• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.715-722
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• 1996

To determine relationships of biochemical parameters involved in Ca metabolism with eggshell quality, serum Ca level, duodenal and uterine calcium binding protein (CaBP) and uterine carbonic anhydrase (CA) activities were measured using 102-week old hens. Three groups of chickens were selected, those showing high quality (HQ) and low quality (LQ) eggshells and non-laying activity (NE). NE hens exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) lower serum Ca levels than laying hens. HQ and LQ hens were not different in the Ca level, indicating that serum Ca level was not good indicator of hen's ability to produce different quality eggshells. Duodenal CaBPs was highest in HQ and lowest in NE (p < 0.10). Uterine CaBPs of LQ and NE were not different and lower significantly (p<0.10) than that of HQ, suggesting that CaBP played an important role in determining eggshell quality. Uterine CA activities of the three groups were significantly different (p < 0.01) ; highest in HQ and lowest in NE, suggesting intimate relationship between CA and Eggshell quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.653-658
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• 1992

Crossbred dairy does were fed a roughage diet (IVOMD 56%, N 2.27%) ad libitum, and supplemented with urea-molasses (3% W : W) (UM) at levels on an air dry basis of 1.5% or 3% of liveweight or an iso-energetic, iso-nitrogenous mixture of cottonseed meal and molasses (25 : 75 w : w) (CM). Eight does, four lower-producers and four higher-producers (1.9 and 2.5 kg/day respectively in week 7 of lactation) arranged in two Latin Squares, received each of the four diets for three weeks. Dry matter, digestible organic matter and N intakes were higher for high-producers and high levels of supplement but did not differ between nitrogen sources. Milk production was higher by high-producers; interactions were significant between level of supplement and production group and between level of supplement and N-source, with maximum production by high producers on high levels of CM. The main effects of level of supplement were only significant for production or composition. and total solids; N-source did not have significant effects on liveweight, milk production or composition. We conclude that does of moderate capacity for milk production, receiving a diet of two-thirds moderate quality roughage, one third urea-molasses, will not respond to increased level of supplementation or to replacement of urea with cottonseed meal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.207-212
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• 1994

Effects of dietary cellulose and protein levels on nutrient utilization in chickens were investigated. Four experimental diets containing 5% (low cellulose) or 20% (high cellulose) cellulose in combination with 10% (low protein) or 20% (high protein) protein of 70 g/day were alternatively forced-fed to eight colostomized White Leghorn cockerels once a day to make $4{\times}4$ Latin-square design. The digestibilities of DM and energy decreased with the increase in cellulose level, but not affected by dietary protein level. Ether extract digestibility was higher in the high cellulose diets than in the low cellulose protein level. Ether extract digestibility was higher in the high cellulose diets than in the low cellulose diets. The digestibility of nitrogen free extract had the same trend with the digestibility of DM and energy. The digestibility of acid detergent fiber was not so much different among the diets, but the NDF digestibility was lower in the high cellulose diets than in the low cellulose diets, due to the low hemicellulose digestibility. The true digestibility of protein was influenced by both of the dietary protein and cellulose levels, and their interaction was found. The dietary protein level affected the biological value of protein but the dietary cellulose level did not, and consequently the biological value of protein in the low protein diets was lower than in the high protein diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.116-122
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• 2018

Objective: This experiment was to evaluate the effect of different inclusion levels and adaptation periods on digestible energy (DE) and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of chemical constituents in diets supplemented with wheat bran. Methods: Thirty-six crossbred barrows with an initial body weight of $85.0{\pm}2.1kg$ were allotted to 6 diets in a completely randomized block design with 6 pigs per diet. Diets included a cornsoybean basal diet and 5 additional diets which were formulated by replacing corn and soybean meal in control diet with 15%, 25%, 35%, 45%, or 55% wheat bran. The experiment lasted for 34 d, and feces were collected from d 8 to 13, 15 to 20, 22 to 27, and 29 to 34 respectively. Results: The results showed no interaction effects between inclusion level and adaptation period on the concentration of DE and the ATTD of gross energy (GE) and crude protein (CP) in wheat bran. The DE value and ATTD of GE in wheat bran decreased (p<0.05) significantly as the inclusion level of wheat bran increased, but no difference in the ATTD of CP was observed. The ATTD of CP in wheat bran increased (p<0.10) significantly as the adaptation period for pigs was prolonged. In addition, the concentration of DE and the ATTD of GE in wheat bran decreased linearly (p<0.05) when pigs were fed either an increased level of wheat bran or given an increased adaptation period to the diets. Conclusion: Wheat bran showed a negative effect on the concentration of DE and ATTD of GE and CP as the inclusion level increased. A longer adaptation period can gradually increase the DE value and ATTD of GE and CP in wheat bran, and at least 14 to 21 d of adaptation might be recommended for growing-finishing pigs fed the high-fiber diets with wheat bran.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.753-758
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• 2016

