Whole wheat grain feeding of lambs. I. Production responses to mineral buffer supplements

1972 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 331 ◽  
Author(s):  
WR McManus ◽  
ML Bigham ◽  
GB Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Rumen Fluid ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Caproic Acid ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Whole Wheat ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration ◽  
Ad Libitum

Thirty-nine crossbred lambs off pasture and weighing about 27 kg were group-fed on lucerne chaff and whole wheat grain ad libitum in yards over a 3-week adaptation period. All animals were then offered whole wheat grain plus 1½% ground limestone ad libitum for 19 weeks. Addition of mineral buffer supplements of 1/1 Na2HPO4 and NaHCO3 (buffer I), or a 1/1/1/1 mixture of Na2HPO4, NaHCO3, KHCO3, and CaHPO4 (buffer II) as 2% of the grain offered, resulted over the 22-week experimental period in significantly better food intakes and liveweight gains and decreased food conversion ratios as compared with those shown by control sheep fed on wheat grain and limestone (P < 0.01). Buffer supplements significantly raised the rumen pH above values for control animals (P < 0.01), decreased the total rumen volatile fatty acid concentration(P < 0.05), and lowered the proportion of acetic acid and increased that of propionic acid (P < 0.05). Caproic acid was detected in significant quantities in the rumen fluid of all sheep. Wheat sickness caused the removal of 25% of control sheep fed on wheat grain and limestone; 21% of sheep given buffer I died from a urolithiasis-like condition; no deaths occurred in sheep given buffer II. Administration of 2.5 x l06 i.u. injectible vitamin A to half the animals over the first 10 weeks of the experiment seemed to cause neither benefit nor harm.

Whole wheat grain feeding of lambs. II. Growth of Merino lambs early weaned onto wheat

1973 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 413 ◽  
Author(s):  
WR McManus ◽  
JA Reynolds ◽  
EM Roberts
Keyword(s):  
White Muscle ◽  
Positive Response ◽  
Muscle Disease ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
White Muscle Disease ◽  
Whole Wheat ◽  
Similar Information ◽  
Unit Increase ◽  
Ad Libitum

Two experiments were conducted to examine the growth characteristics of Merino lambs early weaned onto a base diet of whole wheat grain plus 1 .5 % limestone ad libitum. These data have been compared with similar information obtained for traditionally managed spring drop Merino weaners at pasture. In experiment 1, 158 lambs which were born to ewes given wheat in pens were used in a 4 x 2 factorial to examine responses to anti-white muscle disease compounds and biuret. No responses were obtained to selenium, vitamin E, or a combination of the two. The food conversion efficiency (FCE), i.e. weight units of feed ingested per weight unit increase in liveweight, was improved by addition of 3 % biuret (5.1 v. 5.5 for control). In experiment 2, 185 lambs were used in a 5 x 2 factorial where minerals and biuret were the factors. These lambs originated from groups of ewes fed on either wheat or roughage in paddocks. There was a 28.6% mortality in lambs without previous exposure to wheat when this group was early weaned onto a pasture-clover hay ration which changed over 37 days to 100% wheat. The mortality among lambs with wheat experience was 1 .5 % during this period when they were offered wheat ad libitum from weaning. Responses to biuret were small and variable, while a positive response to sodium, which was present in all four mineral treatments, was obtained. In comparison with control animals, the effects of including sodium were to reduce FCE (5.2 v. 4.7), reduce the time to finish (123 v. 111 days), and increase the rate of gain (0.84 v. 1.03 kg/week).

scholarly journals The role of pH on the survival of rumen protozoa in steers

2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 2262-2267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul Franzolin ◽  
Burk A. Dehority
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Period ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Individual Animal ◽  
Effect Of Ph ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
Rumen Protozoa ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Sampling Times ◽  
Ciliate Protozoa

In order to study the effect of pH on defaunation in the rumen, four rumen fistulated steers were fed a basal roughage diet for a 4-week adaptation period followed by 17 weeks of feeding with three diets and two feeding levels of high concentrate diet. Rumen outflow fluid rate was evaluated in both ration levels. Rumen protozoa population was monitored weekly and when animals became defaunated, protozoa were reinoculated with rumen contents from one of the faunated steers. At every two weeks, during all the experimental period, rumen pH was measured in all animals at 0, 4, 8 and 12 h after feeding. It was observed an individual animal influence on the establishment and maintenance of the rumen ciliate protozoa population. In all sampling times, mean rumen pH values were higher in faunated steers than in the defaunated ones. No differences were observed in rumen outflow fluid rates between the two ration levels. Extended periods of low rumen pH are probably more detrimental to the survival of ciliate protozoa in the rumen than other factors.

