• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.705-712
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• 2006

Influences of urea treated corncobs (UTC) ensiled with or without different additives on ruminal characteristics, in situ digestion kinetics, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism were examined in a $5{\times}5$ Latin square design using five ruminally cannulated buffalo bulls. Five iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets were formulated to contain 30% dry matter (DM) from concentrate and 70% DM from 5% UTC ensiled without any additive (U) or with 5% enzose (EN), 5% acidified molasses (AM), 5% non-acidified molasses (NM) and 5% acidified water (AW), respectively. These diets were fed to buffalo bulls at 1.5% of their body weight daily. Ruminal $NH_3$-N concentration at 3 hours (h) post feeding was significantly higher in bulls fed U, NM and AW diets, however, at 6, 9 and 12 h post feeding it was significantly higher in bulls fed EN and AM diets. Ruminal total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and acetate concentrations were significantly higher with EM and AM diets compared with other diets at 3, 6, 9 and 12 h post feeding. Ruminal pH at 6 and 9 h post feeding was higher with EN and AM diets; however; it was notably lower with these diets at 3 h post feeding. Total ruminal bacterial and cellulolytic bacterial counts were higher in bulls fed EN and AM diets than in those fed the other diets. In situ ruminal DM and NDF degradabilities and total tract digestibilities were significantly higher with UTC ensiled with enzose and acidified molasses than those ensiled without any additive or other additives. Nitrogen balance was significantly higher in bulls fed EN and AM diets than those fed U, AW and NM diets. The UTC ensiled with enzose or acidified molasses resulted in better digestibility and N utilization than those ensiled without any additive, with non-acidified molasses and acidified water in buffaloes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1345-1353
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of dietary rapeseed meal (RSM) on growth performance, blood profiles, nutrient digestibility and economic benefit of growing-finishing pigs. A total of 120 growing pigs ($[Yorkshire{\times}Landrace]{\times}Duroc$) with an initial body weight (BW) $29.94{\pm}0.06kg$ were used in this experiment. Pigs were randomly allotted into 1 of 5 treatments in a randomized complete block design and 6 replicates with 4 pigs per pen. Treatments were divided by dietary RSM supplementation levels (0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, or 12%) in growing-finishing diets. A linear decrease (p<0.05) of BW and average daily gain (ADG) were observed at 13th wk of finishing and overall periods of pigs. Additionally, gain-to-feed ratio (G/F) tended to decrease by dietary RSM supplementation in growing-finishing diets (linear, p = 0.07 and quadratic, p = 0.08). Concentrations of serum triiodothyronine and thyroxine were not influenced by dietary RSM treatments whereas thyroid gland and liver weight were increased at 13th wk of finishing period (linear, p<0.05; p<0.01) by increasing dietary RSM supplementation level. In blood profiles, serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were not differed by dietary treatments at 13th wk of finishing period whereas concentration of serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol was affected by the supplementation level of RSM, resulting in a linear RSM level responses (p<0.05). Serum blood urea nitrogen concentration tended to decrease (linear, p = 0.07; p = 0.08) at 6th wk of growing and 13th wk of finishing periods and digestibility of dry matter tended to decrease by dietary RSM (linear, p = 0.09). Crude protein, crude fat and nitrogen retention, whereas, were not affected by dietary RSM supplementation level. In the economic analysis, feed cost per weight gain was numerically decreased when RSM was provided up to 9%. Consequently, RSM could be supplemented to growing-finishing diets up to 9% ($3.07{\mu}mol/g\;Gls$) without detrimental effects on growth performance of growing-finishing pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 1989

A comparative slaughter feeding experiment with steer calves weighing 280 kg and a concurrent digestion trial with wether lambs was conducted to study the energy value of rice straw as influenced by ammonia treatment and mixing with alfalfa hay. Steers were ad libitum fed one of nine completely mixed experimental diets: basal (high concentrate); 25 or 50% of untreated rice straw (URS) or ammoniated (plastic covered bales, 4.6% $NH_3$ by weight) rice straw (ARS) proportionately replacing part of the basal; a 50:50 % mixture of URS or ARS and alfalfa replacing a proportion of the basal at 25 and 50%. Digestibility of the nine complete diets (pelleted to prevent sorting) was determined with four ad libitum fed lambs. Ammoniation increased crude protein level (from 3.6 to 10.8%) and in vitro dry matter digestibility of the rice straw by 15%. The improvement in DE, NEm and NEg by ammoniation of rice straw was 20, 52 and 117%, respectively. Ammoniation of rice straw fed as 50% of the diet improved gains over the diet containing 50% URS, but no significant influence on animal performance was observed when rice straw was fed at the 25% level. Each 10% addition of URS to basal diet decreased empty body gain of steers by 116 gram per day compared with a decrease of 70 gram per day when rice straw had been ammoniated. There was no beneficial effect of ammoniation when the roughage component of the diet was a 50:50 mixture of rice straw and alfalfa. Ammoniation of straw and inclusion of alfalfa generally increased the concentration of total volatile fatty acids in rumen fluid. Ammoniation resulted in reduced concentrations of acetic and propionic acid, but increased concentration of butyric acid. Digestibility of URS was improved by mixing with alfalfa. However, alfalfa hay did not influence digestibility of ARS. Diets in which ARS replaced the basal mixture at 25 and 50% had higher NEm and NEg values than comparable URS diets. The same pattern was observed in the straw: alfalfa mixtures, but differences between URS and ARS were significant only for the 50% roughage diets.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.333-340
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• 2018

This study aimed to estimate the effect of inoculant application level on chemical composition and bacterial count of fermented chestnut meal (FCM), and its rumen fermentation characteristics. The inoculant contained Lactobacillus acidophilus ($1.2{\times}10^{10}cfu/g$), Bacillus subtilis ($2.1{\times}10^{10}cfu/g$), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ($2.3{\times}10^{10}cfu/g$). The chestnut meal mixed with molasses, double distilled water, and inoculant at 1 kg, 3 g, 480 mL, and 20 mL ratio for the basal chestnut meal diet. The double distilled water from basal chestnut meal diet was substituted with bacterial inoculant at a level of 0 (Control), 20 (Medium), and 40 mL (High) in the experimental diets. The mixed experimental diets were incubated at $39^{\circ}C$ for 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively. On 7 days of FCM incubation, the contents of crude protein (CP) (quadratic, P=0.043) and neutral detergent fiber (quadratic, P=0.071) decreased by increases of inoculant application levels, whereas bacterial count (quadratic, P=0.065) and rumen $NH_3-N$ (linear, P=0.063) increased. By increases of inoculant application levels on 14 days of FCM incubation, the increases were found on dry matter (DM) (quadratic, P=0.085), CP (quadratic, P=0.059), acid detergent fiber (quadratic, P=0.056), in vitro DM digestibility (linear, P=0.002), rumen total volatile fatty acid (VFA) (linear, P=0.057), and rumen iso-butyrate (linear, P=0.054). However, the decreases were found on bacterial count (linear, P=0.002), propionate (linear, P=0.099), and butyrate (quadratic, P=0.082). On 21 days of FCM incubation, in vitro DM digestibility (linear, P=0.002) and total VFA (linear, P=0.001) increased by increases of inoculant application levels, whereas the contents of CP (quadratic, P=0.034) and neutral detergent fiber (quadratic, P=0.047) decreased. These results indicate that the FCM with a medium level of inoculant application and 14 of fermentation had beneficial effects by increasing DM digestibility and rumen total VFA content, without altering bacterial count.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.497-505
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• 2000

Thirty piglets weaned at 24.5 d of age ($6.9{\pm}0.5kg$) randomly alloted to 3 treatments were used to investigate the effect of dietary tallow on average performance, digestibility of nutrients, metabolic utilization of energy and body composition at 25 kg. Weaned piglets respond to increasing levels of dietary tallow from 0 to 4% and 8% by digestive and metabolic adaptation. Apparent fecal digestibility of fat (AFDf) was highly correlated with the level of dietary tallow (X as % of fat extracted after HCl hydrolysis) by the following curvilinear equation of regression: $AFDf=33.8+6.9X-0.3X^2$. Feed intake expressed as DE was only significantly increased at the higher inclusion level of tallow. But neither average daily gain, nor feed conversion was affected by the addition of fat. On the other hand, body composition at 25 kg was equally affected, by both levels of supplementary fat; dry matter and energy content in the body were significantly higher (p<0.01) in piglets receiving tallow. As a consequence, the energy cost of the live weight gain was also increased from 23 to 24.7 MJ DE/kg (p<0.02) and the efficiency of energy deposition was decreased from 3.2 to 2.8 MJ DE/MJ deposited energy (p<0.01) in the presence of dietary tallow. An increase in the level of fat stimulated the activity of pancreatic lipase up to a constant value of $22{\pm}1.4IU/mg$ protein but conversely depressed the activity of amylase from 300 to 100 IU/mg of protein. The activity of liver acetyl CoA carboxylase and malic enzyme in the perirenal fat were low lind not affected by dietary fat; the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was high. Opposite to that, the activity of acetyl CoA carboxylase and malic enzyme in the perirenal and backfat were higher than in the liver and both were significantly reduced by the inclusion of fat in the diet. A direct deposition of dietary fat has been demonstrated by increasing the energy and lipid content of the empty body weight gain between 7 and 25 kg of live weight, and decreasing the efficiency of digestible energy utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1754-1759
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• 2002

A study was carried out to investigate the nutritive value and utilization of hybrid sorghum and perennial grass species viz. setaria (Setaria anceps) and hybrid napier when intercropped with soybean by growing Jersey crossbred heifers. Fifteen growing crossbred heifers (Jersey${\times}$Red Sindhi) of between 7-10 months age and pre-trial average body weight of 49-50 kg were divided on the basis of weight in to three treatment groups viz. $T_1$-hybrid sorghum+soybean, $T_2$-setaria+soybean and $T_3$-hybrid napier+soybean in a completely randomized block design. Intercropped forages were harvested fresh, chaffed and mixed before they were offered to the heifers. Chemical composition of the herbage, dry matter intake (DMI), body weight gain and nutrient digestibility co-efficients were estimated. The herbage mixtures had crude protein (CP) content in the range of 11.87 to 13.86% and ether extract (EE) contents were 2.91 to 3.11%, respectively. The herbage mixtures were rich in minerals (ash). The gross energy (kcal/g DM) was higher in hybrid napier+soybean, while hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean herbage mixtures had lower value for gross energy. The hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean herbage mixtures had higher contents of NDF, ADF, cellulose, lignin and silica as compared to that of hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture. The heifers fed hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture had significantly (p<0.05) higher $DMI\;g/kg\;W^{0.75}$ ($97.41{\pm}4.34$) as compared to hybrid sorghum+soybean ($88.31{\pm}2.66$) and setaria+soybean ($79.29{\pm}1.06$) herbage mixtures. Nutrients digestibility, DCP percent, DCP intake and nitrogen balance were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the heifers fed on hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture. There was a significant (p<0.05) difference among different herbage mixtures in TDN. The heifers on setaria+soybean herbage mixture had lower average body weight gain (g/day) than those on hybrid sorghum+soybean and hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixtures. Data obtained in this experiment demonstrated that herbage mixture of hybrid napier+soybean was better than hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean herbage mixtures in the nutrition of growing heifers. It had highest nutritive value, better digestibility co-efficients which showed better growth rate and higher feed efficiency. In ranking, hybrid napier+soybean herbage mixture was better followed by hybrid sorghum+soybean and setaria+soybean in nutritive value in the parameters studied. For future wasteland development program in humid-sub tropics of Himachal Pradesh hybrid napier and its intercropping with soybean is recommended for general adoption because of its better adaptability and higher nutritive value.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1719-1724
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• 2002

An investigation was made to evaluate the native range of western India in terms of nutrient supply during different physiological stages in goats. One hundred female and 5 male Kutchi adult goats were grazed on a 35 ha plot of native range. They were maintained on sole grazing. Four experiments, one in a defined physiological stage was carried out. Stage I, when maximum number of females were bred; stage II, when bucks were used for breeding purpose; stage III, 3-months old (weaner) kids were allowed to graze on ranges and stage IV, when the goats were in early stage of lactation. During oestrous period, diet contained 15.2% crude protein (CP), 54.0% neutral detergent fibre (NDF), 31.5% acid detergent fibre (ADF) and 12.6% acid detergent lignin (ADL). Digestibility coefficient of dry matter (DM), CP, NDF and ADF was 0.586,0.531, 0.431 and 0.239, respectively. DM, digestible crude protein (DCP) and metabolizable energy (ME) intakes were $82.7,\;6.71g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $0.99MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$. Diet of buck was constituted by $230g\;kg^{-1}$ DM of grasses and forb and $770g\;kg^{-1}$ DM of tree foliage. CP, NDF, ADF and ADL contents of the diet were 13.6, 57.8, 43.5 and 20.0%, respectively. DM, DCP and ME intakes were $57.9,\;4.13g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $0.82MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$. Digestibility coefficient of CP, NDF and ADF were 0.496, 0.432 and 0.346, respectively. Diet of kids was constituted by Prosopis cineraria ($900g\;kg^{-1}DM$) and Zizyphus nummularia ($100g\;kg^{-1}DM$) leaves. Digestibility of CP, NDF and ADF were 0.456, 0.415 and 0.201, respectively. DM, DCP and ME intakes were $85.8,\;6.44g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $1.22MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$. Lactation phase of goat fell between October-December and tree foliage formed the major portion of the diet. Diet of lactating goat contained only 6.8% CP and 16.5% ADL. Digestibility of DM, CP, NDF and ADF was 0.567, 0.221, 0.307 and 0.233, respectively. DM, DCP and ME intakes were $108.2,\;1.62g\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$ and $1.50MJ\;kg^{-1}\;W^{0.75}$, respectively. Present study establishes that goats on semiarid range with sufficient number of fodder trees were able to meet the nutrient requirement of ewes during oestrous and bucks during breeding season. However, during lactation and active growth phase, only DM requirement is met. Thus, it is recommended to supplement concentrate mixture to goats grazing on range during lactation and growth phase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1309-1314
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• 2003

Growth performance, nutrient digestibility and changes in caecal fermentation pattern was studied on four groups of 8 grower rabbits (soviet chinchilla) each, fed on diets containing 17 to 18% CP and $10.4-11.00MJ\;DE\;kg^{-1}$ feed. The complete diets contained mulberry leaves along with other feed ingredients at 0 (LH), 15 (ML15), 30 (ML30) and 45% (ML45) levels. In LH diet ground lucerne hay was added at 15% of the diet as roughage source. The diets were uniform in other nutritional parameters except the higher amount of hemicellulose (18.7 and 16.5%) in LH and ML15 diets. The performance of grower rabbits was better (p<0.05) on LH and ML15 diets in terms of twelve weeks weight (kg), total gain (g), average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (%). Different levels of mulberry leaves in the diet did not influence the dry matter intake. Digestibility of nutrients for DM, OM, CP, NDF and energy was uniform in all the diets but the digestibility of CF, ADF and cellulose was higher (p<0.01) on ML15, ML30 and ML 45 diets. The hemicellulose digestibility was significantly higher (p<0.01) on LH (44.52%) and ML15 (48.00%) compared to ML30 (33.54%) and ML 45 (39.17%) diets. The nitrogen retention (% of intake) was higher (p<0.05) in LH and ML15 diets than ML30 and ML45 diets. The caecum weight as percent of intestine weight consistently increased (p<0.05) with increasing content of mulberry leaves in diets. Total nitrogen and $NH_3$-N was higher on LH and ML15 diets. It is concluded that incorporation of mulberry leaves can replace Lucerne hay in complete rabbit feed (15% in diet). Even at higher level i.e. 30 and 45% of the diet mulberry leaves based complete feed gave promising results.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.534-541
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma irradiation (${\gamma}$-irradiation) at doses of 15, 30 and 45 kGy on chemical composition, anti-nutritional factors, ruminal dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradibility, in vitro CP digestibility and to monitor the fate of true proteins of full-fat soybean (SB) in the rumen. Nylon bags of untreated or ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB were suspended in the rumens of three ruminally-fistulated bulls for up to 48 h and resulting data were fitted to a nonlinear degradation model to calculate degradation parameters of DM and CP. Proteins of untreated and treated SB bag residues were fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Digestibility of rumen undegraded CP was estimated using the three-step in vitro procedure. The chemical composition of raw and irradiated soybeans was similar. Results showed that phytic acid in ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB at dose of 30 kGy was eliminated completely. The trypsin inhibitor activity of 15, 30 and 45 kGy ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB was decreased (p<0.01) by 18.4, 55.5 and 63.5%, respectively. From in sacco results, ${\gamma}$-irradiation decreased (p<0.05) the washout fractions of DM and CP at doses of 30 and 45 kGy, but increased (p<0.05) the potentially degradable fractions. Gamma irradiation at doses of 15, 30 and 45 kGy decreased (p<0.05) effective degradability of CP at a rumen outflow rate of 0.05 $h^{-1}$ by 4.4, 14.4 and 26.5%, respectively. On the contrary, digestibility of ruminally undegraded CP of irradiated SB at doses of 30 and 45 kGy was improved (p<0.05) by 12 and 28%, respectively. Electrophoretic analysis of untreated soybean proteins incubated in the rumen revealed that ${\beta}$-conglycinin subunits had disappeared at 2 h of incubation time, whereas the subunits of glycinin were more resistant to degradation until 16 h of incubation. From the SDS-PAGE patterns, acidic subunits of 15, 30 and 45 kGy ${\gamma}$-irradiated SB disappeared after 8, 8 and 16 h of incubation, respectively, while the basic subunits of glycinin were not degraded completely until 24, 48 and 48 h of incubation, respectively. It was concluded that ${\gamma}$-irradiated soybean proteins at doses higher than 15 kGy could be effectively protected from ruminal degradation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1632-1638
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• 2016

A study was conducted to compare the endogenous basal losses of phosphorus (EBLP) in pigs fed diets containing gelatin (GEL) or spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) as protein sources and to determine the standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of phosphorus (P) in SDPP. The trial was carried out at the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil. Twelve castrated pigs with an initial body weight of 55 kg were individually allotted in metabolic crates during two 12-day periods, each with 7 days of adaptation and 5 days of total fecal collection. The beginning and the end of the collecting periods were determined according to the marker-to-marker approach, using ferric oxide as an indigestible marker. Pigs were submitted to four semi-purified diets, one being a P-free diet with 30% of GEL as the protein source and three were diets with 10%, 20%, and 30% inclusion of SDPP respectively. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the model included the effects of period, animal and treatments; the results of the three diets with increased levels of SDPP were subjected to linear regression analysis. The intercept of the relation of between ingested P and absorbed P represented the EBLP, while the slope indicated the STTD of P in SDPP. The EBLP means obtained by P-free diet and regression method were compared with the Student t test. The EBLP were 128.95 mg/kg dry matter intake (DMI) and 153.63 mg/kg DMI (standard error = 77.0; p<0.06) using the P-free diet with GEL as the protein source and the regression method, obtained with diets containing increased levels of SDPP, respectively. The apparent digestibility of P was 87.9%, 94.2%, and 92.9% for the treatments containing 10%, 20%, and 30% inclusion of SDPP, respectively. The estimated STTD of P obtained with the linear regression was 97.4%. When the EBLP estimated by the P-free diet was used to corrected the apparent digestibility of P in diets containing SDPP, the STTD of P in SDPP was 96.9%, 98.8%, and 95.9% for 10%, 20%, and 30% SDPP, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that SDPP can replace GEL to estimate the endogenous losses of P. In addition, the STTD of P in SDPP estimated with the P-free diet was 97.2% and it was 97.4% by the regression method, utilizing SDPP.