Nitrogen in vivo digestibility and in situ degradability data for estimation of lower tract N digestibility with or without correction for microbial contamination

In situ degradability and in vivo (by difference) digestibility trials were conducted to estimate lower tract residual N digestibility (LTRND) of five protein supplements. Efforts were also made to improve the in situ method of measuring protein degradability. For in situ degradability trials, soybean meal (SBM), corn gluten meal (CGM), cotton seed cake (CSC), wheat bran (WB) and corn gluten feed (CGF) were weighed into Dacron bags and incubated in the rumen of three cannulated Chios ewes. SBM, CGF and WB were degraded significantly, while CGM and CSC were least degraded. Microbial contamination (MC) resulted in a 5.3–28.3% artificially decrease in effective ruminal protein degradation of supplements. Total tract digestibility was measured using five rams in an in vivo, by difference, trial using a 5 × 5 Latin-square design. SBM had higher CP digestibility compared to WB, CGF and CSC, and higher N free extract (NFE) digestibility compared to the other feeds. CGM showed higher CP digestibility compared to WB, CGF or CSC, while CGF had higher organic matter (OM) and crude fibre (CF) digestibility compared to WB. CSC was the protein source with the lowest digestibility of OM, CP and NFE in comparison with the other feeds. LTRND was predicted as 0.928, 0.806, 0.227, 0.540, and 0.498 for SBM, CGM, CSC, WB, and CGF, respectively, or 0.931, 0.803, 0.147, 0.364, and 0.316 when the correction for MC was applied. Lower tract N digestibility could be predicted via a combination of in situ degradability and in vivo apparent digestibility data. This approach yields significant data regarding LTRND estimation of protein supplements, while diminishing animal suffering by avoiding small intestinal fistulation.     

Influence of physical treatment of rape expeller,wheat, maize and maize gluten feed on degradability in the rumen and on the enzymatic in vitro digestibility of non degraded crude protein

The influence of physical treatment‐expansion and flaking‐on crude proteins degradability in the rumen was studied in maize, maize‐gluten feed, rape extracted meal and in the expanded one at 120°C and 150°C, rape cake, wheat and flaked wheat by in sacco method. The enzymatic digestibility of crude protein in the rumen undegraded residues of the above mentioned feeds was determined by an enzymatically in vitro method.

The treatment of feed decreased significantly the original solubility and theoretical degradability of crude proteins, and the amount of undegraded crude proteins was increased. Positive influence on the amount of enzymatically digested crude protein was determined in rape expanded at 120 °C and 150 °C (60, 61 and/or 68%). Flaking of wheat had a similar effect. Enzymatic digestibility at undegraded rests where increased by 8–10% after the heat treatment and it remained almost unchanged in expanded maize‐gluten feed.     

Ruminal degradability and in vitro intestinal digestibility of sunflower meal and in vitro digestibility of olive by-products supplemented with urea or sunflower meal: Comparison between goats and sheep

The in vitro digestibility of two-stage dried olive cake (TSDOC) and olive leaves (OL) unsupplemented or supplemented with increasing amounts of urea (U) or sunflower meal (SM) (0, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 g/100 g organic matter (OM) of the by-product) was determined. Chemical and amino acid composition, in vitro digestibility, in situ rumen degradability of crude protein and amino acids, and in situ–in vitro intestinal digestibility of SM CP and amino acids was determined. The in sacco rumen degradability and in vitro intestinal availability of CP and individual amino acids were also determined. Results obtained in Granadina goats and Segureña wethers were compared. SM provides arginine, glycine and aspartic and glutamic acids. The addition of increasing amounts of U or SM improved (P<0.001) the IVDMD and IVOMD of both TSDOC and OL. There was no effect (P>0.05) of the rumen inoculum origin on in vitro TSDOC digestibility. In contrast, values for OL were higher (P<0.001) for goats versus sheep. In sacco ruminal CP degradability of SM was relatively high, and similar in sheep and goats (ED=0.78 and 0.75 for sheep and goats). Individual amino acid ruminal degradability had different values, being lowest for methionine, leucine, proline, tyrosine and cysteine. Values obtained for individual amino acids differed from those of CP. Apparent intestinal digestibility of undegraded protein (AIDUP) of SM was high (0.86 and 0.98, respectively, for sheep and goats). The intestinally absorbable protein (IADP) was low (18.9 and 24.0 for sheep and goats, respectively). Results indicate that goats and sheep have the same capacity for TSDOC digestion, but goats showed a better capacity than sheep for OL utilisation. Although the amino acids supply to the intestine from SM is not important it could be a good supplement for low degradable protein feedstuffs such as TSDOC and OL.     

