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The objective was to examine the effects of metabolizable protein (MP) and ruminal-protected methionine supplementation on growth performance of Holstein steer calves during the initial feedlot growing phase (112 d). One hundred eighty Holstein steer calves (122 ± 7 kg) were blocked by weight and assigned to 30 pens (6 steers per pen). Five treatments were applied: 1) control, a diet based on steam-flaked corn containing urea and dry distillers grains plus solubles as supplemental N sources with no amino acid addition; 2) control diet plus blood meal supplementation; 3) diet from treatment 2, with 0.064% Smartamine M (70% methionine; Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA) supplementation; 4) diet from treatment 2 with 0.096% Smartamine M supplementation; 5) diet from treatment 2 with 0.128% Smartamine M supplementation. All diets were formulated to exceed the estimated MP requirements. The estimated metabolizable lysine, as well as methionine, was deficient in the control diet. Blood meal was added to the control diet to meet estimated lysine requirements (diet 2), the other diets had increasing concentrations of supplemental methionine. Supplemental MP enhanced (10%, P  0.10). Supplemental MP did not affect (P > 0.10) dry matter intake (DMI) during the first 56-d period; however, it tended to increase (P = 0.08) DMI during the subsequent 56-d period. Overall, supplemental MP or methionine had no appreciable effect (P > 0.10) on DMI. Supplemental MP improved (P  0.10) gain efficiency during the second 56-d period, although it tended to enhance (P = 0.08) estimated dietary NE. Supplemental methionine did not appreciably affect (P > 0.10) gain efficiency or estimated dietary NE. Therefore, adding MP to cover the estimated limiting amino acid supply in diets may enhance the gain efficiency and dietary energetics of growing Holstein calves. However, amino acid addition supplementation beyond the requirements may not produce extra productive performance of steer calves.

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Brown Swiss (BS) cows have greater urea concentrations in milk and blood compared with Holstein (HO) cows. We tested the hypothesis that BS and HO cows differ in kidney function and nitrogen excretion. Blood, saliva, urine, and feces were sampled in 31 multiparous BS and 46 HO cows kept under identical feeding and management conditions. Samples were collected at different lactational stages after the monthly DHIA control test-day. To test the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urea excretion, concentrations of creatinine and urea were measured in serum, urine, and saliva. As an additional marker to estimate GFR, we determined symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) in serum. Feces were analyzed for DM content and nitrogen concentration. Data on milk urea and protein concentrations and daily milk yield were obtained from the monthly DHIA test-day records. The effects of breed, time, and parity number on blood, saliva, urine, feces, and milk parameters were evaluated with the GLM procedure of SAS, with breed, time, and parity number as fixed effects. Differences between BS and HO were assessed by the Tukey-corrected t -test. Concentrations of urea, creatinine, and SDMA in serum, were greater in BS than in HO cows: 5.46 ± 0.19 versus 4.72 ± 0.13 mmol/L (urea), 105.96 ± 2.23 versus 93.07 ± 1.50 mmol/L (creatinine), and 16.78 ± 0.69 versus 13.39 ± 0.44 µg/dL (SDMA). We observed a greater urea concentration in BS cows (25.8 ± 0.7 vs. 21.8 ± 0.7 mg/dL) and protein content in milk (3.70% ± 0.08% vs. 3.45% ± 0.07%) than in HO cows. Urea and creatinine concentrations in urine and saliva did not differ between breeds. No differences between BS and HO were observed for milk yield, fecal DM, and fecal nitrogen content. Dry matter intake and BW were similar in BS and HO cows. Despite greater urea, creatinine, and SDMA concentrations in blood, as well as a higher milk urea content in BS compared with HO, respective concentrations in urine did not differ between breeds. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a lower renal GFR in BS compared with HO cows, thereby contributing to the greater plasma urea concentration in BS cows. However, estimation of nitrogen excretion via milk, urine, and feces does not entirely reflect nitrogen turnover within the animal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Milk production and overall dairy farm economics depend on rearing dairy heifers. This study investigated the presence of a genotype by environment interaction in Holstein (HOL), Nordic Red dairy cattle (RDC), and their F 1 crossbreeds (HOL × RDC) when provided different feed rations. The aim of our study was to assess how different energy concentrations in feed rations affect growth, BCS, feed intake, and feed efficiency in the 3 groups during the prepubertal period. The 3 breed groups were randomly allocated to receive either a standard or a low-energy feed ration. Holstein heifers exhibited reduced growth and a lower BCS when they were fed the low-energy feed ration. In contrast, the RDC heifers demonstrated similar growth rates with the different feed rations and maintained similar BCS irrespective of feed energy concentration. The HOL × RDC crossbred heifers performed as an intermediate between the HOL and RDC groups. Significant differences were observed in DMI and energy intake in the HOL and HOL × RDC groups depending on feed ration treatment. The RDC heifers had similar feed intake irrespective of treatment. There were no significant differences in the feed conversion ratio among breeds and feed treatments. These results indicate the presence of a genotype by environment interaction in prepubertal HOL and RDC heifers in response to differences in feed ration treatment. Due to the influence of prepubertal growth on future milk production, reproduction, and health status, it is important to be aware of breed-specific requirements during the prepubertal period, particularly in mixed breed and crossbred groups, to optimize growth rates and production potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The process of acquiring sexed sperm involves the separation of sperm with X and Y chromosomes, allowing for the production of offspring of the desired sex. However, this process can negatively affect the quality of semen due to biochemical and physical stresses. ProAKAP4 is a major component of the sperm flagellum structure. In this study, sexed bull semen samples were evaluated using the proAKAP4 biomarker for the first time. Based on CASA and flow cytometry analysis of spermatozoa after thawing and incubation for 3 h, proAKAP4 is considered a practical biomarker for estimating the longevity of sexed sperm quality. ProAKAP4 is a sperm structural protein that regulates motility through the PKA-dependent cAMP signaling pathway, which is synthesized as an X chromosome-linked member of the gene family. This study aims to determine the optimal level of proAKAP4 for evaluating sexed semen through investigating its relationship with the longevity of sperm quality in sexed Holstein bull sperm. A total of 30 sexed sperm samples (bearing X chromosomes) from 30 distinct Holstein bulls (n = 30) were analyzed. The frozen bull sperm samples were assessed for their proAKAP4 levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity (PMAI), and spermatozoa movement parameters at hours 0 and 3 after thawing. The proAKAP4 levels in the sexed sperm samples ranged from 16.35 to 72.10 ng/10 M spz, with an average of 37.18 ± 15.1 ng/10 M spz. A strong positive correlation was observed between proAKAP4 levels and total motility, progressive motility, PMAI, high mitochondrial membrane potential, VAP, and VCL values after 3 h of incubation, when compared to post-thaw analyses. The results also reveal that spermatozoa with proAKAP4 levels of ≥40 ng/10 M spz exhibit higher quality. In conclusion, the level of proAKAP4 in sexed sperm aligns with previous studies and shows potential as a biomarker for assessing the longevity of sexed sperm quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regular monitoring of body condition score (BCS) changes during lactation is a crucial management tool in dairy cattle; however, the current BCS measurements are often discontinuous and unevenly spaced in time. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of random regression test‐day models (RR‐TDM) to predict BCS for the entire lactation in dairy cows even if the actual scoring is limited to one BCS record. The data consisted of test‐day records of milk yield (MY), fat percentage (FP), protein percentage (PP) and BCS (based on a 9‐point scale with unit increments; 1–9) collected from 2014 to 2022 in 128 herds in the Walloon Region of Belgium. In total, 20,698 test‐day records on 2166 first‐parity Holstein cows (2–12 with an average of 9.42 test‐day records per cow) were available for MY, FP and PP; and 7985 records on the same animals (2–12 with an average of 3.68 records per cow) were available for BCS. To estimate the solutions, only one randomly selected BCS record per animal along with all her MY, FP and PP records were used, which were then used to predict BCS data (calibration set). The remaining BCS (1–11 with an average 2.86 BCS records per animal) were used to evaluate the goodness of the predictions (validation set). Multiple‐trait RR‐TDM was used to estimate (co)variance components through the average information restricted maximum likelihood (AI‐REML) algorithm. Predicted BCS were grouped into nine classes as the original observed BCS used for comparison. Pearson correlation between the predicted and observed BCS, prediction error (PE), absolute prediction error (APE) and root mean squared prediction error (RMSE) were calculated. Mean (standard deviation; SD) BCS was 4.97 (1.01), 4.95 (1.07) and 4.98 (1.00) BCS units in the full, calibration and validation datasets, respectively. Pearson correlation between the observed and predicted BCS was 0.71, mean (SD) PE was 0.04 (0.52) BCS units, mean (SD) APE was 0.48 (0.53) BCS units and RMSE was 0.72 BCS units. These findings demonstrate the ability of RR‐TDM to predict BCS for the entire lactation using a single BCS record along with available test‐day records of milk yield and composition in Holstein dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calpastatin (CAST) gene is one of the genes associated with meat quality. Studies have shown that this gene is associated with quality traits such as body weight gain, carcass yield, meat tenderness and fat content in meat. In this study, the polymorphism of the CAST gene was determined using the PCR-RFLP method in Holstein, Simmental and Brown Swiss cattle. As a result of genotyping, three genotypes (MM, MN and NN) and two alleles (M and N) were determined. It was found that the MM genotype and the M allele had the highest frequency in all breeds examined, while the NN genotype had the lowest frequency. The NN genotype was only found in the Brown Swiss breed. All Simmental animals used in the study belonged to the MM genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic disorders arise from alterations in the hereditary information encoded in DNA, leading to potential detrimental effects on the well-being and vitality of organisms. Within the bovine population, genetic conditions inherited in an autosomal recessive manner are frequently associated with particular breeds. In recent years, several recessive haplotypes and a few causative mutations have been discovered in Holstein cattle: CDH (Holstein cholesterol deficiency), haplotypes with a homozygous deficiency in Holstein (HH1, HH3, HH4, HH5, HH6 and HH7), BLAD (bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency) and DUMPS (deficiency of uridine monophosphate synthase). All of these diseases are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. From a breeding perspective, recessive mutations specifically exhibit considerable detrimental effects and are a significant problem for breeders, exposing them to economic losses. Individual mutations can cause embryo death at any stage of pregnancy. Only genetic research and conscious selection of animals for mating will lead to a reduction in the number of carriers and elimination of mutations from the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cattle mange causes extreme itchiness, and the associated stress is an animal welfare concern that leads to economic losses due to decreased cattle productivity and deworming costs. This study investigated the reason why Chorioptic mites, C. bovis and C. texanus, preferentially infest the tail root region (rTR) and performed histological and biochemical analysis focusing on the volatile components of host odors that serve as the starting point for infestation of parasitic arthropods. Skin samples were taken from the rTR, lateral abdominal, and central masseteric, with the latter two designated as comparison sites. The two and three-dimensional histological analysis measured each sebaceous and sweat gland percentage per unit volume. The q-PCR analyzed the expression levels of ALDH1A1 and LOC785756, which are genes associated with volatile odoriferous compounds that serve as repellency and attractive messengers for ticks. Immunohistochemistry stained three sites with anti-androgen binding protein beta-like (ABPβ-like), encoded by LOC785756, antibody. The three-dimensional analysis showed that sebaceous glands in the rTR tend to be more continuous and existed in larger masses than in other regions. The expression level of LOC785756 was significantly higher in the rTR, and immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of ABPβ-like in the sebaceous gland with strong positive signals in the rTR. These results suggest that C. bovis/ texanus selectively infests the rTR because that skin has well-developed sebaceous glands, including a large amount of ABPβ-like, which acts as a mite attractant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Milk production and overall dairy farm economics depend on rearing dairy heifers. This study investigated the presence of a genotype by environment interaction in Holstein (HOL), Nordic Red dairy cattle (RDC), and their F1 crossbreeds (HOL × RDC) when provided different feed rations. The aim of our study was to assess how different energy concentrations in feed rations affect growth, BCS, feed intake, and feed efficiency in the 3 groups during the prepubertal period. The 3 breed groups were randomly allocated to receive either a standard or a low-energy feed ration. Holstein heifers exhibited reduced growth and a lower BCS when they were fed the low-energy feed ration. In contrast, the RDC heifers demonstrated similar growth rates with the different feed rations and maintained similar BCS irrespective of feed energy concentration. The HOL × RDC crossbred heifers performed as an intermediate between the HOL and RDC groups. Significant differences were observed in DMI and energy intake in the HOL and HOL × RDC groups depending on feed ration treatment. The RDC heifers had similar feed intake irrespective of treatment. There were no significant differences in the feed conversion ratio among breeds and feed treatments. These results indicate the presence of a genotype by environment interaction in prepubertal HOL and RDC heifers in response to differences in feed ration treatment. Due to the influence of prepubertal growth on future milk production, reproduction, and health status, it is important to be aware of breed-specific requirements during the prepubertal period, particularly in mixed breed and crossbred groups, to optimize growth rates and production potential.

ABSTRACT: Brown Swiss (BS) cows have greater urea concentrations in milk and blood compared with Holstein (HO) cows. We tested the hypothesis that BS and HO cows differ in kidney function and nitrogen excretion. Blood, saliva, urine, and feces were sampled in 31 multiparous BS and 46 HO cows kept under identical feeding and management conditions. Samples were collected at different lactational stages after the monthly DHIA control test-day. To test the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urea excretion, concentrations of creatinine and urea were measured in serum, urine, and saliva. As an additional marker to estimate GFR, we determined symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) in serum. Feces were analyzed for DM content and nitrogen concentration. Data on milk urea and protein concentrations and daily milk yield were obtained from the monthly DHIA test-day records. The effects of breed, time, and parity number on blood, saliva, urine, feces, and milk parameters were evaluated with the GLM procedure of SAS, with breed, time, and parity number as fixed effects. Differences between BS and HO were assessed by the Tukey-corrected t-test. Concentrations of urea, creatinine, and SDMA in serum, were greater in BS than in HO cows: 5.46 ± 0.19 versus 4.72 ± 0.13 mmol/L (urea), 105.96 ± 2.23 versus 93.07 ± 1.50 mmol/L (creatinine), and 16.78 ± 0.69 versus 13.39 ± 0.44 µg/dL (SDMA). We observed a greater urea concentration in BS cows (25.8 ± 0.7 vs. 21.8 ± 0.7 mg/dL) and protein content in milk (3.70% ± 0.08% vs. 3.45% ± 0.07%) than in HO cows. Urea and creatinine concentrations in urine and saliva did not differ between breeds. No differences between BS and HO were observed for milk yield, fecal DM, and fecal nitrogen content. Dry matter intake and BW were similar in BS and HO cows. Despite greater urea, creatinine, and SDMA concentrations in blood, as well as a higher milk urea content in BS compared with HO, respective concentrations in urine did not differ between breeds. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a lower renal GFR in BS compared with HO cows, thereby contributing to the greater plasma urea concentration in BS cows. However, estimation of nitrogen excretion via milk, urine, and feces does not entirely reflect nitrogen turnover within the animal.

Abstract Background Structural variants (SVs) such as deletions, duplications, and insertions are known to contribute to phenotypic variation but remain challenging to identify and genotype. A more complete, accessible, and assessable collection of SVs will assist efforts to study SV function in cattle and to incorporate SV genotyping into animal evaluation. Results In this work we produced a large and deeply characterized collection of SVs in Holstein cattle using two popular SV callers (Manta and Smoove) and publicly available Illumina whole-genome sequence (WGS) read sets from 310 samples (290 male, 20 female, mean 20X coverage). Manta and Smoove identified 31 K and 68 K SVs, respectively. In total the SVs cover 5% (Manta) and 6% (Smoove) of the reference genome, in contrast to the 1% impacted by SNPs and indels. SV genotypes from each caller were confirmed to accurately recapitulate animal relationships estimated using WGS SNP genotypes from the same dataset, with Manta genotypes outperforming Smoove, and deletions outperforming duplications. To support efforts to link the SVs to phenotypic variation, overlapping and tag SNPs were identified for each SV, using genotype sets extracted from the WGS results corresponding to two bovine SNP chips (BovineSNP50 and BovineHD). 9% (Manta) and 11% (Smoove) of the SVs were found to have overlapping BovineHD panel SNPs, while 21% (Manta) and 9% (Smoove) have BovineHD panel tag SNPs. A custom interactive database ( https://svdb-dc.pslab.ca ) containing the identified sequence variants with extensive annotations, gene feature information, and BAM file content for all SVs was created to enable the evaluation and prioritization of SVs for further study. Illustrative examples involving the genes POPDC3, ORM1, G2E3, FANCI, TFB1M, FOXC2, N4BP2, GSTA3, and COPA show how this resource can be used to find well-supported genic SVs, determine SV breakpoints, design genotyping approaches, and identify processed pseudogenes masquerading as deletions. Conclusions The resources developed through this study can be used to explore sequence variation in Holstein cattle and to develop strategies for studying SVs of interest. The lack of overlapping and tag SNPs from commonly used SNP chips for most of the SVs suggests that other genotyping approaches will be needed (for example direct genotyping) to understand their potential contributions to phenotype. The included SV genotype assessments point to challenges in characterizing SVs, especially duplications, using short-read data and support ongoing efforts to better characterize cattle genomes through long-read sequencing. Lastly, the identification of previously known functional SVs and additional CDS-overlapping SVs supports the phenotypic relevance of this dataset.

ABSTRACT: The aims of this study were to conduct a single-step genome-wide association to identify genomic regions associated with milk urea (MU) and to estimate genetic correlations between MU and milk yield (MY), milk composition (calcium content [CC], fat percentage [FP], protein percentage [PP], and casein percentage [CNP]), and cheese-making properties (CMP; coagulation time [CT], curd firmness after 30 min from rennet addition [a30], and titratable acidity [TA]). The used data have been collected from 2015 to 2020 on 78,073 first-parity (485,218 test-day records) and 48,766 second-parity (284,942 test-day records) Holstein cows distributed in 671 herds in the Walloon Region of Belgium. Data of 565,533 SNP located on 29 BTA of 6,617 animals (1,712 males) were used. Random regression test-day models were used to estimate genetic parameters through the Bayesian Gibbs sampling method. The SNP solutions were estimated using a single-step genomic BLUP approach. The proportion of the total additive genetic variance explained by windows of 50 consecutive SNPs (with an average size of ∼216 kb) was calculated, and the top-3 genomic regions explaining the largest rate of the genetic variance were considered promising regions and used to identify potential candidate genes. Mean (SD) MU was 25.38 (8.02) mg/dL and 25.03 (8.06) mg/dL in the first and second lactation, respectively. Mean heritability estimates for daily MU were 0.21 and 0.23 for the first and second lactation, respectively. The genetic correlations estimated between MU and MY, milk composition, and CMP were quite low (ranged from −0.10 [CC] to 0.10 [TA] and −0.05 [CT] to 0.13 [TA] for the first and second lactations, respectively). The top-3 regions associated with MU were located from 80.61 to 80.74 Mb on BTA6, 103.26 to 103.41 Mb on BTA11, and 1.59 to 2.15 Mb on BTA14. Genes including KCNT1, MROH1, SHARPIN, TSSK5, CPSF1, HSF1, TONSL, DGAT1, SCX, and MAF1 were identified as positional candidate genes for MU. The findings of this study can be used for a better understanding of the genomic architecture underlying MU in Holstein cattle.

