In situ ruminal degradability and fermentation characteristics of novel mixtures of winter cereal and Italian ryegrass plus winter cereal silages

This study was conducted using three multiparous non-lactating rumen-cannulated Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, with the objective of evaluating the in situ ruminal degradability and fermentation characteristics of novel mixtures of winter cereal and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) plus winter cereal silages (mixture A: triticale, oats, barley and wheat; mixture B: triticale, barley and wheat; mixture C: Italian ryegrass and oats; mixture D: Italian ryegrass, oats, triticale, barley and wheat). The rumen fermentation study was conducted replacing the ensiled mixtures (experimental diets) with vetch-triticale haylage in a total mixed ration (control diet). It was found that the effective protein degradability at 0.08 rumen outflow rates was 80.6% (mixture A), 66.2% (mixture B), 79.7% (mixture C) and 79.3% (mixture D). The effective neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) effective degradability at 0.08 rumen outflow rates was 18.0% and 17.7% (mixture A), 19.7% and 20.5% (mixture B), 19.1% and 17.0% (mixture C), and 15.2% and 14.6% (mixture D), respectively. Different dietary treatments did not change (P > 0.05) the rumen fermentation characteristics as there was no difference (P > 0.05) between control and experimental diets, and the inclusion of 40–55% Italian ryegrass (mixture C and D) did not cause any difference. These results suggest that the mixture of winter cereals and Italian ryegrass plus winter cereal-based silages had good potentially degradable dry matter, effective dry matter and effective protein degradability at 0.01, 0.05 and 0.08 rumen outflow rates without affecting the rumen environment maintaining neutral pH. The ensiled mixtures had a moderate level of potentially degradable NDF and ADF fractions.

IN VITRO PROTEIN SOLUBILITY AND SOLUBILIZATION OF SELECTED FEEDSTUFFS FOR RUMINANT FEEDING

Protein solubility in mineral buffer, and protein degradability with bacterial protease, of condensed distillers solubles, distillers dried grains, brewers dried grains, raw, roasted and extruded soybeans, corn silage, haycrop silage, hay, corn gluten feed, multiage solulac and lactosy-urea (Ewoplus) were in­vestigated for use in ruminant feeding. The proteins of distillers dried grains, brewers dried grains, roasted and extruded soybeans and corn gluten meal were highly Insoluble in mineral buffer with average solubilities of 4.50%, 10.47%, 8.07%, 13.12% and 5.40% respectively. Lactosyl­urea (Ewoplus) was 100% soluble. The protease of streptomyces griseus was used to determine protein degradability. The degradable proteins of distillers grains, brewers grains, raw and roasted soybeans, and corn gluten meal were resis­tant to protease action. Extruded soybeans, distillers solubles, forage feedstuffs and Ewoplus were readily degradable.

Ensiling Total Mixed Ration for Ruminants: A Review

The interest of ensiling total mixed rations (TMR) for ruminants reemerged in the last decades. In many situations, ensiling TMR has been a sustainable alternative to efficiently handle wet byproducts in ruminant diets. An ensiled TMR typically has a markedly higher aerobic stability than its respective fresh TMR. Ensiling a TMR increases ruminal protein degradability due to proteolysis during storage. An increase of feed efficiency by ruminants fed ensiled rations have been reported, due to the improved starch digestibility in TMR silages containing cereal grains. This manuscript brings an overview of the main nutrient transformations during the ensiling of TMR and their feeding value for ruminants.

Rumen cannulation of young cattle depending on protein diet

An experiment has been carried to determine the degradable and non-degradable protein content in grass and concentrated feed and its influence on operated sire rumen cannulation of black-and-white breed (with body weight of 120–160 kg). The grass chemical composition and concentrated feed research shows that there is a wide range of crude protein content and its degradable and non-degradable fractions. The level of crude protein in concentrated feed varies from 96 g (barley grain) to 380–383 g (extruded lupine grain and rapeseed meal). The amount of degradable protein is 81 (barley grain), 303 g (rapeseed meal). Degradability of crude protein ranges from 57 % (extruded rapeseed) to 84–86 % (barley and wheat grain). The crude protein content in the presented samples of grass feed is 27 (corn silage) – 93 g (cereal hay), degradable protein – from 17–19 (cereal hay and corn silage), up to 38 g (mixed grass), non-degradable – 8 (corn silage, 76 g (cereal hay). The degradable and non-degradable protein ration was 2:7. The crude protein increase in summer and winter calve diet up to 70 % contributes a lower accumulation of ammonia in the rumen fluid (by 19.6–20.6 % ) and activation of VFA synthesis (by 16.5–18.2). It also contributes the increase of the ciliate number (by15,7–15,9), total and protein nitrogen (by 7.2–7.4 and 8.0–12.3 %). Feeding on protein degradability (of 65–60 %) lets the rumen metabolism processes slow down, reduce the microbiota enzyme activity, the protein nitrogen proportion and the ammonia level increasing. According to the analysis results of economic diet indices with different protein fractional composition it has been determined that the ration use with protein degradability of 70 %, and metabolizable energy costs – by 4.0–5.0 % are economically reasonable in summer and winter periods. Key words: concentrated feeds, grain, degradable protein, non-degradable protein, calves.

Chemical composition and in situ degradability of silages from dual-purpose sorghum hybrids

The objective was to determine chemical composition and in situ degradability for silages of dual-purpose sorghum hybrids. Twenty-five hybrids of double-purpose sorghum were investigated in a randomized block design with three replicates. Ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), pH, chemical composition of the silage and in situ degradability were determined. Silage of the hybrids 9929012, 947216, 947030, 947254, 947072, 947252, 12F042066, 1141570 and 1141562 presented greater dry matter content, ranging from 402.9 to 470.7 g kg-1. The greatest crude protein content was presented by silages from the hybrids 9929036, 9929030, 12F042224, FEPAGRO19, FEPAGRO11, 9929026, 947030, 947072, 947252, 12F042226 and BRS Ponta Negra. The silage of hybrid 1141562 exhibited the lowest neutral detergent fiber content (588 g kg-1). The highest values of dry matter and crude protein degradability were observed in the silages of the hybrids 9929030, 947252, 947072, 12F042066 and 12F042226. The use of ensilage of the 9929030 and 12F042226 hybrids is recommended because these silages present a better chemical composition of dry matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber and better dry matter and crude protein degradability.