Ruminal Fermentation of Sheep Fed Corn Silage Inoculated with Microbial Additives

An obligatory heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Lactobacillus buchneri, has been suggested as an additive to improve the aerobic stability of silages, mainly of corn silage, due to troubles during feedout of silos, when mishandled. Usually, heterolactic fermentation is deemed as undesirable compared with homolactic fermentation because the dry matter losses are greater. Otherwise, L. plantarum, a homo-fermentative LAB can be combined with L. buchneri in an attempt to decrease the fermentation losses and also protein degradation by greater production of lactate and, enhance the aerobic stability of silages. Nowadays, these LAB have been studied as their ability to change ruminal fermentation, well as to provide a probiotic effect. Thus, the aim was to evaluate the ruminal fermentation of sheep fed corn silage inoculated with L. buchneri alone or combined with L. plantarum

Greenhouse gas mitigation and offset options for beef cattle production under contrasting pasture management systems in Brazil.

This study estimates the GHG balance (emissions and sinks) related to the beef cattle production in three contrasting production scenarios on Brachiaria pasture in Brazil: 1) Degraded pasture (DP), 2) Managed pasture (MP), and 3) Crop?livestock?forest integration system (CLFIS)

Performance of Young Nellore Bulls Grazing Marandu Grass Pasture at Different Heights

Brazil is one of the largest beef cattle producers in the world with approximately 200 M head. The Industry relies predominantly on warm-season grass pastures, with approximately 90% of animals finished on pastures. One of the main factors for the intensification of animal production systems based on pasture is appropriate management. Adjustment of stocking rate to maintain optimum forage allowance is essential. Studies on forage allowance have resulted in a better understanding of the response of forage crops and animals to changes in grazing intensity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate management strategies for beef cattle systems grazed at different heights (15, 25 and 35 cm) in Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu in terms of pasture production and animal performance

Effect of Grazing Height on Marandu Pasture Production and Performance of Soybean Grain-Supplemented Nellore Bulls

The Brazilian beef cattle industry is primarily based on the use of pastures. Grasses belonging to the genus Brachiaria are extremely important, regardless of whether the production system used is intensive or extensive. Appropriate management of the system is vital for obtaining a high efficiency of resource usage. Adjustment of stocking rate to maintain optimum forage allowance and feeding of supplements are strategies for achieving these aims. Feeding of concentrates on pasture can result in increased carrying capacity and higher weight gains over unsupplemented systems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 3 different grazing heights on pasture production and performance of young Nellore bulls grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu. To enable increased pasture carrying capacity and support additional liveweight gains, the bulls were supplemented with soybean grain as an unconventional lipid source

Effects of supplementation frequency on the ruminal fermentation and enteric methane production of beef cattle grazing in tropical pastures.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of ruminal fermentation and enteric methane production in beef cattle subjected to different supplementation frequencies while grazing on Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu pastures. Nine cattle (325±65.7 kg BW) fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in the ruminal fermentation study, and 12 cattle (399±32.6 kg BW) were used in the enteric methane production study. The treatments included supplementation once daily, supplementation once daily except Saturdays and Sundays, or supplementation on alternate days. The supplementation was equivalent to 10 g kg ?1 BW day ?1 for all treatments. The design employed was completely randomized with three treatments and three replications. When all supplements were provided (day 1), no effects of supplementation frequency were observed on ruminal pH; concentration of NH 3 -N; concentration of acetic, propionic, or butyric acids; or total volatile fatty acids (VFA), but there were month effects. During the day on which only daily supplements were provided (day 2), significant differences were observed only on the molar concentration of acetic acid and total VFA; and month effects were noted on all variables. No significant differences were observed in ruminal fluid volume, dilution rate, N intake, bacterial N synthesis and enteric methane production among the studied supplementation frequencies. Differences were observed in the enteric methane production in the different months, with 85 g kg ?1 of gross energy intake observed in September and 123 g kg ?1 of gross energy intake observed in November. Lower supplementation frequency is a good option to lower labor costs with little or no consequences on ruminal fermentation characteristics and enteric methane production

Material alternativo para confecção de filtros empregados na metodologia "Nylon bag" para a determinação de fibra.

Teores de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e fibra em detergente ácido (FDA) em milho, soja, farelo de trigo, capins, feno, silagens, fezes e conteúdo duodenal de bovinos, foram determinados em analisador de fibra ANKOM 220, empregando saquinhos de polipropileno (TNT ? Tecido Não Tecido) confeccionados no laboratório, como material alternativo aos filtros fabricados e comercializados pela ANKOM. As análises foram conduzidas no Laboratório de Nutrição Animal da Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos - SP. Em um primeiro ensaio, os dois materiais foram comparados. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 6 x 2 (seis amostras e dois tipos de saquinho), com três repetições. Em um segundo ensaio, amostras de referência foram usadas para confirmar a eficiência dos saquinhos de TNT. Para tal, foram avaliados o efeito da massa de amostra (0,5 e 0,25 mg) nos teores de FDN e FDA e o emprego de a amilase nos resultados de FDN. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 5 x 4 (cinco fatores e 4 amostras), com três repetições. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas (P > 0,05) entre os resultados obtidos com o emprego deste material em comparação aos filtros ANKOM. Os fatores variação de massa de amostra e adição de a amilase não tiveram efeito sobre os teores de FDN e FDA (P > 0,05). O TNT apresentou características favoráveis e promissoras ao seu uso, como baixo custo, rigidez e baixa porosidade

Intoxicação natural por Clostridium botulinum tipo “C” em grupo de aves domésticas.

Clostridium botulinum causative oftoxic infections due to toxin ingestion previouslyformed, occur in several ingestion species, mainlybirds. In a poultry farm, located at São Paulo State,more than 3,000 birds have been attacked by thistoxic infections, when the birds showed motionless,loss of weight, accelerated, breathing, resulting indeath of the birds. The blood harvest for attainmentof the serum and later necropsy was carried outthrowgh the following samples: liver, gizzard, crop,feed, water and litter. After that, the toxin wasextracted by gelatin-phosphate buffer and inoculationin mice, isolation of the agent in Blood ágar andReinforced Clostridium ágar and neutralization oftoxin determine its type. The inoculation in miceshowed positive results in samples of liver, gizzad,crop and symptoms like was waist, and death ofthe birds by limp paralysis. The colonies that havebeen isolated, suspected of Clostridium botulinumshowed expected results and further analysisrevealed positive results to botulinical toxin type C.The farms have to pay attention in the routine jobs,choicer, and elimination of carcass because theyare essential to keep this problem away.O Clostridium botulinum, causador detoxinfecção devido à ingestão de toxina previamenteformada, acomete várias espécies com destaquepara as aves. Em uma granja do estado deSão Paulo, mais de 3000 aves foram acometidaspor esta toxinfecção, a qual foi caracterizada poranimais imóveis, dispnéicos, anoréxicos, paralisiaflácida e morte subseqüente. Foi realizada a colheitade sangue para obtenção do soro e posteriornecropsia sendo que as amostras separadas paraanálise foram: fígado, conteúdo da moela e do inglúvio,ração, água e cama. Foram realizadas extraçãode toxina em gelatina tamponada e inoculaçãoem camundongos, isolamento do agente em meioAgar Sangue, “Reinforced Clostridium ágar“ e neutralizaçãoda toxina para especificação de seu tipo.A inoculação em camundongos apresentou positividadepara amostras do fígado, conteúdo da moelae do inglúvio, pela observação de cintura de vespae morte dos animais por paralisia flácida. Colôniasisoladas suspeitas de Clostridium botulinum apresentarambioquímica compatível com a da espéciee a análise com a antitoxina revelou positividadepara toxina botulínica tipo C. A conscientização doprodutor para um bom manejo e eliminação adequadade carcaças são práticas fundamentais para evitar casos como este

Methane emissions and growth performance of young Nellore bulls fed crude glycerine- v. fibre-based energy ingredients in low or high concentrate diets.

A total of 70 Nellore bulls (18 ± 3 months of age) were used to determine the effects of crude glycerine (CG) replacing starch- v. fibre-based energy ingredients in low (LC; 0·40 concentrate) or high concentrate (HC; 0·60 concentrate) ? on a dry matter (DM) basis ? on DM intake (DMI), methane emissions and growth. Ten bulls were slaughtered (reference group) to obtain the carcass gain (CrG). The 60 remaining bulls (374 ± 24·5 kg) were allocated to a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (two concentrate levels, LC or HC; and three feeding regimes, FR). The FR were: CO ? without CG and maize as an ingredient of concentrate; CGM ? inclusion of CG (0·10 of DM) replacing maize in the concentrate; and CGSH ? inclusion of CG (0·10 of DM) replacing soybean hulls (SH) in the concentrate. Bulls fed LC or HC had similar DMI (kg/d) and growth. The DMI and average daily gain (ADG) were similar among FR. Concentrate level and FR tended to interact for methane emissions (g) per kg DMI. Bulls fed CGM had a greater G : F (g CrG/kg DMI) than those fed CO or CGSH diets. Increasing dietary concentrate (0·40?0·60) did not affect intake, methane emissions, or growth. Inclusion of CG in diets to replace SH in LC diets tended to decrease methane emissions from animals. When CG replaces SH in the diets, CrG and G:F (g CrG/kg DMI) are decreased compared with bulls fed CGM

Effect of crude glycerin on performance and methane emission of Nellore young bulls finished in feedlot.

In: GREENHOUSE GASES AMD ANIMAL AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE, 5., 2013, Dublin. Proceedings... Dublin: Cambridge University Press, 2013. p. 408

Prediction of enteric methane production, yield and intensity of beef cattle using an intercontinental database

Enteric methane (CH4) production attributable to beef cattle contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Reliably estimating this contribution requires extensive CH4 emission data from beef cattle under different management conditions worldwide. The objectives were to: 1) predict CH4 production (g d¬-1 animal-1), yield [g (kg dry matter intake; DMI)-1] and intensity [g (kg average daily gain)-1] using an intercontinental database (data from Europe, North America, Brazil, Australia and South Korea); 2) assess the impact of geographic region, and of higher- and lower-forage diets. Linear models were developed by incrementally adding covariates. A K-fold cross-validation indicated that a CH4 production equation using only DMI that was fitted to all available data had a root mean square prediction error (RMSPE; % of observed mean) of 31.2%. Subsets containing data with ≥ 25% and ≤ 18% dietary forage contents had an RMSPE of 30.8 and 34.2%, with the all-data CH4 production equation, whereas these errors decreased to 29.3 and 28.4%, respectively, when using CH4 prediction equations fitted to these subsets. The RMSPE of the ≥ 25% forage subset further decreased to 24.7% when using multiple regression. Europe- and North America-specific subsets predicted by the best performing ≥ 25% forage multiple regression equation had RMSPE of 24.5 and 20.4%, whereas these errors were 24.5 and 20.0% with region-specific equations, respectively. The developed equations had less RMSPE than extant equations evaluated for all data (22.5 vs. 23.2%), for higher-forage (21.2 vs. 23.1%), but not for the lower-forage subsets (28.4 vs. 27.9%). Splitting the dataset by forage content did not improve CH4 yield or intensity predictions. Predicting beef cattle CH4 production using energy conversion factors, as applied by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, indicated that adequate forage content-based and region-specific energy conversion factors improve prediction accuracy and are preferred in national or global inventories