Effects of Rumen-protected Amino Acids and Levels and Sources of Energy on Milk Production and Nutrient Utilization in Dairy Cattle Fed Metabolizable Protein-deficient Diets

Lactating dairy cows are characterized by poor N efficiency and dietary N not captured in milk protein is excreted in urine and feces, which then contribute to environmental N pollution. Nitrogen losses also shrink profit margins for dairy producers due to costly protein sources. Additionally, the dairy industry is an important anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and CH4, with CH4 representing a potent greenhouse gas and non-negligible energy losses in dairy cattle. Thus, my PhD program has focused on developing nutrition-based approaches to improve milk production efficiency (e.g., milk yield/dry matter intake) and reduce N excretion and greenhouse gas emissions from dairy cattle. Three experiments were conducted on lactating Holstein cows to investigate the effects of rumen protected AA and levels and sources of energy on milk production and nutrient utilization in dairy cows fed low protein diets. Dairy rations with high energy (≥ 1.60 Mcal of net energy of lactation/kg) and low protein (≤ 16% crude protein) concentrations have been shown to increase milk production and feed efficiency and decrease urinary N excretion and CH4 emissions. We also discovered that feeding low protein dairy diets (≤ 16% crude protein) with fibrous byproducts and RP-fat as replacements for ground corn further enhanced milk production efficiency and milk fat yield without contributing more CO2 and CH4 to the environment. Furthermore, supplementation with rumen-protected Met, Lys, and His had limited effects on milk production and nutrient utilization in dairy cows fed low protein diets. These findings mean that farmers may feed cows diets high in fat and low in protein to achieve gains in profit margin and production efficiency. Further research is still needed to compare high protein (≥ 17% crude protein) diets and high fat, low protein diets on production performance and balance of N and energy in lactating dairy cows

An Exploration on the “Misunderstandings” in the Contemporary Sino-Italian Relation

In the contemporary Sino-Italian exchanges and cooperation, due to the lack of mutual understanding keeping abreast with the times, the two countries often have to take some “expedients” to guide the practical cross-cultural communication. The most influential representative is the “East-West dichotomy” understanding and interpretation. Such an “expedient” has obvious flaws, which are mainly reflected as: Clear definition and classification criteria are absent; classification is too broad and ignores cultural identity; features of the “reference object” are mistaken as the common features of a class of objects. The consequences are likely to artificially create a series of difficulties and obstacles, misleading the people of two countries and communications astray. This article aims to introduce and analyze the “misunderstandings” in Sino-Italian relation from a cross-cultural perspective, reveal the reasons for these misunderstandings, restore the process generating the errors and provide advice and reference for an accurate and effective “recognition”

Gender Issues and “Promiscuo” Nouns in Italian: Possible Non-Grammatical Explanation1 of Some Grammar Problems in Italian Language Teaching in China

“Promiscuo” nouns are a particular grammatical phenomenon in Italian. They cannot be explained from a purely grammatical perspective. In this case, any traditional teaching method will hit a bottleneck as it restricts Chinese learners’ thinking and understanding about Italian language and culture. This paper explores the formative causes of “promiscuo” nouns from the non-grammatical perspectives of nature, society, history, culture and other aspects and draws up a series of practical analytic methods that may help to find the non-grammatical interpretation of some grammar problems in Italian language teaching in China. It also serves as a different avenue or platform for Chinese students to have a comprehensive and dynamic view on Italian language, culture and society

Effects of Rumen-protected Methionine, Choline and Betaine on Dairy Cattle Health and Performance

