Dairy Resources - Nutrition

December 2023

The researchers found that by using some nutritional supplements, such as brown seaweed, garlic, and tannins, it is possible to modulate metabolism and reduce methane emissions. Photo: Herbert Wiggerman

A group of Serbian scientists from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Belgrade University have developed a feed additive based on brown algae, which they claim lowers methane emissions of dairy cattle by 41-46%.

November 2023

Although the existence of mycotoxins is recognized, still many misconceptions circulate in the industry leading to wrong conclusions. In this article, we focus on three misconceptions related to mycotoxins in dairy cattle.

July 2023

ABSTRACT

The aim of this trial was to determine the effect of a garlic and citrus extract supplement (GCE) on the performance, rumen fermentation, methane emissions, and rumen microbiome of dairy cows. Fourteen multiparous Nordic Red cows in mid-lactation from the research herd of Luke (Jokioinen, Finland) were allocated to 7 blocks in a complete randomized block design based on body weight, days in milk, dry matter intake (DMI), and milk yield. Animals within each block were randomly allocated to a diet with or without GCE. The experimental period for each block of cows (one for each of the control and GCE groups) consisted of 14 d of adaptation followed by 4 d of methane measurements inside the open circuit respiration chambers, with the first day being considered as acclimatization. Data were analyzed using the GLM procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc.). Methane production (g/d) and methane intensity (g/kg of energy-corrected milk) were lower by 10.3 and 11.7%, respectively, and methane yield (g/kg of DMI) tended to be lower by 9.7% in cows fed GCE compared with the control. Dry matter intake, milk production, and milk composition were similar between treatments. Rumen pH and total volatile fatty acid concentrations in rumen fluid were similar, whereas GCE tended to increase molar propionate concentration and decrease the molar ratio of acetate to propionate. Supplementation with GCE resulted in greater abundance of Succinivibrionaceae, which was associated with reduced methane. The relative abundance of the strict anaerobic Methanobrevibacter genus was reduced by GCE. The change in microbial community and rumen propionate proportion may explain the decrease in enteric methane emissions. In conclusion, feeding GCE to dairy cows for 18 d modified rumen fermentation and microbiota, leading to reduced methane production and intensity without compromising DMI or milk production in dairy cows. This could be an effective strategy for enteric methane mitigation of dairy cows.

Ruchita Khurana, Tassilo Brand, Ilma Tapio, Ali-Reza Bayat
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22838

June 2023

Objective

Our objective was to determine the effects of cut height and inoculant application on brown midrib (BMR) whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) quality.

April 2023

University of Alberta researcher says using probiotics to prevent infection could reduce disease and lower antibiotic use

Researchers say dairy cows given a probiotic developed at the University of Alberta experienced an increased milk yield of four to six litres per day during the first 50 days after calving.

A breakthrough probiotic shown to boost milk production and the reproductive health of dairy cows is an example of an approach that could help beef cattle and other livestock, said a researcher.

The use of probiotics to prevent infections could help lower the incidence of diseases, potentially reducing the need for treatment with expensive antibiotics, said Burim Ametaj, who is a professor of physiology and nutritional immunology at the University of Alberta. “And this will save antibiotics for dangerous situations when you have life or death situations.”

It could also potentially help limit the spread of antibiotic drugs in the environment, he said. The global evolution of resistance to such drugs by harmful microbes in places ranging from farms to hospitals is making diseases increasingly difficult to treat with conventional methods.

Although people are familiar with foods such as probiotic yogurt that are often promoted as having health benefits, Ametaj said they contain a much lower concentration of beneficial bacteria than the product he developed. He said yogurt consists of many compounds and potentially even some pathogenic bacteria, making it significantly less pure than his probiotic.

The product was developed over a 10-year period from three native bacterial strains taken from the reproductive tract of healthy cows, said a university statement.

“It works by supplying beneficial bacteria to the microbiome, the collection of micro-organisms that live in the reproductive system of the animal, including the uterus, vagina, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries.”

The idea is to improve the health of dairy cattle by strengthening this microbiome, helping ward off infections of the reproductive system by pathogenic bacteria, said Ametaj. The probiotic has been shown to contribute to a 50 percent decline in post-calving uterine infections, said the university statement.

It has also been found to lower the rate of milk fever by half, as well as reducing the incidence of placenta retention.

“All of these conditions are costly to dairy producers and sometimes deadly. The probiotic also reduced inflammation causing lameness,” said the statement.

Dairy cows given the probiotic also experienced an increased milk yield of four to six litres per day during the first 50 days after calving, it said.

“Along with that, their calves also benefited, showing higher weight and better immunity four weeks after birth.”

A further advantage of the probiotic is that it has no side effects, said Ametaj. Its benefits have been confirmed by other dairy scientists around the world, which speaks to the power of probiotics, he said in the university statement.

“Bacteria are a major contributor to many animal diseases, and we’ve now shown that using probiotics is an excellent way of treating disease.”

Dairy cows were treated with the probiotic once per week at 14 and seven days before calving, with researchers following the same frequency after the cattle gave birth, he said in an interview.

They were tested between 2008 and 2018 as part of three large projects involving dairy cows from the University of Alberta’s Dairy Research and Technology Centre, along with stock from four commercial dairy farms in the province.

The probiotic is being marketed under the trade name ProPreg by Healthy Cow Corp. The Canadian start-up company has launched sales at a small scale in the United States, with plans to make the product available to Canadian dairy farmers within two years, said the university statement.

Ametaj said the probiotic contains nutrients to help support the beneficial bacteria,and can be stored in a dormant state without refrigeration for as long as two years or more. After they are injected or infused into the vaginal tract of dairy cows, the bacteria “wake up, and then they have plenty of nutrients that we have provided there for them.”

The probiotic could also potentially be used to treat cows in the beef industry, he said.

“And we are not sure, we have not tested other animals, but certainly it might be beneficial. Research has to be conducted to test that in other animals, but probably in dogs, cats also, and in some livestock animals.”

By Doug Ferguson

The Western Producer

January 2023

Serum and liver samples from 35, 2-year-old dairy heifers that had fractured one or both humeri post-calving between July and December 2019 were submitted to a diagnostic laboratory for analysis. Serum samples were analysed for albumin, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), creatinine, Ca, Mg, phosphate, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and serum Cu concentration. Liver samples were analysed for liver Cu concentration. Data were compared to published reference intervals. Data values for heifers that prior to fracture had grazed fodder beet were also compared to values for those that had grazed pasture. Sixty-nine percent of heifers with humeral fracture had serum creatinine concentrations below the lower value of the reference range (55–130 µmol/L). In 3/32 (9%) heifers, serum NEFA concentrations were increased above the reference value indicating body fat mobilisation (≥1.2 mmol/L for peri-partum cows) and in 20/35 (57%) heifers BHB serum concentrations were above the reference value indicating subclinical ketosis (≥1.1 mmol/L for peri-partum cows). In 24/35 (69%) heifers, liver Cu concentration was low (≤ 44 µmol/kg) or marginal (45–94 µmol/kg). The concentration of Cu in serum was low (≤ 4.5 µmol/L) in 2/33 (6%) heifers and marginal (4.6–7.9 µmol/L) in 5/33 (15%) heifers. There was moderate positive correlation between the logged concentrations of Cu in paired liver and serum samples, r(31) = 0.43; (95% CI = 0.1–0.79; p = 0.014). One heifer had a serum phosphate concentration below the lower limit of the reference range (< 1.10 mmol/L). For all heifers, the concentrations of albumin, Ca, and Mg in serum were within the reference intervals (23–38 g/L, 2.00–2.60 mmol/L, and 0.49–1.15 mmol/L respectively). Over winter, 15/35 (43%) heifers grazed predominantly pasture, 14/35 (40%) grazed fodder beet and 6/35 (17%) had a mixed diet. In some of these heifers with humeral fractures, there was evidence for protein and/or energy malnutrition in the form of elevated NEFA and BHB concentrations and low creatinine concentrations in serum. Liver Cu concentrations were also reduced in most affected heifers. However, the absence of a control group means it is not possible to determine if these are risk factors for fracture or features common to all periparturient heifers. Clinical trials and molecular studies are needed to determine the true contribution of Cu and protein-energy metabolism to the pathogenesis of spontaneous humeral fractures in dairy heifers.

A.Wehrle-Martinez*, K. Dittmer, P. Back, C. Rogers, K. Lawrence
New Zealand Vet J
Vol. 71, No. 1, pp. 37-41

* School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

November 2022

ABSTRACT:

The periparturient period is a metabolically demanding time for dairy animals because of increased nutrient requirements for milk yield. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii (CNCM I-1079), a commercial active dry yeast (ADY), in dairy cows on productive and metabolic measures during the periparturient period. Primiparous (n = 33) and multiparous (n = 35) cows were fed a close-up total mixed ration (TMR) before calving and a lactation TMR postpartum. Three weeks before expected calving time, animals were blocked by parity and body weight and then randomly assigned to either control group (control; n = 34) or treatment (ADY; n = 34). All animals were housed in a tie-stall barn with individual feed bunks; the ADY animals received supplementary Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii (CNCM I-1079), top dressed daily at a predicted dosage of 1.0 × 10¹⁰ cfu (12.5 g) per head. Blood samples were collected weekly along with milk yield and milk composition data; feed intake data were collected daily. Serum samples were analyzed for glucose, nonesterified fatty acid, β-hydroxybutyrate, haptoglobin (Hp), and the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, and IL-18. Colostrum samples collected within the first 6 to 10 h were analyzed for somatic cell score and IgG, IgA, and IgM concentrations. Data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS with time as a repeated measure; model included time, parity, treatment, and their interactions. The ADY groups had greater milk yield (39.0 ± 2.4 vs. 36.7 ± 2.3 kg/d) and tended to produce more energy-corrected milk with better feed efficiency. There was no difference in plasma glucose, serum nonesterified fatty acid, serum β-hydroxybutyrate, Hp, IL-6, or IL-18 due to ADY treatment. The tumor necrosis factor-α increased in ADY-supplemented animals (1.17 ± 0.69 vs. 4.96 ± 7.7 ng/mL), though week, parity, and their interactions had no effect. Serum amyloid A tended to increase in ADY-supplemented animals when compared to control animals and was additionally affected by week and parity; there were no significant interactions. No difference in colostrum IgG, IgA, and IgM was observed between treatments. Supplementing transition cow TMR with ADY (CNCM I-1079) improved milk production and tended to improve efficiency in early lactation; markers of inflammation were also influenced by ADY treatment, though the immunological effect was inconsistent.

R.L. Hiltz, M.R. Steelreath, M.N. Degenshein-Woods, H. Nielsen, P. Rezamand, A.H. Laarman
Journal of Dairy Science, DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21740

October 2022

Abstract:

Feeding encapsulated pepper to dairy cows during the hot season improves performance without affecting core and skin temperature. By Vittorazzi et al., page 9542. Peppers, rich in capsaicin, have shown thermoregulation and slimming properties. This experiment evaluated different doses of a feed additive containing capsaicin on dairy cows' performance and physiological parameters (respiration rate and body temperature). Feeding capsaicin, regardless of the dose, increased feed intake, and fat-corrected milk and solids yield without affecting nutrient digestibility and physiological parameters. Feeding encapsulated pepper can improve performance without increasing body temperature of cows.

Paulo Cesar Vittorazzi Jr., Caio S. Takiya, Alanne T. Nunes, Mauro S.S. Dias, Nathalia T.S. Grigoletto, Francisco P. Rennó
Journal of Dairy Science, DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22078

January 2022

ABSTRACT:

High-concentrate feeding can induce subacute ruminal acidosis, which leads to mammary tissue injury in dairy cows. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of high-concentrate feeding on STIM1 (stromal interaction molecule 1)/ORAI1 (Orai calcium release-activated calcium modulator 1)-mediated inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), and apoptosis in the mammary tissue of dairy cows. A total of 12 healthy mid-lactating Holstein cows of similar weight were randomly allotted into the following 2 groups: a high-concentrate (HC) group (concentrate:forage = 6:4) and a low-concentrate (LC) group (concentrate:forage = 4:6). The trial lasted for 3 wk. After the feeding experiment, rumen fluid, lacteal vein blood, and mammary tissue samples were collected. The results showed that the HC diet significantly increased blood lipopolysaccharide levels, decreased ruminal pH, and upregulated the concentrations of Ca²⁺ and proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and the enzyme activities of caspase-3, caspase-9, PKC, and IKK. The upregulation of STIM1, ORAI1, PKCα, IKKβ, phosphorylated-IκBα, phosphorylated-p65, TNF-α, and IL-1α proteins in the HC group indicated activation of the STIM1/ORAI1-mediated inflammatory signaling pathway compared with that in the LC group. The HC diet also induced ERS by increasing the mRNA and protein abundances of GRP78, CHOP, PERK, ATF6, and IRE1α in the mammary tissue. Compared with the LC group, the mRNA expression levels and protein abundances of caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, caspase-9, and BAX were markedly increased in the HC group. However, the mRNA and protein expression levels of Bcl-2 were significantly decreased in the HC group. Therefore, this study demonstrated that the HC diet can activate the store-operated calcium entry channel by upregulating the expression of STIM1 and ORAI1 and induce inflammation, ERS, and apoptosis in the mammary tissue of dairy cows.

Meijuan Meng, Lairong Wang, Yan Wang, Wan Xie, Guangjun Chang, Xiangzhen Shen
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21187

Novembrer 2021

Imagine that your car will go 60 miles per hour in the summer but only 30 mph when the temperature is freezing, and it will not run at all when the temperature falls to 0ºF. This is an accurate illustration of how cold temperature adversely affects rate of gain in calves.