Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-nwzlb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T14:58:35.599Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of increasing diet fermentability on intake, digestion, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites and milk production of heat-stressed dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2019

S. M. Nasrollahi*
Affiliation:
Young Researchers Club, Khorasgan (Isfahan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
A. Zali
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Tehran 31587-77871, Iran
G. R. Ghorbani
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
M. Khani
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
H. Maktabi
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
K. A. Beauchemin
Affiliation:
Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada
*
Get access

Abstract

Heat stress is a major problem for dairy cows in hot climates, thus coping strategies are essential. This study evaluated the effects of increasing diet fermentability on intake, total tract digestibility, ruminal pH and volatile fatty acids (VFA) profile, blood metabolite profile and milk production and composition of lactating dairy cows managed under conditions of ambient heat stress. Nine multiparous cows (650 ± 56 kg BW; mean ± SD) averaging 102 ± 13 days in milk and producing 54 ± 6 kg/day were randomly assigned to a triplicate 3 × 3 Latin square. During each 21-day period, cows were offered one of three total mixed rations that varied in diet fermentability. The three levels of diet fermentability were achieved by increasing the proportion of pellets containing ground wheat and barley in the dietary DM from 11.7% (low), to 23.3% (moderate), and 35.0% (high) by replacing ground corn grain. Each period had 14 day of adaptation and 7 day of sampling. The ambient temperature–humidity index ( ≥ 72) indicated that the cows were in heat stress almost the entire duration of the study. Also, rectal temperature of cows was elevated at 39.2°C, another indication of heat stress. Increasing diet fermentability linearly decreased dry matter intake (22.8, 22.5, 21.8 kg/day for low, moderate and high, respectively; P ≤ 0.05) but increased non-fibre carbohydrate digestibility (P ≤ 0.05) and tended to increase digestibility of DM (P = 0.10) and crude protein (P = 0.06). As a result, the intake of digestible DM was not affected by the treatments. The production of 3.5% fat corrected milk (32.6, 33.7, and 31.5 kg/day) was quadratically (P ≤ 0.05) affected by diet fermentability with lower production for the high diet compared with the other two, which were similar. Rumen pH (ruminocentesis) and proportions of butyrate and isovalerate linearly decreased whereas propionate proportion linearly increased with increasing diet fermentability (P ≤ 0.05). The rumen concentration of NH3-N (11.0, 9.0, and 8.7 mg/dL) and blood concentration of urea linearly decreased with increasing diet fermentability (P ≤ 0.05). The activity of alkaline phosphatase increased (65.1, 83.2, and 84.9 U/l) and concentration of malondialdehyde decreased (2.39, 1.90 and 1.87 µmol/l) linearly with increasing diet fermentability (P ≤ 0.05), which indicated possible attenuation of the effects of oxidative stress with increasing diet fermentability. Overall, a modest increase of diet fermentability improved nitrogen metabolism, milk protein production and oxidative stress of heat-stressed dairy cows, but a further increase in diet fermentability decreased milk yield.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2019, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, MS, Bradford, BJ and Oba, M 2009. Board-invited review: the hepatic oxidation theory of the control of feed intake and its application to ruminants. Journal of Animal Science 87, 33173334.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) 2002. Official methods of analysis. 17th edition. AOAC, Arlington, VA, USA.Google Scholar
Baumgard, LH and Rhoads, RP 2012. Ruminant production and metabolic responses to heat stress. Journal of Animal Science 90, 18551865.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baumgard, LH, Wheelock, JB, Sanders, SR, Moore, CE, Green, HB, Waldron, MR and Rhoads, RP 2011. Postabsorptive carbohydrate adaptations to heat stress and monensin supplementation in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 56205633.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Belhadj Slimen, I, Najar, T, Ghram, A and Abdrrabba, M 2016. Heat stress effects on livestock: molecular, cellular and metabolic aspects, a review. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 100, 401412.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bell, AW 1995. Regulation of organic nutrient metabolism during transition from late pregnancy to early lactation. Journal of Animal Science 73, 28042819.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bender, RW, Cook, DE and Combs, DK 2016. Comparison of in situ versus in vitro methods of fiber digestion at 120 and 288 hours to quantify the indigestible neutral detergent fiber fraction of corn silage samples. Journal of Dairy Science 99, 53945400.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bionaz, M, Trevisi, E, Calamari, L, Librandi, F, Ferrari, A and Bertoni, G 2007. Plasma paraoxonase, health, inflammatory conditions, and liver function in transition dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 17401750.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bobe, G, Young, JW and Beitz, DC 2004. Invited review: pathology, etiology, prevention, and treatment of fatty liver in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 31053124.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Broderick, GA and Kang, JH 1980. Automated simultaneous determination of ammonia and total amino-acids in ruminal fluid and in vitro media. Journal of Dairy Science 63, 6475.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carroll, JA, Burdick, NC, Chase, CCJ, Coleman, SW and Spiers, DE 2012. Influence of environmental temperature on the physiological, endocrine, and immune responses in livestock exposed to aprovocative immune challenge. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 43, 146153.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cheng, J, Zheng, N, Sun, X, Li, S, Wang, J and Zhang, Y 2016. Feeding rumen-protected gamma-aminobutyric acid enhances the immune response and antioxidant status of heat-stressed lactating dairy cows. Journal of Thermal Biology 60, 103108.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dikmen, S and Hansen, PJ 2009. Is the temperature-humidity index the best indicator of heat stress in lactating dairy cows in a subtropical environment? Journal of Dairy Science 92, 109116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferguson, JD, Galligan, DT and Thomsen, N 1994. Principal descriptors of body condition score in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 77, 26952703.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fox, DG, Tylutki, TP, Czymmek, KJ, Rasmussen, CN and Durbal, VM 2000. Development and application of the Cornell University nutrient management planning system. In Proceeding of Cornell Nutrition Conference Feed Manufacturers, Rochester, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, pp. 167279.Google Scholar
Gaines, WL 1928. The energy basis of measuring milk yield in dairy cows. University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin, pp. 308. University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.Google Scholar
Gareau, MG, Silva, MA and Perdue, MH 2008. Pathophysiological mechanisms of stress-induced intestinal damage. Current Molecular Medicine 8, 274281.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, LW, Dunshea, FR, Allen, JD, Rungruang, S, Collier, JL, Long, NM, and Collier, RJ 2016. Evaluation of dietary betaine in lactating Holstein cows subjected to heat stress. Journal of Dairy Science 99, 97459753.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Iranian Council of Animal Care 1995. Guide to the care and use of experimental animals. volume 1. Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.Google Scholar
Jenkins, TC, Bertrand, JA and Bridges, WC Jr 1998. Interactions of tallow and hay particle size on yield and composition of milk from lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 81, 13961402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kadzere, CT, Murphy, MR, Silznikove, N and Maltz, E 2002. Heat stress in lactating dairy cows: a review. Livestock Production Science 77, 5991.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knapp, JR, Laur, GL, Vadas, PA, Weiss, WP and Tricarico, JM 2014. Invited review: enteric methane in dairy cattle production: quantifying the opportunities and impact of reducing emissions. Journal of Dairy Science 97, 32313261.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krause, KM, Combs, DK and Beauchemin, KA 2002. Effects of forage particle size and grain fermentability in midlactation dairy cows. II. ruminal pH and chewing activity. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 19471957.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lanzas, C, Fox, DG and Pell, AN 2007. Digestion kinetics of dried cereal grains. Animal Feed Science and Technology 136, 265280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nasrollahi, SM, Ghorbani, GR, Khorvash, M and Yang, WZ 2014. Effects of grain source and marginal change in lucerne hay particle size on feed sorting, eating behaviour, chewing activity, and milk production in mid‐lactation Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 98, 11101116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nasrollahi, SM, Ghorbani, GR, Zali, A and Kahyani, A 2017. Feeding behaviors, metabolism, and performance of primiparous and multiparous dairy cows fed high-concentrate diets. Livestock Science 198, 115119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nasrollahi, SM and Khorvash, M 2014. Carbohydrates in dairy cow nutrition. 1th edition. Khotan Publication, Tehran, Iran.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) 1971. Nutrient requirements of Dairy Cattle, 4th revised edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) 2001. Nutrient requirements of Dairy Cattle, 7th revised edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Nordlund, KV and Garrett, EF 1994. Rumenocentesis: a technique for the diagnosis of subacute rumen acidosis in dairy herds. The Bovine Practitioner 28, 109112.Google Scholar
Oba, M and Allen, MS 2003. Effects of diet fermentability on efficiency of microbial nitrogen production in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 195207.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ottenstein, DM and Bartley, DA 1971. Improved gas chromatography separation of free acids C2-C5 in dilute solution. Analytical Chemistry 43, 952955.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Overton, TR, Cameron, MR, Elliott, JP, Clark, JH and Nelson, DR 1995. Ruminal fermentation and passage of nutrients to the duodenum of lactating cows fed mixtures of corn and barley. Journal of Dairy Science 78, 19811998.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Plaizier, JC, Khafipour, E, Li, S, Gozho, GN and Krause, DO 2012. Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA), endotoxins and health consequences. Animal Feed Science and Technology 172, 921.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Renaudeau, D, Collin, A, Yahav, S, De Basilio, V, Gourdine, JL and Collier, RJ 2012. Adaptation to hot climate and strategies to alleviate heat stress in livestock production. Animal 6, 707728.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shwartz, G, Rhoads, ML, VanBaale, MJ, Rhoads, RP and Baumgard, LH 2009. Effects of a supplemental yeast culture on heat-stressed lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 935942.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Statistical Analysis System (SAS) Institute 2002. SAS User’s Guide. Version 9.0. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.Google Scholar
Van Keulen, V and Young, BH 1977. Evaluation of acid-insoluble ash as natural marker in ruminant digestibility studies. Journal of Animal Science 26, 119135.Google Scholar
Van Soest, PJ, Robertson, JB and Lewis, BA 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 35833597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
West, JW 1999. Nutritional strategies for managing the heat-stressed dairy cow. Journal of Animal Science 77, 2135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
West, JW 2003. Effects of heat-stress on production in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 21312144.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wheelock, JB, Rhoads, RP, VanBaale, MJ, Sanders, SR, Baumgard, LH 2010. Effects of heat stress on energetic metabolism in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 93, 644655.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wullepit, N, Hostens, M, Ginneberge, C, Fievez, V, Opsomer, G, Fremaut, D and DeSmet, S 2012. Influence of a marine algae supplementation on the oxidative status of plasma in dairy cows during the periparturient period. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 103, 298303.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed