Journal of Dairy Research最新文献

{"title":"Weaning-induced behavioural changes in Sahiwal calves: a multi-test approach to assessment of social and emotional reactivity.","authors":"Shwetambri Jamwal, Pawan Singh, M L Kamboj, R S Kataria, G R Gowane, Rajneesh Thakur, Ravi Dabas, Marie Haskell","doi":"10.1017/S0022029926102076","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029926102076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Weaning is a significant event in the life of Sahiwal calves, often leading to notable behavioural and emotional changes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dam-calf contact on behavioural responses and adaptability in Sahiwal calves, focusing on fear responses, social interactions and reactivity to humans. A total of 16 newborn calves were assigned to 2 rearing systems: fenceline mother-calf contact (FMC) and separated mother-calf (SM), with 8 calves in each group. The FMC group received natural suckling and fenceline contact with their dams, while the SM group was separated at birth and fed via nipple bottles. Behavioural assessments were conducted through a series of tests, including social reactivity tests, social preference tests, umbrella-based fear elicitation and interaction with a familiar human. Key behavioural parameters such as time spent idle, exploratory behaviour, escape attempts, vocalizations, latency to resume feeding and preference for conspecifics or humans were recorded. Data were statistically analysed using independent <i>t</i>-tests to compare behavioural responses between groups. The results revealed distinct behavioural differences between the FMC and SM calves, indicating that dam contact influences social behaviour, reduces fearfulness and improves calves' adaptability to novel or stressful situations.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"247-257"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147355138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the link between dairy technology adoption, crop diversification and food security: insights from mixed farming systems in central highlands of Ethiopia.","authors":"Abrham Seyoum Tsehay","doi":"10.1017/S0022029926102064","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029926102064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explored the relationship between dairy technology adoption (DTA), crop diversification and food security among smallholder farmers practicing mixed agriculture in Bason Werana Woreda, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region. A systematic sampling method selected 252 households from two randomly chosen government administrative areas (kebeles), proportional to size. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and an endogeneity-corrected recursive conditional mixed process regression model to examine bidirectional causation. Findings showed a 34% adoption rate of dairy technology, with improved housing and vaccination being the most common, while artificial insemination and improved breeds had the lowest adoption. The Herfindahl Iindex for crop diversification was 0.31, indicating a lower-middle level. Food security analysis, based on the Food Consumption Score, revealed that 78.57% of households were food secure, while 16.27% and 5.16% had borderline and poor food security, respectively. The regression results indicated that DTA significantly improves food security, and vice versa, but no causal relationship was found between these factors and crop diversification. The study identified key household-level and policy-related variables that are critical for enhancing DTA and addressing food insecurity. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of designing and promoting context-specific, locally optimal agricultural strategies that are closely aligned with household characteristics. Such alignment is essential for advancing dairy sector development and improving the welfare of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"211-217"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146157252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From cow to crop: motives and barriers for plant-based dairy alternative consumption across three European countries.","authors":"Dominika Maison, Diana Jaworska, Katarzyna Stasiuk","doi":"10.1017/S0022029925101970","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029925101970","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Currently, alternative sources of protein are being sought to replace not only meat but also dairy products in the diet. From this perspective, it is worth examining how consumers perceive these products, what motivates them to choose them and what barriers they encounter, especially with regard to attitudes towards dairy products. The present study aimed to compare attitudes towards plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs) in three European countries - Poland, Germany and the UK. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the extent to which two main arguments appearing in the media, intended to persuade consumers to replace dairy products with PBDA - referring to ethical concerns (animal welfare) or emphasising ecological considerations (environmental impact) - are actually convincing to them. An online survey was conducted in each of the three countries on a representative sample of dairy consumers (2,157 respondents in total). Curiosity proved to be the primary motivation for trying PBDA in all countries. In contrast, the arguments commonly used in PBDA communication (referring to environmental protection and animal welfare) appeal to consumers to a much lesser extent. However, these ethical and ecological factors influenced consumers differently across regions. British consumers emerged as the most receptive to PBDA. German respondents showed the highest sensitivity to animal welfare and environmental concerns in PBDA communication. Polish consumers, on the other hand, strongly believe in the exceptional health benefits and necessity of dairy in daily diets, which negatively affects their interest in PBDA. Notably, dairy is perceived more favourably than PBDAs on most attributes in all investigated countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"308-320"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147498759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immunophenotyping of somatic cells during lactation in Frizarta dairy ewes: effect of lactation stage and parity and association with total bacterial count.","authors":"Ekaterini Politi, Antonios Kominakis, Kalliopi Peristeri, George Antonakos, Ariadne Loukia Hager-Theodorides","doi":"10.1017/S0022029926102131","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029926102131","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to characterize the physiological variation of somatic cell count (SCC) and milk somatic cell subsets in relation to total bacterial count and milk production parameters, in mastitis-free local Greek ewes. To this end, we studied the SCC, daily milk yield and composition, milk somatic cell subset distribution and total bacterial count in the milk of first and second parity Frizarta ewes, at different lactation stages. As there is a total lack of evidence for differential milk somatic cell distribution in local Greek ewes, we chose to study the Frizarta breed, one of the most promising local sheep breeds, extensively reared in Western Greece, highly productive and well adapted to geoclimatic conditions. Partial correlation analysis was performed between SCC and somatic cell subtype populations with milk yield, composition and total bacterial count. Total SCC in Frizarta ewes ranged between 35 and 74 × 10³ cells/ml and was significantly influenced by lactation stage and parity number. Neutrophils and lymphocytes were the most abundant immune cell types followed by mammary epithelial cells and macrophages. A positive association of bacterial count with neutrophils and macrophages and a negative association with lymphocytes were observed. Finally, a negative association between total bacterial count with daily milk yield was detected. Our data forms the basis for understanding how parity and stage of lactation affects different immune and epithelial cell populations in the milk of healthy Frizarta ewes and can be used in future studies investigating the effect of the health status on differential cell count in ewe milk.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"297-307"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147521117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Financial sustainability indices for Holstein dairy cattle herds in Iran.","authors":"Davoud Rostami, Abbas Pakdel, Ali Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi, Ebrahim Ghasemi, Ali Jabarzarea","doi":"10.1017/S002202992510191X","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S002202992510191X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to assess the productivity and profitability of Iranian Holstein dairy herds by utilizing technical-economic indices, particularly in light of fluctuations of milk and feed prices. The dataset comprised 2,890,994 test day records from 190,900 cows across 93 Holstein dairy herds in Isfahan province, covering agricultural years from 2016 to 2022. To evaluate the effects of production levels and lactation stages on investigated indices, a two-way ANOVA analysis using SAS software was used. The results revealed that the average daily milk income was US $9.37 ± 3.63 per cow, while the average of feed cost was $3.97 ± 1.70 per cow. The mean of income over feed cost (IOFC) was estimated at $5.40 ± 2.41, with a range from $1.12 to18.06. Notably, with an average income equal to feed cost (IEFC) of 16.8 kg, farmers need approximately 42% of their produced milk to cover feed costs. The results of this research indicated that only 1% of the milk-to-feed price ratio (MFPR) exceeded 3.0, suggesting that higher milk production at this level is indeed profitable. Additionally, the money-corrected milk (MCM) yield was found to be 1.5% higher than the standard milk yield. The IOFC exhibited a positive and relatively strong correlation with various factors: 0.92 with milk income, 0.75 with MCM, 0.55 with feed costs and 0.22 with IEFC. Furthermore, the production levels and lactation stages significantly impacted the measures studied (<i>P</i> < 0.01). Interestingly, the second-parity cows with medium milk production emerged as the most profitable due to quality bonuses associated with higher milk prices. This highlights how increasing rewards and penalties related to milk quality provide incentives to farmers to focus on improving milk quality rather than merely increasing volume.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"200-210"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147365426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and risk factors associated to multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria isolated from dromedary camel milk in Tunisia.","authors":"Rachid Selmi, Ghassen Tayh, Houcine Ben Yahia, Faten Ben Chehida, Lilia Messadi","doi":"10.1017/S002202992610209X","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S002202992610209X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study focuses on the carriage and antibiotic-susceptibility profiles of Gram-positive bacteria in dromedary camel milk. A total of 103 milk samples were collected from apparently healthy female dromedaries in southern Tunisia. Bacterial growth was observed only in 82 of these samples, yielding 86 Gram-positive bacterial isolates. <i>Staphylococcus</i> was the most frequently isolated genus (54/86, 62.8%) with 13% of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) represented by <i>S. aureus</i> and <i>S. intermedius</i> and 87% of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (<i>n</i> = 47) identified as <i>S. simulans, S. xylosus, S. warneri, S. hominus1, S. capitis, S. sciuri</i> and <i>S. equorum. Cellulomonas</i> spp. (16, 18.6%), <i>Lactococcus lactis</i> subsp. <i>lactis</i> (8, 9.3%), <i>Aerococcus viridans</i> (7, 8.5%) and <i>Kocuria rosea</i> (1, 1.1%) were also identified. <i>Staphylococcus</i> species showed the highest resistance to chloramphenicol (50% of samples), followed by clindamycin (42.6% of samples), neomycin and nalidixic acid (40.7% each). No resistance genes were detected for the low levels of resistance to penicillin, oxacillin and cefoxitin. <i>Cellulomonas</i> spp., <i>L. lactis</i> subsp<i>. lactis</i> and <i>A. viridans</i> isolates exhibited moderate frequency of resistance, particularly to aminoglycosides and tetracycline. However, resistances to sulphonamide-trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, tylosin and rifampicin were rarely detected. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria were identified in 11.7% of the total isolates, with the higher rates observed for <i>L. lactis</i> subsp<i>. lactis</i> (25% of samples), <i>A. viridans</i> (14.2% of samples) and <i>Cellulomonas</i> spp. (6.25%), while 11% of <i>Staphylococcus</i> isolates were MDR, significantly more in CoPS (28.5%) than CoNS (8.5%). Additionally, MDR rate was higher in older female (<i>p</i> = 0.042) and those raised alongside ruminants (<i>p</i> = 0.030). All tested MDR bacteria exhibited significant combinations of resistance genes, including <i>aph3-IIIa</i> and <i>ant6-Ia</i> for aminoglycosides, <i>cat(pC221)</i> for chloramphenicol, <i>ermA</i> for erythromycin and clindamycin, <i>tetK</i> for tetracycline and <i>drfA</i> for trimethoprim-sulphonamide. Further, comprehensive studies are needed to understand MDR bacteria emergence within camel milk.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"285-296"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146213430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of BLUPF90IOD3 and MiXBLUP implementations of the single-step model applied to the Polish national dairy cattle evaluation.","authors":"Dawid Słomian, Michalina Jakimowicz, Tomasz Suchocki, Joanna Szyda","doi":"10.1017/S0022029926102088","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029926102088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The integration of phenotypic, genomic and pedigree data into a single-step model for predicting genomically enhanced estimated breeding values (GEBVs) has become crucial for the accurate genetic evaluation of dairy cattle. This study compared two widely used software implementations, MiXBLUP and BLUPF90IOD3, for the prediction of breeding values using the single-step G-BLUP model based on data from the Polish national evaluation for stature. Four core animal sets were tested, which differed in the selection of bulls and cows. The GEBVs were predicted and validated using different subsets of the population. Both software packages resulted in high correlations (0.89 and 0.97) between full and truncated dataset predictions and similar validation performance, with MiXBLUP exhibiting slightly greater consistency across different sets of core animals. The ranking of the top 50 bulls remained stable across the implementations. This study concludes that both software implementations provide comparable GEBV predictions, suggesting that software choice should consider computational efficiency, cost and modeling flexibility, with MiXBLUP offering additional options for GEBV estimation.