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  • Oxidative stress: the most insidious of metabolic diseases

    ATP is the fundamental energy molecule for the organism's metabolic function. Its production is derived from the oxidation of different substrates such as carbohydrates and fatty acids. ATP is like a charged battery: when the energy is finished the molecule becomes ADP and is subsequently “re-charged” into ATP.
  • Functional nutrition helps to prevent the economic losses related to the transition period

    The passage from the dry period (or the last weeks before calving in heifers) to the puerperium (the 20 days after calving) is really challenging for dairy cows. During this period (the transition period) there is a higher incidence of metabolic pathologies and of related infections.
  • Ruminanti

    Ruminants need amino acids, not proteins

    In ruminant nutrition, it is still quite common to look at the general crude protein level, with only marginal attention to the amino acid content. At the same time, high CP (and carbohydrates) is accused of the increased podal diseases and mastitis, and reduced fertility (Butles, 1998; Moretti, 1991).
  • B vitamins supplementation of ruminant diets is really useful?

    Water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and vitamins of the B group. Choline is also, improperly, inserted among these vitamins because of its certain metabolic functions and defined dosage of use. These vitamins are synthesized by the rumen and intestinal microflora and their supplementation with the diet is still debated.
  • Nutrients bioavailability

    Each feed in the diet contains different and different quantities of nutrients, molecules needed by the animal metabolism. Nutritionists balance these nutrients in the diet to fulfill the requirements of different animal species. During diet formulation, is important to consider the real nutrients bioavailability, defined as the amount of the ingested nutrients absorbed and used by the animal and its metabolism.
  • PUFA omega-3: an important help for dairy cows health and fertility

    The use of fats in ruminant nutrition is widely accepted. Fat supplementation is connected to improved milk, fat yield, better health status, and improved fertility. While there are several reasons fertility problems occur, (i.e. low pregnancy rates or ovarian cysts) a diet with higher energy will be usually suggested. To obtain this the easiest way is to increase the fat content.
  • Nutrition and heat stress of dairy cows

    Different mechanisms to reduce metabolic heat production and to increase dissipation are activated at 22°C with 40% humidity in order to maintain the body temperature constantly around 38.5°C. The first reaction is the dry matter intake reduction, to reduce rumen fermentation and the consequent heat production. Then, the animal moves less to contain the muscles' heat.
  • What about hepatic function?

    Fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) is the most frequent metabolic pathology for dairy cows and high producing sheep, goats, and buffalo. The incidence is higher for high genetic value animals, because of the high requirement of nutrients of the udder and the insulin resistance that most of them experience.
  • The potential offered to ruminants by clinical and functional nutrition

    The genetic selection of animals bred to produce meat or milk has profoundly changed their metabolism.