Feed intake and milk yield and composition of lactating dairy goats in response to partial substitution of soybean meal for formaldehyde-treated sesame meal in the diet.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of substitution of soybean meal (SBM) for formaldehyde-treated sesame meal (FTSM) on nutrient intake and digestibility, ruminal and blood parameters and milk production and composition in lactating Murciano-Granadina goats. Forty lactating goats were randomly assigned to one of the following four treatments: (1) diet with 16.5% CP, containing SBM (CON); (2) diet with 16.5% CP, containing untreated SM (USM); (3) diet with 16.5% CP, containing FTSM (FT); and (4) diet with 14.5% CP containing FTSM (LPFT). The results showed that nutrient intake was highest in the FT group (p < 0.001), while it was similar between the CON and LPFT groups, except for the intake of CP, which was higher in the CON group. The FT and LPFT had lower ruminal pH compared to CON and USM groups (p < 0.001), with goats in group FT having the highest volatile fatty acids (VFA) production (p < 0.001). The highest propionate concentration was observed in the LPFT treatment (p < 0.001), followed by the FT, CON, and USM treatments. Goats offered USM and LPFT treatments presented the highest and lowest acetate: propionate values, respectively, among the experimental groups (p < 0.001). The results also showed that LPFT goats had the lowest blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level (p = 0.004), while FT goats presented a lower non-esterified FA (NEFA) level compared with CON and LPFT goats (p = 0.01). Goats offered the FT diet had the highest milk yield (p = 0.002) and energy-corrected milk yield (p < 0.001) among all dietary groups. The highest milk fat (p < 0.001), protein (p = 0.001), lactose (p = 0.007), total solids (p = 0.003), and solids-not-fat (SNF) (p = 0.003) contents were observed in FT goats, which didn't differ from USM goats. The inclusion of formaldehyde-treated SM increased the percentage of C18:3 (p < 0.001) and C20:1 (p = 0.04) FAs compared with USM and CON treatments. Milk from USM, FT, and LPFT goats had lower levels of saturated (p < 0.001) and medium-chain FAs (p = 0.014) compared with CON goats, whereas milk from CON goats had lower levels of unsaturated, monounsaturated, and long-chain FAs compared to other groups (p < 0.001). The lowest and the highest concentrations of polyunsaturated FAs were observed in CON and LPFT goats, respectively (p = 0.001). It can be concluded that SBM can be advantageously replaced by formaldehyde-treated SM in the diet as a feasible alternative to improve feed intake and production performance of dairy goats.

The effect of pistachio by-product extracts treatment in protecting soybean meal and canola meal protein from rumen microbial degradation.

BACKGROUND: The industrial de-hulling of fresh pistachio generates a large quantity of pistachio by-products (PBP). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of treating soybean meal (SBM) and canola meal (CM) with tannin extracts derived from PBP on the protein fractions according to the Cornell Net Carbohydrates and Protein System (CNCPS), rumen degradability, and ruminal and post-ruminal crude protein (CP) disappearance in an in situ trials using three fistulated steers. The extracts of PBP were obtained via different solvents and then added to SBM and CM, so that the final concentrations of added tannins were 0, 5 and 10 g kg-1 dry matter. RESULTS: The CNCPS soluble proteins (fractions A + B1 ) of CP and B1 fraction of CP were lower (P < 0.01) in SBM and CM treated with PBP extracts than untreated meals. Treating SBM with different PBP extracts (except 5 g kg-1 tannin water extract) and CM with 5 g kg-1 tannin water extract and 10 g kg-1 tannin ethanol extract decreased (P < 0.01) ruminal disappearance of CP. From the in situ results, the rapidly degradable fraction (a) of CP decreased (P < 0.01) by treating SBM with different PBP extracts and CM with 5 and 10 g kg-1 tannin water extracts, whereas the slowly degradable fraction (b) of CP remained unchanged in SBM. Treatment of SBM and CM with PBP extracts decreased (P < 0.01) the effective degradability of crude protein estimated with different outflow rates. CONCLUSION: Some of the tannin extracts derived from PBP by water, ethanol and methanol could be effective with respect to protein protection of SBM and CM from degradation in the rumen; however, the use of tannin from water extracts can be more economical and practical. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Draft Genome Sequence and Annotation of Sporanaerobacter acetigenes Strain F-12, Isolated from a Cattle Rumen.

We report the genome sequence of Sporanaerobacter acetigenes strain F-12, isolated from the rumen of a steer grazing on Rhodes grass in Townsville (Lansdown Research Station), Queensland, Australia. This draft genome consists of 2,866,191 bp, with 31.23% G+C content and 2,889 predicted coding sequences.