Oat Hay Research Articles

Vitamin A and E in the total mixed ration as influenced by ensiling and the type of herbage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ensiling on vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) contents in the total mixed ration (TMR) containing different types of herbage. Oat hay (O-TMR), alfalfa hay (A-TMR) and oat hay + alfalfa hay (OA-TMR) were separately mixed with soybean milk residue, corn meal, soybean meal, salt and a vitamin-mineral supplement to make the TMR. The TMR was sampled after 0, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days of ensiling. The fermentation quality, chemical composition and contents of vitamins A and E were determined. The vitamin A content was affected by the ensiling and herbage type (p < 0.05). After 56 days of ensiling, the three TMR silages had good fermentation quality, but the vitamin A content of O-TMR, OA-TMR and A-TMR decreased by 59.4%, 58.1% and 53.7%, respectively. Moreover, the content of vitamin A was positively correlated with the pH and negatively correlated with the lactic acid content during the 56 days of ensiling of the TMR silages. However, there were no effects of ensiling and herbage type on the vitamin E content. Thus, the preservation strategy for vitamin A in the TMR during ensiling requires further study.

Oats hay supplementation to yak grazing alpine meadow improves carbon return to the soil of grassland ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

Supplementation of livestock feed is a common strategy for improving animal production in pasture-based systems worldwide. On the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China, however, the grassland ecosystem is fragile and therefore sensitive to disruption by external forces. We therefore investigated the effects of supplementing yaks feed with oats hay on animal production, forage biomass, and carbon return in litter and dung as well as the effects on soil organic carbon stock. Two grazing systems—native grazing, or grazing with hay supplementation—were established in 2010. For the native grazing system, yaks were rotationally grazed in two paddocks (3.3 yaks/ha) with each 15 days during the warm season (July through October) and 20 days during the cold season (November through June). The hay supplementation system was the same as the native system except that each yak also received oats hay (1.5 kg/day, dry matter basis) during the cold season. For each system, yak growth, forage biomass of the pasture, carbon return from litter and dung to soil, and soil organic carbon stock were measured from 2010 to 2014. The yaks supplemented with oats hay had greater growth performance compared with non-supplemented animals, thereby providing economic benefits for herdsmen. With respect to carbon cycling, supplementation increased carbon return in litter and dung and consequently reduced the soil carbon stock loss. The results indicate that supplementation with oats hay positively impacted forage production and carbon cycling in alpine meadows and thus may help remediate degraded soils and improve grassland utilization on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Effect of incorporating forage pea (Pisum sativum L.) hay into cereal hay on ruminal fermentation and apparent digestibility when fed to beef heifers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion rate of pea hay in barley or oat hay diets for beef cattle. Six ruminally cannulated heifers (407 ± 38 kg) were used in a 6 × 6 Latin square (25 d periods) with a 2 × 3 factorial design. Treatments included whole-crop barley or oat hay with pea hay blended in to achieve inclusion rates of 0%, 15%, or 30% (dry matter basis) of the forage. Pea hay inclusion increased dry matter intake (DMI; P = 0.03) by 0.75 kg d−1 relative to diets without pea hay, but the response was not linear or quadratic. Inclusion of pea hay linearly increased mean ruminal pH (P = 0.039), the concentration of butyrate in ruminal fluid (P = 0.013), plasma urea nitrogen (N) concentration (P = 0.001), and quadratically increased ruminal ammonia concentration (P &lt; 0.001). Pea hay inclusion reduced crude protein (CP) digestibility by 2.87% relative to cereal-only treatments (P = 0.025), but did not affect N intake, microbial N, or N excretion. Overall, pea hay inclusion increased DMI, increased ruminal butyrate concentration, but reduced CP digestibility without affecting N balance.

Evaluation of inclusion of hay, dampened hay, and silage in receiving diets of newly weaned beef calves

ABSTRACT Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of receiving-diet roughage form and source on growth performance of newly received calves. Materials and Methods An oat crop was harvested as hay or silage and fed as oat hay (OH), dampened oat hay (OHW; 4:1 hay:water), or oat silage (SIL) as the roughage source in soybean hull–based receiving diets to 7-mo-old steer calves across 2 yr (replicates per treatment: yr 1 = 6; yr 2 = 7). Results and Discussion No differences in cumulative ADG (P = 0.24) or G:F (P = 0.47) were observed, but OH steers consumed less DM (P = 0.02) in yr 1. Cumulatively, no differences in ADG were observed in yr 2 (P = 0.21); however, SIL-fed steers consumed less DM (P Implications and Applications Oat forage in silage form did not adversely affect acceptance of receiving diets for calves, and forage as silage resulted in more uniform feed mixing.

