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Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad

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Subject: Animal Nutrition × End date: 2023 × Start date: 2020 × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    IMPROVING EFFICIENCY OF PRODUCTION IN EARLY LACTATING DAIRY COWS THROUGH AUGMENTATION OF RUMEN BIOMASS PRODUCTION
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES MANNUTHY, THRISSUR, 2022-01-08) JASMINE RANI K.; Dildeep V.
    A study was conducted to assess the effect of supplementation of condensed tannin (CT), yeast and biotin alone and in combination on rumen biomass production and efficiency of production in early lactating dairy cows fed on total mixed rations (TMR). The study was conducted in four different phases. In first phase, TMR with 13% CP, 35% NDF and 60% NDF were prepared as basal diet. The TMR was supplemented with different levels of yeast and biotin and in vitro evaluation was conducted using in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT). In second phase the TMR was supplemented with combinations of yeast and biotin and in third phase combinations of yeast, biotin and CT were supplemented and evaluated as in phase I. Best combinations was selected based on true dry matter digestibility, true organic matter digestibility, metabolizable energy, total volatile fatty acid production, microbial biomass production and methane production using cluster analysis. Using the selected best two TMR, a feeding trials of two-months duration was conducted. In fourth phase twenty-five crossbred dairy cows (non-descriptive X Holstein Friesian X Jersey) in early lactation (within 10 days of calving) were selected from University Livestock Farm and Fodder Research and Development Scheme, Mannuthy, and were divided into five groups of five animals each. Yeast, biotin and tamarind seed testa (source of condensed tannin) were purchased from local market. The animals were allotted randomly to one of the five dietary treatments, G1 (Control)- TMR containing CP- 13%, NDF-35%, TDN- 60%, G2- G1+ 0.5g yeast, 1.5 mg biotin and 2.5g CT/kg feed, G3- TMR containing CP- 13%, NDF- 35%, TDN- 60% + 1.5 mg biotin and 5g CT/kg feed, G4 – TMR containing CP- 11%, NDF- 35%, TDN- 60% + 1.5 mg biotin and 2.5g CT/kg feed and G5 – TMR containing CP- 11%, NDF- 35%, TDN- 60% + 1.5 mg biotin and 5g CT/kg feed. All the experimental animals were fed as per ICAR feeding standard (ICAR, 2013). There was no significant difference in the average body weight and dry matter intake of lactating cows maintained on dietary treatments G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5. The digestibility of organic matter, ether extract and the neutral detergent fibre were significantly higher (P 0.05) in various haemato biochemical parameters such as haemoglobin, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and beta-hydroxybutyrate whereas the non-esterified fatty acids and blood urea nitrogen were significantly lower in G2, G3, G4 and G5 compared to G1. There was no significant difference in serum mineral concentration between the groups and values were in the normal range for lactating dairy cows. In rumen fermentation parameters, total nitrogen, trichloro acetic acid precipitable nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, acetic acid, butyric acid and total volatile fatty acid concentrations were not altered, whereas the propionic acid concentration and pH was significantly higher and acetate to propionate ratio was significantly lower in G2, G3, G4 and G5 compared to G1. The total purine derivatives and microbial protein production were significantly higher in G2, G3, G4 and G5 compared to G1. A relative bacterial abundance study using 16S rRNA based metagenome sequencing revealed that Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the predominant phyla in all the five dietary treatments. An increase in the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio was observed in G2 and G5 compared to G1, G3 and G4. Feed cost per kg milk produced were Rs. 20.06, 16.58, 19.60, 19.13 and 17.98 in G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5 respectively. Milk production in group G5 where low protein diet was fed, was comparable with that of group G2 animals fed on high protein diet. Thus, it can be inferred that supplementation of yeast, biotin and CT as prescribed for G5 can support milk yield as in groups given high protein feed. A significant increase in rumen pH, propionic acid concentration, better microbial protein yield along high concentration of fibre digesting bacteria might have facilitated this result.