In Vitro Rumen Fermentation and Anti Mastitis Bacterial Activity of Diet Containing Betel Leaf Meal (Piper Betle L.)

The aims of this experiment was to study the inhibition effect of betel leaf meal (BLM) addition into concentrate diet on mastitis causing bacteria and on rumen fermentation condition. The study consisted of five dietary treatments of BLM level in concentrate feed, i.e., 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% and four replicates of each treatment. The treatment diets together with napier grass in ratio of 40 : 60 were fermented using rumen liquor. All treatments were examined their antibacterial activity before and after fermentation. After four hours fermentation, supernatant of each samples were analyzed for VFA, NH3, number of bacteria and protozoa. Dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility were analyzed after 48 h fermentation. The results showed that before fermentation, 8% BLM addition caused the bigest (P<0.05) inhibition diameter of Staphylococcus spp. growth compared to other lower levels. However after fermentation there were no significant differences among the addition levels of BLM. Two per cent of BLM addition produced higher VFA (P<0.05) than the other addition levels. Ammoniaconcentration, dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility were not different among the treatments. Addition of BLM significantly (P<0.01) decreased protozoa number, but did not affect bacterial count. It is concluded that the addition of 2% BLM in concentrate feed can be used effectively to inhibit the growth of mastitis causing bacteria (Staphylococcus spp.) and does not disturb rumen fermentation condition

In Vitro Fermentation Characteristics and Rumen Microbial Population of Diet Supplemented with Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and Rumen Microbe Probiotics

The objective of this study was to select three strains of probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to evaluate the effect of S. cerevisiae and rumen bacteria isolate (MR4) supplementation and their combination on rumen fermentability and rumen microbial population. Experiment 1 was designed in a 4 x 5 factorial randomized block design with 3 replications. The first factor was S. cerevisiae strain consisted of control treatment (without S. cerevisiae supplementation), NBRC 10217, NRRL Y 567 and NRRL 12618, and the second factor was incubation time consisted of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h. Ration was basal ration for feedlot with forage to concentrate ratio (F:C)= 60:40. Dosage of each treatment with S. cerevisiae was 5 x 1010 cfu/kg ration. Experiment 2 was designed in randomized block design with 4 treatments: P0= basal ration of feedlot; P1= P0 + S. cerevisiae; P2= P0 + MR4 isolate (5 x 107 cfu/kg ration); P3= P0 + S. cerevisiae and MR4 isolate. The result of experiment 1 showed that supplementation of S. cerevisiae NRRL 12618 had the highest S. cerevisiae population and increased rumen bacterial population. This strain was selected as probiotic in experiment 2. The result from experiment 2 showed that probiotic supplementation stabilized rumen pH and produced the highest NH3 concentration (P<0.05) and bacterial population (P<0.05). As compared with control, all treatments reduced protozoa population (P<0.05). Combination of S. cerevisiae and MR4 probiotics produced the highest total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and isovalerate (P<0.05). It was concluded that strain S. cerevisiae NRRL 12618 had potential as probiotic yeast. Supplementation with this strain increased fermentability, rumen isoacid and decreased A:P ratio. Those abilities could be improved with MR4 rumen isolate probiotic

Quantification of nutrient supply in forage-based diets for beef cattle

End of Project ReportIntroduction Cattle rearing systems in Ireland are predominantly grass-based as 80% of agricultural land is dedicated to grassland (silage, hay and pasture) (CSO, 2007). Feed costs represent the largest single variable cost in beef production in Ireland. Grazed grass is generally the cheapest source of food available for beef (and milk) production provided that the environment and management permit high yields of high quality herbage to be utilised (McGee, 2000). Environmental legislation and the rules of environmental schemes such as the European Union (EU) Rural Environmental Protection Scheme are progressively restricting the application of fertilizer Nitrogen (N), and many grazing systems are becoming more extensive. Over 80% of all farms in Ireland make grass silage (O’Kiely et al., 1998) and it accounts for 87% of total grass conserved (Mayne and O’Kiely, 2005). The deficiencies in nutrient supply to beef cattle from grass silage are usually overcome by supplementing with concentrates (McGee, 2005), which are primarily cereal-based (Drennan et al., 2006). However, diverse types of concentrates containing a variety of feed ingredients, particularly non-cereal by-products are available and frequently fed as supplements to grass silage or as highconcentrate diets. The relatively small amount of information available on feeding these contrasting concentrates to beef cattle is inconsistent. Moreover, there has been an increased use of other ensiled forages such as maize and whole-crop cereals. These forages have high intake potential and can reduce the concentrate feeding level, while maintaining or increasing performance of beef cattle (Keady, 2005). With increasing costs of beef production and increasing constraints of environmental regulations, efficient utilisation of consumed nutrients by cattle is imperative in providing sustainable production and income to farmers. Feed evaluation systems are used to match the dietary nutrient supply with animal requirements for a specific level of production (Dijkstra et al., 2007). These systems are important in order to optimise the efficiency of feed utilisation, to improve animal performance and to reduce nutrient losses to the environment (Dijkstra et al., 2007). Although the reticulo-rumen is central to the profile of nutrients available for absorption, yet quantitative knowledge of the rates of passage and the digestion of nutrients in the rumen is limited compared with that on degradation rates (Dijkstra et al., 2007). There is a lack of information that adequately characterises the supply of nutrients from forages and feedstuffs specific to Ireland, especially for fresh grass-based diets of which, there are very few studies reported in the literature. This shortcoming impedes our ability to capitalise on the merits of evolving feeding systems. This project aimed to: 1. Increase the knowledge and advance the understanding on rumen digestion and nutrient flow from the rumen of the main forages / forage-based diets offered to beef cattle in Ireland. 2. Evaluate strategies for optimal utilization of nutrients consumed by cattle

Methodological factors affecting gas and methane production during in vitro rumen fermentation evaluated by meta-analysis approach

Effects of some methodological factors on in vitro measures of gas production (GP, mL/g DM), CH4 production (mL/g DM) and proportion (% CH4 on total GP) were investigated by meta-analysis. These factors were considered: pressure in the GP equipment (0 = constant; 1 = increasing), incubation time (0 = 24; 1 = 65 48 h), time of rumen fluid collection (0 = before feeding; 1 = after feeding of donor animals), donor species of rumen fluid (0 = sheep; 1 = bovine), presence of N in the buffer solution (0 = presence; 1 = absence), and ratio between amount of buffered rumen fluid and feed sample (BRF/FS; 0 = 64 130 mL/g DM; 1 = 130\u2013140 mL/g DM; 2 = 65 140 mL/g DM). The NDF content of feed sample incubated (NDF) was considered as a continuous variable. From an initial database of 105 papers, 58 were discarded because one of the above-mentioned factors was not stated. After discarding 17 papers, the final dataset comprised 30 papers (339 observations). A preliminary mixed model analysis was carried out on experimental data considering the study as random factor. Variables adjusted for study effect were analyzed using a backward stepwise analysis including the above-mentioned variables. The analysis showed that the extension of incubation time and reduction of NDF increased GP and CH4 values. Values of GP and CH4 also increased when rumen fluid was collected after feeding compared to before feeding (+26.4 and +9.0 mL/g DM, for GP and CH4), from bovine compared to sheep (+32.8 and +5.2 mL/g DM, for GP and CH4), and when the buffer solution did not contain N (+24.7 and +6.7 mL/g DM for GP and CH4). The increase of BRF/FS ratio enhanced GP and CH4 production (+7.7 and +3.3 mL/g DM per each class of increase, respectively). In vitro techniques for measuring GP and CH4 production are mostly used as screening methods, thus a full standardization of such techniques is not feasible. However, a greater harmonization of analytical procedures (i.e., a reduction in the number of available protocols) would be useful to facilitate comparison between results of different experiments

Maximizing efficiency of rumen microbial protein production.

Rumen microbes produce cellular protein inefficiently partly because they do not direct all ATP toward growth. They direct some ATP toward maintenance functions, as long-recognized, but they also direct ATP toward reserve carbohydrate synthesis and energy spilling (futile cycles that dissipate heat). Rumen microbes expend ATP by vacillating between (1) accumulation of reserve carbohydrate after feeding (during carbohydrate excess) and (2) mobilization of that carbohydrate thereafter (during carbohydrate limitation). Protozoa account for most accumulation of reserve carbohydrate, and in competition experiments, protozoa accumulated nearly 35-fold more reserve carbohydrate than bacteria. Some pure cultures of bacteria spill energy, but only recently have mixed rumen communities been recognized as capable of the same. When these communities were dosed glucose in vitro, energy spilling could account for nearly 40% of heat production. We suspect that cycling of glycogen (a major reserve carbohydrate) is a major mechanism of spilling; such cycling has already been observed in single-species cultures of protozoa and bacteria. Interconversions of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) may also expend ATP and depress efficiency of microbial protein production. These interconversions may involve extensive cycling of intermediates, such as cycling of acetate during butyrate production in certain butyrivibrios. We speculate this cycling may expend ATP directly or indirectly. By further quantifying the impact of reserve carbohydrate accumulation, energy spilling, and SCFA interconversions on growth efficiency, we can improve prediction of microbial protein production and guide efforts to improve efficiency of microbial protein production in the rumen

Milk production from leguminous forage, roots and potatoes

The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of replacing grain concentrates with roots and potatoes in dairy cow diets based upon large amounts of grass/alfalfa silage. The emphasis was on the possible improvement of microbial protein synthesis and nitrogen balance. Alfalfa dominated silage has a large excess of ruminally degradable protein that must be balanced with feed carbohydrates to avoid urinary nitrogen losses. The effects on ruminal fermentation pattern, intake and production were also studied. The thesis is based on two batch culture in vitro experiments and three animal experiments. The in vitro experiments compared fodder beets, barley/oats and raw, boiled or frozen potatoes as supplements to a silage diet incubated with rumen fluid from cows fed different diets. With respect to amounts fermented during 5 h incubation, supplements were ranked (P barley/oats > raw potatoes = frozen potatoes = unsupplemented silage. Substrates were numerically ranked in the same order with respect to microbial protein production, but due to larger variation they could only be divided into two groups, where fodder beets, boiled potatoes and barley/oats gave microbial yields not different from each other, but higher than for raw potatoes, frozen potatoes or unsupplemented silage. Butyrate proportion was little affected by incubation substrate but fodder beets fed to rumen fluid donor cows increased butyrate molar proportion in vitro from 10.7 to 13.0%. A change-over design experiment compared barley supplementation with fodder beet and potato supplementation of a silage diet for lactating cows. The fodder beet/potato diet lowered ad libitum silage intake by 0.9 kg DM/d and milk yield decreased correspondingly by 1.7 to 2.3 kg/d. Microbial protein production and nitrogen balance were not increased by the fodder beet supplementation, but a part of N excretion was redirected from urine to feces. Fodder beets tended to decrease the ratio lipogenic/glucogenic VFA, by increasing propionate and butyrate at the expense of acetate. In an intake experiment, most of the cows consumed the maximum allowance of fodder beets (4.6 kg DM/d) while there was a huge variation in the potato intake. A more synchronous feeding of degradable protein and readily available carbohydrates lowered the urinary nitrogen loss and increased allantoin excretion numerically but not significantly. A close correlation (R2 = 0.94) was found between total urinary N excretion and the ratio urea/creatinine in urine, which implies that spot sampling of urine may be a way to facilitate N balance measurements in lactating cows. In conclusion, a full replacement of grain by roots and potatoes can be done and the effects will be lowered urinary N losses but also a reduction in silage consumption and hence also milk production

