• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1455-1463
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• 2006

Effects of different levels of molasses in a concentrate supplement on milk yield of cows grazing Setaria grass pastures were investigated. Thirty Friesian cows, 6-7 years old with mean pre-experimental body weight of $428{\pm}6.5$ kg, in early stage of lactation were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design experiment that lasted for 126 days. Experimental dietary treatments were forage alone and forage/concentrate mixtures with molasses included at 0, 5, 10 or 15% levels designated as $T_1$, $T_2$, $T_3$, $T_4$ and $T_5$, respectively. The parameters studied were voluntary dry matter (DM) intake, average daily live weight change (LWC), milk yield, body condition score (BCS) and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients. The DM and energy contents of Setaria grass were low compared to the concentrate diets. Fibre fractions-NDF, ADF, ADL, hemicellulose and cellulose; and gross energy were higher in concentrate mixtures than in the forage. Total DM intake (forage+concentrate mixtures) was significantly higher (p<0.001) in cows on the concentrate mixtures. LWC was not significantly different (p>0.05) between the cows. Average milk yields were significantly different (p<0.05) between cows. Fat corrected milk (FCM) was similar among cows in the treatments. BCS was better (p<0.001) in cows on concentrate mixtures. Digestibilities of DM, CP, NDF, ADF, ADL, OM, and energy were significantly higher (p<0.001) in cows on $T_2$, $T_3$, $T_4$ and $T_5$ than in those on $T_1$. There were no significant differences in the digestibility of DM, CP, NDF, ADF and ADL (p>0.001) in cows on concentrate mixtures. This study therefore demonstrated that lactating dairy cows in Fiji need a level of readily fermented energy source such as molasses in their diets; however, a level above 10% is not nutritionally suitable for lactating dairy cows. Based on data on production parameters-milk yield, fat corrected milk, body condition score and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients-molasses levels that range between 5-10% are recommended, however, 10% is the best and therefore recommended for inclusion in the concentrate mixture of lactating dairy cows on a basal diet of Setaria sphacelata in Fiji.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.677-684
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• 2003

Twenty eight multiparous lactating cows were utilized in an experiment to evaluate the response to an exogenous fibrolytic enzyme on their lactational performance during early lactation period (in terms of milk production, milk composition, feed intake, milking efficiency, body weight change) and the exact time of this response. Cows were randomized into two groups (14 each) with similar parities and were fed a concentrate ration of barley, ground corn, soybean meal, and wheat bran and roughage ration of alfalfa hay. One of the two groups was supplemented with the fibrolytic enzyme immediately after parturition up to 100 post partum. The experiment was of two phases with 50 days each. The enzyme, which has a cellulase/hemicellulase activity (derived from Trichoderma group), was added to the concentrate part of the ration in a dry powder form. Milk production, 3.5% fat corrected milk, energy corrected milk were higher (p<0.05) for cows fed treated diet. At the same time, No differences were observed in percentages of milk components, feed intake, body weight, body weight change, or rectal temperature for the whole experimental period or during any of the two phases. Efficiency of milk production was higher (p<0.05) for treatment group cows than for that of the control ones. However, efficiency was better during the second phase than during the first phase. Feeding enzyme treated diets to dairy cows improved lactational performance during early 100 day of the lactation period. However, the first 50 days of lactation looked to be the critical.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.509-514
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• 1993

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different fiber levels on milk production of crossbred Holstein milking cows fed urea-treated rice straw (UTS) as a roughage. Eight cows were allotted into 2 squares of 4 cows each with 4 treatments by a balanced design. The treatments were 17%, 22%, and 24% crude fiber (CF) diets and Thai feeding system (free choice of roughage and 1 kg of concentrates/2 kg of milk) as a control. Body weight change was not significantly different among the treatments during the experiment. Milk production (4% FCM) and milk protein content wee not different among the treatments, but milk fat content was low in the 17% CF group and high in the control group. Cows fed the 17% CF diet consumed less UTS and more concentrates than the others, and consequently total DM intake was not different among the treatments. The feed conversion ratio was significantly higher in the control. Feed cost per kg milk was lowest in the control and highest in the 17% CF diet. The fiber content of the diet would be more than 17%, preferably 22-24% for normally producing Thai crossbred Holstein cows when the UTS was fed as a main roughage source.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.951-959
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of linseed oil or whole linseed supplementation on performance and milk fatty acid composition of lactating dairy cows. Thirty six Holstein Friesian crossbred lactating dairy cows were blocked by milking days first and then stratified random balanced for milk yields and body weight into three groups of 12 cows each. The treatments consisted of basal ration (53:47; forage:concentrate ratio, on a dry matter [DM] basis, respectively) supplemented with 300 g/d of palm oil as a positive control diet (PO), or supplemented with 300 g/d of linseed oil (LSO), or supplemented with 688 g/d of top-dressed whole linseed (WLS). All cows were received ad libitum grass silage and individually fed according to the treatments. The experiment lasted for 10 weeks including the first 2 weeks as the adjustment period, followed by 8 weeks of measurement period. The results showed that LSO and WLS supplementation had no effects on total dry matter intake, milk yield, milk composition, and live weight change; however, the animals fed WLS had higher crude protein (CP) intake than those fed PO and LSO (p<0.05). To compare with the control diet, dairy cow's diets supplemented with LSO and WLS significantly increased milk concentrations of cis-9,trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (p<0.05) and n-3 fatty acids (FA) (p<0.01), particularly, cis-9,12,15-C18:3, C20:5n-3 and C22:6n-3. Supplementing LSO and WLS induced a reduction of medium chain FA, especially, C12:0-C16:0 FA (p<0.05) while increasing the concentration of milk unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) (p<0.05). Milk FA proportions of n-3 FA remarkably increased whereas the ratio of n-6 to n-3 decreased in the cows supplemented with WLS as compared with those fed the control diet and LSO (p<0.01). In conclusion, supplementing dairy cows' diet based on grass silage with WLS had no effect on milk yield and milk composition; however, trans-9-C18:1, cis-9,trans-11-CLA, n-3 FA and UFA were increased while saturated FA were decreased by WLS supplementation. Therefore, it is recommended that the addition 300 g/d of oil from whole linseed should be used to lactating dairy cows' diets.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.349-353
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between estrous expression, body condition score (BCS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and number of transferable embryos for the purpose of improving reproductive performance in blood of Hanwoo donors. Sixty, at random stages of the estrous cycle, received a CIDR. Four days later, the animals were superovulated with a total of 28AU FSH (Antorin, 2AU=1 ml) administered twice daily in constant doses over 4 days. On the 3th administration of FSH, CIDR was withdrawn and 25 mg PGF2 ${\alpha}$ was administered. Cows were artificially inseminated twice after estrous detection at 12 hr intervals. The cows received 100 ${\mu}g$ GnRH at the time of 1nd insemination. Embryos were recovered 7 or 8 days after the 1st insemination. The estrous inducement rate and estrous expression rate were significantly lower for cows with BCS below 2.25 than for cows with BCS above 2.25. There was 50.0% of rate of mounting in cows with BCS below 2.25 whereas the rate of mounting was markedly increased in cows with BCS above 2.25 (94.1% and 89.5% for BCS 2.25~2.75 and BCS above 2.75 cows, respectively). Cows with BCS <2.25, 2.25~2.75 and ${\geq}$2.75 had number of transferable embryos of $4.5{\pm}0.7$, $5.9{\pm}1.8$ and $5.6{\pm}2.3$ respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2018

Objective: To examine the effects of Rhodobacter sphaeroides (R. sphaeroides) supplementation as a direct-fed microbial (DFM) on rumen fermentation in dairy cows and on coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) transition into milk, an in vitro rumen simulation batch culture and an in vivo dairy cow experiment were conducted. Methods: The characteristics of in vitro ruminal fermentation were investigated using rumen fluids from six cannulated Holstein dairy cows at 2 h post-afternoon feeding. A control treatment was included in the experiments based on a typified total mixed ration (TMR) for lactating dairy cows, which was identical to the one used in the in vivo study, plus R. sphaeroides at 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% TMR dry matter. The in vivo study employed six ruminally cannulated lactating Holstein cows randomly allotted to either the control TMR (C-TMR) treatment or to a diet supplemented with a 0.5% R. sphaeroides culture (S-TMR, dry matter basis) ad libitum. The presence of R. sphaeroides was verified using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) applied to the bacterial samples obtained from the in vivo study. The concentration of CoQ10 in milk and in the supernatant from the in vitro study was determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Results: The results of the in vitro batch culture and DGGE showed that the concentration of CoQ10 significantly increased after 2 h of R. sphaeroides supplementation above 0.1%. When supplemented to the diet of lactating cows at the level of 0.5%, R. sphaeroides did not present any adverse effect on dry matter intake and milk yield. However, the concentration of CoQ10 in milk dramatically increased, with treated cows producing 70.9% more CoQ10 than control cows. Conclusion: The CoQ10 concentration in milk increased via the use of a novel DFM, and R. sphaeroides might be used for producing value-added milk and dairy products in the future.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the resumption of postpartum ovarian cyclicity, and to determine the relationship between concentrations of plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) and resumption of ovarian cyclicity in Holstein cows. The cows were considered to have resumed ovarian cyclicity on the day of ovulation, if followed by regular ovarian cycles. 58.8 percentage of the cows (114/194) had normal resumption of ovarian cyclicity (resumption within 40days after calving), and 41.2% (80/194) had delayed resumption (resumption did not occur until> 40days after calving). Delayed resumption Type I (one or more ovarian cycles with luteal phase> 20days, i.e. prolonged luteal phase; 17.5%) and delayed resumption Type II (first ovulation did not occur until ${\ge}40days$ after calving, i.e. delayed first ovulation 22.7%) were the most common types of delayed resumption. 18 percentage of the cows (35/194) did not resume their ovarian cyclicity until 60days postpartum. Prolonged luteal phase and delayed first ovulation were two important ovarian dysfunctions that delayed postpartum resumption of cyclicity in dairy cows. Cows with PUN of <15, $15{\sim}19.9\;and\;{\ge}20mg/dl$ had the likelihood ratios of normal ovarian cyclicity of 0.9, 1.14 and 0.55, respectively. Thus, PUN concentration of $15{\sim}19.9mg/dl$ had a favorable association with postpartum resumption of cyclicity, whereas lower or higher PUN had a negative association with postpartum resumption of cyclicity.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.237-243
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• 2012

This research was investigated the relationship between the number of the transferable embryos and estrus expression rate, BCS (Body Condition Score), which affect the nutritional state of the cow, in Holstein donor cows. CIDRs were inserted into the vaginas of twenty two head of Holstein cows, regardless of estrous cycle. Superovulation was induced using folliclar stimulating hormone (FSH). For artificial insemination, donor cows were injected with $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ and estrus was checked about 48 hours after the injection. Then they were treated with 4 straws of semen 3 times, with 12-hour intervals. Embryos were collected by a non-surgical method 7 days after the first artificial insemination. When BCS was $$\leq_-$$2.5, the total number of collected ova was 7.3 + 1.9, which is significantly lower (p<0.05) than the numbers 15.4 + 2.8 and 15.4 + 2.1 that were obtained when BCSs were 2.75 and $$\geq_-$$3.0, respectively. Whereas the numbers of transferable embryos were 5.2 + 1.4 when BCS was $$\leq_-$$2.5, which was smaller than the numbers 6.0 + 2.1 and 8.5 + 1.8 that were obtained when BCSs were 2.75 and $$\geq_-$$3.0, respectively; however, the differences were not significant. As for estrus induction rate, the cow groups whose BCSs were 2.75 and $$\geq_-$$3.0 showed 100.0% and 95.0%, respectively. Whereas the cow group whose BCS was $$\leq_-$$2.5 showed 57.1%, and the differences were significant (p< 0.05). As for estrous expression rate, the cow groups whose BCSs were $$\leq_-$$2.5, 2.75 and $$\geq_-$$3.0 showed 100.0%, 100.0% and 85.7%, respectively; however, the differences were not significant. According to the result of this research, it is considered that the total number of collected ova and the number of transferable embryos will be affected by the nutritional state before and after in vivo embryo production and superovulation treatment, and that although the mechanism is not clear, poor stockbreeding management and nutritional level would cause the decrease of ovum recovery rate and the number of transferable embryos in high-producing cows. On the other hand, diverse researches on the superovulation treatment method that is suitable for high-producing Holstein donor cows would contribute to preventing ovarian cyclicity disorder, as well as to the early multiplication of cows with superior genes by increasing the utilization value of donor cows.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2013

Sources of energy and rumen undegradable protein (RUP) have been used to meet nutrient requirements for high producing dairy cows. However studies for manipulation the levels of energy and RUP in diets have been mainly achieved using dairy cows at early-lactation period. The objective of this study thus, was to investigate the effects of different energy and rumen undegradable protein (RUP) levels on dry matter intake and milk yield in Holstein cows at mid-lactation period. Basal diet was prepared as TMR to meet nutrient requirements for dairy cows at mid-lactation according to NRC recommendation. Cows of control group (Con) were fed only basal diets while ground corn (0.5 kg/d), heat-treated soybean meal (0.5 kg/d), and their mixture (0.25 kg of each supplements/d) were added to diets for cows of treatment groups (T1, T2, and T3 respectively) to modulate the level of energy and RUP contents in diets. Addition of energy or RUP source in basal TMR did not affect in total DMI while TMR intake tended to be higher in Con compared to T3. Cows fed T3 diets tended to show increased milk yield and MUN content than those of Con. Cows for T2 as well as T3 had lower ADG (P<0.05) compared with those of Con. We concluded that the addition of RUP source in diets for dairy cows on mid-lactation period might cause the decrement of DMI and ADG.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.377-384
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• 2002

In this study, to assess the diagnostic value for mastitis in dairy cows, change of acute phase proteins(haptoglobin and serum amyloid A) concentrations in milk and sera of dairy cows were measured. 50 dairy cows were used in this experiment and divided into two groups. The first group was the healthy dairy cow group whose milk contained less than 2.0${\times}$10$\^$5/ somatic cell counts(n=5). The second group was the mastitis-dairy cow group whose milk counted higher than 5.0${\times}$10$\^$5/ somatic cell counts(n=45). The concentration of haptoglobin and serum amyloid A in milk and sera from these two groups were determined by Tridelta range haptoglobin kit and serum amyloid A kit. The concentration of haptoglobin in the milk from first group was undetectable value and that of the second group was 124.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. And the concentration of haptoglobin in serum of the first group was 32.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ and that of the second group was 214.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. The concentration of serum amyloid A in the milk from first group was 0.32$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ and that of the second group was 17.7$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. And the concentration of serum amyloid A in serum of the first group was 5.1$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ and that of the second group was 25.8$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. It was concluded that concentration of haptoglobin and serum amyoid A in milk and serum may be was to discriminate between normal and mastitic milks.