Effect of dietary supplementation with Solid-State Biofermented (SSB) Pauteña cane on crossbred cows in Pastaza, Ecuador

W O Caicedo^1,3, Johana Lapo¹, Camila Jaramillo¹, Olivier Meric², Leticia Cahuana² and L M Borras-Sandoval⁴

¹ Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Puyo, Pastaza, Ecuador
orlando.caicedo@yahoo.es
² Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Puyo, Pastaza, Ecuador
³ Agroveterinaria Caicedos, parroquia Tarqui, Puyo, Pastaza, Ecuador
⁴ Grupo de Investigación en Bioquímica y Nutrición Animal (GIBNA), Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia UPTC, Avenida Central del Norte, vía Paipa, Tunja 150003, Boyacá, Colombia

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate milk production in crossbred cows supplemented with solid-state biofermented (SSB) Pauteña cane under the conditions of Pastaza, Ecuador. For this purpose, a SSB process was carried out using a mixture of cane, banana orito (known as baby banana), wheat bran, magnesium sulfate, calcium carbonate, urea, mineral salt, molasses, and a microbial preparation (MP). Between days 5 and 10, the chemical characteristics of the feed were verified: pH, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extract (EE), ash, calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P). To assess daily milk production (DMP), a total of 15 crossbred cows (Holstein x Jersey x Normande x Brown Swiss) with an average weight of 550 ± 5 kg were used. These cows were randomly distributed into three treatment groups: Control (50% chopped cane + 50% commercial concentrate); SSB 50% + 50% chopped cane; and SSB 100%. Between days 5 and 10 of the study, the SSB showed good nutritional composition in terms of pH (6.27 and 6.25), DM (38.23 and 39.75%), CP (7.57 and 7.21%), CF (14.85 and 14.56%), ash (10.78 and 10.80%), EE (1 and 1%), P (0.0757 and 0.0774 mg g DM^-1) and Ca (0.263 and 0.309 mg g DM^-1). The DMP results showed significant differences (p≤0.05) between the treatments during the evaluation weeks. SSB presented the highest production, while the Control group showed the lowest DMP and remained stable throughout the 4 weeks of evaluation. Supplementation with SSB cane and gramalote (Axonopus scoparius), grazing improved milk production in Holstein x Jersey x Normande x Brown Swiss crossbred cows, providing an energy-protein supplement of optimal nutritional quality for cows in the production stage under the conditions of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Keywords: alternative feed, Ecuadorian Amazon, fermentation, crop by-products, dairy cows

Introduction

Milk production is a fundamental economic activity that sustains the livelihoods of many families in Ecuador and the province of Pastaza. However, the predominant pasture in this region is gramalote (Axonopus scoparius), which has high moisture content and low nutritional value. It is harvested once a year and adapts to waterlogged soils with poor drainage, typical of this area. On the other hand, the quality and quantity of milk produced depend largely on the adequate feeding and management of dairy cows. A balanced nutrition ensures the health and well-being of the animals and maximizes their productive potential. In this context, dairy producers face the constant challenge of improving production costs. Efficient use of resources, such as forages and pastures, becomes crucial for optimizing livestock feeding and reducing expenses. However, it is necessary to resort to supplementation to optimize production, positively impacting the profitability of dairy farms (Rodríguez-Salgado et al 2021).

Moreover, the Pauteña variety of sugarcane is a crop adapted to the subtropical conditions of the Ecuadorian Amazon. In the province of Pastaza, sugarcane cultivation has emerged as a significant agricultural activity (Valle-Ramírez et al 2021), particularly for its use in producing jaggery and animal feed. The latter has been well-received by local cattle farmers.

However, due to the lack of an efficient preservation process for this feed resource, producers must harvest and chop the cane daily to prevent alcoholic fermentation. In this context, solid-state biofermentation technology SSB could be employed to preserve and enhance the nutritional content of this resource. SSB is notable for its preservation with beneficial microbes and has good energy and protein content (Diaz et al 2014; Borras-Sandoval and Torres-Vidales 2016). It also improves nutrient consumption and digestibility in livestock, offering a sustainable supplementation alternative compared to other conserved forages. Borras-Sandoval et al (2017) mention that SSB can maintain its nutritional and organoleptic characteristics at pH values between 4 and 6, which are higher than those of traditional silage. Additionally, this feed can withstand slight oxygen exchange, and drying materials can be added to its formulation to improve concentration, reaching values between 40 and 70%. This environment provides a favorable setting for inhibiting the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, thus preserving the nutrients of the fermented feed. Based on this context, the objective of this research was to evaluate milk production in crossbred cows supplemented with SSB of Pauteña cane under the conditions of Pastaza, Ecuador.

Materials and methods

Experiment location

The research was conducted in two stages: 1) the determination of nutritional composition was carried out in the Bromatology Laboratory of the Universidad Estatal Amazónica; 2) the evaluation of milk production was conducted at the "Santa Marianita" livestock farm, located in the 10 de Agosto parish, Pastaza canton, Pastaza province. The study site is located between 76° 40' and 78° 10' West longitude and between 1° 10' and 2° 35' South latitude, with an annual precipitation ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 mm, temperatures between 18 and 33 °C, and relative humidity from 75.2 to 89.9% (INAMHI 2014).

Inoculum preparation

To prepare the inoculum, a clean 50-liter plastic container was used. The mixture included 10% cane molasses, 1% urea, 0.2% magnesium sulfate, 1% vitamin and mineral premix, 2% lactic bacteria culture, and 85.8% drinking water. The mixture was homogenized for 3 minutes. The tank was then placed under a roof at room temperature and stirred three times a day (7 am, 12 pm, 18 pm) for 3 days before use.

Preparation of Pauteña cane SSB

For the preparation of SSB, Pauteña variety cane was used, harvested one day prior and sourced from a 15-month-old cultivar in the 10 de Agosto parish. The mature stalks had an approximate diameter of 6 cm, and the cutting was done 2 cm above the ground, with the leaves removed. The baby banana fruit was obtained in the Puyo parish. Wheat bran, vitamin and mineral premix, molasses, calcium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, and urea were purchased from agricultural and chemical supply stores in Puyo.

Subsequently, the cane and baby banana were chopped using a PEC7K chopper and immediately placed in a mixer. The remaining components (wheat bran, vitamin and mineral premix, molasses, calcium carbonate, and microbial inoculum) were added, and the mixture was homogenized for 3 minutes. The mixture was then packed into 6-inch black bags with a capacity of 40 kg, sealed non-hermetically (Photo 1), and left to ferment from 5 to 10 days before being supplied to the animals.

Animal management and treatment application

Fifteen crossbred cows (Holstein x Jersey x Normande x Brown Swiss) weighing 550 ± 5 kg were used and randomly assigned to three treatment groups: Control (50% chopped cane + 50% commercial concentrate); SSB 50% + 50% chopped cane; and SSB 100%. Subsequently, a 10-day adaptation period to the consumption of the supplements was conducted before data collection. The SSB supplement used in this study was based on a 10-day preparation period, as the acceptance level of the animals for the 5-day SSB was low. The supplements were provided once a day, in the morning (7 am) during milking, at a rate of 6 g per kg of live weight. Following this, the supplementation regimen allowed the cows to engage in free grazing on gramalote (Axonopus scoparius). The study cows underwent a 10-day adaptation to the experimental diets.

Milk production evaluation

For data collection, each cow was identified by ear tag number and/or treatment group, and data were collected over 4 weeks. Milk extraction was performed using a portable milker from the DELTA Milking brand to optimize milk extraction. Records were taken individually using 2-liter measuring containers, and after quantification, the milk was poured into 30-liter milk cans.

Experimental design and statistical analysis

A completely randomized design with three treatments and five replications per treatment was used. The analysis of the results was performed using the statistical software InfoStat, version 2020 (Di Rienzo et al 2020). The comparison of means was conducted using Duncan's test (1955) with a significance level of 5%.

Results and discussion

The SSB of Pauteña cane between 5 and 10 days showed good chemical composition in terms of pH, DM, CP, CF, EE, Ca, and P (Table 1).

In SSB processes, the use of microbial inoculum mixtures and drying materials ensures the production of energy-protein feeds with greater stability, palatability, and nutritional quality (Ramos et al 2007; Borras-Sandoval et al 2017; Álvarez et al 2024). Similar behavior in terms of nutritional composition is evident in other solid-state fermentation processes. For example, with SSB of rice bran (Cárdenas et al 2008), SSB of pear (Pulido-Suarez et al 2016), SSB of potato waste (Borras-Sandoval et al 2017), and SSB of carrot (Fonseca-López et al 2018), improvements in the nutritional profile and conservation of alternative feeds were achieved. This method of producing SSB feed differs from traditional silage because the process partially resists aeration and low moisture, without the risk of contamination by putrefactive microorganisms such as Clostridium (Borras-Sandoval et al 2020).

Table 2 shows the daily milk production (DMP) in crossbred cows supplemented with SSB of Pauteña cane. The trend of increased DMP was significant (P≤0.05) from the first to the fourth week of sampling. The best production was obtained with the SSB treatment, which surpassed the control by 1.40 kg d^-1, 2.44 kg d^-1, 3.89 kg d^-1, and 4.34 kg d^-1, respectively.

Milk production increased significantly with the dietary supplementation of SSB compared to the control treatment, which is the most commonly used supplement in the dairy sector of the Pastaza canton. Furthermore, Elías (1983) and Horn and McCollum (1987) state that the supply of energy-protein supplements at a rate of 6 g per kg of live weight is an ideal amount to stimulate the digestion and consumption of pastures without disturbing ruminal cellulolysis. Additionally, Borras-Sandoval et al (2017, 2020) indicate that in the SSB process, alternative feeds acquire prebiotic and probiotic properties, providing an economically viable technology for cattle feeding under pasture and/or stall conditions.

Conclusions

• The Pauteña variety of sugarcane processed by SSB showed good nutritional composition in terms of DM, CP, CF, Ca, and P.
  
  
• Supplementation with SSB cane and gramalote (Axonopus scoparius), grazing improved milk production in Holstein x Jersey x Normande x Brown Swiss crossbred cows, providing an energy-protein supplement of optimal nutritional quality for cows in the production stage under the conditions of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

References

Álvarez A, Rache L Y, Chaparro S, Brijaldo M H, Borras L M and Martínez J J 2024 Solid-State Fermentation of Mucuna deeringiana Seed Flour Using Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus. Fermentation, 10: 396. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10080396

Borrás-Sandoval L M and Torres-Vidales G 2016 Producción de alimentos para animales a través de fermentación en estado sólido – FES. ORINOQUIA, 20(2): 47-54. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/896/89650870010.pdf

Borrás-Sandoval L, Valiño-Cabrera E and Rodríguez-Molano C 2017 Preparado microbiano con actividad ácido láctica como acelerante biológico en los procesos de fermentación para alimento animal. Revista Ciencia y Agricultura, 14(1): 7-13.

Borrás-Sandoval L, Torres-Vidales G, Mora-Arias J and Aguirre-Mendoza L 2020 Efecto de un preparado microbiano con actividad ácido-láctica en los indicadores productivos de pollos de engorde. CEDAMAZ Revista del Centro de Estudio y Desarrollo de la Amazonia, 10(2): 27-31

Cárdenas J R, Aranda E M, Hernández D, Lagunes L C, Ramos J A and Salgado S 2008 Obtención de un alimento fermentado en estado sólido a partir del bagacillo de retorno, pulido de arroz e inóculos. Su utilización en la alimentación animal. Revista Cubana de Ciencia Agrícola, 42(2): 173-176. http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=193015494009

Díaz B, Elías A and Valiño E 2014 Consorcios microbianos con actividad ácido-láctica promisoria aislados desde inoculantes bacterianos nativos para ensilajes. Rev. Ciencia y Agricultura. 2014; 11(1): 17-25. DOI: http://doi.org/10.19053/01228420.3484

Duncan D B 1955 Multiple Range and Multiple F Tests. Biometrics, 11(1): 1-42. DOI 10.2307/3001478

Elías A 1983 Digestión de pastos y forrajes tropicales. En: Los pastos en cuba, tomo 2, Utilización, Capítulo IV. Ed. EDICA. La Habana, Cuba. 187 - 246 pp.

Fonseca-López D, Saavedra-Montañéz G and Rodríguez-Molano C E 2018 Elaboración de un alimento para ganado bovino a base de zanahoria (Daucus carota L.) mediante fermentación en estado sólido como una alternativa ecoeficiente. Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Hortícolas, 12(1). http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2011-21732018000100175

Horn W and McCollum T 1987 Energy supplementation of grazing ruminants. In: M. Judkins (Ed.) Proc. Grazing Livestock Nutrition Conf. Jackson, WY. 125 – 136 pp.

INAMHI (Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología) 2014 Anuario Meteorológico. Quito, Ecuador, p. 28. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aRysaX9teIQwI4E_U9vtR6XaNBNv4VL9/view

Pulido-Suárez N J, Borras-Sandoval L M and Rodríguez-Molano C E 2016 Elaboración de un alimento energético-proteico para animales, basado en residuos de cosecha de pera (Pyrus communis). Corpoica Cienc Tecnol Agropecuaria, 17(1):7-16. https://revistacta.agrosavia.co/index.php/revista/article/view/455

Ramos J A, Elías A, Herrera F, Aranda E and Mendoza G 2007 Procesos para la producción de un alimento energético-proteico para animales. Efecto de niveles de miel final en la fermentación en estado sólido del Sacchasorgo y Saccha-pulido. Revista Cubana de Ciencia Agrícola, 41(2): 139-143. https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=193017658008

Rodríguez-Salgado A M, Rodríguez-Molano C E and Borras-Sandoval L M 2021 Evaluación de parámetros zootécnicos en terneros suplementados con un alimento fermentado en estado sólido. Biotecnología en el Sector Agropecuario y Agroindustrial, 19(1): 153-166. https://doi.org/10.18684/BSAA(19)153-166

Valle S B, Yaguache B D, Caicedo W O, Toscano J F, Yucailla D M and Abril R V 2021 Socio-economic and productive characterization of sugarcane farmers in Pastaza province, Ecuador. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science, 55(2): 1-15- http://scielo.sld.cu/pdf/cjas/v55n2/2079-3480-cjas-55-02-e04.pdf