Hay Type Research Articles

Cactus species and tree forage hay in the diet of dairy goats.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the association of Opuntia stricta (OS) or Nopalea cochenillifera (NC) with Moringa hay (MY) or Leucaena hay (LY) on nutrient intake, ingestive behavior, serum biochemistry, and milk production and composition of dairy goat. Eight multiparous Saanen goats were used, with an average of 68 ± 8 days in milk and 48.5 ± 6kg of initial weight, fed with the following treatment diets: OS + MY; OS + LY; NC + MY, and NC + LY. The treatments were distributed in a double Latin square, in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme (two varieties of cactus and two of hay). Goats fed with NC had higher (P < 0.05) intakes of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and non-fibrous carbohydrates. There was no influence (P > 0.05) on milk production, but goats fed with OS produced milk with higher (P < 0.05) fat content and presented higher (P < 0.05) feed efficiency. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of the hay type on the nutrient intake and milk production and composition of goats, but the animals fed with MY had higher (P < 0.05) serum cholesterol levels and greater efficiency of NDF rumination. Goats fed with OS showed greater feeding and rumination efficiency. Our results indicated that both cactus species could be successfully included in the diet of low yielding dairy goats fed 18.4% concentrate.

Comparisons of the Grazing Type Population with Hay-Type Cultivars of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Determination of Their Yield-Related Characteristics under Rainfed Conditions

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most important forage legume crops for increasing the quantity and quality of degraded rangelands. Although rangelands in Türkiye have a great diversity of species in terms of vegetation composition, no cultivar has been developed for grassland rehabilitation. For this reason, improvement for grazing type cultivars is one of the priorities of alfalfa breeding studies. In this alfalfa study, the advanced grazing type population (L-1739), and hay type cultivars (Bilensoy-80, Savaş, Gözlü, and Plato) were evaluated for agro-morphological, and quality traits under the rainfed condition in 2012-2014 and compared in terms of the measured traits. The L-1739 had the highest number of stems, with 22.54 stems per plant in two years. However, the hay-type cultivars had a higher plant height and stem diameter than L-1739. In addition, it produced similar quality but had a lower forage yield. The general yields were 4.46 and 1.37 t ha-1 for green and dry forage, respectively, as a two-year mean. The quality traits of all genotypes tested in the study were similar. As a result, the L-1739 should be used for rangeland rehabilitation by over-seeding and hay-type cultivars (except Gözlü) may be used for establishing artificial pasture on cropland under rainfed conditions. Moreover, hay yield was found to be strongly correlated with plant height and stem diameter. Similar traits and their degree of similarity were determined by the method of cluster analysis.

Hematological indicators of bulls and their meat productivity depending on the structure of the ration

The article reflects the results of long-term scientific research conducted by the department of animal feeding and feed technology on fattening cattle. The task of the research was to study the specifics of the formation of meat productivity by the body of bulls of the Volyn meat breed, depending on the level of feeding, which, under the same type of ration, fully meets the animal's need for nutrients, in particular, in dry matter, available energy, the fractional composition of protein, carbohydrates, minerals and biologically active substances. The question of the organization of full-fledged nutrition of livestock of specialized meat breeds with the same type of feeding all year round using hay-type monoforage is relevant, especially in the practice of fattening young animals, with the aim of obtaining veal meat and young beef. This type of fodder according to the recipe proposed by us is produced at the “Pchany-Dеnkovich” farm. More complex fodder mixtures of three, four and five components have also been developed, based on the principle of field-made compound feed, which has received the name grain hay. Rations of this type do not require the use of concentrated feed when fattening livestock. This is exactly the approach reflected in the materials of the scientific and practical publication on the intensity of the functional growth processes of muscle tissue without excess fat. The data obtained in our research allow us to conclude that there is a direct relationship between the total protein content in muscle tissue and the nutritional qualities of the forage in the ration. Monofeed components such as grain of corn cobs of milk-wax maturity and soybean pods provide a relatively high protein content in the feed, which ensured high average daily gains in live weight with a limited amount of concentrates. The control slaughter of bulls at the end of the experiment showed that the average pre-slaughter live weight was at the level of 541–501 kg. The slaughter yield of the carcass had a direct dependence on the structure of the ration with a slight intergroup difference, which was within 0.8–1.2 % in relation to the first group, whose ration compensated the animals' need for energy and protein due to concentrates and was usually more expensive. Therefore, the replacement of part of the concentrates in terms of nutrition of the second and third groups does not lead to a significant negative impact on the morphological composition of the carcasses, which gives reason to assert the effectiveness of such rations. The conducted studies on fattening bulls of the Volyn beef breed allow us to state that the harvesting of monoforage (corn-soybean) of the hay type, the nutritional value of which is more than 0.5 fodder unit, which contains a sufficient amount of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and mineral salts, ensures high average daily gains in live weight and has a positive effect on the quality indicators of young beef meat. The production of this type of fodder allows to produce 78.1–99.8 hundredweights of fodder unit from 1 ha of fodder area and 6.1–13.9 hundredweights of digestible protein and makes it possible to reduce the consumption of concentrated feed in the structure of the rations of fattening animals.

