Authentication of cow feeding and geographic origin on milk using visible and near-infrared spectroscopy.

International audience; The ability of near-infrared spectroscopy to trace cow feeding systems and farming altitude was tested on 486 bulk milk samples from France and northwestern Italy. Milks were grouped into feeding systems according to the main forage in the diet. Partial least square discriminant analysis correctly classified 95.5, 91.5, and 93.3% of pasture versus maize silage, hay, and fermented herbage feeding systems, respectively. Discrimination was slightly less successful when diets with large proportions of the nondominant forage were included in each group. Near-infrared spectroscopy correctly discriminated no-pasture from pasture milk, even with only 30% of pasture in the diet (5.4% cross-validation error), and the error stabilized when pasture exceeded 70% (2.5% error). Near-infrared spectroscopy did not reliably trace milk geographic origin when the feeding system effect was isolated from the altitude effect. These findings may be usefully exploited for the authentication of dairy products

Prediction of bulk milk fatty acid composition based on farming practices collected through on-farm surveys

International audience; The aim of this study was to predict the fatty acid (FA) composition of bulk milk using data describing farming practices collected via on-farm surveys. The FA composition of 1,248 bulk cow milk samples and the related farming practices were collected from 20 experiments led in 10 different European countries at 44 degrees N to 60 degrees N latitude and sea level to 2,000 m altitude. Farming practice-based FA predictions [coefficient of determination (R-2) >0.50] were good for C16:0, C17:0, saturated FA, polyunsaturated FA, and odd-chain FA, and very good (R-2 >= 0.60) for trans-11 C18:1, trans-10 + trans-11 C18:1, cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid, total trans FA, C18:3n-3, n-6:n-3 ratio, and branched-chain FA. Fatty acids were predicted by cow diet composition and by the altitude at which milk was produced, whereas animal-related factors (i.e., lactation stage, breed, milk yield, and proportion of primiparous cows in the herd) were not significant in any of the models. Proportion of fresh herbage in the cow diet was the main predictor, with the highest effect in almost all FA models. However, models built solely on conserved forage-derived samples gave good predictions for odd-chain FA, branched-chain FA, trans-10 C18:1 and C18:3n-3 (R-2 >= 0.46, 0.54, 0.52, and 0.70, respectively). These prediction models could offer farmers a valuable tool to help improve the nutritional quality of the milk they produce

The effect of feeding sequence on fat concentration in milk

International audienc

The effect of feeding sequence on fat concentration in milk

International audienc

Facteur de variation du taux butyreux du lait: effet de l'ordre de distribution des aliments

National audienc

Vitamin B9 and B12 contents in cow milk according to production system

International audienceThe factors of variation for vitamin B9 and B12 content in cow's milk have not been studied intensively. Nevertheless, these vitamins are of great nutritional interest and the consumption of a large glass of milk could provides up to 15% of the recommended daily allowances for vitamin B9 and 90% for vitamin B12. The objective of this study was therefore to describe the variability of the levels of vitamins B9 and B12 in 100 bulk milk samples produced under four French major production systems (plain or mountain and forage system based on grass or maize silage). For each production system, milk was sampled and analyzed at five periods over the year 2008. The characteristics of these milks differed according to the production system. The highest levels of vitamin B9 were generally associated with diets based on hay in the winter period and with diets based on pasture during the grazing season. Conversely, the highest levels of vitamin B12 were principally measured in milks produced with diets based on maize silage

Co-construction of an assessment method of the environmental sustainability for cattle farms involved in a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese value chain, Cantal PDO

In France, numerous Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese value chains have revised their specifications to address environmental protection, particularly at the farm level. In this stage, it is nevertheless impossible to state whether the proposed modifications may ensure the sustainability of environmental protection as no environmental sustainability diagnostic has been conducted. The aim of this study is to construct an assessment method for the Cantal PDO farms.A multi-criteria assessment approach was implemented in the following 5 steps: definition of the framework of the study, determination of the principles and criteria, definition of the indicators, aggregation of all elements of the assessment, and finally, test of the assessment method on farms. Focus groups meetings were organised for the first four steps. The panel discussions were based on data obtained from both the literature and surveys of stakeholders operating in the value chain and within the territory.The obtained assessment method comprises 4 principles characterised by 33 indicators. The most important principle (45%), management of grassland resources, is a key economic and environmental point of the studied farms. It reflects the necessary intensive use of grass by the animals in the PDO farms. Few existing methods addressed this principle that required the design of several new indicators. The second principle, impact of agricultural practices (25%), is often included in environmental sustainability assessment methods The adopted indicators are, thus, drawn from existing methods and adapted to the context of the farms studied. The management of the farm buildings and the landscape principle (18%) is often considered in social sustainability. Its role in environmental sustainability can be explained by its strong link with the image of PDO products. Primarily drawn from the literature, the used indicators have been extended to make the assessment method as objective as possible. Finally, the management of local, energy and water resources principle has the lowest weighting (12%). This can be explained by the limited number of indicators.This assessment method was constructed for the Cantal PDO farms by considering their environment and particularities. In consequence, the stakeholders have taken ownership of it. It could be used by other ruminant systems based on grassland. The development of numerous indicators enhanced the pool of existing indicators. This assessment method was sensitive and allowed for the discrimination between farms