Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:25:39.365Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of altering the hay to concentrate ratio and concentrate composition on the rumen fermentation of dry sheep and milk production of lactating dairy ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

G. Zervas ,
L. Zarkadas ,
K. Koutsotolis ,
C. Goulas  and
A. Mantzios
G. Zervas
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, lera Odos 75, Gr-118 55, Athens, Greece
L. Zarkadas
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, lera Odos 75, Gr-118 55, Athens, Greece
K. Koutsotolis
Affiliation:
National Research Institute ofKatsika, Ioannina, Greece
C. Goulas
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, lera Odos 75, Gr-118 55, Athens, Greece
A. Mantzios
Affiliation:
National Research Institute ofKatsika, Ioannina, Greece
Get access

Abstract

In order to examine the effects of diets, with two hay to concentrate ratios and two forms of concentrates on the rumen fermentation of dry sheep and milk production of lactating ewes, three trials were conducted.

In the first trial, four wether sheep, each fitted with a rumen cannula, were used in a 4 × 4 Latin-square design, by allocating them to one of four diets with different hay to concentrate ratio and concentrate type. The diets consisted of 0·5 kg hay and 0·75 kg either starchy (HRSC) or fibrous (HRFC) concentrates, or 0·25 kg hay and 1·0 kg either starchy (LRSC) or fibrous (LRFC) concentrates. The diets were designed to provide similar intakes of energy and crude protein. Volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia concentrations, pH values and number of protozoa were determined in wether rumen fluid.

Total VFA concentration was not significantly affected by diet but acetate and n-butyrate proportions were higher (P < 0·002) on the higher forage diets and propionate higher (P < 0·002) on the lower forage diets. pH values and number of protozoa in sheep rumen fluid were unaffected by treatment, while ammonia concentration was lower (P < 0·05) on the HRFC diet.

In the second trial, 60 lactating dairy ewes were allocated to one of four diets for weeks 11 to 15 of lactation (period 1). Ewes were given food daily: 0·87 kg hay and 1·3 kg either HRFC or HRSC concentrates, or 0·4 kg hay and 1·6 kg either LRFC or LRSC concentrates. During weeks 16 to 20 of lactation (period 2), the ewes were given the same amount and type of concentrates but hay was supplied ad libitum and this period formed the third trial.

Milk yield and milk composition were affected significantly by hay to concentrate ratio with the lower hay to concentrate ratio resulting in a significant increase in milk yield, milk protein efficiency, protein content and protein and lactose yields. Milk fat content and yield were reduced. Hay intake was proportionately greater (P < 0·002) by 0·15 to 0·20 with starchy than with fibrous concentrate diets in period 2. Problems such as acidosis or ‘off-food’ periods in ewes given the low hay to concentrate ratio diets were not observed, irrespective of concentrate type.

Keywords

concentratesdairy sheepeweshaymilk productionrumen formation
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 69 , Issue 3 , December 1999 , pp. 637 - 645
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abe, M. and Kumeni, F. 1973. In vitro simulation of rumen fermentation: apparatus and effects of dilution rate and continuous dialysis on fermentation and protozoa! population. Journal of Animal Science 36: 941–948.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. 1990. UK tables of nutritive value and chemical composition offeedingstuffs (1990). Rowett Research Services, Aberdeen, UK.Google Scholar
Broster, W. H., Sutton, J. D., Bines, J. A., Broster, V. J., Smith, T., Siviter, J. W., Johnson, V. W., Napper, D. J. and Schuller, E. 1985. The influence of plane of nutrition and diet composition on the performance of dairy cows. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 104: 535-557. Google Scholar
Conway, E. J. 1962. Microdiffusion analysis and volume tricerror, fifth edition. Crosby Lockwood and Son Ltd, London.Google Scholar
Cottyn, B. G. and Bouque, C. V. 1968. Rapid method for the gas Chromatographie determination of volatile fatty acids in rumen fluid. Journal of Agricultural Chemistry 16: 105–108.Google Scholar
Edione, A. O. and Owen, F. G. 1989. Relation of intake to digestibility of diets containing soyhulls or distillers dried grains. Journal of Dairy Science 72: 1786–1792.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization. 1993. FAO production yearbook, vol. 37, pp. 205–218. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rom.Google Scholar
Goering, H. K. and Van Soest, P. J. 1970. Forage fiber analysis (apparatus, reagents, procedures and some applications. Agricultural handbook no. 379, ARS, USD A, Washington, DC. Google Scholar
Mavrogenis, A. P. and Papachristoforou, C. 1988. Estimation of the energy value of milk and prediction of fat-corrected milk yield in sheep and goats. Small Ruminant Research 1: 229–236.Google Scholar
Mayne, C. S. and Gordon, F. J. 1984. The effect of type of concentrate and level of concentrate feeding on milk production. Animal Production 39: 65–76.Google Scholar
National Research Council. 1989. Nutrient requirement of dairy cattle, sixth revised edition. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Osafo, E. L. K., Owen, E., Said, A. N., Gill, M. and Sherington, J. 1997. Effects of amount offered and chopping on intake and selection of sorghum stover by Ethiopian sheep and cattle. Animal Science 65: 55–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phipps, R. H., Sutton, J. D., Weiler, R. F. and Bines, J. A. 1987. The effect of concentrate composition and method of silage feeding on intake and performance of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 109: 337–343.Google Scholar
Robinson, P. H., Tamminga, S. and Vuuren, A. M. van. 1987. Influence of declining level of feed intake and varying the proportion of starch in the concentrate on milk production and whole tract digestibility in dairy cows. Livestock Production Science 17: 19–35.Google Scholar
Rogers, J. A. and Davis, J. A. 1982. Rumen volatile fatty acid production and nutrient utilization in steers fed a diet supplemented with sodium bicarbonate and monensin. Journal of Dairy Science 65: 944–952.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sarwar, M., Firkins, J. L. and Eastridge, M. L. 1992. Effects of varying forage and concentrate carbohydrates on nutrient digestibilities and milk production by dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 75: 1533–1542.Google Scholar
Sloan, B. K., Rowlinson, P. and Armstrong, D. G. 1988. Milk production in early lactation dairy cows given grass silage ad libitum: influence of concentrate energy source, crude protein content and level of concentrate allowance. Animal Production 46: 317–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1988. User’s guide: statistics, version 6.03. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Steel, R. C. P. and Torrie, J. H. 1960. Principles and procedures of statistics; with special reference to the biological sciences, pp. 99–131. McGraw-Hill, New York.Google Scholar
Sutton, J. D. 1980. Digestion and end-product formation in the rumen from production rations. In Digestive physiology and metabolism in ruminants (ed. Ruckebusch, Y. and Thivend, P.), p. 271. MTP Press, Lancaster.Google Scholar
Sutton, J. D. 1985. Digestion and asorption of energy substrates in the lactating cow. Journal of Dairy Science 68: 3376–3393.Google Scholar
Sutton, J. D., Bines, J. A., Morant, S. V., Napper, D. J. and Givens, D. I. 1987. A comparison of starchy and fibrous concentrates for milk production, energy utilization and hay intake by Friesian cows. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 109: 375–386.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutton, J. D., Morant, S.V., Bines, J. A., Napper, D. J. and Givens, D. I. 1993. Effect of altering the starch: fibre ratio in the concentrates on hay intake and milk production by Friesian cows. Journal of Agricultural Science. Cambridge 120: 379–390.Google Scholar
Sutton, J. D., Oldham, J. D. and Hart, I. C. 1980. Products of digestion, hormones and energy utilization in milking cows given concentrates containing varying proportions of barley or maize. In Energy metabolism (ed. Mount, L. E.), pp. 303–306. Butterworths, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, C., Aston, K., Daley, S. R. and Bass, J. 1986. Milk production from silage. 4. The effect of the composition of the supplement. Animal Production 42: 315–325.Google Scholar
Tyrrell, H. F. and Moe, P. W. 1975. Effect of intake on digestive efficiency. Journal of Dairy Science 58: 1151–1163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Visser, H. de and Groot, A. A. M. de. 1981. The influence of the starch and sugar content of concentrates on food intake, rumen fluid, production and composition of milk. In Metabolic disorders of farm animal. (ed. Giesecke, D., Dirksen, G. and Stangasiinger, M.), pp. 41–48. Veterinary Faculty of the University, Munich.Google Scholar
Zervas, G., Fegeros, K. and Papadopoulos, G. 1996. Feeding system of sheep in a mountainous area of Greece. Small Ruminant Research 21: 11–17.Google Scholar
Zinn, R. A. and Owens, F. N. 1983. Influence of feed intake level on site of digestion in steers fed a high concentrate diet. Journal of Animal Science 56: 471–475.Google Scholar