In sacco degradation characteristics of organic matter, neutral detergent fibre and crude protein of fresh grass fertilized with different amounts of nitrogen

Effects of different nitrogen doses and cultivars on fermentation quality and nutritive value of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) silages

Objective

The fermentation profile and silage quality of 3 Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) cultivars (cvs. Devis, Hellen, and Trinova) treated with 5 nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg/ha) were evaluated.

Methods

The experiment was laid out in split plot in randomized complete block design with three replications. Annual ryegrass cultivars used in this study have been commonly grown in Turkey. Nitrogen doses were set in main plot and cultivars in split plot in the field. Plants were harvested at full-flowering stage with dry matter content about 220 g/kg for first cutting and 260 g/kg for second cutting. Harvested plants were chopped theoretically into 2 to 3 cm lengths for ensiling. Chopped fresh materials were ensilaged by compressing in 2 L plastic jars about 3±0.1 kg.

Results

Effects of N doses on dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, dry matter digestibility, relative feed value, crude protein, pH, ammonia nitrogen, lactic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid/acetic acid were statistically significant while water soluble carbohydrate, ash and organic matter were not statistically different. Ammonia nitrogen, crude protein, ash, organic matter, lactic acid, and lactic acid/acetic acid were affected by cultivars, but the other parameters were not. Increasing nitrogen applications positively affected the chemical composition of annual ryegrass silage. The significant increase in protein content was remarkable, however, silage fermentation properties were adversely affected by the increasing nitrogen dose.

Conclusion

It can be recommended 150 kg/ha nitrogen dose for annual ryegrass harvested at full blooming stage. Even though the silage fermentation properties of the used cultivars were similar, cv. Devis gave better results than the others in terms of silage pH and relative feed value.

Microbial composition and omasal flows of bacterial, protozoal, and nonmicrobial amino acids in lactating dairy cows fed fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) not supplemented or supplemented with rolled barley

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of rolled barley supplementation on microbial composition and omasal flows of bacterial, protozoal, and nonmicrobial AA in cows fed fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG). Ten ruminally cannulated multiparous Holstein cows averaging (mean ± standard deviation) 49 ± 23 d in milk and 513 ± 36 kg of body weight were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments in a switchback design. The treatment diets were PRG only or PRG plus 3.5 kg of dry matter rolled barley (G+RB). The study consisted of three 29-d periods where each period consisted of 21 d of diet adaptation and 8 d of data and sample collection. A double-marker system was used to quantify nutrient flow entering the omasal canal along with ¹⁵N-ammonium sulfate to label and measure the microbial and nonmicrobial omasal flow of AA. Overall, rolled barley supplementation had no effect on the AA composition of the omasal liquid-associated and particle-associated bacteria. Rolled barley supplementation affected the AA concentrations of omasal protozoa; however, the differences were nutritionally minor. Particle-associated bacteria AA flow was increased for all AA, except for Trp and Pro, in cows fed the G+RB diet. Rolled barley supplementation had no effect on protozoal AA flow. On average, protozoa accounted for 23% of the microbial essential AA flow, which ranged from 17 to 28% for Trp and Lys, respectively. The flow of all AA in omasal true digesta increased in cows fed the G+RB diet compared with the PRG-only diet, resulting in a 228 g/d increase in total AA flow in cows fed the G+RB diet. This increase in total AA flow in cows fed the G+RB diet was due to an increase in microbial AA flow. Rolled barley supplementation had no effect on nonmicrobial AA flow. The nonmicrobial AA flow modestly contributed to total AA flow, accounting for 15.6% on average. These results indicated that extensive ruminal degradation of PRG AA occurred (83.5%), and we demonstrated that cows consuming PRG-based diets exhibit a large dependence on microbial AA to support metabolizable AA supply. Rolled barley supplementation can increase the omasal flow of microbial AA in cows consuming PRG-based diets. However, further research is required to elucidate if this increased AA supply can support higher milk yield under such dietary conditions.

Effect of high-sugar grasses on methane emissions simulated using a dynamic model

High-sugar grass varieties have received considerable attention for their potential ability to decrease N excretion in cattle. However, feeding high-sugar grasses alters the pattern of rumen fermentation, and no in vivo studies to date have examined this strategy with respect to another environmental pollutant: methane (CH(4)). Modeling allows us to examine potential outcomes of feeding strategies under controlled conditions, and can provide a useful framework for the development of future experiments. The purpose of the present study was to use a modeling approach to evaluate the effect of high-sugar grasses on simulated CH(4) emissions in dairy cattle. An extant dynamic, mechanistic model of enteric fermentation and intestinal digestion was used for this evaluation. A simulation database was constructed and analysis of model behavior was undertaken to simulate the effect of (1) level of water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) increase in dietary dry matter, (2) change in crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of the plant with an increased WSC content, (3) level of N fertilization, and (4) presence or absence of grain feeding. Simulated CH(4) emissions tended to increase with increased WSC content when CH(4) was expressed as megajoules per day or percent of gross energy intake, but when CH(4) was expressed in terms of grams per kilogram of milk, results were much more variable due to the potential increase in milk yield. As a result, under certain conditions, CH(4) (g/kg of milk) decreased. The largest increases in CH(4) emissions (MJ/d or % gross energy intake) were generally seen when WSC increased at the expense of CP in the diet and this can largely be explained by the representation in the model of the type of volatile fatty acid produced. Effects were lower when WSC increased at the expense of NDF, and intermediary when WSC increased at the expense of a mixture of CP and NDF. When WSC increased at the expense of NDF, simulated milk yield increased and, therefore, CH(4) (g/kg of milk) tended to decrease. Diminished increases of CH(4) (% gross energy intake or g/kg of milk) were simulated when DMI was increased with elevated WSC content. Simulation results suggest that high WSC grass, as a strategy to mitigate N emission, may increase CH(4) emissions, but that results depend on the grass composition, DMI, and the units chosen to express CH(4). Overall, this project demonstrates the usefulness of modeling for hypothesis testing in the absence of observed experimental results.

In situ dry matter and crude protein degradation of fresh forages during the spring growth

We compared ruminal dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradation kinetics of fresh forages of alfalfa (vegetative, early bud, early flowering, and late flowering stages) and bromegrass with endophyte-free and endophyte-infected tall fescue (tillering, stem elongation, heading, and flowering stages) by using nonlinear models. Duplicate Dacron bags were incubated for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, and 60 h in 2 Simmental x Angus steers fitted with ruminal cannulas. The effects of animal, forage species, and maturity within forage species were evaluated. A first-order kinetics model was determined to be suitable for estimation of degradation profiles relative to models with variable rate of degradations. Alfalfa had higher soluble DM (36.6%), lower insoluble potentially digestible DM (43.0%), higher rate (13.8%/h), and higher extent of DM degradation (66.3%) than grasses (27.2, 53.5, 6.7%/h, and 54.6% for soluble DM, insoluble potentially digestible DM, rate, and extent of DM degradation, respectively). The extent of CP degradation was similar among forages (74.7%), but alfalfa had a higher CP degradation rate than grasses (16.1 vs. 12.5%/h). Extents of degradation of DM and CP decreased with maturity in alfalfa and in grasses. Ruminally undegradable CP (RUP) was higher in alfalfa (40.0 g/kg of DM) than in grasses (34.9 g/kg of DM), and decreased with maturity in grasses (40.4 to 28.3 g/kg of DM) but not in alfalfa. The amount of RUP that was potentially degradable in the rumen was not different among forage species (22.1 g/kg). As forage CP concentration decreased, the RUP (as a percentage of CP) increased but, as a percentage of forage DM, decreased. Species of forage had important effects on ruminal DM and CP degradation when incubated in fresh form.

Intake and excretion of sodium, potassium, and nitrogen and the effects on urine production by lactating dairy cows

The present study was designed to describe the relationship between mineral metabolism and urine production by lactating dairy cows. Regression studies were performed to predict urine volume from either observed concentrations of K, Na, and N in urine or observed intakes of K, Na, and N. In addition, empirical equations were derived to assist in the estimation of urinary excretion of K, Na, and N in practical situations. Data used to derive the relationships (n = 67 observations) and to evaluate them (n = 62 observations) were obtained from a wide range of feeding conditions in 10 independent balance trials with lactating cows. Linear relationships of K, Na, and N that were excreted in urine or consumed were fitted against the observed urine production, which explained 89.8% (SE = 4.2 kg of urine/d) and 84.8% (SE = 5.2 kg of urine/d) of the variance. In evaluating these relationships, the observed variation in urine production was predicted with acceptable accuracy. Mean prediction errors were 4.5 and 5.6 kg of urine/d. Urine production could be predicted based on relationships between intakes of digestible Na, K, and N and their excretion in milk and urine. Reliable predictions of urine production are important as attention on the effect of manure production by dairy cows on nutrient management at the farm level increases.