Türkiye is exposed to international animal and semen movements. For this reason, Türkiye is very affected by diseases and hereditary disorders. State Farms is a state organization that raises and distributes breeding cattle. This study was aimed at investigating the presence and distribution of mutant alleles causing cholesterol deficiency (CD) disorder in Holstein cattle on state farms. For this purpose, blood and sperm samples were collected from 466 Holstein cattle. The real-time PCR method was used for genotyping. A total of seven cattle were found to be heterozygous. The frequency of the mutant allele was determined to be 0.75%. The kinship of four cattle carrying the mutant allele with Mauglin Storm, the bull in which this disease was first detected, was determined. The presence of cattle carrying the mutant allele in Türkiye is quite low compared to other countries. The Apolipoprotein-B (APOB) mutant allele was found at low frequencies and detected for the first time at the State Farms in Türkiye. Therefore, it is necessary to develop control programs by screening other Holstein herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge and modeling of lactation curves make it possible to identify factors that help explain environmental and genetic variations that allow the implementation of a selection program. This work aimed to evaluate different models for milk production, fat, and protein curves in Holstein cattle in Mexico and some factors that affect them. The information used was from 125,982 lactations belonging to 68,804 animals born from 2000 to 2020. The effect of calving number, season of the year, and herd was evaluated. R's Lactcurves package was employed to fit the 38 models included in the package, of which the best four (Wood, Wilmink, Ali & Schaeffer, and modified Pollot) were chosen and then used to model the individual curves through a nonlinear regression model. The parameters calculated for each model were statistically different among the number of lactations (P<0.05), as well as the number of calving, calving season, and herd (P<0.01). The modeled curves have similar shapes to those reported in other studies, except those obtained for protein in the third and fourth or more calvings with the modified Pollot model. The equation proposed by Wilmink was the one that presented the best fit for the study population according to the different evaluation criteria. Using the model that best suits the data will give a closer predictions to reality, and it can be applied to different areas, such as genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's objective was to compare two options of pasture supplementation: corn silage (CS) alone or corn silage mixed with protein concentrate. The experiment was conducted with 18 lactating Holstein cows in mid‐lactation in a crossover design that included three treatments and three data collection periods. All cows had access to pasture for 17 h/day with an average herbage allowance of 16 kg dry matter (DM)/cow/day and were offered in‐barn corn silage, corn silage mixed with protein concentrate, or no supplementation. Cows were equipped with pH sensors residing in the reticulum and, during the 7‐day data collection periods, with a jaw movement recorder. Nonsupplemented cows produced 21.3 kg energy‐corrected milk (ECM) and ate 13.3 kg DM herbage at pasture. Cows supplemented with corn silage and corn silage plus protein produced 2.5 and 4.5 kg/day more ECM, respectively, consumed 3.4 and 3.3 kg/day more DM in total, respectively, ate for a shorter period of time, and ruminated longer than their nonsupplemented peers. Supplemented cows were almost able to cover their energy requirements and mobilised less body mass in contrast to the nonsupplemented cows. Cows offered corn silage plus protein showed increased ECM production, increased milk urea content and lower nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) compared to cows supplemented with corn silage only. Nonsupplemented dairy cows had the highest milk urea content and performed worst in terms of NUE. The best feed conversion efficiency resulted from the nonsupplemented dairy cows and those supplemented with corn silage plus protein. In nonsupplemented cows, the high feed conversion efficiency seemed to be due to the increased mobilisation of body mass. As a result of the starch‐rich supplementations, the ruminal acetic:propionic acid ratio became smaller, and the proportions of n‐butyric acid increased. The mean reticular pH values did not substantially vary across the three feeding treatments. For the choice of a supplementation option, herbage allowance and cost of supplement will have to be considered, but aspects of feed–food competition as well as animal welfare should not be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Xinjiang Brown cattle are a unique and widely distributed breed of dual-purpose cattle in Xinjiang, the People's Republic of China. It is known that this cattle breed has different milk production performance compared to Holstein cattle. However, the microbiota differences between Xinjiang Brown and Holstein cattle are not well known. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the bacterial community composition of the rumen and feces of these two cattle breeds under the same dietary and management conditions using 16s rRNA sequencing. This study identified microbiota with different relative abundance between these two cattle breeds and their biological functions might be related to milk synthesis. Our study increases the understanding of the differences in bacterial microbiota between Xinjiang Brown and Holstein cattle. Xinjiang Brown cattle are a unique and widely distributed breed of dual-purpose cattle in the Xinjiang area of China, whose milk production performance differs from Holstein cattle. It has been known that variations in bacterial species of the gastrointestinal tract influence milk protein, fat, and lactose synthesis. However, the microbiota differences between Xinjiang Brown and Holstein cattle are less known. This study aims to compare the bacterial community composition of the rumen and feces of these two cattle breeds under the same dietary and management conditions. The 16s rRNA sequencing data and milk production of 18 Xinjiang Brown cows and 20 Holstein cows on the same farm were obtained for analysis. The results confirmed differences in milk production between Xinjiang Brown and Holstein cattle. Microbiota with different relative abundance between these two cattle breeds were identified, and their biological functions might be related to milk synthesis. This study increases the understanding of the differences in microbiota between Xinjiang Brown and Holstein cattle and might provide helpful information for microbiota composition optimization of these dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the colostrum nutritive composition, immunoglobulin (Ig), and microbial community in Holstein and Jersey dairy cows according to the time after calving. The experiment used seven Holstein and three Jersey dairy cows. Colostrum was collected immediately after calf calving, 12, and 24 hours, and stored at −80°C until analysis. An analysis of the nutritive composition in colostrum was performed using LactoScop. The immune indicators were analyzed using an ELISA Kit, and the microbial community was assessed using a Macrogen Inc. The protein level was high in all colostrum samples from Holstein dairy cows compared with Jersey dairy cows, but there was no significant difference according to the time after calving. Immune index analysis revealed high IgG and IgA concentrations in the colostrum of Holstein cows immediately after calving and 12 and 24 hours after calving, but the differences were not significant. The microbial community at the genus level revealed Staphylococcus to be predominant at a high rate in the colostrum of Holstein dairy cows and Enterococcus in Jersey dairy cows 12 hours after calving. Pseudomonas was predominant at a high rate in the colostrum of Jersey lactating cows immediately and 12 hours after calving. Chryseobacterium was predominant at a high rate in Holstein dairy cows 12 and 24 hours after calving. In conclusion, these results are expected to be used as research data on the correlation between quality, immunity, and microbial community in the colostrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic research for the assessment of mastitis and milk production traits simultaneously has a long history. The main issue that arises in this context is the known existence of a positive correlation between the risk of mastitis and lactation performance due to selection. The transcriptome‐wide association study (TWAS) approach endeavors to combine the expression quantitative trait loci and genome‐wide association study summary statistics to decode complex traits or diseases. Accordingly, we used the farmgtex project results as a complete bovine database for mastitis and milk production. The results of colocalization and TWAS approaches were used for the detection of functional associated candidate genes with milk production and mastitis traits on multiple tissue‐based transcriptome records. Also, we used the david database for gene ontology to identify significant terms and associated genes. For the identification of interaction networks, the genemania and string databases were used. Also, the available z‐scores in TWAS results were used for the calculation of the correlation between tissues. Therefore, the present results confirm that LYNX1, DGAT1, C14H8orf33, and LY6E were identified as significant genes associated with milk production in eight, six, five, and five tissues, respectively. Also, FBXL6 was detected as a significant gene associated with mastitis trait. CLN3 and ZNF34 genes emerged via both the colocalization and TWAS approaches as significant genes for milk production trait. It is expected that TWAS and colocalization can improve our perception of the potential health status control mechanism in high‐yielding dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A genome-wide association study of resistance to retained placenta (RETP) using 632,212 Holstein cows and 74,747 SNPs identified 200 additive effects with p-values < 10−8 on thirteen chromosomes but no dominance effect was statistically significant. The regions of 87.61–88.74 Mb of Chr09 about 1.13 Mb in size had the most significant effect in LOC112448080 and other highly significant effects in CCDC170 and ESR1, and in or near RMND1 and AKAP12. Four non-ESR1 genes in this region were reported to be involved in ESR1 fusions in humans. Chr23 had the largest number of significant effects that peaked in SLC17A1, which was involved in urate metabolism and transport that could contribute to kidney disease. The PKHD1 gene contained seven significant effects and was downstream of another six significant effects. The ACOT13 gene also had a highly significant effect. Both PKHD1 and ACOT13 were associated with kidney disease. Another highly significant effect was upstream of BOLA-DQA2. The KITLG gene of Chr05 that acts in utero in germ cell and neural cell development, and hematopoiesis was upstream of a highly significant effect, contained a significant effect, and was between another two significant effects. The results of this study provided a new understanding of genetic factors underlying RETP in U.S. Holstein cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to conduct a single-step genome-wide association to identify genomic regions associated with milk urea (MU) and to estimate genetic correlations between MU and milk yield (MY), milk composition (calcium content [CC], fat percentage [FP], protein percentage [PP], and casein percentage [CNP]), and cheese-making properties (CMP; coagulation time [CT], curd firmness after 30 min from rennet addition [a30], and titratable acidity [TA]). The used data have been collected from 2015 to 2020 on 78,073 first-parity (485,218 test-day records) and 48,766 second-parity (284,942 test-day records) Holstein cows distributed in 671 herds in the Walloon Region of Belgium. Data of 565,533 SNP located on 29 BTA of 6,617 animals (1,712 males) were used. Random regression test-day models were used to estimate genetic parameters through the Bayesian Gibbs sampling method. The SNP solutions were estimated using a single-step genomic BLUP approach. The proportion of the total additive genetic variance explained by windows of 50 consecutive SNPs (with an average size of ∼216 kb) was calculated, and the top-3 genomic regions explaining the largest rate of the genetic variance were considered promising regions and used to identify potential candidate genes. Mean (SD) MU was 25.38 (8.02) mg/dL and 25.03 (8.06) mg/dL in the first and second lactation, respectively. Mean heritability estimates for daily MU were 0.21 and 0.23 for the first and second lactation, respectively. The genetic correlations estimated between MU and MY, milk composition, and CMP were quite low (ranged from −0.10 [CC] to 0.10 [TA] and −0.05 [CT] to 0.13 [TA] for the first and second lactations, respectively). The top-3 regions associated with MU were located from 80.61 to 80.74 Mb on BTA6, 103.26 to 103.41 Mb on BTA11, and 1.59 to 2.15 Mb on BTA14. Genes including KCNT1 , MROH1 , SHARPIN , TSSK5 , CPSF1 , HSF1 , TONSL , DGAT1 , SCX , and MAF1 were identified as positional candidate genes for MU. The findings of this study can be used for a better understanding of the genomic architecture underlying MU in Holstein cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We previously demonstrated that cells of cows produced from reconstructed embryos containing the cytoplasm of a heat-tolerant breed (Bos indicus, BI) showed improved thermotolerance despite their nuclei being derived from a heat-sensitive breed (Bos Taurus, BT). In this study, we utilized spindle transfer (ST) technology to transfer karyoplasts from heat-sensitive Holstein cattle (H) into recipient ooplasm from heat-tolerant Taiwan yellow cattle (Y). This process resulted in the creation of ST oocytes (ST-Yo-Hn). These ST oocytes were subsequently subjected to in vitro fertilization (IVF) with Holstein bull semen, resulting in fertilized ST embryos. The resulting ST-Yo-Hn blastocysts were then transferred into recipient females, leading to the successful production of three ST-Yo-Hn cattle. To understand the factors mediating thermotolerance, ear fibroblasts from ST-Yo-Hn and H cattle were isolated, and their differentially expressed protein and gene profiles under heat shock (42 °C for 12 h) were compared. The results indicated that the ear fibroblasts of the ST-Yo-Hn cattle exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) lower expression of pro-apoptotic factors, higher expression of anti-apoptotic factors, and higher antioxidant ability under heat stress, making the somatic cells from the ST-Yo-Hn cattle more heat-tolerant than those from the H cattle. Global warming has a significant impact on the dairy farming industry, as heat stress causes reproductive endocrine imbalances and leads to substantial economic losses, particularly in tropical–subtropical regions. The Holstein breed, which is widely used for dairy production, is highly susceptible to heat stress, resulting in a dramatic reduction in milk production during hot seasons. However, previous studies have shown that cells of cows produced from reconstructed embryos containing cytoplasm (o) from Taiwan yellow cattle (Y) have improved thermotolerance despite their nuclei (n) being derived from heat-sensitive Holstein cattle (H). Using spindle transfer (ST) technology, we successfully produced ST-Yo-Hn cattle and proved that the thermotolerance of their ear fibroblasts is similar to that of Y and significantly better than that of H (p < 0.05). Despite these findings, the genes and molecules responsible for the different sensitivities of cells derived from ST-Yo-Hn and H cattle have not been extensively investigated. In the present study, ear fibroblasts from ST-Yo-Hn and H cattle were isolated, and differentially expressed protein and gene profiles were compared with or without heat stress (hs) (42 °C for 12 h). The results revealed that the relative protein expression levels of pro-apoptotic factors, including Caspase-3, -8, and -9, in the ear fibroblasts from the ST-Yo-Hn-hs group were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those from the H-hs group. Conversely, the relative expression levels of anti-apoptotic factors, including GNA14 protein and the CRELD2 and PRKCQ genes, were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the ear fibroblasts from the ST-Yo-Hn-hs group compared to those from the H-hs group. Analysis of oxidative phosphorylation-related factors revealed that the relative expression levels of the GPX1 gene and Complex-I, Complex-IV, CAT, and PGLS proteins were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the ear fibroblasts from the ST-Yo-Hn-hs group compared to those from the H-hs group. Taken together, these findings suggest that ear fibroblasts from ST-Yo-Hn cattle have superior thermotolerance compared to those from H cattle due to their lower expression of pro-apoptotic factors and higher expression of oxidative phosphorylation and antioxidant factors. Moreover, this improved thermotolerance is attributed, at least partially, to the cytoplasm derived from more heat-tolerant Y cattle. Hence, using ST technology to produce more heat-tolerant H cattle containing Y cytoplasm could be a feasible approach to alleviate the negative impacts of heat stress on dairy cattle in tropical–subtropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El conocimiento y modelación de curvas de lactación hacen posible identificar factores que ayuden a explicar las variaciones ambientales y genéticas, que permitan implementar un programa de selección. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar diferentes modelos para las curvas de producción de leche, grasa y proteína en ganado Holstein en México, así como evaluar algunos factores que las afectan. Se usó información de 125,982 lactaciones pertenecientes a 68,804 animales nacidos del año 2000 al 2020. Se evaluó el efecto del número de parto, época del año y hato. Con la paquetería Lactcurves de R, se ajustaron los 38 modelos que incluye, de los cuales se eligieron los cuatro mejores (Wood, Wilmink, Ali & Schaeffer y Pollot modificado) que posteriormente se usaron para modelar las curvas individuales a través de un modelo de regresión no lineal. Los parámetros calculados para cada modelo fueron estadísticamente diferentes entre el número de lactación (P

This study evaluates the partial replacement of steam-flaked corn (SFC) with increasing dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) levels in growing-finishing diets for calf-fed Holstein steers. Two experiments were conducted. In trial 1, 100 Holstein calves (136 ± 7 kg) were used to evaluate the effect of DDGS as a metabolizable protein source on cattle growth performance, and dietary energetics of calf-fed Holstein steers during the initial 111 d growing phase. Four dietary levels of DDGS were evaluated (10, 15, 20, and 25%, dry matter basis), replacing SFC (flake density, 0.31 kg/L). In trial 2, four Holstein steers (368 ± 20 kg) with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used to evaluate treatment effects on characteristics of ruminal and total tract digestion of organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber, nitrogen (N), and indispensable amino acid supply to the small intestine. The increasing level of DDGS did not affect (P ≥ 0.13) average daily gain, gain efficiency, and estimated dietary net energy values. Replacement of SFC with increasing levels of DDGS decreased (linear; P = 0.01) ruminal OM digestion. There was no treatment effect on the flow of microbial nitrogen to the small intestine (P = 0.34) and ruminal microbial efficiency (P = 0.79). However, increasing levels of DDGS in the diet increased (linear; P ≤ 0.04) flow of methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, threonine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine but did not affect (P = 0.74) intestinal supply of lysine. Increasing DDGS in the diet increased (linear, P < 0.01) flow of N to the small intestine but decreased (linear; P < 0.01) ruminal N efficiency. Replacing SFC with DDGS increased intake and amino acid leaving the abomasum. Still, this effect was not sufficient to increase the growth performance of calf-fed Holstein during the first 111 d on feed.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of supplemental flavomycin on cattle growth performance, carcass characteristics, diet digestibility, and ruminal fermentation characteristics of calf-fed Holstein steers. One hundred Holstein steers (123 ± 7 kg) were balanced by weight and assigned to 20 pens. Dietary treatments consisted of a steam flaked corn-based diet supplemented with (dry matter basis): 1) control, no feed additive; 2) 6.6 mg/kg flavomycin; 3) 13.2 mg/kg flavomycin, and 4) 30 mg/kg monensin (MON). There were no treatment effects (P ≥ 0.17) on live weight, average daily gain (ADG), and gain efficiency. Flavomycin did not affect dry matter intake (DMI; P ≥ 0.24). Flavomycin supplementation did not affect (P ≥ 0.37) the ratio of observed vs. expected DMI. However, MON decreased (P = 0.02) observed vs. expected DMI by 3.7%. There were no treatment effects (P ≥ 0.44) on ruminal pH or temperature. Flavomycin did not affect (P ≥ 0.13) carcass characteristics and liver abscess among steers. Four Holstein steers (463 ± 20 kg) with ruminal cannulas were used in 4 × 4 Latin square experiment to study treatment effects on site and extent of digestion, ruminal pH, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) molar proportions. Dietary treatments were the same as experiment 1. Flavomycin tended to increase (linear effect, P = 0.07) ruminal organic matter (OM) digestion, associated with increased (linear effect, P < 0.01) ruminal starch digestion. Supplementing flavomycin at 13.2 mg/kg decreased net microbial N synthesis (quadratic effect, P = 0.03). Compared with control, MON tended to increase (P = 0.10) ruminal neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestion and increased (P < 0.01) ruminal starch digestion. Monensin did not affect (P = 0.39) net microbial N synthesis, but decreased (P = 0.01) ruminal degradation of feed nitrogen (N). There were no treatment effects (P > 0.10) on total tract apparent digestion of DM, OM, NDF, and starch. Flavomycin decreased ruminal pH (quadratic effect, P < 0.01) measured 4 h postprandial. Compared with control, MON increased ruminal pH (P = 0.03). Flavomycin increased (linear effect, P = 0.03) ruminal propionate molar proportion and decreased (linear effect, P ≤ 0.04) ruminal molar proportions of acetate and butyrate, and decreased (linear effect, P = 0.02) acetate:propionate molar ratio and estimated methane production. We conclude that supplementing flavomycin at 6.6 or 13.2 mg/kg had no major effects on cattle growth performance, carcass characteristics, diet digestibility, and ruminal fermentation characteristics.

Evaluation of the effects of feeding NutraGen supplement (NutraGen, NTG; Phibro Animal Health, Teaneck, NJ, USA) on growth performance, energetic efficiency, carcass characteristcs, and characteristics of digestion in calf-fed Holstein steers fed a conventional growing-finishing diet. Trial 1 evaluated growth performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics. Two hundred Holstein steer calves (134 ± 5 kg) were blocked by initial body weight (BW) and randomly assigned to 40 pens (5 steers/pen). Dietary treatments consisted of a steam-flaked corn-based growing-finishing diet supplemented with 0, 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6% NTG (DM basis). In trial 2, four Holstein steers (170 ±6 kg) with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square experiment to evaluate digestibility and ruminal characteristics using the treatments from trial 1. Compared to non-supplemented cattle, NTG increased BW (2.0%, P = 0.02) and tended to increase ADG (3.6%, P = 0.07) during the initial 56 d period. However, there were no treatment effects on overall growth performance and efficiency of dietary energy utilization after the first 56 days (P > 0.10). Supplementation of NTG increased (linear effect; P ≤ 0.03) longissimus muscle area and kidney, pelvic, and heart fat. There was no effect (P ≥ 0.05) of NTG supplementation on other carcass characteristics, liver abscess incidence, or liver abscess scars. Supplementation decreased the molar proportion of ruminal propionate (P = 0.05) and tended to increase acetate:propionate molar ratio (P = 0.09). However, there was no effect of NTG supplementation on ruminal and total tract diet digestion. NTG increased performance of Holstein steers during the first 56 d on feed in the feedlot. In addition, the steers had an increase in KPH fat and LM area, indicating that the additive induced change in metabolism of the steers.

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This study aimed to establish a standard urine profile for pregnant cows, commonly seen patients in veterinary clinics. Urine samples from 15 pregnant cows (6 Belgian Blue and 9 Holstein) of various ages were analysed, all showing no clinical signs of urinary tract disease. Samples were collected during preventive check-ups, either by spontaneous micturition or catheterisation. Macroscopic evaluation and urine dipstick tests revealed a mean pH of 8.17 ± 0.49. Moderate glycosuria and proteinuria were detected in two animals. No urobilinogen, ketone bodies, haemoglobin, or traces of blood were found. Laboratory urinalysis provided values (with 95% confidence intervals): osmolarity 493–1110.00 mOsm/l, sodium 52.00–122.00 mmol/l, calcium 1.28–3.98 mmol/l, potassium 76–144.00 mmol/l, magnesium 5.00–8.00 mmol/l, chlorine 40.00–80.00 mmol/l, protein 35.00–104.00 mg/l, glucose 0.40–1.27 mmol/l, creatinine 34.00–76.00 mmol/l, and urea 681.00–2086 mmol/l. These findings present the initial descriptive values of urine biochemical parameters in pregnant cows, emphasising their significance in assessing animal health. This research underscores its relevance by providing fundamental insights into animal health, offering a pathway to enhance agricultural sustainability and address food security, echoing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 8 and 12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: The Markazi province is considered as one of the important centers of calf fattening in the country. This province has more than 4.4% of the total cattle and calf population of Iran with 370,000 head of cows and calves, including purebred, hybrid and native. It ranks twelfth among the provinces of the country. In addition, this province, with the production of 15,000 tons of beef and veal, accounts for about 3.3% of the production of beef and veal meat in the country. In recent years, there has been a lot of interest from the Livestock breeders of the province for the fattening of Simmental calves, due to their calmness and better meat production efficiency, as well as their adaptability to the weather conditions of this province. This issue caused the desire and request of the province's livestock improvement deputy to implement a project in order to determine the productivity and fattening characteristics of this breed in a scientific and documented manner. Since no research has been done in the province to compare the growth and feedlot performance of crossbred Holstein and Simmental calves and there is little information about carcass characteristics and suitable slaughter weights of cattle breeds in the province, calf breeders do not have detailed information about productivity, feed consumption, growth traits and carcass quality of calves of different breeds. So, this study was conducted to compare of fattening and carcasses characteristics of Simmental and Holstein crosses male calves in one of the fattening units of the Markazi Province that had the necessary conditions and facilities for the implementation of the project (having a scale and a suitable and sufficient place). Material and Methods: 60 male calves with an average weight of 150 to 200 kg were divided into two groups (treatment). In one group, 30 Holstein crossbred calves and in the other group, 30 Simmental crossbred calves were placed. So that there was the least difference of weight and body condition between the two groups. Therefore, balanced and optimal diets were adjusted for each group, based on the nutritional needs of the calves (according to the weight of the calves) and according to the appropriate and available nutrients in the unit based on the nutritional requirements presented in the NRC tables of beef cattle (2016). Balanced diets were given to the calves based on Total Mixed Ration and after a 14-day feeding adaptation period. The average consumption of fodder and concentrate was adjusted to 40 to 60 in the whole period. During the fattening period, daily feed was provided to the calves in three times and until the appetite. During the fattening period, the feed was given to the calves three times a day and to extent of appetite. Daily feed intake was recorded. Calves were weighed monthly after 12 hours of food deprivation and before morning feeding, and then the feed conversion ratios of the animals in each group were calculated. The fattening period continued until the calves reached the appropriate weight. At the end of the fattening period, 5 calves in each group were weighed and slaughtered after 12 hours of food deprivation and were measured the carcass weight and yield and fat thickness on the ribs of 12. Comparisons between two groups of calves in different weight groups were performed by independent t-test using SPSS statistical software. Results: The results showed that the total weight gain of calves in the fattening period was 360 and 336 kg for Simmental and Holstein hybrids, respectively; which showed a higher weight gain (24 kg) in treatment one (P =0.03). So that the average monthly and daily weight gain of Simmental and Holstein hybrid calves in a breeding period was (40 and 37.30) and (1.33 and 1.24) kg per month, respectively (P =0.032). The average daily dry matter intake during the fattening period for Simmental and Holstein hybrid calves was 8.05 and 8.28 kg, respectively, but the difference was not significant. The mean feed conversion ratio for the whole fattening period of treatments was 6.05 and 6.67, respectively, which was significantly different between the two treatments (P =0.04). The mean carcass yield of Simmental and Holstein hybrid calves at the end of 9 months of fattening was 55.45 and 52.27% and the difference between the two treatments was significant (P =0.01). The thickness of dorsal fat between ribs 12 and 13 in treatments one and two were 6.05 and 6.75 mm, respectively, and the thickness of straight muscle in the range of 12 and 13 ribs was 53.62 and 51.4 mm, respectively (P =0.035). Conclusion: The results showed that Simmental hybrid calves have better efficiency in terms of growth, food yield and carcass and meat characteristics than Holstein hybrid calves. Therefore, for the economic production of meat and the supply of the country's red meat from the domestic sources, suggested that, if possible, some of the country's feedlot farm proceed to breed this high yielding breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During studies using molecular biological methods, 3000 cow blood samples of the Ayrshire, Holstein, and Jersey breeds from the herds of Krasnodar and Stavropol krais were genotyped by the loci BM1818, BM1824, BM2113, ETH10, ETH225, ETH3, INRA023, SPS115, TGLA126, TGLA122, TGLA227, TGLA53, CSN2 (rs43703011), and CSN3 (rs43703016). On average, the frequency of occurrence of homozygous genotypes for 12 microsatellite loci in Jersey cattle was 0.38; in Holstein and Ayrshire cattle, it was 0.30 and 0.27, respectively; the highest allelic diversity was found in Holstein cattle (9.0 ± 1.7 alleles per locus). It should be noted that there are significant differences in the genetic profile of Ayrshire cattle. For Ayrshire animals, the following allelic variants turned out to be typical (but rare in Jersey and Holstein cattle): 270 of the locus BM1818, 137 of the locus BM2113, 213 of the locus ETH10, 119 of the locus ETH3, 142 of the locus ETH225, 87 of the locus TGLA227, 166 of the locus TGLA53. In the studied subpopulation of Jersey cattle, the frequency of occurrence of the A2A2 genotype of the CSN2 locus (rs43703011) (beta casein) was 0.68, and in the Ayrshire and Holstein groups, it was only 0.25 and 0.31, respectively. The BB genotype of the CSN3 locus (rs43703016) (casein kappa) was found in the Jersey group of animals with a frequency of 0.76, and in Ayrshires and Holsteins, it was 0.04 and 0.15, respectively. The genotyped groups of Jersey, Ayrshire, and Holstein animals are significant in volume; we assume that the identified patterns are typical of cattle of these breeds in the south of Russia. We believe that the data obtained can be used in the future in practical work on classifying certain groups of livestock as typical Holstein, Ayrshire, or Jersey and when creating herds that produce milk of a certain type (for example, type A2 milk). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La superovulación (SOV) ha permitido multiplicar los animales de alto valor genético; sin embargo, la media de embriones transferibles obtenidos no ha mejorado en los últimos años. Uno de los factores que influye fuertemente es la variabilidad individual de la donadora respecto al número de folículos antrales presentes al momento del inicio del protocolo de SOV. Por lo tanto, en el estudio se determinó la relación y asociación existente entre la hormona Anti–mülleriana (AMH) y el recuento de folículos antrales (RFA) al inicio del protocolo de superovulación (T0), así como al momento de la primera inseminación (T9). Además, se evaluó el proceso de ovulación mediante el conteo de cuerpos lúteos (CL) presentes el día del lavado (CL16) y la cantidad de estructuras y embriones transferibles colectados (día 16) en 36 vacas Holstein mestizas lactantes, manejadas en explotaciones del trópico alto, en sistemas extensivos, alimentadas a pastoreo. Se determinó una concentración media de 0,07 ± 0,03 ng·mL-1 de AMH, un RFA mayor a 4 mm promedio en día cero (T0) de 14,7 ± 4,30 folículos, con una relación y asociación entre estas variables baja (r=0,21; R2=0,04; P>0,05); En contraposición, en día 9 (T9) el RFA fue de 16,4 ± 5,2 folículos y la relación y asociación alta y significativa con la AMH (r=0,84; R2=0,70; P

Introducing Holstein cows on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is a potential solution to enhance local milk production. However, the relationship between milk quality and altitude in China remains unknown. Therefore, the components and plasmin (PL) system of raw milk from different altitudes (sea level, 1600, 2700, and 3800 m) were investigated. The daily milk production of Holstein cows and PL activity decreased as the altitude increased. However, the components content of raw milk, plasminogen (PLG)/PL ratio, activities of PLG and plasmin activator (PA) increased with altitude. The pasteurization resulted a significant decrease in PA activity of all milk and a significant increase in PL activity in milk collected at higher altitudes (2700 and 3800 m), suggesting the pasteurization was unsuitable for preserving milk at higher altitudes. This study offered references for the production and storage of milk after introducing Holstein cows on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

ABSTRACT: Holsteins and Jerseys, the 2 most prominent dairy breeds in the United States, differ in many regards. They have not been evaluated for differences in oral behavior performance, despite anecdotal evidence that Jerseys perform more abnormal behaviors than Holsteins. As abnormal behaviors can indicate compromised welfare, we evaluated whether breed differences existed in year-old heifers. Because many oral behaviors could be expressed in abnormal ways, we also sought to describe performance of a wide range of behaviors and whether these varied among individuals. We studied 42 pair-housed heifers (33 Holstein, 9 Jersey) at 12.8 ± 1.1 mo of age (mean ± SD) that were restricted to 50% of their ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR) intake for 2 d as part of a short-term feed challenge. Using continuous video recording from 0800 to 2000 h on the second day of feed restriction, we scored time spent performing tongue rolling, tongue flicking, self-grooming, allogrooming, intersucking, drinking urine, drinking water, and nonnutritive oral manipulation (NNOM) of rice hull bedding, the feed bin, or other pen fixtures. Eating TMR was recorded at 5-min intervals. We found that Jerseys spent more time tongue rolling (3.3% vs. 0.2% proportion of 12-h observations) and performing all types of NNOM than Holsteins (feed bin: 3.8% vs. 2.4%; bedding: 7.7% vs. 5.4%; other: 7.5% vs. 4.2%; total: 19.0% vs. 12.0%), and tended to spend more time tongue flicking (1.4% vs. 1.1%). Jerseys spent less time allogrooming than Holsteins (1.3% vs. 3.4%). There was no evidence of an effect of breed on self-grooming (2.0%), water drinking (1.0%), eating TMR (16.0%), or intersucking (0.06%). Urine drinking was performed by 9 total heifers and was not compared between breeds. All behaviors were highly variable across individuals, particularly tongue rolling and intersucking. Allogrooming was more variable than self-grooming, and each subcategory of NNOM was more variable than total NNOM. Outliers, or extreme performance of oral behaviors relative to the rest of our population, were present in most behaviors. Heifers who were outliers in one behavior were not consistently outliers in all. Overall, there are breed differences in many oral behaviors in a feed-restricted environment. Despite no difference in proportion of time spent eating, Jerseys often performed higher levels of potentially abnormal behaviors than Holsteins, though both breeds performed many oral behaviors, sometimes at extreme levels, that may indicate a concern.

The aim of this study was to propose and verify a scoring system for the evaluation of udder susceptibility to mastitis, which combined five influential teat traits into one overall score for the udder. The traits included barrel diameter, apex diameter, canal length, the change in wall thickness, and the change in apex diameter. Teat morphology of 38 Holstein cows were measured twice during lactation by ultrasonography. Each teat was scored for the presence of traits with negative implications for the udder health at the start (ScoreLactStart) and the end of lactation (ScoreLactEnd). Results showed that cows with higher score had significantly worse udder health. The number of mastitis warning days was significantly correlated to both scores. In addition, ScoreLactEnd was correlated to somatic cell count (SCC) and lactose content. Each increase of ScoreLactEnd by 1 point represented an increase in SCC by 17,745 cells mL−1, 9.4 more days with mastitis warning, and 4.6 more days with SCC above 400,000 cells mL−1 during observed lactation. Only ScoreLactStart was significantly related to blood content, but relations to SCC were weaker compared to ScoreLactEnd. Ranking udders based on teat morphology traits show potential for detection of mastitis susceptible cows in commercial herds.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to perform genome-wide association study to identify genomic regions associated with milk production and cheese-making properties (CMP) in Walloon Holstein cows. The studied traits were milk yield, fat percentage, protein percentage, casein percentage (CNP), calcium content, somatic cell score (SCS), coagulation time, curd firmness after 30 min from rennet addition, and titratable acidity. The used data have been collected from 2014 to 2020 on 78,073 first-parity (485,218 test-day records), 48,766 second-parity (284,942 test-day records), and 21,948 third-parity (105,112 test-day records) Holstein cows distributed in 671 herds in the Walloon Region of Belgium. Data of 565,533 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), located on 29 Bos taurus autosomes (BTA) of 6,617 animals (1,712 males), were used. Random regression test-day models were used to estimate genetic parameters through the Bayesian Gibbs sampling method. The SNP solutions were estimated using a single-step genomic BLUP approach. The proportion of the total additive genetic variance explained by windows of 50 consecutive SNPs (with an average size of ∼216 KB) was calculated, and regions accounting for at least 1.0% of the total additive genetic variance were used to search for positional candidate genes. Heritability estimates for the studied traits ranged from 0.10 (SCS) to 0.53 (CNP), 0.10 (SCS) to 0.50 (CNP), and 0.12 (SCS) to 0.49 (CNP) in the first, second, and third parity, respectively. Genome-wide association analyses identified 6 genomic regions (BTA1, BTA14 [4 regions], and BTA20) associated with the considered traits. Genes including the SLC37A1 (BTA1), SHARPIN, MROH1, DGAT1, FAM83H, TIGD5, MROH6, NAPRT, ADGRB1, GML, LYPD2, JRK (BTA14), and TRIO (BTA20) were identified as positional candidate genes for the studied CMP. The findings of this study help to unravel the genomic background of a cow's ability for cheese production and can be used for the future implementation and use of genomic evaluation to improve the cheese-making traits in Walloon Holstein cows.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus whose target cell is B lymphocytes, which has a negative impact on the immune system of infected animals, making them more susceptible to other diseases of infectious origin. The objective of this work was to carry out a sanitary study of infectious diseases in a specialized dairy herd in the department of Antioquia and to analyze their possible association with BLV infection. 87 blood samples were taken from Holstein Friesian cows to which an indirect ELISA was performed for the gp51 protein of the virus. The presence/absence data for three diseases (anaplasmosis, mastitis and metritis) and the fever sign were recorded for each of the bovines analyzed during the period of time from 2006 to 2014. The data was analyzed through 2x2 contingency tables and Odds Ratio (OR). The serological prevalence of BLV in the herd was 82.75% and the presentation of diseases during the years 2006 and 2014 was 38.27% for mastitis, 19.58% for anaplasmosis, 15.13% for metritis and 27% for fever. According to the magnitude of effect for the OR, it was found that in general the BLV seroprevalence has an insignificant association with the diseases; however, a moderate association with the fever sign was recorded. Fever is a sign that is associated with infections and it is possible that the decreased immune response to BLV is correlated with the presentation of other infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The values of NSC registered in a herd of cows vary depending on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity which, through direct synergistic action on the animals, induces stress levels that influences the defense capacity of the immune system of animals. The data were statistically processed to analyze the influence of heat stress on the mammary gland health in a herd of dairy cows. The highest values of the SCC average were recorded in autumn of 229.020 x 10³ cells/ml and in summer of 220.870 x 10³ cells/ml. As a result of the study, we can conclude that heat stress (THI = 66) can be one of the factors that influence the health of the mammary gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of pathogenic bacteria in feces is an indicator characterizing the health status of animals. This is important to protect the environment and the health of farm workers. The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of probiotic Zoovit on the microbiome of the faecal mass of Holstein cattle. In the experiment, two groups were formed - experimental and control, 30 each. A probiotic was added to the combined feed of the experimental group, but not to the control group. The food ration with the participation of probiotic is placed twice a day. To determine the microbiome in fecal matter in cattle, PCR analyzes were used for the detection of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, a species-specific PCR assay for the presence of total DNA in L. delbrueckii and L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and methods for determination of sulfite-reducing colonies. No representatives of Staphulococccua aureus and Clostridium sp were isolated in the faecal mass of the animals from both groups. For Escherichia coli and Coliforms, a significant decrease in the faecal mass of cows fed with feed containing probiotics was found. The presence of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in animals receiving a probiotic. Colonies with a colonial characteristic typical of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were isolated in the animals receiving probiotic Zoovit and in the control group, no colonies typical of Lactobacillus bulgaricus were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of fat percentage (FPC) using 1,231,898 first lactation cows and 75,198 SNPs confirmed a previous result that a Chr14 region about 9.38 Mb in size (0.14–9.52 Mb) had significant inter-chromosome additive × additive (A×A) effects with all chromosomes and revealed many new such effects. This study divides this 9.38 Mb region into two sub-regions, Chr14a at 0.14–0.88 Mb (0.74 Mb in size) with 78% and Chr14b at 2.21–9.52 Mb (7.31 Mb in size) with 22% of the 2761 significant A×A effects. These two sub-regions were separated by a 1.3 Mb gap at 0.9–2.2 Mb without significant inter-chromosome A×A effects. The PPP1R16A-FOXH1-CYHR1-TONSL (PFCT) region of Chr14a (29 Kb in size) with four SNPs had the largest number of inter-chromosome A×A effects (1141 pairs) with all chromosomes, including the most significant inter-chromosome A×A effects. The SLC4A4-GC-NPFFR2 (SGN) region of Chr06, known to have highly significant additive effects for some production, fertility and health traits, specifically interacted with the PFCT region and a Chr14a region with CPSF1, ADCK5, SLC52A2, DGAT1, SMPD5 and PARP10 (CASDSP) known to have highly significant additive effects for milk production traits. The most significant effects were between an SNP in SGN and four SNPs in PFCT. The CASDSP region mostly interacted with the SGN region. In the Chr14b region, the 2.28–2.42 Mb region (138.46 Kb in size) lacking coding genes had the largest cluster of A×A effects, interacting with seventeen chromosomes. The results from this study provide high-confidence evidence towards the understanding of the genetic mechanism of FPC in Holstein cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of hereditary anomalies in Holstein cattle populations presents a pressing issue, leading to concerns such as embryonic mortality and the birth of non‐viable offspring. This study addresses the urgency of managing harmful genetic mutations in Holstein cattle by developing alternative diagnostic methods. The research aims to devise effective means to diagnose fertility haplotypes HH1, HH3, HH5, HCD and BY and subfertility syndrome in cattle. To achieve this goal, a range of molecular genetic techniques were employed, including Tetra‐Primer ARMS‐PCR methods, PCR‐RFLP analysis and allele‐specific PCR. These methods facilitated the identification of heterozygous carriers of various fertility haplotypes and subfertility syndrome in Holstein cows and servicing bulls. The study reveals the prevalence of these genetic defects within the Republic of Kazakhstan's cattle population. HH1, HH3, HH5, HCD and BY fertility haplotypes were found to have occurrence rates ranging from 1.4% to 16.6%, with subfertility syndrome detected in 4.5% of Simmental bulls. The practical significance of this research lies in its contribution to genetic monitoring and management strategies for Holstein cattle populations. By introducing affordable, rapid and accurate diagnostic methods, such as the T‐ARMS‐PCR, the study provides a valuable tool for controlling and mitigating the spread of harmful genetic mutations, ultimately improving the overall genetic health and productivity of Holstein cattle in the region. This research addresses a critical need in the cattle breeding industry and underscores the importance of genetic monitoring to ensure the long‐term viability and sustainability of Holstein cattle populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk production traits as the most important economic traits of dairy cows, they directly reflect the benefits of breeding and the economic benefits of pasture. In this study, A disintegrin and metalloproteinase‐12 (ADAM12), Parkinson's disease gene 2 (PRKN) and dipeptidyl peptidase‐like protein subtype 6 (DPP6) polymorphism in 384 Chinese Holstein cows were detected by time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and through statistical analysis using software such as Popgene 32, SAS 9.4 and Origin 2022, the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of three genes with four milk production traits such as daily milk yield (DMY), milk fat percentage (MFP), milk protein percentage (MPP) and somatic cell score (SCS) was verified at molecular level. The results showed that four polymorphic loci (116,467,133, 116,604,487, 116,618,268 and 116,835,111) of DPP6 gene, two polymorphic loci (97,665,052 and 97,159,837) of PRKN gene and two polymorphic loci (45,542,714 and 45,553,888) of ADAM12 gene were detected. PRKN‐97665052, DPP6‐116467133, ADAM12‐45553888, DPP6‐116604487 and DPP6‐116835111 were all in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium state (p >.05). ADAM12‐45542714, PRKN‐97159837 and PRKN‐97665052 were moderately polymorphic (0.25 ≤ PIC <0.50) in Holstein. It is evident that the selection potential and genetic variation of these five loci are relatively large, and the genetic richness is relatively high. The correlation analysis of different genotypes between these eight loci and milk production traits of Holstein showed that ADAM12‐45542714 and DPP6‐116835111 (p <.01) had an extremely significant effects on the DMY of Chinese Holstein in Ningxia, while PRKN‐97665052 had an extremely significant effect on MFP (p <.01). The effect of PRKN‐97665052 and DPP6‐116467133 on MPP of Holstein were extremely significant (p <.01). DPP6‐116618268 had an extremely significant effect on the SCS of Holstein in Ningxia (p <.01), and AA genotype individuals showed a higher SCS than GG genotype individuals; the other two loci (ADAM12‐45553888 and DPP6‐116604487) had no significant effects on milk production traits of Holstein (p >.05). In addition, through the joint analysis of DPP6, PRKN and ADAM12 gene loci, it was found that the interaction effect between the three gene loci could significantly affect the DMY, SCS (p <.01) and MPP (p <.05). In conclusion, several different loci of DPP6, PRKN and ADAM12 genes can affect the milk production traits of Holstein to different degrees. PRKN, DPP6 and ADAM12 genes can be used as potential candidate genes for milk production traits of Holstein for marker‐assisted selection, providing theoretical basis for breeding of Holstein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The purpose of the study was to explore the biological properties and tissue expression characteristics of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-like 6 (DPP6) and E3 ubiquitin ligase gene (PRKN) genes that were screened by GWAS in the previous stage and related to milk production traits of Holstein. The study provided a basis for further verification of the regulatory mechanisms of DPP6 and PRKN genes on milk-production-related traits in Holstein. [Method] The physicochemical properties and protein structure of DPP6 and PRKN were analyzed by ProtParam, Phyre2, NetPhos 3.1 and other software, and Real-Time quantitative PCR was used. The expression patterns of DPP6 and PRKN in the heart, spleen, liver, lung, kidney, mammary gland, uterus, ovary, rumen and luteum of Holstein were detected by RTqPCR; The relationship between DPP6 and PRKN genes and udder inflammation in Holstein dairy cows was examined by means of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced mammary epithelial cells (bMECs). The expression patterns of DPP6 and PRKN genes in inflammatory response were preliminarily detected. [Result] DPP6 protein encoded 863 amino acids and was closely related to goat. PRKN protein encoded 488 amino acids, among which glycine content was the highest, its sequence was the most similar to that of red deer, and the conserved type was strong. The study speculated that the DPP6 and PRKN proteins of two species may have similar biological functions, and both proteins were unstable hydrophilic proteins. DPP6 and PRKN genes were widely expressed in tissues. The expression of DPP6 in breast, lung, spleen and kidney tissues was significantly higher than that in other tissues, while the expression of PRKN was significantly higher in breast, kidney and rumen tissues. In addition, both DPP6 and PRKN genes were significantly expressed in LPS-induced bMECs compared with the blank control group (DPP6 gene was significantly down-regulated, and PRKN gene was highly upregulated). [Conclusion] DPP6 and PRKN genes may play a potential role in the regulation of udder inflammation in Holstein dairy cows, and provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent study of the regulatory mechanisms of DPP6 and PRKN genes in bMECs inflammation in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The life-like cellular Automata rule B34678/S3678 is a state symmetric rule with the unusual property that any area of one state in a universe of the other will transform into an area which is a chaotic mixture of both states. This area may either expand to fill the universe or shrink to an empty universe or a few small stable patterns. Larger patterns are more likely to expand than small ones. Statistical analysis of this behaviour is presented. It is noted that the chaotic mixture behaves like an extra state which is not symmetric with the others representing emergence of asymmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Cientifica de la Facultade de Veterinaria is the property of Universidad del Zulia, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Cientifica de la Facultade de Veterinaria is the property of Universidad del Zulia, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objectives