Heat Stress on Lactating Holstein Friesian Cows

This study extended during July to August 2009 and aimed to evaluate the effect of using fibrolytic enzymes on reducing the effect of heat stress on milk yield and composition of lactating Holstein Friesian cows. Ambient temperatures and relative humidity were recorded three times every day at 7 am, 3 pm and 11 pm. Temperature was ranged from 33-36 ⁰C and the relative humidity was ranged from 52 to 56 %. Ninety-four Holstein lactating cows were randomly designed among two groups; the first group fed without Fibrozyme (control), the second group fed diet supplemented by 15 g Fibrozyme /head/day. Rectal temperature and respiratory rate was taken in 10 cows/group randomly weekly at 12 noon. An average of rectal temperature of the 10 cows in the control group was 40.5 ⁰C. while the 10 cows in the treated group performed 40.42⁰C. An average of respiratory rate was 82.6 breaths/minutes in the control group while it was 81.8 breaths per minute in the treated group. No significancy was detected although slight improve was recorded in both parameters in the treated group The results indicated that feed intake as dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrients (TDN), and net energy for lactation (NEL) tended to be greater (P≤0.001) for cows fed with Fibrozyme than those fed control diet. Milk production, fat corrected milk (FCM), fat yield, and total solids were significantly increased (29.37,28.67,  1.128 and 3.665 kg) for cows fed diet supplemented with Fibrozyme compared with 26.04, 23.40, 0.87 and 3.091 kg/h/day for cows fed control diet, respectively. While the yield of protein, lactose, and solids not fat were insignificant increase with Fibrozyme supplementation. Milk composition was not significantly affected by adding Fibrozyme, except  milk fat percentage was significantly increased (3.84) for cows receiving Fibrozyme compared with un-supplemented cows (3.32 %). feed conversion  as kg dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrients (TDN), and net energy for lactation (NEL) were significantly (P<0.008) improved for cows fed supplemented diet with Fibrozyme (0.990, 0.189, 0.611, and 1.570 kg, respectively in comparing with cows fed without supplementation (1.107, 0.211, 0.683, and 1.760 kg/kg FCM). Fibrozyme supplementation caused significant (P< 0.001, 0.12, 0.25, 0.0001) increase in serum total protein (9.93), glucose (58.55), Triiodothyronine (T3, 118.60), and total bilirubin (0.42) for if compared with cows fed without supplement (8.20 g/dl, 31.48 mg/dl, 64.88 ng/dl, and 0.16 mg/dl), but contents of albumin, ALT, AST, and urea were not significant. It is concluded that Fibrozyme supplement improved productivity of lactating cow under heat stress.

INTRODUCTION

Climate in Egypt is classified as subtropical climate; it is hot and arid for at least eight months in the year (Shawky et al 1996).

Heat stress occurs when an animal heat load is greater than its capacity to loss heat. The animal reacts with heat stress by several physiological changes include; increase of body temperature, increase in respiration rate, increased water consumption, decreased feed intake, slow rate of feed passage, slow blood flow to internal organs, altered the endocrine secretions and serious depression in productive and reproductive performances (Calamari et al 2007).

Holstein Friesian cow are suffering from heat stress in Egypt because they are not adapted to the local environmental condition (high temperature and humidity) in Egypt. As it is known that the productivity of Holstein Frisian breed under the Egyptian condition is lower than their productivity in the European Countries.

Several studies indicated that improve the environmental management can alleviate the depression in milk production, whereas cooling systems had been extensively done (Igono et al 1987, Armstrong, 1994 and Abd El-Kariem et al 2004).

Recent studies indicated that fibrolytic enzymes supplementation to ruminal rations improved productivity (Yang et al 1999 and Salem et al 2007). Adding exogenous enzymes to the diet increases the hydrolytic capacity of the rumen mainly due to increased bacterial attachment; stimulation of rumen microbial populations and synergistic effects with hydrolyses of ruminal microorganisms. The net effect is increase enzymatic activity in the rumen, which enhances digestibility of the diet (Beauchemin et al 1999).

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of use fibrolytic enzymes on reducing the effect of heat stress on milk yield and composition of dairy Holstein Friesian cows.

This study was conducted in a commercial dairy farm of Talaat Moustafa located in El-Noubaria, Bohaira, Egypt. The experiment extended during July to August 2009.  

Ninety Four lactating multiparous and primiparus Holstein cows were randomly designed among two groups; the first group un supplemented (control) and the second group supplemented with 15 g Fibrozyme /head/ day (enzyme blend prepared from fermentation extract and fermentation soluble of Aspergillus Niger and Trichoderma longibarachiatum, having xylanase activity min.100XU/g, Alltech inc.). Rectal temperature and respiratory rate was taken in 10 cows/group randomly weekly at 12 noon.

Cows in two groups were fed total mixed ration (TMR ), consisting of; Alfalfa hay, corn silage, Alfalfa forage, sunflower meal,  linseed meal, gluten meal, Soybean, yellow corn, limestone, vitamins, minerals, Protected fat (magnapac), sodium bicarbonate and  calcium di-phosphat (Table 1). Chemical composition of the ration is shown in Table (2).

During 14 days as a pre-trial period, cows were fed ration. Individual cows milk productions were monitored three times per day. Based on the results that obtained from this period, lactating cows were located randomly to two groups after being sorted by parity; the trial period lasted for 4 weeks.  Cows were fed as a group open fed, intaked with free access to water. The TMR calculated according to the animal body weight and milk yield (NRC, 2001). TMR mixed and fed using Delval mixer wagon (Table 1). Cows were milked 3 times daily at 4 am, 12 pm. and 8 pm in a Dobell 16-parallel milking parlor (De laval milk manager model sortie, rapid exit). Equipped with automatic cow identification, production recording, and automated detacher milker units  

Ambient temperatures and relative humidity were recorded three times every day at 7 am, 3 pm and 11 pm. Temperature was ranged from 33-36 ⁰C and the relative humidity was ranged from 52 to 56 %. 

Milk samples (20ml) were taken in the last week of the trial period. Samples were collected at 12 pm before feeding and kept at (-20 C) for analysis these samples were used to determine the percentages of each of the following components fat, protein, lactose and solids not-fat (SNF)

Blood samples were sampled in the last week of the trial period (about 10 ml.) from Jugular vein and serum was separated by centrifugation (20 min, 3000xg) and stored at -20C until analysis.

Proximate chemical analysis of total mixed ration as DM, OM, CP, EE, CF and Ash were determined according to methods of A.O.A.C (1995). Acid detergent fiber determined according to the procedure of van Soest et al. (1991) and neutral detergent fiber determined according to the procedure of Goering and Van Soest(1970). Milk composition was determined in the last week of the trial period using infrared method for fat, protein, lactose and SNF using Milk Analyzer (Bentley Instruments Inc, USA). The concentrations of serum Total protein, Albumen, GPT (ALT), GOT (AST), urea, alkaline phosphates (Es3.1.3.4), and Bilirubin were determined using commercial kits manufactured by Bio Diagnostic Company, Egypt.

Glucose determined according to   commercial kits manufactured by Diamond Diagnostic Company, Egypt.   Were Serum concentration of triiodothyronine (T3) was determined using commercial kits (COAT- A- COUNT Total T3) manufactured by Siemens Medical Solution Diagnostics company, USA.

Data of feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, feed conversion, and blood constituents were analyzed according to the completely randomized design using SAS (1999). Duncan test was employed to separate between means (Duncan 1955).

An average of rectal temperature of the 10 cows in the control group was 40.5 centigrates while the 10 cows in the treated group performed 40.42 C An average of respiratory rate was 82.6 breaths/minutes in the control group while it was 81.8 breaths per minute in the treated group. No significancy was detected although slight improve was recorded in both parameters in the treated group as shown in Table (3)

Table (4) showed that feed intake as dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and total digestible nutrients (TDN) tended to be greater (P≤0.001) for cows fed with Fibrozyme than those fed control diet.

Table 4.Effect of fibrolytic enzyme supplementation on feed intake of lactating cows.


a,b Means in the same row with different letters are different (p<0.001)

Associated with these result Ware. and Zinn., (2005) added Fibrozyme to the TMR ration of steers and they found that Fibrozyme supplementation increased NDF turnover rate and found that DMI and ADG of cattle were increased. Also, Ambrozio et al, (2001) reported that Fibrozyme supplementation to TMR of steers increased ruminal digestion of NDF and dietary crude protein. It also increased numerically but not significant starch digestion. Furthermore, associated with the previous result, Szasz, (2002) added Fibrozyme to yearling heifer's diet, and they found that DMI tended to be greater compared with the diet without Fibrozyme supplementation.When they added it to the forage portion of the diet( rye grass hay) Fibrozyme increased total tract digestion of NDF and ADF. Lewis et al., (1999) reported that feeding dairy cow with fibrolytic enzymes caused numerical increase (P>0.05) in DMI. Also, several researchers recorded increased DMI of dairy cows when fibrolytic enzymes was applied to forage before mixing with other ingredient     ( Lewis et al., 1996 and Stokes, 1992) or applied to TMR or concentrate diet ( Yang et al., 2000 and Bowman et al.(2002).

According to the previous results the numerical increase in DMI in the Fibrozyme group may be due to increased ruminal fiber digestion and total tract digestion because of the enzyme supplementation. The effects of fibrolytic enzymes on DMI appear to be differ among enzymes products and the method of applying of enzyme to diet (wit or dry ) and the portion of diet (TMR, forge , Concentrate ) (Yang et al., 2000). On the other hand, Pereria and Zinn., (2001) added the same product to diet of cross breed steers and they reported that Fibrozyme supplementation did not affect significantly fed intake. Also, Ahn et al. (2003) reported that adding Fibrolytic enzyme to dairy cow diet did not enhance DMI and no difference was recorded between cows fed treated diet or untreated diet with fibrolytic enzymes.  

