Feeding behaviors of transition dairy cows fed glycerol as a replacement for corn

Abstract

Feed sorting is a natural behavior of dairy cows that can result in inconsistencies in the nutritive value of a total mixed ration (TMR). The objective of this study was to determine the effects of replacing high-moisture corn with glycerol on feed sorting and the feed intake pattern of transition dairy cows. Multiparous Holstein cows (n=26) were paired by expected calving date, housed in individual tie stalls, and fed diets containing either glycerol or high-moisture corn once daily from d -28 to +56 relative to calving. Glycerol was included at 11.5 and 10.8% of the ration dry matter for the pre- and postpartum diets, respectively. The feed consumption pattern was determined by measuring TMR disappearance during the intervals from 0 to 4 h, 4 to 8 h, 8 to 12 h, and 12 to 24 h relative to feed delivery. Feed sorting was determined on d -16, -9, 9, 16, and 51 relative to calving at 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after feeding. The TMR particle size profile was determined at feed delivery and at 4, 8, 12, and 24 after feed delivery by using the Penn State Particle Separator (Nasco, Fort Atkinson, WI) to yield long (>19 mm), medium (<19 mm, >8 mm), short (<8 mm, >1.18 mm), and fine (<1.18 mm) particles. Overall feed intake did not differ between diets and was 14.7±0.4 and 20.2±0.5 kg/d for the pre- and postpartum intervals, respectively. During the prepartum period, glycerol decreased the amount of feed consumed during the first 4h after feed delivery (7.22 vs. 5.59±0.35 kg; control vs. glycerol, respectively) but increased feed consumed from 12 through 24 h after feed delivery (2.22 vs. 3.82±0.35 kg; control vs. glycerol, respectively). Similar effects on the feed consumption pattern were observed after calving. During the prepartum period, cows fed the control diet sorted against long particles, whereas cows fed glycerol did not sort against long particles (77.2 vs. 101.5±3.50% of expected intake for control vs. glycerol; significant treatment effect). The data indicate that addition of glycerol to the TMR alters the feed consumption pattern to increase feed consumption late in the day at the expense of feed consumed immediately after feeding, and it reduces sorting behavior against long particles. Together, these may reduce diurnal variations in the rumen environment to promote greater rumen health in transition cows.

Behaviors of beef cattle fed crude glycerol as a replacement for sorghum grain

“…The data presented here support the hypothesis that substituting sorghum grain with crude glycerol increases the preferential consumption or preference for the long (>19 mm) and medium (<19, >8 mm) particles of the diet because of the potential of crude glycerol to coat such particles due to its viscous physical nature (Ayoub and Abdullah 2012). In addition, the data reported in Table 4 corroborates a previous finding that glycerol feeding to transition dairy cows also increased the preferential consumption for the long (>19 mm) particles of the diet during the prepartum period and for the medium (<19, >8 mm) particles of the diet during the postpartum period (Carvalho et al 2012). There was an energy source × hours post-feeding effect on the feed sorting behavior of all particle sizes (Figure 2; panels A, B, C, and D).…”

Desempenho de bovinos de corte alimentados com diferentes forragens e alojados em baias individuais ou coletivas

“…Estudos prévios com vacas leiteiras também reportaram que o maior consumo de MS ocorreu nas primeiras quatro horas após o fornecimento da ração fresca no comedouro (Bhandari et al, 2008, Carvalho et al, 2012 Não houve resposta (P>0,05) da fonte de forragem sobre o PC em todo o período experimental (Tabela 5), reforçando a hipótese de que a fonte de forragem não exerce influência sobre o desempenho animal, desde que os níveis nutricionais das dietas sejam semelhantes. Em outros estudos, o ganho de peso diário e o PC pré-abate também não foram alterados pela fonte de forragem (Fernandes et al, 2007), mesmo quando os níveis de FDN e CNF na dieta à base de SM foram respectivamente menores e maiores em relação à dieta com SC (Roman et al, 2011), o que teoricamente poderia resultar no maior ganho de peso nos animais alimentados com SM.…”

Eating, Resting and Rumination Activities of Transition Dairy Cows Fed with Glycerol

“…2014. (CARVALHO et al, 2011;2012), but some of the data is repeated here to assist in evaluation of the eating, resting and rumination activities. Diets were fed once daily between 06:30 to 07:30 h in amounts that ensured ad libitum consumption and approximately 10 to 15% feed refusals.…”

“…The lack of response (P>0.05) of postpartum DRTC on time spent eating (Table 2) was unexpected based on the result that cows increased feed intake at 51 DIM compared with 9 and 16 DIM (CARVALHO et al, 2012). However, there was an increase (P<0.01) in number of eating bouts and eating bout duration during the postpartum interval (Table 2), leading to an increased meal size as lactation progressed to 50 DIM, which has been previously reported for early lactating cows (GRANT & ALBRIGHT, 1995).…”