Using Fermented Juice of Epiphytic Lactic Acid Bacteria (FJLB) and Molasses to Improve Digestibility and Rumen Fermentation Characteristics of Ruzigrass Silage Fed to Dairy Cows

The effects of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) and molasses (MO) on ruzigrass silage digestibility and rumen fermentation characteristics in dairy cows were studied. All treated silages were well-preserved as indicated by the pH value and NH3-N content. Silage treated with MO or MO-FJLB had lower pH and higher lactic acid contents than untreated silages and FJLB silages. Butyric acid was not detected in the FJLB silage. Water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) was higher in the MO silages; neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) did not differ significantly. Dry matter intake in cows fed with all silages did not differ among diets. The CP digestibility of the FJLB silage was higher than the other silages. Forrumen characteristics, pH value was lower in cows fed with MO silages. However, volatile fatty acid content in rumen fluid and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) contents did not differ significantly among silages. The cellulolytic bacteria populations were significantly higher in cows fed FJLB and MO-FJLB silages than in cows fed untreated silages. In conclusion, adding FJLB to ruzigrass silage improved fermentative quality, digestibility of crude protein and increased cellulolytic bacteria counts in cows

An attempt to define the sodium requirements of lactating dairy cows in a tropical environment

BACKGROUND: Lactating dairy cattle in the tropics may require more sodium (Na) owing to the hot and humid climatic conditions. It is unknown whether the current recommendations on Na for lactating cows can be quantitatively used in tropical countries. This study attempted to define the Na requirement of lactating dairy cows under tropical conditions by measuring Na levels in saliva, milk and faeces. RESULTS: The concentrations of Na and potassium (K) in milk, faeces and serum were not affected by dietary treatments. The amount of Na absorbed by cows fed the basal (low-Na) diet containing 0.4 g Na kg-1 dry matter (DM) was equal to the amount of Na lost in the milk, showing that these animals were fed an Na-deficient ration. This observation was corroborated by salivary Na and K levels, with the cows on the low-Na diet having salivary Na concentrations below 120 mmol L-1 in combination with salivary K concentrations above 20 mmol L-1 (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Consumption of a daily ration formulated to contain the current Na requirement set by the NRC appears to provide too much Na for lactating cows under tropical conditions. A tentative value of 1.2 g kg-1 DM is proposed as the Na requirement for dairy cows under tropical conditions. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industr

Mammary gene expressions and oxidative indicators in ruminal fluid, blood, milk, and mammary tissue of dairy goats fed a total mixed ration containing piper meal (Piper betle L.)

The study evaluated the effect of piper meal which contains flavonoids, essential oils, and phenolic acids on the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT), and as well as oxidative stress indicators such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl-scavenging activity and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in the ruminal fluid, mammary tissue, milk, and blood of lactating goats. Fourteen early lactating Saanen goats (body weight, 44 ± 2.51 kg; 14 ± 3 days in milk) were allotted in equal number to two experimental groups, each received one of the two total mixed rations: control (CON) diet (containing 0% piper meal) and CPM diet (CON diet containing 1.3% piper meal per kg dry matter). Compared with goats fed the CON diet, those fed CPM diet had similar 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl-scavenging, GPx and CAT activity in ruminal fluid, mammary tissue, milk, and blood; however, those samples had increased SOD activity. Dietary CPM diet had a tendency to decrease TBARS production in ruminal fluid, mammary tissue, milk, and plasma by about 2.4, 1.2, 1.1, and 1.4 folds, respectively. Furthermore, alleviated values of TBARS were associated with dwindling mRNA expression of κ light polypeptide gene enhancer in nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1) but greater expression of SOD1, SOD2, SOD3, and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NFE2L2) in mammary tissue. Our findings showed that the inclusion of 13.0 g piper meal in per kg diet (CPM) can improve the oxidative status of Saanen goats in early lactation

Nitrate supplementation of rations based on rice straw but not Pangola hay, improves growth performance in meat goats

Objective: Supplemental nitrate is known to be an effective tool to mitigate methane emission by ruminants. Based on theoretical considerations, supplemental nitrate can improve but also deteriorate the growth performance. The overall effect of supplemental nitrate on growth performance, however, is not yet known. The objective of the current study was therefore to evaluate the effect of a higher dose of NO3- on overall growth performance when feeding either Pangola grass hay or rice straw. Methods: Thirty-two crossbred, 3-month-old Thai native x Anglo-Nubian crossbred male goats were used. The experiment had a 2×2 factorial design with an experimental period of 60 days. Eight goats were randomly allocated to each dietary treatment, i.e. a ration containing either Pangola hay (Digitaria eriantha Steud) or rice straw (Oryza Sativa) as a source of roughage, supplemented with a concentrate containing either 3.2 or 4.8% potassium nitrate. The rations were formulated to be isonitrogenous. The animals were weighed at the start of the experiment and at days 30 and 60. Feces were collected during the last five days of each 30-day period. Results: High-nitrate increased overall DM intake by approximately 3%, irrespective the source of roughage, but only the goats fed a rice straw-based ration responded with an increase in body weight (BW). Thus, the overall feed conversion ratio (kg feed/kg BW gain) was influenced by roughage source × nitrate and decreased by almost 60% when the goats were fed rice straw in combination with a high versus a low dietary nitrate content. The digestibility of macronutrients was only affected by the source of roughage and the digestibility of OM, CP and NDF was greater when the goats were fed Pangola hay. Conclusion: It was concluded that the replacement of soybean meal by nitrate improves the growth performance of meat goats fed rations based on rice straw, but not Pangola hay