title: Effects of inclusion levels of pelleted silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis Andress.) in the diet on digestibility, chewing activity, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites in breeding Japanese Black cows.
abstract: To examine the effects of inclusion levels of pelleted silvergrass (PS) in the diet on digestibility, ruminal fermentation and nutrient status of breeding Japanese Black cows, four cows were allotted to a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment. Treatments were control fed a diet consisting of 89.4% Sudangrass hay and 10.6% soybean meal on a dry matter (DM) basis, and PS18, PS27 and PS45 fed the diet replaced with 18%, 27% and 45% of control with PS, respectively. The total digestible nutrients (TDN) content of PS was 45.6% on a DM basis. The TDN intakes were significantly decreased by increasing PS level in the diet (P < 0.05), but were higher than the TDN requirement of maintenance cows in all treatments. The total chewing time was decreased significantly by increasing PS level in the diets (P < 0.05). However, the pH and concentration of volatile fatty acid in the ruminal fluid and serum metabolite concentrations were not significantly different among the treatments. The results suggested that including PS up to 45% in the diet did not have adverse effects on the ruminal fermentation and nutrient status in breeding Japanese Black cows at the maintenance stage.
authors.affiliation: Division of Science for Bioproduction and Environment, Graduate School of Bioresources and Environmental Sciences, Nonoichi, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.affiliation: Livestock Experiment Station, Ishikawa Agriculture and Forestry Research Center, Hodatsushimizu, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioproduction Science, Faculty of Bioenvironment Science, Ishikawa Prefectural University, Nonoichi, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Motohiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004063:Digestion; D004068:Digestive System Physiological Phenomena; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D006109:Poaceae; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile
keywords: breeding Japanese Black cow; chewing activity; digestibility; pelleted silvergrass; ruminal fermentation