• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.820-826
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of rain tree pod meal with palm oil supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, microbial protein synthesis and microbial populations in dairy cows. Four, multiparous early-lactation Holstein-Friesian crossbred (75%) lactating dairy cows with an initial body weight (BW) of $405{\pm}40$ kg and $36{\pm}8$ DIM were randomly assigned to receive dietary treatments according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. The four dietary treatments were un-supplementation (control), supplementation with rain tree pod meal (RPM) at 60 g/kg, supplementation with palm oil (PO) at 20 g/kg, and supplementation with RPM at 60 g/kg and PO at 20 g/kg (RPO), of total dry matter intake. The cows were offered concentrates, at a ratio of concentrate to milk production of 1:2, and chopped 30 g/kg of urea treated rice straw was fed ad libitum. The RPM contained condensed tannins and crude saponins at 88 and 141 g/kg of DM, respectively. It was found that supplementation with RPM and/or PO to dairy cows diets did not show negative effects on feed intake and ruminal pH and BUN at any times of sampling (p>0.05). However, RPM supplementation resulted in lower crude protein digestibility, $NH_3$-N concentration and number of proteolytic bacteria. It resulted in greater allantoin absorption and microbial crude protein (p<0.05). In addition, dairy cows showed a higher efficiency of microbial N supply (EMNS) in both RPM and RPO treatments. Moreover, NDF digestibility and cellulolytic bacteria numbers were highest in RPO supplementation (p<0.05) while, supplementation with RPM and/or PO decreased the protozoa population in dairy cows. Based on this study, supplementation with RPM and/or PO in diets could improve fiber digestibility, microbial protein synthesis in terms of quantity and efficiency and microbial populations in dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2008

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of replacing a conventional concentrate with mixed cassava (Manihot esculenta) foliage and legume (Phaseolus calcaratus) foliage. In Exp. 1, three rumen fistulated crossbred cows were used for in sacco rumen degradability studies. In vitro gas production was also studied. In Exp. 2, 11 crossbred F2 heifers (Red Sindhi$\times$Holstein Friesian), with initial live weight of $129{\pm}6kg$ and aged six months, were allocated in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) to evaluate a mixture (ratio 3:1) of cassava and legume foliage (CA-LE feed) as a protein source compared to a traditional concentrate feed (Control) in diets based on fresh elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and urea treated rice straw ad libitum. The Control feed was replaced by the CA-LE feed at levels of 0% (Control), 40% (CA-LE40), and 60% (CA-LE60) based on dry matter (DM). The in sacco degradation of CA-LE feed was higher than Control feed (p<0.05). After 48 h incubation the degradation of CA-LE feed and Control feed was 73% vs. 58% of DM and 83% vs. 65% of CP, respectively. The gas production of CA-LE feed was also significantly higher than of Control feed during the first 12 h of incubation. The results of the performance study (Exp. 2) showed that the level of CA-LE feed in the concentrate had no effect on total dry matter intake (p>0.05), but live weight gains (LWG) in CA-LE40 and CA-LE60 were significantly higher (551 and 609 g/d, respectively) than in the Control group (281 g/d). The intake of CP was higher (p<0.05) for the treatments CA-LE40 and CA-LE60 (556 and 590 g/d, respectively) compared to that of Control (458 g/d), while there was no significant difference in ME intake. The feed conversion ratio was 16.8, 9.0 and 7.9 kg DM/kg LWG in Control, CA-LE40 and CA-LE60, respectively. The feed cost of CA-LE40 and CA-LE60 corresponded to 43% and 35%, respectively, of the feed cost of Control feed. The best results were found when CA-LE feed replaced 60% of DM in Control feed and considerably decreased feed cost. It is concluded that feeding cassava foliage in combination with Phaseolus calcaratus legume as a protein supplement could be a potentially valuable strategy which leads to reduced feed costs and a more sustainable system in smallholder dairy production in Vietnam.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.343-348
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• 2004

