The effect of Brown seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) on milk composition, digestibility, fermentation and respiration rate of dairy cow in warm weather of Khuzestan

    This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Ascophyllum nodosum brown seaweed (Tasco) on milk production and composition, digestibility, rumen fermentation and respiration rate of dairy cow in Khuzestan. In this experiment, 6 Holstein cows with 15±5 days average days in milk in two 30-day periods over rotational design were assigned. For this purpore experimental treatments (control and 2%, tasco) and 3 repeats were used. After adaptation, feed intake, nutrient digestibility, milk production and composition, rumen-respiratory rate and rumen parameters were measured. The results of experiment showed that there was no significant difference between control and 2% tasco treatment for digestibility DM, NDF, ADF and protein and milk production and composition (P>0.05). According to the results, the apparent intestinal digestibility of protein, rumen undegradable protein of the control treatment and treatment containing tasco were not different (P>0.05). Rumen-respiratory rate, rumenal rate and body temperature were not significant between treatments (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the two treatments for time of eating, rumination, rest and total chewing activity (P>0.05). Tasco had no significant effect on rumen pH and ammonia nitrogen (P>0.05). Therefore results revealed that in the range temperature (avereage temperature was 35.05 celsius) of this experiment, the animals apparently have adapted to environment conditions and tasco has no effect on them.