• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1610-1613
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• 2003

The aim of the experiment was to study the changes in the activities of various rumen fibre degrading enzymes due to the feeding of chemically treated mustard (Brassica campestris) straw in sheep. Mustard straw (MS) (<5 cm particle size) was treated either with urea (4% (w/w), or with 2% sodium hydroxide (NaOH), or with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (2% NaOH and 1.5% hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)) and/or supplemented with 2% (w/w) urea. Seven maintenance type rations were prepared using MS (70 parts) with molasses (5 parts) and concentrate (25 parts). They were untreated MS (CMS), urea treated MS (UMS), urea supplemented MS (MSUS), alkali treated MS (AMS), alkali treated and urea supplemented MS (AMS-US), alkali $H_2O_2$ treated MS (AHMS) and alkali $H_2O_2$ treated and urea supplemented MS (AHMS-US). They were then compressed into a complete feed block with the help of block making machine. Forty two male hoggets of Malpura breed sheep were equally distributed into each treatment group and (were) offered feed and water ad libitum. At the end of 21 days of feeding trial, rumen liquor was collected through stomach tube from three animals in each group at 0 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h of post feeding. Results showed that the level of enzyme varied from 8.52 to 11.12, 40.85 to 50.37, 3.22 to 3.78, 2.09 to 2.77 and 31.44 to 44.24 units/100 ml SRL respectively for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), $\alpha$-amylase, microcrystalline cellulase (MCCase), filter paper (FP) degrading enzyme and $\alpha$-glucosidase. Processing of MS affected the enzyme activities, in a way, that NaOH and AHP treatment significantly reduced CMCase and FP degrading enzyme. The effect of urea treatment showed an increase in the activity of MCCase and $\alpha$-glucosidase. But the supplementation of urea increased the activity of CMCase, FP degrading enzyme and $\alpha$-glucosidase. The CMCase, $\alpha$-amylase, $\alpha$-glucosidase activities were highest at 4hr whereas MCCase and FP degrading enzyme had maximum activities at 12 h post feeding Results suggested that MS might need longer time in the rumen for its effective degradation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.199-202
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• 2004

Cellulolytic bacterial strains have been isolated from the faeces of wild (blackbuck, Antilope cervicapra; nilgai, Baselophus tragocamelus chinkara, Gazella gazella spotted deer, Axis axis and hog deer, Cervus porcinus) and rumen liquor of domestic (sheep, Ovis aries) ruminants. Five best cellulose degrading bacterial isolates (Ruminococcus sp.) were used as microbial feed additive along with buffalo rumen liquor as inoculum to study their effect on digestibility of feed and enzyme production in in vitro conditions. The bacterial isolate from chinkara (CHI-2) showed the highest per cent apparent dry matter (DM) digestibility ($35.40{\pm}0.60$), true dry matter digestibility ($40.80{\pm}0.69$) and NDF ($26.38{\pm}0.83$) digestibility (p<0.05) compared to control ($32.73{\pm}0.56$, $36.64{\pm}0.71$ and $21.16{\pm}0.89$, respectively) and other isolates at 24 h of incubation with lignocellulosic feeds (wheat straw and wheat bran, 80:20). The same isolate also exhibited the highest activities of fibre degrading enzymes like carboxymethylcellulase, xylanase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase and acetyl esterase. The bacterial isolate from chinkara (Gazella gazella) appears to have a potential to be used as feed additive in the diet of ruminants for improving utilization of nutrients from lignocellulosic feeds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.374-379
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• 2003

Four rumen fistulated Murrah buffaloes were used to study the effect of four diets differing in roughage to concentrate ratio on rumen biochemical changes, microbial enzyme profile and in sacco degradability of feed in a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square design. The animals were fed four diets consisting of 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50 ratios of wheat straw and concentrate mixtures, respectively. Wheat straw and concentrate mixture were mixed with water (0.6 l/kg feed) and complete feed mixture was offered to the animals at 8:00 h and 16:00 h in two equal parts. The variation in pH of rumen liquor (difference of maximum and minimum during 0-8 h post feeding) increased with increasing level of concentrate mixture in the diet. There was no effect of diet composition on volatile fatty acids, total nitrogen and trichloro-acetic acid precipitable nitrogen in the rumen liquor, but ammonia nitrogen increased with increasing level of concentrate mixture in the ration. Major portions of all fibre degrading enzymes were present in the particulate material (PM) of the rumen contents, but protease was absent in PM fraction. The activities of micro-crystalline cellulase, acetyl esterase and protease increased with increase in the level of concentrate mixture, but the activities of other enzymes (carboxymethylcellulase, filter paper degrading activity, xylanase, $\beta$-glucosidase and $\beta$-xylosidase) were not affected. The in sacco degradability and effective degradability of feeds increased with increasing level of concentrate mixture in the ration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1659-1676
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• 2002

Ruminant animals develop a diverse and sophisticated microbial ecosystem for digesting fibrous feedstuffs. Plant cell walls are complex and their structures are not fully understood, but it is generally believed that the chemical properties of some plant cell wall compounds and the cross-linked three-dimensional matrix of polysaccharides, lignin and phenolic compounds limit digestion of cell wall polysaccharides by ruminal microbes. Three adaptive strategies have been identified in the ruminal ecosystem for degrading plant cell walls: production of the full slate of enzymes required to cleave the numerous bonds within cell walls; attachment and colonization of feed particles; and synergetic interactions among ruminal species. Nonetheless, digestion of fibrous feeds remains incomplete, and numerous research attempts have been made to increase this extent of digestion. Exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) have been used successfully in monogastric animal production for some time. The possibility of adapting EFE as feed additives for ruminants is under intensive study. To date, animal responses to EFE supplements have varied greatly due to differences in enzyme source, application method, and types of diets and livestock. Currently available information suggests delivery of EFE by applying them to feed offers the best chance to increase ruminal digestion. The general tendency of EFE to increase rate, but not extent, of fibre digestion indicates that the products currently on the market for ruminants may not be introducing novel enzyme activities into the rumen. Recent research suggests that cleavage of esterified linkages (e.g., acetylesterase, ferulic acid esterase) within the plant cell wall matrix may be the key to increasing the extent of cell wall digestion in the rumen. Thus, a crucial ingredient in an effective enzyme additive for ruminants may be an as yet undetermined esterase that may not be included, quantified or listed in the majority of available enzyme preparations. Identifying these pivotal enzyme(s) and using biotechnology to enhance their production is necessary for long term improvements in feed digestion using EFE. Pretreating fibrous feeds with alkali in addition to EFE also shows promise for improving the efficacy of enzyme supplements.