Performance of lactating cows fed sugarcane silage treated with microbial additives

Background: No studies have been conducted evaluating sugarcane silage associated with both Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus for lactating dairy cows. Objective: To evaluate diets containing different roughages with and without microbial inoculants on intake, digestibility and milk yield of medium-producing cows. Methods: A total of 15 Holstein cows distributed into a randomized block design were used. Dietary treatments were: 1) a corn silage-based diet (CS), 2) a fresh sugarcane-based diet (SC), 3) a sugarcane silage ensiled without inoculant (SS), 4) sugarcane silage ensiled with Lactobacillus buchneri (SSLB), and 5) sugarcane silage ensiled with Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus (SSLP). Results: Digestible organic matter intake (DOMI) was lower (p<0.05) in cows fed SSLB (9.77 kg day-1) when compared with cows fed CS (13.29 kg day-1) and SSLP (12.42 kg day-1). Ensiling of sugarcane increased intake of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) compared to SC (mean of 6.00 kg day-1 versus 4.97 kg day-1; p<0.05). Dry matter digestibility was greater (p<0.05) in CS (77.80%) compared with diets based on sugarcane silage, whereas NDF digestibility was lower for treatments with sugarcane (p<0.05). Milk yield was similar among CS (27.99 kg), SC (25.59 kg), and silages with additives (25.47 and 27.07 for SSLB and SSLP, respectively). Cows fed CS produced more fat-corrected milk (25.89 kg) than those fed sugarcane-based diets (p<0.05). Conclusions: Fresh sugarcane or sugarcane silage with additives can be used as a roughage source for dairy cows producing up to 23.43 kg d-1 fat-corrected milk, considering the total diet is properly balanced.

Antecedentes: No existen estudios que evalúen la adición de Lactobacillus plantarum y Pediococcus pentosaceus en el ensilaje de caña de azúcar para vacas lactantes. Objetivo: Evaluar dietas con diferentes forrajes y ensilajes con y sin inoculantes microbianos sobre el consumo, digestibilidad y producción lactea de vacas de mediana producción. Metodología: Quince vacas Holstein se distribuyeron en un diseño de bloques al azar. Los tratamientos fueron: 1) dieta con ensilaje de maíz (CS), 2) dieta con caña de azúcar fresca (SC), 3) dieta con ensilaje de caña sin inoculantes (SS), 4) dieta con ensilaje de caña de azúcar ensilada con Lactobacillus buchneri (SSLB), y 5) dieta con ensilaje de caña de azúcar ensilada con Lactobacillus plantarum y Pediococcus pentosaceus (SSLP). Resultados: El consumo de materia orgánica digestible fue menor (p<0,05) en la dieta SSLB (9,77 kg day-1) en comparación con CS (13,29 kg dia-1) y SSLP (12,42 kg dia-1). El ensilaje de caña de azúcar promovió un mayor consumo de fibra detergente neutra (NDF) en comparación con SC (promedio de 6,00 kg dia-1 versus 4,97 kg dia-1; p<0,05). La digestibilidad de la materia seca fue mayor (p<0,05) para la dieta CS (77,80%) en comparación con las dietas con ensilaje de caña de azúcar, mientras que la digestibilidad de la NDF fue menor para las dietas a base de caña de azúcar (p<0,05). La producción de leche fue similar entre CS (27,99 kg), SC (25,59 kg) y ensilajes con aditivos (25,47 y 27,07 para SSLB y SSLP, respectivamente). Las vacas alimentadas con ensilaje de maíz produjeron más leche corregida por grasa (25,89 kg) que las alimentadas con dietas a base de caña de azúcar (p<0,05). Conclusión: La caña de azúcar fresca o ensilada con aditivos se puede utilizar como fuente de forraje para vacas que producen hasta 23,43 kg d-1 leche corregida por grasa, siempre que la dieta total esté equilibrada adecuadamente.

Antecedentes: Há carência de estudos avaliando a adição de Lactobacillus plantarum e Pediococcus pentosaceus na silagem de cana-de-açúcar para vacas em lactação. Objetivo: Avaliar dietas contendo diferentes forragens e silagens com e sem inoculantes microbianos sobre o consumo, digestibilidade e produção de leite de vacas de média produção de leite. Métodos: Quinze vacas Holandesas foram distribuídas em um delineamento em blocos casualizados. Os tratamentos foram: 1) dieta com silagem de milho (CS), 2) dieta com cana-de-açúcar fresca (SC), 3) dieta com silagem de cana ensilada sem inoculantes (SS), 4) dieta com silagem de cana-de-açúcar ensilada com Lactobacillus buchneri (SSLB), ou 5) dieta com silagem de cana- de-açúcar ensilada com Lactobacillus plantarum, and Pediococcus pentosaceus (SSLP). Resultados: O consumo de matéria orgânica digestível foi menor (p<0,05) na dieta SSLB (9,77 kg day-1) comparada com CS (13,29 kg dia-1) e SSLP (12,42 kg dia-1). A ensilagem da cana-de-açúcar promoveu maior consumo de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) em comparação com SC (média de 6,00 kg dia-1 versus 4.97 kg dia-1; p<0.05). A digestibilidade da matéria seca foi maior (p<0,05) para a dieta CS (77,80%) comparada com as dietas com silagem de cana-de-açúcar, enquanto que a digestibilidade da FDN foi menor para as dietas baseadas em cana-de-açúcar (p<0,05). A produção de leite foi similar entre CS (27,99 kg), SC (25,59 kg) e silagens com aditivos (25,47 e 27,07 para SSLB e SSLP, respectivamente). Vacas alimentadas com silagem de milho produziram mais leite corrigido para gordura (25,89 kg) que aquelas alimentadas com dietas baseadas em cana-de-açúcar (p<0,05). Conclusão: A cana-de-açúcar fresca ou ensilada com aditivos pode ser utilizada como fonte volumosa para vacas produzindo até 23,43 kg d-1 leite corrigido para gordura, desde que a dieta total esteja apropriadamente balanceada.

Performance and feeding behavior of Holstein and Holstein × Gyr crossbred heifers grazing temperate forages.

This study aimed to investigate the difference between Holstein and Holstein × Gyr breeds on feeding behavior and performance of heifers grazing temperate pasture. The experiment was carried out in 89 days, split into 14 days of adaptation, and 3 periods of 25 days. Two treatments were used: Holstein (HOL; n = 7) and Holstein × Gyr (HG; n = 7). Heifers grazed a consortium of ryegrass and bristle oats and were supplemented individually daily with cornmeal at 0.33% of body weight plus 5 kg/day of corn silage. For 3 consecutive days, feeding behavior was observed for individual animals from direct visual observation recording at 10-min intervals. The digestibility trial was performed on day (d) 16 to d24 of each period. Body measurements and weight were taken at d0 and at d23, 24, and 25 of each period. Grazing duration, grazing frequency, and bite rate were greater for HOL than those for HG. Rumination characteristics, intake, digestibility, and body measurements were not affected by breed. Breeds had differences in grazing characteristics, but they did not influence performance or intake parameters. Therefore, HOL and HG heifers managed under temperate pasture in tropical countries have similar performances.

Use of Castor Bean Meal, Biodiesel Industry Coproduct, in A Lamb Production System Using Creep-Feeding in Brazil.

This study aimed to evaluate the replacement of soybean meal by detoxified castor bean meal on the intake and digestibility of nutrients, body weight gain, carcass yield, physiological and urinary parameters, and creep-feeding method effectiveness. For this trial, 43 male lambs were used, Dorper × Santa Inês, with an average initial body weight of 7.95 kg, 15 days old. Lambs were distributed in a randomized block design. Five experimental diets were provided: Without supplementation, with supplementation but without the use of castor bean meal, and with gradual levels of replacement of soybean meal by detoxified castor bean meal (33%, 67%, and 100%). Higher values of DMI and nutrient digestibility (p < 0.05) were observed for animals that received supplements. The milk intake did not differ among the diets. The DMD showed a linear effect, while NDFD had a quadratic effect, depending on castor bean meal inclusion. The carcass yield did not differ between experimental diets. There was no significant effect on the urinary volume and metabolites investigated. In conclusion, the replacement of soybean meal by detoxified castor bean meal does not compromise animals' development. Besides, the creep-feeding method positively affects lamb development, with higher body weight gain for supplemented animals.

Compositional and structural dynamics of the ruminal microbiota in dairy heifers and its relationship to methane production.

BACKGROUND: Heifers emit more enteric methane (CH4 ) than adult cows and these emissions tend to decrease per unit feed intake as they age. However, common mitigation strategies like expensive high-quality feeds are not economically feasible for these pre-production animals. Given its direct role in CH4 production, altering the rumen microbiota is another potential avenue for reducing CH4 production by ruminants. However, to identify effective microbial targets, a better understanding of the rumen microbiota and its relationship to CH4 production across heifer development is needed. RESULTS: Here, we investigate the relationship between rumen bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities as well as CH4 emissions and a number of production traits in prepubertal (PP), pubertal (PB), and pregnant heifers (PG). Overall, PG heifers emitted the most CH4 , followed by PB and PP heifers. The bacterial genus Acetobacter and the archaeal genus Methanobrevibacter were positively associated, while Eubacterium and Methanosphaera were negatively associated with raw CH4 production by heifers. When corrected for dietary intake, both Eubacterium and Methanosphaera remained negatively associated with CH4 production. CONCLUSION: We suggest that Eubacterium and Methanosphaera represent likely targets for CH4 mitigation efforts in heifers as they were negatively associated with CH4 production and not significantly associated with production traits. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Assessing the impact of rumen microbial communities on methane emissions and production traits in Holstein cows in a tropical climate.

The evaluation of how the gut microbiota affects both methane emissions and animal production is necessary in order to achieve methane mitigation without production losses. Toward this goal, the aim of this study was to correlate the rumen microbial communities (bacteria, archaea, and fungi) of high (HP), medium (MP), and low milk producing (LP), as well as dry (DC), Holstein dairy cows in an actual tropical production system with methane emissions and animal production traits. Overall, DC cows emitted more methane, followed by MP, HP and LP cows, although HP and LP cow emissions were similar. Using next-generation sequencing, it was found that bacteria affiliated with Christensenellaceae, Mogibacteriaceae, S24-7, Butyrivibrio, Schwartzia, and Treponema were negatively correlated with methane emissions and showed positive correlations with digestible dry matter intake (dDMI) and digestible organic matter intake (dOMI). Similar findings were observed for archaea in the genus Methanosphaera. The bacterial groups Coriobacteriaceae, RFP12, and Clostridium were negatively correlated with methane, but did not correlate with dDMI and dOMI. For anaerobic fungal communities, no significant correlations with methane or animal production traits were found. Based on these findings, it is suggested that manipulation of the abundances of these microbial taxa may be useful for modulating methane emissions without negatively affecting animal production.