Effect of field peas, chickpeas, and lentils on rumen fermentation, digestion, microbial protein synthesis, and feedlot performance in receiving diets for beef cattle

Impacts of a post-transport/pre-processing rest period on the growth performance, anthelmintic efficacy, and serum metabolite changes in cattle entering a feed yard

A total of 80 crossbred, high-risk heifers (initially 250 ± 4.2 kg BW), were transported from an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma sale barn to the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Research Center. Cattle were unloaded and randomly placed into one of four receiving pens and provided ad libitum hay and water. Each pen was randomly assigned to one of the four rest times before processing: (1) immediately upon arrival (0); (2) after a 6-h rest period (6); (3) after a 24-h rest period (24); and (4) after a 48-h rest period (48). After all cattle were processed, heifers were allotted into individual pens with ad libitum access to a receiving ration and water. Heifers were weighed individually on d 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 to calculate average daily gain (ADG). Feed added and refusals were measured daily to determine dry matter intake (DMI). A fecal egg count reduction test and analysis of blood serum metabolites were also conducted. All data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS (v. 9.4, Cary, NC) with individual animal as the experimental unit. Processing time did not impact (P > 0.05) heifer BW or ADG. From d 0 to 35, DMI decreased linearly (P = 0.027) as rest time increased. The number of days for heifers to reach a DMI of 2.5% BW was linearly increased (P = 0.023) as rest time increased. There was no evidence of differences (P ≥ 0.703) among rest times for feed efficiency. While morbidity did not differ between treatments (P > 0.10), mortality increased linearly (P = 0.026) as the time of rest increased. A significant processing time × day interaction (P < 0.0001) was observed for the prevalence of fecal parasites, where the percentage of positive samples was significantly lower 14-d after anthelmintic treatment, regardless of the processing time. Serum IBR titer for heifers processed at either 0 or 6-h upon arrival was significantly higher (P < 0.01) on d 35 compared to d 0. Heifers processed after a 48-h rest period had significantly higher glucose values (P < 0.01) on d 0 compared to heifers processed at 0, 6, or 24-h. In summary, rest time prior to processing did not impact receiving calf growth performance. A 6-h rest period upon arrival appeared to be most beneficial to DMI. Anthelmintic treatment at processing reduced the parasitic load in heifers processed at all times. Vaccine titer did not increase after initial processing in heifers processed 24- or 48-h after arrival, indicating the seroconversion of IBR antibodies during the longer rest period.

Interaction of replacing corn silage with soyhulls as a roughage source with or without 3% added wheat straw in the diet: impacts on intake, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in steers fed high-concentrate diets

Six ruminally cannulated steers [475.0 ± 49.6 kg initial body weight (BW)] were used in a 6 × 3 incomplete Latin square design (six treatments and three periods), to evaluate the impacts replacing of corn silage with pelleted soyhulls as roughage in high-concentrate finishing diets containing 30% modified distillers grains with solubles. Treatments were based on increasing dietary inclusion of soyhulls and consisted of: (1) Control (0), roughage supplied by dietary inclusion of 20% corn silage [dry matter (DM) basis]; (2) 50% replacement of corn silage with soyhulls (50); (3) 100% replacement of corn silage with soyhulls (100), and the same three treatments repeated with 3% added wheat straw (DM basis) replacing corn in the diet (0S, 50S, and 100S, respectively). Absolute dry matter intake (DMI; kg/d basis) tended to decrease both linearly and quadratically (P ≤ 0.09) and proportional DMI (% of BW) decreased linearly (P = 0.04) with increasing soyhull inclusion but was not affected by the addition of straw in the diet (P = 0.68). Total tract digestibility of organic matter and crude protein were not affected by soyhull inclusion or added straw (P ≥ 0.32). Ruminal pH did not differ (P = 0.65) with increasing soyhull inclusion but increased with the addition of straw (P < 0.01; 5.9 vs. 6.1 for no straw and straw, respectively). Molar proportions of acetate and butyrate decreased while propionate increased with increased soyhull inclusion (P ≤ 0.03; linearly and quadratically, respectively). Ruminal fluid kinetics were unaffected by either rate of replacement of corn silage with soyhulls or wheat straw inclusion (P ≥ 0.13). Decreases in DMI observed in this study would likely decrease finishing cattle performance and underscores the need for additional research before recommending this practice to cattle feeders.

Chickpea Can Be a Valuable Local Produced Protein Feed for Organically Reared, Native Bulls

We assessed the effects of inclusion of chickpea from 24 to 21%, as feed basis, in diets for organically reared bulls. Sixteen young bulls (270 ± 6.4 days of age; 246 ± 0.13 kg in weight) belonging to a native Italian breed (Maremmana) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments. The control diets were based on mixed grass hay, maize meal, and barley meal. In the experimental diets, barley was equally substituted by locally produced chickpea. Animals were weighed every 2 weeks until the prefixed slaughtering weight (630 kg). Plasma metabolites were measured at the 1st, 7th, and 14th month of the experiment. Chemical composition, colour, shear force, and water holding capacity of meat were assessed on Longissimus thoracis et lumborum 7 days after slaughter. The chickpea-fed animals showed a significantly greater average daily gain (1064 vs. 1168 kg/day), a shorter growing phase (364 vs. 335 days), and a better carcass conformation. Plasma metabolites and meat quality were not influenced by the treatments. The better growth performance and carcass quality of the chickpea fed bulls resulted in a higher economic profit for the chickpea-based diets. Results suggest that chickpea may allow sustainable performance improvement of native breeds within their traditional farming systems.

