Buffalos milk yield analysis using random regression models

Data comprising 1,719 milk yield records from 357 females (predominantly Murrah breed), daughters of 110 sires, with births from 1974 to 2004, obtained from the Programa de Melhoramento Genetic de Bubalinos (PROMEBUL) and from records of EMBRAPA Amazonia Oriental - EAO herd, located in Belem, Para, Brazil, were used to compare random regression models for estimating variance components and predicting breeding values of the sires. The data were analyzed by different models using the Legendre's polynomial functions from second to fourth orders. The random regression models included the effects of herd-year, month of parity date of the control; regression coefficients for age of females (in order to describe the fixed part of the lactation curve) and random regression coefficients related to the direct genetic and permanent environment effects. The comparisons among the models were based on the Akaike Infromation Criterion. The random effects regression model using third order Legendre's polynomials with four classes of the environmental effect were the one that best described the additive genetic variation in milk yield. The heritability estimates varied from 0.08 to 0.40. The genetic correlation between milk yields in younger ages was close to the unit, but in older ages it was low.

Analysis of the Stayability in Milk Buffaloes using Survival Models

In this study the trait Stayability (SA) was evaluated according to the year of cull after first calvin, i.e., SA 1 to 6 for 1 to 6 years from first calving in lactating females from bubaline milk herds spread in nine farms located in São Paulo state. Informations were used regarding 1027 lactating Murrah breed buffaloes. The statistical analyses were made using LIFEREG (SAS, 1999) procedure. The SA was evaluated using the fixed effects: farm production, birth year, calving season (Season 1- April to September and Season 2 October - March) and class of milk yield at 270 days. The age at first calving (AFC) was considered as a random effect. The mean observed for total milk yield was 1458.75Kg. Calving Season 2 encloses 65.6% of births. The means of cull age, in months, and the percentage of SA were, respectively: 10.69 e 69% (SA1), 19.30 e 63% (SA2), 26.4 e 54% (SA3), 33.15 e 42% (SA4), 38.53 e 36% (SA5) e 42.65 e 26% (SA6). It is verified that most of culls happens after the first lactation, among the sixth and eleventh month after first calving. It was observed that the factors: farm production, birth year and class of milk yield at 270 days affected significantly all SAs. Factors like calving season and the age at first calving (AFC) were only significant for SAL Being significant the factor AFC in level of 1% and factor time in 10%. For other SAs these factors were not statistically significant.

Analysis of Escherichia coli isolated from bovine mastitic milk

Rangel P. & Marin J.M. 2009. Analysis of Escherichia coli isolated from bovine mastitic milk. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 29(5): 363-368. Departamento de Morfologia, Estomatologia e Fisiologia, Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida do Cafe s/n, Campus USP, Ribeirao Preto, SP 14040-904, Brazil. E-mail: jmmarin@forp.usp.brMastitis has been recognized for some time as the most costly disease in dairy herds. From February to November 2004, 670 samples of bovine mastitic milk from which 231 Escherichia coli strains were isolated, were collected from two Brazilian states. The strains were screened for the presence of Shiga toxin-producing (stx 1 and stx 2) and intimin (eae) genes. Twenty (8.6%) strains were detected by PCR to harbor the Shiga toxin genes (8 the stx 1 gene, 12 the stx 2 gene and none both of them). Two (0.8%) of the Escherichia coli strains studied were eae positive non Shiga toxin-producing. The strains were also examined for resistance to 12 antimicrobial agents. The predominantly observed resistance was to tetracycline (92.2%), streptomycin (90.4%), nalidixic acid (88.3%), amikacin (86.5%) and cephalothin (84.8%). Multidrug resistance was found among 152 isolates (65.8%).

Analysis of fluoride concentration in mother's milk substitutes

The aim of the present study was to determine the fluoride concentration in some brands of mother's milk substitutes and evaluate the possibility of developing dental fluorosis by consuming these products. The products, all powdered, were divided into 3 groups: infant formulae (group I, n = 7), milk-based (group M, n = 8) and soy-based (group 8, n = 3). Samples from 3 cans of different batches of each brand were reconstituted in deionized water and analyzed using the specific electrode method, after hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDS) facilitated diffusion. The fluoride content (mg F/L) of the products ranged from 0.044 to 0.326 (I), 0.014 to 0.045 (M) and 0.253 to 0.702 (S). There was significant difference in the fluoride content of cans from distinct batches (p < 0.05) in most of the brands. The reconstitution of all products in water with optimal fluoride concentration for consumption during the mineralization phase of the primary teeth could result in daily fluoride intake above 0.07 mg F/kg body weight/day. Therefore, the consumption of these products, especially when reconstituted with optimally fluoridated water, could increase the risk of developing dental fluorosis.

Bayesian analysis of random regression models using B-splines to model test-day milk yield of Holstein cattle in Brazil

The objective of this paper is to model variations in test-day milk yields of first lactations of Holstein cows by RR using B-spline functions and Bayesian inference in order to fit adequate and parsimonious models for the estimation of genetic parameters. They used 152,145 test day milk yield records from 7317 first lactations of Holstein cows. The model established in this study was additive, permanent environmental and residual random effects. In addition, contemporary group and linear and quadratic effects of the age of cow at calving were included as fixed effects. Authors modeled the average lactation curve of the population with a fourth-order orthogonal Legendre polynomial. They concluded that a cubic B-spline with seven random regression coefficients for both the additive genetic and permanent environment effects was to be the best according to residual mean square and residual variance estimates. Moreover they urged a lower order model (quadratic B-spline with seven random regression coefficients for both random effects) could be adopted because it yielded practically the same genetic parameter estimates with parsimony. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MRI texture analysis as means for addressing rehydration and milk diffusion of cereals

Cereals microstructure is one of the primary quality attributes of cereals. Cereals rehydration and milk diffusion depends on such microstructure and thus, the crispiness and the texture, which will make it more palatable for the final consumer. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a very powerful topographic tool since acquisition parameter leads to a wide possibility for identifying textures, structures and liquids mobility. It is suited for non-invasive imaging of water and fats. Rehydration and diffusion cereals processes were measured by MRI at different times and using two different kinds of milk, varying their fat level. Several images were obtained. A combination of textural analysis (based on the analysis of histograms) and segmentation methods (in order to understand the rehydration level of each variety of cereals) were performed. According to the rehydration level, no advisable clustering behavior was found. Nevertheless, some differences were noticeable between the coating, the type of milk and the variety of cereals

Acquisition and chemical analysis of mother's milk for selected toxic substances /

"December 1980."

A report on the influence of milk in spreading zymotic disease, with a tabular analysis of 48 outbreaks.

Reprinted from: British medical journal, 1897, v.1, 1167-1172; 1229-1236; 1292-1300.

A descriptive account of the palo de vaca; or cow tree of the Caracas, with a chemical analysis of the milk and bark.

Mode of access: Internet.

An analysis of state laws designed to effect economic control of the market milk industry.

Bibliography: p.60-61.

Relationships of Efficiency to Reproductive Disorders in Danish Milk Production: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis

Relationships of various reproductive disorders and milk production performance of Danish dairy farms were investigated. A stochastic frontier production function was estimated using data collected in 1998 from 514 Danish dairy farms. Measures of farm-level milk production efficiency relative to this production frontier were obtained, and relationships between milk production efficiency and the incidence risk of reproductive disorders were examined. There were moderate positive relationships between milk production efficiency and retained placenta, induction of estrus, uterine infections, ovarian cysts, and induction of birth. Inclusion of reproductive management variables showed that these moderate relationships disappeared, but directions of coefficients for almost all those variables remained the same. Dystocia showed a weak negative correlation with milk production efficiency. Farms that were mainly managed by young farmers had the highest average efficiency scores. The estimated milk losses due to inefficiency averaged 1142, 488, and 256 kg of energy-corrected milk per cow, respectively, for low-, medium-, and high-efficiency herds. It is concluded that the availability of younger cows, which enabled farmers to replace cows with reproductive disorders, contributed to high cow productivity in efficient farms. Thus, a high replacement rate more than compensates for the possible negative effect of reproductive disorders. The use of frontier production and efficiency/ inefficiency functions to analyze herd data may enable dairy advisors to identify inefficient herds and to simulate the effect of alternative management procedures on the individual herd's efficiency.

Milk thistle and indinavir: a randomized controlled pharmacokinetics study and meta-analysis

Objectives: To determine whether ingestion of milk thistle affects the pharmacokinetics of indinavir. Methods: We conducted a three-period, randomized controlled trial with 16 healthy participants. We randomized participants to milk thistle or control. All participants received initial dosing of indinavir, and baseline indinavir levels were obtained (AUC(0-8)) (phase I). The active group were then given 450 mg milk-thistle extract capsules to be taken t.i.d. from day 2 to day 30. The control group received no plant extract. On day 29 and day 30, indinavir dosing and sampling was repeated in both groups as before (phase II). After a wash-out period of 7 days, indinavir dosing and sampling were repeated as before (phase III). Results: All participants completed the trial, but two were excluded from analysis due to protocol violation. There were no significant between-group differences. Active group mean AUC(0-8) indinavir decreased by 4.4% (90% CI, -27.5% to -26%, P=0.78) from phase I to phase II in the active group, and by 17.3% (90% CI, -37.3% to +9%, P=0.25) in phase III. Control group mean AUC(0-8) decreased by 21.5% (90% CI, -43% to +8%, P=0.2) from phase I to phase II and by 38.5% (90% CI, -55.3% to -15.3%, P=0.01) of baseline at phase III. To place our findings in context, milk thistle-oindinavir trials were identified through systematic searches of the literature. A meta-analysis of three milk thistle-indinavir trials revealed a non-significant pooled mean difference of 1% in AUC(0-8) (95% CI, -53% to 55%, P=0.97). Conclusions: Indinavir levels were not reduced significantly in the presence of milk thistle.