Nutrient profiles and pelleting effect of different blended co-products for dairy cows

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop and test eight BPPs, blend pelleted products, based on a new co-product (CR, carinata meal), conventional co-product (CN, canola meal), peas and lignosulfonate compound (feed additive) blended at different levels for ruminants. The parameters investigated included pellet durability index (PDI), bioenergy, protein and carbohydrate (CHO) fractions, bioactive compounds (GS, glucosinolates and CT, condensed tannins), and AA, amino acid profiles. The feed processing was carried out at the Canadian National Feed Research Center (CFRC, University of Saskatchewan, Canada). The results showed that the PDI slightly improved by increasing the level of peas in BPPs or by adding lignosulfonate to BPPs. Total glucosinolates and condensed tannins ranged from 3.46 to 5.86 μmol/g and from 0.19 to 0.33 g/kg DM, respectively. Regarding the bioenergy profile, the CR-based product had higher (P < 0.05) values for NEL, net energy of lactation; NEm, net energy of maintenance, and NEg, net energy for growth compared to the CN-based products. Regarding the protein and CHO profiles, the CN-based products showed higher levels of indigestible protein (PC, 31 vs. 14 g/kg CP, P < 0.05) while lower slowly degradable true protein content (PB2, 33 vs. 12.1 g/kg CP, P < 0.05) relative to the CR-based products. Additionally, the CN-based blend pelleted products had a higher indigestible fiber content (CC, +73 g/kg CHO) relative to the CR-based blend pelleted products. The CN-based products contained higher (P < 0.05) lysine levels (ranging from 57 to 59 g/kg CP) compared to the CR-based products (ranging from 42 to 44 g/kg CP), whereas the CR-based products had the highest content of total amino acids. In conclusion, the new co-product (carinata meal) based pelleted products had higher true nutritive values, and lower glucosinolates and condensed tannins compared to the conventional co-product (canola meal), and could be used as a protein and energy source in animal and metabolic trials to determine its real effect on dairy cattle performance.