Search

Hedysarum flexuosum which is a forage legume with high production potential can contribute to increase the production and improve the quality of desirable fatty acids in ruminant products. Production, chemical composition and fatty acid profile of Beni Aouss goat milk were studied to evaluate the effect of substitution of Medicago sativa with the Hedysarum flexuosum L. (Sulla) based diet, harvested at the beginning of flowering. Two homogeneous groups of fourteen goats were used to out this experiment. The roughage distributed in both groups is made up of Sulla forage (Sulla group) and Medicago sativa (control group). The same concentrated feed is distributed to both groups of goats. Milk yield was determined weekly during the first three months of lactation and milk samples were collected every week. The incorporation of Sulla in goat’s diet had a significant and positive effect on milk production (+15%). No significant differences were observed for milk pH and acidity. Sulla group milk was characterized by slightly higher lactose content (5.23% vs. 5.13%, P < 0.05) and defatted solid content (10.31% vs. 10.12%, P < 0.05), while their protein and fat contents were not affected. Milk fatty acid profile revealed that the levels of unsaturated fatty acids and medium chain fatty acids were higher in the Sulla milk than in the alfalfa group. ω3 fatty acids (0.39% vs 0.21%), ω6-fatty acids (3.42% vs. 2.79%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (3.96% vs. 3.15%), unsaturated fatty acids (43.00% vs. 41.11%) and medium chain fatty acids (25.00% vs. 23.82%) were significantly more present in the Sulla milk. Sulla forage may be an interesting alternative in goat’s feeding for diversifying feed resources and improving milk production and quality.

Copyright of Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Societe et Environnement is the property of Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 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.)

West African dairy farmers are faced with constraints in feeding their cows during the dry season when rangelands are not rich enough in soft grass. This leads to a drop in the supply of local milk. To address this problem, farmers purchase expensive feedstuffs that they use sporadically. Some seem to cope by combining grazing, fodder and cattle feed. However, these strategies remain poorly known. This study aimed at characterizing dry season feeding practices of dairy cows in extensive farms in the South Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso in order to identify and promote innovative and economically viable feeding strategies. A household survey was conducted among 134 farmers supplying dairy processors in the cities of Banfora and Bobo-Dioulasso, in western Burkina Faso. The interviews aimed at characterizing the feeding practices of dairy cows during the dry season. The study presents a typology of dairy cows feeding systems, highlighting a technically and economically promising feeding system, however practiced only by few farmers. In this system, the dairy cows receive good quality fodder in sufficient quantity (3360 ± 1424 kg dry matter/cow/year) and moderate quantities of feed concentrates (253 ± 244 kg gross weight/cow/year) during the dry season, in addition to a reasonable duration of grazing (9 h/d). This practice maintains milk production and provides a steady income to the farmer. It appears therefore appropriate to support the co-design of feeding systems integrating forage crops, grazing and moderate use of concentrate feed. The improvement of dairy cow diet appears to be mainly motivated by the organization of the collection and the incentives offered to farmers. In order to amplify the dynamics of agro-ecological intensification of milk production, and in particular this type of dairy cows feeding system, upstream operators of the local dairy value chain could develop an economic model that creates more incentives for the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L’étude a eu pour objectif d’évaluer la production de lait de la chèvre de race Alpine au Sud Bénin, et d’estimer l’influence de la parité, du mois de mise bas et du poids post-partum. Les analyses ont été réalisées avec la procédure des modèles linéaires généralisés et ont porté sur 3820 données de lactations collectées chez 13 chèvres pendant 340 jours. Les résultats ont indiqué une production laitière journalière moyenne de 0,88 ± 0,42 kg, avec un pic de 1,60 kg au quarantième jour. Le mois de mise bas, la parité et le poids post partum de la chèvre ont eu une influence significative (p < 0,001) sur la production journalière. La production a augmenté avec le poids post-partum ainsi qu’avec la parité (en kg ; rang 1 = 0,730 ± 0,320 ; rang 2 = 0,96 ± 0,300 ; rang 3 = 1,05 ± 0,536 ; rang 4 et plus = 1,13 ± 0,330). La prise en compte de ces facteurs d’influence améliorerait la production de lait de la chèvre Alpine dans des conditions semblables.

Copyright of Algerian Journal of Arid Environment (AJAE) is the property of University of Kasdi Merbah Ouargla 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.)

L’objectif principal était d’évaluer l’impact d’un complément alimentaire, le Vitanimal (mélange de coques et de tourteau de coton), sur les performances laitières des vaches Borgou dans un contexte de rareté du fourrage en saison sèche et de réduction de la mobilité pastorale. L’évaluation a concerné un troupeau de 15 vaches ayant eu au moins deux mises bas à la Ferme d’élevage de l’Okpara. Les animaux ont été répartis en trois lots : le lot 1, lot témoin, a bénéficié uniquement du fourrage des parcours naturels et artificiels de la ferme, de pierres à lécher et d’eau ad libitum ; les lots 2 et 3 ont bénéficié de la même alimentation que les témoins avec en plus respectivement 2 et 4 kg du complément alimentaire. Les quantités de lait produites et les refus du complément ont été collectés et quantifiés chaque jour pendant 90 jours. Les analyses ont montré des différences significatives (p < 0,05) pour l’ingestion du complément alimentaire entre les lots 2 et 3, et pour les refus qui ont été plus importants dans le lot 3. Le Vitanimal a eu des effets significatifs sur les performances des vaches. Les productions journalières de lait ont été de 0,76 ± 0,35 kg, 1,04 ± 0,35 kg et 1,16 ± 0,46 kg respectivement pour les lots 1, 2 et 3. Ces quantités ont augmenté avec la quantité de complément servie. Toutefois, la ration du lot 2 a été plus rentable, soit 75 % de taux de rentabilité contre 25 % pour le lot 3.

Over 120 prehistoric pottery sherds from mainland Finland and the Åland Islands in the north Baltic region were studied for their organic residue content. Preserved fat residues found in these vessels indicated that the food procurement pattern was broad during the Neolithic and Early Metal periods. Based on previous research and these results, it appears that animal husbandry came to Finland with the Corded Ware culture. Groups using the succeeding Late Neolithic Kiukainen Ware did not, however, practice animal husbandry to any great extent, as there is an indication of dairy fats in only a single sherd. In general, even after dairy farming arrived in the area, prehistoric groups in southern and south-western Finland continued or returned to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. During the Early Metal period, animal husbandry increased in importance among the groups living in the area, and the level of dairying then intensified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing 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.)

This work examines the evaluation of both the quantitative and qualitative dairy performance of Sicilo-Sarde ewes from dairy controls, and udder health from direct cellular screening by Individual Cell Count (CCI) and indirect testing by the Californian Mastitis Test (CMT). This study focused on a sample of 48 sheep, representing about 15% of the total number of animals, in the UCPA Gnadil in the Beja region of northern Tunisia. Ewes were milked twice daily by a mechanical pot machine. The average of milk yield during a 175-day milking period was 133 ± 43 l after a lactation phase that lasted an average of 56 days (± 6.6). At the end of lactation, exactly at the 25th and 29th weeks of lactation, the qualitative analyzes of the milk essentially revealed that the average values of the fat, protein, lactose and total dry extract were respectively 8, 5, 6.0, 4.6 and 19.9%. The results of the CMT test recorded the occurrence of some cases of subclinical mastitis of the order of 3%, while the average CCI increased from 463400 cells / ml to reach 788100 cells / ml at the end of lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy farm operations rely on a continuous supply of bedding material for cow comfort and hygiene. The re-use of liquid manure for this purpose has become possible after solid/liquid separation of the manure stream and 24 h processing of the separated solids through a tumbling drum composter. The finished bedding solids are reported to produce superior bedding to regular straw and the separated liquid stream can be retained as crop fertilizer. Off-farm export as bedding is only possible if the material is stable to prevent re-heating if bagged or piled. The nutrient value of the retained liquid and the quality of solids for export were investigated on a Canadian dairy farm by examining nitrogen and phosphorus distribution, as well as the self-heating potential of the composted solids. The effect of curing the solids for an additional 4 weeks during both summer and winter operations was evaluated. Results showed that the solids separation and 24 h drum composting process did not result in a compost that could be classified as mature and stable. However, further curing the solid product in ambient temperature piles for 4 weeks reduced compost re-heating from 26.2°C above ambient to 7.7°C (winter curing) and 3.8°C (summer curing). Nitrogen and phosphorus analysis revealed little difference between the liquid stream (post solid separation) and the incoming raw manure on a wet weight basis. The use of either of these products as plant fertilizer is similar and solid separation does not impact the agronomic value of the liquid manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the analysis of endogenous and exogenous factors that hinder and penalize the growth of milk production in Algeria. The first part focuses on exogenous factors, namely the territorial factors: climate, agricultural potential, water infrastructure, as well as demographic factors (demographic and urbanization). The second part analyzes the endogenous factors arising from the operation of dairy farms, including the perimeters of Chéliff. The data used are those available at national level for understanding the macroeconomic variables, as well as those from a survey of a sample of 146 dairy farms at the perimeters of Cheliff. It follows that the territorial and demographic factors are unfavorable to the growth of milk production. However, administered prices in the production and consumption has contributed significantly to the further direction from farmers to more profitable crops and decommissioning of milk production in the strategy of actors responsible for milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En Amazonie, la production laitière est considérée comme une opportunité pour améliorer la viabilité des petites fermes du fait de la double fonction (production de lait et de veaux) de cette activité qui est favorisée par le fort potentiel fourrager dû au climat chaud et humide. Mais la production laitière ne dépend pas que du fourrage, la question est plus complexe. Cet article décrit ainsi comment la filière laitière locale et le contexte limitent la productivité et l’innovation dans ce sec­teur. Il esquisse également les possibilités d’évolution à court terme. La méthode mise en oeuvre a combiné trois approches complémentaires afin de mieux comprendre la complexité de la production laitière en Amazonie. Ces approches se sont basées sur a) une typologie des fermes, réalisée à deux périodes différentes, afin d’identifier leurs trajectoires, b) une analyse rétrospective décrivant les changements et les inva­riants des facteurs concernés, et c) une analyse de la filière reposant sur des données secondaires et des informations recueillies auprès d’informateurs-clés. Les résultats obte­nus ont complété l’expertise développée depuis une dizaine d’année par l’équipe de chercheurs concernée. La typologie a révélé les fréquentes et soudaines modifications de la stra­tégie des fermes suivant deux tendances principales, opportu­nisme et persévérance, en lien avec les pratiques d’élevage, notamment la reproduction, l’alimentation et la commercia­lisation des produits laitiers. Cette dernière dépend fortement de la capacité des laiteries locales à établir une relation de confiance avec les éleveurs. Ce partenariat est délicat à mettre en place à cause du contexte local, en particulier du fait des difficultés de transport, de l’accès insuffisant au marché, des normes nationales de production. Ce contexte explique les fréquentes créations et disparitions de laiteries. C’est pourquoi de nombreux éleveurs se concentrent sur la production de veaux et considèrent le lait comme un sous-produit. D’autres, en revanche, souvent pour des raisons culturelles, continuent à produire du lait et des veaux, recherchant des alternatives à la commercialisation du lait. Trois scénarios ont été envisa­gés : a) intensification, b) augmentation de la demande locale, et c) politiques environnementales exigeantes.

