• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1989

Nutritive values and fermentation rates of rice straw treated with 3% anhydrous and 3% aqueous ammonia were evaluated both in vitro and sheep metabolism trials. Daily gain, feed efficiency and feed cost per gain were also determined with growing Holstein bulls fed anhydrous and aqueous ammonia treated rice straw. Crude protein was increased 2.4 fold and NDF was decreased 6.5%, but ADF and cellulose were not different between untreated and ammonia treated rice straw. An average of 35.5% of total added ammonia-N retained in the rice straw and other 64.5% was not retained in the rice straw. Ammonia treatment increased in vitro DM, NDF, ADF and cellulose digestibilities by 44.8%, 43.3%, 49.4% and 42.4%, respectively, and fermentation rates by 63.3%, 132.4%, 49.4% and 42.4%, respectively. In sheep metabolism trials, DM digestibilities of rice straw treated with anhydrous and aqueous ammonia were increased 22% and 36%, respectively, and digestible DM intakes by 48% and 70%, respectively in sheep fed anhydrous and aqueous ammonia treated rice straw over untreated rice straw. Rumen ammonia and blood urea were considerably higher in sheep fed ammonia treated rice straw than sheep fed untreated rice straw. Daily gain of Holstein bulls was increased 20.8% and 29.9% and rice straw intakes were increased 28.4% and 44.3% in anhydrous and aqueous ammonia treated rice straw over untreated rice straw. Feed conversion was improved 9.5% and 10.3% and feed cost/gain was reduced 7.1% and 9.2% respectively in anhydrous and aqueous ammonia treated rice straw group as compared with untreated rice straw group.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1295-1303
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different physical forms and urea treatment of rice straw on feed intake, rumen fermentation, and milk production. Four, multiparous Holstein crossbred dairy cows in mid-lactation with initial body weight (BW) of $409{\pm}20kg$ were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. The dietary treatments were as follows: untreated, long form rice straw (LRS), urea-treated (5%), long form rice straw (5% ULRS), urea-treated (2.5%), long form rice straw (2.5% ULRS) and urea-treated (2.5%), chopped (4 cm) rice straw (2.5% UCRS). Cows were fed with concentrate diets at a ratio of concentrate to milk yield of 1:2 and rice straw was fed ad libitum. The findings revealed significant improvements in total DM intake and digestibility by using long and short forms of urea-treated rice straw (p<0.05). Ruminal pH was not altered among all treatments (p>0.05), whereas ruminal $NH_3$-N, BUN and MUN were found to be increased (p<0.01) by urea-treated rice straw as compared with untreated rice straw. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentrations especially those of acetic acid were decreased (p<0.05) and those of propionic acid were increased (p<0.05), thus acetic acid:propionic acid was subsequently lowered (p<0.05) in cows fed with long or short forms of urea-treated rice straw. The 2.5% ULRS and 2.5% UCRS had greater microbial protein synthesis and was greatest when cows were fed with 5% ULRS. The urea-treated rice straw fed groups had increased milk yield (p<0.05), while lower feed cost and greater economic return was in the 2.5% ULRS and 2.5% UCRS (p<0.01). From these results, it could be concluded that 2.5% ULRS could replace 5% ULRS used as a roughage source to maintain feed intake, rumen fermentation, efficiency of microbial protein synthesis, milk production and economical return in mid-lactating dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1689-1697
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• 2013

This study was designed to determine the effect of physical form and urea treatment of rice straw on rumen fermentation, microbial protein synthesis and nutrient digestibility. Four rumen-fistulated dairy steers were randomly assigned according to a 2 (2 factorial arrangement in a 4 (4 Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. Factor A was roughage source: untreated rice straw (RS) and urea-treated (3%) rice straw (UTRS), and factor B was type of physical form of rice straw: long form rice straw (LFR) and chopped (4 cm) rice straw (CHR). The steers were offered the concentrate at 0.5% body weight (BW) /d and rice straw was fed ad libitum. DM intake and nutrient digestibility were increased (p<0.05) by urea treatment. Ruminal pH were decreased (p<0.05) in UTRS fed group, while ruminal ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were increased (p<0.01) by urea treatment. Total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations increased (p<0.01) when steers were fed UTRS. Furthermore, VFA concentrations were not altered by treatments (p>0.05), except propionic acid (C3) was increased (p<0.05) in UTRS fed group. Nitrogen (N) balance was affected by urea treatment (p<0.05). Microbial protein synthesis (MCP) synthesis were greater by UTRS and CHR group (p<0.05). The efficiency of microbial N synthesis was greater for UTRS than for RS (p<0.05). From these results, it can be concluded that using the long form combined with urea treatment of rice straw improved feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and efficiency of microbial N synthesis in crossbred dairy steers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.680-692
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• 2010

