• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.797-803
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• 2017

Objective: Effects of nitrogen supplementation associated with different levels of starch on voluntary intake, digestibility, and rumen and metabolic characteristics of cattle fed low-quality tropical forage (Brachiaria decumbens hay, 7.4% crude protein, CP) were evaluated using ruminal and abomasal cannulated steers. Methods: Five European${\times}$Zebu young bulls (186 kg body weight, BW) were distributed according to a $5{\times}5$ Latin square. The following treatments were evaluated: control, supplementation with 300 g CP/d (0:1), supplementation with 300 g starch/d and 300 g CP/d (1:1), supplementation with 600 g starch/d and 300 g CP/d (2:1), and supplementation with 900 g starch/d and 300 g CP/d (3:1). A mixture of nitrogenous compounds provided 1/3 from true protein (casein) and 2/3 from non-protein nitrogen (mixture of urea and ammonium sulphate, 9:1) was used as the nitrogen supplement. In order to supply energy a unique source of corn starch was used. Results: Supplements increased (p<0.05) dry matter intake, but did not affect (p>0.05) forage intake. There was a cubic effect (p<0.05) of starch on voluntary intake. This was attributed to the highest forage intake (g/kg BW) when using the 2:1 starch:CP ratio. Supplements increased (p<0.05) organic matter (OM) digestibility, but did not affect (p>0.05) neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein (NDFap) digestibility. There was a positive linear effect (p<0.05) of the amount of starch supplemented on OM digestibility. Total NDFap digestibility was not affected (p>0.05) by the amount of supplemental starch. Ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentrations were higher (p<0.05) in supplemented animals, however, a negative linear effect (p<0.05) of amount of starch was observed. Supplements increased (p<0.05) the nitrogen balance (NB) and efficiency of nitrogen utilization. These effects were attributed to increased body anabolism, supported by higher (p<0.05) serum concentration of insulin-like growth factor 1. Increasing the amount of starch tended (p<0.06) to linearly increase the NB. In spite of this, there was a highest NB value for the 2:1 starch:CP ratio amongst the treatments with supplementation. Conclusion: Nitrogen supplementation in cattle fed low-quality tropical forage increases nitrogen retention in the animal's body. An additional supply of starch increases nitrogen retention by increasing energy availability for both rumen and animal metabolism.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권11호
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• pp.1579-1584
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• 2002

Twelve adult male crossbred (Sahiwal${\times}$Holstein Friesian) cattle were distributed into four groups of three each on body weight basis. Animals were given wheat straw as a basal diet. The animals of group I and II were supplemented with concentrate mixture and animals of group III and IV were supplemented with cold processed urea molasses mineral block (UMMB). Thirty mg monensin/day/animal was supplemented to the animals of group II and 35 ppm monensin were incorporated in the UMMB supplemented to the animals of group IV. Vit.A and D mixture was given to all the animals once a week. Dry matter (DM) intake (kg/d) through wheat straw was 19.0 percent higher in the UMMB (without monensin) supplemented group (group III) than those of the concentrate mixture (without monensin) supplemented group i.e. group I. Total DM intake (kg/d) was lower in the monensin supplemented groups than those of non-supplemented groups though differences were not statistically significant. Digestible dry matter, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) intake were similar in all the groups. Average block consumption for 45 d period in the group III (0.95 kg/d) and group IV (0.84 kg/d) did not differ significantly. DM digestibility (%) was significantly (p<0.01) higher in the group II (58.9) as compared to the group I (52.7) and group III (54.0) but similar to the group IV (57.2). OM digestibility was also significantly (p<0.05) higher in the group II (63.2) as compared to that of the group I (54.9) but similar to the group III (57.8) and IV (59.2). Ether extract (EE) digestibility was significantly (p<0.01) higher in the group I (76.9) and II (80.3) as compared to the group III (59.87) and IV (55.77). Nitrogen free extract (NFE) digestibility was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the group II (62.38) as compared to that of the other groups. Crude protein (CP) and crude fibre (CF) digestibilities were not affected either due to UMMB or monensin. Nitrogen balance did also not differ significantly among the groups. However, Ca and P balance (g/d) in the group III (3.1, 1.3) and IV (3.0, 1.4) were significantly (p<0.01) higher than those of the group I (0.6, 0.2) and II (0.4, 0.3). Blood glucose (mg/100ml) was significantly (p<0.01) higher in the group II (65.2) and IV (65.2) as compared to the group I (55.2) and group III (53.9). Plasma urea-N level (mg/100 ml) in the group III (19.0) and IV (17.8) were significantly (p<0.01) higher than that of the group I (10.5) and II (12.3). So, monensin supplementation either with cold process UMMB or concentrate mixture did not show any additional effect on feed intake and digestibility but increases blood glucose level in adult cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권11호
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• pp.1598-1604
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• 2001

Eight $12.4{\pm}0.6kg$ initial body weight crossbred barrows were used to determine the effect of soybean galactooligosaccharides on nutrient and energy digestibility, and digesta transit time. Four dietary treatments were utilized in this trial. Treatment one was a corn-soybean meal based diet (SBM) containing raffinose and stachyose at the levels of 0.16% and 0.75%, respectively. Treatment two (control) was a corn-HP300 (soybean concentrate protein) diet. In treatments three and four, 1.1% and 2.2% commercial stachyose was added to the control diet to provide total dietary stachyose at the levels of 1% and 2%, respectively. The soybean galactooligosaccharides (raffinose + stachyose) level in treatment one was slightly lower compared to that in treatment three. Three collection periods were run with two pigs for each treatment/period. There was a 4 d adjustment period followed by a 3 d collection period. The results showed that the nitrogen retention (86.79%) of pigs fed treatment two diet was higher than that of pigs fed treatment one by 5.2% (p<0.05). The nitrogen retention of treatment three was intermediate 83.09%. The apparent fecal digestibility of all amino acids in treatment two was numerically highest, followed by treatments three and four. However, there were no significant difference among groups (p>0.05). The dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and crude fiber (CF) digestibility numerically decreased as the soybean galactooligosaccharides level increased, but were not significantly different (p>0.05). Chromium content in feces (from the inclusion of 0.3% chromic oxide in the diets) differed among treatments (p<0.05) at 15 h, 18 h, and 21 h after eating. This showed that the digesta transit time was differed significantly among treatments. Treatment four was the shortest, followed by treatment three, SBM and control. The results demonstrated that in the absence of antinutritional factors and soybean antigen protein, inclusion of 1% and 2% stachyose in corn-HP300 diet has no significant effect on the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, CF and amino acids. When the soybean galactooligosaccharide level in diet one and diet three were adjusted to be almost the same, antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitor and soybean antigen protein could decrease the nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention rate of diet. High levels of soybean galactooligosaccharides shortened the digesta transit time in the intestinal tract. This trial suggested that the total level of soybean galactooligosaccharides (stachyose+raffinose) in the weanling piglet diet is better not to exceed 1% when common soybean meal is used as main protein source.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.137-145
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• 1994

Amino acid (AA) substituted diets had no influence on rumen levels of total volatile fatty acids (VFA), ammonia and ${\alpha}$-amino-N, but tended to increase molar proportions of isovalerate and counts of total viable AA utilizing and celluloytic bacteria in the rumen as compared with the control urea diet. The AA diets did not affect daily flow to the duodenum of dry matter (DM), organic mater (OM) and acid detergent fibre (ADF), and rumen digestibility of these nutrients. However, the AA diets, in particular the 10 essential AA (EAA) diet improved total digestibility of DM, OM and ADF by decreasing faecal output of these fractions. Although N flow to the duodenum and N retention were not affected with the dietary treatments, duodenal bacterial flow appeared to increase by the AA diets when it was estimated by means of 2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) and nucleic acid-purine bases (PB) as markers. The results suggest that AA supplements to a urea diet could improve feed utilization by stimulating microbial activity and proliferation in the rumen but and increased microbial activity per se is not necessarily associated with improvement of feed conversion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제12권7호
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• pp.1063-1069
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• 1999

Wheat straw samples (3-4 cm) were sprayed with solutions of urea (U) alone or with a dry addition of garden soil (GS), midden soil (MS), soya bean meal (SM) or jack bean meal (JM) as crude urease sources and with a pure urease (UR) enzyme. Each of the urease sources was included at two levels: 30 and 60 g/kg except pure urease, which was added at a level of 2.5 & 5.0 g/kg treated straw dry matter. Untreated straw without urease source was used as a control. After treatment, samples were sealed in polythene bags and stored for 2, 7, 14, 21 and 35 days at $19{^{\circ}C}$. The urease sources, their levels and treatment time produced significant effects on ammonia production (p<0.01). The addition of urease offered more flexibility in hydrolyzing urea in the shortest possible time. Incorporation of soya bean and jack bean meal was effective in reducing the modified acid detergent fiber (MADF) content of straw and the same time increasing organic matter (OM) digestibility. Overall effect, addition of soya bean to urea at a ratio of 1:1 appeared to be the most satisfactory urease source for the treatment of urea and wheat straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제12권7호
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• pp.1035-1039
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• 1999

