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Salazar-Cubillas K, Corea E, Dickhoefer U. Predicting nitrogen excretion of cattle kept under tropical and subtropical conditions using semimechanistic models. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2024; 108:423-438. [PMID: 37990614 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The present study aims at evaluating whether current semimechanistic models developed for temperate cattle systems can be adopted for cattle under (sub-) tropical husbandry systems to adequately (accurately and precisely) predict total nitrogen (TN), urine nitrogen (UN), faecal nitrogen (FN) excretion and its partition into different FN fractions. Selected models were built based on the feeding recommendations for ruminants of the British (Model A), German (Model G) and French (INRA; Model I) system. Model evaluation was conducted using eight nitrogen balance studies performed in El Salvador, Kenya and Peru (n = 392 individual observations including lactating cows, heifers and steers). Concordance correlation coefficient, root mean square errors (RMSE), and mean biases were estimated to evaluate the models' adequacy in predicting nitrogen excretion. Input variables causing greatest variation in nitrogen excretion prediction were identified by a sensitivity analysis and adjusted. Model G was able to adequately (i.e., RMSE of <25% of observed mean, systematic error of <5% of the mean square error) predict TN excretion through a compensation between overestimation of UN excretion and underestimation of FN excretion. None of the models were able to adequately predict UN, FN, and different FN fractions. Model I adequately predicted FN (RMSE = 18%) when duodenal microbial crude protein flow was increased, and the intercept used to predict FN excretion was reduced from 4.30 to 3.82 g of nitrogen per kilogram of dry matter intake. These adjustments, however, were not sufficient to predict adequately UN excretion (RMSE = 38%), individual FN fractions (RMSE > 56%), and TN (RMSE = 22%) excretion, by Model I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaterine Salazar-Cubillas
- Animal Nutrition and Rangeland Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Edgardo Corea
- Department of Animal Science, University of El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador
- Doctoral and Master Program on Sciences of Production and Animal Health, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Uta Dickhoefer
- Animal Nutrition and Rangeland Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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Mekonen T, Tolera A, Nurfeta A, Bradford BJ, Yigrem S. Effects of substituting noug seed cake with pigeon pea leaves or desmodium hay on performance of male dairy calves. Trop Anim Health Prod 2023; 55:155. [PMID: 37041315 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-023-03538-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of substituting 50% of noug seed cake (NSC) in a concentrate mixture with pigeon pea leaves (PPL) or desmodium hay (DH) on feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain, carcass composition, and meat quality of crossbred male dairy calves. Twenty-seven male dairy calves at 7-8 months of age with an average initial body weight of 150 ± 31 kg (mean ± SD) were assigned to 3 treatments in a randomized complete block design with 9 replications. Calves were blocked based on their initial body weight and assigned to the 3 treatments. All calves were fed native pasture hay ad libitum (at ⁓10% refusal) supplemented with a concentrate containing 24% NSC (treatment 1) or supplemented with a concentrate where 50% of NSC was replaced with PPL (treatment 2) or a concentrate where 50% of NSC was replaced with DH (treatment 3). Feed and nutrient intake, apparent nutrient digestibility, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass composition, and meat quality (except texture) were similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. Treatments 2 and 3 had more (P < 0.05) tender loin and rib meat than treatment 1. It can be concluded that 50% of NSC in the concentrate mixture can be replaced with either PPL or DH in growing male crossbred dairy calves to achieve similar growth performance and carcass characteristics. Since the substitution of 50% NSC either with PPL or DH resulted in similar outcomes in almost all responses measured, it is recommended to evaluate the complete substitution of NSC either with PPL or DH on the performance of calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tefera Mekonen
- Hawassa University, P. O. Box 5, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
- Debre-Birhan Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 112, Debre Birhan, Ethiopia.
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da Silva VP, Pereira OG, da Silva LD, Agarussi MCN, Filho SDCV, Ribeiro KG. Stylosanthes silage as an alternative to reduce the protein concentrate in diets for finishing beef cattle. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.104873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Durango Morales SG, Barahona R, Bolívar DM, Arango J, Verchot L, Chirinda N. Apparent Nitrogen Recovery in Milk and Early Dry Season Nitrous Oxide Emission Factors for Urine Deposited by Dual-Purpose Cattle on Different Soil Types. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.602657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pasture conditions influence the nutrients use efficiency and nitrogen (N) losses from deposited excreta. Part of the N is lost as nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. The objective of this study was to characterize apparent N recovery in milk of dual-purpose cattle and to quantify N2O emissions from the urine they deposit following grazing on Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombasa. The N content in the grass and the milk produced by the cattle and the milk urea N (MUN) content were quantified in two contrasting regions of Colombia (Casanare and Atlántico). Dry matter intake (DMI) by the cattle was estimated using the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. We used a closed static chamber technique to measure N2O emissions from soils in areas with and without urine patches (21 days in Atlántico and 35 Days in Casanare). Estimated DMI values were 11.5 and 11.6 kg DM day−1, milk production was 6.5 and 5.9 L day−1, apparent N recovery in milk was 24 and 23%, and the MUN content was 4.4 and 17.2 mg N dl−1 in Casanare and Atlántico, respectively. N applied to soil in the form of urine corresponded at rates of 20 and 64 g N m−2 and net cumulative N2O emissions were 350 and 20 mg N2O-N m−2 in Casanare and Atlántico, respectively. Despite low digestibility of offered diet, N recovery in milk was above the values reported at dairy cattle in tropical conditions. High urine-N inputs at Atlántico site did not result in high N2O emissions suggesting that the default Tier 1 emission factor (EF) which is based on N inputs would have overestimated urine-based N2O emissions in Atlántico. Comparing previous studies conducted in Colombia, we observed inter-regional differences by urine-based N2O emissions. This observation suggests that to increase certainty in estimating urine-based N2O emissions, Colombia needs to move toward more region-specific Tier 2 EF and reduce its dependence on the default IPCC Tier 1 EF. In addition, the adoption of Tier 2 EF in the cattle sector will facilitate accounting for the effect of animal diets on N2O inventories.
