Heritability and genetic correlations of total and differential somatic cell count with milk yield and composition traits in Italian Simmental cows.

Costs of production have deeply increased each year in the last decades, breeders are continuously looking for more cost effective and more efficient ways to produce milk. Despite the major signs of progress in productivity, it is fundamental to optimize rather than maximize the performances of the dairy cows. Mastitis is still a highly prevalent disease in the dairy sector which causes several economic losses and environmental effect. Its accurate and early diagnosis is crucial to improve profitability of dairy cows and contribute to a more sustainable dairy industry. Among mastitis reduction strategies, there is the urgent need to implement breeding objectives to select cows displaying mastitis resistance by investigating the genetic mechanisms at the base of the inflammatory response. Therefore, in this study we aimed to further understand the genetic background of the differential somatic cell count (DSCC), which provides thorough insights on the actual inflammatory status of the mammary glands. The objectives of this study were to estimate on a cohort of 20,215 Italian Simmental cows over a 3-yr period: (1) the heritability and repeatability values of somatic cell score (SCS) and DSCC, (2) the genetic and phenotypic correlations between these 2 traits and milk production and milk composition traits, (3) the heritability and repeatability values of SCS and DSCC within class of udder health status. Heritability was low both for SCS (0.06) and DSCC (0.08), whereas the repeatability values for these traits were 0.43 and 0.36, suggesting that the magnitude of cow permanent environmental effect for these traits is remarkable. The genetic and phenotypic correlation of SCS with DSCC was 0.612 and 0.605, respectively. Because both significantly differed from the unit, we must consider those traits as different ones. This latter aspect corroborates the need to consider the DSCC as a further indicator of inflammatory status which might be implemented in the Simmental breed genetic evaluation. It is worthy to mention that heritability estimates for SCS and DSCC were the highest in healthy cows compared with the other udder health classes. This implies that when the udder health status changes, it is most likely due to environmental factors rather than aspects related to the animal's genetics. In contrast, the highest additive genetic variance and heritability found for SCS and DSCC in the healthy group might reveal the potential to further implement breeding strategies to select for healthier animals.

Genomic prediction for latent variables related to milk fatty acid composition in Holstein, Simmental and Brown Swiss dairy cattle breeds.

Genomic selection (GS) reports on milk fatty acid (FA) profiles have been published quite recently and are still few despite this trait represents the most important aspect of milk nutritional and sensory quality. Reasons for this can be found in the high costs of phenotype recording but also in issues related to its nature of complex trait constituted by multiple genetically correlated variables with low heritabilities. One possible strategy to deal with such constraint is represented by the use of dimension reduction methods. We analysed 40 individual FAs from Italian Brown Swiss, Holstein and Simmental milk through multivariate factor analysis (MFA) to study the genetics of milk FA-related latent variables (factors) and assess their potential use in breeding. A total of nine factors were obtained, and their genetic parameters were inferred under a Bayesian framework using two statistical approaches: the classical pedigree best linear unbiased prediction (ABLUP) and the single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP). The resulting factorial solutions were able to represent groups of FAs with common origin and function and can be considered concise pathway-level phenotypes. The heritability (h2 ) values showed relevant variations across different factors in each breed (0.03 ≤ h2  ≤ 0.38). The accuracies of breeding values predicted were low to high, ranging from 0.13 to 0.72 and from 0.18 to 0.74 considering the pedigree and the genomic model, respectively. The gain in accuracy in genetic prediction due to the addition of genomic information was ~30% and ~5% in validation and training groups respectively, confirming the contribution of genomic information in yielding more accurate predictions compared to the traditional ABLUP methodology. Our results suggest that MFA in combination with GS can be a valuable tool in dairy cattle breeding and deserves to be further investigated for use in future breeding programs to improve cow's milk FA-related traits.

Exosome cargo in milk as a potential marker of cow health.

