Responses of nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation and microorganisms to different roughage of dairy buffaloes.

Dairy buffaloes are typically fed a high-forage, low-quality diet with high fiber. These conditions result in an inherent energy and protein inefficiency. In order to make full and rational use of feed resources and improve the production level and breeding efficiency of dairy buffaloes, the effects of various roughages on nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation parameters, and microorganisms in dairy buffaloes were studied in this experiment. Three ternary hybrid buffaloes, with an average body weight of 365 ± 22.1 kg, were selected and fitted with permanent rumen fistulas. They were fed six different diets, each consisting of 1 kg concentrate supplement and one of six types of roughage, including alfalfa hay (A diet), oat hay (O diet), whole corn silage (W diet), king grass (K diet), sugarcane shoot silage (S diet), and rice straw hay (R diet) according to an incomplete Latin square design of 3 × 6, respectively. The pre-feeding period of each period was 12 d. From day 13 to 15 was the official experimental period. During the prefeeding period, free feed intake for each roughage was determined, and during the experiment, the roughage was fed at 90% of the voluntary feed intake. Digestion and metabolism tests were carried out using the total manure collection method to determine the feed intake and fecal output of each buffalo, and to collect feed and fecal samples for chemical analysis. On day 15, rumen fluid samples were collected two hours after morning feeding to determine rumen fermentation parameters and bacterial 16 S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was performed. The results showed that DM and OM digestibility were greatest for the W diet and lowest for the S diet. The rumen pH of the O diet was significantly greater than that of the W diet. The concentration of rumen fluid NH3-N (mg/dL) increased with increased CP content. The concentration of total volatile fatty acids (mmol/L) in the rumen decreased with increased NDF content but increased with increased NFC content. The relative abundances of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Spirochaetes were 57.03-74.84%, 14.29-21.86%, and 0.44-1.43% in the different quality roughage groups. Bacteroidetes were mainly Prevotellaceae1 and Rikenellaceae RC_gut_group with relative abundances of 30.17-45.75% and 3.23-7.82%. The relative abundance of Patescibacteria and Spirochaetes decreased with increasing roughage quality. These results provide a theoretical and practical basis for evaluating the nutritional value of dairy buffalo feed, utilizing feed resources, matching rations, feeding scientifically, and protecting animal health.

Nutrient intake, productive and metabolic parameters of Nellore bulls feed a forage free diet using cottonseed cake as a fiber source.

We hypothesized that cottonseed cake in confined Nellore young bulls' diet as fiber source, could maintain or improve the nutrient intake, and productive and metabolic parameters. It was evaluated the total replacement of whole plant corn silage (WPCS) by cottonseed cake (CSC) as a source of fiber in the diet. A completely randomized design with two treatments and 12 replications was used. The treatments were two experimental diets containing 300 g/kg of WPCS or CSC as roughage. All animals at 0, 15, 30, 60 and 112 days were weighed to monitor productive performance and nutrient intake. Dry matter intakes, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, physically effective neutral detergent fiber, crude protein and non-fiber carbohydrates of the WPCS treatment cattle were higher (p < 0.05), and the ethereal extract intake of cattle fed CSC diet was higher. The BW of cattle fed WPCS was higher in the two initial periods of confinement (p < 0.05). Animals from both treatments showed linear growth during the confinement period. There was a fiber source × period interaction for total weight gain (TWG), average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (FE) (p < 0.05), with the lowest in the first 15 days and the highest at 30 days, reflecting a compensatory gain in animals fed with CSC. Bulls fed with CSC showed negative TWG and ADG in the first period (p < 0.05), but recovered in the following periods, surpassing that of the SC treatment in the last two periods. There was negative EF of bulls fed with CSC in the first period (P < 0.05), but in the following periods the CSC diet did not differ from the WPCS diet. The animals fed CSC diet showed a higher concentration of cholesterol and glucose in the blood plasma (p < 0.05). The forage-free diet containing cottonseed cake as a source of fiber replacing corn silage promoted better animal performance.

Nutrient availability of roughages in isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets alters the bacterial networks in the whole gastrointestinal tract of Hu sheep.

