Relationship between Milk Protein Polymorphism and Selected Cows' Reproductive Indices.

This research sought to determine the effect of selected milk protein polymorphisms on the reproduction parameters of 598 black and white Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle. The analyzed genes were kappa-casein (CSN3) and beta-lactoglobulin (BLG). The following reproductive indexes were selected: the age at first calving, the interpregnancy period, the calving interval, and the insemination index. The influence of the identified genotypes on the course of parturition in cows was also analyzed. Source data were collected for each cow from the beginning of the herd life and reproduction to its culling from the herd or the end of its third lactation. Data on the age at first calving, the amount of semen portions for artificial insemination (insemination index), the interpregnancy period, and the calving interval for each cow were also collected. A contingency analysis was performed through contingency tables using a Pearson's chi-squared test for each CSN3 and BLG genotype. The results show that the BB genotype of the kappa-casein gene was associated with the most favorable values of reproductive indicators. In the case of the calving interval, the values were significantly more favorable than those of other genotypes (p ≤ 0.05). No effect of beta-lactoglobulin polymorphism on the analyzed reproductive indices was observed. On the other hand, in the case of the interpregnancy period, significant statistical differences were obtained between the AA and BB genotypes. The analyzed kappa-casein and beta-lactoglobulin genotypes did not significantly influence the course of parturition in cows. To conclude, the genotype polymorphism BB CSN3 is the most favorable for the performance of the cows in the examined herd.

Classification of Daily Body Weight Gains in Beef Calves Using Decision Trees, Artificial Neural Networks, and Logistic Regression.

The aim of the present study was to compare the predictive performance of decision trees, artificial neural networks, and logistic regression used for the classification of daily body weight gains in beef calves. A total of 680 pure-breed Simmental and 373 Limousin cows from the largest farm in the West Pomeranian Province, whose calves were fattened between 2014 and 2016, were included in the study. Pre-weaning daily body weight gains were divided into two categories: A-equal to or lower than the weighted mean for each breed and sex and B-higher than the mean. Models were developed separately for each breed. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and area under the curve on a test set for the best model (random forest) were 0.83, 0.67, 0.76, and 0.82 and 0.68, 0.86, 0.78, and 0.81 for the Limousin and Simmental breeds, respectively. The most important predictors were daily weight gains of the dam when she was a calf, daily weight gains of the first calf, sex of the third calf, milk yield at first lactation, birth weight of the third calf, dam birth weight, dam hip height, and second calving season. The selected machine learning models can be used quite effectively for the classification of calves based on their daily weight gains.

Estimation of Dairy Cow Survival in the First Three Lactations for Different Culling Reasons Using the Kaplan-Meier Method.

The aims of the study were: (i) to compare survival curves for cows culled for different reasons over three successive lactations using the Kaplan-Meier estimator; (ii) to determine the effects of breeding documentation parameters on cow survival; (iii) to investigate the similarity between culling categories. The survival times for a subset of 347,939 Holstein-Friesian cows culled between 2017 and 2018 in Poland were expressed in months from calving to culling or the end of lactation. The survival tables were constructed for each culling category and lactation number. The survival curves were also compared. The main culling categories were reproductive disorders-40%, udder diseases-13 to 15%, and locomotor system diseases-above 10%. The survival curves for cows from individual culling categories had similar shapes. A low probability of survival curves for metabolic and digestive system diseases and respiratory diseases was observed in each of the three lactations. The contagious disease category was almost non-existent in the first lactation. The greatest influence on the relative culling risk was exerted by age at first calving, lactation length, calving interval, production subindex, breeding value for longevity, temperament, and average daily milk yield. A more accurate method of determining culling reasons would be required.

The Importance of CXCL1 in the Physiological State and in Noncancer Diseases of the Oral Cavity and Abdominal Organs.

CXCL1 is a CXC chemokine, CXCR2 ligand and chemotactic factor for neutrophils. In this paper, we present a review of the role of the chemokine CXCL1 in physiology and in selected major non-cancer diseases of the oral cavity and abdominal organs (gingiva, salivary glands, stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, and kidneys). We focus on the importance of CXCL1 on implantation and placentation as well as on human pluripotent stem cells. We also show the significance of CXCL1 in selected diseases of the abdominal organs, including the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity (periodontal diseases, periodontitis, Sjögren syndrome, Helicobacter pylori infection, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), HBV and HCV infection, liver ischemia and reperfusion injury, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), obesity and overweight, kidney transplantation and ischemic-reperfusion injury, endometriosis and adenomyosis).

The Importance of CXCL1 in Physiology and Noncancerous Diseases of Bone, Bone Marrow, Muscle and the Nervous System.

This review describes the role of CXCL1, a chemokine crucial in inflammation as a chemoattractant for neutrophils, in physiology and in selected major non-cancer diseases. Due to the vast amount of available information, we focus on the role CXCL1 plays in the physiology of bones, bone marrow, muscle and the nervous system. For this reason, we describe its effects on hematopoietic stem cells, myoblasts, oligodendrocyte progenitors and osteoclast precursors. We also present the involvement of CXCL1 in diseases of selected tissues and organs including Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) encephalitis, ischemic stroke, major depression, multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, neuropathic pain, osteoporosis, prion diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), traumatic spinal cord injury and West Nile fever.

Concentrations of toxic heavy metals and trace elements in raw milk of Simmental and Holstein-Friesian cows from organic farm.

Concentrations of toxic heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb)) and major nutritional and trace elements (Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn) were analyzed in the milk of Simmental (n = 20) and Holstein-Friesian (n = 20) cows from an organic farm. Elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma emission atomic spectrometry. The conducted research showed that the milk of Simmental cows was characterized by the more advantageous mineral composition and lower concentration of noxious heavy metals compared to the milk of Holstein-Friesian cows. In the milk of Simmental cows, significantly lower concentrations of Pb and Cd (P < 0.001) and Cu (P < 0.05) and significantly higher concentrations of Fe and Mg (P < 0.05) as well as nonsignificantly higher concentrations of Ca, Mn, and Se were found. In the milk of both breeds, very low Cu concentrations were recorded. The higher-than-recommended concentration of Pb in milk was also found. In the milk of both breeds, the significant positive correlations between concentrations of the following elements were observed: Pb-Cd, Pb-Se, Cd-Se, Cd-Mn, Zn-Cu, Zn-P, Ca-P, Ca-Mg, and Mg-P. The correlations between other elements within each of the analyzed breeds separately were also found.

Relationship between selenium and selected heavy metals concentration in serum of cattle from a non-polluted area.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the concentration of selenium and selected heavy metals and their possible relationship in serum of 25 healthy lactating cows (Montbéliarde) reared in a non-polluted area, in the western part of Poland. Cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and Se concentration was determined fluorimetrically. The content of Se, Zn, and Cu was 0.083 ± 0.026, 0.629 ± 0.413, and 0.152 ± 0.042 µg/mL, respectively. The presence of the Cd and Pb was found in all serum samples. The mean concentration of these metals was 0.0009 ± 0.0008 and 0.018 ± 0.016 µg/mL, respectively. Analysis of correlations between Se and toxic metals showed a negative and significant (P < 0.05) relationship between selenium concentration and lead and cadmium concentration in the serum of the animals studied, with correlation coefficients of r = -0.595 and r = -0.618, respectively. For copper and zinc, this relationship was also negative but not significant (r = -0.255 and r = -0.203). Our study demonstrated that the level of toxic metals decreased as serum selenium concentration increased. It seems necessary to conduct further research on the interactions between these elements in blood, serum, and target organs concomitantly with the determination of their intake.

Heavy metals and other elements in serum of cattle from organic and conventional farms.

Concentrations of cadmium, lead, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, nickel, aluminium and arsenium were analysed in blood serum of cattle from organic (n=20) and conventional (n=21) farms. The elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry using an Optima 2000 DV instrument (Perkin Elmer Inc.). Animals from the organic farm were characterised by significantly lower (P<0.01) serum concentrations of Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cr, Ni, As and Al compared to animals from the conventional farm. The concentration of Cd was similar in animals from both organic and conventional farms. The concentration of toxic elements in cattle from organic and conventional farms studied was very low. The trace essential elements were generally within the adequate ranges except Zn and Cu, which were deficient. In organically reared animals, also serum Fe content was below the critical level for diagnosing iron deficiency. Pb was significantly correlated with Cd, Zn, Fe, Cu and Ni. A significant positive correlation between the concentration of Cd and Zn, Cu and Ni concentrations was only observed in cows from the organic farm. The present results suggest that organically raised animals are less exposed to harmful environmental influences such as the environmental pollution with heavy metals. On the other hand, these animals are at a greater risk of mineral deficiency compared to animals kept on conventional farms.