• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1469-1475
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• 2010

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of methods of feeding a total mixed ration (TMR) on behavior patterns of growing Hanwoo steers. A total of 15 growing steers (13 months old) were assigned to the control (fed roughage and concentrate mix separately), TMR1 (fed restricted TMR), and TMR2 (fed TMR ad libitum) groups. Individual behaviors of steers were observed for 48 hours. Compared with the control, feeding restricted TMR (TMR1) resulted in short eating time, long ruminating time, short chewing time, high frequencies of defecation, urination, and drinking of water, great numbers of boluses and chews, long ruminating time per bolus, low feed value index, high eating and chewing efficiencies (p<0.05). Compared with feeding restricted TMR (TMR1), feeding TMR ad libitum (TMR2) resulted in 1.2 kg more daily feed DM intake, long eating and chewing times, short resting time, great frequencies of defecation, urination and drinking of water, more numbers of boluses and chews, long ruminating time per bolus, low feed value index, low eating and high ruminating efficiencies (p<0.05) and similar chewing efficiency (p>0.05). Considering all these results, the wet TMR feeding system induced generally more desirable eating and ruminating behaviors of growing Hanwoo steers, but made the barn floor wetter due to more defecation and urination.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.290-297
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of a by-product feed-based silage (BF silage) feeding on behavior patterns of growing Hanwoo steers. A total of 10 Hanwoo steers (11 months old, 302kg of body weight) were assigned to 2 dietary treatments: the control (concentrate mix + free access to rice straw), and the treatment (concentrate mix + free access to BF silage). The behavior patterns were observed for 48 hours. The intakes of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of the treatment group were higher than those of the control group. Eating time, ruminating time and resting time were not different between the control and treatment. But, the intake time per kg DM was higher for the control than treatment. The number of bolus, total chewing frequency, number of ruminating per bolus and number of bolus per minute were not different between the control and treatment. But the chewing frequency per bolus was higher in the treatment than control (p<0.05), and feed value index was lower in treatment than control (p<0.05). Frequencies of drinking and defecating were not different between the two groups, but the frequency of urinating was higher for the treatment (p<0.05) than control. Eating rate, ruminating efficiency and chewing efficiency were much higher in the treatment group than control (p<0.05). These results indicate that the replacement of conventional rice straws with the BF silage (physically effective NDF, about 25%) did not affect the ruminating behaviors of Hanwoo steers significantly.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.379-385
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• 2018

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate sugarcane bagasse as roughage in lactating cow on feed intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, milk production and composition, and microbial protein synthesis. Methods: Ten Girolando cows at initial body weight of $450{\pm}25.6kg$ and at $143.7{\pm}30.7days$ in milk were assigned in two $5{\times}5$ Latin square designs. Five 21-day experimental periods were adopted ($1^{\circ}$ to 14-day: diets adaptation period; $15^{\circ}$ to 21-day: data collection and sampling period). The diets consisted of four different levels of sugarcane bagasse (45%, 50%, 55%, and 60%) and a control diet, commonly adopted in the region, based on spineless cactus (25% sugarcane bagasse), formulated to meet 12 kg/d milk yield. Results: The dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and total digestible nutrients intakes and DM and OM digestibilities observed for 45% and 50% bagasse inclusion were similar to control diet, while that 55% and 60% bagasse inclusion were lower. Cows fed control diet, and bagasse diets of 45%, and 50% levels had the nutritional requirements attended, that guaranteed 12 kg/d of milk yield. The crude protein intake and digestibility of cows fed 45%, 50%, and 55% of bagasse inclusion were similar to control diet. The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake and digestibility differ for all bagasse diets related to control diet, while the non-fiber carbohydrates intake and digestibility for cows fed 45% of bagasse were similar for control diet. The intakes and digestibilities of nutrients decreased linearly in function of bagasse inclusion; NDF and indigestible NDF intakes did not vary. The ruminating time, feeding and rumination efficiency, microbial protein synthesis and milk yield decreased linearly with sugarcane bagasse inclusion. Conclusion: Sugarcane bagasse decreases milk production; however, its inclusion level in between 45% to 50% associated to concentrate could replace diets based on spineless cactus for crossbred dairy cow's producing 12 kg/d of milk.