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South African Journal of Animal Science
On-line version ISSN 2221-4062
Print version ISSN 0375-1589
S. Afr. j. anim. sci. vol.41 n.4 Pretoria Jan. 2011
The effects of wilting, molasses and inoculants on the fermentation quality and nutritive value of lucerne silage
F. Hashemzadeh-CigariI; M. KhorvashI,#; G.R. GhorbaniI; A. TaghizadehII
IDepartment of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran
IIDepartment of Animal Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
The objective was to determine the effects of wilting, molasses and inoculants on the biochemistry and in vitro and in situ digestion of lucerne silage. Lucerne containing 200 g/kg of dry matter (DM) was ensiled as fresh or wilted (370 g/kg DM). Molasses, at application rates of 0, 50 and 100 g molasses/kg DM, was added to the chopped lucerne. Within each molasses treatment, the lucerne was applied with distilled water or with the inoculants, Ecosyl or Lalsil. Wilting lucerne increased the silage DM and water soluble carbohydrates and decreased neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, ammonia and the acetate content of the silage. Adding 50 and 100 g molasses/kg to wilted lucerne and 100 g molasses/kg to fresh lucerne lowered the silage pH. Adding molasses to wilted lucerne increased the acetate content of the silage. In wilted but not in fresh lucerne both inoculants decreased the concentration of unavailable N in the silage. In wilted lucerne, Lalsil, but not Ecosyl, reduced the silage acetate level and in fresh lucerne both inoculants reduced the acetate level. Lalsil was more effective in wilted silages in improving the fermentation quality than Ecosyl. Both inoculants enhanced the 24-h rumen degradation of silage DM, with Lalsil being effective in wilted lucerne and Ecosyl in fresh lucerne. Molasses, at 100 g/kg, improved the in vitro silage organic matter digestion at 6, 8, 36 and 48 h post-incubation. It was concluded that inoculating lucerne crops with Lalsil improved the fermentation quality as well as nutritive value and lowered proteolysis. These effects were more pronounced in silage with a high DM content.
Keywords: Alfalfa silage, chemical composition, Ecosyl, Lalsil, additive, wilting, gas production
Optimal rumen health and profitable production of the modern ruminant industry dictate improving fibre digestion. Lucerne in the form of hay rather than silage, makes up roughly half of the dietary forage in almost all commercial dairies in Iran (Kowsar et al., 2008; Soltani et al., 2009). Feeding lucerne as silage compared to hay can reduce the selection of the cows against fibrous fractions, and thus, can prevent prolonged occurrence of sub-acute rumen acidosis. In addition, ensiling lucerne or the most planted and nutritious forage fibre source, reduces plant wastage and enables its major dietary use throughout the year. Lucerne, however, has a high buffering capacity, low water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) content and is rich in highly degradable crude protein (CP) (NRC, 2001; Buxton et al., 2003). As a result, it is more difficult to quickly reduce the silage pH, minimize clostridia growth, proteolysis and heterolytic fermentation, and to improve silage palatability compared to maize silage (McDonald et al., 1991).
Excessive moisture interferes with the rapid establishment of lactic acid-producing bacteria, and promotes the establishment of clostridia bacteria and effluent outflow (Jonsson, 1991; Gordon et al., 1999). On the other hand, a very high pre-ensilage dry matter (DM) will require efficient and mechanized packing to minimize aerobic deterioration. For instance, it has been recommended that lucerne be ensiled with 300 - 400 g/kg DM in bunker silos, 400 - 450 g/kg DM in tower silos, and >450 g/kg DM in oxygen-limited silos (Ishler et al., 1992). Due to the common and economical use of bunker silos in Iran, it is important that lucerne reaches the recommended DM content before being ensilaged, which usually necessitates wilting. Wilting moist lucerne may increase the lactate to acetate ratio and decrease effluent and spoilage (Whiter & Kung, 2001; Rizk et al., 2005). However, wilted grasses have an increased silage pH and a decreased lactic acid percentage (Umana et al., 1991; Gordon et al., 1999). The importance of wilting, molasses and inoculants per se, on the forage nutritive value, is known (Luchini et al., 1997; Whiter & Kung, 2001; Rizk et al., 2005; Filya et al., 2007; Muck et al., 2007). However, the current information on how all these factors can collectively contribute to improving lucerne silage and rumen biochemistry is inadequate and inconclusive. Such data are needed for optimizing preservation strategies because lucerne is highly nitrogenous. That contributes considerably to diurnal variations in ruminal pH and consequently, inputs of organic acids, effective fibre and nitrogen (N) fractions differ vastly in the post-feeding degradation rate (Sniffen et al., 1992; Beever, 1993). These factors influence the maintenance energy requirements of ruminal microorganisms, and determine microbial protein yield (NRC, 2001). Our objectives were to determine the major and interactive effects of wilting and the adding molasses and inoculants on the chemical composition of lucerne silage, its in vitro organic matter (OM) digestion and gas production, and its in situ rumen degradation.
Materials and Methods
A fourth-cut, pre-blooming lucerne crop with an approximate DM content of 200 g/kg was harvested for silage on November 25, 2006. The lucerne was ensiled as either fresh upon harvest or wilted to 370 g DM/kg. Immediately after harvest the fresh lucerne was chopped with a commercial forage harvester into particles with an average theoretical size of 2.5 cm, and was divided into three portions. The portions were treated with 0, 50 or 100 g of sugar beet molasses/kg DM. Each portion was treated with: 1) distilled water and no inoculants, or 2) Ecosyl containing Lactobacillus plantarum MTD-1, 1 × 106 colony forming unit (CFU)/g of fresh forage, or 3) Lalsil containing L. plantarum MA-18/5U, 3 × 106, and Propionibacterium acidipropionici MA-26, 3 × 106 CFU/g of fresh forage. The inoculants were dissolved in distilled water before application to the lucerne. The same amount of distilled water was applied when no inoculants were used. The experiment had a 2 × 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of wilting, molasses addition, and inoculant application, respectively, with a total of 18 treatments. The lucerne was ensiled in three replicates for each treatment at the approximate amount of 2.5 - 3 kg forage in 3-L laboratory PVC silos with a sink at the bottom to permit waste and effluent outflow. Upon filling, the silos were packed with a presser and capped tightly to minimize aerobic fermentation. All silos were transferred to the animal nutrition laboratory (Isfahan University of Technology) until being opened for sampling after 90 d of preservation at room temperature (20 to 23 ºC).
Immediately after opening the silos, the silage pH was measured using silage extracts, and a fresh silage sample was collected and kept at -20 ºC pending laboratory analysis. A silage extract was obtained after mixing 20 g of fresh silage with 180 mL of distilled water for 30 s in a mixer. The extract was filtered, using two filter papers, and the filtrate was kept to be used for organic acid and ammonia measurements. The silage DM was determined after being oven-dried for 72 h at 60 ºC. The dried samples were ground to pass through a 1 mm screen using a Wiley mill (Arthur H. Thomas Co., Philadelphia). Organic matter was determined by ashing it at 550 ºC for 12 h. The ground samples were analyzed for CP (1030 Micro Kjeltec Auto Analyzer, method 984.13; AOAC, 2000), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (Van Soest et al., 1991; using heat-stable β-amylase and sodium sulphite) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) (AOAC, 2000). To determine lactic acid in silage extracts, methyl esters were formed and lactic acid and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were determined, using gas chromatography (0.25 × 0.32, id of 0.3 µm WCOT Fused Silica Capillary, CHROMPACK CP. 9002, Model No. CP-9002 Serial No. 94 77 B, Vulcanusweg 259, AM DELFT, the Netherlands), according to Khorvash et al. (2005).
Water-soluble carbohydrates were determined, by using the phenol-sulphuric acid method, following the Dubois et al. (1956) technique. Briefly, 10 g of fresh silage was mixed with 90 mL of distilled water for 2 min and centrifuged at 2000 × g for 10 min. The supernatant was diluted 10 times, and 1 mL of the diluted liquid was transferred to another tube to which 5 mL of concentrated sulphuric acid and 0.15 mL of 800 g/kg phenol solution were added. The reactions were cooled down and read on a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 470 nm. Glucose and xylose were used as preparing standards. Ammonia concentrations were measured according to the method of Filya (2003).
The amount of gas produced from the silage samples was measured in serum bottles according to the method of Fedorak & Hurdy (1983). Firstly, 300 mg of finely-ground silage (1 mm screen size) were weighed into 50 mL sterile serum bottles. A 20 mL mixture of rumen fluid and artificial buffer at a ratio of 1 : 2 (McDougall, 1948), was added to each bottle and kept under continuous CO2 flow. The rumen fluid was obtained 2 h after the morning feeding from two rumen fistulated sheep fed a total mixed ration of 600 g concentrate and 400 g lucerne hay/kg DM. The rumen content was filtered through four layers of cheesecloth to extract the filtrate to a warm flask containing CO2, before being transfer to the laboratory. To avoid microbial heat shock, the bottles were warmed up to 39 ºC for 30 min before and while adding the mixture of rumen fluid and buffer to the sample under CO2. The bottles were tightly capped and placed in an incubator at 39 ºC, shaking at 120 rounds per min. For each batch in the in vitro study three blank bottles, containing only the rumen fluid preparations without any sample were used to adjust the results for gas originating from the rumen fluid. The amount of gas released from silage fermentation was recorded at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36 and 48 h post-incubation, based on the water movement in the apparatus (Fedorak & Hurdy 1983). The gas volume was calculated by using the formula, V = (Vt - Vb) × 100/W, where V = the net volume of gas produced per g DM of lucerne silage sample; Vt = mL of total gas produced in sample bottles; Vb = mL of average total gas produced in blank bottles; W = g of the total sample weight. The OM digestibility was determined according to Menke et al. (1979) using the calculated V value, and the CP and ash concentrations of each sample.
Three rumen-cannulated rams were used to study the in situ rumen degradation of the lucerne silage. The sheep were fed lucerne for three weeks prior to the in situ study and were cared for according to the guidelines if the Iranian Animal Council of Animal Care (1995). Dried silage samples were ground to pass through a 1 mm screen, using a Wiley mill (Arthur H. Thomas Co., Philadelphia), and were weighed into polyester nylon bags (10 - 20 mg/cm2, Vanzant et al., 1998). The nylon bags (pore size = 41.6 - 52.0 µm) were sealed and soaked in 37 ºC water for 30 min before ruminal incubation. After 24 h of incubation, the nylon bags were taken out of the rumen and rinsed under tap water until the rinse water was clear. The in situ rumen DM degradation was calculated based on the difference in weights of the nylon bags before and after ruminal incubation.
Data were analyzed by using the Mixed Procedure of SAS (2003) with fixed effects of wilting, molasses addition, inoculant application, and their two-way and three-way interactions. Least square means were estimated using the Maximum Likelihood Method and denominator degrees of freedom were calculated using the Kenward-Roger method. For repeated measures of the in vitro OM digestion and gas production, the final statistical models included the fixed effects of molasses, inoculants at different hours of incubation, and their interactions as well as the random effect of molasses × inoculants. Compound symmetry was the covariance structure adopted for repeated measures analysis of the in vitro experiment. The CONTRAST statement of SAS was used to calculate P values for the linear and quadratic effects of molasses addition to lucerne. The PDIFF option of SAS, with the multiple range Tukey test, was used to separate least square means and the SLICE option was used to separate means within each post-incubation hour. The significant differences were declared at P <0.05.
Wilting the lucerne before ensiling increased (P <0.0001) the silage DM content, tended to decrease CP (P = 0.07) and decreased silage NDF (P = 0.01) and ADF (P = 0.01) contents (Table 1). Adding molasses to the lucerne crop increased the silage DM content linearly (P = 0.002) in fresh lucerne and quadratical (P = 0.02) in wilted lucerne. Molasses had a quadratic effect on the silage NDF content (P = 0.0007) so that the NDF content increased at 50 g molasses/kg but not at 100 g/kg (Table 1). Wilting reduced the concentration of acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) of the silage (P <0.01), but such a reduction did not occur when molasses was added at 50 g/kg. The silage lactic acid content dropped (P <0.0001) when the lucerne was wilted before being ensilaged. Molasses did not affect the lactic acid content of the silage when wilted before being ensiled, but decreased it linearly when fresh lucerne was ensiled (Table 1). Wilting caused a reduction in the silage ammonia and acetate concentrations (P <0.0001) and an increase in the WSC concentration (P <0.0001). Adding molasses to lucerne increased the WSC content of the silage in both withed and unwilted silage (Table 1). The silage pH was lower when the lucerne was not wilted before being ensilaged. Adding 50 g/kg of molasses lowered the silage pH in wilted lucerne, but for fresh lucerne, the silage pH decreased only when 100 g molasses/kg was added (Table 1). Adding both levels of molasses to wilted lucerne increased the acetate content and decreased the lactate to acetate ratio, but this effect was not observed in freshly ensiled lucerne. Wilting, molasses addition and their interaction did not affect the silage ash content and its 24 h in situ DM degradation.
The inoculant type and its interaction with the wilting process did not affect the levels of DM and CP in the silage (Table 2). However, the inoculants interacted with the wilting process by affecting the contents of fibre, ADIN, acetate, ammonia, WSC and in situ DM degradation of the silage and silage pH. Applying both inoculants to wilted but not to fresh lucerne decreased (P <0.0001) the percentage of ADIN in the silage. In wilted lucerne, only Ecosyl decreased the silage ADF concentration, but in fresh lucerne both inoculants decreased the silage ADF concentration (Table 2). Adding Lalsil, but not Ecosyl, to wilted lucerne reduced (P <0.01) the silage acetate percentage while adding both Ecosyl and Lalsil to fresh lucerne reduced (P <0.01) the silage acetate percentage. Neither inoculants affected the silage ammonia content of fresh lucerne, but Lalsil decreased it in wilted lucerne (Table 2). Adding inoculants to wilted lucerne increased the silage WSC concentration with Lalsil exhibited a more pronounced effect than Ecosyl. However, the inoculants had no effects on the silage WSC concentration when lucerne was ensiled unwilted. Silage pH decreased (P <0.01) and increased (P = 0.05) when Lalsil was added to wilted and fresh lucerne, respectively. Inoculants enhanced the in situ rumen degradation of the silage DM. The type of inoculant interacted with the wilting treatment on rumen degradation of silage DM, viz. Lalsil increased it in wilted lucerne and Ecosyl in fresh lucerne.