Influence of feeding sunflower seed and meal protected against ruminal fermentation on ruminal fermentation, bacterial composition and in situ degradability in sheep

ABSTRACT The effects of treating sunflower seed (SS) and meal (SM), as well as of a mixture of both feeds (SSM; 45:55) with a solution of malic acid (1 M; 400 ml/kg feed) and heating for protection against ruminal degradation were studied. Four rumen-fistulated sheep were fed two mixed diets composed of oat hay and concentrate (40:60) and differing only in the concentrate, that contained either a mixture of untreated SS and SM (control diet) or treated SS and SM (MAH diet). A crossover design with two 24-d experimental periods was used, and each period included 10 d of diet adaptation, 9 d for in situ incubations of SS, SM and SSM, and 5 d for measuring ruminal fermentation characteristics and rumen emptying. From day 6 onwards a solution of (15NH4)2SO4 was continuously infused into the rumen of each sheep to label ruminal bacteria. Feeding the MAH diet did not affect either ruminal pH or concentrations of total volatile fatty acids and NH3-N, but decreased (p ≤ 0.01) the molar proportions of acetate and propionate and increased those of butyrate (p< 0.001). Organic matter and lipid contents of ruminal bacteria were lower whereas both N content and 15N enrichment were greater (p ≤ 0.05) in MAH-fed sheep. The in situ effective degradability (ED) of different fractions of SS, SM and SSM were calculated from the ruminal rates of particle comminution and passage, and values were corrected for microbial contamination. The MAH treatment decreased the ED of most fractions for all feeds and increased the supply of by-pass crude protein (CP) by 19.1% and 120% for SS and SM, respectively, and that of fat by 34% for SS. The MAH treatment also increased the in vitro intestinal digestibility of the by-pass CP for both SS (from 60.1% to 75.4%) and SM (from 83.2% to 91.0%). The simultaneous heating of both feeds (SSM) reinforced the protective effect of the MAH treatment and increased the by-pass CP without altering its intestinal digestibility, increasing the intestinally digested CP content by 16.8% compared with the value estimated from the results obtained for MAH-treated SS and SM incubated independently. These results indicate that the MAH treatment was effective to protect sunflower protein against rumen degradation and increased its intestinal digestibility.

Sorghum silage substituted for corn silage in diets for dairy cows: Effects on feed intake, milk yield and quality, and serum metabolites

ABSTRACT Objective Whole-plant corn silage (CS) is the main forage fed to dairy cows in China, usually comprising about 35% of the total DM of the TMR. However, sorghum is more resistant to drought and tolerates soils that are less fertile compared with corn, and consequently, sorghum silage (SS) would be preferable to CS in many drought-prone areas of China. Sweet SS is characterized by a high content of water-soluble carbohydrates and energy yield. Previous studies examined the effects of feeding either CS or SS in the TMR of lactating cows. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of substituting different levels of sweet SS for CS in the TMR fed to dairy cows in a smallholder farm in western China. Materials and Methods Sixteen multiparous Holstein cows (mean BW of 454 ± 25 kg), producing approximately 12 kg/d milk, were assigned randomly to 4 dietary treatments. Experimental diets were formulated to be iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous with 45% forage and 55% concentrate, and the diets included 10% oat hay and variable proportions of CS and SS. Dietary treatments included (1) 100% CS (35% DM of TMR, control diet); (2) 35% of CS replaced by SS; (3) 65% of CS replaced by SS; and (4) 100% of CS replaced by SS. Results and Discussion The DMI decreased linearly (P = 0.002) as SS increased. Milk yield and lactose percentage did not differ among treatments, but lactose yield exhibited a cubic response (P = 0.004), whereas milk fat percentage tended to increase linearly (P = 0.077) as SS increased. Increasing SS resulted in a quadratic response in milk protein percentage and yield (P = 0.001) and MUN increased linearly as SS increased (P = 0.022). The ECM/DMI ranged between 0.75 and 0.82 and increased linearly as SS increased (P = 0.029). Although there were differences among treatments in serum concentrations of aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, urea nitrogen, and glucose, all concentrations were in the normal range for healthy, lactating cows. Serum β-hydroxybutyric acid concentrations were well below the subclinical levels in all treatments. The SCC decreased linearly (P = 0.024) with increasing SS. Implications and Applications We concluded that for low-producing dairy cows, SS can replace CS in total in the diet without adverse effects on milk yield and its components and on serum metabolites. This is particularly important for small dairy herds in dry areas.

Evaluation of agronomic performance and exploratory genome‐wide association study of a diverse oat panel for forage use in Taiwan

AbstractOats (Avena sativa L.) produce not only the well‐known highly nutritious grain, but valuable forage. In Taiwan, imported oat hay is a popular forage with the dairy cattle industry. However, local forage oat breeding and production have been virtually absent. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the forage performance of oats in Taiwan in order to assess their potential for local oat production. We have introduced 178 oat accessions from 18 breeding programs across North and South America. These breeding lines were evaluated in Northern Taiwan (Taipei) and Southern Taiwan (Hengchun) between autumn 2016 and spring 2017. Early maturing lines reached the flowering stage after ca. 70 or ca. 90 days after sowing in Hengchun and Taipei, respectively, while 49 and 159 lines remained vegetative throughout the growing season in Hengchun and Taipei, respectively. On average, plant height was taller in Taipei than in Hengchun (99.8 vs. 53.2 cm), while dry matter yield per plot was higher in Hengchun than in Taipei (596 vs. 388.4 g/Plot). Maturity and dry matter differences may be related to the differences in daily effective sunlight between locations. Using 1,164 genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we explored the population structure and the genetic architecture of traits of interest within a subset of 73 oat lines. No obvious sub‐populations were observed, which reflected the frequent material exchanges among oat breeders. Fifty‐three loci were associated with days to flowering, plant height and dry matter yield; and 12 of them overlapped with loci identified in previous work. The data and results of this study lay the foundations and provide guidelines for further forage oat breeding work in Taiwan.

Application of In-Paddock Technologies to Monitor Individual Self-Fed Supplement Intake and Liveweight in Beef Cattle.

Simple SummaryIndividual, daily and simultaneous measures of key variables to manage cattle have been traditionally difficult to achieve in grazing animals. However, nowadays, this could be achieved using technologies which are placed ‘in paddock’ such as automated weighing scales to measure liveweight (LW) and electronic feeders (EF) to measure supplement intake. We used both technologies to study the interplay between the intake of a self-fed supplement (molasses-lick blocks, MLB), growth, and feeding behavior of individual animals fed a sequence of different feed types. We identified a large individual variability in MLB intake with some animals consuming supplement regularly while others not consuming supplement at all. Regular consumers tended to grow more rapidly. Additionally, our results indicate that animals’ MLB intake can be predicted using the number of visits to the EF and their duration. In-paddock technologies could aid to quantify key factors, such as individual variability of supplement intake and LW, that would otherwise remain undetected.The aim of this study was to assess the ability of in-paddock technologies to capture individual variability of self-fed supplement intake (molasses-lick blocks, MLB), feeding behavior, and liveweight (LW) in grazing beef cattle. An electronic feeder (EF) and in-paddock walk-over-weighing system (WOW) were installed to measure, daily and simultaneously, individual MLB intake and LW. Cattle grazed (pastures and oat crops) and were fed (lucerne and oaten hay) during a 220 day trial. Over the entire period, we were able to quantify a large variability in MLB intake between individuals (p < 0.01; ranging from 0 to 194 g/hd per day). Liveweight change (p < 0.05, R = 0.44) and feeding behaviour (e.g., feeding frequency and duration, p < 0.01; R2 > 0.86) were positively correlated with MLB intake over the entire period but these correlations seemed to be affected by the type of feed. The intake of MLB seems to be explained by the individual behaviour of animals rather than the entire group. The use of in-paddock technologies enabled remote measurement of variability in supplement intake and cattle growth. The ability to monitor LW and feeding behavior of individual animals in a group could allow automatic individualized feeding of grazing cattle (amount and type of supplement) and managing low-performing animals under grazing conditions.

