• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1995

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of activated carbon (AC) on growth, ruminal charateristics, blood profiles and feed digestibility in sheep, using roughage-based or concentrate-based diets. Twelve Suffolk breed of sheep of similar age and weight were distributed into 4 groups in a $2{\times}2$ factorial design. Two groups were fed a roughage-based diet with (R + AC) and without AC (R - AC), while the other two were fed a concentrate-based diet with (C + AC) and without AC (C - AC), respectively. The addition of 0.3% AC was based on dry matter of feed offered to animals. The incorporation of AC in roughage and concentrate based diets had no marked effects on feed intake, daily gain and feed conversion of the animals within experimental diets. The results obtained might be due to the low level of AC added in the diet. The animal on both concentrate-based diets were higher than the roughage-based diets in terms of daily gain and feed conversion ratio. However, it was observed that the animals provided with AC in the concentrate-based diet did not suffer from diarrhea and easily adjusted to high concentrate feeding. Further, the pH value for all diets before feeding was noted to be similar. After feeding, however, pH was shown to be higher in R + AC (p < 0.05) than in C + AC diet. Rumen protozoa number was decreased after feeding for both + AC diets, but in C - AC diet it was higher than in the roughage-based diets. For ammonia-nitrogen, C - AC was found to be higher than C + AC diet and the roughage-based diets before feeding. Total volatile fatty acid concentration, propionate and valerate molar ratios for both diets and time of collection were not affected. However, acetate, butyrate and valerate molar ratios were observed to be affected by diets and time of collections. The diets with AC increased (p < 0.05) before feeding for acetate molar ratio, but not different within diet, however, the roughage diets were found to be higher (p < 0.05) in acetate than the concentrate diet. In the blood parameters, the glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), red and white blood cell (RBC, WBC) counts and packed cell volume (PCV) did not differ within and among the diets. Likewise, the WBC differential count in both diets with either - AC or + AC were similar in trend. However, lymphocyte count was noted to be increased in R + AC than the R - AC diet. The addition of AC in both diets did not affect nutrient digestibilities within diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2017

Objective: In the present study, role of increasing levels of Ecklonia cava (seaweed) supplementation in diets was investigated on growth performance, coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients, serum immunoglobulins, cecal microflora and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs. Methods: A total of 200 weaned pigs (Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire${\times}$Duroc; initial body weight $7.08{\pm}0.15kg$) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments on the basis of body weight. There were 5 replicate pens in each treatment including 10 pigs of each. Treatments were divided by dietary Ecklonia cava supplementation levels (0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, or 0.15%) in growing-finishing diets. There were 2 diet formulation phases throughout the experiment. The pigs were offered the diets ad libitum for the entire period of experiment in meal form. Results: The pigs fed with increasing dietary concentrations of Ecklonia cava had linear increase (p<0.05) in the overall average daily gain, however, there were no significant differences in gain to feed ratio, CTTAD of dry matter and crude protein at both phase I and phase II. Digestibility of gross energy was linearly improved (p<0.05) in phase II. At day 28, pigs fed Ecklonia cava had greater (linear, p<0.05) Lactobacillus spp., fewer Escherichia coli (E. coli) spp. (linear, p<0.05) and a tendency to have fewer cecal Clostridium spp. (p = 0.077). The total anaerobic bacteria were not affected with supplementation of Ecklonia cava in diets. Polynomial contrasts analysis revealed that villus height of the ileum exhibited a linear increase (p<0.05) in response with the increase in the level of dietary Ecklonia cava. However, villus height of duodenum and jejunum, crypt depth, villus height to crypt depth ratio of different segments of the intestine were not affected. Conclusion: The results suggest that Ecklonia cava had beneficial effects on the growth performance, cecal microflora, and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.10.1-10.7
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• 2014

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with citrus pulp, fish by-product, and Bacillus subtilis fermentation biomass on the growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, and fecal microflora of weanling pigs. A total of 180 weaned piglets (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire ${\times}$ Duroc) were randomly allotted to three treatments on the basis of body weight (BW). There were six replicate pens in each treatment with 10 piglets per pen. Dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal-based basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 2.5, and 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product, and B. subtilis fermentation biomass. The isocaloric and isoproteineous experimental diets were fed in mash form in two phases (d 0 ~ 14, phase I and d 15 ~ 28, phase II). Dietary treatments had significant linear effects on gain to feed ratio (G:F) in all periods, whereas significant linear effects on ATTD of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), and ash were only observed in phase I. Piglets fed diet supplemented with 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product, and B. subtilis fermentation biomass showed greater (p < 0.05) G:F (phase I, phase II, and overall) as well as ATTD of DM, GE, and ash (phase I) than pigs fed control diet. Dietary treatments also had significant linear effects on total anaerobic bacteria populations by d 14 and 28. In addition, piglets fed diet supplemented with 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product and B. subtilis fermentation biomass showed greater (p < 0.05) fecal total anaerobic bacteria populations (d 14 and 28) than pigs fed control diet. Dietary treatments had no significant effects (linear or quadratic) on average daily gain (ADG), average dial feed intake (ADFI; phase I, phase II, and overall), or fecal populations of Bifidobacterium spp., Clostridium spp., and coliforms (d 14 and 28). These results indicate that dietary supplementation with 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product, and B. subtilis fermentation biomass has the potential to improve the feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, and fecal microflora of weanling pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1285-1293
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• 2005

