Dataset Information

Use of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes and probiotic in finely ground starters to improve calf performance.

ABSTRACT: The present study investigated the effects of adding wheat straw treated with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) and a probiotic supplement to finely ground starters on growth performance, rumen fermentation, behavior, digestibility, and health of dairy calves. A total of 48 Holstein dairy calves (39.8 ± 1.67 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to one of 4 nutritional treatments (n = 12 calves per treatment). The experiment was conducted in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments consisting of two diets with or without EFE-treated wheat straw (2 g/day/calf) and diets with or without probiotics (2 g/day/calf). All calves were weaned on day 63 and remained in the study until day 84. The addition of EFE to wheat straw had no effect on starter feed intake, increased neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility and recumbency, but decreased average daily gain (ADG) after weaning (240 g/d). The addition of probiotics to the diet had no effect on starter feed intake, improved feed efficiency, ADG (150 g/d), final weight (11.3 kg), and NDF digestibility, and decreased the ratio of acetate to propionate in the rumen. The addition of probiotics to starter feed for calves could improve their growth.

SUBMITTER: Khademi AR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9279382 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Use of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes and probiotic in finely ground starters to improve calf performance.

Khademi A R AR Hashemzadeh F F Khorvash M M Mahdavi A H AH Pazoki A A Ghaffari M H MH

Scientific reports 20220713 1

The present study investigated the effects of adding wheat straw treated with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) and a probiotic supplement to finely ground starters on growth performance, rumen fermentation, behavior, digestibility, and health of dairy calves. A total of 48 Holstein dairy calves (39.8 ± 1.67 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to one of 4 nutritional treatments (n = 12 calves per treatment). The experiment was conducted in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments consisti ...[more]

PMID: 35831399

Similar Datasets

Project description:This study investigated the effect of treatment of wheat straw using ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) and exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (Viscozyme) on fiber digestibility, rumen fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, and microbial populations in an artificial rumen system [Rumen Simulation Technique (RUSITEC)]. Four treatments were assigned to 16 vessels (4 per treatment) in 2 RUSITEC apparatuses in a randomized block design. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial using untreated or AFEX-treated wheat straw with or without exogenous fibrolytic enzymes [0 or 500 μg of protein/g straw dry matter (DM)]. Fibrolytic enzymes were applied to straw, prior to sealing in nylon bags. The concentrate mixture was provided in a separate bag within each fermentation vessel. The RUSITECs were adapted for 8 d and disappearance of DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and crude protein (CP) was measured after 48 h of incubation. Ammonia fiber expansion increased (P < 0.01) the disappearance of wheat straw DM (69.6 vs. 38.3%), NDF (65.6 vs. 36.8%), ADF (61.4 vs. 36.0%), and CP (68.3 vs. 24.0%). Total dietary DM, organic matter (OM), and NDF disappearance was also increased (P ≤ 0.05) by enzymes. Total microbial protein production was greater (P < 0.01) for AFEX-treated (72.9 mg/d) than untreated straw (63.1 mg/d). Total gas and methane (CH4) production (P < 0.01) were also greater for AFEX-treated wheat straw than untreated straw, with a tendency for total gas to increase (P = 0.06) with enzymes. Ammonia fiber expansion increased (P < 0.01) total volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and the molar proportion of propionate, while it decreased (P < 0.01) acetate and the acetate-to-propionate ratio. The AFEX-treated straw had lower relative quantities of fungi, methanogens, and Fibrobacter succinogenes (P < 0.01) and fewer protozoa (P < 0.01) compared to untreated straw. The pH of fermenters fed AFEX-treated straw was lower (P < 0.01) than those fed untreated straw. Both AFEX (P < 0.01) and enzymes (P = 0.02) decreased xylanase activity. There was an enzyme × straw interaction (P = 0.02) for endoglucanase activity. Enzymes increased endoglucanase activity of AFEX-treated wheat straw, but had no effect on untreated straw. The addition of enzymes lowered the relative abundance of Ruminococcus flavefaciens, but increased F. succinogenes. These results indicate that AFEX increased the ruminal disappearance of wheat straw and improved fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in the RUSITEC.

Project description:The cow-calf industry in North America is in a period of rapid consolidation with corresponding increases in herd sizes and changes in management. The objectives of this study were to examine longitudinal data on reproductive performance in cow-calf herds and identify benchmarks for the most critical measures and important sources of differences among herds. To address these questions, a surveillance network was established in western Canada to collect data between 2013 to 2017 privately owned cow-calf herds during calving (n = 105 herds) and at pregnancy testing (n = 94 herds). Data were summarized for a number of indices of herd performance. However, the values considered to be most reliable and accurate were the percentage of females not pregnant when tested by a veterinarian, the percentage of calves dead within 24 hours of birth, and the percentage of calves dead from 24 hours to weaning. The mean and variation between herds for heifers, measured using standard deviation, was greater than for cows for: non-pregnancy (cows 6.8% (mean)±3.4%(SD), heifers 9.7%±8.2%), calf death from birth to 24 hours (cows 2.1%±1.6%, heifers 3.6%±4.5%), and calf death from 24 hours to weaning (cows 2.5%±2.4%, heifers 2.9%±3.9%). Benchmarks or performance targets derived from the 25th percentiles of these data for both cows and heifers were <5% for non-pregnancy risk and <1% for calf loss within 24 hours of birth. The suggested benchmark for calf loss from 24 hours to weaning was <2% for cows and <1% for heifers. All outcomes consistently displayed greater variation between herds as compared to year to year differences within herds with the exception of calf loss before 24 hours in cows. The timing of the start of breeding season was a consistent source of variation in risks of non-pregnancy and calf losses. Cows bred in April or earlier to start calving in late December or January were at increased risk of low pregnancy percentages (p<0.001) and calf losses at birth (p<0.04), as well as increased calf loss before weaning in both cows and heifers (p<0.02). There was also an increase in the risk of non-pregnancy for cows and heifers (p<0.001) where first exposure to breeding was not until July or August. In contrast, the risks of calf loss within 24 hrs of birth (p<0.001) and from 24 hrs to weaning in cows (p<0.02) first exposed to breeding in July and August were significantly lower than for herds that had earlier breeding seasons.

Dataset Information

Use of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes and probiotic in finely ground starters to improve calf performance.

Publications

Use of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes and probiotic in finely ground starters to improve calf performance.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets