Abstract
We hypothesized that roughage source would not impact rumination time and growth performance if the different sources provided a similar concentration of dietary neutral detergent fiber ...(NDF) and physically effective NDF (peNDF). This experiment’s objective was to evaluate rumination time, and growth performance steers consuming finishing diets with differing roughage sources (corn stalks, cotton burrs, or wheat silage). Beef steers (n = 49; BW = 317 + 5.6 kg) were used in a completely randomized design with 3 dietary treatments. Steers consumed a steam-flaked corn-based diet containing corn stalks (CS), cotton burrs (CB), or wheat silage (WS) included at 7% (DM basis). Dietary NDF was similar (P = 0.36) across treatments. Each steer was fitted with a sensory collar to record daily rumination. Weekly ingredient and dietary samples were estimated for physically effective NDF (epeNDF) using the Penn State Particle Separator. Actual physically effective NDF (apeNDF) was calculated based upon rumination time. Neither initial nor final body weight (BW) differed between treatments (P > 0.52); nor did average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake or carcass adjusted variables of FBW, ADG, empty BW, or empty body fat (P > 0.31). However, gain to feed (G:F) tended to differ (P = 0.06) between treatments. The CS diet had the greatest G:F with no difference (P = 0.75) between CB and WS. Dietary NDF and epeNDF were similar (P > 0.35) among roughage sources; however, CB had the least apeNDF, consistent with lower rumination time (P < 0.01). When energy values were calculated from animal performance, the CS diet had the greatest observed energy values, followed by WS and CB having the least. These results indicate roughage source impacted rumination time, although steers were fed a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet with similar dietary roughage and NDF inclusions.
Abstract
Hi-A™ corn is a unique type of lines and hybrids that were developed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Corn Breeding Program and have high anthocyanin and antioxidants. A completely randomized ...design trial was used to evaluated effects of Hi-A and low-A (regular) corn cobs and bermudagrass hay (BGH) in feedlot diets fed to female Rambouillet lambs (n = 10/treatment), with initial body weight (BW) of 30.7+1.2 kg, on dry matter intake (DMI), BW, average daily gain (ADG), and growth:feed ratio (G:F). After 14 days of adaptation, lambs were individually fed a total mixed ration with 80% concentrate and 20% of one of the roughages (Hi-A, low-A, or BGH) for 63 days. Hay was chopped, while cobs were ground using a hammermill with a 9.52-mm screen. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. The BW was not affected by the diet but increased (P < 0.001) during the trial. Diet did not influence the ADG. However, the ADG was lower (P < 0.001) in the d-42 (0.12 kg/d) than the rest of the trial (0.22 kg/d), after a period of constant high temperatures. The interaction diet vs. day affected (P < 0.05) DMI. In general, lambs increased (P < 0.05) DMI (g/d) and decreased (P < 0.05) relative DMI (%BW) in the final part of the trial, when the animals were getting closer to the harvesting date. Lambs had lower (P < 0.05) DMI of BGH diets than Hi-A diets from d-42 to d-63 and Low-A diets from d-49 to d-56. The G:F ratio was not affected by the diet but decreased (P < 0.05) from the middle to the end of the trial. Corn cobs are valuable as alternative roughage for feedlot lambs, with intake and growth performance comparable to BGH.
Objective: Reducing roughage feeding without negatively affecting rumen health is of interest in ruminant nutrition. We investigated the effects of roughage sources and concentrate types on growth ...performance, ruminal fermentation, and blood metabolite levels in growing cattle. Methods: In this 24-week trial, 24 Hanwoo cattle (224 + or - 24.7 kg) were fed similar nitrous and energy levels of total mixed ration formulated using two kinds of roughage (timothy hay and ryegrass straw) and two types of concentrate mixes (high starch HS and high fiber HF). The treatments were arranged in a 2x2 factorial, consisting of 32% timothy-68% HS, 24% timothy-76% HF, 24% ryegrass-76% HS, and 17% ryegrass-83% HF. Daily feed intakes were measured. Every four weeks, blood were sampled, and body weight was measured before morning feeding. Every eight weeks, rumen fluid was collected using a stomach tube over five consecutive days. Results: The mean dry matter intake (7.33 kg) and average daily gain (1,033 g) did not differ among treatments. However, significant interactions between roughage source and concentrate type were observed for the rumen and blood parameters (p<0.05). Total volatile fatty acid concentration was highest (p<0.05) in timothy-HF-fed calves. With ryegrass as the roughage source, decreasing the roughage inclusion rate increased the molar proportion of propionate and decreased the acetate-to-propionate ratio; the opposite was observed with timothy as the roughage source. Similarly, the effects of concentrate types on plasma total protein, alanine transaminase, Ca, inorganic P, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and creatinine concentrations differed with roughage source (p<0.05). Conclusion: Decreasing the dietary roughage inclusion rate by replacing forage neutral detergent fiber with that from non-roughage fiber source might be a feasible feeding practice in growing cattle. A combination of low-quality roughage with a high fiber concentrate might be economically beneficial. Keywords: Blood Metabolites; Concentrate Type; Growing Korean Native Cattle (Hanwoo); Roughage Inclusion Rate; Roughage Source; Rumen Parameters
Corn straw and corncobs contain large amounts of crude fibers and are widely used in mutton sheep husbandry in northwest China. The aim of this study was to determine whether feeding with corn straw ...or corncobs affects lamb testis development. A total of 50 healthy Hu lamb at two-month-old (average body weight of 22.3 ± 0.1 kg) were randomly and equally divided into two groups, and the lambs were equally allocated to five pens in each group. The corn straw group (CS) received a diet containing 20% corn straw, whereas the corncobs group (CC) received a diet containing 20% corncobs. After a 77-day feeding trial, the lambs, except the heaviest and lightest in each pen, were humanely slaughtered and investigated. Results revealed no differences in body weight (40.38 ± 0.45 kg vs. 39.08 ± 0.52 kg) between the CS and CC groups. Feeding diet containing corn straw significantly (P < 0.05) increased testis weight (243.24 ± 18.78 g vs. 167.00 ± 15.20 g), testis index (0.60 ± 0.05 vs. 0.43 ± 0.04), testis volume (247.08 ± 19.99 mL vs. 162.31 ± 14.15 mL), diameter of seminiferous tubule (213.90 ± 4.91 μm vs. 173.11 ± 5.93 μm), and the number of sperm in the epididymis (49.91 ± 13.53 × 108/g vs. 19.34 ± 6.79 × 108/g) compared with those in the CC group. The RNA sequencing results showed 286 differentially expressed genes, and 116 upregulated and 170 downregulated genes were found in the CS group compared with the CC group. The genes affecting immune functions and fertility were screened out. Corn straw decreased the mtDNA relative copy number in the testis (P < 0.05). These results suggest that compared with corncobs, feeding corn straw in the early reproductive development stage of lambs increased the testis weight, diameter of seminiferous tubule and the number of cauda sperm.
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•There were 286 DEGs in testis between corn straw and corncobs groups.•The genes closely related to testis function were screened out.•Feeding corn straw in the early reproductive development stage of lambs increased the number of sperm in the epididymis.
To evaluate the effect of substituting hay with alternative fibrous feedstuffs, the total collection of faeces was used to measure the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD). Nutrient ...disappearance and digestion kinetics were examined with the mobile bag technique (MBT) and marker passage measurements. Four caecally-cannulated horses (body weight (BW) 558 ± 32 kg) were used in a cross-over design experiment with two periods of 14 days adaptation and four days of faecal collection. Horses were fed three times a day with either a hay-only (HAY) diet or a mixture of hay:supplement (MIX) (15.1 and 8.4:6.7 g dry matter (DM)/kg BW/day, respectively). The hay used in both treatments (HAY and MIX) was mainly of Timothy and first cut. The MIX supplement diet consisted of oat hulls, alfalfa-, sugar beet pulp- (SBP), grass- and soya hull pellets, each given in 0.44 g DM/kg BW/meal. On day 15 in each period, 20 bags of either hay or SBP and 6–12 bags (1×2x12 cm; 37 µm pore size; 0.5 g feed) of each feedstuff and ytterbium (Yb, 3 g) were placed in the stomach or caecum, respectively. Bags were harvested from the caecum every hour and faeces were checked for bags every fourth hour, collection time was noted and data from the bags were used to estimate pre-caecal, hindgut and total tract nutrient disappearance. Further, faecal subsamples of 300 g were collected, weighed and stored for Yb analysis and further estimation of feed mean retention time. Rate and extent of feed degradation were estimated from the MBT assuming exponential degradation. The ATTD of DM was similar between the two diets (P > 0.05), but the HAY diet had higher ATTD of crude protein (CP) (P = 0.001), neutral detergent fibre assayed with heat-stable amylase and expressed inclusive of residual ash (aNDF) (P = 0.006), acid detergent fibre (ADF) (P = 0.017), hemicellulose (P = 0.001) and celluloseNDF (P < 0.001). The hindgut mean retention time (MRT) for Yb was longer for the MIX than the HAY diet (P < 0.001). No differences for DM, aNDF or ADF digestibility were measured when comparing the ATTD with nutrient disappearance from bags found in the time interval 20–30 h, indicating the ATTD of these nutrients can be predicted by the MBT. The estimated degradation (Dt), but not effective degradation (ED), is preferred when the MBT is used to predict the ATTD. It can be concluded that hay can be substituted partly by fibrous feedstuffs and that the MBT can predict the ATTD of DM, aNDF and ADF in a mixed ration based on MBT measures on individual feedstuffs.
•The mobile bag technique can be used to estimate dry matter and fibre digestibility of individual feedstuffs fed to horses.•Feed degradation kinetics can be modelled based on mobile bags captured in faeces.•The mean retention time of mobile bags in the hindgut of horses is comparable to the mean retention time of a marker.
Bos indicus cattle are susceptible to metabolic disorders associated to the use of diets without roughage. Here, an abstract of an article by Alhadas et al obtaining the physically effective fiber ...content from forage (pefNDF) necessary to improve the intake and digestibility of dry matter (DM), potentially degraded NDF (pdNDF) and starch is presented.
•It is emphasized that there should be a higher heating value (HHV) formula for quinoa stalks.•All agricultural waste left in the field after harvest can be converted to energy.•The amount of ...biochemical and thermochemical energy that can be extracted from the quinoa stalks was determined.
This study was carried out to determine the potential of quinoa stalks, left as waste in the fields after harvest, to be converted into roughage for animal feed or as biomass for energy production. The quinoa stalks were harvested from cultivated fields in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, and the biochemical and thermochemical potential conversion of the quinoa stalks to forage feed or biomass was then determined.
A chemical and basic element analysis of the quinoa stalks was carried out. In terms of animal feeding potential that involved the in vitro digestibility and metabolizable energy value. In terms of biomass potential, the syngas values and other gases: estimated methane (CH4), biodegradability, total biogas production value and higher heating value, were also all determined.
According to ADL DM% analysis value (46.49 ± 0.97) and calculated relative feed value (RFV, 71.09) results showed that quinoa stalks have a very poor potential as forage and cannot be regarded as roughage. However, with an energy value of 18.27 MJ/kg was determined that quinoa stalks could be used as an energy producing plant.
•Grass silage, in addition to straw, did not affect pen-mate directed manipulations.•Pigs with access to silage were occupied longer with either silage or straw.•Prevalence of tail lesions was low in ...both treatments.•Severe damages of the gastric mucosa were reduced with access to grass silage.
In organic and other enriched housing systems, straw is commonly used as enrichment material for pigs. Its positive effects on health and behavioural welfare are well known. However, potential additional impacts of roughages (other than straw) have rarely been investigated. On six organic farms, we therefore investigated how providing grass silage affects behaviour, gastric health and performance of growing-finishing pigs. Per farm, two to four pens were included in the experiment, with group sizes ranging from five to 26 pigs (total n = 368), and stocking density ranging from 1.65 to 3.50 m2 per pig during finishing. Groups were provided with either grass silage (SIL) or straw (CON) in a rack. Long-stack straw was used as bedding material in all pens. Skin and tail lesions and tear staining were assessed four times throughout the fattening period, and behavioural observations were conducted three times. After slaughtering, pathological damages in the gastric mucosa were scored (score 0–6). Slaughter weight, lean meat proportion and proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in body fat were obtained. Data were analysed using linear mixed effect models and parametric bootstrap. Providing grass silage did not alter pen-mate directed manipulations (P > 0.1). Prevalence of tail lesions was too low to confirm numerical differences statistically (0.2% of all assessments in SIL vs 2.6% in CON). Pigs with access to grass silage were occupied longer with substrate (silage or straw) than CON pigs (P = 0.01). The prevalence of slight to severe damages in the gastric mucosa was not affected by treatment (score 0 vs. 1–6; P > 0.1). However, among those pigs that had damages at all, severe damages including gastric ulcers were less frequent in pigs provided with grass silage (score 1–4 vs. 5–6; P = 0.03). The overall prevalence of gastric ulcers (score 6) was 0.7% of all pigs in SIL and 6.1% in CON groups. No impact of grass silage provision was found for slaughter weight, lean meat proportion and body fat quality parameters. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that grass silage is an appropriate feed and enrichment material to stimulate species-specific foraging behaviour and to reduce the development of gastric ulcers.
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Abstract
Research is limited on how physically effective fiber from various roughage sources aids in rumination time and ruminal pH of finishing beef cattle. This experiment’s objective was to ...evaluate rumination time and ruminal pH of beef steers consuming finishing diets with varying roughage sources (corn stalks, cotton burrs, or wheat silage). We hypothesized that roughage type would not impact rumination time and ruminal pH if different sources provide similar dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Ruminally cannulated steers (n = 6; average BW = 644.56 + 13.15 kg) were used in a 3 × 3 replicated Latin square with 3 dietary treatments and 3, 21-d periods (20-d diet adaptation, 1-d sampling). Steers consumed a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet containing corn stalks (CS), cotton burrs (CB), or wheat silage (WS) included at 7% (DM basis) of the diet. Dietary NDF was similar across treatments. Steers were fitted with a sensory collar to record daily rumination (Allflex Livestock Intelligence). Ruminal pH was measured using a handheld pH probe on d-21 at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 hr postprandial. The NDF and dry matter intake (DMI) were greatest for steers consuming the WS diet (P < 0.01) while CS and CB diets did not differ (P = 0.81). While dietary NDF and estimated physically effective NDF (peNDF) were similar among roughage sources, CB had the lowest actual peNDF, consistent with lower rumination time (P < 0.01) and lower ruminal pH (P = 0.29). This experiment’s results indicate that roughage source impacted rumination time despite feeding steers a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet with similar roughage and NDF levels. Using rumination time (min/d) to determine peNDF was a better indicator of rumen function parameters than particle size measured via the Penn State Particle Separator equation.
Roughage quality is a crucial factor influencing the growth performance and feeding cost of ruminants; however, a systematic investigation of the mechanisms underlying this is still lacking. In this ...study, we examined the growth performance, meat quality, ruminal fermentation parameters, rumen microbiome, and tissue methylomes of post-weaned Hu sheep fed low- or high-quality forage-based diets. Our results showed that sheep in the alfalfa hay (AG) and peanut vine (PG) groups exhibited better growth performance, slaughter performance, and meat quality than sheep in the wheat straw group (WG). The sheep in the AG possessed relatively higher contents of serum immunoglobins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) and lower contents of serum inflammation factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) than those in the WG and the PG did. In addition, the levels of blood T lymphocytes (CD4 + and CD8 + ) and the CD4-to-CD8 ratio were significantly higher in the AG sheep than in the WG sheep and PG sheep. The concentration of ruminal NH 3 -N was highest in WG sheep, whereas the concentrations of individual and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were highest in the PG sheep. The length, width, and surface area of ruminal papillae were markedly different among the three groups, with the sheep in the PG being the most morphologically developed. The main ruminal microbes at the genus level include Prevotella 1 , Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, norank f F082 , Ruminococcus 1 , and Ruminococcus 2 . The relative abundances of certain species are positively or negatively associated with fermentation parameters and growth index. For example, the fibrolytic bacteria Ruminococcaceae UGG-001 showed positive relationships with the concentration of SCFAs, except propionate. In addition, the relative abundances of fibrolytic bacteria (e.g., Ruminoccus 1 ) showed a negative relationship with starch-degrading bacteria (e.g., Prevotellaceae ). The genome-wide DNA methylation analysis revealed that rumen tissues in the PG sheep and WG sheep occupied different global DNA methylomes. The genes with differentially methylated promoters were involved in known pathways (e.g., the FoxO signaling pathway) and the Gene Ontology (GO) terms (e.g., anatomical structure morphogenesis) pertaining to rumen development. Two candidate genes ( ACADL and ENSOARG00020014533 ) with hyper- and hypo-methylated promoters were screened as potential regulators of rumen development. In conclusion, roughage quality determines sheep growth performance via directly influencing rumen fermentation and microbiome composition, and indirectly affecting rumen development at the epigenetic level.
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