Agricultural Experiment Station

Research in Dairy Science is conducted primarily under the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center and through various externally funded projects. A lisiting of publications from these projects is also available. Most research projects involve faculty and graduate students but there also are opportunities for undergraduate research.

Current Agricultural Experiment Station Projects

These projects are also accessible through the CRIS web site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

NC1040. METABOLIC RELATIONSHIPS IN SUPPLY OF NUTRIENTS FOR LACTATING COWS (Oct 2007 - Sept 2012)
Drs Arnold Hippen, David Schingoethe and Kenneth Kalscheur

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Feeding for optimal nutrient intake requires not only the provision of the necessary nutrients for milk production but also consideration to the effects of diet on mammary capacity and on appetite, health, and metabolic regulation of the cow. Because feed costs account for half of all costs on a dairy farm, nutrition also significantly impacts farm expenses. The long-term goal is to improve the efficiency of milk production, cow health and longevity, and thus promote environmental and economic sustainability in the US dairy industry. The approach to achieve this goal is to systematically identify those biological and nutritional management processes that will provide the greatest improvements in milk production and sustainability of dairy systems.

OBJECTIVES: 1: To quantify properties of feeds that determine the availability and utilization of nutrients critical to milk production. Based on cost projections, milk fat depression without a loss in milk volume can decrease profitability per cow by one-third. It would also help dairy farmers use greater amounts of byproducts from the bioenergy sector (such as corn distillers grains) more effectively and with less risk of milk fat depression. The purpose of this project is to quantify changes in microbial and milk fatty acids caused by dietary changes. Relationships with applied dietary changes will be important evaluation tools, while experiments with specific substrates will allow us to add a mechanistic interpretation that should improve the overall usefulness of the milk fatty acid information. Our end goal is to both evaluate and improve the utility of milk fatty acid analysis in interpreting results from experimental feeding trials and to introduce their use as a new troubleshooting tool for field dairy nutritionists working for commercial herds. Objective 2: To quantify metabolic and molecular interactions that alter synthesis of milk components. Researchers at several stations will, in several experiments, determine specific interactions among nutrients, hormones and physiological state that impact cow health and productivity. Collaborative(IA, IN, SD, MI, WA) work will examine the effects of prepartal glucagon and glycerol on fatty liver, ketosis, postpartal health, and milk production. Liver will be assayed for expression of metabolic enzymes that control nutrient use. Researchers at SD will conduct experiments on the effect of omega-3 and -6 fatty acid containing feedstuffs on production response parameters in lactating dairy cows. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the influence of these fatty acids on milk composition. Transport of fatty acids in the blood, as well as partitioning of fatty acids to milk or body adipose tissues, will be examined. The effects of these dietary fatty acids on hepatic metabolism, gluconeogenesis, and endocrine regulation of hepatic metabolism in periparturient dairy cows will also be measured.

NC1042. MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF DAIRY ENTERPRISES (Oct 2007 - Sept 2012)
Drs Kenneth Kalscheur and Arnold Hippen.

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Dairy farming is a decision-intensive enterprise which relies on a holistic systems approach in defining options to maintain a profitable system that is accountable to consumers for animal well-being, environmental impacts, and product quality. The purpose of this project is to develop decision support sytems that address nutrition, management, environmental impacts, and economics of 1) calves and heifers and 2) lactating and dry cows.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and develop sustainable management systems for dairy herds that address critical quality and variance control factors with implications to economic efficiencies and environmental impacts. Sub-objectives: A. To analyze management and nutrition strategies for replacement heifers as they pertain to production and profitability. B. To optimize lactating and dry cow decision-making as it relates to animal health, nutrient utilization, milk production, reproduction, and profitability.

SD00H188-06. ENHANCEMENT OF QUALITY, SAFETY AND HEALTH ATTRIBUTES OF MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS (Jan 2007 - Sept 2011)
Anand, S. K.

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: 1. Dairy products involve perhaps one of the most important and complex food chains. This incorporates not only the production and processing systems but also the food service and consumer handling practices. Dairy animals and environment may act as important reservoirs of both spoilage and pathogenic bacteria that are maintained through certain infectivity cycles under the dairy farming conditions. These also have the potential to be carried over to the dairy processing environments leading to the contamination of dairy products 2. In addition to quality and safety, dairy products are increasingly been perceived as health products. It is thus imperative to develop new dairy products with enhanced functional attributes to meet new demands. 1. The purpose of the present investigation is to study the persistence of spoilage and pathogenic microflora under dairy farming environments and develop HACCP based system approach to control the pathogens. The study also aims at establishing cross contamination between dairy farms and dairy processing plants due to the presence of certain infectivity cycles. 2. Another purpose of the study is to enhance the health attributes of dairy products by enriching them with functional components like bioactive peptides, conjugated linoleic acid, and riboflavin to enhance health attributes.

OBJECTIVES: 1.To study the cross contamination issues at the dairy farm level and development of a HACCP based system approach to control pathogenic bacteria in milk 2.To examine the cross infectivity models under dairy production and processing environment and establish their linkages or overlaps 3.To develop enriched dairy products with enhanced health attributes

SD00H221-07. MANUFACTURE, FUNCTIONALITY, AND APPLICATION OF PROTEIN BASED DAIRY INGREDIENTS (Oct 2007 - Sept 2012)
Metzger, L. E.; Mistry, V. V.; Hassan, A.; Kasiviswanath, M

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The world demand for dairy protein exceeds the world supply of dairy protein and the The United States has an opportunity to expand its milk production if economical systems for manufacture and fractionation of milk protein are available. This project will develop manufacturing processes for protein based dairy ingredients that can serve domestic and export markets.

OBJECTIVES: Project 1: Manufacture of whey protein concentrate and isolate for use in beverage applications. 1. Determine if mineral chelating processing aids can be incorporated in the current low fat WPC and WPI filtration based manufacturing process to alter the mineral balance and improve the functionality of WPC and WPI. 2. Determine if mineral chelating processing aids have an impact on the amount of whey protein lost in the retentate during microfiltration 3. Determine if nanofiltration can be used in WPC and WPI manufacture to increase the solids content prior to spray drying. 4. Compare conventionally produced WPC/WPI to WPC/WPI produced using the developed process that maximizes the removal of minerals and lipids, and minimizes thermal treatment during the entire manufacturing process. Project 2:Manufacture of native casein concentrate, native whey protein concentrate and demineralized casein concentrate from skim milk. 1. Develop a spiral wound, filtration based manufacturing processes for production of native casein concentrate, demineralized casein concentrate and native whey protein concentrate. 2. Evaluate the storage stability and functionality of milk protein concentrate, native casein concentrate, demineralized casein concentrate and native casein concentrate.

SD00H212-07. STRATEGIES TO INCREASE THE UTILIZATION OF COPRODUCT AND TRADITIONAL FEEDS BY LACTATING COWS (Oct 2007 - Sept 2012)
Schingoethe, D. J.; Hippen, A. R.; Kalscheur, K. F.; Garcia, A. D.

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: New "next generation" ethanol fermentation technology is resulting in the production of an expanded array of new coproducts. This research will evaluate the use of these new ethanol coproducts, as well as other byproduct feeds, in diets of lactating cows.

OBJECTIVES: This research is intended to evaluate coproducts of the "next generation" of ethanol production as well as other traditional and new feeds that may become available for use in dairy cattle diets. Most evaluations will be as feeds for lactating cows, although some evaluations (e.g. with highly fibrous products) may be with growing heifers or dry cows. Specific objectives for this project include the following: 1. To evaluate the composition and feeding value of new modified coproducts from ethanol production which in many cases will arise from new fractionation technology of distillers grains. This will include evaluating products such as a) condensed corn distillers solubles (CCDS), b) high protein DGS, c) high fiber DGS products, and d) high fat DGS products. 2. To evaluate the protein quality and feeding value of protein supplements such as regular DGS, high protein DGS, canola meal, and soybean meal. 3. To evaluate the composition and feeding value of coproducts or residues that result from cellulosic ethanol production or from ethanol production from other starch or sugar sources.

SD00H220-07. USE OF BIOFUEL COPRODUCTS TO IMPROVE NUTRIENT UTILIZATION IN DAIRY CATTLE (Oct 2007 - Sept 2012)
Kalscheur, K. F.; Hippen, A. R.; Schingoethe, D. J.; Garcia, A. D.

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The biofuel industry is expanding rapidly resulting in an increase in coproducts that can be used by the livestock industry. These coproducts are dietary sources of nitrogen and phosphorus that need to be efficiently converted to milk and meat and limit losses in manure. This projects examines nutrient utilization of dairy cattle fed diets using biofuel coproducts to reduce losses to the environment.

OBJECTIVES: The overall goal of the proposed research is to improve nutrient utilization of dairy cattle diets using biofuel coproducts. By improving nutrient utilization, nutrient excretion to the environment will be reduced and the efficiency to produce milk will be improved. The overall goal will be addressed through the following objectives: 1) Determine optimal concentrations of dietary protein fractions such as rumen-degradable protein, rumen-undegradable protein, and amino acids on N excretion, ammonia loss, efficiency of N utilization and animal performance when fed biofuel coproducts; 2) Determine optimal concentrations of dietary P provided by fuel coproducts and its effect on ruminal P metabolism and P excretion in dairy cattle; 3) Determine the effect of altering dietary carbohydrate, fat, and protein on rumen fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, and overall nutrient utilization when new biofuel coproducts are included in dairy cattle diets.

SD00164H. FLAVOR, TEXTURE, AND NUTRITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS (Oct 2006 - Sept 2011)
Dr Robert Baer

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Oxidized off-flavor in milk is the most common flavor defect found in milk today. Most ice cream has an icy texture. A method that inhibits and reverses light-induced oxidized off-flavor in milk will be developed. A method to reduce pink discoloration, a defect in Cheddar and colby cheeses, will be evaluated. Frozen desserts will be produced with improved nutrition and texture.

OBJECTIVES: 1. To identify, evaluate, and optimize processing techniques that will inhibit and reverse light-induced oxidized off-flavor in fluid milk. Another aspect of this objective is to develop a processing technique that will reduce pinking defect in Cheddar and colby cheese. 2. To optimize methods and develop recommendations for use in producing frozen desserts with improved nutrition and texture.

SD00153H. METABOLIC CONDITIONING OF EARLY LACTATION DAIRY COWS (Oct 2006 - Sept 2011)
Drs Arnold Hippen Kenneth, David Schingoethe and Kalscheur

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: "Fat cow syndrome" or fatty liver is a "gateway" disorder that occurs in periparturient dairy cows and increases the susceptibility of cows to ketosis and other metabolic aberrations. The metabolic fuel of the cow changes from carbohydrates to lipids during these events, and the cow suffers from an insufficiency of blood glucose. Thus, normalization of carbohydrate metabolism in postparturient cows could decrease lipid infiltration of the liver, provide greater resilience to the stresses of calving, and improve reproductive and immunological performance. The approach of these investigations will focus on regulatory mechanisms of blood glucose concentrations and aids for more rapid attainment of normal carbohydrate status through dietary intervention.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this research program is to develop nutritional techniques to ensure the health of the periparturient dairy cow and her calf and increase productivity of the cow. This overall objective will be addressed on the following fronts: 1. Nutritional intervention (metabolic conditioning). The first objective is to examine regulation of glucose metabolism through provision of lipogenic and ketogenic compounds in the dairy cow diet. 2. Classic nutrition (provision of substrate to meet the animals metabolic requirements). Provision of glucogenic substrates for alleviation of ketosis through diet will be examined along with the impact of fermentative alteration of these compounds by ruminal microbes. 3. Disease and immunological considerations. The relationship of fat cow syndrome and susceptibility to infectious and viral disorders has long been observed. Increased susceptibility to mastitis, metritis, respiratory disorders, and viral agents have been recorded and documented. Examinations of these effects are a secondary, but parallel, objective that warrant investigation with commitment of resources to the primary objectives.

SD00394R. MODIFYING MILK FAT COMPOSITION FOR ENHANCED MANUFACTURING QUALITIES AND CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY (Oct 2004 - Sept 2009)
Drs David Schingoethe, Robert Baer and Arnold Hippen

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Milk is nature's most nearly perfect food but can be made even better. Results of this research will improve the healthfulness, marketability, and consumer acceptability of dairy products. The purpose of this research is to improve the healthfulness and marketability of dairy products.

OBJECTIVES: 2. Enhance absorption of desired fatty acids for milk fat synthesis through manipulation of diet and lipid transformations by gut microorganisms.3. Develop quantitative models for evaluation of preharvest strategies for production of milk with greater nutritional value.

SD00154H. APPLICATIONS OF EXOPOLYSACCHARIDES-PRODUCING CULTURES IN DAIRY PRODUCTS (Oct 2004 - Sept 2009)
Drs Ashraf Hassan, and Vikram Mistry

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Low fat dairy products suffer from inferior texture and flavor. The survival of probiotics in yogurt (high acidity) is low and the viability of most strains is lost during storage. The objective of this work is to improve the characteristics of low fat fermented dairy products. In addition, effectiveness of exopolysaccharides at enhancing the survival of probiotics in yogurt will be examined.

OBJECTIVES: Objective 1. To optimize manufacturing conditions for the production of low fat Cheddar cheese with characteristics similar to those of full fat types using nonropy exopolysaccharides producing cultures. Objective 2. To optimize manufacturing parameters for the production of non-fat yogurt with improved physical properties from concentrated milk fermented by exopolysaccharides-producing cultures. Objective 3. To examine the usefulness of exopolysaccharides for enhancing the stability of probiotics during processing and storage of yogurt and yogurt powder.

South Dakota State University / Dairy Science Department
Dairy Microbiology Rm 109 / Phone: 605-688-4116
College of Agricultural and Biological Sciences