The objective of the present study was to determine the plasma level of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in relation to mammary blood flow and milk yield including biological variables of relevance to milk synthesis in two different types of crossbred Holstein cattle at 3 different stages of lactation. Eight heifers were 87.5% HF and eight 50% HF animals were selected for the experiments. The three stages of lactation tested were: early lactation (30 days postpartum), mid-lactation (120 days postpartum) and late lactation (210 days postpartum). Animals in each group were fed a concentrate and rice straw treated with 5% urea as the source of roughage throughout the experiments. In early lactation, mammary blood flow and milk yield of 87.5% HF animals were significantly higher than those of 50% HF animals. In mid- and late lactation, both mammary blood flow and milk yield showed a proportional decrease from the early lactating period of 87.5% HF animals. The trends for persistency were observed in 50% HF animals as for udder blood flow and milk yield throughout the experimental periods. The plasma glucose level of the 50% HF animals was significantly higher than those of 87.5% HF animals in both early and mid-lactation. The concentrations of arterial plasma free fatty acids ($C_{16}\;to\;C_{18}$) were higher in 50% HF animals as compared with 87.5% HF animals in all periods of study. In early lactation, the concentration of plasma growth hormone (GH) of 87.5% HF animals was higher than those of the 50% HF animals, thereafter the mean level of plasma growth hormone declined in both mid- and late lactation. The concentration of plasma IGF-I of 50% HF animals was significantly higher than those of 87.5% HF animals in all stages of lactation. There were no differences among stages of lactation for the levels of plasma IGF-I, insulin and growth hormone in 50% HF animals. In 87.5% HF animals, the plasma levels of both IGF-I and insulin were lower in early lactating period while it showed an increase during mid- and late lactation. The present results indicated that the regulatory role for the higher mammary blood flow and milk yield during lactation in 87.5% HF are not mediated via the higher level of circulating IGF-I. Differences in mammary blood flow and milk yield between 50% HF and 87.5% HF animals are in part due to a higher concentration of circulating growth hormone. The lower level of circulating growth hormone in 50% HF animals would be regulated by higher levels of IGF-I, free fatty acid and glucose in plasma.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of swine manure (SM) application with additional nitrogen (N) fertilizer on productivity of corn and environmental pollution in com cultivation soil. The experiment was conformed in lysimeter which was constructed with 30 cm diameter, and 100 cm height. Swine manures used in this study were the compost of swine manure fermented with sawdust (SMFWS) and soft rice hulls treated with high temperature and high pressure (SRH), and swine slurry (SS). The application rates of the additional N, as urea, with swine manure were 50 and 100 kgN/ha on each plot. This study was arranged in completely randomized design with three replication. DM yields in SM treatments with mineral N were increased significantly compared to those in SM treatment without mineral N (zero-mineral N) (P<0.05) and increased as the rate of mineral N application increased (P<0.05). DM yields in SMFWS and SS treatments with mineral 100 kgN/ha showed trends similar to those of chemical fertilizer (control) but higher than those of 50 kg N/ha. DM yields tended to be higher in SMFWS and SS treatments than in SRH treatment. Total N contents in SMFWS, SRH and SS treatments with mineral N were increased, compared with SM treatment without mineral N. N contents in SM treatments with mineral N were lower than those of chemical fertilizer treatment, but N content of chemical fertilizer treatment showed trends similar to that of SS treatments with mineral 100 kgN/ha. $NO_3$-N concentration in SM treatments with mineral N were increased significantly, compared to those in SM treatment without mineral N and in chemical fertilizer (P<0.05). $NH_4$-N concentrations in SMFWS and SS treatments with mineral 100 kgN/ha showed trends similar to those of chemical fertilizer, but higher than those of 50 kg N/ha. $PO_4$-P concentration in SM treatments with mineral N were increased significantly, compared to those in SM treatment without mineral N (P<0.05). $PO_4$-P concentration in chemical fertilizer treatment showed trends similar to that of SS treatments with mineral 100 kgN/ha. The concentrations of $NO_3$-N $NH_4$-N and $PO_4$-P increased as the rate of mineral N application increased (P<0.05). The concentrations of $NO_3$-N $NH_4$-N and $PO_4$-P were highly elevated in the concentrated rainy season in the early stage among experimental period. The maximum $NO_3$-N $NH_4$-N and $PO_4$-P concentrations in the leaching water were 3.46 mg/L, 1.11 mg/L and 0.14 mg/L, respectively.