Purification and fractionation by nanotiltration in dairy and sugar and sweetener industry applications

Nanotiltration is a membrane separation method known for its special characteristic of rejecting multivalent ions and passing monovalent ions. Thus, it is commonly applied with dilute aqueous solutions in partial salt removal, like in drinking water production. The possibilities of nanofiltration have been studied and the technique applied in a wide branch of industries, e.g. the pulp and paper, the textile and the chemical processing industry. However, most present applications and most of the potential applications studied involve dilute solutions, the permeating stream being generally water containing monovalent salts. In this study nanotiltration is investigated more as a fractionation method. A well-known application in the dairy industry is concentration and partial salt removal from whey. Concentration and partial demineralization is beneficial for futher processing of whey as whey concentrates are used e.g. in baby foods. In the experiments of this study nanotiltration effectively reduced the monovalent salts in the whey concentrate. The main concern in this application is lactose leakage into the permeate. With the nanofiltration membranes used the lactose retentions were practically ? 99%. Another dairy application studied was the purification and reuse of cleaning solutions. This is an environmentally driven application. An 80% COD reduction by nanofiltration was observed for alkaline cleaning-in-place solution. Nanofiltration is not as commonly applied in the sugar and sweeteners industry as in the dairy industry. In this study one potential application was investigated, namely xylose purification from hemicellulose hydrolyzate. Xylose is raw material for xylitol production. Xylose separation from glucose was initially studied with xylose-glucose model solutions. The ability of nanofiltration to partially separate xylose into the permeate from rather concentrated xylose-glucose solutions (10 w-% and 30 w-%) became evident. The difference in size between xylose and glucose molecules according to any size measure is small, e.g. the Stokes diameter of glucose is 0.73 nm compared to 0.65 nm for xylose. In further experiments, xylose was purified into nanoliltration permeate from a hemicellulose hydrolyzate solution. The xylose content in the total solids was increased by 1.4—1.7 fold depending on temperature, pressure and feed composition.

Amylases in enzyme detergents and their effects on a simulated long-life dairy dessert

Enzyme detergents used in the food industry contain proteinase as the major enzyme but amylase may be present, either by design or inadvertently. Three commercial enzyme detergents and 3 enzyme preparations used in detergents were assayed for alpha-amylase activity by the Ceralpha method using the Megazyme kits. The amylase activities of the detergents varied from 3.2x 10(-6) to 32x 10(-6) mumoles ml(-1) h(-1) while the enzyme preparations had much higher activities ranging from 0.05 to 8.06 mumoles ml(-1) h(-1). When added aseptically to a simulated dairy dessert (2% starch solution) and stored for 42 days, the enzyme detergents caused an increase in viscosity; enzyme preparations at low concentrations caused an initial increase in viscosity followed by a decrease; and enzyme preparations at high concentrations caused an immediate decrease in viscosity. The increase in viscosity corresponded to formation of a distinct network of starch granules while the decrease in viscosity was characterised by a marked decrease in size of the granules and little or no network of granules. Decreases in viscosity corresponded to increases in reducing sugars but samples which increased in viscosity showed no measurable reducing sugars. The amylase activity in all sources was destroyed by heating at 75degreesC for 15 min at pH 1.8.

Little Dairy on the Prairie: from butter makin' to high-tech agriculture, 2005

In 2001, extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the Oneida Cheese Factory in Jones County. The county is a microcosm of larger dairying trends found throughout northeast Iowa, the state’s premier dairy-producing region. Jones County moved from homemade cheese and butter production by farm women, to the industrialization of the dairy farm and opening of cheese factories and butter creameries. A number of innovations affected the industry around the turn-of-the-twentieth century, including reliable butterfat testing, the introduction of ensilage (silos) that created yearround milk production, and consolidation of the many local creameries into larger creamery organizations, such as the Diamond Creamery run by Henry D. Sherman of Jones County. Iowa’s dairy industry of today looks very different from its heritage: consolidation and competition have drastically reduced the number of cows, dairy farms, and processing plants. In recent years, northeast Iowa has become the center of a movement to revitalize Iowa’s dairy industry, particularly through the use of value-added strategies, such as niche markets and large regional co-operatives: the lessons from Iowa’s dairying legacy are resurfacing as a solution to modern agricultural challenges.

