• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.195-199
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• 1988

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritive value of a diet containing 20% alkaline hydrogen peroxide(AHP) treated aspen sawdust for ruminants. In experiment 1, sheep fed treated aspen(treated) had higher (p < 0.05) average daily gain and improved feed/gain ratio compared to animals fed untreated aspen (untreated), Apparent NDF and ADF digestibilities of treated aspen were higher (p < 0.05) than for untreated material. A similar trend was observed for DM, organic matter and cellulose digestibilities coefficients. In experiment 2, the soluble and degradable DM and crude protein (CP) fractions tended to increase with AHP treatment. Treatment also increased (p<0.05) the degradation rate of the degradable fraction. Results of these experiment indicate that AHP treatment results in a substantial improvement in the extent of utilization of aspen sawdust by ruminants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.700-705
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Ligustrum lucidum (LL) on growth performance, antioxidation, and meat quality in broilers. 270 birds (1 d old) were allotted to 3 treatments with 6 replicates per treatment. The feeding program included a starter diet from d 1 to 21 of age and a grower diet from d 22 to 42 of age. The birds were given a basal corn-soybean meal diet supplemented with 0 (the control), 5 or 10 g of LL/kg, respectively. The results showed that in the starter, grower and overall phase, broilers fed with 5 or 10 g of LL/kg had better (p<0.01) average daily gain, but there were no differences in feed: gain between treatments. In the starter and overall phase, average daily feed intake of LL groups was greater (p<0.05) than that of the control, but this difference was not observed in the grower phase. Supplementation of LL significantly increased (p<0.05) superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant capability in serum of chickens. In breast muscle, birds fed 5 g of LL/kg had an increase (p<0.05) in superoxide dismutase activity. The LL supplementation significantly decreased (p<0.05) malondialdehyde contents. Adding 5 or 10 g of LL/kg to the diet significantly increased pH value and reduced drip loss of meat (p<0.05). The results of this study indicated that dietary LL could improve growth performance, increase pH value and reduce drip loss of meat by decreasing lipid peroxidation and by improving antioxidative status in broilers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 1998

A total of 240 weaned pigs (BW 5.4 kg) were allotted in a completely randomized block design to find out the optimum lactose : sucrose ratio for the weaned pigs. Treatments were 100:0 (A), 75:25 (B), 50:50 (C), 25:75 (D) and 0:100 (E) in lactose : sucrose ratio. For the first week after weaning, average daily gain (ADG) and feed/gain (F/G) were improved (p < 0.05) for pigs fed A, B and C diets compared to pigs fed diets D and E, but the average daily feed intakes (ADFI) of the pigs were not different. From d 7 to 14, no significant differences was found in ADG and ADFI among the treatments, but pigs fed the diets A, B and C had improved F/G compared with the pigs fed diets D and E (p < 0.05). From d 15 to 21, no significant differences were found in ADG, ADFI and F/G among the treatments. The digestibility of nutrients was not influenced by the lactose : sucrose ratio except nitrogen. Nitrogen digestibility of A diet was significantly higher than D and E diets (p < 0.05) but no significant differences were found among diets A, B and C. Dry matter and phosphorus excretions were not influenced by the treatments. The pigs fed diets A, B and C excreted significantly less nitrogen than the pigs fed diets D and E. In conclusion, the results suggest that sucrose can effectively replace up to 50% lactose in starter diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1452-1458
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of sex and market weight on performance, carcass characteristics and pork quality. A total of 224 crossbred pigs (initially 26.64 kg BW) were allotted in a $2{\times}4$ factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block (RCB) design. The variables were sex (gilts and barrows) and different market weights (100, 110, 120 and 130 kg). Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were significantly higher (p<0.01) in barrows than gilts, ADFI and feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased as body weight increased (p<0.05). Gender differences were observed in carcass characteristics. Backfat thickness and drip loss were greater in barrows (p<0.01), while loin eye area (p<0.01), flavor score (p<0.05) and lean content (p<0.001) were higher in gilts. Carcass grade and water holding capacity were the highest in 110 kg market weight pigs. The 100 kg arket weight pigs showed lower juiciness, tenderness, shear forces and total palatability than the other market weights (p<0.01). Hunter values (L*, a* and b*) were increased as market weight increased (p<0.05). Hunter a* value was greater in gilts (p<0.01) but L* value and b* value were not affected by sex of pigs. Net profit [(carcass weight${\times}$price by carcass grade)-(total feed cost+cost of purchased pig)] was higher in gilts than barrows (p<0.01), and was higher (p<0.05) in the pigs marketed at 110 and 120 kg market weight compared with 100 kg market weight. These results demonstrated that gilts showed higher carcass characteristics, pork quality, feed cost per kg body weight gain and net profit compared with barrows. Moreover, 110 or 120 kg body weight would be the recommended market weight based on pork quality and net profit for swine producers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.287-291
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for growth and carcass quality traits on BTA6 in a population of Hanwoo cattle. Three hundred and sixty one steers were produced from 39 sires that were sired by 17 grandsires in the two Hanwoo farming branches of the National Livestock Research Institute of Korea, between Spring 2000 and Fall 2002. DNA samples were collected for all of the steers, sires and grandsires, and the phenotypes for six growth and carcass quality traits were measured at 24 months of age. Twelve microsatellite markers were chosen on BTA6 and a linkage map was constructed by using seven of the twelve markers. Then, a chromosome-wide QTL scan was performed by applying an Animal Model, in which effects of QTL alleles within the grand sires were fitted as a random term. Three QTL were detected at the 5% chromosome-wise level for backfat thickness, average daily gain, and final weight. The most likely positions for the QTL were in the proximal region, i.e. 0 cM, 35 cM, and 63 cM, respectively. Also, another QTL for longissimus dorsi muscle area was detected at the 10% chromosome-wise level at 67 cM. These results were, in general, consistent with our previous report, in which candidate gene analyses showed that a SNP near ILSTS035 flanked by BM4621 (62.5 cM) and BMS2460 (81.3 cM) was associated with final weight, carcass weight, average daily gain, and longissimus dorsi muscle area in the same Hanwoo population.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1294-1299
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• 2012

A total of 96 pigs ($49.23{\pm}3.20$ kg) were used in an 11 wk growth trial to evaluate the effect of fermentable carbohydrate (FC) content on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrient, blood profile, and meat quality. The dietary treatments were: i) negative control (NC), basal diet, ii) positive control (PC), NC+antibiotics (positive control diet with 5 ppm flavomycin), iii) PCL, PC-13% lower FC, and iv) NCL, NC-13% lower FC. The growth performance (average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and gain/feed) didn't differ among treatments through the whole experiment. These pigs fed the PCL diet had the greater (p<0.05) apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter than those from PC and NC treatment at the end of the experiment. No differences were observed in white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), and lymphocyte concentration among different treatments. After the feeding period, meat samples were collected from the pigs at slaughter. The pigs in NCL and PCL treatments had greater (p<0.05) backfat thickness and lower lean percentage. The color value of loin was higher (p<0.05) in NCL treatment compared to PCL treatment. Also, the NCL treatment had higher (p<0.05) marbling value than PC treatment. The drip loss was depressed by PCL and NCL treatment comapared to NC treatments. The water holding capacity (WHC) was higher (p<0.05) in NC and PCL treatment. In conclusion, the low FC can improve digestibility and meat quality of finishing pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.844-850
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• 2011

