Reconstituted and ensiled corn or sorghum grain: Impacts on dietary nitrogen fractions, intake, and digestion sites in young Nellore bulls

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 7;15(8):e0237381. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237381. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted: (1) to evaluate the effect of ensiling time and grain source on dietary nitrogen fractions; and (2) to verify the influence of concentrate level, processing method and grain source on intake, microbial efficiency, and digestibility by young Nellore bulls. In Experiment 1, corn and sorghum grains were milled, reconstituted to 35% moisture, and ensiled in a bag silo for 10 different times. There were three replications per ensiling time and grain source. Samples from each replication were analyzed in triplicate for total nitrogen (N), non-protein nitrogen (NPN), soluble N, insoluble N, and neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen (NDIN). In Experiment 2, five Nellore bulls were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Four diets were comprised of 28.4% corn silage, 10.7% supplement, and 60.9% dry ground corn, dry ground sorghum, reconstituted and ensiled corn, or reconstituted and ensiled ground sorghum. An additional diet comprised of 45% corn silage, 10.7% supplement, and 44.3% dry ground corn (Roughage+) was used. Each experimental period lasted 22 days, with an adaptation period of 14 days followed by 5 days of total feces and urine collection and 3 days of collecting omasal samples. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4. The reconstitution and ensiling process reduced (P < 0.05) the insoluble N fraction, increased (P < 0.05) non-protein nitrogen of corn and sorghum grains, tended (P = 0.052) to increase microbial efficiency, and increased (P < 0.05) intestinal and total digestion of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and starch. The concentrate level affected neither (P > 0.05) DM intake nor rumen pH. On the other hand, bulls fed diets based on 72% concentrate showed greater (P < 0.05) DM, OM, and CP digestibility compared with those fed a diet based on 55% concentrate. In addition, animals fed diets based on corn grains (both reconstituted and ensiled or dry) presented greater (P < 0.05) intestinal and total starch digestion compared to those fed sorghum grain. Therefore, the reconstitution process can reduce the insoluble N fraction and increase nutrient availability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Diet*
  • Digestion*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Male
  • Nitrogen / analysis*
  • Rumen / chemistry
  • Sorghum / chemistry*
  • Zea mays / chemistry*

Substances

  • Nitrogen

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - http://cnpq.br (CNPq), the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais - http://www.fapemig.br (FAPEMIG), the Instituto Nacional de Ciênciae Tecnologia - Ciência Animal (INCT-CA) - http://inct.cnpq.br/web/inct-ca, and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - http://www.capes.gov.br (CAPES). The Cargill Animal Nutrition/Nutron Company provided support for the study in the form of salary for author PVRP. The Cargill Animal Nutrition/Nutron Company also donated the grains used in the study. The specific roles of the authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. The funding agencies had no other role in the study design, data collection, and analyses, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.