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. 2021 Nov 2;16(11):e0259414.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259414. eCollection 2021.

Feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and selected rumen parameters in feedlot bulls fed diets with different feed additives

Breno de Castro Silva  1 , Marcos Vinicius Carneiro Pacheco  1 , Letícia Artuzo Godoi  1 , Gilyard Angelo Pinheiro de Souza  1 , Nathália Veloso Trópia  1 , Pauliane Pucetti  1 , Flávia Adriane de Sales Silva  1 , Ana Clara Baião Menezes  2 , Luciana Navajas Rennó  1 , Mário Fonseca Paulino  1 , Jon Patrick Schoonmaker  3 , Sebastião de Campos Valadares Filho  1
Affiliations

Feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and selected rumen parameters in feedlot bulls fed diets with different feed additives

Breno de Castro Silva et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the feed intake, nutrient digestibility and selected rumen parameters in feedlot bulls fed diets containing different feed additives. Six rumen-cannulated Nellore bulls (age = 8 ± 1.0 months; initial BW = 225 ± 13.2 kg) were distributed in a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Six experimental diets based on 30% corn silage and 70% concentrate on a dry matter (DM) basis were evaluated. Diets differed in feed additive on a DM basis, as follows: 1.4% bicarbonate and magnesium oxide in 3:1 ratio (BOX); 36 ppm lasalocid sodium (LAS); 30 ppm monensin sodium (MON); 25 ppm virginiamycin (VIR); 30 ppm monensin sodium plus 25 ppm virginiamycin (MV); and 3.15% commercial mineral supplement containing D-limonene and exogenous α-amylase (EOA). The experiment lasted 144 d, with six periods of 24 d. Each period consisted of 14 d for dietary adaptation, 3 d for feces and urine collection, and 7 d for omasal and ruminal digesta collection. Bulls fed the BOX diet showed greater (P < 0.05) intake of DM, organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (apNDF), crude protein (CP), and starch compared to the other diets. Diets with LAS, MON, VIR, MV, or EOA did not influence (P > 0.05) the DM, OM, apNDF, CP, or starch intake of feedlot bulls. Bulls fed the EOA diet showed greater (trend; P = 0.09) ruminal digestibility of starch compared to the other diets. The feed additives did not affect (P > 0.05) the intestinal or total tract digestibility of starch, rumen pH, microbial efficiency, total rumen fluid, dilution rate, rate of intake, rate of degradation, or passage rate of the DM, OM, apNDF, and starch. In conclusion, LAS, MON, VIR, MV, and EOA diets reduced nutrient intake compared to BOX. Although all feed additives presented similar effects on rumen pH, temperature, and kinetics the presence of exogenous α-amylase in the EOA diet may increase ruminal starch digestibility and apparent total tract digestibility of DM and OM.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: The DSM Produtos Nutricionais Brasil S.A., Zoetis Inc., and Phibro Animal Health supplied the feed additives utilized in this project. There are no employment, consultancy, patents or products in development to declare. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Experimental period scheme.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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