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Mekuriaw S, Tsunekawa A, Ichinohe T, Tegegne F, Haregeweyn N, Kobayashi N, Tassew A, Mekuriaw Y, Walie M, Tsubo M, Okuro T, Meshesha DT, Meseret M, Sam L, Fievez V. Effect of Feeding Improved Grass Hays and Eragrostis Tef Straw Silage on Milk Yield, Nitrogen Utilization, and Methane Emission of Lactating Fogera Dairy Cows in Ethiopia. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1021. [PMID: 32545346 PMCID: PMC7341230 DOI: 10.3390/ani10061021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The nutritionally imbalanced poor-quality diet feeding is the major constraint of dairy production in tropical regions. Hence, alternative high-quality roughage-based diets are required to improve milk yield and reduce methane emission (CH4). Thus, we tested the effects of feeding natural pasture hay, improved forage grass hays (Napier and Brachiaria Hybrid), and treated crop residues (Eragrostis tef straw) on nutrient digestibility, milk yield, nitrogen balance, and methane emission. The eight lactating Fogera cows selected for the experiment were assigned randomly to a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Cows were housed in well-ventilated individual pens and fed a total mixed ration (TMR) comprising 70% roughage and 30% concentrate. The four roughage-based basal dietary treatments supplemented with formulated concentrate were: Control (natural pasture hay (NPH)); treated teff straw silage (TTS); Napier grass hay (NGH); and Brachiaria hybrid grass hay (BhH). Compared with the control diet, the daily milk yield increased (p < 0.01) by 31.9%, 52.9%, and 71.6% with TTS, NGH, and BhH diets, respectively. Cows fed BhH had the highest dry matter intake (8.84 kg/d), followed by NGH (8.10 kg/d) and TTS (7.71 kg/d); all of these intakes were greater (p = 0.01) than that of NPH (6.21 kg/d). Nitrogen digestibility increased (p < 0.01) from the NPH diet to TTS (by 27.7%), NGH (21.7%), and BhH (39.5%). The concentration of ruminal ammonia nitrogen was higher for cows fed NGH than other diets (p = 0.01) and positively correlated with plasma urea nitrogen concentration (R² = 0.45). Feeding TTS, NGH, and BhH hay as a basal diet changed the nitrogen excretion pathway from urine to feces, which can help protect against environmental pollution. Estimated methane yields per dry matter intake and milk yield were decreased in dairy cows fed BhH, NGH, and TTS diets when compared to cows fed an NPH diet (p < 0.05). In conclusion, feeding of TTS, NGH, and BhH roughages as a basal diet to lactating dairy cows in tropical regions improved nutrient intake and digestibility, milk yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency, and reduced enteric methane emission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigdaf Mekuriaw
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences (UGSAS), 4-101 Koyama-Minami Tottori-shi, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
- Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, Andassa Livestock Research Center, P.O. Box 27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (M.W.); (M.M.)
| | - Atsushi Tsunekawa
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan; (A.T.); (N.K.); (M.T.)
| | - Toshiyoshi Ichinohe
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan;
| | - Firew Tegegne
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (F.T.); (Y.M.); (A.T.); (D.T.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Nigussie Haregeweyn
- International Platform for Dry Land Research and Education, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan;
| | - Nobuyuki Kobayashi
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan; (A.T.); (N.K.); (M.T.)
| | - Asaminew Tassew
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (F.T.); (Y.M.); (A.T.); (D.T.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Yeshambel Mekuriaw
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (F.T.); (Y.M.); (A.T.); (D.T.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Misganaw Walie
- Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, Andassa Livestock Research Center, P.O. Box 27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (M.W.); (M.M.)
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (F.T.); (Y.M.); (A.T.); (D.T.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Mitsuru Tsubo
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan; (A.T.); (N.K.); (M.T.)
| | - Toshiya Okuro
- Laboratory of Landscape Ecology and Planning, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;
| | - Derege Tsegaye Meshesha
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (F.T.); (Y.M.); (A.T.); (D.T.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Mulugeta Meseret
- Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, Andassa Livestock Research Center, P.O. Box 27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (M.W.); (M.M.)
| | - Laiju Sam
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; (F.T.); (Y.M.); (A.T.); (D.T.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Veerle Fievez
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium;
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