Browsing by Subject "Rohprotein"

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    Degradation of crude protein and starch of corn and wheat grains in the rumen
    (2016) Seifried, Natascha; Rodehutscord, Markus
    The major objectives of the present thesis were to characterize the ruminal crude protein (CP) and starch degradation of different genotypes of corn and wheat grains and to predict the effective degradation (ED) of CP and starch with easily measurable characteristics. The in situ method is the standard technique to study the ruminal degradation of feeds in many feed evaluation systems. This technique was originally applied to study forages and it was therefore necessary to clarify methodical details related to the measurements of in situ starch degradation from cereal grains. Two in vitro and one in situ approach were conducted to study the loss of secondary starch particles from bags with different pore sizes used for the in situ incubation of different cereal grains. In the first in vitro study ground wheat was incubated in bags (pore size: 50 µm) over different time spans in a modified rumen simulation technique. Bag residues and fermenter fluids were analyzed for their starch content. In the second in vitro study ground wheat, barley, and corn were incubated with bags of pore sizes of 50, 30 (except corn), 20, and 6 µm. In the in situ study ground wheat, barley, corn, and oats were rumen incubated over different time spans using bags with pore sizes of 50, 20, and 6 µm. The starch content of the grains and bag residues was analyzed enzymatically and the degradation characteristics of starch were calculated for each grain type and pore size. It was shown for the first time that incubating wheat and barley in bags with 50 and 30 µm pore size lead to a substantial amount of secondary starch particle losses during incubation process in vitro. These losses were not detectable when the grains were incubated with bags having pore sizes of 20 and 6 µm. Independent of the bags’ pore size no secondary starch particle losses were found by the incubation of corn. Thus corn can be studied in situ even with bags with 50 µm pore size. Oats showed very high washout losses with all pore sizes tested in the present thesis and therefore none of them is suitable to study the starch degradation measurements of oats. Because of methodical problems of gas accumulation in bags having pore sizes < 50 µm, no recommendations can be provided for the in situ evaluation of wheat and barley. Further research is necessary to solve these problems. In the second and third study of the present thesis ruminal in situ degradation of 20 corn grain genotypes and 20 wheat grain genotypes was measured in three lactating Jersey cows. In both experiments the same techniques were used to characterize the ruminal degradation of CP and starch. Ground grains (2 mm) were rumen incubated in bags (50 µm pore size) over different time spans. Grains and bag residues were analyzed for their CP and starch content. The degradation parameters and the ED were calculated for dry matter (DM), CP, and starch. Gas production (GP) of ground grains (1 mm) was recorded after incubation over different time spans in buffered ruminal fluid and fitted to an exponential equation to determine GP parameters. To predict ED of CP and starch correlations with physical and chemical characteristics and in vitro measurements were evaluated and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were applied. The in situ parameters (soluble fraction, potential degradable fraction, and degradation rate) varied widely between genotypes of corn and wheat grains. The ED of DM, CP, and starch showed a high variation for corn grain genotypes. Due to the high degradation rates, the ED of wheat grains were similar between genotypes. The GP rate was in good agreement with the in situ values for corn grains, whereas no systematic relationship between both methods was observed for wheat grains. Evaluation of correlation analysis showed significant relationships between calculated ED of CP and several amino acids (AA) for both grain types. This indicates that the protein composition of the grains influences CP degradation in the rumen. Similar relationships were found between the same AA and ED of starch of corn grains which highlights the impact of the protein composition on ruminal starch degradation for this grain type. For both grain types, the ED of starch and CP could be predicted accurately from physical and chemical characteristics alone or in combination with GP measurements. Thus, the equations presented in the present thesis can be used to obtain rapid and cost effective information on ruminal degradation of CP and starch for corn and wheat grains. The results of the present thesis show that there is considerable variation of ruminal CP and starch degradation from different genotypes of corn and also – albeit to a lesser extent – for wheat grains. Differences in ED of starch should be taken into account when formulating rations containing significant amounts of corn and wheat grains. In the case of corn grains differences in ED of CP should also be accounted for.
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    Investigations on ruminal degradation of nutrients and feeding values of single feeds and compound feeds for cattle
    (2020) Grubjesic, Goran; Rodehutscord, Markus
    The environmental impact of intensive animal farming has been steadily increasing. Cattle can contribute to environmental pollution due to relatively low nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) utilisation, leading to their excess excretion. High-yielding dairy cows are commonly fed concentrate compound feed, in mash or pelleted form, to satisfy high protein and energy requirements. Main source of energy in concentrate compound feeds is starch (ST). For the accurate formulation of compound feeds, comprehensive insight into nutritive values of single feeds as well as their potential interactions (associative effects) when mixed is needed. Typically, the nutritive values of single feeds are considered to be additive, assuming that no associative effects exist. However, data supporting such assumption for concentrate feed are scarce. The present thesis had two aims: evaluation of additivity of ruminal degradation of nutrients and feeding values of single concentrate feeds in compound feeds, and evaluation of effects of pelleting on ruminal degradation of nutrients and feeding values of compound feeds. Twelve single feeds were used to formulate eight compound feeds in different combinations, targeting crude protein (CP) concentrations from 16 to 30% in dry matter (DM). Compound feeds were prepared both, in mash and pellet form in a commercial feed mill using standard industrial conditions. Ruminal degradation of single and compound feeds was evaluated using in situ and different in vitro techniques. The in situ incubations were conducted by incubating samples of all single and compound feeds in polyester bags for 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 24, 48, and 72 hours in three ruminally fistulated dairy cows. Bag residues were analysed and the ruminal effective degradability (EDIN_SITU) of CP and ST, was calculated for passage rates of 5 and 8%/h. Phosphorus is located in plants as phytate (InsP6), and for some feed samples the EDIN_SITU of InsP6 was also determined. The in vitro gas production (GP), digestibility of organic matter (dOM), metabolisable energy (ME), and utilisable CP at the duodenum (uCP) were evaluated using Hohenheim Gas Test and extended HGT. Intestinal digestibility (IDRUP) of ruminally undegraded protein (RUP) was determined using a three-step enzymatic method through incubation with pepsin and pancreatin. Chemical fractionation of CP was performed according to the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) The CP fractions can be also used to predict EDIN_SITU. Assessment of additivity was performed by comparing the observed values of compound feeds with values for compound feeds calculated from single feeds. It was concluded that additivity of single feeds in mash compound feeds was given for EDCPIN_SITU, EDSTIN_SITU (Manuscript 1), uCP, CP fractions, GP, and dOM (Manuscript 2). Here, associative effects among single feeds were considered to be small and should not affect formulation of concentrate compound feeds. The GP and proximate nutrients are necessary to estimate ME using appropriate equations, often specific for feed or feed type. The additivity of ME was given only when same ME equation for single and compound feeds was used. Additivity was not given for IDRUP (Manuscript 2). Pelleting had overall small effects on feeding values of compound feeds determined in situ and in vitro (Manuscripts 1 and 2). Presumably, the relatively low intensity of heating (up to 80–90°C) during the pelleting process was not sufficient to significantly affect nutritive value of compound feeds, with the exception of decreased IDRUP. Overall, it was concluded that additivity of ruminal degradation of nutrients and feeding values of single feeds in mash and pelleted compound feeds can be assumed for practical feed formulation. While some associative effects were detected, they might be related to methodological causes in most of the cases.
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    Ruminal degradation characteristics of barley, rye, and triticale grains assayed in situ and in vitro, and by near-infrared spectroscopy
    (2017) Krieg, Jochen; Rodehutscord, Markus
    The milk yield of dairy cows and related energy and protein requirements have steadily increased in the last few decades. Since feed intake has not increased to the same extent as nutritional requirements, the concentration of nutrients in mixed rations had to be increased. An increase in energy concentration is often achieved by the inclusion of high levels of cereal grains. In the EU—apart from wheat—barley, rye, and triticale are widely cultivated cereal grains. Starch (ST), followed by crude protein (CP), is the main constituent of cereal grains. The rate and extent of ruminal CP and ST degradation can influence the performance and health of dairy cows, but data that can enable the comparison of ruminal degradation within and between barley, rye, and triticale grains are scarce. Commonly used techniques to explore ruminal degradation of feed are in situ and in vitro incubations. Both techniques require ruminal-fistulated animals, but alternative methods are being demanded by the community, in order to reduce the number of animal trials. An approach with the potential to estimate the nutritional value of various feeds is near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The present thesis has two major parts. In the first part, ruminal degradation parameters and the effective degradability (ED) of DM, CP, and ST from barley, rye, and triticale grains are investigated using standardised in situ and in vitro incubation techniques. A total of 20 genotypes per grain species were used. In the second part, NIRS calibrations were developed with the aim of estimating the CP and ST concentrations of cereal grains and their incubation residues. Subsequently, data from in situ experiments were used to establish the calibrations for estimating the ruminal in situ degradation of cereal grains from their spectral data. In situ degradation studies have been conducted by ruminal incubation, utilising three lactating cows. Ruminal degradation parameters and ED (ruminal passage rate = 8%//h) were calculated. For in vitro incubations, the samples were incubated in a rumen fluid-buffer mixture (‘Hohenheim Gas Test’). The gas production was recorded for estimating gas production kinetics. In vitro gas production—in combination with crude nutrient concentrations—was used to estimate the metabolisable energy concentration (ME) and digestibility of organic matter (dOM). The degradation rates differed between and within the grain species for DM, CP, and ST. The variation within grain species was not reflected in the ED of CP and ST, due to the relatively fast and almost complete degradation of the grains. The ED of CP was 77% (69–80%) for barley, 85% (83–86%) for rye, and 82% (79–84%) for triticale. The corresponding ED of ST was 86% (82–88%), 95% (92–96%), and 94% (90–95%). Accordingly, the estimated ME (barley: 13.5 MJ/kg DM, rye: 13.9 MJ/kg DM, triticale: 13.5 MJ/ kg DM) showed only relatively minor variation within one grain species. The dOM was overall at a high level (barley: 91.3%, rye: 95.3%, triticale: 95.8%). The relatively small variation within one grain species could not be explained by the chemical and physical characteristics of the samples. Hence, it was concluded that it is feasible to use mean values for every species in feed formulation and ration planning. In the second part of this thesis, it was shown that it is possible to replace chemical CP and ST analyses of samples from in situ studies by NIRS without affecting the calculated ruminal degradation characteristics. NIRS could be used to estimate the ED of CP and ST from cereal grains. The sample set to establish the calibrations included barley, durum, maize, rye, triticale, and wheat grains. Calibrations for the CP and ST concentration were extended to pea samples. The calibrations with the best validation performance for CP and ST concentration were obtained by using the wavelength segment of 1250 to 2450 nm and the first derivative of the spectra (CP: R2 = 0.99; SEP = 0.46% DM. ST: R2 = 0.99; SEP = 2.10% DM). The results of in situ studies did not differ, irrespective of whether chemical or NIRS analysis was used. Like the CP and ST concentration, the ED was estimated with a high accuracy (ED8 CP: R2 = 0.95; SEP = 2.43%. ED8 ST: R2 = 0.97; SEP = 2.45%). However, calibrations need to be extended before they can be recommended for routine use. The present thesis demonstrates that the ED of CP and ST of barley, rye, and triticale grains differ between the species, but variation within one grain species is relatively small and not related to the chemical and physical characteristics of the grain. Hence, under the prevailing cultivation conditions, the mean values for each grain species in feed evaluation are deemed adequate. It was demonstrated that NIRS has the potential to facilitate the evaluation of the nutritive value of cereal grains for ruminants.