Sericea Lespedeza Hay Research Articles

Characterization of the ruminal microbiota in sheep and goats fed different levels of tannin-rich Sericea lespedeza hay.

Understanding ruminal microbiota and diet-host breed interactions under forage feeding conditions is essential for optimizing rumen fermentation and improving feed efficiency in small ruminants. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different ratios of condensed tannin-rich Sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) in the diets on changes and interactions of ruminal microbiota and host species (i.e., sheep and goats). Katahdin sheep (n = 12) and Alpine goats (n = 12) at approximately 10 to 12 mo of age were blocked by body weight (BW = 30.3 and 25.5kg, respectively) and randomly assigned to one of the 3 treatments. Diets contained 75% coarsely ground forage and 25% concentrate. The forages were 1) 100% alfalfa hay (AL), 2) 100% SL, and 3) 50% AL + 50% SL (ASL). In the present study, the diversity and composition of ruminal microbiota differed between sheep and goats fed similar diets. Based on the taxonomic analysis, there was a distinct clustering pattern (P < 0.05) for sheep by diets, but such a pattern was not observed for goats (P > 0.1). The most predominant phyla were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Ascomycota, and methanogen species of Methanobrevibactor sp. in the rumen of sheep and goats, regardless of diets. The Bacteroidetes and Ascomycota were enriched in sheep fed AL and ASL. In contrast, these microbial phyla were enhanced in goats fed tannin-rich SL diets, with the diet-by-host species interaction (P < 0.02) for the Bacteroidetes phylum. Sheep rumen fluid samples showed a higher degree of variability in microbial community composition compared to goat rumen fluid samples. The relative proportion of the Aspergillus fungi population was reduced to 90.7% in the SL group compared with the AL group, regardless of host species. The antimicrobial activity of tannins and greater sensitivities of selected microbiota species to these tannin compounds during SL feeding in sheep and goats perhaps caused this difference. The results from this study suggest that differences in the microbiota were associated with differences in diets and host species. Therefore, this study provides a better understanding of ruminal microbiota and diet-host species interactions under various tannin-rich diets, which could advance consolidative information on rumen microbiome community diversity changes and may improve sheep and goat production.

PSIV-10 Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Fertilized and Unfertilized Sericea Lespedeza Hay on Performance and Plasma Metabolome of Naturally Infected Goats

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the dietary inclusion of unfertilized (AS) and fertilized (AR) sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) hay on body weight (BW), average daily gain, and plasma metabolome of goats. Thirty-six naturally parasite-infected (&amp;gt;5000 eggs/gram) 9-month-old intact male Spanish goats (23.9 ± 0.15 kg) were randomly allocated (12 goats per treatment) into three dietary treatments: a) Control (bermudagrass hay), b) AS (unfertilized lespedeza), and c) AR (fertilized lespedeza) for a 60-day pen feeding trial. All treatments were supplemented with a commercial concentrate following a 70:30 forage:concentrate ratio. Feed samples, blood samples, and BW were collected and recorded weekly to estimate chemical composition, initial and final BW, and average daily gain (ADG). Metabolome analysis of the plasma samples was performed using a chemical isotope labelling/liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based technique. Pathway enrichment analysis and analysis of the differentially abundant metabolites were performed using MetaboAnalyst 5.0 software. All other data were analyzed following the GLIMMIX procedure (repeated measures) of SAS, with the fixed effect of treatment, week, and the random effect of animals. Chemical composition revealed greater (P ≤ 0.05) CP (15.6 vs. 12%) and NDF (50 vs. 40.8%) in AR hay compared with AS hay. Compared with the control, dietary AR increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) final BW (30.1 vs. 27.3 kg) and ADG (130.2 vs. 84.5 g/d) in parasite-infected goats. Compared with the control, nitrogen metabolism was enriched (P ≤ 0.05) in AR and AS goats. Compared with AR, the lysine degradation pathway was enriched in AS (P = 7.51 x 10-6) animals. Moreover, the relative concentration of β-leucine was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in goats on the AR diet compared with the control. Results from this research suggest that both AS and AR sericea lespedeza increased nitrogen metabolism in parasite-infected goats. However, dietary AR hay reduced lysine degradation or increased plasma β-leucine concentration compared with AS and the control, respectively. In conclusion, dietary AR lespedeza hay improved the growth performance of parasite-infected meat goats by preventing amino acid degradation and increasing leucine availability, which may help promote muscle regeneration.

PSXIII-29 Nutraceutical Effects of Fertilized and Unfertilized Sericea Lespedeza Hay on Gastrointestinal Parasitism and Whole-Plasma Metabolome of Naturally Infected Goats

Abstract The objective of this study was assessing the effect of the dietary inclusion of unfertilized (AS) and fertilized (AR) Sericea lespedeza hay on the parasitic burden, packed cellular volume (PCV), and whole-plasma metabolome of naturally infected goats. Thirty-six naturally parasite-infected (&amp;gt;5,000 eggs/gram) Spanish goats (23.9 ± 0.15 kg) were randomly allocated (12 goats per treatment) into three dietary treatments: a) Control (Bermudagrass hay), AS (Unfertilized lespedeza), and AR (fertilized lespedeza) for 60 days. All treatments were supplemented with a commercial concentrate following a 70:30 forage: concentrate ratio. Feed samples, blood samples, and fecal samples were collected and recorded weekly to estimate chemical composition, fecal egg counts, and PCV. Additionally, whole-plasma metabolomic analysis was performed using chemical isotope labelling/liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based technique. Pathway enrichment analysis and analysis of the differentially abundant metabolites were performed using MetaboAnalyst 5.0 software. Data were analyzed with the GLIMMIX procedure (repeated measures) of SAS with the fixed effect of treatment, week, and the random effect of animals. Total condensed tannins and precipitable phenolics were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in AS compared with AR (13.9 vs. 6.5% DM; 95.3 vs.9.5 mg/g). However, both AS and AR reduced (P &amp;lt; 0.01) fecal egg counts compared with the control (1,100, 1,450 vs. 3,500 eggs/gram). Conversely, PCV was greater in AR compared with the control (23.6 vs. 20.6%), but no differences between AR and AS (23.6 vs. 22.5%) were observed. Compared with the control, relative distribution of glutamine and beta-leucine were increased in AS and AR. The pathway enrichment analysis revealed that dietary AS and AR increased glycine, serine, and purine metabolism compared with the control. Collectively, results from this study suggest that dietary AS and AR reduced fecal egg counts by improving anti-oxidative metabolism, muscle regeneration capacity, and immune response in naturally infected goats.

Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Tannin-Rich Sericea Lespedeza Hay on Relationships among Linear Body Measurements, Body Condition Score, Body Mass Indexes, and Performance of Growing Alpine Doelings and Katahdin Ewe Lambs.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of the dietary level of a condensed tannin-rich forage on linear measures, body condition score (BCS), body mass indexes (BMI), and performance and relationships among these variables in growing dairy goats and hair sheep raised for meat. An experiment with a 2 × 3 factorial treatment arrangement was conducted, with two species and three diets. Diets were 25% concentrate and 75% forage, which were alfalfa hay, condensed tannin-containing Sericea lespedeza hay, and a 1:1 mixture of both hay sources. Twenty-four Alpine (ALP) doelings and 24 Katahdin (KAT) ewe lambs were used in the 173-day study, consisting of four measurement periods. Variables included BCS, linear measures, BMI, and performance variables such as average daily gain (ADG) and dry matter intake (DMI, g/day). Linear measures were length from the shoulder point to pin (Pin) and hook (Hook) bones, height at the withers (Wither), circumference from heart girth (Heart), and width at the hook bones (Rump). Different BMI were based on the Wither, Hook, Pin, Heart, and various combinations. Heart, Rump, and all BMI were affected by species, whereas linear measures and BMI based on Wither and the combination of height and length measures were influenced by diet. There were positive (p &lt; 0.05) correlation coefficients (r) between BCS and body weight (BW) and linear measures as well as BMI for both species, and correlations were greater for KAT than for ALP. Body condition score was correlated with BW, ADG, and DMI for KAT (p &lt; 0.05). For ALP, the correlation between BCS and BW (p &lt; 0.015) was much lower than for KAT (0.49 vs. 0.91), and there were only tendencies for relationships between BCS and ADG and DMI (p &lt; 0.10). Body weight and ADG were positively correlated (p &lt; 0.05) with all BMI for both species, and most correlations were greater for KAT than for ALP. Correlations involving BMI based on combinations of two linear measures with BW and ADG were in most instances greater than for BMI calculated from one or three linear measures. For ALP, DMI was related to BMI based on Wither and Pin (r = 0.43), Heart and Hook (r = 0.44), and Heart and Pin (r = 0.61), whereas for KAT, correlations were similar (0.72-0.75) for each of the four BMI based on two linear measures (i.e., Wither and Hook, Wither and Pin, Heart and Hook, and Heart and Pin). Therefore, it appears that each of these four BMI, preferably based on Heart and length, could be appropriate for better livestock management over BCS and in predicting animal performance.

