A comparison of tall fescue and orchardgrass silages for lactating cows

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 907-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Fisher ◽  
S. Bittman ◽  
D. E. Hunt ◽  
J.A. Shelford ◽  
B. D. Mason

The feeding value of tall fescue silage (Festuca arundinacea schreb.) harvested at the boot stage of maturity with a crude protein (CP) content of 15.4% was compared to that of orchardgrass silage (Dactylis glomerata) harvested at the same stage of maturity with a CP content of 12.5%. Two feeding trials with lactating cows were used in this comparison. The first trial employed 10 cows in a 2 × 2 Latin- square, with treatment period 35 d in length. In the second experiment five cows were used in a preference trial where individual feed intakes, duration of feeding, and rate of forage consumption were monitored electronically for a period of 9 d.In the first trial, the cows consumed more tall fescue than orchardgrass silage (P < 0.05) (14.08 vs. 12.90 kg d−1 dry matter (DM)) but there were no differences between cows fed the two silages in milk yield (30.4 vs. 29.8 kg d−1) or milk compositon. Source of silage did not influence rumen fluid pH, molar percent of volatile fatty acids or plasma glucose; however, plasma urea-N levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) (17.00 vs. 15.14 mg dL−1) when cows were fed tall fescue silage compared with when they were fed orchardgrass silage. In the preference trial employing electronically monitored forage feeding gates, all five cows demonstrated a preference for the tall fescue silage consuming a daily average of 9.83 kg DM for tall fescue compared with 3.73 kg for orchardgrass silage. Cows spent more time (P < 0.05) (68.3 vs. 14.1 min−1) and ate faster (69.6 vs. 54.0 g DM min−1) from the gates offering tall fescue silage compared with the gates offering orchardgrass silage. From the results of these two trials it was concluded that tall fescue silage was comparable to orchardgrass in supporting milk production and superior to orchardgrass in terms of palatability. Key words: Tall fescue, silage preference, lactating cows

1973 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. R. SHARMA ◽  
J. R. INGALLS

Twenty-four Holstein calves were fed three experimental rations containing either 14% soybean meal, 20% rapeseed meal, or 20% formaldehyde-treated (0.7 g formaldehyde/100 g protein) rapeseed meal from 8 to 22 wk of age. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in feed consumption, dry matter intake, liveweight gain, and feed conversion among the three groups. There was a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in rumen ammonia levels in calves receiving the treated rapeseed meal compared with the untreated rapeseed meal rations. Plasma urea levels and rumen fluid volatile fatty acids (mmol/100 ml and molar percent) did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among treatments. There were no significant differences in the digestibilities of dry matter, nitrogen, acid detergent fiber, and gross energy among treatments, although treating the rapeseed meal with formaldehyde tended to reduce dry matter, nitrogen, fiber, and energy digestibility.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
J. A. Ibeawuchi ◽  
A. O. Akinsoyinu

Four lactating White Fulani (Zebu) cows fitted with permanent rumen cannular were fed four. diets: (A) Acha hay (Digitaria exilis Stapf, (B) 50% acha hay plus 50% brewers dried grains (BDG), (C) 75% BDG plus 25% hay and (D) 100% BDG in a 4 x 4 latin square design. Analysis of rumen total Volatile Fatty acids (VFAS), individual VFAs, ammonia-N and pH as well as some milk constituents were carried out simultaneously. Mean ruminal pH and total VFA (MM/100ml) were 7.1,6.2; 6.5, 8.0; 5.8,  14.9 and 5.8, 13.1 for A, B, C, and D respectively. The corresponding acetate to propionate (A/P) ratios were 4.97, 4.40, 3.20 and 3.40. The molar percent values of butyrate yielded by A and B were similar and less (P<0.05) than the value for C or D. Ruminal ammonia-N (mg/100ml) ranged from 5.7 for A to 6.8 for D. Total VFA, NH3-N and pH of the rumen fluid were affected by time of feeding (P<0.05). The correlations between ruminal pH and acetate (r = 0.98), pH and total VFA (r = -0.90), and acetate and propionate (r = -0.75) were significanct(P <0.05). Cows on treatment A (acha hay) yielded higher percent milk fat (P<0.05) and lower percent milk protein than those on B, C, or D. Treatment effects on milk pH and percentages of lactose, solids-not-fat (SNF) and ash were not significant. The observed depression in milk fat of cows on treatments B, C and D in comparison with cows on treatment A wasrelated to a decrease in rumen acetate and an increase in propionate. It was observed that the fermentation of BDG yielded acetate within limits required for efficient milk production.


2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. V. Tuyen ◽  
X. M. Tolosa ◽  
D. P. Poppi ◽  
S. R. McLennan

The present experiment was conducted to determine the efficiency of microbial protein production in the rumen and intake by cattle fed high-molasses diets. Intake and microbial crude protein (MCP) production were measured along with the concentration of rumen ammonia-nitrogen (N) and volatile fatty acids (VFA), pH and the rate of digestion of roughage in the rumen. Eight Brahman crossbred steers weighing 211 ± 19.3 (± s.d.) kg were used in a double 4 × 4 Latin square design. Steers were allocated to one of four total mixed rations: control (pangola hay only), 25M (25% molasses/urea mix + 75% hay), 50M (50% molasses/urea + 50% hay), and 75M (75% molasses/urea + 25% hay). The production and efficiency of production of MCP (EMCP) of the diet increased quadratically as the level of molasses in the diet increased. The EMCP from the molasses/urea mix was estimated as 166 g MCP/kg digestible organic matter (DOM), a relatively high value. Intake of dry matter (DM) and DOM increased quadratically, reaching a peak when molasses was ~50% (as fed) of the ration. Digestibility of DM increased quadratically and that of neutral detergent fibre decreased linearly with increasing level of molasses in the diet. Molasses inclusion in the diet had no effect on rumen pH, ammonia and VFA concentration in the rumen fluid, plasma urea-N, urine pH or ruminal fractional outflow rate of ytterbium-labelled particles and Cr-EDTA. It was concluded that a diet with a high level of molasses (>50%) and supplemented with adequate N had high EMCP, and that low MCP production was not a factor limiting intake or performance of cattle consuming high-molasses diets.


1971 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 721-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. FISHER ◽  
J. D. ERFLE ◽  
F. D. SAUER

Glutamate, succinate, propylene glycol, or glycerol were added to a basic concentrate at 3.3% of air-dry feed. Each concentrate was fed both ad libitum and in restricted amounts to four cows in early lactation. Dietary intake, milk yield and composition, molar proportions of rumen volatile fatty acids and blood glucose, ketones and plasma free fatty acids were used as criteria of effect of these supplements. Propylene glycol in the diet resulted in a lower intake of concentrate compared with glycerol (11.44 versus 14.30 kg/day) and significantly decreased (P < 0.05) rumen butyrate and plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate. Glutamate supplementation prevented the fall in milk fat content which occurred when the other three supplemented concentrates were fed ad libitum, and this effect may have been related to the constancy in the ratio of acetate to propionate in the rumen fluid.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2621
Author(s):  
Ludmila Couto Gomes ◽  
Claudete Regina Alcalde ◽  
Julio Cesar Damasceno ◽  
Luiz Paulo Rigolon ◽  
Ana Paula Silva Possamai ◽  
...  

