• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.352-356
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• 2002

One hundred-fifty lactating, multiparous cow at post-peak of lactation were used to examine the effect of dietary yeast supplementation on milk production, milk composition and ruminal fermentation. The cows were randomly allocated to three groups of fifty cows each: a control group fed on a basal diet without yeast supplementation and two groups fed on basal diets supplemented with one of two commercial sources of yeast cultures, given at the rates of 15 g/head/d ($YC_1$) and 50 g/head/d ($YC_2$), respectively, as per manufacturers' recommendation. Daily milk production was recorded for all cows, while milk samples were taken randomly from ten cows per group for two consecutive days at two-week intervals for chemical analysis of the milk. Rumen fluids were also analyzed for ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids. The results indicated that cows consuming diets supplemented with yeast culture tended to decrease their dry matter intake and to increase their milk yield. Cows fed $YC_2$ supplemented diet produced more milk and 4% fat corrected milk than those fed either $YC_1$-supplemented diet or the control. The highest milk fat percentage was obtained in cows fed $YC_2$ supplemented diet while the highest percentages of protein, lactose, total solids and solids not fat were recorded in cows fed $YC_1$. Rumen ammonia nitrogen concentration decreased significantly after yeast culture supplementation. Molar proportion of volatile fatty acids did not change significantly with yeast supplementation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.467-472
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• 2004

Eight primiparous Holstein cows, in late lactation (255$\pm$10 days in milk) and yielding 10.3$\pm$1.3 kg/d of 4% fat corrected milk (FCM) were allocated into two groups randomly. Two diets containing 30% wheat straw either untreated (UWS) or treated with Pleurotus ostreatus (FTWS) were offered as total mixed ration (TMR). In vivo digestibility of the diets was determined, using acid insoluble ash as a marker. Daily milk production was recorded and milk samples were collected and analysed. Diet FTWS resulted in significantly (p<0.05) higher dry matter intake (DMI) (12.2$\pm$0.86 vs. 10.6$\pm$1.3), DM digestibility (58.8 vs. 52.3) and milk yield (9 vs. 7.5 kg). Milk fat contents were 34.2 and 35.6 g/liter that did not differ between cows fed treated or untreated straw. However, the concentrations of lactose, solid non fat, total solids and milk protein for diets UWS and FTWS were 57.3 and 54.9, 98.9 and 93.2, 134.5 and 127.4, 35.7 and 32.3 g/l, respectively, which differed significantly (p<0.05). The average body weights gain (BWG) for UWS and FTWS were 272 and 743 g/d, respectively (p<0.05). The FCM yield per kg of DMI was similar (0.68 and 0.67 liter) for the two groups, but BWG/kgDMI was higher in the FTWS diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.230-238
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• 2011

Effects of cooling and supplemental recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on hemato-biochemical characteristics were studied at different stages of lactation of crossbred Holstein Friesian cows in a tropical environment. Ten primiparous cows were divided into two groups of five animals each. The first group was housed as the non-cooled animals in an open-sided barn with a tiled roof in a normal shaded house (NS), while the second group was housed as cooled cows in an open-sided barn with a tiled roof under misty fan cooling (MFC). Three injections with rbST (500 mg per dose) at each stage of lactation (early, mid and late lactation) significantly increased total milk yield as compared with pretreatment in both cooled and non-cooled cows. Milk fat was significantly increased, while total solids, solid not fat, milk protein and lactose were not affected by the rbST treatment. Hematological parameters, plasma proteins, albumin, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), plasma inorganic phosphate and the activities of plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were not affected by supplemental rbST in cooled and non-cooled cows. Supplementation of rbST caused a significant decrease in plasma urea concentration, while plasma FFA concentrations significantly increased in both cooled and non-cooled cows. The results of the present study suggest that exogenous rbST is efficacious in increasing milk yield without adverse effects on lactating crossbred Holstein cows in a tropical environment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.895-900
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• 1999

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of incorporating wet sorghum distiller's grains (WSDG) as part of their diet on the lactating performance of dairy cows. Twenty-seven Holstein milking cows were selected, all in the early lactating stage, with an average weight of 550 kg, and producing an average of 30 kg of milk daily. The cows were divided into three groups according to milk yield and lactation and were fed different total mixed rations. The diets were formulated according to NRC (1989) recommendations in three rations to (1) control diet, (2) 15% WSDG diet and (3) 30% WSDG diet. The three different diets were all formulated as iso-nitrogen and iso-energetic diets. After one week adaptation period, the experimental feeding was conducted for 8 weeks. Three ruminal cannulated cows were also examined in order to investigate ruminal fermentation of the three total mixed rations. The results showed that the milk yield, as corrected to the 4.0% fat standard, had no significant difference among the control, 15% WSDG and 30% WSDG treatment groups (p>0.05). The daily dry matter intake of the control group was higher than the other groups (p<0.05). with respect to milk composition, milk fat, milk protein and total solids, there was no significant difference among the treatment groups (p>0.05). The energy efficiency of the 30% WSDG group were significantly higher than the other treatment groups (p<0.05). Ruminal pH value showed no difference among the treatment groups (p<0.05). Ammonia-nitrogen concentration in the control group was higher than the other treatment groups (p<0.05). The concentration of total ruminal volatile fatty acid was similar in all three dietary groups.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1007-1014
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• 2019

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the fermentation characteristics under low mesophilic temperature of spent instant coffee ground (SICG) and to estimate the effect of fermented SICG (FSICG) as alternative feed ingredient on milk productivity of dairy cows. Methods: In the fermentation trial, fermentation of SICG was performed to investigate changes in characteristics using the microbial mixture (Lactobacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Bacillus subtilis = 1:1:1) for 21 days at $20^{\circ}C$ under anaerobic conditions. Molasses was added at 5% of dry mass. In the animal trial, eighteen Holstein Friesian cows were used to evaluate the nutritive value of the FSICG which was fermented for 14 days under the same condition as the fermentation trial. Results: In the fermentation trial, the dry matter (DM) and organic matter content linearly decreased with fermentation time (p<0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively). The acid detergent insoluble nitrogen content linearly decreased with fermentation time (p = 0.037). The microorganism counts linearly increased for Lactobacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Bacillus subtilis across fermentation time (p<0.001). In the animal trial, the DM intake of the control and FSICG treatment were not significantly different, as were milk yield, 4% fat corrected milk, fat-protein corrected milk, and feed to milk conversion content. Fat, protein, lactose, non-fat solids, milk urea nitrogen, and somatic cell counts were also not significantly different in milk composition between treatments. Conclusion: FSICG should be considered a sufficient substitute for cottonseed as a feed component, and 5% DM of a dietary FSICG level was appropriate for dairy cow diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.311-319
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• 2012

This study examined the effects of supplementation of fish oil and canola oil in the diet on milk yield, milk components and fatty acid composition of Holstein dairy cows in early lactation. Eight multiparous early lactation Holstein cows ($42{\pm}12$ DIM, $40{\pm}6kg$ daily milk yield) were fed a total mixed ration supplemented with either 0% oil (Control), 2% fish oil (FO), 1% canola oil +1% fish oil (FOCO), or 2% canola oil (CO) according to a double $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Each period lasted 3 wk; experimental analyses were restricted to the last week of each period. Supplemental oils were added to a basal diet which was formulated according to NRC (2001) and consisted of 20% alfalfa, 20% corn silage and 60% concentrate. Milk yield was similar between diets (p>0.05), but dry matter intake (DMI) was lower (p<0.05) in cows fed FO diet compared to other diets. Milk fat percentage and daily yield decreased (p<0.01) with the supplementation of fish and canola oil. The daily yield and percentage of milk protein, lactose and solids-not-fat (SNF) were not affected by diets (p>0.05). The proportion (g/100 g fatty acids) of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) decreased and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased (p<0.05) in milk of all cows fed diets supplemented with oil. The proportions of 6:0, 8:0, 10:0 12:0 and 14:0 fatty acids in milk fat decreased (p<0.01) for all diets supplemented with oil, but the proportions of 14:1, 16:0 and 16:1 fatty acids were not affected by diets (p>0.05). The proportion of trans(t)-18:1 increased (p<0.01) in milk fat of cows fed FO and FOCO diets, but CO diet had the highest proportion of cis(c)-11 18:1 (p<0.01). The concentration of t-10, c-12 18:2, c-9 t-11 18:2, 18:3, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) increased (p<0.05) in FO and FOCO diets in comparison with the other two diets. These data indicate that including fish oil in combination with canola oil significantly modifies the fatty acid composition of milk.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.607-614
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• 2016

