BACKGROUND: Complementary feeding is considered appropriate when introduced timely at 6 months of age, and where it fulfils the minimum meal frequency, minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet. Sufficient evidence is available on the different individual indicators of appropriate complementary feeding.
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and determinants of appropriate complementary feeding practices among children aged 6-23 months in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.
METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 52 districts of Tigray.
METHODS: A total of 5321 children aged 6-23 months were included using stratified two-stage random sampling.
RESULTS: Approximately 19% of children received appropriate complementary feeding. Maternal residence in urban areas (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.26; 95% CI 1.062 to 1.489), maternal education (AOR 1.34; 95% CI 1.111 to 1.611), antenatal care (ANC) visits (AOR 1.75; 95% CI 1.343 to 2.281), household food security (AOR 2.81; 95% CI 2.367 to 3.330) and provision of colostrum to newborns (AOR 1.76; 95% CI 1.139 to 2.711) were found predictors of appropriate complementary feeding. Moreover, children in the 12-17 and 18-23 months age groups were 1.3 (AOR 1.30; 95% CI 1.083 to 1.551) and 1.7 (AOR 1.73; 95% CI 1.436 to 2.072) times more likely to receive appropriate complementary feeding respectively, compared with children aged 6-11 months.
CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate complementary feeding practices among children aged 6-23 months remain unacceptably low in Tigray. Recommendations to improve nutrition outcomes include counselling on age-appropriate complementary feeding, education for girls and women, targeting families through food security initiatives, provision of nutrition education on appropriate complementary feeding practices during ANC visits, supporting mothers to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of delivery and crafting context-based messaging for rural families.

The prepartum diet as well as individual metabolic status of the cow influences colostrum parameters. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the effect of increasing prepartum dietary MP supply on colostrum yield, composition, and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration, and 2) identify prepartum metabolic indicators associated with these outcomes. Multiparous Holstein cows (n = 96) were blocked by expected calving date and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 prepartum diets formulated to contain a control (CON; 85 g of MP/kg DM; 1,175 g of MP/d) or high (HI; 113 g of MP/kg DM; 1,603 g of MP/d) level of MP starting at 28 d before expected calving. Both prepartum diets were formulated to supply Met and Lys at an equal amount of 1.24 and 3.84 g/Mcal of metabolizable energy (ME), respectively. Metabolic indicators were determined in serum (albumin, glutamate dehydrogenase, cholesterol, aspartate transaminase, total protein, total bilirubin, and IgG) or plasma (Ca, glucose, fatty acids, BHB, and urea nitrogen) twice weekly in a subset of cows (n = 60). Colostrum was harvested at 3.6 ± 2.4 h from calving and yield as well as concentrations of IgG, fat, protein, and Ca were determined. Cows were retrospectively grouped based on the typical volume of colostrum needed for 2 colostrum meals (<6 or ≥ 6 kg), IgG concentration (<100 or ≥ 100 g/L), as well as the median concentrations of fat (<4.4 or ≥ 4.4%), protein (<16.5 or ≥ 16.5%), Ca (<0.21 or ≥ 0.21%), and total colostrum ME (<8.65 or ≥ 8.65 Mcal). Data were analyzed using mixed effects ANOVA, with repeated measures where applicable. Feeding HI tended to increase colostrum yield in cows entering parity 2 (9.4 vs. 7.2 ± 0.9 kg), but treatment did not affect yield from cows entering parity ≥3 (5.1 vs. 6.4 ± 1.0 kg). Supply of MP did not affect concentrations of IgG, fat, protein, or Ca. Cows that produced ≥ 6 kg vs. those producing <6 kg of colostrum had lower plasma concentrations of glucose. Metabolic indicators were not associated with IgG group. Colostrum fat ≥4.4% was associated with cows having lower prepartum concentrations of glucose, total protein, albumin, and aspartate transaminase activity. Colostrum protein ≥ 16.5% was associated with lower circulating serum IgG and elevated cholesterol. Elevated glucose as well as lower cholesterol and BHB concentrations were associated with colostrum Ca ≥ 0.21%. Further, higher albumin and fatty acids as well as lower glucose concentrations were associated with a greater colostrum energy output. In conclusion, increasing prepartum MP supply tended to increase colostrum yield in cows entering parity 2, but did not affect the composition or IgG concentration. The observed associations between metabolic indicators and colostrum parameters suggest that slight adjustment in metabolism during late gestation might be necessary to support colostrogenesis, but the causality of these relationships should be considered.

