Dairy R&D in SA

The efficiency of milk production of dairy cows has been a common point of discussion among dairy farmers, veterinarians, feed and breeding consultants. Whereas there are different ways of expression, it primarily should be a financial metric of the value of product(s) produced in relation to the production cost of all product(s). For dairy cows this mainly includes milk production income in relation to the feed cost to produce milk. For the lifetime efficiency the beef production income of cows should probably also be included.

Discipline: breeding;

Discipline: mastitis; 

Discipline: yogurt; 

Researchers at the University of the Free State investigated whether the fermentation process in manufacturing yogurt could be accelerated on the premise that if successful, the cost of production should decrease. For that purpose they used as additive a water soluble auto-lysate of yeast, which is usually utilised for microbial growth support.

Discipline: feed additives; Key words: Acid Buf, buffer,

Discipline: feed additives; 

Discipline: environment; 

Discipline: industry; 

Product loss in the dairy processing industry is about 3% of the processing volume. The loss can be reduced and energy consumption and waste treatment costs can be decreased substantially by real-time online Total Organic Carbon (TOC) monitoring in a process or waste water stream.

Discipline: calf raising; 

The cost of supplementation is always a factor to be considered in calf starter diets. A nutritious and less expensive substitute in a supplement of a commercial pelleted concentrate is a possibility and lucerne leaf-meal was consequently considered by the authors referenced below.

Discipline: quality; 

The report here is part of the Milk SA R & D programme to find solutions to the milk flocculation problem in the dairy industry. The investigation on the influence of psychrotrophic bacteria is by Prof Celia Hugo and postgraduate students at the University of the Free State.