Search

This study aimed to determine the effects of chitosan, whole raw soybeans or their interaction on feeding behavior and heat losses through thermography assay of Jersey heifers fed high concentrate diets. Twelve Jersey heifers (age of 6±0.5 months and 139.50±25.56 kg of live weight, mean±SD) were randomly assigned to a replicated latin square design with 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement. The experimental period consisted of 14 days of adaptation to the diets, 6 days of sampling and 5 days of wash out. The diets were: control (CO), chitosan (CHI, inclusion of 20 g/kg dry matter (DM) of chitosan), whole raw soybeans (WS, 163.0 g/kg of WS on diet DM basis), and chitosan + whole raw soybeans (CHI+WS). Chitosan decreased DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake (0.79 and 0.31 kg/d, respectively), increased the eating time (31.88 min) and decreased the NDF content of regurgitate rumen bolus (57 g). Whole raw soybeans did not affect feeding behavior, except for a higher time in standing rest. The association of CHI and WS increased the time which animal ruminated stand. The diets did not influence superficial temperature of heifers. However, WS diet increased heat losses by radiation and convection. The highest values of heat losses were observed after 2 hours of feeding. The interaction of CHI and WS did not alter feeding behavior and heat losses. Feeding WS to heifers increased the total heat losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a bacterial inoculant and chemical additives on nutrient composition, in vitro degradation, total loss, aerobic stability, microbiological quality, and fermentative profile of sugarcane silage. Treatments were distributed to forty-eight mini-silos in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement: two levels of microbial inoculant (INO, 0 or 4 g/t of fresh sugarcane and three chemical additives (CHE, CaO, NaCl and urea at 10 g/kg on as-is basis). The association of INO and urea had the highest values of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber in vitro degradation. Treatments with inoculant and chemical additives reduced the gas loss (g/kg as-is basis). The association of INO and CHE increased the amounts of lactic acid bacteria. The association of INO and CHE resulted in a synergetic effect to decrease ethanol production and to increase lactic acid production. Inoculant and CHE showed a positive synergetic effect on total losses, dry matter recovery, microbiological profile, and production of ethanol and lactic acid. Treatments containing urea had greater DM in vitro degradation and aerobic stability compared with the other chemical additives. The association of INO and CHE positively affected the chemical composition, in vitro degradation, total losses, aerobic stability, microbiological and fermentative profile of sugarcane silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ricinoleic acid is obtained from castor bean and studies related to its effects on glucose and insulin dynamic are scarce in the literature. Eight male Crioulo breed horses (362 ± 16 of live weight, mean ± SD) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment that consisted of 10 days of adaptation and 7 days for data collection. The horses were allocated in each square to receive one of the following treatments: Control (0) and 1, 2, 3 and 4 g/d of ricinoleic acid (diet DM basis). Diets were composed of a commercial concentrate and Coast cross hay. Treatments did not affect DM and nutrient intake. Ricinoleic acid did not alter the nutrient digestibility, regardless of the dosage used. The quadratic effect was observed for glucose and insulin area under the curve. Ricinoleic acid quadratically affected glucose and insulin concentrations. Increasing dietary doses of ricinoleic acid altered glycemic and insulinemic responses of horses, and the present study recommends the dietary inclusion of 1.8 g of ricinoleic acid to improve horse's energetic metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Two experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of coated slow-release urea on nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen utilization, blood glucose and urea concentration (Exp 1), and average daily gain (ADG; Exp 2) of steers. Methods: Exp 1: Eight ruminally fistulated steers [503±28.5 kg body weight (BW)] were distributed into a d 4×4 Latin square design and assigned to treatments: control (CON), feed grade urea (U2), polymer-coated slow-release urea A (SRA2), and polymer-coated slow-release urea