Four rumen-cannulated primiparous lactating cows were studied in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment to evaluate the effects of propolis-based products (PBP) with different concentrations of propolis and alcohol levels on total digestibility, (TD), ruminal digestibility (RD), intestinal digestibility (ID), pH, ruminal ammonia-nitrogen production (NH3-N), rumen microbial synthesis, and blood parameters. The feed consisted of 591.9 g/kg corn silage and 408.1 g/kg concentrate (dry matter [DM] basis), and treatments differed with regard to the inclusion (via ruminal cannula) or exclusion of PBP as follows: control (without the PBP), PBP B1 (3.81 mg of phenolic compounds/kg of ingested DM), PBP C1 (3.27 mg of phenolic compounds/kg of ingested DM), and PBP C3 (1.93 mg of phenolic compounds/kg of ingested DM). Inclusion of PBP reduced the RD of dietary crude protein (CP). Treatment PBP C1 reduced ruminal NH3-N production, while PBP B1 increased the ID of CP relative to that in the control. These findings indicate that propolis had a positive effect on rumen nitrogen metabolism. Rumen pH, efficiency of microbial protein synthesis, and blood parameters were not affected by addition of PBP, but there were significant effects on the other parameters when the treatments containing propolis were contrasted. Higher TD of DM (0.717 vs. 0.685), OM (0.737 vs. 0.703), and CP (0.760 vs. 0.739), as well as higher NDF (0.622 vs. 0.558) and TDN (0.747 vs. 0.712) were observed when comparing PBP C1 with C3. Inclusion of propolis in diets for dairy cows have positive effects on protein metabolism in the rumen. Variation in the amounts of phenolic compounds in the different PBP may explain the diverse effects on the digestive parameters evaluated.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the milk production, composition, milk fatty acid profile, butter texture and blood parameters of Holstein cows fed corn silage and concentrate containing one of the following: ground sunflower seeds; ground sunflower seeds treated with 50 g of lignosulfonate/kg of sunflower dry matter; pelleted sunflower seeds; or ground sunflower seeds pelleted and treated with 50 g of lignosulfonate/kg of sunflower dry matter. Four lactating cows were used, each with 130±28 days in lactation and a body weight of 569±63 kg. These animals were distributed in a Latin square design with four periods of 21 days each, with 14 days of adaptation and seven days of data collection. The diets were formulated to meet nutritional requirements and had a forage:concentrate ratio of 60:40. The milk fat was lower in the pelleted treatments. The concentrations of 16:1 n-11 and trans18:1 n-9 in the milk increased, and the n-6:n-3 ratio was higher for the pelleted treatments. The firmness and adhesiveness of the butter and the blood parameters analyzed were not affected by the treatments. Addition of lignosulfonate is not effective in protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids from the ruminal biohydrogenation process, and the pelleting process has little effect on the milk fatty acid profile and can not change the butter texture.

The objective of this study was to evaluate intake, in vitro and apparent digestibility and ruminal parameters of Holstein cows that were confined and fed corn silage and concentrate containing: ground sunflower seeds (GS); ground sunflower seeds treated with 5% lignosulfonate (GSL); pelleted sunflower seeds (PS); or ground and pelleted sunflower seeds treated with lignosulfonate (PSL). Four lactating cows with 130±28 days of lactation and body weights of 569±63 kg were used. These animals were distributed in a Latin square design with four diets and four periods of 21 days each. There were no differences in the intakes (% body weight) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), mineral matter (MM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) or acid detergent fiber (ADF). The apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE, NDF, ADF and NFC were similar for all the diets, with a tendency towards decreased CP digestibility for all the pelleted diets (65.79%) compared with the non-pelleted diets (69.66%). A negative effect of lignosulfonate was observed for the in vitro digestibility (IVD) of DM, and a negative tendency was observed for the IVD of OM. Pelleting decreased the concentration of acetic acid (55.95 × 58.82 mM) in rumen fluid. There was no effect of diet on pH (6.17) or ammonia nitrogen concentration (18.19 mg/dL). Pelleting and lignosulfonate do not promote the protective effect of sunflower seed nutrients as expected, and it may be more feasible to provide ground sunflower seed.

Four multiparous Holstein cows averaging 548 kg of body weight and 74 d in lactation were used in a Latin square design with four 21-d experimental periods to determine effects of feeding extruded versus non-extruded canola seed, with or without 50 g/kg lignosulfonate on rumen fermentation, nutrient flow to the omasum, and degradability of dry matter (DM) and N of each diet. The DM effective degradability increased with extrusion and lignosulfonate treatment had no effect. The effective degradability of N was similar between diets. Lignosulfonate treatment of extruded versus non-extruded canola seeds decreased ruminal and total tract apparent digestibility of organic matter. The lowest apparent ruminal and highest intestinal digestibilities of protein, expressed as a percentage of N intake were observed for cows fed extruded canola seeds without lignosulfonate. Lignosulfonate treatment and extrusion had no effect on pH and concentrations of ammonia N and volatile fatty acids in the rumen. Results suggest that extruded canola seed untreated with formaldehyde may stimulate efficiency of microbial protein synthesis and is an effective means of increasing the availability of protein in the small intestine without affecting the total tract apparent digestibility of protein.