• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제13권8호
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• pp.1133-1136
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• 2000

Wheat straw was treated with 4 per cent urea at a moisture level of 50 per cent alongwith different levels of boric acid viz. 1, 2, 3 and 4 per cent, under laboratory conditions to know the impact of boric acid on ammonia-N fixation in the straw. Murrah buffaloes were used for determining the disappearance of dry matter, CP and fibre constituents by nylon bag technique. Ammoniation increased CP content of wheat straw, which increased further due to addition of boric acid. Low level of boric acid (1%) had no adverse effect on fibre constituents disappearance but at higher levels there was a depressioon in the disappearance of fibre coonstituents. It can be concluded that low level of boric acid was sufficient to trap the excess ammonia released during urea ammoniation of wheat straw without affecting other constituents and their disappearance in the rumen of buffaloes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.413-419
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• 1994

Mold growth decreased nutritive value of wheat straw (WS). Mold increased DM (94 vs 98%) and ADF (51 vs 56%) contents and had no effect on natural detergent fiber (NDF). Crude protein and N values were decreased in moldy wheat straw, Mold increased insoluble N content of wheat straw (WS) from 21 to 27%. Ammoniation increased the CP of nonmoldy straw from 3.8 to 8.3% and moldy straw from (3.3 to 6.2%). Aspergillus and zygomycetes fungal species were most prevalent and total numbers were higher on moldy straw. Ammoniation decreased total numbers of fungal spores on nonmoldy and moldy WS. Ammoniation of moldy WS increased (p < 0.10) feed in take (1.8%) as compared with nonmoldy, ammoniated, nonmoldy and moldy WS. Steers fed moldy WS had lowest (p < 0.10) feed intake (1.3% of BW daily) compared with other diet. There was little difference (p < 0.10) in intake of nonammoniated vs. ammoniated WS. Steers fed moldy straw lost 6 kg BW. Ammoniated, nonmoldy straw elevated Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) (10.5 mg/dl). Alkaline Phosphatase (ALK) was greater in steers fed moldy VS nonmoldy straw (148 VS 95 U/liter. p < 0.10).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.471-476
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• 1996

Blood biochemical and histopathological changes in vital organs of rabbits were studied after 19 wk of feeding composite diets (75 concentrate : 25 roughage) incorporating either urea (2%, wt/wt) ammoniated or alkali (1.5%, wt/wt) treated neem kernel meal (NKM) replacing peanut meal protein of control diet by either 50 or 100%. The blood biochemical constituents (Haemoglobin, Alanine amino transferase, Aspartate amino transferase, Total protein, Blood urea nitrogen &Cholesterol) in rabbits fed on processed NKM diet at either levels, were comparable to the values of thos on control diet except a lowered (p < 0.05) blood glucose concentration in processed NKM fed rabbits as compared to that in control diet fed ones. Histological examination revealed increased goblet cell activity, stunting of jejunal villi, mild tubular degeneration in kidney and hepatic fibro-cellular reaction in rabbits fed on urea ammoniated and alkali treated NKM diets with less marked changes in the latter. Testicular changes with variable degree of disorganization and vacuolation of spermatogonial cells were noticed in rabbits fed higher levels of urea-ammoniated and alkali treated NKM. Thus, alkali treatment and urea-ammoniation were effective in detoxification of meal, but the processing technology is to be further perfected to prevent cumulative effect of residual neem bitters in long term feeding.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권8호
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• pp.1078-1084
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• 2001

Twelve growing male lambs ($10.05{\pm}0.41kg$, 5 months age) were assigned to three equal groups in a completely randomized design and fed respectively wheat straw (WS), ammoniated wheat straw (AWS) or urea supplemented wheat straw (USWS) along with concentrate mixtures of varying protein and energy contents to meet their requirements as per NRC (1985). Despite comparable nutrient intake and digestibility, the lambs fed A WS based diet digested lower (p<0.05) crude protein. The digestibility of NDF and hemicellulose were lower while the digestibility of cellulose was higher in lambs on AWS as compared to lambs on USWS based diet. The lambs of all the three groups were in positive and comparable N, Ca and P balance except higher Ca balance in lambs fed WS based diet. The body weight change, average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency were similar among the dietary groups. All the parameters of rumen fermentation pattern were comparable between lambs of AWS and USWS based diets except ammonia-N concentration that was higher in the latter however it was lower in WS fed group. Though, the feeding cost per unit gain was comparable in lambs fed all the three diets, the cost incurred towards roughage during 120 days of experimental feeding was significantly less in lambs fed AWS than UTWS. Thus, feeding of USWS can be practiced to minimize labour cost and environmental pollution involved in the process of urea treatment without affecting the performance of growing lambs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.485-490
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of feeding ammoniated wheat straw treated with and without HCl on meat quality and various sensory attributes of growing male buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves. Due to urea-ammoniation, the CP content of wheat straw increased from 2.90 to 6.96%. The addition of HCl along with urea during urea-ammoniation further increased the CP content to 10.09%. The proximate composition (% fresh basis) of psoas major, longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus were comparable among the groups. However, comparatively higher cumulative muscle mean protein and ash percentage and lower moisture percentage in groups II and III in comparison to group I indicated the desirable effect of feeding AWS and HCl-AWS. The cumulative muscle mean pH in group III (5.54) was comparatively lower than group I (5.65) and II (5.62). The cumulative group mean pH and water holding capacity (% water retained) in semitendinosus was comparatively lower than psoas major and longissimus dorsi. The cumulative muscle mean SSP (g%) was significantly (p<0.05) lower in group III (41.78) than group I (42.45). The cumulative group mean cooking loss (%) was significantly (p<0.01) lower in psoas major (31.61) and longissimus dorsi (29.78) than semitendinosus (35.10). The cumulative group mean SFV (kg/$cm^{2}$) of psoas major, longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus were 6.38, 6.32 and 6.56, respectively, being lowest in psoas major and highest in semitendinosus. However, the cumulative muscle mean SFV (kg/$cm^{2}$) in group I, II and III were 6.53, 6.56 and 6.17, respectively, being lowest in group III and highest in group II. The scores of the cooked (2% common salt) buffen for various sensory attributes viz. appearance, flavour, juiciness, texture, mouth coating and overall palatability were comparable among the groups. Results suggested that feeding of ammoniated wheat straw treated with and without HCl to growing male buffalo calves for 180 days had no adverse effect on the meat quality and various sensory attributes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권7호
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• pp.957-965
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• 2005

The effect of ammoniation with urea and with soybean meal (SBM) as a source of urease on the nutritive value of wheat straw was evaluated in sheep. Twenty-four male Najdi lambs were used in a 3${\times}$2 factorial design, in which the animals were allocated to three straw treatments: 0% urea-treated (NT), 6% urea-treated (UT) and 2.2% urea-supplemented (US) straws. Each straw treatment was either supplemented or non-supplemented with 70 g SBM $kg^{-1}$ straw during the treatment time with urea, giving a total of six straw treatments. Each of these treatments was individually fed ad libitum to 4 lambs, together with 300 g of barley grain/head/day. Total N content of UT and US straws increased significantly (p<0.001) as compared to NT straw. The degree of urea hydrolysis, either with or without SBM addition, was nearly similar. Lambs fed either UT or US straw based diets had significantly (p<0.01) and numerically (p>0.05) higher straw DM intake (g $d^{-1}$ $kg^{-1}$ $BW^{0.75}$), compared to those fed NT straw based diet. Apparent DM or OM digestibilities increased significantly (p = 0.014) in lambs fed UT diet, and numerically (p>0.05) in lambs fed US diet as compared to those fed NT diet. Fiber (CF, NDF, ADF, cellulose and hemicellulose) digestibility increased to a similar magnitude, averaging 20.2 (p<0.001) and 7.8% (p<0.07); this corresponds to 35 (p<0.001) and 51% (p<0.001) in N digestibility and approximately 78 (p<0.017) and 105% (p<0.002) in N retention, for UT and US diets, respectively, as compared to NT diet. However, the UT diet had higher (p<0.01) fiber digestibility over the US diet. Addition of SBM tended to improve (p = 0.09) straw DM and digestible OM intakes, while significantly increasing (p<0.001) total and digestible CP intakes across all diets. Lambs fed on US diet had higher ruminal ammonia N than those fed on UT (p<0.05) or NT (p<0.001) diets. However, ruminal pH and molar proportion of the volatile fatty acids did not differ (p>0.05) among the treatment diets. This study suggests that US and UT treatments, particularly the latter, improved straw intake, digestibility and N utilization by lambs compared to NT treatment. On the other hand, addition of SBM as a source of urease had a negligible effect on urea hydrolysis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.86-93
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• 2004

Sixteen early lactating Nili-Ravi buffaloes, four animals in each group, were used in a Completely Randomized Design to evaluate the effect of varying levels of both ruminally protected fat and urea treated corncobs ensiled with or without corn steep liquor (CSL) on feed intake, digestibility and milk production and its composition. Four experimental diets were formulated. The control (C) diet was balanced to contain 0% fat and 35% urea treated corncobs ensiled with 0% CSL. The low fat (LF), medium fat (MF) and high fat (HF) diets had 45, 55 and 65% urea treated corncobs ensiled with 9% CSL and 2, 4 and 6% ruminally protected fat, respectively. Dry matter, crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intakes by buffaloes remained similar across all treatments. However, DM and NDF as a percent of body weight and digestible DM intakes were higher in HF diet when compared to C, LF and MF diets. Digestible NDF intakes were also significantly higher in HF diet as compared to all other diets. The intakes of ADF and digestible ADF were higher in MF and HF than C and LF diets. The significant variation in digestible DM, ADF and NDF intakes may be attributed to the ammoniation of corncobs along with CSL that caused significant changes in the degradability and digestibility of the diets. Ether extract and digestible EE intakes differed significantly (p<0.05) among all treatments. Intakes of EE were the highest in animals fed HF diet, which was because of added fat. Apparent DM digestibility was the highest in animals C diet and was the lowest in those fed LF diet. Neutral detergent fiber and ADF digestibilities were higher in animals fed diets containing urea treated corncobs ensiled with 9% CSL when compared to those fed diets containing urea treated corncobs ensiled without CSL. Apparent digestibility of CP was noted highest (71.47%) in animals fed HF diet when compared to those fed MF (67.75%), LF (67.04%) and C (65.39%) diets. Milk yield (4% FCM) was the higher in buffaloes fed HF, MF and LF diets than those fed C diet. These results indicated that increasing levels both of fat and urea treated corncobs ensiled with CSL elevated the negative effects of poor quality fibrous feed on milk production by buffaloes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권12호
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• pp.1722-1724
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• 2003

The possibility of using cotton stems as a roughage source in animal feeding was explored. Ground cotton stems (T2 and T3) or stems treated with 0.5% urea (T4 and T5) were ensiled with pearl millet green fodder in double lined plastic bags of 3 kg capacity for 50 days. Formic acid (0.4% v/v) was sprayed on T3 and T5 silages. The treatments were compared with pearl millet silage alone (T1) which constituted the control. All the bags were placed in the silo pit of pearl millet silage. Results indicated that urea treatment of cotton stems increased and formic acid application reduced dry matter loss of the silages. Inclusion of cotton stems in the silage significantly (p<0.05) increased CF, ADF, cellulose and ADL due to its higher cell wall content. The hemicellulose was significantly lower in T3 (16.7%) and T5 (22.52%) as compared to T2 (23.45%) and T4 (24.6%) due to formic acid application. Ammoniation significantly increased NH3-N content in T4 (0.202%) and formic acid controlled NH3-N level in T5 (0.107%).The in sacco dry matter digestibility was significantly higher (p<0.05) in formic acid preserved silages T3 and T5 (47.73 and 47.93%) as compared to silages without formic acid (44.94 and 41.22 %) in T2 and T4 respectively, but lower than T1 (54.39%). It is concluded that cotton stems can be ensiled with pearl millet fodder in 1:4 ratio with or without urea treatment. Formic acid application further increases the silage quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권5호
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• pp.682-686
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• 2002

Ten growing male buffalo calves (aged 6-8 months, average body weight $88.2{\pm}0.57$ kg were divided randomly into two groups. Animals in group I were fed on concentrate mixture A (CP 20.2%, TDN 77.4%) and urea- ammoniated wheat straw (UAWS) while the animals in group II were fed on concentrate mixture B (CP 17.9%, TDN 77.6%) and HCl plus urea treated wheat straw (HCl UAWS) to meet their nutrient requirement for 500 g gain/d as per Kearl (1982). This feeding practice lasted for 120 days, during which fortnightly body weight were recorded to assess their growth rate. A metabolism trial was conducted after 90 days of experimental feeding to compare the digestibility of nutrients, their balance, plane of nutrition and relative cost of feeding in two groups of animals. Results revealed a significant increase in the CP content of ammoniated wheat straw due to addition of HCl viz 12.1% from 7.5%. There was a decrease in the intake of DM (p<0.05), OM (p<0.05), EE (p<0.05), NDF (p<0.01), ADF (p<0.01), cellulose (p<0.01) and hemicellulose (p<0.01) in group II as compared to group I. The digestibility (%) of DM, OM and CP was significantly (p<0.01) more in group II, whereas the digestibility (%) was significantly more for NDF (p<0.05) and hemicellulose (p<0.01) in group I than group II. There was no significant difference in the N, Ca and P balance in two groups. Intake of total DM (g/d) or (g/kg $W^{0.75}$) was significantly (p<0.01) more in group I as compared to group II, whereas the intake of DCP and TDN (g/d or g/kg $W^{0.75}$) was alike in two groups. The total body weight gain (kg), average daily gain (g/d) and feed conversion efficiency were significantly (p<0.01) more in UAWS fed group as compared to HCl UAWS fed group. Feeding cost (Rs./kg. weight gain) was significantly (p<0.05) more in group II as compared to group I. It is concluded that HCl UAWS is not suitable for the feeding of growing buffalo calves as it reduced the growth rate in comparison to UAWS fed buffalo calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권12호
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• pp.1690-1695
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• 2001

Wheat straw was treated on laboratory scale with 4% urea at a moisture level of 50% along with different amounts of acetic acid (AA) to fix various levels of ammonia nitrogen (15, 30, 45 and 60%) evolved from urea and stored for 4 weeks. Chemical composition of the treated samples revealed a significant (p<0.01) increase in N content of the samples where AA was added. The N content of the ammoniated straw was only 1.21% which increased to 2.58 with the addition of AA to trap 30% $NH_3-N$. The concentration of free $NH_3-N$ in the straw was significantly (p<0.01) less when more than 15% $NH_3-N$ was trapped with AA. There was significant increase (p<0.01) in N disappearance and depression in NDF and hemicellulose disappearance, when AA was used to trap 30% $NH_3-N$. Large scale treatment of wheat straw with 4% urea at a moisture level of 50% along with AA (to trap 30% $NH_3-N$) increased the N content, but not as much as in laboratory scale treatment. In vivo experiment conducted on nine adult male buffaloes divided into three groups revealed no difference in the intake of DM, OM, NDF, ADF, cellulose and hemicellulose among group I (ammoniated straw), group II (AA treated ammoniated straw) and group III (AA treated ammoniated straw +1 kg barley grain), but the intake was significantly (p<0.05) more in groups where AA treated straw was fed as compared to only ammoniated straw fed group. However EE digestibility was depressed in group II. The digestibility of cellulose and hemicellulose both depressed significantly (p<0.05) in group II and III as compared to group I. Animals in all the 3 groups showed positive nitrogen balance and it was significantly more in group II and III as compared to group I. DCP intake was significantly (p<0.05) more in group II and III as compared to group I, but there was no significant difference among the three groups in TDN intake. It can be concluded that AA (to trap 30% $NH_3-N$) is effective in capturing the excess ammonia released during urea ammoniation of straw and improving its nutritive value, as well as animal performance.