There were no interactions between molasses and the inoculants on silage pH, or on the concentrations of DM, CP, ADF, lactate and ash (Table 3). Adding 50 and 100 g/kg of molasses to lucerne before ensiling it, linearly increased the silage acetate concentration in the absence of the inoculants. In the presence of Ecosyl, adding 50 g/kg of molasses increased silage acetate, but 100 g molasses/kg decreased the acetate concentration, although it was still higher than when no molasses was added. Molasses without inoculants did not affect the silage ammonia, whereas 50 and 100 g molasses/kg with Ecosyl and only 100 g molasses/kg with Lalsil decreased the silage ammonia (Table 3). With inoculants, molasses linearly increased silage WSC concentrations.
Adding 100 g molasses/kg to wilted lucerne improved the in vitro silage OM digestibility at 6 h (P = 0.10), 8 h (P = 0.04), 36 h (P = 0.10) and 48 h (P = 0.08) (Figure 1).
Without molasses, Lalsil inoculated silages had a lower gas production at 12, 16 and 24 h post-incubation (Figure 2a, P = 0.04) than with the inoculant. Molasses, especially at 100 g/kg increased the total gas production and modulated the negative effect of inoculants on gas production (P <0.0001). An interaction (P <0.01) existed between the molasses, inoculants and incubation hour on in vitro gas production. During the incubation time, the gas production increased by the inoculants as the molasses was added to the wilted lucerne (Figures 2a, b, c).
The current study demonstrates the effects of wilting lucerne and adding molasses and inoculants on lucerne silage characteristics in the laboratory. Nitrogenous forages such as lucerne require unique preservation strategies, because of they are deficient in readily-fermentable carbohydrates and contain high concentrations of degradable protein (Beever, 1993; NRC, 2001). Although ensiling reduces plant and nutrient wastage and ensures the continuous supply of palatable forage fibre for livestock production (Muck & Pitt, 1993; Kowsar et al., 2008), the process solubilizes proteins and challenges an efficient microbial assimilation of nitrogenous compounds, high-energy phosphate bounds and carbon skeletons into a microbial mass. Hence, the altered lucerne fermentation characteristics during ensilage will have a high impact in the rumen on the synchrony of energy and N release, ammonia production and absorption, and fibre digestion (NRC, 2001).
The wilting process and molasses aim to limit clostridia growth and promote lactate production during the initial hours of fermentation in the silo (Weinberg et al., 1999; Filya, 2003). The increased silage pH and reduced lactate content by wilting agree with the literature (Gordon et al., 1999) and suggest an initial decline in the extent of DM fermentation. This data is in line with the increased silage WSC and decreased fibre content due to wilting.
The findings that Lalsil increased the silage pH from 4.58 to 4.69 in fresh lucerne and decreased it from 4.88 to 4.64 in wilted lucerne suggest that at a higher crop DM content, inoculants can produce a more homolactic fermentation and lower the silage pH more rapidly and efficiently during the earlier stages of ensiling. This data and our findings support the notion that wilting low DM lucerne can lead inoculants to establish the homolactic fermentation quicker, which is consistent with the findings of Wither & Kung (2001). This notion is supported by the fact that Lalsil decreased silage acetate by 40% in wilted lucerne but only by 16% in fresh lucerne. For barley crop silage (Hristov & McAllister, 2002), all three types of inoculants used, could reduce the silage pH on wilted crop, but two thirds of inoculants were ineffective on unwilted crops. Furthermore, Sheperd et al. (1995), Filya et al. (2007) and Kozelov et al. (2008) observed a lower pH in silages treated with microbial inoculants. It may be attributed to the lower production of ammonia-N and acetate as well as their lower buffering effects in inoculated silages.
Adding molasses to the wilted lucerne increased the acetate concentration and decreased the lactate to acetate ratio, which suggests that supplementing extra sugar to wilted forage stimulates hetero-fermentative lactic acid bacteria and allows them to have a more prominent role in fermenting sugars to wasteful end-products. This is in agreement with the results of Jones et al. (1992). Gül et al. (2008) reported that adding molasses to grass silage increased the acetate concentration. These researchers postulated that the addition of molasses to silage caused hetero-fermentative fermentation or the conversion of lactate to acetate, and thereby an increased acetate concentration in silage. However, enterobacteriaceae are the main acetate-producing bacteria in silage and they strictly depend on fermentable carbohydrates for anaerobic growth (Buxton et al., 2003), so added molasses can stimulate their growth during fermentation phases.
The decreased silage fibre content may be a consequence of reduced effluent production and the extent of fermentation of the soluble fractions following the wilting process (Luchini et al., 1997). Reduced silage ADIN by wilting could be due to the decreased silage ADF content and ensilage temperature, and decreased initial fermentation likely via reduced clostridial and enterobacterial growth. This is in agreement with the decreased silage ammonia and acetate concentrations, which usually increase during heterolytic reactions in high moisture situations (McDonald et al., 1991).
Silage ammonia is reduced when plant enzyme activity, nitrate reduction and proteolysis decrease (Umana et al., 1991; Whiter & Kung, 2001). These reductions can occur at a higher crop DM content, which would explain the decreased silage ammonia levels in the wilted lucerne silage in the present study. Molasses and inoculants seemed to have an additive effect on reducing silage ammonia, acetate and increasing the WSC content of the silages, which suggests a decreased lucerne proteolysis by elevated external WSC supply and a hastened lactic acid bacteria settlement. Jones et al. (1992) reviewed some studies and concluded that in grass crops with a low WSC content, inoculants will not improve silage quality due to a limitation of substrates. These researchers reported that the combination of inoculants and sugar additively increased lactate, lactate to acetate ratio and residual sugar concentration of lucerne silage, indicating a more homolactic fermentation than only a sugar and inoculant addition. In addition, it was reported that treating lucerne crops with cellulose increased the sugar content and the improved fermentation characteristics of lucerne silage and the addition of inoculants enhanced this effect (Nadeau et al., 2000; Kozelov et al., 2008). These data indicated that the addition of microbial inoculants can increase the production of lactic acid and the rate of pH decline only when sufficient fermentable sugars are available (Nadeau et al., 2000).
The Lalsil inoculant reduced the silage ammonia in wilted but not in fresh lucerne, supporting the premise that proteolysis can be more effectively limited in the presence of certain microbial additives. Wither & Kung (2001) showed that microbial inoculation reduced the accumulation of ammonia in higher DM silage than in low DM silage.
Silages treated with Lalsil, containing lactate and propionate producing bacteria, had a lower pH, acetate, ADF, ADIN and ammonia content and higher content of WSC and lactate to acetate ratio than Ecosyl-inoculated silages, which contain only lactate producing bacteria at a high DM content.
The improved responses in silages treated with Lalsil than Ecosyl might be attributed to the greater number of lactic acid bacteria that could dominate in the fermentation phase of ensiling. Also, in most cases, interactions between propionate and lactate-producing bacteria have been observed in co-cultures (Jimeno et al., 1995). Improved fermentation of Lalsil-inoculated silages compared to Ecosyl-treated silages could be attributed to these synergetic relationships. In addition to a better fermentation quality observed with Lalsil, inoculants containing propionate and lactate-producing bacteria might improve the aerobic stability of silages. However, to our knowledge there are limited reports on the ability of these kinds of microbial inoculants to improve the aerobic stability of lucerne silage.
No overall effects of the wilting process and molasses addition on the 24 h degradation of rumen silage DM indicate that changes in the nutrient composition of lucerne during wilting and ensilage had an impact on the access of the microorganisms to and digestion of DM in the rumen. On the other hand, altered prevalent microbial proliferation and likely activity during ensilage by applying inoculants to lucerne crops could increase rumen DM disappearance. Lalsil and Ecosyl were effective in enhancing DM disappearances of wilted and fresh lucerne, respectively. This data suggests that wilting influences the silage digestion response to inoculants.
The increased in vitro gas production by the adding of molasses agrees with previous reports on grass and cereal silages (Charmley et al., 1996) and can be explained by the higher silage WSC content and increased carbohydrate fermentation. Similar effects on increased VFA production in sheep fed molasses-treated corn silage have been shown (Donmez et al., 2003). An increased gas production has been related to improved silage quality (Hetta et al., 2007), which would also determine the microbial access to fermentable carbohydrates in the rumen. Lower gas production in silages treated with Lalsil and without molasses agrees with results of Muck et al. (2007) who found that silages treated with inoculants generally produced less gas per unit of incubated DM than the control silages.
The finding that certain inoculants enhanced lucerne silages in situ degradability but did not affect its in vitro OM digestion and gas production may suggest a superior action of inoculants in the real ruminal environment. For instance, ensilage with L. plantarum, present in both inoculants in the current study, has been shown (Zhang et al., 2000) to increase the D-isomer of lactate which is metabolized more slowly than its L-isomer (Giesecke & Stangassinger 1980). Thus, it can be inferred that lactate and other by- or end-products of ensilage are metabolized more effectively under the dynamic in situ rumen conditions than in batch cultures of the in vitro laboratory bottles where some digestion products can easily accumulate. This data proposes the important collective effects of molasses and inoculants on lucerne ensilage quality and rumen fermentation patterns, which merit further in vivo studies using high-producing lactating cows.
Wilting lucerne increased silage DM, pH and WSC concentration, tended to decrease CP level, and decreased silage ammonia, lactate and acetate concentrations, but did not affect butyrate content and the lactate to acetate ratio in the silage. Wilting reduced silage ADIN in the absence of molasses. Molasses decreased silage lactate in fresh lucerne and increased WSC regardless of wilting. The effect of molasses on silage pH depended on wilting. Inoculants decreased silage ADIN and ADF levels in wilted and fresh lucerne, respectively. The inoculants consistently increased the 24 h rumen degradation of the silage but their effects on silage acetate, ammonia, and rumen degradation depended on wilting. In the absence of inoculants, molasses increased silage acetate. Molasses, at 100 g/kg, improved the in vitro silage digestion at 6, 8, 36, and 48 h post-incubation and counteracted the negative effect of inoculants alone on gas production. It was concluded that inoculating lucerne crops can improve the fermentation quality as well as the nutritive value and lower proteolysis, and this effect is more pronounced at a high DM level. Also, Lalsil was more effective in improving the fermentation quality and in situ DM disappearance than Ecosyl was in wilted silages, which merits further research on aerobic stability and a response on animal performance. Although adding molasses to wilted lucerne crops improved in vitro OM digestion, stimulated heterofermentation rather than homofermentation at both added levels, it increased unavailable N concentrations only at the addition of 50 g molasses/kg.
The authors are grateful to the Isfahan University of Technology (Isfahan, Iran) for a grant and financial support of Farzad Hashemzadeh-Cigari's MSc. thesis research. The authors also thank Akbar Nikkhah (Zanjan University, Zanjan, Iran) for his helpful review of the manuscript.
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Luchini, N.D., Broderick, G.A., Muck, R.E., Makoni, N.F. & Vetter, R.L., 1997. Effect of storage system and dry matter content on the composition of lucerne silage. J. Dairy Sci. 80, 1827-1832. [ Links ]
McDonald, P., Henderson, A.R. & Heren, S.J.E., 1991. The Biochemistry of Silage. 2nd ed., Chalcombe Publ. Abersyth, U.K. [ Links ]
McDougall, E.I., 1948. Studies on ruminant saliva. I. The composition and output of sheep's saliva. Biochem. J. 43, 99-109. [ Links ]
Menke, K.H., Raab, L.L., Salewski, A., Steingass, H., Fritz, D. & Schneider, W., 1979. The estimation of digestibility and metabolizable energy content of ruminant feedingstuffs from the gas production when incubated with rumen liqueur in vitro. J. Agric. Sci. 93, 217-220. [ Links ]
Muck, R.E. & Pitt, R.E., 1993. Ensiling and its effect on crop quality. In: Silage: Field to Feedbunk. Proc. Nat. Silage Prod. Conf. Northeast Region, Agric. Engin. Serv., Ithaca, N.Y., USA. pp. 57-66. [ Links ]
Muck, R.E., Filya, I. & Contreras-Govea, F.E., 2007. Inoculant effect on lucerne silage: In vitro gas and volatile fatty acid production. J. Dairy Sci. 90, 5115-5125. [ Links ]
Nadeau, E.M.G., Buxton, D.R., Russell, J.R., Allison, M.J. & Young, J.W., 2000. Enzyme, bacterial inoculant, and formic acid effect on silage composition of orchardgrass and lucerne. J. Dairy Sci. 83, 1487-1502. [ Links ]
NRC, 2001. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle (7th ed.). National Academy Press, Washington D.C., USA. [ Links ]
Rizk, C., Mustafa, A.F. & Phillip, L.E., 2005. Effects of inoculation of high dry matter lucerne silage on ensiling characteristics, ruminal nutrient degradability and dairy cow performance. J. Sci. Food Agric. 85, 743-750. [ Links ]
SAS, 2003. Statistical Analysis System version 9.1, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, N.C., USA. [ Links ]
Sheperd, A.C., Maslanka, M., Quinn, D. & Kung, L., 1995. Additives containing bacteria and enzymes for lucerne silage. J. Dairy Sci. 78, 565-572. [ Links ]
Sniffen, C.J., O'Connor, J.D., Van Soest, P.J., Fox, D.G. & Russell, J.B., 1992. A net carbohydrate and protein system for evaluating cattle diets: II. Carbohydrate and protein availability. J. Anim. Sci. 70, 3562-3577. [ Links ]
Soltani, A., Ghorbani, G.R., Alikhani, M., Samie, A.H. & Nikkhah, A., 2009. Ground versus steam-rolled barley grain for lactating cows: A clarification into conventional beliefs. J. Dairy Sci. 92, 3299-3305. [ Links ]
Umana, R., Staples, C.R., Bates, D.B., Wilcox, C.J. & Mahanna, W.C., 1991. Effects of a microbial inoculant and or sugarcane molasses on the fermentation aerobic stability and digestibility of Bermudagrass ensiled at two moisture contents. J. Anim. Sci. 69, 4588-4601. [ Links ]
Van Soest, P.J., Robertson, J.B. & Lewis, B.A., 1991. Methods of dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and non-starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. J. Dairy Sci. 74, 3583-3597. [ Links ]
Vanzant, E.S., Cochran, R.C. & Titgemeyer, E.C., 1998. Standardization of in situ techniques for ruminant feedstuff evaluation. J. Anim. Sci. 76, 2717-2729. [ Links ]
Weinberg, Z.G., Shbell, G.A. & Hen, Y., 1999. The effect of Lactobacillus buchneri and L. plantarum, applied at ensiling, on the ensiling fermentation and aerobic stability of wheat and sorghum silages. J. Indust. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 23, 218-222. [ Links ]
Whiter, A.G. & Kung, L., 2001. The effect of a dry or liquid application of Lactobacillus plantarum MTD1 on the fermentation of lucerne silage. J. Dairy Sci. 84, 2195-2202. [ Links ]
Zhang, J.G., Cai, Y., Kobayashi, R. & Kumai, S., 2000. Characteristics of lactic acid bacteria isolated from forage crops and their effects on silage fermentation. J. Sci. Food Agric. 80, 1455-1460. [ Links ]
Copyright resides with the authors in terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 South African Licence. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/za
Condition of use: The user may copy, distribute, transmit and adapt the work, but must recognise the authors and the South African Journal of Animal Science.
