• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 2009

This study investigated the effects of fermented soybean (FS) on growth and meat quality in pigs. A total thirty-six pigs were divided into 2 groups (2 treatment$\times$18 pigs each) and fed the experimental diets for 4 wk as follows: control (FS free); and T1 (FS 1%). The pigs in T1 had a higher feed efficiency compared with pigs fed control diets. pH was also significantly higher in the T1 group (p<0.05). Water-holding capacity measured in T1 was slightly higher than that of the control. Cooking loss in T1 was significantly lower than controls (p<0.05). CIE $L^*$ and CIE $b^*$ value were significantly higher in the control (p<0.05), but CIE $a^*$ value of T1 was higher than control (p<0.05). The drip loss of T1 were significantly lower than controls (p<0.05). Sensory characteristics of the treatment group showed higher than controls (p<0.05). These results showed that FS could be served as a favorable feed additive and feedstuff for enhancing pork quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.638-642
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• 2004

In Australia, many cropping areas are affected by salt. In these regions, Chenopodiaceous plants, such as Atriplex, Kochia and Bassia spp have been planted to improve soil conditions. These plants have become invaluable feed resources for grazing animals in dry summers, but have a high sodium content. To assess the impact of high salt intake on grazing deer, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment used 30 fallow weaner deer to examine the effect of salt level in the diet on feed intake, water intake and body weight of fallow deer. Salt was added to lucerne chaff at 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6% and fresh water was offered all the time. Increasing the salt level in the diet from 0 to 6% didn't affect feed intake, osmotic pressure and mineral concentration in blood of fallow deer. However, water intake was significantly higher (p<0.05) in deer fed diets containing more than 3% salt. Body weight was lower (p${\leq}$0.056) for fallow deer in July and August when salt content was over 3%, suggesting they can ingest over 15 g sodium/day without significant depression in both feed intake and growth rate if the fresh water is available. In the second experiment, 18 red weaner deer were fed lucerne chaff diets containing 1.5, 4.5 and 6.0% salt with 6 deer/diet. The results revealed that feed intake and blood osmotic pressure were similar (p>0.05) for red deer fed different levels of salt although the feed intake declined from 1.91 to 1.67 kg with the increase of salt level from 1.5% to 6.0% in the diet. Water intake was significantly higher for deer fed diets containing over 4.5% salt, but there was no difference in body weight during the experiment. However, no recommendation can be made on the salt tolerance of red deer due to limited increment of salt level in the diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1248-1254
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• 2012

The effect of silage additives on ensiling characteristics and nutritive value of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) silages was studied. Napier grass silages were made with no additive, fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB), molasses or cassava meal. The ensiling characteristics were determined by ensiling Napier grass silages in airtight plastic pouches for 2, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 45 d. The effect of Napier grass silages treated with these additives on voluntary feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and microbial rumen fermentation was determined in 4 fistulated cows using $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. The pH value of the treated silages rapidly decreased, and reached to the lowest value within 7 d of the start of fermentation, as compared to the control. Lactic acid content of silages treated with FJLB was stable at 14 d of fermentation and constant until 45 d of ensiling. At 45 d of ensiling, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of silage treated with cassava meal were significantly lower (p<0.05) than the others. In the feeding trial, the intake of silage increased (p<0.05) in the cow fed with the treated silage. Among the treatments, dry matter intake was the lowest in the silage treated with cassava meal. The organic matter, crude protein and NDF digestibility of the silage treated with molasses was higher than the silage without additive and the silage treated with FJLB. The rumen parameters: ruminal pH, ammonia-nitrogen ($NH_3$-N), volatile fatty acid (VFA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and bacterial populations were not significantly different among the treatments. In conclusion, these studies confirmed that the applying of molasses improved fermentative quality, feed intake and digestibility of Napier grass.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.181-186
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• 2017

