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It is widely assumed that the quality of human–animal interactions may have a strong impact on animals’ living conditions and is fundamental to improving farm animal welfare. This work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of methods for assessing and monitoring the welfare of lactating goats. In particular, attention was paid to the methods regarding the assessment of the human–animal relationship. The experimental protocol included three tests and observations in the milking parlour, namely: avoidance distance in the pen, avoidance distance at the manger, approach test within 2 min and behavioural observations of stockmen and animals during milking. Fourteen dairy goat farms located in the province of Potenza (Southern Italy) with flocks ranging in size from 67 to 450 lactating goats were used. All farms raised the Rossa Mediterranean goat breed. The percentage of goats that permitted themselves to be touched at the manger (mean ± SD: 12.36 ± 9.50) was higher than that found in the pen (9.67 ± 11.86) and within 2 min inside the pen (8.19 ± 13.78). The avoidance distance at the manger (0.63 ± 0.28 m) was shorter than that recorded in the pen (1.19 ± 0.58 m). Avoidance distance at the manger was positively correlated with that in the pen (Spearman correlation test (rs) = 0.607; p < 0.01), as was the percentage of goats touched at the manger and in the pen (rs = 0.647; p < 0.01). Approximately 60% of the stockman interactions observed during milking were neutral, while positive and negative interactions had similar values to each other, approximately 20%. The number of neutral stockman interactions was positively correlated with the percentage of goats moving when approached at a distance >1 m (rs = 0.799; p < 0.001) and was negatively correlated with the animals touched at the manger (rs = −0.607; p < 0.05), in the pen (rs = −0.613; p < 0.05) and within 2 min (rs = −0.669; p < 0.01). As regards the degree of association between the behaviour of the milker and the animals during the milking routine, the percentage of neutral interactions tended to be positively correlated only with the number of kicks performed by the animals (rs = 0.476; p < 0.10). It is concluded that avoidance distance at the manger and in the pen, as for other farm animals, are valid tests to evaluate the human–animal relationship in goats. In addition, avoidance distance at the manger may reliably replace the test performed in the pen.

Former food products include various leftovers from the food industry which, although they have lost values for human consumption, could be safely used for livestock, thus limiting environmental impact of food waste, and reducing feeding costs. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional characteristics of different types of former foods from pasta industry. Four types of dry pasta refusal (wholemeal, semolina, purple, and tricolor) and whole barley grain (control) were analyzed for chemical composition and

The present study aims to identify margins for the improvement of dairy animal welfare and production based on the quality of the human−animal relationship (HAR). The main tool proposed to improve the quality of HAR in dairy animals is training of stock-people by targeting their attitude and behaviour. Given that a good quality HAR may benefit the welfare of dairy animals and productivity, new technologies, by monitoring the handling routine on farm, may be more effective in promoting good practices. In particular, the implementation of new technologies may allow identification of specific inappropriate behaviours to be targeted at stockperson level, thus increasing the efficacy of training. However, an issue related to the introduction of new technologies in the farms, particularly in those that follow traditional farming practices, is the resistance to innovation which may be encountered.

This chapter addresses basic aspects of the behavior of female buffaloes during farrowing, milking, and weaning while also discussing the neurophysiological mechanism of the pain that normally accompanies parturition and describing the pain that female buffaloes may experience when suffering from mastitis. This is a common medical condition, but one that requires preventive measures because if it progresses it compromises not only the health and welfare of the buffaloes, but also the economic success of the productive unit. Finally, we outline novel strategies for weaning that can reduce stress in calves. The calving process places huge physical demands on the parturient buffalo that are associated with pain. Calving is a dynamic process characterized by constant, painful uterine contractions that increase in frequency and intensity. This type of pain has both visceral and somatic components. Pain surges in the peripheral nervous system as pain signals form synapses with the nerve tracts that extend towards the central nervous system. Recent studies demonstrate that milking routines can affect the comfort level of female buffaloes if they have not been habituated to the specific actions involved in a daily routine in which milking is always performed at the same time of day through certain kinds of handling during human-animal interaction. This chapter focuses too on traditional and current weaning strategies to improve productivity and calf welfare for river buffaloes. Wean calves as old as possible. Older calves display less signs of stress than young animals. Deworming calves prior to weaning, may produce heavier and healthier calves at weaning. Avoid combining stressful procedures like castration or branding with weaning. Weaning itself is a stressful procedure and subjecting a calf to further stress, notably harms their welfare. The knowledge of specific weaning methods might contribute to enhance the welfare of the offspring and to improve the reproductive efficiency of the buffalo cow.

Objective: To conduct a bibliographic review of the inventory and distribution of the buffalo herd, leading dairy buffalo breeds, and to map the main research topics for dairy buffaloes, emphasizing feeding methods and their effects on milk and mozzarella cheese quality.Design/Methodology/Approach: Analysis of the main research topics on dairy buffalo, through a wide review of specialized journals.Results: The production and processing of buffalo milk has gained relevance in recent years along different latitudes thanks to its nutritional qualities and the international regard for products such as mozzarella cheese. The main studies are carried out in Asia, Italy, and Brazil, emphasizing that diets are a determining factor in yield and quality of milk and its derivatives, but that genetics, environment, and animal managementare what in the end model these characteristics.Study Limitations/Implications: To conduct further research on dairy buffalo, especially in Mexico, where it has important development opportunities.Findings/Conclusions: The bibliographic body of work presents practical restrictions, advances are recognized, and also the need to further research topics such as reproduction and animal welfare, management and valuation of buffalo milk and its derivatives, with the opportunity to explore organic production.

Simple Summary The present paper reviews the importance of bonding for the survival and well-being in the cow–calf relationship. The review focuses on buffaloes and information from other species is used for comparison or to find more general patterns in the absence of specific sources. Differences between several farm species are also described, focusing on the role played by the sensory stimuli during the sensitive period after birth. How bonding can be classified according to the predominant senses used by different species, the importance of learning (i.e., imprinting) in the development of mother–young relationship, and the neurobiological mechanisms involved are also delineated. Finally, some examples of the main factors that can affect the mother–young relationship in the field are given. By understanding the imprinting at brain level, as well as the relationship with behavior, we gain a deeper insight into the critical role that experience, and environmental factors play in shaping the development of the mother–offspring bond. Abstract In buffaloes and other mammalian farm species, the mother provides food and protection to the young, but she is also the main source of behavioral and social learning for the offspring. It is important that mother and young establish a bond based on a learning mechanism defined as “imprinting” early after parturition during the sensitive period, on which the welfare and survival of the offspring will depend. This review aims to summarize and discuss current knowledge regarding the imprinting process, the neurobiological pathways that are triggered during this sensitive period, and the development of the cow–calf bond. Touch, hearing, vision, and smell seem to be the predominant senses involved during imprinting in buffaloes and other mammalian farm species. In buffalo, bonding is very particular due to the expression of specific behaviors, such as allo-suckling and communal rearing. In general, imprinting and the subsequent bond may be affected by the lack of experience of the mothers or dystocic parturitions, which occur most frequently with male calves and in primiparous dams. The main problems in the development of this process include lack of seeking a protected and isolated place to give birth; moving from the birth-site after parturition; insufficient postpartum care; aversion or aggressiveness towards the newborn, or abandonment of the newborn. The process can develop differently according to the species. However, the correct development of the cow–calf relationship represents, regardless of the species, a key factor for their fitness.

We assessed the effects of inclusion of chickpea from 24 to 21%, as feed basis, in diets for organically reared bulls. Sixteen young bulls (270 ± 6.4 days of age, 246 ± 0.13 kg in weight) belonging to a native Italian breed (Maremmana) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments. The control diets were based on mixed grass hay, maize meal, and barley meal. In the experimental diets, barley was equally substituted by locally produced chickpea. Animals were weighed every 2 weeks until the prefixed slaughtering weight (630 kg). Plasma metabolites were measured at the 1st, 7th, and 14th month of the experiment. Chemical composition, colour, shear force, and water holding capacity of meat were assessed on Longissimus thoracis et lumborum 7 days after slaughter. The chickpea-fed animals showed a significantly greater average daily gain (1064 vs. 1168 kg/day), a shorter growing phase (364 vs. 335 days), and a better carcass conformation. Plasma metabolites and meat quality were not influenced by the treatments. The better growth performance and carcass quality of the chickpea fed bulls resulted in a higher economic profit for the chickpea-based diets. Results suggest that chickpea may allow sustainable performance improvement of native breeds within their traditional farming systems.

This study aims to assess the compositional traits and sensory characteristics of a traditional pecorino cheese associated with management and feeding system seasonality. The study was carried out on two mountain dairy farms using an outdoor, pasture-based system from April to October (OutS), and an indoor system (InS) during the rest of the year. Outdoor-produced milk had higher fat content and a tendency for protein and somatic cell count to be higher. The OutS cheeses showed higher dry matter and fat content, higher percentages of unsaturated fatty acids, C18:3, cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid, and trans-11 C18:1, and lower percentages of C14:0 and C16:0. These modifications in fatty acid composition determined the reduction of the atherogenic index. The OutS cheeses also displayed higher intensity of almost all sensory attributes, including odor, flavor, taste, and texture descriptors. The outdoor system partly reduced the liking of consumers for pecorino. However, changes in the productive process leading to an increment in the water content and softness of the cheeses (i.e., controlled humidity and temperature during ripening) may increase the overall liking of pasture-based products, thus promoting the consumption of healthier foods.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the use of chickpea meal in substitution of soybean meal on plasma metabolites, reproductive response, milk yield and composition and milk coagulation traits of primiparous buffaloes in early lactation. Eighteen primiparous buffaloes were blocked by age, body weight and days in milk and equally allotted to two experimental groups from 10 to 100 days of lactation. The experimental diets consisted of the same forage integrated with two different isonitrogenous and isoenergetic concentrates containing either 210 g/kg of soybean meal or 371 g/kg chickpea. The use of chickpea meal had no negative effects on dry matter intake (p = 0.69), body condition score (p = 0.33) and milk yield (p = 0.15). Neither milk composition nor blood metabolites were influenced by dietary treatments (p &gt, 0.05), but an increment of urea concentrations in milk (p &lt, 0.05) and blood plasma (p &lt, 0.001) were observed in buffaloes fed chickpeas. Moreover, no effect (p &gt, 0.05) of the dietary treatment was highlighted on milk coagulation traits as well as buffalo reproductive responses. We concluded that soybean meal can be replaced by chickpea meal in the diet for primiparous dairy buffaloes in the early lactation period without impairing their productive and reproductive performance.

Sheep milk production is an important livestock sector for the European Mediterranean countries including the regions of southern Italy. The main objective of this study was to investigate the carbon footprint and the related damages generated by dairy sheep farming by using a simplified LCA approach based on the ReCiPe End-point method. We used 1 kg of Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM) as functional unit (FU). The average flock size was about 400 animals and the average farm size was about 66 ha. In addition to milk all farms produced meat and wool. Therefore, we performed an economic allocation by dividing all inputs and outputs among milk and the other two co-products (meat and wool), based on farm financial statements. The CF impact determined by 1 kg of FPCM was 3.78 kg CO2-eq. The highest CF impact was mainly due to the enteric fermentation, producing biogenic CH4 as the prevalent chemical compound, followed by the production of meadow hay. Based on the ReCiPe End-point method the impact of 1 kg of FPCM from dairy sheep farming was 7.35 E-06 Disability Adjusted Life Years, whereas the Damage to Ecosystem Diversity was 3.29 E-07 Species*year and the value of the Damage to Resource Availability 0.025 $. In conclusion, the environmental management and sustainability of sheep farms should be constantly controlled with the aim of minimizing their impacts without compromising the competitiveness of this productive sector.

This paper presents the results of a survey carried out in 68 dairies in southern Italy on the manufacturing processes of traditional Italian Caciocavallo cheese varieties. Following a study of the relevant literature, the various cheesemaking processes were analysed and the implications of different cheesemaking procedures were explored. The manufacturing variations able to influence the organoleptic characteristics of Caciocavallo cheese were milk and rennet types, procedures for curd acidification and stretching, salting and ripening conditions, and smoking treatment. This survey is designed to guide producers and consumers alike with respect to the perceivable effects of manufacturing variants on cheese quality.

Integration of trees with agricultural crops and livestock systems may offer advantages in term of productivity, economic return, and sustainability. In order to identify a candidate crop for Mediterranean silvoarable systems to be used in livestock farming as a protein source locally produced, a study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of feeding peas (Pisum sativum L.) as main protein source on milk yield and in vivo digestibility of primiparous buffaloes. Two almost isonitrogenous concentrates (on average, crude protein 240 g/kg dry matter) were formulated to contain, as fed basis, either 350 g/kg of soybean cake (SoyC) or 450 g/kg of extruded peas (PeaC) as the main protein source. Twenty primiparous buffaloes were blocked by age and body weight into two dietary treatments (Soyand Pea) from 10 to 100 day in milk. All cows were fed in the barn a total mixed ration containing 3 kg of SoyC and in the milking parlour they were individually supplemented by either 3 kg of SoyC or PeaC according to the group assignment. The substitution rate of soybean protein by pea protein was approximately 30%. Milk yield was not affected by the dietary use of extruded peas, as well as, milk fat and protein percentages, and clotting properties. Moreover, in vivo digestibility did not differ between the two dietary groups. Results support the partial substitution of soybean cake with extruded peas in diets for lactating buffaloes.

Two studies were carried out to assess the effects of seed inoculation by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) coupled to a reduced fertilizer supply on yield, economic benefit and energy balance of maize and sorghum forage cropping. The effect of dietary inclusion of mycorrhizal forages on milk yield was also examined. The control treatments (control maize and control sorghum) were non-mycorrhizal seeds fertilized with recommended doses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). The inoculated treatments (inoculated maize and inoculated sorghum) were the mycorrhizal seeds fertilized with a half dose of N. For each treatment, two plots, 1.5 ha each, were used. The forages were ensiled and fed to lactating buffaloes (maize) and dairy cows (sorghum). Plant traits and yield parameters were generally found to be higher in inoculated compared to the control plants. Inoculation positively influenced the chemical composition of sorghum silage that resulted in less fibre and more protein and presented higher dry matter degradability. No differences between the control and inoculated maize silages were found. For both inoculated crops, higher profitability (+670 and 732€ for maize and sorghum, respectively), as well as an increment of net energy (+0.24 and 0.60, respectively), and energy use efficiency (+0.53 and 0.85, respectively) were observed. The use of the inoculated silages did not affect milk yield. Results suggest that seed inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi combined with the low rate of fertilizers could be a viable solution to increase the eco-efficiency and profitability in forage production without affecting forage quality and lactating cow productivity.

Livestock production, particularly beef supply chain, is charged as the major contributor to green-house gas (GHG) emissions, as well as, in land degradation and deforestation. Environmental impacts per kg of edible beef, however, vary largely due to differences in beef production systems. Thus, this study aimed to compare the cradle-to-farm gate sustainability of four different Italian beef production systems, in terms of land occupation (LO, m2/year), global warming (GWP, kg CO2 -eq), water depletion (WD, m3), acidification (AP, g SO2 -eq) and eutrophication (EP, g NO3 -eq) potentials by using the LCA methodology (SimaPro 8.01 PhD, PRé Consultants). The primary data were obtained from 25 farms: 7 farms conducting cow–calf operations, with specialized beef cattle maintained on pasture and finished in confinement, (Specialized extensive, SE); 6 farms conducting high grain fattening of specialized beef breed imported calves (Fattening systems, FS); 5 farms conducting cow-calf operations, with specialized beef animals constantly kept in confinement (Cow-calf intensive; CCI); 7 farms conducting cow–calf operations, with Podolian cattle (a native breed of Southern Italy) maintained on pasture and finished in confinement, (Podolian system; PoS). The functional unit was 1 kg of live weight of marketed beef cattle. Intensive systems (i.e. CCI and FS) showed lower GWP values than systems partially based on pasture such as PoS, and even SE (17.62 ± 1.78 and 21.94 ± 1.95 kg CO2 –eq vs 26.30 ± 1.65 and 25.41 ± 1.65 kg CO2 –eq, P

In buffaloes and other mammalian farm species, the mother provides food and protection to the young, but she is also the main source of behavioral and social learning for the offspring. It is important that mother and young establish a bond based on a learning mechanism defined as “imprinting” early after parturition during the sensitive period, on which the welfare and survival of the offspring will depend. This review aims to summarize and discuss current knowledge regarding the imprinting process, the neurobiological pathways that are triggered during this sensitive period, and the development of the cow–calf bond. Touch, hearing, vision, and smell seem to be the predominant senses involved during imprinting in buffaloes and other mammalian farm species. In buffalo, bonding is very particular due to the expression of specific behaviors, such as allo-suckling and communal rearing. In general, imprinting and the subsequent bond may be affected by the lack of experience of the mothers or dystocic parturitions, which occur most frequently with male calves and in primiparous dams. The main problems in the development of this process include lack of seeking a protected and isolated place to give birth; moving from the birth-site after parturition; insufficient postpartum care; aversion or aggressiveness towards the newborn, or abandonment of the newborn. The process can develop differently according to the species. However, the correct development of the cow–calf relationship represents, regardless of the species, a key factor for their fitness.

Simple Summary Recovery and valorization of residues are key factors for agro-industry to progress towards circular-economy models and more sustainable productions. In the vegetable oils industry, large quantities of spent seed cakes are produced downstream of the oil extraction processes, and their use as animal feedstuffs, mainly as protein supplements for ruminants, is a possible valorization strategy. In this study, we analyzed chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of spent cakes from sunflower, pomegranate, cardoon, tobacco and hemp that are multipurpose cultures emerging in Mediterranean area. The results showed that the cakes of tobacco, cardoon and hemp might be interesting alternative protein feeds for ruminants. The valorization of these cakes may potentially improve economic and environmental sustainability of the emerging vegetable-oil production chains. Abstract Fifteen oilseed cakes from sunflower, pomegranate, cardoon, tobacco and hemp were characterized with regard to chemical composition, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) fractionation, in vitro digestibility of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, and crude protein. All the cakes presented low moisture, rather variable ether extract contents and medium to high levels of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber. The cakes significantly differed in terms of CNCPS partitioning and in vitro digestibility. Tobacco and hemp cakes presented high contents of slow degradable fractions of crude protein and carbohydrate joined to good post-ruminal protein digestibility. Cardoon cakes presented the highest rumen protein degradability. Based on crude protein content and intestinal digestibility of rumen undegraded protein, cakes of tobacco and hemp showed the better potential as alternative protein supplements for ruminants, while pomegranate appears to be the least suitable for ruminant feeding.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the forage preservation method (silage vs. hay) on volatile compounds and sensory properties of a traditional Caciocavallo cheese during ripening. A brown-midrib sudangrass hybrid was cultivated on a 7-ha field and at harvesting it was half ensiled in plastic silo bags and half dried to hay. Forty-four lactating cows were equally allotted into 2 groups fed a isonitrogenous and isoenergetic total mixed ration containing as the sole forage either sorghum hay (H group) or sorghum silage (S group). Milk from the 2 groups was used to produce 3 batches/diet of Caciocavallo ripened for 30, 60, and 90 d. Milk yield and composition as well as cheese chemical and fatty acid composition were not markedly affected by the diet treatment and ripening time. By contrast, ripening induced increased levels of the appearance attribute "yellowness," along with the "overall flavor," the odor/flavor attributes "butter" and "hay," the "salty," "bitter," and "umami" tastes, and the texture attribute "oiliness," whereas the appearance attribute "uniformity" and the texture attribute "elasticity" were reduced. The silage-based diet induced higher perceived intensities of several attributes such as "yellowness"; "overall flavor"; "butter"; "grass" and "hay" odor/flavors; "salty," "bitter," and "umami" tastes; and "tenderness" and "oiliness" textures. In S cheese we also observed higher amounts of ketones and fatty acids. Conversely, H cheese showed the terpene α-pinene, which was not detected in S cheese, and a higher intensity of the appearance attribute "uniformity." These differences allowed the trained panel to discriminate the products, determined an increased consumer liking for 90-d ripened cheese, and tended to increase consumer liking for hay cheese.

