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Recently approved nutrient management regulations for livestock operations focus on a farm’s ability to recycle the phosphorus (P) contained in manure. Most efforts to improve dairy manure management emphasize manure handling, storage, and land application techniques. Little is known about relationships between dairy feeding practices and manure P levels under farm conditions, or between herd size, cropland area and a farm’s ability to recycle manure P through crops. A survey of 98 representative dairy farms in Wisconsin showed that most farms were self-sufficient in forage (alfalfa, corn silage) and grain production. Lactating dairy cows derived 90% of their feed dry matter (DM) and 78% of their P intake from these homegrown feeds. The P content (DM basis) of the dairy diet ranged from 2.3 to 8.5 with an average of 4.0g P kg−1. Approximately 85% of the surveyed dairy farms fed P in excess of the recently updated National Research Council (NRC) requirements. On these farms, amounts of P in manure were related to dietary P. Of the annual manure P excreted by cows fed a diet supplement, approximately two-thirds is derived from homegrown feeds and one-third from imported mineral and protein supplements. Stocking rates ranged from 0.19 to 1.68 AU ha−1. Farms having stocking rates of less than 0.70 AU ha−1 are self-sufficient in feed production. Approximately half of the farms are self-sufficient in feed production, 68% produce 90%, and 80% produce 80% of their annual feed requirement. Approximately 40% of the farms have a positive P balance (manure P exceeds harvested crop P). On these farms, lowering dietary P to the levels recommended by NRC would reduce the number of farms having a positive P balance by 67%, and the land area in positive P balance by 60%. For farms having a high animal stocking rate, manure export, the addition of cropland for manure spreading, and/or reductions in livestock (cow and/or heifer) numbers may be the only feasible strategies for achieving P balance on a farm.

A comparison of UK (Agricultural Research Council; ARC) and USA (National Research Council; NRC) feeding standards for dairy cows is made. The two standards appear similar in terms of food energy required for milk production, even though the ARC uses metabolizable energy and the NRC uses net energy. The two systems have the same basic approach to calculating protein supply, although ARC incorporates information on level of food intake in calculating rumen microbial protein synthesis and in estimating undegraded food protein. The maintenance requirement for protein is much less with the ARC system because NRC assigns a large maintenance charge to metabolic faecal nitrogen. The result is that ARC has lower dietary protein recommendations than NRC. Milk production response to incremental additions of energy (grain) or protein diminishes as the point of maximum response is approached. The most profitable level of energy and/or protein supplementation is often below the supplementation level required for maximum milk production. More emphasis must be given to lactation studies for information to improve accuracy of the feeding standards and for construction of milk response curves to incremental additions of supplements.

Two experiments were designed to determine the effect of gas production during in vitro digestion on functional specific gravity (FSG) of forage particles. In Exp. 1, FSG of ground alfalfa hay decreased from 1.123 to 1.049 between 3 and 9 h of incubation and increased thereafter to reach a plateau at 1.309 after 30 h of incubation. Gas production peaked at 6 h, but gas associated with particles increased until 9 h of incubation. Gas associated with solid residue was correlated to gas production (r = -.67) but also was influenced by gas holding capacity and rate of escape from the particles. In Exp. 2, measurements were performed on ground alfalfa hay, alfalfa silage, and bromegrass hay containing 42.6, 35, and 66.4% NDF, respectively. Gas production seemed to be related to the amount of readily available substrate. Although at 9 h of incubation more gas was produced by alfalfa silage (.235 mL.min-1.g of DM-1) than by bromegrass hay and alfalfa hay (.087 and .187 mL.min-1.g of DM-1, respectively), gas associated with particles was greater for alfalfa hay (.416 mL/g of DM) than for bromegrass hay and alfalfa silage (.256 and .281 mL/g of DM, respectively). The increase in FSG was more rapid for alfalfa silage than for the hays. After 27 h of digestion, gas associated with particles (milliliters per gram of DM) and FSG were .164, 1.226; .147, 1.235; and .001, 1.467 for bromegrass hay, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa silage, respectively. Gas produced during fermentation delayed the increase in specific gravity of forage particles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Two experiments were designed to determine the effect of gas production during in vitro digestion on functional specific gravity (FSG) of forage particles. In Exp. 1, FSG of ground alfalfa hay decreased from 1.123 to 1.049 between 3 and 9 h of incubation and increased thereafter to reach a plateau at 1.309 after 30 h of incubation. Gas production peaked at 6 h, but gas associated with particles increased until 9 h of incubation. Gas associated with solid residue was correlated to gas production (r = -.67) but also was influenced by gas holding capacity and rate of escape from the particles. In Exp. 2, measurements were performed on ground alfalfa hay, alfalfa silage, and bromegrass hay containing 42.6, 35, and 66.4% NDF, respectively. Gas production seemed to be related to the amount of readily available substrate. Although at 9 h of incubation more gas was produced by alfalfa silage (.235 mL.min-1.g of DM-1) than by bromegrass hay and alfalfa hay (.087 and .187 mL.min-1.g of DM-1, respectively), gas associated with particles was greater for alfalfa hay (.416 mL/g of DM) than for bromegrass hay and alfalfa silage (.256 and .281 mL/g of DM, respectively). The increase in FSG was more rapid for alfalfa silage than for the hays. After 27 h of digestion, gas associated with particles (milliliters per gram of DM) and FSG were .164, 1.226; .147, 1.235; and .001, 1.467 for bromegrass hay, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa silage, respectively. Gas produced during fermentation delayed the increase in specific gravity of forage particles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Six mature Holstein cows in late lactation and fitted with permanent ruminal, duodenal and ideal cannulae were used in a double 3 X 3 Latin-square design to study the effect of roasting or extruding of cottonseed on protein degradation in the rumen and availability of amino acids in the small intestine. Raw whole cottonseed (CS), extruded whole cottonseed (ECS), and roasted whole cottonseed (RCS) were fed in diets containing 17% crude protein and composed of 42% whole cottonseed, 26% corn grain and 29% hay supplemented with dry molasses, vitamins and minerals. The diets were isocaloric and contained 1.86 Mcal NEL/kg. Acid detergent lignin was used as a digesta marker, and diaminopimelic acid as a bacterial marker. Ruminal ammonia concentration was higher (P less than .05) for CS than for ECS and RCS (15.7, 12.7 and 10.2 mM). Concentrations of isobutyrate (1.3 vs 0.8 and 0.8 mM) and isovalerate (1.8 vs 1.1 and 1.1 mM) were higher (P less than .05) for CS compared with ECS and RCS. Non-ammonia nitrogen flow to the duodenum (g/d) was 248, 300 and 350 for CS, ECS, and RCS, with RCS higher (P less than .05) that in CS. Apparent absorption of total amino acids in the small intestine was .80, 1.01, and 1.24 kg/d, for CS, ECS, and RCS, respectively, with RCS higher (P less than .05) than CS. Apparent absorption of essential and non-essential amino acids was 376, 425; 458, 548;610 and 628 g/d for CS, ECS and RCS respectively, with RCS higher (P less than .05) than CS.

In vitro and in situ rumen digestion trials were conducted to measure the effect of heat treatment on protein degradation by rumen microbes of cottonseed autoclaved and dry-heated (120, 140, 160 and 180 C) for different lengths of time (20, 40, 60, 90 and 120 min). Autoclaving (120 C, 1 kg/cm2 of pressure for 60 min) was effective in reducing ammonia nitrogen concentration in vitro, but dry heat at this temperature was without effect. Dry heating caused a linear decrease of in vitro ammonia concentration as temperature increased from 140 to 180 C and as exposure time increased from 20 to 120 min. The in situ results corroborated the in vitro findings. Crude protein disappearance from dacron bags decreased from 87 to 48% as temperature increased from 140 to 180 C after 20 min of heating.

