The effect of life history events on carcass merit and price of cull dairy cows

Cull dairy cows contribute almost 10% of national beef production in the United States. However, different factors throughout the life of dairy cows affect their weight and overall body condition as well as carcass traits, and consequently affect their market price. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: (1) to assess relationships between price ratio and carcass merit of cull dairy cows sold through several sites of an auction market and (2) to investigate the effect of animal life history events and live weight on sale barn price (BP) and price ratio (as a measure of relative price), as an indicator of carcass merit. Data from 4 dairy operations included 3,602 cull dairy cow records during the period of 2015 to 2019. Life history events data were collected from each dairy operation through Dairy Comp software; live weight and price were obtained periodically from the auction market, and the carcass data were provided by a local packing plant. Cow price in dollars per unit of live weight ($/cwt) and price ratio were the 2 outcome variables used in the analyses. Price ratio was created aiming to remove seasonality effects from BP (BP divided by the national average price for its respective month and year of sale). The association between price ratio and carcass merit traits was investigated using canonical correlation analysis, and the effect of life history events on both BP and price ratio was inferred using a multiple linear regression technique. More than 70% of the cows were culled in the first 3 lactations, with an average live weight of 701.5 kg, carcass weight of 325 kg, and dressing percentage of 46.3%. On average, cull cows were sold at $57.0/cwt during the period considered. The canonical correlation between price ratio and carcass merit traits was 0.76, indicating that price ratio reflected carcass merit of cull cows. Later lactations led to lower BP compared with cows culled during the first 2 lactations. Injury, and leg and feet problems negatively affected BP. Productive variables demonstrated that the greater milk production might lead to lower cow prices. A large variation between farms was also noted. In conclusion, price ratio was a good indicator of carcass merit of cull cows, and life history events significantly affected sale BP and carcass merit of cull cows sold through auction markets.     

Effect of feed restriction on dairy cow milk production: a review

In the dairy cow, negative energy balance affects milk yield and composition as well as animal health. Studying the effects of negative energy balance on dairy cow milk production is thus essential. Feed restriction (FR) experiments attempting to reproduce negative energy balance by reducing the quantity or quality of the diet were conducted in order to better describe the animal physiology changes. The study of FR is also of interest since with climate change issues, cows may be increasingly faced with periods of drought leading to a shortage of forages. The aim of this article is to review the effects of FR during lactation in dairy cows to obtain a better understanding of metabolism changes and how it affects mammary gland activity and milk production and composition. A total of 41 papers studying FR in lactating cows were used to investigate physiological changes induced by these protocols. FR protocols affect the entire animal metabolism as indicated by changes in blood metabolites such as a decrease in glucose concentration and an increase in non-esterified fatty acid or β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations; hormonal regulations such as a decrease in insulin and insulin-like growth factor I or an increase in growth hormone concentrations. These variations indicated a mobilization of body reserve in most studies. FR also affects mammary gland activity through changes in gene expression and could affect mammary cell turnover through cell apoptosis, cell proliferation, and exfoliation of mammary epithelial cells into milk. Because of modifications of the mammary gland and general metabolism, FR decreases milk production and can affect milk composition with decreased lactose and protein concentrations and increased fat concentration. These effects, however, can vary widely depending on the type of restriction, its duration and intensity, or the stage of lactation in which it takes place. Finally, to avoid yield loss and metabolic disorders, it is important to identify reliable biomarkers to monitor energy balance.     

奶牛胃肠道菌群与奶牛乳房炎关联性及其对乳房炎调控潜力的研究进展

乳房炎是严重影响奶牛机体健康状态及乳品质量的疾病之一。一直以来,外源致病菌入侵乳房并引发感染被认为是奶牛乳房炎发病的主要因素。然而,最近的研究表明,胃肠道菌群同样能够影响奶牛乳房炎的发病并对炎症进行调控。其主要机制可能涉及"肠道-乳腺"内源途径,即来自胃肠道的某些细菌可以通过涉及单核免疫细胞（主要是吞噬细胞）机制进行转移,通过内源性细胞途径（细菌性肠-乳途径）迁移到乳腺。本文就奶牛乳房炎的致病因素及其影响、胃肠道菌群与奶牛乳房炎的关联性及其对乳房炎的调控（包括饮食、短链脂肪酸（short-chain fatty acids,SCFAs）、益生菌及共生菌等因素）等方面进行了综述,旨在为奶牛乳房炎的发病机制及缓解措施提供新的思路。     

Ultrasonographic findings of the corpus luteum and the gravid uterus during heat stress in dairy cattle

The objectives of this study were to assess alterations in, echogenic appearance, size and blood flow in the corpus luteum, the placentomes and the blood flow in umbilical and uterine arteries that heat stress can cause in cooled pregnant dairy cows. Pregnant cows were allocated in two groups and the gravid uteri, along with the ipsilateral corpora lutea were examined during the winter (group W, n = 9) or the summer (group S, n = 10). The grey-scale ultrasound and colour flow imaging of the corpus luteum and placentome were performed. In addition, the umbilical and uterine artery diameters and haemodynamic parameters in the vessels were calculated. At the time of ultrasonographic examination, cortisol concentrations were higher, and progesterone levels tended to be lower in group S compared to group W. The grey-scale ultrasound evaluation of corpora lutea and placentomes was lower in group S compared to group W. The diameter of umbilical artery and the blood volume in the vessel were less in group S than in group W. We infer that heat stress affects foetal blood supply and possibly the structure of placentomes and corpora lutea, but it differently affects the blood flow characteristics in the umbilical and uterine arteries.     

