Supplementation with whole cottonseed reduces methane emissions and can profitably increase milk production of dairy cows offered a forage and cereal grain diet

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Grainger ◽  
T. Clarke ◽  
K. A. Beauchemin ◽  
S. M. McGinn ◽  
R. J. Eckard

The experimental objective was to determine if whole cottonseed (WCS) could be used as a dietary supplement to reduce enteric methane emissions and profitably increase milk production from dairy cattle over the summer period when pasture is limited in quantity and has a low nutritive value. Fifty lactating cows, ~200 days in milk, were randomly allocated to one of two groups (control or WCS). Cows were offered lucerne hay (in the morning) and pasture silage (in the afternoon) made from a predominantly ryegrass sward in one group for 5 weeks. The hay and silage were placed on the ground in a bare paddock. Cows in each group were also individually offered cracked grain in a feed trough at 3 kg DM/cow.day at milking times. In addition, at milking times, cows in the WCS group were individually offered 2.7 kg DM/cow.day of untreated WCS with their grain supplement. Measurements of methane emissions (n = 12), using the SF6 tracer technique, were made in weeks 3 and 5 after the commencement of feeding treatments. Supplementation with WCS significantly reduced methane emissions by 12% (g/cow.day) and by 21% (g/cow.kg milk solids) and significantly increased yield of milk (n = 25) by 15%, milk fat by 19% and milk protein by 16%. WCS had no effect on concentration of milk fat or lactose, but resulted in a significant 3% decrease in protein concentration. WCS appears to be a promising supplement for reducing methane emissions and increasing milk production from dairy cattle when pasture is limited in quantity and has a low nutritive value.

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 860 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Grainger ◽  
T. Clarke ◽  
R. J. Eckard

The experimental objective was to determine the effect of adding whole cottonseed (WCS) to a forage and cereal grain diet on the energy and nitrogen balance and rumen function of lactating dairy cattle. Two experiments were carried out, a field experiment and an indoor metabolism experiment. In the field experiment, 50 lactating cows ~200 days in milk were randomly allocated to one of two groups (control or WCS). Cows were offered lucerne hay (morning) and ryegrass-based pasture silage (afternoon) in one group for 5 weeks. The hay and silage were placed on the ground in a bare paddock. Cows in each group were also individually offered cracked grain in a feed trough at 3 kg dry matter (DM)/cow.day at milking times. In addition, at milking times, cows in the WCS group were individually offered 2.7 kg DM/cow.day of WCS with their grain supplement. Samples of rumen fluid were collected from each fistula, ~4 h after grain feeding in the morning, of eight cows (four per group) on 1 day in each of the 5 weeks of treatment. In the metabolism experiment, immediately after the 5 weeks of feeding, 12 lactating cows, six from each treatment from the field experiment, were randomly selected and individually housed in metabolism stalls and fed the same diets for a 6-day energy and nitrogen balance study. Cows were fed at milking times (0700 and 1530 hours) and all feed offered and refused was weighed daily. All cows were offered 5.6 kg DM/cow.day of pasture silage, 4 kg DM/cow.day of lucerne hay and 3 kg DM/cow.day of cereal grain. In addition, cows in the WCS treatment group were offered 2.7 kg DM/cow.day of WCS with their grain supplement. In the metabolism study, adding WCS to the diet resulted in a greater energy intake, but there was no depression in energy digestibility. Whole cottonseed also increased nitrogen intake and nitrogen digestibility of the diet was increased from 62 to 75%, but the proportion of nitrogen in milk remained the same with a greater proportion of nitrogen appearing in body tissue. In the field experiment, supplementation with WCS did not alter rumen fluid ammonia-N or volatile fatty acid concentrations. Adding WCS did not affect three of the main classes of protozoa, based on size, within the two major orders of ciliate protozoa. The WCS did, however, reduce the levels of entodiniomorphs >200 µm diameter and holotrichs < 200 µm diameter, but these only account for a small number of the total protozoa present. Supplementation of a forage and grain-based diet with WCS improved the energy and protein content of the diet without any negative effects on rumen digestion and with a similar proportion of dietary energy and nitrogen appearing in milk. Over the summer period in winter-rainfall dairying areas in south-east Australia when pasture availability is limited and the diet is mainly comprised of forage and cereal grain fed at a level that is energy-limiting for maximum production, WCS can be and is used to supplement the diet to improve milk yield and profitability.


1969 ◽  
Vol 90 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 27-36
Author(s):  
Teodoro M. Ruiz ◽  
Jaime Moyá

The effectiveness of the fiber in whole cottonseed (WCS), wheat midds (WM), and rice bran was evaluated in Holstein cows in early lactation (30 to 50 days) fed mixed rations, low in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration. Treatments evaluated were: (T1) control, a diet formulated to 25% NDF with 19% NDF from chopped hay (NDFH); (T2) a diet formulated to 35% NDF containing 19% NDFH with the additional 10% NDF provided by a mixture of the three by-product feeds in the concentrate; and (T3) a diet formulated to 25% NDF with 10% NDFH and the remainder provided in the concentrate from by-product feeds. All cows were fed 6% of the total DM as alfalfa hay and pangóla grass hay to meet NDFH targets. Treatment differences in DM intake (18.3 kg/d), DM intake as a percentage of body weight (3.22%), milk production (32.7 kg/d), and milk protein concentration (2.65%) were not significant (P > 0.05). Reducing the NDFH to 10% resulted in a 15% (P < 0.01) relative reduction in milk fat concentration that was not prevented by restoring the NDF level with the mixture of WCS, WM, and rice bran. Despite the fact that cows consumed more energy for milk production (NEL) from T3, the energetic efficiency of milk production (Mcal-milk/Mcal-feed) was about 15% higher (P < 0.01) when the cows consumed 19% NDFH (T1 and T2). Fiber from by-product feeds was ineffective in maintaining milk fat concentration above 3.0% and did not result in improvement in milk production or efficiency of milk production. Thus, the NDF in the mixture of by-product feeds had no ruminally effective fiber value under the conditions of this experiment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 172-173
Author(s):  
Xiaoge Sun ◽  
Yitong Su ◽  
YangYi Hao ◽  
Gaokun Liu ◽  
Yue Gong ◽  
...  

Abstract To improve the efficiency of whole cottonseed (WCS) on dairy cattle, crush and alkali treatment were combined (Table 1) in this study. The gastrointestinal tract digestibility of WCS were measured by in situ ruminal incubation and in vitro fermentation, respectively. Finally, animal feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of processed WCS on dairy cattle. A total of 30 Holstein dairy cows with similar physiological status were allocated to three groups (CON, Group I, and Group II). Ration for the CON group was a basic ration with no WCS, ration with about 8% non-processed WCS was for Group I (DM basis), while the Group II was provided by the ration added with 8% Crush-Alkali (4% mixed alkali solids with NaOH/CaO ratio at 1:1) treated WCS. Results of the in situ and in vitro experiments showed that, compared with non-treated WCS, Crushing-Alkali treatment groups significantly improved WCS ruminal effective degradation rate of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (P &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, Crush-Alkali (4% mixed alkali solids with NaOH/CaO ratio at 1:1) was the most beneficial to improve WCS gastrointestinal degradation of DM, CP and NDF, as well as enhance WCS rumen-bypass of EE. With the lowest free gossypol content (P&lt; 0.05). Results of animal feeding experiment showed that DMI, 4% fat corrected milk production (4% FCM), milk protein, milk fat, and content of short-chain saturated fatty acids in milk in Group II significantly increased (P &lt; 0.05) compared with CON group. DMI, ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in milk, and the ratio of ω-6 to ω-3 PUFA were significantly higher in Group II than that in Group I (P &lt; 0.05). Additionally, free gossypol concentration in serum and milk, as well as parameters reflecting liver function were not notably different among the three groups (P &gt; 0.05).


1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 763 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Reeves ◽  
WJ Fulkerson ◽  
RC Kellaway

Three studies were conducted to examine the production response of Friesian cows grazing well-managed lukuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) pasture to supplementation with a cereal grain concentrate, with and without the inclusion of formaldehyde-treated protein meal. Mean (¦ s.e.) levels of nutrients in the pasture (g/kg DM) on offer were: 205 ¦ 3 crude protein; 683 ¦ 7 in vitro organic matter digestibility; 239 ¦ 2 acid detergent fibre; 615 ¦ 8 neutral detergent fibre and 4.47 ¦ 0.16, 2.51 ¦ 0.06, 31.96 ¦ 0.98, 0.39 ¦ 0.03 and 3.18 ¦ 0.09 of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and magnesium, respectively. Study 1 was a 3-farmlet study conducted over 45 days (March-April 1993) involving cows 5-6 months into lactation, which compared 3 levels of concentrate feeding at 0 (R0), 3 (R3) or 6 (R6) kg crushed barley/cow.day. Study 2 was an 18-day extension of study 1 with animals in the seventh month of lactation. The concentrate fed was 72% barley and 24% formaldehyde-treated sunflower meal. Pasture intake of individual cows was determined using an alkane technique. Mean milk yields (L/cow. day) in study 1 were 14.2, 18.3 and 18.0, and in study 2 were 12.5, 18.5 and 17.4 for treatments R0, R3 and R6, respectively. Milk fat (3.77 v. 3.26%), but not milk protein, content of the Ro cows was significantly higher than R6 cows in study 1 only. In study 2, the apparent whole-diet digestibility remained constant as concentrate level rose, indicating a negative effect of concentrate fed on forage digestibility in the absence of buffers. Study 3 was a 3 x 4 factorial design plus a 'control' group (0.5 kg barley/cow.day used as a carrier for minerals) to examine the milk production response to 3 levels of concentrate feeding (3, 6 and 9 kg/cow.day) with 4 levels of formaldehyde-treated canola meal (FTCM; 0, 20, 40 and 60% of concentrate). Rations were iso-energetic within levels of concentrates fed. The control group had significantly lower milk production (17.2 L/cow.day), as well as milk protein (2.90%), plasma urea (PU) (5.90 mmol/L) and P-hydroxybutyrate (G-OHB) (0.525 mmo1L) than other treatment groups. The mean milk production response of 0.6 L milk/kg concentrate fed in study 3 at the 3 kg/day level of feeding was lower than observed in studies 1 and 2 (1.4 and 2.0 L/kg concentrate, respectively). The level of metabolisable energy in the concentrate in study 3 had a significant influence on milk production, milk fat and milk protein levels. Plasma glucose and G-OHB levels significantly increased with the incorporation of FTCM into the concentrate. Nonesterified fatty acid levels dropped significantly below levels of other treatments at the lowest level of inclusion of FTCM. PU levels generally increased in response to increasing metabolisable energy and inclusion of FTCM in the concentrate, with an interaction between them. Milk urea (MU) levels (mmol/L) showed a significant linear (P<0.001; r2 = 0.44) relationship to PU levels (mmol/L) as follows: MU = 0.167 + 0.272PU.


1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 811 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Stockdale

Summary. Three experiments of 5 weeks duration, using 32 Friesian cows per experiment, were conducted in northern Victoria during 1994–95. Experiment 1 was conducted during spring (October–November), experiment 2 was carried out in summer (January–February), and experiment 3 was in autumn (April–May). In each experiment, there was a pasture only treatment and 3 treatments in which 5 kg dry matter (DM)/cow of different supplements were offered in 2 equal feeds each day. The supplements were either pelleted cereal grain (75% barley and 25% wheat), pelleted mixed grains (50% lupins, 25% barley, 25% wheat) or hay. The hay used in experiment 1 was made from lucerne (Medicago sativa), while that used in experiments 2 and 3 originated from irrigated annual and perennial pastures, respectively. Cows strip-grazed irrigated pasture at a herbage allowance of about 30 kg DM/cow.day in each experiment. There were 4 cows per treatment and treatments were replicated twice. All supplements significantly (P<0.05) increased milk production. The lupins–cereal grain supplement resulted in the greatest response and the hay the smallest response, both in terms of absolute level of production and the marginal return to additional total DM consumed (1.4, 1.7 and 0.9 kg of extra milk for each additional kg DM of total intake associated with the cereal grain, lupins–cereal grain and hay supplement treatments, respectively). However, the marginal response to each kg of a supplement varied (P<0.05) with the time of the year. There were no differences between supplements in spring whilst in summer and autumn, the cereal grain and lupins–cereal grain supplements were better (P<0.05) than hay. Milk solids yield responded in a manner similar to milk yield. This was principally due to the fact that none of the supplements affected (P>0.05) milk protein content and, although milk fat content was reduced (P<0.05) by both concentrate supplements, the effects were not biologically large (a difference of about 0.05 percentage units). The cereal grain and lupins–cereal grain supplements also improved (P<0.05) the body condition of cows relative to those that were unsupplemented or were supplemented with hay. Levels of substitution were similar across types of supplement, averaging 0.28 kg DM reduction in pasture intake for each kg DM of supplement eaten. It was concluded that, at low pasture allowances (high stocking rates) with moderate supplementation, large differences in substitution between readily fermentable concentrate supplements, such as cereal grain or lupins–cereal grain, and hay are unlikely. Hence, responses in milk will largely be based on the energy content of the supplement. At higher pasture allowances and/or higher levels of supplementary feeding, variations in substitution will probably play an important role in determining the responses observed.


Author(s):  
S. I. Nikolaev ◽  
D. A. Randelin ◽  
N. M. Kostomakhin ◽  
Yu. M. Batrakova ◽  
K. S. Arstanov ◽  
...  

The purpose of the research was to study the effectiveness of the use of rations for freshly calved cows during the increasing the milk yield period with the use of new mineral granulated complexes produced by Uralchem LLC. The results of research on the replacement of the mineral part of the vitamin and mineral premix in the rations of lactating cows with the mineral granular complex developed according to two recipes have been presented in the article. Research has shown that cows of the 1st and 2nd experimental groups during the experiment period gave more milk than their herdmates from the control group by 70,8 (P ≥ 0,95) and 106,2 kg (P ≥ 0,95). Due to the higher milk yield of animals that consumed the granulated complex, the yield of milk fat was greater than that of the control analogues by 3,21 (P ≥ 0,95) and 5,17 kg (P ≥ 0,95), protein by 2,70 and 4,30 kg (P ≥ 0,95). The milk yield of cows of the 1st and 2nd experimental groups for 305 days of lactation was higher than in the control group, respectively, by 205,3 (P ≥ 0,95) and 296,8 kg (P ≥ 0,95). In the milk of cows that consumed the granulated complex, there was a tendency for a higher content of dry matter (0,09 and 0,16 %), lactose (0,01 and 0,06 %), nonfat milk solids (0,09 and 0,07 %), ash (0,05 and 0,05 %) in comparison with analogues from the control group. A similar trend has been established between groups of cows in terms of milk density, acidity and rennet coagulability. The revenue from the sale of milk produced from cows of the 1st and 2nd experimental groups was more than in the control group for the experimental period (120 days) by 2074,6 and 3344,0 rubles and for the 305 days of lactation by 7055,4 and 9950,6 rubles.


Author(s):  
M.M. Abubakar ◽  
P. Rowlinson

The antibiotic Actaplanin is a complex of glycopeptide compounds produced by Actinoplanes missourrensis. When included in feed as a performance enhancer it has been shown to increase milk production of dairy cows (McGuffey et al. 1983). Actaplanin is associated with reduced proportions of acetate and increased proportions of propionate in rumen fluid and a depression in milk fat proportion may result (Clapperton et al. 1987). The aim of the trial reported here was to monitor the effects of feeding 960 mg Actaplanin/head/d to dairy cows throughout two successive lactations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 495 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. O'Brien ◽  
A. Geoghegan ◽  
K. McNamara ◽  
L. Shalloo

The Irish dairy industry aims to increase milk production from grass-based farms following the removal of the EU milk-quota system, but is also required to minimise greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to meet European reduction targets. Consequently, the sector is under increasing pressure to reduce GHG emissions per unit of milk, or carbon footprint (CF). Therefore, the goal of the present study was to determine the main sources of the CF of grass-based milk production and to identify mitigation strategies that can be applied to reduce farm footprints. In total, the CF of milk was estimated for 62 grass-based dairy farms in 2014. The method used to quantify GHG emissions was a life cycle assessment (LCA), independently certified to comply with the British standard for LCA (PAS 2050). The LCA method was applied to calculate annual on- and off-farm GHG emissions associated with dairy production until milk was sold from the farm in CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq). Annual GHG emissions computed using LCA were allocated to milk on the basis of the economic value of dairy products and expressed per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk to estimate CF. Enteric methane was the main source of the CF of milk (46%), followed by emissions from inorganic N fertilisers (16%), manure (16%) and concentrate feedstuffs (8%). The mean CF of milk from the 62 farms was 1.26 kg of CO2-eq per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk, but varied from 0.98 kg to 1.67 kg as measured using the 95% confidence interval. The CF of milk was correlated with numerous farm attributes, particularly N-fertiliser, the percentage of grazed grass in the diet, and production of milk solids. Grass-based dairy farmers can significantly improve these farm attributes by increasing herd genetic merit, extending the length of the grazing season and optimising N fertiliser use and, thereby, reduce the CF of milk.


1987 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
RC Dobos ◽  
WJ Fulkerson ◽  
PJ Michell

Two herds, each of 19 Friesian cows, were run on separate farmlets in north-western Tasmania. One herd (NW) grazed pasture only, and was estimated to be receiving 75% of potential intake, while the second herd (W) received 3.0 kg coarsely hammermilled wheat per cow, daily for 42 days during early lactation in addition to pasture. Although the feeding of wheat increased total feed intake, there was no significant difference between the groups in either daily milk yield (21.5 v. 21.8 L cow-1), milk fat yield (1.1 v. 1.09 kg cow-1), liveweight change (0.05 v. -0.2 kg cow-l) and herbage intake (12.0 v. 12.0 kg DM cow-1 day-1) of cows or of pre- (1.77 v. 1.8 t DM ha-1) and post- (1.31 v. 1.32 t DM ha-1) grazing mass, on farmlets NW and W respectively. We conclude that the feeding of wheat did not increase milk production or improve liveweight change under the conditions of this experiment.


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