Effect of microbial inoculants on the quality and aerobic stability of bermudagrass round-bale haylage

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of using 4 commercially available microbial inoculants to improve the fermentation and aerobic stability of bermudagrass haylage. We hypothesized that the microbial inoculants would increase the fermentation and aerobic stability of the haylages. Bermudagrass (4-wk regrowth) was harvested and treated with (1) deionized water (control); (2) Buchneri 500 (B500; Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Milwaukee, WI) containing 1 × 105 of Pediococcus pentosaceus and 4 × 105 ofLactobacillus buchneri 40788; (3) Biotal Plus II (BPII; Lallemand Animal Nutrition) containing 1.2 × 105 of P. pentosaceus and Propionibacteria freudenreichii; (4) Silage Inoculant II (SI; AgriKing Inc., Fulton, IL) containing 1 × 105 of Lactobacillus plantarum and P. pentosaceus; and (5) Silo King (SK; AgriKing Inc.), containing 1 × 105 of L. plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, and P. pentosaceus, respectively. Forty round bales (8 per treatment; 441 ± 26 kg; 1.2 × 1.2 m diameter) were made and each was wrapped with 7 layers of plastic. Twenty bales were stored for 112 d and the remaining 20 were stored for 30 d and sampled by coring after intermediary storage periods of 0, 3, 7, and 30 d. The pH of control and inoculated haylages sampled on d 3 did not differ. However, B500 and BPII had lower pH (5.77 ± 0.04 vs. 6.16 ± 0.04; 5.06 ± 0.13 vs. 5.52 ± 0.13) than other treatments by d 7 and 30, respectively. At final bale opening on d 112, all treatments had lower pH than the control haylage (4.77 ± 0.07 vs. 5.37 ± 0.07). The B500, BPII, and SI haylages had greater lactic acid and lactic-to-acetic acid ratios than SK and control haylages. No differences were detected in neutral detergent fiber digestibility, dry matter losses, dry matter, lactic and acetic acid concentrations, and yeast and coliform counts. The SK haylage had lower clostridia counts compared with the control (1.19 ± 0.23 vs. 1.99 ± 0.23 cfu/g). Treatments B500, BPII, SI, and SK tended to reduce mold counts and they improved aerobic stability by 236, 197, 188, and 95%, respectively, compared with the control (276 ± 22 vs. 99 ± 22 h)

Maternal nutritional restriction during late gestation impairs development of the reproductive organs in both male and female lambs

Maternal nutritional restrictions during late gestation could lead to fetal hypoglycemia. Glucose levels in the fetal sheep regulate circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) levels, which stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation of reproductive organs after binding to its own receptor or estrogen receptors. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of subnutrition of ewes during the last trimester of gestation on the serum glucose/IGF1 levels and development of reproductive organs in their lambs. Pregnant ewes carrying singletons were randomly assigned to restricted (R ewes, n = 8) or control (C ewes, n = 8) groups (4 lambs of each gender/group) and fed with 50% or 100% of metabolic energy requirements from ∼100 days of gestation to term (∼147 days), respectively. Blood samples from lambs were taken on the first day after born and once at week for serum glucose and IGF1 determination. Lambs were euthanatized at 2 months of age, reproductive organs were weighted and tissue samples were collected from them for histology and to measure mRNA expression of IGF1 and its receptor (IGF1R) by qRT-PCR. Pre-partum glucose levels in R ewes were significantly lower compared to C ewes (p <.05). Compared to lambs born from C ewes, lambs born from R ewes showed lower serum levels of glucose and IGF1 during the first week of age (p <.05). At 2 month of age, these lambs had significant lower uterine and testicular weight and lower ovarian, uterine and testicular mRNA expressions of IGF1 and its receptor (p <.05). Histological findings showed that diameter of secondary and tertiary follicles in ovaries and number of endometrial glands in uterus of females, or number of Sertoli cells and seminiferous tubules and diameter, perimeter and tubular area in testicles of males were significantly lower in lambs born from R ewes compared to the respective organs of lambs born from the C ewes (p <.05). In conclusion, these results demonstrate that maternal subnutrition during late gestation affects IGF1 levels during fetal life and impairs reproductive development in the neonatal lamb, which could have permanent negative consequences in the future reproductive performance of the offspring.Fil: Hoffmann, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Boretto, E.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Vitale, S.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, V.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Vidal, G.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Pardo, Marcelo Fabián. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Flores, M. F.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Garcia, F.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Bagnis, G.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria. Departamento de Patología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Queiroz, O.C.M.. Chr-hansen; ArgentinaFil: Rabaglino, Maria Belen. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria. Departamento de Patología Animal; Argentina. Provincia de Córdoba. Ministerio de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro de Excelencia en Productos y Procesos de Córdoba; Argentin

Substituição do grão de milho pelo grão de milheto em dietas contendo silagem de milho ou silagem de capim-elefante na alimentação de bovinos de corte Replacement of corn grain by pearl millet grain in diets containing corn or elephant grass silage fed beef cattle

O objetivo neste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da substituição do grão de milho pelo grão de milheto em dietas contendo silagem de milho ou de capim-elefante sobre o consumo, a digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes e os parâmetros ruminais de bovinos de corte. Seis novilhos da raça Nelore, providos de cânula ruminal, foram distribuídos em quadrado latino 6 x 6, em arranjo fatorial 2 x 3, com duas fontes de volumoso (silagem de milho ou silagem de capim-elefante) e três níveis de substituição do grão de milho pelo grão de milheto (0, 50 ou 100%). A substituição do grão de milho pelo grão de milheto e as fontes de volumoso não influenciaram o consumo de nutrientes. Entretanto, a utilização da silagem de capim-elefante aumentou o consumo de fibra em detergente ácido e reduziu o consumo de amido em comparação às dietas contendo silagem de milho. Não houve efeito da substituição do grão de milho pelo grão de milheto sobre a digestibilidade de matéria seca, matéria orgânica, proteína bruta, fibra em detergente neutro e fibra em detergente ácido. Contudo, houve aumento da digestibilidade do extrato etéreo, e os maiores valores foram observados para as dietas contendo 50 e 100% de grão de milheto em relação às dietas contendo 100% de grão de milho, independentemente da fonte de volumoso. A digestibilidade do amido também aumentou com a substituição do grão de milho pelo grão de milheto. A fonte de volumoso influenciou a digestibilidade da fibra em detergente neutro e da fibra em detergente ácido, que aumentou com a utilização da silagem de capim-elefante. A substituição do grão de milho pelo grão de milheto na dieta reduz a concentração ruminal de amônia sem alterar a concentração de acetato, propionato, ácidos graxos voláteis totais e o pH ruminal. A utilização de silagem de capim-elefante aumenta a concentração ruminal de acetato e a relação acetato:propionato.<br>The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of replacing corn grain by pearl millet grain in diets containing corn silage or elephant grass silage on feed intake, apparent digestibility of nutrients and ruminal parameters of beef cattle. Six cannulated Nellore steers were distributed in a 6 x 6 Latin square, in a 2 x 3 factorial scheme, with two sources of roughages (corn silage or elephant grass silage) and three levels of replacement of corn grain by pearl millet grain (0, 50 or 100%). Replacement of corn grain by pearl millet grain and the roughage sources did not affect nutrient intake. However, the use of elephant grass silage increased acid detergent fiber and decreased starch intake when compared to diets containing corn silage. There was no effect of replacement of corn grain by pearl millet grain on digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber. However, there was an increase of digestibility of ether extract and the highest values were observed for diets containing 50 and 100% of pearl millet grain in relation to diets containg 100% corn grain, regardless to roughage source. Digestibility of starch was also increased by the replacement of corn grain by pearl millet grain. Roughage source also had an effect on neutral and acid detergent fiber digestibilities, which increased with the use of elephant grass silage. Replacement of corn grain by pearl millet grain in the diet decreases ruminal ammonia concentration without changing concentrations of ruminal acetate, propionate, total volatile fatty acids and ruminal pH. The use of elephant grass silage increases ruminal acetate concentration and acetate:propionate ratio