This study was conducted to compare the effects of dietary supplementation of Sodium Gluconate (SG), Mannan Oligosaccharide (MOS) and Potassium Diformate (PDF) on growth performance and small intestinal morphology in nursery piglets. One hundred forty four female piglets ($11.69{\pm}0.71\;kg$) were divided into 4 treatments with six replicates of six pigs each. The pigs received a control diet or diets supplemented with SG, MOS and PDF at 2,500, 3,000 and 8,000 ppm; respectively, for 6 weeks. Supplementation of SG, MOS or PDF increased final body weight, average daily gain and tended to improve feed to gain ratio (p = 0.02, 0.04 and 0.16; respectively), other than average daily feed intake, intestinal pH and the bacterial populations were not influenced by the dietary treatments. SG significantly decreased the ammonia concentration in the caecum (p<0.05) and supplementation of SG, MOS or PDF tended to increase lactic acid and total short chain fatty acid concentration in the caecum (p = 0.08, 0.09; respectively), in addition SG, MOS or PDF slightly increased butyric acid concentration in the caecum (p = 0.14). SG highly significant increased the villous height in jejunum (p<0.01) and supplementing SG, MOS or PDF significantly increased crypt depth in jejunum (p<0.05), moreover, PDF significantly increased villous height and crypt depth ratio in jejunum (p<0.05) compared with control. The dietary treatments did not influence villous height and crypt depth in duodenum and villous height in jejunum (p>0.05). It can be concluded that supplementing SG, MOS or PDF as a feed additive has the potential to improve the growth performance, the intestinal lactic acid bacteria population, intestinal short-chain fatty acid concentration and the intestinal morphology of pigs.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.381-386
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• 2016

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of two different feeding systems on blood metabolites in Holstein heifers and analyze the economic impacts of the feeding systems. The following two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of feeding system on blood metabolite changes in Holstein heifers and analyze the economic impacts of the two systems. In experiment 1, the effects of two different feeding systems on cortisol, progesterone, and estradiol in Holstein heifers were examined. In experiment 2, the effects of two different feeding systems on the body weights of Holstein heifers and profitability of the two feeding systems were studied. Results showed that the pasture-raised heifers showed significantly decrease in the levels of blood cortisol (p<0.05) and increases in the levels of progesterone and estradiol (p>0.05) when compared with heifers raised in indoor feeding system. The average daily gain was significantly higher (p<0.05) in indoor-raised heifers (0.73 kg/day) as compared to pasture-raised heifers (0.58 kg/day). Also, 25.2% more profits were obtained from the pasture feeding system as compared to the indoor feeding system. These results together would be useful in the investigation of feeding system and growth performance in dairy cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.359-364
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• 2016

The study was carried out to explore the effects of replacing wheat straw with fungal treated wheat straw as an ingredient of total mixed ration (TMR) on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Nili Ravi buffalo male calves. Fungal treated wheat straw was prepared using Arachniotus sp. Four TMRs were formulated where wheat straw was replaced with 0 (TMR1), 33 (TMR2), 67 (TMR3), and 100% (TMR4) fungal treated wheat straw in TMR. All TMRs were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The experimental TMRs were randomly assigned to four groups of male calves (n = 6) according to completely randomized design and the experiment continued for four months. The calves fed TMR2 exhibited a significant improve in dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed economics compared to other groups. The same group also showed higher digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral-, and acid detergent fibers than those fed on other TMRs. It is concluded that TMR with 33% fungal-treated wheat straw replacement has a potential to give an enhanced growth performance and nutrient digestibility in male Nili Ravi buffalo calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.796-802
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• 2009

The effects of docking on growth traits, fattening performance, carcass characteristics and blood biochemical parameters were investigated using 24 fat-tailed Sanjabi single-born male lambs raised from a large commercial sheep herd. The lambs were randomly divided into two groups. One group (n = 12) were docked at two days of age with rubber-rings using an elastrator. The second group (n = 12) were left intact. After weaning (90 days), all lambs were moved to rustic rangelands for 40 days. Then all the lambs were fed concentrates ad libitum for 60 days during the fattening period. Growth traits, body weight and average daily gain (kg) were recorded at the end of the weaning and fattening periods. Blood biochemical parameters including urea, total protein, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were measured during the fattening period. Finally, at the end of the fattening period, eight lambs (4 intact and 4 docked lambs) were slaughtered in order to determine carcass characteristics. Fat-tail docking had no effect (p>0.05) on lamb growth from birth to weaning. Body weight and average daily gain of docked lambs were significantly higher (p<0.05) than for intact lambs at the end of the fattening period. There was no difference in carcass measurements between the two groups, except for chest depth and leg weight which were higher (p<0.05) in docked lambs. During the fattening period, cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs were less than in intact lambs (p<0.05). The current results indicated that docking with rubber rings causes an improvement in growth traits during the fattening period and leads to desirable carcass characteristics compared to intact lambs; interestingly, this procedure had a significant effect on the lowering of blood cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs.