The Most Important Metabolic Diseases in Dairy Cattle during the Transition Period

This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of three critical metabolic diseases affecting dairy cattle such as subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA), ketosis, and hypocalcemia. SARA represents a disorder of ruminal fermentation that is characterized by extended periods of depressed ruminal pH below 5.5-5.6. In the long term, dairy herds experiencing SARA usually exhibit secondary signs of the disease, such as episodes of laminitis, weight loss and poor body condition despite adequate energy intake, and unexplained abscesses usually 3-6 months after an episode of SARA. Depressed milk-fat content is commonly used as a diagnostic tool for SARA. A normal milk-fat test in Holstein dairy cows is >4%, so a milk-fat test of <3% can indicate SARA. However, bulk tank testing of milk fat is inappropriate to diagnose SARA at the herd level, so when >4 cows out of 12 and <60 days in milk are suspected to have SARA it can be considered that the herd has a problem. The rapid or abrupt introduction of fresh cows to high-concentrate diets is the most common cause of SARA. Changes in ruminal bacterial populations when exposed to higher concentrate rations require at least about 3 weeks, and it is recommended that concentrate levels increase by no more than 400 g/day during this period to avoid SARA. Ketosis, a prevalent metabolic disorder in dairy cattle, is scrutinized with a focus on its etiological factors and the physiological changes leading to elevated ketone bodies. In total mix ration-fed herds, an increased risk of mastitis and reduced fertility are usually the first clinical signs of ketosis. All dairy cows in early lactation are at risk of ketosis, with most cases occurring in the first 2-4 weeks of lactation. Cows with a body condition score ≥3.75 on a 5-point scale at calving are at a greater risk of ketosis than those with lower body condition scores. The determination of serum or whole blood acetone, acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and liver biopsies is considered the best way to detect and monitor subclinical ketosis, while urine or milk cowside tests can also be used in on-farm monitoring programs. Concentrations >1.0 mmol/L or 1.4 mmol/L blood or serum BHB are considered diagnostic of subclinical ketosis. The standard threshold used for blood is 1.2 mmol/L, which corresponds to thresholds of 100 mcmol/L for milk and 15 mg/dL for urine. Oral administration of propylene glycol (250-400 g, every 24 h for 3-5 days) is the standard and most efficacious treatment, as well as additional therapy with bolus glucose treatment. Hypocalcemia is a disease of adult dairy cows in which acute hypocalcemia causes acute to peracute, afebrile, flaccid paralysis that occurs most commonly at or soon after parturition. Dairy cows are at considerable risk for hypocalcemia at the onset of lactation, when daily calcium excretion suddenly increases from about 10 g to 30 g per day. Cows with hypocalcemia have a more profound decrease in blood calcium concentration-typically below 5.5 mg/dL. The prevention of parturient paresis has been historically approached by feeding cows low-calcium diets during the dry period. Negative calcium balance triggers calcium mobilization before calving and better equips the cow to respond to the massive calcium needs at the onset of lactation. Calcium intake must be limited to <20 g per day for calcium restriction to be effective. The most practical and proven method for monitoring hypocalcemia is by feeding cows an acidogenic diet for ~3 weeks before calving. Throughout the review, emphasis is placed on the importance of early diagnosis and proactive management strategies to mitigate the impact of these metabolic diseases on dairy cattle health and productivity. The comprehensive nature of this paper aims to serve as a valuable resource for veterinarians, researchers, and dairy farmers seeking a deeper understanding of these prevalent metabolic disorders in dairy cattle.

Analysis of milk consumption and dairy products of the Russian population using an online survey

Over the past 20-30 years, the consumption of milk and dairy products in Russia has been steadily declining. An online survey was carried out to find out the reasons for this. The questionnaire was created on the Yandex forms platform with automatic counting of answers. The questionnaire contained 34 questions about the inclusion of dairy products in the diet, the reasons for refusing dairy products, the nutritional value of dairy products, etc. Statistical data processing was performed by the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The significance level was taken equal to 0.05.

Association of milk microbiome with bovine mastitis before and after antibiotic therapy

Background and Aim

Mastitis is recognized as the most common disease in cattle and causes economic losses in the dairy industry. A number of opportunistic bacterial taxa have been identified as causative agents for this disease. Conventionally, antibiotics are used to treat mastitis; however, most bacteria are resistant to the majority of antibiotics. This study aimed to use molecular methods to identify milk microbiome patterns characteristic of mastitis that can help in the early diagnosis of this disease and in the development of new treatment strategies.

Materials and Methods

To evaluate the microbiome composition, we performed NGS sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of the V3 region.

Results

An increase in the abundance of the bacterial genera Hymenobacter and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group is associated with the development of subclinical and clinical mastitis in dairy cows. These bacteria can be added to the list of markers used to detect mastitis in cows. Furthermore, a decrease in the abundance of Ralstonia, Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group, Acetitomaculum, Massilia, and Atopostipes in cows with mastitis may indicate their role in maintaining a healthy milk microbiome. Antibiotics reduced the levels of Streptococcus in milk compared to those in the healthy group and cows before antibiotic treatment. Antibiotic therapy also contributed to an increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria of the genus Asticcacaulis.

Conclusion

This study expands our understanding of the association between milk microbiota and mastitis.

Minerals and essential amino acids of bovine colostrum: Phenotypic variability and predictive ability of mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy

Colostrum quality and volume are fundamental for calves because it is the primary supplier of antibodies and the first source of energy, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals, and vitamins for the newborn. Assessing the detailed composition (i.e., AA and mineral content) of bovine colostrum (BC) on-line and at a reasonable cost would help dairy stakeholders such as farmers or veterinarians for precision feeding purposes and industries producing preparations containing BC such as foodstuff, supplements, and medicaments. In the present study we evaluated mid- (MIRS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) prediction ability for AA and mineral composition of individual BC. Second, we the investigated the major factors affecting the phenotypic variability of such traits also evaluating the correlations with the Ig concentration. Results demonstrated that MIRS and NIRS were able to provide sufficiently accurate predictions for all the AA. The coefficient of determination in external validation (R2V) fell, in fact, within the range of 0.70 to 0.86, with the exception of Ile, His, and Met. Only some minerals reached a sufficient accuracy (i.e., Ca, P, S, and Mg; R2V ≥ 0.66) using MIRS, and also S (R2V = 0.87) using NIRS. Phenotypically, both parity and calving season affected the variability of these BC composition traits. Heifers' colostrum was the one with the greatest concentration of Ca and P, the 2 most abundant minerals. These minerals were however very low in cows calving in summer compared with the rest of the year. The pattern of AA across parities and calving season was not linear, likely because their variability was scarcely (or not) affected by these effects. Finally, samples characterized by high IgG concentration were those presenting on average greater concentration of AA. Findings suggest that infrared spectroscopy has the potential to be used to predict certain AA and minerals, outlining the possibility of implementing on-site analyses for the evaluation of the broad-sense BC quality.

Biofilm formation by heat-resistant dairy bacteria: multispecies biofilm model under static and dynamic conditions

In the food industry, especially dairy, biofilms can be formed by heat-resistant spoilage and pathogenic bacteria from the farm. Such biofilms may persist throughout the processing chain and contaminate milk and dairy products continuously, increasing equipment cleaning, maintenance costs, and product recalls. Most biofilms are multispecies, yet most studies focus on single-species models. A multispecies model of dairy biofilm was developed under static and dynamic conditions using heat-resistant Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium tyrobutyricum, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Rothia kristinae isolated from dairies. C. tyrobutiricum and R. kristinae were weak producers of biofilm, whereas the other four were moderate to strong producers. Based on cross-streaking on agar, P. aeruginosa was found to inhibit B. licheniformis and E. faecalis. In multispecies biofilm formed on stainless steel in a CDC reactor fed microfiltered milk, the strong biofilm producers were dominant while the weak producers were barely detectable. All biofilm matrices were dispersed easily by proteinase K treatment but were less sensitive to DNase or carbohydrases. Further studies are needed to deepen our understanding of multispecies biofilms and interactions within to develop improved preventive strategies to control the proliferation of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria in dairies and other food processing environments. IMPORTANCE A model of multispecies biofilm was created to study biofilm formation by heat-resistant bacteria in the dairy industry. The biofilm formation potential was evaluated under static conditions. A continuous flow version was then developed to study multispecies biofilm formed on stainless steel in microfiltered milk under dynamic conditions encountered in dairy processing equipment. The study of biofilm composition and bacterial interactions therein will lead to more effective means of suppressing bacterial growth on food processing equipment and contamination of products with spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, which represent considerable economic loss.

