• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2009

Eight Black Belly rams (45.2 kg) fitted with permanent ruminal cannulae were used in a 2${\times}$2 factorial design to determine the effects of feeding frequency and regrowth age on intake and digestion. Rams were fed with 21- or 35-day old fresh pangola grass offered ad libitum two or four times a day. Irrespective of the regrowth age, there was a tendency for intake to be positively correlated with increase in meal frequency. Differences were not significant (p>0.25). Significant effects of meal frequency were observed in NDF and ADF total tract digestibility of the 35-day grass which decreased as the number of meals increased. Meal frequency had no visible effect on feeding behaviour. Total rumen content increased when animals were fed twice a day as opposed to four times a day. Similarly, an accumulation of small and very small particles was observed in the rumen of rams fed twice a day in comparison with those fed four times a day. These results suggest that studies of digestive dynamics performed at a steady state are not representative of the rumen loading observed in farm rams which have two important peaks of meal.

• 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).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.921-929
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effects of dietary supplementation with oil palm frond (leaf) (OPF) with and without oil palm meal (OPM) on nutrient intake and digestibility, ruminal fermentation and growth performance in goats. Methods: Six female crossbred goats were fed for 28 days of 3 diet treatments; 100% para-grass (T1); 50% para-grass + 50% OPF (T2), and 30% para-grass + 50% OPF + 20% OPM (T3). Body weight, rectal temperature, respiratory rate, and urine volume, food intake, dry matter intake and water intake were measured daily. Nutrient digestibility was determined from five consecutive days of last week in each diet. Ruminal fluid, urine and blood were collected at the end for determination of rumen protozoa and volatile fatty acid contents, urinary allantoin excretion, blood cell count and chemistry profiles. Results: Goats fed T2 and T3 showed higher dry matter and nutrients intakes while protein digestibility was suppressed compared with those for T1. Crude fat digestibility declined in T2 but maintained after adding the OPM (T3). High fat intake by giving OPF and OPM corresponded to a higher ruminal acetate/propionate ratio (C2/C3) and serum cholesterol level. An increased urinary allantoin/creatinine ratio was found in T2 and T3 compared with T1, implying an increased number of ruminal microbes. Conclusion: Increased dry matter intake in T2 and T3 suggested that oil palm by-products are partly useful as a replacement for para-grass in goats. Replacement with the by-products increased plasma cholesterol level, which suggested that these products are a useful energy source. Changes in rumen parameters suggested an increased microbial number and activity suitable for acetate production. However, the limited digestibility of protein implies that addition of high protein feeds may be recommended to increase body weight gain of goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1373-1380
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• 2019

Objective: This study ascertained effects of cactus pear in association with different roughage in the diet of F1 Holstein/Zebu cows on intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior and performance. Methods: Eight cows with $72{\pm}11$ days of lactation were used. The experimental design was simultaneous in two $4{\times}4$ Latin squares. Four experimental diets were used: Diet 1, sorghum silage as exclusive roughage; Diet 2, sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage (dry matter basis); Diet 3, elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo) as exclusive roughage; Diet 4, elephant grass associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25. Results: Dry matter intake (p = 0.01) was higher with sorghum silage. There were differences in dry matter intake (p = 0.01), crude protein (p<0.01), ether extract (p = 0.01), non-fibrous carbohydrates (p<0.01) and total digestible nutrients (p = 0.01) among the diets. Cactus pear in the diet reduced water intake by 44.52% (p<0.01). The nitrogen balance was 59.71% and 27.49% lower in animals treated with exclusive sorghum silage and sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in relation to diets with elephant grass and elephant grass associated with cactus pear, respectively (p<0.01). The diets did not influence the milk production (p = 0.70), 3.5% fat corrected milk production (p = 0.72) or feed efficiency (p = 0.61). Conclusion: The association of cactus pear with sorghum or elephant grass silage does not alter milk production, reduces the intake of dry matter and water and improves the digestibility of nutrients.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.163-166
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• 1988

Water turnover and consumption of steers fed either fresh cut grass or hay and water turnover of steers grazed in summer or in fall were determined using 18 Holstein steers weighing 226 to 382 kg. Steers consumed 7.0 or 7.5 kg of dry-matter from hay or fresh cut grass. Animals fed hay drank significantly more water than those given fresh cut grass (P<0.01). Total water consumption, however, was greater in steers fed fresh cut grass than those given hay (P<0.05). Water turnover was about the same as total water consumption with a tendency for slightly higher values in water turnover irrespective of feeding regimes. Steers grazed in summer had greater water turnover than those grazed in fall. Water turnover was about the same in steers fed fresh cut grass and grazed in summer but decreased in steers on the dry ration or grazing in a cool season of the year.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.556-562
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• 2010

The objective of the present study was to compare feed and water intakes, growth performance and carcasscharacteristics of indigenous lamb fed diets containing various levels of halophyte Sporobolus grass hay. Forty male and female lambs were randomly and equally allotted with 5 lambs of each sex per treatment to four dietary treatment groups, which were initially formulated to have 100, 70, 30 or 0.0% Sporobolus grass hay, as a source of forage replacement for conventional Rhodes grass commonly used in the region. The lambs receiving 0.0% Sporobolus grass hay (100% Rhodes grass hay) served as the control. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. Male lambs were slaughtered at the end of the feeding trials. The average daily feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher for the animals fed different levels of Sporobolus grass hay than for the control animals. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), i.e., kg feed/kg BW, was similar in all treatment groups. Although lambs fed the diet with 70% Sporobolus grass hay had heavier carcass weights, the differences were not significant. In conclusion, growth performance or carcass characteristics of fattening indigenous lambs were not influenced by the inclusion of different levels of Sporobolus grass hay in the diet. Because of this, Sporobolus grass hay represents an alternative forage resource for sustaining small ruminant production in the saline coastal and subcoastal areas of the world.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.197-202
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• 2005

The effects of feeding Brassica vegetable market wastes on intake, body weight changes and pesticide/insecticide residues in products of goats were evaluated in two experiments. In the first experiment (Exp. 1) 16 goats (Bach Thao, 9 to 10 kg, 3 months old, 9 males and 7 females) were fed four diets with leaves either from cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) or Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris subsp. pekinensis) with 30% of Para grass. The control group was fed 100% Para grass. All diets contained soybean waste as a supplement and the experiment lasted for 136 days. In the second experiment (Exp. 2) 24 goats (Bach Thao, 12 to 14 kg, all males) were assigned to three treatments in a completely randomised block design based on initial body weight. The goats were fed cabbage waste supplemented with 200 g or 100 g DM (dry matter) of concentrate. Para grass with 100 g DM concentrate supplementation was used as a control group. The experiment lasted for 90 days and at the end of the study, 12 goats were slaughtered for pesticide/insecticide analysis. Due to low DM content (5.3 and 3.7%, respectively) feed intakes of cabbage and Chinese cabbage groups were lower than those of other groups in the experiment. The highest feed intake and body weight gain was obtained when the goats were fed cauliflower (529 g DM/day and 87.5 g/day, respectively). In Exp. 2 total intake of cabbage and concentrate was similar (484 g and 453 g DM/day) whether the goats were fed 100 or 200 g concentrate/day but lower than that of Para grass and concentrate probably due to the low DM content of the cabbage (5.9%). Crude protein intake (79 g to 86 g/day) and body weight gain (70 g to 88 g/day) was not significantly different between treatments. Adding concentrate consequently resulted in higher DM intake than in Exp. 1 but did not result in any higher growth rate. Three of the pesticide/insecticide residues tested were found in cabbage, Alpha-Cypermethrin, Bassa-Fenobucarb and Dimethoate with levels of 0.175, 0.074 and 0.028 mg/kg fresh cabbage respectively. Weight of livers from goats fed cabbage was about 90 g higher than from goats fed Para grass but no pesticide/herbicide residues were found in meat or liver.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.545-548
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• 1992

Twelve indigenous buffalo heifers were grouped into 3 and were supplied with following diets-urea-ensiled rice straw + wheat bran + green grass (A); rice straw soaked in urea-water + wheat bran + green grass (B); and untreated straw + wheat bran + green grass (C); so that each group received any one diet. Total dry matter intake was highest in animals on diet C and lowest on B. However, straw DM intake was highest in animals on silage diet and lowest on untreated straw diet. Organic matter and crude fibre digestibility of silage and soaked straw diets were significantly higher (p<0.01) than those of untreated straw diet. Although the values were lower with soaked straw diet than on silage diet and soaked straw diet were significantly (p < 0.01) higher, however, the value for silage diet was not significantly different from that of soaked straw diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.1409-1418
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• 2001

Two trials were carried out during two different grazing seasons to evaluate effect of grass silage supplementation, when amount of pasture is limited on dry matter intake (DMI), milk production, and gross energetic efficiency (GEE) of grazed lactating cows on a high forage-based diet. Fifty-one Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments: high pasture group or high silage group. In the spring flush, pasture and silage DMI, milk yield, milk fat percentage, and GEE were not different between the dietary groups. After the spring flush, pasture and silage DMI were higher for the high silage group than for the high pasture group. After the spring flush, although these were the higher total DMI of the high silage group than the high pasture group, milk yield was significantly (p<0.05) higher for the high pasture group than the high silage group. Milk fat percentage tended to be higher for the high silage group than the high pasture group. The GEE was significantly (p<0.05) higher for the high pasture group than the high silage group during after the spring flush. This study indicated that supplementation of grass silage, especially after the spring flush, can have a significant effect of increasing of forage intake and maintenance of the milk fat percentage; but not increase milk yield and GEE.

• 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.