This paper gives an overview of the availability, nutritive quality, and possible strategies to improve the utilization of rice straw as a feed ingredient for ruminants. Approximately 80% of the rice in the world is grown by small-scale farmers in developing countries, including South East Asia. The large amount of rice straw as a by-product of the rice production is mainly used as a source of feed for ruminant livestock. Rice straw is rich in polysaccharides and has a high lignin and silica content, limiting voluntary intake and reducing degradability by ruminal microorganisms. Several methods to improve the utilization of rice straw by ruminants have been investigated in the past. However, some physical treatments are not practical because of the requirement for machinery or treatments are not economical feasible for the farmers. Chemical treatments, such as NaOH, $NH_3$ or urea, currently seem to be more practical for onfarm use. Alternative treatments to improve the nutritive value of rice straw are the use of ligninolytic fungi (white-rot fungi), with their extracellular ligninolytic enzymes, or specific enzymes degrading cellulose and/or hemicellulose. The use of fungi or enzyme treatments is expected to be a more practical and environmental-friendly approach for enhancing the nutritive value of rice straw and can be costeffective in the future. Using fungi and enzymes might be combined with the more classical chemical or physical treatments. However, available data on using fungi and enzymes for improving the quality of rice straw are relatively scarce.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feed resources and collection system of nonconventional agricultural roughages, and reduction of environment pollution by turning non-conventional agricultural roughages to feed resources and diversification of feed supply. And a series of experiment were conducted to determine the effect of moisture control material on quality of sweet potato stalk, peanut stalk, barley straw, the experiments were conducted at Grassland and Forage Crops Division, National Livestock Research Institute, RDA, Suwon in 1999 and 2000. The results obtained from these experiments are summarized as follows; Acid detergent fiber(ADF), neutral detergent fiber(NDF) and total digestible nutrient(TDN) of sweet potato were 38.8, 50.7 and 58.2% in the control silage, but that of rice straw added silage for moisture control were decreased to 41.5, 50.8 and 56.1%. ADF, NDF, CP(crude protein) and TDN of peanut stalk were 42.2, 49.6, 10.5 and 55.6% on the rice straw added silage for moisture control, and there were not affected by barely straw added silage for moisture control. And ADF, NDF and TDN content of barely straw increased 42.8, 65.8 and 55.1% on the water+inoculants treated silage. The results of this study indicate that non-conventional agricultural roughages to feed resources should be make for silage at silo after dry matter percentage(ab0ut 35%) control. Also, rice straw added silage for moisture control will improve the silage fermentation and conservation. (Key words : Feed resources, Non-conventional agriculture, Fermentation, Inoculant, Rice straw)

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.631-639
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• 2001

Two experiments were carried out concerning the effects of urea-molasses cake (UMC) and its separate components as supplements on rumen environment, in sacco feed degradability and intake of swamp buffaloes fed rice straw, grasses or a mixture of grasses and rice straw. Experiment 1 was a change-over design with 4 animals and 6 treatments. The buffaloes were fed rice straw ad libitum, and the experimental treatments were: no supplementation (R); 700 g of the complete urea-molasses cake (RUMC); 53.2 g urea (RU); 276 g rice bran and 52.5 coconut meal (RRC); 26.6 g salt, 26.6 g bone meal and 2.1 g trace minerals (RMi); and 25 g molasses (RMo). Experiment 2 was a Latin square design with four diets and four animals. The treatments were: rice straw ad libitum and mixed grass (RG) at 2.5 g dry matter per kg live weight (LW); RG plus 700 g urea-molasses cake (RGUMC); mixed grass ad libitum (G); and G plus 700 g cake (GUMC). In both experiments the supplements were fed once daily. In Exp. 1 although the rumen pH was significantly different (p<0.05) among diets, it varied only from 6.90 to 7.06. The ruminal ammonia was also significantly (p<0.05) different among the diets with RUMC significantly higher than R. Total bacterial and protozoal counts were significantly (p<0.05) higher for the RUMC, RU, RMo and RRC diets. Total feed and rice straw intakes were highest for RUMC (p<0.05) and lowest for the RMi and RMo diets, but in sacco degradability of four different roughages were not significantly different among diets. In Exp. 2, rumen pHs of the diets differed significantly and (p<0.01) ranged from 7.04 - 7.19. Ruminal $NH_3-N$ concentrations (mg/100 ml) were also significantly different (p<0.05), and higher for the RGUMC, G and GUMC diets. The total counts of bacteria and protozoa were significantly (p<0.05) higher for the RGUMC, G and GUMC diets. The total feed intake and roughage intake were significantly (p<0.05) higher for the RGUMC, G and GUMC diets compared to the RG diet. Correspondingly, LW changes also differed among treatments (p=0.06). It was concluded that there were significant increases in rumen $NH_3-N$ concentration, microbial populations and feed intake in the buffaloes by UMC supplementation, whereas the significant difference in in sacco DM degradation was not found by any type of supplementation. There seemed to be a need of a combination of urea, molasses, minerals and other protein nitrogen sources to enhance rice straw intake. Adding grass to the rice straw diet at 0.25% LW (DM) should also be considered to maintain buffalo rumen function and production with UMC supplementation, when rice straw is the main roughage.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2024

