R. Gervais

Replacing alfalfa silage with corn silage in dairy cow diets: Effects on enteric methane production, ruminal fermentation, digestion, N balance, and milk production

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of replacing alfalfa silage (AS) with corn silage (CS) in dairy cow total mixed rations (TMR) on enteric CH4 emissions, ruminal fermentation characteristics, apparent total-tract digestibility, N balance, and milk production. Nine ruminally cannulated lactating cows were used in a replicated 3×3 Latin square design (32-d period) and fed (ad libitum) a TMR [forage:concentrate ratio of 60:40; dry matter (DM) basis], with the forage portion consisting of either alfalfa silage (0% CS; 56.4% AS in the TMR), a 50:50 mixture of both silages (50% CS; 28.2% AS and 28.2% CS in the TMR), or corn silage (100% CS; 56.4% CS in the TMR). Increasing the CS proportion (i.e., at the expense of AS) in the diet was achieved by decreasing the corn grain proportion and increasing that of soybean meal. Intake of DM and milk yield increased quadratically, whereas DM digestibility increased linearly as the proportion of CS increased in the diet. Increasing the dietary CS proportion resulted in changes (i.e., lower ruminal pH and acetate:propionate ratio, reduced fiber digestibility, decreased protozoa numbers, and lower milk fat and higher milk protein contents) typical of those observed when cows are fed high-starch diets. A quadratic response in daily CH4 emissions was observed in response to increasing the proportion of CS in the diet (440, 483, and 434 g/d for 0% CS, 50% CS, and 100% CS, respectively). Methane production adjusted for intake of DM, and gross or digestible energy was unaffected in cows fed the 50% CS diet, but decreased in cows fed the 100% CS diet (i.e., quadratic effect). Increasing the CS proportion in the diet at the expense of AS improved N utilization, as reflected by the decreases in ruminal NH3 concentration and manure N excretion, suggesting low potential NH3 and N2O emissions. Results from this study, suggest that total replacement of AS with CS in dairy cow diets offers a means of decreasing CH4 output and N losses. However, the reduction in fiber degradation and the resulting increase in volatile solids content of the manure may lead to increased CH4 emissions from manure storage.

Effects of intravenous infusion of trans-10, cis-12 18:2 on mammary lipid metabolism in lactating dairy cows.

It has previously been established that supplementation of trans-10, cis-12 18:2 reduces milk fat content and fat deposition in several species. The objectives of the study were 1) to examine whether potential mechanisms by which trans-10, cis-12 18:2 is reported to affect lipid metabolism in adipose tissue of different species could be partly responsible for the inhibition in milk fat synthesis in lactating dairy cows; and 2) to investigate the effects of trans-10, cis-12 18:2 on the expression of a newly identified isoform of stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) in bovine mammary tissue. Four primiparous Holstein cows in established lactation, fitted with indwelling jugular catheters, were used in a balanced 2 x 2 crossover design. For the first 5 d of each period, cows were infused intravenously with a 15% lipid emulsion providing 10 g/d of either cis-9, cis-12 18:2 (control) or trans-10, cis-12 18:2 (conjugated linoleic acid; CLA). On d 5 of infusion, mammary gland biopsies were performed and tissues were analyzed for mRNA expression of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, fatty acid synthetase, lipoprotein lipase, SCD1, SCD5, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1, IL6, IL8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by real-time PCR. Compared with the control treatment, CLA reduced milk fat concentration and yield by 46 and 38%, respectively, and increased the trans-10, cis-12 18:2 content in milk fat from 0.05 to 3.54 mg/g. Milk yield, milk protein, and dry matter intake were unaffected by treatment. Infusion of the CLA treatment reduced the mRNA expression of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase by 46 and 57%, respectively, and tended to reduce the expression of SCD1 and lipoprotein lipase. Abundance of mRNA for sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 was reduced by 59% in the CLA treatment group. However, infusing trans-10, cis-12 18:2 did not affect the expression of transcripts for SCD5, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL6, and IL8. Results from the current study corroborate the idea that effects of trans-10, cis-12 18:2 reported on adipose tissue in animal models and humans are not part of the response in the inhibition of milk fat synthesis in lactating dairy cows. They also support the hypothesis that SCD1 and SCD5 present important differences in their regulation and physiological roles.

Effects of increasing amounts of corn dried distillers grains with solubles in dairy cow diets on methane production, ruminal fermentation, digestion, N balance, and milk production

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of including corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in the diet at the expense of corn and soybean meal on enteric CH4 emissions, ruminal fermentation characteristics, digestion (in sacco and apparent total-tract digestibility), N balance, and milk production of dairy cows. Twelve lactating Holstein cows were used in a triplicated 4×4 Latin square design (35-d periods) and fed (ad libitum intake) a total mixed ration containing (dry matter basis) 0, 10, 20, or 30% DDGS. Dry matter intake increased linearly, whereas apparent-total tract digestibility of dry matter and gross energy declined linearly as DDGS level in the diet increased. Increasing the proportion of DDGS in the diet decreased the acetate:propionate ratio, but this decrease was the result of reduced acetate concentration rather than increased propionate concentration. Milk yield increased linearly (up to +4kg/d) with increasing levels of DDGS in the diet and a tendency was observed for a quadratic increase in energy-corrected milk as the proportion of DDGS in the diet increased. Methane production decreased linearly with increasing levels of DDGS in the diet (495, 490, 477, and 475 g/d for 0, 10, 20, and 30% DDGS diets, respectively). When adjusted for gross energy intake, CH4 losses also decreased linearly as DDGS proportion increased in the diet by 5, 8, and 14% for 10, 20, and 30% DDGS diets, respectively. Similar decreases (up to 12% at 30% DDGS) were also observed when CH4 production was corrected for digestible energy intake. When expressed relative to energy-corrected milk, CH4 production declined linearly as the amount of DDGS increased in the diet. Total N excretion (urinary and fecal; g/d) increased as the amount of DDGS in the diet increased. Efficiency of N utilization (milk N secretion as a proportion of N intake) declined linearly with increasing inclusion of DDGS in the diet. However, productive N increased linearly with increasing proportions of DDGS in the diet, suggesting better efficiency of N use by the animal. Results from this study show that feeding DDGS to dairy cows can help to mitigate enteric CH4 emissions without negatively affecting intake and milk production.

Milk volatile organic compounds and fatty acid profile in cows fed timothy as hay, pasture, or silage.

Nutrient composition and organoleptic properties of milk can be influenced by cow diets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the forage type effects on volatile organic compounds, fatty acid (FA) profile, and organoleptic properties of milk. Timothy grass was fed as hay, pasture, or silage during a period of 27 d to a group of 21 cows in a complete block design based on days in milk. Each cow also received 7.2 kg/d of a concentrate mix to meet their nutrient requirements. Forage dry matter intake averaged 13.9 kg/d and was not different among treatments. Milk yield was higher for cows fed pasture, intermediate for cows fed silage, and lowest for cows fed hay. However, milk fat content was higher for cows fed hay and silage, compared with cows fed pasture. As a result, fat-corrected milk and fat yield were not different among treatments. Increasing the supply of dietary cis-9,cis-12 18:2 (linoleic acid) and cis-9,cis-12,cis-15 18:3 (α-linolenic acid) when feeding pasture enhanced the concentration of these 2 essential FA in milk fat compared with feeding hay or silage. Moreover, the ratio of 16:0 (palmitic acid) to cis-9 18:1 (oleic acid), which is closely related to the melting properties of milk fat, was lower in milk from cows on pasture than in milk from cows fed hay or silage. Cows fed hay produced milk with higher levels of several free FA and γ-lactones, but less pentanal and 1-pentanol. More dimethyl sulfone and toluene were found in milk of cows on pasture. Cows fed silage produced milk with higher levels of acetone, 2-butanone, and α-pinene. Results from a sensory evaluation showed that panelists could not detect a difference in flavor between milk from cows fed hay compared with silage. However, a significant number of assessors perceived a difference between milk from cows fed hay compared with milk from cows fed pasture. In a sensory ranking test, the percentage of assessors ranking for the intensity of total (raw milk, fresh milk, and farm milk), sweet (empyreumatic, vanilla, caramel, and sugar), and grassy (grass, leafy vegetable, and plant) flavors was higher for milk from cows fed pasture compared with hay and silage. Using timothy hay, pasture, or silage harvested at a similar stage of development, the current study shows that the taste of milk is affected by the forage type fed to cows. More research is, however, needed to establish a link between the sensory attributes of milk and the observed changes in volatile organic compounds and FA profile.

Methane production, digestion, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance, and milk production of cows fed corn silage- or barley silage-based diets

This study evaluated the effects of replacing barley silage (BS) with corn silage (CS) in dairy cow diets on enteric CH4 emissions, ruminal fermentation characteristics, digestion, milk production, and N balance. Nine ruminally cannulated lactating cows were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design (32-d period) and fed (ad libitum) a total mixed ration (TMR; forage:concentrate ratio 60:40; dry matter basis) with the forage portion consisting of either barley silage (0% CS; 0% CS and 54.4% BS in the TMR), a 50:50 mixture of both silages (27% CS; 27.2% CS and 27.2% BS in the TMR), or corn silage (54% CS; 0% BS and 54.4% CS in the TMR). Increasing the CS proportion (i.e., at the expense of BS) also involved increasing the proportion of corn grain (at the expense of barley grain). Intake and digestibility of dry matter and milk production increased linearly as the proportion of CS increased in the diet. Increasing dietary CS proportion decreased linearly the acetate molar proportion and increased linearly that of propionate. Daily CH4 emissions tended to respond quadratically to increasing proportions of CS in the diet (487, 540, and 523 g/d for 0, 27, and 54% CS, respectively). Methane production adjusted for dry matter or gross energy intake declined as the amount of CS increased in the diet; this effect was more pronounced when cows were fed the 54% CS diet than the 27% CS diet. Increasing the CS proportion in the diet improved N utilization, as reflected by decreases in ruminal ammonia concentration and urinary N excretion and higher use of dietary N for milk protein secretion. Total replacement of BS with CS in dairy cow diets offers a strategy to decrease CH4 energy losses and control N losses without negatively affecting milk performance.

Postruminal synthesis modifies the odd- and branched-chain fatty acid profile from the duodenum to milk

Milk odd- and branched-chain fatty acids (OBCFA) have been suggested as potential biomarkers for rumen function. The potential of milk OBCFA as a biomarker depends on whether their profile reflects the profile observed in the duodenum. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the OBCFA profile in duodenum samples is reflected in plasma and milk. For this, 2 dairy cattle experiments were used. In experiment 1, 4 Holstein cows fitted with rumen and proximal duodenum cannulas were used in a 4×4 Latin square design. The treatments consisted of 2 nitrogen levels (143 vs. 110g of crude protein/kg of dry matter for high and low N, respectively) combined with either 1 of the 2 energy sources (i.e., starch from barley, corn, and wheat or fiber from soybean hulls and dehydrated beet pulp). In experiment 2, 4 Holstein cows fitted with rumen and proximal duodenum cannulas were used in a 3×3 Latin square design, with the treatments consisting of 3 diets: (1) RNB-, a diet with a crude protein content of 122g/kg of dry matter, predicted to provide protein digested in the small intestine according to the requirement of the animals, but with a shortage of rumen degradable protein; (2) RNB- to which 6g/d of niacin was added through inclusion in the mineral and vitamin premix, and (3) RNB- to which urea was added to balance rumen degradable N supply resulting in a CP content of 156g/kg of dry matter. In both experiments, samples of duodenal digesta, plasma, and milk were collected and analyzed for fatty acids. Additionally, lipids in plasma samples were separated in lipid classes and analyzed for fatty acids. The OBCFA profile in milk was enriched in 15:0, iso-17:0, anteiso-17:0, and cis-9-17:1 as compared with duodenal samples, and milk secretions even exceeded duodenal flows, which suggests occurrence of postruminal synthesis, such as de novo synthesis, desaturation, and elongation. The postruminal modification of the OBCFA profile might hamper the application of OBCFA as diagnostic tools of rumen function.

Linseed oil supplementation to dairy cows fed diets based on red clover silage or corn silage: Effects on methane production, rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, N balance, and milk production

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of linseed oil (LO) supplementation to red clover silage (RCS)- or corn silage (CS)-based diets on enteric CH4 emissions, ruminal fermentation characteristics, nutrient digestibility, N balance, and milk production. Twelve rumen-cannulated lactating cows were used in a replicated 4×4 Latin square design (35-d periods) with a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Cows were fed (ad libitum) RCS- or CS-based diets [forage:concentrate ratio 60:40; dry matter (DM) basis] without or with LO (4% of DM). Supplementation of LO to the RCS-based diet reduced enteric CH4 production (-9%) and CH4 energy losses (-11%) with no adverse effects on DM intake, digestion, ruminal fermentation characteristics, protozoa numbers, or milk production. The addition of LO to the CS-based diet caused a greater decrease in CH4 production (-26%) and CH4 energy losses (-23%) but was associated with a reduction in DM intake, total-tract fiber digestibility, protozoa numbers, acetate:propionate ratio, and energy-corrected milk yield. Urinary N excretion (g/d) decreased with LO supplementation to RCS- and CS-based diets, suggesting reduced potential of N2O emissions. Results from this study show that the depressive effect of LO supplementation on enteric CH4 production is more pronounced with the CS- than with the RCS-based diet. However, because of reduced digestibility with the CS-based diet, the reduction in enteric CH4 production may be offset by higher CH4 emissions from manure storage. Thus, the type of forage of the basal diet should be taken into consideration when using fat supplementation as a dietary strategy to reduce enteric CH4 production from dairy cows.

Effect of grain and forage fractions of corn silage on milk production and composition in dairy cows.

Corn silage (CS) is associated with a reduction in milk fat content. The fact that CS is constituted of a grain and a forage fraction could explain this effect. This experiment evaluated the effect of grain fraction of CS on rumen fermentation, production performance and milk composition. Earless CS (ECS) was harvested after manually removing corn ears from the plant. Whole CS (WCS) was harvested from the same field on the same day. Eight (four ruminally fistulated) multiparous Holstein cows (84 days in milk) were utilized in a double 4 × 4 Latin square with 21-day periods. Treatments were (dry matter (DM) basis) (1) 23.0% WCS; (2) 12.4% ECS plus 10.6% high moisture corn (HMC) to obtain reconstituted CS (RCS); (3) 23.0% ECS; and (4) 23.0% timothy silage (TS). Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and were fed as total mixed ration once a day. DM intake (DMI), milk yield, 4.0% fat-corrected milk (FCM), as well as protein concentration and yield were higher for WCS than ECS. Compared with WCS, cows tended to eat less with RCS, and produced less milk and milk protein. However, yield of FCM was similar between WCS and RCS. Milk fat concentration and yield, as well as the specific ratio of t11 18:1 to t10 18:1 in milk fat did not differ among diets. Milk urea-N tended to be higher for ECS than WCS and TS, whereas ruminal NH3-N was higher with ECS than TS. Rumen pH decreased linearly with time after feeding but was not different between treatments. Higher acetate and lower propionate concentration resulted in greater acetate to propionate ratio with ECS compared with WCS. In conclusion, removing grain fraction from CS decreased milk production and modified rumen fermentation without affecting milk fat concentration and yield. Moreover, despite some differences in DMI and total ruminal volatile fatty acid concentration between WCS and RCS, the restoration of FCM yield, using HMC in RCS diets, to a level of production similar to WCS highlights the importance of energy and nutrients supplied by the grain fraction of CS to support milk yield.

Effect of feeding linseed oil in diets differing in forage to concentrate ratio: 1. Production performance and milk fat content of biohydrogenation intermediates of α-linolenic acid.

To evaluate the interaction between the levels of dietary concentrate and linseed oil (LO) on milk fatty acid (FA) profile, 24 Holstein cows were used in a randomised complete block design based on days in milk, with a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Within each block, cows were fed one of four experimental diets containing 30% concentrate (LC) or 70% concentrate (HC), without LO (NLO) or with LO supplemented at 3% of dietary dry matter. Milk FA profiles were analysed with a special emphasis on the intermediates of the predominant trans-11, and a putative trans-13 pathways of ruminal biohydrogenation of cis-9, cis-12, cis-15 18:3. Feeding LO increased the concentrations of cis-9, cis-12, cis-15 18:3 and trans-11, cis-15 18:2 in milk fat, and these increases were of a higher magnitude when LO was added in HC as compared with LC diet (interaction of LO by concentrate). A treatment interaction was also observed for the level of trans-11 18:1 which was higher when feeding LO, but for which the increase was more pronounced with the LC as compared with HC diet. The concentrations of cis-15 18:1 and cis-9, trans-11, cis-15 18:3 were higher in cows fed LO, but feeding HC diets decreased milk fat content of cis-15 18:1 and a tendency for a decrease in cis-9, trans-11, cis-15 18:3 was apparent. Feeding LO increased milk fat content of trans-13 18:1 and cis-9, trans-13 18:2, while the concentrations of these two isomers were not affected by the level of dietary concentrates. The isomer cis-9, trans-13, cis-15 18:3 has not been detected in any of the milk samples. In conclusion, interactions were observed between LO and dietary concentrates on the proportions of some intermediates of the trans-11 biohydrogenation pathway. The presence of trans-13 18:1 and cis-9, trans-13 18:2 supports the existence of a trans-13 pathway, but an 18:3 intermediate with a trans-13 double bond has not been identified.

Prediction of enteric methane emissions from Holstein dairy cows fed various forage sources

Milk fatty acid (FA) profile has been previously used as a predictor of enteric CH4 output in dairy cows fed diets supplemented with plant oils, which can potentially impact ruminal fermentation. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between milk FA and enteric CH4 emissions in lactating dairy cows fed different types of forages in the context of commonly fed diets. A total of 81 observations from three separate 3×3 Latin square design (32-day periods) experiments including a total of 27 lactating cows (96±27 days in milk; mean±SD) were used. Dietary forages were included at 60% of ration dry matter and were as follows: (1) 100% corn silage, (2) 100% alfalfa silage, (3) 100% barley silage, (4) 100% timothy silage, (5) 50:50 mix of corn and alfalfa silages, (6) 50:50 mix of barley and corn silages and (7) 50:50 mix of timothy and alfalfa silages. Enteric CH4 output was measured using respiration chambers during 3 consecutive days. Milk was sampled during the last 7 days of each period and analyzed for components and FA profile. Test variables included dry matter intake (DMI; kg/day), NDF (%), ether extract (%), milk yield (kg/day), milk components (%) and individual milk FA (% of total FA). Candidate multivariate models were obtained using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator and Least-Angle Regression methods based on the Schwarz Bayesian Criterion. Data were then fitted into a random regression using the MIXED procedure including the random effects of cow, period and study. A positive correlation was observed between CH4 and DMI (r=0.59, P0.19). Milk FA profile and DMI can be used to predict CH4 emissions in dairy cows across a wide range of dietary forage sources.