Effects of Antidesma thwaitesianum Muell. Arg. pomace as a source of plant secondary compounds on digestibility,rumen environment,hematology, and milk production in dairy cows

Mao pomace meal (MPM) contains condensed tannins and saponins at 92 and 98 g/kg, respectively, and these substances can be used to manipulate ruminal fermentation in ruminant. Four multiparous lactating Holstein cows with 45 ± 5 days in milk were randomly assigned according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design to receive four different levels of MPM supplementation at 0, 100, 200, and 300 g/head/day, respectively. Cows were fed with concentrate diets at 1:1.5 of concentrate to milk yield ratio and urea‐treated (3%) rice straw was fed ad libitum. The results revealed that feed intake, nutrient digestibility, blood urea nitrogen, and hematological parameters were not affected by MPM supplementation (p > 0.05). However, ruminal pH and propionate were increased quadratically (p < 0.05) in cows receiving MPM whereas acetate, acetate to propionate ratio and estimate methane production were decreased (p < 0.05). Supplementation of MPM linearly decreased ruminal ammonia nitrogen and protozoal population at 4 hr postfeeding (p < 0.05). Milk production and milk composition were similar among treatments (p > 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of MPM at 200 g/head/day could modify ruminal fermentation and reduce methane production without adverse effect on feed intake, digestibility, hematological parameters, and milk production in dairy cows.     

Effects of treating rice straw with urea or urea and calcium hydroxide upon intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and milk yield of dairy cows

Three, multiparous Holstein crossbred dairy cows with initial body weight of 385 ± 19 kg were randomly allocated to 3 treatments of rice straw (T1 = untreated rice straw; T2 = 5.5% urea-treated rice straw (5 g urea in 100 ml water to 100 g air-dry (91% DM) straw); T3 = 2.2% urea + 2.2% calcium hydroxide treated rice straw (2.0 g urea and 2.0 g Ca(OH)₂ in 100 ml to 100 g air-dry (91% DM) straw) according to a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Each period lasted for 21 days in which feed, feces and rumen fluid were collected during the last 7 days for chemical analyses. The findings revealed significant improvements in dry matter intake and digestibility by using 5.5% urea-treated rice straw and 2.2% urea + 2.2% calcium hydroxide treated rice straw. Ruminal pH and NH₃-N were found higher (P < 0.05) as compared with urea-treated rice straw fed group, while blood urea nitrogen and milk urea nitrogen were in normal ranges. Volatile fatty acid concentrations especially those of acetic acid were decreased (P < 0.05) and those of propionic acid were increased (P < 0.05), thus acetic acid:propionic acid was subsequently lowered (P < 0.05) in cows fed with 5.5% urea-treated rice straw and 2.2% urea + 2.2% calcium hydroxide treated rice straw, respectively. Moreover, ruminal viable and cellulolytic bacterial counts were enhanced by urea and calcium hydroxide treatments. Milk protein and fat concentrations were additionally increased by respective treatments while 3.5% fat-corrected milk was highest; ranking from 2.2% urea + 2.2% calcium hydroxide treated rice straw, 5.5% urea-treated rice straw and urea-treated rice straw fed groups. Based on this study, implications could be made that using 2.2% urea + 2.2% calcium hydroxide treated rice straw for straw treatment could be an alternative treatment to 5.5% urea treatment with regards to its effectiveness and treatment cost for lactating dairy cows.     

Development of feeding systems and strategies of supplementation to enhance rumen fermentation and ruminant production in the tropics

The availability of local feed resources in various seasons can contribute as essential sources of carbohydrate and protein which significantly impact rumen fermentation and the subsequent productivity of the ruminant. Recent developments, based on enriching protein in cassava chips, have yielded yeast fermented cassava chip protein (YEFECAP) providing up to 47.5% crude protein (CP), which can be used to replace soybean meal. The use of fodder trees has been developed through the process of pelleting; Leucaena leucocephala leaf pellets (LLP), mulberry leaf pellets (MUP) and mangosteen peel and/or garlic pellets, can be used as good sources of protein to supplement ruminant feeding. Apart from producing volatile fatty acids and microbial proteins, greenhouse gases such as methane are also produced in the rumen. Several methods have been used to reduce rumen methane. However, among many approaches, nutritional manipulation using feed formulation and feeding management, especially the use of plant extracts or plants containing secondary compounds (condensed tannins and saponins) and plant oils, has been reported. This approach could help todecrease rumen protozoa and methanogens and thus mitigate the production of methane. At present, more research concerning this burning issue - the role of livestock in global warming - warrants undertaking further research with regard to economic viability and practical feasibility.     

Improving the quality of rice straw by urea and calcium hydroxide on rumen ecology,microbial protein synthesis in beef cattle

Four rumen‐fistulated beef cattle were randomly assigned to four treatments according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design to study the influence of urea and calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)₂] treatment of rice straw to improve the nutritive value of rice straw. Four dietary treatments were as follows: untreated rice straw, 50 g/kg urea‐treated rice straw, 20 g/kg urea + 20 g/kg calcium hydroxide‐treated rice straw and 30 g/kg urea + 20 g/kg calcium hydroxide‐treated rice straw. All animals were kept in individual pens and fed with concentrate at 0.5 g/kg of BW (DM), rice straw was fed ad libitum. The experiment was conducted for four periods, and each period lasted for 21 days. During the first 14 days, DM feed intake measurements were made while during the last 7 days, all cattle were moved to metabolism crates for total faeces and urine collections. The results revealed that 20 g/kg urea + 20 g/kg calcium hydroxide‐treated rice straw improved the nutritive value of rice straw, in terms of dry matter intake, digestibility, ruminal volatile fatty acids, population of bacteria and fungi, nitrogen retention and microbial protein synthesis. Based on this study, it could be concluded that using urea plus calcium hydroxide was one alternative method to improve the nutritive value of rice straw, rumen ecology and fermentation and thus a reduction of treatment cost.     

Effects of feeding fresh cassava root with high-sulfur feed block on feed utilization,rumen fermentation,and blood metabolites in Thai native cattle

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of feeding fresh cassava root (CR) along with a feed block containing high was to sulfur (FBS) on...     

用尿素和氢氧化钙处理稻草提高其营养价值对肉牛瘤胃生态、微生物蛋白质合成的影响

四头瘤胃瘘管牛被随机分配到根据4×4拉丁方设计的4个处理中,研究尿素和氢氧化钙(Ca(OH)₂)处理稻草的影响以提高其营养价值。4种日粮处理如下:未经处理的稻草、50 g/kg尿素处理稻草、20 g/kg尿素+20 g/kg氢氧化钙处理的稻草和30 g/kg尿素+20 g/kg氢氧化钙处理稻草。所有的试验动物都是单栏饲养,饲喂0.5 g/kg体重(DM)的浓缩料,自由采食稻草。试验进行了4期,每期持续21 d。前14 d,对干物质采食量进行了测定,而后7 d,所有的瘘管牛都移动至代谢箱中进行总粪便的收集。结果显示,20 g/kg尿素+20 g/kg氢氧化钙处理提高了稻草的营养价值、干物质采食量、消化率、瘤胃挥发性脂肪酸、细菌和真菌种群数量、氮贮留和微生物蛋白合成。研究结果表明,使用尿素和氢氧化钙是提高稻草营养价值、瘤胃生态环境和发酵从而降低处理成本的一种替代方法。     

Development of feeding systems and strategies of supplementation to enhance rumen fermentation and ruminant production in the tropics

The availability of local feed resources in various seasons can contribute as essential sources of carbohydrate and protein which significantly impact rumen fermentation and the subsequent productivity of the ruminant.Recent developments,based on enriching protein in cassava chips,have yielded yeast fermented cassava chip protein（YEFECAP） providing up to 47.5% crude protein（CP）,which can be used to replace soybean meal.The use of fodder trees has been developed through the process of pelleting;Leucaena leucocephala leaf pellets（LLP）,mulberry leaf pellets（MUP） and mangosteen peel and/or garlic pellets,can be used as good sources of protein to supplement ruminant feeding.Apart from producing volatile fatty acids and microbial proteins,greenhouse gases such as methane are also produced in the rumen.Several methods have been used to reduce rumen methane.However,among many approaches,nutritional manipulation using feed formulation and feeding management,especially the use of plant extracts or plants containing secondary compounds（condensed tannins and saponins） and plant oils,has been reported.This approach could help todecrease rumen protozoa and methanogens and thus mitigate the production of methane.At present,more research concerning this burning issue-the role of livestock in global warming-warrants undertaking further research with regard to economic viability and practical feasibility.