Effect of oat hay provision method on growth performance, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites of dairy calves during preweaning and postweaning periods

The comparison of the effects of all forage offering methods would be particularly useful information in modeling growth performance and rumen fermentation of dairy calves. Therefore, this study attempted to evaluate the effects of methods of oat hay provision on growth performance, rumen fermentation and biochemical blood indices of dairy calves during preweaning and postweaning periods. At birth, 40 female Polish Holstein-Friesian calves (3 days of age; 39.6 ± 0.39 kg BW) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups differing in the access to chopped oat hay: CON (control, starter without oat hay), OH (starter feed containing 10% DM basis oat hay), OH-FC (starter feed containing 10% DM basis oat hay and oat hay fed as free-choice provision in different buckets) and FC (starter feed and oat hay fed as free-choice provision in different buckets). The calves were weaned on day 56, and then the study continued until day 84. Intakes of starter feed and oat hay were recorded daily, whereas BW and hip height (HH) on day 3 and then every 14 days. Samples of blood were collected on the initiation of experiment and then every 14 days, and rumen contents on day 28, 56 and 84. No treatment effects were found for starter, starch, CP, total DM intake, average daily gain, feeding efficiency, change in HH, ruminal fluid pH, concentrations of ruminal propionate and NH3-N, concentrations of urea nitrogen and non-esterified fatty acids in the blood. There were differences between treatments in terms of ruminal total volatile fatty acids and molar concentrations of acetate, butyrate and acetate to propionate ratio; highest in OH and OH-FC groups, especially during the postweaning period. On the other hand, lower concentrations of iso-valerate were found in OH and OH-FC groups on day 56 and 84. The concentrations of IGF-I throughout the experiment and β-hydroxybutyrate during the postweaning period in the blood were influenced by treatment, with the greatest values observed in OH and OH-FC calves. Results of this study indicate that starter feed containing chopped oat hay improves rumen fermentation parameters, which might allow successful transition from preruminant to mature ruminant state. Also, providing chopped oat hay with pelleted starter feed seems to be a better method than free-choice supplementation.

Effects of oat hay and leguminous forage mixture feeding on enteric methane emission, energy utilization, and feed conversion efficiency in male crossbred Simmental beef cattle.

Dietary manipulation has the potential to mitigate methane (CH4 ) emission and to maintain or enhance livestock productivity. We conducted two experiments to investigate the effects of replacing oat hay by leguminous forages (alfalfa hay [AH], 0, 8, 16, and 24%, experiment 1; common vetch hay [CVH], 0, 10, 20, and 30%, experiment 2) on energy metabolism of crossbred Simmental cattle. In experiment 1, total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations increased quadratically with increasing AH proportions (p=.006) with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of approximately 50:50, whereas the CH4 energy to gross energy intake ratio (CH4 -E:GEI) was significantly lower with 16% AH compared with 24% AH diet (p<.05). In experiment 2, there were no differences in the total VFA concentrations among the four diet groups with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of around 60:40 (p>.05); however, CH4 -E:GEI was significantly lower in the 30% CVH diet compared with the 10% CVH diet (p<.05). There was no significant difference in feed conversion efficiency among the four diet groups in each experiment. The results suggest that substituting 16 and 30% oat hay by AH and CVH provide optimal diets with forage-to-concentrate ratios of 50:50 and 60:40, respectively, which may reduce CH4 emission without compromising the feed conversion efficiency of crossbred Simmental cattle.

Quality and fatty acid profile of milk of indigenous dairy goats fed from oasis resources in Tunisian arid areas

Context The food security of Tunisia is dependent on utilising all of its resources effectively to feed the population. Rangelands used for grazing are subject to continuous degradation, which reduces the availability of feeds to livestock. In the oasis regions, this constraint is attenuated by the systematic use of various by-products of the palm grove. There is a need to constantly search for alternative feed resources to support ruminant-livestock farming in arid regions and, therefore, the products of desert oases need to be exploited Aims The present work aimed to determine the effect of the use of local resources of oases on feed intake and milk quality of goats. Methods Twenty-four indigenous lactating goats were used to investigate the effect of the substitution of the concentrate feed with alternative feed obtained from oases in Tunisian arid zones. The three study groups in the 60-day trial were as follows: the first group received 0% date waste (WD) + 100% concentrate (CON) + oaten hay; the second group received 50% WD + 30% alfalfa cork (AC) + 20% CON + alfalfa hay; and the third group received 50% WD + 50% AC and no CON + alfalfa hay. Key results Feed intake was higher in Group 2 (1167.10 ± 42.8 g DM/day) than in Groups 3 and 1 (1028.9 ± 68.9 and 856.04 ± 58.9 g DM/day respectively. Average daily milk production did not differ among the groups. Dietary fat and crude protein were not affected by the type of ration. The concentrations of saturated fatty acids were similar in the milk of the three groups. In the three groups studied, the ratio n6:n3 (12.80, 8.80 and 6.77) was higher than the recommended value (&amp;lt;5) for human consumption. Conclusions The use of WD did not affect milk production but it improved the nutritional quality of milk, especially the composition of fatty acid (ratio n6/n3). Implications The use of alternative resources in goat feeding, such as WD and alfalfa cork, can replace the use of market feeds and decrease the costs of animal feed.

Substitution of leguminous forage for oat hay improves nitrogen utilization efficiency of crossbred Simmental calves.

Low nitrogen (N) utilization efficiency (NUE, the ratio of retained N to N intake [NI]) of ruminants is always a potential dietary protein wastage as well as a global environmental problem, and dietary N manipulation is the most effective way to improve NUE. We conducted 2 experiments to investigate the effects of replacing oat hay by leguminous forages (alfalfa hay [AH] in experiment [Exp] 1 and common vetch hay [CVH] in Exp 2) with 4 levels (0%, 8%, 16% or 24% AH and 0%, 10%, 20% or 30% CVH on dry matter [DM] basis) at the same crude protein (135g/kg DM) and metabolizable energy (10.1MJ/kg DM) on feed intake, N metabolism, NUE and blood composition of crossbred Simmental calves. Sixteen calves of each Exp were assigned to the four diets in a randomized block design. Faecal N (FN) output and the ratio of FN to NI increased with increasing AH/CVH proportions, whereas urinary N (UN) output, the ratio of UN to NI, and the ruminal ammonia N concentration gradually decreased in both experiments. Nutrient digestibility (DM, organic matter [OM] and neutral detergent fibre [NDF]) of calves showed a parabolic trend with gradually increasing AH/CVH proportions. The highest values of nutrient digestibility (DM, OM and NDF) of calves were observed in 16% AH in Exp 1 and 20% CVH in Exp 2. Our findings suggest that 16% and 20% substitution (as a percentage of the total DM allowance) of AH and CVH, respectively, for oat hay are optimal diets to improve NUE and reduce the potential impact of N excretion from livestock farming on the environment through shifting routes of N from urine to faeces without negative effects on live weight gain and nutrient digestibility of crossbred Simmental calves in dryland environments.

Real-Time Monitoring of Self-Fed Supplement Intake, Feeding Behaviour, and Growth Rate as Affected by Forage Quantity and Quality of Rotationally Grazed Beef Cattle.

Simple SummaryIn grazing systems, the use of novel technologies such as electronic feeders and automatic weighing systems enables collection of daily data of cattle feeding behaviour and growth. These technologies can be useful to study animal response to varying forage quantity and quality within and throughout grazing periods and seasons. The aim of this 254-day experiment was to investigate the effect of forage type, quantity, and quality on the consumption of a self-fed supplement (molasses-lick blocks (MLB)) and on the growth rate and feeding behaviour of grazing beef cattle. Results indicated that type and amount of forage affect MLB intake and feeding behaviour. Thus, when feed availability is low (e.g., forage on the paddock is depleted), animals increase consumption of and number and duration of visits to the supplementary feed. The use of MLB only improved growth rate of cattle when animals grazed sorghum and pasture or were fed oaten hay. Monitoring the feeding behaviour of animals around MLB reflects changes in forage quantity and quality.Supplement intake and liveweight (LW) data were collected daily and remotely by digital in-paddock technologies (electronic feeder (EF) and walk-over-weighing scale (WOW)) to study the effect of forage quantity and quality on the intake of a self-fed supplement (molasses-lick blocks (MLB)), LW, liveweight change (LWC), and feeding behaviour of grazing beef cattle. Fifty-two crossbred weaners were rotationally grazed or fed for 254 days on different forages: sudangrass (SG), autumn pastures (P), winter pastures with concentrate (P+C), oat crops (OC), lucerne hay (LH), and oaten hay (OH). Forage quantity and quality were measured on the day of entry (high feed availability) and exit (low feed availability) stages of grazing or hay delivery. The intake of MLB was 111% higher (p < 0.05) at low compared to high feed availability, and this was also reflected in the feeding behaviour of animals (e.g., greater feeding frequency and rate). Moreover, there was a large temporal variability of daily MLB intake (Coefficient of variation (CV) = 146.41%). Supplementing MLB improved LWC only with SG, P, or OH (p < 0.05). The behaviour of animals around MLB reflects changes in feed quantity and quality and could be used to enhance cattle grazing and nutritional management in real time.

84 Effect of incorporating forage pea (c.v. Pisium sativum L.) into cereal hay on ruminal fermentation and apparent digestibility when fed to beef heifers

Abstract The objective was to evaluate the effect of inclusion rate of pea hay in barley and oat hay when fed to beef cattle. Six ruminally-cannulated heifers (407 ± 38 kg) were used in a 6 × 6 Latin square with a 2 × 3 factorial design and 25-d periods. Treatments included barley or oat hay blended with pea hay to achieve inclusion rates of 0, 15, or 30% (DM basis). Pea inclusion increased DMI (P = 0.03) by 0.75 kg/d, and generally reduced sorting (P ≤ 0.006) against NDF and ADF compared to the cereal-only treatments. Pea inclusion decreased CP digestibility by 2.87% relative to cereal-only treatments, but did not affect the predicted microbial protein supply or nitrogen retention (P ≥ 0.77). Pea inclusion did not affect total ruminal SCFA concentration, but increased the molar proportions of acetate and butyrate and decreased the molar proportion of propionate (P ≤ 0.01). While cereal type did not affect DMI (P = 0.36) or total SCFA concentration (P = 0.61), use of oat hay improved DM digestibility (67.73 vs. 63.22% for oat and barley, respectively; P &amp;lt; 0.001) and increased nitrogen retention (P = 0.03) when compared to barley. Overall, incorporating pea into cereal hay increased DMI, reduced CP digestibility, and altered ruminal fermentation.

PSXIV-15 Metagenomic sequencing of rumen microorganisms of cattle fed a corn stover-based diet

Abstract Worldwide, there is a need to discover new microorganisms that efficiently degrade lignocellulosic complexes that would help to improve the digestibility of low-quality agricultural byproducts. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a corn stover-based diet (CSD) on rumen bacteria. Ruminal fluid of 6 Holstein cows (595 ± 96 kg) was collected during two periods. During first period, animals were consuming a diet based on corn silage and oat hay (DB), mineral premix and water ad libitum (50:50, DM). In second period, animals were provided a CSD (100% DM), mineral premix and water ad libitum for 45 days. Ruminal fluid was collected through esophageal tube, filtered and stored at -80°C until DNA extraction. Rumen microorganisms were identified by sequencing the 16SrRNA gene using the Illumina Miseq platform and primers for V3 and V4 regions. Data were analyzed by QIIME 1.9. Analysis of variance was performed for a completely randomized design using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.1. The taxonomic affiliation showed that both populations were mainly composed of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. The most abundant bacteria species in both diets were Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Prevotella copri, Prevotella ruminicola, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Bacillus coagulans, Bacteroides uniformis and Selenomonas ruminantium. Feeding a CSD, increased the relative abundance of Prevotella ruminicola (from 6.1 to 20.9%, P &amp;lt; 0.01), Streptococcus luteciae (from 0.05 to 0.78%, P &amp;lt; 0.01), Clostridium aminophilum (0.45 to 3.1%, P &amp;lt; 0.01), Selenomonas ruminantium (5.2 to 21.8%, P &amp;lt; 0.02) and Pantoea agglomerans (0.7 to 3.9%, P &amp;lt; 0.01) and decreased Propionibacterium acnes (0.7 to 0.1%, P &amp;lt; 0.02) and Bacteroides ovatus (0.9 to 0.1%, P &amp;lt; 0.01). Feeding cattle with a diet with a more lignified forage like CSD led to the proliferation of bacteria such as Prevotella ruminicula, Streptococcus luteciae, Clostridium aminophilum, Selenomonas ruminantium and Pantoea agglomerans.