Effects of protein sources on concentrations of hydrogen sulphide in the rumen headspace gas of dairy cows

Two Latin square design experiments investigated the relationship between hydrogen sulphide concentration in the rumen headspace gas of dairy cows and the early stages of protein degradation in the rumen. In Expt 1, three protein sources differing in rumen N (nitrogen) degradability (maize gluten feed (MGF); sunflower meal (SFM); and soyabean meal (SBM)) were used, whereas in Expt 2 four different batches of the same feed (MGF) differing in colour (CIE L*, a*, b* (CIELAB) scale) were used. After allowing the concentration of hydrogen sulphide in rumen gas to decline close to zero, a fixed amount of protein sources was offered to cows and the concentrations of hydrogen sulphide were recorded in rumen headspace gas at 30-min intervals. In Expt 1, the concentration of hydrogen sulphide showed considerable variation between protein sources, with MGF having the highest concentration followed by SFM and SBM resulting in very low concentrations. The N wash losses (zero time measurements with nylon bags) ranked the feeds in the same way, from MGF (highest; 61%) to SBM (lowest; 26%). There were marked differences in the degradation of cystine and methionine between protein sources, although the degradation of cystine was always higher than for methionine. MGF (Expt 2) led to increased concentrations of hydrogen sulphide, with peak concentrations achieved between 1 and 2 h after feeding. The concentrations of hydrogen sulphide were higher for MGF1, intermediate for MGF2 and lower for MGF3 and MGF4, agreeing with colour scale. Differences in the early stages of dietary sulphur degradation corresponded with differences in hydrogen sulphide concentrations in rumen gas. The results suggest that hydrogen sulphide concentrations in the rumen headspace gas could be useful to evaluate nutritional parameters not measured by the in sacco technique, contributing to a better understanding of the response of dairy cows to different protein supplements.     

In situ degradability of seven plant protein supplements in heifers fed high concentrate diets with different forage to concentrate ratio

Four Holstein heifers (297.5 ± 27.7 kg BW) fed high concentrate diets were used in a crossover experiment in order to characterize the rumen fermentation pattern, and to estimate by the in situ method rumen degradation kinetics of alfalfa hay and seven plant protein supplements: solvent-extracted soybean meal, solvent-extracted sunflower meal, peas (Pisum sativum L.), lupin seeds (Lupinus sp.), broadbean (Vicia faba L.), horsebean (Vicia faba L. var equina) and vetch (Vicia sativa L.), in high concentrate diets with different forage to concentrate ratio. Heifers were fitted with a ruminal cannula. The experiment was performed in two 30-day periods, 15 days of diet adaptation and 15 days of sampling. At each period, heifers were offered one of two total mixed rations (12:88 versus 30:70 forage to concentrate ratio), two heifers per diet, on ad libitum basis. After the first period, heifers switched treatments. Intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre (NDF), expressed as kg/day, did not differ between treatments, but DM intake, expressed as g/kg metabolic body weight (BW), was higher in the 12:88 diet. Average rumen pH was 6.0 in both diets, and the time pH was below 5.8, which is considered as a critical threshold for fibre degradation, was the same for both treatments (10.4 ± 1.6 h). Average ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations did not differ between treatments and individual VFA proportions were typical of high concentrate diets. Average effective degradability of DM (0.62 ± 0.02) and NDF (0.25 ± 0.03) of alfalfa hay were low and no differences were detected between treatments. The same extent of NDF degradation, together with the same proportions of VFA would indicate that both diets had the same fibrolytic activity. Forage to concentrate ratio did not affect rumen nitrogen degradability of any protein supplements incubated in situ. Corrected effective degradability for small particle losses of sunflower meal (0.78) was higher than legume seeds, which were not statistically different between each other and ranged from 0.63 to 0.66. Soybean meal had the lowest degradability value (0.61). These nitrogen degradation values must be considered more valid for beef cattle formulation of high concentrate diets than data obtained with forage diets.     

The use of a tannin crude extract from Cistus ladanifer L. to protect soya-bean protein from degradation in the rumen

Cistus ladanifer L. (CL) is a perennial shrub abundant in dry woods and dry land of Mediterranean zone, with high level of tannins. Tannins bind to protein, preventing its degradation in the digestive compartments. This tannin/protein complex may be advantageous when partially protecting good-quality feed protein from excessive rumen protein degradation. The objective of this trial was to use a CL phenol crude extract to prevent excessive rumen degradation of soya-bean meal protein. The phenolic compounds were extracted using an acetone/water solution (70:30, v/v). Soya-bean meal was then treated with this crude CL extract, containing 640 g of total phenols (TP) per kg of dry matter (DM), in order to obtain mixtures with 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 150 g of TP per kg DM. Three rumen-cannulated rams were used to assess in sacco rumen degradability of DM and nitrogen (N). The three-step in vitro procedure was used to determine intestinal digestibility. Increasing extract concentrations quadratically decreased the N-soluble fraction a (R² = 0.96, P = 0.0001) and increased the non-soluble degradable fraction b (R² = 0.92, P = 0.005). The rate of degradation c linearly decreased with CL extract doses (R² = 0.44, P = 0.0065). For the effective rumen degradability of N, a linear reduction (R² = 0.94, P < 0.0001) was observed. The in vitro intestinal digestibility of protein (ivID) quadratically decreased (R² = 0.99, P < 0.0001) with TP inclusion and the rumen undegradable protein (RUP) showed a quadratic increase (R² = 0.94, P = 0.0417). Total intestinal protein availability, computed from the RUP and ivID, linearly decreased with TP inclusion level (R² = 0.45, P = 0.0033).     

Nutritive value of rumen contents for monogastric animals

Rumen contents were investigated as a possible feed for farm animals. Although their composition varied to some extent, an average sample contained 21.8% crude protein, 30.3% crude fibre, 6.1% fat and 11.5% ash in the dry matter. Of total crude protein, 73.4% was amino acids. The raw rumen material was dried using the “organic carrier method” by previous mixing with maize meal (3 parts raw rumen contents/1 part maize meal). The product, RM meal (12.5% crude protein, 10.8% crude fibre, 5% fat, 4.9% ash), was used for feeding broiler chicks.The nutritive qualities of dried rumen contents (DRC) were assessed by biological tests on rats. Two levels of DRC (10% and 24%) were included in diets containing blood meal as a protein source and maize (Experiment I). The lower level of DRC (10%) did not reduce the growth rate of young rats (2.4 g/day), but the food consumption was increased. The total body composition of the rats was not changed (55.3% crude protein, 34.1% fat, 9.6% ash). The higher concentration of DRC decreased the growth rates markedly, as well as the apparent digestibility of dry matter and protein, and changed the body composition of rats.The apparent digestibility by rats of rumen protein in a semi-synthetic diet containing 50% DRC (Experiment II) was 44.6% and of dry matter, 56%.The RM meal was given to broiler chicks (0–8 weeks of age) as 23% or 60% of the diet which also contained soya bean meal, blood meal and sunflower meal as protein supplements (Experiment III). The chicks consumed all diets readily. The diet containing 23% RM meal (corresponding to 6.4% DRC) supported a better performance than the control diet. The larger amount of RM meal (corresponding to 17% DRC) reduced the final body weights of chicks.     

Studies on untreated and urea-treated rice straw from three cultivation seasons: 2. Evaluation of straw quality through in vitro gas production and in sacco degradation measurements

Untreated and urea-treated straw and straw fractions of seven rice varieties from three cultivation seasons have been evaluated on their DM, OM loss and degradation characteristics from in sacco disappearance and in vitro gas production measurements. Drying temperatures from 45°C to 100°C did not seem to influence the degradability of urea-treated rice straw, whereas urea-treated straw dried at freezing temperatures (−35°C) gave slightly higher degradability than higher temperatures. Untreated early season rice straw showed higher degradability than straw of middle and later season rice. There was a significant increase in the degradation of straw after urea treatment, and greatest for late and middle season rice straw. On average, urea-treatment of rice straw increased the DM and OM in sacco losses after 48 h of incubation (48 h) by 24.0% and 30.7%, respectively. In order to study the kinetics of the degradation of fibre fractions, the disappearance in sacco was also estimated for the loss of hemicellulose, cellulose and extractable biogenic silica (EBSi). There was a great variation in the content of silica between varieties. Rice straw degradation seemed to be related to the biogenic silica content (acid detergent insoluble silica (ADISi)). Urea treatment increased the extraction of biogenic silica and hence increased the degradation of hemicellulose and cellulose. The improvement in sacco disappearance of cellulose due to urea treatment was 36.8%, 19.5% and 5.3% for late, middle, and early rice straw, respectively. The degradability was higher for the stem than for the leaf blades and leaf sheaths. The response to urea treatment, however, was higher for leaf sheaths and leaf blades than for the stems, evening out differences in degradability. Urea treatment tended to increase the production of acetic acid whereas there was no effect on propionic and butyric acid production.     

