Abstract
Simple SummaryPaper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera; PM) is a type of roughage rich in bioactive substances, such as phenolics and flavonoids, which are beneficial for animal health. This study evaluated the apparent digestibility of PM silage in Holstein dairy cows and its effect on the milk production, antioxidant capacity, and fecal bacteria composition of the animals. The results showed that the PM silage had no significant influence on the milk yield, apparent digestibility, and fecal bacteria composition of dairy cows. However, diets with PM silage can enhance the antioxidant and immune capacity of dairy cows, mainly due to the bioactive substance in PM. Today, faced with a shortage of feedstuff resources in ruminants, PM can be a useful feed resource for ruminants. Simultaneously, with the ban on antibiotics, PM may become an important functional feed for protecting animal health.Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera; PM) is an excellent and extensive type of roughage in Asia. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PM silage on the milk production, apparent digestibility, antioxidant capacity, and fecal bacteria composition in Holstein dairy cows. Forty-five lactating Holstein dairy cows with a similar milk yield and parity were selected and randomly assigned to three groups. The control group was fed a non-PM silage diet, and the PM-treated groups were fed 4.5 and 9.0% PM silage supplementary diets for 28 days. Then, treatment groups were fed diets containing 13.5 and 18.0% PM silage for the next 28 days, respectively. PM silage increased the milk urea nitrogen and decreased the somatic cell count (p < 0.05), but did not affect the dry matter intake, milk yield, apparent digestibility, and energy balance of dairy cows. PM silage can enhance the blood total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and immune globulin content (p < 0.05). The PM silage significantly decreased the relative abundance of the genera Ruminococcaceae UCG-013 and Tyzzerella-4 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, PM silage enhanced the antioxidant capacity and immunity of dairy cows, but did not influence the milk yield, dry matter digestibility, and fecal bacteria composition.
Highlights
Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera; PM) is a dioecious tree native to mainland South-Asia and East Asia [1]
The feeding experiment was conducted at Aomei Dairy Farm in Xinxiang City, Henan province, China, using dairy cows with an average 305-day milk yield per cow, milk fat content, milk protein content, and somatic cell count (SCC) of 9000 kg, 3.9%, 3.4%, and 20,000/mL, respectively
The dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield in period I, 3.5% FCM, and ECM in period II were not affected by treatments or the interaction between treatment and time
Summary
Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera; PM) is a dioecious tree native to mainland South-Asia and East Asia [1]. PM was planted to prevent soil erosion in China. It has been recognized that PM grows rapidly and has a high protein content, which makes it useful as a roughage resource for ruminant animals. About 300,000 hectares of PM plants are under cultivation in China, and most of them are planted as forage crops intended to be processed into silage. The leaves of PM are fed to pigs and chickens, while the whole plant is processed into silage which is fed to ruminants. The PM can be harvest three to five times per year in China
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