• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.14.1-14.9
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• 2017

Background: Garlic and its constituents are reported to have been effective in reducing methane emission and also influence glucose metabolism in body; however, studies in ruminants using garlic leaves are scarce. Garlic leaves contain similar compounds as garlic bulbs, but are discarded in field after garlic bulb harvest. We speculate that feeding garlic leaves might show similar effect as garlic constituents in sheep and could be potential animal feed supplement. Thus, we examined the effect of freeze dried garlic leaves (FDGL) on rumen fermentation, methane emission, plasma glucose kinetics and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Methods: Six sheep were fed Control diet (mixed hay and concentrate (60:40)) or FDGL diet (Control diet supplemented with FDGL at 2.5 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$ of sheep) using a crossover design. Methane gas emission was measured using open-circuit respiratory chamber. Plasma glucose turnover rate was measured using isotope dilution technique of [$U-^{13}C$]glucose. Rumen fluid, feces and urine were collected to measure rumen fermentation characteristics and nitrogen utilization. Result: No significant difference in rumen fermentation parameters was noticed except for rumen ammonia tended to be higher (0.05 < P < 0.1) in FDGL diet. Methane emission per kg dry matter ingested and methane emission per kg dry matter digested were lower (P < 0.05) in FDGL diet. Plasma glucose concentration was similar between diets and plasma glucose turnover rate tended to be higher in FDGL diet (0.05 < P < 0.1). Nitrogen retention was higher (P < 0.05) and microbial nitrogen supply tended to be higher (0.05 < P < 0.1) in FDGL diet. Conclusion: FDGL diet did not impair rumen fermentation, improved nitrogen retention; while absence of significant results in reduction of methane emission, glucose turnover rate and microbial nitrogen supply, further studies at higher dose would be necessary to conclude the merit of FDGL as supplement in ruminant feedstuff.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.655-667
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• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of a hydroethanolic extract of walnut green husks (WGH) on rumen fermentation and the diversity of bacteria, methanogenic archaea, and fungi in sheep fed a high-concentrate diet. Methods: Five healthy small-tailed Han ewes with permanent rumen fistula were selected and housed in individual pens. This study adopted a self-controlled and crossover design with a control period and an experimental period. During the control period, the animals were fed a basal diet (with a ratio of concentrate to roughage of 65:35), while during the treatment period, the animals were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.5% hydroethanolic extract of WGH. Fermentation parameters, digestive enzyme activities, and microbial diversity in rumen fluid were analyzed. Results: Supplementation of hydroethanolic extract of WGH had no significant effect on feed intake, concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, isovalerate, ammonia nitrogen, and microbial protein (p>0.05). However, the ruminal pH, concentrations of acetate, butyrate and isobutyrate, the ratio of acetate to propionate, protozoa count, and the activities of filter paper cellulase and cellobiase were significantly increased (p<0.05), while concentrations of propionate and valerate were significantly decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the relative abundance of rumen bacteria Christensenellaceae R7 group, Saccharofermentans, and Ruminococcaceae NK4A214 group were significantly increased, while Ruminococcus gauvreauii group, Prevotella 7 were significantly decreased (p<0.05). The relative abundance of the fungus Pseudomonas significantly increased, while Basidiomycota, Fusarium, and Alternaria significantly decreased (p<0.05). However, there was no significant change in the community structure of methanogenic archaea. Conclusion: Supplementation of hydroethanolic extract of WGH to a high-concentrate diet improved the ruminal fermentation, altered the structure of ruminal bacterial and fungal communities, and exhibited beneficial effects in alleviating subacute rumen acidosis of sheep.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권5호
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• pp.665-670
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• 2002

The expediency of replacing cost prohibitive and often inaccessible traditional protein supplements prompted the monitoring of hematological parameters was carried out in female goats at 0, 30, 60 and 90 days post feeding. Rumen environment was (3), respectively fed supplements containing either a leaf meal mixture (LMTM) of Leucaena leucocephala-Morus alba-Tectona grandis (2:1:1) or traditional protein supplements groundnut cake (GNC) or soybean meal (SBM) and wheat straw as basal diet. The periodic monitoring of hematological parameters was carried out in female goats at 0, 30, 60 and 90 days post feeding. Rumen environment was studied in bucks in a $3{\times}3$ switch over design. Rumen liquor was collected at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h post feeding after 4 weeks of feeding. The goats fed on LMTM or GNC had similar dry matter intake (g/kg $W^{0.75}$), which was significantly (p<0.05) higher than SBM. Except for packed cell volume (PCV), none of the blood biochemical constituents (Hemoglobin, serum glucose, total protein, serum albumin (A) and globulin(G), A:G ratio, alkaline phosphatase, transaminases) varied significantly due to replacement of 50% dietary protein by LMTM throughout the experiment. GNC group had significantly higher level of PCV than other treatments. However, the level of serum total protein (p<0.01) tended to increase from 60th day onwards irrespective of dietary treatments. The average rumen pH was significantly higher (p<0.001) on SBM followed by LMTM and GNC, respectively. Total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) production was comparable in goats given LMTM or GNC supplements, the corresponding values were significantly different (p<0.001) when compared with SBM. The ammonical-N, total-N and TCA-precipitable-N (mg/100 ml SRL) did not differ significantly among dietary treatments. It may be concluded that supplementing wheat straw with LMTM based concentrate had no adverse effect on voluntary intake, blood biochemical profile and rumen fermentation pattern of the goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권12호
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• pp.1608-1613
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• 2010