Feed intake pattern, behaviour, rumen characteristics and blood metabolites of finishing beef steers offered total mixed rations constituted at feeding or ensiling

peer-reviewedTwo experiments were undertaken. In Experiment 1, behaviour, intake pattern and blood metabolites, were recorded for steers offered total mixed rations (TMR) based on grass silage and concentrates, and constituted either at ensiling (E-TMR) or feedout (F-TMR). Fourteen continental crossbred steers (mean starting weight 505 (s.d. 41.5) kg) were assigned to each of the following eight treatments: grass silage offered ad libitum (SO), E-TMR diets constituted in approximate dry matter (DM) ratios of grass:concentrates of 75:25 (EL), 50:50 (EM) and 25:75 (EH), F-TMR diets constituted in approximate DM ratios of grass silage:concentrates of 75:25 (FL), 50:50 (FM) and 25:75 (FH), and finally concentrates ad libitum (AL). Total DM intake increased linearly (P < 0.001) and the time spent eating and ruminating decreased linearly (P < 0.001) with increasing concentrate proportion. Animals on the F-TMR diets had higher total DM intakes (P < 0.05) and plasma glucose (P < 0.05) and urea (P < 0.001) concentrations than animals on the corresponding E-TMR diets. No effect of method of feed preparation on intake pattern or behaviour was recorded. In Experiment 2, four ruminally cannulated Holstein-Friesian steers of mean initial live weight 630 (s.d. 23.2) kg were used to evaluate rumen characteristics for four of the above diets (FL, EL, FH and EH) in a 4 × 4 latin square design. Higher concentrate diets resulted in lower rumen pH (P < 0.05), higher lactic acid (P < 0.001) and ammonia (P < 0.05) concentrations and lower acetate:propionate (P < 0.05). F-TMR was associated with a higher (P < 0.05) rumen volatile fatty acid concentration but no difference in other rumen fermentation characteristics compared to E-TMR. Concentrate proportion and method of feed preparation had no effect (P > 0.05) on rumen pool sizes but animals consuming the high concentrate diet had a faster (P < 0.05) rumen passage rate of NDF than animals on the low concentrate diet.B. Cummins was in receipt of a Teagasc Walsh Fellowship

Nutrient Digestibility and Performances of Frisian Holstein Calves Fed with Pennisetum Purpureum and Inoculated with Buffalo's Rumen Bacteria

Buffalo's rumen bacteria (BRB) are potential in digesting fiber feed. BRB already adapted well with low quality forages and agricultural byproducts. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of buffalo's rumen bacteria (BRB) consortium inoculated into preweaning Frisian Holstein calves on nutrient digestibility, physiological status, mineral uptake, and blood profile. This study used 14 isolates of bacteria isolated from rumen fluid of four local buffalos. The research units consisted of seven Frisian Holstein calves at two weeks old with the average body weight of 43.6±4.5 kg. Calves were inoculated with 20 mL of buffalo's rumen bacteria isolates [4.56 x 109 cfu/mL] every morning for 10 weeks. The calves were divided into two groups i.e., three calves received bacterial inoculation and four calves without any inoculation. The variables which were analyzed in the preweaning and weaning period were feed intake, digestibility, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), rumen fermentation characteristics, body weight, physiological status, blood profile, and mineral status. Data were analyzed statistically using t-test. The results showed that inoculation of buffalo's rumen bacteria into Frisian Holstein calves effectively increased feed intake, characteristics of leukocytes and neutrophils, and cobalt (Co) uptake during the weaning period. Inoculation of rumen bacteria improved rumen pH during preweaning and weaning periods. Inoculation of rumen bacteria also had no negative effects on digestibility, feed conversion (FCR), average daily gain (ADG), and physiological status