L'outil EDEN estime les impacts environnementaux ainsi que des impacts économiques et sociaux. Il a permis de faire des comparaisons entre les 47 fermes laitières pris en exemple dans l'étude confirmant sa pertinence à identifier les caractéristiques des fermes ayant le plus d'impact sur l'environnement.

L'outil EDEN estime les impacts environnementaux ainsi que des impacts économiques et sociaux. Il a permis de faire des comparaisons entre les 47 fermes laitières pris en exemple dans l'étude confirmant sa pertinence à identifier les caractéristiques des fermes ayant le plus d'impact sur l'environnement.

In the Sahelian region of Senegal, milk production in pastoral systems is subjected to inter- and intra-annual variations because the animal feed is almost exclusively based on natural resources. Studies conducted from a monitoring set-up in pastoralist settlements and in station, and data from Nestle Company have shown that milk production was highly related to the milk collection date, but with a low correlation with the total amount of rainfall. The relationship between total milk production and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was polynomial. The production peak was reached when the water content in forage was 70%. Surveys on pastoralists (men and women) belonging to different ethnic groups and living in different production subsystems (Walo, Djoloff and Ferlo) showed that the duration of lactation, number of cows and animal species were the main factors of variation of milk production. The actors in charge of milk production management differed depending on the ethnic group. Milk curdling and butter making were the two preserving methods used, and five types of gourds were used in the process. Dairy products still held a major place in farmers’ incomes and skim milk curd was the most marketed product.

The study was carried out on 1727 lactations of 493 Holstein cows and 1148 lactations of 319 Montbeliarde cows kept on a private farm. Data were collected from 1997 to 2007. The age at first calving of Holsteins and Montbeliardes was almost 29 months. The calving interval, and the interval between calving and fertilizing insemination of Montbeliardes were 385.6 and 83.1 days, respectively. They were 9.7 and 30 days, respectively, shorter than those of Holsteins. The lactation length of Holsteins was 4.2 days shorter and the dry period 14.1 days longer than those of Montbeliardes. However, Holsteins produced 623.1 kg more of milk and 30.2 kg more of fat per lactation of reference than Montbeliardes. In conclusion, Montbeliardes had a slight advantage with regard to reproduction and a slight disadvantage with regard to milk production compared to Holsteins. The study of other traits will be necessary to improve comparison of these breeds.

