The inclusion of a daisy plant (Chrysanthemum coronarium) in dairy sheep diet: 2. Effect on the volatile fraction of milk and cheese

An experiment was undertaken to evaluate the effect on volatile fraction of milk and cheese of the inclusion of Chysanthemum coronarium (Asteracea) in the diet of grazing sheep. Plots sown either with a binary mixture consisting of Lolium rigidum Gaudin and Medicago polymorpha L. (LM) or a ternary mixture including the above species and C. coronarium L. (LMC) were grazed by groups of Sarda dairy ewes during May. This daisy plant contained several volatile compounds: the main were 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethylidene)-ciclohexene (terpinolene, 47%) and ethanol (36%). Among other volatile substances, terpenes such as -pinene, triciclene and camphene; cyclic and unsaturated hydrocarbons and esters were detected. In contrast no volatile fraction was found in both the grass and the legume.

The inclusion of C. coronarium in sheep diet affected the composition of volatile fraction of milk and cheese. In particular LMC milk and cheese, unlike the counterparts, were featured by the occurrence of terpenes such as terpinolene, triciclene, 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene, -pinene and camphene. A panel-test based on olfactory evaluation showed that the cheese obtained from sheep grazing the ternary mixture was distinguishable from that of counterparts grazing the grass-legume mixture (P < 0.05). To conclude this daisy plant can be regarded as a putative tracer of dairy sheep production system.     

Effect of extruded linseed on productive and reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows

A total of 356 early lactation multiparous Holstein cows were used in a randomized complete block design to determine the effects of feeding extruded linseed on milk production and composition, and reproductive performance. Forty of these cows were randomly selected to study the effects of extruded linseed on milk fatty acid (FA) profile, individual feed intake and prostaglandin secretion. Cows were fed a 40:60 forage to concentrate ratio diet (17.9% CP, 27.7% NDF and 6.0% EE) ad libitum that was similar in composition between treatments except for the protein supplements that differed and were control (CTR: 4.9% extruded soybean) and linseed (LIN: 5.5% extruded linseed). Individual DM intake measured at 40 (23.0 kg/d) and 90 (24.2 kg/d) days in milk, and milk yield (45.0 kg/d) were not affected by treatment, but the lower (P < 0.05) milk fat percentage in cows fed LIN (2.65%) compared with CTR (2.86%) resulted in lower (P < 0.05) 4.0% fat-corrected milk yield for cows fed LIN (35.4 kg/d) compared with CTR (37.7 kg/d). Milk protein content was higher (P < 0.05) in LIN (3.04%) than in CTR (3.00%). The concentration of saturated FA was lower (P < 0.05) in milk fat from LIN (56.2%) compared with CTR (60.2%). Monounsaturated FA (35.7 vs. 32.7%) and polyunsaturated FA (8.0 vs. 6.9%) were higher in LIN (P < 0.05) than in CTR. Supplementation with LIN also increased (P < 0.05) the proportion of vaccenic acid (2.21 vs. 1.55%), total conjugated linoleic acid (0.91 vs. 0.72%) and n-3 FA (1.21 vs. 0.54%) in milk compared with CTR. Plasma concentrations of prostaglandin metabolite were numerically lower in LIN (106 pg/ml) compared with CTR (120 pg/ml) (P = 0.16) but reproductive performance was similar between treatments. In summary, extruded linseed reduced milk fat percentage and 4.0% fat-corrected milk yield and increased milk protein percentage and the content of healthy FA in milk without modifying DM intake, milk yield and reproductive performance.     

Effects of supplementation on voluntary dry matter intake, growth and nutrient digestibility of the Fiji Fantastic sheep on a basal diet of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum)

Eighteen growing Fiji Fantastic (FF) sheep (nine ram lambs and nine ewe lambs), 5–6 months old, pre-experimental average body weight of 25.6 ± 0.82 kg were randomly divided into three groups of six and allotted to the treatments designated as A: Guinea grass (Panicum maximum); B: Guinea grass + concentrate mixture; and C: Guinea grass + crushed wheat grain in a completely randomized design experiment that lasted for 92 days. Total DM intake of sheep on forage + concentrate mixture were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those on forage + crushed wheat grain and forage alone. Average daily gains (ADG) were 30, 75 and 42 g/day for forage, forage + concentrate mixture and forage + crushed wheat grain, respectively. ADG was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in sheep on forage + concentrate mixture. Daily protein intakes and BUN concentration were 3.59, 10.39 and 5.60 g/kg^0.75/day; and 6.0, 9.7 and 6.0 mmol/l for sheep on forage alone, forage + concentrate mixture and forage + crushed wheat grain, respectively. BUN and glucose concentrations at the post-experimental period were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in sheep on forage + concentrate mixture. DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent lignin (ADL), hemicellulose and energy digestibility were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in sheep on the concentrate mixture while neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in sheep fed crushed wheat grain. Sheep on the concentrate mixture were also significantly (P < 0.002) higher in metabolizable energy intake (MEI). Sheep on concentrate mixture had higher organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) digestibility, high DMI and ADG. In conclusion this experiment has provided some relevant lacking information on the average DMI and ADG of the FF sheep and a concentrate mixture of 16.5% CP plus 19.0 MJ GE/kg BW seems ideal to meet the protein and energy requirements of the FF sheep for growth in the tropical environment of Fiji. Finally data obtained also demonstrated the influence of supplementary concentrate feeding on DMI and ADG of the FF sheep.     

Evaluation of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) forage as a substitute for concentrate in diets of sheep

A feeding trial was carried out for 90 days to asses the supplementing effect of tagasaste forage as a substitute for a concentrate supplement (wheat bran–noug seed cake (Gizotia abyssinica) mixture in 3:1 proportion) using 24 Menz male sheep (initial weight of 18.3 ± 1.6 kg). The sheep were fed on natural pasture hay as basal diet. The treatments were iso-nitrogenous supplements of 100% concentrate offered at 200 g DM/sheep/day (T1), 67% concentrate + 33% tagasaste (T2), 33% concentrate + 67% tagasaste (T3) and 100% tagasaste (T4). Digestibility tests of treatment diets were done for 10 days following the feeding trial using the same experimental animals. At the end of the experiment, carcass parameters were also evaluated. In situ degradability of feeds was determined using three rumen fistulated crossbred steers. Tagasaste forage contains more CP (215 g/kg), ADF (221 g/kg), ADL (69 g/kg); and less NDF (351 g/kg) compared to the concentrate. The concentrate had a high immediately soluble fraction (a), and a low insoluble but potential degradable matter (b), while tagasaste had a low a and higher b values and the overall potential degradability was 755, 702, and 586 g/kg, for tagasaste, concentrate and natural pasture hay respectively. Tagasaste forage had also shown higher rates of degradation (c) compared to the concentrate which might increase the total effective degradability. In the feeding trial the supplements made 26.8, 27.0, 28.3 and 29% of the total dry matter (DM) intake for T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. Increasing the inclusion of tagasaste forage significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the daily total DM intake of the basal diet and total metabolizable energy (ME), and increased the CP intake. The average weight gain of sheep did not show significant difference (P > 0.05), but had a decreasing trend, with 44.4, 41.4, 38.9 and 38.1 g/sheep for T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The in vivo digestibility of DM and nutrients generally followed the order of T1 > T2 > T3 > T4. The dressing percentage of the carcass was 40.4% and all other parameters measured did not show significant variation due to treatment diets (P > 0.05). However, weight of liver, kidney and spleen was higher for sheep fed with higher tagasaste forage diet. The result of this study revealed that tagasaste can substitute wheat bran–noug seed cake concentrate mixture as a protein supplement. Options to increase the low ME and minimize the effect of the anti nutritional factors will improve nutrient digestibility in tagasaste forage and will enhance the overall efficiency of feed utilization.     

The effects of increasing the level of dietary wormwood (Artemisia montana Pampan) on intake, digestibility, N balance and ruminal fermentation characteristics in sheep

This study investigated the effect of replacing concentrates with dry wormwood (Artemisia montana) on the performance of sheep. Four Corriedale × Polwarth sheep (41.3 ± 1.3 kg) were fed diets with an 8 : 2 straw to supplement ratio, for four, consecutive 16 d periods (10 d adaptation, 6 d collection) in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Supplements were made by substituting 0 (Control), 30 (LW), 50 (MW) or 100 (HW) g/kg DM of concentrate (15.6% CP, 72.1% of TDN) with dried, ground wormwood. Ruminal pH, NH₃–N and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were measured on d 6 of collection. Ether extract (EE) intake was linearly decreased (P < 0.001) with increasing wormwood inclusion, otherwise intake was unaffected. The Control diet had lower (P < 0.05) DM and CP digestibility than LW and MW diets and lower EE digestibility than the LW diet. Retained N (P < 0.05) and microbial N yield (P < 0.01) linearly increased with dietary wormwood level, but efficiency of microbial N synthesis linearly decreased (P < 0.001). Mean concentrations of rumen NH₃–N, total VFA and propionic acid were quadratically increased (P < 0.05) by increasing wormwood inclusion. Replacing concentrates with 30–50 g/kg DM of wormwood increased N retention, microbial N yield and EE digestibility.     

Effect of feeding different levels of foliage of Moringa oleifera to creole dairy cows on intake, digestibility, milk production and composition

An experiment was conducted in Nicaragua to determine the effect of feeding different levels of foliage from Moringa oleifera Lam (synonym: Moringa pterygosperma Gaertner) to dairy cows on intake, digestibility, milk production and milk composition. The treatments were: Brachiaria brizantha hay ad libitum, either unsupplemented or supplemented with 2 kg or 3 kg of Moringa on a dry matter (DM) basis. Six Bos indicus cows of the Creole Reyna breed, with a mean body weight of 394 ± 24 kg were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. Supplementation with Moringa increased (P < 0.05) DM intake from 8.5 to 10.2 and 11.0 kg DM day^− 1 and milk production from 3.1 to 4.9 and 5.1 kg day^− 1 for B. brizantha hay only and supplementation with 2 kg and 3 kg DM of Moringa, respectively. Milk fat, total solids and crude protein and organoleptic characteristics, smell, taste and colour, were not significantly different between the diets. Apparent digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF increased (P < 0.05) in the diets supplemented with Moringa compared with B. brizantha hay alone. The results showed that the inclusion of Moringa as a protein supplement to low quality diets improved DM intake and digestibility of the diet and increased milk production but did not affect milk composition.     

Sward characteristics, grass dry matter intake and milk production performance is affected by timing of spring grazing and subsequent stocking rate

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of contrasting spring grazing dates (GD) and stocking rate (SR) on sward characteristics, grass dry matter intake and milk production performance of autumn calving dairy cows during the spring period. Two swards were created by grazing in March (early grazing; E) or by delaying first grazing until mid-April (late grazing; L). Two stocking rates, high (H; 5.5) and medium (M; 4.5) were applied across each sward. Forty eight autumn calving Holstein cows (160 ± 35 days in milk) were assigned to one of four (n = 12) different grazing treatments. The experiment began on April 17th and finished after 2 grazing rotations on June 20th. Later spring grazing significantly increased herbage mass (kg DM/ha) above ground level (+ 933, P < 0.05) and > 50 mm (+ 738, P < 0.05). Compressed sward height (+ 22.1 mm, P < 0.05), extended tiller height (+ 73 mm, P < 0.001) and pseudostem height (+ 35 mm, P < 0.001) were also significantly higher for later grazed swards. In the grazing horizon (> 80 mm— extended tiller height), later grazed swards had significantly lower leaf proportion (− 0.09, P < 0.05) and higher dead material (+ 0.05, P < 0.001). Daily herbage allowance (> 50 mm) was on average 12.7, 15.9, 18.2 and 21.9 kg DM/cow for EH, EM, LH and LM, respectively. Daily leaf allowance (> 80 mm) was 10.1, 12.3, 13.3 and 14.5 kg DM/cow for EH, EM, LH and LM, respectively. The EM (16.2 kg DM/cow), LH (+ 0.1 kg) and LM (0.8 kg) treatments all had similar grass DM intake, however there was evidence of an interaction (P < 0.10) between GD and SR, this was due to the low grass DM intake of the EH (13.9 kg DM/cow) treatment. When expressed as UFL (Fill unit) intake the EM treatment recorded the highest value. There was a significant interaction between GD and SR (P < 0.01) for milk, protein yield, 4% fat corrected milk yield (P < 0.05) and protein concentration (P < 0.001). Cows grazing the EM treatment produced 23.9 kg of milk, 876 and 685 g of fat and protein yield. The difference in milk production (cow/day) between EM and EH treatments was + 3.6 kg milk, + 98 g fat and + 107 g protein. The production yield difference between LM and LH treatments was + 1.1 kg milk, + 27 g fat and + 29 g protein in favour of the LM treatment (23.9 kg of milk, 877 and 687 g fat and protein yield). Herbage quality and morphological characteristics are clearly improved with early spring grazing as herbage mass is reduced on subsequent rotations. Swards grazed in early spring allow higher grass utilisation and high milk production performance when grazed at a medium stocking rate. Improved milk production from herbage can be achieved provided herbage mass and allowance are maintained at levels where herbage quality decreases are minimised.     

