Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T20:15:41.788Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of formalin-treated soya bean meal upon the performance of lactating cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

D. J. Morgan
Affiliation:
Agricultural Institute, Moorepark, Co. Cork, Ireland
Get access

Abstract

Four concentrate mixtures were given with grass silage to 52 cows in early lactation in an 8-week randomized block production trial. A further eight cows were used to measure apparent digestibilities of the total diets in a double 4 × 4 Latin-square trial.

The concentrates contained varied proportions of barley, soya bean meal (soya) and formaldehyde-treated soya bean meal (treated soya) together with fixed proportions of wheatfeed and molasses. Crude protein (CP) concentrations in the concentrate mixtures and sources of supplementary protein were 133 g/kg air-dry concentrate, soya (A); 130 g/kg, treated soya (B); 187 g/kg, soya (C); 169 g/kg, soya plus treated soya (D). In the production trial, 9 kg concentrates were given daily together with silage ad libitum, whilst in the digestibility trial the daily ration was 7·6 kg concentrates and 6·6 kg silage dry matter (DM). The silage contained 462 g DM per kg and 140 g CP per kg DM with an in vitro digestibility of DM of 0·7.

The digestibilities of DM, organic matter and energy showed similar trends. Cows given treatments A and B had significantly lower digestibilities of energy than did those given treatments C and D.

Nitrogen digestibility was highest for cows given treatment C and lowest for those given treatments A and B. Silage DM intake and live-weight change were unaffected by treatment during weeks 1 to 8, all treatment groups being in positive live-weight balance in this period.

Milk yields during weeks 1 to 8 were 18·8 (A), 19·6 (B), 20·3 (C) and 20·7 (D) kg/day. Yields for cows given treatments C and D were significantly higher than those for cows given treatment A. There were no differences between treatments for any constituent of milk, but protein concentration in milk tended to be lower for cows given treatment D. During weeks 9 to 20, there were no significant residual effects of treatment upon milk yield or composition.

Parallel regression analysis of milk yield and yields of milk constituents upon CP concentration in the concentrate indicated significant effects of CP concentration on yield of milk, milk fat, protein and lactose during weeks 1 to 8. When examined during weeks 1 to 20 the responses to increased CP concentration were non-significant. The analysis showed a significant positive milk-yield response to formaldehyde treatment during weeks 1 to 8 and 1 to 20. The response in lactose yield was also significant during weeks 1 to 8 and 1 to 20. There was a trend, though not significant, towards an increased milk-fat yield during weeks 1 to 8 for the formaldehyde treatment, whilst protein yield was unaffected.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1985

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council. 1980. The Nutrient Requirements of Ruminant Livestock. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Slough.Google Scholar
Butler, T. M., Gleeson, P. A. and Morgan, D. J. 1983. Effect of supplement feeding level and crude protein content of the supplement on the performance of spring-calving dairy cows. Ir. J. agric. Res. 22: 69 78.Google Scholar
Butler, T. M., Gleeson, P. A. and Murphy, J. J. 1978. The effect of wilting and formic acid treatment on silage dry matter intakes and milk production by dairy cows. Proc. 30th A. Meet. Eur. Ass. Anim. Prod. No. 1.4.Google Scholar
Castle, M. E., Retter, W. C., Watson, J. N. and Zewdie, E. 1977. Silage and milk production: a comparison between four rates of groundnut cake supplementation of silage of high digestibility. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 32: 4348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castle, M. E. and Watson, J. N. 1976. Silage and milk production. A comparison between barley and groundnut cake as supplements to silage of high digestibility. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 31: 191195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castle, M. E. and Watson, J. N. 1984. Silage and milk production: a comparison between concentrates containing different amounts of protected protein as supplements for silage of high digestibility. Grass Forage Sci. 39: 9399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chamberlain, D. G. and Thomas, P. C. 1980. Protein digestion in cows and sheep given silage diets. Proc. 3rd Eur. Ass. Anim. Prod. Symp. Protein Metab. Nutr. (ed. Oslage, H. J. and Rohr, K.), Vol. II, pp. 422431. Information Centre of Bundesforschungsanstalt fur Landwirtschaft, Braunschweig.Google Scholar
Faichney, G. J. and White, G. A. 1977. Formaldehyde treatment of concentrate diets for sheep. 1. Partition of the digestion of organic matter and nitrogen between the stomach and intestines. Aust. J. agric. Res. 28: 10551067.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ganev, G., Ørskov, E. R. and Smart, R. 1979. The effect of roughage or concentrate feeding and rumen retention time on total degradation of protein in the rumen. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 93: 651656.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, F. J. 1979. The effect of protein content of the supplement for dairy cows with access ad libitum to high digestibility, wilted grass silage. Anim. Prod. 28: 183189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, F. J. 1980. The effect of interval between harvests and wilting on silage for milk production. Anim. Prod. 31: 3541.Google Scholar
Gordon, F. J. and McMurray, C. H. 1979. The optimum level of protein in the supplement for dairy cows with access to grass silage. Anim. Prod. 29: 283291.Google Scholar
Gordon, F. J., Unsworth, E. F. and Peoples, A. C. 1981. Protein supplementation of silage-based diets for milk production. 54th A. Rep. Agric. Res. Inst. Nth. Ire. (1980-1981), pp. 1323Google Scholar
Hart, I. C. 1983. Endocrine control of nutrient partition in lactating ruminants. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 42: 181194.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kaufmann, W. and Hagemeister, H. 1976. [Effect of formaldehyde treatment of protein on bacterial protein synthesis, rate of protein degradation in the rumen of dairy cows and protein digestibility in the intestine.] Kieler milchw. ForshBer. 28: 335346.Google Scholar
Mehrez, A. Z. and Ørskov, E. R. 1977. A study of the artificial fibre bag technique for determining the digestibility of feeds in the rumen. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 88: 645650.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. 1975. Energy allowances and feeding systems for ruminants. Tech. Bull. 33. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Morgan, D. J. 1981. The effect of protein source upon the performance of lactating cows and heifers. An Foras Talúntais Anim. Prod. Res. Rep., pp. 5657.Google Scholar
Oldham, J. D., Fulford, R. J. and Napper, D. J. 1981. Source and level of supplemental N for cows early in lactation. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 40:30A (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Oldham, J. D., Hart, I. C. and Bines, J. A. 1982. Formaldehyde-treated proteins for dairy cows — effects on blood hormone concentrations. Br. J. Nutr. 48: 543547.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rees, P., Rowlinson, P. and Armstrong, D. G. 1983. The effects of soya protein degradability upon the production and food intake of dairy cows offered grass silage ad libitum. Anim. Prod. 36:502 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Rooke, J. A., Norton, B. W. and Armstrong, D. G. 1982. The digestion of untreated and formaldehyde-treated soya-bean meals and estimation of their rumen degradabilities by different methods. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 99: 441452.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, C., Aston, K., Tayler, J. C., Daley, S. R. and Osbourn, D. F. 1981. Milk production from silage. 1. The influence of an additive containing formaldehyde and formic acid on the response of lactating heifers and cows to supplementary protein. Anim. Prod. 32: 285295.Google Scholar
Vérité, R., Poncet, C., Chabi, S. and Pion, R. 1977. [Utilization of formaldehyde treated oil-meals by dairy cows. 1. Digestive aspects.] Annls Zootech. 26: 167181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar