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Livestock excretions are crucial for nutrient cycling in pasture ecosystems. However, conventional methods based on field observations require significant human power and are time‐consuming. This study developed a model, 'Dung Detector (DD)', for detecting cattle dung in pastures from drone images using the You Only Look Once (YOLO) v5 algorithm. The DD model was trained using our custom dataset including 1,504 split images from drone orthomosaic images in five paddocks: Obihiro (OBH), Shintoku (STK), Minokamo (MNO), Miyota (MYT), and Yatsugatake (YGK). The detection accuracy was evaluated using ground‐truth data acquired in two quadrats within paddocks. The DD model performed well for OBH and STK (F‐score = 0.861 and 0.835) paddocks with simple grass species and low surface sward height (SSH). Although the MNO and MYT, with complex vegetation and high SSH, showed few false positives (precision >0.9), some cattle dung pats were undetectable, presumably due to grass height (Recall = 0.500 and 0.276). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: β-Carotene is an abundant carotenoid in plants that functions as an antioxidant and a primary precursor of vitamin A in cattle. In addition to its role as a vitamin A precursor, β-carotene affects reproduction. β-carotene supports reproductive function, especially luteal function, in cattle by protecting synthetic enzymes related to sex steroid hormone production from reactive oxygen species through its antioxidant properties. β-carotene supplementation supports the ovarian cycle in cows by suppressing oxidative stress and enhancing immune function. Future research and field applications should consider β-carotene sufficiency and the balance between β-carotene intake from roughage and β-carotene consumption in the body and possible factors affecting the effectiveness of β-carotene in cattle reproduction. β-carotene supplementation improves the reproductive performance of cattle. However, the research results on this topic have been inconsistent, and no clear conclusion has been reached. In previous reviews of this topic, the functional mechanism of β-carotene in reproduction remained unclear, but subsequent studies have shown that the antioxidant effects of β-carotene protect enzymes involved in ovarian sex steroid hormone production from the effects of oxygen radicals. This role consequently affects normal ovarian follicle dynamics, maintenance of luteal function, and the estrous cycle, and indirectly improves reproductive performance by preventing perinatal diseases and facilitating recovery from these diseases. Several factors must be considered in feeding management to determine whether β-carotene supplementation is effective for improving reproductive performance in cows. The same is true when the animal consumes a large amount of the antioxidant β-carotene due to lactation, aging, or season. Therefore, it is important to consider the balance between the supply and consumption of β-carotene and evaluate whether β-carotene supplementation has an effect on reproductive performance in cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to reveal the potential impact of botanically diverse pasture on the nutritional, physiological, and immunological status of grazing cattle using multifaceted indices. Ten Japanese black beef cows (325.5 ± 40.6 kg of body weight [BW], 7.9 ± 3.8 years of age) were used in this experiment. Five of them grazed on a 1.8‐ha grassland (botanically diverse pasture: DP) that was composed of sown grassland and grazable forestland (approximately 34 plant species). The other five cows grazed on 1.0 ha of sown grassland with only a few plant species (botanically monotonous pasture: MP, approximately 5 plant species) for 2 months. Blood samples were collected approximately every 2 weeks. In DP cows, the hemoglobin (HGB) concentration, hematocrit (HCT) ratio, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased linearly after the start of grazing, as did plasma sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) concentrations. Urea nitrogen (UN) levels were higher in DP than in MP cows throughout the grazing period, whereas in MP cows, the red blood cell (RBC) count, HGB concentration, and HCT ratio decreased quadratically after the start of grazing. The DP cows gained more BW than the MP cows throughout the grazing period. Thus, the increased intake and/or the change in the ingested plant species in DP cows might have promoted the increase in the plasma UN concentration. In summary, the present study showed that grazing in botanically diverse pasture improved the nutritional and physiological status of cows; however, it aggravated the imbalance of protein and energy intake induced by grazing within 2 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed is a primary factor affecting different milk components and creating a specific milk flavor. Dairy farms in different regions often depend on different feed resources and feeding regimens. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of completely different feeding regimens on the milk fatty acid (FA) profile and milk flavor. Eight lactating Holstein cows were assigned to one of two distinct feeding regimens, one grass silage‐based diet (GS) and one by‐product‐based diet (BP), using a switchback design with three periods of 28 days each. A sensory test of the pasteurized milk was conducted using the paired preference method. Dry matter, crude protein and total digestible energy intake were similar between the groups. There was also no difference in daily milk yields, milk fat, protein, lactose and solids‐not‐fat contents between the groups. Milk FA content with chain lengths C12–C14:1, C16 and C16:1cis and the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content were significantly higher in the GS group than in the BP group. In contrast, the milk FA content with chain lengths C18 and C18:1cis–C18:2 and the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content, including mono‐UFA (MUFA) and poly‐UFA (PUFA), were significantly higher in the BP group than in the GS group. The different feeding regimens did not affect milk sensory properties, including aroma, palatability, aftertaste, texture, body and sweetness. Using food by‐products that contain relatively high levels of PUFAs resulted in PUFA‐rich milk. However, even if using a distinct feeding regimen based on conserved or by‐product feeds, it may be difficult to create characteristic milk with an original flavor that is clearly identified by consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grazing goats have potential for use in managing abandoned fields. However, it is unclear how long‐term grazing affects goats as a result of vegetational changes in abandoned fields. This study aimed to assess the dynamics of vegetation quality and quantity and the nutritional status of goats for five years in an abandoned field at different stocking rates: high stocking rate (HS: 30–33 goats/ha) and low stocking rate (LS: 14 goats/ha). In five years, the dominant plant species changed from bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) to tufted grass species at the HS, whereas dwarf bamboo (Pleioblastus argenteostriatus) dominated throughout the five years at the LS. The annual plant biomass at both stocking rates was similar and varied from year to year. Crude protein content in the goats' diet did not show any seasonal or annual trend regardless of the stocking rate. Neutral detergent fiber content in the HS diet did not show any seasonal or annual trend; however, that in the LS diet linearly increased with the grazing year. The dry matter (DM) intake for goats at the LS decreased linearly with the grazing year (p < 0.05), whereas that for goats at the HS did not show any trend. The DM digestibility was higher for goats at the HS than for goats at the LS (p < 0.05). Serum parameters did not show a negative nutritional status of the goats over the study years. Annual daily gain was positive throughout the grazing years regardless of the stocking rate. Consequently, within the stocking rate range studied here, long‐term goat grazing changes the quality of vegetation in an abandoned field; however, goats can maintain their nutritional status and body weight for five years. Thus, goat grazing is a feasible way to control abandoned vegetation over the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]