Inclusion of a tannin-rich legume in the diet of beef steers reduces greenhouse gas emissions from their excreta

The objectives of this study were to determine the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2), as well as the isotopic composition of N2O from excreta of beef steers fed ‘AU Grazer’ sericea lespedeza hay [SL; Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don]. Fifteen Brahman × Angus crossbred steers were fed one of three experimental diets: 0, 50, or 100% inclusion of SL into ‘Tifton 85’ bermudagrass hay (Cynodon spp.). Gas sampling occurred on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 18, 25, and 32 after urine or feces application to static chambers for two experimental periods. Effect of the day after feces application (P < 0.001), while day × inclusion of SL interaction was observed in urine (P < 0.001) for all greenhouse gases (GHG) analyzed. Peaks of emission of all GHG in urine and feces occurred in the first days (P < 0.001), with days 3 and 5 being most depleted in 15N-N2O in feces, and days 3, 5, and 7, in urine (P < 0.001). Feeding SL to beef steers was effective in mitigating the emission of GHG from the excreta, but further research is necessary to investigate the mechanisms behind the reductions.

Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Sericea Lespedeza Hay on Feed Intake, Digestion, Nutrient Utilization, Growth Performance, and Ruminal Fermentation and Methane Emission of Alpine Doelings and Katahdin Ewe Lambs.

Simple SummaryRuminants contribute to global greenhouse gas production, mainly through enteric methane emission (EME). Different dietary strategies have been explored to mitigate EME, including the use of forages rich in tannins that inhibit methanogenic activity in the rumen. Feeding the condensed tannin-containing forage Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) has reduced EME by small ruminants in previous studies. In the present experiment, the digestion of fiber, and in particular of nitrogen, decreased as the concentration of lespedeza increased. Similar metabolizable energy intake and retained energy among diets suggests that decreasing digested nitrogen intake and protein status were responsible for marked declines in growth performance as the dietary amount of lespedeza increased. In contrast to many other reports, the dietary concentration of lespedeza did not affect EME by goats or sheep under these feeding conditions.Twenty-four Alpine doelings, initial 25.3 ± 0.55 kg body weight (BW) and 10.4 ± 0.11 mo of age, and 24 Katahdin ewe lambs, 28.3 ± 1.02 kg BW and 9.6 ± 0.04 mo of age, were used to determine effects of dietary inclusion of Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) hay on feed intake, digestion, growth performance, energy metabolism, and ruminal fermentation and methane emission. There were four periods, the first three 42 days in length and the fourth 47 days. Diets consumed ad libitum contained 75% coarsely ground hay with alfalfa (ALF), a 1:1 mixture of ALF and LES (ALF+LES), and LES (10.0% condensed tannins; CT). The intake of dry matter (DM) tended to be greater (p = 0.063) for Katahdin than for Alpine (4.14 vs. 3.84% BW; SEM = 0.110). The dry matter intake was similar among the diets (3.97, 4.10, and 3.89% BW for ALF, ALF+LES, and LES, respectively; SEM = 0.134). The digestion of organic matter (75.3, 69.3, and 65.5%; SEM = 0.86), neutral detergent fiber (61.7, 50.5, and 41.4%; SEM = 1.49), and nitrogen (78.8, 66.9, and 50.8% for ALF, ALF+LES, and LES, respectively; SEM = 0.92) decreased as the dietary concentration of lespedeza increased (p < 0.05). However, there was an interaction (p < 0.05) between the breed and diet in nitrogen digestion, with a greater value for goats vs. sheep with LES (54.4 vs. 47.3%; SEM = 1.30). The digested nitrogen intake decreased markedly with the increasing quantity of lespedeza (38.0, 27.5, and 15.7 g/day for ALF, ALF+LES, and LES, respectively; SEM = 1.26). The average daily gain was greater for Katahdin than for Alpine (p < 0.001; 180 vs. 88 g, SEM = 5.0) and ranked (p < 0.05) ALF > ALF+LES > LES (159, 132, and 111 g, respectively; SEM = 6.1). The ruminal methane emission differed (p < 0.05) between animal types in MJ/day (1.17 and 1.44), kJ/g DM intake (1.39 and 1.23), and kJ/g ADG (18.1 and 9.8 for Alpine and Katahdin, respectively). Regardless of the period and animal type, diet did not impact methane emission in MJ/day or relative to DM intake, BW, or ADG (p > 0.05). The digestible and metabolizable energy intakes, heat production, and retained energy were not affected by diet (p > 0.05). In conclusion, future research should consider the marked potential effect of CT of forages such as lespedeza on nitrogen digestion and associated effects on protein status and other conditions that may be impacted.

High-Condensed Tannin Diet and Transportation Stress in Goats: Effects on Physiological Responses, Gut Microbial Counts and Meat Quality.

