• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.86-91
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• 2012

An in vitro rumen batch culture study was completed to compare effects of common grasses, leguminous shrubs and non-leguminous shrubs used for livestock grazing in Australia and Ghana on $CH_4$ production and fermentation characteristics. Grass species included Andropodon gayanus, Brachiaria ruziziensis and Pennisetum purpureum. Leguminous shrub species included Cajanus cajan, Cratylia argentea, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala and Stylosanthes guianensis and non-leguminous shrub species included Annona senegalensis, Moringa oleifera, Securinega virosa and Vitellaria paradoxa. Leaves were harvested, dried at $55^{\circ}C$ and ground through a 1 mm screen. Serum bottles containing 500 mg of forage, modified McDougall's buffer and rumen fluid were incubated under anaerobic conditions at $39^{\circ}C$ for 24 h. Samples of each forage type were removed after 0, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h of incubation for determination of cumulative gas production. Methane production, ammonia concentration and proportions of VFA were measured at 24 h. Concentration of aNDF (g/kg DM) ranged from 671 to 713 (grasses), 377 to 590 (leguminous shrubs) and 288 to 517 (non-leguminous shrubs). After 24 h of in vitro incubation, cumulative gas, $CH_4$ production, ammonia concentration, proportion of propionate in VFA and IVDMD differed (p<0.05) within each forage type. B. ruziziensis and G. sepium produced the highest cumulative gas, IVDMD, total VFA, proportion of propionate in VFA and the lowest A:P ratios within their forage types. Consequently, these two species produced moderate $CH_4$ emissions without compromising digestion. Grazing of these two species may be a strategy to reduce $CH_4$ emissions however further assessment in in vivo trials and at different stages of maturity is recommended.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.147-152
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to obtain an objective index that can be quantified and used for establishing an animal welfare certification standard in Korea. For this purpose rumen pH, ruminating time, milk yield, milk quality, and blood components of cows reared in farms feeding high forage level (90%) and farms feeding low forage level (40%) were compared. Methods: Data on rumen pH, rumination time, milk yield, milk fat ratio, milk protein ratio, and blood metabolism were collected from 12 heads from a welfare farm (forage rate 88.5%) and 13 heads from a conventional farm (forage rate 34.5%) for three days in October 2019. Results: The rumination time was longer in cattle on the welfare farm than on the conventional farm (p<0.01), but ruminal pH fluctuation was greater in the cattle on conventional farm than the welfare farm (p<0.01). Conventional farms with a high ratio of concentrated feed were higher in average daily milk yield than welfare farms, but milk fat and milk production efficiency (milk fat and milk protein corrected milk/total digestible nutrients) was higher in cattle on welfare farms. Blood test results showed a normal range for both farm types, but concentrations of total cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acid were significantly higher in cows from conventional farms with a high milk yield (p<0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that cows on the animal welfare farm with a high percentage of grass feed had higher milk production efficiency with healthier rumen pH and blood metabolism parameters compared to those on the conventional farm.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.139-146
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of microbial inoculant on the quality of round baled grass silage at experimental field of Grassland and Forages Division, National Livestock Research Institute, RDA, Suwon from 1997 to 1998. The experiment was consist of randomized block design with three replications. The treatments were three different inoculant (control, inoculant A, B and C). The contents of ether extract(EE), crude protein(CP) and in vitro dry matter digestibility(IVDMD) in inoculant treatment plots were higher than those in control. Silages treated by Inoculant A, Band C had significantly lower acidity than that of control silage (p<0.05). Dry matter(DM) content of control silage was higher than those of inoculant treated silage. There were significant differences in organic acid contents among treatments(p<0.05). Lactic acid was increased with inoculant treatment, but, acetic and butyric acid was decreased. The DM loss of all silages were decreased with inoculant treatment and quality grade of inoculant treated silage was higher than that of control. Results of this study indicate that addition of microbial inoculant will improve the fermentation and quality of round baled grass silage.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.303-308
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• 2015

