Metabolizable Energy Content Research Articles

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.

Diet Digestibility and Partitioning of Nutrients in Adult Male Alpacas Fed a Blend of Oat Hay and Alfalfa Pellets at Two Levels of Intake

Alpacas are well adapted to consume the poor-quality forages present in the arid conditions of the Andean Altiplano. However, studies focusing on understanding the relationship between diet digestibility and intake are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two levels of dry matter intake (DMI) on a metabolic body weight (BW0.75) basis. The effects of a maintenance level of intake and an ad libitum level of intake (40 and 50 g of dry matter (DM) per kg of BW0.75, respectively) on the apparent diet digestibility and partitioning of specific nutrients (energy, carbon (C), and nitrogen (N)) of alpacas that were fed a blend of oat hay and alfalfa pellets (70:30 ratio as a percentage on a fed basis) were evaluated. Five adult intact male alpacas (BW = 62.9 ± 8.09 kg at the beginning of the study) were fed with the experimental diet and trained to be allocated in metabolism crates for 30 days. After the completion of this phase, two separate experiments for each level of intake were carried out, each lasting for twenty-six days (with the final five days taken for samples and raw data collection). In both experiments, the animals responded differently in terms of nutrient supply and changes in BW (−140 and 100 g/d for the maintenance and ad libitum levels of intake, respectively). Oat hay consumption was rather similar in both experiments, which may be explained by a reduced ingredient selectivity at the ad libitum level of intake. Diet digestibility was similar in both experiments, despite the greater fecal output of nutrients with the increased level of diet intake. In line with this, diet metabolizability, calculated as the ratio between metabolizable energy (ME) and gross energy (GE) contents, indicated a similar energy utilization of the diet. The apparent digestibility of the organic matter (OMD) ranged from 655 to 669 g/kg DM. Water consumption at the ad libitum level of intake was 21% higher than the observed mean at the maintenance level of intake. Fecal outputs of dietary energy, C, and N accounted for the largest source of excreted nutrients, regardless of the level of intake. The N retention increased from 0.439 at the maintenance level of intake, to 0.473 g of DM/kg BW0.75 when the alpacas were fed ad libitum.

Corn grain rehydration methods: Water vs. cactus pear in the diet for feedlot lambs

The goal was to evaluate the productive performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and blood parameters of feedlot lambs fed silages of corn grain rehydrated with water or cactus pear. Thirty male intact lambs, mixed breed, and with an average initial weight of 22 ± 4.29 kg were assigned to a completely randomized design with three treatments and ten replications. The treatments were defined as diet containing ground dry corn grain - CG (Control); diet containing corn grain silage rehydrated with water (CW) and; diet containing corn grain silage rehydrated with cactus pear (CCP). No significant differences were observed (P > 0.05) among the treatments in terms of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), total carbohydrate (TCHO), and metabolizable energy (ME). However, the ME content (P = 0.0204) of the diets containing rehydrated corn grain silage (CW) (2.57 Mcal/kg DM) was significantly higher than that of the CG diets (2.29 Mcal/kg DM). This difference in ME was associated with improved digestibility of DM (P = 0.0148), OM (P = 0.0032), and TCHO (P = 0.0027) in the CW diets. Animals fed the CG diets exhibited lower total weight gain, daily weight gain, and reduced feed efficiency. Additionally, a higher percentage of starch was found in the feces of animals consuming CG diets. In contrast, animals fed the CCP diet had higher plasma glucose concentrations (P = 0.0177). The inclusion of rehydrated corn grain silage in the diets proved to be a valuable nutritional strategy to enhance the overall nutritive value of corn grain for lambs, leading to improved animal performance. Furthermore, the utilization of cactus pear as a source of rehydration for grain silage can be particularly advantageous in regions where water resources are limited.

