ObjectiveThis study was carried out to investigate the possible application of Broussonetia papyrifera (B. papyrifera) silage as a functional feeding stuff in dairy cattle.MethodsSeventy-two Holstein cows were divided into four groups randomly and allocated to 6 pens with 3 individuals in each group and fed the original total mixed ratio (TMR) in the dairy farm or the new TMR with 5%, 10%, and 15% B. papyrifera silage, separately. Feed intake were recorded, milk and blood samples were collected, and milk composition, blood metabolites and milk fatty acids composition were measure at the end of the experiment.ResultsDry matter intake of cows decreased when they fed on diet with B. papyrifera, but no differences were observed in body condition score, milk yield, milk protein and lactose, feed efficiency and serum metabolites between groups. Both 10% or 15% of B. papyrifera silage in the diet significantly increased the immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG in serum, 15% of B. papyrifera silage increased the content of serum catalase, superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and decreased the content of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine. Furthermore, 10% or 15% of B. papyrifera silage resulted in a significant decrease in the milk somatic cell count, and increased the polyunsaturated fatty acids content in the milk.ConclusionThe diets with 10% to 15% of B. papyrifera silage might enhance the immune and antioxidant function of dairy cows and increase the polyunstaturated fatty acid concentration in the milk.

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This study investigated the effects of protein sources for milk replacers on growth performance and serum biochemical indexes of suckling calves. Fifty Chinese Holstein bull calves with similar BW and age were randomly allocated to 5 groups (1 control and 4 treatments) of 10 calves in each group. Five types of milk replacers were designed to have the same level of energy and protein. The protein source for milk replacers of the control group was full milk protein (MP). The protein source of milk replacers of the 4 treatment groups was composed of MP and one vegetable protein (VP) (30 and 70% of total protein). The 4 types of VP were soybean protein concentrate (SP), hydrolyzed wheat protein (WP), peanut protein concentrate (PP), and rice protein isolate (RP). Results of the experiment showed: 1) there was no significant difference on average daily gain (ADG) and feed:gain ratio (F:G) among the MP, SP and RP groups (P > 0.05), whereas the ADG and F:G of the WP and PP groups were significantly lower compared with the MP group (P < 0.05); 2) there was not a significant difference in withers height, body length and heart girth among treatment groups compared with the MP group (P > 0.05). Thereby the 4 VP milk replacers had no adverse effects on body size of calves; 3) all groups showed no significant difference in the serum contents of urea nitrogen, total protein, albumin, globulin, β-hydroxybutyrate, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, and the ratio of albumin to globulin (A:G) (P > 0.05). In conclusion, SP or RP (accounts for 70% of the total protein) as calf milk replacers could substitute MP, whereas wheat gluten and PP had a significant adverse effect on growth performance in this experiment.

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Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for growth hormone secretagogue receptor, plays an important role in stimulating hormone secretion, development of gastrointestinal tract, food intake and regulating energy balance of animals. In this study we isolated the cDNA sequence of ovine Ghrelin from the abomasums of 7-day-aged lambs. Real-time PCR was used to determine the abundance of Ghrelin mRNA in lamb gastrointestinal tract, and analyze the development changes of abomasums Ghrelin mRNA expression in 0-56 days lambs, as well as find the effects of 42-day weaning on Ghrelin mRNA expression in lamb abomasums. The results showed that: (1) Ghrelin mRNA was expressed widely in gastrointestinal tract and was significantly higher in the abomasums than in other tissues (rumen, reticulum, omasum, duodenum, jejunum, ileum) (P < 0.01); (2) The expression of abomasums Ghrelin mRNA in lamb increased with the growth of age, it reached a plateau at the age of 49 days, however, got a slightly decrease at the age of 56 days; (3) The expression of abomasums Ghrelin mRNA of the 42 days-weaned groups were significantly lower than the no-weaned groups (P < 0.05), and the Ghrelin mRNA expression of the two treatments reached a maximum at the age of 49 days; (4) Correlation analysis indicated that the linear correlativity between abomasums Ghrelin mRNA expression and abomasums weight was very prominent (R(2) = 0.647, P = 0.009). Our results suggested that ovine Ghrelin gene may play an important role in the development of lamb abomasums and 42-day weaning could down regulate the expression of abomasum Ghrelin mRNA, but the mechanism of these needs further research.