The cow reproductive perspective in relation to the colostrum quality and udder health in early lactation

I. Lusis¹*, I. Sematovica² and M. Ostrovska²

¹Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Str. K. Helmana 8, LV3004 Jelgava, Latvia
²Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Institute, Str. K. Helmana 8, LV3004 Jelgava, Latvia
*Correspondence: ivars.lusis@lbtu.lv

Abstract:

The study aimed to evaluate cow reproductive performance in relation to colostrum quality measured using a digital Brix refractometer and udder health in early lactation. A dataset of 676 cows was collected from one commercial dairy farm in Latvia over 36 months in 2022–2024. Colostrum Brix% was associated with the year and season of the year. The colostrum quality, as measured by the Digital Brix refractometer, was acceptably high, ranging from 23 to 30 in all cows during the study. The main individual factors associated with colostrum Brix% were the number of lactations, the sex of the calf, and lactose content in the first milk recording after calving. No association was detected between colostrum Brix% and the length of the dry period or the last milk recording data. Neither somatic cell count nor colostrum Brix% was associated with reproductive performance, service period, or the number of inseminations.

Key words:

The effect of genotype on table grapes soluble solids content

M. Maante*, E. Vool, R. Rätsep and K. Karp

Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 64, EE51014 Tartu, Estonia; *Correspondence: mariana.maante@student.emu.ee

Abstract:

Sugar concentration in fresh consumed table grapes is mainly connected with technological maturity and primarily expressed by soluble solids content. The EU Regulation has laid down maturity requirements for Vitis vinifera L. cultivars (OJ L 157, 15.6.2011). The lowest allowed soluble solids content is 13 °Brix for seeded cultivars and 14 °Brix for seedless cultivars. In cool climate there are mainly cultivated grape hybrid cultivars which refractometric index is not regulated with this regulation. The aim of the present experiment was to investigate the accumulation dynamics and content of soluble solids from the beginning of veraison to harvest in table grapes with protected cultivation condition. The research was conducted with 3 black (‘Osella’, ‘Kosmonavt’, ‘Mars’), 3 red (‘Swenson Red’, ‘Somerset Seedless’, ‘Canadice’) and 2 white (‘Arkadia’, ‘Supaga’) vine cultivars in 2013 and 2014. The results of the study indicated, that fruits of all table grape cultivars achieved the minimum content of soluble solids required for table grapes. Two years mean of soluble solids content varied among black, red and white grape cultivars respectively from 15.0 to 22.1 °Brix, from 15.6 to 22.5 °Brix and from 13.9 to 18.9 °Brix. The highest soluble solids content was observed in both years among black cultivars in Osella, among red cultivars in Somerset Seedless and among white in Supaga.

Key words:

Brix, hybrid cultivars., Vitis sp.