• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.199-202
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• 2004

Cellulolytic bacterial strains have been isolated from the faeces of wild (blackbuck, Antilope cervicapra; nilgai, Baselophus tragocamelus chinkara, Gazella gazella spotted deer, Axis axis and hog deer, Cervus porcinus) and rumen liquor of domestic (sheep, Ovis aries) ruminants. Five best cellulose degrading bacterial isolates (Ruminococcus sp.) were used as microbial feed additive along with buffalo rumen liquor as inoculum to study their effect on digestibility of feed and enzyme production in in vitro conditions. The bacterial isolate from chinkara (CHI-2) showed the highest per cent apparent dry matter (DM) digestibility ($35.40{\pm}0.60$), true dry matter digestibility ($40.80{\pm}0.69$) and NDF ($26.38{\pm}0.83$) digestibility (p<0.05) compared to control ($32.73{\pm}0.56$, $36.64{\pm}0.71$ and $21.16{\pm}0.89$, respectively) and other isolates at 24 h of incubation with lignocellulosic feeds (wheat straw and wheat bran, 80:20). The same isolate also exhibited the highest activities of fibre degrading enzymes like carboxymethylcellulase, xylanase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase and acetyl esterase. The bacterial isolate from chinkara (Gazella gazella) appears to have a potential to be used as feed additive in the diet of ruminants for improving utilization of nutrients from lignocellulosic feeds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.1222-1227
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• 1999

Effect of three major cropping seasons and five fertilizer treatments on botanical composition, nutritional composition and in sacco digestibility of native grasses grown in 30 experimental plots of a medium fertile land was determined. It was observed that all the major grass species were grown in all seasons but their predominancy of growth was different. During the study the predominant grass species were Panicum repens (Angta), Fimvristylis miliacea (Joina), Cyanolis axillaries (Kanainala), Cynodon dactylon (Durba) and Cyperus iria (Phulchaise) which contributed about 27, 20, 13, 11 and 9% of the total grass yield, respectively. Dry matter (DM) contents was higher in dry followed by monsoon and summer seasons (p<0.05). Crude protein (CP) content in the summer and monsoon appeared to be higher (p<0.05) than that of dry season. Organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) were higher (p<0.05) in dry and monsoon than in summer season. Application of urea fertilizer and cowdung increased 28.2% of CP content of the grasses, but decreased 19.5 and 9.8% of DM and NDF contents, respectively. The potential degradation of DM and CP of the grasses grown in summer were 4.1 and 8.4% and 3.9 and 5.8% higher than those of monsoon and dry seasons, respectively, and both of these increased (11.3 and 5.9%, respectively) with the application of cowdung and urea fertilizer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.797-802
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• 2001

Two strains of rumen fungi (Piromyces rhizinflata B157, Orpinomyces joyonii SG4) and three strains of rumen cellulolytic bacteria (Ruminococcus albus B199, Ruminococcus flavefaciens FD1 and Fibrobacter succinogenes S85) were used as mono-cultures or combinationally arranged as co- and sequential-cultures to assess the relative contributions and interactions between rumen fungi and cellulolytic bacteria on rice straw degradation. The rates of dry matter degradation of co-cultures were similar to those of corresponding bacterial mono-cultures. Compared to corresponding sequential-cultures, the degradation of rice straw was reduced in all co-cultures (P<0.01). Regardless of the microbial species, the cellulolytic bacteria seemed to inhibit the degradation of rice straw by rumen fungi. The high efficiency of fungal cellulolysis seems to affect bacterial degradation rates.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1395-1403
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• 2012

The objective of the study was to quantify annual and seasonal differences in the chemical composition, in vitro gas production, in situ degradability and ruminal fermentation of grazing steers… diets. Diet samples were collected with four esophageal cannulated steers ($350{\pm}3$ kg BW); and four ruminally cannulated heifers ($342{\pm}1.5$ kg BW) were used to study the dry matter degradation and fermentation in rumen. Data were analyzed with repeated measurements split plot design. The crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility and metabolizable energy were higher during the first year of trial and in the summer (p<0.01). The values of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and copper were higher in summer (p<0.05). The gas produced by the soluble and insoluble fractions, as well as the constant rate of gas production were greater in summer and fall (p<0.01). The ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3N$) and total volatile fatty acids concentrations in rumen, the soluble and degradable fractions, the constant rate of degradation and the effective degradability of DM and NDF were affected by year (p<0.05) and season (p<0.01). Our study provides new and useful knowledge for the formulation of protein, energetic and mineral supplements that grazing cattle need to improve their productive and reproductive performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1090-1097
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• 2001

Nine tons of fresh rice straw from early-maturing varieties was ensiled with 50 g urea $kg^{-1}$ DM straw in plastic bags immediately after threshing. Five months after storage, preserved straw was used to partially replace elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schumach) for lactating cows. Eight crossbred Holstein lactating cows (75% of Holstein blood) in their second to fourth lactation and in mid-lactation were arranged in a balanced design with two squares consisting of $4\;periods{\times}4\;treatments$ (100% grass ad lib. as a control; 75% grass+urea treated fresh rice straw (UTrFRS) ad lib.; 50% grass+UTrFRS ad lib.; 25% grass+UTrFRS ad libitum) in one square. A concentrate supplement was given at a rate of 400 g per day per kg of milk produced. Samples of fresh straw taken in the field and UTrFRS and elephant grass taken at feeding time were evaluated in a degradation trial with 3 fistulated heifers (undefined blood ratio of crossbred of Sindhi and local yellow cattle). Straw preserved for 5-9 months was in nearly all cases of good quality. Crude protein (CP) content was increased 2.1 fold and 48 h dry matter loss (DML) was 20% higher compared to dry straw. Elephant grass cultivated intensively was low in DM content and 10% higher in 48 h DML compared to UTrFRS. Dry matter intake (DMI) was higher for the mixture of UtrFRS and Elephant grass, and highest when one-third of the roughage was UTrFRS. Higher DMI of mixed roughage diets was probably due to the low DM content of elephant grass in the sole grass roughage diet. Increasing substitution of elephant grass with UTrFRS up to 75% of the roughage component increased milk fat content and had no effect on milk yield and other milk composition parameters. Feeding UTrFRS, partially replacing elephant grass in the diets of lactating cows in the dry season can reduce the cost of roughage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1076-1083
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract (AFE) on in situ degradation of the various concentrates, forages and by-products in Taiwan. The in situ trial was conducted to determine the effect of AFE on the rate of ruminal degradation of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of the various local available feedstuff commonly used for dairy cattle. Two ruminal fistulated cows were arranged into a two by two switchback trial. Two dietary treatments were control without AFE inclusion diet and diet with 3 g of AFE (Amaferm) added daily into the total mixed ration (TMR). Results showed that effect of AFE inclusion on the ruminal degradability of concentrates vary; soybean meal is the most responsive feedstuff, corn is the next, whereas full-fat soybean did not response the AFE inclusion at all. The inclusion of AFE significantly depressed most of the nutrient degradation of the concentrates of soybean meal in the first 12-hour in situ incubation. The effect declined in the next 12 hours. Rapeseed meal showed a different trend of response: addition of AFE improved its NDF degradation. The inclusions of AFE significantly improved ADF degradation of roughage after 24 or 48 hours of incubation. However, corn silage and peanut-vines showed a different trend. Effects of AFE inclusion on the by-products degradability were inconsistent. Most of nutrients in rice distillers grain and some in beancurd pomace did show increased degradation by the AFE inclusion.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2000

This study was conducted to examine of rice straw after chemical treatments and ensiling on its feeding value, in situ studies using a rumen fistulated Korean cow and nylon bag technique. NaOH treatment greatly improved the degradation the Dry matter and Neutral detergent fiber degradation in the rumen but the intake was not affected. Ammonia treatment did not improve the degradation rate of rice straw in the rumen, but remarkably increased the rice straw digestibility and intake by sheep. Making silage of rice straw did not affect its rumen degradation rate, but the digestibility and its take by sheep were greatly improved especially when a little molasses together with Lactobacillus were supplemented. Degradation rate of rice straw in the rumen measured by nylon bag technique was influenced by various treatments but did not appear to coincide with digestibility by sheep. This would be due to the fact that feed intake affect digestibility as well as the degradation in rumen. Therefore, it can be said that making silage with some molasses and Lactobacillus is one of the easest way of using rice straw for animal feed. (Key words : NaOH, Digestibility, Silage, Molasses )

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 1990

An experiment was conducted with three ruminally and intestinally cannulated non-lactating cows of Finnish Ayrshire breed, to assess the ruminal degradation characteristics of oat (Avena sativa), rye (Secale cereale) and rice (Oryza sativa) straw by the nylon bag technique, and the subsequent post-ruminal degradation of their rumen-undegraded residues by using the mobile bag technique, respectively. The straw samples were untreated or treated with aqueous $NH_3$ or with urea solution in cold or hot water. The untreated straw samples were milled or chopped, and the treated straw samples were chopped. The constant values a, b, and c were computed according to the exponential equation, where a = intercept of degradation curve at time 0, b = potentially degradable material, c = rate of degradation of band (a+b) = maximum potential degradability (asymptote). It was found that nitrogen contents of chemically treated straw were markedly increased by both $NH_3$ and urea treatments. Milling the samples attributed to a remarkable loss at 0 h incubation time as compared to chopping of the respective samples. However, chemical treatment markedly improved the b value and the subsequent (a+b) values for dry matter, organic matter, neutral-detergent fiber, and acid-detergent fiber of the samples. Furthermore, temperature of the water used in the urea solutions was considered essential, since urea in hot water rather than in cold water seemed to enhance the overall degradability. The disappearance of rumen-incubated straw residues from the mobile bags ranged from 4.5 to 9.6% for the parameters measured. On average, the OM disappearance from bags was clearly higher for the residues of urea treated straw compared to those of ammonia treated straw, but the disappearance of NDF tended, however, to be higher on the ammonia treatment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1404-1410
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• 2012

In vitro experiments were conducted to evaluate the suitability of several mixtures of high tanniniferous non legumes with low tanniniferous legumes on in vitro gas production (IVGP), dry matter degradation, Ammonia-N, methane production and microbial population. Eight treatments were examined in a randomized complete block design using four non-legumes and two legumes (Carallia integerrima${\times}$Leucaena leucocephala (LL) (Trt 1), C. integerrima${\times}$Gliricidia sepium (GS) (Trt 2), Aporosa lindeliyana${\times}$LL (Trt 3), A. lindeliyana${\times}$GS (Trt 4), Ceiba perntandra${\times}$LL (Trt 5), C. perntandra${\times}$GS (Trt 6), Artocarpus heterophyllus${\times}$LL (Trt 7), A. heterophyllus${\times}$GS (Trt 8). The condensed tannin (CT) content of non legumes ranged from 6.2% (Carallia integerrima) to 4.9% (Ceiba perntandra) while the CT of legumes were 1.58% (Leucaena leucocephala) and 0.78% (Gliricidia sepium). Forage mixtures contained more than 14% of crude protein (CP) while the CT content ranged from 2.8% to 4.0% respectively. Differences (p<0.05) were observed in in vitro gas production (IGVP) within treatments over a 48 h period dominated by C. perntandra${\times}$G. sepium (Trt 6). The net gas production (p<0.05) was also high with Trt6 followed by A. heterophyllus${\times}$L. leucocephala (Trt 7) and A. heterophyllus${\times}$G. sepium (Trt 8). Highest (p>0.05) NH3-N (ml/200 mg DM) production was observed with the A. heterophyllus${\times}$G. sepium (Trt 8) mixture which may be attributed with it's highest CP content. The correlation between IVGP and CT was 0.675 while IVGP and CP was 0.610. In vitro dry matter degradation (IVDMD) was highest in Trt 8 as well. Methane production ranged from 2.57 to 4.79 (ml/200 mg DM) to be synonimous with IVGP. A higher bacteria population (p<0.05) was found in C. perntandra${\times}$G. sepium (Trt 6) followed by Artocarpus heterophyllus+G. sepium (Trt 8) and the same trend was observed with the protozoa population as well. The results show that supplementing high tannin non leguminous forages by incremental substitution of legume forage increased gas production parameters, NH3-N, IVDMD and microbial population in the fermentation liquid. Methane production was not significantly affected by the presence of CT or different levels of CP in forage mixtures. Among non legumes, Ceiba perntandra and Artocarpus heterophyllus performed better in mixture with L. leucocephala and G. sepium.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 1994

This experiment was carried out in order to evaluate the chemical composition and rumen degradation characteristics of Italian ryegrass harvested at three different growth stages, i,e. pre-blooming, early-blooming and late-blooming. Degradation values were obtained by incubation of the samples using the nylon bag technique on the rumen of sheep fed a normal diet (Timothy hay with 200 g/d concentrate per head) for 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. Neutral detergent fiver (NDF) content was highest at late-blooming (64.4%) while no difference was found among the pre-blooming and early-blooming (49.4% vs 48.3%). However, acid detergent fiber (ADF) content markedly increased from 30.0% at pre-blooming to 35.4% and 46.4% at early-blooming and late-blooming, respectively. Lignin and silica contents also increased as advancing maturity of the grass, Rumen degradation of dry matter (DM) significantly reduced (p < 0.05) as advancing maturity of the grass. Ruman degradation cellulose and ADF at pre-blooming were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of early-blooming and late-blooming. However, no significant differences were observed among the early-blooming and late-blooming. With advancing maturity, rumen degradation of NDF and hemicellulose significantly reduced (p < 0.05) at the incubation times.