Simple SummaryPreslaughter management of goats can affect their welfare and productivity, as well as the resultant product quality. Inclusion of high-condensed tannin ingredients in the diet and minimizing stress can improve meat quality and safety in goats. This study was conducted to determine the effects of transportation stress and sericea lespedeza hay diet on physiological responses, gastrointestinal microbial populations, and meat quality in Spanish goats. Although transportation stress influenced physiological responses, it did not influence muscle pH, which is an important variable that affects the eating quality of meat. Sericea improved anti-inflammatory property and decreased microbial counts in the rumen and rectum of goats. There is evidence that feeding high-condensed tannin diet could be beneficial in meat goat production.Feeding condensed tannin (CT)-containing diets such as sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) and reducing stress have been reported to improve meat quality and food safety in goats. In a completely randomized design with split-plot, thirty-six uncastrated male Spanish goats were assigned to 3 dietary treatments (n = 12/treatment): ground ‘Serala’ sericea lespedeza hay (SER), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay (BG), or bermudagrass hay—dewormed goats (BG-DW; Control) at 75% of intake, with a corn-based supplementation (25%) for 8 weeks. Prior to slaughter, goats were either transported for 90 min to impose stress or held in pens. Basophil counts were lower (p < 0.01) in the SER group compared to BG or BG-DW groups suggesting a better anti-inflammatory capacity due to polyphenols in the SER diet. Compared to BG-DW group, cortisol level was higher (p < 0.05) and norepinephrine was lower (p < 0.05) in the SER group. The SER group had the lowest aerobic plate counts (APC) in both rumen and rectum (p < 0.01). Longissimus dorsi muscle initial pH was not affected by diet or stress. Feeding sericea hay to goats may have beneficial effects, such as enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties during stress and reduced gut microbial counts, without changing meat quality characteristics.

Methane emissions and δ13C composition from beef steers consuming increasing proportions of sericea lespedeza hay on bermudagrass hay diets.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different proportions of 'Au Grazer' sericea lespedeza [SL, Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don], a legume rich in condensed tannins (CT), on nutrient intake and digestibility, and to estimate methane (CH4) emissions and 13C isotopic composition (δ13CCH4) from beef steers consuming a forage-based diet. Twenty-five Angus-crossbred steers were distributed in a randomized complete block design (344 ± 48 kg initial BW), and randomly assigned to one of five treatments: 0SL, 25SL, 50SL, 75SL, and 100SL, diets containing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of SL hay, respectively, mixed with 'Tifton-85' bermudagrass hay (Cynodon spp.). The study was carried out for two experimental periods of 21-d each. The statistical model included the fixed effect of treatment and random effects of block, experimental period, and their interaction. Apparent total tract digestibility of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber was linearly decreased (P < 0.001) by the inclusion of SL. No effects were observed for total CH4 emissions per day, nor for CH4 relative to organic matter intake or digestible organic matter with the inclusion of SL. However, emission of CH4 in relation to intake of CT was affected by treatment (P < 0.001). A linear (P < 0.001) decrease and a quadratic effect (P < 0.001) were observed for δ13C of diets and gas, respectively, in which diets and enteric CH4 with greater inclusion of SL were more depleted in 13C. Moreover, the difference in δ13C between diets and gas (Δδ13C) had a linear decrease (P = 0.001) with the inclusion of SL. The model developed to predict the C3 proportions in the enteric CH4 fitted to predicted values (P < 0.0001). Therefore, greater proportions of SL resulted in lesser CH4 emission when CT intake was considered and the isotopic composition from enteric CH4 was able to predict the contribution of SL in the emissions.

Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Sericea Lespedeza Hay on Behavior, Heat Energy, and Ruminal Methane Emission by Growing Alpine Doelings and Katahdin Ewe Lambs

Abstract Twenty-four Alpine doelings (initial body weight (BW) and age of 25.3±0.55 kg and 10.4±0.11 mo, respectively) and 24 Katahdin ewe lambs (28.3±1.02 kg and 9.6±0.04 mo, respectively) were used to determine effects of dietary level of Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata; 10% condensed tannins) on heat energy and ruminal emission of the greenhouse gas methane determined with an open-circuit calorimetry system. Pens with Calan feeding gates were used in the study with four 6–7-wk periods. Diets (i.e., treatments) consumed ad libitum were 75% ground hay, alfalfa, a 1:1 mixture of alfalfa and lespedeza (AL), and lespedeza. Data were analyzed with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments, repeated measure of period, and a mixed effects model. Feeders were open 195 and 205 min/d for Alpine and Katahdin (SEM=9.8) and longer (P &amp;lt; 0.05) for diets with lespedeza (159, 209, and 231 min/d for alfalfa, AL, and lespedeza, respectively). Rate of dry matter intake (DMI) was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) for Katahdin vs. Alpine (10.2 and 6.1 g/min) and for alfalfa than for AL and lespedeza (11.1, 8.1, and 6.7 g/min, respectively). Heat energy was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in MJ/d for Katahdin than for Alpine (10.19 vs. 7.90) and similar among diets (9.20, 9.40, and 8.53; SEM=0.266), but values in kJ/kg BW0.75 were similar between animal types (560 and 579; SEM=8.4) and greatest (P &amp;lt; 0.05) among diets for AL (563, 592, and 553 for alfalfa, AL, and lespedeza, respectively). Ruminal methane emission differed (P &amp;lt; 0.05) between animal types in MJ/d (1.17 and 1.44), kJ/g DMI (1.39 and 1.23), and kJ/g average daily gain (ADG; 18.1 and 9.8 for Alpine and Katahdin, respectively). Regardless of period, diet did not impact methane emission in MJ/d or relative to DMI, BW, or ADG. In conclusion, it is unclear why dietary inclusion of lespedeza did not reduce ruminal methane emission as in previous studies. Species differences in methane relative to DMI and ADG (i.e., lower for sheep than for goats) deserve further attention.

PSX-9 Effects of dietary levels of alfalfa and Sericea lespedeza hay on feed intake and growth performance by growing Alpine doelings and Katahdin ewe lambs

Abstract Twenty-four Alpine doelings (initial BW and age of 25.3±0.55 kg and 10.4±0.11 mo, respectively) and 24 Katahdin ewe lambs (24; 28.3±1.02 kg and 9.6±0.04 mo, respectively) were used to determine effects of dietary levels of alfalfa and Sericea lespedeza on feed intake and growth performance. The treatment arrangement was a 2 × 3 factorial. Animals were housed in pens fitted with Calan feeding gates during the study with 4 periods, the first 3 periods were 42 d in length and the fourth 47 d. Diets consumed ad libitum were 75% coarsely ground hay. Forage was alfalfa, a 1:1 mixture of alfalfa and lespedeza, and lespedeza. There were no significant interactions between breed and diet or significant three-way interactions involving period (P &amp;gt; 0.05). Intake of DM in g/d was much greater for Katahdin than for Alpine (P &amp;lt; 0.001; 1,817 vs. 1,274; SEM=51.1), with differences of lesser magnitude in % BW (P = 0.063; 4.14 vs. 3.84; SEM=0.110) and g/kg BW0.75 (P = 0.001; 106 vs. 92; SEM=0.993). All expressions of DMI were similar among diets (P ≥0.199; 1,600, 1,585, and 1,452 g/d, SEM=62.6; 3.97, 4.10, and 3.89% BW, SEM=0.134; 99, 102, and 96 g/kg BW0.75 for alfalfa, alfalfa-lespedeza, and lespedeza, SEM=3.2). The ADG was greater for Katahdin than for Alpine (P &amp;lt; 0.001; 180 vs. 88 g, SEM=5.0) and ranked (P &amp;lt; 0.05) alfalfa &amp;gt; alfalfa-lespedeza &amp;gt; lespedeza (159, 132, and 111 g, respectively; SEM=6.1). The ratio of ADG:DMI was greater for Katahdin than for Alpine (P &amp;lt; 0.001; 104 vs. 72 g/kg; SEM=3.4) and greatest among diets for alfalfa (P &amp;lt; 0.05; 101, 84, and 79 g/kg for alfalfa alfalfa-lespedeza, and lespedeza, respectively; SEM=4.2). In conclusion, the two small ruminant breeds and species responded similarly to dietary characteristics as impacted by the different forage levels.

PSX-21 Diet and preslaughter stress effects on gut microbial populations and meat quality characteristics in goats

Abstract Feeding condensed tannin (CT)-containing diets and minimizing preslaughter stress have been reported to improve meat quality and food safety in small ruminants. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of feeding sericea lespedeza (SL), a high-CT legume, and transportation stress on gut microbial counts and meat quality in goats. In a completely randomized design with split-plot, thirty-six uncastrated male Spanish goats (Age = 8 mo; BW = 26.0 ± 0.48 kg) were assigned to one of 3 dietary treatments (n = 12): ground ‘Serala’ SL hay (SER), bermudagrass hay (BG), or bermudagrass hay - dewormed goats (BG-DW) at 75% of intake, with a corn-based supplement (25%) for 8 weeks. At the end of the trial, goats were either transported for 90 min to impose stress or held in pens before slaughtering in two replicates. Hot and cold carcass weights were lowest in SER, highest in BG-DW, and intermediate in BG group (P &amp;lt; 0.01). Longissimus muscle initial pH was not affected by diet or stress; however, the L* values were lower in SER compared with BG or BG-DW (P &amp;lt; 0.01). Diet or stress treatment did not have a significant effect on rumen and rectal pH values or E. coli and coliform counts. Rumen E. coli counts were 0.32, 0.35, and 0.32 (SEM = 0.088) log10CFU/g, respectively, in SER, BG, and BG-DW groups. The SER group had the lowest aerobic plate counts (APC) in both rumen and rectum (P &amp;lt; 0.01). Rumen APC were 4.74, 6.74, and 6.95 (SEM = 0.420) log10CFU/g, respectively, in SER, BG, and BG-DW groups. The results indicate that diet and stress did not notably influence meat quality characteristics studied or gut E. coli counts in goats, although there is evidence that APC in rumen and feces can be reduced by feeding SL for 8 weeks.

PSX-33 Effect of supplementing different proportions of sericea lespedeza with alfalfa silage on intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance in sheep

Abstract Dietary manipulations to include tannins can change the proportion and amounts of N excreted in the urine and feces as well as improve N-use efficiency in ruminants. This study was conducted to investigate effects on animal digestion parameters of adding different proportions of sericea lespedeza hay (SL) to alfalfa silage. Alfalfa was harvested in June 2018 at 75% bloom, chopped, and then packed at 55% moisture into plastic-lined bins and allowed to ensile for 3 months. Alfalfa silage was either offered alone or mixed with 9, 18, or 27% SL on a DM basis. These diets were offered randomly for ad libitum consumption to 16 ewes (41.8 ± 4.61 kg BW) in a randomized complete block design experiment with 2 periods to provide 4 observations per treatment per experimental period, each consisting of a 14-d dietary adaptation period followed by 5 d of total fecal and urine collection. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS and orthogonal linear and quadratic trend analyses were tested. Digestibility (%) of DM and OM and digestible DM and OM intake (g/kg BW) decreased linearly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) with increasing SL addition to the diet. Digestibility of NDF and ADF decreased linearly (P &amp;lt; 0.01) with increasing SL, and apparent absorption (%) of N decreased linearly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) with increasing SL in the diet. Urinary N excretions (g/d) tended (P = 0.10) to decrease linearly while fecal N (g/day) tended to increase (P = 0.10) linearly with increasing SL proportion in the diet. In this study, supplementation with sericea lespedeza as a tannin source to alfalfa silage decreased forage digestibility and digestible organic matter intake and did not positively influence nitrogen use. The study was supported in part by USDA-ARS specific cooperative agreement 58-3655-4-052 and by USDA NIFA grant 2018-67019-27804.

Flavor Compounds and Quality Parameters of Chevon As Influenced by Sericea Lespedeza Hay

This research assessed the utilization of sericea lespedeza (SL, Lespedeza cuneata ) hay, a highly condensed tannin (CT) forage (87-181 g CT/kg), as a dietary regimen of meat goats, and thereby the effects on physicochemical properties of goat meat (chevon) and flavor compounds in cooked chevon chops were evaluated. Although it is commonly believed that higher amounts of CT can have deleterious effects on animal performance due to low digestibility and low voluntary intakes in ruminants, feeding meat goats with SL hay increased the body weight compared to goats fed bermudagrass hay without altering the chemical composition and meat quality of chevon. Feeding SL hay to meat goats also did not significantly influence the flavor volatiles in cooked chevon chops. The findings indicate that SL hay can be used as a low-input forage to replace expensive forages.

Using copper oxide wire particles or sericea lespedeza to prevent peri-parturient gastrointestinal nematode infection in sheep and goats

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) continue to plague the small ruminant industry, especially in parts of the world with warm, humid climates. Alternatives to chemicals are needed for GIN control because of anthelmintic resistance and a desire to reduce chemical residues in meat products. Three experiments using peri-parturient does or ewes addressed the objective: 1) in Arkansas, meat goats were untreated ( n = 20) or fed copper oxide wire particles (COWP; 2 g each) in pelleted sericea lespedeza ( Lespedeza cuneata; n = 22) before kidding while consuming sericea lespedeza hay, 2) in Arkansas, 42 Katahdin ewes were randomly assigned to remain untreated or were fed COWP (2 g each) before lambing within groups fed bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon) or sericea lespedeza hay in a 2 × 2 factorial design, 3) in Louisiana, Gulf Coast Native ewes were randomly assigned to remain untreated or were fed COWP (4 g each) in a pelleted ration ( n = 10 each) after lambing began. Fecal egg counts (FEC) and blood packed cell volume (PCV) were determined weekly in all experiments, and coproculture to examine GIN species was conducted in the first two experiments. Haemonchus contortus is typically the predominant GIN in the southeastern U.S., even during cooler months. However, Trichostrongylus spp. was the predominant GIN in Arkansas during these experiments. In all of the experiments, feeding COWP led to a reduction in FEC, but no change in PCV. The sericea lespedeza hay fed to ewes in Experiment 2 was associated with a reduction in FEC compared with ewes fed bermudagrass hay. Kids and lambs from COWP-treated dams in two experiments were lighter than those from untreated dams. Sericea lespedeza aided in the control of GIN infection, and while feeding COWP to peri-parturient ewes and does offered some reduction in GIN infection, body weight of offspring at birth and 60 or 90 days of age may be reduced.

Efficacy of sericea lespedeza hay as a natural dewormer in goats: Dose titration study

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) parasitism is the greatest threat to economic sheep and goat production in the southern USA, and there is widespread prevalence of GIN resistance to broad-spectrum anthelmintics in this region. A natural alternative for controlling GIN in small ruminants is feeding hay of sericea lespedeza [SL, Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.-Cours., G. Don)], a perennial warm-season legume high in condensed tannins. To determine the level of SL needed to reduce GIN infection, a confinement study was completed with 32 Spanish/Boer/Kiko cross yearling bucks offered one of four diets with 75% hay and 25% concentrate (n=8, 2pens/treatment, 4 goats/pen). The hay portion of each diet consisted of a combination of ground SL (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% of the diet) and bermudagrass [BG, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0% of the diet]. The bucks were allowed to acquire a natural GIN infection on pasture prior to moving to the pens. After a 3-week adjustment period in the pens, the goats were stratified by fecal egg count (FEC) and packed cell volume (PCV), randomly assigned to treatments and pens, and then fed the treatment diets for six weeks. During the experimental period, fecal and blood samples were collected from individual animals weekly to determine FEC and PCV, respectively. Adult worms from abomasum and small intestines were collected for counting and identification of species at slaughter. Goats fed SL hay at 25%, 50%, and 75% of the diet had 45.3% (P=0.2048), 66.3% (P=0.0134), and 74.5% (P=0.0077) lower FEC than control animals (75% BG hay) after 21 days. The 50% and 75% SL goats had 84.6% (P=0.0625) and 91.9% (P=0.0340) lower FEC than controls by day 42. The 75% SL-fed goats tended to have higher (P=0.0624) PCV and had fewer (P=0.035) abomasal worms than control animals, while PCV and adult worm numbers of the 50% and 25% SL goats were not different from controls. The optimum level of SL hay in the diet for reducing worm numbers of small ruminants appears to be 75%, whereas 50–75% SL reduces FEC, which could lead to reduced larval infection on pasture.

Relevance and Potential Use of In vitro Gas Production Measurements to Evaluate Varying Ratios of Roughages and Protein Sources for Ruminants

Ouda, J.O. and Nsahlai, I.V. 2009. Relevance and potential use of in vitro gas production measurements to evaluate varying ratios of roughages and protein sources for ruminants. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 35: 9–16. This study explored the relevance and potential of measurements obtainable from in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT) in predicting nutritive value of ruminant rations comprised of poor quality roughages (RG) and different protein sources (PS). The RG were grass hay (GH) and maize stover (MS). The PS were Lucerne hay (LH), Sericea lespedeza hay (LPZ) and sunflower oil cake (SFC). RG:PS ratios used were 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60 20:80 and 0:100 on DM basis. Evaluation measurements included degradability (Deg), microbial yield (MIC) gas production (GP), time taken to half total GP (T½), Deg/total GP ratio (PF) and Deg/(half total GP × T½) ratio (DEF). The Deg increased linearly as LH (P<0.003) or SFC (P<0.03) increased in GH rations while a quadratic increase was obtained in MS rations. Increasing LPZ caused a linear decrease in Deg in both GH and MS rations. The PS differed (P<0.001) in GP in GH rations but protein source ratio (PSR) had no effect. In MS rations, the PS, PSR and PS × PSR interaction affected (P<0.001) GP. There was a linear decrease (P<0.02 to 0.002) in T½ as LH or SFC ratios increased in both GH and MS rations while increasing LPZ ratio tended to cause a quadratic decrease (P=0.17). The MIC and PF showed no clear trend among all the PS and PSR. The DEF was consistent and increased linearly (P<0.002 to 0.001) as the ratios of LH or SFC increased, while increasing LPZ ratio caused a quadratic increase. It is concluded that the confounding results obtainable in Deg, GP, MIC and PF can be resolved by including DEF and/or T½ among the evaluation measurements in order to improve the accuracy of predicting the nutritive value.

The effects of feeding sericea lespedeza hay on growth rate of goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes1