Aim of the study was to examine during ripening the instrumental and sensory proprieties of Caciocavallo of Castelfranco cheese produced by using hay or silage as the sole forage source. Three batches of Caciocavallo were manufactured by using milk from two homogenous groups of cows fed isoenergetic and isonitrogenous rations containing 60% (on DM basis) of sorghum silage or hay. Analyses were carried out on curd after salting (time 0) and on cheese after 30, 60 and 90 days of ripening. Instrumental colour (CIELAB system) was determined by spectrophotometry. The compression test was performed by an Instron Universal testing machine. The sensory analysis was performed by using a quantitative–descriptive analysis (QDA) method. Two appearances (uniformity and colour), six odours/flavours (overall odour, overall flavour, milk, butter, grass, hay), three tastes (salty, sour, bitter, umami), and three textures (tenderness, elasticity, oiliness) attributes represented the consensus profile of sensory characteristics. Data were analysed by a mixed procedure to evaluate the fixed effects of diet and ripening times. Sensory profile data were subjected to a preliminary analysis of variance in order to verify the reliability of the panel. No serious defects (poor odour or taste, blowing, etc.) were highlighted in the cheeses. Moreover, no notable discrepancies were found between instrumental and sensory colour and texture. The intensity of yellow was remarkably higher in silage cheeses (p

We aimed to verify whether Continuous Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (10 observers used a list of six qualitative descriptors) paired with Temporal Dominant Behavioural Expression (the same observers were asked to select the dominant descriptor and to score its intensity level) was able to monitor fluctuations of animal behaviour expression over time. We applied these techniques to three groups of juvenile goats either weaned (group C), or un-weaned (groups WOM and WM). Each animal was separated from its group, moved to group C and tested for 30 min either while their mothers were at pasture, or while their mothers were in an adjacent pen (group WOM and WM, respectively). Animals from group C were separated from their group and immediately reintroduced to it. TDBE duration and score of each descriptor of behavioural expression were able to detect differences among groups but were unable to describe how the behaviour of the goats changed as the time progressed. TDBE curves described the evolution of each behavioural expression of each animal over time but were unable to detect differences among groups. The χ2 test conducted on peaks of dominance, albeit displaying the variations of the behavioural expression over time and allowing the assessment of differences among groups, focussed on occurrences of higher agreement between observers while neglecting most of the information concerning the descriptors above the level of significance. Conversely, based on mixed analysis of variance with the fixed effects of group, test interval and group x test interval (animal nested into group and observer were considered to be random), most of the descriptors were able to discriminate the three experimental groups while preserving the information on the fluctuations of the behavioural expression of the animals during the test.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of inclusion of fresh forage in diet for lactating buffalo on properties of mozzarella cheese under intensive farming conditions. Thirty-two buffalo cows were equally allotted into 2 groups fed diets with (fresh group, FRS) or without (control group, CTL) fresh sorghum. The study consisted of 2 trials. In the first one, animals from group FRS were fed a diet containing 10 kg of fresh sorghum (10-FRS diet) that was doubled to 20 kg (20-FRS diet) in the second trial. All diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergetic, and fresh forage accounted for 13.4 and 26.5 of dietary dry matter, respectively, for the 10-FRS and 20-FRS diet. In each trial, milk from the 2 groups was used to produce 3 batches/diet of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Protected Designation of Origin cheese. Milk yield and composition were not influenced by dietary treatment. The use of 10-FRS diet did not affect any properties of mozzarella. As the inclusion rate of fresh sorghum doubled to 20 kg, an increment of unsaturated fatty acid percentages and a lowering of short-chain and saturated fatty acids were observed. Moreover, the sensory characteristics of mozzarella were modified, although no effects were observed on consumer acceptance. We conclude that the use of green fodder can represent a low-cost feeding strategy to improve the healthiness of buffalo mozzarella under intensive farming conditions with no detrimental effect on consumer blind acceptance.