BACKGROUND: The nutrient availability of roughages could affect the dietary utilization efficiency of ruminants even in isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. Here, we analyzed the bacterial composition and their metabolic pathways in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of Hu sheep fed with wheat straw (WS) instead of alfalfa (AL) in isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets, trying to explore the reasons from the perspective of GITs bacterial network structure changes. RESULTS: We employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing in combination with the Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman correlation analysis, and other statistical methods to describe the microbiota composition in the GITs of Hu sheep. The results showed after the roughage was replaced from AL to WS, the most positive response occurred in the rumen microbiota, resulting in a more obvious microbiological and functional redundancy phenomenon. Whereas extended biogeographic studies of the GITs bacterial community found opposite results for the hindgut microbiota and metabolism networks compared to the forestomach. The abundance of fiber-degrading bacteria such as Prevotella, Oscillospiraceae NK4A214 group, and Treponema was significantly increased in GITs, but low-efficiency crude fiber degradation inhibited energy use efficiency, the pentose phosphate pathway, gluconeogenesis, and volatile acid synthesis. In addition, dietary shifting from AL to WS decreased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as the Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group and Alistipes, thereby enhancing the underlying inflammatory response. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that feeding untreated WS affected the structure and function of the bacterial network in the GITs due to limited total digestible nutrients, and in particular increases the complexity of the rumen bacterial network, and limit the abundance of bacteria involved in the crude fiber degradation in the hindgut.

Rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emission and nutrient utilization of crossbred Karan-Fries cattle (Bos taurus) and Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) consuming varied roughage concentrate ratio.

Dietary mix and host species have both been shown to have a significant impact on rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emission and animal performance. The goal of this study was to see how the roughage concentrate ratio 70:30 (Low concentrate; LC) vs 40:60 (High concentrate; HC) and the host species crossbred cattle vs buffalo affected rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emissions and nutrient utilization. Dry matter intake (kg/d) and dry matter percent digestibility were considerably (p < 0.05) higher in the HC ration and buffalo compared to LC ration and crossbred cattle, respectively. Both dietary mix and host species had a substantial (p < 0.05) impact on intake of various nutrients, including organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF). Increased concentrate proportion in the ration improved nitrogen balance, resulting in increased average daily gain and considerably reduced methane (g/d) output (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 16S rRNA genes were sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) and subsequently annotated using the Centrifuge workflow to uncover ruminal bacterial diversity. Firmicutes was considerably (p < 0.01) greater in the LC diet, whereas, Bacteroidetes was higher in the HC ration. Genus Prevotella dominated all rumen samples, and buffalo fed LC ration had significantly (p < 0.01) higher Oscillospira abundance. At the species level, simple sugar-utilizing bacteria such as Prevotella spp. and Selenomonas ruminantium predominated in the crossbred cattle, but fibrolytic bacteria such as Oscillospira guilliermondii were statistically (p < 0.01) more abundant in the buffalo. Overall, dietary mix and host species have both been shown to have a significant impact on rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emission and animal performance, however, host species remained a major driving force to change ruminal community composition as compared to roughage concentrate ratio under similar environmental conditions.

Cactus cladodes for dairy goats: what is the best fiber source?

This study evaluated the effect of different fiber sources supplied with cactus cladodes in diets on the intake and digestibility of nutrients, ingestive behavior, milk yield, and composition of dairy goats. The fiber sources were corn silage, sorghum silage, Digitaria pentzii Stent. hay, and sugarcane bagasse. Twelve Saanen goats with an average weight of 48.9 ± 7.3 kg and average production of 2.8 ± 0.7 kg of milk/day were assigned in three simultaneous 4 × 4 Latin squares (four animals, four treatments, and four experimental periods). There was no difference between the fiber sources for intake (P > 0.05) of dry matter (2.58 kg/day), organic matter (2.30 kg/day), crude protein (0.385 kg/day), neutral detergent fiber (0.895 kg/day), non-fibrous carbohydrates (0.858 kg/day), and metabolizable energy (5.66 Mcal/day). Also, the fiber sources did not influence dry matter and nutrient digestibility (P > 0.05). The association of cactus cladodes with silages, hay, and sugarcane bagasse did not change milk production, milk production corrected for 3.5% of fat and corrected for energy (2.78; 2.53 and 2,55 kg/day, respectively), in addition to milk composition (P > 0.05). No differences were observed in ingestive behavior (P > 0.05). Any fiber sources evaluated are recommended.

Whole-plant corn silage improves rumen fermentation and growth performance of beef cattle by altering rumen microbiota.

In recent years, whole-plant corn silage has been widely used in China. Roughage is an important source of nutrition for ruminants and has an important effect on rumen microbiota, which plays an important role in animal growth performance and feed digestion. To better understand the effects of different silages on rumen microbiota, the effects of whole-plant corn silage or corn straw silage on growth performance, rumen fermentation products, and rumen microbiota of Simmental hybrid cattle were studied. Sixty healthy Simmental hybrid cattle were randomly divided into 2 groups with 6 replicates in each group and 5 cattle in each replicate. They were fed with whole-plant corn silage (WS) diet and corn straw silage (CS) diet respectively. Compared with corn straw silage, whole-plant corn silage significantly increased daily gain and decreased the feed intake-to-weight gain ratio (F/G) of beef cattle. Whole-plant corn silage also decreased the acetic acid in the rumen and the acetate-to-propionate ratio (A/P) compared with corn straw silage. On the genus level, the relative abundance of Prevotella_1 was significantly increased while the relative abundance of Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002 was decreased in cattle fed whole-plant corn silage compared with those fed corn straw silage. Prevotella_1 was positively correlated with acetic acid and A/P. Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002 was positively correlated with propionic acid and butyric acid, and negatively correlated with pH. Feeding whole-plant corn silage improved amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism. Correlation analysis between rumen microbiota and metabolic pathways showed that Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002 was negatively correlated with glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, metabolism of co-factors and vitamins, nucleotide metabolism, and translation while Prevotellaceae_UCG-003 was positively correlated with amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, genetic information processing, lipid metabolism, membrane transport, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, nucleotide metabolism, replication and repair, and translation. Ruminococcus_2 was positively correlated with amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. Feeding whole-plant corn silage can improve the growth performance and rumen fermentation of beef cattle by altering rumen microbiota and regulating the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, and nucleotides. KEY POINTS: • Feeding whole-plant corn silage could decrease the F/G of beef cattle • Feeding whole-plant corn silage improves rumen fermentation in beef cattle • Growth performance of beef cattle is related to rumen microbiota and metabolism.

Cattail (Typha domingensis) silage improves feed intake, blood profile, economics of production, and growth performance of beef cattle.

Sixteen Rahaji breed beef cattle (112.00 ± 0.15 kg body weight (BW)) were randomly assigned to one of four rations differing in the degree of substitution of sorghum straw with Cattail (Typha domingensis) silage. Growth performance, feed intake, blood profile, and economics of production were evaluated. Completely randomized design was used, and the feeding trial lasted for 42 days. Cattle were fed a total mixed ration of roughage:concentrate (400:600) g/kg dry matter and gamba hay free choice. The control diet (T0) contained 400 g/kg sorghum straw, expressed on a dry matter basis (DM). For additional treatments, Typha silage (TS) was included at 100 (T10), 200 (T20), and 300 (T30) g/kg of the mix replacing an equal DM weight of sorghum straw. Growth rate was similar (P > 0.05) regardless of the TS level. DM (5160.77-5524.96 g/d) and crude protein (846.36-955.82 g/d) intakes were higher (P < 0.05) in T20 and T30 diets, while the acid detergent fiber intake (471.27-512.46 g/d) reduced (P < 0.05) in TS-based diets. Red blood cell concentrations of cattle fed TS-based diets increased (P < 0.05). The mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations of cattle fed T20 diet decreased (P < 0.05) in comparison with the control. Sodium and albumin concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in cattle fed TS-based diets. Total cost of feeding ($ 49.60-61.62) decreased (P < 0.05) in TS-based diets, while the gross benefit of cattle fed 300 g/kg TS diet ($ 74.98) was enhanced relative to cattle fed T0 and T10 diets. TS can be considered a new resource of feed for cattle.

Genetic parameters of forage dry matter intake and milk produced from forage in Swedish Red and Holstein dairy cows.

High-yielding dairy cows are often fed high proportions of cereal grain and pulses. For several reasons, it would be desirable to replace these feed sources with forage, which is not suitable for human consumption. Feeding large amounts of forage to dairy cows could also make dairy production more publicly acceptable in the future. In this study, we estimated genetic parameters for total dry matter intake (DMI), DMI from forage (DMIFor), energy-corrected milk (ECM), and ECM produced from forage (ECMFor). A total of 1,177 lactations from 575 cows of Swedish Red (SR) and Holstein (HOL) dairy breeds were included in the study. Mixed linear animal random regression models were used, with fixed effect of calving season and lactation week nested within parity 1 and 2+, fixed effect of calving year, and random regression coefficients for breeding value (up to linear) and permanent environmental effect (up to quadratic) of the cow. Heritability for DMI and DMIFor was generally higher for HOL than for SR in all-parity data and in later parities; however, the opposite was true for first parity. Heritability for DMI and DMIFor during the first 8 wk averaged 0.11 and 0.15, respectively, in all-parity data for the 2 breeds. Corresponding values for ECMFor and ECM were 0.21 and 0.29, respectively. In first parity, values were 0.32, 0.36, 0.28, and 0.51, respectively. The genetic correlation between DMI and DMIFor was high, above 0.83, and fairly constant across the lactation. The genetic correlation between ECMFor and ECM was close to unity in the later part of lactation for both breeds, but was around 0.8 in the early lactation for both breeds; it decreased for HOL to 0.54 in wk 17. The genetic correlations between DMI and ECMFor and between DMIFor and ECMFor were low and negative for HOL (absolute value ∼0.2-0.3), but changed for SR from weakly positive in early lactation to negative values and back to positive toward the end of lactation. For most traits, the correlation between wk 1 and wk 8 into the lactation was very high; the lowest value was for DMI in HOL at 0.81. The genetic correlation between parities was rather high in the first part of the lactation. During the first 8 wk, the correlation was lower for HOL than for SR, except for ECM. We found that DMIFor and ECMFor showed reasonably large heritability, and future work should explore the possibility of genomic evaluations.

Effect of solid feed level and types of roughage on passage kinetics of milk replacer, concentrate, and roughage in veal calves.

This study aimed (1) to provide estimates of total mean retention times of milk replacer (MR), concentrates, and roughage in veal calves fed a mixed diet; (2) to determine the effect of level and type of solid feed (SF) on passage kinetics of MR, concentrates, and roughages in veal calves; and (3) to compare passage kinetics in veal calves using the fecal excretion curves of indigestible markers and a noninvasive 13C tracer breath test approach to determine whether the latter technique can serve as an alternative. At the start of the trial, 48 Holstein-Friesian calves (6 wk of age; 68 ± 7.7 kg of body weight; BW) were assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments (for statistical analysis, only 39 calf observations were used). Three treatments contained chopped wheat straw as roughage in the SF mixture in a concentrate:roughage ratio of 90:10 (dry matter basis). The SF level was 20 g/kg of metabolic BW per day (low straw), 30 g/kg of metabolic BW per day (middle straw), or 40 g/kg of metabolic BW per day (high straw). The fourth treatment (high hay) contained long perennial ryegrass hay as roughage in the SF mixture in a concentrate:roughage ratio of 70:30 (dry matter basis, at 40 g/kg of metabolic BW per day). The quantity of MR was fixed for the high straw treatment, whereas the amount of MR for the other treatments during the adaptation period was adjusted based on a pair gain strategy (i.e., exchanging ration components but keeping similar net energy). At the end of the adaptation period, calves ranged from 12 to 15 wk of age with an average BW of 123 ± 8.6 kg. Passage kinetics of concentrates were estimated by measuring 13C enrichment excess of CO2 in breath from a pulsed-dose of [1-13C]octanoate. Passage kinetics of roughage, concentrates, and MR were also estimated using fecal excretion curves obtained after ingestion of chromium-mordanted roughage, Yb2O3, and Co-EDTA, respectively. We conclude that [1-13C]octanoate cannot serve as a measure for oro-duodenal transit of concentrates because of unrealistic estimates. Based on the fecal excretion curves, we concluded that the total mean retention time of MR (i.e., time to peak; the moment that the excretion curve reaches peak concentration) was, on average, 12.4 h, and that the passage kinetics of MR was not affected by the level or type of SF. The mean retention time of concentrates was shorter (21.4 h) than that of both straw (59.1 h) and hay (36.8 h), and was not affected by the level or type of SF. Also, the mean retention time of the slowest compartment (i.e., the rumen) was shorter for concentrates (39.6 h) than that of straw (110.0 h) and hay (59.2 h). Contrary, the passage of roughage was affected by level and type of SF. Long hay increased time to peak by 22.3 h and decreased ruminal mean retention time by 50.8 h relative to chopped straw, indicating that the passage rate of long hay is faster than that of chopped straw. We conclude that the level and type of SF only affects the passage kinetics of roughage and not that of MR and concentrates.

Comparison of the microbial communities of alpacas and sheep fed diets with three different ratios of corn stalk to concentrate.

The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ruminal microbial communities of alpacas (Lama pacos) and sheep (Ovis aries) fed three diets with varying ratios of roughage (corn stalk) to concentrate, 3:7 (LS), 5:5 (MS) and 7:3 (HS). Six alpacas (one-year-old and weighing 29.5 ± 7.1 kg) and six sheep (one-year-old and weighing 27.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used in this study, in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square experiment. Total protozoa concentration was determined under the microscope; total fungi and methanogens were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and expressed as a percentage of total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies; bacterial communities were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) sequencing. The percentage of fungi was significantly higher in alpacas than in sheep under the LS diet, while the concentration of protozoa was significantly lower in alpacas under HS, MS and LS diets. The alpha diversity including Shannon, Chao l and ACE indices of bacterial communities was higher in alpacas than in sheep, under the LS diet. A total of 299 genera belonging to 22 phyla were observed in the forestomach of alpaca and sheep, with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes dominating both animal species. Phyla Armatimonadetes and Fusobacteria, as well as 64 genera, were detected only in alpacas, whereas phyla Acidobacteria and Nitrospira, as well as 44 genera, were found only in sheep. The abundance of cellulolytic bacteria, including Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio, was higher in alpacas than in sheep under all three diets. These differences in the forestomach microbial communities partly explained why alpacas displayed a higher poor-quality roughage digestibility, and a lower methane production. Results also revealed that the adverse effects of high-concentrate diets (70%) were lesser in alpacas than in sheep.

Nutritional and Non-nutritional Aspects of Forage.

Many forage types are available, typically divided into cool or warm season grasses and legumes, which can be fed as fresh pasture or after preservation. Testing for nutrient content confirms what should be supplemented to make up shortfalls. Although testing is recommended, it is not always practical. Typical values for the forage type are available; however, they cannot be relied on for actual content. Non-nutritional aspects must also be taken into account. The provision of complementary feeds to ensure adequate vitamin and mineral intake is recommended. Additional supplementary high-quality protein may be required to meet essential amino acid requirements.

Lignin degradation by water buffalo.

So far, few animals with the ability of lignin degradation have been reported except termite and longicorn. In this study, it was found that the crude fiber and acid detergent lignin (ADL) of rice straw can be degraded dramatically higher by buffalo than those by cattle. In order to further study this ability of buffalo, the digestion of roughages in buffalo rumen was studied using rumen nylon bag experiment, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Van Soest fiber analysis. The SEM results showed that the degradation degree of rice straw was dramatically higher in buffalo than that in cattle. The digestibility of crude fiber was significantly higher in buffalo than that in cattle (P < 0.01). The digestibility of ADL, cellulose, hemicellulose, acid detergent, fiber, and neutral detergent fiber of rice straw in buffalo rumen was significantly higher than that in cattle (P < 0.05). The ADL degradation rate of rice straw in buffalo rumen was significantly higher than that in cattle rumen, indicating that buffalo was capable of utilizing lignin and had superior utilizing capability than cattle. It was observed that various roughages can be dramatically digested by buffalo rumen with the ranking of ADL degradation rate: peanut vine (15.04%) > rice silage > maize silage > rice straw > corn stover > wheat stalk > bract leaf > potato vine (7.22%), verifying that buffalo rumen possessed the ability to digest universal roughages. In conclusion, this study revealed that buffalo was more efficient in ADL degradation compared with cattle.

Lactobacillus casei TH14 and additives could modulate the quality, gas kinetics and the in vitro digestibility of ensilaged rice straw.

