The present study was aimed at assessing the ingestive behavior of ¾ Zebu × Holstein heifers confined to different levels of substitution of sorghum silage by marandu grass silage. Twenty heifers were used with initial average weight of 346.25 kg, divided into completely randomized experimental design with 5 repetitions and the following treatments: treatment 1) roughage fraction of the diet co...

The objective of this study is to investigate individual animal variation of bovine fecal microbiota including as affected by diets. Fecal samples were collected from 426 cattle fed 1 of 3 diets typically fed to feedlot cattle: 1) 143 steers fed finishing diet (83% dry-rolled corn, 13% corn silage, and 4% supplement), 2) 147 steers fed late growing diet (66% dry-rolled corn, 26% corn silage, an...

Flint corn has a greater proportion of vitreous endosperm than dent corn (Philippeau et al, 1999). Philippeau and Michalet-Doureau (1997) observed that increased kernel vitreousness was associated with decreased ruminal starch degradation. Increased kernel vitreousness may explain the reduction in total-tract starch digestibility observed for mature whole-plant corn silage (WPCS; Bal et al., 19...

C ORN silage is a major source of roughage for ruminants in the cornbelt, because it is one of the most productive crops of total digestible nutrients and animal gains per acre. However, to make up a complete growingfinishing ration with corn silage it is necessary to supplement it with sources of energy, nitrogen and minerals. The addition of urea to corn, sorghum or grass at ensiling has give...

The Penn State Particle Separator has led to widespread measurement of forage and total mixed ration (TMR) particle size. However, a large proportion of small particles may pass through both sieves when a TMR is analyzed, and field research has suggested that both shaking frequency and sample dry matter may affect the results. The objectives of this project were to test the effects of an additi...

Dry matter intake (DMI) is related to dietary NDF content (Mertens, 1987) and in vitro NDF digestibility (NDFD, % of NDF; Oba and Allen, 1999). The NRC (2001) summative energy equation is based on fiber digestibility calculated using lignin. Whole-plant lignin content was found to have a strong negative relationship with in-vitro NDFD within comparisons of brown midrib (bm3) hybrids to isogenic...

Understanding of the bovine fecal microbiome could contribute to solving issues regarding animal production, cattle health and food safety. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of diet on the fecal microbiome in feedlot cattle. The next-generation pyrosequencing technology was used to investigate fecal microbiomes of 426 cattle fed one of 3 diets: finishing diet (83% dry-rol...

This paper aimed to evaluate the productivity of corn crop for silage, beans and straw production in different rotation systems with spring/summer fall/winter green manures cultivated under agroecological management. The experiment was implemented a rural property managed an system since 2009, 2017/18 2018 crops. experimental design used randomized blocks, five repetitions. treatments consisted...

This study examined ruminal microbial community composition alterations during initial adaption to and following incubation in a rumen simulation system (Rusitec) using grass or corn silage as substrates. Samples were collected from fermenter liquids at 0, 2, 4, 12, 24, and 48 h and from feed residues at 0, 24, and 48 h after initiation of incubation (period 1) and on day 13 (period 2). Microbi...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Ensiling is a conservation method for forage crops. It is based on the fact that anaerobe lactic acid bacteria (LAB) convert watersoluble carbohydrates into organic acids. Therefore, pH decreases and the forage is preserved. The aim of this study was to isolate special kinds of lactic acid bacteria from silage and to study the effect of bacteria, inulin and enzymes as ...