A simulation model “CTR Dairy” to predict the supply of nutrients in dairy cows managed under discontinuous feeding patterns

A simulation rumen model has been developed to function under non-steady state conditions in order to allow prediction of nutrient availability in dairy cows managed under discontinuous feeding systems. The model simulates availability of glycogenic, aminogenic and lipogenic nutrients to lactating dairy cows fed discontinuously. The model structure considers input of up to three different feeds fed independently at any time during the day. Feeds are described by their nitrogen (N), carbohydrate and fatty acid fractions. The N containing feed fractions include ruminally undegraded crude protein (CP), ruminally insoluble but potentially degradable CP, ruminally soluble CP and ammonia N. The feed carbohydrate fractions include ruminally undegradable neutral detergent fibre (NDF), ruminally degradable NDF, ruminally insoluble starch, ruminally soluble starch and sugars. The fatty acids in the feeds are divided between long chain fatty acids and volatile fatty acids (VFA). Additionally four pools were defined representing absorption of amino acids, glucose, long chain fatty acids and volatile fatty acids. The rumen microbial population is represented as a single pool. Besides a flexible structure, new features to the extant model include adoption of the concept of chewing efficiency (or chewing effectiveness) during eating, variable fractional ruminal absorption rates of VFA and variable fractional ruminal degradation rates of NDF as a function of rumen liquid pH, as well as a variable rumen volume which directly affects rumen concentrations of metabolites. The model continuously (i.e., by minute) predicts release of soluble components from the feeds in the rumen, concentration and absorption of fermentation end products in the rumen, rumen pools of nutrients and microbial biomass dynamics, as well as passage of microbial biomass and non-fermented nutrients from the rumen, in response to various feeding strategies. Model evaluation covered a wide range of feeding strategies that included pasture and housed feeding systems. Overall, the mean square prediction error (MSPE) as a percentage of the observed mean was relatively low (<10%) with a high amount of the total variation explained by random variation (>65%). Deviation from unity varied between 23% (rumen dry matter content) and 25% (NDF), indicating some consistent over and/or under prediction. A more detailed evaluation was done based on studies available that reported diurnal behaviour of key model outputs such as rumen pools, rumen pH, and rumen VFA. The predictions broadly simulated the observed values quantitatively, relative to general diurnal patterns, and relative to differences between treatments in the predicted diurnal patterns. Results show that the model provides a tool to assess potential outcomes of changing feeding strategies which may be particularly valuable in assessing selection of feeds, amounts and times of the day to offer the feeds. The continuous nature of the simulated output also allows determination of the time(s) of the day that ruminal (and/or post-ruminal) delivery of nutrients may limit ruminal output of nutrients (and/or availability of nutrients) to support milk nutrient synthesis.     

Effect of glyphosate contaminated feed on rumen fermentation parameters and in sacco degradation of grass hay and corn grain

Abstract Four rumen fistulated wethers were used to investigate the effect of glyphosate contaminated feed on rumen fermentation. The rations were based on corn silage, urea and a vitamin-mineral premix, either in the absence or presence of 0.77 g glyphosate per kg DM. Furthermore, rations were fed either with or without aromatic amino acid supplementation. During four periods of 28 days, sheep received each of the four dietary treatments according to a Latin square. After 14 days of adaptation rumen fermentation parameters (pH, ammonia, volatile fatty acids) were measured on day 15 over a five-hour period after the morning feeding. The remaining 13 days served for in sacco degradation studies with grass hay and corn grain. Ammonia (NH3) and pH of rumen fluid were within the normal range for all dietary treatments (NH3: 9.1-32.3 mmol x l(- l), pH: 6.2-6.7). Neither rumen fermentation parameters nor in sacco DM and NDF degradation of incubated feedstuffs were significantly affected by glyphosate, with or without aromatic amino acid supplementation. Kinetic profiles of the in sacco dry matter and NDF degradation of grass hay were almost identical for the dietary treatments.     

Effect of moist heat treatment on in-vitro degradability and ruminal escape protein and amino acids of mustard meal

A study was conducted to determine the effects of moist heat treatment (127°C, 117 kPa steam pressure) for 10 min on protein fractions and in-vitro crude protein (CP) degradability of mustard meal. Rumen undegraded protein (RUP) and amino acid disappearance of unheated, and heated, mustard meal were measured following 12 h of rumen incubation using two ruminally fistulated cows. Intestinal availability of RUP was estimated using an enzymatic (pepsin–pancreatin) procedure. Heat treatment reduced (p<0.05) protein solubility and increased (p<0.05) neutral detergent insoluble CP without affecting acid detergent insoluble CP of mustard meal. Relative to the control, heated mustard meal had a lower (p<0.05) effective in-vitro CP degradability (445.2 vs. 746.8 g kg⁻¹ of CP) and a higher (p<0.05) ruminal escape CP (615.1 vs. 120.2 g kg⁻¹ of CP) value. Amino acid composition was not affected by heat treatment except for the concentration of arginine and lysine which was lower (p<0.05) in heated than in unheated mustard meal. Disappearance of all amino acids following 12 h of rumen incubation was lower (p<0.05) in unheated than in heated mustard meal. Heat treatment increased (p<0.05) the amount of protein available for digestion in the small intestine from 75.7 to 518.1 g kg⁻¹ of CP. It was concluded that moist heating of mustard meal for 10 min will reduce ruminal CP and amino acid degradability without compromising the intestinal availability of ruminal undegraded protein.     

Interpretation of rumen degradability of concentrate feeds with a Gompertz model

An investigation of the kinetics and synchronicity of rumen crude protein and starch degradability was performed for maize, flaked maize, ensiled maize cob, barley, flaked barley, wheat, oat, sorghum and triticale grain, using the in situ polyester bag technique. Kinetics of rumen degradability were corrected for particle losses from the bag before degradation. Washing losses were measured by shaking feed samples in polyester bags in tap water at 20°C for 1 h and recovering the particle losses in fibre glass filter. Mean washing losses of dry matter were 442 g/kg DM (soluble fraction 17%); mean washing losses of nitrogen were 446 g/kg nitrogen, with 52% being water soluble. Starch escaped to a higher extent from the bags in the washing machine (average washing losses were 581 g/kg starch, with a soluble fraction of 7%). Degradability data for dry matter, nitrogen and starch measured at each time of incubation were corrected for the respective particle losses and fitted with both first order and Gompertz (sigmoidal) models. The difference between the estimated parameters obtained with the two models was negligible, although differences occurred for the immediately soluble fraction (a) of dry matter and starch and for total degradable fractions of dry matter, nitrogen and starch. No differences were observed between effective degradabilities, independent of rumen outflow rate (0.04 and 0.08/h), apart for the mean effective degradability of nitrogen at 0.08/h, which was higher for the first order model (577 versus 564 g/kg, P < 0.001). The advantage of using the Gompertz model to interpret the kinetics of rumen degradability of cereals was due to the possibility of studying synchronicity of nitrogen and starch released into the rumen and ranking feeds according to their degradability pattern, which required the calculation of the first derivatives of the Gompertz model for nitrogen and starch and weighted for their respective amounts in the feeds. The difference of these ratios from the optimum value of 30 mg N per 1 g starch gives the instantaneous synchronicity of the cereals. Maize, flaked maize, maize cob and sorghum had negative and almost constant values during the first 8 h of incubation. Barley, flaked barley, wheat, triticale and oat changed from an initially negative value to a positive value from about 4 h onwards; oats had a similar pattern, but a positive value was observed only after 6 h.     

Digestibility of in rumen undergraded crude protein of treated protein feeds in postruminal part of digestive tract of ruminants

The effective degradability and intestinal digestibility of CP of untreated and with formaldehyde (F) treated sunflower press ‐ cakes (SF), lucerne meal (LM) and field beans (FB) were measured on polycannulated bulls by “in sacco”; and “mobile bag”; methods. The feeds were treated by F solution in doses from 0.2; 0.4. . . to 2.0 g F per 100 g CP.

