The Influence of Dietary Characteristics on the Milk Quantity and Quality of Riverine Buffaloes: Estimate of the Energy/Protein Requirements, for a Medium-high Production, in the First Ninety Days of Lactation

Terramoccia, S.,Bartocci, A.,Giovanni, S. Di,Bartocci, S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2012 Animal Bioscience Vol.25 No.3

The data used came from two trials undertaken under the same climatic conditions (spring-summer). In both trials pluriparious buffaloes were utilized similar in weight, body condition score, and milk production from the previous year. From the first trial the data used was from the sub-period 23-88 DIM provided by seven animals fed ad libitum with diet A (6.69 MJ/kg DM; 158.30 g/kg of crude protein) with a forage/concentrate ratio of 48/52. From the second trial the data used was from the sub-period 33-90 DIM provided by seven animals fed ad libitum with diet B (6.63 MJ/kg DM; 179.50 g/kg of crude protein) and by seven animals fed ad libitum with diet C (5.99 MJ/kg DM; 155.40 g/kg of crude protein), each of the diets had the same forage/concentrate ratio (53/47). A significant difference was found in milk production between group B and C (13.08 vs. 11.56 kg/d, p<0.05), an intermediate production (12.10 kg/d) was noted in group A. A significant difference was found between fat (76.58 vs. 69.24 g/kg, p<0.05), protein (46.14 vs. 43.16 g/kg, p<0.05) and casein (39.94 vs. 34.98 g/kg, p<0.05) of the milk of group B with respect to group A. The milk of group C gave fat values (71.80 g/kg), protein (45.52 g/kg) and casein (39.06 g/kg) statistically equal to those of group B. The milk of groups B and C, in respect to the milk of group A, gave values of $K_{20}$ (1.77, 1.82 vs. 3.68 min, p<0.05), statistically lower and values of $A_{30}$ (48.28, 47.27 vs. 40.64 mm, p<0.05) statistically higher. Two simple linear regressions were calculated where the independent variable (x) was the daily standardized milk production, the dependent variable (y) or the daily intake of net energy or crude protein. Equation 1) NE (MJ/d) = 74.4049+2.8308${\times}$kg of normalized milk; equation 2) CP (kg/d) = 1.4507+0.1085${\times}$kg of normalized milk, both the equations were significant (p<0.05) with determination coefficients of 0.58 and 0.50 respectively. For a production of normalized milk that varies from 9 to 13 kg, the respective energy-protein concentrations fluctuate from 6.09 to 6.78 MJ/kg DM and from 148.00 to 174.46 g/kg DM.

Use of Dried Stoned Olive Pomace in the Feeding of Lactating Buffaloes: Effect on the Quantity and Quality of the Milk Produced

Terramoccia, S.,Bartocci, S.,Taticchi, A.,Di Giovanni, S.,Pauselli, M.,Mourvaki, E.,Urbani, S.,Servili, M. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2013 Animal Bioscience Vol.26 No.7

Dried stoned olive pomace (DSOP) was administered to dairy water buffaloes, and their productive performance and milk composition were analysed. Sixteen pluriparous lactating buffaloes were divided into two uniform groups (control and experimental), taking into consideration the following parameters: milk production (2,192 and 2,102 kg) and duration of lactation (254 and 252 d) of the previous year, distance from calving (51 and 43 d), milk production (9.71 and 10.18 kg/d), body condition score (BCS) (6.44 and 6.31) and weight (617 and 653 kg) at the beginning of the trial. Both diets had the same formulation: second cut alfalfa hay 20%, corn silage 42%, concentrate 38% but the two concentrates differed in their formulation, the experimental one contained 15.50% of DSOP as fed. The employed DSOP showed high amounts of secoiridoids, such as 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol (3,4-DHPEA) (1.2 g/kg DM), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol-elenolic acid di-aldehyde (3,4-DHPEA-EDA) (12.6 g/kg DM), p-hydroxyphenylethanol-elenolic acid di-aldehyde (p-HPEA-EDA) (5.6 g/kg DM) and lignans, which are known to be powerful bioactive compounds. The control diet had an energy-protein content of 0.86 Milk FU/kg DM and 143.3 g/kg DM of crude protein, whereas the experimental diet of 0.87 Milk FU/kg DM and 146.6 g/kg DM of crude protein. Each animal of the two groups received 17 kg DM/d and each buffalo of the experimental group, by way of the concentrate, ingested 1.05 kg DM/d of DSOP. The trial lasted 40 days. No significant difference was found between the BCS (6.41 and 6.53), live weight (625.93 and 662.50 kg) and milk production (9.69 and 10.08 kg/d) of the two groups, as was the case for fat, protein, lactose, pH and coagulating parameters of the two milks. The milk fat of the experimental group had a significantly higher content of total tocopherols (10.45 vs $8.60{\mu}g/g$, p<0.01) and retinol (3.17 vs $2.54{\mu}g/g$, p<0.01). The content of the reactive substances with tiobarbituric acid (TBARs) was significantly lower in the milk fat of the experimental group (12.09 vs $15.05{\mu}g$ MDA/g, p<0.01). The acid content of the milk fat of the experimental group had a significantly higher content (p<0.05) of C18:0 and of $C18:3{\omega}6$. LC-MS/MS analysis showed the presence of 3,4-DHPEA ($36.0{\mu}g/L$) in the milk of the DSOP-fed buffaloes, while other phenols were not found. DSOP, in the quantity utilized, can be used in the feeding of the lactating buffalo; the dietetic-nutritional characteristics of the milk are improved due to a greater contribution of tocopherols, retinol and the presence of hydroxytyrosol.