CowMesh: a data-mesh architecture to unify dairy industry data for prediction and monitoring

Dairy is an economically significant industry that caters to the huge demand for food products in people's lives. To remain profitable, farmers need to manage their farms and the health of the dairy cows in their herds. There are, however, many risks to cow health that can lead to significant challenges to dairy farm management and have the potential to lead to significant losses. Such risks include cow udder infections (i.e., mastitis) and cow lameness. As automation and data recording become more common in the agricultural sector, dairy farms are generating increasing amounts of data. Recently, these data are being used to generate insights into farm and cow health, where the objective is to help farmers manage the health and welfare of dairy cows and reduce losses from cow health issues. Despite the level of data generation on dairy farms, this information is often difficult to access due to a lack of a single, central organization to collect data from individual farms. The prospect of such an organization, however, raises questions about data ownership, with some farmers reluctant to share their farm data for privacy reasons. In this study, we describe a new data mesh architecture designed for the dairy industry that focuses on facilitating access to data from farms in a decentralized fashion. This has the benefit of keeping the ownership of data with dairy farmers while bringing data together by providing a common and uniform set of protocols. Furthermore, this architecture will allow secure access to the data by research groups and product development groups, who can plug in new projects and applications built across the data. No similar framework currently exists in the dairy industry, and such a data mesh can help industry stakeholders by bringing the dairy farms of a country together in a decentralized fashion. This not only helps farmers, dairy researchers, and product builders but also facilitates an overview of all dairy farms which can help governments to decide on regulations to improve the dairy industry at a national level.

Invited review: Bovine colostrum, a promising ingredient for humans and animals-Properties, processing technologies, and uses

Mammalian colostrum, known as "liquid gold," is considered a valuable source of essential nutrients, growth factors, probiotics, prebiotics, antibodies, and other bioactive compounds. Precisely for this reason, bovine colostrum (BC) is an emerging ingredient for the feed, food, and pharmaceutical industries, being nowadays commercially available in a variety of forms in several countries. Moreover, quite a large number of functional foods and supplements for athletes, human medicines, pet nutrition plans, and complementary feed for some livestock categories, such as piglets and calves, contain BC. The amount of BC yielded by a cow after calving represents approximately 0.5% of the yearly output in dairy breeds. For its nutritional properties and low availability, BC is characterized by a greater market value and an increasing demand compared with other by-products of the dairy sector. However, information regarding the market size of BC for the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as future developments and perspectives, is scarcely available in the scientific literature. This lack can be attributed to industrial secrecy as well as to the relatively small scale of the BC business when compared with other dairy products, which makes the BC market limited, specific, and intended for a restricted audience. From a legal perspective, regulations assign BC to the large family of milk-derived powders; thus, collecting specific production data, as well as import-export trend information, is not straightforward and can result in unprecise estimates. Given that the interest in BC is increasing in different fields, it is important to have an overview of the production steps and of pros and cons of this emerging ingredient. The present narrative review discloses why BC has started to be considered a product rather than a by-product of the dairy industry. Moreover, the present document aims to summarize the existing methodologies used to assess BC quality in terms of immunoglobulin concentration, the different applications of BC in the industry, and the BC processing technologies. Finally, a panoramic view of the current international market is provided for the first time for this dairy product.

Nanostructured Antimicrobials for Quality and Safety Improvement in Dairy Products

In the food sector, one of the most important economic activities is the dairy industry, which has been facing many challenges in order to meet the increasing demand by consumers for natural and minimally processed products with high quality. In this sense, the application of innovative and emerging technologies can be an interesting alternative, for example, the use of nanotechnology in packaging and as delivery systems. This technology has the potential to improve the quality and safety of dairy products, representing an interesting approach for delivering food preservatives and improving the mechanical, barrier and functional properties of packaging. Several applications and promising results of nanostructures for dairy product preservation can be found throughout this review, including the use of metallic and polymeric nanoparticles, lipid-based nanostructures, nanofibers, nanofilms and nanocoatings. In addition, some relevant examples of the direct application of nanostructured natural antimicrobials in milk and cheese are presented and discussed, as well as the use of milk agar as a model for a preliminary test. Despite their high cost and the difficulties for scale-up, interesting results of these technologies in dairy foods and packaging materials have promoted a growing interest of the dairy industry.

FarmDain, a Decision Support System for Dairy Sheep and Goat Production

Managing a milk zone in the dairy industry is demanding. Data necessary for efficient management are difficult to acquire because they usually must be collected in organized and standardized ways. On the other hand, software practices constantly provide new tools that can go beyond simple record-keeping practices and add value to the data. In this work, FarmDain is a novel web-based application for sheep and goat management. It aims to improve milk production and processing by digitizing the value chain in data acquisition, processing and visualization between dairy production businesses and their milk suppliers. FarmDain uses state-of-the-art software technologies to model the data collection process and provides a straightforward user interface to facilitate data processing and visualization. Using the app in a case study carried out for 12 months in a dairy sheep farm resulted in lower feeding cost per milked ewe by 5.5% when ewes were allocated into high and low milk production groups compared to the scenario of remaining in one single group. Furthermore, based on reports provided by the app, culling and genetic selection decisions were made to improve the overall farm performance. Similar practices were applied in all farms optimizing their productivity, which led to increased profitability for farms and the Dairy Factory.

Stuck in Limbo: how sensemaking discrepancy over strategy-related performance leads to disjointed collaboration in an international joint venture

A major issue in international business is why many International Joint Ventures (IJVs) fail to live up to partners’ expectations. Research into why IJVs underperform centres on differences between partners’ equity, resources, technical knowledge and cultural values, but seldom internal sensemaking conflicts. We address this research gap: specifically, the sense managers make of their own and their partner managers’ perceived performance in relation to strategy practices, and the effects of sensemaking upon collaboration. Some IJV studies examine outright organizational failure, but we focus on a common situation where partner firms’ expectations about each other’s performance are not met. Our case is a major Sino-New Zealand dairy IJV in a Limbo-like state of severe sensemaking discrepancy. Here, managers struggled to perform strategy effectively in a context of mutual misunderstanding and profound miscommunication, rooted in sensemaking differences. Using a strategy practice lens, we explore how this sensemaking discrepancy arose over organizational identity, learning and experience, strategizing, communication and trust. This eroded meaningful cooperation over strategy, leading to disjointed collaboration: a new concept capturing a state of compromised engagement, where the IJV continued operationally, but collaboration became increasingly difficult. We provide a theoretical framework to help understand sensemaking discrepancy in IJVs, based on a reconceptualization of sensemaking discrepancy in terms of own and others’ expected and perceived performance. We also offer essential practice-based insights into cognitive barriers to strategy collaboration.

Invited review: Iodine level in dairy products-A feed-to-fork overview

The theme of iodine in the dairy sector is of particular interest due to the involvement and the interconnection of several stakeholders along the dairy food chain. Iodine plays a fundamental role in animal nutrition and physiology, and in cattle it is an essential micronutrient during lactation and for fetal development and the calf's growth. Its correct use in food supplementation is crucial to guarantee the animal's recommended daily requirement to avoid excess intake and long-term toxicity. Milk iodine is fundamental for public health, being one of the major sources of iodine in Mediterranean and Western diets. Public authorities and the scientific community have made great efforts to address how and to what extent different drivers may affect milk iodine concentration. The scientific literature concurs that the amount of iodine administered through animal feed and mineral supplements is the most important factor affecting its concentration in milk of most common dairy species. Additionally, farming practices related to milking (e.g., use of iodized teat sanitizers), herd management (e.g., pasture vs. confinement), and other environmental factors (e.g., seasonality) have been identified as sources of variation of milk iodine concentration. Overall, the aim of this review is to provide a multilevel overview on the mechanisms that contribute to the iodine concentration of milk and dairy products.

Removal of Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms from pilot-scale food processing equipment using ozone-assisted cleaning-in-place

Biofilm formation in food processing environment and within equipment increases the risk of product spoilage and contamination with pathogens. Cleaning-in-place (CIP) operations are useful in removing soils and in sanitizing processing equipment, including eliminating biofilms. However, CIP is a resource-intensive process, particularly in the usage of chemical detergents, heat, and sanitizers. The current study was initiated to investigate the feasibility of integrating ozone into CIP operations to facilitate the elimination of Pseudomonas biofilm, with the long-term goal of decreasing the dependance on conventional cleaning and sanitizing reagents. To investigate integrating ozone into CIP, a robust biofilm of Pseudomonas fluorescens was developed on a pilot-scale food processing equipment after 2 days of incubation in 10% skim milk (skim milk-water mixture, 1:9 v/v) under stagnant conditions, followed by additional 5 days of circulation while feeding 10% fresh skim milk. CIP was applied using water prerinse at 22-25°C, alkaline cleaning with 0.2% potassium hydroxide at 50°C, and a final water rinse. These CIP operations reduced planktonic cell populations below the detection method's limit but did not fully remove P. fluorescens biofilm from either smooth or rough surfaces of the processing equipment. When the CIP process was followed by application of an aqueous ozone step (10 ppm for 10 min), the treatment reduced biofilm cell population, on smooth and rough surfaces, below the recovery method's detection limit (0.9 and 1.4 log CFU/ 100 cm², respectively). These findings demonstrate the utility of ozone-assisted CIP in eliminating microbial biofilms on processing equipment, but further research is needed to optimize the use of cleaning agents and the application of ozone.