Recent advances on milk exosomes (EXO), cargoes in cell-cell communication, explored their role within and between individuals, including in dairy species. The potential use of EXO as biomarkers of disease and metabolic conditions adds significant interest to the study of EXO in milk. Although several researches have been carried out on circulating miRNA in the milk, less information is available about milk-derived exosomal miRNAs, which are stable over time and resistant to digestion and milk processing. EXO are taken up by recipient cells through specific mechanisms, which enable the selective delivery of cargoes. This suggests that EXO cargoes can be used as biomarkers of health. Nevertheless, methodological limitations and potential applications of milk EXO in dairy ruminants must be considered. The paucity of studies that associate the EXO cargo to specific challenges deserves further investigations to unravel the variation of miRNA and proteins cargo in relation to metabolic imbalance and infectious disease of the mammary gland.

Raw meat based diet influences faecal microbiome and end products of fermentation in healthy dogs.

BACKGROUND: Dietary intervention studies are required to deeper understand the variability of gut microbial ecosystem in healthy dogs under different feeding conditions and to improve diet formulations. The aim of the study was to investigate in dogs the influence of a raw based diet supplemented with vegetable foods on faecal microbiome in comparison with extruded food. METHODS: Eight healthy adult Boxer dogs were recruited and randomly divided in two experimental blocks of 4 individuals. Dogs were regularly fed a commercial extruded diet (RD) and starting from the beginning of the trial, one group received the raw based diet (MD) and the other group continued to be fed with the RD diet (CD) for a fortnight. After 14 days, the two groups were inverted, the CD group shifted to the MD and the MD shifted to the CD, for the next 14 days. Faeces were collected at the beginning of the study (T0), after 14 days (T14) before the change of diet and at the end of experimental period (T28) for DNA extraction and analysis of metagenome by sequencing 16SrRNA V3 and V4 regions, short chain fatty acids (SCFA), lactate and faecal score. RESULTS: A decreased proportion of Lactobacillus, Paralactobacillus (P < 0.01) and Prevotella (P < 0.05) genera was observed in the MD group while Shannon biodiversity Index significantly increased (3.31 ± 0.15) in comparison to the RD group (2.92 ± 0.31; P < 0.05). The MD diet significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the Faecal Score and increased the lactic acid concentration in the feces in comparison to the RD treatment (P < 0.01). Faecal acetate was negatively correlated with Escherichia/Shigella and Megamonas (P < 0.01), whilst butyrate was positively correlated with Blautia and Peptococcus (P < 0.05). Positive correlations were found between lactate and Megamonas (P < 0.05), Escherichia/Shigella (P < 0.01) and Lactococcus (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the diet composition modifies faecal microbial composition and end products of fermentation. The administration of MD diet promoted a more balanced growth of bacterial communities and a positive change in the readouts of healthy gut functions in comparison to RD diet.

Milk cortisol response to group relocation in lactating cows.

The aim of the study reported in this Research Communication was to analyse the variations of milk cortisol concentrations in response to the relocation of dairy cows between production groups. Milk cortisol measured during 3 consecutive days did not vary significantly in cows without environmental perturbation. However, relocation of cows caused a significant increase of cortisol in milk starting from the first milking after the group change. This suggests that cortisol in milk can be a suitable biomarker to assess the HPA response of dairy cows to a short/medium-term environmental challenge.

Factors affecting milk cortisol in mid lactating dairy cows.

BACKGROUND: Whether the measurement of cortisol in dairy cows can be used as a biomarker of adverse environmental or pathophysiological conditions is still under of scientific debate. In these situations, several systems mainly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the autonomic nervous system, and the immune system are recruited to reestablish homeostasis. A first aim of the present study was to compare milk and blood cortisol concentrations and to consider its variability in milk in relation to farm, milk yield and days in milk. A second study investigates the effects of breed, class of somatic cell count (SCC) and farm on milk cortisol levels in a larger number of cows and farms, with the aim to validate the results obtained in the pilot study. METHODS: For study 1, 135 cows were sampled from 2 Italian Simmental and 2 Italian Holstein commercial farms, whilst in the second study, 542 cows were sampled from 6 commercial farms of Italian Simmental and 499 cows from 4 commercial farms of Italian Holstein. RESULTS: In study 1, the values of cortisol content in milk were significantly higher in Holstein than Simmental cows. Significant differences between farms were observed for milk and plasma cortisol concentrations. Cortisol content in milk was not correlated to plasma content in study 1 and the mean milk to plasma cortisol ratio was about 1:30. In study 2, for Holstein cows, significantly higher values of milk cortisol in comparison to Simmental cows was reported. A significant effect of class of SCC was observed, cows belonging to class 3 (SCC higher than 400.000/ml) showed the highest mean values of milk cortisol. The farm effect was significant also in the study 2, confirming the results obtained in the first study. CONCLUSIONS: Milk can be considered a preferential site of sampling in dairy cows to point out short term stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Further studies are needed to investigate the physiological basis of the relationship between milk cortisol content and breed, milk yield and SCC to ascertain the relevance of milk cortisol to monitor the healthy status of mammary gland.