Factors associated with 56-day non-return rate in dairy cattle

The objective of this work was to identify factors associated with the 56-day non-return rate (56-NRR) in dairy herds in the Galician region, Spain, and to estimate it for individual Holstein bulls. The experiment was carried out in herds originated from North-West Spain, from September 2008 to August 2009. Data of the 76,440 first inseminations performed during this period were gathered. Candidate factors were tested for their association with the 56-NRR by using a logistic model (binomial). Afterwards, 37 sires with a minimum of 150 first performed inseminations were individually evaluated. Logistic models were also estimated for each bull, and predicted individual 56-NRR rate values were calculated as a solution for the model parameters. Logistic regression found four major factors associated with 56-NRR in lactating cows: age at insemination, days from calving to insemination, milk production level at the time of insemination, and herd size. First-service conception rate, when a particular sire was used, was higher for heifers (0.71) than for lactating cows (0.52). Non-return rates were highly variable among bulls. Asignificant part of the herd-level variation of 56-NRR of Holstein cattle seems attributable to the service sire. High correlation level between observed and predicted 56-NRR was found.

Evaluation of the effect of the seed extract of Moringa oleifera Lam over the efficiency of organic filters in wastewater treatment of dairy cattle breeding

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera Lam extract on the removal of total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), in different filter media for treating wastewater of dairy cattle breeding (DCW). The moringa seed extract was obtained by grinding 50 g of seeds in one liter of distilled water and, after passing the solution through a quantitative paper filter of 25 microns, 60 mL of the extract were added to wastewater from cattle breeding before the filtration process in organic filters made of thin coal, bamboo leaves, eucalyptus leaves, gliricidia branches and sawdust. This was followed by the completely randomized experimental design, adopting a factorial of 5 x 2. Aliquots of filtered effluent were collected and the total solids (TS) concentrations, total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were determined. It was found that the increase in the efficiency of removal of COD and total solids can be attributed to the coagulating power of the moringa seed extract, wherein the filter medium with bamboo leaves presented the best performance, showing potential for use as alternative filter material in the primary treatment of DCW.

Use of Megasphaera elsdenii NCIMB41125 as a probiotic for early-lactation dairy cows: effects on rumen pH and fermentation patterns

Multiparous rumen-fistulated Holstein cows were fed, from d 1 to 28 post-calving, an ad libitum TMR containing (g/kg DM) grass silage (196), corn silage (196), wheat (277), soybean meal (100), and other feeds (231) with CP, NDF, starch and water soluble carbohydrate concentrations of 176, 260, 299 and 39 g/kg DM respectively and ME of 12.2 MJ/kg DM. Treatments consisting of a minimum of 1010 cfu Megasphaera elsdenii NCIMB 41125 in 250 ml solution (MEGA) or 250 ml of autoclaved M. elsdenii (CONT) were administered via the rumen cannula on d 3 and 12 of lactation (n=7 per treatment). Mid-rumen pH was measured every 15 minutes and eating and ruminating behavior was recorded for 24 h on d 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 22 and 28. Rumen fluid for VFA and lactic acid (LA) analysis was collected at 11 timepoints on each of d 2, 4, 6, 13 and 15. Data were analysed as repeated measures using the Glimmix (LA data) or Mixed (all other data) procedures of SAS with previous 305 d milk yield and d 2 measurements as covariates where appropriate. Milk yield was higher (CONT 43.0 vs MEGA 45.4 ±0.75 kg/d, P=0.051) and fat concentration was lower (CONT 45.6 vs MEGA 40.4 ±1.05 g/kg, P=0.005) in cows that received MEGA. Time spent eating (263 ±15 min/d) and ruminating (571 ±13 min/d), DM intake (18.4 ±0.74 kg/d), proportion of each 24 h period with rumen pH below 5.6 (3.69 ±0.94 h) and LA concentrations (2.00 mM) were similar (P>0.327) across treatments. Ruminal total VFA concentration (104 ±3 mM) was similar (P=0.404) across treatments, but a shift from acetate (CONT 551 vs MEGA 524 ±14 mmol/mol VFA, P=0.161) to propionate production (CONT 249 vs MEGA 275 ±11 mmol/mol VFA, P=0.099) meant that the acetate:propionate ratio (CONT 2.33 vs MEGA 1.94 ±0.15) was reduced (P=0.072) in cows that received MEGA. This study provides evidence that supplementation of early lactation dairy cows with MEGA alters rumen fermentation patterns in favour of propionate, with potential benefits for animal health and productivity.

