Twice daily feeding of two phytogenic dietary additives; their individual and combined effects on methane production, dry matter intake, milk production and composition in dairy cows

The aim of the previous research was to evaluate the effects of Brazilian spinach pellet (BSP) supplementation and dietary ratios on rumen characteristics, methane estimation, and milk production in dairy cows. Four crossbred Thai dairy cattle, with Holstein Friesian (HF) cows with a body weight of 442 ± 50 kg were assessed in a 2 × 2 factorial in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to obtain diets; factor A was the roughage (R) to concentrate (C) ratio at 40:60 and 30:70, and factor B was level of BSP supplantation at 2% and 6% of dry matter (basis) intake (DMI). R:C ratio and supplementation of BSP had no interaction effect on DMI and nutrient digestibility. On DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) intake, the R:C ratio increased (p < 0.05). The digestibility of OM improved (p < 0.05) when cows were fed a R:C ratio of 30:70. On pH, ammonia-nitrogen, protozoal population, and blood urea-nitrogen, there were no interactions between the R:C ratio and BSP supplementation. Increasing the BSP supplementation to 6% (p < 0.01) decreased the protozoal population. The R:C ratio of 30:70 increased total volatile fatty acid (VFA) and propionate (C3) concentrations while decreasing the acetate (C2) to C3 ratio and methane (CH4 ) estimation (p < 0.01). The average concentration of total VFA has increased by 114.46 mmol/L for 6% of BSP supplementation. Increased BSP supplementation increased the C3 concentration while decreasing the C2:C3 ratio and CH4 emissions (p < 0.05). The R:C ratio and BSP supplementation had no interaction effect on milk yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM), or milk composition. The R:C ratio of 30:70 increased milk yield (p < 0.05) to the highest level of 12.18 kg/day. In conclusion, the diet containing a R:C ratio of 30:70 increased feed intake, milk yield, BUN, total VFA, and C3 concentration, and decreased the C2:C3 ratio and CH4 emission. BSP supplementation at 6% could increase TVFA and C3 concentrations while decreasing the protozoal population and CH4 estimation.

Sward height is strongly related to the daily dry matter intake of grazing dairy cows, which consequently determines animal performance. Despite that, few studies have explored the potential to increase milk production by managing post-grazing sward height. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of three defoliation intensities on a Lolium arundinaceum-based pasture on frequency and length of grazing meals and ruminating bouts, daily grazing and ruminating time, feeding stations and patches exploration, and dry matter intake and milk production of dairy cows. The treatments imposed were three different post-grazing sward heights: control (TC), medium (TM), and lax (TL), which were managed with 6, 9, and 12 cm of post-grazing sward heights during autumn and winter, and 9, 12, and 15 cm of post-grazing sward heights during spring, respectively. Thirty-six autumn-calving Holstein cows were grouped by parity (2.6 ± 0.8), body weight (618 ± 48) kg, and body condition score (2.8 ± 0.2) and randomized to the treatments. The pasture was accessed from 08:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 03:00 during spring and no supplement was involved during the evaluation period. Daily grazing time averaged 508 ± 15 min and was not affected by treatment. The reduction of post-grazing sward height increased the length of the first grazing session in the morning and the afternoon. The number of grazing sessions was greater on TL than on TM, with no difference in TC. The number of feeding stations (the hypothetical semi-circle in front of an animal from which the bites were taken without moving the front forefeet) visited was less on TC than on TL, and neither of them differed from TM. Dry matter (DM) intake was lesser on TC than on TM and TL (14.7 vs. 17.8 kg DM). Milk production during the evaluation period was 13.1, 16.2, and 18.7 kg/day for TC, TM, and TL, respectively. The milk fat, protein, and lactose content did not differ between treatments. The cows on TC exhibited a lower intake rate, although they were less selective, probably as a consequence of the sward structure of TC treatment. The cows on TM adopted a compensation mechanism which allowed them to achieve the same dry matter intake as cows on TL, but lower milk production. The cows on TL were more selective than TC and TM resulting in higher digestible dry matter intake and consequently higher milk production. The intensity of defoliation impacts on the animal-plant interaction, and constitutes a valuable management tool that can be used to boost forage intake and milk production. The new developments on information technology would allow researchers to link behavioral data with response variables (e.g., milk production, health, welfare, etc.) at different spatio-temporal scales and support short and long-term management decisions.

Effects of Monensin on Dry Matter Intake, Milk Production and Healthy of Transition Holstein Dairy Cows

The effect of calcareous marine algae, with or without marine magnesium oxide, and sodium bicarbonate on rumen pH and milk production in mid-lactation dairy cows

Biorefined press cake silage as feed source for dairy cows: effect on milk production and composition, rumen fermentation, nitrogen and phosphorus excretion and in vitro methane production

Effect of grain and forage fractions of corn silage on milk production and composition in dairy cows

This research was aimed to examine the effect of undegraded protein supplementation on nutrientsintake, production and milk composition in dairy cows. The purpose of this research was to provideinformation on the undegraded protein supplementation to increase milk production and composition indairy cows. The research was conducted for 3 months in Boyolali-Central Java. The study used 20lactation cows (&lt;3 months of lactation), aged 3 to 3.5 years with body weight from 350 to 400 kg. Thecows were then randomly divided into 2 groups of ten based on their body weight, milk production,lactation period and age. The first group (control) and the second group (treated), both were fed dietbased on NRC (1987). The second group was added undegraded protein (UDP) of 30 g/l milk that mixedby concentrate. The observed variables were dry matter intake (DM), organic matter (OM), crudeprotein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), milk production and milk composition including fat, proteinand solid non fat (SNF). Data obtained were examined by t-test.The results showed that intake of DM, OM, and the NDF of treated and control groups were notdifferent (9.57; 8.49; 4.98 vs 9.44; 8.38; 5.40 kg/cow/d, respectively); however, protein intake of treatedgroup was higher (P&lt;0.01) than that of the control group (1097 vs. 1210g/cow/d). Milk production ofcows receiving UDP supplementation tended to be higher than that in the control group (+ 1:45kg/cow/d). Although they tended to be lower in fat (4.13 vs. 3.88%), protein (2.45 vs. 2.27%) and SNF(7.26 vs. 6.94%), but protein and fat production were higher for cows receiving UDP supplementation(366 each; 214 vs. 330; 196g/cow/d). It can be concluded that UDP supplementation increased milk, fatproduction and milk protein but it tended to reduce the level of fat, protein and SNF milk.

The effects of gradual replacement of barley with oats on enteric methane emissions, rumen fermentation, milk production, and energy utilization in dairy cows

Effects of meloxicam on milk production, behavior, and feed intake in dairy cows following assisted calving

Evaluation of Various Sources of Corn Dried Distillers Grains Plus Solubles for Lactating Dairy Cattle

The study assessed the effect of Acacia mearnsii tannin extract supplementation grazing dairy cows on dry matter (DM) intake, enteric methane (CH4) emission, and performance. Twelve Holstein cows were divided into two groups and subjected to two treatments that consisted of millet pasture (Pennisetum glaucum L.) plus supplementation with 6kg of concentrate (750-g/kg ground corn and 250-g/kg soybean meal) including or excluding 120-g tannin extract. The trial design was a double reversal using three periods of 28days each, with 21days for the adaption period, and 7days for sample collection. Herbage intake was measured using the n-alkane technique, and daily CH4 emission was measured with the sulfur hexafluoride tracer gas technique. Individual total DM intake (mean=17.1kg/day), herbage DM intake (mean=11.8kg/day), and milk production (mean=19.2kg/day) were similar between treatments. CH4 emission significantly decreased (32%, P<0.05) in the animals supplemented with tannin extract, compared to non-supplemented animals. On the other hand, as proportion of DM intake or milk production, methane emission tended to decrease in tannin-supplemented animals. Supplementing dairy cows grazing a millet pasture with 120-g tannin extract reduced daily CH4 emission without affecting animal performance.

Simple SummaryEnergy supplements such as high moisture maize or cracked wheat increase total dry matter intake (DMI) and dairy cow performance compared to pasture-only diets. However, the effectiveness of such a feeding strategy depends upon the level of herbage allowance (HA). In this study, increasing HA from 20 to 30 kg DM/cow had no effect on milk production but increased the concentration of urea in milk and plasma regardless of the type of energy supplement offered to grazing dairy cows. These results demonstrate that in high-quality pasture, low HA is appropriate to improve milk production performance per cow and per hectare.The aim was to determine the effect of the herbage allowance (HA) and supplement type (ST) on dry matter intake (DMI), milk production and composition, grazing behavior, rumen function, and blood metabolites of grazing dairy cows in the spring season. Experiment I: 64 Holstein Friesian dairy cows were distributed in a factorial design that tested two levels of daily HA (20 and 30 kg of dry matter (DM) per cow) and two ST (high moisture maize (HMM) and cracked wheat (CW)) distributed in two daily rations (3.5 kg DM/cow/day). Experiment II: four mid-lactation rumen cannulated cows, supplemented with either HMM or CW and managed with the two HAs, were distributed in a Latin square design of 4 × 4, for four 14-d periods to assess ruminal fermentation parameters. HA had no effect on milk production (averaging 23.6 kg/day) or milk fat and protein production (823 g/day and 800 g/day, respectively). Cows supplemented with CW had greater protein concentration (+1.2 g/kg). Herbage DMI averaged 14.17 kg DM/cow.day and total DMI averaged 17.67 kg DM/cow.day and did not differ between treatments. Grazing behavior activities (grazing, rumination, and idling times) and body condition score (BCS) were not affected by HA or ST. Milk and plasma urea concentration increased under the high HA (+0.68 mmol/L and +0.90 mmol/L, respectively). Cows supplemented with HMM had lower milk and plasma urea concentrations (0.72 mmol/L and 0.76 mmol/L less, respectively) and tended (p = 0.054) to have higher plasma β-hydroxybutyrate. Ruminal parameters did not differ between treatments.

Effects of dietary crude protein concentration and degradability on milk production responses of early, mid, and late lactation diary cows.

Concentrations of nutrients needed in the rations of high producing dairy cows are determined by the animals’ requirements and by their potential feed intake. As the genetic potential for milk production increases, it is more difficult to formulate rations with the required concentrations of energy. Energy density of rations can be increased by replacing forage with grains, however, this can lead to a multitude of digestive and metabolic problems like acidosis, rumen indigestion, bloat, reduced fibre digestibility, secretion of milk with low concentrations of fat, lameness and liver damage. Substitution of fat for a grain is a method of increasing energy density as fats have more than twice the energy density of grain. But, the main problem in using fats in dairy diets is that it depresses milk protein content which is important for the consumer and cheese manufacturers. This project was designed to further investigate the effects of fat supplementation of diets on diet digestibility and milk composition with a particular focus on milk protein content. The studies conducted were: 1. The effects of oilseed (whole cottonseed) supplementation on rumen function and microbial synthesis in sheep. 2. The effect of supplementing diets with soybean oil and different carbohydrate sources with different degrees of rumen solubility on milk production and composition in dairy cows. 3. The effect of post-ruminal infusion of soybean oil on food intake, milk production and composition of goats. 4. The effect of post-ruminal infusion of sodium caseinate and the amino acids lysine and methionine on milk production and milk composition of goats supplemented with soybean oil. In the first experiment seven sheep were fed three diets. The control diet had a roughage to concentrate ratio of 1:1. The other two had 15% and 30% of the concentrate energy replaced with whole cottonseed. The double marker method (Cr-EDTA and ytterbium chloride) was used to estimate flow rate of nutrients from rumen and S35 was used to estimate microbial synthesis. Despite repeating this experiment, the results obtained using the double marker technique were not satisfactory. Consequently, the flow rate of nutrients was calculated using a single marker (Cr-EDTA). No significant differences were found for extent of nutrient digestibility in the rumen or flow of nutrients from the rumen. However, there were significant differences for DM and NDF digestibilities in the total tract. The results of the study with dairy cows indicated that oil can replace or be fed with carbohydrate sources (grain or molasses) without any significant effect on milk production or composition. A combined supplement of sorghum, soybean oil and formaldhayde treated soybean meal gave the best performance by grazing dairy cows in mid lactation.

Effects of feeding algal meal high in docosahexaenoic acid on feed intake, milk production, and methane emissions in dairy cows