Moisture content influences physiological characteristics of microbes and physical structure of solid matrices during composting of animal manure. If moisture content is maintained at a proper level, aerobic microorganisms show more active oxygen consumption during composting due to increased microbial activity. In this study, optimum moisture levels for composting of two bedding materials (sawdust, rice hull) and two different mixtures of bedding and beef manure (BS, Beef cattle manure+sawdust; BR, Beef cattle manure+rice hull) were determined based on oxygen uptake rate measured by a pressure sensor method. A broad range of oxygen uptake rates (0.3 to 33.3 mg $O_2/g$ VS d) were monitored as a function of moisture level and composting feedstock type. The maximum oxygen consumption of each material was observed near the saturated condition, which ranged from 75% to 98% of water holding capacity. The optimum moisture content of BS and BR were 70% and 57% on a wet basis, respectively. Although BS's optimum moisture content was near saturated state, its free air space kept a favorable level (above 30%) for aerobic composting due to the sawdust's coarse particle size and bulking effect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.363-368
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• 2018

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effect of fermented spent coffee ground (FSCG) on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Methods: Fermentation of spent coffee ground (SCG) was conducted using Lactobacillus plantrum. Fermentation was performed at moisture content of 70% and temperature of $39^{\circ}C$ with anaerobic air tension for 48 h. Four adult rams (initial body weight = $56.8{\pm}0.4kg$) were housed in a respiration-metabolism chamber and the treatments were: i) control (Basal diet; 0% SCG or FSCG), ii) 10% level of SCG, iii) 10% level of FSCG, and iv) 20% level of FSCG in $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Each dietary experiment period lasted for 18-d with a 14-d of adaptation period and a 4-d of sample collection period. Results: In SCG fermentation experimental result, acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) concentration of FSCG (64.5% of total N) was lower than that of non-fermented SCG (78.8% of total N). Digestibility of dry matter and organic matter was similar among treatment groups. Although crude protein (CP) digestibility of the control was greater than FSCG groups (p<0.05), the 10% FSCG group showed greater CP digestibility and nitrogen retention than non-fermented 10% SCG group (p<0.05). Body weight gain and average daily gain were linearly decreased with increasing FSCG feeding level (p<0.05). When the feeding level of FSCG was increased, water intake was linearly increased (p<0.05). With an increasing FSCG level, dry matter intake did not differ among groups, although the gain to feed ratio tended to decrease with increasing level of FSCG (p<0.10). Conclusion: Microbial fermentation of SCG can improve protein digestibility, thereby increasing CP digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Fermentation using microorganisms in feed ingredients with low digestibility could have a positive effect on improving the quality of raw feed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 1991

The effects of dietary fiber on true digestibility of amino acids by growing pigs were studied, using semi-purified diets formulated from alfalfa meal, cassava leaf meal, rubber seed meal and leucacna meal at 20% level. A protein-free diet including 5% cellulose was formulated for correcting the endogenous amino acid loss. Across all the diets, arginine was the most digestible while the least at ileal level was threonine; methionine and/or histidine at fecal level respectively. The true digestibility value of amino acids at ileal level were higher than at fecal level except control diet (cellulose). The true digestibility values at ileal level were similar for all diets but differed at fecal level in different magnitude. These results indicate that undigestible compound in individual feedstuff might confound. True digestibility should be studied together for accurate diet formulation as apparent digestibility decreased when their amino acid concentration in the diet was reduced.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.415-419
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• 2004

Effects of feeding seven strains of Lactobacillus spp. on the level of cell glutathione sulphydryl (GSH) in spleen, liver and erythrocyte of the ICR mice and on the level of immunoglobulin M in the spleen were determined. The level of cell glutathione sulphydryl in the spleen was dependent on the strain of Lactobacilli, it was significantly higher in the mice fed with L. casei CU 001, L. rhamnosus CU 02, L. acidophilus NCFM and L. casei YIT9018 (p>0.05). The level of cell glutathione sulphydryl in the liver increased in the mice fed with L. casei YIT9018, L. acidophilus NCFM, L. casei CU 001 (p>0.05), the level of glutathione sulphydryl of the erythrocyte showed significantly higher value than control mice when fed with L. acidophilus NCFM, L. casei YIT9018, L. casei CU 001 (p>0.05). The level of immunoglobulin M in the spleen of ICR mice expressed as the plaque count revealed significantly higher value than the control mice when fed with L. casei CU 001, L. acidophilus NCFM and L.casei YIT 9018.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2018

Animal experiments have been widely conducted in the life sciences for more than a century, and have long been a subject of ethical and societal controversy due to the deliberate infliction of harm upon sentient animals. However, the harmful use of animals may also negatively impact the mental health of researchers themselves. We sought to evaluate the anxiety level of researchers engaged in animal use to analyse the mental stress from animal testing. The State Anxiety Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to evaluate how researchers feel when they conduct animal, as opposed to non-animal, based experiments (95 non-animal and 98 animal testing researchers). The Trait Anxiety Scale of STAI was employed to measure proneness to anxiety, namely the base trait of the researchers. Additionally, the information on sex, age, education, income, and total working periods was collected. While the Trait Anxiety scores were comparable ($41.5{\pm}10.9$ versus $42.9{\pm}10.1$, p = 0.3682, t-test), the State Anxiety scores were statistically significantly higher for animal users than non-animal users ($45.1{\pm}10.7$ versus $41.3{\pm}9.4$, p = 0.011). This trend was consistent for both male and female. Notably, younger animal testers (${\leq}30$ years of age) with less work experience (${\leq}2$ years) and lower income level (${\leq}27,000$ USD) exhibited higher anxiety scores, whereas these factors did not affect the anxiety level of non-animal users. The present study demonstrated that participation in animal experiments can negatively impact the mental health of researchers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1126-1137
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• 2020

Objective: Pellet durability, particle size distribution, growth response, tibia bone characteristics and energy retention were measured to evaluate cassava as an alternative energy source to replace maize in broiler diets with or without Ronozyme (A+VP) enzyme composites. Methods: A total of 480 one-day broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 8 treatments in a 4×2 factorial arrangement. Four levels of cassava: (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%) and 2 levels of enzymes (0 and 500 g/tonne) were used. Each treatment was replicated six times, with ten birds per replicate. Results: The particle size distribution in the diets showed an increasing trend of small particles with increase in cassava level. Pellet durability decreased (p<0.05) with cassava inclusion. Feed intake was highest in birds fed diets with medium cassava level at 1 to 24 d and 1 to 35 d of age. The body weight gain of birds reduced (p<0.037) as cassava level increased, but it increased (p<0.017 when enzymes were added. The feed conversion ratio was high (p<0.05) when cassava level was increased, but it reduced (p<0.05) when enzymes were added. The dressing percentage (DP), and weight of drumsticks reduced (p<0.05) with increasing cassava level. Enzyme supplementation increased (p<0.05) DP, and weight of breast, thighs and drumsticks. Ash content, weight, length, width, and bone strength decreased (p<0.05) when cassava level was increased, however, they were increased with enzyme addition. The contents of Ca, K, and Zn were raised (p<0.001) with increasing cassava level. Enzyme inclusion increased (p<0.001) all mineral contents in tibia bones. Body fat and energy retained as fat decreased (p<0.001) as cassava level increased. Enzyme inclusion increased (p<0.05) body protein content and energy retained as protein. Conclusion: Although broiler performance was depressed by high levels of cassava inclusion, it was not affected by low levels, which further improved by enzyme supplementation.