Effect of Different Roughages on Milk Protein and Milk Fat Synthesis in Dairy Cows

The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a corn straw or mixed diet on milk production, milk composition and the expression of genes associated with lactation in mid-lactation Chinese Holstein cows. In this study, 10 healthy Chinese Holstein cows were randomly assigned to two groups and fed with different diets respectively, corn straw （CS） or mixed forage （MF） diet. CS group was fed roughage consisting of 53.8% corn straw only and the forge to concentrate （F ： C） ratio [dry matter （DM）] was about 40： 60. MF group was fed roughage consisting of 3.7% Chinese wildrye and 23.4% alfalfa hay, the forge to concentrate （F ： C） ratio （DM） was 70： 30. All the cows were fed 8 weeks and body weight, dry matter intake, body condition score, fat, protein, lactose, milk yield, total solid and somatic cell count （SCC） were recorded. Quantitative real-time PCR （qRT-PCR） was used to analyze cow mammary gland samples representing two different diets. The results suggested that different diet types had significant effects on milk yield, lactose, milk fat, milk protein, dry matter intake and somatic cell count in dairy cows, and cows fed MF diet improved milk production and lactation performance clearly （P〈0.05）. In addition, mRNA expression of genes ACC, roTOR, STATS, CSN2, PPAR）,, FABP3 and PTEN in MF group was extremely significantly higher than that in CS group （P〈0.05）. mRNA expression ofAKT1, FAS, SCD and SREBPlc in MF group was significantly higher than that in CS group （P〈0.01）. In summary, the milk yield and composition in mixed forage group were significantly improved than those in corn straw group.

Effects of supplementary urea-minerals lick block on the kinetics of fibre digestion, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization of low quality roughages

Three yearling lambs with a rumen cannula were used to investigate the effects of supplementation with an urea-minerals lick block （ULB） on the kinetics of ruminal fibre digestion, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen （N） utilization office straw （RS）, ammonia bicarbonate （AB）-treated RS （ABRS） and hay prepared from natural pasture. The digestibility of dry matter and organic matter of RS increased by 13.1% and 12.7% （P〈0.05） when the diet was supplemented with ULB, and approached to that of ABRS, indicating that the effect of ULB on digestibility of RS is similar to that of AB treatment. The digestibility of ABRS was slightly improved by the ULB feeding. Nitrogen retention was highest in lambs fed on ABRS alone, followed by hay with ULB, and was lowest in animals fed on RS with ULB. However, both the amount and proportion of N retention to N intake were enhanced by ULB supplementation to lambs fed on hay. The proportion of N retained to N digested decreased due to ULB supplementation to lambs fed on RS or ABRS. Supplementing ULB did not greatly influence the rumen degradation of either dry matter or crude protein in each of the three diets. RS and hay had similar values in the potential extent of digestion （PED） and digestion rate of PED （kd） of fibrous materials, but the discrete lag time for RS was lower than that for hay. The AB treatment significantly increased the PED （P〈0.05） and kd （P〈0.05） of RS. Neither the PED nor kd for RS and ABRS was influenced by ULB supplementation, but the kd for hay significantly increased due to ULB. The lag time for hay was also shortened by the ULB feeding. The ULB improved the digestion of fibre in the rumen of lambs fed on low quality roughage. It is inferred that while ULB is effective in increasing nutrient digestibility of low quality roughages by improving ruminal fibre digestion. A synchronized supply of N and energy to rumen microbes should be considered to improve the efficiency of N utilization when the basal diet is ammoniated straw.

Rumen Degradation Regularity of Dry Matter and Crude Protein of Common Roughage in Beef Cattle

Three individuals of Horqin yellow cattle equipped with permanent fistula, weighed （548 ±21） kg, were sdected as the experimental animals. The ru- men degradation characteristics of dry matter （DM） and crude protein （CP） of roughage at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h were measured by nylon bag method. The re- suits showed that the effective degradation rates of DM and CP of alfalfa hay were the highest, while higher contents of rapid degradation part and potential degrada- tion part of DM and CP also resulted in higher degradation rates of DM and CP. The effective degradation rates of CP and DM of roughage presented strong positive correlation with CP, but showed strong negative correlation with neutral detergent fiber （NDF）. The effective degradation rates of CP of five roughages successively were alfalfa hay 〉 alfalfa block 〉 ryegrass 〉 silage corn 〉 straw.

Effect of Corn Stalks Treated with Carbonylamines in Different Concentrate and Forage Rations and Nitrogen Conditions on Rumen Fermentation in Vitro

[ Objective] To investigate the effects of concentrate/roughage ratios and nitrogen levels on in-vitro rumen fermentation of urea-treating corn stalk. [ Method] The concentrate/roughage ratios were 7： 3, 5：5 and 3： 7. The crude protein levels were 11% and 14%. The in-vitro culture time was 2, 4, 6 and 48 h. [ Result] The pH value of broth decreased significantly with the decline in the proportion of roughage （ P 〈 0.01 ） and with the increase in the crude protein levels （P 〈 0.05）. The ammonium nitrogen concentration and acetic acid/propionic acid ratio of the fermen- ted products decreased with the increase in the crude protein levels and proportion of concentrate in diet. The diet with concentrate/roughage ratio of 5：5 and crude protein level of 14% had significantly higher digestibility of dry matter and organic matter than other diets （ P 〈 0.05）. The digesti- bility of organic matter increased gradually with the increasing proportion of concentrate and crude protein level. With the increase in the proportion of concentrate, the microbial protein levels increased remarkably, while the acetic acid/propionic acid ratio declined. [ Conclusion] The concentrate/ roughage ratios and nitrogen levels affect rumen fermentation and microbial growth during in-vitro culture. However, the best supplementary feeding results of urea-treatinq corn stalks can be obtained when the concentrate/rouahaae ratio is below 5：5 and the crude protein level is 14%.

