Malate supplementation to beef cattle: effects on growth performance and rumen fermentation products

Abstract

Two trials were performed to evaluate the effects of malate supplementation on the growth performance as well as on ruminal pH and fermentation products of beef cattle. A total of 80 Charolaise bullocks were randomly allotted to one of the four experimental groups which included two experiments. The first experiment involved a control group (C) fed with a corn silage based diet and a treated group (T) fed the same diet supplemented with 20 g/head/day of malate. The second experiment involved a dry control group (DC) fed with a dry diet (without corn silage) and a treated group (DMS) fed with the same diet supplemented with 20 g/head/day malate. Bullocks fed diets with corn silage and supplemented with malate demonstrated higher live weight in the transition, fattening (P<0.05) and finishing periods (P<0.10), and higher average daily gain in the fattening and finishing period (P<0.10) than the control group. In the second experiment no difference in growth performance were highlighted. In both trials no statistical difference was highlighted for ruminal fluid pH. In regards to fermentation products, the supplemented animals exhibited a higher propionic acid proportion, lower acetate:propionate ratio, and higher N-NH3 concentration than the controls for both trials.