Four ruminally cannulated buffalo bulls were fed mottgrass diets using a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Treatments were arranged factorially and consisted of mottgrass fertilized with 0 for Kg nitrogen (N) per acre and harvested at 40 and 60 days of age. Nitrogen fertilization improved the concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in early-cut mottgrass (ECM) but, the acid detergent lignin (ADL) contents were higher in the late-cut mottgrass (LCM). The crude protein (CP) contents of the mottgrass decreased with advancing maturity, but N fertilization increased CP at both maturities. The intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), CP, NDF and ADF were higher by buffalo bulls fed ECM than those fed LCM. The ruminal pH increased in first 6 hours post feeding in animals fed N fertilized mottgrass and may be due to higher concentration of ruminal ammonia. The digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF were higher by buffalo bulls fed ECM than those fed LCM. However, the application of N fertilizer did not affect the digestibilities of these nutrients.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권12호
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• pp.1578-1586
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• 2010

This study estimated the effect of fermented persimmon (Diospros kaki L.) extract (FPE) supplement on feed intake, digestibility, nitrogen (N) balance, and rumen fermentation characteristics in sheep. Five male sheep (Corriedale${\times}$Polwarth) with average body weight of $48.6{\pm}1.3\;kg$ were housed in metabolism crates and assigned to a 5${\times}$5 Latin square design with five consecutive 20-d periods which consisted of 14-d adaptation and 6-d data collection. The sheep were fed ad libitum a diet containing concentrate and rice straw (3:7). The five treatments were FPE supplemented at 0 (Control), 5, 10, 20, and 30 g/kg of concentrate. Intakes of dry matter (DM, p<0.01), organic matter (OM, p<0.01), neutral detergent fiber (NDF, p<0.05), acid detergent fiber (ADF, p<0.05), and nitrogen-free extract (NFE, p<0.01) increased quadratically with increasing intake of FPE supplement and maximized (p<0.05) at 10 g/kg FPE. The digestibilities of DM (p<0.05), OM (p<0.05), crude protein (p<0.01), and NFE (p<0.01) increased quadratically with increasing amount of FPE supplement, and sheep fed 5 and 10 g/kg diets had greater (p<0.05) DM, OM, and NFE digestibilites than the Control treatment. By increasing FPE supplement concentration, N intake (p<0.01) and fecal N (p<0.05) increased linearly, whereas retained N (p<0.05) and retained N ratio (p<0.05) increased quadratically. The retained N was maximized (p<0.05) in sheep fed 5 and 10 g/kg diets. The mean rumen pH was not affected by FPE supplement, but there was a quadratic increase (p<0.05) of mean rumen ammonia N concentration and a linear increase (p<0.01) in mean rumen total volatile fatty acid (VFA) and acetate concentrations. The mean concentration of rumen propionate in sheep fed all FPE supplemented diets was greater (p<0.05) than the Control, but the mean ratios of rumen acetate to propionate in sheep fed 5 and 10 g/kg diets were lower (p<0.05) than that of Control sheep. In conclusion, FPE supplemented at 5-10 g/kg of concentrate improved feed intake, the digestibilites of OM and NFE, N metabolism, and rumen fermentation indices of sheep.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제29권12호
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• pp.1710-1718
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplements with different crude protein (CP) contents on grazing cattle intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation pattern, and nitrogen (N) metabolism characteristics during the rainy season. Five ruminal and abomasal cannulated Holstein${\times}$Zebu steers (296 kg body weight, BW) were used in a $5{\times}5$ Latin square design. The animals grazed five signal grass paddocks (0.34 ha). The five treatments evaluated were: Control (no supplement) and 1.0 g of supplement/kg BW with 0, 330, 660, and 1,000 g of CP/kg as-fed. The supplement was composed of starch, soybean meal, urea, and ammonium sulphate. There was a positive linear effect ($p{\leq}0.033$) of the CP content in the supplements on the organic matter (OM), CP, and digested OM intakes. The provision of supplements did not increase ($p{\geq}0.158$), on average, total and ruminal digestibilities of OM and CP. However, the increase in CP content in the supplements caused a positive linear effect ($p{\leq}0.018$) on ruminal digestibilities of OM and CP. Additionally, a quadratic effect of the CP contents of the supplements were observed (p = 0.041) for the ruminal digestibility of neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein, with the highest estimate obtained with the CP content of 670 g/kg. The supply of supplements increased (p<0.001) the ruminal ammonia N concentration, which also changed linearly and positively (p<0.001) according to increase in CP content in the supplements. The apparent N balance and relative N balance (g/g N intake) were not, on average, changed ($p{\geq}0.164$) by the supplements supply. However, both showed a tendency of a linear increase ($p{\leq}0.099$) with increasing supplement CP content. The supplements increased (p = 0.007) microbial N production in the rumen, which also changed linearly and positively (p = 0.016) with increasing supplement CP content. In conclusion, protein supplementation in grazing cattle during the rainy season, while stimulating voluntary forage intake, results in higher efficiency of N utilization when compared to energy supplementation. This is a possible response to increased microbial protein synthesis in the rumen and improved N status in the animal body.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권12호
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• pp.1722-1727
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• 2006

The nutritive value of 4 straws, obtained after thrashing of seeds from fodder crops, was assessed as complete feed for ruminants. Sixteen male Murrah buffaloes (liveweight 365.8${\pm}$19.5 kg), were divided into 4 equal groups and offered ad lib. straw of either Trifolium resupinatum, Trifolium alexandrium, Medicago sativa or Lolium perenne, supplemented with minerals and vitamin A, for 40 days in a completely randomized design. Simultaneously, each straw was offered to 3 rumen fistulated male buffaloes in order to assess the biochemical changes in the rumen. Compared to other straws M. sativa straw had higher (p<0.05) organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), acid-detergent fiber (ADF) and cellulose content. L .perenne had the highest (p<0.05) hemicellulose and lowest (p<0.05) CP and acid-detergent lignin (ADL) content. T. resupinatum had the lowest concentration of cell wall constituents (CWC). The digestibility of nutrients of T. resupinatum and L. perenne straw was similar, but higher (p<0.05) than that of other straws. M.sativa straw showed highest (p<0.05) digestibility of CP. The highest OM digestibility of T. resupinatum and CP digestibility of M. sativa were responsible for highest (p<0.05) total volatile fatty acids and trichloroacetic acid precipitable nitrogen in the strained rumen liquor. The digestible crude protein (DCP) was highest (p<0.05) in M. sativa followed by that in T. alexandrium. The total purine derivatives excreted in urine varied from 0.22-0.32 mmol/kg $W^{.75}/d$. The efficiency of microbial protein synthesis indicated that OM of straws of M. sativa and that of T. alexandrium was used more (p<0.05) efficiently. The microbial protein synthesized was highest in T. resupinatum, but statistically similar to other groups. The values for N-retention and apparent biological value were highest for L. perenne, though comparable with that of M. sativa and T. alexandrium. The available metabolizable energy (ME) was highest (p<0.05) in T. resupinatum followed by that in L. perenne and lowest in M. sativa. It was concluded that all the straws, supplemented with minerals and vitamin A, could be fed exclusively to adult ruminants with no adverse affect, as animals were able to maintain body weight (372${\pm}$20.1 kg).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.218-226
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• 2013

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the intake, nutrient apparent digestibility and the effect of total collection days (two and four days) on apparent digestibility estimates for lambs fed diets containing sugar cane treated with calcium oxide (CaO). Eight Santa In$\hat{e}$s castrated male lambs with a $16.6{\pm}1.8$ kg body weight were used. The lambs were distributed in two $4{\times}4$ Latin squares, with four experimental periods of 14 d each. The animals were kept in 1.2 $m^2$ individual pens, and the intake and digestibility evaluations were performed during the last four days of each period. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous, containing 14% crude protein (CP), and presenting 70% sugar cane treated with 0, 0.75, 1.5 or 2.25% of CaO (as-fed basis), corrected with 1% urea, and 30% concentrate. The sugar cane with added CaO was chopped, treated, and offered to the animals after 24 h of storage. The sugar cane with CaO increased the DM, OM, CP, NDF, NDFap, TC, NFCap and TDN intake (kg/d), when compared to natural sugar cane, and produced the same intake expressed as a percentage of body weight (% BW). The NFCap digestibility of the CaO-treated sugar cane was inferior to the NFCap digestibility in natural sugar cane. There was a linear increase in the DM intake with the CaO-added sugar cane, but the DM and NDF digestibility and the TDN content decreased linearly. The chemical treatment of sugar cane with CaO increases the intake but does not improve the nutrient digestibility. Two days of total fecal collection were found to be sufficient to estimate the total apparent digestibility in lambs.