Whole wheat grain feeding of lambs. IV.* Effects of an antibiotic, lactic acid, grain moistening and restricted intake on wheat sickness of young sheep

1975 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 729 ◽  
Author(s):  
ML Bigham ◽  
WR McManus
Keyword(s):  
Lactic Acid ◽  
Lactic Acid Production ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Whole Wheat ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Group Feeding ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
Antibiotic Dose ◽  
Response Trial

Two studies are reported in which young lambs were changed rapidly from roughage diets to whole wheat diets and subjected to various treatments aimed at facilitating adaptation to the wheat diet. In pen feeding studies, groups of three sheep with rumen cannulae were used to investigate the effects of the various treatments on wheat sickness. The treatments included intraruminal administration of sulphadimethoxine before and during wheat feeding; moistening; and restriction of grain intake. The studies indicated that except perhaps for restriction of intake, none of the methods used was successful in reducing the build-up of lactic acid and decline in rumen pH and therefore wheat sickness. Sulphadimethoxine did not have a major effect on volatile fatty acid or lactic acid production when wheat grain was consumed. In an antibiotic dose response trial, 59 lambs were changed from roughage to wheat grain diets, restricted amounts of wheat grain with sulphadimethoxine being offered at four levels (0, 45.4, 136.3 and 272.7 mg/kg liveweight). The drug proved to be toxic and the lamb mortality (5, 23, 39 and 62%) rose as the dose increased. Results are discussed in relation to metabolic and practical aspects of wheat grain feeding of lambs and the need for further work to seek practical means for regulating intake under group feeding conditions. *Part III, Aust. J. Agric. Res., 24: 425 (1973).

The effect of barley supplements on the voluntary intake and digestion of low quality roughages by sheep

1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Lamb ◽  
J. Eadie
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acid ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Molar Proportion ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration ◽  
Acid Detergent Fibre ◽  
Oat Straw ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake

SummaryOat straw, timothy straw and two field-cured hays (43·8, 47·3, 52·0 and 56·0% organic matter digestibility (OMD) and 0·56, 0·75, 1·00 and 1·41% N respectively) were fed ad libitum together with 0, 235, 470 and 705 g D.M. of rolled barley to 5-year-old North Country Cheviot wethers in four 4x4 Latin square designs (Expt 1). In an attendant study (Expt 2) of conditions with in the rumen four rumen fistulated wethers were offered daily 0, 200, 400 and 600 g D.M. of rolled barley with ad libitum hay (54·3% OMD, 1·45% N), also following a Latin square design.The voluntary intake of two of the hays (54·3 and 56·0% OMD) decreased progressively as the barley increased. Intakes of the other roughages were slightly increased when the lowest amount of barley was fed. For each roughage total organic-matter intake and the OMD of the ration increased progressively with increasing amount of barley consumed. No associative effects of barley on the OMD of the roughages were demonstrated. The acid-detergent fibre (ADF) digestibility of diets comprising the highest amount of barley with the oat straw and the field-cured hay of lowest N content were significantly lower than that of the respective all-roughage feeds. In Expt 2 the intake of increasing amounts of barley significantly reduced rumen pH, the molar proportion of acetic acid and the disappearance of hay and hay ADF from terylene bags within the rumen, while volatile fatty acid concentration and the molar proportion of butyric acid increased.Multiple regressions were obtained relating the change in roughage intake to the amount of barley fed and the digestibility and chemical composition of the roughages. The equation with the least error, explaining 88% of the variation, was Y= 30·561 — 0·615C — 21·453N±3·69, where Y is the change in roughage intake as a percentage of the intake of roughage fed alone, Cis barley intake as g OM/W0·73 and N is the nitrogen content of the roughage.

