Effect of diets differing in rumen soluble nitrogen on utilization of poor-quality roughage by sheep

This study investigated the effects of replacing rapid-release nitrogen (N) from urea with a graded level of slow-release N (Optigen® II) source on intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis, when sheep were fed a poor-quality roughage diet. Five rumen cannulated wethers were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square experimental design. The treatments had various proportions of urea to Optigen® II (0 : 100, 25 : 75, 50 : 50, 75 : 25 and 100 : 0), with the same inclusion level of starch and a mineral premix on an iso-nitrogen basis. The 25% urea : 75% Optigen® II treatment showed significantly higher intakes of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre and digestible organic matter than in the other treatments. No differences were recorded for apparent dry matter digestibility, organic matter digestibility and neutral detergent fibre digestibility among the treatments. However, sheep on the 100% Optigen® II treatment had a significantly lower apparent nitrogen digestibility. No differences were observed for ruminal pH and volatile fatty acid concentrations among the treatments, except for butyrate and isobutyrate concentrations. The butyrate concentration of the 100% Optigen® II treatment was significantly lower than the other treatments, whereas the isobutyrate concentration was significantly lower than in Treatments 2 (75% urea : 25% Optigen® II) and 5 (100% Optigen® II). The rumen NH3-N concentration of the 100% Optigen® II treatment was significantly lower than the 100% urea treatment at two and four hours after infusion. Based on biological responses, results suggest that up to 75% of urea could be replaced with Optigen® II in supplements.Keywords: Digestibility, intake, Optigen® II, non-protein nitrogen, rumen ammonia nitroge

Ensiling quality of maize as influenced by the addition of wet distillers grains with soluble

Wet distillers grains with soluble (WDGS) were blended with whole maize plants on an as-fed basis at 0%, 20%, 30%, and 40% and ensiled in 3 L bottles to evaluate the silage fermentation characteristics and ensiling quality in a complete randomized design. Each treatment was ensiled in 15 mini-silos and three bottles were opened on days 7, 21, 42 and 120. Each treatment was sampled for chemical composition and silage fermentation parameters. There was a steady decrease in dry matter (DM) concentration of silage with increasing WDGS inclusion level over time. Initial pH (at day 0) decreased with increasing level of WDGS inclusion, with 40% WDGS inclusion recording the lowest pH (3.6) at day 120. Lactic acid concentration was slightly lower for WDGS-blended silages compared with the control. In contrast, the acetic acid concentration for WDGS-blended silage increased across all treatments, suggesting a possible diminished effect of clostridium bacteria in the silage owing to a reduced pH. The acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and IVDOM (in vitro digestible organic matter) did not differ at the time of ensiling among treatments. During post ensiling, ADF increased slightly over time for WDGS-blended treatments (at 120 days). The results from this study indicated that WDGS could be ensiled effectively with maize plants without compromising silage quality.Keywords: Acetic acid, butyric acid, fermentation, lactic acid, preservation, silag

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk–outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4·45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4·01–4·94) deaths and 105 million (95·0–116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44·4% (41·3–48·4) of all cancer deaths and 42·0% (39·1–45·6) of all DALYs. There were 2·88 million (2·60–3·18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50·6% [47·8–54·1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1·58 million (1·36–1·84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36·3% [32·5–41·3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20·4% (12·6–28·4) and DALYs by 16·8% (8·8–25·0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34·7% [27·9–42·8] and 33·3% [25·8–42·0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation