Kg-1 DM Research Articles

Roe deer exposure to trace metals and pesticides in forests and agricultural plains of North-eastern France.

Human activities related to agriculture and industrial development result in the emission of different types of pollutants in the environment. The phytosanitary pressure depends on the time of the year, the type of habitat, and the used treatments. Wildlife, particularly ungulates, can be exposed to pesticides and trace metals through their herbivorous diet directly impregnated by the environmental contamination. Wild game thus plays a sentinel role but can also represent a risk for human health by exposing venison consumers to these contaminants. The present study explored this dual problem in two types of habitat: forests and agricultural plains located in North-eastern France. Samples of liver and muscle were taken from ten roe deer, five caught on the forests and five others in the plains, to determine contaminant levels. There was no significant difference in contamination of roe deer livers according to the habitat for three trace metals (chromium, nickel, and copper), while lead concentrations were higher in samples from the plain (0.85 vs. 0.74mg·kg-1 dry matter DM; P < 0.01). Conversely, zinc concentrations were higher in forest roe deer (110 vs. 95mg·kg-1 DM; P < 0.05). Cadmium concentrations did not differ significantly between the two habitats, but forest samples showed strong inter-individual variability, with some values close to those observed on the plains and others higher (1.8 vs. 0.3mg·kg-1 DM for forest and plain, respectively; P = 0.11). Mercury was not detected in any sample. The majority of pesticides investigated were not detected. Only a few pesticides were in trace amount (from 1 to 8µg·kg-1 fresh matter), either in the liver (e.g., heptachlor and oxychlordane) or in both tissues, liver and muscle (e.g., pyridalyl). Some compounds were only detected in plain (e.g., cypermethrin and fenpropidin) and others in forest (piperonyl butoxide and pyridalyl) samples. Analyses mainly detected insecticides in samples taken from forests and agricultural plains. Fungicides and a few herbicides were mainly detected in plain sampled animals. Pesticides and copper concentrations in roe deer tissues were lower than maximum residue levels established for farm (copper) or wild terrestrial (pesticides) animals. Cadmium concentrations were also lower than the maximum level for most samples, except for some forest roe deer. However, both forest and plain roe deer exceeded the maximum level for lead in liver. Human exposure was simulated according to different amounts of meat consumed and compared with toxicological reference values. This study highlighted an overall low risk to human health for both pesticides, copper and lead, with more reservations about cadmium for some roe deer shot in forest. The differences in roe deer contamination between forests and agricultural plains for some trace elements and organic pollutants confirmed the sentinel role of this species.

Nutritive Value and Degradation Kinetic Parameters of Three Plants for Feeding Bradypus variegatus Schinz, In Vitro Evaluation.

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritive value of three feeds (Cecropia sp., Pterodon sp., and Inga sp.) for sloths (Bradypus variegatus), based on nutritional composition and in vitro gas production. After a 14-day adaptation period to these feeds, approximately 500 g of gastric contents were collected from three female sloths, processed, and incubated with the food samples to evaluate digestibility and in vitro degradation kinetics. Regarding the nutritional composition, the neutral detergent fiber (NDFcp) content was higher with 404 g kg-1 DM (p = 0.001) in the leaves of Cecropia sp. The non-fibrous carbohydrate contents were greater with 499 g kg-1 DM in Pterodon sp. (p = 0.002). The greatest cellulose content (211 g kg-1 DM) was found in the leaves of C. pachystachya, as well as the lowest value of 143 g kg-1 DM for hemicellulose. Significant differences in the in vitro digestibility of crude protein (p = 0.041) were observed, with Inga sp. showing the highest value at 547 g kg-1 DM. In terms of kinetic parameters, Pterodon sp. exhibited higher total gas production (Vt) at 99 mL (p = 0.023) and digestion rates of fibrous carbohydrates (kdFC) at 0.0223%/h (p = 0.020) (p < 0.05). The leaves of Pterodon sp. and Inga sp. showed potential as suitable feeds for B. variegatus, while Cecropia sp. may have negative effects on dry matter intake due to its high NDF content, because of possible repletion effects on the stomach.

