Performance of three handheld NIR spectrometers for predicting grass silage quality

Fiber fragility is defined as the particle size reduction rate during chewing and can help to explain the effects on feed intake and animal performance of different fiber sources. This study aimed to estimate the fiber fragility of corn silage and cool-season pasture based on their chemical composition. Between June and December 2022, 25 samples of corn silage and 25 samples of cool-season pasture were collected from dairy farms in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The samples were analyzed for particle size distribution, chemical composition, and fiber fragility. Contents of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and fiber fragility were greater in corn silages compared to cool-season pasture. However, the ADF–NDF ratio was similar in forages. Crude protein (CP) content and the in situ degradation of DM and NDF were greater in cool-season pasture than corn silage. Dry matter and NDF in situ degradation were negatively correlated with increased contents of ADF, NDF, and ADL and the ADF–NDF ratio in forages. Fiber fragility was negatively correlated with DM degradation and positively correlated with contents of ADF, NDF, ADL, and DM. Fiber fragility decreased as CP content increased. Thus, greater fiber fragility may jeopardize nutrient degradation, and levels of fiber fragility are directly associated with fiber content.

Nutritional value and fermentation characteristics of silage made from hybrid Rumex patientia L. x Rumex tianschanicus A.Los (Rumex OK 2) in different months during the year

A cutting experiment was conducted to test the changes in botanical composition, yield and nutritional value of forage, obtained in conditions of simulated rotational spring grazing on permanent grassland. The experiment was carried out on permanent pasture in vicinity of Sabac, Serbia in 2015 included three cuttings as a simulated rotational spring grazing. The highest share of grasses was noted in the first cut and decreased in the second and third cut, with increased forbs participation, and relatively constant percentage of legumes. The highest dry matter (DM) yield was obtained for the first harvest, followed by the second cut, and the lowest forage production was determined for the third harvest, with only 11.04 and 17.42% of the first and second cut yield. There were not found the significant differences between cuts for herbage DM and crude protein content. Markedly lower value for non-protein N concentration (p<0.05) was determined in the third cut. The fiber content increased during the grazing season (p<0.05), with the highest value determined in the herbage obtained in the second cut. The highest energy values (p<0.05) had the herbage produced in the first cut (DM basis), wherein the lowest values were found in the forage from the second harvest. These results indicate that especially herbage yield of analyzed grassland as chemical composition and nutrition value are highly variable during the growing season. The accurately defined optimal period for using is necessary to provide the high-quality forage for grazing animals.

Data from twenty experiments, conducted at ADAS Research Centres in England and Wales during 1986–92, were used to determine effluent production from additive‐treated grass silages made in large‐scale bunker silos. The additives compared were formic acid at 4·0 l t–1, rolled barley at 44·0 kg t–1, dried molassed sugar beet feed at 40·0 kg t–1 and liquid inoculants at 2·2 l t–1 together with a non‐additive‐treated control. The silages were made from herbage with an average dry‐matter (DM) content of 177 (s.e. 3·8) g kg–1 and water‐soluble carbohydrate content of 140 g kg–1 DM. Average silage toluene DM content was 213 (s.e. 3·8) g kg–1. The formic acid and sugar beet feed silages were both well fermented, whereas the other silages were less well fermented.Effluent produced was determined as either effluent production (l t–1 grass ensiled) during the 52‐d period in which it was measured or peak flow (l h–1) during the first 2 d of ensilage. Compared with non‐additive‐treated silage, dried molassed sugar beet feed significantly reduced both effluent production (27%) and peak flow (36%). Formic acid significantly increased peak flow (51%), but had little effect upon effluent production, and significantly reduced effluent N and lactic acid content. Barley and inoculant treatment had no significant effect upon effluent production.In general, poor relationships were found between DM content and effluent production. Nevertheless for silages, except those treated with absorbents or formic acid, a significant (P < 0·001) negative relationship between silage effluent production (l t–1 grass ensiled) and the DM (g kg–1) content of the ensiled grass was found.

