Yield and sensory properties of cheese made with milk from Holstein or Montbeliarde cows milked twice or once daily.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the milk properties and the yield and sensory properties of Cantal cheese made with milk from Holstein or Montbéliarde cows milked once or twice daily. Sixty-four grazing cows [32 Holstein (H) and 32 Montbéliarde (M) cows] in the declining phase of lactation (157 d in milk) were allocated to 1 of 2 equivalent groups milked once daily (ODM) or twice daily (TDM) for 7 wk. The full-fat raw milk collected during 24 h from the 4 groups of cows (M-TDM, M-ODM, H-TDM, and H-ODM) was pooled and processed into Cantal cheese 4 times during the last 4 wk of the experimental period. In all, 16 cheeses were made (2 milking frequencies x 2 breeds x 4 replicates) and analyzed after a ripening period of 15 and 28 wk. The results showed that for both breeds, the pooled milk content of fat, whey protein, casein, total protein, and phosphorus as well as rennet clotting time and curd firming time were significantly higher with ODM cows, whereas the casein-to-total protein ratio was lower, and lactose, urea, calcium, and free fatty acids contents of milk remained unchanged. The acidification and draining kinetics of the cheese as well as cheese yields and the chemical and rheological properties of the ripened cheese were not significantly modified by milking frequency. For both breeds, the cheeses derived from ODM cows had a slightly yellower coloration but the other sensory attributes, except for pepper odor, were not significantly affected by milking frequency, thereby demonstrating that ODM does not have an adverse effect on the sensory properties of Cantal cheese. Compared with that of Holstein cows, milk from Montbéliarde cows resulted in a higher cheese yield (+1.250 kg/100 kg of milk) and ripened cheeses with lower pH, dry matter, calcium, sodium chloride, and water-soluble nitrogen concentrations. These cheeses had also a less firm and more elastic texture, a more acidic taste, and a yogurt/whey aroma.

[Methotrexate for the treatment of patients with chronic cutaneous sarcoidosis: 4 cases]. / Traitement de la sarcoïdose cutanée par le méthotrexate: 4 observations.

INTRODUCTION: Pathogenesis of sarcoidosis remains partially unknown. Cutaneous lesions are frequent (20 to 35% of cases). Their clinical features and follow-up data are highly variable. Numerous treatments have been proposed. The clinical features and follow up data of four patients with chronic cutaneous sarcoidosis treated with methotrexate are reported. CASE REPORT: Mean age of patients (3 female, 1 male) was 40 years old (34-49 years). One patient presented with a lupus pernio, two patients with papules and nodules, and the last with an annular lesion of the face. All patients had been previously treated with topical corticosteroids and/or hydroxychloroquine without any success. Patients were treated with methotrexate at doses ranging from 12.5 mg to 30 mg per week for at least 6 months. Complete remission of cutaneous lesions was observed in 3 of 4 patients after a mean treatment duration of 29 months (16 to 36). Methotrexate side effects were observed in one patient (elevated liver enzymes) leading to methotrexate discontinuation. DISCUSSION: Methotrexate seems to be an effective treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis. It should be used namely in patients who failed to respond to previous treatments with topical corticosteroids or antimalarial drugs.

The influence of physiological state and dietary nitrogen supply on digestion in the dairy cow.

The effects of N supply on digestion were compared in cows in late pregnancy vs early lactation. Two groups of four and one group of three dairy cows received, during a digestion trial, corn silage-concentrate diets (65:35) differing in N supply. Concentrates were formulated so that diets were either insufficient (Diet 1) or sufficient (Diets 2 and 3) in ruminally fermented N and either insufficient (Diets 1 and 2) or sufficient (Diet 3) in protein digestible in the intestines. Experimental periods were 3 wk before and 3 wk after parturition. Organic matter digestibilities were 69.8, 73.1 and 72.5% in late pregnancy vs 64.9, 69.8 and 70.8% in early lactation for Diets 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Digestibility was higher (P less than .05) in late pregnancy than in early lactation. Differences between physiological states were attributed to differences in ruminal digestibility and in fiber digestibility. These differences were not explained by a reduction in large particle retention time, but in situ DM disappearance was reduced in early lactation. Ruminal protozoa concentration and the acetate: propionate ratio decreased between pregnancy and lactation. The duodenal non-ammonia N:N intake ratio was higher for Diet 1 than for Diets 2 and 3, 1.20, .97 and .94, respectively, but it did not vary between physiological states. In conclusion, some of the negative consequences of a shortage in degraded N are more dramatic in early lactation than in late pregnancy.

[Squamous cell carcinoma and disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis]. / Carcinome spinocellulaire et porokératose actinique superficielle disséminée.

Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis was first described by Chernosky and Anderson in 1969. It is characterized by multiple small keratotic lesions on sun-exposed areas beginning in the third of fourth decade. The development of a squamous cell carcinoma within lesions of porokeratosis or the association of superficial actinic porokeratosis with immunosuppression have been well documented. We report the case of a 68-year-old patient who presented actinic porokeratosis associated with rapidly evolutive squamous cell carcinoma of the leg. During the hospitalization, an IgA myeloma was discovered. The authors discuss the relationship between porokeratosis, immunosuppression, and squamous cell carcinoma. Pathogenesis of the lesions is interesting because it is admitted that a keratinocyte clone which carries the porokeratosis abnormality is going to proliferate because of immunosuppression, trauma and infectious diseases. It seems important to search for immunosuppression in patients presenting porokeratosis because the incidence of malignant transformation may increase.

[Acral erythema after allogeneic graft of the bone marrow]. / Erythème acral après greffe de moelle osseuse allogénique.

Acral erythema (AE) is a painful, erythematous bullous eruption of the palms and soles which is chemotherapy-induced. To the numerous chemotherapies which induce AE we must add, perhaps, a new drug, Vépéside. AE is followed by graft-versus-host-disease in all patients receiving bone marrow transplantation. AE and early GVH disease being very similar, we discuss the differential diagnosis which can be very difficult.

[Psoriatic onycho-pachydermo-periostitis]. / Onycho-pachydermo-périostite psoriasique.

Psoriatic-onycho-pachydermo-periostitis is a particular form of psoriatic arthropathy recently described, which combine psoriatic onychosis, thickening of the distal soft tissues and osteo-periostitis of the distal phalanx without lesion of the interphalangeal joint. Biological examinations are normal. Radiological lesions show a phalanx condensation which gives a spicule aspect. Two cases of onycho-pachydermo-periostitis are described. We report the first one with all the fingers and toes concerned.

Performance of dairy cows milked twice daily at contrasting intervals.

The time constraints of the classic twice-daily milking routine are less easily endured by individual dairy farmers, because of their impact on quality of life. Our aim was to evaluate milk production responses by dairy cows milked twice daily at contrasting intervals. In experiments 1 (20 cows) and 2 (28 cows), four milking regimes were compared during a 3-week period beginning after the peak of lactation. Three groups of five cows were milked twice daily (TDM) with milking intervals of 11 : 13, 7 : 17 and 3 : 21 h in experiment 1, and three groups of seven cows at 11 : 13, 5 : 19 and 2.5 : 21.5 h in experiment 2. One group (five and seven cows respectively) was milked once daily (ODM) in each experiment. In experiment 3 (three groups, 12 cows per group), one group was milked at 10 : 14 h and one at 5 : 19 h, and the third group once daily. Milking treatments began during the second week of lactation and continued for an average of 23 weeks. In experiments 1 and 2, daily milk yields were reduced by 4.1%, 11.5% and 28%, for the 5 : 19, 3 : 21 and ODM milking treatments compared with the 11 : 13 h interval. In experiment 3, the decrease in daily milk yields for 5 : 19 h and ODM was 10% and 40% compared with the 10 : 14 h time interval. In the average daily milk, fat and protein contents and somatic cell counts were not different between the TDM groups, and the ODM group had (or tended to have) a higher fat and protein content. For a given milking, milk fat content decreased from about 60 to 32 g/kg as the preceding milking interval increased from 2.5 to 3 h up to 12 h. It then levelled out and even increased, mainly after 18 to 20 h. Somatic cell count showed a similar trend, and protein content did not change steadily. Dry matter intake, body weight and body condition score were not affected by contrasting milking intervals. After resumption of TDM with conventional intervals, productions of milk, fat and protein no longer differed between the TDM groups. Milk yield of previously ODM cows remained lower by 2 kg/day (P = 0.15) in experiments 1 and 2, and by 7 kg/day (P < 0.05) in experiment 3. These results suggest that TDM at contrasting intervals up to 5 : 19 h is feasible as it decreases milk yield only moderately, especially if implemented from peak of lactation.