The objectives of the study were to estimate genetic parameters for milk production traits of Holstein cattle using random regression models (RRMs), and to compare the goodness of fit of various RRMs with homogeneous and heterogeneous residual variances. A total of 126,980 test-day milk production records of the first parity Holstein cows between 2007 and 2014 from the Dairy Cattle Improvement Center of National Agricultural Cooperative Federation in South Korea were used. These records included milk yield (MILK), fat yield (FAT), protein yield (PROT), and solids-not-fat yield (SNF). The statistical models included random effects of genetic and permanent environments using Legendre polynomials (LP) of the third to fifth order (L3-L5), fixed effects of herd-test day, year-season at calving, and a fixed regression for the test-day record (third to fifth order). The residual variances in the models were either homogeneous (HOM) or heterogeneous (15 classes, HET15; 60 classes, HET60). A total of nine models (3 orders of $polynomials{\times}3$ types of residual variance) including L3-HOM, L3-HET15, L3-HET60, L4-HOM, L4-HET15, L4-HET60, L5-HOM, L5-HET15, and L5-HET60 were compared using Akaike information criteria (AIC) and/or Schwarz Bayesian information criteria (BIC) statistics to identify the model(s) of best fit for their respective traits. The lowest BIC value was observed for the models L5-HET15 (MILK; PROT; SNF) and L4-HET15 (FAT), which fit the best. In general, the BIC values of HET15 models for a particular polynomial order was lower than that of the HET60 model in most cases. This implies that the orders of LP and types of residual variances affect the goodness of models. Also, the heterogeneity of residual variances should be considered for the test-day analysis. The heritability estimates of from the best fitted models ranged from 0.08 to 0.15 for MILK, 0.06 to 0.14 for FAT, 0.08 to 0.12 for PROT, and 0.07 to 0.13 for SNF according to days in milk of first lactation. Genetic variances for studied traits tended to decrease during the earlier stages of lactation, which were followed by increases in the middle and decreases further at the end of lactation. With regards to the fitness of the models and the differential genetic parameters across the lactation stages, we could estimate genetic parameters more accurately from RRMs than from lactation models. Therefore, we suggest using RRMs in place of lactation models to make national dairy cattle genetic evaluations for milk production traits in Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1383-1389
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• 2004

The nutritive value and utilization of whole crop rice silage (WCRS), Hamasari, at yellow mature stage was determined by three studies. In first study, chemical composition, in vivo digestibility and metabolizable energy (ME) content of WCRS was determined by Holstein steers. WCRS contains 6.23% CP, its digestibility is 48.4% and estimated TDN is 56.4%. Its ME content was 1.91 Mcal/kg DM. Gross energy (GE) retention (% of GE intake) in steers is only 22.7% most of which was lost through feces (44.7% of GE intake). It takes 81 minutes to chew a kg of WCRS by steers. In another study, the effect of Hamasari at yellow mature stage at three stages of lactation (early, mid and late lactation) and two levels of concentrate (40 or 60%) on voluntary intake, ME content and ME intake, milk yield and composition using lactating Holstein dairy cows were investigated. Total intake increased with the concentrate level in early and mid lactation, but was similar irrespective of concentrate level in late lactation. WCRS intake was higher with 40% concentrate level than with 60% concentrate. ME intake by cows increased with the concentrate level and WCRS in early lactating cows with 40% concentrate can support only 90% of the ME requirement. Milk production in accordance with ME intake increased with the increase in concentrate level in early and mid lactating cows but was similar in late lactating cows irrespective of concentrate level. Fat and protein percent of milk in mid and late lactating cows were higher with for 60% concentrate than 40%, but reverse was in early lactating cows. Solids-not-fat was higher with for 60% concentrate than 40% concentrate. Finally in situ degradability of botanical fractions such as leaf, stem, head and whole WCRS, Hamasari at yellow mature stage was incubated from 0 to 96 h in Holstein steers to determine DM and N degradability characteristics of botanical fractions and whole WCRS. Both DM and N solubility, rate of degradation and effective degradability of leaf of silage was lower, but slowly degradable fraction was higher compared to stem and head. Solubility of DM and N of stem was higher than other fractions. The 48 h degradability, effective degradability and rate of degradation of leaf were always lower than stem or head. In conclusion, voluntary intake of silage ranged from 5 to 12 kg/d and was higher with low levels of concentrate, but milk yield was higher with high levels of concentrate. Fat corrected milk yield ranged from 19 to 37 kg per day. For consistency of milk, early lactating cows should not be allowed more than 40% whole crop rice silage in the diet, but late lactating cows may be allowed 60% whole crop rice silage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 2015

Anaerobic digestion is an efficient and renewable energy technology that can produce biogas from a variety of biomasses such as animal manure, food waste and plant residues. In developing countries this technology is widely used for the production of biogas using local biomasses, but there is little information about the value of these biomasses for energy production. This study was therefore carried out with the objective of estimating the biogas production potential of typical Vietnamese biomasses such as animal manure, slaughterhouse waste and plant residues, and developing a model that relates methane ($CH_4$) production to the chemical characteristics of the biomass. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) and biomass characteristics were measured. Results showed that piglet manure produced the highest $CH_4$ yield of 443 normal litter (NL) $CH_4kg^{-1}$ volatile solids (VS) compared to 222 from cows, 177 from sows, 172 from rabbits, 169 from goats and 153 from buffaloes. Methane production from duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) was higher than from lawn grass and water spinach at 340, 220, and 110.6 NL $CH_4kg^{-1}$ VS, respectively. The BMP experiment also demonstrated that the $CH_4$ production was inhibited with chicken manure, slaughterhouse waste, cassava residue and shoe-making waste. Statistical analysis showed that lipid and lignin are the most significant predictors of BMP. The model was developed from knowledge that the BMP was related to biomass content of lipid, lignin and protein from manure and plant residues as a percentage of VS with coefficient of determination (R-square) at 0.95.This model was applied to calculate the $CH_4$ yield for a household with 17 fattening pigs in the highlands and lowlands of northern Vietnam.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.625-636
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• 2005

This study was conducted to determine effects of different ratios (3.5, 3.0 and 2.5) of nonfibrous carbohydrate (NFC) to ruminally degradable protein (RDP) on in vitro fermentation and lactation performance of dairy cows and optimum ratio of NFC to RDP in dairy rations. In vitro trial was conducted up to 12 hr with ruminal fluidtaken from ruminally cannulated Holstein cows. The level of dietary NFC did not affect ruminal pH. The ammonia-N concentration was not significantly different among treatments until 6 hr incubation, however, it was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased as the ratio of dietary NFC to RDP increased on 9 and 12 hr incubation. For volatile fatty acids, concentrations of both acetate and propionate were significantly (P < 0.05) increased on 3 hr incubation as dietary NFC contents of treatments increased, in other incubation times, they had no significant differences among treatments. Valerate and A:P ratio were not affected by the ratio of NFC to RDP. Isoacids and total VFAs were significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increasing dietary NFC contents and their values were highest in the treatment of 3.0 ratio. Meanwhile, for in vivo trial, 18 Holstein lactating cows were allotted to treatments in three groups of 6 cows. They were employed for 24 weeks to investigate nutrient intakes, and milk yield and composition according to different ratios of dietary NFC to RDP. Intakes of dry matter and energy were significantly (P < 0.01) increased, but NDF intake was significantly (P < 0.01) decreased as the ratio of dietary NFC to RDP increased. Milk yield for the ratio of 3.5 (32.7 kg) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of other treatments. Milk fat (%) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for the treatments of 3.0 (3.79 %) and 2.5 (3.79 %) than that (3.48 %) for the ratio of 3.5, but milk fat yield was not different among treatments. Contents and yields for milk protein and solids-not fat were linearly (P < 0.01) increased as the ratio of dietary NFC to RDP increased. However, milk urea nitrogen concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased with increasing dietary NFC levels. Our results showed that the increasing level of NFC in the diet of dairy cows enhanced ruminal fermentation, N utilization and milk production and suggested that maximal fermentation and lactation performance were achieved when the dietary ratio of NFC to RDP was more than 3.0 in dairy rations.