Objective: Leucaena leucocephala (Leucaena) is a perennial tropical legume that can be directly grazed or harvested and offered to ruminants as hay, silage, or fresh. However, Leucaena contain phenolic compounds, which are considered anti-nutritional factors as these may reduce intake, digestibility and thus animal performance. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to determine effects of Leucaena silage (LS) feeding levels on rumen microbial populations, N-balance and microbial protein synthesis in dairy steers. Methods: Four, rumen fistulated dairy steers with initial weight of $167{\pm}12kg$ were randomly assigned to receive dietary treatments according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Treatments were as followings: T1 = untreated rice straw (RS; Control), T2 = 70% RS+30% LS, T3 = 40% RS+60% LS, and T4 = 100% LS. Dairy steers were fed rice straw and LS ad libitum and supplemented with concentrate at 0.2% of body weight/d. Results: Results revealed that the rumen microbial population, especially cellulolytic, proteolytic bacteria and fungal zoospores were enhanced in steers that received 60% of LS (p<0.05), whereas the amylolytic bacteria population was not affected by treatments (p>0.05). Protozoal population was linearly decreased with increasing level of LS (p<0.05). Moreover, N-balance and microbial protein synthesis were enhanced by LS feeding (p<0.05) and were the highest in 60% LS group. Conclusion: Based on this study, it could be concluded that replacement of RS with 60% LS significantly improved microbial population and microbial protein synthesis in diary steers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.933-950
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• 2018

In Japan, Wagyu cattle include four Japanese breeds; Black, Brown, Shorthorn, and Polled. Today, the renowned brand name Wagyu includes not only cattle produced in Japan, but also cattle produced in countries such as Australia and the United States. In recent years, the intramuscular fat percentage in beef (longissimus muscle) from Japanese Black cattle has increased to be greater than 30%. The Japanese Black breed is genetically predisposed to producing carcass lipids containing higher concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids than other breeds. However, there are numerous problems with the management of this breed including high production costs, disposal of untreated excrement, the requirement for imported feed, and food security risks resulting from various viral diseases introduced by imported feed. The feeding system needs to shift to one that is more efficient, and improves management for farmers, food security for consumers, and the health environment for residents of Japan. Currently, we are developing a metabolic programming and an information and communications technology (ICT, or Interne of Things) management system for Wagyu beef production as future systems. If successful, we will produce safe, high-quality Wagyu beef using domestic pasture resources while solving the problems of how to utilize increasing areas of abandoned agricultural land and to make use of the plant-based feed resources in Japan's mountainous areas.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.837-844
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• 2006

Four, lactating dairy cows were randomly assigned according to a $2{\times}2$ Factorial arrangement in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to study supplementation of urea level (U) at 2 and 4% and sodium dl-malate (M) at 10 and 20 g/hd/d in concentrate. The treatments were as follows U2M10, U2M20, U4M10 and U4M20, respectively. The cows were offered the treatment concentrate at a ratio to milk yield at 1:2.5 and urea-treated rice straw was fed ad libitum. The results have revealed that rumen fermentation and blood metabolites were similar for all treatments. The populations of protozoa and fungal zoospores were significantly different as affected by urea level and sodium dl-malate. In addition, the viable bacteria were similar for amylolytic and proteolytic bacteria. Cellulolytic bacteria were significantly affected by level of sodium dl-malate especially Selenomonas ruminantium and Megasphaera elsdenii while Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens was significantly affected by level of urea supplementation. In conclusion, the combined use of concentrate containing high level of cassava chip at 75% DM with urea at 4% in concentrate and sodium dl-malate at 20 g/hd/d with UTS as a roughage could improv rumen ecology and microbial protein synthesis efficiency in lactating dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.267-274
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• 1992

