A survey was conducted to evaluate husbandry practices and herd health management in dairy farms in Mostaganem province, located in north Algeria. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews with 56 farmers, followed by a visit to the production environment of the dairy cows. The results showed that 64% of farmers feed their cows a basic ration of oat hay and straw, while 32% use corn silage. On average, 9.85 ±0.32 kg of concentrate was distributed per dairy cow. Most farms didn’t have efficient forage production, while only 21% of them produced all the necessary forage. The average milk production per cow on the surveyed farms was 18.19 ±0.45 L, with a lactation length of 293.5 ±1.65 days. The cows were milked using a portable milking machine in poor hygienic conditions. Estrus detection was performed occasionally by farmers, and natural breeding was the main method of insemination, occurring at a rate of 63%. The voluntary waiting period was on average 76.6 ±3.56 days, and the average calving interval was 14.35 ±0.2 months. The culling rate in dairy farms was 23% on average, with the most common reasons for culling being mastitis and age at a rate of 23% and 21% respectively. The main diseases reported by the farmers were mastitis (82%), followed by lameness (57%). All surveyed farmers vaccinated their herds against only rabies and foot-and-mouth disease. This survey can help to identify the challenges and potential opportunities for improving dairy farm productivity and welfare in the Mostaganem province. The agricultural and economic sectors should work with farmers towards improving dairy farming techniques and practices, using efficient feeding systems and enhanced technology of dairy herd management, providing training and education to farmers, and resolving herd health issues to increase the economic efficiency of the dairy industry.

Lactic acid bacteria have long been utilized in fermented foods and dairy products such as cheese, these bacteria play an important role in food bio-preservation, organoleptic properties development, and quality improvement. The purpose of this research was to determine and assess the biotechnological characteristics of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional Algerian cheese "J'ben". Fifteen lactic acid bacteria (gram positive, catalase negative) were molecularly identified according to their 16S rDNA sequences, six belonged to Enterococcus durans, three to Enterococcus faecium, three to Lactococcus lactis, and three to Leuconostoc mesenteroide. The strains were evaluated for proteolysis, lipolysis, antibacterial activity, exopolysaccharide synthesis, and safety (hemolytic activity). All studied strains had considerable proteolytic activity but no lipolysis potential, they were also all γ-hemolytic. The antimicrobial activity of the stains against three pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus warneri, Serratia plymuthica, and Enterobacter aerogenes) revealed that they were active against at least one of them. Finally, only three organisms produced exopolysaccharide in our study Enterococcus durans (KC1); Leuconos-toc mesenteroide (KC6); and Lactococcus lactis (KC15). These findings suggest that the lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional cheese "J'ben" have significant technological propereties, making them suitable for use as starter culture in fermented dairy products.

This research aimed to evaluate the effect of the epigenetic climatic factor of heat stress expressed by the THI on some parameters of milk production of Prim'Holsteins cows kept in the climate of the Algerian West coast. The THI was used as an indicator of the heat stress threshold. A sample of 75 lactating cows was divided into three groups according to THI level. The cows of group 1, with severe stress (THI>78), those of group 2, with light stress (THI 72-78), and those of group 3 in thermal comfort (THI<72). The daily milk production (DMY), the Physico-chemical quality (TB, TP, and EST), and the hygienic quality (total flora FMAT) of raw milk showed a decrease with the increase of the THI threshold. A significant effect (p<0.05) of heat stress is recorded on the Physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of milk. The FMAT count values of raw milk samples were highest for groups 1 and 2, while a low bacterial load was recorded for group 3 (THI<72). Heat stress had a negative impact on the performance of Prim'Holsteins cows. These preliminary results show the severity of the negative impact of heat stress in the littoral region on the production and the physicochemical and hygienic quality of milk and will serve as a useful guide for farmers to adopt actions to mitigate the impact within the barns for the sustainability of livestock.