The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of various animal and plant protein sources on piglet' performance, digestibility of amino acids and gut morphology in weaned pigs until 28 days after weaning. The plant protein sources used were soybean meal (SBM), fermented soy protein (FSP), rice protein concentrate (RPC); and animal protein sources tested were, whey protein concentrate (WPC) and fishmeal (FM). Iso-proteinous (21%) diets were formulated and lysine (1.55%) content was similar in all the diets. The level of each protein source added was 6% by replacing SBM to the same extent from the control diet containing 15% SBM. The ADG was higher (p<0.05) in the groups fed animal proteins as compared with plant proteins at all the levels of measurement, except during 15-28 days. The highest ADG was noted in WPC and FM fed diets and lowest in SBM fed diet. The feed intake was higher in animal protein fed groups than plant proteins at all phases, but the feed:gain ratio was not affected by protein sources except during overall (0 to 14 day) measurement which was improved (p<0.05) in animal protein fed diets compared to plant protein sources. The digestibilities of gross energy, dry matter and crude protein were higher in animal protein fed groups than for plant protein fed sources. The apparent ileal digestibilities of essential amino acids like Leu, Thr, and Met were significantly (p<0.05) higher in animal proteins fed animals as compared with plant protein fed animals. But the apparent fecal digestibilities of essential amino acids like Arg and Ile were significantly higher (p<0.05) in plant protein diets than animal protein sources. The villous structure studied by scanning electron microscope were prominent, straight finger-like, although shortened and densely located in FM fed group as compared with others. The lactic acid bacteria and C. perfringens counts were higher in caecal contents of pigs fed plant proteins than the animal proteins. Overall, it could be concluded that animal protein sources in the present study showed better effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and gut morphology than plant protein sources.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.284-295
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• 1990

Dietary levels of 0%, 0225%, 0.45% inorganic phosphorus in the form of tricalcium phosphate were included in two different experimental diets, which contains 40% of wheat bran with or without extrusion. It is to examine the effects of extruded wheat bran containing different Bevels of inorganic phosphorus on the performance of broiler chicks, including the nutrient availabilities, compared with that of the diet containing non－extruded wheat bran. The results are as follows； 1. Regardless dietary levels of inorganic phosphorus, the weight gain in general was higher for the groups fed non－extruded wheat bran but little significance was seen between the groups of extruded and the non－extruded. However, the effect of dietary inclusion of inorganic phosphorus on the weight gain was evident and the gain was higher in the groups receiving the higher levies of inorgainc phosphorus but failed to observe the significant difference between the added groups of 0.225% and 0.45% of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that a considerable amount of phytin phosphorus in wheat bran is available to meet the requirement. 2. For the feed intake, there was a tendency for the groups fed extruded wheat bran consuming more feed, compared with that of the non－extruded but little significance was observed. This was also true between the groups of receiving 0.225% and 0.45% inorganic phosphorus t The feed efficiency was improved by the addition of inorgainc phosphorus, but failed to observe the significance between the added groups. 4. The dry matter digestibility was improved in proportion to increasing the levels of inorganic phosphorus for the both groups of extruded and the non－extruded This indicates that addition of extruded wheat bran has little effects on improving the digestibility. 5. Within the added groups of 0.225% and 0.45% inorganic phosphorus, the protein digestibility was increased with including the extruded wheat bran in the diet However, the effect on body weight gain was not evident. 6. The calcium and phosphorus content of tibia was shown the tendency of increasing with increasing the dietary levels of inorganic phosphorus but close correlation with dietary levels of inorganic phosphorus was not noted in tibia contents of calcium and phosphorus.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 2002

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the feeding value of rancid rice bran in finishing pigs. In exp. 1, fresh (FRB), rancid (RRB), pelleted and extruded rice bran were used to determine stability and nutrient digestibility. The free fatty acid (FFA) values of FRB and RRB were 8.2 and 15.3%, respectively. Some of the FRB was pelleted ($70^{\circ}C$) or extruded ($110^{\circ}C$). In exp. 2, a total of 48 pigs ($Landrace{\times}Yorkshire{\times}Duroc$, $51.12{\times}0.5kg$) were employed for a 56-d feeding trial with 3 treatments: Control (defatted rice bran+animal fat), 20% FRB (8.2% FFA), and 20% RRB (15.6% FFA). There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in FFA% between raw and pelleted, and extruded rice bran on d 10 after storage. On d 30 the extruded rice bran showed lower (p<0.05) FFA% than the pelleted one. Dry matter digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in processed rice brans (pelleted or extruded) than raw rice bran (FRB or RRB). Energy and protein digestibilities in extruded rice bran were higher (p<0.05) than those in raw rice brans. The digestibilities of isoleucine, leucine and phenylalanine were lower (p<0.05) in RRB than FRB. Pigs fed diets containing FRB grew faster (p<0.05) and showed better feed conversion ratio (p<0.05) than those fed diets containing defatted rice bran or RRB. Carcass characteristics including dressing percentage and backfat thickness were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatments. With increasing storage time, the raw pork from RRB showed higher (p<0.05) thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and peroxide value (POV) than those from FRB when stored at $1^{\circ}C$ for 3 weeks. Cooked pork showed rapid increase in TBARS and POV as compared to raw pork regardless of rice bran rancidity. As the storage time passed, Lightness (L) was lower (p<0.05) in RRB than FRB. Redness (a) was higher (p<0.05) in control than rice bran groups when stored 2-3 weeks. However, there was no difference (p>0.05) in redness (a) between the two rice bran groups. In conclusion, feeding rancid rice bran gave negative effects on growth performance and pork quality in finishing pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.555-564
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• 2002

Twenty Landrace and twenty Min piglets, with an average initial body weight of 22.4 kg, were randomly divided into 5 groups with 4 animals per group, within each of the breeds. The piglets were housed in individual concrete pens. Each group of the piglets was fed one of 5 diets. The diets contained either 20% raw Argentine soybeans, 20% processed Argentine soybeans ($118^{\circ}C$ for 7.5 min.), 20% raw Chinese soybeans, 20% processed Chinese soybeans ($118^{\circ}C$ for 7.5 min.) or no soybean products (control diet). Faecal samples were collected on days 6, 7 and 8 of the treatment period. Digestibilities of dietary nutrients were determined with AIA (acid insoluble ash) as a marker. After a 17 day treatment, three piglets were killed from each of the groups. Tissue samples of small and large intestine for light and electron microscopy examination were taken immediately after the opening of abdomen. Then, the weight or size of relevant organs was measured. The results show that the digestibilities of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and fat were higher in Min piglets than in Landrace piglets (p<0.05). The diets containing processed soybeans had a significant higher CP digestibility than the control diet and the diets containing raw soybeans (p<0.05). Landrace piglets had heavier and longer small intestines, heavier kidneys and a lighter spleen than Min piglets (p<0.05). The pancreas of the animals fed the diets containing processed soybeans was heavier than that of the animals fed control diet (p<0.05) and the diets containing raw soybeans. But, the differences between raw and processed soybean diets were not significant. A significant interaction (p<0.05) between diet and pig breed was observed in weight of the small intestine. The Landrace piglets increased the weight in their small intestine when they were fed the diets containing soybeans. In the light micrographs and electron scanning micrographs, it was found that the villi of small intestinal epithelium of animals (especially Landrace piglets) fed the diets containing raw Chinese soybeans were seriously damaged. The transmission electron micrograph showed that a lot of vesicles were located between the small intestinal microvilli of these piglets. The histological examination also indicated that the proportion of goblet cells in villi and crypts in the piglets consuming the control diet was significantly lower (p<0.01 and p<0.02, respectively) than those of the animals consuming the diets containing raw or processed soybeans.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.1659-1666
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• 2000

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) and Gliricidia sepium (gliricidia) supplementation on intake, digestion, outflow rates, microbial protein yield and live-weight changes in sheep fed with ammoniated rice straw (ARS). In experiment 1, three rumen cannulated Japanese Corriedale wether (mean body weight of 35.6 kg) in $3{\times}3$ Latin Square Design were used. Animals were fed ad libitum ARS alone, or supplemented with 200 g of either leucaena or gliricidia. In experiment 2, twenty-four growing native Philippine sheep with average body weight of $13.5{\pm}0.25kg$ were used in a completely randomized design (CRD) and offered similar diets to those of experiment 1. Supplementation increased total dry matter intake and nutrient digestibility except for fiber (p<0.05) without affecting ARS consumption. Nitrogen balance revealed that absorbed and retained N was significantly higher in leucaena and gliricidia. The significant improvement in N utilization and more digestible OM intake brought about by the inclusion of leucaena and gliricidia to ARS resulted in increased (p<0.05) microbial N yield. Efficiency of microbial N supply in supplemented group was not significantly different, but higher (p<0.05) than the 24.92 g N/kg DOMR for ARS group. Liquid outflow rate was 7.8 and 6.8 %/h, while the solid phase of rumen digesta was 4.4 and 3.8 %/h for the leucaena and gliricidia group respectively, which were significantly higher than 5.30 and 2.50 %/h in the control diet. The increase in total DMI resulted to higher (p<0.01) growth performance and efficient feed utilization. Average daily gain (ADG) was 19.3, 34.6 and 33.9 g/d for the ARS, leucaena and gliricidia respectively. It is therefore concluded that addition of leucaena and gliricidia to ARS in could increase nutrient intake and digestibility, subsequently improving N utilization and livestock performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.645-652
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• 2000

A total of 80 piglets ($5.18{\pm}0.61kg$ of BW; 16 d of age) were fed experimental diets to evaluate the effect of extruded full-fat soybean (EFS) on the growth of eatly weaned pigs. Pigs were allotted into five treatments based on body weight, in a completely randomized block design. Each treatment has 4 replicates of 4 animals each. Treatments consisted of diets representing substitutional ratios of EFS for soybean meal. 1) 100:0 (SBM), 2) 75:25 (EFS 25), 3) 50:50 (EFS 50), 4) 25:75 (EFS 75) and 5) 0:100 (EFS 100). During phase I (d 0 to 7), piglets were fed diets containing 3,340 kcal ME, 26% crude protein, 1.85% lysine, 1.0% Ca and 0.9% P. For phase II (d 8 to 21), piglets were fed diets supplying 3,340 kcal ME, 23% crude protein, 1.65% lysine, 0.9% Ca and 0.8% P. Urease activity (pH rise) of EFS (0.18) was three times higher than that of SBM (0.06) indicating that processing conditions were not efficient enough to inactivate urease activity. During the first week postweaning, pigs fed SBM had significantly greater average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and better feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to pigs fed FFS diets. Linear negative effect on growth rate was found as the inclusion rate of FFS increased. During d 8 - 21 postweaning, piglets fed EFS 50 diet showed the best ADG and FCR despite no significant difference between treatment SBM and EFS 25 have been observed. Overall, piglets fed diets up to 50% FFS inclusion rate exhibited similar weight gain. Only piglets fed EFS 100 diet showed a significantly decreased growth rate. No other significant effect was found in feed intake and feed conversion ratio. At d 7, dry matter digestibility was higher in pigs fed SBM diet than piglets fed EFS 75 diet (p<0.05) and crude protein digestibility was higher in piglets fed SBM diet than piglets fed EFS 50, EFS 75 and EFS 100 (p<0.05). At d 21, no difference other than in phosphorus digestibility was detected. This indicates that piglets at 21 d postweaning are capable of utilizing nutrients from FFS. No treatment effects were detected in blood metabolites. The data suggests that piglets at 16 d of age are not sufficiently mature to use extruded FFS in their diets. Nevertheless, FFS seemed to be able to replace upto 50% of SBM in weaned piglet diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1455-1463
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• 2006

Effects of different levels of molasses in a concentrate supplement on milk yield of cows grazing Setaria grass pastures were investigated. Thirty Friesian cows, 6-7 years old with mean pre-experimental body weight of $428{\pm}6.5$ kg, in early stage of lactation were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design experiment that lasted for 126 days. Experimental dietary treatments were forage alone and forage/concentrate mixtures with molasses included at 0, 5, 10 or 15% levels designated as $T_1$, $T_2$, $T_3$, $T_4$ and $T_5$, respectively. The parameters studied were voluntary dry matter (DM) intake, average daily live weight change (LWC), milk yield, body condition score (BCS) and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients. The DM and energy contents of Setaria grass were low compared to the concentrate diets. Fibre fractions-NDF, ADF, ADL, hemicellulose and cellulose; and gross energy were higher in concentrate mixtures than in the forage. Total DM intake (forage+concentrate mixtures) was significantly higher (p<0.001) in cows on the concentrate mixtures. LWC was not significantly different (p>0.05) between the cows. Average milk yields were significantly different (p<0.05) between cows. Fat corrected milk (FCM) was similar among cows in the treatments. BCS was better (p<0.001) in cows on concentrate mixtures. Digestibilities of DM, CP, NDF, ADF, ADL, OM, and energy were significantly higher (p<0.001) in cows on $T_2$, $T_3$, $T_4$ and $T_5$ than in those on $T_1$. There were no significant differences in the digestibility of DM, CP, NDF, ADF and ADL (p>0.001) in cows on concentrate mixtures. This study therefore demonstrated that lactating dairy cows in Fiji need a level of readily fermented energy source such as molasses in their diets; however, a level above 10% is not nutritionally suitable for lactating dairy cows. Based on data on production parameters-milk yield, fat corrected milk, body condition score and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients-molasses levels that range between 5-10% are recommended, however, 10% is the best and therefore recommended for inclusion in the concentrate mixture of lactating dairy cows on a basal diet of Setaria sphacelata in Fiji.