Cashmere production and fleece attributes associated with farm of origin, age and sex of goat in Australia

Differences in cashmere production and fleece attributes associated with farm of origin, age and sex were quantified for commercial Australian cashmere goat enterprises. From 11 farms in four states, 1147 does and 97 wethers were monitored, representing 1- to 13-year-old goats. Individual clean cashmere production ranged from 21 to 389 g, with a mean ± standard deviation value of 134 ± 62 g. The mean cashmere production of 2-year-old does from different farms varied from 69 to 225 g and averaged 141 g. Mean ± s.d. greasy fleece weight was 394 ± 123 g, clean washing yield was 90.8 ± 4.1%, clean cashmere yield 33.4 ± 9.4%, cashmere fibre diameter 16.4 ± 1.6 µm, fibre curvature 48 ± 8.7 degrees/mm and staple length 8.7 ± 2.1 cm. There were large, commercially significant differences between farms for clean cashmere weight, mean fibre diameter and other attributes of cashmere. These were much larger than the effects of age and sex. Farm and age accounted for 42 to 67% of the variation in clean cashmere production, mean fibre diameter, fibre curvature, staple length and clean washing yield. Farm of origin affected clean cashmere yield, accounting for 24% of the variation. Sex of the goats had only a minor effect on the staple length of cashmere. The responses to age of clean cashmere weight, mean fibre diameter and the inverse of fibre curvature are very similar. Generally, cashmere production and mean fibre diameter increased with age. For the majority of farms, cashmere fibre curvature declined in a curvilinear manner with increases in age of goat. There were large differences in cashmere staple length from different farms, with means ranging from 7 to 12 cm. Between 1 and 2 years of age, the staple length of cashmere demonstrated a constant proportional increase. At ages older than 2 years, staple length either declined or increased by less than 1 cm with age, depending on the farm of origin. This study demonstrates that there are large gains in productivity that can be achieved from Australian cashmere goats. A better understanding of on-farm factors that influence cashmere production would enable all producers to optimise their production systems.

Using benchmarking to improve the financial and social sustainability of commercial goat meat, cashmere and mohair farms in Australia

Production and financial benchmarking was undertaken with commercially motivated mohair, cashmere and goat meat farmers in Australia. There were large differences in animal and fleece production and financial returns between the best and worst performing farms. Farmers and industry groups reported that the process and results were helpful and resulted in them changing management practices. Benchmarking demonstrated that there is substantial scope to increase productivity and profitability through improved genetic selection and improved management of pastures, breeding flocks and in kid survival and growth.

Effect of cow diet on the composition of milk for cheddar cheese manufacture

Seasonal milk production in Australia has a large impact on the manufacture of cheddar cheese, because the variable milk quality affects cheese moisture content and yield. The influence of cow diet on the composition of milk was investigated together with the effects of variation in milk composition on Cheddar cheese composition and yield. The composition of milk, especially the protein and mineral content, from cows offered diets comprising different energy and protein supplements was correlated with the composition and yield of Cheddar cheese produced.

Variation of mohair staple length across Angora goat fleeces : implications for animal selection and fleece evaluation

The present study aimed to determine how the average mohair staple length (SL) differences between nine sampling sites vary between sex and flock, to identify differences in SL variability between sampling sites as a result of between-animal and between-sire variability and to determine SL correlations between sampling sites in between-animal and between-sire variability. Australian Angora goats (n=301) from two farms in southern Australia were sampled at 12 and 18 months of age at nine sites (mid side, belly, brisket, hind flank, hip, hock, mid back, neck and shoulder). Staples were taken prior to shearing at skin level and stretched SL determined. For each shearing, differences in SL between sampling sites, how these differences were affected by farm, sex and sire, and the covariance between sites for sire and individual animal effects were investigated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) analyses. The median mid-side SL at 12 and 18 months of age was 110 and 130 mm, respectively, but the actual range in mid-side SL was 65–165 mm. There was an anterior–posterior decline in SL with the hock being particularly short. There was no evidence that the between-site correlation of the sire effects differed from 1, indicating that genetic selection for SL at one site will be reflected in SL over the whole fleece. However, low heritabilities of SL at the hock, belly and brisket or at any site at 12 months of age were obtained. There was more variability between sites than between sires, but the between-animal variation was greater. The hip and mid-back sites can be recommended for within-flock (culling) and genetic selection for SL due to their low sampling variability, moderate heritability and ease of location.

c-9 t-11 conjugated linoleic acid-enriched milk fat and uses thereof

Disclosed is the use of milk fat enriched with c-9, t-l l conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) or a salt, ester or precursor thereof for treating or preventing a condition associated with one or more of leukocyte infiltration, eosinophilia, IgE secretion, airway remodelling, bronchoconstriction and mucus hypersecretion.

