• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.619-624
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• 2000

Low-quality roughages [banana wastes (B), wheat straw (WS) and dried broiler litter (BL)] were ensiled using either sweet whey (W) or diluted molasses (M) as rehydration media to study their effects on milk yield, milk composition and some parameters of blood plasma. The feeding trial involved 25 lactating buffaloes in five groups (five animals each). Buffaloes as control animals received diets of concentrate feed mixture, rice straw and wastelages (70:30:00). In the other 4 treatments, the wastelages replaced 50% of rice straw in the control diets. The wastelages were BL:B:M(3:2:10) (T1), BL:WS:M (3:2:10) (T2), BL:B:W (3:2:10) (T3) and BL:WS:W (3:2:10) (T4) on a fresh matter basis, during the 1st 17 weeks of lactation period. Results indicated that feeding lactating buffaloes on wastelages resulted in slightly higher (p>0.05) milk yield, 4% fat-corrected-milk yield and feed efficiency, and slightly lowered (p>0.05) contents of milk total solids, fat and protein. Wastelages, especially BL-B-M, increased (p<0.05) milk non-protein-nitrogen and ash contents and plasma urea, GOT and GPT. The results demonstrate that banana plant wastes with some additives in silage form may be good untraditional roughage for lactating buffaloes without any adverse effect on milk production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.787-794
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• 2005

The aim of this study was 1) to confirm the practical efficiency of a routine milk P4 monitoring system for postpartum reproductive management of a dairy herd, and 2) to evaluate the relationship between the blood metabolic profiles, milk quality and body weight of individual cows in the farm records, which may reflect the postpartum nutritional condition, and the time of postpartum resumption of ovarian activity of dairy cows. A total of 116 Holstein cows was used in the present study. First, during the period of Experiment 1, postpartum reproductive management based on weekly measured milk P4 concentration from individual cows was conducted. Compared with the reproductive records of the past two years without P4 monitoring, although the day from calving to first AI did not change, both the number of AI until pregnant (with P4; 1.9 times vs. without P4; 2.9 times) and the days open (with P4; 95.1 days vs. without P4; 135.8 days and 133.8 days) were significantly decreased. In Experiment 2, the measurement of blood constituents such as albumin, blood urea nitrogen, packed cell volume, ammonia, glucose, total cholesterol, non-esterified, AST and $\gamma$-GTP was performed on the blood samples taken once approximately 14 days postpartum, to monitor both health and nutritional conditions. The milk constituent parameters, such as milk protein (MP), milk fat (MF), SNF and lactose, collected from the monthly progeny test of individual cows, were used to monitor the postpartum nutritional status. Furthermore, the data obtained from the routine measurements of body weight were used to calculate the rate of peripartum body weight loss. The resumption day of the postpartum estrous cycle was assumed from the milk P4 profiles of individual cows. There was no clear relationship between each parameter from blood examination and those from resumption time. However, the cows had low values of MP, and SNF, which significantly affected the resumption of the postpartum estrous cycle. Similarly, a higher rate of body weight loss indicated a significant delay (more than 1 month) in the resumption of the postpartum estrous cycle, compared with the groups that had a medium or lower rate of body weight loss. The results of the present study demonstrated that the implementation of routine milk P4 monitoring-based postpartum reproductive management, together with milk quality parameters and routine BW data available in field conditions may be utilized as a practical approach for increasing the postpartum reproductive efficiency of a high yielding dairy herd.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.491-500
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• 2010

Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of polyurethane coated urea on in vitro ruminal fermentation, ammonia release dynamics and lactating performance of Holstein dairy cows fed a steam-flaked corn-based diet. In Exp. 1, a dual-flow continuous culture was run to investigate the effect of polyurethane coated urea on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation parameters and microbial efficiency. Three treatment diets with isonitrogenous contents (13.0% CP) were prepared: i) feedgrade urea (FGU) diet; ii) polyurethane coated urea (PCU) diet; and iii) isolated soy protein (ISP) diet. Each of the diets consisted of 40% steam-flaked corn meal, 58.5% forages and 1.5% different sources of nitrogen. PCU and FGU diets had significantly lower digestibility of NDF and ADF (p<0.01) than the ISP diet. Nitrogen source had no significant effect (p = 0.62) on CP digestibility. The microbial efficiency (expressed as grams of microbial N/kg organic matter truly digested (OMTD)) in vitro of the PCU diet (13.0 g N/kg OMTD) was significantly higher than the FGU diet (11.3 g N/kg OMTD), but comparable with the ISP diet (14.7 g N/kg OMTD). Exp. 2, an in vitro ruminal fermentation experiment, was conducted to determine the ammonia release dynamics during an 8 h ruminal fermentation. Three treatment diets were based on steam-flaked corn diets commonly fed to lactating cows in China, in which FGU, PCU or soybean meal (SBM) was added to provide 10% of total dietary N. In vitro $NH_3-N$ concentrations were lower (p<0.05) for the PCU diet than the FGU diet, but similar to that for the SBM diet at all time points. In Exp. 3, a lactation trial was performed using 24 lactating Holstein cows to compare the lactating performance and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations when cows were fed PCU, FGU and SBM diets. Cows consuming the PCU diet had approximately 12.8% more (p = 0.02) dietary dry matter intake than those consuming the FGU diet. Cows fed the PCU diet had higher milk protein content (3.16% vs. 2.94%) and lower milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentration (13.0 mg/dl vs. 14.4 mg/dl) than those fed the FGU diet. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration was significantly lower for cows fed the PCU (16.7 mg/dl) and SBM (16.4 mg/dl) diets than the FGU (18.7 mg/dl) diet. Cows fed the PCU diet had less surplus ruminal N than those fed the FGU diet and produced a comparable lactation performance to the SBM diet, suggesting that polyurethane coated urea can partially substitute soybean meal in the dairy cow diet without impairing lactation performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.351-359
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• 2015

Twelve multiparous Holstein dairy cows in mid-lactation were selected for a replicated $4{\times}4$ Latin square design with a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement to investigate the effects of corn and soybean meal (SBM) types on rumen fermentation, N metabolism and lactation performance in dairy cows. Two types of corn (dry ground [DGC] and steam-flaked corn [SFC]) and two types of SBM (solvent-extracted and heat-treated SBM) with different ruminal degradation rates and extents were used to formulate four diets with the same basal ingredients. Each period lasted for 21 days, including 14 d for adaptation and 7 d for sample collection. Cows receiving SFC had a lower dry matter (DM) and total N intake than those fed DGC. However, the milk yield and milk protein yield were not influenced by the corn type, resulting in higher feed and N utilization efficiency in SFC-fed cows than those receiving DGC. Ruminal acetate concentrations was greater and total volatile fatty acids concentrations tended to be greater for cows receiving DGC relative to cows fed SFC, but milk fat content was not influenced by corn type. The SFC-fed cows had lower ruminal ammonia-N, less urea N in their blood and milk, and lower fecal N excretion than those on DGC. Compared with solvent-extracted SBM-fed cows, cows receiving heat-treated SBM had lower microbial protein yield in the rumen, but similar total tract apparent nutrient digestibility, N metabolism measurements, and productivity. Excessive supply of metabolizable protein in all diets may have caused the lack of difference in lactation performance between SBM types. Results of the present study indicated that increasing the energy degradability in the rumen could improve feed efficiency, and reduce environmental pollution.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권9호
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• pp.1373-1380
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• 2019

Objective: This study ascertained effects of cactus pear in association with different roughage in the diet of F1 Holstein/Zebu cows on intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior and performance. Methods: Eight cows with $72{\pm}11$ days of lactation were used. The experimental design was simultaneous in two $4{\times}4$ Latin squares. Four experimental diets were used: Diet 1, sorghum silage as exclusive roughage; Diet 2, sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage (dry matter basis); Diet 3, elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo) as exclusive roughage; Diet 4, elephant grass associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25. Results: Dry matter intake (p = 0.01) was higher with sorghum silage. There were differences in dry matter intake (p = 0.01), crude protein (p<0.01), ether extract (p = 0.01), non-fibrous carbohydrates (p<0.01) and total digestible nutrients (p = 0.01) among the diets. Cactus pear in the diet reduced water intake by 44.52% (p<0.01). The nitrogen balance was 59.71% and 27.49% lower in animals treated with exclusive sorghum silage and sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in relation to diets with elephant grass and elephant grass associated with cactus pear, respectively (p<0.01). The diets did not influence the milk production (p = 0.70), 3.5% fat corrected milk production (p = 0.72) or feed efficiency (p = 0.61). Conclusion: The association of cactus pear with sorghum or elephant grass silage does not alter milk production, reduces the intake of dry matter and water and improves the digestibility of nutrients.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.801-806
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• 2016

