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The fermentative quality and quantitative change in anthocyanin of anthocyanin-rich corn (Zea mays L.) during storage and in vitro ruminal fermentation were studied. The anthocyanin-rich corn silages in bag silo, drum silo and round bale had good fermentative qualities, such as low pH ( 5% DM) and butyric acid-free, and its quality was maintained for more than 370 d. The amount of anthocyanin in the anthocyanin-rich corn decreased after ensiling by about 45% (from 3.34 to 1.88 mg/g DM), but stayed constant after day 60. The in vitro incubation of the anthocyanin-rich corn with ruminal fluid revealed little degradation of anthocyanin. These results indicate that the anthocyanin had no negative effect on silage fermentation, and the anthocyanin-rich corn silage is utilizable for practical use as a feedstuff. Our results also demonstrate alteration of the anthocyanin content during storage, and show that anthocyanin-rich corn is a suitable antioxidant source for ruminants because of the high stability of the anthocyanin in ruminal fluid.

The effects of the lengths of growth of round bale whole-crop corn silage on its nutritive value, the methane production, chewing time, and ruminal fermentation were evaluated in three Holstein steers (599.3 ± 31.5 kg). Corn forages were harvested, baled and wrapped on the same day at 129 (D129), 118 (D118) and 107 (D107) days from planting. All steers were fed the three corn silages along with urea at maintenance energy requirements during three 14-day periods in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. A balance trial was conducted to investigate whole tract digestibility by the collection of total feces and urine over a 7-day test period. For 2 days of the test period, a head hood-type respiration chamber was used to measure methane production. Ruminal fluid was collected immediately before and 3 h after, the morning feeding on the last day of the test period. There was no spoilage in any of the silages (n = 9). The average fresh weight of the bales was 326.4 ± 10.7 kg. The DM content of the corn silage was highest in D118 and lowest in D129 (P

The effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) waste silage and supplemental polyethylene glycol (PEG) on rumen fermentation and blood components were studied in cattle. Six Holstein steers were fed three diets in a 3x3 Latin square design, replicated twice. One diet was a control with no added silage, and the other two diets were supplemented (20% of the dry matter) with green tea waste silage either with (PEG) or without PEG (tea). Most of the fermentation parameters including major volatile fatty acids (VFA) were not affected by the diet treatments. The concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in the PEG group and urea nitrogen in the tea and PEG groups were greater than those in the control before morning feeding. The plasma 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid equivalent concentration was not different before morning feeding, but 3 h after morning feeding, its concentrations in both the tea and PEG groups were higher than in the control. Although the concentration of plasma vitamin A in the animals was not affected by feeding green tea waste silage, the concentrations of plasma vitamin E were significantly higher in the tea and PEG groups than in the control, both before and 3 h after morning feeding. The results from the present study suggest that feeding diets containing 20% of the dietary dry matter as green tea waste silage to Holstein steers has no negative impact on their ruminal fermentation, and increases their plasma antioxidative activity and concentration of vitamin E.

The characteristic smell of cow milk was suppressed when herbs were consumed by lactating dairy cows. But it is unclear whether or not peppermint ingestion affects the nutritional and milk production parameters in lactating dairy cows. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of peppermint feeding to lactating dairy cows on nutrient digestibility, energy metabolism, ruminal fermentation and milk production. Eight Holstein cows were given a diet supplemented with or without 5% of dried peppermint per diet on a dry matter basis. The digestion of nutrients from cows fed the diet with peppermint was significantly lower than that of the control group. Energy loss as methane and methane released from cows receiving the peppermint treatment was significantly lower than that in the control cows. Peppermint feeding to cows resulted in the promotion of thermogenesis. However, ruminal fermentation and milk production were not affected by peppermint feeding. In conclusion, peppermint ingestion by lactating dairy cows reduces the nutrient digestibility and methanogenesis, and changes energy metabolism.