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"218-222"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146180616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How reliable is visual lameness scoring? Assessing human label variability for use in automated detection systems.","authors":"Konstantina Linardopoulou, Lorenzo Viora, George King, Julien Le Kernec, Nicholas N Jonsson","doi":"10.1017/S0022029926102180","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029926102180","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Visual mobility scoring to detect lame dairy cattle can be subjective and inconsistent. This study assessed the reliability of visual mobility scores from multiple assessors, using different scoring methods (live vs. video) and experience levels to evaluate their influence on label quality for machine learning applications. We gathered data from two farms using the AHDB 4-point mobility scale and a simplified post-hoc dichotomised version, with both live and video assessments. Substantial within- and between-assessor variation was seen in scores, particularly for scores 0 and 1 (consistent with normal and slightly abnormal gaits, respectively). Assessors showed only fair (weighted kappa ≈ 0.33) score consistency when they scored the same animal in different ways (live vs. video). Post-hoc simplification of the four-level scores to a dichotomous score improved agreement but reduced granularity. Assessor experience had limited influence on agreement levels (<i>P</i> > 0.05), and increased video viewing frequency during the assessment process was associated with lower inter-assessor agreement (probability estimate = -0.49, <i>P</i> = 0.005), suggesting higher uncertainty in ambiguous cases. Qualitative feedback from assessor comments revealed that the speed of the animal affected their scoring decisions (β = -1.92, <i>P</i> = 0.007). These results highlight the difficulties in using subjective human scores as labels for machine learning training. To improve automatic lameness detection in dairy cattle, we need strategies to reduce this variation and use more definitive labels.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"258-264"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147377747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of bovine appeasing substance on multiparous Holstein cows during the transition period.","authors":"Maria Carolina Narval de Araújo, Milene Lopes Dos Santos, Uriel Secco Londero, Antonio Amaral Barbosa, Francisco Augusto Burkert Del Pino, Viviane Rohrig Rabassa, Osvaldo Sousa, Nathaly Ana Carpinelli, Rodrigo de Almeida, Marcio Nunes Corrêa","doi":"10.1017/S0022029925101520","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029925101520","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of the experiment reported in this research paper was to determine the influence of the bovine appeasing substance (BAS) on milk yield, energy metabolism, inflammation, and stress in cows during the transition period. Twenty-four multiparous Holstein cows (day 28 pre-partum to 21 postpartum) were distributed randomly into two groups: control (n = 12) and BAS (Secure Cattle®; n = 12). Each animal was administered 5 mL of the product on days 28 and 14 pre-partum and on the day of calving. The feed intake was assessed using automated, individual feeders and the milk yield was determined electronically. Six milk samples were obtained from each animal, which were analyzed for chemical composition and somatic cell count. Six blood samples were obtained per animal for future biochemical analyses (free fatty acids, beta hydroxybutyrate, cortisol, myeloperoxidase and paraoxonase 1). The statistical analyses were conducted with the JMP Pro 14 software, with P ≤ 0.05 being considered as statistical significance. BAS-treated cows showed higher milk yield than controls. Dry matter intake (DMI) during the pre- and postpartum periods was greater for the control than treated group. The BAS group exhibited reduced plasma cortisol postpartum. In conclusion, cows treated with BAS showed higher milk yield, lower DMI, and reduced plasma cortisol concentrations than controls.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"238-246"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146180555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research communication: Regional variation in antimicrobial resistance of <i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i> isolated from bovine mastitis in major dairy-producing provinces of northern China.","authors":"Jieyan Yang, Kai Liu, Xiang Liu, Sihong Tao, Li Wei, Mingfeng Ji, Haodong Li, Feiyan Dai, Xiao Xiao, Xiaolong Gu, Limei Zhang, Weijie Qu","doi":"10.1017/S0022029925101283","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0022029925101283","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i>, a major bovine mastitis pathogen, poses significant economic and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges. This study evaluated AMR in 128 isolates from Shandong, Hebei and Inner Mongolia using the broth microdilution method. Results showed high sensitivity to most antibiotics (e.g. 100% resistance to penicillin, ceftiofur, amoxicillin, cefquinome and vancomycin) but significant resistance to tetracycline (80.7%) and daptomycin (99.3%). Inner Mongolia isolates exhibited higher resistance and mimimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values, reflecting regional antibiotic usage differences, guiding mastitis treatment and antibiotic stewardship in China's dairy industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":15615,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Research","volume":" ","pages":"265-267"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147521196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}