Correlation between carcass conformation and fat cover degree, and muscle fatty acid profile of yearling bulls depending on breed and mh-genotype

The objective was to study the relationships between the actual European beef carcass classification scale, which classifies carcasses with regard to conformation and degree of fat cover scores, and muscle fat quality, depending on breed and mh-genotype. For this purpose samples from 100 yearling bulls from “Asturiana de los Valles” (24 AV(mh/mh), 26 AV(mh/+), 25 AV (+/+)) and “Asturiana de la Montaña” (25 AM) were analysed. The results of the study showed that breed or genotype affect carcass measurement scores and muscle fatty acid profile through its important effect on animal overall fatness. Homozygous double-muscled animals produced carcasses with high conformation and low intramuscular (IM) fat content. While early-maturing and rustic AM animals produced low carcass yield and high IM fat content. The other genotypes (mh/+, +/+) showed, in general, intermediate characteristics. Referring to correlations, carcass conformation was negatively related to saturated (SFA) (r = − 0.69, P < 0.001) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) (r = − 0.69, P < 0.001) groups, and positively to polyunsaturated (PUFA) (r = 0.72), n-6 (r = 0.72), n-3 (r = 0.71) and unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) (r = 0.69) groups, being all of them significant (P < 0.001). However, carcass degree of fat cover was positively related to SFA (r = 0.53, P < 0.001) and MUFA (r = 0.62, P < 0.001), and negatively to PUFA (r = − 0.61), n-6 (r = − 0.60), n-3 (r = − 0.62) and UFA (r = − 0.53) groups, being all of them significant. Moreover, simple and low-cost prediction equations were calculated for a rapid and sufficiently accurate fatty acid group (SFA, MUFA, PUFA, n-6, n-3, UFA) estimation (R² > 0.46, P < 0.001). In general, meat obtained from double-muscled animals display a more appropriate IM fatty acid profile from the nutritional point of view according to actual recommendations, but it could happen the disability of these lean animals to deposit sufficient IM fat to ensure consumer overall liking or acceptability.     

Microbial activity in the gut of piglets: I. Effect of prebiotic and probiotic supplementation

Four groups of six 21 days-old piglets were used to evaluate the effect of a prebiotic or probiotic on the intestinal fermentative activity. In each group, piglets received one of the following diets: basal diet (C); basal diet supplemented with xylo-oligosaccharide (C-XOS); basal diet supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (C-SC); and basal diet supplemented with xylo-oligosaccharide and S. cerevisiae (C-XOS + SC).

The short chain fatty acids in the colon of piglets were decreased with the inclusion of S. cerevisiae in the diet (P < 0.01). The xylanolytic activity was higher (P < 0.05) in the small intestine of piglets fed C-XOS + SC diet, but no significant differences were found in the caecum and colon. In the caecum contents, the cellulolytic activity was increased (P < 0.05) by the C-XOS and C-SC diets, but remained similar when the diet was supplemented with the two additives combined.     

A comparison of the direct and residual response of dairy cows to once or twice-daily milking, in late lactation

Two experiments were undertaken to examine the direct and residual responses of late lactation (mean of 232 days calved) autumn calving dairy cows (Experiment 1), and late lactation (mean of 240 days calved) spring calving dairy cows (Experiment 2), to once-daily milking. Experiments 1 and 2 involved 50 and 44 Holstein–Friesian dairy cows respectively. In each of the two experiments, cows were milked either once daily (ODM) or twice daily (TDM), during the late lactation period (mean of 79 and 66 days in Experiments 1 and 2 respectively). Cows in Experiment 1 were managed within a grazing system, and were offered 3.0 kg of concentrate/day, while cows in Experiment 2 were housed, and offered grass silage supplemented with 6.0 kg concentrate/day. Forty-one cows from Experiment 1, and 32 cows from Experiment 2, completed the first eight weeks of the subsequent lactation on a twice-daily milking regime. Food intakes were not measured in Experiment 1, while treatment had no significant effect on dry matter intake in Experiment 2 (P > 0.05). In each of Experiments 1 and 2, total milk output was increased with twice-daily milking (P ≤ 0.05), while milk fat (P ≤ 0.01) and protein (P < 0.001) concentrations increased with once-daily milking. Somatic cell counts were higher with animals milked once daily in Experiment 1 (P < 0.001), while not being significantly affected by milking frequency in Experiment 2 (P > 0.05). Milking frequency had no significant effect on cow live weight or on cow condition score at the point of drying off in either Experiment (P > 0.05). Milking time per cow during morning milking was unaffected by treatment in either experiment, while total daily milking time per cow (morning and evening combined) was significantly longer with the TDM treatment (P < 0.001). In Experiment 1, milk flow rates during the morning milking were higher with animals on the ODM treatment, compared to those on TDM treatment (P < 0.001), while being unaffected by treatment in Experiment 2 (P > 0.05). Neither daily milk yield, milk fat content, milk protein content, or somatic cell count during the subsequent lactation, were affected by previous lactation milking frequency in either of Experiments 1 or 2 (P > 0.05).     

Effect of twinning on the feed intake, performance and health of dairy cows

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of bearing twins on the health and performance of dairy cows. Data from twin-bearing Holstein Friesian cows at the Langhill Dairy Research Centre between January 1990 and July 2002 were compared to single-bearing cows to determine if there was any significant difference in milk production, feed intakes, health and fertility. There were 122 twin births (from 104 different cows) in the Langhill herd, a rate of 4.7% during the study period.

The incidence of twinning was higher in high genetic merit cows (select genetic line cows) and increased with parity (r = 0.870, P < 0.01). Compared to a single-bearing cow, a twin pregnancy was associated with a shorter gestation period, an increased chance of a retained placenta after calving and a poorer body condition score post-calving. The post-calving condition score of twin-bearing cows was negatively correlated with the total weight of calves born (r = − 0.235, P < 0.05). Twin-calving cows also had significantly more dystocia, a higher chance of having a dead calf, an increased number of days from calving to their first observed heat and number of days from calving to their first service. Dystocia was positively correlated with the number of dead calves at birth (r = 0.309, P < 0.01) and with the total weight of calves born (r = 0.211, P < 0.05). Twin-bearing cows on a low-concentrate diet had an increased chance of having metritis and/or endometritis compared to single-bearing cows on the same diet. There was no significant difference in the reason for culling or the time at which cows were culled post-calving, however, twin-bearing cows on a low-concentrate diet were 3.2 times more likely to be culled than a single-bearing cow, with cows on a high-concentrate diet having equally high levels of culling. There were no significant differences between twin- and single-producing cows' mean daily feed intakes, daily milk yields, total milk yields and milk fat and protein compositions during early, mid and late lactation pre and postpartum on a low- or high-concentrate diet. The body condition and drying off period of twin pregnant cows should be managed to avoid post-calving health and performance problems.     

Effects of toasting blue lupins, soybeans or barley as supplement for high-yielding, organic dairy cows fed grass-clover silage ad libitum

The effect of toasted supplement on milk production was examined in three experiments on an organic study farm during the winter 2004/2005. Three types of iso-energetic supplement feed, toasted or untreated, were examined in each experiment, with an untreated cereal mixture as control. The supplement under investigation was: lupins in experiment 1, barley in experiment 2 and soybeans in experiment 3. The same forage mixture of grass-clover silage (84% of DM), grass pellets (11% of DM) and straw (5% of DM) was fed ad libitum in all the experiments.

Toasting decreased effective rumen protein degradability determined in situ for all three supplements. Compared to untreated lupins toasting of lupins tended (P = 0.10) to increase milk yield, whereas toasting of soybeans did not affect milk yield. Toasting of lupins decreased (P = 0.03) milk protein content (32.2 versus 32.7 g/kg), whereas toasting of soybeans did not affect milk protein content. ECM yield was significantly higher (P = 0.002) for cows fed toasted soybeans than for cows fed untreated soybeans (28.1 versus 26.4 kg ECM) whereas there was no significant effect on ECM yield from toasting lupins or barley. It can be concluded that the potential of toasting to increase the supply of metabolisable protein under organic feeding conditions is variable between feeds.     

The effect of dietary crude protein concentration and inulin supplementation on nitrogen excretion and intestinal microflora from finisher pigs

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was used to investigate the interaction between dietary crude protein (CP) concentration (200 vs 140 g/kg) and inulin supplementation (0 vs 12.5 g/kg) on nitrogen (N) excretion and intestinal microflora from 16 boars (n = 4, 74.0 kg live weight). The diets were formulated to contain similar concentrations of digestible energy and lysine. Pigs offered the high CP diets had a higher excretion of urinary N (P < 0.01), faecal N (P < 0.01) and total N (P < 0.001) than the pigs offered the low CP diets. Inulin supplementation increased faecal N excretion (P < 0.05) and decreased urine: faeces N ratio (P < 0.05) compared to the inulin free diets. There was no significant effect (P > 0.05) of dietary treatment on N retention. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) between dietary CP concentration and inulin supplementation on caecal E.coli. Pigs offered the diet containing 200 g/kg CP plus inulin decreased the population of E.coli compared to the inulin supplemented 140 g/kg protein diet. However, CP concentration had no significant effect on the population of E.coli in the unsupplemented diets. Inulin supplementation increased caecal bifidobacteria (P < 0.01) compared to the inulin free diets. In conclusion, inulin supplementation favourably altered N excretion and lowered the population of E.coli at high CP concentrations.     

Effect of adding Lactobacillus plantarum or a formic acid containing-product to fermented liquid feed on gastrointestinal ecology and growth performance of piglets

A study was carried out to investigate whether adding a starter culture or a formic acid containing-product to fermented liquid feed of suboptimal microbial quality could improve the characteristics of the mixture and the gastrointestinal ecology and growth performance of piglets. Four experimental diets were prepared: Feed and water were mixed in the ratio 1:2.5 (w/w) in four closed tanks. Diet 1) Three times daily, 50% of the mixture stored in the tank was removed and then replaced with an equal amount of fresh feed and water, (FLF), positive control; Diet 2) Three times daily, 95% of the mixture stored in the tank was removed and then replaced with an equal amount of fresh feed and water. Escherichia coli K12 (1 × 10⁶/g) was added every morning (COLI); Diet 3) as the COLI treatment and added Lactobacillus plantarum VTT E-78076 (1 × 10⁶/g) every morning (+PLANTARUM); and Diet 4) as the COLI treatment and added 0.26 g AIV/KemiSile 2 plus/100 g mixture three times daily (+ACID). One hundred and sixty weaners were used. On day 14, one littermate from each pen was killed and the gastrointestinal tract removed. The remaining piglets were used to measure the effect of the experimental diets on growth performance during the first six weeks post-weaning. The +ACID diet had lower numbers of lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae, higher numbers of yeasts, and lower concentration of lactic acid and acetic acid than the COLI and +PLANTARUM diets. Feeding the +PLANTARUM and the +ACID diets increased daily weight gain during the six weeks post-weaning (P ≤ 0.02) compared to feeding the COLI diet. The +ACID group showed the highest numerical daily feed intake in all periods. The gain/feed during the six weeks post-weaning tended to be lowest in the COLI group (P < 0.10). The counts of lactic acid bacteria able to grow at 20 °C were lowest in the stomach (P ≤ 0.003) and distal small intestine (P ≤ 0.06) of the +ACID group. The counts of yeasts able to grow at 37 °C in the stomach were highest in the +ACID (P ≤ 0.01) and FLF groups (P ≤ 0.09). The number of yeasts able to grow at 20 °C in the stomach and distal small intestine was highest in the FLF fed piglets, followed by the +ACID group. This study showed that addition of L. plantarum VTT E-78076 or AIV/KemiSile 2 plus to fermented liquid feed of suboptimal microbial quality improved growth performance without affecting the gastrointestinal ecology of piglets substantially.     

The effect of quality of grass and maize silage on the intake and performance of beef cattle

A study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of incorporating high (HMS) and low (LMS) maturity maize silages into diets based on low (LGS) and high (HGS) feed value grass silages offered to beef cattle. Seventy-two continental cross-bred steers were used in a 14-week continuous design, randomised block experiment. The six treatments were arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial design incorporating the LGS and HGS offered as the sole forage, along with each of the two grass silages offered in a 60:40 ratio (DM basis) with the HMS and LMS. All diets were supplemented with 3 kg/head/day concentrates. Total daily DM and metabolisable energy intakes were higher (P < 0.001) for diets based on HGS compared to those based on LGS. Intakes were similar (P > 0.05) between diets containing LMS and HMS, both of which were higher (P < 0.001) than diets containing grass silage as the sole forage. Highest DM intakes were recorded with a mixture of HGS and HMS (P < 0.05 or greater). Cattle offered diets containing HGS had higher live-weight gain (P < 0.05), final live weight, carcass gain and carcass weight (P < 0.001) than those offered diets containing LGS. Feed conversion efficiency, assessed on a carcass gain basis, was poorer (P < 0.05) with diets containing LGS compared with those containing HGS, though differences between diets containing either LMS or HMS and GS as the sole forage were not significant (P > 0.05).     

Effects of outdoor winter housing and feeding level on performance and blood metabolites of suckler cows fed whole-crop barley silage

The experiment studied the effects of long-term cold climatic housing conditions at a latitude of 62°N on pregnant Hereford cows and their progeny. Thirty-five cows in their third parity were overwintered in outdoor facilities with either a rain-shelter or a three-wall shelter, or in an uninsulated barn. Whole-crop barley silage was offered to the cows either ad libitum or restricted supplemented with oats. The dry matter intake on the restricted diet was 75% of that on the ad libitum diet. The cow live weight (LW) averaged 670 kg at the onset of the experiment. During winter the cows outdoors on the restricted diet maintained their LW while those on the ad libitum diet gained LW (P < 0.05, − 3 vs. 41 kg). On pasture, the LW gain (LWG) was 61 and 32 kg (P < 0.05) for the cows overwintered outdoors on the restricted and on the ad libitum diets, respectively. The initial body condition score (BCS, Scale: 0–5) of the cows averaged 2.90. During winter the cows outdoors on the restricted diet decreased and those on the ad libitum diet increased the BCS (P < 0.01, − 0.14 vs. 0.21). On pasture, the cows overwintered outdoors on the restricted diet increased the BCS more than those overwintered on the ad libitum diet (P < 0.05, 0.31 vs. 0.08). No signs of extraordinary stress, massive consumption of energy stores, frequent muscle injuries or severe inflammations occurred in any of the groups according to blood analyses of cows, e.g. cortisol, long-chain fatty acids, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase and white blood cell count. The calving period was from 11 March to 21 April. Only one indoor calving was classified as difficult due to faulty disposition leading to the loss of the calf. All outdoor calvings were easy. The LWG of the indoor calves of cows on the ad libitum diet was poorer (P < 0.05) pre the grazing period than that of the outdoor calves of cows on the ad libitum diet. On pasture and during the entire experiment the LWG was similar for all calves, averaging 1335 and 1251 g/d, respectively. The breeding season was 82 days. Thirty cows out of 33 were observed to be pregnant after the mating period. All the facilities offered adequate shelter for the mature, pregnant suckler cows. The restricted offering of whole-crop barley silage provided, on average, 101 MJ metabolizable energy/d and gave enough energy for the cows.     

Effect of early weaning on performance, carcass and meat quality of spring-born bull calves raised in dry mountain areas

Sixteen bull calves were born in the Spanish Central Pyrenees in spring. They were either early (EW, 90 days of age) or normal weaned (NW, 180 days of age). At day 90, EW calves were placed on an intensive diet while NW calves were turned out with their dams to high mountain pastures. After summer, at day 180, NW calves were weaned and placed with EW calves on a common finishing diet until slaughter at the fixed age of 1 year. From birth to early weaning date, no performance differences appeared. However, EW calves gained faster (1.549 kg/day) than their unweaned counterparts (0.783 kg/day) from early to normal weaning date (P < 0.001). During the finishing period, NW calves showed compensatory growth, with a 44% higher ADG than EW calves (P < 0.001), with a similar feed intake and a better feed conversion ratio. Early weaned calves had a longer fattening phase than NW calves (264 vs. 158 days, respectively; P < 0.001) and thus total feed intake and feed costs were greater. When slaughtered at 1 year of age, EW and NW calves attained similar weight (489 vs. 510 kg, respectively; P > 0.05), but dressing percentage was higher for EW calves (56.9%) than for NW calves (55.2%) (P < 0.01), which led EW calves to have heavier carcasses, without differences in fat score or conformation. The different growth paths, the result of weaning management, did not affect meat tenderness, chemical composition and fatty acid profile, but affected meat lightness, with higher values for compensating calves (NW) than calves in continuous growth (EW). In conclusion, advancing weaning age modified calf performance without affecting substantially carcass characteristics, except for an improvement in dressing percentage, or meat quality.     

Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on in vivo organic matter digestibility and milk yield in buffalo cows

The influence of a dietary supplementation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) during the first and the second phase of lactation on dry matter (DM) intake, organic matter digestibility, milk yield and quality and haematological profile was evaluated in buffalo cows. Lactating buffaloes (n = 190), 118.7 days in milk (DIM), were randomly divided into Group C (control, n = 95) and Group T (fed diet supplemented with 98 billion CFU of S. cerevisiae, n = 95). Eight buffaloes for each group (Groups T1 and C1), 85.4 DIM, were used to study the in vivo digestibility and the haematological profile. No differences were found for DM intake (16.5 kg·day^− 1) and haematological profile. The SC supplementation increased milk yield (7.9 ± 0.2 vs. 7.4 ± 0.2; P < 0.01) but did not affect milk fat and protein. SC supplementation increased OM digestibility, mainly, in the first phase of lactation (< 135 days), thus allowing a higher energy availability for milk yield and reduced fat mobilization.     

亚急性瘤胃酸中毒耐受性不同的奶牛血浆和乳中脂肪酸及代谢物组成分析

为比较研究对亚急性瘤胃酸中毒（SARA）耐受性不同的奶牛血浆和乳中代谢组的差异，试验选用12头装有永久性瘤胃瘘管的泌乳中期荷斯坦奶牛［泌乳天数=（114±22） d］，饲喂精粗比为4∶6的全混合日粮。在试验期第20和21天晨饲后0、2、4、6、8和12 h监测瘤胃pH值，在早晚饲喂前收集奶样，晨饲6 h后采集颈静脉血，用于测定脂肪酸及代谢物组成。基于奶牛瘤胃平均pH值高低，将奶牛分为SARA易感组（SUS，瘤胃pH=5.76，n=4）和SARA耐受组（TOL，瘤胃pH=6.10，n=4）。脂肪酸测定结果分析显示，与TOL组相比，SUS组奶牛血液及乳中的碳链长度≤C16的脂肪酸含量显著增高（P<0.05），而>C16的脂肪酸的含量显著降低（P<0.05），乳中饱和脂肪酸及单不饱和脂肪酸含量均显著降低（P<0.05）。血浆代谢组结果显示， SUS组奶牛血浆中L-苯丙酮酸水平显著降低（P<0.05），而MG（18：0/0：0/0：0）、9-HODE、12（13） Ep-9-KODE、烟酰胺、异戊基肉碱、磷酸肌酸和L-谷氨酸水平显著升高（P<0.05）。乳代谢组分析结果显示，与TOL组比较，SUS组奶牛乳中的1-硬脂酰磷酸甘油丝氨酸和鞘氨醇水平显著升高（P<0.05），而甘油磷酰基乙醇胺、3-磷酸甘油和乳清酸等其他14个差异代谢物水平显著降低（P<0.05），这些差异代谢物主要涉及甘油磷脂代谢、甘油脂代谢及泛酸与辅酶A代谢等代谢途径。综上所述，SARA耐受性不同的奶牛的血浆和乳中脂肪酸及代谢物组成存在较大差异，SUS组奶牛血浆中氨基酸代谢活动增加，乳腺的乳脂从头合成能力较强，而从血液中摄取长链脂肪酸能力减弱，与此同时，易感奶牛乳中磷脂、乳清酸等营养物质水平下降，乳品质下降。     

The effect of dietary protein supply on carcass composition, size of organs, muscle properties and meat quality of pigs

This study investigated the effect of dietary protein supply on growth performance, carcass composition and size of organs in pigs slaughtered at the age of 165 ± 2 d. In addition, we analysed muscle fibre properties and glycolytic potential of light muscles longissimus lumborum (LD), semimembranosus (SM), and gluteus superficialis (GS), and dark muscles infraspinatus (IS) and masseter (M) of 20 gilts and 20 barrows. Of these pigs, 16 were Finnish Landrace, 16 were Finnish Yorkshire, and 8 were crosses of these breeds. The pigs were fed low-or high-protein diets formulated to contain 6.0 and 9.5 g of apparent ileal digestible lysine/feed unit (1 fu = 9.3 MJ NE), respectively. The pigs were fed according to a restricted weight-based feeding scale (13–30 MJ NE/d). Lean meat, fat, bones, and skin of the carcasses as well as organs were dissected and weighed. The pH value was measured 45 min post mortem from LD, and 24 h post mortem from LD, SM and GS. Drip loss, lightness (L) and redness (a) were measured from LD, SM and GS. Pigs with a low-protein supply showed a lower growth rate (P < 0.01), carcass weight (P < 0.01), and carcass lean meat content (P < 0.01), but higher carcass fat content (P < 0.01) and smaller kidneys (P < 0.01) than did pigs with a high-protein supply. In LD, the differences in cross-sectional areas in all muscle fibre types (P < 0.05) between the feeding groups were significant; in GS we found significant differences in cross-sectional areas of type IIA and type IIB (P < 0.05), while in SM we found no differences in muscle fibre cross-sectional areas between the feeding groups (P > 0.05). We found no such differences in the dark muscles studied. We also took into account the effect of both the breed and sex on the studied properties. The low-protein diet increased glycolytic potential in porcine LD and SM, and decreased the pH value measured 45 min post mortem from LD. The dietary protein supply affected no other meat quality traits studied. A more rapid drop in pH in LD resulted in a lighter and less red meat with higher drip loss.