• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1289-1294
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• 2013

This study evaluated the in vitro effect of medicinal plant extracts on ruminal methanogenesis, four different groups of methanogens and ruminal fermentation characteristics. A fistulated Holstein cow was used as a donor of rumen fluid. Licorice and mugwort extracts (Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Artemisia capillaris, 0.5% and 1% of total substrate DM, respectively), previously used as folk remedies, were added to an in vitro fermentation incubated with buffered-rumen fluid. Total gas production in Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract treatment was not significantly different between treatments (p<0.05) while total gas production in the Artemisia capillaris extract treatment was lower than that of the control. Artemisia capillaris extract and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract reduced $CH_4$ emission by 14% (p<0.05) and 8% (p<0.05), respectively. Ciliate-associated methanogens population decreased by 18% in the medicinal plant extracts treatments. Medicinal plant extracts also affected the order Methanobacteriales community. Methanobacteriales diversity decreased by 35% in the Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract treatment and 30% in the Artemisia capillaris extract treatment. The order Methanomicrobiales population decreased by 50% in the 0.5% of Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract treatment. These findings demonstrate that medicinal plant extracts have the potential to inhibit in vitro ruminal methanogenesis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.337-342
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• 2004

A non-ionic surfactant, Tween 80 has been known to exert a number of positive effects on degradative enzymes in in vitro aerobic and anaerobic microbial cultures. An experiment was conducted to examine effects of supplementation of Tween 80 on ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility of Hanwoo steers. The experiment was designed as a $3{\times}3$ Latin square with duplication and six Hanwoo steers with rumen cannulae, average weight 497 (SE 61.1) kg. For the experiment the animals were given a basal diet consisting of rice straw and compound feed mixed at 4:6 ratio. The three experimental treatments were (1) the basal diet, supplemented with (2) 5 g/d Tween 80 and (3) 10 g/d Tween 80. Ruminal pH was significantly (p<0.05) affected by Tween 80 supplementation at 6 h after feeding. Increasing supplementation levels of Tween 80 linearly increased the total VFA concentration. CMCase activity by the 10g/d supplementation of Tween 80 were significantly increased (p<0.05) by 24.4% compared with that of control. Digestibility of crude fiber was significantly increased (p<0.05) in Hanwoo steers fed the diet supplemented with 10 g/d Tween 80 compared with those of control, whilst digestibility of ether extract (EE) was linearly increased by increasing Tween 80 supplementation level (p<0.05). In other nutrient components, their digestibilities of Hanwoo fed diets supplemented with Tween 80 tended to increase. It is concluded that Tween 80 has a potential for industrial application as a feed additive to improve ruminant production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.92-102
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• 2019

Objective: To investigate changes in rumen fermentation characteristics and bacterial community by a sudden change to a high concentrate diet (HC) in Korean domestic ruminants. Methods: Major Korean domestic ruminants (each of four Hanwoo cows; $545.5{\pm}33.6kg$, Holstein cows; $516.3{\pm}42.7kg$, and Korean native goats; $19.1{\pm}1.4kg$) were used in this experiment. They were housed individually and were fed ad libitum with a same TMR (800 g/kg timothy hay and 200 g/kg concentrate mix) twice daily. After two-week feeding, only the concentrate mix was offered for one week in order to induce rapid rumen acidosis. The rumen fluid was collected from each animals twice (on week 2 and week 3) at 2 h after morning feeding using an oral stomach tube. Each collected rumen fluid was analyzed for pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and $NH_3-N$. In addition, differences in microbial community among ruminant species and between normal and an acidosis condition were assessed using two culture-independent 16S polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and quantitative real-time PCR). Results: The HC decreased ruminal pH and altered relative concentrations of ruminal VFA (p<0.01). Total VFA concentration increased in Holstein cows only (p<0.01). Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and real-time quantitative PCR analysis using culture-independent 16S PCR-based techniques, revealed rumen bacterial diversity differed by species but not by HC (p<0.01); bacterial diversity was higher in Korean native goats than that in Holstein cows. HC changed the relative populations of rumen bacterial species. Specifically, the abundance of Fibrobacter succinogenes was decreased while Lactobacillus spp. and Megasphaera elsdenii were increased (p<0.01). Conclusion: The HC altered the relative populations, but not diversity, of the ruminal bacterial community, which differed by ruminant species.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1627-1634
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• 2018

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing wheat bran for cactus cladodes plus urea (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) on the intake of nutrients, nitrogen balance, microbial protein synthesis, and rumen fermentation for steers. Methods: Five crossbred steers (1/2 Holstein-Zebu), with rumen cannula and an average body weight of $180{\pm}5.3kg$, were assigned to a $5{\times}5$ Latin square design. Dietary treatments consisted of the replacement of the total of wheat bran in basal diet by cactus cladodes using the following proportions: 0% for basal diet, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% cactus cladodes replacing wheat bran. Urea was added to the diets to adjust the crude protein (CP) content to 130 g/kg dry matter. Results: Maximum dry matter intake (5.73 kg/d) and maximum nitrogen balance (103 g/d) were estimated for 54.6% and 70.8% replacement levels of wheat bran. The maximum microbial protein production (44.6 g/d) was obtained at a replacement level of 49.7%, and a medium value (125 g CP mic/kg total digestible nutrients) of microbial protein efficiency was observed. The rumen pH increased linearly according to cactus cladodes inclusion, while the ammonia nitrogen medium value was 24.5 mg/dL. Conclusion: The replacement of 55% wheat bran for cactus cladodes plus urea in the diet of crossbred steers is recommended.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.623-635
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• 2011

Inefficient rumen microbial fermentation is a major factor limiting intake of low quality roughage in ruminants. In this study, the effect of energy supplementation on rumen microbial fermentation, absorption of balanced digestion products and voluntary feed intake in sheep was investigated. A basal diet of a urea-treated mixture of wheaten chaff and barley straw (3:1 DM) containing 22.2 g N/kg DM was used. Four Merino-cross wethers weighing $45{\pm}4.38\;kg$ and fitted with permanent rumen and abomasal cannulae were allocated to four treatments in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. The dietary treatments were basal diet ($E_0$), or basal diet supplemented with sucrose (112.5 g/d) administered to the animals intra-ruminally ($E_R$), abomasally ($E_A$), or through both routes (50:50) ($E_{RA}$). Feed intake (basal and dietary) was increased (p<0.05) by sucrose supplementation through the rumen ($E_R$) or abomasum ($E_A$). However, there was no difference (p>0.05) in intake between animals on the control diet and those supplemented with sucrose through both intraruminal and abomasal routes ($E_{RA}$). The digestibility of DM and OM was highest in $E_R$ and $E_A$ supplemented animals. Although the rumen pH was reduced (p<0.001) in animals supplemented with sucrose entirely intra-ruminally ($E_R$), the in sacco degradation of barley straw in the rumen was not adversely affected (p>0.05). Intra-ruminal sucrose supplementation resulted in a higher concentration of total VFA, acetate and butyrate, while the pattern of fermentation showed a higher propionate: acetate ratio. Intra-ruminal supplementation also increased (p<0.05) the glucogenic potential (G/E) of the absorbed VFA. However, there was no difference (p>0.05) in microbial protein production between the four dietary treatments. Protozoa numbers were increased (p<0.05) by intra-ruminal supplementation of sucrose.

• 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.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1127-1136
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• 2013

Four rumen-fistulated crossbred beef cattle (Brahman native) were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design experiment to be fed plant herb supplements in their concentrate mixture. The treatments were: without herb supplementation (Control), lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d (L), lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d plus peppermint powder at 10 g/d (LP), and lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d plus peppermint powder at 10 g/d with garlic powder 40 g/d (LPG), respectively. Based on the present study, the DMI and apparent digestibility of DM, OM, aNDF and ADF were not affected by dietary herb supplementation while CP digestibility tended to be decreased by herb supplement. Moreover, $NH_3$-N and BUN were decreased in all herb supplemented treatments and there was a tendency to an increase in ruminal pH in all herb supplemented groups. While there was no change in TVFA and C4 among lemongrass treatments, C2 was decreased in all herb supplemented treatments while C3 was increased. Methane production by calculation was the lowest in the LP and LPG groups. Population sizes of bacteria and protozoa were decreased in all herb supplemented groups, but not fungal zoospores. In all supplemented groups, total viable and proteolytic bacteria were decreased, while amylolytic and cellulolytic bacteria were similar. More importantly, in all herb supplemented groups, there were higher N balances, while there was no difference among treatments on purine derivative (PD) excretion or microbial N. Based on the results above, it could be concluded that there was no negative effect on ruminal fermentation characteristics and nutrient utilization by plant herb supplement, but protozoal population and $CH_4$ production were reduced. Thus, lemongrass alone or in combination with peppermint and garlic powder could be used as feed additives to improve rumen fermentation efficiency.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.812-815
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• 2005

This study was conducted to see the influence of additives and fermentation periods on Mott grass silage (MGS) characteristics, its chemical composition and to compare the digestion kinetics of Mott grass (MG) and MGS in Nili buffaloes. Mott grass chopped with a locally manufactured chopper was ensiled using two additives, cane molasses and crushed corn grains each at 2, 4 and 6% of forage DM for 30 and 40 days in laboratory silos. The pH, lactic acid concentration, dry matter (DM), crude protein and fiber fractions of MGS were not affected by the type or level of additive and fermentation periods. The non-significant pH lactic acid concentration, and chemical composition of MGS indicated that the both molasses and crushed corn were utilized at similar rate for the growth of lactic acid bacteria and production of organic acids. The MG ensiled with molasses at 2% of fodder DM for 30 days was screened out for in situ digestion kinetics in Nili buffaloes. Ruminal DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradabilities of MGS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of MG. The DM and NDF rate of degradation, lag time and extent of degradation was nonsignificant between MGS and MG. The higher ruminal degradation of DM and NDF of MGS than MG was probably a reflection of fermentation of MG during ensilation that improved its degradability by improving the availability of easily degradable structural polysaccharides to ruminal microbial population. The results in the present study have indicated that MG ensiled with either 2% molasses or 2% crushed corn for 30 days has better nutritive value for buffalo.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1219-1227
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• 2000

Rumination behavior, in vivo digestibility of cell wall constituents, particle size reduction in the rumen, and retention time in the digestive tract of sheep were examined using rice and oat straw as roughage sources. The in sacco digestibility, rumen fermentation, and microbial population and internal adenosine 5-triphosphate (ATP) content were also determined under feeding conditions of high-roughage and high-concentrate diets. Chewing number and time in rumination behavior were higher with rice straw than with oat straw, while the in sacco and in vivo DMD of rice straw were consistently lower than those of oat straw. Rice straw also showed higher frequency of thinner and longer particles in the rumen contents and lower retention time in the whole digestive tract as compared to those of oat straw. Rice straw was more effective to maintain the ruminal pH than oat straw, being reflected in higher internal ATP content of large-type protozoa on the high- concentrate diet. Changes in the ruminal microflora by shifting from the low- to the high- concentrate diet were also different between rice and oat straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.816-824
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• 2005

The effects of the nonionic surfactant Tween 80 and a mixture of fibrolytic enzymes on total tract digestion, in situ disappearance (ISD) and ruminal fermentation characteristics of orchardgrass hay and barley grain were investigated in a 4${\times}$4 Latin square experiment with 4 non-lactating Holstein cows and 4 diets in 4 periods. Cows were offered a total mixed ration of 50% rolled barley grain and 50% orchardgrass hay treated with either 1) water (control), 2) 0.2% (vol/wt) Tween 80, 3) 0.2% (vol/wt) hydrolytic enzyme, or 4) 0.2% hydrolytic enzyme plus 0.2% Tween 80. Total tract digestibility coefficients of DM, nitrogen, NDF and ADF were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatment. Compared to the control, the rate of ISD of DM from orchardgrass hay was faster (p<0.05) in cows receiving diets treated with the enzyme alone or with enzyme plus Tween 80 (0.06/h vs. 0.076 and 0.069/h). The rate of digestion was lower (p<0.05) as compared to control when barley grain was treated with these additives. Ruminal fluid pH and concentrations of total VFA, acetate, isobutyrate and butyrate were not affected (p>0.05) by treatments. Cows that consumed diets treated with enzyme plus Tween 80 had higher (p<0.05) ruminal concentrations of propionate and isovalerate, and lower (p<0.05) acetate:propionate ratios. Compared to the control, microbial protein synthesis tended (p = 0.13) to increase with the addition of enzyme to the diet while nonammonia nitrogen flow to the duodenum increased (p<0.05) with both enzyme and Tween 80 treatments. The study indicated that fibrolytic enzymes alone or in combination with Tween 80 could enhance ISD of orchardgrass hay and ruminal concentrations of propionate, valerate and iso-valerate, but do not affect total tract digestibility.