No evidence of expression of two classes of natural antibiotics (cathelicidins and defensins) in a sample of platypus milk

Marsupial neonates are born without a fully functioning immune system, and are known to be protected in part by natural antimicrobial peptides present in their mother's milk. Monotreme neonates hatch at a similar stage in development, and it has been hypothesised that their survival in a non-sterile burrow also relies on the presence of natural antibiotics in their mother's milk. Here we review the field of monotreme lactation and the antimicrobial peptide complement of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Using reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction of milk cell RNA from a sample of platypus milk, we found no evidence for the expression of cathelicidins or defensins in the milk. This was unexpected. We hypothesise that these natural antibiotics may instead be produced by the young platypuses themselves.

A novel approach identified the FOLR1 gene, a putative regulator of milk protein synthesis

This study has utilised comparative functional genomics to exploit animal models with extreme adaptation to lactation to identify candidate genes that specifically regulate protein synthesis in the cow mammary gland. Increasing milk protein production is valuable to the dairy industry. The lactation strategies of both the Cape fur seal (Artocephalus pusillus pusillus) and the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) include periods of high rates of milk protein synthesis during an established lactation and therefore offer unique models to target genes that specifically regulate milk protein synthesis. Global changes in mammary gene expression in the Cape fur seal, tammar wallaby, and the cow (Bos taurus) were assessed using microarray analysis. The folate receptor α (FOLR1) showed the greatest change in gene expression in all three species [cow 12.7-fold (n = 3), fur seal 15.4-fold (n = 1), tammar 2.4-fold (n = 4)] at periods of increased milk protein production. This compliments previous reports that folate is important for milk protein synthesis and suggests FOLR1 may be a key regulatory point of folate metabolism for milk protein synthesis within mammary epithelial cells (lactocytes). These data may have important implications for the dairy industry to develop strategies to increase milk protein production in cows. This study illustrates the potential of comparative genomics to target genes of interest to the scientific community.

Incorporation of a hybrid cooling system in water cooled power stations to reduce water and energy consumptions

Water shortage is a major problem facing the power industry in many nations around the world. The largest consumer of water in most power plants is the wet cooling tower. To assist water and energy saving for thermal power stations using conventional evaporative wet cooling towers, a hybrid cooling system is proposed in this paper. The hybrid cooling system may consists of all or some of an air pre-cooler, heat pump, heat exchangers, and adsorption chillers together with the existing cooling tower. The hybrid cooling system described in the paper, consisting of a metal hydride heat pump operating in conjunction with the existing wet cooling tower, is capable of achieving water saving by reducing the temperature of warm water entering the cooling tower. Cooler inlet water temperatures effectively reduce the cooling load on existing towers. This will ultimately reduce the amount of water lost to the air by evaporation whilst still achieving the same cooling output. At the same time, the low grade waste energy upgraded by the metal hydride heat pump, in the process of cooling the water, can be used to replace the bleed of steam for the lower stage feed heaters which will increase overall cycle efficiency.

Hybrid cooling system for water conservation in conventional power stations

This thesis proposes the concept of a hybrid cooling system to minimise water consumption in thermal power stations. It identifies that a significant amount of water can be potentially saved by the proposed system. Additional energy input requirements were less than previous approaches considered.

Marsupial milk : identifying signals for regulating mammary function and development of the young

The role of milk in providing nutrition for the young is well established. However, it is becoming apparent that milk has a more comprehensive role in programming and regulating growth and development of the suckled young, and an autocrine impact on the mammary gland so that it functions appropriately during the lactation cycle. This central role of milk is best studied in animal models, such as marsupials that have evolved a different lactation strategy to eutherians and allow researchers to more easily identify regulatory mechanisms that are not as readily apparent in eutherian species. For example, the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) has evolved with a unique reproductive strategy of a short gestation, birth of an altricial young and a relatively long lactation during which the mother progressively changes the composition of the major, and many of the minor components of milk. Thus, in contrast to eutherians, there is a far greater investment in development of the young during lactation and it is likely that many of the signals that regulate development of eutherian embryos in utero are delivered by the milk. This requires the co-ordinated development and function of the mammary gland. Inappropriate timing of these signalling events in mammals may result in either limited or abnormal development of the young, and potentially a higher incidence of mature onset disease. The tammar is emerging as an attractive model to better understand the role of milk factors in these processes.

