrobial was prescribed, and the total number of antimicrobial prescriptions showed a significant time trend decrease during the study period, except for the fixed-dose combinations. The most frequently prescribed antimicrobials were amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Synulox) (39.1%) followed by enrofloxacin (29.8%). These antimicrobials were mostly prescribed to treat infections affecting the genitourinary tract (~30%), followed by the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and respiratory system affections. Antimicrobials in empirical associations represented 13.0% of the total antimicrobial prescriptions, and the combination of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Synulox) with enrofloxacin accounted for the majority. The oral route represented the main route of administration of prescribed antimicrobials, followed by parenteral and topical ones. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Synulox) (37.2%), ceftriaxone (2.7%), and tobramycin (2.8%) were the most prescribed antimicrobials for the oral, parenteral, and topical routes, respectively. Antimicrobial prescriptions complied with prudent use recommendations in terms of availability of diagnosis, respect to the dose range, duration of treatment, and the use of medicinal products approved for the species. On the contrary, antimicrobial susceptibility tests were used infrequently (5.2%), lacking compliance with the existing guidelines observed in companion animal practice. Overall, additional interventions are required not only to improve the responsible use of antimicrobials in our feline practice but also to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs, enhancing diagnostics such as culture and sensitivity testing in the future

Genetic (co)variances between milk mineral concentration and chemical composition in lactating Holstein-Friesian dairy cows

Milk mineral concentration is important from both the perspective of processing milk into dairy products and its nutritive value for human consumption. Precise estimates of genetic parameters for milk mineral concentration are lacking because of the considerable resources required to collect vast phenotypes quantities. The milk concentration of calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and phosphorus (P) in the present study was quantified from mid-IR spectroscopy on 12 223 testday records from 1717 Holstein-Friesian cows. (Co)variance components were estimated using random regressions to model both the additive genetic and within-lactation permanent environmental variances of each trait. The coefficient of genetic variation averaged across days-in-milk (DIM) was 6.93%, 3.46%, 6.55%, 5.20% and 6.68% for Ca, K, Mg, Na and P concentration, respectively; heritability estimates varied across lactation from 0.31 ± 0.05 (5 DIM) to 0.67 ± 0.04 (181 DIM) for Ca, from 0.18 ± 0.03 (60 DIM) to 0.24 ± 0.05 (305 DIM) for K, from 0.08 ± 0.03 (15 DIM) to 0.37 ± 0.03 (223 DIM) for Mg, from 0.16 ± 0.03 (30 DIM) to 0.37 ± 0.04 (305 DIM) for Na and from 0.21 ± 0.04 (12 DIM) to 0.57 ± 0.04 (211 DIM) for P. Genetic correlations within the same trait across different DIM were almost unity between adjacent DIM but weakened as the time interval between pairwise compared DIM lengthened; genetic correlations were weaker than 0.80 only when comparing both peripheries of the lactation. The analysis of the geometry of the additive genetic covariance matrix revealed that almost 90% of the additive genetic variation was accounted by the intercept term of the covariance functions for each trait. Milk protein concentration and mineral concentration were, in general, positively genetically correlated with each other across DIM, whereas milk fat concentration was positively genetically correlated throughout the entire lactation with Ca, K and Mg; the genetic correlation with fat concentration changed from negative to positive with Na and P at 243 DIM and 50 DIM, respectively. Genetic correlations between somatic cell score and Na ranged from 0.38 ± 0.21 (5 DIM) to 0.79 ± 0.18 (305 DIM). Exploitable genetic variation existed for all milk minerals, although many national breeding objectives are probably contributing to an indirect positive response to selection in milk mineral concentration

Invited review: Milk lactose—Current status and future challenges in dairy cattle

peer-reviewedLactose is the main carbohydrate in mammals' milk, and it is responsible for the osmotic equilibrium between blood and alveolar lumen in the mammary gland. It is the major bovine milk solid, and its synthesis and concentration in milk are affected mainly by udder health and the cow's energy balance and metabolism. Because this milk compound is related to several biological and physiological factors, information on milk lactose in the literature varies from chemical properties to heritability and genetic associations with health traits that may be exploited for breeding purposes. Moreover, lactose contributes to the energy value of milk and is an important ingredient for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Despite this, lactose has seldom been included in milk payment systems, and it has never been used as an indicator trait in selection indices. The interest in lactose has increased in recent years, and a summary of existing information about lactose in the dairy sector would be beneficial for the scientific community and the dairy industry. The present review collects and summarizes knowledge about lactose by covering and linking several aspects of this trait in bovine milk. Finally, perspectives on the use of milk lactose in dairy cattle, especially for selection purposes, are outlined