Effects of ear corn silage supplementation on milk production and milk fatty acid profiles in grazing dairy farms.

This study investigated the effects of substituting ear corn silage (ECS) for commercial formula feed on milk production and milk fatty acid profiles in grazing dairy farms during the summer season. A field survey was conducted on five grazing dairy farms in every summer month of 2017, 2018, and 2019. Three of the five farms substituted fresh ECS for the commercial formula feed at a ratio of 2:1 from July of each year (ECS farms). Other farms maintained the same feeding management as before (non-ECS farms). An interview survey was conducted on each farm to calculate feed intake and milk yield per cow. Feed and milk samples were collected in each survey. Milk compositions and milk fatty acid profiles were determined. The substitution of ECS for the commercial formula feed did not affect milk yield or milk composition, but ECS farms maintained low levels of milk urea compared with non-ECS farms (p < .01). The ECS substitution also influenced some of the milk fatty acid proportions; C16:0 and C16:1 increased, and trans-11 C18:1, cis-9,trans-11 C18:2, and the sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased, while these fatty acid proportions were maintained in non-ECS farms throughout the summer season (p < .05).

Chemical characterization of the milk oligosaccharides of some Artiodactyla species including giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii), deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Mammalian milk/colostrum usually contains oligosaccharides along with the predominant disaccharide lactose. It has been found that the number and identity of these milk oligosaccharides varies among mammalian species. Oligosaccharides predominate over lactose in the milk/colostrum of Arctoidea species (Carnivora), whereas lactose predominates over milk oligosaccharides in Artiodactyla including cow, sheep, goat, camel, reindeer and pig. To clarify whether heterogeneity of a variety of milk oligosaccharides is found within other species of Artiodactyla, they were studied in the milk of giraffe, sitatunga, deer and water buffalo. The following oligosaccharides were found: Neu5Ac(α2-3)[GalNAc(ß1-4)]Gal(ß1-4)Glc (GM2 tetrasaccharide), and Gal(α1-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (isoglobotriose) in giraffe milk; Neu5Ac(α2-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (3'-SL), Neu5Ac(α2-6)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (6'-SL), Gal(α1-4)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (globotriose) and isoglobotriose in sitatunga colostrum; Gal(ß1-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (3'-GL), Gal(ß1-6)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (6'-GL), isoglobotriose, Gal(ß1-4)GlcNAc(ß1-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (lacto-N-neotetraose, LNnT), Gal(ß1-4)Glc-3'-O-SO3 (3'-O-lactose sulphate) in deer milk; 3'-GL, isoglobotriose and Gal(ß1-3)Gal(ß1-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (3',3″-digalactosyllactose, DGL) in water buffalo colostrum. Thus it was shown that the milk oligosaccharides are heterogeneous among these Artiodactyla species.

Sharing of human milk oligosaccharides degradants within bifidobacterial communities in faecal cultures supplemented with Bifidobacterium bifidum.

Gut microbiota of breast-fed infants are generally rich in bifidobacteria. Recent studies show that infant gut-associated bifidobacteria can assimilate human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) specifically among the gut microbes. Nonetheless, little is known about how bifidobacterial-rich communities are shaped in the gut. Interestingly, HMOs assimilation ability is not related to the dominance of each species. Bifidobacterium longum susbp. longum and Bifidobacterium breve are commonly found as the dominant species in infant stools; however, they show limited HMOs assimilation ability in vitro. In contrast, avid in vitro HMOs consumers, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, are less abundant in infant stools. In this study, we observed altruistic behaviour by B. bifidum when incubated in HMOs-containing faecal cultures. Four B. bifidum strains, all of which contained complete sets of HMO-degrading genes, commonly left HMOs degradants unconsumed during in vitro growth. These strains stimulated the growth of other Bifidobacterium species when added to faecal cultures supplemented with HMOs, thereby increasing the prevalence of bifidobacteria in faecal communities. Enhanced HMOs consumption by B. bifidum-supplemented cultures was also observed. We also determined the complete genome sequences of B. bifidum strains JCM7004 and TMC3115. Our results suggest B. bifidum-mediated cross-feeding of HMOs degradants within bifidobacterial communities.

Characterization of two novel sialyl N-acetyllactosaminyl nucleotides separated from ovine colostrum.

The milk/colostrum of some mammalian species is known to contain sugar nucleotides including uridine diphosphate (UDP) oligosaccharides in addition to lactose and milk oligosaccharides, but the detailed structures of these UDP oligosaccharides have not so far been clarified. In this study we isolated two UDP-sialyl N-acetyllactosamines from ovine colostrum and characterized them using (1)H-NMR and MALDI-TOFMS spectroscopies. Their structures were found to be Neu5Gc(α2-3)Gal(ß1-4)GlcNAcα1-UDP and Neu5Gc(α2-6)Gal(ß1-4)GlcNAcα1-UDP.

The predominance of type I oligosaccharides is a feature specific to human breast milk.

