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Bian G, Yu S, Cheng C, Huang H, Liu J. Ruminal microbiota-host crosstalks promote ruminal epithelial development in neonatal lambs with alfalfa hay introduction. mSystems 2024; 9:e0103423. [PMID: 38179946 PMCID: PMC10878101 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01034-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Ruminal microbiota is gradually established after birth, while microbiota maturation could be highly diverse because of varied solid dietary accessibility. However, how the ruminal microbiota accreted from postnatal hay diets alters rumen epithelial development, and how this affects animal health remains largely unknown. Here, neonatal lambs were introduced to starchy corn-soybean starter or corn-soybean starter + alfalfa hay (AH) to investigate the influences of early life ruminal microbiome on rumen epithelial development using integrated 16s rRNA sequencing-metagenome-transcriptome approaches. The results showed that AH introduction elevated average daily weight gain, rumen weight and volume, rumen epithelial papillae length, and rumen muscle layer thickness. Meanwhile, the relative abundance of fibrolytic bacteria (Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Prevotellaceae UCG-001, and Succinivibrio), acetate producer (Acetitomaculum and Mitsuokella), and propionate producer Succiniclasticum was increased in the rumen content by AH supplementation (P < 0.05). Moreover, AH introduction decreased the relative abundance of total CAZymes, CBM, and GH and increased the abundance of KO genes related to volatile fatty acid (VFA) generation in the rumen content. AH lambs had a higher relative abundance of Succiniclasticum, Megasphaera, Succinivibrio, and Suttonella (P < 0.05), while a lower relative abundance of Cloacibacillus, Desulfovibrio, Dialister, Intestinimonas, Parabacteroides, and Pseudoscardovia (P < 0.05) in the rumen epithelial samples. Furthermore, these alterations in ruminal microbial structure and function resulted in ruminal epithelial cell proliferation and development pathways activation. In summary, AH introduction benefited ruminal fiber degradation and VFA generation bacteria colonization and promoted ruminal epithelial development. These findings provide new insights into ruminal microbial-host interactions in the early life.IMPORTANCEWhile it is established that a fiber-rich diet promotes rumen development in lambs, further research is needed to investigate the precise response of rumen microbiota and epithelium to high-quality alfalfa hay. Here, we observed that the inclusion of alfalfa hay led to a discernible alteration in the developmental trajectory of the rumen. Notably, there was a favorable shift in the rumen's volume, morphology, and the development of rumen papillae. Furthermore, ruminal microbial structure and function resulted in ruminal epithelial cell proliferation and development pathways activation, collectively provide compelling evidence supporting the capacity of alfalfa hay to enhance rumen development and health through ruminal micrbiota-host crosstalks. Our findings elucidate the functional response of the rumen to alfalfa hay introduction, providing new insights into strategies for promoting healthy development of the rumen in young ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaorui Bian
- College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Shiqiang Yu
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao Cheng
- College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Haixuan Huang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Junhua Liu
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Wang H, Meng L, Mi L. Effects of Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay on growth performance, rumen microbiota, and untargeted metabolomics of meat in lambs. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1256903. [PMID: 38033638 PMCID: PMC10687458 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1256903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The objective of this study was to compare the effects of Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay as the roughage on the rumen bacterial and the meat metabolomics in lambs. Methods Fourteen male lambs were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments (one group was fed with concentrate and Leymus chinensis hay; another was fed with concentrate and alfalfa hay) with seven replicates per treatment. The feeding experiment lasted for 60 days. Lambs were slaughtered at the end of the feeding experiment. Growth performance, carcass performance, and weights of various viscera were determined. The longissimus dorsi and rumen contents were collected for untargeted metabolomics and 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing analysis, respectively. Results The lambs fed with alfalfa hay showed a significantly increased in average daily gain, carcass weight, dressing percentage, loin-eye area, and kidney weight. Feeding Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay diets resulted in different meat metabolite deposition and rumen bacterial communities in the lambs. The relative abundance of phyla Fibrobacteres, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes were greater in the Leymus Chinensis hay group, while, the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were greater in the alfalfa hay group. Based on untargeted metabolomics, the main altered metabolic pathways included alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and tyrosine metabolism. Several bacteria genera including BF31, Alistipes, Faecalibacterium, Eggerthella, and Anaeroplasma were significantly correlated with growth performance and meat metabolites. Conclusion Alfalfa hay improved growth performance and carcass characteristics in lambs. Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay caused different meat metabolite deposition by modifying the rumen bacterial community. These findings will be beneficial to future forage utilization for sheep growth, carcass performance, and meat quality improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lan Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Key Laboratory of Forage and Endemic Crop Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
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Zhang X, Liu Y, Kong F, Wang W, Li S. Comparison of Nutritional Components, Ruminal Degradation Characteristics and Feed Value from Different Cultivars of Alfalfa Hay. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040734. [PMID: 36830521 PMCID: PMC9951848 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different cultivars of alfalfa hay, including American Anderson (AA), American Golden Empress (GE), China Zhongmu No. 1 (ZM1) and China Gongnong No. 1 (GN1), on conventional nutrient composition, rumen degradation characteristics and feed value. Four healthy Holstein cows (137 ± 14 days in milk, 2.40 ± 0.50 parity) equipped with permanent ruminal cannulas were examined for the nylon-bag technique. The alfalfa hay samples were incubated in the rumen for 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h according to the "gradual in/all out" schedule to detect the ruminal nutrients' degradability. Our results showed that various cultivars of alfalfa hay from different planting regions had significant differences on nutrient contents, rumen degradability and feed value. For nutritional components of alfalfa hay, the highest dry matter (DM) content was found in GE and the lowest in GN1 (p < 0.001); however, GN1 had the greatest concentration of ether extract (EE, p = 0.01), Ca (p < 0.001) and the lowest Ash (p < 0.001). Additionally, the lowest neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and highest starch contents were observed in AA and GE (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the cultivar of ZM1 represented the highest NDF, ADF and Ash contents, in conjunction with minimal CP and P concentrations (p < 0.001). In terms of rumen degradation characteristics, the effective degradation rate (ED) of DM in GE and ZM1 was significantly higher than that in AA and GN1 (p = 0.013). The NDF effective degradation was lower in ZM1 than the other three cultivars (p = 0.002), and in addition ZM1 also showed lower CP and ADF effective degradation than GE (p < 0.001). As far as feed value was concerned, the cultivar of alfalfa hay imported from the US, including AA and GE, exhibited higher relative feed value (RFV) and relative forage quality (RFQ) than Chinese alfalfa based on ZM1 and GN1 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results suggested that the cultivar of GE exhibited greater rumen degradable characteristics and feed value, while ZM1 showed the opposite status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanfang Liu
- Beijing Sino Agricultural Aiko Testing Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100193, China
| | - Fanlin Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Correspondence: (W.W.); (S.L.); Tel.: +86-10-62731254 (S.L.)