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What's Behind Apple's Monster Sell-Off Today?
The Apple bears are back in town.
After a couple of weeks of a rebound, Apple shares got absolutely hammered today. The stock closed down over $37 near the lows, representing a loss of over 6.4% for the largest tech company on Earth. That also translates into a market cap loss of almost $35 billion.
That can't be it
There weren't any clear indications on why investors were dumping their shares, at least if you don't consider an analyst upgrade to "strong buy" a reason to sell. Oracle Investment Research boosted its rating on Apple from "buy" to "strong buy" with a $670 price target, nothing that certain valuation metrics are at 10-year lows.
Apple's enterprise-value-to-EBITDA is currently lower than at any point over the past decade, while the company's supply situation continues to improve and product demand remains robust. That certainly can't be why Apple's down so much today.
Technically speaking
The ominous sounding "death cross" has now been spotted on the horizon by chart watchers, potentially rattling traders that subscribe to technical analysis. That scary phrase refers to when a stock's 50-day moving average crosses below its 200-day moving average. Those two magical lines haven't crossed yet, but at the rate that Apple's trading, it could happen by week's end. With both of those moving averages trending lower, the theory goes that more downside is on the horizon.
Too bad it's a bit bogus. Heck, investors are still waiting for the market crash predicted in August 2011 when the Dow Jones Industrial Average formed that fatal pattern. Technical analysis has nothing to do with Foolish long-term fundamentals, but enough investors buying into them can cause some turbulence in the short run.
As a former registered stockbroker that worked extensively with active day traders, I can vouch that they do tend to be a rather superstitious (and fickle) bunch.
Margin calling
There's also talk that some selling pressure could be coming from increased margin requirements at COR Clearing. The clearinghouse has reportedly boosted requirements from 30% to 60% based on "high concentration."
Generally, leveraged investors that are required to maintain certain equity thresholds in their portfolios may be forced to liquidate positions if faced with increased requirements. COR Clearing doesn't service retail clients, but instead primarily works with broker-dealers and investment advisors.
Heightened margin requirements can create selling pressure, but again this trading has no bearing on the company's actual business.
Not so special anymore
Some investors have been calling for a special dividend, since they figure Apple has nothing better to do with its $120 billion money mountain. The odds of Apple giving back a big chunk of change just because it can is rather remote, and that might be disappointing some investors as other companies have opted to do just that in recent times.
The aforementioned research note from Oracle Investment Research specifically says that increased share repurchases would benefit shareholders more than a special dividend when you consider those low valuation multiples.
With the fiscal cliff coming up, several companies have paid out special dividends in advance of potential tax hikes investors may face on dividend income. For example, Costco just announced a $7 per share dividend, totaling $3 billion. Las Vegas Sands is giving back an additional $2.75 per share to investors. Both Costco and Las Vegas Sands have enjoyed healthy gains since, as investors are happy to get some holiday spending money.
Keep your eye on the iBall
When it comes down to it, all of these storylines that are potential reasons for the monster sell-off are just noise. They don't relate to somewhat justified concerns like the supply constraints that Apple was facing through much of the quarter or escalating competition in the tablet market.
Apple had rebounded by almost $90 per share, or 18%, over the past three weeks. Chances are the bulls are just taking a breather and giving the bears a day or two (even if some of them aren't so good at math) before resuming the upward march.
The next earnings release can't come soon enough.
There's no doubt that Apple is at the center of technology's largest revolution ever, and that longtime shareholders have been handsomely rewarded with over 1,000% gains. However, there is a debate raging as to whether Apple remains a buy. The Motley Fool's senior technology analyst and managing bureau chief, Eric Bleeker, is prepared to fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Apple, and what opportunities are left for the company (and more importantly, your portfolio) going forward. To get instant access to his latest thinking on Apple, simply click here now.
The article What's Behind Apple's Monster Sell-Off Today? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Costco Wholesale. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Apple and Costco Wholesale. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

subset: commoncrawl


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2 1/4" Barrel Slowpitch Softball Bats
2 Items
- Miken Freak 23 Maxload USA Slowpitch Softball Bat - 2023 Model by Miken$249.98 Original Price $299.99 You Save 17%
- Miken Freak 23 Kyle Pearson Maxload USA Slowpitch Softball Bat - 2023 Model by Miken$249.98 Original Price $299.99 You Save 17%
2 Items
Slowpitch Bat Buying Guides
May 24, 2022
In order to hopefully make the process of deciding on a new bat a little easier for you, we have put together a list of the best softball bats for 2021 based on the design, swing weight, and pop of each bat. We will also include some reviews we have gathered to give you an idea of what other players think of each bat.
May 10, 2022
As slowpitch softball has gained popularity throughout the country, bat manufacturers are working harder than ever to give each player the best options for his/her needs. Slowpitch softball obviously deals with slower pitch speeds, so it is important to find a bat that will allow you to get some weight behind your swing while providing a ton of pop.
May 03, 2022
When it comes to softball bats, fastpitch softball bats, slowpitch softball bats, finding the correct length to weight ratio for the type of hitter you are is very important to having success at the plate. Additionally, you will need to choose between a bat that is balanced or end-loaded.
May 17, 2022
Finding the perfect pair of batting gloves for you can be difficult. We have put together a list of the best batting gloves for adults, softball players, and youth players to hopefully make this process a bit easier on you.
June 07, 2022
When it comes to the best baseball helmets, you have plenty of brands and styles to choose from. So how do you know what to get? In order to help you find the best helmet for your game, we'll break down our favorites to help you decide.
Other Great Choices
- @Recommendation.Title by @email@example.com@Recommendation.MSRP


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Our Mortgage Professionals manage their business portfolios with candor and integrity to ensure that your specific needs are understood and addressed with a comprehensive and personal home buying solution. We enthusiastically deliver home buying options customized to your individual objectives and expectations. Wallick & Volk is dedicated to serving new and existing home owners in utilizing mortgage management tools in a way that will maximize their financial investments for a lifetime.
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We wanted our valued guests to know that we are taking every precaution at Mayura Indian Restaurant to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Not only have we taken extra disinfecting measures to ensure proper food preparation and handling, but also making sure that all deliveries/catering orders are handled accordingly.
10406 Venice Boulevard Culver City, CA 90232
Wolfgang Puck of Spago meets Padmini Aniyan, owner of Mayura, at Bite Nite.
Los Angeles Times critic Jonathan Gold hand-picked 20 restaurants to be represented at The Times' Bite Nite.
About Mayura Restaurant Inc in Culver City
Nothing beats amazing food. If you're looking for great service and creative delicious Indian food in Culver City, Mayura Indian restaurant is the best choice for you. Mayura Restaurant Inc invites you to experience the taste of India. Our menu comprises of the historical and traditional range of Indian dishes which includes traditional Kerala cusines. Our restaurant in Culver City provides you the best Indian traditional food. Mayura South Indian restaurant provides you the finest fresh vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. Our menu consists of rice dishes, beverages, soups, lunch, dinner specials, vegetarian, non vegetarian, fresh seafood, breads and side orders. Mayura Restaurant Inc has delicious food and a remarkable dining experience. We are dedicated to making Mayura the best dining experience in Culver City.
