• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.624-630
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• 2001

Two experiments on the effects of molasses additive on cassava tops silage quality to its feed intake and digestibility by growing Holstein$\times$local crossbred heifers were carried out. Sixteen plastic bags of one meter diameter and two meters length were allocated in a $2{\times}2$ factorial design with four replicates in the ensiling study, with and without the molasses additive and with two storage times (2 and 3 months). The silage produced in the first experiment was used in the feed intake and digestibility study. Six crossbred Holstein heifers, 160-180 kg live weight, were randomly allocated in a $3{\times}2$ change-over design to three treatments: Guinea grass ad libitum, 70% of grass ad libitum with a supplement of non-molasses cassava silage ad libitum, and 70% of grass ad libitum with a supplement of molasses cassava silage ad libitum. Ensiling was shown to be a satisfactory method for preservation of cassava tops. The HCN content was significantly reduced from $840mg\;kg^{-1}$ to 300 or $130mg\;kg^{-1}$, depending on storage period. The tannin content was not significantly changed. Molasses additive resulted in lower pH, Crude Protein (CP), NDF and higher DM content but did not otherwise affect chemical composition. The voluntary feed intake per 100 kg live weight of the heifers was 2.59, 2.65 and 2.91 kg DM of Guinea grass, non-molasses cassava tops silage and molasses cassava tops silage diet, respectively. Crude protein intake was significantly improved in the cassava tops silage diets. The apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF decreased with the silage supplement diets. No significant difference in digestibility was found between the non-molasses and molasses silage diets. The digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF in non-molasses cassava tops silage and molasses cassava tops silage was 49.4, 52.1, 45.81, 36.6, 27.7 and 49.7, 51.9, 47.55, 28.1, 19.5, respectively. It is concluded that cassava tops can be preserved successfully by ensiling and that cassava tops silage is a good feed resource for cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1754-1759
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• 2002

A study was carried out to investigate the nutritive value and utilization of hybrid sorghum and perennial grass species viz. setaria (Setaria anceps) and hybrid napier when intercropped with soybean by growing Jersey crossbred heifers. Fifteen growing crossbred heifers (Jersey${\times}$Red Sindhi) of between 7-10 months age and pre-trial average body weight of 49-50 kg were divided on the basis of weight in to three treatment groups viz. $T_1$-hybrid sorghum+soybean, $T_2$-setaria+soybean and $T_3$-hybrid napier+soybean in a completely randomized block design. Intercropped forages were harvested fresh, chaffed and mixed before they were offered to the heifers. Chemical composition of the herbage, dry matter intake (DMI), body weight gain and nutrient digestibility co-efficients were estimated. The herbage mixtures had crude protein (CP) content in the range of 11.87 to 13.86% and ether extract (EE) contents were 2.91 to 3.11%, respectively. The herbage mixtures were rich in minerals (ash). The gross energy (kcal/g DM) was higher in hybrid napier+soybean, while hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean herbage mixtures had lower value for gross energy. The hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean herbage mixtures had higher contents of NDF, ADF, cellulose, lignin and silica as compared to that of hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture. The heifers fed hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture had significantly (p<0.05) higher $DMI\;g/kg\;W^{0.75}$ ($97.41{\pm}4.34$) as compared to hybrid sorghum+soybean ($88.31{\pm}2.66$) and setaria+soybean ($79.29{\pm}1.06$) herbage mixtures. Nutrients digestibility, DCP percent, DCP intake and nitrogen balance were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the heifers fed on hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture. There was a significant (p<0.05) difference among different herbage mixtures in TDN. The heifers on setaria+soybean herbage mixture had lower average body weight gain (g/day) than those on hybrid sorghum+soybean and hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixtures. Data obtained in this experiment demonstrated that herbage mixture of hybrid napier+soybean was better than hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean herbage mixtures in the nutrition of growing heifers. It had highest nutritive value, better digestibility co-efficients which showed better growth rate and higher feed efficiency. In ranking, hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture was better followed by hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean in nutritive value in the parameters studied. For future wasteland development program in humid-sub tropics of Himachal Pradesh hybrid napier and its intercropping with soybean is recommended for general adoption because of its better adaptability and higher nutritive value.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1118-1124
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• 2001

Fifteen lactating crossbred cows were randomly allotted to three groups of 5 each, and fed three isoproteinous concentrate mixture varying in RDP and UDP ratios, viz. 71: 29 (T1) and 58: 42 (T2) and 44: 56 (T3), along with green maize and wheat straw given as 2/3 and 1/3 of total roughage respectively, for a period of 120 days. The DM intake (kg/d) differed significantly (p<0.01) among the treatments as well as among the fortnights over a period of 120 days. DMI (kg/d) progressively increased from first to eighth fortnight in all the treatments. The daily DMI (% BW) was significantly (p<0.01) lower in T1 (2.37) than those of T2 (2.82) and T3 (2.67). The body weights of cows decreased up to 4th fortnight in T1 and up to 3rd fortnight in T2 and T3, then it showed an increasing trend till the end of the experiment in all the treatments. Cows in T1 lost 10 kg body weight but cows in T2 and T3 gained 23 and 12 kg the body weight, respectively. Both the milk and FCM yield differed significantly (p<0.01) among the fortnights. The FCM yield increased up to 2nd fortnight in all the treatments and thereafter, the FCM yield declined gradually as the lactation advanced. The FCM yield (kg/d) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in T3 (10.47) than in T2 (9.81) and T1 (9.68), however, milk yield, SCM yield and milk energy yield did not differ among the treatments as well as among the fortnights. Fat and protein % in milk increased as the lactation advanced. However, fortnightly SNF % in milk showed an irregular trend. The % fat, protein, SNF and total solids in milk differed significantly (p<0.01) among the fortnights. The % fat and protein in milk varied significantly (p<0.01) among the treatments, being lowest in T1 and highest in T3. The feed efficiency for milk production showed a non-significant variation among the treatments as well as among the fortnights, but increased with the increase in UDP level. It is concluded that by increasing the UDP level from 29 to 56 per cent of CP in the diet of medium producing cows, the milk production increases and cost of milk production reduces.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1127-1136
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• 2013

Four rumen-fistulated crossbred beef cattle (Brahman native) were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design experiment to be fed plant herb supplements in their concentrate mixture. The treatments were: without herb supplementation (Control), lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d (L), lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d plus peppermint powder at 10 g/d (LP), and lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d plus peppermint powder at 10 g/d with garlic powder 40 g/d (LPG), respectively. Based on the present study, the DMI and apparent digestibility of DM, OM, aNDF and ADF were not affected by dietary herb supplementation while CP digestibility tended to be decreased by herb supplement. Moreover, $NH_3$-N and BUN were decreased in all herb supplemented treatments and there was a tendency to an increase in ruminal pH in all herb supplemented groups. While there was no change in TVFA and C4 among lemongrass treatments, C2 was decreased in all herb supplemented treatments while C3 was increased. Methane production by calculation was the lowest in the LP and LPG groups. Population sizes of bacteria and protozoa were decreased in all herb supplemented groups, but not fungal zoospores. In all supplemented groups, total viable and proteolytic bacteria were decreased, while amylolytic and cellulolytic bacteria were similar. More importantly, in all herb supplemented groups, there were higher N balances, while there was no difference among treatments on purine derivative (PD) excretion or microbial N. Based on the results above, it could be concluded that there was no negative effect on ruminal fermentation characteristics and nutrient utilization by plant herb supplement, but protozoal population and $CH_4$ production were reduced. Thus, lemongrass alone or in combination with peppermint and garlic powder could be used as feed additives to improve rumen fermentation efficiency.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.349-353
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• 2016

