TITLE:
Evaluating Fecal Sieving Tool as an Indicator of Feed Valorization and the Impact of Feeding Strategy on Dairy Cow Performance under Farm Conditions
AUTHORS:
Nizar Salah, Héloïse Legendre, Laurine Faivre, Maxime Briche, Raphael Gourdon, Valentin Nenov
KEYWORDS:
Feces Sieving, Yeast Probiotic, Dairy Cow, Milk, Particle Size
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.14 No.10,
October
27,
2023
ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a faeces sieving tool “Digescan” as an indicator of feed valorization, and to test the influence of feeding strategy on fecal particle size (PS) distribution and weight, milk performance and the possible association between them. Data from 95 trials were used. During each trial, two periods were identified: before and during live yeast probiotic (LYP) supplementation. The LYP used at 5 g/d/cow was Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CNCM I-4407, 1010 CFU/g, Actisaf® Sc47; Phileo by Lesaffre, France). Milk yield and composition were recorded. Fecal samples were taken at the end of each period and sieved with a set of two wire-mesh screens with pore sizes of 5 mm and 2 mm under running tap water. Yeast probiotic supplementation significantly reduced (P 5 mm was accompanied by 1.2 and 0.65 kg/d decrease in MY, 2.5 and 2 kg/d decrease in ECM and 3.2 and 2.6 kg/d in FCM before and during LYP supplementation, respectively. Fecal particle distribution appears to be a practicable tool to predict influences of feeding systems on feed valorization and performance in dairy cows. Live yeast increases dairy performance and decreases the quantity of fecal particles remaining in the two sieves after rinsing.