Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract (AFE) on in situ degradation of the various concentrates, forages and by-products in Taiwan. The in situ trial was conducted to determine the effect of AFE on the rate of ruminal degradation of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of the various local available feedstuff commonly used for dairy cattle. Two ruminal fistulated cows were arranged into a two by two switchback trial. Two dietary treatments were control without AFE inclusion diet and diet with 3 g of AFE (Amaferm) added daily into the total mixed ration (TMR). Results showed that effect of AFE inclusion on the ruminal degradability of concentrates vary; soybean meal is the most responsive feedstuff, corn is the next, whereas full-fat soybean did not response the AFE inclusion at all. The inclusion of AFE significantly depressed most of the nutrient degradation of the concentrates of soybean meal in the first 12-hour in situ incubation. The effect declined in the next 12 hours. Rapeseed meal showed a different trend of response: addition of AFE improved its NDF degradation. The inclusions of AFE significantly improved ADF degradation of roughage after 24 or 48 hours of incubation. However, corn silage and peanut-vines showed a different trend. Effects of AFE inclusion on the by-products degradability were inconsistent. Most of nutrients in rice distillers grain and some in beancurd pomace did show increased degradation by the AFE inclusion.