• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.211-216
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• 2003

The objective of this study was to determine the degradability of cassava chip (CC), cassava waste (CW), yellow sweet potato (YP), white sweet potato (WP), purple sweet potato (PP), corn meal (CM), and rice bran (RB) using in situ technique. Two ruminally fistulated steers with an average weight of $303{\pm}10kg$ were used to determine in situ degradabilities of DM and OM. Seven feed sources were weighted in nylon bags ($38{\mu}m$ pore size) and incubated ruminally for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that asymptote (a+b) and effective degradability (ED) of DM of energy sources ranked from the highest to the lowest; CC, YP, WP, PP, RB, CW, and CM (99.3, 92.5; 97.6, 87.9; 97.5, 87.9; 97.2, 87.8; 87.5, 63.6; 78.6, 63.0 and 81.7; 59.3, respectively) and for OM asymptote (a+b) and effective degradability (ED) were similar to those of degradation of DM (99.4, 93.4; 98.8, 89.8; 98.5, 89.4; 98.4, 88.1; 92.4, 65.8; 85.1, 66.9 and 83.6, 63.3, respectively). It was concluded that disappearance characteristic of CC was the highest and it may potentially facilitate the achievement of optimal ruminal availability of energy: protein especially with NPN for microbial protein synthesis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.241-249
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• 2016

The supplementation of livestock feed with animal protein is a present cause for public concern, and plant protein shortages have become increasingly prominent in China. This conflict may be resolved by fully utilizing currently available sources of plant protein. We estimated the rumen degradability and the small intestinal digestibility of the amino acids (AA) in rapeseed meal (RSM), soybean meal (SBM), sunflower seed meal (SFM) and sesame meal (SSM) using the mobile nylon bag method to determine the absorbable AA content of these protein supplements as a guide towards dietary formulations for the dairy industry. Overall, this study aimed to utilize protein supplements effectively to guide dietary formulations to increase milk yield and save plant protein resources. To this end, we studied four cows with a permanent rumen fistula and duodenal T-shape fistula in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square experimental design. The results showed that the total small intestine absorbable amino acids and small intestine absorbable essential amino acids were higher in the SBM (26.34% and 13.11% dry matter [DM], respectively) than in the SFM (13.97% and 6.89% DM, respectively). The small intestine absorbable Lys contents of the SFM, SSM, RSM and SBM were 0.86%, 0.88%, 1.43%, and 2.12% (DM basis), respectively, and the absorbable Met contents of these meals were 0.28%, 1.03%, 0.52%, and 0.47% (DM basis), respectively. Among the examined food sources, the milk protein score of the SBM (0.181) was highest followed by those of the RSM (0.136), SSM (0.108) and SFM (0.106). The absorbable amino acid contents of the protein supplements accurately reflected protein availability, which is an important indicator of the balance of feed formulation. Therefore, a database detailing the absorbable AA should be established.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1580-1584
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• 2001

A study was conducted to estimate the nutritive value of some selected acacia forages using palatability index, in sacco degradability and in vitro gas production characteristics. Ten wethers (mean wt. $18{\pm}3.5kg$) were offered Acacia tortilis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia mellifera, Acacia brevispica, Acacia Senegal and Leucaena leucocephala (control) using a cafeteria system to determine the species preference by the animals. The acacia species were rich in nitrogen and showed variable palatability pattern. Significant (p<0.05) differences in relative palatability index (RPI) were detected among the species with the following ranking: brevispica > leucaena > mellifera > tortilis > Senegal > nilotica. Acacia nilotica appeared to be of low relative palatability with RPI of 24% and this was attributed to relatively high phenolic concentrations. The DM potential degradability (B) and rate of degradation (c) of the species were significantly (p<0.05) different, ranging from 40.1 to 59.1% and 0.0285 to 0.0794/h respectively. Acacia species had moderate levels of rumen undegradable protein, much higher than that in leucaena. In vitro gas production results indicated the effect of polyphenolic compounds on the fermentation rate, with lower gas production recorded from A. nilotica and tortilis. Based on RPI, A. brevispica and mellifera were superior to the rest and comparable to L. leucocephala. Long-term feeding trials are required with the superior species when used as protein supplements to poor quality diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1541-1552
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• 2004

The effect of eight varieties of whole crop rice silage (WCRS) harvested at four stages of maturity were investigated for in situ DM and N degradability, ME and MP yield and content in an 8${\times}$4 factorial experiment. The varieties were Akichikara, Fukuhibiki, Habataki, Hamasari, Hokuriku 168, Kusanami, Tamakei 96 and Yumetoiro. Hamasari and Kusanami were forage varieties while all others were grain varieties. Forages were harvested on 10, 22, 34 and 45 days after flowering, ensiled and kept in airtight condition. Between 45 and 49 days after ensiling, silages opened, chopped and milled green to pass through 4 mm screen. Samples were incubated in the rumen of two Holstein steers for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h over eight 4 d periods. Bags at 0 h were washed in a washing machine. Variety affected DM (p<0.001: except 'a+b', p<0.01) and N (p<0.001) degradability characteristics of WCRS. Stages of maturity also affected DM (p<0.001: except 'a+b', p<0.05; 'c', p<0.08) and N (p<0.01: except 'c', p<0.05) degradability characteristics of WCRS. Interactions between variety and stages of maturity occurred in all DM (p<0.001) and N (p<0.001) degradability characteristics except (p>0.05) for DM 'b', DM 'c', DM 'a+b' nd N 'c'. Effective DM degradability was higher in grain varieties than forage varieties and degradability increased with maturity. N availability decreased only slightly with maturity. Variety was the key factor for N degradability characteristics of WCRS since variety accounted for most of the total variation for degradability characteristics. Both ME and MP content and yield were higher (p<0.001) in grain varieties, and they increased (p<0.001) with the maturity. The results clearly demonstrated that the grain type varieties contained higher ME and MP content than forage varieties, and increase in maturity increases both ME and MP content of WCRS.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1239-1244
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• 2000

In order to investigate the effect of incorporation of thermally processed cereal (maize) grain and differently degradable protein sources in the calf starter, twenty four newly born crossbred $(Bos\;taurus{\times}Bos\;indicus)$ calves were assigned at random to six diets in a $3{\times}2$ factorial design involving three protein sources viz. groundnut meal (GN), cottonseed meal (CS) and meat and bone meal (MB), each along with two differently processed grain, namely ground raw (R) and pressure cooked (P) maize. The corresponding calf starters with green oats (Avena sativa) were given free-choice from 14 d onwards till the end of the 90 d experimental feeding. A restricted milk diet was fed till the age of weaning at 60 d. Total DM intake was not affected by cereal or protein sources. However, daily intake of DM (59.23 vs 66.45 g) and CP (12.38 vs 14.10 g) per kg $W^{0.75}$ was reduced (p<0.05) due to cereal processing. Better (p<0.05) feed and protein efficiencies after weaning and during entire period in calves fed processed maize resulted in a trend of higher $(p{\leq}092)$ growth rate especially when GN was the source of protein. In comparison among protein sources, calves fed MB diets tended to grow faster $(p{\leq}098)$ concurrent with a higher CP intake before weaning. It is thus evident that thermal processing of maize in the calf starter seems to improve calf performance. Moreover, results indicated that feeding of protein and starch sources of matching ruminal degradability may prove beneficial for early growth of crossbred calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1559-1567
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in hempseed cake (HC) that were moist heat treated at different temperatures. Samples of cold-pressed HC were autoclaved for 30 min at 110, 120 or $130^{\circ}C$, and a sample of untreated HC was used as the control. Ruminal degradability of CP was estimated, using the in situ Dacron bag technique; intestinal CP digestibility was estimated for the 16 h in situ residue using a three-step in vitro procedure. AA content was determined for the HC samples (heat treated and untreated) of the intact feed, the 16 h in situ residue and the residue after the three-step procedure. There was a linear increase in RUP (p = 0.001) and intestinal digestibility of RUP (p = 0.003) with increasing temperature during heat treatment. The $130^{\circ}C$ treatment increased RUP from 259 to 629 g/kg CP, while intestinal digestibility increased from 176 to 730 g/kg RUP, compared to the control. Hence, the intestinal available dietary CP increased more than eight times. Increasing temperatures during heat treatment resulted in linear decreases in ruminal degradability of total AA (p = 0.006) and individual AA (p<0.05) and an increase in intestinal digestibility that could be explained both by a linear and a quadratic model for total AA and most individual AA (p<0.05). The $130^{\circ}C$ treatment decreased ruminal degradability of total AA from 837 to 471 g/kg, while intestinal digestibility increased from 267 to 813 g/kg of rumen undegradable AA, compared with the control. There were differences between ruminal AA degradability and between intestinal AA digestibility within all individual HC treatments (p<0.001). It is concluded that moist heat treatment at $130^{\circ}C$ did not overprotect the CP of HC and could be used to shift the site of CP and AA digestion from the rumen to the small intestine. This may increase the value of HC as a protein supplement for ruminants.

• 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.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.349-350
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.327-328
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.473-478
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• 2004

Processing and storage of the silage from agricultural by-products were studied in two experiments. The first experiment was conducted to investigate the chemical composition and degradability of various silages with varying ensiling times. The experiment was a 5$\times$3 factorial design, completely randomized, with factor A as the different formulated mixtures by varying level of urea addition (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%) and factor B as the time of ensiling. Chemical composition changed little with time and varied only slightly with levels of urea in the mixtures. Dry matter (DM) degradability increased with increasing cassava levels while crude protein degradability and pH level increased with increasing urea addition. By using 'Flieg point', which relates to organic acid yields, there were no significant difference among ensiled mixtures and times of ensiling. Therefore it can be concluded that the 5th silage formulation is the most appropriate since its DM and crude protein (CP) degradability were highest. The second experiment was carried out to determine the quality of the 5th silage mixtures (from the previous trial) after being stored for up to 6 months. The experiment was a complete randomized design with samples taken at monthly intervals up to 6 months and subjected to laboratory and degradability analyses. The results showed no significant (p>0.05) difference in chemical composition except for increased neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber percentage in association with increasing storage time. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences in 'Flieg point' among times of storage. In conclusion, this experiment showed that the silage from agricultural by-products can be stored for more than 6 months.