The effect of supplemental protein source on ammonia levels in rumen fluid and blood and intake of alfalfa silage by beef cattle

Nicholson, J. W. G.; Charmley, E.; Bush, R. S.

doi:10.4141/cjas92-097

Cited by 27 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The interaction between levels of silages (alfalfa and fenugreek) and levels of barley grain were not significant (P > 0.05) for any of the growth, intake or feed efficiency traits. Dry matter intake and ADG of steers fed alfalfa-silage-based diets in the present study were similar to those observed by Nicholson et al (1992) and Mir and Mir (1994). The ADG (NRC 1996).…”

Section: Animal Performancesupporting

confidence: 91%

“…However, concentration of propionic and isovaleric acids were higher (P < 0.05) in rumen fluid from steers fed fenugreek-silage-based diet than from those fed alfalfasilage-based diet. Rumen fluid NH 3 -N concentration of steers fed alfalfa silage with barley grain in the present study was comparable to that obtained by Nicholson et al (1992), where alfalfa silage was fed as a control diet to beef cattle. Molar proportions of acetic and propionic acids were higher in the rumen fluid of steers fed alfalfa-silage-based diets than those reported by Mir and Mir (1994) while the other VFA were lower than reported values (Mir and Mir 1994).…”

Section: Rumen Fermentation Characteristicssupporting

confidence: 87%

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Comparison of alfalfa and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) silages supplemented with barley grain on performance of growing steers

Mir¹,

Mir²,

Acharya³

et al. 1998

Can. J. Anim. Sci.

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.Comparison of alfalfa and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) silages supplemented with barley grain on performance of growing steers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 78: 343-349. To compare nutritive value of alfalfa and fenugreek silages for weaned backgrounding feedlot steers, isonitrogenous diets of alfalfa or fenugreek silage, supplemented with three levels of steam-rolled barley (0, 15 and 30% DM) were fed ad libitum to 60 steers (initial weight of 237 ± 18 kg). The study was conducted in individual pens for 105 d using a 2 × 3 factorial experiment. Fenugreek was cut 17 wk after seeding while the alfalfa was cut at mid-bloom. Both fenugreek and alfalfa silages were prepared in plastic tube silos after wilting to 38 and 35% DM, respectively. After ensiling for 40 d, silage tubes were opened and a feeding trial was conducted. Alfalfa and fenugreek silage contained similar levels of CP (18.0 and 17.2 %, respectively) while fenugreek silage contained a lower level of NDF (38.2%) than alfalfa silage (40.4%). Dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) of steers increased (P < 0.001) and feed efficiency (FE) improved linearly (P < 0.001) with increasing grain level in the diet. Dry matter intake (6.4 vs. 6.2 kg d -1 ), ADG (0.82 vs. 0.84 kg d -1 ), FE (8.1 vs. 7.8 ), total rumen volatile fatty acids (103.4 vs. 105.3 mM), rumen fluid pH (6.9 vs. 6.9) and rumen ammonia concentration (9.6 vs. 10.4 mg dL -1 ) in steers were similar for both alfalfa-and fenugreek-silage-based diets, respectively. Although in vitro rate of gas production was different at 12.6 and 17.4% h -1 for alfalfa and fenugreek diets, respectively, potential gas production at the end of 72 h of fermentation was similar (21.6 vs. 22.3 mL 100 mg -1 DM). The presence of steroidal saponins in fenugreek plants did not affect steer performance or hormonal status when fed as silage. Results from this study indicate that the nutritive value of fenugreek silage is comparable to that of mid-bloom alfalfa silage, and that fenugreek, a high-DM yielding annual legume, has potential to be a valuable forage in feedlot diets. Les ensilages des deux fourrages étaient confectionnés en tubes de plastique, après réduction respective de taux de m.s. à 38 et à 35 %. Quarante jours après la mise en silo, les tubes étaient ouverts et les ensilages utilisés pour un essai d'alimentation. Les deux ensilages avaient la même teneur en protéine brute, soit 18 pour la luzerne et 17,2 % pour le fenougrec, mais l'ensilage de fenou grec contenait moins de FDN (38,2 %) que celui de luzerne (40,4 %). L'accroissement ppde la proportion de grain dans la ration entraînait une amélioration linéaire statistiquement significative (P < 0,01) de l'ingéré de m.s. (IMS), du GMQ et de l'efficacité alimentaire (EA). La IMS, le GMQ, la EA, la teneur en acides gras volatils dans le rumen, le pH du liquide ruminal et la concentration ruminale d'ammoniac étaient essentiellement identiques dans les deux types d'ensilage. Bien que le taux de fermentation in vitro variait selon le régime, soit 12,6 % ...

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Section: Animal Performancesupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Rumen Fermentation Characteristicssupporting

confidence: 87%

Comparison of alfalfa and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) silages supplemented with barley grain on performance of growing steers

Mir¹,

Mir²,

Acharya³

et al. 1998

Can. J. Anim. Sci.

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“…Because differences in DM were confounded with the conservation method, it cannot be concluded that DM content per se positively affected preferences in the present experiment. The fact that baleages were consumed more than fresh forages contrasts with previous studies in cows reporting a higher DMI for fresh forage or hay compared with same forage preserved as silage (Nicholson et al, 1992). However, the intake limiting effect of silage has been linked to the quantity and quality of fermentation products (Allen, 2000), which are present at a lower concentration in baleage.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 53%

Feeding preferences and voluntary feed intake of dairy cows: Effect of conservation and harvest time of birdsfoot trefoil and chicory

Lombardi

Vasseur

Berthiaume

et al. 2015

Journal of Dairy Science

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Bioactive forages contain compounds, such as tannins, that are active against pathogens. They have been successfully used in ruminants to control parasite infections. Because cattle may find bioactive forages unpalatable, it is of interest to know if an afternoon harvest time, which has been shown to increase the percentage of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), hence palatability, may mitigate this. The objectives of this study were to quantify voluntary intake and preference of dairy cows for 2 bioactive forages, harvested in the morning and evening, in addition to determining their time spent grazing on each forage species. The forage species evaluated were fresh chicory harvested at 0700 h (FCAM) and 1800 h (FCPM), fresh birdsfoot trefoil harvested at 0700 h (FBAM) and 1800 h (FBPM), birdsfoot trefoil baleage harvested the previous summer at 0700 h (BBAM) and at 1800 h (BBPM), and third-cut alfalfa baleage harvested the previous summer and used as control (CON). Single forages were offered ad libitum in 30-min tests to 14 dairy cows to determine intake in a 7 × 7 Latin square (experiment 1). Every possible pair of forages (21 pairs) was then presented for a 30-min test to 8 different dairy cows, and feed intake was measured (experiment 2). Finally, time spent grazing on chicory and birdsfoot trefoil was measured on 12 dairy cows (experiment 3). The tests consisted of 2 d of restriction on 1 of the 2 fields for 1h, and 2 d of free-choice sessions (1h) between the 2 fields adjacent to each other. Grazing time and location of the animals on the field was assessed through 2-min scan sampling. In experiment 1, the highest voluntary intakes were for CON, BBPM, and BBAM. In experiment 2, BBPM was preferentially consumed over all other forages followed by CON and BBAM. Multidimensional scaling showed that preference for BBPM, CON, and BBAM in dimension 1 was positively associated with dry matter and nitrogen content, and negatively associated with hemicellulose and soluble N/total N. No relationships between dimension coordinates and any of the measured chemical composition variables could be found for the other 2 dimensions. In experiment 3, cows spent 71% of their time grazing in the birdsfoot trefoil field and 23% in the chicory field during the free-choice sessions. In conclusion, cows in the present experiments showed an overall preference toward baled forages compared with fresh forages, most notably toward birdsfoot trefoil baleage. Cow preference did not appear to be linked to harvest time (a.m. vs. p.m.).

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“…Sheep select foods of intermediate protein density when oered rations below, equal to, or above their requirements (Hou et al 1991). Cattle regulate intake of foods with high levels of nonprotein nitrogen to maintain blood ammonia levels below a ®xed limit (Nicholson et al 1992). Pigs prefer the food lower in protein when they are given the choice between a food with protein concentrations close to requirements and a food with richer protein content (Kyriazakis et al 1990).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food choice by white-tailed deer in relation to protein and energy content of the diet: a field experiment

et al. 1998

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Optimality models of food selection by herbivores assume that individuals are capable of assessing forage value, either directly through the currency used in the model or indirectly through other variables correlated with the currency. Although energy and protein are the two currencies most often used, controversy exists regarding their respective influence on food choice. Part of the debate is due to the difficulty of teasing apart these two nutrients, which are closely correlated in most natural forages. Here we offer a test of the assumption that energy and protein contents of the forage are both currencies that large mammalian herbivores can use when selecting their food. We observed feeding behavior of 47 wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileusvirginianus) during winter while individuals were presented with four experimental foods representing two levels of energy and protein (dry matter digestibility: 40-50%; crude protein: 12-16%). Using experimental foods allowed us to separate the influences of energy and protein and clearly distinguish between the roles of these two nutrients. Deer discriminated between foods through partial selection, and selected diets higher in energy but lower in protein. The observed choices appeared consistent with physiological needs of deer wintering at the study site, where digestible energy was in short supply in the natural environment while protein was probably not. Results are in good agreement with recent findings on domesticated ruminants. They support a basic assumption of optimality models of food selection that use energy and/or protein as a currency, although the physiological mechanisms behind the food selection process remain unclear. We urge students of food selection by herbivores to replicate our experiment with other foods and/or in other circumstances before more general conclusions are drawn.

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The effect of supplemental protein source on ammonia levels in rumen fluid and blood and intake of alfalfa silage by beef cattle

Cited by 27 publications

References 7 publications

Comparison of alfalfa and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) silages supplemented with barley grain on performance of growing steers

Comparison of alfalfa and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) silages supplemented with barley grain on performance of growing steers

Feeding preferences and voluntary feed intake of dairy cows: Effect of conservation and harvest time of birdsfoot trefoil and chicory

Food choice by white-tailed deer in relation to protein and energy content of the diet: a field experiment

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