Carbohydrate-rich supplements can improve nitrogen use efficiency and mitigate nitrogenous gas emissions from the excreta of dairy cows grazing temperate grass.

Temperate pasture species constitute a source of protein for dairy cattle. On the other hand, from an environmental perspective, their high N content can increase N excretion and nitrogenous gas emissions by livestock. This work explores the effect of energy supplementation on N use efficiency (NUE) and nitrogenous gas emissions from the excreta of dairy cows grazing a pasture of oat and ryegrass. The study was divided into two experiments: an evaluation of NUE in grazing dairy cows, and an evaluation of N-NH3 and N-N2O volatilizations from dairy cow excreta. In the first experiment, 12 lactating Holstein × Jersey F1 cows were allocated to a double 3 × 3 Latin square (three experimental periods of 17 days each) and subjected to three treatments: cows without supplementation (WS), cows supplemented at 4.2 kg DM of corn silage (CS) per day, and cows supplemented at 3.6 kg DM of ground corn (GC) per day. In the second experiment, samples of excreta were collected from the cows distributed among the treatments. Aliquots of dung and urine of each treatment plus one blank (control - no excreta) were allotted to a randomized block design to evaluate N-NH3 and N-N2O volatilization. Measurements were performed until day 25 for N-NH3 and until day 94 for N-N2O. Dietary N content in the supplemented cows was reduced by 20% (P < 0.001) compared with WS cows, regardless of the supplement. Corn silage cows had lower N intake (P < 0.001) than WS and GC cows (366 v. 426 g/day, respectively). Ground corn supplementation allowed cows to partition more N towards milk protein compared with the average milk protein of WS cows or those supplemented with corn silage (117 v. 108 g/day, respectively; P < 0.01). Thus, even though they were in different forms, both supplements were able to increase (P < 0.01) NUE from 27% in WS cows to 32% in supplemented cows. Supplementation was also effective in reducing N excretion (761 v. 694 g/kg of Nintake; P < 0.001), N-NH3 emission (478 v. 374 g/kg of Nmilk; P < 0.01) and N-N2O emission (11 v. 8 g/kg of Nmilk; P < 0.001). Corn silage and ground corn can be strategically used as feed supplements to improve NUE, and they have the potential to mitigate N-NH3 and N-N2O emissions from the excreta of dairy cows grazing high-protein pastures.

Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing annual ryegrass at two pasture allowances / Suplementação com silagem de milho para vacas leiteiras manejadas em duas ofertas diárias em pastagens de azevém anual

Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures has rarely been investigated. The aim of this study is to compare two supplementation levels (0 and 4kg dry matter [DM]/day of a 7:1 mixture of corn silage and soybean meal) in dairy cows strip-grazing annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) at two pasture allowances (PA, low= 25 and high = 40kg DM/d at ground level). The study was carried out according to an incomplete 4 × 3 Latin square design, using 12 cows and three experimental periods of 12 days. The green leaves allowances were only 4.9 and 8.5kg DM/d at the low and high PA, respectively. The total DM intake and milk production increased in supplemented cows compared to un-supplemented cows at the low PA, but were similar between supplementation levels at the high PA. The PI was unaffected by the PA, whereas the substitution rate was 0.68 in cows at the low PA and 1.35 in cows at the high PA. Corn silage supplementation may improve the total DM intake and milk production of dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures, but only at a low PA.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar os efeitos de dois níveis de suplementação (0 e 4kg de matéria seca [MS]/dia de uma mistura de silagem de milho e farelo de soja na razão de 7:1) para vacas leiteiras em pastos de azevém anual (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) manejados em faixas diárias com duas ofertas (OF, baixa= 25 e alta= 40kg de MS/dia medidas em nível do solo). Os tratamentos foram comparados em delineamento quadrado latino incompleto 4 × 3, com 12 vacas em três períodos de 12 dias. A oferta de folhas foi somente de 4,9 e 8,5kg de MS/dia nas OF baixa e alta, respectivamente. O consumo total de MS e a produção de leite aumentaram com a suplementação somente quando os animais estavam em baixa OF, não havendo efeito da suplementação em alta OF. O consumo do pasto não foi afetado pela OF, entretanto a taxa de substituição foi de 0,68 em baixa OF e de 1,35 em alta OF. A suplementação com silagem de milho promove o aumento do consumo total de MS e da produção de leite de vacas manejadas em pastos anuais de clima temperado somente em situações de baixa OF.(AU)

Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing annual ryegrass at two pasture allowances / Suplementação com silagem de milho para vacas leiteiras manejadas em duas ofertas diárias em pastagens de azevém anual

Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures has rarely been investigated. The aim of this study is to compare two supplementation levels (0 and 4kg dry matter [DM]/day of a 7:1 mixture of corn silage and soybean meal) in dairy cows strip-grazing annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) at two pasture allowances (PA, low= 25 and high = 40kg DM/d at ground level). The study was carried out according to an incomplete 4 × 3 Latin square design, using 12 cows and three experimental periods of 12 days. The green leaves allowances were only 4.9 and 8.5kg DM/d at the low and high PA, respectively. The total DM intake and milk production increased in supplemented cows compared to un-supplemented cows at the low PA, but were similar between supplementation levels at the high PA. The PI was unaffected by the PA, whereas the substitution rate was 0.68 in cows at the low PA and 1.35 in cows at the high PA. Corn silage supplementation may improve the total DM intake and milk production of dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures, but only at a low PA.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar os efeitos de dois níveis de suplementação (0 e 4kg de matéria seca [MS]/dia de uma mistura de silagem de milho e farelo de soja na razão de 7:1) para vacas leiteiras em pastos de azevém anual (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) manejados em faixas diárias com duas ofertas (OF, baixa= 25 e alta= 40kg de MS/dia medidas em nível do solo). Os tratamentos foram comparados em delineamento quadrado latino incompleto 4 × 3, com 12 vacas em três períodos de 12 dias. A oferta de folhas foi somente de 4,9 e 8,5kg de MS/dia nas OF baixa e alta, respectivamente. O consumo total de MS e a produção de leite aumentaram com a suplementação somente quando os animais estavam em baixa OF, não havendo efeito da suplementação em alta OF. O consumo do pasto não foi afetado pela OF, entretanto a taxa de substituição foi de 0,68 em baixa OF e de 1,35 em alta OF. A suplementação com silagem de milho promove o aumento do consumo total de MS e da produção de leite de vacas manejadas em pastos anuais de clima temperado somente em situações de baixa OF.(AU)

Limits of grape byproduct inclusion in diets for lambs: Zinc supplementation to prevent copper poisoning.

The aims of the current study were to assess the inclusion levels of grape byproduct replacing jiggs hay in lambs diets and to evaluate signs of copper poisoning. Thirty-four Texel and Corriedale crossbred female lambs were used in a randomized block experimental design. The treatments comprised four levels of grape byproduct (0; 100; 200 and 300 g/kg DM) in replacement of jiggs hay. The diets were adjusted to the same ZnCu ratio (6:1) of the basal diet. Grape byproduct consumption at up to 30%, led to similar weight gain in the different treatments (P = .92), which was suitable for growing lambs. Grape byproduct in the diet had linear effect on GGT (P < .001) and AST (P < .0001) enzymes as well as on total bilirubin (P = .05). In addition, the highest grape byproduct addition showed the highest consumption of hay (P < .01). Hay replacement by grape byproduct at up to 300 g/kg in the DM was satisfactory to weight gain and did not negatively affect feed intake and weight gain of growing lambs. Maintaining zinc:copper ratio in sheep diets is not effective in preventing liver damage caused by increased dietary copper concentrations over a period of 70 days.

Consumo de forragem por ovinos ingerindo grama missioneira gigante com ou sem acesso a amendoim forrageiro / Herbage intake by lambs grazing missioneira gigante grass with or without access to peanut pastures

A grama missioneira gigante (Axonopus catharinensis Valls) é uma espécie forrageira que merece ser melhor investigada tanto pura como recebendo a inclusão de leguminosas. Objetivou-se avaliar o consumo de MS por ovinos pastejando grama missioneira gigante com ou sem acesso a pastos de amendoim forrageiro (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo). Para isso, foi conduzido um experimento prévio com cordeiros alojados em gaiolas metabólicas, gerando-se uma equação para a estimativa do consumo tomando como base a excreção fecal de proteína bruta (PBf), que apresentou R2= 0,91. Em um segundo experimento, foi avaliado o consumo de forragem por ovinos em pastos de grama missioneira gigante com duas alturas de entrada (25 ou 35cm), com ou sem acesso a áreas de amendoim forrageiro por duas horas diárias. A altura de entrada na grama missioneira gigante não alterou o consumo total de MS, mas o acesso aos piquetes da leguminosa aumentou o consumo em aproximadamente 20%. Em conclusão, a grama missioneira gigante pode ser manejada com alturas de entrada entre 25 e 35cm, enquanto o acesso a áreas de amendoim forrageiro por duas horas diárias aumenta o consumo de MO por cordeiros pastejando a missioneira.(AU)

The missioneira gigante grass (Axonopus catharinensis Valls) is a grass that deserves to be better investigated both pure and receiving the inclusion of legumes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the herbage intake by sheep grazing missioneira gigante grass with or without access to peanut grass (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo). A previous experiment was conducted using lambs housed in metabolic cages, generating an equation for estimation of herbage intake as a function of faecal crude protein excretion (CPf). The equation presented a value of R 2 = 0.91. In the grazing experiment, the herbage intake was evaluated using missioneira gigante pastures with two pre-grazing sward heights (25 or 35cm), with or without access to peanut areas during two hours per day. The pre-grazing sward height of missioneira gigante did not change the total OM herbage intake, but the access to peanut pastures increased the herbage intake by approximately 20%. In conclusion, missioneira gigante grass has shown flexibility to be used with pre-grazing sward heights between 25 and 35cm, while the access to forage peanut pastures during two hours daily increases herbage OM intake by lambs grazing grass.(AU)

Consumo de forragem por ovinos ingerindo grama missioneira gigante com ou sem acesso a amendoim forrageiro / Herbage intake by lambs grazing missioneira gigante grass with or without access to peanut pastures

A grama missioneira gigante (Axonopus catharinensis Valls) é uma espécie forrageira que merece ser melhor investigada tanto pura como recebendo a inclusão de leguminosas. Objetivou-se avaliar o consumo de MS por ovinos pastejando grama missioneira gigante com ou sem acesso a pastos de amendoim forrageiro (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo). Para isso, foi conduzido um experimento prévio com cordeiros alojados em gaiolas metabólicas, gerando-se uma equação para a estimativa do consumo tomando como base a excreção fecal de proteína bruta (PBf), que apresentou R2= 0,91. Em um segundo experimento, foi avaliado o consumo de forragem por ovinos em pastos de grama missioneira gigante com duas alturas de entrada (25 ou 35cm), com ou sem acesso a áreas de amendoim forrageiro por duas horas diárias. A altura de entrada na grama missioneira gigante não alterou o consumo total de MS, mas o acesso aos piquetes da leguminosa aumentou o consumo em aproximadamente 20%. Em conclusão, a grama missioneira gigante pode ser manejada com alturas de entrada entre 25 e 35cm, enquanto o acesso a áreas de amendoim forrageiro por duas horas diárias aumenta o consumo de MO por cordeiros pastejando a missioneira.(AU)

The missioneira gigante grass (Axonopus catharinensis Valls) is a grass that deserves to be better investigated both pure and receiving the inclusion of legumes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the herbage intake by sheep grazing missioneira gigante grass with or without access to peanut grass (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo). A previous experiment was conducted using lambs housed in metabolic cages, generating an equation for estimation of herbage intake as a function of faecal crude protein excretion (CPf). The equation presented a value of R 2 = 0.91. In the grazing experiment, the herbage intake was evaluated using missioneira gigante pastures with two pre-grazing sward heights (25 or 35cm), with or without access to peanut areas during two hours per day. The pre-grazing sward height of missioneira gigante did not change the total OM herbage intake, but the access to peanut pastures increased the herbage intake by approximately 20%. In conclusion, missioneira gigante grass has shown flexibility to be used with pre-grazing sward heights between 25 and 35cm, while the access to forage peanut pastures during two hours daily increases herbage OM intake by lambs grazing grass.(AU)

Herbage intake, methane emissions and animal performance of steers grazing dwarf elephant grass v. dwarf elephant grass and peanut pastures.

Management strategies for increasing ruminant legume consumption and mitigating methane emissions from tropical livestock production systems require further study. The aim of this work was to evaluate the herbage intake, animal performance and enteric methane emissions of cattle grazing dwarf elephant grass (DEG) (Pennisetum purpureum cv. BRS Kurumi) alone or DEG with peanut (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo). The experimental treatments were the following: DEG pastures receiving nitrogen fertilization (150 kg N/ha as ammonium nitrate) and DEG intercropped with peanut plus an adjacent area of peanut that was accessible to grazing animals for 5 h/day (from 0700 to 1200 h). The animals grazing legume pastures showed greater average daily gain and herbage intake, and shorter morning and total grazing times. Daily methane emissions were greater from the animals grazing legume pastures, whereas methane emissions per unit of herbage intake did not differ between treatments. Allowing animals access to an exclusive area of legumes in a tropical grass-pasture-based system can improve animal performance without increasing methane production per kg of dry matter intake.

Aspectos qualitativos e produção de biomassa em pastos de aveia e azevém cultivados puros ou consorciados e submetidos a pastejo leniente / Qualitative aspects and biomass production in oats and ryegrass pastures cultivated pure or intercropping and subjected to lenient grazing

Pastos consorciados de aveia e azevém anual têm sido recomendados para uso no inverno/primavera em ambientes subtropicais. No entanto, o impacto do pastejo leniente sobre parâmetros qualitativos e produtivos destes, comparativamente aos seus monocultivos, é pouco conhecido. Objetivou-se avaliar possíveis variações nas composições morfológica e bromatológica, além da produção de biomassa em pastos de aveia-preta (Avena strigosa cv. IAPAR 61) e azevém anual (Lolium multiflorum Lam. cv. comum) quando cultivados puros ou em consórcio ao longo de toda estação de crescimento e submetidos a pastejo leniente. Os três tratamentos (aveia pura, azevém puro e aveia + azevém em consórcio) foram distribuídos em um delineamento em blocos completos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. Novilhas da raça Holandesa foram utilizadas como agentes de desfolhação, e os pastos foram rebaixados em 40% da altura inicial quando as alturas atingiam 17, 20 e 23cm para o azevém, o consórcio e a aveia, respectivamente. A relação lâmina:colmo diminuiu com o avanço da estação de crescimento em todos os tratamentos, mas a proporção de colmos no estrato pastejável se manteve abaixo de 20% da matéria seca até o início do estádio de desenvolvimento reprodutivo, independentemente do tipo de pasto. Os teores de proteína bruta e fibra em detergente neutro no estrato pastejável foram, respectivamente, superiores a 16% e inferiores a 50% nos quatro primeiros ciclos de pastejo. O consórcio e o azevém puro apresentaram as maiores taxas de acúmulo médio de forragem (32,6kg MS ha-1 dia-1), porém o maior período de utilização do consórcio resultou em maior produção total de matéria seca (4809kg MS ha-1). O pastejo leniente não prejudica a qualidade da forragem no estrato pastejável durante todo o estádio de desenvolvimento vegetativo de pastos anuais de inverno. A associação entre aveia-preta e azevém anual aumenta a produção de matéria seca total de forragem em comparação aos mesmos pastos cultivados puros.

Mixed pastures of oats + annual ryegrass have been considered a good alternative for animal feeding during the winter/spring period in subtropical regions. However, the impacts of lenient grazing under their qualitative and productive aspects, when compared to their monoculture, remain unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological and chemical composition and biomass production of black oat (Avena strigosa cv. IAPAR 61) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam cv. common) swards cultivated pure or intercropped, throughout the growing season and submitted to lenient grazing. Treatments (oats, annual ryegrass and intercropping oats + annual ryegrass) were arranged in a complete randomized block design with four replications. The pastures were defoliated in 40% of pre-grazing height by Holstein heifers, when the heights reached 17, 20 and 23cm for the ryegrass, intercrop and oat, respectively. The leaf blade:stem ratio decreased with the advance of the growing season for all treatments, but the proportion of stems in the grazed stratum remained lower than 20% of dry matter until the pastures begun reproductive development. Similarly, the crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels in grazed stratum were, respectively, above 16% and below 50% from the first to fourth grazing cycles. Mixed pastures of black oat + ryegrass and ryegrass alone had higher forage accumulation rate (average = 32.6kg DM ha-1 day-1), but mixed pastures were used for a longer period, resulting in a greatest total DM production (4809kg DM ha-1). Lenient grazing does not reduce the forage quality in potential grazing layer throughout the growing vegetative stage. Intercropping black oat and ryegrass increases total DM production when compared to their monocultures.

Aspectos qualitativos e produção de biomassa em pastos de aveia e azevém cultivados puros ou consorciados e submetidos a pastejo leniente / Qualitative aspects and biomass production in oats and ryegrass pastures cultivated pure or intercropping and subjected to lenient grazing