scholarly journals Preliminary assessment of probiotic Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in feces: evaluation of their survival after oral supplementation in goats

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-159
Author(s):  
Watcharapong Choonkham ◽  
◽  
Axel van Ruitenbeek ◽  
Jan Thomas Schonewille ◽  
Witaya Suriyasathaporn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Rumen Fluid ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Oral Supplementation ◽  
Dietary Treatments

The objective of the study was to assess the presence of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in feces after oral supplementation in goats. Six, rumen-fistulated, 3.5 year-old, non-lactating female Saanen goats (average initial body weight of 65 ± 8 kg) were assigned to two treatments 1) a basal diet (CON), and 2) a basal diet supplemented with B. subtilis C-3102 probiotic product (BS) in a cross-over design. Each experimental period lasted 21 days with was preceded by a 20 days adaptation period. On the last day of each experimental period, rumen fluid and fecal samples were collected. Body weights were recorded weekly throughout the experiment. Body weight and rumen pH were found to be similar between dietary treatments. The goats that received BS had higher numbers of B. subtilis C-3102 in fecal samples than CON. It was therefore concluded that supplemental B. subtilis C-3102 met an important precondition of probiotics in that they can survive the passage through the gastrointestinal tract without evident adverse effects. The current result provides a solid basis for future research involving any effects after supplementing probiotic B. subtilis in goats.

318 Effect of Initial Providing Time of Oat Hay on Performance, Health, Behavior and Rumen Fermentation in Calves

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 173-174
Author(s):  
Tianyu Chen ◽  
Jianxin Xiao ◽  
Tingting Li ◽  
Jing Ma ◽  
Zhijun Cao
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Rumen Fluid ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Rumen Fermentation ◽  
Basic Diet ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Holstein Calves ◽  
Abnormal Behaviors ◽  
Daily Gain

Abstract To determine the appropriate time to feed hay to calves, 210 healthy Holstein calves at d 2 were randomly divided into 3 groups: feeding basic diet (starter) without hay (CON), inclusion of oat hay from the second week (H2) or fourth week (H4) in addition to the basic diet. All calves were weaned on d 56 and raised in the same hutches until the end of the experiment (d 70). Calf starter intake and fecal score were recorded daily throughout the experimental period. Body weight, body size, blood and rumen fluid samples were collected every 2 weeks before weaning and once a week after weaning. Inclusion of oat hay in the basic diet (H2 and H4) resulted in increased body weight (P &lt; 0.01) and average daily gain (P &lt; 0.01) throughout the experiment when compared to the basic diet (CON) only. Calves fed oat hay from 2 weeks of life had the highest starter intake (P &lt; 0.01), average daily gain (P &lt; 0.01) in the pre- and post-weaning periods. Body length and heart girth was similar between treatments. The H2 calves had lower diarrhea frequency (P &lt; 0.05) and diarrhea days (P &lt; 0.05) during the post-weaning period. Compared to the CON calves, inclusion of hay increased the rumen pH (P &lt; 0.01), while decreasing the NH3-N (P &lt; 0.01) and tend to decrease the total VFA (P &lt; 0.06) during the entire trial. Calves in H2 treatment spent more time ruminating (P &lt; 0.01), but less time standing (P &lt; 0.05), eating starter (P &lt; 0.01) and engaging in abnormal behaviors (P &lt; 0.01). In conclusion, calves supplemented with oat hay improved growth rate and rumen fermentation when compared with calves fed only starter, and adding hay from 2 weeks of calves life may be the best choice for the farm to have the greatest growth and health performance.

Whole wheat grain feeding of lambs. III. Rumen metabolic responses and animal physiological adjustment to mineral buffer supplements

1973 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 425 ◽  
Author(s):  
ML Bigham ◽  
WR McManus ◽  
GB Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acids ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Total Volatile ◽  
Hydrogen Phosphate ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Whole Wheat ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Group B

An intensive 17-week study was made of nine rumen-cannulated crossbred lambs off pasture when given mineral buffer supplements as they were changed from lucerne chaff diets to diets of whole wheat grain plus 2 % of ground limestone. Diets were given ad libitum. Buffers were supplied during transition (period 11) and after transition (period III). The buffers were a 1/1/1/1 mixture of powdered disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and calciuns hydrogen phosphate given as 2% of the grain offered (group B) and powdered alumirn~~m hydroxide (Al(OH)3) given as 1 % by weight of the grain ofiered (group C). The wheat gram diet was low in sodium (0 008%) and contained 1.50% nitrogen. Production responses to both mineral buffer treatments resulted. Soth buffer treatments increased the voluntary intake (P < 0.01) of wheat above that of the control animals. The rate of eating (g/hr) and pattern of eating did not differ significantly between groups, or between periods I (lucerne chaff) and 111 (post-transition). Groups B and C increased in liveweight to a greater extent than did control animals (P < 0 01) and had heavier carcasses (P <0.01). Results with the mineral mixture given to group B (above) confirm our earlier report. Ingestion of aluminium hydroxide was associated with abomasal ulceration. No significant differences were found between groups in any period for total volatile fatty acids in rumen liquor. Towards the end of period 111, animals given buffer had lower proportions of acetic and higher proportions of propionic acid than did control animals (P < 0.01). Hexanoic acid was detected in all rumen liquor samples obtained in period 111, sometimes in amounts equal to 17 % of total volatile fatty acids. Lactic acid was not detected in rumen liquor in period I, but was present in large amounts in all lambs during period 11, and in lesser but substantial amounts in all lambs during period III. Levels of lactic acid in the rumen liquor in animals receiving mineral buffer supplements fell at a faster rate during period I11 ?hall did levels in control animals. There was a significant decline in rumen pH values for all groups from period I to period III (P < 0.01). Significant rumen pH differences attributable to mineral buffer treatment were apparent (P < 0 05). Buffers were associated with a less acid rumen condition than found in control animals. Relative to control animals, animals given mineral buffers showed increases in rumen buffering capacity and salivary flow rates, and an increased buffering index of the total mixed saliva. Period effects were apparent. The saliva flow rates of control lambs fed on wheat were significantly increased compared with their flow rates on the roughage diet of lucerne chaff. In general, supplementation with aluminium hydroxide and with the mixed buffer respectively yielded similar patterns of response. It is concluded that responses were not primarily due to the sodium level of the diet per se, and that alterations in the animals' electrolyte and acid-base physiology induced by buffer treatment might be contributory factors. Various possible physiological mechanisms are discussed.

Changes in rumen fluid composition and in the rumen epithelium when wheat is introduced to the diet of sheep: the influence of wheat and hay consumption

1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Lee ◽  
WR McManus ◽  
VNE Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Volatile Fatty Acid ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Rumen Fluid ◽  
Ammonia Concentration ◽  
Fluid Composition ◽  
Rumen Epithelium ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Per Se ◽  
High Lactate

The effects of the levels of wheat and of hammermilled hay fed to sheep on ruinen acidity and ammonia concentration were determined during the first 4 days of feeding wheat. Consumption of wheat reduced rumen pH, but the effect diminished with time, so that by day 4 it was not significant. Wheat intake also significantly (P < 0.05) increased rumen ammonia on day 1, but not during days 2-4. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations on day I were increased (P < 0.05) by wheat intake, the effect being less on later days. The proportion of acetate was reduced (all days). while propionate (days 1, 2 and 4) and butyrate (days 3 and 4) were increased by the consumption of wheat. Concentrations of lactate (mainly the D-isomer) increased after wheat was fed, although wheat level per se did not significantly affect lactate concentrations. Peak concentrations of lactate occurred on day 2 (18 m~ total lactate). Initially, consumption of hay decreased rumen pH and had little effect on ruman ammonia levels. By day 4, hay consumption was associated with increases in rumen pH and decreases in rumen ammonia levels (0.006 units and -0.05 mM per g hay dry matter (DM) respectively). Concentrations of VFA tended to be increased by hay consumption, but the proportions of the major VFAs were not affected. Hay intakes on day 4 were associated with reductions in rumen total lactate concentrations of 51 �M per g hay DM. Reduced total DM intakes of sheep eating ad libitum were associated with low rumen pH and high lactate concentrations. Microscopic lesions were observed on the rumen papillae of sheep 7 days after wheat was first fed. The extent of these lesions was reduced by hay intake, and was also related to the minimum pH observed.

The effect of a gradual or rapid dietary changeover from a grazed pasture to a conserved forage-based diet on milk yield, cow condition and rumen pH of late-lactation dairy cows

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 249
Author(s):  
R. P. McDonnell ◽  
M. vH. Staines
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
And Performance

A 40-day experiment was conducted to determine the effect of a gradual versus rapid changeover from grazed pasture to grass silage on production and performance in late-lactation Holstein–Friesian cows. Eighty cows were assigned to one of the following two treatments (two groups of 20 cows each): (1) gradual changeover from grazed pasture to grass silage over a 10-day adaptation period (GRAD), or (2) immediate changeover from grazed pasture to grass silage, with no adaptation period (RAPID). In addition to grazed pasture and grass silage, cows also received equal daily amounts of supplementary concentrates throughout the 40 days (ranging from 6.6 to 7.5 kg DM/cow). The experiment was divided into three periods. In Period 1 (Days 1–12), all cows received a generous pasture allowance and no grass silage was offered. In Period 2 (Days 13–22), GRAD cows were gradually introduced to grass silage on a stepwise basis, while still consuming grazed pasture, while RAPID cows received grazed pasture until Day 17, before switching to ad libitum grass silage from Day 18 onward. In Period 3 (Days 23–40), all cows received ad libitum pasture silage and no grazed pasture. Feed intake, milk volume and composition, and rumen pH were measured. Treatment did not affect estimated dry-matter intake of grazed pasture or measured dry-matter intake of silage. Milk yield did not differ between treatments from Day 1 to Day 18 (mean 29.3 L/cow; P &gt; 0.05), but was greater in GRAD cows from Day 19 to Day 27 (mean 25.6 vs 22.1 L/cow; P &lt; 0.001). From Day 28 onward, no effect of treatment was detected apart from a 3-day juncture from Day 34 to Day 36, where milk yield in the GRAD treatment was greater (mean 22.8 vs 21.0 L/cow; P = 0.02). Milk fat and protein concentrations were unaffected by treatment throughout (mean 4.15% for milk fat, 3.37% for milk protein; P &gt; 0.05). Mean rumen pH was also unaffected by treatment in periods 1 and 2 (mean 6.27; P &gt; 0.05), but were greater in Period 3 in GRAD cows (6.34 vs 6.26 for GRAD vs RAPID; P &lt; 0.001), while the amount of time spent under pH 6.0 did not differ between treatments (mean 2.45 h/day; P &gt; 0.05). Changing the dietary forage source from grazed pasture to grass silage over a 10-day period increased milk yield, compared with having no dietary adaptation period, and the cumulative difference for the duration of this experiment amounted to 37 L/cow.

Evaluation of rumen probe for continuous monitoring of rumen pH, temperature and pressure

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kaur ◽  
S. C. Garcia ◽  
A. Horadagoda ◽  
W. J. Fulkerson
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Rumen Fluid ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Temperature And Pressure ◽  
A Minor

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a commercially available wireless rumen probe by Kahne Limited (New Zealand) for continuous pH, temperature and pressure measurements under different ruminal conditions. In a 4 by 4 latin square design, rumen-fistulated sheep were fed diets comprising 0, 30 or 60% concentrate, with the rest of the diet being balanced for metabolisable energy and protein with maize silage and lucerne hay. Each experimental period was 10 days with the first 8 days for adaptation and the last 2 days for collection of rumen fluid samples. In the first experimental period, probes were left in the rumen of sheep for 10 days to observe drift in pH. In the other three periods, probes were repeatedly cleaned and recalibrated before each sampling period. Probes were set to read every 20 min while the samples of rumen fluid were withdrawn manually at 4-h intervals and pH recorded immediately. There was an upward drift in pH observed after 48 h of insertion of probes into the rumen. This study resulted in a minor level of agreement between the two methods as indicated by higher root mean prediction error (0.43 pH units), lower Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r = 0.46) and concordance correlation coefficient (0.46). In conclusion, these rumen probes need further advancement to be potentially used for continuous rumen pH measurements for research purposes.

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