The Effects of Feeding Sprouted Barley on Cow Calf Pairs Health and Performance

Abstract Currently the world population is growing exponentially, which increases the demand to produce high-quality protein. Changes in weather patterns, such as drought, and decreased land resources due to urbanization, increase the strain on the agriculture sector to meet world demands. An alternative method to remedy these issues and still produce high quality livestock feed is through controlled environment vertical farming systems. Sprouted grains are one feed these systems can produce. However, there is little information on the effects of feeding sprouted grains to cattle. Angus cows with a steer calf were fed either feeder quality alfalfa (n =10 pairs) or the same alfalfa and sprouted barley (12.5% DM; n = 10 pairs) for 90 days. On days 0 and 90, body weight, milk, rumen fluid and BCS were collected from cows and hip height and weight were recorded for calves. On day 10, weight was recorded for cows and calves and rumen fluid and milk were obtained from cows. On day 45, rumen fluid and milk were collected from cows. On day 55, body weights were collected for both cows and calves and milk from cows. Intake was recorded throughout the trial via bunks with Vytelle technology. PROC MIXED procedure of SAS was used to analyze all data with day as a repeated measure to determine the main effect of treatment. Individual volatile fatty acids (VFA) were measured as a percent of total VFA present. No differences (P ≥ 0.16) were observed in calf weight, hip height, milk protein, fat, lactose, calf DM intake, or cow DM intake. Cows fed barley sprouts tended (P = 0.08) to have a decreased somatic cell count compared with alfalfa fed cows. There was a treatmentxday effect (P = 0.004) for isobutyrate, such that the treatment and control decreased over time, but the control remained consistent the last 45 days. A treatmentxday effect (P = 0.02) was also observed for butyrate indicating that both remained consistent over the first 45 days and then treatment increased over the last 45 days. Additionally, treatmentxday effect (P = 0.001) for rumen pH demonstrated that both groups stayed consistent until day 45 and then treatment pH decreased the last 45 days. There was a day affect for total VFA (P = 0.0009), acetate:propionate (P < 0.0001), acetate (P < 0.0001), and propionate (P < 0.0001) demonstrating that total VFA and acetate increased throughout the duration of the trial and acetate:propionate and propionate decreased throughout the trial, while the acetate:propionate ratio increased (P < 0.0001) the duration of the trial. Cows receiving sprouted barley produced more (P = 0.02) capronate than control. These results indicate that sprouted barley can be an alternative feed at this stage in production without having a negative impact on health or production but does change the rumen pH and proportion of some VFA.