of this study were to estimate heritability and breeding value for some economic traits and the impact of some environmental factors on these traits in Holstein dairy cattle in Egypt. The data of 10034 records for 3295 Holstein cows were studied during the period from 1998 to 2021 in El-Alamia farm which is belonging to Universal Company for Agricultural Development and Soil Reclamation and has a commercial dairy herd located at Nubaria region in the K 90 Alex - Cairo desert road. The traits under study were: Total milk yield (TMY, kg), 305-day milk yield (305-dMY, kg), Lactation length (LL, day), Dry period (DP, day), Days open (DO, day), Calving interval (CI, month) and Gestation length (GL, day). The results showed that all traits under study were significantly influenced by parity. Also, the calving year has a significant effect on the studied traits except for gestation length. In the same trend, the effect of calving season was significant in all traits except lactation length and gestation length. Heritability estimates were 0.265, 0.393, 0.488, 0.238, 0.12, 0.138 and 0.57 for TMY, 305-dMY, LL, DP, DO, CI and GL, respectively. Cow breeding values for TMY, 305-dMY, LL, DP, DO, CI and GL ranged from -957 to 2170.5 kg, from -2432.75 to 2713.75 kg, from -266.25 to 340 days, from -114 to 100.25, from -105.75 to 164 days, from -13.9 to 13.18 months and from -0.33 to 0.45 days, respectively. Dams breeding values ranged from -823.5 to 1364.25 kg, from -1076.75 to 1531.75 kg, from -139.75 to 186.5 days, from -79.75 to 46.5, from -58.25 to 82 days, from -8.23 to 8.63 months and from -0.28 to 0.53 days, respectively. Sires breeding values ranged from -1057.75 to 1082 kg, from -1458 to 1549.25 kg, from -219.25 to 292.75 days, from -79.5 to 85.25 days, from -75.5 to 89 days, from -8.7 to 7.08 months and from -0.58 to 0.60 days, respectively. In conclusion, heritability values for all traits under study were low to moderate except for gestation length was a high value, so the most useful way to improve the traits under the study would be by improving the management level. Also, an estimated cow's breeding value has a wide range than sires' or dams' breeding value revealing a higher genetic variance and a good chance of selecting superior cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semen importing countries are trying to select the most suitable studs according to their breeding goals, while the globally widespread use of common genetic material has been turning the loss of genetic diversity into a possible danger. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of 304 high-yielding Holstein stud bulls whose semen were produced in Turkiye, Europe and the Americas. The values of allele frequencies, expected heterozygosity (He), observed heterozygosity (Ho), Hardy-Weinberg (HW) Equilibrium, the number of alleles per locus (Na), allelic richness (Rs), polymorphic information content (PIC) and F-statistics were calculated and compared the results with similar studies. It was observed that some indicator values of the genetic diversity were decreased compared to the values of the other studies in Holstein breed. Especially the decrease in some values of SPS115 locus was statistically significant. It is thought that this could be as a result of SPS115 to be close to possible QTL regions associated with traits which indicates overall potential of selection in stud bulls. Therefore, while applying a selection program to populations, national genetic resource management strategies that maintain genetic diversity should not be forgotten besides gaining high yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holsteins and Jerseys, the 2 most prominent dairy breeds in the United States, differ in many regards. They have not been evaluated for differences in oral behavior performance, despite anecdotal evidence that Jerseys perform more abnormal behaviors than Holsteins. As abnormal behaviors can indicate compromised welfare, we evaluated whether breed differences existed in year-old heifers. Because many oral behaviors could be expressed in abnormal ways, we also sought to describe performance of a wide range of behaviors and whether these varied among individuals. We studied 42 pair-housed heifers (33 Holstein, 9 Jersey) at 12.8 ± 1.1 mo of age (mean ± SD) that were restricted to 50% of their ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR) intake for 2 d as part of a short-term feed challenge. Using continuous video recording from 0800 to 2000 h on the second day of feed restriction, we scored time spent performing tongue rolling, tongue flicking, self-grooming, allogrooming, intersucking, drinking urine, drinking water, and nonnutritive oral manipulation (NNOM) of rice hull bedding, the feed bin, or other pen fixtures. Eating TMR was recorded at 5-min intervals. We found that Jerseys spent more time tongue rolling (3.3% vs. 0.2% proportion of 12-h observations) and performing all types of NNOM than Holsteins (feed bin: 3.8% vs. 2.4%; bedding: 7.7% vs. 5.4%; other: 7.5% vs. 4.2%; total: 19.0% vs. 12.0%), and tended to spend more time tongue flicking (1.4% vs. 1.1%). Jerseys spent less time allogrooming than Holsteins (1.3% vs. 3.4%). There was no evidence of an effect of breed on self-grooming (2.0%), water drinking (1.0%), eating TMR (16.0%), or intersucking (0.06%). Urine drinking was performed by 9 total heifers and was not compared between breeds. All behaviors were highly variable across individuals, particularly tongue rolling and intersucking. Allogrooming was more variable than self-grooming, and each subcategory of NNOM was more variable than total NNOM. Outliers, or extreme performance of oral behaviors relative to the rest of our population, were present in most behaviors. Heifers who were outliers in one behavior were not consistently outliers in all. Overall, there are breed differences in many oral behaviors in a feed-restricted environment. Despite no difference in proportion of time spent eating, Jerseys often performed higher levels of potentially abnormal behaviors than Holsteins, though both breeds performed many oral behaviors, sometimes at extreme levels, that may indicate a concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to determine by immunohistochemical methods the expressions of acute phase protein such as Haptoglobin, C-reactive protein and Serum Amyloid in the lungs of cattle suffering from pneumonic pasteurellosis (PP). The material of the study was the lungs of 8-18 month old cattle Holstein with Fibrinous Bronchopneumonia brought for necropsy to the Pathology Department of the Selcuk University Veterinary Faculty between 2019-2020. As a result of microbiological culture from the lungs of these animals, 6 lungs where Pasteurella spp. was isolated were used in the study. Additionally, 6 culture-negative healthy animals obtained from the nearby slaughterhouse were used for lung control. A total of 12 bovine lung samples were subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical staining. In the histopathological examination, while no microscopic lesions were observed in the lungs of the control group, inflammatory hyperemia and red and grey consolidation stages of fibrinous pneumonia were detected in animals with pneumonic pasteurellosis. Immunohistochemically, immunoreactivity was very mild or without staining for primers in healthy lungs. Animals with pneumonic pasteurellosis showed immunopositivity in haptoglobin (Hp), oedema fluid and inflammatory cell infiltrations (P>0.05). C-reactive protein (CRP) staining showed expression in all criteria (epithelial, capillary, oedema and inflammatory cell infiltration) at all phases, and the highest mean score was found during the red consolidation phase (P<0.01). Serum Amyloid A (SAA) staining showed immunopositive staining in oedema fluid and inflammatory cell infiltrations, and the highest mean scores were during the red and grey consolidation phases (P<0.01). According to the results of the study, it can be considered that acute phase proteins may be important in the development process and/or pathophysiology of the disease, and SAA and CRP may provide more sensitive results for the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to investigate effects of ambient temperature-humidity index (THI) on the reproductive indices of 920 Holstein (HO) cows in the subtropics. THI was categorized as low: below 70; moderate: from 70 to 75 and high: more than 75. The high THI significantly (P < 0.001) prolonged the periods of calving interval, days open and dry period, and increased the service per conception rate. The conception rate in the high THI group (17.31%) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than that noticed in both low (36.96%) and moderate THI (31.61%) groups. Meanwhile, high THI significantly increased the embryonic loss (P < 0.001) and abortion (P=0.043) rates compared with low (14.62% and 8.89%; respectively) and moderate (22.84%; and 11.17%; respectively) THI groups. The high THI group had a significantly (P=0.001) greater embryonic losses than the other groups. Conclusively, THI over 75 deteriorates the reproductive indices of Holstein cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to propose and verify a scoring system for the evaluation of udder susceptibility to mastitis, which combined five influential teat traits into one overall score for the udder. The traits included barrel diameter, apex diameter, canal length, the change in wall thickness, and the change in apex diameter. Teat morphology of 38 Holstein cows were measured twice during lactation by ultrasonography. Each teat was scored for the presence of traits with negative implications for the udder health at the start (ScoreLactStart) and the end of lactation (ScoreLactEnd). Results showed that cows with higher score had significantly worse udder health. The number of mastitis warning days was significantly correlated to both scores. In addition, ScoreLactEnd was correlated to somatic cell count (SCC) and lactose content. Each increase of ScoreLactEnd by 1 point represented an increase in SCC by 17,745 cells mL-1, 9.4 more days with mastitis warning, and 4.6 more days with SCC above 400,000 cells mL-1 during observed lactation. Only ScoreLactStart was significantly related to blood content, but relations to SCC were weaker compared to ScoreLactEnd. Ranking udders based on teat morphology traits show potential for detection of mastitis susceptible cows in commercial herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]