• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.2008-2020
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary corn resistant starch (RS) on the intestinal morphology and barrier functions of broilers. Methods: A total of 320 one-day-old broilers were randomly allocated to 5 dietary treatments: one normal corn-soybean (NC) diet, one corn-soybean-based diet supplementation with 20% corn starch (CS), and 3 corn-soybean-based diets supplementation with 4%, 8%, and 12% corn resistant starch (RS) (identified as 4% RS, 8% RS, and 12% RS, respectively). Each group had eight replicates with eight broilers per replicate. After 21 days feeding, one bird with a body weight (BW) close to the average BW of their replicate was selected and slaughtered. The samples of duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum digesta, and blood were collected. Results: Birds fed 4% RS, 8% RS and 12% RS diets showed lower feed intake, BW gain, jejunal villus height (VH), duodenal crypt depth (CD), jejunal VH/CD ratio, duodenal goblet cell density as well as mucin1 mRNA expressions compared to the NC group, but showed higher concentrations of cecal acetic acid and butyric acid, percentage of jejunal proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells and delta like canonical Notch ligand 4 (Dll4), and hes family bHLH transcription factor 1 mRNA expressions. However, there were no differences on the plasma diamine oxidase activity and D-lactic acid concentration among all groups. Conclusion: These findings suggested that RS could suppress intestinal morphology and barrier functions by activating Notch pathway and inhibiting the development of goblet cells, resulting in decreased mucins and tight junction mRNA expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.220-225
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• 2000

A general household survey was carried out in the village of Sonoageng in East Java, Indonesia with the aim to assess their socio-economic status, and the crop and livestock production system prevailing in the area. Of the households interviewed (164), 52% are landless, 35% own land or have a combination of own and shared land, and 12% do not own land but have access to land by sharing. Nearly two thirds (65%) of the households raise cattle; most of them own animals, 8% reared shared animals only. The dominant crop was rice; other crops grown were soya bean, groundnut, maize and sugar cane. Nearly half (47%) the household income was derived from off-farm work (non-agricultural activities), 33% from crops, 13% from livestock (mainly cattle), and 7% from agricultural labour. Most households kept 1 to 2 animals and only 21 out of 164 households earned more than Rp. 500,000 (~250 US$) per annum from livestock. The most prevalent type of livestock production in the area could be characterized as small-scale cow/calf operation, either by landless households or those with <0.4 ha of land.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.496-501
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• 2012

Thirty-five available feeds were fermented in vitro in order to investigate their soluble total organic carbon (TOCs) and methane ($CH_4$) production rate. A fermentation reactor was designed to capture the $CH_4$ gas emitted and to collect liquor from the reactor during in vitro fermentation. The results showed that $CH_4$ production rate greatly varied among feeds with different ingredients. The lowest $CH_4$-producing feeds were corn gluten feed, brewer's grain, and orchard grass among the energy, protein, and forage feed groups, respectively. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in digestibility, soluble total organic carbon (TOCs), and $CH_4$ emissions among feeds, during 48 h of in vitro fermentation. Digestibility and TOCs was not found to be related due to different fermentation pattern of each but TOCs production was directly proportional to $CH_4$ production (y = 0.0076x, $r^2$ = 0.83). From this in vitro study, TOCs production could be used as an indirect index for estimation of $CH_4$ emission from feed ingredients.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 2004

This study evaluated the impact of an AI heifer calf rearing scheme on dairy stock development, in a coconut grazing and a peri-urban smallholder dairy production system in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. The heifer rearing scheme included free advice on calf rearing, drugs, acaricides, minerals and subsidised concentrates for 30 months. The farmers in the coconut growing area integrate dairying with their plantation, they sell their milk to the main processors. The peri-urban farmers are intensive milk producers, who sell their milk at informal markets. To estimate the effect of the heifer rearing scheme on dairy replacement stock development, scheme farmers were compared with farmers who did not participate in the scheme. Calf mortality was twice as high in non-scheme farms (23-28%) as in scheme farms (12-14%). The scheme had a positive effect on weight development and scheme heifers calved 4.5 months earlier than non-scheme heifers. The calf rearing package is cost effective in both farming systems, however, the required cash inputs are a major constraint. The costs per in-calf heifer under the scheme are much lower than the production of such animals by either multiplication in state farms or importing them. The coconut grazing system showed the highest potential for producing surplus dairy stock.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 1995

This paper describes small ruminant production systems in dry areas of Pakistan. Formal and informal surveys had identified that poor feed resources, as a result of harsh climatic conditions, is a major factor responsible for low sheep and goats production. In view of their recommendations, use of approaches like supplemental feeding and pasture production through an introduction of improved forage species in the country, are reviewed. The improvement in sheep production and associated socioeconomic benefits, are discussed.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.13.1-13.5
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• 2014

