Feed Efficiency of Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows Fed Yeast Culture During Summer

Abstract

Thirty-eight Holstein cows (26 multiparous and 12 primiparous), that averaged 105 d postpartum at the start of the experiment, were used to evaluate the feeding of yeast culture (60 g/cow daily of Diamond V XP) on production efficiency during hot summer weather. From early June until early September and after a 2-wk covariate period, cows were fed a control diet without or with 60 g of yeast culture/cow daily for 12 wk. Weekly daytime high temperatures in the free-stall barn during the 12-wk period averaged 33 degrees C (28 to 39 degrees C). Total mixed diets on a dry matter (DM) basis consisted of corn silage (28%), alfalfa hay (21%), and a concentrate mix (51%) without or with the yeast culture added to the total mixed ration at the time of feeding. Milk production (34.9 and 35.4 kg/d, for control and yeast culture treatment, respectively), 4% fat-corrected milk (31.2 and 32.0 kg/d), energy-corrected milk (ECM; 33.4 and 34.2 kg/d), and DM intake (23.1 and 22.1 kg/d) were similar for cows fed control and yeast culture diets. Percentages of milk fat (3.34 and 3.41) and true protein (2.85 and 2.87) were similar for both diets. Feed efficiency defined as kilogram of ECM/kilogram of DM intake was improved by 7% for cows fed the yeast culture. Body weights and body condition scores were similar for both groups. The results suggest that the yeast culture can improve feed efficiency of heat stressed dairy cows in midlactation.

The effect of feeding live yeast cultures on ruminal pH and redox potential in dry cows as continuously measured by a new wireless device

“…Similar responses to yeast supplementation in early and late lactation dairy cows were reported in recent studies of Schingoethe et al (2004), Bach et al (2007) or Thrune et al (2009). On the other hand, Erasmus et al (1992) or Dann et al (2000) observed enhanced DM intake after live yeast supplementation.…”

“…However, the beneficial effects of yeast products depend on lactation stage (Wohlt et al, 1998), diet characteristics (Piva et al, 1993) and environmental conditions (Schingoethe et al, 2004;Chaucheyras-Durand et al, 2008).…”

Diet digestibility and performance of dairy cows supplemented with live yeast

“…Chaucheyras et al (1995) proposed that yeast could stimulate the hydrogenotrophic acetogenic bacteria found in the rumen, reducing the energy lost as methane, without, however, decreasing the acetate to propionate ratio, as known for ionophores (Schelling, 1984). Schingoethe et al (2004) reported that the supplementation of lactating cows' diets with a dead yeast product increased the efficiency of converting ingested dry matter into milk energy, similarly to the stimulus observed in acetogenic metabolism when autoclaved yeast was added to ruminal fluid in vitro (Chaucheyras et al, 1995). This particular mechanism would not necessarily require supplementation with viable cells (Newbold et al, 1996;Nisbet and Martin, 1991), but may require a greater amount of supplemental yeast in comparison to the amount used in this study (Nisbet and Martin, 1991).…”

Nutritional yeast culture has specific anti-microbial properties without affecting healthy flora. Preliminary results

“…Yeast culture is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae based product that is used as a nutritional additive to animal feed (Schingoethe et al, 2004;Barnes et al, 2006). Data presented here show that XP yeast culture specifi cally inhibited growth of E. coli and C. tropicalis, with only a minor inhibition of growth of S. aureus or healthy oral fl ora.…”

“…Dietary strategies involve feed supplements such as yeast culture, which is used as a feed additive in all types of farm animals and has been shown to increase milk production (Dann et al, 2002) and feed effi ciency in dairy cows (Schingoethe et al, 2004), weaning weight of pigs (Kim et al, 2006), and egg production in chickens (Tangendjaja and Yoon, 2002). In addition, yeast culture increases the ratio of lactobacilli over coliform bacteria in laying hens (Liu et al, 2002).…”