• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.1625-1633
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to observe effects of dietary acidogenicity value (AV) on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients digestibility. The AV of feedstuffs was based on the dissolution of Ca from $CaCO_3$ powder added at the end of a 24 h in vitro fermentation. Three diets were formulated to be iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous with different AV. Two experiments were involved in this study. In experiment 1, it appears that pH, $NH_3-N$ concentration and A:P ratio tended to decrease, but gas production, VFA production and DM disappearance tended to increase with increasing dietary AV. In experiment 2, the rumen pH tended to decrease in order of high AV>medium AV>low AV treatment, respectively. There were no significant effects of dietary AV on $NH_3-N$ concentration, enzyme activity and nutrient digestibility. In addition, total VFA and individual VFA concentrations tended to increase with increasing dietary AV without significance. In fact, we hypothesized that different dietary AV would affect rumen fermentation and nutrients digestibility because dietary AV was adjusted with fermentable carbohydrate sources. The present results indicate that differences in dietary AV between treatments were too small to affect rumen fermentation and its effects were minimal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.652-658
• /
• 2016

Twenty $Pelibuey{\times}Katahdin$ ewes ($35{\pm}2.3kg$) were used to determine the effects of the consumption of standardized plant extract containing a mixture of quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids and protopine alkaloids (QBA+PA) on growth performance, dietary energetics, visceral mass, and ruminal epithelial health in heat-stressed ewes fed with a high-energy corn-based diet. The basal diet (13.9% crude protein and 2.09 Mcal of net energy [NE] of maintenance/kg of dry matter) contained 49.7% starch and 15.3% neutral detergent fiber. Source of QBA+PA was Sangrovit RS (SANG) which contains 3 g of quaternary benzophenathridine and protopine alkaloids per kg of product. Treatments consisted of a daily consumption of 0 or 0.5 g SANG/ewe. Ewes were grouped by weight and assigned to 10 pens (5 pens/treatment), with two ewes per pen. The experimental period lasted 70 days. The mean temperature humidity index during the course of this experiment was $81.7{\pm}1.0$ (severe heat stress). There were no treatment effects on water intake. Dry matter intake was not affected (p = 0.70) by treatments, but the group fed SANG had a numerically (11.2%) higher gain in comparison to the control group, SANG improved gain efficiency (8.3%, p = 0.04), dietary NE (5.2%, p<0.01) and the observed-to-expected NE (5.9%, p<0.01). Supplemental SANG did not affect ($p{\geq}0.12$) carcass characteristics, chemical composition of shoulder, and organ weights (g/kg empty body weight) of stomach complex, intestines, and heart/lung. Supplemental SANG decreased liver weight (10.3%, p = 0.02) and increased visceral fat (16.9%, p = 0.02). Rumen epithelium of ewes fed SANG had lower scores for cellular dropsical degeneration (2.08 vs 2.34, p = 0.02), parakeratosis (1.30 vs 1.82, p = 0.03) and neutrophil infiltration (2.08 vs 2.86, p = 0.05) than controls. It is concluded that SANG supplementation helped ameliorate the negative effects of severe heat on growth performance of feedlot ewes fed high-energy corn-based diets. Improvement in energetic efficiency may have been mediated, in part, by anti-inflammatory effects of supplemental SANG and corresponding enhancement of nutrient uptake.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.11
• /
• pp.1638-1652
• /
• 2000

Prolific females require better nutrition and feeding practice because of larger litter size and the substantial decline in body fat. Life-time pig output will be compromised if body protein and fat are not properly managed. First litter females are especially vulnerable because they can loose ${\geq}15%$ of whole-body protein. Conservation of body protein mass during first lactation minimizes wean to estrus interval and increases second litter size (up to 1.2 pigs). The ability to influence litter-size by amino acid nutrition is a new dimension in our understanding. A P2 fat depth below 12 mm at farrow and below 10 mm at wean compromised wean to estrus interval (>2 d) and next litter size (0.5 to 1.5 pigs) in sows. It is now clear that a 'modest' excess of feed during the first 72 h of pregnancy decreases embryo viability so that the potential for an increased litter size at birth is not realized. The capacity for milk production by prolific young sows is 25% higher than the standard used previously (NRC, 1988). First litter females averaged 9.82 kg milk/d for a 21 d lactation. Second and third litter counterparts averaged 10.35 kg/d. Milk production was 95% of peak by 10 d of lactation and sows were in greatest negative energy and lysine balance during the first 6 d. Nearly 45% of the total loss in body protein occurred within the first 6 d, but this could reduced to 30-35% by using a more aggressive feeding strategy after parturition. There appear to be 2 phases in lactation for lysine need (d 2-12 vs 12-21). Feeding to the higher level alleviates the second litter size decline. The lysine requirement for lactation can be predicted with accuracy, but we are not able to predict the second limiting amino acid. Mammary uptake of valine relative to lysine and recent work with practical diets suggest that the recent NRC (1998) pattern is realistic and that threonine and valine could be co-limiting for corn-soy diets for prolific sows nursing 10-11 pigs. Empirical studies are needed to refine the ideal pattern so that synthetic lysine can be used with more confidence. Milk fat output for the elite sow is extraordinary and poses an unnecessarily high energetic cost. Methods that reduce mammary fat synthesis will benefit the sow and may enhance piglet growth.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.12
• /
• pp.1764-1772
• /
• 2017

Objective: This study investigated the effects of different dietary energy sources on early postmortem muscle metabolism of finishing pigs. Methods: Seventy-two barrow ($Duroc{\times}Landrace{\times}Yorkshire$, DLY) pigs ($65.0{\pm}2.0kg$) were allotted to three iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets: A (44.1% starch, 5.9% crude fat, and 12.6% neutral detergent fibre [NDF]), B (37.6% starch, 9.5% crude fat, and 15.4% NDF) or C (30.9% starch, 14.3% crude fat, and 17.8% NDF). After the duration of 28-day feeding experiment, 24 pigs (eight per treatment) were slaughtered and the M. longissimus lumborum (LL) samples at 45 min postmortem were collected. Results: Compared with diet A, diet C resulted in greater adenosine triphosphate and decreased phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations, greater activity of creatine kinase and reduced percentage bound activities of hexokinase (HK), and pyruvate kinase (PK) in LL muscles (p<0.05). Moreover, diet C decreased the phosphor-AKT level and increased the hydroxy-hypoxia-inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ ($HIF-1{\alpha}$) level, as well as decreased the bound protein expressions of HK II, PKM2, and lactate dehydrogenase A (p<0.05). Conclusion: Diet C with the lowest level of starch and the highest levels of fat and NDF could enhance the PCr utilization and attenuate glycolysis early postmortem in LL muscle of finishing pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.10
• /
• pp.1407-1413
• /
• 2005