An isotope dilution model for partitioning phenylalanine uptake by the liver of lactating dairy cows

An isotope dilution model for partitioning phenylalanine uptake by the liver of the lactating dairy cow was constructed and solved in the steady state. If assumptions are made, model solution permits calculation of the rate of phenylalanine uptake from portal vein and hepatic arterial blood supply, phenylalanine release into the hepatic vein, phenylalanine oxidation and synthesis, and degradation of hepatic constitutive and export proteins. The model requires the measurement of plasma fow rate through the liver in combination with phenylalanine concentrations and plateau isotopic enrichments in arterial, portal and hepatic plasma during a constant infusion of [1-13C]phenylalanine tracer. The model can be applied to other amino acids with similar metabolic fates and will provide a means for assessing the impact of hepatic metabolism on amino acid availability to peripheral tissues. This is of particular importance for the dairy cow when considering the requirements for milk protein synthesis and the negative environmental impact of excessive nitrogen excretion.

Dairy farmers’ attitudes and intentions towards improving dairy cow foot health

Dairy cow foot health is a subject of concern because it is considered to be the most important welfare problem in dairy farming and causes economic losses for the farmer. In order to improve dairy cow foot health it is important to take into account the attitude and intention of dairy farmers. In our study the objective was to gain insight into the attitude and intention of dairy farmers to take action to improve dairy cow foot health and determine drivers and barriers to take action, using the Theory of Planned Behavior. Five hundred Dutch dairy farmers were selected randomly and were invited by email to fill in an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions about respondents’ intentions, attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control and was extended with questions about personal normative beliefs. With information from such a framework, solution strategies for the improvement of dairy cow foot health can be proposed. The results showed that almost 70% of the dairy farmers had an intention to take action to improve dairy cow foot health. Most important drivers seem to be the achievement of better foot health with cost-effective measures. Possible barriers to taking action were labor efficiency and a long interval between taking action and seeing an improvement in dairy cow foot health. The feed advisor and foot trimmer seemed to have most influence on intentions to take action to improve dairy cow foot health. Most farmers seemed to be satisfied with the foot health status at their farm, which probably weakens the intention for foot health improvement, especially compared to other issues which farmers experience as more urgent. Subclinical foot disorders (where cows are not visibly lame) were not valued as important with respect to animal welfare. Furthermore, 25% of the respondents did not believe cows could suffer pain. Animal welfare, especially the provision of good care for the cows, was valued as important but was not related to intention to improve dairy cow foot health. The cost-effectiveness of measures seemed to be more important. Providing more information on the effects of taking intervention measures might stimulate farmers to take action to achieve improvement in dairy cow foot health.

An isotope dilution model for partitioning phenylalanine and tyrosine uptake by the mammary gland of lactating dairy cows

An isotope dilution model for partitioning phenylalanine and tyrosine uptake by the mammary gland of the lactating dairy cow is constructed and solved in the steady state. The model contains four intracellular and four extracellular pools and conservation of mass principles are applied to generate the fundamental equations describing the behaviour of the system. The experimental measurements required for model solution are milk secretion and plasma flow rate across the gland in combination with phenylalanine and tyrosine concentrations and plateau isotopic enrichments in arterial and venous plasma and free and protein bound milk during a constant infusion of [1-(13)C]phenylalanine and [2,3,5,6-(2)H]tyrosine tracer. If assumptions are made, model solution enables determination of steady state flows for phenylalanine and tyrosine inflow to the gland, outflow from it and bypass, and flows representing the synthesis and degradation of constitutive protein and hydroxylation. The model is effective in providing information about the fates of phenylalanine and tyrosine in the mammary gland and could be used as part of a more complex system describing amino acid metabolism in the whole ruminant.

Properties of a new fungal b-galactosidase with potential application in the dairy industry

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of intravenous glucose infusion and nutritional balance on serum concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids, glucose, insulin, and progesterone in nonlactating dairy cows

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Induced hypoglycemia for 48 hours indicates differential glucose and insulin effects on liver metabolism in dairy cows

Hypoglycemia is a characteristic condition of early lactation dairy cows and is subsequently dependent on, and may affect, metabolism in the liver. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of induced hypoglycemia, maintained for 48 h, on metabolic parameters in plasma and liver of mid-lactation dairy cows. The experiment involved 3 treatments, including a hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp (HypoG, n=6) to obtain a glucose concentration of 2.5 mmol/L, a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (EuG, n=6) in which the effect of insulin was studied, and a control treatment with a 0.9% saline solution (NaCl, n=6). Blood samples for measurements of insulin, metabolites, and enzymes were taken at least once per hour. Milk yield was recorded and milk samples were collected before and after treatment. Liver biopsies were obtained before and after treatment to measure mRNA abundance by real-time, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR of 12 candidate genes involved in the main metabolic pathways. Milk yield decreased in HypoG and NaCl cows, whereas it remained unaffected in EuG cows. Energy-corrected milk yield (kg/d) was only decreased in HypoG cows. In plasma, concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate decreased in response to treatment in EuG cows and was lower (0.41+/-0.04 mmol/L) on d 2 of the treatment compared with that in HypoG and NaCl cows (on average 0.61+/-0.03 mmol/L, respectively). Nonesterified fatty acids remained unaffected in all treatments. In the liver, differences between treatments for their effects were only observed in case of mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCKm) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC). In HypoG, mRNA abundance of PEPCKm was upregulated, whereas in EuG and NaCl cows, it was downregulated. The EuG treatment downregulated mRNA expression of G6PC, a marked effect compared with the unchanged transcript expression in NaCl. The mRNA abundance of the insulin receptor remained unaffected in all treatments, and no significant treatment differences were observed for genes related to lipid metabolism. In conclusion, low glucose concentrations in dairy cows affect liver metabolism at a molecular level through upregulation of PEPCKm mRNA abundance. Metabolic regulatory events in the liver are directed, apart from hormones, by the level of metabolites, either in excess (e.g., free fatty acids) or in shortage (e.g., glucose).

Long-term elevation of β-hydroxybutyrate in dairy cows through infusion: effects on feed intake, milk production, and metabolism.

Elevation of ketone bodies in dairy cows frequently occurs in early lactation, usually concomitantly with a lack of energy and glucose. The objective of this study was to induce an elevated plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentration over 48 h in mid-lactating dairy cows (i.e., during a period of positive energy balance and normal glucose plasma concentrations). Effects of BHBA infusion on feed intake, metabolism, and performance were investigated. Thirteen cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 infusion groups, including an intravenous infusion with Na-dl-β-OH-butyrate (1.7 mol/L) to achieve a plasma concentration of 1.5 to 2.0 mmol/L of BHBA (HyperB; n=5), or an infusion of 0.9% saline solution (control; n=8). Blood was sampled before and hourly during the 48 h of infusion. In the liver, mRNA transcripts related to gluconeogenesis (pyruvate carboxylase, glucose 6-phosphatase, mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), phosphofructokinase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and fatty acid synthesis (acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, fatty acid synthase) were measured by real-time PCR. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and ubiquitin were used as housekeeping genes. Changes (difference between before and after 48-h infusion) during the infusion period were evaluated by ANOVA with treatment as fixed effect, and area under the curve of variables was calculated on the second day of experiment. The plasma BHBA concentration in HyperB cows was 1.74 ± 0.02 mmol/L (mean ± SE) compared with 0.59 ± 0.02 mmol/L for control cows. The change in feed intake, milk yield, and energy corrected milk did not differ between the 2 experimental groups. Infusion of BHBA reduced the plasma glucose concentration (3.47 ± 0.11 mmol/L) in HyperB compared with control cows (4.11 ± 0.08 mmol/L). Plasma glucagon concentration in HyperB was lower than the control group. All other variables measured in plasma were not affected by treatment. In the liver, changes in mRNA abundance for the selected genes were similar between 2 groups. Results demonstrate that intravenous infusion of BHBA decreased plasma glucose concentration in dairy cows, but this decrease could not be explained by alterations in insulin concentrations or key enzymes related to gluconeogenesis. Declined glucose concentration is likely functionally related to decreased plasma glucagon concentration.

Hyperketonemia during lipopolysaccharide-induced mastitis affects systemic and local intramammary metabolism in dairy cows

Hyperketonemia interferes with the metabolic regulation in dairy cows. It is assumed that metabolic and endocrine changes during hyperketonemia also affect metabolic adaptations during inflammatory processes. We therefore studied systemic and local intramammary effects of elevated plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) before and during the response to an intramammary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Thirteen dairy cows received intravenously either a Na-DL-β-OH-butyrate infusion (n = 5) to achieve a constant plasma BHBA concentration (1.7 ± 0.1 mmol/L), with adjustments of the infusion rates made based on immediate measurements of plasma BHBA every 15 min, or an infusion with a 0.9% NaCl solution (control; n = 8) for 56 h. Infusions started at 0900 h on d 1 and continued until 1700 h 2 d later. Two udder quarters were challenged with 200 μg of Escherichia coli LPS and 2 udder quarters were treated with 0.9% saline solution as control quarters at 48 h after the start of infusion. Blood samples were taken at 1 wk and 2h before the start of infusions as reference samples and hourly during the infusion. Mammary gland biopsies were taken 1 wk before, and 48 and 56 h (8h after LPS challenge) after the start of infusions. The mRNA abundance of key factors related to BHBA and fatty acid metabolism, and glucose transporters was determined in mammary tissue biopsies. Blood samples were analyzed for plasma glucose, BHBA, nonesterified fatty acid, urea, insulin, glucagon, and cortisol concentrations. Differences were not different for effects of BHBA infusion on the mRNA abundance of any of the measured target genes in the mammary gland before LPS challenge. Intramammary LPS challenge increased plasma glucose, cortisol, glucagon, and insulin concentrations in both groups but increases in plasma glucose and glucagon concentration were less pronounced in the Na-DL-β-OH-butyrate infusion group than in controls. In response to LPS challenge, plasma BHBA concentration decreased in controls and decreased also slightly in the BHBA-infused animals because the BHBA concentration could not be fully maintained despite a rapid increase in BHBA infusion rate. The change in mRNA abundance of citrate synthase in LPS quarters was significant between the 2 treatment groups. The results indicate that elevated circulating BHBA concentration inhibits gluconeogenesis before and during immune response to LPS challenge, likely because BHBA can replace glucose as an energy source.

Induced hyperketonemia affects the mammary immune response during lipopolysaccharide challenge in dairy cows

Metabolic adaptations during negative energy and nutrient balance in dairy cows are thought to cause impaired immune function and hence increased risk of infectious diseases, including mastitis. Characteristic adaptations mostly occurring in early lactation are an elevation of plasma ketone bodies and free fatty acids (nonesterified fatty acids, NEFA) and diminished glucose concentration. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of elevated plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) at simultaneously even or positive energy balance and thus normal plasma NEFA and glucose on factors related to the immune system in liver and mammary gland of dairy cows. In addition, we investigated the effect of elevated plasma BHBA and intramammary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge on the mammary immune response. Thirteen dairy cows were infused either with BHBA (HyperB, n=5) to induce hyperketonemia (1.7 mmol/L) or with a 0.9% saline solution (NaCl, n=8) for 56 h. Two udder quarters were injected with 200 μg of LPS after 48 h of infusion. Rectal temperature (RT) and somatic cell counts (SCC) were measured before, at 48 h after the start of infusions, and hourly during the LPS challenge. The mRNA abundance of factors related to the immune system was measured in hepatic and mammary tissue biopsies 1 wk before and 48 h after the start of the infusion, and additionally in mammary tissue at 56 h of infusion (8h after LPS administration). At 48 h of infusion in HyperB, the mRNA abundance of serum amyloid A (SAA) in the mammary gland was increased and that of haptoglobin (Hp) tended to be increased. Rectal temperature, SCC, and mRNA abundance of candidate genes in the liver were not affected by the BHBA infusion until 48 h. During the following LPS challenge, RT and SCC increased in both groups. However, SCC increased less in HyperB than in NaCl. Quarters infused with LPS showed a more pronounced increase of mRNA abundance of IL-8 and IL-10 in HyperB than in NaCl. The results demonstrate that an increase of plasma BHBA upregulates acute phase proteins in the mammary gland. In response to intramammary LPS challenge, elevated BHBA diminishes the influx of leukocytes from blood into milk, perhaps by via modified cytokine synthesis. Results indicate that increased ketone body plasma concentrations may play a crucial role in the higher mastitis susceptibility in early lactation.