Searching new signals for production traits through gene-based association analysis in three Italian cattle breeds.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been widely applied to disentangle the genetic basis of complex traits. In cattle breeds, classical GWAS approaches with medium-density marker panels are far from conclusive, especially for complex traits. This is due to the intrinsic limitations of GWAS and the assumptions that are made to step from the association signals to the functional variations. Here, we applied a gene-based strategy to prioritize genotype-phenotype associations found for milk production and quality traits with classical approaches in three Italian dairy cattle breeds with different sample sizes (Italian Brown n = 745; Italian Holstein n = 2058; Italian Simmental n = 477). Although classical regression on single markers revealed only a single genome-wide significant genotype-phenotype association, for Italian Holstein, the gene-based approach identified specific genes in each breed that are associated with milk physiology and mammary gland development. As no standard method has yet been established to step from variation to functional units (i.e., genes), the strategy proposed here may contribute to revealing new genes that play significant roles in complex traits, such as those investigated here, amplifying low association signals using a gene-centric approach.

Effects of Two Different Rhodiola rosea Extracts on Primary Human Visceral Adipocytes.

Rhodiola rosea (Rro) has been reported to have various pharmacological properties, including anti-fatigue, anti-stress and anti-inflammatory activity. It is also known to improve glucose and lipid metabolism, but the effects of Rhodiola rosea on adipocyte differentiation and metabolism are not still elucidated. In this study the anti-adipogenic and lipolytic activity of two extracts of Rhodiola rosea, containing 3% salidroside (RS) or 1% salidroside and 3% rosavines (RR) on primary human visceral adipocytes was investigated. Pre-adipocytes were analyzed after 10 and 20 days of treatment during differentiation and after 7 days of treatment when they reached mature shape. The RS extract significantly induced higher apoptosis and lipolysis in comparison to control cells and to RR extract. In contrast, RR extract significantly reduced triglyceride incorporation during maturation. Differentiation of pre-adipocytes in the presence of RS and RR extracts showed a significant decrease in expression of genes involved in adipocyte function such as SLC2A4 and the adipogenic factor FGF2 and significant increase in expression of genes involved in inhibition of adipogenesis, such as GATA3, WNT3A, WNT10B. Furthermore RR extract, in contrast to RS, significantly down-regulates PPARG, the master regulator of adipogenesis and FABP4. These data support the lipolytic and anti-adipogenetic activity of two different commercial extracts of Rhodiola rosea in primary human visceral pre-adipocytes during differentiation.

Long-term dietary intervention of the hydrolyzed feather meal on microbiota composition of adult female dogs.