90 Fecal and blood biomarkers of metabolic status in horses fed rhizoma peanut hay

Rhizoma peanut (RP, Arachis glabrata) is an alternative to alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L.) with less nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and crude protein. Yet, health variables in response to feeding RP have not been evaluated. This study investigated fecal and blood health markers in horses fed forage-only diets of ‘Florigraze’ RP, ‘Legendary XHD’ alfalfa, or ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass (BMG, Cynodon dactylon L.) hays. Six mature, healthy Quarter Horse geldings (593 kg ± SD 40) were fed the 3 hays in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with 3 21-d periods each separated by a 4-d washout. Hays were fed at 2% BW with ad libitum water and mineral supplement to meet maintenance requirements. Crude protein was 22, 16, and 8% and NSC was 11, 10, and 7.8% in ALF, RP, and BMG, respectively. On d 19 fecal and blood samples were collected immediately before (0 h) and 2, 4, and 8 h after feeding. Data were compared using mixed model ANOVA with repeated measures. Fecal dry matter, lactate, and pH averaged (±SEM) 19 ± 0.73%, 2.08 ± 0.172 mM, and 7.3 ± 0.05, respectively and did not differ by hay type. Fecal ammonia-nitrogen was greatest (P = 0.02) when fed ALF, but similar between RP and BMG. Fecal total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) did not differ among hays (P = 0.07). Expressed as molar proportion, hay type did not alter acetate proportion (P = 0.12) but affected proportions of propionate (P = 0.02), butyrate (P = 0.04), andbranched-chain (BC) SCFA (isobutyrate + isovalerate + 2-methylbutyrate). Propionate proportion was greater (P = 0.02) when fed ALF than RP, but similar to both legumes when fed BMG. Butyrate proportion was greater (P = 0.04) for BMG-fed horses than RP-fed horses, while ALF was similar to both. Molar proportion of BC-SCFA was similar for both legume hays and least (P = 0.02) for BMG. Except for dry matter and lactate, time post feeding did not affect any of the fecal variables. Fecal dry matter decreased (P < 0.01) at 2 h and 4 h post feeding and had returned to pre-feeding values at 8 h post feeding. Fecal lactate decreased (P < 0.01) only at 8 h post feeding. Alfalfa resulted in glycemic (P = 0.01) and insulinemic (P = 0.01) responses greater than BMG, whereas the responses to RP were similar to those observed for ALF and BMG. Serum glucose was affected by time (P = 0.01) where it was elevated at 4 h post feeding. Insulin response was not affected by time post feeding (P = 0.70). Rhizoma peanut resulted in plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) lesser than ALF and similar to BMG. Levels of PUN decreased (P < 0.01) 8 h post feeding. Feeding rhizoma peanut provides more favorable metabolic responses than alfalfa, while still providing a high-quality source of nutrition.

125 Quantification of chewing frequency in horses consuming bermudagrass hay compared with other popular equine forages

Bermudagrass is the most common fine-stemmed hay forage in the southeastern United State due to its adaptation to this region. The low cost and easy access contribute to bermudagrass hay being commonly fed, consequently it is detected in the digestive tracts of most horses submitted to regional veterinary clinics for impaction colic surgery. A potential association between fine stemmed forages and increased risk of impaction colic may be differences in chewing patterns compared with other hay types. Chewing encourages saliva production which assists in particle size reduction and works as a lubricant, assisting in transit through the gastrointestinal tract. Using 2 studies, the objective of this research was to compare the chewing rate of bermudagrass to other common equine forages. A preliminary 5-week study utilizing 5 privately owned horses routinely fed bermudagrass hay at one feeding and timothy hay at another was conducted to evaluate potential effects of hay type on chewing frequency. Horses were fitted with a RumiWatch® halter (ITIN + HOCH, Switzerland) to quantify chewing patterns and fed their normal amount of hay each feeding. Chewing patterns were continuously monitored until the next meal, and data was reported on a per minute basis. Hay was weighed before feeding, and refused hay was weighed back so the total chews/kg consumed could be calculated. Data were statisticallyanalyzed (Minitab v.21, State College, PA) as a mixed ANOVA with treatment as a fixed effect. Results indicate that horses chewed bermudagrass at a lower frequency compared with timothy (4643 vs. 7461 chews/kg, P = 0.003). At the conclusion of this study, a larger study utilizing 8 horses fed twice daily at 1.5% body weight in forage was conducted to test chewing frequency when eating bermudagrass, alfalfa, ryegrass, and orchardgrass hays. Horses received treatments in a 4 × 4 Latin square design having an acclimation period one week before a 3-d data collection using the RumiWatch® halter. Data were calculated as chews/kg and statistically compared using the same protocol used in the preliminary study. Results indicate that horses chew bermudagrass hay (3649 chews/kg) less as compared orchardgrass (4811 chews/kg), alfalfa (4571 chews/kg), and ryegrass (4763 chews/kg)(P < 0.001). Results further indicate no difference between the minutes chewed for bermudagrass (65.1 min/kg) to alfalfa (73.4 min/kg). However, there are differences between bermudagrass to orchardgrass (76.6 min/kg) and ryegrass (78.7 min/kg P < 0.05) which potentially causes reduction in saliva production and increased risk of impaction colic.