Synergistic interactions in multispecies biofilm combinations of bacterial isolates recovered from diverse food processing industries

Most biofilms within the food industry are formed by multiple bacterial species which co-exist on surfaces as a result of interspecies interactions. These ecological interactions often make these communities tolerant against antimicrobials. Our previous work led to the identification of a large number (327) of highly diverse bacterial species on food contact surfaces of the dairy, meat, and egg industries after routine cleaning and disinfection (C&D) regimes. In the current study, biofilm-forming ability of 92 bacterial strains belonging to 26 genera and 42 species was assessed and synergistic interactions in biofilm formation were investigated by coculturing species in all possible four-species combinations. Out of the total 455 four-species biofilm combinations, greater biofilm mass production, compared to the sum of biofilm masses of individual species in monoculture, was observed in 34 combinations. Around half of the combinations showed synergy in biofilm mass > 1.5-fold and most of the combinations belonged to dairy strains. The highest synergy (3.13-fold) was shown by a combination of dairy strains comprising Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, Bacillus licheniformis, Microbacterium lacticum, and Calidifontibacter indicus. The observed synergy in mixed biofilms turned out to be strain-specific rather than species-dependent. All biofilm combinations showing remarkable synergy appeared to have certain common species in all combinations which shows there are keystone industry-specific bacterial species which stimulate synergy or antagonism and this may have implication for biofilm control in the concerned food industries.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Erythromycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Bovine Mastitis and Humans in Close Contact

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major causative agent of mastitis and is resistant to many antibiotics. Thus, there is a need to characterize the genetic determinants of S. aureus erythromycin resistance, such as ermA, ermB and ermC. The current study aimed to determine the phenotypic and genotypic erythromycin resistance profile and relatedness of S. aureus recovered from bovine mastitis and humans in close contact. A total of 14 mastitis-infected buffalo milk samples and 16 samples from their respective milkers were collected from different farms of Lahore, Pakistan. The antibiotic resistance profile was determined through the disk diffusion test. The overall prevalence of S. aureus in mastitis-affected buffaloes was found to be 75%, of which 52.1% were resistant to erythromycin and 42.8% to clindamycin. S. aureus isolates recovered from milker nasal samples showed 56.25% resistance to erythromycin and 44% resistance to clindamycin. Genotypic antibiotic resistance profiles were determined from 14 milk samples through PCR. Overall, eight (52.1%), three (21.4%) and five (35.7%) S. aureus isolates were positive for the ermA, ermB and ermC genes, respectively. Moreover, 16 milker nasal S. aureus isolates were also tested for the presence of ermA, ermB and ermC genes. The ermA, ermB and ermC genes were observed in nine(56.7%), five (31.3%) and seven (43.7%) isolates, respectively. A significant association was shown between phenotypic and genotypic erythromycin resistance. The results indicate both that there are sufficient genetic similarities, and the actual transmission of erythromycin resistance genes between these two hosts of S. aureus.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Genes of Streptococcus Agalactiae Isolated from Mastitis Milk Samples in China

Introduction

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important zoonotic pathogen that affects milk production and quality and poses a threat to public health. Treatment of infections with this bacterium exploits antimicrobials, to which the resistance of S. agalactiae is a growing problem. Addressing the possibility of a correlation between this pathogen's genetic factors for antimicrobial resistance and virulence, this study attempted to identify the relevant genes.

Material and Methods

Antimicrobial resistance of S. agalactiae isolated from 497 Chinese bovine mastitic milk samples was detected by the broth microdilution method. Eight drug resistance genes and eleven virulence genes were detected using PCR.

Results

Streptococcus agalactiae was 100% susceptible to rifampicin and vancomycin, 93.33% susceptible to sulfisoxazole and sulfamethoxazole, but 100% resistant to ≥3 of the 16 antimicrobial agents, thereby being multidrug resistant, with resistance to oxacillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, clindamycin, and gentamicin being common. The ermB, ermA and lnuA genes were carried by 73.33%, 66.67% and 60.00% of the strains, respectively. The carriage rates of the glnA, clyE, hylB, bibA, iagA, and fbsA virulence genes were greater than 40%, lmb and bac were not observed in any strain, and glnA+hylB+bibA+iagA+fbsA+clyE combined virulence gene patterns were the most commonly detected.

Conclusion

Antimicrobial resistance of S. agalactiae is still a great concern for cattle health in China, and multidrug resistance coupled with the high positive rates of this bacterium's strains for virulence genes indicates the importance of S. agalactiae surveillance and susceptibility tests.

Prescribing and sales of intramammary antimicrobials in Ireland in 2019 and 2020: the role of milk purchasers

Background

In Ireland between 2008 and 2022, intramammary antimicrobial (AM) products could be prescribed by a veterinary practitioner under what was known as Schedule 8 (or remote) prescribing. Under this prescribing route, an annual herd visit was not required when criteria were met as outlined in Animal Remedies Regulation 2007 to 2017 (statutory instruments No. 786/2007 and 558/2017). Under this prescribing route, the responsibilities of the milk purchaser, the farmer and the veterinary practitioner were each outlined, and a written mastitis control programme (MCP) was required. Milk purchasers implemented MCPs on participating farms (so-called MCP herds) with support from veterinary practitioner(s) who undertook Schedule 8 prescribing of intramammary AM tubes. This study seeks a clearer understanding of the role of milk purchasers in the prescribing and sale of intramammary AM products in Ireland during 2019 and 2020, whilst this Regulation was in force. Specifically, the study sought insights into the role of milk purchasers in the prescribing and sale of intramammary AM products in the Irish dairy industry during 2019 and 2020, using anonymised and highly aggregated milk purchaser data. The study also provided insights into milk quality among supplying herds during this period.

Methods

For this study, we had access to anonymised, highly aggregated data from all milk purchasers that operated a MCP on at least some of their supplying herds during 2019 or 2020. Data collection was undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. Data analysis was primarily descriptive.

Results

Data were available on 11 milk purchasers (64.7% of all) and 13,251 supplying herds. Of these, 52% were MCP herds. The quality of milk from supplying herds varied significantly by month, year and milk purchaser. During 2019 and 2020, there was a single Schedule 8 prescriber (a private veterinary practitioner prescribing intramammary AMs as part of a MCP), on average, for 549.3 herds. The sale of intramammary AM products through milk purchasers represented 15.2% and 26.9% of national sales in in-lactation and dry cow tubes, respectively. There was an overall 2% increase in sales through milk purchasers between 2019 and 2020. Few European Medicines Agency (EMA) category B (‘Restrict’) intramammary AM products were sold by milk purchasers. For both in-lactation and dry cow tubes, there was a statistically significant association between EMA classification and route of sale (through milk purchasers or otherwise).

Conclusions

The study findings provide important insights into mastitis control and intramammary AM stewardship in the Irish dairy industry. Significant differences between milk purchasers were observed in the quality of milk, as measured through somatic cell count (SCC) values, from supplying herds. This warrants further research. In the context of intramammary AM prescribing, veterinary oversight under the Animal Remedies Regulation 2007 to 2017 was very limited during 2019 and 2020. There were also significant associations between EMA classification and route of sale during 2019 and 2020, reinforcing the need for Irish veterinary practitioners to move away from EMA category B intramammary AMs. Higher quality data are needed to address important industry questions. Specifically it is recommended that national bulk tank SCC data are made available for public good research. Past experiences with Schedule 8 prescribing (no longer permitted from 28 January 2022) may influence current efforts towards improved intramammary AM stewardship.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13620-022-00227-4.

Advancement on Milk Fat Globule Membrane: Separation, Identification, and Functional Properties

Dairy products have become more common in people's daily diets in recent years, and numerous useful components derived from milk are widely employed in the food industry. Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a kind of film that encases milk fat globules, and has been shown to have a high nutritional value. In this work, the protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and other components of MFGM are discussed, and also common separation, preparation, and analysis technologies, physicochemical properties, and functional features of MFGM are reviewed, to provide some guidance for the development and utilization of MFGM.

Mathematical Models for the Biofilm Formation of Geobacillus and Anoxybacillus on Stainless Steel Surface in Whole Milk

Biofilm formation of Geobacillus thermodenitrificans, Geobacillus thermoglucosidans and Anoxybacillus flavithermus in milk on stainless steel were monitored at 55°C, 60°C, and 65°C for various incubation times. Although species of Geobacillus showed a rapid response and produced biofilm within 4 h on stainless steel, a delay (lag time) was observed for Anoxybacillus. A hyperbolic equation and a hyperbolic equation with lag could be used to describe the biofilm formation of Geobacillus and Anoxybacillus, respectively. The highest biofilm formation amount was obtained at 60°C for both Geobacillus and Anoxybacillus. However, the biofilm formation rates indicated that the lowest rates of formation were obtained at 60°C for Geobacillus. Moreover, biofilm formation rates of G. thermodenitrificans (1.2–1.6 Log₁₀CFU/mL·h) were higher than G. thermoglucosidans (0.4–0.7 Log₁₀CFU/mL·h). Although A. flavithermus had the highest formation rate values (2.7–3.6 Log₁₀CFU/mL·h), this was attained after the lag period (4 or 5 h). This study revealed that modeling could be used to describe the biofilm formation of thermophilic bacilli in milk.

