This thesis presents several Raman spectroscopic studies of bovine milk-derived products (skim and whole milk powder, anhydrous milk fat, processed cheese and soy cheese made from milk protein). Raman spectroscopy, unlike infrared spectroscopy (both mid- and near-infrared), has not been widely used as an analytical tool within the dairy industry. The purpose of this project was to assess the utility of Raman spectroscopy in several dairy industry relevant problems. FT-Raman spectroscopy coupled with partial least squares (PLS) reliably predicted the concentration of fat and protein within whole milk and protein within skim milk powders as evidenced by ratios of prediction to deviation in excess of three. It was shown that sample geometry did not significantly affect the calculated predictive models, thereby allowing the simplest, quickest method of sample presentation to be utilised without harming quantification model efficacy. The fat fraction of milk was further investigated, and it was shown that Raman spectra collected from anhydrous milk fat samples were a good basis for solid fat content (SFC) determination. Such spectra were collected when the samples were held at 40 �C, pretreated by baselining and area normalisation, and analysed using PLS with modified jack-knifing (PLS1-JK). Triacylglycerol class concentrations were also well predicted by PLS1-JK models developed from Raman spectroscopic data. Resonance enhancement of β-carotene within fat was shown to have little effect on the reliability of the optimal prediction model when compared to SFC Raman quantification. Raman microscopic mapping for heterogeneity description of processed cheese and soy cheese mimics was examined. The FT-Raman milk powder constituents study had shown fat and protein Raman spectra within complex dairy mixtures could be distinguished, hence this utility was applied to mapping of cheese systems. Univariate, principal components analysis and multivariate curve resolution methods of analyses were compared; as expected the more complex samples required multivariate methods of analyses. Raman microscopic mapping was not a time efficient method in comparison to the standard method of confocal laser scanning microscopy. However, Raman spectroscopic mapping is a more universal technique which allowed the presence of an unexpected localised constituent within the soy cheese mimics to be observed. It was proposed that this constituent was a crystalline form of a short saturated fatty acid.

Graduation date: 1997

Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, the objectives were: 1) to develop and evaluate the accuracy and precision of a new continuous ruminal pH measurement system 2) to determine the required frequency for pH electrode standardization and 3) to determine the effect of additional pre-partum concentrate when compared to NRC (2001) recommendations on post-partum ruminal acidosis in primiparous cows. Accuracy and precision of the Lethbridge Research Centre Ruminal pH measurement system (LRCpH) was determined by comparing LRCpH derived values against manual measurement. To determine the required frequency of electrode standardization, three treatments were imposed (24, 48, or 72 h of continuous measurement) and arranged in a repeated 3×3 Latin square design. The LRCpH accurately and precisely measured ruminal pH (repeated measures correlation coefficient = 0.97 and concordance correlation coefficient = 0.97 for 5-min averages). Changes in baseline mV readings for pH readings after 24, 48 or 72 h of ruminal incubation were not significantly different than zero, indicating that daily standardization of new electrodes was not essential. Using the LRCpH to measure ruminal pH overcomes animal mobility restrictions of previous systems. <p>In experiment 2, the effect of additional concentrate allocation during the pre-partum period was evaluated using 14 ruminally cannulated Holstein heifers. The heifers were assigned to one of two feeding regimes pre-calving: 1) control treatment or 2) an intensive high concentrate feeding treatment (HC). All cows received the same lactation diet post-partum. Ruminal pH was measured continuously from d -5 to d +5, and for 3-consecutive days starting on d +17 ± 1.2, d +37 ± 1.4, and d +58 ± 1.5 relative to parturition. Feeding additional concentrate pre-partum did not reduce post-partum ruminal acidosis. In fact, animals fed the HC treatment had more daily episodes of acute acidosis and lower dry matter intake and body condition score than animals fed the control treatment. Day relative to parturition affected the occurrence and severity of ruminal acidosis with a dramatic increase in ruminal acidosis after parturition. This study demonstrates that feeding addition concentrate pre-partum did not reduce post-partum acidosis which emphasized the need to develop and implement feeding strategies that reduce this risk.

Buffaloes in Haryana

Cattle in Kerala

Intensive cattle development project

Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, the objectives were: 1) to develop and evaluate the accuracy and precision of a new continuous ruminal pH measurement system 2) to determine the required frequency for pH electrode standardization and 3) to determine the effect of additional pre-partum concentrate when compared to NRC (2001) recommendations on post-partum ruminal acidosis in primiparous cows. Accuracy and precision of the Lethbridge Research Centre Ruminal pH measurement system (LRCpH) was determined by comparing LRCpH derived values against manual measurement. To determine the required frequency of electrode standardization, three treatments were imposed (24, 48, or 72 h of continuous measurement) and arranged in a repeated 3×3 Latin square design. The LRCpH accurately and precisely measured ruminal pH (repeated measures correlation coefficient = 0.97 and concordance correlation coefficient = 0.97 for 5-min averages). Changes in baseline mV readings for pH readings after 24, 48 or 72 h of ruminal incubation were not significantly different than zero, indicating that daily standardization of new electrodes was not essential. Using the LRCpH to measure ruminal pH overcomes animal mobility restrictions of previous systems. <p>In experiment 2, the effect of additional concentrate allocation during the pre-partum period was evaluated using 14 ruminally cannulated Holstein heifers. The heifers were assigned to one of two feeding regimes pre-calving: 1) control treatment or 2) an intensive high concentrate feeding treatment (HC). All cows received the same lactation diet post-partum. Ruminal pH was measured continuously from d -5 to d +5, and for 3-consecutive days starting on d +17 ± 1.2, d +37 ± 1.4, and d +58 ± 1.5 relative to parturition. Feeding additional concentrate pre-partum did not reduce post-partum ruminal acidosis. In fact, animals fed the HC treatment had more daily episodes of acute acidosis and lower dry matter intake and body condition score than animals fed the control treatment. Day relative to parturition affected the occurrence and severity of ruminal acidosis with a dramatic increase in ruminal acidosis after parturition. This study demonstrates that feeding addition concentrate pre-partum did not reduce post-partum acidosis which emphasized the need to develop and implement feeding strategies that reduce this risk.

Ambient concentration measurements of total suspended particulate (TSP) were made at a commercial dairy in central Texas during the summers of 2002 and 2003. The facility consisted of both open pen housing and free-stall structures to accommodate approximately 1840 head of milking cattle. The field sampling results were used in the EPA approved dispersion model Industrial Source Complex Short Term version 3 (ISCST-v3) to estimate emission fluxes and ultimately a seasonally corrected emission factor for a free-stall dairy. Ambient measurements of TSP concentrations for sampling periods ranging from 2 to 6 hours were recorded during the summer of 2002. The mean upwind concentration was 115µg/m3 with a maximum of 231µg/m3 and a minimum of 41.4µg/m3. The mean net downwind TSP concentration was 134µg/m3 with a maximum of 491µg/m3 and a minimum of 14µg/m3. Field sampling at this same dairy in the summer of 2003 yielded significantly more 2 to 6 hour TSP concentration measurements. The mean upwind TSP concentration was 76µg/m3 with a maximum concentration of 154µg/m3. The mean net downwind TSP concentration was 118µg/m3 with a maximum of 392µg/m3 and a minimum of 30µg/m3. The particle size distributions (PSD) of the PM on the downwind TSP filters was determined using the Coulter Counter Multisizer. The results of this process was a representative dairy PM PSD with 28% of TSP emissions being PM10. The reported PM10 24-hour emission factors were 4.7 kg/1000hd/day for the free-stall areas of the facility and 11.7 kg/1000hd/day for the open pen areas of the dairy. These emission factors were uncorrected for rainfall events. Corrections for seasonal dust suppression events were made for the San Joaquin Valley of California and the panhandle region of Texas. Using historical rainfall and ET data for central California, the seasonally corrected PM10 emission factor is 3.6kg/1000hd/day for the free-stalls, and 8.7kg/1000hd/day for the open pens. For Texas, the seasonally corrected emission factor is 3.7kg/1000hd/day for the free-stall areas and 9.2kg/1000hd/day for the open lot areas.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- Lincoln University, 2009. / Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alberta, 2010. / Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on Feb. 8, 2010). A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta. Includes bibliographical references.