Intake, Digestion and Performance Comparisons for Cattle Fed Macerated vs. Roller-Conditioned Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Forage

The objective of this study was to determine whether maceration of alfalfa forage at the time of harvest will have a positive impact on intake, digestibility and performance in beef cattle. A performance trial conducted with 24 growing beef calves resulted in a 7% and 10% increase (P\u3c0.05) in dry matter intake (kg/d) and daily gain (kg), respectively, when animals were fed alfalfa silage harvested with a macerator vs. a mower conditioner. Feed efficiency was not affected by treatment. Four steers assigned to alfalfa hay harvested with a macerator vs. mower conditioner showed no differences in dry matter intake, however, dry matter digestibility for the macerated hay was higher

Comparative Characteristics during Wilting for Forage Harvested by Maceration Vs. A Conventional Roller-Conditioner

Two studies were conducted to monitor forage nutrient and microbial changes during wilting of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) forage in response to varying degrees of maceration at harvest. Early bloom alfalfa forage was harvested with either a roller conditioner (Control) or a macerator, with four degrees of maceration (Light, Light plus, Moderate and Severe) imposed. Macerated forage reached an 80% dry matter 10-27 hours sooner than roller-conditioned forage, the most rapid drying rates being associated with the more severely macerated treatments. Total bacteria and lactic acid bacteria populations tended (P \u3c 0.07 and P \u3c 0.08, respectively) to increase with maceration. Macerated forage, when exposed to precipitation, had lower (P \u3c 0.05) crude protein and higher (P \u3c 0.05) fiber concentration than roller-conditioned forage. Macerated forage, exposed to 2 cm precipitation during wilting without precipitation reached 80% DM sooner than conventionally cut alfalfa exposed to no precipitation

Methane Production By Steers on Pasture

Grazing system, stocking rate and monensin controlled release capsule (CRC) administration were investigated to determine impacts on methane (CH4) production by steers grazing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)/meadow bromegrass (Bromus biebersteinii Roem & Schult.)/Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski) pastures. Pasture treatments consisted of 2 replications each of two grazing systems (continuous stocking or 10-paddock rotational stocking) at each of two stocking rates (low, 1.1 steer ha-1 or high, 2.2 steers ha-1). Half of the animals in each pasture were administered a monensin CRC while untreated animals served as controls. During the grazing season, 1 steer per treatment combination (n = 16) was sampled on four occasions for a 24 h period. Chemical composition of diets was affected by grazing management and sampling date, however, voluntary intake ( x = 13.8 kg d-1) and methane production (x = 0.69 ± 0.1L•kg BW-1•d-1) were unaffected by grazing treatment or sampling period. The energy lost through eructation of methane averaged 8.9% of gross energy intake

Effect of Feeding L-Carnitine and Sunflower Seeds on CLA Content of Pasture-Fed Beef

Pasture finishing enhances levels of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) in beef lipids (Shanta et al. 1997). CLA (e.g., C18:2 c9, t11), formed during biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the rumen, can reduce the incidence of heart disease, cancer and obesity in humans. However, pasture finishing cattle can reduce carcass grade. Feeding pasture-fed cattle a high-grain diet for a short finishing period (~60 d) improves grades but may reduce lipid CLA levels. A feeding regime is required that maintains the positive nutritional attributes of pasture-fed beef and improves the meat grade. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adding sunflower seeds (SFS), a good source of PUFA (Mir et al. 2000), or carnitine, a vitamin-like compound shown to increase fat deposition and marbling in cattle, to finishing diets of pasture-fed cattle on lipid fatty acid profiles (FAP)

The Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on Gastrointestinal Quality of Life

Purpose. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the effect of Puritan’s Pride probiotic on gastrointestinal quality of life of working adults at the Loma Linda Support Services Building aged 18 to 65 years. Methods. Working adults, 18 to 65 years of age, from the Loma Linda Support Services Building were eligible to participate in the study. Subjects were excluded if they were taking antibiotics or had taken antibiotics within the previous six months. Subjects who consented were given an initial Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI)12 test and a probiotic supplement for 60 days. Subjects’ body composition was also tested during the initial visit. After the 60 days of supplementation, subjects returned to retake the GIQLI and to retest their body composition. Results. Eleven subjects, 1 male and 10 females, reported for post intervention GIQLI and body composition testing. A mean increase of 10.7 (SD= 11.1) in GIQLI scores was found after probiotic supplementation (p = .009). No significant differences were found in pre and postintervention measurements for BMI, body fat, and weight. The best predictor of postintervention GIQLI scores was preintervention GIQLI scores. Conclusion. There was an improvement in the related gastrointestinal quality of life in our subjects as shown through a significant increase in GIQLI scores and subjects’ commentary. The best predictor of posttest GIQLI scores was pretest GIQLI scores

Response of Net Ecosystem Productivity of Three Boreal Forest Stands to Drought

In 2000-03, continuous eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) flux were made above mature boreal aspen, black spruce, and jack pine forests in Saskatchewan, Canada, prior to and during a 3-year drought. During the 1st drought year, ecosystem respiration (R) was reduced at the aspen site due to the drying of surface soil layers. Gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP) increased as a result of a warm spring and a slow decrease of deep soil moisture. These conditions resulted in the highest annual net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in the 9 years of flux measurements at this site. During 2002 and 2003, a reduction of 6% and 34% in NEP, respectively, compared to 2000 was observed as the result of reductions in both R and GEP, indicating a conservative response to the drought. Although the drought affected most of western Canada, there was considerable spatial variability in summer rainfall over the 100-km extent of the study area; summer rainfalls in 2001 and 2002 at the two conifer sites minimized the impact of the drought. In 2003, however, precipitation was similarly low at all three sites. Due to low topographic position and consequent poor drainage at the black spruce site and the coarse soil with low water-holding capacity at the jack pine site almost no reduction in R, GEP, and NEP was observed at these two sites. This study shows that the impact of drought on carbon sequestration by boreal forest ecosystems strongly depends on rainfall distribution, soil characteristics, topography, and the presence of vegetation that is well adapted to these condition

Abdominal functional electrical stimulation to improve respiratory function after spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: Abdominal functional electrical stimulation (abdominal FES) is the application of a train of electrical pulses to the abdominal muscles, causing them to contract. Abdominal FES has been used as a neuroprosthesis to acutely augment respiratory function and as a rehabilitation tool to achieve a chronic increase in respiratory function after abdominal FES training, primarily focusing on patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). This study aimed to review the evidence surrounding the use of abdominal FES to improve respiratory function in both an acute and chronic manner after SCI. Settings: A systematic search was performed on PubMed, with studies included if they applied abdominal FES to improve respiratory function in patients with SCI. Methods: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria (10 acute and 4 chronic). Low participant numbers and heterogeneity across studies reduced the power of the meta-analysis. Despite this, abdominal FES was found to cause a significant acute improvement in cough peak flow, whereas forced exhaled volume in 1 s approached significance. A significant chronic increase in unassisted vital capacity, forced vital capacity and peak expiratory flow was found after abdominal FES training compared with baseline. Conclusions: This systematic review suggests that abdominal FES is an effective technique for improving respiratory function in both an acute and chronic manner after SCI. However, further randomised controlled trials, with larger participant numbers and standardised protocols, are needed to fully establish the clinical efficacy of this technique