In order to study the relationships between the contents of urinary nitrogenous compounds and energy utilization of bird, the sum of nitrogen contents of uric acid, ammonia, creatine and urea voided in excreta was estimated as the urinary nitrogen (UN) in 13-33 day-old fed or fasted White Leghorn male chicks. Energy retention and heat production of birds were determined by comparative slaughter studies. 2.75 mg of endogenous urinary nitrogen (EUn) and 2.19 mg of uric acid was excreted constantly per kJ heat production in fasted bird. One mg of UN was proportionated to 32.26 J (r = 0.999, n = 8) of the urinary energy (UE) in fed and 32.97 J (r = 0.9998, n = 8) of the endogenous urinary energy (UEn) in the fasted bird. Also relationships between 1 mg of uric acid and 38.95 J of UE (r = 0.998, n = 8) or 38.97 J of UEe (r = 0.996, n = 8) were significant (p<0.01). The EUn (r = 0.997, n = 4), uric acid (r = 0.995, n = 4) and metabolic fecal energy (FEm) plus UEe (r = 0.961, n = 4) were increased with the increase of body weight (g/bird). Metabolic fecal nitrogen (MFn) or energy (FEm), EUn and UEe per unit diet were not influenced by the age of day or body weight. The results indicated that energy and protein utilization of bird can be approximated by the relationships among urinary nitrogen, urinary energy, uric acid content in excreta and body weight of bird.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.613-620
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed at studying the potential use of Flemingia (Flemingia macrophylla) as a protein source fodder to improve nutrients digestibility and ruminal fermentation efficiency in beef cattle. Methods: Four, Thai native beef cattle were randomly assigned in a 4×4 Latin square design. Four levels of Flemingia hay meal (FHM) were used to replace soybean meal (SBM) in the concentrate mixtures in four dietary treatments replacing levels at 0%, 30%, 60%, and 100% of SBM. Results: The experimental findings revealed that replacements did not effect on intake of rice straw, concentrate and total dry matter (DM) intake (p>0.05). However, the apparent digestibilities of DM, organic matter, crude protein, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber were linearly increased up to 100% replacement levels. Moreover, the production of total volatile fatty acids, and propionate concentration were enhanced (p<0.05) whereas the concentration of acetate was reduced in all replacement groups. Consequently, the CH4 production was significantly lower when increasing levels of FHM for SBM (p<0.05). Furthermore, rumen bacterial population was additionally increased (p<0.05) while protozoal population was clearly decreased (p<0.05) in all replacement groups up to 100%. In addition, microbial nitrogen supply and efficiency of microbial nitrogen synthesis were enhanced (p<0.05), as affected by FHM replacements. Conclusion: The findings under this experiment suggest that 100% FHM replacement in concentrate mixture enhanced rumen fermentation efficiency, nutrients digestibilities, bacterial population, microbial protein synthesis, and subsequently reduced CH4 production in beef cattle fed on rice straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.395-400
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• 1993

Four sheep per treatment were fed either control or 3% calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids (Ca-LCFA) in a total mixed ration (TMR). Feed and free water intakes were not different, but digestibilities of crude protein and crude fiber were lower (p<0.05) and that of crude fat was higher (p<0.05) for sheep fed Ca-LCFA than for control sheep. Dry matter digestibility, ruminal pH and microbial protein yield were not different between treatments and ammonia-N concentration in the rumen was higher for sheep fed Ca-LCFA than for control sheep. A 60-day milk production trial was conducted with thirty lactation Holstein cows. Fifteen cows per treatment were fed TMR containing either control or 3% Ca-LCFA ad libitum. Feed intake was not different between treatments, but milk yield was significantly higher (p<0.05) for cows fed Ca-LCFA than for control cows. Milk fat percentage was slightly higher and milk protein was lower for cows fed Ca-LCFA than for control cows. Lactose and total solid contents in milk were not different between treatments.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.289-293
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of dietary carbohydrases on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and blood characteristics in finishing pigs. A total of 90 pigs [(Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) ${\times}$ Duroc] (initial BW = $56.15{\pm}1.26kg$) were used for a 35 d feeding trial. The dietary treatments included: 1) CON (control diet), 2) MIX (CON + mixture with ${\alpha}$-galactosidase and ${\beta}$-mannanase 0.05%) and 3) MAN (CON + ${\beta}$-mannanase 0.05%). There were six replications per treatment with five pigs per pen. The average daily gain (ADG) in MIX was higher than in CON (p<0.05). No significant differences were noted in the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed efficiency (G:F) among dietary treatments (p>0.05). Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM) and energy (E) in MIX increased (p<0.05) relative to CON and MAN. The ATTD of nitrogen (N) in MIX was higher (p<0.05) than in CON. No differences in red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes and IgG concentrations were observed among dietary treatments (p>0.05). In conclusion, the addition of the mixture of carbohydrases (${\alpha}$-galactosidase and ${\beta}$-mannanase 0.05%) increased ADG and nutrient digestibility in finishing pigs.