Saeedi S, Dayani O, Tahmasbi R, Khezri A
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2017 Feb;101(1):81-87. doi: 10.1111/jpn.12511. Epub 2016 Mar 28.
The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects on performance, weaning age and rumen fermentation characteristics in Holstein calves when fennel powder was added to their starter diets. Thirty Holstein calves with a mean birth weight 40 kg (SD = 0.5) were allocated randomly to one of the following experimental diets: (i) control (starter diet without fennel powder), (ii) starter diet containing 0.4% of fennel powder and (iii) starter diet containing 0.8% of fennel powder (DM basis). The effect of treatments on mean dry matter intake was significant (p < 0.05) in the post-weaning and total experimental periods. Average daily weight gain before (0.38, 0.49 and 0.47 kg/day) and after (0.6, 1.01 and 0.83 kg/day) weaning and during the entire study (0.45, 0.7 and 0.58 kg/day) was influenced by diets of 1, 2 and 3, respectively (p < 0.05). Maximum daily weight gain and the best feed conversion ratio were achieved with 0.4% fennel powder. Mean weaning age of the calves supplemented with fennel powder was lower (p < 0.05) than that of the control group. Ruminal fluid pH in calves offered starter containing 0.8% fennel powder was lower (p < 0.05) compared to calves fed the other diets. Ammonia nitrogen content increased (p < 0.05) in the third week of feeding fennel powder. The mean concentration of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and propionate molar percentage in the ruminal fluid of the calves fed with the fennel powder were higher (p < 0.05) at 6 weeks and 2 weeks after weaning than control group; however, acetate-to-propionate molar ratio was lower (p < 0.05). The results showed that adding 0.4% fennel powder to the starter increased the propionate molar percentage in the rumen and improved the calf performance, allowing the calves to be weaned at an earlier age.
本实验的目的是研究在荷斯坦犊牛的开食料中添加茴香粉对其生产性能、断奶年龄和瘤胃发酵特性的影响。30头平均出生体重40千克（标准差 = 0.5）的荷斯坦犊牛被随机分配到以下实验日粮之一：（i）对照组（不添加茴香粉的开食料），（ii）含有0.4%茴香粉的开食料，以及（iii）含有0.8%茴香粉的开食料（以干物质计）。在断奶后和整个实验期，处理对平均干物质采食量的影响显著（p < 0.05）。日粮1、2和3分别影响断奶前（0.38、0.49和0.47千克/天）、断奶后（0.6、1.01和0.83千克/天）以及整个研究期间（0.45、0.7和0.58千克/天）的平均日增重（p < 0.05）。添加0.4%茴香粉时达到最大日增重和最佳饲料转化率。添加茴香粉的犊牛平均断奶年龄低于对照组（p < 0.05）。与饲喂其他日粮的犊牛相比，饲喂含有0.8%茴香粉开食料的犊牛瘤胃液pH较低（p < 0.05）。在饲喂茴香粉的第三周，氨氮含量增加（p < 0.05）。与对照组相比，在断奶后6周和2周时，饲喂茴香粉的犊牛瘤胃液中总短链脂肪酸（SCFA）的平均浓度和丙酸摩尔百分比更高（p < 0.05）；然而，乙酸与丙酸的摩尔比更低（p < 0.05）。结果表明，在开食料中添加0.4%茴香粉可提高瘤胃中丙酸摩尔百分比并改善犊牛生产性能，使犊牛能够更早断奶。
