Einsatz von Raufuttermitteln (Silage, Weidelgras, Topinambur und Stoppelrüben) im Vegetationsverlauf in der ganzjährigen Freilandhaltung von Mastschweinen

Im Forschungsvorhaben sollte die Aufnahme verschiedener Feldfrüchte durch Mastschweine im Freiland mittels Titandioxid als Marker und anhand von in vitro Verdaulichkeitsbestimmungen quantifiziert werden. In vier Mastdurchgängen hatten die Tiere der Versuchsvarianten freien Zugang zu den Feldfrüchten, während die Kraftfutterzuteilung um 15% (Anfangsmast) bzw. 30% (Endmast) gegenüber den Kontrollvarianten reduziert war. Die Tageszunahmen variierten erheblich zwischen und innerhalb der Fütterungsvarianten. Mit Topinambur als Feldfrucht konnten gegenüber den Kontrollvarianten deutlich höhere Tageszunahmen erzielt werden, während diese bei den übrigen Raufutterkomponenten zum Teil deutlich abfielen. Die Schlachtkörper wiesen im Mittel hohe Muskelfleischanteile auf. Untersuchungen zur Verdaulichkeit der Futtermittel führten zwischen den drei in vitro Verfahren (enzymatische Inkubation, Fermentation und enzymatische Vorbehandlung vor der Fermentation) zu vergleichbaren Resultaten und lassen alle Verfahren als geeignet erscheinen. Mit im Mittel 41,2% ± 5,1% wiesen die Kotproben sehr hohe Gehalte an Rohasche auf. Die Übereinstimmung der Elementmuster der Seltenen Erden zwischen den Kot- und Bodenproben legt den Schluss nahe, dass die Gehalte im Kot nahezu ausschließlich aus der aufgenommenen Erde herrührten. Die Analyse von Titandioxid im Kot nach Kjeldahl-Aufschluss führte nicht zu validen Ergebnissen. Diese wurden erst nach wiederholtem Druckaufschluss und Messung mittels ICP-OES erzielt. Aufgrund der hohen Aufnahmemengen von Erdmineralien sowie deren Interferenz mit Titandioxid wird geschlussfolgert, dass die Titandioxidgehalte im Kot keine belastbaren Rückschlüsse auf die Raufutteraufnahme zulassen und Titandioxid als Marker unter Freilandbedingungen nicht geeignet ist. Mögliche Risiken hinsichtlich des Verbraucherschutzes bei der Haltung von Schweinen auf potentiell rückstandsbelasteten Böden bedürfen weiterer Untersuchungen

Variation von Fermentationsparametern in der Schweineernährung

Das Vermögen von Mastschweinen, faserreiche Futtermittel zu verdauen, kann stark variieren. Es existieren nur wenige Daten zu Unterschieden in den Verdaulichkeitsraten bei Schweinen ökologischer und konventioneller Betriebe und ob sich die Verdaulichkeitsraten im Zeitverlauf ändern. Bisher basiert die Methode zur Messung der Vardaulichkeitsraten faserreicher Futtermittel auf Inokula, welche von konventionell gefütterten Schweinen gewonnen werden. Deshalb wurde eine Studie mit Inokula von ökologischen und konventionellen Kontrolltieren zur Messung der Verdaulichkeitsraten diverser Substrate über 6 Wochen durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen hohe Variationen in den kalkulierten Kinetiken. Daher sind die Kinetiken wahrscheinlich geeigneter zur Charakterisierung der Verdaulichkeit als die Endpunktmessung der Gasproduktion

Entwicklung der Darmflora von Sauen bei wechselnden Fasergehalten in der Ration

In vitro gas production studies can be used in pig nutrition to assess the metabolic capacity of intestinal microbiota to ferment fibre. The intestinal microbiota are obtained from faeces of animals adapted to a certain diet. However, the necessary adaptation time of faecal donor animals to attain a stable microbial population whose fermentation capacity is representative for a different fibre content in the diet is largely unknown. Therefore a study was carried out where two groups of sows where either changed from a diet high in fibre to a diet low in fibre or vice versa. After the diet was changed, the large intestinal microbiota was characterized every three days during a period of 19 days with a phylogenetic microarray. The diet change led to significant changes in relative abundance of specific bacteria. Bacteroidetes increased and Bacilli decreased after the diet was changed from low to high fibre while the opposite occurred when the diet was changed from high to low fibre

Condensed tannins in the gastrointestinal tract of cattle after sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) intake and their possible relationship with anthelmintic effects

The fate of condensed tannins (CTs) along the digestive tract of ruminants is not well known and may account for the variable efficacy of CTs against gastrointestinal nematodes in different locations. Here, we analyzed sainfoin CTs in the digesta of cattle from two separate experiments. When using the acetone-butanol-HCl assay, the total CTs concentrations in the digestive tract were close to those in the diets (6.3 and 1.5% of DM in Expt. 1 and 2, resp.) indicating that CTs remained largely undegraded and unabsorbed. Yet with the thiolysis assay in Expt. 1, CTs concentration was much higher in the abomasum (2.3 ± 0.4 % of DM) compared with the rumen, small and large intestines, along with increases of mean size and percentage of prodelphinidins within CTs. This corroborates the anthelmintic efficacy reported only against Ostertagia ostertagi in the abomasum. In Expt. 2, no anthelmintic effect was observed against the larval exsheathment in the rumen, probably because the dietary level of CTs was too low. Overall, the level of CTs accessible to thiolysis in the gut appears to be critical for anthelmintic activity, which is favored under the acidic conditions of the abomasum

Glucogenic and lipogenic diets affect in vitro ruminal microbiota and metabolites differently

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of two glucogenic diets (C: ground corn and corn silage; S: steam-flaked corn and corn silage) and a lipogenic diet (L: sugar beet pulp and alfalfa silage) on the ruminal bacterial and archaeal structures, the metabolomic products, and gas production after 48 h in vitro fermentation with rumen fluid of dairy cows. Compared to the C and S diets, the L dietary treatment leaded to a lower dry matter digestibility (DMD), lower propionate production and ammonia-nitrogen concentration. The two glucogenic diets performed worse in controlling methane and lactic acid production compared to the L diet. The S diet produced the greatest cumulative gas volume at any time points during incubation compared to the C and L diet. The metabolomics analysis revealed that the lipid digestion especially the fatty acid metabolism was improved, but the amino acid digestion was weakened in the L treatment than in other treatments. Differences in rumen fermentation characteristics were associated with (or resulting from) changes in the relative abundance of bacterial and archaeal genera. The rumen fluid fermented with L diet had a significantly higher number of cellulolytic bacteria, including the genera of Ruminococcus, Butyrivibrio, Eubacterium, Lachnospira, unclassified Lachnospiraceae, and unclassified Ruminococcaceae. The relative abundances of amylolytic bacteria genera including Selenomonas_1, Ruminobacter, and Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002 were higher in samples for diets C and S. The results indicated that the two glucogenic diets leaded to a higher relative abundance of bacteria which functions in succinate pathway resulting in a higher propionate production. The steam-flaked corn diet had a higher gas production and lower level of metabolites in fatty acids and amino acids. Most highly abundant bacteria were observed to be not sensitive to dietary alterations of starch and fiber, except for several amylolytic bacteria and cellulolytic bacteria. These finding offered new insights on the digesting preference of ruminal bacteria, which can assist to improve the rumen functioning

Benefits of condensed tannins in forage legumes fed to ruminants:Importance of structure, concentration, and diet composition

Condensed tannins (CTs) account for up to 20% of the dry matter in forage legumes used as ruminant feeds. Beneficial animal responses to CTs have included improved growth, milk and wool production, fertility, and reduced methane emissions and ammonia volatilization from dung or urine. Most important is the ability of such forages to combat the effects of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. Inconsistent animal responses to CTs were initially attributed to concentration in the diet, but recent research has highlighted the importance of their molecular structures, as well as concentration, and also the composition of the diet containing the CTs. The importance of CT structural traits cannot be underestimated. Interdisciplinary research is the key to unraveling the relationships between CT traits and bioactivities and will enable future on-farm exploitation of these natural plant compounds. Research is also needed to provide plant breeders with guidelines and screening tools to optimize CT traits, in both the forage and the whole diet. In addition, improvements are needed in the competitiveness and agronomic traits of CT-containing legumes and our understanding of options for their inclusion in ruminant diets. Farmers need varieties that are competitive in mixed swards and have predictable bioactivities. This review covers recent results from multidisciplinary research on sainfoin (Onobrychis Mill. spp.) and provides an overview of current developments with several other tanniniferous forages. Tannin chemistry is now being linked with agronomy, plant breeding, animal nutrition, and parasitology. The past decade has yielded considerable progress but also generated more questions — an enviable consequence of new knowledge

Benefits of Condensed Tannins in Forage Legumes Fed to Ruminants: Importance of Structure, Concentration, and Diet Composition

Condensed tannins (CTs) account for up to 20% of the dry matter in forage legumes used as ruminant feeds. Beneficial animal responses to CTs have included improved growth, milk and wool production, fertility, and reduced methane emissions and ammonia volatilization from dung or urine. Most important is the ability of such forages to combat the effects of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. Inconsistent animal responses to CTs were initially attributed to concentration in the diet, but recent research has highlighted the importance of their molecular structures, as well as concentration, and also the composition of the diet containing the CTs. The importance of CT structural traits cannot be underestimated. Interdisciplinary research is the key to unraveling the relationships between CT traits and bioactivities and will enable future on-farm exploitation of these natural plant compounds. Research is also needed to provide plant breeders with guidelines and screening tools to optimize CT traits, in both the forage and the whole diet. In addition, improvements are needed in the competitiveness and agronomic traits of CT-containing legumes and our understanding of options for their inclusion in ruminant diets. Farmers need varieties that are competitive in mixed swards and have predictable bioactivities. This review covers recent results from multidisciplinary research on sainfoin (Onobrychis Mill. spp.) and provides an overview of current developments with several other tanniniferous forages. Tannin chemistry is now being linked with agronomy, plant breeding, animal nutrition, and parasitology. The past decade has yielded considerable progress but also generated more questions-an enviable consequence of new knowledge

Using lactic acid bacteria as silage inoculants or direct-fed microbials to improve in vitro degradability and reduce methane emissions in dairy cows

The current study has two objectives: (1) To determine the effect of different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains' inoculant on silage quality of fresh ryegrass (FR) and rain-Treated ryegrass (RTR), and (2) to find the optimal way (silage inoculant vs. direct-fed microbial (DFM)) to use LAB strains in order to improve nutrient digestibility and reduce methane emission (CH4) in ruminant production. Five LAB strains were tested, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AGR-1, L. plantarum AGR-2, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis AGR-3, L. lactis subsp. lactis AGR-4 and L. lactis subsp. lactis AGR-5. Each LAB strain was inoculated at 106 cfu/g fresh weight into the FR and the RTR and ensiled for 60 days. After ensiling, the effect of LAB strains included as a DFM or silage inoculant on rumen digestibility and CH4 production were measured using an in vitro gas production system with three separate runs. The in vitro experiment consisted of 24 treatments (2 grasses (FR and RTR)-2 ways (inoculant or DFM)-6 strains (5 LAB strains + 1 Control)). The results indicated that the LAB strains' inoculant treatments reduced (p < 0.0001) the dry matter (DM) losses, the NH3 concentration (p < 0.0001) and the pH (p = 0.0019) upon ensiling in both the FR and the RTR. The lowest values in dry matter (DM) loss and NH3 concentration were found in the L. plantarum (AGR-2) and L. lactis (AGR-5). The in vitro CH4 production was lower for silages inoculated with L. plantarum (AGR-1, p = 0.0054), L. lactis (AGR-4, p = 0.026), L. lactis (AGR-5, p = 0.029) and L. plantarum (AGR-2, p = 0.090), compared to the control. Methane production was lower (p = 0.0027) for LABs when used as silage inoculants, compared to being used as DFM. Lactic acid bacteria used as silage inoculants increased (p 0.0001) the in vitro DM and organic matter (OM) degradability both in the FR and the RTR, whereas LAB strains used as DFM showed no such effect. The DM and OM digestibility were highest in the L. plantarum (AGR-1, p = 0.0175). Among the five LAB strains used in the current study, L. plantarum (AGR-2) was the best candidate to improve silage quality. Our observations suggest that these LAB strains are most promising when used as silage inoculants and to be confirmed in vivo.</p

In vitro methane and gas production with inocula from cows and goats fed an identical diet

BACKGROUND: Fermentative capacity among ruminants can differ depending on the type of ruminant species and the substrate fermented. The aim was to compare in vitro cow and goat rumen inocula in terms of methane (CH4) and gas production (GP), fermentation kinetics and 72 h volatile fatty acids (VFA) production using the browse species Acacia etbaica, Capparis tomentosa, Dichrostachys cinerea, Rhus natalensis, freeze-dried maize silage and grass silage, and a concentrate as substrates. RESULTS: Total GP, CH4 and VFA were higher (P ≤ 0.008) in goat inoculum than cows across substrates. The half-time for asymptotic GP was lower (P < 0.0001) in phase 1 and higher (P < 0.012) in phase 2, and the maximum rate of GP was higher (P < 0.0001) in phase 1 and phase 3 (P < 0.0001) in goats compared to cows. Methane production and as a percentage of total GP was higher (P < 0.0001) and the half-time tended (P = 0.059) to be at a later time for goats compared to cows. CONCLUSION: Goat inoculum showed higher fermentative activity with a concomitant higher CH4 production compared to cows. This difference highlights the ability of goats to better utilise browse species and other roughage types

In vitro methane and gas production with inocula from cows and goats fed an identical diet

BACKGROUND: Fermentative capacity among ruminants can differ depending on the type of ruminant species and the substrate fermented. The aim was to compare in vitro cow and goat rumen inocula in terms of methane (CH4 ) and gas production (GP), fermentation kinetics and 72 h volatile fatty acids (VFA) production using the browse species Acacia etbaica, Capparis tomentosa, Dichrostachys cinerea, Rhus natalensis, freeze-dried maize silage and grass silage, and a concentrate as substrates. RESULTS: Total GP, CH4 and VFA were higher (P ≤ 0.008) in goat inoculum than cows across substrates. The half-time for asymptotic GP was lower (P < 0.0001) in phase 1 and higher (P < 0.012) in phase 2, and the maximum rate of GP was higher (P < 0.0001) in phase 1 and phase 3 (P < 0.0001) in goats compared to cows. Methane production and as a percentage of total GP was higher (P < 0.0001) and the half-time tended (P = 0.059) to be at a later time for goats compared to cows. CONCLUSION: Goat inoculum showed higher fermentative activity with a concomitant higher CH4 production compared to cows. This difference highlights the ability of goats to better utilise browse species and other roughage types. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry