Summary
This experimental study evaluated the substitution of corn silage with a fermented cotton straw-apple pomace mixture in beef cattle diets, examining effects on growth performance and rumen function. Whilst the fermented mixture altered rumen microbial community structure and metabolite profiles, including elevated ferulic acid concentrations, it resulted in significant reductions in average daily gain (25.42%), dry matter intake (18.79%), volatile fatty acids (9.63–17.01%), and fibrolytic enzyme activities. The findings suggest that whilst agricultural by-product fermentation may modulate rumen metabolism, the formulation tested was nutritionally inferior to conventional silage for beef cattle performance metrics.
Regional applicability
The findings are relevant to UK livestock producers seeking to utilise agricultural by-products and reduce feed costs, though the negative impact on growth performance and feed intake suggests this particular fermented mixture requires reformulation before practical adoption. Further work optimising the fermented product's nutritional profile and investigation of its suitability under different UK production systems would be needed.
Key measures
Average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), ruminal volatile fatty acids (VFAs), cellulase activity, hemicellulase activity, cellobiohydrolase activity, bacterial relative abundances (Anaeroplasma, Pyramidobacter, Anseongella, Holdemania, Acetoanaerobium), rumen metabolite profiles, ferulic acid concentrations, Spearman correlations between microbial taxa and performance metrics
Outcomes reported
The study measured growth performance (average daily gain and dry matter intake), rumen fermentation parameters (volatile fatty acids), fibrolytic enzyme activities, rumen bacterial community composition, and metabolite profiles in beef cattle fed either conventional corn silage or a fermented cotton straw-apple pomace mixture.
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