JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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A ruminal in situ experiment using three fistulated ewes was conducted to determine dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradation of steam–flaked broomcorn (SFBr), ground broomcorn (GBr) and ground barley (GB). Grain samples were suspended in the rumen of sheep for 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 h. Nylon bags were washed with tap water after removal. Effective degradability of DM at outflow rates of k = 0.05 and k = 0.08 h^-1 was significantly higher for SFBr than for GBr (59 and 53% vs. 43 and 35%). SFBr has considerably higher soluble DM than GBr and GB. Insoluble DM of SFBr was lower than that of GBr and GB. Solubility of CP in broomcorn grain was significantly decreased by steam–flaking, but degradation rate of insoluble CP was not altered. Results from this study showed that SFBr supplies the major source of availabe nutrients for rumen microorganisms compared with GBr. In other words, using the most efficient processing method for ruminants will be necessary.

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In order to determine the effects of using macaroni wastes instead of barley on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield and composition, and nutrient digestibility, eight lactating Holstein cows (4 primiparous and 4 multiparous) in midlactation were used in a 44 Latin square design. The experimental periods were 21 d with 16 d for adjustment and 5 d for data collection. Treatments included a control diet (1) and diets 2, 3, and 4 containing 15, 30, and 45% macaroni wastes, respectively, which were fed three times a day as total mixed rations. During the last 5 days of each period, feed and fecal samples were taken for determination of DMI and apparent digestibilities and milk samples for fat, protein, lactose, and solids no fat (SNF). During the last day of collection period, urine samples were collected 3 and 5 h postfeeding for pH determination. The results showed no significant differences among experimental traits in either primiparous or multiparous, and across all cows. Milk yield and efficiency of feed conversion were nonsignificantly higher for diets 2, 3, and 4 compared with control cows. Compared to the control diet, DMI, fat, protein and SNF percentages did not significantly decrease in diets 3 and 4. From the results of this expriment, it may be concluded that replacing barley with macaroni wastes up to 45 percent could increase energy intake without any adverse effects on milk production and composition or on metabolic function in midlactating dairy cows.

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In a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement (3× 5× 3), three fistulated sheep with an average body weight of 47.5 ± 2.5 kg were used to determine the effect of cutting and growing stages (no bloom , early bloom and full bloom) on chemical composition and In situ degradability of alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Nylon bags (50 µm pore size) were filled with 3.5 g of each sample and suspended in the rumen before morning feeding and incubated for seven different times (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 h). The results showed that alfalfa at no bloom stage had the highest crude protein and the lowest crude fiber content. The third – cut alfalfa had the highest degradability of dry matter and organic matter. Extent of degradability depended on crude fiber and solubility. During growth stage, the protein, soluble material and degradability levels decreased while crude fiber, neutral detergent insoluble crude protein (NDICP), and acid detergent insoluble crude protein (ADICP) increased. The amount of ADICP was an estimate of unavailable crude protein in the rumen. Although the rate of organic matter degradation was maximum in full bloom, no significant difference was observed between the three stages of growth. Effective degradability (ED) of crude protein was significantly different among stages the growth (p<0.05). Effective dry matter degradability (EDDM) with a passage rate of 6%/h was significantly higher in the third cutting of alfalfa. The results of this study showed that first cutting and full bloom alfalfa had the lowest and fifth cutting and no bloom had the highest CP levels. The effect of cutting and growing stages on degradability parameters was variable and did not allow any firm conclusions to be made.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of millet silage prepared in laboratorial mini silos and to determine the effects of additives on its fermentation quality. Whole millet (Panicum milliaceum) was harvested at milk and soft-dough stages of maturity, left untreated or treated with ground barely, molasses, formic acid, lactic acid producing bacteria, and combination of molasses plus inoculant, and were ensiled in a completely randomized design in 2×6 factorial arrangement. Stage of maturity had no significant effect on NDF and ADF, buffering capacity, residual water soluble carbohydrate, acid detergent insoluble nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and in vitro dry and organic matter digestibility however, values for dry matter, crude protein and pH were significantly different. Loss of dry matter, elevated NH₃-N (24% of total nitrogen) and increased butyric and acetic acid levels (.2 and 1.33% DM, respectively) in control silage indicated clostridial fermentation. Between treatments, the lowest NH₃-N was observed for silages treated with formic acid. Molasses and molasses plus inoculant produced higher lactic acid and lower butyric acid. Higher in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility showed positive effects of additive usage compared to control group. Addition of molasses and molasses plus inoculant resulted in higher in vitro dry matter digestibility (63.1 and 64.3 %, respectively), but no significant differences were observed between barely, formic acid and inoculant treated silages. Results of this study clearly showed the need for adding a source of water soluble carbohydrates to millet in order to obtain a good quality silage. Also inoculation of lactic acid bacteria does not necessarily promote homolactic fermentation if insufficient amounts of water soluble carbohydrates are presented.

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To compare the relative value of the fish meal and the cottonseed meal in highly fermentable diets (40% forage and 60% concentrate with), eight cows were assigned randomly to diets with 0, 1.5, 3 and 4.5 percent of the fish meal. In the first experiment, the degradability of dry matter and crude protein of the fish meal, the cottonseed meal and concentrate in diets was estimated with different incubation times (0, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h) with fistulated Ghezel sheep fed at maintenance level. The effective degradability of dry matter and the crude protein of fish meal was significantly lower than cottonseed meal (p<0.05). In different concentrates, there was no significant difference in effective degradability of dry matter but with the increase of fish meal the effective degradability of crude protein decreased significantly. In the second experiment, the eight multiparous Holstein cows with the similar milk production (25.37 ± 0.85) were examined in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with the 21-day period. There were no significant differences between the treatments in digestibility of OM, OM and CP, the dry matter intake, 3.2 % FCM, milk fat (%), milk lactose (%), milk total solid (%), and the yield of the milk fat, feed efficiency and body weights. Diets containing fish meal, compared to the control group, significantly higher milk production, milk protein (%), the yield of milk protein and lactose (p < 0.1), but the different levels of fish meal had no significant effect on these factors. The urea pH decreased significantly with the increase of the fish meal but rumen pH and fecal pH were unaffected. The results of the experiment indicated that diets with the 1.5 or 3% fish meal in cows with less than 30 kg milk is recommended.

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Whole plant sunflower and sunflower without head were ensiled in plastic containers using additives in a 2×2×2×2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with three replicates. Additives were molasses, urea (at 4 and 0.5 percent wet basis respectively), and a bacterial inoculant (Agros 6gr/ton of forage as manufacture’s instruction). Compared with silages without head, ensiling sunflower as whole plant resulted in lower pH, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and ash versus higher concentrations of crude protein and ether extract (EE). No significant effect of seed was observed on lactic acid concentration and dry matter degradability (P<0.05). With the addition of molasses, the cell wall components and the EE concentrations reduced, but dry matter content increased. Highest degradability of dry matter was also observed in molasses-treated silages (average 58.04, P<0.007). With the addition of urea a significant increase was seen in CP content of either whole plant or headless silages (P<0.0001) with no effect on other fermentation characteristics. Bacterial inoculation of silages elevated the levels of lactic acid (2.81% DM) with more pronounced effect on headless than whole plant silages. Regardless of type of additives, butyric acid concentrations were ideally minimal (near to 2%) indicating least clostridial damage. The qualitative visual evaluation of the silage on the basis of scale of 1-20 for the smel, colour and structure of the silage and giving number to the mold damage on the basis of 1-10 placed all the treatment in an acceptable quality, although the mold damage was highest in silages without molasses. Results of this experiment indicated that better quality of silalges could be provided by adding molasses and ensiling whole plant sunflower. Improving quality of silages contained molasses might necesitate the additiion of a source of water-soluble carbohydrate at ensiling.