Effects of the Diet Inclusion of Common Vetch Hay Versus Alfalfa Hay on the Body Weight Gain, Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency, Energy Balance, and Enteric Methane Emissions of Crossbred Simmental Cattle.

A low nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE, the ratio of retained N to N intake) and high methane (CH4) emissions of ruminants can lead to potentially high diet protein wastage and directly contribute to global warming. Diet manipulation is the most effective way to improve NUE or reduce CH4 emissions. This study investigated how replacing oat hay with alfalfa hay (AH) or common vetch hay (CVH) with different proportions (20% (20) and 40% (40) of the total dry matter (DM) allowance) affects the body weight gain (BWG), NUE, and CH4 emissions of crossbred Simmental cattle. The forage dry matter intake (DMI) and the total DMI of cattle fed on a CVH40 diet were significantly higher than the values for those fed on AH20 or AH40 diets (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the BWG for the four treatments observed, however, nutrient digestibility significantly decreased in the AH40 diet as compared with the AH20 diet (p < 0.05). The NUE was significantly lower in AH40 than in CVH20. The CH4 emissions were significantly lower for the CVH40 diet than with the AH20 diet (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that a 20% AH and 40% CVH substitution for oat hay are the optimal proportions to maintain the BWG, NUE, nutrient digestibility, and reduce the CH4 emissions of crossbred Simmental cattle. Overall, CVH has a greater potential to reduce CH4 emissions than AH.

Productive behavior in growing kid goats and methane production with the inclusion of chokecherry leaf (Prunus salicifolia).

Currently for the reduction of methane (CH4) emissions are using fodder rich in condensed tannins, however, not yet known exactly how they act in the rumen is not yet clear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of leaves of Prunus salicifolia (PS, 0%, 15%, and 30%) on the productive behavior of growing kid goats, methane production, nutritional value, fermentation, and ruminal digestibility through an in vivo and in vitro study was performed. Diets were administered ad libitum to 6 Saanen kids with live weight (LW) of 12.25 ± 2.25 kg. Three levels of inclusion were used in a diet based on ground corn grain, soybean meal, corn stover, and oat hay in substitution with P. salicifolia leaves. The in vivo productive behavior was determined, as well as the fermentation kinetics, in vitro gas production, CH4 and hydrogen (H2) in an in vitro system was determined. For the in vivo study, we used a 3 × 3 Latin square design in in vivo study and an analysis of variance with three replications for in vitro gas production. The inclusion of 30% increased (P = 0.0011) dry matter intake (DMI 589.33 g/day) compared to the control group (418.80 g/day). The highest N excretion (feces and urine) (P < 0.001) was for T0, in addition to presenting a negative nitrogen balance compared with T15 and T30. The production of CH4 (mM)/g DM incubated, and CH4 (mM)/g DM fermented, CH4 (mM/day), and H2 was lower (P < 0.05) in T30 than T0 and T15. CH4 (mM)/day was lower (P < 0.036) in T130 (283 mM/day) compared with T0 (407 mM/day) P. salicifolia is a forage that helps to reduce the production of methane and can be included in the diets of growing kid goats in amounts less than 30% without affecting production performance.

Oat hay as winter feed improves digestibility, nitrogen balance and energy utilization of Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau

The objective of this study was to detect the digestion and metabolism of Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) fed on either natural pasture or cultivated oat, which can provide a theoretical basis for the seasonal supplementary feeding of livestock in alpine meadows. Twelve (18-month-old), Tibetan sheep with an average body weight of 40 ± 0.23 kg were used in a metabolism study. During the formal experimental period, a 100 g from each forages were collected and analysed to determine the Dry Matter (DM), Crude Protein (CP), Ether Extract (EE), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Water Soluble Carbohydrates (WSC) and Gross Energy (GE) contents. Oat OM, CP, EE, and WSC contents were higher (P < 0.001) than those of native herbage, while native forage contained higher (P < 0.001) DM, NDF, and ADF content. Throughout the experimental period, the daily Dry Matter Intake (DMI) and Organic Matter Intake (OMI) of sheep were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The oat fed group showed higher (P < 0.001) CP daily intake compared to native herbage fed group. The apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, and EE were higher (P < 0.001) in oat fed animals compared to sheep fed native herbage. Our data indicated that nitrogen retention (nitrogen balance) for Tibetan sheep was positive with nitrogen more than 8.1 g/d (R² = 0.860, P = 0.001) and the digestible nitrogen exceeding 3.6 g/d (R² = 0.874, P = 0.001). Energy utilization results indicated that oat herbage Digestible Energy (DE), DE/ Gross Energy (GE), Metabolizable Energy (ME), ME/DE and ME/GE were higher (P < 0.001) than that of native grass. It was concluded that the nutritional quality of oat forage was higher than of native herbage. Hence, it can be fed to animals as hay to expand the source of fodder in winter.

Variability and Potential of Seaweeds as Ingredients of Ruminant Diets: An In Vitro Study.

Simple SummaryThe use of seaweeds as ingredients of ruminant diets can be an alternative to conventional feedstuffs, but it is necessary to assess their nutritive value. The aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition and in vitro rumen fermentation of eight brown, red and green seaweed species collected in Norway during both spring and autumn. The in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics of 17 diets composed of oat hay:concentrate in a 1:1 ratio, with the concentrate containing no seaweed or including one of the 16 seaweed samples, was also studied. Species and season determined differences in chemical composition and in vitro fermentation of seaweeds. Most of the tested seaweeds can be included in the diet (up to 200 g/kg concentrate) without negative effects on in vitro ruminal fermentation.This study was designed to analyze the chemical composition and in vitro rumen fermentation of eight seaweed species (Brown: Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata, Pelvetia canaliculata, Saccharina latissima; Red: Mastocarpus stellatus, Palmaria palmata and Porphyra sp.; Green: Cladophora rupestris) collected in Norway during spring and autumn. Moreover, the in vitro ruminal fermentation of seventeen diets composed of 1:1 oat hay:concentrate, without (control diet) or including seaweeds was studied. The ash and N contents were greater (p < 0.001) in seaweeds collected during spring than in autumn, but autumn-seaweeds had greater total extractable polyphenols. Nitrogen in red and green seaweeds was greater than 2.20 and in brown seaweeds, it was lower than 1.92 g/kg DM. Degradability after 24 h of fermentation was greater in spring seaweeds than in autumn, with Palmaria palmata showing the greatest value and Pelvetia canaliculata the lowest. Seaweeds differed in their fermentation pattern, and autumn Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata, Saccharina latissima and Palmaria palmata were similar to high-starch feeds. The inclusion of seaweeds in the concentrate of a diet up to 200 g/kg concentrate produced only subtle effects on in vitro ruminal fermentation.

Short communication: Comparison of pH, volatile fatty acids, and ammonia in preweaning and postweaning ruminal fluid samples obtained via rumenocentesis and stomach tube from dairy calves

This research was undertaken with an aim to compare the pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA) profile, and ammonia concentration of ruminal fluid samples from pre- and postweaning dairy calves that were obtained through rumenocentesis (RC) and an oral stomach tube (ST) as well as to monitor the health-related complications of sampling techniques. During the first 84 days of life, 40 Polish Holstein–Friesian calves were grouped by dam parity (equal numbers of calves born to primiparous and multiparous cows) and assigned randomly to two treatment diets: concentrate, which comprised starter feed without oat hay (C; n = 20), and concentrate with forage, which comprised starter feed with 10% oat hay (CF; n = 20). The higher value of ruminal fluid pH was noted in the ST compared to the RC method. The average difference in pH between methods was 0.33 in the whole experimental period, and that difference was not affected by the treatment diet. We noted higher concentrations of ruminal ammonia; total VFAs; and molar concentrations of acetate, propionate, n-butyrate, isobutyrate, n-valerate, and isovalerate for the RC, compared with the ST method. Minor complications were recorded after ruminal fluid sampling via RC in three 8-week-old calves. Differences in ruminal fluid pH and fermentation parameters suggested that a comparison of rumen parameters sampled with different methods might be unreliable and should be avoided. Moreover, given its minimal impact on animal health, RC can be recommended for ruminal fluid sampling from dairy calves.