A survey of whole-plant corn silages from Minas Gerais dairy farms

Whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) is a commonly used forage for feeding dairy cattle in Brazil. The aim of this study was to evaluate on-farm ensilaging practices and the nutritional value, microbiology and fermentation profiles of WPCS from dairy farms in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Silages from 54 dairy farms located in nine cities were sampled and a questionnaire was distributed for completion to describe the herd profile and ensilage practices. Herd size ranged from 8 to 1,000 lactating cows, and 52 % of the farms had fewer than 50 cows in lactation. The majority of the farms cultivated hard endosperm texture hybrids (52 %) and used pull-type forage harvesters (87 %). Double-sided plastic was the most used form of silo sealing (56 %) and 28 % used inoculants. Lactic acid bacteria count was greater than 6.01 log CFU g1 in 60 % of the samples, and the mean populations of enterobacteria and Bacillus spp. were 4.23 and 4.09 log CFU g1, respectively. Silo size ranged from 100 to 250 m3 in 44 % of the farms, and the silage removal rate was below 15 cm of the face/d in 41 % of cases. Silage dry matter (DM) concentration was 33 ± 3 % of fresh matter, NDF concentration was 57 ± 7 % of the DM, and in vitro NDF digestibility was 35 ± 11 % of the NDF. Silages with high DM concentrations had large particle size, affecting the nutritional value and the fermentative pattern. Improvements in ensiling practices can potentially inhibit the growth of spoilage microorganisms and raise the nutritional value of silages.

A survey of whole-plant corn silages from Minas Gerais dairy farms

Whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) is a commonly used forage for feeding dairy cattle in Brazil. The aim of this study was to evaluate on-farm ensilaging practices and the nutritional value, microbiology and fermentation profiles of WPCS from dairy farms in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Silages from 54 dairy farms located in nine cities were sampled and a questionnaire was distributed for completion to describe the herd profile and ensilage practices. Herd size ranged from 8 to 1,000 lactating cows, and 52 % of the farms had fewer than 50 cows in lactation. The majority of the farms cultivated hard endosperm texture hybrids (52 %) and used pull-type forage harvesters (87 %). Double-sided plastic was the most used form of silo sealing (56 %) and 28 % used inoculants. Lactic acid bacteria count was greater than 6.01 log CFU g1 in 60 % of the samples, and the mean populations of enterobacteria and Bacillus spp. were 4.23 and 4.09 log CFU g1, respectively. Silo size ranged from 100 to 250 m3 in 44 % of the farms, and the silage removal rate was below 15 cm of the face/d in 41 % of cases. Silage dry matter (DM) concentration was 33 ± 3 % of fresh matter, NDF concentration was 57 ± 7 % of the DM, and in vitro NDF digestibility was 35 ± 11 % of the NDF. Silages with high DM concentrations had large particle size, affecting the nutritional value and the fermentative pattern. Improvements in ensiling practices can potentially inhibit the growth of spoilage microorganisms and raise the nutritional value of silages.(AU)

Replacement of raw soybean with roasted soybean increased milk production in Holstein cows / Substituição de soja crua por soja tostada aumentou a produção de leite em vacas da raça Holandesa

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of total replacement of raw whole soybean (RAW) for roastedwhole soybean (ROS) on the production performance of Holstein cows. Two experiments were carried out usinga simple reversal design where RAW has been completely replaced by ROS. In experiment 1, 22 cows (175±60 days in milk)were used, and the dietary inclusion level of RAW or ROS was 3.7% of dry matter (DM). In experiment 2, 16 cows (130±50 days in milk)were used, and thedietary inclusion level of RAW or ROS was 11% of DM. In both experiments, ROS increased milk production by 1.1kgday-1 without changing fat and protein production. Dry matter intake or milk urea nitrogenwere not affected by dietary soy source. In experiment 2, plasma glucose concentration was decreased, and allantoin/creatinine ratio in urine tended to decreasein ROS. Experiment 2 also evaluated the nutrient digestibility and ruminal degradation kinetics of crude protein in two soybean sources. Roasting had no effect on the digestibility of DM, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber. Roasted whole soybean hadgreater fraction B and lower protein degradation rate than did RAW; this showed that heat treatment was effective in increasing therumen undegradable amino acid flowto the animal, which suggesteda potential mechanism of action for improved performance observed in ROS.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da substituição total de soja integral crua (SC) por soja integral tostada (ST) sobre o desempenho produtivo de vacas Holandês. Foram realizados dois experimentos com delineamento experimental de reversão simples nos quais a SC foi totalmente substituída por ST. No experimento 1, foram utilizadas 22 vacas (175±60DEL) e o nível de inclusão dietética de SC ou ST foi de 3,7% na matéria seca (MS). No experimento 2, foram utilizadas 16 vacas (130±50 DEL) e o nível de inclusão dietético de SC ou ST foi de 11% na MS. Em ambos os experimentos, ST aumentou a produção de leite em 1,1kgd-1, sem alterar as produções de gordura e proteína. O consumo de MS e nitrogênio uréico no leite não foram afetados pela fonte de soja dietética. No experimento 2, a concentração de glicose plasmática foi reduzida e a relação alantoína/creatinina na urina tendeu a ser reduzida por ST. O experimento 2 também avaliou digestibilidade de nutrientes e cinética de degradação ruminal da proteína bruta das duas fontes de soja. Não houve efeito da tostagem nas digestibilidades da MS, matéria orgânica e FDN. A ST apresentou maior fração B e menor taxa de degradação da proteína do que a SC, mostrando que o tratamento térmico foi efetivo em aumentar o fluxo de aminoácidosnão degradáveis no rúmen para o animal, sugerindo um potencial mecanismo de ação para a melhora no desempenho observada com ST.

Replacement of raw soybean with roasted soybean increased milk production in Holstein cows / Substituição de soja crua por soja tostada aumentou a produção de leite em vacas da raça Holandesa

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of total replacement of raw whole soybean (RAW) for roastedwhole soybean (ROS) on the production performance of Holstein cows. Two experiments were carried out usinga simple reversal design where RAW has been completely replaced by ROS. In experiment 1, 22 cows (175±60 days in milk)were used, and the dietary inclusion level of RAW or ROS was 3.7% of dry matter (DM). In experiment 2, 16 cows (130±50 days in milk)were used, and thedietary inclusion level of RAW or ROS was 11% of DM. In both experiments, ROS increased milk production by 1.1kgday-1 without changing fat and protein production. Dry matter intake or milk urea nitrogenwere not affected by dietary soy source. In experiment 2, plasma glucose concentration was decreased, and allantoin/creatinine ratio in urine tended to decreasein ROS. Experiment 2 also evaluated the nutrient digestibility and ruminal degradation kinetics of crude protein in two soybean sources. Roasting had no effect on the digestibility of DM, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber. Roasted whole soybean hadgreater fraction B and lower protein degradation rate than did RAW; this showed that heat treatment was effective in increasing therumen undegradable amino acid flowto the animal, which suggesteda potential mechanism of action for improved performance observed in ROS.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da substituição total de soja integral crua (SC) por soja integral tostada (ST) sobre o desempenho produtivo de vacas Holandês. Foram realizados dois experimentos com delineamento experimental de reversão simples nos quais a SC foi totalmente substituída por ST. No experimento 1, foram utilizadas 22 vacas (175±60DEL) e o nível de inclusão dietética de SC ou ST foi de 3,7% na matéria seca (MS). No experimento 2, foram utilizadas 16 vacas (130±50 DEL) e o nível de inclusão dietético de SC ou ST foi de 11% na MS. Em ambos os experimentos, ST aumentou a produção de leite em 1,1kgd-1, sem alterar as produções de gordura e proteína. O consumo de MS e nitrogênio uréico no leite não foram afetados pela fonte de soja dietética. No experimento 2, a concentração de glicose plasmática foi reduzida e a relação alantoína/creatinina na urina tendeu a ser reduzida por ST. O experimento 2 também avaliou digestibilidade de nutrientes e cinética de degradação ruminal da proteína bruta das duas fontes de soja. Não houve efeito da tostagem nas digestibilidades da MS, matéria orgânica e FDN. A ST apresentou maior fração B e menor taxa de degradação da proteína do que a SC, mostrando que o tratamento térmico foi efetivo em aumentar o fluxo de aminoácidosnão degradáveis no rúmen para o animal, sugerindo um potencial mecanismo de ação para a melhora no desempenho observada com ST.(AU)