Milk production, fat yield, fat corrected milk (FCM), and total solids were significantly increased (29.37, 1.128, 28.67 and 3.665 kg) for cows fed diet supplemented with Fibrozyme compared with 26.04, 0.865, 23.40, and 3.091 kg/h/day for cows fed control diet, respectively. While the yield of protein, lactose, and solids not fat were insignificantly increased with Fibrozyme supplementation (Table 5).     

Table  (5) Effect of Fibrozyme supplementation on milk yieldof cows.


a,b Means in the same row with different letters are different

These results are accepted with those found by Guerra et al. (2007) who used Fibrozyme in steer's diet containing Alfalfa hay and they reported that Fibrozyme supplementation increased net energy gain.  So that, these increases in milk yield with enzyme supplementation may be attributed to the increase in DMI and according to the previous results from several studies with Fibrozyme that may be due to improved utilization of nutrients in digestive tract and in rumen and increased gain of net energy.

Associated with result of Juan Manuel et al. (2005) adding Fibrozyme to dairy cow concentrate diet increased milk production. Furthermore, Mc Gillared and Stalling(1998) reported that Fibrolytic enzymes supplementation to dairy cow diet in hot summer causes increasing in milk production compared with cows fed untreated diet. In the same condition in Egypt, Mansour (2009) compared milk yield for two groups of Holstein dairy cows fed fibrolytic enzyme (Zado product) and without fibrolytic enzyme. He reported that milk yield was increased in group fed treated diet with enzyme compared with those fed untreated diet. Stokes. (1992) reported that when Fibrolytic enzymes were added to silage on dairy cow diet a significant increase in milk yield was recorded. Ahn et al. (2003) reported that adding Fibrolytic enzymes to dairy cow diet led to increased milk yield and these increase may be due to the improved efficiency of feed utilization. Associated with these result Chen et al. (1995) report that the efficiency of feed utilization (FCM/DMI) was higher for cows fed treated steam-flaking sorghum grain.

Milk composition

Milk composition was not significantly affected by adding Fibrozyme, except   milk fat percentage was significantly increased (3.84) for cows receiving Fibrozyme compared with un-supplemented cows (3.32 %) as shown in Table (5). The increasing in fat percentage may be due to the increasing of available energy and fatty acids for fat synthesis with adding fibrolytic enzymes (Stokes et al., 1992, Yang et al., 1999, and Mansour, 2009).  

 
a,b Means in the same row with different letters are different  

Gado et al. (2009) concluded that milk protein yield for Brown Swiss cows was (P<0.05) increased (0.57) for cows fed on ZADO^® supplemented diet compared with 0.45 kg/h/day for cows fed control diet. Reddish and Kung (2007) noticed no effect for fibrolytic enzymes addition (xylanase and cellulose) on milk composition of cow.

Lewis et al. (1999) added the fibrolytic enzyme mixture (xylanase and cellulose) to ration of Holstein cows, they reported that milk composition was not affected, while yields of  fat and protein was grater for cows fed forage with enzyme than for cows fed forage without enzyme. Knowlton et al. (2002) reported that concentrations of fat, protein, lactose and SNF of Holstein cows were unaffected by fibrolytic enzyme addition. Also Elwakeel et al. (2007) reported that all milk components of Holstein cows were not affected by addition of fibrolytic enzymes. Cristobal, (2004) found that milk composition for Manchega and Lacaune ewe were not affected by fibrolytic enzymes supplementation.

The results in Table (7) showed that feed conversion as kg dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrients (TDN), and net energy for lactation (NEL) were significantly improved for cows fed supplemented diet with Fibrozyme (0.990, 0.189, 0.611, and 1.570 kg, respectively in comparing with cows fed without supplementation (1.107, 0.211, 0.683, and 1.760 kg/kg FCM).

a,b Means in the same row with different letters are different  

Fibrozyme supplementation caused significant increase in serum total protein content (9.93), glucose (58.55), Triiodothyronine (T3, 118.60), and total bilirubin (0.42)  in compared with 8.20 g/dl, 31.48 mg/dl, 64.88 ng/dl, and 0.16 mg/dl for cows fed without supplement, but contents of albumin, ALT, AST, and urea caused numerically increased     but significant .

Table (8) Effect of Fibrozyme Supplementation on some blood parameters of lactating cows


a,b Means in the same row with different letters are different  

Mansour, (2007) used fibrolytic enzyme (ZADO product; consisted of cellulose, xylanase, alpha amylase and protease) to alleviate heat stress for lactating Friesian during summer, he reported that cows received matrix enzymes was significantly   higher in total protein, albumin, Glucose and Triiodothyronine hormone (T3)  concentrations compared with un-supplemented cows. Furthermore, Broderick et al. (1996) treated Alfalfa silage with four levels of fibrolytic enzymes mixture (xylanase and cellulase) and fed dairy cows, they found that the adding of fibrolytic enzymes did not influence blood glucose and urea in all levels. Also Viktor (2006) concluded that there was no significant difference in blood plasma glucose and AST concentrations for Holstein dairy cows fed diet supplemented with fibrolitic enzyme (xylanase).

Results obtained in this study suggested that adding fibrolytic enzymes help to improve dairy cattle productivity under heat tress condition

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