Effect of dietary protein source and Saccharina latissima on nutritional and safety characteristics of milk.

Wheat distillers' grains (WDG) and seaweeds are recommended as alternative protein sources and enteric methane mitigators in dairy cow diets, respectively, but little is known about their impact on milk quality and safety. In the present study, 16 cows in four 4 × 4 Latin squares were fed isonitrogenous diets (50:50 forage:concentrate ratio), with rapeseed meal (RSM)-based or WDG-based concentrate (230 and 205 g kg-1 dry matter) and supplemented with or without Saccharina latissima. Replacement of RSM with WDG enhanced milk nutritional profile by decreasing milk atherogenicity (P = 0.002) and thrombogenicity (P = 0.019) indices and the concentrations of the nutritionally undesirable saturated fatty acids - specifically, lauric (P = 0.045), myristic (P = 0.022) and palmitic (P = 0.007) acids. It also increased milk concentrations of the nutritionally beneficial vaccenic (P < 0.001), oleic (P = 0.030), linoleic (P < 0.001), rumenic (P < 0.001) and α-linolenic (P = 0.012) acids, and total monounsaturated (P = 0.044), polyunsaturated (P < 0.001) and n-6 (P < 0.001) fatty acids. Feeding Saccharina latissima at 35.7 g per cow per day did not affect the nutritionally relevant milk fatty acids or pose any risk on milk safety, as bromoform concentrations in milk were negligible and unaffected by the dietary treatments. However, it slightly reduced milk concentrations of pantothenate. Feeding WDG to dairy cows improved milk fatty acid profiles, by increasing the concentrations of nutritionally beneficial fatty acids and reducing the concentration of nutritionally undesirable saturated fatty acids, while feeding seaweed slightly reduced pantothenate concentrations. However, when considering the current average milk intakes in the population, the milk compositional differences between treatments in this study appear relatively small to have an effect on human health. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaves as growth promoter in lambs’ diets

Objective: To evaluate the dietary inclusion of neem leaves on the productive and biochemical performance of fattening lambs. Design/methodology: Forty male lambs were assigned according to a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of dietary inclusion of neem at 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 g kg-1 DM for 35 days. Results: The inclusion of neem leaf in the diet did not affect the productive performance (P&gt;0.05), while protein and energy metabolites were modified (P≤0.05). Limitations on study/implications: The bioactive compounds present in neem modified the metabolites related to protein and energy metabolism, although these changes did not reflect improvements in the productive performance. Conclusions: The inclusion of dietary neem (2.5-7.5 g kg-1) has no effect on the productive performance, although it does modify some energy and protein metabolites.

85 Evaluation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product on performance, plasma metabolites, rumen parameters, and fecal pathogen shedding in feedlot steers

Abstract The objective of the experiment was to evaluate a commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP; NaturSafe, Dimond V, Cedar Rapids, IA) on performance, plasma metabolites, rumen parameters, and fecal pathogen shedding in feedlot steers. Crossbred steers (n = 61; 271 ± 48.1 kg) were sourced from 3 different research units at Oklahoma State University and assigned to 1 of 3 experimental treatments in a randomized complete block design. Steers were group housed in pens equipped with an automated individual feed intake system. Treatments consisted of a negative control (CON), CON with tylosin phosphate (TYL; 9.9 mg · kg-1 of diet DM), or CON with SCFP (1.63 g · kg-1 of diet DM). Body weight and feed efficiency did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.12). However, steers fed SCFP tended to have greater ADG from d 35 to 56 (P = 0.10). In addition, steers fed SCFP exhibited increased DMI from d 56 to 112 (P = 0.03), a tendency for increased DMI from d 112 to final (P = 0.07), and increased DMI overall (P = 0.05). There was no treatment × time interaction for pH, pH change, or lactate concentrations in rumen fluid (P ≥ 0.11), but all were impacted by time (P &amp;lt; 0.01). A treatment × time interaction (P &amp;lt; 0.01) was detected for fecal pH and fecal pH change, with the pH being greater in TYL fed steers on d 56 and in CON fed steers on the final day. Steers that consumed CON had a reduced fecal pH (P &amp;lt; 0.01) and steers consuming SCFP tended to have a reduced fecal pH (P = 0.08) from d 35 to 56 compared with TYL fed steers, while both CON and SCFP fed steers experienced an increase in fecal pH from d 56 to 112 (P &amp;lt; 0.01). A time effect was detected (P ≤ 0.04) for plasma glucose, lactate, urea nitrogen, and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations among treatment groups. A treatment × time interaction was observed (P &amp;lt; 0.02) for stx2 genes of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in individual fecal samples where SCFP and TYL fed steers tended to exhibit an increased concentration compared with CON fed steers on d 14, while on d 190 CON and SCFP fed steers exhibited an increased concentration compared with TYL fed steers. Overall, STEC, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella concentrations were all impacted by time (P &amp;lt; 0.001). This experiment suggests that SCFP could be utilized as a potential alternative to TYL in feedlot cattle without adversely affecting cattle performance. However, SCFP did not impact pathogen shedding. In addition, CON fed steers performed similarly to both SCFP and TYL fed steers.

An inventory of grassland use on horse farms

Horses can contribute to the maintenance of grassland. To determine the potential contribution of grassland to horse nutrition, we investigated the seasonal variation of herbage on offer and its nutritional quality in an inventory on six practical horse farms in Central Germany during 2019. On all horse-grazed pastures compressed sward height (CSH) was measured monthly and converted into aboveground herbage (AGH) to allocated short and tall grass sward areas (area-specific) via calibration cuts. In addition, four focus pastures were selected for monthly obtained area-specific herbage quality samples. The farm-specific management was monitored using questionnaires and grazing diaries to determine underlying factors influencing herbage biomass and quality. The proportion of short grass sward areas increased during the grazing season (p=0.0010), which was related to high stocking intensity in terms of livestock unit grazing days (LUGD, p <.0001). On most farms, LUGD were constant throughout the growing season and not adjusted to changing grass growth. Herbage crude protein (CP, p=0.0038), metabolizable energy (ME, p <.0001) concentrations and acid detergent fibre in the organic matter (ADF, p <.0001) differed among the grass sward areas. The results suggest that sufficient ME (4.2 ± 0.32 – 8.4 ± 0.15 MJ ME kg−1 DM) for maintenance and pre-caecal digestible CP (pcdCP) (37.0 ± 3.86 – 77.4 ± 4.44 g kg−1 DM) could be provided during the grazing season. The study highlights the need to incentivise grassland management for herbage provision among horse owners to exploit the potential of grassland during the grazing season.

Selection and chemical composition of plant species consumed by goats under drought conditions in three microregions of the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico

Objective: To evaluate the plant selection of the diet of goats during the dry season and the chemical composition of the said plants in three microregions of the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico.&#x0D; Design/Methodology/Approach: Three microregions were identified within the Comarca Lagunera: 1) mountain slope, 2) plain, and 3) cultivation areas. The selection of the goat diet, the availability of forage, and the nutritional composition (CP, EE, DNF, AFD, NFC, TDN, and NEl) of plant species and strata were evaluated in the three microregions.&#x0D; Results: The shrubs and herbaceous in the Comarca Lagunera had the highest forage availability and a better nutritional profile during winter. On the one hand, these plant strata had an adequate protein content. On the other hand, the overall energy content reached &lt;1 Mcal kg-1 DM.&#x0D; Study Limitations/Implications: The plant strata have an adequate protein content; however, the energy content is not enough and limits growth. Consequently, supplementation programs for grazing dairy goats in the Comarca Lagunera must include sources of energy.&#x0D; Findings/Conclusions: Regardless of the microregion, the energy content of the species consumed by grazing dairy goats in the Comarca Lagunera is low.

Digestibilidade, parâmetros de fermentação in vitro e Cinética de degradação de dietas em dietas contendo torta de crambe

ABSTRACT Aimed with this study was evaluate the increasing levels of crambe crushed, on in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM), organic matter (IVDOM) and crude protein (IVDCP), parameters of fermentation and kinetics of the cumulative gas production. The crushed crambe were included in the diets at 0; 50; 100; 150 g/kg of DM. There was a quadratic effect of the proportions of crambe crushed in the concentrated supplements on IVDDM and IVDOM (maximum point at 0.25 and 0.91 g Kg-1 DM, respectively). Total gas production (A + D) was influenced by the presence of crambe crushed with quadratic effect on minimal point on 0.02 g Kg-1 DM. There was a quadratic effect for pH in the collection times in all diets, the lowest pH values were observed between 4.8 to 8.7 hours. There was a quadratic effect for ammoniacal nitrogen in the collection times in all diets with peaks of NH3-N production occurred between 4.8 and 6.3 hours after the beginning of the incubation. Concluded that the inclusion of crambe crushed up to 150 g kg-1 DM in diets for ruminants does not impair the ruminal degradation kinetics.

From waste to protein: a new strategy of converting composted distilled grain wastes into animal feed.

Distilled grain waste (DGW) is rich in nutrients and can be a potential resource as animal feed. However, DGW contains as much as 14% lignin, dramatically reducing the feeding value. White-rot fungi such as Pleurotus ostreatus could preferentially degrade lignin with high efficiency. However, lignin derivatives generated during alcohol distillation inhibit P. ostreatus growth. Thus, finding a new strategy to adjust the DGW properties to facilitate P. ostreatus growth is critical for animal feed preparation and DGW recycling. In this study, three dominant indigenous bacteria, including Sphingobacterium thermophilum X1, Pseudoxanthomonas byssovorax X3, and Bacillus velezensis 15F were chosen to generate single and compound microbial inoculums for DGW composting to prepare substrates for P. ostreatus growth. Compared with non-inoculated control or single microbial inoculation, all composite inoculations, especially the three-microbial compound, led to faster organic metabolism, shorter composting process, and improved physicochemical properties of DGW. P. ostreatus growth assays showed the fastest mycelial colonization (20.43 μg·g-1 ergosterol) and extension (9 mm/d), the highest ligninolytic enzyme activities (Lac, 152.68 U·g-1; Lip, 15.56 U·g-1; MnP, 0.34 U·g-1; Xylanase, 10.98 U·g-1; FPase, 0.71 U·g-1), and the highest lignin degradation ratio (30.77%) in the DGW sample after 12 h of composting with the three-microbial compound inoculation when compared to other groups. This sample was relatively abundant in bacteria playing critical roles in amino acid, carbohydrate, energy metabolism, and xenobiotic biodegradation, as suggested by metagenomic analysis. The feed value analysis revealed that P. ostreatus mycelia full colonization in composted DGW led to high fiber content retention and decreased lignin content (final ratio of 5% lignin) but elevated protein concentrations (about 130 g·kg-1 DM). An additional daily weight gain of 0.4 kg/d was shown in cattle feeding experiments by replacing 60% of regular feed with it. These findings demonstrate that compound inoculant consisting of three indigenous microorganisms is efficient to compost DGW and facilitate P. ostreatus growth. P. ostreatus decreased the lignin content of composted DGW during its mycelial growth, improving the quality of DGW for feeding cattle.

Diferentes métodos e tempos de medição para estimar a produção decalor em ovinos alimentados com farelo de girasssol

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to assess the oxygen pulse and heart rate method (O2P-HR) using a respiration chamber at different measurement times for estimate the heat production (HP) of lambs fed increasing levels of sunflower meal in their diet. Twenty-four lambs were assigned to four experimental diets (0, 100, 200, and 300 g of sunflower meal kg-1 DM). Heat production was estimated using the O2P-HR (HPO2P) method and a respirometry chamber (HPRC). Measurements were obtained by simultaneously measuring heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption over 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 h. A flow-through respirometry chamber for small ruminants was used to determine oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide and methane production. Data on dietary treatment, measurement times and their interactions were analyzed as repeated measures using mixed model procedures and Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) estimation. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to compare techniques. There was no effect of the different levels of sunflower meal inclusion on VO2 and heat production. The HPO2P (126.16 kcal/ BW0.75/day) was 2% higher than that of the HPRC (124.61 kcal/ BW0.75/day), and the correlation coefficients was 0.628. The coefficient of variation was greater for the HPO2P (21.33%) than for HPRC (11.44%). HR (beats/min), VO2 (mL/min/BW0.75) and O2P-HR (mL/beat) required measurement times of 24, 15 and 9 hours, respectively. A measurement time of 24 h was necessary to ensure a more accurate estimate of the heat production using the O2P-HR method.

Effects of dietary supplementation with 3-nitrooxypropanol on enteric methane production, rumen fermentation, and performance in young growing beef cattle offered a 50:50 forage:concentrate diet.

There is an urgent requirement internationally to reduce enteric methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants to meet greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. Dietary supplementation with feed additives is one possible strategy under investigation as an effective solution. The effects of the CH4 inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) at reducing CH4 emissions in beef have been shown mainly in adult cattle consuming backgrounding and high-energy finishing diets. In this study, the effects of dietary supplementation of young growing (≤6 mo) beef cattle with 3-NOP were examined in a 50:50 forage:concentrate diet. A total of 68 Dairy × Beef (Aberdeen Angus and Hereford dairy cross) male calves (≤6 mo of age at the start of experiment, body weight: 147 ± 38 kg) underwent a 3-wk acclimatization period and were then assigned to one of two treatments in a completely randomized block design. Dietary treatments were (1) control, placebo (no 3-NOP), and (2) 3-NOP applied at 150 mg kg-1 DM. Calves were fed a partial mixed ration for 12 wk. Body weight was recorded weekly and feed intake daily using the Calan Broadbent feeding system. Methane and hydrogen emissions were measured using the GreenFeed system. Total weight gained, dry matter intake (DMI), and average daily gain were not affected by 3-NOP (P > 0.05) supplementation. On average, the inclusion of 3-NOP decreased (P < 0.001) CH4 emissions: g d-1; g kg-1 DMI; by 30.6% and 27.2%, respectively, during the study with a greater reduction occurring over time. Incorporating 3-NOP into beef cattle diets is an efficient solution to decrease CH4 emissions during indoor feeding and when offered 50:50 forage:concentrate diet.

English

The current experiment aimed to determine the effects of the growing site on the chemical composition and fermentation parameters of carob pods. Carob pods from ten different trees were hand harvested from seven different growing sites namely; Silifke, Akdeniz, Tarsus, Aydincik, Taşucu, Toroslar and Gülnar in Mersin, Turkey in 2019 and oven dried at 50°C for three days. After drying, the carob pods were ground through a 1 mm-wide sieve for analysis and in vitro gas production (GP) testing. The growing site had a significant effect on the chemical composition, GP, and digestion values of carob pods. The crude ash (CA), crude protein (CP), ether extracts (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and condensed tannin (CT) contents of carob pods ranged from 2.49 to 3.51%, 5.58 to 9.14%, 2.88 to 3.38%, 17.67 to 28.03%, 11.17 to 17.94%, and 1.98 to 5.05%, respectively. The GP, methane (CH4 (mL), percentage of CH4, metabolizable energy (ME), and organic matter digestibility (OMD) ranged from 95.66 to 123.0 mL g-1 DM, 16.23 to 20.12 mL g-1 DM, 15.69 to 16.96%, 8.24 to 9.72 MJ kg-1 DM, and 54.53 to 63.40%, respectively. The GP, CH4 production, and ME contents of carob pods obtained from Silifke, Akdeniz, Tarsus, and Tasucu were significantly higher than those from the other growing sites, whereas the OMD of carob pods from Silifke and Tarsus was significantly higher than that from the other sites. The true digestible substrate (TDS), microbial protein yield (MPY), efficiency of microbial protein yield (EMPY), and true substrate digestibility (TSD) of carob pods ranged from 319.54 to 469.62 mg, 109.07 to 207.09 mg, 32.34 to 44.10%, and 68.43 to 96.11%, respectively. The TDS, MPY, EMPY, and TSD of carob pods from Tasucu were significantly higher than those from the other sites. The current study revealed valuable insight regarding the chemical composition and fermentation parameters of carob pods grown at different sites. Carop pods can be used in sheep diets to meet the energy requirement of mature sheep for maintenance and lactation whereas protein supplementation is essential when incorporating carob pods into the diets of lactating sheep to fulfill their dietary requirements.

Ewes fed high-concentrate diets containing flint corn and increasing levels of exogenous amylolytic enzyme: effects on nutrient intake and digestibility

The aim was to evaluate if the inclusion of exogenous amylolytic enzyme affect the nutrient intake and digestibility in ewes fed high-concentrate diets containing flint corn. Five Santa Inês × Dorper crossbred ewes (54.04 ± 4.5 kg and aged 8 months) were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square design. All animals were housed in individual metabolic cages for 60 days. The treatments consisted of a control diet (without amylolytic enzyme) and four inclusion levels of an amylolytic enzyme (3,000, 6,000, 9,000, and 12,000 α-amylase dextrinizing units [DU] kg-1 dry matter [DM]). The enzyme was mixed into the feed at the time of supply to the animals. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, and orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used. Nutrient intake was not influenced by amylolytic enzyme inclusion. The digestibility of DM, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, total carbohydrates, non-fibrous carbohydrates, and gross energy showed a quadratic increase with enzyme inclusion (P&lt;0.05), with maximum values at levels of 7,600, 7,500, 6,300, 7,500, 7,400, and 7,800 DU kg-1 DM, respectively. Total digestible nutrients of diets also showed a quadratic increase, with a maximum value of 894 g kg-1 at a level of α-amylase activity of 7,786 DU kg-1 DM. The inclusion of the exogenous amylolytic enzyme from 6,300 to 7,800 DU kg-1 DM doesn’t alter nutrient intake and improves the digestibility in ewes fed high-concentrate diets.

Application of Bio-Fertilizers Improves Forage Quantity and Quality of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Intercropped with Soybean (Glycine max L.).

In recent years, application of bio-fertilizers (BFs) in intercropping systems has become known as one of the main sustainable and eco-friendly strategies for improving the quantity and quality of forage crops. In order to evaluate the forage quantity and quality of sorghum intercropped with soybean, a two-year field experiment was carried out as factorial based on a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three replications. The first factor was different cropping patterns including soybean monocultures with densities of 40 and 50 plants m-2 (G40 and G50), sorghum monocultures with densities of 10 and 15 plants m-2 (S10 and S15) and intercropping of two plants with the mentioned densities. The second factor was non-application (control) and application of bio-fertilizers. The results demonstrated that the highest dry forage yield of sorghum (21.22 t ha-1) was obtained in monoculture conditions with density of 15 plants m-2 and inoculation with bio-fertilizer (S15+BF). The maximum crude protein (CP = 149.6 g kg-1 DM), ash (113.2 g kg-1 DM), water soluble carbohydrates (WSC = 251.16 g kg-1 DM), dry matter intake (DMI = 26.83 g kg-1 of body weight), digestible dry matter (DDM = 668.01 g kg-1 DM), total digestible nutrients (TDN = 680.42 g kg-1 DM), relative feed value (RFV = 142.98%) and net energy for lactation (NEL = 1.625 Mcal kg-1) were observed in the intercropping of S10G50 inoculated with BF. Interestingly, application of bio-fertilizers enhanced the content of CP, ash, WSC, DMI, DDM, TDN, RFV and NEL by 7.5, 8, 11.7, 3.6, 2.3, 12.3, 5.9 and 3.5% when compared with the control (non-application of bio-fertilizers). In all intercropping patterns, the total land equivalent ratio (LER) value was greater than one, representing the advantage of these cropping patterns in comparison with sorghum monoculture. The highest total LER was recorded in the intercropping of S15G40 and S10G50 following application of BF. Additionally, the highest monetary advantage index (MAI) was calculated in the intercropping of S15G40+BF. Generally, it can be concluded that the intercropping of S10G50 along with bio-fertilizer inoculation could be suggested as an eco-friendly strategy for improving the forage quantity and quality under low-input conditions.