The effective CP degradability after treatment was decreased significantly (for SF from 78 to 33%, LM from 73 to 62%, FB from 70 to 47% with max. dose of F). The effect of F was various on individual feeds.

The intestinal digestibility of treated feeds, without previous incubation in the rumen, passed from abomasum to feaces has been influenced with doses of F non significantly. The digestibility of FB treated with max. dose of F was lower about 20% in the part duodenum feaces than in abomasum feaces. The digestibility in the part caecum ‐ feaces for all tested feeds has been decreasing with doses of F, similar as in the rumen. The intestinal digestibility of in rumen undegraded crude protein residues of SF has been influenced by the treatment positively. It increased from 43 to 82%. The effect of F on LM was very low. The digestibility has been changed from 75 to 80%.     

Effect of season on chemical composition and in situ degradability in cows and in adapted and unadapted goats of three Mexican browse species

Browse foliages from Lysiloma acapulcencis, Quercus laeta and Pithecellobium dulce, native to the subtropical region of southern México, were harvested during the dry season (DS) and rainy season (RS) to determine in situ degradability using ruminal inoculum from fistulated cows as well as goats previously adapted (AG) or not adapted (UG) to browse species fed in their daily diet. Browse leaf samples were incubated in the rumen of each group for 48 h. The crude protein (CP) content of browse was considerably higher in RS (P<0.001). P. dulce had the lowest neutral detergent fiber (NDFom) and acid detergent fiber (ADFom) in the two seasons; L. acapulcencis had the highest values and Q. laeta values were intermediate, with an overall increase in fiber fractions in DS browse foliage (P<0.001). The lowest in situ degradability values were in L. acapulcencis and Q. laeta had intermediate values during both seasons. Season of harvest (RS or DS), and ruminal inoculum (cows, UG, and AG) affected (P<0.001) dry matter degradability (DMD), crude protein degradability (CPD) and fiber fractions of browse. Nutrient degradabilities in all species were higher (P<0.001) in DS than RS. Goats previously exposed to these browse species (AG) had higher (P<0.001) in situ degradability of the browse species than cows or goats in UG fed diets without browse. Overall, goats had higher (P<0.001) nutrient in situ degradability than cows. Our results suggest higher potential of these browse species as forages for ruminants during the dry period in semi-arid regions, but goats previously exposed to diets supplemented with the browse species had a better ability to degrade them than cows or goats in UG. P. dulce has the highest potential as a feed protein source in small ruminants during the dry period.     

Influence of a Fusarium culmorum inoculation of wheat on the progression of mycotoxin accumulation, ingredient concentrations and ruminal in sacco dry matter degradation of wheat residues

The Fusarium head blight (FHB)-susceptible winter wheat cv. Ritmo was inoculated with spores of Fusarium culmorum at the beginning of full blossom. Samples of whole wheat plants were taken once weekly from anthesis until harvest and subsequently fractionated into straw, glumes and spindles, which were examined for deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON). Additionally, the content of crude protein (CP) and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) was scrutinized. Synthesis of the Fusarium toxins DON and ZON generally differed in terms of date of formation and concentration. Final mean DON concentrations of 37.5, 28.1 and 5.0 mg/kg DM were measured in glumes, spindles and straw, respectively, at the time of harvest. At this time, maximal mean ZON concentrations of 587, 396 and 275 microg/kg DM in spindles, glumes and straw, respectively, were determined. Moreover, Fusarium infected wheat residues contained higher CP but lower NSP contents at the last three sampling dates. In addition, collective samples of wheat straw and chaff were taken to investigate the effect of the Fusarium contamination on their in sacco DM degradation in dairy cows. Samples were analysed for mycotoxins and selected quality parameters. The dried and milled collective samples of straw and chaff were weighed into nylon bags and subjected to ruminal incubation for 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h in two dairy cows equipped with a permanent rumen cannula. Marked differences in level of mycotoxin contamination as well as in ingredient composition between the variants of straw and chaff were detected. Moreover, after 120 h rumen incubation the in sacco DM degradation of inoculated straw and chaff were lower compared to the accordant controls. The soluble fraction was increased in inoculated samples, whereas a diminishment in the potentially degradable but insoluble fraction was more pronounced. Thereby, a decrease in the potential degradability was obtained for inoculated straw and even if less pronounced for chaff compared to the non inoculated corresponding controls. In conclusion, infection with F. culmorum of wheat involves an increased risk of mycotoxin contamination in straw. Also, a Fusarium infection may have an impact on chemical composition and may result in Fusarium growth-related modifications of host cell wall components.     