Once-a-day milking of Holstein and Montbéliarde cows for 7 weeks in mid-lactation.

This study aimed at comparing the effects of once-a-day (OAD) milking during the descending phase of lactation between cows from the two most common breeds in France (Holstein and Montbéliarde). This study was carried on during two successive summers on a total of 50 Holstein and 38 Montbéliarde cows. During 7 weeks, half of the cows from each breed was milked OAD while the other half was milked twice a day (TAD). The animals were also followed for the next 3 or 5 weeks when they were all milked TAD, to check for any residual effect of OAD milking. The behaviour of OAD cows was observed around milking time. The incidence of diseases, the main performance variables (milk production, milk flow rate, live weight and body condition score), the detailed composition of milk (fat, protein, lactose, somatic cells, minerals, pH, free fatty acid (FFA), nitrogen fractions and enzymes) and some technological variables (clotting time and curd firmness) were measured on all cows.Some signs of disturbance were observed in the OAD cows at the time when milking was omitted: some cows mooed, some went close to the exit of the paddock, some leaked milk prior to milking. However, these signs disappeared after 2 days. After the experimental period, the live weight and the body condition score of TAD and OAD cows did not differ significantly. OAD cows produced 4.5 kg/day less than TAD (P < 0.001), this being more marked in Holstein (5.7 kg/day, P < 0.001) than Montbéliarde (3.3 kg/day, P < 0.001) cows. The milk contents of fat, whey protein, casein, total protein and phosphorus, and its plasminogen activity, were higher with OAD cows while lactose and FFA contents, and lipoprotein lipase activity were lower, with no interaction observed with breed. During the subsequent 3 weeks, when all cows were again milked TAD, OAD cows still produced 1.7 kg/day less milk (P < 0.01) with slightly higher fat and protein content.OAD milking for 7 weeks during the descending phase of lactation decreased milk production but increased milk content of most components, with a low residual effect. Montbéliarde cows were less affected by OAD milking than Holstein cows.

[Effect of the addition of sorbitol to the feed of lactating cows on their performance and blood composition]. / Effet de l'addition de sorbitol à la ration des vaches laitières sur leurs performances et sur la composition de leur sang.

One hundred and nineteen dairy cows were given 0, 50 or 100 g sorbitol per day in the diet, in 4 trials. Three trials were conducted at the beginning of lactation, with maize silage, grass silage or grass silage and hay based diets. In the fourth trial conducted in mid-lactation, the concentrate had been enriched with fat. No sorbitol or fructose was found in blood. Sorbitol decreased free cholesterolemia (P less than 0.01), ester-cholesterolemia (P less than 0.10) and glycemia (P less than or equal to 0.05). No changes in performance were noted.

[Dietary behavior and digestion of a constant composition feed in the dairy cow at the end of gestation and the beginning of lactation]. / Comportement alimentaire et utilisation début de lactation.

