• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2013

An in vitro study was conducted to determine the effects of defaunation (removal of protozoa) and forage sources (rice straw, ryegrass and tall fescue) on ruminal fermentation characteristics, methane ($CH_4$) production and degradation by rumen microbes. Sodium lauryl sulfate, as a defaunation reagent, was added into the mixed culture solution to remove ruminal protozoa at a concentration of 0.375 mg/ml. Pure cellulose (0.64 g, Sigma, C8002) and three forage sources were incubated in the bottle of culture solution of mixed rumen microbes (faunation) or defaunation for up to 24 h. The concentration of ammonia-N was high under condition of defaunation compared to that from faunation in all incubations (p<0.001). Total VFA concentration was increased at 3, 6 and 12 h (p<0.05~p<0.01) but was decreased at 24 h incubation (p<0.001) under condition of defaunation. Defaunation decreased acetate (p<0.001) and butyrate (p<0.001) proportions at 6, 12 and 24 h incubation times, but increased propionate (p<0.001) proportion at all incubation times for forages. Effective degradability of dry matter was decreased by defaunation (p<0.001). Defaunation not only decreased total gas (p<0.001) and $CO_2$ (p<0.01~0.001) production at 12 and 24 h incubations, but reduced $CH_4$ production (p<0.001) at all incubation times for all forages. The $CH_4$ production, regardless of defaunation, in order of forage sources were rice straw > tall fescue > ryegrass > cellulose (p<0.001) up to 24 h incubation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1721-1725
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of coconut materials on ruminal methanogenesis and fermentation characteristics, in particular their effectiveness for mitigating ruminal methanogenesis. Fistulated Holstein cows were used as the donor of rumen fluid. Coconut materials were added to an in vitro fermentation incubated with rumen fluid-buffer mixture and timothy substrate for 24 h incubation. Total gas production, gas profiles, total volatile fatty acids (tVFAs) and the ruminal methanogens diversity were measured. Although gas profiles in added coconut oil and coconut powder were not significantly different, in vitro ruminal methane production was decreased with the level of reduction between 15% and 19% as compared to control, respectively. Coconut oil and coconut powder also inhibited gas production. The tVFAs concentration was increased by coconut materials, but was not affected significantly as compared to control. Acetate concentration was significantly lower (p<0.05), while propionate was significantly higher (p<0.05) by addition of the coconut materials than that of the control. The acetate:propionate ratio was significantly lowered with addition of coconut oil and coconut powder (p<0.05). The methanogens and ciliate-associated methanogens in all added coconut materials were shown to decrease as compared with control. This study showed that ciliate-associated methanogens diversity was reduced by more than 50% in both coconut oil and coconut powder treatments. In conclusion, these results indicate that coconut powder is a potential agent for decreasing in vitro ruminal methane production and as effective as coconut oil.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.56-64
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• 2011

This study was conducted to evaluate the use of exogenous enzymes as a potential means of improving the ruminal digestion (i.e., degradability) of alfalfa hay and rice straw. Twenty six enzyme-additives were examined in terms of protein concentration and enzymic activities on model substrates. The exogenous enzymes contained ranges of endoglucanase, xylanase, ${\beta}$-glucanase, ${\alpha}$-amylase, and protease activities. Six of the enzyme additives were chosen for further investigation. The enzyme additives and a control without enzyme were applied to mature quality alfalfa hay substrate and subsequently incubated in rumen batch cultures. Five of the enzyme additives (CE2, CE13, CE14, CE19, and CE24) increased total gas production (GP) at 48 h of incubation compared to the control (p<0.05). The two additives (CE14 and CE24) having the greatest positive effects on alfalfa hay dry matter, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) degradability were further characterized for their ability to enhance degradation of low quality forages. The treatments CE14, CE24, a 50:50 combination of CE14 and CE24 (CE14+24), and control (no enzyme) were applied to mature alfalfa hay and rice straw. For alfalfa hay, application of the two enzyme additives, alone and in combination, increased GP compared to the control at 48 h fermentation (p<0.05), whereas only CE14 and CE14+24 treatments improved GP from rice straw (p<0.05). Rumen fluid volatile fatty acid concentrations throughout the incubation of rice straw were analyzed. Acetate concentration was slightly lower (p<0.05) for CE14${\times}$CE24 compared to the control, although individually, CE14 and CE24 acetate concentrations were not different from the control. Increases (p<0.05) in alfalfa hay NDF degradability measured at 12 and 48 h of incubation occurred only for CE14 (at 12 h) and for CE14+24 (at 12 and 48 h). Similarly, ADF degradability increased (p<0.05) with CE14 and CE14+24. As for rice straw, increased DM degradability was observed at 12 and 48 h of incubation for all enzyme treatments with an exception for CE14 at 12 h. The degradability of NDF was improved by all the enzyme treatments at either incubation time, while ADF degradability was only enhanced at 48 h. Overall, the enzymes led to enhanced digestion of mature alfalfa and there was evidence of improved digestibility of rice straw, an even lower quality forage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.528-533
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• 2009

The fermentative quality and quantitative change in anthocyanin of anthocyanin-rich corn (Zea mays L.) during storage and in vitro ruminal fermentation were studied. The anthocyanin-rich corn silages in bag silo, drum silo and round bale had good fermentative qualities, such as low pH (5% DM) and butyric acid-free, and its quality was maintained for more than 370 d. The amount of anthocyanin in the anthocyanin-rich corn decreased after ensiling by about 45% (from 3.34 to 1.88 mg/g DM), but stayed constant after day 60. The in vitro incubation of the anthocyanin-rich corn with ruminal fluid revealed little degradation of anthocyanin. These results indicate that the anthocyanin had no negative effect on silage fermentation, and the anthocyanin-rich corn silage is utilizable for practical use as a feedstuff. Our results also demonstrate alteration of the anthocyanin content during storage, and show that anthocyanin-rich corn is a suitable antioxidant source for ruminants because of the high stability of the anthocyanin in ruminal fluid.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.309-317
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• 2016

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of microbial culture supplements on ruminal fermentation and fermentative quality of Italian ryegrass silage (IRGS) both in vitro and in situ. Three species of microbes (Lactobacillus casei (LC), Bacillus subtilis (BS), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC)) were used in this study. They were applied to IRGS at 30 days after silage manufacture. Various items were measured using in vitro and in situ incubation technique after each microbial supplement was inoculated into IRGS at $0.5{\times}10^4CFU/g$. In the first experiment, in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics of IRGS were evaluated at 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after microbes were inoculated into IRGS. In the second experiment, in situ fermentation characteristics were investigated at 0, 1, 3, and 5 days after the inoculation of each microbial supplement. In vitro ruminal $NH_3-N$ content was significantly (p<0.05) increased in LC-, BS-, and SC-IRGS at 12 hrs post incubation compared to that in control IRGS. In vitro ruminal total VFA concentration and dry matter digestibility (DMD) of IRGS were not significantly difference among LC-, BS-, and SC-IRGS, although they were numerically increased in LC-IRGS than those of the other IRGS. In addition, this study evaluated the fermentation characteristics and in situ DMD of IRGS with the lapse of incubation time up to 5 days. Throughout the incubation times from 1 day to 5 days, the pH value was significantly (p<0.05) lower in BS-, LC-, and SC-IRGS than that in control IRGS. Lactate was significantly (p<0.05) higher, and significantly (p<0.05) butyrate was lower in LC-IRGS than that in other treatments at 0 day. It was higher (p<0.05) in control IRGS than that of BS-, LC-, and SC-IRGS at 1-5 days. In situ DMD tended to increase in BS-, LC-, and SC-IRGS compared to that in control IRGS. Especially, DMD was higher in SC-IRGS than that in other treatments at 0 day. It tended to be higher in LC-IRGS at all incubation time. Taken together, these results suggest that it might be useful to select a microorganism by considering the feeding time of IRGS to ruminants because organic acids and DMD of IRGS were affected by the incubation time of each microorganism with IRG silage, especially for L. casei decreased the content of acetate and butyrate in IRGS.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.365-371
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• 2016

This study was aimed to evaluate the stability of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) by nano-encapsulation against in vitro ruminal biohydrogenation by microbial enzymatic conversion. CLAs (free fatty acid form of CLA [CLA-FFA], nano-encapsulated CLA-FFA, triglyceride form of CLA [CLA-TG], and nano-encapsulated CLA-TG) were used in the in vitro fermentation experiments. When Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens (B. fibrisolvens) was incubated with CLA-FFAs, the concentrations of cis-9, trans-11 CLA and vaccenic acid (VA) slightly was decreased and increased by nano-encapsulation, respectively. When B. fibrisolvens was incubated with CLA-TG, the concentrations of cis-9, trans-11 CLA and VA decreased, but these were increased when B. fibrisolvens was incubated with nano-encapsulated CLA-TG. The nano-encapsulation was more effective against the in vitro biohydrogenation activity of B.fibrisolvens incubated with CLA-FFA than with CLA-TG. In the in vitro ruminal incubation test, the total gas production and concentration of total volatile fatty acids incubated with nano-encapsulated CLA-FFA and CLA-TG were increased significantly after 24 h incubation (p<0.05). Nano-encapsulated CLA-FFA might, thus, improve the ruminal fermentation characteristics without adverse effects on the incubation process. In addition, nano-encapsulated CLA-FFA increased the population of Fibrobacter succinogenes and decreased the population of B. fibrisolvens population. These results indicate that nano-encapsulation could be applied to enhance CLA levels in ruminants by increasing the stability of CLA without causing adverse effects on ruminal fermentation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 2007

In vitro rumen incubation studies were conducted to determine effects of initial pH on bacterial attachment and fiber digestion. Ruminal fluid pH was adjusted to 5.7, 6.2 and 6.7, and three major fibrolytic bacteria attached to rice straw in the mixed culture were quantified with real-time PCR. The numbers of attached and unattached Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Ruminocococcus albus were lower (p<0.05) at initial pH of 5.7 without significant difference between those at higher initial pH. Lowering incubation media pH to 5.7 also increased bacterial numbers detached from substrate regardless of bacterial species. Dry matter digestibility, gas accumulation and total VFA production were pH-dependent. Unlike bacterial attachment, maintaining an initial pH of 6.7 increased digestion over initial pH of 6.2. After 48 h in vitro rumen fermentation, average increases in DM digestion, gas accumulation, and total VFA production at initial pH of 6.2 and 6.7 were 2.8 and 4.4, 2.0 and 3.0, and 1.2 and 1.6 times those at initial pH of 5.7, respectively. The lag time to reach above 2% DM digestibility at low initial pH was taken more times (8 h) than at high and middle initial pH (4 h). Current data clearly indicate that ruminal pH is one of the important determinants of fiber digestion, which is modulated via the effect on bacterial attachment to fiber substrates.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1076-1083
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract (AFE) on in situ degradation of the various concentrates, forages and by-products in Taiwan. The in situ trial was conducted to determine the effect of AFE on the rate of ruminal degradation of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of the various local available feedstuff commonly used for dairy cattle. Two ruminal fistulated cows were arranged into a two by two switchback trial. Two dietary treatments were control without AFE inclusion diet and diet with 3 g of AFE (Amaferm) added daily into the total mixed ration (TMR). Results showed that effect of AFE inclusion on the ruminal degradability of concentrates vary; soybean meal is the most responsive feedstuff, corn is the next, whereas full-fat soybean did not response the AFE inclusion at all. The inclusion of AFE significantly depressed most of the nutrient degradation of the concentrates of soybean meal in the first 12-hour in situ incubation. The effect declined in the next 12 hours. Rapeseed meal showed a different trend of response: addition of AFE improved its NDF degradation. The inclusions of AFE significantly improved ADF degradation of roughage after 24 or 48 hours of incubation. However, corn silage and peanut-vines showed a different trend. Effects of AFE inclusion on the by-products degradability were inconsistent. Most of nutrients in rice distillers grain and some in beancurd pomace did show increased degradation by the AFE inclusion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.534-541
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma irradiation (${\gamma}$-irradiation) at doses of 15, 30 and 45 kGy on chemical composition, anti-nutritional factors, ruminal dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradibility, in vitro CP digestibility and to monitor the fate of true proteins of full-fat soybean (SB) in the rumen. Nylon bags of untreated or ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB were suspended in the rumens of three ruminally-fistulated bulls for up to 48 h and resulting data were fitted to a nonlinear degradation model to calculate degradation parameters of DM and CP. Proteins of untreated and treated SB bag residues were fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Digestibility of rumen undegraded CP was estimated using the three-step in vitro procedure. The chemical composition of raw and irradiated soybeans was similar. Results showed that phytic acid in ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB at dose of 30 kGy was eliminated completely. The trypsin inhibitor activity of 15, 30 and 45 kGy ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB was decreased (p<0.01) by 18.4, 55.5 and 63.5%, respectively. From in sacco results, ${\gamma}$-irradiation decreased (p<0.05) the washout fractions of DM and CP at doses of 30 and 45 kGy, but increased (p<0.05) the potentially degradable fractions. Gamma irradiation at doses of 15, 30 and 45 kGy decreased (p<0.05) effective degradability of CP at a rumen outflow rate of 0.05 $h^{-1}$ by 4.4, 14.4 and 26.5%, respectively. On the contrary, digestibility of ruminally undegraded CP of irradiated SB at doses of 30 and 45 kGy was improved (p<0.05) by 12 and 28%, respectively. Electrophoretic analysis of untreated soybean proteins incubated in the rumen revealed that ${\beta}$-conglycinin subunits had disappeared at 2 h of incubation time, whereas the subunits of glycinin were more resistant to degradation until 16 h of incubation. From the SDS-PAGE patterns, acidic subunits of 15, 30 and 45 kGy ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB disappeared after 8, 8 and 16 h of incubation, respectively, while the basic subunits of glycinin were not degraded completely until 24, 48 and 48 h of incubation, respectively. It was concluded that ${\gamma}$-irradiated soybean proteins at doses higher than 15 kGy could be effectively protected from ruminal degradation.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.775-787
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate for the natural methane emission inhibitor as a feed additive no adversely effect on rumen fermentation. Five different Control (Wheat barn (0.05 g), MRA(Methane Reduction Additive)-1 (Allium fistulosum L. (0.05 g)), MRA-2 (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (0.025 g) + Wheat barn (0.025 g) mixed), MRA-3 (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (0.025 g) + Wheat barn (0.025 g) mixed), and MRA-4 (Allium fistulosum L. (0.02 g) + Tannic acid (0.02 g) + Wheat barn (0.01 g) mixed) contents were used to perform 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 and 48 h incubation for in vitro fermentation. Ruminal pH values were ranged within normal ruminal microbial fermentation. Dry matter digestibility was not significantly different across the treatments during the whole fermentation time. Also, the result of microbial growth had no adversely effect on during the whole fermentation time. At 24 h, methane emission was significantly lower (P<0.05) than all treatments except to MRA-1. Especially, MRA-4 carbon dioxide emission was significantly lower (P<0.05) than control at 9, 24 and 48 h incubation. In addition MRA-4 propionate concentration was significantly higher (P<0.05) than control at 24 h incubation. The result of RT-PCR Ciliate-associated methanogens were significantly lower (P<0.05) at MRA-1, MRA-3 and MRA-4 than control at 24 h incubation. Based on the present results, MRA-4 could be suggestible methane emission inhibitor as a natural feed additive.