This study's objectives were to (a) consider the combined effects of Lactobacillus casei TH14 and additives on fermentation quality, nutritive value and microbial composition when ensiling rice straw and (b) evaluate the ensiled rice straw using the in vitro gas production technique. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD) was used in a randomized complete design with three replications. The rice straw was treated with L. casei TH14 (T) at 0 and 105 colony-forming unit (cfu)/kg fresh matter (FM), cellulase (C) at 0 and 10,000 unit/kg FM and molasses (M) at 0 and 50 g/kg FM. After 30 days, the dry matter content of the ensiled rice straw was a range between 261.77 and 287.01 g/kg while untreated rice straw was 934.00 g/kg. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) contents were decreased when treated with C (p < .01). Th e pH, ammonia-nitrogen, lactic acid, acetic acid and butyric acid values were affected by the interaction among the additives. In particular, pH was significantly (p < .01) lower in rice straw treated with T × C × M. Lactic acid bacterium (LAB) counts were highest when ensilage rice straw with T × C × M (p < .05), while untreated rice straw indicated highest amount for aerobic bacteria (p < .01) and yeast populations (p < .01). Interaction among additives had no effect (p > .05) on gas production rate constant for the insoluble fraction (c value), but combination between C × M with ensiled rice straw reduced the c value (p < .05). The in vitro dry matter digestibility at 48 hr after incubation increased when rice straw was treated with T × C (p < .01), T × M (p < .05) and C × M (p < .05). Total volatile fatty acids at 4 hr and the mean value were increased (p < .05) when ensiled rice straw with T × C or T × M. Propionic acid was improved by adding C or M (p < .05). T × M did not influence (p > .05) any ruminal microorganism counts except for bacterial counts at 4 hr (p < .01). Thus, ensiled rice straw with T × C × M could promote the quality of ensiled rice straw and improve gas kinetics, fibre digestion and ruminal characteristics.

Nutritional effects of using cactus cladodes (Opuntia stricta Haw Haw) to replace sorghum silage in sheep diet.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of replacing the sorghum silage in sheep diet with cactus cladodes [CC - Opuntia stricta (Haw) Haw] on dry matter and its compound intake and digestibility, feeding behavior, and nitrogen balance. The diets consisted of five replacement levels [0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 g/kg on a dry matter (DM) basis] and were formulated to be isonitrogenous [140 g/kg crude protein [CP], considering the ingredients' composition, with a roughage/concentrate ratio of 65:35, on a DM basis. Five uncastrated crossbred sheep, with an average body weight of 52.9 ± 6.0 kg, were assigned to a 5 × 5 Latin square. The trial lasted for 105 days with five consecutive 21-day periods, divided into 14-day adaptation and 7-day sampling periods. Dry matter (DM), organic matter, non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC), total digestible nutrient intake, and DM and NFC digestibility, increased (P ≤ 0.04) with the replacement of sorghum silage by CC. However, the time spent feeding and ruminating decreased, while idle time increased (P ≤ 0.03). Only feeding and rumination efficiency of DM improved (P ≤ 0.01) with the replacement, whereas feeding and rumination efficiency of neutral detergent fiber corrected to ash and protein did not. Nitrogen intake and nitrogen balance were not influenced, and urinary volume increased (P ≤ 0.01) with the addition of CC in the diet. In conclusion, we recommend replacing 80% of the sorghum silage with CC in sheep diets (with 35% concentrate), as CC was found to substantially increase the intake of nutrients, primarily energy.

Evaluation of untreated and urea molasses-treated finger millet (Eleusine coracana) straw and lowland bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) leaf hay on nutritive values and the performance of Gumuz sheep in Ethiopia.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of untreated and urea molasses-treated finger millet straw and lowland bamboo leaf hay feeding on nutrient utilization, growth and carcass characteristics of Gumuz sheep. Twenty yearling intact male sheep with initial body weight of 21.6 ± 1.31 kg (mean ± SD) were purchased from local market and were used for 7- and 90-day digestibility and feeding trials, respectively. The sheep were grouped into five blocks of four animals and randomly assigned to four dietary treatments. The treatment diets were untreated finger millet straw (UFMS) + 150 g wheat bran (WB) and noug seed cake (NSC) mixture (T1), untreated lowland bamboo leaf hay (ULBLH) + 150 g WB and NSC mixture (T2), urea molasses (UM)-treated finger millet straw (TFMS) + 150 g WB and NSC (T3), and UM-treated lowland bamboo leaf hay (TLBLH) + 150 g WB and NSC mixture (T4). Water and salt were given freely throughout the experimental period. Data were analyzed using ANOVA procedure of SAS software. The result of the experiment indicated that better CP was recorded in T4 (21.8%) than other treatments. The total DM intake of sheep was significantly (p < 0.001) higher for T2 = T4 > T3 > T1. Significantly higher (p < 0.001) CP intake was recorded in T4 than T3. Similarly, significantly higher CP digestibility was recorded in groups assigned in T4 than other treatments. UM treatment significantly improved (p < 0.05) the FMS than LBL in most of nutrients. Moreover, significantly (p < 0.001) higher ADG was recorded for T2 and T4 than T3; treatment on FMS did not show significant (p > 0.05) effect. T4 and T3 were similar and significantly higher in most of the carcass parameters except in hot carcass weight. In conclusion, UM treatment could be taken as an option to improve nutritive value of locally available lowland bamboo leaf hay and finger millet straw.

The replacement of grass hay by cassava foliage hay or spineless cactus improves lamb performance.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of partial or total replacement of Tifton 85 hay with cassava foliage hay and/or spineless cactus on the weight gain, body measurements, ingestive behaviour, and parasite infection of confined sheep. Thirty-five non-castrated male lambs with no defined breed were housed in individual pens for 90 days. Five treatments in a complete mixture were offered twice a day: Tifton hay (TH), cassava foliage hay (CFH), Tifton hay + cassava foliage hay (TH + CFH), Tifton hay + spineless cactus (TH + SC), and cassava foliage hay + spineless cactus (CFH + SC). The data were evaluated by analysis of variance and Tukey's test at 5% probability. The dry matter and crude protein intake were higher in sheep fed CFH and CFH + SC than sheep fed TH. Animals fed TH + SC presented a higher average daily gain (0.215 g) than sheep fed TH (0.125 g). The addition of spineless cactus to the diet with Tifton hay increased the feed efficiency by approximately 100% but did not affect the faecal egg count/g. The use of cassava foliage hay and its association with spineless cactus is recommended for the replacement of Tifton 85 hay in the diet of confined sheep.

Effect of association of fresh cassava root with corn silage in replacement for cactus cladodes on dairy cow performance.

The aim of this study was to investigate the replacement effect of cactus cladodes with cassava root and corn silage (CRCS) (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%, dry matter basis) in diets of lactating dairy cows on nutrients intake and digestibility, microbial protein synthesis, nitrogen balance, and milk yield. Ten Holstein cows with an average milk yield of 16 kg/day, an initial body weight (BW) of 670 ± 35 kg, and an average of 17 weeks in milking were assigned to an experiment using a double 5 × 5 Latin square design. The ratio of forage/concentrate was 82:18, and the ingredients used were cactus cladodes, cassava root, corn silage, soybean meal, wheat meal, urea, and mineral premix. The intake of dry matter, organic matter, and total digestible nutrients were not influenced by the replacement levels. On the other hand, the intake of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber increased while the intake of non-fiber carbohydrates decreased with addition of CRCS. The digestibility of the nutrients was not changed as the milk yield as fat-corrected milk production and milk content of fat, protein, lactose, and total solids. The microbial protein synthesis, microbial protein efficiency, nitrogen balance, and efficiency of N in milk were not changed. Therefore, we recommend the complete replacement of cactus cladodes by cassava root and corn silage in the diets of lactating cows with an average milk yield of 16 kg/day.