179 Survey of equine veterinarians: Part 2—Hay feeding practices and horse health

Horse owners often consider veterinarians to be an important source of information about equine nutrition. The objective of this survey was to learn about the perspectives of veterinarians on the relationship between hay feeding practices, horse health and behavior. A survey link (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) was sent to members of Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners and distributed by equine practices located in Lexington, KY. Descriptive statistics were performed in SPSS V28. The majority of veterinarians thought time spent eating hay was extremely (56%) or moderately important (33%) to health when pasture is not available. Ninety 2 percent of veterinarians said time spent eating is important for increasing saliva production and decreasing the risk of gastric ulcers. When asked about factors that may affect rate of hay consumption, 44% of veterinarians strongly agreed that physical form was important, while only 14% of veterinarians strongly agreed that fiber content was an important factor. Nutrition scenarios for performance and sedentary horses were presented to gauge concern about amount of hay offered. The amount of hay fed to performance and sedentary horses was considered of extreme or moderate concern by 97% and 86% of veterinarians, respectively. Most veterinarians considered the minimum amount of hay forperformance and sedentary horses to be 1.5 lb per 100-lb bodyweight and 1 lb per 100-lb bodyweight, respectively. Supporting digestive function was the most frequently selected reason for recommending a minimum amount of hay for performance (83%) and sedentary (66%) horses. For horses with underweight, overweight, and digestive health issues, the percentage of veterinarians who would discuss hay type with their clients was 97, 90, and 87%, respectively. For these same categories of horses, the percentage of veterinarians who would discuss hay amount with their clients was 92, 80, and 69%, respectively. Only 46% of veterinarians agreed they would discuss hay type and 59% agreed they would discuss hay amount for horses with undesirable oral behaviors or other undesirable behaviors. This survey suggests veterinarians view the type and amount of hay as having important roles in weight management and digestive health compared with affecting equine behavior. In addition, although veterinarians are often considered to be an important nutrition resource, veterinarians in this survey reported clients rarely (51%) or occasionally (37%) asked for feeding advice.

Beef productivity of steers of Kalmyk breed under different types of feeding and feeding of feed sulfur

The optimal ratio in the ration of roughage, succulent and concentrated feed allows us to increase the digesting ability of them in the animal body. In the south of the Russian Federation and especially in arid territories the set of animal feed is very limited, which determines in the Kalmyk Republic and other dry-steppe regions the need for biologically justifi ed types of fattening through the use of new combinations of feed and feed additives. The purpose of the work was to study the norms of the use of feed sulfur when feeding steers of Kalmyk breed, its eff ect on physiological and biochemical parameters, the bioconversion of feed into live weight growth and meat productivity, as well as in the assessment of fattening on hay, haylage and silage types of feeding in arid territories. The results obtained diring research give grounds to recommend the use of feeding with feed sulfur at the rate of 15 g/head/day when fattening steers of Kalmyk breed under arid conditions of the territory of Southern Russia. Feeding feed sulfur helps to increase the digestibility of feed, normalize nitrogen metabolism in the rumen, increase the live weight of steers by 17,9 kg, increase the carcass weight by 6,42 %, which allows us to get additional profi t and increase the level of profi tability by 8,0 abs.%. When choosing rations for feeding steers on fattening, it is preferable to use a haylage type of feeding. At the age of 18 months, the steers received the haylage ration had a larger live weight compared to the weight of the steers with the hay type of feeding by 1,26 %, with silage type by 0,34 %.

Evaluating the inclusion of alfalfa hay in diets fed to multigravid Holstein cows in their transition to early lactation

The objectives of this study were to determine the dry matter intake (DMI), urine pH, Ca concentration in blood, Ca output in urine, and frequency of hypocalcemia in pregnant and nonlactating dairy cows consuming diets containing different hays and acidogenic products during the prepartum period. Eighty pregnant and nonlactating Holstein cows approaching their second or greater calving were fed 1 of 4 experimental diets according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments during the prepartum period (21 d before calving). Diets included either grass hay (GH) or alfalfa hay (AH) and calcium chloride (CL) or polyhalite (PO) as the acidogenic products. All diets had a dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) below -190 mEq/kg of dry matter (DM). Grass hay contained 75 g/kg crude protein, 749 g/kg neutral detergent fiber, 3.6 g/kg Ca, 0.9 g/kg Na, 18.8 g/kg K, 3.8 g/kg Cl, 1.5 g/kg S, and a cation-anion difference equal to 290 mEq/kg of DM. Alfalfa hay contained 196 g/kg crude protein, 456 g/kg neutral detergent fiber, 15.2 g/kg Ca, 1.6 g/kg Na, 25 g/kg K, 7.7 g/kg Cl, 3.2 g/kg S, and a cation-anion difference equal to 292 mEq/kg of DM. Cows consuming GH tended to consume more DM than cows consuming AH (11.6 vs. 10.8 kg/d) but DMI did not differ between acidogenic products. Urine pH decreased below 6.5 for all diets, although cows consuming the GHPO diet had the highest urine pH. The concentration of Ca in plasma decreased substantially around calving but neither hay type nor acidogenic product affected it. Urinary Ca output was lowest for cows consuming the GHPO diet. No associations existed between dietary treatments and the frequencies of normocalcemia and hypocalcemia. Under the conditions of this study, in which alfalfa and grass hays had similar cation-anion differences, we concluded that the inclusion of alfalfa hay in prepartum diets does not necessarily increase the frequency of hypocalcemia. The cation-anion difference of the alfalfa hay, more than the concentration of potassium alone, may be a key determinant of whether alfalfa hay fits in a prepartum feeding program for prepartum dairy cows. Further research should explore this relationship.

Probiotic feed additive “EnzActive” against the background of hay-type fattening of young bulls

Standardized feeding of young cattle should be based on scientifically based standards, guaranteeing their genetic productivity potential, rational use of fodder resources, and proper feed payment with meat products. The current situation regarding the rationing of livestock feeding in global and domestic, both scientific and industrial practices, has fundamentally changed, which requires a significant revision of the traditional provisions on the organization of standardized feeding and feeding of farm animals. At the same time, the conceptual requirements for the organization of standardized feeding of young livestock should be based on the generalization of world experience in need of animals for energy, nutrients, and biologically active substances, taking into account the age period of fattening with an emphasis on the quality and biosafety of products. In the conditions of intensive production of meat products, to ensure high productivity, it is impossible to do without using feed products of natural substance, which should include additives with a purely biological effect. One of these includes the feed additive “EnzActive”, which contains a unique formula of a combination of biotic and enzymatic action, which consists of live yeast of the genus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and a complex of six enzymes: protease, cellulose, xynalose, α-amylase, ß-gluconase and phytase. The research was based on optimizing the standardized feeding of fattening young animals on hay-type rations using the probiotic feed additive “EnzActive” based on 8 g/head per day. The research was conducted on Simmental bulls in the conditions of the “Pchany-Denkovych” farm of the Stryi district of the Lviv region. It was established that the use of the probiotic supplement “EnzActive” against the background of hay-type feeding contributed to the improvement of the intensity of the vital activity of the physiologically helpful microflora of the rumen, which had a stimulating effect in the processes of additional assimilation of nutrients. A positive result was obtained regarding the level of average daily growth and functional features of rumen microflora, the final period of fattening. Thus, based on the results of our research, it is possible to recommend introducing the hay type with the inclusion of probiotic feed additive “EnzActive” at the rate of 8 g/head into the intensive livestock technology fattening a day. No adverse side effects of “EnzActive” bio-additives on the general functional condition of young bull's residents were found.

Dietary and management factors influence the equine gastric microbiome.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the relationship of diet and management factors with the glandular gastric mucosal microbiome. We hypothesize that the gastric mucosal microbial community is influenced by diet and management factors. Our specific objective is to characterize the gastric mucosal microbiome in relation to these factors. 57 client-owned horses in the southern Louisiana region with and without equine glandular gastric disease. Diet and management data were collected via a questionnaire. Gastroscopy was used for evaluation of equine gastric ulcer syndrome and collection of glandular mucosal pinch biopsies. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used for microbiome analysis. Similarity and diversity indices and sequence read counts of individual taxa were compared between diet and management factors. Differences were detected in association with offering hay, type of hay, sweet feed, turnout, and stalling. Offering hay and stalling showed differences in similarity indices, whereas hay type, sweet feed, and turnout showed differences in similarity and diversity indices. Offering hay, hay type, and sweet feed were also associated with differences in individual sequence read counts. This study provides preliminary characterization of the complex relationship between the glandular gastric microbiome and diet/management factors. The ideal microbiome to promote a healthy glandular gastric environment remains unknown.

Hay preferences in horses versus selection by their owners

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the differences in the selection behaviour by horses and by their owners given a choice of three hay types differing in chemical and nutritional composition. Horse groups included 12 French mountain (FM) stallions, 12 Icelandic (IS) and 12 warmblood horses (WB), with the latter groups consisting of mares and geldings. Hays were offered in a free choice experiment over a period of six consecutive days (baseline choice on day 1, adaption period from day 2–5 and a final preference test on day 6). Additionally, the owners of the horses selected among the three hay types, the one which they assumed would best meet their horse's assumed nutritional requirements. Hay types (A, B and C) showed distinct characteristics based on colour, texture morphology and odour and nutrient contents. The latter were analysed with near-infrared spectroscopy. Most horses (69%) preferred hay type B and 31% preferred hay type C, while horses completely avoided hay type A. The group of FM horses exclusively preferred hay B on both test days, the groups of IS and WB horses also showed a preference for hay B, but less pronounced than FM horses choosing both between hay B and C, respectively. Horses did not choose randomly among the hays offered (P < 0.05). In addition, the horses hay preference was influenced by their group assignment (P < 0.05) which, however, cannot be generalized to breed or gender (mares, stallions or geldings). The content of crude protein (r = 0.68), and leaves (r = 0.48) of the hay was positively correlated with the preference of the horses for that particular hay type, although correlations were moderate. Among the owners, 42% chose hay type A, which was completely avoided by the horses, while approximately 30% of the owners chose either hay type B or C, which were richer in energy and protein as the best hay quality for their horses assumed nutritional requirements. Therefore, no significant correlation could be observed between the choice preference of the horses and the selection by the owners. The distinct preference for energy- and protein-rich hay of horses underlines the importance for owners to carefully adjust the hay quality to the horse's activity level and requirements. For horses with lower energy requirements, omission of concentrate feeds, while providing roughage only diets by mixing different hays qualities, appears suitable.

Implications of Nutritional Management on Fatty Acid Profiles of Southern White Rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum simum) Housed at Two Zoological Institutions.

Simple SummaryThis study addresses the lack of information available for southern white rhinoceros circulating fatty acids that is important for the health, management, and conservation of the species. The objectives of this research were to provide novel fatty acid percentage profiles for managed healthy southern white rhinoceroses, as well as to provide comparisons between two zoos with differences in diet and climate during two distinct pasture growth periods. Noteworthy results were the higher levels of α-linolenic acid and total omega-3 fatty acids, and lower linoleic acid, total omega-6 fatty acids, and the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio found in Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in both growth periods when compared to the North Carolina Zoo. These data provide novel fatty acid percentages for southern white rhinoceroses and describe how fatty acids may differ between housing locations due to pasture growth periods and diet.Southern white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum simum) are African megaherbivores that are considered near threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The fatty acid circulating values of these animals have not been thoroughly investigated. Fatty acids are critical for immune, heart, skin, and reproductive health, and may have a significant impact on the management and conservation of this species. Published data on fatty acids in this species is limited to incomplete profiles with very few animals in managed environments. The objectives of this research were to provide novel fatty acid percentage profiles for managed healthy southern white rhinoceroses, as well as to provide comparisons between two zoological institutions with differences in diet and climate during two distinct pasture growth periods. Whole blood samples were collected as dried blood spots from six rhinoceroses at the North Carolina Zoo (NC Zoo) and five rhinoceroses at Busch Gardens Tampa (BGT) in the low growth period (February to April) of 2019 and during the high growth period (July to September) of 2020. Fatty acid results indicated numerous differences when comparing the institutions within the same growth period and when comparing the same institution between its two growth periods. Most noteworthy were the higher levels of α-linolenic acid (18:3w3) and total omega-3 fatty acids and the lower linoleic acid (18:2w6), total omega-6 fatty acids, and omega-6 to omega-3 ratio found in the BGT population in both growth periods. This study provides novel percentages of fatty acids in managed southern white rhinoceroses and data on how fatty acid profiles may be altered between two housing locations via dietary differences in hay type and quantity, pasture availability via season, and pellet inclusion levels.

