Preservation of colostrum for neonatal dairy calves has seldom been seldom in recent years, much of the peer reviewed literature having been published in the 1970s and 1980s. First milking colostrum is high in bioactive immune enhancers such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrins, lysozymes and cytokines and is vital to confer passive immunity to newborn dairy calves to promote their health, welfare and future productivity. Bovine colostrum is advisedly restricted from the bulk milk supply for the first 8 milkings post calving due to high somatic cell counts and the risk of antimicrobial residues. As such, many producers refer to ‘colostrum’ as not only the first milking post calving, but also the aformentioned ‘transition’ milk. Colostrum is preserved in order to protect supply for feeding when production may be poor or where there is a glut of colostrum such as in seasonal calving systems. There are multiple reasons for newborn calves not to have access to their dam's colostrum, including multiple births, acute mastitis or maladapted maternal behaviour, especially in first lactation heifers. Shortages in colostrum may also be precipitated by purposeful discarding of colostrum from cows infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis and Mycoplasma bovis. Broadly, colostrum may be preserved using low temperature (refrigeration or freezing) or chemical preservatives. The aim of this scoping review article was to identify options for preservation and gaps in research and to propose best practice for colostrum preservation.

The aim of this review was to present various topics related to lactose intolerance with special attention given to the role of fermented foods and probiotics in alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms. Lactose intolerance is a common digestive problem in which the human body is unable to digest lactose, known as milk sugar. Lactose intolerance can either be hereditary or a consequence of intestinal diseases. Recent work has demonstrated that fermented dairy products and probiotics can modify the metabolic activities of colonic microbiota and may alleviate the symptoms of lactose intolerance. We suggest that, lactose free dairy products could be recommended as alternatives for the alleviation of lactose intolerance and for the promotion of human health and wellness.

This Review describes the objectives and methodology of the DairyWater project as it aims to aid the Irish dairy processing industry in achieving sustainability as it expands. With the abolition of European milk quotas in March 2015, the Republic of Ireland saw a surge in milk production. The DairyWater project was established in anticipation of this expansion of the Irish dairy sector in order to develop innovative solutions for the efficient management of water consumption, wastewater treatment and the resulting energy use within the country's dairy processing industry. Therefore, the project can be divided into three main thematic areas: dairy wastewater treatment technologies and microbial analysis, water re-use and rainwater harvesting and environmental assessment. In order to ensure the project remains as relevant as possible to the industry, a project advisory board containing key industry stakeholders has been established. To date, a number of large scale studies, using data obtained directly from the Irish dairy industry, have been performed. Additionally, pilot-scale wastewater treatment (intermittently aerated sequencing batch reactor) and tertiary treatment (flow-through pulsed ultraviolet system) technologies have been demonstrated within the project. Further details on selected aspects of the project are discussed in greater detail in the subsequent cluster of research communications.

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is formed by complex cell biological processes in the lactating mammary epithelial cell which result in the release of the milk fat globule (MFG) into the secretory alveolus. The MFG is bounded by a continuous unit membrane (UM), separated from the MFG lipid by a thin layer of cytoplasm. This unique apocrine secretion process has been shown in all of the mammary species so far investigated. Once the MFG is released into the alveolus there is a considerable transformation of the UM with its attached cytoplasm. This is the MFGM. The transformation is stable and expressed milk shows the same transformed MFGM structure. Again, this transformation of structure is common to all mammalian species so far investigated. However, the explanation of the transformation very much depends on the method of investigation. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies suggest a literal breakdown to a discontinuous UM plus cytoplasm in patches and strands, whereas more recent confocal laser scanning light microscopy (CLSM) studies indicate a separation, in a continuous UM, of two phases, one liquid ordered and the other liquid disordered. This review is designed to show that the TEM and CLSM results show different views of the same structures once certain deficiencies in techniques are factored in.

Increased animal productivity has reduced animal fitness, resulting in increased susceptibility to infectious and metabolic diseases, locomotion problems and subfertility. Future animal breeding strategies should focus on balancing high production levels with health status monitoring and improved welfare. Additionally, understanding how animals interact with their internal and external environment is essential for improving health, fitness, and welfare. In this context, the continuous validation of existing biomarkers and the discovery and field implementation of new biomarkers will enable us to understand the specific physiological process and regulatory mechanisms used by the organism to adapt to different environmental conditions. Thus, biomarkers may be used to monitor welfare and improve management and breeding strategies. In this article, we describe major achievements in the establishment of biomarkers in dairy cows and small ruminants. This review mainly focuses on the physiological biomarkers used to monitor animal responses to, and recovery from, environmental perturbations. We highlight future avenues for research in this field and present a timely positioning document to the scientific community.

Scientific studies demonstrate the importance of intestinal microbiota to human health and how probiotic microorganisms can positively affect health when administered regularly and in adequate amounts. Probiotic bacteria can be part of fermented products and their functional importance is associated mainly with their metabolism. They are thought to benefit individuals to maintain their health and also to strengthen resistance against various types of diseases. The acceptance of probiotic cultures and products by consumers increased when these bacteria were marketed as natural cultures that help in digestion and health. Considering this, the food industry has an increasing demand for new candidates as probiotic cultures, and the dairy industry has a particular interest for fermented milks and other dairy products, since these are the most common food vehicles for probiotic cultures. Therefore, the dairy industries are increasingly seeking to improve their products with these beneficial bacteria. However, the legal peculiarities and excess of control agencies in Brazil makes the registration of these products and the collection of data very complex. Prospective analysis suggests that probiotic foods have the potential to effect a considerable expansion of the dairy industry, allowing the dairy sector to grow and for these products to be increasingly sought by consumers globally. For this, not only actions on research and innovation are necessary, but also official clarifications on the claims for considerations of microbiological security and functionality of these products. This review aims to elucidate important probiotic research regarding the isolation and characterization of beneficial cultures in Brazil, and to demonstrate the relevance of the dairy chain as a potential source of novel cultures for the development of new probiotic products to expand the Brazilian dairy industry.

This review aims to familiarize the reader with research efforts on the cultivation media of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). We have also included a brief discussion on standard ingredients used in LAB media and chemically defined media as related to bacterial growth requirements. Recent research has focused on modifying standard media for the enumeration, differentiation, isolation, and identification of starter cultures and probiotics. Even though large numbers of these media have been developed to serve dairy microbial control, they have failed to provide consistent results. The research consequently points to the need to develop a reliable lactobacilli growth medium for the dairy industry.

The effects of low and high frequency ultrasound on the production of volatile compounds along with their derivation and corresponding off-flavours in milk and milk products are discussed in this review. The review will simultaneously discuss possible mechanisms of applied ultrasound and their respective chemical and physical effects on milk components in relation to the production of volatile compounds. Ultrasound offers potential benefits in dairy applications over conventional heat treatment processes. Physical effects enhance the positive alteration of the physicochemical properties of milk proteins and fat. However, chemical effects propagated by free radical generation cause redox oxidations which in turn produce undesirable volatile compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, alcohols and sulphur, producing off-flavours. The extent of volatile compounds produced depends on ultrasonic processing conditions such as sonication time, temperature and frequency. Low frequency ultrasound limits free radical formation and results in few volatile compounds, while high ultrasonic frequency induces greater level of free radical formation. Furthermore, the compositional variations in terms of milk proteins and fat within the milk systems influence the production of volatile compounds. These factors could be controlled and optimized to reduce the production of undesirable volatiles, eliminate off-flavours, and promote the application of ultrasound technology in the dairy field.