Evaluation and mining the applicable methods of roughage digestibility determination for buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Buffalo is an amazing ruminant with high tolerance to low-quality roughage. Due to the special breeding environment, there are few reports on the digestibility of roughage in buffalo because it is difficult to quantify ingestion and egestion. To find more applicable method to determine the digestibility of low-quality roughage in buffalo, this study was conducted to compare total feces collection (TFC) method with the following three indirect techniques: Cr2O3 (chromic oxide), AIA (acid-insoluble ash), and ADL (acid detergent lignin), to determine rice straw digestibility in buffalo. Six non-pregnant, non-lactating female buffaloes were used in this experiment and the nutritional compositions of the rice straw and feces were measured. Using Cr2O3 and AIA methods, the digestibility of dry matter (DM), ash, organic matter (OM), nitrogen free extract (NFE), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose (CEL), hemicellulose (HC), and ADL did not have statistically significant differences compared with TFC (P > 0.05). However, the digestibility of DM, ash, OM, NFE, EE, CF, NDF, ADF, and ADL determined using ADL method were significantly lower than those using the TFC (P < 0.05). The feces recovery of Cr2O3 and AIA was 95.89% and 97.14%, which were higher than that of ADL (88.90%). In summary, compare with ADL method, TFC, Cr2O3, and AIA methods are more accurate to determine the roughage digestibility of buffalo. Furthermore, Cr2O3 and AIA methods are applicable and convenient to evaluate the roughage digestibility of buffalo under extensive feeding system.

Nutritional value and in situ degradability of oak wood roughage and its feeding effects on growth performance and behavior of Hanwoo steers during the early fattening period.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate changes in nutritional value and in situ dry matter (DM) degradability of oak and pine wood before and after steam-digestion process (60 min/160°C/6 atm) and feeding effect of the oak roughage on performance and behavior of Hanwoo steers. METHODS: Chemical composition and tannin concentration were analyzed for oak and pine trees before and after the pretreatment. In situ DM and effective degradability of these samples were assessed using a nylon bag method. In vivo trial was performed to estimate animal performance and behavior, using steers fed total mixed ration (TMR) diets containing 0% (control), 25% (OR-25), and 50% (OR-50) of the oak roughage. Eighteen steers were allocated into nine pens (2 steers/pen, 3 pens/treatment) for 52 days according to body weight (BW) and age. RESULTS: By the steam-digestion treatment, the neutral detergent-insoluble fiber was decreased from 86.5% to 71.5% for oak and from 92.4% to 80.5% for pine, thereby increasing non-fiber carbohydrate. In situ DM degradability of treated oak reached 38% at 72 h, whereas that of untreated oak was only 11.9%. The 0 h degradability of the treated pine increased from 5.9% to 12.1%, but the degradability was unchanged thereafter. Animal performance including BW, average daily gain, DM intake, and feed conversion ratio was not different among control and oak treatments. No differences were detected in animal behavior such as lying, standing, rumination, drinking, and eating, except walking. Walking was higher in control than oak treatments with numerically higher eating and lower lying times, probably due to bulkier characteristics of rice straw in the diet. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the oak roughage can be substituted for 50% of total forage or 100% of rice straw in TMR diets at early fattening stage of Hanwoo steers.

Digesta passage and nutrient digestibility in Boran steers at low feed intake levels.

The present study evaluated the effects of energetic undernutrition on liquid and solid digesta passage and on nutrient digestibility as well as their interdependencies. Using a 4 x 4 Latin square design, 12 growing Boran steers (183 ± 15.2 kg live weight) were allocated to four levels of metabolizable energy (ME) supply fixed at 100, 80, 60 and 40% of individual maintenance energy requirements (MER) during four experimental periods. Each period comprised three weeks of adaptation, two weeks of data collection and two weeks of recovery. Diets MER80, MER60 and MER40 only consisted of Rhodes grass hay (RGH), whereas diet MER100 contained (as fed) 83% RGH, 8% cotton seed meal and 9% sugarcane molasses. Feed intake differed between treatments (p < .001) and ranged from 40 ± 0.6 g dry matter (DM) per kg of metabolic weight (kg0.75 ) in MER40 to 81 ± 1.3 g DM in MER100. Digestibility of neutral and acid detergent fibre (NDF, ADF) was highest at MER80, whereas rumen retention time of liquid and solid digesta was longest at MER40. The correlation of rumen retention time of liquid and solid digesta with the digestibility of proximate diet components was weak but positive, whereas the correlation of liquid and solid rumen retention time with quantitative feed and nutrient intake was strong (p < .01) and negative. Our results suggest that tropical cattle are able to buffer a moderate energy deficit by prolonging rumen retention time of digesta and hence improve diet digestibility. Conversely, a severe energy deficit cannot be buffered by digestive adaptation mechanisms and will inevitably lead to productivity losses.