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The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different heat-stress-reducing systems, i.e., sprinkler + artificial shade, shower + artificial shade, and artificial shade, on serum mineral, hormonal, hematological, and metabolite profiles, on milk production, and milk composition in lactating cows and pubertal heifers of Holstein and Jersey breeds. For this purpose, 12 animals were used: 3 Holstein cows with an average (mean ± SD) body weight of 600 ± 30 kg, 53 ± 11 months of age, and milk yield of 27 ± 3.5 kg/day; 3 Jersey cows with an average body weight of 370 ± 11 kg, 40 ± 6 months of age, and milk production of 11 ± 1.5 kg/day; 3 Holstein heifers (325 ± 25 kg and 16 ± 0.6 months of age); and 3 Jersey heifers (250 ± 25 kg and 13 ± 0.6 months of age). Animals were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments that included three treatments (sprinkler + artificial shade, shower + artificial shade, and artificial shade), two breeds (Holstein, Jersey), and two physiological stages (lactating cows, heifers). The experimental treatments influenced (P < 0.05) the concentrations of triiodothyronine, with the shower and shade systems showing greater and similar concentrations (99.5 and 96.3 µg/dL, respectively) when compared with sprinkler treatment (89.2 µg/dL). There was an effect (P < 0.05) of breed on the concentrations of Na + , K + , hemoglobin, hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume levels with the Holsteins having lower levels of Na + , K + , hemoglobin, hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume (101.1, 4.0 ng/mL, 11.2 g/dL, 24.7%, and 42.3 μm3, respectively) than the Jerseys (106.5 and 4.3 ng/mL, 12.4 g/dL, 27.7%, and 46.3 μm3, respectively. Total cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins were influenced by physiological stage (P < 0.05). Concentrations of cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins were higher for cows (94.1, and 56.9 mg/dL, respectively) than for heifers (56.9 and 42,9 mf/dL, respectively). Milk production and fat content were affected (P < 0.05) by breed (P < 0.05), with Holstein cows producing more milk (23.9 kg/day) than Jersey cows (12.0 kg/day), but Jersey cows had higher fat concentration (4.6%) than Holstein cows (3.0%). Therefore, the three different thermal-stress-reducing-systems tested were able to maintain the serum biomarkers within normal physiological ranges. However, the most appropriate thermal-stress-reducing-systems would be a sprinkler systema because it uses less water compared with the shower system., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

We aimed to investigate the effects of calcium-ammonium nitrate (CAN) fed to lactating dairy goats on dry matter (DM) intake, digestibility of nutrients, milk properties (composition, antioxidant capacity, fatty acid profile, and nitrate residues), and ruminal fermentation parameters. Twelve lactating Saanen goats averaging 98.5 ± 13.1 days in milk, 53.5 ± 3.3 kg of body weight, and 2.53 ± 0.34 kg of milk/day were randomly assigned in four 3 × 3 Latin squares to receive the following diets: a control group (without CAN) with 7.3 g/kg DM of urea (URE), 10 g/kg DM of CAN (CAN10), and 20 g/kg DM of CAN (CAN20). Each period lasted 21 days, with 14 days for diet adaptation and seven days for data and sample collection. The DM intake, digestibility of nutrients, yields of milk, 3.5% fat-corrected milk, and energy-corrected milk were not affected by treatments. Similarly, there were no treatment effects on the yields and concentrations of milk fat, true protein, and lactose, along with minor effects on milk fatty acid profile. Total antioxidant capacity in milk was unaffected by treatments; however, concentration of conjugated dienes increased, while thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in milk decreased linearly. Nitrate and nitrite residues in milk were elevated by treatments, while the total of volatile fatty acids and ammonia-N concentration in the rumen were unaffected. Collectively, feeding CAN (up to 20 g/kg of DM) to lactating dairy goats did not affect feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition; however, it may increase milk lipid oxidation, as evidenced by increased conjugated diene concentration.