Effects of Grazing on the Behaviour, Oxidative and Immune Status, and Production of Organic Dairy Cows
This study compared the effects of a short daily grazing time with those of permanent free-stall housing on the behaviour, oxidative status, immune response, and milk production of organically reared cows. During a 63-day period, two homogeneous groups of eight lactating Brown cows were allocated to either housing (H) in a free-stall building for 24 h/day. Feeding was based on a total mixed ration or grazing (G) on barley grass for 5 h/day, and housing in a free-stall structure with feeding was based on the same total mixed ration offered to the H group. With regard to behaviour, H cows spent more time idling, walking, drinking, and self-grooming, whereas G cows showed a greater intent to e…
Oxidative Status of Goats with Different CSN1S1 Genotypes Fed ad Libitum with Fresh and Dry Forages
Forty late-lactation Girgentana goats were used to study the effect of diets fed ad libitum and &alpha
Improvement of Oxidative Status, Milk and Cheese Production, and Food Sustainability Indexes by Addition of Durum Wheat Bran to Dairy Cows’ Diet
Durum wheat bran (DWB) is a by-product mostly used in feeding ruminants, contributing to decrease in the utilization of feeds suitable as foods for human consumption, thus improving the sustainability of livestock production. However, the potential benefits of DWB, due to its content in phenolic acids, mainly consisting of ferulic acid with antioxidant properties, have not been well clarified yet. Accordingly, in this experiment, 36 lactating cows divided into three groups received, over a period of 100 days, one of three concentrates including DWB at 0% (DWB0), 10% (DWB10), or 20% (DWB20). The concentrates were formulated to be isoproteic and isoenergetic and, to balance the higher fiber c…
Effects of Sulla forage (Sulla coronarium L.) on the oxidative status and milk polyphenol content in goats
Abstract Twelve milking Girgentana goats were allocated into 3 groups and fed 3 diets ad libitum in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with 3 periods. The diets were Sulla fresh forage ad libitum (SUL), Sulla fresh forage ad libitum and 800 g/d of barley meal (SULB), and mixed hay ad libitum and 800 g/d of barley meal (HB). Changes were observed in total polyphenol intake, plasma oxidative status, plasma polyphenol content, metabolic status, milk polyphenol content, and total antioxidant capacity. The fresh forage diets (SUL and SULB) increased dry matter, total polyphenol, nontannic polyphenol and tannin intakes, and the milk total protein, casein, milk total polyphenols, and milk free polyphenol…