This study was designed to investigate the effects of supplementation of spent mushroom substrates (SMS) on rumen fermentation and blood metabolites in Hanwoo steers. The experiment was conducted as a duplicated Latin square design with six Hanwoo steers ($600{\pm}47\;kg$), each permanently fitted with a ruminal cannula. There were three treatments; i) control (concentrates 4.8 kg +rice straw 1.2 kg/d), ii) Pleurotus eryngiia (PE) treatment (concentrates 4.8 kg+rice straw 0.73 kg+Pleurotus eryngiia 1.20 kg/d) and iii) Pleurotus osteratus (PO) treatment (concentrates 4.8 kg+rice straw 0.73 kg+Pleurotus osteratus 1.20 kg/d). There were no major effects of different dietary treatments on rumen parameters such as pH, ammonia-N, individual and total VFA production. Parameters of N utilization, including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total protein and albumin levels, were not significantly different among the treatments, except for creatinine. Thus, the present results indicated that protein utilization was mostly unaffected by SMS treatments such as PE and PO, even though creatinine concentration was lower in PE compared with control and PO treatments (p<0.05). The present results indicate that Pleurotus eryngii and Pleurotus osteratus could be used as a forage source to replace 40% of rice straw without any negative effects on rumen fermentation and blood metabolites in Hanwoo steers.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.240-252
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• 2024

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of dietary nicotinic acid (NA) on apparent nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and rumen microbiota in uncastrated Xiangzhong black cattle. Methods: Twenty-one uncastrated Xiangzhong black cattle (385.08±15.20 kg) aged 1.5 years were randomly assigned to the control group (CL, 0 mg/kg NA in concentrate diet), NA1 group (800 mg/kg NA in concentrate diet) and NA2 group (1,200 mg/kg NA in concentrate diet). All animals were fed a 60% concentrate diet and 40% dried rice straw for a 120-day feeding experiment. Results: Supplemental NA not only enhanced the apparent nutrient digestibility of acid detergent fiber (p<0.01), but also elevated the rumen acetate and total volatile fatty acid concentrations (p<0.05). 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis of rumen microbiota revealed that dietary NA changed the diversity of rumen microbiota (p<0.05) and the abundance of bacterial taxa in the rumen. The relative abundances of eight Erysipelotrichales taxa, five Ruminococcaceae taxa, and five Sphaerochaetales taxa were decreased by dietary NA (p<0.05). However, the relative abundances of two taxa belonging to Roseburia faecis were increased by supplemental 800 mg/kg NA, and the abundances of seven Prevotella taxa, three Paraprevotellaceae taxa, three Bifidobacteriaceae taxa, and two operational taxonomic units annotated to Fibrobacter succinogenes were increased by 1,200 mg/kg NA in diets. Furthermore, the correlation analysis found significant correlations between the concentrations of volatile fatty acids in the rumen and the abundances of bacterial taxa, especially Prevotella. Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that dietary NA plays an important role in regulating apparent digestibility of acid detergent fiber, acetate, total volatile fatty acid concentrations, and the composition of rumen microbiota.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권11호
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• pp.1580-1587
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• 2006

