A gronomy J our n al • Volume 102 , I s sue 3 • 2 010 849 ABSTRACT Sigmoid equations are recognized as representative of the pattern of herbage accumulation during a growth period; however, the various equations and their variability among locations and during the growing season have not been well described. Th e objectives of this study were to fi nd the most suitable, four-parameter sigmoid equations to fi t measured herbage mass and to investigate how the patterns of herbage accumulation (i.e., equation parameters) varied with time of year and location. Herbage mass was measured approximately weekly during 11 to 12 growth periods with a rising plate meter (RPM) at three north-central United States locations (Columbus and Coshocton, OH, and Arlington, WI) during 2008, and those data were fi t to Gompertz equations. Th ere were four replicates for each growth period. We found predictable relationships between instantaneous herbage accumulation rate (HAR i ) and herbage mass for each location and date. Time-independent HAR i vs. herbage mass curves have potential use for pasture management by defi ning the optimum herbage mass at which HAR i is maximum. Th e optimum herbage mass varied between 1600 and 4000 kg dry matter (DM) ha -1 depending on location and date. Allowing herbage mass to exceed the optimum point (e.g., delayed harvest), or harvesting to below the optimum point, will reduce the HAR i . Th e HAR i -herbage mass curves defi ne a range of herbage mass within which pastures can be managed to achieve high HAR i , and maintaining pastures within 90% of the maximum HAR i may be a practical target for producers.

Dietary yeast supplementation may improve the digestive efficiency of ruminants, but responses depend on the yeast strain and the diet composition. Corn silage and citrus pulp are usual carbohydrate sources for dairy cows in southeast Brazil. This study evaluated the supplementation of dairy cows fedding on corn silagecitrus pulp-based diets with Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 (Lallemand SAS, Toulouse, France). Twenty multiparous, midlactation Holstein cows were assigned to two treatments in crossover design. Treatments were: live yeast on oyster meal capable of supplying a daily minimum of 1 × 10 10 CFU per cow or oyster meal top-dressed at 10 g to the morning meal. Diet contained (% of dry matter): 16.8% crude protein, 30.9% neutral detergent fiber, 43.9% corn silage, 2% tifton hay, 14.4% steam flaked corn, 16.9% citrus pulp and 21.7% soybean meal. Yeast supplementation increased daily yields of milk (29.4 vs. 28.5 kg, p = 0.11), protein (0.939 vs. 0.908 kg, p = 0.05), and lactose (1.294 vs. 1.241 kg, p = 0.06), but did not affect milk fat contents (p = 0.59). Daily dry matter intake was 21.4 with yeast and 20.7 kg for the control (p = 0.11). Total tract apparent digestibility of the neutral detergent fiber was 48.1% with yeast and 43.2% for the control (p = 0.08). There was a trend for increased intake of digestible organic matter with yeast supplementation (p = 0.07). The positive milk protein yield response to yeast supplementation may have resulted from the increased fiber digestibility, but the response mechanism could not be elucidated. Key words: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, citrus pulp, probiotic Digestibilidade da dieta e desempenho de vacas leiteiras suplementadas com levedura viva RESUMO: A suplementação com levedura pode melhorar a eficiência digestiva de ruminantes. Entretanto, a resposta depende da cepa de levedura e da composição da dieta. Silagem de milho e polpa cítrica são fontes frequentes de carboidratos para vacas leiteiras no Sudeste do Brasil. Avaliou-se a suplementação de vacas leiteiras alimentadas com dieta baseada em silagem de milho e polpa cítrica com Saccharomyces cerevisiae cepa CNCM I-1077 (Lallemand SAS, Toulouse, França). Vinte vacas Holandesas multíparas em meio de lactação foram alocadas a uma seqüência de dois tratamentos em delineamento de reversão simples. Os tratamentos foram: 10 g de levedura viva em farinha de ostra para fornecer um mínimo diário de 1 × 10 10 ufc por vaca ou farinha de ostra fornecidos sobre a refeição matinal. A dieta continha (% da matéria seca): 16,8% de proteína bruta, 30,9% de fibra em detergente neutro, 43,9% de silagem de milho, 2% de feno de tifton, 14,4% de milho floculado, 16,9% de polpa cítrica e 21,7% de farelo de soja. A suplementação com levedura aumentou as produções diárias de leite (29,4 vs. 28,5 kg, p = 0,11), proteína (0,939 vs. 0,908 kg, p = 0,05) e lactose (1,264 vs. 1,241 kg, p = 0,06), e não teve efeito sobre a gordura do leite (p = 0,53). O consumo diário de matéria seca foi 21,4 kg com levedura e 20,7 no controle...

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Increasing methionine availability in dairy cow diets during the first third of lactation may enhance their performance and health. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing rumen-protected methionine (Smartamine® M, SM) in a lactation diet with protein and energy levels calculated according to the literature. Seventy-six multiparous Holstein cows (39.1 ± 6.8 kg of milk/d and 65 ± 28 DIM) were assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments (38/treatment) according to a randomized complete block design with a 2-wk (covariate) and 10-wk experimental period. Treatments were a basal diet (CON; 3.77 Lys:1Met); and CON + 23 g SM (2.97 Lys:1 Met). Individual milk samples were taken every 2 weeks to determine milk composition. Blood was collected from 24 cows on d+30 d to measure plasma AA levels. Body weight and body condition score (BCS) were measured at the beginning and the end of the experiment. The SM diet promoted higher milk yield (41.7 vs. 40.1 kg/d; P = 0.03). Energy-corrected milk yield (41.0 vs. 38.0 kg/d), milk protein yield (1.30 vs. 1.18 kg/d), milk protein (3.14% vs. 2.97%) and casein (2.39% vs. 2.28%) were also different (P < 0.01) as well as milk fat yield (1.42 vs. 1.29 kg/d; P = 0.02). A trend (P = 0.06) for higher milk fat % (3.41% vs. 3.21%) was observed. Both diets resulted in similar body weight, but CON-fed cows tended (P = 0.08) to have higher BCS. Higher plasma methionine levels were determined with SM compared with CON (29.6 vs. 18.4 μM; P < 0.01), but lysine and histidine were not different. Dietary supplementation of RPM improved productive performance by increasing milk yield and milk components yields, suggesting better dietary AA utilization when Met levels are adjusted in Lys-adequate lactation diets.

Exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) improve the energy availability of grains for nonruminant animals by reducing encapsulation of the endosperm nutrients within grain cell walls; however, these benefits are unknown in the treatment of corn-based silage for cattle. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of adding EFE at ensiling on the nutritive value of high-moisture corn (HMC) and snaplage (SNAP) for finishing Nellore bulls. The EFE dose was 100 g/Mg fresh matter in both HMC and SNAP. Diets were 1) a SNAP + HMC control (without enzyme addition); 2) SNAP + HMC EFE (with enzymes); 3) a whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) + HMC control (without enzyme addition); and 4) WPCS + HMC EFE (with enzymes). In addition to the silages, the diets were also composed of soybean hulls, soybean meal, and mineral–vitamin supplement. The statistical design was a randomized complete block with a factorial arrangement of treatments, and the experiment lasted 122 d. For in situ and in vitro analyses, 2 cannulated dry cows were used. There was no interaction between the diets and EFE application (ADG, P = 0.92; DMI, P = 0.77; G:F, P = 0.70), and there was no difference between the SNAP and WPCS diets regarding the DMI (P = 0.53), ADG (P = 0.35), and feed efficiency (ADG:DMI, P = 0.83). Adding EFE to the HMC and SNAP at ensiling did not affect ADG but decreased DMI (P = 0.01), resulting in greater feed efficiency by 5.91% (P = 0.04) than that observed in animals fed diets without the addition of EFE. Addition of EFE to HMC resulted in reduced NDF content and increased in vitro and in situ DM digestibility compared with untreated HMC. No effects were found for the addition of EFE to SNAP. Fecal starch decreased with EFE application (P = 0.05). Therefore, the diet energy content (TDN, NEm, and NEg) calculated from animal performance increased (P = 0.01) with the addition of EFE to HMC. In conclusion, exchanging the NDF from WPCS with that from SNAP did not affect the performance of finishing cattle, whereas the addition of EFE to HMC at ensiling improved animal performance by increasing the energy availability of the grain.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) supplementation during early lactation on performance and metabolic parameters of dairy cows. Forty-two Holstein cows were blocked by parity (22 primiparous and 20 multiparous) and calving date, then randomly assigned to two groups, Control and RPM. From calving through 29 ± 8 d in milk, cows received an early lactation diet [1.59 Mcal/kg of DM, 10.7% rumen-degradable protein and 6.5% rumen-undegradable protein] with no added methionine (Control, n = 21) or with supplementation of Smartamine M (RPM, Adisseo Inc, n = 21). RPM cows were supplemented with 12 g/day Smartamine M (7.2 g of metabolizable methionine), individually top-dressed over the total mixed ration. Blood and milk samples were collected during the first two weeks of lactation and milk yield recorded until 30 days in milk. No differences in milk yield or blood metabolites were observed. Cows supplemented with RPM increased milk fat and total solids contents and fat-to-protein ratio by 0.48% units, 0.66% units, and 0.09 units, while tended to increase milk total protein content by 0.13% units, respectively. This study showed beneficial effects of early postpartum RPM supplementation on milk composition of dairy cows.

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Increasing methionine availability in dairy cow diets during the first third of lactation may enhance their performance and health. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing rumen-protected methionine (RPMet) in a lactation diet containing adequate protein and energy levels. Seventy-six multiparous Holstein cows (39.1 ± 6.8 kg of milk/d and 65 ± 28 DIM) were assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments (38/treatment) according to a randomized complete block design with a 2-wk (covariate) and 10-wk experimental period. Treatments were a basal diet (CON; 3.77 Lys:1Met); and CON + 14 g RPMet (2.97 Lys:1 Met). Individual milk samples were taken every 2 weeks to determine milk composition. Blood was collected from 24 cows on d+30 d to measure plasma AA levels. Body weight and body condition score (BCS) were measured at the beginning and the end of the experiment. The SM diet promoted higher milk yield (41.7 vs. 40.1 kg/d; P = 0.026), energy-corrected milk yield (41.0 vs. 38.0 kg/d; P ≤ 0.01), milk protein yield (1.30 vs. 1.18 kg/d; P ≤ 0.01), and milk fat yield (1.42 vs. 1.29 kg/d; P = 0.02). Higher milk protein (3.14% vs. 2.97%; P ≤ 0.01) and casein (2.39% vs. 2.28%; P ≤ 0.01) and a trend ( P = 0.06) for higher milk fat % (3.41% vs. 3.21%) were also observed. Both diets resulted in similar body weight, but CON-fed cows tended ( P = 0.08) to have higher BCS. Higher plasma methionine levels were determined with SM compared with CON (29.6 vs. 18.4 μ M ; P < 0.01), but lysine and histidine were not different. Dietary supplementation of RPM improved productive performance by increasing milk yield and milk components yields, suggesting better dietary AA utilization when Met levels are adjusted in Lys-adequate lactation diets.