Harvest maturity of Eragrostis tef ‘Moxie’: Effects on ruminal fermentation, total-tract nutrient digestibility, and growth performance in backgrounding beef cattle

Abstract The study evaluated the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae alone or in combination with Lactobacillus spp. delivered through silages as a direct fed microbial (DFM) on the nutrient digestibility and performance of growing beef cattle. Chopped and kernel processed corn silage was treated with either distilled water (CON), or with (cfu g1 fresh forage) 1.1 × 105 of a Lactobacillius plantarum and Lactobacillus buchneri (LAB) mixture (INOC1), 1.0 × 104 S. cerevisiae strain 3 (INOC2), or 1.1 × 105 LAB + 1.0 × 104 S. cerevisiae strain 3 (INOC3) and ensiled in AgBags®. Eight ruminally cannulated beef heifers in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square and 60 crossbred individually fed beef steers in a randomized complete block design were used for the metabolism and feedlot growth performance experiments, respectively. The treatments were four total mixed rations composed of 65.0% of one of the four corn silages, 17.0% barley grain, 13.0% canola meal and 5.0% vitamin-mineral supplement (dry matter (DM) basis) for both experiments. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. The molar percentage of ruminal acetate in heifers fed INOC2 and INOC3 were lower (P < 0.01) than those fed CON. The DM (P = 0.03), organic matter (P = 0.02), acid (P = 0.03) and neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.03) digestibility of heifers fed INOC2 were higher than those fed CON. The DM intake as a % of body weight tended (P = 0.08) to be lower for steers fed INOC2, while the average daily gain was similar to those fed CON. There is potential for delivering S. cerevisiae through silage as DFM for improving ruminal fermentation, total tract nutrient digestibility and the growth performance of beef cattle.

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Effects of inoculation of corn silage with Lactobacillus hilgardii and Lactobacillus buchneri on silage quality, aerobic stability, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance of growing beef cattle

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa267 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (10) ◽

Author(s):

Jayakrishnan Nair ◽

Niu Huaxin ◽

Estefanía Andrada ◽

Hee-Eun Yang ◽

Eric Chevaux ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Beef Cattle ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Nutrient Utilization ◽

Nutrient Digestibility ◽

Corn Silage ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Soluble Carbohydrates ◽

Ruminal Fermentation ◽

Lactobacillus Buchneri ◽

Aerobic Stability

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of inoculation of whole crop corn silage with a mixture of heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) composed of Lactobacillus hilgardii and Lactobacillus buchneri on ensiling, aerobic stability, ruminal fermentation, total tract nutrient digestibility, and growth performance of beef cattle. Uninoculated control corn silage (CON) and silage inoculated with 3.0 × 105 cfu g−1 of LAB containing 1.5 × 105 cfu g−1 of L. hilgardii CNCM I-4785 and 1.5 × 105 cfu g−1 of L. buchneri NCIMB 40788 (INOC) were ensiled in silo bags. The pH did not differ (P > 0.05) between the two silages during ensiling but was greater (P < 0.001) for CON than INOC after 14 d of aerobic exposure (AE). Neutral detergent insoluble crude protein (NDICP) content (% of DM and % of CP basis) of terminal INOC silage was greater (P ≤ 0.05) than that of CON. In terminal silage, concentrations of total VFA and acetate were greater (P < 0.001), while water-soluble carbohydrates were lower (P < 0.001) for INOC than CON. Yeast and mold counts were lower for INOC than CON (P ≤ 0.001) in both terminal and aerobically exposed silages. The stability of INOC was greater (P < 0.001) than that of CON after 14 d of AE. Ruminal fermentation parameters and DMI did not differ (P > 0.05) between heifers fed the two silages, while there was a tendency (P ≤ 0.07) for lower CP and starch digestibility for heifers fed INOC than CON. Total nitrogen (N) intake and N retention were lower (P ≤ 0.04) for heifers fed INOC than CON. Dry matter intake as a percentage of BW was lower (P < 0.04) and there was a tendency for improved feed efficieny (G:F; P = 0.07) in steers fed INOC vs. CON silage. The NEm and NEg contents were greater for INOC than CON diets. Results indicate that inoculation with a mixture of L. hilgardii and L. buchneri improved the aerobic stability of corn silage. Improvements in G:F of growing steers fed INOC silage even though the total tract digestibility of CP and starch tended to be lower for heifers fed INOC are likely because the difference in BW and growth requirements of these animals impacted the growth performance and nutrient utilization and a greater proportion of NDICP in INOC than CON.

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Effects of folic acid on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in post-weaned dairy calves

Archives of Animal Nutrition ◽

10.1080/1745039x.2018.1547028 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 73 (1) ◽

pp. 18-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Cong Wang ◽

XiaoXu Wu ◽

Qiang Liu ◽

Gang Guo ◽

WenJie Huo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Urinary Excretion ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Nutrient Digestibility ◽

Dairy Calves ◽

Ruminal Fermentation ◽

Purine Derivatives

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Comparative Effects of Stovers of Four Varieties of Common Vetch on Growth Performance, Ruminal Fermentation, and Nutrient Digestibility of Growing Lambs

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10040596 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 596

Author(s):

Yafeng Huang ◽

Cory Matthew ◽

Fei Li ◽

Zhibiao Nan

Keyword(s):

Cell Wall ◽

Organic Matter ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Nitrogen Retention ◽

Nutrient Digestibility ◽

Neutral Detergent Fiber ◽

Adaptation Period ◽

Ruminal Fermentation ◽

Common Vetch ◽

Alfalfa Hay

This study evaluated common vetch stover as a feed in mixed rations for growing lambs. Four common vetch varieties were compared with alfalfa (control) for their effects on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen retention. Male Hu lambs (n = 50) aged 3 months, with a mean body weight of 17.5 ± 0.34 kg were allocated randomly to one of the five dietary treatments, making 10 lambs per treatment. The experiment lasted 67 days with a 10-day adaptation period and a 50-day fattening period, and with the final 7 days used for a nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance trial. All diets contained 30.0% maize straw and 50.0% concentrate, with different forage sources (on a fed basis): 20.0% alfalfa hay (control), 20.0% local common vetch variety 333A (C333A) stover, or 20.0% stover of one of three improved common vetch varieties: Lanjian No. 1 (CLJ1), Lanjian No. 2 (CLJ2), or Lanjian No. 3 (CLJ3). For stover quality, CLJ1 stover had the greatest crude protein (CP), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), and metabolizable energy (ME) content and the least cell wall contents, while C333A stover had the least CP, IVOMD, and ME contents and the greatest cell wall contents. Sheep fed the control diet had a greater average daily gain (ADG), apparent digestibility of organic matter (DOM), neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and nitrogen retention, and greater ruminal total volatile fatty acids concentration than lambs fed the C333A or CLJ3 diet, but similar performance to lambs fed the CLJ1 and CLJ2 diets. The feed conversion ratio and predicted CH4 emission per unit of DOM intake and ADG of the control, CLJ1, and CLJ2 diets was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than for the other diets. Based on these results, stovers of varieties CLJ1 and CLJ2 can be recommended as an alternative to alfalfa hay and for use in a legume crop rotation with cereals on the Tibetan plateau.

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Moderate Coconut Oil Supplement Ameliorates Growth Performance and Ruminal Fermentation in Hainan Black Goat Kids

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/fvets.2020.622259 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Author(s):

Liguang Shi ◽

Yu Zhang ◽

Lingli Wu ◽

Wenjuan Xun ◽

Qiang Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Enzyme Activity ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Methane Emission ◽

Coconut Oil ◽

Nutrient Digestibility ◽

Ruminal Fermentation ◽

Feed Conversion ◽

Microbial Enzyme ◽

Black Goat ◽

Microbial Enzyme Activity

The study investigated amelioration effects of coconut oil (CO) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and blood metabolites in Hainan Black goat kids. Twenty-four Hainan Black goat kids (10 days of age) were assigned randomly to four treatments for 90 days, including pre-weaning (10–70 d of age) and post-weaning (70-100 d of age) days. The treatment regimens were control (CON), low CO (LCO), medium CO (MCO), and high CO (HCO) with 0, 4, 6, 8 g CO per goat per day, respectively. During the pre-weaning period, the average daily gain (ADG) linearly and quadratically increased (P < 0.05), whereas the average daily feed intake (ADFI) linearly decreased, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) also decreased linearly and quadratically by increasing CO supplementation (P < 0.05). During the post-weaning period, increasing CO supplementation linearly and quadratically increased the BW at 100 days and ADG (P < 0.05), but quadratically decreased the ADFI and FCR (P < 0.05). The digestibility of ether extract (EE) linearly and quadratically increased with increasing CO supplementation (P < 0.05). Supplementation of CO linearly increased ruminal pH (P < 0.05), but linearly decreased (P < 0.05) ammonia-N, total VFAs, molar proportions of acetate, ruminal microbial enzyme activity of carboxymethyl-cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase, pectinase and α-amylase, and number of total protozoa, the abundance of Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Prevotella ruminicola, and Ruminobacter amylophilus. The estimated methane emission decreased linearly and quadratically with increasing CO addition (P < 0.05). The serum concentration of triglycerides (TG), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and growth hormone (GH) linearly (P < 0.05) increased by raising the CO supplementation. The present results indicate that CO supplementation at 6 g/day per goats is optimum due to improved growth performance and decreased estimated methane emission. Supplementation CO up to 8 g/day depressed growth and feed conversion due to its suppression of growth performance, rumen protozoa, cellulolytic bacteria and microbial enzyme activity, and reduced ADF and ADF digestibility.

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