Different starch sources result in distinct responses to diets digestibility, fecal microbiota and fermentative metabolites, and postprandial glycemic response in dogs

The study evaluated the effects of different starch sources on the coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of macronutrients, metabolizable energy (ME), intestinal fermentative metabolites, fecal microbiota, and postprandial glycemic response in dogs. Seven diets containing corn, brown rice, sorghum, potato starch, sweet potato flour, chickpea, and pea flour were evaluated. Fourteen adult Beagle dogs were randomly distributed in blocks (periods) and were fed the experimental diets for 15 days during three periods, totaling 6 repetitions. In general, diets with brown rice and pea had higher CTTAD of nutrients, followed by diets containing sorghum, chickpea, and potato. The diet containing sweet potato had the lowest CTTAD of nutrients. Diets containing corn and brown rice presented the highest ME content. Dogs fed the chickpea diet had lower fecal pH, ammonia concentration, and dry matter content (P < 0.05). Generally, higher fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids were observed in dogs fed the sweet potato and chickpea diets compared to the potato and brown rice diets (P < 0.05). Pulse-based diets resulted in a higher abundance of Bacteroides plebeius, Prevotella copri, Blautia, and Turicibacter in feces (P < 0.05). A higher abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Blautia was observed in the feces of dogs fed the sweet potato diet (P < 0.05). Blood samples collected from dogs fed corn and potato diets indicated a greater increase in glycemic peak concentration and maximum glycemia than the other starch sources (P < 0.05). The period until the glycemic peak was longer for diets containing sorghum and chickpea (P < 0.05). The results obtained in this study showed that sweet potato and pulses improve indicators of gastrointestinal functionality, and help controlling the postprandial glycemic response in dogs.

Effects of Metabolizable Energy Intake and Body-Weight Restriction on Layer Pullets: 1-Growth, Uniformity, and Efficiency

This study aimed to determine the effects of dietary energy and body-weight (BW) restriction on layer pullets’ growth, uniformity, and feed efficiency. Two experiments were conducted using a precision feeding (PF) system (Experiment 1) and a conventional feeding (CON) system (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 consisted of a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement (eight treatments) with two feed allocation (FA) levels: meal every visit (MEV) or restricted to the lower boundary of Lohmann Brown-Lite pullets; and three dietary metabolizable energy (ME) levels: Low, Standard (Std), and High (2600, 2800, and 3000 kcal/kg, respectively); the fourth treatment enabled birds to choose from the three diets (Choice). Experiment 2 consisted of a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (six treatments): two FA levels (ad libitum or restricted) and three dietary ME levels (Low, Std, and High). In each experiment, BW, coefficient of variation (CV), average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily metabolizable energy intake (MEI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded. Diet ADFI preferences and feeding motivation were determined only in the PF experiment. ANOVA was conducted on each experiment with the two main effects as fixed factors (FA and dietary ME), and age or period as the sources of variation. Differences were reported at p ≤ 0.05. MEV (PF experiment) and ad libitum-fed (CON experiment) pullets had greater BW compared to restricted-fed pullets (p &lt; 0.05). The lowest CV was observed in the restricted-fed pullets from the PF experiment (p &lt; 0.05). ADFI was greater in pullets fed the Low ME diet in the PF experiment compared to all the other groups, and the lower the dietary ME, the greater the ADFI in the CON experiment (p &lt; 0.05). Choice-feeding pullets preferred feed with greater ME content in the PF experiment (p &lt; 0.05). The lower the dietary ME, the greater the FCR in the CON experiment (p &lt; 0.05). Restricted-fed pullets had greater daily visits, and lower daily meals, meal size, and successful visits to the PF system (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the results of this trial indicated that lower dietary ME increased FCR and ADFI, whereas feed restriction decreased BW and increased feeding motivation. Future steps after this trial will include examining the effects of dietary energy and feed restriction on carcass composition and sexual maturation.

Grazing management practices on Waikato and Canterbury dairy farms diverging in bulk milk urea content

New Zealand dairy farmers have little realtime information on surplus nitrogen (N) in their herd’s diet to help manage farm-scale N loss. By understanding the influence of management on bulk milk urea (BMU), farmers could potentially use milk components to identify changes in dietary N surplus. Our study examined the relationships between grazing management and BMU concentration on 38 dairy farms selected for low or high BMU in Canterbury and Waikato. Measurements included pre- and post-grazing herbage mass, perennial ryegrass leaf stage at grazing, and botanical and chemical composition (crude protein (CP) and metabolisable energy (ME) content) of herbage on four occasions over a year. Herds with Low BMU tended to graze pastures with a greater pre-grazing herbage mass (+153 kg DM/ha), a more advanced leaf stage (+0.13 number of leaves), and longer grazing intervals (+11 days). Consistent with this, herbage on Low BMU farms had lower CP (-2.7%) compared with High BMU farms. We identified grazing management differences between Low and High BMU groups, which could be linked to reductions in N surplus in the herd’s diet through the lower CP% of pasture offered. Future work should determine the importance of this in relation to other farm management factors such assupplement and N fertiliser use.

Net energy content of hybrid rye fed to growing pigs and effects of particle size on energy values

An experiment was conducted to determine the digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and net energy (NE) contents of hybrid rye fed to growing pigs using indirect calorimetry and to investigate the effects of particle size on energy values. Thirty growing barrows (18.06 ± 0.83 kg initial body weight) were individually housed in metabolism crates and randomly allotted to one of five dietary treatments to give six replicates per treatment. Two hybrid rye varieties (Bono and Gatano) were ground in a hammermill mounted with a 4.0-mm or 3.2-mm screen to obtain coarse and fine particle size, respectively. Dietary treatments included a corn-soybean meal basal diet and four additional diets containing 300 g/kg of the test ingredients in a 2 × 2 factorial based on hybrid rye variety (Bono or Gatano) and particle size (Coarse or Fine). Pigs were fed experimental diets for 15 days, including 10 days for adaptation and 5 days for total fecal and urine collection to determine the DE and ME of the experimental diets. Pigs were then moved into indirect calorimetry chambers to determine 24-h heat production and 12-h fasting heat production. All data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with the individual pig as the experimental unit. The geometric mean diameter (Dgw) for coarsely versus finely ground Bono and Gatano were 1111 versus 594 µm and 1210 versus 717 µm, respectively. The coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of dry matter (DM) and gross energy (GE) were greater (P < 0.05) in diets containing finely than coarsely ground hybrid rye. The DE and ME of finely ground hybrid rye were greater (P < 0.05) than those of coarsely ground hybrid rye, and the NE of finely ground hybrid rye tended to be greater (P = 0.084) than that of coarsely ground hybrid rye. No differences were observed for the DE, ME, and NE contents between Bono and Gatano. The determined NE for coarsely and finely ground Bono were 11.06 and 11.77 MJ/kg DM, and the respective NE values for coarsely and finely ground Gatano were 11.09 and 11.57 MJ/kg DM. In conclusion, the energy values of different hybrid rye varieties might be comparable. Particle size reduction could significantly improve the DE and ME values of hybrid rye fed to growing pigs, while the NE value was only numerically improved.

PSVI-7 Digestible Energy and Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Corn, Oilseed Meals, and Fibrous Ingredients for Growing Pig

Abstract The objective of the present work was to determine digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) concentrations of corn, oilseed meals, and fibrous ingredients fed to growing pig. Twelve barrows with an initial body weight of 34.3 kg (SD = 2.9) were individually housed in metabolism crates. A 12 × 8 incomplete Latin square design with 12 animals, 12 experimental diets, and 8 periods was employed. A basal diet contained 76.7% corn, 19.0% soybean meal (SBM), and 2% soybean oil as the sole source of energy. Ten experimental diets were prepared by replacing 30% of the basal diet with SBM, rapeseed meal, rice bran, corn gluten feed, corn distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS), wheat bran, sugar beet pulp, copra meal, soybean hulls, or palm kernel expellers. Additionally, a corn diet contained 97.7% of corn as a sole energy source. Each period consisted of a 5-day adaptation period and a 5-day collection period, and the marker-to-marker procedure was used for the quantitative collection of feces and urine. The gross energy concentrations in the experimental diets were close to the calculated values based on the ingredient gross energy values. The DE and ME concentrations in corn (3,911 and 3,866 kcal/kg DM) and SBM (4,004 and 3,780 kcal/kg DM) were greatest (P &amp;lt; 0.05) among the 11 test ingredients followed by DDGS (3,531 and 3,336 kcal/kg DM), rice bran (3,242 and 3,172 kcal/kg DM), soybean hulls (3,081 and 3,103 kcal/kg DM), palm kernel expellers (3,112 and 3,058 kcal/kg DM). The DE and ME concentrations in corn gluten feed (2,624 and 2,460 kcal/kg DM) were less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) than those in all other test ingredients. In conclusion, corn and SBM had the greatest energy values among the corn, oilseed meals, and fibrous ingredients, whereas corn gluten feed had the lowest energy values.

248 Concentration of Net Energy in Corn without or with Microbial Phytase Fed to Group-Housed Pigs

Abstract The objective was to test the hypothesis that addition of microbial phytase to corn increases net energy (NE) by group-housed growing pigs. Three diets were formulated. The positive control (PC) diet contained corn as the sole source of energy. The PC diet contained Ca and P at the requirements for pigs (NRC, 2012). The negative control (NC) diet was similar to the PC except that this diet contained 0.08% standardized total tract digestible P and 0.12% total Ca less than the PC diet. The third diet was similar to the NC diet with the exception that this diet contained 1,000 units of phytase per kg diet. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to feed and water. Pigs (n = 24; initial body weight = 44.99 kg; SD = 2.09) were allotted to the 3 diets using a replicated 6 × 3 incomplete Latin square design with 6 chambers (i.e., 4 pigs/chamber) and 3 periods. Oxygen consumption and CO2 and CH4 production were measured during fed and fasting states and fecal and urine samples were quantitatively collected. The statistical model included diet as the fixed effect and chamber and period as random effects. Result indicated that the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter and gross energy, energy excretion in feces, urine, and heat, and NE did not differ among the 3 diets (Table 1). However, concentrations of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in diets and in corn were less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in the PC diet compared with the NC diet without phytase, but no difference was observed between the PC diet and the NC diet with phytase or between the 2 NC diets. The ratio between NE and ME was not different among diets, but ME to DE was increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) by supplementation of phytase to the NC diet. In conclusion, concentrations of DE and ME in corn are less if more feed phosphate and limestone are used in diets. However, concentrations of NE were not affected by supplemental phytase or Ca and P levels, even though ME to NE was increased by supplemental phytase.

PSIII-5 Endosperm Hardness in Corn Affects the Digestibility of Energy and Fiber, and Increased Drying Temperature Reduces Amino Acid Digestibility

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that corn source and drying temperature influence the ileal digestibility of starch and amino acids (AA), as well as apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy (GE) and total dietary fiber (TDF) in diets for growing pigs. Two corn sources (i.e., soft or hard endosperm) were procured, and sources were divided into two drying batches (i.e., 35 or 120 oC). Therefore, four corn sources were used. In experiment 1, ten pigs (67.00 ± 2.98 kg) with a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum were allotted to a replicated 5 × 5 Latin square design with five diets and five periods giving ten replicates per diet. A nitrogen-free diet and four diets containing each source of corn as the only AA source were formulated. Data were analyzed in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments using the MIXED procedure of SAS. The model included corn source, drying temperature, and the interaction between corn source and drying temperature. Results indicated that neither source nor drying temperature influenced the apparent ileal digestibility of starch in corn (Table 1), but the standardized ileal digestibility of most AA was less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in corn dried at 120 oC compared with corn dried at 35 oC. In experiment 2, 40 pigs (20.82 ± 1.74 kg) were housed in metabolism crates and allotted to four diets with ten replicate pigs per diet. The four corn-based diets used in experiment 1 were also used in experiment 2. Feces and urine were collected using the marker-to-marker approach with 5-day adaptation and 4-day collection periods. Data were analyzed as explained for experiment 1. Results indicated that diets containing hard endosperm corn had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ATTD of TDF compared with diets containing soft endosperm corn. The ATTD of GE and the concentration of metabolizable energy (ME) in hard endosperm corn were also greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) compared with soft endosperm corn. Diets containing corn dried at 120 oC had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ATTD of TDF compared with diets containing corn dried at 35 oC, but drying temperature did not influence ATTD of GE or ME. In conclusion, endosperm hardness did not influence the digestibility of AA and starch; however, drying corn at 120 oC resulted in reduced digestibility of AA. Hard endosperm corn had greater ATTD of GE and TDF, but drying temperature did not influence energy digestibility.

300 Metabolizable Energy and Amino Acid Digestibility by Growing Pigs may be Reduced if Excessive Heat is Applied During Drying of Corn

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that both drying temperature and drying time affect the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) and metabolizable energy (ME) in corn fed to growing pigs. A single source of corn was divided into 11 batches that were dried using a “drying chamber” at 80ºC for 1.5, 3.0, 24, or 48 h or at 130ºC for 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12, 24, or 48 h. Exp. 1 was designed to determine the concentrations of ME in the 11 batches of corn. Eleven diets based on each batch of corn were formulated. Growing barrows (n = 88; BW = 20.6 ± 1.2 kg) were allotted to the 11 diets in a randomized complete block design with 8 blocks of 11 pigs. Urine and fecal samples were collected for 4-days after 7-days of adaptation. Contrast statements were used to determine effects of temperature and drying time within temperature. Exp. 2 was designed to determine the SID of AA in the 11 batches of corn. An N-free diet and 11 diets that each contained one of the 11 batches of corn as the sole source of AA were formulated. All diets contained 0.40% chromic oxide as an indigestible marker. Twenty-four growing pigs (22.8 ± 5.1 kg) that had a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum were allotted to a replicated 12 × 4 Youden square with 12 diets and four 7-day periods in each square. Therefore, there were 8 replicate pigs per diet. Ileal digesta were collected on days 6 and 7 of each 7-days period. Data were analyzed as described for Exp. 1. Results indicated that ME (dry matter basis) was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) if corn was dried at 130ºC than at 80ºC (Table 1). The ME (dry-matter basis) increased (quadratic, P &amp;lt; 0.04) with drying time at 80ºC, whereas it decreased at 130°C (quadratic, P &amp;lt; 0.05). The SID of AA did not differ between corn dried at 80°C and 130°C, except that the SID of Lys was less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) if corn was dried at 130°C than at 80°C. The SID of most AA decreased (linear or quadratic, P &amp;lt; 0.05) as time of drying increased at 130°C. In conclusion, the SID of AA and ME in corn are not reduced by extending the time of drying at 80°C. However, the digestibility of AA is reduced if corn is dried at 130°C and the longer the time of drying the more the SID of AA is reduced. Values for ME in corn are increased if corn is dried at 130°C rather than 80°C.

305 Dietary Carbohydrase Mixture Supplementation and Fiber Levels on Ileal Digestibility of Nutrients in Diets for Gestating Sows

Abstract Supplementation of multi-carbohydrase enzyme cocktails can increase nutrient digestibility of fibrous diets in grower pigs, particularly acting on dietary non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Although NSP degrading enzymes are extensively used in sow diets, there is little data characterizing the NSP enzyme effects. Our previous work demonstrated a 10% increase in nutrient digestibility in diets fed to gestating sows. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a carbohydrase mixture (CM) and dietary fiber level on standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of protein and amino acids (AA) and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of NSP in gestation diets fed to pregnant sows. Ileal cannulas were placed in 12 gestating sows (Parity 0 to 2) who were allowed to recover for 1 week, then assigned to either a high (HF; 17.5% NDF) or low fiber (LF; 10% NDF) diet with one of 3 levels of CM supplementation (‘0’, ‘0.08’, and ‘0.10’%) or a nitrogen-free diet to determine ileal endogenous AA losses. Diets were corn-soybean meal based with soyhulls and corn DDGS as fiber sources and formulated to reflect industry-relevant diets. Thus, oil was included at 3% in HF to maintain similar formulated metabolizable energy content. Sows were fed once daily at 2.2 kg/d. Ileal digesta samples were collected for 12 h on 2 successive days following a 7-day adaptation period. At the end of digesta collection, sows were assigned a different diet in a new adaptation/digesta collection period. There were 5 collection periods for a total of 8 observations/diet. Digesta was analyzed for crude protein, amino acids, NSP, and titanium as the indigestible marker to determine AID and SID. There was no interaction between diet fiber level and CM supplementation. Carbohydrase mixture supplementation to gestating sow diets did not impact SID of crude protein and AA regardless of dietary fiber level. The SID of His, Ile, Lys, Phe, Thr, Trp, and Val were 3 to 6% lower (P &amp;lt; 0.09) in HF than LF independent of CM. There was no impact of fiber level on the average SID of amino acids in gestating sow diets which was 83.5%. Supplementation of CM did not impact AID of NSP components, but sows fed HF had greater AID of arabinose (LF: 26.5% vs HF: 40.6%), xylose (LF: 3.5% vs HF: 40.9%), and total NSP (LF: 25.9% vs HF: 40.0%) compared with sows fed LF (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Inclusion of CM in high fibrous gestating sow diets did not increase the SID of AA or AID of NSP, but a high fiber gestation diet reduced SID of AA. As such, differences in SID of AA should be considered when formulating high fibrous diets for gestating sows.

