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Influence of stocking rate and advancing season on forage intake, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in steers supplemented with dried distillers grains with solubles while grazing northern Great Plains rangelands1

ABSTRACT: Abstract The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of stocking rate and advancing season on diet chemical composition, intake, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in steers supplemented with distillers grains with solubles [0.3% of body weight (BW)] while grazing northern Great Plains rangelands. Angus cross beef steers (n = 188; 320 ± 30.3 kg initial BW) were used to establish targeted stocking rates, and 12 ruminal cannulated steers (272 ± 20.0 kg initial BW) were used for diet sampling while cograzing with the noncannulated animals on 12 pastures (n = 3 per treatment). Stocking rates were set to target 65%, 50%, 35%, and 20% of an average annual above-ground biomass remaining at the end of the grazing season (May–September). Five 10-d collection periods were conducted for May 13–22, June 10–19, July 8–17, August 5–14, and September 2–11. There was no difference in steer BWs or average daily gain during any of the collection periods or between stocking rate (P ? 0.10). Organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber of forage masticate samples were not affected (P ? 0.25) by stocking rate. Crude protein, and all N fractions of forage masticates also did not differ between stocking rate treatments (P ? 0.18). Forage OM intake (grams per kilogram of BW) increased cubically across the entire grazing season (P = 0.05). Organic matter digestibility decreased quadratically (P < 0.01) from May to September. Neutral detergent fiber digestibility showed a cubic effect (P < 0.01) across the grazing season, increasing from May to June, then decreasing till September. Crude protein digestibility decreased linearly (P < 0.01) as the season advanced. Ruminal ammonia and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were affected by stocking rate × period interactions (P ? 0.02). Ruminal pH, ammonia, and VFA concentrations were not affected by the stocking rate (P > 0.13) but were impacted by the advancing season (P < 0.01). Ruminal pH increased quadratically (P ? 0.01) with advancing season (6.3 to 6.6 ± 0.05 from May to September, respectively). The results of this study demonstrate that intake, fermentation, and digestibility of northern Great Plains forages were influenced more by seasonal factors associated with forage maturity than stocking rate under the conditions of this study.

SUBMITTER: Chilcoat K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7528553 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Stocking rate is a fundamental management factor that has major impacts on animal performance, profitability, and long-term sustainability of native range ecosystems. This research was conducted to determine the effects of stocking rate on performance and economics of growing steers grazing a mixed-grass prairie on a rolling upland red shale ecological site at the Marvin Klemme Range Research Station (35° 25' N 99° 3' W). The recommended sustainable stocking rate at this location is suggested to be 25 animal unit days (AUD)/ha. Steers [n = 836, initial body weight (BW) ± SD = 216 ± 11.7 kg] grazed at seven stocking rates ranging from 4.13 ha/steer to 1.83 ha/steer over a 7-yr period, from 1990 to 1996, with year considered the random replication. During the experimental period, overall climatic conditions were favorable for forage production with average growing season precipitation of 118% of the long-term average over the 7-yr experiment, and only 1 yr (1994 with only 57% of the long-term average) with growing season precipitation substantially less than the long-term average. Over the entire summer grazing season, average daily gain (ADG) decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing stocking rate, such that for each additional hectare available per steer ADG increased by 0.05 kg/d (R 2 = 0.88). Contrary to ADG, BW gain per hectare over the grazing season increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing stocking rate, as stocking rate increased from 4.13 ha/steer to 1.83 ha/steer BW gain per hectare doubled from 33.1 kg/ha to 66.8 kg/ha, respectively. With land costs included in the economic analysis, net return per hectare increased linearly (P < 0.01) from $13 [U.S. Dollars [USD]) at the 4.13 ha/steer to $52/ha at the 1.83 ha/steer. For each additional hectare per steer, net return was reduced by $15.80 (USD)/steer and $15.70 (USD)/ha. In favorable climatic conditions, such as during this 7-yr experiment, economically optimal stocking rates can be more than doubled compared with the stocking rate recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service. Increasing stocking rates decrease individual animal performance but maximize BW gain per hectare, which leads to the increasing economic returns observed. Research is needed to determine the long-term implications of these stocking rates during unfavorable growing conditions and setting stocking rates based on seasonal weather patterns and extended weather outlook predictions.