| | - Shengli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Correspondence: (W.W.); (S.L.); Tel.: +86-10-62731254 (S.L.)
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Jiao Y, Zhou Y, Liu S, Yang D, Li J, Sun L, Cui Z. The Effect of Oat Hay, Alfalfa Hay, and Their Combined Diets on the Morphology and Function of the Pancreas in Preweaning Yak Calves. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13020293. [PMID: 36670833 PMCID: PMC9855006 DOI: 10.3390/ani13020293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we used a combination of animal nutrition and nontargeted metabolomics to investigate the effects of feeding different sources forages rations on the morphology and function of the pancreas in preweaning yak calves, providing theoretical guidance and important references for the healthy and high-quality rearing of yak calves. At 45 days old, 21 yak calf males were divided into OP, AP, and AOP groups, with seven animals in each group, which were fed with oat hay, alfalfa hay, and mixed oat and alfalfa hay, respectively. Five calves from each group were selected randomly to slaughter after a pretest period of 21 days and the official period of 120 days, when the average daily feed intake reached 1 kg. During the test, the growth and pancreas weight of yak calves were recorded, and the morphology and function of the pancreas tissues were determined using tissue sectioning methods, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests, and nontargeted metabolomics strategies. The results showed that the body weight and pancreatic organ index of yak calves in the AOP group were significantly higher than those of the AP and OP groups. Compared to the AP and OP groups, the AOP group had considerably lower ratios of the area of the pancreatic endocrine component and overall percentage of that section of the organ, and the AOP group increased pancreatic amylase activity and a higher concentration of growth inhibitor. The AP group had significantly higher levels of the differential metabolites L-ascorbic acid, spermidine, spermine, and dopaquinone in the glutathione, β-alanine, and tyrosine metabolic pathways than the OP group. The AOP group had significantly lower levels of the differential metabolites spermine and phenylacetylglycine in the glutathione and phenylalanine metabolic pathways than the AP group. In summary, compared to feeding oat or alfalfa hay alone, combined feeding oat hay and alfalfa hay is more beneficial to promote the morphological and functional development of the pancreas in preweaning yak calves, so as to enhance the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the diet and maintain the positive regulation of blood glucose levels. This provides an important basis for the optimized forage supply of healthy and high-quality rearing in preweaning yak calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Jiao
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Forage-Feed of Grazing Yak and Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China
- Yak Engineering Technology Research Center of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
- Key Laboratory of Plateau Grazing Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
| | - Yanan Zhou
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Forage-Feed of Grazing Yak and Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China
- Yak Engineering Technology Research Center of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
- Key Laboratory of Plateau Grazing Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
| | - Shujie Liu
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Forage-Feed of Grazing Yak and Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China
- Yak Engineering Technology Research Center of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
- Key Laboratory of Plateau Grazing Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
| | - Deyu Yang
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Forage-Feed of Grazing Yak and Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China
- Yak Engineering Technology Research Center of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
- Key Laboratory of Plateau Grazing Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
| | - Jilan Li
- College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Lu Sun
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Forage-Feed of Grazing Yak and Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China
- Yak Engineering Technology Research Center of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
- Key Laboratory of Plateau Grazing Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
| | - Zhanhong Cui
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Forage-Feed of Grazing Yak and Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Xining 810016, China
- Yak Engineering Technology Research Center of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
- Key Laboratory of Plateau Grazing Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Qinghai Province, Xining 810016, China
- Correspondence:
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Sun Y, Hou T, Yu Q, Zhang C, Zhang Y, Xu L. Mixed oats and alfalfa improved the antioxidant activity of mutton and the performance of goats by affecting intestinal microbiota. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1056315. [PMID: 36699611 PMCID: PMC9869024 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1056315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Oat hay and alfalfa hay are important roughage resources in livestock production. However, the effect of the mixture of oat hay and alfalfa hay on the meat quality of Albas goats is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of feeding different proportions of oat hay and alfalfa hay on the growth performance and meat quality of Albas goats. Therefore, 32 goats were fed for 70 days and randomly divided into four treatment groups on the principle of similar weight: whole oat group (OAT), oat alfalfa ratio 3:7 group (OA73), oat alfalfa ratio 7:3 group (OA37) and whole alfalfa group (Alfalfa), with eight goats in each group. Daily feed intake records, feces, feed samples, and rumen fluid collection were made throughout the trial. The goats were weighed on the last day of the trial, and four goats per group were randomly selected for slaughter. Cecum contents, meat samples, and hot carcass weight were collected, and data were recorded. Furthermore, the relationship between the rumen and cecal microbes on performance and meat quality was clarified by analyzing the rumen and hindgut microbiomes. The results showed that feeding alfalfa could significantly reduce the daily weight gain of fattening goats. Compared with the highest group (OA37), the daily weight gain decreased by 19.21%. Although there was no significant change in feed intake in the four treatments, the feed conversion rate of the alfalfa group significantly decreased by 30.24-36.47% compared to the other groups. However, with the increased alfalfa content, MDA decreased significantly, T-AOC was up-regulated, and the antioxidant activity of the fattened goat meat fed with the high alfalfa group was significantly higher than that of the low alfalfa group. Notably, the abundance of Bacteroidales_unclassified and Clostridium were strongly correlated with T-AOC and MDA. Therefore, increasing the proportion of alfalfa in the diet can affect the antioxidant activity of goat meat by improving the gut microbiota, while an oat-hay mixture can improve the growth performance of livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Tingyi Hou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Qingyuan Yu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Chengrui Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yonggen Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Lijun Xu
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Lijun Xu,
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Zhu X, Liu B, Xiao J, Guo M, Zhao S, Hu M, Cui Y, Li D, Wang C, Ma S, Shi Y. Effects of Different Roughage Diets on Fattening Performance, Meat Quality, Fatty Acid Composition, and Rumen Microbe in Steers. Front Nutr 2022; 9:885069. [PMID: 35799586 PMCID: PMC9253607 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.885069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate different roughages on fatting performance, muscle fatty acids, rumen fermentation and rumen microbes of steers. Seventy-five Simmental crossbred steers were randomly divided into wheat straw group (WG), peanut vine group (PG) and alfalfa hay group (AG), with 5 replicates of 5 steers each. The results showed a highest average daily gain and lowest feed/gain ratio in AG group (P = 0.001). Steers fed alfalfa hay had the highest muscle marbling score and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and also the rumen NH3-N and microbial protein (MCP) concentration among the three groups (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that ruminal NH3-N and MCP were negatively correlated with muscle saturated fatty acid (SFA), while ruminal MCP was positively correlated with muscle PUFA and n-3 PUFA (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA analysis indicated that fed alfalfa hay decreased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001(P = 0.005). More importantly, muscle SFA deposition were positively correlated to the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001 (P < 0.05), while the muscle PUFA and n-3 PUFA deposition were negatively correlated to it (P < 0.01). Therefore, alfalfa hay provides a better fattening effect on steers. Alfalfa rich in n-3 PUFA would reduce the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001 involved in hydrogenation, increase the rumen protective effect of C18:3 n-3, which is beneficial to the deposition of muscle n-3 PUFA and PUFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources Innovation and Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Herbage Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Boshuai Liu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junnan Xiao
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shumin Zhao
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Menglin Hu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yalei Cui
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources Innovation and Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Herbage Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Defeng Li
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources Innovation and Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Herbage Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chengzhang Wang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources Innovation and Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Herbage Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sen Ma
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources Innovation and Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Herbage Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yinghua Shi
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources Innovation and Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Herbage Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
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Son J, Lee WD, Kim HJ, Kang BS, Kang HK. Effect of Providing Environmental Enrichment into Aviary House on the Welfare of Laying Hens. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12. [PMID: 35565591 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the effects of providing environmental enrichment materials—pumice stone and alfalfa hay—to laying hens in the aviary system. A total of 2196 40-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allotted to three treatment groups: (1) no enrichment (control; CON), (2) enrichment with pumice stone (PS), and (3) enrichment with alfalfa hay (HAY). Each treatment comprised four replicates of 183 hens each, and four of the same materials were provided per replicate. The experiment lasted for 26 weeks. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. As a result, the PS and HAY groups demonstrated increased egg production (p < 0.001). The HAY group showed a reduced rate of mislaid eggs (p < 0.01) and produced low egg weight and pale-yellow yolk (p < 0.05). Both enrichment materials decreased blood creatinine (CRE) or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the blood and resulted in a significantly lower corticosterone (CORT) level (p < 0.05). However, the feather condition scores for the laying hens were similar across all treatments (p > 0.05). In summary, although pumice stone and alfalfa hay are effective in alleviating stress and improving the production of laying hens, additional environmental improvement studies are needed to contribute to reducing pecking behaviors in poultry farming.
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Luo C, Wang D, Lu N, Li H, Liu G, Cao Z, Yang H, Li S, Yu X, Shao W, Wang W. Analysis of Chemical Composition, Amino Acid Content, and Rumen Degradation Characteristics of Six Organic Feeds. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12060682. [PMID: 35327080 PMCID: PMC8944519 DOI: 10.3390/ani12060682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study was designed to investigate the chemical composition, amino acid content, and rumen degradation characteristics (nylon bag method) of six organic feeds to illustrate their feeding values. The feeds analyzed were: corn grain (CG), soybean cake (SC), wheat bran (WB), corn silage (CS), oat hay (OT), and alfalfa hay (AF). Our results showed that the contents of crude protein (CP) (47.46%) and ether extract (EE) (8.23%) in SC were highest. The contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (65.00%) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (39.16%) in OT were highest. The contents of total amino acid (TAA) (42.95%) and essential amino acid (EAA) (19.73%) in SC were highest. Among SC, WB, and CG, the effective degradation rate (ED) of dry matter (DM) is SC (87.89%) > WB (73.32%) > CG (64.25%); the ED value of CP is CG (82.37%) > WB (82.40%) > SC (60.47%). Among CS, OT, and AF, the effective degradation rate (ED) of DM is CS (72.68%) > OT (59.97%) > AF (58.89%); the ED value of CP is AF (76.46%) > CS (72.03%) > OT (71.99%). In conclusion, the chemical composition, amino acid content, and rumen degradation rate of SC and AF were better than those of the other four feeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglong Luo
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; (C.L.); (D.W.); (X.Y.)
