Control Hay Research Articles

Brown seaweed- (Tasco) treated conserved forage enhances antioxidant status and immune function in heat-stressed wether lambs.

Twenty-seven wether lambs were utilized to evaluate select innate immunity and oxidative stress in response to diet and heat stress. Dietary treatments were: (i) control (tall fescue) hay = no Tasco (tradename for the extract of the brown seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum, Acadian Sealants Ltd, Nova Scotia, Canada); (ii) pre-harvest Tasco-Forage-treated hay and (iii) control hay + post-harvest Tasco-EX. Tasco-Forage and Tasco-EX are two forms of the Tasco extract that are either applied to foliage or used for direct feeding, respectively. All lambs were supplemented with soyabean meal and trace mineralized salt. Heat stress was applied for 10 days with measurements obtained at days 0, 4 and 10. A heat x treatment interaction indicated hay with Tasco enhanced monocyte oxidative burst through short duration (p < 0.05) and long duration (p < 0.10) heat stress. Phagocytic activity was influenced by days of heat stress (p < 0.001) and treatment (p = 0.02) with post-harvest Tasco lambs exhibiting the greatest immune enhancement (p < 0.05). Red and white blood cell glutathione peroxidase increased by heat stress day 10 in Tasco lambs. Superoxide dismutase activity was increased and lipid hydroperoxide metabolites minimized (p < 0.01) through long duration heat stress in the pre-harvest Tasco group. Tasco treatment of tall fescue hay prior to harvest appears to provide residual effects on animal antioxidant availability in short-duration heat stress. Tasco supplementation to post-harvest fescue hay enhances immune function and protects against prolonged heat-induced oxidative stress.

Retention time of macerated alfalfa hay and silage in sheep.

Fresh alfalfa was mowed and conditioned mechanically at four levels: a control (rubber rolls), macerated once (a single passage through three finely corrugated rolls set at 1-mm clearance), macerated twice (two passages), and macerated thrice (three passages). Alfalfa was then field-wilted either for 45 h and conserved as chopped silage at 30% dry matter (DM) or for 94 h and stored as baled hay at 85% DM. The eight forage treatments (four mechanical conditioning levels x two conservation systems) were fed to 24 sheep (three replications per treatment) during 5 wk. At the beginning of wk 5, a 15-g sample of chromium-mordanted forage (3.5% Cr) was fed to each sheep, and feces samples were collected at 30 different times over 7 d, between 10 h and 168 h after Cr ingestion. Four models were used to estimate the passage rates, the time delay, and the mean retention time (MRT). A two-compartment time-dependent model and a multicompartment model produced the best fit (average r2 of 0.96) to represent the Cr concentration in the feces over time. When compared with alfalfa hay, alfalfa silage had a higher (P < 0.01) time-dependent turnover rate (0.0949 vs 0.0733/h), a lower (P = 0.03) time delay (9.1 vs 11 h), and a lower (P = 0.04) MRT (57.8 vs 64.4 h). Maceration did not affect significantly (P > 0.10) the time delay or the MRT. However, the MRT of macerated alfalfa hay tended to be higher than the MRT of control hay. Experimental data based on marker concentration in the feces can be used satisfactorily to assess differences in MRT between treatments, but they should be used with caution to estimate the partition of retention time within the gastrointestinal tract.

