Ruminants

Ruminants continue to play a pivotal role in sustainable food production by converting abundant resources, such as rangelands, pastures, crop residues, and agro-industrial byproducts, into human-edible products of high nutritional value (meat, milk, and other dairy products) [...]

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of agro-industrial waste from C. cajan shell, plantain peels (Musa spp.), and Zea mays cob husk on in situ ruminal degradation kinetics and in vitro gas production. Rumen degradation of DM in the soluble fraction (A) was higher (p = 0.0001) in plantain peel (37.5%). The insoluble but potentially degradable fraction (B) was higher (p = 0.0001) in C. Cajan shell (71.7%). Regarding the degradation rate in percentage per hour (c: 0.13%/h), degradation potential (A + B: 86.3%) and effective degradation at the different passage rates (k) (0.02: 79.6%, 0.05: 72.4%, and 0.08: 67.3% k, respectively), it was higher (p < 0.05) in the plantain peels. Rumen NDF degradation was higher (p < 0.05) in plantain peels for all degradation parameters (A + B: 80.8, k: 0.02: 57.1%, 0.05: 44.9%, and 0.08: 37.6%, respectively). Total gas production kinetics (D; 333.3 mLgas/0.5 g degraded DM) and gas production at 24, 48, and 96 h were lower (p = 0.0001) in plantain peels. CH₄ production was low (p = 0.0001) in plantain peels at all evaluated times (24 h: 32.7, 48 h: 37.9, and 96 h: 53.5 mL/0.5 g degraded DM). CO₂ production was lower (p < 0.05) in C. Cajan and plantain peels at all evaluated times. Under the conditions of this study, it can be concluded that the use of plantain peels (Musa spp.) can be beneficial to animals when incorporated into the diet, as it contains a similar protein content to tropical forages, as well as low fiber content, high ruminal degradation, and secondary compounds that benefit energy maximization by mitigating enteric gas production in ruminants.

Reduced winter hair shedding in beef cows through the spring and summer months may contribute to heat stress and reduced performance in spring-calving herds. This study evaluated the relationship of hair shedding with the fertility and maternal performance of 72 Dexter cows. Hair shedding data for 20 May, 3 June, 17 June, and 1 July in 2019 were used to classify cows as high or low hair shedders. Hair shedding levels were lower (p < 0.05) for 2-year-old cows than for cows 7+ years of age for the first three dates and lower (p ≤ 0.05) for lactating cows than for dry cows on the first two dates. Concurrent and four years of historical performance records were used to assess the associations between hair shedding and cow–calf performance. Data from 230 natural matings in July and August from 2015 to 2019 were analyzed. Birth to weaning weight data were recorded from 2016 to 2019 on 124 spring-born calves. Cow fertility was higher (p < 0.05) for high-shed cows than for low-shed cows for the 1 July classification. When the records from cows that were dry in 2019 were excluded from testing, fertility was higher (p < 0.05) for high-shed cows than for low-shed cows at all four scoring dates. The associations of cow hair shedding levels with preweaning calf performance were minimal. Dexter cows exhibiting higher hair shedding levels in the spring and summer expressed higher summer fertility.