Effect of feeding ensiled mixture of pomegranate pulp and drier feeds on digestibility and milk performance in dairy cows

Abstract

Based on a previous ensiling study in glass silos of various pomegranate pulp (PP) mixtures, fresh pomegranate pulp (PP) was mixed with drier feeds including soy hulls and corn silage (40:35:25 on DM basis) and ensiled in 32 pressed bales (700 kg each) wrapped with stretch polyethylene film. This ensiled pomegranate pulp mixture (PPM) was included in lactating cow total mixed ration (TMR) at a level of 20% of DM (PPM-TMR). Performance and digestion experiment was conducted with two groups of 21 milking cows each, fed individually one of the two TMR: 1. Control TMR without ensiled PPM; 2. Experimental TMR which contained 20% ensiled PPM, including 8% PP as corn grain replacer. Voluntary DM intake of cows fed the control TMR was 5.04% higher than that of the PPM cows. In vivo digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, CP and fat were significantly higher in the control cows compared with the PPM group, but methane production in the rumen fluid was 25% lower in the PPM cows. A slightly higher milk yield (by 2.2%) observed in the control cows; however, milk fat content was 5.9% higher in the PPM cows. This was reflected in similar yield of energy corrected milk (ECM) and 3.97% increase in production efficiency (ECM/DM intake) of the PPM cows compared with the control ones. Welfare of the cows, as assessed by length of daily recumbence time, was in the normal range for both groups. Body weight gain was also similar in both groups. Data suggest that the level of 8% PP in the PPM-TMR used in this study was probably too high for lactating cows and should be lowered to 4% in order to achieve better performance.

Eating behavior, milk production, rumination, and digestibility characteristics of high- and low-efficiency lactating cows fed a low-roughage diet

“…The similarity in peNDF content and the high sorting index (>98%) of large particles between TMR and the cow orts suggest a lack of sorting by the HEf or LEf cows in our study. Similar high sorting index was demonstrated in a previous study based on wheat silage as the sole roughage in a low-forage diet of lactating cows (Shaani et al, 2016). Therefore, the difference in digestibility between the LEf and HEf cows was not related to sorting behavior.…”

“…Extraordinary data in the range of 10% below or above the weekly average were deleted from the daily and weekly average calculation. This measurement of BW change was used to overcome the daily variation in BW caused by eating, drinking, as well as urine and fecal excretion effects (Shaani et al, 2016). Daily lying time of each cow, suggested by Drissler et al (2005) as an indicator of animal welfare, was recorded daily by an automatic meter located within each cow's pedometer tag (Afimilk Ltd.).…”

“…The 10 HEf and 10 LEf cows were also sampled for rumen pH at 2 sequential days, twice per day before feeding (after feed prevention for 6 h) and 6 h postfeeding. This sampling routine was based on preliminary observations that demonstrated maximal and minimal rumen pH at 1 h prefeeding and 6 h postfeeding, respectively (Shaani et al, 2016). Rumen fluid (400 mL) was collected from each cow with a rumen vacuum connected to a self-made esophageal metal-coated rubber pipe (2 m length, 15 mm internal diameter).…”

“…In vitro methane production was measured in rumen fluid sampled from the 10 HEf and 10 LEf cows 4 times during wk 8, as previously described in Shaani et al (2016) and Ben Shabat et al (2016). Rumen fluid was sampled before feeding (access to food was denied for 6 h) and 6 h postfeeding from each cow over 2 consecutive days, as described above.…”

Supplementation effects of pomegranate by-products on oxidative status, metabolic profile, and performance in transition dairy cows

“…Dietary supplementation with PS or PSP had no effect on pre-and postpartum DMI, ruminal pH, SCFA concentrations, and molar proportions of individual SCFA. Inclusion of pomegranate extracts in the diet of dairy cows has been shown to improve DMI and rumen pH in some (Jami et al, 2012), but not all (Abarghuei et al, 2013;Shaani et al, 2016), studies. These differences may be due to different type and level of pomegranate supplements (pomegranate residues or extract), as well as different animal conditions.…”