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of different supplemental levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP; Original XP; Diamond V) on lactation performance in Holstein dairy cows under heat stress. Eighty-one multiparous Holstein dairy cows were divided into 27 blocks of 3 cows each based on milk yield ($23.6{\pm}0.20kg/d$), parity ($2.88{\pm}0.91$) and day in milk ($204{\pm}46d$). The cows were randomly assigned within blocks to one of three treatments: 0 (control), 120, or 240 g/d of SCFP mixed with 240, 120, or 0 g of corn meal, respectively. The experiment was carried out during the summer season of 2014, starting from 14 July 2014 and lasting for 9 weeks with the first week as adaption period. During the experimental period, average daily temperature-humidity index (measured at 08:00, 14:00, and 20:00) was above 68, indicating that cows were exposed to heat stress throughout the study. Rectal temperatures tended to decrease linearly (p = 0.07) for cows supplemented with SCFP compared to the control cows at 14:30, but were not different at 06:30 (p>0.10). Dry matter intake was not affected by SCFP supplementation (p>0.10). Milk yield increased linearly (p<0.05) with increasing levels of SCFP. Feed efficiency (milk yield/ dry matter intake) was highest (p<0.05) for cows fed 240 g/d SCFP. Cows supplemented with SCFP gained (p<0.01) body weight, while cows in the control lost body weight. Net energy balance also increased linearly (p<0.01) with increasing levels of SCFP. Concentrations of milk urea nitrogen (p<0.01) decreased linearly with increasing levels of SCFP, while no difference (p>0.10) was observed among the treatments in conversion of dietary crude protein to milk protein yield. In summary, supplementation of SCFP alleviated the negative effect of heat stress in lactating Holstein dairy cows and allowed cows to maintain higher milk production, feed efficiency and net energy balance. Effects of SCFP were dose-dependent and greater effects were observed from higher doses.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.47-53
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• 1997

Appropriation of partial substitution of concentrate mixture by urea-molasses-mineral block (UMMB) lick supplements for 20 lactating crossbred cows in 2nd and 3nd lactation was studied. Animals fed on wheat straw ad lib. and Berseem (Trifolium alaxandrium) fodder @ 1.5 kg/d on dry matter basis. Animals of control group were given concentrate supplement, while in treatment groups 10% of the concentrate requirement was substituted with 3 different types of UMMB lick type A ($T_1$), type B ($T_2$) and type C ($T_3$). CP content of the ration was 15%. Total dry matter intake (DMI) was about 1.0 kg/kg of fat corrected milk (FCM) yield and was not significantly different between control and treatment groups. Digestibility of neither proximate principles nor cell wall constituents were deviated on UMMB licks partial supplementation. FCM yield was increased by 140, 410 and 460 g/d, in $T_1$, $T_2$ and $T_3$, respectively, in comparison to control group but differences were statistically invalid. Though fat per cent was reduced, fat yields were remain constant among treatments. Milk composition was unaltered except significant difference (p < 0.01) in non-protein nitrogen (NPN) content. Gross-N and digestible-N conversion was significantly higher (p < 0.01) with $T_1$, $T_2$ and $T_3$ than control group. Energy utilization efficiency for milk production was only 36%. Result demonstrated that UMMB licks could be partial supplemented up to 10% of the concentrate requirement of crossbred cows yielding on an average 14kg/d without any adverse effect on feed intake, nutrient utilization and mild production. Comparatively, UMMB lick type B and C was proved better than type A and also economically viable.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제25권11호
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• pp.1546-1552
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• 2012

A feeding experiment with 40 lactating Holstein cows and 4 dietary treatments was conducted to investigate supplementation with different levels of alcohol fermented feed to the TMR on lactating performance, blood metabolites, milk fatty acid profile and cholesterol concentration of blood and milk. Forty Holstein lactating cows ($106{\pm}24$ d post-partum; mean${\pm}$SD) were distributed into four groups and randomly assigned to one of four treatments with each containing 10 cows per treatment. The treatment supplemented with TMR (DM basis) as the control (CON), and CON mixed with alcohol-fermented feeds (AFF) at a level of 5%, 10% and 15% of the TMR as T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Dry matter intake and milk yield were not affected by supplementation of AFF. An increased 4% FCM in the milk occurred in cows fed T3 diet compared with CON, while T1 and T2 diets decreased 4% FCM in a dose dependent manner. Supplementation of AFF increased the concentration of albumin, total protein (TP), ammonia, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol in serum compared with CON. In contrast, supplementation with AFF clearly decreased concentration of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and total cholesterol (TC) compare with CON. AFF supplementation increased the proportion of C18:1n9 and C18:2n6 compared to CON. A decrease in the concentration of saturated fatty acid (SFA) for T1, T2 and T3 resulted in an increased unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) to SFA ratio compared to CON. Concentration of cholesterol in milk fat was reduced in proportion to the supplemental level of AFF. Feeding a diet supplemented with a moderate level AFF to lactating cows could be a way to alter the feed efficiency and fatty acid profile of milk by increasing potentially human consumer healthy fatty acid without detrimental effects on feed intake and milk production. A substantially decreased cholesterol proportion in milk induced by supplementation AFF suggests that alcohol fermented feed may improve milk cholesterol levels without any negative effects in lactating cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권8_spc호
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• pp.1296-1305
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• 2019

There have been recent advances concerning research of the feeding and nutrition of dairy goats in a wide array of areas. Ruminally emitted methane and supplementary feedstuffs to a lesser extent make appreciable contributions to the carbon footprint of dairy goats, with the former affected by type of production system and associated dietary characteristics. Unique behavior of goats necessitates careful consideration of the nature of confinement facilities to achieve optimal production by animals differing in social hierarchy. Physiological conditions such as nutritional needs and perhaps health status may influence diet selection by goats in both grazing and confinement settings. Some research suggests that low concentrations of protein and fat in milk of high-yielding dairy goat breeds could involve the type and nature of dietary ingredients as influencing end products of ruminal fermentation. With the relationship between milk urea nitrogen concentration and efficiency of dietary protein utilization, through future research the measure may be a useful tool for diet formulation as in dairy cattle. Effects of dietary inclusion of sources of fats and oils vary considerably depending on their nature, as is also true for byproduct feedstuffs and conventional ones being substituted for. Supplementation of dairy goats with sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids can affect oxidative stress and various feedstuffs influence antioxidant status; however, research addressing the significance of such changes under practical production settings would be beneficial.

• 한국유기농업학회지
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.189-195
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• 1999

Under the no-till direct-sown rice-vetch cropping systems, where whole chopped rice straw were returned to the paddy surface at combine harvest and whole-plant of Chinese Milk Vetch(Astragalus sinicus L.) was submerged after direct-sowing, three levels of nitrogen top-dressed(0, 2, 4 kg N/10a) without basal N and two levels of sowing rate were applied into the paddy field in expectation of the enhancement of nitrogen efficiency and protection of agricultural environment in reduced N-fertilizer level. A cultivar, Dongjin, was direct-sown on May 30, 1996. Characteristics of rice growth and physicochemical properties of rice plant were observed. Under the system, reduced total N(4 kg N/10a) resulted in high panicle numbers. N-top dressed toward at later growth stages enhanced the ratio of panicle-producing tillers and at spikelet numbers per panicle. As N-level increases, DM yields of leaf and stem at heading were increased. Maximum grain yield was obtained at 4kg N/10a and major attributed factors to grain yield in this case were the number of grains per unit area and the ratio of ripened grain.