The use of Azospirillum as a tool for promoting sustainable production of silage maize: a preliminary evidence under field condition Francesco Serrapica1, Felicia Masucci2, Antonio Di Francia2, Maria Serrapica1, Giuseppe De Rosa2, Corrado Pacelli1 1Scuola di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari ed Ambientali, University of Basilicata, Italy 2Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Napoli Federico II, Italy Contact: francesco.serrapica@unibas.it The aim of this on-farm study was to evaluate the use of N2- fixing rhizobacteria Azospirillum in maize cropping as a strategy to reduce the use of nitrogen fertilization. The trial was conducted on an irrigated plain farm. Seeds of Zea maize were inoculated with a commercial product (Graminosoil srlVR ) based on Azospirillum spp. live cells at the dose of 5x104 cell form unit/kg seed. The treatments were MC (not inoculated maize seeds, fertilization: N 250 kg ha1) and MA (inoculated maize seeds, none fertilization) that were arranged in 2 contiguous areas, 1 ha each. Maize was harvested at the milky–waxy ripening stage. Measurement of the yield components and of the plant traits were made at harvesting, on a 3 strips (10 m long) per plot. For each strip, 50 plants were manually cut at 10 cm above the ground and weighted in order to determine biomass yield. Moreover, 3 sub-samples, each consisting of 3 plants, were collected to evaluate the plant traits. To this purpose, plants were separated in culm, cob and leaves and the following traits were recorded: culm height, number of green leaves, leaf area, weight of the culm, cob, and leaves. Leaf Area Index (LAI) were calculated based on the leaf area and the plant density for unit area (m2). Finally, 3 samples/plot of freshly chopped forage were collected in order to determine the dry matter content (DM) and chemical composition (Foss NIR systems 6500, Silver Springs, MD). Data were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA, with treatment as factor. By comparing plant traits recorded for MC and MA, the plant height (294 vs 298 cm), number of green leafs (15.7 vs 15.9), leaf area (0.63 vs 0.64 m2), and LAI (4.76 vs 4.77) were not influenced by the treatment (p>.05). Likewise, no significant differences (p>.05) could be detected for the weights of culms (412.0 vs 430.4 g), cobs (416.9 vs 430.9 g), and leaves (141.7 vs 142.5 g). As a consequence, the total biomass yields from MC and MA (72.92 vs 75.28Mg ha1, respectively) were not statistically different (p>.05). In regard of fresh forage chemical composition, no differences were found in terms of DM (34.6 vs 34.7%), crude protein (6.9 vs 6.9%DM), crude fibre (21.8 vs 21.9%DM), ether extract (1.0 vs 1.0%DM), ash (4.8 vs 4.9%DM), and NDF (50.7 vs 50.8%DM). Based on these preliminary results, seed's inoculation with Azospirillum may represent a viable tool for improvement of environmental effects of maize. Acknowledgements The authors are very grateful to the staffs of the farm ‘Eredi Iemma” (Eboli, Italy) for their help. The technical assistance of Maria Catapane is also recognized.