Adam L. Lock , Jose M. dos Santos Neto , Jonas de Souza
{"title":"Invited review: Moving from dietary fat to fatty acids—New insights into how fatty acids affect digestibility, metabolism, and performance in dairy cows","authors":"Adam L. Lock , Jose M. dos Santos Neto , Jonas de Souza","doi":"10.3168/jds.2025-27040","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2025-27040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In dairy nutrition, “fat” broadly refers to lipid compounds primarily composed of fatty acids (FA), which play diverse roles in digestion, metabolism, and milk production. The main FA present in dairy cow diets are palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), oleic (18:1), linoleic (18:2), and linolenic (18:3) acids. In the rumen, FA are extensively modified, which decreases the toxicity of UFA to rumen bacteria. Rumen bacteria can also synthesize FA from end products of rumen fermentation and AA, primarily producing odd- and branched-chain FA. As FA flow to the intestine, digestibility is influenced by several factors. These include total FA flow, FA profile, the presence of emulsification compounds, and the physical characteristics of fat supplements. The digestibility of FA typically decreases as total FA intake and flow to the intestine increase, especially with 18:0, which exhibits a more pronounced reduction in digestibility than 16:0. Some dietary UFA escape rumen biohydrogenation. Therefore, supplemental blends containing 18:1 can increase its postruminal delivery, improving FA digestibility and absorption. These effects are especially beneficial during early lactation and in high-producing cows. Additionally, the form and purity of supplements influence FA absorption, with highly saturated and pure supplements having lower digestibility. The source of 18-carbon FA in the diet also affects digestibility, with oilseeds being associated with less reduction in digestibility than prilled supplements that provide 18:0. Historically, UFA and medium-chain FA, commonly found in vegetable oils, have been shown to negatively affect NDF digestibility due to various mechanisms, including the coating of fiber particles, microbial toxicity, and reduced cation availability. However, recent studies indicate that FA sources high in 16:0 can enhance NDF digestibility. These improvements are not linked to reduced DMI, suggesting that other mechanisms, such as altered gut peptide activity or microbial community shifts, may be involved. In terms of production responses, 16:0 supplementation consistently improves milk fat yield, ECM, and nutrient utilization across lactation. In contrast, 18:1 enhances BW gain and FA digestibility and is particularly effective in increasing ECM in high-producing cows (over 45 kg/d of milk yield) and cows in early lactation. At the same time, 18:0 often reduces FA digestibility, limiting its production benefits. Across multiple studies, blends containing higher proportions of 16:0, especially in comparison with 18:0, led to linear increases in milk fat yield and ECM, supporting the preferential use of 16:0 for fat synthesis in the mammary gland. Although some earlier work suggested that combining 16:0 and 18:0 in a supplement would optimize FA utilization, this approach has been largely discredited by recent findings. High levels of 18:0 in FA supplements have been shown to reduce FA digestibility and energy intake, limiting thei","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 11","pages":"Pages 11733-11756"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145339889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"INTERPRETIVE SUMMARIES, NOVEMBER 2025","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S0022-0302(25)00861-6","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S0022-0302(25)00861-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 11","pages":"Pages viii-xvi"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145340024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Effect of inclusion of a spray-dried fat concentrate containing tributyrin and tricaproin in milk replacer on plasma metabolome and lipoprotein profiles of calves” (J. Dairy Sci. 108:10287–10305)","authors":"M.H. Ghaffari , H. Sauerwein , L.N. Leal , J.N. Wilms","doi":"10.3168/jds.2025-108-11-12861","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2025-108-11-12861","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 11","pages":"Pages 12861-12864"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145340252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Graduate student literature review: The development of the Brouwer equation to estimate heat production-Past, present, and future perspectives.","authors":"A L Carroll, T M Brown-Brand, P J Kononoff","doi":"10.3168/jds.2025-27216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most studies employ indirect calorimetry to study ruminant energetics and indirectly measure heat production (HP) using an equation published by Ede Brouwer in 1965. Initially estimates of HP used measured oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) consumption and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) production, and this was based on the relationship developed by Antoine Lavoisier between the 2 respiratory gases and metabolic HP. These gases were subsequently integrated into the first indirect calorimetry equation by Nathan Zuntz in the late 1800s. However, based on incomplete oxidation of methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and HP associated with urinary N excretion, inputs into this equation now include O<sub>2</sub> consumption, CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> production, and urinary nitrogen losses. In most cases, little to no hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) is eructated by cattle but this may increase when cattle consume some feed supplements and compounds that reduce ruminal CH<sub>4</sub> production and as a result, H<sub>2</sub> may be considered when HP is indirectly estimated.</p>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145353247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Identification and characterization of a novel bacteriocin PFB252 from Bacillus velezensis with anti-MRSA and anti-biofilm activity for dairy food preservations.","authors":"Ruixue Pan, Yuexia Ding, Jinju Peng, Yuner Long, Yining Zhao, Qianqian Lin, Shiyun Wu, Fucheng Guo, Jiachen Wen, Xiaohui Zhou, Yi Ma","doi":"10.3168/jds.2025-27286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27286","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and its robust biofilm-forming capability pose severe threats to public health, livestock production, and food safety, and undersocres the urgent need for novel antibacterial and anti-biofilm agents. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel bacteriocin, PFB252, derived from Bacillus velezensis through a multi-step purification process involving acid precipitation, TA-GF75 gel column chromatography, Tiderose Q HP anion-exchange chromatography, and RP-HPLC. PFB252 exhibited remarkable thermal stability, pH tolerance, and resistance to enzymatic degradation, and demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against MRSA. At sub-inhibitory concentrations (1/32 × MIC and 1/16 × MIC), PFB252 significantly disrupted biofilm formation and impaired the metabolic viability of embedded bacteria, while drastically reduced extracellular polysaccharide, the key component of the biofilm matrix. Transcriptional analysis further revealed that PFB252 at sub-inhibitory concentrations downregulated critical biofilm-associated genes. PFB252 exhibited strong antimicrobial efficacy in dairy applications. It could reduce MRSA counts in milk from 10<sup>3</sup> to < 10 cfu/mL within 4 d at MIC and maintaining suppression in cheese below 10<sup>2</sup> cfu/g over 7 d. These properties highlight PFB252's potential as a natural bio-preservative for combating MRSA in food systems and offer a promising solution for food safety applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145353283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J S Katende, M Santinello, A Costa, F Galluzzo, M Marusi, R Finocchiaro, M Cassandro, M Penasa
{"title":"Genetic relationships between twinning rate and 305-days milk production traits in Italian Holsteins.","authors":"J S Katende, M Santinello, A Costa, F Galluzzo, M Marusi, R Finocchiaro, M Cassandro, M Penasa","doi":"10.3168/jds.2025-27143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27143","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Twinning is associated with metabolic and reproductive disorders in dairy cows and health issues in calves, with unavoidable effect on herd profitability. To explore the feasibility of selecting against twinning or stabilizing its occurrence, it is crucial to evaluate the genetic relationship with key production traits to avoid any unintended negative consequences. The aim of the present study was to estimate the genetic and phenotypic correlations of twinning rate (TR) with 305-d milk, protein, and fat yields, and protein and fat percentages in Italian Holstein cows. Data included 1,086,917 calving records from 514,702 cows in 924 herds spanning the period from 1992 to 2022. (Co)variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using linear-linear (LL) and threshold-linear (TL) models, which included parity as fixed effect and herd-year-season, permanent environmental, additive genetic, and the residual as random effects. The genetic correlations between TR and milk production traits were weak and consistent under both LL and TL approaches. Specifically, genetic correlations of TR with milk yield, protein yield, fat yield, protein percentage, and fat percentage estimated with the TL approach were 0.129, 0.147, 0.055, 0.028, and -0.081, respectively, and those estimated with the LL approach were 0.106, 0.125, 0.043, 0.031, and -0.069. The phenotypic correlations were weak too (-0.025 to 0.061). Whereas the genetic trend of TR showed a slight increase (1-3 SD units) toward the early 2000s followed by stability throughout most of the study period, the phenotypic trend was inconsistent, with a modest overall increase from 2.36% in 1992 to 2.54% in 2022. Altogether, these results suggest that past breeding decisions coupled with on-farm management practices may have unintentionally led to a progressive increase of TR in the Italian Holstein population. Nonetheless, the weak genetic correlations between TR and milk traits suggest that the incidence of multiple births could be potentially reduced or stabilized through targeted breeding programs without detrimental effects on production traits.</p>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145353287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dissecting native plasmids functions in Lactococcus lactis: synergistic regulation of metabolism and industrially relevant traits.","authors":"Chen Chen, Ruiqi Chen, Hao Wu, Qinggele Caiyin, Jianjun Qiao","doi":"10.3168/jds.2025-27053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27053","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), the presence of native plasmids holds significant biological and practical value. They commonly harbor functional genes related to metabolism, antibiotic resistance, bacteriocin synthesis, and stress responses, thereby enabling the strain to adapt to diverse environmental conditions. A comprehensive investigation into the 3 native plasmids in L. lactis C20 was conducted to elucidate their functions, evolutionary origins, and impacts on growth, metabolic activity, enantiomeric purity of L/D-lactate, and nisin biosynthesis. Comprehensive genomic analyses revealed that these plasmids, ranging from 2 kb to 258 kb and carrying genes implicated in mobile element activity, metabolic adaptation, and defense mechanisms, contribute significantly to the strain's genomic plasticity and environmental adaptability. Functional characterization of native plasmids pLL1, pLL2, and pLL3 demonstrated their collaborative regulation of key metabolic processes, with pLL2 in particular proving critical for maintaining robust growth and product formation. Combinatorial elimination further underscored the synergistic interplay among these plasmids, as evidenced by notable shifts in lactic acid yield, nisin titer, and L/D-lactate enantiomer distribution. These findings underscore the functional importance of native plasmids in L. lactis C20 and provide a biotechnological foundation for rational L. lactis engineering. Consequently, leveraging native plasmids diversity through synthetic biology and gene editing strategies holds significant promise for developing next-generation L. lactis in the food, pharmaceutical, and broader biotechnology industries.</p>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145353190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Camel-derived Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP-170 as a natural antimicrobial solution to combat multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in dairy products.","authors":"Wenjing Wang, Yaqian Liang, Yitao Li, Junkai Wang, Yan Zhang, Chenchen Xiao, Haihong Hao","doi":"10.3168/jds.2025-27135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Foodborne pathogens, particularly multidrug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus, present a substantial threat to public health through the food chain. In this study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP-170 was isolated from camel feces, and its cell-free supernatant (CFS) exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against both standard S. aureus ATCC 29213 and MDR S. aureus strains isolated from contaminated milk. The CFS of LP-170 demonstrated maximum inhibition zone sizes of 20.21 ± 0.21 mm in agar well diffusion assays. Furthermore, the CFS maintained strong antibacterial activity across a broad pH range (3.0-6.0) and at temperatures up to 60°C. Biofilm inhibition assays revealed a dose-dependent suppression of biofilm formation, as confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Complete biofilm disruption was observed at concentrations ≥1× the minimum inhibitory concentration. Genomic and metabolomic analyses identified lactic acid, hydroxy fatty acids, and phenolic compounds as key antibacterial metabolites. These metabolites synergistically disrupted bacterial membranes, induced oxidative stress, and inhibited biofilm formation. Additionally, the CFS significantly reduced S. aureus contamination in milk samples stored at temperatures of 4°C, 25°C, and 35°C, achieving bacterial reductions of up to 4.6 log cfu/mL. These findings underscore the potential of LP-170 as a natural antimicrobial agent to mitigate MDR S. aureus contamination in dairy products, thereby contributing to enhanced food safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145353208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}