Basics of ruminant nutrition Flashcards

1
Q

What side of the body is the rumen?

A

LHS

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2
Q

What are the bugs in the rumen?

A
  • 10 billion / ml bacteria
  • 1 million / ml protozoa
    1 thousand / ml fungi
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3
Q

What is the ratio of primary to secondary rumen contractions?

A

2 primary : 1 secondary
(mixing) (belching/regurgitating)

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4
Q

What is milk production determined by?

A
  • Genetic merit
  • Nutrition
  • Health
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5
Q

What order should be followed when formulating diet?

A
  1. Dry matter intake
  2. Energy
  3. Protein
  4. Minerals (macro + trace elements)
  5. Vitamins
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6
Q

What activities should be considered with the animal?

A
  • Maintenance
  • Activity
  • Lactation
  • Growth
  • Pregnancy
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7
Q

How much dry matter does a cow need?

A
  • Maintenance = 2% - 2.5% BW = 14kg in 700kg cow
  • If lactating = more = 3% BW (higher yielding = more)
  • If heavily preg = less
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8
Q

What influences dry matter intake?

A
  • body weight & fatness – “fat cows eat less”
  • milk yield “the more she milks the more she eats”
  • stage of production cycle e.g. dry cow, calving, fresh calved (all have reduced DMI).
  • type of food (digestibility / rate of passage).
  • palatability (mixed forages).
  • access - feed barrier, electric fence etc.
  • availability - TMR versus parlour feed etc.
  • social factors e.g. bullying of heifers.
  • stress / pain e.g lameness.
  • rumen health - “the right bugs & healthy bugs”
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9
Q

What are energy foods?

A
  • Carbohydrates
  • long chain = slow fermentation = fibre (cellulose)
  • short chain = fast fermentation = sugars, starches
  • Fats
  • Protein
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10
Q

What does fermentation of carbohydrates produce?

A
  • Volatile fatty acids = acetate, butyrate, propionate
  • CO2
  • CH4
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11
Q

What happens to VFA’s?

A
  • Absorbed across rumen wall - health of papillae
  • Enter krebbs cycle - energy
  • Glucose synthesis - from propionate, MILK
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12
Q

What is the fate of fats + oils?

A
  • Absorbed in small intestine - protected fats
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13
Q

All lactating cows in early lactation lose roughly 0.5 - 1 condition score (50kg)
How can you cope with this?

A
  • Eat more - increased her DMI
  • Metabolise body tissues - fat + muscle
  • Reduce milk yield
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14
Q

How much energy does a cow need?

A
  • Maintenance = 65-70MJ / day
  • Production = 5MJ / litre milk
  • Pregnancy = only important in last few weeks
  • Weight gain/loss = 30MJ/Kg BW
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15
Q

What is protein metabolism in cows?

A
  • Rumen degradable protein - N containing compounds = fermented to NH4, used by bugs = forms microbial protein
  • Rumen undegradable protein = passed through rumen, digested in abomasum + SI (e.g. Soya)
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16
Q

How much protein does a cow need?

A
  • > 8,000L = 18% protein
  • <8,000L = 16% protein
17
Q

How can you maximise DMI in lactating cows?

A
  • maximise intakes in dry period
  • palatable diet – mixed forages
  • avoid SARA = forage:concentrate ratio,
  • change diets slowly – 3 week “rumen adaption” period
  • dry cow management = avoid getting fat
  • environment = comfort, feed barrier – space – 30” per cow, social aspects – hierarchies, bullying etc
  • health e.g lameness
18
Q

What is the dry matter % + energy in clamp grass silage?

A
  • DM = 20 - 35%
  • 10-12 MJ ME/Kg DM (average 10.5)
19
Q

What is the dry matter % + energy in maize silage?

A
  • DM = 30-35%
  • 11-11.5 MJ ME/Kg DM - high starch + low protein
20
Q

What is the dry matter % + energy in big bale silage?

A
  • DM = 30-35%
  • 8.5 - 10.5 MJ ME/Kg DM
21
Q

What is the dry matter % + energy in hay?

A
  • DM = 85%
  • 8-9 MJ ME/Kg DM
22
Q

What is the dry matter % + energy in straw?

A
  • DM = 85%
  • 5.5-6.5 MJ ME/Kg DM
23
Q

What is the dry matter % + energy in grass?

A
  • DM = 20% or less
  • 10-12.5 MJ ME/Kg DM
24
Q

What is the dry matter % + energy in concentrates / cake/ blend?

A
  • DM = 88-90%
  • 12.5 MJ ME/Kg