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (N.L.); (Z.C.); (H.Y.); (S.L.)
| | - Donghai Wang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; (C.L.); (D.W.); (X.Y.)
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (N.L.); (Z.C.); (H.Y.); (S.L.)
| | - Na Lu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (N.L.); (Z.C.); (H.Y.); (S.L.)
| | - Haiqing Li
- Inner Mongolia Shengmu Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., Hohhot 010018, China; (H.L.); (G.L.)
| | - Gaofei Liu
- Inner Mongolia Shengmu Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., Hohhot 010018, China; (H.L.); (G.L.)
| | - Zhijun Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (N.L.); (Z.C.); (H.Y.); (S.L.)
| | - Hongjian Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (N.L.); (Z.C.); (H.Y.); (S.L.)
| | - Shengli Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (N.L.); (Z.C.); (H.Y.); (S.L.)
| | - Xiong Yu
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; (C.L.); (D.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Wei Shao
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; (C.L.); (D.W.); (X.Y.)
- Correspondence: (W.S.); (W.W.); Tel.: +86-991-8763601 (W.S.)
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (N.L.); (Z.C.); (H.Y.); (S.L.)
- Correspondence: (W.S.); (W.W.); Tel.: +86-991-8763601 (W.S.)
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Reiter AS, DiCostanzo A, Webb M, Zeltwanger J, Sheaffer CC, Jaqueth A, Martinson KL. Forage quality and beef cow preference is affected by wrap type of conventional and reduced-lignin alfalfa round bales stored outdoors. Transl Anim Sci 2020; 4:txaa167. [PMID: 33150306 PMCID: PMC7594256 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txaa167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Storing hay outdoors can result in detrimental changes in forage quality. Additionally, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivar may influence dry matter intake (DMI) and hay waste when feeding livestock. The objectives were to determine the effects of conventional or reduced-lignin alfalfa round bales stored outdoors and wrapped with plastic twine, net wrap, or B-Wrap on forage quality, beef cow preference, and hay waste. Round bales made from reduced-lignin (n = 12) or conventional (n = 12) alfalfa cultivars were baled and stored outdoors for 16 mo. Within each cultivar, four bale replicates were bound with plastic twine, net wrap, or B-Wrap. After storage, bales were fed in a switchback design with period confounded with alfalfa cultivar to 18 lactating Angus cows (Bos Taurus L.). The pairs had ad libitum access to three round-bale feeders where bales of each wrap type were placed for eight 48 h periods. Position of round bale wrap type was rotated according to a Latin Square arrangement. Bales were weighed and waste surrounding each feeder was collected at 24 and 48 h to calculate DMI and hay waste. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Alfalfa cultivar did not impact any of the response variables (P > 0.05). At feeding, round bales wrapped in net wrap had greater (P < 0.015) moisture content (16.4%) compared with those wrapped with B-Wrap (12.8%). Neutral detergent fiber was lower (P = 0.03) in bales wrapped in B-Wrap (46%) compared with twine-tied bales (49%) while net wrapped bales were not different. Total digestible nutrients (P = 0.02), and relative feed value (P = 0.04) were lower in twine-tied bales compared with B-Wrap while net wrapped bales were not different. Twine (7.1 × 106 colony forming units [CFU]/g) and net wrap (4.7 × 106 CFU/g) bales had greater (P < 0.0001) mold counts than B-Wrap bales (4.8 × 104 CFU/g), while concentrations of other forage components and yeast counts were not different among wrap types (P > 0.05). Total DMI, and DMI during the first 24 h, were greater (P ≤ 0.032) for B-Wrap bales compared to twine-tied bales indicating preference for hay wrapped in B-Wrap; net wrapped bales were not different. Dry matter intake in the first 24 h was negatively associated with the mold count (r = -0.52; P = 0.02), and hay waste was not affected by wrap type (P > 0.05). These results confirm that wrap type affected forage quality and mold counts, which in turn influenced beef cattle preference of round bales stored outdoors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda S Reiter
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
| | | | - Megan Webb
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
| | - Josh Zeltwanger
- Department of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - Craig C Sheaffer
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
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10
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Ghelichkhan M, Eun JS, Christensen RG, Stott RD, MacAdam JW. Urine volume and nitrogen excretion are altered by feeding birdsfoot trefoil compared with alfalfa in lactating dairy cows1. J Anim Sci 2020; 96:3993-4001. [PMID: 29982473 DOI: 10.1093/jas/sky259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Legumes that contain condensed tannins may have lower ruminal protein degradation than alfalfa. The present study investigated the effects of feeding birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) hay on lactational performance and N utilization and excretion. Eight multiparous Holstein cows in midlactation (150 ± 22.3 d-in-milk) were randomly assigned to 2 treatments [alfalfa hay-based total mixed ration (AHT) or birdsfoot trefoil hay-based total mixed ration (BHT)] in a crossover design with 2 experimental periods. Each experimental period lasted 17 d (14 d of adaptation and 3 d of sampling and total collection). Hays comprised approximately 50% of DM in experimental diets. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI; 21.4 vs. 20.7 kg/d), milk yield (29.4 vs. 28.1 kg/d), milk fat concentration (3.20% vs. 3.21%), and milk protein concentration (3.20% vs. 3.16%) for AHT and BHT, respectively. In addition, dietary treatments did not affect milk yield/DMI or energy-corrected milk yield/DMI. In contrast, apparent crude protein digestion decreased in cows fed BHT compared with those fed AHT (60.7% vs. 69.1%). Concentration of milk urea-N decreased by feeding BHT compared with AHT (11.9 vs. 13.3 mg/100 mL), whereas total N excretion did not differ between AHT and BHT diets. However, cows fed BHT excreted more N in feces (194 vs. 168 g/d), whereas urinary N excretion was lower compared with cows fed AHT. The shift of N to feces resulted in a decrease in urinary N:fecal N ratio in cows fed BHT relative to those fed AHT. Overall results in the current study suggest that feeding birdsfoot trefoil in dairy diets shifts routes of N from urine to feces compared with feeding alfalfa hay, with little effect on lactational performance. Reduction in urinary N and any impact on environment may be attributed to functional effect of condensed tannins in birdsfoot trefoil hay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ghelichkhan
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Jong-Su Eun
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Rachael G Christensen
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Rusty D Stott
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Jennifer W MacAdam
- Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate, Utah State University, Logan, UT
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11
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Wang C, Zhang C, Yan T, Chang S, Zhu W, Wanapat M, Hou F. Increasing roughage quality by using alfalfa hay as a substitute for concentrate mitigates CH 4 emissions and urinary N and ammonia excretion from dry ewes. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2020; 104:22-31. [PMID: 31596014 PMCID: PMC7003749 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Twelve Hu sheep × thin-tail Han crossbred dry ewes with an average body weight of 32.6 ± 0.68 kg and an age of 3 years were arranged in a 3 × 3 Latin square design, with each experimental period of 24 d to evaluate the effect of substituting alfalfa hay in a portion of concentrate on nutrient intake, digestibility, N utilisation efficiency and methane emissions. The ratios of corn straw to alfalfa to concentrate for 3 diet treatments were 60:0:40, 60:15:25 and 60:30:10, respectively. Intake and digestibility were measured for each of the ewes, which were housed in individual metabolism crates for 6 d after an adaptation period of 14 d, and the feed was offered at 1.2 MEm to ensure approximately 10% orts. Methane emissions were determined in a respiration chamber for 2 consecutive d. An increase in the levels of alfalfa as a substitute for concentrate significantly increased the roughage, NSC and ADF intake and faecal N output as a proportion of N intake and manure N output. Furthermore, this increase in alfalfa input levels decreased DE, ME and N intake; nutrient digestibility; DE/GE, ME/GE and CH4 emissions per day; CH4 output expressed as a portion of the DM, OM and GE intake; and urinary N and ammonia N output, especially between extreme treatments. Alfalfa input levels had no effect on the BW, DM and GE intake; the EB or EB/GE intake; and the retained N. This study indicated that increasing alfalfa input as a substitute for concentrate could significantly decrease the digestibility, CH4 emissions and urinary N and NH4 + -N outputs; and shift the N excretion from urine to faeces; and could sustain a similar DM intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro‐EcosystemsKey Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry InnovationMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsCollege of Pastoral Agriculture Science and TechnologyLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Cheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro‐EcosystemsKey Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry InnovationMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsCollege of Pastoral Agriculture Science and TechnologyLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Tianhai Yan
- Agri‐Food and Biosciences InstituteHillsboroughUK
| | - Shenghua Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro‐EcosystemsKey Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry InnovationMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsCollege of Pastoral Agriculture Science and TechnologyLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Wanhe Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro‐EcosystemsKey Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry InnovationMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsCollege of Pastoral Agriculture Science and TechnologyLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Metha Wanapat
- Faculty of AgricultureDepartment of Animal ScienceTropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center (TROFREC)Khon Kaen UniversityKhon KaenThailand
| | - Fujiang Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro‐EcosystemsKey Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry InnovationMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsCollege of Pastoral Agriculture Science and TechnologyLanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
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12
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Kargar S, Kanani M, Albenzio M, Caroprese M. Substituting corn silage with reconstituted forage or nonforage fiber sources in the starter diets of Holstein calves: effects on performance, ruminal fermentation, and blood metabolites. J Anim Sci 2019; 97:3046-3055. [PMID: 31125404 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skz180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the effects of replacing corn silage (CS) with reconstituted alfalfa hay (AH) or beet pulp (BP) in the starter diet on the nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, rumen fermentation characteristics, selected blood metabolites, and health status in Holstein dairy calves. Newborn female calves (n = 54; 3 d of age; 39.8 ± 1.36 kg BW) were assigned randomly to 3 groups receiving starter diets containing CS [10% dry matter (DM) basis; CS diet) and reconstituted AH (10% DM, RAH diet) or BP (10% DM; RBP diet). The starter diets had the same nutrient composition and DM content. The calves were weaned on day 50 and the study continued until day 70. Nutrient intake, body weight (at weaning and at the end of the study), daily weight gain, feed efficiency, and body measurements (including heart girth, withers height, body length, body barrel, hip height, and hip width) were not affected by the diet (P > 0.05). Health-related variables including rectal temperature, fecal score, and general appearance score were not influenced by the diets (P > 0.05). During the postweaning period, apparent total tract digestibility of DM, organic matter, and crude protein were higher for RBP (P = 0.001); however, digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was lower in RAH compared with CS or RBP (P = 0.001). Daily amount of nutrient digestibility did not change across the diets (P > 0.05). Rumen fluid pH and total volatile fatty acid concentration and profile were not different across the diets after weaning (P > 0.05). Calves fed RAH or RBP had higher blood concentration of β-hydroxy butyric acid compared with CS only before weaning (P = 0.03). Blood albumin concentration was higher for RBP compared with CS or RAH during the preweaning (P = 0.006) and overall (P = 0.005) periods; however, it was lower for CS compared with RBP after weaning (P = 0.03). Concentration of other blood variables including glucose, blood urea N, total protein, and globulin did not change across the diets (P > 0.05). Calves, in general, were healthy, and replacing CS with RAH or RBP in the starter diet had no beneficial effect on their feed intake or growth performance indicating that CS and reconstituted AH or BP can be used interchangeably in dairy calf starter diets until 70 d of age, allowing dairy producers more choices in selecting the feed ingredients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahryar Kargar
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Meysam Kanani
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Marzia Albenzio
- Department of the Sciences of Agriculture, Food and Environment (SAFE), University of Foggia, Via Napoli, Foggia, Italy
| | - Mariangela Caroprese
- Department of the Sciences of Agriculture, Food and Environment (SAFE), University of Foggia, Via Napoli, Foggia, Italy
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Russo VM, Leury BJ, Kennedy E, Hannah MC, Auldist MJ, Wales WJ. Forage type influences milk yield and ruminal responses to wheat adaptation in late-lactation dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2018; 101:9901-9914. [PMID: 30146295 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-14531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The effects of different wheat adaptation strategies on ruminal fluid pH, dry matter intake (DMI) and energy-corrected milk (ECM) were measured in 28 late-lactation dairy cows. Cows were fed either perennial ryegrass (PRG) hay or alfalfa hay and had no previous wheat adaptation. Wheat was gradually substituted for forage in 3 even increments, over 6 or 11 d, until wheat made up 40% of DMI (∼8 kg of dry matter/cow per day). We found no differences in DMI between adaptation strategies (6 or 11 d) within forage type; however, cows fed alfalfa hay consumed more overall and produced more ECM. The rate of ruminal pH decline after feeding, as well as the decrease in mean, minimum, and maximum ruminal pH with every additional kilogram of wheat was greater for cows fed alfalfa hay. Cows fed alfalfa hay and on the 6-d adaptation strategy had the lowest mean and minimum ruminal fluid pH on 3 consecutive days and were the only treatment group to record pH values below 6.0. Despite ruminal pH declining to levels typically considered low, no other measured parameters indicated compromised fermentation or acidosis. Rather, cows fed alfalfa hay and adapted to wheat over 6 d had greater ECM yields than cows on the 11-d strategy. This was due to the 6-d adaptation strategy increasing the metabolizable energy intake in a shorter period than the 11-d strategy, as substituting wheat for alfalfa hay caused a substantial increase in the metabolizable energy concentration of the diet. We found no difference in ECM between adaptation strategies when PRG hay was fed, as there was no difference in metabolizable energy intake. The higher metabolizable energy concentration and lower intake of the PRG hay meant the increase in metabolizable energy intake with the substitution of wheat was less pronounced for cows consuming PRG hay compared with alfalfa hay. Neither forage type nor adaptation strategy affected time spent ruminating. The higher intakes likely contributed to the lower ruminal pH values from the alfalfa hay treatments. However, both forages allowed the rumen contents to resist the large declines in ruminal pH typically seen during rapid grain adaptation. Depending on the choice of base forage, rapid grain introduction may not result in poor adaptation. In situations where high-energy grains are substituted for a low-energy, high-fiber basal forage, rapid introduction could prove beneficial over gradual strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- V M Russo
- Agriculture Victoria Research, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank, Victoria 3821, Australia; Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996 Ireland.
| | - B J Leury
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - E Kennedy
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996 Ireland
| | - M C Hannah
- Agriculture Victoria Research, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank, Victoria 3821, Australia
| | - M J Auldist
- Agriculture Victoria Research, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank, Victoria 3821, Australia
| | - W J Wales
- Agriculture Victoria Research, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank, Victoria 3821, Australia
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14
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Liu J, Zhang M, Xue C, Zhu W, Mao S. Characterization and comparison of the temporal dynamics of ruminal bacterial microbiota colonizing rice straw and alfalfa hay within ruminants. J Dairy Sci 2016; 99:9668-9681. [PMID: 27692708 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2016-11398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Three ruminally cannulated Holstein cows were used to characterize the dynamics of bacterial colonization of rice straw and alfalfa hay and to assess the differences in the composition and inferred gene function of the colonized microbiota between these 2 forages. Nonincubated (0h) rice straw and alfalfa hay samples and residues in nylon bags incubated for 0.5, 2, 6, 16, and 48h were analyzed for dry matter and were used for DNA extraction and MiSeq (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA) sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbial communities that colonized the air-dried and nonincubated (0h) rice straw and alfalfa hay were both dominated by members of the Proteobacteria (contributing toward 70.47% of the 16S RNA reads generated). In situ incubation of the 2 forages revealed major shifts in the community composition: Proteobacteria were replaced within 30min by members belonging to the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, contributing toward 51.9 and 36.6% of the 16S rRNA reads generated, respectively. A second significant shift was observed after 6h of rumen incubation, when members of the Spirochaetes and Fibrobacteria phyla became abundant in the forage-adherent community. During the first 30min of rumen incubation, ~20.7 and 36.1% of the rice straw and alfalfa hay, respectively, were degraded, whereas little biomass degradation occurred between 30min and 2h after the rice straw or alfalfa hay was placed in the rumen. Significant differences were noted in attached bacterial community structure between the 2 forage groups, and the abundances of dominant genera Anaeroplasma, Butyrivibrio, Fibrobacter, and Prevotella were affected by the forage types. Real-time PCR results showed that the 16S rRNA copies of total bacteria attached to these 2 forages were affected by the forage types and incubation time, and higher numbers of attached bacterial 16S rRNA were observed in the alfalfa hay samples than in the rice straw from 0.5 to 16h of incubation. The metagenomes predicted by phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) revealed that the forage types significantly affected 21 metabolic pathways identified in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and 33 were significantly changed over time. Collectively, our results reveal a difference in the dynamics of bacterial colonization and the inferred gene function of microbiota associated with rice straw and alfalfa hay within the rumen. These findings are of great importance for the targeted improvement of forage nutrient use efficiency in ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Mengling Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chunxu Xue
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Weiyun Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shengyong Mao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
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15
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Moeini H, Mahdavi AH, Riasi A, Ghorbani GR, Oskoueian E, Khan MA, Ghaffari MH. Effects of physical form of starter and forage provision to young calves on blood metabolites, liver composition and intestinal morphology. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2016; 101:755-766. [PMID: 26841335 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of physical form of starter feed and forage provision on the performance, blood metabolites, liver composition and intestinal morphology of dairy calves. Individually housed calves (n = 52; body weight = 41.5 ± 2.5 kg) were randomly allocated (n = 13 per treatment) to one of the following four treatments: (i) ground starter feed (GS; mean particle size = 0.72 mm in diameter), (ii) textured starter feed (TS; mean particle size = 3.61 mm in diameter, including steam-flaked corn and barley), (iii) pelleted starter feed (PS; mean particle size = 4.53 mm in diameter) and (iv) ground starter feed with chopped alfalfa hay (GS + AH; mean particle size = 1.02 mm in diameter). The calves fed GS + AH diets had greater (p < 0.01) starter intake, final body weight and average daily gain compared with the other groups, while GS and TS groups both had greater (p < 0.01) starter intake than the PS group. Feed efficiency was found to be better (p < 0.05) in the TS group than in the GS or PS group, but not different from the GS + AH one. Compared with the other groups, the GS + AH group had the highest (p < 0.01), while the PS one had the lowest (p < 0.01) concentrations of blood glucose and triglyceride. The calves fed GS + AH had the highest blood concentrations of total protein, globulin, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4), T3 : T4 ratio (p < 0.05) and levels of fat and glycogen in the liver (p < 0.01) compared with the other groups. The highest (p < 0.05) liver glycogen contents were observed in the GS + AH and TS groups. The duodenum, ileum and jejunum in the calves fed GS + AH exhibited a greater muscle layer thickness (p < 0.05) compared with the other groups. Based on the results obtained, the addition of dietary forage to starter diets positively influenced performance, liver composition and intestinal morphology in developing calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Moeini
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - A H Mahdavi
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - A Riasi
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - G R Ghorbani
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - E Oskoueian
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Mashhad, Iran
| | - M A Khan
- AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - M H Ghaffari
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
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Christensen RG, Yang SY, Eun JS, Young AJ, Hall JO, MacAdam JW. Effects of feeding birdsfoot trefoil hay on neutral detergent fiber digestion, nitrogen utilization efficiency, and lactational performance by dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2015; 98:7982-92. [PMID: 26364095 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2015-9348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to determine effects of feeding birdsfoot trefoil hay-based diets in comparison with an alfalfa hay-based diet on N utilization efficiency, ruminal fermentation, and lactational performance by mid-lactation dairy cows. Nine multiparous lactating Holstein cows (131 ± 22.6 d in milk), 3 of which were rumen fistulated, were fed 3 experimental diets in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 3 periods of 14 d of adaptation and 7 d of data and sample collection. Within squares, cows were randomly assigned to diets as follows: alfalfa hay-based diet (AHT), alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil hay-based diet (ABT), and birdsfoot trefoil hay-based diet (BT). Intakes of dry matter and crude protein were similar across treatments, whereas ABT and BT diets resulted in decreased fiber intake compared with AHT. Feeding BT tended to increase neutral detergent fiber digestibility compared with AHT and ABT. Milk yield tended to increase for cows consuming ABT or BT diets. Milk true protein concentration and yield were greater for cows consuming ABT relative to those fed AHT. Concentration of total volatile fatty acids tended to increase by cows fed BT compared with those fed AHT and ABT. Feeding birdsfoot trefoil hay in a total mixed ration resulted in a tendency to decrease acetate proportion, but it tended to increase propionate proportion, leading to a tendency to decrease acetate-to-propionate ratio. Whereas concentration of ammonia-N was similar across treatments, cows offered BT exhibited greater microbial protein yield relative to those fed AHT and ABT. Cows offered birdsfoot trefoil hay diets secreted more milk N than AHT, resulting in improved N utilization efficiency for milk N. The positive effects due to feeding birdsfoot trefoil hay were attributed to enhanced neutral detergent fiber digestion, and thus it could replace alfalfa hay in high-forage dairy diets while improving N utilization efficiencies and maintaining lactational performance compared with alfalfa hay.
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Affiliation(s)
- R G Christensen
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
| | - S Y Yang
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
| | - J-S Eun
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322.
| | - A J Young
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
| | - J O Hall
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
| | - J W MacAdam
- Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate, Utah State University, Logan 84322
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17
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Nemati M, Amanlou H, Khorvash M, Moshiri B, Mirzaei M, Khan MA, Ghaffari MH. Rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, and growth performance of calves during transition from liquid to solid feed: Effects of dietary level and particle size of alfalfa hay. J Dairy Sci 2015; 98:7131-41. [PMID: 26277318 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2014-9144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of particle size (PS) and dietary level of alfalfa hay (AH) on rumen fermentation parameters, blood metabolites, eating behavior, and growth performance in dairy calves during transition from liquid to solid feed. Sixty newborn dairy calves (41 ± 2.5,kg of body weight) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with the factors dietary AH level (medium, 12.5%, or high, 25%, on DM basis) and PS (fine = 1mm or medium = 3mm, as geometric means) of AH. Hence, the dietary treatments were (1) medium level of AH with fine PS (M-FPS), (2) medium level of AH with medium PS (M-MPS), (3) high level of AH with fine PS (H-FPS), and (4) high level of AH with medium PS (H-MPS). Particle size of AH did not affect total DMI (TDMI) during the preweaning period, although TDMI was greater for calves fed MPS than in those fed FPS during the postweaning and overall periods. Calves fed MPS spent more time eating solid feed and ruminating and less time on nonnutritive oral behaviors compared with FPS calves. The dietary level of AH did not affect behavioral parameters. Average daily gain of calves was not affected by dietary treatment before weaning. During the postweaning and overall periods, average daily gain was greater in calves fed MPS than in those fed FPS at the 25% AH level, but this effect was absent with 12.5% AH. Furthermore, the rumen pH values on d 35 and 70 of the study were greater for MPS than for FPS, regardless of the dietary level of AH. Effects of AH level, PS, and their interaction did not affect blood glucose concentrations in developing calves. These results indicate that feed intake, feeding behavior, rumen fermentation parameters, and blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentration may be affected by rations differing in forage PS; thus, providing calves with MPS can improve calf performance and reduce their nonnutritive oral behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Nemati
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zanjan, Zanjan 313-45195, Iran
| | - H Amanlou
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zanjan, Zanjan 313-45195, Iran
| | - M Khorvash
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
| | - B Moshiri
- Ghiam Dairy Complex, Isfahan 833111-4761, Iran
| | - M Mirzaei
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, 38156-8-8349 Arak, Iran
| | - M A Khan
- Animal Nutrition and Health Group, Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - M H Ghaffari
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran.
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Eun JS, Kelley AW, Neal K, Young AJ, Hall JO. Effects of altering alfalfa hay quality when feeding steam-flaked versus high-moisture corn grain on ruminal fermentation and lactational performance of dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2014; 97:7833-43. [PMID: 25262185 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2014-8425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This experiment was performed to test a hypothesis that nutritive benefits of feeding high-moisture corn (HMC) would be different when fed with different qualities of alfalfa hay (AH) due to associative effects on ruminal fermentation and nutrient utilization efficiency. Eight multiparous lactating Holstein cows were used; 4 were surgically fitted with ruminal cannulas. Days in milk averaged 184 ± 10.7 at the start of the experiment. The experiment was performed in a duplicate 4 × 4 Latin square design. Within each square, cows were randomly assigned to a sequence of 4 diets during each of the four 21-d periods (14 d of treatment adaptation and 7 d of data collection and sampling). A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was used; fair-quality AH [FAH; 39.6% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 17.9% crude protein (CP)] or high-quality AH (HAH; 33.6% NDF and 21.9% CP) was combined with steam-flaked corn (SFC) or HMC to form 4 treatments: FAH with SFC, FAH with HMC, HAH with SFC, and HAH with HMC. The AH was fed at 32% dry matter (DM) content, whereas SFC or HMC was included at 17% DM content. Quality of AH did not affect DM intake, whereas feeding HMC decreased DM intake, regardless of quality of AH. Digestibility of DM was greater for cows fed HAH compared with those fed FAH (70.1 vs. 67.6%). Digestibility of NDF increased by feeding HMC (67.6 vs. 58.4%), but not by quality of AH. Under FAH, starch digestibility decreased by feeding HMC compared with SFC (85.7 vs. 95.0%), but it was similar under HAH, resulting in an interaction between quality of AH and type of corn grain (CG). Feeding different qualities of AH did not affect milk yield; however, feeding HMC decreased milk yield in FAH diet, causing an AH × CG interaction. Efficiency of milk yield/DM intake was improved due to feeding HMC, regardless of the quality of the AH. In addition, dietary N utilization for milk N tended to increase by feeding HMC, but it was not influenced by quality of AH. Yield of microbial protein increased by feeding HAH diets compared with FAH diets, whereas feeding the HMC diet increased microbial protein yield under the HAH diet, leading to an interaction between and AH and CG. Overall results in this experiment indicate that feeding HMC in AH-based diets improved feed efficiency as well as N utilization efficiency, regardless of quality of AH.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-S Eun
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322.
| | - A W Kelley
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
| | - K Neal
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
| | - A J Young
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
| | - J O Hall
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322
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Yari M, Valizadeh R, Naserian AA, Jonker A, Yu P. Protein molecular structures in alfalfa hay cut at three stages of maturity and in the afternoon and morning and relationship with nutrient availability in ruminants. J Sci Food Agric 2013; 93:3072-3080. [PMID: 23512793 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.6141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2012] [Revised: 02/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular structures in feed protein influence its digestive behavior, availability and utilization. From a nutritive point of view, stage of maturity and cutting time are important factors affecting nutrient profiles and availability of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay in ruminants. The objectives of this study were to determine protein molecular structures by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and their relationship with nutrient profiles and availability in ruminants of alfalfa hay cut at early bud, late bud and early flower stages and in afternoon and morning. RESULTS With advancing maturity, molecular structure ratios of α-helix:β-sheets decreased, while amide I:amide II increased (P ≤ 0.05). Alfalfa cutting in afternoon versus morning increased protein structure α-helix:β-sheets and α-helix:others ratios (P < 0.05) and tended to decrease the proportion of β-sheets (P = 0.09). Positive correlations were found for α-helix:β-sheet ratio (R ≥ 0.60; P < 0.05) with intermediately degradable protein (PB2) and ruminal degradability and intestinal protein supply, and all these parameters correlated negatively with amide I:amide II ratio (R ≤ -0.62; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Protein molecular structures in alfalfa hay changed with advancing maturity and during the day and these protein structures affected predicted nutrient availability of alfalfa hay in ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Yari
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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