Why Mayura is the best Indian restaurant in Culver City
Whether planning a large dinner party or an intimate first date, choosing the right restaurant can be the biggest challenge. The word "fresh" conjures up a variety of traits, almost all of which apply to Mayura Indian restaurant. Our food is delicious and the presentation is exquisite, service is impeccable and prices are just right. The great ambiance, exceptional food and excellent service make for a remarkable dining experience at Mayura Indian restaurant. The great atmosphere will make your special occasion the one you will never forget! Using quality fresh ingredients, we crafted an extensive menu of traditional Indian dishes, offering everything from fresh made vegetables and meats to delicious desserts. Come and enjoy the sample menu and classic Indian delights that await you at Mayura Indian restaurant. Our restaurant has sit-down tables and a counter display of various sweets, snacks, side orders. Our delicacies include different flavors and textures from bland yogurt and daall entils to spicy curries and pickles. Our separate vegetarian and non-vegetarian kitchens provide the best of both worlds under one roof.


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COLOUR PALM - Trio of Hand Painted Porcelain Pillar Tea Light Holders, gift boxed
Regular price £50.00
Pillar candle holders painted in one of a myriad of Caroline Hely Hutchinson's exuberant designs. Painted gold in the recess.
Height 8.5 cm
Presented in a black velvet gift bag and pink and black box and makes a perfect small gift for a dinner party or birthday.


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[Jeri Ellsworth] recently released another video in her "A-Z of Electronics" series – this time Capacitors are the subject. As a penance for my boneheaded AC Capacitor suggestion yesterday (I swear it was lack of sleep talking), [Caleb] suggested that I be the one to write this article. Since I'm not an electrical engineer (I majored in Comp Sci), I enjoy watching these videos, and I share them with individuals who are new to electronics. [Jeri] always presents the subject matter in a clear and concise manner, so the subjects do not seem daunting or intimidating.
She briefly discusses the early development of capacitors, including Leyden Jars, then focuses on modern capacitors and their usage. She covers wiring capacitors in circuits, demonstrating the difference between series and parallel configurations, as well as how electrode distance affects capacitance.
If you have a spare minute, be sure to check out her current video as well as those she has previously released.


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Simply refer people to DriveThruRPG.com by tacking the following to any URL: ?affiliate_id=xxxyyy, where "xxxyyy" is the affiliate ID number we assign to you. (If there's already a "?" earlier in the URL, use "&" instead). Here are a couple of examples:
- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?affiliate_id=xxxyyy
- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/1472?src=hottest_filtered&affiliate_id=xxxyyy
You can append this link into forum posts, use it in your forum signature, or use it as a link on your website if you have one. When someone comes to DriveThruRPG.com by clicking on one of these links, we'll know it's you that sent them! If they make a purchase on our store within 15 days of coming to our site via one of your links, then you'll gain up to five percent (5%) of that purchase's dollar value (excluding gift certificates) credited to your account.


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Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Giro d'Italia Joins Impatto Zero® (Zero Impact) Project
For the first time the Giro d'Italia will join the Impatto Zero® (Zero Impact) project of LifeGate in which new forests will be created and protected in Italy to offset the carbon emissions generated by the stage race. The initiative is promoted by the Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare (Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea.)
Impatto Zero® estimated that about 1,700 tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be generated during the the 21 stage race. This takes into account the entire race caravan, production of communications materials, electricity use, waste production, and water consumption.
The forest areas for interventions that have been identified in collaboration with the Ministry are the Parco Nazionale of Cinque Terre (in Liguria), the Parco Nazionale of Cilento e Vallo di Diano (in Campania), and the Parco Nazionale of Gargano (in Puglia).
Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are very welcome. Contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com. There are more than 1,300 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog and there is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
2 comments:
- AnonymousApril 27, 2010 at 7:54 PM
A fantastic gesture for the Giro, bravo!ReplyDelete
CycleItalia operations both at our US office and in Italy have been carbon-neutral (except for client's air travel)for the last 3 years. BRAVI to La Corsa Rosa for doing the same!ReplyDelete
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01 May 1999 Blacks "Gored" By a Lie: Al Gore Sr., the GOP and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by R.D. Davis
It is easy to control the minds of a people. All one has to do is change history by lying about the past. This is exactly what has happened with the legacy of former Democratic U.S. Senator Al Gore, Sr. of Tennessee – the father of our current vice president – and his mythical "support" of civil rights.
In a recent speech to the NAACP, Vice President Gore said his father lost his Senate seat because he supported civil rights legislation. Fellow black Americans, let me set history straight. Al Gore, Sr., together with the rest of the southern Democrats, voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Congressional Quarterly reported that, in the House of Representatives, 61% of Democrats (152 for, 96 against) voted for the Civil Rights Act as opposed to 80% of Republicans (138 for, 38 against). In the Senate, 69% of Democrats (46 for, 21 against) voted for the Act while 82% of Republicans did (27 for, 6 against). All southern Democrats voted against the Act.
In his remarks upon signing the Civil Rights Act, President Lyndon Johnson praised Republicans for their "overwhelming majority." He did not offer similar praise to his own Democratic Party. Moreover, Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen, an Illinois Republican, collaborated with the White House and the Senate leadership of both parties to draft acceptable compromise amendments to end the southern Democrats' filibuster of the Act. It was Dirksen who often took to the Senate floor to declare, "This is an idea whose time has come. It will not be denied." Dirksen's greatest triumph earned him the Leadership Conference of Civil Rights Award, presented by then-NAACP Chairman Roy Wilkins, for his remarkable civil rights leadership.
Inform yourself, so you can learn for yourself about this important historical event. All official records about the Civil Rights Act can be found in the June 1964 issues of Congressional Quarterly.
Al Gore, Sr. did not stop at simply voting against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In addition, Congressional Quarterly reported that Gore attempted to send the Act to the Senate Judiciary Committee with an amendment to say "in defiance of a court desegregation order, federal funds could not be held from any school districts." Gore sought to take the teeth out of the Act in the event it passed.
Ostensibly, Senator Gore was "elated" at the idea of young Al, Jr. going to school with black children. In reality, however, the future vice president attended an elite private school.
In the end, the Gore Amendment was defeated by a vote of 74-25. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, one of President Bill Clinton's political mentors, was among the 23 southern Democratic senators and only one Republican voting with Gore for this racist amendment.
Republican Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona voted against the Civil Rights Act because he was afraid the nation would be transformed into a "police state" as a result of some of its provisions. He did not want to throw out the proverbial "baby with the bath water." History, of course, labeled Goldwater a racist even though he voted against the Gore Amendment – an amendment devised to continue school segregation. If anyone in the Senate should be tagged as a racist, it should be those voting for the Gore Amendment. Why didn't history record Al Gore, Sr. and the other southern Democrats as racists?
At least civil rights activist Andrew Young was forthcoming about this oversight in his book An Easy Burden. Young wrote, "The southern segregationists were all Democrats, and it was black Republicans… who could effectively influence the appointment of federal judges in the South." Young noted that the best civil rights judges were Republicans appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower. Young admitted, "These judges are among the many unsung heroes of the civil rights movement."
History tends to unilaterally and falsely depict Republicans as racists when southern Democrats truly deserved this title. We now have southern Democrats as both President and Vice President. That would never be the case without the power of the lie and the liberal news media to alter people's impressions.