An experiment was conducted in order to assess the effect of level of RDP:UDP ratio and level of feeding concentrate on milk yield, milk composition and nutrient utilization in lactating crossbred cattle. Twenty four medium producing (-10 kg/d, 45 to 135 days postpartum) lactating crossbred cows were divided into four groups of six animals each in a 2${\times}$2 factorial completely randomized design. The cows in group 1 were fed concentrate mixture I containing 59:41 RDP:UDP ratio (low UDP) at normal plane (LUDP+NP), in group 2 were fed low UDP ration at 115% of NRC (1989) requirements (LUDP+HP), whereas cows in group 3 were fed concentrate mixture II containing 52:48 RDP:UDP ratio (high UDP) at normal plane (HUDP+NP) and in group 4 were fed high UDP ration at 115% of NRC (1989) requirements (HUDP+HP). Green jowar was fed ad libitum as the sole roughage to all the animals. The experimental feeding trial lasted for 105 days. The total dry matter intake (DMI), DMI/100 kg body weight, DMI/kg $W^{0.75}$, digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, CF, EE and NFE and intakes of TDN and DCP did not differ significantly among the different groups and also due to both UDP level and plane of nutrition and also due to their interaction. The total dry matter intake varied from 145 g in group 1 (LUDP +NP) to 152.57 g/kg $W^{0.75}$ in group 2 (LUDP+HP) diet. However, increase in milk yield with increased UDP level and also with increased plane of nutrition was observed consistently throughout the experimental period. The average milk yield was 7.66, 8.15, 8.64 and 9.35 kg in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively and there was no significant difference in milk yield among different groups of cows. The overall daily average milk yields in cows fed with low and high UDP diets were 7.91 and 8.99 kg, respectively and at normal and higher plane of feeding the milk yields were 8.15 and 8.75 kg/day, respectively. Thus, there was 13.65% increase in milk yield due to high UDP level and 7.36% due to higher plane of feeding. The daily 4% FCM yields were 9.20 kg for low UDP diet and 10.28 kg for high UDP diet, whereas it was 9.11 kg at normal plane of feeding and 10.37 kg at higher plane of feeding. Fat yields for the corresponding treatment groups were 0.37, 0.43, 0.41 and 0.48 kg, respectively. The 4% FCM yield and also fat yield did not differ significantly among different dietary treatments and also due to UDP level and plane of nutrition, however, 4% FCM yield was increased by 11.74% with high UDP level and 13.83% with higher plane of feeding. The values for total solids, fat, lactose, solids-not-fat and gross energy contents in milk differed significantly (p<0.05) among the different groups and were significantly (p<0.05) higher in milk of cows fed LUDP+HP diet followed by HUDP+HP diet. Total solids (14.65 and 13.83%), lactose (5.44 and 4.92%), solids-not-fat (9.44 and 8.83%) and gross energy (887 and 838 kcal/kg) of milk decreased significantly (p<0.05) with increased UDP level while total solids (13.84 and 14.64), fat (4.84 and 5.36%) and gross energy (832 and 894 kcal/kg) increased significantly (p<0.05) with increase in plane of feeding. Gross and net energetic efficiencies and also gross and net efficiencies of nitrogen utilization for milk production were not significantly different among different groups and also were not affected significantly due to either UDP levels or plane of feeding. Results of the present study suggest that, increasing UDP level from 41% to 48% of CP in concentrate mixture and also increasing plane of feeding from normal (100%) to 115% of NRC requirements maintain a consistently higher milk production.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.513-524
• /
• 2005

This study was conducted to introduce recycling procedures of food waste(FW) as feed according to the dehydration, semi-dehydration fermentation and liquid fermentation methods through the on-site survey of companies related, to trace physico-chemical components and nutritional losses depending upon the processing stage for each method and finally to suggest more desirable methodology for the efficient utilization of FW as animal feed. For the dehydration method, dewatering of FW alone reduced(P<0.05) moisture(approximately 10%) and ether extract contents and increased(P<0.05) fiber contents. Dewatering and subsequent dehydration of FW decreased(P<0.05) contents of ether extract, limiting amino acids such as lysine, methionine and histidine, pepsin digestibility of protein by half, and NaCl content by 40%, increased(P<0.05) contents of fiber, crude ash, Ca and P, and did not alter(P>0.05) pH. The semi-dehydration fermentation method of FW did not affect(P>0.05) the chemical components, pepsin digestibility of protein, pH and NaCl content. For the liquid fermentation method, pasteurization and fermentation of FW decreased(P<0.05) contents of dry matter, ether extract, crude fiber, lysine and NaCl; however, it did not affect(P>0.05) other chemical components, pepsin digestibility of protein and pH. Among the processing methods, nutrient losses were highest for the dehydration method(25% of metabolizable energy loss, 12% of organic matter loss) and little for the semi-dehydration and liquid fermentation methods. The on-site survey of companies related revealed that the existence of foreign materials in FW products were problematic for all the three companies surveyed, thus it was necessary to develop a more efficient screener. Before feeding FW-containing diets to pigs, high quality of protein and energy feedstuffs needed to be fortified for the dehydration method. For the semi-dehydration fermentation method, the scientific diet formulation technology was required at the initial mixing stage. For the liquid fermentation method, possibly most energetic and proteinaceous feeds needed to be supplemented for the normal animal growth.