IRN AP23484620

The relevance of the project: The production of high-quality and safe milk is the main focus for farmers and dairies. Low milk productivity, despite the large number of animals, is due to a number of reasons, including extensive methods of animal husbandry, low realization of the genetic potential of animals, as well as the prevalence of diseases carried by livestock. Mastitis is widespread among infectious diseases in dairy farming, which causes significant economic costs. Mastitis in dairy cows worsens the quality of milk and thus hinders the development of the dairy industry. Mastitis occurs as a result of the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the mammary gland through the milk ducts during machine milking. Mechanical impact, pathogenic microbial infection and chemical injury are three categories into which the causes of this disease can be divided. An enteromammary pathway of infection is also not excluded. With dysbiosis of the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract, the microflora can spread to the mammary gland through lymphatic and blood circulation, leading to the development of mastitis in cows. During the implementation of this project, this problem will be solved, which will improve the quality of milk, as the need for prescribing antibiotics to animals will decrease. Bringing a Kazakhstani product to the market will reduce the risk of dependence on imports.

Modern mastitis prevention strategies are based on culling infected cows or using antibiotics to eliminate the disease.

The predominance of medicinal plants lies in their lower toxicity, as well as their use for a long time, bypassing the development of side effects. The choice of a family of plants will be carried out depending on their chemical component. Special attention will be paid to plants with a high content of essential oils, bioflavonoids, gums, tannides, etc. which are capable of having a regenerating, fungicidal, anesthetic and film-forming effect.

The idea and novelty of this project is that the developed therapeutic and prophylactic phytogenics and phytobiotics from the components of medicinal plants growing in the Republic of Kazakhstan will be used as biologics. Phytogenics will be in the form of pharmaceutical extruded granules, and phytobiotics in the form of a means for processing udder nipples after milking.

The final result of the project is a ready–made prototype in the form of biological products, ready for commercialization, differing from those presented on the market of Kazakhstan in safety, efficiency, allowing to obtain high-quality and safe dairy products, including eco-products. Today, there is a need in our country to develop its own production of veterinary drugs, which is the main goal of the project.

The purpose of the project: To develop and test phytogenics and phytobiotics in production conditions for the prevention and treatment of animal mastitis with an assessment of the quality and safety of milk.

Achieving the goal of increasing the quantity, quality and safety of milk produced on farms

Expected and achieved results: A patent information search was conducted in accordance with the established Rules of WIPO "Minimum PCT Documentation", including in the international databases WoS, Scopus, Springerlink, Elsevier, etc.

Flushing from the nipples of cows and goats was studied, microorganisms, fungi (yeast) were identified, and the effect of phytogenics and phytobiotics on microorganisms was determined.

To popularize, disseminate information about the results of the Project, increase the likelihood of their implementation and commercialization, an additional web page has been created on the site https://biofeed.kz/scientific-project/nauchnyj-proekt-1. In addition, a web page has been created - Patents, for the introduction of scientific developments into production https://biofeed.kz/patents.

Production recommendations and promotional material will be developed, with placement on social media accounts (Tik-Tok, Facebook, Telegram, etc.).

At least 3 experimental formulations of biological products in various forms, including in the form of pharmaceutical extruded granules, used for preventive, curative and curative purposes in different seasons of the year will be produced (summer, spring-autumn and winter).

The content of active substances, as well as the chemical composition (protein, fat, starch, ash) of pharmaceutical extruded granules will be determined.

Udder treatment products with different concentrations of active substances (for at least 240 animals) will be manufactured. The line-up will vary depending on the season of the year.

Experimental studies will be conducted in conditions of different farms using healthy and mastitis-affected animals. The effect of different formulations and dosages of biological products will be studied.

NTD (instructions on the procedure for the use of biological products), label design, and a presentation video will be developed. The exhibits will be displayed at exhibitions, as well as presented to farms, in order to further distribute and commercialize the finished product.

A video training will be prepared and posted on social networks.

Patents for phytogenics and phytobiotics will be obtained, articles will be published in foreign journals with a non-zero impact factor, in a journal recommended by the CCSON, in an international conference.