A New Pipeline for Designing Phage Cocktails Based on Phage-Bacteria Infection Networks

In recent years, the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and efforts to preserve food microbiota have induced renewed interest in phage therapy. Phage cocktails, instead of a single phage, are commonly used as antibacterial agents since the hosts are unlikely to become resistant to several phages simultaneously. While the spectrum of activity might increase with cocktail complexity, excessive phages could produce side effects, such as the horizontal transfer of genes that augment the fitness of host strains, dysbiosis or high manufacturing costs. Therefore, cocktail formulation represents a compromise between achieving substantial reduction in the bacterial loads and restricting its complexity. Despite the abovementioned points, the observed bacterial load reduction does not increase significantly with the size of phage cocktails, indicating the requirement for a systematic approach to their design. In this work, the information provided by host range matrices was analyzed after building phage-bacteria infection networks (PBINs). To this end, we conducted a meta-analysis of 35 host range matrices, including recently published studies and new datasets comprising Escherichia coli strains isolated during ripening of artisanal raw milk cheese and virulent coliphages from ewes' feces. The nestedness temperature, which reflects the host range hierarchy of the phages, was determined from bipartite host range matrices using heuristic (Nestedness Temperature Calculator) and genetic (BinMatNest) algorithms. The latter optimizes matrix packing, leading to lower temperatures, i.e., it simplifies the identification of the phages with the broadest host range. The structure of infection networks suggests that generalist phages (and not specialist phages) tend to succeed in infecting less susceptible bacteria. A new metric (Φ), which considers some properties of the host range matrices (fill, temperature, and number of bacteria), is proposed as an estimator of phage cocktail size. To identify the best candidates, agglomerative hierarchical clustering using Ward's method was implemented. Finally, a cocktail was formulated for the biocontrol of cheese-isolated E. coli, reducing bacterial counts by five orders of magnitude.

Measurement of Food Losses in a Hungarian Dairy Processing Plant

The phenomenon of food waste and food loss at any stage of the supply chain is significant in developed economies. The purpose of this article is to highlight the areas of milk processing where milk loss occurs, and, after quantifying the data obtained, reveal the extent of the losses. To achieve the goals, we conducted on-site visits to one of Hungary’s milk processors. The methodology is based on the Food Loss and Waste (FLW) standard, accordingly we determined the extent of milk loss at the company level, supplemented with loss values by each dairy product. During the analyzed processing stages (receiving of raw milk, skimming, pasteurization, Extended Shelf-Life (ESL) milk, cheese milk, sour cream, yoghurt, and kefir) 1203.4–1406.8 L of raw material per day can be accounted as losses, which makes up 0.9–1% of daily production. A Milk Production-Milk Losses (MPML) model was created where six factors (technology and automation, design of the plant aspects, quantity of orders, expertise of employees, number of product variants, optimal storage capacity) were methodized that significantly influence the rate of milk losses over different time periods. Our paper highlights how areas of the production stage can be developed to decrease milk loss.

Critical issues facing the animal and food industry: a Delphi analysis

By the year 2050, the world's population is estimated to increase by approximately 2.1 billion people. For the sake of food security and safety, it is vital for the animal and food industry to act now in preparation for future consumption needs. The study at hand explored the most critical issues facing the field, according to industry experts. Using Delphi and constant comparative methods, seven thematic categories emerged that serve as overarching areas for attention: Industry Image and Relationship with the Public, Workforce Development and Pipeline, Economic and Environmental Sustainability, Animal and Human Health/Well-Being, Production and Distribution Efficiency, Government Regulations and Relationship with Legislative Leaders, and Relationship with Higher Education/Researchers. Findings and recommendations on how the industry can move forward in light of future challenges and opportunities are explored.

The Impact of Plant-Based Non-Dairy Alternative Milk on the Dairy Industry

Vegetarians have claimed and actively promoted the advantages of plant-based alternative milks as the best option for human nutrition and health, compared to the natural dairy milk. However, numerous scientific evidences and reports have demonstrated that the natural milk possesses more beneficial nutrients and bioactive components than artificially manufactured plant-derived milks. The biochemical and nutritional advantages and functionalities of natural dairy milk cannot be replaced by man-made or crafted plant-based beverage products. On the other hand, the tremendous increase in production and consumption of the plant-based alternative milks in recent years has led a serious business downturn in traditional roles and stability of the dairy industry, especially in the major dairy producing Western countries. Although plant-based milk alternatives may have some benefits on nutrition and health of certain consumers, the plant-derived alternative milks may not overshadow the true values of natural milk. Milk is not a high fat and high cholesterol food as animal meat products. Unlike plant-based alternative milks, natural milk contains many bioactive as well as antiappetizing peptides, which can reduce body weight. It has proven that taking low-fat, cultured and lactase treated milk and dairy products with other diversified nutritionally balanced diets have been shown to be healthier dietary option than plant-based milk/foods alone.

Characterization of the Bacteriophage-Derived Endolysins PlySs2 and PlySs9 with In Vitro Lytic Activity against Bovine Mastitis Streptococcus uberis

Bovine mastitis, an infection of the cow’s mammary gland, is frequently caused by Streptococcus uberis and causes major economic losses in the dairy industry. The intramammary administration of antibiotics currently remains the predominant preventive and therapeutic measure. These antimicrobial compounds, of which some are considered critical in human health care, are frequently applied as dry therapy resulting in their consistent overuse. Therefore, the use of antibiotics in the dairy sector is being questioned. We here identified two endolysins, i.e., PlySs2 and PlySs9, respectively derived from Streptococcus suis serotype-2 and -9 prophages, with lytic activity against S. uberis in an in vitro setting. Both endolysins gave clear lysis zones in spot-on-plate assays and caused a reduction of the optical density in a turbidity reduction assay. In depth characterization identified PlySs9 as the more potent endolysin over PlySs2 with a lower MIC value and about one additional log of killing. PlySs2 and PlySs9 were challenged to a panel of subclinical and clinical S. uberis milk isolates and were both able to lyse all strains tested. Molecular dissection of these endolysins in catalytic and cell wall binding subdomains resulted in major loss of killing and binding activity, respectively. Taken together, we here propose PlySs2 and PlySs9 as candidate compounds to the current antimicrobial arsenal known against bovine mastitis-causing S. uberis as future add-on or replacement strategy to the currently used intramammary antibiotics.

Johne's disease in Irish dairy herds: considerations for an effective national control programme

The Irish dairy industry has established a reputation for the production of safe and healthy dairy products and is seeking to further expand its export market for high value dairy products. To support its reputation, stakeholders aim to control Johne’s disease. To assist decision-makers determine the most appropriate design for an Irish programme, a narrative review of the scientific literature on the epidemiology of Johne’s disease, and selected control programmes throughout the world was undertaken. Two modelling studies specifically commissioned by Animal Health Ireland to assess testing methods used to demonstrate confidence of freedom in herds and to evaluate a range of possible surveillance strategies provided additional information. The majority of control programmes tend to be voluntary, because of the unique epidemiology of Johne’s disease and limited support for traditional regulatory approaches. While acknowledging that test performance and sub-clinical sero-negative shedders contributes to the spread of infection, a range of socio-political issues also exist that influence programme activities. The paper provides a rationale for the inclusion of a Veterinary Risk Assessment and Management Plan (VRAMP), including voluntary whole herd testing to identify infected herds and to support assurance-based trading through repeated rounds of negative testing, national surveillance for herd-level case-detection, and improved understanding of biosecurity management practices. Identification and promotion of drivers for industry and producer engagement in Ireland is likely to guide the future evolution of the Irish Johne’s Control Programme (IJCP) and further enhance its success. The provision of training, education and extension activities may encourage farmers to adopt relevant farm management practices and help them recognize that they are ultimately responsible for their herd’s health and biosecurity.

Mitigating Milk-Associated Bacteria through Inducing Zinc Ions Antibiofilm Activity

Dairy products are a sector heavily impacted by food loss, often due to bacterial contaminations. A major source of contamination is associated with the formation of biofilms by bacterial species adopted to proliferate in milk production environment and onto the surfaces of milk processing equipment. Bacterial cells within the biofilm are characterized by increased resistance to unfavorable environmental conditions and antimicrobial agents. Members of the Bacillus genus are the most commonly found spoilage microorganisms in the dairy environment. It appears that physiological behavior of these species is somehow depended on the availability of bivalent cations in the environment. One of the important cations that may affect the bacterial physiology as well as survivability are Zn²⁺ ions. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the antimicrobial effect of Zn²⁺ ions, intending to elucidate the potential of a zinc-based antibacterial treatment suitable for the dairy industry. The antimicrobial effect of different doses of ZnCl₂ was assessed microscopically. In addition, expression of biofilm related genes was evaluated using RT-PCR. Analysis of survival rates following heat treatment was conducted in order to exemplify a possible applicative use of Zn²⁺ ions. Addition of zinc efficiently inhibited biofilm formation by B. subtilis and further disrupted the biofilm bundles. Expression of matrix related genes was found to be notably downregulated. Microscopic evaluation showed that cell elongation was withheld when cells were grown in the presence of zinc. Finally, B. cereus and B. subtilis cells were more susceptible to heat treatment after being exposed to Zn²⁺ ions. It is believed that an anti-biofilm activity, expressed in downregulation of genes involved in construction of the extracellular matrix, would account for the higher sensitivity of bacteria during heat pasteurization. Consequently, we suggest that Zn²⁺ ions can be of used as an effective antimicrobial treatment in various applications in the dairy industry, targeting both biofilms and vegetative bacterial cells.

Comparison of the antibiotic resistance between genetically diverse and toxigenic Bacillus cereus sensu lato from milk, pepper and natural habitats

AIMS

Bacillus cereus sensu lato is a complex group of closely related bacteria, which are commonly present in the natural environment and food products. These organisms may cause food poisoning and spoilage as well as opportunistic infections. Thus far, their resistance to selected antibiotics has been explored only in part, especially in the context of strain source. Therefore, our goal was to compare the resistance of B. cereus sl from milk (environment with the potential impact of antibiotics) with strains from soil and pepper (environment without contact with antibiotics) in relation to their origin, toxicity and phylogenetic relationships.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Antibiotic resistance of B. cereus sl was assessed by determining their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) followed by statistical analyses. The phylogeny of the bacteria was investigated by multilocus sequence typing, and toxicity was determined with quantitative reverse-transcription real-time PCR. We found that the isolates from milk were more often multiresistant and exhibited a common resistance pattern to β-lactams but a varied sensitivity to the tested macrolides, clindamycin, tetracycline and vancomycin. Moreover they displayed often significantly higher average MICs; however, their resistance did not correlate with phylogeny, toxicity, or in most cases, with taxonomic affiliation.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that mainly food matrices may serve as an important reservoir of resistant isolates of B. cereus sl and that the use of antibiotics for the treatment of animal diseases must be carefully monitored as it strongly promotes natural selection for multiresistant strains, even among opportunist pathogens.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The fact that compared to the isolates from natural habitats, nonpathogenic B. cereus sl isolated from food acquire antibiotic resistance faster, should increase producers and consumers awareness and result in protection of public health.

Identification of Crucial Genetic Factors, Such as PPARγ, that Regulate the Pathogenesis of Fatty Liver Disease in Dairy Cows Is Imperative for the Sustainable Development of Dairy Industry

Frequently occurring fatty liver disease in dairy cows during the perinatal period, a typical type of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), results in worldwide high culling rates of dairy cows (averagely about 25%) after calving. This has been developing into a critical industrial problem throughout the world, because the metabolic disease severely affects the welfare and economic value of dairy cows. Findings about the molecular mechanisms how the fatty liver disease develops would help scientists to discover novel therapeutic targets for NAFLD. Studies have shown that PPARγ participates or regulates the fat deposition in liver by affecting the biological processes of hepatic lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, gluconeogenesis, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation, which all contribute to fatty liver. This review mainly focuses on crucial regulatory mechanisms of PPARγ regulating lipid deposition in the liver via direct and/or indirect pathways, suggesting that PPARγ might be a potential critical therapeutic target for fatty liver disease, however, it would be of our significant interest to reveal the pathology and pathogenesis of NAFLD by using dairy cows with fatty liver as an animal model. This review will provide a molecular mechanism basis for understanding the pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Multisource surveillance for non-fatal work-related agricultural injuries

Objectives: Development of a state-wide comprehensive surveillance system for non-fatal work-related farm injuries, since non-fatal injuries that occur to the self-employed (i.e., many farm owners/operators), family workers, federal government workers and small farms with fewer than 11 employees are not included in the Bureau of Labor Statistics employer-based survey used to produce the U.S. National statistics of work-related injuries.Methods: In 2015 and 2016, inpatient discharge summaries, emergency department, and hospital-based outpatient clinic records from all 134 of Michigan's hospitals with ICD-9 codes 989.0-.1, E827.0-.9, E849.1, E906.8, E919.0 or ICD-10 codesT65.0-.1, V80, Y92.7, W55.1-.4, W30 were reviewed to identify non-fatal work-related farm injuries.Results: We identified 1,559 non-fatal work-related farm injury incidents that occurred in 1,525 individuals, with 74% being among men. The most common parts of the body injured were an upper limb (38.2%) and a lower limb (23.7%). The most common types of injury were contusions (26.4%) and fractures (19.9%). Owners/operators accounted for 44.1% and hired hands for 42.9% of individuals injured. Injuries caused by cows were the predominant cause: 472 (31.5%) of all the injuries. Dairy farms accounted for 39.6% of all cases for which the farm type was recorded.Conclusion: A comprehensive system to identify non-fatal work-related farm injuries among all individuals who work on a farm, including owner/operators, family members and migrant and seasonal farm laborers, was implemented using hospital, emergency department and hospital-based outpatient clinic medical records. Such a system is important to be able to identify hazards and target prevention.

The Fate and Management of Sick and Dying Cattle - Consequences on Small-Scale Dairy Farmers of Peri-Urban Areas in India

Background:

The livestock plays an important role in the economy of farmers. The mismanagement of sick and dying cattle leads to an increase in sanitation cost of municipalities, incidences of diseases by exposed carcasses, and hence more expenditure on avoidable health catastrophes.

Objective:

The objective is to study the fate of sick and failing cattle and their detailed management regarding disposal of dead cattle.

Materials and Methods:

The qualitative research approach was used. The dual strategies of purposive sampling and snowballing were employed to identify potential respondents. The study was conducted 15 in-depth interviews among smallholder dairy farmers, scientists, officials of National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), municipality officials, and veterinarians in peri-urban areas of Karnal, Haryana, located in North India. Data were analyzed based on the contents of these audio-recorded interviews. The recordings have transcribed and translated. After translation completion, a content analysis was performed manually to identify emerging themes and interconnections.

Results:

This article highlighted three core themes such as impact of low literacy and awareness levels, role of informal forms of disposal, and preference of informal channels over municipality.

Conclusions:

There is a gap in current practices and management of sick and dying cattle. Small-scale farmers prefer to dispose their cattle in an informal way. It needs to improve animal welfare by modeling guidelines for disposal of dead cattle and its consequences pertaining to zoonoses.

Integrated Process for Bioenergy Production and Water Recycling in the Dairy Industry: Selection of Kluyveromyces Strains for Direct Conversion of Concentrated Lactose-Rich Streams into Bioethanol

Dairy industries have a high environmental impact, with very high energy and water consumption and polluting effluents. To increase the sustainability of these industries it is urgent to implement technologies for wastewater treatment allowing water recycling and energy savings. In this study, dairy wastewater was processed by ultrafiltration and nanofiltration or ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (UF/RO) and retentates from the second membrane separation processes were assessed for bioenergy production. Lactose-fermenting yeasts were tested in direct conversion of the retentates (lactose-rich streams) into bioethanol. Two Kluyveromyces strains efficiently fermented all the lactose, with ethanol yields higher than 90% (>0.47 g/g yield). Under severe oxygen-limiting conditions, the K. marxianus PYCC 3286 strain reached 70 g/L of ethanol, which is compatible with energy-efficient distillation processes. In turn, the RO permeate is suitable for recycling into the cleaning process. The proposed integrated process, using UF/RO membrane technology, could allow water recycling (RO permeate) and bioenergy production (from RO retentate) for a more sustainable dairy industry.

Control and Monitoring of Milk Renneting Using FT-NIR Spectroscopy as a Process Analytical Technology Tool

Failures in milk coagulation during cheese manufacturing can lead to decreased yield, anomalous behaviour of cheese during storage, significant impact on cheese quality and process wastes. This study proposes a Process Analytical Technology approach based on FT-NIR spectroscopy for milk renneting control during cheese manufacturing. Multivariate Curve Resolution optimized by Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) was used for data analysis and development of Multivariate Statistical Process Control (MSPC) charts. Fifteen renneting batches were set up varying temperature (30, 35, 40 °C), milk pH (6.3, 6.5, 6.7), and fat content (0.1, 2.55, 5 g/100 mL). Three failure batches were also considered. The MCR-ALS models well described the coagulation processes (explained variance ≥99.93%; lack of fit <0.63%; standard deviation of the residuals <0.0067). The three identified MCR-ALS profiles described the main renneting phases. Different shapes and timing of concentration profiles were related to changes in temperature, milk pH, and fat content. The innovative implementation of MSPC charts based on T² and Q statistics allowed the detection of coagulation failures from the initial phases of the process.

