Nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation and performance of dairy cows fed pomegranate peel extract

An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation characteristics, protozoal population and performance of dairy cows. Four Holstein cows were used in a 4×4 Latin square design with 28-d periods and 4 treatments: PPE0 (no extract), PPE400 (400 ml PPE/cow/d), PPE800 (800 ml PPE/cow/d) and PPE1200 (1200 ml PPE/cow/d). Intake of dry matter, milk yield, and digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber were measured. Ruminal fermentation characteristics such as ruminal pH, concentration of NH3–N, concentration of VFA, molar proportions of individual VFA, protozoa population and microbial N were also measured. Milk production, 4% FCM yield, milk fat and protein yield (kg/d), and milk efficiency were increased by inclusion of PPE800 in the diet. Percent of milk fat, true protein, and lactose were not affected by PPE supplementation. However, inclusion of PPE decreased NH3–N, total protozoal population, genus Isotricha and Entodinium, but increased microbial N production (g/d). Concentrations of total VFA and molar proportions of individual VFA were not affected by inclusion of PPE in the diet. The results suggested that PPE supplementation has reduced protozoa population, NH3-Nconcentration, and increased microbial protein and milk yield and quality

Nitrogen balance,blood metabolites and milk fatty acid composition of dairy cows fed pomegranate-peel extract

An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on nitrogen balance, blood parameters and the milk fatty acid profile of dairy cows. Four Holstein cows were used in a 4×4 Latin square design with 28-d periods and 4 treatments: PPE0 (no extract), PPE400 (400 ml PPE/cow/d), PPE800 (800 ml PPE/cow/d) and PPE1200 (1200 ml PE/cow/d). Nitrogen balance, blood parameters and the milk fatty acid profile were measured. Determination of secondary metabolites showed its high content of aqueous fraction, total phenolics and total tannin with reasonable content of saponins. Outputs of N in milk were quadratically increased (P=0.044) by inclusion of PPE at 400 and 800 ml PPE/cow/d in the diet. Blood cholesterol (quadratic effect, P=0.043), blood urea nitrogen (linear effect, P=0.047) and milk urea nitrogen (quadratic effect, P=0.0008) concentrations decreased with adding PPE. Supplementation with PPE quadratically lowered total saturated fatty acid (P=0.005), proportions of C12:0 (linear effect=0.040), C16:1c9 (quadratic effect, P=0.011), C18:0 (linear effect, P=0.083, quadratic effect, P=0.011) and ω6/ω3 (quadratic effect, P=0.007). Amount of C18:3c (n-3) (linear effect, P=0.046), DHA (C22:6) (quadratic effect, P=0.009) and EPA (C20:5) (quadratic effect, P=0.012) were increased by inclusion of PPE. Adding PPE lowered blood cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen and milk urea nitrogen. Milk from cows fed PE had significantly lower total saturated fatty acid, desirable ω6/ω3 ratio and higher content of EPA and DHA

Utilization of fungal treated wheat straw in the diet of late lactating cow

Eight primiparous Holstein cows, in late lactation (255±10 days in milk) and yielding 10.3±1.3 kg/d of 4% fat corrected milk (FCM) were allocated into two groups randomly. Two diets containing 30% wheat straw either untreated (UWS) or treated with Pleurotus ostreatus (FTWS) were offered as total mixed ration (TMR). In vivo digestibility of the diets was determined, using acid insoluble ash as a marker. Daily milk production was recorded and milk samples were collected and analysed. Diet FTWS resulted in significantly (p<0.05) higher dry matter intake (DMI) (12.2±0.86 vs. 10.6±1.3), DM digestibility (58.8 vs. 52.3) and milk yield (9 vs. 7.5 kg). Milk fat contents were 34.2 and 35.6 g/liter that did not differ between cows fed treated or untreated straw. However, the concentrations of lactose, solid non fat, total solids and milk protein for diets UWS and FTWS were 57.3 and 54.9, 98.9 and 93.2, 134.5 and 127.4, 35.7 and 32.3 g/l, respectively, which differed significantly (p<0.05). The average body weights gain (BWG) for UWS and FTWS were 272 and 743 g/d, respectively (p<0.05). The FCM yield per kg of DMI was similar (0.68 and 0.67 liter) for the two groups, but BWG/kgDMI was higher in the FTWS diet

Nutritive value of wheat straw treated with Pleurotus fungi

Soaked and pasteurised wheat straw was inoculated with five species of Pleurotus fungi (coded P-21, P-30, P-41, P-60 and P-90), packed in polyethylene bags and incubated in a fermentation chamber for 21 days. The chemical composition, in vitro digestibility and in sacco degradability of the treated and untreated straw were estimated using a complete randomised design consisting of six treatments and four replicates. In a feeding trial, in vivo digestibility and voluntary intake were determined in bulls, using a 3x3 change over design. Dietary treatments were: 1) untreated wheat straw (UWS) as control; 2) fungal treated (P-41) wheat straw before mushroom formation (FTWS); 3) spent wheat straw (SPWS) after mushrooms were harvested. Apart from P-90, fungal treatment significantly (p<0.05) increased the crude protein (CP) and reduced the cell wall components of the straw. The in vitro dry mater and organic mater digestibility significantly (p<0.05) increased in the treated straw particularly with the treatments of P-41 and P-60. The in situ degradability and in vivo digestibility of DM and OM were significantly (p<0.05) increased in treated straws with the highest values observed for treatment P-41. The intake of DM, OM and digestible organic mater (DOM) were significantly (p<0.05) increased in cows fed FTWS