Colostrum is gaining popularity in cosmetic products. The present study compared the composition and selected biological properties of colostrum from Polish sheep (colostrum 1) and Swiss sheep (colostrum 2), particularly those that can affect healthy or diseased skin. The antioxidant activity of the colostrums was measured using ABTS and DPPH assays. The effect on the proliferation of human skin fibroblasts, neonatal epidermal keratinocytes, and human diabetic fibroblast (dHF) cells isolated from diabetic foot ulcers was also assayed in vitro by MTT and Presto Blue tests, respectively. The colostrum simulated dHF cell proliferation by up to 115.4%. The highest used concentration of colostrum 1 stimulated normal fibroblast proliferation by 191.2% (24 h) and 222.2% (48 h). Both colostrums inhibited epidermal keratinocyte viability. The influence of the colostrums on the expression of genes related to proliferation (Ki67) and immune response (IL-6, PTGS-2, TSG-6) in dHF cells were compared. Colostrum 1 increased the rate of wound closure (scar test). Analysis of total fat, protein and fatty acid content found the Polish colostrum to be a richer source of fat than the Swiss colostrum, which contained a larger amount of protein. Both colostrums exhibit properties that suggest they could be effective components in cosmetic or medicinal formulations for skin care, especially supporting its regeneration, rejuvenation, and wound healing.

The present study examined the fatty acid content of human milk from Polish women living in the Warmia and Mazury region with regard to different lactation periods and compared it with the fatty acid content of selected infant formulas. The analysis included samples of breast milk-colostrum (n = 21), transitional milk (n = 26), and mature milk (n = 22). Fat was extracted using the Rose-Gottlieb method, and the fatty acid profile was determined by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (FID). The proportion of SFAs (saturated fatty acids) > MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) > PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) was determined in each fraction of breast milk and infant formula. Palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids predominated in breast milk and infant formulas. Colostrum contained lower contents of selected SFAs (caprylic, capric, lauric) and higher contents of selected MUFAs (ercucic) and PUFAs (arachidonic and docosahexaenoic) (p < 0.05) relative to transitional and mature milk. Infant formulas were distinguished from human milk in terms of their SFA (caproic, caprylic, lauric, arachidic), MUFA (oleic), and PUFA (linoleic, α-linoleic) content. It should be noted that infant formulas contained significantly lower trans fatty acid (TFA) content-more than thirty-six and more than nineteen times lower than in human milk. Furthermore, human milk contained branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) at 0.23-0.28%, while infant formulas contained only trace amounts of these acids. The average ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids for human milk was 6.59:1 and was close to the worldwide ratio of 6.53 ± 1.72:1. Both principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) indicated significant differences in the fatty acid profile relative to lactation and a different profile of infant formulas relative to breast milk.

α -Lactalbumin, an abundant protein present in the milk of most mammals, is associated with biological, nutritional and technological functionality. Its sequence presents N-glycosylation motifs, the occupancy of which is species-specific, ranging from no to full occupancy. Here, we investigated the N-glycosylation of bovine α-lactalbumin in colostrum and milk sampled from four individual cows, each at 9 time points starting from the day of calving up to 28.0 d post-partum. Using a glycopeptide-centric mass spectrometry-based glycoproteomics approach, we identified N-glycosylation at both Asn residues found in the canonical Asn-Xxx-Ser/Thr motif, i.e. Asn45 and Asn74 of the secreted protein. We found similar glycan profiles in all four cows, with partial site occupancies, averaging at 35% and 4% for Asn45 and Asn74, respectively. No substantial changes in occupancy occurred over lactation at either site. Fucosylation, sialylation, primarily with N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), and a high ratio of N,N\'-diacetyllactosamine (LacdiNAc)/N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) motifs were characteristic features of the identified N-glycans. While no substantial changes occurred in site occupancy at either site during lactation, the glycoproteoform (i.e. glycosylated form of the protein) profile revealed dynamic changes; the maturation of the α-lactalbumin glycoproteoform repertoire from colostrum to mature milk was marked by substantial increases in neutral glycans and the number of LacNAc motifs per glycan, at the expense of LacdiNAc motifs. While the implications of α-lactalbumin N-glycosylation on functionality are still unclear, we speculate that N-glycosylation at Asn74 results in a structurally and functionally different protein, due to competition with the formation of its two intra-molecular disulphide bridges.

Recently, much interest has been raised for the characterization of signaling molecules carried by extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are particularly enriched in milk (mEVs). Such interest is linked to the capability of EVs to cross biological barriers, resist acidification in the gastric environment, and exert modulation of the immune system, mainly through their microRNA (miRNA) content. We characterized the small-RNA cargo of colostrum EVs (colosEVs) and mEVs from Italian Mediterranean buffalo through next generation sequencing. Colostrum (first milking after birth) and milk (day 50 of lactation) were sampled from seven subjects from five farms. ColosEVs and mEVs were subjected to morphological characterization, followed by high-depth sequencing of small RNA libraries produced from total RNA. The main difference was the amount of EV in the two samples, with colostrum showing 10 to 100-fold higher content than milk. For both matrices, miRNA was the most abundant RNA species (95% for colosEVs and 96% for mEVs) and three lists were identified: colosEV-specific, mEV-specific and shared most expressed. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis on miRNA targets highlighted many terms related to the epigenetic, transcriptional and translational regulations across the three lists, with a higher number of enriched terms for colosEV-specific miRNAs. Terms specific to colosEVs were related to \"cell differentiation\" and \"microvillus assembly\", while for mEV \"cardiac and blood vessel development\" and \"mitochondria\" emergerd. Immune modulation terms were found for both sample-specific miRNAs. Overall, both matrices carry a similar molecular message in terms of biological processes potentially modulated into receiving cells, but there is significant difference in the abundance, with colostrum containing much more EVs than milk. Moreover, colosEVs carry molecules involved in signal transduction, cell cycle and immune response, as for mEVs and EVs of other previously characterized species, but with a special enrichment for miRNAs with epigenetic regulation capacities. These beneficial characteristics of colosEVs and mEVs are essential for the calf and could also be exploited for the therapeutic purposes in humans, although further studies are necessary to measure the sanitization treatment impact on EV conservation, especially in buffalo where milk is consumed almost exclusively after processing.

As vastly modified on secreted proteins, N-glycosylation is found on milk proteins and undergo dynamic changes during lactation, characterizing milk protein glycosylation would benefit the elucidation of glycosylation pattern differences between samples. However, their low abundance required specific enrichment. Herein, through rational design and controllable synthesis, we developed a novel multi-functional polymer for the isolation of protein glycosylation. It efficiently separated glycopeptides from complex background inferences with mutual efforts of hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC), metal ion affinity and ion exchange. By fine-tuning Ca2+ as regulators of aldehyde hyaluronic acid (HA) conformation, the grafting density of HA was remarkably improved. Moreover, grafting Ti4+ further enhanced the enrichment performance. Application of this material to characterize bovine milk and colostrum proteins yields 479 and 611 intact glycopeptides, respectively. Comparative analysis unraveled the distinct glycosylation pattern as well the different distribution of glycoprotein abundances between the two samples, offering insights for functional food development.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of the exposure to daily maximum and temperature-humidity index (THI) and to daily THI fluctuations (∆THI = maximum THI-minimum THI) at exposure periods comprising 2 d before birth to birth (-2 d), birth date (0 d), birth to 2 d of age (+2 d), and birth to 7 d of age (+7 d) on serum total proteins (STP), transfer of passive immunity (TPI), and the occurrence of scours and respiratory disease. A total of 841 Holstein heifer calves were retrospectively observed from -2 d until 65 d of age. Colostrum quality was assessed using a colostrometer to ensure a minimum globulin concentration of 52 mg/mL in the colostrum fed to the study calves. Two temperature and relative humidity sensors were installed at the calf yard. Maximum, minimum, and ∆THI values were obtained for each exposure period, and thermal exposure categories were defined as heat stress (HS: maximum THI > 70 units; non-HS: THI ≤ 70 units) and ∆THI (low < 20 units, medium ≥ 20 to ≤30 units, high > 30). The TPI was classified as poor (STP < 5.1 g/dL), fair (5.1 and 5.7 g/dL), good (>5.7 and 6.1 g/dL), and excellent (≥6.1 g/dL). Associations between the thermal exposure categories and the study outcomes were examined using ANOVA, logistic regression, and survival analyses. No differences in STP at -2 d were observed between HS and non-HS calves (6.83 ± 0.05 vs. 6.91 ± 0.05 g/dL), whereas HS-exposed calves at 0 d tended to have lower STP compared with non-HS calves (6.82 ± 0.05 vs. 6.92 ± 0.05 g/dL). Calves exposed to small ∆THI at 0 d had greater STP compared with calves exposed to medium ∆THI (7.00 ± 0.06 vs. 6.75 ± 0.05 g/dL). No association was found between HS, and ∆THI categories and the TPI category. The odds of scours were about 2 times greater in HS calves compared with non-HS calves at all exposure periods. In addition, HS calves were affected by scours between 9 and 15 d earlier than non-HS calves. Furthermore, high ∆THI favored the development of respiratory problems compared with medium and low ∆THI. Assessment of extreme THI values and THI fluctuations provides a research opportunity for assessing thermal stress in dairy heifer calves raised in dry climate.
The effects of the exposure to daily maximum temperature-humidity index (THI) and daily THI fluctuations (∆THI, maximum–minimum THI) around birth (−2 d, birth date [0 d], +2 d, and +7 d) on serum total protein (STP) and health of preweaned Holstein heifers were evaluated. Heifer calves exposed to small ∆THI (<20 units) at 0 d had greater STP compared with medium ∆THI (≥20 to ≤30 units). At all exposure periods, heat stress (THI > 70 units) increased the occurrence of scours at earlier age, whereas small and large ∆THI favored the presentation of scours and respiratory disease, respectively.

This experiment was motivated by the need to understand the impacts of delaying the first colostrum feeding on the prevalence of failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI). A cohort of 216 kids was stratified into groups based on the colostrum feeding delay postbirth: 0-4 h, 4-8 h, 8-12 h, and 12-16 h. All kids received a single colostrum meal of 300 mL, and blood samples were collected approximately 36 h after feeding. Serum immunoglobulin G (SIgG) was measured using ELISA, and serum total protein (STP) was assessed using the Bradford method and refractometry (STPb and STPr). Statistical methods like Pearson correlations, Bland-Altman plots, and Lin\'s concordance coefficient were employed to assess associations and agreements between SIgG, STPb and STPr. Receiver operator characteristic analysis was employed to determine optimal STPb and STPr thresholds for predicting FTPI (SIgG < 12 g/L). Subsequently, areas under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity were examined to assess the accuracy of these thresholds. Our results showed that for each hour\'s delay from birth to colostrum intake (up to 16 h), IgG apparent efficiency of absorption (AEA) decreases at an approximate rate of 2.0% per hour, and SIgG decreases at an approximate rate of 1.0 g/L per hour. However, this decline is not constant over time but intensifies progressively with increased feeding delay. Specifically, reductions in IgG AEA were 1.3, 2.9, and 5.9% per hour, and decreases in SIgG were 0.2, 0.3, and 0.7 g per hour for SIgG across the time intervals of 0-4 to 4-8 h, 4-8 to 8-12 h, and 8-12 to 12-16 h, respectively. Additionally, there was an increase in SIgG of 1.2 g/dL but a decrease in IgG AEA of 1.9% for each gram per kg of BW increase in IgG intake. The correlations between SIgG and STPr and STPb were 0.62, and 0.36, respectively. Optimal STPr and STPb thresholds predicting FTPI were determined to be 4.6 and 6.2 g/dL. The prevalence of FTPI, according to SIgG, STPr, and STPb thresholds were 63, 62, and 45%. Overall, STPr showed higher values for key performance metrics (i.e., sensitivity, likelihood ratio of positive tests, overall accuracy, and Youden\'s index), indicating better prediction ability than STPb. Our findings corroborate the critical importance of swift colostrum administration, ideally occurring no later than 12 h postbirth. Moreover, our research validates the effectiveness of Brix refractometry as a practical, on-farm method for assessing FTPI in goat kids.

BACKGROUND: Colostrum is the first milk for a newborn. Its high content in microbiota shaping compounds and its intake at the time of gut microbiota seeding suggests colostrum may be critical in the establishment of a healthy microbiota. There is also accumulating evidence on the importance of the gut microbiota for healthy growth. Here, we aimed to investigate the contribution of colostrum, and colostrum-induced microbiota to growth promotion. Addressing this question is highly significant because (1) globally, less than half of the newborns are fully colostrum fed (2) the evidence for the importance of the microbiota for the prevention of undernutrition has only been demonstrated in juvenile or adult pre-clinical models while stunting already starts before weaning.
RESULTS: To address the importance of diet at birth in growth failure, we developed a unique mouse model in which neonates are breastfed by mothers at an advanced stage of lactation who no longer provide colostrum. Feeding newborn mice with mature milk instead of colostrum resulted in significant growth retardation associated with the biological features of chronic undernutrition, such as low leptin levels, dyslipidemia, systemic inflammation, and growth hormone resistance. We next investigated the role of colostrum in microbiota shaping. At the end of the lactation period, we found a major difference in gut microbiota alpha diversity, beta diversity, and taxa distribution in control and colostrum-deprived mice. To determine the causal relationship between changes in microbiota and growth trajectories, we repeated our experiment in germ-free mice. The beneficial effect of colostrum on growth remained in the absence of microbiota.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that colostrum may play an important role in the prevention of growth failure. They highlight that the interplay between neonatal gut microbiome assembly and diet may not be as crucial for growth control in the developing newborn as described in young adults. This opens a paradigm shift that will foster research for colostrum\'s bioactives that may exert a similar effect to microbiota-derived ligands in promoting growth and lead to new avenues of translational research for newborn-tailored prevention of stunting. Video Abstract.