Biosensors for On-Farm Diagnosis of Mastitis

Bovine mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland caused by a multitude of pathogens with devastating consequences for the dairy industry. Global annual losses are estimated to be around €30 bn and are caused by significant milk losses, poor milk quality, culling of chronically infected animals, and occasional deaths. Moreover, mastitis management routinely implies the administration of antibiotics to treat and prevent the disease which poses serious risks regarding the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Conventional diagnostic methods based on somatic cell counts (SCC) and plate-culture techniques are accurate in identifying the disease, the respective infectious agents and antibiotic resistant phenotypes. However, pressure exists to develop less lengthy approaches, capable of providing on-site information concerning the infection, and in this way, guide, and hasten the most adequate treatment. Biosensors are analytical tools that convert the presence of biological compounds into an electric signal. Benefitting from high signal-to-noise ratios and fast response times, when properly tuned, they can detect the presence of specific cells and cell markers with high sensitivity. In combination with microfluidics, they provide the means for development of automated and portable diagnostic devices. Still, while biosensors are growing at a fast pace in human diagnostics, applications for the veterinary market, and specifically, for the diagnosis of mastitis remain limited. This review highlights current approaches for mastitis diagnosis and describes the latest outcomes in biosensors and lab-on-chip devices with the potential to become real alternatives to standard practices. Focus is given to those technologies that, in a near future, will enable for an on-farm diagnosis of mastitis.

Preventing Biofilm Formation by Dairy-Associated Bacteria Using Peptide-Coated Surfaces

Biofilm-forming bacteria, which colonize the surfaces of equipment in the dairy industry, may adversely affect the safety and quality of the milk and its products. Despite numerous efforts to combat biofilm formation, there is still no effective technological means to thoroughly solve the biofilm problem in the dairy industry. Here, we introduced peptide-based coating in order to modify the physical properties of the stainless steel surface by affecting its availability for bacterial adhesion. We found that the coated surface displays a notable decrease in the ability of bacterial cells to attach and to subsequently form biofilm by Gram-positive Bacillus licheniformis and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, the coated surface retained its anti-biofilm ability following its exposure to raw milk. Importantly, the modified surface did not affect the milk coagulation process or its nutritious properties and quality. Overall, this anti-biofilm approach may serve as an attractive solution for the dairy industry in its struggle against bacterial contamination.

Inactivation of Dairy Bacteriophages by Thermal and Chemical Treatments

This article provides information on the characteristics of diverse phages of lactic acid bacteria and highlights the incidence of their presence in different dairy fermentations. As it is known, thermal treatments on raw milk and use of sanitizers in the disinfection of surfaces and equipment are strategies usually applied in dairy to prevent bacteriophage infections. In this sense, this review mainly focuses on the existing data about the resistance against thermal treatments and sanitizers usually used in the dairy industry worldwide, and the differences found among bacteriophages of diverse genera are remarked upon. Also, we provide information concerning the problems that have arisen as a consequence of the potential presence of bacteriophages in cheese whey powder and derivatives when they are added in fermented dairy product manufacturing. Finally, some important conclusions on each topic are marked and checkpoints to be considered are suggested.

Invited review: Milk lactose-Current status and future challenges in dairy cattle

Lactose is the main carbohydrate in mammals' milk, and it is responsible for the osmotic equilibrium between blood and alveolar lumen in the mammary gland. It is the major bovine milk solid, and its synthesis and concentration in milk are affected mainly by udder health and the cow's energy balance and metabolism. Because this milk compound is related to several biological and physiological factors, information on milk lactose in the literature varies from chemical properties to heritability and genetic associations with health traits that may be exploited for breeding purposes. Moreover, lactose contributes to the energy value of milk and is an important ingredient for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Despite this, lactose has seldom been included in milk payment systems, and it has never been used as an indicator trait in selection indices. The interest in lactose has increased in recent years, and a summary of existing information about lactose in the dairy sector would be beneficial for the scientific community and the dairy industry. The present review collects and summarizes knowledge about lactose by covering and linking several aspects of this trait in bovine milk. Finally, perspectives on the use of milk lactose in dairy cattle, especially for selection purposes, are outlined.

Robust Biofilm-Forming Bacillus Isolates from the Dairy Environment Demonstrate an Enhanced Resistance to Cleaning-in-Place Procedures

One of the main strategies for maintaining the optimal hygiene level in dairy processing facilities is regular cleaning and disinfection, which is incorporated in the cleaning-in-place (CIP) regimes. However, a frail point of the CIP procedures is their variable efficiency in eliminating biofilm bacteria. In the present study, we evaluated the susceptibility of strong biofilm-forming dairy Bacillus isolates to industrial cleaning procedures using two differently designed model systems. According to our results, the dairy-associated Bacillus isolates demonstrate a higher resistance to CIP procedures, compared to the non-dairy strain of B. subtilis. Notably, the tested dairy isolates are highly persistent to different parameters of the CIP operations, including the turbulent flow of liquid (up to 1 log), as well as the cleaning and disinfecting effects of commercial detergents (up to 2.3 log). Moreover, our observations indicate an enhanced resistance of poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA)-overproducing B. subtilis, which produces high amounts of proteinaceous extracellular matrix, to the CIP procedures (about 0.7 log, compared to the wild-type non-dairy strain of B. subtilis). We therefore suggest that the enhanced resistance to the CIP procedures by the dairy Bacillus isolates can be attributed to robust biofilm formation. In addition, this study underlines the importance of evaluating the efficiency of commercial cleaning agents in relation to strong biofilm-forming bacteria, which are relevant to industrial conditions. Consequently, we believe that the findings of this study can facilitate the assessment and refining of the industrial CIP procedures.

Bactéries sporulées et biofilms : un problème récurrent dans les lignes de production de lait reconstitué ou recombiné pasteurisé

In the dairy industry, bacterial contaminants persist on equipment surfaces due to spore and biofilm formation. These are involved in cross-contamination problems that affect the quality of processed products and limit their life. The pasteurization process, in which milk is submitted to moderate heat treatment, is inefficient against bacterial spores. The most prevalent sporulated bacteria belong to Bacillus and related genera. The situation is more complicated in countries where pasteurized milk is derived from imported milk powder originally contaminated by bacterial spores. Studies have shown biofilm formation on dairy equipment by mesophilic strains from the group Bacillus cereus and thermophilic strains from the genus Geobacillus. These biofilms are resistant to cleaning procedures and are sources of chronic contamination of pasteurized milk. This review analyzes the dairy situation in Algeria exposed to sporulated flora and derived biofilm problems, with the aim of proposing efficient solutions in the light of current knowledge. [Journal translation].

Role of Bacteriophages in the Implementation of a Sustainable Dairy Chain

The growing human population is currently facing an unprecedented challenge regarding global food sustainability. Thus, it is of paramount to maintain food production and quality while avoiding a negative impact on climate change and the environment at large. Along the food chain, several practices could compromise future food safety and human health. One example is the widespread use of antibiotics and disinfectants in dairy production, which has contributed to the current antibiotic resistance crisis. Moreover, the uncontrolled release of antimicrobials to the environment poses a significant threat to natural ecosystems. For these reasons, research has recently focused on exploiting natural antimicrobials with the goal of achieving a safer and more sustainable dairy production chain. In this context, bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, may become good allies to prevent and treat diseases in cattle, or be used as disinfectants in dairy facilities and as preservatives in dairy products. This review provides an overview of the current research regarding the use of phages as a global approach to reduce economic losses and food waste, while increasing food safety and reducing the environmental impact of food production. Our current understanding of progress, solutions, and future challenges in dairy production, processing, safety, waste processing, and quality assurance is also discussed.

A Decade of Streptococcus thermophilus Phage Evolution in an Irish Dairy Plant

Phages of Streptococcus thermophilus present a major threat to the production of many fermented dairy products. To date, only a few studies have assessed the biodiversity of S. thermophilus phages in dairy fermentations. In order to develop strategies to limit phage predation in this important industrial environment, it is imperative that such studies are undertaken and that phage-host interactions of this species are better defined. The present study investigated the biodiversity and evolution of phages within an Irish dairy fermentation facility over an 11-year period. This resulted in the isolation of 17 genetically distinct phages, all of which belong to the so-called cos group. The evolution of phages within the factory appears to be influenced by phages from other dairy plants introduced into the factory for whey protein powder production. Modular exchange, primarily within the regions encoding lysogeny and replication functions, was the major observation among the phages isolated between 2006 and 2016. Furthermore, the genotype of the first isolate in 2006 was observed continuously across the following decade, highlighting the ability of these phages to prevail in the factory setting for extended periods of time. The proteins responsible for host recognition were analyzed, and carbohydrate-binding domains (CBDs) were identified in the distal tail (Dit), the baseplate proteins, and the Tail-associated lysin (Tal) variable regions (VR1 and VR2) of many isolates. This supports the notion that S. thermophilus phages recognize a carbohydrate receptor on the cell surface of their host.IMPORTANCE Dairy fermentations are consistently threatened by the presence of bacterial viruses (bacteriophages or phages), which may lead to a reduction in acidification rates or even complete loss of the fermentate. These phages may persist in factories for long periods of time. The objective of the current study was to monitor the progression of phages infecting the dairy bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus over a period of 11 years in an Irish dairy plant so as to understand how these phages evolve. A focused analysis of the genomic region that encodes host recognition functions highlighted that the associated proteins harbor a variety of carbohydrate-binding domains, which corroborates the notion that phages of S. thermophilus recognize carbohydrate receptors at the initial stages of the phage cycle.

