Production, Management, and Environment I

Production, Management, and Environment I M201   Assessment of heat and methane production through infrared thermography in mid-lactation dairy cows. ...
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Production, Management, and Environment I M201   Assessment of heat and methane production through infrared thermography in mid-lactation dairy cows. A. R. Guadagnin1, V. Fischer*1, J. P. Matiello1, L. G. R. Pereira2, and F. S. Machado2, 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, 2Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. The aim of this study was to correlate skin temperature assessed through infrared thermography (IRT) with heat and methane production in lactation cows. Six Holstein and Gir (HG) crossbreed and 4 Holstein (H) mid-lactation cows (all primiparous) were evaluated for daily heat and methane production in respiratory chambers, and the IRT images were taken at 9 different body locations every hour during 8 h after feeding, during 5 d. IRT were taken of the anus, vulva, ribs (on the right side), left flank, right flank, right front foot, upper lip, masseter and eye. During the whole trial, cows received the same diet ad libitum and the daily milk yield and feed intake were recorded. The trial lasted 40 d, including previous adaptations of the animals to the respiratory chambers. Correlation analysis showed that daily methane production has strong correlation with IRT taken at the eye 6 h after feeding in HG cows (r = 0.85, P < 0.05) and with IRT taken at the eye 5 h after feeding in H cows (r = 0.88, P < 0.05). Also, heat production showed strong correlation with IRT taken at the right front foot 1 h after feeding in HG cows (0.85, P < 0.05) and with IRT taken at the eye 5 h after feeding in H cows (r = 0.90, P < 0.05). These results were further confirmed using regression analysis. IRT is effective in assessing heat production and methane production in Holstein and Holstein × Gir crossbreed lactation cows (Table 1). Table 1 (Abstr. M201).  Breed1 HG H2

R2

Regression equation H62

Methane production = 31,85 × Eye − 723 Heat production = 660.7 × Foot H13 − 4414.2 Methane production = 40.19 × Eye H54 − 1036.2 Heat production = 2282.8 × Eye H54 − 58478

1HG

= Holstein and Gyr crossbred; H = Holstein.

2IRT

taken at the eye on h 6 after the feeding.

3IRT

taken at the foot on h 1 after the feeding.

4IRT

taken at the eye on h 5 after the feeding.

0.72 0.72 0.74 0.82

Key Words: methane production, heat production, infrared thermography M202   Effect of a combination of natural additives to support milk production without harming the environment. A. P. D’Aurea1, L. B. Fernandes1, R. F. Godinho3, G. Desrousseaux*2, and R. Tozetto2, 1Research Center Premix Company, Patrocínio Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil, 2Laboratoires Phodé, Terssac, France, 3State University of Minas Gerais, Passos, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Concerned about sustainable production in Brazilian, Premix Company in partnership with Phodé, developed a combination of specific natural additives for high production dairy cows. To improve production without affecting the environment, a blend of natural additives (NA) was composed by the association of Fator P (Premix, Brazil) + VeO Premium (Phodé, France). Fator P is composed of amino acids, minerals, probiot-

J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 101, Suppl. 2

ics and essential fatty acids. VeO Premium is a neuro-sensory solution mainly composed of a specific extract from the Rutaceae family. The experiment was carried out in a Brazilian farm during spring, where 104 mid-lactation multiparity Holstein cows were used, with a mean production of 38.28 ± 0.355 kg/d. Milk production, dry matter intake, feed efficiency and temperature and humidity index were evaluated over the days. To follow the effects of the use of NA were used 4 periods of 20 d each. For the first 20 d of the evaluation the group did not receive NA (−20 to 0). Then NA was fed for 60 d, divided into 3 periods (0 to 20, 20 to 40, and 40 to 60 d with additives). The average of periods were compared using Tukey test with 5% significance. Supplementation of NA increased milk yield (P < 0.001) and improved feed efficiency (P < 0.001) after 20 d of use. Period 0 to 20 may represent the adaptation time of ruminal microbiota to NA. Dry matter intake decreased (P = 0.005) in period 20 to 40 while THI tended to be higher (P = 0.06; Table 1). The NA can improve milk production even in heat stress. Results suggest that NA has the potential to be a natural alternative to support performance of high-production dairy cows without harming the environment. Table 1 (Abstr. M202). Effect of natural additives on dairy performance Days with additives −20 to 0 (no additive) 0 to 20 20 to 40 40 to 60 P-value SEM a,bMeans 1THI

DMI, kg/d 25.06a 25.14a 24.11b 25.19a 0.005 0.14

Milk production, kg/d 38.28b 38.09b 40.54a 41.36a