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The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of diets containing roasted soybean (R), extruded soybean (E) or their combination (RE) on dairy cow performance and milk fatty acid (FA) profile. Nine multiparous lactating Holstein cows (680 ± 25 kg BW; 90 ± 10 DIM; means ± SD) were randomly assigned to a triple 3 × 3 Latin square design. Dry matter intake (DMI), apparent nutrient digestibility, milk yield, composition and FA profile and efficiency of nitrogen (N) utilization for milk production were measured. Cows fed R and RE had higher 4% fat corrected milk (FCM) yield and DMI compared to those fed the E (P<0.05). The efficiency of 4% FCM production per unit of DMI was not influenced by experimental diets (P>0.05). Experimental diets had no effect on milk fat and protein concentrations and nutrient digestibility (P>0.05). Milk fat concentrations of vaccenic acid (VA; C18:1 trans-11) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; C18:2 cis-9, trans-11) were higher for cows fed with RE compared to other groups (P<0.05). We concluded that cows fed with RE had similar milk production and fat content compared to those fed with R and a similar beneficial milk FA profile compared to those fed with E. Thus, feeding a diet with RE improved the quality and quantity of dairy cow milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to study the effect of protected-glutamine (Gln) supplementation on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield (MY) and composition, somatic cell counts (SCC) and blood parameters in fresh cows. Forty Holstein cows at zero day of parturition (calving day = day 0) were divided into four groups (n=10), and fed (ad libitum) with one of the diets including: basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with 150 (low Gln, LG), 250 (medium Gln, MG) or 350 (high Gln, HG) g of Gln protected with formaldehyde/cow per day. The DMI and MY were recorded from 0 to 21 days post-calving. Milk fat and protein were assessed on days 7, 14 and 21, and blood was collected on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 after parturition. The DMI and MY at 21 days in milk (DIM) in HG group were compared with control (P<0.05). The DMI at 14 and 21 DIM and the MY at 21 DIM were higher in MG group compared with control group (P>0.05). Glucose concentration at 7, 14 and 21 DIM increased in both HG and MG groups compared with control group (P>0.05). The milk SCC of Gln groups was lower (P<0.05) compared with control, at 14 and 21 DIM. Glutamine supplementation increased the blood concentrations of total protein and albumin, but lowered the ß-hydoxybutyrate (BHBA), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) concentrations (P<0.05). These results indicate that rumen protected Gln supplementation at 250 g/heat/day to fresh Holstein cows improved the SCC in milk and health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of pre-pubertal plane of nutrition on the skeletal growth, lamb mortality, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentrations, quantity and quality of colostrum produced in ewe lambs. A total of 40 clinically health Kurdish female lambs (30±8.6 d and weighing 10.2±3.4 kg) were randomly allocated to one of two experimental diets in pre-weaning period: high quality diet (HQD, 2.50 Mcal ME/kg dry matter (DM) and 148 g CP/kg DM) or low quality diet (LQD, 2.02 Mcal ME/kg DM and 87 g CP/kg DM). At weaning, one half of lambs from each group was randomly separated and assigned to HQD or LQD. So there were four treatment groups in post-weaning period: H-H (HQD preand post-weaning); H-L (HQD pre-weaning and LQD post-weaning); L-H (LQD pre-weaning and HQD post-weaning) and L-L (LQD pre and post-weaning, control group). Weekly DM intake was determined. Serum IGF-1 concentrations was determined by ELISA method. The HQD treatment increased DM intake and BW (body Weight) compared with the LQD treatment during pre-weaning period (P<0.01). At 210 d of age, animals fed LQD during the pre-weaning period and HQD during the post-weaning period (L-H sequence) had greater body length (BL), wither height (WH), hip height (HH) and hip width (HW) than animals on the H-L sequence. No interaction of the two periods was detected for heart girth, HW, WH, BL at 210 d of age (P>0.05). HW at weaning time was not affected by quality of diet. However, lambs of H-H and L-H sequences had a higher increase in HW during post-weaning period compared with lambs of H-L and L-L sequences. Quantity and quality of colostrum was not influenced by pre-pubertal plane of nutrition (P>0.05). Based on the results of current study the authors' suggestion is that skeletal compensatory growth during post-weaning period can compensate losses caused by poor nutrition during pre-weaning period. And also, the results indicated that skeletal size is a better indication for first-lactation colostrum yield than body weight (BW). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the value of pre-pubertal plan of nutrition on reproductive performance, hormonal concentrations and milk production in ewe lambs, a total of 40 clinically health Kurdish female lambs (30±8.6 d and weighing 10.2±3.4 kg) were randomly allocated to one of two experimental diets in pre-weaning period: high quality diet (HQD) (HQD, 2.50 Mcal ME/kg dry matter (DM) and 148 g CP/kg DM) or low quality diet (LQD) (LQD, 2.02 Mcal ME/kg DM and 87 g CP/kg DM). At weaning, one half of lambs from each group was randomly separated and assigned to HQD or LQD. There were four treatment groups in postweaning period: H-H (HQD pre-and post-weaning); H-L (HQD pre-weaning and LQD post-weaning); L-H (LQD pre-weaning and HQD post-weaning) and L-L (LQD pre and post-weaning, control group). Dry matter intake was measured weekly and body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) were measured every 2 weeks from 30 to 210 d of age. Serum insulin, leptin and progesterone concentrations were determined by ELISA. In general, the HQD treatment increased dry matter intake (DMI), compared with the LQD treatment during pre-weaning period (P<0.01). Results showed that initial BW was similar between all experimental groups (P>0.05). During post-weaning, lambs of H-H treatment had higher DMI, metabolize energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) intake compared with other lambs treatments (P>0.05). Within the postweaning, serum progesterone concentrations was greater for ewe lambs fed at H-H group than for other groups (P<0.05). Serum insulin concentration was affected by the diet quality at both periods (P<0.05). Leptin concentration was affected by treatment and ewe lambs of L-H group had higher leptin concentrations (P<0.05). Age at the time of puberty was affected by treatments (P<0.05). In addition, Ewe lambs in the H-H and L-H groups were younger and weighed more at puberty. Diet plan in the pre-pubertal period was affected milk yield at the first lactation (P<0.05). It was concluded that pre-pubertal plan play an important role in secretion of progesterone, insulin and leptin, which can leads to early sexual puberty. And also these strategic plans should be improve economic traits the start of lamb's puberty in sheep husbandry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]