The Effect Of Fumaric Acid Supplement On Performance And Methane Emission Of Dairy Cows

The experiment was conducted to study the effects of fumaric acid on the performance, metabolic parameters, blood index and methane emission and the optimal dose of Holstein cows during mid and late lactatation period. This dissertation included the following two sections:Section one: The effect of dietary fumaric acid supplement on performance,digestive and metabolism parameters and blood index of dairy cows.Single factor randomized block experimental design was adopted. Twenty multiparous healthly Chinese Holstein cows in mid and late lactatation period with similar milk yield and parturition date were selected and assigned randomly into 4 groups each with 5 replicates. The fumaric acid contents in the experimental ration were dividedly 0g/d, 40 g/d, 80 g/d or 120 g/d of the concentrate. The experiment lasted 45 days.The results indicated that: (1) Dry matter intake (DMI) and the feed efficiency (4%FCM/DMI) were unaffected by diet (P>0.05);(2) The milk yields (fumaric acid supplement at 40g/d, 80g/d or 120g/d, separately) were respectively higher 3.49%(P>0.05), 3.70%(P>0.05), 4.23%(P>0.05) than that of the control group; FCM yield was separately increased 4.62%(P>0.05), 4.51%(P>0.05), 4.62%(P>0.05) than the control diet, but no significant difference appeared among the treatment groups(P>0.05); (3) The apparent digestibility of nutrients tended to be higher with fumaric acid supplement(P>0.05), but no significant difference was found among the treatment groups (P>0.05); (4) The percentages of milk fat, protein, lactose, milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and the yield of non-fat solid tended to increase by diet (P>0.05).The yield of protein were increased 3.17%(P>0.05), 4.76%(P>0.05) or 6.35%(P<0.05), and the yield of lactose were increased 4.49%(P>0.05), 5.62%(P<0.05), 6.74%(P<0.05) for cows with fumaric acid supplement than the control group; (5) Fumaric acid supplement separately decreased the content of serum LD, sugar(GLU), urea nitrogen(BUN). Comparing with the control group, the serum LD content was seperatelly decreased 0.13mmol/L(P<0.05), 0.13 mmol/L(P<0.05), 0.11mmol/L(P<0.05); the serum sugar content was seperatelly decreased 0.22mmol/L(P>0.05),0.25mmol/L(P>0.05), 0.29mmol/L(P>0.05) ; The serum urea nitrogen content was decreased 0.15mmol/L(P>0.05), 0.01mmol/L(P>0.05), or 0.14mmol/L(P>0.05).But the contents of triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(CHO) and lactic dehydrogenase(LDH-L) in serum were not influenced (P>0.05).(6) The income of feeding a cow was separately increased 1.92 RMB/d, 1.93RMB/d or 1.51RMB/d with fumaric acid supplement at the dose of 40g/d, 80g/d or 120g/d.Section two: The effect of different levels fumaric acid supplement on methane emission of dairy cows.Four primiparous healthly Holstein Dry cow were selected in a replicated 4×4 Latin square design, and were assigned randomly into 4 groups. Fumaric acid contents in the experimental ration were dividedly 0g/d, 40 g/d, 80 g/d or 120 g/d of the concentrate. There were four 15-d periods. The results indicated that methane emission (fumaric acid supplement at 40g/d, 80g/d or 120g/d, separately) were separately decreased 6.51%(P<0.01), 12.44%(P<0.01), 7.36%(P<0.01)than the control group.Therefore, supplementing fumaric acid in diet could increase DMI, apparent digestibility, performance and milk quality, while reduce methane emission.