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. 2018 Jan;31(1):80-85.
doi: 10.5713/ajas.17.0069. Epub 2017 Aug 16.

Effect of corn grain particle size on ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites of Holstein steers fed total mixed ration

Do Hyung Kim  1 , Seong Ho Choi  2 , Sung Kwon Park  3 , Sung Sill Lee  4 , Chang Weon Choi  5
Affiliations

Effect of corn grain particle size on ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites of Holstein steers fed total mixed ration

Do Hyung Kim et al. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci. 2018 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of corn grain particle size on ruminant fermentation and blood metabolites in Holstein steers fed total mixed ration (TMR) as a basal diet to explain fundamental data of corn grain for cattle in Korea.

Methods: Four ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (body weight 592±29.9 kg) fed TMR as a basal diet were housed individually in an auto temperature and humidity modulated chamber (24°C and 60% for 22 h/d). Treatments in a 4×4 Latin square design were TMR only (control), TMR with whole corn grain (WC), coarsely ground corn grain (CC), and finely ground corn grain (FC), respectively. The corn feeds substituted for 20% energy intake of TMR intake. To measure the ruminal pH, ammonia N, and volatile fatty acids (VFA), ruminal digesta was sampled through ruminal cannula at 1 h intervals after the morning feeding to determine ruminal fermentation characteristics. Blood was sampled via the jugular vein after the ruminal digesta sampling.

Results: There was no difference in dry matter (DM) intake between different corn particle size because the DM intake was restricted to 1.66% of body weight. Different corn particle size did not change mean ammonia N and total VFA concentrations whereas lower (p<0.05) ruminal pH and a ratio of acetate to propionate, and higher (p<0.05) propionate concentration were noted when the steers consumed CC compared with WC and FC. Concentration of blood metabolites were not affected by different particle size of corn grain except for blood triglyceride concentration, which was significantly (p<0.05) increased by FC.

Conclusion: Results indicate that feeding CC may increase feed digestion in the rumen, whereas the FC group seemed to obtain inadequate corn retention time for microbial degradation in the rumen.

Keywords: Corn Grain; Holstein Steer; Particle Size; Ruminal Fermentation.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

We certify that there is no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of feeding Korean domestic corn by different grinding processing on body temperature of Holstein steers fed total mixed ration (TMR) as a basal. Treatments were TMR only (Control), TMR with whole corn grain (WC), TMR with coarsely ground corn grain (CC), and TMR with finely ground corn grain (FC), respectively.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changes in ruminal pH of Holstein steers fed total mixed ration (TMR) as a basal. Treatments were TMR only (Control, ●), TMR with whole corn grain (WC, ■), TMR with coarsely ground corn grain (CC, ▲), and TMR with finely ground corn grain (FC, ◆), respectively.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Changes in ruminal ammonia N of Holstein steers fed total mixed ration (TMR) as a basal. Treatments were TMR only (Control, ●), TMR with whole corn grain (WC, ■), TMR with coarsely ground corn grain (CC, ▲) and TMR with finely ground corn grain (FC, ◆), respectively.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Changes in ruminal volatile fatty acid of Holstein steers fed total mixed ration (TMR) as a basal. Treatments were TMR only (Control, ●), TMR with whole corn grain (WC, ■), TMR with coarsely ground corn grain (CC, ▲) and TMR with finely ground corn grain (FC, ◆), respectively.
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