The use of seaweed from the Galician coast as a mineral supplement in organic dairy cattle

This study was designed to assess the value of seaweeds from the Galician coast as a source of minerals (especially iodine (I) but also other micro-minerals) in organic dairy cattle. It was conducted in an organic dairy farm in the Lugo province that typically represents the organic milk production in NW Spain. The animal’s diet consisted mainly of local forage (at pasture or as hay and silage in the winter) and 5 kg of purchased concentrate/day per animal (representing 23.5% of feed intake). Based on the mineral composition of the diet, the physiological requirements and the EU maximum authorised levels in feed, a supplement composed by Sea Lettuce (Ulva rigida) (as flakes, 80%), Japanese Wireweed (Sargasum muticum) (flakes, 17.5%) and Furbelows (Saccorhiza polyschides) (powder, 2.5%) was formulated to give 100 g/animal per day. Sixteen Holstein Friesian lactating cows were randomly selected and assigned to the control (n=8) and algae-supplemented groups (n=8). Both groups had exactly the same feeding and management with the exception of the algae supplement, which was mixed with the concentrate feed and given to the animals at their morning milking for 10 weeks. Heparinised blood (for plasma analysis) and milk samples were collected at 2-week intervals and analysed for toxic and trace element concentrations by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The algae supplement significantly improved the animals’ mineral status, particularly I and selenium that were low on the farm. However, the effect of the algae supplement on the molybdenum status in cattle needs further investigation because of its great relevance on copper metabolism in ruminants. The I supply deserves special attention, since this element is at a very high concentration in brown-algae species and it is excreted in the milk proportionally to its concentration in plasma concentrations (mean±s.e. in the algae-supplemented and control groups were 268±54 and 180±42 µg/l, respectively)This work was supported by the Spanish Government (projectcode AGL2010-21026) and Centro Tecnológico Agroalimentario de Lugo (CETAL)S

Dixestivo de ruminantes: patoloxía dixestiva en lactantes

Titulación: Grao en Veterinaria -- Materia: Clínica Médica Veterinaria IIEsta unidade didáctica denominada «Dixestivo de ruminantes: patoloxía dixestiva en lactantes» forma parte da materia «Clínica Médica Veterinaria II» que se imparte no primeiro semestre do 5º curso do Grao en Veterinaria. Nesta materia estúdanse as patoloxías cardio-respiratorias e dixestivas dos animais domésticos. Nunha primeira parte abórdanse as patoloxías cardíacas, posteriormente as respiratorias e as patoloxías dixestivas trátanse por especies. Dentro destas, estúdanse en primeiro lugar as patoloxías dixestivas dos pequenos animais (can e gato), posteriormente abórdanse dun xeito xeral as patoloxías das glándulas anexas, fígado e páncreas. A continuación estúdanse as patoloxías dixestivas dos ruminantes, nas que se encadra a presente unidade didáctica e nas que imos diferenciar: patoloxías do rume, do abomaso e de lactantes. Remata o bloque co estudo das patoloxías dixestivas dos équidos. Esta materia ten carácter obrigatorio e está vinculada a área de coñecemento de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias. Xustificación da unidade didáctica no contexto da materia e da titulación, requisitos previos e duración Unha das competencias disciplinarias dos profesionais veterinarios é a actividade clínica e esta materia é fundamental para o desenvolvemento da devandita actividade, e máis concretamente, esta unidade didáctica é fundamental para a clínica do gando vacún. Esta materia sitúase ao final do bloque formativo das ciencias clínicas, e nela sintetízanse e recupéranse os coñecementos previamente adquiridos mediante o estudo de cada enfermidade en particular e pola aplicación de numerosos conceptos doutras materias previamente cursadas. É por isto fundamental ter coñecementos previos de anatomía, fisioloxía, fisiopatoloxía, propedéutica clínica, nutrición, farmacoloxía e terapéutica e enfermidades infecciosas e parasitarias. O igual que noutras materias será moi útil ter coñecementos de inglés e informática. Os contidos desta unidade didáctica serán impartidos en cinco horas: dúas de docencia teórica e tres de prácticas clínicas.Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Servizo de Normalización Lingüístic

Patoloxías metabólicas asociadas á lactación

Titulación: Grao en Veterinaria -- Materia: Aspectos Básicos e Clínicos da LactaciónEsta unidade didáctica denominada Patoloxías metabólicas asociadas á lactación forma parte de Aspectos básicos e clínicos da lactación, materia optativa que se imparte no primeiro semestre do 5º curso do Grao en Veterinaria. Nesta materia trátase o proceso fisiolóxico da lactación dun xeito transversal. Nunha primeira parte estúdanse os aspectos básicos do proceso relacionados coa estrutura anatómica e a formación da glándula mamaria, coa síntese e secreción dos compoñentes do leite e coa regulación hormonal da lactación. A continuación trátanse aspectos máis aplicados do proceso, relacionados coa produción de leite ou co diagnóstico, tratamento e prevención de enfermidades relacionadas coa lactación. Polo tanto, a materia estrutúrase en diferentes unidades didácticas que son impartidas por diferentes áreas de coñecemento: Anatomía e Anatomía Patolóxica Comparadas, Bioquímica e Bioloxía Molecular, Fisioloxía Animal, Sanidade Animal, Farmacoloxía, Produción Animal e Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, área esta última onde se engloba a presenta unidade didáctica.Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Servizo de Normalización Lingüístic

Dixestivo de ruminantes: afeccións do abomaso

Titulación: Grao en Veterinaria -- Materia: Clínica Médica Veterinaria IIEsta unidade didáctica denominada «Dixestivo de ruminantes: afeccións do abomaso» forma parte da materia «Clínica Médica Veterinaria II» que se imparte no primeiro semestre do 5º curso do Grao en Veterinaria. Nesta materia estúdanse as patoloxías cardio-respiratorias e dixestivas dos animais domésticos. Nunha primeira parte abórdanse as patoloxías cardíacas, posteriormente as respiratorias e as patoloxías dixestivas trátanse por especies. Nunha primeira parte estúdanse as patoloxías dixestivas dos pequenos animais (can e gato), posteriormente abórdanse dun xeito xeral as patoloxías das glándulas anexas, fígado e páncreas. A continuación estúdanse as patoloxías dixestivas dos ruminantes, nas que se encadra a presente unidade didáctica e nas que imos diferenciar: patoloxías do rumen, do abomaso e de lactantes. Remata a materia co estudo das patoloxías dixestivas dos équidos. Esta materia ten carácter obrigatorio e está vinculada a área de coñecemento de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias. Xustificación da unidade temática no contexto da materia e da titulación, requisitos previos e duración Unha das competencias disciplinarias dos profesionais veterinarios é a actividade clínica e esta materia é fundamental para o desenvolvemento da devandita actividade, e máis concretamente, esta unidade didáctica é fundamental para a clínica do gando vacún e para a patoloxía da produción. Esta materia sitúase ao final do bloque formativo das ciencias clínicas, e nela sintetízanse e recupéranse os coñecementos previamente adquiridos mediante o estudo de cada enfermidade en particular e pola aplicación de numerosos conceptos doutras materias previamente cursadas. É por isto fundamental ter coñecementos previos de anatomía, fisioloxía, fisiopatoloxía, propedéutica clínica, nutrición, farmacoloxía e terapéutica e diagnóstico pola imaxe. O igual que noutras materias será moi útil ter coñecementos de inglés e informática. Os contidos desta unidade didáctica serán impartidos en seis horas:tres de docencia teórica e tres de prácticas clínicas.Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Servizo de Normalización Lingüístic

Transabdominal Renal Doppler Ultrasound in Healthy Adult Holstein-Friesian Cows: A Pilot Study

There is a notable lack of reference values for the renal resistive indices in the bovine kidney. Ultrasound (US) Doppler evaluation of these indices is a powerful, non-invasive technique for assessing, monitoring and diagnosing renal diseases in humans and other animals (e.g., small animals and horses). The aims of the present study were to establish a protocol for renal Doppler US in adult healthy Holstein-Friesian cows and to provide reference values for the renal resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI). In cattle, the right kidney is always visible through a right abdominal window. Nevertheless, the left kidney is rarely accessible by transabdominal ultrasound. Doppler evaluation of the kidneys via a transabdominal approach is possible when accessible, but measurements can only be made in the larger vessels at the renal hilum. Normal RI and PI values were respectively 0.49 ± 0.07 and 0.70 ± 0.15 for the right kidney and 0.53 ± 0.05 and 0.79 ± 0.11 for the left kidney. We suggest an upper cut-off value for the RI of 0.63 and for the PI of 1.00 in healthy Holstein-Friesian cows. This is the first report describing normal values for the renal RI and PI in cattle that may be useful in future studies for characterizing different bovine pathologies that affect the renal parenchymaS

Ultrasonography of Normal Adrenal Glands in Adult Holstein–Friesian Cows: A Pilot Study

Ultrasonographic reference values for the adrenal glands of cattle have not been reported to date. Adrenal glands can be affected by different pathologies, such as hyperplasia, neoplasia and atrophy (either primary or secondary). The present findings indicate that the right adrenal gland can be easily characterized by transabdominal ultrasound in adult Holstein–Friesian cows, with no apparent influence of age or weight. The right adrenal gland (mean length 3.86 ± 1.39 cm; and mean thickness 1.39 ± 0.26 cm) was consistently and mainly located in the 12th intercostal space. The left adrenal gland was more difficult to locate due to its more medial position, and to the presence of gas in the gastrointestinal tract, so it could not be visualized in most animals (18/25). Its mean length was 3.72 ± 0.95 cm, and mean thickness was 1.36 ± 0.33 cm, in the sagittal section. This is the first report of the ultrasonographic appearance of the adrenal glands of cows and of the corresponding reference preliminary valuesS

Histochemistry evaluation of the oxidative stress and the antioxidant status in Cu-supplemented cattle

The aim of this paper is to evaluate at a histopathological level the effect of the most commonly used copper (Cu) supplementation (15 mg/kg dry matter (DM)) in the liver of intensively reared beef cattle. This was done by a histochemistry evaluation of (i) the antioxidant capacity in the liver – by the determination of metallothioneins (MT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression – as well as (ii) the possible induction of oxidative damage – by the determination of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitrotyrosine (NITT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-oxoguanine (8-oxo) – that (iii) could increase apoptotic cell death – determined by cytochrome-c (cyto-c), caspase 1 (casp1) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). Liver samples from Cu-supplemented (15 mg Cu sulphate/kg DM, n = 5) and non-supplemented calves (n = 5) that form part of other experiments to evaluate Cu status were collected at slaughter and processed for immunohistochemistry and TUNEL. MT expression was diffuse and SOD showed slight changes although without statistical significance. iNOS and NITT positive (+) cells significantly increased, mainly around the central veins in the animals from the Cu-supplemented group, whereas no differences were appreciated for the rest of the oxidative stress and apoptosis markers. Under the conditions of this study, which are the conditions of the cattle raised in intensive systems in NW Spain and also many European countries, routinely Cu supplementation increased the risk of the animals to undergo subclinical Cu toxicity, with no significant changes in the Cu storage capacity and the antioxidant defensive system evaluated by MT and SOD expression, but with a significant and important increase of oxidative damage measured by iNOS and NITT. The results of this study indicated that iNOS and NITT could be used as early markers of initial pathological changes in the liver caused by Cu supplementation in cattle, although more studies in cattle under different levels of Cu supplementation are neededThis work was supported by the Xunta de Galicia (Spain) through contract 07MRU030261PR and by a research grant María Barbeito awarded to M. García-Vaquero by the Dirección Xeral de Investigación, Desenvolvemento e Innovación from Xunta de Galicia and to FSE (Fondo Social Europeo) funds through Programa de Recursos Humanos, do Plan Galego de Investigación, Desenvolvemento e Innovación Tecnolóxica de GaliciaS

Seasonal Variation of the Proximate Composition, Mineral Content, Fatty Acid Profiles and Other Phytochemical Constituents of Selected Brown Macroalgae

The main objective was to determine the chemical, phytochemical, fatty acid and mineral profiles of three commercially relevant brown macroalgae (Laminaria digitata, Laminaria hyperborea and Ascophyllum nodosum) collected each season for two years off the west coast of Ireland. All the chemical, phytochemical, fatty acid and minerals analysed varied significantly depending on the macroalgal species, season and year of collection. Overall, the protein contents of macroalgae were negatively correlated with carbohydrate content. Protein (2–11%) was at its highest during winter and/or spring, decreasing to a minimum during summer and/or autumn. The three macroalgal species analysed in this study had clearly differentiated fatty acid profiles. The concentration of fatty acids was higher in A. nodosum compared with both Laminaria species. The mineral profile of the three macroalgal species was rich in essential metals, particularly Ca, Mg and P, while the levels of I were approximately 9- to 10-fold higher in both Laminaria spp. compared with A. nodosum. The levels of toxic metals (Cd, Hg and Pb) in all the macroalgal species studied were low in the current study; while the levels of total As were high (49–64 mg/kg DW macroalgae) compared with previous reportsThis work was supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) (grant number: 14/IA/2548)S

The main factors affecting somatic cell count in organic dairy farming

Preventive management practices are essential for maintaining acceptable udder health status, especially in organic farming, in which the use of antimicrobials is restricted. The contribution of the following factors to somatic cell count (SCC) was assessed in 788 cows from 15 organically reared herds in northern Spain: milk production, lactation number, treatments applied, selective dry cow therapy and teat dipping routines. The data were examined by linear logistic regression. Lactation number was the main factor affecting logSCC (β= 0.339, p<0.001) followed in order of importance by milk production (β= -0.205, p<0.001), use of alternative treatments (β=0.153, p<0.001), selective dry cow therapy (β=0.120, p=0.005) and teat dipping routines (β=-0.076, p=0.028). However, the model only explained 17.0% of the total variation in SCC. This variable depends on factors other than those considered here, amongst which udder infection is probably one of the most important. Nonetheless, the study findings enabled us to determine the contribution of the main management factors that should be taken into account to improve udder health status on organic farms.Spanish Government (AGL2010-21026); Centro Tecnológico Agroalimentario de Lugo, Spain (CETAL); IO is in receipt of a FPU fellowship (Ref. FPU14/01473) from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and SportsS

Dairy cow nutrition in organic farming systems. Comparison with the conventional system

The energy supplied by the high-forage diets used in organic farming may be insufficient to meet the requirements of dairy cattle. However, few studies have considered this problem. The present study aimed to analyze the composition of the diets and the nutritional status (focusing on the energy–protein balance of the diets) of dairy cattle reared on organic farms in northern Spain, which are similar to other organic farming systems in temperate regions. Exhaustive information about diets was obtained from organic (ORG) and representative conventional grazing (GRZ) and conventional no-grazing (CNG) farms. Samples of feed from the respective farms were analyzed to determine the composition. Overall, the diets used on the ORG farms were very different from those used on the CNG farms, although the difference was not as evident for GRZ. The CNG farms were characterized by a higher total dry matter intake with a high proportion of concentrate feed, maize silage and forage silage. By contrast, on ORG and GRZ farms, the forage, pasture and fibre intake were the most important variables. The ration used on ORG farms contained a significantly higher percentage of ADF and lower organic matter (OM) content than the rations used in both of the conventional farming systems, indicating that the diets in the former were less digestible. Although the protein concentration in the diets used on the grazing farms (ORG and GRZ) was higher than those used on CNG farms, the protein intake was similar. The results indicated an imbalance between energy and protein due to the low level of energy provided by the ORG diets, suggesting that more microbial protein could be synthesized from the available rumen-degraded dietary nitrogen if rumen-fermentable OM was not limiting. The imbalance between energy and protein led to a reduced amount of total digestible protein reaching the intestine and a lower milk yield per kilogram of CP intake on the ORG farms. In order to improve the protein use efficiency and consequently to reduce the loss of nitrogen to the environment, organic farming should aim to increase the energy content of cattle diets by improving forage quality and formulating rations with more balanced combinations of forage and grainThis study was supported by the Spanish Government (project code AGL2010-21026) and Centro Tecnológico Agroalimentario de Lugo (CETAL). I. Orjales is in receipt of a FPU fellowship (Ref. FPU14/01473) from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and SportsS