Production and nitrogen metabolism in lactating dairy cows fed finely ground field pea plus soybean meal or canola meal with or without rumen-protected methionine supplementation

We showed previously that dairy cows fed [diet dry matter (DM) basis] 25% finely ground field pea (GFP) plus rumen-protected (RP)-Met and RP-Lys had greater milk true protein yield and plasma Met concentration, but lower plasma His, compared with those fed GFP without rumen-protected AA supplementation. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of diets containing soybean meal (SBM) or canola meal (CM) with or without a source of RP-Met on production, nutrient digestibility, and N metabolism in cows fed 25% GFP. Sixteen mid-lactation Holstein cows were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (21-d periods). Cows were fed (DM basis) 35% corn silage, 14% grass-legume haylage, 25% GFP, and 11% SBM or 13.5% CM with or without 0.095% RP-Met supplementation as Smartamine M (Adisseo USA Inc., Alpharetta, GA). Protein source effects were observed for most production variables; cows fed diets containing CM plus GFP had greater DM intake, yields of milk and milk fat and true protein, and milk N efficiency than those offered SBM plus GFP. Feeding CM plus GFP also reduced the concentrations of milk urea N and plasma urea N, and the urinary excretion of NH3 N and urea N, suggesting improved N use efficiency. Moreover, replacing SBM with CM increased the concentrations of all essential AA (except Arg) in plasma collected from the coccygeal blood vessels. A protein source × RP-Met interaction was observed for the concentration of His in coccygeal plasma, with circulating His decreasing only when RP-Met was supplemented to the diet containing SBM plus GFP. Based on the arteriovenous difference method, Lys was the first limiting AA overall, with Met being the first limiting AA in diets that did not receive RP-Met. Apparent total-tract digestibilities of DM, organic matter, N, and acid detergent fiber increased with feeding SBM plus GFP versus CM plus GFP. Most variables were not affected by RP-Met supplementation, except plasma Met concentration, which increased by 63%. Collectively, our results indicate that CM appears to be a better companion rumen-degradable protein source to GFP than SBM, due to improved yields of milk and milk protein and N use efficiency.

Determining the nutritive value of some commercial pulse screenings using in sacco and in vitro methods

The present study aimed at determining in sacco and in vitro the nutritive value of lentil screenings (LS), common vetch screenings (CVS) and bitter vetch screenings (BVS). For this purpose, three experiments (Exp.) were conducted. Ruminal degradation characteristics of the screenings were determined in Exp. 1 by the nylon bag technique using three ruminally fistulated rams. Gas production kinetics, and ruminal degradability and fermentation indices of the screenings were determined using 144 and 24-h incubations, respectively in Exp. 2. In Exp. 3, a basal growing ration for lambs (control) was supplemented by 175 or 350 g/kg of either LS, CVS or BVS (LS175, LS350, CVS175, CVS350, BVS175 and BVS350 respectively), and ruminal degradability and fermentation of the rations were evaluated in vitro. Soluble and potentially degradable fractions of protein were 0.321 and 0.719, 0.362 and 0.688, and 0.333 and 0.707, for LS, BVS and CVS respectively. Metabolisable energy was 11.1, 11.6 and 12.1 MJ/kg DM for LS, BVS and CVS respectively. The screenings had comparable gas production profiles, ruminal digestibility and total volatile fatty acid concentration. However, CVS and BVS had a higher propionate and a lower acetate:propionate ratio than LS (P &lt; 0.05). Including BVS and LS in the mixed ration increased total volatile fatty acid at both inclusion levels, but only BVS enhanced propionate proportion and lowered the acetate:propionate ratio (P &lt; 0.05). These results revealed that these screenings have a good nutritional value and can be used in ruminant diets without adversely affecting the rumen fermentation.

Molecular spectroscopic features of protein in newly developed chickpea: Relationship with protein chemical profile and metabolism in the rumen and intestine of dairy cows

The first aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional value of crude protein (CP) in CDC [Crop Development Centre (CDC), University of Saskatchewan] chickpea varieties (Frontier kabuli and Corinne desi) in comparison with a CDC barley variety in terms of: 1) CP chemical profile and subfractions; (2) in situ rumen degradation kinetics and intestinal digestibility of CP; 2) metabolizable protein (MP) supply to dairy cows; and (3) protein molecular structure characteristics using advanced molecular spectroscopy. The second aim was to quantify the relationship between protein molecular spectral characteristics and CP subfractions, in situ rumen CP degradation characteristics, intestinal digestibility of CP, and MP supply to dairy cows. Samples (n=4) of each variety, from two consecutive years were analyzed. Chickpeas had higher (P<0.01) CP content (21.71-22.11 vs 12.96% DM), with higher (P<0.05) soluble CP subfraction (59.07-70.27 vs 26.18% CP), and in situ soluble (23.44-25.85 vs 1.30% CP) and rumen degradable (RDP; 72.23-72.57 vs 58.48% CP) fractions than barley. The potentially slowly rumen degradable (D; 74.14-76.56 vs 93.31% CP) and undegradable (RUP; 27.43-27.66 vs 41.52% CP) fractions were lower (P<0.01) in the chickpeas than barley. The effective degradability ratio of N to organic matter (OM) (36.07-38.44gN/kg OM) of the chickpeas was higher than the optimal for achieving optimum microbial CP (MCP) synthesis. The truly digested MCP (64.94-66.43 vs. 41.43g/kg DM); MP (81.10-83.67 vs 61.0g/kg DM) feed milk value (1.64-1.70 vs 1.24) was higher in the chickpeas than barley grain. The chickpeas had higher (P<0.05) amide I and II peaks area and height, and α-helix and β-sheet peaks height than barley. Multivariate analysis showed that protein molecular spectral data of chickpeas can be distinguished from the barley. The two chickpeas did not differ in CP content, and any of the measured in situ degradation and molecular spectral characteristics of protein. The content of RUP was positively (r=0.94, P<0.01) and that of RDP was negatively (r=-0.94, P<0.01) correlated with amide I/II area ratio. The regression analysis showed that the content of CP (R2=0.91) D-fraction (R²=0.82), RDP (R²=0.77), RUP (R²=0.77), TDP (R²=0.98), MP (R²=0.80), and FMV (R²=0.80) can be predicted from amide II peak height. Despite extensive ruminal degradation, chickpea is a good source of MP for dairy cows, and molecular spectroscopy can be used to rapidly characterize feed protein molecular structures and predict their digestibility and nutritive value.

Production and nitrogen utilization in lactating dairy cows fed ground field peas with or without ruminally protected lysine and methionine

Previous research has shown that cows fed ≥24% of the diet dry matter (DM) as field peas decreased milk yield as well as concentration and yield of milk protein, possibly due to reduced DM intake and limited supply of Lys and Met. Twelve multiparous and 4 primiparous lactating Holstein cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 diets in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. The diets contained (DM basis) 34.8% corn silage, 15.2% grass-legume silage, 5.9% roasted soybean, 2.4% mineral-vitamin premix, 2.0% alfalfa pellets, and either (1) 36% ground corn, 2.4% soybean meal, and 1.3% urea (UR), (2) 29.7% ground corn, 9.8% soybean meal, 0.13% ruminally protected (RP) Lys, and 0.07% RP-Met (CSBAA), (3) 25% ground field peas, 12.3% ground corn, and 2.4% soybean meal (FP), or (4) FP supplemented with 0.15% RP-Lys and 0.05% RP-Met (FPAA). Our objective was to test the effects of FP versus UR, FPAA versus CSBAA, and FPAA versus FP on milk yield and composition, N utilization, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation profile, and plasma concentration of AA. Milk yield did not differ across diets. Compared with cows fed UR, those fed FP had greater DM intake, concentration and yield of milk true protein, apparent total-tract digestibility of fiber, urinary excretion of purine derivatives, and concentrations of total volatile fatty acids in the rumen and Lys in plasma, and less milk urea N and ruminal NH3-N. The concentration of milk urea N, as well as the concentration and yield of milk fat increased in cows fed FPAA versus CSBAA. Moreover, cows fed FPAA had greater ruminal concentration of total volatile fatty acids, increased proportions of acetate and isobutyrate, and decreased proportions of propionate and valerate than those fed CSBAA. The plasma concentrations of His, Leu, and Phe decreased, whereas plasma Met increased and plasma Lys tended to increase in cows fed FPAA versus CSBAA. Concentration of milk true protein, but not yield, was increased in cows fed FPAA versus FP. However, cows fed FPAA showed decreased concentrations of His and Leu in plasma compared with those fed FP. Overall, compared with the CSBAA diet, feeding FPAA did not negatively affect milk yield and milk protein synthesis. Furthermore, RP-Lys and RP-Met supplementation of the FP diet did not improve milk yield or milk protein synthesis, but decreased urinary urea N excretion.

Pea detection in food and feed samples by a real-time PCR method based on a specific legumin gene that allows diversity analysis

Real-time polymerase chain reaction is currently being used for the identification and quantification of plant and animal species as well as microorganisms in food or feed samples based on the amplification of specific sequences of low copy genes. We report here the development of a new real-time PCR method for the detection and quantification of the pea (Pisum sativum) based on the amplification of a specific region of the legS gene. The specificity was evaluated in a wide range of plant species (51 varieties of Pisum sp., and 32 other plant species and varieties taxonomically related or nonrelated). The method allows the detection and quantification of as low as 21.6 pg of DNA, which corresponds to 5 haploid genome copies. The system has been shown to be sensitive, reproducible and 100% specific for the rapid detection and quantification of pea DNA in processed food and feed samples, being therefore suitable for high-throughput analysis.