Long-distance transport and the receiving phase at the fattening unit are sources of stress for young beef cattle. This randomised controlled study involved 80 Charolais young bulls that underwent 12 h of transport from France to Italy and aimed at testing whether the animals have some benefits from the supplementation of live yeast and selenium through slow-release boluses and diet. The bulls were randomly allocated into two supplementation groups of 40 animals each, named Yeast and Control groups. Bulls of the Yeast group received a supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and selenium-enriched yeast (1.5 x 1010 CFU/bull per day of live yeast and 1.5 mg/bull per day of selenium) by two slow-release ruminal boluses 1 day before leaving France, and a live yeast supplemented diet once in Italy (8 x 109 CFU/bull per day of live yeast). Yeast and control bulls underwent the same manipulations. Individual BW and complete blood metabolic profile were assessed at the arrival to the Italian fattening unit ( day 0 ), after 7 days ( day 7 ), and at the end of the receiving phase ( day 30 ). The rumen environment was continuously monitored through reticulum-rumen sensors that measured several parameters in a subsample of 60 bulls, equally distributed between Yeast and Control groups. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and selenium supplementation did not affect growth performance and metabolic profile. However, the supplementation stabilised the rumen environment by limiting the daily pH amplitude and SD and the inter-animal variability. The Yeast group increased the time spent ruminating (+39 min/day) at day 30 compared to Control group. More stable ruminal conditions are important to support beef cattle health during the receiving period at the fattening unit, when animals face the delicate transition to high-energy diets. (c) 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Animal Consortium. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

This study evaluated the effectiveness of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in predicting faecal fibre, protein fractions and total tract apparent digestibility in dairy sheep and goats fed varying ratios of alfalfa-hay and concentrate. A total of 180 faecal samples from dairy sheep and goats were collected and chemically analysed. Faecal samples underwent also NIRS spectral acquisition and calibration models were obtained through modified partial least square regression and tested for robustness. The NIRS provided excellent estimations for N and CP as % as is (R2ExV 0.91 and 0.91, RPD 3.16 and 3.33, respectively), good estimation for N, CP and ND soluble CP % DM (R2ExV 0.90, 0.90 and 0.85, RPD 3.14, 2.90 and 2.48) and ND soluble CP expressed as % as is (R2ExV 0.87, RPD 2.55), approximative quantitative prediction for acid detergent insoluble crude protein (ADICP) and ADIN % acid detergent fibre (ADF) (R2ExV 0.79 and 0.71, RPD 1.93 and 1.78, respectively) and ADICP as % as is (R2ExV 0.67, RPD 1.70) but resulted to be less effective when predicting all the other components. The prediction models for total-tract digestibility (ttD) of ADICP performed best among the developed equations (R2ExV 0.57, RPD 1.38), but the model was not sufficient for precise predictions, suggesting a good capacity of NIRS to predict faecal N excretion but also intrinsic limitations of faecal spectra due to the partial residual nutrients content, compared to the diet. Increasing the number of calibration samples and values, the forage species, and the F:C ratios in the diet offered to the animals could improve the NIRS performance.

Following a comparison of nutrient total-tract digestibility estimates in lactating buffaloes using single-point undigestible NDF (uNDF) or acid-insoluble ash (AIA) as internal markers, the potential of fecal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to provide calibration equations for the assessment of the chemical composition of feces and nutrient total-tract digestibility estimated with internal markers was explored. Chemical analyses were performed on 147 fecal samples from lactating buffaloes reared in 5 farms in central Italy (Naples). Each farm fed a silage-based total mixed ration (TMR) to the buffaloes, which was sampled in the 2 d before the fecal collection. The TMR and individual fecal samples were collected and analyzed for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ash, AIA, ether extract (EE), starch, fiber fractions (aNDFom, aNDF, ADFom, ADF, hemicellulose, cellulose, ADL, uNDF), N, CP and CP bound to aNDF (NDICP) and to ADF (ADICP). The uNDF content was determined through a 240-h in vitro fermentation and employed, together with AIA as markers to estimate the total-tract apparent digestibility (ttaDe) and total-tract digestibility (ttDe) of DM, OM, ash, N, CP, EE, aNDFom, aNDF, NDIP, ADFom and ADF, ADIN, ADL, hemicellulose, cellulose, starch, non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) and fraction B3 of N. No correlation was found between DM and OM digestibility estimated with AIA and uNDF as internal markers. Weak correlations were detected for all the other nutients digestibilities while strong correlations were observed for EE, ADFom, HC, NDIN, ADIN, NB3, NFC and starch.Inizio modulo The sample set (n = 147) was divided in a calibration set (n = 111) and a validation set (n = 36) to “train” and “validate” the fecal NIRS curve through an external validation process. An estimation usable for preliminary or initial evaluation was obtained for N, CP and aNDF fecal content. An excellent prediction was obtained for ttADINDe (R2 = 0.90) when estimated with uNDF as internal marker. The NIRS technology was not able to accurately predict all the other traits and the estimated nutrient digestibility of lactating buffalo diets from fecal spectra.

A network meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of feeding feed-grade urea (FGU) or slow-release urea (SRU) as a replacement for true protein supplements (control; CTR) in high-producing dairy cattle diets. Research papers were selected (n = 44) from experiments published between 1971 and 2021 based on the following criteria: dairy breed, detailed description of the isonitrogenous diets fed, provision of FGU or SRU (or both), high-yielding cows (>25 kg/cow per day), and results that included at least milk yield and composition, but data on nutrient intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation profile, and N utilization were also considered. Most studies compared only 2 treatments, and a network meta-analysis approach was adopted to compare the effects among CTR, FGU, and SRU. Data were analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model network meta-analysis. Forest plots of milk yield were used to visualize the estimated effect size of treatments. Cows included in the study produced 32.9 ± 5.7 L/d of milk, 3.46 ± 5.0% of fat, and 3.11 ± 0.2% of protein with an intake of 22.1 ± 3.45 kg of dry matter. Average diet composition was 1.65 ± 0.07 Mcal of net energy for lactation, 16.4 ± 1.45% CP, 30.8 ± 5.91% neutral detergent fiber, and 23.0 ± 4.62% starch. Average supply of FGU was 209 g/cow per day, whereas the average supply of SRU was 204 g/cow per day. With some exceptions, feeding FGU and SRU did not affect nutrient intake and digestibility, N utilization, and milk yield and composition. However, the FGU reduced the acetate proportion (61.6 vs. 59.7 mol/100 mol) and the SRU reduced the butyrate proportion (12.4 vs. 11.9 mol/100 mol) compared with CTR. Ruminal ammonia-N concentration increased from 8.47 to 11.5 and 9.3 mg/dL in CTR, FGU, and SRU, respectively. Urinary nitrogen excretion increased from 171 to 198 g/d in CTR versus the 2 urea treatments, respectively. The use of moderate doses of FGU in high-producing dairy cows may be justified based on its lower cost.

