Effects of corn straw or mixed forage diet on rumen fermentation parameters of lactating cows using a wireless data logger.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two different forage types on rumen fermentation parameters and profiles using a wireless data logger. Eight lactating cows were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments with a low forage diet with corn straw (CS) or a high forage diet with mixed forage (MF) as the forage source, respectively. Dietary physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) content was 11.3% greater in CS. Dry matter intake and milk fatty acid content decreased upon CS (P < 0.05). Ruminal pH, temperature and oxidation reduction potential (ORP) were monitored for 14 weeks. The CS group had significantly higher pH but lower temperature and ORP compared to MF (P < 0.01). With the CS diet regime, pH at the time before morning feeding, rumination and post-ingestion were significantly higher than those in the MF group (P < 0.05). However, times with the ruminal pH below 6.0 and 5.8 were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), whereas ruminal pH below 5.6 tended to be lower (P = 0.07). The results indicated that rumen fermentation parameters were affected by forage types and dietary peNDF content might be predominant in ruminal pH regulation.
State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, CAAS-ICRAF Joint Laboratory of Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.|Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China.|State Key Lab of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Chunfu
C
Qin
State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, CAAS-ICRAF Joint Laboratory of Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Dengpan
D
Bu
State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, CAAS-ICRAF Joint Laboratory of Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Peng
P
Sun
State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, CAAS-ICRAF Joint Laboratory of Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Xiaowei
X
Zhao
Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Peihua
P
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, CAAS-ICRAF Joint Laboratory of Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jiaqi
J
Wang
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007774:Lactation; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays
D005227:Fatty Acids
dairy cow; forage type; rumen fermentation parameter; wireless data logger