The research activity of Dr. Luciano Pinotti, University of Milan, has focused on two main issues: supplementation of vitamin and vitamin-like substances in dairy ruminants and feed safety.

The first line of research has been developed in the field of micronutrient precursors and metabolic support for lactation, uptake and metabolism of nutrients by the mammary gland, and manipulation of milk components. In this contest Luciano Pinotti has been carrying out research on vitamin nutrition in dairy ruminants, particular on vitamin E supplementation in dairy cows. These studies showed that adequate vitamin E status is important for maintaining health and production in dairy cows. Arising from the work on micronutrient supply, Dr. Pinotti had conducted studies on the role of choline as vitamin-like compound in dairy ruminants. In adult ruminants, choline is extensively degraded in the rumen so that dietary choline contributes insignificantly to the choline body pool and methyl group metabolism is generally conservative (low rate of methyl catabolism and elevated rate of de novo synthesis of methyl groups via the tetrahydrofolate system). In light of this, the effects of rumen-protected choline on milk production, lipid metabolism and metabolic health, and also choline-vitamin E interactions in transition dairy ruminants (cows and goats) have been studied. Also concerned with the role of milk for delivering nutrients and bioactive compounds were also considered.

A further research area is feed safety. Dr Pinotti has been involved in research to assess the technologies used to control animal feed quality and safety, and to identify feed contamination. He has worked on meat and bone meal contamination of animal feeds, involving use of microscopic and DNA-based techniques to identify the source species of these materials.   

Publications

• Pinotti L., V.M. Moretti, A. Baldi, F. Bellagamba, A. Campagnoli,  G. Savoini, V. Dell’Orto (2005). Feed authentication as an essential component of food safety and control. Outlook in Agriculture, 34: 243-248.
• Pinotti L., F. Rosi. Leptin in bovine colostrum and milk. Horm. Met. Res., 2006 38: 89-93.
• Baldi A, Pinotti L. Lipophilic microconstituents of milk. Adv Exp Med Biol., 2008, 606: 109-125.
• Pinotti L., A. Campagnoli, F. D’Ambrosio, F. Susca, M. Innocenti, R. Rebucci, E. Fusi, F. Cheli, G. Savoini, V. Dell’Orto, A. Baldi. Rumen-Protected Choline and Vitamin E Supplementation in Periparturient Dairy Goats: Effects on Milk Production and Folate, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E Status. Animal, 2008, 2: 1019-1027.