Several researchers have demonstrated that the rumen microbial community rapidly adapts to saponins and proposed interval feeding to prevent this rapid adaptation. An in vivo experiment was carried out to examine the effect of daily versus application every third day (interval feeding) of Sapindus rarak saponins (SE) on rumen fermentation end products, protozoal counts and nutrient digestibility. Thirty sheep were allocated into 5 groups. Sheep were fed daily or every third day with two levels of SE (0.48 and 0.72 g/kg body mass). One group received no saponin and served as control. All sheep received the same diet, a mixture of elephant grass and wheat pollard (65:35 w/w). Independent of the feeding regime and the level of inclusion, the addition of SE decreased protozoal counts and rumen ammonia concentrations (p<0.01). Microbial N supply and N retention were not affected by the high feeding regime. Daily feeding negatively influenced rumen xylanase and cellulase activity, but only when the high level of saponins was fed. However, these negative effects on rumen cell wall degradation were not reflected in decreasing total tract digestibility of the organic matter or the plant cell walls. Our results show that rumen microorganisms do not rapidly adapt to S. rarak saponins.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.669-679
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of rumen-protected amino acid (RPAA) prototypes, which were chemically synthesized, on in vitro rumen fermentation and protection rate outcomes. Several RPAA prototypes were incubated with timothy hay and concentrate. Treatments consisted of 1) control (CON; no RPAA prototype supplement), and prototypes of 2) 0.5% RP-methionine (RPMet), 3) 0.5% RP-tryptophan (RPTrp), 4) 0.5% RP-valine (RPVal), 5) 0.5% RP-phenylalanine (RPPhe), 6) 0.5% RP-leucine (RPLeu), 7) 0.5% RP-histidine (RPHis), 8) 20% RPMet, and 9) 20% RPTrp (w·w^-1 feed). The inoculum (50 mL) prepared with rumen fluid and McDougall's buffer (1 : 4) was dispensed in individual serum bottles and was anaerobically incubated for 0, 6, and 24 h at 39℃ in triplicate. The dry matter degradability did not differ among the groups, except for the 20% RPMet and the 20% RPTrp treatments at 6 and 24 h. The total volatile fatty acid concentration in the 20% RPMet was higher (p < 0.05) than the rest of the groups at 6 h, and 20% RPMet showed the highest molar proportion of acetate, whereas the lowest proportion of propionate was found at 6 h (p < 0.05). The protection rate of the RPAA prototypes ranged from 29.85 to 109.21%. at 24 h. In conclusion, the chemically synthesized RPAA prototypes studied here had no detrimental effects on rumen fermentation parameters. Further studies using animal models are needed for more accurate evaluations of the effectiveness of RPAA.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제36권6호
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• pp.879-890
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the use of Megasphaera elsdenii (M. elsdenii) as a probiotic on rumen fermentation, production performance, carcass traits and health of ruminants by integrating data from various related studies using meta-analysis. Methods: A total of 32 studies (consisted of 136 data points) were obtained and integrated into a database. The parameters integrated were fermentation products, rumen microbes, production performance, carcass quality, animal health, blood and urine metabolites. Statistical analysis of the compiled database used a mixed model methodology. Different studies were considered random effects, while M. elsdenii supplementation doses were considered fixed effects. p-values and the Akaike information criterion were employed as model statistics. The model was deemed significant at p<0.05 or had a tendency to be significant when p-value between 0.05<p<0.10. Results: Supplementation with M. elsdenii increased (p<0.05) some proportion of fermented rumen products such as propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, and valerate, and significantly reduced (p<0.05) lactic acid concentration, acetate proportion, total bacterial population and methane emission. Furthermore, the probiotic supplementation enhanced (p<0.05) livestock production performance, especially in the average daily gain and body condition score. Regarding the carcass quality, hot carcass weight and carcass gain were elevated (p< 0.05) due to the M. elsdenii supplementation. Animal health also showed improvement as indicated by the lower (p<0.05) diarrhoea and bloat incidences as well as the liver abscess. However, M. elsdenii supplementation had negligible effects on blood and urine metabolites of ruminants. Conclusion: Supplementation of M. elsdenii is capable of decreasing ruminal lactic acid concentration, enhancing rumen health, elevating some favourable rumen fermentation products, and in turn, increasing production performance of ruminants.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제35권10호
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• pp.1535-1544
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• 2022

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of decreasing dietary crude protein content on rumen fermentation, mictobiota, and metabolites in goats. Methods: In an 84-day feeding trial, a total of twelve male Anhui white goat kids with initial body weight 15.9±1.13 kg were selected and randomly classified into two groups, feeding a normal crude protein diet (14.8% CP, NCP) or a low crude protein diet (12.0% CP, LCP). At the end of the experimental trial (on day 84), six animals were randomly selected from each group and were slaughtered to collect rumen fluid samples for the analysis of rumen fermentation parameters, microbiome, and metabolome. Results: The concentrations of ammonia-nitrogen, total volatile fatty acid, acetate, and propionate were decreased (p<0.05) in the LCP group in comparison with those in the NCP group. The abundances of genera Prevotella, Campylobacter, Synergistetes, and TG5, which were associated with nitrogen metabolism, were lower (p<0.05) in the LCP group compared with those in the NCP group. The levels of 78 metabolites (74 decreased, 4 increased) in the rumen fluid were altered (p<0.05) by the treatment. Most of the ruminal metabolites that showed decreased levels in the LCP group were substrates for microbial protein synthesis. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that vitamin B6 metabolism was significantly different (p<0.05) in rumen fluid between the two treatments. Conclusion: Decreased dietary protein level inhibited rumen fermentation through microbiome and metabolome shifts in goat kids. These results enhance our understanding of ruminal bacteria and metabolites of goat fed a low protein diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.1482-1486
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• 2003

In order to compare effects of feeding systems on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrient digestion, steers were fed either total mixed ration (TMR) or separate concentrate-roughage ration (CR). Total tract digestibility of nutrients was higher in steers receiving TMR. Especially, DM, ADF and NDF in TMR were digested to a greater extent than those in CR. Rumen pH was not influenced by the feeding systems. Holstein steers on TMR had higher ruminal $NH_3$-N than those on CR. Feeding system did not alter VFA production but TMR feeding resulted in lower A/P ratio. TMR feeding tended to increase the number of bacteria and protozoa in the rumen fluid. Also steers fed TMR generally had higher fiber degrading enzyme activities, which might be the result of increased number of cellulolytic microbes in the rumen of animals on TMR. Our results indicate that TMR may provide more favorable condition for nutrient digestion both in the rumen and in the total tract of steers.