Human milk and colostrum contain ∼12-13 g/L and ∼22-24 g/L of oligosaccharides, respectively. The chemical structures of >100 human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) have been characterized to date. We determined the concentrations of 10 neutral and 9 acidic colostrum HMO collected during the first 3 d of lactation by using reverse phase HPLC after derivatization with 2-aminopyridine or 1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-pyrazolon. The predominant oligosaccharides were Fuc(α1-2)Gal(ß1-4Glc (2'-FL), Fuc(α1-2)Gal(ß1-3)GlcNAc(ß1-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (LNFP I), Fuc(α1-2)Gal(ß1-3)[Fuc(α1-4)]GlcNAc(ß1-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (LNDFH I), and Gal(ß1-3)GlcNAc(ß1-3)Gal(ß1-4)Glc (LNT), the concentration of each of which was ∼1-3 g/L. Because these HMO, other than 2'-FL, all contain the Lacto-N-biose type I structure [Gal(ß1-3)GlcNAc], we conclude that HMO containing the type I structure predominate over those containing the N-acetyllactosamine type II structure [Gal(ß1-4)GlcNAc]. This appears to be a feature that is specific to humans, because the milk and colostrum of other species, including apes and monkeys, either contain only type II oligosaccharides or type II predominate over type I. It is possible that type I HMO may have importance as substrates for beneficial bifidobacteria in breast-fed infants. The biological importance of type I HMO predominance warrants further study, both in relation to human health and to human evolution.

Chemical characterization of oligosaccharides in chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, orangutan, and siamang milk or colostrum.

Neutral and acidic oligosaccharides were isolated from the milk or colostrum of four great ape species (chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), bonobo (Pan paniscus), gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), and orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)) and one lesser ape species (siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus)), and their chemical structures were characterized by (1)H-NMR spectroscopy. Oligosaccharides containing the type II unit (Gal(beta1-4)GlcNAc) were found exclusively (gorilla and siamang) or predominately (chimpanzee, bonobo, and orangutan) over those containing the type I unit (Gal(beta1-3)GlcNAc). In comparison, type I oligosaccharides predominate over type II oligosaccharides in human milk, whereas nonprimate milk almost always contains only type II oligosaccharides. The milk or colostrum of the great apes contained oligosaccharides bearing both N-glycolylneuraminic acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid, whereas human milk contains only the latter. Great ape milk, like that of humans, contained fucosylated oligosaccharides whereas siamang milk did not. Since these analyses are based on a limited number of individuals, further research on additional samples of great and lesser ape milk is needed to confirm phylogenetic patterns.

Sialyl oligosaccharides of human colostrum: changes in concentration during the first three days of lactation.

Sialyl oligosaccharides of human milk/colostrum are generally believed to be of biological significance, for example with respect to anti-adhesion of pathogenic organism, providing precursors for biosynthesis of brain, and so on. However, the levels of each of the sialyl oligosaccharides in human colostrum have not so far been determined. The present study was designed to determine the concentrations of nine major sialyl oligosaccharides in human colostrum, collected during the first 3 d (days 1-3) from the start of lactation. We found that the concentration of 3'-sialyllactose was significantly higher on day 1 than on day 2 and 3, but the levels of 6'-sialyllactose and sialyllacto-N-tetraose a were higher on day 3 than on day 1. These results are consistent with the view that during the first 3 d of lactation, the concentration of sialyl oligosaccharides in human colostrum change in accordance with the physiological demands of newborn infants.

Chemical characterization of the oligosaccharides in Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) and Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis lesson) milk.

Samples of milk from a Bryde's whale and a Sei whale contained 2.7 g/100 mL and 1.7 g/100 mL of hexose, respectively. Both contained lactose as the dominant saccharide along with small amounts of Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)Gal(beta1-4)Glc (3'-N-acetylneuraminyllactose), Neu5Ac(alpha2-6)Gal(beta1-4)Glc (6'-N-acetylneuraminyllactose) and Neu5Ac(alpha2-6)Gal(beta1-4)GlcNAc(beta1-3)Gal(beta1-4)Glc (LST c). The dominance of lactose in the carbohydrate of these milks is similar to that of Minke whale milk and bottlenose dolphin colostrum, but the oligosaccharide patterns are different from those of these two species, illustrating the heterogeneity of milk oligosaccharides among the Cetacea.

Occurrence of a unique sialyl tetrasaccharide in colostrum of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

Crude oligosaccharides were recovered from bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) colostrum after chloroform/methanol extraction of lipids and protein precipitation, and purified using gel filtration, anion exchange chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Their chemical structures characterized by NMR spectroscopy were as follows: GalNAc(beta1-4)[Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)]Gal(beta1-4)Glc, Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)Gal(beta1-4)Glc, Neu5Ac(alpha2-6)Gal(beta1-4)Glc and Gal(alpha1-4)Gal(beta1-4)Glc. The monosialyltetrasaccharide and neutral trisaccharide have not previously been found as free forms in any natural sources including milk or colostrum, although these structures have been found in the carbohydrate units of glycosphingolipids GM2 and Gb3.