267 Effect of Hay Type on the Winter Growth of Bos Grunniens Raised in Eastern Kentucky

Abstract Bos grunniens (yak) have been utilized as a source of fiber, milk, dung, meat and transportation in the high-altitude regions of Asia for centuries. Limited research has been conducted on the species in North America. The objective of this on-farm research was to evaluate the effect of hay type on growth rate of growing yaks. Forages evaluated included alfalfa (A), orchardgrass-red clover (O) and a cool-season pasture grass species mixture (P). The experimental design was a partially balanced 3x3 Latin square with an extra pen. Yaks were stratified to pens by age and sex resulting in a pen of mixed sex (3 males/2 females) recently weaned calves, a pen of five yearling females, and two pens of five yearling males. Each period lasted for 45 days and animal weights were collected at the beginning and end to assess weight change and daily gain. Hay offered was weighed and feeding losses were visually estimated to determine hay DM disappearance. Forage samples were collected and analyzed for nutrient content. Data were analyzed using the PROC GLM procedure of SAS. No carryover effects were noted and means were separated using Tukey’s multiple comparison test where α=0.10. Forage type had a significant impact on period weight change of growing yaks during the winter with O having greater weight gain (9.5 kg) than P (-4.7 kg) with A being intermediate (8.5 kg). Forage DM disappearance when expressed as percent of body weight was greater for A (2.70) compared to P (2.25) while O (2.28) was not different from either. Forage type and quality can impact weight gain and forage disappearance during the winter months for growing yaks with higher quality forage providing greater weight gain.

EFFICIENCY OF FERTILIZER APPLICATION ON LONG YEARS HERBAGES

The article presents the results of a study of the long-term herbage of the 71st year of using the&#x0D; herbage in the Central Region of the Non-Chernozem Zone of Russia, which over the past 25, against an&#x0D; unfertilized background and with an unbalanced fertilization with fertilizers, was transformed into a&#x0D; pasture type with a content of grassland grains up to 50%. Against the background of the influence of&#x0D; mineral fertilizers (NPK), the grass stand of the hay type remains, in which the content of foxtail reaches&#x0D; 74%, and with a higher dose of nitrogen fertilizers (N 180) of awnless rump up to 70%.&#x0D; The productivity of pasture-type herbage was 55.9 gJ / ha MA, or about 4.5 thousand fodder.&#x0D; units from 1 ha 200 - 850 kg / ha of crude protein (CP). The productivity of the hay type increased to 80.4&#x0D; GJ / ha MA, or about 6.5 thousand fodder. units from 1 ha, 756 - 1206 kg / ha JV on average for 1993-&#x0D; 2017 The collection of essential nutrients is in direct proportion to the productivity and quality of the feed&#x0D; with different fertilization systems.&#x0D; The consumption of nutrients by unfertilized grass stands is provided due to the natural fertility of&#x0D; sod-podzolic medium loamy soils on pasture grass stands fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers, nitrogen&#x0D; collection increased up to 1.8 times. On grass stands of hay type - 2.6-4.3 times compared to unfertilized&#x0D; grass stand. The utilization rate of nitrogen fertilizers on pasture-type herbage was 37 - 65%, phosphorus&#x0D; fertilizers - 22-24%, potash fertilizers - 51-100%, on hay-type grass stands, respectively, 48-84, 24-53 and&#x0D; 106-120%.

Productive qualities of nanny-goats of the Orenburg downy breed depending on various types of diets

The article shows the positive effect of different types of diets on the milk and downy productivity of Orenburg nanny-goats. In order to increase production and improve its quality, it is proved that it is necessary to use hay concentrate (43.6% coarse, 33.4% concentrates, 23.0% juicy) and hay (53.6% coarse, 23.4% concentrates and 23.0% juicy) type. This type of feeding allows you to increase the fleece of down, respectively by 6.63 and 12.80%, while reducing the cost of feed (feed units) by 1 kg of gain - 7.37%, by 1 kg of down - by 6.61 and 18.43%, the cost of 1 kg of down, respectively - by 6.53 and 16.55%.

Ruminal degradation kinetics, intake, digestibility, and feeding behavior of beef steers offered annual or perennial grass-hay with or without supplementation.

Effects of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) on ruminal fermentation, degradation kinetics, and feeding behavior of steers offered annual (Eragrostis tef; TEFF) or perennial (Bothriochloa bladhii; OWB) grass hay were evaluated. Ruminally cannulated Angus crossbred steers (n = 6; body weight [BW] = 304 ± 11 kg) were assigned to a 4 × 6 unbalanced Latin square design with four treatments arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial: hay type (OWB or TEFF) and DDGS supplementation (0% or 0.5% BW [dry matter {DM} basis]). Steers had ad libitum access to hay. Periods consisted of a 14-d adaptation followed by 7 d of collection. Residues from the in situ incubations (0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 h post-feeding) were fitted to a first-order kinetics model using the NLIN procedure of SAS. The DDGS decreased (P < 0.01) TEFF DM intake (DMI) by 11.3%, while not affecting DMI of OWB. The greatest DMI was observed for steers supplemented with DDGS, regardless of forage, and least in steers consuming OWB without DDGS (hay type × DDGS; P = 0.03). Non-supplemented steers spent more (P < 0.01) time eating hay. Digestibility of DM tended (P = 0.06) to increase with DDGS supplementation. A hay type × DDGS interaction was observed (P ≤ 0.05) on ruminal effective degradable fractions. The rate of degradation, soluble fraction, and the potentially degradable fraction of organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber (ADF) increased (P ≤ 0.05), while the undegradable fraction of all components decreased (P ≤ 0.01) when steers were offered TEFF compared to OWB. Ruminal DM, OM, and ADF degradation lag-time increased (P ≤ 0.02) in steers offered OWB. Ruminal degradation kinetics were not (P ≥ 0.17) independently affected by DDGS supplementation. Average ruminal pH of steers offered TEFF (P < 0.01) and those offered DDGS (P < 0.01) were lower than OWB and non-supplemented steers. Total concentration of VFA tended (P = 0.09) to increase when DDGS was provided with OWB, while decreasing when TEFF was offered. The acetate:propionate increased (P < 0.01) with DDGS supplementation due to a decrease (P = 0.03) in propionate. Ruminal NH3-N was greater (P = 0.03) in steers offered TEFF compared to OWB, and those supplemented with DDGS (P = 0.03). An annual, in place of a conventional, perennial hay improved intake and digestion of nutrients, without affecting feeding behavior. The supplementation with DDGS appears to affect forage intake, ruminal degradation, and feeding behavior, although not independent of forage quality.

Apparent digestibility, fecal particle size, and mean retention time of reduced lignin alfalfa hay fed to horses.

Reduced lignin alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has the potential to provide a higher-quality forage source for livestock by improving forage digestibility. This study was conducted to evaluate apparent digestibility when feeding reduced lignin and nonreduced lignin alfalfa hay to adult horses, and to examine mean fecal particle size (MFPS) and mean retention time (MRT) between alfalfa forage types. In 2017, reduced lignin ("54HVX41") and nonreduced lignin ("WL355.RR") alfalfa hay was harvested in Minnesota at the late-bud stage. Alfalfa hays were similar in crude protein (CP; 199 g/kg), neutral detergent fiber (NDF; 433 g/kg), and digestible energy (2.4 Mcal/kg). Acid detergent lignin concentrations were lower for reduced lignin alfalfa hay (74 g/kg) compared to nonreduced lignin alfalfa hay (81 g/kg). Dietary treatments were fed to six adult, stock-type horses in a crossover study. Experimental periods consisted of a 9-d dietary adaptation phase followed by a 5-d total fecal collection phase, during which horses were housed in individual boxstalls and manure was removed on a continuous 24-h basis. At 12-h intervals, feces were thoroughly mixed, subsampled in duplicate, and used for apparent digestibility and MFPS analysis. On day 2 of the fecal collection phase, horses were fed two indigestible markers, cobalt (Co) and ytterbium (Yb), which were fed as Co-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and Yb-labeled NDF residue, respectively. Additional fecal samples were taken at 2-h intervals following marker dosing until 96-h post-dosing to evaluate digesta MRT. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, with statistical significance set at P ≤0.05. Dietary treatment (i.e., alfalfa hay type) was included as a fixed effect, while experimental period and horse were considered random effects. Dietary treatments were similar in dry matter intake (1.6% bodyweight) and time to consumption (7.6 h). Apparent dry matter digestibility (DMD) was greater for reduced lignin alfalfa (64.4%) compared to nonreduced lignin alfalfa (61.7%). Apparent CP and NDF digestibility did not differ between dietary treatments, averaging 78% and 45%, respectively. Dietary treatments were similar in MFPS (0.89 mm) and MRT for both liquid (23.7 h) and solid (27.4 h) phase material. These results indicate an improvement in DMD for reduced lignin alfalfa hay when fed to adult horses, with no change in forage consumption, fecal particle size, or digesta retention time.

Ruminal Degradation Kinetics of Beef Steers Fed Annual or Perennial Grass-hay with or Without Supplementation

Abstract The effects of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) supplementation on ruminal degradation kinetics of steers fed annual [‘Tiffany’Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter; TEFF] or perennial [‘WW-B Dahl’ Old World bluestem, Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz).T. Blake; OWB] grass hay were evaluated. Ruminally cannulated crossbred-Angus steers (n = 6; BW = 304 ± 11 kg) were assigned to a 4 × 6 unbalanced Latin square design with 4 treatments. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial, with factors being hay type (OWB or TEFF) and DDGS supplementation [0 or 0.5% BW (DM basis)]. Steers had ad libitum access to hay and received 110 g of a mineral/vitamin packet daily. Periods consisted of a 14-d adaptation followed by 7 d of collection. Hay types were reverse-incubated at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 h post-feeding. Residues from the in situ incubations were fitted to a first-order kinetics model using the non-linear procedure of SAS. The GLIMMIX procedures of SAS were used for the statistical analysis. A hay type × DDGS interaction was observed (P ≤ 0.05) for the estimation of substrate effective degradable fraction of OM, NDF, ADF, and hemicellulose; however, after adjusting with Tukey’s, there were no treatment mean differences (P ≥ 0.08). The rate of digestion, soluble fraction, and the potentially degradable fraction of OM, NDF, ADF, and hemicellulose increased (P ≤ 0.05), while the undegradable fraction decreased (P ≤ 0.01) when steers were fed TEFF, regardless of DDGS supplementation. Ruminal degradation lag-time increased (P ≤ 0.02) by 1.5, 1.45, and 2.6 h for DM, OM, and ADF, respectively in steers fed OWB, regardless of DDGS supplementation. Ruminal degradation kinetics were not (P ≥ 0.17) independently affected by DDGS supplementation. Future investigations should elucidate the interaction between supplementation and forage quality.

94 Feeding behavior and preference of horses fed rhizoma peanut hay

Rhizoma peanut has been used as an alternative legume hay for horses; however, feeding behavior and preference of horses fed this hay warrants investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the feeding behavior and preference of mature horses with maintenance requirements fed rhizoma peanut (RP, Arachis glabrata cv Florigraze) hay compared with alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L. cv Legendary XHD) and bermudagrass (CB, Cynodon dactylon L. cv Coastal) hays. Six mature Quarter Horse geldings (593 ± 40 kg; mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to one of the hays in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with 21-d periods. After a 14-d diet adaptation, 24-h behavioral observations were conducted using scan sampling. Time spent feeding, at leisure, and at other activities were recorded every 10 min. Number of chews and bites were counted for 5 consecutive 1-min intervals. Preference tests were conducted on d 20 and 21 for a 2-h duration by simultaneously feeding 1 kg (as-fed basis) of each hay in separate trays twice a day (n = 4 observations/period). Horses’ first choice, hay consumption, and number of times each hay was smelled or tasted but left in favor of another hay were recorded. Hays were analyzed for chemical composition before the start of the study. Preference data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while behavioral data and hay consumption were analyzed using repeated measures mixed model ANOVA. A hay x time of day effect was observed on feeding time ( P = 0.0393), whereas no hay x time effect was observed on time spent at leisure and other activities. When considering the total hours spent on each behavior, horses fed CB spent more time ( P = 0.0092) feeding compared with ALF (11.7 vs. 8.9 h/d) and less time ( P = 0.0037) at leisure compared with both legume hays. Hay type did not affect total time spent on other activities (1.8 ± 0.23 h/d; mean ± SE). Type of hay had no effect on bite rate (10.7 ± 2.2 bites/min), while horses fed CB had lower ( P = 0.0035) chew rate (71 chews/min) compared with RP and ALF (80 and 81 chews/min). Hay consumption was greatest ( P = 0.0425) with ALF (996 ± 17 g as-fed/test; mean ± SE), followed by RP (935 ± 30 g), and lowest with CB (792 ± 18 g). Digestible energy (Mcal/kg DM) in ALF was 2.58, while in RP was 2.53, and CB was 1.94. Crude protein concentrations in ALF, RP, and CB were 22, 16, and 13.6%, non-structural carbohydrates were 11.4, 10.1, and 7.8%, and neutral detergent fiber was 32.9, 40.4, 66.4%, respectively. Horses show preference for legumes, which might be associated with the nutrient profile of the hays. Rhizoma peanut provides time spent on feeding and chew rates similar to alfalfa.

Retrospective case review investigating the effect of replacing oaten hay with a non‐cereal hay on equine peripheral caries in 42 cases

Equine peripheral caries can cause significant morbidity and can have considerable welfare implications. Recent research suggests that diets with high water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content are associated with high risk of peripheral caries. Previous work has indicated that the condition may be treatable if the inciting cause is removed and the damaged tooth allowed to erupt out, being replaced by the unaffected tooth previously under the gingival margin. To see whether the peripheral caries process can be ceased if oaten hay (typically high WSC) is removed from the diet and replaced with a non-cereal hay (typically lower WSC). Retrospective blinded longitudinal study. Forty-two cases with peripheral caries that were on oaten hay were asked if they would change the hay type from oaten hay to a non-cereal hay or straw (meadow, Rhodes hay, lucerne hay or barley straw). Photographs were taken at the time and then again at subsequent visits. The photographs were anonymised, randomised and scored by six equine veterinary dentists using the Jackson et al. 'Peripheral Caries Grading System' grading scale. At follow-up, 69.0% of cases were marked as inactive, compared with 47.6% of cases at baseline (OR: 2.45, 95%CI: 1.12-5.36, P=.02). Significantly lower grades of peripheral caries were observed in the gingival, middle and occlusive third of the molars (triadan 9-11's) at follow-up compared with baseline. However, significant improvements were not observed in the premolars (triadan 6-8's). This is a review of clinical records, not a prospective study. As such, other changes in the diet and management were not recorded, and there was no control group. Recommending clients change their horse's diet from oaten hay (high WSC) to a typically lower WSC hay was associated with significant improvements in equine peripheral caries located in the molars.