Five cows, fitted with rumen and duodenal fistulas, were given ad libitum a small amount of hay and a stable ration of 60 p. 100 maize silage and 40 p. 100 concentrate from 4 weeks before calving of 6 weeks after. The pattern of feeding behaviour and of digestive processes was recorded over the whole period. The following results were obtained: 1) While the amounts of the ingested dry matter of the ratio increased by 40 p. 100, the digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, crude fiber and starch decreased by an average of 7, 7, 10 and 5 points p. 100 between 2 weeks before calving and the second week after. These values then increased by 3, 3, 3 and 1 points p. 100 between weeks 2 and 6 after calving (fig. 1). 2) The duration of intake and rumination increased rapidly while the rates varied little (fig. 2). At the same time, the number of meals, length of small meals and rumination periods increased, but the length of large meals was minimal around calving time (fig. 3). Consequently, the distribution of intake during the light/dark cycle was modified (fig. 4). 3) The preprandial ammonia content of the rumen liquor was minimal (20 mg/l) the second week of lactation. The volatile fatty acid content and the proportions of different acids varied little throughout the period (fig. 5). 4) The flux of organic matter, non-ammonia nitrogen and starch to the duodenum increased rapidly but the amounts of organic matter digested in the rumen varied little, while those digested in the intestine multiplied almost 3 times, corresponding to a considerable decrease in rumen digestion (table 3, fig. 6). The amino acid composition of duodenal nitrogen varied little between the end of pregnancy and the onset of lactation (table 4).

Milking of cows in late pregnancy: milk production during this period and during the succeeding lactation.

Fifteen lactating cows were milked throughout pregnancy, and the effects on milk performance were studied during this period and during the succeeding lactation, relative to 11 conventionally managed cows (2 months dry before calving) as controls. During the last 2 months of pregnancy, only nine cows did not dry off spontaneously. Protein and fat concentrations in milk increased rapidly, but the concentration of lactose, corrected for milk yield, did not change. The ratios of individual caseins to total protein decreased with the quantity of milk produced, but only for yields below approximately 6 kg/d. The relative proportion of kappa-casein tended to decrease in the last milkings. During the succeeding lactation (first 15 weeks after calving and first 6 weeks of grazing) continuously milked cows yielded 4 kg milk/d less than the cows of the other group. The protein content of their milk was higher (2-3 g/kg depending on the period) than that of the control group, and the lactose content tended (P less than 0.10) to be lower. Changes in the relative proportions of nitrogenous fractions with time were not different in the two groups. Differences between the two groups in the concentration of protein in milk, and in the concentration of glucose and non-esterified fatty acids in the plasma, suggest a better energy balance for the continuously milked cows during the succeeding lactation.

[Influence of low energy alimentation and nitrogen on free amino acids in the blood of dairy cows at the beginning of lactation]. / Influence d'une sous-alimentation énergétique et azotée sur l'aminoacidémie libre de vaches laitières en début de lactation.

Dairy cows are fed low energy and adequate nitrogen (T), or low energy and low nitrogen (C) diets. Blood free aminoacids, urea and glucose are estimated. The relations between gluconeogenesis, protein catabolism, liveweight and milk production are discusssed.

Slow release somatotropin in dairy heifers and cows fed two levels of energy concentrate. 1. Performance and body condition.

Fifty-two Holstein dairy cows (27 primiparous) were used in a 2 x 2 factorial design during wk 9 to 39 of lactation to assess the effects of slow release recombinant bST (500 mg injected at 14-d intervals) and the effects of the level of energy concentrate in the diet on dairy performance. After a winter period, cows were turned out to pasture at wk 24 of lactation. During winter, cows given low concentrate (2.5 vs. 5.4 kg DM/d) ate significantly more corn silage (13.9 vs. 11.9 kg DM/d), so that treatment had no significant effect on any measured parameter. The milk yield of bST-supplemented cows increased by 2.1 kg/d (11.0%) throughout the total experimental period. The response did not differ according to parity. Milk fat content and SCC were not altered, but milk protein was lower (.8 g/kg) from cows receiving bST during winter, and lactose increased (.5 g/kg). Lactation curves of bST-supplemented cows showed a cyclic response in milk production. Gross efficiency of milk yield was improved (.18 units) by bST administration without change in diet digestibility. No difference due to bST was found in the health or reproduction of cows. Live weight change did not differ among the groups. Multiparous cows gained body condition (bST-supplemented animals gained less than controls: .1 vs. .7 point on a five-point scale; NS). Control primiparous cows gained body condition (.1 point) but bST-supplemented cows significantly lost body condition (1.4 point).

Body composition of dairy cows according to lactation stage, somatotropin treatment, and concentrate supplementation.

