A Preliminary Investigation on Bacterial Diversity and Fermentation Quality of High-Moisture Alfalfa Silage Prepared with Biochar

The fermentation quality of alfalfa silage is poor but can be improved with additives. This study investigates the effects of biochar on the fermentation quality and bacterial diversity of high-moisture alfalfa silage. Alfalfa was treated with: (i) control without additive (CK); (ii) 1% biochar (1% carbon C); (iii) 2% biochar (2% C), and fermented for 15 or 30 d. Mixing alfalfa with biochar significantly decreased (p < 0.05) pH, the number of coliform bacteria, nonprotein nitrogen content, and ammonia–nitrogen content, and significantly increased the contents of dry matter, lactic acid, and true protein. The addition of biochar also influenced bacterial community distribution. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Enterococcus increased while the abundance of Pantoea decreased with biochar treatment. In conclusion, alfalfa silage’s fermentation quality and microbial community structure are improved by adding biochar from the pyrolysis of waste furniture.

Effects of Replacing Ensiled-Alfalfa with Fresh-Alfalfa on Dynamic Fermentation Characteristics, Chemical Compositions, and Protein Fractions in Fermented Total Mixed Ration with Different Additives

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is one of the high protein ingredients of fermented total mixed ration (FTMR). Additionally, FTMR is widely used to satisfy the nutrition requirements of animals. This study was conducted to confirm the fermentation characteristics, chemical compositions and protein fractions changes when replacing ensiled-alfalfa with fresh-alfalfa in FTMR with additives. Three additives were separately applied to fresh-alfalfa total mixed ration (TMR) and ensiled-alfalfa TMR, including molasses (MOL), Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and MOL plus LP (MOL+LP). The same volume of distilled water was sprayed onto the prepared TMR as performed for the control (CK). Each treatment included 18 repetitions and opened 3 repetitions at each fermenting day (1, 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 d). The results showed that fresh-alfalfa FTMR (F-FTMR) exhibited slight changes in the fermentation characteristics during the first 7 d and showed similar trends in terms of the pH and organic acids content to ensiled-alfalfa FTMR (E-FTMR). The lactic acid contents of F-FTMR were significantly lower than those of E-FTMR at 60 d fermentation and the ammonia nitrogen contents were lower than E-FTMR during the entire fermenting period. The crude protein of the F-FTMR was enhanced after 60 d of fermenting. F-FTMR supplemented with MOL+LP exhibited a lower nonprotein nitrogen content, variable to slow protein and indigestible protein contents, and higher fast degradable protein and true protein degraded intermediately contents at 60 d fermenting, indicating that it effectively inhibited protein degradation.

Improvement of Fermentation Quality in the Fermented Total Mixed Ration with Oat Silage

The use of the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) is a promising approach for the preservation of homogeneous feed, but changes during fermentation and links with the bacterial community of FTMR are not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of adding oat silage (OS) to the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) in terms of fermentation, chemical composition, and the bacterial community. The fermentation quality of FTMR with 22% OS was greatly improved, as demonstrated by decreases in the butyric acid concentration, a lower lactic acid/acetic acid ratio, a larger population of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and quicker spoilage yeast death. Further examination of the effects of various ensiling days on nutritive values showed stable crude protein and nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) contents. The concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia–nitrogen (NH3–N) were increased following all FTMR treatments after 15 d, while the concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) was decreased. More heterofermentative LAB, such as Lentilactobacillus buchneri, Lentilactobacillus brevis, and Companilactobacillus versmoldensis were found after adding 11% and 22% OS. Moreover, the addition of 22% OS caused a marked increase in both bacterial richness and diversity, dominated by the Lactobacillus genus complex. Among species of the Lactobacillus genus complex, the occurrence of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis was positively correlated with lactic acid, NPN, and NH3–N concentrations, suggesting its potential role in altering the fermentation profiles.

Assessing nutritional status and nutrient supplements for grazing animals.

This chapter describes how to assess the body condition of domestic animals, methods for identifying mineral deficiencies, planning nutrient supplementation of grazing animals, supplement delivery methods, mineral supplementation methods, nonprotein nitrogen and protein supplements, responses to urea and protein supplements, economics of nutrient supplementation and survival feeding.

Comparison of the Effects of Nonprotein and Protein Nitrogen on Apoptosis and Autophagy of Rumen Epithelial Cells in Goats

Protein nutrition is particularly important for the self-renewal processes of gastrointestinal epithelial cells. The self-renewal of cells is inseparable from the interaction between apoptosis and autophagy. However, there are few reports on the relationship between different nitrogen sources and apoptosis/autophagy. In this study, the relative protein expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), caspase-3, and p62 was significantly higher (p < 0.05), while that of Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, Beclin1, and Microtuble-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3-II) was significantly lower (p < 0.05), in the NH4Cl group in comparison with the NH4Cl + 4-phenylbutyric acid (4PBA) group. In addition, the relative protein expression of Bax and caspase-3 was significantly higher (p < 0.05), while that of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl was decreased significantly (p < 0.05), in the NH4Cl + 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) group and the methionine (Met) + 3-MA group in comparison with the NH4Cl group. Furthermore, the relative protein expression of Beclin1 and LC3B-II was significantly lower (p < 0.05), while that of p62 was significantly higher (p < 0.05), in the NH4Cl + Z-VAD-FMK group and the Met + Z-VAD-FMK group in comparison with the NH4Cl group. In conclusion, our results suggested that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress played a critical role in the crosstalk between apoptosis and autophagy induced by NH4Cl and Met. Autophagy had a more obvious ameliorative effect on ruminal epithelial cell apoptosis after treatment with nonprotein nitrogen than after treatment with protein nitrogen. These findings may reveal the molecular mechanism of apoptosis and autophagy induced by nonprotein nitrogen and protein nitrogen.

Effects of bismuth subsalicylate and encapsulated calcium-ammonium nitrate on enteric methane production, nutrient digestibility, and liver mineral concentration of beef cattle

Two randomized block designs were performed to evaluate the effects of bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) and encapsulated calcium-ammonium nitrate (eCAN) on enteric methane production, nutrient digestibility, liver mineral concentration, and performance of beef cattle consuming bahiagrass hay (Paspalum notatum; ad libitum) and sugar cane molasses [1.07 kg/d; dry matter basis]. Experiment 1, used 25 crossbred steers [335 ± 46 kg of initial body weight (BW)] with a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial arrangement of treatments for two 20 d periods. Factors were nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) source (350 mg/kg BW of nitrate or 182 mg/kg BW of urea), BSS (0 or 58.4 mg/kg BW), and a negative control (NCTRL; bahiagrass hay and molasses only). Steers were re-randomized for a second period (n = 10/treatment total). Intake, apparent total tract digestibility and enteric methane were evaluated. Experiment 2 used 75 crossbred heifers in 25 pens (3 heifers/pen; 279 ± 57 kg of initial BW), consuming the same diet and treatments as experiment 1, to determine liver mineral concentration and growth performance over 56 d. Orthogonal contrasts were used to evaluate the effects of NPN (NCTRL vs. others), source of NPN (NS; urea vs. eCAN), BSS, and NS × BSS. For experiment 1, no interactions were observed for any variables, nor were there any effects of NPN on total tract digestibility of nutrients, except for crude protein. Digestibility of all nutrients was reduced (P ≤ 0.021) for steers consuming eCAN compared with urea. There was no effect (P &gt; 0.155) of BSS on digestibility of nutrients; however, BSS reduced (P = 0.003) apparent S retention. Enteric CH4 emission (g/kg BW0.75) was decreased (P = 0.051) by 11% with the addition of eCAN compared with urea. For experiment 2, no NS × BSS interactions (P ≥ 0.251) were observed to affect liver mineral concentration; however, the addition of BSS decreased liver concentration of Cu (P = 0.002) while increasing Fe concentration (P = 0.016). There was an NS × BSS interaction (P = 0.048) where heifers consuming eCAN and BSS had lesser final BW compared with heifers consuming urea and BSS. While eCAN may be a viable resource for mitigating enteric CH4 production of forage-fed cattle, the negative effects on digestibility should be considered. Furthermore, BSS, at the amount provided, appears to have no negative effects on digestibility of nutrients in forage-fed cattle; however, there may be deleterious impacts on performance depending upon what nitrogen source is supplied.

Effect of HTST Thermal Treatments on End-Use Quality Characteristics of Goat Milk

Goat milk samples were pasteurized at high-temperature (72°C, 75°C, and 81°C) and in short-time (15 s and 25 s) combinations. Physical, chemical and microbial qualities of the pasteurized milk samples were evaluated 0, 2, 3, and 4 weeks of storage at 4°C. Despite the different thermal treatments, specific-gravity and viscosity were comparatively stable immediately after pasteurization (IAP). The viscosity of pasteurized milk at 81°C showed significant increase (P<0.05) from 1.58 ± 0.18 to 2.30 ± 0.15 mPa s during four weeks of storage. Relative lightness “L” value decreased by about 10% during the storage period of 81°C pasteurization samples. Acidity increased with heat treatment irrespective of holding time, but in 81°C pasteurized sample higher acidity was developed at end of the storage. Fat oxidation 2-3 times higher at 81°C than 72°C pasteurized samples. Total protein (TP%) and nonprotein nitrogen contents were stable IAP but TP reduced significantly (P<0.05) at two weeks storage. The whey protein denaturation increased with pasteurization treatments and storage time. Antioxidant activity of raw goat milk was 34.8 ± 5.01 μmol l−1 and was decreased by 20–43% IAP compared to raw milk samples, but gradually increased during storage. IAP, mesophilic counts were in the range of 980–110 cfu ml−1 (72°C/15–81°C/25 s) and increased from 2236 to 680 cfu ml−1 samples stored at 4 weeks. Results showed that best quality stability of pasteurized goat milk achieved by heat treatments between 72°C/25 s and 75°C/25 s heat treatments up to 3 weeks of storage under 4°C.