From 1991 to 2003, 75,650 daily milk records from 111 Friesian cows maintained at Mahwa station in Burundi were used to study the effects of the lactation length, age at calving, year and month of lactation, and parity on daily milk yield (DMY). Data were analyzed by the GLM procedure in SAS. All factors affected DMY significantly (p < 0.001). The overall average was 8.71 L/d. The peak milk yield of 11.48 ± 0.20 L/d occurred at the 15th day in milk on the lactation curve. The estimated linear (L/month) and quadratic (L/month²) regression coefficients for age at calving (in months) were –0.26 and 0.0052 in first parity, 0.49 and –0.0056 in second parity, and –0.22 and 0.0013 in third parity and above, respectively. Milk production decreased according to the year of lactation with the highest decrease in 1993. The minimum milk production was observed in 1995 with 6.91 ± 0.17 L/d and the maximum in 1991 with 15.55 ± 0.45 L/d. Milk production was significantly higher in February (9.75 ± 0.13 L/d) in the middle of the rainy season than in September (7.60 ± 0.13 L/d) at the end of the dry season. Least-squares means for DMY for first, second, and third lactations and above were 11.47 ± 0.30, 5.23 ± 0.09 and 10.11 ± 0.06 L/d, respectively.

A local goat grading-up project has been on going since 1980 in an oasis of an arid region of Tunisia to improve goat milk production under intensive breeding conditions. The local goat (Capra hircus) originated from the Nubian breed and was graded up by imported breeds. A dairy performance survey was carried out on pure goat breeds and crossed genotypes to help select a good improved breed to use in local goat grading up. In total, 1923 data on the lactation of pure breeds, and F1 and F2 cross goats were used to estimate dairy production parameters: total milk production (kg), lactation length (days), and daily milk average (kg/day). Individual quantitative variables were analyzed by ANOVA and by a post-hoc pair-wise test (Student, Newman and Keuls) (α = 5%). Results showed that the milk production of the local goat remained low even under intensive oasis conditions. The performances of imported breeds were much lower than those obtained in the country of origin. Crosses between goat breeds improved the milk performance of the local goat. The average milk production was 133.5 kg per lactation in the local goat (n = 10), 172.5 kg in the first generation for the three types of crosses without significant differences between them (n = 46), 188.7 kg in the second generation for the three types of crosses (n = 46), and 226.2 kg in the second generation for crosses with the Alpine breed (n = 14).

In East and West Africa, most milk is produced by smallholders who sell it in informal markets. The authors summarize changes in overall development policy that are bringing attention to this previously ignored sector and stimulating a reevaluation of dairy policy. They argue that current dairy policy, derived from developed countries and based on industrial systems, proved unworkable or ineffective as evidenced by the predominance of the informal sector and the high levels of milk-borne diseases. The role of food safety in dairy policy and its potential to constrain the shift of policy to a more propoor direction are discussed. The authors review the literature on milk safety in Africa, where high levels of pathogens and other hazards in milk and milk products are reported from both the formal and informal dairy sectors. Case studies that are presented suggest that participatory, risk-based policies may offer an opportunity to increase both dairy safety and benefits to the poor. The authors also show how policy can be positively influenced using examples from East and West Africa.

In the last 30 years, the development of urban dairy industries has deeply changed the organization of dairy marketing in West Africa. To respond to the high increase of the urban demand, the dairy plants contributed to a fast increase in cheap dry milk imports. However, the domestic dairy production sector has been going through major changes in the past fifteen years. These changes question the industrial model, which is disconnected from the local production. Dairy production changes in West Africa are related to the development, in the late 1990s, of small-scale dairy processing units engaged in the collection of local milk. To respond to this new market outlet, smallholders (pastoral herders, agropastoral farmers) tend to convert to semi-intensive systems, based on feed supplementation of dairy cows. At the same time, a growing number of urban cowsheds and milk farms have developed near urban centers, often with more intensified production systems. To face the competition of imported dry milk, the new actors of the dairy subsector focus on specific market segments that promote the local origin of their products. These new collecting and processing chains are progressively leading to changes in dairy development policies. New trade regulations are emerging between State institutions and private actors. These regulations relate to questioning trade liberalization, to promoting low-input milk production systems, and to setting up participative quality management systems in the dairy marketing chains.