Supplementation with a mixture of whole rice bran and crude glycerin on metabolic responses and performance of primiparous beef cows

Abstract

-This study investigated the effect of a supplement containing whole rice bran and crude glycerin for 21 days before mating on metabolic, productive, and reproductive responses of 28 primiparous suckling beef cows. Cows were randomly assigned to a control group (CON, n = 14), grazing on grasslands, and a supplemented group (SUP, n = 14), grazing on grasslands and supplemented daily individually with 1 kg dry matter (DM) of whole rice bran + 550 mL crude glycerin (224 g kg −1 DM of methanol) per cow. After 33 days of natural mating, cows that had not expressed estrus were subjected to a fixed-time artificial insemination protocol. Ten days after the insemination program, bulls were reintroduced for 21 days. . The percentage of cows on superficial anestrous after supplementation was greater in SUP than in CON group (57 vs. 21%, respectively); however, no difference in final pregnancy rate was found (SUP: 79 vs. CON: 64%). There was no evidence that the ingestion of crude glycerin with high content of methanol induced clinical or hepatic disorders. Supplementation of whole rice bran and crude glycerin is not toxic, and can improve the energy balance, reflecting in increase in milk yield and calf growth, with a slight effect on the reproductive activity.

Effects of rice bran and glycerin supplementation on metabolic and productive responses of beef cows

“…Our results are also in agreement with those of Clariget et al (2016b) and Astessiano et al (2013), who reported no benefits on reproduction when cows were supplemented before or during mating. Unlike our study, those authors worked with cows with less than 50 DPP when cows would be allocating the consumed energy to milk production and not to reproductive functions (Short et al, 1990).…”

Growth performance and digestion of growing lambs fed diets supplemented with glycerol

“…Inclusion of glycerol in the diet did not affect any of the measured blood parameters (Table 3). Clariget et al (2016) reported that plasma concentrations of total protein and albumin were not affected when cows were fed diets supplemented glycerol. Similarly, Terré et al (2011) and Mach et al (2009) observed no differences in plasma glucose concentrations when glycerol included up to 10% or 12% DM in high-concentrate diets fed to finishing lambs or Holstein bulls, respectively.…”