Lactating Holstein cows fitted with ruminal and duodenal T-type cannulae were used in two studies to determine the effect of forage: concentrate ratio and forage particle size on site of nutrient digestion and microbial protein synthesis. In exp. 1, cows were fed alfalfa hay at 24, 38, 58 and 80% of total dry matter intake. Organic matter (OM) digestion in the total tract (OMD) increased with increasing concentrate level but apparent ruminal OM digestion (AROMD) was unaffected by diet. Digestion of acid detergent fiber (ADF) was similar among the higher forage diets, but was depressed at the 24% forage level. Efficiency of microbial protein synthesis (MPS) was depressed by high concentrate diets and was positively correlated (P

Eight lactating Holstein cows fitted with simple cannulae in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design. The factors studied were: (1) forage length (full bloom alfalfa hay, long or chopped); (2) forage level in the total ration (25 or 75%); and (3) type of grain in the concentrate mixes (barley or corn). Organic matter (OM) intake was not affected by level of forage or grain type but was greater (P

1. The effect of ammonia concentration on microbial protein production was determined in continuous-culture fermentors charged with ruminal contents obtained from steers fed on either a protein-free purified diet, a maize-based all-concentrate diet, or a forage–concentrate (23:77) diet. Urea was infused into the fermentors to maintain various concentrations of ammonia in the incubating mixtures.2. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, microbial protein yield measured as tungstic acid-precipitable N (TAPN) increased linearly with supplementary urea until ammonia started to accumulate in the incubating ingesta. Increasing the ammonia concentration beyond 50 mg NH3-N/l had no effect on microbial protein production.3. The molar proportions of volatile acids produced were not affected by the level of urea supplementation. Total acid production was decreased slightly under N-limiting conditions, but not to the same extent as microbial protein production.4. Estimated yield of microbial dry matter/mol ATP produced averaged 15·6 when non-limiting N as urea was provided with the purified diet.5. These results suggest that addition of non-protein N supplements to ruminant rations are warranted only if the prevailing concentration of ruminal ammonia is less than 50 mg NH3-N/l ruminal fluid.

Summary N a search for a more productive outlet I for the fibrous residues generated during commercial pulp and paper operations, repre­ sentative residues were screened for their potential as feedstuffs for ruminants, In vitro rumen digestibilities of many of the residues ranged from 45 to 60% ; some attained levels as high as 90%. Analytical data for Klason lignin, total carbohydrate, and ash constituents were also obtained. Four typical residues-screen rejects from the sulfite pulping of aspen, unbleached paren­ chyma cell fines from an aspen sulfite tissue mill, unbleached fines from a southern pine kraft mill, and bleached fines from a mixed hardwood southern kraft mill-wereobtained in sufficient quantity for feeding trials with goats, sheep, and steers. The residues were blended with other ration ingredients, and pelleted. In vivo digestibilities for the four residues are estimated to be 58, 52, 47 and 78%, respectively, indicative of substantial utilization of the available carbohydrate con­ stituents. A ration containing 77.4% paren­ chyma cell fines adequately maintained ewes for 2.5 months, and had good acceptability. Steers were fed rations containing 0 and 50% unbleached southern pine kraft pulp fines ad libitum for 58 days. Average daily gain was 0.77 and 0.54 kg, daily feed intake as a percent of body weight was 2.84 and 2.48, and feed/gain ratio was 9.44 and 11.69 for the 0 and 50% pulp rations, respectively. Rumen pH, ammonia, and volatile fatty acid ranged from 6.4 (0 pulp ration) to 6.6 (65% 1

Six mature Holstein cows in late lactation and fitted with permanent ruminal, duodenal and ideal cannulae were used in a double 3 X 3 Latin-square design to study the effect of roasting or extruding of cottonseed on protein degradation in the rumen and availability of amino acids in the small intestine. Raw whole cottonseed (CS), extruded whole cottonseed (ECS), and roasted whole cottonseed (RCS) were fed in diets containing 17% crude protein and composed of 42% whole cottonseed, 26% corn grain and 29% hay supplemented with dry molasses, vitamins and minerals. The diets were isocaloric and contained 1.86 Mcal NEL/kg. Acid detergent lignin was used as a digesta marker, and diaminopimelic acid as a bacterial marker. Ruminal ammonia concentration was higher (P less than .05) for CS than for ECS and RCS (15.7, 12.7 and 10.2 mM). Concentrations of isobutyrate (1.3 vs 0.8 and 0.8 mM) and isovalerate (1.8 vs 1.1 and 1.1 mM) were higher (P less than .05) for CS compared with ECS and RCS. Non-ammonia nitrogen flow to the duodenum (g/d) was 248, 300 and 350 for CS, ECS, and RCS, with RCS higher (P less than .05) that in CS. Apparent absorption of total amino acids in the small intestine was .80, 1.01, and 1.24 kg/d, for CS, ECS, and RCS, respectively, with RCS higher (P less than .05) than CS. Apparent absorption of essential and non-essential amino acids was 376, 425; 458, 548;610 and 628 g/d for CS, ECS and RCS respectively, with RCS higher (P less than .05) than CS.

Four experiments were conducted to examine the effect of various factors on in situ digestion of feedstuffs in the rumen of Holstein cows. In Exp. 1, the effect of various days, animals and animal diets on in situ digestion was evaluated. Measured disappearance of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) from soybean meal (SBM) suspended in dacron bags was lowest when the host animal was fed a high grain diet. No effect due to animals, day of incubation or period of experimentation was observed. The effect of bag porosity and substrate particle size on DM and N disappearance from bags was studied in Exp. 2. Rip-stop nylon, a material with small pores, appeared to decrease the influx of digesting agents into bags and limited efflux of digested residues from bags when compared with bags made from dacron polyester material. Disappearance of DM and N from SBM and distillers grains (DG) in rip-stop nylon bags was greater when these feedstuffs were in the pulverized form rather than in the commercially processed form. In Exp. 3, dacron and Acropore bags, with pore sizes of 52 and 5 microns, respectively, were used to examine DM and N disappearance, in the rumen of cows, from total mixed diets containing various dietary N sources. Lower DM and N disappearance from Acropore bags was observed for each of the diets regardless of time spent in the rumen; much of the difference was established within the first hour. The effect of formaldehyde treatment on degradation of amino acids from SBM suspended in dacron bags in the rumen for 16 h was studied in Exp. 4. Increased resistance of SBM amino acids to degradation in the rumen was observed as a result of formaldehyde treatment levels as low as .3% by weight. A possible increase in protection of lysine from degradation relative to other amino acids was also observed.

Ruminal ingesta (300 ml) obtained from a fistulated cow fed alfalfa hay (H), 3.6 kg of grain mixture with corn silage fed ad libitum (S), 2.5:1 grain-alfalfa hay mixture (G), or a 2.5:1 grain-alfalfa hay mixture providing 545 g of sodium and calcium lactate daily (L) were incubated for 8 hr with nonpolymerized sodium lactate or 17% polymerized lactic acid neutralized to p H 6.7. Polymerization had no effect on the rate of lactate utilization. The initial rates of lactate metabolism for the H, G, S, and L ingesta were 0.72, 0.95, 1.8, and 3.4 meq per 100 ml of rumen fluid per hr, respectively. Lactate- 2 - 14 C was incubated for 4 hr with each type of ruminal ingesta. Of the label recovered in the volatile fatty acids (VFA), 74.1, 61.2, 49.3, and 38.9% was recovered in acetate, and 9.4, 19.8, 23.3, and 51.9% was recovered in propionate with H, G, S, and L ingesta, respectively. The balance of label was distributed between butyrate and valerate. The titratable VFA did not follow this pattern of production. With the hay ingesta, lactate metabolism resulted in a net loss of acetate and a large increase in butyrate. Little propionate was produced. The G, S, and L ingesta metabolized lactate to yield progressively more propionate and less butyrate. Evidence was gathered to suggest that acetate was the primary end product of lactate metabolism but that oxidation of lactate to pyruvate dictated the synthesis of butyrate from acetate to maintain an oxidation-reduction balance. It was noted that acetate and butyrate production from lactate was p H-dependent, with acetate production maximal at p H 7.4 and butyrate at 6.2. Propionate production was largely unaffected within this p H range.

Factors affecting binding of Yb or Ce by forage particles were measured. Retention of markers was low regardless of application procedure (spray or soak). Live incubation media and acidic environment resulted in further marker displacement. The use of Yb or Ce as particulate markers may not be appropriate. Key words: Markers, cerium, ytterbium, rate of passage