The level of technological readiness (TRL) of task development at the application stage is 2, at the time of completion of the project – 5

There is an agreement on international collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Uppsala, Sweden), where internships will be conducted free of charge and the chemical analysis of manufactured pharmaceutical granules and biologics will be determined.

The implementation of the project will provide new information about safe ways to increase animal productivity and milk quality after the use of phytogenics and phytobiotics, which will be transferred to production specialists. Production recommendations will be issued for this purpose.

As a result of the project, 1 (one) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or 2 undergraduates will be trained.

The economic effect will be expressed in the form of reducing the incidence of mastitis in the dairy herd, lengthening the life of the animal, reducing the high drug load, increasing the productivity of animals in quantitative and qualitative terms. Using the created drugs and remedies, it is planned to increase the average daily milk yield by 10-20%, reduce the number of somatic cells of milk by 30-40%. The research is aimed at a social effect by providing the population with safe milk and dairy products in the required amount, ensuring food security. Also, the social effect is to reduce antibiotic resistance and antibiotic burden on the consumer, which is a problem in many countries. When creating a product of domestic production, dependence on imports will decrease. Scientifically based domestic developments will be a guarantee for farmers. At the end of the project, it is planned to promote the developed products at international exhibitions, social media accounts, training seminars, and partner companies. In the future, it is planned to continue research, develop and expand the topic by participating in grant funding competitions.

Potential customers of the developed phytobiotics and phytogenics for the prevention and treatment of mastitis will be agricultural organizations, personal subsidiary farms engaged in livestock breeding and the sale of milk and dairy products. In Kazakhstan, about 80% of raw milk is produced in private farms. The introduction of the developed products into production will maximize the production of dairy products with high sanitary safety indicators, which is socially important for consumers.

Research Group:

The project executors include specialists with experience in the field of food safety, development and manufacture of therapeutic and prophylactic biologics, phytogenics, phytobiotics, who previously successfully carried out scientific projects, including commercialization.

The project team includes candidates of Sciences, PhD, associate professors and masters. The project consultants are two foreign scientists: Associate Professor of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences – Zamaratskaia Galia (Uppsala, Sweden. h-Index – 31, Researcher ID WoS: I-6155-2016, ORCID: 0000-0003-0926-4849, Scopus Author ID: 57299699500) and Knicky Martin (free of charge) (Swedish research institute RISE, h-Index –5, Researcher ID Web of Science: GYD-8437-2022, ORCID: 0000-0001-5121-1957, Scopus Author ID: 8254820200). The results of the consultants' research have been published in more than 100 rating publications (Scopus, WoS, etc.). Scientific consultants will select and validate the ingredients of therapeutic and preventive drugs, advise in the design of the experiment and the manufacture of extruded granules that will be inserted inside, process the results and accompany publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Production specialists from livestock farms and laboratories will also participate.

The research group includes university students (2 doctoral students and 2 undergraduates), which will allow young specialists to improve their skills and identify themselves as a competitive specialist. The data obtained during the experiments will be applicable for writing dissertations.

The scientific director of the Project is Balji Yuriy Alexandrovich, Candidate of Veterinary Sciences, Associate Professor, acting Professor, specialist in food quality and safety, production of phytobiotics and extruded compound feeds. Twice (2010, 2014). He was a scholarship recipient of the competition of talented young scientists of the Republic of Kazakhstan, twice (2011, 2022) awarded the title "Best University teacher of the Republic of Kazakhstan", awarded the diploma of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2015), awarded the honorary title "Honored Inventor of the Republic of Kazakhstan" (2019). Based on previously obtained patents and RNNTD, he created a startup company, organized the production and sale of animal feed supplements. The presented Project is a logical continuation of scientific activities in the field of food safety and animal husbandry. He has published more than 240 scientific and methodological publications and received 60 patents. He completed advanced training at 17 European, US and Kazakh universities and organizations, received more than 30 certificates, 15 of which were issued by foreign organizations, and completed an internship as an organic products expert (CCAA).

The composition of the research group for conducting scientific research, including foreign scientists, young scientists (postdoctoral students, doctoral students, master's and bachelor's degree students).