• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제14권10호
• /
• pp.1389-1393
• /
• 2001

A study was carried out to investigate the nutritive value and utilization of three grass species, batiki grass (lschaemum aristatum var. indicum), guinea grass (Panicum maximum) and signal grass (Bracharia decumbens) by growing goats. Eighteen growing crossbred goats $(Anglo-Nubian{\times}Fiji\;local)$ of between 9-11 months of age and pre-trial average live weight of $9.50{\pm}1.60kg$ were divided on the basis of weight to three treatment groups in a completely randomized design. The grasses constituted the diets and they were harvested fresh and chopped into pieces before they were offered to the goats. Chemical composition of the grasses, DMI, body weight gain (BWG) and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients were measured. The grasses had similar DM content. The CP content of the grasses was in the range of 8.3-11.2%. Crude fiber (CF) content was between 30.9-35.2%. Ether extract (EE) was low with a range of 1.2-1.8%. Nitrogen free extract (NFE) was similar (40.9%) for batiki and guinea grasses, while signal grass had more NFE content (51.1%). The grasses are good sources of minerals (ash). OM content was higher in signal grass while guinea and batiki grasses had similar OM content. The goats on signal grass had higher DMI than those on batiki and guinea grasses (p<0.05). The goats on batiki grass had lower average BWG (p<0.05) than those on guinea and signal grasses. Nutrients digestibility were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the goats on signal grass compared to those on guinea and batiki grasses. The goats on guinea grass were better (p<0.05) in the digestibility of CP, OM, NFE and ME than those on batiki grass. However, goats on batiki were significantly better (p<0.05) in digestibility of CF than those on guinea grass. Signal and guinea grasses had more DCP than batiki grass. DE was lower in batiki grass (p<0.05) than in guinea and signal grasses. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between batiki and guinea grasses in TON. Data obtained in this experiment demonstrated that signal grass is better than guinea and signal in the nutrition of growing goats in the tropical environment of Samoa. It had the highest nutritive value, better apparent digestibility coefficients which have better growth rate and feed efficiency. In ranking, signal grass was better than guinea and batiki grasses, while guinea grass was better than batiki in nutritive value in the parameters measured. For future pasture establishment in Samoa, signal grass is recommended for consideration because of its higher nutritive value as a replacement for batiki, the most predominant grass.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제15권8호
• /
• pp.1139-1146
• /
• 2002

Sixty crossbred Anglo-Nubian goats (growing females), 18-24 mo of age, with a mean pre-experimental live weight of $20.9{\pm}0.44kg$ were used to investigate voluntary dry matter intake (DMI) and digestibility of supplements of Leucaena leucocephala (LL) leaves to a basal diet of guinea grass. The experiment was a 3 forms of presentation: fresh, wilted and $dry{\times}4$ levels of supplementation: 10, 20, 30 and 40% of total forage allowance with LL leaves. The goats were assigned based on weight and age to one of the twelve diets in a randomized manner and each level had five animals (replicates) per diet for 56 days. The form of presentation of LL leaves had effects on dry matter (DM) and nutrient composition. DM and NDF were higher in the dry LL leaves (p<0.05). In the diets, CP increased as the level of supplementation with LL leaves increased (p<0.05). Mean CP was similar in the fresh ($14.8{\pm}3.5%$), wilted ($14.3{\pm}3.3%$) and dry forms ($13.9{\pm}3.1%$). Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) decreased linearly (p<0.05) with increase in levels of supplementation. Organic matter (OM) followed the trend of CP concentration (p<0.05). Drying was observed to reduce the availability of CP at the different levels of supplementation and subsequently this affected the NDF of the diets. DM intake of the goats on the fresh and wilted LL leaves was significantly higher (p<0.05) than in those on the dry LL leaves. DM intake of the basal diet was observed to decrease as the level of supplementation (p<0.05) increased regardless of the form of presentation of LL. Growth rate was best (p<0.05) on the fresh form followed by wilted and the least in the dry form. Growth rate decreased linearly (p<0.05) with increase in the level of supplementation in the dry form. The form of presentation and level of supplementation influenced DM, CP and OM digestibility (p<0.05). Except for NDF, the digestibility of DM, CP and OM were better (p<0.05) in the goats on fresh LL leaves compared to the wilted and dry leaves. Based on the data on DMI, growth rate and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients, the results suggest that LL leaves is best utilized when fed fresh or wilted to goats. In the dry form of presentation, the best level of supplementation without a reduction in voluntary DMI and growth rate is the 20%. In the fresh and wilted form, LL leaves could be fed up to the 40% level with improved DMI, growth rate and nutrient utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제23권6호
• /
• pp.762-771
• /
• 2010

Two experiments were conducted to determine i) the fermentation characteristics of catfish by-product (C) ensiled with rice bran (RB) or sugarcane molasses (M) in different ratios, and ii) the digestibility of the silages in growing pigs. In the ensiling experiment, there were three ratios of C, ensiled with RB or M, of 8:2, 7:3 and 6:4 (wet basis for C and air-dry basis for RB and M). The six treatments were CRB8:2, CRB7:3, CRB6:4, CM8:2, CM7:3 and CM6:4, with 3 replications per treatment and seven sampling times. The pH of CRB7:3 and CRB6:4 decreased (p<0.05) from the first week and stayed stable until 8 weeks of ensiling, but the pH did not decrease in CRB8:2. The pH of CM8:2, CM7:3 and CM6:4 decreased rapidly from the first week until week 8. Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) contents were slightly lower when catfish by-product was ensiled with RB than with M. Ammonia content in all treatments increased (p<0.05) during ensiling. Lactic acid content in silages with molasses increased from the first week, with the highest value at week 4. However, the lactic acid content in CRB8:2 did not increase with time and had the lowest value of all treatments. Acetic acid proportions of total volatile fatty acids were low at day 0, with the highest value at day 7, decreasing slowly until 8 weeks. The butyric acid proportion was highest at day 0 and decreased up to week 8. The proportion of propionic acid increased during ensiling. The digestibility experiment had a 4${\times}$4 Latin-square design and included 4 castrated crossbreed (Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace) male pigs fed four diets. The basal diet (BD) included rice bran, broken rice and maize meal, and the other three diets included fish meal (FMD) or catfish by-product ensiled with rice bran (CRBD) or sugarcane molasses (CMD). The silages chosen were those which gave the best results in the ensiling experiment for each additive. The coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of DM and organic matter (OM) was not significantly different among treatments. The CTTAD of CP was not different among the silage diets, but was lower in BD (p<0.01). The CTTAD of ether extract (EE) was higher in the catfish by-product silage diets than in FMD and BD. There was no significant difference in the digestibility of DM, OM, CP and EE between the fish meal and the by-product silages. In conclusion, catfish by-product can be successfully preserved by ensiling. Moreover, the total tract apparent digestibility of OM, CP and EE in ensiled catfish by-product was comparable with that of fish meal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제30권1호
• /
• pp.51-56
• /
• 2017

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the intake and nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and ruminal ammonia nitrogen in lambs of diets containing different levels of residual frying oil. Methods: Levels of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 g/kg dry matter (DM) base of residual frying oil in the diets of lambs were evaluated. Five castrated lambs with initial body weights of $36.8{\pm}3.3kg$, distributed in a Latin square ($5{\times}5$) design, were used. Results: There was a decreasing linear effect on the intake of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total carbohydrates (TCH), and nonfibrous carbohydrates (NFC). There was an increased linear intake of ether extract (EE). The apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, TCH, and NFC, as well as urine nitrogen excretion, nitrogen balance and ruminal parameters, were not influenced by different levels of residual frying oil in the diet. EE digestibility presented a crescent linear effect. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the addition of residual frying oil to the diets of sheep can affect nutrient intake without affecting the digestibility of most nutrients (with the exception of EE), nitrogen balance and ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제25권7호
• /
• pp.956-961
• /
• 2012

Eight male cattle of Local Yellow breed with an average live weight of 121 kg and an average age of 18 months were used to evaluate the effects of different levels of sun-dried cassava foliage supplementation (Manihot esculenta) on intake, digestibility and N retention. Rice straw ad libitum and para grass (Brachiaria mutica) at 1% DM of BW comprised the basal diet. The study was arranged as a $4{\times}4$ double Latin square design, with cassava foliage contributing 0, 0.8, 1.6 or 2.4 g CP/kg BW. The cattle selected cassava leaves in preference to petioles. Petiole intake decreased from 64 to 48% of offered petioles when the cassava foliage proportion increased from the lowest to the highest level. The cattle consumed all the leaves at the two lower levels of cassava foliage inclusion and 91% at the highest level. Rice straw intake decreased significantly as the level of cassava foliage increased. Intake of DM, OM, NDF, and ADF increased significantly with increasing intake of cassava foliage. Daily DM intake per 100 kg BW increased from 2.7 to 3.2 kg with increasing cassava foliage intake. No effect on CP digestibility was detected when the level of cassava foliage increased. Digestibility of DM, OM, NDF and ADF was significantly higher in the group fed no cassava foliage than in the other groups. N retention increased from 16 to 28 g/d with the first level of cassava foliage inclusion, but levelled out at the two highest levels. N excretion increased in both faeces and urine as a response to higher intake of cassava foliage. Maximum N retention occurred when 40% of total N intake came from cassava foliage (equivalent to 1.3 g CP/kg BW).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제15권11호
• /
• pp.1585-1590
• /
• 2002

Thirty female goats of local breed (mature weight 28 kg), weighing 11 to 18 kg, were used in a growth experiment with the objectives to evaluate the effect of different levels of Gliricidia sepium leaves in a diet of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum) on feed intake, weight gain and apparent digestibility. The goats were allotted to five treatments, consisting of 5 levels, 0 (GL-0), 20 (GL-20), 30 (GL-30), 40 (GL-40) and 50% (GL-50) of Gliricidia sepium leaves in the diet based on the energy requirements of the goats. Another six female goats were used to study the digestibility of three dietary treatments, GL-0, GL-30 and GL-50, according to a double $3{\times}3$ Latin square arrangement. The crude protein (CP) content in Gliricidia was higher and the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) lower than in the Guinea grass. Increasing the amount of Gliricidia leaves resulted in similar intake of total dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), NDF and ADF among treatments, but CP intake increased with increasing Gliricidia in the diet. The highest total DM intake was 3.0% of body weight in the GL-20 diet. The highest daily live weight gain was 43 g/day in the GL-30 diet. Inclusion of 30% of Gliricidia leaves improved the apparent DM, OM and CP digestibility compared to 0% or 50% inclusion. NDF and ADF digestibility declined with increasing levels of Gliricidia leaves in the diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제12권7호
• /
• pp.1049-1053
• /
• 1999

Chopped wheat straw (0.5-1.5 cm) was subjected to different treatment combinations in a $5{\times}4$ factorial arrangement involving the five levels of urea (0, 2, 3, 4 and 5%, w/w) and four levels of lime (0, 2, 4 and 6%, w/w) at 50% moisture and kept for 3 wk reaction period at about $35{^{\circ}C}$ in laboratory. Treated wheat straw samples were analyzed to study the associative effect of urea and lime on chemical composition, in sacco and in vitro digestibilities. Results showed that cell wall constituents (CWC) solubilized significantly (p<0.01) due to urea and lime treatment on one hand and substantially increase the crude protein (CP) on the other in wheat straw. The main effect on synergism of both chemicals was noticed on organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), hemicellulose (HC), acid detergent lignin (ADL) and silica by solubilising their contents as a result of considerable increase in cell contents in treated wheat straw. The respective decreases were 5.45, 13.0, 37.23, 44.95 and 26.16% in different treatment combinations. The most interesting feature of the treatment was evident by increase in ash content on each level of lime application. CP content increase up to 12.78% due to urea treatment in comparison with untreated wheat straw (2.56%). The effect of solubilization of structural carbohydrates and increased crude protein due to synergistic effect of urea and lime were clearly seen on improved digestibility of OM and DM. The increase in ISOMD, ISDMD, and IVDMD were 21.67, 21.67, 16.24, and 17.5 units. The increase in digestibility were relative to additions of both chemicals and digestibility values increased with increasing levels of urea plus lime concentration in different treatment combination. The maximum improvement was noticed at 4% urea and 4% lime levels at 50% moisture for 3 wk reaction period in treated wheat straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제13권8호
• /
• pp.1113-1120
• /
• 2000

Productivity, nutrient contents, in vitro gas production and in sacco degradability of different fractions and whole OPF were determined to assess the feeding value of OPF as a ruminant feed. An in vivo digestibility trial was also carried out using goat. Freshly harvested OPF was randomly collected, partitioned and weighed. An OPF from 21 years older palm weighed 13.4 kg and the annual fresh matter yield of petiole, leaflet and midrib was 46.5, 11.8 and 3.4 ton/ha, respectively. Leaflet contained 439, 926, 698, 501, 168, 196, 748 and 52 (g/kg) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose (CE), hemicellulose (HC), total carbohydrate (TC) and non fiber carbohydrate (NFC), respectively. Petiole contained lower (p<0.01) DM, CP and EE contents than leaflet. Organic matter, CE and TC contents were higher (p<0.01) in petiole compared to leaflet. Silica and lignin contents were highest (p<0.01) in midrib followed by leaflet, whole OPF and least in petiole. The Ca, P, Na, K and Mg contents (g/100 g DM) of leaflet were 0.529, 0.182, 0.039, 0.876, and 0.168, respectively. In vitro DM digestibility (g/100 g) at 48 h of leaflet, petiole and midrib was 32.7, 38.7 and 30.2, respectively. The in sacco DM degradation (g/100 g) at 48 h of leaflet was higher than that of whole OPF, petiole and midrib. The in vivo digestibility of DM, OM, CP and ADF of whole OPF was 52, 56, 43 and 26%, respectively. It can be concluded that leaflet is the most nutritious fraction of OPF and midrib is the least. The nutrient content and digestibility of the whole OPF showed that OPF could be an alternative roughage source for ruminant diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제13권4호
• /
• pp.490-496
• /
• 2000

In vivo digestibility, nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield from diets of 100% ammonia treated rice straw (ARS) ($D_1$); 65% untreated rice straw (URS)+30% rice bran (RB)+5% SBM ($D_2$) and 85% ARS+15% RB ($D_3$) were determined using three Japanese Corriedale wethers in a $3{\times}3$ Latin Square Design. Results showed that DM consumption and organic matter digestibility were highest in $D_3$; but did not promote high protein digestibility, which RB+SBM had effected in URS based-diet. Dry matter intake and OM digestibility were the same for $D_1$ and $D_3$. Solubility of fiber bonds was increased by ammoniation, resulting in higher NDF digestibility. Nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield of rice bran supplemented groups was higher than ARS, but supplementation did not significantly increase efficiency of microbial protein synthesis from ARS which did occur when RB+SBM was added to untreated straw. The quality of ammoniated rice straw could be improved through RB supplementation because of its positive effects on DM digestibility, nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield. However, the addition of RB+SBM to URS resulted to more efficient N utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제28권4호
• /
• pp.494-501
• /
• 2015

A digestibility study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing mulberry foliage and urea rice-bran as a source of fermentable energy and protein to 12 sheep fed diets based on urea-treated rice straw (TRS). The three dietary treatments were: T1, TRS with mulberry; T2, TRS with 50% mulberry replaced with rice bran and urea; and T3, TRS with rice bran and urea. The study was arranged in a completely randomized design with four replications for each treatment. The sheep were fed one of the three diets and the supplements were offered at 1.2% of the body weight (BW) and the TRS was provided ad libitum. There were no differences (p>0.05) among the three treatment groups with respect to dry matter (DM) intake ($76.8{\pm}4.2g/kg\;BW^{0.75}$) and DM, organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) digestibility ($55.3{\pm}1.22$; $69.9{\pm}0.85$; $46.3{\pm}1.65%$ respectively for DM, OM, and CP). The digestibility of fiber (neutral detergent fiber [NDF] and acid detergent fiber) was significantly lower (p<0.05) for T3 (46.2 and 46.6 respectively) compared to T1 (55.8 and 53.7 respectively) and T2 (54.1 and 52.8 respectively). Nitrogen (N) intake by sheep on diet T3 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than sheep fed diet T1. However, N balance did not differ among the three diets ($3.0{\pm}0.32g/d$). In contrast, the rumen ammonia ($NH_3-N$) concentrations in sheep fed T2 and T3 were significantly (p<0.05) higher than in sheep fed T1. The $NH_3-N$ concentrations for all three diets were above the critical value required for optimum rumen microbial growth and synthesis. Total volatile fatty acid concentrations were highest (p<0.05) in T1 (120.3 mM), whilst the molar proportion of propionic acid was highest in T3 (36.9%). However, the microbial N supply in sheep fed T1 and T3 was similar but was significantly (p<0.05) higher than for sheep fed T2. It was concluded that mulberry foliage is a potential supplement of fermentable energy and protein for sheep fed TRS based diet. The suggested level of supplementation is 1.2% of BW or 32% of the total diet since it resulted in similar effects on the intake of DM, OM, and NDF, digestibility of DM, OM, and CP, N utilization and microbial supply when compared to rice bran and urea supplementation.