LC-MS/MS法分析生猪异位发酵床垫料中5大类兽用抗菌药物残留及蓄积趋势

建立了生猪异位发酵床垫料中四环素类、喹诺酮类、磺胺类、酰胺醇类和大环内酯类共54种抗菌药物残留量的LC-MS/MS检测方法,经超低温冷冻粉碎后的垫料样本,以费休氏-库仑滴定法测定水分,用Mcllvaine-Na2EDTA缓冲液和乙腈提取,经亲水亲脂平衡固相萃取小柱净化,用LC-MS/MS法测定抗菌药物残留量,最终结果以折水后含量表示。方法具有简便、高通量、抗干扰的特点,可以满足生猪异位发酵床垫料中主要兽用抗菌药物残留检测的要求。利用该方法,对12家养殖场垫料样本中5大类兽用抗菌药物的残留量进行了检测。12家养殖场垫料样本中共检出25种抗菌药物,各场垫料样本抗菌药物总残留量在0.7 g/t~28 g/t之间,其中四环素类药物对总残留量的贡献率在91.3%～98.8%之间。     

柑橘渣对奶牛泌乳性能、养分消化率及乳成分的影响

试验评估不同水平柑橘渣对奶牛泌乳性能、养分消化及乳成分的影响。将32头泌乳性能一致的奶牛随机分为4个组,每组4个重复,每个重复2头。对照组饲喂粗脂肪水平为3%的日粮,处理组分别饲喂粗脂肪水平为5.5%的日粮同时添加0(T1)、5%(T2)和10%(T3)柑橘渣。结果显示,与对照组相比,处理组奶牛的粗脂肪摄入量、干物质和粗脂肪表观消化率显著提高(P<0.05),T2和T3组奶牛粗蛋白表观消化率显著高于对照组和T1组(P<0.05)。与对照组相比,处理组乳中粗脂肪含量显著降低(P<0.05),总固形物含量显著降低(P<0.05),乳中粗脂肪产量显著降低(P<0.05)。对照组乳中C10∶0脂肪酸含量最高,而T3组乳中C8∶0脂肪酸和单不饱和脂肪酸浓度最高,饱和脂肪酸浓度表现最低。处理组乳中n-3/n-6脂肪酸显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。研究表明,在高脂肪(5.5%粗脂肪)日粮中添加5%或10%柑橘渣可以提高奶牛粗蛋白表观消化率,且对奶牛的泌乳量和乳品质无负面影响。     

奶牛养殖小区规划设计研究与探讨

奶源基地建设是我国奶业发展的基础,奶牛养殖小区是目前我国奶牛养殖的可行模式。该文依据目前我国奶牛养殖约有72．7％为农户养殖的现状,立足奶牛养殖小区及其配套设施建设存在的问题,对奶牛养殖小区进行合理规划布局,并提出了奶牛养殖小区建设相应的技术参数,目的在于为奶牛养殖小区建设单位提供参考,改变我国庭院式奶牛饲养方式,提高奶牛饲养管理水平,改善奶源质量。在平面布局上,应该有管理生活区、奶牛生产区、辅助生产区和粪污处理区等4个功能区域。管理生活区和辅助生产区应建在小区的地势较高,上风向处;而粪污处理区设在地势低、下风向处;奶牛生产区设在小区中间。     

奶牛非饲草来源纤维营养研究进展

本文在总结分析国内外最新研究成果的基础上,对非饲草来源纤维(NFFS)对奶牛的营养作用和生理影响及其机理进行了综述,主要从NFFS部分替代饲草对奶牛生产性能、瘤胃草垫层和瘤胃发酵的影响,以及NFFS部分替代精料对饲料效率、生产性能和亚急性瘤胃酸中毒(SARA)奶牛生理的影响等方面进行论述,旨在为NFFS饲料在奶牛饲粮中的科学合理利用提供理论参考和依据。     

绿肥影响农田土传病害的研究进展

土传病害是制约我国农业可持续发展的因素之一。绿肥作为高效清洁的有机肥源,与主作物合理搭配,可有效降低主作物土传病害的发生和危害,是减少化学药剂使用的重要措施。因此,综述绿肥对土传病害的防控效果与机制,对于绿肥推广应用和土传病害绿色防控具有重要意义。绿肥影响作物土传病害的研究主要集中于土传真菌病害和线虫病害,且大多数研究表明,绿肥可通过增强主作物整体抗病水平,对病原菌的化感抑制作用和改善土壤理化性质,增加土壤微生物中拮抗菌多样性和丰富度等,显著降低主作物土传病害发病率和严重程度。然而,绿肥影响主作物病害的作用机制研究不够深入,绿肥-主作物搭配模式和绿肥调控主作物病害的社会经济学效益仍需探究。同时,加强绿肥-主作物病害一体化防控及绿肥与根际促生菌、生防菌等其他有机改良剂或与适当的化学防控措施之间协同作用的研究,是未来需要加强的研究方向。