Effect of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes cocktail incorporation on in vitro degradation and fermentation characteristics of oats straw based total mixed ration

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing doses: 0 (control), 0.20, 0.40, 0.60, 0.80 and 1.00 % DM of an exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) cocktail preparation on in vitro gas production (GP), nutrient degradability and fermentation characteristics of oats straw based Total Mixed Ration (TMR) with 60:40 roughage to concentrate ratio using sheep rumen liquor. The chemical composition of all the feed ingredients used for preparation of the experimental TMR (containing 16.63% crude protein and 90.51% organic matter) were within the normal ranges. Increasing the incorporation level of enzyme cocktail linearly as well as quadratically increased net GP, metabolisable energy content, short chain fatty acid concentrations and microbial crude protein production up to 0.60% DM level (L3) with no additional improvement at further higher levels. There were significant improvements in degradability of dry matter, organic matter and neutral detergent fibre up to the enzyme dose of 0.60% DM (L3) with constant values thereafter. Fermentation characteristics response to varying incorporation doses of EFE cocktail also revealed improvements up to 0.60% DM level (L3) with no effect on non-protein nitrogen contents. It is recommended that EFE cocktail incorporation dose of 0.60% DM to be used for efficient utilisation of oats straw based complete feed; however, this requires further testing by in vivo studies.

Food Preferences of Captive Siberian Musk Deer — a Producer of Pharmaceutical Raw Materials

Under the conditions of captivity, adequate and balanced feeding becomes a determining factor in the safety of musk deer, contributing to maintaining the health of animals and their reproductive functions and increasing the productivity of deer musk. In this work, the nutrition patterns of Siberian musk deer in the winter period are established. The animals are kept in the nursery of the Altai Branch of the Scientific Center of Biomedical Technologies of FMBA of Russia. The most preferred feed types in the winter diet were found to include (on average, g/head per day): wood lichens Usnea spp. — 290; Betula spp. — 70; Urtica spp. — 80; oatmeal — 70). The nutritional indicators of the identified feed objects were determined. The content of metabolizable energy and nutrients in the daily diet consumed by musk deer was calculated. Thus, one individual consumes 520 g of natural moisture feed or 453 g of dry matter, which contains 3.57 MJ of metabolizable energy per day. The obtained data form a scientific basis for developing feeding diets for captive musk deer.

Performance of dairy cows offered either zero-grazed grass or grass silage prepared from the same sward

Daily harvesting of fresh grass for housed livestock when its nutritive value is high (Zero-grazing) is a labour-intensive process which requires a consistent supply of grass at the optimum growth stage. An alternative approach which may save on labour and require less time spent on grassland management each day, involves harvesting and ensiling herbage on a number of occasions (every 4 weeks approximately) during the growing season when it is at the same nutritive value as herbage used for zero-grazing. This study examined the impact of these two approaches to dairy cow performance. Thirty-six mid-lactation Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were offered either zero-grazed fresh grass (ZG), or grass silage (SIL) prepared from the same sward harvested at a similar growth stage, over a single season. Fresh grass was harvested daily and offered to ZG cows for a 12-week period. During this period, the same sward was harvested once weekly and ensiled in round bales. Following a five-week ensilage period, the silage was offered to cows on SIL for a 12-week period. All cows were also offered 8.0 kg concentrate per day. Zero-grazed grass and grass silage had a mean metabolisable energy content of 11.0 and 11.3 MJ/kg DM, respectively. Mean forage DM intake (DMI) and total DMI were greater for cows on ZG (P < 0.001) compared to SIL, with intakes during weeks 8–12 of the experiment lower with SIL compared to ZG (P < 0.001). Cows on ZG had a higher milk yield, milk protein concentration, milk fat plus protein yield and energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield (P < 0.001) than cows on SIL. With the exception of milk yield (where the difference was primarily observed during weeks 8–12 of lactation), these differences were observed most weeks during the study period. Milk fat concentration was unaffected by treatment (P > 0.05). Milk of cows on ZG had higher concentrations of total monounsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.001), total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs, P < 0.001) but lower concentrations of saturated fatty acids (SFAs, P < 0.001) compared to cows on SIL. Diet had no effect on cow BW or condition score. This study has shown that when harvested from the same sward, milk yield and ECM yield were improved when cows were offered zero-grazed grass compared to grass silage. This difference in performance was likely due to the lower forage intake observed with the grass silage-based diet.

Assessment of Major Sheep Forage Types, Feeding System, and Nutritional Quality Assessment, Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

The aim of this study was to assess the major sheep feed types, feeding system and its nutritional quality evaluation in Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. A total of 100 households (hh) were taken from each district. For laboratory work, feed samples were collected from ten randomly selected farmers from each peasant association and nutrition composition like Dry matte, crude protein, Ash, Neutral detergent fiber, Acid detergent fiber, Acid detergent lignin, In vitro dry matter digestibility, Digestibility of organic dry mater were tested and Metabolizable Energy was calculated. The field survey data were analyzed using SPSS and SAS software used for nutritional composition test. The Pearson Chi-Square and Tukey HSD test was used to determine mean differences at (p &lt; .05). The results of the field survey revealed that, the major feed resources available in both districts comprised of natural pasture (82%) followed by crop residue (25%) and Free grazing is the common feeding system in both districts. The overall mean of, Dry matter, Ash, crude protein, Neutral detergent fiber, Acid detergent fiber, Acid detergent lignin, In vitro dry matter digestibility, Digestibility of organic dry mater and Metabolizable Energy content of natural grasses were 89.5%, 5.9%, 68.5%, 68.5%, 37.1%, 4.9%, 55.5%, 43.8% and 7.4 KJ/kgDM, respectively. The corresponding values for barley straw were also 90.9%, 5.4%, 5.4%, 70.7%, 54.8%, 9.6% and 8.2 KJ/kgDM for Dry matter, Ash, Crude protein, Neutral detergent fiber, Acid detergent fiber, Acid detergent lignin and Metabolizable energy respectively. Significant (p &lt; .05).) difference was seen on Ash and Digestibility of organic dry mater content in natural pasture between two districts and there was no significant difference on other composition It was concluded that, natural pasture and barley straw are the main sheep feed in area. Further studies are needed to see other feed resource and test nutritional composition.

Effects of microalgae as dietary supplement on palatability, digestibility, fecal metabolites, and microbiota in healthy dogs.

The current trend of dog owners increasingly favoring the functional value of food to assure preventive health and wellbeing of their pets has been raising the interest in microalgae as natural additives with bioactive properties. However, scientific studies addressing the effects of microalgae supplementation in diets for dogs are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with three microalgae species (Chlorella vulgaris, Nannochloropsis oceanica, and Tetradesmus obliquus) on diet palatability, total tract digestibility, metabolizable energy content, fecal metabolites and microbiota of dogs. Twelve adult Beagle dogs were used in three two-bowl tests to compare the palatability of a commercial complete diet for adult dogs without (reference diet) and with 1.5% supplementation of each microalgae. From the results obtained, three digestibility trials were performed according to a replicated Latin square 3 × 3, with six adult Beagle dogs, three experimental periods of 10 days each, and three dietary supplementation levels of microalgae (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%). In each trial, effects of microalgae supplementation levels on total tract digestibility, metabolizable energy content, fecal metabolites and microbiota of dogs were evaluated. First diet approached or tasted was not significantly affected by microalgae inclusion, but dogs showed a preference for the reference diet over the diets with 1.5% inclusion of C. vulgaris and N. oceanica, no difference being observed with 1.5% T. obliquus. In all digestibility trials, dietary supplementation with microalgae up to 1.5% did not greatly affected the dietary chemical composition and kept unaffected food intake, fecal output and metabolites, and digestibility of nutrients and energy. Compared with the reference diet, supplementation with C. vulgaris increased protein digestibility. Fecal characteristics and metabolites were affected by microalgae supplementation, being the effects dependent on the species. Fecal microbiota composition of dogs fed with microalgae-supplemented diets was modified by promoting the beneficial Turicibacter and Peptococcus genera associated with gut health and activation of the immune system. Overall, the results support C. vulgaris, N. oceanica, and T. obliquus as sustainable functional supplements that potentially enhance gastrointestinal health of dogs through the selective stimulation of microbiota without detrimental effects on food intake and digestibility.