Licury Cake in Diets for Lactating Goats: Intake, Digestibility, Feeding Behavior, Milk Production and Composition, and Nitrogen Metabolism.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of licury cake (LC) inclusion in the diets of lactating goats on productive and metabolic performance. Twelve lactating goats, eight Saanen and four Anglo-Nubian, were distributed in a triplicate 4 × 4 Latin square design, with four treatments (0, 66.7, 133.3, and 200 g kg-1 of dry matter-DM). On the one hand, the LC inclusion increased neutral detergent fiber, indigestible neutral detergent fiber, and potentially digestible neutral detergent fiber (p < 0.001) intake. On the other hand, LC inclusion reduced ether extract and non-fibrous carbohydrate (p < 0.001) intake. There was a reduction in dry matter digestibility (p = 0.018) and an increase in neutral detergent fiber digestibility (p = 0.036). Feeding (p = 0.005) and rumination (p < 0.001) efficiencies increased with LC inclusion. The nitrogen balance was similar for all tested diets; however, we observed recycling metabolism. Based on the studied parameters, mainly milk production and composition, we recommend the LC inclusion of up to 200 g kg-1 DM in diets for lactating goats.

In situ ruminal degradability of forage cactus-based diets associated with pornunça silage

The knowledge of ruminal degradation kinetics of forage cactus-based diets associated with Euphorbiaceae species of the genus Manihot assist in understanding nutrient quality and use, contributing to the indication of combinations of these ingredients in ruminant diets. This study aimed to evaluate the in situ ruminal degradability of diets with increasing association of forage cactus Elephant Ear (MEE) and pornunça (Manihot sp.) silage, as well as to analyze and evaluate the indigestible neutral detergent fiber (FDNi) content of forage cactus MEE and pornunça silage. The treatments consisted of diets with cactus pear associated with pornunça silage in the roughage portion in the proportions of 375, 250, 125 and 0 g kg-1 of DM. The feed was composed of 50% roughage and 50% concentrate of dry matter. Incubation times of 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, and 144 hours were evaluated for the ingredients and 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours for the diets. Incubation to obtain the iNDF was given for 288 hours. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with three replications. Regarding roughage ingredients, MEE showed higher average disappearance, potential degradability (PD), and effective degradability (ED) in relation to pornunça silage, as well as lower NDFi content. The proportion of 375 g kg-1 MEE and 125 g kg-1 pornunça silage provided higher fractions a, b, and c, increasing ED considering the three passage rates, with higher PD. In conclusion, the association between MEE and pornunça silage at a proportion of 375 g kg-1 MEE and125g kg-1 pornunça silage of the roughage portion increases the in situ degradability of dry matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber.

Quality of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) mixture silages depending on the share in the mixture and additives

Alfalfa silage has a high potential for improving ruminant nutrition. A problem that frequently occurs during its preparation is the process of proteolysis, which could partially be avoided with the use of certain techniques and materials. Red clover, often used in form of silage, expresses weaker proteolysis due to the possession of certain chemical compounds. This research was conducted to study the effects of ensiled alfalfa and red clover mixtures, mixed at different ratios (100:0, 90:10, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 0:100), as well as the influence of additives – two doses of oak tannin extract (6 g kg-1 DM and 12 g kg-1 DM) and bacterial inoculant (Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus plantarum, and Bacillus brevis) on fermentation parameters and protein fractions of the silages. The treatments which contained any of the used percentages of red clover, as well as the ones which received the higher dose of oak tannin (12 g kg-1 DM), reduced the ammonia nitrogen content, which is one of the main indicators of proteolysis. On the other hand, considering non-protein nitrogen, as another of the indicators of proteolysis, there was no positive sign of the contribution of red clover to the reduction of proteolysis in alfalfa, and neither there was a significant impact of additives that were applied in this experiment.

Evaluation of global Cenchrus germplasm for key nutritional and silage quality traits.

