Eight multiparous Holstein cows averaging 570 +/- 43 kg of body weight and 60 +/- 20 d in milk were used in a double Latin square design with four 21-d experimental periods to determine the effects of feeding ground or whole flaxseed with or without monensin supplementation (0.02% on a dry matter basis) on milk production and composition, feed intake, digestion, blood composition, and fatty acid profile of milk. Intake of dry matter was similar among treatments. Cows fed whole flaxseed had higher digestibility of acid detergent fiber but lower digestibilities of crude protein and ether extract than those fed ground flaxseed; monensin had no effect on digestibility. Milk production tended to be greater for cows fed ground flaxseed (22.8 kg/d) compared with those fed whole flaxseed (21.4 kg/d). Processing of flax-seed had no effect on 4% fat-corrected milk yield and milk protein and lactose concentrations. Monensin supplementation had no effect on milk production but decreased 4% fat-corrected milk yield as a result of a decrease in milk fat concentration. Feeding ground compared with whole flaxseed decreased concentrations of 16:0, 17:0, and cis6-20:4 and increased those of cis6-18:2, cis9, trans11-18:2, and cis3-18:3 in milk fat. As a result, there was a decrease in concentrations of medium-chain and saturated fatty acids and a trend for higher concentrations of long-chain fatty acids in milk fat when feeding ground compared with whole flaxseed. Monensin supplementation increased concentrations of cis9 and trans11-18:2 and decreased concentrations of saturated fatty acids in milk fat. There was an interaction between flaxseed processing and monensin supplementation, with higher milk fat concentration of trans11-18:1 for cows fed ground flaxseed with monensin than for those fed the other diets. Flaxseed processing and monensin supplementation successfully modified the fatty acid composition of milk fat that might favor nutritional value for consumers.

An increased risk of acidosis in animals is associated with a high dry matter intake (DMI), which in turn results in the consumption of more fermentable organic matter (OM) in the rumen leading to a high production of volatile fatty acids (VFA). This is observed in lactating dairy cows and animals in a feedlot. Acute acidosis occurs when there is a severe drop in the pH of the rumen. A prolonged period when pH of in rumen remains low, it leads to sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA), which is a temporary imbalance between acid production and absorption. An associated change of an acute increase in the ruminal osmolarity and the accumulation of glucose and lactate in its stereoisomeric forms (D-lactate and L-lactate), is observed in the rumen fluid. However, in the sub-acute form, the accumulation of lactic acid occurs in the rumen. To a great extent, these changes in the rumen are due to high concentrations of VFA. The best way to avoid problems with ruminal acidosis is an adequate supply of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in the diet, preferentially with large particle size and length to stimulate rumination and consequently greater buffering efficiency, thus maintaining the balance between pH and microorganisms in the rumen.

-Four rumen-cannulated primiparous lactating cows were studied in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment to evaluate the effects of propolis-based products (PBP) with different concentrations of propolis and alcohol levels on total digestibility, (TD), ruminal digestibility (RD), intestinal digestibility (ID), pH, ruminal ammonia-nitrogen production (NH 3 -N), rumen microbial synthesis, and blood parameters. The feed consisted of 591.9 g/kg corn silage and 408.1 g/kg concentrate (dry matter [DM] basis), and treatments differed with regard to the inclusion (via ruminal cannula) or exclusion of PBP as follows: control (without the PBP), PBP B1 (3.81 mg of phenolic compounds/kg of ingested DM), PBP C1 (3.27 mg of phenolic compounds/kg of ingested DM), and PBP C3 (1.93 mg of phenolic compounds/kg of ingested DM). Inclusion of PBP reduced the RD of dietary crude protein (CP). Treatment PBP C1 reduced ruminal NH 3 -N production, while PBP B1 increased the ID of CP relative to that in the control. These findings indicate that propolis had a positive effect on rumen nitrogen metabolism. Rumen pH, efficiency of microbial protein synthesis, and blood parameters were not affected by addition of PBP, but there were significant effects on the other parameters when the treatments containing propolis were contrasted.

No abstract

A great diversity of species of microorganisms are present in the rumen environmental with specific functions in the degradation of carbohydrates, protein and lipids. However, the knowledge of the interactions between the different species of microorganisms in the rumen ecosystem and their specific substrates were used to improve nutritional management and can increase production of meat or milk. A balanced nutritional management is very important. When inappropriate feedstuffs are used on diet formulation for cattle, there is a decrease in the growth of microorganisms in the rumen. And the availability of the use of protein synthesized in rumen for all metabolisms of the animal.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the addition of different percentages of urea or calcium oxide (CaO) on the fermentative characteristics and chemical composition of the by-product of sweet corn silage, without whole kernel corn. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme, with two additives (CaO or urea) and five inclusion levels (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% in natural matter of by-product of sweet corn silage). There was interaction between the type of additives and addition levels (CaO or urea) for pH values (P < 0.05). The mean pH values ranged from 3.40 to 5.36 in the additive silage. For effluent production, the additive type interaction and addition levels were significant (P < 0.05). The addition of CaO independent of the level used was not effective in reducing dry matter (DM) losses during ensilage. The total losses of DM presented a significant increase with the levels of addition of CaO, varying from 91 to 177% in relation to the control silage. The addition of urea to all levels had a satisfactory effect on the total loss of DM, ranging from 38 to 69% improvement in the reduction in relation to the control silage. The additive CaO was not efficient in reducing the fermentation losses and preserving the silage. However, urea was efficient in the recovery of DM in the ensilage process.

No abstract

The use of oil supplies in feed increases the energy density of the diet and has the potential to enhance both animal performance and meat quality. Whole cottonseed is an oilseed that has a high concentration of oil and is especially rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid. Whole cottonseed is considered as an excellent alternative addition to ruminant feed. Protected lipids are composed of industry-based fatty acids. In the feedlot, protected lipids are used in conjunction with calcium and, in certain cases, their addition has been seen to augment meat quality in terms of essential fatty acid concentrations. This review discusses and debates the use of the whole cottonseed as well as protected lipids (calcium salts of fatty acids) as dietary additives to ruminant feed and diet, and also its impact on meat quality. The whole cottonseed and or protected lipids are viable feedlot alternatives for use in feedlot when it is desired to reduce the amount of starch in animal diet without compromising the performance. The addition of the whole cottonseed or protected lipid in diet is not affect pH values in meat. The whole cottonseed does not contribute to the improvement of tenderness of the meat. The proportion mean of Desirable fatty acids in meat in the comparative study were: as pentadecanoic acid (C15:1 = 0.29%), palmitoleic acid (C16:1 = 4.26%), heptadecanoic acid (C17:1 = 0.07%), oleic acid (C18:1n9c = 37.32%), γ-linolenic acid (0.94%) and α-linolenic acid (1.04%), elaidic acid (C18:1n9t = 0.50%), eicosatrienoic acid (C20:3n3 = 0.03%), eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n3 = 0.04%), erucic acid (C22:1n9 = 0.89%), docosadienoic acid (C22:2 = 0.04%) and stearic acid (C18:0 = 21.53%). The addition the cottonseed or protected lipid in diet does not affect fatty acids profiles the desirable fatty acids in meat.