Effect of preparation based on the bacteria &lt;i&gt;Lactobacillus buchneri&lt;/i&gt; on the productivity of clover and timothy mixture

Relevance and methodology. Legume-grass mixtures are a source of complete feed for dairy cattle due to good digestibility and balance of protein, carbohydrates, amino acids and vitamins. We studied the effect of a microbiological fertilizer («Naturost-Aktiv») based on live microorganisms Lactobacillus buchneri on the productivity and nutritive value of clover and timothy grass mixture. The study was carried out by small-scale field experience in the FSBI «VolSC RAS» (Vologda region) in 2019–2022, as well as in 2021–2022 in the production conditions in the fields of LLC «Zazerkalie» (Vologda region).Results. In the small-plot experiment we showed that under the influence of the microbiological fertilizer treatment, the productivity of clover and timothy grass mixture increased by 7–39% depending on the year of vegetation; the total dry biomass collection for 4 years of the study in the experimental version exceeded the control by 16%. Evaluation of the nutritive value of the grass mixture showed that the fertilizer increased the content of fodder units in dry matter up to 10%, also the content of metabolizable energy, crude and digestible protein, sugars increased slightly and the content of fiber decreased. In the conditions of the production experiment under the influence of the microbiological fertilizer the herbafe collection increased by 10–17%, dry mass — by 9–22%. The nutritive value of the total content of fodder units in 1 kg of biomass in the experiment exceeded the control by 6%. The gross yield of fodder units from 1 hectare of the field increased by 9.6 cwt/ha under the effect of «Naturost-Aktiv».

Different effects of fire age and fire recurrence on grass and woody plant chemistry in Kafue National Park, Zambia

AbstractIn savannas, fire and herbivores are important drivers of natural ecosystem processes. Fire is also used intensively for management purposes. However, reported fire effects differ between studies. Reasons for these differences are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of fire on leaf chemistry of grasses and woody plants in the savanna of the Busanga Flood Plain, Zambia, in relation to the time elapsed between plant sampling and the last fire (fire age) and the frequency of fires during the last 16 years (fire recurrence). We analyzed leaves for their nitrogen, carbon, and fiber concentrations, and estimated their metabolizable energy content, reflecting feed quality for browsers and grazers. Grasses and woody plants differed in all chemical components and showed different responses to fire. Grass quality was higher at sites burnt in the year of sample collection than at sites burnt only in previous years, but did not change under different fire recurrences. Leaves of woody plants did not differ in relation to fire age but their quality increased with increasing fire recurrence. In woody plants, the carbon content responded to the interaction between fire age and fire recurrence, indicating changes in carbon allocation in response to fire. Thus, burning increased feed quality for grazers and browsers but on different temporal scales. The scale effects may contribute to the differences in resource allocation described by different studies. They merit more attention in management decisions as well as in future studies on fire effects in savanna systems.

Issues of forage quality under industrial milk production in the south of Ukraine

The purpose of the article is to determine the average quality of traditional forage (maize silage and alfalfa haylage) and innovative dietary components – rye silage on the example of average milk production farms in Odesa Oblast with moderate and intensive levels of technological process and to determine the impact of the risky land use zone in the South of Ukraine against the background of global warming on the quality of these dietary ingredients in order to determine further directions of forage production in the southern region of Ukraine. Scientific and economic experiments were conducted in Odesa Oblast according to the methods generally accepted in dairy farming, and laboratory studies of corn silage, alfalfa haylage, rye silage samples in a specialized laboratory for forage research using the NIRS technique were used to assess the quality of forages. NIRS has been successfully used in the prediction of nutritional value through direct scanning of forage samples. The analysis of corn silage shows that the basic indicators of its quality, such as dry matter content, metabolizable energy concentration, pH, level of digestibility of organic matter as a percentage of total dry matter, and starch content are below the existing standards, because due to hot weather conditions, silage is often forced to be harvested during the suboptimal phase of its maturity. An assessment of the mineral composition of corn, rye and alfalfa silage shows that the indicators are typical, taking into account the specifics of each crop in the southern region of Ukraine, so the existing deficit of manganese, cobalt, zinc and copper can be covered with the use of specialized premixes. Due to the difficulties of agrotechnical cultivation of corn silage and alfalfa haylage, which has recently developed in the risky land use zone of southern Ukraine and against the background of global warming, fodder crops have to be grown in more favorable (wet) seasons of the year, such as winter rye or triticale, etc. or their combination with corn silage and alfalfa haylage.