Salivary cortisol in nursery-reared rhesus monkey infants

Palatability of feed affects voluntary intake. The objectives were to evaluate preference by bovine for sweet (sucrose) or sour (citric acid) blended with a mixture of ground switchgrass (42 g crude protein/kg dry matter) and alfalfa hay (176 g crude protein/kg dry matter). Flavors were dissolved in 50 mL deionized water per kg of hay for blending. In Experiment 1, sucrose hay (S100) had 100 g sucrose added per kg hay. Citric acid hay (CA50) had 50 g citric acid added per kg hay. Control hay (CON) had 50 mL deionized water added per kg hay. In Experiment 2, treatments were CON, sucrose added at 25 g per kg hay (S25), S100, 150 g per kg hay (S150). Citric acid added at 25 g per kg hay (CA25), and CA50. Hays were mixed in a horizontal mixer 3 d prior to each experimental period. Twelve beef cattle (initial BW = 283 ± 25 kg) were housed under a roof on expanded metal flooring with access to six feed locations designated I through VI, west to east. Cattle consumed 1 kg/day of supplement (corn, soybean hulls, and trace mineralized salt) that was fed daily, after hay orts were removed and weighed at 0800. Cattle were offered treatment hay equal to 6 g per kg BW at each feed slot and treatments were randomly assigned to two of the six locations at 0830. Cattle were given a 14-d adaptation to CON followed by a 7-d offer of treatments. In Experiment 1, cattle preferred S100 (3.42 ± 0.04 kg/d) over CON (2.8 ± 0.04 kg/d, P<0.01) and CA50 (0.32 ± 0.04 kg/d, P<0.01) and preferred CON over CA50 (P<0.01). In Experiment 2, cattle preferred CA10 over CON (P<0.02) and CA25 (P<0.02), and S100 was preferred over S150 (P<0.02) and S25 (P<0.02). Compared with control, cattle preferred hay flavored with sucrose up to 100 g per kg of hay, and preferred hay flavored with citric acid up to 10 g per kg of hay. Flavored feeds that are nutritionally adequate can be used to provide variety in the diet of cattle, where total intake increases when different feeds are presented together. Adding sugar may increase intake of undesirable feeds, or citric acid may be added at greater than 10 g per kg hay to limit intake of desirable feeds.

Effect of protein level and source in molasses slurries on the performance of growing cattle fed hay during winter.

Four molasses slurries of varying protein level and source were fed in two performance trials (Year 1, 105 d; Year 2, 92 d) to growing cattle (Year 1, 230 kg; Year 2, 247 kg). Treatments were CONTROL (hay only), MOL (molasses-corn meal), MOL-UREA (molasses-urea-corn meal), MOL-SBM (molasses-soybean meal), and MOL-BF (molasses-urea-corn meal blood meal-hydrolyzed feather meal). Animals on all treatments were offered bermudagrass hay (Year 1: 12.8% CP, 50% TDN; Year 2: 12.8% CP, 54% TDN) and a complete mineral mixture free choice. Each treatment was fed to three pens each year with seven animals/pen. Slurries were offered at 2.1 kg/d (DM) and effects on forage intake, ADG, condition score (1 to 9), hip height, and plasma urea nitrogen were monitored. Treatment effects for Years 1 and 2 were analyzed separately due to treatment x year interactions (P < .15) with respect to ADG, hip height change, condition score change, and feed cost of gain. Supplementation increased (P < .001) ADG over CONTROL in Year 1 (.41 vs .06 kg/d) and Year 2 (.69 vs .25 kg/d), increased hip height change by .02 cm/d (P < .001) in Year 1 and by .01 cm/d (P = .012) in Year 2, and decreased (P < .001) loss of body condition in Years 1 and 2. Molasses-urea showed no advantage over MOL in Years 1 and 2. Natural protein (MOL-SBM and MOL-BF) increased ADG by .10 kg/d in Year 1 (P = .001) and by .06 kg/d in Year 2 (P = .077) compared with MOL-UREA. Daily gain was improved by MOL- BF by .05 kg/d (P = .109) in Year 1 and by .08 kg/d (P = .063) in Year 2 compared with MOL-SBM. Results indicate that growing cattle fed bermudagrass hay during winter respond positively to energy supplementation in the form of molasses. The addition of animal source protein enhanced this response.

Memory and other neuropsychological deficits in psychosis: Differing patterns in schizophrenia and affective disorder

Grazing herbivores use their senses to select their diet. As tastes could reveal certain plant properties, we investigated whether sheep use them as cues to anticipate post-ingestive consequences. We focused on umami and bitter tastes reported to be associated with protein and toxin contents, respectively. We aimed to determine (1) lambs’ preferences for umami and bitter tastes offered together or with a control, and (2) lambs’ efficiency in learning positive and negative post-ingestive consequences associated with tastes coherently (i.e. umami taste → positive, bitter → negative) or incoherently (i.e. bitter → positive, umami → negative). The umami taste was induced by either 15 (MSG1) or 25 (MSG2) g monosodium glutamate per kg DM hay, whereas the bitter taste was induced by 2 (Quin1) or 3 (Quin2) g quinine per kg DM hay that were sprayed on an orchard grass hay. In the first experiment, 24 ewe lambs were tested on eight two-choice types: MSG1-Quin1, MSG1-Quin2, MSG2-Quin1, MSG2-Quin2, MSG1-Control, MSG2-Control, Quin1-Control, and Quin2-Control, in a Latin-square design. They always preferred the umami-tasting hay to the control and the bitter-tasting hay (P < 0.01) while they were indifferent to the bitter-tasting hay compared to control hay. After having checked that the lambs perceived the bitter taste induced by quinine (experiment 2) and that none of the substances used to modify the tastes induced their own post-ingestive consequences (experiment 3), we conducted the fourth experiment. Then, both coherent and incoherent groups decreased their preference for the taste associated with negative consequences compared to the taste associated with positive consequences, and aversion was greater in the coherent than in the incoherent group (0.04 ± 0.02 and 0.19 ± 0.08, respectively, P < 0.05). This difference could however be a residual effect of the large difference between initial preferences. After conditionings, to assess changes in individual tastes values, we re-tested the lambs’ preferences between umami- or bitter-tasting hay and control hay, and compared them with the initial preference patterns recorded in experiment 1. Preference for umami-tasting hay logically varied according to whether post-ingestive consequences were positive or negative, contrary to preference for bitter tasting-hay which was unaffected and close to umami value once negatively conditioned. Umami taste thus appears to have a positive value that can decrease after aversive conditionings, while bitter taste appears to have a negative value that made sheep suspicious about it even when associated with positive consequences.

Effect of Steam Heating Alfalfa Hay on Utilization by Lactating Dairy Cows

Alfalfa hay was steam heated for an average of 47min at 100 to 110°C; net ruminal protein escape (total escape minus ADIN x 6.25), estimated in vitro, was 50% versus 29% for control hay. Heating increased ADIN content from 4.6 to 15.3% of total N and increased NDF from 43 to 53% of DM. In trial 1, 14 cows averaging 81 DIM and 30 kg/d of milk were fed, in a switchback design, diets containing 18% corn, .7% urea, and 81% control or heated hay. Intake of DM, milk fat content, and fat yield were unaffected by hay source. However, feeding heated hay reduced production of milk; yields of protein, lactose, and SNF; digestibility of DM and N; and ruminal concentrations of ammonia and total VFA. In trial 2, 16 cows averaging 36 DIM and 38 kg/d of milk were fed, in balanced 4 × 4 Latin squares, diets containing 1) 76% alfalfa silage and 23% high moisture corn; 2) 76% alfalfa silage, 14% high moisture corn, and 9% soybean meal; 3) 52% alfalfa silage, 23% high moisture corn, and 24% control hay; and 4) 43% alfalfa silage, 32% high moisture corn, and 24% heated hay. High moisture corn content of the diet with heated hay was increased to equalize NEL. Reduced ruminal ammonia and branched-chain VFA indicated decreased ruminal protein degradation on heated hay. Intake of DM, production of milk, and yields of protein, lactose, and SNF were greatest on heated hay, intermediate on soybean meal, and lowest on alfalfa silage and unheated hay. Digestibility of DM and ruminal Ph were slightly lower on heated hay. Results indicated that steam heating alfalfa hay improved protein utilization but reduced energy digestibility.

Impact of Noncorrosive Forage Stabilizers on Digestibility of Alfalfa Hay and Lactation Performance of Dairy Cows

Four experiments examined the impact on digestibility of alfalfa hay and performance of dairy cows of applying a low acid stabilizer and a Lactobacillus fermentation product to moist hay. Treatments evaluated were alfalfa baled at: 15 to 20% moisture (dry control); 20 to 25% moisture with addition of 1.8 and 3.6 kg/909kg of a low concentration acid or 77 ml/909kg of a Lactobacillus fermentation product; and 20 to 25% moisture (wet control). In Experiments 1 and 3 (digestion trials), intake of DM by cows was not affected by addition of forage stabilizers to moist hay. Digestibility of DM, ADF, cellulose, and nitrogen was similar for cows consuming dry control than for cows consuming moist forages. Digestibility of NDF was highest for cows consuming low concentration acid-treated forage compared with dry control or Lactobacillus fermentation product treated hay in one of two experiments. Digestibility of hemicellulose was highest for cows consuming low concentration acid-treated forage, intermediate for cows consuming Lactobacillus fermentation product treated hay, and lowest for cows consuming dry control hay in one of two experiments. Nitrogen retention was highest for cows consuming dry control hay compared with those consuming moist forages in one of two experiments. Milk production and milk components were unaffected by including moist hay treated with forage stabilizers in lactation diets. Lactating cows consuming stabilizer-treated forage gained more weight than cows consuming dry control hay in one of two experiments.

COMPARISON OF SIX COMMERCIAL HAY PRESERVATIVES UNDER SIMULATED STORAGE CONDITIONS

Rehydrated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay was used to test the effectiveness of six commercial hay additives in the laboratory. The additives were designated B1 (live bacterial culture, protease and cellulose enzymes) P1 (67% propionic acid partly neutralized with ammonia) R2 (25% propionic acid and unspecified amounts of other organic acids and flavorings), S (92% sodium sulphate), P3 (19% propionic acid and unspecified amounts of other organic acids and flavorings) and B2 (12% lactic acid and fermentation extract). The additives were assessed on their ability to prevent deterioration in in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM), heating and mould growth, loss of dry matter and associated parameters at hay moistures ranging from 15 to 35% moisture with additive rates specified by the manufacturer. After 21 d of storage and at all moisture levels P1 (1.25% wt wt−1) maintained IVDOM and most other parameters at levels similar (P ≤ 0.05) to an unspoiled Control at 15% moisture. P2 (0.2% wt wt−1) reduced heating and mould growth and maintained IVDOM to the levels of unspoiled hay up to 25% moisture. P3 (0.3% wt wt−1) provided slight improvements in IVDOM up to 25% moisture, but did not prevent heating. S (0.1% wt wt−1) limited dry matter loss at 20% moisture. Alfalfa hays treated with B1 (0.1% wt wt−1) or B2 (80 or 100 mL t−1 of dry matter) were not different from the control hay for any parameters. At 25% moisture B1 and B2 did not affect the growth of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria or moulds while P1 inhibited the growth of moulds and aerobic bacteria. Based primarily on maintaining consistently high IVDOM at ≥ 25% moisture the order of effectiveness was P1 &gt; P2 = P3 &gt; S = B1 = B2. The slight effects of P2 and P3 on IVDOM may not be evident in the field. Key words: Rehydrated alfalfa hay, in vitro digestibility, microbial changes

Effect of Shredding Alfalfa on Cellulolytic Activity, Digestibility, Rate of Passage, and Milk Production

A series of trials was performed with sheep and goats to compare mechanically shredded with conventionally (control) harvested alfalfa hay. Shredded hay tended to contain less CP and more cell wall constituents than the control; digestibility of NDF in vitro also was increased by shredding. Intake of DM and digestibilities of NDF and ADF were increased in sheep fed shredded hay. Digestibilities of DM and CP were similar between treatments. Total tract digestibilities determined using acid detergent lignin and Yb as internal and external markers were similar to those obtained by total collection. There was no effect of shredding on rate of passage and total mean retention time of hay in the digestive tract of sheep. Ruminal pH and VFA were not altered by shredding of hay. However, production of 4% FCM and milk protein content was increased in goats fed shredded hay. Shredded hay suspended in the rumen in situ had higher particle-associated carboxymethylcellulase activity throughout the incubation period than did control hay. The enzyme activity was maximal at 6h and declined thereafter for both hays. The pattern of particle-associated carboxymethylcellulase activity was similar to that of NDF digestion in vitro.

EFFECTIVENESS OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA AS A PRESERVATIVE FOR HIGH-MOISTURE ALFALFA HAY IN LARGE ROUND BALES

Two experiments were conducted in sequence to determine the effectiveness of anhydrous ammonia (AA) as a preservative of alfalfa hay stored as large round bales (LRB). In the the first experiment application of 3% AA (wt/wt) to alfalfa hay baled at about 23% moisture-content (MC) increased the temperature markedly above the control treatment and resulted in a significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher acid-detergent-insoluble nitrogen and acid-detergent lignin. In the second experiment application of about 1% AA slowly (over 48 h) to LRB of alfalfa hay packaged at about 30% and &gt; 35% MC, significantly (P &lt; 0.05) reduced the cumulative degree-days above all reference points from 35 to 65 °C. Ammoniation completely eliminated dry matter losses in storage which were highest (8.3%) for 33% MC control hay. High moisture control hay (33% MC) suffered severe heat damage with 33% of total N being in the acid-detergent-insoluble fraction as compared to less than 10% for medium-moisture (26% MC) control and even lower values for ammoniated hay. Digestibility of crude protein and energy was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) improved by ammoniation of medium-moisture (about 30% in-to-storage) alfalfa hay. When the ammonia-treated hay was uncovered in spring, coarsely ground and stored in a hay wagon the high-moisture-ammoniated hay (&gt; 35% MC) became moldy within 4 wk, even when the ambient temperature was about 6 °C, whereas medium-moisture-ammoniated hay (about 30% MC) showed some deterioration after 7 wk as the ambient temperature increased to about 12 °C. Key words: Ammonia, alfalfa hay, digestibility, heat damage, high-moisture hay, large bales

Quality of Alfalfa Hay Chemically Treated at Cutting to Hasten Field Drying

Spray treatment of cut alfalfa with solutions containing emulsified methyl esters of long chain fatty acids and potassium carbonate increased dry matter content above untreated control forage baled at the same time and reduced length of field exposure before baling at a dry matter content “safe” for storage. Bale temperatures, dry matter loss, and changes of visual and analytical quality measurements were greater for control hay baled simultaneously with sprayed alfalfa when respective dry matter contents were 66 and 88%. When both sprayed and unsprayed alfalfas were baled at the same dry matter percent but at different times, analytical measures for resulting hays, bale temperatures, dry matter loss, and changes in analytical measures during storage were similar.

Urea as a Forage Preservative

ABSTRACT UREA preserved high-moisture hay for over six weeks by releasing ammonia. Hay of initial moisture con-tent 21 to 28 percent was treated with urea at the rate of 6.5 percent on a dry matter basis by spraying urea solu-tion over windrows. Round bales of hay—urea treated and control (untreated)—were stored in an open shelter for six weeks. Their properties such as physical characteristics, final moisture content, total N, ADF, and ADIN were compared at the end of the storage period. The urea treated hay appeared to be in better condition than the control hay.

Manipulation of the Ruminal Fermentation. II. Effect of Sodium Sulfite on Bovine Digestion and Ruminal Fermentation

In previous work, sodium sulfite was used to manipulate the ruminal fermentation by decreasing the molar per cent acetate and increasing that of propionate and butyrate in lactating cows. In this study the effects of sodium sulfite on ruminal fermentation were studied further, along with its effect on ration digestibility. No effect of sodium sulfite on the digestibility of a high-grain ration fed to steers was observed. However, feed intake on the sulfite diets was variable. In studies with incubated ruminal ingesta, acetate production decreased, whereas the more highly reduced acids were generally increased. Gas production by ruminal ingesta from a cow on a hay diet and another cow on a hay-grain diet was measured with and without sodium sulfite added to the ingesta. Methane production was decreased (P<0.01) on both types of ingesta by the addition of sulfite. The ratio of carbon dioxide to methane was widened (P<0.05) from 1.98 with the control hay ingesta to 4.49 with the hay ingesta with 75mg of sodium sulfite added per 100ml of ingesta. The ratio of carbon dioxide to methane was widened (P<0.05) from 2.55 with control hay-grain ingesta to 5.75 with the hay-grain ingesta with 100mg of Na2SO3 added per 100ml of ingesta.

Growth, Intake, and Digestibility from Formic Acid Silage versus Hay

Three experiments have been conducted by harvesting forage from a common source and preparing hay and unwilted silage preserved with 0.5% formic acid at ensiling. In each experiment digestibility was measured in 4 × 4 Latin-square trials, while feed intake and growth were measured simultaneously in continuous trials with dairy heifers. Mean daily gains on formic silage were 692g versus 620g on control hay. The more rapid gains were made from equal digestible energy intake, which implies a greater efficiency of utilization of digestible energy. The digestibility of energy from the formic silage was 67.1, while that of control hays was 59.4. Although two of the hays incurred some rain damage, the third undamaged hay had a lower digestibility of energy than did its corresponding formic silage. In comparison with previous experiments with animals fed untreated, unwilted silages, these animals fed formic silages consumed more digestible energy, gained more weight, and used the digestible energy more efficiently on a net or gross basis. The formic silages were lower in pH, butyric acid, acetic acid, and am-moniacal nitrogen and higher in lactic acid than untreated, unwilted silages.