Nutrient synchronisation of protein and carbohydrates is a promising practice to improve ruminal nutrient utilisation. However, dietary sources supplying these nutrients can vary in ruminal nutrient availability due to differing degradation rates, therefore potentially affecting utilisation of nitrogen (N). The effects of the addition of non-fibre carbohydrates (NFCs) with different rumen degradation rates in high-forage diets on ruminal fermentation, efficiency and microbial flow were investigated in vitro using the Rumen Simulation Technique (RUSITEC). Four diets were tested: control with 100% ryegrass silage (GRS) and substitution of 20% on a DM basis of ryegrass silage with corn grain (CORN), processed corn (OZ) or sucrose (SUC). The four diets were assigned to 16 vessels in two sets of RUSITEC apparatuses in a randomised block design over a 17 d experimental trial; 10 d consisted of adaptation and 7 d for sample collection. Rumen fluid was collected from four rumen-cannulated dry Holstein-Friesian dairy cows and was treated without mixing. Then, rumen fluid from each cow was used to inoculate four vessels, and diet treatments were randomly allocated to each one. This was repeated for all cows resulting in 16 vessels. The inclusion of SUC in ryegrass silage diets improved DM and organic matter digestibility. The only diet to significantly lower ammonia-N concentration compared with GRS was SUC. The outflows of non-ammonia-N, microbial-N, and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis were not affected by diet type. However, the efficiency of nitrogen utilisation was improved by SUC compared with GRS. This indicates that the inclusion of an energy source with a high rumen degradation rate in high-forage diets improves rumen fermentation, digestibility, and N utilisation. Specifically, this effect was observed for the more readily available energy source, SUC, compared with the more slowly degradable NFC sources, CORN and OZ.

A short-term study was conducted to compare the effect of using poplar wood chips (PWC) instead of wheat straw (WS) litter in dairy cows. A total of 38 lactating Holstein cows (204 ± 119 days in milk, 26.9 ± 6.5 kg of milk yield [MY]) were housed in a tiestall farm for a 10-d trial including 5 d of adaptation followed by 5 sampling days (from d 5 to 10). Cows were divided into 2 homogeneous groups: one group was bedded with WS, and the second with PWC. Both litter materials were provided in the amount of 7 kg/stall per d. Each group was composed of 3 subgroups of 6 or 7 cows; the subgroups were physically separated along the feeding line by wooden boards. During the sampling days, fecal composition, used litter composition, and bacterial count (Clostridium spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, and total bacterial count) were analyzed by subgroup twice a day. On d 1 and from d 5 to 10, udder hygiene score and cow cleanliness score were also evaluated individually twice a day. Meanwhile MY, milk hygiene (total bacterial count [TBC], coliform bacterial count [CBC], and spore-forming units [SFU]) and quality were measured and analyzed from 9 animals per group. Moreover, individual animal behavior (body position and behavioral traits) and subgroup dry matter intake were measured on d 9 and 10. Fecal dry matter did not differ between groups, PWC had the lowest used litter moisture and N content favoring the highest clean cow frequency, but also gave rise to the greatest used litter microbial contamination. The MY, milk quality, TBC, SFU, and CBC were similar. The lying behavior frequency was similar between groups. However, the PWC group showed the lowest sleeping frequency, the highest frequency of other behaviors (including discomfort signs), and the lowest dry matter intake. However, despite this apparent reduction in cow comfort, no biologically important differences were observed in this short-term study between cows on PWC and WS in milk production or hygiene.

Spirulina (SP) is an edible blue-green algae rich in bioactive compounds such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and gamma-linolenic acid. However, its impact on the oxidative status of ewes' organism and milk, as well as on milk's quality has not been extensively studied. Forty-eight dairy Chios ewes were divided into four homogenous groups (n = 12) and were fed individually. The concentrate of the control group (CON) had no SP, while in the concentrates of the treated groups, SP was added to obtain a daily supply of 5 (SP5), 10 (SP10), and 15 (SP15) g per animal. The milk yield and chemical composition were not affected by the addition of SP. tau he proportion of shortchain fatty acids was increased in the milk of SP5 and SP10 ewes while those of medium-chain fatty acids were reduced in the milk of SP10 compared with the CON animals. The SP addition enhanced the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids and reduced the thrombogenicity index in milk, while its highest level tended to decrease the milk's atherogenicity index. A rise in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the blood plasma of SP-fed ewes was found. The same was observed for the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione transferase in the blood plasma of SP10, SP15, and SP5 fed ewes respectively. On the contrary, the protein carbonyls content (PC) in ewes' s blood plasma declined by the dietary supplementation of SP. The oxidative stability of ewes' milk improved by the dietary addition of SP as indicated by the rise in the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px and the total antioxidant capacity (measured by FRAP and ABTS assays) as well. Finally, the highest level of SP caused the sharpest drop in PC content of milk. In conclusion, the dietary supplementation with 15 g SP/ ewe/day showed the potential to improve the ewes' oxidative status of their organism and milk.