Project description:Dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) are rich in nutrients, and partially alternative feeding of DDGS effectively reduces cost of feed and improves animals' growth. We used 16S rDNA gene sequencing and LC/MS-based metabolomics to explore the effect of feeding cattle with a basal diet (BD) and a Jiang-flavor DDGS diet (replaces 25% concentrate of the diet) on microbiome and metabolome of ruminal and cecal contents in Guanling yellow cattle. The results showed that the ruminal and cecal contents shared the same dominance of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in two groups. The ruminal dominant genera were Prevotella_1, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010; and the cecal dominant genera were Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010, and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis (LDA > 2, P < 0.05) revealed the significantly differential bacteria enriched in the DDGS group, including Ruminococcaceae_UCG_012, Prevotellaceae_UCG_004 and Anaerococcus in the ruminal contents, which was associated with degradation of plant polysaccharides. Besides, Anaerosporobacter, Anaerovibrio, and Caproiciproducens in the cecal contents were involved in fatty acid metabolism. Compared with the BD group, 20 significantly different metabolites obtained in the ruminal contents of DDGS group were down-regulated (P < 0.05), and based on them, 4 significantly different metabolic pathways (P < 0.05) were enriched including "Linoleic acid metabolism," "Biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids," "Taste transduction," and "Carbohydrate digestion and absorption." There were 65 significantly different metabolites (47 were upregulated, 18 were downregulated) in the cecal contents of DDGS group when compared with the BD group, and 4 significantly different metabolic pathways (P < 0.05) were enriched including "Longevity regulating pathway," "Bile secretion," "Choline metabolism in cancer," and "HIF-1 signaling pathway." Spearman analysis revealed close negative relationships between the top 20 significantly differential metabolites and Anaerococcus in the ruminal contents. Bacteria with high relevance to cecal differential metabolites were Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG-003, Dielma, and Solobacterium that affect specific metabolic pathways in cattle. Collectively, our results suggest that feeding cattle with a DDGS diet improves the microbial structure and the metabolic patterns of lipids and carbohydrates, thus contributing to the utilization efficiency of nutrients and physical health to some extent. Our findings will provide scientific reference for the utilization of DDGS as feed in cattle industry.

Project description:Background:Diet has a profound impact on the rumen microbiota, and the impact can vary among the different rumen ecological niches (REN). This study investigated the effects of dietary replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) on the rumen microbiota occupying different REN of growing Hu lambs. After a 9-week feeding trial, 6 lambs from each dietary treatment (SBM vs. DDGS-based diets) were slaughtered for sample collection. The microbiota of the rumen solid, liquid, and epithelium fractions was examined using amplicon sequencing analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene, functional prediction, and qPCR. Results:No interaction of dietary protein source (PS) and REN were detected for virtually all the measurements made in this study. The DDGS substitution resulted in very limited influence on bacterial community structure. However, the metabolic pathways predicted from 16S rRNA gene sequences varied greatly between SBM- and DDGS-based diets. The populations of rumen total bacteria, fungi, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), and methanogens were not influenced by DDGS substitution, but the population of protozoa was reduced. The bacterial communities in rumen solid (RS) and liquid (RL) were similar in taxonomic composition but were different in relative abundance of some taxa. In contrast, the bacterial composition and relative abundance of rumen epithelium (RE) were greatly distinct from those of the RS and the RL. In alignment with the bacterial relative abundance, the metabolic pathways predicted from 16S rRNA genes also varied greatly among the different REN. The populations of total bacteria, protozoa, and methanogens attached to the RE were smaller than those in the RS and RL, and the fungal population on the rumen epithelium was smaller than that in the RS but similar to that in the RL. On the contrary, the SRB population on the RE was greater than that in the RS and RL. Conclusions:Substitution of SBM with DDGS had greater impact to the protozoa than to the other microbes, and the microbial community structure and functions at different REN are distinct and niche-adapted.

Project description:Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetically engineered to enhance butanol production will be used in a manufacturing process similar to that of fuel ethanol production, including co-production of distillers products for animal feed. A poultry feeding trial was conducted with simulated isobutanol-derived dried distillers grains with solubles (bDDGS), comprising non-fermentable corn solids and heat-inactivated Butamax modified yeast (BMY), to determine potential health effects. Simulated dried distillers grains were produced in 2 variants: bDDGS containing 10% (B10) or 50% (B50) BMY. The BMY concentrations were selected based on a conservative estimate from ethanol-derived distillers grains (eDDGS) approximating 2.5 and 12-fold margins of exposure. The B10 and B50 DDGS were evaluated in a 42-day feeding trial using male Ross 708 broiler chickens fed diets containing eDDGS, B50 DDGS, or B10 DDGS without or with isobutanol, 2,3-butanediol, and isobutyric acid metabolites each at target concentrations of 2 (B10-2), 5 (B10-5), or 10 (B10-10) times the anticipated specification limit in the commercial product. Diets were fed (n = 50 broilers/treatment) in 3 phases: starter phase with 8% DDGS and grower and finisher phases each with 15% DDGS. No statistically significant differences or diet-related effects on mortality, clinical pathology, or organ weights, and no microscopic observations associated with consumption of diets containing B10, B50, or B10 supplemented with metabolites at any targeted exposure level were observed. A lower (P < 0.05) mean absolute bursa of Fabricius weight in the B10-10 group compared to the B10 group was considered to be within the range of biological variability. A non-significant trend toward lower weight, gains, and feed intake, and higher feed:gain ratio was observed in the B10-10 group, and was considered a non-adverse palatability effect of consuming high concentrations of metabolites. These results demonstrate that consumption of phase diets containing simulated DDGS from a novel isobutanol production process was well-tolerated.

Project description:Our objectives were to 1) investigate the difference in chemical composition and disappearance kinetics between loose dried distillers' grains (DDG) and extruded DDG cubes and 2) evaluate the effects of supplementation rate of extruded DDG cubes on voluntary dry matter intake (DMI), rate and extent of digestibility, and blood parameters of growing beef heifers offered ad libitum bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay. To characterize the changes in chemical composition during the extrusion process, loose and extruded DDG were evaluated via near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, and dry matter (DM) disappearance kinetics were evaluated via time point in situ incubations. Extruded DDG cubes had greater (P ≤ 0.01) contents of fat, neutral detergent insoluble crude protein, and total digestible nutrients, but lower (P ≤ 0.01) neutral and acid detergent fiber than loose DDG. Additionally, the DM of extruded DDG cubes was more immediately soluble (P < 0.01), had greater (P < 0.01) effective degradability and lag time, and tended (P = 0.07) to have a greater disappearance rate than loose DDG. In the 29-d supplementation rate study, 23 Charolais-cross heifers were randomly assigned to one of four supplemental treatments: 1) control, no supplement; 2) low, 0.90 kg DDG cubes per d; 3) intermediate, 1.81 kg DDG cubes per d; or 4) high, 3.62 kg DDG cubes per d. Titanium dioxide was used as an external marker to estimate fecal output and particulate passage rate (Kp). Blood was collected from each animal to determine supplementation effects on blood metabolites. Indigestible neutral detergent fiber was used as an internal marker to assess the rate and extent of hay and diet DM digestibility (DMD). Increasing supplementation rate increased Kp and total diet DMI linearly (P < 0.01), yet linearly decreased (P < 0.01) hay DMI. Hay DMD decreased quadratically (P < 0.01), while total diet DMD increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increased DDG cube inclusion. Supplemented heifers had greater (P = 0.07) blood urea nitrogen concentrations than control animals 4 h post-supplementation. Intermediate and high rates of supplementation resulted in lower (P < 0.01) serum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations post-supplementation than control heifers. Concentrations of serum glucose and lactate were greatest (P ≤ 0.06) 8 h post-supplementation. Our results suggest that extruded DDG cubes may be an adequate supplement for cattle consuming moderate-quality forage, and further research is warranted.

Project description:The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and red-osier dogwood (ROD) extract on in vitro fermentation characteristics, nutrient disappearance, and microbial profiles using the rumen simulation technique. The experiment was a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments and four replicates per treatment. A basal diet [10% barley silage, 87% dry-rolled barley grain, and 3% vitamin and mineral supplement, dry matter (DM) basis] and a DDGS diet (as per basal diet with 25% of wheat DDGS replacing an equal portion of barley grain) were supplemented with ROD extract at 0 and 1% (DM basis), respectively. The experimental period was 17 d, consisting 10 days of adaptation and 7 days of data and sample collection. The substitution of wheat DDGS for barley grain did not affect gas production; disappearances of DM, organic matter, and crude protein; total volatile fatty acid (VFA) production; and microbial protein production. However, replacing barley grain with wheat DDGS increased (P = 0.01) fermenter pH and molar proportion of branched-chain VFA, switched (P = 0.06) the fermentation pattern to higher acetate production due to increased (P = 0.01) disappearance of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and decreased (P = 0.08) methane (CH4) production. In the basal barley diet, the ROD extract increased the acetate to propionate (A:P) ratio (P = 0.08) and reduced the disappearance of starch (P = 0.06) with no effect on any other variables. No effects of ROD in the DDGS diet were observed. The number of operational taxonomic unit (OTUs) and the Shannon diversity index of the microbial community had little variation among treatments. Taxonomic analysis revealed no effect of adding the ROD extract on the relative abundance of bacteria at the phylum level with either the basal diet or DDGS diet, while at the genus level, the microbial community was affected by the addition of both DDGS and the ROD extract. Prevotella and Fibrobacter were the most abundant genera in the basal diet; however, Treponema became the most abundant genus with the addition of the ROD extract. These results indicated that the substitution of wheat DDGS for barley grain may mitigate enteric CH4 emissions. The trend of reduced starch fermentability and increased NDF disappearance with the addition of ROD extract suggests a reduced risk of rumen acidosis and an improvement in the utilization of fiber for cattle-fed high-grain diet.

Project description:BackgroundCorn dried distillers grains with solubles (cDDGS) are a byproduct of biofuel and alcohol production. cDDGS have been used in pig feed for many years, because they are readily available and rich in protein, fiber, unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols. However, feed mixtures too high in cDDGS result in the worsening of backfat quality. We performed RNA-sequencing analysis of backfat from crossbred pigs fed different diets. The diets were isoenergetic but contained different amounts of cDDGS and various sources of fats. The animals were divided into four dietary groups during the two months of experimentation: group I (control (-cDDGS+rapeseed oil)), group II (+cDDGS+rapeseed oil), group III (+cDDGS+beef tallow), and group IV (+cDDGS+coconut oil). The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate changes in the backfat transcriptome of pigs fed isoenergetic diets that differed in cDDGS presence.ResultsVia DESeq2 software, we identified 93 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between groups I and II, 13 between groups I and III, and 125 between groups I and IV. DEGs identified between group I (-cDDGS+rapeseed oil) and group II (+cDDGS+rapeseed oil) were highly overrepresented in several KEGG pathways: metabolic pathways (FDR < 1.21e-06), oxidative phosphorylation (FDR < 0.00189), fatty acid biosynthesis (FDR < 0.00577), Huntington's disease (FDR < 0.00577), fatty acid metabolism (FDR < 0.0112), Parkinson's disease (FDR < 0.0151), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (FDR < 0.016), Alzheimer's disease (FDR < 0.0211) and complement and coagulation cascades (FDR < 0.02).ConclusionsWe observed that the addition of cDDGS positively affects the expression of several genes that have been recently proposed as potential targets for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease (e.g., FASN, AACS, ALAS1, HMGCS1, and VSIG4). Thus, our results support the idea of including cDDGS into the diets of companion animals and humans and encourage research into the bioactive ingredients of cDDGS.

Project description:Few studies have examined the effects of feeding total mixed ration (TMR) versus roughage and concentrate separately (SF) on ruminant methane production. Therefore, this study compared differences in methane production, ruminal characteristics, total tract digestibility of nutrients, and rumen microbiome between the two feeding methods in Holstein steers. A total six Holstein steers of initial bodyweights 540 ± 34 kg were divided into two groups and assigned to a same experimental diet with two different feeding systems (TMR or SF) in a crossover design with 21 d periods. The experimental diet contained 73% concentrate and 27% forage and were fed twice a day. The total tract digestibility of crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, and organic matter were not affected by the two different feeding systems. Steers fed TMR emitted more methane (138.5 vs. 118.2 L/d; P < 0.05) and lost more gross energy as methane energy (4.0 vs. 3.5% gross energy intake; P = 0.005) compared to those fed SF. Steers fed TMR had greater (P < 0.05) total volatile fatty acid (VFA), ammonia-N concentrations and propionate proportion of total VFA at 1.5 h, whereas lower after that compared to steers fed SF. The greater (P < 0.05) acetate: propionate ratio at 4.5 h for steers fed TMR reflected the shift of H2 sink from propionate towards acetate synthesis. The lower (P < 0.05) isobutyrate and isovalerate proportions of total VFA observed in steers fed TMR implies decrease in net consumption of H2 for microbial protein synthesis compared to SF. There were no differences in both major bacterial and archaeal diversity between TMR and SF, unlike several minor bacterial abundances. The minor groups such as Coprococcus, Succiniclasticum, Butyrivibrio, and Succinivibrio were associated with the changes in ruminal VFA profiles or methanogenesis indirectly. Overall, these results indicate that SF reduces methane emissions from ruminants and increases propionate proportion of total VFA without affecting total tract digestion compared to TMR. There were no evidences that the response differed due to different major underlying microbial population.

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Influence of stocking rate and advancing season on forage intake, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in steers supplemented with dried distillers grains with solubles while grazing northern Great Plains rangelands1

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