The Research Column

Discipline: management; Key words:  milk coagulation, automatic milking system, individual feeding strategy, extended lactation. 

Discipline: disease; Key words: hypocalcaemia, pre-partum, macro mineral concentrations, lameness score, hypomagnesaemia.

Discipline: breeding; Key words: dairy crossbreeding, animal performance, profitability, modelling. 

Discipline: feed additive; Key words: lipids, methane, milk fatty acids, microbial diversity. 

Discipline: dairy & health; Key words: probiotics, functional dyspepsia, gastro-intestinal symptom, healthy adult. 

People occasionally experience digestive discomfort such as abdominal pain, stomach heaviness and acidic regurgitation. These symptoms can occur in the presence or absence

Some cheeses, including Camembert and related varieties, can be produced by different processes that vary in milk pre-acidification, cutting, curd handling and ripening.  Modification of these creates distinct cheeses such as lactic curd, stabilized curd and hybrids of the two. The objective of the study by Dr D. Batty and colleagues reported below, was to determine the influence of five Camembert-type cheese recipes on   composition and characteristics during ripening.

When products derived from the coagulation of milk are produced, liquid whey results which may account for 80 to 90% of the milk which originally entered the dairy manufacturing facility and about 50% of the milk nutrients. The composition of the whey varies depending on the end product, and the manufacturer’s production process. Hard cheeses (e.g. Cheddar) result in sweet whey, with a relatively high pH (more than 5.8), high protein and low mineral contents. Fresh cheese and strained yogurts ( e.g.

Worldwide whole milk powder (WMP) is a dairy product which overcomes the problem of seasonality of raw milk. Additionally, it serves as a product with high nutritional value to remote areas. It has a long shelf life which depends on the conditions of storage and transportation, recommended to be in a range from 0 to 10°C. At higher temperatures, the quality of WMP deteriorates because of an increase in the degradation of fat and protein fractions. A range of low negative temperatures for storage have not been systematically investigated.

Digital cushion thickness (DCT) at the typical sole ulcer site beneath the distal phalanx is a strong predictor of lameness and the claw horn disruption lesions (CHDL’s) of sole ulcers and white line disease in dairy cows. These CHDL’s are the most prevalent claw diseases associated with lameness and pain. Previous studies are inconsistent as to the thickness which is optimum. Apparently thin digital cushions predispose animals to lameness and lesions later in lactation.

Because of concerns regarding increasing antimicrobial resistance and the need for responsible use of antibiotics, there is a need to investigate the feasibility of selective dry cow therapy and non-antimicrobial alternatives. The most common alternative to antibiotics at the time of dry-off is internal teat sealants that contain bismuth sub-nitrate, a heavy metal compound, in a paraffin-based substance. They have proven to be effective at preventing new dry-period infections.