Body weight, condition score, deuteriated water dilution space, estimated body lipids and proteins, and calculated energy and protein balances were determined in 24 multiparous Holstein cows at wk 1, 7, 20, and 39 after parturition. Cows received two levels of energy concentrate (high and low groups) from wk 3. The objective was to estimate changes in body composition as affected by stage of lactation, concentrate level, and bST administration or placebo from wk 9 in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Cows from high and low energy groups lost 25 and 35 kg of body lipids and 3.3 and .5 kg of body proteins, respectively, during the first 7 wk of lactation. During the end of the winter period (wk 8 to 20), control and bST-injected cows lost 8.5 and 21.1 kg of body lipids, respectively. During the grazing period (wk 20 to 39), bST-injected cows gained more BW (34 kg), water (36 kg), and estimated proteins (5.8 kg) and lost more condition score (-.2 units) and estimated lipids (-11.5 kg) than controls. Using data from control periods, it was calculated that 1 unit change in body condition score corresponded to changes of 35 to 44 kg in BW (corrected for estimated gut content variation), 21 to 29 kg in body lipids, and 200 to 300 Mcal in body energy. One kilogram of corrected BW change corresponded to a change of 4.3 or 5.5 to 5.9 Mcal in body energy when calculated from cumulative energy balances or body components, respectively.

[Respective effects of the quantities ingested and physiological stage on the digestibility of the same diet in dairy cows]. / Effets respectifs des quantités ingérées et du stade physiologique sur la digestibilité d'une même ration chez la vache laitière.

The variations in digestibility of the same diet (65% maize silage-35% concentrates) in dairy cows during pregnancy and lactation are explained both by dry matter (DM) intake variations (more than 1 pt of decrease in digestibility per kg of increase in DM intake) and physiological stage: digestibility is lower in early lactation than in late pregnancy or mid-lactation.

[Development of feeding activities in dairy cows at the start of lactation and relation to the quantities of feed ingested]. / Evolution des activités alimentaires des vaches laitières en début de lactation et liaison avec les quantités d'aliments ingérés.

Feeding behaviour was measured in 12 multiparous dairy cows all day long during the first 5 weeks of lactation. These cows received corn silage ad libitum and concentrates representing 21 to 27% of total dry matter intake, depending on the week. During the first week of lactation, total eating and ruminating times were 364 and 426 min; eating and ruminating rates were 39.0 and 32.5 g DM/min. The feed intake increase during the first 5 weeks of lactation was accompanied by an increase in ruminating time (+ 22%) and eating rate (+ 26%). These two parameters were very sensitive to short-time decreases in DM intake. Animal variations of eating and ruminating rates, but not variations of total eating and ruminating times, were related to those of dry matter intake. Thus, animals which had the highest dry matter intake were those which had the highest eating and ruminating rates.

Factors contributing to variation in the proportion of casein in cows' milk true protein: a review of recent INRA experiments.

The aim of this study was to identify and rank the various factors, in particular those involving feeding, that affect the proportion of caseins in milk true protein. Twenty-nine feeding trials involving 821 lactations were assessed, and lactoprotein genetic variants were known for 551 of these. The main factor affecting the casein: protein ratio was the genetic variant of beta-lactoglobulin: once corrected for other factors, the milk of BB type animals had a ratio nearly 30 g/kg total protein higher than AA animals. kappa-Casein variant B also had a positive effect (+12 g/kg in favour of BB relative to AA animals). Except in the last weeks of pregnancy and the first weeks of lactation, the casein: protein ratio varied little during lactation. It was significantly reduced when milk cell count exceeded 200,000 cells/ml, even in the absence of clinical mastitis. It also decreased slightly with parity. Among the various dietary factors studied (level and type of nitrogen and energy supplies, forage type and preservation method), none had any significant effect on the milk casein: protein ratio, except in drastic dietary situations. That ratio increased very slightly in parallel with the animals' milk yield and milk protein content. In practice, measuring the milk protein content in animals free from clinical mastitis remains a very precise predictor of casein content, accounting for 93% of its variation.