Effect of wood kraft pulp feed on digestibility, ruminal characteristics, and milk production performance in lactating dairy cows

Abstract

The effect of wood kraft pulp (KP) feed on dietary digestibility, ruminal fluid pH, rumen fermentation characteristics, and milk production performance in lactating dairy cows was examined. Four lactating dairy cows were used for the feeding experiment by the cross‐over design. The control group and KP group were set up as treatments. The control group was fed total mixed ration (TMR) (40% roughage and 60% concentrate) and the KP group was fed TMR containing 12% KP that replaced half of the rolled corn in the control diet. The dry matter intake, digestibility of the feed components, and milk yield were not significantly different between control group and KP group. The number of times that the ruminal fluid pH was below 6.1 tended to decrease in the KP group compared to the control group (p < 0.10). The acetic acid ratio in the ruminal fluid of the KP group increased compared to the control group (p < 0.05) and the propionic acid ratio in the ruminal fluid of the KP group decreased compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The acetate:propionate acid ratio was increased in the KP group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Lipopolysaccharide levels in the ruminal fluid of the KP group tended to decrease compared to the control group (p < 0.10). Based on these results, it was indicated that the use of KP feed for lactating dairy cows induced the same rumen fermentation characteristics as those in cows given a large amount of roughage without depressing milk productivity. Therefore, KP could be a valuable feed resource substitute for grains, which would also reduce the risk for subacute rumen acidosis.

Effect of feeding wood kraft pulp on the growth performance, feed digestibility, blood components, and rumen fermentation in Japanese Black fattening steers

“…The A/P ratio in the rumen fluid increased with the addition of KP. The same increase in the A/P ratio was obtained when the wood‐based feed was provided as a substitute for concentrate feed (Clarke & Dyer, ; Nishimura et al., in press). The substitution with the wood‐based feed decreases the proportion of starch and increases the proportion of NDF consumed, thereby increasing the proportion of acetic acid in VFAs.…”

“…In consequence, feeding KP instead of concentrate feed to the Japanese Black fattening steer is not considered to affect their growth or feed efficiency. Furthermore, no effect on feed digestibility was observed in lactating cows even when 12% of KP was admixed into the feed instead of rolled corn (Nishimura et al., in press).…”

“…Kraft pulp contains the same level of TDN as rolled corn, but it has an in vitro fermentation pattern which falls between that of concentrate feed and roughage (Hada, Yashro, Machida, & Kajikawa, ). When provided to the lactating cows as a substitute for rolled corn, KP contributes to stable rumen fermentation by increasing the pH of ruminal fluid and decreasing the activity of ruminal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (Nishimura et al., in press). Providing KP to the Japanese Black fattening steer is expected to both stabilize the ruminal environment and improve productivity; however, to the best of our knowledge, no reports are available on the effect of feeding KP to the Japanese black fattening steer.…”

Provision of beta‐glucan prebiotics (cellooligosaccharides and kraft pulp) to calves from pre‐ to post‐weaning period on pasture

“…Kraft pulp is a cellulosic pulp in which the lignin has been removed using kraft process treatment, and thereby contains equivalent nutrient to rolled corn (Tabata, Yashiro, Machida, & Kajikawa, ). More recently, it has been acknowledged that kraft pulp is favorably potent for changing rumen fermentation, a shift to increasing acetate:propionate ratio by the partial replacement of concentrate in adult cattle experiments (Nishimura et al, ; Maeda et al, ). Possible mechanisms could be involved in the changes observed in rumen fermentation parameters when this feed is included in the diet of pre‐weaned calves, likely leading to a better rumen environment in different ways from that promoted by cellooligosaccharides.…”

“…Through the experimental period, LPS level in the rumen fluid of KRA calves was significantly lower than that of CON group (Table 3). (Nishimura et al, 2018;Maeda et al, 2019).…”