• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1443-1451
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• 2014

Increasing cost and scarcity of maize has stimulated the use of alternative feed sources (AFS) in the diets of cattle. In this study, we investigated the effects of partial or total replacement of maize on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, blood metabolites, and economics in Limousin crossbred feedlot cattle. Forty-five $Limousin{\times}Luxi$ crossbred bulls were randomly assigned to the three treatment groups, orthodox diet (OD; 45.0% maize), partial replacement diet (PRD; 15% maize, 67% AFS), total replacement diet (TRD; 0% maize, 100% AFS). The growth feeding trial lasted for 98 days. Dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) were recorded. The digestion trial was carried out after the end of the growth trial. Total faeces and feed samples were measured daily. Digestibilities of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were calculated. After the feeding trial, blood metabolites were measured in 12 animals from each group. Initial and final body weights did not differ significantly among treatment groups (p>0.05). The ADG and DMI were 1.72 and 8.66, 1.60 and 9.10, and 1.40 and 9.11 kg/d for OD, PRD, and TRD, respectively. The PRD and TRD exhibited lower ADG (p<0.01) and higher DMI (p<0.01) than OD. The DMI (%body weight) was comparable between groups (p>0.5). Feed efficiency of PRD and TRD were lower than OD (p<0.01). The DM digestibility decreased with reduced level of maize (p = 0.10), OM digestibility was higher in OD (p<0.05), and CP, NDF and ADF digestibilities were similar for all groups (p>0.05). Blood urea nitrogen (mg/dL) in PRD and TRD was higher than OD (p<0.01), while other blood parameters did not differ significantly. Feed costs ($/head/d) were 1.49, 0.98, and 0.72 for OD, PRD, and TRD, respectively (p<0.01). Feed costs per kg gain ($) were significantly lower for PRD (0.63) and TRD (0.54) than OD (0.89; p<0.01). Overall profit ($/head) and daily profit ($/head/d) did not differ significantly between treatments (p>0.05), although TRD showed the highest economic benefits overall (p<0.01). While a traditional diet maximized the growth rate, partial or total replacement of dietary maize with AFS proved economically feasible due to their lower costs and comparable nutrient digestibilities of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF. Partial replacement may prove economically competitive in the current situation of China.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1583-1591
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• 2015

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of lipid sources with different fatty acid profiles on nutrient digestion and ruminal fermentation. Ten rumen and duodenal fistulated Nellore steers (268 body weight${\pm}27kg$) were distributed in a duplicated $5{\times}5$ Latin square. Dietary treatments were as follows: without fat (WF), palm oil (PO), linseed oil (LO), protected fat (PF; Lactoplus), and whole soybeans (WS). The roughage feed was corn silage (600 g/kg on a dry matter [DM] basis) plus concentrate (400 g/kg on a DM basis). The higher intake of DM and organic matter (OM) (p<0.001) was found in animals on the diet with PF and WF (around 4.38 and 4.20 kg/d, respectively). Treatments with PO and LO decreased by around 10% the total digestibility of DM and OM (p<0.05). The addition of LO decreased by around 22.3% the neutral detergent fiber digestibility (p = 0.047) compared with other diets. The higher microbial protein synthesis was found in animals on the diet with LO and WS (33 g N/kg OM apparently digested in the rumen; p = 0.040). The highest C18:0 and linolenic acid intakes occurred in animals fed LO (p<0.001), and the highest intake of oleic (p = 0.002) and C16 acids (p = 0.022) occurred with the diets with LO and PF. Diet with PF decreased biohydrogenation extent (p = 0.05) of C18:1 n9,c, C18:2 n6,c, and total unsaturated fatty acids (UFA; around 20%, 7%, and 13%, respectively). The diet with PF and WF increased the concentration of $NH_3-N$ (p<0.001); however, the diet did not change volatile fatty acids (p>0.05), such as the molar percentage of acetate, propionate, butyrate and the acetate:propionate ratio. Treatments PO, LO and with WS decreased by around 50% the concentration of protozoa (p<0.001). Diets with some type of protection (PF and WS) decreased the effects of lipid on ruminal fermentation and presented similar outflow of benefit UFA as LO.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.823-829
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• 2016

Eight Holstein steers ($216{\pm}48kg$ body weight) fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used to evaluate effects of wheat straw processing (ground vs pelleted) at two straw inclusion rates (7% and 14%; dry matter basis) in dry rolled or steam-flaked corn-based finishing diets on characteristics of digestion. The experimental design was a split plot consisting of two simultaneous $4{\times}4$ Latin squares. Increasing straw level reduced ruminal (p<0.01) and total tract (p = 0.03) organic matter (OM) digestion. As expected, increasing wheat straw level from 7% to 14% decreased (p<0.05) ruminal and total tract digestion of OM. Digestion of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and starch, per se, were not affected (p>0.10) by wheat straw level. Likewise, straw level did not influence ruminal acetate and propionate molar proportions or estimated methane production (p>0.10). Pelleting straw did not affect ($p{\geq}0.48$) ruminal digestion of OM, NDF, and starch, or microbial efficiency. Ruminal feed N digestion was greater (7.4%; p = 0.02) for ground than for pelleted wheat straw diets. Although ruminal starch digestion was not affected by straw processing, post-ruminal (p<0.01), and total-tract starch (p = 0.05) digestion were greater for ground than for pelleted wheat straw diets, resulting in a tendency for increased post-ruminal (p = 0.06) and total tract (p = 0.07) OM digestion. Pelleting wheat straw decreased (p<0.01) ruminal pH, although ruminal volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration and estimated methane were not affected ($p{\geq}0.27$). Ruminal digestion of OM and starch, and post-ruminal and total tract digestion of OM, starch and N were greater (p<0.01) for steam-flaked than for dry rolled corn-based diets. Ruminal NDF digestion was greater (p = 0.02) for dry rolled than for steam-flaked corn, although total tract NDF digestion was unaffected (p = 0.94). Ruminal microbial efficiency and ruminal degradation of feed N were not affected (p>0.14) by corn processing. However, microbial N flow to the small intestine and ruminal N efficiency (non-ammonia N flow to the small intestine/N intake) were greater (p<0.01) for steam-flaked than for dry rolled corn-based diets. Ruminal pH and total VFA concentration were not affected ($p{\geq}0.16$) by corn processing method. Compared with dry rolled corn, steam-flaked corn-based diets resulted in decreased acetate:propionate molar ratio (p = 0.02). It is concluded that at 7% or 14% straw inclusion rate, changes in physical characteristics of wheat straw brought about by pelleting negatively impact OM digestion of both steam-flaked and dry-rolled corn-based finishing diets. This effect is due to decreased post-ruminal starch digestion. Replacement of ground straw with pelleted straw also may decrease ruminal pH.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.354-361
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• 2008

In this study, we analyzed nutrient cycling structure of a small farm (cattle of 100 heads and arable lands of 2.5 ha) in Jeonnam province to investigate the effects of nutrients input by the addition of bedding materials (sawdust and rice hull) and nutrients loss before the application to the soils (the period during manure storage in the feedlot and composting process) on nutrient cycling structure. Sawdust and rice hull added as bedding materials increased N by 1.6% and 14.2% and $P_2O_5$ by 3.1% and 27.4%, respectively, relative to the amount of nutrients produced by excretion. This result suggests that the addition of nutrients via bedding materials should be considered for better estimation of nutrient balance. The most significant characteristics of the nutrient cycling structure was loss of mass and nutrients during the storage (21 days) and composting period (90 days). During this period, 78.4% of N and 9.5% of $P_2O_5$ was lost from sawdust compost; meanwhile, the percentages of loss for rice hull compost were 81.6% and 10.3%, respectively. A lower percentage of nutrients loss in sawdust compost than that in rice hull compost was attributed to the relatively slow decomposition rate of organic materials in the sawdust compost which has higher C/N ratio and lignin contents. Therefore, it was concluded that estimation of nutrient balance should be conducted based on nutrient contents in the final compost being applied to the lands rather than the amount of nutrients contained in the livestock excretion. In addition, the effects of bedding materials on nutrient losses should be also taken into account.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.45-53
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• 1984

This study was conducted to investigate characteristics of nonpoint pollutant discharges and concentrations in runoff from the urban and agricultural areas in Korea. The analytical parameters used for this study were COD, BOD and SS. This study was conducted during the period from May to August 1981. Nonpoint pollutant mass loadings from the urban area were influenced by the rainfall intensity and the duration of rainfall, and etc. The concentrations of pollutants in the first flush was higher as the discharges increased. It was, however, found that the concentrations of pollutants in the heavy storm runoff were decreased due to the dilution effect. When other rainfall followed a peak rainfall, the concentrations of pollutants were lower than expected, because the first flush conveyed the most of pollutants deposited on the combined sewers. However the concentrations were increased in proportion to the increased flow when a rainfall of higher intensity than the first flush was continued. Yearly area yield rates in kg/ha were estimated to be 690.5(489.9~1,328) of COD, 319.7(226.8~614.8) of BOD, and 831.2(589.7~1,598) of SS. Pollutant sources in agricultural area were of the domestic waste water, manure composting stack, and agricultural solid wastes and etc. In the paddy field, yearly area yield rates in kg/ha were estimated to be 623.4(21.7~114) of COD, 18.65(9.53~34.5) of BOD, and 91.9(46.3~171.8) of SS. In the crop land, however, yearly rates in kg/ha were estimated to be 91.9(46.3~171.8) of COD, 23.09(11.7~42.5) of BOD, and 23.09(11.4~43.4) of SS. Pollutant sources in the feedlot area were originating from the feces of cattle, the cleaning water, the wastes spilled from manure composting stack during rain. Yearly area yield rate in kg/ha was estimated to be 3.804(2,489~6,658) of COD, 2.047(464~2,900) of BOD, and 1.149 (729~1,442) of SS. Pollutant discharges in the forest area were resulted from the organic layer like leaves and others deposited on the surface. Yearly area yield rate in kg/ha was estimated to be 9.86(5.45~18.56) of COD, 3.48(1.67~7.54) of BOD, and 4.64(9.74~10.35) of SS.