Effect of Concentrate to Roughage Ratio on Cost Effective Growth Performance of Brahman Crossbred Calves

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and cost per gain of Brahman × local crossbred bull calves receiving three diets with varying concentrate to roughage ratio （C：R） of 75：25, 65：35 and 55：45 on dry matter （DM） basis. Twelve bull calves （aging 11.5 ±1.2 months and 170.8 ± 13.0 kg live weight） divided into three equal groups were fed on three diets. The diets were balanced to 14.5% crude protein （CP） level and 10.5 MJ metabolizable energy （ME） per kg DM, formulating different concentrate mixtures. German grass （Echinoclora grousgali） and paddy straw were offered at 2：1 ratio on DM basis as roughages. The results revealed that C：R ratio did not affect （P 〉 0.05） the intake of feed and nutrients, feed efficiency （7.04, 6.94 and 6.76） and average daily gain （981,958 and 976 g）. Digestibility of nutrients was not affected （P 〉 0.05） by C：R. Animals fed diet with C：R = 55：45 had the lowest feed cost （Bangladeshi Taka 136.8 BDT/kg live weight gain）, which was increased （147.5 B DT and 153.8 BDT） non-significantly （P 〉 0.05） with the increasing level of concentrate. The diet consisting of 55% concentrate mixture showed similar results with the diet consisting of 75% concentrate mixture, but was comparatively economic. Therefore, considering the growth performance and cost per kg gain of Brahman crossbred growing calves, it may be concluded that the diet consisting of 55：45 C：R may be used for economic beef production.

Screening Yeasts from Ruminal Fluid of Dairy Heifer Fed a Different Ratio Roughage to Concentrate Diets

The objective of these studies were to identify ruminal yeast in varying ratios of roughage to concentrate in TMR diets in order to explore yeast diversity by using molecular technique with similarity of rDNA sequence. The experiment was assigned to four 98.6% of cross bred Holstein Friesian heifers with 2 levels and two replicates of roughage to concentrate ratios as： 10：90 （T1） and 50：50 （T2）. The experimental period was 14 days. Rumen fluid sample was collected by stomach tube for total DNA extraction by using silica gel method, and analysis of quantity and quality of DNA by Nanovue and agarose gel electrophoresis. The divergent DI/D2 domain of 26S rDNA was amplified by primers NL-1（5＇-GCA TAT CAA TAA GCG GAG GAA AAG-Y） and NL4 （5＇-GGT CCG TGT TTCAAG ACG G-3＇） by polymerase chain reaction （PCR）. The nucleotide sequences of D l/D2 domain of 26S rDNA were determined using PCR products. Generated sequences were aligned with related species by using the CLUSTAL W. The result showed that an average dry matter intake of TI was 7.00 kg/d and T2 was 6.99 kg/d. DNA concentrate from TIRI, TIR2, T2RI and T2R2 were 106, 131.5, 84 and 182.5 ng//aL, respectively. The purity of DNA was 1.57, 1.76, 1.78 and 1.86, respectively. The divergent D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA of treatment could be amplified for T1R1 and T2R1 but could not for T1R2 and T2R2. The sequences of D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA were compared with nucleotide database by BLAST programs （http：//www.ncbi.nlrn.nih.gov/BLAST）, the T2RI yeast-strain was closest to Yarrowia lipolytica. However, yeast strain in T1R1 could not be specifically identified because D 1/132 domain of 26S rDNA seem to represent variable region with number of nucleotide sequence showing 2-3 substitution from known species. The phylogenetic tree based on the sequences of the DI/D2 domain of 26S rDNA showed that TIR! was related to Pichia and Candida （96%） and T2R1 was related to Yarrowia lypolytica （100%）. This study indicated that ruminal yeast strains could be found varying in different ratio of roughage to concentrate.

A corn straw-based diet increases release of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of dairy cows

Recent studies have shown that diet can affect the body＇s immunity. Roughage of dairy cows consists of a variety of plant materials which make different contributions to health. This study investigated the effect of different roughages on the immunity of dairy cows. Serum, peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMCs）, and milk samples were collected from 20 multiparous mid-lactation cows fed mixed forage （MF）- or corn straw （CS）-based diets. Ex- pression profile analysis was used to detect the differentially expressed genes （DEGs） from PBMCs. The results showed that milk protein in the MF group increased to 3.22 g/100 ml, while that of the CS group milk was 2.96 g/100 ml; by RNA sequencing, it was found that 1615 genes were differentially expressed between the CS group and the MF group among the 24027 analyzed probes. Gene ontology （GO） and pathway analysis of DEGs suggested that these genes （especially genes coding cytokines, chemokine and its receptors） are involved in the immune response. Results were confirmed at the protein level via detecting the levels of interleukin-2 （IL-2）, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, leptin （LEP）, interferon-γ （IFN-γ）, transforming growth factor-βl （TGF-β1）, and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in peripheral blood by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and radioimmunoassay analysis. Our data supported the conclusions that the protein content in milk of the MF group was higher than that of the CS group, the CS-based diets induced more release of cytokines than the MF-based diets in dairy cows＇ PBMCs, and milk protein content may be affected by cytokines.