This research delves into the impact of substitution of 7% of poultry meal (PM) with hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM) on the animal performance and fecal microbiota of dogs. The study was conducted on six adult female English setter dogs, split into control (CTR), and treated (TRT) dietary treatment groups, with similarity for age, initial body weight, and body condition score. During 45-days, body weight, body condition score, muscle condition score, fecal consistency score and microbiota were monitored at the beginning of the trial and after 3, 7, 15 and 45 days. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed for these parameters over the whole period of the trial, neither in relation to diet, nor to time, nor to the interaction diet x time. Significant differences were observed for alpha between diets and the TRT group displayed higher evenness compared to the CTR group. Beta diversity analysis revealed distinctions in microbiota composition between the CTR and TRT groups, with the former demonstrating higher biodiversity. Discriminant analysis highlighted 9 significant taxa and 6 of them were significantly different at the Kruskal Wallis test between diets. The results showed an increase in relative abundance (RA) for the CTR group of Streptococcus, Colinsella stercoris, Ruminococcus gnavus, and Bacteroides coprophilus. Conversely, higher RA was observed in the TRT group for Peptostreptococcaceae and Bacteroides uniformis. These findings indicated that the inclusion of hydrolyzed feather meal in the diet of dogs is well accepted and do not have adverse effects in the parameters analyzed.

Supplementation with Silybum marianum Extract, Synbiotics, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamins, and Minerals: Impact on Biochemical Markers and Fecal Microbiome in Overweight Dogs.

Overweight and obese dogs can develop metabolic dysfunction, characterized by an inflammatory response and involvement of liver functions. If a modulation of the gut microbiome and its interaction with the gut-liver axis is implicated in the development of metabolic dysfunction, exploration becomes necessary. Over the past decade, diverse therapeutic approaches have emerged to target pathogenic factors involved in metabolic dysfunction. This study investigated the impact of a supplement with hepatoprotective activity, containing extracts of Silybum marianum, prebiotics, probiotics, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals on hematological markers of liver functions and inflammation, as well as on the intestinal microbiota of 10 overweight adult dogs over a 35-day time span. Animals underwent clinical and laboratory evaluations every 7 days, both before the administration of the supplement (T0) and after 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5). In comparison to T0, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in ALP, glucose, direct bilirubin, and CRP was observed from T3 to T5. The alpha diversity of the fecal microbiota significantly decreased (p < 0.05) only at T1, with high variability observed between dogs. Total short-chain fatty acid and lactic acid were also lower at T1 (p < 0.05) compared to the other times of sampling. The beta diversity of the fecal microbiota failed to show a clear pattern in relation to the sampling times. These results of blood parameters in overweight dogs show a reduction of the inflammation and an improvement of metabolic status during the study period, but the effective contribution of the supplement in this clinical outcome deserves further investigation. Furthermore, the considerable individual variability observed in the microbiome hinders the confident detection of supplement effects.

The Canine Gut Health: The Impact of a New Feed Supplement on Microbiota Composition.

This study aimed to determine the impact of a novel formulation of a supplement composed of the natural ingredients, bromelain, quercetin, and Lentinula edodes, on the gut microbiota of healthy adult dogs. Adult healthy female dogs were administered either a placebo (CTR, n = 15) or the supplement (TRT, n = 15) over 28 days. Stool samples were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing before supplement administration (T0), at completion of supplement administration (T28), and one week after the end of supplement administration (T35) to characterize changes in the gut microbial communities. QIIME was used to determine both alpha- and beta-diversity, and ANCOM-BC was used to identify differences in taxonomic abundances before and after supplementation. We found a significant decrease in overall diversity in the CTR group but no significant differences in overall diversity in the TRT group over time. Furthermore, we found differences in the abundance of several taxa in both the CTR and TRT groups, but differences in the abundance of beneficial bacteria were more pronounced in the TRT group. Specifically, we found increases in the abundance of sequences belonging to the genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus at T28 in the TRT group with significant increases in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus persisting at T35 when compared to T0. Importantly, members of these genera are considered important for their anti-inflammatory properties, vital for fostering a balanced and robust gut microbiota in dogs. The results of our study show the potential of our supplement to selectively enhance specific beneficial bacterial taxa, offering a targeted approach to modulating the gut microbiome without causing disruptions to the overall equilibrium.

Correction: Atuahene et al. A Supplement with Bromelain, Lentinula edodes, and Quercetin: Antioxidant Capacity and Effects on Morphofunctional and Fecal Parameters (Calprotectin, Cortisol, and Intestinal Fermentation Products) in Kennel Dogs. Vet. Sci. 2023, 10, 486.

There was an error in the original publication [...].