Camelina sativa is an alternative protein source (with a specific amino acid profile) rich also in bioactive compounds (such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants), which have immunomodulatory properties. This study aimed to assess the impact of the dietary inclusion level of Camelina seeds, on the expression levels of key genes involved in ewes’ innate immunity. Forty-eight dairy ewes were assigned into four homogenous groups of 12 animals that were fed individually with alfalfa hay, wheat straw, and concentrate. The concentrate of the control group (CON) had no Camelina seeds, while in the treated groups, Camelina seeds (CSs) were incorporated at 6 (CS6), 11 (CS11), and 16% (CS16) in the concentrates, respectively, as partial substitution of both soybean meal and maize grain. The relative transcript levels of the immune-related genes were determined using a real-time PCR platform. The relative transcript levels of toll-interleukin receptor-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β, tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3, Interferon regulatory factor 5, and Mitogen-activated protein kinase were upregulated in monocytes of the CS11-fed ewes. Furthermore, in the CS6-fed ewes, the relative transcript levels of Interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) were upregulated in monocytes compared to the CON, while those of IL1B, Interleukin-8, and Interleukin-10 were upregulated in neutrophils compared to the CON and the CS11-fed ewes. The highest inclusion level of CS (CS16) did not have a negative impact on ewes’ innate immunity. The response of monocytes on dietary amino acid (mainly threonine, tyrosine, serine, and lysine) changes related to Camelina inclusion is different from that of neutrophils. The observed responses need to be further investigated.

Several studies have reported gross composition differences between organic and conventional milk; however, most studies have not considered other factors such as breed and diet ingredients, which are known to influence milk composition. Thus, this study aimed to provide a detailed characterization of Holstein-Friesian cow milk from organic (ORG) and conventional (CONV) herds with similar diet ingredients and in the same geographic area. Bulk milk samples (n = 225) of 12 ORG and 12 CONV farms were collected from September 2019 to August 2020. Farms were located in Northern Italy, included corn (meal, silage, or both) in the lactating diets, and had similar management conditions, but ORG herds spent a period on pasture. Factors affecting milk composition were tested using a linear mixed model, which included calendar month, farming system (ORG and CONV), and their interactions as fixed effects, and farm nested within farming system as random effect. Results showed that total fat, lactose, vitamin E, and AA did not significantly differ between farming systems. Total protein and casein contents were significantly lower in ORG than CONV herds, and somatic cell score (SCS) was greater in ORG than CONV. Among minerals, differences were observed for Fe, K, Mg, and S in some months, being lower in ORG than CONV for K, Mg, and S and greater or lower for Fe depending on the month. Among fatty acid (FA) groups, index, and ratios, only polyunsaturated FA and n-3 FA tended to be greater in ORG than CONV, and cis-FA were greater in ORG than CONV during October. Among the most abundant individual FA, only C16:1n-9 differed, being lower in ORG than CONV. The calendar month (and hence seasonal feed ration) was significant for milk gross composition, SCS, vitamin E, mineral profile (except for Mo, Sr, and Zn), AA profile, FA groups (except for medium-chain FA), FA index and ratios, and individual FA (except C16:0). We conclude that the overall milk composition was quite similar between the 2 farming systems. This could be related to the similarity of the selected farms, the Holstein-Friesian breed, and generally high level of intensity in both farming systems.

Context Determination of the neutral detergent fibre digestibility is one of the important parameters to consider when formulating diets. However, the in vitro determination shows low repeatability because of the source of rumen-fluid inoculum. Priming of the rumen fluid inocula, obtained through an oesophageal probe, has been proposed to overcome this issue. Aim The objective of the study was to investigate the evolution of the microbial enzymatic activities of different rumen fluids during a priming procedure, to establish the fermentation interval that minimises the differences among rumen-fluid degradative potentials. Methods Three farms for each type of diet were involved in the study. Rumen fluids were obtained from dry and lactating cows fed the following four diet types: 100% hay or a diet with 80:20 forage:concentrate ratio (F:C) as dry-cow diets, and ad libitum hay and concentrate, or a total mixed ration (both at 60:40 F:C) as lactating-cow diets. On each farm, rumen fluid was collected from three Holstein cows by using an oesophageal probe, and mixed. Two aliquots of each rumen fluid mix were added to the medium containing the same priming substrate in an in vitro batch-fermentation system. During the incubation, the fermentation fluids were sampled in duplicate at 0-, 1-, 2-, 4-, 8-, 24- and 48-h intervals. Enzymatic activities of amylase, cellulase and xylanase were determined by radial enzyme diffusion method. Key results Initial enzymatic activities were quite variable and increased with an increasing incubation time. By 24 h, amylase showed similar values among high-concentrate diet fermentation fluids, and a lower data dispersion in comparison to the other intervals; cellulase was characterised by similar values in all the fermentation fluids derived from diets including concentrates, and xylanase showed similar activity in the fermentation fluids derived from high-concentrate diets. Development of the enzymatic activity of the fermentation fluids derived from the 100% hay diet differed from the others. Conclusions A 24-h priming procedure was needed to stabilise and equalise the enzymatic activity of the rumen fluid from cows fed high-concentrate diets. This was not observed in rumen fluid from cows fed hay-based diets. Implications The 24-h-primed rumen fluid can be used to increase the repeatability of neutral detergent fibre digestibility determination.

Although sesame oil meal is rich in linoleic acid, and both selenium (Se) and vitamin E (VitE) protect prone-unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) from oxidation, their influence on goats' milk fatty acids (FAs) profile have not been studied. Thus, thirty dairy goats were divided into five groups and fed with alfalfa hay and concentrates. Two types of concentrates were used; one for the control (CON) and another for the treated groups. In the concentrate of the treated groups which contained sesame oil meal, apart from the quantities of VitE and Se included in the trace mineral-vitamin premix, either no extra VitE and Se (SOM) or extra 60 mg of VitE/Kg of concentrate (SOME), or 0.1 mg organic Se/Kg of concentrate (SOMSe) or its combination (60 mg of VitE and 0.1 mg organic Se/Kg of concentrate) (SOMESe) were incorporated. In blood plasma, the proportion of C-14:0 reduced significantly in the SOME-fed goats compared with CON-fed goats while that of C-16:0 reduced significantly in those goats fed the SOM, SOMSe, SOMESe diets. The proportions of medium-chain FAs (MCFA) and saturated FAs (SFA), and the atherogenicity index value reduced significantly in the milk of treated animals. Significant was also the decline in the SFA/UFA ratio in the milk of goats fed with the SOM, SOME and SOMESe diets. On the contrary, the proportions of long-chain FAs in the milk of SOM and SOMESe fed goats increased significantly. A significant increase in the proportions of UFA in the milk of SOME and SOMESe-fed goats and in the proportions of MUFA in those goats fed the SOM, SOME and SOME Se diets was found. In conclusion, the SOME Se diet can be considered as the most effective nutritional strategy to affect positively the goats' milk FAs profile since the sharpest modifications in the aforementioned FAs were observed with this dietary treatment.

The effects of essential oils (EO) and their active compounds (EOC) on dry matter digestibility and neutral detergent fibre digestibility (DMD and NDFD, respectively) are still not enough described since in vitro methods are limited. So, the aim of the study was to screen and compare the main effects of EO and EOC on short-term DMD and NDFD using the in vitro method. The addition of phenylpropanoid-rich cinnamon oil (CIN) and clove oil (CLO), terpenoid-rich thyme oil (THY) and oregano oil (ORG), and four EOC: cinnamaldehyde (CIN-C), eugenol (EUG), thymol (THY-C) and carvacrol (CAR) was studied at a dose of 0.5 mg.l(-1) of main active compound. Products were tested on four substrates: lucerne hay, soyabean meal, maize meal and a total mixed ration (TMR). Digestibility was determined at 4 and 24 h of fermentation. Both CIN and CIN-C increased NDFD4 of lucerne and maize meal, and decreased NDFD24 of soyabean meal; while CIN-C reduced NDF24 of TMR and CIN reduced DMD of soyabean at both examined hours. CLO and EUG decreased the NDFD24 of soyabean meal improving its DMD24. Also initial DMD of lucerne was increased by both these factors. Only CLO reduced NDFD24 of maize meal. Both THY and THY-C reduced DMD4 of soyabean meal; however only THY-C improved NDF4 of lucerne and reduced NDFD24 of soyabean meal and TMR. DMD24 of most substrates (except lucerne) was reduced by ORE, but not by CAR which improved NDFD4 of lucerne. The in vitro method was sensitive to variations in digestibility caused by EO and EOC, providing a promising approach for the incorporation of EO and EOC effects in systems for cattle diet formulation.

Introduction - Diets or total mixed rations (TMRs) formulated for specific groups of animals are not always able to satisfy the nutrient requirements of individuals cows and this limit can became critical in key phases of the productive-reproductive cycle such as the dry and the transition periods, whose proper management is recognized to affect the entire subsequent lactation. Various nutritional strategy have been tested for the conduction of these critical phases and different tools have been developed to help farmers in preventing the metabolic and reproductive diseases typical of the fresh cow. Aim - The aims of the present work were to evaluate the use of a free choice energetic mineral-vitamin supplement as a tool for the nutritional management of dry and transition cows and to study its effect on cattle health and early lactation performances. Materials and methods - A randomized complete block design was performed on 20 Italian Holstein cows divided into two balanced groups: Control, fed hay and total mixed ration (TMR) and Treated, offered the same diet and the supplemental product as ad libitum licking feed. Group feed intake and individual dry matter digestibility, health, metabolic parameters, and productive and reproductive performances were monitored from the drying off to 100 days in milk (DIM). Results and discussion - The TMR was a fibrous mix with high level of NDF, low level of NFC and an average level of starch, while hay was a mixed hay characterised by a prevalence of grasses. The Treated group consumed from 0.34 +/- 0.12 to 0.74 +/- 0.50 kg/d of supplement and in comparison with the Control group showed an higher hay intake during the colostral phase (5.98 +/- 0.44 vs 4.39 +/- 0.57 kg, P = 0.004) and an higher TMR intake during the post-partum period (16.16 +/- 1.43 vs 14.49 +/- 1.35 kg, P = 0.001). No differences were observed in dry matter digestibility at the intervals considered. Because of the higher quantity of energy and nutrient availability, treated animals showed a trend for a lower incidence of ovarian cysts in the fresh period, produced a significantly higher quantity of colostrum (15.4 +/- 2.1 vs 5.8 +/- 2.8 kg; P = 0.010) and showed a tendentially higher immunoglobulin output (1403 +/- 222 vs 706 +/- 190 g; P = 0.069) such as tendentially higher cumulative milk production at 20 DIM (632 +/- 104 vs 517 +/- 134 kg, P = 0.058). Calving to first cycle interval was significantly reduced by treatment (19.8 +/- 2.0 vs 41.7 +/- 5.2 days; P = 0.001). Conclusions -The use of free choice energetic mineral-vitamin supplements administered as ad libitum dietary component during dry and transition periods seems to be a viable tool for the nutritional management of the dry and transition cows. Under sub optimal nutritional field conditions, this practice appeared to positively affect dry matter intake, colostral phase performance and early lactation health status but also reproductive function resumption and milk production.