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Animals
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Ruminant Nutrition and Lactation Physiology
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Ruminant Nutrition and Lactation Physiology

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Small Ruminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 11033

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sameer J. Mabjeesh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
Interests: new forage crops in the Mediterranean area; feed analysis and digestibility; agriculture and industrial by-products as feedstuff for ruminants; hydroponic green fodder; dairy goats; dairy cows; the impact of colostrum on the mature life in dairy goats
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Feeding and managements of intensive dairy farming have become a complicated task that resembles and involves high tech. The success of modern farming is measured in terms of high production efficiency based on input resources and output of product ratio. Feed and feeding managements costs can reach up to 55–65% of the product value. Hence, precision in dairy farms is the key to success. Precision in dairy farming begins with accurate knowledge of nutrient requirements and ration formulation, using computer software (e.g., linear programing), to fulfil the genetic production potential. However, feeding efficiency requires precise measurements of the actual feed intake (NEL) and net energy output in milk. In addition to the above, many different factors, which in part are interrelated, affect productivity and efficiency. Environmental stressors (e.g., heat stress), disease, physiological status of the animal (e.g., transition vs. lactation), and light (photoperiod vs. circadian rhythm) are issues that affect productivity and efficiency. In order to cope with all challenges, knowledge of precise production physiology is needed, beginning from factors affecting feed intake such as flavor and taste additives, ration components, rumen and post-ruminal digestive physiology and absorption, and partitioning of nutrients between peripheral tissues and the udder. 

Original manuscripts that address any aspects of dairy cows requirements, feeding systems, and digestive and lactation physiology are invited to this Special Issue. 

Topics of special interest are the management and measuring technology of feed intake in farms for dairy cows, additives affecting (encouraging or depressing) feed intake for higher efficient production, digestive physiology and nutrients partitioning to the mammary gland, feeding the mammary gland, nutrients affecting milk production, AA, fatty acids, etc., basic absorptive and post-absorptive mechanisms at the GIT, basic metabolic pathways of synthesis and secretion of milk components, and so on. 

Prof. Dr. Sameer J. Mabjeesh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dairy management
  • feed intake
  • production efficiency
  • precision
  • digestive physiology
  • milk production

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 743 KiB  
Article
Prepartum and Postpartum Feed Restrictions Affect Blood Metabolites and Hormones Reducing Colostrum and Milk Yields in Fat-Tailed Dairy Sheep
by Mousa Zarrin, Meysam Sanginabadi, Mahrokh Nouri, Amir Ahmadpour and Lorenzo E. Hernández-Castellano
Animals 2021, 11(5), 1258; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051258 - 27 Apr 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2216
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of prepartum and postpartum feed restriction on body weight (BW), blood metabolites, and hormones as well as colostrum and milk yields and compositions in fat-tailed dairy sheep. In this study, 20 multiparous and pregnant ewes were [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the effect of prepartum and postpartum feed restriction on body weight (BW), blood metabolites, and hormones as well as colostrum and milk yields and compositions in fat-tailed dairy sheep. In this study, 20 multiparous and pregnant ewes were randomly allocated to either the control (Ctrl; n = 10) or the feed-restricted (FR; n = 10) groups from week −5 to week 5 relative to parturition. Despite dry matter intake being decreased in the FR group compared to the Ctrl throughout both prepartum and postpartum periods, no differences in BW were detected between groups in any of the studied periods. Feed restriction increased both free fatty acids and beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations during both prepartum and postpartum periods. Similarly, feed restriction increased triglyceride concentration postpartum. Additionally, feed restriction increased insulin and growth hormone and decreased prolactin concentrations during both prepartum and postpartum periods. Feed restriction caused a decreased colostrum yield and a relative increase of the main colostrum components in the FR group. Similarly, milk yield decreased in the FR group compared to the Ctrl group, although milk components were not affected. In conclusion, feed restriction did not affect BW but decreased colostrum and milk yield in fat-tailed dairy sheep. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Nutrition and Lactation Physiology)
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17 pages, 1928 KiB  
Article
Dietary Starch Concentration Affects Dairy Sheep and Goat Performances Differently during Mid-Lactation
by Mondina Francesca Lunesu, Mauro Decandia, Giovanni Molle, Alberto Stanislao Atzori, Giovanni Cristoforo Bomboi and Antonello Cannas
Animals 2021, 11(5), 1222; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051222 - 23 Apr 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2878
Abstract
Evolution of milk production, body reserves and blood metabolites and their relationships with dietary carbohydrates were compared in 30 Sarda dairy ewes and 26 Saanen dairy goats in mid-lactation. From 92 to 152 ± 11 days in milk (DIM), each species was allocated [...] Read more.
Evolution of milk production, body reserves and blood metabolites and their relationships with dietary carbohydrates were compared in 30 Sarda dairy ewes and 26 Saanen dairy goats in mid-lactation. From 92 to 152 ± 11 days in milk (DIM), each species was allocated to two dietary treatments: high-starch (HS: 20.0% starch, on DM basis) and low-starch (LS: 7.8% starch, on DM basis) diets. In mid-lactating goats, the HS diet increased fat-corrected milk yield (FCM (3.5%); 2.65 vs. 2.53 kg/d; p = 0.019) and daily milk net energy (NEL; p = 0.025), compared to the LS diet. The body condition score (BCS) was not affected. In mid-lactating ewes, the LS diet increased FCM (6.5%) (1.47 vs. 1.36 kg/d; p = 0.008), and NEL (p = 0.008), compared to the HS diet. In addition, BCS was greater in HS than in LS ewes (3.53 vs. 3.38; p = 0.008). Goats had a higher growth hormone (GH) and lower insulin concentration than ewes (GH: 2.62 vs. 1.37 ng/mL; p = 0.04; insulin: 0.14 vs. 0.38 µg/L; p < 0.001 in goats and ewes, respectively). In conclusion, in mid-lactation, the two species responded differently to dietary carbohydrates, probably due to differences in the concentration of GH and insulin. The HS diet favored milk yield in goats and body reserve accumulation in ewes. In ewes, the partial replacement of starch with highly digestible fiber increased energy partitioning in favor of milk production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Nutrition and Lactation Physiology)
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18 pages, 4277 KiB  
Article
Maternal Folic Acid Supplementation Differently Affects the Small Intestinal Phenotype and Gene Expression of Newborn Lambs from Differing Litter Sizes
by Zhen Li, Bo Wang, Heqiong Li, Luyang Jian, Hailing Luo, Bing Wang, Can Zhang, Xingang Zhao, Ying Xue, Sijia Peng and Shuxian Zuo
Animals 2020, 10(11), 2183; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10112183 - 22 Nov 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2454
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal dietary folic acid (FA) supplementation during gestation on small intestinal development of newborn lambs of different litter sizes, focusing on the intestinal morphology and development-, apoptosis- and digestion-related genes expression. One [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal dietary folic acid (FA) supplementation during gestation on small intestinal development of newborn lambs of different litter sizes, focusing on the intestinal morphology and development-, apoptosis- and digestion-related genes expression. One hundred and twenty Hu ewes (Ovis aries) were inseminated and randomly allotted to three groups. One group received a control diet [without FA supplementation, control (CON)] and the other two groups received control diets supplemented with different amount of FA [16 or 32 mg FA per kg dry matter (DM), i.e., F16 and F32] during pregnancy. After lambing, according to the dietary FA levels and litter size (twins, TW; triplets, TR), the neonatal lambs were divided into 6 (TW-CON, TW-F16, TW-F32, TR-CON, TR-F16, TR-F32) treatment groups. The results showed that the ratio of small intestinal weight to live body weight and the thickness of the intestinal muscle layer in the offspring was enhanced significantly with increasing maternal FA supplementation (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) and sodium/glucose co-transporter-1 (SGLT1) in the small intestines of the newborn lambs were increased, while the opposite was true for Bcl2-associated × (BAX) in response to FA supplementation (p < 0.05). Moreover, the small intestinal weights of twins were significantly higher than those of triplets (p < 0.01), and the expression levels of IGF-I (p < 0.05), sucrase-isomaltase (SI) (p < 0.05) and solute carrier family 2 member 5 (SLC2A5) (p < 0.01) were significantly lower than those in triplets. These findings suggest that maternal FA supplementation could improve the offspring’s small intestinal phenotype and the expression of development-, apoptosis- and digestion-related genes, so it could promote the small intestinal development of newborn lambs. Furthermore, the small intestine phenotypic development of twins was generally better than that of triplets, while the expression levels of the above genes of twins were lower than those of triplets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Nutrition and Lactation Physiology)
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10 pages, 959 KiB  
Article
An Extended Photoperiod Increases Milk Yield and Decreases Ovulatory Activity in Dairy Goats
by Kathryn J. Logan, Brian J. Leury, Vicki M. Russo, A.W.N. (Sandy) Cameron, Alan J. Tilbrook and Frank R. Dunshea
Animals 2020, 10(10), 1879; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101879 - 15 Oct 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2448
Abstract
Short day length is associated with reduced milk production in dairy ruminants. Dairy ruminants have been kept in lit sheds during winter to extend the day length and stimulate milk production. However, there studies are few on the effect of an extended photoperiod [...] Read more.
Short day length is associated with reduced milk production in dairy ruminants. Dairy ruminants have been kept in lit sheds during winter to extend the day length and stimulate milk production. However, there studies are few on the effect of an extended photoperiod on the ensuing reproductive performance of dairy goats. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of long day photoperiod (LDPP) and exposure to bucks on milk production and plasma progesterone and prolactin in dairy goats. The study was conducted in 122 non-pregnant lactating dairy goats over 18 weeks from April to August (late autumn and winter in the Southern Hemisphere). The goats were kept in open sided sheds in which the control treatment received ambient lighting while the LDPP treatment received 16 h of light, including artificial lighting. In June, July and August synchronised does were randomly assigned each month to the presence or absence of a buck and ovulatory activity determined from plasma progesterone. Plasma progesterone concentrations were reduced (0.73 vs. 0.46 pmol, p < 0.001) while prolactin concentrations were increased (0.095 vs. 1.33 ng/mL, p < 0.001) in LDPP goats. The former response was most marked in late winter (0.58 vs. 0.004 pmol, p < 0.001) indicating a lack of functional corpora lutea. While there was no overall effect of buck exposure on plasma progesterone concentrations there was a three-way interaction such that plasma progesterone concentrations were increased (p < 0.05) by exposure to bucks in LDPP goats in August (late winter) but not at other times. Milk production was increased in LDPP goats over the latter stages of the study (1. 55 vs. 1.82 L/d, p < 0.05). Also, persistency of lactation was greater in LDPP goats with fewer goats drying off (13 vs. 0%, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that LDPP can increase milk production and persistence while decreasing ovulatory activity in dairy goats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Nutrition and Lactation Physiology)
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