The nutritive value of concentrate feedstuffs for ruminant animals: Part I: In situ ruminal degradability of dry matter and organic matter

The aim of the study was to generate a database of ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM), and organic matter (OM) of different sources of concentrate ingredients (classified as protein, energy or protein+energy feeds) commonly offered to ruminants in European countries. The ruminal disappearance of DM and OM was measured using the in situ nylon bag technique, where the test feedstuffs were subject to ruminal incubation in four Friesian steers offered grass silage and concentrate. Disappearance of DM and OM from the test feeds from the rumen was measured at 0, 2, 4, 8, 14, 24 and 48 h. The exponential model of Ørskov and McDonald (1979) was used to calculate degradation kinetics. Test protein feeds were sunflower meal (SUN), rapeseed meal (RAP), soyabean meal (SBM) and cottonseed meal (CSM). Test energy feeds were palm kernel meal (PK), pollard (PO), barley (BA) and beet pulp (BP). Test protein+energy feeds were maize distillers grains (MDG), maize gluten feed (MGF), copra meal (CO) and malt combings (MC).

The effective degradability (degradability of feed, whilst considering rate of flow of feed from rumen to small intestine) of DM (EDDM) and OM (EDOM) in the protein feed SBM, where outflow rate k=0.02, was not influenced (P>0.05) by the sample of feed used. For the feeds classified as protein+energy feeds, the EDDM in MGF and MC were not affected (P>0.05) by the sample of feed for k=0.02. For the remainder of the concentrate feedstuffs used in this study, the sample of feed used had a pronounced effect on in situ degradability values. These data have shown that for the majority of feeds examined in this study, the different sources of any one feed are not equal in nutritive value and it is necessary to screen feeds for nutritive value before using them in ration formulation systems.     

Amino Acid Profile of Escaped Feed Protein After Rumen Incubation and Their Intestinal Digestibility

The crude protein content and amino acid profile of seven feedstuffs (linseed meal, maize gluten meal, rapeseed meal, rapeseed meal protected, soybean meal, fullfat soybean extruded and sunflower meal) were determined before and after ruminal incubation for 16h in three bulls with large rumen cannulas. The intestinal disappearance of amino acids was measured using mobile bag technique. Ruminal incubation affected amino acid profile of all experimental feedstuffs. Crude protein degradation varied from 29.3% for maize gluten meal to 86.4% for rapeseed meal. A tendency towards increased disappearance was observed for glutamic acid, histidine, lysine and proline and decreased disappearance for branched-chain amino acids. The intestinal crude protein digestibility was higher than >80%, except rapeseed meal (66.4%) and sunflower meal (77.8%). The least digestible individual amino acids were methionine and isoleucine in rapeseed meal, histidine and methionine in rapeseed meal protected and arginine in sunflower meal. In general, the lowest amino acid digestibilities were found in feedstuffs with the highest fibre content. The feedstuffs show that they have different potential for supplying of limiting amino acids. Of particular value are the feedstuffs with low crude protein degradability in the rumen and high intestinal digestibility of amino acids.     

Interaction Between Nickel and Protein Source in the Ruminant

Eighty growing steers were used to determine the effect of nickel supplementation on performance and metabolic parameters of steers fed corn silage-based diets supplemented with different crude protein sources. Crude protein sources examined included: (1) soybean meal, (2) blood meal, (3) urea, and (4) blood meal-urea (two-thirds of supplemental nitrogen from blood meal and one-third from urea). The protein sources differed in ruminal degradability, nitrogen solubility, and nickel content. Nickel was added within each protein treatment to supply either 0 or 5 ppm of supplemental nickel. The experiment was 84 d in duration and rumen fluid and blood samples were collected on days 42 and 80. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were not affected by nickel supplementation. The addition of 5 ppm supplemental nickel greatly increased rumen bacterial urease activity regardless of protein source. When samples were collected prior to feeding on day 80, nickel increased serum urea nitrogen concentrations in steers fed urea, but decreased circulating urea concentrations in animals fed blood meal or the blood meal-urea combination.Ad libitum intake of trace mineral salt was greatly reduced in steers receiving 5 ppm supplemental nickel. The present study suggests that the source of protein may influence ruminant responses to dietary nickel.     