Dairy cows experience extensive lipid mobilization in adipose tissue during the transition from gestation to lactation. A high amount of circulating non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) results in fatty liver that is associated with reduced milk production (Duffield et al., 2009), metabolic diseases (Hammon et al., 2006), and decreased reproductive performance (Walsh et al., 2007). The function of VLDL is to export TAG from liver. Previous work suggested that micronutrients supplemented may elevated VLDL export. Choline has been shown to increase milk production and milk fat yield (Erdman et al., 1991) and decrease triacylglycerol (TAG) in the liver (Pomfret et al., 1990). Emmanuel et al. (1984) suggested that 28% of absorbed methionine (Met) is used for the synthesis of choline. Also, Met is the first limiting amino acid (AA) for milk protein synthesis of dairy cattle (NRC, 2001) and involved into synthesis of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Furthermore, betaine is a methyl donor that recycles homocysteine to Met after Met is utilized to synthesize phospholipids within VLDL. The set of studies in this master thesis evaluated the effects of Met, choline and betaine on dairy cattle health and performance. In the first experiment, thirty multiparous Holstein cows independently housed were fed total mixed rations (TMR) with or without micronutrients (22 g/d Met, 10 g/d choline chloride, 3 g/d betaine) from -28 d prepartum to d 14 postpartum. All cows received 65 g/d of lipid encapsulate with 62% palmitic acid. Blood and liver samples were collected routinely prepartum and postpartum. Milk yields were recorded, milk samples were collected and milk components were measured after calving. Plasma circulating non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), glucose, insulin, TAG, total cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesterol ester, VLDL, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and serum total protein, albumin, globulin, hemoglobin, and AA concentrations were measured. Micronutrient supplementation had the tendency to improve milk total solids (TS) percentage (P = 0.11) and had significantly elevated the levels of serum Met at d 10 and 12 (P \u3c 0.05), relative to no supplementation. Similarly, the ratio of lysine (Lys) to Met in cows with micronutrient supplementation was significantly lower than cows without supplementation (P \u3c 0.05). No others treatment effects were observed for metabolites in blood and milk. In the second experiment, twelve multiparous Holstein cows (602 +/- 46 kg body weight (BW), 174 +/- 18 day in milk (DIM)) were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design with 21-d treatment periods. Dietary treatments included a corn silage and alfalfa haylage-based diet (control; no added Met) supplemented with one of three rumen protected (RP) Met sources (Novimet (Innovad), Smartamine M (Adisseo), and Mepron M85 (Evonik)). Treatments were designed to maintain a Lys:Met ratio of 2.9:1. For control, Lys (RP-Lys; AjiPro) was added at 0.025% ration DM. For RP-Met supplementation, Met (RP-Met) was added at 0.03% ration DM. Cows fed RP-Met were provided Lys (RP-Lys) at 0.20% ration DM. Milk yields were recorded, and samples were collected during each period (d 19 to 21). Blood samples were collected on d 21 at 2, 4, and 6 h following feeding. Milk protein content was elevated with Smartamine M, relative to control or Novimet (3.30% vs. 3.24%, and 3.24% respectively; P \u3c 0.05). There was a tendency for milk urea nitrogen (MUN) to be modified by treatments. Smartamine M increased serum Met concentration (27.3 microM) as compared with control (21.2 microM), Novimet (22.7 microM), or Mepron M85 (23.3 microM) (P \u3c 0.001). In a similar manner, Smartamine M lowered the serum Lys:Met ratio (4.5:1) as compared with control (5.2:1), Novimet (5.2:1), or Mepron M85 (5.1:1) (P \u3c 0.05). Treatments did not modify other milk components and the serum levels of all other AA including Lys. Taken together, results in our studies demonstrate that RP-Met supplementation can increase circulating Met supply and milk protein percentage; however, addition of RP-Met (22 g/d), choline (10 g/d) and betaine (3 g/d) did not show obvious effects on milk production performance and health of dairy cows

Research on the Integration of Chinese Immigrants in Turin: A Case Study of Bar Francesca

Integration of immigrants, particularly their social integration, is a core keyword in the studies in Italy on immigration nowadays. Negative conducts of Chinese immigrants in Italy in their social integration are in stark contrast to their economic success. This contrast has long been criticized by Italian authorities and academic community. From January to May 2016, the author undertook a case study on the integration issues of Bar Francesca, which was run by a Chinese family in Turin and on the basis of the survey the author wrote this article. From the perspective of a family and a small bar, this paper tries to achieve an understanding of the integration of Chinese immigrants and interpret the successful interaction between Chinese in Turin and the local community. This article studies the challenges and countermeasures in the integration of Chinese immigrants, especially in the process of social integration and it provides references and suggestions for the benign interaction of Chinese immigrants with the local society and the integration of Chinese community in Turin and even in Italy. It also calls on a wider participation of both official and academic circles of China and Italy to provide assistance and incentives for the full integration of Chinese immigrants so that this group can play a more active and important role in the new era of Sino-Italian relations

On the Problem of Re-Recognition in Contemporary Sino-Italian Relations

China and Italy enjoy a glorious history of friendly exchanges. In spite that the development of Sino-Italian relations has been relatively smooth and steady, the two countries are still facing a variety of problems, which are mainly due to the lack of necessary knowledge about each other. Mutual understandings between the two parts have been lagging behind their bilateral exchanges and cooperation. In other words, the two nations need to “re-recognize” each other in new situations and contexts. This paper reviews briefly the three main stages of Sino-Italian relations since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, introduces different importance placed on their bilateral relations in different periods, deconstructs their changing understandings about “the other” and gives an explanation to a number of typical shortcomings that the two peoples are facing in the re-recognition

An Essay on the Active Role That Chinese Small and Micro Enterprises in Turin Play in the Construction of Multi-Ethnic Harmonious Society

Recently, the population of immigration has been steadily growing in Italy, which has become a multi-ethnic society with various and complex social problems. Chinese in Italy, as the third largest ethnic minority, have made a positive contribution to the construction of a harmonious society with their small and micro enterprises. This article is based on empirical investigations by the author, using Turin as an example to introduce the phenomenon mentioned above from three aspects and to analyze its causes. It aims to demonstrate the contribution to the fusion process of multi-ethnics that Italian Chinese has actively made, in the process of their own adaptation to the environment, reflecting the good intentions of its positive integration in order to achieve a win-win situation, which is a process beneficial to all parties, during their positive interactions with the local community