The production performance of multiparous lactating Sahiwal cows (n = 24) was evaluated according to both milking frequency and method. Selected animals were randomly divided into four groups containing six animals each under a completely randomized design. Cows in groups A & B were milked by the hand milking method three times per day, respectively. Similarly, cows in groups C & D were milked by the machine milking method two and three times per day, respectively. All animals were maintained under uniform feeding and management conditions. Dry matter intake was high in animal groups milked three times per day, and it remained unchanged between the hand and machine milking methods. Milk yield was higher (P < 0.05) in cows milked three times compared to those milked twice per day, and it did not differ between hand and machine milking methods. Milk fat percentage was higher (P < 0.05) in cows milked twice per day compared to those milked three times using both machine and hand milking methods. The percentage of total solids showed a similar pattern as the fat percentage. However, percentages of protein, lactose, and non-fat solids in milk were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among the treatment groups. Collectively, the results show that milking three times per day instead of twice at 8-hour intervals can enhance milk yield in Sahiwal cows using both hand and machine milking methods.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.517-522
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to compare in vitro gas production kinetics, metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and microbial protein (MP) production of widely used legume hays in ruminant nutrition in Turkey. Gas production were determined at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h and their kinetics were described using the equation p = a+b ($1-e^{-ct}$). There were significant differences among legume hays in terms of chemical composition. The crude protein content of legume hays ranged from 11.7 to 18.6% of dry matter (DM); crude fat from 2.1 to 3.5% DM; neutral detergent fiber from 35.6 to 52.0% DM; acid detergent fiber from 32.0 to 35.5% DM and acid detergent lignin 1.7 to 11.0% DM. Total gas production after 96 h incubation ranged between 61.67 and 76.00 ml/0.200 g of substrate. At 24, 72 and 96 h incubation the total gas production for common vetch were significantly (p<0.01) higher than those of the other legume hays. The ME, OMD and MP of legume hays ranged from 9.09 to 11.12 MJ/kg DM, 61.30 to 75.54% and 90.35 to 138.05 g/kg DM, respectively. The ME, OMD and MP of common vetch was significantly (p<0.01) higher than those of the other hays due to low cell-wall contents and high crude protein. At the end of the experiment, differences in chemical composition of legume hays resulted in the differences in the in vitro gas production, gas production kinetics and the estimated parameters such as ME, OMD and MP. Common vetch can be recommended to hay producers and ruminant breeders, due to high ME, OMD and MP production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1061-1065
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• 2015

Data collected from 690 purebred Duroc pigs from 2009 to 2012 were used to estimate the heritability, and genetic and phenotypic correlations between production and meat quality traits. Variance components were obtained through the restricted maximum likelihood procedure using Wombat and SAS version 9.0. Animals were raised under the same management in five different breeding farms. The average daily gain, loin muscle area (LMA), backfat thickness (BF), and lean percent (LP) were measured as production traits. Meat quality traits included pH, cooking loss, lightness ($L^*$), redness ($a^*$), yellowness ($b^*$), marbling score (MS), moisture content (MC), water holding capacity (WHC), and shear force. The results showed that the heritability estimates for meat quality traits varied largely from 0.19 to 0.79. Production traits were moderate to highly heritable from 0.41 to 0.73. Genotypically, the BF was positively correlated (p<0.05) with MC (0.786), WHC (0.904), and pH (0.328) but negatively correlated with shear force (-0.533). The results of genetic correlations indicated that selection for less BF could decrease pH, moisture content, and WHC and increase the shear force of meat. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was recorded between average daily gain and WHC, which indicates pork from faster-growing animals has higher WHC. Furthermore, selection for larger LMA and LP could increase MS and lightness color of meat. The meat quality and production traits could be improved simultaneously if desired. Hence, to avoid further deterioration of pork characteristics, appropriate selection of traits should be considered.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.542-549
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• 2009

An in vitro study was conducted to determine the effect of nitrate-nitrogen used as a sole dietary nitrogen source on ruminal fermentation characteristics and microbial nitrogen (MN) synthesis. Three treatment diets were formulated with different nitrogen sources to contain 13% CP and termed i) nitrate-N diet (NND), ii) urea-N diet (UND), used as negative control, and iii) tryptone-N diet (TND), used as positive control. The results of 24-h incubations showed that nitrate-N disappeared to background concentrations and was not detectable in microbial cells. The NND treatment decreased net $CH_4$ production, but also decreased net $CO_2$ production and increased net $H_2$ production. Total VFA concentration was lower (p<0.05) for NND than TND. Suppression of $CO_2$ production and total VFA concentration may be linked to increased concentration of $H_2$. The MN synthesis was greater (p<0.001) for NND than UND or TND (5.74 vs. 3.31 or 3.34 mg/40 ml, respectively). Nitrate addition diminished methane production as expected, but also increased MN synthesis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.617-627
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• 2018

Environmental stressors like pathogens and toxins may depress the animal immune system through invasion of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) tract, where they may impair performance and production, as well as lead to increased mortality rates. Therefore, protection of the GIT tract and improving animal health are top priorities in animal production. Being natural-sourced materials, phytochemicals are potential feed additives possessing multiple functions, including: anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-viral and antioxidative properties. This paper focuses on immunity-related physiological parameters regulated by phytochemicals, such as carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, curcumin, and thymol; many studies have proven that these phytochemicals can improve animal performance and production. On the molecular level, the impact of inflammatory gene expression on underlying mechanisms was also examined, as were the effects of environmental stimuli and phytochemicals in initiating nuclear factor kappa B and mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathways and improving health conditions.