Cenchrus is important genera of grasses inhabiting tropical pastures and the Indian grasslands system. Its forage value is well established to sustain nomadic livestock and wildlife. This study deals with the evaluation of the representative set of global Cenchrus germplasm collection with 79 accessions belonging to six species (C. ciliaris, C. setigerus, C. echinatus, C. myosuroides, C. pennisetiformis, and C. biflorus) at flowering stage. Crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose, and lignin values were in the range of 61.1-136, 640-749, 373-490, 277-375, and 35.6-75.50 g kg-1DM, respectively, while sugar contents varied from 11.6 to 101 mg g-1 DM. From the evaluated germplasm, 14 accessions of C. ciliaris having >70 mg g-1 DM sugar contents were selected and further evaluated for protein, fiber, carbohydrate and protein fractions, palatability indices, in vitro CH4 production, and ensiling traits. Protein contents were lower in EC397323 (61.8) and higher in IG96-96 (91.5), while the NDF, ADF, cellulose, and lignin contents varied between 678-783, 446-528, 331-405, and 39.6-62.0 g kg-1DM, respectively. The carbohydrate and protein fractions of selected accessions differed (p < 0.05), and the sugar contents varied (p < 0.05) between 74.6 and 89.6 mg-1g DM. Dry matter intake (DMI) and relative feed value (RFV) of accessions varied (p < 0.05) and were in the range of 1.53-1.77% and 58.2-73.8 g kg-1 DM, respectively. The total digestible nutrients (TDNs), digestible energy (DE), and metabolizable energy (ME) of selected accessions varied between 362-487 g kg-1 DM, 6.62-8.90, and 5.42-7.29 Mj kg-1 DM, respectively. In vitro gas and CH4 production (24 h) varied (p < 0.05) between 73.1 to 146 and 7.72 to 21.5 ml/g, respectively, while the degraded dry matter (g kg-1 DM) and CH4 (ml/g DDM) ranged between 399-579 and 17.4-47.2, respectively. The DM contents at ensiling, silage pH, and lactic acid contents of accessions differed (p < 0.05) and ranged between 185-345 g kg-1 DM, 5.10-6.05, and 1.39-23.3 g kg-1 DM, respectively. Wide genetic diversity existed in germplasm and selected C. ciliaris accessions for protein fiber, energy, sugar, and other nutritional traits. Silage prepared from EC397366, IG96-96, IG96-50, and EC397323 had pH and lactic acid contents acceptable for moderate to good quality silage of tropical range grasses.

Effects of dietary palm oil supplementation on ruminal degradation and apparent digestibility of nutrients in sheep.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of palm oil on the ruminal environment and nutrient digestibility of sheep diets. Twenty rumen-cannulated sheep were kept in individual stalls equipped with feeding and drinking troughs The animals were fed five diets based on Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. cv. Roxo) silage and supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 75, or 100 g kg-1 of palm oil (based on total DM). The Elephant grass was harvested at 90 days of regrowth and the concentrate was based on ground corn grain, soybean meal and mineral mix (20 g kg-1 DM), offered to the sheep at a ratio of 1.5 g kg-1d-1 of body weight (restricted intake) to maintain a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 1:1, based on DM. There were no differences (P = 0.324) in ruminal disappearance and degradability parameters with up to 75 g of oil per kg of DM. Organic matter showed a linear reduction in apparent digestibility, while ether extract increased linearly. Palm oil affected the digestibility and nutritional parameters in ruminant diets.

Small-grain forage mixtures for silage: Yield and botanical, morphological and chemical composition

In small-scale dairy systems (SSDS), multispecies pastures and small-grain cereal silages have been shown to be a feasible option to cope with the possible effects of climate change, such as erratic rainfall patterns and temperature extremes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic variables and green forage and silage quality of a binary mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and rye (Secale cereale) compared to a ternary mixture of barley, rye, and triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) in two zones (San Joaquín and Tixhiñú) in the Mexican central highlands. A complete randomized design with factorial arrangement was used with the two mixtures and two locations as factors. The binary crop showed a 13.3 cm greater height (P&lt;0.05), and forage production was similar between mixtures (P&gt;0.05). The ternary silage had 57.6 g kg-1 DM less neutral detergent fiber, 68.1 g kg-1 DM higher digestibility and higher metabolizable energy content and crude protein (P&lt;0.05). The binary mixture was dominated by rye, a species with a high proportion of stem (74.4%), which influenced the quality parameters. The inclusion of triticale favored the quality of the ternary mixture, and in general, barley performed poorly. The ternary mixture of small-grain cereals did not show major agronomic benefits but did show quality benefits, making silage from this mixture a viable option for use in SSDS.