Given the recent increases in feed cost, the demand for rice straw has been increasing on dairy farms because it is cheaper than expensive imported forages. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of rice straw feeding on the growth and productivity of dairy heifers. This study compared how feeding tall fescue and rice straw affects the growth, age at first calving, and feed cost of heifers. we compared the growth, age at first calving, and feed cost for each group during the breeding period. Body height was higher in the tall fescue-fed group than in the rice straw-fed group (p<0.05). The length of the growing stage was significantly shorter in the tall fescue group than in the rice straw group (p<0.001) and the age at calving also showed a significant reduction in the tall fescue group compared to the rice straw group (p<0.001). However, the feed cost was lower in the rice straw group because of the difference in the unit price of forage (p<0.001). Based on these results, during the growing period, the rice straw group had delays in growth and the age at first calving compared to the tall fescue group, but also had reduced feed costs in the short term.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 1996.06c
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• pp.967-976
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• 1996

Straw and other fibrous by-products are inevitably produced during cereal production and have traditionally been used for many purposes including feeding animals . The potential of these by -products as a feed resource for ruminants is being increasingly appreciated (FAO , 1977). In the future, the amount of cereals fed to farm animals will have to be reduced and livestock will have to rely more on by-products such as straw. The method of animal production can be classified by the major portion of feed. One is animal forage and the other is grains. In Korea , livestock farmers normally depend more than 70% upon grains for the feed stuff. The livestock production system causes the unbalance of nutrition, and results in low productivity of animal farming. In many livestock farms in Korea the rice straw is using as a major forage and the amount of rice straw fed takes 46% of total amount of required forages. Especially the rice straw is mainly using during spring, fall and winte season. However, there are still lots of problems to solved such as harvesting cost, transportation between rice farm ad livestock farm, and quality loss during drying and storage . Therefore the mechanization of straw harvesting is urgently needed to use the renewable agricultural by-products and to overcome the shortage of animal forage. The objective of this research is to develope a straw harvester with new concept which can solve the problems of the quality loss and the labor cost during drying in a field, collecting , and storage. The developed straw harvester is self-propelled machine rebuilt by rice combine and equipped with the pick-up device, the macerater and the mat-forming device.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1435-1440
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• 2008

An experiment was carried out to investigate whether a local breed of cattle is better adapted than European breed crosses to low quality feeds and to variations in their supply. Four Red Chittagong (RC) and four Holstein cross Sahiwal (Hx) cattle were used to compare the intake and digestibility of German grass (Echinocloa crusgalli) and rice straw with four regimes of feed supply. These were; a choice of German grass and rice straw each offered ad libitum on the same day (A); German grass and rice straw offered ad libitum on alternate days (B); rice straw offered ad libitum for 5 days followed by German grass ad libitum for 5 days (C); and German grass offered ad libitum for 5 days followed by rice straw ad libitum for 5 days (D). Each breed was offered the treatments in a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square design. The German grass intake and total dry matter intake per kg metabolic live weight were significantly higher for the Hx than for RC, but there were no significant effects of genotype on digestibility of nutrients or live weight. Treatment A had the highest proportion of German grass relative to rice straw in the total DM intake, and had the highest total DM intake and apparent digestibility of nutrients compared with treatments B, C and D. It was concluded that there was no significant evidence that the RG cattle were better adapted to a variable supply of low quality feed than Hx cattle, and that the variable feed supply reduced the ability of cattle to select a preferred diet and consequently nutrient intake was depressed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2000

This study was conducted to examine of rice straw after chemical treatments and ensiling on its feeding value, in situ studies using a rumen fistulated Korean cow and nylon bag technique. NaOH treatment greatly improved the degradation the Dry matter and Neutral detergent fiber degradation in the rumen but the intake was not affected. Ammonia treatment did not improve the degradation rate of rice straw in the rumen, but remarkably increased the rice straw digestibility and intake by sheep. Making silage of rice straw did not affect its rumen degradation rate, but the digestibility and its take by sheep were greatly improved especially when a little molasses together with Lactobacillus were supplemented. Degradation rate of rice straw in the rumen measured by nylon bag technique was influenced by various treatments but did not appear to coincide with digestibility by sheep. This would be due to the fact that feed intake affect digestibility as well as the degradation in rumen. Therefore, it can be said that making silage with some molasses and Lactobacillus is one of the easest way of using rice straw for animal feed. (Key words : NaOH, Digestibility, Silage, Molasses )