Pastos consorciados de aveia e azevém anual têm sido recomendados para uso no inverno/primavera em ambientes subtropicais. No entanto, o impacto do pastejo leniente sobre parâmetros qualitativos e produtivos destes, comparativamente aos seus monocultivos, é pouco conhecido. Objetivou-se avaliar possíveis variações nas composições morfológica e bromatológica, além da produção de biomassa em pastos de aveia-preta (Avena strigosa cv. IAPAR 61) e azevém anual (Lolium multiflorum Lam. cv. comum) quando cultivados puros ou em consórcio ao longo de toda estação de crescimento e submetidos a pastejo leniente. Os três tratamentos (aveia pura, azevém puro e aveia + azevém em consórcio) foram distribuídos em um delineamento em blocos completos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. Novilhas da raça Holandesa foram utilizadas como agentes de desfolhação, e os pastos foram rebaixados em 40% da altura inicial quando as alturas atingiam 17, 20 e 23cm para o azevém, o consórcio e a aveia, respectivamente. A relação lâmina:colmo diminuiu com o avanço da estação de crescimento em todos os tratamentos, mas a proporção de colmos no estrato pastejável se manteve abaixo de 20% da matéria seca até o início do estádio de desenvolvimento reprodutivo, independentemente do tipo de pasto. Os teores de proteína bruta e fibra em detergente neutro no estrato pastejável foram, respectivamente, superiores a 16% e inferiores a 50% nos quatro primeiros ciclos de pastejo. O consórcio e o azevém puro apresentaram as maiores taxas de acúmulo médio de forragem (32,6kg MS ha-1 dia-1), porém o maior período de utilização do consórcio resultou em maior produção total de matéria seca (4809kg MS ha-1). O pastejo leniente não prejudica a qualidade da forragem no estrato pastejável durante todo o estádio de desenvolvimento vegetativo de pastos anuais de inverno. A associação entre aveia-preta e azevém anual aumenta a produção de matéria seca total de forragem em comparação aos mesmos pastos cultivados puros.(AU)

Mixed pastures of oats + annual ryegrass have been considered a good alternative for animal feeding during the winter/spring period in subtropical regions. However, the impacts of lenient grazing under their qualitative and productive aspects, when compared to their monoculture, remain unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological and chemical composition and biomass production of black oat (Avena strigosa cv. IAPAR 61) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam cv. common) swards cultivated pure or intercropped, throughout the growing season and submitted to lenient grazing. Treatments (oats, annual ryegrass and intercropping oats + annual ryegrass) were arranged in a complete randomized block design with four replications. The pastures were defoliated in 40% of pre-grazing height by Holstein heifers, when the heights reached 17, 20 and 23cm for the ryegrass, intercrop and oat, respectively. The leaf blade:stem ratio decreased with the advance of the growing season for all treatments, but the proportion of stems in the grazed stratum remained lower than 20% of dry matter until the pastures begun reproductive development. Similarly, the crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels in grazed stratum were, respectively, above 16% and below 50% from the first to fourth grazing cycles. Mixed pastures of black oat + ryegrass and ryegrass alone had higher forage accumulation rate (average = 32.6kg DM ha-1 day-1), but mixed pastures were used for a longer period, resulting in a greatest total DM production (4809kg DM ha-1). Lenient grazing does not reduce the forage quality in potential grazing layer throughout the growing vegetative stage. Intercropping black oat and ryegrass increases total DM production when compared to their monocultures.(AU)

Faecal nitrogen excretion as an approach to estimate forage intake of wethers.

Data from twenty-two digestibility trials were compiled to examine the relationship between faecal N concentration and organic matter (OM) digestibility (OMD), and between faecal N excretion and OM intake (OMI) by wethers fed tropical or temperate forages alone or with supplements. Data set was grouped by diet type as follows: only tropical grass (n = 204), only temperate grass (n = 160), tropical grass plus supplement (n = 216), temperate grass plus supplement (n = 48), tropical grass plus tropical legume (n = 60) and temperate grass with ruminal infusion of tannins (n = 16). Positive correlation between OMD and either total faecal N concentration (Nfc, % of OM) or metabolic faecal N concentration (Nmetfc, % of OM) was significant for most diet types. Exceptions were the diet that included a tropical legume, where both relationships were negative, and the diet that included tannin extract, where the correlation between OMD and Nfc was not significant. Pearson correlation and linear regressions between OM intake (OMI, g/day) and faecal N excretion (Nf, g/day) were significant for all diet types. When OMI was estimated from the OM faecal excretion and Nfc-based OMD values, the linear comparison between observed and estimated OMI values showed intercept different from 0 and slope different from 1. When OMI was estimated using the Nf-based linear regressions, the linear comparison between observed and estimated OMI values showed neither intercept different from 0 nor slope different from 1. Both linear comparisons showed similar R(2) values (i.e. 0.78 vs. 0.79). In conclusion, linear equations are suitable for directly estimating OM intake by wethers, fed only forage or forage plus supplements, from the amount of N excreted in faeces. The use of this approach in experiments with grazing wethers has the advantage of accounting for individual variations in diet selection and digestion processes and precludes the use of techniques to estimate forage digestibility.