Milk Yield and Immune Response of Periparturient and Early Lactation Friesian Cows Fed Diets Supplemented with a High Level of Amino-acid Chelated Chromium

Terramoccia, S.,Bartocci, S.,Lillini, E. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2005 Animal Bioscience Vol.18 No.8

The trial was carried out on twenty-one Friesian cows at the end of eight months gestation, nine multiparous and twelve primiparous; allocated into three groups (1 control, 2 and 3 experimental). The same diet was administred to all three groups before partum (12.8 kg DM/head/day) and after partum (18.8 kg DM/head/day). The cows in groups 2 and 3 received two different daily quantities of amino-acid chelated chromium (0.6 and 1.2 mg Cr/kg DM) from 4 weeks prior to presumed parturition to 6 weeks after. The milk yield control was carried out at 15, 30, 42 and 60 days. All animals were immunised two weeks prior to the presumed parturition and two weeks after with the following antigens: ovalbumin and brucellergene. Blood samples were collected weekly to monitor humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. When analysing the results of antibody immunity (ovalbumin) in the sixth blood collection both treated groups significantly increased compared to group 1 (0.5230 and 0.4536 vs. 0.1812 OD; p<0.05). The results of the cell-mediated immune response (brucellergene) had significant differences (p<0.10) in correspondence to the third (between group 2 and control) and the fifth (between groups 3 and 2) blood collection. Significant differences in fat corrected milk were observed at 42 days between group 3 and the other two groups (31.01 vs. 26.99 and 28.66 kg/d, p<0.05) and at 60 days between group 3 and control (30.88 vs. 26.69 kg/d, p<0.05). Before partum and at partum a positive immune response was obtained with a lower dose of chromium. After partum a positive immune response, anti-OVA indicator, was obtained with the higher dose of chromium while, $\gamma$-IFN indicator, with the lower dose. A significant increase of the milk yield resulted at both 42 and 60 days with the highest level of chromium.

The Effects of the Somatic Cell Count on Yield, Composition and Coagulating Properties of Mediterranean Buffalo Milk

Tripaldi, C.,Terramoccia, S.,Bartocci, S.,Angelucci, M.,Danese, V. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2003 Animal Bioscience Vol.16 No.5

The monitoring was carried out for one year on 20 farms of Mediterranean buffalo situated in central Italy. The milk yield, the somatic cell count, the coagulating properties and some components were determined. The average value of somatic cells was $21.28n{\times}10^3/ml$. Milk production decreased when somatic cell numbers increased. The rennet clotting time increased significantly when somatic cells were higher than $300.00n{\times}10^3/ml$, the curd firming time was significantly higher when somatic cells were more than $1,000.00n{\times}10^3/ml$ and the curd firmness increased up to $200.00n{\times}10^3$/ml, then gradually decreased. Protein and casein decreased when somatic cells increased and the same trend was shown by casein/protein ratio. Both for these components and the coagulating properties the threshold limit of somatic cells to obtain better results was $200.00n{\times}10^3/ml$. The somatic cell number did not show a trend which was strictly influenced by the lactation stage, contrary to what happened in the other species.