Cultivating genetically modified (GM) crops is believed to be a practical solution to meet the increasing food demand, but GM crops are not legal in Korea mainly due to food safety issues. Even though the general public might not be ready to consume GM food, GM crops are imported and consumed as food and feed. To analyze farmers's willingness to grow GM crops for feed, a survey was conducted among crop farmers and 640 valid responses were collected by mail. In the questionnaire, the farmers were asked to select either 'yes' or 'no' if they were willing or not willing to cultivate GM rice and GM grass, respectively, under the given hypothetical income increase rate (i.e., 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or 70%). Logit regression was used to estimate the two dichotomous choices by explanatory variables including hypothetical income increase rate. The results show that farmers are willing to cultivate GM rice and grass when their income is expected to increase by 47% and 43%, respectively.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.217-222
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• 2011

Success in molecular breeding for better adapted varieties to environmental stresses depend upon the concerted efforts by various research including tissue culture, transformation, genetics and breeding. In order to optimize tissue culture conditions of Siberian wildrye grass, the effects of plant growth regulators on callus induction and plant regeneration were investigated with mature seeds. The highest callus induction frequency was observed when the mature seeds were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L 2,4-D. The highest plant regeneration frequency was observed when callus was transferred to N6 medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-D and 3 mg/L BA. Regenerated plants were grown normally when shoots were transplanted to the soil. A short tissue culture period and regeneration system would be beneficial for molecular breeding of Siberian wildrye grass by the production of transgenic plant.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 2003

This pot experiment was conducted to find out the effects of boron application(B$_{0}$; 0.0, B$_1$; 0.2, $B_2$;2.0, $B_3$;6.0, $B_3$;6.0, $B_4$;15.0me B/pot) on the forage performance in the pure and mixed swards of orchardgrass and white clover. This 1st part was concerned with the changes in the growth, flowers and flower buds, and roots/nodules of forages. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. At the $B_3$ and $B_4$ treatments, the B toxicity was more seriously in white clover than in orchardgrass in the first half of cutting orders, and reduced in the latter half. In white clover, it was more worsened in a mixture than in a pure culture. It was somewhat reduced at the best growth stage of each forage. 2. In orchardgrass, the B toxicity($B_3$,$ B_4$) showed the chlorosis on leaf tips, shallow leaf, little tillers, and weak stems. Whereas it showed the chlorosis/necrosis on old leaf edge, little and weak stolons in white clover. 3. Comparing with the B deficiency($B_{0}$ , $B_1$) and toxicity($B_3$, $B_4$), the optimum B application($B_2$) influenced markedly good growth of shoot, root, nodule, and flower (flower number, blooming period, early full flower) in white clover. 4. Comparing with orchardgrass, white clover was greatly influenced by the boron application. However, this responses of white clover to boron were reduced in a grass-clover mixture with additional fertilization. It was recognized that the good forage performance in a grass-clover mixture could be regulated by the adequate applications of boron and additional fertilizers.s.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.309-316
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• 2010

The performance of grass filter strips (GFS) in reducing $PO_4$-P concentrations and soil loss from the forage cropland was tested in an experiment on the 10% slope in Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration (RDA) from October 2007 to September 2009. Forage cropland with rye-corn double cropping system receiving inorganic fertilizer or livestock manure (LM) were compared in a natural condition. The plots were hydrologically isolated in a randomized block layout of 3 treatments $\times$ 2 factors $\times$ 3 replicates. Main plots consisted of the length of GFS, such as $25\;m^2$ ($5{\times}5\;m$), $50m^2$ ($5{\times}10\;m$), $75m^2$ ($5{\times}15\;m$). Sub plots consisted of the type of LM, such as chemical fertilizer (CF), cattle manure (CM) and swine manure (SM). Concentrations of $PO_4$-P in surface runoff water were reduced as the length of GFS increased. Especially, GFS with 10 m and 15 m reduced $PO_4$-P concentrations significantly compared to that with 0 m (p<0.05). However, there was not significant different between $PO_4$-P concentrations of GFS with 10m and that of GFS with 15 m. Moreover, Soil loss in surface runoff water were reduced as the length of GFS increased. GFS with 15 m reduced soil loss significantly compared to that with 5 m and 10 m (p<0.05). The results from this study suggest GFS improve the removal and trapping $PO_4$-P and soil loss from forage cropland.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.198-206
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• 1995

