Performance of Periparturient Dairy Cows Fed Alfalfa Hay in Total Mixed Ration : A Field Trial in Thailand

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1 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42 : (2008) Performnce of Periprturient Diry Cows Fed Alflf Hy in Totl Mixed Rtion : A Field Tril in Thilnd Theer Rukkwmsuk 1, *, Sunthorn Rungrung 2, Apssr Choothes 1 nd Theo Wensing 3 ABSTRACT Performnce of 20 periprturient Holstein Friesin diry cows fed lflf hy-se totl mixed rtions during trnsition nd lcttion periods ws studied in commercil diry frm. From 7 d prior to nticipted clving dte until 7 d fter clving, ll cows were lso drenched with 400 ml of propylene glycol once dily. Blood smples were collected t -2, 1, 2, 3 nd 4 wk from prturition. Milk yields were recorded dily, nd milk smples were collected twice week to determine milk compositions. Compred with the concentrtions t -2 wk, serum glucose nd ure nitrogen concentrtions decresed wheres serum non-esterified ftty cid nd β-hydroxyutyrte concentrtions incresed fter clving. These results indicted tht these cows entered some degrees of negtive energy lnce. Averge milk production during 30 d postprtum ws 34.8 ± 8.7 kg/d. Averge dys from clving to first service ws 86 ± 24 d, nd 55% of 20 cows were conceived t first service. In conclusion, cows fed lflf hy-se diet nd drenched with propylene glycol during periprturient period could improve negtive energy lnce, milk yield nd conception rte. However, replcing roughges from gro-industry y product with lflf hy in Thi diry frms would depend on the economicl nlysis ecuse most lflf hy ws imported from foreign country. Key words: lflf, diry cow, negtive energy lnce INTRODUCTION Thi diry frmers use trditionl yproducts from gricultures to feed their cows. Pinepple pels, penut y-products, corn yproducts, nd rice strw re widely used to feed diry cows throughout the country. Penut yproducts including penut skins, penut hulls, penut hy nd silges re economiclly priced, nd they cn e incorported into vriety of diets for diry cttle (Hill, 2002). It is ccepted tht qulity of roughges influences to greter extent on milk yield nd milk qulity, nd to lesser extent on reproductive performnce nd helth sttus of the cows. Alflf is rrely grown in Thilnd ecuse of unsuitle climte, therefore lrge prt of lflf hy used in Thilnd is imported from foreign countries. Becuse of reltively high cost, this lflf hy is restrictedly used y some frmers. Dt concerning the eneficil use of lflf in diry cttle re considerly reported in 1 Fculty of Veterinry Medicine, Ksetsrt University, Kmpngsen, Nkhon Pthom 73140, Thilnd. 2 Pkthongchi Diry Frm, Pkthongchi, Nkhonrchsim 30150, Thilnd. 3 Fculty of Veterinry Medicine, Utrecht University, 3508TD Utrecht, The Netherlnds. * Corresponding uthor, e-mil: theer.r@ku.c.th Received dte : 07/06/07 Accepted dte : 01/08/07

2 12 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42(1) western countries (Broderick, 1995; Leonrdi nd Armentno, 2003) ut re limited in Thilnd. Before ny ssumptions in using lflf in the diet of diry cows in Thilnd could e mde, study ws required. The ojective of this study ws therefore to evlute the use of lflf hy in totl mixed rtion on performnce of periprturient diry cows in commercil diry herd. MATERIALS AND METHODS Animls nd diets The study ws conducted in commercil diry frm in Nkhonrchsim Province, northestern prt of Thilnd. The frm consisted of 503 lctting cows, 171 dry cows, nd 414 replcement clves nd heifers. The verge milk yield ws 20.5 kg/cow dily. Closeup nd lctting cows were kept in free-stll housing with n evportive cooling system, which controls the inside temperture etween C. Twenty helthy pregnnt Holstein Friesin diry cows in the dry peroid were rndomly selected from this frm, nd were fed with lflf hy-se diet during the trnsition nd lcttion periods. At the strt of the experiment, verge ges of these cows were 3.44 (± 0.36) yers; verge 305-d milk yields were 7320 (± 1512) kg; nd verge dry periods were 59.6 (± 16.8). During the erly dry period, cows were fed the dry period totl mixed rtion. Therefter, they were ssigned to lflf hy-se totl mixed rtions in their trnsition nd lcttion periods s indicted in Tle 1. The chemicl compositions of the rtions re shown in Tle 2. All cows were Tle 1 Composition of totl mixed rtions s fed sis. Ingredient Dry period Trnsition period Lcttion period kg s fed Concentrte Concentrte Concentrte Wet rewer grin Corn silge Alflf hy Penut hy Rice strw Cssv chips Whole cotton seed Fish mel Blood mel Molsses Premixes Consisting of 33.0 % soyen mel, 27 % cnol mel, 22.5 % whet rn, 11 % dried rewer grin, 4.1 % limestone, nd 2.4 % slts. 2 Consisting of 64 % extruded corn, 31.3 % soyen mel, nd 4.7 % energizer-rp10. 3 Consisting of 58.6 % extruded corn, 25.1 % soyen mel, 10.9 % corn gluten mel, nd 5.4 % energizer-rp10. 4 Consisted of 90.4 % of DM, 11.1 % of CP, 1.3 % of crude ft, 24.7 % of crude fier, 34.3 % of ADF, nd 37.6 % of NDF. 5 Consisted of 93.9 % of DM, 4.4 % of CP, 2.3 % of crude ft, 35.6 % of crude fier, 52.2 % of ADF, nd 26.4 % of NDF. 6 Consisted of 89.8 % of DM, 2.5 % of CP, 0.4 % of crude ft, 3.4 % of crude fier, 5.5 % of ADF, nd 10.7 % of NDF, nd % of strch. 7 Commercil premixes contining trce minerls nd vitmins.

3 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42(1) 13 drenched once dily with 400 ml of propylene glycol from 7 dys (d) efore nticipted clving dte to 7 d fter clving. Dry mtter intke of cows ws estimted every dy nd milk yields were recorded dily. The cows were received their first rtificil insemintion in the second estrus postprtum nd conception rte t first service ws determined. Smpling procedures Blood smples were collected from ll cows t -2, 1, 2, 3, nd 4 weeks from prturition. At smpling, 20 ml of lood were collected from the jugulr vein in evcuted tues with no preservtive. The tues were kept on ice nd were centrifuged t 1,200 g for 15 min within 2 to 3 hours fter collection, nd serum smples were hrvested nd stored t -20 C until nlysis for glucose, non-esterified ftty cids (NEFA), β-hydroxyutyrte, nd ure nitrogen concentrtions. Composite milk smples were collected t morning milking from ll cows twice weekly for 4 wk fter prturition. For determintion of milk composition, 30 ml of composite milk ws kept in plstic ottle with potssium dichromte t 0.1% (wt/vol) s preservtive. All milk smples were stored t 4 C nd were nlyzed within 7 d. Assy procedures Concentrtions of serum glucose (Glucose GOD-PAP, Clss-1 Lortories Co., Ltd., Bngkok, Thilnd), NEFA (NEFA C, Wko Pure Chemicl Indrustries Ltd., Osk, Jpn), - hydroxyutyrte (RB 1007, Rndox Lortories, Sn Diego, CA, USA), nd ure nitrogen (Ure Nitrogen Regent, Clss-1 Lortories Co., Ltd.) were mesured enzymticlly with commercilly ville kits s indicted. Milk compositions (protein, ft, lctose, nd solid non ft) were mesured utomticlly using Fourier Trnsform Infrred Spectrophotometer (MilkoScn FT6000 Spectrophotometer). Sttisticl nlysis Dt were explored for norml distriution using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Norml distriuted dt were sujected to nlysis of vrince using dietry tretments s fixed min effect nd smpling dy s repeted mesure (Ptrie nd Wtson, 1999). Within group, comprison of dt etween smpling dys ws performed using the pirwise comprisons of repeted mesure nlysis of vrince. The twosided level of sttisticl significnce ws preset t P RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Feed intke, milk yield nd milk composition During the first 30 d postprtum, verge dry mtter intke in cows fed lflf hy-se diet Tle 2 Chemicl compositions of the totl mixed rtion. Item Dry period Trnsition period Lcttion period Dry mtter (%) Ash (%) Curde protein (%) Crude ft (%) NDF 1 (%) ADF 2 (%) Neutrl detergen fier 2 Acid detergen fier

4 14 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42(1) ws 17.6 ± 1.2 (men ± SD) kg/d, which could e estimted pproximtely 3% of ody weight. Propylene glycol did not influence the dry mtter intke of the cows, which ws consistent with previous study y Miyoshi et l. (2001). Milk yield during the 30 d of lcttion of cows is presented in Figure 1. Cows fed lflf hy-se diet produced stisfctory yield which ws ove verge milk yield per dy of their herd mtes. Averge milk yields during the first 30 dys of lcttion were 34.8 ± 8.7 kg/d. Milk compositions of cows during the 30 d of lcttion re presented in Tle 3. At the first week of lcttion, percentges of ft nd protein in the milk were high nd the percentges declined in the second week nd ecme lmost t constnt levels t wk 4 of lcttion. The incresed ft percentges in the milk might e relted to incresed lipolysis in dipose tissue s corresponding to negtive energy lnce (Rukkwmsuk et l., 2001). Unlike ft nd protein percentges, milk lctose percentges did not chnge much during the 4 wk of lcttion. As explined y incresed ft nd protein percentges in the first week of lcttion, percentges of solid non ft were high t the first week nd declined s the protein percentges declined. These results demonstrted tht cows could lso produce stisfctory compositions of milk t ny time of lcttion. Serum glucose, NEFA, -hydroxyutyrte, nd ure nitrogen Serum glucose, NEFA, β hydroxyutyrte, ure nitrogen concentrtions were demonstrted in Figure 2, 3, 4, nd 5. At 2 wk efore prturition, serum glucose concentrtions were 59.5 ± 1.1 mg/dl. After prturition, serum glucose concentrtions decresed shrply, indicting tht cows suffered some degree of negtive energy lnce. Serum glucose concentrtions remined t lower levels until wk 4 fter prturition (Figure 2). This finding corresponded well with other previous studies (Vn den Top, 1995; Rukkwmsuk et l., 2005). However, postprtum concentrtions of serum glucose in this study were higher thn the previous oservtion y Rukkwmsuk et l. (2005), Men milk yield (kg/d) Dys in milk Figure 1 Milk yield during the first 30 dys of lcttion in cows fed lflf-se diet (n = 20). Dt re mens (± SEM).

5 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42(1) 15 indicting tht propylene glycol did improve energy lnce of the postprturient diry cows. Serum NEFA concentrtions incresed fter prturition s cows entering period of high energy requirement. The concentrtions incresed shrply immeditely fter clving nd remined t high levels nd slightly reduced to the concentrtions close to the preprtum levels t wk 4 postprtum (Figure 3). Drenching propylene glycol to cows reduced degree of lipolysis s lso reported erlier (Studer et l., 1993). During the first week of lcttion in which serum NEFA concentrtions were t the highest levels, the milk ft percentges were lso t the highest levels (Tle 3). Therefore, milk ft percentges could e used s prcticl prmeter for explining negtive energy lnce in postprturient diry cows, which is lso suggested elsewhere (Rukkwmsuk et l., 2001). Tle 3 Compositions of milk of cows fed lflf-se diet (n = 20). Dt represent mens (SEM). Item Weeks fter prturition Milk ft (%) (0.33) (0.35) (0.27) (0.39) (0.61) (0.19) (0.74) (0.27) Milk protein (%) (0.09) (0.06) (0.05) (0.03) (0.04) (0.05) (0.05) (0.05) Milk lctose (%) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.03) (0.05) (0.05) (0.05) (0.04) SNF* (%) (0.07) (0.07) (007) (0.04) (0.07) (0.07) (0.08) (0.06) * Solid non ft 100 Serum glucose concentrtion (mg/dl) Week from prturition Figure 2 Serum glucose concentrtions mesured efore ( ) nd fter prturition ( ) in cows fed lflf-se diet (n = 20). Dt re mens (± SEM). Different letters indicte concentrtions mesured fter prturition significntly differed from concentrtions mesured efore prturition.

6 16 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42(1) Serum β-hydroxyutyrte concentrtions chnged in the sme mnner s serum NEFA concentrtions. The preprtum concentrtions were t the lowest concentrtions, wheres the concentrtions during 2 to 4 wk postprtum were slightly high, though not significnt t 2 nd 4 wk (Figure 4). Incresed serum NEFA concentrtions were usully followed y incresed ketone odies 1 Serum non esterified ftty cid concentrtion (meq/l) Week from prturition Figure 3 Serum NEFA concentrtions mesured efore ( ) nd fter prturition ( ) in cows fed lflfse diet (n = 20). Dt re mens (± SEM). Different letters indicte concentrtions mesured fter prturition significntly differed from concentrtions mesured efore prturition Serum 3-Hydroxyutyrte concentrtion (mmol/l) Week from prturition Figure 4 Serum β-hydroxyutyrte concentrtions mesured efore ( ) nd fter prturition ( ) in cows fed lflf-se diet (n = 20). Dt re mens (± SEM). Different letters indicte concentrtions mesured fter prturition significntly differed from concentrtions mesured efore prturition.

7 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42(1) 17 levels in the lood. This is in greement with other previous studies (Vn den Top, 1995; Hoedemker, et l., 2004). Serum ure nitrogen concentrtions remined in nrrow rnge etween 12 nd 15 mg/dl, lthough the concentrtions were lower t 1 wk postprtum (Figure 5). Aprt from eing glucogenic precursor, propylene glycol might improve protein utiliztion nd metolism in the rumen. Conception t first service Averge dys from clving to first service of cows fed lflf hy-se diet were 86 ± 24 d, which ws in n cceptle rnge (Skguchi et l., 2004). Eleven cows (55%) were conceived t first insemintion. Therefore, cows fed lflf hy-se diet hd lso stisfctory postprtum fertility. In conclusion, lflf hy-se diet in comintion with propylene glycol dministrtion during periprturient period improved energy lnce in diry cows. Cows fed lflf hy-se diet produced stisfctory milk yields nd compositions. They lso showed good conception rte t first insemintion fter clving. However, lflf hy ws still costly. Hence, economicl use of lflf hy in diry cttle diet in Thilnd needed to e evluted. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The uthors thnk the Thilnd Reserch Fund (TRF) for the finncil support of this reserch. Mr. Mnoch Nnum, Dr. V-ris Wuttironnrit, nd Dr. Korrwich Anukoolwuttipong re thnked for their support on smpling t the frm Serum ure nitrogen concentrtion (mg/dl) Week from prturition Figure 5 Serum ure nitrogen concentrtions mesured efore ( ) nd fter prturition ( ) in cows fed lflf-se diet (n = 20). Dt re mens (± SEM). Different letters indicte concentrtions mesured fter prturition significntly differed from concentrtions mesured efore prturition.

8 18 Ksetsrt J. (Nt. Sci.) 42(1) LITERATURE CITED Broderick, G.A Performnce of lctting diry cows fed either lflf silge or lflf hy s the sole forge. J. Diry Sci. 78: Hill, G.M Penut y-products fed to cttle. Vet. Clin. North Am. Food Anim. Prct. 18: Hoedemker, M., D. Prnge, H. Zere, J. Frnk, A. Dxenerger nd H.H.D. Meyer Periprtl propylene glycol supplementtion nd metolism, niml helth, fertility, nd production in diry cows. J. Diry Sci. 87: Leonrdi, C. nd L.E. Armentno Effect of quntity, qulity, nd length of lflf hy on selective consumption y diry cows. J. Diry Sci. 86: Miyoshi, S., J.L. Pte nd D.L. Plmquist Effects of propylene glycol drenching on energy lnce, plsm glucose, plsm insulin, ovrin function nd conception in diry cows. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 68: Ptrie, A. nd P. Wtson Sttistic for Veterinry nd Animl Science. Blckwell Science Ltd., Oxford, United Kingdom. 243p. Rukkwmsuk, T., T. Wensing nd M.J.H. Geelen Chnges in ft component in milk of diry cows during periprturient period. J. Ksetsrt Vet. 11: 1-9. Rukkwmsuk, T., S. Rungrung, A. Choothes nd T. Wensing Effect of propylene glycol on ftty liver development nd heptic fructose 1,6 isphosphtse ctivity in periprturient diry cows. Livest. Prod. Sci. 95: Skguchi, M., Y. Smmoto, T. Suzuki, Y. Tkhshi nd Y. Ymd Postprtum ovrin folliculr dynmics nd estrus ctivity in lctting diry cows. J. Diry Sci. 87: Studer, V.A., R.R. Grummer nd S.J. Bertics Effect of preprtum propylene glycol dministrtion on periprturient ftty liver in diry cows. J. Diry Sci. 76: Vn den Top, A.M Diet nd lipid metolism in ruminnts with prticulr reference to ftty liver development. Ph.D. Dissert. Utrecht, The Netherlnds.