麦瑞加拉鲮幼鱼对12种原料表观消化率的比较研究

试验以麦瑞加拉鲮（Cirrhinus mrigala）幼鱼（3.88±0.06）g为试验对象,研究其对国产鱼粉、白鱼粉、花生粕、白酒糟、鸡肉粉、米糠、棉粕、菜粕、豆粕、玉米蛋白粉、玉米酒糟和羽毛粉的干物质、粗蛋白、粗脂肪、总能、磷、钙、镁、锌、铜、铁和锰的表观消化率。结果表明:12种试验原料的干物质、粗蛋白质、粗脂肪、总能、磷、钙、镁、锌、铜、铁和锰的表观消化率范围分别为24.93%-85.68%、50.02%-97.40%、51.89%-94.02%、39.18%-96.39%、9.72%-87.37%、3.47%-25.92%、26.11%-88.25%、12.63%-66.35%、41.33%-104.86%、10.69%-91.84%、4.42%-85.49%。其中包括干物质、粗蛋白和总能在内的主要营养物质的表观消化率以国产鱼粉和白鱼粉最高。除鱼粉外的其他原料中,干物质以花生粕、豆粕和玉米蛋白粉最高;粗蛋白以花生粕最高;粗脂肪以米糠和花生粕最高;总能以花生粕和鸡肉粉最高;白酒糟的干物质、粗蛋白、粗脂肪、总能的消化率最低。在矿物质元素表观消化率中,羽毛粉的磷、铜、铁和锰的表观消化率最高;米糠的锌表观消化率最高;钙的表观消化率以白鱼粉、豆粕和羽毛粉最高;镁的表观消化率以豆粕、羽毛粉和玉米酒糟最高;鸡肉粉的磷、钙、镁和铁表观消化率最低;花生粕和棉粕中锌的表观消化率最低;菜粕中铜的表观消化率最低;白酒糟中锰的表观消化率最低。因此,花生粕、豆粕和玉米蛋白粉是麦瑞加拉鲮幼鱼配合饲料中较优质的蛋白源,可进一步开发用于适量替代饲料中的鱼粉;米糠可作为较好的能量饲料;羽毛粉可作为饲料中较好的矿物质元素来源;白酒糟对麦瑞加拉鲮幼鱼而言营养价值最差。     

Partitioning of energy and degradability of browse plants in vitro and the implications of blocking the effects of tannin by the addition of polyethylene glycol

The gas production in vitro method was used to evaluate the degradability and gas production of browse plants in the absence or presence of polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG). Substrates (leguminous and browse plants; 500 mg) were incubated for 24 h and the accumulated gas produced recorded. The incubation contents of the syringes were transferred into nylon bags and the undegraded residues weighed after washing and drying to constant weight (syringe-nylon bag (SNB) method). Substrates were also incubated in the rumen in nylon bags for 24 h to determine in sacco degradability. Gas production ranged between 10.3 and 64.4 ml whereas dry matter degradation ranges between 27.3 and 70.9%. Addition of PEG, which minimised the inhibitory effects of tannin on microbial fermentation resulted in an increase in both gas production and degradability in vitro, which ranged from 25.7 to 64.2 ml and 34.2 to 75.0%, respectively. Correlation analysis of the DM degradability estimated by the SNB method and in sacco method was greater in the presence of PEG (y=0.71x+14.9; r²=0.92) compared with absence of PEG (y=0.59x+15.0; r²=0.72). Partitioning factor (PF) of substrate to gas, which was expressed as mg DM degraded/ml gas, reflects the variation in microbial biomass yield. The PF figures, which varied from 4.94–11.05 to PF_+PEG values of 4.74–6.84 upon the addition of PEG, indicate the inhibitory effects of tannins on gas production. This suggests the presence of tannin has a potentially beneficial effect to protein nutrition of the host animal by altering partitioning of nutrients towards higher microbial yield rather than short chain fatty acids. PF values of browse plants determined both in the absence and presence of PEG may indicate the relative importance of tannins in different plant species on substrate degradability and partitioning of nutrients.