Feeding goats with calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA) can supply ruminants with lipids, with minimal effects on ruminal fermentation and fiber digestibility. However, there is a shortage of information on the effect of CSFA on characteristics of rumen fermentation in grassland goats. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the addition of CSFA to concentrate on the parameters of rumen fermentation of grazing goats. Five rumen cannulated goats were distributed in a Latin square 5x5 design (treatments: 0%, 1.5%, 3.0%, 4.5% and 6.0% CSFA. The pH, ammonia N and volatile fatty acids (VFA) content were analyzed in the ruminal fluid at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after concentrate supplementation. The pH and ammonia N concentration showed a linear effect with the addition of CSFA. There was no effect observed for the VFA molar concentration after grazing goats were fed with the experimental diet. In conclusion, further research is needed to investigate the addition of CSFA to goat diets because there is evidence that CSFA increases ruminal pH and decreases excess ruminal ammonia without changing the VFA concentration in the rumen fluid.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 405-405
Author(s):  
Vinícius C De Souza ◽  
Juliana Messana ◽  
Erick Batista ◽  
Paulo Henrique Colovate ◽  
Maria Júlia Ganga ◽  
...  

Abstract The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels (10 and 13% crude protein) and protein source on ruminal fermentation of feedlot Nellore steers fed high-concentrate diets. The protein sources tested were urea, dried distillers grains (DDG) and corn gluten meal. The DDG and gluten were used as RUP sources. We used 6 cannulated Nellore steers, rumen, duodenum, and ileum arranged in 6×6 Latin square designed in factorial (2 nitrogen levels and 3 protein sources) balanced for residues. The pH was measured immediately after rumen fluid sampling at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10h after feeding. The NH3-N concentrations were determined with micro-Kjeldahl apparatus. The concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) was assessed by gas chromatography. Data were evaluated using the MIXED procedure of SAS, with repeated measures over time. There was no interaction between sampling time and treatments for NH3-N and pH (P &gt; 0.05). Animals fed diets containing Urea had a higher concentration of NH3-N (20.6 mg/dL) than animals supplemented with Gluten (16.2 mg/dL) or DDG (12.7 mg / dL). There was an increase in the NH3-N concentration (P = 0.049) with the increase of the protein level 10 to 13% CP with 14.7 and 18.3 mg/dL, respectively. The ruminal pH was affected by the dietary protein level (P = 0.016), in which animals fed a level of 10% CP had a higher pH (6.80) compared to the level of 13% CP (6.43). Total and individual VFA concentration was not affected by protein levels and sources (P &gt; 0.05). The reduction of N level and the use of RUP did not adversely affect the ruminal fermentation. Although significant differences were observed for pH, they were small and adequate for microbial protein synthesis in the rumen.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 71-71
Author(s):  
Nicole T Briggs ◽  
Bayissa Hatew ◽  
Michael A Steele

Abstract Inorganic sources of trace minerals are commonly supplemented in dairy cow diets; however, there has been an increase in the supplementation of minerals complexed with organic compounds. These organic trace minerals are thought to have greater bioavailability which may enhance rumen fermentation and absorption. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of dietary concentration and source of supplemental trace minerals on serum trace mineral status and rumen fermentation. Six lactating Holstein cows were used in a 6 x 6 Latin square design with a 23-day adaptation and 5-day experimental period. Cows were fed the same basal diet daily except for the difference in source [organic (ORG) versus inorganic (INO)] and concentration (50%, 100%, and 200% based on NRC recommendations) of trace mineral supplemented. During the experimental period feed intake and blood were collected daily. Rumen fluid was collected on the final two days of the experimental period. Data was analyzed with PROC MIXED in SAS 9.4. Dry matter intake (18.1 ± 0.70 kg), serum mineral concentrations (Cu, Mn, Se, and Zn), and rumen pH (6.5 ± 0.64) did not differ among the treatments. However, serum concentration of Co was higher in 200% ORG compared to 50% and 100% INO and 50% ORG. Ruminal concentration of acetate was higher in 50% and 100% ORG compared to 200% ORG. Butyrate ruminal concentration was higher at 50% ORG compared to 200% ORG. Ruminal propionate concentration was higher in 50% INO and 50% ORG compared to 100% INO and 200% ORG. These findings demonstrate serum trace mineral status and ruminal pH are not tightly controlled by the source of trace minerals when supplemented at 50%, 100% and 200% of the NRC recommendations, however rumen fermentation may be affected by the dietary concentration of trace minerals in the diet.


1972 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. R. SHARMA ◽  
J. R. INGALLS ◽  
J. A. McKIRDY

Treatment of oilseed meals with formaldehyde (FA) and glutaraldehyde (GA) significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the solubility of protein in 0.02 N NaOH and the production of NH3 in the artificial rumen. Ten Holstein and Holstein × Brown Swiss calves of both sexes were fed two test rations containing either 26% untreated or formaldehyde-treated (5.6 g FA per 100 g protein) rapeseed meal (FA-treated RSM) for 14 weeks. Plasma urea nitrogen (N) and rumen NH3 levels were significantly (P < 0.01) lower in the FA-treated RSM calves compared with the control calves during the first 8 weeks of the growth trial. No significant difference (P > 0.05) in dry matter consumption, daily gain, or feed efficiency was observed. Total volatile fatty acids (VFA) (mmoles/100 ml) concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in rumen fluid from the control calves compared with those receiving treated RSM. Molar percentages of the VFA’s were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the two groups. In the N balance and digestibility trial, dry matter consumption did not differ significantly (P > 0.05); however, the FA-treated RSM resulted in decreased (P < 0.05) dry matter and crude protein digestibility. Calves receiving the treated RSM had reduced (P < 0.01) urinary N excretion; however, there was no significant effect (P > 0.05) on N consumption and retention.


2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 1871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Samuel Gomez Insuasti ◽  
Yury Tatiana Granja Salcedo ◽  
Pablo de Souza Castagnino ◽  
Bruno Ramalho Vieira ◽  
Euclides Braga Malheiros ◽  
...  

The effects of glycerol with fat sources as a feed alternative were investigated in the ration for Nellore steers (Bos indicus). Eight cannulated steers at 30 months of age with initial bodyweight of 554 ± 36.0 kg were used in a double 4 by 4 Latin square design with four consecutive 16-day periods. Treatments were three different diets with lipid sources (soybean, soybean oil and calcium salts of fatty acids) and one diet control without lipid sources. All diets formulated contained 10% crude glycerol and 5% ether extract with a forage:concentrate ratio of 35:65; corn silage was used as forage. The ruminal liquid was sampled for 24 h and ruminal fermentations were monitored by measuring pH, concentrations of ammonia nitrogenand volatile fatty acids in rumen fluid. Urine samples were obtained from the total collection for 24 h for estimation of rumen microbial protein supply using urinary purine derivatives. Our results showed that the use of lipid sources combined with glycerol did not induce significant changes in rumen pH, acetate molar proportion, ruminal microbial protein or dry matter intake. Although the acetate molar proportion was kept constant within normal parameters, the propionate molar proportion was increased by the diet containing lipid sources. Moreover, we found that there was a negative effect of lipid sources on crude protein and neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein intake, and one positive effect on ether extract intake. We believe that association between fat and glycerol may affect rumen fermentation parameters through reducing fibre intake and increasing propionate production and ammonia nitrogen.


Author(s):  
R. Sanderson ◽  
S.J. Lister ◽  
M.S. Dhanoa

To obtain more information about rumen fluid composition, levels of different components are determined by a range of techniques which are often slow and cumbersome. This study was established to develop calibration equations for the rapid determination of the composition of rumen fluid with a view to monitoring changes in composition with time.Forty-three strained rumen fluid samples, taken throughout a 7 h period from three lactating cows offered silage either alone or with fish meal or rapeseed meal/urea twice daily, were used. Immediately upon withdrawal from the rumen each sample was analysed for pH, then acidified using concentrated sulphuric acid before storing at -18°C. Following centrifugation at 11600 G concentrations of volatile fatty acids and ammonia-nitrogen were determined in the supernatant by packed column gas chromatography and enzymatically using glutamic dehydrogenase respectively.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document