Lignin Effects on Intake and Ruminal Digestion

Dr. Mike Brouk

mbrouk@ksu.edu

785-532-1207

OABP Spring Meeting

April 13 & 14, 2011 Guelph Ontario

Lignin – Enemy of Digestibility

Lower fiber digestibility

Increased retention time in rumen

Increased gut fill

Lower intake

Lower milk production

Reduced body condition score?

Reduced reproductive performance?

Van Soest Fiber AnalysisGround forage material

Digest with neutral detergent solution

Neutral Detergent Solubles

( Cell Contents )

Neutral Detergent Insoluble Fiber (NDF)

Digest with acid detergent solution

Acid Detergent Solubles

Hemicellulose, cell wall N

Acid Detergent Insoluble Fiber (ADF)

Digest with sulfuric acid

Solubles ( Cellulose ) Acid Insoluble Lignin

Application of Fiber Analysis

NDF and Intake

2

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

3.2

% of Body wt

38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54

% NDF of Forage

DMI

Eff ect of Forage Quality Upon Milk Production

Late Bud

First Flower

Mid Bloom

Mature

lb/c daily

Concentrate 20.2 20.2 20.2 20.2

Forage 25.0 22.2 18.9 16.1

Total DMI 45.2 42.4 39.1 36.3

Milk 68.2 63.8 48.4 39.6

Milk:Feed 1.51 1.50 1.24 0.92

Flatt, et al., 1965

Digestibility

• NDF Digestibility (NDFD)– 30 or 48 hours of incubation in rumen fluid– Estimation based on lignin content – in vitro procedure

• 24, 30 or 48 hour

Influence of NDFD on TDN

Forage NDFD and DMI

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

40 50 60 70

Forage NDFD, %NDF

DMI, lb/d

Responses of Cattle

45% NDFD

50% NDFD

55% NDFD

DMI, lb/d 45.1 48.6 51.3

NDF Intake, lb/d 18.7 19.0 21.6

Milk, lb/d 70.3 73.2 73.6

Grass Maturity and NDFD

Legume Maturity and NDFD

Corn Silage Maturity and NDFD

Corn Silage Composition and Maturity (Bal, et al. 1997. JDS 80:2497-2503)

Stage of Maturity

ED ¼ ML 2/3 ML BL

---------------- % of DM ---------------

Moisture 69.9 67.6 64.9 58.0

CP 7.5 7.3 7.1 7.0

NDF 52.0 44.4 40.5 41.3

ADF 32.0 27.1 23.9 24.2

Lignin 3.3 2.8 2.9 2.7

Starch 18.2 28.7 37.2 37.4

Influence of Grain on NDF

Alfalfa Maturity

Stage of Maturity

Bud EB MB FB

---------------- % of DM ---------------

CP 22-23 20-21 18-19 16-17

NDF <40 40-45 45-59 >50

ADF <30 30-35 35-40 >40

Lignin 3.0 3-4 4-5 >5

Reduced Lignin and Animal Performance

Normal Sorghum

BMR – 6 Sorghum

BMR – 18 Sorghum

Corn Silage

ADF, % 24.4 22.8 20.8 20.7

Lignin, % 6.14 5.38 5.11 5.12

DMI, kg 23.2 25.2 23.4 24.3

Milk, kg 31.0b 34.1a 32.2ab 33.8a

Oliver, et al. 2004

Lignin and Animal Performance

Normal Sorghum

BMR Sorghum

Alfalfa Corn Silage

ADF, % 27.6 25.2 20.3 21.8

Lignin, % 6.4 5.2 4.7 3.3

DMI, kg 21.5 22.7 24.0 25.3

Milk, kg 21.5c 24.3b 25.2b 29.5a

Aydin, et al. 1999

Application of Lignin in Formulation

• How does lignin impact fermentation?

• What is the interaction between lignin and intake regulation?

Impact on Fermentation

Reduced digestibility

Increased retention time

Decreased intake

Normal Sorghum

BMR Sorghum

Alfalfa Corn Silage

ADF Dig., %

32.02c 39.1b 40.3b 48.5a

Aydin, et al. 1999

Control of Feed Intake • Dry Cow – Transition

– Mobilization of body fat - NEFA– Fermentability of the diet

• Early to Peak Lactation– Distension

• Post Peak – Fermentability of the diet

• Plasma insulin concentration• Tissue sensitivity to insulin

Potential of Lignin to Influence Animal Performance

• Early Lactation– Digestibility– Intake – Gut Fill

• Post Peak– Digestibility Pre-Peak

Post-Peak

Challenges to Using Lignin in Formulation

• Methods of testing

• Within lab variation

• Between lab variation

Normal Sorghum

BMR – 6 Sorghum

BMR – 18 Sorghum

Corn Silage

ADL, % 2.78 2.54 2.63 2.62

KMnO4,% 6.14 5.38 5.11 5.12

Oliver, et al. 2004

Challenges to Using Lignin in Formulation

• Grouping of animals– Single Lactation TMR’s

• Lack of data on specific groups

• Identification of first limiting factor of production or efficiency

Challenges to Using Lignin in Formulation

• Source of lignin– Cottonseed hulls– By-product feeds

• Lack of specific recommendations

Current Application in Formulation

• Experimental

• Limited in practical application due to on farm practices and measurements

Research Needs

• Interaction of lignin with regulation of intake– Stages of production

• Group specific performance data

Summary

Lignin can influence intake and

digestibility

Lignin can influence productivity and

efficiency of production

Limited recommendations for TMRs at this

time

Variable results in the field

Many variables involved