A COMPARISON OF SELECTED MILK INDICATORS IN ORGANIC HERDS WITH CONVENTIONAL HERD AS REFERENCE

In a historical sense, current organic farming is an old-new alternative under changed world conditions. Organic dairying (O) is an alternative of friendly use of the environment in time of presupposed global climate changes. Potential impact of organic farming on raw cow-milk quality, composition and properties, as conpared to conventional milk production (C), were evaluatedin this paper on the basis of selectedm ilk indicators (MIs). Total solids, whey volume, pH of milk fermentation ability (FAM-pH), FAM streptococci, FAM noble lactic acid bacteria, I and Cu were higher in C milk (P0.05) were observed in pH, rennet coagulation time, curd quality, FAM lactobacilli and streptococci/lactobacilli, Na, Mn and Zn. In general, the differences were a little more advantageous for O milk from both technological and nutritional point of view, particularly because of AS (0.461 .81m m), FAM-T (27.3 4.6 ) , Ca (1172 < l257 mg.kg-1)P, ( 950 < l004 mg. kg-1) and Mg 107.4<ll2.0mg.kg{) results. Organic milk can also produce better environment for yoghurt fermentation. Nevertheless, the results obtained should not be overestimated as both sources produced milk of good quality. Additional results are needed to prove organic milk benefits

The impact of organic farming on mineral composition of cow milk

Milk mineral matters are important in human nutrition, especially Ca, Mg and I. Increase of milk Mg along decrease of NPK soil fertilization under the Czech Republic (CR) conditions was predicted. This hypothetical prediction is based on antagonistic relationships between K fertilization, Mg level in cow roughage feeding and transfer of Mg into milk. In difference testing the conventional (C) cow milk was reference versus organic (O) milk. Holstein bulk milk samples (BMS) from winter and summer season in 4 C (n = 32 BMSs) and in 4 O (n = 16) herds were investigated. 6 herds were and 2 C were not grazed, other nutrition was typical under the CR conditions. Average MY of C herds was 7016±1068 and MY of O herds was 7037±422 kg per lactation. Macro- and microelements were investigated: Ca, P, Na, Mg and K (in mg kg-1); I (in μg l-1), Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn (in mg kg-1). Somatic cell count (SCC) was lower (P>0.05) in O herds (geometric mean 216 0.05) in terms of trends confirm predicted hypothesis that Na, Ca and Mg will be higher after NPK fertilization decrease. Smaller investigated changes in mineral composition were better for human nutrition in O. Key words: organic farming, dairying, cow milk, mineral milk composition, inorganic fertilizer, calcium, magnesiu

Spontaneous viral clearance, viral load, and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in HIV-infected patients with anti-HCV antibodies in Europe

BACKGROUND: Variables influencing serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels and genotype distribution in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are not well known, nor are factors determining spontaneous clearance after exposure to HCV in this population. METHODS: All HCV antibody (Ab)-positive patients with HIV infection in the EuroSIDA cohort who had stored samples were tested for serum HCV RNA, and HCV genotyping was done for subjects with viremia. Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with spontaneous HCV clearance and HCV genotype 1. RESULTS: Of 1940 HCV Ab-positive patients, 1496 (77%) were serum HCV RNA positive. Injection drug users (IDUs) were less likely to have spontaneously cleared HCV than were homosexual men (20% vs. 39%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.36 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.24-0.53]), whereas patients positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were more likely to have spontaneously cleared HCV than were those negative for HBsAg (43% vs. 21%; aOR, 2.91 [95% CI, 1.94-4.38]). Of patients with HCV viremia, 786 (53%) carried HCV genotype 1, and 53 (4%), 440 (29%), and 217 (15%) carried HCV genotype 2, 3, and 4, respectively. A greater HCV RNA level was associated with a greater chance of being infected with HCV genotype 1 (aOR, 1.60 per 1 log higher [95% CI, 1.36-1.88]). CONCLUSIONS: More than three-quarters of the HIV- and HCV Ab-positive patients in EuroSIDA showed active HCV replication. Viremia was more frequent in IDUs and, conversely, was less common in HBsAg-positive patients. Of the patients with HCV viremia analyzed, 53% were found to carry HCV genotype 1, and this genotype was associated with greater serum HCV RNA levels