Variations in the Production, Qualitative Characteristics and Coagulation Parameters of the Milk of the Riverine Buffalo Determined by the Energy/Protein Content of the Diet

Bartocci, S.,Terramoccia, S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2010 Animal Bioscience Vol.23 No.9

Sixteen Mediterranean pluriparous buffaloes were subdivided into two uniform groups of eight animals. The average weight of the two groups at the start of the trial was 671.2 and 656.7 kg. The number of days from calving were 33.4 and 33.3, and the average milk production was 12.73 and 12.33 kg/d. The trial lasted for 114 days, and was divided into two sub-periods of 58 and 56 days. The two diets, administered ad libitum, had the same forage/concentrate ratio (53/47) but in their formulation the percentage of the two forages varied. Diet 1: alfalfa hay = 10%, maize silage = 43%, concentrate 1 = 47% (6.63 MJ/kg DM of net energy; 179.5 g/kg DM of crude protein). Diet 2: alfalfa hay = 20%, maize silage = 33%, concentrate 2 = 47%, (5.99 MJ/kg DM of net energy; 155.4 g/kg DM of crude protein). For the overall trial period (33-146 days in milk), the intake of dry matter was 17.23 kg/d for Group 1 and 17.29 kg/d for Group 2 and corresponded to 2.50 and 2.58% (p<0.01) of live weight. There was no significant difference between the average weight (689.7 and 669.4 kg) and the body condition score (6.49 and 6.42) of the two groups of buffaloes. Group 1 produced a greater quantity of milk (11.89 vs. 10.90 kg/d, p<0.10) of better quality both for its higher fat content (82.32 vs. 77.29 g/kg, p<0.10) and its protein content (47.36 and 46.38 g/kg). The milk produced by the buffaloes receiving Diet 1 had a better clotting ability, lower values of r (15.98 and 16.42 min) and K20 (1.66 and 1.75 min) and a higher value of A30 (54.45 and 52.73 mm). Taking into consideration the two sub-periods, milk production was significantly different only in the first sub-period (33-90 DIM), in favour of Group 1 (13.08 vs. 11.56 kg/d, p<0.05), while the positive effect of Diet 1 was cancelled out (10.71 and 10.24 kg/d) in the second part of the trial (91-146 DIM).

Effect on quanti-quality milk and mozzarella cheese characteristics with further increasing the level of dried stoned olive pomace in diet for lactating buffalo

Taticchi, A.,Bartocci, S.,Servili, M.,Di Giovanni, S.,Pauselli, M.,Mourvaki, E.,Zilio, D. Meo,Terramoccia, S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2017 Animal Bioscience Vol.30 No.11

Objective: Following a previous report, an experiment was conducted to determine the effect of increasing level of dried stoned olives pomaces (DSOP) in the diet of lactating buffaloes on milk and mozzarella cheese yield and characteristics. Methods: Sixteen pluriparous buffaloes distributed into two groups were fed an isoenergetic (0.9 milk forage unit/kg) and isoprotein (149 g/kg dry matter [DM] of crude protein) diet, with or without DSOP. Each animal received 17 kg DM/d. Samples of forages and concentrates were weekly collected and used for duplicate chemical analyses. Individual milk samples from each control were analyzed for chemical and coagulating parameters and daily production of mozzarella cheese was estimated. At the end of the trial, bulk milk of each group was processed to produce mozzarella cheese and chemical (fat, protein, ash, pH) composition, fatty acids composition, carotenoids and tocopherols content were determined. A sensory test was also performed. The oxidative stability was measured on mozzarella cheese and on governing liquid. Results: No significant differences were observed, neither for milk yield and body condition score, nor for milk characteristics. The fat was higher (p<0.05) in mozzarella of DSOP fed group but, saturated fatty acids were lower and unsaturated higher (p<0.01). Furthermore, lower atherogenic (p<0.01), and thrombogenic (p<0.05) indices were found in mozzarella cheese of DSOP fed group. In addition, the administration of DSOP did not affect the mozzarella cheese oxidative stability and no negative effect was found in the sensory properties. Conclusion: No contraindications appeared for the inclusion of DSOP in the diet of lactating buffaloes. Besides, important effects on mozzarella cheese quality were obtained, such as a modification of fat content and attributes with an increment in the mono-unsaturated. Additionally, a lower saturated/unsaturated ratio and atherogenic and thrombogenic indices suggest an improvement of dietetic and nutritional characteristics of mozzarella cheese.