Influence of Using Various Levels of Protein Concentrate in Rations of Ayrshire Dairy Cows on Rumen Microbiome, Reproductive Traits and Economic Efficiency

Nikolai P Buryakov; Dmitrii E Aleshin; Maria A Buryakova; Anastasya S Zaikina; Georgy Y Laptev; Larisa A Ilina; Aleksandr S Petrov; Nikolay M Kostomakhin; Ahmed I El Sheikh; Ferial M Sahwan; Mohamed M Fathala

doi:10.3390/vetsci9100534

Influence of Using Various Levels of Protein Concentrate in Rations of Ayrshire Dairy Cows on Rumen Microbiome, Reproductive Traits and Economic Efficiency

Vet Sci. 2022 Sep 28;9(10):534. doi: 10.3390/vetsci9100534.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Feeding Animals, Institute of Animal Science and Biology, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, 127434 Moscow, Russia.
² Molecular Genetic Laboratory, BIOTROF+ Ltd., 196650 Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
³ Department of Large Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Saint-Petersburg State Agrarian University, Pushkin, 196601 Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
⁴ Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Hofuf 31982, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Animal Husbandry and Wealth Development Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 5410012, Egypt.

Abstract

Animal feeding research has revealed a close relationship between the chemical composition and nutritional value of cow rations, the number of rumen bacterial communities and animal productivity. Our present research aimed to investigate the outcome of inclusion of different levels of protein concentrate in rations of Ayrshire dairy cows in relation to the rumen microbiome, reproductive traits and economic value. Forty-five Ayrshire cows were divided into three groups (15 in each). The first control group 0 AM was fed the basal ration, while the second 1 AM and third 2 AM groups were fed the basic ration with the sunflower cake replaced by different levels of protein concentrate Agro-Matic (1 and 1.5 kg/head/day, respectively). Ruminal fluid samples, reproductive parameters and economic value were studied. During the early lactation period, 120 days in milk (DIM), the number of pathogenic microorganisms decreased in both the 1 AM and 2 AM groups when compared with the control group 0 AM; moreover, a significant decrease in Peptococcus bacteria was recorded in the 1 AM group, while Fusobacterium decreased in the 2 AM group. At the end of lactation, the total number of cellulolytic bacteria increased with the use of protein concentrate in animals of the 1 AM group when compared with the control group. Regarding undesirable bacteria, the 2 AM group recorded the highest value for Lactobacilli and Actinobacteria when compared with the 0 AM group (0.18 and 8.90 vs. 0.04 and 4.24), and the differences were significant (p < 0.05). The insemination index and the duration of the days open period decreased in the 2 AM group, while the differences were p > 0.05. The profitability of milk production increased by 2.76% and 6.28% in both supplemented groups, and the differences compared to the 0 AM group were significant. We conclude that the supplementation of Agro-Matic caused no deviations from the normal standards of cellulolytic, amylolytic, transit and pathogenic bacteria, no impact on reproductive functions and significantly improved the profitability of the milk production process of Ayrshire dairy cows.

Keywords: Ayrshire breed; economic efficiency; protein; ration; reproduction ability; rumen microbiome.

Grants and funding

Fathala, M.M., is funded by a postdoctoral research fellowship under the joint executive program between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Russian Federation. Aleshin, D.E. and Petrov, A.S. are funded by a postdoctoral research fellowship in Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia supporting the funding of this article.