Baled silage making(BS) of selected forage crops was discussed during 1991-1993, to determine the best cutting time of the plants for BS production, BS yields and silage quality. Seven species of forage crops and pasture grasses(rye, barley, spring oat, Italian ryegrass, orchardgrass, alfalfa and grass-legume pasture mixtures) were harvested at different stage of growth from young plant to physiological maturity, and baled in a self constructed square baling chamber. Each bales, measured 90cm length, 60cm width and 50cm height, were wrapped with 0.05mrn thick polyethylene plastic film, and stored in stack silo. Each bales were weighed between 15-20 kg in dry matter basis. The effects of pre wilting and formic acid addition on the silage quality of young plant materials, which contained high water concentration, was also evaluated during the experiment. Rye plant including of barley and spring oat were evaluated as a good materials for baled silage making. Fodder rye produced high quality BS with a value of silage quality point 84(Flieg's point) when the plant harvested at stage of greatest dry matter accumulation by 12.64 tonha. The best quality BS of barley was obtained at stage of hard dough to yellow stage by 11.9 ton/ha dry matter yield and 81 point silage quality. Italian ryegrass and pasture grasses including of orchardgrass, alfalfa and grass-legume pasture mixtures procuced also high quality bale silage by harvesting at stage of late blooming. However pre witting operation and formic acid addition was required for BS production of grass materials because of high water contents. Water contents of Italian ryegrass and other pasture species ranged 18.9%(Italian) to 20.8%(alfalfa). Silage quality point of Italian BS harvested at late blooing was increased from 72 to 88 by 1/2-one day pre wilting and 0.3% formic acid treatment. Silage quality of young plant materials of rye and other forage crops, barley and spring oat were also improved markedly through the pre wilting treatment and formic acid addition.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.75-86
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• 2002

Adequate forage amounts in ruminant animal are necessary for proper ruminal function in dairy cow. This study was carried out to determine the effect of total mixed fermentation feeds made by different green forage crops and grain processings on chemical compositions, RFV (relative feed value) and ruminal characteristics in sheep. The experiment was arranged in a split plot design with 4 replications. The main plot consisted of 6 kinds of green forages (corn, grass, rye, rape, alfalfa and oat) and the sub plots three different grain processings such as non-milling, half milling (7mm mesh over), and regular milling (7mm mesh below). And the different TMFFs (total mixed fermentation feeds) were analyzed for chemical composition and fed to 8 ruminally fistulated sheep for ruminal charactics and palatability. RFV, daily feed intake, acetate/propionate ratio of the rape-TMFFs were higher compared with the other treatment. Ruminal content of VFA (volatile fatty acid) of corn-TMFF was highest as 90.19 mmol% and pH of the feed was lowest as 3.82. But, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid were no difference among treatments. In conclusion, the effect of grain proceeding was not appeared but if consider of only RFV, palatability and dry matter disappearance, grade of TMFF was improved in order of rape-, corn-, alfalfa-, grass-, oat- and rye-TMFF.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.330-341
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• 2014

Andropogon gayanus is an important grass due to its high biomass production, drought tolerance and favorable growth on low fertility acidic soils. Currently, there is little research on the impact of growth stage on the nutritional quality or the degree of $CH_4$ production that may arise from this forage during ruminal fermentation. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of regrowth stage of A. gayanus on its chemical composition, in vitro production of gas and CH4, as well as in vitro dry matter (DM) digestibility when grown under tropical Brazilian conditions and conserved as hay or as silage. The nutritional value of A. gayanus grass declined with increasing maturity; however digestible DM yield linearly increased. After 112 d of regrowth, A. gayanus produced higher quality silage (higher lactate and lower pH and butyrate content) and higher DM yield. However, the low levels of crude protein at this time would make protein supplementation a necessity for proper rumen fermentation. No differences in $CH_4$ kinetic parameters were found with advancing maturity or preservation method (hay or silage).