Silage for Climate Resilient Small Ruminant Production

Climate change impact on livestock, especially due to impact on agriculture and ensuing shortage of feed resources and its quality, will have a profound effect on growth, milk production, reproduction, metabolic activity and disease occurrence. Small ruminant feeding and nutrition research should therefore be tailored in line with climate resilient agriculture and farming systems. Seasonal feed scarcity is a concurrent problem that farmers usually face besides natural calamities like drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake, etc., and it has a significant impact on small ruminant productivity. Silage making is an effective and common method of forage preservation and also a form of treatment to occasionally retrieve the underutilized pastures for better acceptability, degradability and utilization. Demand for conventional crop (principally maize) outpaces its production, which stresses upon to find suitable, or even better, alternatives for silage making. This chapter deals with silage making from legumes, mixed forages, alternate forages and by-products from fruits and vegetable sector, TMR silage, phytochemicals role in silage making and livestock production, use of inoculants/additives in silages, the concept of therapeutic silage, novel microbial approaches to solving the problem of silage aerobic deterioration during the feed-out phase, animal and human health concern of deteriorated silages and production of designer animal produce from innovative silages

Evaluation of feeds from tropical origin for in vitro methane production potential and rumen fermentation in vitro

Enteric methane arising due to fermentation of feeds in the rumen contributes substantially to the greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, like evaluation of chemical composition and nutritive values of feeds, methane production potential of each feed should be determined. This experiment was conducted to evaluate several feeds for methane production potential and rumen fermentation using in vitro gas production technique so that low methane producing feeds could be utilized to feed ruminants. Protein- and energy-rich concentrates (n=11), cereal and grass forages (n=11), and different straws and shrubs (n=12), which are commonly fed to ruminants in India, were collected from a number of locations. Gas production kinetics, methane production, degradability and rumen fermentation greatly varied (p<0.01) among feeds depending upon the chemical composition. Methane production (mL/g of degraded organic matter) was lower (p<0.01) for concentrate than forages, and straws and shrubs. Among shrubs and straws, methane production was lower (p<0.01) for shrubs than straws. Methane production was correlated (p<0.05) with concentrations of crude protein (CP), ether extract and non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) negatively, and with neutral detergent (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) positively. Potential gas production was negatively correlated (p=0.04) with ADF, but positively (p<0.01) with NFC content. Rate of gas production and ammonia concentration were influenced by CP content positively (p<0.05), but by NDF and ADF negatively (p<0.05). Total volatile fatty acid concentration and organic matter degradability were correlated (p<0.05) positively with CP and NFC content, but negatively with NDF and ADF content. The results suggest that incorporation of concentrates and shrubs replacing straws and forages in the diets of ruminants may decrease methane production

Case Report: Congenital tuberculosis in an aborted dromedary camel fetus

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health problem worldwide, especially in tropical developing countries. Nevertheless, reports on congenital TB in humans and animals are extremely rare. In this study, abortion was reported in an 8-year-old she-camel at the 9th month of gestation. The she-camel appeared healthy in clinical examination, had a good body condition score, normal appetite, and had no signs of respiratory disease and fever. The expelled placenta was dark red-colored, thickened, and edematous with multifocal to coalescing ecchymotic hemorrhages on the allantoic surface. The striking finding was multiple, white-yellow, solid nodular lesions in the fetal lung, the pleura, and the liver. On histopathology, typical granulomatous lesions were detected in the lung and the liver characterized by caseous necrosis surrounded by lymphocyte and macrophage infiltration and concentric layers of fibrosis. The Ziehl-Neelsen staining detected scarce acid-fast bacilli in lung and liver tissues. The DNA extracted from tubercular lesions from the lung and liver showed amplification of the IS6110 region of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by PCR. The sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed a close association of these sequences with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The she-camel was detected positive for a single intradermal tuberculin test performed 24 h after abortion. This is the first report on congenital TB caused by M. tuberculosis in a dromedary camel fetus with a possible vertical transmission

Kliničko-biokemijske promjene u bivola hranjenih samo suhom krmom.

The clinical signs of inappetance, poor body condition, pityriasis and decubital skin lesions in 22 stall-fed buffaloes of 18 to 20 months of age warranted the present clinical investigation. The animals were clinically examined and history was collected on feeding and management conditions. The animals had been held on wheat straw based diet supplemented with 0.5 to 0.8 kg concentrate (devoid of vitamin premix) without access to green forage for the last seven months. Six animals had skin sloughing, rough coat, abrasion and two buffaloes were on sternal recumbency and were unable to get up. Blood samples were collected by jugular venepuncture from eight randomly selected from the 22 affected buffaloes, with varying degrees of clinical signs, and from five control buffaloes of a similar age group, who were provided with ad lib green fodder to serve as control. Serum samples were analyzed for blood glucose, total protein, albumin, urea, uric acid, creatinine, calcium, and phosphorous. Aspartate animo-transferase (AST) and alanine amino-transferase (ALT) activities were significantly (P<0.01) lower in serum from affected animals, indicating reduced hepatic function. Alkaline phosphatase activities (AP), along with serum cholesterol level were also significantly (P<0.05) lower in zero-green fed animals compared to the controls. Blood copper and zinc concentrations were statistically comparable in both the groups, but the mean values for cobalt and iron were significantly lower in affected animals. Mean plasma level of vitamin A, ß-carotene and α-tocopherol was significantly (P<0.01) lower in affected animals than in the controls. This is the first report documenting the combined deficiency of vitamin A and its precursor ß- carotene along with α-tocopherol, and the affected animals had reduced hepatic function. The present investigation strongly suggests provision of green fodder or supplementation of vitamins in the diet of buffaloes to avoid poor health and clinical signs associated with deficiency.U 22 stajski hranjena bivola, čija se dob kretala između 18 do 20 mjeseci, zabilježeni su klinički znakovi gubitka apetita, opadanja kondicije, te suhog ljuštenja i dekubitalnih oštećenja kože. Životinje su klinički pregledane i prikupljeni su podatci vezani za hranidbu i uvjete držanja. Osnovu obroka činila je pšenična slama kojoj je dodavano od 0,5 do 0,8 kg koncentrata (bez vitaminskoga premiksa). Bivolima je uskraćena mogućnost pristupa svježoj zelenoj krmi tijekom posljednjih sedam mjeseci. Šest životinja imalo je grubu kožu s pojavama ljuštenja i guljenja, a u dva bivola utvrđeno je ležanje na prsima s nemogućnošću ustajanja. Uzorci krvi iz jugularne vene prikupljeni su od 8 slučajno odabranih bivola zahvaćenih različitim stupnjem kliničkih promjena, te od 5 bivola koji su bili u približno istoj dobi i poslužili su kao kontrolna skupina hranjena svježom zelenom krmom po volji. U uzorcima seruma analizirani su glukoza, ukupni protein, albumin, mokraćevina, mokraćna kiselina, kreatinin, kalcij i fosfor. Aktivnosti aspartat amino-transferaze (AST) i alanin amino-transferaze (ALT) bile su značajno (P<0,01) niže u serumu životinja sa zahvaćenim promjenama što upućuje na smanjenu funkciju jetara. Aktivnost alkalne fosfataze (AP), zajedno s razinom serumskog kolesterola, bila je također značajno (P<0,05) snižena u životinja hranjenih suhom krmom u usporedbi sa životinjama kontrolne skupine. Koncentracije bakra i cinka u krvi bivola obje skupine bile su slične, a srednje vrijednosti za kobalt i željezo bile su značajno snižene u životinja zahvaćenih promjenama. Srednja razina vitamina A, β-karotena i α-tokoferola bila je značajno (P<0,01) niža u životinja zahvaćenih promjenama u odnosu na životinje u kontrolnoj skupini. Ovo je prvo izvješće koje potvrđuje da udruženi nedostatak vitamina A i njegova prekusora β-karotena, zajedno s nedostatkom α-tokoferola, u životinja zahvaćenih promjenama dovode do smanjene funkcije jetara. Kako bi se izbjeglo slabljenje zdravlja i pojave kliničkih znakova povezanih s navedenim deficijencijama, predlaže se u krmni obrok bivola dodavati svježu zelenu krmu ili vitamine

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Not AvailableClimate change impact on livestock, especially due to impact on agriculture and ensuing shortage of feed resources and its quality, will have a profound effect on growth, milk production, reproduction, metabolic activity and disease occurrence. Small ruminant feeding and nutrition research should therefore be tailored in line with climate resilient agriculture and farming systems. Seasonal feed scarcity is a concurrent problem that farmers usually face besides natural calamities like drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake, etc., and it has a signifcant impact on small ruminant productivity. Silage making is an effective and common method of forage preservation and also a form of treatment to occasionally retrieve the underutilized pastures for beter acceptability, degradability and utilization. Demand for conventional crop (principally maize) outpaces its production, which stresses upon to fnd suitable, or even beter, alternatives for silage making. This chapter deals with silage making from legumes, mixed forages, alternate forages and by-products from fruits and vegetable sector, TMR silage, phytochemicals role in silage making and livestock production, use of inoculants/additives in silages, the concept of therapeutic silage, novel microbial approaches to solving the problem of silage aerobic deterioration during the feed-out phase, animal and human health concern of deteriorated silages and production of designer animal produce from innovative silages.NICR

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Not AvailableClimate change impact on livestock, especially due to impact on agriculture and ensuing shortage of feed resources and its quality, will have a profound effect on growth, milk production, reproduction, metabolic activity and disease occurrence. Small ruminant feeding and nutrition research should therefore be tailored in line with climate resilient agriculture and farming systems. Seasonal feed scarcity is a concurrent problem that farmers usually face besides natural calamities like drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake, etc., and it has a signifcant impact on small ruminant productivity. Silage making is an effective and common method of forage preservation and also a form of treatment to occasionally retrieve the underutilized pastures for beter acceptability, degradability and utilization. Demand for conventional crop (principally maize) outpaces its production, which stresses upon to fnd suitable, or even beter, alternatives for silage making. This chapter deals with silage making from legumes, mixed forages, alternate forages and by-products from fruits and vegetable sector, TMR silage, phytochemicals role in silage making and livestock production, use of inoculants/additives in silages, the concept of therapeutic silage, novel microbial approaches to solving the problem of silage aerobic deterioration during the feed-out phase, animal and human health concern of deteriorated silages and production of designer animal produce from innovative silages.NICR

Chapter in Book : Ruminants: The Husbandry, Economic and Health Aspects

Not AvailableClimate change impact on livestock, especially due to impact on agriculture and ensuing shortage of feed resources and its quality, will have a profound effect on growth, milk production, reproduction, metabolic activity and disease occurrence. Small ruminant feeding and nutrition research should therefore be tailored in line with climate resilient agriculture and farming systems. Seasonal feed scarcity is a concurrent problem that farmers usually face besides natural calamities like drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake, etc., and it has a significant impact on small ruminant productivity. Silage making is an effective and common method of forage preservation and also a form of treatment to occasionally retrieve the underutilized pastures for better acceptability, degradability and utilization. Demand for conventional crop (principally maize) outpaces its production, which stresses upon to find suitable, or even better, alternatives for silage making. This chapter deals with silage making from legumes, mixed forages, alternate forages and by-products from fruits and vegetable sector, TMR silage, phytochemicals role in silage making and livestock production, use of inoculants/additives in silages, the concept of therapeutic silage, novel microbial approaches to solving the problem of silage aerobic deterioration during the feed-out phase, animal and human health concern of deteriorated silages and production of designer animal produce from innovative silages.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableAfter an initial survey on feeds and feeding practices at Kumaon Himalaya, the potential of oak leaves feeding was evaluated in six native heifers (Bos indicus; 101.5 kg BW, 18–24 months) in a partial switch-over design involving two animals each on each treatment at a time. The feeding treatments involved high and low levels of oak leaves (Quercus leucotrichophora, oak leaves (OL)) supplemented to local mixed grass hay (GH) which were GH (G1), GH + low level (42.5 %) of OL (G2) and GH + high level (63.6 %) of OL (G3). The feeding trial for each treatment was conducted for 40 days that ended with a digestibility trial of 6-day duration. The dry matter (DM) intake (kg/day) was non-significantly higher in G3 (3.52) than G2 (3.11) and G1 (2.96). Intake of crude protein (CP) (g/day) was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in both G2 and G3 than G1. The digestibility of DM, CP, organic matter, ether extract and total carbohydrates increased (P < 0.001) linearly in OL-fed groups as compared to control. The total digestible nutrients (TDN) (kg/day) intake was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in G3 compared to G1, but it was comparable between G1 and G2. Intake of DM, CP, digestible CP (DCP) and TDN/metabolizable energy (ME) per kilogram metabolic body weight was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in G3 than G2 which in turn was also higher (P < 0.01) than G1. The animals under G1 had negative gain (−50 g/day) compared to 146 and 306 g/day in G2 and G3, respectively. Feeding of OL reduced serum urea and creatinine level and supported serum protein concentration better in G3 compared to G2. The feeding of cattle on GH alone was lacking in both energy and protein for sustaining minimum levels of production, whereas in combination with OL at 36.4:63.6 ratios supported minimum level of production (ADG 300 g) with near nutritional adequacy for major nutrients (CP, DCP, TDN, ME) but with a caution for the minor nutrients like calcium and phosphorus that need to be supplemented.Not Availabl

Methane production and microbial protein synthesis in adult sheep fed total mixed ration as mash and as complete feed block

Sixteen rams in two groups were fed ad libitum total mixed ration as mash (TMRm) and as block (TMRb) for 90 days, and methane (CH4) emission was estimated by standard SF6 tracer technique. Feed samples were also incubated in vitro for calculating CH4 emission. In vitro incubation revealed lower (P < 0.05) gas production and CH4 from TMRb. Rams fed on TMRb consumed higher (P < 0.05) dry matter (DM), digestible crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME). The digestibility of nutrients was similar between the groups except for CP, which was higher in TMRb. The CH4 emission per unit digestible DM and organic matter intake was lower (P < 0.05) from TMRb, resulting in lower energy loss as percentage of dietary energy and higher ME intake as compared to TMRm. Microbial protein synthesis (MPS) as assessed from urinary purine derivatives was higher in TMRb. The rams on TMRb also exhibited improved N utilization compared to TMRm. Post-feeding (4 h) ruminal attributes in TMRm showed higher total N and lower acetic and butyric acid with an increased total ciliate protozoa and entodinia population. It may be concluded that TMR offered in block form emits less CH4 and saves ME, besides improving CP digestibility, MPS and N utilization