This study was carried out to evaluate the influencing factors that affect the reproductive performance of cows at the Monirampur upazila in Jessore district of Bangladesh. A total of 224 cows were brought to the upazila livestock hospital for artificial insemination (AI). The cows were inseminated between 12 to 18 hours from the onset of estrus and data was obtained from the owner. Out of 224 cows, 133 became pregnant and 91 were non pregnant. In this study, the overall pregnancy rate was 59.29%. Among the age variability, the highest pregnancy rate (70.27%) was at the age of 4 years old. In case of breed variation, the highest pregnancy rate was observed in local breed (69.07%) compared with other crossbred cows. Hence the breed variations significantly influence the conception rate of cows. According to the parity, we found that the pregnancy rate was increasing with their parity but decreasing after 4th parity. The highest conception rate was observed in 3rd parity (67.74%) which was significantly higher than that of heifers (Parity-0). Here we also found that the types of bull semen used for AI had no significant effect for pregnancy rate. The skills of AI technician for AI to cows were significantly affecting the pregnancy rate. However, this study is not enough for rating and comment about the reproduction performance of cows. Therefore, further extensive study is needed for rating and recommendation for the cattle up gradation at that particular area.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1218-1223
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• 2003

The effects of type (high and low voltages) and time (3, 40 and 60 min postmortem) of stimulation on drip loss and meat color at 24 h post-mortem were determined on M. longissimus dorsi of 38 crossbred steers and heifers. In addition, the effect of pH early postmortem (70 min postmortem) on the rate and extend of meat tenderization was examined. Either high or low voltage stimulation at 3 min showed a tendency for faster pH decline (p=0.052) and higher drip loss (p=0.08), and improved the color dimensions of L*, a* and b* (p<0.01), compared to stimulation at 40 min. This was equivalent to approximately one unit of an AUSMEAT color chip. On the other hand, although there were significant differences in pH decline between high voltage stimulation at 40 and 60 min, and between low voltage stimulation at 40 min and control sides, drip loss and meat color did not differ significantly (p>0.05). The results suggested that early application of stimulation, regardless of type of stimulation, improved overall meat color at 24 h postmortem through its effect on faster glycolysing rate. However, if the pH decline was moderate, the benefit of electrical stimulation on meat color was not apparent. An intermediate pH decline resulted in the lowest shear force. Due to differential ageing rates the optimum pH at 70 min postmortem increased with ageing time from 5.96, 6.07, 6.12 and 6.14 for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days postmortem, respectively. This implied that a small difference in the rate of pH decline was important, especially carcasses stimulated for very early postmortem, and the optimum rate of pH decline varied with intended ageing period. The study suggests that the beneficial or adverse effects of electrical stimulation on drip loss, meat color and tenderness is determined by the rate of pH decline, rather than by stimulation treatment and time of application per se.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1095-1099
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• 2006

Leptin and IGFBP-3 are two proteins that play an important role in growth and metabolism of the animals. They are also involved in the immune function of animals and, thus, are candidate genes for the study of association with immune functions. Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of these two genes was done to screen 64 crossbred (Holstein Friesian${\times}$Hariana) female calves of one year of age. From each RFLPs (fragments) three genotypes were observed. In all the RFLPs the mutant homozygotes were very less in numbers and, hence, were excluded from the least squares analysis. The serum IgG level was estimated using SRID assay. The mean level of serum IgG was $28.83{\pm}2.73mg/ml$. The effect of these identified genotypes on serum IgG level of calves at one year of age was analysed using least squares analysis. The HaeIII RFLP-AB genotype had significantly (p<0.05) higher serum IgG level ($31.86{\pm}3.05$) than the HaeIII RFLP-AA ($25.62{\pm}2.96$) genotype. There was no significant effect of leptin genotypes on the IgG level. The present results indicated a role of the IGFBP-3 gene on serum IgG level of cattle calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.766-773
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• 2011

The objective of the present study was to examine whether yaks possess any adaptive mechanisms of nitrogen (N) metabolism to survive in the harsh foraging environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A grazing experiment on native alpine meadows was conducted to determine availability of herbage biomass and body weight (BW) change of yaks over the year, followed by two indoor feeding trials to investigate adaptation mechanisms of N metabolism in yaks fed at similar intake level to grazing conditions. Three castrated males of each of three genotypes; yak (Bos grunniens), indigenous cattle (Bos taurus) and their crossbred - cattleyak (Bos taurus male${\times}$Bos grunniens female), were used in the housed trials. Results showed that: i) Monthly herbage biomass production and daily grazing intakes by yaks over the year ranged from 220 to 4,664 kg DM per ha, and 1.90 to 8.50 kg DM, respectively. For about seven months each year, yaks suffer from malnutrition as a result of inadequate pasture conditions; ii) Urinary N excretion and N retention by yaks were significantly affected by feeding level, and yaks had a lower (p<0.05) average daily urinary N excretion (0.39 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) and a greater (p<0.05) N retention (-0.09 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) than indigenous cattle (0.47 and -0.16 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$, respectively). Fasting daily urinary N excretion was greater (p<0.05) for indigenous cattle than yaks (353 vs. 248 mg/kg $BW^{0.75}$). Purine derivative N excretion and purine derivative N index (PNI) increased with increasing feeding level, while the value of PNI was greater (p<0.05) for yaks and cattleyak (0.11 and 0.12, respectively) than for indigenous cattle (0.09) during the feeding trials. These results suggest that yaks could rely, in part, on the recycling of N to adapt to the harsh forage environment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.), were used in the housed trials. Results showed that: i) Monthly herbage biomass production and daily grazing intakes by yaks over the year ranged from 220 to 4,664 kg DM per ha, and 1.90 to 8.50 kg DM, respectively. For about seven months each year, yaks suffer from malnutrition as a result of inadequate pasture conditions; ii) Urinary N excretion and N retention by yaks were significantly affected by feeding level, and yaks had a lower (p<0.05) average daily urinary N excretion (0.39 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) and a greater (p<0.05) N retention (-0.09 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$) than indigenous cattle (0.47 and -0.16 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$, respectively). Fasting daily urinary N excretion was greater (p<0.05) for indigenous cattle than yaks (353 vs. 248 mg/kg $BW^{0.75}$). Purine derivative N excretion and purine derivative N index (PNI) increased with increasing feeding level, while the value of PNI was greater (p<0.05) for yaks and cattleyak (0.11 and 0.12, respectively) than for indigenous cattle (0.09) during the feeding trials. These results suggest that yaks could rely, in part, on the recycling of N to adapt to the harsh forage environment on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.295-300
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• 1995

Data from purebred and crossbred cattle involving Holstein and the Local breed in Bangladesh were used to estimate the genetic effects on average daily milk yield and birth weight A total of 877 records on average daily milk yield for 4 types of breed groups and a total of 418 records on birth weight for 5 breed groups were analyzed. Two different methods were applied in this study; the least squares analysis of variance approach and the linear regression approach. Breed group effects were highly significant for both average daily milk yield and birth weight. The result showed that straightbred Holstein produced the highest milk yield and the 7/8 crosses ranked highest in birth weight For the two traits, the additive breed effect was highly significant, whereas the individual heterosis effect was not significant. Furthermore, this study showed a negative maternal heterosis for average daily milk yields and a positive maternal heterosis for birth weight Comparing the breed least squares means obtained from the linear regression approach revealed that straightbred Holstein produced the highest average milk yield and the 3/4 crosses were predicted to have the largest birth weight. It is indicated that the linear regression approach can adequately separate the genetic component of performance, estimate unknown crossbreeding parameters and predict unknown performance of crosses which are not include in the original data.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.345-349
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• 2005

A study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding chopped whole sugar cane compared to corn silage on performances of dairy cows during the dry season. Twenty four Holstein Friesian crossbred (>87.5% Holstein Friesian) lactating dairy cows in mid lactation; averaging 16.5${\pm}$2.0 kg of milk, 121${\pm}$22 days in milk, 54.5${\pm}$4.5 months old and 440${\pm}$31 kg live weight, were stratified for milk yield, days in milk, age, stage of lactation and body weight, and then randomly allocated to two treatment groups (12 cows in each group). The first group was fed corn silage together with commercial concentrate while the second group was fed chopped whole sugar cane together with commercial concentrate. All cows consumed similar DM, however, cows on corn silage consumed more CP while cows on chopped whole sugar cane consumed more $NE_{LP}$. No significant differences in performances between the two groups were observed except for final live weight and body weight change. Cows on chopped whole sugar cane showed higher final live weight and gained more weight than cows on corn silage. The present study clearly indicates that chopped whole sugar cane can be fed to lactating dairy cows, while giving similar milk yield to corn silage.