Dairy Resources - Nutrition

February 2020

Abstract:

On a spring calving, pastoral dairy farm, the first 40 heifer calves born after calving mid-point (50% of the herd calved) were blood sampled within 24 h. Thirty were selected, using stratified randomization to form two equal groups (treatment and control) with the same distribution of serum total protein, copper, selenium, zinc, and manganese concentrations, age and breed. From the remaining 10 calves, five were randomly selected into a sentinel group to assess field exposure to Salmonella spp.

All calves received two injections of a killed vaccine containing Salmonella spp. antigens at 2 and 6 weeks of age. Concurrently, the treatment group were injected with 1 mL/50 kg trace mineral supplement (TMS) containing 40 mg zinc, 10 mg manganese, 5 mg selenium, 15 mg copper per mL. Sentinel animals received no injections. All animals were bled from 2 to 9 weeks for assay of immune function. At three and four weeks, white blood cells from TMS calves had an increased percentage of cells phagocytosing (effect size = 9.36 and 4.35) and increased number of bacteria ingested per cell (effect size = 0.93 and 1.52). No differences were detected in gamma interferon response (effect size <0.15) or Salmonella sp. antibody titres (effect size <0.20).</p.

Andrew Bates, Matt Wells, Richard Laven, Line Ferriman, Axel Heiser, Clare Fitzpatrick
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.02.007

June 2020

Stored forage is an important component of many livestock operations. Stored forage quality is dependent upon several key factors, including forage maturity at harvest, forage moisture content at harvest, and forage storage conditions. Stored forages are produced and fed primarily as either dry hay, baleage, or silage. After forage maturity, the quality of a stored forage is greatly dependent upon moisture content at harvest. Given that moisture content is so important, what tools and methods are available to help producers determine forage moisture content to make good harvest decisions?

May 2020

In a recent meta-analysis conducted at the University of Florida, Husnain and Santos (2019) determined how the crude protein (CP) level fed to dry cows and heifers before calving affects milk production in early lactation. The researchers collected over 125 treatment means from published journal articles. Most studies used Holstein dry cows and heifers. About 20% of those studies provided separate production data for 1st lactation and 2+ lactation cows, which were used to investigate whether effects of protein level differ based on parity. They also collected all diet information and calculated metabolizable protein (MP) intake using the NRC (2001). Husnain and Santos (2019) hypothesized that heifers would require a greater MP intake than dry cows to maximize milk production. This is because heifers are still growing before calving unlike dry cows, and more MP would be required for heifer growth in addition to requirements for maintenance and pregnancy (i.e., fetal and mammary growth).

In heifers, increasing MP intake from 800 to 1,100 g/day linearly increased dry matter (DM) intake after calving (+3.7 lb/day), yields of milk (+2.4 lb/day), milk fat (+0.11 lb/day) and protein (+0.07 lb/day), and body weight (+ 33 lb). The authors found similar responses for MP concentration. A MP intake of 1,100 g/day would be about 11% MP of diet DM or 14 to 15% CP of diet DM for a late gestation heifer consuming 22 lb/day of DM.

In dry cows, increasing MP intake from 800 to 1,100 g/day did not improve intake or milk yields after calving (averages of 43 lb/day of DM intake and 81 lb/day of milk). The only benefit of dry cows consuming greater than 800 g/day of MP was for cows producing >80 lb/day of milk, which had increased milk protein yields (+0.07 lb/day); lower producing cows (

Overall, results from the meta-analysis confirmed the NRC (2001) recommendations that heifers require more MP than cows. If management conditions allow feeding late gestation heifers and dry cows separately, income over feed costs could be improved by feeding heifers more MP (11% MP of diet DM) compared to dry cows (8% MP of diet DM).

Alex Tebbe,
Graduate Research Associate, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

July 2019

ABSTRACT:

Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079 (live yeast; ProTernative®, Lallemand Animal Nutrition) was evaluated for effects on health and performance in high-risk feeder heifers. A total of 1,274 beef heifers (average body weight = 547 ± 28.7 lb; 248 ± 13.0 kg) were procured from auction markets in the southern United States. Heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) Control (CON; no yeast products) or 2) ProTernative® (PRO) fed at 1 gram/hd/day to provide 20 x 109 CFU/hd/day for the first 45 days-on-feed (8 pens/treatment). After 45 days-on-feed, PRO was removed from the diet and both the PRO and CON treatment groups were fed the same basal diets throughout the rest of finishing. Feeding PRO during the first 45 days decreased bovine respiratory disease first treatment 28.4% compared to CON (P=0.01), and improved average daily gain (P=0.05; +4.5%), feed:gain (P=0.02; -5.0%), cost of gain (P=0.04; -4.7%), percentage USDA quality grade Choice (P<0.01; +6.8%), and reduced A+ liver abscesses (P<0.01; -45.9%). Carcass weight and percentage USDA Choice carcasses decreased (P<0.01) concomitant with increased (P<0.01) percentage USDA Select carcasses as the number of times treated for bovine respiratory disease increased. Addition of PRO to the ration during the first 45 days improved health, performance, and carcass outcomes through closeout in high-risk feeder heifers.

Miles E. Theurer - Veterinary Research and Consulting Services, LLC, Hays, KS 67601
J. Trent Fox - Veterinary Research and Consulting Services, LLC, Hays, KS 67601
Angel Aguilar - Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Milwaukee, WI 53218
Henson Nielsen - Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Milwaukee, WI 53218
Jim Simpson - Simpson Nutrition Services, LLC, Canyon, TX 79015
Ty E. Lawrence - Beef Carcass Research Center, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX 79016
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol53no2p117-127

December 2019

Abstract:

Enhancing immunological responses to vaccination is an important goal in many herd health management systems. OmniGen-AF®(OG) is an immunomodulatory feed additive that has been shown to enhance innate immune function in ruminants and its effects on adaptive immunity require additional study. The objective of this study was to evaluate post-vaccine antibody titers and circulating cellular memory development in heifers fed OG and administered a commercially available modified-live bovine respiratory disease (BRD) vaccine. Twenty-four Holstein heifers were assigned to one of two diets for 170 days: Control TMR (CON; n = 11), or TMR plus OG (TRT; 9 g/100 kg BW/day; n = 13). Samples for hematology, serology, and cellular assays were collected on D-110, 0, 21, 42, and 60 of the trial. Heifers were administered two priming doses of a modified-live BRD vaccine, with a third dose given on D0. There were no significant differences in total WBC and absolute number or the percentage of circulating lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, RBC, or platelets on D-110 through D21. On D42 and D60, CON had significantly higher numbers of lymphocytes. On D0, mean serum neutralizing (SN) titer to BHV-1 was significantly higher for CON compared to TRT. SN titers were not significantly different between CON and TRT at any other time point for BHV-1, BVDV type 1, or BVDV type 2. TRT mounted a significantly stronger recall proliferative response to 0.5 multiplicity of infection (MOI) of BHV-1, BVDV type 1 and BVDV type 2 on D42 and D60; 0.25 MOI of BVDV type 1 on D21 and D42; and 0.25 MOI BVDV type 2 on D42 compared to CON. IL-4 production induced by 0.5 and 1.0 MOI BHV-1 (D42 and D60); 0.25 MOI of BVDV type 1 (D21); and 0.25 and 0.5 MOI of BVDV type 2 (D60) were significantly higher for TRT than CON. IL-17 production induced by 0.25 MOI of BVDV type 1 was significantly higher on D60 for TRT compared to CON. IFN-gamma and IL-10 were not significantly different between treatments. These data indicate feeding OG has a beneficial effect on responses to vaccine antigens in Holstein dairy heifers.

D.J.Hurley, C.E.Barber, M.Adkins, A.D.Rowson, N.A.Norton, S.C.Nickerson, L.O.Ely, F.M.Kautz, D.J.McLean, J.D.Chapman
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.10.002

November 2019

It's pumpkin harvest time in California. ( Courtesy Van Groningen & Sons Inc. )

Halloween has passed, and Thanksgiving is coming soon. If you wonder what to do with pumpkins as the seasons’ orange fades to Christmas green, cattle may be the answer.

June 2019

Corn may be king when it comes to feeding livestock, but it’s not the only option for energy and fiber. Sorghum has a number of properties that make it a desirable dairy feedstuff, particularly for growing heifer rations. ( Maureen Hanson )

Growing and feeding components of dairy rations is a balancing act that must factor affordability, availability, agronomic conditions and nutrient content.

February 2019

Probiotics intended to improve plant health and productivity of pastures grazed by dairy cow are becoming commercially available in Australia. Great Land (GL; Terragen Biotech Pty Ltd., Coolum Beach, QLD, Australia) is one such biologic soil conditioner and spray-on probiotic with a label claim of “acting to improve plant health and productivity.” The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of GL on the milk quality of cows grazing pasture top-dressed with GL. Lactating dairy cows of mixed age and breed (primarily Holstein-Friesian), in their second lactation or greater, and at least 80 d in milk were enrolled and randomly allocated into 1 of 2 study groups: a treatment cow group (n = 98; cows grazed pasture that was top-dressed with GL according to the product label) and a control cow group (n = 114; cows grazed untreated pasture). As required, both groups were supplemented at the same rate with a mixed ration during the grazing period. Composite milk samples were collected weekly from each cow during the study and analyzed to determine milk components. Milk volumes were recorded at each milking using the herd management software of the study farm. Mean differences in the milk component variables were compared using mixed-effects linear regression models. After controlling for the effect of days in milk, cow lactation, and time since a cow entered the study, the treatment cows produced an average of 1.21 L/cow per day more milk (95% confidence interval: 0.34–2.08 L/cow per day) and more milk protein (0.03 kg/d; 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.05 kg/d) than the control cows. Pasture cover and pasture consumption did not differ between the GL-treated and the untreated study paddocks grazed by the treatment or control cows. A limited amount of published data have examined the effect of probiotic pasture treatment on the milk quality of dairy cows. This study suggests that application of such products may be beneficial. The mechanisms associated with this type of outcome remain to be investigated. 

T.W.J. Olchowy, M. Soust, J. Alawneh
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15411

November 2018

Process compares pasture nutrient levels obtained by traditional laboratory methods to readings from handheld NIRS device.

August 2018

Dietary spray-dried porcine plasma supplementation during lactation may improve litter performance in multiparous sows.