Lies can enslave men, but the truth shall set them free. I challenge you, the reader, to take the time to research the facts about our past in publications like Congressional Quarterly and An Easy Burden. Once you educate yourself, you can no longer be deceived by the fabulists. No longer will you be "gored" by a lie.


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Hello and Welcome!About Us
We keep our Facebook page updated more than the website.
Click below to join us!
"John and his group entertained guests in the pathways of our festival with exciting juggling performances. With big smiles and bigger flair the juggler created up-close and memorable experiences for attendees. I can highly recommend Juggling With John for any event."
Jonathan Zook - Michiana Renaissance Festival
"Just a note to let you know that our Rotary District conference really enjoyed your juggling at our conference a few weeks ago. We heard great comments all weekend long! Everything you did that evening was enjoyable. Teaching the kids to juggle was wonderful, and everyone enjoyed the finale of torch juggling."
Denise Barowicz - District Rotary Conference
"John is my absolute favorite juggler and entertainer! He is creative and works well with people of all ages. Whatever your event, you can count on John to provide the greatest amount of creative fun and excitement available anywhere!"
Tim Wesco - Indiana State Representative District 21
"John is very mature and has a strong work ethic. He is creative and takes initiative. He is responsible and very conscintious. I have been very pleased with his work as a juggler for our annual Madrigal Dinners at Saint Mary's College and I look forward to working with him next year.
Nancy Menk - Saint Mary's College
"Thank you, John, for doing a great job of leading the juggling program at the Bittersweet Branch of the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library. Along with being a good instructor, you patiently provided individual instruction for the participants."
Margo Ferguson -Bittersweet Branch Library
"Thank you so much for the juggling show for our Jubilee Celebration. The Sisters all enjoyed it very much. We are all amazed at all you have taught yourself and how proficient you are at trying to teach others to juggle. It certainly looks much easier than it is. May God bless you in all your future endeavors."
Sister Angela - Franciscan Alliance
Give us a +1!


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Watch our latest video for all the information you need to sign up, prepare for, and attend a MEDLIFE Mobile Clinic!
Watch our latest video for all the information you need to sign up, prepare for, and attend a MEDLIFE Mobile Clinic!
This trip motivated me more to pursue a career in the healthcare field so that I can use my resources to help those who need it the most, similar to MEDLIFE's mission.
It was most enjoyable to finish the hard work and see how big a difference a group of individuals can make. It was such an amazing experience.
I enjoyed the mobile clinics the most, especially the dental and triage portions. I would definitely recommend a MEDLIFE trip, it was a great experience.
The most enjoyable part of my trip was hanging out with the amazing group of kids I was with. I would highly recommend a MEDLIFE volunteer trip to others.
This trip made everything that I was learning in my public health courses come to life and immersed me in a new culture while also learning about medicine.
Being involved with MEDLIFE is not like joining another club - its bigger than that. It is about joining a movement that seeks to help change people's quality of life for forever.
Not only was I able to participate in a week long Mobile Clinic, shadowing doctors of all types of specialties including pharmacy, dentistry, gynecology, and more, but I was also able to learn about the culture and visit incredible places.
One thing that I really loved about this trip was that MEDLIFE made sure that the volunteers got an understanding of the complexity of issues that lead to underprivileged people in communities outside of the main city
Whether it was basketball with the local kids, assisting the doctors, talking with families, building washrooms, holding babies, or spending time with the people who were on the SLT with me, this was an amazing opportunity that I would do over and over again.
I loved learning about the patients MEDLIFE has followed and how they offer real help to people with chronic/urgent conditions. It is amazing how the organization formed real connections with the communities.
Our family had the privilege of participating in multiple trips with Nick [founder] and his amazing staff. Their expertise made the trips unforgettable while instilling in my boys the fundamentals of good character: selflessness, compassion, and empathy.
As an aspiring physician, MEDLIFE motivated me to further continue my goal of becoming a doctor. In fact, I enjoyed the Tanzania Service Learning Trip so much that I decided to go on another trip to Cusco, Peru.
Website Design & Development © 2023 Links Web Design, Bangor, Maine | Sitemap
Website Content Copyright © 2023 MEDLIFE


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LOS ANGELES (Nov. 2, 2016) – Peter Sagan, the 2015 overall Amgen Tour of California winner and record holder with 15 stage victories since riding for the first time in 2010, will headline an all-star peloton when America's most prestigious cycling stage race launches the 12th edition in May, 2017.
The 2017 Amgen Tour of California men's competition is set to begin in Sacramento on May 14, 2017, while the 2017 Amgen Breakaway From Heart Disease Women's Race Empowered with SRAM will begin three days earlier on May 11 in South Lake Tahoe, it was announced today by AEG, owners of the annual event. The women's competition will conclude its four-stage race in Sacramento on May 14 as the men begin their seven-stage, 600-mile event set to conclude in Pasadena on May 20.
The remaining Host Cities (start and finish destinations for each stage) were also announced and include Big Bear Lake (Men's Individual Time Trial), Modesto, Morro Bay, Mt. Baldy, Mountain High, Ontario, Pismo Beach, San Jose, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, and first time Host City Elk Grove which will host the Stage 3 women's competition start.
"The Amgen Tour of California has long been the most esteemed cycling race in America. Its designation as a UCI WorldTour event will continue to expand its international exposure and attract the best teams and cyclists yet, giving fans even more to cheer about from the streets of California next spring," said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen Tour of California and executive vice president of AEG Sports.
Sagan, one of the most popular cyclists ever to compete in the Amgen Tour of California will be racing for his recently launched BORA-hansgrohe team hoping to add on to his current record of 15 stage wins including two in 2016. The 2015 and 2016 (current) World Champion will be racing in the Golden State for the 7th consecutive year.
"Racing in the Amgen Tour of California is always one of my top priorities every year. While spectacular to watch from a scenic standpoint, the route is consistently tough and challenging and one that brings out the best in all of the riders," said Sagan. "The incredible fans and all of the cities of California that we get to visit truly makes the Amgen Tour of California one of the best experiences of the year for me."
Also returning to California in 2017 is 2016 Amgen Breakaway From Heart Disease Women's Race Empowered with SRAM defending Champion and current UCI Womens World Tour Champion Megan Guarnier racing for the Boels–Dolmans team.
"The Amgen Tour of California has been a superb addition to the Women's World Tour calendar," said Guarnier. "As an American, I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to race at the highest level on American soil. The Amgen Breakaway From Heart Disease Women's Race Empowered with SRAM allows create the most professional platform to showcase women's racing alongside the long-running men's race, and the organization ensures that there is media coverage surrounding the event further elevating the exposure of our event for our current, and I dare say our future, fan base.
The Amgen Tour of California features a variety of terrains, allowing different types of athletes shine; with the hilly stages and the sprint stages it allows us to demonstrate our breadth of talent within the women's peloton. I am personally excited to return to the Amgen Tour of California and the rare opportunity to race on home-soil in my current home-State," continued Guarnier. "I always love racing in front of the home-crowd. It energizes me and pushes me to top performances."
The 2017 race will mark the first year the men's race has been elevated to UCI WorldTour status, making it the only stage race in North America to receive this prestigious classification. The upcoming race will also be the tenth consecutive year that a women's competition will be held as part of the Amgen Tour of California.
Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease Women's Race empowered with SRAM
Thursday, May 11 Stage 1 South Lake Tahoe
Friday, May 12 Stage 2 South Lake Tahoe
Saturday, May 13 Stage 3 Elk Grove to Sacramento
Sunday, May 14 Stage 4 Sacramento
Stage 1 – South Lake Tahoe, May 11, 2017
The women will start things off with a race around one of the most beautiful race routes in the USA: the Lake Tahoe Loop. The final climb will lead riders up to the finish at the Heavenly Mountain Resort.
Stage 2 – South Lake Tahoe, May 12, 2017
While the race will have a common start and finish at the Heavenly Mountain Resort, the route is entirely new to the Amgen Tour of California. Given that South Lake Tahoe is surrounded by mountains, this will be a difficult day for the peloton. The riders will face summits in excess of 7,300-feet leading to what promises to be a climatic finish.
Stage 3 – Elk Grove to Sacramento, May 13, 2017
The Amgen Tour of California welcomes the City of Elk Grove as a first-time Host City. The women's penultimate stage will feature one of the most beautiful parks in Elk Grove, before heading south to the California "Delta Region". While this stage is flat and a welcome relief for the tired legs coming out of the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe, the winds in the Delta can be menacing and unpredictable. The Sacramento River will lead the riders into Sacramento for an exciting sprint finish in front of the Capitol building.
Stage 4 – Sacramento, May 14, 2017
A fan and racer favorite, the women will take center stage on the finishing circuits around the State Capitol building in Sacramento. The day of racing will be fast and furious and one to remember. If you love watching the men on these circuits, wait until you see the women tearing up the road as they protect the yellow jersey and deliver their sprinter to win on this final day of racing for the women.
Amgen Tour of California (Men's Race)
Sunday, May 14 Stage 1 Sacramento
Monday, May 15 Stage 2 Modesto to San Jose
Tuesday, May 16 Stage 3 Pismo Beach to Morro Bay
Wednesday, May 17 Stage 4 Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita
Thursday, May 18 Stage 5 Ontario to Mt. Baldy (Summit Finish)
Friday, May 19 Stage 6 Big Bear Lake (Individual Time Trial)
Saturday, May 20 Stage 7 Mountain High to Pasadena
Stage 1 – Sacramento, May 14, 2017
The California State Capital hosted the Amgen Tour of California overall finish in 2016, so it is only fitting that it returns for the overall start in 2017. This will be a flat and fast stage that will conclude with exciting finishing circuits.
Stage 2 – Modesto to San Jose, May 15, 2017
It is great to be returning to Modesto. This will be a difficult mountain stage with six climbs and an uphill finish. Fans can expect all of the race favorites to be in the top 10 on the leader board after the conclusion of this stage.
Stage 3 – Pismo Beach to Morro Bay, May 16, 2017
California's Central Coast and San Luis Obispo County have long been race favorites over the years. This stage will feature another start near the ocean in Pismo Beach and a first-time finish near the harbor in Morro Bay. The stage is designed for a craft sprinter who can handle an uphill sprint to the finish.
Stage 4 – Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita, May 17, 2017
Stage 4 returns to a favorite race start along the beach in Santa Barbara. This will be a familiar course for many of the riders and will feature a fan favorite – Balcom Canyon – concluding with an expected mass sprint finish in Santa Clarita.
Stage 5 – Ontario to Mt. Baldy, May 18, 2017
Mt. Baldy, the Queen Stage! A 26-mile climb to the finish! Swithchbacks! Massive crowds! It has been two years since the race rocked the Angeles National Forest and we are back again by popular demand. The fun will start in the City of Ontario setting the riders on a course that will lead the race north up the main artery and a climb will begin and the legs will start to burn. This will also be the site for the amateurs to test their mettle at the annual L'Etape public ride which will precede the professional race.
Stage 6 – Big Bear Lake Individual Time Trial, May 19, 2017
The riders will take out their revenge on this technical 15-mile course. While it is flat, the 6,800-foot elevation around Big Bear Lake will certainly sap the strength from many of the riders on this penultimate day.
Stage 7 – Mountain High to Pasadena, May 20, 2017
The Amgen Tour of California returns to the Mountain High ski resort for the start of the final stage. While this will be a fast and largely downhill run into Pasadena, the riders will have two significant climbs that will top out at over 7,900 feet. The crowds in Pasadena will be watching the top teams try to deliver their sprinter to the line to claim the finish.
Title sponsor Amgen has been a race partner since it began as a platform for Breakaway from Cancer®, its national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer – from prevention through survivorship. Last year, Amgen expanded its race role as it launched Breakaway from Heart Disease™, aimed at encouraging Americans to take charge of their heart health by understanding their family's history of heart disease and getting active through cycling. To learn more, visit breakawayfromcancer.com and breakawayfromheartdisease.com.
"At Amgen, our mission is to serve patients, and for more than 35 years we have used science and innovation to dramatically improve lives," said Raymond C. Jordan, senior vice president of Corporate Affairs at Amgen. "Our sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California gives us the opportunity to help patients impacted by cardiovascular disease and cancer take charge of their disease. The Breakaway from Heart Disease and Breakaway from Cancer initiatives give patients and their loved ones vital education and resources to help them through their journey.
To experience the race as a VIP from an all-inclusive hospitality tent or through exclusive once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, visit the Amgen Tour of California website at amgentourofcalifornia.com/vipaccess or call (213) 742-7145.
About the Amgen Tour of California
The Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race featuring both men's and women's competitions created and presented by AEG. America's biggest stage race challenges the world's top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course across hundreds of miles of California's iconic highways, byways and coastlines each spring. The teams chosen to participate have included Olympic medalists, Tour de France contenders and World Champions. The Amgen Tour of California is part of the UCI WorldTour along with the premier races in the world, and awards world-ranking points to top finishers. More information is available at amgentourofcalifornia.com.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.


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Mediterranean Diet Again Linked to Lower Risk Of Diabetes
While experts have long said a Mediterranean diet is beneficial for both a healthy heart and healthy weight, a recent study affirms research suggesting that it may also lower the risk of developing diabetes.
According to analysis of several different studies, those who eat a Mediterranean diet – one rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, olive oil, legumes and fish – are 21 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, compared to those in dietary control groups.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has previously said that a Mediterranean diet could be a good alternative to a low-fat diet when it comes to diabetes prevention.
Researchers said the reduced risk was even more pronounced for those at a high risk of cardiovascular disease.
"Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may prevent the development of diabetes irrespective of age, sex, race or culture," said Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Ph.D., a professor at Harokopio University, in Athens, Greece, who headed the analysis. "This diet has a beneficial effect, even in high risk groups, and speaks to the fact that it is never too late to start eating a healthy diet."
Researchers looked at 19 studies that followed more than 162,000 participants for an average of 5.5 years. Participants spanned the globe, which made factors including genetics, environmental issues, lifestyle and stress less impactful in the final data.
The study is particularly important, researchers said, given the steadily rising numbers of those being diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes every year.
"Diabetes is an ongoing epidemic and its relation to obesity, especially in the Westernized populations, is well known. We have to do something to prevent diabetes and changing our diet may be an effective treatment," Panagiotakos said.
The research was presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd annual Scientific Session.
Researchers previously said that a Mediterranean diet could help control the symptoms of type 2 diabetes in those who had already been diagnosed.
A study that appeared late last year in the New England Journal of Medicine said that those who ate a handful of nuts a day – a key component of the Mediterranean diet – had a 20 percent less likely risk of dying from common ailments that those who never ate nuts.
It echoes another study – this one appearing in the Annals of Internal Medicine in January of this year – that found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet were as much as 40 percent less likely to develop diabetes.