Comparative Genomics of Completely Sequenced Lactobacillus helveticus Genomes Provides Insights into Strain-Specific Genes and Resolves Metagenomics Data Down to the Strain Level

Although complete genome sequences hold particular value for an accurate description of core genomes, the identification of strain-specific genes, and as the optimal basis for functional genomics studies, they are still largely underrepresented in public repositories. Based on an assessment of the genome assembly complexity for all lactobacilli, we used Pacific Biosciences' long read technology to sequence and de novo assemble the genomes of three Lactobacillus helveticus starter strains, raising the number of completely sequenced strains to 12. The first comparative genomics study for L. helveticus—to our knowledge—identified a core genome of 988 genes and sets of unique, strain-specific genes ranging from about 30 to more than 200 genes. Importantly, the comparison of MiSeq- and PacBio-based assemblies uncovered that not only accessory but also core genes can be missed in incomplete genome assemblies based on short reads. Analysis of the three genomes revealed that a large number of pseudogenes were enriched for functional Gene Ontology categories such as amino acid transmembrane transport and carbohydrate metabolism, which is in line with a reductive genome evolution in the rich natural habitat of L. helveticus. Notably, the functional Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins categories “cell wall/membrane biogenesis” and “defense mechanisms” were found to be enriched among the strain-specific genes. A genome mining effort uncovered examples where an experimentally observed phenotype could be linked to the underlying genotype, such as for cell envelope proteinase PrtH3 of strain FAM8627. Another possible link identified for peptidoglycan hydrolases will require further experiments. Of note, strain FAM22155 did not harbor a CRISPR/Cas system; its loss was also observed in other L. helveticus strains and lactobacillus species, thus questioning the value of the CRISPR/Cas system for diagnostic purposes. Importantly, the complete genome sequences proved to be very useful for the analysis of natural whey starter cultures with metagenomics, as a larger percentage of the sequenced reads of these complex mixtures could be unambiguously assigned down to the strain level.

Bacteriophages in the Dairy Environment: From Enemies to Allies

The history of dairy farming goes back thousands of years, evolving from a traditional small-scale production to the industrialized manufacturing of fermented dairy products. Commercialization of milk and its derived products has been very important not only as a source of nourishment but also as an economic resource. However, the dairy industry has encountered several problems that have to be overcome to ensure the quality and safety of the final products, as well as to avoid economic losses. Within this context, it is interesting to highlight the role played by bacteriophages, or phages, viruses that infect bacteria. Indeed, bacteriophages were originally regarded as a nuisance, being responsible for fermentation failure and economic losses when infecting lactic acid bacteria, but are now considered promising antimicrobials to fight milk-borne pathogens without contributing to the increase in antibiotic resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus in Some Brazilian Dairy Industries: Changes of Contamination and Diversity

Staphylococcus aureus, a major food-poisoning pathogen, is a common contaminant in dairy industries worldwide, including in Brazil. We determined the occurrence of S. aureus in five dairies in Brazil over 8 months. Of 421 samples, 31 (7.4%) were positive for S. aureus and prevalence varied from 0 to 63.3% between dairies. Sixty-six isolates from the 31 samples were typed by Multi-Locus Sequence Typing to determine if these isolates were persistent or continuously reintroduced. Seven known sequence types (STs), ST1, ST5, ST30, ST97, ST126, ST188 and ST398, and four new ST were identified, ST3531, ST3540, ST3562 and ST3534. Clonal complex (CC) 1 (including the four new ST), known as an epidemic clone, was the dominant CC. However, there were no indications of persistence of particular ST. The resistance toward 11 antibiotic compounds was assessed. Twelve profiles were generated with 75.8% of strains being sensitive to all antibiotic classes and no Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains were found. The enterotoxin-encoding genes involved in food-poisoning, e.g., sea, sed, see, and seg were targeted by PCR. The two toxin-encoding genes, sed and see, were not detected. Only three strains (4.5%) harbored seg and two of these also harbored sea. Despite the isolates being Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), the presence of CC1 clones in the processing environment, including some harboring enterotoxin encoding genes, is of concern and hygiene must have high priority to reduce contamination.

Environmental life cycle assessment of Italian mozzarella cheese: Hotspots and improvement opportunities

The present study investigated a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment to estimate the environmental impacts associated with Italian mozzarella cheese consumption. The differences between mozzarella produced from raw milk and mozzarella produced from curd were studied, and differences in manufacturing processes have been emphasized in order to provide guidance for targeted improvements at this phase. Specifically, the third-largest Italian mozzarella producer was surveyed to collect site-specific manufacturing data. The Ecoinvent v3.2 database was used for secondary data, whereas SimaPro 8.1 was the modeling software. The inventory included inputs from farm activities to end of life disposal of wasted mozzarella and packaging. Additionally, plant-specific information was used to assign major inputs, such as electricity, natural gas, packaging, and chemicals to specific products; however, where disaggregated information was not provided, milk solids allocation was applied. Notably, loss of milk solids was accounted during the manufacture, moreover mozzarella waste and transport were considered during distribution, retail, and consumption phases. Feed production and animal emissions were the main drivers of raw milk production. Electricity and natural gas usage, packaging (cardboard and plastic), transport, wastewater treatment, and refrigerant loss affected the emissions from a farm gate-to-dairy plant gate perspective. Post-dairy plant gate effects were mainly determined by electricity usage for storage of mozzarella, transport of mozzarella, and waste treatment. The average emissions were 6.66 kg of CO₂ equivalents and 45.1 MJ of cumulative energy demand/kg of consumed mozzarella produced directly from raw milk, whereas mozzarella from purchased curd had larger emissions than mozzarella from raw milk due to added transport of curd from specialty manufacturing plants, as well as electricity usage from additional processes at the mozzarella plant that are required to process the curd into mozzarella. Normalization points to ecotoxicity as the impact category most significantly influenced by mozzarella consumption. From a farm gate-to-grave perspective, ecotoxicity and freshwater and marine eutrophication are the first and second largest contributors of mozzarella consumption to average European effects, respectively. To increase environmental sustainability, an improvement of efficiency for energy and packaging usage and transport activities is recommended in the post-farm gate mozzarella supply chain.

Use of native aquatic macrophytes in the reduction of organic matter from dairy effluents

Considering the diversity and the unexplored potential of regional aquatic flora, this study aimed to identify and analyze the potential of native aquatic macrophytes to reduce the organic matter of dairy wastewater (DW) using experimental constructed wetlands. The dairy wastewater (DW) had an average chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 7414.63 mg/L and then was diluted to 3133.16 mg/L (D1) and to 2506.53 mg/L (D2). Total solids, COD, temperature, and pH analyses were performed, and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was estimated from the COD values. The best performance in the reduction of the organic matter was observed for Polygonum sp. (87.5% COD and 79.6% BOD) and Eichhornia paniculata (90% COD and 83.7% BOD) at dilution D1, on the 8th day of the experiment. However, the highest total solids removal was observed for Polygonum sp. (32.2%), on the 4th day, at dilution D2. The total solid (TS) concentration has also increased starting from the 8th day of the experiment was observed which may have been due to the development of mosquito larvae and their mechanical removal by sieving, thus changing the steady state of the experimental systems. The macrophytes Polygonum sp. and E. paniculata were considered suitable for the reduction of organic matter of DW using constructed wetlands.

Environmental life cycle assessment of Italian mozzarella cheese: Hotspots and improvement opportunities

The present study investigated a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment to estimate the environmental impacts associated with Italian mozzarella cheese consumption. The differences between mozzarella produced from raw milk and mozzarella produced from curd were studied, and differences in manufacturing processes have been emphasized in order to provide guidance for targeted improvements at this phase. Specifically, the third-largest Italian mozzarella producer was surveyed to collect site-specific manufacturing data. The Ecoinvent v3.2 database was used for secondary data, whereas SimaPro 8.1 was the modeling software. The inventory included inputs from farm activities to end of life disposal of wasted mozzarella and packaging. Additionally, plant-specific information was used to assign major inputs, such as electricity, natural gas, packaging, and chemicals to specific products; however, where disaggregated information was not provided, milk solids allocation was applied. Notably, loss of milk solids was accounted during the manufacture, moreover mozzarella waste and transport were considered during distribution, retail, and consumption phases. Feed production and animal emissions were the main drivers of raw milk production. Electricity and natural gas usage, packaging (cardboard and plastic), transport, wastewater treatment, and refrigerant loss affected the emissions from a farm gate-to-dairy plant gate perspective. Post-dairy plant gate effects were mainly determined by electricity usage for storage of mozzarella, transport of mozzarella, and waste treatment. The average emissions were 6.66 kg of CO₂ equivalents and 45.1 MJ of cumulative energy demand/kg of consumed mozzarella produced directly from raw milk, whereas mozzarella from purchased curd had larger emissions than mozzarella from raw milk due to added transport of curd from specialty manufacturing plants, as well as electricity usage from additional processes at the mozzarella plant that are required to process the curd into mozzarella. Normalization points to ecotoxicity as the impact category most significantly influenced by mozzarella consumption. From a farm gate-to-grave perspective, ecotoxicity and freshwater and marine eutrophication are the first and second largest contributors of mozzarella consumption to average European effects, respectively. To increase environmental sustainability, an improvement of efficiency for energy and packaging usage and transport activities is recommended in the post-farm gate mozzarella supply chain.

Antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects of acetyl‐11‐α‐keto‐β‐boswellic acid mediated silver nanoparticles in experimental murine mastitis

Mastitis is an important economic disease causing production losses in dairy industry. Antibiotics are becoming ineffective in controlling mastitis due to the emergence of resistant strains requiring the development of novel therapeutic agents. In this study, the authors present the phytochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with acetyl‐11‐α‐keto‐β‐boswellic acid and evaluation of their activity in Staphylococcus aureus induced murine mastitis. Boswellic acid mediated AgNP (BANS) were oval, polydispersed (99.8 nm) with an minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.033 µg ml−1 against S. aureus , inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 30.04 µg ml−1 on mouse splenocytes and safe at an in vivo acute oral dose of 3.5 mg kg−1 in mice. Mastitis was induced in lactating mice by inoculating S. aureus (log10 5.60 cfu) and treated 6 h post‐inoculation with BANS (0.12 mg kg−1, intramammary and intraperitoneal), and cefepime (1 mg kg−1, intraperitoneal). S. aureus inoculated mice showed increased bacterial load, neutrophil infiltration in mammary glands and elevated C‐reactive protein (CRP) in serum. Oxidative stress was also observed with elevated malondialdehyde level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. BANS treatment significantly (P  < 0.05) reduced bacterial load, CRP, SOD, CAT activities and neutrophil infiltration in affected mammary glands. BANS could be a potential therapeutic agent for managing bovine mastitis.

Genetic and nongenetic factors associated with milk color in dairy cows

Milk color is one of the sensory properties that can influence consumer choice of one product over another and it influences the quality of processed dairy products. This study aims to quantify the cow-level genetic and nongenetic factors associated with bovine milk color traits. A total of 136,807 spectra from Irish commercial and research herds (with multiple breeds and crosses) were used. Milk lightness (Lˆ*), red-green index (aˆ*) and yellow-blue index (bˆ*) were predicted for individual milk samples using only the mid-infrared spectrum of the milk sample. Factors associated with milk color were breed, stage of lactation, parity, milking-time, udder health status, pasture grazing, and seasonal calving. (Co)variance components for Lˆ*,aˆ*, and bˆ* were estimated using random regressions on the additive genetic and within-lactation permanent environmental effects. Greater bˆ* value (i.e., more yellow color) was evident in milk from Jersey cows. Milk Lˆ* increased consistently with stage of lactation, whereas aˆ* increased until mid lactation to subsequently plateau. Milk bˆ* deteriorated until 31 to 60 DIM, but then improved thereafter until the end of lactation. Relative to multiparous cows, milk yielded by primiparae was, on average, lighter (i.e., greater Lˆ*), more red (i.e., greater aˆ*), and less yellow (i.e., lower bˆ*). Milk from the morning milk session had lower Lˆ*,aˆ*, and bˆ* Heritability estimates (±SE) for milk color varied between 0.15 ± 0.02 (30 DIM) and 0.46 ± 0.02 (210 DIM) for Lˆ*, between 0.09 ± 0.01 (30 DIM) and 0.15 ± 0.02 (305 DIM) for aˆ*, and between 0.18 ± 0.02 (21 DIM) and 0.56 ± 0.03 (305 DIM) for bˆ* For all the 3 milk color features, the within-trait genetic correlations approached unity as the time intervals compared shortened and were generally <0.40 between the peripheries of the lactation. Strong positive genetic correlations existed between bˆ* value and milk fat concentration, ranging from 0.82 ± 0.19 at 5 DIM to 0.96 ± 0.01 at 305 DIM and confirming the observed phenotypic correlation (0.64, SE = 0.01). Results of the present study suggest that breeding strategies for the enhancement of milk color traits could be implemented for dairy cattle populations. Such strategies, coupled with the knowledge of milk color traits variation due to nongenetic factors, may represent a tool for the dairy processors to reduce, if not eliminate, the use of artificial pigments during milk manufacturing.

Complete Genome Sequence of Streptococcus thermophilus KLDS 3.1003, A Strain with High Antimicrobial Potential against Foodborne and Vaginal Pathogens

Lactic acid bacteria play increasingly important roles in the food industry. Streptococcus thermophilus KLDS 3.1003 strain was isolated from traditional yogurt in Inner Mongolia, China. It has shown high antimicrobial activity against selected foodborne and vaginal pathogens. In this study, we investigated and analyzed its complete genome sequence. The S. thermophilus KLDS 3.1003 genome comprise of a 1,899,956 bp chromosome with a G+C content of 38.92%, 1,995 genes, and 6 rRNAs. With the exception of S. thermophilus M17TZA496, S. thermophilus KLDS 3.1003 has more tRNAs (amino acid coding genes) compared to some S. thermophilus strains available on the National Centre for Biotechnology Information database. MG-RAST annotation showed that this strain has 317 subsystems with most genes associated with amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. This strain also has a unique EPS gene cluster containing 23 genes, and may be a mixed dairy starter culture. This information provides more insight into the molecular basis of its potentials for further applications in the dairy and allied industries.

A Guide to the Design of Occupational Safety and Health Training for Immigrant, Latino/a Dairy Workers

Industrialized dairy production in the U.S. relies on an immigrant, primarily Latino/a, workforce to meet greater production demands. Given the high rates of injuries and illnesses on U.S. dairies, there is pressing need to develop culturally appropriate training to promote safe practices among immigrant, Latino/a dairy workers. To date, there have been few published research articles or guidelines specific to developing effective occupational safety and health (OSH) training for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry. Literature relevant to safety training for immigrant workers in agriculture and other high-risk industries (e.g., construction) was examined to identify promising approaches. The aim of this paper is to provide a practical guide for researchers and practitioners involved in the design and implementation of effective OSH training programs for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry. The search was restricted to peer-reviewed academic journals and guidelines published between 1980 and 2015 by universities or extension programs, written in English, and related to health and safety training among immigrant, Latino/a workers within agriculture and other high-risk industries. Relevant recommendations regarding effective training transfer were also included from literature in the field of industrial-organizational psychology. A total of 97 articles were identified, of which 65 met the inclusion criteria and made a unique and significant contribution. The review revealed a number of promising strategies for how to effectively tailor health and safety training for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry grouped under five main themes: (1) understanding and involving workers; (2) training content and materials; (3) training methods; (4) maximizing worker engagement; and (5) program evaluation. The identification of best practices in the design and implementation of training programs for immigrant, Latino/a workers within agriculture and other high-risk industries can inform the development of more effective and sustainable health and safety training for immigrant, Latino/a dairy workers in the U.S. and other countries.

Development of a Method to Determine the Effectiveness of Cleaning Agents in Removal of Biofilm Derived Spores in Milking System

Microbial damages caused by biofilm forming bacteria in the dairy industry are a fundamental threat to safety and quality of dairy products. In order to ensure the optimal level of equipment hygiene in the dairy industry, it is necessary to determine the biofilm removal efficiency of cleaning agents used for cleaning-in-place (CIP) procedures. However, currently there is no standard method available for evaluating and comparing cleaning agents for use in CIP procedures in the dairy industry under realistic conditions. The present study aims to establish a CIP model system to evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning agents in removal of biofilm derived spores from the surfaces of stainless steel which is the predominant substrate in milking equipment on dairy farms. The system is based on Bacillus subtilis spores surrounded with exopolymeric substances produced by bacteria during biofilm formation. The spores applied on sampling plates were mounted on T-junctions protruding 1.5-11-times the milk pipe diameter from the main loop to resemble different levels of cleaning difficulty. The cleaning tests were conducted using commercial alkaline detergents and caustic soda at conditions which are relevant to actual farm environment. The spores removal effect was evaluated by comparing the number of viable spores (attached to sampling plates) before and after cleaning. Evaluation of the cleaning and disinfecting effect of cleaning agents toward biofilm derived spores was further performed, which indicates whether spores elimination effect of an agent is due to killing the spores or removing them from the surfaces of dairy equipment. Moreover, it was established that the presence of extracellular matrix is an important factor responsible for high level of cleaning difficulty characteristic for surface attached spores. In overall, the results of this study suggest that the developed model system simulates actual farm conditions for quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of cleaning and disinfecting agents and their cleaning and disinfecting effect on removal of biofilm derived spores.