Feeding native rumen microbial supplements increases energy-corrected milk and feed efficiency in holstein cows

Dickerson, Ashley Marie

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/122062 Copy

Description

Title

Feeding native rumen microbial supplements increases energy-corrected milk and feed efficiency in holstein cows

Author(s)

Dickerson, Ashley Marie

Issue Date

2023-12-08

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Drackley, James

Committee Member(s)

• Loor, Juan
• Cardoso, Felipe

Department of Study

Animal Sciences

Discipline

Animal Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• microbial feed supplements
• lactation
• efficiency

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of 2 novel native microbial feed supplements (MFS) on milk yield, milk composition, dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and feed efficiency. A total of 73 lactating Holstein cows were enrolled over 4 mo. During a 2-wk covariate period, baseline data were collected. Using a randomized complete block design, cows were blocked in groups of 3 by days in milk (DIM), production, and parity. Within blocks cows were randomly assigned to a basal diet with a 150 g/d ground corn topdress and no MFS (control), the basal diet supplemented with a 5 g/d dose of Clostridium beijerinckii ASCUSDY20 and Pichia kudriavzevii ASCUSDY21 in a carrier mixed with a 150 g/d ground corn topdress (MFS1), or the basal diet with a 5 g/d dose of Ruminococcus bovis ASCUSDY10, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens ASCUSDY19, Clostridium beijerinckii ASCUSDY20, and Pichia kudriavzevii ASCUSDY21 in a carrier mixed in a 150 g/d ground corn topdress (MFS2) for 140 d. In both MFS1 and MFS2 there were 2,000,000 CFU/g of Clostridium beijerinckii and 20,000,000 CFU/g of Ruminococcus bovis, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Pichia kudriavzevii each. These MFS are commercially available products, Galaxis (MFS1) and Galaxis Frontier (MFS2). Cows were fed the diets as a total mixed ration (TMR) for ad libitum DMI once daily. Analysis showed numerical increases in performance variables such as milk yield and fat and protein contents in both MFS1 and MFS2, although the differences were not significant over time. For energy-corrected milk (ECM), other solids percentage, and BW there were significant treatment by time interactions. Cows fed MFS1 and MFS2 produced 1.4 kg/d and 1.6 kg/d more ECM than control cows, respectively (time-dependent treatment significance). Up to wk 13 of treatment, both MFS groups had higher ECM production than the control group but after this point MFS1 rapidly decreased to the same level as control. All cows displayed a gradual decrease in ECM after wk 13 but the MFS2 group remained greater than both control and MFS1. A similar trend in the content of other milk solids was observed. Cow BW was affected over time; both control and MFS2 cows gained weight at a similar rate throughout the study, whereas the weight gain of MFS1 cows decreased briefly from wk 13 to 17 before increasing again. Feed efficiency tended to be improved by MFS, with greater improvement by MFS2 than by MFS1. The DIM when the supplementation began had a significant impact on MFS2 efficacy, where the supplementation of native rumen microbes at an earlier DIM resulted in a greater gain in ECM over the 140-d trial. A similar trend was observed for MFS1, although the effect was not significant. Our results suggest that dairy cow lactation stage and energy requirements also play an important role in product efficacy.

Graduation Semester

2023-12

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2023 Ashley Dickerson

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