Incubation of canine dermal fibroblasts with serum from dogs with atopic dermatitis activates extracellular matrix signalling and represses oxidative phosphorylation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on gene expression in canine fibroblasts after incubation with a medium enriched with atopic dermatitis canine serum (CAD) compared with healthy canine serum (CTRL) and fetal bovine serum (FBS). Differential Expression and Pathway analysis (iDEP94) in R package (v0.92) was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with a False Discovery Rate of 0.01. DEGs from fibroblasts incubated with CAD serum were significantly upregulated and enriched in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and focal adhesion signalling but downregulated in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. Genes involved in profibrotic processes, such as TGFB1, INHBA, ERK1/2, and the downward regulated genes (collagens and integrins), were significantly upregulated after fibroblasts were exposed to CAD serum. The observed downregulation of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation suggests metabolic dysregulation toward a myofibroblast phenotype responsible for fibrosis. No differences were found when comparing CTRL with FBS. The DEGs identified in fibroblasts incubated with CAD serum suggest activation of signalling pathways involved in gradual differentiation through a myofibroblast precursors that represent the onset of fibrosis. Molecular and metabolic knowledge of fibroblast changes can be used to identify biomarkers of the disease and new potential pharmacological targets.

Factors Affecting Gut Microbiota of Puppies from Birth to Weaning.

The review described the most important factors affecting the development of the intestinal microbiota in puppies from birth to weaning. The health and well-being of the microbiome in puppies is influenced by the type of parturition, the maternal microbiota, and the diet of the mother, directly or indirectly. The isolation of bacteria in dogs from the placenta, fetal fluids, and fetuses suggests that colonization could occur before birth, although this is still a matter of debate. Accordingly, newborn puppies could harbor bacteria that could be of maternal origin and that could influence microbial colonization later in life. However, the long-term impacts on health and the clinical significance of this transfer is not yet clear and needs to be investigated. The same maternal bacteria were found in puppies that were born vaginally and in those delivered via cesarean section. Potentially, the relationship between the type of parturition and the colonization of the microbiome will influence the occurrence of diseases, since it can modulate the gut microbiome during early life. In addition, puppies' gut microbiota becomes progressively more similar to adult dogs at weaning, as a consequence of the transition from milk to solid food that works together with behavioral factors. A number of researches have investigated the effects of diet on the gut microbiota of dogs, revealing that dietary interference may affect the microbial composition and activity through the production of short-chain fatty acids and vitamins. These compounds play a fundamental role during the development of the fetus and the initial growth of the puppy. The composition of the diet fed during pregnancy to the bitches is also an important factor to consider for the health of newborns. As far as it is known, the effects of the type of parturition, the maternal microbiota, and the diet on the microbial colonization and the long-term health of the dogs deserve further studies. Definitely, longitudinal studies with a larger number of dogs will be required to assess a causal link between microbiome composition in puppies and diseases in adult dogs.

Characterization of the Blood Microbiome and Comparison with the Fecal Microbiome in Healthy Dogs and Dogs with Gastrointestinal Disease.

Recent studies have found bacterial DNA in the blood of healthy individuals. To date, most studies on the blood microbiome have focused on human health, but this topic is an expanding research area in animal health as well. This study aims to characterize the blood microbiome of both healthy dogs and those with chronic gastro-enteropathies. For this study, blood and fecal samples were collected from 18 healthy and 19 sick subjects, DNA was extracted through commercial kits, and the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were sequenced on the Illumina platform. The sequences were analyzed for taxonomic annotation and statistical analysis. Alpha and beta diversities of fecal microbiome were significantly different between the two groups of dogs. Principal coordinates analysis revealed that healthy and sick subjects were significantly clustered for both blood and fecal microbiome samples. Moreover, bacterial translocation from the gut to the bloodstream has been suggested because of found shared taxa. Further studies are needed to determine the origin of the blood microbiome and the bacteria viability. The characterization of a blood core microbiome in healthy dogs has potential for use as a diagnostic tool to monitor for the development of gastro-intestinal disease.

Regulatory Role of microRNA of Milk Exosomes in Mastitis of Dairy Cows.

The aim of this study was to compare the cargos of miRNA in exosomes isolated from the milk of healthy (H) cows, cows at risk of mastitis (ARM), and cows with subclinical mastitis (SCM). Based on the number of somatic cells and the percentage of polymorphonuclear cells, 10 cows were assigned to group H, 11 to group ARM, and 11 to group SCM. After isolating exosomes in milk by isoelectric precipitation and ultracentrifugation, the extracted RNA was sequenced to 50 bp long single reads, and these were mapped against Btau_5.0.1. The resulting 225 miRNAs were uploaded to the miRNet suite, and target genes for Bos taurus were identified based on the miRTarBase and miRanda databases. The list of differentially expressed target genes resulting from the comparisons of the three groups was enriched using the Function Explorer of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. A total of 38, 18, and 12 miRNAs were differentially expressed (DE, p < 0.05) in the comparisons of H vs. ARM, ARM vs. SCM, and H vs. SCM, respectively. Only 1 DE miRNA was shared among the three groups (bta-mir-221), 1 DE miRNA in the H vs. SCM comparison, 9 DE miRNAs in the ARM vs. SCM comparison, and 21 DE miRNAs in the H vs. ARM comparison. A comparison of the enriched pathways of target genes from the H, SCM, and ARM samples showed that 19 pathways were differentially expressed in the three groups, while 56 were expressed in the H vs. SCM comparison and 57 in the H vs. ARM comparison. Analyzing milk exosome miRNA cargos can be considered as a promising approach to study the complex molecular machinery set in motion in response to mastitis in dairy cows.

Herd and animal factors affect the variability of total and differential somatic cell count in bovine milk.

The aim of this study was to quantify some environmental (individual herds, herd productivity, milking system, and season) and animal factors [individual animals, breed, days in milk (DIM) and parity] on the variability of the log-10 transformation of somatic cell count (LSCC) and differential somatic cell count (DSCC) on individual bovine milk. A total of 159,360 test-day records related to milk production and composition were extracted from 12,849 Holstein-Friesian and 9,275 Simmental cows distributed across 223 herds. Herds were classified into high and low productivity, defined according to the average daily milk net energy output (DMEO) yielded by the cows. Data included daily milk yield (DYM; kg/d), milk fat, protein, lactose, SCC, and DSCC, and information on herds (i.e., productivity, milking system). The daily production of total and differential somatic cells in milk was calculated and then log-10 transformed, obtaining DLSCC and DLDSCC, respectively. Data were analyzed using a mixed model including the effects of individual herd, animal, repeated measurements intra animal as random, and herd productivity, milking system, season, breed, DIM, parity, DIM × parity, breed × season, DIM × milking system and parity × milking system as fixed factors. Herds with a high DMEO were characterized by a lower content of LSCC and DSCC, and higher DLSCC and DLDSCC, compared to the low DMEO herds. The association between milking system and somatic cell traits suggested that the use of the automatic milking systems would not allow for a rapid intervention on the cow, as evidenced by the higher content of all somatic cell traits compared to the other milking systems. Season was an important source of variation, as evidenced by high LSCC and DSCC content in milk during summer. Breed of cow had a large influence, with Holstein-Friesian having greater LSCC, DSCC, DLSCC, and DLDSCC compared to Simmental. With regard to DIM, the variability of LSCC was mostly related to that of DSCC, showing an increase from calving to the end of lactation, and suggesting the higher occurrence of chronic mastitis in cows toward the end of lactation. All the somatic cell traits increased across number of parities, possibly because older cows may have increased susceptibility to intramammary infections.

This study investigated factors affecting the variability of somatic cell traits in bovine milk. Animal had greater influence on somatic cell score (SCS) and differential somatic cell count (DSCC) compared to herd factors. Herds producing high average of daily milk energy were characterized by lower SCS and DSCC compared to the low average daily milk energy herds. The SCS and DSCC were higher in Holstein-Friesian than in Simmental, and during summer with respect to the other seasons. Older cows at the end of lactation showed the highest content of somatic cell traits. These results are helpful for the management of somatic cell traits at herd and animal levels.

A Supplement with Bromelain, Lentinula edodes, and Quercetin: Antioxidant Capacity and Effects on Morphofunctional and Fecal Parameters (Calprotectin, Cortisol, and Intestinal Fermentation Products) in Kennel Dogs.

Oxidative stress causes several pathological conditions in humans and animals, including gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to analyze the antioxidant capacity of three natural powdered raw materials containing quercetin, bromelain, and Lentinula edodes and develop a new feed supplement for dogs using a combination of them. The total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), and ABTS (2,2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) of the extracts, either individually or in combination, were evaluated colorimetrically. The effects of this supplement on healthy adult dogs' nutritional, inflammatory, and stress status were evaluated. American Staffordshire Terrier adult female dogs (n = 30) were randomly assigned to a control (n = 15) or a treated (n = 15) group. The supplement was added as powder to the food of the treated dogs once daily for 28 days. There was no significant difference in the body weight and body condition scores between the initial and final phases of the experiment. At the end of our study, a significant decrease in fecal calprotectin, cortisol, indole/skatole, and N-methylhistamine and a significant increase in short-chain fatty acids were observed as compared to the control group. In conclusion, this natural feed supplement can be used to improve gastrointestinal health and psycho-physical conditions in dogs.

Effects of Saccharomyces boulardii Supplementation on Nutritional Status, Fecal Parameters, Microbiota, and Mycobiota in Breeding Adult Dogs.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the administration of Saccharomyces boulardii on the nutritional, immunological, inflammatory, and stress status and on the composition of the gut microbiota and mycobiota in healthy adult dogs. A total of 25 American Staffordshire Terrier dogs were selected and randomly assigned to two groups: control (CTR, n = 12) and treated (TRT, n = 13) groups. No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding body weight, body condition score, and fecal score. No significant differences in microbiota/mycobiota, short chain fatty acids, indole/skatole, histamine, zonulin, or lactoferrin were detected. Indeed, supplementation with S. boulardii significantly decreased fecal calprotectin Immunoglobulin A, indicating an improvement in the gut well-being. Interestingly, fecal cortisol significantly decreased in dogs belonging to the TRT group compared to the CTR, suggesting both an improvement of the intestinal status and a reduction of stress, a common condition affecting animals managed in a breeding environment.

Characterization of Microbiome on Feces, Blood and Milk in Dairy Cows with Different Milk Leucocyte Pattern.

Mastitis is an inflammatory disease of the mammary gland, caused by the invasion of microorganism on this site, associated with an altered immune response. Recent studies in this field hypothesize that the origin of these pathogens can also be from the gastrointestinal tract, through the entero-mammary pathway in relation to an increase in gut permeability. In this study, we wanted to investigate if inflammatory status of the mammary gland is related to an alteration of gut permeability. The microbiome of feces, blood and milk of lactating cows, recruited on the basis of the total somatic cell count and of the percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and lymphocytes, was studied. Cows were divided into healthy (G), at risk of mastitis (Y) and with mastitis (R) classifications. The bacterial DNA was extracted and the V3 and V4 regions of 16S rRNA sequenced. Moreover, the quantification of total bacteria was performed with quantitative real-time PCR. A non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was applied at the phylum, family and genera levels and beta biodiversity was evaluated with the unweighted UniFrac distance metric. Significant differences between groups were found for the microbial composition of feces (Clostridiaceae, Turicibacteriaceae for family level and Clostridium, Dorea, SMB53 and Turicibacter for genus level), blood (Tenericutes for phylum level and Mycoplasma for genus level) and milk (OD1 and Proteobacteria for phylum level, Enterobacteriaceae and Moraxallaceae for family level and Olsenella and Rhodococcus for genus level). The beta biodiversity of feces and blood did not change between groups. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the beta diversity in milk of G group and Y group and between Y group and R group. The number of taxa in common between feces, blood and milk were 8 at a phylum, 19 at a family and 15 at a genus level. From these results, the bacterial crossing from gut to milk in cows was not confirmed but remained hypothetical and deserves further investigation.