• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2020

Cattle feeding in South Korea has been heavily dependent on domestically produced rice straw and imported grain. Around 42% of domestically produced rice straw is utilized for forage, and the remainder is recycled to restore soil fertility. Approximately 35% of round baleages were made with rice straw. However, higher quality hay is desired over rice straw. Due to increasing stockpiles of rice, there has been an economic burden on the government to store the surplus; therefore production of annual forage crops in rice fields has been further promoted in recent years. Hay import from the USA currently constitutes more than 80% of total imported hays. The main imported hays are alfalfa (Medicago sativa), timothy (Phleum pretense), and tall fescue (Festica arundinacea). The estimated forage required for cattle feeding was approximately 5.4 million MT in 2016. Domestically produced forage sates only 43% of that value, while low quality rice straw and imported hay covered the rest of demand by 33% and 20%, respectively. As utilization of domestically produced forage is more desirable for forage-based cattle production, long-term strategies have been necessary to promote domestic production of high quality baleage. One such strategy has been utilizing the fertile soil and abundance of fallow rice fields of western region of S. Korea to produce forage crops. Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is the most successfully produced winter annual in the region and is approximately 56% of the total winter annual forage production. Forage sorghums (Sorghum bicolor), sorghum × sudangrass hybrids, and hybrid corn (Zea mays) produce a substantial amount of warm-season forage during summer. Produced forage has been largely stored through baleage due to heavy dew and frequent rains and has been evaluated according to S. Korea's newly implemented baleage commodity evaluation system. The system weighs 50% of its total grading points on moisture content because of its importance in deliverable DM content and desirable baleage fermentation; this has proved to be an effective method. Although further improvement is required for the future of forage production in South Korea, the current government-led forage production in rice fields has been able to alleviate some of the country's shortage for quality hay.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of tall type mixtures(TM) and tall + short type mixtures(TSM) on nutritive utilization. DM intake, digestibility and utilization of nitrogen and energy of herbages from pastures by Korean native goats were determined. This experiment was conducted by total collection method in laboratory, 2000. The experimental herbage included two treatments: Tall type mixtures(orchardgrass, Potomac 40+tall fescue, Fawn 20+Festulolium braunii, Paulita 10+perennial ryegrass. Reveille 10+timothy, Climax 10+red clover, Kenblue 5+alfalfa, Vernal 5%), Tall+short type mixtures {orchardgrass, Potomac 40+tall fescue, Fawn 20+Kentucky bluegrass, New port(turf type) 10+redtop, Barricuda(turf type) 10+perennial ryegrass, Palmer III(turf type) 10+red fescue, Flyer II(turf type) 5+white clover, Regal 5%}. The voluntary dry matter(DM) intake of Korean native goats fed with herbages from tall+short type mixtures(TSM) was slightly higher than that of tall type mixtures(TM), but no difference was observed between TSM and TM(p > 0.05). The digestibility of DM, neutral detergent fiber, cellular contents and acid detergent fiber of herbage from TSM was slightly higher than that of TM, but no difference was detected between TSM and TM(p > 0.05). The utilization of nitrogen and energy by Korean native goats did not showed any difference in herbages from TSM and TM(p > 0.05). In conclusion, the herbage utilization by Korean native goats did not showed any significant difference. Thus, there is a possibility that turf grasses in mixtures can be used as a forage sources.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.742-746
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• 1999

The potential of Leucaena leucocephala and Prosopis cineraria leaves as nitrogen supplements ($16g/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$) to improve the utilization of a basal diet of rice straw by goats was assessed in a feeding trial. Rice straw supplementation with forage oats (Avena sativa) was fed as a control diet. DMI, $g/kgW^{0.75}$ of rice straw by goats receiving Leucaena was significantly (p<0.05) higher followed by Prosopis and oat fodder. The supplementation of Leucaena improved the digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF nutrient density. Goats on Prosopis or oat fodder supplemented straw responded similarly in terms of nutrient utilization. The intake ($g/kgW^{0.75}$) of DCP, TDN and nitrogen balance of goats were significantly higher (p<0.05) when Leucaena was fed. It is suggested that the Leucaena may be a useful N-supplement in areas where livestock are fed poor quality crop residues.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1890-1896
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• 2018

Objective: As the climate changes, it influences ruminant's feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen methane production and emission. This experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding Sweet grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mahasarakham; SG) as a new source of good quality forage to improve feed utilization efficiency and to mitigate rumen methane production and emission. Methods: Four, growing crossbred of Holstein Friesian heifers, 14 months old, were arranged in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. Treatment 1 (T1) was rice straw (RS) fed on ad libitum with 1.0% body weight (BW) of concentrate (C) supplementation (RS/1.0C). Treatment 2 (T2) and treatment 3 (T3) were SG, fed on ad libitum with 1.0% and 0.5% BW of concentrate supplementation, respectively (SG/1.0C and SG/0.5C, respectively). Treatment 4 (T4) was total Sweet grass fed on ad libitum basis with non-concentrate supplementation (TSG). Results: The results revealed that roughage and total feed intake were increased with SG when compared to RS (p<0.01) while TSG was like RS/1.0C treatment. Digestibility of nutrients, nutrients intake, total volatile fatty acids (VFAs), rumen microorganisms were the highest and CH4 was the lowest in the heifers that received SG/1.0C (p<0.01). Total dry matter (DM) feed intake, digestibility and intake of nutrients, total VFAs, $NH_3-N$, bacterial and fungal population of animals receiving SG/0.5C were higher than those fed on RS/1.0C. Reducing of concentrate supplementation with SG as a roughage source increased $NH_3-N$, acetic acid, and fungal populations, but it decreased propionic acid and protozoal populations (p<0.05). However, ruminal pH and blood urea nitrogen were not affected by the dietary treatments (p>0.05). Conclusion: As the results, SG could be a good forage to improve rumen fermentation, decrease methane production and reduced the level of concentrate supplementation for growing ruminants in the tropics especially under global climate change.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.216-224
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• 2009

In Japan, since rice consumption has been decreasing with the westernization of Japanese eating habits, surplus paddy fields have been increasing. If these surplus paddy fields can be utilized for forage rice production as feed for animal production and excretions (feces and urine) from animal production can be applied to the paddy fields as manure, then the problems of surplus paddy fields and excretions from animal production may be solved, and the environment kept sustainable. The objectives of the present study were to apply a bio-economic model to dairy and forage rice integration systems in Japan and to examine the merit of introducing whole crop rice silage (WCRS), as well as economic and environmental effects of various economic and management options in the systems. Five simulations were conducted using this model. The use of WCRS as a home-grown feed increased environmental loads and decreased economic benefit because of the higher amount of purchased feed, when compared to the use of typical crops such as maize, alfalfa and timothy silage (simulation 1). Higher economic benefits from higher forage rice yields and higher milk production of a dairy cow were obtained (simulations 2, 3). There were no economic and environmental incentives for utilizing crude protein (CP) rich WCRS, because an increase in the CP content in WCRS led to the use of more chemical fertilizers, resulting in high production costs and nitrogen outputs (simulation 4). When evaluated under the situation of a fixed herd size, increasing forage rice yields decreased the total benefit of the production, in spite of the fact that the amount of subsidies per unit of land increased (simulation 5). It was indicated that excess subsidy support may not promote yield of forage rice. It was, however, observed in most cases that dairy and forage rice integration systems could not be economically established without subsidies.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.225-231
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• 2009

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of grass maturity at harvest on the nutritive value of grass silage (GS) in relation to voluntary intake, digestibility, nitrogen (N) utilization and in sacco dry matter (DM) degradability. Silage was cut from a sward dominated by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) at the late-vegetative (early-cut), internode elongation (mediumcut) and flowering (late-cut) stages of growth. The DM yield at harvest was the lowest for early-cut silage (5.4 t/ha) and increased to 6.5 and 7.0 t/ha for the medium and late-cut silage respectively. As the crop matured, the crude protein (CP) concentration decreased significantly (p<0.05) and there was a marked increase in acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentration (p<0.001). The three different silages were offered to four 18-month old Charolais wether sheep to measure the voluntary intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention over four 21-day periods in an incomplete changeover design. Silage degradability characteristics were determined using four fistulated sheep to measure DM degradability over 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. There was a linear decrease in the voluntary intake of silage fresh matter, DM, organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, ADF and CP, and digestibility of OM in DM (Dvalue) ($P_L<0.01$) as harvesting of grass was delayed. Nitrogen intake, N output in urine, N output in faeces and N balance also linearly decreased ($P_L<0.01$) with postponed harvesting of grass for silage. DM degradability and effective degradability (ED) significantly decreased with increasing maturity of grass at harvest. The results suggest that harvesting date has a significant influence on the nutritive value of GS in terms of intake, digestibility, N balance and in sacco degradability in the rumen. It was concluded that early harvest GS ensured higher intake, digestibility, N intake and DM degradability in comparison with the medium and the late cut GS as a result of improved rumen N efficiency and utilization probably due to a better balance of available energy and protein.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 1999

This study was conducted to evaluate the dry matter yield, quality and utilization of nutrients of wild Korean lespedeza as a forage legume sources. Dry matter(DM) yield of stages, chemical composition and DM digestibility were observed, also DM intake, digestibility and utilization of nitrogen and energy by Korean native goats were determined. Experimental diets include three treatrnents ; mixture grass hay(GS), GS 80% + lespedeza(LA) 20% and GS 60% + LA 40%, respectively. The DM yield of Korean lespedeza(LA) with advancing the growing stage tended to significantly increase(P<0.05). The average DM yield was observed 7,336kg/ha. CP content of LA tended to decrease, but fiber content tended to increase at growing stage advanced(P<0.05). The tannin content of LA was highest in bud stage (54.5mg/g), but tended to decrease at growing stage advanced, lowest in seed ripe stage(26.8mg/g) (P<0.05). With increasing the level of LA supplementation, DM intake by Korean native goats slightly increased, but no differences were observed in all diets. The digestibility of DM, cellular constituents and NDF were slightly lower for GS 100% diets than LA 20% and 40% supplemented diets(P<0.05). Apparently digested N% was not detected significant differences in all diets, but retained N and biological value were higher for LA supplemented diets than for GS 100% diets (P<0.05). Utilization of DE and ME was not detected significant differences in all diets. Above the results, it could be suggested that LA have a potential to provide as forage legume sources considering the DM yield, DM digestibility and nitrogen utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1127-1132
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• 2000

Forty yearling Tswana sheep and goats (20 sheep and 20 goats) of both sexes were used in a feeding trial conducted in Botswana College of Agriculture (B.C.A) Content Farm in Gaborone for three months. The animals were randomized into four treatment groups of five animals per species balancing for weight and sex such that average initial weights were not statistically different. The sheep and goats were individually housed and fed under a common roof. All the animals were fed on Lablab purpureus L. as a protein supplement which was 40% of the ration. In addition to L.purpureus L. the control groups of both species were fed on 60% Cenchrus ciliaris L. as basal diet. The other three treatment groups were fed on different forages namely; sorghum forage (Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf), millet forage (Pearl millet, Pennisetum typhoides (Burm.) Stapf and Hubb.) and veldt grass mainly Urochloa mosambicensis (Hack.) as basal diet (60%). Water was provided individually to all the animals on ad lib. basis. Daily intakes of feed and water were recorded and weighing of the animals was done every two weeks. The collected data were analysed statistically for differences. Average daily weight gain by Tswana sheep was significantly different (p<0.05), sheep fed on millet forage had a higher daily weight gain $(120.24{\pm}8.91g)$ compared with sheep fed on veldt grass $(92.86{\pm}6.94g)$. Treatment effects on daily total DM intake by sheep were significant, the control group (C. ciliaris L.) had higher intake $(705.77{\pm}10.22g)$ and those fed on sorghum forage had the least intake $(668.10{\pm}10.70g)$. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the average daily weight gain by Tswana goats and it was 84.52, 73.81, 83.33 and 78.57 g for goats fed on C. ciliaris L., sorghum forage, millet forage and veldt grass respectively. Average daily total DM intake by goats was 655.27, 652.64, 650.07 and 650.94 g for C. ciliaris L., sorghum forage, millet forage and veldt grass respectively. Feed conversion efficiency was 8.00, 8.98, 7.93 and 8.34 for goats fed on C. ciliaris L., sorghum forage, millet forage and veldt grass respectively and were not significantly different (p>0.05).

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.285-294
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• 2000

To investigate the effect of Mycorrhiza (Glomus intradics) and Rhizobium inoculation on the N, P utilization and growth response of Alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) and Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) in mixed sward, four treatments (non-inoculation, Control; Mycorrhiza inoculation: M; Rhizobium inoculation, R and Mycorrhiza and Rhizobium inoculation, M+R) were applied. The associated analyses were canied out on the early vegetative growth stage (DAS 56, 56 days after seeding) and on the early flowering stage (DAS 126). The decreased rate of total N and P content in soil, with advancing plant growth, was relatively higher in the M and M + R treatment than control. The content of availabie phosphorus in soil at DAS 126 increased by about 34 and 38 % in M and M+R treatment compared to control (189.2 mg PzOskg DM), while non-significant changes was observed in R treatment. Total N uptake and P uptake in the control at DAS 126 were 44.71 and 3.52 mglplant in mixed sward, respectively. About 71, 98 and 197 % of increases in total N uptake and 70, 72 and 11 1 % of increases in total P uptake were estimated in M, R and M+R treatment. Comparing to control, total dry matter yield significantly increased by 27, 33 and 53 %, and crude protein yield also by 78, 83 and 204 %, respectively, in M, R and M+R treatment. The present data indicated that mycorrhiza orland rhizobium inoculation improved N, P utilization of both alfalfa and perennial ryegrass plants, and consequently increased total yield (especially by dual inoculation, M+R). (Key words : Alfalfa, Perennial ryegrass, Mycorrhiza, Rhizobium, N and P Utilization, Growth, Yield)

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2000

To investigate the effect of Mycorrhiza (Glomus intradics) and Rhizobium inoculation on the N, P utilization and the growth of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), four treatments (non-inoculation, control ; Mycorrhiza inoculation, M ; Rhizobiurn inoculation, R and Mycorrhiza and Rhizobium inoculation, M+R) were applied. The associated analyses were carried out on the early vegetative growth stage (DAS 56, 56 days after seeding) and on the early flowering stage (DAS 126). The decreased rate of total N and P content in soil, with advancing plant growth, was relatively higher in the mycorrhiza andor rhizobium treatments than control. The content of available phosphorus in soil at DAS 126 increased by about 40 % in M and M+R treatment compared to control (141.0 mg PzOg'kg DM), while non-significant changes was observed in R treatment. Total N uptake and P uptake in the control at DAS 126 were 33.91 mglplant and 2.42 mdplant, respectively, about 21, 50 and 51 % of increases in total N uptake and 30, 11 and 47 % of increases in total P uptake were estimated in M, R and M+R treatment. Comparing to control, dry matter yield significantly increased by 8, 27 and 28 %, and crude protein yield also by 21, 42 and 39 %, respectively, in M, R and M+R treatment. The present data indicated that mycorrhiza orland rhizobium inoculation improved N, P utilization, and consequently increased the yield of alfalfa. (Key words : Alfalfa, Mycorrhiza, Rhizobium, N and P Utilization, Growth, Yield)