B (SRB2). Dietary urea sources were set at 20 g/kg DM. Exp 2: 84 steers (350.5±26.5 kg initial BW) were distributed to treatments: CON, FGU at 10 or 20 g/kg diet DM (U1 and U2, respectively), coated SRA2 at 10 or 20 g/kg diet DM (SRA1 and SRA2, respectively), and coated SRB at 10 or 20 g/kg diet DM (SRB1 and SRB2, respectively). Results: Exp 1: Urea treatments (U2+SRA2+SRB2) decreased (7.4%, p = 0.03) the DM intake and increased (11.4%, p<0.01) crude protein digestibility. Coated slow-release urea (SRA2+SRB2) showed similar nutrient digestibility compwared to feed grade urea (FGU). However, steers fed SRB2 had higher (p = 0.02) DM digestibility compared to those fed SRA2. Urea sources did not affect ruminal fermentation when compared to CON. Although, coated slow-release urea showed lower (p = 0.01) concentration of NH3-N (-10.4%) and acetate to propionate ratio than U2. Coated slow-release urea showed lower (p = 0.02) urinary N and blood urea concentration compared to FGU. Exp 2: Urea sources decreased (p = 0.01) the ADG in relation to CON. Animals fed urea sources at 10 g/kg DM showed higher (12.33%, p = 0.01) ADG compared to those fed urea at 20 g/kg DM. Conclusion: Feeding urea decreased the nutrient intake without largely affected the nutrient digestibility. In addition, polymer-coated slow-release urea sources decreased ruminal ammonia concentration and increased ruminal propionate production. Urea at 20 g/kg DM, regardless of source, decreased ADG compared both to CON and diets with urea at 10 g/kg DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differing soya bean particle sizes may affect productive performance and ruminal fermentation due to the level of fatty acid ( FA) exposure of the cotyledon in soya bean grain and because the protein in small particles is more rapidly degraded than the protein in large particles, which influence ruminal fibre digestion and the amounts of ruminally undegradable nutrients. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of raw soya bean particle size on productive performance, digestion and milk FA profile of dairy cows. Twelve Holstein cows were assigned to three 4 × 4 Latin squares with 21-day periods. At the start of the experiment, cows were 121 days in milk ( DIM) and yielded 30.2 kg/day of milk. Cows were fed 4 diets: (i) control diet ( CO), without raw soya bean; (ii) whole raw soya bean ( WRS); (iii) cracked raw soya bean in Wiley mill 4-mm screen ( CS4); and (iv) cracked raw soya bean in Wiley mill 2-mm screen ( CS2). The inclusion of soya beans (whole or cracked) was 200 g/kg on dry matter ( DM) basis and partially replaced ground corn and soya bean meal. Uncorrected milk yield and composition were not influenced by experimental diets; however, fat-corrected milk ( FCM) decreased when cows were fed soya bean treatments. Soya bean diets increased the intake of ether extract ( EE) and net energy of lactation ( NEL), and decreased the intake of DM and non-fibre carbohydrate ( NFC). Ruminal propionate concentration was lower in cows fed WRS than cows fed CS2 or CS4. Cows fed cracked raw soya bean presented lower nitrogen in faeces than cows fed WRS. The milk of cows fed WRS, CS2 and CS4 presented higher unsaturated FA than cows fed CO. The addition of raw soya bean in cow diets, regardless of the particle size, did not impair uncorrected milk yield and nutrient digestion, and increased the concentration of unsaturated FA in milk. Cows fed cracked raw soya bean presented similar productive performance to cows fed whole raw soya bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis of mid-lactating cows fed high dietary levels of monensin. Twelve Holstein cows were distributed into four 3 × 3 latin squares and assigned to the following treatments: control (CON), monensin 24 (M24, addition of 24 mg monensin/kg diet DM) and monensin 48 (M48, addition of 48 mg monensin/kg diet DM). Dietary levels of monensin linearly decreased dry matter intake without altering the nutrient total apparent digestibility. Monensin linearly increased ruminal fluid pH and acetate concentration. Monensin quadratically affected ruminal total short chain fatty acids, propionate concentration, acetate and propionate production and acetate to propionate ratio. Furthermore, monensin linearly increased the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archivos de Zootecnia is the property of Archivos de Zootecnia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archivos de Zootecnia is the property of Archivos de Zootecnia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)