Anti-mycotoxin feed additives: Effects on metabolism, mycotoxin excretion, performance, and total-tract digestibility of dairy cows fed artificially multi-mycotoxin-contaminated diets.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different anti-mycotoxin feed additives on the concentration of mycotoxins in milk, urine, and blood plasma of dairy cows fed diets artificially contaminated with mycotoxins. Secondarily, performance, total-tract apparent digestibility of nutrients, and blood parameters were evaluated. Twelve multiparous cows (165 ± 45 DIM, 557 ± 49 kg BW, and 32.

Dietary supplementation with live or autolyzed yeast: Effects on performance, nutrient digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in dairy cows.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of live or autolyzed yeast supplementation on dairy cow performance and ruminal fermentation. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate performance, feed sorting, total-tract apparent digestibility of nutrients, purine derivatives excretion, N utilization, ruminal fermentation, and the abundance of specific bacterial groups in the rumen. In experiment 1, 39 Holstein cows (171 ± 40 DIM and 32.

Influence of different growing stages of whole-plant soybeans on their nutrient content and silage quality for cattle.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of growing stage (GS) on morphological and chemical composition of whole-plant soybean (WPS), and fermentative profile and chemical composition of whole-plant soybean silage (SS). This study was divided into two trials conducted in a complete randomised block design. The first trial evaluated the effect of GS from R1 to R8 (59-135 d after sowing) on morphological and chemical composition of WPS and its botanical components.

Feeding amylolytic and proteolytic exogenous enzymes: Effects on nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and performance in dairy cows.

Exogenous enzymes are added to diets to improve nutrient utilization and feed efficiency. A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary exogenous enzyme products with amylolytic (Amaize, Alltech) and proteolytic (Vegpro, Alltech) activity on performance, excretion of purine derivatives, and ruminal fermentation of dairy cows. A total of 24 Holstein cows, 4 of which were ruminally cannulated (161 ± 88 d in milk, 681 ± 96 body weight, and 35.

Feeding reduced levels of trace minerals in proteinate form and selenium-yeast to transition cows: Performance, trace minerals, and antioxidant status, peripheral neutrophil activity, and oocyte quality.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of inorganic trace minerals (TM) and reduced levels of TM by using proteinate forms of Co, Zn, Mn, and Cu, and Se-yeast in diets of transition cows on performance, TM concentrations in colostrum, plasma, and liver, blood metabolites, antioxidant status, peripheral neutrophil activity, and oocyte quality. Thirty-two Holstein cows (22 multiparous and 10 primiparous cows) were enrolled in this study from 30 d before the expected calving date to 56 DIM. Cows were blocked according to body condition score, parity, and previous milk yield and randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: control (CON), with TM (Zn, Cu, Mn, and Co) supplied in form of sulfate and Se as sodium selenite to meet or exceed requirement estimates of the National Research Council; and proteinate trace minerals (PTM), with TM supplied bound with AA and peptides at 50% of CON levels and inorganic Se replaced with Se-yeast at 100% of CON level.

Dietary replacement of soybean meal with heat-treated soybean meal or high-protein corn distillers grains on nutrient digestibility and milk composition in mid-lactation cows.

Lactation diets dependent on rumen undegradable protein (RUP) sources derived from soybean meal (SBM) products are generally high in Lys and poor in Met. We conducted an experiment to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary RUP and altering digestible AA supply by inclusion of heat-treated soybean meal (HTSBM) or high-protein corn dried distillers grains with soluble (DDGS) on performance in mid-lactation dairy cows. Twenty-four Holstein cows (200 ± 40 d in milk and 30.

Feeding encapsulated pepper to dairy cows during the hot season improves performance without affecting core and skin temperature.

Peppers (Capsicum spp.) contain capsaicin, an organic compound with a group of alkaloids that has shown thermoregulation properties in humans and mice, and may influence glucose and lipid metabolism in ruminants. An experiment was conducted to evaluate different doses of a feed additive containing encapsulated pepper on milk yield and composition, dry matter intake, feed sorting index, total-tract apparent digestibility of nutrients, purine derivatives excretion, and serum concentrations of urea-N and glucose, N excretion, respiration rate, rectal temperature, and skin temperature in different regions (forehead, face, and rumen).

Dry malt extract from barley partially replacing ground corn in diets of dairy cows: Nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and milk composition.

Dry malt extract (DME) has been used in animal nutrition as an alternative source of rapidly fermentable carbohydrate. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the partial replacement of ground corn with DME in diets of dairy cows on apparent digestibility, ruminal fermentation, predicted rumen microbial protein supply, N excretion, serum urea-N concentration, and milk yield and composition. Twenty-eight Holstein cows (35.

Increasing doses of carbohydrases: Effects on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and performance of mid-lactation cows.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of exogenous enzymes on nutrient intake and digestibility, rumen fermentation, and productivity of mid-lactating cows. Experiment 1 was designed to test increasing doses [0, 0.5, 1.

Effects of a blend of live yeast and organic minerals or monensin on performance of dairy cows during the hot season.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feed additives on intake and digestibility of nutrients, milk yield and composition, feeding behavior, and physiological parameters of dairy cows during the hot season. Forty Holstein cows were assigned to a randomized block design experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement to evaluate (1) control diet without inclusion of additives; (2) monensin (MON), 20 mg/kg diet dry matter sodium monensin (Rumensin; Elanco); (3) Milk Sacc+ (MS+), inclusion of 40 g/cow per d of Milk Sacc+ (a blend of live yeast and organic minerals, Alltech); and (4) combination of MON and MS+. The average temperature-humidity index throughout the experimental period was 73 ± 2.

Partial replacement of corn silage with whole-plant soybean and black oat silages for dairy cows.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partially replacing corn silage (CS) with whole-plant soybean silage (SS) or black oat silage (OS) on nutrient intake and digestibility, in vitro neutral detergent fiber degradability of silages, feeding behavior, rumen fermentation, and performance of dairy cows. Twenty-four lactating Holstein cows (6 of which were rumen-cannulated) with 32.5 ± 4.

Effects of organic acids in total mixed ration and feeding frequency on productive performance of dairy cows.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of organic acid (OA; Mold-Zap, Alltech, Nicholasville, KY) inclusion in the total mixed ration (TMR) and feeding frequency of TMR for lactating dairy cows on intake, total-tract apparent digestibility, sorting index, feeding behavior, ruminal fermentation, milk yield and composition, nitrogen balance, and serum metabolites. Twenty-four lactating Holstein cows, 4 with rumen cannulas, with (mean ± standard error) 247 ± 22.2 d in milk, 672 ± 14.

Increasing dietary levels of docosahexaenoic acid-rich microalgae: Ruminal fermentation, animal performance, and milk fatty acid profile of mid-lactating dairy cows.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary levels of microalgae (ALG), rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; All-G-Rich, Alltech, Nicholasville, KY), in isolipidic diets, on animal performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, milk fatty acid profile, energy balance, microbial protein synthesis, and blood serum metabolites in mid-lactating dairy cows. Twenty-four Holstein cows [130.3 ± 15.

Nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and milk yield in dairy cows fed a blend of essential oils and amylase.

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate a blend of essential oils (EO) combined with amylase as an alternative to ionophores and its potential for reducing the use of antibiotics in the dairy industry. In experiment 1, 8 rumen-cannulated Holstein cows (576 ± 100 kg of body weight, 146 ± 35 d in milk, and 35.1 ± 4.