Effect of Total Mixed Ratio (TMR) Supplementation on Milk Nutritive Value and Mineral Status of Female Camels and Their Calves (Camelus dromedarius) Raised under Semi Intensive System during Winter

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I am concerned about the authorities' permission to conduct experiments on animals. Other wise the study is very good and the efforts made by the authors needs appreciation

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear prof.

Thanks for your valuable comments and recommendation. I considered all comments and suggestion from your side and other reviewers as attached.

Thanks

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Mutassim M. Abdelrahman

Corresponding author

 

I have reviewed your article titled “Effect of Total Mixed Ratio (TMR) supplementation on milk nutritive value and mineral status of she-camels and their calve (Camelus dromedarius) raised under semi intensive system during winter” (Agriculture-1950127) submitted to Agriculture MDPI. The manuscript includes the evaluation of two different supplements to she-camels (TMR: a mixed concentrate mainly composed by barley grain, wheat, palm kernel cake, soya hulls, and minerals; and a control (alfalfa hay)), since the management of camels is changing from an extensive system to an intensive one, and the importance of quality of the milk production, studies about the balance of diets could be interesting to readers of the semiarid zones of middle-east and Africa, considering the nutritional composition of camel´s milk. After analyzed your manuscript I would recommend next suggestions:  

 

Title:

1.       “Total mixed Ratio”, mixed should begin in capitals.

2.       I am not sure about if it would be better to change in title “Total Mixed Ratio” to “concentrate”, it is not well known the composition of a “Total Mixed Ratio” that could be different among different places.   

 

Abstract:

1.       TMR should be defined in line 17.

2.       Although TMR is well described in Table 1, it would be better to include in Abstract the main ingredients of TMR (i.e. primarily containing a mix of barley grain, wheat feed, palm kernel cake, soya hulls, and minerals).

3.       Use TMR or T to consistently describe the treatment group in all the main text, i.e. Lines 22-23 “[…] minerals in she-camels were significantly (P<0.05) higher 22 in T group compared to C group. Blood serum of the calves in T group was significantly […]”. i.e. Line 153, Are the C and T groups and C and TMR groups the same? Are T and TMR the same?

 

Introduction:

1.       In lines 55 to 59 “But the problem with this feature is the unknown nutritional subclinical deficiencies during different seasons, which markedly reduce camels’ performance and profitability. Many scientific studies have demonstrated alterations in absorption and metabolism of glucose, protein, lipids and minerals and effects on liver biological function in heat or cold stressed subjects [6-8]”. Are the alterations […] related to subclinical deficiencies caused by the availability of nutrients in the different seasons? If it is related, please rewrite those lines to clarify this point.

 

Material and Methods:

1.       Statistical Analysis: “Data were analyzed via the PROC GLM procedure of SAS (v. 9.4, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) as a complete randomized design (CRD). Dependent variables were minerals concentration in different tissues, blood serum and milk, because of different dietary protocol (C and T). The least significant differences (LSD) test was used to test the difference between the mean with P<0.05 as a significant level”.

 

It should be better to rewrite this section considering next points: 1) Experiment design was a completely randomized design; 2) Database was analyzed through ANOVA (variance analysis); 3) The statistical model was Y=µ+Ti+Ԑij, where: Y= minerals concentration in different tissues, blood serum, and milk [minerals?]; Ti= the effect of the C or TRM diets; and Ԑij= random error; 4) Data was analyzed using general linear model procedure  (Proc GLM) of SAS (Statistical Analysis System, V. 9.4…); 5) Were determination and variation coefficients (R² and VC) considered to determine the models validity?; 6) Differences among means were compared through LSD (least statistical differences) considering P<0.05).   

 

Format:

1.       Check the grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, also check the spaces in some lines (i.e. Line 114 “TMR;4 kg/head/day”).

 

I hope present suggestions and comments could be helpful to improve your manuscript that I really think could be interesting for many potential readers.

 

 

 

Author Response

Dear Prof. 

Thanks for valuable comments and suggestions. 

All correction requested were considered such as 1, 3, 4.... etc.  Regarding point2. The TMR is a little bit differ from the concentrate since the fiber content is higher is higher than in normal concentrate as shown in table 1. We checked the format and grammar comments.

I appreciate your cooperation,\. I attached the corrected version considered your suggestion and other reviewers.

Regards

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Effect of Total Mixed Ratio (TMR) supplementation on milk nutritive value and mineral status of she-camels and their calves (Camelus dromedaries) raised under semi intensive system during winter

 

Dear authors,

manuscript is interesting and describes the problem of shortages of feed components during winter period in natural Arabian climate with the possibility of its solution using TMR mixtures, which affect the composition of female milk after birth as well as the condition in the perinatal period. The conclusions confirm the rationality of using this type of treatment and the increase in the nutritional value of camel's milk for the offspring mainly in terms of total protein and minerals. Below I add some suggestions helpful during correction of the text.

 

Line 1

‘Effect of Total Mixed Ration (TMR)…’ instead of ‘Effect of Total mixed Ratio…’.

Line 2, 13, 20 and so on: She-camels it is an antropomorphization possibly related with tradition , maybe female camels will be better word, but it is only suggestion.

Line 4

Calves (plural) instead of calve (singular: calf).

Line 16

Group one was fed only instead of ‘…Group one fed only…’.

Line 44

‘…vitamins and minerals of milk [3] better is to described as ‘…vitamins and minerals contained in milk…’.

Line 74

‘The level of nutrition and trace minerals intakes…’ maybe better to use ‘…The level of nutrients and trace minerals…’.

Line 101

Lack description of chemical components in Materials and Methods, that why it is problem then with Table 2 kind of protein or fat, perhaps it is crude protein and ether extract (FOSS Milco-Scan FT6000).

Line 148

Table 1 instead of  Table 2.

Line 151

Complete randomized design were used but one-way ANOVA as a significance test could be added in case of statistical analysis.

Line 165

Nomenclature of nutrients in Table 2 according to milk analysis method. Crude protein/total protein, ether extract/milk fat, lactose, total solid/dry matter, solid non-fat, inorganic matter/crude ash.

Line 190

Table 3.

Element instead of Mineral.

Line 194

Less or equal 0.05 because in this case will be problem with Mg and Zn or there is a space in column and 3 decimals can be used when P value is described.

Line 199

Table 4. Element instead of Mineral.

Three decimals can be used when P value is described.

Line 213

Table 5. Element instead of Mineral.

Three decimals can be used when P value is described.

Line 230

Table 6. Element instead of Mineral.

Line 239

Table 7. Element instead of Mineral.

Line 241

NC – no correlation instead of not correlation.

Line 249

Double dot.

Line 250

Table 8. Element instead of Mineral.

Line 268

‘…dromedary milk compared to dromedary from Arabian Peninsula…’ instead of dromedary compared to dromedary from Arabian Peninsula.

Line 282 , Line 326

Citation number 47 must be 35,  and the whole order of articles to the end needs to change.

Line 364

Conclusions

What kind of protein?

Line 385

References

Must be corrected, in case of Names of Journals, ie. line 395 International Journal of Dairy Science- Int. J. Dairy Sci. and so on…

Author Response

Dear Prof,

Thanks for valuable comments and suggestions.

All comments and suggestions were considered regarding the editing and rephrasing for all specified lines. Including rephrasing, P values, conclusion, discussion, and references. Please have a look to corrected version.

Best regards,

Author Response File: Author Response.docx