Insulin, a key regulator of hormone responsive milk protein synthesis during lactogenesis in murine mammary explants

Murine milk protein gene expression requires insulin, hydrocortisone, and prolactin; however, the role of insulin is not well understood. This study, therefore, examined the requirement of insulin for milk protein synthesis. Mammary explants were cultured in various combinations of the lactogenic hormones and global changes in gene expression analysed using Affymetrix microarray. The expression of 164 genes was responsive to insulin, and 18 were involved in protein synthesis at the level of transcription and posttranscription, as well as amino acid uptake and metabolism. The folate receptor gene was increased by fivefold, highlighting a potentially important role for the hormone in folate metabolism, a process that is emerging to be central for protein synthesis. Interestingly, gene expression of two milk protein transcription factors, Stat5a and Elf5, previously identified as key components of prolactin signalling, both showed an essential requirement for insulin. Subsequent experiments in HCll cells confirmed that Stat5a and Elf5 gene expression could be induced in the absence of prolactin but in the presence of insulin. Whereas prolactin plays an essential role in phosphorylating and activating Stat5a, gene expression is only induced when insulin is present. This indicates insulin plays a crucial role in the transcription of the milk protein genes.

New Zealanders' attitudes to milk : implications for public health

Objective: To identify consumer attitudes and beliefs about (liquid) milk that may be barriers to consumption.

Design: Two random-quota telephone surveys conducted in Auckland one year apart. Respondents were questioned about their usual milk intake and their attitudes to milk. The questionnaire included attitude items that reflected the main themes of consumer interest in milk.

Setting: New Zealand.

Subjects: Seven hundred and thirteen respondents in the baseline survey and a separate sample of 719 respondents in the follow-up survey.

Results: At least one-third of the respondents consumed less than a glass (250ml) of milk a day. Non-consumption was highest in young women (15%). People's concerns about milk related to what was important in their lives; what threatens them physically and emotionally. Women held more positive attitudes but they were concerned about the fat content of milk. Men were less aware of milk's nutritional benefits and as a result were less appreciative of its value.

Conclusions: There is an opportunity to develop public health initiatives to address the barriers to drinking milk. Industry–health alliances may be an effective means to provide positive nutrition messages about milk and to engage the support of health professionals.

Effects of resistance exercise and fortified milk on skeletal muscle mass, muscle size, and functional performance in middle-aged and older men: an 18-mo randomized controlled trial

Limited data have suggested that the consumption of fluid milk after resistance training (RT) may promote skeletal muscle hypertrophy. The aim of this study was to assess whether a milk-based nutritional supplement could enhance the effects of RT on muscle mass, size, strength, and function in middle-aged and older men. This was an 18-mo factorial design (randomized control trial) in which 180 healthy men aged 50–79 yr were allocated to the following groups: 1) exercise + fortified milk, 2) exercise, 3) fortified milk, or 4) control. Exercise consisted of progressive RT with weight-bearing impact exercise. Men assigned to the fortified milk consumed 400 ml/day of low-fat milk, providing an additional 836 kJ, 1000 mg calcium, 800 IU vitamin D3, and 13.2 g protein per day. Total body lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM) (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), midfemur muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) (quantitative computed tomography), muscle strength, and physical function were assessed. After 18 mo, there was no significant exercise by fortified milk interaction for total body LM, muscle CSA, or any functional measure. However, main effect analyses revealed that exercise significantly improved muscle strength (∼20–52%, P < 0.001), LM (0.6 kg, P < 0.05), FM (−1.1 kg, P < 0.001), muscle CSA (1.8%, P < 0.001), and gait speed (11%, P < 0.05) relative to no exercise. There were no effects of the fortified milk on muscle size, strength, or function. In conclusion, the daily consumption of low-fat fortified milk does not enhance the effects of RT on skeletal muscle size, strength, or function in healthy middle-aged and older men with adequate energy and nutrient intakes.