Partial replacement of starch with acid detergent fibre and/or neutral detergent soluble fibre at two protein levels: Effects on ileal apparent digestibility and caecal environment of growing rabbits

Postharvest internal disorders (IDs) in mango fruit present a significant challenge to the industry, with their underlying causes still unclear. This study investigated the relationship between fruit maturity and the susceptibility of vapor heat-treated (VHT) ‘B74’ mangoes to IDs in three experiments. In the first experiment, fruit were categorized into three maturity groups based on dry matter content (DMC): <15%, 15–17%, and >17%, using a handheld near-infrared device. Half of the fruit in each group underwent VHT, while the remainder were untreated controls. Flesh cavity with white patches (FCWP) was the only disorder observed exclusively in VHT fruit. The incidence and severity of FCWP was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in fruit with <15% DMC, with 12.4% incidence and a severity score of 0.2 on a 0–3 scale (0: healthy and 3: severely affected), compared to more mature fruit. In the second experiment, the fruits were harvested at early and late maturity stages, with average DMC values of 14.5% and 17.4%, respectively. The fruit was subjected to no VHT, VHT, and VHT following a 12 h pre-conditioning period at 37 ± 1 °C. Consistent with the first experiment, FCWP was observed only in VHT fruit, with early-harvested fruit displaying a significantly higher (p < 0.05) FCWP incidence (26.9%) and severity (0.3) compared to late-harvested fruit (8.3% incidence and 0.1 severity). Pre-conditioning significantly reduced FCWP, particularly in early-harvested fruit. In the third experiment, fruit maturity sorted based on density was assessed, followed by VHT and simulated sea freight under controlled (CA) and ambient atmospheres. Fruit density did not effectively differentiate maturity considering DMC as a maturity indicator. Storage conditions significantly reduced (p < 0.05) flesh browning incidence from 71.1% under ambient conditions to 33.3% under CA. This study highlights fruit maturity as a key factor in the susceptibility of ‘B74’ mangoes to postharvest IDs following VHT. Therefore, sorting fruit based on DMC at harvest or at the packing facility prior to VHT serves as a valuable decision support for reducing IDs in VHT fruit. Further research will explore advanced technologies to enable rapid and efficient fruit sorting based on DMC.

Effect of maize variety harvested at different maturity stages on feeding value and performance of dairy cows

The knowledge of type of fodder/forages fed to animal is very important to determine how to best meet the amount of nutrients required for animal maintenance and production. The following study was undertaken to boost nutritive value of baby corn fodder. The primary objective of the study was to assess the amenable agronomic traits, viz. cultivars, sources of urea and nitrogen levels in manipulating the quality factors of baby corn fodder, viz. dry matter content, crude protein, ether extract, ash content, acid detergent fibre, dry matter intake, dry matter digestibility, neutral detergent fibre, net energy requirement, total digestible nutrients, relative feed quality and relative feed value. The experiment was piloted during 2016–17 and 2017–18 at research farm of Agronomy section, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India. The treatments consisted of two varieties of baby corn (PHM-1 and HM-4), four-coated urea (Neem coated urea, zinc coated urea, sulphur coated urea and prilled urea) and four nitrogen levels (180, 150, 120 kg N/ha and control). All the quality parameters of fodder improved with progression in dose of fertilizer nitrogen. The highest values of said indices were statistically cogent with application of nitrogen at level 180 kg/ha whereas, DM, NDF and ADF showed a significant reduction at 180 kg N/ha compared to control (no fertilizer applied). The baby corn fodder fertilized with nitrogen dose 180 kg/ha showed better crude protein content, had less fibre, improved dry matter digestibility and intake, more digestible nutrients and higher feed value and quality.

In a study with sows at various stages of the reproductive cycle, the effects of parturition, feed quantity and composition (content and type of crude fibre), exercise and access to water on dry matter content, and consistency of faeces were estimated. Parturition caused an increase in the dry matter content and reduced the defaecation frequency. The restriction of feed amounts in the last days of gestation and the change to lactation feed with reduced crude fibre content (6-3% in feed) intensified the physiologically occurring increase of the dry matter content. Moving activity and the amount of water ingested had only a small insignificant effect on the moisture of the faeces. The faeces became markedly softer when large amounts of fermentable fibre were used in the diet. The risk for constipation in periparturient sows increases when feed amounts and fibre content in the diet are strongly reduced. Therefore, it is recommended to offer sows daily minimum amounts of a diet (<2 kg) containing >7-8% crude fibre (including a highly fermentable fibre to improve faeces consistency) especially on the days near parturition.

Two experiments describe the ensiling potential of whole‐crop forage peas (Pisum sativum) and field beans (Vicia faba). In Experiment 1, forage peas (cv. Magnus) and field beans (cv. Mayo) were harvested at 10, 12 and 14 weeks after sowing, and ensiled in 10 kg mini‐silos either untreated or treated with an inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum). In terms of yield and ensiling potential, the optimum growth stage for harvesting forage peas occurred at 12 weeks of growth. In contrast, delaying the harvest of field beans until 14 weeks gave the highest yields of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP). Changes in crop maturity had little effect on the chemical composition of the fresh forages, but between‐harvest date differences were observed in the DM, ammonia‐N, CP, water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSC), acid‐detergent fibre (ADF), neutral‐detergent fibre (NDF), lactic acid and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations and pH of the corresponding silages. Fermentation was improved by applying an inoculant. In Experiment 2, forage peas and field beans were harvested at 14 weeks after sowing and ensiled as round‐bale silage, either untreated or treated with an inoculant. The yields of the crops were similar, and the only difference in the chemical composition of the wilted forages was a higher CP concentration in the field beans. However, after the ensiling process was complete, the forage pea silages were found to have significantly higher DM, WSC, starch and butyric acid concentrations compared with the field bean silages, and lower ammonia‐N, CP, ADF, acetic acid and lactic acid concentrations. Inoculation was found to increase the lactic acid concentration and reduce the pH and ammonia‐N and acetic acid concentrations of the silages. Each of the silages produced in Experiment 2 was offered to six Suffolk crossbred wether lambs, aged 10 months. Voluntary DM intakes were similar on all treatments, despite the apparent digestibility of the forage pea silages being significantly higher than that of the field bean silages. Nitrogen retention was higher for lambs offered forage pea silage. Application of an inoculant was found to have a negative effect on the amount of N retained, indicating the necessity for more detailed investigations into proteolytic activity within these crops during the fermentation process.

Genotypic and phenotypic variance, co-efficient of variation, heritability and genetic advance were estimated in 51 genotypes of guinea grass on 10 different fodder attributes. The analysis of variance indicated significant variation among the genotypes for all characters except crude fibre content and leaf-stem ratio. The GCV and PCV were the maximum for leaf weight, number of tillers per plant, green fodder yield per plant. stem weight, number of leaves per plant and dry matter content. Heritability values were very high for eight of the characters. High heritability combined with high genetic advance as percentage of mean was observed for number of leaves per plant, stem weight, leaf weight, green fodder yield per plant and dry matter content.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional content of palm kernel meal (PM) produced in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, as feed for ruminants. Design/Methodology/Approach: The following were determined: content of dry matter (DM), total protein (TP), ethereal extract (EE), ash, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), amino acids, long chain fatty acids (LCFA), minerals, polyphenols, and the in vitro degradability of DM (IDDM), of the NDF (IDNDF), and of the ADF (IDADF). Results: The contents were: DM 92.23%, TP 10.56%, EE 7.2%, ash 3,09%, NDF 76,56% and ADF 57,20%. The PM had low concentration of lysine (0.3%), methionine (0.228%) and tryptophan (0.095%), and high contents of lauric acid (50.49%), palmitic acid (10.92%), stearic acid (19.725%), oleic acid (13.56%), copper (23.3 mg kg-1), iron (230.5 mg kg-1), zinc (78.47 mg kg-1) and total phenols (7.8 mg g-1), although the IDDM (46.02%), IDNDF (29.91%) and IDADF (27.61%) were low. Findings/Conclusions: The PM, as byproduct of the oil agroindustry, has some important nutritional characteristics to be used as feed for ruminants. It is recommended to conduct a chemical analysis of this byproduct before including it in balanced meals to have an adequate balance of nutrients

SummaryIsogenic fertile and sterile forage maize (cv. LG 11) grown in separate fields were harvested at regular intervals during growth between mid-July and early October 1979. Leaf, stem and ear components and whole plant (before and after ensiling) were examined for changes in the concentration of dry matter (D.M.), soluble sugars, starch, hemicellulose, cellulose, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF). In vitro digestibility values for D.M., organic matter (OM) and OM in the D.M. were also determined in fresh and ensiled whole crops.Prior to ensiling the concentration of non-structural carbohydrates in the two crops was markedly different. Fresh fertile plants contained (as g/kg D.M.) 369 and 101 of starch and soluble sugars respectively. Corresponding values for sterile plants were 54 and 343 respectively. Sucrose was the most abundant soluble sugar present and contributed 64 and 74% of the totals in fertile and sterile plants respectively, prior to ensiling. Increases in plant D.M. during growth were significantly affected by the deposition of starch and are described by the following equation:y = 13·6 + 0·49 (±0·073) x(r = 0·93)where y = whole-crop D.M. concentration and x = starch concentration in D.M. The concentrations of hemicellulose and cellulose of both types of fresh plants were similar but those of ADF and NDF were lower in sterile plants. Xylose was the major constituent neutral sugar in the hemicellulose fraction and formed 68 and 76% of the total hemicellulose in the fertile and sterile plants, respectively. In vitro digestibility values of sterile plants tended to be higher than their fertile counterparts.After ensiling, the concentration of soluble sugar in the sterile and fertile crops decreased from 343 to 8 g/kg D.M. and 101 to 5 g/kg D.M. respectively. The in vitro DOMD values of the sterile and fertile crops decreased by 16 and 11 percentage units respectively; both final values were recorded as 61.In vivo digestibility values determined in 18-month-old wether sheep fed at maintenance, for NDF, ADF, cellulose, hemicellulose, nitrogen, OM, D.M. and OM in D.M. were 60·2, 58·0, 65·8, 64·1, 32·9, 66·6, 65·4 and 63·7 respectively for fertile plant silage. These were all markedly lower than the corresponding values for the sterile plant silage which were 68·3, 70·3, 74·8, 73·3, 60·3, 71·3, 69·6 and 67·7 respectively. Within the hemicellulose fraction the digestibility values for xylose in both sterile and fertile plant silage were considerably lower than the values recorded for either arabinose or galactose. In vitro digestibility values for D.M., OM and OM in the D.M. were similar to in vivo values for fertile plant silage but were lower than in vivo values for sterile plant silage.Dairy herd replacement heifers (aged 3–6 months) had higher D.M. intakes when given fertile plant silage ad libitum than with sterile plant silage. However, the liveweight gains of the heifers on sterile and fertile plant silage differed little.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the losses of nutrient through gases and effluents, the nutrient recovery, fermentation parameters and the chemical parameters of silages of Brachiaria decumbens with the addition of soybean hulls, testing five levels of inclusion: 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% (as is), with five replications per treatment. After the standardization cut of the forage, performed at 5 cm from the soil level, the soil was fertilized with nitrogen and potassium in the form of ammonium sulfate and potassium chloride, respectively, at 60 kg/ha. After 60 days, the grass was cut at 10 cm from the soil and ensiled. Experimental silos with capacity of 10 liters with Bunsen valve were used. Silos had 3 kg of sand conditioned at the bottom for retention of the effluents. The results show that the contents of dry matter, crude protein, acid detergent insoluble fiber and total digestible nutrients presented positive linear behavior with the inclusion of soybean hulls. In the grass silages with addition of soybean hulls, there was greater recovery of dry matter in relation to the control silage, which is a reflection of the negative linear behavior for the values of losses of gases and effluent. There was quadratic behavior in the pH values and negative linear behavior for the ammonia N values and buffering capacity with the inclusion of the additive in the grass silage. Inclusion of soybean hulls is sufficient to improve the fermentation pattern and minimize the losses through gases and effluents, contributing to the nutrient recovery, in addition to promoting overall improvement of the nutritional value of Brachiaria grass silages.

Effects of replacing grass silage with either maize or whole-crop wheat silages on the performance and meat quality of beef cattle offered two levels of concentrates