Goat production is increasing in the United States due to high ethnic demand, but infection with gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasites is a major constraint to the industry. Increasing GIN resistance to chemical anthelmintics worldwide has led to the development of alternative control strategies, including use of forages containing condensed tannins (CT). An experiment was designed using infected and dewormed male kids (Kiko x Spanish, 6 mo old, 18.9 +/- 3.25 kg) fed diets containing 25% concentrate and either 75% sericea lespedeza [SL; Lespedeza cuneata (Dum-Cours.) G. Don], a high CT forage (87 to 181 g of CT/kg), or 75% bermudagrass [BG; Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] hay (n = 10/treatment). The kids were weighed every 14 d, and fecal and blood samples were taken weekly for fecal egg counts and packed cell volume determination, respectively. Fecal cultures were processed every 14 d to determine CT effect on larval development. At slaughter, adult GIN were collected from the abomasum and small intestines for counting and speciation. Blood samples were also analyzed for plasma urea-N, and ruminal VFA and pH were determined. The infected SL-fed kids had consistently lower (P < 0.05) fecal egg counts than the infected BG goats throughout the trial and greater (P < 0.05) packed cell volume beginning by d 77. Average daily gain was greater (P < 0.001) in kids fed SL- than BG-based diets, regardless of infection status (104.3 +/- 5.0 and 75.5 +/- 4.8 g/d, respectively). Total VFA and acetate concentrations were greater (P < 0.001) in the BG- than in SL-fed goats, whereas propionate levels were unaffected by diet. Acetate:propionate ratio (P = 0.01) and plasma urea-N (P = 0.03) levels were greater in BG-fed goats, whereas rumen pH was greater (P < 0.001) in the SL-fed goats. Feeding SL hay can reduce GIN infection levels and increase performance of goats compared with BG hay.

Effect of pelleting on efficacy of sericea lespedeza hay as a natural dewormer in goats

Resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) to anthelmintic treatment has increased pressure to find alternative, non-chemical control methods. Feeding hay of the high condensed tannin (CT) forage sericea lespedeza [SL; Lespedeza cuneata (Dum-Cours.) G. Don.] to sheep and goats has reduced GIN fecal egg count (FEC) and worm numbers in the abomasum and small intestines. This effect has been reported with both unground (long) and ground hay. Pelleting of ground hay increases ease of storage, transport, and feeding, but heating during the pelleting process could reduce biological activity of CT. Eighteen naturally GIN-infected 5–6-month-old Kiko-Spanish cross bucks were fed pelleted and ground SL hay and ground bermudagrass [BG; Cynodon dactyon (L.) Pers.] hay diets ( n = 6 per treatment) in a confinement trial. The bucks were fed the ground BG hay (75% of daily intake) plus a pelleted 16% CP commercial goat chow (25% of daily intake) for 3 weeks, after which they were assigned to treatment groups based upon FEC, 12 animals were switched to ground and pelleted SL hay plus goat chow for 4 weeks, and then all animals were fed the BG ration for one additional week. Throughout the trial, feces and blood were collected from individual animals weekly to determine FEC and blood packed cell volume (PCV), respectively. All goats were slaughtered at the end of the trial, with adult worms in the abomasum and small intestines recovered, counted, and identified to species. Both forms of SL hay reduced ( P < 0.05) FEC in goats relative to BG hay-fed animals, with a greater reduction in goats fed the SL pellets. There was no effect on PCV until the final sampling date, when the SL pellet-fed goats’ PCV increased ( P < 0.05) compared with the other treatments. Feeding pelleted SL reduced ( P < 0.05) abomasal worms, primarily Haemonchus contortus, relative to the BG hay-fed goats. Worm numbers in the goats fed ground SL hay were intermediate. Pelleting SL hay enhanced its efficacy against parasitic nematodes and may facilitate the broader use of this forage in small ruminant GIN control programs.

Sericea lespedeza hay as a natural deworming agent against gastrointestinal nematode infection in goats

Infection with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), particularly Haemonchus contortus, is the biggest constraint to profitable goat production in the United States (US). Due to widespread prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in goat GIN, alternative, non-chemical control methodologies are needed to increase profitability of small ruminant industries. A study was designed to test the efficacy of a high condensed tannin (CT) legume, sericea lespedeza [SL, Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.-Cours. G. Don)] against GIN of goats fed in confinement. The goats were given a trickle infection of 500 H. contortus larvae/animal three times per week during the trial to simulate natural infection. Twenty Boer bucks (6–8 months old) were fed bermudagrass [BG, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] hay plus concentrate for 5 weeks in confinement and then 10 animals were switched to SL hay for an additional 7 weeks. Throughout the trial, feces and blood were collected weekly from individual animals to determine fecal egg count (FEC) and blood packed cell volume (PCV). Fecal cultures were made weekly from pooled samples to determine treatment effects on GIN larval development. All goats were slaughtered at the end of the trial, with adult worms in the abomasum and small intestine of each goat recovered, counted, and identified to species. Feeding SL hay to goats significantly ( P < 0.01) reduced FEC and increased PCV compared with BG hay. In addition, a lower percentage of ova in feces from SL-fed goats developed into infective (L3) larvae. There was a direct effect of SL hay on adult worms, with significantly ( P < 0.01) lower numbers of both abomasal ( H. contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta) and small intestinal ( Trichostrongylus colubriformis) nematodes compared with goats fed BG hay. Feeding SL hay to goats is an effective means of controlling parasitic nematodes and may be a potential supplement/replacement for chemical anthelmintics.