animal feeding Archives - Resilient Landscapes (RL)

Farmer information brief on the fodder value chain: Transformation of livelihoods and ecosystems through nature-based enterprises in Eastern Province, Rwanda

Key highlights

Planting improved fodder varieties (Napier, Brachiaria, Chloris gayana, fodder trees, legumes) can boost nutrition and milk yields.
Mixing grasses, trees and crop residues (maize, beans, rice straw) can provide year-round feed, especially in dry seasons.
Applying good management practices means proper land preparation, timely planting, manure use, regular weeding, and harvesting at the right stage.
Investing in improved fodder is important: one hectare can feed 15 dairy cows, raise milk output and deliver strong profits.
Climate resilience and livelihoods can be strengthened by reducing feed gaps, improving animal health, increasing manure for crops, creating jobs, and using tree-based systems to adapt to climate change.

A meta-analysis of feeding strategies for dairy cattle performance and greenhouse gas mitigation across the world

Studies on the effects of cattle feeding strategies on greenhouse gas emissions are fragmented and cannot provide a global comparison of the feeding management practices that lead to optimal production while substantially reducing methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) emissions. The present study explains variability in enteric CH4, NH3 mitigations and cattle milk performance due to several diet composition and structure, feed management, breeding, animal experimental designs and CH4 measurement tools. Effects from 80 treatments were meta-analyzed from an initial 4394 screened papers and we retained 31 articles distributed across 15 countries on four continents. Minerals in feed additive types increased milk yield the most (90 %) and, concomitantly, reduced CH4 production by 33 %. Feed additive dosage ranging between 1 and 4 % also contributed to increasing milk yield by 47 % while reducing CH4 by 58 %. Meanwhile the impact of 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) feed additive on health safety is still controversial. Although a partial mixed ration system highly contributed to milk yield (102 %), it did not contribute to CH4 reduction as much as a total mixed ration system (39 %). The highest CH4 reduction levels were recorded with GreenFeed (80 %) and a rotating experimental design (37 %). The Holstein cattle breed was more productive with an increase of 46 % of milk production while reducing CH4 by 34 %. Grass forage increased NH3 by 5 % while crop forage reduced it by 21 %. Agriculture can effectively reduce its emissions and contribute to climate-neutral goals as part of a coordinated, global effort involving multiple sectors.

An appendage-bearing coelomycete Pseudotruncatella arezzoensis gen. and sp. nov. (Amphisphaeriales genera incertae sedis) from Italy, with notes on Monochaetinula

Livestock production challenges and improved forage production efforts in the Damot Gale District of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

This study was conducted to identify major livestock production constraints and improved forage production efforts in the Damot Gale district. Four representative kebeles, two associated with our NGO project and two from nonproject outreach activities, were selected. Forty farmers from each kebele were randomly chosen for the purpose of individual interviews using a semistructured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS (version 20) and Excel. The topmost livestock production constraint was feed shortage where a larger proportion of farmers (75.6%) suffered from the problem with higher ( ≤ 0.01) severity in nonproject intervention areas. Of these, 38.6% were challenged for a period of three months while another 61.4% suffered for about four months. Purchasing grass (31.4%) and concentrate (33.5%) and feeding enset (Ensete ventricosum) leaf (21.49%) were the most commonly adopted coping mechanisms to alleviate feed shortages during the dry season, while using purchased grass and enset leaf was the main coping strategy in nonproject intervention ( ≤ 0.01) areas. The majority of households (90.75%) participate in improved forage production regardless of farm size. Desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) (71.38%) and elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) (42.63%) are the most common improved forages in both study areas. These forages are produced for the purpose of two or more functions (feed, cash, and preventing erosion) that vary ( ≤ 0.01) among intervention status. Major niche locations adopted for improved forage production include farm land, soil and water conservation structures, and perimeter fencing. Greatest constraints on improved forage production were seed/material shortage followed by land shortage and lack of awareness. Project intervention ( ≤ 0.01), tropical livestock unit (TLU) holding ( ≤ 0.01), and forage seed/planting material access ( < 0.05) were identified as factors (among others) having significant relationship with improved forage development. Strong extension services and efficient input delivery for farmers are vital to support profitable livestock production and resource utilization.

Supplementation with Yucca schidigera improves antioxidant capability and immune function and decreases fecal score of dairy calves before weaning

Yucca schidigera (YS) is a species of plant rich in antimicrobials, antioxidants, and immunomodulators. It has been used as feed additive to improve animal performance and decrease methane emissions in cattle. However, few studies have evaluated YS in dairy calves. In this study, we evaluated the effects of YS on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in dairy calves before weaning. We randomly assigned 40 newborn female Holstein calves (4 d old; 40 ± 5 kg of body weight) to 1 of 4 treatments (n = 10 per treatment), which were fed 0, 3, 6, or 9 g/d of YS powder. The YS allowance was mixed into milk or milk replacer and fed twice daily. Dry matter intake (both liquid and starter feed) and fecal score were recorded daily, and body weight, withers height, body length, and heart girth were measured at 4, 14, 28, 42, and 60 d of age. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein at 14, 42, and 60 d of age after the afternoon feeding for analysis of serum antioxidant capacity and immune function. Feeding YS did not affect dry matter intake, but decreased the feed-to-gain ratio with a quadratic dose effect. Over the whole study period, the average daily gain tended to linearly increase with the increasing YS doses, and it was 6.8% higher in diets supplemented with 9 g/d of YS than in the basal control diet without YS. The YS supplementation linearly decreased fecal score in a dose-dependent manner, and the frequency of diarrhea was significantly decreased as the YS supplementation increased throughout the whole study period. The YS supplementation also linearly decreased maleic dialdehyde concentration in the serum compared with the control group. The activity of catalase tended to linearly and quadratically increase, and that of glutathione peroxidase increased linearly with the increased YS supplementation. Serum concentrations of IgA and IgG increased linearly with the increased YS supplementation, and that of IgG tended to increase quadratically. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrated that feeding YS to young calves could improve growth, feed efficiency, and immunity, and decrease fecal score and diarrhea. The results of this study indicated that feeding YS at 9 g/d may be recommended to benefit dairy calves before weaning. © 2021 American Dairy Science Association

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